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!
badassfreakingoverlord: (recoil in horror!)

[personal profile] badassfreakingoverlord 2021-02-22 07:04 pm (UTC)(link)
Zetta squeezed his eyes shut and waited for the inevitable...

Which didn't happen. Somehow, by some miracle, Romeo had not smashed directly into him and flattened him.

Could his luck finally be turning around?

"Uh, revert or whatever," he said, slowly cracking one eye open.
myblueskies: (sad thinking)

[personal profile] myblueskies 2021-02-23 06:01 am (UTC)(link)
There was a flash of light, the motorcycle vanished and Romeo returned, looking very sheepish.

"Sorry sir. I'll practice more I promise!"
badassfreakingoverlord: (looking at you)

[personal profile] badassfreakingoverlord 2021-02-23 04:01 pm (UTC)(link)
"Hey, that wasn't so bad to start with. Not the best form for a train, but when we're out on a mission you ought to have a good time of it." So long as it wasn't some tiny stupid mission.
myblueskies: (bittersweet)

[personal profile] myblueskies 2021-02-23 06:39 pm (UTC)(link)
It wasn't so good for a train, a bit big, a bit bulky. But on missions, it would be very cool.

"I'll make sure to work hard, next mission!"

He would be the best motorcycle a book demon could have!
badassfreakingoverlord: (looking at you)

[personal profile] badassfreakingoverlord 2021-02-25 02:41 pm (UTC)(link)
"You always work hard, that's not something you need to say." Too hard. Maybe Zetta could finally teach the kid about proper behaviors such as laziness and excessive video gaming...
myblueskies: (I don't understand!)

[personal profile] myblueskies 2021-02-28 06:59 pm (UTC)(link)
"Oh..."

He nodded, "Okay sir."
badassfreakingoverlord: (do not read the overlord)

[personal profile] badassfreakingoverlord 2021-03-01 03:37 pm (UTC)(link)
"Seriously, where'd you get your work ethic? A kid your age should be big on playing and having fun, not working your butt off." Not that he didn't know Romeo's life was a bizarre mess...
myblueskies: (hope)

[personal profile] myblueskies 2021-03-04 08:02 pm (UTC)(link)
"I like having fun and playing too sir! But working hard is really important."

He smiled. "I don't know. I guess I must have learned it when I was alive, but Elfnein always worked hard too so I learned a bit from her!"
badassfreakingoverlord: (damn)

[personal profile] badassfreakingoverlord 2021-03-05 06:00 pm (UTC)(link)
Ugh, of course. "And she was a terrible example, with her coffee-drinking and overworking. Obviously I need to teach you a more balanced life."
myblueskies: (scared tears)

[personal profile] myblueskies 2021-03-06 06:56 am (UTC)(link)
"She wasn't!"

He turned to him, tears filling his eyes. "She wasn't a terrible example!"

She had taught him so many things, had been a good teacher, a great god. Zetta might be his god now but he wasn't about to let him say such terrible things!
badassfreakingoverlord: (looking at you)

[personal profile] badassfreakingoverlord 2021-03-06 04:22 pm (UTC)(link)
Unmoved by the tears, Zetta regarded Romeo with a frown. "Look. She was a good kid, I'm not saying she wasn't, and I know you're crazy about her. But she wasn't perfect, and that was a HUGE place where. If you put her on a pedestal, you're not being fair to either of you."
myblueskies: (I will crush you!)

[personal profile] myblueskies 2021-03-07 11:18 am (UTC)(link)
"She was." He screwed his face up. "She was perfect, you don't get..."

He pressed his lips together even as tears pooled in his eyes. He's not supposed to yell at his god, even if what he was saying wasn't true and wasn't fair!

Elfnein had been wonderful, even if she drank lots of coffee!
badassfreakingoverlord: (damn)

[personal profile] badassfreakingoverlord 2021-03-07 09:57 pm (UTC)(link)
Zetta shook his head, slowly. "If she was perfect she wouldn't have needed you as a shinki. Or friends or anything. You say someone's perfect, you're saying they're not a person. So treat her right and let her be her, flaws and all."
myblueskies: (I don't know what to do)

[personal profile] myblueskies 2021-03-08 06:23 pm (UTC)(link)
He scowled. Saying she wasn't a person. He wasn't saying that at all! Was he?

