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

Platform

[hashtagparkerluck]

Peter's not in the best mood by any stretch of the imagination but that isn't going to stop him from trying to be polite and helping anyone that needs it-especially if that person is a little girl.

He's careful about approaching and offers a friendly smile. "Hey, I'm Peter. Anything I can help you with?"

[deage]

Ai glances over Peter, taking in his appearance while trying to avoid staring. She knows better than to judge by appearances, but he's not setting off her sense for the Black Organization. Vermouth could probably disguise herself as him, but she doubts she had if she couldn't feel anything off him.

Was he part of the crowd aboard the train? She hadn't remembered any foreigners his age there. Still, she pressed on with a couple questions.

"I was wondering what happened to the Bell Tree Express. I just got off it, but..." She points towards the train at the station, as if stating the obvious, "That's a different train."

This would be easier if her head wasn't still a bit groggy. But she'd been running for her life, kidnapped, unkidnapped, tricked the Organization... it had been a long day.

[hashtagparkerluck]

"Yeah, it's not the Hogwarts Express either." Which he's still a little bummed about. "It's uh-called the Void Trecker Express-oh-you can probably read, huh?" How exactly to tell her what happened without they words 'lmao you were kidnapped.' "S-so uh... this train sorta uh.. picks people at random and brings them here." He points down to indicated the platform. "Because it needs help saving different worlds."

He probably sounds ridiculous but at least he didn't squeak at her like he had Buttercup. "Okay so, that probably sounds stupid. But this train really does travel to different worlds-it's really pretty cool most of the time."

[deage]

She's silent for a moment, trying to take all of this in. It's a lot of information... well, it's a large claim, at least. In her head, she's already thinking about how somebody could go about tricking people into believing that story to be truth.

It was a difficult sell. Both the claims... and the idea of somebody faking it, at least for longer than a day. Trains ran on tracks, after all, there was only so much you could do to disguise it as some otherwordly, world-hopping train. It might be different for a ship, but the facts were as presented.

Of course, the more obvious answer would be that he was lying, or that he'd been duped very recently.

After considering these points, she speaks. "Aren't you a little old to believe in things like that?" She ignores the fact that he appears about a decade older than her.

[hashtagparkerluck]

He just takes it in stride because there's anything Peter Parker is good at it, it's ignoring jabs and letting them roll right off his back. Usually. Sometimes the stupid things get stuck there and he has to deal with them later but he's sure that she's just scared and defensive and to her credit it does sound like a really stupid claim. He just shrugs.

"Okay, that's fair." He agrees with a small nod, his arms crossing over his chest and trying to ignore the rain. If he seems a little antsy it's probably because the hail is driving his senses crazy.

"I mean I don't really know what else to tell you. Because like-I guess you'll see when take off happens just make sure you're seated-it can be a little jarring." He advises. "But also, a world hopping train it hardly the weirdest thing I've dealt with in my life so I'm way more willing to believe it than probably a lot of people... are you sure you don't want to get out the hail? Doesn't it hurt?"

[deage]

"My concern about the weather is a lot less than my concern about this mysterious train," Ai answers honestly. And though she doesn't answer his question directly, the truth was that at this level the weather was more annoying than painful.

"And besides, I was with a group, they're probably worried about me." They had to be here, right? She was... JUST with them. "My name's Ai Haibara, if you've seen them looking for me...?"

[hashtagparkerluck]

She might have a point there. That or she didn't have a danger sense that really didn't like the hail. "O-okay, fair enough." He agrees, going back trying to ignore the hail. Isn't hail supposed to be dangerous? He supposed as long as it's only small pieces things should be fine.

"O-oh... well.. I don't know if they're here or not-but uh what do they look like? I might be able to tell you if I've seen them." If he exudes any kind of feeling it's just pure nervous energy.

[deage]

"It's a pretty big group." She closes her eyes for a second, trying to picture everybody who had been gathered on the Bell Tree Express. "Our adult chaperones are Dr. Agasa and Detective Mouri. An older heavyset man with graying hair and a large mustache and a middle-aged man with black hair and a trim mustache. There are three teenage girls- Ran Mouri, Sonoko Suzuki, and Masumi Sera. One of them has long brown hair, one has brown hair in a bob-cut, and the last has short black hair. And there are four other children. Edogawa, Yoshida, Kojima, and Tsuburaya. Three boys - one heavyset, one with glasses, and one tall with parted bangs - and one girl, wearing a hairband."

[hashtagparkerluck]

Peter listens carefully to the descriptions and grins when he recognizes two of those names at the very least.

"Oh hey! You're in luck! Conan and Ran are both here-I don't know exactly where but I do know they're around somewhere-Ran made cookies recently-they were pretty boss." He says casually, though he's still obviously tense. I could help you look for them?" He offers.

[deage]

So they are here. That's good. And if Conan and Ran were here, then the others... well, Peter was only one person, he'd probably missed them. If she could find Conan or Ran, she could get abreast on the situation - find out who else was here, and what they were really dealing with, separate the fact from fiction about this outlandish otherwordly train.

"I'd like to do that." Her word choices aren't very typical for a child, but hey, at least she's agreeing to his suggestion.

[hashtagparkerluck]

That's alright, Peter's not exactly typical himself. He doesn't seem bothered at all just nods rather than offer his hand because that'd probably be a little weird.

"Cool." He says encouragingly. "Oh, it's nice to meet you, by the way. Even considering the circumstances."

[deage]

"I don't know if I'd use nice to describe any part of this. But sure." Haibara being a grumpypants, as usual.

"Where would you suggest we start looking?"

[hashtagparkerluck]

"Idk, it can be pretty cool. Sometimes." He states matter-of-factly. He's still bummed about losing people but he trusts they just went home and they'll be okay. It was probably for the best.

"Um... well, I know Conan is super into mysteries so maybe the library? But also he'd probably be pretty curious about the noobs so... he at least is probs somewhere on the platform. Too bad he's so short and easily lost in a crowd-not that I can talk. I'm only like five eight."

[deage]

"It's true. He is a mystery geek. Especially if it involves Holmes." Does the library have Holmes? Probably not any more, if Conan frequents it. "But it sounds like the train doesn't stop much. You're right that he's more likely to be curious about the state of things outside the train."

Don't diss his height though. He's got like an inch on Haibara. And you've got like, 2 feet and then some, Parker.