A New Platform [Intro Post October]

[voidtreckermods]

On the Train

"Good morning passengers, it is day sixteen of the month of Horsehoe. Points have been updated on the system and new stock is available."

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. The first thing they may notice is that this platform is inside a basic shelter, making it warmer than the last couple at least.

As usual the first to leave the train notice nothing as they walk silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers. Adora, Alex Hashimoto, Catra, Cloud Strife, Elizabeth Midford, Feanor, Gerome, Gladiolus Amicitia, Glimmer, Ifrit, Isabella D’Oro, Maru, Nari Reno, Noctis Lucis Caelum, Prompto Argentum, Scorpia, Siobahn Chereshei, SXT-2, Tamamo-no-Mae, Tony Stark, Uta, Zidane Tribal

But on the platform itself there are many new faces. Wearing hoodies in all four colours 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 gloomy, even without the steam and fog. They are in a wooden building, open to the tracks on one side. It in a creaky shelter, cobwebs hang from the rafters and there is a peculiar whistle as wind finds its way through the cracks.

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 nineteen 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 gloom 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.

A new carriage has been added, those that go to investigate will find a room full of lockers, designated as the Armoury. Even for passengers without weapons it is somewhere to secure possessions. There are instructions on how to use the lockers and enough for everyone to claim one.

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

[ramengroupie]

[ Ken's gaze is level, even if his posture is especially taut (which is saying something). ]

Positive emotions aren't the only ones that become energy. Some Digimon - and others - feed off of pain and despair.

[ There are people who get louder when they're more intense. Ken gets softer. ]

We have to stop them.

[fionnuisce]

Oh- [He actually looked a little relieved at that, despite his best attempts to hide it. Clearly, he'd been expecting worse.] Makes sense enough, if such a world runs off empathic power instead of magic or whatever else.

[ramengroupie]

The world of darkness was scary. I'm glad we're never going back.

That's right, Wormmon.

[ How long has it been that he's been able to say that, with confidence, and mean it....? That he's stopped being afraid?

It doesn't need to be forgotten to have no hold on him. It's not over, it's not erased. He is who he is because it happened, for better or for worse.

But it's the past. And in their present... ]

The Voidtrecker Express might have a similar mission.

[fionnuisce]

Sure sounds like it. Whole train full of would-be heroes...it's an admirable purpose, but just begging for a lot of trouble.

[ramengroupie]

How so?

[ Ken fails to see the problem. Wormmon can tell this is going to be a Ken-chan conversation and settles in to be a hat for a while. ]

[fionnuisce]

Not to rain on a steam-powered parade, but running headlong into heroic acts isn't always as great as it sounds. It's a noble pursuit and one that should be done, don't get me wrong.

But looking at this group, I'd put decent odds on some of us never having been stuck in real mortal peril before and not having a realistic idea of what 'helping other worlds' might actually entail.

[ramengroupie]

You're concerned about naivete.

[ He....can follow that. An adventure never ends up quite the way you think it's going to go, though with a few notable exceptions, the people he's met have all seemed rather prepared.

But that might be a skewed perspective - the people with their feet most firmly planted on the ground are the people seeking to share their knowledge with new passengers.

And what is the Voidtrecker Express after? ]

[fionnuisce]

Exactly.

[It wasn't as if he had any idea how badly something could go if one held unrealistic expectations, or anything. Nah.]

That, or a situation dire enough to rattle even the more seasoned of us. I don't know in detail what's transpired to date, but complacency is just as dangerous as naïve inexperience.

[ramengroupie]

Even so, the only way we can move is forward.

[ He doesn't like missing pieces, either, and it sounds like while the passengers have assembled plenty, there's no definitive conclusions. It's frustrating.

And yet. The Voidtrecker Express needed him. For a reason. Summoned him. The very presence of this much structure implies an active intelligence with a purpose at work.

It's suspicious, but that's what further investigation is for. ]

Towards the things only we can do.

[fionnuisce]

You're right--it isn't like we have a choice. I just dislike having to prepare for an inevitable catastrophe rather than working to prevent one.

[ramengroupie]

Hey, hey.

[ Wormmon thought he knew what this conversation was about, but Waver just lost him! Time to consult Ken-chan. ]

What cats? What's the Professor saying will happen to them?

