voidtreckerexpress | 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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"I think it's fun, yeah." Demyx said with a bit of a hum. "But it also lets me think."

"Let's you think, hm?" she said as she too was now thinking about it a little bit. She knew when she would practice she does get that time to think when not trying to remember what chord she needed to play next.

"I guess you do get to think about various things when not thinking about what chord you are meant to be playing."

"I just play what I'm thinking. Sitars don't actually have chords like guitars do, but aside from that, I've already memorized how the notes go so I just pick the one I want, based on how it sounds. Then usually...you kinda get a picture of what I'm thinking about."

He grinned. "Do you play an instrument?"

"So...sitars are different than guitars then? How are they different or at least what are the differences?" Because she didn't know much about other instruments so she was curious.

"I do. I play the guitar"

"That's actually pretty interesting!" Demyx said, cheerfully, even if it was only interesting to him.

"For my sitar, you only play three strings, but there's actually eighteen strings in my sitar and when you pluck one of these three, in the right place, it makes the other ones vibrate. They're called sympathetic strings. It's why you can't do chords, because they don't work the same as a guitar's strings."

Rapunzel is just going to sit quietly. She was generally interested in how sitars are different from guitars. It was pretty interesting in fact.

"So... you can only play three strings and there's a thing called sympathetic strings... That's sounds fascinating."

"Yeah look." Demyx beckoned her a bit closer, tilting his sitar. Only three of them were on top of the fret, everything else was beneath it.

"So when you do this." He plucked a string and two beneath began to vibrate to make the note.

"See that?"

Rapunzel made sure she could get as close as it was comfortable so she could see, exciting watching in awe.

She soon clapped excitedly. "I did, that's amazing~!"

He did it a couple of times. "When you move your hand up here, it' changes which of the sympathetic strings virbrate. You can't do chords, but it's still pretty cool." He grinned.

"The other challenging part, is you need to tune your sitar constantly. Even between songs, depending on the song." That was why when people saw him, he was constantly messing with the tuning pegs.

She nodded slightly. She seemed to be understanding about the whole thing at least.

"I think I get it. I might even learn someday to play pone myself. It seems like fun."

"It's very fun, it's just very hard. You have to be willing to put a ton of practice in to get anywhere with it." Demyx advised, because that was incredibly true, even for a seemingly lazy guy like him.

"just like it takes ages to be able to play any instrument, but I think I am completely prepared for that." And she seemed rather excited for it honestly.

"Then yeah, learning the sitar could be really fun. This one's not like most of them, it's custom made or whatever, but you could maybe get one to learn on."

"I could maybe buy one from the shop." That was something she at least knew she could do. Might be a fun possibility.

"That will take a couple weeks though to get"

"If you get one, I'm happy to show you how to play." Demyx smiled brightly.

She nodded happily. "I will have to figure out if I could afford one, but I will let you know. But if I don't this time, I'm always just happy to watch you play until then."

A New Platform [Intro Post December]

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