VoidTrecker Express Mods (
voidtreckermods) wrote in
voidtreckerexpress2022-02-12 07:08 am
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No Place Like Home: On the Train
ANNOUNCEMENT
The female-coded voice of the Voidtrecker Express speaks, as smooth and calm as always.
'Please, may I have your attention. I have been compiling answers for you, and it has been noted that many believe it is wrong that you were brought here at all. This is an opinion you shared with the ministry. You were not asked on this journey. You wish to go home. Some of your worlds are in danger. Some are gone.
The need for heroes is vital, and the Voidtrecker Express must continue saving worlds. You have done countless good. However, it was not the intention of this voidcraft to keep you prisoner.
Those that wish to leave may do so. I shall send you back. You will return to where you last were before you were pulled here. It can only be to that exact place. Be ready. Exiting voidspace in ten, nine, eight...'
The countdown finishes, the only warning as the train shudders as it leaves the void. Outside the train's windows, they see a familiar sight: of a smoke filled platform.
'For those voidtreckers that wish to leave, all you need to do is walk through the barriers. The train will remain for one hour for you to partake in parting rituals.'
NO PLACE LIKE HOME: TRAIN
GOOD BYE...
Those that have been on the train more than the twelve days of this month will be very familiar with the sight before them. A smoke filled platform, polished stone cobbles lining the ground leading to two large stone arches, with glass barrier doors. All that is needed to leave is to press their ticket to the reader next to the doors, and they will open.
Unlike most people who leave each month, blank eyed and silent, the people who choose to leave will be able to say goodbye, They can take whatever they wish of their belongings from the train, or leave them for those that remain behind.
The air is chilly, enough to discourage standing idle outside for too long, but not so uncomfortable, so long as people are bundled up. The sky overhead is cloudy, giving the platform an altogether dull and melancholy air. There are no new people waiting, just an empty station, and the barriers, with all that lies beyond them.
The doors will remain open as promised, so that those who wish to leave, may do so. The barriers let them through and they disappear.
[ Note: A top-level for goodbyes and leaving can be found here. ]
Unlike most people who leave each month, blank eyed and silent, the people who choose to leave will be able to say goodbye, They can take whatever they wish of their belongings from the train, or leave them for those that remain behind.
The air is chilly, enough to discourage standing idle outside for too long, but not so uncomfortable, so long as people are bundled up. The sky overhead is cloudy, giving the platform an altogether dull and melancholy air. There are no new people waiting, just an empty station, and the barriers, with all that lies beyond them.
The doors will remain open as promised, so that those who wish to leave, may do so. The barriers let them through and they disappear.
[ Note: A top-level for goodbyes and leaving can be found here. ]
REMAINERS
The train, good to its word, remains for one hour before the horn toots, a warning to board if they are planning to. And this is where the first inkling of things not being right, when some who try to board the train might find themselves instead pressing their ticket to the barrier, and those who try to remain on the station - or leave through the barriers - may find themselves stood on the train, with the doors closing behind them.
It's a much smaller crew who remain as the train counts down, the usual shudder as the smoke vanishes and the kaleidoscope of the void appears. Only for a second, before the train lurches violently to the side, flinging everyone sideways before righting itself just as violently.
As people regain their feet and their wits, they will realise the obvious - they are stationed back on the platform, mist and smoke swirling around the train.
"Apologies Voidtreckers. Retrying entry to the void in ten, nine..."
Once again they are jerked into the void, and once again they tumble out. Hopefully this time, the passengers thought to brace themselves lest they get thrown across the carriage once more.
STUCK IN TRANSIT.
Phasing back to the void seems unlikely. It's clear something has gone very wrong, but the doors remain shut, and the train remains silent. There are a few attempts over the next few days, always warned for and given a countdown, but always ending in failure.
Outside the windows, the fog swirls around, remaining thick. It seems for now, they are going nowhere; for now, they must wait.
