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

I don't know you, but you haven't exactly given me any indication that you're dangerous, or evil, or whatever you think you are. Usually, the people worried about that are the ones who are good people who'd do anything to stop bad things from happening anyways.

[Does he realize the hypocrisy he's displaying while giving this advice? Not really. But this is a kid. Not someone old enough to know better.]

[Asriel grimaces a little. Of course he's a bad person; he's done so many bad things. Being worried about doing more doesn't make all the stuff he did do just - go away.]

Yeah, well...

[.....]

I'm just a kid anyway. What am I supposed to do? [He knows exactly how much he's capable of doing, but it's an easy out.]

Unfortunately, when it comes to this place, it doesn't matter what powers you have. I'm a completely normal human, and for some reason, I'm here same as literal superheroes. All you can do is... do what you can. Try to help. Find something that helps all the people here, no matter how small it is.

[He smiles gently, snorting a bit under his breath.]

I know it sounds cliche, but it's all I've got.

It's fine.

[Like, honestly, who is Asriel to hold people to really high standards re: pep talks? He did some really weird rambling at Frisk just now, it was a little embarrassing even as it was happening.

And anyway, the human's pretty much right. That's how lots of stuff works.]

I guess there's not really anything else to do, huh? [.....well, this human seems alright.] My name's Asriel.

Yeah, unfortunately. You kind of have to get on the train, and from there, I mean, you can stay on the train for the missions and stuff, but... I don't exactly like doing that, even if I'm not the best guy for the job sometimes.

[At least the kid seems a little more willing to talk. Rich smiles when he gets a name.]

It's nice to meet you, Asriel. I'm Rich Goranski. Just call me Rich. Sorry we have to meet under these circumstances.

[Asriel rubs at the end of one long ear uncertainly. He...would feel bad if he just sat around while other people did hero stuff, he guesses. Even if he's not really the best person to be doing it in the first place.

He doesn't know. It's not like it's happening right now, at least.]

Nice to meet you, too. I guess I can figure out the rest later.

I think most people here are going to say to take your time. If you need help figuring anything out, though... well, I can at least show you around. You willing to come on a little tour?

[Maybe stop hiding behind that pole?]

...okay.

[He'll come out! Though he's keeping his hood on and his hands in his big hoodie pocket, for the moment.]

There we go. Alright, follow me. And don't worry. If anyone looks at you funny, I'll make 'em back off.

[Okay, that might be a lie, considering how a lot of the train knows he's far less intimidating than his tattoos make him appear. Still, he doesn't think they need to worry about anyone causing them trouble.]

[Well...he'll trot along behind Rich anyway, keeping his own eye on the people around. Now that he's not immediately in the thick of it, he can at least see that the humans aren't...paying a lot of attention to him anyway.]

Are there...other monsters here?

Huh. Not sure about that, but I mean, I've met robots and people with magic, so there have to be monsters too. I'm guessing your world had a bunch of them?

[Rich can see that Asriel looks pretty nervous around the humans. Maybe he doesn't see a lot of them... or maybe he had a bad experience? Rich is going to have to make sure to stay as calm and composed as possible so he doesn't fuck this up.]

Uh...not that many. Just however many people are in the Underground...maybe a couple hundred.

[Asriel probably knows the exact number, but like, it would be weird to say it like that, right? Who knows that stuff?]

My parents said there used to be other monster kingdoms too, but they all either joined together or died ages ago. So it's probably just us.

You're all underground? And you're dying out? That's... is there a war going on or something?

[Maybe Rich shouldn't be prying so much into the life of a kid who's already nervous around humans, but he can't help but be worried about some of the clues he's picking up on.]

Um...

[Asriel is already experiencing some vague regrets about bringing it up, honestly, but in his mind at least all of that stuff is ancient history. His own trauma with humans isn't really about the war. He finds himself...more bitter about it these days than he used to be, but maybe mostly just because...well, because he never did think about it back then. Stupid, in retrospect.]

No, the war was a long time ago. Monsters lost, so the humans locked us all underground.

...What? Just because you were different from them, or what?

[This kid doesn't seem particularly dangerous to Rich. Maybe older monsters were, but he had some doubts about that too. He can tell Asriel is bitter about it, though, so he tries to reign in his anger.]

...I'm sorry that happened to you. I don't think the humans here are like the ones you knew, though. You're safe here.

Pretty much.

[The real reason is slightly more specific, but Asriel likes to think he's smart enough now not to get into the whole soul thing that the humans were most afraid of with...a random human he just met. It boils down to the same thing anyway; it's not like anybody ever did take a soul back then.]

I've had a few human friends, though. Sometimes one falls into the Underground, and then they're stuck in there with us.

Well, at least that's nice. Maybe not so nice for them, if they want to get back home...

[Though if the monsters aren't that dangerous, it might not be so bad. Hell, Rich would probably deal without sunlight if it meant he didn't have to deal with some of the mess he'd left back home.]

Anyways, I'm sure you'll make plenty of friends here. Most people are pretty nice here.

[Save a certain blue holographic dick.]

[Asriel just kinda shrugs. He doesn't know about most of the humans, and really he has no idea what Frisk was trying to do. But he kinda doesn't think they went up the mountain for happy reasons, either. Chara never wanted to go back to their old home.]

Uh...yeah, I guess.

[he had like no friends BEFORE Chara, and that was when he was at least normal]

Hey, don't be nervous. I promise it'll work out.

[Either way, he should probably take Asriel on that tour, so he climbs up into the entranceway of the train, holding out a hand to help the kid up into the car.]

So! Starting off here. This little computer thing over here is called an ICP. You can use it to send messages to all the other ICP terminals in the train. I think there's one in pretty much every carriage, except the quiet cars, but we'll get there.

[Asriel looks at the hand, but doesn't ultimately take it. He's not a little kid, he can climb up himself!]

Why would you do that? Do they not have phones here? [not that he ever really had his own anyway, but]

Nah. A lot of people didn't get brought here with phones, and even if they did, it's not like we can connect to a network or anything. Whatever computer the ICP has is really outdated, like... We can't even text on it, or save messages.

[It's kind of bullshit to Rich. Especially when the 'broadcast to everyone' has already gotten him in trouble.]

[Asriel grimaces a little. It's not like he has anybody to text or call anyway, but if he has to do it to everyone at once, AND it has to be his voice? That sounds awful!]

Yeah, I don't think I'll use that.

Hey, suit yourself.

[Rich shrugs his shoulder and bangs on the metal wall behind him.]

The engine room is behind here, but as far as I know, we can't get in there. And just down there, you can see there's a little terminal you can use for shopping. If you want something from home or whatever, you can order it there, if you have enough points. I think we get points based on missions and stuff? It's a little weird, though.

...you can get stuff from home? How does that work?

[He's not...well, he hasn't really owned anything for a while, and he'd been okay with that. But if nobody from home has any chance of finding out...it'd be kinda cool to maybe get some of his old stuff back. He knows Dad still has it all, he just hadn't cared as Flowey, and just now it hadn't seemed important enough to waste time on.]

Well, when we go on missions and do stuff to help out our team, we can earn points. If we get enough of those points, we can order stuff on this terminal, and type out specifically what we wanted. Like before we got to this platform, I asked for them to bring my guitar. And now, the train made an announcment that my package is in the luggage car!

[Along with another one, but he's not going to get into that with Asriel.]

Once we get to that area, I can show you.

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