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

[flatteries]

".. I wish we knew that for sure.."

Inigo remembers. How ironic. Wasn't it only a week or two ago that he was asking the train to give them some sign of what happens to the people who leave? To show them that they're back home and happy? At least Inigo would be able to put some of his worries to bed if he knew that to be true, but..

Truthfully, do they know anything for sure about where people go the moment they walk off the platform?

"I-- I keep worrying they're not back home. That they're somewhere else, or that something bad is happening to them.. And that we're out here with no clue, powerless to save them." His voice is quiet, like it's something he'd rather not admit. But if he has to admit it, then rather at a volume where most people can't hear it.

[adropofsunlight]

"I mean...I prefer to try and not think like that. I mean we don't know, but it's better to think more of the positive than negative." At least that was how she was planning on going anyway.

She knew if people lingered and attempted to only think of the bad then what then? After all he is right there isn't anything they can do anything so what would that mean for the people left?

Her worry if they linger too much it might affect them when it came to helping others in missions.

[flatteries]

Ah.

So it's like that. Right. That's the kind of attitude Inigo likes to project too, huh? Pretending he's always busy thinking of the positive, not even stopping to consider the negative.

Right. It was a dumb idea to let that slip, to let his pain show. He wipes at his eyes, trying to get rid of any remainder of tears, and sucks in a deep breath.

Time to pretend. Thankfully he's good at that. Inigo even manages to smile, even though it feels like his heart has turned into a black hole, sucking any and all happiness straight out of him.

"You're right, Rapunzel. Forgive me, just forget about anything I just said, alright? I'll just assume Gerome is happily reunited with Minerva back home right about now." No, he won't. He'll keep worrying. But Rapunzel's reaction just confirms that it's easier to act like he won't.

[adropofsunlight]

"I'm right about trying to think they are okay, that's all... I mean I don't know what those people are going back to. If I knew it might be completely different."

Which is why she was trying her best to keep being the positive, but even she knew she would have her moments and she did. She was just like others, probably hiding it underneath.

"So I just choose to ignore it I suppose...which I can't say is a good thing or not...it's just what I do."

[flatteries]

"No, no--!" Inigo is quick to shake his head, slowly slipping even more into the smile. Once he gets it started, it feels much easier to maintain for the moment. "No need to justify yourself. I'm sorry if I made it sound like I didn't agree with you."

He shakes his head lightly. Sure, it's true that he doesn't really agree with her sentiment when it comes to this - or rather, it's something he can't truly believe in deep down.

But he wouldn't want to take it away from her.

"It doesn't matter whether it's good or not as long as it works for you, after all, right?"

[adropofsunlight]

"I'm still figuring out what works for me. For all I know it's a good thing to feel sad sometimes... But I don't really know unless I figure thing out."

This whole thing was honestly new to her. Watching people she cared for go and potentially not come back. She honestly didn't know what else to think or do except attempt to be positive... It helps right?

It's what she likes to think.

[flatteries]

This is an opportunity.

As trained as Inigo is with trying to hide his own feelings, he knows perfectly well what you can latch onto to turn the conversation away from the way you feel. Like right now. He'd much rather talk about her right now than about himself.

"Were you never sad before?" Back home, he means. When her world was still so very small. "Is it new to you?"

[adropofsunlight]

"I mean. I lived in a tower. I was only sad because I couldn't leave, but Mother would always say something..." Maybe that was why she wasn't exactly sure if showing it was a good idea or not because back there it really wasn't.

[flatteries]

"That.. must be odd for you then."

His voice is still a tad more quiet than it'd usually be, maybe a bit less spirited, but Inigo is trying to build back up to how positive and smiley he usually looks really quick here.

"From going to a situation where you only had one reason to be sad to one where there's so many more reasons."

[adropofsunlight]

"I...guess." She didn't know what to add to that really. Yes, she went to only being sad because her mother didn't want her to leave to many more reasons to get sad, but yet at the same time she was still somewhat glad to have those reasons because it meant she could actually go out and explore the world for the most part.

"But that is what life is, right?"

[flatteries]

He'll give a slight nod at that.

It's hard to deny, especially in the face of everything that's been happening to him as well. But even though Inigo's heart clings to the more pessimistic side of that message right now, it's not what he wants to pass on to Rapunzel. So he smiles, going for something more positive.

"But.. well, the sad moments are why we enjoy the happy moments even more, right? If every moment was happy, we wouldn't be able to appreciate those quite as much."

[adropofsunlight]

She paused briefly before giving a slight nod, she could at least understand that or at least she wanted to try and understand.

"I guess so... Though do we really have to have bad things happen for us to appreciate those moments?"

[flatteries]

"Hmm, it's like.."

He hums, trying to think. Inigo can understand a little more just how precious good moments can be, having spent years in a hellscape of a future, but he knows that it may be harder for others to realise it.

Especially Rapunzel, whose life was always so very much the same back in her tower.

"If things happen often enough, or you do things often enough, or you eat the same food all the time.. Then even if you like those things, they stop feeling special after a while, you know? Then it just becomes the usual. Just normal. So when it's hard to stay positive during bad moments, it may be good to think of just how much greater the good moments to come will be."

[adropofsunlight]

Rapunzel paused for a moment. She at least understood that doing the same things over and over for her had stopped being so special back home that she could do them out of habit, but being here she understood that did appreciate what she was able to do back then.

Was that the same sort of idea?

"So you appreciate things more after having another thing happen. is that the case?"

[flatteries]

He nods.

"Exactly! And if it's the exact opposite of the first thing, then you learn to appreciate it even more through sheer contrast. It's why sunshine after days of rain feels so great!"

[adropofsunlight]

"Rain always looked lovely to me. The rain drops were always especially nice." And yes she saw the niceness of rain. But she could understand that a lot of people don't like it so the saying makes sense.

"But I understand. People would be happy when the rain passes"