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

Kono Dio da! OTA

[cepicorpus]

Arrival

Of all the new arrivals standing outside waiting for the train on a misty platform, only one doesn't seem terribly surprised, or confused. Nothing of the sort in fact, as the fog thins a little bit, the towering blond in red and khaki looks around with alert interest, glances skyward once, and very reluctantly pulls his hood up after checking to see if he might happen to have a wristwatch.

He does. Safety, at least.

"The train should arrive soon," the vampire declares, tone utterly content. Apparently he's not done with mutliversal mayhem just yet, which suits him fine. He crosses his arms over his chest, peering at the cloying fog. "This time it seems it won't inflict the garish light of noon upon us. Small mercies."

Everyone else would probably be fine with that, actually.

Out And About

Even though he's been here before, Dio's forced to do a little exploring anyway.

For one the sleeper carriages have COMPLETELY changed. And there's several new ones to investigate. But his path around the train doesn't quite have the uncertainty of a new arrival, it's closer to a more experienced resident simply looking about to see what might have changed.

"No crocodile car," he says to whoever happens to be nearby at that particular moment. "A disappointment. I, Dio, will have to repeat my recommendation.."

For a crocodile car?

It's important for morale. He's certain of it.

Kitchen.

There's just one last thing to check on!

His diet was catered to the last time he was here, and he didn't bother to question it. But it's always good to be certain. Thus Dio has relocated into the kitchen whether or not it's Red's week for kitchen duty, to poke through the entirety of the current inventory to find ... yes indeed, there is fresh (chilled.. meh.) blood packed away. It might not necessarily be only for him but he'll take it anyway, retrieving one of the neatly sealed bags of blood and then beginning a hunt for a glass.

"Unfortunate the train insists on keeping it cold. Some things are best served hot and fresh directly from the source.."

Kitchen.

[zombiemessiah]

It's fresh brain daaaaay! Fresh brain daaaay. Sure, not the real thing but in his world the real thing is a little harder to come by. Just not a lot of humans left and he likes it when they're on his side. But he can eat those of fallen zombies when he needs.

Fresh would be better. Warm? Optimal, but he's accepted that's just not going to happen on any sort of regular. That's a treat.

Murphy is moving past Dio with his brown-paper wrapped brain that he's intending to freeze into cubes this time. Unwraps it and plants it on the cutting board. Starts grabs a knife from where they're stored and-

He looks over to Dio. Really looks this time. Wrinkles his nose as he sniffs. Yup, yup that sure is blood. "Yeah, I've noticed. This shit is like tofu. It does the trick but it's missing a little kick." He starts chopping it up.

Re: Kitchen.

[cepicorpus]

He's encountered fellow vampires on the train, but never an outright cannibal. Or zombie, as the case might be, and what exactly Murphy qualifies as isn't immediately obvious to Dio, because he's used to zombies looking.. well.

A lot more rotten.

The brain is considered. It certainly looks human by size and shape, but he's been wrong before about such things, and slowly the vampire's brow furrows. Maybe he's mis-guessing and Murphy's not human at all, that would eliminate the cannibalism--

His expression brightens when addressed though. One way or another, someone else who shares a peculiar diet most would call unnatural! "Indeed, it's true. There's frequent stops where one may find something more .. interesting, but in the meantime it is at least filling." He gestures a bit with his glass. "Is there not a disease that comes from eating brains, or is that only if you share a species with the victim?"

A vampire can't be judgy over someone else's diet, and there's only mild curiosity.

[zombiemessiah]

You know what? He'd cook up some thought about the guy looking a little like he just escaped Judas Priest or Guns n Roses but none of those strung-out guys could even hope to get that buff. God daaaamn. And that's even with the train's baggy gear. Murphy's not as buff by a long shot (stronger than he looks but not strong enough that he'd pick a fight with what seems to be a vampire), but at least he was gifted with his more form-fitting leather jacket by the train.

"Oh, so the moral reasoning ends when it's for the good of a stranger's civilization? Good to know." He tosses a cube in the air and catches it in his mouth like it's popcorn.

"My body expels most diseases. Prions. Bacteria. Viruses. Whatever. If I ingest it, I evolve to handle it. Nothing I have to worry about... but these brains are empty so I don't think they're real. No knowledge. No memories."

He glances at the blood again. "So where are you on the vampire range? You don't seem like a sparkletwink and you're not jamming with the cape and ruffles. You have any of the fun abilities?"

[cepicorpus]

"I don't limit myself to conventional human morality," is the easy response. "By my nature that would result in some rather unpleasant psychological problems rather quickly." Where did anything come in being good for a civilization, though? His confusion doesn't show, but it's there. Clearly he's missed something, he just doesn't have an angle to address it properly.

Besides, there's a meal to be had, ideal or not. He COULD go decades without blood but ... why?

While he doesn't know what a prion is, he knows about bacteria and viruses! It makes sense a predator wouldn't get violently ill off of their preferred diet, and he's got a pretty good grasp on evolution theory.. "Do you consider the memories a requirement or merely an interesting bonus?"

That might be the tofu part!

