04 | [Video]

[chalicejoker]

[The webcam feed opens to show Hajime's darkened apartment. The lights are off, the curtains are drawn, and a hulking figure can be seen moving around in the shadows. He's moving too fast and too much to get a clear look at him for very long, though the green orb on his chest is slightly luminescent. He's so distraught, he hasn't realized he even activated the webcam. He thought he was just switching on the mic for audio.]

I...I can't stay here. I can't let anyone find me like this. But I don't think I can get out of here on my own without anyone seeing me...

[Hajime is doing his best to keep his voice calm, but there's no denying the fact that he sounds quite shaken. It's still recognizable as his voice, although it sounds a little rougher than usual.]

I changed. I...tried to fight it, but...it...it was just like I remembered...and I can't hide the belt anymore, not that it matters...

[He is this close to having a massive freakout right then and there. Staying calm after turning into some kind of a bug monster is really hard, especially when you were normal--or as close to normal as Hajime gets these days--an hour ago. He's going through the room, trying to figure out what, if anything, he'll be bringing with him when he leaves. It's at this point that he realizes the webcam's on, and a green, clawed, and definitely inhuman hand will reach out to cover it.]

Comments

[video]

[skickpowered]

[There's definitely a hint of concern coming from Al.]

Boss, you okay? What's goin--

[And then he sees that green hand.]

[Video of a green monster hand doing a terrible job of covering a webcam]

[chalicejoker]

[Hajime freezes at the sound of Al's voice.]

No. No, I'm not okay...

[Deep breaths, deep breaths, can't let anyone see him but he's too freaked out, trying not to freak out...]

...I'm not going to be able to come into work for a while.

Video;

[wannabered]

[Get a visibly shocked and surprised Thomas face as close to the camera as he can. A clawed green hand, stuff like "I've got to get out," and glowing can only mean one thing.]

Oh my god. A real monster. I thought Al might just be the actor, but ...

[No focus Thomas. You might not know him that well, but Hajime is one of the few on this network you'd call a friend. Time to be the dotting big brother type you're supposed to be.]

Hajime, talk to me. Take a deep breath, and talk.

Video;

[chalicejoker]

What about Al?

[Actor? What? Not like Hajime's doing a great job of focusing on anything other than I am a giant bug how did this happen at this point in time.

Wait, yes, deep breaths would be an excellent idea. If he's still even breathing. He thinks he is? Maybe? It's a lot of new physiology to get used to all at once and thinking too hard on it isn't helping. He's not covering the webcam anymore, but he's stepped out of its line of sight for now. Easier than fumbling around with it some more.]

I...I had one of those weird hollow pulses earlier this week, but nothing happened...then...something did.

voice;

[unwakingwaters]

Good lord...

If I had any doubts about this all being real, they're gone now. Are you... I suppose asking if you're all right is somewhat silly. Is there anything I can do to help?

voice;

[chalicejoker]

[There's a long pause.]

I don't suppose you have any ideas on how to get a...man-sized bug...out of an apartment complex with no one seeing.

[Video]

[shiromadoushi]

[[Bakura is torn between worry for his friend and utter elation of holy shit that's so friggin awesome. Doing his best not to show that 2nd part there when it's pretty clear Hajime's distressed]]

You okay? I mean-- besides... you know.

[Video, failure of an attempt at covering the webcam]

[chalicejoker]

I...think so. Nothing hurts.

[Really, on some level, the form is somewhat comfortable, which only makes everything else that much worse.]

[Video]

[originaloddcouple]

Oh!

[Miria nearly fell over when she spotted... that.]

Are you alright?! Did changing hurt?! Do you need anything?

[Video]

[chalicejoker]

[He's still not interested in getting into full view of that camera yet, but he's kind of given up turning it off entirely. His big monster hands make working with this sort of thing kind of awkward, and he doesn't want to smash the thing.]

I was lucky--it didn't hurt. It was just a ripple...

[He kind of trails off a little, not wanting to go into more detail than that.]

I just need to figure out a way out of this apartment without being seen, that's all...

[doomedtheworld]

[Oh.

Oh, holy crap. This is really fucked up. She actually starts writing out a message before stopping and shaking her head and going to audio.]

I, um, I might know a few places you can lay low for awhile if you need to. They're not in the safest parts of town but I really don't think anybody's going to mess with you.

Getting there might be a problem though.

[chalicejoker]

I'm pretty sure even the worst of the crackheads out there wouldn't want to deal with me. I've got the physical strength that goes with being something like this. I think I can stay at some friends' places, but I probably shouldn't stay too long...

If I can get out of this stupid apartment, that would be enough...

voice

[darkremnant]

Wow... Oh wow! The claws-- The--! Wow!

[A laugh.] It's like watching a Japanese horror film... The giant monster kind, not the kind with the chicks crawling out of TVs.

Man, did it hurt? Hey, maybe you can shoot webs like in the comic books.

voice

[chalicejoker]

[...was that a laugh? Nothing about this is amusing to Hajime, and it is a good thing they are not in the same room.]

