voidtreckerexpress | A New Platform [Intro Post March]

Entry tags:

A New Platform [Intro Post March]

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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Yondu snorts softly. Sounds like the kid went through quite a change from point A to point B.

"My boy wasn't so differ'nt from that. He's grown now, though. All set out on his own with his own crew. He's done some pretty good stuff for himself so... I hope he ends up fine out there."

If Peter Quill were to ever show up, Yondu would never live down the fact he even called him his boy, let alone that he talked his dumb ass up.

"Kouryuu is a Sanzo now, Genjo Sanzo," Koumyou sighs, leaning on his elbows on the table, chin in his partially-covered hands. "At thirteen, he's the youngest ever. I was the youngest ever when I attained it at twenty four... and now he'll be hunted for the rest of his life."

Because that's what being a Sanzo is. It's not just about terrifying ten year old boys with the mere thought of embarrassing themselves in front of them!

"I hope they're both successful."

"Yeah.... I take it that mean you cain't go home neither, huh?"

He crosses his arms, frowning a little harder. Here the worrying was supposed to be done. But it's not.

Well, it's an easy assumption that his son had become a Sanzo upon Koumyou's death; an inherited title. It's also not an inaccurate assumption to make.

That is basically what happened, with Koumyou granting him his own homyo with his last words. Genjo. A name which means to actualize, to bring forth.

To Get Shit Done.

...And that 'neither' is telling, too.

"Because I'm dead?" Koumyou asks and inclines his head a little, "Yes. I seem to be alive here, but... I've died where I'm from. You too?"

Logic, really. Houmei had said 'the Sanzo', not 'a Sanzo'. Seemed like it was too important of a title to be just a casual leadership thing.

"Yeah, I thought this was some sorta messed up afterlife. Ain't exactly sure what it is, but everythin' still feels like it's workin' the way it ought to so I don't reckon I'm fully dead."

He was so ready to go at the end that being here is a disappointment. This place ain't really all that bad? But he's just done. Tired of catering to assholes and being used. Sure, they use kid gloves here? It's still getting used.

"Me too! Well, something like a waiting room before reincarnation, maybe? But there's so many people here who haven't died, so I'm not sure anymore."

It's come up a surprising number of times in conversation.

And Koumyou had felt similarly done, until he... didn't anymore.

"And if we're ghosts, why give us heartbeats and stuff, right?"

"Yeah, I'd rather the blood be pumpin' than the alternative. Don't think I'd like that fully undead life."

He gives Koumyou another sidelong look, leaning forward in his seat to do it, just because it's strange to think this well-put-together man was the mess of a child he met here. At least he does a better job of holding an exterior than Yondu did.

Well, maybe Yondu could have. But he can't. Not with his fin sloppily chopped off or his face covered in scars. But even if he was clean as a... well... whistle... he doesn't think he'd have been able to put himself together in a presentable way.

Rather than voice a single one of those thoughts, he just leans back again.

"Is it strange to say I miss my cramped ship an' the metal an' how boisterous some of my old crew was."

"We were temporarily in other 'bodies' of some kind during part of the last mission," Koumyou tells him with a dramatic shudder, "they didn't bleed. It was... very unnerving."

Getting hurt, well, that's just normal.

Not bleeding?

Fucking no thank you.

"...You know, I'm sure if I ask around I can find someone willing to piss in your boots."

He chuckles. "Man, you met that robot guy? He is absolutely gonna get someone pissin' in his damn shoes at some point. Hah."

He laughs despite himself, and despite the heavy thought of missing his old crew. The smile fades slowly.

"I tried too hard to make the worst of 'em happy. That's how I lost the best of 'em. Shoulda just left half the bastards on Contraxia and left... Nah, shoulda done it a lot sooner than that. Back when my boy was still young and I still had a chance to be decent to 'im. But some of those boys were real great. Here's hopin' they found their own trains."

"Mm, and it might be me, depending on how his little feud with Devero goes."

Well, really, depending on how that goes he might be doing a lot more than that.

The more somber topic has Koumyou going quiet for a moment, mulling that over.

After that moment of thought, he's boiled it down like he usually does with such matters. "Trying to make the wrong people happy is a trap everyone falls into at some point, I think."

