A New Platform [Intro Post May]

[voidtreckermods]

On the Train

Like clockwork, the Voidtreckers are awoken by a familiar message this morning.

"Good morning Voidtreckers, it is day one of the month of Llama. Points have been updated on the system."

With points updated, everyone can spend the morning shopping. Most people will 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 air is sticky and warm, the windows almost immediately dewing over with the humidity outside.

As usual the first to leave the train notice nothing, walking silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers. Azula, Prisoner, Amery Vallet, Dyme Graydon, Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, Yoite, Piccolo, Bulla Brief, Xie Lian, Kurosaki Ichigo, Hua Cheng, Renee Corbin, and Ran Mouri; all pass through the platform, not looking back before they disappear through the barriers and into the fog beyond.

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 find themselves on a platform, rich wood and pale stone forming a natural, tree-like structure overhead. Behind them is a set of barriers, and in front of them is a single set of tracks extending both ways into thick fog. The air is rainforest-hot, and the sound of frogsong can be faintly heard over the drip of the artificial canopy.

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 fog begins to fade and they realise they aren’t alone.

The platform isn't large, and seems smaller with twenty-eight figures scattered around, all facing the tracks, all dressed in cargo trousers and hoodies. Then there is 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 pours a strange assortment of people, over a hundred at least. 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.

Behind them, the doors close, and the train is cloaked in the same fog that hides the world beyond the platform.

The Train

After a short time, the fog clears and 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 several crates of nori, the ingredient of the month of Llama, as well as all sundries.

For passengers that have bought items, these are also scattered around the luggage carriage in various suitcases and bags. For each member of Purple Team, a small silver box with their name on it contains a glittery cupcake.

New passengers will find their ticket allows them into their cabins. They may need to negotiate for beds, but at least they won't be alone in their confusion - since the sleeper carriages are now double-decker, and experience isn't going to avail the passengers in finding their rooms.

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.

The new double carriage's transfer ICP is active, allowing people to move to a double room should they meet the requirements with another person, though they'll have to move their belongings themselves.

Departure

A second horn sounds to encourage any stragglers taking advantage of the fresh air, and 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

Demyx | OTA

[melodiouspacifist]

I. Platform

Demyx would avoid this part if he could. He didn’t know what it was about the whole experience that left him feeling tired and mildly frustrated. It was not really visible to anyone, he was just smiling. Because of his misfortune with the random outfits, so far, he was still mostly wearing his uniform. He had on an orange polo and black cargo pants. What he had added, was his black Organization coat, which was completely unzipped and only worn overtop as a favour to Vexen.

He wasn’t really looking like the welcoming type so much as he was lurking on the edge of people. He couldn’t help it, he was used to blending in the background.

II. Shopping

He had tried, yet again to get an outfit he would like from the random selection. Sure, he could order his own clothes but he didn’t know what he wanted. He wanted...not what he was getting.

Demyx would find the bag easily enough and let out a whoop. “Yes! Cool!”

He was also, again, looking for a pair of books wrapped in paper with his name on them. No, he hadn’t become a reader, they were thin, yet more sheet music. He was taking the opportunity to devour as much of that as he could.

III. Music Room

It was always going to end this way, wasn’t it?

Demyx was still going to the music room every day and spending an unhealthy amount of time in there. Maybe, just maybe, it was time for someone to drag him out of it.

Otherwise, he’d be sitting there with his sitar on his lap, tuning up to play a song.

IV. Wildcard

((OOC: Need something else from Demyx? Just have another idea? Please feel free to help yourself, or if you have any questions you can hit me up at Ammeschan, Discord: Ammeschan#5385 or feel free to PM this account.))

Music Room

[yondu]

Yondu spends a whole hell of a lot of time in the music room. He's always on the search for new songs that Peter might like. Today isn't much different.

Sometimes he finds people actually performing, though, and he stops to listen. He doesn't have a perfect memory exactly, but one of his natural talents is picking up a tune. He sticks around long enough to try and work out patterns.

"That one of yours or one from home?" he asks. He saw him during the fight against the demons, vaguely knows he knows Vexen, but that's about it.

