Welcome to the Program

[airlockedmods]

Good Morning, Champions. In the interest of maintaining healthy sleep patterns, a day/night cycle is in effect. Your presence is expected in the cafeteria in exactly one hour.

[The voice comes through not a large speaker, but through the device that's attached to each Champion's arm. Further investigation of the features of the device will reveal a list of profiles, a mini-map, and a list of rules. The hallways are shiny white and silver, with running lights along the floor and lights on the ceiling, and at the junction of the hallways is a sign with a knife and fork icon and an arrow pointing down the hall.

Welcome to the Excellence Program, Champions. Time to get to know your teammates.]

Comments

[discalibur]

Yes, they do have armor. They have two different modes. The Masked Form is bulkier and more defensive. The Rider Form, though, is much faster. Plus, it possesses the Clock Up system, which is its true power. That allows someone to move at a speed much, much faster than any human ever could.

I myself fight with a sword in addition to that.

[playthedamncard]

And you fight these worms?

[discalibur]

I do. I intend to be the one to eradicate them for good.

[playthedamncard]

What sort of enemy are they?

[discalibur]

Bipedal bug-like monsters, around human size. They're able to move at a high speed and are even capable of mimicking the appearance of humans.

They're incredibly dangerous. All they seem to care about is destruction.

[Worms are listed as one of his dislikes, but perhaps the word hatred is more accurate, considering his tone when he speaks of them.]

[playthedamncard]

[...Okay this is not a version of Japan he's familiar with.] Where did they come from? It sounds like science fiction.

[discalibur]

[Yeah, just wait.]

They came from a meteorite that struck Shibuya seven years ago. How or why that happened is a mystery.

[playthedamncard]

Shibuya? That doesn't match up to anything I've ever heard.

[discalibur]

No? It's hard to imagine someone not hearing about it...

[playthedamncard]

I hate...to even contemplate asking this, but what year is it for you?

[discalibur]

2006. With less than a month to go before the new year, to be precise.

[playthedamncard]

And everything you've told me, the suits and worms, are these common knowledge?

[discalibur]

The meteor strike is, of course.

[Can't really uh. cover that up.]

But everything else? No.

[playthedamncard]

Why not? Surely military forces from around the world would want to combat such a dangerous enemy.

[discalibur]

I don't really know the reasons for it. All I know is that a certain organization has taken it upon themselves to handle the problem.

[playthedamncard]

Are they affiliated with any known government? Company? Don't tell me they just appeared out of the blue to take control of the situation.

[discalibur]

It wouldn't surprise me if ZECT has connections to the Japanese government, but I'm not aware of all the details. They're secretive and I only worked with them on a freelance basis.

I believe their main work outside of this is technology development. But their history has never been important to me.

[playthedamncard]

You should always know as much as you can about someone you work with, especially on something so vital.

[discalibur]

They helped me kill more Worms. That's really all I care about.

[playthedamncard]

That seems shockingly single-minded of you. [Says someone whose traits call him obsessive.]

[discalibur]

Maybe so, but I don't really care. I have my goal. Everything else is secondary.

[ZECT only matters as long as it's useful to that goal.]

[playthedamncard]

And your goal is to eradicate the worms, no matter the cost. So long as someone is able to help you in that, it doesn't matter who they are?

[discalibur]

Precisely, yes.

Is that a problem?