A New Platform [Intro Post February]

[voidtreckermods]

On the Train

Three days after the Voidtreckers return to the void after their adventures on the biosphere world, they are awoken by a familiar announcement.

"Good morning passengers, it is day Sixteen of the month of Jelly. 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 also 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. The fog seems thicker than usual and as they step out onto the platform they will find it is cold, very cold. Icy fog sticks to their clothing, makes it hard to see very far; the atmosphere is dark and gloomy.

As usual the first to leave the train notice nothing as they walk silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers: Alexis Rhodes, Elfnein, Itsuki Myoudouin, Ken Ichijouji, MT, Neku Sakuraba, Nike Lemercier, Noctis Lucis Caelum, Rainbow Dash, Rei Saotome, Taichi Yagami, Tsubomi Hanasaki, Yuri Tsukikage and Zechs Merquise 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. As their eyes adjust, they will see they are on a platform, glass and dark stone rising in sturdy arches around them. 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; then the steam begins to fade and they realise they aren’t alone.

The platform is not large with sixteen figures scattered around, all facing the tracks, all dressed in cargo trousers and hoodies. To both the left and right, 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 step a strange assortment 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

After a short time, the doors hiss open again. 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 fresh ingredients, including several crates of avocados, the ingredient of the month of Jelly, as well as all sundries.

For passengers that have bought items, these are also scattered around the luggage carriage in various suitcases and bags.

New passengers will find their ticket allows 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 full of spare blankets and pillows.

Departure

A second horn sounds to encourage any stragglers braving the freezing fog, 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 itself. The fog from the windows is gone now, replaced with a kaleidoscope of ever-changing colours.

Welcome to the Void!

Comments

[subcircuits]

"I'm sorry that's the way it is where you come from," Devero says solemnly, "but it's not the case on my world. Kids are important where I come from."

[agathokakological]

Taking a deep breath, Crowley shakes his head, "Ah, more complicated than that. Anyway, doesn't matter. They're here, with me, so this place isn't all bad."

His expression doesn't show that he's thrilled to be here, either, but hey, it's something. "The worst part is privacy. There's little of it. Lot of people in such a cramped space."

[foxyou]

The comprehensive answer is disheartening, to be honest; his ears and tail droop slightly, betraying the lack of any noticeable change in his facial expression.

"In other words, all of us are subject to the whims of this great metallic...train. And we're to perform heroics for it?" No comment on the husband, though he does feel a pang of jealousy at his own lack of any familiar company in this new prison.

"And I suppose the train is to blame for the unexpected change of clothes, as well."

[miseris_socios]

"... It's been the second-worst day of my life today even before I ended up on that platform." Hesitantly, he untenses a little bit.

[tactlesstantei]

[Masumi is taken off guard as Vermouth catches her kick, but stays upright anyways. As Vermouth speaks, she isn't deterred and prepares to lash out yet again, too emotionally compromised to back down now.]

What reasons did you-

[She's cut off as her leg is knocked out from under her, sending her to the ground with a shocked cry. Thankfully she knows how to take a fall and isn't too hurt, but it's also clear that this isn't helping her rethink her actions as she moves to sit up.]

[hashtagparkerluck]

Maybe he needs to pay closer attention to things. He can't run the risk of someone else he knows or at least knows of just slipping his notice.

"Uh, yeah. Yeah, this one is, actually." He gestures to one of the top bunk's that is unkempt and has a few books piled onto of it-including the notebook he came back to grab.

"Um-I'm Peter. Peter Parker." He offers awkwardly.

[weifinder]

Wei Wuxian turned around at the familiar voice, both surprise and heavily conflicted when he saw who approached through the crowd. He was familiar enough in most ways that the smaller details, perhaps in the way of his forehead ribbon, perhaps not, didn't register straight away. He was already moving toward him, holding his arms out to show off the horror of the hoodie he was wearing. "Lan Zhan, can you imagine? Someone seems to believe I should be dressing in blue."

More jest than serious, and the half grin that led the statement fell away soon after. "How long have you been here? Where is here? Why are you properly dressed and the rest of us are walking around in what feels like our sleeping clothes?"

Why was he here and not back home?

