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

[democratically]

[The motion he gives brings a small smile to her lips. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having an ability to look at the bright side. Padmé would say that it is a rather good trait, actually, although she is also a very stubborn person once her mind has been made up.

Still, it does sound interesting and Padmé does have free time on her hands here. She had been debating what else to do with her time, as sitting around has never been on her agenda. She can say that she hadn't expected someone to be able to turn in to a log though...]

Well, whatever you wish to teach, I'd be more than happy to learn.

[so_dark_a_road]

"You bought your way in? You must have wanted very much to be your Mistress's apprentice, then." He fears he may have offended her, and that was not his intention. "Or maybe you didn't know in advance which Master or Mistress would pay for you?"

[sensitiveapple]

Misa smiles. She likes having her hair done. "Of course, Mistress."

But the question confuses her. "I'll have freedom when I'm Mistress of the House." Misa explains. She smiles and bounces on her toes. "I'll have to work as a courtesan in the House for a little while, of course, but the Mistress is training me to take her place."

[sensitiveapple]

"Why?" She asks, cocking her head to the side. "I mean why is it a kid's food." She clarifies. "On Canto, we don't distinguish between adult and children foods."

[sensitiveapple]

"My mother did." She explains. "She trained me to become a courtesan before she put me in the auction. And no. I almost was bought by a Trydarean Master." She shudders. She's so glad that she hadn't ended up in his hands.

[so_dark_a_road]

"So, is this a family profession? Being a courtesan, I mean." He sees that shudder. "I take it that belonging to a Trydarean Master would have been a disaster?"

[thinhammer]

I guess it's pretty useful to have somethin' like that then, huh? Otherwise you'd probably have to like, use your arms an' stuff to kinda point, right?

[ Haha, wouldn't that be a ridiculous problem to have...... haha........... ]

That woulda probably been pretty scary. Someone might even have tried to squish ya.

[ Who the hell are you talking to, kid? She's a giant spider!! Who could squish a giant spider!! ]

[thinhammer]

[ Naruto ignores the question about knowing where he's going because no, he does not, but it feels right in his shonen spirit to just go with his gut feeling-- unless he's eaten something bad and then the only place he's going is-- ]

Whaa, you've never heard of a shuriken?? [ Naruto turns around as he moves, very narrowly missing bumping into someone/thing as he looks back at Inigo. ] A shuriken is a spiky spinny thing, y'know??

[ Good explanation. Naruto is sure that will jog Inigo's memory, but just in case he needs further help, Naruto puts his hand on his leg. Then he looks confused for a second, then groans in disappointment. ]

I don't have any with me!! I used to keep 'em in a bag here, but I didn't have any when I got here. Uggghh. How am I supposed to do anythin' cool when I don't have any of my stuff, yanno???

[ He's totally oblivious to the fact he and Inigo just had this exact conversation in reverse. ]

[thinhammer]

Hell yes, readily available ramen servant get. And a friend, but that's just a bonus. Most people back home spend most of their time telling Naruto to eat things other than ramen, always trying to introduce vegetables and fruit into his diet and failing miserably.. so this is a very welcome change.

The first bit of what his new friend, Ramen Kid, said however is sticking in his brain a little oddly.

"Your... god?" he asks, eyebrows quirking. "What's that mean?"

[thinhammer]

Yeah?

[ He looks Hattori over for a longish moment, considering. Usually when people say things are fun they never really match up to Naruto's estimation of what fun is, but Hattori doesn't seem like the kind of guy who'd big up something boring. He seems pretty down to earth.

But then Naruto's people sense has always been a little positively skewed. He chuckles at their shared experience. ]

Yeah, it's pretty badass when she's punchin' the floor an' makin' it all splinter and stuff, but.. not so badass when she's punchin' me in the arm or whatever.

[ A pause, and he tilts his head, a weird looking expression on his face. Then, he grins. ]

Wanna see the best part about bein' a ninja?

[thinhammer]

[ Naruto raises his eyebrows as he listens. He's got a pretty decent imagination, but he's not the most creative so what he pictures in his head probably isn't close to what Nerdanel is describing...

What has got his attention, though, is the mention of her family. ]

You're a mom? [ He asks, expression falling to something blank. ] You've got kids? More than one?

[thinhammer]

Then it's settled, right? The next time we got some space an' some free time, I'll teach ya somethin'. An' until then I'll work on makin' sure it's somethin' good.

[ He says, and taps the front of his forehead. It looks like he's just gesturing to his Big Smart Brain, and he only realises the action doesn't speak an inch about his ninja loyalty when his finger doesn't hit the metal of his forehead protector. He stops, looks a little shocked, then rummages in his pocket. ]

If we're gonna train, you're gonna have to find somethin' like this, okay?

[ He holds it out to her; a blue piece of fabric with a metal plate attached showing the sign of a swirling leaf with a strike cut through it. ]

The sign doesn't matter much now, but ya need somethin' to wear to show loyalty an' promise fairness.

