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

[worthallthis]

They glance over at him, smile, and make sure to keep their head tilted his direction when they say, "Sure. I know how to make a bunch of animal shapes. I see you found it." First, though, they need to finish this stew, and get Yoite's report. Neither one should take long, at least; Soldat is already finishing up their chopping at rapid speed. "What else did you find?"

[comefadeaway]

Yoite smiled a little bit as he approached. "There are green books in the library." He reported softly. "And I saw some avocado in the gym." He hadn't noticed the tomatoes, but he did notice the avocado.

[worthallthis]

They were on the same plate, really, it was just a mixed-fruit snack. The tomatoes weren't even green, so they're not really part of the challenge. "There are some green books, yes. There's some green game boxes in the game car, too, but they might have been put away by the time you went through." A quick grin for him, and the praise, "Good job, Yoite."

They pick up the cutting board and cart it over to the big pot on the stove, scraping the chopped veggies in.

[comefadeaway]

"Thank you." Yoite answered, nodding his head a little bit. He did miss the games, but if they weren't there it wasn't his fault. He could live with that.

"...I like the cat the best." He told them.

[worthallthis]

Soldat ducks their head, pleased. "I'm glad. I left that one specifically for you to find." Which means maybe expect more origami shapes in the future. Not every day, since they're really only useful for the visual searches, but... when they can, for sure.

"All right." They set the empty cutting board aside, give the stew a stir, and then dust their hands off. "This can start simmering, so I'll show you how to make it."

[comefadeaway]

"Okay." Yoite said with a small smile and set the cat aside so he could learn how to make it. He liked the paper folding activity anyway, so if he could make two things it was more impressive than just making one.

[worthallthis]

Soldat has paper tucked into the casing of their tablet, and into the little notebook that fits in their hoodie pocket, and also in the sheath they rigged up for the bone knife, though that's folded already so isn't great for origami. They go for the notebook, this time, and offer Yoite his choice of colored paper: purple, pink, or yellow.

Then they work the same as before, clearing off a patch of counter and showing, rather than explaining, going slow and steady so Yoite can copy the folds without rushing.

[comefadeaway]

He decided that he liked the pink paper for the cat and he followed along the directions carefully. He only had to refold twice when he didn't quite do it right, but that wasn't too bad. He was still learning and Soldat didn't seem to mind when he stumbled a little bit.

"Do you know how to make a lot of shapes?" He couldn't help but ask, even if he had to look up for the answer.

[worthallthis]

"I do." They nod, too, in case he misses their exact words. They slow their folding even more whenever Yoite looks up, to make sure he's not missing anything. "Seventeen different shapes. Not all animals."

[comefadeaway]

"Seventeen shapes? That seems like a lot of different shapes." It was really impressive, Yoite thought. He just didn't know that much about these kinds of skills, but look he managed to make a crane and a cat, which is also kind of impressive to him.

[worthallthis]

"There's more I could learn, probably," they guess with a sad sort of smile, holding up their finished cat to Yoite's finished cat. "I might try sometime." Even if that feels wrong. Learning origami should happen with Misty, not alone. (If she ain't here, pal... I know. I do. Just give me some time to. ... Yeah, I know. It's okay.)

[comefadeaway]

Their cats seem to be alike which is fairly satisfying. This is a skill Yoite would be happy to practice as time went on.

"How do you learn more shapes?" If they didn't know, how were they going to find out?

[worthallthis]

"There's books with patterns in them," Soldat explains. "I'm not sure if the library has any. But we could ask the train, if you wanted. I made a shape up myself, once, too. So that's possible, but it takes ages, and can be frustrating." They wouldn't want to subject Yoite to that.

[comefadeaway]

"That's true, since we can order books, I could always get one with the paper shapes in it." Yoite wouldn't have considered it, not really, if he hadn't learned from Soldat.

"Maybe next time I can get one."

[worthallthis]

That's a great sign! Yoite having actual interest in something not combat or mission related is wonderful to see. Soldat knows it took weeks before they started caring about that sort of thing. "It's called origami," Soldat offers. "If you ask. I don't know if paper shapes will get you the right thing."

[comefadeaway]

Yoite offered them a smile and he nodded.

"Then next time I'll order an origami book. This time I ordered some books for learning things." He informed them. "Devero told me I should, because I didn't go to school."

[worthallthis]

"Oh yeah? What kinds of books did you get?" They turn back to the soup, partly, so they can give it a stir, now that the cats are complete.

[comefadeaway]

"I got a book about Japanese, science and social studies. And Devero gave me a book about math." Yoite looked a little bit pleased, if one knew what to look for.

"I like math already. I like when you get to solve the problems."

[worthallthis]

"Math is one of my favorites," Soldat agrees, though considering they don't remember ever learning it, they can't say how they know that. "I did a lot of that for my job. What kind of math are you working on?"

[comefadeaway]

"The books are for first graders. I don't really remember what kind of books I got to read before. Not really many of them, and my brother had used them first so, it was just what he didn't want anymore."

At least the math stimulated his mind when he was locked away in the basement.

[worthallthis]

Why are everyone's childhoods around here so terrible? Soldat at least knows whatever childhood their body's former occupant had, it wasn't full of truly awful people. "So the basics. Addition, subtraction, multiplication. Hit fractions yet?"

[comefadeaway]

"I...don't think so." Yoite said with a shake of his head. It didn't sound familiar but the rest of it did. It had been a long time though.

[worthallthis]

"Let me know if you get to fractions," Soldat advises. "Or Devero. They're fun." Or a pain in the ass. Depending on how good you are at math. Soldat happens to be very good.

[comefadeaway]

"Okay, I will." Yoite promised with a little smile. He thought math was more fun than a lot of things he'd had the pleasure of doing.