voidtreckermods: (voidtrain)
VoidTrecker Express Mods ([personal profile] voidtreckermods) wrote in [community profile] voidtreckerexpress2020-12-01 06:00 am

A New Platform [Intro Post December]

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!
blitzcheer: (ummmooo)

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2020-12-06 05:49 pm (UTC)(link)
"Soooo," sooooo, "don't suppose this is where you get to tell me there's a way for a inkless human to play Turf Wars too, is there?"

Okay, now he's acknowledging the absolute inability of him being able to play, but. But!! Do you want to ruin this hopeful, pleading puppy face he's making, Eight?
consider8: (Really?)

[personal profile] consider8 2020-12-06 05:57 pm (UTC)(link)
That causes her pause. She knew he was enthusiastic about the idea, but didn't think he would actually want to play it.

...could he play it...?

"Umm..." Well, there was really only one way to find out... Eight took her bucket and dropped a slot of ink on the floor. "If you're going to play Turf wars, you're going to have to be able to do this!" She then took a step onto the ink puddle and her body disappears into it. The surface of the puddle breaks to show that she's in there.

Her body then rises up from the ink, shakes it off and takes a step aside. "See what you can do. If you can do it, then you could play turf wars." Uh... "But be careful. If it doesn't work you're going to be jumping into floor."
blitzcheer: (AND THAT'S WHEN I SWOOPED IN)

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2020-12-06 06:41 pm (UTC)(link)
It's very obvious what's going to happen here: nothing. Nothing if he tries, and they're both - likely - very aware of this. But Eight is so sincere, and what is Tidus but not willing to put his own effort into this with hers? There's a far more sensible response on his lips as he looks at the puddle, amazed by Eight's talent to just disappear with the inky pool.

It would be messy for a guy like him. Would he look a different shade of colour if he even dared to mess around with this?

...

...

...

"Alrighty then!" he breathes as he pretends to roll up sleeves he isn't wearing, takes off a show at the back of its heel. Next comes the sock, balled into his shoe and knocked aside.

"Pray for me, Eight," he says dramatically, coming close to the slot of ink. Standing right beside it, he hops once like taking a jump-!

and slowly drops his foot down.


squish.

"Did I do it?" Tidus asks, eyes closed; head turned away like he doesn't dare to look! "Am I an honorary octoling?"
consider8: (Deb8)

[personal profile] consider8 2020-12-06 07:00 pm (UTC)(link)
There's a moment when Tidus's certainty that made her think he could possibly do it. All hopes are lost of course when a solid food is met with a squishy end.

She was pretty sure that his body was just too dense to hop into the ink pool. No dice.

She couldn't end like this, could she? Taking her bucket, she gave it a small toss of magenta ink to get Tidus good and messy.

Hopefully it wouldn't hurt too bad.
blitzcheer: (fluster fluster!)

1/2

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2020-12-07 08:16 am (UTC)(link)
He's not looking. He's waiting, expecting some kind of sign, an answer! That's the joke, that's the way things g-SPLAT.

He's covered. He's drenched. Face only saved by it being turned the other way, but that changes as he snaps back to the wet substance now covering half of him, and--

"Y-you--!"

She actually just...!!!
blitzcheer: (just live freely)

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2020-12-07 08:17 am (UTC)(link)
"Pfffthhahahahaha!"

He wipes a hand down his inky arm, looking at it, just laughing some more at the sight. Both hands going up, grin pinching into his cheeks.

"Well, I think I look like an honorary octoling-human now! Hahahaa! Oh man-- did it have to be pink? Pink isn't my colour!" Pfffttt.

He isn't thinking as he says that.
consider8: (Recre8)

[personal profile] consider8 2020-12-07 08:31 am (UTC)(link)
"Vee!!" Eight couldn't help but laugh too. Sure it wasn't the same and she was a little disappointed that he wasn't able to dive into the ink, but it was honestly expected considering he could keep his form while submerged in water.

"That's the point! You're not supposed to get splashed by the same color. The opposing team needs to have competing colors!"

As she's giving him the lecture on the proper procedure of splatergy, she follows up the statement with a pat on the shoulder. "You are most definitely an honorary Octoling though."
blitzcheer: (based on miscommunication)

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2020-12-08 02:24 pm (UTC)(link)
Does this make him the opposition, or the honorary pink team member now in matching colours? Tidus doesn't care either way, far more pleased by the pat and the declaration.

"Alright!" Fists on his sides, standing proud! ...For a second, anyway.

"I think I'm gonna have to wash up though. Ink doesn't go well with human people." Heheh. He lifts up an arm, inspecting where it's very much pink. "It just kinda...dries. Do you guys absorb it?"

He looks back at her. Did ink just stay on them??
consider8: (8emused)

[personal profile] consider8 2020-12-08 11:13 pm (UTC)(link)
Considering that she didn't shift her ink to Tidus's natural hair color, "O

"It should disappear in a few seconds. Back home we had ink-eating microbe that would make it go away in a few minutes." Though considering she hadn't been really using that much ink, those little buggers are probably starving if they are even around at all.

"Our bodies do absorb it though. The ink goes through our clothes and then we have to rebalance it out in order to make the different color ink compatible with our own."

"We explode if we take too much foreign ink."