A New Platform [Intro Post April!]

[voidtreckermods]

On the Train

Two days after they return from their mission they are awoken as usual "Good morning passengers, it is day sixteen of the month of Egret. The shop has been updated and points have been applied to passengers tickets."

Those that go to check the shop terminals will find they have indeed updated, with the option to buy larger items and also animals. The morning goes on until just after noon there is a second announcement.

"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. Though the fog is thick, thicker than usual perhaps, there are patches on sunlight shining through and it is pleasantly warm.

The doors open and the first few to disembark do so with rucksacks on, hoods pulled up, silent and almost blank faced. Cu Chulain, Dio Brando, Disreputable Dog, Heiji Hattori, Loki Maedhros, Maglor, Naruto, Thor, Tobias Fangor.

They walk to the barriers, show their tickets and disappear.

But on the platform itself there are once again new faces. 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 as people begin to shift or call out it will become apparent they are not alone.

The platform is not large and it holds eighteen figures all facing the tracks, all dressed in cargo trousers and hoodies. It's warm but foggy making it hard to see much, but there are clearer patches bathed in sunlight found across the platform. 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, in case the passengers weren't bored of them yet.

Passengers who are not brand new will notice that the train has gotten yet longer again with a sixth sleeper cabin for new arrivals.

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

[shutupnail]

There were no plants in the rock garden. Unless one counted the few boxes placed into one corner with seeds germinating within. At most those had little sprouts just beginning to push through the makeshift soil (which was more paper product than actual dirt). Those had been placed there before the arrival of the greenhouse carriage. The person who placed them there still took care of them daily but the greenhouse was a priority now for growing a majority of the plants on board the train now.

The rock garden was basically a zen garden. The small pebbles were easy to rake and draw patterns with. The larger boulders and statues were the only decoration other than the small water fountain in the middle.

Piccolo's ears twitched with the addition of Duo's voice nearby. With a sigh he gave up on meditating and opened his eyes. He immediately gave a glare to the prinny. Unfortunately it was one of the less fearful ones and with a simple "what, dood? gotta make a living somehow" it just went back to washing the white cape. Well, if rubbing it with rocks while holding it under water could be called cleaning it. There didn't even appear to be any soap around.

The Namekian rubbed at his eyes, tempted to blast it with a ki burst, but ultimately decided not to startle the newcomer with the display. Instead he left the cape to the prinny as he stood up and faced the teen.

"A lost cause," he replied. "It's fine. I'll fix it later."

[maxwellsdaemon]

"The hell is that thing..." Duo had no idea what it was and the fact it was able to talk bothered him somehow. Of all the strange things he'd seen so far, the creature trying to wash a cloak and the green guy who owned the cloak were some of the strangest.

He shook his head and tried to focus on what the guy was saying to him. "Uh, yeah, lost cause, definitely." What?


(ooc: Oh gosh, I'm sorry! I swear I remember people saying there was flowers planted in the garden and all around the train! ^^; I'll fail.)

[shutupnail]

Fortunately for Piccolo he was used to talking animals, even weird ones. The prinnies were definitely one of the strangest things on board the train though. Piccolo just tried to ignore them and the book that ordered them around.

Piccolo crossed his arms over his chest and stared at the teen silently. He probably should just introduce himself and get it over with but it was the other person's prerogative to initiate the conversation as far as Piccolo was concerned. He was the one that had been interrupted after all.


[[ooc: There are! My other character set up garden boxes in each of the carriages (minus medical and the newest sleeper cabin) but there were never any other plants in the rock garden. The settings page has that info included; the mod is great about adding in character shenanigans there. Also, it's only been about a month so the plants are still tiny. But they're there! (If Persephone has added any new ones outside the greenhouse carriage I haven't heard about it yet but she might!) Also, forgive the grumpy alien, he's a butt.]]

[maxwellsdaemon]

"Riiight..." Duo was getting some serious Heero vibes and he could handle that from Yuy, he was used to that. But this guy wasn't him. He was also big and green and just staring at him. So much for being friendly he guessed!

"I'll just..." He pointed toward where he had been headed in the first place. "... Leave you to your water sprite things... Nice talkin to ya!" Or not. The guy clearly didn't want to talk or answer his perfectly innocent questions. So Duo decided to mosey his way on and find someone else, with a mental note that Big Green was not the chatty sort.

[shutupnail]

Well that was easy. Piccolo was surprised by the lack of questions but he would easily accept it. Then again, it was kind of annoying that he got up for nothing. He grit his teeth beneath his stoic expression as he watched the teen walk off.

Once he was alone again (well, relatively, the prinny didn't count), he sighed and muttered. "Right, whatever." And sat back down to meditate some more.