A New Platform [Intro Post July]

[voidtreckermods]

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PLATFORM STOP: MONTH 19
(SYMPHONY)

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BEFORE ARRIVAL

"Good morning Voidtreckers, it is day one of the month of Symphony. Points have been updated on the system."
The voice of the Voidtrecker Express welcomes passengers at the same time as always, sometime after breakfast. With points updated, everyone can spend the morning shopping. Most people will be expecting the second announcement that comes a few hours later, as the colours of the void outside the windows blur more and more.

"Shortly arriving into a designated void platform. The Weather is cool with light rain. 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.

ON THE PLATFORM

1. THE ARRIVAL

At first, all your character can see is steam billowing around them as they come to their senses. But as their eyes adjust, they find themselves on a platform. It is a small platform, a dusty strip of concrete next to the tracks. The barrier is at the far end, housed in a brick shelter. The sky is dark with clouds and the air is damp. A fine drizzle falls, not heavy at all but they will find their clothes quickly become damp.

They stand in clothes not their own, in a style they might not even recognise. They're carrying a rucksack on their person, and for a moment it seems to just be them, alone on this platform. Before the fog starts to subside, and they'll see they are alone: facing the tracks.

But then there's a roaring sound to get their attention, and out from the fog arrives a train. A sleek black, it reads The Voidtrecker Express in gold lettering on the side. Every one of the doors hiss as they open automatically, and out pours a strange assortment of people. Some are human, some less so, with a majority wearing the same hoodie of four colours as they do, though some sport outfits in a variety of styles.

The train doors close behind them, and the vehicle is cloaked in the same fog that hides the world beyond the platform. A group of people head towards the gates of the platform, their expressions blank and unaffected by their surroundings. Altair Kallig, Aya Brea, Darth Nox, Eli Vanto, Elizabeth, Shen Qingqiu, Soma Cruz, Thrawn. They disappear through the barriers, but no one else can - all people can do is wait until the train re-emerges, finishing whatever changes it's making.

2. BOARDING THE TRAIN

After a short time, about ten minutes or so, the fog clears and the doors hiss open again. Everyone will feel a pull when they do, a need to board, and those from the train may encourage new arrivals to board. This feeling grows into one of apprehension and turns worse the longer they stay off-board.

For those that do board, they may find themselves in a few different carriages, but most likely the standard coach. A row of seats sit available, with a few tables between each. More likely than not, some cookies have been set out with jugs of drink, and cups available for pouring.

For those that don't, however, they're likely to attract attention if they're spotted. And if that fails... an unfortunate end will await them.

a. New arrivals will notice a screen and console in every carriage sharing the same message, and a stack of leaflets in holders by them offering further information to the curious (see 'Publications'). There are lavatories available on each carriage on one end, with another console with a deposit box under it at the other. This is the train shop.

b. It'll take some time for newbies to figure out the layout, even if there's only two directions to go in. Go one end, and you'll find the food stores and washing utilities. This month's key ingredient is broccoli, and you're sure to bump into others curious about what's in the stock.

c. Go to the other end, and you'll find the sleeper cabins. Plaques sit on the wall by each door with the names of their occupants, and one of these will be yours - hopefully, they'll figure out that swiping their ticket against the doorpad will open it up to them. 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.

d. At the farthest end in this direction is the luggage carriage, where passengers who have bought items from the train shop will find their purchases. These are scattered around the luggage carriage in various suitcases and bags, but there's also a small fridge and kettle here with bottled water, for those who want a quiet drink. For those curious about the reward for Purple Team they will find it here

SOME MISCHIEF

Those exploring the train will find that some passengers have been busy in the kitchens. Three bowls of hard candies are out for display, each labelled with a placard. All are free for the taking.

Energise! Provides an extra boost of energy.

Refresh! Like dipping tired feet into a cool spring.

Calm! Allowing you to start relaxing, like a prelude to meditation.

Energise is a red coloured candy that tastes faintly sweet. When eaten it provides about five hours worth of extra energy. This may lead to characters bouncing off walls, being easily distracted, being extra curious, or blurting out whatever comes to mind, including their feelings for other Voidtreckers. When combined with the Calm candy, a character's focus is increased, though they may feel more inclined to try new things or take new risks or chances.

