A New Platform [Intro Post March]

[voidtreckermods]

On the Train

Luckily there are no more crises after the strange dreaming, except the ones passengers created for themselves and soon the month is turning. "Good morning passengers, it is day one of the month of Egret."

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 in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one." 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 it is not raining this time. However it does seem to be quite blustery.

The doors open and the first few to disembark do so with rucksacks on, hoods pulled up against the wind. Amery Vallet, Steve Rogers, Darth Vader, Peggy Carter, Bran Corbie and Ash. They walk blank faced to the barriers, show their tickets and disappear.

But on the platform itself there are nineteen new faces, or rather seventeen new faces and two that some people have definitely seen before. All are stood, waiting for the train.

For New Passengers

At first all they can see is 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 ninteen figures all facing the tracks, all dressed in cargo trousers and hoodies. The air is cold and the wind is strong, blowing their hair, if they have hair, across their face. 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. If that is not enough, there are plenty of people on the platform now, to encourage them onto the train.

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 with an abundance of onions! Any of blue team who who go to check the luggage cart will find a parcel containing rainbow macroons. One for each of the blue team, including new members, come share in the reward!

Passengers who are not brand new will notice that the train has gotten yet longer again. A transparent domed carriage, with a grass aisle and soil beds, ready for the passengers to do with as they wish. Crates contain bulbs and seeds ready to be planted and there are all the tools a budding gardener would need for this task.

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. 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. The fog from the windows is gone now, replaced with a kaleidoscope of ever changing colours.

Welcome to the Void!

Comments

[unfavorableinstigation]

"I've had that happen," Nita says, voice still hushed.

She's torn, between aiming for eye contact with Spinel, and not wanting the other girl to deal with being stared at.

"Throwing everything you've got at something... and it just not being enough. Or the wrong way, when you don't know what the right one even is."

[gardenstatue]

Spinel is keeping her gaze averted, and her pigtails remain limp even as her brow knits closer together. She responds without delay this time, an edge of irritation creeping into her voice, “Story of my life.”

The irritation wanes the next second however, and Spinel releases her arms from around her body with a heavy sigh. The tears trickle down her cheeks as she leans back against the statue with her hands lowering to the rocks. She still isn’t looking at the human, but this time, she’s not only responding.

“So have you been stuck on this...train long?” The word is still new to her but she’ll get used to it soon.

[unfavorableinstigation]

Nita just wants to give Spinel a hug, now - and she doesn't even know her name!

"Just two weeks," Nita responds.

"But I've been in weirder situations for longer, strange as that sounds, and I got out of those alright, so I'm holding hope the same will be true here."

Nita doesn't specify how long, though maybe she should.

[gardenstatue]

A relatively short time it sounds like by way she phrases her answer. There’s no obvious sarcasm to it at least.

Not able or willing to challenge the claim that this human has been through similar and worse situations previously, Spinel shrugs her shoulders before they slump downward, “Then this should be a snap for you.”

A beat, then she asks, “So what is it you want with me?”

[unfavorableinstigation]

"I wouldn't call it that."

Nita makes a face.

"And... nothing, really. But if you want to talk, I'll listen. Or if you need me to go away and make sure no one bothers you, I can do that, too."

Sometimes just having a time and space in which to parse things was crucial. Other times, a distraction was better... the trick was telling apart which was which.

[gardenstatue]

Steven had been persistent in pursuing her while trying to help her along with everyone else. In contrast, this person is offering to walk away and even enforce some distance to give her some quiet. She doesn't know what to say about her situation, what she could say that a stranger would understand and accept.

But she doesn't want to be alone.

"...you don't have to go. But...maybe we can talk about something else."

[unfavorableinstigation]

Nita nods, settling back against the floor.

"... How are you with magic? And I don't mean card tricks."

[gardenstatue]

Spinel watches the other make herself more comfortable. The question asked is considered, expression slowly growing more perplexed before she simply states, "I don't know what those are. What are magics and card tricks?"

[unfavorableinstigation]

"I'll have to see if the shop here has cards in order to show you that one, but..."

Nita speaks a few well-memorized words in the Speech, and her wizards' light appears. "Magic, at least for me, is more like this. Speak the right words, and the universe listens. Sometimes you can get people to understand you, too."

Which is a whole other kind of magic altogether, metaphorically speaking.

"Only, not just the kinds of people you usually think of as people."

[gardenstatue]

A human, or at least a human looking being, made a ball of light appear simply by speaking. It's as impressive as it is unexpected, and Spinel stares directly at the light. The illumination makes the tears in her eyes and trails on her cheeks shine, and absently, the gem wipes a hand across one cheek. The tears had already been slowing down, and this wonder seems to bring them to a halt for the moment.

"...what kinds of people do you mean?" Now she's quite curious of this thing she calls magic.

[unfavorableinstigation]

Oh hey, Nita's gamble is working! She's relieved, but trying not to let it show too much.

"Well, it's one thing to hear what beings who share your shape-type are saying, even when they're from different planets, but then there's cats, dogs, whales... even plants, rocks, and stars have their own voices if you know how to listen."

And Spinel herself is far from just a rock - though, again, Nita doesn't know what Spinel is yet!

"It's all still life, whether it was born or made, or just spontaneously formed from the birth of the universe itself."

[gardenstatue]

Spinel doesn’t recognize any of the things listed off initially, but she knows of plants, rocks, and stars. Interest pulling her in gradually to the conversation, she sits forward off the statue.

Having come out of rock to exist, the gem avoids asking about those, yet she wonders, “...what sorts of things do stars say?”

