A New Platform [Intro Post October]

[voidtreckermods]

On the Train

"Good morning passengers, it is day sixteen of the month of Horsehoe. Points have been updated on the system and new stock is available."

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. The first thing they may notice is that this platform is inside a basic shelter, making it warmer than the last couple at least.

As usual the first to leave the train notice nothing as they walk silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers. Adora, Alex Hashimoto, Catra, Cloud Strife, Elizabeth Midford, Feanor, Gerome, Gladiolus Amicitia, Glimmer, Ifrit, Isabella D’Oro, Maru, Nari Reno, Noctis Lucis Caelum, Prompto Argentum, Scorpia, Siobahn Chereshei, SXT-2, Tamamo-no-Mae, Tony Stark, Uta, Zidane Tribal

But on the platform itself there are many new faces. Wearing hoodies in all four colours 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 gloomy, even without the steam and fog. They are in a wooden building, open to the tracks on one side. It in a creaky shelter, cobwebs hang from the rafters and there is a peculiar whistle as wind finds its way through the cracks.

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 gloom 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.

A new carriage has been added, those that go to investigate will find a room full of lockers, designated as the Armoury. Even for passengers without weapons it is somewhere to secure possessions. There are instructions on how to use the lockers and enough for everyone to claim one.

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

[ramengroupie]

Not anymore.

[ All is well with the world, for Wormmon is atop Ken-chan instead of within a bag. ]

....Our arrival here surprised us. We'd aimed to travel elsewhere, but....

[ ...as you can see...

...that did not occur. ]

[stillnewatthis]

Appearing here coincided with other travel? [The way they put it, she imagined something more complex than simply walking, or even airplane travel.]

[ramengroupie]

[ Ken gestures to Wormmon. ] We aren't from the same world. Normally, I can open gates from one of our worlds to the other.

[ He turns his palms out at his sides, in an "I got nothing" gesture. ]

We landed here instead.

[stillnewatthis]

Interplanetary travel is a remarkable ability to possess! Performing such a feat in a reasonable amount of time is beyond even the most advanced technology.

[ramengroupie]

They're not planets, exactly....

Hey. Ken-chan, did you know there's a TRAIN?

[ .....yeah, Wormmon had been panicking earlier. And not particularly alert.

But now he is pointing, in case somehow anyone here could have missed the presence of the LARGE GLEAMING VOID TRAIN. ]

[stillnewatthis]

Oh, yes. That is our home for now. You will have a spot in a sleeper cabin there!

[ramengroupie]

In other words, we've been summoned to ride the train.

[ Ken here with the elevator speech for the jamjar. Thanks, genius.

Wormmon continues to stare with wide eyes at the train. He has seen ones like this in books, but never ridden one! ]

[stillnewatthis]

That is correct. The train will take us to other worlds, where we are expected to aid the people there!

[ramengroupie]

...Again.

[ Ken lowers his eyes, thinking about this. Wormmon turns away from the train to watch Ken-chan think.

Wormmon spends most of his life watching Ken-chan think.

Fortunately it's like. A favorite hobby. ]

[stillnewatthis]

You have ridden such a train before?

[Orisa misunderstands 'again', but then again, guessing what Ken possibly means is a crapshoot at best, right?]

[ramengroupie]

[ Drat, he'd said that out loud. Ken hurries to explain. ]

Not a train. We've traveled to other worlds.

Ken-chan and I are from different worlds to begin with! But now we get to be together aaaaaaaall the time. Right~?

Right.

[ Wormmon practically preens. Best answer ever. ]

[stillnewatthis]

Oh, that is remarkable! So this is not strange to you.

[ramengroupie]

Some of it.

Is this YOUR first time changing worlds?

[ Wormmon looks at Orisa curiously. It has just occurred to him: she is tough and big and powerful, but if Wormmon has gone between worlds before and she never had before arriving on this train,

does that make him senpai? ]

[stillnewatthis]

Yes it is. Earth does not have such technology! Our only means of travel to other worlds would be by spaceship, and this is highly infeasible for most.

[Even in the fuuuuu~uuuuture, the most mankind had really done is a moonbase.]

[ramengroupie]

[ WORMMON IS SENPAI

AMAZING

HE SHALL BASK IN THIS KNOWLEDGE AND ATTEMPT TO THINK OF SOMETHING EXTREMELY WISE TO SAY

Meanwhile, Ken-chan states the obvious. ]

You're from Earth...

[ And there are spaceships, actual ones?

--Though. Isn't their real world just one of many potential parallel worlds, laid atop each other? By that logic, Orisa could very well be from one of those. ]

[stillnewatthis]

Yes, that is correct. If you are as well, it is likely I am from a period of time ahead of yours. This has been the case for many other people here.

[ramengroupie]

So there are Digimon?

[ This is the most important factor. Their world is getting more and more used to having Digimon around! The future had better be full of humans and Digimon interacting together. Otherwise Wormmon might not be able to see Ken-chan all the time, and that would be sad.

Ken also thinks Wormmon has hit on a key question, just...for different reasons. ]

[stillnewatthis]

That is not a term I am familiar with.

[Orisa has not been programmed with that much in the way of pop culture references, even for her own time.]

[ramengroupie]

No Digimon....

[ Ken feels he needs to interject before Wormmon gets too sad about this. ] Ah, our world made contact with another. If yours hasn't done this, it's possible we're from parallel Earths, instead.

[ Thus the presence of Boy PLUS Bug. ]

[stillnewatthis]

That is a possibility raised by others here as well. It seems unlikely, but so does appearing on a train platform the way we all have, so I don't think we can discount anything at this point.

[ramengroupie]

That's true.

[ Ken looks around, taking his bearings. ]

We've really no options but to board, do we.

[stillnewatthis]

[Orisa's eyeshields shift, dropping the slits of light coming from behind them into a sadder expression.]

I am afraid that is correct. We have no other option.

[ramengroupie]

[ Oh, Wormmon does not like the looks or sound of that!

Though his worries are rather...personalized. ]

Is the train scary?

[stillnewatthis]

[Orisa ponders that question, eyeshields whirling in a complete circle as she does.]

I am not scared by it. But I am a combat omnic, and don't scare easily. However, you are not alone on the train. You will have friends and people you can trust. Even if you are scared, that will make things better.

[ramengroupie]

[ This does reassure Wormmon. Friends are really, really great.

In fact, because Ken-chan could always use more friends.... ] That's good! Hey, will you be our friend, too?

[ Ken feels like maybe this is where he should say something. But he doesn't want to pressure the...'combat omnic'? She's made for fighting? Her attitude, however.....so he'll wait to see how Wormmon's suggestion is received. ]