From one boiling pot into another, Richter guessed, and the other side of the metaphorical fence was most certainly not greener pastures. Ignoring his botched dive and subsequent landing through the window onto what seemed to be a lawn, he was utterly surrounded by a wide variety of monsters. The grass was well sodded and soft to the touch which granted him a moment of comfort before he willed himself to fight to stand on one knee and assess the numbers around him. Five monsters, one human, three of them being in their late teens. Two adults but not armed. The teenager goat monster, as it looked like before, was next to what seemed to be a makeshift ramp along with the same human from earlier. A bipedal monster...dinosaur with no arms had fallen down in the commotion so he wasn't a threat. The two adults were what concerned him the most standing next to what was most recognizably an ice cream cart. A blue bunny and an orange cat stood a decent distance away looking shocked and apathetic, respectively. With his flail he could cover that distance (but where did his flail go?). Richter knew he could probably outpace them if need be, he just needed to create an opening. With that in mind, he conjured forth a flask of Holy Water in his hand, rose from his prone position, wound up the toss towards the cart in the hopes to cause a diversion, and -

"Sweet heavens no! Stop, please!"

Please? That was unusual, he hadn't heard someone ask him to "please" do something in such a long time. Lowering the flask and keeping it by his hip at the ready, he turned towards the voice that called out to him. It was the adult monster cultist he had seen storm the bedroom from just moments ago noticeably missing any wounds from his daggers (he knew his aim had been off). She, based off of appearances and her voice, approached unarmed and passive albeit hurried. She looked remarkably like the younger white goat so Richter assumed there was some kind of connection there. He got to take a bit of time to actually assess her as she approached with a hasty jot. What he had failed to notice the first time was how TALL she was. Richter was a modestly tall man himself but she had him beat in spades with a solid foot on him at least. Wearing long, baggy, blue ornate robes with an insignia he didn't recognize did little to hide how wide her frame was. She was an intimidating figure to be sure which was only pacified slightly by her exuding a somewhat motherly presence. It just didn't add up to him, usually these are the creatures that would lash out with some potent magical attack whenever sightline was established. Yet, he felt that the threat was diminished. Whether intentional or not, she succeeded in dropping his guard enough to have the flask dissipate completely. He was hoping to avoid another fight as his bones still ached from the dive just moments earlier.

"*huff* Please, just let me explain! You seem so confused and that stunt of yours surely must've disturbed your wounds. Would you please come inside for some tea?"

This was definitely a first for Richter, shocking him enough to leave him speechless for a few seconds. Floundering for his words, he managed to utter out a, "Huh?" before allowing himself to take a breath and lower his shoulders with a shudder. The adrenaline high was still kicking and he was fighting the fight or flight impulse as hard as he could muster. The large monster just cocked an eyebrow and let out a soft chuckle before turning to the kids, muttering something about going to their uncles, and shoo-ing away the rest of the passerby's. With it finally just being the two of them, she turned back to him with a more serious look adorning her face. Not hostile yet, he felt, but he was still put on edge by it.

Smoothing out her dress and glancing to what used to be a window, she shook her head slightly before speaking. "I must insist, if we are to have these talks in the future, that you please do not smash our windows or throw knives in the house. You could hurt someone or yourself and that would make all the work I did tending to your wounds futile. I know you're surely perplexed so let's go inside and talk things out. There's much to discuss and, ooh! I can make a pie to celebrate having a new guest!" With that, not even waiting for a response, she walked back inside leaving the door open behind her.

Richter didn't know what to think. He had just been scolded by what felt like his mother if she was a 6'10 goat monster and yet he continued to be eased into passivity by her presence. There was no malice in her voice or eyes, despite the burgundy/red sheen to them, and she freely left him alone after what was quite frankly an attack on her wellbeing earlier. This was far beyond the means of manipulation and for once, Richter decided to play along. Deep down he hoped that things would truly remain peaceful for once. There was an incredibly slim chance that he had been transported to a location in which monsters weren't hostile to man. He wasn't a betting man, just a hopeful one. Relaxing his clenched fist, he shrugged his shoulders and hobbled his way to the front door of her home.

