The Final Platform

[voidtreckermods]

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THE FINAL PLATFORM

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BEFORE ARRIVAL

Those who are remaining get their tethers sorted first, after all the stress and uncertainty it really is a simple procedure. There are many void technicians hovering around but they soon get into a rhythm and one by one those who wish to remain in void space are tethered to the void hub.

They are however looped to the train, for one final journey. The Voidtrecker Express is accompanied by a voidcraft full of scientists as it travels to one final platform. For one final time there are just the voidtreckers on board the Voidtrecker Express. The journey does not take too long but as they approach their final destination the train speaks.

"Voidtreckers. It has been so busy but before you leave I wished to speak.

This voidcraft understands that the circumstances around you being on board were not ideal and would like to truly apologise for the pain and inconvenience of the last few years. But also, more than that, would like thank you.

You have done what many would not have, what many could not have. You have brought back those dear to this voidcraft. Furthermore in their absence you stepped into their place and there are many worlds which owe you a debt of gratitude.

This voidcraft owes you a debt of gratitude and, if this voidcraft may be so bold, I have grown very fond of you all also. I hope you all fulfil the dreams you have and find your places in your world or in the void. I dare not ask it of any of you but for those who wish it, there is always a place for you on board this craft.

None of you will be forgotten by the Voidtrecker Express.

Shortly arriving into a designated void platform. There is unfortunately a slight drizzle. 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 FINAL FAREWELL

The platform is a bustle of activity, void scientists direct those who are leaving the void to special pods where their tethers are detangled and from there they are led to the barriers, to go through back to their world. For those choosing to move through time they are accompanied by yet more scientists, but there will be time for goodbyes.

It is not like previous times, where people leave without a backward glance. This time people are themselves, able to say goodbye and walk through the barrier of their own accord.

The scientists try and give everyone space, they don't rush anyone but do keep tabs on where everyone is as those who are returning leave through the barriers one last time.

Soon the only people left on the platform are those who are choosing to remain. The train doors open and they can board once more. There is a whistle, to round up any stragglers and then the train begins to move along the platform. The train begins to tilt, leaving the ground and rising up into the fog-filled sky.

"Entrance into Voidspace imminent. 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.

Their new home. The void itself.

Comments

[diamondsfortears]

His tether was secured, and he boarded onto the train. Listening to the Train's words, he feels happy and sad. They managed to do it all. Daia was able to contribute in some way. And he pets the Train as he steps onto the platform.

Daia tries to find a good place to stand, not in the way, but also being near enough to say goodbye to those who would be returning to their own worlds. He offers waves, smiles, and even hugs to any who would want them. It's nice that they get to say goodbye this time, but it also feels oh-so heavy, watching others leave.

Every person that he stops to talk to, he hopes, and will try, to visit them again. Even those he hasn't gotten to know terribly well.

It isn't long before he's crying. Despite knowing that he can visit almost any of these almost anytime he wants, he wishes there was another way to stay. He understands that people have things to return home to. A sentiment he doesn't share for his own world. But he can certainly respect others' needs to go back to their own worlds to fix the things that may be strained or even lost. These are the people who helped make the Train his home. And he's so grateful for everyone he got to meet and those who accepted him.

Even the passengers that have long since gone and weren't there for the final battles. He misses everyone already, and they're not even gone yet.

So he'll look at you, with a tearful smile.

"I hope that we'll see each other again soon."

[crowneddragon]

The drizzle is awfully fitting, for these goodbyes. Esteban stops in his tracks, remembering the drizzle that had fallen when he'd first gotten to the train. A full circle. A cycle. He needs a moment. Blue eyes dart across the platform grounds.

"Daia!" His name laces too many feelings tight between Esteban's ribs, both comfort and so much sorrow. He still doesn't want to leave, despite, despite, despite. These goodbyes are horrible.

He can feel the tears that he's trying to keep at bay, caught at the edge of his eyes, and he brushes them aside with a clumsy hand. His rucksack clicks as he sets it down, and the half-elf thows his arms wide to crush the tiny vampire against his chest, needing the contact, the comfort once again. His nose is buried down into silver hair, and the strange ears-not-ears that he still hasn't had a chance to ask about. It's improper, it's too much contact.

Esteban doesn't care. Not this once.

He doesn't regret it. Leaving. Daia has helped him a lot with this, and he doesn't regret it. But it still hurts, and he'll miss his friend deeply. Dearly.

"You've gotta come an' visit." He manages through the sawdust in his throat. His arms are tight against his companion, not wanting to let go. He'll have to, but not yet. Not yet.