Especially with what Yondu's let slip about his own childhood, well...

It makes sense to Koumyou if he'd fallen into that trap for a good long while.

"Yeah, well... I thought I was lookin' out for number one. Woops."

He downplays it, but Koumyou is right. He wanted his crew to respect him. At least the half that generally didn't like him, he wanted them to respect his strength and competence. But he sees now that anything he did could have led to a breakdown. And he'd never go back and change the choice to save Peter Quill just to keep them happy.

Even if Ego's plan had fallen through, he'd have just been another dead kid. Nah, all those men can rot as far as he's concerned. He tried with them. But the point is, he's since figured out that he was never the 'number one' to look out for. The way he saw it much of the time, no one else would watch out for him.

Back on the topic of Handsome Jack, though. "Wait, what kinda fued. Did that bot set out to rile him up?"

"He hurt a kid on the train, and my Devero can't abide that sort of thing," Koumyou, of course, sounds ever-so-fond of the big guy as he says it. If the 'my' Devero wasn't indicator enough of his feelings. Is it any wonder Devero had tried too hard to get through to little Houmei, and set off every suspicious bone in his tiny body?

"I have no doubt Jack will continue to run afoul of Devero. The train isn't very big for the number of people it contains, after all," Koumyou digs into a sleeve of his robes, and produces a cigarette. His tone here is very... talking about the weather, casual, "And if he becomes a threat to Devero's safety, then I will be stepping in."

Edited 2021-03-06 04:45 (UTC)

"That's weird.... What did he do? I mean, I ain't heard of it til now?" He asks for particulars, because context is important. Seems strange he'd be getting away with it in this place.

Also, his Devero? "Ah, right, the guy that worked on my fin when I first showed up. Yeah, he seemed pretty soft. I told him what I used to be and I don't think he liked hearin' it. I mean, it ain't a secret. It's on my face-" he gestures to the streaks of punishment scars along his scalp and cheek.

"Not that I'm endorsin' old Nuts n Bolts or nothin', but guys like that know how to aggravate soft fellas like that on purpose."

Edited 2021-03-06 04:56 (UTC)

"I think it had something to do with... hm, threatening to take over a kid's body? Or something like that? I admit I didn't pay much attention."

It's still a bit more than just riling up a soft guy, though.

Threatening a kid's autonomy is pretty bad.

"I doubt Jack's going to behave just because he was caught. But I won't get involved unless I feel I need to."

Not because he doesn't care, per se, although if pressed he would probably imply something like that and then side-step the topic. No, it's more because if he gets involved... things will escalate, quickly. Sanzo priests don't do things half way.

Death might not stick, around here, but that just makes it even more of a teaching moment.

"Your... fin?" Koumyou glances over as he lights the cigarette in his hand with the tip of one finger. He takes a drag from it as he looks up at the bright red... probably not organic, 'mohawk' the man's sporting. It's the only 'fin' he sees, after all, and if Devero worked on something it was probably machinery.

"Yeah, that's pretty fucked up... how the hell did he do that?"

Honestly, sometimes not getting involved is the best route. But when it's a kid, it gets different.

"Oh, right. Centaurians are born with fins. They're just supposed to make us pretty to the opposite gender? Mine was cut off an' replaced as soon as I got big enough. Originally they were made just for us. The fin they gave me first was a lot smaller? Just so I could do stuff like wear Kree helmets or whatever they wanted to put me in.

"But my dumb ass thought, 'You know, when I get an upgrade I'm gonna get a fin that's tall as a natural one'. I have banged my head at least fifty times 'cause I forget."

He spreads his hands. Yeah, sometimes you do stupid shit to make up for the fact you were basically emasculated at a young age.

But, onto the previous topic. "How's the kid doin' anyway?"

Koumyou is polite enough to blow the smoke in his lungs up toward the ceiling before he replies, at least, and not right into Yondu's face. What a champ.

"The kid has an implant in his brain, I think he threatened to hack it or something," Koumyou makes a vague gesture with one hand, holding the cigarette.

"I don't know the details. Nothing really happened, just the threat of it."

So far.

"Why did they replace it with anything?"

