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

[badassfreakingoverlord]

Zetta opened his mouth, paused, and then shut it.

"Crap. I only had to do this once, I forgot it!" The book spun in midair, as if that would somehow help him remember the invocation. "Uh -- by the power of Grayskull -- the power is yours! Bananas in pajamas are coming -- no, you can dance if you want to -- crap!"

[myblueskies]

Romeo stifled a giggle as Zetta tried and failed to remember the spell to name a shinki. "Did you really forget, mister Zetta?"

That would be worrisome... Romeo thought hard, being named by Elfnein was one of his earliest memories and that day is very clear still in his head.

"I... I might remember the words."

Maybe. He's not sure, he doesn't want to muddle them but he knows there is nothing about bananas in there!

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"I told you, I did this ONCE and it was a waste of time then." No one had wanted to be Zetta's shinki (Romeo didn't count), and he was just fine with no guilt being slopped over onto him. Of course, he'd forgotten about that part now, and the potential ramifications of naming the kid...

[myblueskies]

"Well I won't be a waste of time!" He wasn't a waste of time, he worked really hard. "I'll be a good shinki! And I learned in shinki training that gods all know the spell, it's in your head so you just got to concentrate. That's what Elfnein did! She just thought deep inside and it was there!"

Which is good, because he remembers the words... But not all of them and he's not completely sure of the order.

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"Uh, hold on. I have an idea."

Zetta flopped down onto the ground, the tome fanning open as he did. Flipping on their own, the pages scooted back to a point some time ago -- writing about the Far Shore.

"It should be somewhere in there. Find it and read it out!"

[myblueskies]

"Um..."

Was this mister Zetta's brain? This was a bit strange but Romeo knelt down and began reading, there was a lot of words but he didn't want to use his finger to follow the words along in case that felt strange or hurtful for Zetta.

It takes a while, there's lots of things but eventually...

"Okay... I think I got it. So you got to say. My name is... I think that's gotta be your god name..." He was pretty sure Elfnein had said Gegute when she had named him.

"Grasping thy true name, I bind thee here. With borrowed name, I dub thee my servant. The name answers, the vessel to sound. I call thee as my divine instrument. The name," That's the first way of reading the name you choose...." He thinks, he's pretty sure he learned that in shinki class.

"The vessel, That's the second way and then... Come, and then you say the weapon name!"

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"Right, fine." Irritated that he needed the help, Zetta snapped shut, flipping up into the air.

He cleared his throat a moment, tried to figure out how to put an awesome spin on this dorky incantation, then just sighed and rushed through it. "Grasping thy true name I bind thee here with borrowed name I dub thee my servant the name answers the vessel to sound I call thee as my divine instrument. The name Kozou, the weapon Shosoki. Come Shosoki!"

cw: memory scene of a child's death

[myblueskies]

He looked up as Zetta flipped up into the air and began saying the incantation. He felt a bit nervous, a bit worried. But he knows what it feels like now, it wasn't like the first time when he had no idea what was about to happen.

It was dark. Dark, stuffy with thin air, too hot. Far too hot. Romeo climbed, hands reaching out to hot bricks and wincing as the heat seared through the cloth wraps around his hands.

Still he climbed, coughing every few steps at the smoke and soot that was filling his lungs. He looked upwards, tilting his head to try and see light but had to bow it again as soot fell into his eyes.

Another step, there is an impatient voice calling from far below, demanding to know if he's found the problem. His foot finds another brick, it is loose, it tips. Romeo's hands flail out, trying to grab something, anything. But he is falling. Down, down into the darkness.

When Zetta is brought back into the train, out of the memory of his shinki's final moments there is a motorcycle in the aisle of the train, a bundle of nervous excitement overlaying the deep sadness of losing Elfnein in his head along with a voice as Romeo speaks, blissfully unaware of exactly what a god sees when they name a shinki.

"Wow! Am I a bike?"

