voidtreckerexpress | A New Platform [Intro Post October]

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A New Platform [Intro Post October]

On the Train

The train continues its journey

"Good morning Voidtreckers, it is day sixteen of the month of Nebula. 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 doors open. As usual, those who leave first notice nothing, walking silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers. Asch, Ayumi Uoshida, Cleopatra Selene, Della Duck, Ghost, Hanuel Min, Jaisyn Solo, Jonathan Sims, Martin Blackwood, Nie Huaisang, Vermouth; 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 four new faces. Wearing hoodies, three in purple one orange, 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 platform is relatively small, a brick wall behind them and cracked flagstones on the floor. It is cold, icy cold but the wall at least shelters them a little.

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 on the foggy, freezing platform; then the fog begins to fade and they realise they aren’t alone.

The platform isn't large, but it is enough to hold the four 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 yadon tail, as well as all sundries.

For passengers that have bought items, these are also scattered around the luggage carriage in various suitcases and bags.

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 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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He breathes out in a sigh of probable relief, letting his arms fall back to his sides.

"Okay, good. I don't know, people do better with them here, and I figured, if you hadn't seen Sect Leader Jiang yet..." He looks around, trying to spy Jiang Wanyin's bulk on platform. There, there was the guy who should be responsible for Lan Rulan, when neither of his parents or any of his younger siblings are around.

"Consider that the one time offer."

Jin Ling is relieved also that Jingyi isn't pushing the matter. There are very people he has let hug him, or they're people like Wei Wuxian, who flung themselves on him.

He's still keeping his distance for a moment longer, just to make sure that Jingyi isn't going to attempt to pursue the matter. He doesn't truthfully understand or get what nonsense Jingyi is saying but he thinks it might have to do with where's he from or something of that sort.

"Does it have to do with where you come from or som-- jiujiu's here?"

His tone changes briefly but not too much before adding,

"No... thanks."

"What? What has what to do with where I'm from?"

He didn't track that thought or where it was headed, but he can wave a hand to the actual question posed.

"Sect Leader Jiang has been here for months. We all get shoved out of the train onto the platform when we reach them, so he's... ah! Over there!"

Jingyi gestures toward another part of the platform.

"Ugh-- that statement you made of course! The one about the hug."

No one does that so casually from where he came from-- at least not in the sort of way Jingyi offered it. In any case, Jin Ling just sighs and adds, "Forget it... never mind."

It might make him more confused than he already is. Jin Ling gives Jingyi a strange look when he said that. Months? That's a long time. He suppose he should be expecting it at that point. His frown deepens but for whatever reason, he still looks in the direction that Jingyi gestures to.

"Where...?"

Edited 2021-10-08 05:30 (UTC)

"More train," he says after a moment. It's too complicated to explain differences in casual touch, because yes, he's aware it doesn't match to the rest of the cultivators he recognises here. Jin Rulan isn't going to be an exception.

He briefly wonders if this Jin Rulan is also an orphan. He opts not to ask.

"There," Jingyi says, gesturing, "Near the pink haired girl, only she's walking away—can't you borrow the wolf's senses?"

Jin Ling fights the urge to roll his eyes at Jingyi for the time being. If he doesn't want to explain it, then Jin Ling isn't pushing for it. At least, that's what it comes off to him as. There are more important things to be concerned about.

He won't openly tell Jingyi but he's got the right idea. Jin Ling is an orphan, raised by too many uncles.

He can see the silhouette of Jiang Cheng taking to a pink haired girl for a moment and just gives Jingyi a look.

"Of course I can but it's not the same," after all it's not like he knows how his uncle smells like. He hasn't seen Jiang Cheng in over nine months. At least, now he he kind of has an idea. Though, the silhouette of Jiang Cheng is a bit different from what Jin Ling remembers but nonetheless, it's still Jiang Cheng.

"If you're going to have an unasked for passenger, might as well make them earn their keep," he says, grousing as he crossed his arms over his chest. He waits for Jin Rulan to do something predictable, like start off toward his uncle, but he's still standing there.

Two beats, and a lash of Jingyi's tail, before he asks, "Aren't you going?"

