Event: Expulsion (Day 24)

[voidtreckermods]

"Good morning passengers, today is the twenty fourth day of the month of Apple." The morning announcement sounds as usual as dark turns to the ever shifting colours of the void outside the train windows. Some passengers may stir. It might be that they are an early riser or bad sleeper and get out of bed the moment the announcement wakes them or perhaps they roll over and go back to sleep.

Either way the morning rolls on for a few hours whatever they might be doing. Until a sudden judder runs through the train, followed quickly by another. Much like bad turbulence. Really bad turbulence. A third follows and there is a crackling sound before an alarm starts going off blaring loudly, the lights begin flashing red, white and red again.

"Warning. Void engines failing. Warning. Void engines failing. Warning Expulsion from void imminent." More shaking, worse each time, enough to knock them over and then a bang, the train plummets into darkness and lurches, sending everyone flying...

… They never crash land. Instead they float, suspended in the air. In the darkness it is hard to orient themselves or even understand what is happening. There’s a roar in their heads as pressure builds, their ears pop. "All systems critical." Breathing is hard, for one terrifying moment there seems to be no air to breathe.

"Oxygen levels stabilising." They can breathe, the pressure in their heads fades, their ears eventually stop ringing. "Pressure levels stabilising." They are still floating, suspended in darkness. "Gravity systems critical".

Emergency lighting flickers on finally, a red glow from either end of each carriage, in the cabins and along floor strips, enabling them to move without bumping into anything. If they can figure out how to move at all that is. Outside the windows is dark. Not the blackness of the void at night but the deep vastness of space. A few moments pass, enough time to just about process that fact before the voice over the speakers is heard once more.

"Passengers of the Voidtrecker express, due to technical issues we are currently experiencing void engine failure. Thank you for your patience as we endeavour to continue our journey as quickly as possible. We ask that all passengers help in securing the train for re-entry into the Void and on behalf of the Voidtrecker Express I apologise for any inconvenience caused."

Then there is silence. Broken only, no doubt, by the passengers on this now stranded train.

(OOC: Event information is here.)

Comments

[knifewithnoname]

Standard Coach

She was on her way to the kitchens for something to eat when it happened, walking through the standard coach. She almost stumbled a few times as the train shook. Stupid train. But the shaking reminded her of when they went in and out of the void, were they going to another world? She looked at the device of her wrist and poked it a few times but no words appeared.

A moment later all that was forgotten as she was flung off her feet and into the air. Where she stayed. The next few moments were terrifying, her head felt like it could burst, she could barely breathe and it was pitch black. The voice was saying words that made no sense, words about oxygen and gravity. Lights flickered on and she was still in the air. She panicked, kicking out with her arms and legs, trying to reach anything. She kicked off on one of the chairs.

And off she went, off a window, a ceiling, the floor, a chair, a table. Like the ball Conan had been bouncing around in the gym. Except the ball was her. "Help! Be helping me! Anyone!"

It's even more terrifying than when she had been grabbed by the eagle. At least that had made sense. She had been in danger of death but at least she knew it. Right now she knows nothing, not even which way is up and the emptiness is far away from her, slipping far out of her reach, like any semblance of orientation.

Stores

Some time after that particular starting stumble has been dealt with she makes her way slowly, ever so slowly, clinging onto chairs, rails, anything that she can grip, towards the store room. She still doesn't really understand what is going on but the voice had said secure the train. She doesn't know what that means either but if everything is flying and it probably needs to not be flying. So she enters the store room and stares around in bafflement.

"But how do we be making it all no be flying..."

Spider-Man to the rescue!

[hashtagparkerluck]

Remember what Peter had said about his ears being good? They are. and with the sudden change in pressure and the brief feeling like couldn't breath his senses go on overload. So even though he's in his cabin, still dealing with the terrible headache, he hears Buttercup calling for help.

He quickly locates and applies his webshooters before firing a web to the door and then swiping his ticket so he can head right for the little girl, he gives himself a boost because he knows how this works and moves as fast as he can possibly get himself to go.

When he sees her floating helplessly, he fires off another web to attach to her pull her in closer.

"It's okay, It's okay, I gotcha!"

Re: Spider-Man to the rescue!

[knifewithnoname]

Up is down and down is up and she bumps off one thing to bash into another. Her arm hurts, her head hurts, her hip hurts. Everything hurts and she feels sick and then something wraps around her wrist and she is being pulled towards someone.

