Titanomachy (IC)

[Mormarth]

Alexandra Gray
Location: Sea of UNKNOWN – Zeus High School (5th Floor – Martial Arts Clubroom)
Time: Day 3 – Afternoon

Gwendoline shifted a bit, jaw working slightly over words that wouldn't form, feelings that wouldn't form themselves into coherence.

I frowned, gesturing with one hand, she shook whatever it was off and moved to address what else I had to say.

“Are… you sure? I- I don’t think she’d feel comfortable with me in there…”

"Well, honestly, I don't anyone's going to be feeling super comfortable in the middle of some terrible jungle, but," I shrugged, "She's going to have to get over it eventually, an' that fact that she decided to come means that, at least to me, she knows I'm right."

I slouched against the wall, "Won't deny it'll hurt her feelings, they've already been hurt because she exposed a part of herself she didn't want anyone to see, but... That's not the kinda thing you keep bottled up inside forever, had to come out sometime."

I nodded firmly, "I think it'll be good for her, she wants to prove herself, to herself, to others, to you, it's... something I kinda get."

I looked at her, "You, ah, had something you wanted to say? Looked like you were mullin something over."

I popped myself off the wall, stretching slightly, "We can walk and talk, have a bit of a cooldown."

[Zagrin]

Bill Stars
Location: Sea of UNKNOWN – Zeus High School (Cafeteria)
Time: Day 3 – Afternoon

Bill raised an eye at the assortment of trinkets that has just been deposited on his table and then at the courier whom had delivered it. Someone he'd never seen before and even now didn't care to learn who he was. Not paying much mind to the youth's haggard appearance, he picked up on of the rings lying on the table and took a look over it.

Nope, to him there didn't seem to be anything special about it other than the fact it was made out of silver.

"So ignoring the fact you look like you've just seen a ghost what's up with all these knickknacks?"

As if not bothering to even wait for an answer, he went and put one of the rings on his left ring finger although nothing seemed to come of it.

"Better yet, what's the catch? A man doesn't just walk on up to a total stranger and give him a pile of jewelry and expect nothing in return, so let's hear it."

[Airen]

Rika Griffin
Location: Sea of UNKNOWN – Zeus High School (The Usual Spot)
Time: Day 3 – Noon

Now that I'm free, the urge to really cut loose is so overpowering that I almost do it reflexively, without really thinking about it. If we're gonna fight, if they're so determined to make this a big scene, then I'll drag them to my world and we'll see how much they like being at the whims of someone else.

I almost do it.

Reaching deep down inside of myself, I grasp the key, the hand of the other me in the mirror, and I slowly push the door open, this time meaning to open it all the way, when-

Suddenly, I find myself participating in a stand off, Bryanna vs Camilla, gun vs knife, and for an instant, I hesitate...

Then...

"..."

Decide to wait.

One more strike, and I won't leave until every gang member here is unconscious and bleeding.

[MssrNeko]

Adam Baumer
Location: Sea of UNKNOWN - Zeus High School (Cafeteria)
Time: Day 4 - Morning

Damn that was a weird dream Adam thought as he shoveled food into his mouth. The dream from earlier didn't feel like anything he'd dream about normally, his dreams were usually more simple like him winning "World's Strongest Man" award while women fawned at his legs. Adam shakes his head to clear out the daydreams. Twiddling with his food, Adam thinks about what to do with his day. Handing in his food tray, Adam exits the food court noticing a few stares in his direction. Gossip about his embarrassing venture was probably circulating the school like wild fire thanks to Lisbeth. Adam couldn't care less though as he walked towards the exercise room.

Adam runs into a familiar face in the hallway, her predatory features at ease but the memories of her shark-like grin still swimming in his mind. "S'up, Sally?" Adam says in a tone of fuck-what-was-her-name-again. "What are you doing round here?"

[I3uster]

Rita Lin
Location: Sea of UNKNOWN – Zeus High School (The Usual Spot)
Time: Day 3 – Noon

It was incredibly disorienting. I bet this was how all those faded junkies felt like when they fell asleep on the metro, suddenly waking up and having not the slightest idea of where they ended up in. The last few days I saw some crazy shit but that didn't mean I was prepared for anything to happen at any moment. I needed a few seconds to think about this.

Camilla evidently didn't.