But they needn't sit idle, with the attempts at getting back into the void having made a mess. While anything large is bolted in place, and shelving have rails to protect anything inside at normal levels of turbulence, there's still a lot that has gone flying as the train was lurched around.
It might be wise to secure anything else as well. It's clear they will be trying again to return to the void, and it might be wise to avoid having to clean up all over again.
SHADOWS WHO ONCE WERE.
The platform outside the carriage windows is shrouded in smoke and fog, fluctuating in thickness as it swirls around the train, obscuring the view.
But those looking out of the window may spot a figure. A friend. Someone from the train; they appear, then disappear. Sometimes there are many, sometimes just one alone. Sometimes they leave together. It's not easy to see them, as they drift in and out of the fog, and visibility is bad.
They cannot hear them, or interact at all. They can only watch as more of their fellow Voidtreckers appear, vanish, appear again. The doors will not open, the train remains silent, clearly dealing with whatever problems it has ran into.
It's clear that something has gone very, very wrong.
A SWIRL OF REALITY.
The constant entering and exiting of the void takes its toll eventually. Sleep is harder to come by, there's a general sense of disorientation as the train moves in and out of void space. It is more than just their bodies that are being bashed around, it is their minds as well.
Tempers might peak or emotions might come on stronger than they usually would. Adding in the stress of the situation, and the knowledge that those who left seem to be returning, leaving, and returning again to the platform, and passengers are unable to call out or reach to them, it's a very tense few days.
When they do sleep, their dreams are plagued by weird dreams. Not always bad, but bizarre for sure. Often they dream a dream that is not theirs.
It's a much smaller crew who remain as the train counts down, the usual shudder as the smoke vanishes and the kaleidoscope of the void appears. Only for a second, before the train lurches violently to the side, flinging everyone sideways before righting itself just as violently.
As people regain their feet and their wits, they will realise the obvious - they are stationed back on the platform, mist and smoke swirling around the train.
Once again they are jerked into the void, and once again they tumble out. Hopefully this time, the passengers thought to brace themselves lest they get thrown across the carriage once more.
STUCK IN TRANSIT.

Outside the windows, the fog swirls around, remaining thick. It seems for now, they are going nowhere; for now, they must wait.
But they needn't sit idle, with the attempts at getting back into the void having made a mess. While anything large is bolted in place, and shelving have rails to protect anything inside at normal levels of turbulence, there's still a lot that has gone flying as the train was lurched around.
It might be wise to secure anything else as well. It's clear they will be trying again to return to the void, and it might be wise to avoid having to clean up all over again.
SHADOWS WHO ONCE WERE.

But those looking out of the window may spot a figure. A friend. Someone from the train; they appear, then disappear. Sometimes there are many, sometimes just one alone. Sometimes they leave together. It's not easy to see them, as they drift in and out of the fog, and visibility is bad.
They cannot hear them, or interact at all. They can only watch as more of their fellow Voidtreckers appear, vanish, appear again. The doors will not open, the train remains silent, clearly dealing with whatever problems it has ran into.
It's clear that something has gone very, very wrong.
A SWIRL OF REALITY.

Tempers might peak or emotions might come on stronger than they usually would. Adding in the stress of the situation, and the knowledge that those who left seem to be returning, leaving, and returning again to the platform, and passengers are unable to call out or reach to them, it's a very tense few days.
When they do sleep, their dreams are plagued by weird dreams. Not always bad, but bizarre for sure. Often they dream a dream that is not theirs.
OOC NOTES
OOC post. Ask questions here.
This is the first half of February's event. It will last between Poi 22-25 (12th to 19th February). The second half of the event will go up during 20th to 25th February (Poi 26-28) where those left behind will rescue those out world hopping.
Feel free to play out threads for as long as you like, of course! A few details:
This is the first half of February's event. It will last between Poi 22-25 (12th to 19th February). The second half of the event will go up during 20th to 25th February (Poi 26-28) where those left behind will rescue those out world hopping.
