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

[myblueskies]

Romeo's eyes widen. That is a lot of name. Will that even fit on the sign? He looks at the paper. It will definitely have to be two lines!

"That's a lot of names, mister Ken. Are you sure they are all for the same person?"

Surely one person didn't need all those names!

[ramengroupie]

Ken is sure, but he also has a potential solution in mind. Given how the person in question had reacted to his full name...

"I think he prefers being called 'the Professor'. Putting just that on the sign would probably be fine."

That isn't putting words in the other man's mouth, right? That's how the Professor had introduced himself. The other sign will still be there, for strict accuracy.

[myblueskies]

"Oh okay!" He nodded, "There's already someone who likes just being called the Doctor so maybe some grown ups just don't like their names."

Grown ups are weird sometimes, often.

[ramengroupie]

"Maybe."

Wormmon's name changes based on what form he's in, so he has a slightly different perspective on this whole thing. Confident that Romeo will be able to handle "Professor", he scoots his way back over to the pile of art supplies.

Ken-chan is working really hard at the cranes, but Wormmon's name is not on the sign yet. So while Romeo adds the Professor's name, Wormmon will pick out a really good purple so Ken-chan can write "Wormmon".

[myblueskies]

Romeo focuses on writing "Professor" as neatly as he can though he grins when he sees Wormmon looking through the purple colours.

"I bet mister Ken knows how to write Wormmon really good, I bet he knows lots of words."

[ramengroupie]

"I try," Ken says modestly. Dear him, though. He's made. Far too many cranes. He got into the rhythm and just relaxed into it....

Hopefully there will be room for all of these on the sign - not that he's sure how they're going to attach them, anyway. Maybe Romeo will want some for his own cabin....?

In any case, Wormmon has selected the Best Purple Crayon (it has glitter in the wax), and waddles it over. "Here."

Ken is a patient young man who can wait his turn. Romeo shouldn't feel rushed about his part of the sign.

[myblueskies]

He's almost finished, just a few more letters and... there! Professor is written nice and neatly. He turns the paper towards Ken so he can write the write way up. Writing upside down is very tricky!

He grins at Wormmon, approving of the glittery purple crayon, everything is better with glitter!

"I think we got some glue somewhere so we can stick your cranes on!

[ramengroupie]

"I can make things sticky if you can't find it," volunteers Wormmon as Ken takes ownership of the crayon. Ken shifts the paper a little more - Romeo had been right; writing this way is more convenient - and begins to trace out WORMMON in careful, precise print.

Unlike both of them, Ken is doing something a little different: he's writing the word very lightly, to make sure he has room, and then going back and pressing down more. His touch on the crayon is still light, however. No squished crayons from Ichijouji Ken!

[myblueskies]

Wow! Ken is so good at this! He is some sort of expert crayon master! Romeo watched him with wide eyes as the purple glittery letters began to deepen in colour.

"You can make sticky things, Wormmon?"

[ramengroupie]

Wormmon does the bug equivalent of preening, which mostly just looks silly. "Yeah! It's my special move!"

And he produces a single strand of sticky silk from his mandibles, to demonstrate. He will be careful not to get it on anything, though! It would be awful if he gunked up the sign.

"Like that."

Ken is nearly done with his part of the sign. They have one name left....

He's here. He'll add it. But not with the purple crayon, though, he has a feeling Wormmon wants his own name to stay special.

[myblueskies]

"Wow!"

That's a great special move! It must be really useful. He grinned at Ken over the paper. "One more! Do you know who the last person is called? What colour do you want?" He also thought Wormmon would want to be the only one in Ken's favourite colour and Ken the only one in Wormmon's favourite...

"I can find it for you!"

[ramengroupie]

"Cassandra Cage." Whom Ken has yet to really speak to, and feels sort of bad about that. "I don't know her preferred colors...."

"What about using YOUR favorite color?" Wormmon asks Romeo. Though maybe he's already done that for Adam or the Professor. If he has, they have a conundrum!