[melodiouspacifist]

At this exact moment, the tune is light and gentle, like moving along on a breeze. It doesn't seem to have a set structure, like a proper song would, it's a lot more stream of consciousness than that.

Demyx smiles and he didn't even miss a beat, his fingers kept moving.

"Not really either." He chuckled lightly. "Just thinking aloud."

Some people talked to themselves, Demyx played to himself. It was skillful, just lacking proper structure.

[yondu]

"Sounds pretty good. Don't know how the thoughts are goin' but the music's workin' out."

He compliments at least, lingering over where he's standing.

"Would ya mind if I stuck around and listened?" Could be invasive. The guy could just want some alone time in the music car.

[melodiouspacifist]

"Ha, thanks." Demyx grinned. He liked it when people liked his music, even if that was a little bit prideful.

"I don't mind. It doesn't bother me." Talking didn't seem to bother him either, the way he was carrying on.

[yondu]

"By the way, I didn't get to tell ya after that whole fight, but ya did a good job out there."

Yondu's trying to make it more of a habit of telling people they did well. He realizes that he got fed up with his crew bein' idiots. It tainted him to the point that he just didn't dole out compliments like he used to. They plain old didn't deserve 'em.

But the people here are competant. It's worth saying so.

[melodiouspacifist]

He ducked his head a little bit, like he wasn't sure what to do with that. "Uh, thanks." Demyx said.

"It was nothing really." He wasn't sure what he thought about the mission so he was doing what he did best - overthinking it and ignoring it. Two for one.

He was full of conflicting feelings he shouldn't be having, and it was a little rough.

[yondu]

"Nah, in the end ya won. That's somethin'."

But he's not meaning to ploy someone's damaged emotions. Just give him some approval for doing decent.

"I take it ya learned in the world... multi-world hub thing, whatever it was that Vexen learned in?"

[melodiouspacifist]

"My sitar?" Demyx asked and then laughed lightly. "No."

He considered for a moment if Yondu meant the fighting. "If you mean combat and stuff uh, well, maybe? I'm not sure. Possibly." He'd thought so but things were complicated.

Music Room

[theturksway]

"You know one of these days I'm going to find you somewhere other than in here and it'll be the death of me. Death by surprise," the redhead quipped as he headed across the carriage towards Demyx.

His gait was slow and leisurely, his demeanor bored and laid back, and his expression rather neutral despite his quirky greeting. His lip rose in one corner to a small smile at the end of his sentence and then disappeared again. He cocked his head at Demyx as he stopped in front of the blond briefly and watched him play his sitar.

Then he moved to sit next to Demyx, lounging with one knee drawn up and a wrist resting on that knee.

[melodiouspacifist]

Demyx chuckled at that in open amusement at Reno's quip. "Good to know, fastest way to kill you apparently. Good thing I wasn't planning on it."

He needed to get out more, he just didn't want to. The tune today was lighthearted, still more of a stream of consciousness kind of thing, but it meant he wasn't lingering on strange, unpleasant thoughts.

Once Reno sat down and settled, he changed tactics and moved into a song that seemed to tell a story, just from the way the music went.

"What do you think of this? I ordered some music books."

[theturksway]

"Hah, maybe. Certainly the easiest," he returned. Not that he was easy to kill by any means so that had to be the easiest way indeed.

Reno didn't seem to mind that Demyx spent a majority of his time here. It wasn't the worst place on the train and at least it made the blond easy to find. Plus, he didn't mind the music. When he did grow tired of Demyx's sitar sounds, he just jacked in his headphones and found new music to add to his list. In other words, it was a decent place to hang out.

"Hm?" Reno listened to Demyx's new tune for a while in silence. "What's it supposed to be?"

[melodiouspacifist]

"That would be so rough for you." He teased. "Guess I'll just have to keep hanging out here then in case you happen to come by." Demyx grinned at Reno. He didn't mind him hanging out. He never minded company. He didn't even care if Reno listened all the time or not.

"It's a story." Demyx said. "About two people who go on an adventure, defeat a bunch of monsters and fall in love. It doesn't have an ending according to the description, after that, but I'll assume like any good tragedy, it ends in death and heartbreak."

[theturksway]

"Ah."

