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!

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"Six months, huh?" He shifts his gaze to look up at where the sky should have been. Instead, it's fog. Thick blankets of fog that cascade down like heavy snowfall, except there's none of the beauty of winter and all the unpleasant chill that follows the dead of the season. This wasn't a very nice platform, but he'll take any fresh air he can get. Six months...

"Feels like only yesterday when you and I first met too. Do you remember? We were watching the platform. You stopped me from following out the barrier."

And the rest of that was history. He shifts slightly in their shared coat space, rubbing shoulders almost literally had it not been for the height difference. Where Roland wasn't precisely tall, Taiki seemed very petite. Was it a kirin thing? He doesn't think of it too much.

"I do remember." It didn't seem all that long ago but even that had been a few months, when he had found him trying to move out of the barriers, persuaded him not to endanger himself.

He smiles softly as he shares Roland's warmth, Roland is taller than him, though no where reaching the height of Lord Gyousou. It makes him feel safe.

"Do you have any plans, once everyone is welcomed?"

He shifts his weight, from the heels of his feet, feeling the new pair of shoes that came with his new outfit from home. The coat is adjusted over at Taiki's side, slipping off slightly. Can't have a cold kirin now, can we!

"Apart from my usual routine? Not really." Usual routines being chores, last minute welcomes and intro's for the more curious bunch, checking on his roommate (and last he checked the terminal, someone was already assigned to the emptied space...); nothing exciting. Platform days were always an affair. He didn't need to add to the fanfare.

"Did you have something in mind?" He's quick to add at the end, smiling down at Taiki with a kind eye. "I could use some hot milk, if that's what you're talking about. Don't think Senku's cocoa beans are ready for hot chocolate just yet, heh."

"We can go and get you some hot milk." He agreed easily. "Senku is growing cocoa beans?"

He's not actually surprised, Senku is very industrious and there is a lot happening in the gardening carriage.

"We can go to the kitchen now if you wish, I wouldn't mind some tea."

It is very cold out here, even sharing a coat like this.

That's all Roland needs to hear before taking one last, long look over at the platform and the dwindling crowd of newcomers now filing into the train. Once upon a time, he would be more keen to poke and prod the mysteries of the barriers keeping them out...but today was not one of those days. Neither has he found himself in the mood to do so recently, either. If there were answers to their conundrum of tethering and existence, certainly he's accepted that they weren't going to find them out there.

Sneakily, he pulls his arm out of the coat and uses the smooth movement to drape the entire article of clothing around Taiki's shoulders. His smile is as innocent as can be, but it's too late to return it anyway since Roland makes sure Taiki has no chance to contest, already walking back to the entrance of the train.

"He's cultivating them from Nion, I think." He throws the answer over his shoulder, as soon as Taiki catches up. "But he told me it'll take a while yet since it's a hard bean to grow, so hot milk and hot tea it is."

That was sneaky, and exactly the sort of thing he should have expected from Roland. He picked up the hem of the coat, both so he didn't trip and to prevent it dragging on the wet floor and then hurried after Roland.

"Yes, I think cocoa is quite difficult to grow."

He isn't sure of exactly how it is grown, he follows Roland into the kitchen. "Um... I can go get what we need..."

"Nonsense. We'll go together. Come on."

Roland smiles back, leading the way comfortably. Taiki was one of the kinder ones on the train, and he finds that he never lets his being a kingmaker or kirin stop him from trying to put others before himself. Such an attitude easily earned Roland's respect in kind.

Letting Taiki wear his coat was as deliberate as they could come too, even if the interior of the train was a lot warmer than it was outside on the platform. Soon enough, they arrive at the kitchen car where Roland immediately gets to work, drifting to the tea and milk instinctively. Hot water is set to boil first, then his milk in a small saucepan.

"Sit tight, Taiki. I'll take care of this. Why don't you tell me about the things you've been up to these days? Got new art you wanna show me?"

He smiled at him as they gathered the supplies. Roland really was a kind person and Taiki was happy to work beside him, even if Roland did such things as trick Taiki into wearing his coat.

He sat down as instructed, Roland's no-nonsense attitude too much to argue against. "I've done some more painting... Curufin and Feanor wanted a way to remember everyone who left and... well Feanor is gone now... But I've been trying to paint the people I remember..."

It is far from everyone but he's doing his best.

This really would be the perfect occasion to have hot cocoa, but they make due with what they have. Instead, Roland rummages around, looking at the dried herbs and pantry staples that are in constant supply. Cinnamon's in stock, which would go well with both...right? He takes the chance; drops a stick each in the hot water with Taiki's tea, then in the softly bubbling milk in the pan. The smell is aromatic and warm.

