voidtreckerexpress | A New Platform [Intro Post June]

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A New Platform [Intro Post June]

On the Train

The days following the mission are relatively uneventful as people once more get used to the rhythm of life on the train. "Good morning passengers, it is day sixteen of the month of Fiddlesticks. Points have been updated on the system."

They have indeed and everyone can spend the morning shopping. Those who have been on the train a while will be expecting the second announcement that comes a few hours later.

"Shortly arriving into a designated void platform. Exit from void in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one." A lurch and a jolt and they are soon surrounded by the fog that means they are at a platform. It is a cool day, clouds gathering threateningly though it stays dry luckily.

As usual the first to leave the train notice nothing as they walk silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers. Leviathan, Atsushi Nakajima, Spinel, Peggy Carter, Evie Grimhilde, Cal Kestiss, Gwen Stacey, Renee Corbin, Lan Jingyi, Waver Velvet, Aoko Nakamori, Namine, Jak and Marcus Wright all reach the barriers, show their tickets and disappear through, vanishing into the fog.

But on the platform itself there are many new faces. Wearing hoodies, 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. They are standing, in clothes that are not their own, styles they might not even recognise. They are carrying a rucksack on their back. For a moment it seems to just be them, alone in the white haze but then the steam begins to fade and they realise they aren’t alone.

The platform is not large and it holds twenty six figures all facing the tracks, all dressed in cargo trousers and hoodies. The air is cool with a slight breeze. Both left and right the tracks disappear into the mist. 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 into the cold step a selection of people. 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.

The Train

The doors hiss open. Those from the train may encourage those on the platform to board. It’s not like there is 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 not be a good thing. 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. The store rooms have been restocked with plenty more bacon as well as other staples.

Passengers who are not brand new will notice a new carriage. A second gym. This one is outfitted for training with mats, fighting pads, balance beams and even climbing apparatus to help get everyone ready for the missions ahead.

New passengers will find their tickets allow them into their cabins. They may need to negotiate for beds, especially if they want a top bunk!

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 and you will hopefully find a pillow for your bed if it has not been nabbed by a roommate, there are also spare blankets for if it gets cold.

Departure

A second horn sounds to encourage any stragglers and the doors slide shut. Veteran passengers know what will happen next, they may wish to brief their new companions.

The train sets off, the fog obscuring the view 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. The fog from the windows is gone now, replaced with a kaleidoscope of ever changing colours.

Welcome to the Void!

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Her eyes widen at these news and she nods curtly, already going back for her backpack while he is still speaking. There is the medicine kit she had arrived with inside, along with some things taken from the medical car on the train.

"Of course I will help," she says, though it depends on exactly what this woman is how well she will be able to help. Humans are easier, the farther removed from human a patient, the more she struggles. But she will help.

"Lead the way. The best place for her would be the medical car but the train is very long. We will see what we can do without moving her."

He turns and quickly leads her back to Cabin 3-B. Thankfully it isn't that far, so he wasn't gone very long. He knocks this time before opening the door, not wanting to catch her unawares again.

"It's me," he says as he opens the door, realizing he forgot to get her name. It must be written on the door, like his was, but he didn't think to look.

He holds the door open for Wen Qing, allowing her to go see the patient.

She gives Wen Ning a grateful look and a small nod before going into the room first, leaving it up to him if he will follow.

She looks around the small room, eyes quickly finding her patient, and she tries for a professionally friendly expression, which is a little more than the usual neutrality she offers her patients. "I'm Wen Qing, I'm a doctor. My brother told me you are suffering from broken ribs and a broken wrist."

Elena just has time to tell him her thanks again when the bizarrely pale guy rushes out of the cabin. She hopes he actually follows through with his promise. She can say with certainty that she's never been hurt this badly before. Hopefully the doctor has Potions, or (better still) healing materia. Curaga would be awesome right now. She'd have used it on herself already, except that Kadaj had taken all of their materia when he'd captured them.

Why would a worm like Kadaj needs healing materia anyway?

Pondering this, Elena painfully lowers herself onto the bench seat and soon falls into blissful unconsciousness, utterly exhausted by the events of the past several days.

She wakes when she hears movement at the door. Her head is swimming. How long was she asleep?

(Not long.)

She looks up to see a young woman leaning over her. This must be the doctor.

“…Among other things,” she admits tersely. It’s obviously more than just her broken bones. Her arms are covered with bruises ranging from purple and green, and there’s a hastily bandaged cut on the corner of her mouth with more bruising near her eye. Clearly, this was more than just the “accident” she had described to her roommate.

“Do you have materia or a Potion?”

Among other things, yes, Wen Qing can see that and becomes increasingly grim-faced as she takes in the extent of the damage and the violence it would have taken to cause such damage.

This is likely to take a visit to the medical car, she can see that already. Sometimes she really hates how long the train is, moving patients halfway through it is such a hassle.

