A New Platform [Intro Post June]

[voidtreckermods]

On the Train

The days following the mission are relatively uneventful as people once more get used to the rhythm of life on the train. "Good morning passengers, it is day sixteen of the month of Fiddlesticks. Points have been updated on the system."

They have indeed and everyone can spend the morning shopping. Those who have been on the train a while will be expecting the second announcement that comes a few hours later.

"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 is a cool day, clouds gathering threateningly though it stays dry luckily.

As usual the first to leave the train notice nothing as they walk silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers. Leviathan, Atsushi Nakajima, Spinel, Peggy Carter, Evie Grimhilde, Cal Kestiss, Gwen Stacey, Renee Corbin, Lan Jingyi, Waver Velvet, Aoko Nakamori, Namine, Jak and Marcus Wright all reach the barriers, show their tickets and disappear through, vanishing into the fog.

But on the platform itself there are many new faces. Wearing hoodies, in various states of confusion.

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 twenty six figures all facing the tracks, all dressed in cargo trousers and hoodies. The air is cool with a slight breeze. 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. Most are wearing the same hoodie in one of the four colours, red, orange, blue and purple though some are sporting different clothes in a variety of styles.

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 plenty more bacon as well as other staples.

Passengers who are not brand new will notice a new carriage. A second gym. This one is outfitted for training with mats, fighting pads, balance beams and even climbing apparatus to help get everyone ready for the missions ahead.

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

[mtsilver_conquor]

PLATFORM
Eva steps out with a yawn, having already returned all her pokemon, the roughly tennis-to-baseball sized 'balls hooked onto her 'belt and only partly visibly under the orange hoodie. For those who know her will notice a new pendant sitting proudly atop said hoodie. Cast in shimmering coloured metal, it's three feathers (blue, yellow, red) bound by pink 'fur' and it hangs from a braided leather cord.

Her excitement, though, fades as she looks out at those leaving, and while jealously does flash her face, it also morphs into sadness as an angry, bitter curse escapes her lips. She knew many of them, if not personally, then because of her friends. While yes it is arguable they'll be returning home, they don't know that for sure and Eva hates it.

Yet she can't think about how unfair this all is right now; not when she has a job to do and a handful of welcome guides in hand and it's a sigh she heads into the gathered crowd, aiming for those in Orange first. "Hi. I'm Eva and I've got something that will help explain what's going on."

TRAIN
Kitchen/Dining cars
One of the first things Eva does after getting her berries is head, not to the greenhouse, but to the kitchen to make a large berry-fruit drink out of pinap, cheri and oran berries. She's careful to keep some back for planting at a later date, though. But right now? brb making a drink she's missed.

Once she's done, she heads to the dining car and flops down and takes a good slurp of said drink. "Gods, I didn't know something could taste so good..." And then promptly turns to the nearest person with a bit of a shit-eating grin. "Wanna taste?"

If you take her up, the drink is rather spicy. Then again, there's two pinap and two cheri berries, both known for their spiciness. There's a sad attempt with an oran berry to make it less so, but... still rather spicy.


Training Gym
Eventually, Eva (with Lele in tow) makes her way to the training gym, where she sets about making some sort of basic obstacle course to run through. And running is what she does, but there's also leaping, jumping, ducking, and weaving around the various holograms her porygon2 throws her way, and slowly, a grin starts to form. It's not home and it's not real; for one, she's not got any of her pokemon actually out- if Princess or Dancer are there, it's because they're holograms. Any attacks thrown about are bright pink, and many of the pokemon Eva's weaving or dodging around are smaller than they should be. But, it doesn't matter. Not when it feels good to push herself like this, to let her experience with danger show.

She really also don't care if anyone joins in, or if some of the stunts she pulling look dangerous or like she's been pulling the for a while. By the end of the workout, she's collapsed in a boneless heap besides Lele, grin on her face. "The Four, but I think I'm out of shape a little."

Lele seems to bob in agreement with that assessment.


Eva's Pokemon are out and about
For Princess, new people mean more people to try and con into feeding him or pets or steal laps from. He's cute, see? :3c. That said, for those that know him, he's actually remarkably well-behaved and leaving people alone if they don't pay attention. Though, it's also no secret Eva's been strict with the clefairy since she took him back from Kaito. Something about sitting on books is not allowed?

