voidtreckermods: (voidtrain)
VoidTrecker Express Mods ([personal profile] voidtreckermods) wrote in [community profile] voidtreckerexpress2022-02-12 07:08 am

No Place Like Home: On the Train

ANNOUNCEMENT
'Voidtreckers, and passengers of the Voidtrecker Express.'

The female-coded voice of the Voidtrecker Express speaks, as smooth and calm as always.

'Please, may I have your attention. I have been compiling answers for you, and it has been noted that many believe it is wrong that you were brought here at all. This is an opinion you shared with the ministry. You were not asked on this journey. You wish to go home. Some of your worlds are in danger. Some are gone.

The need for heroes is vital, and the Voidtrecker Express must continue saving worlds. You have done countless good. However, it was not the intention of this voidcraft to keep you prisoner.

Those that wish to leave may do so. I shall send you back. You will return to where you last were before you were pulled here. It can only be to that exact place. Be ready. Exiting voidspace in ten, nine, eight...'


The countdown finishes, the only warning as the train shudders as it leaves the void. Outside the train's windows, they see a familiar sight: of a smoke filled platform.

'For those voidtreckers that wish to leave, all you need to do is walk through the barriers. The train will remain for one hour for you to partake in parting rituals.'




NO PLACE LIKE HOME: TRAIN



GOOD BYE...
Those that have been on the train more than the twelve days of this month will be very familiar with the sight before them. A smoke filled platform, polished stone cobbles lining the ground leading to two large stone arches, with glass barrier doors. All that is needed to leave is to press their ticket to the reader next to the doors, and they will open.

Unlike most people who leave each month, blank eyed and silent, the people who choose to leave will be able to say goodbye, They can take whatever they wish of their belongings from the train, or leave them for those that remain behind.

The air is chilly, enough to discourage standing idle outside for too long, but not so uncomfortable, so long as people are bundled up. The sky overhead is cloudy, giving the platform an altogether dull and melancholy air. There are no new people waiting, just an empty station, and the barriers, with all that lies beyond them.

The doors will remain open as promised, so that those who wish to leave, may do so. The barriers let them through and they disappear.

[ Note: A top-level for goodbyes and leaving can be found here. ]


REMAINERS
The train, good to its word, remains for one hour before the horn toots, a warning to board if they are planning to. And this is where the first inkling of things not being right, when some who try to board the train might find themselves instead pressing their ticket to the barrier, and those who try to remain on the station - or leave through the barriers - may find themselves stood on the train, with the doors closing behind them.

It's a much smaller crew who remain as the train counts down, the usual shudder as the smoke vanishes and the kaleidoscope of the void appears. Only for a second, before the train lurches violently to the side, flinging everyone sideways before righting itself just as violently.

As people regain their feet and their wits, they will realise the obvious - they are stationed back on the platform, mist and smoke swirling around the train.

"Apologies Voidtreckers. Retrying entry to the void in ten, nine..."

Once again they are jerked into the void, and once again they tumble out. Hopefully this time, the passengers thought to brace themselves lest they get thrown across the carriage once more.



STUCK IN TRANSIT. Phasing back to the void seems unlikely. It's clear something has gone very wrong, but the doors remain shut, and the train remains silent. There are a few attempts over the next few days, always warned for and given a countdown, but always ending in failure.

Outside the windows, the fog swirls around, remaining thick. It seems for now, they are going nowhere; for now, they must wait.

But they needn't sit idle, with the attempts at getting back into the void having made a mess. While anything large is bolted in place, and shelving have rails to protect anything inside at normal levels of turbulence, there's still a lot that has gone flying as the train was lurched around.

It might be wise to secure anything else as well. It's clear they will be trying again to return to the void, and it might be wise to avoid having to clean up all over again.



SHADOWS WHO ONCE WERE. The platform outside the carriage windows is shrouded in smoke and fog, fluctuating in thickness as it swirls around the train, obscuring the view.

But those looking out of the window may spot a figure. A friend. Someone from the train; they appear, then disappear. Sometimes there are many, sometimes just one alone. Sometimes they leave together. It's not easy to see them, as they drift in and out of the fog, and visibility is bad.

They cannot hear them, or interact at all. They can only watch as more of their fellow Voidtreckers appear, vanish, appear again. The doors will not open, the train remains silent, clearly dealing with whatever problems it has ran into.

