voidtreckerexpress | A New Platform [Intro Post March]

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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

[ Now that's obviously a new person.

Sure, considering how relatively small the train is, new people stand out in general. By the time the train stops at the next platform, you're already used to seeing the new faces of the last around. But it's even more obvious someone is new when they look the way this person does - like a kind of.. goat, maybe? Madoka isn't too sure, but there's something soft about the other's appearance that keeps her from really freaking out.

Instead she just approaches, a small smile on her face. ]

Um...

[ The girl seems a little bashful herself. ]

Sorry, but.. you're new, aren't you..? Are you doing okay so far? [ She knows showing up on the train can be a pretty intense experience! Of course Madoka can't help but want to check up on someone new then. ]

[It's pretty obvious that Asriel notices her presence as soon as she comes in, but he waits until Madoka actually comes over to engage at all. Maybe he was sort of hoping she might leave. She's just a kid too, though, so at least that's not really scary.

Plus...well, being here like this, he's been able to think a little more. He thinks...maybe he can feel a soul, inside him? That's weird, and he's not sure where it could've come from, but - ]

Uh - I guess so. [It was scary and confusing, but honesty less intense than everything else that's happened recently!] I mean, I found my room, so that's...good.

[He seems pretty at loose ends other than that, though. Like, what's he even supposed to do now?]

That.. That is good.

[ Masters of conversation right here, clearly.

But Madoka at least won't leave it at just that. Even though she's kind of nervously pressing her fingers together as she speaks. ]

Did you also have something to eat already? Um, at least the food here.. It's pretty good. [ Even if they have an abundance of tomatoes this month.

(Oh god, wait, now she's really hoping that his.. goat-people.. kind.. actually eat human food, or she's going to sound real dumb.) ]

Oh, uh...

[Asriel blinks. He hadn't actually thought about food at all. Even though he's definitely gonna need to eat, if he stays in this form and everything.]

...no. It's all...human food, right?

[ She slowly nods. ]

I think so. [ Definitely the majority of it is, that's for sure.

But Madoka has an inkling as to where this is going, so she slowly continues. ]

Why.. Can't you eat that?

Nnnno, I can. I mean, everybody always said you could.

[They'd all talked about it; Mom and Dad used to live on the Surface, so they'd even eaten it before. Chara said it was sort of different, but they didn't miss it.]

It's just different from monster food. Like, your body can't absorb all of it, so some of it has to come back out later? Ch - my friend always said it's kinda gross.

Comes.. back out..

[ Apparently it takes her a few moments before things start to click in her head. Her jaw drops in surprise when it finally hits her though. ]

Oh.. Oh, yes, that's right! [ Although the idea that monsters apparently eat, but don't poop feels so.. odd to her. But she's trying to not judge! Judging is rude! ]

So monster food just stays inside of you forever?

[ Apparently somehow this topic is managing to bridge the shyness gap, since the girl seems to speak a lot more easily now. ]

Um...I don't think so.

[Asriel frowns. He's 12 and this isn't one of the things he really cared to learn the science of when he was a flower!]

It's made of magic, and so are our bodies, so it all just gets absorbed. I guess it probably turns into energy or something.

[ Madoka lets out another 'oh'-like sound, slowly nodding.

It's a bit of a fantastical explanation, but considering the things she suddenly learned actually exist in her own world, and then all the things she's seen here on the train.. They make what Asriel is saying so much less weird in comparison. To a point where it seems like the girl can actually wrap her head around it a little. ]

Maybe they do have some monster food here now? We've had people on the train before who could only eat specific things, and then those things showed up for them..

[ She means blood bags for vampires, but Madoka is tactful enough to not freak this cute goaty kid out with that. Just in case. ]

We can go take a look, if you want! I can show you.

Okay.

[He's much less hesitant now than he was earlier - both because he's gotten more used to being here around people, and because Madoka's another kid. She's not in stripes, but he's actually met human kids and he knows humans don't look all that different from each other, so he's pretty sure regardless.

He rises to his feet, which are shaped sort of like a dog's hind legs, and reflexively brushes off his pants.]

It might be good if there is. I guess I wouldn't mind eating human food - [actually pooping sounds inconvenient and maybe gross, but of all the things he could complain about it would be pretty low on the list] - but monster food can heal a little too. 'Cause it's magic. And it doesn't go bad, either.

Wow.. monster food sounds amazing!

[ Apparently Madoka is more than just a little easily impressed.

Or monster food just really does sound that cool to someone her age.

Either way, she already starts walking, ready to lead him in the direction of the food storage. There's a slight glance down at his lower half though, since.. he's a goat, but without goat hooves? This is so confusing to Madoka at this point, but she'll roll with it. ]

The place you come from must be really special if it has magic food.