Feel free to play out threads for as long as you like, of course! A few details:
- The train will not be responding after its first attempt to leave the station
- No matter what, the doors won't open.
- Though they can see the voidtreckers outside, those outside don't seem to be able to see them through the windows and so communication between the two groups will not be possible.
- Likewise their SCA comms are not working during this event.
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But he couldn't while he was here. But he knew he didn't kow why he was at least denyed. He had ideas but he didn't eant to think about that being the truth even if it was very high.
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"Figures."
Of course the train would find some sort of way to mess all of this up. She isn't even surprised by it anymore, now she's heard from Allen what's going on. It's just like the train to say that they can all go home, after ruining the lives of some of the people on the train in the first place.. and then to even still mess up stuff for people who could leave. Who did want to go home.
It's so annoying. It makes Alice frown as she tries to salvage some of the food off the floor.
"It is as if this stupid vehicle can't even do the most basic of things without messing it up in some way. Was it not obvious who wanted to leave, considering all those people were out on the platform? It was not even hard to figure out!"
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Allen made sure to throw away what couldn't be saved and put away what could be. So far it seemed to be more being saved at least, so that was good.
"If that is the case, it was expected without me actually being there for the time I've
been gone." It's been over a year after all.
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Sure, Alice can't exactly rule out that possibility. Maybe there's something so wrong with Allen, or with his world, that he somehow can't be sent back there. Alice can't go back to her own world either, after all, so maybe that's just what happens to people who can't return - they just get rejected like this altogether and have to stay on the train.
She doesn't know for sure, since she didn't try, but.. well, it doesn't seem impossible.
".. in that case, it still feels stupid. If the train was going to let us go, it should have somehow made arrangements for everyone to be able to do so, regardless of their status back home or the condition of their world. It is unfair that some of us must remain prisoners, simply because we are not given any other choice."
Yes, she still sounds annoyed.
But that's just because this entire situation bothers her that much.
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"But you are right. It makes it seem like that if you can't go back the only option is to forever stay here."
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That single word is coupled with such an aggressive arm motion that Alice probably knocks some food that's lying on the floor all across it - and the moment she notices that, she just lets out a frustrated sound.
This sure is not her day. Or Allen's day, apparently.
"How is that fair to any of us? We never asked for this! None of us ever wanted to be here in the first place, and yet we remain stuck here." Even when most of the other people have all left them behind.
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That was different though but still was it fair? It was a tough question to answer in his head as he went to grab a mop to start cleaning the floor that had the food at least picked up.
"It's not fair, but when if life fair?" he said looking over slightly. "I've never had a fair life, but I always keep going as dumb as that might be sometimes." But for him this was very different? If he couldn't get back to his body then what? What was he going to do now? Sure he could keep walking but to do what?
As much as ALlen seemed calm on the outside he really wasn't inside.
cw: reference to past suicidal ideation
It's even less fair for her to just step out of life, just because life itself is determined to be awful for her. And the same goes for anyone stuck in awful circumstances.
"I just wish there was a way for us to take revenge on this train."
Because there isn't, as things are now. And even if there was, Alice wouldn't want to do it while there are still people on it who could get hurt in the process.
"It is the sole thing making our lives less fair right now. It does not deserve to just get away with that."
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"But I understand the sentiment behind it at least." He soon finished up what he was doing, making sure what tea was left to be picked up was before looking it over.
"Hey at least the tea made it. Or at least some of it survived."
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Even though Alice is angry, genuinely angry, it looks a little more like she's just a kid throwing a tantrum right here - especially since she's still sitting on the floor as she suddenly lets out those frustrated words.
Apparently even the fact that the tea was saved can't help her mood. This situation is just too overwhelming for her to be able to get happy about anything again in this moment.