Though what tofu was, is a bit of a mystery. He has a dim recollection of some sort of mushy square during one month or another.. "I have many 'fun abilities', but if there's more than one sort of vampire I've yet to encounter it!" He sets one hand on his hip, looking thoughtful. "I can do capes and ruffles though it fell out of fashion quite a while ago, but the train prefers.. this." Which is far too loose for his comfort.

kitchens I'd apologize but it's Dio

[oncedriven]

"Better that than spoiled."

Even given enhanced vampire senses, it's a crapshoot as to whether Dio would have noticed the person who speaks up before he does so. Asch's voice is faintly amused, mostly blank in a 'why the hells not' kind of way, as though an actual vampire is just a cherry on top of his day. Other than the sounds of breathing and his clothes moving as he folds his arms and shifts his weight. There's no smell of humanity or organ-noises, heartbeat or stomach rumbles or whatever have you.

He gives the blood bag a long, considering look, and then finally goes 'fuck it' internally, because whatever else this guy is, there's no obvious screaming danger warning about him.

"... if you want, I can warm it up for you."

[cepicorpus]

If Dio has noticed Asch, there's little sign of it except for the fact that he'd spoken up to begin with to complain about the lack of delicious body temperature blood to snack on. But he really does look the sort who'd make such declarations to a completely empty room too.

Almost immediately the redhead is slotted into a mental category of 'Not Human'. No heartbeat, at the very least - and no human gets away with that one for long. There's plenty of options for things that LOOK human, from aliens to very clever machines, and that's.. a puzzle he'll unravel in due time.

"And the train does not oblige me to hunt my fellow passengers," he agrees, though something in his tone suggests he'd actually be fine with that. His dinner snack is considered, and then Asch, and then one clawed hand is waved a little, negligently. "No, it's quite alright. The line between pleasantly warmed and beginning to congeal is fine, and I've no interest in chewing dinner tonight."

MANNERS, Dio. "....But thank you for the offer. Are you new here, or have you been on the train a while? I have been.. absent for some months, I believe, but I do not recognize you."

[oncedriven]

"Nor would your fellow passengers." Blunt, even if he's still not sensing any particular danger. Asch regards the blood bag, before shrugging.

"I'm a healer, I could probably manage," he says, "but if you don't want to risk it, it's fine."

But to the question, he shakes his head, long red hair swaying. "No, I just arrived," he says. "Still getting my bearings."

Which perhaps doesn't call for hiding one's presence so much, but dark blades gonna dark blade.

[cepicorpus]

Dio is not particularly dangerous on the train at least. He knew the rules, and if he wanted to stay and continue his interdimensional vacation fun times, he better not eat anyone the train considers important!!

Asch is probably not on the eat list anyway, he's had poor luck trying to consume things without heartbeats. It tended to bode poorly for blood quality. "Ah, true, true."

Hunting people up and down the corridors! And some of them might have actual magic, which he wasn't sure how to foil just yet. High risk, average reward! Not ideal. "You are I admit not what I expect a healer to look like." Hair nets. Those forehead lens reflectors, white coats and latex gloves! But then again clearly Asch isn't on duty so the hair nets might come later.

"...Well. Allow me to welcome you then, to the Voidtrecker Express. I do hope you don't intend to return to your home any time soon, and like interdimensional travel."

Out and About

[seacub]

The sleeper carriages really changed, wow- Emporio boarded back to quite a surprise, now having to go upstairs to his cabin- though he couldn't say it was entirely unpleasant. What with the heat that was off on the platform though, he's had to tie his red sweater around his waist- the orange polo feeling just slightly sticky from the muggy humidity that had been out there, enough that he uncomfortably pulls at his collar a bit on his way to get to the next free shower.

His hat, is the same as it has been- black, bearing the gold emblem in the center, with his own addition of a wintery pin beside it.

He's adjusting it when he hears those words. "Huh-!?"

The boy jumps- though there is yet to be any seen stand, the danger perhaps too much without belief to justify it. "D...Did you say... ...Dio..?!"

[cepicorpus]

It's a small child!

Honestly the train did just snatch up all kinds of people. As far as he knew it had yet to pick up anyone who wasn't somehow useful or knowledgeable about SOMETHING that can help out, which meant this particular small child was more than he appeared, but he's still.. a small child.

And it's impossible to find those concerning. There isn't a trace of apprehension, concern or hostility in the vampire as he turns to observe Emporio, one pale eyebrow rising. He's not entirely used to simply being recognized by name..

"Indeed, it is I, Dio." His tone is mild, not quite gentle, and a touch amused. That's alarm - but not fear, perhaps, from Emporio. Alarm is surprising enough. "Though it's rare one recognizes me so quickly. You may relax, child. Were I somehow interested in harming children, which I have yet to make a habit of, all upon this train are allies, are we not?" His smile is brief and doesn't quite show the tips of fangs. Was this one of Kujo's little friends he's picked up along the way?

[seacub]

On the unfortunate end, it's definitely something inching into fear when Dio confirms it- a moment that is brief, and fleeting however, when he continues.

The words do not quite compute, to put it gently. "...I..." Not...

