A New Platform [Intro Post July]

[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 Merriment. 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. Without the fog, it would be difficult to tell they'd made the transition out of the Void - the platform is dark, save for soft blue lights high up in the ceiling.

The doors open. As usual, those who leave first notice nothing, walking silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers. Luke fon Fabre, Lan Wangji, Xiao Xingchen, Ann Takamaki, Meng Yao, Cleopatra Selene II, Jaisyn Solo, Rogue, Adam Parrish, Yuume Souryuu, Pepper Potts, Ray, Futaba Sakura, Beetlejuice, Tony Stark, Kotoha Kakimoto and 47; all pass across the platform, not looking back. And then they're gone, disappeared 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. The grey tiles underfoot and the concrete arches overhead are hard to discern for those with ordinary eyesight; the area is almost pitch black. At the first motion among the newcomers, however, faint blue light suffuses the area from above - striplights have been activated. Behind them is a set of barriers, half-sunk into a wall of fog, and in front of them is a single set of tracks extending both ways into that same thick fog. The air is cool and still, almost stagnant, save for the slight breeze coming along the tracks.

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 dark haze; then the fog begins to fade and they realise they aren’t alone.

The platform isn't large, and seems smaller with twelve 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, perhaps ten minutes or so, 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 coconuts, bottles of coconut oil and tins of coconut milk, the ingredient of the month of Merriment, 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 golden cardboard box with their name on it contains a slice of cake.

New passengers will find their ticket allows them into their cabins. In most rooms, the occupied beds are obvious, leaving the spotless, empty spaces for the newcomers. 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.

Departure

A second horn sounds to encourage any stragglers taking advantage of the arguably 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

i

[irrationally]

Honestly, at first Alice doesn't even quite recognize the other in that getup. But when you're both trying to stay clear of most of the crowd, the inevitable happens - you just end up bumping into each other instead.

Even though even in that moment she at first thinks it's just a new person - until she realises that this person isn't wearing a hoodie, so that's impossible.

Alice takes off her sunglasses - sunglasses, yes, on a very dark platform, look, it's stylish - to actually take a good look at who's standing there, and it's only then she realises it's Rui.

"You really went all out."

With the outfit, she means.

[partofthecrowd]

"Of course I did." Rui said with a bright smile.

"It's much more in line with my tastes than that horrible...orange thing." Rui made a little face. The blue wig was a bit different, but she didn't hate it.

"I ordered some more clothes, so I'm hoping for the best."

[irrationally]

"I wouldn't hope for too much." Alice may not really have ordered clothes herself from the train, but she's seen some of the.. creative results doing that has given other people.

And while Rui's style seems fairly expressive, Alice sure is hoping it's not expressive to that level.

"Did it also give that one to you randomly? In that case you must have been lucky."

[partofthecrowd]

"That's right, I ordered this one at random. The truth is I don't have enough points to get my clothes from home." She frowned slightly, she'd much rather those, but this was a good substitute.

"I think this outfit is cute at least. If the next ones are a nightmare then..." She sighed.

"I suppose it will be a waste of points."

[irrationally]

She nods.

"That is the downside."

It entirely being left up to fate. Perhaps Alice is lucky that she doesn't mind this hoodie - or that, perhaps, she's grown used to it. (Or maybe she just likes the way it makes her look all emo mysterious when she's wearing the hood up like right now, ssh.)

"After all, if you spend it all on random outfits, then you will for sure not be able to get clothes from back home anytime soon. The train isn't always incredibly generous with these points."

[partofthecrowd]

"I'd rather have less than perfect outfits than have to wear nothing but that uniform." Rui said, although she didn't comment on why that was. Maybe that wasn't such a strange sentiment.

"I wish I knew how to earn them, I could focus on that. As it is, I'm not sure I like this either." Rui said, running her fingers through the blue hair.

"I haven't decided."

[irrationally]

Alice is quiet for a moment at that answer. It's most likely that she's thinking. Rui is saying a lot here, after all, and for a few moments it isn't quite clear what Alice is going to answer to..

.. until she does.

"Do you truly dislike the clothes the train initially gives us that much? Sure, they aren't great, but it could most certainly be worse." Says the orphan who grew up without money for clothes, but, you know. It lowers your standards slightly. They don't look ridiculous, that's the most important part to her.

[partofthecrowd]

"I do..." Rui began, considering what to say, because most people wouldn't ask. They preferred making assumptions about her.

She looked at the ground, scuffing her toe a small bit against the platform.

"It isn't my style and it makes me look...not like myself, I suppose, is the best way to describe it."

[irrationally]

Even though Alice might not understand the clothing issue very much on a personal level, struggling with her identity after changes is something she's been through. It's not too hard to shift the perspective a little bit and figure that someone might freak out over different clothes and hair, rather than just being a different size than usually.

So she doesn't question that. Instead Alice nods.

"I do suppose the train likes imposing uniformity on us." All of them having the same bland rooms, all of them wearing the same clothes. But what Alice is far more interested in here is-- "Do you feel like yourself right now?"

When Rui is wearing her current getup?

[partofthecrowd]

"I do, actually." Rui responded, even if she put a ton of work into her look, and that wasn't going to stop anytime soon.

She licks her lips like she might say something else, but decided not to. It's kind enough that Alice asked that much.

"I'm sure I can spruce up my uniform or something."

[irrationally]

"Some people like to cut up theirs," Alice remarks.

Though she sure doesn't get the appeal of it, and it's slightly visible in her expression as she says it. It's not even the creativity of it that she minds - no, that part of it is fine.

She just can't understand why people would want to actually show skin. Please. Think of the Victorian sensibilities.

"Though I am not quite sure how good that might end up looking."

[partofthecrowd]

"It probably depends on sense of style. I'm thinking if I have to wear it, I might roll the cuffs up mid-calf and maybe tie a knot in the front of the shirt, that might be pretty cute."

It wouldn't show a lot of skin, but a tiny bit. It might also give off a much more feminine vibe instead of something strictly unisex.

[irrationally]

The girl stares down at her shirt. As much as she can see it, anyway, out here in the dark and while wearing her sunglasses. It makes everything a little black. But it doesn't really matter, since this is mostly just Alice imagining what it would be like to have a knot.. in your shirt?

It seems like such an odd idea to her.

"Would that sort of thing be.." Her voice trails off, like she's looking for the right word. This is definitely an area she doesn't have much expertise in. ".. stylish?"

Does that work. Is it the right word. What's so great about a knot in your shirt?

[partofthecrowd]

"Yeah, I think so, it's just a bit of flair." Rui explained with a smile. "And it's easy to make a slit and tie the knot. The uniforms are very boring."

Everyone knew that last part, but she was thinking of how she could make it a little better. "I do like the sweater though, it's kinda nice."

[irrationally]

"I suppose I don't know much about any of that," she honestly admits.

After all, her dresses in Wonderland just.. more or less appeared on her, without Alice really thinking about it. And outside of that, in London, things had been even worse. Back there you just had to be happy with the clothes you were given. With the fact that you had anything to wear in the first place.

It sure didn't leave her with much knowledge of what's fashionable, and the whole knot in a shirt thing is still a conundrum to her. Maybe she should ask some people she knows if that's just.. a normal thing..??

"Perhaps my world is slightly behind on such matters." Maybe that's it? Honestly, Alice isn't too sure, and it shows slightly in her tone.

[partofthecrowd]

"Oh, that would be really unfortunate. What's fashionable in your world?" Rui couldn't help but ask, because surely it was something.

"Not...not this kind of uniform I hope." She joked lightly.

[irrationally]

Alice shakes her head.

"I wouldn't know. We just had to wear whatever was given to us." Which is the honest and simple answer, though Alice seems to realise - moments after saying it - that it's lacking some context that's making it seem weirder than it really is.

She shrugs a little, gesturing with one hand as she adds: "Downsides of growing up in an orphanage, but really, the people on the streets did not wear much better, considering it was not exactly in the richest part of London."

[partofthecrowd]

"Oh I see." Rui agreed with a little nod. "I was lucky that way, I guess, that I was never homeless." She said with a small frown.

"Is there anything you've ever seen that you might like for yourself though?"

[irrationally]

That's a difficult question. Has she ever? It's nothing Alice really stopped to consider.

"I just wanted lipstick and eyeliner before." That's why she got the makeup kit - because it was a lot easier to think of how she wanted her face to look than how she wanted her clothes to look. Especially since the whole deal with her face was more about covering up how awful she thinks she looks without those things.

That's not as much of a problem with clothes.

Instead she gestures at the way her hoodie's hood is up, and at the sunglasses she's wearing - yes, even on this dark platform - thanks to Crowley.

"I suppose I like these because it makes less people see me."

[partofthecrowd]

"Oh, that's very...interesting." Rui couldn't help but wonder at that.

She enjoyed her sense of style, but she also blended into the crowd. She was dressed like a modern teenager.

"I um, I get that." She smiled shyly. "I really preferred it when I was anonymous. No one really knew me back then, even my name."

She sighed. "Unfortunately. Everyone knows me know." Part of that was her own doing and she knew it.

[irrationally]

An ordinary person may ask how she was anonymous in the first place, considering it sounds even more like blending into a crowd than just being a regular person in said crowd. As if Rui used to be literally nothing, no one. But Alice knows how much people in the worse parts of London used to blend into a mass of nobodies as well, so she knows how that sort of thing can happen.

No, it's instead the opposite of that part that draws her attention.

"Don't you want to go back to being anonymous? It's not as if it is completely impossible."

[partofthecrowd]

"It is at home. Impossible. My job with my teammates puts me centre stage as a superhero." She sighed a little bit.

"Everyone knows what I look like now. There's nowhere I could go to hide in Japan really." She would like to though. She'd like to go hide in her penthouse and not leave.

[irrationally]

"Then why did you choose that job?"

Granted, most superheroes don't exactly choose the job as much as the job choses them, but technically there's a choice. One could refuse that responsibility if they really didn't want it, if they didn't want to be in the spotlight.

But even though Rui really sounds like she never wanted to be thrust into that spotlight in the first place, she still did choose it.

[partofthecrowd]

"I didn't, not really." Rui responded.

"It's complicated, but when my NOTE was taken...it was against my will. To activate my power, so to speak. The alien who activated it...I tried to stop them. I wasn't successful, it became a mess and I apologized, but there's a lot of..." Rui pressed her lips together.

"There are more powerful aliens running the whole thing and it's probably a way of making sure I'm not causing trouble. The apology was enough for everyone to know me. It was too late by then."

[irrationally]

...

Alice is quiet. At first because she's listening, sure, but even as Rui seems like she's done talking, Alice is still quiet. It's hard to see what she even feels about everything the other girl is saying, since there's no particular expression on her face. It's just blank, as she's thinking.

But then she does finally speak up, a tad slowly.

"I have no idea about the meaning of anything you just said."

Sorry, Rui. It's not that Alice isn't trying, but.. this is a lot for a Victorian person to wrap their head around, okay. Even one that's used to strange worlds.

"Someone forced you to?" That feels like what she's getting out of this.