"So, would you like some tea?" she had asked him once he found himself inside, and again she had asked him now as he stood stock still staring at a wall of what seemed to be family photos. He hadn't made it very far inside before being caught off-guard by how homely the living room was. Extremely cozy furniture covered in beautiful albeit clashing knitted throw blankets, a worn rug that seemed to have more history than Richter himself, a suspicious looking lamp, and of course the large wall of pictures. There was little consistency with the frames as many of them were just photos nailed or taped down. It mattered little though, what stood out to the Monster Hunter was how...human it all seemed. This wasn't a tribe of monsters living in a village thriving off of eating traveling parties, this was a family who had such a wide reach that it floored him. They had turned a wall into a massive scrapbook and were mighty proud of it by the looks of things. He didn't know what to think, he had never in his life seen something on this level even with the humans he lived with back in his own town. The level of compassion, thought, and borderline emotion put into this wall dashed away all preconceived notions Richter had towards the monsters he had encountered thus far. Maybe it really was time to relax.

Finally, for the first time since he had been approached in the forest, he truly lowered his guard. No half measures and assessing threats, he was with a type of people now. They may not be his people, but they're people enough for him not to be worried anymore. Confused, sure, but not worried or certainly not threatened. Running a bandaged finger down one of the frames made out of what seemed to be bone, glue, and papier-mache, he tilted his head slightly towards the voice that had called to him and replied, "Actually, tea sounds nice. What do you have?"

"Oh, you found your voice! That's wonderful, I had thought you lost it from your injuries. I just so happen to have some Sea Tea, would you care to take a seat?"

Richter hadn't the faintest clue what Sea Tea was but at this point he was sure he wouldn't know the vast majority of whatever called this land its home. Turning towards her already retreating form, he nodded before sitting on one of the smaller but equally plush lounge chairs. He allowed himself to enjoy how much he sank into it as he wasn't used to such comforts. His entire life had consisted of rigorous and brutal training followed up by a seemingly endless onslaught of combat. Sleep was a luxury and something as comfortable as this was very much so out of place...or was it? In the back of his head, as if right behind him, the whimpering of the damned slowly grew in volume. From one, to a few, to countless villages worth of voices screamed in anguish until the noise drove a head splitting pain into his body. Fighting to stay conscious, he clutched his head with one hand and nearly tore off the armrest with another. He just closed his eyes and silently prayed for it to stop. Stop it did, eventually, but those moments brought forth unspeakable things to his mind that he quickly chose to forget. One thing at a time. Softly shaking his head in the hopes to dash away whatever just struck him, he turned his attention towards the doorway leading to what he assumed to be the kitchen.

Tacky wallpaper and paintings with odd sayings in English littered the walls, all illuminated by an electrical light of some type attached to a fan above him. Electricity wasn't new to Richter, Dracula's Castle held many secrets and technological marvels that continued to baffle him, so the assortment of unknown furnishings, devices, and other features that littered the room confused him but didn't leave him utterly floundered. What did leave him utterly baffled though was the tea the monster was holding as she strolled back through the kitchen doorway. Despite being in a porcelain mug, the tea was a visibly florescent blue color that emitted a soft glow. His first thoughts went towards the magical brews he would oftentimes find hidden in the hallways and nooks of the castle (or in the walls if he was lucky). Nodding towards her and uttering out a quiet "thanks", he graciously took the cup from her paws and waited for her to sit in the almost comically large recliner across from him. Again the sheer size of the furniture and of her herself shocked him. She was either ancient or extremely resilient. Giving his tea a quick onceover, he began to nurse it tentatively. As soon as it touched his lips, a subtle warmth crept down his neck and settled in his chest. The effect was borderline restorative and it solidified his suspicion of it being a tonic of sorts. Why they would make a tonic into a tea like this baffled him, but at least it didn't taste as poorly as most of the tonics and tinctures he's had in the past.