Refresh is a green coloured candy that tastes faintly salty. With rivigourating divine energy within the candy, those who take it will feel mildly euphoric and floaty, bubbling, or otherwise happier. Literal floating of under a metre off the ground is possible while traveling the void, as well as having characters turn into small eastern styled dragons for about an hour. When combined with the Energise candy, characters may find they're capable of limited flight in the void. They may also find themselves as a tiny dragon with an obsessive focus on something small or silly, lasting as long as their dragon transformation, so about an hour.

Calm is a blue coloured candy that tastes faintly floral. This candy aids with rest and slowing down an overbusy mind. There's a side effect of grogginess after it wears off that grows proportionate to how many candies are consumed. Combined with Refresh candy, characters will find themselves more inclined toward open discussions, forgiveness and letting go, or engaging with people in ways they'd usually inhibit themselves from. So yes, a bit like being gently buzzed, with no hangovers.

DEPARTURE

The train begins to rumble with activity, and the platform starts to disappear into a fog as the voidcraft moves. A female-coded artificial voice echoes throughout the train.

"Welcome aboard, passengers of the Voidtrecker Express. 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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NAVIGATION ~ GAMEPLAY ~ SETTING ~ CHARACTER INITIATIVES ~ QUESTIONS

Thank you to Rakel (player of Lan Jingyi) for the enchanted candy mischief. Any questions about those should be directed to them.

Comments

[crowneddragon]

Esteban's arms have lowered back to the rim of the tub, and he's lax, feeling warmer than ever now. He's surrounded by sunshine, and it has his smile stretch across his lips, heavy-lidded eyes bright and blue as a summer sky with the joy he's gathered so closely now. But Tidus' words get him perking back up, his own brow slowly furrowing in the words the blond toss between them.

"Nooo? Where'd the second bottle come from?" He questions, bewildered. He'd been so sure he'd described it well, and now he's trying to envision the bottle Tidus is describing, and it makes absolutely no sense to him. What?

And worse-- "Why w'ld ev'ryone be a bottle?" Help, Tidus, you're confusing him about his own hoard. The audacity.

He's sort of grinning and there's laughter in his lungs, but it's lighthearted and more aimed at how different their thoughts are. Maybe they have the same energy, but still, chatting up this way, they do tend to trip each other up in the oddest ways sometimes.

But he's still having fun in this convoluted confusion, because this is a matter that is so important to Esteban, and he's glad that Tidus is asking. He'd never considered talking about it before-- it's private and sheltered, and a piece of his soul that tends to get bruised quite easily. But he's glad that his friend knows it now.

[blitzcheer]

Where'd the second bottle come from, he asks? Where did the first come from! Tidus is a hoard of question marks himself currently, added when Esteban puzzles over his confusion about bottles. Or why everyone wouldn't be a bottle. Why is he a bottle!

(Does he care that he's a bottle? To be considered.)

"Well- why wouldn't everyone be a bottle?" He counters with instead, not defensive or anything -- he's still far too confused about this thing of hoards and imagery to be anything decisive. "You don't imagine everything about someone tucked in a bottle? And that's why there was a bottle."

Bottles. This word is starting to sound like something strange and unusual now the more he says it. And he feels - for as much he own benefit as Esteban's - the need to make clear, though it's likely already obvious, "--I don't know anything about hoards. I just see you as you - in my head."

He points a finger at Esteban at see you as you. Esteban's face, his person - no bottles, no lack of bottles.

[crowneddragon]

The laughter in Esteban's lungs shivers; a bit of cold that he can't quite keep away from. But it can't be helped, and he's not upset at Tidus' words, it's just.

"Mortals die, Tidus. Objects don't." His grin returns and he snickers, considering it, just, just for one moment. "An' I mean. I wouldn't wanna walk into a hoard where everyone's just there but not sayin' anything? That'd be super creepy~" Alright, that is one hell of a disturbing mental image, thanks for that.

Right. Right, he still hasn't explained. It's a little odd for the half-elf to try and paint a concept that is so prevalent in his world that anyone who's ever heard of an immortal would know exactly what he's talking about. He can't even recall which of his parents had explained it to him, because he'd just been so young, and he'd just understood it as a part of himself. It was probably Melchor now that he thinks about it.

"It's... it's a piece of my soul?" he tries, words a little lighter, as he's not sure if he can explain it well. But he can try to, at the very least.

