A new Platform [Intro post~ August]

[voidtreckermods]

For those on the Train

"Good morning passengers, it is day sixteen of the month of Apple." The train announces as always as everyone wakes up the morning of the sixteenth. "Due to your success on Hub World #5739 your team points have been updated on the system. The on train shop has unlocked new stock."

For those going to investigate it might seem like the boredom of the last two weeks will be alleviated a little. More so after a few hours when there is a second announcement.

"Shortly arriving into a designated void platform. Exit from void imminent."

By now they should know to hold on as the train jerks and jolts. There is only fog outside the windows but the train soon comes to a stop. The doors hiss open.

As they exit into the fog they may notice Hibiki exiting from the luggage carriage door. She hasn’t been seen since the Hub World and they might be forgiven for believing she stayed behind. But here she is, backpack on her back as she walks through the station. She heads no call, reacts to no words and cannot be stopped as she walks to the ticket barrier and disappears through it.

It is impossible to follow. But you soon may be distracted because this platform is far from empty.

For new arrivals

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

The platform is not very large, but it hold twelve figures all facing the tracks, all wearing similar clothing, even if one of them is a spider. The tracks stretch left and right into steam, or perhaps fog. Nothing can be seen to either side. There is a wall around the platform and the only entrance is a ticket barrier. It cannot be open, nor do there seem to be any staff.

What there is, is a train. Jet black and gleaming where it stands on the rails.Voidtrecker Express is emblazoned in the engine in gold. There is a hiss as the doors slide open.

Out step a selection of people, wearing clothes just like yours.

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.

Once on the train there is plenty to explore. A new sleeper carriage has appeared as has a medical bay. Neither were there before those already on the train had disembarked to meet their new travelling companions.

Each ICP shows the same message. The food stores have been topped up with new fresh food, though it seems that eggs are still predominately on the menu.

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. Those who boarded two weeks ago will know what is coming next.

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

Ash | OTA

[bombashbunny]

I. The Platform
The hot springs had never been so steamy that Ash couldn't see through it, and the heat and humidity normally associated with such a place was entirely lacking. The weight of the rucksack settled on her shoulders as she shifted weight from one foot to the other, looking around her. Her ears stood straight up in alert as she caught sight of the new clothes she wore. She took a moment to feel it between her fingers - it felt different from the clothes from home. Strange. She heard murmuring as people came into sight and started to talk amongst themselves. Children. Elezen, or perhaps elves? Reassuring, at least. A... Spider? This wasn't the Source or the First anyway, and likely not a shard at all. The Exarch sure made a mess of this one.

Her ears still straight and turning towards sounds, it wasn't long before Ash shrugged off her rucksack and looked into it. Some part of her found relief as she saw her gun in there, and her ears relaxed a little as she pulled her aetheroconverter and fashioned the belt around her waist to its familiar spot on her right hip. She left the gun in the rucksack for now, as it seemed it may be imprudent to pull it out in front of children.

Needless to say, she seemed to be taking this in stride and something about that may be a little alarming. For the most part she seems to be people watching and admiring the train at this point

II. The Train
Ash would eventually meander upon the train and quietly move through it with her ears forward as she quietly moved through the train. She would eventually find her sleeper and would struggle to figure out how to open it (but only very briefly), then stare at the beds as she tries to discern which one is free. Clearly she was one to respect privacy and the last thing she would want to do is begin rifling through someone else's things on accident.

After stowing her items, she could be found going through the train and making a mental map of the layout, figuring out what is where, and otherwise looking over pieces of technology she may not be entirely familiar with.

Unfortunately, she did not take the departure warning particularly seriously and found herself stumbling as the train shuddered and lurched, throwing an arm out to catch herself. Hopefully she just stumbled into a wall and not a person. Oops.

II

[afterburner]

Nope, it was a person. Honestly, though, it might have felt like a wall, except walls don't catch you and steady you carefully with gentle hands. "You okay, there, Easter Bunny?" Yeah, she thinks she's hysterical, so you'll have to forgive her.

"You want a seat? I think we might be okay to move around the cabin now, though. Even if the seatbelt sign--well, there is no freakin' seatbelt sign. What kind of jank venture is this train, anyhow?" Not that Renee had a problem keeping upright through the train's movement, though even she'd been staggered a bit.

[bombashbunny]

Most people would be embarrassed by this turn of events? Ash wasn't, though. Maybe she should have been - for as much as she rode air ships in Eorzea and Norvrandt she should have been prepared for that. Either way, she was less than pleased with herself for falling into someone.

