A New Platform [Intro Post March]

[voidtreckermods]

On the Train

Once again passengers are awoken by the morning announcement.

"Good morning passengers, it is day One of the month of Kazoo. 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 is thick, the air is warm and humid and there are rumbles of thunder, the air heavy with the promise of rain.

As usual the first to leave the train notice nothing as they walk silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers: Alfredo Martini, Daia, Enna Alchiba, Lord El-Melloi II, Natsuno Yuuki, Nita Callahan, Saku Gyousou, Sakura, V and Wen Qing

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, and seems smaller with twenty-seven 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.

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'). Those not new to the train will note the addition of an eighth sleeper carriage. The store rooms have been restocked with fresh ingredients, it seems the month of Kazoo is defined by the tomato and there are plenty of them.

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 as thunder rumbles further and the storm threatens to break. 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!

Comments

Rapunzel | OTA

[adropofsunlight]

Platform
As much as Rapunzel didn't feel 100% about going to greet people this month she still wanted to at least say goodbye to those leaving, even if they don't hear her. Just seemed like a nice thing to do.

So when she saw them, she gave a little wave and that was that. Her words were kept in her head and so now looking around, she hoped people would be too busy to even notice her around so she planned to start heading back onto the train.

Luggage Carriage or Games Carriage
Rapunzel had managed to buy at least one thing that she thought would have been nice. Dice for that game Peter keeps mentioning. It was the least she could have done anyway after what happened. So picking up the item she started to make her way towards the game carriage, talking to anyone she might bump into along the way, even if deep done she really just wanted to run and hide.

But soon she managed to reach her destination and moves to put down the item in the hopes that people could see them and be happy.

It's not easy to avoid people.
Once she had done the tasks she had planed need today Rapunzel now was focused on moving around the train as much as possible while keeping herself busy. She kept to herself and did things like sketching in notepads or listening to music. Anything to distract her from her own thoughts or from others.

It's not easy to avoid people

[crimson_rain]

It's difficult to find anything to keep oneself busy during the long ride on the train. But at one point if she wandered around enough while she was sketching in her notepads, she'll find someone is offering her a box of colored pencils.

"Are you an artist? I like drawing and painting too." Hua Cheng has a lot of water color paints, color pencils, markers on his table as he keep himself busy drawing and painting pictures for his art.

[adropofsunlight]

Rapunzel paused mid sketch as she looked up slightly. She hadn't honestly been expecting anyone to speak to her. Though really deep down she expected people to since she wasn't acting like her usual self.

"Yeah... I've done at least something on the train itself."

[crimson_rain]

He doesn't know her well enough, but he has been on the train for a while, so he's open up to chat with others.

With a polite nod, "I learn to pass the time by drawing and doing paintings. When I'm a little bored, so if anybody is interested, I can mentor and give tips. I mostly draw and paint pictures of animals and forests basing on my memories from home."

[adropofsunlight]

"I do the same thing myself. Painting based on memories and for something like the train, I think it's a good thing to paint. But it do also dabble in just whatever I feel like to."

She just will do anything though but there had been a reason for that.

games carriage

[sos_pilot]

"Hey, Rap-a-happening!" Ugh, bad nickname, she'd have to work on a new one. She'd spotted the young woman heading to the game carriage, and thought she'd join along. "Thinking of playing something new?"

[adropofsunlight]

"Rap...ahappening?" She honestly couldn't help but look a bit confused. But she soon paused for a moment trying to think of the answer.

"I don't know...Maybe. I've not really played some of the games before, so I don't know what I am doing."

[sos_pilot]

Della's eyes widened, shocked. "Wait... all this time on the train, and you still haven't played all the games?" The horror!

[adropofsunlight]

"No. I mean I just end up doing art and the like instead. I have played some games but some need people and I don't always have someone." Solo games she had been fine doing and Pascal has troubles being able to play some of the game,s or at least the video games.

Luggage

[melodiouspacifist]

"Hey, what's up?" Demyx asked her with a cheerful smile. He was there, on the hunt for some of the items he'd ordered, more all important music books.

[adropofsunlight]

"Oh! I didn't expect to see you here. Though it is platform day so a lot of people would be here I guess..." Though she was just passing through.

"But not much, just going for a walk. I assume you brought something."

[melodiouspacifist]

"Yeah I figured out how to use the computer thingy last time, got some cool stuff. This time I'm getting some music books and staff paper."

