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

She moved to sit down, hands sitting in front of her for the time being. She honestly wasn't sure what she could do to actually be helpful. She isn't use to having to deal with other peoples sadness minus her own or maybe Usagi's

"Good things in life is more dependent on what you enjoy honestly." Because that was different for everyone. "And I get wanting to move on quickly, but it's also normal to feel sad, you know. To be upset at someone who you were close to leave, but... they will always be there as a reminder of things, even if not physically."

He took the liberty of resting his hand on her near shoulder, which was honestly a little more than he thought he could get away with. "I enjoy the company of a pretty girl, that's where I was going with that," he said, amused despite himself. "But you know, it would be nice if anyone stuck around ever."

"The train in unpredictable, so I'm not holding out much hope on that sadly." Just like she isn't holding out much hope of ever seeing her friends on here, but at the same time she is sort of glad on that one too.

"But also...maybe get at least one other hobby. Like video games or reading manga is we ever get any"

"Reading what now?" Lost him there, Minako.

"Manga...you've...never read a manga before?" It was the first time she hadn't thought that other worlds might not know what it was.

"I don't even know what one is, so probably not!" After all, Edge wasn't exactly big on reading for the most part anyway...

"I guess I need to add Manga on top of all the things I need to get. I'm going to be poor for a long while yet I guess." Because this will cost a lot honestly.

"An injustice! Perhaps I might have the honor of helping?" He couldn't use the prerogatives of the throne to flirt here, but maybe he could accomplish something nonetheless!

"I don't know...I mean I would have to explain what a manga is right?" She didn't fully understand how the shop worked exactly.

"I don't know at all! But that hardly means I won't help."

"Well manga is a book that has text and pictures. It tells a story through this method and I personally love them. Easy to read and everything."

"That sounds a lot more interesting than boring old instructional tomes!" He's entirely in favor!

"I mean the purpose of what you said is learning right? If so, then yes those would normally be boring."

"And useless! You don't learn by reading, you learn by doing!"

Edge would also be a terrible student, were he ever to have been in high school.

"Wait, it does? How can you do English and math through except write and do the problems? We kind of have to read the books to understand what we are doing... or in my case try and understand."

"Learn what now? And math -- mathematics, you mean? Why would you learn that?" She said she was a bad student, yet here she was dipping into the esoteric sciences of the engineer?

"I guess english isn't what you would have needed to learn where you were from. It was language thing. As for maths it's because I think we use it for everyday things. I mean we at least add numbers together if one shops or something." As much as she can talk, her grades were still awful.

"Sure, but that's not hard! You pick that up normally, why go to learn it specially?"

Edge would maintain, till his dying day, that Minako was not dumb. Clearly she was just being asked to learn things she didn't need to!

"I don't know. We just go to school. I don't know why we have to learn anything." Just give her anything that isn't book-related stuff like PE. Just PE all the time.

"But school right now isn't important. Right now it's other things, though at least you seem a bit better. But maybe you should go get something to drink."

"Of course I'm better. I spent time with you, didn't I?"

A half-truth, honestly. Her presence cheered him and depressed him simultaneously, and maybe breaking free of the conversation was for the best.

A New Platform [Intro Post October]

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