...Um.

[fionnuisce]

Uh...don't worry too much about it for now, okay?

[for a teacher, he's not always great with kids and kid-adjacent worm critters.]

[ramengroupie]

Okay.

[ At least kid-adjacent worm critters are easily placated.

Ken, meanwhile, has just realized he's taken A Liberty. How could he. What has he done. ]

--Ah, were you all right with my claiming the bunk above yours?

[fionnuisce]

Yeah, of course. I was hoping for a lower one anyway. [He gestured vaguely to the rose-handled cane leaning next to where he was sitting on the lower bunk.] It'd be kind of a pain in the neck otherwise.

[ramengroupie]

Ken-chan's bed back home is up high too. So everybody's happy. Isn't that great?

....Yeah.

[ Ken lets himself have a moment of softness. His parents....He can't regret being brought here, not after all he's heard.

But depending on how the flow of time is affected, he might make his family worry again. ]

[fionnuisce]

...You okay, kid? You look like something's bothering you.

no one will convince me mrs. ichijouji didn't drag her kids' old high chair out of storage

[ramengroupie]

[[ so wormmon can eat with the fambly. worm-sized bowl. sippy cup. ]]

--It's nothing.

[ And it has to be. Everyone is in this same position, aren't they? And his family will understand. They've supported him so much, all of his decisions. When he explained about the Digimon Kaiser. When he introduced them to Wormmon.

When he asked permission to go to college anyway, despite not needing it for his career. To become a burden because he wanted to try....finding out about the world for its own sake, not for a grade or any acclaim. To take these last few years before adulthood and live them for no other reason than that they'd never come again.

Ken believes in his parents. But not being able to send a message is hard. ] ...Sorry.

oh my god.

[fionnuisce]

...It's okay. [It wasn't. Even if Senku had already put forth the seemingly reasonable theory of a time discrepancy in their favor, he was still worried. Not just about Reines and his students, but if he went missing there were a few others that would worry if they couldn't get in touch.]

This is a lot to deal with, right? I can get that much.

the woman spends 50 episodes trying to feed her child she'd be THRILLED to have a smol bug son

[ramengroupie]

[ Ken nods. He'd been doing pretty well...He'd been holding up. And he's - now that he's heard what he's heard, he's glad he's here. He would rather be doing something about shadows out to destroy the multiverse than living in ignorance of the threat. He won't rush things. He'll live in the moment.

But he'll have to embrace his parents when he gets home. And he's done denying - to himself, anyway - when he feels things, even things that he knows aren't "productive", aren't something to be proud of.

He's glad he's here. He's sorry his parents might miss him. Both of these things can be true of Ichijouji Ken. ] Thank you.

[ Wormmon sees that Ken-chan is going to be okay, so decides to investigate their new lodgings. Don't mind him, just shooting a glob of webby silk up onto the side of the bunks and pulling himself up by it.

Thwip. ]

[fionnuisce]

...

[Waver looked very vaguely rattled by the presence of a large insect, but...at least it was a polite one.]

Uh...y-yeah, no problem.

[ramengroupie]

You really are a professor, aren't you.

[ Wormmon shuffles around up on the bunk, grabs Ken's rucksack, begins seeing what all's in here besides the ticket.

This is a LOT of orange stuff! ]

[fionnuisce]

What, don’t I look like one?

[He looked like a worn-out 28 year old in a ponytail, so the jury was out.]

[ramengroupie]

Not all instructors are perceptive or accommodating.

[ Ken smiles. If he'd had more teachers like that, as a child...More influences that let someone have time to react to the world, instead of applying pressure...

...That's a path that leads to nowhere, though. ]

It's nice.

[fionnuisce]

[A shrug.]

It's a pretty simple principle--you don't get optimal results working people half to death. My job is to bring out potential, not make them resent having it to begin with. I don't tolerate careless mistakes, and I always ask that my students give me the absolute best they have. Usually, they end up giving me better than that, and that's the ideal end goal.

[ramengroupie]

Education as growth, in other words.

[ Ken is starting to look a little sappy. Even more than for himself, there's someone...else....he wishes could have had a professor like Waver. ]