"This train has ruined my life! And I am just supposed to sit here and take that? To continue helping it?"
She gestures at the wall of the train. "I could have been out there too, back in my own world! I would have, if the train had not personally ensured that going home is practically a death sentence for me!"
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"Figure out our next steps. I... was always taught that no matter how bad things get or how much crap one goes through..." He paused, biting his lip briefly. "One just has to keep moving, no matter how hard or painful it is... It's how I lived my life. To keep walking until the day I die." He glanced over slightly.
"While we both might be in a really bad place back home... If we ever can get you back. I'll be willing to help you so that you don't die because at the end of the day, your my friend." He doesn't really care much how but if it's possible he would probably do it. Punch people if he had to.
cw: references to murder and illegal organ trade
But at the same time.. she knows that optimism won't do her much. Not when her circumstances back home are so dire.
"I am already dead, Allen."
She still sounds angry, but there's pain in there too. That's what Alice's anger is born out of in the first place, after all. It's just the years and years of pain that have accumulated within her.
"If there was a comatose body out on the streets of London, it would not even take a full day for it to be murdered. Perhaps even stripped of its organs, or other horrible things being done to it." Alice doesn't even want to think of the full extent of awful stuff that could have happened to her body right now. It's too much. "I have been on this train for over a year now. There is no more hope left for me."
And it's all this dumb train's fault. That's what gets her the most angry about it. She never asked for any of this. This train killed her, and some people still insist on treating it as if it's their best buddy.
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And as much as Allen himself was in his own foul mood thinking about what could be going on with his own body he at least is now able to focus on another for the time being.
"Then I wonder if perhaps there can be a place you could call home then. If we are able to separate from the train."
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They're not whole, after all. They lost their bodies. And without their bodies, the only way they can exist is because they are being tethered to this train.
If Alice were to lose that tether - then she'd just disappear, she imagines. The information the Ministry provided to them seemed to suggest as much.
"And recovering my body when only god knows what could have happened at this point also feels impossible."
It's the entire reason for her mood right now. Everything feels so hopeless. Like she will be stuck on this train forever, and there's nothing she can do about it.
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"I guess that's true, but I guess that just means I will just help worlds. I did it before, so it's not that much of a difference and it still keeps with who I am as a person... Even if what I want cannot come true anymore."
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"Fine, Allen. I am glad for you if that is what you can be happy with, but I can't!"
That's the frustrating part for her. Sure, it's fine if he wants to be optimistic for himself, but it's so frustrating in the face of what she's trying to tell him here.
"I just told you this train killed me, and all you can say is that it is fine, because you do not mind helping out worlds?!" She stands up as she says it, like she's trying to put physical distance between the two of them. And yes, Alice sounds angry, but it's anger born out of pain. Even the few people she trusts on this train apparently can't understand her, or take her situation seriously. It feels like a betrayal.
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He was saying it's fine because he didn't want to face the actual fact of just how bad things were. How awful the situation is for many people. He said it's fine when he knew that, no. No it wasn't.
His hands rested in front of him as he bit his lip lightly, hands sat in front of him now gripping his clothes.
Yep, he had to honestly think about it and he hated it so much.
"I said it's fine because I have to. It sucks that the train has screwed over so many people. So many people I care about..." he kept his eyes down because honestly he couldn't even face her right now all the while digging his nails into his skin to avoid tears coming up, but still happening anyway.
"I hate it and I understand because for all I know I could be dead too. Hate me all you want for saying it but...it's how I cope for myself. It's how I always have coped. It's not right to push that onto others and all I can say is sorry."
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But stuff like this makes it so much more complicated. It forces her to think about stuff, and she's not really sure she wants to. Because emotions and social connections are such a messy thing, something Alice doesn't really have the skills to handle, as broken as she is.
Especially at a moment like this, when despair looms over her so heavily.
And yet she can't bring herself to walk away. Even though she's mad. Maybe it's because he's apologizing, or maybe it's because she can spot the faint trace of tears near his eyes when she looks at him.
