A New Platform [Intro Post December]

[voidtreckermods]

On the Train

It's only been a couple of days since the Voidtrecker Express took to the void once more, and many of the passengers are still recovering and recuperating after a very hectic end to their latest mission. Nevertheless, they are awoken by a familiar message.

"Good morning passengers, it is day sixteen of the month of Imagination. Points have been updated on the system."

They have indeed, and everyone can spend the morning shopping. Those who have been on the train for 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 the windows fill with the fog that means they are at a platform. It is warm outside with a pleasant breeze that flows down the platform, rustling the light spread of leaves that litter the floor.

As usual the first to leave the train notice nothing, walking silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers. Akemi Homura, Alfred the Poisoner, Donatello Versus, Chie Satonaka, Joscelin Fitzthomas, Ronan Lynch, Rose Tyler, Tangle the Lemur, Trowa Barton, Wester Mazaki and Whisper the Wolf all pass through the platform, not looking back before 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 swirling leaves at their feet, moving in flurries and rattling against each other softly. As their eyes adjust, they will see they are on a platform, cement and packed earth forming a very practical, plain-looking shelter. Behind them is a set of barriers, and in front of them is a single track extending both ways into thick fog.

They are standing, in clothes that are not their own and a style 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 eight 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's 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 lead to something terrible. 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 (see
'Publications'). The store rooms have been restocked with more jars of honey, the ingredient of the month of Imagination, as well as sundries.

A new carriage has been added right next to the luggage carriage. It is a second medical carriage, or triage carriage. Downstairs is more open with beds and chairs, upstairs are two surgical bays for those that need immediate attention.

For those intrigued by the claim of a parcel for every passenger they will find several large boxes filled with small blue bags. Inside each bag is ten dark blue coins imprinted on each side with a silver snowflake. Each bag has a small label with a passengers name. On the other side of the label it reads: Keep these safe for now.

Of course for any passengers that have bought items, these are also scattered around the luggage carriage as well.

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 taking advantage of the pleasant weather and the doors slide shut. Veteran passengers know what will happen next, but they may wish to brief their new companions.

The train sets off, the fog obscuring the view again 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

Ple Two | Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ

[pleple]

A header even though I only have one prompt - Armory

Ple Two has made a purchase, and it's not a cute outfit this time. Relying on the weapons that different missions offer has been increasingly frustrating when there's nothing to immediately equip her, and a small melee weapon is hardly sufficient.

Thus, a gun in the hands of the eleven year old girl.

If the options include a conventional firearm anyways there's no reason not to get a model that she's familiar with like this. Once she has the weapon in hand and secured properly, she sits down in the armory with space around her and a blanket spread out to begin carefully field stripping it. There's no reason to think that there will be anything wrong with it, but she can't fight the impulse to make absolutely certain of the details. It's a relatively simple process if you know what you're doing, so she won't shoo away anyone curious.

[sos_pilot]

"Hey, neat lookin' weapon you got there!"

Della hobbles into the armory - without her leg, she has to use mop-crutches. And she apparently has no issue with small children handling firearms.

[pleple]

"It's quite simple, but I felt the need to improve my chances the next time things get dangerous." Thank you for being the voice of sanity, Della.

[sos_pilot]

Listen, it's not her fault, there's a girl named Webby... er, let's stay on track.

Della managed to make it to a wall and leaned against it. "How were your chances on the last mission?"

[pleple]

She and Ple Two might get along...

"They mostly revolved around not fighting anything, this time."

lemme see what you have, ple two---

[ourtomorrow]

"NO!!!!"

Squeaks Leafmon, from atop a pile of luggage. He's so surprised to see - that's a GUN, right? A GUN! A SCARY HUMAN THING! - held by a little girl that he just can't help himself.

Ken's attention is also caught by this, and he comes wandering around the luggage pile, holding his own small package. What...?

A gun :D

[pleple]

That tone... is that another one of Ken's friend's forms?

Ple Two glances up at the panicky voice for a moment. "It's unloaded."

:O

[ourtomorrow]

"You requested that?" Ken asks, trying to make sure he's got this situation right. Come to think of it, she hadn't liked her home world very much, either, and felt more welcomed on the train...

Could Ple Two, like Siebren, come from difficult circumstances?

Leafmon, however, continues to freak out because I'm not done mocking Kizuna for trying to be Edgy by Including Firearms That Scandalize Partners. "Ken-chan, it's a gun! That's scary!"

[pleple]

Ple Two nods her answer. "I've been going into too many situations with inconsistent weaponry."

She follows that up, glancing at Leafmon. "I don't have power like you. So... I need to protect myself and others with something."