Peter. It's Peter. Stupid leaky eyed Peter is rescuing her again and all she can feel is relief. Glad for his webs and the fact that he didn't just leave her to bounce around like a ball after she upset him so much. She tries to stay as still as possible as she is pulled towards him, she's curled up in a ball, only the arm that is being pulled is extended away from her.

"What do be happening?"

[hashtagparkerluck]

This is the first time he's seen her appear to be scared. He doesn't like it at all but he'll keep that to himself as he he reels her in closer. He sticks his bare feet to the around, using his powers to hold him into place. It's different to have to use them on the ground.

"You're okay." He says reassuringly, before he grab, gently onto her arm and pull her the rest of the way in. "It'll be okay." He says much calmer than he actually feels as he grabs her hand to make sure she doesn't just float off. She doesn't understand what's happening-her world isn't as technologically advanced as to know what happens up in space because her world hasn't been to space yet.

"I don't know exactly-but like the voice said-gravity's failing. Or the artificial gravity because I don't think is was really ever-. Then again we did fall for a second so I guess-uh... anyway." He stops that train of thought before it gets too far away.

"Gravity-uh has your world discovered gravity yet? It's hard to know what exactly our worlds have in common and what they don't-anyways, gravity is an invisible force that holds you on the ground. Anything that has mass has what's call a gravitational pull. The more mass, the more of a pull it has. If you jump up, you come back down-that's gravity pulling you back to the ground." He explains.

"I'd be happy to give you a whole crash course in how how gravity works later, but right now's not exactly the time. Instead, we're gonna uh... we're gonna practice how to move without gravity, okay? I won't let go of your hand, I promise."

[knifewithnoname]

She's not sure she believes him. It doesn't feel okay, it feels terrifying and strange but he has her hand and even though she would normally hate having her hand held it's her only way to not float off and bounce around again. So she holds on.

Peter talks. He knows lots of things so she isn't surprised to realise he knows what is going on. Gravity. That word again. An invisible magical force that holds you on the ground. Pulling you back down when you jumped, sticking you to the floor.

For a Peter explanation that was pretty good. She actually understood. She had more questions but he said it wasn't the time and that's true. It was best to stick to the practical for now. If this magic had broken.

"Okay. Have you been being without gravity before?" He seems to be doing much than her but also he can stick to things so that must make it easier. She held his hand tightly, calming now that she understood. If it was just a magic that had somehow broken... Maybe it could be fixed and they could go back to being able to walk and not bounce around.

[hashtagparkerluck]

Peter might not look like it, but he's actually doing several things at once-He's focusing on staying stuck to the ground, trying to keep Buttercup calm, keep himself from using that name since she seemed pretty upset last time he did, and also trying think of the best way to move around without gravity. Which would be so much easier if he'd gotten to go space camp that one year but May and Ben just didn't have the money and he understands that.

"No, I mean-I've been to space-uh space is uh... kinda hard to explain but it's like the... space... between planets. And out in space there's no gravity or air-it's just empty aside from like an occasional particle of hydrogen. But the ship I was on had artificial gravity." He explains in probably what is more words then necessary.

"Uh... so I'm gonna unstick from the ground and we're just gonna float up to ceiling-slowly, okay?"

[knifewithnoname]

Space is the space between planets and there is no air? How is their no air? Air is just... air. It's everywhere. Except under the water. But they aren't underwater now. She has no idea what artificial meant but she understood, he had been on a ship with the gravity magic and this train had gravity magic but now it was broken.

"Okay." She nodded, trying to look brave. She had nothing to be scared of. It was just stupid broken magic. "We can be doing that."

[hashtagparkerluck]

"Okay, here we go." Peter says as he relaxes his legs and feet so he's not sticking to the ground anymore. The moment he relaxes his powers, he's floating up to the ceiling but he's holding onto Buttercup so he can make sure he's the one to reach the ceiling first.

"Now, put your hand up so you don't hit your head-it wouldn't hurt at this rate but still, let's avoid that." He grabs the ceiling with one hand, sticking to it so he doesn't move anymore than necessary.

"So, quick question, do you know how to swim? 'Cause this is gonna be a lot like swimming."

[knifewithnoname]

She put one hand up, one hand holding onto Peter tightly as they reached the ceiling. Except she isn't actually sure this is up at all, maybe sideways? Even thinking about where everything is makes her head hurt. But at least Peter could stick to the ceiling, that was good.

She shook her head. "No. I did no be learning how to be swimming yet."

Stores

[afterburner]

"We make it not fly. Though I can't make something show up that's not already there, sadly." Renee can't help but sound a little bit smug as she steps up behind the girl--which kind of sucks that there are kids here, but it wasn't like Renee made the train roster herself, so.

"So I can't make us all not float, but I can make all that floating stuff freeze in its place, and then we can just pick it up from where it is and put it back where it belongs. Oh, I wonder if Charlotte would make webs to hold the stuff in place once we do? That's actually a pretty good idea."

Okay, maybe in a real pinch she could make the entire population of the train not be stuck in zero-grav, but she'd probably have to have them all in the same room, and be down for the count with a migraine for a day or two afterwards...

Re: Stores

[knifewithnoname]

She knows who this is. Renee. But she has never spoken to her before. She turns her head, careful not to let go of the bit wall she has hold of. Renee is talking about making things freeze and someone called Charlotte making webs. Was there someone else with webs? Or was that the spiders name?

"You can be freezing things? You do be having magic?"

[afterburner]

"It's not magic, though it looks like it. Something in me gives me powers. There's a whole convoluted reason, but that's the real simple version." Not because Renee thinks for a moment that the kid is stupid. She just knows when she was that age, a whole, long explanation would've been boring as fuck. So she's not gonna make the kid suffer through it. "If you wanna know the whole convoluted reason, ask me later. Or if you want to be bored to sleep."

Because let's be real, if a person's not invested, genetic theory is boring.

"They call it kinetics on my world 'cause it has to do with movement, or inertia, the lack of movement. See how they spin? I'm gonna take their movement away and make them stop in place. Since there's no gravity right now, they won't fall, they'll stay right there and we can grab 'em."

Renee reached out her right hand and extended her fingers at the spinning items floating around the store room, and true to her words, they ceased to spin and just hung there.

"Like that."

[knifewithnoname]

Something in her gave her powers? What was that if it wasn't magic? People on this train are weird, she rolled her eyes slightly. But listened as she used more words, kinetics, inertia. They probably meant something. She wondered if Renee and Peter were friends, they could sit and talk nonsense at each other all day and know what each other were saying.

But she used her not-magic and the items stopped spinning. "So now we can be picking them all up?"

[afterburner]

Renee was no telepath, but the eye roll kind of gave her a starting point to push off of, conversation wise. "It's not all its cracked up to be. People are afraid of us, hate us, try to kill us 'cuz of it, and most of us just want to be left alone."

She was certainly in that category, but there were plenty of reasons why she hadn't been, back on Earth. Big brother being a felon, for one--folk liked to think if there was one bad seed in a family, they were all bad apples.

"Yeah, they shouldn't float away, you should be able to grab 'em." Not that she was gonna let the kid do all the dirty work. "If we can wedge them someplace until we can get a web to hold them down, we can do that. Otherwise I guess I can take my hoodie off and we can shove it in there." It had been clean when she put it on that morning, and she'd gotten a clean polo on, too.

[knifewithnoname]

She frowned at that. People tried to kill magic users in her world? Hated them? What kind of twisted terrible place did she come from? She can't imagine it at all, it seems so alien to her and she is currently floating in space in a train so there's a lot more she can imagine than she used to be able to...

She focused on the practical for now. "We can be putting them in the crates, the lids do be having locks I do be thinking."

No need to use webs, though webs would be pretty useful right now. There was a spider, who would maybe help them and Renee had mentioned this Charlotte... Peter only had some webfluid left, he shouldn't waste it.

[afterburner]

"They lock? Sweet! That works!" Renee hadn't spent a lot of time in stores, yet--usually she got asked to help chop things as prep. She'd warned the other Purple team members that she was an abysmal cook, but she was also willing to try to change that, but either way, she was slow.

"Okay." She was going to help, too, and with the gravity gone, she didn't have to make either of them uncomfortable and ask if the kid needed a lift. "S'pose I ought to lock one of those crates to the ground to make life easier for the two of us? Though you might be better at getting the ones that are higher..."

She was already floating, after all!

[knifewithnoname]

"If you can be, I can be bringing the higher ones down to you." Once she had gotten the hang of this floating thing it was actually quite fun. She pushed off gently towards one of the smaller crates that were suspended in the air. Slowing was still quite difficult. But she managed to get to the crate, grab it and then grab on to a shelf that was bolted to the wall to stop herself from bouncing off somewhere else.