[controlsthedie]

Did you think I'd just leave you to fend for yourself? You'll always have my help, Zag.

[ He says quietly. However, trying to piece everything together will have to wait. This is too public of an area. Thanatos nods. With his free hand, he grabs Zagreus's bag. With his other, he holds on tightly. Then he focuses.

Zagreus's soul is easy for him to hold onto. He's had a part in helping him to defy death so often, knotting the cut ends of his thread back together so Zagreus could keep going a little longer. It's feels exactly how it should. If not for the issue of death being absent, Thanatos could fully believe this is the Zagreus he knows. The same one he went against his nature and risked everything for.

Holding onto Zagreus like this, body and soul, Thanatos shifts them both the short distance to the upper floor of the quiet carriage. He let's go and hands the bag to Zagreus. ]

Here. We can talk in here. It blocks out sounds, and this particular one also blocks out light.

[ Thanatos pulls out a little paper sign saying "Do not disturb. Death and Darkness inside" and wedges it between the window pane and the door. Then he opens the door to the booth. It's blissfully dark with greater periwinkle covering the window and lights. Thanatos takes a seat on the bench, and his whole body sags. He's tired. 16 days of high internal stress and emotions he's never had to process before are doing a number on him. He feels very broken on the inside. ]

Zagreus... I'm not saying you're wrong about what you remember before coming here. It's probably like that for you. But, trust me too, all right? There's no reason for me to lie, about any of this.

[light_of_willpower]

Trunks just reached up and smacked his forehead. "No one needs a talking gold bust of your head. No one needs a gold bust of your head, period." Certainly he was less than enthused by Jack's reaction.

[firewalled]

"I don't really get the world you guys are from or what the situation is... but if you're sentient, you're still an important person. Especially if you have a personality. I mean, certain things I don't want to think of as a person... but you seem like a nice city. I can definitely call you a person!"

She's not manipulating him like the SQUIP, so that's a huge plus!

"Oh! Do we wanna take this to the kitchen? I'll show you how to make chilli or something."

[subcircuits]

A response! By the virtues, it almost makes Devero giddy to receive a proper pingback, even if said pingback contains more data than the public network tags-- which are more like business cards, really-- that he's used to. He's a little discomfited to have received the medical info, not because of what it actually contains but because that's private data that he certainly doesn't need to see.

Devero lifts a hand again, looking into his Interface as he

>compose message
>begin function:: GSL-to-text transcription

starts to sign

Welcome to the crew of the Voidtrecker Express, friend. You've been conscripted! But so has everyone else here, myself included. I'm sure you've got questions; lay them on me and I'll answer what I can for you.

>end transcription

an introductory message.

>designate recipient::

--That part's easy. There's only one tag on his map, and he boops it in midair with a finger to send the text over to V.

Fun fact: IRL I *don't* like avocados at all.

[light_of_willpower]

Trunks thought for a moment, even murmuring to himself--"what was it called?" The problem with having a mom who used robots to cook, when she wasn't doing so herself. "Mom once scooped out the inside, aside from the hard center. Then she mixed it with spices and some other stuff, but I can't fully remember. It was good though, to dip stuff into."

[secretmakesawoman]

[With Sera temporarily off her feet, Vermouth seems to relax a moment, arms folded. Then again, perhaps that is nothing but a trick. After all, she had seemed rather chill before the flip as well.]

[However, she makes no move for Sera either.]

A secret makes a woman a woman. Those reasons are mine and mine alone.

Now, are we done?

[subcircuits]

"...At least there's that," Devero says softly, after a moment. "Is there nothing anyone here can do for you? One of the magical healers, or something...?"

[light_of_willpower]

"I think we're both biased, Cassie." Trunks murmured, but mostly he was just happy to hold her, and with that kiss. "Besides nice stuff, what else did you get?"

[bakegarasu]

Both of them have low standards, excellent.

"That one's pretty easy. ... I think you might like it." Maybe? He has no clue at this point. He just flanks her, keeping her protected while still making sure conversation can happen.

[singlefaith]

After the new arrivals had come and the train had launched itself back into the Void, Ran planned to get started on her chores, weaving her way back through the cars. It was a good way to focus, to not let her mind spin as much as had been over the last weeks.

