voidtreckerexpress | A New Platform [Intro Post January]

On the Train

It’s been a month of ups and downs for the Voidtrecker Express and its passengers, but like clockwork, they are awoken by a familiar message that morning.

"Good morning passengers, it is day one of the month of Jelly. 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. The air is particularly crisp and clear here, the view blocked only by the fog around the platform, and while not overly cold, the temperature can best be described as brisk.

As usual the first to leave the train notice nothing, walking silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers. Fingon, Galo Thymos, Hikaru Aosora, Jin Ling, Lio Fotia, Minako Aino, Nerdanel, Nie Mingjue, Thorne.tcai, Webmind and Yotsuyu goe Brutus 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. As their eyes adjust, they will see they are on a platform, glass and dark stone rising in sturdy arches around them. 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; then the steam begins to fade and they realise they aren’t alone.

The platform is not large with fifteen figures scattered around, all facing the tracks, all dressed in cargo trousers and hoodies. To both the left and right, 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 step a strange assortment 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

After a short time, the doors hiss open again. 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 fresh ingredients, including several crates of avocados, the ingredient of the month of Jelly, as well as all sundries.

For passengers that have bought items, these are also scattered around the luggage carriage in various suitcases and bags. For each member of Blue Team, a small gauze bag with their name on it contains a generous handful of sweet rainbow fudge.

New passengers will find their ticket allows 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 full of spare blankets and pillows.

Departure

A second horn sounds to encourage any stragglers taking advantage of the fresh air, 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 itself. 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

He assumed they were teammates since Jack also looked like Halloween threw up all over him, as Demyx would say.

"What're you doing?"

"Looking for a frickin' ECHO or a laptop- why the hell are these all empty? Who brings empty luggage onto a train?" Jack grumbles, drop-kicking another disappointing bag away. He cocks his head when he finally turns around, noticing the other's hoodie.

"You got stuck with this crap color too, huh? Lame."

Demyx groaned. "Tell me about it. I tried to trade with someone for a purple or blue hoodie when I got here but they weren't willing to have orange either."

What were teams anyway?

"From what I've heard around those are the things you show up in if you die."

"Cause orange is literally the worst color. They don't even have yellow and that's an even worse crime. What is with the color-coding shit, anyway?"

Jack blinks, looking down at the empty bags he'd just flung to the ground. "Dead bodies show up in these bags?"

"Yeah, apparently we're all on some orange team for mysterious missions that I haven't been on yet." Demyx answered with a shrug.

"I don't know if they're still dead then or not. Maybe!"

"Wait... missions? What is this? I didn't sign up for any missions. What do I look like, a mercenary? I mean- don't get me wrong, I am the super handsome hero of Pandora, but- I got a company to run now."

He toes a bag with his foot, not seeing any so far that look like they have body-sized bulges in them. "Okay... That's weird but also a little exciting?"

"I don't think there are any companies here." Demyx observed. "Or money, or much of anything."

"I guess so, I don't know much about dead people."

"No money? You have got to be kidding me. How does anyone get anything around here then?" he groans.

"What's to know? They're dead. Just a floppy sack of meat. Well, until rigor mortis sets in."

"Well someone told me something to do with points and computer stuff, I don't know." Demyx said helplessly. He wasn't that worried about getting things.

"Huh. Never thought about it."

"Computer points. I can...work with that." He's already planning on how to hack into things and change the points in his favor.

"You haven't killed many people, have you, kiddo?"

"Uh, no I don't think so? Why would I kill a bunch of people?" Demyx asked, blinking at him.

He couldn't say he hadn't hurt people, he definitely helped with that.

"Eh, there's plenty of different reasons. War, self-defense, the guy got your coffee order wrong..." He shrugs.

"Nah, that seems like too much work." Demyx enjoyed giving the impression that he was incredibly lazy.

"Depends on how you do it. Strangling- now that takes a lot of work. But its fun work. Course you don't always have time for that sort of thing- so that's when you just pop 'em out an airlock and watch them suffocate."

"I don't usually have access to an airlock or something, so if I wanted to kill someone, it would be work." Demyx shrugged a little bit. Maybe he should've been horrified, but what did he know, he was a heartless Nobody.

"Hm. Good point. Welp, guess if you're not a hands on type of guy- you'd have to hire someone else to do it. Which I think takes the fun out of it, but." He shrugs.

"That's just me."

"I guess if I wanted someone to die that would be an option." Demyx chuckled lightly.

"There's not too many people I'd want that to happen to."

It wasn't zero, but that was neither here nor there.

A New Platform [Intro Post January]

Luggage Car

pfft team halloween barf

What else does one call blinding orange?

pumpkin hell?

traffic cone nightmare?

carrot catastrophy?

citrus calamity?

i got nothing

haha no problem

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