He gave Jingyi a look but continued to listen anyway to the rest of his words anyway. Some of it he didn't really get but it's not like he wouldn't understand with time. For now, it was better to just drop it. There's a lot of things he's trying to adjust to.

Of course, he didn't simply run off like that! There was something a bit different from his uncle and he couldn't point his fingers on it just yet. It was better to observe for a moment before going. He huffed a reply to Jingyi while watching his tail move around. At least, in this form, he wasn't too weirded out with. He's seen people with different parts attached to them in Hakagemachi.

"I will-- just not right now..."

Edited 2021-10-10 20:34 (UTC)

Jingyi blinked, staring at Jin Rulan. "... Why not?"

His tail continued to lash, but more lazily, less annoyedly, a large curling that went around his legs then back around behind him and curling the opposite side of his legs.

"Don't tell me you're enjoying our lack of conversation. You're sure you aren't secretly looking for a hug, because I can find Sizhui..."

"I-- wait-- why do I got to tell you anything?"

Jin Ling was still trying to adapt to to Jingyi having parts that he's not used to seeing. (He's pretty sure it's kind of the same for Jingyi too.) It's almost entirely distracting on top of Jingyi asking him why he hadn't left yet. He obviously, couldn't tell Jingyi that he was getting cold feet, lest Jingyi teased him about that too. Frankly, he didn't really want to start another argument. He's tired and he really just wanted to adjust.

"I am not and I don't! Why do you keep thinking that--?"

Then he added, "Sizhui's here too?!"

Ugh, how many people from home were here?!

It was also giving him the opportunity to witness an almost, but not quite, nostalgic reality of an annoyed Jin Rulan, who isn't just annoyed at Jingyi for knowing things he couldn't know in a way that meant he didn't know he didn't know them. Frustrating!

"Because I can't think of why you'd hang around me of all people otherwise?"

With the air of duh, don't we know this, when there's Jiang Wanyin, the guy who Jin Rulan was obvious close to? Not that he figures world divides have to mean much when he was an obvious example standing next to Wen Sizhui for how different but familiar things could be.

"Yes, he's over... there." He hooked his thumb over his shoulder, back toward the train, where Sizhui is indeed found talking to another passenger. "Do you want a whole list? I can give you one, but it's not my fault if it sounds confusing. It is confusing around here."

"I'm not hanging around with you!"

There was an instant denial for that but also part of the reason was because it was nostalgic. He's a little sentimental. It had been a long time in Hakagemachi. He had neither Jingyi to drive him crazy or Sizhui to dissipate the pointless arguments.

Again, he'd very much would not want to say this aloud. It was a miracle that the wolf demon decided it was done harassing him as well.

With his own keen senses and vision, he was able to spot Sizhui as well. There was also something different about the other, but the familiarity is enough. He could tell that it was Sizhui to some degree. It was just overall strange, weird, and yes, confusing. He turned his head back to Jingyi.

"Are there so many people that you'd need a list for it?"

He knitted his brows together at Jingyi's statement. He almost rolled his eyes again, and stopping himself from making an impulsive statement. He really, really didn't want to argue but Jingyi was Jingyi no matter what, so it was hard to control his urge to refute.

Only he clearly was, and the wolf's comment on being glad to see companions again flits through Jingyi's mind. Which he can get, yeah, but he thinks part of it has to be that Jin Rulan never's been particularly close with him, and they always argue, so it's more normal than any of the other things that Jingyi thinks Jin Rulan should prefer.

Which means when he's still here after all the nicer options are pointed out, Jingyi figures he's right, and that's that.

Arguments make Jin Rulan feel more even keel.

(It's a beautiful flawed logic.)

"With the three Hanguang-juns, two Wei-qianbeis, two Zewu-juns, two Sizhuis, now two Jin Rulans, Jiang Cheng, myself, and then that guy Xue Yang, yeah, we kind of could use a list."

Jin Ling wasn't going to grace any further statements of him not moving to Jingyi. Whatever the other thinks, he's not about to blow his own cover anymore than he has. He's still seething from the demon, who for some reason decided to not make anymore snarky comments. It's not like he particularly enjoys arguing with Jingyi. It's just sometimes, the things that Jingyi says, rubs him the wrong way.

At least, he's helping Jin Ling get the gist of things.

"..."

