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

[shiromadoushi]

How look until they come? If you can hold out until dark, you should be able to sneak away easily enough.

[[a thoughtful pondering]] Oh... do you think you could fit in a wagon? I have a tarp and long as you're not too heavy could smuggle you to safety that way!

[chalicejoker]

I'm supposed to work tonight. They'll call if I don't show, and if I don't answer, someone would probably come looking for me after the restaurant closes. I've never missed without letting them know where I am. I guess I could call in, but if I say I'm sick and my voice sounds weird, my sister would stop by to check on me anyway. She's a pre-med student. She'd want to practice.

[Even if he told her not to. She has a key to the apartment. He's quiet for a moment, thinking.]

I'm pretty heavy. I don't have a scale, but I know I'm way bigger than I used to be.

[shiromadoushi]

Could you just tell them you're tired? Or something came up and a friend called in a favor or something? Like you stayed up all night and just got in and you really need to crash?

... and bigger than like.. what? 300lbs?

[chalicejoker]

That...that might work. Yeah. I just don't want them to worry about anything...

[He's shaking his head, kind of like he's trying to clear it.]

I guess I'm not really thinking straight...

[He'll look down at himself to gauge his size.]

Not bigger than that. But probably closer than I'd like to think.

[shiromadoushi]

Of course you aren't, you just transformed into something utterly-- [[stops himself before he says awesome. Barely.]] -- out of this world. [[and awesome]] Just try and keep calm about it so you can think through it.

Don't think I can pull over 300 lbs... maybe a grocery cart? how much do those things hold...

[chalicejoker]

[Keeping calm is easier said than done, but he is trying.]

We could probably get someone else to help...

[Really, having people wheel him out in a box or a cart is starting to feel really embarrassing.]

[shiromadoushi]

Un, probably..

Oh! I bet I could mock up some that didn't have a bottom or anything! So you could be walking and it would just look like I was hauling something!

[chalicejoker]

That might work, as long as no one could see my feet.

[He will sadly look down at his feet. They definitely don't look normal, just like the rest of him.]

[shiromadoushi]

Longer cloth to drape over you and it'll be fine! And you don't even need to see where you're going because you can hold the handle to the cart and follow my lead!

Where's your place, I can be there in a half hour!

[chalicejoker]

[Hajime gives him an address. It's an apartment complex conveniently located between the university and Japantown--Hajime hadn't bothered to move back home since graduating from school.]

You're sure this will work?

[Excuse him if he sounds dubious. It has been a long day.]

[shiromadoushi]

If it doesn't, we'll just say we're trying to surprise a friend who's really into sentai shows~ And no, you can't take the costume off, do you know how long it took to get you in there?

...actually that might work without the hiding.... But this way there's less people looking.

[chalicejoker]

I...guess that might work...

[At this point, he's so desperate to get out of the apartment, he's willing to take the risks, even if he seriously doubts anyone's actually going to fall for it.]

I'd prefer not to get stared at...besides, if the police are on the lookout for strange things, the box is safer.

[shiromadoushi]

Un, true! I'll rig something up and been there soon, okay? And work out the cover story too~

I'll call when I get there!

[[and he flashes the screen a victory sign before turning off the screen of his phone and getting ready]]

[[About 15 minute later, he'll call back]]

I'm here, ready to go! [[Grinning like a ninny. He's got a huge cloak, a large drapery and and... a strap for something over his shoulder.]]

[chalicejoker]

[Hajime is surprised but grateful for the speed.]

The door's open--let yourself in.

[He holds up a hand.]

Still getting used to using doorknobs with these things.

[shiromadoushi]

Got it!

[[And in short order there's a knock before a cheerful]] It's me~!

[[the door opens to a grinning Bakura with a video camera bag slung over his shoulder and all the drapery in hand, turning to close the door behind him before he's even spotted his transformed friend.]] So I worked everything out, so whenever you're ready!

[chalicejoker]

I'm ready.

[Hajime's holding a small bag containing whatever personal effects he's decided to bring with him to Lyall's, and he'll hesitantly step out to meet Bakura. He's eyeing the camera bag and the drapery warily.]

...so what did you have in mind?

Combo~ 1/3

[shiromadoushi]

That plan is simple~ We're--

[[he pauses, mid sentence, eyes widening as the sight of Hajime catches him off guard.]]

I lied 2/4

[shiromadoushi]

[[His hand moves to his chest as his heart starts racing, the uncomfortably familiar sensation of something overlapping as his mind seems to pull away from reality

An annoying voice laughing maniacally as a giant monstrous insect loomed overhead. 'No wonder he parasited everything in Jounouchi-kun's deck! This was his ultimate end... Insect Queen....!'

The blond staring down the monster looked both repulsed and horrified as Bakura watched. This tournament was so important, for Jounouchi to lose here...!

[shiromadoushi]

[[And then it was gone, and he was back in Hajime's apartment, breath coming quickly and chest heaving as the feeling of the flashback faded.]]

...fuck. What--

[shiromadoushi]

[[He shook his head, pushing it aside before refocusing, smile a touch forced as he tried to get his pulse to stop racing]]

... what was I... right. Right, the plan. Right.

[[Exhale. Focus.]]

So. The plan is that we're going to be surprising a friend who's super big into monster fight shows by having you show up at his door in costume while I film it. [[he pats the camera bag, recovering from the echo as he continued]] Camera's not even loaded so no worries there, it's all for show. You're just a guy in a rubber suit we're rending from one of the con's connections, it's one they actually used in a show so we gotta be real careful, and since it's a surprise, all the cover up.

[chalicejoker]

[Hajime looks concerned--at least, as concerned as he's capable of looking right now, which is to say not very--at Bakura's behavior there. Something had happened. He didn't know what, though he had his suspicions.]

Hey...you okay? Did something happen?

[But he's quickly distracted by that plan.]

So you want me to just walk on out of here like this?

[He does not seem to be buying this plan. He'd already shut down someone else who had tried to help with such a suggestion, and for a moment, it looks like he's going to go back to hide in the bedroom again.]

[shiromadoushi]

[[He shakes his head to wave off the concern.]] You should be pretty covered, between the cloak and this, so no one should really see anything. The story is for if someone asks anything, which they shouldn't. It's the fitting in principle. You act like you're supposed to be there and doing that and people just walk right by. The cloak and the cover keeps you from being easily identified as anything other than "some weirdo in a full cloak." It's even a renfest cloak so they'll already be thinking "god, stupid nerds and their cosplay" because of the con.

[chalicejoker]

[This is one dubious-looking bug-monster.]

I already told some woman I wasn't going to try anything like that...

And what if the police show up? What if they know they're looking for something weird like a giant bug?

[shiromadoushi]

Then I think you're pretty fucked no matter what. [[Yet he smiles. Confident little..]]

But you just need to get down to Mr. Lyall's car, right?

And heck. Worse comes to worse, I summon Diabound and you run for it. But that's not going to happen. I already scouted for cops and it's just a short distance.

[[Time to attempt to swish the cloak up and over those spikes.]]

And your other option is a giant cardboard box. Which do you think is going to stick out more?

[chalicejoker]

Yeah, just out to Lyall's car...

[He can handle that, right? Just out the building and to Lyall at the curb? He hopes he'll fit into the car. Maybe he should have tried to get someone with a U-haul after all...]

I'm not running from anything.

[There's a bit of a growl at that. Bakura came all this way to help him; he doesn't want the kid to get into any trouble because of him.]

If anything happens, I'll try to take it out.

[There's a sigh, and he reluctantly reaches out to take the cloak.]

Too bad I'm bigger than your average refrigerator box.