A New Platform [Intro Post December]

[voidtreckermods]

On the Train

It's only been a couple of days since the Voidtrecker Express took to the void once more, and many of the passengers are still recovering and recuperating after a very hectic end to their latest mission. Nevertheless, they are awoken by a familiar message.

"Good morning passengers, it is day sixteen of the month of Imagination. Points have been updated on the system."

They have indeed, and everyone can spend the morning shopping. Those who have been on the train for 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 the windows fill with the fog that means they are at a platform. It is warm outside with a pleasant breeze that flows down the platform, rustling the light spread of leaves that litter the floor.

As usual the first to leave the train notice nothing, walking silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers. Akemi Homura, Alfred the Poisoner, Donatello Versus, Chie Satonaka, Joscelin Fitzthomas, Ronan Lynch, Rose Tyler, Tangle the Lemur, Trowa Barton, Wester Mazaki and Whisper the Wolf all pass through the platform, not looking back before 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 swirling leaves at their feet, moving in flurries and rattling against each other softly. As their eyes adjust, they will see they are on a platform, cement and packed earth forming a very practical, plain-looking shelter. Behind them is a set of barriers, and in front of them is a single track extending both ways into thick fog.

They are standing, in clothes that are not their own and a style 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 eight 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's 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 lead to something terrible. 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 (see
'Publications'). The store rooms have been restocked with more jars of honey, the ingredient of the month of Imagination, as well as sundries.

A new carriage has been added right next to the luggage carriage. It is a second medical carriage, or triage carriage. Downstairs is more open with beds and chairs, upstairs are two surgical bays for those that need immediate attention.

For those intrigued by the claim of a parcel for every passenger they will find several large boxes filled with small blue bags. Inside each bag is ten dark blue coins imprinted on each side with a silver snowflake. Each bag has a small label with a passengers name. On the other side of the label it reads: Keep these safe for now.

Of course for any passengers that have bought items, these are also scattered around the luggage carriage as well.

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 taking advantage of the pleasant weather and the doors slide shut. Veteran passengers know what will happen next, but they may wish to brief their new companions.

The train sets off, the fog obscuring the view again 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

Demyx | Kingdom Hearts | OTA

[melodiouspacifist]

Platform

Demyx found himself on a platform. That was weird, considering he hadn't been planning on going anywhere, exactly. Sure, he could, but he hadn't been planning on it.

He lingered in the back and someone with sharp eyes might see a bit of darkness appearing behind his hand, near his back. It dissipated a moment later since he couldn't open the dark corridor. Hm.

He was not wearing what he had been a moment ago, he was sure. That was...weird. He spotted someone in blue or purple and he popped up beside them.

"Hey! Wanna trade sweaters?" He asked, tugging on the orange hoodie. Didn't it look appealing?

Train

He was forced to board the train when his attempt to open a dark corridor failed, and there was little else to be done for it.

So, until he figured things out, he would play the part. He'd offer a bright smile to anyone who approached. "Hey there, what's up?"

Demyx was listening, too, to see if he could overhear something interesting.

Cabin 2-A

Roommates. Ugh. He wasn't sure he wanted some, frankly, and even the Organization he got his own room.

Surprisingly, he didn't have too much trouble with the ticket machine. He was clever enough to sort that out.

"Hello?" He called, smiling as he opened the door.

Around the train

Demyx was doing his best to blend into the background noise. He smiled, sure, but as far as people would hopefully be concerned, he was background furniture.

Background furniture with a big sitar the same size as him draped over his lap.

He flexed his fingers, carefully tuning each of the strings. He would get to low background music at some point. People could approach, he just didn't think they would.

2-A

[consider8]

Demyx walked in as Eight was putting down her new ink tank. The sound of an unfamiliar voice unsettled her, and a pair of startled eyes looked up at the new person.

...right, one of the people that left was the other girl of the cabin. So wait, does that mean that she was going to share a room with three guys?

"Ah...!" Was all she could manage as her thoughts were far, far removed from actually welcoming the new guy.

[melodiouspacifist]

"Hey." Demyx offered cheerfully. "This ticket says it's my room, so here I am."

He didn't react at all to the fact she was an octoling. He'd seen stranger things in his time.

[consider8]

"You're..." A guy. Why did she have to bunk with three guys? "...not what I was expecting."

Well, there was no sense in getting too caught up with things. "Well, whatever. You're getting top bunk on what was formerly the girl's side." Which was closer to the sprinkler system above.

"There's two other guys, Curufin and Jessie, on the other side. Light's out is an hour or so after it turns lights out outside." She paused. "You're going to want to get into the bed of your own volition. Trust me, it's better that way."

[melodiouspacifist]

"Sure, I guess." Demyx said, scratching the back of his head. It was kind of strange that she was expecting something else, but that was fine, he could work with that.

"I'm not really tired though." He said, blinking. Lights out? Was this some kind of strange train shaped summer camp?

Platform

[mtsilver_conquor]

"Doesn't work that way to start with," Eva says with an amused grin.

"But later you'll be able to buy better clothes."

[melodiouspacifist]

"Aw really?" Demyx pouted slightly. "But I like blue better." He offered a bit of a shrug and a somewhat amused smile, turning his attention to the stranger in the matching colour.

