voidtreckerexpress | A New Platform [Intro Post April]

On the Train

Once again passengers are awoken by the morning announcement.

"Good morning passengers, it is day Sixteen 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 after lunch. A lunch that may be a bit sparse: between the big eaters and the stress bakers, the stores have been stretched thin the last two weeks.

"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 steam is thin, with blue skies seen above. The sun shines brightly down, warm light pooling on the platform.

As usual the first to leave the train notice nothing as they walk silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers: Cassie Lang, Glorfindel, Jessie Custer, Olivia, Paddra Nsu-Yeul, S’reee, Thea Queen, Wei Wuxian.

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, open, with a vine-covered wall stretching high either side of the barrier. 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 eighteen 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 doors close behind them.

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'). The store rooms have been restocked with fresh ingredients, including plenty more tomatoes.

For passengers that have bought items, these are also scattered around the luggage carriage in various suitcases and bags. There is a suitcase stocked with spare wash kit items, for those who are running low as well as a box labelled Do Not Use Yet that is full of small 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 who are making the most of the sunshine. 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

[ Okay give her about ten seconds to process that, eyes following Entrapta as she goes. She's seen plenty of weird shit in the Metaverse but... the jury's kind of still out on whether this place is any kind of cognitive world or not. It's definitely not normal reality - not the one she knew. And yet- ]

... really starting to think we got isekai-ed.

[ It's almost more of a mutter to herself than anything. She shakes her head. Back to the actual important shit. ]

So like, what did... she say, exactly? What does she say now?

Someone compiled the answers and put them on the standard carriage computer! But right now all she says are standardized prefabricated phrases. I feel really disappointed that I missed it.

[She doesn't really take the time to consider that magic hair isn't a common thing, but even in her own world she has a habit of crawling out ventilation ducts or dropping down from the ceiling, which isn't even normal where magic is prevalent.]

What is isekai-ed? [She asks as she pulls out her scanner. From her hair. Because there's not a normal thing she can do.] Can I scan you? I've been trying to evaluate similarities and differences between worlds and their energy patterns. I'm hoping the commonalities will help in constructing helpful Voidtech.

[ Futaba's very disappointed that she missed it to. She has more than a few very pointed questions to ask. Well, at the very least someone logged it. She'll have to go take a look. ]

Uh... sure I guess?

[ She lifts her arms a bit and looks down at herself curiously. It'll be a bit weird being on the other side of a scan, honestly. ... at least she can do a nerd ramble in the meantime. ]

Isekai's a genre thing. For anime and manga and stuff. You know how like... there are always these stories where the main character gets like... thrown into some kind of fantasy or sci-fi world or something? That.

Oooooooooh. You know what? That sounds about right! But it's more like all the characters were stolen from their worlds so every character is the main character!

Oh, wait, that's not good. Main characters lead terrible lives! ....Oh well, I'll deal with that later. So you're new?

[She continues to 'walk' around on her hair, giving Futaba a little more space to examine her surroundings.]

What do you think so far? I mean, being kidnapped is awfully inconvenient but everything is very interesting!

Kind of having a hard time pulling myself out of the whole kidnapping thing at the moment, honestly.

[ Like there probably could have been cases of worse timing but she's really not in the mood to contemplate what that would have felt like. ]

So if this really is like an isekai... there's like... no point trying to hide stuff that was secret back home, then?

[ Like weird moving hair? Or sentient metaphysical aspects of one's own soul that could manifest as entirely separate beings? ]

I don't know, it depends on how intentionally murderous towards innocent people you were and the conditions that you lived in to lead to your behavior.

But mostly, no, people don't care. They're usually working out their own issues.

[Entrapta tucks her hands behind her back, fiddling with her scanner to find different settings.] Don't worry, I have a lot of good friends and a lot of questionable friends and both of them do more questionable and good actions respectively than people give them credit for. I definitely won't judge.

[ That... wasn't the direction Futaba was expecting Entrapta to take her question at all. And it's surprising enough to startle a laugh out of her, and once that starts, it's like a bit of a dam breaking. She giggles for a few seconds and god it feels good, like a huge release of pressure. ]

Sorry- [ She says, wiping at her eyes briefly ] You're prolly right. I just meant more like... powers and stuff. Like- [ post-laugh-hiccup ] -if you come from a world where most people don't have any kind of magic or superpowers or anything, you wouldn't have to like... keep it hidden here.

Stuff like that.

[ Though she's more than suspecting at this point that yeah, nobody's going to care. ]

Oh! You didn't murder or maim anyone or take over a country! That makes things considerably easier.

[She stops and makes two hair 'hands', wiggling their 'fingers' at Futaba as if to make a point.]

Yeah, people have been okay. I think I surprise people sometimes, but no one has ever acted hostile. Some people just casually float or fly around. I have a friend that's a robot and another friend that's a very important superpowered priest. And another one that's a CEO with a pet dragon.

...Now I want to know what you can do...

[ Heh, the way that Entrapta describes it makes Futaba think that, maybe, just maybe, she'll keep the Phantom Thief thing under wraps for now. She should probably talk to Ann about it first, make sure they're on the same page.

Not like they'd ever done anything like murder. Maiming... technically no either. And taking over a country... despite some of Joker's dramatic lines, they'd never quite done anything like that. But still. Maybe some of that stuff was the kind of thing people might get weird about even in an isekai.

Powers though? Looks like that's all clear. Futaba grins slightly, adjusting her glasses. ]

I mean... it might end up showing on your scan anyway, depending on what it's looking for.

[ So no point trying to hide it then, if that's the case. Though... ]

Is there anywhere with a bit more room?

[ Necronomicon wasn't huge but she'd definitely be knocking over furniture at this rate. ]

Gymnasium! The test dummies there are really badly designed but I'm hoping to consult with somebody and make improvements. But there's plenty of room and I've found if I perch on the climbing rack I get an excellent view of activities from a relatively safe distance.

This way!

[And she drops to her real feet to walk. She could use her hair, still might. But she's not up on it all the time.]

I love big powers, by the way! They're always so fascinating. You should see the Saiyans! They do some really great stuff! And there's a girl who can teleport.

[She seems utterly unphased that Futaba might be keeping anything from her. It's her business if she wants to keep it! She's wonderfully agreed to show her the good stuff.]

A New Platform [Intro Post April]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject