voidtreckerexpress | A NEW PLATFORM [INTRO POST JANUARY]

A NEW PLATFORM [INTRO POST JANUARY]

On the Train

Despite whatever Voidtreckers may have learned or how they feel about those revelations - or reminders - of the precariousness of their situation, the train flies ever onward.

"Good morning Voidtreckers, it is day one of the month of Poi. 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. The weather is dry but there is a chill to the air and a strong breeze." 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. Dairine, Okada Izō, Rapunzel, Satoru and Siebren; 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 thirteen new faces. Wearing hoodies in all four colours and 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 long with a grassy mound behind them. It is blustery and the air is cold, they will be glad of those hoodies.

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

Thirteen figures, 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, with cans of corned beef lining the shelves.

For passengers that have bought items, these are also scattered around the luggage carriage in various suitcases and bags. Those from purple who go to find their prize will find a large box containing a gingerbread train for them to share. Plenty enough to go around, even for the largest team.

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.

Snow Time: Rock Garden

Winter seems to have followed from Osiga and nested in the rock garden. There's a chill that nips in the air and a light snow (real snow) fills the air. A thin cloudy haze at the top of the carriage seems the source. Yet the kaleidoscope of the void will assure that this is no timely world stop.

People might have seen it occurring the night before. Snow falling heavy before tapering off with an odd precision, leaving a heavy blanket over the carriage 'ground'. By morning of Platform Day, a miniature winter has descended, ripe for snowforts, snowballs, angels and snowmen.

It's not just the climate that's changed. Many statues and rock features are missing or moved. Digging below the snow reveals soil now frozen but providing a barrier between the bare floor of the carriage. Keen eyes will see changes are made with safety and available space in mind. The fountain has been emptied but the pond and streams are frozen solid, allowing intrepid spirits to try slide-skating over the surfaces without the risk of breaking through. The mosaics are still around, and enchantments are in place to protect paintings and paper decorations from damp. Any plants have been sent to sleep or taken to safety.

The benches are still around. Paths and bridges are covered with fresh snow, but, as the day goes on, it's trampled down and or scattered. Najaran's woodfolk may be glimpsed near Jingyi's shrine or hiding in the shadows of rocks and statues still present, perhaps even buried in the snow and peeking out. Shy around humans, though those with pointed ears or Hylian lineage may find an easier time interacting.

There are signs on both doors of the carriage warning of the change and mentioning the dressing carriage will have winter gear, and it does: with hats, scarves, gloves and ice skates in a variety of sizes. Dispensers with warm drinks such as coffee, hot chocolate and hot water for tea are available in the Games Carriage.

Early the next day, the snow will be gone and the gardens returned to how they once were.

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

He's a little surprised to see someone who isn't on red team jump into the training gym right away, but he's not going to complain.

The blue arm gets a wary if confused eye, but he doesn't mention it. Instead he waits for her to take a pause before stepping a little closer.

"I take it the kidnapping wasn't at a good time for you, huh."

Luckily it doesn't take too long for her to take a break. Even if the voice causes her to jump and that blue hand is showing what it is.

Stone Free's just hanging behind Jolyne's shoulder, Jolyne looking far more tense as her attention towards in Otoha's direction.

Until the words register and she's somewhat loosening up with a loud huff. "Oh, you know. Only fucking watched everyone around me get torn the fuck apart and then myself. Totally fine and fucking dandy of a time."

Edited 2022-01-02 01:57 (UTC)

He winces in sympathy, despite the fact that he never really needs to actually wince.

The attitude is familiar enough and his own stance relaxes slightly, shoulders slumping backwards as he meets her gaze and then Stone Free's gaze, before returning to her. He'll address that in a minute.

"Don't seem like the kind of person to go for sympathy, so I'll just say that shit sucks and leave it at that." To say the least. "You need a live opponent? More satisfying than a dummy." He knows this is going to get him hurt, but he won't use a sword against an unarmed passenger unless he has to.

She watches him for the longest moment as he makes that offer, it's been a while since she's fought anyone that's not some kind of life or death situation. Does she even remember how to fight without going for the metaphorical throat? Hell, she might as well give it a try since she's getting nothing out of the dummies other than wearing herself down.

"You an ordinary human or you got some kind of special ability shit? 'Cause Stone Free hits like a fucking truck if I'm usin' it." At least she's aware of how much of a problem the Stand could be to normal people. How she managed to restrain herself from outright murdering people in the first place is a mystery.

"I'm pretty sturdy, and pain doesn't stop me." She might as well know if they're going to be working together. "Stone Free... that a Stand? I know Emporio's used his when the need strikes." He tips his head towards the blue mess of a creature behind her.

"Anyway, I've got abilities, though I can't activate them on my own like a Stand."

"Sounds like my kind of fun." As if pain ever stopped her. Though what DOES stop her is him using the term Stand and even more so when she hears a familiar name. Her eyes widen and all of the aggression seems to slide away for the moment.

"How the fuck do you know that name?" Okay, maybe a little aggression still. If Emporio's here, then she has bigger fish she needs to fry. Or to figure out what happened. Because if her theory is correct... Then everything is screwed up and she needs to fix it immediately.

"... He's on board. He's my roommate, actually. I look out for the kid." He manages the barest hint of a smile. "He looks out for me, too." If she's having that strong of a reaction to the name, though...

"I take it you know him? It'll do him some good to have a friendly face to talk to. ... You are friends, right?" There's the distinct note of a threat in his voice, because Stand or no if this is someone who's an enemy he'll take great pleasure in taking her apart piece by piece.

He's on this train? He's roommates with whoever the fuck this is? She watches his expressions closely, eyes narrowed as she lets all of it in. He doesn't seem a threat, at least not at the moment.

"Yeah, I sure do. Kid's saved my ass a good number of times and I've saved his. I was hoping he didn't end up here." Evidently he's been here longer than her and that's rubbing her all kinds of wrong. "So are we, like, fuckin' dead on this train or what? Because I can't say I'm fond of the implications if that's the case..." She's holding most of her information close to her chest right now, she needs to talk to Emporio first. Needs to find him first.

"Yeah? This isn't any afterlife as far as I know. I was alive last I checked. ... Barely, but I was. And people here are as alive as you can get." He's not going to get into the nonsense that is tethers, because he doesn't understand it himself. "Some people here are dead, but for the most part? Alive."

They've been on missions together? Or... whatever the hell is going on in Emporio's world. He's never gotten the full story because he's never wanted to push. Either way, he's watching Jolene as closely as she's watching him.

"Alive and dead..." She mutters to herself, how the fuck is she supposed to parse that? It sounds like utter bullshit, but if he was technically still alive and she... wasn't... then she can't really argue that particular point. Hopefully that means things didn't go as South as she'd initially thought.

"You know where he tends to hang out? I need to talk to him as soon as possible. It's... it's important." She doesn't seem to have ulterior motives in those words, even if it probably sounds evasive as fuck. She needs to know what happened, she needs to know if anything was successful. If she failed. If they failed.

Fuck, she hates it all.

There is muttering outside the door to the training room.

"I can walk I promise...you can put me down now?"

It's all strangely one-sided. As if someone were having a conversation with a wall, more than anything. It clears up a bit as the voice gains some definition. Some clarity, some recognizable traits.

The door opens. "S...seriously, I'm fi-"

...

Emporio trails off, still awkwardly stuffed in Weather's arms- one supporting his legs, the other across his front like some strange rollercoaster bar. His hat, still bearing his latest pin purchase, shifts.

"...ne...."

...

(Is what he's seeing...real?)

He looks over at the new person in the gym and - "Emporio!" He looks back over at JOlyne, gauging her reaction to the sudden appearance of the person they were just talking about.

"He's not normally in here, but he's here now." He steps to the side a little, the better to keep them both in his visual range for now.

At first she's ecstatic to see him, but then she pauses as she examines the Stand with him. That's...

That's not his Stand, what the hell is going on. She raises a brow in question an slowly makes her way over, Stone Free casually following along as it's wont to do most of the time.

"Emporio. What the fuck is Weather Report doing here." Best get down to business, huh? Sorry, that's the first question on her mind and you got a lot of explaining to do, child.

Weather gently sets the boy down.

That's her. It has to be her. Weather, behind him, is more personable than she'll remember. A gentle hand, steadying his shoulder. Emporio's eyes don't leave Jolyne though. He can feel them watering, and he can feel his throat tighten, as his heart races.

"...Hermana?"

Is this Real?

"Emporio... is she someone you can trust?"

Look, he doesn't know a lick of Spanish, or... whatever it is he just said. "If not, I can get her out of the way."

A lot more personable than she remembers, most of the Stands tended to be a little stand-offish, but Weather was a little weirder. She can ask more about that later. But, for now, she needs to act and she knows she needs to act.

Which means blatantly ignoring Otoha's everything and just scooping up a child for a proper hug, thank you very much. "Yeah, yeah it's me. Dunno how the fuck I ended up here, but I ain't complainin'." Yet.

It's a hug that he takes stiffly for a moment- as if he's not sure this is actually happening, that it's really happening, that it-

"Ngk...kgh...."

Emporio throws his arms around the other, and the dam finally breaks. "Y...You're here..! ...You're okay, you're here..! I thought...I thought I wouldn't....Kgh..."

Weather hovers, half cloud and mist, and does not move from where he set the boy down. The most he does is stare.

"I... okay." Well, Emporio seems to be taking it well, so he takes a step back and looks up at Weather Report.

He's about as clueless as you on this one, buddy.

Oh, she didn't expect an entire dam to break on her. But she's not going to complain, just using that disgusting strength to make sure she's giving him a proper hug here. She's at least a little more restrained in all of this, even if she feels a lot more relieved about all of this than she did before. But tears are things she doesn't really like to use in public.

"Y-yeah, sure am. We got a lot to talk about, but that's later." Like what happened. But she'll let him get all of this out of his system.

Stone Free seems about as bland about this as Weather at this point, just chilling not that far away like the Stand tends to do. Sorry, Otoha, you're the only weirdo here.

It. Might take a bit. He has a lot to get out of his system, even if he thought it was out of his system by now. He's had how many talks, break downs, confessions, over how much time?

...

It wasn't Jolyne though. It wasn't...

"....I killed him."

Weather stares at Otoha.

There may in fact be two 'weirdos'.

"Emporio..." He takes a step closer, hovering a little bit at the edge of their personal space bubbles.

He knows that this girl, whoever she is, is important to Emporio. But it hurts to see the kid all broken up like this, whether it's for a good reason or a bad one.

He killed him? She's quiet as she shifts him around a bit to have a better grip, this is... this is fine. He can let it all out and she's not about to stop him from doing it.

"Good." She gets out in a huff of breath, at least it ended up being worth it in the end. Even if she's sure the collateral damage probably did a number on him, it hadn't been remotely ideal...

"Sorry you had to go through all that, didn't... have much of a choice." She couldn't do it, in the end. She knows that. None of them were able to.

Unfortunately, for Otoha, he moves closer and Stone Free is moving to close the distance as a buffer. Not today, sir.

Emporio nods against her, his eyes squeezed shut. As if opening them again will mean she disappears, and it's all a dream. In and out. In and out he breathes, and Weather seems to stare at the ceiling for a moment before it feels a little bit warmer. Like the sun is shining within the....r....

The boy blinks, and wipes his eyes. It's strangely grounding, to have someone he needs to tell off. "I... ...it's done though. E...even if everyone...if all of you..."

He swallows, and turns- looking at Otoha, Weather, and slowly the ceiling.

...

Yep. It's not quite the 'sun' but it feels like it's 'sunny'. "...Really...?"

Weather just stares, turning their gaze to Stone Free. You. You should move.

It's a motion Emporio recognizes at least, and he slowly comes more and more to his senses. "Ah...Otoha, you were in here already huh..." The boy wipes at his eyes with a sleeve, sniffing. "...s...sorry about this...I just..."

A swallow, and a look back to Jolyne. "...Weather, uh... ...stayed, I guess. ...and there's a ghost room on the train if we want to go sit somewhere. ...Uh...all of us I mean."

He scowls at the Stand, not moving. Excuse you, this is also his charge. He looks over at Weather. ... Warmer, huh?

"No... it's okay. I can... leave, if you want. You two probably have a lot of things to catch up on. As long as you two are okay..."

He doesn't want to push Emporio, suspicious as he is of this girl.

"Well, I'm here now and that's what matters, yeah?" Even if no one else is and it's just them. The pendant in her pocket already feels like a stone weighing her down, even if she isn't about to talk about it with someone else in the room. Not now, anyway.

Stone Free stares back at Weather, not moving what-so-ever. You are not its User and therefore it is not moving unless told otherwise or it senses there isn't a threat. As far as it's concerned, Otoha is still a threat.

Even if Jolyne is ignoring the fact Stone Free is even doing that, oops. Subconsciously it might just be her doing in general. "You got to keep two Stands," she muses quietly, good lord. "Though I guess he wouldn't have minded you keepin' it..."

Training Gym

Ending spoilers or whatever, HURRY UP ANIME

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