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

[yondu]

Yondu is pretty sure they don't. Not after what WangJi said, or what Raven said. But he does something that he is getting in the habit of doing, and its honestly one of the kindest habits he's picked up. He doesn't voice those thoughts. Instead, he aims to comfort her.

"I hope so. I think he'd be happier if he was home. Both of 'em."

Yondu never had a chance to give Yoite his token, so he pulls the pendant out of his pocket. It's not incredibly well made, but it was something so sound sensitive he could have had it to react. He knows he's eventually doomed to lose his tiny little tribe, but he's used to losing people. All he can do is desperately cling with pale blue knuckles until they're gone.

Just because he's used to it doesn't mean his reaction's any better.

"I was gonna give Yoite this."

[happyends]

"Did you make that for him..?" Madoka says as she takes in the pendant. It's nice of Yondu, she thinks, but it's not entirely unsurprising that he made something for him. After all, he also helped her arrows get better. Yondu just seems like the kind of nice person who likes making things for the people he cares about.

.. though that thought does make it a little sadder to know that Yoite may now never get it. A present, forever without an owner.

It makes Madoka's expression drop a little as she stares at it.

"I think.. he would have liked it. Yoite-san probably would have been really surprised by getting a gift, but he would have been happy deep down.." From what she's seen of the other, anyway.

[yondu]

"Yeah. I ain't exactly as artsy as you but it woulda done what it needed to." He tosses it in his hand before putting it back in his pocket with a sigh. He'll... he don't know. He'll figure out something to do with it later.

He hopes he goes home, and doesn't end up in goddamn train limbo or whatever the hell is out there.

"I'm sorry they went, Angel. I know it's rough. Especially when you got a heart as big as yours."

[happyends]

The latter words come as a surprise to her. Not the compliment itself, necessarily, but the fact that Yondu moves on so quickly to trying to reassure her.

Even though Madoka is pretty sure that it can't be easy on Yondu either. He's nicer than he seems, and he must have gotten attached enough to Yoite if he was actually making something for the guy - so Madoka doesn't want to turn this into a pity party for herself. She can put on her big girl pants and be strong so she can try to comfort others instead.

"It's okay," she says, trying to make her voice sound as convincing as possible in this situation. (It's not quite there, but she's Trying.) "I've been on the train for so long now.. I've seen a lot of people leave by now."

Accidentally tabbed+enter

[yondu]

It's not her job to comfort him, the way he sees it. "Yeah, but don't let it make ya care about folks less." Don't be like him... Not in the same way, anyway. "You don't need that feelin'." She doesn't need that same hole that he has in his soul.

It's one that he's miserably allowed a few people near, letting them fill it in thin layers. He's starting to get used to it, and that makes it more terrifying. But if Madoka starts having that hole worn into herself, he wouldn't be able to stand that he stood by and let it happen.

He did hope he could help Yoite. But if by some luck he made it home, it's his chance to help himself.

[happyends]

".. Of course I care about people," she says, after a very slight pause. It's true - of course Madoka cares about people. If anything, her heart is much too big. And it's not like she's stopped making new connections just because her older ones disappeared. After all, there's no way she otherwise would have gotten this close with him either.

"But.. one time after I watched people leave again, I realised.. I shouldn't be sad." Madoka shakes her head. "They wouldn't want me to be sad without them, I think. They'd want me to be happy, so I'm.."

Madoka glances back at the gates the people disappeared through, even though they're gone now.

".. I'm trying my best."

[yondu]

"Darlin', people don't want you smilin' through heartbreak. Don't force it on yourself. Just go do what ya gotta do to be alright."

Things that he can say to others, again, that no one said to him. Even if his was just being tough through heartbreak. Putting on airs of being strong, being untouchable, not actually pulling it off. Madoka's efforts feel like another flavor of that, just with less broken glasses and raised voices.

"You're doin' fine." He puts his hand on her shoulder. Still a little funny, his blue next to all that pink hair. Despite the heavy subject, as an alien with no hair to speak of outside of what's on his chin, he's got the urge to lightly poke one of them things. He doesn't but it is a passing thought.

[happyends]

Her shoulders sag a little when he says that - in a way he should be able to feel, considering he's got one of his hands on one of her shoulders.

"But.. being sad all the time doesn't make anyone alright either." Not that she isn't still sad on the inside. Of course she is. It hurts so much to see someone leave and know you will never be able to talk to them ever again, never be able to see them again.

But she doesn't want to cry about it. Not like she has before.

"After all.. people leave every two weeks or so. By the time you start to feel like you may be able to get over it a little.. the next group of people already leaves." There's just no time to get over it before you get hurt all over again.