[He's got claws and everything! Clicky-clicky-click!]

Oh...ha, not really. That's just what monsters do. We use magic for lots of stuff - we can get snails and stuff sometimes, but there's not much physical stuff around to eat anyway.

I think using magic for lots of stuff is really cool though. [ It's not too insistent - more just her not fully wanting to back down on the compliment, a small smile still on her face.

Besides, it's just true. It kind of sounds like a fairytale from a book - in more of a way than any of her experiences with magical girls back home ever did. ]

I guess all these people who can use magic here on the train might not surprise you a whole lot then..

I dunno. Are there humans that can use magic? Where I come from, it's pretty much only monsters.

[He knows there used to be human mages, given the Barrier and all, but Chara always said that magic wasn't real on the Surface anymore. Maybe they all just forgot how, once there weren't any monsters left to fight.]

[ She nods. ]

There's some humans who can use magic here! And also some non-humans. [ And also some people she doesn't quite know how to label. Would magical girls still be seen as human in Asriel's kind of world.. Madoka can't figure it out. ]

Where I come from, there aren't really humans who can use magic either. And since there's no monsters either, there's usually no real magic in daily life anywhere..

[ Only hidden away in terrible, terrible places. ]

That's so weird. Monsters use magic all the time.

[Like, he already knew humans didn't, but - just saying.]

There were some humans on my world, a long time ago, who could do magic. But I don't know why. I mean, they don't even think it's real anymore, so it must've been gone for ages.

[ Madoka hums along as he speaks, thinking about it. Maybe that was the case sometime in her own world as well.. Who knows? After all, she never knew a thing about magical girls either, until it suddenly turned out they had been there all along in the background throughout the ages. ]

Then.. how about monsters? Sorry-- they don't have those in my world, so I'm a little curious.. [ She gives him a small apologetic smile. ] Do they all look like you? Or are there all kinds of monsters..? And are they all as nice as you too?

Oh - wow, okay.

[Let's just take those one at a time? Except for the one about him being nice, because yikes??]

No, monsters all look different. My parents are the only other monsters who look like this...but older, I guess. There's lots of different kinds, and they all have different magic, too. Like, my mom and dad have fire magic. I can do that, but I like stars better.

Oh, so it's different from humans? Since we all look the same, aside from our hair and some differences in our faces.. [ But she imagines the general structure of a human body must be more alike than the general structure of a monster body..

.. or maybe that's just because of the kind of monsters Madoka is imagining in her head right now. ]

I think it's a little strange that you're called monsters though. I mean.. Usually in human stories, monsters are really scary.

[ And he seems far from scary so far. ]

Yeah, there's ghost monsters and skeleton monsters and stuff.

[Lots of monsters very different from Asriel in looks! He reads as a child to humans anyway, it seems like, but he doubts they'd be able to tell a slime kid or something.]

I guess some people think that's scary. But my - someone I knew thought that humans just spread a lot of mean stories about us because they didn't like us.

[ That last part makes her go a little quiet, feeling kind of bad. ]

Oh.. [ That isn't a nice thing to do. Unless humans are only spreading them still now because they think they're amusing stories, without knowing monsters do really still exist..

But when they do that sort of thing on purpose, that's bad. ]

I'm sorry. It must be hard, being slandered like that..

[Asriel just sort of shrugs.]

It's fine. We don't really see them anyway - they don't even think we're real anymore. I...well, I guess it might matter for everyone back home...

[They're going to the Surface after all. But...Frisk's with them. And Mom and Dad were alive during the war, and heard some of Chara's stories just like him; they must know how it's gonna be. It'll probably be fine.

None of it has much to do with Asriel now, anyway.]

But it's fine.

[ Madoka isn't so sure whether it's really fine.

But it's not a point she wants to press with someone she only just met. It feels rude. So even though the girl looks a little awkward, her head dips into a small nod while they still walk. ]

W-Well.. Either way, I don't think anyone on the train is going to think you're odd at all! We have a lot of people here who aren't human. If anything, I don't think there's anyone at all on the train who's entirely normal! [ Not even Madoka herself, really. ]

And who knows, maybe some of your friends from back home could show up here one day too.

Oh...

[Asriel winces a little. Sure, in some ways it would be comforting for another monster or two to be here, but in most ways it would be really bad. What if his parents turned up? What if - ]

Does that happen a lot?

Um.. I don't think it happens that often..

[ But she sounds a little unsure with the way her voice trails off after saying it. Madoka quietly thinks on it for another moment, and then decides it might be better to try and explain with an example. ]

I've been here for about.. maybe ten months now? And I was all by myself for months and months until someone from my world appeared here too. And some people are still here all by themselves, even now.

iii

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