voidtreckermods: (voidtrain)
VoidTrecker Express Mods ([personal profile] voidtreckermods) wrote in [community profile] voidtreckerexpress2021-02-01 06:00 am

A New Platform [Intro Post February]

On the Train

Three days after the Voidtreckers return to the void after their adventures on the biosphere world, they are awoken by a familiar announcement.

"Good morning passengers, it is day Sixteen of the month of Jelly. Points have been updated on the system."

They have indeed, and everyone can spend the morning shopping. Those who have been on the train for a while will also be expecting the second announcement that comes a few hours later.

"Shortly arriving into a designated void platform. Exit from void in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one." A lurch and a jolt and the windows fill with the fog that means they are at a platform. The fog seems thicker than usual and as they step out onto the platform they will find it is cold, very cold. Icy fog sticks to their clothing, makes it hard to see very far; the atmosphere is dark and gloomy.

As usual the first to leave the train notice nothing as they walk silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers: Alexis Rhodes, Elfnein, Itsuki Myoudouin, Ken Ichijouji, MT, Neku Sakuraba, Nike Lemercier, Noctis Lucis Caelum, Rainbow Dash, Rei Saotome, Taichi Yagami, Tsubomi Hanasaki, Yuri Tsukikage and Zechs Merquise all pass through the platform, not looking back before they disappear through the barriers and into the fog beyond.

But on the platform itself there are new faces. Wearing hoodies in all four colours, in various states of confusion.

For New Passengers

At first all they can see is steam, billowing around them as they come to their senses. As their eyes adjust, they will see they are on a platform, glass and dark stone rising in sturdy arches around them. Behind them is a set of barriers, and in front of them is a single track extending both ways into thick fog.

They are standing, in clothes that are not their own and a style they might not even recognise. They are carrying a rucksack on their back. For a moment it seems to just be them, alone in the white haze; then the steam begins to fade and they realise they aren’t alone.

The platform is not large with sixteen figures scattered around, all facing the tracks, all dressed in cargo trousers and hoodies. To both the left and right, tracks disappear into the mist. Then there is a roaring sound and out of the fog arrives a train. Jet black with gold writing on the side. The Voidtrecker Express. There is a hiss as the doors slide open and out step a strange assortment of people. Some are human, some are less so. Most are wearing the same hoodie in one of the four colours, red, orange, blue and purple, though some are sporting different clothes in a variety of styles.

The Train

After a short time, the doors hiss open again. Those from the train may encourage those on the platform to board. It’s not like there's anywhere else to go and even if there was, you feel a pull. A need to board, a feeling that staying on the platform would lead to something terrible. If that is not enough, there are plenty of people on the platform now, to encourage them onto the train.

Each ICP shows the same message and next to the screens there are stacks of leaflets written by those on the train, with further information (see
'Publications'). The store rooms have been restocked with fresh ingredients, including several crates of avocados, the ingredient of the month of Jelly, as well as all sundries.

For passengers that have bought items, these are also scattered around the luggage carriage in various suitcases and bags.

New passengers will find their ticket allows them into their cabins. They may need to negotiate for beds, especially if they want a top bunk!

Room is tight but there are storage cubbies at the head of each bed, beds fold up and the bottom bunks double as benches for the small table. There is storage under those benches full of spare blankets and pillows.

Departure

A second horn sounds to encourage any stragglers braving the freezing fog, and the doors slide shut. Veteran passengers know what will happen next, but they may wish to brief their new companions.

The train sets off, the fog obscuring the view again as it picks up speed.

"Welcome aboard, passengers of the Voidtrecker Express." A female-coded artificial sounding voice echoes throughout the train. "Please take the time to read the passenger information displayed on the Information and Communication points and familiarise yourself with the layout and emergency exits."

The train begins to tilt, leaving the ground and rising up into the fog-filled sky.

"Entrance into Voidspace imminent. New passengers are advised to remain seated. Entry into Voidspace in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one."

