07 | Audio

[chalicejoker]

Hey. Has anyone remembered something where you've seen yourself? I don't mean seeing your reflection or anything like that, I've done that before, but I saw myself standing there off to one side while I was doing something else. He had my face and everything.

[There's something Hajime's not saying there. He remembers being an angry and wounded and defeated bug monster, and as he got sucked into that cramped prison, he was raging at the human who was responsible…the one with his face. Filled with rage and consumed with the disbelief that he had lost to such a weak creature.]

It feels like it should be one of those weird metaphorical symbolic dreams or something, only I know it's not. The memory's too real to be a dream, it feels like the other memories I have, and everything else about it is pretty much in line with what I've been remembering except for seeing myself there like that…

[He trails off in a bit of uncertainty. Nothing about that memory makes sense.]

Comments

[lackinginfaith]

Maybe the other you had a brother.

[chalicejoker]

We were two different species at the time...and I don't think I would have wanted to claim any relation to him.

[lackinginfaith]

Different species at the time? You could change?

[chalicejoker]

I think I could, yeah. I remember changing at other times, and I can change now.

[He is getting way too used to discussing this as though it were something perfectly normal...]

[lackinginfaith]

Change into what?

[chalicejoker]

A giant bug-thing.

It's just as pleasant as it sounds.

[lackinginfaith]

Inconvenient. Or maybe it could be convenient, considering...

[chalicejoker]

It has its uses. If something really dangerous happens, I'll be ready.

[lackinginfaith]

Transforming to fight, then?

[chalicejoker]

That's the plan. The form doesn't seem to be good for anything else.

[lackinginfaith]

...I think I did that too, once. But I don't remember how, or even if it'll work now.

[chalicejoker]

You transformed into a monster?

[lackinginfaith]

I looked human enough... purple hair aside, but I don't think I was quite human either.

[chalicejoker]

Purple hair doesn't necessarily mean anything inhuman--a friend of mine dyed his hair to purple not that long ago.

[He's trying to be comforting, in his own way, though she doesn't seem particularly upset about not quite being human.]

[lackinginfaith]

It's still something I'm not sure of.

[chalicejoker]

I'd say try not to worry about it until you get some kind of confirmation, but sometimes the change can sneak up on you.

[lackinginfaith]

I'll be prepared for that. As much as anybody can be prepared in this situation, in any case.

[chalicejoker]

I kind of wish I'd had some sort of "in case of sudden transformation" plan laid out, but I guess it worked out well enough in the end anyway.

[lackinginfaith]

One of the lucky ones?

[chalicejoker]

Being able to change back in the end was lucky. Others haven't been fortunate enough to control anything.

[lackinginfaith]

So I've seen.