@wikus.vandermerwe: Video (Warning: Some Body Horror)

[onthehalfshell]

[The video starts with the view blocked by a hand. The view shakes a little.]

Is this started- right. Okay.

[The hand draws back, revealing a rather mousy brunet man. He's smiling, but his lips keep twitching as if they might collapse into a frown at any moment. His gaze keeps flicking away from the camera, as if he's having trouble keeping even virtual eye-contact. The nervousness might have something to do with the fact that his left eye and hand are distinctly not human, and there are several inflamed patches on his left cheek where something dark and chitinous pokes through the skin.

He tries to fold his hands, twitches slightly when the human right touches the inhuman left, and settles for strumming his fingers on the table instead.]

Since we're all going to be living and working together in this city for the next couple years, I thought it would be good introduce myself. Less of a, uh, surprise that that way.

I am Wikus van de Merwe, and I am- was- an employee of…

[Trailing off, he seems to think better of that particular fact.]

I'm from Johannesburg. That's in South Africa, for those of you, ah, familiar with Earth and it's countries. I grew up there, and it's where I live with my beautiful wife, Tania, who I know is- she's waiting for me to come home, and-

[Another pause, this one accompanied by placing a hand on his forehead and inhaling deeply through his nose. It takes a few moments before he's ready to speak again.]

Anyway, if you're worried about this- [He lifts his alien hand, clenching and unclenching tentacle-like fingers.] You don't need to worry about this. I'm not- it's not contagious or anything. I just had a little accident and- Ow!

[He claps his hand to his mouth, coughs, then promptly spits something out. It's hard to tell given the camera's focus, but it looks like it might be a tooth.]

Fok-! [The alien hand reaches out and the video ends.]

Comments

Video. @fraulien.zweihander

[oniondaughter]

[Oh my that was... unpleasant to watch. Clearly this man is suffering from some terrible curse or disease, and she's concerned for him.

And so on comes her phone. She's actually on guard duty right this moment, so all Wikus is getting a glimpse of his her gloriously onion-shaped helmet.]

Erm, are you all right? Do you need me to send a healer to you?

Text

[onthehalfshell]

[Who doesn't feel like talking out loud after losing a tooth? It's Wikus! Who would probably be more confused about the large metal onion talking to him if he weren't so busy being miserable.]

I'm fine

Video

[oniondaughter]

[Sieglinde would switch to text if she knew how to change mediums. Phones are very new to her.]

Are you certain? You look cursed - perhaps someone here might be able to help you with that.

[onthehalfshell]

My life is fokken cursed alright, but there's nothing to help that.

[oniondaughter]

I see.

[She's familiar with the concept of curses with no cures, unfortunately.]

Well, this land has a great many strange and wondrous things. Perhaps you could have luck here, where those in your homeland have failed you? I would not shut others out so quickly.

[There's a hopeful tone in her voice, but she understands why he might have none.]

text. @altin

[bringbackgold]

I would recommend a doctor. Regardless of how contagious it isn't.

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[onthehalfshell]

Wow I never thought of that. Thank you so much for this fantastic advice.

[Sarcasm doesn't always come through great in textual mediums.]

Text

[bringbackgold]

[ he can return the favor, of course ]

It's why you are clearly working so hard to go.

Text

[onthehalfshell]

That's because I've already fokken BEEN man.

video | @carolina

[leaderboards]

[ general friendly introductions are something carolina would usually not pay attention to, but that hand is cause for concern. human or not, she's far too familiar with the flood to be comfortable having that around. ]

I'm going to guess that whatever accident - [ there might as well be air quotes around the word for how she says it. ] - caused that wasn't native to Earth.

Text

[onthehalfshell]

[Too busy nursing his aching mouth to talk, but he does pop off a short text.]

Yeah sure, it was alien.

text

[leaderboards]

[ she'll switch to text to match. probably for the best, considering her scowl now. ]

From where? What's it doing to you?

text

[onthehalfshell]

From Prawns, man. I'm turning into a Prawn. But it's not going to effect anyone else any so don't worry about it.

Video | @Kaneki

[anthropophagite]

Ah- Wikus-san? [ what did you just spit out and why


and of course they worry! Well, Kaneki does at least. ]

Text

[onthehalfshell]

What

[Just a tooth, no worries, happens all the time! Hahaha. Ha.

Internal screaming.]

Text

[anthropophagite]

Was that a tooth?
I think you should go see a doctor again-

Text

[onthehalfshell]

Just one. It happens sometimes. I'm fine.

[He is not fine. The transformation had actually seemed to stop for awhile and now... Yeah.]

Video @the.boneless

[ragnarsson]

[Well, any desire Ivar had for lunch has mysteriously vanished. Blech, that was gross.]

What's happening to you?

[He's reminded strongly of tales from home, men who would transform into dragons or other beasts, usually in an extremely painful manner as the result of magic or a god's curse.]

Text

[onthehalfshell]

It's just a thing. Just turning into an alien.

[As you do.]

[ragnarsson]

[He has to replay the message on the text-to-speech function again to make sure he heard the word right.]

What's an alien?

[onthehalfshell]

What? How are you on an alien moon and haven't heard of aliens? They're you know creatures. Or people. From a different planet.

[video] ((Family disaster: hope it's not too late! ))

[toolatetochangethename]

Uh. Got cold milk to put that in?

[What? Someone got punched in the face a lot. He's picked up a few things.]

Text (NEVER TOO LATE)

[onthehalfshell]

Why would I put it in milk?

[toolatetochangethename]

Dude. Really?

So when you get to the doctor, they can put it back in your mouth. [EVERYONE knows that. At least, everyone Scott knows in the last five-to-ten year stretch.]

[onthehalfshell]

I'm pretty sure this isn't going back in, man.