voidtreckerexpress | A New Platform [Intro Post May]

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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!

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" 'Course." Senku said, removing it and offering it to Gen easily. "That would be festive." He couldn't think of a reason not to have origami stars hanging in their room.

"The bench up here, we can use as storage for things. We can keep our clothes there maybe which I'm sure Orion will just see as an invitation." He commented dryly, but that was cats wasn't it?

"Or we could store some of my books. I'm planning on donating them when I'm done with them but I've ordered a lot. I've also got a lot of other things in the arms band at the moment."

"I should buy some of those sticky glow in the dark ceiling stars from the shop sometime, maybe ..." Gen mused, as he pulled out strings of the origami stars he'd used twice before as decorations, to begin putting around their double room.

Gen giggled. "Anything that doesn't have his beautiful fur on it needs correcting, certainly. Plus, it'd make a great perch for him - he can survey his whole domain from there."

He glanced at Senku as he strung up the paper stars, "I'm very close, my darling, to running down to the luggage carriage so I can quickly snag your gift."

"Next thing I know, you'll be putting up twinkle lights too." Senku commented, but he didn't look like he minded too much. He scooped up Orion and put him up on the top shelf so he could investigate more of his domain.

"You don't have to if you don't want to, but I won't complain." He smiled as he was tucking their blankets around on the bed to make it seem more comfortable. "Remind me to order some luxurious pillows or something. Look at how spoiled you're making me." He commented blandly.

It was clearly Gen's fault, wasn't it?

"What should we do with these cubbies? Apart from keep things in them, unless you want to decorate them or something...or we can put our clothes in there, but I don't actually hate having a couple of spare outfits on us. Missions are messy."

Gen made a soft sound. "Twinkle lights! I didn't even think of it - that's a brilliant idea. I wonder if they make them in the shape of little stars ... Oh this will be such fun!"

He giggled at Senku as he came over to him, offering him a peck on the cheek. "You're the one spoiling me, my darling."

Humming in consideration, he said, "Hold that thought. I'm going to grab at least one thing we can put in those cubbies - be back in a flash!"

Time for a mad dash to the luggage carriage.

Senku just chuckled lightly as he looked over the space, considering it. The bench above, he was contemplating. They could have company, sure, but they could also let Orion have it.

That was never going to work, he already knew the kitten favoured sleeping with them.

At least there were more spare blankets, just in case and he considered that storage space for a bit before adding their spare warm blankets, warm coats and boots into the trunk before lowering the bed again. They could leave their winter things in there until another wintery mission.

On one of the four cubbies he started arranging a few things they had, although they were getting low on, spices and seasonings. Oh he would have to show Gen what he got when he came back.

It’s a bit of a journey between their room to the end of the train, and back - but Gen was quick, and pretty small and easily zipped between the crowds and slow moving people. So he was as quick as anyone could be, returning with his parcel before too long.

He placed it on the bed and bounced a little on his heels, beaming innocently and brightly.

“Open it, open it,” Gen urged him, cheerfully. “I want to see your face, Senku-chan.”

"Alright, alright, I'm opening it."

Senku smiled and tore open the packaging. He tilted his head at the familiar pink door and tugged it open.

His eyes lit up and he smiled brightly. "Doraemon!"

"Doraemon!" Gen agreed brightly, and he indeed drank in Senku's expression - face lit up with innocent, eager delight. Exactly what he'd hoped to see. His heart felt warm and full, he couldn't help but grin from ear to ear. "The full collector's set. I really hoped that the train wouldn't mess up my book order, you know it can be touchy when people request certain titles ..."

"I do." Senku grinned at him and leaned over to give him a kiss. "Thank you, Gen. Now you can experience what is clearly the best manga of all time." He chuckled lightly.

"I'm...I haven't read this in so long."

Gen would never turn down a kiss, and leaned against him a little after to better look over his shoulder. "Mm. I don't think I've ever read it. I was familiar a little with the show when I was little, but ..."

His smile was very fond, reaching out to run a finger over one of the volumes. "I don't really remember much. It'll be fun to revisit, don't you think?"

"I think you'll enjoy it, if you enjoy time traveling robot cats." Really, who wouldn't enjoy that?

"Thank you, really, it's a really thoughtful gift."

Giggling, Gen said as much, "It's really popular for a reason, my dear - anyone should enjoy time traveling cat robots, mm?"

From the bed, Orion made a lazy sort of sound as if he agreed with them. Or maybe he just usually associated the sound 'cat' with himself, even if he technically wasn't one.

Gen turned and kissed his cheek lightly. "You're very welcome, darling. Consider it our first proper decoration for our very own private room."

Senku offered him a kiss very easily and relaxed after that. He set up the box on the table, even if it blocked the ICP.

"What do you think?"

"Perfect," Gen said, not really carrying if it blocked the ICP. If there was an important broadcast, they'd shift it out of the way, he figured. Clapping his hands together, he said, "Now all I need to do is figure out how many twinkle lights and stick-on stars we'll need for in here ..."

He laughed. "Sure, whatever you want Gen. I won't complain. We've got all kinds of personality in here as it is."

Senku paused a moment. "It's just missing the smell of nightshade."

That was ... Gen blushed, surprised and caught off-guard by that very, very sweet statement. There's a lot of smells that Senku could miss from their old home ... the observatory was a site for impromptu experiments, for cooking dinner, brewing tea, drawing up diagrams on leather hide or paper parchment, or even simply mending clothes. But nightshade was Gen's favorite flower. His signature.

He hadn't asked for it on the train because he didn't trust anyone here beside Senku not to use it for ill. ... All right, by now, there's a couple of other people he trusted. But not the train as a whole. He would not plant it in the garden car.

Gen would duck in to steal another kiss, thanking Senku this time for being so sweet. He gave him a cheeky smile. "Maybe I can ask for a small planter that we can keep in here, and a UV light, hm?"

"If you want. We'd probably have to move Doraemon to a cubby, but it would be for a worthy cause."

No, Senku wouldn't use it for ill, of course he wouldn't, but it would also leave it's lingering scent in their room. It smelled really nice, for something so lethal.

"Mmm, we're making this into a real home, if there's both books and plants, wouldn't you say?" Gen's smile was a little crafty, but he's very pleased by all of this.

It didn't stop him, not even by one millimeter, from wanting to return home. But it'd make their prolonged kidnapping here a lot more bearable. Senku alone made everything bearable.

He glanced at Orion. "We'll need to train him to keep out of it, of course."

"May as well, for the time being, I've been here nearly six months. That's a very long time. A home base of sorts isn't against the rules." It didn't dissuade him either, but they were pretty nomadic these days, some roots were well worth it.

"Of course. We might have to stop leaving him unattended in here if you get that."

Gen hummed a little, and flopped down in bed beside their Pokemon kitten, poking his fluffy belly a little, causing Orion to bat at his fingers. He propped his chin up on his other hand, elbow on the bed.

It didn't seem worth it if it'd be a danger to their furry friend, but. "It wouldn't be much hardship if he was hanging around one of us as we wander around the train, hmmm? Then again, maybe I could simply get some nightshade perfume."

"I just mean while we're training him, but no, it's not much of a hardship. I think people like Orion anyway. They should. He's really adorable."

"It's actually a pretty good litmus test of character," Gen teased, looking up from Orion to Senku with a certain glint in his eye. "If someone doesn't adore our son on sight, then how trustworthy could they really be?"

"If you say so, dear." Senku snickered a little bit, but set about putting out a few more things to help decorate.

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A New Platform [Intro Post May]

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