video; @aa [backdated to late November]

[livingdeadgirl]

[ At first, the video doesn't actually show Ami's face. It's pointed down at a desk where her hands are resting, with a handmade wire bracelet on one wrist and her fingernails painted black. A Sharpie and a stack of index cards rests nearby. ]

Hey, guys. It's Ami. Hope you're all feeling better out there. That was a heck of a flu season, huh? Haha.

[ She takes a deep breath, bracing herself, but her voice sounds a little nervous nonetheless. ]

Aaaanyway. There's something I need to tell you all. [ Waves her hands - ] It's not bad, promise! It's just that ... some people have found it pretty alarming, and it's not really something I can keep to myself anymore. But since it's really weird and complicated, I figured I should give you some context.

[ She flips over the top index card in the stack, positioning it where the camera can see. ]


So the short version is, I am reincarnated from the soul of a dead alien.

[ quickly - ] Now before you say anything, yeah, I know that sounds like the most cringey, otherkin BS you have ever heard, but this is not me being crazy or delusional, I can prove it's for real. And I'm going to, at the end of the video. So hear me out.

[ She flips over the ensuing cards one at a time, providing commentary as she goes. It's like a Draw My Life, a little bit, if anybody remembers those. ]


My past self's name was Aradia. As previously stated, she was an alien. Specifically, they are called "trolls". [ apologetically- ] Which is a loaded term for some of you, I know, but ... they're not that. They're not infected or contagious or poisonous or anything, they just coincidentally happened to pick a really unfortunate name for themselves.

Also, they do not live under bridges. But they do hassle people over the Internet, that stereotype is a hundred percent true. Anyway!


Being what I am comes with a few wacky side effects. Like... I sometimes get these super vivid visions of my past. So if I randomly zone out in the middle of a conversation, it's probably that. Also, her life was really weird and I don't understand much of it yet. There's this whole "computer game that alters reality" thing, she was some kind of robot for a while... I dunno. It's even stranger to me, I promise.


It also means I'm eventually gonna get her superpowers! I can already see ghosts like she could. She also had telekinesis and time powers, but alas, I have not unlocked those skill trees yet. I'm looking forward to it, though! Then I'll finally be able to keep up with the cool kids.

Oh - shout-out to my dude Spider-Man, by the way! Seriously, if you guys see Peter today, give him a hug or something, all right? He's been working his butt off lately, and also always, so let's show him some appreciation. [ two thumbs up! ]

Anyway, where was I. Powers... okay. For right now, the most relevant part iiiis ...


I am gradually taking on Aradia's physical traits, too. Eventually, my body will become exactly like hers, squeedlyspooch and all. Which, uh... is gonna be interesting, not gonna lie! Haha... [ That's an understatement, it's actually kind of terrifying! ] ... But, it's also not as bad as it sounds. It doesn't hurt, and it's not contagious. A-and I'm still gonna be Ami on the other end! Just a slightly different Ami, who happens to also be Aradia.

[ After letting that all settle for a moment, she flips over the last card. ]


Now I know, it's a little unorthodox to do a face reveal for people who have seen your face already, so... I dunno, maybe I should have called it a Re-Reveal, I guess. [ laughs- ] It's fine, we'll fix it in post. Okay, gimme oooone second here...

[ Her hands reach up and pick up the camera, and the image jostles for a few seconds before coming to rest on her face. ]


Okay. Hi, guys! This is me. No makeup, no filter, just... me.

[ It's ... really not that different from how she looked before? The whites of her eyes have turned yellow, but otherwise she still looks like a regular human teenager. And she already wore black lipstick most of the time, so that's not a phenomenal change. ]

[ A few seconds of awkward silence follow, buuut after a moment Ami straightens up her index cards and taps the stack on the table. ]

... Sooo, yeah! If you have any questions or anything, let me know in the comments. Or at dinner, if you want. Oh - and as always, be sure to like and subscribe! Haha, just kidding.

Comments

Video; UN: Spides

[itsnotaonesie]

Heeey, thanks for the shout-out.

So, just so we're all definitely on the same page, you're sure this isn't jaundice? Like, you've gotten checked out at the medbay just in case?

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[livingdeadgirl]

No problemo! Enjoy your hugs.

And yeah, I'm sure. It actually happened while I was sick, so the robots took it upon themselves to quadruple-check. [ Luckily, she was too miserable to be annoyed! ] Anyway, I'm pretty sure jaundice doesn't let you see in the dark.

video

[itsnotaonesie]

Oh, I will. I think I'm ready for 'em.

Cool, cool, just, y'know. Wanted to check. So the troll eyes give you darkvision? That is the coolest thing ever. Do you feel okay?

[livingdeadgirl]

[ Ami laughs sheepishly. ] I feel fine, dude. Well - bright lights are gonna be extra bright now, I guess, but a lot of Anchor is pretty dim, so actually it's more convenient this way.

[itsnotaonesie]

Oh, man. I remember when I first got my powers, my eyes were sensitive to like, everything. Light especially, I was getting a lot of headaches for a while. We might be able to find you some sunglasses or something if you think it'll help until you get used to it.

[voice | @hot.damn]

[circumitus]

Well, this makes some of your weird-ass questions slightly weird-ass now.

...

And that's what you also meant when you were bullshitting about being a "powerful psychic." [You can practically hear the air quotes. Rey's not surprised. Hell, she's been there.]