[badassfreakingoverlord]

Zetta scowled. Not because of the memory -- sure, it was unpleasant, but he knew perfectly well Romeo was dead and circumstances were bad at best -- but because of his own damn sentimentality. Not seeing the kid as a furry animal just seemed wrong somehow, and he didn't appreciate feeling that way.

"You're a motorcycle, actually. Hey, are you capable of moving like that?"

[myblueskies]

A motorcycle? That was pretty cool. Though it's bit strange, he's still up above everything just like before, looking down on Zetta and the motorcycle, but it feels different than being a weasel did.

"Um... I don't know sir. I don't got legs..."

Could he still move, he tried to think, tried to feel all the parts of the bike, of him.

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"Yeah, but you got wheels. Hell if I know, I'm a book, not a motorcycle." And definitely not a shinki, so he had no idea how exactly that sort of thing worked.

[myblueskies]

He did. He did have wheels. So they should be able to move just like legs, right? He concentrates very hard, he doesn't want Zetta to be mad at him! He has to try and be a good shinki even though Zetta is very different than Elfnein!

Maybe if he just thinks of forward. He screwed up his face in concentration and tried to push.

The bike moved, sprung forward, crashed into a chair, fell on it's side.

"Ow!"

He had moved though! He'd done it!

[badassfreakingoverlord]

Zetta squeezed his eyes shut and waited for the inevitable...

Which didn't happen. Somehow, by some miracle, Romeo had not smashed directly into him and flattened him.

Could his luck finally be turning around?

"Uh, revert or whatever," he said, slowly cracking one eye open.

[myblueskies]

There was a flash of light, the motorcycle vanished and Romeo returned, looking very sheepish.

"Sorry sir. I'll practice more I promise!"

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"Hey, that wasn't so bad to start with. Not the best form for a train, but when we're out on a mission you ought to have a good time of it." So long as it wasn't some tiny stupid mission.

[myblueskies]

It wasn't so good for a train, a bit big, a bit bulky. But on missions, it would be very cool.

"I'll make sure to work hard, next mission!"

He would be the best motorcycle a book demon could have!

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"You always work hard, that's not something you need to say." Too hard. Maybe Zetta could finally teach the kid about proper behaviors such as laziness and excessive video gaming...

[myblueskies]

"Oh..."

He nodded, "Okay sir."

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"Seriously, where'd you get your work ethic? A kid your age should be big on playing and having fun, not working your butt off." Not that he didn't know Romeo's life was a bizarre mess...

[myblueskies]

"I like having fun and playing too sir! But working hard is really important."

He smiled. "I don't know. I guess I must have learned it when I was alive, but Elfnein always worked hard too so I learned a bit from her!"

[badassfreakingoverlord]

Ugh, of course. "And she was a terrible example, with her coffee-drinking and overworking. Obviously I need to teach you a more balanced life."

[myblueskies]

"She wasn't!"

He turned to him, tears filling his eyes. "She wasn't a terrible example!"

She had taught him so many things, had been a good teacher, a great god. Zetta might be his god now but he wasn't about to let him say such terrible things!

[badassfreakingoverlord]

Unmoved by the tears, Zetta regarded Romeo with a frown. "Look. She was a good kid, I'm not saying she wasn't, and I know you're crazy about her. But she wasn't perfect, and that was a HUGE place where. If you put her on a pedestal, you're not being fair to either of you."

[myblueskies]

"She was." He screwed his face up. "She was perfect, you don't get..."

He pressed his lips together even as tears pooled in his eyes. He's not supposed to yell at his god, even if what he was saying wasn't true and wasn't fair!

Elfnein had been wonderful, even if she drank lots of coffee!

[badassfreakingoverlord]

Zetta shook his head, slowly. "If she was perfect she wouldn't have needed you as a shinki. Or friends or anything. You say someone's perfect, you're saying they're not a person. So treat her right and let her be her, flaws and all."