voidtreckerexpress | A New Platform [Intro Post February]

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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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Protect things? Places? What the hell business does he have protectin' anything? So thinks the guy that was just vowing to protect these kids in the back of his mind.

He smiles, and the sad part is that again, his face isn't really made for smiling. But it's genuine. "Is that right?" He leans forward, folding his arms on the table.

"So what one did you like most so far? The one you think you was best at?"

Also what the hell, train, putting these kids up against hordes of monsters or robots or whatever the shit else? Come on! At least when he taught Quill to fight it was a necessity. Doesn't feel like there's much plannin' at all.

The one upside to this situation is that this certainly isn't the first time Madoka has dealt with an Intimidating Adult. In fact, it's not even the first time that said adult hasn't looked 100% human either. (Thanks, Piccolo, for granting her this experience.) So she deals with it at least a tad better.

Or at least enough to realise that said smile isn't the one of a wolf that's about to eat her, but rather someone smiling who doesn't look like they often do it.

So rather than freaking out about it, she can focus on the question.

"Um.. One time we were underground for a mission." It's hard, trying to provide context for what she's about to tell without giving too many detials and making it boring.. But she's trying, gently pressing her fingers together as she thinks. "A lot of people went ahead further underground, and we had to stay behind and keep the monsters from going after them. There were so many of those monsters, it was really overwhelming when we had to hold them off.. A-And mister Gladio-- um, he was one of the team leaders back then.. he was really strong, but he was having a hard time holding off that many monsters."

She frowns a little. Obviously that part of the memory isn't too happy, or maybe just too stressful for a fourteen year old who hadn't ever fought before this place happened.

"But since I learned archery, I was able to take out some of the monsters before they overwhelmed him. He said I saved his life.." At least that does make her smile, even if it's a tiny, still shy one. "I felt really proud of myself for having been able to help someone, so I think I liked that moment the best."

"So you're an archer, huh? So am I. In a way."

He makes a so/so motion with his hand. Centaurians were pretty good archers as a standard, but he was different from most of his brethren. He reaches into his cargo pants and pulls out his arrow, setting it on the table. The red gem towards the end glowing just faintly.

"Sounds like I lucked out in meeting a hero."

She kind of reminds him of one of the kids they picked up. She'd been real enthusiastic about it, asked for a uniform like theirs. It was right before he figured out what was going on with Ego, and it ate at him. The smile holds anyway.

Madoka stares at the arrow, her jaw dropping and her mouth hanging open. She does seem to realise she's impolitely gawking after a moment or two though, quickly covering up her mouth with both hands.

"Wow.. That looks so amazing!" With an actual gem on it and all! Madoka's have feathers, but this looks way more impressive than that, she thinks. "Can I touch it, sir?"

She wouldn't do that without asking! But she really wants to touch that glowing gem. She's a young girl, after all, how could she resist glowing gems of all things. Especially now she's more appreciative of arrows as a whole.

"Yeah, go ahead." He lets her if she wants to. Some people he might be worried would steal it or break it or something. Turns out she's not the only fearful small animal that needs to be coaxed out of the brush. They can come in the form of old men used to the world around them being hateful and hostile.

In his own way, he's just as tentative as her.

"It's made of a metal on planet, We call it 'yaka'. One of the strongest out there, an' it 'hears' you."

Whenever she picks it up, he whistles. It doesn't move, but he activates the power cell so it's glowing, and however she moves it, it leaves a red trail.

Thankfully the girl seems to pick it up very, very carefully. Even though she's staring at it in awe as she's holding it, gently turning it so she can view it from all sides, especially once it starts glowing like that on one end. She wouldn't want to accidentally break it, after all, that's why she knows she's got to be careful! Especially if he's still new, then it's even harder to have anything here with you from back home - Madoka would never be able to forgive herself if she broke his only connection to his home.

(But she can't fully stop herself from gently drawing some patterns in the air when it starts leaving that red trail. It's like kid instinct. Got to write in the air with the glowy trails.)

"An arrow that can hear you.. it must be really useful." If only her own arrows could hear her, it sure would save her a lot of work in retrieving them after a fight.. "Mister, you must be someone really important back home if you have something this amazing."

"I was a spaceship captain." He simplifies it, rather than saying outright that he was a Ravager. No need in brandishing that right now. "Not that important."

In fact, he was property still when he first got the thing. Still, it's such a crucial part of who he is he can't imagine being without it. It's something given to him for terrible reasons, and he took it and made it his own.