[reluctantjinrou]

Natsuno was just curious, because Tidus had mentioned a gun to him once. He had no idea really what he would do with one, how it operated, or any of the parts that Ple Two was pulling apart.

"What are you doing?" He asked, because he wasn't even quite sure what she was doing.

[pleple]

"Making certain that everything is in order. Refamiliarizing myself with it," she explained simply. "It helps to understand your weapon, if you know how it's assembled."

[reluctantjinrou]

"I actually don't know anything about weapons." Natsuno admitted. "I've never had to really fight before. I have a dagger but...it seems like that might've been a bad choice on my part."

[pleple]

"Any weapon is dangerous to yourself without training, though." Especially a firearm that you can hurt someone from a long distance.

[nutkrusher]

Cassie's got reasons of her own to be in the armory. She is Purple's quartermaster, after all, and has to keep an eye on things. More to the point, she's looking into buying a weapon of her own.

Still, the sight of someone Ple's age with a pistol - and looking as though she knows how to use it - is a little unusual. Even if she'd also been handling guns at that age.

"Luger, huh? You're used to handling those?"

[pleple]

"A similar design, at least." To, uh, draw a more distinct aesthetic line between the faction she served and real world totalitarian governments. How charming.

"I wouldn't call myself an expert, but I know enough to do this." Not that she was especially practiced, so it was slow, but methodical, going.

[nutkrusher]

"I mean, I started with guns a little young, too," Cassie says.

A long pause.

"Though I didn't have to shoot it at somebody until...well, until I was old enough to be doing that."

[zechs_isonfire]

Zechs had no reason to place his new purchases in the Armory, but. He had a suspicion some might, and so he's swinging that way to see how other passengers might be armed going forward. He's not paranoid, he's good at preparing for the future.

He's only slightly surprised to see Ple there, with a gun.

"... Is that some manner of Luger?" Zechs asked, incredibly curious, crouching down to get a better look.

[pleple]

It only seemed fair to the others to be as clear, safe, and responsible with her weapon as she could be, to put their minds at ease.

"It seems to be based on it, although I'm not a historian." Mostly, she knows what works. Like this Space Luger.

[zechs_isonfire]

"I admit, I've got a fondness for more classic weaponry, as much as I admire and quite enjoy the technology I've been able to use in the past," Zechs told her. "A recent acquisition? I don't believe I saw you using that during our last mission."

[blitzcheer]

Tidus had his own reasons to come into the armoury, a pair of forearm shields, with one attached to his arm, so he can carry the other. But he does slow his steps the locker he's picked when he sees Ple Two at...work? Barely recognising what it is, but-

"...Was that a gun?"

Did it. Break. He has no clue.

[pleple]

"It still is a gun." Ple Two huffs. "I'm making sure everything is in order."

[blitzcheer]

"Oh."

...

"...is that a thing people do with guns?"

He means more what he's nodding at, the disassembled pieces, than generally taking care of one's gun.

[happyends]

Some days you just wake up to find your girlfriend with a gun.

This may have been surprising if Madoka didn't know Ple Two as well as she does, really, but honestly, the presence of a gun - and an actual gun, not like those laser ones they had back during the space mission! - is what surprises Madoka much more than who's holding it. She knows that this is Ple Two's sort of thing much more than the archery Madoka herself took up.

Thankfully it looks very much like the other girl knows what to do with it. (Also not a surprise.) So rather than fussing or anything like that, she just moves to sit down next to the other - but with some distance, so Ple Two still has the space to work.

"Did you buy that?" Considering for just how long Ple Two has been seeming to want something like this..

[pleple]

Sometimes girlfriends need guns. A bow and arrow is basically just the medieval equivalent okay?

Ple Two smiles up at Madoka, while reaching behind herself for her other purchase. "This too." She holds out a piece of the chocolate she spent a few extra points on, offering it to Madoka. "I don't spend many points, so I thought I might as well treat us."

[happyends]

Her eyes grow a little wider as she stares at the chocolate, scooting just a tiny bit closer.. It can't hurt, right, Ple Two still has plenty of space to work with!

"You wanted to treat us..?" Granted, it shouldn't be surprising. Madoka knows that Ple Two is infinitely kind where it counts, after all. But sweet gestures like this always manage to catch the girl off guard - though in a good way. Because she's smiling a moment later, maybe even with the tiniest blush on her cheeks joining in.

".. That's so sweet of you," she says as she takes the chocolate. (Maybe it's a bit of a contrast with the whole gun thing going on here, but still..) "Should I break it in two so we can both eat half right now? I bet it's really yummy."