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

[purifyings]

"Alice...?" repeated Nike, trying to let it sink in is one of her roommate's names. To be fair, Nike couldn't help smile happily at having gotten the other girl's name. She was honest. That was more than enough reason for Nike to like her especially when she presents her the bunk across from her.

"Are you sure you don't mind having me as your bunk neighbor?" asked Nike, almost with a small tease in her tone because, "I won't allow anyone else to take it from me now because you gave me permission to have it!"

She will even fight with whoever tries to take it from her without warning. There were intentions of it in her tone from the sheer happiness and determination.

"It's nice to meet you! Alice is a very beautiful name. I really like it," added Nike after taking a seat, looking at her from across the room, "I'm Nike! I really hope we'll get along."

[irrationally]

This is all so much. Somewhere between the sheer enthusiasm radiating off Nike in waves and the compliments, Alice has no idea what to even tell the other girl. She's never had to deal with anything quite this extreme, and it doesn't help that her social experience beyond very casual, brief interactions isn't amazing to begin with.

So there's just an awkward moment of staring at the other before Alice looks away, her cheeks colouring perhaps the faintest shade of pink. She's clearly not embarrassed, okay, it's just-- it's just suddenly hot in here! Yes! Obviously!

"I'm sure I will regret it soon enough, but it's not like we have a lot of choice."

It's between Nike and her other two new roommates, and while Nike is overwhelming as hell, at least she doesn't seem.. bad?

"You aren't a rowdy sleeper, are you?"

[purifyings]

"Rowdy sleeper?" repeated Nike after putting her things on her new bunk. Sitting down, she'll shake her head, "As long as we don't sleep in the same bed, you should be fine. Apparently, I have bad posture whenever I sleep or something to that effect."

As she thinks about it further, Nike will realize she may need to be entirely honest with her roommates concerning her current situation. She isn't certain how the train or the void will affect her powers. For one thing, "I'm actually a deep sleeper. No matter how loud anyone or anything gets, I won't easily wake up. It's the reason I usually wake up late in the morning if no one shakes me a bit." Well that or... "Not only that but sometimes I may not wake up at all. It only happens whenever I'm starving though. If you notice I don't wake up, even after being violently shaken, then it means I need food in my system. Bring something warm with a pleasant smell and I promise I'll open my eyes in an instant!" added with more enthusiasm as the thought of food will always make her eyes sparkle happily.

She supposes she should admit about being a guardian spirit too but decided against it. For now, that is. No need to startle Alice if she thinks spirits are scary. She may need to tell her roommates if anything out of ordinary happens though.

So looking at Alice once more, she'll wonder, "Any other concerns? I don't mind answering any question you may have. No matter how embarrassing!"

[irrationally]

"I mean, what you said just now is fairly concerning," Alice can't help but remark in the dryest, most deadpan way possible. It's not the most ridiculous thing she's seen or ever heard of before - Alice has a literal mental world full of odd things, after all.

But it's still yet another thing entirely to hear someone so casually say that they might literally not wake up some mornings if they're just too hungry.. Is Nike even real? Maybe Alice is hallucinating her. She's slowly getting that impression.

"Can't you just make sure to eat enough so it won't happen in the first place?" At least she doesn't sound annoyed as she says it, as much as she just sounds.. kind of vaguely concerned. Who would let themselves get to 'starving' levels of hunger in the first place if the train has actual food in stock!

[purifyings]

"Concerning?" repeated Nike, it was clear this may be the first time anyone may have ever said those words to her. Livi and everyone else in the Sun Kingdom only accepted the situation for what it was. None of them cared about the issues with her body unless to force her to lose an absurd amount of weight to be able to fit in with the kingdom's beauty standards.

Even if Alice's voice was deadpan, there was still an ounce of concern in them, not to mention the way she asks her next question. Nike may just be left flabbergasted. She didn't expect this!

"A-Ah, well," began to stutter Nike before admitting, "I...I don't know how this train or the void will affect me. I can't say for sure if I eat a lot that I won't be in starvation mode the next day." How to explain this? Her green eyes will look to the side, in a thoughtful way, "You see, one of my core abilities is always 'on', I can't turn it 'off' unless I grow too weak to connect." How to explain she can connect with nature, worlds, spirits, and people in general? "I'm known as a Rain Summoner back home. My abilities are not just connected with rain; I can control the weather, absorb negative emotions to create purifying rain, create water creatures, and use hypnosis by singing. To be able to do so, I need to connect with my surroundings, be it the world, nature, spirits, or the very people living there. I can hear and sense their emotions as a group, I can hear when someone's life is coming to an end and can see and communicate with spirits."

[irrationally]

“So that ability forces you to eat so much to be able to use it?” Apparently Alice isn’t too fazed by the ability itself. She has seen so many odd things by now, lived through them— Nike’s abilities hardly strike her as anything out of the ordinary anymore. So that’s not what she’s asking about here.

She is quiet for a moment, overthinking it, but then Alice sighs as she speaks up.

“What a pain to deal with. You can’t even turn it off, so you are forced to live with it regardless of whether you want to or not.”

[purifyings]

There will be a pause as Nike tries to find another explanation for the issue; however, Alice hits the nail on the head. If it weren't for her powers, her body wouldn't burn so much energy. Food was very important in her country as much as the rain and being able to control the weather was.

Nike will give Alice time to think everything over before hearing her next comment. A soft smile will spread on her face before shaking her head,

"...I don't mind it."

If anything, she will admit to the other girl, "I was born with the ability to connect with my surroundings. Everyone in my family, who is a direct line to the Rain Summoners, can hear and feel the same sensations I can. Even my mother can still hear and sense it..."

The mention of her mother may have Nike feel a little tense. Just for a moment. Looking down on her lap, "Only once I was disconnected by my surroundings. It happened after I regained consciousness from a coma induced by poison." She'll begin to tremble, remembering the feelings after realizing, "...the ritual my sister and I performed to reconnect did not work...I...I..." The fear of being unable to hear or feel anything while noticing the sky was so far will have her feeling insanely cold.

Looking down, she'll realize the fear to feel anything will begin to increase, it was now easier to feel the weight of the void on her body. She'll wipe any tears forming, shaking her head, "I must sound like a lunatic to you right now. A person who misses hearing voices and sensing emotions like tugs and pulls from a string isn't normal. I'm sorry..."

[irrationally]

...

Well, this is escalating rather rapidly. In a way Alice is increasingly unsure of how to deal with. She has never been good with these things, after all, lacking the social experience necessary to know how to properly comfort someone. Over the years she's grown so used to hurting that Alice is no longer sure whether she can really still do the opposite of that at all.

But just watching the other girl as Nike is on the verge of crying feels a little too awkward as well. Nike may be odd, sure, but.. has odd ever been a bad thing to Alice of all people?

She stands up, slowly reaching out to put her hand on the other's shoulder. It's an awkward gesture, weirdly hesitant compared to the rest of Alice's.. well, everything, really, but it does land on that shoulder.

"Who cares about normal? Nobody is here is normal."

.. Well. Mostly. But this isn't the time for nuance.

"If you're hurt, then hurt. Don't care what anyone else thinks of it. Nothing is more valid than your own feelings, and no one can take those away from you." As much as Alice is very, very capital A awkward with comforting others, at least this is easy to say. Because she fully believes in it, especially what happened to her personally back home.