Madoka shakes her head. "So I want to try being strong instead. I want to try to smile, and help others to smile as well.. I don't want us to always have to be sad, just because people come and go without warning here."

[yondu]

He feels her shoulder's sag and he's guilty that his one experience with this is... is not great. He's not a good person, not at all, not like she thinks. And it's partially because of how he grew up.

"I grew up with people comin' an' goin' all the time. I wasn't allowed to get attached to 'em. Wasn't allowed to be sad about it after, either. What was the point, y'know? They was goin' anyay."

So he knows that maybe his advice isn't the best, when there was a constant flux and repositioning of slaves so they didn't have time to organize. He just didn't give a damn like he should at one point. He just wants to know Madoka will still be able to do that.

"You're pretty grown so I guess you got a good idea of you. But I still think it's okay to be a li'l' upset about it."

[happyends]

Madoka seems to waffle a bit on the answer to this one. Because the truth is that she definitely still is upset on the inside to see people go - and it's strong enough that she can't always contain it and smile, really. In fact, it's often that she can't. Even right now it's pretty hard.

But she doesn't want to say it out loud. Mostly since she doesn't want to bother him or anyone else with it.

Hence why she doesn't remark anything about it. Instead, as she looks up at him with those big eyes of hers, she asks: "Would you not feel sad if I left, mister Yondu?"

[yondu]

"You hush with them big eyes, I see you there. You see me bein' sad here for Yoite." He somehow manages to turn it into a tease.

But then, more seriously.

"That's more when I was a youngin'. It hurt pretty bad to lose people after that. Still does."

[happyends]

"Then.. that's the way I'm upset about it too. It hurts, but.. I'm not going to cry on the platform about it anymore." And see, Yondu isn't crying either - though Madoka isn't too sure if the guy can even cry, when he's as tough as he is - so he can't complain about that one, right!

".. I've done that enough times already."

So many times.

[yondu]

He doesn't know if he's the best example. His reasons for not crying are fucked up. But there's something about how confident that she is that he's doing it right that he doesn't want to break her of that idea.

"Well if ya do it again I'll get you some water so ya don't dry out like a raisin."

This time he briefly holds the sides of her face and bends down to tap his fin against her head.

[happyends]

.. It's very cute. And affectionate. It does make Madoka feel a bit better. Of course nothing is going to fill up the hole that some of her departing friends have left, but.. at least she isn't alone.

Madoka is trying really hard to remember that. And it's a little easier to remember with Yondu right here.

"Um, mister Yondu.." She softly speaks up after a moment. "Do you maybe want to go inside the train and do something fun..?"

If not just to distract her. Or distract them both from all of this.

"U-Unless you have something important to do here on the platform, then I can do it myself..!"

[yondu]

"Sure, I wanna figure what the hell this train just done, an' I'm gonna tell ya a secret- I hate these platforms anyway. I usually get away as soon as I can. Hate tellin' people they ain't got a choice."

He can't put on a good personality for it. Or take the looks on their faces. If there's any moment his softness shows besides when he's with the kids he cares about, it's the unease that hits him in telling people they got nowhere to go.

[happyends]

".. I understand."

It's not a fun thing. Madoka doesn't like it either, having to deliver so much bad news to people, especially when there are only limited positive spins to put on it. Hence why she nods a little.

"But.. at the same time, I always want to make sure to at least greet the new blue team members. Since I remember how confusing and lonely it can be to first show up here.. I don't want anyone to have to feel like that." And considering just how long she's been here, and just how long she's been part of the blue team, Madoka wants to take at least some responsibility in that sense.

[yondu]

It digs a little too deep for a former slave. Gives him too many past memories of hearing others introduced to hopeless situations.

Again, nothing he wants to run by her.

"You're real good at explainin' stuff, so you're doin' 'em a big favor. An' honestly I'd be a lot less scared comin' across someone like you than I'd be comin' across folks like me." He puts his hand to her back to usher her inside.

"But today you don't gotta. Somebody else will." Especially since she liked Piccolo so much.

[happyends]

"Wah!" There's an immediate small noise of surprise when that hand is pushed to her back. Not even because he's being rough about it or anything, it feels like she's being gently guided more than anything else. But Madoka just tends to be easily startled, especially since she didn't see this coming.

But there's no resistance from her. She just lets him take her right along back inside - hoping that someone else will explain things to the new blue people while she's in there.

"O-Okay, mister Yondu. Though I guess I should think of something fun to do.." Because otherwise she'll just think all day about the people who left. ".. Maybe I can do some chores.."

(Apparently that's.. fun to Madoka?)