"So you got a longbow, recurve, crossbow? And here, I'll show you another trick, too. Lay your hands out flat with it, wait for me to whistle, and then drop your hands away."

If she does it, then the arrow will hang in the air. Not even tapping it would dislodge it out of place.

Another trick? Okay, Madoka will try it out! Here she is, carefully putting it on the flat palms of her hands, lifting it up..

"I think being a captain is a pretty important job though, si--"

She can't even finish the statement. Because before she reaches the end of it, she's moving her hands down, and the arrow is floating all by itself. It instantly becomes three levels more amazing than it was a moment ago, and she was already super amazed by it in the first place!

All Madoka can do is stare at it, her eyes wide, not even daring to touch it now. It seems too precious to tap!

It takes her a moment or two before she realises that right, he asked her a question, and it'd be rude to not answer--

"A-Ah, um! I have a longbow! I haven't tried using another kind of bow before, but I really like the way using a longbow feels, so I've been sticking to that.."

He trills a whistle again and it zips around his back, into his waiting hand.

"Probably haven't had a lot of chances to practice with long-distance range while you're on this thing. Which is a pity. I ain't really a fan of someone makin' people your age fight, but I will say if you're gonna get into it, it's a good time to start. Ever'thin' becomes second nature."

"A lot of adults here have told me that I shouldn't fight.." Madoka says with a small, but wry smile on her face. She understands why they say it, honestly. She's not even really the type of girl who wants to hurry up and be seen as a grown up already, after all. But it's just..

She goes silent for a moment, her hand fidgeting with the fingers on her other hand now he's got the arrow again.

"But.. I don't want to be a burden. I've been here for so long now, and at first I didn't know how to fight at all. It made me feel really bad that even though everyone was already having a hard time with completing the mission, they had to look after me and protect me as well."

Madoka looks back up at him.

"That's why I practiced archery until I could do it. If I can help everyone else out even just a little bit rather than being a burden, then I'm already happy."

"Angel, don't think that occasionally needin' protection makes you a burden. That ain't how it works. There's a difference between needin' help and just usin' people."

He makes a dismissive gesture at just the idea of it.

"Look, if you wanna fight, that's fine. If you wanna do it to be proud of yourself or defend someone or somethin' you give a shit about, that's good too. Just don't convince yourself that you ain't doin' enough for needin' help. What's that say about all the other people out there that need help? Would you ever think of them as burdens? You seem like you're too good for that."

He thinks for a minute.

"Y'know... For a long time I needed help? A real long time. And I could fight with the very best of 'em. A good half of these scars-" he gestures to the worst side of his face and head "-I got back then. Didn't matter how much I could fight, I needed help. An' I got some, finally. From a real good fella."

Who'll... never forgive him. But he did what's right by him in the end. He'll hang onto that.

"About as good as a thief can be, anyway. So don't kick the hell out of yourself for bein' a burden. Don't fight out of guilt. Do it 'cause you got your eyes on somethin'."

He's got it right on the money. Of course Madoka would never think of people who need help as a burden - hence why there's a small shake of her head when he asks her if she'd ever think of them that way. No way. She's even encouraged friends here on the train with similar worries that they weren't burdens at all - it's just that she applies a different, much higher standard to herself.

Still.. it's not like she doesn't recognize his point. So Madoka slowly nods.

"I'm sorr--" Madoka starts, but realises just in time that it's not the right way to reply to something like that. It's not like he's scolding her. He's giving her advice. She inhales, sitting up a bit straighter and sounding a bit more determined this time. "I.. I'll try, sir."

It's hard to think of herself more positively, but she is trying. She has been already, for a while now.

"But.. if you ever do need help again.." Her voice trails off, since Madoka doesn't think it's very likely. She's already surprised enough to hear a tough-looking guy like him with an amazing arrow like that needed help in the first place! "Please.. let me know. I'll gladly help you, sir. Because we're teammates, of course, but.. um.. also since you're very nice."

A lot nicer than he initally looks, in Madoka's opinion.

"Nice.. um, nice enough to be a friend. And friends help each other out without worrying about being a burden in the first place, right..?" There's a lot of getting over shyness that's being done here, but it's just proof that she's really trying.

You're very nice. Well... he's being very nice right now. In fact he hasn't had much of a reason to be an asshole since getting here. He's been too tired, unfocussed, no crew to posture in front of, he's been draggin' the bottom for anything he can dredge up.

It's hard to think of himself as nice. And someone saying that is terrifying, because one good thought about himself and usually the people responsible either up and die on him, or tell him that they were wrong and he was never worth shit in the first place.

