VoidTrecker Express Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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voidtreckerexpress2022-03-01 05:33 am
voidtreckermods) wrote in voidtreckerexpress2022-03-01 05:33 am
Entry tags:
- alice liddell (am) [ou],
- allen walker [crau],
- clef [crau],
- clu [au-crau],
- emet-selch [ou],
- esteban drake [ou],
- fai d flourite [ou],
- genjo sanzo [ou],
- idia shroud [ou],
- inigo [ou],
- kairi [ou],
- little one [ou],
- madoka kaname [ou],
- najaran [ou],
- nell ingram [ou],
- rezo greywords [ou],
- romeo [crau],
- spark [crau],
- taiki [ou],
- the iron bull [ou],
- tidus [ou],
- yugi mutou [ou],
- zelda (oot) [ou],
- ~x~eli vanto [ou],
- ~x~peter parker [ou],
- ~x~senku ishigami [ou]
A New Platform [Intro Post March]
PLATFORM STOP: MONTH 17
(QUICKSAND)
(QUICKSAND)
BEFORE ARRIVAL
The voice of the Voidtrecker Express welcomes passengers at the same time as always, sometime after breakfast. With points updated, everyone can spend the morning shopping. Most people will be expecting the second announcement that comes a few hours later, as the colours of the void outside the windows blur more and more.
A lurch and a jolt, and the windows fill with the fog that means they are at a platform.
ON THE PLATFORM
1. THE ARRIVAL
At first, all your character can see is steam billowing around them as they come to their senses. But as their eyes adjust, they find themselves on a platform.
It is cold, a slush of ice and rain on the ground underneath their feet. It's not currently raining though. The platform is made of black cobbles, slippy under their feet, dark stone gates serving as barriers giving the impression of a severe and grim place.
They stand in clothes not their own, in a style they might not even recognise. They're carrying a rucksack on their person, and for a moment it seems to just be them, alone on this platform. Before the fog starts to subside, and they'll see they're one of eleven figures: all facing the tracks, and all dressed in cargo trousers and hoodies, the latter in one of four colours. Purple, red, blue or orange.
But then there's a roaring sound to get their attention, and out from the fog arrives a train. A sleek black, it it reads The Voidtrecker Express in gold lettering on the side. Every one of the doors hiss as they open automatically, and out pours a strange assortment of people, over a hundred at least. Some are human, some less so, with a majority wearing the same hoodie of four colours as they do, though some sport outfits in a variety of styles.
The train doors close behind them, and the vehicle is cloaked in the same fog that hides the world beyond the platform. A group of people head towards the gates of the platform, their expressions blank and unaffected by their surroundings. Ansem, Connor, Curufin, Elle Days, Freddy Fazbear, Margulis, Murderbot, Potato, Vexen, Will Stanton and Yota They disappear through the barriers, but no one else can - all people can do is wait until the train re-emerges, finishing whatever changes it's making.
It is cold, a slush of ice and rain on the ground underneath their feet. It's not currently raining though. The platform is made of black cobbles, slippy under their feet, dark stone gates serving as barriers giving the impression of a severe and grim place.
They stand in clothes not their own, in a style they might not even recognise. They're carrying a rucksack on their person, and for a moment it seems to just be them, alone on this platform. Before the fog starts to subside, and they'll see they're one of eleven figures: all facing the tracks, and all dressed in cargo trousers and hoodies, the latter in one of four colours. Purple, red, blue or orange.
But then there's a roaring sound to get their attention, and out from the fog arrives a train. A sleek black, it it reads The Voidtrecker Express in gold lettering on the side. Every one of the doors hiss as they open automatically, and out pours a strange assortment of people, over a hundred at least. Some are human, some less so, with a majority wearing the same hoodie of four colours as they do, though some sport outfits in a variety of styles.
The train doors close behind them, and the vehicle is cloaked in the same fog that hides the world beyond the platform. A group of people head towards the gates of the platform, their expressions blank and unaffected by their surroundings. Ansem, Connor, Curufin, Elle Days, Freddy Fazbear, Margulis, Murderbot, Potato, Vexen, Will Stanton and Yota They disappear through the barriers, but no one else can - all people can do is wait until the train re-emerges, finishing whatever changes it's making.
2. BOARDING THE TRAIN
After a short time, perhaps ten minutes or so, the fog clears and the doors hiss open again. Everyone will feel a pull when they do, a need to board, and those from the train may encourage new arrivals to board. This feeling grows into one of apprehension and turns worse the longer they stay off-board.