"Oh- my apologies." She righted herself after being steadied by Renee. "I would not turn down a seat, but I certainly shan't be falling now the train's righted itself. I should think the term air ship is more appropriate though, considering I do not think we are still on the rails." Was she mumbling to herself? Was she still speaking to this person? Who knows. Her voice was so flat.

"I'm not sure what an 'Easter Bunny' is, nor do I know what a 'seatbelt' is - though at least that word gives clues as to what it is." Anyone else would probably be chuckling a little as they said that. The comment about the train actually caused a slight thoughtful expression to cross Ash's face. "Hm, surely not one that I had the option to take. You here by choice or by force?"

[afterburner]

"I've been told it travels through the Void--not that I'm really sure what that is..." Although Renee imagined it was something like the Darkforce Dimension, maybe. She'd been there once or twice (thank you, big brother!) and she wouldn't recommend it, really. "But, yeah. Goin' off the rails on a crazy train, for sure."

"It's not a problem, though," she continued. It's not like being fallen into hurt, or anything like that, so Renee just brushed it off. "Easter is a holiday where I'm from--it has rabbit symbolism because of some pagan fertility ritual, I think." She's the type to read just enough to get her in trouble. "Nobody asked me if I wanted to come with, but it's really hard to make me do something I want to do, I guess. I stepped on by myself." Except she'd appeared on the platform...somehow. How, she didn't know.

[bombashbunny]

The Void? The name of that and the nature of their departure seemed to relate to something similar as the rift between the different shards of home. It surely seemed to be a related phenomenon though the true nature of it did not really matter all that much since she was here irregardless her thoughts on the matter.

The mention of what Easter was just confused Ash, and the joke seemed to be quite less funny considering the poor explanation of how rabbits were related. That may be something to expand upon later, but it was not all that important right now. Based on some of the conversations she's overheard they will have plenty of time to talk about this.

"As long as you made the step, yes?" It was mostly just jarring to end up here. The trip (or complete lack thereof) was entirely different than her trip to the Source. "Is this something that happens regularly where you're from by chance?" Asking for a friend.

[afterburner]

"Well, it was that or--whatever happens if you stay behind on the platform. I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, but when your instincts scream 'bad idea', well." Renee shrugged at that. She'd decided not to stay behind.

The woman's second question had Renee thinking, brows furrowed. "I guess that depends. Weird trains showing up and hijacking you? Not so much. Actual powerful beings showing up and attempting to enlist you to save the world? Yeah, that happens a little more often, if you're not a normal human."

Which leads a body to think that Renee might not be your normal human. If so, gold star for you...not that she was about to go into detail. Yet.

[bombashbunny]

She meant more about ending up on the platform rather than stepping foot on the train - a choice between living or an uncertain Bad Time is not really a choice. Given those odds, Ash also chose to head on the train - she'd made it this far already and she had no plans to end this journey any time soon. It felt relatively safe to assume that most of those here were of a like mind.

By normal human did she mean similar to the common folk? Honest and humble with no particular talents? Perhaps these powerful beings are her home's equivalent to the Warriors of Light. "That sounds a little like where I came from, though there was a tale that some of the heroes from home actually fought a train." She wasn't sure how much she believed that rumor in its base form - maybe if it was the heroes fought someone while on a train she'd find it more believable. "Some of the stories told by the wandering minstrels are outlandish. I'm sure your home has some outlandish tales of its own though too."

The Train- cabin

[knifewithnoname]

Once Ash entered the cabin with her name on she would learn that one of the top bunks at least was occupied. By a small girl who was currently sat on it, leaning against the wall.

She was expecting someone, this Ash. That was their name according to the door and they were in purple. Whatever that meant.

Except that they were making dinner this month.

"That one there do be being free." She pointed at the second top bunk, the one above Tony's bed. She leaned forward as she did so and stopped. They were... impressive ears.

[bombashbunny]

There certainly was more children here than was reasonable. This one certainly seemed quite young... But she knew what was going on with the bunk situation, at least. Ash's gaze followed the young girl's finger to the bunk she was pointing to. A top bunk was well enough for her.

Ash found her storage compartment and took a minute to neatly organize her stuff in her compartment - it was meticulous, with time spent doing tiny adjustments.

"Thank you - this is very different from where I am from. I don't tend to have to share my quarters... So thank you for saving me from that misunderstanding." If the girl spoke then Ash's ears would automatically rotate to listen to her speak as Ash organized her things. Ash hadn't noticed the stare yet.

[knifewithnoname]

"It do be being very different from where I did be being before as well." She nodded and watched silently as the rabbit girl put away all her things. The ears moved, that was fascinating.

She's already met some people who aren't human but aren't monsters either, but it doesn't mean she's not interested.

