A New Platform [Intro Post September]

[voidtreckermods]

On the Train

The days after the holiday on Jema’Grethy tick away until they are awoken one morning. "Good morning passengers, it is day one of the month of Horsehoe. 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. When the doors open it is to snow, crunchy beneath their feat and falling from the sky in a light flurry.

As usual the first to leave the train notice nothing as they walk silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers. Alice Liddell, Arataka Reigen, Dread Thunderstorm, Duo Maxwell, Fandaniel, Guy Cecil, Kaito Kuroba, Khardeen, Rainbow Dash, Sarai Thunderstorm, Victor Creed, Xiao Xingchen, Yuna, Yuuri Wakasa. They crunch through the snow, not stopping for anyone.

But on the platform itself there are many new faces. Wearing hoodies and waterproofs, 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. The second thing they will notice is it is cold, as snow flurries around them, coating the ground around them in white.

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 five figures all facing the tracks, all dressed in cargo trousers and hoodies. 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.

Indeed whereas usually there is plenty time for people to be met and brought slowly onto the train, the whistles blow a lot quicker this time, as if hurrying the passengers along.

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… teddy bear shaped luncheon meat being the main ingredient to be found. There are plenty of other staples including a lot of fish caught from their island holiday.

Those from blue team who go to investigate will find a box of lollipops. There is enough for the whole team, including new passengers. Join in your team's success!

A new carriage has been added, those that go to investigate will find a library. A double carriage it has a less formal, comfy downstairs fiction area and a more serious study library upstairs. It is devoid of books, though hopefully those who have bought books before will slowly begin to fill it.

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 over the noise of the hail stones to encourage any stragglers braving the snow 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!

Comments

Wildcard

[theturksway]

Reno was more than half way through a bottle of whiskey, cola long abandoned back in the dining area, whenever he finally ran into Cloud along the corridors. His purple hoodie was still thrown over his head hiding the bright red hair beneath somewhat but underneath the jacket he had the rest of his suit on that clearly screamed Turk. He stopped as he spotted Cloud from the opposite end of the carriage and sneered.

He took a swig of alcohol from the bottle and then walked straight towards the blond. He held his hands out as if he were greeting an old friend that he might (but not really) hug but with his head slung low he looked predatory as he approached with a languid, almost haphazard gait, the hoodie adding deep shadow to his face.

"Well, well, well. Look what the train dragged onboard. If it isn't Cloud fucking Strife. Come here to rescue the day, hero?"

[totallyasoldier]

Cloud was pretty much checking things out on his own terms. So far he'd managed to avoid most conversations, side stepping people who might have stopped him. He didn't need distractions. He just wanted to know the layout before anything else.

He wasn't paying attention. He should have been paying attention...

The foot steps were heard before a voice, and Cloud looked up... just to see a figure stumbling toward him, face shrouded in shadow and arms out. And Cloud froze, eyes widening slightly. Another step and from the stranger and Cloud stumbled back a step in retreat, even as the world seemed to crackle and glitch around him, pain lanced through his head and he gripped the side of it.

What? Why now? This shouldn't have been happening here, right?

But then a voice spoke. And Cloud knew that voice... Slowly the pain resided and he let his hand drop as he straightened up.

"Reno." What had that girl said earlier? What was her name, Elena? This wasn't the Reno he knew. Or, at least, not the one from when he knew. "No. I came for lunch."

[theturksway]

Reno watched Cloud's reaction with a hint of dark amusement in his wicked eyes. He had no idea what Cloud's deal was right now. He knew the guy had issues in the past and he knew Cloud had problems not that long ago that had worsened with the Geostimga, but he didn't really know the extent of the latter and the former was supposed to be long over. If only he knew...

However, Cloud had never backed down from a fight with Reno before. It was amusing to watch the blond back away from him now.

It didn't last long though and then things felt more normal. Reno, out of it as he was, let it slide and continued on as if he hadn't noticed anything unusual. His more intelligent side could worry about it later. Right now he wasn't in the mood to be anything other than antagonistic.

He snorted. "Cute. That all you have to say? Don't wanna play right now, huh? Tch. You always act so disinterested but then you get right in the middle of everything like some asshole with a point to prove when it suits you."

[totallyasoldier]

Cloud wasn't in the mood, no. He'd had enough surprises for one day. He was tired. He ached. He just wanted to sleep and have this all be over with.

And he was actually hungry. Which was why he'd made his way to this area in the first place.

Now he was questioning that decision.

"And your drunk." Cloud observed, with that same disinterest that Reno had spoken of. "What point are you trying to prove?"

[theturksway]

"You're an asshole, you know that? We've been nothing but nice and helpful lately, and all the thanks we get is stone cold silence. You haven't changed. at. all." Reno made another scoffing noise with his teeth and glared at Cloud with narrowed eyes. His hand idly rotated the bottle around a little while he stared down Cloud. In the end though he folded, in so much as he took a single step back and took another swig from his bottle of alcohol.

He made a face as he lowered the bottle. Definitely not the way this drink was supposed to be drunk. But he didn't care at the moment. He wiped his mouth with the back of his sleeve. He was still glaring half-heartedly at Cloud.

"I get it. You're still hung up about the way Shinra used to run things. We're not asking for anything--time's since past, we can handle the rest on our own--but a 'thank you' would be nice, yo."

[totallyasoldier]

'Nice and helpful'? Clouds eyes narrowed and he took a step forward, a dark anger filling him at those words. They had been nice and helpful? Is that seriously what this dick thought he...

... And then Cloud stopped. He blinked. The anger melted away to a moment of surprise, and then he wiped it away, his expression returning to the same cool, calm look of mild disinterest. Mild, because now he was looking at Reno a touch curiously.

Part of him hadn't believed Elena, he realised.

But the Reno that he knew would have had hands on him at this point, not asking for a thank you.

Sadly, Cloud now needed to burst his bubble. If he was going to be called an asshole, he wanted it to be for the right reasons. Not for something future him had done.

"Wrong guy." Cloud said coolly. "I'm hung up on the way Shinra does run things." Was that too subtle? What was it that Elena had said? He looked away. "I'm two years behind you, apparently. According to your blonde friend."