With another sip down the hatch, he turned his attention to the woman sitting across from him who was, for whatever reason, watching him with unabashed curiosity. He must've spent more time musing over the tea than he thought. Noticing this, he gave a slight smile before placing the cup on the table in-front of him. He thankfully didn't have to fill the silence as her curiosity must've gotten the better of her. Not even touching her own tea, she tucked her legs in with a throw before speaking.

"What do you think of the tea? Most humans find the taste to be different from what they're used to, I think it's splendid."

It was true that the drink had an unusual taste. Outside of the equally unusual effects the beverage seemed to have on him, it possessed an odd earthy aftertaste that reminded him of mushrooms local to his village's swamp. Not exactly something that would oftentimes be put in the tea or at least not the tea that he was used to. It worked well though all things considered. Continuing to nurse his drink, he thought it was time to fully engage himself in conversation.

"Nah we never had anything like this but it's great! Usually we stuck with something a bit more herbal and if we were lucky we'd get fruit in there too. What's in this?"

Hearing his praise for the drink, she beamed as she began to nurse her own as well. "It's from a marsh back in the mountain, the water there always added a bit of pep to our step so we used it in everything. You've never had anything like this before?"

Shaking his head, he wracked his brain trying to think of any occasion that he's had something even remotely close to this. Magic or not, the teas he's had just weren't comparable. "No, nothing at all. Closest thing I can think of are some potions back home."

Her eyes seemed to light up with the mention of home and her attention seemed to peak even more so. "If you don't mind me asking, where did you come from dear? My children found you in quite the spot and to be honest, we have never seen you around here before. Your wounds were terrible and we were all scared that you wouldn't pull through."

Ah, here it was. He didn't know what he could really say. He doubted that he was on the same continent because the monsters most certainly were different. They were a far cry from the terrors of the night he had to deal with prior to this encounter so regionally he must be quite a ways away. The Monster Hunter, being unsurprisingly resistant to revealing too much about his origin in case the pot boiled over, decided on feeding just bits and pieces for now.

"Sure, I don't mind. You know of Wallachia?"

"Can't say that I am. Is that a state?"

A state? He wasn't quite familiar with sovereign states but the Hunter thought he had a general idea as to what she was referring to.

"Not exactly, it's in Romania. Where are we, by chance?"

With the mention of Romania, she visibly went from curious to completely puzzled. Shaking her head slightly and getting to her feet, she excused herself for a moment before walking down the hallway. Richter didn't really know what had her so confused but surely she must have heard of Romania. After a brief moment, she returned with what was a brightly coloured globe. Sitting it down in front of him, she asked if he could find Romania for her. An unusual request, he thought, but she must have had her reasons. It was at this point that he noticed something very unusual. It was extremely detailed, with lands, sovereign states, regions, and even borders he didn't know even existed. Romania was present, which he pointed out to her amid his confusion, but he knew that things had changed since the time he spent in the castle.

"I use this globe in my classes sometimes, the children love it. Oh anyway! You're European? What brought you here to Ebbot-Town?"

If he wasn't confused before, he certainly was now. Europe, or Europa as he knew it, wasn't something he was familiar with outside of name. And Ebbot-Town? All hopes that he was somewhere close to his homeland were dashed away completely.

"We're not in Romania then, huh?"

Shaking her head with a laugh, she pointed a landmass out on the globe for him.

"Haha, no we're in North America. United States, Tennessee. Right...here!

Lo and behold, there it was an ocean away from his homeland. Serves him right for being hopeful.

"Just out of curiosity, what's the year?"

That elicited another puzzled look and a laugh out of her.

"2020. Why, is something amiss?"

