A New Platform [Intro Post November]

[voidtreckermods]

On the Train

The morning after the Halloween party passengers are once again woken by a familiar voice.

"Good morning passengers, it is day one of the month of Imagination. 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. But through the fog comes sunshine, causing patches where the light shines down to warm the concrete. Looking up passengers will not be able to see the sun through the fog, or much of the sky at all.

As usual the first to leave the train notice nothing as they walk silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers. Bryn Pendragon, Bucky Barnes, Colden Rollins, Elena, Fai D Flourite, Jiang Yanli, Juliette d'Aubigniy, Misa, Peter Parker, Samata Mahto, Satou Kuroneko, The Doctor, Tohru Mutou, Zuko, 10 Vigilant Gaze Purges The Horizon. They all walk silently and do not look back as they disappear through the barriers and into the fog beyond.

But on the platform itself there are 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 the thick fog, penetrated by beams of light. As their eyes adjust they will see they are on a platform, behind them are a set of barriers and in front of them is a single track.

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 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 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.

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 and Honey is the newest ingredient, jars of honey stock the shelves and the ICP's in the kitchen have recipe ideas for the month.

A new carriage has been added, those that go to investigate will find a small but function-able spa, complete with a small hot tub and even a steam room. It is a relaxing room with sun lamps and relaxing music or nature sounds available through the ICP. There are a couple of massage tables, with a course for how to give massages for those eager to learn.

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 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

[showmeyourbraveheart]

[Platform]

Taichi blinked as he took in his new surroundings. What... what kind of place was this? He'd laid down to go to sleep, and now? He was waking up here in some platform in the middle of nowhere. And why was he in these clothes?

Time to figure out what's going on. "Uhm, excuse me," he began, speaking to the nearest person... when suddenly, his uncommonly heavy rucksack (where had that come from?) began to twitch and flail.

"Taaaaaaaaaaaichi!" came a muffled voice, before a pair of claws tore open the bag, and a reptillian snout poked its way out. The dinosaur-like creature took a deep breath, before spilling out onto the ground, landing on his head.

Taichi could only manage "Agumon?!" as he stared at the prone creature before him.

[Departure]

Taichi sighed as he wandered through the train, Agumon close at his heels. By now, he had a sense of just what kind of situation he was in, but that didn't make it any easier. He and his partner were the only ones from his world, and his time, and they were supposed to help save multiple worlds? Needless to say, he felt a bit adrift.

Eventually, he's going to sit down in one of the cars, and just... sit there, thinking. Agumon will, of course, sit down beside him, and look worriedly at his partner as he sits there, getting lost in his own head. Frowning, the dinosaur-like Digimon resolves to get Taichi out of his funk.

But how to do that? An idea pops into his head, and so, at the sight of the next person to happen down their way, he's going to spring up, and wave them over.

"Hey there! We're new here! I'm Agumon, and this is Taichi! What's your name?"

[Sleeper 2, Cabin C] = [locked to bunkmates]

So this was where they'd be sleeping now. That was Taichi's one thought as he stared at the door to the sleeper cabin he and Agumon had been assigned. He took a deep breath, and looked over at his partner.

"Agumon, you ready?" he asked. But there was something that already had the Digimon's attention. Taichi blinked.

"What's wrong?"

Agumon's snout scrunched in annoyance. "I'm not on the sign..." he said.

Taichi blinked again, and then looked at the nameplate. It was true—his name was there, but not Agumon's. Taichi gave a sigh, and patted his partner on the head.

"We'll look into changing that," he said, before shifting his focus back to the door. He gave a knock, then opened the door, poking his head in.

"Ah, sorry to intrude. I'm Yagami Taichi. My partner and I are going to be staying here from now on."

[sendiintheclown]

The yellow dinosaur made Trowa pause, but he just shrugged a little. Not too much, though. Amira was lounging in his hood, her head hanging over his shoulder so she could watch the world in comfort. "Hello there, Agumon. And Taichi. My name is Trowa. This is my cat, Amira." He pointed at the furry head over his shoulder.

[showmeyourbraveheart]

Taichi blinked rapidly as he realized what was going on, then let out a soft sigh, mumbling his partner's name before speaking up more loudly and clearing his throat.

"Uhm, hi," he said. "Yeah, like Agumon said, we're new here."

"Hello to you too!" the Digimon cheered. "And hello, Amira! Taichi, she's just like Miko from back home!"

Taichi laughed softly. "Agumon, I keep telling you, not all cats are like Miko..."

[mtsilver_conquor]

"Eva Iden'no. Nice to meet you both," Eva says with a bow while Princess takes a curious sniff at Agumon. There's a thoughtful look when she straightens before grinning.