Yeah, putting lethal force against our magic boy here would surely not compel him to do stupid shit like doing the same stuff with us out of the goddamn window. What's with these hillbilly fucks? Probably too used to having the finger on the trigger with no one around to contest them on this shit. No fucking thinking, just barking all day until all your problems go away.

Well guess what, good chunk of this goddamn mad house turned into superheroes. This shit doesn't fly anymore. And if they fuck up and I'm the last one standing in this schoolyard rumble then it's going to be my fault.

Not going to let that happen.

Everybody here needs to chill the fuck out, and the good doctor has just the right stuff for this.

"You know what, maybe we should all think before we do anything rash here."

I removed my gloves, took a breath and focused. It was time to act.

My head still hurt a bit. Trying to really understand the signals that it gave me and parsing them wasn't easy. These superhero tricks were not a natural part of our body after all. Some of the other guys seemed to be a lot more attuned to theirs, but mine was a bit more cerebral than moving fast and punching shit. This was something beyond the unsophisticated measuring sensors the human body had. A new sense entirely.

I put my hands into the air, signaling no intent to fight. Not really a lie.

And it was in that second that my new sense told me something no other human would be able to tell by themselves.

Nitrogen. Oxygen. Water. Argon. Carbon Dioxide.

No surprises, and not enough time to focus on the trace elements. We're going to work with what we have here.

LSD wasn't exactly our main market. Stuff wasn't really profitable anymore, more of an enthusiast thing. Still saw somebody trip on that shit once. He came to the same conclusions a lot of these fuckups did. 'We're all just, like, vibrations, man, part of the same organism.'

Not entirely untrue. All matter was in the end just matter. The closer you came to the absolute miniature scale, small enough that we can more often than not theorize more than we can know, everything is in the end just matter.

You just needed something to convert it with.

Beats punching dudes every day.

I rest my face on my sleeve as inconspicous as possible and try my best not to breathe.
With just a touch, a good part of the air everybody in here breathed became enriched with a chill-the-fuck-out mix of 3-Methylfentanyl and Halothane.

Good night.

Wiseup

Spiritual Power: Curie's Magic Touch

An extraordinarily useful power that allows the user to analyze the composition of whatever she is touching. Allows for the usage of materials won from defeated monsters or found in the general environment as it grants understanding of magic properties. If used on a monster far exceeding her power it might result in averse effects like Self loss as she is unable to comprehend its true nature. Can also be used in combat to gain knowledge over certain weaknesses, especially if said weaknesses are structural or bound to temperature.
[Identify: Allows to identify the properties of materials and items found in the Warped World. Costs 10 SP. Some items and materials can cause loss of Self or other adverse side-effects when identified. Once identified, an item or material might be able to form part of a recipe.]
[Monster Identify: When touching someone, Rita is able to identify most of its Attributes, as well as their physical Perks. She is also able to notice any sort of physical weakness of the Monsters, if based on their structure or temperature or etc. Costs 20 SP. May cause Self-loss or other consequences.]

Invocation: Cracking Crooked

Augments her Spiritual Power massively, now allowing it to rearrange the composition of whatever she is touching into a chemical element or component of her choice. Can only be applied to non-organic material and thus can not be used on enemies (unless they are animated non-organic matter), however the end product can be an organic compound. Converted elements retain their mass and can not be shaped according to her will (though converting a solid into a gas will naturally let it expand, and converting a lighter material into a heavier one will crunch it)

[Plue]

Eilian Aubrey
Location: Sea of UNKNOWN – Zeus High School (5^th Floor - Chemistry Laboratory)
Time: Day 3 –Noon

This is... ridiculous.

Every cog meshing together, every tooth ticking at just the right time the to generate this scene before her. There was nothing wrong with how this worked out. What perfect madness that she wanted nothing to do with. For once she could be happy with her place on the outside of the workings.

"As pleasing as the resolution that there will be no murdering of our fellow students today I do still need to collect supplies for the expedition."

Eilian's words are directed to her new team leader, but loud enough to be heard easily enough.

"If you would excuse me then." A polite sounding phrase, but she is hardly asking permission.

She has nothing to lend to this fight and is merely another target, far better to remove herself and do something productive. The hands of time wait for no one, and certainty not for this silly posturing.

