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

[strawberryprotector]

Hearing that had Ichigo pulling out a fresh file and gesturing toward one of the exam bays. "In that case, have a seat and we can get your train medical file started. Can I see your ticket so I can spell your name properly?"

[helborn]

He follows along and hands Ichigo his ticket. 'Casper LeBlanc, Junior' is printed on it. "Don't worry about trying to pronounce the last name 'properly'. It's French but I'm not." His dad made it up, after all.

Casper glances around. Nice place... "I'm technically a demigod by both species and rank. But I was in a space between worlds before and I picked up a bunch of skills from there and the worlds we went to for missions that... complicate something already complicated."

[strawberryprotector]

The demigod comment has Ichigo grinning and he offered Casper a handshake. "Nice to meet you, Casper. As someone who should probably be considered a demigod, at least here no one will try to make you do the work of one. We haven't had any gods needing killing while I've been here." The underground mission totally did not count. "So, let's start with a basic medical history. Allergies, past surgeries, medications you need to be on. That sort of stuff."

[helborn]

He shook Ichigo's hand and leaned against the exam table. "No allergies. No medications, even if I should have been put on something for anxiety and depression when I was younger. Surgeries... not intentional ones. Let me just... show you."

He leans down and rolls up his pant leg, slowly revealing an ivory-colored metal. As he keeps rolling it up, runes become visible, carved into the metal itself. He rolls it up past his knee, revealing a leg stump that's secured into it. "The leg's magical, technically. It counts as a relic... anyway, a former teammate shot it off and let me bleed to death."

So that's a thing. On that note, a raven flutters over from the corner he'd been hiding in, landing on the table. "This is Bob. He's... basically a familiar. He doesn't need vet assistance, he just kind of... has to go everywhere with me."

[strawberryprotector]

Hearing the reason why Casper had a prosthetic made even Zangetsu growl in the back of Ichigo's mind. "I hope you killed the bastard to pay him back for that." The raven made him smile, particularly the fact that he had to be anywhere that Casper was. "I'll make a note to make sure we can give him a surgical smock in case it's ever needed. There's another passenger with a feline companion who will need to observe if he ever has to get surgery, so I've started a list."

[helborn]

"Didn't get a chance to, as much as I'd like to." He smiles, but there's a little bit of a nasty hint to it. The temperature also drops several degrees around them before he blinks and it jumps back up.

"I had to climb back up from the underworld that my mom rules and I had to agree to some... conditions before she let me go. So..." He glances at Bob again, who caws. "It's fine, he's a doctor, he's not going to say anyth -" Squawk. "You're being too paranoid, I'm not 'not being paranoid enough' -" A long croaking noise, and Casper rolls his eyes and turns back to Ichigo.

"He's got my soul, my mom stuffed it in there, and if you speak raven I'm sorry about his language and attitude. I swear I raised him better than that."

[strawberryprotector]

Closing his eyes for a moment, Ichigo let Zangetsu manifest. The white version of him waved and leaned against the wall. "That's part of my soul, his name is Zangetsu. He's also an ass and he knows it."

[helborn]

Casper waves back and chuckles. "Hey there. I can't do anything like that but I've got a bunch of other weird powers. One is... immediately relevant for medical. My blood is both lighter than normal due to the ichor and also has silver marbling in it. ... The latter's a new development. My pantheon is Norse, but a friend gave me... basically immortality grapes? We picked them up in a mission in mythical Greece. So I'm sort of double immortal."

Well. "Though the one I had naturally was more 'no aging'. Even the gods can be killed, that's one of the reasons they're freaking out about the Titans getting free." Anyway.

"My blood can slightly mind control people too, so it's not suitable for vampires to drink and it makes it even more important to wear gloves and wash your hands if you have to treat me or draw blood."

[strawberryprotector]

Hearing about the special properties of Casper's blood made Ichigo chuckle. "And things like that are why I maintain we need to have personalized blood stores for the occupants. Cross compatibility issues abound for different worlds." Not that the gloves or hand washing mattered to Ichigo. Those were just standard practice.

cw: death/murder

[helborn]

"Okay. I'm pretty good at healing myself unless I'm totally out of energy, so I shouldn't need transfusions... probably."

Right. Now for the most awkward part. He takes a deep breath and nods at Bob before reaching down and rolls up his pant leg. It looks odd for a moment before it's clear what Ichigo is looking at - a prosthetic in ivory-colored metal with Norse runes engraved into it. He rolls up his pants all the way to just past the knee, where it's clear he has a stump that's secured into the prosthetic. The thing even has a false kneecap so it looks right through pants.

"This. This is one of the more relevant parts. I can regrow limbs, but not this one. I got it shot off by a 'teammate' and left to bleed out."

Re: cw: death/murder

[strawberryprotector]

"What a bastard. If you didn't kill him back, I'm sure karma will come for him." The actual prosthetic is very impressive and well made, with a little cushioning on the inside and on the straps. "Do you have a skin protector you wear under this? Any chaffing issues? If possible, I'd like to take a look at your thigh, make sure you're not getting any topical infections or anything from the friction."

