actually lived within the halls of Valhalla. Light streamed from huge, thick, curved windows, which wrapped around the length of the mess and cast bright colors across it. Hundreds of tables sat within the massive area, each seemingly given as much space as the place he and Clara shared. There were two entrances to the mess, and along the far wall he could see lines of Adepts waiting to pass through the kitchens. Adjacent to the mess lines sat a door marked as the ‘Officer’s Mess’, closed off from the clattering hall.
Hundreds of Adepts filled the room, all of them laughing and talking. Some were eating or waiting in the mess lines, but others played games and joked. It was clear that this place was the social hub of the city. In the far corner, groups of Adepts gathered around and played a strange game that used no dice or cards, but a board.
Janu s’ curiosity was piqued, but his rumbling stomach reminded him of his immediate purpose. A feminine voice called out to him, “Janus!”
He turned to see Celes standing by one of the tall windows of the mess, waving to him. Behind her, he could see Marcus, Lyn and Ramirez were already scarfing down their meals, replenishing their spent energy reserves.
Celes ran over to meet him, “Ready to eat?”
“I think that’s the idea,” Janus said dryly. Celes gave him a pouting look and he quickly changed tact, “I wonder what they have? I’m not used to getting my meals like this.” The line ahead of the pair moved at a rapid clip. He picked up a fork, holding it by the tines, “What is this?” he asked.
Celes looked skeptical, “You’ve never seen a fork?”
“A fork? No, why?”
“How did you eat?”
“Hands work perfectly well,” Janus answered succinctly.
“Oh,” Celes said, pausing, “Where are you from?”
Janus shifted uncomfortably, “Cerberus Corporation.”
Celes waited a few moments for him to add to his statement, and then changed the subject, “Here we go, now we can see what they’ve got—” she stopped as they approached a cafeteria style buffet line, “Wait—what is that?” Celes asked, looking alarmed and pointing at a quivering grey mass that was in the first dish.
“Passers!” Janus exclaimed, “This is great!”
Celes had a disconcerted look on her face, “What?”
Now it was Janus who gave Celes a strange look, “You don’t know what Passers are? Where are you from?” Celes pursed her lips and looked down. Janus waved it off, “Not important.” She smiled.
“Actually, Passers are an acronym,” he explained. “P.S.R. Prepared Security Rations. They’re a high-protein plant derivative. It’s cooked and mixed with different flavorings to create different meals. See – the brown stuff there, that’s called spaghetti sauce; I understand it’s supposed to taste like something called tomatoes. And the long white noodles must be the high-fiber variety. And the orangey blocks, that’s called Salmon. That’s always good.”
Celes looked incredulously at the multicolored blocks, “I can see why they got their name.”
Janus began loading up his tray, while Celes hesitantly poked a few of the different foods with her fork. He smiled, “Here, take this.” He handed his tray to her, and took hers, loading it up with a little bit of every food in the line. “Now you can try everything and see what you like.”
Celes smiled and nodded, “I suppose I’m willing to try anything once.” Her smile disappeared as she looked back down at the quivering mass.
Janus followed Celes as she made her way back to the table where Ramirez, Marcus, and Lyn were waiting. The three looked up in surprise at Celes’ tray, which was almost teetering over with food.
“Hungry?” Lyn asked.
“I’ve never had pass…er, PSRs before, so I’m trying everything to see what I like.”
“Really?” Lyn said. “Ramirez and I would trade for Passers
Hundreds of Adepts filled the room, all of them laughing and talking. Some were eating or waiting in the mess lines, but others played games and joked. It was clear that this place was the social hub of the city. In the far corner, groups of Adepts gathered around and played a strange game that used no dice or cards, but a board.
Janu s’ curiosity was piqued, but his rumbling stomach reminded him of his immediate purpose. A feminine voice called out to him, “Janus!”
He turned to see Celes standing by one of the tall windows of the mess, waving to him. Behind her, he could see Marcus, Lyn and Ramirez were already scarfing down their meals, replenishing their spent energy reserves.
Celes ran over to meet him, “Ready to eat?”
“I think that’s the idea,” Janus said dryly. Celes gave him a pouting look and he quickly changed tact, “I wonder what they have? I’m not used to getting my meals like this.” The line ahead of the pair moved at a rapid clip. He picked up a fork, holding it by the tines, “What is this?” he asked.
Celes looked skeptical, “You’ve never seen a fork?”
“A fork? No, why?”
“How did you eat?”
“Hands work perfectly well,” Janus answered succinctly.
“Oh,” Celes said, pausing, “Where are you from?”
Janus shifted uncomfortably, “Cerberus Corporation.”
Celes waited a few moments for him to add to his statement, and then changed the subject, “Here we go, now we can see what they’ve got—” she stopped as they approached a cafeteria style buffet line, “Wait—what is that?” Celes asked, looking alarmed and pointing at a quivering grey mass that was in the first dish.
“Passers!” Janus exclaimed, “This is great!”
Celes had a disconcerted look on her face, “What?”
Now it was Janus who gave Celes a strange look, “You don’t know what Passers are? Where are you from?” Celes pursed her lips and looked down. Janus waved it off, “Not important.” She smiled.
“Actually, Passers are an acronym,” he explained. “P.S.R. Prepared Security Rations. They’re a high-protein plant derivative. It’s cooked and mixed with different flavorings to create different meals. See – the brown stuff there, that’s called spaghetti sauce; I understand it’s supposed to taste like something called tomatoes. And the long white noodles must be the high-fiber variety. And the orangey blocks, that’s called Salmon. That’s always good.”
Celes looked incredulously at the multicolored blocks, “I can see why they got their name.”
Janus began loading up his tray, while Celes hesitantly poked a few of the different foods with her fork. He smiled, “Here, take this.” He handed his tray to her, and took hers, loading it up with a little bit of every food in the line. “Now you can try everything and see what you like.”
Celes smiled and nodded, “I suppose I’m willing to try anything once.” Her smile disappeared as she looked back down at the quivering mass.
Janus followed Celes as she made her way back to the table where Ramirez, Marcus, and Lyn were waiting. The three looked up in surprise at Celes’ tray, which was almost teetering over with food.
“Hungry?” Lyn asked.
“I’ve never had pass…er, PSRs before, so I’m trying everything to see what I like.”
“Really?” Lyn said. “Ramirez and I would trade for Passers
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