[Kuroyuki]

Kyle Dunn
Location: Sea of UNKNOWN – Zeus High School (Kyle's Room)
Time: Day 4 – Morning

After the disaster of my attempt to recruit Ludmilla, I was right about one thing. I did end up getting someone to follow me that night... Just not the person and kind of following that I wanted. Instead I ended up getting our leader to follow me to learn how to use EMT techniques to save people's lives. While I personally went through it once already, teaching it to this jock was something. He was great at football, but that really really didn't apply to this. The only thing I'll give is the fact that he was at least trying his hardest.

By the time, we hit about halfway it was very late. I want to say something like three in the morning. So I was surprised when I didn't find him still sleeping, but instead using his power nonchalantly for drying his hair. We get what is essentially super powers and he uses it to dry his hair. All I can think is a certain famous quote about super powers and its usage.

"Ever heard of 'great power comes great responsibility" at all? Because I'm finding it hard to find the responsibility in using your power just like that."

[Bloble]

Jordan J. Jones
Location: Sea of UNKNOWN – Zeus High School (Kyle's Room)
Time: Day 4 – Morning

"Y'know, they might say that," Jordan said as he brushed his fingers through his short hair, which was getting close to needing a trim. "But c'mon, man. We both know Superman totally just flies to Hawaii for vacations instead of paying for a plane. What's the point in having super powers if you can't have some fun with it? Ain't like I'm gonna use 'em up or anything."

Finally satisfied with the quick wash, Jordan finished adjusting his shirt and pivoted on a dime, grinning at Kyle as if they hadn't just stayed all night studying. "C'mon, Dunn. It's time to smooth things over with 'Milla. Just remember what your Supreme Big Boss taught you and she'll be begging for your... uh, smarts."

[Erlkonig]

Masaki Tomomi
Location: Sea of UNKNOWN – Zeus High School (Dorms – Elizabeth & Gwendoline's Room)
Time: Day 3 – Afternoon

"That's good." Tomomi whispered faintly, relief seeping from her voice. Her description of a cell sounded strange, but it probably had been just a strange, delirious dream. "Heh. If you healed fast, then it was because of Ms. Millia. She's the nurse here, remember? Her power apparently lets her do that to people. If she wasn't here..." Tomomi shook her head at the thought, wanting to avoid that thought desperately.

"Anyways!" Tomomi leaned towards Lizzie on her seat, looking with an expression that went halfway from hesitation to friendliness. "I know you're confused about this stuff, but we're planning on heading out of the school- Just for some hours, and only to scout the surroundings. There was actually a huge meeting organized by the student council to decide what to do, and in the end we made up our mind that we wouldn't just sit still while all this chaos happened."

She started fidgeting, then. "I know that with everything that happened this must seem strange to you, maybe even scary... But the truth is that you're one of the most experienced people in this school, and healing powers like yours are... Rare, at best." She looked down at this, guilt flooding in even as she began her pitch. Why had she even come here? Because Lizzie was useful? She'd almost gotten her killed twice...

"I can understand if you don't want to go with me... The truth is you've had to pay for my mistakes twice already... And there's nothing more I can say about what's gone between us. But I do know one thing- I'm not going to sit here and wait for something to change, because things will only get worse then. And..." Tomomi looked at her old rival, gulping even as she knew that it was the truth. "We need you, Lizzie. Not just because of this survival thing- I said that I wanted us to start anew, and I really meant that. We can't ever forget what happened, but I told you that I'd already forgiven you. So that's why... Now I'm the one with a debt to pay."

With a spurt of courage, Tomomi boldly decided to grasp Lizzie's hand with her own. "I promise, Lizzie. I won't let you get in harm's way for my sake again. That's why, join me. I will protect you."

[Snax]

Sarah Vale
Location: Sea of UNKNOWN - Zeus High School (Cafeteria)
Time: Day 4 - Morning

"Thats Sarah for you, Banana-for-brains. I've been drilling holes through rocks last night, so who knows, I might grow some rock-hard teeth at one point. Turn into a real shark and bite you, maybe. Nyahaha-"

Sarah was chewing on another of her hidden snacks, a stick of venison, but her stock of foodstuffs was now falling to an all-low and it was probably a good moment to consider restocking on anything possible. And anything meant anything, really - even monster meat might be a thing, who knows.

"Anyway, where's your buddy? I don't think I've seen Jordan about today, which is odd."

[Kuroyuki]

Kyle Dunn
Location: Sea of UNKNOWN – Zeus High School (Kyle's Room)
Time: Day 4 – Morning

"Superman actually would buy a ticket to Hawaii. He's probably the best rule follower when it comes to super heroes you know. So regardless of how much easier it would be for him to fly there, he would buy a ticket then use it... Unless like there's an incident with the plane or something."

Then he turned around like he was posing for a shot. I swear I even saw that so called protagonist sparkle. Then again, he was the leader of the school's scouting group chosen as the default leader by the student council. Then even voted in by a majority of the enhanced humans. It would be hard to not call him the 'protagonist' of our school.

"Before apologizing. I need to shower first. I don't need to give myself more of a handicap than what I've already given myself."

With said I motioned for him to get out of my bathroom so I could take my shower. Afterwards, we'll head over to Ludmilla's room so that I can apologize and try again.

[Airen]

Rika Griffin
Location: Sea of UNKNOWN – Zeus High School (The Usual Spot)
Time: Day 3 – Noon

Someone is using all of their spirit power at once.

I had been willing to let this stop here, for everyone to just cease fire, come to an agreement about not screwing each other over anymore, and then just going our separate ways, but inevitably, someone decides they want to push things for a victory for their side, and well, at this point...

I'm just going to do this to be contrary.

I once again find myself in that odd white room the other me is always standing in, and just like always, she has her eyes hidden by her hair and her hand outstretched to me, once again calling, telling me to go ahead and just open the gate already. I had already been on edge, waiting for someone to try something exactly like this, and thus, as I breathe in something that seems like some sort of poison, I decide that even if the other me always being pretty damn insistent that I open the gate is really suspicious, I decide to roll the dice and bet on myself for once.

Sketchy or not, she had never actually done anything other than help me before, and since the one trying to knock me out is a member of a gang that had just tried to openly murder me...

Yeah... At this point...

Even suspicious mirror me is a safer bet...

Please don't pass out.



I'll do my best, but no promises~

With the last of my mental strength, I do what the other silver haired me had been urging me to do all along, and push open the gate behind my eyes as far open as I can, and it's only after I do so that I wonder...

What really is the "mirror," anyway...

Why was the gate even closed?

Did I do that?

Or did I just have the key?

The world around me shatters and is reborn. Breaking apart piece by piece, and being rebuilt just as fast, the only ones spared from the complete overwriting of their existence are those who are alive.

I don't have time to really study it, the world around me changing to it's reflection beyond the gate, my body is getting pretty heavy, but I take a step towards the entrance anyway, focusing on the point far beyond the back of the one doing this...

It was very important...

That the spot she appeared was as far away from the assailant as possible...

Showing up in here wouldn't... Help... Anything...

I'll try to let you loose for a bit, so don't let them tie us up, suspicious me...

Spiritual Power

Replication Eye ~ Shattered Mirror Gaze

[Mirror Rika – Creates a clone of Rika that is [...] Cost: 55 SP]

Invocation

Replication World ~ Broken Mirror Field

A power that removes the limits on Replication Eye, and allows Rika to drag her opponents into the “Mirror World,” creating a situation of literal “Bullet Hell.” While her normal power copies “individual things,” and has an origin point of 'herself' (the attacks come from her general direction) the mirror field variation takes everything she can see, and imposes the “reflection” of it all over the real world, forcing the opponent to fight in a world that looks identical to the one they were just in, but is different because it is “controlled,” by Rika. As everything in this space but the people pulled in is a reflection, and Rika controls the reflections, attacks can come from everything inside the world, while precise control becomes impossible because of the scale, the fact that it creates a situation where the world itself is trying to crush her opponent more than makes up for it.

[Bloble]

Jordan J. Jones
Location: Sea of UNKNOWN – Zeus High School (Kyle's Room)
Time: Day 4 – Morning

"Alright, alright, Superman's a boring shithead. But Batman's super power is money and he still wastes it on stupid parties, so I win." Unwilling to cede the point about super powers, Jordan retreated from Kyle's room, but not before...

"Yo Dunn, think fast."

...chucking a premium brand of body wash at the other boy with all the finesse of a guy who'd spent years playing football and still couldn't throw properly.

