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

[flatteries]

[ Inigo lets out a breath.

It seems like the sass is at least gone for a moment, which slowly makes the extra colour eb back out of Inigo's face - which in turn makes him calm down a little again. ]

Things tend to be quite different between this place and the places we come from. I haven't heard of anything called 'chakra' where I'm from, but people would be able to do something similar using water magic. [ So he's assuming chakra is probably just what people call magic where Naruto comes from..? ] I suppose this train has assumed it should be ready for any mix of people, including having only people aboard the train who don't know how to summon water themselves in any way.

[thinhammer]

[ Train being prepared something something, Naruto didn't hear the rest because he was too busy being entirely confused over what Inigo said before that. ]

Ya haven't heard of chakra? Ya mean at all? Never?

[ He gives Inigo a close up look, then kind of. Shuffles away a bit. ]

Are ya dead? Are ya some kinda ghost?

[ Look, okay, this kid has been brought up knowing only that chakra is like life energy and if it depletes you are in danger of passing out-- or dying... so his adjustment isn't the smoothest transition. Cut him some slack. ]

[flatteries]

...

[ That question seems to catch Inigo so off guard that he just stares blankly at the other for a moment. He opens his mouth as if to say something, but then seems to rethink that and closes it again for another moment or two. ]

Listen, I understand that it may be shocking to see a stunning appearance like mine. [ Keep dreaming, Inigo. ] But I'm very much alive. This place isn't the same place as you came from. Most people probably haven't heard of chakra here.

[ Naruto has been the first he's heard that word from, anyway. ]

[thinhammer]

[ Naruto folds his arms, still giving Inigo a wary look - isn't that just what a dead person would say, huh??? - but not taking any steps to get further away from him for now. ]

Well, I'm glad you're not a ghost. I was just thinkin' anyway that ya don't look much like any ghost I've heard of, they're usually kinda memorable, an' you just look like a normal guy.

[ Huff. ]

I know I ain't home anymore, but it's just weird ya don't have chakra or anythin' here. Is everyone here a civilian then? Can't anyone do anythin'?

[ He's got visions of having to do all the fighting himself, and while not entirely impossible due to him being able to duplicate himself to the nth degree... what about when he needs to take a break to eat or poop or something???? He's thinking of the people here!! ]

[flatteries]

[ Thank you for thinking of all the people here, oh great new overlord Naruto..! ]

We can do things. Just different things.

[ He pauses for a slight moment, because his own abilities would probably sound kind of lame to someone using chakra. Whatever that means. It sounds fancy. But even though it might make him sound lame.. whatever, he's still going to say it! ]

I can swordfight, for example. And plenty of others can do other things. Some can even use magic.

[thinhammer]

[ Surprisingly enough, as a guy who cannot use weapons to save his gosh darn life - kunai are a shinobi's bread and butter and yet Naruto kind of struggles with aim and standing still long enough to get a good aim - Naruto actually raises his eyebrows at Inigo's reply. He looks impressed. ]

Big swords? [ He asks, all judgement gone and replaced by that look, as he leans in a little bit, then looks Inigo up and down as if looking for said sword. And then, without waiting for an answer, he continues: ] Will ya show me?

[flatteries]

[ Now this is the kind of reaction he likes to see. This guy wouldn't be asking him to show him if he wasn't interested, after all! So Inigo starts to look rather proud for a moment..

.. until he seems to realise something that makes him deflate a little once more. ]

Of course I'd gladly do so, but it seems my sword has been misplaced when I was pulled into this place. [ You know, since they were all forced into these weird team colour clothes and their own stuff was gone.. ] But as soon as I can find a sword somewhere, you can get a demonstration right away.

[thinhammer]

[ Naruto looks wholly disappointed at that revelation - but then when he thinks about it, and back to the people from his own world he's seen wielding swords, an idea strikes him. ]

Aaah, ya don't need an actual sword, though, do ya? Ya can use a pole or a broom or somethin'. You're just not tryin' hard enough!

[ He means that in the best way he possibly can mean it, promise. He's just bad at tact, as Inigo is probably well aware of by now. ]

If we find somethin' long and straight, you can still show me what you can do. S'probably easier to start off with somethin' not sharp anyway, right?

[flatteries]

Well.. Sure?

[ He seems kind of baffled by the suggestion. Not because he doesn't know that he could wield one of those things too if he had to - although they sure are a lot less effective without any pointy edges. And though said pointy edge is not necessary for a demonstration, he still feels like it'd look a lot less cool.

But hey, if that's what Naruto wants, he can provide. ]

There should be some over at where they keep the cleaning supplies. I could show you right now, if you're willing to come along.

[thinhammer]

[ Naruto makes a noise of elation that doesn't really have a word in it and really is just that -- a noise -- as he clambers up from his seat and starts off in any old direction.

He doesn't even know where the cleaning supplies are kept, but he is Going. ]

Hell yeah, ya can teach me some moves and stuff! An' then I guess I can teach ya how to fling a shuriken or somethin' in return!

[flatteries]

H-- Hey, wait a moment! Do you even know where you're going?

[ Naruto is new, after all, right? Did he already map out the train in his head or something? Inigo does start to head after him, but only since Naruto just happens to go in the right direction so far.. ]

Besides, what is this "shuriken" you speak of?

[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. ]

[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?