A New Platform [Intro Post September]

[voidtreckermods]

On the Train

The days after the holiday on Jema’Grethy tick away until they are awoken one morning. "Good morning passengers, it is day one of the month of Horsehoe. 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. When the doors open it is to snow, crunchy beneath their feat and falling from the sky in a light flurry.

As usual the first to leave the train notice nothing as they walk silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers. Alice Liddell, Arataka Reigen, Dread Thunderstorm, Duo Maxwell, Fandaniel, Guy Cecil, Kaito Kuroba, Khardeen, Rainbow Dash, Sarai Thunderstorm, Victor Creed, Xiao Xingchen, Yuna, Yuuri Wakasa. They crunch through the snow, not stopping for anyone.

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, as snow flurries around them, coating the ground around them in white.

They are standing, in clothes that are not their own, styles they might not even recognise. They are carrying a rucksack on their back. For a moment it seems to just be them, alone in the white haze but then the steam begins to fade and they realise they aren’t alone.

The platform is not large and it holds twenty five 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, with… teddy bear shaped luncheon meat being the main ingredient to be found. There are plenty of other staples including a lot of fish caught from their island holiday.

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

A new carriage has been added, those that go to investigate will find a library. A double carriage it has a less formal, comfy downstairs fiction area and a more serious study library upstairs. It is devoid of books, though hopefully those who have bought books before will slowly begin to fill it.

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 braving the snow 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

[adropofsunlight]

"Before we got this library we didn't have many books either, only way to get anything was to pay for it after all." So as she looked over she was thinking that really no new books were added and instead this was what there was of the small one they had before.

"Some I'm not sure you can learn from and are more stories though. They are interesting stories, I might add." She didn't though understand what he meant by reconstructing. Like rebuilding it or something? How would he do that exactly?

"How exactly do you copy?"

[guru_clef]

"I used a magic called Bending on my eyes to store text my eyes encounter as though the text were items and my eyes gems. The spell then deposits the collected text into the blank tome I have created. When I am done there will be two copies, the original which I shall leave here, and one that I may keep for my own records or donate if it is of a subject not useful to mu current fields of research. There is always something to be learned from any book, story or otherwise. It just might not always be the area of focus you are currently investigating. And I am willing to buy more books to copy and share if someone could inform me how to do so."

[adropofsunlight]

She simply sat there and listened to what he had to say. Okay for the current moment it didn't make a whole lot of sense, but she also knew and put it down to it was his world's version of magic and that was okay. She didn't have to get it 100% sometimes.

"So you read, remember and then copy it onto a new parchment? Am I getting that correct?"

[guru_clef]

"I read, the spell remembers and copies, but ultimately yes," he agreed with a warm smile.

[adropofsunlight]

"The spell remembers and not you?" She can't say that she fully understands, she just knows that it is useful at least. People at least here would surely think of it as extremely useful.

"I think I understand how it works then. Sounds like a really good spell."

[guru_clef]

"Ideally we both do, but for the copy, the spell's retention is the one of note."

[adropofsunlight]

"Okay, I think I understand." Or about as much sense as she could muster. But she understood other worlds have vastly different things. So she just put it down to simply magic.

"So you are really planning to do that with all the books we currently have? Or just the ones that have information in them?"

[guru_clef]

"All of the non fiction at the least, as well as any books I purchase that I wish to add to the common store of knowledge." Given his role as a teacher, that would be most if not all of them.

[adropofsunlight]

"I figured, having the non-fiction books be copied makes a lot of sense for those who might wish to read and learn themselves." Wouldn't have made much sense for fiction unless it was very popular or something.

[guru_clef]

"In my roles as teacher, Guru, and Ascended, I have come to appreciate aids that make it easier for others to learn." And despite what his son thinks, books are the best way to learn, experience was good as an aide but not as a first last and only step.

[adropofsunlight]

"So the three titles you have are all different then?" she didn't know what they were at least. But she did understand learning at least, but she didn't have books to do that back in the tower. Minus the three she did have.

"I agree, though at the same time I find people can learn without the use of a book. Self-taught I think it's called. But I do understand how useful books can be."

[guru_clef]

"Teacher is a task I fulfilled both as a Guru and as an Ascended. Guru was primarily my title in Ceiphro, and I served the Princess directly while I was there. I taught her and her brother as they grew up. In Nautilus, there were some who called me Guru, but the title I earned there, was Ascended. Actually there are multiple kinds of Ascended, and I did achieve multiple ranks within that, but Ascended is a reasonable catch-all given those ranks carry little meaning here."

"Self taught has its limits. If you first learn from the previous mistakes of others, you can find new ones to make yourself, and then teach those. Thus together the sum of what we know increases and as a culture, we progress."

[adropofsunlight]

Rapunzel stayed quiet the whole time, listening and nodding as he explained things. She was happy that he was and not thinking little of her because of it. But for her it was her way to learn.

"I understand being self taught myself that there are limits, but what about those that only have that option?"

[guru_clef]

"Then it is the job of myself and those like me to find and aid those people, to offer our services as teachers. People who have never been given the chance to have proper teachers have not failed, they have been failed. And if you have been thus failed, on behalf of gurus everywhere..." he bowed deeply. "I appologize. And I offer my services to you for as long as we both are here."

[adropofsunlight]

"Oh, you don't need to apologize. I wouldn't honestly say any guru failed me. I doubt many would have known given how my mother way. So it would have been more her fault than anyone and I understand that what she did was a bad thing." So to her he didn't need to say sorry anyway.

[guru_clef]

"We failed you because we allowed such a thing to happen then, because we failed to find you. But we are together now, and as I said, I offer you lessons should you choose to avail yourself of them." You aren't his son, so you actually get a choice. Link gets lessons, even though he does not want them.

[adropofsunlight]

"My mother was very good at making sure I didn't leave and making sure the world was as terrifying as could be. That's really no one's fault but hers."

So she was sure she made sure people from the outside obviously didn't know where they were. After all where she lived, it was pretty much in the middle of nowhere with rock walls all around and the only way in or one was one place.

[guru_clef]

"Well now you are here," he offered.

[adropofsunlight]

"I guess I have a question. What do you teach exactly or is it a broad type of thing?" She figured she might as well ask at least.

[guru_clef]

"Any number of subjects. My specialty is magic, however I have taught all manner of other subjects including reading and writing in the case of my son."

[adropofsunlight]

"You have a son? What are they like?" She knew it was at least a good way to get to know someone right?

[guru_clef]

"He is wonderful. Brave... to a fault, actually. But he is sweet and caring and loves pretty much everyone. He doesn't exactly love school work, but he mostly puts up with it for me."

[adropofsunlight]

"That sounds sweet. I assume that they aren't here with you?" Which she wondered if that would be a good thing they aren't here or not, mostly because of what they do on the train with missions.

[guru_clef]

"So far only one member of my family seems to be, and she sadly does not remember me. One of my friends is here as well, and thankfully she does."

[adropofsunlight]

"I'm sorry to hear about the first one, but I'm glad you have someone you know who knows who you are."