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

[miseris_socios]

"... I don't know, I just know that they kill you slowly. But... um." This is uncomfortable, but Soldat's been... nice enough. And he's big enough to take him out. "But if my persona goes berserk I think it's the only... thing that can stop it."

He's tired and he doesn't want to think of it this early in the morning, but... here i tis. He needs more coffee.

[worthallthis]

Okay. Okay, this requires a little more attention. Soldat sets the spoon and bowl aside and turns to face him more fully, leaning one hip on the counter and folding their arms. "Your persona might go berserk. What would cause that? What will it do if that happens?"

[miseris_socios]

"I don't know what makes it go berserk. Mine's not an artificial one like the others. ... But I don't know if the one that killed my mom was natural or artificial, either." It could be either. He doesn't know... there's too many questions and no way to end it in a way that makes sense.

"... But I don't want to take the chance of killing someone by accident. Not... I've seen what that does." Sends them on a two year long quest to kill the killer, apparently.

[worthallthis]

Most of that makes absolutely no sense, Soldat clearly missing a lot of context. They decide quickly that asking probably would just confuse them more. "And shooting it won't stop it? Or tying it up?" A pause. "Has it one berserk before?"

[miseris_socios]

"Shooting it is just going to end up with me having a bullet hole. And they disappear pretty quickly, so you can't tie it up. I guess you could tie me up, but that might be hard in between getting pelted with lightning." Or just buzzsawed.

"She hasn't... but there's a chance, and I don't want that to happen. If I lost control, it would be... really bad. If Nemesis showed up without being summoned, I... it'd probably end with someone killed."

[worthallthis]

"Hate to break it to you, but. That'll happen with a lot of people around here if they lose control," Soldat says, a little apologetically. "You really don't need a. A persona? Don't need that to do it." They tilt their head a bit, and add, "You say it's never happened before. Never lost control. What makes you think it might happen?"

[miseris_socios]

"I got close to losing control on the last mission. Not thinking, just attacking. It was just the regular kind of losing control, but... it got me worried." He doesn't want to hurt anyone like that without good reason. "And if anything messes with our powers I... don't know what could happen."

[worthallthis]

Well, Soldat can understand that, at least. They know what they're capable of, and what they used to be, and what they could be again with the right combination of circumstances. So they can't begrudge a kid with magic powers he doesn't entirely understand for having the same worries.

"Okay. Yeah, okay." They sigh. "How does this stuff you brought here help with that?" they ask, thinking. He'd said someone was looking at it, maybe to try and make a better version?

[miseris_socios]

"... It basically shuts your Persona up. Personas are part of you, so it just kind of shoves it into a corner of your brain and locks the door. The others told me they couldn't hear theirs as much after taking it. Apparently artificial ones are more unstable. ... I don't know what makes the pills so dangerous, though. I know it starts killing you and I know it messes with your body temperature regulation. ... It's kind of a last resort option."

[worthallthis]

Yeah, that... sounds really unpleasant. It sounds like HYDRA making Words to control somebody, or a Chair to take part of them away. It sounds like Crowley saying it isn't healthy to shut down part of your brain for that long. "And you said you gave your supply to someone to study. Maybe to make the drug better?"

cw: vague suicide mention

[miseris_socios]

"... Mm. I trust him to not abuse it. I... I want to be able to help the others. They've been taking it for so long... I don't know how much time they have left. I want to give them longer than they have now. They've had... a rough life. Hurt by a lot of people... I want to help make it better." If he can manage to get that done... maybe there's a reason to hang on, after all.

[worthallthis]

Soldat nods, sympathetic. "That's a good goal. Noble. I hope he can help your friends." They tilt their head a bit, thoughtfully, and ask the thing that's been confusing them for a little while, now, about this whole conversation: "Why'd you want to tell me about it?"

[miseris_socios]

"... You don't treat me like I don't know stuff just because I'm a kid who fights, and you're big enough to take me down fast if I'm a problem." Also he knows Vexen might not be able to do it under the pressure, and he really doesn't have anyone outside of that circle he trusts to do it.

[worthallthis]

Ah. Well. That makes sense. Soldat's shoulders come down a little. "I used to train kids younger than you to be assassins and spies. So." They unfold their arms and settle back to their work. "Just so we're clear, am I your back-up tackle plan or back-up murder plan?" They can absolutely do either one, they just want to make sure everyone's on the same page.

[miseris_socios]

"First one, then the other if it doesn't work. ... Though I don't know how you feel about that." He takes another sip of his coffee. Bleh. "Persona out of control can do a lot of damage to everything and everyone around them. It's almost like they become more physical than usual. I don't know the science enough to know why."

[worthallthis]

"I can do it." Especially knowing, as they do here, that he'll come back. The train will make sure he's whole again the next morning, persona probably safely wrapped up inside again like it's supposed to be. Or something. "I'll try to keep an eye on you in missions, when I can. I might not always be on your team, though."

[miseris_socios]

"Yeah... I know a lot of people on different teams. I might hop around. D - Vexen's on orange team, for example. And I have people I - there's people on blue I might follow along with. It depends what each mission needs."

He sighs and takes another long sip. "... Sometimes other people might need a fighter with them."

[worthallthis]

"Exactly," Soldat nods. "I've gone with Red both missions so far, but that's no guarantee." They shake their head a bit. "Can't imagine I'd be of much use on Orange though. They almost never have anything they need to fight, do they? Not physically."

[miseris_socios]

"Yeah... guess it also depends on what red team is doing. It... last mission needed a lot of fighters, so it was fine for me to just stick with red. We're not a big team, after all..."

[worthallthis]

"That's one reason I've gone with them both times, so far, too," Soldat agrees. "Since it's just so small, and that's what I'm made for. If Purple didn't wind up doing a lot of fighting, too, I'd wonder if I weren't on the wrong team."

[miseris_socios]

"Purple seems more general to me... I guess it's just kind of 'whoever doesn't it the other teams'."

[worthallthis]

"I was told it's the team for protection. Not making strike missions, not going out looking for trouble, but fighting for those who need help." They shrug a little, focused on their work. "Which I guess makes sense."

[miseris_socios]

"I thought that was blue? I don't know what blue does."

[worthallthis]

"To be honest, I don't know what Blue does, either," Soldat admits. "They usually wind up with animals or civilian wrangling, though. Or they have in the two missions I've seen."