[mtsilver_conquor]

"Get enough points and you can buy as many blue clothes as you want," Eva says with a laugh. "Or, I guess- and this is off the record, you can nick some from the next mission, though... Don't let anyone catch you doing so. We're on the train to be heroes, not thieves."

[melodiouspacifist]

Demyx looked mildly amused by that. "I'm not usually a thief or anything."

That didn't mean he hadn't done that before and he just sighed.

"I guess it doesn't really matter what I'm wearing." Now he looked like Halloween threw up on him which was somehow an improvement over just black.

around the train

[sos_pilot]

"Donald?" The pluck of musical strings also tugged at Della's heart-strings, so she was quick to hobble to the sound - her usual prosthetic leg was in repairs, so for now she was walking around via crutches made out of mops.

So, she was a tad disappointed when she found (yet another) human instead. "Oh... I mean, uh, hey! Nice sound!"

[melodiouspacifist]

He was settled well into a song by then, it was slow and melodic, gentle background music meant to be somewhat ignored.

He looked up, his fingers didn't stop moving and he smiled. "Hey, thanks!"

The fact that he was looking at a talking duck person was not even the strangest thing he'd ever seen so he didn't react.

[sos_pilot]

She was rather relieved he wasn't freaking out about her appearance. +1, Demyx.

"Are you new to the train? Haven't seen your face before."

[melodiouspacifist]

He may have been familiar with a particular spiky haired child who had a duck companion. That was about all he knew though.

"Totally." He answered with a wry grin. "Never been here before. Not really looking to stay."

Demyx was convinced he'd be able to dig out his phone and get Ienzo's big brain figuring things out, failing that, a rescue.

Train

[unfavorableinstigation]

Nita's gaze lingered, a curious expression on her face.

"You just look like someone I met before, that's all."

Perhaps in the same way that Conan did, but she couldn't be certain...

"What, you looking for something to do?"

She wasn't intending to suggest chores, but Demyx could definitely read that in there.

[melodiouspacifist]

"Me? No, no, definitely not. Totally not looking for anything to do." Demyx said with a light chuckle, shaking his head.

He didn't want to be roped into chores or anything of that nature.

"I don't think we've ever met." He said with a hum. "I'd probably remember!"

Actually, he considered inwardly without changing his pleasant, vapid expression, he might not actually remember, but that was neither here nor there.

[unfavorableinstigation]

Nita's response was a light, amused "Hmph," though she didn't push.

"Fair enough," she replied, nodding after a moment.

"Seems to happen a lot across the myriad worlds, though. You used to the concept of multiverses, by any chance?"

Around the Train - ♫♪♪

[fun_thementalist]

Except, well, Gen couldn't help but be curious. That sitar was big. Bigger than he'd seen anyone bring with them, first day, onto the train.

So he'd drift nearby, listening to his music at first. He's not about to interrupt a performance, that would be rude.

[melodiouspacifist]

At least, the song he was playing ended and Demyx paused to adjust the tuning pegs again, which was a vital component to playing a sitar.

He glanced up at his spectator and offered a little smile and went back to what he was doing. Was he just interested in watching? That would be fine too.

[fun_thementalist]

The new passenger was talented enough, that he certainly didn't mind listening to a second song and watching him. At the end of the second piece, Gen even clapped.

Genuinely, he said, "Bravo! You're incredibly talented, my friend. Just where did you learn to play like that?"

Around the train

[swansongs]

It might have been easier to blend in without the sitar. It caught Dyme's attention at least, and though he wasn't a stranger to stringed instruments, he had no idea what it was called off the top of his head. Still, that didn't stop him from wandering over and watching quietly. As a musician, he knew better than to interrupt.

Instead, he waited until there was a pause or stop and then spoke up. "Dude, I have no idea what that is but it's super cool."

[melodiouspacifist]

The song would end, and he readjusted, already moving his fingers to the tuning pegs. Demyx didn't mind interruptions, actually, he was used to them.

"I think so." He grinned. "It's a sitar." He explained.

[swansongs]

"Nice." He was going to pretend he'd actually heard of a sitar before.

"I'm a guitar guy, myself, but that's a nice instrument. Are you new here?" Because he was pretty sure he'd remember seeing a sitar like this around the train.

platform

[theturksway]

"Absolutely not," came the swift reply. Notably, Reno wasn't wearing his purple hoodie for the day but instead sported a custom black suit jacket. He was wearing his Turk uniform. No camaraderie from him today as usual on station days when he tended to wear the train gear for funsies. He wasn't feeling it.

He flashed a quick grin anyway, all teeth and sharp angles. "You want better clothes, you gotta earn 'em."

[melodiouspacifist]

Demyx let out a chuckle at that. "Black really isn't my colour anyway." He was so sick of it for some reason.

"That sounds like a lot of work. Guess I'm stuck looking like Halloween threw up on me."

[theturksway]

Reno made a sound and a movement like he was offended on behave of the color black but made no actual comment. He resumed smiling immediately like it was all for show anyway. Just a joke.

"That is probably the worst team color to get stuck with." Seriously. Between blue, purple, and even red who decided to stick orange in there. Too bright a color for so much clothing. Oh well, not his problem.

"I'll let you in on a little secret," he began in a stage whisper, implying it probably wasn't that secretive of a secret in reality. "A simple way to get some new threads. But first: how do you feel about spiders?"