It's when she was about to head into the next car that she'd caught the voices -- one demanding, raging, punctuating through the door, the other barely audible in its answers, obviously much cooler in response.

Both were familiar.

Ran jerks open the door to find a somewhat daunting scene: Sera on the ground as though she'd been knocked off her feet, Vermouth standing with crossed arms.

A secret makes a woman a woman. Those reasons are mine and mine alone. Now, are we done?

"What's going on?" Ran isn't liking that look in Sera's eyes; instinctively she readies herself to move just in case.

As for Vermouth . . . she's not sure the coolness that emanates from the older woman is any better.

I should mention I suspect Sharon of poisoning my mom. The words ring back in Ran's mind, unbidden.

In that moment, Vermouth looks much more like the person Shinichi warns her of. Much more like a woman capable of doing just that.

[gundamofthedesert]

For the longest time, Quatre hadn't even left his cabin on platform day until everyone had boarded and the strong emotions had begun to settle once again. Since Trowa left though, he had been coming out even though it was hard.

"I hope so too. He's a good person. He was rather protective of me here after my friends left." He remembered preparing for the mission and Zechs handing him a gun for protection.

Quatre thought about that for a moment. "If I remember how long I've been gone? Calling my friends and all my sisters just to hear their voices once again." He smiled. "That will take me at least a few days if I have a decent conversation with each of them."

He's not even kidding there...

[subcircuits]

Devero doesn't mean to walk in on a newcomer, really! It's just that this is a long, long train, and sometimes a man has a need while he's hiking from one end to the other. The door had been open, so he'd made what he thought was a safe assumption on the occupation of this particular car's necessary facilities.

So much for that, huh?

"Oh hell-- excuse me!" he says as soon as his brain reports that there's someone in the shower stall, doing an about face before it even registers that the person he's walked in on it standing in a perfectly dry shower, fully clothed. He's startled enough that his voice is pretty sharp when he adds, "Would it kill you to shut the door!?"

[light_of_willpower]

"That is...sure a thing. It's bright." Trunks honestly wasn't sure what to say really.

[nutkrusher]

"That's about it," Cassie says. "Besides the random one, which, again...not sure about."

Beat.

"What about you? What'd you get?"

[subcircuits]

"That's a charitable way to think about it," he says with a deep rumble laugh. He steps aside so she can have a look. "I figure it has more to do with practical limitations of some kind."

--Which is why he grimaces a little answering her next questions. "Unless fire flakes are a potato crisp flavor, probably not." He reaches out and navigates through the shop menu and back to the snacks and the whopping four choices there. "I wish this thing sold mochi now, thanks, but the only options we have here are candy, different candy, crisps, and a couple of drinks, and that's about it."

[achickenformylove]

"Blue Team has done several different types of missions. Escorting people, meeting with people on the planet. Those seem to be the guidelines of our missions. It usually does involve fighting as well, but that seems to be more the situation requires that.

"If another team's mission assignment appeals to you more, there is nothing preventing you from assisting that team one mission or several. Orange Team is more investigations. Red is primarily fighting. Purple is similar to ours, but leans a bit more towards fighting and assisting other teams."

[tactlesstantei]

[Masumi's just about to push herself to her feet when Ran comes in, and she gives her a brief, startled glance before standing up and returning her focus to Vermouth.]

No, we're not done here. I still want to know why you had to taze me after you made me think you were my brother. I almost thought it was Shuu-nii who did that, since no one told me what was going on!

[One of the options in her mind back then had been the idea that maybe it had been her brother who had tazed her that day, for unknown reasons. Of course it wasn't, dead men can't come back after all, but she's still hurt and still ready to attack again despite having just been knocked down.]

[subcircuits]

And he's never going to turn down an honest question, especially not about something that he knows has been An Issue in his past-- and is still An Issue in, unfortunately, many other realities.

"We have mostly males and females for sex," he says, "but we also know that your sex does not define your gender. Doesn't matter what I'm packing inside my shorts; if I say I'm a he, I'm a he. And I'd sure get annoyed if someone referred to me as a she, or a they or a xe or an it, or anything else, because that's not who I am."

His lips twist wryly. "So I can't say I blame these Valan men of yours for getting offended."