voidtreckerexpress | 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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

She's still working on where the train works. SHe is, after all, very old and absurdly well travelled.

It definitely ranks though.

SHaking hands though? She can manage that just fine. Her hand projects a remarkable feeling of warmth considering it's accompanied by the words "I'm Death. I guess I'm on Red."

Whatever that means.

Cassie's eyes widen, though she seems a little more nonplussed than alarmed.

"That's...a little on the nose, even for a goth."

Beat.

"Unless it's NOT just a name?"

Can't be sure on THIS train.

She had the look first. Goths just know a good thing when they see it.

"It's not technically a name at all. It's what I am." She pauses. "If you prefer to call me by a name I have plenty."

It's just strange to pick one with no context.

"...Huh."

That's...certainly a thing. She actually doesn't have something for this one. Well, nothing profound anyway. Instead she offers a half-assed quip.

"Well, it's a better look than the cloak and scythe thing. And whatever you'd call the bullshit Shinnok has going on."

She grimaces at that. "My brother's always moaning for me to get a scythe. It's not happening, that's creepy."

Some people would wonder why Death of all people has a problem with that, but really people are usually having a bad enough day. "I can't comment on your Shinnok though."

"Be glad your universe doesn't have him," Cassie says. "He's an entire bitch. A fallen Elder God who was banished to the Netherrealm and then decided to take over and make that everyone else's problem. Worked out pretty well for him until I became his problem."

A cocky smirk crosses her face as she says those last words.

"He liked to say he was Death Incarnate, but he wasn't, really. He just ran Hell and looked stupid doing it. Pale skin, bony hands, Maleficent skullcap - that sorta look."

"There is a difference between running Hell and being me." She isn't really concerned about where people go afterwards as long as they do in fact go somewhere and stay there. "That is really trying too hard."

She'll do it for a moment or two to indulge an onlooker, but generally she'd rather be her.

"Yeah, 'trying too hard' was pretty much his entire thing," Cassie says. "Surprised he didn't cut himself on all that edge."

She chuckles.

"Your whole look is way better than his. Different from what you'd expect, but in like a good way."

She's a little surprised at how at ease she is having a conversation with Death herself. For one, she seems nice. For two, she's getting to talk about the time she beat up Shinnok, which always makes her feel good.

"The way I see it, dying is scary enough. The last thing anyone needs right then is some ridiculous edgy getup." Some people wouldn't expect her to have those priorities, but what was she supposed to do after billions of years in the job? She has to do it right.

"That's considerate of you," Cassie says.

A long pause.

"I hope you don't take the whole fear thing personally. No offense, but being afraid of you mostly just means we like staying alive. I mean, it's not healthy to lie awake at night being afraid of you, but...that's true of anything."

"It used to bother me a long time ago." It's strange to think about it after all this time really. "But now I understand where they're coming from. I don't let myself forget. Or I might go back to making the experience worse."

Cassie winces. "Oooh, yeah. That might be worth avoiding. I'm a soldier, we've got enough to worry about on the job already."

"I used to be a real cold hearted bitch." Which definitely hadn't helped anything. "It's better this way. Better for them and a lot more fun for me."

Not that her having fun is the goal but... why not?

"Yeah."

A long pause.

"I can't think you're happy when people come back from it, though. Is that a thing that happens in your universe much? Because I know a few."

Edited 2021-05-09 04:21 (UTC)

"Oh, it's a thing." Far too common a thing, all considered. "I'm less concerned about the people coming back than the people who decide it's a good idea to do the bringing back."

On the odd chance that it just... happens. Well, that must be in Destiny's book somewhere she supposes.

"From everything I've heard from them, getting brought back isn't fun," Cassie says. "The kinds of people who'd bring you back are even less fun."

As inconvenient as his death was, Cassie can't say she's too broken up about Quan Chi being gone for good.

"That sounds about right. It's not meant to be and that tends to come with certain baggage. The people to do it have an attitude." She still cares about them. But she could do without their nonsense.

"Not so much attitude in my experience as it is just regular-ass evil," Cassie says. "But otherwise, pretty much. My uncle got brought back - we're glad to have him around. But he doesn't like remembering the things he did when he was a revenant."

"Good and evil isn't really for me to weigh in on." That would get messy. SHe needs to be there for everyone. SHe understands people from the inside out.

"It's easy to tell someone they didn't have their own will, but..." That doesn't mean they'll believe it.

"It...makes it a little worse, if anything."

She's never been a revenant exactly, but she knows a couple things about that.

A New Platform [Intro Post May]

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