A New Platform [Intro Post May]

[voidtreckermods]

On the Train

Like clockwork, the Voidtreckers are awoken by a familiar message this morning.

"Good morning Voidtreckers, it is day one of the month of Llama. Points have been updated on the system."

With points updated, everyone can spend the morning shopping. Most people will 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 air is sticky and warm, the windows almost immediately dewing over with the humidity outside.

As usual the first to leave the train notice nothing, walking silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers. Azula, Prisoner, Amery Vallet, Dyme Graydon, Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, Yoite, Piccolo, Bulla Brief, Xie Lian, Kurosaki Ichigo, Hua Cheng, Renee Corbin, and Ran Mouri; all pass through the platform, not looking back before they disappear through the barriers and into the fog beyond.

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 find themselves on a platform, rich wood and pale stone forming a natural, tree-like structure overhead. Behind them is a set of barriers, and in front of them is a single set of tracks extending both ways into thick fog. The air is rainforest-hot, and the sound of frogsong can be faintly heard over the drip of the artificial canopy.

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 fog begins to fade and they realise they aren’t alone.

The platform isn't large, and seems smaller with twenty-eight figures scattered around, all facing the tracks, all dressed in cargo trousers and hoodies. Then there is 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 pours a strange assortment of people, over a hundred at least. 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.

Behind them, the doors close, and the train is cloaked in the same fog that hides the world beyond the platform.

The Train

After a short time, the fog clears and 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 several crates of nori, the ingredient of the month of Llama, as well as all sundries.

For passengers that have bought items, these are also scattered around the luggage carriage in various suitcases and bags. For each member of Purple Team, a small silver box with their name on it contains a glittery cupcake.

New passengers will find their ticket allows them into their cabins. They may need to negotiate for beds, but at least they won't be alone in their confusion - since the sleeper carriages are now double-decker, and experience isn't going to avail the passengers in finding their rooms.

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.

The new double carriage's transfer ICP is active, allowing people to move to a double room should they meet the requirements with another person, though they'll have to move their belongings themselves.

Departure

A second horn sounds to encourage any stragglers taking advantage of the fresh air, and 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

Tidus | OTA

[blitzcheer]

1; platform

"Phew! Stuffy!"

A stuffiness that hasn't yet gotten Tidus to remove the varsity jacket he's wearing, and rather, he looks to be enjoying it - at least the outdoors, raising his arms behind his head and taking the time for a good stretch. It lasts for a while, until...

...he sees the leaving individuals, heading out the turnstile, for once catching the sight. A few figures he recognises personally as always, but it's a green one that gets his smile to drop with his shoulders. Was it bad to feel down? Well, knowing Piccolo, he'd want him to put his energy towards a better emotional state - focus on what you can deal with.

The last of the people leave, and it may be late, but he calls out, raising a fist that unfurls in goodbye, "Big green! Go and show the universe what you're made of!"

They'll take care of things here.

Otherwise, Tidus will be making his way through the crowd of people of new and old by now, his jacket tied around his waist. New people will get a nod, and, "Hey, sorry you're here. You know what's up? Got any questions?", while familiar faces may get a similar stop to, a small friendly smile. "Seen anyone you know?"

2; shopping, new sleepers

It's a platform stop, which also means, a visit to luggage.

He barely knows what he's going to find, searching through the smaller and bigger items respectively, books and boxes. With other people around, he'll say a name, look around to see if he's gotten anyone else's parcel. Has he found your shopping?

For his own, he has a few suitcases to find, as well as boxes, one a small but hefty thing, and a few books, with titles about potions, magic and tech, and...cooking with weed???

Nevermind all that though. There's one small box that Tidus finds, rattling in his hands, barely able to control itself. It gets a furrowed brow, and Tidus undoes its flap lid...

And a small thing on wheels bursts out, and starts zooming around feet and making its way out of the room.

"H-hey! What the?!"

3; double rooms

Okay, but after that excitement, there's seeing what the train's given them as their new carriage. ...which, he does better once he finds the ICP point, considering all the locked doors. Muttering to himself, with some amusement. "Ohhh, couple rooms, huh?"

He looks away, spotting another person close - maybe you were just meaning to pass or looking around in general, but Tidus cocks his head to terminal.

"You got someone you wanna room with?" he asks jokingly.

4; kitchen, spices

"Oh, cool. So is this Japanese food?"

He's poking at another ICP terminal--that is, the one showing the recipes. A multiple of bottles and packets have been set on a counter nearby, while Tidus checks out the recipes on display. It's easy to catch him while he's reading, but he also isn't shy about asking someone, while stepping aside from the screen.

"Hey, I know onigiri. You know any of these recipes?"

