A New Platform [Intro Post July]

[voidtreckermods]

On the Train

Luckily for everyone the final couple of days of Fiddlesticks are quiet and mostly uneventful. Eventually though they awake to the announcement. "Good morning passengers, it is day one of the month of Grasshopper. 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. Also a loud pattering sound, which they will discover once the doors open are hailstones. They might want to grab their raincoats.

As usual the first to leave the train notice nothing as they walk silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers. Ann Takamaki, Drizzt, Geralt, Huehuecóyotl, Ignis Scientia, Ivy Wakefield, Jiang Yanli, Lan Sizhui, Maebhrin Tillinath, May Parker, Nie Huaisang, Osomatsu Matsuno, Raven, Roxas, Shaw, The Iron Bull, Ultimo, Wei Wuxian, Yuki Sohma, Yuffie, Yukito Tsukishiro

But on the platform itself there are many new faces. Wearing hoodies and waterproofs, 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. The second thing they will notice is it is cold, hailstones rain down around them, though they don’t last long on the platform ground, melting into slush.

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 nineteen figures all facing the tracks, all dressed in cargo trousers and hoodies. 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.

Indeed whereas usually there is plenty time for people to be met and brought slowly onto the train, the whistles blow a lot quicker this time, as if hurrying the passengers along.

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, it seems carrots have taken over the bacon, though there are plenty of other staples.

Those from blue team who go to investigate will find a box of biscuits. There is enough for the whole team, including new passengers. Join in your team's success!

Those who are not new will quickly discover some changes made to make the train accessible to those who can’t see, including Braille translations of all the signs around the train.

There is of course the new music room to explore. A double carriage, the downstairs has instruments to learn and practice with, as well as a series of music screen points. Those who play around with the screens will soon discover their SCA’s can now store music and can choose their favourites to listen to around the train.

Upstairs is a performance area and holds a piano.

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 over the noise of the hail stones 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

Gerome - Fire Emblem Awakening - OTA

[wyvernmaster]

The Platform: His eyes slowly opened and expected to see wood and beams above him. What Gerome didn't expect was to be standing in a fog. And rain. And hail. What in name of Naga was going on?

There was strange sounds within the fog. Other people? He turned his head but all he could see was more of the same fog. He lifted a hand, palm up, to shield his head from the worst of the hail, his clothes already drenched.

"Impossible..." He muttered to himself as the fog slowly began to clear. And yes. He had been right. People all around him. Strange people he didn't know. Strange looking people that had him reaching for a weapon that just wasn't there.

"What...?" He looked down at himself and took a shocked step back. Where was his armour? Where was his weapons? And more to the point, where was Minerva? Where, exactly, was he?


The Train And Departure: The sound of a roar cut through the din and Gerome once again found himself reaching for a weapon that wasn't there.

Grima. The dragon had somehow found him there. She was coming for him.

Except what came out of the darkness and the rain was like no dragon that he had ever seen.

As the contraption came to a landing, Gerome had backed up, his pack had fallen from his shoulder, and he stood, mouth agape, and staring.

He barely registered when doors opened and people walked out. Though as they walked past him he was able to shake himself and take a look. Again, more strangers, but they didn't seem to know he was there. Like... Risen. No expression. No thoughts. Just single minded devotion to their cause. And that was to walk away, it seemed.

Gerome wondered if he should follow. Was that the way out?

He looked back at the huge, black contraption and now saw the gold writing. The Voidtracker Express? More people were leaving it now.

"... What sorcery is this?"


Sleeper Three - Cabin B: (Closed to roommates) He had been directed to his room for a moment of peace, and to remove his sodden clothing. But standing there alone, Gerome found himself at odds. This was clearly a space that was lived in. Just where did he belong...?

Where could he stow his gear? Which of these strange cots were his to sleep in?

Gerome looked around to try and suss out just who shared his 'cabin' with.


Games Carriage: He wasn't sure why he was in this room. The myriad of colours are what stopped him in his tracks. Gerome had never seen so many games in his life.

Without quite realising he was doing it, he moved toward a strange game already set up... With oddly coloured creatures pinned to it's sides.

Curiously he reached down and lightly tapped the lever behind one of the creatures. And jumped as the things head shot out with a clatter. "... What the...?!"


Green House Carriage: It was pleasant in this carriage. While he couldn't readily identify most of the plants and flowers that littered the area, there was a warm and comforting feel to the place. Unlike the carriage that had been marked 'Garden'.

Looking up was something he was learning was a bad thing to do. The swirling colours made him feel sick to his stomach.

Instead of looking up, Gerome looked down. He crouched to examine a flower.

"Beautiful..." He spoke softly, under his breath, not expecting anyone else to hear.


Kitchen Carriage: (Stolen from TDM post) Hunger brought him to this carriage.

Confusion had him stepping back out again.

He didn't understand what was going on, this was a carriage meant to be the kitchen? It looked like no kitchen he had seen in his life!

"... I am done with this madness."


Training Gym: (Stolen from TDM post) As far as training rooms went, this one was lacking.

Gerome looked around with narrowed eyes, taking in each piece of equipment and dismissing them with an internal sigh. It looked, to him, like toys for children. Though he did see some practice dummies that looked somewhat interesting. Just not a weapon, or a practice weapon, in sight.

"Just what are they training here...?"

greenhouse carriage

[bloomingblossom]

By now, Tsubomi was making rounds in the greenhouse carriage, watering the plants. This kind of thing brought her a lot of joy, so she was happily humming along as she did so.

After circling around from one side of the car, she stepped out into view, overhearing and spotting Gerome for the first time. A smile formed at the edge of her lips as she nodded.

"It really is. Do you want to know that flower's name?"

Dyme Graydon | OTA

[swansongs]

a. platform

He was used to rainstorms, they were pretty common back home, but hail was something else. Even with a raincoat on, he didn't like the sensation of being pelted around the head and shoulders. Still, he was out there on the platform, trying not to slip on the melting slush left behind by the hailstones. He was mostly succeeding, but every now and then flailed his arms to keep his balance.

"Hi, hello," he said, slipping his way over to someone new. "Are you okay? This weather sucks; everyone should get inside." And he'd totally answer any questions then.

b. on the train

Dyme was more than a little excited to retrieve his package from the luggage car, opening it up and sitting down in the dining car with his new acoustic guitar on his lap. He immediately set to work making sure it was properly tuned, then strummed out a melody. He was good, and clearly knew what he was doing.

It felt so good to have an instrument in his hands again, to be able to play. It reminded him of home, and he was both delighted and a little homesick, if he thought about things too hard. But he really didn't want to think too hard about anything, so he started to play, instead. It was one of his own songs for a change, and most definitely rock.

c. the music car

"Dude, this is so cool," he exclaimed, looking around the new car. There were so many different instruments, some of them he'd never seen before, and there was even a piano upstairs (he'd seen it when he'd peeked up there, but he hadn't properly investigated it yet).

"We could practically start a band with all of this," he added, hands on his hips.

d. wildcard
Come at me with something else!

music car

[loveandduty]

"You could, but then you couldn't have a singer if you don't have a microphone." Minako had been looking at one of the instruments closely, fascinated by it really. But could she actually play it? No. No, she can't.

"But I could also not have noticed it."

Ai Haibara

[deage]

[ The Platform ]

Ai hadn't been in the best of shape to begin with. She was pretty sure that she had been carried off the train.... and yet here she is, on the train platform, nobody she recognizes in sight. She had been carried, right? She must have been set down at some point, but where was everyone?

She glances around, unease creeping into her features. Were they still around - Bourbon, Vermouth? Was this something to do with them?

As she looked around, she observed, made note of the peculiarities. Why was there so much steam? The train looked.... that wasn't the same train, was it? And... what was she wearing? When did somebody have the time to change her clothes?

