[ he wakes up with a start, confused and off balance. there's light seeping in through the window, crawling up towards the bed that he's on. he's — fine.

how is he fine? he shouldn't be fine but he is. his limbs feel heavy, like he's been sleeping for quite some time but the last thing he remembers is...not this. he was not here. ]

Hello?

[ the only answers is the rustling of the bedsheets underneath his feet. there's another bed in the room, another person that he doesn't recognize. not one of his friends. and they're still out? had he done something to them before this? why can't he remember? where is he? nothing in this room is familiar. everything looks strange and distorted and not right. rand even goes as far as pinching himself to see if maybe he's having a dream, some consequence of being found out as the dragon reborn.

but he does not awaken. he stays right where he is. he doesn't like it.

eventually, rand does put his feet on the ground and crosses to the door, expecting it to open. it doesn't. he tries it again and again until the voice comes and startles him, sending him stumbling back onto the bed. ]

What is this madness?

[ he'd known — accepted — that the one power would drive him mad but so soon? it's not right. he listens, though, to the voice talk of blood and new homes and the only thing he can think of is that he has gone mad already.

rand doesn't want to give this place any of his blood but he doesn't want to be stuck in this room forever either so —

the decision becomes easy as time passes. he cuts his hand on the corner of some piece of furniture and then puts it on the door. it opens and exposes the outside world. rand holds up a hand and winces. ]

Light, what has happened?

[ rand isn't roller skating. it's not for lack of desire, he just doesn't know how. he'd shown up and spent an inordinately long time just staring at the shoes with wheels on them.

a few people to try to convince him that it's safe but he dismisses each attempt. if he's not on a horse, he's going to walk. he is not going to put roller skates on his feet. he's still sorting through a lot of memories and uncertainty continues to weigh heavily on his shoulders. he doesn't want to add to that by putting something on his feet that was surely going to send him into a wall.

instead, he stands at the edge of the rink and watches. the music is terrible and the lights hurt his eyes but he doesn't leave, standing there and taking in those who are zipping around the rink with ease. ]

[ it's beginning to feel familiar, rand not knowing what anything is and what to do with what he's given. he knows what money is, currency, but this isn't any sort of money that he's dealt with before. it's on a hard rectangle and he has to wonder how money can be contained in it.

but, no one answers his questions, leaving him alone to...stand in the middle of the very large, very bright mall, confused. he spins in a circle, holding the gift card before he takes a few steps in one direction.

he has no idea where he's going. please save him. ]