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

[deferences]

Sizhui's expression brightens significantly after the acknowledgment, a slow smile curving his mouth at the edges as he remarks, “A good one, I'd say, and I have to admit that my day is better knowing you are here!” Can... can he hug him? Is he allowed to do that again? Last time, it was somewhat awkward initially, although Wei Wuxian did finally accept the embrace. (Clinging onto his leg seemed to work better, oddly enough? But he won't embarrass them both by doing such a childish thing in public.)

The man heads toward him and Sizhui scoops the white rabbit up into his arms, a motion that prompts the black bunny to poke its little head out from his hoodie pocket where it'd been napping. He glances down, grins outright when the other rabbit yawns then he upturns his attention once more.

“No, thankfully, since I believe Hanguang-jun would've been quite upset to find all his rabbits had gone missing.”

[weifinder]

Wei Wuxian is both very expressive and reserved at the same time, but he does hold open his arms: if his son wants to hug, he's not opposed. He just doesn't know how to really initiate it.

When he spies the second rabbit poking a head out of a pocket, he grins too.

"There wouldn't be room to move around here if all the back mountain rabbits were relocated. Besides, Hanguang-jun would be too lonely." Upset is another word for it, but lonely in the end is why he'd brought the rabbits out of that cave almost two decades before. He doesn't think he was ever wrong about that, at heart. "Then is it just the two? Be careful, there's a Deku plant that eats meat around here, somewhere."

[deferences]

Fortunately, that gesture is more than enough for Sizhui to take the go-ahead, step closer and toss his free arm around his father, squeezing him tight around the middle. Though he is mindful, considering there's a rabbit in his hoodie pocket and all, he can't help being enthusiastic about having the Wei Wuxian from his world present (and very much alive).

He chuckles at the remark, knowing full-well he's right, Lan Wangji would be lonely and upset without his rabbits... but Sizhui's sure not going to say that aloud.

“No, there probably wouldn't be. We'd likely need a train car dedicated to them and even then, it would be cramped going to visit the colony.” To be honest, the rabbits have been good for everyone, especially Hanguang-jun and the disciples who are willing to sneak off to the back mountain for visits. All of which are suddenly the last things on his mind whenever Wei Wuxian mentions a plant that eats meat. “There's a what now? What's a ‘Deku plant?’”

[weifinder]

It doesn't take him the same length of time to hug back down as it had the first time, too many emotions roiling in his chest, disbelief and hope and joy and heartache colliding into a beautiful, solid whole. He hadn't been used to getting things back. Had just figured out, to some extent, how to accept himself in more than the day to day oddities, and then suddenly it's not just having someone choosing to stand by his side, it's having his A-Yuan prove alive, and well, and sassy, but skilled and safe and loved.

The rabbits intrude, but considering the once upon source for their initial intrusion, he can't pretend to mind as he winds one arm around Sizhui's shoulders and hugs him in return. He's still stiff, still awkward, but notably less than the first time.

He's also first to let go, which should not be surprising either. A pat to Lan Sizhui's head, a quirk of his lips, and then reaching out to bop the nose of the rabbit peering out of his hoodie pocket once more. These clothes are so strange, but he's getting more used to seeing them.

"Oh, oh, this you'll have to see." He wraps his fingers around Sizhui's wrist to tug him along, reaching out to likewise offer to liberate him of a fluffy burden, all smiles. "It's from one of the worlds of the people made to work on substitute crew like we are. They said the plant was misnamed by people, who thought it was fully thinking like you or me or the rabbits here, because of how it acts."

[deferences]

He's completely well-aware that the last time they'd seen each other, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji were going one way and he and Wen Ning were headed another direction, off to work on a cenotaph for their ancestors. They had chased them down a final time so Sizhui could ask about the memories he'd been recalling, explain how he was absolutely certain his surname was ‘Wen,’ and reveal his identity alongside all the feelings coming with that.

It is those making him squeeze the faintest amount tighter whenever Wei Wuxian's arm comes around his shoulders, a slow, measured breath exhaling through his nose. Don't cry, he reminds himself, everything's fine now. The lingering stiffness makes him smile briefly, since if it were gone altogether, he'd have questions.

When Wei Wuxian lets go, he leans away too, politely inclining his head and grinning a bit wider at the pat. Easy to see from this angle, the man taps Baby Carrot's little black bunny nose, which makes the animal eagerly squirm out further for more attention.

Sizhui's readying to plead with the rabbit about sitting still just a bit longer, then a hand circles his wrist while another reaches for— oh, yes, of course! He places Little Radish in the offered palm and lowers that freed hand so he can reach into the pocket and gently clutch Baby Carrot's middle to keep him from escaping. Admittedly, he's nervous – plants don't ordinarily eat meat!!! – and sweet immortals above, if something happened to the rabbits? Imagine the horror! “You're saying the plant is... sentient? Able to perceive and feel things like we can.”

[weifinder]

He grins, hupping the rabbit up so he's cradling next to his neck, hand cupping round its backside so the rabbit's left looking over his shoulder with a slightly bewildered twitch of the nose.

"Not quite, it's rather the opposite. They were named like they were, but they're not! Just, ah, very opinionated. The stalks can move the bud, and the bud has teeth in it, it's rather impressive. Their caretaker said once they return to pod, those pods can be used to stun other creatures--ah, look, over there!"

The more brightly coloured "flower bud" of the plant stood on a thick stalk, thorns in bright evidence along the stem. With a few petals at the base of the bud, its teeth and tongue-like appendage were neatly framed as if it were indeed a creature in bloom: needlelike for the most part, it had a see-pod like feeling to its texture, misleadingly.

The plant does twist their way, tracking in whatever way it did and opening its mouth. It wasn't full grown yet, and it'd been fed, so showed less active interest and more passive interest while openings its mouth of needling teeth, tongue-like piston (he assumed, who knew) making itself known.

"That one's not even full grown!"

[deferences]

Poor Little Radish. Although Sizhui trusts Wei Wuxian to not let the bunny get injured, he can't help wincing faintly at the animal's reaction, yet doesn't attempt reaching out and taking him back. Everything is fine, he'll be fine because his father is careful.

He's somewhat lost at plants that are ‘just very opinionated,’ and even if Wei Wuxian's explanation clears some things up, it still has more than a dozen questions instantly coming to mind. Why? is the one echoing around the most and still that won't keep him from looking when the man tells him to. The Deku plant is as lovely as it is dangerous-looking, it's quite true what they say about predators sometimes having striking, eye-catching colors for luring in prey.

Had the plant not turned toward them with its mouth wide open, all those razor-like teeth and that terrifying tongue (???) on display, he might've very well reached out to touch it. His reaction ends up being the direct opposite with him shrinking back somewhat, eyes owlishly wide as he watches this frightening, though also fascinating bud.

“What do you mean not full-grown? It looks pretty decently-sized to me!” And menacing, given all its sharp, pointy bits. He clutches Baby Carrot the slightest bit tighter inside his pocket then dares leaning an inch or two closer, head tipped sideways with consideration. “It is quite an interesting, uhm, flower?”