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

"Something to explore maybe? There's tons of music I've never heard from different worlds I haven't been to here, so it's pretty cool." Demyx grinned.

"... Guess it would pass the time. Not like we can go anywhere but the train..." And it was only so long, after all.

"I guess. Hopefully you have good roommates." He did not, in his opinion. They wanted to force him to have a bed time.

"... Met a few of them. One's a kid. Another's a quiet guy. Don't know who the last person is. A girl, based on the name." 'Claire' was probably not a guy's name.

"Oh yeah, maybe. I only met one of them. She told me they had a bunch of rules so I bailed." Demyx waved his hand a bit.

"I still wake up there, cause you have to but I leave immediately. Not interested in any of that stuff."

"What do you mean you have to?" He will sleep where he wants, thank you very much.

"Uh, well it doesn't matter where I am, I always wake up in my bed. Kinda weird, right?" Demyx wasn't sure why that was, just that it was.

“Yeah. I’m not much of a sleeper...” Not at night, anyway.

"I'm not sure I technically have to." Demyx grinned.

"But I got here and my roommate was all, come lie down three hours after lights out outside and be all considerate so we all get good sleep and I was like forget that."

“Not sure how my roommates sleep, but one’s a kid. So I’ll have to be quiet.” Kids needed sleep.

... Most kids.

"I would've been quiet anyway, but no kids just some pink squid thing."

Yeah, Demyx went there. He wasn't above being an asshole.

"I don't need people telling me what to do."

“Neither do I, but kids are an exception to a lot of things.”

... “Are you just here when you don’t want to sleep?”

Perhaps unfortunately, he didn't have the same kind of exceptions.

"Sometimes, yeah. There's also a spa car too." Demyx grinned. "That'd be a great place to hide too. I never get sick of music."

“... Only been in a bathhouse a few times. It’d be nice, probably.” He’d just have to watch the temperature since he didn’t register the pain from a too-jot bath.

"I actually haven't been yet, but it looks good. Then again, I'm a big fan of water anyway." Demyx snickered a little bit at himself, as though that were an unknown joke.

He just stared at him for a moment for the snickering, but whatever. "Might check it out after I train... seems like a good way to end a session?" Probably?

"Oh yeah, probably, should be warm water. Good for muscles and stuff after brutal training." Demyx said as though he actually maybe knew what he was talking about.

"... Don't train much, huh." Other than... being on a train.

"I prefer to sit around with my sitar." Demyx said with a smile, to dodge the question as to whether or not he did such a thing. If he got up, that sitar of his was as big as he was, and not very light, at all.

“Mm.” Yeah, okay. “... What team are you?”

That’s important to know, right?

"Oh, I'm on the orange team. Its a really obnoxious colour." Demyx chuckled.

He wiggled his hand a little. “Doesn’t really bother me. I only really like black because it hides stains.”

"Ugh, black. I'm so sick of black." Demyx complained, slouching in his seat. "If I never saw black again, I could be happy."

“Why? Had a crappy uniform?” Seemed most likely to him.

Edited 2021-01-04 02:25 (UTC)

"The worst kind of uniform. All black and creepy. No colour allowed. So boring. But I still wouldn't pick orange."

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