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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Definitely..! ...It's really long though- there's so many carriages, it's a number of minutes from the cabins to the kitchen...there's lots in between, but since luggage is right beside them, they even set up a mini fridge with breakfast things there, so that it wasn't so far in the morning..."

No one wants to walk 20 minutes for toast. No one.

"I guess that makes sense. You'd think they'd put the kitchen in the middle of the train instead of the end... didn't anyone plan it out?"

"I don't think so? And new carriages appear sometimes too...so maybe it's because of the timing?"

"... Huh. How often do new carriages get added? And how does it decide what kind of carriages?"

"Mhn...I haven't been here that long but...Maybe every month or so? I think it has to do with what people ask the train for, actually...one of the newest ones is a 'spa' car with a bath, but another of them was a 'triage' car, since the medical carriage is so far from luggage- which is where people appear if they evacuate on a mission.

"So Triage appeared just after the mission where that was a problem- it's right in front of Luggage."

"... Huh. I guess that makes sense. Are there people here with healing magic?" He can do some, but not a ton...

"I'm pretty sure? But, not everyone can be near a healer, or a doctor in a fight...and even those guys staying on the train for it might need to move them somewhere..."

"That's true. I can only do one person at a time. Chidori's better at healing than I am, but during combat it tends to be me." Or they just shove healing items in their faces, that also works.

"The fact that you can heal at all is still pretty amazing though..! I can change the weather, but I can't do anything like that."

"I mean, changing the weather is pretty impressive. I could have used that when I was on my own..." Rainy days were some of the worst...

"I- I guess so... ...it's not really something you can use to fix too much though is the thing. I could make some stuff out of ice or clouds I guess, but that's not really going to help if someone's hurt..."

The fact that he can make stuff at all is kind of incredible on its own given the earlier power statement..!

"... Not everyone with a Persona can heal. I can, but Koromaru can't and he's still the best boy." Koro-chan is good dog best friend and he is hearing zero arguments to the contrary.

"Koroma- oh! That's the dog then?" Right, got it. "There's a lot of animals on the train, so maybe he'll show up one day..."

"Yeah. His Persona is Cerberus which... makes sense." Big dog and all... though he'd had to look it up. "He's the smartest dog I've ever seen or heard of. He can strategize in combat like the rest of us... also I don't think most dogs know how to fight with knives without hurting themselves."

"Oh, because dogs..." And woah wait-

"He's that smart..!? ...I was wondering if you could ask the train to bring him here that way, but if he's that smart, it might not be able to then..." Ahh, the age old question- appable, or non-appable...

~~I've seen both calls.~~

"Yeah. I mean Persona are parts of us... that means he's got enough of a personality to have parts. Not that other animals don't have personalities, but it's different. ... He's a good boy. He always protects us."

~~Schrödinger's Dog...~~

"I always thought most animals had personalities... ...is it really that different though? Why would just one dog have 'enough' to have a persona then?"

"They do, but like... not the same as people? I don't really know how it works."

"Hmmm..." A mystery for the ages...

"Well...whatever the answer is, you should see if the train can bring them here, if it's what you want- having someone you know seems like it makes being on board a little easier." Seems being the. Operative word.

He can't really speak to it.

"I'll see what I can do. He's... he's really nice. He'll be good to everyone on the train unless they're jerks. And I'll walk him..." He usually does at home anyway.

"I have a feeling he'll have a lot of walking on his own..."

...Speaking of places to walk. "...Ah....right, we should see which cabin you're going to be in, so we can get there..."

He pulls his ticket out again. "... Sleeper Two, Cabin C?"

"We'll get to yours before mine then... ...the sleeper carriages are farthest back, with the earliest numbers closest to the end."

A sigh.

"...I'm in the very first cabin in the first carriage..."

It is suffering.

A New Platform [Intro Post February]

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