"You're a Digimon Tamer, right?"

[showmeyourbraveheart]

Taichi blinked, snapped out of his ruminations by Agumon and the woman's greeting. He spared a glance towards Princess, while Agumon waved, before answering.

"Digimon...Tamer?" Taichi replied, looking confused for a moment. Then, realization hit him and he shook his head. "No, that's not what I am. Agumon is a Digimon, though."

Departure

[iamnotgod]

With no load of books to carry this time, Webmind's walking freely about the train, trying to focus on something other than the people who have left...

Oh, look! A somewhat-familiar creature, introducing themselves even!

"I'm Webmind, Agumon. It is a pleasure to meet you and Taichi."

Taking in the teen's stature, he gathers: "I take it you have already been briefed on what the Voidtrecker Express is supposed to be doing? I am happy to help fill in any gaps, of course."

Re: Departure

[showmeyourbraveheart]

Uh, okay. There's a robot now. Taichi stares for a moment, before replying.

"That's right," he said. "We got all we needed to hear on the platform. Or at least, I think we did."

Platform (Hope this works!)

[dreamtamer]

Takato had made a quick stop at the luggage car before making his way to the platform. With goggles on his head, and D-Arc and cards in his pockets, he felt much more like himself. Even if his hoodie was orange instead of blue.

The moment he steps onto the platform, Guilmon starts sniffing the air.

"Takato! I smell a digimon!" And with that he's off running. Takato panics and starts running after him, muttering apologies to anyone they bowl over on the way.

As they clear the crowd, Takato spots someone who seem vaguely familiar. In the same way that Ken had been vaguely familiar.

....Was that Taichi?

"Guilmon, wait!" he calls. But Guilmon has already slowed down to sniff at Agumon.

"Hi! Do you know Wormmon?"

[showmeyourbraveheart]

Needless to say, both Digimon and partner are surprised as another Digimon comes marching up to them. One that looks surprisingly familiar.

"Guilmon...?" says Taichi, his mind rewinding back to an earlier time when they'd all been called together for that mission in Taiki's world. "Then that must mean..."

And he began to scan the crowd for... There he was. "Takato...?"

Aguon, meanwhile, felt affronted. "Guilmon!" he exclaimed. "I can't believe you don't remember me! I'm Agumon!"

Cabin 2C

[schrodingersghost]

A white-haired (and glowing) teenage boy was floating above one of the bunks as he casually flips through a notebook.

He twists around at the sound of the door opening and gives them a lazy wave.

"Oh, hey! You the new roomie? Last bunks yours then."

Re: Cabin 2C

[showmeyourbraveheart]

... Okay. That's new.

"What in the world...?" Taichi gasped, before Agumon poked his head in.

"Ah! Taichi! That guy is floating!"

Departure

[barenakedspirit]

Galo stops in his tracks when called to and turns to take them both in. He puts what he'd been planning to do out of his head and drops into the seat on the other side of the aisle. "Galo Thymos! I've only been here a few months but I can help you get a start. What do you want to know?"

He offers them a bright sunny grin. "What I don't know I bet your team lead does or I can direct you to people who know more than me. We're all here to help each other."

platform

[ramengroupie]

The sun was out this time. Did that mean anything? How is there weather, in the void? Are the platforms even part of the void, or -

None of this affects what Ken needs to do, which is step out onto the platform and greet the newcomers. To be perfectly honest, he's nervous. He's never....been the one greeting people, has he? Even with all the new Chosen Children, he's stayed back, let Hikari-san and Koushirou-san help the newcomers adapt. He's on the international Chosen Children mailing list, but rarely communicates with anyone outside his group....

(Chichos sends him selfies, though. Or Chichos had been sending him selfies. For some reason, in the past few weeks, she'd stopped. Getting ready for her quinceañera?)

In any case, he's putting off what he needs to do, so Ken begins to wander the platform. So many fewer people this time...

He raises a hand to a shadow in the fog, but then one of the shadows falls over. And speaks. In a familiar voice.

Ken is startled into silence. Wormmon is startled clear off Ken's head - leaping to form a Digimon pile, sleeves of his orange hoodie trailing like streamers in the same wind as his antennae.

"Agumoooooon~! Long time no see!"

Departure

[kingcat]

Grimmjow seems to have an almost sixth sense about Digimon these days. First the big red Guilmon, then the Wormmon, and now he's spotted a smaller, orange version of a Guilmon. So, when Agumon approaches him, he's met more with curiosity than irritation.

The question does get narrowed eyes, though, as Grimmjow leans over to get a good, close look at Agumon. "Grimmjow," he replies, the word coming out in a rumble that's reminiscent of a purr. "You look like a smaller version of that Guilmon thing," and he reaches out, intending to poke Agumon on the snout. He knows Agumon is almost certainly bonded to the human next to him, but he's not paying Taichi a lick of attention just yet. He knows the strength is in the tiny dinosaur. "I bet you can fight, too, huh?" The grin that spreads across his face is downright manic.

Departure

[fun_thementalist]

Gen's very easy to wave down, since he's looking around for rather bewildered-seeming passengers. He beamed at them, friendly and unassuming, and came over.

"Why, hello! I'm glad to meet both of you. I'm Gen," he introduced himself, not bothering with a last name since they weren't. "It's a pleasure meeting you, though I'm sorry you needed to be kidnapped along with us for that to happen."

departure

[flatteries]

Inigo has been on the train for long enough at this point that seeing any sort of animal (??) companion at this point isn't too strange anymore. It's why, despite being spoken to by some short whatever-kind-of-animal-this-is-supposed-to-be, Inigo doesn't even blink at the sight of something he's never seen before, let alone that it's talking to him.

Instead he just does his best to smile at Agumon, gaze shifting between the Digimon and Taichi for a moment.

"I'm Inigo, nice to meet you both!" Even though Taichi looks more like he's thinking about something real hard than anything else.. So Inigo's gaze falls back on Agumon. "You're a pretty energetic little guy, huh?"

Departure

[10billionpercent]

He was a bit surprised to be waved down by a creature of some sort, but he assumed that they were like Wormmon who he actually had talked to a few times now.

He stopped and turned his attention to the new arrival and his digimon.

"Hi." He greeted. "I'm Senku."

Departure; any preference on which car?

[namethattune]

Siebren had taken to walking the train, generally to find the time and space to think; today, he walked it to check in on his fellow passengers, both new and old. He hadn't known many of the people who had left, but those who had would be hurting for their absence, and he would like to help them if he could. Plus, there are new arrivals to speak with, should they require assistance-

And there's one now, waving him down. He notes the name - another Digimon like Wormmon, perhaps - and returns the wave with one of his own. "Welcome. My name is Siebren de Kuiper - it is a pleasure to meet you both. Are you settling in well?"

Platform

[reluctantjinrou]

He had been watching the people leave when he heard the nervous 'excuse me' and he turned his attention to the new arrival.

"Can I help you with something?"

Natsuno wasn't going to be rude, although he looked a bit bewildered at being appraoched.

Platform

[storms_eye]

Silvia was getting used to the routine of picking up new passengers but she was till hoping for the day when she could join the others departing. Getting to see her family and friends as visions- granted visions that were trying to lure her off the train into the void of space -last month hadn't help curb the desire.

Still, she would try to be helpful to the newcomers since she knew what it was like to be spontaneously ripped away from everything she knew.

"Yes, what is is?" Turning to look at the boy, fixing a smile to her features. The expression only changed when the creature spontaneously emerged. "Kya!- There's something... it's in.." but before she could issue any sensible warning the boy was greeting the creature with familiarity. "Oh! Oh.. he's a pet of yours!"

Departure

[laurefindil]

"I am Glorfindel," he said with a friendly smile, coming over to where the two were sitting.

"Would either of you like a pastry?" he offered, pulling two out of his Arms Band with a smooth gesture and gold sparkles.

Departure

[light_of_willpower]

Trunks blinked as he was addressed, but he smiled and offered a small bow.]

It's nice to meet you Agumon. My name is Trunks. You're not related to Guilmon by any chance, are you?

[They were both dinosaurs, of a sort, and that 'mon' was too similar to be coincidence in Trunks' mind.]

Train

[singerofspells]

S'reee was by default interested in the people on the train who weren't human and making sure their needs weren't overlooked. So she bobbed a bit (in midair) to acknowledge Agumon. "I'm S'reee. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Platform

[adropofsunlight]

"Welcome~" Rapunzel said happily waving ever so slightly as Pascal was sitting on her shoulder. She had decided that this time she was going to attempt to say hoi to any new arrival she sees.

Pausing for a moment she soon notices the other and it was enough to give her a smile.

"I'm going to assume this is your friend, right? It's nice to meet the both of you. I'm Rapunzel and my friend here is Pascal."

Departure

[alilyinthemoonslight]

Yuri is just, well. Minding her own business, really. After taking a quick scan of the newcomers, she's making her way through the car, when she hears a shout. And ... sees a yellow reptile doing the talking.

Blink.

Okay, she's seen weirder. Actually, kind of reminds her of a discussion she had with another passenger a few weeks back...

"Hello there."

She looks to the young man.

"I'm guessing you two are together?"