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

[miseris_socios]

"... It's a part of yourself that you summon to fight." So... yeah. Sounds similar.

[seacub]

Oh! Well. "...oh. That...Is like Stands... ...supposedly they're 'extensions of a person', so..."

Huh. "Maybe..."

It is at this point, that Weather appears- in all their cloudy glory.

"....are they like that, kind of?"

[miseris_socios]

"... Kind of. I can..." He looks around, trying to make sure no one's close to them. "I can show you, but it... looks bad, the way I summon. So don't... don't freak out."

He reaches into his bag to pull out his Evoker.

hol horse sneezing in the distance-

[seacub]

...

ken that's a gun

"Oh, you got to keep a weapon?" Well, he's not freaking out. "Wait- is that your Stan- uh...Persona then?"

He's. Definitely not freaking out??

cw: sucidal imagery thanks persona 3

[miseris_socios]

"No, I - uh. I use it to summon my Persona. It just looks like I'm going to hurt myself, but I'm not."

He takes a step back and presses it to his forehead, pulling the trigger. Rather than a gunshot noise, his head jerks back and there's the sound of shattering glass. A figure appears in front of him, lifting a hand to cast something -

He pulls his hand back, preventing her from doing anything. He blinks a few times and she disappears. "That's... um. That's Nemesis."

eyyyy

[seacub]

"Huh?"

Uh. Wait. Wait is this-

Oh. This is happening. This is definitely...uh.

"...'Nemesis' seems like a fitting name for something you have to do that for..." Hahaaa...at least he didn't shout? "Why do you have to use a 'gun' to make her appear though?

[miseris_socios]

He lowers the Evoker. "... I don't know. I asked Chidori at one point... she said something about it having to do with the thing that gave people Persona in the first place. Something to do with Death itself. So..." Guns, death imagery. He kind of gets it.

"We all have to do it. Even Koromaru does, though his Evoker doesn't look like a gun, it's part of his collar." ... "He's a dog."

[seacub]

"I...guess it makes sense-" Wait.

"Wait- all of you have the same thing?!" This is less surprising than the dog having a persona.

[miseris_socios]

"We all use Evokers, yeah. ... Not all of our Personas look the same, though." If... that's what he means.

[seacub]

Bwuhhh... "The personas are all different, but the initial part is the same..?"

It feels so weird...

[miseris_socios]

"The Evokers aren't part of our Personas, they just help us summon them." He's not sure how, just that it works.

[seacub]

"Oh." That's...even...

"I wonder why..." Well that's not something he's about to get an answer to, that's for sure.

[miseris_socios]

"Not sure... my team leader would know more than me, but he's not here." He glances down. It's hard without him...

[seacub]

"Oh! ...I guess we just won't know unless they arrive then..." Well. Anyway.

"Uh... ...Speaking of that I guess, we should probably get on the train."

[miseris_socios]

"... Oh. Yeah." It's not like he's going to get picked up by his team from the platform - there doesn't seem to be anything else but the platform. He huddles into his hoodie as they head towards the train. "Why'd I have to be put in red, anyway? That's not my color... my favorite is orange."

[seacub]

Ah...............

"It's the team colour. Or...one of four at least. We don't really know why we get certain colours but...I guess red is normally for the most dangerous ones?" He shrugs.

"Honestly though...no one's stopping anyone from helping other teams so... ...I normally go with Red anyway..."

...

"Maybe you could ask someone to help make a different jacket?" Ah, wait. "Actually..."

He's looking Ken over now- maybeeeee...Ken is his size..?

[miseris_socios]

Looking him over, Ken is maybe an inch or so shorter than Emporio. "... What?" What's that weird look for?

[seacub]

"Well...if it's a really big problem, we could just trade sweaters, right? If we're the same size, it should work..."

[miseris_socios]

"... Oh." He thinks for a minute. "Would that be a problem on missions?" He doesn't want to make it an issue for Emporio... it's been a long time since he's talked to someone his age. "... And I'm Amada Ken."

[seacub]

"I don't think so? ...Honestly, I normally go with red anyway...so as long as you explained what team you were assigned, it would probably be ok..."

ah right names-

Emporio blinks. "Oh! Emporio Alniño! Um...nice to meet you, 'Amada'?"

There's been a fatal mix-up.

[miseris_socios]

"... Oh, right. Sorry, I'm used to using the normal name order... you're not Japanese, so to you my name would be Ken Amada." And honestly today he's not sure if he can handle being called by his family name.

[seacub]

"OH!" Oh!! Well. "Sorry about that... Okay, Ken then! Y-you're right though, I'm from Florida..." Very much not Japan....

"Anyway- we arrive with spare sweaters, so we can see if each one fits once we get on the train...let's go."

[miseris_socios]

"Okay." He follows along behind Emporio, taking in their surroundings. "I guess it's hard to get lost on a train, at least? Since it's one line..."

[seacub]

"Definitely..! ...It's really long though- there's so many carriages, it's a number of minutes from the cabins to the kitchen...there's lots in between, but since luggage is right beside them, they even set up a mini fridge with breakfast things there, so that it wasn't so far in the morning..."

No one wants to walk 20 minutes for toast. No one.

[miseris_socios]

"I guess that makes sense. You'd think they'd put the kitchen in the middle of the train instead of the end... didn't anyone plan it out?"