Everything started to make sense. The technology was far too advanced for his time despite the technical marvels the castle had brought into the world, these monsters were radically different from anything he saw in his time period, the passive and relaxed nature of everyone he met, the clothing! Somehow, by whatever twisted magic Shaft casted upon Richter, the hunter found himself two centuries into the future. He wasn't even sure if it was HIS future either. Pressing both of his palms to his eyes, he attempted to collect his thoughts. The bloodline was gone, two generations had passed, he was a warrior out of time fighting a war that may not even exist where he found himself now, and more importantly he was a Monster Hunter in a land where monsters seemed to not be hunted but instead exist peacefully with mankind. This was...a lot to process and only seemed to spur a distant ringing in his head that only grew louder the longer he dwelled on the matter. But what could he do? Everyone he knew was gone although to be fair with himself it was just Maria. Would she be okay on her own? And what about Dracula's return?

He was pulled out of his musings by a large paw on his knee. Looking up to see the monster's now gentle and caring expression, he noticed that she was speaking. "Oh dear, I think we started off on the wrong note. Here, let's try this."

Taking one of his hands and placing it between both of her paws, she offered a smile and began.

"My name is Toriel Dreemurr, I am a teacher at Ebbot-Town's Middle and High School, and the former Queen of Monsters. You met earlier my two children, Frisk and Asriel Dreemurr. What's your name?"

Focusing on her words allowed him to pull out of the self-inflicted trance and as he steadied his breathing and centered himself, he replied with his own introduction albeit hesitantly.

"It's been a pleasure. Let's see, my name is Richter Belmont, last of the Belmonts, renowned Va-...renowned Hunter."

Toriel beamed as Richter eased himself into the introduction, letting him sit back and get comfortable again. She seemed to either miss, or ignore, the slip-up which all things considered, he saw as a blessing. He needed to really gauge what the world was like before revealing much of his past. If a society of monsters discovered that he was a Monster Hunter, and a dangerously skilled one at that, he'd swear that no one would be quite as hospitable as she has been.

"It's excellent to make your acquaintance. If you don't mind me asking, what time period are you from? You're clearly not from the present and it's been an astonishingly long time since I've seen a human quite like yourself..."

The cat was out of the bag at this point although Richter knew that it had to be obvious. His wounds, his attire, and the equipment that he had been carrying (although he hasn't seen the Vampire Killer since arriving here) all pointed to something outside of their society.

"...yes, it was around 1797 before I showed up here. Guess you have questions?"

"Oh most certainly! If you'd be so kind to wait just a moment, I'll get a pie in the oven. There's so much I'd like to know".

The luxury of keeping secrets may have just gone out the window faster than he did to her bedroom. She has been extremely hospitable and caring, in addition to tending to his wounds and saving his life, so he felt that at this point she deserves to know the truth...at least, most of it. He just had to find a way to bring it up without causing too much chaos.

"Before we get started, I'd just like to say thanks. I probably looked pretty bad when you took me in and it means a lot that you've put in all this effort for me".

Keeping his hands clenched around his knees, he started to brace himself for whatever hell he'd unleash by answering her questions. He needed to thank her for what he did but maybe, just maybe, he should've drawn it out just a bit more. It didn't take her long at all to get the pie prepared so it was time to face things head on. She shook her head and gave another one of her warm smiles.

"It was nothing, dear, tending to the lost and injured is something I've done since times long past. Are you certain you'd like to answer my questions? I'd hate to breach your privacy."

Richter just nodded and waited, feeling himself begin to tense up and instinctually assess his surroundings. Exits (including windows) were a focus.

"Well then! Could you guide me through your magic? Mankind has long since lost the ability to use magic so meeting a human who can cast is very exciting!"

Wait, what? How did she know? Outside of the subweapons he used earlier, he didn't really think he showed much, if any, inclination towards magic. Had he cast something in his sleep? How long had he been out then? Needing to know, he asked, "H-how did you know? How long was I unconscious?"

Sensing that he was distressed, she tried to ease his concerns as quickly as she could.

