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

[kingcat]

Grimmjow is not an expert in a lot of emotions, but heartbreak? Heartbreak is what makes a soul become a hollow. He doesn't even remember what it was that tore his heart from his chest and formed his mask, but the feeling is always with him, laying quietly beneath all the anger and bravado he gives off.

So when he sees her, he knows. He feels. Comfort is not something he knows how to give, but he approaches anyway to stand next to her and watch the leaving passengers. "Fuck 'em," he says, gruff and simple.

[marriedanidiot]

It's such an incongruous statement that it yanks her attention back to here and now, rather than straining to follow Feanor out the gate.

"Who...?"

She stirs, lifting her head to look at him. She can't quite mange curiosity, but it tries to stir.

[kingcat]

"Whoever's leavin'," Grimmjow replies levelly, watching the people vanish. "If they ain't strong enough to stay, then fuck 'em."

[marriedanidiot]

She breathes a sound that might be a laugh, in other circumstances. It sounds more like a cry.

"My husband. And you must not blame them."

Her voice is still quiet. Distant. But as she focuses on Grimmjow she seems to settle, looking a little less as if she's going to fade away.

"The train takes who it wills."

[kingcat]

"Why not?" He replies with a huff. "If you're weak, you do what you're told. If you're strong, you do what you want," it was the only thing he was sure of, the only real rule he could ever remember following.

"Train can go fuck itself," he added, almost as an afterthought, and cast a glare over his shoulder at the thing. He didn't trust it, and he trusted even less how... uninvolved it was pretending to be. "Hopefully before it decides to really start usin' us." He suppressed a shudder.

[marriedanidiot]

Despite everything, she manages a smile.

"So young." She says softly, fondly. "Life is not that simple, I fear. Would that it were so easy! Besides. He was already lost to me before - that I had even this much time, to begin to mend the injuries done before, this was a gift unexpected, and I will not regret it, e'en despite the pain I suffer now."

[kingcat]

"I ain't young," he replied defensively, but he couldn't argue that it was that simple -- he knew it wasn't. He'd tried to keep his world simple and streamlined, but after Aizen had showed up, his life had been nothing but chaos. "Life might not be simple, but you can be." He stuffed his hands into his pockets and scowled at the platform. "Pain is strength, if y'know how to use it."

[marriedanidiot]

"Younger, I suspect, than I."

Although that is true of 99% of the train, SO.

But her smile gentles, all the same, recognising bluster for what it is.

"It can be. But right now... the wound is still too fresh."

[kingcat]

He doesn't seem surprised when she says he's probably younger than she. "Well, if you're at least a few hundred years old, there's no way to tell," he replies with a shrug. "I don't remember anythin' before becoming an adjuchas so I got no idea how long ago I was human."

When she mentions the wound being fresh, one of his hands goes to the center of his chest, absently scratching at his shirt. "Yeah... I get that," he mumbled, and turned his gaze to her again. "What y'need is a good fight. Get your blood up and your thoughts quiet." Run away from your feelings, like a sensible creature.

[marriedanidiot]

She reaches over to pat his hand, smile still small but soft and gentle.

"Thank you, my dear. But I am not the fighter of the family, I fear."

[kingcat]

He looks at her hand as it pats him, a little furrow forming in his brow because the gesture is just... so foreign to him. He can't remember kindness, not in the way she offers it, and it takes all of his willpower not to jerk away from the unfamiliar sensation.

He rolls his eyes when she says she's not a fighter. "So I'll beat someone up an' you can heal 'em," he replies with a huff. Why are there so many healers on the train? And people that are just... generally soft. Nice, even. It makes no sense.

[marriedanidiot]

That actually succeeds in making her laugh.

"Oh dear! Please don't, I am not a healer either, although yes I help them out. I'm an artist, my dear. But thank you for the sentiment."

[kingcat]

Is he blushing? No, that definitely can't be why his cheeks suddenly feel like they've caught fire. It's the first time he's ever made someone laugh without them laughing at him, and it does strange things to his chest.

So when she says she's an artist, he digs a hand into his pocket and produces a pair of pencils, gently used on one end and slightly gnawed on the other. "You can draw curses on the outside of the train," he suggests.

[marriedanidiot]

She touches one and smiles at him.

"They're yours? Do you like to draw?" She chuckles at the suggestion.

"I could. But I doubt they'd survive Void travel."

[kingcat]

There's a long enough hesitation to the answer to tell her that he's (mostly) lying. "Yeah, but I don't use 'em. I don't know anything about drawing," he admits, and cocks his head at the rest of what she says.

"Who cares if it survives? That's not the point of doin' it." Was it? He was pretty sure the point had been to get the emotions under control again, but emotions weren't exactly his area of expertise.

[marriedanidiot]

She touches the gnawed on part. "A writer, then?"

She hums and smiles. "Well. I could, I suppose. But I prefer to draw. We could do pictures of the passengers, maybe."

[kingcat]

"Somethin' like that," he concedes. More like he was using them to learn to write, but she doesn't have to know that.

He did not intend to get roped into doing a drawing, but he finds himself inexplicably unable to make himself refuse. "Okay," he wasn't confident he'd be able to draw anything even remotely resembling a human, but he could give it a try. For her. "All my paper is back inside, though." Plus it would be a whole lot easier to draw if they had a table to sit at.

[marriedanidiot]

She beams at him, seeming much more solid and real with her pleasure.

"Well, I have a notebook. We could try in that? Or are you ready to go back in?"

[kingcat]

He doesn't fully understand the change he's seeing in her, but it makes him feel warm just the same. "I ain't picky," he replies, "but it's easier to make marks with a table under the notebook."

[marriedanidiot]

"True." She smiles fondly at him. "Help me up? We can go and sit in the kitchen."

[kingcat]

Before he even realizes what he's doing, he's offered his hands to her. The expression on his face is priceless -- here he is, helping someone for no reason. The shock, confusion, and horror at himself are all fighting for dominance in his expression.

[marriedanidiot]

She does not giggle at the stunned look on his face, only reaching up as he helps her, to cup a fond hand over his cheek.

"Ah now, don't look like that, my dear."

[kingcat]

If it were possible to spontaneously combust that's exactly what he'd be doing, his entire face going dark red when she touches him. Everything but the bone mask over one cheek, anyway. "I don't look like anything," he grumps defensively, but there's no venom in it.

[marriedanidiot]

He really does remind her of Carnistir, she realises, delighted, and takes pity on his embarassment, gentle fingers brushing his hair back and tucking it behind an ear instead of lingering.

"As you say." She agrees, fond.

[kingcat]

He's never been touched like that before, and it makes his chest feel strange. Frowning a little, he nodded, but he hadn't let go of her other hand yet. It felt... strange. But he liked it.