"I do no be thinking I can be managing more than one at a time."

stores

[happyends]

Madoka was wondering that same question, really. And was just as baffled about it. But for a lack of a better plan, she just started trying to do what she could do here..

.. even if that didn't end up being all that much. If the other girl looks around the store room a little more, she may spot Madoka clinging onto a rail with one arm while apparently having gathered as many of the floating items (so, not a whole lot, considering it has to fit in a 14 year old's arms) as she can with the other. She's frantically holding onto them, but that means it's a little hard to move from the spot she's currently at now.

It's probably why she sounds a little relieved to hear someone else have entered the room. Even if it's a fellow young person rather than an adult who might be able to do a bit more in this situation.. But she'll take what she can get.

"Ah, Buttercup--! Um, do.. do you think there's any place we can put these things?"

If not just so Madoka can stop literally hanging onto that rail and being unable to do anything else. It's cold!!

Re: stores

[knifewithnoname]

"Uh. We could be putting them in a box." Some of the boxes are also floating, also it would have to be one with a lid. It's very complicated.

But also there seem to be some of the larger crates still on the floor. Stuck there with something other than the magical glue that is now broken. "There... We could be putting them in there and then..."

Carefully she pulled her way over to Madoka, "Do you think they will be staying if we do be just putting them in, even if the gravity magic do be being broken?"

Getting over there would also be difficult, especially whilst carrying things.

[happyends]

The words 'gravity magic' make Madoka blink a little, but the situation is too extreme to really be surprised about the fact that the other girl sees gravity as a kind of magic for too long.

"Um.." She glances over to the bigger crates as she seems to consider the question. "I guess as long as the lids are heavy enough to stay closed, then the things inside should be fine.."

And going all the way over there while carrying all these things just to try could be a little hard.

"Do you think maybe you can get over there to look..?" At least she doesn't have to feel as guilty about asking someone else to do that while she's busy holding onto things herself.

[knifewithnoname]

She nodded, she doesn't understand really how things work when the gravity magic is broken but Madoka had known about lots of things, she had come from a world with trains so she probably knew more than she did. It was annoying to not know so many things but at least she knew it was because her world was so different.

"I can be." Peter taught her how to move, it's difficult and she has to move carefully and slowly so she doesn't bounce around like a ball again but she slowly pushes herself off the wall towards the crate, letting herself float.

She grabs hold of the crate as she gets there, holding tight to stop her bouncing off. She inspected it and turned to look at Madoka, triumphant. "They do be having locks! We can be putting things in here."

[happyends]

Phew. Madoka actually lets out a sigh of relief when she sees the other girl reaching the crate, even before she speaks up about the locks. She was really worried that she might just accidentally have sent a tiny girl to tumble through the air forever, okay.. So she's glad that went better than expected.

"That's great.. Um, and good job on getting there, too!" If she asked someone to do something, then she better give a compliment about it too, right? That seems fair to Madoka.

Even though she's still here just.. kind of struggling to hang onto the things she had gathered already.. But she's trying her best.

"Should I try to come over so we can put these things in there..?"

The truth is that she's already planning on doing so, it's just that Madoka needs to gather her courage and determination for a bit. Since getting over there seems pretty hard.

[knifewithnoname]

"Yes." She nodded, "I can be coming and getting some of the things if you do be wanting. Do you be knowing how to be moving?"

For once it's said with a sliver of patience. She hadn't known how to move herself until Peter had helped her, she had just bounced around like a ball. But now she knew it was less frightening and even, if she admitted it, a bit fun.

"Just be staying steady."

[happyends]

"Yes.." Madoka nods, even though she doesn't sound as sure of her cause as she'd like to right now. But if the other girl managed to do this, then surely Madoka can do the same. Right? Right! She has to show a good example! "Just stay steady.."

She sucks in a deep breath, and then pushes herself off and lets go.. but the fact that she's trying to hold on to things at the same time makes her send herself a little off course. She instinctively lets out a small yelp, only to end up floating around a distance to the left of the crate. (At least she did manage to hold on to the things rather than send them flying too?)

"Oh no.."

[knifewithnoname]

Oh no indeed. She looked over to where the girl was floating with a frown. That hadn't gone too well. At least she hadn't bounced around like a ball though, she didn't have sticky feet or spider webs like Peter to be able to catch Madoka.

She hooked her foot under the lip of the crate so she could stretch out to try and grab at Madoka. An ankle would be good but clothes or hair would do at a push, to try and pull her back towards her. She isn't very tall but she stretches as far as she can.