Network Post - Video- un: amityblight

[bossy_boots]

WHO:Amity Blight and you!
WHERE: Network Post
WHEN:After the Dinosaurs are gone and she can sleep.
WHAT:Introducing Herself
WARNINGS:None to start

[The video appears, and there's a purple-haired young girl, looking curiously at it.]

Huh. It really is like Luz's phone.

[She sits back, clearing her throat. She isn't hiding her ears anymore, she knows now she doesn't have to. This isn't the human realm. It might even possibly be weirder than a place that has...ugh...giraffes. Not looking forward to meeting those weirdos if she gets out of here.]

Hi, I'm Amity. Amity Blight. I think some of you know my girlfriend Luz.

[That last part causes a slight redness. It's nice to say it out loud. Now that she can, now that she's even defied her mother's belief in a 'suitable' girlfriend - she's happy to say it as often as possible.]

I'm a witch-in-training, too, though we practice magic differently. I've got a lot to learn, or...or re-learn, I guess, now that I'm here. But it looks like it'll be a while, so I'd better settle in and get to know people.

Oh, and this is Ghost.

[She says that because a white cat has hopped up to inspect the camera, with a small mew.]

They're my Palisman. It's a long story. Think of it as sort of a cross between a familiar, a magic staff, and a wise companion-friend.

Comments

[prontissimo]

Yeah! You look pretty human — I mean, if humans had purple hair, which they don’t, but hey, it looks nice! You can just say it’s like— a cool medical condition, ha. That’s just how you came into the world.

[ …Thanks, Alberto. Who’s apparently never heard of hair dye… ]

Oh— and make sure you have a bellybutton. I mean, if you don’t. That’s important.

[ …Okay, maybe he is flirting with blowing their cover, in his excitement to play guide her and show off his human-ing expertise. He backtracks, grinning wider and cocking a brow, feigning a natural good humor to throw off anyone nosy on her post... ]

…And, ahah, I should know, y’know— as a human. With a bellybutton. Heh…

[ …Yup, nailed it, very convincing. Cast all suspicions away. ]

[bossy_boots]

Oh, I dyed that. It's...brown, naturally. I just liked it this way. I don't...have to go back, do I?

And no, I'm good there, that's fine.

[It's perfectly understandable, that one. But oh, that covering is terrible. Oof.]

Yes, right.

[prontissimo]

[ Alberto's smile falls off as he gives a long, confused stare at the camera in silence, darting his eyes awkwardly to the side before responding with no small bit of trepidation... ]

Um— ...Your brown hair died?

[ He can't help glancing upwards, as if he could catch a glimpse of his own sunbleached brown hair, but of course can't see it, pompadour or no. So he just turns his attention back to the camera like this is toootally normal. ]

I mean— It looks really cool, it does! But, uh— condolences... anyway...? Hah...? I-I don't think the humans will care, since it looks cute. Buuut maaaybe don't tell people you killed your hair~? That part's suspicious.

[ gruhisjlnkdf who are you calling suspicious, Alberto Scorfano...?! ]

[bossy_boots]

[Well, that's going to result in her just staring for a long moment, with her face a masterpiece in the expression of 'wait, what?']

No, I...coloured it? With a dye? It's...you can artificially change hair colour? I mean, my ears weren't originally pierced either, so.

[prontissimo]

[ This would help so much if Alberto knew the word "artificial." Or ever bothered to ask questions about things he doesn't understand. But, alas...

He, too, returns her silent stare for a moment, wearing more of a strained smile, trying to keep this, um, polite and friendly and toootally normal. ]

Haaah— right, right... I mean, heh— Brava, ragazza! Seriously. That's dedication, coloring your hair, eheh. I just let the sun do it, ha. I dunno if I have that kinda time every day now, maybe back home, but, hey! Suits you, sooo~ Worth it, eh? Do you color your hair other colors, or always purple...?

[ ...There's a drastic misunderstanding happening here. He's absolutely imagining Amity's— painting her hair... every day... But at least he's giving her props for it nevertheless. But sincerely: Oh, boy... Who is Luz friends with here...? Someone fuckin goofy, clearly. ]

[bossy_boots]

[She goes to correct him on that score, but abandons the effort before making it. Some things in life are the definition of an uphill struggle, with the word 'unnecessary' tacked on in front, for good measure.]

Umm, it was green for a long time. Before that.

[Keep it simple, prevent misunderstandings, get out intact. Good plan, Amity.]

[prontissimo]

Green? Like grass green or like sea green? Do you think you'll do even more colors — ooh, ooh, like, many colors at the same time, maybe?! That'd be cool!

[ Okay, Amity, color him intrigued. They're pretty clearly around the same age but this kid's excitability is a little... hmm. ]

[bossy_boots]

Uh, I don't know. It's...kind of based on how I feel? Right now I'm good with the purple it's...well, kind of a family colour.

The better part of my family anyways.

[prontissimo]

Oh. ...I don't know any families who have colors. I mean–

[ He gives another useless skeptical glance upwards at his own hair. ]

Except brown...? But— I guess if you mix purple and green— you get brown? So I get it. Still— Bet the green was nice, too?