[adropofsunlight]

"Staff paper?" It's not something she had honestly heard before. What was it? It seemed like paper of course, but why does it have Staff in front of it and just be called paper.

It's not easy to avoid people.

[sciencegirl]

Somehow, in all her time here, Entrapta has not actually seen Rapunzel or her impressively long hair. Maybe it was a fluke of her looking the other way or being distracted in rooms as she passed through, or missing ICP messages. But she's managed to escape the Princess's notice.

It's when she's passing through to the music carriage that she finally comes across her, distracted and involved in something.

She'd actually normally have enough empathy to know someone was deeply involved in something. Maybe not the emotional status of what their face was doing, but respect that they looked busy. The 'same hat' reaction is too intense, though, and she approaches her.

"Hi. I'm Princess Entrapta." The 'Princess' bit has become important, because she really wants to know who else might have powers related to their status. "I know I'm probably bothering you but I've never met anyone with hair as long as mine before." Or longer, probably! It's hard to gauge Entrapta's sometimes because she keeps it wound up in their pigtails and she can stretch it out. But this is pretty impressive!

[adropofsunlight]

She glanced up briefly, nearly having jumped because she hadn't expected anyone to talk to her. It was fine at least and she was at least going to smile.

"Nice to meet you Princess Entrapta. I'm Rapunzel." No princess in her name here, even if technically she is a lost princess and has no clue about that. At the mention of her hair she turned to look at it briefly;. The thing that until the last incident had been gone. She had gotten use to it being short and note it was back to this again.

She had soon put what she was holding down and soon gathered up her hair.

"It's fine. It wasn't this long until recently. You see when I first arrived it was, but then it got cut in a fight and went short... Then the recent thing brought it back. It's odd having 70ft of hair again."

[sciencegirl]

Entrapta doesn't look much like a Princess, to be honest. She looks like a grimy little mechanic, all sturdy five feet of her. "So you stayed the same afterwards instead of having the effects reversed? That's unfortunate."

Entrapta lifts herself up on her hair, 'stepping' over some of Repunzel's on the ground to change positions.

"Not that it's bad, but it is difficult to manage if you have to handle it manually."

[adropofsunlight]

"Yeah. I mean it's not as bad as what others went through though, but it was a surprise never the less." It now just means it's a lot more hassle to deal with again.

She watched the other and saw what her hair was doing. Well, that was more than what hers could at least, but that was now something she was worried about with her own hair.

"I pretty much do have to. it also takes like an hour to brush or more depending."

no avoiding, let's talk art

[blitzcheer]

What's that about avoiding? Sorry, Tidus didn't get the memo.

"Hey, Raptz! You feeling artsy?"

Because he's a guy who's got something he wants to talk to her about, and he lights upon spotting her with her notepad - making his way over to her, a smile on his face.

heyyy rapunzel heyyy

[adropofsunlight]

"Raps?" She tilted her head slightly. This was not the first nickname she had heard thanks to Della.

"I mean I'm usually up for art related stuff. Did you need something done?"

[blitzcheer]

"Not a fan?" he asks to the repeat of the nickname. He can drop it if not! But otherwise...

"Well, I've got some of the kids who wanna do a big project after the mission. And I figured you'd be great to get to help out planning it. You ever tried painting on the wall in the garden car?"

You know, the biiig see-through wall of glass.

[adropofsunlight]

"It's not that. I just Wasnt expecting it." She didn't really expect it.

But she soon nodded. "I've painted in the medical car with someone, so I have painted on a wall." Just not the garden carriage. She always felt like she needed permission or at least people to be okay with it.

Luggage Carriage

[goingthroughaphase]

Kitty was also picking up some packages of her own when she saw Rapunzel. "Hey there," she greeted with a wave. "You order something too?"

[adropofsunlight]

"Hey. No not this time. I honestly didn't know what to get in the end." There was so much people might want or need and she felt like she wasn't sure she would have enough points to do that.

"What did you get?"

[goingthroughaphase]

"Yeah, sometimes it's hard to choose." She picked up a few things with her name on it. "I kind of went on a spending spree. Mostly some things from home, and some cosmetic and hair stuff. Oh! I also got a knitting kit."

She thought she remembered that Rapunzel liked to knit too.

[adropofsunlight]

"Oh, so your planning on knitting to. I had originally planned on getting things for it but... I decided maybe not right now. But I can enjoy that others want to knit." It was at least exciting to see at least.

"But what did you get from home?"