A New Platform [Intro Post March]

[voidtreckermods]

On the Train

Once again passengers are awoken by the morning announcement.

"Good morning passengers, it is day One of the month of Kazoo. 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 is thick, the air is warm and humid and there are rumbles of thunder, the air heavy with the promise of rain.

As usual the first to leave the train notice nothing as they walk silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers: Alfredo Martini, Daia, Enna Alchiba, Lord El-Melloi II, Natsuno Yuuki, Nita Callahan, Saku Gyousou, Sakura, V and Wen Qing

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, and seems smaller with twenty-seven 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.

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'). Those not new to the train will note the addition of an eighth sleeper carriage. The store rooms have been restocked with fresh ingredients, it seems the month of Kazoo is defined by the tomato and there are plenty of them.

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 as thunder rumbles further and the storm threatens to break. 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

Demyx | Kingdom Hearts | Orange

[melodiouspacifist]

Platform

It was definitely muggy when Demyx stepped out, but the rain was kind of nice, although there was likely a noticeable lack of rain where he was standing, admiring the droplets. His orange hoodie was not getting wet at all, either.

He didn’t even have to think about redirecting the raindrops, it just happened naturally.

Demyx was ready to just enjoy the fresh air when he saw a familiar face.

Oh no, no way, he was not ready for this.

He turned around suddenly to hop back onto the train, smacking right into someone. “Oh, hey, sorry!” He exclaimed, definitely loud enough to be heard by anyone.


Kitchen Car

He was using the kitchen, not to do chores of course, but to pace back and forth. Demyx seemed to be a bit lost in thought, actually, his brow furrowed.

Demyx didn’t speak or rant aloud, he was just giving himself the space to walk around for awhile while he considered things. Seeing Riku kind of spooked him a little bit, at least as far as he knew it was Riku.

Being on the train was getting mildly stressful.

When he’d had enough pacing he reached out and opened a dark, ominous portal in front of him, ready to make a hasty retreat.


Music Car

Demyx practically lived in this car. He certainly avoided his roommates at all costs, so he needed somewhere to hide out, and where better than the music car.

Unlike his usual perch on the main floor, he climbed up to the second to take a look at the stage.

He paused, summoned his sitar and sat down on the stage right in the middle. Out of his magical space, he pulled out a small sheaf of paper and some ballpoint pens and set them in front of himself.

Then he closed his eyes, put his hands on the strings and began to play.


Wildcard

[Choose your own adventure!]

Kitchen

[thawed_pride]

As Demyx is opening that portal, Vexen is stepping out of one of his own...and scowling at what he sees.

"Demyx...what are you doing, opening one of those again without protective clothing?"

[melodiouspacifist]

Demyx responded by blinking at Vexen. "Going somewhere else?"

He shrugged a little bit, he wasn't that worried, it wasn't like he had anything to lose.

[thawed_pride]

"Somewhere urgent enough to risk the full effects of passing through a dark corridor?"

He gestures emphatically at the portal.

"And here I believed you had a functional sense of self-preservation!"

[melodiouspacifist]

"Well, not here." Demyx commented with a little shrug. "There's nothing to really worry about, I'm still a Nobody without a heart."

[thawed_pride]

He stares at Demyx for a moment, then pinches the bridge of his nose.

"I thought you had spoken with Ienzo. Did he neglect to inform you that Xemnas is a lying sack of malevolence and Nobodies regrow our hearts? Your emotions are not reflexive emulations, they are real!"

[melodiouspacifist]

"Not really about that. Kinda busy, you know?" Demyx said with a bit of a shrug.

"Lea said something about it, but I don't think that's true. If it was, my heart hasn't been gone long enough to be regrown or whatever."

Did he truly have feelings? Demyx wasn't sure.

[thawed_pride]

"I know for certain it's true. Mine has caused me far too much consternation over the past two weeks to be a mere figment."

Between his discovery of a new phobia and his stress over Xion, his new heart has been getting an impressive workout.

"And I'm fairly certain you've been a Nobody for longer than I have, this time around."

[melodiouspacifist]

"Awhile yeah." Demyx agreed, and the portal closed because he wasn't irresponsible enough to leave a portal just open for no reason while they were talking.

"But it's not like years like before."

music car

[sos_pilot]

Applause, applause, applause! Once Demyx had finished playing, he'd see Della, happily clapping for his performance.

"Bravo! Encore! Other show things people say!"

[melodiouspacifist]

Demyx let out a delighted laugh and took a bow with a sweeping flourish of his arm.

"Thank you, thank you, I'm here all week!"

[sos_pilot]

Della plopped herself into a seat, happy to see him happy. "Maybe we should hold a concert here, I bet you'd get a whole crowd clapping."

[melodiouspacifist]

"Ha, I'm not sure it's that kind of music." Demyx said with a thoughtful look.

"But performing a concert would be fun sometime." He never got to perform for people.

[sos_pilot]

"You ever perform in one before?" She asked, curious. "I don't know too much about the mechanics of music myself... just what I like to hear."

[melodiouspacifist]

"I don't think so." Demyx said with a bit of a hum. "If I did, I don't remember." He shrugged a little helplessly.

[sos_pilot]

Oh yeah...

"That reminds me." Della leaned back. "Back when you were kid-ified, what was all that... Somebody, Nobody stuff?"

[melodiouspacifist]

"Oh that." Demyx said with a bit of a nod. He remembered them talking about it briefly.

"Well I'm a Nobody." He said, by way of explaning. "Some normal guy lost his heart, or gave it up, or something." He didn't remember. "And when you lose your heart, there's a little shadow left behind. They look like little black...creatures that crawl on all fours and try and steal other people's hearts because they don't have their own. They can't think. Sometimes there's also a Nobody which can be just as bad as the shadow, or all the way up to someone like me who's almost like a real person but just...isn't."

Kitchen

[paopuofyourlife]

Kairi was thinking over a good number of things, mostly about when to do chores, food and just what she would do for training next.

But as soon as she reached the kitchen she stopped. Well, that was a total she recognized.

"Is that how you move between places quickly."

[melodiouspacifist]

Uh oh. He hadn't really been thinking about it, but he'd kept some very vital information from Kairi and he needed to tread lightly so she didn't get suspicious of him.

"Yeah, it's just a passageway." He said with a bit of a nervous smile and closed the portal quickly, like it was never there.

[paopuofyourlife]

"I kinda recognise it." Yet she wasn't exactly reacting badly to it either for something that was similar. After all not like he was someone who was actively antagonizing her or anything so why would she?

[melodiouspacifist]

"Yeah, I guess you'd might." Demyx answered, admitting it.

"You've seen it before. I wasn't involved in that but..." He knew about it. Everyone did at the time.

[paopuofyourlife]

"I have a few times. Even went through one myself." Being a princess of Heart had it's benefits. Being able to go through it without a coat just happens to be one of those benefits.

"Here it just seems like a good idea considering how long it takes to get from the Sleeper to the kitchen."

[melodiouspacifist]

"Yeah I find it an easy way to travel." Demyx just didn't have any protective clothing which was the point of contention at the moment.

"....I'm a Nobody." He informed her, because he should've done so from the start.

[paopuofyourlife]

Kairi nodded she was at least aware of what a Nobody was at least.

"Okay, that explains the whole passage thing at least, but unlike some others you haven't actually tried to do anything bad."

[melodiouspacifist]

"I did." Demyx answered. "Before." He picked at his fingernails a little awkwardly. "I did whatever I was told to do." He met her eyes.

"The first time around, but uh, recently I kinda quit without telling anyone." He offered a bit of an awkward smile. "I was kinda helping out with a few other things. It's complicated."