She makes to sit on the edge of the bed to start taking a closer look at her patient when the question of materia or potions has her stilling and inwardly groaning, though her blank face doesn't show any of it. Oh. It's going to be one of those days when she is out of her depth with problems from a new world, isn't.

"No, I'm afraid I don't have any of that. I use medicine and acupuncture to heal, as well as cultivation to speed up the healing process. But there are other people on the train who might have that kind of magic." First things first, though. "Do you need these items to recover or would they simply speed up the healing process?"

Because if she needs them... Well. They are screwed then, possibly.

Okay, no materia then.

Elena shakes her head at the doctor. “No, regular medicine is fine. It just takes longer.”

She moves over a little on the bed to give the doctor more space to work. Typical. She’s stuck on a magical space train to nowhere and she’s going to be laid up for at least the next month until the broken bones heal.

She tries her best to hide it but she does slump a little in relief. "That's good then," she says quietly, though it feels like a giant understatement. Still. It might not be hopeless.

"Let me just. I'll be with you properly in a moment. Try to take off your clothes as much as you can so I can examine you properly, I'll help you as soon as I have..."

She goes to the door, peering out. "A-Ning, could you please get Lightning for me? She's a young woman with pink hair, living in cabin 1-A."

Wen Ning had stood with his back to the door, ready to keep anyone from barging in blunderingly the way he had initially. He does take a moment to look at the names on the door properly. Peter Parker, Elena, May Parker. Presumably the two people sharing a name were related somehow, and the injured woman hadn't mentioned having a relative on board, so by process of elimination that makes her Elena?

He's got only the briefest of minutes to be proud of his detective work, before Wen Qing pops her head out and makes an important request of him. He nods firmly and sets off towards the front of the train.

"1-A... 1-A..." He repeats to himself, not wanting to forget. Finally he gets there, and knocks on the door urgently.

"Excuse me. I'm looking for someone named Lightning. My sister, Wen Qing... She needs your help."

Lightning is, as predicted, currently in 1-A. Reading, apparently, given the book in her hand when she slides the door open.

"Qing needs--" 'sister' catches up with her, and she's torn between squinting at him with new interest, and concern about Qing. Concern wins out. "Right, where is she?"

Can't be medical, or she'd have called herself. She throws the book back into the room and steps out into the corridor to follow him back.

Pink hair... That must be her. He nods, immediately turning on his heel and hurrying back down the car. "This way. She's in my room, 3-B."

As they walk, he wonders if he should introduce himself. He wants to know his sister's friends and acquaintances, but-- There will be time for that later.

Soon enough, they're back at 3-B and he's knocking on the door again.

"Jiejie? It's me. I brought Lightning."

Meanwhile, Wen Qing has been helping Elena undress. She’s covered in cuts and bruises, the most severe being on her left side, where Loz’s kick had cracked her ribs and left an almost black bruise the size of his bootprint.

“I was tortured,” she says simply, anticipating the question. “Myself and a colleague. Right before I ended up here.”

Another knock at the door.

“Come in,” she says, covering herself with a blanket from the bed.

Wen Qing is not surprised to hear the confession of her having been tortured, the pattern of the injuries did awaken memories of treating patients in a similar state before. She did bring salves and bandages in her backpack, so she sets these aside, figuring they should be able to deal with the cuts and most likely the broken ribs here, though the wrist will require the medical car with its supplies for a cast.

The knock has her looking up, relieved that Lightning is already here.

"You're safe here," she promises Elena quickly before Lightning comes in, since she's not sure if she will want to speak of the torture with her, "and you aren't the first to arrive in a terrible condition. This is a place to heal as much as to help others."

Then she turns to the door, saying louder, "and with some luck Lightning will be able to help and you won't need to spend weeks hampered by a cast. Maybe she can even help with your materia or potions."

As Wen Ning has been considering her sidelong, so she's been doing to him. Unfortunately, the time it takes to cross two carriages at a jog isn't enough for a conversation, and by the time she looks into 3-B and sees the state of the new arrival, that's taken last place in her list of priorities. It'll wait.

She squeezes into the room, nodding to both women and murmuring a thanks to the guy who fetched her. Potions she knows, but doesn't have. Materia she's seen in use - Yuffie has one, after all - so she at least understands that it means she's asking after curative magic.

"No materia," she says, "But I can cast without 'em. How bad is it?"

Elena lowers the sheet, showing the extent of her injuries.

“At work we call this ‘enhanced interrogation,’” she says ironically. But at least this new person understands what materia is. “I’ll take whatever healing I can get. What do I owe you both? I’ve only just gotten here, but...”

"You don't owe us anything," Wen Qing says firmly. "The healing is free. We," and here she looks towards Lightning, certain she can speak for both of them, "don't do it for personal profit. It is our duty to use our skills to help our fellow passengers." Wry amusement flickers over her face. "And if you're lucky, it will actually be Lightning doing most of the work."

