A New Platform [Intro Post January]

[voidtreckermods]

On the Train

After a very quiet latter half of the month of Catfish the calendar clicks over. Passengers wake up in their beds as usual to the passenger announcement. "Good morning passengers, it is day one of the month of domino.".

Those that have been on board a while know that new months usually come with new people and so the message a few hours later will not be a surprise. "Shortly arriving into a designated void platform. Exit from void imminent." A lurch and a jolt and they are soon surrounded by the fog that means they are at a platform.

It will come as a relief that no one leaves this time, no one with packed bags to walk silently towards the barriers.

Added to that the platform itself holds more people then it ever has before. Twenty one figures, all the colours are represented. The ground is icy and their breath pools in white clouds around them.

For New Passengers

At first all they can see if steam. Billowing around them as they come to their senses. They are standing, in clothes that are not their own, styles they might not even recognise. They are carrying a rucksack on their back. For a moment it seems to just be them, alone in the white haze but then the steam begins to fade and they realise they aren’t alone.

The platform is not large and it holds twenty one figures all facing the tracks, all dressed in cargo trousers and hoodies. The air is cold, the ground icy beneath your feet. Both left and right the tracks disappear into the mist. 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 into the cold step a selection of people. Some are human, some are less so. They are wearing the same hoodie in one of the four colours, red, orange, blue and purple.

The Train

The doors hiss open. Those from the train may encourage those on the platform to board. It’s not like there is 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 not be a good thing also it’s very cold out on the platform. The train is warmer.

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. The store rooms have been restocked and it seems that water chestnuts are the month of Domino’s ingredient of choice! Any of orange team who who go to check the luggage cart will find a parcel containing gingerbread snowflakes, decorated with icing. One for each of the orange team, including new members, come share in the reward!

New passengers will find their tickets allow them into their cabins. They may need to negotiate for beds, especially if they want a top bunk!

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 and you will hopefully find a pillow for your bed if it has not been nabbed by a roommate, there are also spare blankets for if it gets cold.

Departure

A second horn sounds to encourage any stragglers and the doors slide shut. Veteran passengers know what will happen next, they may wish to brief their new companions.

The train sets off, the fog obscuring the view 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."

Hopefully someone warns you that you really want to heed that warning because a moment later there is 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. The fog from the windows is gone now, replaced with a kaleidoscope of ever changing colours.

Welcome to voidspace!

Comments

[badassfreakingoverlord]

The rock garden was -- a pretty damn strange place, with several more of those vapid-looking people just idling around, and two of them working on an old clunker of a truck apparently. Also there were a few patched-together peglegged penguins who offered a wave and a cheery 'Hey, dood!' as they saw the guy wander in. Crowning all this was the book hovering atop a pile of rocks that was the best he could do for a throne in here, looking down at Bucky with one eyebrow raised.

"That's a surprisingly new one. Shouldn't you be off in another dimension, another time and space, a parallel universe fallen on its face, Bucky o'Hare?"

Zetta had checked his status screen for the name and spent a good minute working up that joke, which he was particularly proud of.

[littlepaperbird]

Paper flinched at the pointing and the very loud you, his hands already starting to trace the patterns needed to cast prestidigitation to create some noise to startle the huge man, but he froze at the word muffins. He lowered his hands, looked behind him to see if the man was talking to someone behind him, then looked back to Dio.

"Me? Muffins!" He hesitated, blinking up at the man. He was trying to think if he knew how to make muffins. He looked to the previous failed attempts, gathering that they were little cakes of some kind. He's made cake before - he had asked Joel to help him make a cake for Elyria's birthday. Surely it could be a similar process? Oh, he wished Joel or Emil was here to help.

"I made cake before. Muffins! look like small cake?" He looked back to Dio, hoping that was enough to appease the large man.

[kumoko]

[ New station, new screams to add to her saved audiobank.

Kidding, she's not gonna remember shit. But at least she's so used to the reactions that she just thinks, ah yes, a vintage Surprise B Edition, and goes back to pushing the bin towards him when he clambers back down from his perch.

Taptaptap. Another voice clip. ]

Just don't puke on me.

[runs_on_batteries]

He nodded, remembering her from when he was very young. He couldn't imagine what a shock it would be for her to see the man that little boy had become. He'd been so desperate for his father to notice him back then, but that had been a very long time ago. There was a general pleasant feeling he remembered regarding this woman. She hadn't gone out of her way to be friendly but she hadn't been unfriendly either. She'd simply been one of his father's co-workers.

Tony rolled his eyes at the official title of the idiot with the metal arm. He crossed his arms over his chest and tried his best not to project the venom of his tone at her, but simply the topic they were discussing. "He did. Briefly. Right before 'Sergeant Barnes' strangled him and his wife to death."

[inquiryguqin]

Lan Zhan is indeed on board on the train. When the train arrives on the platform, this scenario is familiar. Months ago, he was on the very same platform, boarding the train with Wei Wuxian.