[unfavorableinstigation]

"If you ask my sister," Nita replies, making a wry expression. "Nothing nearly helpful enough. But they certainly know about gravity, and plasma; keeping a whole system steady as it makes its own way around the universe... Being made of hydrogen and helium, bringing forth light."

Holding one hand up, she cups the light to hand to Spinel.

"We're all starstuff, though; the elements formed from when the first stars went nova became the building blocks of life elsewhere in the worlds."

Something they all could have in common.

[gardenstatue]

That certainly sounds like a star to Spinel. The summary she gives of it makes those simple facts sound more like a conversation. One that would be nice to hear even if her sister is unimpressed. …whatever a sister happens to be.

Spinel watches her move the light she created with close attention, yet when offered towards her the gem freezes. She looks wary, not in fear of the light but whether or not she can similarly handle it without causing it to go out. Tentatively she reaches her pink hand out to hold with her palm up, but she won’t take it.

“That’s true. Every planet has potential for life,” she agrees, not surprised this being knows of that truth when she can speak with a star.

Wanting to know more about magic, Spinel inquires, “Can everybody do magic where you come from?”

Spinel will learn about family. ;a; Maybe not this thread, but soon.

[unfavorableinstigation]

Conversations can come from the strangest of sources, Nita's found.

She gently nudges the light into Spinel's own hand; it does not go out, nor does it hurt. It may look fragile, but it stays lit, stays alive.

"There's all sorts of wizards," Nita begins, "But it's something you have to be offered. There's no way of predicting who'll be offered it, though; the one thing wizards have in common is that they're the solution to some problem of the universe's. The Powers don't really discriminate when it comes to species or anything."

Probably not this thread but one day <3

[gardenstatue]

Spinel locks her hand and arm in place the same instant that the magical light is in her hand. She dare not move that limb again lest she disturb it or drop it, yet this allows her to marvel at how the light feels in comparison to her own hard light.

Still listening, her gaze leaves the light to return to Nita midway through the explanation. A wizard is a solution to a problem, and that concept she understands well. All gems have an intended purpose when they are cut. Unlike gems, only those selected to receive magic have a purpose. So she ventures another question, “The Powers are the leaders for magic then?” It sounds like a title to her, similar to the Diamond Authority.

Re: Probably not this thread but one day <3

[unfavorableinstigation]

Nita would normally call locking an entire arm in place an overreaction, but that's not what's chief on her mind right now.

"They created wizardry, yes. Mostly, They exist outside of Time - which makes for headaches for the rest of us," she adds, wryly.

"But for the most part, we're the ones who decide how best to use that power. Living inside of time, interacting with the universe on a regular basis, gives us the perspective we need to know what needs help, what's best left alone and so forth."

[gardenstatue]

That arm does not stay locked for long. Having had a chance to examine the light in contact for a moment while listening to the explanation, she moves it carefully towards Nita to return it. It should go back to her now.

“Guess it would be hard to understand how to act without having a sequential order of events,” and thus no sense of cause and effects. While it is impressive that The Powers can grant magic to seemingly anything sentient, the lack of leadership is the opposite.

[unfavorableinstigation]

Nita takes the light back, lifting it to sit by her shoulder. She doesn't much feel like dismissing it, right now.

It'd send the wrong message.

"Believe me, it gets weirder than that. I got stuck at the tail-end of a timeloop once - my partner did, too, and I was worried he wouldn't get better from whatever was affecting him before we figured out what was going on."

[gardenstatue]

With the light back with the wizard, Spinel leans back against the statue again to make use of the stone support. Another swipe with a hand clears her second cheek, and though the shadow under her eyes is prominent, she seems calm for the time being if a little drained.

“Your partner? Is he also a wizard?” she inquires. The topic of time is unappealing for the gem, but it is not unusual for gems to work in teams.

[unfavorableinstigation]

Okay, progress is progress.

"Yeah - Kit Rodriguez. There's no way anyone here would know him, though, I'm pretty sure," Nita says.

"Apart from my sister, no one's from the exact same Earth we are."

Even the Doctor probably didn't count. Not for this.

[gardenstatue]

Spinel is certainly content with floating in the space between her intense emotions for a while.

“If you worked together, I would think anyone that would know him would know you as well,” she says in agreement with her assessment. The other is mentioned again, so Spinel inquires to keep the conversation moving, “Did you work with My Sister too?”

[unfavorableinstigation]

"Dairine, yeah."

Nita nods.

"Sometimes I call her Dair, too. Or just Runt if she's being a particular pain."

Knowing nicknames is probably a good idea for Spinel.

"Still, the fact that she's here too helps a lot. Better than it was in Nautilus, anyway..."

Though the way that had ended was still wild even by her standards.

[gardenstatue]

“That’s a lot of names for one individual,” Spinel comments. Nicknames are something she has a concept of, but four names for a single person is odd to the Gem.

Having a team member around is a boon, and she nods in acceptance of that fact. At least this wizard has company on the train.

“I’ve...asked you a lot. Did you wanna ask me anything?”

[unfavorableinstigation]

"It's not as if I tend to use them all at once!" Nita answers, chuckling slightly before shaking her head and sobering again.

"And... well, first, I don't think I know your name, actually?"

This time, she sounds sheepish. "We should probably start there. I'm Nita, by the way. And, if you don't mind me asking, what world are you from?"

Because sometimes, you just didn't know if they were from an alternate Earth, or somewhere further afield. Just one of those idiosyncrasies of the multiverse.