voidtreckerexpress | A New Platform [Intro Post July]

A New Platform [Intro Post July]

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!

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It was unfortunate really, because he was glad for Xue Yang and his relationship, but this place was cruel like that.

He seemed angry, but Senku would respond with calm.

"I can offer you tea, but I suspect you'd rather have some wine. I still have some if you want a drink."

Senku wasn't sure he was great at comforting people, but he didn't want Xue Yang to be on his own.

"You got enough left to forget how much this sucks?" To forget the image of watching Xingchen's back as he leaves the platform. To forget the ache in his chest and the feeling of having learned how to care for someone.

It is probably best he isn't alone.. The more time he has to stew in his anger and sadness, the worse he will become.

"No." Senku commented. "I'm not sure there's enough alcohol in any world for that. But I have enough for you to have a drink. I'll feed you something too so you don't die while you're drinking it."

He offered one little clap on Xue Yang's shoulder with his hand. "You can tell me how much it sucks though. I'm shit at advice like this, but you won't offend me if you really want to go off about it."

"I'm not sure there is any advice that can really be given for something like this." Other then just to move on and that is going to take some time. Xue Yang has always been one to dwell on and let his frustrations fuel everything he did. Now there is no outlet for those frustrations. If he kills someone he will get caught and punished.

"Probably not, so I'm not even going to try." It was really a bit of a blessing that he knew this was a weak spot of his. He continued walking, encouraging Xue Yang to come with him.

"I can make food and get you a bottle of wine or two at least. I can also offer my condolences."

He walks along with him, usually glad to be off the train and out into the world for awhile. But to watch the people walk off this strangely dark platform has done little for his mood. There is no sun to enjoy, no reason to even stay outside longer then he has to. Might as well go back in and drink himself into at least some form of numb stupor.

"That will be enough. People have tried to offer advice and I'm tired of listening to it."

Being told that things will get better, or to not forget the things that Xingchen taught him, or to not lose sight of why the man was willing to give him a chance. It's all too much.

"Fair enough. Losing someone sucks. That's it. That's all I've got."

Senku did have that much, he was dealing still with the loss of someone in his life no matter how long it had been, it didn't quite get better, or stop hurting. He would hate that advice too.

"While they mean well, it's probably annoying."

"I think most of them just want to make sure I don't do anything rash." Like going on a murder spree or forget all the things that xingchen tried to teach him about being a better person. They are probably right to be worried but that doesn't mean he is just going to snap.

"I don't think you will." Senku responded easily. He really didn't think Xue Yang was going to snap and start killing people.

"Besides, even if you did, it doesn't help. Nothing helps but time and even that..." He sighed a little bit.

The kitchen there, he summoned a bottle of white wine and offered it to Xue Yang without preamble.

"Time won't fix everything."

"I've had plenty of time. This isn't the first time I've lost him." Except last time it was his fault. This time isn't his fault but it is hard to fully accept that.

He accepts the bottle and looks at it, "It hurt last time because of how it happened. This time it hurts more because of...what we were."

"I'm sure." Senku said as he set about looking for some bread and cheese, grilled cheese was a time honoured tradition when it came to comfort food.

It would do something about the alcohol he was about to consume.

"The only person close to me, who's mattered, that I lost was my dad." Senku responded. "He died, when I didn't. I saw him last when I was sixteen and never again." He would never see him again at that.

"Not the same as a lover, but he was my only family and it hurts like a bitch."

Not exactly the most rousing of pep talks, but Senku is telling the truth instead of platitudes.

A father. Xue Yang doesn't even know what having one of those would be like. He wonders how similar the loss is. Family is family, right? Not that he has ever understood family. Or ever expected to have one. Now he still won't know that.

"Still hurts even though you've had all that time?"

That's not very promising. It means this is going to take far too long for him to deal with this. He opens the bottle and considers just drinking it as is. He isn't afraid of sharing it just like this but he isn't sure Senku is so willing.

"Depends on what you mean by time." Senku responded. "When I was counting, I didn't think about it. There was..not just a lot going on, but there was still hope. If he also got petrified, there would be the chance to see him again. I could find him and wake him."

He exhaled.

"But no. I found out three years ago he lived and died while I was as statue, thousands of years ago, but to me it's...very fresh. Which I realize sounds very illogical."

"Just tells me time means nothing when it comes to getting over loss." Which is a terrible thought and so he will be taking that bottle over to a place so he can sit down and start drinking it. He plops into a seat and sinks slightly. "It may never stop hurting."

"Yeah." Senku agreed. "But it hurts less. I don't think it goes away though." Less was something, but that was years and Xue Yang may not have years on the train. Maybe he did.

"I'd apologize, but really if you want someone to lie to you there's a lot of people who'd do it happily." Senku just wasn't one of them. He didn't see the value in it, and besides empty platitudes never made sense to him if they were just lies.

"Lying won't help. I prefer the truth." He doesn't need anyone to make him feel better. He just needs to figure out how to deal with this on his own. He isn't someone who lets go of things very easily. All he can do is hope that the next mission helps him forget and move on.

"People think it makes people feel better, but people are illogical." Senku snorted, leaning against the counter.

"I can tell you it's..nice to know, and to believe, you aren't alone. So I can tell you that." He didn't presume to necessarily be important to Xue Yang, but they were friends. He had friends. "Nothing will fill a hole that's left behind, but having people around is kinda...well it's better."

Senku was somewhat limited in his own expression of feelings so it wasn't the most cohesive thought he could produce.

"It's more then I had the last time he left." The last time he lost him on the train he was pretty sure every one hated him. He had just killed A-Qing and there weren't many people willing to be on his side. And when they were on their world...he had killed everyone around them and was basically exiled from the cultivation world. There was no one he could really count on. So at least this time there are people willing to support him.

"Not a replacement, but at least it's something to hang onto." Senku turned off the heat and produced a golded grilled cheese sandwich, cutting it in half and bringing it over to Xue Yang.

"Here, that will help a little bit too." It was comfort food and would help soak up the alcohol. He flopped into the seat across from him, just existing there. The best he could do would be to keep half an eye on him and make sure he kept food in him while he sorted out the grieving, Senku knew that much.

He looks down at the sandwich. It's hard to know what to think about having friends. If he doesn't deserve to be by Xingchen's side, why does he deserve to have the support of anyone? And yet Senku is here and there are others that have tried to make this all easier. It's strange and confusing.

He picks it up and takes a bite. He's never really eaten a sandwich that was nothing but cheese before. It's not unpleasant. He takes another sip of the drink to wash it down.

"Is this where I am supposed to say thank you and get all mushy with gratitude?" A small twitch of the corner of his lips into a brief smirk.

The words were so sudden in the silence that Senku snorted and then groaned.

"Ugh. No. Spare me." He smirked slightly and shrugged.

It was fine, Xue Yang was welcome.

He is glad he doesn't have to say the words. He's not one to give any sort of appreciation even if he does occasionally feel it.

"Good. Then I will."

He is content to finish the sandwich and enjoy the drink in the company of someone he would almost go as far as to say that he likes.

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A New Platform [Intro Post July]

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