For those that do board, they may find themselves in a few different carriages, but most likely the standard coach. A row of seats sit available, with a few tables between each. More likely than not, some cookies have been set out with jugs of drink, and cups available for pouring.
For those that don't, however, they're likely to attract attention if they're spotted. And if that fails... an unfortunate end will await them.
For those that do board, they may find themselves in a few different carriages, but most likely the standard coach. A row of seats sit available, with a few tables between each. More likely than not, some cookies have been set out with jugs of drink, and cups available for pouring.
For those that don't, however, they're likely to attract attention if they're spotted. And if that fails... an unfortunate end will await them.
3. DEPARTURE
Do a little exploring, if you will. But people will have half an hour total from the train's arrival before a second horn sounds, encouraging any stragglers taking advantage of the fresh air to board. After five minutes from this, the doors slide shut. Veteran passengers know what will happen next, but they may wish to brief their new companions.
The train begins to rumble with activity, and the platform starts to disappear into a fog as the voidcraft moves. A female-coded artificial voice echoes throughout the train.
The train begins to tilt, leaving the ground and rising up into the fog-filled sky.
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.
The train begins to rumble with activity, and the platform starts to disappear into a fog as the voidcraft moves. A female-coded artificial voice echoes throughout the train.
"Welcome aboard, passengers of the Voidtrecker Express. 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.
ON THE TRAIN
1. EXPLORING
With nowhere to go but through the train's carriages, this is a good time for newcomers to explore. For veterans, it's back to your everyday life aboard the Voidtrecker Express.
¤ New arrivals will notice a screen and console in every carriage sharing the same message, and a stack of leaflets in holders by them offering further information to the curious (see 'Publications'). There are lavatories available on each carriage on one end, with another console with a deposit box under it at the other. This is the train shop.
¤ It'll take some time for newbies to figure out the layout, even if there's only two directions to go in. Go one end, and you'll find the food stores and washing utilities. This month's key ingredient is pineapple, and you're sure to bump into others curious about what's in the stock.
¤ Go to the other end, and you'll find the sleeper cabins. Plaques sit on the wall by each door with the names of their occupants, and one of these will be yours - hopefully, they'll figure out that swiping their ticket against the doorpad will open it up to them. 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.
¤ At the farthest end in this direction is the luggage carriage, where passengers who have bought items from the train shop will find their purchases. There are also medical kits for every one, each labelled with their full roster name. These are scattered around the luggage carriage in various suitcases and bags, but there's also a small fridge and kettle here with bottled water, for those who want a quiet drink.
For those of Purple team who go looking for their reward they will find simple boxes of cupcakes to share out. There's a cupcake for all of purple team, even the new arrivals, share in your new team's success!
¤ New arrivals will notice a screen and console in every carriage sharing the same message, and a stack of leaflets in holders by them offering further information to the curious (see 'Publications'). There are lavatories available on each carriage on one end, with another console with a deposit box under it at the other. This is the train shop.
¤ It'll take some time for newbies to figure out the layout, even if there's only two directions to go in. Go one end, and you'll find the food stores and washing utilities. This month's key ingredient is pineapple, and you're sure to bump into others curious about what's in the stock.
¤ Go to the other end, and you'll find the sleeper cabins. Plaques sit on the wall by each door with the names of their occupants, and one of these will be yours - hopefully, they'll figure out that swiping their ticket against the doorpad will open it up to them. 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.
¤ At the farthest end in this direction is the luggage carriage, where passengers who have bought items from the train shop will find their purchases. There are also medical kits for every one, each labelled with their full roster name. These are scattered around the luggage carriage in various suitcases and bags, but there's also a small fridge and kettle here with bottled water, for those who want a quiet drink.
For those of Purple team who go looking for their reward they will find simple boxes of cupcakes to share out. There's a cupcake for all of purple team, even the new arrivals, share in your new team's success!
2. ACTIVITIES
But of course, there's also everything in-between those two directions, and the people in them.
¤ Areas of note will be the training gym, where there's always regulars training to pass the time. There's a training board offering services, but maybe you'll find someone who catches your eye in here. Or even its gear?
¤ Is your character used to the appliances to be found in the kitchen? Depending on when your character wanders in, they may find someone testing out a recipe, preparing for lunch, or even dinner time.
¤ The library offers a quiet place, with a fair selection of books from fiction to non-fiction. Is your character interested in learning more about the void? Picking up an action or adventure book? Wow, there sure are a few magazines.