( purple!noctis )

[blitzcheer]

Hey. Surprise.

[ A surprise to Tidus too, finding Noctis in the library of all places - but what does he know about where the guy likes to hang out, or get up to in his spare time? Save watching movies. But if there's earbuds in Noctis's ears, Tidus will tap him on the shoulder before saying the above. If not-

There'll be a nudge to any hands or arms on the table, as Tidus sets down a small box there, with Noctis's name on it. ]

From the train. Watch how you poke your fingers opening it.

[waywardking]

[At least he isn't staring at the void again.

Fortunately, he's not wearing earbuds, so he tilts his head in Tidus' direction when he approaches, trying to discern the footstep pattern. Ultimately, he fails, but he can tell someone blond is there.

And then that it's Tidus. Good, a friend.]

Hey. From the train?

[He sticks a bookmark in his book and reaches for the box. It's given treats before, hasn't it?]

It gonna bite or something?

[He feels the box as he talks to figure out how it opens. Whatever's inside slides a bit, but isn't heavy.]

[blitzcheer]

That's your job. [ Biting, that is. Hah. ] But you might get a lil' sticky before that. Flap's at the front, [ he adds, to help, ] just pull it towards you.

[ He should be able to feel the ridges on either side where the box lid tucks in, and then it will open up to what's...probably going to look like even more of a chaotic mess of colours to Noctis's eyes. ]

Apparently, we impressed the train. [ Said with a wry note. ] You know, I think this is the first time Purple's gotten one of these since I've been here.

[ What's that, six months? ]

Platform

[light_of_willpower]

Trunks is also eyeing those left behind. Especially Piccolo, and Bulla. It was still nice to know that in at least one universe, he had a sister. It had been nice to get to know Piccolo some more too, outside of the Cell Crisis.

But it's Tidus' exclamation, that brings a hint of smile to his face. Sad still, but a smile. "I'm sure he will, knowing him."

[blitzcheer]

Trunks surprises him, but only for a second; he was far from being quiet, and his hand comes back down, both slung into his pockets.

"This place was holding him back, y'know?" There's some jest, but not entirely untrue: the guy liked a fight. But there's a beat, before Tidus asks, "...You got any idea? What he's going back to do?"

He knows they're from same...ish worlds, not the same. But Trunks might know anyway. Might've been more curious than Tidus to ask.

[light_of_willpower]

"Not entirely. He's from further along, and a different timeline, than mine. But I know he's going back to good friends at least." Trunks could smile about that thought.

4

[happyends]

"Hm?"

Apparently Madoka hadn't checked the ingredient switch yet, since she sounds a little curious when Tidus speaks up. Not just regularly curious though - also definitely interested, since onigiri is something she recognizes, even though she hasn't exactly been able to hear it being said very often here on the train.

The girl moves a little closer towards him, trying to look over at the screen on the terminal, and then she gasps.

"Oh..! There's Japanese food this month!"

[blitzcheer]

"Yeah! I dunno, people must've been clamouring for it and my request pushed the train into giving in!" Or, was it just lucky timing? ...let's just take this as the positive that it is.

"You're from a Japan too, aren't you? You know your spices? There's some stuff there." Tidus nods his head to the counter behind them, the packets and bottles all sitting together, a messy sight. There's fifty items there!

"Good timing, huh?"

[happyends]

There's so much to take in at once here. The Japanese recipes, Tidus saying that he asked for it, and then him gesturing with his head at all the things on display...

Madoka isn't entirely sure where to start, but her feet wander over to the bottles and packets on their own, and it makes the girl end up staring at the pile in awe.

"Yes, I recognize most of these..!" It's not like Madoka is an expert cook back home, so it's impossible for her to recognize everything on sight. But most of it? It's definitely more than a little familiar to her. "We can make so many kinds of Japanese food with this!"

Her wide-eyed gaze finally turns back to the guy.

"Did you really ask for this, Tidus?"

1

[intelinside]

At least some of the passengers getting off the train seem open to explaining the situation and answering questions. "I'm not sure what's happening yet," Phineas admits. "It doesn't seem malicious, but other than that... Does this happen often?"

Because none of the people who've gotten off the train seem incredibly shocked by there being new arrivals, and those questions almost sound like this is routine.

[blitzcheer]

An older person. An older-looking person even, they don't get many of those compared to high age counts and youthful figures. But it's more something Tidus acknowledges to himself before shaking his head all the same, admitting helplessly, "Unfortunately, two times every month. We show up on a platform, and the train's waiting."

He spreads his hands, a furrowed look on his face. "Sorry. I can tell you what I know, but we're all stuck with the train 'til we aren't. It's not something we can control - any of us."