[ It's.. probably kind of weird to see Naruto talk so seriously, but these rules have been ingrained in him since birth. ]

[democratically]

Mistress... Padmé really is going to have to work on that, as she truly does not mind being called by her name. There may be some individuals or circumstances where she will stand on procedure, but this certainly isn't one of them.

"Ah." That seems like a good thing to her? Padmé cannot say it would be what she wanted, but if that truly isn't something that Misa despises, than she has no right to say anything about it. "Hmm. And what is the house like?"

[democratically]

[Anything would be impressive to Padmé, given that she is unable to do anything like that. Plus, that he is going to put some effort in to it, is something that Padmé finds to be quite considerate, and it earns a light smile from her. It's clear that he's not going to be reckless with his endever.

But her gaze does shift, to look to the item that he pulls from his pocket, unfamiliar with it. A scarf of some sort? Although the metalic piece seems to make her think otherwise, unless it protects?]

The symbol- may I ask what it is?

[kumoko]

[ ha... haha...

Stop giving her flashbacks! Gosh!!!

She folds her front scythe arms and nods. Luckily, her second pair of legs keeps typing. The third and fourth sets move her into a more comfortable position against the seat opposite his. Mostly just propped up upside-down with legs hooking against the walls, because there's no way her body will fit into the space.

Probably looks pretty awful, but who cares, right? Not him, probably! Hopefully! ]

Mr Stark suplexed me.

[marriedanidiot]

I am, yes! Seven sons. [ She says fondly ] We did try for a daughter, my husband and I, but it seems that we were never destined for that. They are all grown now, of course, but they are still my boys. Three of them are here, in fact - the eldest two, and the second youngest.

[flatteries]

[ This is a whole new magical world for Inigo. He's used to talking to people much smarter than him - which.. let's be real here, most people are. But he's definitely not as used to talking to people who are at the very least on a similar level of idiocy, if not even higher on the idiocy ladder. Especially without some of his friends around.

So Inigo is most definitely realising they just had this talk in reverse, which is why he gives the other guy an 'are you actually kidding me right now' kind of look for a moment before realising that no. Naruto is serious. ]

That's.. That's what I just said! About my sword! Were you even listening to what I was saying?

[deductionrival]

I'll bet!

[He remembers the few times Ran showed off her skills in front of Conan and himself. He was always thankful none of those had been directed at him!]

Sure.

[He unconsciously copies Naruto's movement of tilting his head to the side curiously.]

Besides the fact you get to call yourself a ninja, you mean?

[myblueskies]

My god. [He nods enthusiastically and then had to think about how to explain it. He's never met anyone who doesn't even know what a god is before!]

When people are in trouble or need help or are sad they can pray to gods, gods live in the heavens and they hear the prayers and they go down to where the humans live and help them! Lots of times the humans don't even know because they can't see the gods or they forget them really quickly but they know their prayer has been answered!

There are bad monsters that try and hurt people too and they make people sad and angry and stop their spirits from being up! So gods got to fight those monsters and to do that they need to use shinki. Shinki are spirits, which are people who are dead, and the gods give them a name and make them a weapon. So that's what I am and I work with my god to fight monsters and help people but also make sure she eats yummy food and keeps her spirits up!

[luckybucky]

He considers the question, looking down at his sandwich. "A couple of reasons, I think. Kids where I'm from tend to be pickier about what they'll eat, so stuff that most kids like, even if adults eat it too, will be called kids food. The other is that kids get sent out to school every day, and they have to pack a lunch to eat there. Peanut butter and jelly doesn't need to be refrigerated, and it's pretty easy to keep it from getting everywhere," he explains.

[sensitiveapple]

"Oh, my mother wasn't a courtesan! She was a Mistress. There's a difference." She says, seriously.

"The Trydarean would have put me to work at age twelve. At least my Mistress allows me to wait until I'm sixteen."

[sensitiveapple]

Padme is older and much higher ranked than a courtesan-in-training. Misa would feel odd calling her by her name.

"The House is the busiest on Canto. There's..." She stops, counts, "Twenty four of us, because a few are out for health reasons. Usually, there's about twenty-seven. the Mistress is the head of the House, of course." She doesn't know how to describe it. "Freema handles some of my schooling, so that the Mistress doesn't have to."

[democratically]

It would be something that Padmé would argue, as she is no higher or more important than anyone else is. She has never been one of those individuals that needed to be above someone. Just the opposite. She would rather be on the same level as others.

"And of all varying ages?" Twenty four... It seems like a lot to Padmé, although she doesn't really know too much about such houses.

[sensitiveapple]

Misa shakes her head. "I'm the youngest. Everyone else is over sixteen and actually works the house. I just play music and games and read to the patrons sometimes." She explains. "The oldest there is... I think Jakka? She's a Bothan and she's been through two Mistresses."

[democratically]

Over sixteen. Even that seems so young to Padmé... True, herself at sixteen had been quite different, as Naboo does have a history of electing young girls to lead, but Padmé had chosen that path, and it had been for an elected position of queen.

Some of the tension does leave her shoulders though as Misa clarifies what she does. So long as those working there are protected as well... "How old is she, do you know?"