"Promise me?" He pushes again, because wanted or not, regrets or not-- he doesn't think he'd be able to walk through those turnstiles if Daia doesn't make this promise. It's important to him.

[diamondsfortears]

Being pulled to Esteban, Daia returns as tight a hug as he can manage. He knows he encouraged Esteban to leave, but still... Goodbyes have always been hard, haven't they? Even with the promise to visit, it's always sad to see someone you care about having to go.

Daia wishes he could ask him to stay. But if Daia could see his family again, he would absolutely want to. Daia has nothing to return to, but Esteban clearly does. He knows he does. So he would rather support him and see him off. He doesn't want Esteban to stay with regrets.

"I promise. I will, every chance I get." That promise being the only thing making all of this okay. "I'll bring new stories to tell, about the places I'll have been."

It won't be quite as thrilling as Esteban's stories, he imagines. But he hopes that the stories will cheer Esteban up, and make every separation worthwhile.

Idia Shroud | Twisted Wonderland

[flameinthedarkness]

I – Before Arrival
Idia had a lot to do before they left. He had so many half done projects! He tried to get as many done as he could, to use up parts he had… then gave up and just left them for whatever inventor to come after him. He got his important ones done, made sure to get a truly unbeatable score on his own game he had made and was leaving in the Gaming Carriage, and packed up a bag of stuff he wanted to take with him. Minus his broom. That had been sacrificed to become a beacon he had made for Yondu. To one day find his world. Hopefully.

And of course, a goodbye to the resident cabin rabbit of cabin Upper 1:A. Many cuddles for the rabbit before a final goodbye to it, hoping whoever stayed took good care of it, or if someone was able to take it with them. Eventually with all his stuff he had gained over his time on the train, his skull computer floating along with him like normal, and one last skull lollipop in mouth, Idia heads off onto the platform.

II – The Final Farewell
Being the type of person he is… Idia’s not really expecting goodbyes from others, though this does all have a rather familiar feeling, having been in this place before with what felt like so long ago, that attempt to send them back last time. This time he hopes it’s for sure. He… he doesn’t want to leave, but he has to. He has a lot to do. Stuff only he can do.

And he misses Ortho.

Idia’s so glad he documented so much of this all, so many worlds and events. He can’t wait to show Ortho all of it. Those he had met, what he had made, all the worlds he went to, for better or worse. And how he had wished his brother could had been with him during all of it. He’ll have to make up for lost time with him. But he knows Ortho is waiting for him.

There’s only a moment of hesitation… before Idia will head off with those scientists, with one more glance back to the train before he does.

Closed to Sebek

[flameinthedarkness]

Whether before the platform itself or on it, whenever Idia can catch a moment with him, or just work up the courage to do so… Idia will seek out Sebek. Part of him really doesn’t want to… but he has some loose ends to finish with him, a few things in hand as he approaches Sebek.

“H-Hey… ah, Sebek?” Ehh… he should just leave this and go… but, well, no. Even if ‘he’ doesn’t have to deal with this Sebek, another version of him will have to. He should be nice to himself, he guesses. The other Idia better appreciate this!

[zigajoule]

Sebek is ecstatic to finally go home. That means he can return to Malleus's side and make up for lost time. He's studied hard while here; surely, he won't have any problem just getting back to things.

It's going to be strange to lose Idia as a mentor of sorts. Idia does have a wealth of information behind that personality of his, and Sebek is sure that he could bring it out with a little more training and motivation. Didn't the instant food help? And waking up early? (Only Sebek thinks this to be the case. No one else does.)

"How can I assist you, Idia? Do you need something moved before we depart for home?" Maybe some large souvenir for Ortho?

Vegeta | DBS

[renegadeprince]

I – Before Arrival
Vegeta doesn’t have much to arrange before their time to leave. He didn’t really collect anything important to him to take back with him, and even ends up leaving any sensu beans and armor sets he had left, for use by those who will stay behind. He had however spent the time making his choice. He had a first reaction to this all, a first choice, and after talking to Yondu about it… he knows it’s his best choice. A risk, but for him his best choice.

But he keeps it to himself, having only spoke his thoughts to his blue friend, but Vegeta’s final choice is something only he would know. Or more the fact, why he was choosing this choice. There’s a good chance his world is no longer there, to be taken from mid battle against an opponent he nor Goku could beat by themselves, needing fusion to change the balance of the battle. So for Vegeta to be taken from the middle of it… He’s not sure Earth is even there. But there was just as much risk of him ‘turning back time’, for him to have changed so much to be thrown back into a fused body… it may tear the fusion apart.