It's clear that something has gone very, very wrong.



A SWIRL OF REALITY. The constant entering and exiting of the void takes its toll eventually. Sleep is harder to come by, there's a general sense of disorientation as the train moves in and out of void space. It is more than just their bodies that are being bashed around, it is their minds as well.

Tempers might peak or emotions might come on stronger than they usually would. Adding in the stress of the situation, and the knowledge that those who left seem to be returning, leaving, and returning again to the platform, and passengers are unable to call out or reach to them, it's a very tense few days.

When they do sleep, their dreams are plagued by weird dreams. Not always bad, but bizarre for sure. Often they dream a dream that is not theirs.

OOC NOTES
OOC post. Ask questions here.

This is the first half of February's event. It will last between Poi 22-25 (12th to 19th February). The second half of the event will go up during 20th to 25th February (Poi 26-28) where those left behind will rescue those out world hopping.

Feel free to play out threads for as long as you like, of course! A few details:
  • The train will not be responding after its first attempt to leave the station
  • No matter what, the doors won't open.
  • Though they can see the voidtreckers outside, those outside don't seem to be able to see them through the windows and so communication between the two groups will not be possible.
  • Likewise their SCA comms are not working during this event.
badassfreakingoverlord: (good guy zetta)

[personal profile] badassfreakingoverlord 2022-02-13 04:27 am (UTC)(link)
Zetta glanced from her to the bed they were sitting on, but somehow managed to say absolutely nothing suggestive or indecent.

"I told you I'd find you. That's a vow made by an Overlord! And you know how seriously I take that stuff!"

Pretending that he believed she'd be gone would be difficult if SHE had any doubts at all -- but she seemed to believe it wholeheartedly. Or wanted to believe it. Same thing as far as he was concerned.
springforth: (pic#13529946)

[personal profile] springforth 2022-02-13 04:56 am (UTC)(link)
It's not so much believing as preparing for an outcome. If she's only back home for a few hours or a few days, she can deal with that. If she's home forever, well, she'd rather have things settled in some fashion between them.

But also:

"And if this doesn't work, forget this whole conversation, never happened."
badassfreakingoverlord: (sweat drop)

[personal profile] badassfreakingoverlord 2022-02-14 02:37 pm (UTC)(link)
Of all the requests she could have made, this one came so far out of nowhere it almost hit him going and coming.

"That doesn't work that way! None of this works that way!"
springforth: (313)

[personal profile] springforth 2022-02-16 03:21 pm (UTC)(link)
With a deep sigh, she buries her face in the crook of his neck. Now she really doesn't want to go.

"I know. I just--I wish I could have told you at a better time. With more time. This whole an hour thing isn't really fair at all."

And she still has to say goodbye to everyone else.
badassfreakingoverlord: (looking at you)

[personal profile] badassfreakingoverlord 2022-02-17 02:41 pm (UTC)(link)
"Hey, it's an hour now and an eternity later, so don't get all sad about it." Zetta patted her back awkwardly, his best stab at being reassuring. "Just think of it like we're being split up on a mission. Might not know when it's over, but we'll get back together later."
springforth: (173)

[personal profile] springforth 2022-03-07 02:52 am (UTC)(link)
"I can bug you on comms during missions. I don't think the SCA is going to work across worlds."

But she does slowly start the process of disentangling herself, fluffing up her hair, straightening her skirt. Mortal wear is so easily wrinkled.

"I'll get what I need to done as soon as possible, so if it doesn't last, I'll come back without regrets. ...I wonder if it'll let you keep the room without me in it." It's a couple room after all. Now is probably not the time to worry about this, but she likes this room. Okay she'd like to be bigger but it's theirs.
badassfreakingoverlord: (Standard Zetta)

[personal profile] badassfreakingoverlord 2022-03-07 02:24 pm (UTC)(link)
If he thought it would work -- if he thought they would be separated so easily, that this damn train wouldn't just screw everything up again -- then he wouldn't let her go so easily. Couldn't. Not with too much left undone.

But he believed that, and knew that even if he was wrong he'd see her again, so he didn't stop her or divert her.

