voidtreckerexpress | A New Platform [Intro Post November]

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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!

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"Not a human." He retorted instinctively with a bit of a glum look in that direction.

Natsuno forced himself to look away.

"I suppose that's a point. I should embrace my feelings, as they're probably the only thing standing between me and the raw instinct to attack people, I would think." He reached up and pushed his hair out of his eyes.

"I should do something that is not staring at nothing." He frowned. He wasn't hungry, at least, his vampiric needs were met, but he was at a loss. "Maybe I'll have some tea?"

Did she want to join him?

She'll let him get away with the whole 'not a human' thing despite it not being the point here, considering he does seem to be seeing the actual point a moment later.

Besides, Alice does like having tea.

(With friends, but she's not even going to think that part.)

"Sure. As long as you won't attack me during it." Her voice is flat though, making it obvious that it's a very dry joke rather than any real concern on her part. Maybe it's her way of trying to make things a little lighter, while the departure of his friend must be weighing down on his heart.

Natsuno responded with a bit of an amused snort. As long as he wouldn't attack her. Right. He quirked a smirk at her.

"I'll try and contain myself." He drawled a bit sarcastically.

"Besides, if I was hungry, I could just consume those blood bags."

Time for tea! Alice will already start heading back over towards the train, though she's glancing back to make sure he's following as she speaks.

"Oh, you're the one having those?" Casually. So casually. And not even casually on purpose - no, this is just how casual Alice feels about the idea of people drinking blood. It's not like Natsuno is drinking it from a person, after all, so in that sense it's pretty much like any other drink around the train.

And sure, even though she already figured out he was a vampire, it's not like she's just going to assume all vampire stereotypes about him. Though it seems like this one is - at the very least - true.

"What do they taste like?"

Clearly a totally normal question.

"I can have regular food, which is a step above most, but I feel rather...sick if I don't." Natsuno admitted. He wasn't thrilled about it, but he just got weaker and weaker without it and felt unpleasant. It wasn't worth all of that in the long term.

"Not as you'd think blood would taste." He paused. "It tastes different from the coppery taste or scent you'd pick up as a human. I'm not sure how to describe it beyond that."

"In other words, I'd have to try it myself if I was curious enough about it, hm?"

Look, that's just the logical conclusion to take away from what Natsuno is saying. But before you think she's totally crazy - or, well, beyond how insane she quite literally is--

".. Don't worry though, I'm not thinking about drinking blood myself. It seems rather crude if you have no good reason for it. Though I'm glad the train provides it for you if it's a necessity."

"I'm not sure it would taste the same to you as it does to me. It's..there's a craving involved. Being a vampire is needlessly complicated." He admitted with a bit of a sigh.

"I wasn't, besides if you decided you wanted to try it, it's in the communal fridge, I wasn't going to stop you." He smirked slightly. "I think it would be rather challenging otherwise. I wouldn't die, I don't think. I resisted drinking blood for much of the time after I turned."

Alice definitely makes a bit of a face at that idea.

"I'm not just going to drink from the blood bags."

She may have done a lot of weird things in her life, but she wouldn't want to add drinking blood to that list, okay. She can understand Natsuno needing to do so, but her voluntarily doing it just for curiosity's sake? Ugh. It feels kind of gross just thinking about it.

She shakes her head though, abandoning the thought. There's more important things to be addressed here.

"What would happen then, if it wouldn't kill you? Would you end up being unable to even move after a while?" It'd be good to know in case - for some reason - the train decided to stop stocking blood at some point. Alice wouldn't put it past this thing.

He was quiet, which wasn't unusual for him, for a moment or two as he considered her question. Teasing aside, of course he wasn't expecting her to drink more than tea during their little hang out.

"I'm not sure. Before, I was able to move alright. I was weak and none of my skills were in working order." Natsuno admitted. "But after I had some, it now feels very unpleasant. I don't think I'd end up prone, but honestly, I have no idea."

She clicks her tongue. "That's not good."

And sure, she may not be explicitly stating any concern here, but it's implied in her words all the same. That she - at least to some extent - cares about Natsuno's wellbeing. It sounds like he's been through a lot back home, after all, and he's not a bad guy at all. He shouldn't suffer here, at the very least.

"I'm not quite sure if we can always trust the train to keep supplying blood like that, after all. What if it suddenly stops one day?"

"If it stops, I'll..." Natsuno trailed off a moment.

"I'll suffer the consequences. If I lose my senses, I won't blame anyone for killing me. They should. I wouldn't want to bite anyone without permission."

"Don't be ridiculous!"

