voidtreckerexpress | A New Platform [Intro Post June]

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A New Platform [Intro Post June]

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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I. Platform
Aziraphale isn't quite aware of when he comes to. All he knows is that he wasn't here, and now he is, and in a few seconds, that jolts him to a start. He blinks and looks around, taking in the sights - a train platform, as far as he can tell, and, if he were to estimate, over a couple dozen people standing all around, most seeming just as confused as he feels. It's a slow process, as something this sudden tends to be, and for a good few moments he doesn't even quite move.

He becomes move aware as the seconds tick by - the presences around him, unfamiliar faces, the thick fog they seem to be standing in, the rucksack on his back. He glances over his shoulder, and he's suddenly taken by the memory of when he first arrived in the islands. And that's what it takes to fully bring him to his senses, pushing through the metaphorical fog. He looks down at himself, taking in the gawdy clothes with a clear look of disapproval.

But there's something else. Something not quite visible, and personal enough that it didn't hit him instantly. He feels a certain lightness that he hasn't felt in months, like an almost literal weight off of his shoulders. He realizes he lingering exhaustion and the soreness are gone too. But, most importantly, the way he takes in everything around him - it feels like a veil was pulled off of his senses, everything feeling so much clearer, so much crisper (which is saying something, considering the current conditions.) In part, that brings him some comfort, although he doesn't quite have it in him to celebrate it just yet.

Crowley. He should find the demon, and then they should get their bearings. The sooner they know where they are, the sooner they can make sense of things.

The angel looks around, and for a moment even wonders if there's some sort of porter or employee that might have any answers. Clearly not finding any, he approaches one of the people dressed in much the same fashion as him - it's better than nothing.

"Excuse me- could I have a word?"

II. Boarding the train
Aziraphale stands, ticket and pamphlet in hand, reading the words in one of the ICP screens, muttering under his breath. He has a particular reaction to the list of chores, furrowing his brow slightly in confusion. Are they supposed to be passengers? Or train workers? Although he realizes that the more questions he asks, the less satisfactory the answers seem to be. He's made sure to read the entire pamphlet as quick as he could, and it's barely sinking in what kind of voyage this will really be.

He looks around, rather uncertain, politely moving out of the way as people pass through. He stares at the ticket and pamphlet in his hand, and, albeit not by their fault, he still looks a little bit lost.

III. Exploring?
Well. Might as well get the lay of the land. Train. Whichever.

Later in the day, he's already sporting much different clothes than the orange uniform he found himself in - long tan coat, light blue shirt, tartan bowtie, worn waistcoat that seems to have been fished out of a particularly dusty and cobweb-ridden attic -, stepping his way down the length of the train, taking note of all the different coaches.

Well, at the very least, there's certainly a lot more here than there were on the islands, and he is genuinely glad for that. While he's confident that he won't be struggling as he had been, it's still comforting, in some sense of the word, to see familiar amenities.

He takes a particular interest in the small library, stopping to inspect some of the books available, and quickly realizing he doesn't recognize any at all. He also does stop to take in the statue garden and the garden-garden as he moves along, stopping in the latter to watch the odd colors swirl about outside.

Well. He supposes this is what's happening now.

[ OOC: Feel free to make up your own prompt, Aziraphale will be walking through the entire train to try and get his bearings.

If you'd like to plot ahead, feel free to comment with your question, PM this account, oh hit me up on

skree or in the Discord server. ]

Wen Ning has also been exploring the train. (Now that he knows it's called a train. He had previously just been thinking of it as a very long house with wheels.) Each carriage is filled with something new and different. Some of them are familiar-- the library, the statue garden-- others are not. Most of them are not. Wen Ning is beginning to get the feeling he's very far out of his depth.

He's entering the greenhouse car, moving along down the train, when he realizes there's someone else already in there. Someone dressed in something other than what he's come to think of as the standard uniform of the train. The clothing is still foreign to him, but perhaps... This means this person is of a higher status?

He steps fully into the car and puts his hands before him, bowing deeply in the traditional manner.

"Excuse me. Are you in charge here?"

Well, maybe he's not totally wrong. Aziraphale's always presented himself as someone assumed to belong to a higher level of society, though he's a bit stuck behind the times at home. Also he simply could not stand wearing that garish uniform any second longer than what he needed to.

He turns to face the man, hesitating for a moment. "Oh, no, no, I've just arrived."

Aziraphale | Good Omens | OTA as heckies

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Wildcard, binch.

You got it, nerd

II.

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Dining Car

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Platform

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Platform

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IRe: Aziraphale | Good Omens | OTA as heckies

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