¤ There's also media to consume, from the games car, the cinema, to the arts carriage. Ever played a virtual reality game? Wanted to learn how to fly? Have you seen a screen of moving pictures? There's now documentaries to be found in the cinema's catalogues, from How To programming, Void-related topics, and sports.
¤ Areas of note will be the training gym, where there's always regulars training to pass the time. There's a training board offering services, but maybe you'll find someone who catches your eye in here. Or even its gear?
¤ Is your character used to the appliances to be found in the kitchen? Depending on when your character wanders in, they may find someone testing out a recipe, preparing for lunch, or even dinner time.
¤ The library offers a quiet place, with a fair selection of books from fiction to non-fiction. Is your character interested in learning more about the void? Picking up an action or adventure book? Wow, there sure are a few magazines.
¤ There's also media to consume, from the games car, the cinema, to the arts carriage. Ever played a virtual reality game? Wanted to learn how to fly? Have you seen a screen of moving pictures? There's now documentaries to be found in the cinema's catalogues, from How To programming, Void-related topics, and sports.
3. REST AND SLEEP
¤ Time is difficult to track in the void, even with the few clocks around showing a 21 hour time. But the windows allowing a view of the kalediscope void will shift to a pitch black once the time reaches 12, and keep for the rest of the day.
¤ Breakfast, lunch, and dinner time is usually announced by whoever's cooking that day, and when. Sometimes it's decided by the team chores; other times, it's decided by who wants to be cooking.
¤ But sleep eventually comes to all, even if they don't want it to. When 21 hours have finally passed on the train, all passengers, whether they need sleep or not, will see black - only to start a new day in their cabin beds, with the sound of the train's automated voice greeting them with a 'Good morning' message.
¤ Breakfast, lunch, and dinner time is usually announced by whoever's cooking that day, and when. Sometimes it's decided by the team chores; other times, it's decided by who wants to be cooking.
¤ But sleep eventually comes to all, even if they don't want it to. When 21 hours have finally passed on the train, all passengers, whether they need sleep or not, will see black - only to start a new day in their cabin beds, with the sound of the train's automated voice greeting them with a 'Good morning' message.
NAVIGATION ~ GAMEPLAY ~ SETTING ~ CHARACTER INITIATIVES ~ QUESTIONS
no subject
So the Bull nods, keeping his body language relaxed, feels the homemade eyepatch start to slide as he does and hurriedly tugs on the ends of the gauze, trying to adjust it the right way before he knots it up. "Dark blue. I can do that. Any particular design you like, or just the blue? Could always just do my horns again on the other side too but, you know, painting them on me twice would start to feel like bragging."
His grin isn't quite as faint as his smile had been, which feels like progress. Maybe this expression's enough to make the statement into a joke on himself and his own urge to brag, keep things light. Bragging's always been an easy way to do that, as long as he does it the right way.
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"I like a lot of patterns," she explains as she's starting to draw on the paper with a gray pencil. "Though I don't know if most of what I like would suit you, sir.."
Indeed, as she starts to draw, it's mostly cutesy patterns that appear on the paper. There's a pattern with various flowers, a pattern of sparkles that look like stars, one with swirly symbols..
".. maybe I should instead be asking what you like," she slowly says as she's drawing.
no subject
Focus.
This thing he's wearing's not going to work that great as an eyepatch. It's too light. That whole area's not that sensitive anyway and without the pressure and texture and weight of his real one, it's like it's going to fly away. That's going to be a problem.
Focus. Helps having a kid here, even with that weight of worrying about freaking her out. Helps to have someone here to talk to, who's probably not going to be a threat.
He spends another moment trying to make sure this thing over his face is as secure as it's going to get, dragging his gaze from the thing she's drawing with to the drawings themselves. Takes another second to get himself back on track. What he likes. Right. Answer like everything's normal, like he normally would.
"Takes a lot to find something I don't like," he says slowly, focusing. "Stuff I wore back home was more like that, though." He lifts a finger to point to the swirly symbols, doing it carefully so as not to move his hand or himself any closer to her space. "You know, kind of stuff the armourers and leatherworkers put in to fill up the space, because they want it to look nice. Those flowers are good too, you've got lots of different types in there. Not sure my painting's good enough to recreate most of em, though. You got a favourite?"
no subject
Madoka's voice trails off slightly near the end there. It might seem a little bit like a generic answer, but it does seem to be what the girl truly believes - something about her tone is too genuine for anything she's saying here to be a lie.
Her gaze moves up from the paper, momentarily stopping her drawing activity to instead look over at him. His face, that makeshift eyepatch-- the way he talks so slowly, almost weirdly carefully for someone who looks the way he does.
