voidtreckerexpress | A New Platform [Intro Post April]

On the Train

Once again passengers are awoken by the morning announcement.

"Good morning passengers, it is day Sixteen 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 after lunch. A lunch that may be a bit sparse: between the big eaters and the stress bakers, the stores have been stretched thin the last two weeks.

"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 steam is thin, with blue skies seen above. The sun shines brightly down, warm light pooling on the platform.

As usual the first to leave the train notice nothing as they walk silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers: Cassie Lang, Glorfindel, Jessie Custer, Olivia, Paddra Nsu-Yeul, S’reee, Thea Queen, Wei Wuxian.

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, open, with a vine-covered wall stretching high either side of the barrier. 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 eighteen 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 doors close behind them.

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'). The store rooms have been restocked with fresh ingredients, including plenty more tomatoes.

For passengers that have bought items, these are also scattered around the luggage carriage in various suitcases and bags. There is a suitcase stocked with spare wash kit items, for those who are running low as well as a box labelled Do Not Use Yet that is full of small 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 who are making the most of the sunshine. 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

He caught Jin Ling just outside their room, his arms full of a few packages from the luggage car.

"Hey, hold up!" Demyx called. "Can you let me in?"

Jin Ling looks back and inwardly sighs but he does hold the door open so the other can get in with the packages. It makes him vaguely curious but he also kind of doesn't care either. The realization that he's going to have roommates is still sinking in and he's just a bit grumpy about it.

Fairy barks and investigates the stranger and Jin Ling huffs a little.

"Thanks." Demyx said a little sheepishly and eyed Fairy very warily.

He probably smelled quite a bit like darkness to an animal. He was always surprised if one liked him.

"Uh, did you just get here?"

Fariy doesn't seem overly bothered by him but goes back to press against Jin Ling's leg.

"Yeah," he says and shoos Fairy to go settle on the bed that seems to be assigned to him.

"Okay." Demyx said, looking a bit wary of him but he smiled. "I mean, welcome I guess?" He offered. "It's not so bad."

He started unwrapping the big package, which was a new sitar which he couldn't help but run his fingers across.

"Thanks, I guess," Jin Ling says and he guesses maybe not anywhere could be worse than Hell but still he's not liking the idea of this train thing. He sits down on the edge of his bed, in more or less a sulky mood.

He does look at the sitar curiously, despite himself, but is too stubborn to actually say anything about it.

He could deal with a sulky roommate. He was kind of that guy in the last place, if only because one of his roommates was intent on insulting him incessantly.

Demyx couldn't be bothered with that, instead removing the brown paper and he hummed pleasantly.

"Oooh, this is nice..." He was pleased, it was in perfect, brand new condition.

"You play?"

Jin Ling asks even as he's not sure he completely cares about the answer. He sits on his bunk and Fairy moves to put her head on his lap for pets.

"Yeah!" Demyx said with a smile as he lifted it up and discarded the paper, swinging around to sit down and strum it lightly. It wouldn't sound like a guitar of course, being that it wasn't one, but the note reverberated easily. He began to tune it.

"It's also a weapon." He admitted, mostly because people had seen me fighting. "This one's lighter than my usual one. Hits harder."

Jin Ling watches for a bit. He'd never really taken to instruments himself -- probably Jiang Cheng's influence on him.

"One of my... uncles... uses a flute," Jin Ling says. He's only called Wei Wuxian uncle once but it sort of counts anyway.

"Never tried that...I think." Demyx answered, considering that. "I seem to know a lot more about stringed instuments so that seems right."

He would play a note, adjust, and try again. Tuning a sitar was a relaxing activity for him.

"It lets me use my magic."

"You...think?" Jin Ling raises a brow. It seems like someone would know if they had or not.

"Mm...my bo..." he stops short. Can he even refer to Sizhui as his boyfriend anymore? Here, neither of the Sizhuis are.

"My friend plays a guqin and fights with it."

"Don't really remember my Somebody's life." Demyx answered as he played.

"That's what I do, yeah, with my element." He grinned slowly and as he played, water began to collect in the air, forming into the shape of a note.

"Your Somebody's? What does that even mean?"

And the water collecting is just as weird. Fairy seems to come to attention, jumping off the bed to investigate it -- curious but also probably trying to verify it is no threat to Jin Ling.

"Means that, before I was me...which was like six years ago or something like that, I was someone else, but they lost their heart." Demyx explained. "Leaving what's left, which is me, behind. But unlike everyone else, I don't remember much of my past."

The water is harmless water, it's wet if Fairy touches it, but it will keep its shape. It's not much of a threat like this.

"..." Yeah, that doesn't really make any sense. Jin Ling just shrugs and watches as Fairy sniffs and then touches her nose to the water. She lets out a small yip but then comes back to Jin Ling.

"That just sounds weird."

"Tell me about it!" Demyx said with a little laugh.

"I don't really know, I don't get it, it's just as confusing for me as anyone really." He smiled and shrugged a bit.

"Does anyone understand it....?" Jin Ling shakes his head. Does he even care? Not really but it's just that weird.

"Some people understand better than I do. Vexen can probably tell you more." Demyx informed him. He could also pout at Demyx for not knowing the answers.

"Who is that?" Jin Ling asks. There's not a lot of people he's met since arriving on the train, at least not a lot that aren't from his world anyway.

"Uh, well, he's got long blond hair like to his shoulders I guess? And I don't know, he looks like a scientist."

That may not have been as descriptive as Jin Ling was hoping for.

"What's a scientist...?"

Jin Ling is unfamiliar with the term and well he's from a very different sort of world.

He considered the question. How best to describe it?

"A nerd in a labcoat."

Nailed it.

A New Platform [Intro Post April]

Roommate! Hi!

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