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

[thawed_pride]

"That is, indeed, a different variety of creature."

He reaches into one of his coat pockets for a notebook that certainly wasn't there when Ken was wearing it. He flips it open to a specific page, and shows him a quick ink sketch of a Shadow. Above and below the picture, words are scribbled in a quick, near illegibly messy hand.

"This is what I'm familiar with."

[miseris_socios]

"... Hang on a sec." He pauses and digs into his bag, grabbing a pencil and flipping open the notebook. It takes a minute, but eventually he draws an (admittedly poor) sketch of a creature. He puts the pencil away and holds up the drawing.

"That's a type of Shadow. It's called a Cowardly Maya - probably because it's one of the weakest ones."

[thawed_pride]

"Then it seems to be simply an overlap in naming convention. It doesn't resemble any form of Heartless with which I am familiar."

He'll just...leave out why he's so confident he would recognize most, if not all, forms of common Heartless.

[miseris_socios]

He nods and puts the notebook away, starting to move again. The bag swings over his shoulder easily. "Yeah, I thought so. There's a lot of different types of Shadows... I could try to list the ones I know later." Not now. Not while they're exploring.

[thawed_pride]

"I doubt it would be strictly necessary, but...I must admit to a certain amount of curiosity. For as long as I've been aware of the existence of other worlds, I've found the differences between them fascinating."

[miseris_socios]

"I... guess? All of this is because the Kirijo Group messed up and... I know they had something to do with studying Shadows. Minato told me that they went crazy and wanted to end the world, and they tried to summon some sort of godlike thing and that's why they were gathering Shadows. But they messed up... there was some kind of explosion that split the thing up into the Arcana Shadows - big boss monsters, basically. And... that's what made Tartarus and the Dark Hour."

He's quiet as they move, thinking. "A - and that's bad, but most of the work we do is during the Dark Hour. Training, stealing stuff we can't buy because security cameras don't work, and... the others don't let me go on their assassination targets... that's what the website they run is for."

CW: PTSD flashbacks in here

[thawed_pride]

At the words 'wanted to end the world', Vexen's stride again falters. His mind abruptly shifts back to nine...no, ten years ago, when he had been the madman watching with cold fascination as the creatures he had helped to create surged through the streets of his homeworld. How he'd felt nothing when people ran to him, desperately crying for him to call the royal guard to protect them. He'd only scoffed, the guard had already been converted, their hearts even among the flood of creatures laying waste to the castle town. None save the three who had also studied the heart under Ansem had produced anything more than Dusks, but maybe the townsfolk would be different?

He vaguely registers the word 'assassination', and it pulls him back to the present. He stops walking and blinks several times, rubbing at his eyes as he tries to process words he'd only half heard over his own memory.

"Pause right there. Did you just say that your friends run an assassination website?!"

[miseris_socios]

... Shit. He looks up at Vexen, tugging his sleeve slightly while he's lost in thought and then lets go when he seems to come back.

"Y... eah. I mean, I'd prefer people go through the justice system, but... these are usually people who'd escape the law. Minato does research to make sure that the people they're going after are actually guilty. I know Sakaki got kicked out for making an unauthorized hit... I think there was collateral damage, too. ... I know Minato wouldn't go after someone who didn't do something wrong. They pull them out of their coffin and confront them. I think they run sometimes... either way they die and the Shadows make sure there's nothing left to find."

[thawed_pride]

"It sounds as if it is just as well they don't allow you to participate. Determining someone's honesty is a delicate affair, and you are far too young to have to bear the burden of uncertainty. There are reasons trials generally take weeks, in decently civilized areas. I can only imagine the pressure they must feel, trying to make such a determination from the shadows, with but one opportunity to speak to the suspect."

[miseris_socios]

"... I mean... I don't think they - well. I think they feel some pressure, but they can't get documentation to get jobs. They do what they have to in order to survive. They... kind of got fucked over in life." He doesn't like it, either. "These are people who usually have the money to pay someone to look the other way for their crimes. And it's not... all that hard to get into places during the Dark hour if you can pick a lock. Security systems go down, so you can look for evidence and then get out."