Despite knowing this was all a gamble he was making, that this could be the last thing he does and that Hell could be waiting for him when he returns… Vegeta shows no signs of his choice or struggling with it, just carrying on as normal as he helps others pack up and get ready to leave, until they find themselves heading out onto that platform for the last time.

II – The Final Farewell
Vegeta really isn’t one for goodbyes, even after spending so much time with a person. It was just a fact of life, and the fact many of those who had become important to him would be either sent off safely or will stay here, he’s fine with that. He missing their presence wasn’t as important as the fact they got to make a choice for themselves and able to pick their own path. Sure, some may had it forced upon them more than others, to not have bodies or planets to return to, but it was still a choice.

However Vegeta will linger as one of the last to head off with the scientists, almost as if wanting to see others off and make sure they made it to their choices safely. Some of course hit harder than others to see go… and he wants to see them for as long as he can, especially those of versions of his own world.

Closed to Bulma

[renegadeprince]

After Vegeta had made his choice, he still kept it quiet. Especially from Bulma. He knows what kind of reaction she would give him; to fight him over it, to try and find a way around it. And he didn’t want her to know. She was heading back to a time where she would be safe, where she would have he and Goku fighting to keep their planet safe, and back to their family she had been away from for so long. He wants her to focus on that, not what gamble he has to take with his own path.

Instead he tries to show no signs of anything being off, just getting ready to go, which mostly was trying to figure out what to do with all the junk she had accumulated over their time here, snarking at her for having collected so much and how much a mess it all was. Yet it’s as they come close to their final platform, their final stop, he will have taken her aside from others, to try and steal some time alone with her before they saw everyone off.

Platform

[nutkrusher]

Cassie is rather more formally dressed than Vegeta's used to seeing her - she'd decided to see everyone off in the dress she'd bought for the formal dance she'd thrown almost nine months ago. No sense in holding back when she's just going to revert to what she was wearing before.

"Going to take some getting used to, sparring against regular humans again."

[blue_ice]

on the train

Kaiba solemnly walks through the train one last time, his few belongings gathered up as best he could manage. He stops the longest in the gaming car with a holo-disk, leaving behind a comprehensive recording of a Duel Monsters tutorial, with a final instruction to 'have fun'. He and Yugi won't be around to teach anymore...so the game's in new hands now. Maybe someone else will make it their own.

There's a quiet moment where he stops at the engine room's wall, gently laying his hand on it. "...guess this is goodbye. We had our ups and downs, but. In the end, I'm glad I was here. Thank you. And good luck."

Then he sits in the standard car one last time, waiting for his last stop. There's a contemplative expression on his face.

parting gifts

Then they're on the platform, and he has minutes left with these people who've been his teammates, friends, and family for so long. He purposefully sets off on the platform, offering everyone a laminated card with his system number, coordinates, and a general advertisement of Domino City. Anyone who wants to visit will always be welcome, and housed and taken care of for the duration of their stay, and he'll offer kind words with a goodbye for everyone.

A few other parting gifts for a few special people wait in his bag...and this is the last chance. He gathers up his courage and approaches the people he'll miss most. Saying goodbye is so much harder than he thought. No wonder he struggled with it for so long.

the end

There's only so long he can hold on. Kaiba is ushered through, his tether loosened, and then he's pointed to the gates. He pauses at the barrier, turns to face the train and its remaining crew one last time...and swallows the lump in his throat to call out one last time.

"This isn't the last you'll see of me! But. Goodbye, and thank you."

Deep breath. Time to go through. In just a few moments, he'll pass through and disappear into the light.

parting gifts

[yondu]

Yondu catches up with Kaiba. It's odd not to talk shop immediately. Not to discuss tethers, the next mystery. He's just ready to go. He left the flight sim and all the installations he made. The 3-D printer. Just has a bag with some odds and ends in it, a change of clothes that's not trainwear, his knicknacks, and a new empty journal. The other is in the train's library.

The way he greets him this time with a clap on the shoulder. "You take care of yourself." And he's not looking at him. He hasn't been meeting anyone's eyes. If anything, he wants to rush off before he sees anyone go.

Sweet parting might not be abandonment, might not be rejection, might not be disaster, but it's still a loss.

Cassie Cage | OTA

[nutkrusher]

Before Arrival

Cassie is nothing if not a model professional soldier. Leaving the Voidtrecker is no different than shipping out from any other base. There's accounts to settle, paperwork to be done, and most of all, supplies to account for. She's been inventory manager for long enough that she knows exactly what the next team will need to know about.

And she'll be leaving them those two SCAR-H rifles, too. Gotta figure those will come in handy.

