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

"It's fine," he assured her. This wasn't the most ideal time or place to explain ki but he had most definitely done it before and he didn't really mind when the person was open to it.

"Ki is the inner energy of a living thing. Everyone has their own ki inside, and even plants and animals. By harnessing my own ki and manipulating it in varying ways I can perform different feats. Flying is just one of them." He paused for a moment and considered. "I'm a martial artist and we use our ki to enhance our strength and abilities in combat. I've taught martial arts to select people back home, and here on the train... well, it could be useful. So I don't mind helping others train themselves. A lot of people practice in the gym daily. You're more than welcome to watch or join in."

He might as well get that out there, he figured. It was useful information and if she had real interest in learning martial arts for defense then he would be willing to teach her.

She nodded, taking in the information. So everyone has ki and can use it in so long as they probably learn how and train. That seemed simple enough and with what she had heard here that missions were a thing, it was something she probably needed to consider.

"I have heard we go on missions, so I have wondered if maybe I should learn to better handle myself. So training does seem like a great idea. But I will probably add I'm not to the whole thing, but I am always willing to learn."

"It's a good idea considering the mission thing. I haven't been on one myself yet but from the sound of it, there will be one coming soon. It sounds like there's heavy combat in some areas so it would be best to be prepared. Even a little self defense is better than none at all."

He could only protect so many people at a time. Otherwise, he wouldn't worry so much. It was just his nature to want to protect others, perhaps due to Kami being guardian of the Earth for so long or maybe just his own instinct he'd let blossom from his bond with Gohan. If he couldn't be everywhere at once the least he could do was teach others to protect themselves. It seemed a worthy endeavor to him anyway.

She nodded slightly, She had known about missions being a thing, but somehow didn't think that she should learn more beyond the very basic swinging of a frying pan or using her hair to get her places as well as to help heal people.

But now this had gotten her to think about training, at least in her own way. "So for someone like me what do you think the best sort of training would be?"

Piccolo took a moment to consider. She was young and small and looked weak. But even beings that seemed ill disposed to be fighters could train into it. Videl had never impressed Piccolo much as a fighter but Gohan had managed to teach her ki techniques. Anyone could learn anything so long as they tried.

That said, Piccolo figured she might not be as proud to be a warrior as someone like himself. There were other things to teach that could help her, too.

"Well. I would suggest everyone practice basic martial arts. There are good, relatively easy ways to defend oneself in a fight that everyone should learn for safety. Beyond that... there are advanced martial arts and various techniques that true warriors would go on to learn. If you're not interested in that though there are other options."

Mostly things he didn't teach. But who knew, maybe she would like sword fighting or shooting a ranged weapon of some sort. If nothing else though Piccolo thought it would behoove her to know how to act whenever faced with a tough situation. Even if she was away from most heavy fighting and preferred to help by supporting in other ways.

"Well if it's always good to have basic martial arts, that's a good point to start at," Rapunzel said as she then wondered what that would mean exactly. She knew there weren't many books on the train so she had a feeling that there wasn't one on the subject.

But she seemed rather excited about learning something different and a way to defend herself that was more than just being lucky with a frying pan.

"Though it seems odd, but when I heard there word arts, I just think of painting, but is it sort of like some kind of art to defending oneself or something?"

"That's exactly what it is," Piccolo answered her question. "An art to self defense. The art is in the movements, whether it's fluid or powerful or a mix of both, and in the mindset of the warrior based on their school of principle. Someone else could wax more poetic than that, I'm sure, but I'm not one for fancy words."

"You say it the way you want to. Fancy words or not. But I at least understood what you were saying at least if that helps." She wasn't sure, but it did make her think more about having to learn to defend oneself regardless. She figured one might never know what could happen.

"It's at least made me figure to give it a try soi that if I ever need to defend myself I am capable of."

Piccolo nodded, grateful she was accepting and understanding of his explanation. Her genuineness was refreshing, too.

"There are plenty of us that train and practice in the gym daily. You could easily find someone to teach you if you attend at any point." Piccolo himself could even teach her if she asked him or he found her there one day. It was the least he could do here.

"I will make a note of that. I wonder if anyone who just arrived might do the same thing." She hadn't met many people, but she guessed that there was always that possibility.

"I mean it seems like there are many people who are capable. So maybe it's the same for the new lot too."

"There will probably be some who join in, whether to practice what they know or learn it all new." Piccolo said as he gazed out at the crowd. It wasn't unlikely. He could sense some potential energy as well as not much at all out there. So a good mixture was likely.

"We won't know until it happens. But anyone is welcome."

She nodded slightly looking out, eyes grazing over a good few people, all wondering what they might be like, But there was only one way to really find out.

"While I won't know right now, but it doesn't mean I can get to know them and figure it out."

A New Platform [Intro Post March]

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