A New Platform [Intro Post November]

[voidtreckermods]

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!

Comments

[reluctantjinrou]

"My best friend is leaving." Natsuno said. "So I know him well enough."

He nodded slightly, it was sad, at least among other things.

[light_of_willpower]

"I'm sorry." Trunks said quietly, smile gone. There really wasn't much else he could say, but he meant it all the same.

[reluctantjinrou]

"It's alright. I wasn't expecting to see him again." He admitted. "That was nice, a little. Our relationship has become so complicated, that it just..." He shook his head.

"It's too bad what he's going back to."

[light_of_willpower]

"It's good you did have some time together then, even if it's not the best ending. We try to hold on to the good times, to help us get through the bad ones."

[reluctantjinrou]

"I'm not sure about that." He murmured. "A lot of my good memories with him are coloured by the worst memories I have with him." Natsuno confessed.

Part of him was afraid of his best friend and that was really unfair to him.

[light_of_willpower]

"If you ever want to talk about it, there are people here who'll listen. Including me." Trunks offered. Which is really all it was, an offer--Natsuno was free to take it or not. Including at a later date if he felt like it.

[reluctantjinrou]

"I'm not sure. I wasn't expecting to deal with anything. I'm supposed to be dead and now I'm not so I..." Natsuno was dealing with the consequences. The longer he lived, the more he thought about things, the more it weighed on him.

"I suppose avoiding things is unwise I just..." He sighed.

[light_of_willpower]

"Maybe you're just not sure what you want?" Trunks offered gently. "I mean, it sounds like your whole world and perspective were turned upside down. That'd be disorienting for anyone."

[reluctantjinrou]

"That is..probably not an inaccurate assessment." Natsuno said, considering it carefully.

"That's precisely what happened in the end and while I wasn't interested in entertaining that, I'm being forced to."

[light_of_willpower]

"I...know what it's like when your world changes, and you can't do anything but kind of learn to deal with it. It's hard." Trunks offered, before giving a half-smile. "If you ever want to talk about it, or spitball ideas, or just get anything out, I'll listen."

[reluctantjinrou]

He should keep avoiding it, but he'd been alive now for at least a full month and a half, and the delusion he was clinging to especially for Tohru's sake, was no longer necessary.

"Would you like some tea?" Natsuno offered instead. He could accept Trunks' invitation, but it would be better with a warm beverage in hand.

[light_of_willpower]

"That would be nice." Trunks agreed, head tilting to the side with a small smile. He figured out what Natsuno was doing, but he didn't mind.

[reluctantjinrou]

"Please." Natsuno gestured and began walking towards the kitchen. He was composing his thoughts, so he wasn't terribly talkative.

He would, once there, set the water to boil and pull two teabags out of his hoodie pocket, as he tended to carry them around. He didn't have a lot of possessions, but he picked up a lot of tea on that mission.

"Things were very complicated. I already told you I died, but really, it was the second time." Natsuno offered.

[light_of_willpower]

He didn't need to be talkative. Trunks suspected the other teen would speak soon enough, but he really didn't need to then if he didn't want to. Trunks would listen anytime. He raised an eyebrow at the tea in the other's hoodie, but that was more out of curiosity.

"Alright." Trunks said calmly. Not shocked by this, as perhaps he should be.

[reluctantjinrou]

Natsuno sighed heavily. "Vampires moved into my town and began killing people. They killed a girl I knew, terrible girl, but nonetheless after that she began to torment me."

He was glossing over things a bit as he poured the hot water into two mugs and dropped the teabags in.

"It culimated by her getting jealous and killing Tohru-chan. At that point, I realized there was a problem, and I was...very angry."

[light_of_willpower]

Trunks leaned against a counter and crossed his arms. "Gee, that sounds like a reasonable response to me, being very angry." Blue eyes were flashing even if the tone was encouraging. He understood that kind of anger.

[reluctantjinrou]

"Maybe." Natsuno acknowledged. "It didn't help that she was stalking me in her death as much as she did in her life."

He huffed, he really couldn't stand her. She was the worst.

"Vampires are considered fictional, so I wasn't crazy enough to go running around telling everyone. I decided to try and do something about it, but they figured that out. Tatsumi said the couldn't allow a hunter and he sent Tohru-chan to kill me. As a vampire of course."

[light_of_willpower]

"I...can't say I know what it's like to be stalked, other than being played cat and mouse, where I was the mouse, but I imagine it's not fun." Trunks commented softly, in sympathy. When Natsuno continues, he nods--vampires would sound kind of out there, but Trunks came from a different world that had it's own 'unbelievable' things. Then he was wincing hard.

[reluctantjinrou]

"It is...unsettling. She used to creep in the bushes outside my house and just sit there for hours. It was unpleasant." Natsuno frowned. "The less I think about her the better, I wasn't terribly sorry she died." That maybe said a lot about him.

"I did try and reach out once, but as expected, there was no way I would be believed. Not initially. I tried to bargain with Tohru-chan. To get him to...I don't know, leave them with me. I didn't mind feeding him if he just..."

Natsuno sighed. "Anyway. After a few nights of that, I died and I came back one of them, albeit the rare kind."

[light_of_willpower]

"What's the rare kind?" Trunks asked, as it was the logical question in his mind.

[reluctantjinrou]

"I'm not really sure." Natsuno admitted. "I have a heartbeat, my skin is warm, I breathe, I can eat regular food without it making me sick, I can wander around in the sunlight..."

He thought about it. "It's not unlike being a human except that I don't need to sleep and I have a host of powers and a need to drink blood, or I will get very weak and sick. I don't think it can kill me though. I think the difference is just less ways to die."

[light_of_willpower]

"Huh." Trunks murmured, filing that information away. "I'm sorry that happened though, and especially the way it did." Natsuno's world had DEFINITELY been changed dramatically.

[reluctantjinrou]

"Thank you." Natsuno said in acknowledgement for his kind words.

"But by then things were already in motion. I could protect those that were helping me, but no one else. My mother disappeared and I expect it's because she was killed. My father went insane." Natsuno sighed.

"It took time to get people to believe, and they're all dead now, I think. Including me. I took Tatsumi out with me."

[light_of_willpower]

"And then the train brought you back, as it were." Trunks offered. "Was your friend from the same point in the timeline as you? or earlier?"

[reluctantjinrou]

"Earlier." Natsuno answered. "He was turned awhile before me, which is how he ended up killing me."

He took a sip of tea. "That was horrible more because afterwards he wouldn't stop coming by the house, crying. I never want to hear him cry again."