[network] @hotstud_xxx; afternoon of day 53; video [open]

[rubikscomplex]

[The video feed opens to a shot of the first floor of the hospital, pointed down at a small vent that has had its cover unscrewed and pulled off. House's voice comes from off camera.]

It's coming through? Good. Hello, citizens of Snowhell!

[He's cut off by an ungodly - yet familiar - shriek right up next to the tablet.]

Yeah, yeah, I was getting to you. As no one came to claim him and this asshole kept me up all night, I thought he could do with some community service. It builds character.

[There's an annoyed voice; though, the words aren't clear.]

I'm not hurting it, kid. Although I'm really surprised he hasn't blown up, yet. It's almost like somebody was lying about that. Oh, well! I'm sure it's just that he doesn't feel threatened. So, WALL-E here's going to get us a nice view of the ducts around here.

[Dumpy screams as he and the tablet are lowered down into the dark vent. There's a screech of metal on metal after a moment, then the camera jerks up and down a few times, showing off the vent. The robot continues to wail and the echoes reverberate.]

I'm trying to get him out. He's stuck! [There's an annoyed snort.] The only thing I've got is hand-santizer and that won't- Would you shut up? [The camera shakes again and there's a raised angry voice that isn't House's.]

Oh, stop. It's a robot. They've probably got some sort of lubricant upstairs in the pharmacy. Come on, kid. Two eyes are better than one and you can move faster than me if you really care that much to get back down here.

[Dumpy's cries continue for a while, perhaps a solid minute or two before a large group of tiny, too-quick-to-record-smoothly things with multiple legs and glittery eyes appear in the vents. They rush toward Dumpy as the robot screeches, reaching the tablet and-

The feed ends abruptly.]

Comments

voice; @blacksuit

[luckystarlimit]

All right, I'm sure you're fine and all but humour me here: you okay over there?

[Sure, whatever those things were might only want the robot but that doesn't mean Cissnei can't imagine them climbing up the robot for a more warm-blooded meal.]

video; @determination

[despiteeverything]

We're fine.

[Neither is particularly happy at the moment (Frisk certainly isn't), but they're alive.]

[luckystarlimit]

Good. Maybe stay away from that vent for a while. That many legs and eyes in one place doesn't tend to end in anything good.

voice; @guardian;

[phaseshifter]

You bastard! How could y-- how could you!

[ She's quiet for a moment, breathing heavily, and then: ]

You're going to pay for this. You can't keep acting this way, I'm - you can't.

video; @determination

[rubikscomplex]

Yes. The small child and I are fine. Thanks for asking.

[phaseshifter]

I don't actually give a frick whether you're fine or not. If I could, I'd push you into one of those vents!

You shouldn't be looking after a child. You just proved that pretty clearly.

voice; @determination

[despiteeverything]

[Some time later (a couple hours at least), once things have... had some chance to calm down and Frisk's had a chance to wrest their tablet back from House, she'll get a message.]

Was Dumpy your friend too? I'm really sorry.

[phaseshifter]

Yes. I mean - I mean no! He is my friend.

Don't be sorry, though. It wasn't your fault. Are you alright?

video; @determination/action for House

[despiteeverything]

[The end of the feed on Frisk's tablet is still up, and for the first time they'll be able to clearly hear the voice that'd been arguing with House earlier.]

Dumpy? Dumpy! [The shrieks are gone, and the video too... They're not happy about this, turning to head back the way they'd came.] We gotta go back.

[Do not underestimate how fast Frisk is able to make friends with anybody. Including robots. They shouldn't have left him alone in the first place.]

[ooc note; you don't have to reply to this one network-wise, any replies to the post directly can be assumed to be going through Frisk's tablet.]

action

[rubikscomplex]

We just got to the top of the stairs. [But the kid is right, and gritting his teeth, House turns and begins a descending as quickly as he can. It's a surprisingly quick pace for a guy with a cane. When he has incentive to move, he can move.

They come out into the first floor landing and head over to the vent to find... nothing.]

Crap. [House runs a hand over his face.]

action

[despiteeverything]

[Frisk, meanwhile, gets on their hands and knees and peers into the vent, even reaching inside it to feel the walls of it for any signs of them. Their hand comes out dusty and Frisk pales very slightly before brushing it off their hands quickly.]

They're really gone.

[Completely gone, like Dumpy was never even there.]

@dickcheese; voice

[headjacked]

[ He's skipped straight to the second stage of grief. He's seeing red. Like, actually seeing red. He didn't even know that was a real thing. ]

Oh, I really can't wait until I run into you. You actual piece of human trash.

[ Turns out Wibblelips can get some bass into his voice. ]

@determination; video

[rubikscomplex]

Again. Thank you for your concern for the small human child also being kept with me. Your robot turned up once. It'll turn up again.

[headjacked]

The kid you'd probably fling at a monster to save your sorry ass?

Seriously, kid, if you can hear me, split off as soon as you can. Find another adult. Anyone but this guy.

voice; @haurchefant

[silverfuller]

[With genuine concern in his voice.]

Oh!

Are you two quite alright? You are, yes?

voice; @determination

[rubikscomplex]

Now, see, kid? That's how you address people who might have just died. Yeah, we're fine. My tablet and the robot are gone. I'm guessing he'll be back again and my tablet won't.

[despiteeverything]

We were upstairs....

[Truthfully Frisk thinks the chances of dying in that were quite small.]

@Quark | video | private to @determination;

[averytinyparticle]

[Quark wouldn't have made this private, but after seeing all the hostility, decides that he doesn't really want all these strangers to get upset for what he has to say. Seeing that House doesn't have his tablet and is replying through Frisk's, he makes sure to filter it to the appropriate username.]

Um...hi. It sounds like you're both okay, that's good. And I'm really sorry about what happened to the robot. I just wanted to say...

[A small voice in the back of his mind reminds him that it doesn't matter what happened at all, because none of them are getting out. It's hopeless. He shakes his head to clear his thoughts and continues.]

I don't think it's fair everyone's being so hostile. You didn't do it on purpose. You were trying to get it out when the spider things took it, right?

[Quark understands being angry about losing something important to you, but there's nothing else that can be done about it now. They shouldn't be turning each other into enemies.]

@determination | video | private

[rubikscomplex]

[House is... actually mildly surprised to hear that, though he probably should have expected it from someone like Quark. He sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose before responding.]

We were, but I've pissed off pretty much everybody in this town, so it's about what I was expecting. You don't need to worry about it, kid. They're all blaming me, not the half-pint here. [He jerks a thumb over at Frisk.] It's fine.

video, @jphawkins

[rattlingthestars]

[ OUCH. Jim watches the whole thing with a wince. ]

I thought you were going to give it to Hiro for parts?

[ C'mon, House, if you're going to murder a robot at least do something useful with it. ]

video, @determination

[rubikscomplex]

Well, I was when we were done with it. Kinda hard when the spider kindred haul everything away in about a minute and a half flat.

Video | @Rdua

[blessedmaiden]

[Rydia sighs, the little robot died again, great. but the others apparently already had their emotional outburst She's slowly learning how to use a tablet! and she doesn't want to make things even worse]

So they, those things, already are... inside. If you're spending the night in the building you may want to cover up any vent that grants access to your room and make sure your door is locked, the last thing we want is to see you two end up like Dumpy.
Sir? Keep an eye on the kid, please.

Video | @determination

[rubikscomplex]

Yeah, yeah. We're smashing the vents on this floor closed. Not really in one of those places where we can just hide out in a sealed room. They're probably in the vents wherever you're staying, too. Might want to start making it a habit to try to close them off. See how long it takes to piss off the Admin.

video; @fullmetal

[forfeits]

...What the hell is your problem? That robot -- he isn't yours, and he actually belongs to someone, you know!

[ he's seen how upset Rhys and Angel have been over this robot, after all. ]

How could you just do that?

video; @determination

[rubikscomplex]

Bum leg, what's yours?

[ He's getting ever more surly and riled the longer this goes on. ]

I offered him out to the masses yesterday. No takers to come get him. Not even from mommy and daddy. That means he was open for use by the general public. Sorry I can't actually predict the spider collective, bro. I'm working on my spidey senses, but gosh golly! They're just not up to speed, yet.