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

[ Oh god, this feels exactly like talking to someone in Wonderland. Did she happen to leave the train and go back there? Is she just hallucinating him? Who knows, but it's giving her some severe deja vu vibes over here. ]

Your father is a lord of the underworld. [ She repeats, dryly, as if to make sure she's understanding this situation properly. ]

Well, I don't think putting in any amount of good words is going to do much for me, really.

[He swears he's real. At least, he thinks he is!]

No, he's the God of the Dead, rules the whole thing. Lord Hades, big imposing figure, dour look to him, constantly judges you with those glowing red eyes of his? That one. Apparently he just rules over the dead of Greece? But surely his reach would extend beyond that, right, I mean, mortals die all the time...

[He shrugs his shoulders. Ah well, best not to ask question that can't be answered.]

I suppose it's less "put in a good word" and more "tell him I'll break you out of the Underworld with me if he so much as dares put you in Tartarus", but that's close enough for our relationship. I doubt you'd want to hang out with the Exalted of Elysium, all they want to do is fight to relive their glories battles in their afterlives, or... something like that, I still don't get why they're so battle-hungry up there.

You're breaking people out of the Underworld?

[ Talk about a story that's getting wilder by the second. ]

I doubt your father is very happy with that. [ His own son undermining his whole land of the dead things he's got going on. ] Or does he just think this is your rebellious phase?

[ Not that Alice has much right making fun of anyone's rebellious phase, considering she is still very much smack dab in the middle of her own. ]

Well I more or less break myself out of the Underworld on a semi-regular basis. I can't bring anyone back from the dead.

Father's never happy with anything I do. [He scowls, reminded of his failures at home, whether imagined or real.] I'm sure he'd say something of the sort, were he here. Though I really hope he never shows up.

[ There are so many things she could be asking here. It's like anything that leaves Zagreus' mouth only calls forth at least four different questions.

And Alice wouldn't be Alice if she didn't dig into it at least a little. ]

How come you're constantly breaking yourself out? [ 'Semi-regular basis', he said! That's not what anyone usually would say about breaking out of the Underworld, of all activities. ] You'd think you would only have to do that sort of thing once, if you're doing it succesfully.

It's... a long story. I'd be happy to tell it, but I'm not sure you want to have to listen to my family's drama. [And with the Greek Gods, there is. A lot.]

I've also done it eight times successfully, but again, long story. Regardless, I can't stay on the surface world for long, so I'm returned to the Underworld and have to break out again.

Oh, you'd be surprised. I've listened to much worse things.

[ The creatures in Wonderland weren't exactly polite about making sure she wanted to hear the inane stuff they had to tell her before they just started reciting odd poems and saying cryptic things, after all.

Compared to that, his family drama can't be all that bad, she thinks. ]

But either way, seems like you're in luck. If you're here, it means you're no longer in the Underworld. Though you may have a few problems with that whole 'can't stay on the surface world for long' thing then.

To expand upon it, very briefly, my Mother left my Father, and I'm searching for her. But my Father doesn't want me to find her, says I belong in the Underworld, and so I have to fight his loyal forces of shades and witches and wretches and long-dead heroes to see her. Oh, and giant rats and poison-wielding satyrs too, if I get to the Surface World. [It's a very, very short version of his story, and it may lead to a lot more questions, but it should be enough to answer Alice's question without getting too far into it.]

Oh sure, but I can't die either, at least not permanently. So I'll just come back to life if something bad happens. Oddly, I haven't felt sick at all since arriving here on the Train. Not even once.

[ She's just...

.. quiet. For a few moments. Just staring. It's hard to even read Alice's expression, since it's so neutral, and yet she's just quietly staring.

All the way until she speaks up. ]

You truly have to be a character from a story.

[ Or a resident of Wonderland. No normal person just is like this. ]

A New Platform [Intro Post February]

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