voidtreckermods: (sparkly train)
VoidTrecker Express Mods ([personal profile] voidtreckermods) wrote in [community profile] voidtreckerexpress2021-05-01 07:50 am

A New Platform [Intro Post May]

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!
yondu: (1 4 7)

[personal profile] yondu 2021-05-06 12:08 pm (UTC)(link)
"Admittedly we don't get the big choices, but we got that one." He shrugs. "I don't always feel like my skills are the best fit," as he's pretty much a murder-machine pirate, "but I stick with Blue."

Because he might be a murder-machine pirate, but he's still a protective dad and Blue has a lot of kids.
outofyourshadow: (pic#14751248)

[personal profile] outofyourshadow 2021-05-07 04:53 am (UTC)(link)
She nods a little. "Yeah...I guess it also depends on the mission too."

Though she hasn't read everything about the train, she knows that much.

"So how long have you been here?"
Edited 2021-05-07 04:54 (UTC)
yondu: (1 4 6)

[personal profile] yondu 2021-05-07 08:46 am (UTC)(link)
"Month and a half. Most folks haven't been here a full year yet, at most. I don't think nobody's been for more than that."

Which is pretty creepy, really. But being one of those who's condemned should he be booted off the train so sometimes he feels like he's waiting for the inevitable. Heavy topics to talk about when someone is so damn new and gettin' their bearings, though. There's quite a few here like him.

"I used to be a ship's captain back where I was from. Er, space ship. Guess considerin' all the worlds I need to specify."
outofyourshadow: (33)

[personal profile] outofyourshadow 2021-05-08 10:33 am (UTC)(link)
Lena couldn't help but frown a bit. Even a month felt a bit too long, since she really wanted to get back home as soon as possible. But she doesn't really seem to have much say in the matter, so she'd have to make the most of it.

"Oh wow, a captain of a space ship. That's pretty cool. What'd you guys do?"
yondu: (2 5 7)

[personal profile] yondu 2021-05-08 03:16 pm (UTC)(link)
"Mercenary work." He says with an outright smile, and pats the flames on his coat. "Ravagers were a fleet that existed outside of Imperial rule." Even if he was exiled, he kept that claim because like hell was he going to associate with Xandar or Hala. Both planets could eat his entire blue ass.

"So what d'you do? I've been tryin' to make sure most of our team ends up feelin' useful. We're pretty small an' we get pretty quiet work but that don't mean y'all can't do somethin' real useful."
outofyourshadow: (06)

[personal profile] outofyourshadow 2021-05-09 09:22 am (UTC)(link)
"So...like a space pirate or something?" Lena asked with a grin. Even though she's mostly good now, it's hard to remove the rebel in her. "That's pretty cool."

It was too bad Dewey wasn't here, he'd totally eat that up.

"I have magic; spells, levitation, forces of energy...stuff like that."
yondu: (0 7 8)

[personal profile] yondu 2021-05-09 05:56 pm (UTC)(link)
"Somethin' like that, yeah."

Not that he's the least bit ashamed. Not at all. Being a Ravager was his freedom, he's never been beholden to anything outside of the Ravager code (and he more than learned his lesson from the one time breaking it).

"Alright. Right. Have ya gotten to talk to any of the mages around here an' see how similar or differ'nt y'all are? Not that you been here long but some folks come at magic like they starvin' for it."
outofyourshadow: (pic#14715908)

[personal profile] outofyourshadow 2021-05-11 06:05 am (UTC)(link)
"Nice." She means it too. Space pirate is an awesome title.

"Not really. Still making my way through the train and meeting people, so I haven't met any other mages yet."
yondu: (1 1 0)

[personal profile] yondu 2021-05-12 07:30 am (UTC)(link)
"You'll find a bunch of 'em. You can basically light a candle an' draw a couple o' sigils an' they'll come outa the woodwork on their own. Don't have to make sense or nothin', they can smell it."

Some of his best friends on here are magic users and he knows exactly how them little turds are.
outofyourshadow: (38)

[personal profile] outofyourshadow 2021-05-12 09:28 am (UTC)(link)
"Yeah, that sounds about right." From her own knowledge about magic, that was pretty accurate. "I'll get the summoning circle started right away."