Reno paused momentarily, his brows furrowed slightly as he looked at Demyx oddly, before shaking his head and replacing the look with a wry grin. His usual fair. His tone was lighthearted.

"Who doesn't love a good tragedy? Sounds like a winner."

[melodiouspacifist]

"I enjoy a good story." Demyx chuckled as he began to play. He didn't think much about Reno's strange look, he wasn't too worried about it.

"It's not bad. I ask for music and it kinda picks it at random for me, I think."

[theturksway]

"It picks a lot of things at random, Concerto. That's sort of it's thing."

The train had a way of making 'random' a bad thing. Or at least a shitshow. Reno especially felt like he didn't have too much luck in that department so no more random items for him. But to each their own. Music was hard to mess up at least. Probably. Reno wouldn't push his luck there either, he'd rather not be proved wrong on such a good topic.

[melodiouspacifist]

"Tell me about it." Demyx groaned loudly. "I can't get a decent outfit to save my life. You should see the stuff it gave me."

He leaned forward on Arpeggio a bit, turning his head to look at Reno.

"It gave me one that was even more orange than the crap I'm already wearing!"

Music Room

[hotheadwarmheart]

It didn't take Lea long to find Demyx after they all got back on the train. The guy was way too predictable; if he wasn't in his own room and it wasn't mealtime, chances were he was in the music room. And Lea thought it was high time for a shakeup in Demyx's routine.

"Hey, Demyx," he said. "You're not doing anything aside from the usual, are you? Cause I was figuring, while everyone else is busy with platform day things, now's our chance to hit the cinema car and check out one of those musicals I mentioned to you awhile back without having to negotiate with anybody."

[melodiouspacifist]

"Nope!" Demyx said easily and hopped to his feet. Lea probably hadn't seen him appear this excited in awhile.

"I hope you're not messing with me, I want to see a movie full of music." For all he knew he could be making it up, but he couldn't see why he would. His sitar vanished in a splash of water before the water vanished too.

[hotheadwarmheart]

"Nah," Lea said. "Why would I make up something like that?" He wasn't above playing the occasional prank, of course, but there would be little point to one like this, and it would be easily found out in any case.

Fortunately, it didn't take long to get to the cinema car, and as expected, while there were several people passing through, none of them seemed to be stopping to watch anything. Lea approached the main CP in the car so they could make a selection. "Let's see... Action movies... documentaries... historical dramas... ah, here we go: musicals!" He stepped aside slightly, indicating the listed movies in the category to Demyx. "You want to pick one, or should I?"

[melodiouspacifist]

"I don't know, why would anyone make up anything?" Demyx asked with a chuckle and followed after him easily enough.

"You can pick one since I don't really know what I'm looking at from titles alone." He threw himself into a seat, slouching to look at the screen. He was prepared to be amazed.

[hotheadwarmheart]

"Alright," Lea said. He read down the list, skipping a few that sounded a bit too silly, comedic, or sappy before landing on one that he thought Demyx might like. "OK, let's try this one." He selected The Phantom of the Opera, then took a seat next to Demyx to sit back and watch. He hadn't seen this one himself, but the summary sounded cool, so he was looking forward to it.

[melodiouspacifist]

"Alright, let's see, I hope it's good!" He said with a bit of a grin. He trusted Lea at least to pick out a decent movie, not that he'd seen many of them. He couldn't actually remember having watched a single one.

Oh well. Who cared?

As soon as the score started, he was already intrigued. He wondered if some of the music books he'd gotten had been to musicals.

[hotheadwarmheart]

Lea sat back and watched the movie play out. It was a pretty enjoyable movie over all, blending romance, music, gothic mystery, and suspense. Particularly impressive, to Lea at least, was the title song, which required the woman playing Christine to hit an absurdly high note at the end.

It wasn't until the credits began to roll, though, that he turned to speak to Demyx again. "Well?", he said. "What'd you think?"

[melodiouspacifist]

"I think it was really awesome! There was so much music!" He looked very thrilled by that. "All kinds of new songs to learn too, and they were pretty good. The story was good, because the music worked in it." It might've been the most genuinely animated Lea had seen Demyx.