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

Lena Sabrewing | OTA

[outofyourshadow]

A. Platform

Lena hadn't realized her eyes had been closed until she opened them, and for a moment she was confused. The last she could remember, she had been falling through the sky. How did she get onto a train platform?

Her expression quickly changed to a bit of a scowl, and she crossed her arms with a huff. "Did it finally happen? Am I actually dead? Because I'll be honest, I will be mad if that's the way I went out."

B. Settling In (Closed to Roommates)

Walking down the carriage corridor, Lena double checked the numbers of the rooms with what was written on her ticket.

"...Cabin Upper 4...C..." Looking up at the door she was standing in front of, she checked her ticket again. "Well, I guess this is the one."

So using the ticket to open the door, she peeked into the room, looking for whoever she was supposed to be rooming with.

"Uh...hello?"

C. Departure

Finding an unoccupied seat, Lena settled in as the train began to take off. Watching the void through the window, she frowned a bit.

"And I thought the shadow realm was weird," she murmured.

D. Exploring the Train (Wildcard)

Once the train was more stable, Lena began to get a better look around the train. She could be found checking out each car, seeing what was in each one and what it had to offer.

((OOC: Lena will be looking around, so feel free to bump into her anywhere!))

platform

[magicurls]

Mami greets her with a small tray of simple pastries and a little smile.

"Maybe not...there's no way to know. I only know for certain that I'm dead because others from further along in time told me."

She thinks a moment more. "Don't give up yet! But even if you are dead, you'll be allowed to live on here after the train's mission is over. I asked."

[outofyourshadow]

Glancing up at the...strange creature, Lena can't help a slight frown. "That's not really too reassuring," she admits, even as she reaches for a pastry.

Well...if she can eat, she can't really be dead, can she?

[magicurls]

"I'm sorry, I wish I had better news," is her soft answer. "But maybe you're not dead. Strange miracles happen all the time..."

She'll send that wish out into the world for her. "Welcome, anyway. I know this isn't where any of us want to be. But even small comforts can help."

[outofyourshadow]

She shrugged a bit. "It's not your fault. It's just...a weird thought, I guess. But thanks for the welcome anyway." She did have a good point about small comforts.

Taking a bite of the pastry, she smiles. "Hey, this is pretty good."

[magicurls]

What a relief. Mami smiles.

"I'm glad that can help a little...it's my job to make people feel welcome," she explains. "It's a weird and scary time for most of us, arriving here. But I promise it's not all bad. The people are mostly nice!"

B

[sos_pilot]

Della was doing some reading - Juinor Woodchuck Guidebook reading - when she heard the door open. "Yeah? You need some help?" She looked over and...

... dropped her book in shock.

Now, Della had never met the young lady in question. But the way Webby would yammer on and on and on about a certain shadow child? Even that aside, a fellow duck?

"FINALLY!" Della cheered, running over to scoop Lena up in a big hug. "AHAHAHAHA, AT LAST! OOOOH, IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE YOU, YOU HAVE NO IDEA!"

[outofyourshadow]

Lena barely has a chance to register who's there before Della pulls her into a tight hug, and she feels the air rushing out of her body.

Man, and she thought Webby's hugs were crushing.

"Uh...hi?" she manages to wheeze. "Nice to see you survived too."

...or they're both dead. She hasn't ruled out that possibility yet.

[sos_pilot]

Don't expect her to put Lena down anytime soon. Della swings her back and forth, ruffling her hair affectionately. "This may be the best day on the train ever! Ah, let me get a good look at youuuu~!"

Nuzzle nuzzle nuzzle. "You're... Lena, right?"

[outofyourshadow]

"Ooooooookay, this is getting weird..." She squirmed a bit, but wasn't able to get Della to loosen her hold.

"Yeah, that's me." She couldn't help wondering why she was asking, though. Sure they didn't talk a lot, but after that last adventure she thought she would have known her name by now. "We just saw each other a bit ago?"

[sos_pilot]

"Ah ha ha, yeah, there's a whole weird time displacement thing going on." Della said casually, giving one more affectionate beak-to-hair ruffle before setting Lena on her feet.

"So, short version is, I've been here for months! And you've been pretty much the only person from our world I've seen in ages."

C

[irrationally]

Please, Lena. You can't mention terms like shadow realm out in the open and not expect people to get curious!

Because it sure is making Alice curious. A talking duck isn't all that weird - it wouldn't be that weird even if she hadn't met Della already. But talk of a shadow realm? Now that's something else entirely.

Hence why she curiously glances over at Lena.

"What is this 'shadow realm' place?"

[outofyourshadow]

Lena glanced up, blinking a bit. "Shoot, did I say that out loud?" she asks.

She's getting a bit more used to seeing these strange kind of people, but...it's still a little weird.

[irrationally]

Alice slowly nods.

No use in lying about it, after all.

"You certainly did." And pretty audibly too. It's not even like Alice had to listen in or strain her ears to hear what she was saying.

There's a slight pause on her end, and then she just asks: "Was I not meant to hear that?"

[outofyourshadow]

Hesitating for just a moment, Lena shrugs a little. "I mean, that was my fault. I generally don't talk about it, but I guess it just slipped out this time."

Probably because of the weird colors against the darkness...if she doesn't know better, she could fool herself into thinking it is the shadow realm.

[irrationally]

"Well, perhaps you should talk about it this time then."

If Lena insists on not wanting to, or if Alice gets a sign that it's a painful thing to talk about, then she may back off on it. It's not like she wants to hurt some random person on this train like that, after all.

But for now the curiosity is still too strong. Lena can't just mention it and then not explain what it is.

"I've never heard of such a place before."

D

[10billionpercent]

Senku was a little surprised to see a new, unfamiliar duck. He wouldn't comment on that, after all he knew Della very well.

"Can I interest you in some tea?" He offered instead. It was his go-to for easing people into train life.

[outofyourshadow]

Pausing a moment, Lena can't help couldn't help pulling a slight face.

"Uh...no thanks. I'm not really a tea drinker."

[10billionpercent]

"Oh." Senku blinked. She was the first one to turn him down on that.

"Well...are you more of a cola drinker then?" He couldn't help but ask.

[outofyourshadow]

She considered that for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, soda's fine, thanks." She didn't drink as much soda back home, with her dads and Violet preferring to eat healthy most of the time, but it couldn't hurt now, right?

Besides, she did feel a little bad for rejecting his tea.

[10billionpercent]

She didn't have to feel bad, he wasn't offended. "Great, shouldn't take more than a minute to prepare."

Senku flicked his wrist and the first thing that appeared was a jar of caramel which he set on the table. The second thing was a water carbonation machine. The third was a green liquid mixture. He liked to be prepared, especially when his husband desired a drink of cola.

C

[pleple]

"Oh!" Ple Two exclaimed without even realizing it the moment she spotted Lena, almost jumping at herself. Another duck! Just like Della! Was it inappropriate to assume that they might know each other? That was a social faux pas wasn't it?

[outofyourshadow]

The little outcry caught Lena's attention, and she glanced over at the girl. "Hey, how's it going?" she asked.

She was getting used to seeing all these strange creatures, and she might as well try to get along with people since it sounded like they were all here for a while.

[pleple]

"H-hello." She seemed confident. Not as immediately outgoingly friendly as Della. "I just... have seen another duck here, so you caught my attention. I apologize if that was rude."

[outofyourshadow]

Lena knew she wasn't quite so friendly, but it was something she was trying to work on. Or at least try not to sound sarcastic with everything she said. So she had to check her tone before replying, "Nah, no worries. I kind of notice we stand out a bit. So you know Della, huh?"