He speaks while multitasking, his smile dropping a tad when the conversation turns to those who have come and gone. Such is the inevitable during days like this.

"I'm sorry about Feanor," he says, a touch regretfully. Come to think of it, Roland's never seen Taiki's art depicting people before. He starts pouring in the tea in a cup. "Did you know about the memorial wall? It's a good place to share your talents...and to honor your friends."

It did smell nice, it made Taiki smile slightly despite the subject matter. "I didn't know him that well, but it is worrying that so many have gone." Feanor once had an entire family on the train and now there were only a couple of them.

"Yes, I am glad people were able to make it. It's important I think. To remember."

Very important to remember. "Thank you." For the tea, as the steaming mugs are ready, the heat off them reminding him how cold it had been on the platform.

Meanwhile, had Roland been privy to such thoughts, he would have gladly offered a similar yet opposing take. Families for him have begun to convene on the train, between Trunks's entire brood appearing out of thin air, to Inigo's mother who he had just met earlier. It worries him, but he's shoved it so far back in his mind that Roland merely hums at Taiki's observations.

He settles next to Taiki when all the drinks have been served. This would be his first time to try a new concoction of milk, and his first sip is telling. It's delicious.

"Do you want to go there after this?" He says kindly, a tilt of his head to the side in close listening. "I wouldn't mind taking a trip. Or to just keep a friend company." Especially when losses weigh heavily on their mind. Roland understands these days are never easy, no matter how often they come and go.

He took a sip of his own tea, smiling. "This is delicious, thank you." It was warming, calming. Exactly what was needed on a day such as today.

"Yes." He nodded at the suggestion, "It would be nice to go there, together."

It was a place where it was best to go with a friend, not alone. Memories were always better shared.

Most of them. The sort that the memorial wall was for at least.

"Any time."

Cinnamon and milk weren't bad combinations either. He nods happily into his own mug, warmed up from the inside out.

"When you're ready, then." There's a part of Roland that wants to ask more decisively - what is it that's bothering Taiki, if it's just the departures or something else that's getting him down, but for now he takes it one step at a time. Roland sips his drink and looks around, and sometimes adjusts the coat on the kirin so that he's more covered up and cozy as he finishes his drink. He wasn't going anywhere, regardless.

The adjusting of the coat got a small smile for Roland's kindness. It is not so cold on the train but the weight is comforting nonetheless. He sipped at his tea.

"What have you been up to?"

He tries to keep track of his friends, but despite the train being very easy to navigate it was still easy to miss people, it was very long after all.

"Apart from the usual work," Papers being printed, logistics being planned, so on and so forth. Roland likes to keep busy even when nothing is happening, out of habit, out of respect for the life he used to lead. He smiles as he takes another sip of his tea. Taiki might glimpse him at the library or standard car, more often than not. "Nothing much. Reading. Someone once told me I really needed to get new hobbies, so I've been doing my best to explore that."

A luxury he could not afford anywhere else, not the first world, and certainly not in the second.

"What about you?" He adds, quick to deflect. "I'd love to paint with you again sometime."

"Was that Tidus?" It's a half joke, but it's the sort of thing Tidus would do. He was always thinking of others and trying to help them be as busy and happy as was possible.

"We can paint whenever you wish, it was fun... I mean... If you want."

Another nervous smile. "I told Inigo about the handprint we made, I think he would like to paint with us sometime."

"Was I that obvious?" He smiles wider as Taiki hits the nail right on the head. It really was part of Tidus's charm to get people to explore things they never thought they could do ever again...or jump into hobbies that never even crossed their minds to begin with.

He swallows his drink before making a hand gesture, waving a palm back and forth. "Of course I want to. Did you show pup the painting we did? Heh. Let's do it. We can all make hand prints on paint, then one altogether. Sounds good?"

"Pup?" Was that his name for Inigo? That is incredibly sweet. He is glad that Inigo has found someone who clearly cares about him as much as Roland does.

"It sounds fun, I would like that."

They could probably persuade Tidus as well, he was always up for doing anything fun.

"It's a date, then. A painting date. Let's bring them altogether. Okay?"

As soon as his points are refreshed, Roland's already committed to helping add to the art supplies for the project. Maybe they might be able to frame it, too. For now, he lets Taiki wear his coat as they warm up on a train ready to move for the next world waiting for its unlikely saviors.

"Okay."

It was a painting date. Them, their friends, and probably whoever else Tidus decided to drag into things once he learned about it.

He smiled from where he was wrapped in the oversized coat, glad for the warmth both of the coat and Roland's friendship.

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A New Platform [Intro Post February]

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sorry for the late, work got wild ;__;

<3 is okay

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