savetheearth | 04

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04 | [Video]

[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.]

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[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.

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.

Um, long story short, I think I know where Al's things are coming from. Down to a specific person. We'll have to see if I'm right.

[Best not to tell Hajime about the fact Al might be a guy who destroys things like Hajime right now.]

Pulses? That's the third term I've heard for these things. Anyway, doesn't matter. What matters is what happened to you. You ok? Relatively speaking?

[Hajime knows about that memory Al has and is already starting to suspect that, sadly enough.]

I don't even care what they're called; I just don't like them...

...I'm...fine, I guess. I'm not hurt or anything, functional enough for...for...this...

Well, that's something. You said you can't hide the belt right? So that's probably part of this. Is it doing anything different? Any sort of symbols on it or you?

More importantly though, do you need anything? Some supplies? A huge blanket to use in case anyone knocks on your door?

The buckle was red. Kind of a stylized heart...it's green now.

[What that means, he's got no idea.]

I don't know...I'm not planning on staying here for long.

[It's just the getting out without causing a panic that worries him.]

Well, if the belt is a part of this then you might be able to hide ... all this later.

[Thomas just waves his hand in a wide circle when saying "all this."]

It'll just be much harder and take a lot more focus. Before you ask, yes I'm going off of television cliche's, but at this point that probably is the smartest place to look to.

Not like I can figure out how to use it...I'm probably lucky to have hidden it when I did.

[He does like the idea of being able to hide everything and go back to looking like a normal human, though.]

Why would television cliches make this make sense?

[He is completely and totally failing to see the logic there, as evidenced by the highly skeptical tone he's taking.]

Because you just transformed into a giant bug monster out of a tv show and that's where my memories of who Al might be are from.

We're also fighting off and alien invasion with some of us slowly gaining super powers. Until proven otherwise, they seem pretty likely. At least in the case of giant bug people.

I know he said something about fighting a...creature...that was similar to this, but...a TV show? I'm pretty sure this isn't some rubber suit.

[It's not helping that he remembers rampaging in such a fashion that would require the intervention of some sort of superhero team.]

Do you know what the bug people were called?

I have the theme song in my head and fandom discussions from something called ... two channel or something. And, yeah it really doesn't. Could be a tv show where I'm getting my stuff from and real from where yours are coming from.

From Al's world? The bug people were called the Universal Annihilation Army Warstar. All their names were references to sci-fi movies.

Then again, you could also be a Earth Condemnation Group UMA monster. They were based off of monster movies.

A theme song and fandom discussions?

[There is a definite note of disbelief in Hajime's voice at that, but darn if something called "Universal Annihilation Army Warstar doesn't sound like the sort of thing he remembers being. The warlike language, the rampaging, the intense desire to destroy...]

Do you remember a monster named Joker?

Yeah. The theme was pretty good.

Um, no. Only 19 Warstar monsters ever showed up and none of them were named Joker.

Seriously, you remember an entire theme song?

That's what I remember being called at one point. Joker. Like that's what this is.

I remember the end theme too. They had a bad pun about being "five star" since apparently Gosei means five star and they're goseiger.

Hm. Well, one of the Warstar was described as the empire's trump card. Could be you were just never shown and you were their Joker.

[There is a noticeable wince at the word "card."]

You had to say "card." Half the stuff I remember is cards and monsters...

Um, well besides the Gosei cards, there weren't any cards really in Goseiger. So, you shouldn't really have much memories of cards if you're a Warstar.

I remember fighting other monsters...they would turn into cards when I defeated them.

[If he sounds relieved, well, realizing that he just might not be the bug-thing Al was fighting sounds good.]

Oh yeah, definitely not Warstar. Or anything the Goseiger's fought.

I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. Knowing something more would have been nice...

[Even if this was crazy and he definitely would have been the bad guy...but there are still the cards and monsters Bakura had been talking about...]

Looks like Al and I don't have to fight each other, at least.

[Yeah, he's happy about that.]

Well, that's something at least. Means I don't have anything useful to tell you really though.

Oh well, I still have plenty to tell Al at least. Might skip the "it's a tv show" part though.

Yeah, I don't think he needs to know that.

[Hajime falls quiet for a moment, thinking.]

But why are you getting those sorts of memories? Haven't you seen yourself doing anything? Or has it all been passive, like watching TV?

I haven't really remembered anything about myself so far. I just remember the show, the movies, a press event for one of the movies. I vaguely recall some tall guy with a doll on his arm talking about the toyline.

Beyond this I've just gotten my scarf, that gun thing, and ... yeah.

[Thomas is less willing to discuss his memories of the Aoi-tan franchise.]

Maybe you worked in the film industry or something?

[Though that doesn’t quite explain the gun. Still, it’s just a gun, right? Nothing too flashy or weird. Normal people can just go out and buy guns.]

Maybe, but it doesn't really explain the gun.

[Thomas reaches off screen and pulls out the Moe Moe Z-Cune in gun mode.]

See what I mean?

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