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

[littlefury]

[That explained the class confusion, but called up about fifty more questions in its place. If this Caster was from the future, then who won the Grail in the Fourth? More significantly, what did he mean that things had changed? Something about that rang as ominous, and against better judgment Waver kicked the hornets’ nest.]

‘Changed’? I don’t think that I follow, what’s different about it so far ahead in the future?

[It must have been far off, right? Waver was sure his research mentioned there was a significant stretch of time between wars, after all.]

[futhark]

[ Ah, yes the dilemma, how much can be told, how much can be disclosed. Caster doesn't think there is much hurt in telling this stuff, but he can't help but wonder if this is the right moment to do so. ]

Fifth went...bad. So bad it could be called an aberration. [ So he tries to keep it as brief as possible ] People from the outside had to intervene and set it right, and once they did—

[ He puts his hand on Waver's head, just because he can. ]

Well, I decided to hang with them, you know? Fixing shit was what they did, and they seemed to be good people, for the most part.

[littlefury]

[...An aberration? No way. If that monster on the river wasn’t the worst that could happen, what was? How much worse could it possibly get, especially to require genuine interv—]

Wh—hey, stop that, I’m trying to think!

[Completely forgetting any and all apprehension, the indignant mage swatted at Caster’s hand.]

Who are you even talking about, the Mage’s Association? If things went that badly then dealing with it would come to them, the Church, or both.

[futhark]

[ Oh boy, you better get used to that. ]

I'm talking about something else, but they have ties to Association yes. It's far future for you anyway, so nothing to be bothered about, no?

[littlefury]

[it’s tough to be short]

Too late, I’m already bothered by it. I probably won’t even be alive by then one way or another, but that doesn’t mean I’m just going to write it off as someone else’s problem.

[futhark]

[ Absolutely pats his head again ]

It all ends well, and the catastrophe is averted. The people of Chaldea save the day. [ Oops he just slipped the name ] No need to be bothered about it.

[littlefury]

What’s Ch—hey, knock it off already! Is every Servant but mine this insufferable?!

[Clearly, Waver wasn’t afraid to slap at a legendary hero’s hand today.]

[futhark]

[ Someone is having really good fun here. ]

Perhaps. That's one way to record yourself into a collective memory for ages, no? [ Then so very suddenly he grabs Waver's hand, lacing their fingers together even ] So you're a magus yeah, show me what you got.

[ A spell, a burst of mana, whatever really. Pretty please? He's playing a game here, oh yes. Trying to siphon every bit of mana that would get out in such a case. ]

[littlefury]

...Wh-what?

[Good luck looking for what isn’t all that present, Caster. Immediately on edge again, Waver made an effort to pull his hand back.]

Why? I thought we weren’t going to fight here.

[futhark]

Can't you tell? I'm starved. [ There is just enough of some kind of energy around to keep him existing, but it's like having your MP/HP bar constantly blinking in the red. ] I gave you info, you can pay me back that way.

[ Equivalent exchange and all that ]

[littlefury]

[That...did sound fair enough to him, and it wasn’t like Waver couldn’t spare a little of what small amount he already had to work with. Better that than get his soul eaten or whatever the fourth’s Caster had—]

[Probably better not to think about that, Waver concluded, or his legs were going to give out.]

[There was a brief flash of magic between their hands; kind of pitiful next to what a more accomplished mage might put forth, but it was at least something.]

[futhark]

[ It all gets accepted and siphoned quickly. He'll take any form of mana transfer at this point— ]

Ah, stingy~ [ It's an airy complaint and a joke ] But that will do, thanks.

[ Regardless, he proceeds to disappear. Shiny dust motes and all ]

Not gonna keep you any longer, enjoy your onboarding.

[littlefury]

[Waver would resist the urge to snap back over whether or not he was stingy and opt to make a quick retreat.]

[Perhaps notably, or perhaps not, someone passing by Caster’s cabin later on could be heard to shout ‘ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!’ on sight of the Servant’s nameplate.]

[futhark]

[ Poor Waver, haunted by Celts. The voice is unmistakable, just as the mana signature. So he might definitely hear a chuckle, somewhere in the air. ]