Something about Madoka's face shifts. She frowns, but not in any angry way. It seems like pure concern.
".. Are you.. okay, sir? I-I'm sorry if that's a rude thing to ask.." But something about him doesn't seem 100% okay, though Madoka definitely can't tell for sure. She's concerned enough to ask, yet shy enough to tack on that last part to what she's asking.
no subject
"Nah, it's not uh, it's not rude. I'm good, I'm just--" He starts to lean back, remembers what happened to the last chair he got too comfortable in and sits up straight again, runs a hand up over the left side of his face to make sure the gauze and paper thing's still where it's supposed to be. Nervous gestures, needing to move but not having enough that needs to get done that he can keep moving and look natural about it. Having the thing over his eye means it's not keeping his hands busy any more.
"It's just been a, a weird-- a weird day. I'm good. If I'm being weird it's just, you know, first day and all. Everyone's kind of weird on their first day anywhere, right?"
Hard to believe he's saying that even while he's saying it, and the disbelief sort of makes it into his voice. Like this is something normal, the same kind of thing as being a kid and Tama starting them on lessons for the first time, or like starting training as the Ben-Hassrath after that before he'd finished slipping into the person he'd thought that he was going to be, or like sitting there outside Qunari territory for the first, technically second time ever but no getting pulled out and sent home this time, surrounded by people who should be predictable but weren't, by a culture he thought he knew enough about to prepare for but just to the left and out of his reach, where everyone's seeing something different from him even if they're looking at the same things and he had to figure out the differences quietly and quickly enough that he didn't alienate everybody.
Maybe the 'first day' thing's a better comparison than he thought when he said it. Still a pretty crappy one, comparing anything normal to this, but if it makes the kid worry less then it'll do what it needs to.
"Once I have as long to get used to this--" he says, and cuts off the way he wants to end that sentence, because letting himself get bitchy about it risks intimidating her again, "--the carriage train uh, crap as you have, maybe I'll be as cool about it as you. How long's that, you think? How long have you been here?"
Not the most subtle try at shifting attention away from himself, maybe. If it works, though, then he's not going to complain.
no subject
Look at that way he's censoring himself. And Madoka knows he's doing it, if not just because she has seen adults around her on this train both purposefully self-censor and accidentally not self-censor before that she recognizes it so well by now. This guy definitely did not mean to say crap there, but he lowered whatever he was going to say to a 'crap' for her sake.
That definitely makes him a whole lot less scary. Not to mention that he did try a moment ago to really talk with her about art.. It seems like he's trying to be nice to her, she thinks, and she appreciates that.
Granted, Madoka knows that she's been wrong before, but.. despite the other's scary look, he doesn't seem to be a scary person.
"Um, for me it's been a year and.." Hang on, she needs to count on her fingers for a moment. At least it means she's answering honestly, and attempting to answer accurately as well. ".. three months now. A year and three months. S-So, yeah! Please don't worry, if I act very differently from you, then it's definitely because I've gotten used to it.. I think that the first day here is a little strange and scary for everyone."
Even for huge guys who look like they could pulverize smaller people with one hand.
Probably.
no subject
"A year, huh?" he asks, voice heavy and sympathetic. That's a long time for a kid. For anyone, but even more so when you're young. Sounds a little like she's trying to put a good face on it, so maybe he shouldn't say so. "How long did it take for you to settle in?"
And then, because he has to ask, has to know even if he really doesn't want to, Bull adds: "I heard this carriage-train thing gets attacked sometimes. That couldn't have made it easy."
no subject
But her voice trails off in that sort of way that shows she's a little unsure about it. After all, it's been so long since she first showed up on the train that it's a little hard to think back on when exactly this became more or less normal to her. It happened somewhere along the way, but where..?
.. still, a few months feels like a fair thing to say. Hopefully it should make him feel like he doesn't have to rush settling in either. Madoka wouldn't want him to have to feel bad about it, no matter how much he seems like a tough guy.
"After we had to fight a few times already. I was super scared the first time.." An obvious thing, considering how young and innocent Madoka looks. She wasn't used to battle like that. Yet she tries to awkwardly laugh it off, not wanting to worry him in the slightest. He's got enough on his mind right now, she's sure. "B-But then I taught myself archery, so it's a little better now.."
no subject
Better if he doesn't think about it.
"Good attitude," he says, focusing on her instead. "How do you feel about it? You like the weapon, or you want to put it down as soon as you can stop fighting and get back home?"
no subject
.. probably, anyway.