This wasn't looking great, no matter how she cut it.

Following these observations, she's going to be poking around, cautious in case Vermouth or Bourbon were nearby. Enjoy the sight of a tiny 7-year-old girl investigating the train platform.


[ THE MAD DASH - Across the train, stopping in front of 6:E ]

Somebody let Ai in on the secret - names displayed on the items given by the train, and more importantly, names on the doors to their rooms.

Ai was running at full - leaping onto the train, dashing through the corridors. She had her ticket in one hand and was using the other to help her navigate, keeping her from slamming into walls or doors or people as she tried to find the room on the ticket:
Sleeper 6, Cabin E

After making it to her destination, Ai glanced up at the door. Reno, Sven... Ran Mouri. Her blood ran cold. Is this serious? And then, the last name, Shiho Miyano.

She had to remove that, and fast.

[ Feel free to interrupt her anywhere on her mad train journey for this prompt, just note where on the train it is. Ai may have run into your character. Sorry. ]


[ After Departure - Around the train ]

The train was moving now, through what it called 'Voidspace,' a term that sounded out of science fiction. She had tried looking outside for a moment, but it wasn't a pleasant experience.

Well. Her identity was possibly preserved, she had a basic understanding established... it's time to investigate.

She starts making her way through the various cars, seeing what was of possible use to her, noting locations, taking a mental catalog of the layout and inventory. She spends a lot of time in the Medical Car, and possibly more than should be expected in the Quiet Coach, specifically at the lab made from some of the booths. Or outside of it, at any rate, trying to catch what was going on inside...

But really, she ends up everywhere at one point or another. Feel free to note the quiet young child looking over things with a much more appraising eye than you'd expect from a kid.

[bloomingblossom]

Tsubomi had been late making her way to the platform, as she was doing chores and something had brought her through these particular carriages. As such, she ended up stepping into one just in time to see Ai, staring up at the nameplate.

"Uhm, hello," she said. "Is something wrong? Do you need help?"

Katsuya Jonouchi | Yu-Gi-Oh! DM AU/Fallers CRAU | OTA

[luckydragonsfoot]

[New Game+ Is Always Harder]

The scene is not unfamiliar, at least to start. Knocked out on his back, eyes blearily taking in a great steamy haze. Something wet on his face, and-

"...K'seri..?" he groans, slowly sitting up. The ponyta stops her licking and instead starts cheering, bouncing around happily. Her trainer takes that time to watch her, and then blearily look himself over...before looking up, just in time for his pokemon's psychic shield to fail.

-splatpf

"MFH!"

Well, that's a slush-stone to the face.

"Aaaaaugh...What th' hell!" He groans, vision clearing up at last as he takes in the sight before him. The train, the opening doors, the people...

The people leaving, he realizes, and he doesn't have to turn around to see each one slowly flash a ticket and go through the barrier into the mist. In fact he doesn't, instead paling slightly and looking to his pokemon.

"Nyyi?"

"Hah...D...Don' worry Kaseri, 's prob'bly gonna be alrigh'...We just...uh..." He blinks, spotting the rucksack with him and hauling it up as the hail falls. "Sheesh...where th' hell 's this...?"

[Think With Your Stomach]

Even if he were to want to stay off the train, there's plenty of others around to convince Katsuya otherwise. Friends he didn't expect to see again, people who seem plenty nice enough (if not earnest about getting him on that there train), and more importantly...

"O-Oi oi oi, Kaseri..!"

The ponyta is hopping on in a flash, and her trainer soon follows. Rubbing his head in confusion, the pair are soon in a part of the train where they won't be blocking any and all foot traffic somply by existing- the ideal, unlike the cold that they were just in. Shivering somewhat, Katsuya blinks- once, and then twice as his eyes briefly glaze over, after which he looks in the direction of the store rooms and kitchen.

"Tch...maybe there's somethin' warm in here then," he figures, tapping his boots as they slosh somewhat with gathered water. "Like a hot choc'late, or..."

"Hiihhh!"

The blond pauses, staring at the box of biscuits. It doesn't take very long before he's opening it up. "...Oh! Cookies!" he shouts with a grin. "Nice!"

Of course he's grabbing one immediately, of course. At least he's wearing Blue.

[You Smell Like Wet Dog]

Right, right, there's more important things than food (sort of). Katsuya shakes his head, still dripping wet and looks to his ponyta. Psychic did great, but it didn't do perfect and frankly they're soaked even with certain waterproofs involved. "Eugh....righ' uh..."

"NhhHIIIhhhh!"

"We should prob'bly get t' a shower 'r...somethin'..." Maybe he can ask about that one.

[AND...GAME START!]

When the train sets to leave with the last message, Katsuya gets himself parked in a seat by a window. It doesn't matter which community carriage it is- as long as there's a free spot and a window right there, it works, so both he and the small pony on his lap are peeking out the window at the current fog. Because of course he can't miss this- he just can't, he's got to see this! And-

Five. Four. Three. Two...

One.

"HW-OAH!" A few rapid blinks, and Katsuya takes in the rapid and swirling colours with wide eyes. "Holy shit...Tha's th' Void?"

Not very voidy!

[WILDCARD - Got something else in mind? I'm in the group discord, and I'm also on Plurk under usagisquared, so feel free to hit me up! ALSO- if you have a specific vision idea or request you want to use for this post, feel free to use his Opt-In & Vision Plotter! Notably, Jou also has a basic Ref Page Here.]

[game start]

[alongtailtalltale]

Tangle happened to be passing by just as Jonouchi said that, and couldn't help but chuckle a little as memories of her own first impression towards the void came back to her.

"Yeah, I had a pretty similar reaction. It's kinda wild, isn't it?"

This is a five foot tall lemur girl saying this. That's not unusual, right?

Peter Parker | OTA

[hashtagparkerluck]

{ Platform. }

Peter wasn't exactly excited about platform day this time. He had a sinking feeling in his stomach when he couldn't find May and noticed her name was in gold. He doesn't want to see the blank look on her face-never on hers and opts to stay in as long as he can, only stepping out several minutes after the the train had stopped. He keeps his focus well away from the exit and instead glances around to see how many new people there are and if he sees anyone he recognizes.

No Ben, No Ned, No MJ, and No Gwen. Oh, and it's raining like crazy. Awesome. But on the plus side-No Flash. He sucks in a breath and pulls his hood over his head before he moves over to the nearest unfamiliar face.

"Hey! I'm Peter Parker." He offers as cheerily as he can.


{ Departure. Dressing Car }

Peter's in his usual hammock, distracted by his DS and mindlessly playing Pokemon Moon with some fancy new earbud in to listen to Imagine Dragons. There's also a small, yellow pokemon sitting on him. It's sleeping at the moment but don't startle Peter and she probably won't shock everyone in the room.


{ Cabin 3B }

Peter's made his way back to the Cabin because he knows he's probably go all new roommates and honestly he's not sure how he feels about that-three people he's never met aside from that Elena lady. She seemed nice enough.

When he gets there it's empty so he plugs his dying DS in-Thanks Bitsy-and powers it up to play another round of mindless battling. He'd be more vocal about his gaming but his heart isn't super into it at the moment.

Platform

[jerkchicken]

Gyro doesn't like small talk, and he puts introductions in that category, honestly. He also isn't crazy about most kids, either. So when Peter introduces himself, the discomfort on the chicken's face is pretty clear. At least Peter didn't try to shake his hand...? Besides, he needs information.

"Dr. Gearloose. Do you know why we're here?"

Basilton Pitch | OTA

[kindlepitch]

a. platform

One minute Baz had been on the beach in America, trying to have a conversation with Snow before Bunce had interrupted to tell them about something terrible happening at Watford, the next he was being hailed on. It was a shocking change, and for a long moment he didn't even realize he was wearing clothes that weren't his own. Or that his wand wasn't in his pocket.

This wasn't the first time he'd suddenly ended up in a strange place, and somehow he doubted it would be the last, but he was surprised to see that he wasn't alone. He'd been expecting kidnappers, maybe, other magicians, but the people around him looked just as lost and confused as he felt. He made sure not to let any of that confusion show on his face. It was overpowered by his annoyance at being pelted with hail, anyway.

Without needing to be prompted by anything or anyone, he started to stride towards the train doors, if only because he wanted to get out of this weather before it soaked his--cheap, totally not his style--clothes.

b. around the train

Once inside, he'd immediately checked his pack to see what was inside, and his wand was securely back in his pocket, where he could easily reach it and knew it was safe. It put him more at ease. When he had a moment alone, he'd even attempted to spell himself dry, though to his dismay it had only worked half as effectively as normal. If there was something here interfering with his magic, he would figure it out and see what he could do about it. This couldn't be a quiet zone; there were plenty of people around, but that was only one possibility on a long list.

Baz could be found in various places around the train, poking around the kitchen and discovering the large stock of blood there--which he could only assume was for him, though it wasn't very subtle, all things considered--with a muttered, "Absolutely perfect," in a somewhat posh English accent.

He also visited the games car, the dining car, and the greenhouse. None of the cars themselves held the answers he was looking for, unfortunately.

c. sleeper cabin 3:E

Upon realizing that he was not only going to have one roommate but three, he sighed heavily. None of them were Snow, of course. In fact, he hadn't seen Snow anywhere so far, despite looking, which meant Baz had been the only one to be snatched away. Unless Snow was somewhere else, also looking for him, worrying.

The first cubby he checked already had things in it, so he moved to the next until he found the unoccupied one. Then he tucked his new clothes away inside, folding them neatly no matter how much he wanted to just jam them in there.

"I swear, none of them better snore," he muttered. Or get up at the crack of dawn with no respect for their roommates.

d. Departure

He still didn't know what Voidspace was, but he heeded the train's message and found a seat before the countdown finished. Whatever he'd been expecting, the jolt and then sea of changing colors outside the windows certainly weren't it.

"Crowley," he said quietly, getting up from his seat to peer out a window. It was strangely beautiful, and he wished Snow was there to see it. He wished Snow was there, period.

< B - Greenhouse! >

[adregem]

Roland enjoyed the greenhouse and the garden more than he cares to admit. After spending a month inside a magic train, he regrets taking Evermore's lush golden fields and bright open spaces for granted. Maybe Evan was right. Maybe he should have taken more moments to relax.

Alas, such musings held no weight now. He pushes his reminiscing aside, choosing what comes naturally to him instead - focusing on the here and now. With his eyes closed one last time, he breathes in deep. The foliage was severely lacking in a place that was supposed to be a greenhouse, but he wasn't one to complain. There were roses and there was grass, and for the Chief Consul, that was as close to fresh air as they could all get.

No sooner after he opens his eyes does he encounter the sight of a lithe, pale man with dark hair. Judging by the energy behind his movements, the dampness in his clothes, and the way he was looking around the room -

- A newcomer?

He pipes up, arms crossed against his chest. "Looking for something?" He offers kindly.

Wei Wuxian | Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation | OTA

[only_one_wei]

The Platform:

Wei Wuxian blinked and looked around. It was cold. Misty steam billowed in the cold, melting the hail that fell onto his head. Fortunately he was wearing some sort of headcovering, though it did nothing to protect his face. He pouted at the sky and looked around.

There were others, some in the same color, blue, as him, some in purple or orange or red, but the clothes were odd. Like undergarments without a robe over them. The tops had hoods. Quite strange looking, really.

The mist was starting to die down and there was a large metal construct to the side of the platform they were all standing on. There was an opening, still hard to see in the steam and the hail, but figures dressed like them step out and walk across the platform and across to the gates out.

To Wei Wuxian's great surprise, one of those people...was him. He stepped over to himself, following him to the gate. Nothing he did stopped...himself, he just kept walking. He didn't respond, or turn, or even seem to notice that he was talking to himself. It wasn't until the other him passed out of the gates, where Wei Wuxian couldn't follow, that he realized there had been several others, but he hadn't noticed who any of them were.

Now he noticed that others had come out of the construct as well, but these were more animated, not zombie-like at all, some even smiling and greeting those standing on the platform.

He walked up to one of them. “Excuse me, where exactly are we?”


The Train:

Before changing:
Wei Wuxian looked around this strange place, a Train. He'd read through the guide, pretty quickly, but it had left him with more questions than it had answered...though it had answered a lot. According to the ticket in the bag he'd had with him, now inside his qiankun bag, for ease of carrying, he was in Sleeper 7, Cabin D.

His intention was to go to his cabin and change into his robes. This blue outfit, while a pleasant color, unlike some, was uncomfortable and made him feel like he was walking around in his underwear.

Roommates: Cabin 7D
The room was...cozy. Small, even. The beds were set into the wall, two to a side. He slid off the outer shirt and laid it on one of the lower bunks, then turned and hopped up onto it. This, was not where he wanted to be, but he would make the best of it. At least until he could make it more to his liking.

After changing his clothes:
Now more comfortably dressed in his black robes and his hair properly tied up, aside from the “SCA” on his wrist with the blue band, he looked and felt more like himself. So, he went exploring.

[notes, please feel free to encounter him anywhere! He looks REALLY familiar.]

Platform

[achickenformylove]

WangJi had gotten up early, going to the door where those departing the train waited for it to stop. He knew that they wouldn't speak to those who were staying on the train or acknowledge them, but he could at least see those who were leaving one more time. HuaiSang, Yanli, Sizhui, and WuXian. He just stood to the side, watching them, knowing it might be the last time saw them for quite a while.

As they arrived at the platform and started to disembark first, WangJi moved to watch them leave for as long as he could. The steam clouded their departure and he had no desire to follow them any further.

So he missed the movement on the platform as it was still concealed but after a moment, he heard a familiar voice above all of the other sounds.

No... that shouldn't be right. He shouldn't be...

But when he turned, he could see that familiar face among the new arrivals, those who had disembarked gone now.

"Wei Ying..."

And he couldn't help that as he stepped down off the train, he was practically running the distance between the train and that person. And when he reached him, he hugged him without even thinking. "Wei Ying."

Noctis Lucis Caelum | Final Fantasy XV (AU + DF CRAU) | OTA

[waywardking]

Platform

The first thing Noctis was aware of was that it was cold and wet. And not even just rain, it had to be either heavy rain or hail, judging by the sounds it made when it hit the ground and how it stung his face. The second thing he realized was that it was noisier than it should have been. There were people in the run-down city he'd been forced to call home, but they weren't normally all in one place.

"Gotta get inside before I get soaked...but where's 'inside'?"

The ground is concrete and fairly even, so he takes a few steps in a random direction, one hand outstretched, in search of...something. He doesn't know quite yet, but he's entirely likely to run into another person before anything else.


Train - Standard Coach

He'd finally managed to get inside, onboard some sort of train. Where it was going is entirely irrelevant as he seats himself in what seemed to be an out-of-the-way corner of the first compartment he comes to, which turns out to be the Standard Coach.

What he's wearing under his raincoat (and why he's wearing a raincoat anyway) is a mystery. It's comfortable and consists of some kind of hooded sweatshirt, baggy pants, and boots so it's nothing he's concerned about. There's a bag with mystery bits of fabric inside--more clothes, if he had to guess--and a familiar-feeling communication device.

"Where did all this stuff come from?"

There's also a slip of paper in one of the bag's pockets. If anything is written or printed on it, he doesn't know, but a swipe of his thumb across the surface reveals there are bumps on one side.

So someone knew he'd need a hand. Nice.

"...Void...trecker?"

Train 2 - Sleeper Cars

Mystery train turned out to be very crowded, very confusing, and very long.

The last one might not have been entirely accurate and been partly influenced by Noctis' mood, which wasn't that great after arriving in the rain and becoming increasingly confused.

Currently, he was attempting to find 'Cabin 1' and while he was doing not-so-great at that task, he was learning that there were monitors of some sort that would unhelpfully refuse to let him into any of the rooms but would read him a list of who was staying in those rooms in a mechanical voice.

Neat.

platform

[burninglight]

[By the sound of the concerned feather-ruffling and cooing, one of the people he ran into had a pigeon sitting on their shoulder. Luscinia, who had no goddamn idea what she was looking at, and Ardyn, who...]

N-

[...Ten years too young, and something else felt off as well. He couldn't place it instantly, but a simple glance could tell him the multiverse was at it again. That, or this was a very long and involved nightmare/hallucination.]

...Oh, hell.

Ardyn | FFXV+airlocked crau | red team

[burninglight]

[a; platform]

[An older man somewhere in his mid-thirties stood on the platform in immeasurable confusion. Rubbing at gold eyes, blinking, looking around the platform.]

...oh, stars, I've started hallucinating again. [The remark was sarcastic, but less so than he would have liked. This...well, either this was a dream, a hallucination, or it was Bad. Capitalized 'Bad', that was the state of the current possibilities.]

Okay. Okay. [Muttering to himself, he repeated the word 'okay' under his breath in varying tones of stress. This was not happening, and he rapidly tried to take inventory of the situation. Checking his pockets, then producing what looked like a notebook, camera, and ring from thin air in rapid succession. The former was tucked into a pocket of his sweatshirt, the second placed on his right hand, and the third disappeared again in a brief flicker of red light. So, powers were still on, that was a start. Might as well check the bag-]

[-at which point a pigeon came fluttering out of it in a mess of feathers patterned like the blues and purples of deep space, speckled with stars in the form of unknown galaxies. She voiced some considerable displeasure, Ardyn taking her in both hands and placing her gingerly on his shoulder.]

Luscinia--?! The hell were you doing in there?

[The bird's only answer was to whistle a song.]

[b; train/departure]

[Having harshly yanked the SCA off the instant he was sure it was safe to do so, Ardyn was sure he wasn't the only one on or nearly on his last nerve. He'd gone to attempt to hide out in the gaming room for a time, flipping through the Requisite Voidtrain Informational Pamphlet(tm) almost obsessively. This was insane. This was the definition of insane, for someone who had seen 'insane' redefined a half-dozen times.]

[Later on, he'd make an attempt to find his cabin--6-C, labeled with the name Ardyn Tenmyouji-Church and three more he didn't recognize. (Some others, he'd noticed, held names he very much did and that did not fill him with confidence.)]

[Again, under his breath:] Fucking hell.

Outside the Cabins

[callmegladio]

[Gladio had, up until that point, been feeling pretty damn pleased with himself. Having just left the Luggage Carriage he had in his arms a selection of boxes...

... Boxes that were, some of them anyway, dropped when he caught sight of the man in front of him.

Of course he'd seen him when he'd entered the sleeper car, but on first glance nothing had clicked, just an odd feeling that maybe he'd seen him before. Maybe on the platform? He'd had every intention of offering a greeting and introducing himself. Until he'd gotten closer.

Now he was closer he realised why he felt like he'd seen this man before and rage bubbled up within him.]

... You..!

[The boxes in his hands stopped him drom summoning one of his swords and running the bastard through. Ardyn's life was saved by Ulwaat Berries.]

Masumi Sera | Detective Conan | OTA

[tactlesstantei]

1. Platform

[A startled grunt could be heard as Masumi became aware of her surroundings, bits of hail bouncing off her shoulders as she stared around in confusion. This didn't appear to be anywhere she was familiar with, and checking herself over only increased her confusion as she realized that her clothes had been changed at some point.

However, she didn't have much time to think about what was happening before a train appeared out of the mist, coming to a stop at the station.]

"...What is going on here?" [Really, what was going on? She really didn't recall anything that might have led to coming here. The only thing that was even vaguely similar was the Bell Tree Express, but that had been some time back and didn't involve any of this.]

2. 1-C

[Now on board and out of the hail, Masumi had decided to go find where she was supposed to be sleeping before anything else, if only to find somewhere to put her bag down instead of packing it around with her.

It took some time, given that Sleeper One was way at the end of the train, but she finally found the cabin and knocked before letting herself in, unsure if anyone else would be in there at the moment.]

3. Departure

[At some point Masumi had taken to staring out the window, watching the void colours as they changed and shifted. She couldn't really afford to be here, not when she had other things to do like getting her hands on a way to help her mother. If it were possible she'd try to find a way home, but apparently it didn't work that way and she was now stuck on the Voidtrecker Express.

She was so focused on the void and her thoughts that she wouldn't notice if she was being approached unless spoken to.]

Departure.

[hashtagparkerluck]

[ Peter's surfaced from wherever he'd been lounging and had gone in search of something to snack on when he comes across someone staring into the void. Part of him wants to just continue on because really he can only pretend to be a cheerful sixteen year old for so long before he loses it. ]

[ He other part remembers Uncle Ben and that thing his dad used to say about responsibility. He gives his head a small shake and approaches. ]

Y-you know you really shouldn't stare at it-it can cause a headache.

Reno | FFVII | OTA

[theturksway]

I. The Platform

Reno wasn't surprised to see the second roommate in as many station stops leave especially since Yanli had been missing for some time now anyway. He was, however, surprised to see Yuffie head for the exit with the others. He could have sworn he had seen her just the other day. Now she was gone with the rest of the...lucky ones? unlucky ones? It was impossible to say, wasn't it.

Though he would never admit it, Reno felt a little jealous. Why did she get to leave while he was stuck behind? He and Elena were still stuck on this train and didn't know when they would get to go back home. Despite his hard feelings, he hoped that was the case with those that left the train from the stations, especially Yuffie since even if he didn't care for her she was a link to his world and that meant a little something. He didn't want to think of where else they might be heading instead.

He huddled further into his raincoat and looked at all the new passengers out on the platform. Nah, not worth it. He could figure 'em out on the ICP with the roster and worry about it when the next mission struck. Tseng would probably be disappointed at him for a move like that--but Tseng wasn't here and Reno just really didn't feel like being a responsible anything right now, much less a leader of the Turks.

II. Luggage Carriage to Sleeper Six

The redhead did have one bit of business to take care of that day and it was to go pick up his package from the Luggage Carriage. He ripped open the packaging immediately to check the contents inside and, satisfied, stuffed the phone and materia in his pocket for now. He tossed the packaging away disrespectfully while he was ninety-eight percent certain he was the only person in there at the moment and then swiped a package of cookies on his way out the door.

He didn't care if anyone saw him eating them while he walked back to his cabin, despite the fact that they were very intentionally for Blue Team and while he wasn't wearing the typical train garb (he was dressed in his spider-made black suit instead) he did still have on a Purple raincoat from having stepped outside briefly earlier.

III. Cabin 6-E

Reno tossed his raincoat at the foot of his bed and then decided he didn't have anything better to do either (or at least didn't feel like doing anything for the moment) and laid out on the bed himself as well. He rested his head on top of his arms and closed his eyes.

