Richie is a young man sporting short black hair and an unbuttoned black jacket worn without a shirt underneath. An orphan, he grew up in Londinium with Lyde. Their childhood took a turn when Jimi Stonefree saved them both, a moment Lyde captured in a sketch. Roughly ten years later, Richie and Lyde found work at a repair shop. Their employment ended abruptly; Lyde left to test an amplifier with a customer named Nir, while Richie departed to confess his feelings for someone.

The pair lived with Vivienne, an elderly woman who provided them shelter. They showed Nir damaged Patrol Squad Equipment from Londinium's defense forces, attempting repairs. Lyde expressed a desire to use this equipment against Londinium, citing the city's arrogance. By Christmas, they succeeded in fixing it. During an attack by Earless creatures, Lyde piloted the equipment as a Player with Richie accompanying him. Their clash with the Earless concluded when Mu, piloting the Duel Showman, defeated both them and the creatures.

Richie and Lyde survived the incident, annoyed at being presumed dead. They subsequently enrolled at FFreak Scene Academy, where Nir was already a student. Trivia suggests Richie may draw inspiration from Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols, paralleling Lyde's link to Johnny Rotten.