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

[happyends]

...

Madoka's gaze.. may be lingering on those ears. Just for a moment.

Or a few moments. Because they're so cute. And they're actually real, twitching like that! It's someone with real adorable fox ears, like a character you'd usually only see in a cartoon or in a comic.. Madoka thinks it's adorable.

But is she going to say that out loud to someone she's only just met and who's older than her? Of course not. She'd never risk being impolite like that. So after a few moments she manages to tear her gaze away, nodding with a faint blush on her cheeks.

"O-Okay!"

Suspicious fluster out of nowhere, huh. Good job, Madoka.

"Don't worry! There are a lot of people on this train who come from.. um, well, very different worlds, or very different time periods.." The girl explains as she walks back towards the entrance of the train, waiting for him to follow her. "So people are used to explaining things that may seem very normal to them. You shouldn't worry about asking people anything-- no question is a bad or dumb one..!"

[foxyou]

....He'll figure out how to hide these ears soon enough, just you wait. But she's a girl, and a young one, so he'll...do his best to ignore it for now.

He awkwardly clears his throat, determined to act as Cool as Possible despite his soft fluffy ears and big poofy tail. "And what sort of world would you be from? Are trains common there? Cultivators, perhaps?" Perfectly normal questions! As he starts walking toward the train.

[happyends]

"Yes, there are a lot of trains where I'm from! A lot of people use them to commute to work or school.."

Granted, her usage of the words 'a lot of people' may indicate that she's not one of them, or she most likely would have mentioned that she's one of them. But it seems a normal enough concept to the girl that she can easily talk about it.

.. more easily than the other topic he brings up, anyway, since that's what gets her to pause and think.

"Um, but cultivators.. Is that something you'd use on a farm..?" That's what they do at farms, right? Cultivate? The girl frowns, clearly confused.

[foxyou]

"....Your people actually live that far away from your work? Why don't you simply live at the school, or choose one you can walk to?" As someone from a world where horses are the preferred method of long-distance travel, the idea of keeping your house so far away from your work that you'd need one of these humongous metal carriages to get there every day is...

Well, anyway. He scoffs, then immediately tries to smooth out the slightly offended look that had instinctively materialized on his face. "Cultivators aren't farmers, we--they cultivate their bodies and minds to achieve spiritual power and longevity." A pause. He side-eyes her curiously. "Do they not teach martial arts in your world? Or meditation?"

[happyends]

Look how quickly it works.

Madoka sees that expression on his face, and almost instantly the girl seems to shrink. Not literally, of course, she's at the same height as a moment before. But mentally, both in her facial expression and mannerisms, she immediately seems more nervous, worried about having offended him so much with what she was saying.

Her hands move to fidget with each other.

"N-Not really, sir.. I guess monks meditate, but it's not as if everyone is a monk.. And, um, martial arts is more of a hobby for s-some people, I think.."

Look at all this 'I guess' and 'I think'. Immediately she's more unsure of each and every single word that comes out of her mouth.

"I'm sorry. My world must be very different from what you're used to.."

[foxyou]

Oh...he didn't mean to intimidate her......Shen Qingqiu immediately looks awkward himself, his ears doing the fidgeting in place of anything else.

"There's nothing to apologize for, I'm just..." He cuts off, unable (or unwilling) to explain how lost he feels at the moment, and instead chooses to go with "Your world sounds about as different from what I'm used to as the one we're in right now. So I suppose something considered important in my world being relegated to a hobby or a...temple task...in yours, should be no more surprising than everything else so far..."

Still kind of a blow though.

[happyends]

"M-Maybe you can find people here on the train who are more used to what your world is like," Madoka says, quick to want to placate him a little. Not necessarily just because she's nervous, but also since Madoka is definitely the type who doesn't want anyone to have to feel like a fish out of water all by themselves.

"There's a lot of people on the train after all.." Surely at least one of them has to know more about this cultivating thing? "And I know from talking to people that a lot of them are from really different worlds than mine! So.. um, maybe one of those worlds is like yours.."

[foxyou]

The idea of being stuck on that thing with a lot of people doesn't make him feel much better, to be honest...he purses his lips, trying to keep himself from looking too dissatisfied with the girl's answers.

"It doesn't matter. If it isn't known in this world, there isn't much point to others knowing of it, anyway." He'll just have to...figure out what's considered normal in this one. If there is a normal?

[happyends]

Even though he doesn't seem too dissatisfied, Madoka still can't help but fuss a little - apparently, at least, since the girl is pressing her fingers together and frowning a little, as if she's still thinking. And still worrying about him, no matter that she's only just met him in the first place.

".. Are you sure? I still wouldn't want you to think of yourself as different.." Or odd, she means, but that feels like a rude word to say out loud. Especially since those things aren't odd at all where he comes from, just only by her world's standards!

"A-At least.. um.. please make sure to talk to some other people around here? I'm sure you'll find most of them are really pleasant! And it'd probably be really sad to feel all alone on a train like this."

[foxyou]

"I was alone to begin with, so there's no need to worry over my feeling sad about it." Look, see, he's fine now! Perfectly unbothered by his unexpected return to eternal solitude!!

He might secretly be a bit of a drama queen. Walking along...looking calm and indifferent and solitary.....never mind the fact he's technically not alone right now.

"Your concern is appreciated, as is your assistance so far. As for talking to others...I can assure you I'll do just fine without."

[happyends]

...

Oh no. Oh no. Madoka instantly recognizes this attitude. This definitely is not the first time she has run into the whole Oh No, It's Fine, I Am Totally Okay By Myself Forever type. And while it's still a little hard to deal with it, since Madoka tends to be shy and doesn't want to be too forceful, her first experience with it has lead her to believe that these kinds of people definitely should not be left alone.

Especially on a weird train where they may be forced into dangerous missions.

"Well.."

Look at her, building up this courage. Especially since she doesn't want to offend him twice in one conversation.

"I.. um, y.. You don't have to, but.. A-Ah, and I'm not implying you need it, either!" Look at this huge disclaimer before the girl even says one thing. "B-But if you.. ever do want to talk, or anything, or.. um, n-need some help! You can.. always talk to me.."

An attempt was made.

[foxyou]

.............

He casts her a glance out of the corner of his eye...which then stretches into something more like a long look, before he turns awkwardly away again.

"Thank you for the kind offer, Miss Madoka. I...will remember your words." But will he act on them? The fact she offered is kind of embarrassingly touching, so he's a little torn between wanting to make sure she never hears any of his problems ever and wanting to mark her down as someone he can go to when he needs a break from people. But that'd also be kind of embarrassing?

"...The assistance may be unnecessary, but I appreciate it nonetheless." Yes good, a nice neutral response.