voidtreckerexpress | A New Platform [Intro Post May]

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A New Platform [Intro Post May]

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!

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So sometime between the fog then? Just how long does it take to change out bunkers, or cars, or whatever they're called. Rogue really has no idea. That's a little creepy though. "But all your stuff was still there...?"

Whatever stuff that might be. Rogue assumes that people had some belongings, just as the suit that she had found out in her sack. She does give Kitty a glance. Technically, it is true, as she hasn't gone by the name her parents gave her in quite some time. "Ya. That's mah name."

She even has the Southern accent. It couldn't just be a coincidence, but Kitty has to know for sure.

"Do..." She hesitates, trying to think of how best to ask what she needs to know. "Do you...know the X-Men?"

Is that a trick question, a trap, and yet Rogue can't figure out why on either account if it would be. She debates a moment longer, before giving a nod of her head. "I do. ... do you?"

Kitty nods. "Yeah, I do." She pauses a moment, biting her bottom lip as she considers her next words.

"...you're a little different from the Rogue I know."

"And what's that-" Although Rogue pauses in turn, glancing at her again. It doesn't make any sense, but she finds herself asking. "Kitty... As in Kitty Pryde?"

"Yeah, that's me." She manages a small smile, despite the strangeness of the situation. Even if this isn't the Rogue from her world, she feels a bit of relief knowing that someone she knows is finally here. That she isn't quite alone.

"How much do you know about the multiverse theory?"

"Uh, you mean aside from the stuff in tv shows and movies?" Which means not much. It's not exactly a course that is taught at Xavier's. She can't help but eye Kitty up though, wondering.

"Yeah. Honestly, I don't much about it myself other than the basic idea. But I'm guessing that's what's happening here. You and I are from similar, but different universes. So some general things are the same - the names of people, mutants, the X-Men - but specific events are much different."

How different, she wonders? Is there the cure where she comes from? Is Magneto still a pain in the ass? Do Kitty and Bobby... But she gives a little shake of her head.

"You can still..." Giving a little nudge towards the wall. "Do the whole phase thing?"

Kitty nods. "Yeah, I can still do that. You still..." She hesitates, because Rogue's powers are always a touchy subject. "You still absorb energy?"

No less touchy now, both literally and figuratively. Add to that the fact that a few hours later, and she hopefully would have had the cure. She lets a sharp breath out, pursing her lips. "Ya... Still got that."

That's what she figures, though she doesn't realize that a cure for their abilities was even a thing. "Sorry," she says, not wanting to upset the other girl.

It would be especially difficult now, being in such close quarters with other people.

"I take it... The Rogue you know can't control it either?" Because she can't help asking it. If she did, then maybe... Just maybe there was something that Rogue could do, copy, to fix her ability.

She shakes her head a little. "No...still happens with any skin-contact."

They were hopeful that she might control it in the future, but...

"Ah." That sucks, as Rogue can't imagine her being happy about her powers anymore than she is. She mulls for a second, before asking again, "And the cure?"

Kitty frowns, puzzled. "What cure?"

There's a pause from Rogue, as that question alone already answers her question. She brushes her hair behind her ear, contemplating. "It's... something that's been in the news recently."

It's definitely something specific to Rogue's world then, because Kitty can't recall anything that really needed a cure right now in her world. "What's it a cure for?"

"... it removes a mutant's abilities." A certain clip to her voice, as she can already guess at a reaction. Everyone keeps saying not to, but they also don't have her powers.

Kitty does bristle a little bit, and the same words and protests are on the tip of her tongue.

But she does manage to stop herself. Because she knows that'd she'd been lucky with her powers. They didn't affect the way she looked, or the way she interacted with others. She could pass of for normal if she really wanted to, pretend she didn't have her powers and leave that all behind if she was so inclined to.

But she thought of Kurt, and Scott, and Rogue back home...people who didn't have much of a choice with how their ability presents itself, or how much control they have over it. She isn't sure if the people she knows would consider taking it...but if they wanted to, would she have any right to stop them?

And she thought about when her powers had first manifested...because if a cure had been available then, she knows deep down that, so early on, she probably would have accepted it with no hesitation.

So in that case, did she have any right to judge?

She's quiet for a long time, as these thoughts turn over in her mind. Then finally, she glances back up at Rogue. "...would it have made you happier, taking the cure?"

Her lips purse a touch, as she has heard it all before... Some can pass off just fine, live normal lives, not have to worry about being alone forever because they might accidentally harm their boyfriend. Sure, Bobby said it was fine, but he'd also gone skating with Kitty... Although not this Kitty, maybe. Lord, this is confusing.

She doesn't know about the cure, so what else would be different? Everything? Only that? How do you even break that down? Event by event?

The tension leaves a little, shoulders dropping, as Rogue gives a shrug. She likes to think so. She knows that there may have been the question about her reasonings, and it wasn't just Bobby. "I would never have to worry about possibly touching someone an' killing them."

Kitty nods a little, still thinking. Then she sighs softly. "Well...I don't really agree with it," she finally says. "But if there was a cure in my world, and my Rogue wanted to take it...if it would have made her happier, I'd still support her. And I'd hope that the Kitty you know would do the same." She glanced up at her. "Who you are won't change, powers or not."

Her and Kitty... Sure, they've been in classes, and go to the same school, but Rogue isn't sure they'd call each other friends. She'd hung out with Bobby, and by default John when he was still around, but Rogue otherwise kept to herself outside of Logan.

"Maybe for you. For me, Ah think it would." It is matter of fact. Not having to worry, she would change. She knows it won't make all her problems disappear, but it would make some things easier.

She frowns a little. "Really? Would it make you care any less about the people at the institute? Would you leave them after becoming normal?"

Things that Rogue hadn't really thought about? That. Getting the cure had been what her focus had been on, and not having her abilities afterwards. What that would actually mean, she doesn't actually know. "Course not. Bobby and I- Everyone would still be family to me. I just- I wouldn't have to worry."

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goingthroughaphase - 2021-05-31 20:53 (UTC) - Expand

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