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VoidTrecker Express Mods ([personal profile] voidtreckermods) wrote in [community profile] voidtreckerexpress2021-09-01 05:54 am

A New Platform [Intro Post September]

On the Train

"Good morning Voidtreckers, it is day one of the month of Nebula. 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 doors open. As usual, those who leave first notice nothing, walking silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers. A-Qing, Atem, Beauregard Lionett, Casper LeBlanc Jr, Donatello Versus, Frankie Bacon, Ichiban Kasuga, Kumoko, Lena Sabrewing, Mami Tomoe, Mono, Peter Parker, Reno, Shi Qingxuan, Tobari, Wen Ning; 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 platform is open to a bright blue sky, speckled with a couple of clouds. It's very warm, enough that they will not want to stay in those hoodies for long. Behind them through the fogs is a set of barriers, set in a brick wall and in front of them is a single set of tracks extending both ways into that same thick fog.

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 on the foggy, blistering hot platform; then the fog begins to fade and they realise they aren’t alone.

The platform isn't large, but it is enough to hold the 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'). They will also find a bunch of posters around the train and might notice the new clock in the standard coach.

The store rooms have been restocked with fresh ingredients, the ingredient this month is a strange meat, yaddon tail.

For passengers that have bought items, these are also scattered around the luggage carriage in various suitcases and bags. There is a box labelled for purple team containing a stick of rock for each member of purple team, including those who are new. Join in your teams success!

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 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!
goingthroughaphase: (pic#13971675)

[personal profile] goingthroughaphase 2021-09-02 07:46 am (UTC)(link)
That gets a small laugh, though it's really more of a pained sound than anything else as tears finally break free, and she only halfheartedly wipes them away. "I just...didn't wanna freak out the new people," she says.

She still remembers how freaked out she'd been when she first arrived. Seeing someone in hysterics definitely wouldn't help.
yondu: (1 0 5)

[personal profile] yondu 2021-09-02 10:50 pm (UTC)(link)
"I wasn't payin' much attention except to people talkin' to me when I first showed up. Don't worry about it."

But he does keep himself between her and any new people that might see her should they pass, arm around her shoulders. "It's gettin' to me, too." He's not crying, as far as he knows he can't anymore. It's been weeded out of him. But he does feel it in the way his whole chest is tight and his jaw occasionally aches from clenching.
goingthroughaphase: (pic#13971958)

[personal profile] goingthroughaphase 2021-09-03 09:25 am (UTC)(link)
She sighs softly, leaning against him a bit more as she closes her eyes, the tears continuing to slide down her cheeks. "...it sucks."

A huge understatement to such a feeling, but she was honestly at a loss for anything significant to say right now.
yondu: (0 9 2)

[personal profile] yondu 2021-09-03 09:54 pm (UTC)(link)
"Hey, s'alright, s'alright." Not that someone left, really. But that she's crying. Or that she's crying on him 'cause he's he's gotten pretty decent as handling it. He's not put-off, or even all that awkward. He's had time to figure out, since arriving, people are better after for the chance.

"Do you got anything special what you can use to remember?"
goingthroughaphase: (pic#13971680)

[personal profile] goingthroughaphase 2021-09-06 11:14 pm (UTC)(link)
She sniffles a little, wiping her eyes just a bit though the tears don't stop coming. "N...N-Not really," she says after a moment. She and Peter had spent a lot of time together, but they never really gave each other gifts or anything. "Just the memories."
yondu: (2 1 5)

[personal profile] yondu 2021-09-07 05:42 am (UTC)(link)
"Y'know what? I'll help get ya somethin'. Alright?"

He remembers the first time he met Peter he was eight. Eight and small and incredibly fragile. Memories were all well and good, but sometimes it was nice to help those memories along. That's what he kept his own trinkets for.
goingthroughaphase: (pic#13969459)

[personal profile] goingthroughaphase 2021-09-07 06:38 am (UTC)(link)
She glances up at him, confusion breaking through some of the sadness. "Like what?"
yondu: (2 3 2)

[personal profile] yondu 2021-09-07 06:59 am (UTC)(link)
"Well... tell me about some of the stuff you used to do? Somethin' special that ya did? I'll be on the lookout for somethin' related to that."

That way she'll have something physical. Memories were worth holding in something tangible.
goingthroughaphase: (pic#13971678)

[personal profile] goingthroughaphase 2021-09-07 08:23 am (UTC)(link)
She wipes her eyes again as the tears finally slow down, and she's silent for a moment as she thinks. "We...mostly just hung out a lot. We spent a lot of time together, and we talked." She smiles a bit. "He also was in the lab a lot, the one in the Quiet Car."

