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!
dyingpro: Smirk (No contracts)

[personal profile] dyingpro 2021-02-07 03:58 am (UTC)(link)
Zagreus lets out a chuckle at the pun. "Clever! Can you change when you're Danny Fenton and Danny Phantom, or is it a random thing?"

Zagreus shrugs his shoulders in return. "He's the God of the Dead, ruling over the Underworld with an iron fist and such, and he's very strict about mortal lives and fitting them into particular boxes. Not sure he'd know what to do with you, and that's fine by me. Confounding and irritating my Father is what I do best."
subcircuits: (interface)

nah he's good!!

[personal profile] subcircuits 2021-02-07 03:59 am (UTC)(link)
Imagine Devero's surprise when a marker pops up in his vision-- actually, it doesn't have to be imagined. It's written clear on his face, followed by an excited smile, and then that followed by a visible tamping of that excitement.

With so many teknulls milling on the platform, it's a little hard for Devero to match the marker to a person-- he's never wanted an Interface visor quite as badly as he does in this moment, his monocular eye has a rough time with visual triangulation around here-- but then he spots the person staring at him. An instant later, his Interface chimes 'transmission received'. Said transmission is empty, but that doesn't stop Devero from sending his public tag back-- his name, his network address, his pronouns, and a few other pieces of data that are meaningless off the networks of his world.

He does it with a blatant, choreographed gesture, too, raising a hand and pantomiming pinching something out of the air next to his Interface and flicking it in the other augment's direction.
theimpatientone: (Default)

[personal profile] theimpatientone 2021-02-07 04:01 am (UTC)(link)
"Everything in their path," Merwen says with a shrug. "Fish, plankton, raft seedlings. A seaswallower is far too vast a creature to be picky about its meals. Still, without them, the sea becomes choked with seedlings, and everything will go to rot. No fish, no squid, nothing but decay and stink."

She smiles, a little wistfully. "After the seaswallowers pass, small creatures are given the opportunity to bloom and the sea glows in orange seafire. And that is beautiful."
achickenformylove: (mdzs 4)

[personal profile] achickenformylove 2021-02-07 04:01 am (UTC)(link)
"Greetings," WangJi said, giving a nod. The rabbit wiggled his nose as he looked over at Yoite having heard him speak.

"How are you today?"
subcircuits: (that's some thin fucking ice you're on)

[personal profile] subcircuits 2021-02-07 04:03 am (UTC)(link)
Oh yes, coughing up blood is totally normal. Devero is not reassured by this, Yoite! He frowns. "This is all caused by your-- your qi technique, isn't it?" he asks. "--What did you call it? Kira?"
comefadeaway: (Default)

[personal profile] comefadeaway 2021-02-07 04:03 am (UTC)(link)
"Good." Yoite said, which was true. "I got a new coat." He gestures to it, he likes it better than his sweatshirt, and it reminds him of the black one he normally had at home, and it was even blue! "I got some new clothes."
comefadeaway: (Hopeful)

[personal profile] comefadeaway 2021-02-07 04:05 am (UTC)(link)
In his eyes, if it was normal for him, it was probably fine, and he meant that to be reassuring.

"Yes, it's the Kira technique." Yoite agreed with a small nod. "That's...what happens when you use it. It damages me."
kabano: (顔)

[personal profile] kabano 2021-02-07 04:05 am (UTC)(link)
"Fine." She follows him into the car and glances around, trying to get some kind of a hint as to where they are or what she's gotten herself into. Or what she'd been dragged into, seeing as she'd had nothing to do with it.
bodyoftheseus: (surprise/shock/stunned)

[personal profile] bodyoftheseus 2021-02-07 04:06 am (UTC)(link)
The kitten is quite pleased with this and is apparently quite satisfied with the pets. It leans into each pet and starts to rub its head against his legs. Eventually the kitten would flop onto the floor and wave little kitten claws playfully at the hand.

V felt for the kid and the idea of him doing something that hurt himself was what bothered him. No kid should have to go through any of that. It's really not Rich's fault - V's more recent memories were mostly shit, and all of his old memories were also pretty shit. What was more distressing was that he was just having such a hard time recalling them, but he was doing his best not to let this distress surface.

There's a confusion that crosses V's face at the mention that he could use more testosterone soon.

"Do..." He blinks, remembering the conversation he had with a cat, the man who thought the kitten the kid was petting was some creature with tentacles and a pocket dimension in its tummy... "Does wherever you're from not have cyberware that does that for you? All you should need is a ripperdoc to place it, then it just..." He shrugs. "It works."
subcircuits: (just give me a moment to think)

[personal profile] subcircuits 2021-02-07 04:08 am (UTC)(link)
"You up for a walk?" he asks. "I have a place in mind, but it's--" He pauses and his vision shifts visibly to something in the air in front of him. His hand moves through the air as he navigates through his Interface's internal storage to the train map he's compiled.

"--It's five carriages away," he says, making a sharp wiping gesture through the air with the same hand and focusing on Ken again. "Which isn't too many, really, but if it's going to be too much of a haul, let me know. I'll think of somewhere else."
dyingpro: Smirk (No contracts)

[personal profile] dyingpro 2021-02-07 04:11 am (UTC)(link)
So it's like a piece of flat bread that you wrap around some cooked strips of meat, with some onions and tomatoes and this delicious sauce called tzatziki - you've never heard of it?

[#pie is not a gyro]
herarrows: (Trained)

[personal profile] herarrows 2021-02-07 04:14 am (UTC)(link)
The thought of a Herald being a priest is hilarious to her, but she doesn't laugh outright--she's too polite for that, and no one here knows what a Herald is anyway. But she can see how it might look to an outsider, especially given their penchant for white clothing.

