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

[flatteries]

Inigo opens his mouth as he stares at the device.

And then closes it again.

Apparently he needs to think for another moment before speaking, since Inigo is technologically challenged even beyond regular people levels, which means it takes him a moment longer to connect the shape of the thing he saw the other Doctor person use to this one..

But then it finally seems to click.

"Ah, yes! Something like it? It looked different, but I definitely remember him using it. I thought it was some.. well, one of these weird modern devices.."

All the same to him, really.

"He was a guy.. um, taller than me? Older than me, too. And he had short, dark hair, which was kind of.." Inigo reaches up with one hand, moving it across his own hair as if to indicate the hair was kind of swooped off to the side. "Why? Was he a friend of yours?"

Ah, geez, in that case he's going to feel real bad that she missed him.

[famtastic]

"Ugh! I hate it when this happens! Really? You have to take that out too?" She spoke upward as if speaking to the train. And she is, or to whatever or whomever is behind it.

It's fine if people know them, but she having no memory herself? She'd forgotten enough as it was! Why this too? It's going to be strange, she knows. And hard for him to believe, she knows. Different face, different physiology, different gender. She can handle it so long as he doesn't call her ma'am.

"Right." She pastes a smile to her face and turns back around. "So, this is awkward. Not a friend, but me. I mean-- we're the same person. He was me a little while ago. I mean I was him. I mean... we were us... But... I don't remember you. Or anything about this place. So it's not you it's... this place. I think. I'm pretty sure. ... Sorry."

[flatteries]

".. oh."

Surprisingly enough, this is apparently much easier for him to accept than the weird.. device. Whatever exactly that thing is that both she and that other guy seemed to have different versions of. Look, modern technology is wild, but Inigo is very much used to weird time and parallel world shenanigans.

(Which isn't quite her deal, but look, he thinks he's got it figured out here. Hence the relatively calm reaction.)

"No, it's alright! You're not the first person to show up and not recognize me." He shakes his head, even smiling a bit, seeming relatively casual about it. "No need to apologize to me whatsoever. I just hope you don't feel awkward, knowing you've been here before, but don't remember it."

There's a slight pause, and then Inigo adds: "Or that no one will recognize you by your appearance."

Because it's a pretty wild shift. Especially with the whole.. gender thing.

[famtastic]

"That, I'm used to." She takes a seat across from him. "I mean, that happens every once in a while and most people who I've known forever ask me who are you, even if it happens right in front of them. That's fine. That I don't mind. Half the time I'm not even sure myself until I get used to it." And these days even less sure than usual.

"It's just this... whole thing." She gestures at herself. "I've not--being a woman is very new to -- it's new. And I don't mind it. I like it. It's interesting! I'm fine with she/her and all of that but it's the whole-- cultural implication of being a woman, do you get that? In my hearts I'm not a ma'am or a miss or a my lady, but I've been so conditioned to accept 'sir' out of hand that that's what feels right to me. Or at least doesn't feel actively wrong.

On the other hand, if you did that to the face you know, if you called me 'ma'am' then, I wouldn't even bat an eyelash. Why is it when I'm a man I don't care but as a woman I really do?"

[flatteries]

See, this is so much more a lot right in front of Inigo's salad current meal. If anything, it does confirm to him that this is very much the same person as the guy he met before, even if the gender and looks may be entirely different now. He had that same habit, right? Rambling on and on about things Inigo's little brain can hardly wrap itself around.

He's still idly poking at the food with a fork, but he's mostly just staring at her, gaze a little blank. It takes a lot to try and process this.

"Um. Well," he slowly starts, but clearly still seems quite out of his league. "I don't.. understand women very well."

To put it very, very mildly.

"So I can't be sure. Why did you not mind being called something like milady when you were a man?" Because if they figure that out, it may be easier to figure out why it's suddenly more of a deal now.

[famtastic]

"It can be a bit puzzling if you're raised to be culturally isolated from them but at their core they're just a person like you.

Oh!" She pointed at him with both index fingers.

"That's a good question. A brilliant question." She got up and paced. "Why did I not mind? Why didn't it matter? Even if someone thought I was a woman it didn't bother me. Was it because I knew I was a man?" She looked down at herself, face scrunched, frowning.

"No, or...not entirely. I was but-- that didn't matter. I literally did not care what parts I had on. So why--?" She huffed and turned back to him.

