From sad to interesting to hip

[firewalled]

[The first thing Rich notices is that his hospital bed is feeling mighty uncomfy at the moment. No matter how he tries to shift himself around, it feels like he's sleeping on rocks. He really doesn't want to wake up so soon, but with a mumble, he opens his eyes, hoping that maybe one of his friends has popped in to visit.

When he opens his eyes, he doesn't see any of his friends. In fact, he doesn't see the room he's almost gotten used to. When he turns his head to the side, he notices what he mistook for his hospital bed is actually a hard stone chair, something like a throne that he's currently seated in.

Then he notices that he is seated, and looking down at his legs, the bandages are completely gone. He makes a confused noise as he lifts his arms. They're mobile again... covered in scars, but otherwise healed. He frowns and looks around the room.]

Um... Mr. Nurse Dude? Did the doctors take the casts off while I was out?

[He takes in the rest of the room: the tall stained glass windows, the looming pillars, the sprawling velvet carpet covering stone floor. He feels way tinier than he usually does.]

...Also am I high?

[There is regrettably no answer. Not when he calls for Jake or Michael or Jeremy, not when he even tries calling for Chloe or Brooke. He waits for a while, but, antsy as he was when he couldn't move his limbs, it isn't long before he hops off the throne and starts using his newly healed legs to start wandering.]

((This is a joint intro of sorts! Rich's bestest bro Jake Dillinger (jakeyd) will have a tag under this post to respond to if you are so inclined.))

Comments

[firewalled]

[He looks slightly nervous when they take a second glance at him. His scars probably are pretty freaky, even without knowing where they came from. He should be glad this kid probably hasn't heard the rumours. Unless Jenna has a list of numbers to text to spread rumours to abandoned castles.

He shrugs and tries to look unbothered as he slides down the wall to sit with them.]

It's cool! I don't mind. Just wanted someone to talk to. Uh... do you happen to live here?

[dustless]

[They take a deep breath--maybe he'll spy their too-sharp teeth in the movement.

If the burns were fresh, he'd be bandaged up or aching or something. They're not worried. Everything is fine. And if he doesn't know...]

Yeah. Lotsa people do. You new?

[firewalled]

[He definitely spots the oddly pointy teeth, but despite his eyes widening slightly, he isn't too frightened. They seem like a harmless kid. Just have some weird traits, just like him.]

I guess you could say that! Last thing I remember, I was in the hospital, not some weird castle.

[Maybe those burns are fresh...]

[dustless]

[...maybe they are. Maybe that's bad. Maybe Frisk can kinda smell it and now they're shoving another cupcake into their face to the point the frosting's almost literally inside their nose to block it out.]

The castle's--it--it's rude like that. Just grabs people when it wants insteada what the people do.

[It's fine everything is fine everything is fine everything is fine.]

...you okay?

[firewalled]

[They seem... panicked. Rich isn't sure what to make of that, and he definitely doesn't want to freak them out more, so he does what he does best and laughs it off. No need for someone this young to learn about something so freaky.]

Oh yeah, I'm fine! Just... my friend had a crazy Halloween party, you know? I'm totally fine though! Better than ever!

[That, at least, is true.]

[dustless]

[That's a good laugh. They're making it into a good laugh because a bad laugh is a risk right now (and they hate it).]

Real crazy, looks like.

...It wasn't here? [Frisk just has to be sure.]

[firewalled]

[Rich thinks his laugh is wheezy and embarrassing, like a lot of things about him, but at least it seems like this kid isn't bothered.]

Nope, definitely not. My bro's house doesn't look like this. It's... actually kinda burnt down, now.

[And he's still amazed Jake forgives him for that.]

[dustless]

[It seems real, and not like someone else how is panicking or about to attempt a murder.]

Oh.

...Well, 's hard to burn down the castle. Lotsa stone.

[They kinda tried last Halloween. It didn't get out of a single room.]

[firewalled]

[Rich definitely isn't noticing anything weird about the kid, but that's... just him still being a little disoriented. If only he was noticing some signs.]

Yeah, guess so! This place might be free from my ways of arson, then.

[Awkward joke?]

Anyways, uh... I was kind of wondering how the heck I got here.

[dustless]

[They...think that's a joke, but they'll take it seriously anyway.] Don't burn the gardens. [Frisk likes those. Plus there's food and maybe a friend in there somewhere.]

Um. [Wow! Frisk doesn't want to explain anything about this stupid place in their current state. They're already glancing around for the nearest hallway to shoot down if they gotta.] Magic, actually. The castle takes people a lot.

[firewalled]

Oh, no way, dude. The fire was like... a one-time thing. I'm okay now.

[He notices their nerves and assumes it's just him making a bad joke, so he decides to be careful mentioning that from now on.]

The... castle takes people? There isn't like some evil wizard doing it?

[dustless]

...Okay. [Might as well take that at face value.]

Prob'ly not. Never met anybody like that, anyway, and lotsa people tried looking.

[firewalled]

But then if no one is doing it, then you’re saying the building is taking us, and that doesn’t make any sense. Castles aren’t like… sentient, that’s the word.

[dustless]

[They sigh.]

'S a castle in the sky, fulla people from different worlds, even the same ones from different timelines. Monsters too, but nice ones, usually. (Don't fight any.) A lot of stuff here doesn't make sense.

[firewalled]

...Yeah, I guess you're right. Sorry, I didn't mean to be annoying. But there are monsters here? That's kind of cool.

child plz must you be so vague

[dustless]

You're not. Um. 'S been a crappy month.

Yeah, like walking skeletons. Things are different right now, though, some are worse than usual, so go away 'f you see anybody that looks mad.

[And that's all they can bring themselves to say about it before they shift and try to start standing.]

it's cool rich is being a little vague too

[firewalled]

Oh... geez, I'm sorry. Is there something I can do to help?

[Except then he needs a minute to absorb the idea of walking, living skeletons, and then wonder why the monsters are worse now, and then finally notice that the kid is standing up.]

Oh, hey, are you leaving already?

[dustless]

No.

...Stay away from wolves right now 'specially. Sorry.

[They already feel guilt twisting in their stomach. Hopefully he's gonna be okay until all this blows over.]

CHILD NO i say, not sure whether i mean frisk or rich.

[firewalled]

Away from wolves? Hey, what's wrong?

[Rich isn't one to leave a kid alone. They look freaked out about something, so he stands and makes to follow after them.]