A shudder, a jolt, a lurch to the left. A flash of light, colourful and blinding. As quick as it happens it is done. The train seems to steady itself. The fog from the windows is gone now, replaced with a kaleidoscope of ever-changing colours.

Welcome to the Void!
theimpatientone: (smile)

[personal profile] theimpatientone 2021-02-03 02:15 am (UTC)(link)
"It isn't like anything else I've ever seen," Merwen says, turning to smile at Alice. "I think it's lovely, even if it is also strange and a little frightening. Can something not be both?"
thawed_pride: (Nort-Well this is going poorly.)

[personal profile] thawed_pride 2021-02-03 02:15 am (UTC)(link)
The concept isn't especially strange to him either, though he can't think of why someone would make their inter-world transport vehicle in the shape of a train rather than some sort of boat or plane. Still, it's a better choice by most standards than simply walking through the darkness to reach your destination.

"Have you noticed any sort of pattern as to what those worlds must be saved from?"
yondu: (0 3 2)

[personal profile] yondu 2021-02-03 02:17 am (UTC)(link)
"Well that's probably just life anyway." Because he's not actually expecting to get answers, real answers.

But if this has just bein goin' for a few months, who knows what's to expect. It'd be nice to be prepared but the little bit in the brochure he muscled through wasn't telling where it needed to be.

"So what's your story, slim? Since you're used to this in a differ'nt way than I am. Figure you had to come from somewhere before all that."
theimpatientone: (default)

[personal profile] theimpatientone 2021-02-03 02:18 am (UTC)(link)
"If you want to hear more of Shora, I'm glad to share speech with you." Honestly, she's glad to talk. It's been a rough couple of hours. "But if you would rather rest, I understand that, too. Please, don't concern yourself about sharing help. Right now, I need nothing you can provide."

She does take a moment to look around them. "Perhaps we could find a new place to share speech, somewhere more inviting."
yondu: (1 4 4)

[personal profile] yondu 2021-02-03 02:30 am (UTC)(link)
As he walks through, occasionally the fin on top of his head strobes with faint light. He's getting feel for all the rooms, just in case, figuring out their layout.

"I do feel like a different vehicle mighta worked better to house a whole crew but I reckon if they need the track, maybe they couldn't help it."

That's his only guess because holy hell is this layout shit.
yondu: (0 7 4)

[personal profile] yondu 2021-02-03 02:33 am (UTC)(link)
"Okay now how in the hell did you do that?"

Cause that was just out of nowhere. Bam boom, it's here.
seacub: (: ' D)

[personal profile] seacub 2021-02-03 02:33 am (UTC)(link)
"I don't think there's tracks in the void...but there do seem to be platforms wherever we stop? ...But so far the planets we've stopped at aren't aware of the 'void' either so I don't know why..." Considering at least two shouldn't have had trains at all, the mystery continues.

Ah, but the next carriage. The one after medical is the garden- a greenhouse really, an arched transparent chamber filled with...rocks? It's a rock garden it seems, with drawings of ants along the ground.

Cute. But also kinda relaxing!

"See what I mean about weird though? I'm pretty sure this isn't a normal train car..."
10billionpercent: (Default)

[personal profile] 10billionpercent 2021-02-03 02:35 am (UTC)(link)
Senku smiled and indicated the ring he had on his ring finger. "It's an item that lets me carry things around with magic. It's not from my world."
foxyou: (what.)

[personal profile] foxyou 2021-02-03 02:46 am (UTC)(link)
Shen Qingqiu hadn't expected to have dishes shoved into his arms the moment he walked into the kitchen, and finds himself staring blankly for a moment before he registers the question about his ears.

A frown. "Nice hair, can you make that go away?" (Not that he wouldn't like to get rid of them, but getting asked to get rid of a part of his body is 1. insulting, and 2. something he hasn't yet figured out how to do.

