Disclaimer: I don't own The Rocky Horror Picture Show
A/N: And... another story! Hopefully I'll be able to finish it, and hopefully it'll earn good reviews.
In a dark, half-forgotten forest in the dull state Ohio there is a castle. Once upon a happier time this castle was a grand starship shaped like a courtly place fit for a prince. Indeed, it belonged to a prince. Though such days are gone. Long ago it left the planet Earth and soon returned.
Some have dubbed it 'The New House of Usher' due to its dying appearance. The few who've seen the place – teenagers on a dare – report it seems on the verge of collapse. They also claim it looks abandoned. Clearly nobody had left the place in many years…
At the time our tale begins three young women and one brooding man lived there. In case you're wondering where I've found such specific information, I know this for the same reason I know the rest of this story. As a respected criminologist I get all sorts of information when the simple-minded lawmen are done. Surely you remember my writings on the so-called 'Denton Affair'. I'm the clever one looking over the old notes. Right little Sherlock Holmes, I am. Even at the old age I am now I do this strange yet fascinating job. If you were from a family with more money than anyone could ever need, what would you do with your time?
Anyway, there were only four people in that building for decades. They happened to be a very odd little family. It was all very gothic novel, something the Bronte sisters might think of.
The man was known to most as Mr. Usher – going with the theme of Poe's story – though had another name. To those living in his strange house he was called Riff Raff Vitus. The women were named far more normally. Most importantly was a girl called 'Rose'. She happened to be his daughter. Or so it seemed. I shall explain the details of that later. The other two were the woman Janet who'd spent too many years trying to forget and a girl of hardly sixteen known as 'Nell'. The later was physically delicate – borderline sickly – but was far more manic in personality than her near-sister Rose. Those two girls spent all their time whispering to each other, laughing, sharing every joke or secret. They were too close.
This life the four lived seemed happy enough for the girls. Their parental figures, on the other hand, were far from glad to be living. Mr. Usher – as I shall call him – lived forever with the guilt of his sister's untimely death. Whether her blood is truly on his hands or it's just survivor's guilt is unknown. What is known is that her remains were preserved beautifully in a sort of state of immortal beauty. The science of embalming is more advanced on their home-planet. It's a bit frightening, how real she looked. That blushless skin still fair as sweet snow, those lips rouged as in life, and her red curls elegant as ever. I shan't tell you what he did with this pretty corpse. Indeed, you dirty bastards have probably already guessed.
Janet's troubles, on the other hand, were even more internal. She'd done some admittedly scandalous things that the poor fool of a woman later deemed immoral. After marrying a certain Brad Majors giving birth to a son things just went so far downhill. Some, in retrospect, believe she might've been afflicted with some variant of postpartum psychosis. This would explain the erratic, manic behavior that caused her to be incapable of caring for her child and suddenly leave her lovely home in Denton. For many years it was thought she'd died somehow. Though now I have proof she lived for many years in the Usher House.
So now you know the story of the house's adult inhabitants. Perhaps I shall give more detail of the girls' personalities.
The elder, meaning Rose, was very delicate both emotionally and physically. Her fair features are not unlike those of her late mother – the beautiful dead woman named Magenta – and her manner is serious. Most of the clothes she wears once belonged to Magenta in what might've been an attempt to make their appearances more similar. Unlike her mother, Rose's hair is far longer and less messy. Usually she'd wear it pinned back. Nell often helped her style it. The girl inherited some non-physical traits, unknowingly. There was her quiet manner and sweet smile. Though Magenta was prone to fits of laughter and such, while her daughter seemed unable of such joy. Her overly serious – borderline robotic – behavior worried people. Namely those officials who interviewed her after the events I am trying to explain to two years Rose's junior is cheerful little Nell. This lovely girl had mousy brown hair and grey eyes that always smiled even when those full lips didn't. Her skin was somewhat fair, probably due to lack of sunlight, yet still rosier than her friend's. Unfortunately she was prone to fits of sickness that seem like some sort of madness. By that I mean she'll temporarily fall into phases of sickness in which she has will become somewhat physically unable to function while she'd become incredibly upset and cry terribly. Or shout for no true reason! At these (mercifully uncommon) times she wasn't herself at all. It's just so much negative emotion at once. Many years were spent in confusion as she attempted to discover the triggers. The rest of the time she's cheerful and kind to all, at least.
These four persons lived quiet lives. Janet spent most of her time in an attic room where she paced. The girls explored the whole castle almost daily and gained an education with the help of a large library. Riff all but lived in his study, which also doubled as a lab. Some mindless robots built by Riff Raff did menial work such as cooking (though nobody really cleaned). This strange existence was peaceful in its own little way.
Now you know the peculiar dramatis persona and the dismal setting. Let the story begin!
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