"Under me do be being Eva, she do be having a weird pink pokemon, which do be being a creature that do be fighting and it do be living in a ball. Under you do be being mister Stark." Dangerous and nosy, but Ash could find that one out for herself.

[bombashbunny]

As she finished putting her things away the girl pointed out the owner of the beds that weren't present. She idly wondered where that pattern of speech came from. Ash had not spent an awful lot of time around kids so she wasn't sure if it was due to the apparent age of the girl across from her, or if it was due to where she was from or something else.

Ash caught the use of Mister for Stark and the lack of a title for Eva - was Eva another child and Stark an adult? Be interesting to see if that little hypothesis was correct. "A creature like a cat? What do you mean it lives in a ball?" That was too curious a statement to really leave be. The only thing that came to mind were the different Allagan nodes - most of them were used to identify things, but some could be used to replicate tools. If Allagan nodes could 'print' animals that would really be quite something.

She caught herself before the girl could really answer, realizing she hadn't given the girl her own name. "I go by Ash, by the way."

[knifewithnoname]

"Eva do be having a ball." She made the shape and size with her hand, to show just how small it was and how improbable it was that Princess lived in it. "And he do be living in there and sometimes he do be coming out. He do be a fighter and you should no be petting him when he do be sleeping or he will be biting all your fingers off."

She blinked down. Ash was an interesting name. A word as much as a name. But then again so was Buttercup. "I will be remembering Ash." She nodded, "Mister Stark did be dubbing me Buttercup so you can be calling me that if you do be wanting."

[bombashbunny]

Ash couldn't stop herself from looking somewhat confused as Buttercup explained the pokemon to her, but she figured things would fall more into place later when she actually met Eva and this pokemon. "Thank you for the warning." Not that she made it a habit for petting strange creatures, but that Buttercup thought to warn her was thoughtful.

Buttercup. The fact that Tony gave her the name struck Ash that this was essentially this kid's city name, or something similar. "Did he pick it because you like the flower?"

In cabin

[runs_on_batteries]

Tony had done what he'd felt like was his duty to all these newcomers. He'd told as many of them what was going on and tried to keep them calm. In short, it had been a headache. He had a hoodie on, but as he opened the door to his cabin, he was in the process of slipping out of it. Underneath was a plain white tank. Halfway through the door, he halted, seeing the unusual person in his room. An eyebrow rose and he continued to get the hoodie off.

Glancing at the panel on the side of the door and the woman-bunny person, he asks, "Ash, I presume?" He offered his hand. "I'm Tony, looks like we're going to be roommates. Hope you don't mind the top bunk since that's what's left in here." He points to one of the beds and bottom bunk. "Lightning, but you can call her Light." Top bunk on that side. "Buttercup." And bottom bunk other bed. "Me."

[bombashbunny]

Ash looked to Tony as he walked in. She had been leaning against the wall with her arms and ankles crossed, all of her things packed away and organized. With the outstretched hand she went more for a forearm clasp. She didn't mean for it to but there was a lot of strength in her grip.

"Ash, yes. The bunk matters not." She could sleep on the floor and it would not make her upset: she's lived through worse conditions. Her gaze follows as he points the beds out and pairs them with the name of their owners. Given the people in the room Ash was confident she could keep everyone straight. "Alright - I think I will be able to keep you all straight. This is a lot to take in."

Her gaze strayed to just look around the small cabin again, her face hard to read. "Is it safe to assume you all arrived before? How long?" She certainly wasn't the warmest person.

[runs_on_batteries]

Tony looked down at their hands when he was gripped differently than expected. However, he recognizes the gesture from something Thor would do- not that they'd shaken hands or clasped arms all that often. The strength was also surprising. He was the type to give a firm handshake, but her grip was almost past 'firm' into something else less pleasant.

Her reaction to the bunks didn't phase him as he honestly didn't care if she was put out about the bunks. It did make things easier, though, that she'd figured out which was the empty bed and had already accepted it.

"If you don't yet, you will soon. There won't be a quiz on it later," Tony remarked, attempting to be friendly. He nods with some sympathy at her comment this was a lot of new to experience at once. He understood. It had been really hard when he'd arrived have crazed by battle and pain.

"We've been here two weeks only. All of us arrived the same way you did, without explanation or consent. We've yet to find a way to communicate with whoever did this to us or what their purpose was. But so far, we also haven't been harmed.. well, except for a few minor incidents. But those were more the passengers being stupid than something the conductor did."

He sets his folded hoodie on his bed and reaches into his cubby for a polo shirt instead. "I'm taking those are your ears and not just a strange hat, right? What are you?"