He doesn't think she'll do that, though. At least that latter bit.

His angry-looking by default mouth twists into something a little more sad than particularly mean. "Right, well... Maybe you're good about makin' mean people act up a little less." He nods, though. Rather than outright refuse her.

"Alright, I'll tell ya. But you gotta do the same for me." He points at her. "Right?"

But he guesses he already had the one point, he might as well make another. "Also if you run into someone as scarred up as me, they might not mention it outright. Might not wanna talk about it or own up to it at all. But you can be pretty sure at some point they needed some help."

Edited 2021-02-08 23:37 (UTC)

"I'll tell you too, sir. I promise."

And as for the rest - a while ago she may still have been shocked by him saying something like that. Like there's something about her that makes her good at making mean people a little softer. But Madoka has experienced it often enough in practice now. There were so many people in this place she was utterly terrified of upon first meeting them, but they all turned out to be really nice people. (In their interactions with her, anyway.) .. Thinking about it, some of them had scars too, huh..

.. But thinking of people she was at first intimidated of immediately makes her think--

"Also, you.. should talk to mister Piccolo sometime. He's also with the blue team, and he's also.. um.."

How to say this in a sensitive way. Madoka doesn't want to be rude, especially when this mister is being so nice to her!

"Well.. I'm sure you've noticed a lot of people here.. um.. look.. like me..?" She means humans with human skin colours, unlike this blue he's rocking. "But mister Piccolo is green, he's an alien! And he also seems kind of scary, but is really nice.. And he's on the blue team too, so maybe you'll end up working together! So.. I think he may be a good person for you to know!"

She sounds kind of enthusiastic there, but as always with Madoka, it quickly deflates into a bit more of insecurity. ".. maybe? I think?"

"Yeah, Terran colored. Qu-" He pauses, then changes his tune, because he just accepted this and he might as well own it. "My boy that I took in is Terran, so I'm used to what y'all look at. There are a few other species that come in different shades of brown, so I ain't all that surprised."

The hair is new, but whatever.

"I hear people mention that guy a lot. Y'all sound like he made an impression." Either it's the 'he's green so he stands out' or he's actually good at his job. Maybe it's both.

"I'll probably meet 'im sooner or later."

It's a little embarrassing to know she wasn't the first to mention Piccolo to the man, but thankfully she manages to not spiral about it, instead just letting out a small, awkward giggle.

"I think it's since you two seem so similar.." Surely she can't be the only one who drew parallels between the two men. Even just aside from the odd skin colours, it's the way their faces work, what their personalities seem like..

Madoka shakes her head though, much more interested in the rest of what he says.

"But.. 'your boy', sir?" As in a son? He is saying he took him in.. "It's so kind of you to take someone in like that! He must be really important to you. I'm sorry if he isn't here on the train with us.."

"He's about as close to one as I'll ever get," he'll just put it that way. Non-commital, 'cause while in those final seconds of self-awareness it looked like Peter forgave him and accepted that Yondu tried. Poorly, but he tried. "Nah, he needs to be back home. He's got bigger things that he needs to be doin'."

Luckily for Madoka, he's been figuring for the most part it's because Piccolo is blue team lead, less than if they had any similarities. He's for the most part agreed to play along, not because he's eager to follow someone's idea of heroism, but more because he remembers the price of failure for people that continuously screw up.

One more person involved, less of a chance that it'll happen to these kids.

"Ah, well.."

Something about that specific wording he's using seems to make her go quiet for a moment. It's obvious something is bothering her, because the girl seems to wear her emotions on her sleeve - looking down, fidgeting, obviously a little nervous before she tries to downplay those same nerves a moment later by smiling at him.

"I think a lot of us have bigger things to do.. Or, um, at least important things to do back home. In that sense it's a little sad that everyone got taken from their own world to this place, huh..? There must be a lot of people out there missing someone important to them."

Ah, shit.

He'd kind of discussed it in a way that he would just bitch about. One of those moments where you didn't want to feel, but it was bad enough that you could let on that it was an inconvenience. His whole day had been terrible and the fact that it was a smooth glaze of awful let him escape the idea that anything truly personal had happened. The whole thing was just bad, starting with his former best friend telling him that he was hopeless and worthless to half his crew turning on him to... well, how it ended.

"Well, angel, see... right before I came here, I did somethin' to save his life. I think it worked, I think I got him out of there. But uh... pretty sure I didn't make it. I ain't got nothin' to go back to, now. I'd rather he be out there than roped into this."