You think this is funny?

[Audio]

[professorwolf]

[Though Lyall can watch the video, he doesn't have a webcam-- still-- so all Hajime can get is his voice. When he finally speaks, it's firm, no sign of the tremor he would've had if he'd said something before he'd gotten his emotions at least mostly under control.]

I've got room. And I'm already expecting you in a couple nights, anyway. You can stay here as long as you need.

[Not to mention he's already monster-proofed half his house. Not that he expect Hajime to be a rampaging beast, but at least he'll have less to break.]

Do you need me to come get you?

[Video]

[chalicejoker]

[Lyall's voice sounding firm is oddly comforting. He needs people being relatively calm, and he knows Lyall at least has to understand how this feels on some level.]

I'd...I'd really appreciate that.

[There's a note of relief in his voice.]

I'm not sure. Probably. We may wheel me out in a box or rent a truck or something, but I'm kind of heavy.

[Heavy and covered in sharp pointy bits. Nothing could go wrong.]

[audio]

[sweetas]

Hey, aren't you...? Are you okay?

[audio]

[chalicejoker]

I'm...as okay as I can be after changing like this.

[There's an awkward pause.]

I was sort of thinking something like this might happen, anyway...

[Voice]

[espigeonage]

Ah. That's...

[well he's probably got enough of those reactions by now, and no one really wants to hear about all the inhuman colors of an exoskeleton. Refocus.]

You know... if you need to call in and you're worried about how you sound, I might be able to do it. I can imitate voices pretty well.

[Voice]

[chalicejoker]

...can you really?

[Hajime sounds intrigued.]

Do you speak any Japanese?

[He and his family are bilingual. Sometimes, they don't really pay attention to which language they use with one another. It could be a problem.]

[depolarized]

[He has no idea who that is, but.] Go at night, that looks pretty bad. Do you have a trenchcoat or a hoodie or something?

[chalicejoker]

I've got a trenchcoat I like, but I can't fit into any of my old clothes, even without the spikes.

[Hajime was never a big guy to begin with, and now he's the size of a linebacker.]

audio; japanese

[controlsdesire]

[The first view of the video brought up a feeling Shuji was learning to dread. A pounding in his head that wasn't a headache, but it still took the breath out of him and left him feeling as though he was slowing losing himself. This thing... This guy was a human, but also some kind of monster. The concept was far from foreign. Though it seemed out of place, Shuji felt as though he'd encountered this situation before, with someone who looked strikingly similar. There's also the feeling of them fighting each other, but nothing specific comes to mind.

Now probably wouldn't be the time to mention Shuji's own memories of a belt, but he makes a note of it for later.

Usually, Shuji would make every attempt to hide anything relating to his identity while on the Network, but his usual method of communication won't cut it. He knows this guy is panicked and probably won't be able to keep himself calm long enough to sit and read. So, once he's composed himself, he connects to the Network and begins talking.]

Do you live where we first met? I can keep eyes off of you and be there soon.

[The Network might be considered safe by some people, but Shuji doesn't want this guy revealing his location on the off chance that it's not.]

[Video]

[chalicejoker]

[Oh, hey...it's that detective. Voice chat is good; Shuji is right--reading is not a thing Hajime has the patience for. Voice can cut through his agitation.]

No...I've got my own apartment. At least no one can come in here and find me suddenly.

[But does he really want Shuji there?]

[Text | Handwritten]

[scramasax]

[This response comes several hours late. Anthony had had little to say with confidence after the video had gone up among all the offers of help that had been offered that everyone else has surely been better equipped to provide, even if he is sort of peeved at himself in retrospect that he'd backed off rather than tried, as well.]

Hajime,

Are you safe by now?

(I am sorry if I shouldn't be asking in writing. I will change mediums if you want.)

- Anthony

[Text, really messy handwriting]

[chalicejoker]

Yeah. We made it to Lyall's. No change, but I should be okay here for a few days. Better than my apartment.

Writing works, but it's kind of hard. Not something these hands were meant to do.

Audio | Slightly backdated to be more timely? D:

[birdinthehand]

[Takayuki liked to browse the network for anything interesting enough, and this was sure as hell interesting. Okay, more horrifying. All the more so when he recognized the voice coming out of the bug-thing. Holy shit, that's Hajime?

He doesn't know what to say, but he's got to say something, so goes to voice.]

Shit... Hajime? Hey, you still there? You okay? You... holy fuck, man, this's....

You get out okay? You still... need help, or something?

Audio | That works!

[chalicejoker]

Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. They got me out without too much of a fuss.

[Really, of all people to show concern...Hajime's actually a little surprised. Then again, he would have been concerned if the situation were reversed. It didn't matter who was turning into a giant bug, that just wasn't right.]

I'm not sure there's anything anyone can do...I keep trying to turn back, but it's not working. At least, focusing on becoming a human again isn't doing much of anything.