voidtreckerexpress | A New Platform [Intro Post March]

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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"They can be very... testy, yes."

Thor loomed along, humming to himself as he wandered, not yet ready to enter the train. Not yet sure what he was going to do. He did not like being ripped away from Asgard, tossed somewhere willy nilly, and, if others were to be believed, expected to do by the will of another being.

This was... anger-making.

"They are not the most friendly of beings."

"You've met gods before, then?"

She's not short herself, but she still does have to tip her head up to face him. "I'd say most gods aren't, but at the same time. I-" know a few people who caretook or had gods on their belt, but with how the man speaks.

"I've come to know my gods aren't your gods and our gods probably aren't the next persons."

"I have met a few, yes." He nods to her. "each different, I think."

At her further words, hew grins.

"Likely. There are many I know. As the World Tree branches, so too does reality." He nods to her.

"Some gods are good, some bad, some are just... people." He grins at that.

"I can't say I've ever heard of a god that's a person, unless you count crazy cultists..." Her expression sours and hands fist. She wasn't in Sinnoh when Cyrus pulled his shit, but she heard about it. The whole world did. The same with Ghetsis in Unova, though she was in the country around that time. "But the real gods smack them down soon enough because well. You don't mess with gods. You just don't."

Her gaze is hollow before she shakes herself and gives a small grin. "Which, I think, is for the better."

He considered her, and nodded.

"It is perhaps so that you have not met the right gods." Thor spoke the words quietly, his expression solemn.

"What are cultists?"

"Maybe?" Eva cocks her head at the words and expression. "It's... It's probably true."

Maybe? She doesn't know, and she's pretty sure she's missing something here, but the platform isn't the time to get into an in-depth discussion on gods.

"Cultists belong to a cult. While not all cults are bad, sometimes they have megalomaniacs for leaders and that's when things get out of hand. Like, 8ish years ago, this terrorist-crime lord named Akagi who thought he was a god basically made a mess of Shin'ō in his quest to capture gods so he could remake the world."

"Then they are rogues and I am hopeful they were defeated soundly." There is an honest anger in his voice and eyes at the words she says.

"I hope your world is better set now."

The honest anger catches her off guard. and Eva decides to keep it to the facts. She doesn't have all the information outside the fact he's met gods and seems to take it personally what Cyrus attempted.

"It's in one piece, so I think we'll survive. Probably." She shrugs a shoulder with a wry grin.

If only she knew what was lurking within Galar. But, she doesn't and Gloria ain't here to tell her about the Fun Ride For Everyone^TM that is Eternatus.

"From what I understand based on later reports, a very old, very powerful giratina dragged pretty much everyone involved into the Distortion, and only two made it out alive. They were the Champion Shirona and her protege, Jai-Li."

"Good. I have seen that Midgardians are quite capable of holding their own against gods."

He nodded, smiling.

Listening, he blinked a lot. "I have no idea what most of that meant."

"Let's get on the train, and I'll show you what I mean?"

She nods to the train, already digging into her bag for her pokedex. "It's easier to show and explain."

"Lead on, my friend." Thor shoulders his rucksack and follows, curious and content to follow her to whatever development she leads to.

"This day is already turning brighter."

"Eva Iden'no." She says by way of introductions as she leads them up onto the train and to the nearest place to sit.

She digs out the 'dex, flips it open, and after a brief fiddle, a holographic image appears. It's an image of something serpentine with six, claw-tipped tendrils and it twists and curls in and around itself in an endless seamless loop. Ghostly, draconic, eerie, otherworldly. Ectoplasmic even.

"This is an adult giratina and the gods of my world are complicated. Most of Shin'ō believe giratina helped make the world. I'm not from the region, but given how powerful they are... who's to say."

"That looks very much like a dragon. Maybe a god, but in most cases, where I come from, more like a very cranky uncle with claws, teeth, and power."

He speaks softly, eyes on the image.

"Worth smiting, if it is a problem."

A New Platform [Intro Post March]

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