He reached up to scrub at his eyes, confused and sad and angry all at the same time. "It still don't mean she was a terrible example."

Because that was unfair. Maybe she wasn't perfect. But she was good and strong and brave and she had taught him almost everything he knew!
badassfreakingoverlord: (sulking and grumpy)

[personal profile] badassfreakingoverlord 2021-03-09 01:56 pm (UTC)(link)
"She overworked herself. You know that. You agreed to try to help STOP her from doing that, remember?" Unwisely, Zetta may have reminded Romeo that he was also trying to help in that situation. His guards against seeming helpful or concerned had only been getting worse over time...
myblueskies: (so proud of you)

[personal profile] myblueskies 2021-03-09 06:12 pm (UTC)(link)
"Yes sir." He nodded sadly, "I remember, we were both trying to help her."

Because mister Zetta had been worried. He really was a good friend to them both, even if he didn't like admitting it.

So Romeo would just have to make sure he made sure to be the best shinki for him, until they could find Elfnein.

"She was just trying to help though, she wanted to learn everything."
badassfreakingoverlord: (crap I'm a book)

[personal profile] badassfreakingoverlord 2021-03-10 02:31 am (UTC)(link)
"Yeah, but she wasn't taking care of herself. You know that's bad." And something he really needed to work on with Romeo. Sheesh, remind him to glare at Elfnein when they see her again.
myblueskies: (so I did a thing...)

[personal profile] myblueskies 2021-03-13 09:21 am (UTC)(link)
"She was trying..."

It was just tricky for her and he tried to look after her as well. Maybe he hadn't done well enough. Maybe that's why she had left...
badassfreakingoverlord: (recoil in horror!)

[personal profile] badassfreakingoverlord 2021-03-13 03:30 pm (UTC)(link)
"Hey! Hey! Stop it!" Oh no! We're not going down the guilt route right away! That's not cool at all! "Yes, she was trying. She still had stuff to learn. That's just how it was. I'm not saying she was bad or anything."
myblueskies: (no...)

[personal profile] myblueskies 2021-03-13 05:52 pm (UTC)(link)
"Good." He scrubbed at his eyes and nodded. "Because she wasn't sir. She wasn't bad at all."
badassfreakingoverlord: (damn)

[personal profile] badassfreakingoverlord 2021-03-15 01:33 pm (UTC)(link)
"Naw, she always meant well and tried her best." Zetta wasn't even lying. That was a flaw as far as he was concerned, but Romeo didn't think that, so might as well not point that out. "But even people who try their best can make mistakes, is all."
myblueskies: (why is this happening to me...)

[personal profile] myblueskies 2021-03-16 05:39 am (UTC)(link)
He can agree with that, making mistakes is something everyone does and that's okay. As long as they try their best.

He nodded, scrubbing at his eyes again. This hadn't been a very good first impression at all!
badassfreakingoverlord: (damn it ruffnut)

[personal profile] badassfreakingoverlord 2021-03-16 01:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Hoo boy. This was going to be a lot of work. Freaking Elfnein, leaving him to have to deal with this! He was gonna give her the judgmental glaring of a lifetime when they caught back up to her!
myblueskies: (Alfredo is speaking!)

[personal profile] myblueskies 2021-03-20 02:52 pm (UTC)(link)
He took a deep breath and looked around again. "Do you need me to do anything special? Now that I'm your shinki?"

This had all seemed so easy with Elfnein.
badassfreakingoverlord: (adrift in a sea of nothing)

[personal profile] badassfreakingoverlord 2021-03-22 01:33 pm (UTC)(link)
"Just... keep being you?"

Was that a weird request? Zetta wasn't entirely certain how to phrase 'don't let being the shiki of a totally evil god and Overlord get to you', and hadn't even stopped to remember that he was supposed to be corrupting the kid thoroughly.

(no subject)

[personal profile] myblueskies - 2021-03-27 20:22 (UTC) - Expand