After another moment, she adds, "Oh, do you remember the social here, a couple of months ago, with the dancing and stuff? Peter had asked me out then...that was our first date."
yondu: (0 6 4)

[personal profile] yondu 2021-09-07 10:22 am (UTC)(link)
He looks over his shoulder just to make sure that they're not attracting any attention that he might want to lead her away from, and then gives he a bit of a tighter squeeze as she works on wiping her tears. Poor girl's a mess and he doesn't have anything close to a handkerchief.

"Right, I remember that. I could talk to the fella what set it up, see if they have anything left over from it. I know they had to get some decorations."

He urges her towards the sleeper cabins. "Come on, let's get you to one of the bathrooms where you can clean yourself up. You'll feel better."
goingthroughaphase: (pic#13971787)

[personal profile] goingthroughaphase 2021-09-08 10:57 am (UTC)(link)
Finally managing to calm down, she releases one last shuddering breath as she walks with him. "Y-You really think there's anything still left from the dance?"
yondu: (2 3 0)

[personal profile] yondu 2021-09-08 12:10 pm (UTC)(link)
"Yeah. You know what? I'll talk and ask 'em, alright? So you don't even gotta worry about it."

And if they don't, he quietly decides he'll see if he can get Trunks to order something similar. That way there's something, even if it's not exactly the same. But he won't put Kitty to work worrying about it.

It's a lot easier knowing there's something tangible he can offer to help.
goingthroughaphase: (pic#13969459)

[personal profile] goingthroughaphase 2021-09-13 05:55 pm (UTC)(link)
For a moment, she isn't quite sure what to say. "I...Thank you. You don't...have to go through so much trouble, though."

Even if it would be nice to have something, she didn't want him to go through such a hassle just for her.
yondu: (1 2 2)

[personal profile] yondu 2021-09-14 12:00 am (UTC)(link)
"Nah. It's fine. I know in your place..."

He'd be struggling to force himself to forget. To demand in his own head that he should move on. He'd be handling it worse than her.

She's just sad. The average, normal reaction of someone being sad. And that's infinitely better than he'd be handling it. He's only ever cared for someone else like that once and she saw what a prize he was after just stumbling across the memory.

A reminder in her hands seems like it would be well deserved and well handled. A happy memory and a lesson learned. "Well, you're better at that kinda thing than me. I guess that place what you went to back home set you up to handle these kinds of things."
goingthroughaphase: (pic#14105706)

[personal profile] goingthroughaphase 2021-09-15 08:35 am (UTC)(link)
She laughs a little, shaking her head. "I guess? We were taught to keep calm even in the most trying times." Even if she still had some trouble with that at times. "But...I know Peter probably wouldn't want me to worry too much either. He was always like that, not wanting others to worry about him."

His focus on others over himself was sweet, even though it did still concern her more.
yondu: (2 1 5)

[personal profile] yondu 2021-09-15 08:59 am (UTC)(link)
"Yeah. Seems like he had a lotta people helpin' him growin' up. He needed it. Not that I got to know 'im all that well. I just... Most of what I knew, I figured from talkin' when he turned pint-sized. Eight years old and I could pick 'im up pretty easy."

Which had been funny. You had to be a special level of stringbean to be hauled as easy as Peter Parker was to the Triage car and jammed with an epipen.
goingthroughaphase: (pic#13971678)

[personal profile] goingthroughaphase 2021-09-15 10:34 am (UTC)(link)
"I didn't get to see him as a kid. That was when things had been reversed for a while, right?"

On the one hand, it would have been kind of funny to see him as a child. But if that was the time she was thinking of, she'd been freaking out a bit herself then.
yondu: animated (3 1 3)

[personal profile] yondu 2021-09-16 12:33 pm (UTC)(link)
"Yeah, he was about this tall-" Yondu makes a hand motion to what baby Peter's height had been like. "Skinny. Havin' an asthma attack when I came across him and I didn't know what the hell to do. Nobody uses inhalers like them where I'm from. Learned me a thing that day.

"I don't think I woulda been able to settle in if that hadn't happened. Made me get my shit together and get over myself 'cause I knew what to do with kids."
goingthroughaphase: (pic#14105706)

[personal profile] goingthroughaphase 2021-09-24 08:55 am (UTC)(link)
She nods. "Yeah, he told me a little bit about it afterward. I'm glad you were able to help him. I probably would've been a little panicked if I'd been there."

Especially since she'd been panicking for other reasons.