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

[adregem]

"That's great. The more experienced members we have, the better for everyone to keep their cool when things take a turn for the strange. As they always seem to do."

Meanwhile, his eye drifts to the raven that meets his gaze readily, and he has enough sense about him to not look too surprised...Weirder things exist, and have happened, on this train. But still, he doesn't like being watched in general. The paper slowly descends as he turns to Casper, a brow at the raise.

"Err, they a friend of yours?"

[helborn]

“I know how that goes. I’m used to most missions being five or six weeks, not one... it’ll take a little adjusting.”

He turns to look at the raven and sighs. “Should have put him on the paper, too. This is Bob. Where I go, he goes. It’s complicated. He’s helpful for reconnaissance too. He’s also a grump and -“ Squawk. “Yes, you are, you’re-“ Croak. “Just because in ‘raven years’ you’re further along than me does not make you older, you -“ Another squawk, more indignant, followed by feather ruffling. “Language.” Squawk. “Yeah, yeah, fuck you, too.” It’s said with a chuckle and a smile rather than any real venom.

Casper turns back to Roland and sighs. “I raised him from a chick, so he’s like a brother to me. Sorry if you understand Raven, he’s a little bit of a jerk sometimes and also mad he can’t communicate psychically with people here like he figured out how to do in the last place.”

[adregem]

Speaking of adjusting.

The exchange that suddenly happens in front of him is an interesting one to say the least. He's no stranger to being the only guy who can't understand something being said to the other - enough times hanging around higgledy-fluent people will do that to you - but it doesn't make the situation any less quirky. It seems that both of them have quite the story to tell by the sound of it.

Eventually, as they taper off their conversation, he does what he's best at and takes it all for what it is. "Wow. You two make quite a brotherly pair. Heh." He turns to the raven again, his hand on his hip. "I'm pretty rusty on my Raven, so you won't have to worry. I didn't catch a word of that. Anyway, why don't we go with introductions first? I'm Roland. It's a pleasure to meet both of you, Bob and Casper."

He glances behind him and takes two sheets of paper; one filled out already by Casper, the other blank. This he offers to Bob with a low chuckle. "Since he seemed to forget to put you on his survey, you wanna answer your own?" Half-joke, half-ice breaker, but also...he seems serious?

[helborn]

"Nice to meet you, too." He looks down at the paper and laughs, taking the paper and a pen. He leans against a shelf while Bob caws responses to him and Casper winces since he's right by his ear.

The answers seem short, and when Casper turns back and hands the paper back the survey is actually filled out.

"We've never had to formally declare stuff like that before... sorry about that. I should have thought about that." Anyway. "If you need stealth and recon, we're really good at that. I can move silently even when I'm blind, and I have a way to blend into the shadows." A blink, and Casper is... well, he looks like someone dipped him in ink. There's only the barest hints of lighter black to indicate where his features are. "I can also fly, though that's a little more obvious since I'm big." Another blink, and he's back to his normal coloration.

[adregem]

It's truly a sight to behold; a raven squawking loudly by some guy's ear as they write down answers and banter between them. Roland just watches and receives the paper as soon as they finish.

"No apologies needed. Thank you for your consent and participation." Just as seriously as he responds does Roland shift ever so slightly to regard Bob with a keen look. "Your recon skills are definitely going to come in handy for tough missions. We're counting on you."

It's a compliment addressed to the duo, gaze turning to each one. But his trademark cool cracks by the surface when Casper turns totally pitch black in the blink of an eye, before his demonstration ends and Roland is left with mouth slightly agape. He is not without words for long though, carefully studying Casper with a hand on his chin, their survey dangling loosely.

"That's...Quite a trick you've got there." There's a quick attempt to recall what Casper wrote in his original piece, but apart from offered strengths, there was nothing much else to indicate this particular skillset. So he does ask, interest in crescendo. "This is your special brand of magic, I can only assume? Is it called anything? Are you maybe a spellcaster?"

[helborn]

"Uh. Right, so I was in a place between worlds before, and we went to different places and picked up skills and magic from those places. This one in particular... there's a thing called a 'dungeon' that appears in Liminal Space sometimes. It's made by someone's mind trying to deal with something - usually a mental breakdown of some sort. I picked this up in a friend's mental space... it just kind of stuck."

He pauses for a moment, letting Roland process that. "I know, it's its own brand of weird... we could also teach each other some of the skills. I have my spells or spell-like abilities from home, but I also have magic that I was taught, or that sort of 'stuck' accidentally, or that I pushed the boundaries of what I had to figure stuff out."

Bob nudges Casper's shoulder and he sighs. "Yeah, yeah. I also have a merman form that I'm not... that comfortable with. It's pretty big, the tail is basically that of an orca whale. I can also alter my current appearance slightly, turn into a sort of... short, pastel blue golden retriever that stands on two legs, and also a husky. And yes, you can pet me as a husky. In fact, please do. It feels really nice, I promise I won't be awkward about it, and a lot of people calm down after petting a dog."

[adregem]

This wouldn't be the first time Roland's met a passenger that's gotten their fair share of otherworldly experiences...even if Casper seemed to have absorbed new powers from trauma. He shakes his head, an apology following close at the heels. "Sorry to hear."

But the rest of what he says about his capabilities is intriguing, if not slightly concerning at the variety. Casper really must have been through a lot if he has access to such a breadth of powers, and it's that train of thought which makes Roland hesitant to tell him there are classes he can do during his spare time; a transfer of knowledge if he was comfortable doing so. For now, he'll focus on the reason he was approached. Thankfully, Casper ends on a much lighter note that Roland picks up on easily, chuckling as both their forms are set aside with a growing pile.

"Let's hope you don't ever have to turn into an orca, but a dog? Heh. How nice. I can think of a lot of people on the train who could use that kind of affection, if you're really that open to it. Are you completely conscious as you are when you're not in your regular form?"

Can he turn into other things too, or is that what Bob was for?

[helborn]

"It's okay. I was happy to go help a friend. Poor guy was terrified and needed someone to tell him that his fear wasn't unreasonable, but he had people to help protect him and lean on." Oh, Jules. He likes Jules, but the guy has... well. Justified problems, given that he's a changeling.

"Yeah, I am. It took a little adjusting to... I wasn't really 'myself' in the place I picked up that form, but once I figured out it stuck I started running with my boyfriend like that. ... Probably worth noting that he's a werewolf." Emphasis on the wolf rather than the were, but even though they're equivalent ages people get weird about it.

[adregem]

"My. You two must have made for quite an interesting pair." Roland answers with a chuckle, trying to imagine a dog and a (were)wolf running around happily under the moonlight. In a strange sort of way, it could be very romantic. "That's a very heavy task though, isn't it?" He leans back towards the answers Casper shared on his form, humming under his breath. "To help others cope..."

Grief therapy, says the guy who won't acknowledge his own, no thanks.

"Listen, I just want you to know that if you're having a bad day yourself, we can just pet your dog form just as you like. Not for any other purpose. Okay?" Roland offers a small smile, flashed to Bob as if they're already co-conspirators. That's no small feat, after all. And as Casper volunteers to help others on the train readily, then it is Roland's job to ensure he is taken care of himself.

[helborn]

"We are, but my life's been weird basically from the start... just more so in the last five years." Helping others cope... "I like doing what I can for other people. I've... been made aware of my own mental health needs, and I'm trying to keep an eye on it. I've had to have people literally rescue me twice, I don't really want anyone to have to do that again."

He might have breakdowns, but he doesn't want ones that bad again. "I'm older than I look, I do have a little bit more sense than I did as a teenager. Maybe. A tiny bit." He grins a little.