But for some reason he finds himself following along despite his irritation, putting the plates (somewhat roughly) on the counter below the cupboard before moving to put them in a couple at a time. "...My name is Jiu."
dyingpro: Smirk (No contracts)

[personal profile] dyingpro 2021-02-03 02:50 am (UTC)(link)
[Zagreus just ends up watching the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon idle in front of him, then starts when it suddenly turns into a tinier puff of brown fur. Reaching up to touch it as well, he finds his hand slides through it as easily with the first creature Kaiba has summoned. Too bad, Kuriboh looks like a very petable friend.

Turning back to Kaiba, he answers bluntly:]


Those sure were a lot of words I don't understand, mate. The only disks I know are for sporting events, and the others - hologram? Computer? What are those?

[After a beat, he asks another question, this one more pressing.]

My world? You mean the Underworld?
dyingpro: Smirk (No contracts)

[personal profile] dyingpro 2021-02-03 02:56 am (UTC)(link)
[Zagreus takes his time finishing his bite, careful to chew it all and swallow before answering.]

I wouldn't know, I've never had it before. Someone back there called it an... avocado?

[He takes a look at it in his hand, turning it over to examine it for a moment, before adding:]

Well it's not what I was expecting, but it's not terrible.
dyingpro: Curious (Goodbye to all the plans that we made)

[personal profile] dyingpro 2021-02-03 03:00 am (UTC)(link)
[He'll just watch her cut up one, seemingly interested in the process. When she addresses him, he swallows the bite in his mouth.]

Maybe we're supposed to chop it up like that and eat it in pieces?

[Now he's curious about this big hard spot in the middle, and he takes another bite to try and dig it out a little more. He seems perfectly content to munch on the green part of the avocado, however.]
10billionpercent: (I Sense A Plot)

[personal profile] 10billionpercent 2021-02-03 03:03 am (UTC)(link)
Right. Well typically we don't eat the peel, and you want one that's darker, which means it's ready to be eaten. You might like it better if you tried one like that.

[ He looks for one and gives it a small squeeze. ]

See? It's a little soft.

[ He offers it to the stranger. ]
dyingpro: Curious (Goodbye to all the plans that we made)

[personal profile] dyingpro 2021-02-03 03:04 am (UTC)(link)
[The prince merely blinks at Alice with his multicolored eyes, head tilting curiously as she makes her comment. He finishes his bite and swallows before speaking.]

It tastes fine to me. Do you not like avocados?

[Just gonna take another bite here.]
xue_yang: (Oh Really?)

[personal profile] xue_yang 2021-02-03 03:13 am (UTC)(link)
"It's alright. I like sweet."

He takes it and smells it first before taking a sip of it. His eyebrows shoot up as he finds it to be a rather interesting flavor. Not unpleasant at all.

"I see why he likes it."
dyingpro: Annoyed (The weight of the world)

[personal profile] dyingpro 2021-02-03 03:14 am (UTC)(link)
Didn't mean to interrupt your work, miss; I'm just new to this place. This seems like an important area, so I thought I'd check it out.

[And then suddenly Zagreus seems to spot something... off, and he squints at the young child for a moment with a glimmer of recognition.]

Forgive me if I'm asking something too personal, but why are you younger than you're supposed to be? Aren't mortals supposed to age with their bodies?
blue_ice: (:|)

[personal profile] blue_ice 2021-02-03 03:16 am (UTC)(link)
You're from the Underworld? All right. That explains a lot, I'll start slower.

[ Kaiba shifts the holo back to the Blue Eyes as he thinks on how to explain. First, he holds up his arm. ]

This is a duel disk. I built it to project holograms: the word means 'whole picture', in that it makes pictures you can see from all angles, as opposed to a flat picture like this.

[ He holds up a page of his train-issued notebook, which currently has a sketch of a bundle of wires shaped like a tree on it ]

And computer means 'calculating machine', but they can do all kinds of things. One of the main uses is talking to someone who isn't in the room with you, like with the ICPs. Did someone show you how to use them?
Edited 2021-02-03 03:16 (UTC)
10billionpercent: (Satisfied)

[personal profile] 10billionpercent 2021-02-03 03:18 am (UTC)(link)
"Yeah, he's got a real sweet tooth." He opened the rum and offered it to him.