"You were only unconscious for two days, during which time I tended to your wounds and fed you. You are in remarkably good condition for how long you've been healing. As for your magic, it's very obvious to us monsters. We can see it similar to how you see light. You're very similar to a furnace or a fireplace, you radiate an intense magical aura. I knew about it the moment my children brought you to my aid."

Two days? Given how grievous his wounds were, he was surprised it wasn't a handful of weeks. On top of that, they can see an...aura? Oddly enough, he could remember that a few of the older and more magically-entuned monsters in the Castle could sense a magical presence as well. What the crossover there was, he didn't know, but at least it seems that there's an aptitude for it somewhere. Knowing that she's aware that his magical abilities exist, there was no point in hiding it any longer.

"Huh, alright. Well you'd be right, I do have a bit of a magical touch. It's a lot to get into, but basically just -", as he continued on, he started to name things off with his fingers, "-conjuration, elemental magic, and some movement spells. Nothing too fancy and I'm sure it's nothing new to you, haha. What's your next question?"

He wasn't planning on informing her of the extent that his abilities reached, this was more than enough for now. To elaborate on his point, he conjured a dagger like the ones he threw earlier, followed the length of the blade with his finger covering it in flame, before banishing the dagger and the smoke along with it. Seeing that he wasn't exactly going to elaborate further, she just admired the display before asking her second question.

"What brought you here in such a worrisome state?"

There wasn't much he could hide about this one, she had seen his wounds firsthand and would know if he'd be lying (generally). The damage left by magic is extremely easy to distinguish and he had been absolutely riddled with the marks. He just had to be honest. Finding a way to explain it simply though made this difficult. Whatever tidbits that involved monsters he could remove, he did, but there was still far too much to be said. He took a deep breath, steadied himself further, before beginning his little summary.

"To be frank, I was sent here by a spell from a Dark Magician who I had just killed in order to stop the end of humanity from the hands of a dark tyrant. I, uh, know that sounds like...well, a lot but I swear I'm being honest. He and his goons roughed me up, that and the fall through the treeline did me no favors."

Well, the silence had him worried. He let out a quiet, nervous chuckle as he tried to gauge her reaction. She seemed surprised, certainly, but was inexplicably not baffled or looking like she'd been taken as the fool here. If anything, she seemed...relieved? Why she believed him though made as much sense to Richter as he thought his story made to her. He didn't have long to think about it however as she responded quickly.

"That explains much, I am thankful that you weren't worse for wear. I might not have been able to save you if the damage had been more severe. I knew many of your wounds were magical and I had been so terribly worried that some of the monsters here on the surface got to you in the woods. If they had, I'd be so ashamed of my kind and our relations with the Embassy would have been ruined; we'd be sent back underground."

"Wait so you actually believe me?"

"Of course, dear, many strange and wonderful things have happened this past year alone. This isn't the most unusual thing I've heard."

With a massive sigh of relief, Richter sunk back into his chair and let his worry wash away. Maybe they'd be tolerant of who he is, what he used to do...or what he used to be. Suppressing the voices and the screaming that erupted from the last notion, he gave her the biggest smile he could muster.

"Thank you. That makes my life so much easier. With that covered, what's your next question?"

Returning his smile with her own, she pulled out a small list she must have put together while getting the pie in the oven. Her penmanship was gorgeous and elaborate, a far cry from his own. It was then he noticed that while the paper was small, the list wasn't. This was going to take a while but he might as well make the most of it and hey, maybe he could get a few questions of his own thrown in to get some answers. The world he was in now was much different from anything he was familiar with. For better or for worse this land was his home now and he needed to not only make peace with those who resided here, but also learn the lay of the land. He's got two centuries to catch up on and by the looks of things, they were extremely productive.

Under his breath, as she excitedly asked about European Snails, he muttered to himself, "I could get used to this".

And if everything went well, he knew that just might happen. But when did anything go well for him?