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

"Well I don't know, I mean, I just don't have access to everything I did at home." Prompto hummed. "See, my friend has magic and he lets me use his storage space? So it's like an unseen bag. And usually I have a wide variety of weapons in there, but right now I just have my handgun, sniper rifle and Drillbreaker." He considered it. "Well, and now my submachine gun." He grinned.

"It was a bit restricting fighting the daemons without the bigger stuff, but Noct and I still managed. I usually have a bazooka too, a few other things." Prompto was looking for another case though.

He found it, popped it open and there in all of her glory, was a huge chocobo plush.

Gen hummed, "There's an item that we discovered that works a little like that. You'll see a few people on the train using one, if you haven't already - it's called an Arms Band. It's a bit of jewelry that lets you access a magic storage space. I'm not exactly sure how much stuff we can put in, but it seems pretty big."

So, his friend then was basically a walking Arms Band himself? Curious. And interesting. "Your friend was kidnapped as well, then?"

But the plush kind of distracted him. "That's the largest chicken toy that I've seen in years."

"Uh huh!" Prompto said with a little grin. "If you see Noctis, that's him!" He chirped cheerfully. "He might be napping."

He knew his friend, very well.

"Oh this? This is a chocobo. They are the greatest birds in all of Eos! You can ride them, they run very fast, they're very fluffy and soft."

“Mm, if I see him sleeping, I’ll try not wake him accidentally,” Gen quipped, guessing that was all right to joke about from Prompto’s tone.

Wait, so. “You ride giant birds, in the world that you’re from? Do you have horses as well?”

"Uh, no! I don't think so?" Prompto said, tilting his head. He'd need a picture. Then he might wonder at how docile they looked and how not-deadly.

Most of the animals in Eos tried to kill him.

"They don't fly though, they just run really fast."

"... I suppose if they're big enough to carry a person," Gen noted, "they'd probably be too heavy to fly, really. Like an ostrich."

Gen peered a little closer at the plush, with its cheery yellow material and orange beak and feet. "Mm. This is a lot cuter than any ostrich, though. Do they look pretty similar to this in real life?"

"I mean, yeah kinda!" Prompto said with a chuckle. "I can show you pictures! I have my camera!"

It appeared in a set of blue sparkles and he was already looking at the screen on the back, pushing the button to find the pictures.

"The chocobo ranch we went to even had babies!"

Gen was far too curious to resist, coming in next to Prompto and leaning in to see the camera's viewfinder better. "Babies are always adorable, it's probably some law of nature I'm forgetting."

Of course, he's also peeking at all of the other photos Prompto was scrolling past, getting a better sense of the other man. Gen thought he'd feel a bit better about someone like that with that kind of firepower if he had a better sense of who he was. ... Maybe ... Fine, it was just hard for him to trust people, but in theory ...

Prompto's pictures were a mixture of various landscapes in various light and selfies, of course, as well as pictures of three other men. They feature a lot since they're his best friends. On occassion there's a picture of something spectacular Ignis made.

"Here it is!" He said with a bright grin. "Wiz's Chocobo Outpost!"

He slowed down flipping through the pictures so Gen could take in only the most beautiful birds. Some were eating greens. Some were indeed tiny babies waddling about. Noctis was hugging a chocobo in one. Ignis walking away from a baby black chocobo that looked like it was out to get him.

These were fond memories.

Whoever they were, they looked happy. Just fooling around, like college kids. Which they all looked like, really, people around his age. Well, if Gen hadn't been in a stone nap for almost four thousand years. He wasn't counting that now.

Plus a lot of tasty shots of food. Gen felt hungry just looking at them.

"Oh, wow, they're tall," was Gen's first reaction. Followed by, "Look at the little ones! They look very puffy."

Based on the fact they're cooing over baby chocobos in one picture, he wasn't too worried about the dapper man with glasses in the next. Gen smirked a little. "I take it they're not usually so aggressive?"

"They are!" Prompto agreed, and he sounded just as cheerful and excited as anything. "They're all super soft and fluffy, even when they get older. But the babies are more fluff than anything." He loved playing with the babies when they got the chance.

Prompto giggled. "Pretty sure Iggy's nicknamed that one Nightmare, which is a total crime because look how cute it is!" He grinned. "He's not in any danger, the baby just wants his glasses. He really seems to like shiny things. He's a troublemaker."

"I bet it was a real treat getting to see all those little ones, then," Gen agreed, definitely understanding the appeal. Horses might be graceful, beautiful, and sometimes cute - but the birds were almost cartoonish as babies, and probably a lot easier to make into cute merchandise.

Gen then had to laugh. "I think many breeds of birds do, I suppose it makes sense that these chocobos would be no different. Your poor friend - I suppose he tried to explain to Nightmare that he needs those to see."

He snickered.

"He totally did but..." Prompto giggled. "I don't think Nightmare understands he's just a cute little baby!"

It was clear he was on the chocobo's side. Who wouldn't be? It was so small and helpless.

"I think he just wants to play with Iggy."

"And who wouldn't want to play keep-away with a small, baby bird?" Gen asked, bright and as if he also was completely on the little feathered friend's side.

Though, really, glasses could be kind of hard to replace! Or had Gen been spending too much time without modern amenities?

"He's really cute anyway, and fluffy. I think they'll be friends someday." Prompto said with an optimistic smile.

Gen laughed, leaning away from the camera now. "I see you're an eternal optimist."

A New Platform [Intro Post April]

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