Dancer spends most of her time flying the train, the red oricocolo perched on whatever high places/out of the way places she can find as she people watches. Or maybe she's doing acrobatic ariel dances in those cars she can, the faint shimmer of heat coming off her, wing-tips sparking with the occasional flicker of flame. If approached directly, people will get a warble-trill of greeting and a curious look.

Lele is, if not with Eva in the new Gym Car, just there, often in a corner. The porygon2, though Very Neon Green, is just there. Not sounds, no nothing, and one would think it's not even alive if not for the fact it bobs in the air, seems to give of robotic vibe, and occasional shift of cars. Anyone who approaches gets a fullbody tilt, as if to say 'yes?'.

Closed to Conan

[mtsilver_conquor]

"Your book came in," she says via way of greeting when she finds him. Technically, it's been in for a bit, but well. New platform, new people, and the book wasn't the only thing she got. "Here."

It's a big book. At least 200 pages. The title is 'The Scales of Justice', a Jon Wattson story by Artura Doyle. She's basically handed him her world's version of Sherlock novels. What Eva doesn't know: It's at least book eighty in a series and the previous books are listed.

That said, it's a good, twisty murder mystery, though he'll quickly come to notice Sherlock has no given gender, and pokemon, while featured, are ruled out via three pages worth of detailed reasoning as to why they weren't involved. The ending cleverly foreshadowed. That said, most pokemon's names are somehow related to the owner's professions.

"I hope it's a good one; I just asked for one of the series."

[deductiongeek]

"I like most mysteries," he says as he accepts the book. His mood was already far more genuinely happy than she had ever seen from him before. "Is this a popular series in your world?"

[mtsilver_conquor]

"Popular enough that 'No shit, Wattson' is well known even in Yamatai, and about one-in-thirty Challengers I see have at least a Wattson on the team," Eva says with a small shrug. What a person names their pokemon is up to them and it's not like she can talk, either.

Though she will stand by her thoughts that Oddball is a Good Solid Name for a weepinbell. "That said, I think they run the gamut of mystery-and-X genre, too, but that's all I can tell you."

[deductiongeek]

He was going to address the rest of it, but...

"Wattson? There's a character named Watson in this?"

kitchen - berry smoothies

[kumoko]

Ah-hah. The spider will never try anything without first appreciating it. Look at it, touch it, dip a lil claw in, swirl it around... Sniff it...

Cough, cough.

Oof, that smells like burning.

She gives Eva an eminently distrustful look. Aren't smoothies meant to be sweet? What's this youtube cinnamon challenge nonsense?

Re: kitchen - berry smoothies

[mtsilver_conquor]

Eva grins. "They're just berries from my word. They're food, but also useful."

Very, very useful. "If I can grow enough of them in the next month, I should be able to add to the potions and salves we've got around for the missions. Within two months, have a decent once-a-month harvest to add needed variety to the train food."

For these berries, at least.

[kumoko]

Oh. They're medicinal. She starts to push it away, but hesitates. Don't waste food... She dabs a claw in, and lets a bit of it drip into her mouth.

Hmm. Savour it... Bleh.

Nah. That's definitely medicine. Her palate has really developed over the last few months, huh? She pushes it back to Eva.

[mtsilver_conquor]

She's not wrong re: the medicine part.

Eva can't keep the grin off her face. "Not a fan of spicy? You'd probably like oran juice better. Most people do."

She digs out one of the two remaining oran berries and offers it to Kumoko. "Here, try this."

Dancer!

[unfavorableinstigation]

Nita's finally relocating her packages back to her room - there aren't quite as many as there were last time, though perhaps that's because she handled her randomized clothing choices first. In any case, she's glad to see Eva's fiery friend today.

/Good morning to you, Dancer. Enjoying the weather?/ she asks, somewhat teasingly given they're on the train!

[mtsilver_conquor]

There's a trill of agreement as she looks down at Nita from where she's landed, head cocked to the side, just a little. Is the human telepathic? Eh. A thought for later. The weather is nice; it's not raining (doe not like the rain, but Mistress tasked her with helping, so she did!). And she has, for now, free flight of the train.

It is a good day indeed.

[unfavorableinstigation]

Nita snickers lightly at the reply. Is the Speech telepathy? No, but it can sure take people by surprise!

/Want to keep me company a while, or are you all right up there for now?/

There's no pressure intended in Nita's request.

/slowpoke noises

[mtsilver_conquor]

There's the sense of a shrug. Dancer has no preference, but if Nita's offering a shoulder, she won't ignore it, either.

