voidtreckerexpress | 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

"Ken-chan, there's...."

Wormmon gestures. Unlike Potato, he's not even able to offer a delayed explanation of what he's seen: he has no idea what she is!

Ken comes over and looks around the bookshelf. More to himself than as an attempt to talk over Potato, he wonders aloud: "A Digimon?"

Wormmon shakes his head. "I'd feel that. You're...not a Digimon, right?"

"What's a digimon?"

The answer is immediate. "...Are you...not a bug?" She tries to squish a little farther through the bookshelf- which unfortunately, means that Ken is talking to a tail, and some stumpy legs. Potato herself is trying to get as close to wormmon as possible, it seems. "Hmmmmmm..."

Big staring eyes...

Wormmon's mandibles chitter in nervousness, and he tries to retract his head. Which he has gotten stuck in the bookshelf. His legs flail.

"Ken-chaaaaaan~!"

....Ken is going to have to multitask, it seems.

"I've got you."

Carefully, he begins to extract his partner, peering through the books at the potato on the other end. This creature isn't a Digimon, but they seem childish all the same.... "Wormmon's shaped like a bug, but he's made of computer data, a Digimon."

Wormmon does his best to nod, but again, stuck. And if Ken-chan thinks this person isn't scary.... "What are you?"

"Ehh? Like a video game..?" When Wormmon is pulled out, Potato starts to follow- eventually, she's probably going to tumble out the other side of the book shelf- and when she does, she'll answer. "I'm a 'homunculus'..! Granny said she made me look different from most though."

Quite different, most look like people in her world.

"A homoncu...?"

"It's a creature made by humans, with magic," Ken explains to Wormmon. "In my world they're just legends. There must be a world where they're real."

"Oh."

While Wormmon thinks about this, Ken also has to explain something to Potato, too. "The Digital World can seem like a computer game. But Wormmon is alive, just like us."

"Mmm, mm." Wormmon nods. Ken-chan has come so far. He can talk about this without feeling bad!

"So I'm a story where you're from..?" That's not quite what Ken was saying, but it works well enough.

Also, about half a second later, and she's distracted with the rest of what he said anyway. "A real computer game..!? That sounds fun though!" She bounces a bit. "If you make computer people, is that like homunculus making? Are we cousins now?" she adds, beaming at Wormmon.

"Ah, I didn't make Wormmon....." Let's leave aside the Digimon he did make and the ethics thereof, shall we? It's not the point, no matter how bad he feels about it (very).

"Ken-chan came to my world, like we all came to the train," says Wormmon. "We're partners."

To be fair, she wasn't trying to say that Ken specifically was the one to make the little guy.

But hey. "Mnh! But someone had to make the digital stuff first right? Not him, but someone else, somewhere!" She throws her hands up, beaming widely. "So we're cousins now!"

Apparently that's just how it be.

Ken opens his mouth, realizes he does not realize what he's going to say, leaves it open. Which gives Wormmon time to try and think this through himself, get confused, and then decide it doesn't matter. "Okay! Family is nice, huh, Ken-chan?"

"..........Yes."

Ken has no idea what has just happened. But somehow, it still makes him smile.

"Of course it is! The bigger the family you make, the better!" That's not quite how it works, but she seems pretty sure. "It makes new places better too- there's more people to ask about stuff, or help with stuff!"

That one might be closer to how things work, and she's equally sure on it.

"Is that what happened with you here?"

Okay, Ken's going all the way onto the floor, everyone else in this conversation is much shorter than he is. Wormmon crawls over to claim Ken-chan's lap. He is excited to have a family member, but it's also really important that his family member understand whose lap Ken-chan's lap is.

"Is what happened?"

Unsurprisingly, Potato seems to have forgotten the various key parts of the conversation, and is somewhat lost.

She's trying though, and fortunately seems to not really be interested in sitting on anyone. "...you mean me being new?"

Ken nods. "Did it make this new place better?"

All places are better if they have Ken-chan. Wormmon wallows. Content.

Oh!!

"Of course..! Things can always be even better when you meet someone new..!"

Ken offers Potato a soft smile. "That they can."

It is, according to Wormmon, the gentlest, kindest, purest smile to ever alight upon any world.

A New Platform [Intro Post March]

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