[intelinside]

"That often?" That's legitimately kind of a surprise, even though Phineas had already gotten the impression that this might be a routine thing.

"I was starting to get that impression. The people who got off the train first seemed... different." Not the same as those who'd spilled off after, and with what Tidus is saying now, Phineas can believe that leaving is just as out of their control as their arrival.

(But does that mean they'd walked here, as blank as those people? That's more than a little creepy.)

"So what's the reason for all this? We can't be hostages, and it doesn't seem like anyone's out to hurt us, or they wouldn't be bothering with supplies or color-coding." Or letting passengers off to mingle at the platforms twice a month.

Shopping

[goingthroughaphase]

Coming into the Luggage carriage, Kitty spots Tidus sorting through the packages.

"Hey, Tidus," she greets with a smile. "Can you look for a package with my name on it? It should be sword-shaped."

[blitzcheer]

"Wow, that is not gonna be in a suitcase."

He thinks he vaguely remembers Kitty talking about learning to use a sword before, but there's a funny smile on his face just imagining her with one. Nevermind that though; he backs away from the higher shelf he was checking out, stepping deeper into the carriage.

"You know what it looks like? Nothing bulky? Just long?"

[goingthroughaphase]

"I'm not entirely sure, to be honest," she says with a shrug. "The option in the store just said 'long sword'."

shopping

[longforgottenpromise]

Taiki had, with Tidus' encouragement bought a few things this month as well so he was in the luggage carriage finding anything with his name on, or Tidus' name on to hand over to him. After all Tidus had bought a lot, once more.

He skitters out of the way as something jumped out of a box and skidded past him.

"Did you buy a pet?"

What was that? He hurried in the direction it had gone, if it was an animal it might get hurt in here with all these slightly unstable suitcases.

[blitzcheer]

"N-no?" Did he? No, of course he didn't, but what the heck did he buy? He's standing, baffled, the box still in his hands and he's following after Taiki.

"Do you see it? It had wheels, and-- it just went!"

It went! Zoomed off! And Tidus is racking his brain for what it could've been - was it even his parcel after all...?!

[longforgottenpromise]

"Like some kind of drone?"

He wouldn't actually put it past Tidus to have bought a pet and forgotten that he did so, or a drone for that matter. He continued searching, something with wheels...

It had seemed small, so he looked low, glancing under the suitcases as he walked around the carriage.

2.

[subcircuits]

Motion catches the eye of the floating camera that's drifting around the luggage car while its user searches for his packages. Sir Beepers whirls in midair, tracking the motion of the little-- thing-- with its single 'eye' for a moment before it breeets shrilly and takes off in pursuit.

[blitzcheer]

Watch its little tail tassels go blowing in the wind...!

"Ah, don't blast it!" Does Tidus know if that zoomy thing can blast? No, but he knows zilch about anything right now, following the much larger figure chase after the smaller one, which is whizzing on its wheels for the carriage doorway- before then going in a circular motion, like it just got stuck on a roundabout.

Sir Beepers could very much catch up to it, its movements erratic. Tidus, however, is rather slowed by all the luggage in the way of his feet.

[subcircuits]

The little tassels are an excellent indicator of how much zoom Sir Beepers is expending. Right now, it's a lot.

It stops on a dime above where the little wheeled thing is spinning circles on the floor, hovering for a moment above the spot as if that's all it's going to do. No such luck, though. With another loud electronic sound, it extends abruptly into its full critter mode and drops--!

Devero's alerted by now to the commotion down at the end of the car. "Don't worry, Sir Beepers is just a pet-- it's friendly," he calls in out in Tidus's direction, cupping his hands around his mouth. He taps his drone's visual feed, but the video really isn't helpful. "Beepers, whatever you're doing, knock it off!"

What Sir Beepers is doing is trying to pin the zoomy thing in place, and the drone does not seem inclined to knock it off.

Shopping

[hotheadwarmheart]

Lea was also looking for his own packages- or perhaps package; he didn't know if they'd be bundled together, since they were both reading material- but with all the various packages around this time, looking for a book and a comic book felt a bit like looking for a needle in a haystack. "Hey, Tidus," he said, "you see anything with my name on it over there? I just got a book and a comic book, and I'm not seeing them over here."

[blitzcheer]

"Hmm, nothin' yet!" Unfortunately, sorry pal. "Books are the worst to find in here. You'd they could just put them all in one spot! It's just those you're looking for?"

Nothing else he should be keeping an eye on?

[hotheadwarmheart]

"You'd think," Lea agreed. "And those are the only things I ordered, but if you see anything extra cool or weird you can let me know? And what kind of stuff are you looking for? Might as well return the favor, after all."