[helborn]

"Hopefully." He sighs and starts undoing the straps. "I don't have a skin protector... I haven't noticed any skin chafing? Nothing bad, at least. I heal faster than most." He hops up onto the exam table, adjusting his weight and catching himself with his arms so he plops down in a smooth motion. The leg is left behind.

"I... uh. Didn't get to clean it today, so I'm sorry if it's smelly." It's got some cushioning all over the 'knee socket' area, and the whole thing seems like it's a single piece of metal. "I got that done by one of the children of Hephaestus. Blacksmith god has artisan children, who would have guessed? A lot of them also have leg problems like their father." The runes were a new touch, but they'd indulged him.

Caper's stump is fairly smooth, though there's some reddened edges and there's definite lines from the straps. It's pretty obvious that he doesn't take it off nearly as much as he should. "I think that leg might be mostly solidified ichor now? The stronger we get the more our flesh isn't really flesh, though it acts like it is." The skin does, in fact, look slightly lighter than the arm resting against it,more than just lack of sun.

CW: Medical skin issues

[strawberryprotector]

Ichigo examined the tissue of Casper's leg carefully, taking note of the friction marks. "How often do you take it off and let your skin just breathe? I do see some friction lines here and here," he pointed them out and touched the spots lightly. "Best guess is your healing is what's keeping you from getting any topical infections. Trapped sweat can cause yeast infections, and there's a risk of ingrown hairs and other dermatological problems. If your leg is more ichor than actual flesh, I'm not sure how susceptible you are to those, but I do know how to properly treat boils and other infected pores or hair follicles."

[helborn]

"... Oh." He went quiet, closing his eyes and hunching over a little as if protecting his leg stump. "I... I don't, really. I mean, it's water-resistant... I did a little bit in the last place when I was alone in my room or with my boyfriend, but it's..." His eyes opened as he stared at the stump again.

"It's embarrassing. I don't want people to think I'm weak or to pity me and I know that's just my anxiety or depression or PTSD talking, but it's... I have to prove that I'm just as good as anyone else. I don't... want to be seen as weak. I don't want to get pushed around. ... I won't, but it feels like I will. I guess I'm still just... trying to make sure I don't get picked on..."

[strawberryprotector]

"I know that feeling well, I used to get crap for my hair all the time. If anyone here on the train gives you any hell for your leg, please let me know? Your mental health is just as important as your physical health."

[helborn]

"... I was getting better about it... but I don't know who's going to be freaked out about it. I..." He shook his head a little bit. "I used to get picked on all the time. I helped out my dad in his funeral parlor, including the embalming, and I smelled like it."

He pulled an arm in front of him, letting him lean on it a bit. "Among other things. ... But I... it's... scary." He opened his eyes, looking down at the stump and touching the marks on it gently. "... I know I didn't fail. It still feels like it - sorry. Sorry, you're a medic, not a therapist. I shouldn't be putting this on you."

[strawberryprotector]

Ichigo scooted a little closer and put a comforting hand on Casper's shoulder. "Being different is always terrifying. And losing something so major is doubly so. I may not have lost a limb, but I did lose something almost as big. I got mine back, but I still remember how it felt. We don't really have a therapist on the train, but I can at least listen without judgement."

[helborn]

He looked over at Ichigo, leaning into the contact a little. "... Thanks. I... just... I don't know. I freak out badly enough over gunshot noises that I constantly wear a bulletproof vest." He taps the thin vest he has on under his shirt. "Which probably isn't good for me either, honestly."

[strawberryprotector]

"PTSD is a bitch, but it's not something to be ashamed of, either." Ichigo smiled a little at Casper. "There is a spa car with hot tubs in it, soaking in there may help you relax. You'll probably want to have your leg off while you're in the water, just to make sure you don't end up with stagnant water in the cup."

[helborn]

"... That'd be nice." The bathroom he made for his hall in Liminal had a big bathtub, mostly because he'd never had one. A hot tub might work similarly.

"I'll try to keep that in mind. Maybe in the middle of the night so it's not crowded." Little did he know how many insomniacs were on the train.

[strawberryprotector]

"The train does enforce sleep for six hours every night. So you'll want to make sure you have your leg on close to what equates midnight around here. No matter where you are, you will end up back in your own bed." And if Ichigo sounds a little bitter about that? Casper's welcome to pry.

[helborn]

"... Great. If I'm falling asleep and I don't have it on, I'll shove it into hammerspace." Easiest way to transport it and avoid awkward questions.

"Lemme guess, breaks up couples sharing a bed? I know I'd be pissed if I woke up and Laughs wasn't there."

[strawberryprotector]

"It fucking sucks. Fall asleep snuggled up and wake up alone? I hate it. But the train has yet to provide couple's lodging."

[helborn]

"Yeah. I've got a hoodie with me that smells like him, but that's not going to last forever. It's really frustrating. ... I'm sorry you have to deal with that." What he wouldn't give to wake up with wolf fur in his mouth here.

Ah, the perks and dangers of dating a werewolf.