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!
unfavorableinstigation: Nita looking directly at the viewer, mouth slightly open, as if she's in the middle of an important or unamused expression. (Focused)

II

[personal profile] unfavorableinstigation 2021-02-04 01:39 am (UTC)(link)
[Nita's frozen, just looking at him - but not because of his eating habits.

Something about the manner in which Zagreus holds himself - and, of course, the fire - reminds her of someone, someone she hasn't seen on the train in a long time...

/It's not him, you know. Perhaps you should say hello?/

Flustered, she doesn't respond to the peridexis, though the mental poke is enough to get her to stop staring.]

Ah- no, no, it's not that.

You just... reminded me of someone, that's all.

[She shakes her head, and holds out a hand in greeting.]

Nevermind. My name's Nita, and I've been here a while. What's yours?
Edited 2021-02-04 01:39 (UTC)
dyingpro: Smirk (No contracts)

[personal profile] dyingpro 2021-02-05 11:25 pm (UTC)(link)
I do? Oh. Hopefully someone not worth putting to death on the spot.

[With Thanatos being stuck here, he's not sure if he'd make it back to the Pool of Blood at the House, and that's... not something he wants to exactly experiment with right now.]

The name's Zagreus. Pleasure to meet you, Nita.

[He accepts her hand in a shake. Friendship!]
unfavorableinstigation: Nita working with a Kernel (Wizardry Is Kid Stuff)

[personal profile] unfavorableinstigation 2021-02-05 11:40 pm (UTC)(link)
[Nita shakes her head rapidly.]

Definitely not.

[While Sven's relationship with death (and other gods) had been somewhat complicated, it hadn't been in that way!]

The pleasure's all mine, Zagreus.

[Hands: shaken! Nita begins to smile, though it's small.]

Not sure how soon we'll try to corral people into meetings - when we're all in the same situation like this, there's no sense pushing anything too soon - but what have people caught you up on about this place so far? Purpose, what life on the train's like, the calendar, that sort of thing?
dyingpro: 3/4 profile (Farewell to all the earthly remains)

[personal profile] dyingpro 2021-02-06 07:48 pm (UTC)(link)
Good! Then I'm doubly pleased to meet you!

[He shakes his head in response to her questions.]

Afraid I don't know much. I know that computers are a thing now, and that my best friend is on the train too. Oh, and that trains are like chariots, but longer and with a roof.
unfavorableinstigation: Nita working with a Kernel (Wizardry Is Kid Stuff)

[personal profile] unfavorableinstigation 2021-02-06 08:14 pm (UTC)(link)
[Nita can only nod to most of that - it's far from the first time she's met someone with minimal tech exposure, after all - but she still picks up on:]

Best friend, huh? Lucky thing, there; I was surprised enough that my sister showed up.

... Both of them, really.

[It wasn't fair not to think of S'reee as family by now, after all.]

Last time I found myself outside my local 'verse, though, I was alone in that respect; it's always nice to have someone familiar around... even if getting here is a headache and a half.

[A mixed blessing, so to speak.]
dyingpro: Smirk (No contracts)

[personal profile] dyingpro 2021-02-08 11:59 am (UTC)(link)
Well same to you, that you've got two sisters, and that they showed up here too.

[Only child :C]

Not sure how I got here, either. I was told you just sort of... show up on the platform one day. This is my first time outside my own world, actually, believe it or not. Do you have any pointers?
unfavorableinstigation: Nita looking right, holding a book. (I'm In The Book)

[personal profile] unfavorableinstigation 2021-02-09 12:59 am (UTC)(link)
Heh - there's more to it than it sounds; one of them was born my younger sister, and the other's a whale.

S'reee and I shared blood, so it's kind of just a thing, now.

[Does she sound sheepish? Just a little! But she is not ashamed in the slightest.

Zagreus' question helps her get her groove back on after that.]

Pointers? Mostly that anything you thought was true for all worlds, isn't going to be the case, straight-up. Religions, foods, powers - and Powers, for that matter? All of that can differ widely from world to world, and that's not even counting whatever was going on for the world this train is from.
dyingpro: Curious (Goodbye to all the plans that we made)

[personal profile] dyingpro 2021-02-15 01:40 am (UTC)(link)
... oh! I think I saw someone like that on the platform. Or at least she said she was a whale. I'd never met one of my Lord Uncle Poseidon's creatures before. Do they all talk?

[He seems to take most of her advice reasonably well, although there is one thing that's been bothering him through all this.]

But it seems like a few people do know about several of the things from my world. Like Father, Hades, and the Underworld. And I've even met a different version of... someone I know from home. It's not her, it's definitely not her, but the similarities are too much to ignore. Can different worlds all be so similar like that?

[personal profile] unfavorableinstigation 2021-02-16 02:25 pm (UTC)(link)
[Nita suppresses a snicker at that.]

Oh, as long as you know the right language, that's true.

[Maybe she doesn't need to explain the intricacies of that to Zagreus, though. At least she's had more than enough time to get used to Powers and/or gods having families...]

And yeah, all the time. It's all too easy for worlds to reflect each other, across both space and time. Some themes crop up again and again, solidifying out of Chaos or some other Mind, and-

[She shrugs, helpless.]

Tales tell themselves, over and over. With all kinds of variations. And yet, they still look a lot of the same on the outside.