After Wei Wuxian picked him up from the platform, as soon he is informed, he went to go see him. He doesn't want to appear to look rushed. With a hand tucked behind his back, keeping up a calm exterior that Lan Wangji was known for back home. He took note that he's wearing a purple uniform and was sorted to be on team purple. "A-Yuan..?" With all the concern a father has, the boy he raised as his own son, and adopted into the Lan clan.

"A-Yuan, you are here. Did you recently arrived? Are you well?"

[queenvictoria]

Whatever Peggy had been expecting, it isn’t that. Peggy’s eyes go wide.

“I...”

She can’t believe it. Howard is dead, and Bucky murdered him?

[littlepaperbird]

She may watch for a small while: the spell lasts for ten minutes in total as long as he maintains concentration. This was something he did just to practice fine maneuvering of the rocks, as he's had issue in the past with judging distance. A bit ironic for an archer, yes? He eventually lets the rocks come to rest on the ground gently and turns to leave, stopping as he notices that Padmé had stopped to wait for him. He folded his talons together before him.

"Hello. I hope my little show didn't startle you?" He tilted his head a little bit. She didn't seem scared, but he wasn't sure why she was standing around.

[happyends]

Madoka still frowns slightly in worry, not understanding why the other girl is blaming herself for this. She must be new - Madoka hasn't seen her around before, after all - so it's only normal to not know how intense the departure can be.

But before she can utter anything about Naminé not having to blame herself, the last statement catches her totally off guard. Madoka's face turns about the same colour as her hair in an instant as she just looks baffled and flustered at the same time.

"H.. Huh?! Um, that's..!" She moves her hands to cover her cheeks with them. "T.. T-T-Thank you, that's really sweet of you to say!"

In her embarrassment she starts to speak faster without breathing too.

"I'm M-M-Madoka, nice to meet you too!"

[queenvictoria]

“Mmm, yes, I seem to remember Colonel Phillips’ staff mourning your loss particularly deeply.” It still feels odd to joke about it. Bucky had died.

She shakes her head. “Steve was rather a large part of it. After he—after the crash, I was known only as Captain America’s girlfriend. Nothing I had done in the War even rated. They didn’t want to let me keep working; it was like I was his bloody widow or something.”

[democratically]

"Physical ticket inspectors that were already on board?" Or that showed up on the stop. That seems rather bemusing to Padmé, as would anyone try to sneak on board this train? Perhaps if they knew more than others, like a location or destination, or if they were attempting to escape from something very serious...

But, she turns back a little. "Your sons? You have family here?"

[happyends]

Although she does follow Ignis' eyes to see that he and Tony are sharing a look, she's too late to notice that the latter mouthed anything - so she's totally clueless as to that. Instead it just makes her wonder if she did something wrong. Oh god, they don't think she's weird for finding those people intimidating, right?! Both of them are so cool and tough, surely they are never scared!

But despite the inner Madoka panic train starting to roll, Ignis is still asking her so calmly and nicely that she'd feel bad if she wasn't honest about what she wanted to say.

Madoka's cheeks grow slightly red. "Um, they just seem.. kind of.. intimidating.."

[democratically]

"I'm afraid I'm not familiar with Pandora or her box. It's not a story told on Naboo, or one I have heard on any other planet." But... Padmé does know that it is a two-sided sword, yet it wouldn't change her mind. Some cautionary tale, or something that had actually happened on his planet?

She does take the hand though, grip firm but not aggressive. "Padmé Amidala. A pleasure, despite the circumstances."

[democratically]

[Naboo is a planet that is bustling with water, and most of the buildings are stone, but even they had had some manner of them. Accidents happened, and sometimes ships were finicky and caught on fire... Especially if they were shot at.]

Oh? Have you some other means of putting out fires?

[Or perhaps they didn't use fire? There are many different heat sources, although when he speaks again, it rebukes her earlier thought. It is a peculiar statement, as if he knows many pyromaniacs, but she will assume it is something else before jumping to that conclusion. Someone who works with fire?

His laugh brings a small smile to her lips, as it is clear he's recalling some event.]

Well, it would keep things toasty, although I would hope that they could obtain more extinguishers, just in case.

[runs_on_batteries]

Tony didn't resist when Ignis was pulling him away, although he does shoot a couple more glares in Eva's direction. Instead, after only a moment or two, he is the one tugging and it's toward the train. He needed a few moments out of sight. It was very frustrating this was going to be yet another platform where he has to abandon his position early.

He kept going till he and Ignis were in one of the quiet cars and he still looked mad enough to explode. So.. he does.

"What the hell is the matter with that girl?" He raged at his poor boyfriend. "Talking to me like that? I'm not someone who needs a fucking straight jacket or mental ward! Like I don't have enough to deal with around here without her giving everyone the impression I'm a damn lunatic! She can go to hell! Her and her stupid pokemon and her constant references to things only she knows about. I'm not crazy, she's crazy. She's even crazier if she thinks I'm putting up with that bullshit!"

[knifewithnoname]

"Yes." She nodded, but didn't say anything else. She recognised that tone. It was the tone of an adult who wasn't interested in any more words from a child.

Some adults she would push, keep talking. But she doesn't know him at all so she falls silent and steps closer to the barrier, to inspect it. It did look a little bit different than the last platform, but the basic concept was the same.

[knifewithnoname]

"Oh. I do be knowing what a superstition do be being." It was for little kids, that's what it was.

She nodded at him, he did look pretty old though probably not as old as mister Stark. Still a long time since he was a kid. Not that she ever had time to play stupid games like rubbing buttercups on her chin.

"Did you be coming from a place with a lot of buttercups?"

[flatteries]

It sounds like this guy is on the same level of technology as him then back home. That sure makes a lot of things easier for Inigo, considering that means he can easily explain things from his own perspective.

"That's a good question, though one I'm not entirely sure anyone knows the full answer to," he honestly admits. "This train travels through what they call the void. It seems to be some sort of space that exists between different dimensions, as far as I can tell."

He pauses for a moment. "I realise that might sound slightly ridiculous," depending on what Amery is used to back home, "but it's the truth."

[happyends]

Honestly, Madoka isn't too sure whether to be relieved or not by him saying he's used to it. It might at least have lessened the blow of her own fear, but she still feels kind of bad for feeding into the feeling that made him used to all of this..

She keeps the fretting about that to herself though, instead patiently listening to him and looking at the feathers. Black ones like that.. He's kind of like a crow or a raven then, right? Except a person instead of just a bird.

"Do you not like the colour of your own feathers then, sir..?" There's a slight pause, and then she quickly adds, "O.. or madam?"

It's kind of hard to tell with the voices and all. And she doesn't want to be anymore rude than she's already been.

[themasterthief]

Well that was unexpected. So maybe not all monsters liked other monsters. Maybe this spider wasn't so friendly as he'd been led to believe. Or maybe she just took offense to his refusal of the cookie treat.

Her legs were so much cooler than his. And way more deadly. Garrett's scorpion tail raised back up automatically but it's smaller stinger didn't look nearly as menacing as those scythe legs. Honestly he wasn't ready for a fight either.

"That's fine, I'll take the cookie, thank you," he said in a hurry. His legs latched onto the walls and lifted him away from the ground and he backed away in quick succession.

[themasterthief]

"'Kami'." Well, he wouldn't necessarily disagree.

His head cocked to one side. This was the second time he'd heard mention of the spider. "Orange Leader... Eva.. mentioned the spider. I'm curious."

[heavybreathing]

"How remiss of them."

Ah, that was an interesting shift. Unselfconsciously he dropped to one knee in a smooth motion of mechanical whirring, the better to examine her. And, perhaps, to give an air of conspiracy. She had been hiding herself, he felt, and Light and Dark were at the centre of her deception. He gambled on the impression he had formed.

"If they believe only the Light has the power to help them, it is their weakness, young one. Not yours."

[flatteries]

He only stares at the hand for a second before he grabs it and gives it a good shake.

"Inigo." It's always nice when people introduce themselves without any last names involved, it makes Inigo's own name sound a little less weird. "It's nice to meet you, Bucky-- can I say Bucky? Some people don't appreciate that."

Mostly since he's a teenager. And Bucky here looks a good deal older than him. But Inigo isn't the type for formaliteit when he doesn't have to use them.

[flatteries]

Padmé is absolutely right on the money about that last part. Inigo laughs for a split second at it - with an edge of something awkward to it at the completely justified callout. It vanishes as quickly as it came through.

"You wound me! I wouldn't say such a thing if I didn't think it was true!" At least that's not a full on lie. He does think she's pretty! It's just that he often thinks girls are pretty, so he's definitely said it many times before.. "Surely you aren't doubting your own beauty, are you? Or should I give you a few more compliments to ensure you're aware of it?"

[flatteries]

It really isn't helping that he's giving her a completely baffled look the more she speaks, huh. At least he's not backing out of explaining things to her. Partially since Inigo is just nice enough that he can't abandon someone who needs help, and partially since he's just afraid of what she'll say or do if he tries to back out now.

"I have never heard this place being called Wild Space before, so I can at least assure you it's not that. But.. er.. I have to admit that I'm not great with the.."

He makes a vague hand gesture, apparently looking for the right words.

"The whole 'planetary system' thing. I have heard others here speak of such things before, but it wasn't really something we cared about back where I am from."

[myblueskies]

"I know ramen, sir!" He grins and nods, he knows how to make lots of different types of ramen even though some of them are a bit tricky! But Elfnein's temple had had a whole shelf of books on cooking with different types of noodles and so he had made sure he could make a few different dishes! He tries to remember which one Tonkotsu is.

"I'm not sure if we got the right meat! But we can go look in the store carriage if you want and if we don't got it you can just choose other things you want in your ramen!"