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[livingdeadgirl]

Haha, yeah, that's what I meant! So it wasn't total BS. Once I get it back again, there will be no stopping me! ... Except by asking nicely.

[circumitus]

What, you mean to say that your one true weakness to badass psychic powers is manners?

[Rey sounds marginally teasing when she says that, though.]

[livingdeadgirl]

[ Folds her arms, smiling in a similarly teasing manner. ]

On the contrary, I would argue that manners are not a weakness at all! After all, I can use them, too.

@mage | video

[braidmage]

[ Reynir knows he is probably one of the ones Ami is referring to who found it 'pretty alarming'. The whole troll thing and also other factors had meant it had been a pretty confused and hurtful initial reveal, in that dream bubble.

Now, though? Reynir replies to her video presentation and face reveal with a video of himself just loudly, excitedly, unironically clapping. It's very clear and informative and good! She did such a good job! He is proud! ]

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[livingdeadgirl]

[ Well, applause is a first! Ami grins and does a flourishy little bow. ]

Thank you, thank you! I'm here all week! Also indefinitely, but that's beside the point! Tip your waitress.

[braidmage]

[ Reynir really doesn't have the cultural context to understand that Ami is joking and poking fun at herself by mimicking a stand-up comedian, so Reynir just goes on, fully unironic, fully enthusiastic, just beaming: ]

It was thorough and artistic and informative! You did a really good job!

[livingdeadgirl]

Aw, thanks. [ She starts to get a little bashful. Are you sure you're not a flatterer, Reynir? ] You know, not a lot of people know this, but I actually had a YouTube channel back home! I mean, I didn't update it much, and it was mostly makeup tutorials, but still...

[audio; un: longinmouth]

[abheirrant]

[It... actually takes Carlisle a second to even figure out what's different about her, but to be fair, he assumed the eyes might have been a trick of the light. He's a literal monster with ink stains along his eyes and no skin on his hands, so he can't say much about someone else's appearance. He has far more questions about the rest of her explanation, most of which he assumes to be somewhere between outright fiction and exaggerated truth.]

So this Aradia character is... some kind of butterfly?

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[livingdeadgirl]

[ Meanwhile, Ami is completely oblivious to his skepticism! Thanks for your support, Carlisle! ]

Close! More like a fairy. Although I think that was still secondary to the whole alien thing. Oh - are aliens a thing in your world?

[abheirrant]

[He does try to keep his somewhat judgmental nature in check and under wraps when talking to someone he rather likes, okay.]

No, they are not, but neither is much of your explanation, admittedly.

[livingdeadgirl]

[ Ami leans forward, resting her chin in her hands. ]

Ahaha, sorry. I wasn't really factoring in my cultural context. But I can try to clear things up for you! For instance: aliens are what we call beings from other planets, out in the depths of space.

@lazarus | text --> private

[benhargreeves]

Proud of you, Ami.
I know posting this must have taken a lot of guts.

(Also if anybody at all gives you even the tiniest bit of grief about all this, just let me know.)

[livingdeadgirl]

aww thanks ben
ok but on one condition
even if somebody does decide to hassle me
you have to promise not to punch them! :)

[benhargreeves]

Punch them? Who said anything about punching?
Ami: this is something you don't know about me, but you ought to be aware.

I am a national-level, gold-medal, champion guilt tripper.

I'm serious.
I will use my disappointed voice.
I will give them a lecture that will make them feel one inch tall.
I will shame them in ways they never even realized they could be shamed.

[livingdeadgirl]

ok good!
yes i wholeheartedly support this
sorry i just had to be sure
you dont know how many times my friends have been like
"oh no ami is being picked on or has a new alien organ or something
this sounds like a job for MY FISTS"
its ridiculous

video;

[writtendestiny]

[Poison does not look surprised. She was, when the revelation came, but...]

I've seen them before.

[She leans in closer to the camera, looking as closely at Ami as she can without seeming peculiar in doing it.]

Trolls, with eyes like yours.

[livingdeadgirl]

[ Ami, on the other hand, looks shocked. Poison's actually met real trolls? People who were born trolls and have always been trolls? It's as if she'd said she met a dinosaur - because trolls, too, are supposed to be extinct. ]

Really?? You have? With - with the orange horns and the grey and everything?

[writtendestiny]

[Actual, real trolls. Poison nods.]

Yes. Not where I come from, but one of the other places I've been. Her name was Terezi.

[livingdeadgirl]

[ Terezi. So it's not just any troll. ]

... I know her. I mean, knew her. The blind girl, right? She was one of Aradia's friends.

[ Ami hasn't remembered a lot about her in particular. She knows she was blind (which, while she might have just heard it from one of her canonmates at the time, she sure as heck remembers now). She's remembered that Terezi possessed part of the Mysterious Code - H34DS, specifically - and a moment where she complimented Aradia on her CUT3 CH3RRY P1X13 3NS3MBL3... but that's about it.

Really, it shouldn't be any more surprising than running into Past Lalli or Past Majima, but it's still weird thinking of their past selves as people who can be known directly. What if, one day, Past Terezi were to show up here, too? Ami would have so many questions for her - but would Terezi even believe who she was? ]

What... was she like?

[ At first she's hesitant to ask. This almost feels like... cheating, somehow? She's used to feeling almost like this information is locked behind a paywall. But - she has to know. (She does is has to know.) So she gets a little bolder, leaning in toward the camera with a sudden intensity. ]

This was in Hadriel? Were you guys friends? Tell me everything.