voidtreckermods: (voidtrain)
VoidTrecker Express Mods ([personal profile] voidtreckermods) wrote in [community profile] voidtreckerexpress2021-10-01 04:51 am

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!
fivemilesdeep: (Default)

[personal profile] fivemilesdeep 2021-10-10 02:21 am (UTC)(link)
He stays there for a little while, holding Otoha and being held, breathing through his feelings. It's a bit before he straightens up and lets go, still leaning against Otoha's side. He opens the bag, pulls out two candies - hard and golden and wrapped in paper - and offers one to Otoha. "Here. It should last for a while as long as you don't chew it."
bakegarasu: (heroes rise again)

[personal profile] bakegarasu 2021-10-10 02:27 am (UTC)(link)
He lets Ryo take his time, lets him feel whatever he's feeling. Otoha doesn't exactly have anywhere else he needs to be - and brothers take priority anyway. He releases the other gently when he pulls away and stays straight and solid so Ryo can lean against him comfortably.

The candy feels so small in his hand as he takes it, unwrapping it a little clumsily and sticking it in his mouth. It's sweet - sweeter than he'd go for, personally - but it's nice. His hand drops and rests on Ryo's, squeezing gently.
fivemilesdeep: (Default)

[personal profile] fivemilesdeep 2021-10-12 05:30 am (UTC)(link)
He unwraps his own piece of candy and pops it in his mouth, tucking it away in his cheek to let it slowly dissolve. It's been a while since he's had honey candy, and it's a nice change - a reminder of home. Exhaustion has numbed the edges of his grief at Della's leaving, and he feels loose and comfortable and safe here, and...well, he should probably explain, shouldn't he.

"We take these with us when we travel," he says, squeezing Otoha's hand back. "They don't go bad or melt, unless it's really hot, and sometimes you just...need something sweet to get you through a long day. They're really good for that."
bakegarasu: (who's that rapping at my chamber door?)

[personal profile] bakegarasu 2021-10-12 07:44 pm (UTC)(link)
"Huh. I don't really have any foods like that... but it's good that you do." The closest he has is when he went out drinking with Reiji, but... that's hard to recapture on the train. "I know today's been rough." He quiets for a bit, just letting the candy melt.

His free hand moves over and he ruffles Ryo's hair gently. "You can always come to me if you're feeling shitty, you know that. ... And I know you're going to worry about being a bother, but if you have to hunt me down to make sure I'm healed, I don't wanna have to do the same to you."
fivemilesdeep: (But if we try this)

[personal profile] fivemilesdeep 2021-10-13 07:38 pm (UTC)(link)
That's honestly a little depressing, since getting foods from home has been incredibly helpful in getting Ryo through all of this. "Maybe we can find you a food that reminds you of home." Wait. "In a good way. If you want." Being tired isn't going to stop him from trying, and if he fails around Otoha, at least Otoha understands.

He lifts his head, leaning a bit into the contact - it feels good, and he's spent all day desperately in need of comfort. "I know. I'll try not to make you hunt me down." No guarantees, since his first reaction to emotional collapse is to hide, but he'll try.
bakegarasu: (dream a little dream)

[personal profile] bakegarasu 2021-10-13 09:33 pm (UTC)(link)
"We'll see. The only one I can think of isn't... healthy to indulge in a lot." He's never drunk as much as many of his (former) fellows, but he's all right with that. He's seen how stupid drunk people can be.

"Good. I... care about you a lot. You're really important to me." The words shake a little as he says them, but he means it. "... I don't want to lose you."
fivemilesdeep: (But if we try this)

[personal profile] fivemilesdeep 2021-10-13 11:28 pm (UTC)(link)
He can hear what Otoha means behind the shaky words, and he leans in again, pulling Otoha into another hug. "I love you too," he says gently, "and I can't promise the train won't make me leave, but I can promise I won't do anything stupid." It's all any of them can ask, given that don't leave is out of their control.
bakegarasu: (heroes rise again)

[personal profile] bakegarasu 2021-10-14 01:45 am (UTC)(link)
"... Good." He hugs Ryo back, holding him close and pressing his forehead to the top of his brother's head. "I'll... try to do the same." He can't promise that he won't do something stupid, but he can at least promise to try not to.

He knows himself, after all.
fivemilesdeep: (A good idea)

[personal profile] fivemilesdeep 2021-10-14 05:06 pm (UTC)(link)
That gets a laugh from Ryo - barely more than a quiet huff, but nonetheless. Even across worlds, warriors are warriors, and this is what he gets for befriending them. You can never ask them not to get hurt, because they will get hurt - all you can ask is that they make good decisions. He misses Orion, but at the same time, he's incredible grateful to Otoha for just being here. "Okay," he says with a smile, "as long as you're trying."

He doesn't move. Feeling safe like this is a rarity for him, and he doesn't want to break the hug just yet.
bakegarasu: (those cold blue eyes)

[personal profile] bakegarasu 2021-10-14 05:20 pm (UTC)(link)
"I know." He knows that he's reckless, that he gets hurt too much for Ryo's comfort... but he's still trying. He doesn't mean to get hurt, after all - he's just doing his best and it happens. There's no real avoiding it.

His fingers rub Ryo's back gently, trying to relax him a little more. He can still feel the tension in his brother's muscles. "Just relax. I'm here. ... You can cry if you need to."
fivemilesdeep: (A good idea)

[personal profile] fivemilesdeep 2021-10-19 07:08 pm (UTC)(link)
Evidently there's something to be said for actually seeing one another's faces. "I'm laughing," he says gently, smile still on his face. "You remind me of Orion." Wait, he's not sure Otoha knows what that means. "That's a good thing."
bakegarasu: (ooh what you say?)

[personal profile] bakegarasu 2021-10-19 09:51 pm (UTC)(link)
"I... I know, I just..." His face flushes slightly. "I know today's been rough. So... you don't have to be strong if you don't want to. ... But do you want to tell me about him?" Maybe it'll help. Maybe it won't. He's not sure right now.
fivemilesdeep: (A good idea)

[personal profile] fivemilesdeep 2021-10-21 12:43 am (UTC)(link)
"I know. I'm just...tired, right now. That's all." He doesn't think he's being strong right now; he's just exhausted, emotionally bottomed out from the events of the day, and he doesn't have it in him to be upset or pretend to be strong right now. He just is, even if it's a bit flat right now.

The upside of being too exhausted to be upset means he can talk about home without the same terrible homesickness he usually feels rising up and catching in his throat. "Orion is my brother," he starts with a soft smile. "Like you." Adoptive, protective, and very serious about the entire thing. "He and Endon...they got me out of my hometown, and took me someplace better. They helped me figure out who I am, and not be afraid of what other people thought. They're my family." He'd been wrong about the homesickness, at least a bit: it doesn't hurt right now, but it's still made itself known. He does still miss them terribly, even though it's no longer the constant ache it was when he'd first boarded the train. For now, he'll take it. "He's also a fire mage, and a warrior, and he protects people. I can't ask him not to get hurt, so I ask him to make good decisions, and he comes to me afterwards so I can patch him up." He nudges his shoulder into Otoha's side just a bit at that. See? Similar.
bakegarasu: (we all find ourselves)

[personal profile] bakegarasu 2021-10-21 01:03 am (UTC)(link)
He listens, and... oh. Oh. That explains a lot. He nods and nudges Ryo back gently.

"... You remind me of Reiji in a lot of ways, too. Always running after me, always checking on me... but you're always kind. ... Almost always. I know you've got something fierce in you." He smiles and closes his eyes. "Though, uh. Pretty sure he had a crush on me, and I know you don't think of me like that." That'd just be weird.
fivemilesdeep: (Default)

[personal profile] fivemilesdeep 2021-10-28 09:55 pm (UTC)(link)
He at least has the good grace to look sheepish when Otoha mentions something fierce, even if Otoha can't see it. He's been working with Jingyi on letting his anger out instead of letting it fester, but it's still slow going, and the blowup Otoha had witnessed had (understandably) been pretty bad.

But he lets that pass and instead nudges Otoha again. "Right. I love you, but I'm not in love with you."
bakegarasu: (always in the end)

[personal profile] bakegarasu 2021-10-28 10:01 pm (UTC)(link)
He snorts and catches Ryo's arm gently. "... I... sorry. I still miss him." The photos he's been carrying around are getting a little crumpled at this point, but he's not getting rid of them. "Thanks. For being here for me. ... I don't think I could do all of... what I do here without you."
fivemilesdeep: (Default)

[personal profile] fivemilesdeep 2021-11-03 09:31 pm (UTC)(link)
"You don't need to apologize. There's nothing wrong with missing someone you love." Nearly everyone on the train is doing it, as far as Ryo can figure, and he's pretty sure Otoha could use the reassurance.

The gratitude takes him by surprise, just for a moment, and he holds Otoha a little tighter. "Of course. That's what brothers do, isn't it?"
bakegarasu: (heroes rise again)

[personal profile] bakegarasu 2021-11-04 12:15 am (UTC)(link)
"... Yeah. That is how it's supposed to work, isn't it?"

He hadn't had a normal brotherly relationship - it was impossible to - but... this is how it's supposed to be. Or at least closer.
fivemilesdeep: (But if we try this)

[personal profile] fivemilesdeep 2021-11-05 07:13 pm (UTC)(link)
It occurs to Ryo, only a bit too late, that he's the one who'd have the answer to that question. So he keeps holding Otoha and nods. "It is."
bakegarasu: (quietly listening)

[personal profile] bakegarasu 2021-11-05 10:04 pm (UTC)(link)
"Good." He sighs, a small smile on his lips. "Because I like it. I like being with you."
fivemilesdeep: (A good idea)

[personal profile] fivemilesdeep 2021-11-10 07:43 am (UTC)(link)
He smiles a bit more himself. "I like being with you too." Otoha makes him feel safe - another way Otoha reminds him of Orion.