3 ∅ [Anonymous Text]

[callbacks]

[Cleared font formatting, check. Autocorrect, check. Masked I.D., triple check. Dave's been wrestling with this question for over a week, and he's no closer to an answer than he was eight days ago. No closer than he was three years ago.

Where's Dear Abby when you need advice?]

Have you ever been in a situation
Where you knew something somebody else didn't
And you weren't sure if you should tell them or not
Like you knew that if they found out they'd be really upset but there's also nothing they could do about it
And you don't want them to blame themselves
Or
Get mad at you
But pretending it didn't happen feels
I don't know
A lot like lying I guess
What would you do in those circumstances?

I'm asking for a friend.

Comments

[anonymous text]

[callbacks]

That might be TOO much stability
It's funny but there's not a lot of room to stretch your legs in space so I bet she's excited to explore a little
At least at first anyway
We're pretty used to the adventuring gig but it's been a while since we could employ our skills

[faintwaves]

Maybe she was thinking about other stuff, like...it's not usually my first instinct to ask someone I know "hey hi good to see you, what's the last thing you remember before meeting with me? Wanna go out for ice cream?"

It's weird.

I don't think that's how people usually talk to each other, but I'm not that experienced with being around people that aren't awful.

Does she ever keep secrets from you?

[anonymous text]

[freshprints]

Oh? You have particularized skills that would assist in that sort of thing?

[callbacks]

...

Yeah
I think so

She was pretty evasive about what her home life was really like
And about stuff that was going to happen that she knew about before we did
And
I don't know
Other stuff probably
I can't really say since I don't know what all secrets she's still got from me obviously

[anonymous text]

[callbacks]

We're literally from a computer game
It kind of helps

[anonymous text]

[freshprints]

I would like to ask you a question privately.

You're under no obligation to break your anonymity. Would it be acceptable if I made this conversation private?

[anonymous text]

[callbacks]

[LIKE HE HASN'T BROKEN HIS ANONYMITY ALREADY good lord child stop talking.]

Uh
Sure?
I don't have a problem with that

[private anonymous text]

[freshprints]

Does the phrase "rad magic jammies" mean anything to you?

[private anonymous text]

[callbacks]

Who is this

[faintwaves]

Maybe telling your secrets first will help her be more comfortable sharing hers. You're friends, right?

I wouldn't want to tell any of my friends what I told you so far, life was actually pretty miserable back in my own world and I like being here. But if...I felt like they were comfortable with me, and they wouldn't get upset or dislike me for telling them, I would.

[anon text]

[bylight]

Yes. If it helps them alleviate their fears, I tell them everything they need to know.

[callbacks]

I guess the problem is I
Think she'll get upset
And I don't want that
I've fucked up enough of that for her already

[anon text]

[callbacks]

I'm pretty sure if there are any fears involved the shit I'd end up saying would just confirm them
Not make them any better

[private anonymous text]

[freshprints]

I thought so.

I first heard that term from John Egbert, who later became a good friend of mine.

[faintwaves]

Upset with you or herself?

You can't keep someone from getting upset with themselves...all you can do is be there for them, let them know you care and support them. It sounds weird but just a simple "I'm here, I'm not going anywhere" can mean a whole lot.

[private anonymous text]

[callbacks]

Oh

[...Aah, fuck it.]

yeah
johns my best friend
im dave

[callbacks]

I guess
I mean she could get upset with me too
She probably should be
I'd rather she was pissed at me for being an enormous tool than at herself but I don't think there's anything I can tell her that wouldn't make her feel crappy
And none of that shit was her fault??
It's just
Shit that happened that she got caught up in unfairly

[faintwaves]

A lot of stuff about life is unfair, but even with the unfair and unhappy stuff, there's still a lot of good to be found in it too. I think people blame themselves for things that happen even if it wasn't their fault so they can put some sense to it, even though it's senseless and totally out of their control.

uh


I don't know what you mean by tool

do you mean someone used you as a tool

cause that's not your fault either

[callbacks]

Oh
Uh
No
That's just
It's a self derogatory term don't worry about it

[He will not be the one to sully the Disney Princess's vocabulary with his filth.]

I don't know maybe I just shouldn't say anything after all
Things turned out the way they were supposed to last time

[text]

[defyingfrigidity]

[BRO YOU ARE SPEAKING HER LANGUAGE HERE ELSA KNOWS ALL ABOUT HIDING THINGS OUT OF FEAR OF HURTING LOVED ONES]

I do.

And maybe a year or so ago I would've said that continuing to hide it is for the better.

But it's not.

[faintwaves]

Well...

I guess technically you asked for other peoples' perspective on it, so I'm not going to sit here and try to convince you about telling the truth. You could come back to it later when you're more comfortable?

But hopefully you do that before she asks. Trying to think of lies to answer the questions you get are terrible.

[text]

[callbacks]

It's not, huh

Does that apply in every case or like
Are there ever circumstances that justify keeping it under wraps

[callbacks]

If she asks I'm probably boned
I talk too much to be a good liar so I guess I'll just come clean then

[text]

[defyingfrigidity]

I'm sure there are, but I don't think it's a matter of what the thing is.

Are you hurting the person you're trying to protect, even by hiding this information? Are you hurting yourself?

If the answer to either of those is yes, then you shouldn't keep hiding it. Because wounds like that cut far deeper than anything physical, and it's not easy to recover from that.

[private text]

[freshprints]

I had it narrowed down to a few likely suspects.

Even anonymous, I think John would've betrayed more of his usual bubbly personality, and Rose would be somewhat less rambling unless she were actively trying to hide her identity, which was possible.

Honestly I had wondered if you might be Dirk, and I would've been mildly offended that you hadn't said hello personally before now.

My name is Kyouko Kirigiri.I've been acquainted with some people who've participated in Sburb, as you can see. If you need further proof, I can send you a certain Pokemon of mine. The original trainer is listed as John Egbert.