entranceway | Video; early morning of 01/19

[The woman who pops onto the screen? She doesn't look at all pleased. She's disheveled and incredibly sore, but at least she's been able to have a shower since things have returned to normal. She'd woken up in her own bed, having muddied up the sheets -- so, okay, she's still pretty annoyed.

Still, it had occurred to her that she'd done something a little bit irresponsible the night before. It had been motivated by anger, certainly, but it isn't as if she'd killed the man -- still, she needs to get it off her chest and just make sure that he's -- you know, still alive.

She clears her throat.]

Uh, all right -- this message is especially for Alistair, or for anyone from his world -- now that this thing is working again.

I was attacked in the forest last night by someone accusing me of being a demon, so I thought that you guys might know him. I knocked him out and left him tied up outside the tavern, so I don't know where he'd be now.

[She scowls.]

And just to clear it up for anyone who might be wondering ... I'm not a demon.

[She motions to her hair.]

I mean, do you see a set of pointy horns? I have no interest in your immortal soul, okay? So further attempts to end me? Not going to be dealt with so gently.

[It's a bit of posturing since she's never actually killed anyone, but...they don't need to know that.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[She'll give him at least a partial pass because a) he looks pretty young and b) he seems like he's at least trying to be tactful.]

A mutant. Human parents, human friends, not-so-human abilities.

[She raises an eyebrow at him through the screen.]

I'm guessing we haven't cropped up where you're from.

[She'd add 'yet', but she doesn't want to freak the kid out straight away.]

A mutant. [He repeats after her, as his eyes widen again. Now there's a thing he's only seen in comic books.]

Really? That is... That is cool.

[Like next level of the human existence cool, but he doesn't say that. He's not that much of a kid anymore, he thinks.]

No, not that I know. Nothing like mutants have cropped up where I'm from. [Walkers that some people here called zombies, yes. But mutants? He shakes his head at that.]

[He's probably even seen a version of her in his comic books, truthfully. She manages a slight smile, though. 'Cool' is pretty high praise from someone his age, she's pretty sure.]

It feels more cool when people aren't trying to kill you for it.

[Which is like, a somewhat smaller amount of time than you'd think -- in her world, at least.]

Almost made me feel like I was at home again.

--So, where are you from?

[He probably has, but it's been too long since he last read any to really remember many characters. All he knows or rather can guess at for sure is just that mutants would face trials and tribulations. He knows a little about people wanting to kill him, too, so he frowns at what she says and nods his head in response.]

No, that part wouldn't be cool. But you explained that to the person you're talking about, right?

[It's the only way to make people try to understand, he thinks, anyway. He chooses to believe that's all it takes at least.]

Where am I from? Um, [He noticeably hesitates to answer that for a moment, but fair is fair so,] We don't got mutants where I'm from. Not sure we ever will because... we got walkers instead. Not that any of it matters here, but I used to live in Georgia too.

I didn't have a whole lot of chances to explain it to him since he attacked me pretty straight away once he saw my face.

[She frowns a little herself. Yet more reasons killing him would've been unreasonable, even if there was a part of her that wanted to do it more than anything else in that moment. She supposes that's what people call the 'survival' instinct.

That hesitation says a great deal more than his words might have, and she knows what it's like (even younger than his age, even) to not want to talk about home. She won't push, just mentally file the word 'walker' away to investigate at a later time. Instead,]

I visited Georgia a few times. It's a beautiful place.

Oh. [He pauses, thinking.] Then maybe you could explain it later, if he's willing to listen.

I mean, this place is strange already. There's those windows, the clothes or food you can wish, that cavern and monster we heard... I don't know if you can not expect something different than what you know here. And I think it's cool you're blue.

[He nods.]

Georgia is. It's why my p- [he freezes for half a second, deciding he doesn't want to talk about his parents, and shifting his head down to the side to instead say:] uh, why I grew up there.

That's part of why I'm putting this thing up. Call me crazy, but I'm not really keen on meeting face-to-face again with someone who managed to stab me with a button.

You're right, though. People can't help their prejudices -- but they can help how they react to people challenging them.

[Yes, really. She half-recognizes that pause when the 'p' word might come up, something that had happened often when she was young, and decides to promptly change the subject.]

I"m just glad to be able to use my name again. 'The Nudist' gets old fast.

A button?

[Call him surprised because how does that even work? Being stabbed by a button. He tilts his head a little to the side, seemly concerned for her or how that even works or both.]

I wouldn't go near someone who did that again either.

[At the change of the subject, he grows even more surprised. He wasn't a fan of his name The Kid either but...]

Why would they call you The Nudist?

Yeah, one of those decorative metal ones. Put it right into my thigh.

[She was also surprised that it happened, trust her. She half-laughs. Okay, at least she can be light-hearted about this...now that the event's over.]

I don't normally wear clothes, exactly. It interferes with my ability to blend in.

...I shapeshift, long story short. And no, I didn't do that in front of the crazy demon hunter.

[He winces with just hearing that.]

Ow. Sounds painful. [His expression could almost say 'seriously who would do that?']

Because you're... because of your skin color? I mean, don't clothes protect you from, like, the elements? From... people staring? [Suddenly this just got awkward asking about, for him at least.]

[She thinks it's probably easier if she shows him, so she shakes her shoulders loose and lets the blue ripple down into the blonde woman she'd imagined she'd have grown up to look like, fully clothed.]

Let's just say it makes costume changes harder. And ... people are going to stare anyway.

[You know, kind of like how you were staring before...]

[Okay, he was not EXPECTING her to change or be able to change in front of him. But then again, until just this moment, he thought her being a mutant just meant she was a different color. Carl once again looks at her with widening eyes.]

You shift!? [He blurts out before he can stop himself, calming a bit after the fact.] Whoa... Cool. I get it now. You can do that with clothes too.

Yes, so you can see where it might be a problem to always be walking around in a frock.

[She half-smiles.]

Interferes with blending in.

[He has no idea what a frock is, but he nods anyway. That smile of hers is encouraging enough in a way to keep him on talking. Or, well, asking the questions that come to mind.]

And you can change into anyone?

[Not everyone grew up with a weird and British older brother, to be fair. She nods.]

And the voice will match, obviously. Wouldn't be as useful otherwise.

Video; early morning of 01/19

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject