[Video]

[chalicejoker]

[There's Hajime, looking human and not at all like he's in the mood to be trolling people as a giant bug. He should probably get some sleep, even if he claims he doesn't need it anymore. He revealed way more than he ever wanted the public to know in Japan, and now he's got to deal with that on top of remembering a bunch of very unpleasant things at seeing Tokyo a wreck.]

Three things: one, I'm done with the Lord of the Bugmen crap. I'm not taking that form again. Not if I can help it. It's more than just the whole everyone knowing who I am thing, it's...more than that. I guess you could say I know too much about it now. It's...I don't want to say it was ever fun, but it sure as hell just got less appealing. I've got a different armored form to fight with, and I'm going with that instead.

[He runs a hand through his hair and looks worn out.]

Two, so I'm famous now, I guess. People keep bugging me for stuff, they had to shut down the restaurant for a couple days because the media was kind of going nuts. How do you even deal with that? Do you have any idea how many exterminators I've had calling wanting me to do endorsement deals with them? How do famous people do it and not lose their minds? Or tear a paparazzi's arm off? And three...

[He leans forward a bit and actually looks a little anxious.]

This is a long shot, but...does anyone know someone named Kazuma Kenzaki?

Comments

[wingsister]

[Hi, have horse.]

:I'm sorry, I don't. Is he someone from one of your echopulses?:

[chalicejoker]

[He's a giant cockroach wearing a human suit, at this point, he is not even going to bat an eye at a talking horse, because this is his life now.]

Yeah. He...he's kind of important. Was important to my other self, anyway.

[wingsister]

[That's good, because she's technically in the process of becoming a horse-shaped guardian spirit herself.]

:I think I understand, a little. Do you remember him in detail or do you only have a name and a feeling?:

[chalicejoker]

I'd had just bits and pieces. It's...I know more now. More details. Feelings too, I guess.

[Video]

[oncedevil]

[Yeaaahhh, boy things sure got messy fast. As they tend to do. There's a lot on the plate here but Tony's more worried about Hajime's well-being than anything else right now. And if he doesn't want to go Joker then he doesn't have to.]

Hey, if you need to vent I'm here for you, dude. Unless you'd rather marathon some cartoons we can do that too.

[Tony's problem solving for existential crisis: cartoons and eating.]

[Video] > [Private]

[chalicejoker]

Depends on which cartoons. And hold on...

[That he's even agreeing to that with minimal fuss is probably not a good sign, and he switches it to private.]

I remember trying to destroy Tokyo. The world.

[Video] > [Private]

[oncedevil]

Whatever you like. You pick.

[Yes, yes that is strange. It'd make sense from Shou or even L, but Hajime? Something is definitely getting under the bug's chitin.]

You-- really? Your Other, you mean?

[Private]

[chalicejoker]

I...don't really think I know any.

[More proof that his agreement is strange, really.]

Yeah. My other self. He...didn't want to, but he couldn't help it.

Video;

[knights_king]

So, you're alright.

[The Bugman thing seemed to be pretty helpful for a lot of things--

Though, Arthur imagined that last comment was relevant to it all.]

I never got any offers for brand deals. I guess nobody can really tell it's me when I walk around. Though, how many guys look like me walkin' around Jersey?

Video;

[chalicejoker]

Yeah, for the most part. I just...remembered some stuff at a bad time.

I think being weird looking probably helps your chances if you want some kind of advertising deal, to be honest. I might do it if it's a motorcycle company, but not exterminators...

Video;

[knights_king]

I mean, yeah. It'd kind of be this sorta betrayal, right?

[Wait, that was super insensitive. Arthur put his hands over his face, suddenly.]

I'm sorry.

Video;

[chalicejoker]

[There's a slightly bitter laugh.]

"Lord of the Bugmen" is just a load of crap Shou made up. I don't actually have any great love for any other bugs.

video;

[stefanged]

They usually have agents and lawyers, I think. I'm no good with that, but if you need someone to fend them off... [He shrugs] I've got some experience.

video;

[chalicejoker]

Experience with telling endorsement deals to shut up and go away?

Or fending them off by punching them in the face? I'm...pretty good at that second option.

[He sounds a little sheepish.]

video;

[stefanged]

That's one way to do it.

I'm talking more about the former. Apparently I can be, uh... pretty "persuasive." [He even does the gesture for airquotes.] No idea if it'll work for everyone, but it's worth a shot.

video;

[chalicejoker]

What do you mean by that?

[He is very interested now. Yes, let's talk about skills other than being big and strong enough to smack someone upside the head and have it mean something.]

[Video]

[charcoalfeather]

Ooh.... you're the guy that was at the parliament meeting.

[She had been there too... though not speaking up until Hajime had left.]

[Video]

[chalicejoker]

[There's a very tired smile.]

Yeah, that's me. It's...not how I really thought I'd go public with the bug thing.

[Video]

[charcoalfeather]

[She gave him an appreciative look.] Well, you probably helped a lot doing that. I pretty much revealed who I was too.

[Although her identity held weight for different reasons...]

[Video]

[scarlet_devil]

[Well then, there's such a thing as too much attention, and this most certainly counts. She certainly does not envy the guy.]

Well... They'll lose interest sooner or later and it gets more manageable to deal with.

[She'd been an out Numbered for quite some time, so she avoided all this attention.]

[Video]

[chalicejoker]

I hope so. I think the whole giant bug thing is what really got them all excited.

Not like they've never seen me before...

Re: [Video]

[scarlet_devil]

It's as if they weren't paying attention during snake business.

Hmm, did people even know who the so called Lord of the Bugmen really was before recently?

[espigeonage]

Me, I'm very polite and come off as baffled and confused. It hasn't been that bad, mostly. Then people started using my image to sell shit and Arnold's lawyer came down on them.

The excitement will die down.

[chalicejoker]

[This is reminding Hajime that at least he can turn back into a human. He has that.]

That's good to know. It's...just a little overwhelming right now.

[espigeonage]

I know. It's worst at the start, and whenever you do something that gets peoples' attention. Something that's helped me is making a few reporters exclusive so I'll only interview them. People wanting to sell things have to go through my agent, who screens out a lot of the less savory offers. That makes things more manageable.

It is a fuss. I know I'm more social than most so it's not too bad, for me.