He raises his brow in utter confusion when Jingyi lists the people. Three Hanguang-juns? Two Wei Wuxians? (He barely can handle the one!). As the list keeps going, he feels like he might want to just block it out. That's way too much!! Those numbers sound ridiculous. He doesn't get a chance to recover from those prior statements before Jingyi's next words caught his attention even more.

"Two of me?!-- wait Xue Yang is here too?!"

That guys is dead but it doesn't surprise Jin Ling that the dead are walking.

"That's... how is that even possible?"

Of course, it's more rhetorical than anything. Jin Ling is quite aware that places like this have their own rules and everything. Just like how Hakagemachi kept bringing in dead people.

Edited 2021-10-18 04:59 (UTC)

Jingyi, letting Jin Rulan work through all that on his own, only replies with a nod and a, "Yes," at the end.

Yes, Xue Yan was here. Yes, it wasn't possible back home. Yes, it was possible here. Yes, there were two of Jin Rulan, and frankly two Fairys, though pointing out the sassy fat spiritual dog is around twiceover didn't seem particularly relevant. How many dogs could one guy want?

"The Voidtrecker Express doesn't really care how alive or dead we were, which makes no sense, but here we are, and here he is, and so it's what it is."

Jin Ling was still a bit taken back by all of this, but it didn't hit him as hard as it would if he had no prior knowledge to outrageous unexplainable situations. It just took him a moment to process it all at Jingyi's reaffirmation that he didn't hear wrong.

Xue Yang being here was probably the least surprising to Jin Ling, due to the whole 'dead people are alive,' situations he faced, both with Jing Guangyao and his father. So, at the very least he didn't question that statement too much. However, the statement about the particular number of certain people, he wasn't sure how to feel.

"What a headache. Clearly, they don't care..."

He muttered crossing his arms now. It is what it is. Those words were spoken true by Jingyi. If he yelled, kicked, and screamed about it, it wouldn't change anything.

Edited 2021-10-24 05:26 (UTC)

"Who knows if the train even selects people, or if the train's pulling on something else to just... find people who can show up on platform. In weird clothes, like yours, and with a bag filled with things that're theirs now. Which includes these things called underwear that usually look nothing like underrobes, consider yourself warned."

Out here imparting wisdom for the passes, that's Lan Jingyi. Who sighs, looking toward Jiang Cheng, then a Wei Wuxian, then a Lan Wangji, and frankly, wondering if the other Jin Ling was around to further create doggy chaos by having Fairy show up to meet Fairy.

Two fat fairies.

Two dumplings.

Hah.

"We won't be on platform much longer, the train's going to do a physical reminder that we need to go once the doors open again."

Jin Ling makes a face when he explains the weird clothes. Jin Ling looks down at them. They are indeed extremely uncomfortable and not practical at all. If anything, they feel tight and too discomforting, compared to his own robes.

Hopefully, he can find something to change into that is a lot better later. For now, he just has to deal with it.

"Ugh-- as if these clothes aren't already uncomfortable enough."

He huffs in frustration. Great, now he's going to feel even more uncomfortable at all of this.

"It's not like we have much of a choice right?"

He can see he doesn't have many choices here. He just ends up just watching everything around the platform for a moment before embracing his spiritual dog. He supposed if there's a time to get on the train, it might probably be now.

"Shitty ones, sure. You could choose to stay here, not get on train, die, then show up in a box on train."

He didn't look like he was joking. He crossed his arms over his chest, turning his attention toward the train, an inner timesense informing him those doors would be opening soon.

"So if you're going to catch up with your uncle before we're on train, I'd do it now. Otherwise, get boarding."

"Ugh."

He would rather not show up on the train in a box. He might as well do it for his own free will, honestly. The idea of being shoved into the train one way or another just didn’t suit his preference. He nudged Fairy a bit so that it was making its way towards the train and then stopped. It took him a moment before he spoke to Jingyi. He believed that Jingyi wasn’t joking about this one, despite the times he had about other things.

“I’ll---I guess I should see him...”

He looked towards the direction of his uncle before turning in that direction now. Maybe, it was better if he did approach his uncle first before more confusion happened.

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A New Platform [Intro Post October]

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sorry for the late reply ;w;

it is all good!

thanks and lolol Jingyi XD!!!!!

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