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

Woz | purple | OTA

[rejoicer]

platform.

[The feeling of missing time is never a good one, and Woz is already irritated when he's regained his senses enough to look around.

His eyes immediately turn down toward his clothes, the sight of which cause him to make a face of disgust. A purple hoodie? How pedestrian. And where's his scarf? It's far more difficult to manipulate fabric when it's not something he can extend and fling outward with ease. Nothing he has on now is going to cut it.

He immediately removes the hoodie to tie it around his waist (and oh god the shirt underneath is the same color). At least the lower portion of his new outfit is decent. Not what he'd choose, but decent.

All at once there's an oddly decorated book in his hand. He opens it up and flips through the pages with a frown. As he'd expected, he finds no answers. It's slammed shut in his annoyance, but he keeps it at his side in one hand. Had it been with him this whole time? It's hard to say.]

... Now where do I file a complaint?

[He asks this to the world in general as he searches the crowd for familiar faces.]

on the train.

[Oh? What's this?

The small silver box Woz finds among his belongings has him curious. There's a sweet smell wafting from it so he's careful not to tip it around as he looks the box over. Is it a gift? A trap? There's no recycling logo on the bottom of the box, of course. Will no one think of the future?

Apparently it's a cupcake. Woz is unable to keep his face from lighting up like a kid at Christmas as he sits in the quiet car with his prize.]

I accept your bribery. [He says with his mouth half full to... probably the train itself.] But this isn't a binding contract.

departure.

[Take off? No problem. Woz deals with this sort of thing all the time. The jolt, the shifting of the train position, this is nothing. He's completely cool, calm, and collected.

He's also absolutely transformed into his Kamen Rider suit, but that's just him being prepared! He sits casually on the floor of the train, arms crossed over his chest, until the train levels itself out.

Totally smooth.]

wildcard.

(Anything else!)

Departure

[cureofmanyworlds]

[Nozomi had held on to a nearby wall as the train shifted as it left the station. As she regained her balance, she happened to look at the figure on the floor and gasped.

It had been years since she'd seen one. The detective who allied with her in Mayfield once. The space-suited teacher and the dimension traveler in Equestria. It had to be one...]

You're a... Kamen Rider...?

[rejoicer]

[Oh? Woz tilts his helmeted head toward the young woman. If she's aware of Kamen Riders then he can't pass up this opportunity.]

Indeed! Rejoice!

[Of course circumstances would be better if he'd done this right after transforming... and if he wasn't on the floor. So he hefts himself to his feet as he continues his proclamation.]

For you are in the presence of Kamen Rider Woz: retainer and prophet to the greatest, most kind demon king of time! This journey is but the first page in a new history!

[cureofmanyworlds]

'Demon king of time'? Even if he's kind, I'd be worried if he's some sort of 'demon king'...

[But, Woz doesn't SEEM evil. Just... eccentric? Maybe?]

I'm Nozomi Yumehara. I've meet a few before.

[rejoicer]

I work with what I can get. He already refused all the other potentially negative parts of the title so I had to hold onto something.

[And Sougo had chosen to stick with that bit himself. For the most part. It wouldn't be nearly as enjoyable to say otherwise.

Woz flips something on his belt so that the whole outfit dissolves away, leaving him in the default purple arrival gear.]

You've met a few? From one era or several?

Platform

[chalicejoker]

[If it's familiar faces Woz is looking for, this one might fit the bill, even if he's decidedly not paying Woz any attention right now. He's just fussing over a small deck of cards, as one does.

But at least he's also wearing this purple nightmare of an outfit, so there's that.]

[rejoicer]

[Hajime's face is familiar, though it takes Woz a moment to make the connection since he's also younger than he was when he last saw him. The cards help seal the fact that he's the same person and not someone who's just very similar looking.

Putting his hands casually in his pockets, Woz saunters over to his fellow rider.]

You aren't looking for a partner to play with in this mess, are you?

[chalicejoker]

[Wow no, Hajime absolutely does not like having a stranger comment on his cards. They almost immediately get shoved into the hoodie pocket, for Hajime is a master of subtlety.]

Not at all, no.

[So subtle. Definitely subtle and not at all stiff like he's been caught with something.]

[rejoicer]

Making sure they're all accounted for, then. Good call.

[A Kamen Rider's tools are important, after all. Though as far as belt power-ups go, Woz always found the cards to be particularly blasé. Though they were very easy to store, which has to count for something.]

Are you alone here too, Mr. Aikawa?

platform

[blitzcheer]

I can tell you, but you're not gonna get a real answer. Wanna go complain anyway?

[ Tidus is looking out for anyone in purple, so the opportunity to speak up as this guy seems distracted - he takes it, giving them an amicable expression, a hand resting on Tidus's waist. He's got a hoodie tied around there too, but his shirt is the same purple as Woz wears. ]

I can tell you what's up, too.

[rejoicer]

Excellent.

[Woz clasps his hands together in a gesture that says that settles it. He can complain whenever. Getting answers is what's most important now, even though he's not about to take everything a stranger says at face value right away.]

Then please explain, my comrade in purple.