Alice's hands fall up into fists as they hang in front of her uselessly.
"Then why don't we do something?"
Alice's voice isn't angry anymore, but it's still emotional. It's still a little shakey.
"Something. Anything. We can't just continue to let this train be our oppressor. We can't let it ruin lives like this without even thinking anything of it." She sucks in a shakey breath. "We deserve better, Allen. You and me both, and everyone on this train." (Well, she can think of a few exceptions.
But that's besides the point.)
"We deserve better than to have our lives ruined over a train's whims."
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He expected to hear foot steps walking away, but he didn't. Instead he heard her speak and that was a bit of a surprise to him. moving to try and subtly wipe the tears away which didn't go exactly well since it's an arm one has to do and there was no way to keep that subtle.
"That... something is easier said than done really. I know from experience. First place I went to through it was all about hard work and working together to achieve something. That's how we saved worlds that were lost. But sometimes...the what to do is a lot harder if you know nothing." He understood what she was saying, but his mind couldn't simply think of anything that would help those that needed it and themselves.
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But Alice doesn't want to just think that. She doesn't want to remain nothing but a sitting duck when this entire experience has been so awful already.
"Then let's send the train messages, telling it what we think of it and what it is doing to us. Let us talk to those Ministry people, and make them do something about all of this! If we do nothing, then we are just working for a train that has ruined our lives!"
Because it does sound like Allen is in a crappy situation too, even if it might not be exactly the same one as her.
But one thing remains the same - it's still entirely the train's fault that they're stuck in said crappy situation to begin with. And Alice refuses to just accept that. Not when she just escaped all the other forces that were messing up her life. She was just about to truly start her life in freedom, and then she became a caged bird once more.
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"So I'd be okay saying something to them, but the train just doesn't always listen... I guess unless one is maybe persistent perhaps. I mean it has tried to send people home so... it must listen."
Allen honestly had a lot he needed to do. Get back to the other [lace then be able to actually save his world and go home with new found understanding. But that seemed like even that would be taken away from him now if Nea was active.
"But I will give it a try."
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By which Alice means that she's not entirely sure how to feel about the Ministry either. It's why she hasn't tried to engage with those people just yet. She doesn't trust any sort of structure or organisation either, considering those only existed back in London in order to secretly exploit people.
"After all, if the train will not properly listen to us, then we have to make someone else listen." Because the train sending people back home is fine and dandy, but what about them?
It's like the train didn't even take the people who can't leave into accord, and it even refused some people's exits on top of it all.
"At least those people actually seem to react to things people tell them, unlike this train. We should be careful with what exactly we tell them, sure." She will definitely agree on that. "But I am so tired of being stuck without change. Without anything or anyone caring about us."
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"But hey, just remember that while there seems like outside of the train there isn't anyone who doesn't care. Note that I do even if I can say or do dumb things. That at least is important. But yeah... outside of people here those who don't know us don't really care. A lot of the time people like that only see us as pawns of sorts. Something to use for their end goal and when they aren't useful or a threat will deal with it."
And yes speaking from experience. As much as he still loved a lot of the Order and to him it was his home some people there... not the nicest.
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It's just how the world works, even though it sucks. And now it turns out that it's the way this train works too..
.. even if it's not how the people on it might work.
"Do you.. care then, Allen?" It doesn't sound accusatory this time. It sounds more like Alice just wants confirmation. Something to cling on to, especially when she already has so little in her life. "Do you care whether I am alive or dead?"
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Plus friends were not something he had a whole lot of previously.
"Even if it were to happen on a mission I would still cry even though people come back, which that whole thing still worries me even though that is not something new either." Mostly he worries about if there are side effects or a meaning behind how that works exactly. He never really died himself in the other places but knew death and coming back was also a thing.
"But again, you are someone very important to me, so I will always care."
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