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

[worthallthis]

"Some people are important or have loved ones back where they come from," Soldat says with a shrug and a smile, the latter for her expression and the former for the understanding why not everyone would be happy to be here. They feel the absence of Misty keenly, even after a month away. "But I'm not complaining about the opportunity here, either. I'm Soldat." They have the cookie plate in their metal hand, so they can take hers in the flesh one, give a single gentle shake, then step back again. "Been here about a month now."

[fightcreamsundae]

"You say that like we don't all leave loved ones behind." Her ears fall back and her voice grows small as she says that, squeezing it in just before he continues on. She recovers from it quickly, however, her ears perking up as he takes her hand. Her grip is firm and solid. Despite her finely kept nails her hand is rather calloused.

As Soldat explains they'd been on the train for about a month her ears and face both quirked and she, for a moment, forgot to let go of his hand. "A month? That can't be right." Her brows furrowed and her tail started to twitch. She let go of his hand.

"I would know you if you'd been here for a month. I'm not new here." But she was on the platform as if she were new. Her face shifted into confusion as she started to consider this information together. The other half of the cookie she'd taken finds its way into her mouth and she takes a moment to chew it over as her gaze broke from Soldat and fell down and to the side as she thought.

[worthallthis]

Oh, she's one of those kids... she's a Sora-kid. Soldat can be sympathetic to the rapidly changing emotions, and the sense of adventure despite missing home.

"Cherry, I know all the faces here," they say, sympathetic to this, too. It must be like Prisoner. Or Renee. Or that Peter kid. Walking off the train, then walking back on, not recognizing the time in between that had passed. Like waking up from cryo not knowing where and when you were. "You definitely haven't been here. What was the last month name you remember, here?"

[fightcreamsundae]

The use of her name automatically draws her attention and makes her ears perk up into an alert position, copper eyes snapping right back to Soldat. It's almost like a puppy when you say its name, really. Despite her confusion she didn't seem to be upset.

"Horseshoe! The month was horseshoe! I say that, but do horses actually wear shoes? I think Sleipnir would probably bite someone if they tried to put shoes on him..."

[worthallthis]

Judging from the whole "alphabetical" thing and what other people have said, Soldat can guess: "That was two months ago. There's been Imagination and Jelly since then, and now we're in Kazoo." They actually don't know anything about horseshoes except what they look like-- for throwing?-- because Soldat knows next to nothing about horses. And they have no idea what, or who, Sleipnir is.

It takes actual self-control not to call her "honey", though, damn. Where did that even come from? Normally when it's a girl, it's "doll", but apparently not when it's a perky teenager. With cat ears. (Did he call his sisters that? Maybe. Feels like it'd fit, anyway. Well, remind me not to do it. We don't know her, she might be offended. Yeah, yeah.)

[fightcreamsundae]

"Two months..." For a moment her ears fall back and her brows furrow as she considers this. Apparently she'd just poofed for two whole months and doesn't remember it. She feels okay, though, like nothing's changed, and she takes a moment to take inventory of her aether and her chakra gates. It all checked out. It was all okay? Auntie Uila would have told her if things weren't okay...

"Well, that's weird, isn't it?" It takes a moment, but her ears perk back up. The smile doesn't return to her face quite yet. Her tail's swaying and curling in mild confusion. "It was just like yesterday that we wrapped up the mission in Horseshoe, and then I wake up and it's been two whole months and I'm on a platform and now there's a bunch of people I don't know..."

She smiled a little, maybe slightly embarrassed. She was aware she probably wasn't having a very appropriate reaction to all of this. "I should probably be a lot more upset than I am, shouldn't I? But Willow's still here, and now my auntie's here, and you seem really nice..."

[worthallthis]

"The same thing happened to a couple of other people," Soldat says, apologetically. "But it's up to you how upset you are. I'm not gonna judge you either way." They've run into people who are very unhappy about the situation, people who enjoy being here, and all the range inbetween.

They're not even entirely sure where they stand on the matter.

"At least you still have friends here," they add. "Coming back and not recognizing anybody would've probably been harder."

[fightcreamsundae]

"Um, it is hard. There's already a lot of faces that seem to be missing and even though I didn't know them very well I am a bit sad about it. Especially now because I didn't even know that I was gone? What does that even mean? Surely if I went home I would have some memory of it..." She falls quiet for a moment before she perks up again.

"But I hope maybe one day they'll all come back and we can all be on this adventure together again! Otherwise I just hope they made it home nice and safe and that they can be with their friends and family." She's back to being closer to her normal chipper self. Based on her own experience she didn't really think that people went back home but she could be hopeful about it anyway.

[worthallthis]

"I can, too." They lost a roommate today, after all. They don't know what happens to people who disappear and never come back, maybe it's different for them. Prisoner and Renee both didn't remember time passing, but maybe they had just... skipped time, not actually left. Who knows? "As long as you're doing okay, now. That's what matters, yeah?"

[fightcreamsundae]

"Oh, did you lose someone? Was it today?" Her eyes go big and she frowns a little bit.

"Oh! Yeah!" Her excitement comes back. "I'm excited to visit other worlds and see what they're like!"