voidtreckermods: (voidtrain)
VoidTrecker Express Mods ([personal profile] voidtreckermods) wrote in [community profile] voidtreckerexpress2021-07-01 05:55 am

A New Platform [Intro Post July]

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 Merriment. 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. Without the fog, it would be difficult to tell they'd made the transition out of the Void - the platform is dark, save for soft blue lights high up in the ceiling.

The doors open. As usual, those who leave first notice nothing, walking silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers. Luke fon Fabre, Lan Wangji, Xiao Xingchen, Ann Takamaki, Meng Yao, Cleopatra Selene II, Jaisyn Solo, Rogue, Adam Parrish, Yuume Souryuu, Pepper Potts, Ray, Futaba Sakura, Beetlejuice, Tony Stark, Kotoha Kakimoto and 47; all pass across the platform, not looking back. And then they're gone, disappeared 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. The grey tiles underfoot and the concrete arches overhead are hard to discern for those with ordinary eyesight; the area is almost pitch black. At the first motion among the newcomers, however, faint blue light suffuses the area from above - striplights have been activated. Behind them is a set of barriers, half-sunk into a wall of fog, and in front of them is a single set of tracks extending both ways into that same thick fog. The air is cool and still, almost stagnant, save for the slight breeze coming along the tracks.

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 dark haze; then the fog begins to fade and they realise they aren’t alone.

The platform isn't large, and seems smaller with twelve 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, perhaps ten minutes or so, 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 coconuts, bottles of coconut oil and tins of coconut milk, the ingredient of the month of Merriment, 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 golden cardboard box with their name on it contains a slice of cake.

New passengers will find their ticket allows them into their cabins. In most rooms, the occupied beds are obvious, leaving the spotless, empty spaces for the newcomers. 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.

Departure

A second horn sounds to encourage any stragglers taking advantage of the arguably 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!
chocobosnap: (pic#12045176)

Bird bird bird

[personal profile] chocobosnap 2021-07-02 03:10 am (UTC)(link)
Oh no, there's a bird chirping and that catches Prompto's attention.

"Uh y-yeah, hi." He smiled. Prompto couldn't help but look at Takechirou.

"Your bird seems nice." That was a normal compliment, wasn't it?
jan_ken_hacking: (Talking)

[personal profile] jan_ken_hacking 2021-07-02 03:13 am (UTC)(link)
"Ah, thank you." The compliment landed!! "Since he's a crow, he can learn certain words, but..."

"HellllOH! Helllo!"

"I think right now he just likes the sound, and isn't meaning it anymore..." Ah well. She looks to Prompto. "...I'm Kiyoiri. It's good to meet you."
chocobosnap: (Selfie Time!)

[personal profile] chocobosnap 2021-07-02 04:35 am (UTC)(link)
Prompto might be a fan of birds, just a little bit.

"Oh, yeah, that's cool. I don't know any birds that can learn human words." He said with a cheerful grin.

"I'm Prompto." He responded easily. "Nice to meet you!"
jan_ken_hacking: (Talking)

[personal profile] jan_ken_hacking 2021-07-03 12:21 am (UTC)(link)
"Mnh. A lot of corvids are like Parrots that way...they even have their own language, sort of," she adds, her own smile quite small.

Takechirou, recognizing that whatever has been said is Probably a compliment, puffs his feathers.

Prompto though. Kiyoiri nods. Good, good. "...Since you said, 'any', do you normally work with other birds..?"
chocobosnap: (Default)

[personal profile] chocobosnap 2021-07-03 04:10 am (UTC)(link)
"I'm not too sure we have birds like that in my world." Prompto said with a smile. "It doesn't look like it can kill me at all."

He said this unironically, as though that was a normal remark to make.

"We have chocobos! I mean. I don't have one. But I got to ride one! They're my favourite animals of all time!"
jan_ken_hacking: (Talking)

[personal profile] jan_ken_hacking 2021-07-03 07:47 am (UTC)(link)
"...Birds are either able to kill you, or big enough to ride..?" Actually if she thinks about it, the latter would be followed by the former. Large animals, especially prey animals, are notorious for that.

"What do they look like?"
chocobosnap: (pic#12045178)

[personal profile] chocobosnap 2021-07-04 04:01 am (UTC)(link)
"Chocobos? They're super big and super fluffy and full of yellow feathers. They're really fun to ride too." He grinned.

"They won't try and kill you." He clarified. "It's the ones like the chickatrice and the Zu that do that."
jan_ken_hacking: (wut)

[personal profile] jan_ken_hacking 2021-07-04 03:35 pm (UTC)(link)
Fluffy and yellow... She ponders that, trying to imagine it. "...They sound like big ducklings..." she can't help but murmur, before blinking. "...Chickatrice?" She's heard of cockatrices, but...Chickatrice?
chocobosnap: (pic#12045180)

[personal profile] chocobosnap 2021-07-04 05:48 pm (UTC)(link)
"Yeah, Chicaktrice are big birds, kinda mean if you ask me, but they're pretty delicious." They were food, if food tried to peck your eyes out when you got close to it.
jan_ken_hacking: (o    o)

[personal profile] jan_ken_hacking 2021-07-05 10:26 am (UTC)(link)
"Mmh...a lot of delicious things are like that," she agrees. "It doesn't always seem like they will be, but if someone's a good cook, it works out."

She's still astounded at the edibility of a floating eyeball monster.

"Do they look like chickens?" Wait.

"...Do chickens exist where you came from?"
chocobosnap: (pic#12045179)

[personal profile] chocobosnap 2021-07-05 04:56 pm (UTC)(link)
"Uhh, no I don't think so." Prompto said, shaking his head.

"We've had chicken on the train though, it's not unlike it. Chickens are huge birds right? Are they aggressive too?"

Eos...really was a lovely place...
jan_ken_hacking: (Talking)

[personal profile] jan_ken_hacking 2021-07-06 02:31 am (UTC)(link)
She gestures with her hands.

Smol. Smol bird.

"We don't have a lot of big birds, but they can still be aggressive. Mostly, you eat chickens though."
chocobosnap: (Selfie grin)

[personal profile] chocobosnap 2021-07-08 02:42 am (UTC)(link)
"Oh...huh!" Prompto said with a bit of a hum.

"How did you get them so small? I mean...it doesn't seem like they would have much meat on them, right?"
jan_ken_hacking: (Talking)

[personal profile] jan_ken_hacking 2021-07-09 02:48 pm (UTC)(link)
Eh?

Kiyoiri blinks. "Mnh. I think it was something they did over time, to adapt to the world. ...One chicken still has enough meat for a person though- or more. It's not the kind of meat that lasts very long though."
chocobosnap: (pic#12045179)

[personal profile] chocobosnap 2021-07-10 12:08 am (UTC)(link)
"Ohhh, I see." Prompto said with a bit of a hum.

"Yeah, we can all eat chickatrice for a couple of days." He chuckled.
jan_ken_hacking: (wut)

[personal profile] jan_ken_hacking 2021-07-11 02:26 pm (UTC)(link)
"It lasts that long..?" It sounds incredible then...
chocobosnap: (Selfie grin)

[personal profile] chocobosnap 2021-07-11 08:11 pm (UTC)(link)
"Yeah, it's pretty good, as long as you store it and everything like other meats. Chickatrice is one of our favourites. Garula too. They're richer in meat and they're as big as a house!"

It was their version of cows. If cows could try and kill you, of course.
jan_ken_hacking: (Talking)

[personal profile] jan_ken_hacking 2021-07-12 11:48 am (UTC)(link)
"Garula?" Naturally, she has to ask about the not-cow. "...What does it look like?"

She is picturing perhaps, a dragon. A dragon is the only thing that would be that big, she's sure. That or a Hydra perhaps.
chocobosnap: (pic#12045171)

[personal profile] chocobosnap 2021-07-12 02:15 pm (UTC)(link)
"Oh, it's like a huge thing with these big wide feet." He said making the shape with his hands. "And it's got a weird trunk and huge tusks on it, and it's half furry. They're huge and they kinda try and gore you a little bit."

It looked more like an elephant, but they ate them and they were delicious that was all Prompto really knew about it.
jan_ken_hacking: (wut)

[personal profile] jan_ken_hacking 2021-07-13 02:44 pm (UTC)(link)
Big and furry...trunk...tusks...

"It sounds like a mammoth," she finds herself murmuring. "...Though mammoths went extinct a long time ago. I never thought about what something like a mammoth and elephant would taste like though."
chocobosnap: (Selfie grin)

[personal profile] chocobosnap 2021-07-14 06:44 pm (UTC)(link)
"Oh..huh." Prompto mused. "I don't know, I don't think we had those either."

He shrugged helplessly, it was a different world.

"Lots of things we get on the train are pretty strange to us but it's fine. It's usually pretty tasty."
jan_ken_hacking: (Talking)

[personal profile] jan_ken_hacking 2021-07-15 10:58 pm (UTC)(link)
"Hmmm..." Yes, this is the one tragedy of different worlds. "If we had photos, we could compare."

Unfortunately they don't, but ah well. "Do you know what kind of food the train has then?"
chocobosnap: (pic#12045179)

[personal profile] chocobosnap 2021-07-17 03:37 am (UTC)(link)
"Well we get ingredients every two weeks and a few recipe suggestions, but outside of that, it's whatever you want to have. One team is usually on cooking duty." He smiled. "Or you can order stuff when you earn points. We did that once. Got some curry."
jan_ken_hacking: (Talking)

[personal profile] jan_ken_hacking 2021-07-18 05:26 am (UTC)(link)
"Curry sounds good," she hums, before pausing.

Going backward, that...that was- "...The food has to last two weeks at a time? Has this ever caused problems?" She doesn't want to imagine what one small number of eager overeaters could cause.
chocobosnap: (pic#12045178)

[personal profile] chocobosnap 2021-07-18 05:31 pm (UTC)(link)
"We've never run out, I don't think." Prompto said. "Not that I heard anyway."

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