[ Makes sense to him? He's sooo trying to be so polite and friendly like he's not the one who's being wackadoodle over here. He can tell there's something tender in the way Amity tags on "the better part of my family," though, and while his own family is so small it has no parts, it has plenty of trouble he'd rather not talk about with friends, let alone strangers; so for all his woeful social skills, perhaps surprisingly he intentionally doesn't pry even a bit on that part. ]

[bossy_boots]

[He's put his finger on the tender spot alright, and she's glad he's not pushing there.]

I guess so. But I do like the purple as it is.

[She pushes back the hair on her ears, revealing the piercings there, which also may be unusual.]

[prontissimo]

[ He notices her earrings, but refrains from comment for now; he's seen earrings before, but sincerely believes they're just glued on every day... much like one might paint their hair every day. Ahem. But he does appreciate Amity's style and body modifications (by his standards) right off the bat — she looks cool, plain and simple. ]

I like it, too — you've got style, ha. I've never colored my hair, but I like making myself colorful, too, heh. You got any tattoos~?

[ ...Wh-What. He says with all the nonchalance that suggests he might? ]

[bossy_boots]

Oh! Thanks!

[Said with a smile, because that's a nice compliment. And she's just leaning into the idea that maybe she should teach him how to dye his hair when suddenly another, super personal question comes down the pipe and sends her going the other way. Again.]

Oh, uh, wow, that's a personal question alright. I'm a bit...young for that.

[prontissimo]

[ He gives the camera a flat look. ]

Why is that a "personal question...?" I've got tattoos. I'm fourteen. So what?

[ He turns the camera to show the palm of his hand... which, for the record, is very much not tattooed but instead colored with permanent marker. But that's just yet another misconception falling between the cracks here... ]

[bossy_boots]

[She slowly drew a hand over her face, suppressing a noise of confused frustration.]

Oh, well. That's a different thing entirely.

[prontissimo]

[ Alberto does not comprehend this reaction... It earns another long, flat look, narrowing his eyes dubiously. Before it dawns on him: ]

...Oh. I see. You've got a thing about tattoos, too. Got it. Luz got all "ehhhh" about it, too. You're scared your mom will find out if you get a tattoo or something? Cuz, y'know— you're here now... Just saying.

[ Th-This is his best guess. He had a pretty in-depth back-and-forth with Luz about the probability of her mother calling the police on her to report she'd gotten a tattoo, when Luz tried to argue it was illegal for kids their age to get tattoos... He never did let up on his side of the argument, though. Which was essentially: "Where's your mom now? I don't see her. Live it up." ...For better or worse. ]

[bossy_boots]

[Behold, Alberto, the landmine you've just stepped upon. Her mother is...a sore issue with her, right now. Her own look darkens like a thundercloud.]

I'm in charge of my own life, thank you very much.

[prontissimo]

Uh, yeah. That's my point. You can just do whatever you want here. Total freedom. You'll love it. So why're you making that face...?

[ tf does he care about landmines. or social cues. ]

[bossy_boots]

No reason.

[Said with a very, very forced neutral face.]

Just a thought.

[prontissimo]

[ Alberto shoots the camera an exaggeratedly dubious look, pausing a moment in trying to interpret this. He's still new at people, man. Human or otherwise. ]

...Oookaaay, then. Well, uh— Good news. You're extra in charge of your own life here. There's no one to tell you what to do, you can go anywhere you want, do anything you want — you're your own boss here. Me and Luca, we live on our own, just us — we take care of ourselves~ It's the best. I know Luz has Signora Eda and all, but still. Live it up. The world's your oyster.

[bossy_boots]

[Well, that would require knowing what an oyster is - and she certainly wouldn't get a tattoo - or...whatever you want to call what he's got. Symbols of any variety can carry deep meaning where she's from, with power, too. She's deeply distrustful, given what Belos did with his own sigils.]

Well, that's going to be nice and all. If done responsibly.

[prontissimo]

[ Alberto is completely none the wiser to how he's coming off. He thinks this has been going pretty okay so far... ]

Well, yeah, of course responsibly. If we did it un-responsibly, I don't think it'd count as "taking care of ourselves..." Any time we've almost died here, it wasn't our fault. And, more importantly, we didn't die. Heh. This place just gets crazy sometimes — I'm sure Luz told you all about it, but worth emphasizing, ha.

[bossy_boots]

[Well that certainly doesn't help, no.]

Wait, how many times have you nearly died?

[prontissimo]

[ His eyes drift upward ruminatively, voice thick with thought. ]

Wellll, let's see.

[ Not. A. Good. Start... He starts loosely counting on fingers with his free hand, lips moving silently along with his line of thought occasionally, deliberating far too much for comfort. After a silent moment, for better or worse, he produces an answer. ]

I guess six-and-a-half? Six and two halves. One time was just bad weather for me, so it doesn't really count. But some of the people who tried to kill us had actually wanted to kidnap us first, so I'm counting that as a half — mostly cuz they just really sucked.

[ Fuck them sirens. He's holding a grudge til his dying day now. ]

I'm not counting the time I got kidnapped by a bunch of fairies, though, cuz that was fun. Heh. Ten out of ten, would be kidnapped by fairies again~

[ ...Alberto should never be allowed to greet any newcomers anywhere ever. ]