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

[hisblueskies]

Alfredo's been exposed long enough to the Arms Bands not to be taken aback by those disappearances. All the same-

"How much space have you used in that so far?" And hopefully the alpaca isn't disappearing within it too!

Alfredo gets back on track, however, and nods.

"You're right. I can ask her once I find her..." Assuming he won't have to just call her over the Network.

[blitzcheer]

The alpaca is safe with Alfredo! But as for his question, Tidus shrugs a shoulder, answers airily, "Hasn't stopped me yet!"

But who knows, with half of the junk he has in there.... ... mostly food.

"I'll chat with her too if I see her. I know there's another girl on Blue who's kinda young and been around a while... don't think she's used to things like a birthday, from what she told me." A beat, and he explains simply- "Rough world, she comes from. Think her name was... Ple? Ple-tel?"

[hisblueskies]

"Ple Two?"

He nods.

"You're right, from what I know of her. She's good at keeping her head in a fight. She and Madoka are close, I think."

They were good for each other.

"Though- what about your birthday?"

It's only fair to turn the question back on Tidus at this point, really!

[blitzcheer]

Hah- "Dunno!" He admits, lifting a hand in a light wave. "Had it some point on the train, apparently, but I don't know when. I didn't follow a calendar for a long time where I came from. I was travelling the world, and we had a lot going on. How long I was even there for..."

He shakes his heads, hands lifting in place of a shrug. But he's smiling, far from bothered.

"But, you could say I got a gift for myself - and for the train too. I got a bunch of comics about blitzball!"

[hisblueskies]

"At least time existed there?"

Or so Alfredo assumes; it couldn't have been like the void in that respect, right?

But Tidus manages to brighten Alfredo's face as well.

"Really? That's great! I wonder how many people we can get interested to play, if we can share those?"

He wouldn't say no himself!

[blitzcheer]

"Time existed, but I weren't keeping track of the days or how long I was there, you know? And," he admits, rubbing at the back of his neck, "I don't remember when my age changed. Maybe...two months ago?"

Ehhhh. It didn't bother him enough to think about now, and Alfredo's positive expression to his comics makes Tidus brighten in return. Though he grins widen, showing teeth.

"Wellll- blitzball's no easy game to play with a pool. And you need a big one! You play it in water." He looks around now, and then gestures to the other packages.

"Hey, help me find them now and we can take a look, yeah? You'll see! There's a cartoon in the movie car too."

[hisblueskies]

"Ahhh." That did make sense. Why does time cause so many headaches?

Time for a subject change!

"Sounds like it'd be easier to play on a world instead of the train, even if we get a pool car." Which is a shame!

Alfredo nods, then starts moving about Luggage in search of those brown-paper-wrapped book-sized packages, looking for Tidus' name.

[blitzcheer]

"Nothing wrong with getting a pool car though!"

You know. Because it's a pool and pools are cool.

But onto the main event, of actually finding that parcel - which actually won't be too difficult without the distraction of conversation. There's more suitcases with names on them this platform stop (thanks to a lot of people buying clothes--), which leaves the brown parcel sitting innocuously on a lower shelf, like a sturdy cube with the other books joining it.

Whether it's Alfredo or Tidus who finds it first, the sight of it receives an "Aha!" from Tidus, who'll take it to begin peeling back by its edges in some false sense of tidy unwrapping. ...before he just tears into it, revealing the dense press of pages sandwiched between covers.

Colourful covers, as more of the unwrapping comes undone. A large 'Blitzstar!' adorns the front of a watercolour imagery, humans and non-humans pictured.

"Huh. It's actually real." Tidus is grinning, a smile he couldn't push off his face even if he wanted to. Taking the top book on the pile and turning it this way and that, to look at the back too. "It came up a couple times in the cartoon. Wonder which came first."

But for his quick look, he holds out what he suspects to be the first volume to Alfredo.

"You can read 'em first if you want."

[hisblueskies]

Alfredo at first waits patiently for the unwrapping, only for the absolute tearing to take him by surprise.

He ends up grinning in the end, though his eyes go wide at the offer.

"You mean it? ... I mean, thank you, Tidus."

And he gently (though not without strength; there's a lot of paper in there!) takes the offered volume.

[blitzcheer]

"Sure, let me know what you think." And he lifts the rest of the volumes now in his hands. "You can take these too if you have the room to carry them." Ah- "How about I drop them off by your room? You got anywhere else you're going?"

They'd have to take the sleeper cabins anyway, unless Alfredo had plans to hang out in the triage cars or in dressing. And it's not like Tidus knew if Alfredo didn't secretly play video games with Webs!

[hisblueskies]

Alfredo glances back down at his bag.

"Maybe I can carry them in here, too?"

When in doubt, simplify!

"I'm going to find Madoka, but apart from that, I don't have any specific plans."

[blitzcheer]

"Oh, sure," Tidus says, and if Alfredo's got room in that bag to see if they can slot in a few books, they can work out that around the alpaca plush.

"You have to tell me right away what you think of them! And ask me any questions about the game. But it'll be easy to get."

Not that Tidus is bias about blitzball here, or anything.

[hisblueskies]

Alfredo nods repeatedly.

"I will!"

As an avid reader, he's fairly certain he won't end up lost or anything. If anything, this should be fun!