[001] Text

[queenofkur]

Sender: Ereshkigal
To: Everyone
Subject:

[ There is a strange phenomenon happening with this text entry, what with the header appearing twice. That's because Ereshkigal browsed past entries and figured that she had to write the header herself if she wants to be "Anonymous!" Alas, she is completely unaware her name is in the true sender field for everyone to see. ]

Sender: ANONYMOUS
To: Everyone
Subject: Social Skills

Hello (* ^ ω ^)

Much as I would like to begin by formally introducing myself, I am afraid a most pressing matter led me to pick the quill and put ink on this page. I need assistance with a truly difficult task: engaging in social interactions! (;;;*_*)

I cannot say much lest it reveals my identity, but my line of work is a solitary one that has caused me to become somewhat lacking in what people call "social skills." As such, I believe myself to not be what any sane soul would consider "pleasant" company. Someone as gloomy and evil as myself does not fall under the common conception of a "good person," I am afraid. (｡•́︿•̀｡)

Yet, I very much desire to make friend with as many of you as possible. Unfortunately, mine is a position of such importance, it would be unseemly to openly ask for help when I am supposed to figure out such thing on my own. This is the reason behind this anonymous entry. I realize the suspense behind my identity may be somewhat difficult to bear, and I apologize for any anxiety this might cause you. ｡ﾟ･（>﹏<）･ﾟ｡

I humbly ask that you share with me what wisdom you may have regarding social interactions, so that I may improve and become worthy of friendship and companionship. While I believe this to be a tall order, I shall perpetually strive to improve! Any and all advice are very much welcome. (´｡• ω •｡`)

Thank you for your time. (o^▽^o)

Comments

sender : mei lee

[itsgunnabe_mei]

[ Aw, honey.

She... doesn't want to do this. She honestly doesn't. But if she doesn't, someone else will, and some may have... less tact than her. So with a wince, she begins to write. ]

I hate to be the one to tell you this, but you're not anonymous. Your name's visible for everyone to see.

[queenofkur]

[ ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...?!?

She... She has to be wrong. She wrote "anonymous" in the sender field! That's what everyone who is anonymous did, right? ]

Surely you are confused. Can you see the "ANONYMOUS" name written after sender?

Sender: Ken Amada

[whatsamada]

[........]

I don't think it's possible to be anonymous on here.

[queenofkur]

Of course it is possible, I made sure of it. (^‿^)

You just have to fill the sender field with "Anonymous," see? (◕‿◕)

Sender: Maedhros

[holdshisown]

[He doesn't have the heart to point out that he can see the true name of the sender, not when she seems so earnest in her entreaties for aid.]

I would suggest for you to take things slowly, do not push yourself too fast into situations you feel uncomfortable with. Social skills, like any other skillset, take time to develop.

[queenofkur]

Thank you kindly for your answer. (.❛ ᴗ ❛.)

[ And for not pointing out her anon-fail. ]

Yet I must start if I am ever to improve. If I do not ever take a step forward, nothing will ever change.

sender: Rei

[dadinside]

[So journals are weird. It's like keeping a diary or something. Except you use it to communicate like you would in text messages? Doesn't quite make sense. Much like the majority of what this girl has written, he sort of lazily skimmed this and stopped on a particular part that caught his attention.]

you a hitman?

[And she's probably already figured out that she's screwed up the anon part too, right. That's fine, he doesn't get this shit either. His partner had to set up his own phone for him back home, that's how inept he is.]

[queenofkur]

[ Gah! Once again, people mistake her ruling over the underworld with actually going out and killing people. Well, she's not spoken of the underworld so perhaps she just genuinely gave that impression...

... This just confirms she is indeed a very evil goddess! ]

What? No. (￣ ￣|||)

While my duties involve caring for the dead, I do not go out of my way to kill people.

sender: kazuki

[papartner]

[ if it wasn't for the anonfail and the kaomoji... and the fact that that guy would never ask something like this... ]

Gloomy and evil, with all those faces? No way~
Don't believe it.

[queenofkur]

Much as I wish to disbelieve it as well, I am afraid being evil is in my very nature. (｡•́︿•̀｡)

[ It's even in her character profile, "chaotic evil"... It's her fate and she's accepted it. ]

I do however appreciate your attempt at cheering me up. (◕‿◕｡)

sender: Ace

[donfire]

you're not really anonymous but! I can help you out, I think I can be very social!

And hey, gloomy and evil sounds like a fun combo! You also sound super fun in general.