For both good and bad reasons. He wanted the damn last word, thanks. Let him go out saying and doing one single good thing of value. And he's sure Quill didn't like seeing that- that was obvious from what little he saw before his vision was gone.

.. Oh.

Oh.

That definitely makes Madoka go quiet. Since it's a heavy thing to suddenly have to hear - though she knows that he isn't the only one on the train who arrived from that kind of situation. Even people really important to her, who have since left, did the same. Sacrificing their own lives or dying right before ending up here.

But it's still sad, knowing that happened. Even if it was for a good cause.. he seems like such a good guy. Someone who didn't have to die. Hence why the girl's facial expression drops entirely, and it takes a few good moments before she can figure out what to say.

And even then she's still not sure of what she's saying. Wanting to make sure to deal with this well, but being too young to fully know how to do so.

".. I'm sorry, sir."

Is that a good, adult thing to say? Even as Madoka looks like a kicked puppy?

"It's.. It's very brave and kind of you to have done so. Even though it must have been hard.."

He forces a smile onto his face, fangy as ever.

"Angel, that's probably the only brave and kind thing I ever did. Don't you feel too bad for me." That's his version of consolation. He got exactly what was coming to him.

As far as he knows, the Colors of Ogord would still never be over his grave. The horns wouldn't play. He'd just drift, and he deserved it that way.

"And I showed up someone a lot worse than I ever was. I still won that fight, as far as I'm concerned, so you should be happy I helped beat somethin' as strong as a god. Guy was a real bastard. Doin' away with his own kids, even. But he's gone now."

"O-Of course I'm happy if you managed to do something that good!"

Especially since it sounds amazing. Was he really capable of beating someone that strong? As strong as a god? You can't get stronger than that.. And yet somehow he managed to do exactly that.

Madoka's expectations of his powers are shooting up tenfold now. Even though it's not the most important thing here.

"It's an amazing thing to do, sir. Even if you think you were only that brave and that kind once.. T-Then it's still a lot more brave and kind than some people can ever be in their lives." She won't let him turn down this compliment that easily, okay. She's determined now, in that way only kids can be.

"When I go home.." She stops for a moment. Is it really alright to share this with someone she only just met? But maybe he'll understand, considering everything he said so far, so-- "When I go home, I'm going to have to deal with something really powerful too. And it's probably going to cost me my life too to make sure it can't hurt anyone else, so.. um, I really hope I can be as brave and kind as you in that moment."

She is way too young for that. Yondu's already lived his life. It's no wonder she likes it here, if she has something like that waiting on her.

"Well, if I told you all that about my boy and Ego- that was the big bastard's name -and stuff, how about you tell me about this thing you gotta fight?"

And what the hell could make a teenager have to sacrifice herself to save people, and waste a whole life ahead of her? He's not gonna knock it, it'd be hypocritical of him, but it does chafe him to know that in a world full of people (he assumes) someone is putting that on her.

There have been times in the past where she's been more hesitant with talking about this, but Madoka did start about it - so then she figures it's only fair for her to finish explaining, rather than leaving him hanging. Especially if he actually wants to know.

"Well.. In my world there are these scary creatures called witches. They're like monsters, but nobody knows they exist, even though they lure regular people into their labyrinths and kill them all the time."

Her tone is serious, considering it's such a serious topic. But there's still an edge of that uncertainty born from shyness that Madoka displayed before too in it.

"The only people who know about them and can fight them are magical girls. Those are girls around my age who make a contract with this alien creature called Kyubey. Making a contract means you get to make a wish that'll be fulfilled, but afterwards you'll be obligated to fight those witches." Her gaze drops down, looking at her hands on the table. "But.. a really, really strong witch showed up in the city I live in right before I ended up here on the train. If no one stops that witch, she won't just end up destroying the town and everyone in it, but the whole world.. And other magical girls tried to fight it, but they weren't strong enough."

Madoka shakes her head, looking back up at him.

"Kyubey said that I'd be strong enough to do something about it if I made a contract. S-So I'm going to. I can't just abandon everyone."

"Sounds like you fully realize that some alien creature targetin' little girls is pretty shady, too."

He seems to accept all of the explanations, though. They're not foreign to him. Magic is real to him- Krugarr, a member of his team, had used it. Something threatening to destroy a world? Also way too normal. Fucked up, and normal. A labyrinth? Not out of the realm of possibility.

"Yeah, I think I'd not like the decision, but I'd make the same one. I will freely think it's bullshit that was put on you. Seems like you're a good kid. I had this whole life of bad ideas I needed held accountable for. You just sound like a good girl gettin' by."

A New Platform [Intro Post February]

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