"It's a piece of my soul where I collect the reasons why I wanna live. Not jus' survive but live for however long I've got." There's a quick break where Esteban shakes his head, words falling too short of what he means to say. "It's what keeps me sane 'gainst time passin' me by."

Right. That's-- that should be enough. He doesn't want to linger on this.

"I like callin' mine a hoard best, 'cause that's really what it looks like," His grin is back, mischief bright in his eyes as he goes on with far more ease. "It's a cluttered mess," he snickers, lightened by this. "With things an' dangles an' veils an' books an' sharp daggers an' pretty paper fans, all 'round me. There's a bottle of sunshine for you, an' a lil' fox plush toy for Romeo, sittin' on some books. There's a dancin' cloth for Inigo, an' a pair 'f gauntlets for Amaya. I'm still workin' on Kaiba's; I'm missin' too much info for him."

There's warmth when he grins this time; gathered hopes in the edges of his smile. He loves them; loves them all so much. These people he's met, those who have pulled him along and back into trying, back into caring for others. It had been-- it had been a while since he'd built anything for his hoard.

[blitzcheer]

That went morbid in a way that Tidus can't connect to, though Esteban seems to find it all funny, and Tidus is really hoping for some better imagery than the lifeless mannequins that try to creep their way inside his brain.

Which, it does become less creepy, once Esteban tries to actually explain things. But the crease above his brow doesn't really ease, and he doesn't find the whole thing - this hoard deal - any easier to understand. A part of his soul, but there's a pile of items? ...

...

... he's far too simple a person for this, whatever imagination - whatever clue - he thought he had for this not as easily in reach as he thought. There's a pinch to his lips pulled into a frown, distorted when he tugs them to his cheeks, but...

"...I don't think I get it," he admits, slowly. "But if it keeps you happy-" He shakes his head, spreads his hands up in a 'then that's that' manner, causing ripples in the water with the motion. "That's what's important."

He then bends a hand at the wrist, adding in a lighter manner himself, "If you want more info on Kaiba though, you should ask him about his card game! There's a briefcase with 'em in the games room - he'll tell you all about it if you let him. How about that?"

And sharing that does bring humour into his voice, imagining Seto and his cards, the subtle excitement in his otherwise collected delivery.

[crowneddragon]

It's not even a question. Tidus is just brushing the matter away, maybe, but there's something about his words that is a dismissal, a denial, a shrug maybe that Esteban won't stand for. He can't stand aside for. This is his truth.

"You make me happy." He grins, his eyes bright and gleaming as he turns onto his seat, watching the water and nothing at all at the same time as he goes on. "The train's made me happy." He snickers again and shifts his head to the side, going on without much prompting, not needing it just because-- it feels nice. To talk. Openly without secrets or without half-truths woven in there.

"Never felt more trapped into somethin' than here, an' it's horrible--" he grimaces, his lips still upturned, "-- 'cause the train's so small and the walls are tiny an' the cabins just kinda weigh down on me an' I really hate it." For something that is supposed to make him happy, this doesn't really seem to be anything positive.

All throughout his chat, his limbs are waving through the water and through the air, as if he could maybe describe something, or sign something significant, and yet there's no meaning to his gestures. Droplets flick from his hands when he's a bit too enthusiastic as he goes on.

"But I'd been on the road so long an' just tryin' to catch back what I'd had before that... I'd forgotten how to live for now. I'd forgotten how t' make friends an' challenge them an' play 'round with them. I'd forgotten how t' live in with other people an' appreciate that they were there. I'd forgotten what it was like to have a home."

"I miss the home that I lost," he mentions, off-handed a bit, thinking of the friends he'd never met again. That he wants to meet again. "But the train's literally plucked me an' locked me in a tiny space, an' if that's not the most obvious "sit still for five minutes an' make friends" that I've ever 'xperienced, I dunno what is." Laughter spills from him again, shivering through his lungs even though he's quiet about it.

"Part of that's thanks to you." Oh yeah-- he meant to talk about this, hadn't he? "I mean, bein' there's part of it, an' I have fun when I'm 'round you-- but--" This is... heavier. And more delicate at once. He doesn't know what he intends to say, not precisely, and it's a bit more difficult to get the words out now.

"-- But we talked. And that helped." It falls short. It falls woefully short, and he doesn't know what he's trying to say but it's not enough, and at the same time, he doesn't know what else to add. "So-- I mean, thanks."