A perch is a perch at the end of the day, but she's not going to assume, and thus: the oricocolo's head turns to one side and an eye is fixed on Nita.

Dining car (though I was so tempted to do Training car, too!)

[laurefindil]

Glorfindel leaned over and sniffed the drink. "Smells intriguing, though I do not recognize the components. I will happily try it, though, thank you."

He takes the glass from her and tries a sip. He rolls the flavors around in his mouth a little to savor the newness and subtleties, before swallowing it. "Has a bit of a kick, but that is quite tasty! What do you call it? Are those berries from your homeworld?"

[Did I ever mention that the guy who is the sun loves spicy food?]

[mtsilver_conquor]

"Berry-fruits, actually, but also called berries." Mostly as slang, but details she's not getting into as she takes her drink back and has another sip. Spicy heaven! "I got a box of 12, and it gave me spares, so..."

She made a drink. A very, very good drink if you ask the Arkean. "Pairu and kurabo. Not that creative, but, eh." A small shrug before she cocks her head. "You like spicy, too?"

Dining bc I cannot turn down a chance to make this man suffer the spice

[internetsexsymbol]

Reigen is none the wiser as he comes in with some tea and then finds Eva offering him a neat cold drink. What could ever be suspicious about that?
"Oh, Eva-san, you made smoothies? I didn't know we had enough fruit for those...thanks!"

He takes a small sip of the smoothie...and immediately reels at how spicy it is, hurriedly downing his tea to try and get the spice out of his mouth. Last time he trusts someone offering him food or drinks for no reason.

"Hhhhh...did you put hot sauce in that?! Why is it spicy?!"

Poor reigen.

[mtsilver_conquor]

"Drink cold milk. It helps." Eva says with only a small hint of amusement, before she looks at the drink and shakes her head.

"Nope, just berry-fruits from home. When I get around to planting and then harvesting the next crop, I'll make you an oran smoothie. That should be more to your tastes."

[internetsexsymbol]

"Berries get spicy where you're from? Seems more like they'd be chili peppers at that point." Then again, Reigen's tolerance for spicy foods is pretty low. Even wasabi is too much for him.

"But you're planting berries now? That's great, we could use a better variety of stuff than the monthly ingredients this place gives us."

[mtsilver_conquor]

"Yeah, and we have those, too," Eva says as she takes a sip of her drink.

"Eventually I will be, though we likely won't have enough to go around for a few harvests at least just yet."

Sadly, if you ask her.

Training Gym

[thegreatninja]

"Nice course, mind if I join ya?" Yuffie grinned at Eva from a nearby perch. She was very busy lately but she always found time to work out and do what she needed to do in order to stay in shape and as ninja-like as possible. It was even more important now that Reno and stupid ShinRa was on the train with them.

"It looks like fun."

She had a weird sense of the word 'fun'.

Sorry for the slow :(

[mtsilver_conquor]

"Sure," Eva says, grin as bright as the sun, even as she flicks a hand behind her, the holographic pokemon vanishing for now. It's more out of politeness than anything.

"The aim of the game is dodging and avoiding the holograms. They're not solid, either, so if you do get hit by one, you won't get hurt."

<3 it's okay. I'm always slow nowadays. I'm just excited to thread with you!

[thegreatninja]

"Not get hurt? Where's the fun in that?" Yuffie had a slightly twisted idea of fun but she was from a world where the danger was real and so... her practice was real too. She didn't see the point in pulling punches though it was probably unwise to break out heavy damage on the train.

Someone could always walk in at the wrong moment and get caught in the cross hairs.

"Want to race through? It might be fun and not to be too intimidating but I'm pretty awesome at being flexible and fast. I am the best ninja ever."

Kitchen

[wizard_redfive]

Dairine looks over from the counter where she's scrounging for snacks.

"Maybe. What is it?"

It certainly looks good from here.

Sorry for the slow :(

[mtsilver_conquor]

"A drink made from berries from my world. It's heaven."

Eva, it's only heaven because you like spicy. "Though... A few say it's really spicy..."

[wizard_redfive]

"Huh."

Dairine is more a sweets kind of girl herself, but she's also not one to back down from a challenge.

"What kinds of berries?" She has a little experience from the Pokemon world, thanks to Paradisa's trips. Not really enough to remember the taste though—Dair saved the berries for her team.