As he shifted though he felt the materia in his pocket start to slip loose and he reached down to grab it. He held it up in front of his eyes for a moment and watched the shifting light shine off it as he twisted it idly in his fingers. It was a green orb that fit perfectly in his palm were he to hold it that way. Later, he would fit it into his weapon next to the red materia he owned. For now he simply set it on his chest as he went back to dozing. It's not like he expected anyone to steal it from him and even if they tried they'd find it rather painful when he caught them in the act. He wasn't as sleepy as he appeared to currently be.

Sadly, it wasn't exactly the type of materia he preferred to have but it would prove useful on missions nonetheless. While it wasn't attack based, a healing spell he could cast on his own accord was worth way more than the little fox he could call upon for defense. It was also an easier spell to cast and would wear him out far less than constantly summoning Carbuncle.

Reno yawned wide and then glanced at the ICP in the room as he mused idly about maybe trying out his phone later. He smiled lopsidedly as he pondered the idea of using it without telling Elena he purchased it beforehand--the surprise might be totally worth it if he could catch her face in the act. Risky, but high risk always made for the best of rewards.

6-E and late whoops

[deage]

Haibara eventually enters the room itself once she's sufficiently hidden her name outside the room - it's not perfect, but it'll do for now.

Glancing around, the room certainly was small. Honestly, even smaller than the rooms aboard the Bell Tree Express had been. But that's about all she takes in before she stops on the other figure in here. Her roommate, probably, since you needed a ticket to get in.

She might have noted Reno as being suspicious upon interacting with him, but as it was... A black suit. That alone sent alarm bells ringing. It was, after all, the favored outfit of the Black Organization. Was she rooming with one of their members?

She realizes she's staring, though. "Hi," she offers.

Piccolo | OTA

[shutupnail]

I. The Platform

The Namekian took one look outside and linefaced so hard the rain and hail decided it didn't want to touch him. Okay, it wasn't actually his expression that caused the hail to bounce uselessly off him a centimeter before actually striking his skin but there wasn't really any visible reason for it either. Magic users might have thought to check for magic but there was none being used by the Namekian at the moment.

This was a practice in ki manipulation that Piccolo didn't want to pass up. Even if the weather was going to be horrible the whole time they were out here Piccolo still wanted to be outside the train for as long as possible. And since it was a change in his usual exercises, Piccolo happily took advantage of the weather since what better way to make it seem less dreary than simply put it to good use. Not that anyone could really tell from his resting bitch face.

As usual, Piccolo took to the air while they were at the station. This time he hovered above the crowd in his meditating pose, legs crossed as if he were sitting and his hands resting carefully posed in his lap. He kept his eyes closed this time, too, but if anyone drew close in the air or tried to gain his attention from below he keyed in on it almost instantly and reacted.

II. After Departure / Wildcard

[[You can catch Piccolo later on the train in the Training Gym or the Greenhouse Carriage if you prefer! Other ideas? Hit me with 'em!]]

Re: Piccolo | OTA Greenhouse

[sendiintheclown]

Walking into the greenhouse, Trowa laughed softly as Amira wriggled to get down. She knew she could run wild in here, and clearly wanted it. "Ah, hello, Piccolo." He finally set Amira down, feeling amused when she bounded over to the green man. "I'm sorry, she's in a very good mood today. I think she knows I bought her a new bed from the train shop. Technically, I suppose, she got two. Since it came in a box."

Yuuri | School-Live! (Airlocked CRAU)

[serrata]

platform arrival

[ Yuuri's immediate thought is, of course, that this must be some sort of bizarre dream. The immediacy of it has her wonder if she's just halfway to waking up and more aware than usual of her brain switching gears mid-dream. The thought only survives as long as it takes for a cloud of cool breath to fog out from her mouth and for the light sting of being peppered with hailstones to register and then Yuuri abruptly realises that this isn't a dream. And if this isn't a dream, if she's really here and on her own and not home where she belongs, then...

The blind panic at this realization only gets to last for about two seconds before Yuuri crams it into a box in the back of her head to think about (or more likely, not think about until she has an anxiety attack) later. Right now, her first priority is finding whoever's responsible for bringing her here and shaking them upside down by the ankles until they send her home.

... Well, maybe going that far is a bit much but she's pretty far from being in a diplomatic mood right now.

Which is why, if you're on the platform and you look even a little bit like you know what's going on, you'll find a young woman in an orange hoodie marching up to you, with a tight lipped and slightly harassed looking smile on her face. ]

Excuse me. [ She sounds polite enough but it's... Business Polite. An "I'm white hot with anger and defaulting to politeness so I don't lose my shit" kind of polite. We're coping. ] I couldn't talk to you for a moment, could I?

on the train

[ It takes a while for Yuuri to actually convince herself to get on the train. If she'd been alone here, she might have gone and risked trying to just get out through the station exit in the hopes of getting home that way, but... She's not. As much as it makes her ill to actually get onto the train and settle down like any other passenger, she really feels as though she doesn't have a choice. She holds her breath as the train departs, still wanting to believe that this is just a dream. But then the colours of the void flood in from the window and with a hard, angry breath, Yuuri stands up from her seat and gets exploring.

First order of business, of course, is to rip the SCA right the hell off her arm and find Cabin 5-A so she can just toss it on her bed and forget all about it. If she sees someone else actually in there, though, she looks startled and freezes in the doorway with an expression almost like she's expecting to get into trouble. ]

Oh, I'm... I didn't expect anyone else to be in here. I'm not disturbing you, am I?

[ Anyway, with that out of the way, Yuuri gets to looking around for real this time. She spends a little time in the quiet carriage just going through the information on the ICP and every now and then, she scoffs in either annoyance or disbelief at what she's hearing. Rii-san Is Not Happy.

Now she's all brushed up on the ICP info, she can get to what really concerns her: the food stores. Anywhere there's food stored on the train, you'll find Yuuri inspecting it with a dubious look on her face; she even seems to be counting quantities under her breath. If she hears someone approach, she look up and very quickly give a distracted smile. ]

Sorry! I'll be out of your way in just a minute. Oh, but first... You don't happen to know where all this food actually comes from, do you?

[ Aside from that, she'll generally just be exploring with a mutinous look on her face... Until she gets to thegarden car at least. That gets her to drop her guard a little at last and she makes her way in slowly, looking caught off guard and a little awed all at once. ]

But... How would this...?

Re: Yuuri | School-Live! (Airlocked CRAU)

[tactlesstantei]

[Masumi was exploring the train as well, taking the time to look around each carriage to get an idea of her new surroundings. Eventually she made it to the food stores, only to find that she wasn’t the only one there.]

“I don’t know. I’m still new to this train too, so I haven’t seen how they get the food.”

[The question caught her a bit off guard, but it did make sense. It had to come from somewhere, after all.]

Kitty Pryde | OTA

[goingthroughaphase]

A. The Platform

With the train coming to a stop and the doors opening, Kitty had been excited to walk around a bit and get some air. Even with as big as the train is, it was still a bit narrow and cramped, so getting a chance to stretch her legs a bit.

That plan was cut short when she noticed the hail coming down.

So, instead of stepping out, she stood in the doorway of the train, and any confused person she'd see would hear her calling out, "Hey! If you wanna get out of the hail, you might wanna come inside!"

B. Music Carriage

When she realized that there was a new carriage to the train, Kitty had gone to check it out after the train's departure. What she found wasn't what she had expected, but she was excited for it nonetheless.

Currently she stood in front of one of the screens, browsing through the musical library. There were a lot of different songs, though, so it could take a while. Anyone else who might be waiting for a turn may need to say something.

C. Wildcard

Kitty was walking throughout the entire train, checking up on people. Whether you're a new passenger looking a little lost, or a familiar face looking a bit down, you might find yourself being approached by a concerned face as she asks, "Hey...how're you doing?"