Because their last roommate is purple team and WORMMON IS ALREADY PURPLE ON THE SIGN.

[myblueskies]

"Oh she is really nice." He doesn't really know her either, but he's seen her around. "And she's a really strong fighter!"

So he's sure that Ken and Wormmon will be safe under her watch!

"My favourite is blue! But I used that for Adam..."

What a tricky choice!

[ramengroupie]

A nice, strong person! Wormmon likes that. A strong person could have a bold color like black, but they already said no to that for Ken-chan's favorite color, so nobody should have that but the Ken-chan that wasn't. Hmmmm.

"What about a different blue?" Ken proposes. "Different shades send different impressions, supposedly."

His ability to Art starts and ends with folding little animals out of paper. But he has a friend who's into photography, and sometimes she explains things.

[myblueskies]

"Different impressions?" Romeo asked. So he could use a different type of blue. He looked in the crayon package.

"What about a dark blue, like this one!" He held up a navy crayon.

[ramengroupie]

"That's good." Ken gives the crayon an approving smile.

"Do your best!"

Wormmon crawls over to have a great look at Romeo putting the last writing on the sign. After this, they stick the cranes on the sign, and then it's done, isn't it?

That's so exciting..!!

[myblueskies]

He knows all the letters for this too! So he writes 'Cassie Cage' in neat, dark blue handwriting.

"Almost done! Now we just got to stick mister Ken's cranes onto it!"

[ramengroupie]

"Is it my turn?" Wormmon looks from Romeo to Ken. He knows there are lots of adhesive one can use for crafts, but, but...!!

"Hey, it is, isn't it?"

Maybe, just a teensy bit, he wants to hear people express interest in watching him use his special move some more. But he also wants to keep helping! After all, Ken-chan's cranes are one of the most IMPORTANT PARTS OF THE SIGN!

(Why wouldn't they be?)

[myblueskies]

"Yes it is!" Romeo grinned at Wormmon with a huge grin. He knows how good it is to be able to help, especially when you can do a special thing that only you can do!

"You can make the cranes stick really good, Wormmon!"

[ramengroupie]

IT'S HIS TURN! Wormmon puts on a serious expression to show he understand the gravity of his task.

"Watch me!"

And....plop.

There is one little glob of web, ready for one of them to affix a crane.

Splat.

There is another.

Splop.

......Oh. Oh no. That one is sort of...big.

It's probably fine, right????

[myblueskies]

Romeo leans forward, for the best watching position as Wormmon fires the first web, he takes a crane to stick to it. This is going to look so good!

Oh... That one is big... But that's no problem. "We could put two cranes there, right mister Ken? So the cranes can be friends!

[ramengroupie]

"Right." Ken will even pass Romeo two cranes so he can do so. He's smiling.

Wormmon, seeing Ken-chan looking at him and Romeo with such affection, feels a sudden burst of self-confidence. He begins firing the most beautiful web dollops known to man (if that's possible), until there are places for Romeo to stick ALL THE CRANES!

Yes, the places are sort of off-balance to anyone with any sense of artistry, but Wormmon doesn't see that. He only sees that this is the BEST SIGN.

[myblueskies]

That's a lot of webbing! Romeo works quickly to place the cranes. He's not sure if it's like glue and it will dry up, so he has to work as quick as Wormmon!

This is the best sign he has ever seen! Now everyone will know not just who is in the room but also that Ken and Wormmon are so good at sign making!

[ramengroupie]

It certainly is a sign, that's for sure. No one here is in a position to perhaps assess it accurately.

Wormmon dollops his last dollop and scuttles back so Romeo can affix the final crane. "...Did we do it?"

"....I think so."

Ken and Wormmon both glance to Romeo, unconsciously deferring to him as Sign Expert. What say he? Is the sign complete?

[myblueskies]

"Yes!" He places the last crane with a triumphant grin.

Romeo grinned at them, "I think it's a great sign and it's all finished now!"