voidtreckerexpress | A New Platform [Intro Post December]

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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

"Lucky, huh." He offered a fond smile at his new companion. "I can use all the luck I can get." That was no word of a lie.

No, Senku couldn't feel if the kitten was touching his mind, but it was looking at him, if nothing else.

"You need a name, I think." He would wait to see if the kitten decided to approach on his own. He was patient. While he observed, he considered what a good name for a male kitten might be.

"How about..." He paused a moment. "Orion." Senku decided, admiring his espurr. "Cats are well known to be hunters, and since I'm asking you for your strength, it's a good reference. Orion was very strong." It was alright, he was just going to talk him as though he could be understood.

"Besides, it has to be getting close to January, at least in my world, I've been here nearly three months and it was the beginning of October."

"Yeah. Only two others I'm close to have a shiny: Eripi and her Kae, Blue and his Senna." Sadly she never was that lucky and she's long since gotten over this fact.

She listens to him talk, still grinning, though when 'January' and 'October' are mentioned, her face turned into one of confusion. "What do months have to do with this?"

Senku grinned at her question. "Ah, Orion is a constellation in the sky." That was also more telling, and its namesake now stepped forward towards Senku having decided he was interested.

Both tails were curled up in a bit of a question mark.

Senku held out his hand for inspection. "And it can only be seen between January and March."

"So like the Summit then, in terms of viewablity," Eva as says with a grin as she watches the tails curl.

"That means he's interested in you, which is good. It'll make things easier in the long run at least. Give me a second and I'll get my 'dex out and the other things for you."

Senku let him come closer and gently ran his fingers along the soft, floofy fur and suspected he was probably very young considering how small he was. He seemed open to the kitten, he certainly didn't have any ill intentions, which Orion could probably tell.

"He's not bothered by the ball, is he?" He wasn't quite sure how they worked and he didn't want to upset his new companion. "Gen's going to like you." He informed him. "You're even pink."

"As far as we can tell, he shouldn't be; it's a dreamball which is reported one of the more comfy 'balls. That said, on Arkea at least, we've got at least a thousand years of evidence from psychics that pokemon are very much put into stasis within the 'ball and those who are hurt are unable to feel pain." Eva shrugs as she hands over the next package.

Inside he'll find his own pokebelt, though different than the one Eva's wearing in that it's very much a beltpouch designed with a pokeball in mind.

"You'll need this and you'll want to get used to the 'ball weight and figure out where it'll sit first before anything else."

He flicked a sharper look at her at that, before looking at Orion again. "That's good but, I don't have to keep him in there all the time do I?"

Senku did take the package and looked at the pokebelt and let out a little amused huff. "Ah, that's easy."

He settled it so that the pouch was just past his right hip, slightly behind him. "That's where I usually keep my tools."

She nods. "Good, then it'll be an easy to remember spot, though you're going to want to get used to falling on your side or at least at an angle. Falling on a 'ball..."

There's a nervous laugh; she's done exactly that and it hurts. A lot.

But, now onto the more important part. "Unless you want to, it's probably better for Orion to remain out so he bonds with you. Though it'd be good to practice recalling him and getting him used to sudden location changes, plus it gets you used to doing it so if there's an emergency, you don't think, you just do. Missions..." She makes a so so gesture. "That's up to you, but I would recommend it for the next one, as then you have a full month to get him used to basic commands, which I will help with."

He offered an amused smirk. "I will tell the Mentalist to keep his sticky fingers to himself." He hummed, Gen wouldn't touch the ball if he told him not to.

"No, I don't think I want to." He scratched the kitten's ears, listening to him purr.

That was...super cute...

"We'll see how it goes. I wouldn't want to just leave him behind, after all I have to take care of him." It would be easier with him in sight. "But probably better in the ball when it's not safe for now."

"I'd recommend having him practice too so that if by some chance you can't, he can recall Orion. That said, you're likely going to want to train Orion so he only takes commands from you, possibly Gen-san."

Even as she speaks, she's trying very, very hard not laugh at the loud, motor-like purr from the kitten. Or the rather adorable picture Senku and the espurr present.

"If in doubt, 'ball the pokemon. Otherwise, it's up to you to judge the situation, and given Orion looks maybe 5 months at best..."

She trails off as she squints at the pokemon. "Either way, he's about the standard size for an espurr kitten; you've at least a year until he matures into what's called a-"

And she's gonna flip open her 'dex now, rather than mangle words, and poke at it until- "Eselian Trade Name for a 'nyaonikusu'."

"Meowstic."

"-that. Think of it like a kitten and a cat."

Senku looked surprised by that. He thought a contingency on recalling Orion was a good idea. He moved his finger under that kitten chin. He thought he was pretty tiny.

"Wait I can do that? He'd listen to both of us? I didn't think...well I mean, it sounded like it was more a personal thing." Senku admitted.

"That's about typical for a kitten anyway." He said with a bit of a smile...no he wasn't smiling at the kitten, don't even think that.

"If you train him to, yes," She confirms. "In an emergency, mine will listen to Satoru, though I better be out cold and it better be an emergency. That said..."

How to best explain... "You can easily discourage him from bonding with others; this means the empathic and basically like another limb bond is deeper. Or you can encourage it so it'll probably be somewhat shallower and maybe not like another limb. Do you follow so far?"

She's very much aware this is a lot of information all at once!