< B >

[adregem]

Roland isn't sure if he's more impressed or more suspicious of the new music room. He won't look a gift horse in the mouth, but why? He knew of the survey in the ICP, but part of him continues to be doubtful of the Voidtrecker's generosity. He crosses his arms, noticing the presence in the room but goes about his business for now, studying the variety of instruments laid in a neat arrangement.

Was this a smokescreen? Something to placate the folks onboard because of the recent murder? Or the blackout that caused everyone to panic? A way to stave off the voidsickness? He jots it down immediately on his journal, already thick with his notes.

When he moves to the screen showing the music library, he waits patiently for the young woman to finish. But after five minutes have passed...he decided he ought to say something in case there was something important she may have discovered. With one hand carrying an open journal, and the other resting against his hip, Roland speaks from behind her.

"Excuse me, ma'am? Did you find anything noteworthy I could take a look at?"

...Yes, he is far too serious for a place as chill as a music room.

Roland Crane | Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom | OTA

[adregem]

01: On the Train, in front of an on-board shop screen.
[ As soon as the ICP announces the update on passenger points, Roland immediately checks the roster for his name, then jogs over to the nearest terminal for the train's shop. He pointedly ignores the merchandise and finds what he's been saving up for: the Pets. But the man's youthful face is nothing but a show of disappointment, expression all too clear. ]

Dammit. Short by 7. [ He rubs his face, but his determination is quite clear from the way he moves as he takes his ticket out of the socket. He will get a Higgledy. After his talk with Inigo...He might actually need their strength to save more people, if need be. ]

[ Roland jolts and maneuvers himself out of the line. He turns to whoever is closest to him, expression back to normal. ] Sorry. Please go ahead.


02: On the Platform
[ Dressed in his team's purple colors, complete with a coat for the hail, Roland watches the solemn march of those being called out of the Voidtrecker and sighs deeply. His voice comes out as a slight yet audible murmur. ] And if I followed them out, then what? No, too risky. The welcome pamphlets were pretty clear not to do anything rash. [ He turns his wrist, exposing his SCA. ] This'll stop me anyway.

[ It's almost surreal. A month ago, he was on a platform no less cramped and mysterious as this. Now, he's slept in the train, chatted with its folks...Now, he's part of its tale. His youthful face betrays the whirling of his thoughts. But the hail is cold and the fog was uninviting, so he uncrosses his arms and does his duty, for now. ]

Hey, you should come onboard soon. You might catch cold in this weather.


03: Surprise!Wildcard
[ HIT ME BABY ONE MORE TIME ]

2

[longforgottenpromise]

I think it will. [A soft sad voice from next to him, as he watches his roommate leave, watches Yuki leave. He needs to find Inigo, he won't be alright.]

I wonder where they go.

[He'd like to think home. But he doesn't trust this train or whatever forces were behind it.]

Nita's Toplevels For All Occasions!

[unfavorableinstigation]

Morning - Luggage Carriage - Pre-Platform

It was dark. The last moments of wakefulness flitted through Nita's mind - Juanita Louise Callahan, you are wanted in the control coach-

She jerked awake, eyes widened against nothing. 'Bobo?'

/I am here,/ came the familiar voice, quicker than she'd hoped, even. /And before you ask, no, I do not know where we went. If we even went anywhere./

Nita swore and, without thinking, made to sit up with force-

And then there was only blackness again.

/... Oh dear./ The peridexis sighed to itself and began waiting for someone to take notice that their wizard had returned.

In the meantime, it sought out a now-familiar presence, with a question to ask that it didn't really expect an answer to: Do you receive any distinction between those who are intended to leave at the next platform, and those who are merely 'disappeared' for an unspecified period of time? Or are you as in the dark as the rest of us?/

That Bobo found the matter annoying itself seemed a common enough view to leave off for now.

In The Medbay - OTA! Please specify if pre- or post-Platform.

A plethora of healers onboard or no, a concussion was a concussion, and Nita was informed in no uncertain terms that she was to take it seriously.

Which meant bedrest. As much as it bothered her, however, it was also an opportunity to catch up on what she'd missed.

And, after arriving at the platform, an opportunity to read through her subscribed magazines.

"Maybe they'll mention something about how void sickness was conquered in here sometime..."

The peridexis, again, had its own questions for the train: /Was that report the first transmission from the void ministry you've received? Can they be intercepted? Could you issue your own broadcasts, if need be?/

Nighttime

Seeing how people reacted to the switch from vibrant colors to absolute nothing outside was always interesting.

Assuming, of course, that Nita didn't fall asleep herself!

The peridexis, meanwhile, had itself one last round of pointed questions for the train: /How deeply were you involved with the last Voidtreckers team, and how badly did it go, if you're choosing to be this 'hands-off' with us?/

Wildcard - the next few days

[Nita can be found all around the train once she's allowed to lave Medbay. Open to roommates, anyone inspecting the Standard Coach or the newer carriages, and to anyone in Stores trying to talk to the engine wall. Or if someone wants to pester her with questions about the control coach over mealtime.

Will match format and tense as you prefer!]

Medbay - Post-Platform! :D

[adregem]

Roland realizes too late that he may have overestimated the youthful body he had been granted. Too long out in the cold and hail caused his throat to itch, and he immediately recognizes the stirrings of the sniffles - the absolute worse case scenario when you're stuck in a confined space for an extended amount of time with other people breathing the same air as you.

His strides are long, determined to nip the bug in the bud. It doesn't take long for him to get simple medicine, but he hears something interesting. Something that catches his attention, ears sharp and mind always whirring for a way to connect the dots of his latest adventure.

He finds Nita bedridden, and a part of him hopes he isn't disturbing her too much.

"Maybe through music?" Roland comes into view, one hand in his pant pocket, eyebrow quirked up. "Why else would we suddenly have a new music room now, conveniently after the train tells us we're all apparently voidsick?" He shakes his head, but does not forget his manners. "I apologize if you were needing your rest. I couldn't help but overhear, is all."

Close CR only, please: Eva, Luke, Inigo, Joss and Kumoko, unless we discussed something.

[sensitiveapple]

Sleeper 3 Cabin C

Misa hears the announcement and just continues brushing her hair. She's not going out, and she's not going to face people. Another night of nightmares behind her, and she can't. The purple under her eyes is growing a bit more prominent than any courtesan should allow it to be. She just wants to sleep.

Instead of going out on the platform, she'll be in her bunk, trying to get some more sleep and failing at it miserably.

Dressing:

Once the train is back in the Void, Misa will quietly retire to her web hammock. She's taking tiny stitches in her blue dress, adding gold flowers with dark blue stems to it. Her hair is down, and she's exhausted. Sometimes she'll nod off, but she'll jump right back up.

Sleeper 3 Cabin C

[mtsilver_conquor]

Eva's not sure if Misa's still in the cabin, but it's wise to check first before she goes looking for her, with the ICPs a last case resort.

There's a knock at the door before Eva pokes her head in, but otherwise doesn't enter the cabin. "Hey. Is now a good time?"

There's an understanding tone to it though. She knows Misa's been having trouble sleeping and maybe she should have tried for one of the few psychic pokemon known to eat dreams. Too late for that now.

[restoredhonor]

Platform

Zuko cracks open his eyes, having been resting them during the trip on Appa. This is not the grand staircase, nor the receiving area in front of the palace, and these people around are not his sister.

Golden eyes look around and then down at himself. Purple. Why is he wearing purple?! There’s a weight on his back and he reaches back and finds the familiar hilt of his broadswords. That’s comforting. He has those, but where is Katara? Where is Appa?

He takes a deep breath in, letting it out. He’s prepared. He has his swords.

Zuko sees people. People disembarking from the metal train ahead of him. Alright. He’s not sure when the Fire Nation got metal trains, but he’ll admit to being away for long enough not to know anything. If it’s anything like the Earth Kingdom trains, it has a specific destination.

No panicking.

Turning, he sees some people leave, show something and then disappear beyond the barrier. A quick search of his bag and his pockets reveals the same type of thing that the others showed. Alright, so that’s his way to get out of here.

But when he does it, it doesn’t work. He can’t get close to the barrier to show his ticket and leave. All calmness flies away and he slams his fist into the barrier. That hurt. So, it’s a physical thing. Dammit! Where the hell is he?

He yells and slams a wall of fire into the barrier, dispersing it when it rears back on him. He knows better. He does. But right now, this place is taking him away from something much more important than whatever this place is.

But then it strikes him. The spirit world. Could it be? No. Only the Avatar can enter the spirit world. Something he’s known for as long as he hunted Aang.

He turns, snarling. “What is this place?!” He snaps at the person closest. “Why won’t it let me go home?!”

Training Car

Zuko doesn’t like it. After slamming his rucksack in his room and putting on his broadswords, he stalks through the train. He’s careful in the garden and greenhouse, since disturbing earth might make Toph suddenly appear to kick his butt.

He finds the training car, and is wary of using his bending here because things look… flammable. And that’s not a good idea in a closed space. He knows that too. But that doesn’t mean he can’t work with his swords. So, he pulls them out, takes a deep breath, letting out smoke when he exhales. Then, he starts to move. Slowly at first, as he finds the confines to the car to be, well, confining. Then, once he’s got a feel for the car, he lets loose.

His movements are quick, precise… deadly. But they’re controlled, even as he loses himself in the fluid motions, he’s aware of his surroundings, and will stop to talk to whoever dares disturb him.

Training car

[thebiggestguy]

"You look like you need a better outlet than just swinging swords at the air."

Dread straightened up and turned full-forward again once he stepped through the door -- being a Roegadyn meant a life of the train being just that bit too small for him. He could feel the tension in here without even looking.

Uta | Tokyo Ghoul (CRAU Synodiporia)

[cannibalartist]

Platform - OTA
Uta squinted into the steam as he came to his senses, trying to figure out what had just happened. He was last in one of the rooms of his friends, and those were immune to the liminal shifts that occurred, so this was a bit jarring. He pulled his arms a bit closer to himself against the cold and wet. This was not something that the Arcana have done: the weather was always comfortable, even if the liminal space was not. As the steam cleared out, his suspicions were confirmed: he was no longer in liminal space. This train platform was far too mundane and far too small to be a liminal, and, again, he wasn't even in liminal space when this change happened. He was dozing comfortably in a sea of pillows with his friends...

He relaxed his face and looked at those around him, noting that all of the clothes were essentially the same. He glanced down at himself and noticed he was dressed the same - part of why he was so uncomfortable - and then started trying to examine the faces of those around him. Of those he could see he recognized none. This wasn't entirely uncommon, but it was a bit disorienting. All of the relationships he carefully curated were gone yet again and he'd have to start from scratch. He had to take a deep breath and close his eyes for a moment to calm himself down, though one of the other new arrivals could be forgiven if they mistook the action as trying to stay calm in the midst of this sudden predicament they were in.

After the train vets disembarked to do some damage control, Uta approached someone, doing his best not to surprise them. "Excuse me, do you know what station this is and where this train is going? I do not remember purchasing this ticket."

Sleeper 4, Room A - I'm open to whomever, but roomies makes most sense
Uta's discarded of his waterproofs in the dressing carriage and found his new room. He'd already picked an open bunk and was unpacking his backpack and putting his things away in his designated storage area. He seemed to be taking care to fold everything neatly and figure out how he wanted to organize his things. If someone were to enter as he's doing this he wouldn't greet them outside of a polite hello.

After he finished packing his things away, he would take a moment to look himself over, feeling the material of his clothes. His clothes shifted into a different outfit: something much more comfortable: a loose black long sleeve shirt with a very wide neck, a tank top underneath, a grey pair of harem pants, and a pair of black hightops of an unspecified brand, and silver metal in all of his piercings. The shirt was incredibly soft and just looked like it was the definition of comfortable. He started to pile the back of his hair and stuck a plain black hairstick through it, fastening it in place.

As he finished tying his hair up he heard someone come up behind him, so he turned as if he was about to leave. He smiled slightly and moved to the side so the person could enter. "There isn't much room in here, is there?" Not much privacy, either.

The Train
(This is the wildcard, find him anywhere but the kitchen. He will make it a point to make a cup of coffee at some point. Feel free to wrap Departure into this one, though he'll be more inclined to listen to the voice than to not.)

[knifewithnoname]

New day, new platform, new people. People have left as well, she wrinkled her nose as she watched them. Two of her roommates... Including Ignis. Tony would be sad. She would have to... She has no idea how to make him not sad. Maybe buy him chocolate?

But there were also new people to great. She quite liked the platforms. She liked knowing things and being the one with the answers. It was better than being confused and lost.

She blinked at the man who had approached her, wrinkling her nose slightly at his appearance. But there were plenty of strange people here so she just nodded.

Even though technically she didn't have any answers. "It do be being a station where people do be arriving on and they do no be knowing how they did be getting here. We do be going into the void and we will eventually be going to a different world to be helping it."

She grinned, "Nobody did be buying tickets. Or choosing to be coming here."

Tokidoki Rikugou | Amatsuki | OTA

[yokeye]

1. Platform

[At first, the cold goes unnoticed, but as the steam dissipates, he's suddenly sharply aware of the hail and the chill; of the platform and the new surroundings. The rucksack is too heavy and Toki lets it slide off his shoulder onto the platform with a dull thud. He looks down at his clothes, blue, too colourful like the rest of this... place. Not the fluorescent yellow-white of the hospital. He's somewhere new again... or had that not been real either? The notion hits him hard, and his breath comes in shallow gasps as the edges of his vision darken. He can't stand any longer and drops to his knees.

The slush soaks into the cargo pants, which are not his. Not that he remembers. The boots feel stiff and inflexible after having been barefoot for who knows how long. The perception of time is skewed as he focuses on breathing and trying to figure out how he's gotten here. Why. Had he messed up somehow? Had he never left the Void of Death in the first place? Or even before that? He'd thought he'd made it home, but now it already seems like a dream.]

What happened!?

[His voice is hoarse, having spent the last minutes in his own world, if is had been his, screaming and crying brokenly; sounds echoing in the hallway from both himself, and her. But now she's gone, the hospital's gone, that place he'd been sure was real, sure for the first time, is gone. He pressed the button; had that been wrong? Was it a test he failed?]


2. Information

[Oh my god. There's so much to read. The SCA information, the leaflets. This is hell. It's hell. After boarding the train, Toki drags his rucksack along behind him, one hand on the wall to support himself. He loosely holds the the leaflets in the other, trying to make sense of them. It's too much information and his brain is melting. He'll whine in frustration at whoever approaches or tries to pass him, weakly waving the leaflets.]

These aren't like, required reading, are they?


3. Cabin / 6A

a; scenario i

[Upon finding his assigned cabin, Toki gathers all of his strength to appear happy and even excited. He waves as he heads inside, throwing his rucksack on the nearest bunk, a feat which takes great effort.]

Hello~! This place is pretty neat, right!? I hope we can be friends!

[His carefully crafted introduction is ruined when he takes another step and promptly trips over his untied boots.]

b; scenario ii

[The cabin is empty when he gets there, and so he explores; going through whatever belongings are left from the other occupants. It's not really an invasion of privacy if he can reasonable say he didn't know said belongings weren't simply provided to him, like the ones in the rucksack.]


