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

[cepicorpus]

It sounded as if Murphy's method was less death-requiring than Dio's. The vampire looks thoughtful, rubbing his chin a little. There weren't any immediate practical applications of the differences at the moment, but it would certainly be worth exploring in the future. "Should the world be suitable when next the train stops.. it might be interesting to see how, or if, our methods can combine. My zombies could hardly be called alive, but grants great strength and durability. I wonder.."

But that would require hunting worthy prey first, and removing them from public view. Just any victim wouldn't work, he'd need someone who would deserve the worst outcome should it happen, and that could take a fair bit of searching. "The train, of course, returns us should we fall, but I wonder if your method or mine might be viable for returning a fallen comrade immediately to their feet, and let the train handle the rest later."

Utterly morbid, that. "Though given our mutual holds upon our servants, I am reluctant to attempt it without knowing our fellow travelers may be freed afterward."

[zombiemessiah]

His didn't require death, but they didn't give the strength Dio's did, either. Murphy's considering it too, to be honest. What would happen if they both hit up someone. Not that he's out specifically to spitroast someone in thrall bites but if it works out specifically they could get someone real damn useful out of it, maybe.

"I was honestly ready to try it myself if I had to but I wasn't going to tell anyone that. People get a little-" he does a finger gun "-but seeing if both could work? Especially if they were someone we'd want to keep in a fight?"

He sneaks one more bite out of the tupperware before putting a lid on it.

"I know how to counteract my own bite and already ordered a vaccine. I might be able to counteract yours to if I got the right equipment and a blood sample. The two disease experts I ate were both very good at their work. Actually the second one wanted me to do it so I'd remember her skills, too." It's possible he could come up with something to counter Dio's. Or one of those magic purifying thingies could handle it- but honestly he's crazy curious as to what goes into being a vampire and now he has the borrowed intelligence to try and understand it.

[cepicorpus]

"Red tends to be fairly open about things that work even if they are disturbing to some, or .. at least it used to be." How much had things changed? So long as the end result was good, did the method really matter? "I would not try such with Blue however."

They might not get a choice, if something goes bad enough; Dio would rather people get out of things intact than die on some strange world for .. the sake of honor or whatever dumb thing they'd think of next. "Depending on if you want to study vampirism or zombiism, that would require two different samples." But he doesn't really sound against the idea. "I would consider it less a disease and more.. a symbiotic parasite? I am unsure the terms now, things have changed so much in a mere century!" And even more, for worlds far more advanced than his own. "But ways to break my hold or even restore a subject back to their original state would be immensely useful, should Fate continue its antics."

There's a long, looooong thoughtful pause, then: "Do you require the entire brain to gain the expertise of your subject? Or merely pieces? If I carved out some of mine, would it be useful, or--"

He stops himself before he continues, then frowns. "..Mm, no on second thought, I, Dio, might suddenly wind up your master even temporarily."

[zombiemessiah]

"Yeah, the lead seemed fine with what I am, anyway." He'd been avoiding talking about it beyond the 'undead' part which he couldn't really hide. But his abilities are useful.

"I might be able to handle it. You, I mean. The reason I'm red is that I could take a flesh-eating bacteria that should have dissolved me alive. Instead, I evolved. So if it was worth the risk, I'd take it." But, y'know, best to give it a shot when eating the brain leftovers is worth the risk. "I might be able to get something out of a good chunk of surface area if I eat it slowly."

Well, that gives him some idea of how old Dio is. A 'mere century' isn't anything to sneeze at.

"You know what! We'll never know unless we try." He pops the tupperware in the freezer. "I'll order some specific supplies at the next platform- which won't help on this mission but fuck that, people can deal if they're stupid," a dismissive wave, "and if you're into it I'll do some blood testing. Maybe the neurologist I know can help out, too."

[cepicorpus]

This Dio considers with all evidence of actual interest. "Be warned, my methods are not precisely.. bacterial. Or viral, for that matter. A small test may be advisable to begin with.." But not large bits until he knows it's not going to suddenly have wild side effects.

Benefits of the experiment:

Nothing at all, Dio's just curious. He's never met a zombie he didn't control before.

"I, Dio, will be happy to indulge these blood tests of yours. You may have to explain the results, science was never my forte." But he's willing to give it a go, because why not!

[zombiemessiah]

"Ahhhh I'm curious as to what your methods are. Even if they're 'magic', if it's in some observable way? Information I can use. I didn't care anything about science either until I got a taste for it."

He points and winks.

"Lubin' up my slip 'n' slide to hell with that joke."

No, it's not dressing like actual satan that would make him hellbound. It was a pun.

[cepicorpus]

"...It might well be magic." He has no idea, but viruses and bacteria don't just fall out of stone masks!

Actually they do but he doesn't know that. "But indeed the process is observable!" There is no getting a taste for it when it's his sort of vampirism, though he rather envied the ability a little. It does however draw a snort of not-quite-laughter. No, it'd be horrible to laugh! He has manners! He's a gentleman!

"Though a further warning, unless you have great need for understanding the bylaws of Victorian courts, or an intimate familiarity with the bottom of the ocean, you may not learn much of worth from devouring my brain."

[zombiemessiah]

"Don't worry. Same. I'd probably taste like hot garbage." From anyone else the suggestion/warning not to eat them would be ill met, but there's a little more of an understanding he gets here.

"I wasn't planning on eating any of the crew anyway unless it was an emergency. People get touchy about that kind of thing and I've seen enough drama in an enclosed space. It's pitchforks and fire or guns or it's sudden totalitarian rule or I just find myself in gay baby jail for a week with a Hannibal Lector mask."

But then he admits, "If I have an excuse though and someone really needs to part with some information? I'm absolutely going to throw myself on that grenade."

[cepicorpus]

He did have to admit he was mildly curious as to what a zombie of another sort might even taste like, but whether or not Murphy even bled was currently up for debate. What if it was all congealed? While Dio could make do there was no reason to 'make do' on the train in quite that fashion. "If opportunity and necessity ever arises, I will be certain to tell you how you taste. For posterity."

Unsurprisingly there's no sense that he has any itching need to actually do so. There's a lot of words Murphy uses next that have SOME sort of context but not enough to quite catch ... all of it.

What the hell was gay baby jail?

What's a hannibal lector mask?!

"The train selected us for a reason, and if that reason is merely that we can and will do what the others are too squeamish to.." The vampire shrugs. "Then we all do what must be done. If the pitchforks come out, I'll deal with that myself." So far, nothing on this train could compare with The World, he's certain of it! "..But as I recall we should be making a stop sometime this week, maybe there'll be an opportunity for something interesting."