"If you were me, what do you think?"

[flatteries]

"Um." Those 'ums' are getting a lot of use here, but this is definitely not a thought experiment Inigo expected to be thrown into while eating. Especially since he really has to bend his mind for that one. He's never even thought remotely about anything like this.

"I don't know, I.. think I'd be more concerned if I suddenly had different.. parts..?" Hey, if she's using that word, Inigo figures he may as well copy it. "So if I suddenly woke up and changed like that, I'd be pretty freaked out about it. I don't think I could suddenly just start thinking about myself as a girl. But if you don't care what you've got--"

AH, WHY IS THIS SO HARD TO SAY. Please, Inigo is way too shy for this, and his face is growing steadily more red by the moment.

"Erm, what you've got.. down there.." Smooth, Inigo. "Then there has to be something else that makes something feel strange for you, other than just your body being different now."

[famtastic]

"I think that bits fascinating. It really changes how you do things. You wouldn't think so but it does. For one thing? Center of gravity? Completely shifted. For another? A lot more cushion. Insulation if you like. I mean I was pretty compact a few faces ago but this is different. Also, between you and me? The proper support is a godsend. It's a bit weird to get used to at first but everything being in place is really helpful when you're running about."

But what's strange. What's strange. She thinks.

"This...feels like me." She gestures at herself. "But ma'am...doesn't?" She wrinkles her nose. It's not...very helpful.

[flatteries]

That's a lot of sudden information. But then again, just like he thought before - it's exactly like the kind of rambling that guy from before did. So maybe Inigo shouldn't be very surprised by it.

Although he's still quiet for a slight moment before he replies. Mostly since the boy is busy gathering his thoughts.

"In that case.. maybe more importantly than figuring out why you feel that way, it's already good to know what does or doesn't feel comfortable to you. I certainly wouldn't want to make you feel odd or bad by refering to you the wrong way."

[famtastic]

"Yeah. Yeah. That's right! Just the here and now that matters and what I already know. No good too much psychoanalysis. That's the road Freud went down and after an hour with him I could not look at a sausage for ages.

Thanks." She beams. "You're brilliant. Glad I met you...again."

[flatteries]

".. Something tells me that I really don't want to know what's up with that sausage part."

This may be his one braincell in action. Protecting him from truths he's not yet ready to handle. But he seems to say it in a slightly joking way, trying to keep the mood light - though she seems to be rather good at doing so herself.

"My name is Inigo, by the way. Don't worry, the previous you didn't know any dark secrets about me that you will have to entirely rediscover now."

[famtastic]

"Probably not. And Inigo. Got it. I don't tend to keep dark secrets unless they're my own." A bright grin. "But you can introduce me around. Show me your friends... or my friends. I'm assuming you're not the only person I can't remember."

[flatteries]

Inigo seems to think for a moment, judging by how the look on his face slowly grows more clueless as he looks at her.

Slowly the boy reaches up with one hand to rub the back of his head.

"Well, I'm actually wondering who your friends were.." Sure, he knew the Doctor back then, but not close enough that he was 100% sure who his friends were. Especially since it's been such a long time ago - how many of the people from back then were still around now?

He hums, but then seems to realise something.

"Ah, maybe Orisa! She was our roommate too back then. You absolutely can't miss her, since she's a huge robot person." And they don't have too many of those on the train. "I'm sure she would remember the old you too! And she's very nice. Although all robot people may be, and I just don't know since I don't know too many."

[famtastic]

That makes her wince a little. It shouldn't be a hard question, though that face could be...more withdrawn than others- or maybe more reluctant to engage, to seek out friends.

"I definitely wouldn't want to miss a huge robot person, but that's definitely not true. Best not to stereotype. Some robot people can be downright nasty but then...people is the key, isn't it?

Either way... I'm glad we've reconnected."

[flatteries]

"Yeah. Me too."

Inigo smiles, and there's something really genuinely glad about it. Somehow it doesn't feel all that hard to speak to her, despite his usual trouble with girls. Maybe it's since she too seems to have a bit of trouble with the girl part - or maybe it's just because something about the Doctor feels weirdly welcoming. To a point that even a shy guy like him can pick up on it.

"Let's not be strangers while we're here. Let's talk again sometime soon."

[famtastic]

"Definitely." She's wandering back toward the kitchen as she speaks but offers him something that's a cross between a wave and a haphazard salute. "See you around!"