4. Wildcard
Anything goes! Start something or plot on plurk (hylidae), or discord

2

[jerkchicken]

[When the question is posed as Gyro tries to get by, he heaves a sigh. He cannot get a moment's peace anywhere, can he?]

Why wouldn't you read it? This train is clearly something unique, wouldn't you want to understand as much as you could?

[onehandsomeslickninja]

[Edge takes two steps onto the platform, sees what's going down, and immediately steps back onto the train. Sorry if you're someone he pushes past to get back in, but he isn't going out there. Not to deal with this, not today.]

[As the situation on the platform starts to wind down and the train draws closer to its exit, Edge can be found in the standard car. In his experience, a lot of new people tend to come here and sit; he's here to warn them not to look into the void, and offer a cheerful-seeming wave to any of the established passengers he knows (and tolerates). A good place to catch him if you want...]

[thiefmaster]

[ Zidane was just getting on board and into the standard car, when he does spy out the ninja. He has no problems giving Edge a friendly wave. ]

Zidane's my name. [ He removes the hood off his head to reveal his own face. ] I take it you've been here a while?

[badassfreakingoverlord]

The moment a music car appeared, Zetta conceived of the perfect plan. At last, he'd get the respect he deserved through the power of a kickass soundtrack accompaniment! Laughing wickedly, he ordered his minions to go raid the newfound car, while he made preparations for a station arrival in style.

Cut to the steam-blanketed platform, and the train doors abruptly disgorging two lines of minions, who formed up on each side of the door to form a procession of honor. As they stood at stiff attention, the book slowly emerged, smirking mightily as his least-inept minion carried him off the train and between the two lines of servitors.

Halfway through, the minions exploded into action, whipping out the instruments they'd purloined and breaking into ominous and dangerous music, worthy of an Overlord!

It honestly could have gone better.

After a horrible, soul-crushing minute which left Zetta in ghost-white shock, he finally dropped a truck on all of them and mercilessly put the performance(s) to an end.

"Okay, let's all pretend that never happened," he said, to anyone nearby.

[sos_pilot]

Della's not soulless. She'll give a polite, if strained, golf clap.

"... A for effort?"

[10billionpercent]

I. The Platform.

It had been a very, very long time since Senku wore something so synthetically made. He felt the urge to squirm a little and find wherever his clothes had gone, because they couldn't be far. Even when he'd been young, he wouldn't wear something like this. The hoodie wasn't bad, but the t-shirt against his skin was unnerving, after having nothing but deerskin to keep him warm.

The fog lifting and showing him to be in a crowd of people, only irritated him slightly. Weather aside, standing around doing nothing wasn't going to help the confusing situation he found himself in. This was a platform, so it must end. There must be a way off of it.

He was the kind of person who was going to ignore the train at first and wander off towards, presumably the edge.

II. The Train

"Voidspace?" Senku repeated when the message informed them where they were going. "That's fascinating."

What was voidspace? He'd be trying to look out of a window, for a preliminary investigation, even if there was supposedly nothing to see.

Cabin 7-B

Roommates, Senku thought as he opened the cabin and saw that it was going to be four beds.

Already that sounded a little exhausting, considering he was in a strange situation, without much of a clue as to how he got into it. He wasn't worried about the others, much, Chrome could carry the load if he vanished. Humanity would persevere.

"I'll take whatever you have left." He announced. "I don't care one millimetre about where I sleep."

Senku would even sleep on the ground somewhere, as he was accustomed to, so it wasn't much of a problem if his roommates decided they wanted his bed for some other purpose.

II

[les_magique]

"It is! I'd love to meet the people who built all this. They shoved us outside the universe like it was no big deal! And half the passengers don't even care!"

She'd first glanced at Senku because his hair kinda stood out, but something about the intense curiosity the boy gave off drew her into a conversation.

Undyne - Undertale [AU: Inverted Fate] - OTA

[exspeariment]

The Platform

Undyne's normal eye blinked as her robotic one booted up. Her vision was obscured by a white mist. Undyne's thoughts on whether that be by fog, steam, or something else was given a clue by the temperature.

Why was she back in Snowdin?! Where was the Determinator!? Where was the human?! Did the human actually decide to RESET to escape from her?!

Her robotic eye flared along with these questions, having finished booting up. She felt a weight on her back, though different than that of her flamethrower. She was about to investigate, when she noticed the fog beginning to clear.

Train tracks were faintly visible. Other figures were standing near her, most having seemingly human silhouettes, though others seemed like they might also be monsters.

This was not the Underground.

Her robotic eye flared up further. She gritted her teeth, and her eyebrows narrowed.

Everything is fine. Everything is fine. Everything is not fine at all.

She couldn't keep her promise anymore. She was so close to finally breaking the barrier, and setting everyone free. Yet now, that seemed impossible.

...No.

She wouldn't give up. She couldn't give up.

She'd find a way back. She'd take the human's SOUL, and break the barrier. Perhaps she could even take one of these humans' SOULs, saving Papyrus the heartbreak of losing his new human friend.

It'll be worth it. Everyone will finally be free. That's all that matters.

First, though, she needed answers. And these people might have them.

She stormed over to the nearest person, and summoned a spear, pointing it at them. "Answers. Now," she demanded.


The Train

After fruitlessly interrogating whoever she was speaking to, Undyne heard roaring, and turned to see a train arrive out of the fog, decorated in black and gold. The doors opened, and out stepped many people, most human, some not. Perhaps these people held the answers.

Leaving whoever she was interrogating, she sprinted towards the train, yet stopped short of boarding it. She felt a sense of dread, and a pull towards it, yet she refused to enter. She was determined to get answers, and not fall for whatever tricks these humans had. She stepped towards the nearest one that came from the train, and summoned a spear once more, pointing it at them. "Who are you?! Where is this place?!" she yelled at them, frustrated from the lack of answers previously.

She remained steadfast, even as the pull and feeling of dread grew.

Platform

[waywardking]

Unfortunately for Undyne, she picked someone who not only doesn't have the answers she seeks, but also can't see her intimidation technique and therefore was basically unfazed.

"Who's asking? I don't even know where we are."

Samata Mahto | Original | ota

[les_magique]

-Platform-

Samata, a dark skinned woman with a mechanical arm replacing her left arm, a red team hoodie, and a pointy wizard hat, peaked her head out of the doors of the train once they came to a stop and made a face. The weather looked pretty grim this time.

Well, what was the point of being able to twist the fabric of the universe in ways it wasn't meant to be twisted if you didn't do so to get out of minor inconveniences? She waved one hand in a few quick, precise passes, and said a nonsense word in a tone of command and a large, rectangular field of gently glowing blue energy appeared overhead, sheltering a chunk of the platform from hail. Only then, did she step out to see the new group.

"Good morning!"

The tone was one of clearly forced cheerfulness. They would all be angry and confused, and she didn't blame them.

-Departure-

As soon as the countdown began, Samata sat her ass down in the nearest seat. If she saw any of the new arrivals wandering about, she waved at them and pointed at another seat.

"The departures are a bit of a jostle. You'd best get seated as well, if you don't want to fall."

-Standard Coach-

Samata had been up for most of the previous night, working on her own projects, only returning to her room so that she didn't get rudely teleported into her bed in the middle of something. Then it was back up because today was new arrivals day and that was always a busy day!

Finally, fatigue had caught up with her, though. She was, at the moment, slouched in one of the seats with the book she had been reading on her face. She was also snoring.

Standard Coach

[jerkchicken]

At some point, Gyro got his hands on a pen and a notebook, and he was looking for a place where he could write down, sort out, and evaluate what he knew about this train so far. That place turned out to be in the seat beside Samata. A person who's asleep couldn't distract or annoy him.

The problem was that Gyro spoke to himself as he wrote, his verbal observations getting ahead of his written ones - and also getting louder as he went on.