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

Spa

[kingcat]

As luck would have it, Grimmjow has also found the spa car. He has not, however, found a sense of common decency, so while he does arrive freshly showered with a towel tucked around his hips (showing off the massive scar that goes down his chest and off to the side of his neck, and his hollow hole) he doesn't have the sense to put on swim trunks under it.

No, he just approaches the edge of the water, yoinks off the towel, and drops right in with a happy sigh, sinking down until the water is touching his chin.

[mtsilver_conquor]

There's a once over. Look as far as Eva cares, Grimmjow's an aesthetically good looking guy and the scars only add to that.

That he's nakedly hopping into the spa with her gets a small shrug. She's no stranger to nudity, and while this is no onsen, he's clearly from another world.

Besides, there's more important things to comment on. Like the scars. "So, what'd you survive that left those scars? Disembowelling?"

[kingcat]

Grimmjow's eyes are barely open as he looks over at her, letting out a quiet hum as his brain takes a minute to catch up. When it does, an almost feral looking grin cracks across his face. "Kurosaki Ichigo," he replies lazily, like it's a badge of pride to have survived a fight with him -- because, really, it is. Even if Ichigo could've easily killed him, and went on to kill people far more powerful afterward.

[mtsilver_conquor]

Eva blinks at him and confusion colours her voice because what?

"Kurosaki-kun? Orange hair, is a doctor? Generally nice? Him?"

[kingcat]

"That's th' one," Grimmjow agreed with a chuckle. "Don't fuckin' underestimate him." Or, you know. Nearly kill one of his friends.

He stretched out in the water, letting out a happy sigh as he sank a little further. "Only good thing Aizen brought to Hueco Mundo were the damn baths."

[mtsilver_conquor]

"Do I even want to know what you did to get gutted?" It's more rhetorical than not, as there's a blink at the name - then a wry grin.

"Hueco Mundo? That sounds like something my boyfriend would name one of his mons." Probably. Definitely. There's a small handwave though. "Tell me Aizen brought the needed plumbing for them, too, or made onsen?"

[kingcat]

"Probably not," he agreed with a wide grin. "I earned it," and had deserved it. It was one of the reasons he'd kept the scar.

"Yeah, we had good plumbing. He was damn weird, but he liked shit t'be good an' clean. I think that's why he made us all look more like humans when he broke our masks. He didn't like us bein' so animalistic." Something she said interested him, though, so when he's done with his explanation... "Mons? Like Wormmon or Guilmon?"

[mtsilver_conquor]

"No- pokemon," it's more a distracted answer given there's a very curious look to her face. "Animalistic? This Aizen... he made you?"

She doesn't mean to be uncertain, but she is half wondering if this going to turn out to be like Ple-Two, or better yet, Fluffy.

[kingcat]

The suggestion that Aizen made him has his lip curling. "All he did was make me into an arrancar," he replied firmly. "It's normal for a hollow to become more human-like when we move from adjuchas to vasto lorde, anyway, so it's not like that part of it was unnatural." Not that he expects her to understand what an adjuchas or vasto lorde is.

"The fuck is a pokemon?" Smoothest subject change ever.

Fun fact: Bleach is a niche web-comic in Eva's world. Eva won't 4thwall though

[mtsilver_conquor]

"A creature from a world with pokemon," Eva says with a small shrug, but the lip curl hasn't gone unnoticed. "There's a few on the train and not every person with a 'mon comes from the same world."

She might be a bit put out by that, but as it is, she has something much more interesting to focus on and, while she really doesn't understand a lick of it even as it tugs at a memory or three, Eva can make a guess based on what he's said and implied.

"Either way, it sounds like that's basically a life cycle of sorts for your species then?" It's more a question than a statement, even if she looks unsure about something. Or, a lot of things, but details.

Ooooh, neat! I don't mind 4thwalling so if the mood strikes, feel free.

[kingcat]

He narrows his eyes at her explanation of what a pokemon was, because that was some real circular logic, but it's not an important detail so he doesn't bother to press her about it. "Well I guess that makes sense, if there are humans and souls from other worlds, too." No reason a pokemon couldn't come from more than one place.

"The looking more human part, yeah," he agreed. "I got weaknesses I wouldn't have had otherwise, but it made me strong enough that it don't matter. Anybody strong enough to take advantage of the fact that I can't heal instantly anymore is strong enough they'd be able to kill me even if I could. They just gotta hit the right spot," he flashed her a wicked grin that came across a little more tired than it otherwise would have.

[mtsilver_conquor]

"Yeah, but some of them look like they came out of a rest day cartoon," Eva huffs.

There's a lot she could say to that, but she doesn't. Not yet and not when she doesn't know how he'd take 'or a lucky shot'. "The train took away your instant healing? Or...?"

[kingcat]

That gets a laugh, even though he has no idea what a rest day cartoon is.

He shakes his head in response to the question. "I traded it away, to get stronger. Most of the arrancar did." As for lucky shots, he doesn't really believe in them.

[mtsilver_conquor]

Again that word, and again, it tugs on her mind, like she's heard it before. But where? It sounds vaguely Orren or even Ferrese, but she's never been to either place, only watched subtitled movies.

"Arrancar? What you are now, right? Do they all have that hole?"

[kingcat]

He nodded. "We got the hole, and broken masks," he gestured at his face. "We were made to be an army, but the guy that was leadin' us got his ass handed to 'im by Ichigo," he grinned, as if he were bragging about himself and not his rival.

/slowpoke noises

[mtsilver_conquor]

"Broken masks?" She's mostly just blinking at all of this now. It's starting to sound a lot like some fantasy niche web-comic from the depths of the internet.

Which is kind of disconcerting in some ways, given everything else she's encountered so far. Never mind the fact she's having a very hard time placing Ichigo as anything but a nice, friendly doctor.

Ironic, given some of her pokemon. "I assume this guy also earned whatever happened to him?"

/psyduck noises

[kingcat]

"Yeah, so you can actually see my face," he replied, and laughed at the question. "Yeah, he earned it. Tried to wipe out a whole town, just to make a key," he rolled his eyes. "Ichigo's a total pushover, right up 'til you threaten somebody he cares about. S'why I ain't eaten anybody here."

[mtsilver_conquor]

"And it was the town Kurosaki-kun lived in, mm?" It sounds like it at least.

If he expected her to be freaked out or scared by the fact he eats people or that he could very well turn around and eat someone from the train, the only reaction's a blink then a shrug; not even a hint of fear or disgust. He's not the first cannibal she's known. There's worse things to eat than a human, and honestly, she just plain comes from a pokemon world.

"But you can eat non-trainpeople? Or is it providing food for you?"

[kingcat]

Grimmjow nodded. "Karakura," he agreed, stretching his legs out again with a happy sigh. This spa thing was great. "It changed my body. I can live on the crap humans eat now," and despite his choice of words, he was kind of enjoying it a lot. Food was so good he didn't even miss eating souls.

[mtsilver_conquor]

Karakura....? Eva mentally shrugs. Anything with a name like that could easily slot into the rural areas of the Pewter sub-region. Probably.

That said, the fact he calls the food humans eats crap earns him a half-grin. She doesn't know him well enough to know if he means it, but at the same time... She shrugs. "Yeah, some of it's crap, but have you had chocolate yet?"

[kingcat]

The sound he makes when she mentions chocolate answers the question before his words do. "Yeah. That stuff looks gross as hell, but it tastes real damn good. As long as you don't put it on anything green." He might've tried it. Once.

[mtsilver_conquor]

"Myth yeah. Making it edible was easily the best idea in history," Eva agrees before she cocks her head. "Green? What'd of that did you first have and how was it cooked?"

If at all.

[kingcat]

Grimmjow shrugs his shoulders almost lazily. "Broccoli, I think? An' hell if I know. Ichigo just stuck it in front of me an' made me eat it," he wrinkled his nose. "Stupid jerk." Ichigo had not forced him, exactly. But there had been some level of bribery involved, and he'd definitely tried putting a little chocolate on one of them. It had not been a great decision.

[mtsilver_conquor]

"Oh, that- Yeah. If it's not cooked right, it can easily taste gross and that's not even getting into how bland it can be when eaten raw," Eva says with a hmm. "It and zucchini, actually, though more zucchini and a lot of people find them gross. Dunno why though, they taste fine to me?"

Probably because Eva, 'miss will-eat-whole-ghost-peppers', has no tastebuds left. "Unless it's the texture, then not much can be done about that..."

[kingcat]

He hummed softly. "Everything has a weird texture, it's all... solid. And not smooth or soft. Pudding feels more like souls than anything else. But souls ain't sweet, they're more... meaty." He was too relaxed by the hot spring to realize how weird this conversation was getting, or to care enough to derail it.