"I know you smart dudes have too much brainpower to think about shit like hygiene, so try this on for size. Chicks won't be able to keep their hands off of you 'cus you'll smell like you actually do sports."

And with that, he went off to scrounge up some breakfast from the cafeteria before Kyle finished, and maybe get his morning jog in at the same time. Having super powers was awesome, no matter what anyone said about it.

Fifteen minutes later...


Location: Sea of UNKNOWN – Zeus High School (Ludmilla's Room)
Time: Day 4 – Morning

"Alright, Dunn." Jordan gestured to the door, his arms folded beside him and a grin radiating off of his face. A morning person to the end. "Let 'er rip. Ask if you can come in and say what a terrible, terrible person you were. Remember: if she's still mad at you, you're only fucked for a while, not forever."

"And don't forget to knock."

[Kuroyuki]

Kyle Dunn
Location: Sea of UNKNOWN – Zeus High School (In Front of Lidmilla's Room)
Time: Day 4 – Morning

"Oh yes. I'm clearly going to kick down her door with my puny legs. Or better yet. I'll turn myself into a bishop so I can blast it down. OF COURSE I'm going to knock. I didn't knock last time because you were leaning on the door."

Having finally said my piece. I calmed myself down and knocked on the door. I'll let her say something before I start my groveling for forgiveness. Let it be said that I never took care of my subjects and allies. The things I'll do for them to be safe is a lot more than I would like.

[arkturus]

Harry Blackfield
Location: Sea of UNKNOWN – Zeus High School (The Usual Spot)
Time: Day 3 – Noon

Oh fuck fuck fuck fuck.

What have I done to deserve this? Why is there a knife pressed against my throat? This humble Harry just wanted to break up this fight between his beloved schoolmates, including the shady gang members.

This is why I left Brooklyn.

Suddenly a peculiar feeling enveloped me. I could feel an immense "presence" in front of me swell to immense proportions and then seemingly return. Was someone else in this room using their power? I scanned the other people scattered around the room. It could have been any one of them.

However, the feeling of anxiousness that was building disappeared, to be replaced by, strangely enough, a feeling of complete giddiness. A sort of relaxed giddiness that grew stronger each passing moment. Colors began to enter my vision, bright and vibrant. Sounds became crisper. A whole ensemble of scents that I never knew engulfed me.

Oh my fucking God, am I getting high?

My shoulder lightens as Alice slides off onto the floor. She seemed to be having a grand old time.

"Weeee," she giggled, "again Master, again!"

I bend over to chuckle and bump into the now sluggish arm that loosely held a knife. I turn around and see a slightly dazed cute girl attached to the knife-wielding arm. Her. She was the one holding me hostage!

However it's quite fortunate that I am, second only to being an entertainer, a gentleman. Even when--nay--especially when faced with adversity, a gentleman must always be courteous. This young lady and her friends...we merely got off on the wrong foot.

If I learned anything from my mentor David Blaine, it was any sort of social blunder could be easily fixed with an amusing occurrence, such as a magic trick. Surely now would be the best time to take advantage of such advice from my mystical guru.

"Miss...such a rough and dangerous object hardly suites the hand of a beautiful lady such as yourself."

I reach over to grasp her hand and twist it over. My lips brush the back of her hand and--PRESTO--instead of a knife, the girl's hand now held a single pink camellia flower. I quickly and stealthily hide the knife in my sleeve. Such a simple trick could easily be done even under the influence.

"Much better," I laugh as a wave of dizziness hits me. My legs give out and I join my rabbit friend on the ground.

"And for my next trick...I'll make the whole audience dishappear...."

My mumbling devolves to a slur as my consciousness fades to black.

[Dranes]

Arthur MacKnight
Location: Sea of UNKNOWN – Zeus Approach (Copse)
Time: Day 3 – Afternoon

Pain assailed Arthur but he couldn't dwell on it, in the end it hadn't worked.

For a brief moment he had managed to regain control but that was all it was, a moment. Whatever it was had already recovered, this time making sure the same trick wouldn't work again...it was far from mindless it seemed. He wasn't going to get a break, that much was obvious and the fresh taste of his own blood only made it worse...and yet he was so close. All he needed was one more good knock it felt like, just one more shock would do it.

Another foot forward. He was steadily exiting the forest.

...Well it's not like he had much of a choice.

At least it should hurt less than his last plan.

His body would move another step but with a jolt to his body he moved his other leg.

It moved enough to get in front of the other. This should work, he'd trip himself over his own legs...but whether this was enough was another question entirely.

[MssrNeko]

Adam Baumer
Location: Sea of UNKNOWN - Zeus High School (Cafeteria)
Time: Day 4 - Morning

Adam shrugs his large shoulders. Jordan didn't return last night for whatever reason Adam didn't care for.

"Probably helping someone out like he's black Jesus," Adam jokes. Jordan always wanted to help everyone whenever he could, even if it is at his own expense. Adam lost count of how many times Jordan would arrive late to practice or a game because he was busy being a shining knight. He was lucky that he was the star running back on the team, otherwise his butt would have been kicked to the curb ages ago. Not that it mattered since he would have just rejoined again because he's damn good at his position. It would be a cold day in hell before Adam admitted to be jealous of Jordan's speed and agility.

Adam shakes his head of the useless thoughts crowding his mind. He looks at Sarah and a spark of heat causes him to turn away slightly.

"I thought you two were gonna go somewhere? Eh, whatever. I'm heading to the weight room," Adam mumbles as he passes past the predatory girl. A strange thought crosses his mind, maybe egged on by a peculiar interest. "Hey," Adam turns around to Sarah. "Wanna join? Could use an exercise buddy."

[Snax]

Sarah Vale
Location: Sea of UNKNOWN - Zeus High School (Cafeteria)
Time: Day 4 - Morning

"Sure, why not. Despite my looks, I have wrestled bears before. And sometimes won. And eaten them."

Grinning devilishly, the hunter girl trotted besides the huge banana man.

"Well, just don't be surprised at what my work-out clothes look like though. Mwahahaha-"

Joking as they neared the weight room, Sarah jumped into the girls locker room and took out a change of her own workout clothes - well, they weren't too different from the others, but these revealed her arms and legs in full, objective to her usual gymwear of full jerseys that hid her body.

In fact, all her scars from her past tussles, mauls and hunts were in full view. Most of them were hidden under her tribal tattoos which she had put on her body after each significant kill which now covered most of her torso and limbs, but still, looking carefully, one could see how each challenge could have been a life or death situation.

Having finished changing, she hopped into the weight room, waiting for Adam to come in. In the meantime...

She looked around the weights, juggling a few of them in her boredom.

[MssrNeko]

Adam Baumer
Location: Sea of UNKNOWN - Zeus High School (Weight Room)
Time: Day 4 - Morning

Adam quickly changes his clothes in a happier mood. Exercising by his lonesome wasn't as fun nor as rewarding since some exercises, no matter how fit a person was, required another person to safely perform. But most importantly, no one in the football team could really keep up with Adam and his exercise routines. While Sarah looked like she was pretty fit, Adam doubted her fitness was on his level but is entertaining the idea of helping her grow. Chuckling to himself, Adam pulls on his gym shirt and exits the changing room.

And is dumbstruck at the sight of Sarah casually juggling barbell weights like they were foam balls.

The sight that really caught Adam's attention was how Sarah looked in her exercise wear. The customized clothes emphasized her lithe figure, the arms and legs of her shirt and pants cut short to show off her toned limbs. The graceful yet precise movements as she caught and tossed the weights. All of this contrasted by the jagged scars criss-crossing her limbs and body with crimson tattoos mixing with her old wounds. Adam was not familiar with this kind of person and a familiar uncomfortable feeling nagged at his brain; the feeling of looking at a predator animal, something so primal that an uninitiated would find scary. And yet Adam could not help but be paradoxically attracted to this petite package of tribal huntress.

Adam regains his voice and coughs rather awkwardly.

"When you're done being a circus clown, we'll start," Adam quipped. As impressive as it was, Sarah was still using the equipment wrong. "Come on, we'll start with some simple stuff. I need to see how you do."

[Snax]

Sarah Vale
Location: Sea of UNKNOWN - Zeus High School (Cafeteria)
Time: Day 4 - Morning

"Really? I think I could make some good bolas out of these, but well, whatever."

Laughing carelessly, Sarah slaps down the weights back to their original places.

"Heh, that aside, you don't seem to be quite yourself~ Well, I'll let it go. What to do then?"

Stretching her arms and legs out as preparation for the workout, Sarah decides to let the big man decide the program.