voidtreckerexpress | A New Platform [Intro Post February]

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!

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V, to their credit, catches on to that tone immediately.

`Apologies,` they voice, and offer the package on over with no hesitation.

`I presume this is yours, then?`

An explanation for their actions consolidates in the back of their mind, but reparations do come first.

She nods, accepting the package by taking it into her own arms. At least the wary look fades a tiny bit at how easily they handed it over to her, but there still seems to be some caution in Alice's gaze all the same. She's watching you now!

"I mean, these are all obviously labelled with names," she points out. Even though she's sure they must have noticed it too. It's practically impossible to miss, after all. "So why are you rummaging through other people's belongings?"

V does have the sense to look abashed.

`Curiosity,` they admit, previous explanation discarded for the emotion at its core. Maximum honesty, perhaps maximum effectiveness?

`Though I had no interest in opening them.`

They have limits!

"How curious. That sounds exactly like what someone about to open them would say."

Is Alice serious about that as she says it? Is she just teasing? Who knows, her tone makes it very hard to determine if she's still mad at them or not. (To be fair, Alice is paranoid enough that she really wouldn't put it past any stranger to open the things other people bought, no matter whether it's just to be nosy or steal something.)

"You're not exactly making a great first impression on your first day here, are you?" Now she's bluffing a little, since she doesn't know if it's truly V's first day here. But she's just banking on the fact that she doesn't recognize them being due to them being new, rather than her own lack of indulging in social activities.

V is self-aware enough that their response is only a wry smile; they make it clear that they're not reaching for any other packages either.

`Being in an entirely new place not of my free will has been disorienting, I must admit.`

Though the methods had been vastly different from those of the Red Empire, which made it easier to calm down from any initial panic.

Alice is putting her own package down now - on the ground, that is, and squatting down next to it as she starts to work on opening it up while she's still talking to V.

"Seems like you are normal then." Well, aside from that slightly too curious habit of touching things that belong to other people. It's not like Alice is getting that out of her mind so quickly, but since they're just standing there now, she won't make too big of a deal out of it. But they're on the watch list now! "I've already met multiple people today who seemed completely undisturbed by the fact that they were suddenly kidnapped by a world-travelling train."

V finds a clear patch of wall to lean against - partly so that they're not hovering over Alice as she opens her package, partly because this space is crowded, and they're starting to get less-than-fond of that.

`Perhaps the shock hasn't processed for them, yet. Though I dread to think about what could make a person used to this sort of upset, on the other hand.`

"Oh, it's not that difficult."

The girl may seem a bit distracted, since she's finally managed to get the package open enough now to glance into it. If V can see it at all from where they're standing, they will be able to see all sorts of tea and tea party-related snacks in the box as Alice starts rummaging through it.

"Once you start seeing or experiencing enough odd things, they start to become less and less odd by the day. Before you know it, you'll be believing at least thirteen impossible things before breakfast every single day." That isn't so weird to Alice. But people who are immediately unbothered by this place, immediately upon arrival? That's a lot weirder to her.

A New Platform [Intro Post February]

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