voidtreckerexpress | A New Platform [Intro Post July]

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A New Platform [Intro Post July]

PLATFORM STOP: MONTH 19
(SYMPHONY)

BEFORE ARRIVAL

"Good morning Voidtreckers, it is day one of the month of Symphony. Points have been updated on the system."
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.

"Shortly arriving into a designated void platform. The Weather is cool with light rain. 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.

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 a small platform, a dusty strip of concrete next to the tracks. The barrier is at the far end, housed in a brick shelter. The sky is dark with clouds and the air is damp. A fine drizzle falls, not heavy at all but they will find their clothes quickly become damp.

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 are alone: facing the tracks.

But then there's a roaring sound to get their attention, and out from the fog arrives a train. A sleek black, 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. 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. Altair Kallig, Aya Brea, Darth Nox, Eli Vanto, Elizabeth, Shen Qingqiu, Soma Cruz, Thrawn. 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, about 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.

a. 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.

b. 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 broccoli, and you're sure to bump into others curious about what's in the stock.

c. 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.

d. 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. 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 curious about the reward for Purple Team they will find it here

SOME MISCHIEF

Those exploring the train will find that some passengers have been busy in the kitchens. Three bowls of hard candies are out for display, each labelled with a placard. All are free for the taking.

Energise! Provides an extra boost of energy.

Refresh! Like dipping tired feet into a cool spring.

Calm! Allowing you to start relaxing, like a prelude to meditation.

Energise is a red coloured candy that tastes faintly sweet. When eaten it provides about five hours worth of extra energy. This may lead to characters bouncing off walls, being easily distracted, being extra curious, or blurting out whatever comes to mind, including their feelings for other Voidtreckers. When combined with the Calm candy, a character's focus is increased, though they may feel more inclined to try new things or take new risks or chances.

Refresh is a green coloured candy that tastes faintly salty. With rivigourating divine energy within the candy, those who take it will feel mildly euphoric and floaty, bubbling, or otherwise happier. Literal floating of under a metre off the ground is possible while traveling the void, as well as having characters turn into small eastern styled dragons for about an hour. When combined with the Energise candy, characters may find they're capable of limited flight in the void. They may also find themselves as a tiny dragon with an obsessive focus on something small or silly, lasting as long as their dragon transformation, so about an hour.

Calm is a blue coloured candy that tastes faintly floral. This candy aids with rest and slowing down an overbusy mind. There's a side effect of grogginess after it wears off that grows proportionate to how many candies are consumed. Combined with Refresh candy, characters will find themselves more inclined toward open discussions, forgiveness and letting go, or engaging with people in ways they'd usually inhibit themselves from. So yes, a bit like being gently buzzed, with no hangovers.

DEPARTURE

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.

Welcome to the Void.

NAVIGATION ~ GAMEPLAY ~ SETTING ~ CHARACTER INITIATIVES ~ QUESTIONS

Thank you to Rakel (player of Lan Jingyi) for the enchanted candy mischief. Any questions about those should be directed to them.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Wow, and people say Alice is bad about just eating random stuff she comes across.

But look at Idia right now. Alice is just there to brew herself a nice cup of tea, but it's really hard to not notice the other just standing there and picking up those candies, staring at them like that. Something about Idia's facial expression makes Alice feel like he's truly considering just eating one of the suspicious things..

Hence why she can't help but look up from her teapot and speak up with: "Are you seriously going to put that into your mouth?"

At least she sounds.. well, I'd say relatively casual, but let's face it, Alice is never casual. Instead she just sounds like her regular kind of uninterested self, even though the way their last conversation was suddenly cut short by Idia was kind of awkward.

In his defense, Idia really doesn't do that often. Unless you count taking whatever was left in the fridge or shelves here in the kitchen that others have made. But that was before Ruggie showed up and started feeding him and making sure he actually ate during the day. And not just junk food.

"I'm considering it," Idia would had answered that back with snark if it had came from anyone other than Alice and her constant similar tone. It made her hard to read... but Idia was never good at that in the first place with people. If anything, it made it easier for him that Alice always seemed to be... well Alice. Unless she was angry. That was easy to understand. "I'm assuming Jingyi made these." And Idia had already known about those, the two having discussed the idea of them a few stations ago.

"You have no interest in them?" Was she into candy? Idia knew she liked her tea parties, but candy really wasn't a thing at those. More cakes and other small treats.

"Of course not. I do not know Jingyi."

Or whoever else made them. But if it was Jingyi - and Alice assumes Idia has a reason to think so, he's not the type to just throw that idea out there without any basis whatsoever - then Alice definitely doesn't know the person who made them. Sure, she has seen the other's face over the terminals a few times, but it's not like Alice is just going to trust anyone she doesn't know personally.

Especially not when it comes to putting stuff into her mouth. She outgrew that phase. Or so she likes to think, anyway.

"Who knows what he might have put in there?"

"Qi, according to his earlier plans. I also assume sugar and food dye." Idia answers her, despite it not really being a question that needed an answer. "Something to do with how his world deals with spiritual energy or... something." Idia's still not quite sure on it, they would need another sit down and chat over it for Idia to keep wrapping his head around it.

"He showed me it before, it seemed... fine." Warm. Nice. "But it wasn't via food before... I hope it tastes good." Because clearly that's more important to Idia than being cautious about this all.

Popping one into his mouth, he pauses for a moment to get the taste and... "It's a little underwhelming..." Eh... he had hoped for more... oh well. Well, if there isn't the taste, how about the crunch? Idia easily able to bite into and through the candy with his unique teeth, and...

Woah. "Oh wow." That, wow, that was a rush. It's similar to that warmth he had felt when Jingyi had shown him qi transfer before, but this was... "It's like chugging a 24 hour energy drink in one go." Oh, this is great!

Well.

There goes any idea that Alice ever might have gotten that Idia was at least relatively cautious. Right out of the window. She stares at him, and though her expression is the same as ever - thoroughly unimpressed, that is - she can't believe he just put it into his mouth like that. Without thinking.

She got it now. He is an idiot, much like a lot of people on this train. Maybe she shouldn't have expected anything else.

(Or rather - it's just completely incomprehensible to Alice why anyone would not suspect stuff made by another person like this. Without the tiniest bit of caution.)

"That is most likely the rat poison kicking in," she says with a tone that's as casual as one anyone else might use to talk about the weather.

"It doesn't kick in this fast." Don't ask how Idia knows this... also, he would still argue how was this any different from taking any other food made by others and left around for people to take. Shifting it around in his mouth, Idia crunched down on the candy a second time to break it up before chewing on the rest of it. "I gotta tell Jingyi to add more flavor to these..."

Then, "Why you so reluctant about it? People leave food out all the time."

"That is exactly why I do not eat any of that." Alice sounds so serious as she says it.. Because she is. And it's not even that she makes her own food instead, no. She just shrugs a little before adding: "I have someone who cooks for me."

Imagine that luxury, Idia. Having your own personal cook on a train like this. Alice does understand its value, she's more just sounding so casual about it now because.. well, is that not how Alice talks about pretty much anything?

Besides, it doesn't feel like the most important point to her here. As she moves the teapot to pour the hot water into a mug, she asks the real important question here.

"How do you know what happens when you eat rat poison?"

Have you done it before, Idia.

Have you.

Well, that would explain it, and while Idia has gained Ruggie to do that (in exchange for future favors...), he's still curious, "Oh yeah? Who?"

"I've researched it for writing." Don't ask what writing! Considering he's now eaten that red candy there's a good chance that he'll just come right out and say it thanks to the side effect of a lack of filter. It wouldn't matter to Idia now, but Future!Idia is not going to have fun with how much he's going to be telling people stuff today...

Heh. Sorry, Idia, there's no way Alice isn't going to ask. She avoids the other question for a moment - not because she doesn't want to say, but more because she's too focused on the other part of what he's saying..

It's an answer that induces way too much curiosity for Alice to not zoom in on it entirely. Hence why she asks, casually..

"What kind of writing would you have to research that for?"

Sorry, Idia. You can blame those candies for the rest of your life later on, once you're back to normal.

"Fanfiction." He answers easily, considering those candies again... before pocketing a few of each for later. Who knows, they might be interesting later in the day, and he wants some before they all go.

Then a bit of a chuckle. "A good thing my security is so good, it'd be real questionable sometimes for what I've searched for to make sure my facts were right."

. . . . . . .

"Fanfiction?"

It's a good thing Alice is so distracted by that word here. It prevents her from making any more snarky comments about the way Idia is pocketing those clearly dangerous pieces of candy.. Enjoy your snark-free life while you've got it, Idia. It's a rarity.

Even if it means instead having to explain this concept, since Alice looks like the guy just started speaking Chinese to her. She can't understand it in the slightest.

"What is that? I have never heard of anything like it before."

Eh, that doesn't surprise him at all after hearing what he has about her world. It sounded like it was older than his own, not super old like some people's worlds were, but still older. "It's fiction that is written by fans about shows or manga or anime or games or stuff they like." Did that break it up in a clear manner? Idia feels like he did, to explain both parts of that word.

"Normally about the characters from that media. Sometimes with other characters from other media or self inserts." Did that help, Alice? Or just make things more confusing?

Definitely more confusing. Even though she's learned a little more about ~~modern~~ different worlds while being here on the train, all of those words are still confusing to her. Manga, anime.. media..

At least she knows games, though she didn't know those had characters? Weren't they just about accomplishing simple goals? How could anyone write anything about that?

She looks confused as she speaks, but Alice is still trying to understand it. It's not like she's totally dumb, after all.

"So it is fiction based on.. already existing stories?"

That's the closest she can get. Which is actually what fanfiction is, good job, Alice. It's just that she's only barely grasping the concept, even as she's laying it out in words like this.

".. and it involves rat poison being ingested?"

Don't think she forgot about that part.

Ah, there, she got it! "Yes! Taking a preexisting world and characters and either extending on from the canon story or creating new scenarios that didn't take place in the story in the first place." Simple, right Alice?

Oh, "Ah, I was working on a murder mystery based story and needed to find out if there was a safe dose of rat poison that would not kill a human or give them long term damage, but still show signs of being poisoned. Or if there was something to give similar symptoms and be traded out for it instead." You know, to cause doubt and confusion and trick the reader into thinking it was serious when it really wasn't.

Poor Idia. He has no idea what kind of questions he is exposing himself to here.

Especially coming from a person who has so little experience with fan fiction that she can't help but question the very basics. Such as:

"If you could write absolutely anything at all involving already existing characters, then why do you insist on murdering them?"

Like you're metaphorically being laid out on the psychiatrist's couch, Idia...

That's rather pot calling the kettle black, Alice...

"Oh, no, it was a random npc, not one of the main named ones. I was doing a genre swap on it, turning it into a crime slash noir fiction setting. Super moody and tense." It may had been spurred at the time with a new anime show he had been enjoying, wanting to put one of his favorites into a similar set up.

"And if I was doing crime I had to get it right. There's no point doing something unless it's accurate. Well, within reason, it's still fiction after all." Some allowance for hyper-realism, but still set in realism.

There he goes again, mentioning so many words she's never heard of - or at least, not in the right context. Alice does manage to more or less keep up with it, since she's used to people in Wonderland rambling on in a much more nonsensical way than this. Idia's chatter is nothing in comparison.

"You ought to be careful with your words," she says, though flatly rather than chastising in any real way. "If anyone were to hear some of those last words out of context, they may imagine you were doing something much more actually nefarious than what you are describing."

Secret criminal mastermind Idia.

Who wouldn't believe it. Clearly. Obviously.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

A New Platform [Intro Post July]

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cw: jokes about literal food poisoning

the fact you made me have to go googling effects of it on people...

now the fbi thinks you're about to poison someone!!!

:O!

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