"I think so." Senku said, he was listening after all, even though Orion was taking the opportunity to climb up onto his lap and paw at his arm.

"He'll bond with me less if he bonds with others." Senku hummed.

"Gen is..." He paused a moment. He wasn't sure how to explain it, exactly. Orion put his paw on Senku's torso, trying to get at his bangs.

"Well, I mean, I don't mind, I guess if he bonds with Gen too. He'll probably be helping me look after him."

And Roro is still recording all of this as Eva hasn't told the phone to stop.

"Important and you can't put it in words because what word even works?" She gets it, Senku. She gets it.

"That said, even if he bonds with Gen-san, you will be his primary as you're the first human mind he knows." An exhale. "That said, it is different for every psychic-type trainer. I own psychic-types and with most of them, I know where they are and they know what I want. If I get emotions from them, they're faint."

The keyword there being most. "It depends on what you want, how long you spend with the pokemon, and what you're willing to accept. That said, I wouldn't be shocked if things end up working differently given the nature of the train."

He let out a surprised chuckle. "Ah, yeah, something like that." He hummed a bit. "Well he's my boyfriend but it's like...complicated. Not in a bad way. I don't mean in a bad way. I'm just bad at talking about stuff like that."

"I don't think I'm going to mind him." He brushed his fingers down Orion's back as he curled up on his lap properly now, since he wasn't quite long enough to get his bangs yet.

"We don't...I don't know, people don't typically live with someone they just started dating." He said wryly.

"You don't have to explain. Relationships are as they are and if it works for you, then that's all that matters." And as far as she cares, that's all that matters: What works for him and Gen.

"You say that now, but wait until you wake up to a confused floating kitten that doesn't know how to get down." There's not quite a snicker at the end, but she is amused.

"That aside, the last thing I'd like you to take is this-" she pulls out what looks like a short length of rope. "It's known as an Escape Rope. A single-use item that when activated will teleport the user to either nearby safety or a pre-programmed location. I got them back when Misa-tayū was still on the train and given your SCA's broken..."

If they have to Evac in a hurry for whatever reason...

"Fair enough." He agreed with a nod and then he blinked at that. "What am I going to do with a floating kitten?" He looked at Orion. "You're not going to cause me trouble like that, are you?"

Orion settled rather comfortably on his lap, all innocense. Of course he wouldn't be trouble!

"That sounds useful." Senku agread and reached out to take it. "...Thanks."

"All you need to do is keep in mind he doesn't, yet, have full control over his powers; that comes between eight to eleven months old. And, if you give me a bit, I can pull up more info on him via my 'dex."

Practical advice to a practical person, even as she pulls out her pokedex.

"The 'Rope can be looped around the waist or through a belt on missions. Activating it's basically a deliberate squeeze of a gold section between fingers." And there's a few on the rope, each one about one-and-half centimetres wide, and clustered around the ends. "Intent matters and it's been pre-programmed for the luggage car."

Senku was pretty sure his kitten was going to be trouble, but that was alright. It was young. He nodded. "Can I read it?" That seemed like the most important question.

"Shouldn't be a problem to bring it. It's good to have a way out just in case. I don't know what I'm going to do about my SCA, I'll have to see if I can get into it and fix it maybe." He wasn't sure about that, he thought it looked like he couldn't get into it.

"Sure -one second-" She says as she points it at the kitten and after several seconds, it drones out: "'Nyasupā, Self-control Pokémon; the kitten stage of nyaonikusu. There's enough psychic power in espurr to send a wrestler flying, but because this power can't be controlled, it is considered troublesome by many.'"

Another click later, and Eva's pulled up a holographic projection that's basically a bunch of numbers. "These things read out random facts, but they're not always true facts. This one's pretty accurate. That said, I can print or write the data out if you want? Though... while Orion'll grow into a nyaonikusu here, he won't level up -which is basically how we measure the power a pokemon has. Princess would be at least a level higher by now, but he's not."

And she hasn't even tried to bring in a Rare Candy... yet. "Though, compared to humans, he's still more powerful than us."

Senku looked genuinely surprised by that. "He is? But he's so small." Senku couldn't help it, the kitten was just a baby and it could throw a wrestler.

"He can do that?"

"Yeah." There's a firm nod as she saves the page so she can print it out later.

"Even the smallest 'mons can pack a punch and that's not getting into what they can do when trained." She lets out a breath and there's wry grin. "There's these 'mon, aburibon -ribombī?-, about yay big," -she holds her hands 20 cm apart- "and one of them once sent Barclay flying."

She finishes with a gesture that suggests 'Barclay' is at least a metre and a half tall.

"Interesting." Senku murmured and looked at Orion again. He was just a kitten though, it seemed hard to think he could do much damage. Sure, he was going to grow up, but that was still amazing.

"I'll have to learn more about it to take care of him properly."

"Don't stress over it too much. You'll both fall naturally into whatever works for you and that's the most important thing. Plus, you do have a walking encyclopedia on pokemon here if you have any questions or need to pick my brain about anything."

Though there's a grin on her face and a laugh to her voice, she really, really does mean what she says. "And, my 'dex as well. The most important thing is to get used to each other first before you try and start anything else."

She leans back. "At least I'm not giving you homework like my parents did when they gave me Skeetah."

"Yeah, sure, it can't be that hard right?"

He'd never had a pet, honestly. He'd never considered having one.

"What kind of homework did you have to do?"

A New Platform [Intro Post December]

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start to wrap?

All done!