Welcome to the Program

[airlockedmods]

[Each Champion is awoken by an alarm ringing from a machine attached to their non-dominant arm. Whatever they were doing, whatever state they were in, they're in a bed now, in good health. And maybe a bit different since the last time they looked in a mirror.

There's a text note on the device attached to their arms.]

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

[Your surroundings look like your normal everyday space mall. But if you look at the functions of the device on your arm, there's Not-so-familiar profiles, some rules, and a mini-map that'll show you the layout of the mall.

You are free to explore at your leisure...For an hour, at least.]

Comments

[everylittlesecret]

[Rosemary smells too much like soap to her, take them all.]

No. And I don't think I care much for the reason. It's much more preferable to other types of settings that a kidnap victim could find themselves in.

[power_of_dominance]

True, except for this.

[He holds out his left arm and taps the PIP with his other hand.]

They're grafted into us, as far as I can tell. I've never seen anything like it.

[everylittlesecret]

[Doesn't look too concerned about hers.]

Yes, but from what I can tell, they are monitors. And the proper terms are cuffed, inserted or anchored. Grafting implies that it's been melded to your skin in a way that it's supposed to become a part of you. These can be removed, even if we can't do it ourselves.

[power_of_dominance]

Right. Um, whatever you want to call it, it's freaky.

[He scuffs his toe into the floor a little. What's casual conversation, and can you have it when you've clearly been kidnapped?]

Um... I'm Soma. What should I call you?

[everylittlesecret]

[Casual conversation went out the window a long time ago.]

Generally I am called Miss Librarian or Miss Reno, but if everyone here is a captive of some sort, formalities can be sidelined. Nari is fine.

[power_of_dominance]

Nari? Okay, thank you. Well, do you remember anything from right before you woke up here?

[everylittlesecret]

Leaving my house for a mini-vacation. And not in these clothes.

[power_of_dominance]

I feel like we've been thrown into some kind of weird game show, but I don't remember signing up for anything. Maybe whoever kidnapped us has some kind of weird fetish?

[everylittlesecret]

Kinkshaming isn't very polite. I'm sure they'll tell us why we're here sooner or later.

[power_of_dominance]

I didn't know I was kinkshaming... um... okay, changing that whole line of thought. You're really calm considering we have no idea what's going on.

[everylittlesecret]

Calling a fetish weird is already a way of shaming it. [Shrugs] Why panic about something you can't control? You're more likely to die if you do.

[power_of_dominance]

Panic is also a natural human reaction, though. Not many people can control it, especially under circumstances like this.

[everylittlesecret]

I'm not very good at being like other humans. Panic does not happen easily. But don't rely on me to be a rock, if the situation looks bad, I'm out.

[power_of_dominance]

Because you don't know or really care about any of us.

[He's charged into battle in defense of friends both old and brand new, so he's not the best judge. But that's his choice, he doesn't expect anyone else to be that reckless.]

I get it. If that's how you feel, I'm not going to hold it against you. But if you need someone... ask, okay? It's not that bad to rely on others sometimes.

[everylittlesecret]

Even if I knew or cared, first and foremost is my own safety. That's one thing I learned early in life, and sorry not sorry, I wouldn't even die for my own family.

[Sounds rough, but that's how life rolls.]

If I ever get desperate enough to talk to others, that'll be the end of me.

[power_of_dominance]

We all have our own priorities. Selfish or saintly, and anything in between, we have to do what we think is right. Like I said, I don't hold it against you, even if my own path is different. So long as you're not trying to kill any of us, I'll leave you be.

[everylittlesecret]

Fine by me. And none of you are worth killing anyways. [She gets up to go back in the kiosk.] Bye.