[blitzcheer]

There's a lot on Esteban's chest. A lot that he's never had to deal with, or had the opportunities to. Not until, as he says, he's plucked up and put on a train with tiny walls and too many people, and you have to make it work from there. For the complaints that Tidus has about the train, he knows what this time can be for people; what good they can get out of it, to be themselves (and to know what that is) away from what was holding them back where they came from.

Even open roads could be more restrictive than a cramped train, apparently.

Tidus listens, watching as well as he moves in a conversational manner, not unlike what Tidus does himself when he speaks. A tug of his lips into a smile now and then when Esteban laughs, but he blinks when it turns back onto himself; not following at first, and not even sure what it was he had done. But then he does remember their conversation back on Jema'grethy, wonders if that has anything to do with it.

Well. "If you're gonna be stuck here, you might as well make the most out of it." His head shifts a little, but he doesn't move much right away, his smile however having returned. "I believe in that. We have people come here whose lives aren't that great where they came from, or they think about the missions and nothing else. But if there's anything good here, it's finding yourself. I'm glad you're getting that too, Esteban. And hey-"

He leans back against the tub some, smile brightening.

"--If I can help with that, great! I mean, I'd be pretty bored if I didn't have people to hang out with too, y'know?"

Heh. He lets his head lean back, staring up at the ceiling as the steam of the tub clings at his skin.

"Before I showed here... I mean, other than me not meaning to be anywhere, I didn't have a lot I was worried about. My life was pretty alright before Zanarkand got attacked, and if I got to stick around after we took out Sin, it wouldn't have been that hard to figure out what came next. I could become a blitzball player again."

His voice perks a little at the idea.

"But now, I care more about getting the people we've lost back home; I don't plan on going anywhere 'til a bunch are where they're supposed to be. Whatever happens next, I'll think about that when the time comes."

He waves a hand at that idea, a plan for the future he'll wait to make more concrete. But he does snort, adds on:

"But I do not want to be stuck on a train for the rest of my life. I know that much!"

[crowneddragon]

He's missing pieces of the context! He's missing pieces of Tidus' context, and Esteban has to practically swallow all the questions that drop in, trying to jolt them down somewhere somehow mentally so he can ask later because it doesn't seem right to interrupt him right now but--

Tidus? How do you defeat sin exactly?

He has to bite his tongue to stop himself from asking, allowing the sportsman to speak up, to share what he intends to from start to finish even though it's agonizingly hard. There's more that he wants to ask, barely placing back Zanarkand as-- it's the land Tidus is from, right? So-- so that was the dreamland? Or was Spira the dreamland and Zanarkand was the other land?

Nono-- Tidus wrote in Spiran in his book, which means that Spira is the dreamworld and Zanarkand is the other one. GOT IT. Wait, no-- hang on. Zanarkand got attacked? When did Zanarkand get attacked?

He's trying, but he's lost a liiittle too much between the lines to follow conveniently, and Esteban doesn't like not knowing. He's greedy after all. The good, the bad. He'd prod more if he could, but that's not the point-- it's not the point right now.

"Pushin' it further, hun," the redhead adds instead, about thinking things out when they happen. And yeah, that makes sense. Out of sight, out of mind. Only-- wasn't that what Esteban himself had done until now? He's not sure. He's not-- he just knows he tried to not think about things so hard that he's... tripped himself up. Oh, he's still a mess-- there's a lot that tangles and snares if he thinks about it too much and he doesn't know what else to do but to...

... Push it further.

Well then, seems they're both taking that advice to heart, and the half-elf grins shrugging an easy shoulder.

"I'm in it 's long as you are."

Esteban's been lucky-- there's Kitty that was swallowed by the void. He misses her deeply, having been one of the first ones he'd met back when he'd just joined. But other than that-- other than her, he's been fairly lucky. So the best he can do is just-- to offer it to others. To offer it to whoever might need it. He'll be there with them as long as they are still missing someone from their own hoards.

"Big headaches included," he snickers, because they'd certainly had their fair share of that, last time they tried.

His last comment makes Esteban blink once, surprised at the sudden turn, before laughter bursts from his lungs, vivacious and wild, even though it's short-lived. "Hah! Yeah-- I'd probably get vicious 'f we didn't get t' go out every other-ish day, an' we don't really have time t' ever enjoy it."