You may find her making a final tally in the armory. Or perhaps, you might find her in the lab car, gathering final notes of a somewhat different sort. This one's not typical army business - this is a little more personal.

On the Platform

Cassie has made her way to the platform dressed as smartly and made up as well as she can get away with. She'll be going back to the clothes she was wearing back home anyway, so there's no sense in being practical here on the platform. She wants to look her best as she says her goodbyes to the friends she's made on this strange journey.

Her expression is a little muted, but cheerful. She's been preparing for this. Even though this is the last she'll see of Vegeta even if things go according to plan, she's following the old Cage family advice:

"Don't cry 'cause it's over, smile 'cause it happened."

Hugs, salutes, and waves will be delivered as appropriate.

And a little more will be given to one special someone, who she's hoping not to be saying goodbye to for good.

[averyusefultray]

Before Arrival

There aren't that many physical preparations to make, really. She hadn't acquired anything that didn't fit in the rucksuck and most everything else had always been meant to be communal. It could stay that way. She was used to packing in a hurry.

She did, however, have a rather large number of hugs she needed to make sure she gave. There was never any doubt about what she was going to do, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to miss the people she'd met here.

Final Farewell

She's glad to go home. Glad to have a chance to see her family again. To act on the new appreciation she's found for them. She's even glad to get back to the fight with the knowledge they really can pull it off.

But it's not without sadness. After all this time, she's grown very fond of many of her fellow Voidtreckers and she does want to make sure she sees them before departing. "Take care of yourself."

Before Arrival

[cureofmanyworlds]

"HERA!"

Nozomi would be one of those people she needed to hug. They were one of the first they met upon arriving, so it would be fitting they would be one of the first before leaving. She would run up to Hera, throwing her arms around the other woman.

[monkeyinthewrench]

Jake's decision wasn't difficult. As cool as it was to see the universe...he'd promised Amy he'd come back, and there was a whole squad back there who could probably use him around. So it was time to hit the road.

He paused by Hera on his last walk through the train, smiling at her a little.

"Hey. Heading home?"

Kitty Pryde | X-Men: Evolution

[goingthroughaphase]

I. Before Arrival

It's a bit of a trip going through the items she's acquired on the train, taking the time to look over everything as she packs. Most of the things she has are actually hers from her own world - clothes, her laptop, her dragon. But the things that she had gotten here are also filled with lots of memories; the knitting kit she learned to use, the long sword she learned to fight with, the scouting drone she'd gotten for missions.

She takes everything from her world to bring back with her, as well as the knitting kit so she could continue learning. But she takes the sword and scouting drone to the armory and places them in the locker she'd been using, but leaves it open. Whoever ends up using that locker will get a few new items to use themselves.

Afterwards, she takes her time just walking through the train, familiarizing herself with all of it again and recalling all the memories she's made in this place. And she can't help but smile.

The Final Farewell

After everything, Kitty almost couldn't believe that this was it.

It almost felt surreal, standing on a platform for what would be the final time. No one had passed through yet, everyone still completely lucid and aware of what was happening around them. It made it simultaneously easier and harder to say goodbye to the friends they've all made.

And Kitty does her best to find everyone she's known, to give them one last hug and goodbye before she finally heads back home.

"You know," she says, "even with everything that's happened...I don't regret anything. I'm glad I got to be here. I'm glad I got to meet you."

And she'll carry all the people she's met in her heart. Always.

Final Farewell

[silver_eyes_rose]

"Kitty..."

This was probably one of the hardest things Ruby had to do. Their reunion and relationship was so short and yet, it made her happy. She got to say what she wanted to say and have it returned.

"...I'm gonna miss you."

Thanatos - Death returns to fix the balance of life and death

[controlsthedie]

Finally.

Finally, Thanatos can go home. For real this time. After nearly, if not, a year, he can finally help restore the balance of his world. He can finally return to his role, the reason he was born. The Void Ministry have done what they can, and no doubt, Thanatos will have to talk with them to learn what has been done. There will be no break; he'll be thrown back into work. If not by Mother Nyx and Lord Hades, then by his own doing.

Thanatos had been tempted by the chance to return at the spot in time when he left. He could prevent so much needless suffering. However... nothing about how the Underworld or the world in general would change if he did. Thanatos knows that he would return to how things were to avoid causing further issue, and that would be that. His choice would close the world off from the Void forever. Who knows how that would effect Zagreus when it already seemed a miracle that they came from the same world despite their differing perception of time.

Would going back in time be relieving the mortals from a lack of Death... or relieving Thanatos's guilt at being gone by hiding the fact that all this had ever happened?

