voidtreckermods: (voidtrain)
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!
yondu: (2 2 1)

[personal profile] yondu 2021-09-11 10:16 am (UTC)(link)
"Y'know... it occurs to me that I ain't met you before. What name do ya prefer?"

Because sometimes the roster could be unreliable.
philosopherspotato: (Heeee)

[personal profile] philosopherspotato 2021-09-12 10:41 am (UTC)(link)
"Ah! I'm Mo-" Potato's jaw snaps shut, and she gives a somewhat exaggerated cough.

"I'mmmmm Potato! It's a code name, heheheeee..."

She's defeated the purpose of a code name, but it's gentler to not tell her.
yondu: (1 9 0)

[personal profile] yondu 2021-09-13 08:50 am (UTC)(link)
You know what? He'll let her have it.

"Potato, huh? What are ya? Never seen nothin' quite like ya before."

There was definitely another name there, and that manufactured burst of joy (even if some of it might have been real) definitely was meant to hide it. But this fuckin' train lets people keep their shit to themselves and she deserves that right, too.
philosopherspotato: (Heeee)

[personal profile] philosopherspotato 2021-09-14 09:53 am (UTC)(link)
"I'm a homunculus! Granny made me!" Because that's exactly the information that explains everything! (It is not.)

(The burst of joy was also not manufactured, oddly, as Potato just be that way)

"She said I'm very unique..~!"
yondu: (1 9 0)

[personal profile] yondu 2021-09-15 10:33 am (UTC)(link)
Being a cynical man as he is, it's hard to imagine it being completely genuine. Though that's decades of a mind rubbed raw from his own performances (if the opposite direction) and in a world where such happiness seems unacceptable.

"So you're the only one of your kind? It get lonely or are ya alright with it?"

Which might seem an odd question, but he's wavered between being lonely being different and being happy enough to live in mixed settings.
philosopherspotato: (: D)

[personal profile] philosopherspotato 2021-09-15 05:33 pm (UTC)(link)
"Hmm?" This guy sure has some sad questions! She just sort of blinks however, and shakes her head. "Why would I get lonely? Just because I'm the only one Granny ever made, doesn't mean I'm alone! I've got Granny! ...well, I do at home I guess. But here I have everyone on the train!~"
yondu: (0 9 2)

[personal profile] yondu 2021-09-19 12:45 am (UTC)(link)
Tired minds often go to exhausting topics. But this kind of lonliness is a new thing for him; he's used to mixed settings.

"Who's your Granny? She ever been here?"
philosopherspotato: (:0)

[personal profile] philosopherspotato 2021-09-19 02:42 pm (UTC)(link)
"Nope." Ah well. "Granny's a mage though! She's one of the best ones, that's what people were saying. They were also kind of mad about making me, but Granny said that was because they only like when stuff does things for them."
yondu: (1 3 7)

[personal profile] yondu 2021-09-20 05:10 am (UTC)(link)
"Why would someone be mad about ya?"

Potato looked pretty harmless but a lot of people get pissed about harmless people. Hell, he met any number of children who were theoretically harmless.

Okay, maybe not harmless. But that's his paranoid, misreading brain again. At least he has the sense to ask.
philosopherspotato: (:0)

[personal profile] philosopherspotato 2021-09-20 10:07 am (UTC)(link)
A big, big shrug. "I guess normally a homunculus is supposed to just do stuff and then die?" Not quite the words one would expect to...hear from Potato, but okay. "I remember Granny saying 'she does have a purpose! Making people happy!' and then everyone got mad at Granny all over again..."
yondu: (0 0 3)

[personal profile] yondu 2021-09-23 06:36 am (UTC)(link)
Wait wait wait wait. Yondu gives this poor soul a good long stare.

"So, your Granny what made ya also came up with a purpose so that you wouldn't get unmade. Then people got all upset that she broke some kinda 'termination' rule for it. At least that's how it sounds from over here. Did any of 'em actually try to kill ya or did they just let you be despite bein' pissy about it?"
philosopherspotato: (Heeee)

[personal profile] philosopherspotato 2021-09-23 10:17 pm (UTC)(link)
"Oh, no, they mostly just got upset at Granny. Like when someone really wants candy, but they're not getting any..." ...Apparently that's the best comparison.

"Granny said I can't get hurt though~ Assassin even speared me a whole bunch of times, and nothing..!"
yondu: (1 7 2)

[personal profile] yondu 2021-09-24 05:53 am (UTC)(link)
"Yeaaaah sounds like your Granny was good people. Or if she wasn't she was good enough to keep you goin'."

But actually, that's... very good to know in an emergency situation.

"...Cool. It didn't slow you down or nothin'?"
philosopherspotato: (:0)

[personal profile] philosopherspotato 2021-09-25 10:18 am (UTC)(link)
"Granny's the best!! I'm gonna send her a letter one day, as soon as the train finds a place to do that again." She ah, wasn't really around when they could send messages back.

As for the spear! "Well, I got stuck to the tree, so I just sort of had to wait for Assassin to get his stuff back."

Awkward.