Then she turns her attention fully to Lightning and her questions. "We're at broken ribs, a broken wrist and the bruising and cuts which she already diagnosed herself, but we have only just gotten her undressed for a proper physical exam. It's taken a while with these injuries."

She sits down on the edge of the bed again and reaches for the wrist of Elena's good hand to check on her pulse and the state of her qi, just to check if there is any indication of internal injuries, either from a broken rib doing further damage or internal injuries caused by the torture itself. "Have you been suffering breathing problems, or coughed up blood?"

Edited 2020-06-07 23:28 (UTC)

Despite her raised eyebrow at the 'interrogation' comment, she murmurs agreement to Qing's words, and scoffs in a friendly enough fashion at her services being volunteered as something fortunate. She still hasn't quite gotten over the idea that new arrivals will distrust magic.

Speaking of which.

"Magic goes a long way, but if the ribs are piercing anything, a Cure's gonna be a problem in the long run."

Elena shakes her head. “You’re the doctor, but no—I don’t think there’s any serious internal damage. It’s been...”

How long had it been?

“...maybe a day since this happened?”

She’s usually on the other side of this, but she knows enough about anatomy that if she were about to collapse a lung, she would have done it by now. That’s not to say that there isn’t a lot of internal bruising, of course, but she doesn’t think she’s actively bleeding out.

Wen Qing starts visibly. "You have gone this long without having your injuries properly seen to? Do you know how badly this could have ended?" she demands, voice sharp before she catches herself, reminding herself that chances are, she didn't have a choice. She had been escaping torture, after all.

She visibly forces herself to calm, focusing on the pulse diagnosis. Indeed, there is nothing that indicates serious internal damage, though at this point checking for this is basically superfluous anyway. Elena would be in a far worse state by now if she were bleeding internally.

"From my side, you should be safe enough for magical healing," she murmurs, gently feeling her ribs, using her own spiritual energy to check on the damage done. "I'll take care of the rest then, if anything's left."

"Like she says, you're the doctor. One magical healing, coming right up."

She cups her hands, calling up a Cure. The magic fluctuates, tries to shift to something larger, reacting to the multiple presences in the room, and she forces it back down. Obedient, the light flits from her now open palm to suffuse Elena in a pulse, two, three-- each cast of the spell reaching for a different injury or hurt. She pauses after three, aware that that would in no way completely heal a l'Cie, but unsure as to the blonde woman's constitution.

"How's that feeling?"

Elena can’t help but bristle at the doctor. “I was a bit too busy escaping from a trio of silver-haired sociopaths with Mother complexes to worry about going to a hospital, thanks.” She barely remembers the rescue itself; Valentine had swooped in and after that it gets fuzzy. She figures she’d probably passed out by that point.

And then she’d wound up here.

At least the other woman isn’t asking too many questions. It looks like she’s starting to cast magic and even though it’s strange to see it without any materia, there’s no mistaking the feeling of Cure washing over her. With each pulse, more and more of her pain vanishes. The bones in her wrist and side knit together cleanly, and the cuts begin to close. By the time the third pulse ends, Elena’s color is considerably better and the most serious of her injuries have been cured. She’s still bruised and sore, and some of the cuts will need a little more time to heal, but she’s no longer doubled over in agony.

“...that’s much better, thanks.”

Wen Qing stands back, watching Lightning work with a soft, fond look in her eyes.

Elena is right, of course, fleeing her torturers would have taken precedence to finding medical help, she can accept that so she doesn't argue the point.

Once the light fades and Elena voices her satisfaction, she steps forward again, braced with one of the ointments. "Let me see to what remains then," she says, her voice considerably milder than it had been before. "It shouldn't take long now, Lightning does good work." There is pride in her voice, eyes flickering to Light again. It means there isn't much to do for her today but that is a privilege in itself, getting to see Lightning do her style of healing.

"If you are still in pain, I'll needle you."

She waves away the thanks and the compliment both with a gruff half-salute, though the warmth in her expression belies it.

"Glad it helped. I'll leave you both to it," she decides, aware that if the woman's been through torture only to end up here with a bunch of strangers, having one of those strangers watch her get treated isn't... really going to help much. Or at least it'd have been a problem for her, if she was in her shoes. "I'll wait outside. With..."

The gesture she makes vaguely encapsulates 'your brother', 'your roommate' and a few more question marks beside.

Wen Ning had been standing patiently outside the room, waiting as he has waited many times before. For Wen Qing, for Wei Wuxian, for lots of people. So much of his life has been spent waiting.

But! He must wait no longer! As the door opens and Lightning walks out. He perks up, turning to her with concern writ large across his features.

"How is she doing?"

"Better," was her attempt at reassurance. Or, initial attempt. As she closed the door, her half-smile back to Qing lingered enough to soften her expression. "She, uh... well, I guess you saw her before. But she'll be alright."

Edited 2020-06-14 16:47 (UTC)

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wen ning and light ning

Elena & Wen Qing