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

[theimpatientone]

Watching this is fascinating, and Merwen takes a step or two to get a better view of this process.

"I don't know any types of tree that would be suitable," Merwen says, her mouth twisting into a smile. "I'll trust in your judgement. Something useful as well as beautiful, perhaps, and strong enough to bear the weight of the silkplant. Something with an edible fruit or nut?"

[springforth]

"Maybe cherry? Or a citrus." Persephone clicks her tongue and decides for something she'd seen recently, cherries. The island world had been full of them, draped over hot springs. If she just--rearranges it a little, it should be fine.

"Cherry, I forget what all the one kid is allergic to but I don't think cherries on the list."

She hopes. Persephone eyes the space, turning up to the lights above, surrounded by roses and back to the rough spot in the dirt. Okay here goes nothing. She presses her hands to the dirt and a pink fizzing glow surrounds them. Between her hands, a tree starts slowly up. She has to have control, not let it shoot up and get out of hand, and she has to shape it at the same time. It's a test of skill that she's really hoping she can manage.

[theimpatientone]

"Oh!"

This is incredible. And also delightful. Merwen drops to her knees next to the growing tree, in order to see it better. Generally you don't get to see trees physically growing.

"This will be perfect, Persephone."

[springforth]

It takes a lot of concentration and the exclamation sends a jolt of power into the tree, shooting it up a foot in seconds. There's a slight scramble as she pulls back, a little fear in her eyes of losing control entirely. But it settles out with the lowest branches dipping down to arms reach, poised to hold a plant in view of the sun and easy watering. Or at least she hopes so?

"Ah--it worked out so well!" She floats around it, plucking a flower to tuck into her hair, "I was so worried, my powers have been a little unpredictable. Bigger things can get really big really fast if I'm not careful." This is not meant to sound dangerous but it could. She doesn't seem phased, just delighted.

[theimpatientone]

"It's a perfect tree," Merwen says. Gratitude is definitely stronger than astonishment right now, though astonishment is definitely still in there. That is a pretty crazy thing that she just witnessed, after all. "I won't share surprise if that's a difficult task, but you did beautifully."

Honestly, her urge is to embrace Persephone, but she opts for grasping at Persephone's hand in both of hers.

[springforth]

Persephone grips her hands with both of hers, still basking in the accomplishment. It feels silly, to be so happy for something so easy, but it hadn't been so easy lately. Maybe she's finally getting a grip on herself, on her powers. Either way, the adrenaline, the endorphins, all of it are rushing through her still.

"Thank you, I'm just--I'm so happy it came out well. And cherries, have you ever had a cherry?"

[theimpatientone]

"I don't even know what a cherry is," Merwen laughs. "Something that grows on this tree, I assume? A fruit or a nut?"

Definitely lacking in Earth species in her neck of the woods, so to speak.

"You should share pride in yourself. I don't know about growing trees how you grow them, but if something took skill to do, then pride is warranted."

[springforth]

Persephone flushes but just nods. That's fair. All her pride has been in academic accomplishments, the things people care about beyond a garden wall. Her mother stopped praising her for things like a long time ago.

"Thank you. Well--did you want to try?" A bud swells and soon a dangling cherry is within grasp, "Careful for the pit though."

[theimpatientone]

Merwen glances up at Persephone, delighted, as she plucks the cherry from the branch. For a moment she holds it up, turning it around in her fingers to examine it, then she pops the entire thing in her mouth at once. She closes her eyes as she bites into it.

"Mm," she says, then spits the pit out into her palm. "Oh, that's very good, I like that."

[springforth]

Persephone tries not to look as excited and curious as she is, eyes lit up to watch her try something new. She knows sometimes you feel like you have to react well. But--it seems unfeigned.

"I'm glad, it's one of my favorites. That and strawberries. And peaches. I'm not sure what it says about me that all of these are growing here."

[theimpatientone]

"It says that you like things that many other people enjoy," Merwen points out, smiling. "Meanwhile, we have nothing here from Shora, except this silkplant, now." She bends down to the silkplant in question, and starts working to gently free it from its pot. "Though many things here are very delicious. Have you tried chocolate?"

[springforth]

"You should get a few more things from your world. It hardly seems fair that we all have things that we know when you don't." Persephone watches the transplant with interest, sitting on the edge of the plot.

"Chocolate is amazing. Honey--have you had honey?"

[theimpatientone]

"I haven't. What is honey?"

She glances over, silkplant in her hands. On the rafts, there would be things to help a plant root in a new place. Here, she can only trust in the plant's ability to do it itself. Not ideal, but it can work. She starts trying to arrange the roots around the cherry tree's branches.

"I might have seen some of it in the kitchen, if I'm to share honesty."

[springforth]

Persephone really wants to give it a nudge, but it's so strange and new and she's not sure how it needs to sit, how it needs to turn. She lets Merwen nudge it around.

"Honey is a food made by insects, bees. They take in the pollen and nectar of flowers and they put it in hives, combs made of wax. It's sweet and thick and lasts forever and bees always make more than they need. My favorite is the kind still in the wax comb, it adds a delicious texture, but of course, we didn't get any of that kind from the train." She pauses, "I'm not sure we have any more, it was our ingredient of the month a few months back."

[theimpatientone]

"I'll have to try it, when I can," Merwen says, thoughtfully. Honestly, 'made by insects from flowers' sounds like some of the most normal sort of food production to her. "How useful."

With the silkplant arranged on the branches of the cherry tree, she walks a short distance to pick up a spray bottle of water to mist it down, making sure to focus on the tendrils of the roots. "I think this will do the job. It will need a little time to latch on completely, of course, so I'll have to check it over the next few days."

[springforth]

"Of course. I'll leave it be until it gets properly attached."

Though Persephone cannot help a touch, powers firmly in her grasp, just to see how it feels. She expects something like silk, for how else will it get its name, but it feels much like any other plant. Maybe it's the seeds? The flower bud or the rooting tendrils? It'll be a wonder to see how it grows, what it will become with time.

"I can't wait to see how it will grow here."

[theimpatientone]

"Neither can I," Merwen says lightly. "This is so different from the branches of a raft on the waves, but I share confidence in it. "When the bud opens it shares beauty, though. You should see it when it does that."

[springforth]

"Of course. I'm here often, given what I do and how much food we go through. So maybe we can see it do it together?" She hesitates, then tries the slightly awkward phrasing, "Share the beauty?"

[theimpatientone]

Merwen gives a warm, slightly startled smile; she knows perfectly well the problems of translation between her own language and Valan, and the common tongue here certainly seems to have more in common with Valan than Sharer.

"Yes," she says firmly, "we will share its beauty together, I hope."