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

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"Something like 20 people. And something like that were there, too. Couldn't be more circle-of-life if I was waving a lion cub over all of its future food."

[unfavorableinstigation]

To that, Nita could only let her magazine drop and shake her head slowly.

"That... is that the most we've lost at one time since this thing started, you think?"

Everyone had probably known someone who'd left, with those proportions.

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"Eh, maybe. I'd bet the proportion stays the same, though." The larger the crowd gets, the more people they could lose without it being a huge chunk.

[unfavorableinstigation]

Nita feels herself settle back where she's sitting on the sleeping bag, her shoulders slumping.

"No kidding. And this all started with ten people- well, what's happening to us started with ten people. Who knows about previous teams?"

It's not intended as a proper question; she may as well be asking the train itself, for all the good it'd do.

[badassfreakingoverlord]

Zetta turned a glare on her. "Hey, quit worrying about it. If you're not gonna let me fix you, then you're not allowed to strain your brain."

[unfavorableinstigation]

Nita might be missing a step in his logic, there.

"Wait, I thought you were going to get someone to do a surgery, not do it yourself!"

... Hypothetically, anyway; she wasn't expecting any surgery to happen.

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"I automatically assumed you'd reject my personal methods!"

Ordinarily, assuming... well, you know. But in Zetta's defense, he was Zetta.

[unfavorableinstigation]

"Which... aren't surgery? Not that I wouldn't stick to the bed-rest, myself, but still."

Zetta be Zetta; Nita be Nita.

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"Right. I'd invite you to my party, and once you accepted, any damage to you would translate to a decrease in your hit points, which I would then heal."

Video game logic!

[unfavorableinstigation]

"... Gotta say, that's a new one on me."

She's just surprised, now. As opposed to, say, annoyed.

"You sure that one can't be reverse-engineered, to work with other systems?"

That were, say, less video-game-y? Don't let her do the science, Zetta. It's not worth it.

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"Of course not. That's the basic foundation of everything! It's mana power's most inherent function!"

Come on, Nita, you're supposed to be the smart one!

[unfavorableinstigation]

"... Would there be a multiverse if it was that simple, though?"

Nita leans forward, curious, though she carefully moves her magazine out of the way so it doesn't get crinkled up.

"If I diagrammed a spell to work with it, would the systems mesh well, or would there be an explosion or something?"

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"Magic is just a manifestation of mana power! Mana power is all about altering reality. Some people alter reality by using invocations and willpower to invoke specific effects. Others of us alter reality by making our punches destroy the fabric of time and space from sheer power. It's all mana power in the end, though!"

[unfavorableinstigation]

"... What else can you alter about someone, if they're in your party?"

Is she seriously considering this? Perhaps. Should she seriously consider this? ... Debatable.

Is she unknowingly tapping on other problems on the train (particularly concerning someone's fixed aage)? Yes.

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"Hey, being part of my party is just giving you the basics. It's up to you to develop more. Like you're already a wizard, so basically that'd just put your spells on an even playing field." Assuming she had any violent spells. Zetta had to wonder.

[unfavorableinstigation]

Nita gave him a sharper look this time.

"What sort of firepower do you think I have?"

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"I'm guessing you mostly have utility spells and stuff and no real actual attack spells."

Which made no sense to Zetta, but then, humans in general didn't.

[unfavorableinstigation]

The Flat Look continues...

"The only spell I have named after me concerns nuclear physics."

She wasn't going to show it off, for hopefully-obvious reasons, but. But.

"And you'd be surprised how a tempora-spatial claudication can be reappropriated."

Or maybe not.

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"Nerd," Zetta shot back, practically reflexively.

[unfavorableinstigation]

Nita snorted.

"Doesn't it usually take one to know one?"

Take that, Zetta!

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"If you know I'm a book, does that make you a book?" Zetta countered. "Or is it just blatantly obvious?"

[unfavorableinstigation]

"I don't recall book and nerd being exchangeable words," Nita snarked.

"But I'll leave that logic up to you."

This is much more engaging than just focusing on rest&recuperation, though. At another time she might have thanked Zetta for that.

Buuut maybe that would be a little too much strangeness.

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"It's the same principle, damn it! Your rule of takes-one-to-know-one doesn't WORK!"

Zetta certainly wasn't intentionally helping Nita. The thought hadn't occurred to him. But yelling solved everything, didn't it?

[unfavorableinstigation]

"I think I'd know if I was a book," Nita deadpanned. Sometimes keeping a level head was the best way to handle things. Sometimes.

"Nerd, at least, I've been called before."

By friends, not just bullies, so it's not as if it's just the one context she's drawing from...

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"It's pretty damn obvious." Even Zetta could tell! And he was, well, Zetta!