[log] The Old Man, the Robot, and the Fallen Child; Day 53 [closed]

[rubikscomplex]

Characters: House, Frisk, and Dumpy
Location: Building 135 (aka the tool shed from hell), possibly moving onto the hospital (aka Dumpy's second resting place).
Date: Day 53, Morning
Summary: House and Dumpy meet up with Frisk after a VERY trying night in the tool shed.
Warnings: House being House at a small and determined child and small and screechy robot.

[House has managed to survive the night with Dumpy. He has managed to do so by covering his head with his blanket and curling up with his head in a corner so the little bastard can't fly into his face. His backpack being over him also helps with this. He's had his morning dose of Vicodin and is considering taking his afternoon and evening doses, as well, at this point. He has a new length of hose strapped to his backpack and has more tools. If Dumpy is going to stay with him, the robot will be used for something.]

God damn it! Get out of my face, asshole!

[This is snapped as House steps out the door, Dumpy shrieking at him. As ever. As ever.]

Comments

[despiteeverything]

[Day two... after how pitch-black it was in the house Frisk had stayed in, it seemed a fair bit brighter outside them, even though the sun hadn't really risen yet. Now though, they're determined to get moving. To find something more of a lead on how to get home to everyone else.

And for the second time since they've gotten here, they're greeted by shouting not long after they leave the building they were staying in. Only this shouting isn't nearly as friendly.

The shriek though - wait a second! That was that robot, on the network last night!

That gets Frisk stumbling across the landscape, until they're turning around a mostly destroyed wall and spot House and Dumpy.]

Hey! You're okay!

[... yes Frisk is talking to the robot. Sorry House, you weren't the one being threatened last night.]

[rubikscomplex]

[House expects no one to worry about whether or not he's okay, so that's par for the course. He does slam the door and raise his cane at the voice, though, squinting toward it. Oh. It was that kid, @determination. Oh, Christ, they were hanging around... wait. No. No, this is good. He needs another tablet to view things from. And they'd gotten Dumpy to shut it for a few seconds.]

Yeah, he is. For now. I'm walking, kid. Keep up if you want to chat.

[And so he is. It's an easy stride to keep pace with as he walks along, though. Dumpy, for his part, stops screeching at Frisk's voice and flies over to circle around them. And then scream in their face before flying over to House and bouncing off his head.]

I swear to God... Hey, aren't you supposed to be trying to make friends, half-pint. Talk to it.

[despiteeverything]

[It is a bit pleasing to note that Dumpy recognizes them, even stops screeching for a moment. The scream in their face only makes them jerk back for a moment, and the fact that the robot just turns around and bothers the person who'd been threatening it the night before earns a grin.

Frisk isn't even bothered by the nicknames. They're a little bit startled that House is just... expecting them to come along, but well they don't want to leave Dumpy on their own. They hurry to catch up, pace slowing once they're closer, close enough to smile a bit wider for the robot and reach up to give it a pet pat.]

Where are we going?

[They want to know first before they go about befriending Dumpy properly.]

[rubikscomplex]

[Dumpy goes quiet again for a little while, lowering down to more easily receive his pets pats. House is just grateful for the silence, until the kid pipes up.]

Hospital. It's the only thing you're gonna hit moving forward from here. You're lucky you woke up in the tunnels. Snow was getting worse when we came down here.

[House glances back and down at the child.]

How many days have you been down here so far? You'll need to head north up to the school once you're day to two or three days of rations.

[despiteeverything]

[Frisk is more than happy to continue petting Dumpy, especially as it seems to be producing results. Good to see some of the same things worked no matter where you were. Petting = friendship.]

Just got here yesterday.

[So... they're guessing they're good for now? Probably. Frisk doesn't have much else to say at the moment, appeased by the explanation of where they're headed. Instead they elect to turn their attention to the robot now hovering at the same level as them.]

[rubikscomplex]

Hmm. [And that's about all House has to say about that. It's good to know he won't have to interrupt his project for the day to lead them north.

House is silent for a long while as they hike, careful of his cane on the ice. Dumpy still screams occasionally, but he seems to be mollified by Frisk's touch. Mentally, the child is assigned the value of 'useful' in his head, if only for that one task. Maybe they can keep it quiet enough to get a decent catnap in the hospital.

As they come into view of the parking garage that would lead them in, House picks up the conversation as if it had never lapsed.]

You're the kid who wants to be friends with all the monsters, right?

[despiteeverything]

[Frisk is more than happy to keep Dumpy pacified, for the time being. It's definitely easier to follow someone know knows where they're going too. Frisk's a little startled when the garage swims into view, and even moreso when House speaks. They weren't expecting to be recognized for that. But in the end, Frisk nods.]

Yeah.

[That's them.]

[rubikscomplex]

Don't. [It's as simple as that... and he is absolutely a network stalker.] You already heard it from Spoiler: these aren't the monsters you're used to. We run into one, you haul ass and get inside or into another room somewhere. They don't do doors. Got it?

So does this mean House saw the family picture too

[despiteeverything]

[This face. The image of a kid who's been told to eat their veggies for the nth time.]

Fine.

[Right. So, when a monster appears, go through a door, shut it, and talk to them from the other side. Got it.]

IT DOES, INDEED

[rubikscomplex]

[House sighs in irritation. He really doesn't need a death-defying child with him right this moment.]

Also, we're gonna need your tablet. And your touch. Think you can get that flying idiot to stay still for five seconds?