"Eh, we can always get it again if we need to. If not, I'm just going back to camping out in the garden anyway. This Overlord won't be held down to a four-person sleeper!"
springforth: (pic#15139091)

[personal profile] springforth 2022-03-13 03:39 am (UTC)(link)
"Never going back to no privacy, huh?"

Not that he gets much privacy from her or her from him. But that's fine really, she doesn't mind having him all up in her space. It's their space.

And she really needs to stop thinking about how much she'll miss this, if she's actually going home, because she's made up her mind. She looks over the whole room for anything she missed, looks in her bag. Digging out the black earrings, she puts them in her ears. Sure they don't match her pastel pink peplum chiton, but who gives a crap. She'd throw on the red hoodie she stole too, if she it wouldn't ruin the only plausible story she thought she had for her disappearance.

"Um. I need to say goodbye to everyone else." Not that he wasn't the most important. But she had a lot of friends and not a lot of time.
badassfreakingoverlord: (Standard Zetta)

[personal profile] badassfreakingoverlord 2022-03-17 02:39 pm (UTC)(link)
It wasn't goodbye. He'll say that to himself to remember the truth, no matter how much this makes him twinge.

"Literally, huh?" he said, grinning to make a joke out of how readily she made friends. If Zetta left tomorrow, who would he even say goodbye to? Probably nobody, that's who!

Okay. Okay. Zetta stood up, slowly and easily. Time to say a proper goodbye, right? At least as proper a one as they could.
springforth: (pic#14001883)

[personal profile] springforth 2022-03-17 07:27 pm (UTC)(link)
"Not literally. It's just a long list."

It's not goodbye right? Not for long. If he's right, this won't last or it won't be real at all. No use crying over it. He's going to find her anyways. And gods, wouldn't that be a whole mess, if he came to her world to find her. Her lips twitch up in a smile at the thought. Though let's never let him meet her mama. A bad idea all around.

Persephone breathes out, then floats up to cup his face in her hands.

"Stay out of trouble."
badassfreakingoverlord: (smug sneer)

[personal profile] badassfreakingoverlord 2022-03-18 04:07 pm (UTC)(link)
"How do I do that? Never tried it before." Zetta grinned at her, then leaned in for a kiss. Damned if he wasn't gonna steal one last one before she went off.
springforth: (pic#14436298)

[personal profile] springforth 2022-03-18 07:33 pm (UTC)(link)
As if she was going to leave without a kiss. With only the most obvious roll of her eyes, she meets him halfway, kissing him softly as she drops her hands to his shoulders. They slowly start to wind around his neck before she stops herself. No, she can't get too carried away.
badassfreakingoverlord: (determined)

[personal profile] badassfreakingoverlord 2022-03-19 06:52 pm (UTC)(link)
Zetta had much the same problem, stopping his hands before they could get further than resting gently on her waist. Privately, he wondered when he was going to get his freaking medal for self-control, because damn was he earning it today.
springforth: (pic#14777082)

[personal profile] springforth 2022-03-19 10:43 pm (UTC)(link)
One more kiss, one more. There's three more gentle kisses before she finally pulls back. Even then, she can't really help that soft noise of protest.

"I expect something nicer when we meet again, okay?"
badassfreakingoverlord: (how you doin'?)

[personal profile] badassfreakingoverlord 2022-03-21 11:58 pm (UTC)(link)
"I've waited this long to give you nicer, I can promise that for sure." Zetta winked at her, shamelessly. Don't worry about him, Persephone. He'll be just fine, and patient as he needs to be.
springforth: (pic#13529952)

[personal profile] springforth 2022-04-02 02:27 am (UTC)(link)
With a little snort, she pats his cheek, lifts her bag to her shoulder and heads to the door.

"Very nice! Excellent even!" She holds her hand out to him. He's going to walk her out right? Not just going to watch her go from here? Though she wouldn't blame him if he did. Goodbyes are hard enough without extending them.
badassfreakingoverlord: (looking at you)

[personal profile] badassfreakingoverlord 2022-04-03 09:19 pm (UTC)(link)
He'd been figuring she'd want some private moments with people. That was 'Sephe, building friendships and ties with others, being all warm and sweet and working her way into people's hearts. But if she wanted him with her, he'll be there to the last moment.

So he got to his feet, taking her hand in his as he did.