voidtreckerexpress | A New Platform [Intro Post October]

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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Yeah, because I'm a Digimon," Wormmon is happy to explain. "My whole world is made of data."

"It's a 'digital world'," says Ken, to clarify. "We travel between his world and mine."

A pause, as something occurs to him. "There's no void, though."

Ichigo nodded at that. "The closest to a void we have in my world is the Dangai. It exists between the worlds, but there's no train. Just a cleaner that'll mess up your position in the timeline if it gets you."

Wormmon clings to Ken a little at the mention of being "gotten" by something that messes up timelines. Does that mean they could end up reliving...? Scary!

"So you were also aware of multiple worlds?" It sounds like Ichigo was, but Ken wants to be sure. If so, that's a rarity on this train. He'd been feeling a bit sheepish (and curious - why pick him? what significance does his presence have?) about being one of a very small handful of people who had done this sort of thing before...

...It's reassuring to know that others have experience.

"Oh yeah." Ichigo nodded. "Outside of the Dangai, there's the precipice world, Hueco Mundo, Soul Society, and the Soul King's palace. Oh, and Hell. The precipice world is hard to get to, not a lot happens there. Hueco Mundo, that's the realm of the Hollows. If you see a tall guy with blue hair and a half of a big cat's jawbone on his right cheek? Ask him about that place. It's where he's from."

"Scary."

Wormmon mutters this, instinctively, but extremely quietly. A big cat's teeth, even half a jaw's worth, would be frightening enough on their own without being attached to a person!

Ken, however, is stuck on a bit of a double-take. "Hell..."

On their own, the spectral nature of all those names could just be coincidence. But just like Wormmon is from a digital world...

Is Ichigo from a world of souls? (But he's a doctor....?)

"Eh, Grimmjow's bark is worse than his bite to most people. He'd probably eat me if he could, but he'd have to kick my ass first, and he's yet to manage that." Ichigo smirked a little and patted Wormmon's head gently.

"Oh yeah. Huge, huge doors with skeletons on them that descend out of nowhere. Very dramatic. But I've only seen them, like, twice. Hueco Mundo is just a barren desert of white sand, and it's always night. While soul society is like...feudal Japan, I guess is the best explanation. There's a whole ton of civilian districts that get more slum-like and dangerous the higher you go in number, while the soul reapers all live behind a big ass wall in military divisions."

No offense, Ichigo - you patted him and that means he likes you - but the more Wormmon hears about your worlds' aesthetic the more he needs a hug. Fortunately, Ken is happy to provide.

"And you're a....soul reaper," he concludes from this description; civilians don't usually call themselves "civilians". Though, Ichigo also knew to describe one of his worlds as "feudal Japan"...

Oh. "I see. You're from--"

Wormmon shivers in his arms, and Ken bites off what he'd been about to say. This is a problem. Ichigo's been nothing but thoughtful to them, but Wormmon has a bit of a ghost....hangup.

Getting his curiosity satisfied isn't worth scaring his partner.

"I..." Ichigo lets out a breath. "I violate probably several laws of existence. I'm a human, because I was born in the living world and my family is still there. I'm part hollow because of hollow energy that poisoned my mother years before I was born. I'm part Quincy, because that's what she was. And I'm part soul reaper because my Dad was a soul reaper captain before giving up his power to seal away the hollow energy that was killing my mother." He couldn't help the awkward half smile on his face. He was sure that was just utterly confusing.

....Yes, Ken can't follow those particulars. But the whole picture, when added up, doesn't that mean....and he'd said "the living world", so Ken was right an afterlife was involved.....but one that people can....traverse between, under the right circumstances? Is that what this means...?

And, above all, there was a family tragedy. Ken understands those.

"Your situation is complicated."

Ladies and gentleman: the former boy genius.

Ken's summation of Ichigo's existence made the redhead crack up, and he couldn't help laughing. "You're not wrong." Complicated didn't even scratch the surface of what his situation was, but it was possibly the most fitting way to describe it.

Ken chuckles back: it was an oversimplification, and he knew it.

Wormmon looks between the two of them.

"Hey, hey. Was Ken-chan funny? Tell me the joke! Heyyyy!!!"

They should probably hope they're close to where they're going.

Seeing that they were almost to the kitchen, Ichigo patted Ken on the shoulder again before letting him go. "I'm gonna whip up some sandwiches if you want some. Or you're free to get whatever you want. I'll warn you, though. Blue team is on cooking duty, so it's a coin toss if the food'll be super spicy or super bland."

"I'll take my chances," Ken promises, and Wormmon nods. They're tough! They can handle it!

(Thirty minutes later Wormmon is probably chugging milk. But he tried.)

A New Platform [Intro Post October]

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Wrap here?

sounds good!