"I think it's the latter for me.." She ends up answering honestly after that quiet moment. "Fighting really isn't my thing."
She doesn't like hurting people. It's why she started with archery to begin with - that sort of combat is a little less involved. A little close up to all the awful stuff.
"I'd prefer it if everyone could just get along.."
no subject
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Madoka doesn't comment on it though. It's just something to file away. His question is much more important to address, she thinks.
"Oh, um.. no, we don't fight on the train," she says, adding a quick shake of her head. "We usually go out of the train to fight."
But Madoka can kind of understand how someone might take faint mentions of mission talk as the train itself getting attacked..
"We're basically going around protecting all sorts of worlds that are being attacked in some way. The train flies over towards those worlds, and then we get out of the train to fight there, or help in other ways. That's when the whole team thing starts working.. The red and purple teams do more fighting, since they're usually people who are better at that, while the orange and blue teams try to help out in other ways, depending on what kind of circumstances we end up in."
Madoka pauses, glancing over at him. "Does that make sense, sir..?" She knows this information can all be a lot! But it's not like she minds answering questions. Madoka has time.
no subject
There's other stuff going on here. Think about that instead. Already sorted it out, all he has to do is focus on it.
"Uh, yes," he manages, mostly steady, and leans back, remembers himself and the chair and straightens up again, rolls his shoulders slow and stretches them and lets out a breath. "Yeah. Going out to find a fight sounds a whole lot better." Because it does. Not being under constant attack like he'd thought is going to be less weight on him, once he can deal with sitting back and taking it all in. But he'd been focusing on the kid, and that'd been helping, so after another second he goes on: "So uh, your archery. That a just in case thing, then, or that the thing you usually end up doing?"
no subject
"Huh?"
Hence the surprised little noise that escapes her as she stares at him. She isn't too sure whether or not he really understood everything she said just now, since something about him did sound a tad unsure there. On the other hand, Madoka is way too much of a polite kid to really push back against it, so if he says he understood, then she'll just have to believe him and focus on answering the questions he is asking her, rather than the ones he isn't.
"Well, I prefer to pick up jobs where it's not needed if it's possible.." But it isn't always possible. Some of the missions are rather battle-oriented, after all. So the answer is probably somewhere in the middle of the two options he's presenting her with. "But there's usually always something dangerous on the missions, you know? That's why we're there to help in the first place. So I always make sure to take my bow with me, to protect myself from the danger if I can."
no subject
Not that he expects her to know all the ins and outs of whatever combat strategy the people -- and things, and whatever else -- around here have going, but at this point she knows more about it than him. And if kids have to be involved in this, there should at least be some kind of plan around that, right? Nothing about the place makes sense but the people still act like people. What that means depends on the kind of organization, though, and he doesn't know anything about that yet.
no subject
Thankfully this is something Madoka knows about. Even if she isn't very good at strategy herself, there have always been responsible adults around to take care of that sort of thing - and since it's just how things tend to go on these missions by now, she's experienced enough with having seen this to answer him.
"Yeah. We usually have either one big camp, or a few smaller ones, depending on how far we need to go.."
Sometimes the missions take place in areas that are stretched out further than during other missions, after all.
"That's where we keep the important supplies too.. you know, to help people restock potions or food while they're out there! And the people who can't fight well, like me, often stay back there to help out instead."
Honestly, she just hopes that it'll make him feel a bit more at ease, knowing that there's at least some organisation to this. That they're not just going to be fighting totally blindly. Even for someone used to fighting, it must still be a lot to take in, she figures.
no subject
"I would offer to help you practice with the bow thing, but I suck at shooting." He taps at the fabric over where his left eye used to be with a little grin. The grin doesn't feel real enough, so it probably doesn't look real enough, either. But it's there. That's not nothing, either. "My aim's crap. Sounds like you've got it handled, though."
no subject
She can say that, right? Madoka figures she can. After all, it's pretty much just objectively true. Even if this guy seems a little scary, it's just a nice thing to even think of offering to help her with something, even if it's something he can't really help with.
"You don't have to help me with anything!" And then, quickly added: "Um, unless you want to, of course."
Madoka will always be Madoka, after all. She's always got to include the polite additions.
"I mostly would just be glad if you could settle in here well, even if everything might be a little confusing at first.."
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It's an answer that seems to come easily to her, especially since this man seems rather nice. In that case the very least she can do is keep an eye out for him to see if he'll ever need her help again, right?
"So.. I guess then for this time I'll leave you to it." There's another nod. It's a little deeper this time, like a near-bow. "Good luck with all of it, sir."