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

"Yes sir!" He nodded, "It means enjoying pretend things even though they are just pretend. But sometimes we don't like it and we don't want to believe it."

He likes lots of stories, even if he knows they are just pretend but there were sometimes things in them that made him sad or even scared.

"Do you like silly stories? Can you suspend your disbeliefs with them?"

"Usually!" Gen grinned at him. "It depends how well done the movie is, I think. Sometimes, the movie doesn't have particularly good writing or actors, and I find I dislike the silliness then. But ..."

He winked, conspiratorial. "Sometimes, the writing is so bad or the acting so cheesy, that I enjoy it because it's terrible. It becomes funny then, in a way. Even if they didn't mean it to be."

"Isn't that a bit mean though, if you laugh at it because it's bad!"

It didn't sound like a nice thing to do at all. "If the acting is all bad it would be better to help them become better... Though I guess we don't know who the people are in the movies we got here..."

"That is a good point," Gen said, "if any of those people were with me when I was watching it. I don't think I'd laugh at someone's performance for being bad if they were there to see me. That'd just be rude."

No, he'd have more subtle ways to give his critique. Gen wasn't one to make enemies so easily.

He nodded to Romeo. "Exactly. They're people I'll likely never meet, and they're probably from realities I'll never have a chance to visit. Though, I'll make you a deal, my friend - if I do ever meet an actor from a terrible movie on this train, I'll do my best to help them improve."

"It would be." He agreed, though he nodded at the deal. That was a good deal! It was always good to help people!

"That's good! I only know actors who were in really good movies, but if I ever meet one from a bad movie I will try and help them too!"

Gen tilted his head a little. "What sorts of actors had you met in the past? I bet they were interesting people ... most of the ones I'd known, some years ago, were intriguing."

Many of them were also egotistical sorts, too, but at least Gen knew how to adapt and survive around those types. He didn't really miss a lot of his life before becoming petrified at all.

"Well Elfnein is an actress! She was in a movie once! But miss Hibiki... she used to be here on the train and she's a god from the same heavens as I come from, she is a movie star and she sings and makes movies and she's amazing!"

He bounced as he spoke, he misses miss Hibiki but he's glad to be able to tell someone how great an actress she was!

"She can play all the parts!"

"Hmm, I'm not sure that I've met Elfnein yet ... I'll have to remember that," Gen mused, but then smiled brightly. "That's a sign of a great actress! Hibiki sounded like she was really extraordinary. And she was from the same reality as you are?"

"She was yes!" He nodded, "She was a god of fortune, which means that so so many people worshipped her! Because she was so great!"

And she was a great actress! Romeo was very lucky to have known her!

Despite everything he'd seen so far from other passengers - Gen couldn't help it. His eyebrows raised a little. "She was a goddess? I've never met a real one before, you know. It's hard to tell if any exist in my reality, for that reason."

"Well where we were... Humans didn't really know about gods, they couldn't even see them."

Here everyone could see him and Elfnein, so that was a good thing!

"Elfnein is a goddess as well so you could meet her! And mister Zetta too!"

"Oh, I've met Zetta! He's quite a character," Gen said, leaving out a wealth of things he could otherwise say about him, and what Zetta had claimed. "I didn't realize he was a god, too?"

"He is! He's a demon and a god!" Very strange but it all made sense when it was Zetta!

"So you already met a god! And can meet another too!"

Gen scratched the back of his head a little. "He seems to exaggerate a little, sometimes. Is it possible he was just calling himself that, because he ... err. Not to be rude, but he tends to see himself as really great, despite what others think?"

"Well..." He nodded, with a small frown. "He does think he's really great and he is really great he just needs to learn more about friendship."

He sighed. "But he really really is a god!"

A New Platform [Intro Post December]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject