voidtreckerexpress | A New Platform [Intro Post March]

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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Trunks sighed and wished he had an answer. "We don't know. It could be they didn't like what was done to them, as I got the impression it wasn't something they chose or asked for."

"What type of person was their creator?" Maybe that'd give her some idea of how they were treated.

"A revenge-driven psychopathic mad-man? He turned himself into an android, too."

"Yeah, I can only imagine what they had to go through then. Not that it justifies them, but-"

She rubs her arm, gesturing with her hair as she speaks.

"Before my parents passed, they made two robots to take care of me. They had simple AI and algorithms, but they were AI, and they were constructed with love and care in mind. I've had my robots controlled before by exterior forces." On one hand, it was super interesting. On the other, she hated seeing how it damaged her babies.

"So I'll be careful to not give it the mind with harm in mind, even if I want it to be capable of fighting."

Trunks reached up and brushed his hair through his bangs. Quiet while he tried to figure out how to explain. "I'm not so much worried about you, or your intentions. I'm worried about it gaining full intelligence and deciding to go rogue." Trunks finally said. "I'm not unfamiliar with robots--we use them at home."

"To be perfectly honest, considering how many times I've seen the heroes at home get hijacked? I'm even more worried about you guys going rogue. But I'm going to do my best to help in case either of those happen. I'll do my best, I promise."

She puts a lock of her hair on Trunks's shoulder, patting in that odd way of hers.

"I'm just worried you'll make a robot too strong, that we can't BEAT if we need to." Trunks offered a half-grin, trying to not let on how stressed and how deep that worry was.

"Well, if you want the purely logical answer, there are gods on this train and I've tried to build robots stronger than the greatest heroes of my world and I couldn't. So if it's any consolation I don't think I could even if I really really wanted to."

She shrugs with her arms and her hair.

"But I want to do is make a friend to challenge you in a productive and helpful way and to protect Orange team in hostile situations when biological heroics are badly needed elsewhere. But I am taking it seriously."

Trunks gives a tired chuckle. "For what it's worth, I'm too used to having to be the last hope and only person who can even hold the two androids off." Reaching up, he awkwardly pats the hair on his shoulder. "You can scan me. Thank you for taking my worries seriously, Entrapta."

"Yeah, I promise I will. And my robots are my babies! I was raised by robots my parents made before they passed on. Robots were my only friends in my castle for a long time. I hate seeing them completely broken beyond repair. I'll do what I can to keep you from feeling like you need to do that, okay? I've got a lot of reasons to, including wanting the best for the people on the Train."

She lifts up the scanner.

"...So do you want to see how energy moves around you while you practice? I can show you a recording."

"Energy moves around me? I mean, I know sometimes you can see my battle aura, even when I'm not in super saiyan form." Yes, yes he did, as Trunks moves over and lets her show him the screen.

She only caught a bit of the end of his practice, but she holds it up where he can see.

"Look! It's pretty wild. The energy that usually constitutes Ki or Magic is in a spectrum of cool to hot colors. The more you use, the more colorful it becomes. I can also adjust the sensitivity so you don't blow out the processors and you can see details in strong outputs."

She lets him take it, since he's experienced enough with tech to take a look. There are recordings of a few other people in there, too, their gridded bodies and energy use dancing out their moves in the borders of the current recording.

Okay, over the gridded body he could see he glowed with energy, and it did move around him. Small bursts where there would've been an impact if he'd been fighting someone flashing briefly, little trails almost like comets. It was neat.

"Huh. Do I dare ask how this works?" Trunks offers a smile. "Wanna be scanned yourself?"

"Sure! I used it some on myself during testing, but you'll see how some people channel energy differently."

She steps back and spreads out her hands, but starts moving her hair so it's squirming around her, just so that she knows her magical channels will be active.

"You can use the dials for sensitivity and touch the screen to bring up menus. Feel free to poke around! I trust you to figure it out."

Trunks did poke around a bit, bringing up menus. It was neat to see how energy flowed through her. He wondered how similar to ki it might be. It was clearly special for how she could use her hair.

After a moment he was passing it back to her.

"So you want me to run through a few kata again?"

She's been trying to figure that out as well. They're similar enough that she can measure them.

She takes it back.

"Alright, I'm going to climb up the rack for a good vantage point! I'll record you through a few from a distance, and do some various sensitivity adjustments for each round. Then I'll show you! Ahhaaah This is so exciting!" Luckily, Entrapta is a person that's very easy to please.

A New Platform [Intro Post March]

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