voidtreckerexpress | A New Platform [Intro Post November]

On the Train

The morning after the Halloween party passengers are once again woken by a familiar voice.

"Good morning passengers, it is day one of the month of Imagination. 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. But through the fog comes sunshine, causing patches where the light shines down to warm the concrete. Looking up passengers will not be able to see the sun through the fog, or much of the sky at all.

As usual the first to leave the train notice nothing as they walk silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers. Bryn Pendragon, Bucky Barnes, Colden Rollins, Elena, Fai D Flourite, Jiang Yanli, Juliette d'Aubigniy, Misa, Peter Parker, Samata Mahto, Satou Kuroneko, The Doctor, Tohru Mutou, Zuko, 10 Vigilant Gaze Purges The Horizon. They all walk silently and do not look back as they disappear through the barriers and into the fog beyond.

But on the platform itself there are 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 the thick fog, penetrated by beams of light. As their eyes adjust they will see they are on a platform, behind them are a set of barriers and in front of them is a single track.

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 five 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.

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 and Honey is the newest ingredient, jars of honey stock the shelves and the ICP's in the kitchen have recipe ideas for the month.

A new carriage has been added, those that go to investigate will find a small but function-able spa, complete with a small hot tub and even a steam room. It is a relaxing room with sun lamps and relaxing music or nature sounds available through the ICP. There are a couple of massage tables, with a course for how to give massages for those eager to learn.

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 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

"It..." Where he came from, using a personal name only, without qualifiers, implied a certain kind of relationship - familiarity, at the very least, and while Xichen had (perhaps) the seniority and authority to address so in many cases, he wasn't sure it was right, either. "It does not have to be a master of land or property. Master of the skills that you have, of the achievements that you have reached, is that not a master still?"

But also, he was very bad at saying 'no' directly. Or even using reasons that were his own and subjective for avoiding agreeing. So he was probably going to end up doing as requested, with mild discomfort until he got used to it.

"This one is Lan Xichen. And... I see, a vehicle for transportation makes sense." It did, too, though the machine power part was probably going to take a while, on the why as well as how. With that context, he looked a little closer at it, silent for a few moments, before giving a small nod. "So this elevated structure is to make it more convenient to get off and on it?"

In all honestly, Lea wasn't even sure he qualified for 'mastery' in that sense. True, there were things he was reasonably good at, but the one skill he had that had a formal title of Master associated with it, he wasn't even close to achieving Mastery in. Still, it seemed to mean something to this guy, so... "Yeah, I guess you could say that," he conceded. "So you can call me Master Lea, if you want. At least until we can figure out something that works better."

"Lan Xichen..." he repeated, a little thoughtfully. "Any relation to Lan WangJi? Because if so, you might be in luck, since he's already on the train."

"And yeah, that's what the platform is for. Because of how trains are built, without a platform or else some steps, it'd be hard for most people to get in and out of the carriages. Plus the platform provides a pretty clear indication of where potential passengers are supposed to stand, so they won't be in the way of the train when it arrives. Or in some cases, in the way of people who work on the train trying to do their jobs."

"With this particular train though, it's much more the former. Especially since most people who end up here tend to do so pretty unexpectedly. We're not entirely sure how people arrive on the platforms, but every two weeks, the train will stop at another one, and there'll be new people waiting, and most likely some people getting off too. We think the train somehow pulls people to the platforms from wherever they were before, but when it comes to how exactly that works, it's anybody's guess."

Xichen's eyebrows rose, after his nod, face softening a little. "You know my younger brother?" That Wangji was here was surprising...

... but comforting. And the fiery impression of this young man seemed to fit with Wangji's habit of being drawn to his apparent opposites.

Then Xichen listened, head tilted to one side.

"Drawn here... by the train itself?"

In his experience, vehicles of transportation did not exactly make the choices about anything.

"So you are related," Lea said, pleased that he'd guessed correctly. "Yeah, I know him. Can't say we're super close or anything, but he seems like a pretty nice guy."

Xichen's next question though, was a bit more difficult to answer. But also a very fair one, under the circumstances. "Yeah... this particular train isn't exactly your normal train. I don't think it's even your normal voidtrain. The biggest reason for that being that... it's alive somehow. Or at least has a mind of its own. There are certain people on board who have the power to sense things like that, and they've confirmed it."

"Though if I'm being completely honest, we're not entirely sure that the train is the one bringing us all here. We just haven't encountered anything else that could explain it, and the evidence we do have seems to fit with that idea. So that's our running theory at the moment."

Xichen nodded slightly. "He can seem distant, but he is kind and fair, in truth." The affection he held for his younger brother was deep and abiding, immutable.

Then he tilted his head.

"So truly... no-one knows. Or if they do, they do not reveal it."

It would not have occurred to him, that second option, mere months ago. But now, he knew that it was possible.

Lea nodded. "That's about the size of it," he said. "Though I'm more inclined to think it's the former; it'd be pretty hard to keep a secret like that for too long on a train full of people who have a vested interest in finding it out."

"We do have a pretty good idea why we were all brought here though, at least in the short term. The train travels around to worlds that are in trouble- the kind of trouble that the locals can't necessarily handle themselves- and we help them out in different ways. Everybody gets assigned to a team when they're brought here, and when it's time for a mission, the different teams are assigned to do different things."

"We're not sure how who ends up on what team is decided, but Orange team seems to get tasks that require more brain power than muscle power, while Red team seems to get the most dangerous ones. Blue and Purple's tasks usually fall somewhere in the middle. Chores on board the train get assigned by team too, though that seems to alternate every month, so no team is stuck doing just one thing."

There was a slight... not wince, but a tightening to Xichen's features. "When people are determined enough, they can give no hint of knowing something, so even people who believe are closest to them would suspect there is something to learn. "

But then his expression relaxed once more as he listened further.

"Ah. Helping people, with what any of us can manage... that is a good thing, yes?"

Lea wondered about that small shift in expression, but didn't ask. Whatever prompted the tightening of the other man's features, he was willing to bet that it wasn't the kind of thing one asked about on the first day.

Instead, he latched onto the change of subject. "Yeah, generally a good thing," he said. "Least I think so, and that seems to be the general opinion. No one's required to do missions though, or even to stick to the part their team is assigned to if they do go. In fact there's an unofficial team called Black Squad that tries to help out with all the other teams' missions however they can."

A New Platform [Intro Post November]

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