"They just do fucked up experiments like that. Heard they combined a man with an insect swarm once. Anything for their combat research."

He doesn't even know the Kree basically did the same things on Earth, too. He just knew they knew about the planet, but figured they didn't care much about the world.

"I get the whole implant in the brain thing, though. Poor kid." His doesn't really facilitate mind control; it just gives him an extra sense. But still, it's a perilous thing to be linked up to something you were never born with.

"...Why would he do a dumbass thing like threaten that? He's on a train full of hyper-endowed assholes with messed up childhoods?" Like him. "You'd think he'd have some sense of self-preservation."

"A person's ego is the enemy of their sense of self-preservation," Koumyou says with an amused little chuckle, "I'm sure he thinks he could handle anything anyone throws at him."

Wrongly, no doubt. There are full-blown gods on this train, and Koumyou himself is just one step removed from that sort of power.

"He'll learn, one way or another. And if he endangers Devero, he'll learn sooner than otherwise."

Edited 2021-03-06 06:49 (UTC)

"That's even funnier. It's like, 'Sure I'm the robot and I'll go piss off the cybernetics guy, like he doesn't know how to immediately fuck with me in the worst way.'"

He shakes his head with a chuckle 'cause goddamn, that is ridiculous.

"Dev probably won't do anything too bad, even to someone who deserves it," Koumyou says with such open, absolute fondness in his voice.

Devero's a big soft man and he wouldn't change him for the world.

The priest takes another drag of his cigarette, holds the smoke in for a few seconds, and says up toward the ceiling to let it out -- "But that's what people like me are for."

Bad people come in useful, sometimes. He suspects Yondu knows that truth, too.

"Hell, I'll do bad shit to people that don't deserve it, just 'cause they get on my nerves. But..."

He trails off.

"I don't want these kids seein' more dead bodies than necessary. Especially in their livin' space. Sure, asshole is a robot. But he's still a guy that exists around 'em, sleeps with his roommates, talks to some people every day. Even if he's a damn dick.

"So at least tell me before you throw the fear of the actual afterlife into the man, you'll make it so you won't traumatize none of the kids. Love sometimes makes people act without thinkin'."

He knows he traumatized Peter as a kid, that besides the stupid jokes, Peter believed him 'cause Yondu could kill easy and he showed that boy he could kill easy. He knows, also, Peter hated him a li'l' bit for it. He'd rather not a repeat.

"It won't be a show," Koumyou says simply, watching the end of his cigarette in his hand. "If I murder anyone, I have no reason to make a public spectacle of it. The only reason he'd even see it coming is so I don't have to do it again. Defeats the purpose if he thinks he just took a little nap in Luggage."

"So what does this train do in the way of punishin' misbehavior? Or is that all us?"

He noticed that there are no jail cars.

"That's all on us. I'm something of an agent of karma, myself, but I don't like to get involved in most things. It's far too troublesome."

Unless someone comes after someone or something he's protective of, of course.

Then all bets are fucking off.

Devero has managed to get lumped into the same protection category as Kouryuu, and the sutra draped across Koumyou's shoulders. But the priest has gone out of his way to protect plenty of other people during missions, too; it can't really be helped.

Sanzo priests are protectors.

"I've heard there was a murder on the train early on, long before I was brought here. Apparently the murderer was tortured afterwards by some of the other passengers. Or one other passenger? I'm not clear on the details."

He's not terribly concerned about it. If he ever chooses to kill someone, he can handle the consequences. What's more scars on a body that's made of them?

"Well, I suppose we gotta play it safe. Or act up if the wrong guy decides on becoming the one in charge. I mentioned my boys that passed? Well, one bastard on my crew decided he knew better than me, than everyone. Decided I wasn't fit because I favored my boy over them. He riled up a bunch of 'em while I was compromised, tied me up and beat me like he was some kinda big man and then made me watch him space all the loyal boys. Now, I got him back. All the ones that helped him too, even if I wasn't real happy to have to do it. But I shoulda done somethin' about him a lot sooner, when I saw it comin'."

He'd normally not say this to most people. But he says it this time 'cause it sounds like Sanzo might get it. He saw the guy as a kid, too. He's gotta know the importance of occasionally putting people in their place.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject