⛧ CRUEL BUSTER

WAKE UP WE’RE GONNA CRASH!!

MMMMMMM!!!!

sticks and stones and mud daubers and wasps and bees and spiders and spiderwebs and rocks and grass and gravel and plastic wrappers and empty cans and water bottle

i'm eating a big mother fucking sandwich made of eggs and bacon and lettuce and tomatoes and onions and peppers and salami and ham and cheese and mustard and mayo and ketchup and provolone and dirt and mud and clay and ants and crickets and

MAN, it’s fuckin’ dusty in here.

I fucking love eating garbage, man

Guess who?

That sounds rad. That must mean you’re some kinda potion master, right? Like. . Like Dragon Blazers.

[ As Adleigh explained, Ralsei crossed his arms over his chest. ]

Sounds real different from the way things are done here, but. . I wouldn’t mind trying something like that.

Honestly, it sounds better than the boring stuff they gave us do at school.

Like, alchemy?

>>

[ Who knew that a piece of chalk could lead to all these adventures? ]

. . Wait, you don’t have schools where you’re from? What do you, like. . do, then?

[ Ralsei looks dumbfounded for a moment. Wow. He really did just wander into the school and drop into here, huh?

. . . Well, hopefully nobody else follows suit. ]

. . To be fair, that’s not too far off from how me and my friend discovered this place.

>>

. . Strange. I just got a chill down my back.

But, uh. . That way out is to my school.

I’d imagine you’d like to get back to. . wherever you were. Not where I live.

. . . Yeah, good point, I guess. Anyways. . I’ve got no idea where you came from, but the only exit I know of is back there.

[ He points a claw towards the southern end of town, a path that leads to a strange beam of light that shines downwards. Or is it shining upwards. . ? ]

>>

. . . What was that guy’s name again?

Spinchtang??

. . Not quite. My friend, Susie, is kinda like. . the head honcho of this place. In a good way. She calls herself the “Princess of the Dark”, but if you ask me that sounds like something out of a novel I saw in 3rd grade.

[ Might’ve eaten a page out of that. ]

. . Uh, yeah. I sit right behind you — oh, wait. .

[ Multiverse stuff. Right. Still getting used to that. . ]

. . I do. I don’t really have any guardians, though. I’m. . kinda surprised they haven’t thrown me in juvie yet.

You’re tellin’ me. Sure, I might’ve made her mad in class before, but that was. . something else. I dunno.

Tenna doesn’t deserve that, y’know?

Me? Eh, I’m fine. .

Just wasn’t expecting all that.

I can understand looking out for somebody’s best interest, but. . damn.

So. .

That was. . a lot.

[ Ralsei feels as if he could have explained that better, but it’ll make do for now. ]

. . The only king here is the one that’s locked up in the dungeon. For a good reason, mind you.

. . . For me?

[ Ralsei looks taken aback for a moment, but tries to regain his composure.

He feels like he doesn’t deserve it, but. . ]

Th . . Thanks.

[ Gently taking it into his hands. . surprising, for someone like him. ]

Damn, if only Susie were around to explain. . Ah well.

You’re in a Dark World. Dark Worlds are like. . well, the best way to put it is like. . It’s like something familiar, but you can’t quite recognize it, so your mind just fills in the rest.

To be more specific. . uh, Welcome to Castle Town.

[ Ralsei nodded along as Adleigh went on, but as he explained where he came from, his eyes began to widen. ]

Wait.. you mean to tell me you just walked right on in?

[ He’s one to talk. It’s not every day you walk into a supply closet and stumble across another world entirely. ]

>>

Huh. Thought you’d make a squeaky toy noise or somethin’.

[ Just fucking lobbing that stick behind his shoulder. It’s gone. ]

@pricklyprince.bsky.social

[ * RALSEI? - AT ?? DF ?? ]
[ * You know what they say about books and covers... ]
[ * You truly believed green /always/ meant eco-friendly! ]
[ * ...Turns out, it only just means eco! ]

[ Poking him with a stick. ]

[ He was deep in thought when he caught a glimpse of a stranger in the corner of his eye — turning to come face to face with Adleigh.

Ralsei’s tattered scarf fluttered slightly in the breeze. . he stood tall. ]

. . . Who are you?

After all, she /was/ the Princess of the dark. . this was her domain, was it not?

This place was becoming somewhat of a second home for him. Much better than that old place he inherited near Hometown’s lake. ]

>>