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

rock garden

[blitzcheer]

"Whoa, Eight! What did you get up to?"

Those wraps covering her hands? Hard to miss, even for Tidus, just walking through the rock garden, meaning to get from one side to the next. But Eight is always a pleasant sight to see, and then those wraps are-- well. Less than pleasant.

He doesn't need to change his direction much to walk over to her, planning to find out what went down. Seriously, did she burn herself?

[consider8]

Eight lifted up her hands to look at them, frowning. "Cleaning." Was her one answer.

She returned to look at Tidus, a hint of magenta spreading across her cheeks. "It's better than it looks. My hands are fine, but I'm leaving them on to make the folks at medical happy."

[blitzcheer]

Cleaning. Cleaning? That gets a curious raised brow, not to say a hint of confused humour on his face as he comes to a stop. Arms folded across himself, but more in a resting state than anything judgmental, despite the look he's still giving those hands.

"Well next time you go cleaning, invite me along. This wasn't those new chores, was it? People went wild in the kitchen today... someone leave a ring on again?"

But it's not a question she needs to answer, when he thinks up and says with a grin, "If anyone asks, you should say, 'You should see the other guy.'"

Oh, so cool.

[consider8]

Eight shakes her head. "No. I just left them in the water too long."

The second response was enough to get her curious. "What other guy? It was just me by myself."

[blitzcheer]

...okay, look, 'left them in the water' too long might be important.

But also: "Nonono... that's what you say when you're all bandaged up. Sounds like you got in a fight but the other guy ended up worse. See? It's a joke."

A joke that totally failed right now, but.

[consider8]

Eight looked down at her hands. "But if it was any worse then they wouldn't have hands." Her face pained at the prospect. "That is a terribly dark joke, Tidus."

She was starting to worry a little.

[blitzcheer]

"Err, okay, bad joke, bad joke." Oh geez, he's waving his hands. How to take this back...!

"But uh, it's good that you're okay? How about you stick to mopping and I do the dishes? We're gonna have plenty of trays to clean up if someone didn't already. People love making cookies for platform day!"

Let's just move on the joke entirely. Pretend it didn't even exist!!

[consider8]

She may bring this up later if Tidus continued to use dark humor, but she is glad for the change of subject. There was some sense in what he said, only...

She couldn't help but laugh. "...Tidus, what team are you even on?"

She appreciates the thought, but considering how many people are on Purple...

[blitzcheer]

"Eh?" That gets him to stop, and wait for her to explain. Team is he on? What's she on about?

[consider8]

She shook her head. "You said before you would go from one team to another. I think there are enough of Purple that we wouldn't need your help, even if it was to help me."

She's ever the pragmatist, even for compassion.

[blitzcheer]

The confusion doesn't ease on his face, though it's sharing space with the humour that's fitted around it, the raised brow above an eye and a growing smile.

"Huh? That was about missions. Chores are fun to do when it's with a friend - and it's not like everyone's rushing to do them, y'know? It'll be good excuse for us to hang out together."

[consider8]

She had so many objections. For one, she felt like she was looking after her, saying that she couldn't do her chores by herself. Also that Tidus should be focusing his time on more productive ventures.

"...alright. But only for a few days." She didn't have it in her to tell him no.

[blitzcheer]

"That as long as you can handle me, huh? I get it," he says with a sigh, expression dropping for barely a second before it brightens back up with a chuckle. "Hey, no problem. You got anything else you're planning than cleaning? Any art projects?"

1/2

[consider8]

"No! No, that's not--!" Eight is flustered for a moment, her cheeks flushing red at Tidus' suggestion that she didn't stand for him.

2/2

[consider8]

...before she came to the conclusion that he was just intentionally yanking her chain, much to her chagrin.

"Tidus, that was mean! You know I like you! But I'm not going to be the reason why you're shirking chores elsewhere!!"

[blitzcheer]

Oh? Oh no? No just getting away with that little remark, huh? His chuckle is small under his breath, but he waves a hand.

"Hey hey, I know, it's just some fun! But you're not shirking me from anywhere!"

Okay, maybe he's laughing some more, if just some. The idea she's distracting him from other cleaning responsibilities...

"What other chores am I gonna be doing? S'not like we have a roster - I just check whatever Purple's supposed to be doing and if someone else already did it, I go off and do my own thing. You're way more responsible than me! I'd actually be doing more chores if you told me it was chore time."

That he can admit without thought or embarrassment. Should he be actively encouraging someone so responsible to tell him to do chores? Well, if it's Eight... ...and since he hasn't actually done any of the chores yet to regret it...

Her player is dumb

[consider8]

Oh. Ohhh... He was on Purple. How could she forget that he was on Purple? Well maybe if he joined Purple more on the missions... Ahh--!! No, this was on her, and she is super embarrassed. How tough it is to have team mates who don't have the same hair colors! But there it is.

She of course doesn't say any of that, but her eyes and face are screaming her realization. "Fine! That's fine! We can... we can work together!" Yes. Of course he was just trying to help and... wait, did he do chores? Ugh. She was in no position to judge him though, not after a goof up like that!

Someone just splat her. Ahhh!

SORRY... i thought she was just being fussy, i didn't realise, lol

[blitzcheer]

In Eight's defence, Tidus isn't wearing any team colours - someone's got other clothes than the standard they show up in. There's only the purple band of his SCA device, but who even pays attention to those anyway? And Tidus has no suspicions; sure, he doesn't know what the problem was, but when Eight is being like this...

It's hard not to just take it with some fun, and give Eight a pat on the shoulder.

"See? There's no reason to do chores on your own here - that's boring! Ask Inigo to help out if you can't get me. With everything being so close to mission time..."

Ah. "Actually," he interrupts himself, looking at her with a bigger interest, but his smile not lacking. "--You ever tried sticking your ink on that garden wall...window, in that carriage?"

WELL SHE KINDA IS BEING FUSSY??

[consider8]

She's embarrassed to the point that she can't talk back anymore, and just nods at anything Tidus's says. Eventually she will realize a bit of why she wasn't sure why Tidus was in purple and will feel like yelling at him later. Like why he purposefully avoided chores, adding to this confusion.

Instead, she's grateful for the change in topic, which immediately grounds her back into the conversation. "Uh..." She takes a moment to recall the window of the garden wall. She might be able to splat the bar, but as for the glass... "No. My ink doesn't stay on anything that smooth. I can't stick it on any glass or metal surfaces, for example."

eiiiight stop picking on him for team hopppping /hops on upcoming mission

[blitzcheer]

"Yeah?" There's a note of disappointment, but surrounded by a more thoughtful sound, keeping with his light-heartedness as he decides to share: "Well, that's no problem. Me and some of the kids, we've got this big art day we're putting together. Some painting for the glass, papers, -- we've got a mix of ideas for stealing a part of the garden," he explains with a wave of his hand.

"And I figured you'd be up for it! It's kinda like...the memorial you had going on in the quiet car." Or, not entirely far off - if not explicitly about home. "But a bit of everything else, too. Leaving names and putting up decorations for people who've gone if you want, or just...leaving whatever artistic expression you want there. We're buying in supplies for it."

Artistic expression. That's a clever way to put it, and he has to nod at himself, feeling pleased for describing it a little better than usual. Though there's a softened note that keeps. That always comes when speaking about people gone.

"You're artsy. You'd be great to have around - and you might have some ideas what we can do."

But her OCD!!

[consider8]

Eight's eyes began to widen as Tidus discussed his plan. What a neat idea! And all the kids should be able to enjoy it. The more she thought about it, the more she liked it.

She couldn't help it. She had to: "Veemo!" And then she takes a moment to recollect herself. "Sounds interesting! And its a good thing that can get the whole train involved. I still have a lot of ink from my project."

"But isn't there a mission coming up?"

[blitzcheer]

"Well," Tidus starts, with a glance around them, "...I think we're gonna be setting it up after the next platform stop. We were waiting for one of the kids to come back from a gold name, but-" he looks at Eight, then lets his gaze go, tipping his head with his voice keeping a friendly tone, "I didn't see them this platform stop. Plenty of new Purples though. We got some guy who used to be here before I showed up. That's five missions ago."

Talk about forever.

[consider8]

Eight wasn't sure of the passage of time, or really how long they have been here. The stops were the best indicator, but like so many things they were truly at the mercy of the vehicle that directed them.

But that wasn't important. "The gold name means that they're... not gone but not quite here, right? Hmm..." She gave the matter some thought. "...well, hopefully they come back. It sounds like a lot of fun."

"Let me know what I can do to help, okay?"