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

[deadwenwalking]

"Have they... have they fallen out of the train?" He looks absolutely horrified at the notion.

[achickenformylove]

"Not that I am aware of. The train tends to try and keep everyone with it. For the most part, the doors only open at specific times."

[deadwenwalking]

"Are you talking about the train itself as if... it's a living thing?" Wen Ning had stepped inside under the belief that it was simply a machine. There had to be people or beings of some sort behind everything.

Thinking that the train itself is in charge makes him uncomfortable.

[achickenformylove]

"It is hard to tell. The train acts as though someone is controlling it. However, we have seen no one who is and we don't know where they would be. As far as we can tell, the train is controlling itself."

[deadwenwalking]

"That's. Concerning." He says this, but Wen Ning doesn't know anything about this train. It might not be fair to assume its intentions toward all of them are bad. It could genuinely be trying to help.

"Could it be controlled by someone... somewhere else? A wizard, or... or some sort of cultivator directing it from a distance."

[achickenformylove]

"It is. Very concerning. It is quite likely that it is being controlled by someone else, but to what ultimate goal, we don't know. And since we haven't seen anyone, there's no telling for sure."

[deadwenwalking]

Wen Ning nods, taking this in. Wei Wuxian is the most powerful cultivator he knows and this goes far beyond anything his friend can do. What would this even be? Mechanical cultivation? And not even that, but this person would have to be able to pull people from other worlds, something that would seemingly be impossible.

Maybe there was more than one person behind it. "Do you know who's been here the longest? Do... do they not even know?"

[achickenformylove]

"It is hard to tell. So many have come and gone. Glorfindel and Curufin have been here for some time. Little One greeted me when I arrived and knew me from before. The spider has been on the train since I arrived, as have Tidus and Shinichi. I believe Eva and Roland as well."

Odd to think that HE might be one of the longest people on this train now...

[deadwenwalking]

These names are unrecognizable to Wen Ning, of course. But now he knows of them. Maybe he can find them later and question them himself, though he wouldn't want to be overbearing. He commits each of them to memory as best as he can. It's not as if he's great at holding onto a lot of information but he's at least better at remembering names than Wei Wuxian.

"And none of them have said anything? How..." He pauses, not wanting to seem ungracious. "How long have you been here?"

[achickenformylove]

Yes, it wasn't likely that he had met these people yet, but when he met them later, he would know about them... well, at least that they were veterans on the train. Even so, everyone on the train was a veteran to him at the moment. Next stop, that wouldn't be the case.

"I'm sure they don't know how they ended up here as well. Just that they did and they have been here longer."

He considered that for a moment. "Six months, I believe."

[deadwenwalking]

Six months. Isn't that about the amount of time Sizhui had said he'd been here for? Unless he's not remembering correctly. It's already so much to keep track of. Names and places are more important to keep track of then how long someone has been around.

Has anyone been here for years, or did this train only start picking people up over the past few months? It's fascinating to think that this might be a relatively new phenomenon.

"Does this train... does it treat everyone well?"

[achickenformylove]

"It does. It provides us with food even if it is very strange food. Not things we are you used to at home. There is a place to sleep and things to do. The hardest parts are the missions and when odd things happen."

[deadwenwalking]

"What sort of odd things?" Wen Ning is beginning to wish he had a means of writing all this down. There's so much information to keep track of.

"Is anyone ever hurt on missions? A-are any of the people here in danger?"

[achickenformylove]

"Recently passengers turned into children, but just for a day. We have also seen figures from our past on the train, but they were more ghosts than actually there. And don't look out at the void."

He nodded his head. "Some of have been injured. We do have medical facilities. And the train won't allow us to die."

[deadwenwalking]

"Turned... into children?" Wen Ning blinks in bemusement. If anyone but Lan Wangji had said this it would be hard to take them seriously, but the second jade had no reason to lie. It was against his very nature (and his sect rules).

"The way you say all these things... I'm not sure if it makes the train sound benevolent or cruel." Perhaps a little of both.

[achickenformylove]

"Yes. Into children. It was quite strange."

That comment was the most accurate statement that WangJi had ever heard about the train.

"Yes, I wonder the same thing."

[deadwenwalking]

[To overflow!]