"I hear it's good if you mix it with this if you want to get drunk."
dyingpro: Curious (Goodbye to all the plans that we made)

[personal profile] dyingpro 2021-02-03 03:20 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, there's no need to apologize miss, I'm the one who interrupted you. I'm new to this place, you see, and there's a lot here that's new to me, such as these.

[And he motions to the music library screens, confusion clear on his face.]

I get what the instruments are for, but what are these for? They look like windows, but they have words like books?
agathokakological: ([156])

[personal profile] agathokakological 2021-02-03 03:26 am (UTC)(link)
Crowley nods in a way that acknowledges the truth in that statement. It's not wrong. Crowley’s entire existence has been asking questions, why should that stop now?

"My story?" he huffs, "Mn. Before coming-to on that platform, you mean? Some months before, I'd found myself similarly confused on a vacant beach. Spent a good amount of time roughing it and trying to stay alive, then poof-- I'm boarding a train."

He shrugs, takes another sip of his coffee, sucking it through his teeth as he contemplates sharing more. "Before that, life was pretty mundane." is what he settles for. Perhaps mundane is the wrong word, but it wasn't outside of the norm for him.
nocawsforconcern: (pic#14159154)

[personal profile] nocawsforconcern 2021-02-03 03:32 am (UTC)(link)
Maybe it'll be a lizard. Some people like lizard but I don't. It's too tough and the flavor is kinda bleh.
blue_ice: (could it be)

[personal profile] blue_ice 2021-02-03 03:32 am (UTC)(link)
"I still can't believe it's happening. But one look at Ichigo and Grimmjow...I'm pretty sure of it now."

Kaiba thinks a moment, then drops a checkers box onto the table. Simple enough rules, and a simple enough game that it's just enough to keep him busy.

"I need to get my mind on anything else. I don't think obsessing over how it's going to go is helping. So...anything new with you?"
nocawsforconcern: (pic#14159154)

[personal profile] nocawsforconcern 2021-02-03 03:34 am (UTC)(link)
Maybe. I think I don't like it alone, though.

[She's finishing up cutting a couple avocados, moving on to dice up some chicken...]

I don't think I'd want it in a stew, though, so I'm gonna try a pie.
marvelous_murderbot: (conversation)

[personal profile] marvelous_murderbot 2021-02-03 03:42 am (UTC)(link)
"Yes," she replies, with a nod, "but this is not my universe. The idioms, the pejoratives. things like that - they'll all be different. I do not know them yet."

She pauses, thinking.

"From context, I'd assume it's either to do with waste products or mating - but the precise knowledge would be appreciated."

This is probably more thought than most of the multiverse's population has put into these things.
dyingpro: Smirk (No contracts)

Excuse me while I wax poetically about Zagreus' aura

[personal profile] dyingpro 2021-02-03 03:48 am (UTC)(link)
[Ryo's sense says a lot, and all of it is bizarre. Ryo's first impression is spot on, in that he reads as any god might: powerful, terrible in his life energy. But occasionally in his aura's reading, there is a crimson thread of mortal life that dances on the surface, like playful tongues of flame, or like the strange laurel leaves crowning his head that free themselves from him only to dissipate in the air as ash.

But as Ryo watches, he can catch more glimpses into this man. While his energy does seem akin to Thanatos' energy, the darkness seems to be only a veneer that covers his true aura; and even at the edges it is dazzling in its spectacle. As every color of the rainbow is present in the light, every spark of life seems to shine in this man's energy, forming a kaleidoscope of readings that's hard to sift through for any individual shapes, but beautiful when taken together.

Zagreus frowns at the question, taking a look at the avocado in his hand.]


I wouldn't know, I've never had one before. What is it, exactly?

[At least he seems friendly enough?]