She huffs. Sure, Alice knows there's technically not much to be done about the train. It's not like it listens to even violence, after all, which is the main language she speaks.

But she hates something about this very idea.

"You shouldn't have to suffer the consequences just because the train happens to not provide you with something that's vital for you! We ought to shake it down when that happens."

"I have no problem trying, but I suppose if it decides to no longer provide, there will be a limit to what we can do about it." Natsuno paused. "Unless I suppose, I use those points I've been racking up somehow."

Somehow Alice looks.. almost annoyed? Though not at him, since Alice is pretty direct about it when she directs her annoyance in anyone's direction. No, this is very much annoyance at the train, at this whole concept of being trapped here at the mercy of someone else's whims to begin with.

"We shall see about that limit if that happens to pass."

In other words: Alice is not above still attempting to beat up the train if it's for the sake of a friend's wellbeing.

"Hopefully, we never have to find out." Natsuno answered with a nod. He wouldn't dissuade her, of course.

They entered the kitchen car and he moved to find a tea in the stores that suited his mood. Something with caffeine would be nice.

"You're free to pick the tea," Alice says once they're in the kitchen car. He's already looking to begin with, and honestly, Alice likes tea enough that she isn't very picky about the particular kind she's drinking. She'll just have the same as him, it'll save some time too.

Instead she just moves to lean against a counter, seeming to think.

"Don't you think the way people leave this train is odd too?"

"Yes." Natsuno answered, selecting a black tea blend and moving about to get the water started.

"It's almost as though they are entranced. They can't see or hear anything. I wonder if it's painful for them." He frowned. That...would freak him out.

She hums in response to indicate that she's trying to think about it now herself. Would it hurt? There's no indication that anything would physically hurt, but then again, if they don't react to anything, they probably wouldn't react to pain either..

"Even if it's not painful, I can't imagine it's fun. Imagine if something or someone else had control over your body." It's practically Alice's biggest fear, in fact, though she manages to keep her tone fairly even as she speaks about it. This is the payoff for lots of practice, really. "Wouldn't that be terrible?"

"Yes." Natsuno agreed with a frown. He shuddered. He'd actually been there. Not in the sense he'd done anything, but he'd been frozen in place, unable to move.

That was enough.

"Hopefully they won't remember it...hopefully." He didn't wish his friend ill, mostly.

".. hopefully," she repeats.

There are a lot of things to hope for though, aren't there? Hoping that the people who leave that way actually end up back home, for one. Even death would be preferable over some places where people might be kept under worse circumstances than here on the train, Alice can't help but think.

"I just hope it won't be us next. Even though I don't exactly like this train, I'd rather not find out what happens to people on the other side of those gates they leave through. If it isn't just them going home."

"I'm not sure how I feel about it." Natsuno answered as the water boiled.

He turned it off and set about preparing the tea then.

"If I was going home, that's fine. In theory it's just me going to rest, finally, but if it's somewhere else." He sighed. "I'd rather be here, I suppose. It's not the worst."

She nods.

"This place isn't exactly spacious, and some of its limits are annoying, but at least we aren't locked into rooms." Which may be a very low bar to clear, but that's how she was living for ten years. So in comparison just about anything seems better to Alice. "And there is food. Granted, this train could take any of it away from us at any moment, but things seem to be going decently so far."

And she's already been here for a while, so the paranoia about things suddenly changing is at least slightly less by now. Especially since everything has more or less been the same ever since she first showed up here.

Natsuno set a cup of tea in front of her and took one for himself, moving to take a seat.

"That's a valid point, I don't think I would enjoy being locked in a room." It didn't sound the least bit enjoyable.

"I don't know what to do about the food situation since mostly we're just stuck on this train. I mean, I guess we could buy some in the places we go, like the last mission."

"As an expert in that department, I can tell you I can't recommend it."

It's said a little dryly, because it's honestly the best way to deal with those memories. Downplay them. Don't think too hard about them, before she gets lost in them.

"And I suppose we could hoard food, but.. who is to say the train might not take that away from us as well?" She shakes her head. "If we're to speak of the downsides of this train, it's that I certainly don't appreciate something constantly being in control of us like this."

Even if the train is being fairly lenient up until now.

No, it wouldn't do to dwell on these things and that was the same respect she gave him, he wouldn't dwell on the bits of history she shared with him either. If she wanted to brush it off, he had no problem with that.

"I suppose that's an equally valid point." He frowned. "I agree, I don't like being anyone's puppet."

That should be rather apparent. He didn't think much about people telling him what to do or what he should be.

"It's not like we can just leave either. This whole being kidnapped is an incredible pain."

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