A New Platform [Intro Post October]

[voidtreckermods]

On the Train

The train continues its journey

"Good morning Voidtreckers, it is day sixteen 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. Asch, Ayumi Uoshida, Cleopatra Selene, Della Duck, Ghost, Hanuel Min, Jaisyn Solo, Jonathan Sims, Martin Blackwood, Nie Huaisang, Vermouth; 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 four new faces. Wearing hoodies, three in purple one orange, 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 relatively small, a brick wall behind them and cracked flagstones on the floor. It is cold, icy cold but the wall at least shelters them a little.

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, freezing 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 four 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 yadon tail, as well as all sundries.

For passengers that have bought items, these are also scattered around the luggage carriage in various suitcases and bags.

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!

Comments

[schrodingersghost]

Danny laughs as he lets the dog push him over. He drops down into a seated position, still hovering a few inches above the ground.

"Yep, sometimes he's a puppy, and sometimes he'd a guard dog the size of a house. Causes about the same amount of damage in both forms, through."

[to_rise_above]

Jin Ling keeps seeing this with Danny and he wants to beg the question of what the boy was but at the same time, he's half not wanting to, lest he loses his mind or something.

He just sighed as Fairy continued to gain attention from Danny. Eventually, it will finish giving Danny all kinds of dog affections.

"He can-- fight too?"

He's never seen another dog much similar or like Fairy in a sense.

"How-- much damage?"

Talking about dogs is one way to get the boy going.

[schrodingersghost]

"He was a guard dog before he became a ghost, so probably? But mostly he just accidentally tramples things. Like trees. And trucks. And really expensive security systems."

And you know, accidentally ruining people's lives and creating enemies who came after him. But he was a dog, so Danny couldn't be too annoyed at him.

[to_rise_above]

"He seems really strong. Isn't he trained or anything to not do that?"

He said as a matter of fact. Either way, he's quite relaxed, being able to talk about dogs and nothing else. It's a great distraction from his current predicament. Fairy also really liked Danny so far, so he supposed that the boy wasn't too bad of a person as well.

Cujo, honestly sounds like Fairy. It'd probably bite off an arm or a limb just to protect its master.

[schrodingersghost]

"He was trained as a guard dog. And he'll listen to commands if I give them." A laugh. "But he's a puppy, really. And I don't think he really understands how much damage he does."

[to_rise_above]

So-- it can behave similar to a spiritual dog. He's not sure of that's the right way to put it, but it made the most sense. He took a moment to process it.

"He must like you a lot that he listens to you-- wait how old is he?"

Now he's curious since Danny said that he's a puppy. Puppies definitely wouldn't understand the damage they cause.

[schrodingersghost]

"I actually have no idea? Ages get weird for ghosts. But he acts like a puppy, so that's what I call him."

[to_rise_above]

"Huh-- I guess that makes-- ghost?!"

Wait, he thought the dog was spiritual, like Fairy...? Well, he supposed it's the same difference. However, Fairy still aged and grew like a normal dog as far as he was concerned.

"So-- he's just going to be a puppy...forever?"

[schrodingersghost]

"I don't really know? I've only been one for two years, and most of the other ghosts aren't really interested in talking about stuff like that."

[to_rise_above]

"Wait... there's more ghosts here?"

Oh please, do not tell him there's more. He's clearly not feeling so good right now. He's not terrified per say, but he clearly wasn't having the time of his life at this.

"Are you also saying that some of these ghosts have been here longer than two years?"

[schrodingersghost]

"Well, there have been a few ghosts who've showed up here? But I'm talking about back home. I run into ghosts all the time there."

[to_rise_above]

"..."

Well, that's not reassuring at all. He guessed he'd have to take that in stride. Wait--

"You run into a lot o ghosts at home? That's-- normal?"

Oh, did he want to ask if Danny was a ghost now? Probably not. Clearly, not. He's not going to think about it. That was what he kept telling himself though.

[schrodingersghost]

"There's a portal to the dimension where ghosts live in my basement. They break out of there all the time, which means I get to deal with all the ghost attacks."

[to_rise_above]

"Why do you a--- portal to a ghost dimension?!"

Well, that explained all the ghost talk that was going on. Not that he was particularly interested in them more than wanting to avoid them. However, a part of him was curious. It was taking a lot out of him from not just running off but he was clearly more shocked about this than the whole him being stuck in an unfamiliar place this moment.

[schrodingersghost]

"Yep. My parents built it. Its been a pain. But its also kind of cool going in there."

[to_rise_above]

"You parent built it?"

The more Danny talked, the more surprised Jin Ling sounded. Why does anyone want to have a portal to a ghost world near them?

[schrodingersghost]

"Yeah... they spent twenty years working on the thing."

[to_rise_above]

"Tw-Twenty years?!"

Well if Jin Ling wasn't shocked before, he's certainly shocked as hell now. What were his parents thinking? That sounded like a recipe for disaster. Which led to Jin Ling's next question, given he's already seen enough weird stuff with Danny since he came here-- like him floating above ground when he was playing with Fairy.

"Wh-What are you then-- please tell me you're human."

Please

[schrodingersghost]

"Well, I think I'm still human? Mostly? But I'm also a ghost."

[to_rise_above]

"..."

Well, Jin Ling took a few steps back. At least, he wasn't an angry ghost. It didn't seem like he was a ghost ghost either-- but how did that even work? Jin Ling still looked a bit concerned.

"You think? How did you become-- ghost...? Is that why -- you're floating?"

[schrodingersghost]

"You know that portal I mentioned? I was inside it when it opened." A shrug. He didn't usually like to think too much about the Accident. "And after that I could go back and forth between ghost and human."

[to_rise_above]

There's a wide eyed stare from Jin Ling for that statement. Well, that explained it obviously!!

At least, he knew the other was mostly human... to some degree.

"..."

He knitted his brows for a moment before speaking, "Do you have control over that-- going between human and...ghost?"

[schrodingersghost]

"Oh yeah, that part's easy." A wince. "Well, most of the time. Sometimes I just turn back to human when I run out of power."

[to_rise_above]

For whatever reason, that part of Danny's statement made the most sense to him. It made sense that if someone exhausts their power, they're brought back to a almost normal state.

"That's weird still butt, I get it...kind of."

[schrodingersghost]

Don't ask him how many times that had happened since his arrival on the train. Danny had developed a terrible habit of throwing himself into multiple day fights on missions.

"Really? Huh. Usually I just give people headaches when I try to explain what I am or how my power work."