"Oh, no, I'm a Herald. A kind of...servant to the Monarch."
subcircuits: (eyes only for you)

[personal profile] subcircuits 2021-02-07 04:14 am (UTC)(link)
"You're right," Devero says. He squares his shoulders and steps up to Koumyou, taking the offered hand and placing his other on the priest's waist again. He inhales deeply, and then manages a smile for his Sanzo. "So let's get back to it."

He waits for an appropriate beat in the current song, then leads them back into their waltz. "You know," he says wryly as they recapture the rhythm, "if someone had told me a month and a day ago that I would be getting exposure therapy for reality-bending magic soon, I probably would have laughed in their face."
yondu: (0 9 1)

[personal profile] yondu 2021-02-07 04:17 am (UTC)(link)
He turned to face his roommate and-

Okay, he's not quite as fancy as one of the Sovereign, but he is some top tier pretty boy.

He checks his ticket, then looks at the guy again. Well, looks like he has the right room. And if he remembers correctly, he shouldn't be able to wander into the wrong one.

"Yeah, sure." It's not exactly dismissive, just uncertain. "Who's where? So I can avoid breakin' anything that ain't mine." He motions to the bunks.
herarrows: (Always)

[personal profile] herarrows 2021-02-07 04:18 am (UTC)(link)
"Interesting." Convenient, too, but she still can't really grasp why someone would prefer this to seeing an actual performance.

"I suppose that does make sense, but I feel like there's something...missing in this experience."
its_dad_sanzo: Burial-era (well it's not that bad)

[personal profile] its_dad_sanzo 2021-02-07 04:19 am (UTC)(link)
"Is that what this is called, exposure therapy?" Koumyou laughs, moving with Devero. Slowly, the tendrils un-freeze and start to move with them again, staying mostly behind the priest, but long enough to really be everywhere as they move around the stage.

"Here I thought I was just being clever."
bodyoftheseus: (bored)

[personal profile] bodyoftheseus 2021-02-07 04:19 am (UTC)(link)
The comment about never having been called handsome tells something to V that he kind of expected from the reaction. There's a certain pity for the man, but rather than make either of them endure more of that he kept his mouth shut so Otoha could move the conversation on.

"Talked to the train? You mean the conductor?"
herarrows: (Bedded)

[personal profile] herarrows 2021-02-07 04:23 am (UTC)(link)
"I did, yes. I've been dying to get back into something I'm more comfortable in." Even if it really only makes sense to her. She's never really realized before how much her clothing made her feel more at ease until she'd had to wear something completely foreign to her.

"I'm sorry. Tell me about him? I've found that can help sometimes."
yondu: (0 7 3)

[personal profile] yondu 2021-02-07 04:23 am (UTC)(link)
Okay the inside of a cat's mouth isn't comforting? But it's not what he expected. There was a good solid second though that he thought he'd been saved just to be fed to an interdimensional vermin. Just certain of it.

"Right, right. Earth. Uh... Scientists experiment on you too? There is a lot goin' on here and I need to catch up."

He just decides to stay sitting, planting both hands on his head on either side of his fin like he's trying to contain a throbbing headache. The fin is lit, in the meantime, hyper (and gladly) aware that the arrow connected to it is in the bottom of the rucksack. Just a reflex. He didn't call it out, but it's a comfort to know he can.
subcircuits: (eyes only for you)

[personal profile] subcircuits 2021-02-07 04:24 am (UTC)(link)
Three strands of sutra is much more manageable for Devero's mind. His eyes flick up to them regularly, but he's able to keep them moving-- though they're still just doing the basic steps over and over right now.

"You were," he says loyally. "You didn't know exposure therapy was a thing, so this still counts as very clever."
10billionpercent: (Huh?)

[personal profile] 10billionpercent 2021-02-07 04:26 am (UTC)(link)
"In the modern world this was the common way to see stories. There are countless movies. The difference is probably that an actor can perform in several movies a year instead of performing night after night in a play. I've never seen a play though." Senku admitted. "And aside from movies, they had tv shows which were shorter and meant for entertainment in your own home."
theimpatientone: (Default)

[personal profile] theimpatientone 2021-02-07 04:29 am (UTC)(link)
"You share truth and wisdom," Merwen says, with a faint smile, and she squeezes their hand back. "I doubt I am the only one to have family and friends left behind. I think the reality of the situation suddenly was upon me."

She shakes her head. "Shora has seen much tragedy in recent times. I had been hoping for a quiet life. My daughter Lystra was considering if it was time to bear a child. It's... difficult, to think I might never see my granddaughter."
miseris_socios: (ugh...)

[personal profile] miseris_socios 2021-02-07 04:30 am (UTC)(link)
"I can walk. I walk a lot anyway." He lives in a city, this is normal. "... I'm... let's just get to wherever." If this guy is trying to be a weirdo then he can kick this guy's ass, probably.
its_dad_sanzo: (chin up)

[personal profile] its_dad_sanzo 2021-02-07 04:31 am (UTC)(link)
Koumyou beams up at him, "'Very' clever, hm? Maaah, I must be burning all my smart points for the week!"

His free hand had settled at Devero's shoulder, as usual for this. He smooths his fingers over the strange new fabric the man's wearing, enjoying the novelty. "The day will come when I'll have to use it to defend us on a mission, the less it bothers you by then the better."
theimpatientone: (Default)

[personal profile] theimpatientone 2021-02-07 04:32 am (UTC)(link)
"I had never heard the word 'train' at all before I came here," Merwen says. "There is nothing like this on Shora. Perhaps on Valedon, but I have seen only the smallest part of Valedon, and there was nothing like this there. It is something like the ferry between the two worlds, but this is larger than that, meant for more people, and for longer journeys."

She's seen that much already, at least.

"My name is Merwen the Impatient One."