[bombashbunny]

A slight shift into an almost smile at the comment that there wouldn't be a quiz, if only because even if there was what would it matter? She'll get it figured out eventually. There wasn't really another option and she was not someone who was so willful she would specifically not learn their names. "It is reassuring to know I won't be graded on it. I wasn't fortunate enough to go to a proper school."

So they'd been here sixteen bells yet. No time at all to figure out what was going on here. At the mention of a few minor incidents she crossed her arms in front of her, thinking. This more or less rid her of the idea that she was dragged here by the Exarch - he wouldn't collect so many random people so wantonly, and while she may have been cleaved on the way to the source she certainly did not get stranded like this. It was interesting to assume it was the conductor that was running the show as well.

She was pulled from her thoughts by the question. So Stark definitely wasn't Eorzean or Norvrandten. "That is correct. My people are called Viis or Viera, depending on where you're from. I assume you're not known as a Hyur or a Hume are you?"

[runs_on_batteries]

He hadn't thought about the fact there would be individuals, particularly the kids, who might benefit from the knowledge the adults on this train would have. He'll have to think more about that later. He was certain Peter would balk at the idea of having to go to school on this train.

His eyebrows rose at her question. "Hyur or human in my world. There's another couple of passengers who have used that term before. Have you met Sarai and Dread? They're the odd looking couple in cabin B." He gestures vaguely to the wall that separates the two cabins.

While he really wanted to reach up and touch those bunny ears, he managed to restrain himself. (They looked soft and fluffy!) "I hope you like eggs. That's the main protein right now in the kitchen."

[bombashbunny]

The lack of schooling was more due to the society and environments she was raised: schooling was not required to live - she learned all she needed to learn on the road and just through living. Her ability to do maths or write particularly well never impeded on her ability to work, and she could repair most things that even those who went to school couldn't.

"Ah - yes, I have met Dread. I have not yet met Sarai. They are not so odd where I am from." Someone was bound to be offended if he kept up talk like that. "Eggs are fine as long as they can be dressed a little. Is the kitchen relatively well stocked here?" She wasn't much of a cook, but she was okay. Enough to make herself pleased.

I

[thebiggestguy]

One of the spoken races. That was a pleasant change of affairs. (All the Hyur here didn't count, by virtue of refusing to acknowledge the name.) At the very least, a Viera would be far less likely to find his Roegadyn size unusual and make a deal out of it.

Approaching only to stop a respectful distance away, Dread lifted a hand in greeting.

[bombashbunny]

She would have to be willful to miss the giant man before her. The real struggle was determining if he was a roegadyn or a galdjent without using either word because she did not particularly care to explain the mess that is the shards in depth right now. Despite herself, she smiled a little at the familiarity and lifted a hand back in greeting before closing the gap between them a little.

"Hail traveler!" Yes, it was generic. It definitely was a little bit of a poke of fun how the more common folk would greet adventuring types. "A pleasant surprise to see someone else so far from home." Though not so pleasant in the circumstance. "Though I must wish that 'twas only I who ended up here."

[thebiggestguy]

Being mostly unaware of the First save for his run-ins with the Warriors of Darkness, he would have indeed been confused. Truthfully he's quite surprised to see a viera here; they're incredibly rare, in his experience. But then again, this is hardly normal.

"For my wife and I, it was probably inevitable," he said with a shrug. After all, that 'summoning' had swiped almost all of the Scions; his own involvement was all but guaranteed. Though they weren't here, which was no good sign... "I won't complain about someone being used to a Roegadyn's size here for a change."

[bombashbunny]

The comment about it being inevitable threw her for a moment, until it dawned on her that he may be one of Her Chosen. That was an interesting idea, and it sounds like something had been happening that would imply that maybe the Exarch was finally so close to getting the help he wanted to save her original home. Perhaps, perhaps...

"I certainly welcome the company as well. You mentioned your wife and your involvement here inevitable? What do you mean?" She was fishing a bit for information, yes.

[thebiggestguy]

"We tend to get involved in almost... everything significant that happens in Eorzea." Dread put a hand behind his head, a bit sheepish. It sounded very self-aggrandizing to say it to someone out of nowhere, even someone from back home. Much different than with the Scions or around those familiar with what a Warrior of Light could do.

[bombashbunny]

"Mm, we have a similar habit. You strike me as a front line type of person though." Her voice was a little more light at the next line, though she didn't really have emotion behind it. "The big guns. Perhaps a small pun intended." Back at home he wouldn't have to announce his achievements: even Ash heard of the things the Chosen had done. Who knows if these two were from the same shard or, at this point, even the same universe of shards, but she imagined it was much the same for these two.

"I imagine you and your wife have little time to rest on your laurels."