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

[irrationally]

"Well, just don't run into the overly loud book then."

Yes, she said book. This is pretty normal by Alice standards, hence why she doesn't sound any different when she talks about it than she did a moment before.

"I believe he is a god-- or, well, he certainly seems to believe so himself. But he is an utter moron who only likes harassing people and claiming he is much greater than him."

[zechs_isonfire]

"... I could've guessed those personality flaws merely because he claims to be a god," Zechs told her wryly. "But if he's merely a book - how much can he truly do, if I was to be skeptical of his claims to his face?"

[irrationally]

She shrugs.

"I'm not sure. I never stuck around to see what powers he possibly has." There's only so much company from stupid people Alice can tolerate.

And it's not much at all.

"Though I don't think anyone should be afraid of him. He mostly just seems extremely annoying."

[zechs_isonfire]

Fear wasn't something that would've occurred to Zechs - even if Zetta was actually terrifying. So he snorted softly.

"If I should come across him, I'll simply place him right back between more well-behaved volumes on a bookshelf," Zechs delivered, deadpan.

[irrationally]

"Thank you. Please do that."

It's hard to tell if Alice is going along with it as a deadpan joke or whether she really means that.

(It's a little bit of both, really. Please put that book away somewhere it can't bother people, Zechs.)

"You would do all of us a great favour."

[zechs_isonfire]

"If it's for the good of the train, then," Zechs finally offered a small smirk.

"It's been a pleasure speaking to you, miss ...?" They hadn't introduced themselves, exactly.

[irrationally]

"Alice."

Apparently she does not offer an 'it's also been a pleasure' in return, because that's not how Alice rolls.

On the other hand, she must at least have somewhat enjoyed the conversation, or she would have walked away much earlier. Let alone even offered up her name like this.

"Alice Liddell."

I didn't see if 4th-walling is ok in her permissions, if it's not, Zechs will disregard this feeling

[zechs_isonfire]

The name seemed vaguely familiar, but Zechs ignored that for now.

"Zechs Merquise," Zechs offered in turn. "I anticipate we'll be working on missions together in the future."

ahh thank you, i forgot to add it!! it's totally okay with me for alice! c:

[irrationally]

"It's very much possible."

Especially since Alice rather liked going along with red last time compared to the purple missions she did before. If the next one involves any social aspects again for the purple team, she'll know where to olly over to instead.

"And I do suppose I'll see you around the train in general, either way. You'll find it's quite hard to not be surrounded by people in such a cramped space."

I always want to check first :)

[zechs_isonfire]

"Yes, that much I'm used to, at least. It's not that difficult to manage if we're all kept busy," Zechs agreed. Or at least, that's been his experience on the Martian terraforming colony.

The name suddenly pulled up a result. That ... hm. Alice's parents seemed to have had an odd sense of humor, had they? He didn't think of any other reason they'd inflict her with such a famous name, literary-wise. He wasn't thinking much more on it, and assured her instead, "I promise to avoid any puns related to your namesake."

<3!!

[irrationally]

She looks like she's about to leave, figuring they're done with this conversation.

But then Zechs instead continues to talk - and he just happens to say something that makes Alice completely stop her steps and turn back towards him instead.

".. My namesake?" She repeats, some clear confusion in her tone. Like she has no idea what he's talking about.

[zechs_isonfire]

He hadn't read the pamphlet yet, or he would've thought twice before speaking. But Zechs hadn't fully thought through the implications of other realities. Or, one might say - what kinds of possibilities could be generated if anything were possible.

Zechs raised his eyebrows slightly. "Alice Liddell? I will guess that your parents had an odd sense of humor when they named you, or they're inordinately fond of classic children's literature."

[irrationally]

For another moment Alice just looks confused.

Slowly, though, something seems to dawn upon her. Her brows knit together into a frown, though it's not necessarily annoyed - maybe more slightly exasperated.

"You too? There was someone here before who told me that he read about me in a book. I've never heard of such a book though."

[zechs_isonfire]

"... Interesting," Zechs said, because her reactions both times didn't seem feigned. And why lie about something so ... trivial? He thought a little. "So we're brought from different places, some with magic which seems impossible to me ... and some with people who have famous names. That's ... curious."

Still. At least he could offer, "From what little I remember, it doesn't seem that you're somehow a living version of a book character. If that helps any. That eliminates one ridiculous explanation."

The Alice he recalled reading about was curious, sure, but rather timid.

[irrationally]

".. actually, I'm not so sure if it's ridiculous."