[queenofkur]

I am ANONYMOUS! Please refer to the correct sender field. ヽ(｀⌒´)ﾉ

[ Yes, she knows she's not, so many people have told her by now... But she still wants to pretend, it helps her! ]

Do I...? This

Is the first time anyone has ever told me that... (;﹏;)

Sender: Anya

[grandduchess_anya]

(While a part of her does want to point the nature of the journals to Ereshkigal, Anya decides that it is not worth the trouble. And since the ‘anonymous writer’ of the post is in need of help and advice, that is what she is focusing on.)

If there is one big advice to give to you, anonymous, I would suggest not to rush things too quickly in the social skills department. Take things slowly one at time. Just like any other major skills, building social skills takes a lot of time and effort to form and develop.

[queenofkur]

[ She infinitely appreciates her playing along. It restores a little bit of her confidence, many others weren't so kind! ]

I agree. And it is my intent to work every day to improve this skill, step after step. I have very strict work ethics and firmly believe my goal to be attainable. (´• ω •`)

But I still need a starting point, and those I have attempted so far have resulted in failure...

Sender: Xiao

[whirlwindthrust]

You should share any knowledge that you glean from others.

[ So says the socially awkward bird who is trying to not be as socially awkward. ]

[queenofkur]

[ Oh, a fellow social disaster, is it? ]

The main advice so far is "just do it."

Which is easier said than done when you already did try and the results were horrible ..・ヾ(。＞＜)シ

sender: Asura

[abyssbound]

The first thing you have to know is that people who only like you for the mask you wear aren't really your friends.

[queenofkur]

But...

Shouldn't you make friend with someone before letting the mask slip? (〃＞＿＜;〃)

sender: beat

[stillarhino]

i dunno nonny

[At least this one's fallen for the anonymous ploy.]

but this feels like a lot if you just try and make friends

[queenofkur]

How am I suppose to make friends if not through social interactions? (◎ ◎)ゞ

sender: aymeric

[dualtiful]

I believe that you have already taken the first and most difficult step of them all- by writing this message. You have opened yourself to social interactions, and thus have received plenty in kind. Identity aside, initiating conversations will most likely be the key to the social interactions you seek.

I am by no means an expert in this field, but my previous occupations made it necessary to uphold a particular social standard in public speaking, along with a demanding etiquette.

[queenofkur]

I hadn't even considered that the responses I got so far count as social interactions (°ロ°) !

[ But does it truly count? By writing under the cover of anonymity (she's still pretending), she can express herself much better than she would in person. She would never dare making all those funny faces or ask for help otherwise... ]

Thank you for that realization.

I am under the same social obligation of maintaining a particular etiquette... However, the lack of any company has made it so the rare times I speak with people, I find myself lacking.

Sender: Erichthonios

[beshackled]

By what measure are you considered evil?

[Gloomy, he understands, for however vibrant the writing style is, there is an undercurrent of sadness throughout the text. Evil, on the other hand...

He's having a little more trouble grasping how that fits.]

[queenofkur]

I am considered evil by the standards of human morality. (＃＞＜)

Humans have called me evil and define my existence as such. While one may call morality subjective, my existence is bound to human order and therefore my evil nature is an unalterable constant.

[ Probably. Maybe. Self-loathing issues play no part in this, nope. ]

Sender: General Nuadha

[burnttoashes]

[Hello, fellow social failure.]

Does a person truly need friends?

[... yeah, this is precisely why he's a social failure.]

[queenofkur]

Perhaps not "need." (・_・ヾ

But I know from my experience with my one and only friend that being surrounded by people who love you can be a life-changing experience.

[ It may sound like she's not a social failure if she has a friend. But some would argue making only one friend in the course of tens of thousands years is pretty failtastic. ]

sendr: baldr

[unbrokenoaths]

With that willing attitude, I have every confidence that you'll have any number of friends in very short order. If I may offer advice as someone with a certain amount of expertise in figures of authority with gloomy temperaments?

[ He hopes you see this, Nuadha. ]

You are worthy of companionship just as you are. And as someone of importance, it is of course your prerogative to ask for advice on matters outside your own experience. It may be difficult for the people around you to realize that you lack for something, otherwise.

[queenofkur]

[ That... That's so kind! Of course, she knows this person has no idea who she is and is probably just speaking in a very general manners. But even then, that's... That's a lot more kindness than what she's used to. There's only one person who's been that kind to her before and she's reminded of them.

Thank goodness, she can sound absolutely normal and not show she's crying through a text reply! Even if the lack of emojis may betray she's emotional. ]

Thank you for your kind words.

Where I come from, it would be considered undignified for one such as me to ask for advice. And even if I did, I doubt anyone would bother replying in kind. However, I do intend to take your words to heat and endeavor to do my very best on my attempts at being social.