[blitzcheer]

[ Tidus can't lie, there's something about comrade in purple that absolutely tugs a smile on his face, amused, but he's nodding too. ]

Alright, but just as weird it is we're here in the first place? The explanation's weird too. [ He jabs a thumb pointed over his shoulder, towards the train. A pause before he continues on. ]

That train? It picked us out at random from anywhere, and dragged us here 'cause it wants us to be heroes for other planets. We get sent on jobs, and the only way we can get back home is if the thing keeping us connected to the train gets interrupted, or whatever. [ Whatever, 'cause he can't think of a better word. 'Disconnected'?

Anyway. ]

If you need proof, well.. there's probably some people here who aren't gonna look like anyone you've seen where you're from. Non-humans, and that.

[ You know, 'cause there's a lot of people from very human-only worlds here. ]

[rejoicer]

[Woz could argue that this young man has no idea what kind of things he's seen. He's fought many things that hadn't been human. But that's not really pertinent to the main part of their discussion, so he leaves it be.

But if this train needed "heroes" then why had it picked him? There were far more heroic options among the kamen riders of various worlds - even among the ones from his own. If anything, out of his group he's probably the least heroic.]

Then this train has poor taste. ...No insult meant to you, of course.

[He wonders if his king will be able to summon him across the dimensions if he's needed. Which call would prove stronger?]

Does it pull names from a hat? That doesn't seem like the most effective method of choosing its fighters.

departure

[writerkick]

[Kotoha has to stare in confusion at Woz. She's... not used to the presence of other people who transform into superheroes. And also, perhaps more importantly.

She's not used to people with giant letters on their face.]

"Rider"...? That "i" is terribly tiny.

[rejoicer]

Hm?

[What is she talking about - oh. Right, his helmet. He raises a hand up to touch the front but can't feel much of it through his glove.]

It doesn't have to be the most readable. It's all about the aesthetic.

[Not that he'd designed said aesthetic.]

[writerkick]

Aesthetic... Isn't it a bit, um, you know...

Tacky?

[Not that Kotoha has any room to talk, but, you know.]

on the train

[flatteries]

[ Inigo stares at the whole display. The other studying the box. Slowly opening it. Looking at the cupcake, and then watching Woz's face light up like that..

Oh, it's so funny. Inigo doesn't really like platform days, but it's the small things that can make them a little better. Like seeing some new person get really excited about a cupcake.

It means he can't surpress the smile on his own face as he approaches Woz. ]

Exactly, exactly! Don't let yourself be led astray by a single cupcake!

[rejoicer]

Obviously, I have more dignity than - who are you, exactly?

[Woz poses the question with a deadpan expression, but it might be difficult to take him seriously given that he has a dab of sparkly icing on the end of his nose.

He briefly sticks his tongue out to try and remove it with no success.]

[flatteries]

Why, my name is Inigo, of course! And..

[ ...

Did--

Did this guy just try to remove that obvious cupcake smear on his nose by trying to lick it? And failed?

Inigo is truly trying so hard to be polite here. He can't imagine it's fun to get laughed at on your very first day here. But there's no helping it. It's as if that little action is what causes the dam to burst, and Inigo lets out a 'pfftt' sort of laugh that he only manages to cover up with his hand one moment too late. ]

Departure

[hotheadwarmheart]

[Yep, that's definitely someone who looks like a refugee from an episode of Prismatic Guardians sitting there on the floor.]

Nice outfit. I don't think the takeoff was quite rough enough to require armor, though.

[rejoicer]

It never hurts to be prepared!

[Woz thinks he handled his first take-off with grace, thank you very much. He flips something on his belt and the outfit completely disappears, leaving him in his usual attire that he could in no way have been wearing under his suit before now.]

The one time you don't suit up will be the one time the take-off is especially rough.

[hotheadwarmheart]

Well I've been her for months now and non one's ever needed armor on takeoff yet, so...

[He trails off, the end of the sentence obvious.]

Still, it is really cool. It looks like something out of my favorite TV show when I was a kid.

Departure

[labcatte]

Bacon blinks. "A Cicaider...?" they say under their breath, staring at the person in the watch-themed suit in front of them, trying to place the particular suit in question. Their dad had been a casual tokusatsu fan. They'd seen bits of a lot of different Cicaider and ranger shows over the years.

Unfortunately it all comes up blank. The suit theme kind of reminds them of that anniversary show that had come after Cicaider Nano, but it's not quite any of the actual suits they remember.

[rejoicer]

Is that judgment he hears? Is he being judged by an actual cat person? Perhaps it's not so much the quiet question but the eyes. To be fair, Kamen Riders get those sorts of looks a lot after they've suited up - especially when they aren't fighting anything. Woz does a great job of ignoring them, mostly.

"Are you calling me an insect?" There's some humor in his voice as he gestures to his outfit. Wrong era. "I'm clearly smart-watch themed." Future time and all that nonsense.

[labcatte]

"Cicaider, not cicada," Bacon qualifies. "You know, the tokusatsu show? Maybe they don't have it where you're from. They're..." The wave their hands in frustration. "They're karate bugmen, basically. That's what my aunt used to call them to annoy Dad. They dress up in vaguely insect-looking body armor and kick things until they explode and there's usually a crossover with a ranger show. Though, uh, later seasons didn't really look all that much like bugs anymore, which is why I guess a lot of them were called something other than 'Cicaider' in the show itself. There was a time-themed season, but they looked like clocks, not watches."