There's a tiny pause. Just a hint of hesitation, where Alice has to think about whether or not to share this fact with Zechs. It's not something she's particularly secretive about, but still, Alice tends to not be open even about little things with most people.

But Zechs seems reasonable. And maybe knowing it will even help him figure out something about this train, or the nature of the worlds it's taking them from.

"Did Wonderland exist in that book?" Because that's what she had found so odd about the other person telling her about it. No one else should be know about it, and yet it was in some book?

[zechs_isonfire]

Catching the hesitation before the question, Zechs' eyes narrowed just slightly. Thinking. Calmly, he answered, "Of course. That is where that Alice had gone to - down a rabbit hole or through a looking glass. Encountering then all sorts of characters, of various kinds of absurdity."

He's just describing the kind of story, that word choice wasn't a judgmental one. But the book was, purposefully, absurd.

[irrationally]

Hey, at least calling the people in Wonderland absurd is just the truth, rather than something she'll take personal offense to..

Though something else about his description makes her tone turn a bit dry all the same.

"Yes," she says, almost slowly, like she's explaining something very obvious. "That's what I did when I was younger."

It'd be easy to assume she was joking.. if it wasn't for the fact that she seems totally serious as she says it.

[zechs_isonfire]

But given the whole context of this conversation? He didn't think she was joking at all. It seemed like too great a coincidence. Of course, Alice could be pulling his leg, but. Given her initial confusion over the idea of being a book character, it didn't seem like she was.

Zechs' eyes widened slightly. "I can't believe I can say which would be more disturbing - knowing I was someone's creation of fiction, or the idea that I'm presented with now - the idea that even simple stories have a chance of existing in some ... alternate reality."

But since Alice fell in the former category, he'd allow her the chance to say that she was pretty weirded out by this.

[irrationally]

"I do believe it's the latter, considering I haven't been the only Alice here."

That means she exists in at least two worlds, right? For her to exist here in the same place twice. Not to mention that from what it sounded like, the books never went beyond her childhood trips.

And she's hardly the same person anymore as she was back then.

"Although I hope you do realise calling my life 'simple' is more than just slightly offensive."

[zechs_isonfire]

"... That is even stranger. I can't imagine meeting someone nearly like myself."

He's pretty sure that they'd end up killing each other, for one thing.

Zechs frowned a moment, and bowed his head, sounding politely contrite, "Forgive me. I'm certain our lives are far more complex than written in any kind of book, let alone a children's story. We hardly were able to know the title character as a person - most of it seemed to be presented as metaphor. I doubt, even if I remembered the story perfectly, that was more than a glimpse of your life at that age."

[irrationally]

.. well. Talk about a surprising guy. Actually apologizing to her after she said that? Alice is very much used to people getting cross with her at best for saying something like that - let alone actually apologizing, with a bow of the head and all!

Zechs is moving up the list of tolerable people at a surprisingly rapid speed here.

So much so that she doesn't sound offended at all anymore when she speaks. "It's fine. Even if you knew the books really well, I doubt I'm still anything like the girl I was back then."

That fact had been made very clear to her just by having that younger, innocent Alice by her side for a while.

"They really are just some adventures from long ago. I hope you won't find it too strange talking to me because of it." Is that an actual hint of politeness in that last statement? Yup, sure is. It's not something Alice bothers to use with most people, but.. well, if Zechs is being kind enough, she can at least throw him a bone in turn.

[zechs_isonfire]

Zechs' smirked a little wryly in response to that, because, "I am much different from the person I was as a boy, as well. I don't believe most people grow up without changing, so of course you would be no different."

He shook his head. "No, not at all - I'd be happy to continue speaking with you, and working with you in future missions. To be honest, I'm less interested in what old stories about your childhood might say about you ... and more what this means about the places we're being kidnapped from as a whole."

[irrationally]

"That makes sense," she says, just a tad slowly. She's thinking about it as she's saying it, but it really does make sense. And it's why Alice doesn't seem very worried or annoyed by it - she can imagine the fact that meeting someone you used to know as a fictional character from a book is.. probably weird. Being on the other side of it feels less weird when it's not her first encounter with it, not to mention that her life has been.. well, let's say odd enough.

So she nods.

"In that case, I suppose we will see each other again soon enough." Since the train is so small that it's an inevitable anyway, really..

Although Alice more just means that she wouldn't mind that. But being open about that sort of thing is beyond this girl.

[zechs_isonfire]

"I'm certain we will," Zechs agreed, with a polite nod and a trace of a diplomatic smile. "Good day to you, Alice."

... He'd need to investigate just what kind of place he'd been abducted into serving.