Even the short jaunt over on Jema'grethy had been too little. Esteban isn't opposed to the missions they have themselves, it's just-- the train. The train itself is too small. And it makes him uncomfortable. Like his skin is crawling and he can't close his eyes and rest up.

[blitzcheer]

"Count yourself lucky." He looks over to Esteban languidly, head drooped, but an arm and fist coming out along the side of the tub so he can use his balled hand as a prop.

"They never got vacations when this first started. I think I came around when we started getting them? Jema'grethy was the first place - then it took a while 'til the next one. Think that one was half a day?"

There's a pull of a grin, as he shares, without proper detail:

"I spent most of it locked in a room."

You know. As you do.

[crowneddragon]

"Wha-- Why? When?" The half-elf asks, his entire face pinching in disgust while drawing himself back and away from the very idea, as if it had spat down on all beliefs Esteban might hold. Considering his need for space, his desire for wide open fields and the endlessness of the saltgrass plains, being locked in a tiny room is pretty loathsome to him after all.

He is lucky. But more than just luck--

"'F you ever end up in a tiny room like it, I'd break you out." Probably as literally as possible. Ew, he still hates the thought of it. Even though-- well. The cabins aren't really big, to be honest. And Esteban knows exactly the way they leave him feeling trapped and cringing, every time he wakes up in them, even though he never really dares to fall asleep there.

[blitzcheer]

Esteban looks far more disgusted than Tidus was expecting, going for, but the edges of his grin pull up higher, head nodding aside in a small gesture.

"Thanks. Let's tell the train to keep our comms on so I can call you to break me out." He then scoffs, a small chuckle as he actually gets into explaining: "I was trying to find us help, and I guess the staff running the grotto didn't believe the story I was using. I wanted to call the Ministry, anyone we could get in contact with, but there was nothing there to help! It was a pain!"

He waves his hand, using the one propping up his head momentarily for the motion. "I got out once the train decided to leave -- zipped me over into the luggage car after beeping at me to go back."

His SCA, he means. So rude.

[crowneddragon]

"Is that how it works?" There's amused confusion pinching the redhead's face as Tidus mentions leaving the comms on, as he is... listen, comms are not his thing.

He tries, he really does, but his best bet is just to leave the SCA alone and not wonder too deeply about it, beyond knowing that it somehow translate languages, communicates with others if they aren't in the train and... that's about it? Oh! There's a way to get a pin on a map, he thinks. Somehow.

He finds his interest in the SCA... severely lacking. How Esteban is slowly mastering the grav-con enough to make it a threat but still can't find it in him to keep track of open communications during missions is... well. It's Esteban. Best shrug along and move on.

"Was that on Ossiga?" he asks, trying to get a bit more context, but he's not really good with it. Tidus has way more experience dealing with the train-- and the ministry -- at this point, and Esteban has tried and done his best... but it usually didn't yield a lot of results, so he still feels like he's missing a lot that just sails right over his head.

"The luggage carriage's the worst." Esteban mentions instead. His shoulders roll as he feels the thin, fragile edge of walls cluttering around him again, and he has to shake his head free of the illusion, trying to keep the feeling of cobwebs in his hair and the pinching sensation of his wings rustling underneath his skin. Urf, he hates this feeling.

Eyes rise up to stare at the ceiling above their heads as he tries to manage the phantoms, stretching his arms above as if that could bat them away. Water splashes down from his hands onto his face, and it helps, a bit, somehow. His breathing is normal. Things are fine.

"I think I kicked a suitcase into someone when it fell on top of me." It hadn't been... his brightest moment. But returning from Ossiga had been so disorienting, and the train had lurched so sharply that the luggage had fallen, trapped Esteban underneath and the half-elf had just reacted with barely a second more of awareness to it. He still hates the feeling of it crushing his wings behind his back.

[blitzcheer]

"What, were you in there when the train started moving?" Since he's lacking the context about how a suitcase falls on you randomly, without something to help in that. But he'll answer the other previous question himself, having the chance to do it: "And nah, not Osiga. Was some other place - don't remember a name."

When you get stuck in a room for a few hours and you're running around focusing on more than the actual place you're at, you don't recall a name very well. Which Tidus is only realising, any recollection for the name... nope, not coming to mind.