No, he has to accept whatever consequences come his way. Besides, by going home with time having passed, maybe, just maybe, some improvements could be made to the Underworld. Maybe everyone would understand Death's place in the world a little better. Maybe someday in their long immortality, Zagreus will able to leave the Underworld with the Void Ministry's technology, and they may again see some of the people they're about to leave. Thanatos isn't an optimist, but to hope for all this is more than he would have done in the past.

Mort nuzzles Thanatos's cheek as he senses his thoughts and struggles. Thanatos is brought back to the present and places a hand on the VoidTrecker Express's side. "Voidy, take care of those who stay and yourself."

He doesn't expect a reply, but he doesn't need one either. The train's earlier words said as much. Thanatos then walks further onto the platform and sees the scientists with the pods.

"Nngh... not this again..." As if leaving people he's grown to care about isn't hard enough, why does it have to be tiny enclosed spaces again? He'll do it, of course, but Thanatos does frown at them.

[springforth]

Goodbyes are hard and she's refusing to make them for the second time. Before he makes it to the scientists, a beacon of pink and life appears beside him. She's loaded down things, a whole makeshift sling of carefully extracted plants, wrapped up with fabric around their roots and seeds for what is too big to move. From the pocket of her red hoodie, a chime of bells announces her.

"This isn't goodbye. Zetta promised to find me and then I'm finding you two and Ryo. I promise."

Najaran | OTA

[najaran]

Goodbye didn't have to be forever, right? Still, it was sad. It would be ages before she saw her friends again, though she had faith she would. Between Mina promising she knew a way, and the people remaining being able to void travel, and - if she was brave enough - going to see Grubel again, there were lots of ways!

All she had to do was get Zenith on the good guys' side, stop the Black Cepters and save the world! Then she could show her friends around and go off on adventures again.

Weird how before she got here that all felt so daunting, but now it felt like something that she could do for sure! Her Master was going to be so proud of how much she had grown. She couldn't wait.

But first she had to say goodbye for now. She was going to miss everyone here... so much....

Clef | OTA

[guru_clef]

Even the last platform, and Clef had lost track of time. But finally he was out there, floating in his bubble shield, looking for his son. And... for certain other faces in the crowd.

He doubted this was forever. Magic was will power, after all. So he would see the people who mattered most again. Even if he had to wait generations for them to exist. He had patience. He had time. And he had more than ample will.

Though this might be a place where stubborn outpaced wisdom.

Still, he was willing to pause and say fare the well for now to any who wished it. His books were packed in his gauntlet. He was prepared.

Khary - OTA - CW: potentially all, as usual

[sell_tickets]

Khary was eager to go home. There were a few people he would miss, yes. That he wanted to say goodbye to. Leia, for one. He felt a debt of gratitude to the older woman, and a fondness.

But most of the people he had wished to say a final fare the well too were not here. Curufin. Eva. A few others but...

Home. He was getting to go home. And sorry, but there was absolutely no one here that could compare to the three most important people in his life. His daughter, his wife, his Queen. He planned to hug each for hours, sobbing like a baby and then spend the next three days on horseback in fresh open air. Maybe visit Chaosti in the Dea Al Mon territory, lots of fresh air there, though it was harder to ride though the Wood. Or maybe he'd make his way to Glacia and pester Karla for a while.

So many possibilities. Once it was his turn to walk through the turnstiles he wasn't looking back. So this would be a last chance for anyone who wished to say anything to him.

He prayed to the Darkness he'd never be dragged back here again.

HOME!

[death_from_above]

As they got ready for arrival, Spark might have been sitting in front of one of the doors, in the way like a cat ought to be, laying on his "Vote for a fishing car" banner, begging for last minute fish of those who wanted to depart when the Train got to the platform.

Nell Ingram | OTA

[nell_of_soulwood]

Nell was trying her best to be brave. She was nervous about returning home and trying to pick up the pieces of her life. She hoped her family had been able to keep her house and woods safe from the church long enough for her to return. She hoped that her friends here would be able to return safely home to wherever they hoped to go and that those who stayed with the train would have good long lives.

She smiled at anyone who came over, trying to keep her emotions in check, trying to be able to get through the goodbyes.

[yondu]

Yondu's plan is a quick good-bye. He's determined to not be the one to watch people leave. So he's doing fly-bys. Quick hug and gos. Treating them as quick partings, even the ones he won't be seeing again.

With his bag, no longer filled with a train uniform, just all his own things, he makes his way over to Nell. He doesn't say anything at first. Just comes out of nowhere with a hug.