"You're not..." He's lost for words. Incredibly lost for words, in fact, and it's struck him entirely dumb. He stands there, his jaw opened as the words fail to really come to mind, the confusion written across his face.

Finally he latches onto the only thing that makes sense, looking away. "I don't... ...It's not you I recognize, just your name. I..."

He shakes his head. "...maybe it's coincidence..." Surely, the person who led Pucci to such ends wouldn't have such a pointed lack of interest after all.

[cepicorpus]

For several long moments, Dio remains as deathly still as only a vampire can, unblinking, silent.

And then one clawed hand is waved a little bit, as if shooing something away. "I don't believe in coincidences, fate has its talons sunk too deeply into everything. However, I assure you that you have nothing to worry yourself about."

Well that settles it surely! They can each go their separate ways--

"But if I may ask, where have you heard my name before? Or a name as wonderful, though clearly fearsome in reputation."

Out and About

[10billionpercent]

He considered the strange comment that seemed to come out of nowhere. "What would you do with a bunch of crocodiles?" Senku asked. "Eat them?"

At least he asked what Dio wanted to do first, that was an improvement wasn't it?

[cepicorpus]

"Ah, the usual of course!"

What's the usual? He'll clarify. He sets his hands on his hips, looking thoroughly put out. "You pet them menacingly when threatened by unexpected sources. You feed leftovers to them, which occasionally correlates with those threats. You listen to the delightful little laser noises they make when freshly hatched!"

[10billionpercent]

Senku stared at him a moment, until his brain kickstarted and parsed that.

"I can't say I've seen any freshly hatched. I don't typically consider things useful in posing as a supervillain." He commented dryly.

"I thought you might want to eat them."

[cepicorpus]

"I'm not certain the train is set up to process future handbags," Dio muses. "No, this vehicle tends to supply only things that aid in one fashion or another, so any crocodiles gained would be less.. likely to devour everyone who belongs here, I am certain. And there would surely be great outcry were anyone supplied live food of that sort."

Murder! Crocodile murder! "It never hurts to learn to pose as a villain," he adds with suspicious cheer. "You never know when it might become unexpectedly useful!"

Kitchen

[gentle_jim]

[Jack's loitering in the kitchen, pouting about the fact that he did not receive a sparkly cupcake. Sure, he's a robot - but his body does seem to have the ability to process organic stuff into fuel. It just wasn't fair. He looks up from his silent tantrum just in time to notice some huge dude pull a bag of something red from the fridge.

And by the way he's talking about it? Seems like it could be blood.]

"Okay, hold on. Is that blood? Like human blood? Because there's been a brain in there and I'm just wondering how far the train is willing to take this 'special diet' thing," he asks, pointing at the bag in Dio's hand.

[cepicorpus]

The question catches him offbalance enough where Dio actually considers his bagged drink, lifts it up to the light to scrutinize it, gives it a sniff and then digs a claw into it at the top to give a cautious lick.

"I'm not sure it's human," he concludes after a long, thoughtful moment. "It's lacking something I can't quite put a finger on."

That is entirely not what Jack was trying to get at, was it. "The train has obliged me before," the vampire continues, "And another, much smaller of my distant kin. Given its ... abstract morality I would likely assume this is some sort of ... replicated thing." He gestures a bit with the bag, it dribbles crimson as it goes. "Fear not, I will bring no harm to my fellow passengers, that would be terribly rude."

Out and About

[tactlesstantei]

...A crocodile carriage? [Masumi's not sure what to make of the idea of a crocodile car, of all things. It's just such a weird idea that it short circuits her brain for a moment before she can really question it.]

Why exactly do you want a whole carriage of crocodiles, of all things? I think that might cause trouble for some people...

[cepicorpus]

[Dio clearly still thinks it's a fantastic idea. The vampire looks a bit startled at even being questioned about it, then gives a brief, toothy flash of a smile. He has reasons! He's thought it out!

They're all completely bullshit, he did it on whim, but he needed to justify himself afterward.]

Do you really want to know?

Out

[labcatte]

"A crocodile car? Really?" Despite their words, the anthropomorphic tiger person sounds more curious than anything. Maybe faintly intrigued.

Re: Out

[cepicorpus]

"Yes indeed!" CROCODILES. Everyone needs to consider the possibility of crocodiles far more seriously. "In this day and age, with so many species coming together, surely someone may be allergic to a cat or a dog, but I have never heard of anyone being allergic to crocodiles."

Well, it might not be the best reason, but it's a reason.

Re: Out

[labcatte]

"I mean, you've got a good point," the tiger person says. "I don't think they're a common allergen. But I mean, usually with cats or dogs, it's because of the dander. That's why people who're allergic can usually have special hypoallergenic breeds or hairless ones."

[cepicorpus]

Dio crosses his arms over his chest. "I have yet to observe any crocodile or alligator licking themselves. It's a plan that cannot fail."

There are serious flaws in this plan. Major, serious flaws.

"Besides which, if there are those fearful of twenty foot long predators asking for a pat, the little ones are only a foot long and make tiny noises like the guns in that space movie."