salemswitchtrial

[salemswitchtrial]

// Salem is already such an interesting character, trying to find his place in the world, with such an interesting moral outlook. I always love your characters, and I can't wait to see more of him!

// This is so incredibly nice thanks so much for the kind words!

Really looking forward to the relaunch and writing with more of you <3

[salemswitchtrial]

Mystery solved at least. Was it your pet's butt or someone else's? If it was someone else's I think they were trying to sabotage you on purpose.

I guess this technically was a butt post. Not my butt though, just to clarify. A pet butt. The mainframe is safe for now.

[salemswitchtrial]

[pm] Apparently, yeah. Didn't really have that special insight before I applied for the grad degree program here.

Interesting. So you just have a passion for it, I guess? I mean, obviously I relate. But I'm clearly an amateur and you don't seem to be. So you've been doing it longer.

I should be good, but I'll text you if things go south. Otherwise, I'll just message you after to confirm she's good to go.

[pm] Damn. So this is your big leaving the nest moment? The freedom must be nice, but you chose one hell of a town.

I don't think that's a bad thing, I love arguing. In the right time and place. I do! But it's not exactly a career. No one pays me. My official job is really just to blend in, and get let into places I wouldn't be able to get into otherwise.

Perfect. She's just human, as far as I can tell, so you should be fine. [address attached] Do you need my help, or will you just message me when I need to Venmo you?

[salemswitchtrial]

Also not really. Pretty new to town or whatever.

In like... a metaphorical sense? In that we all live in our computers to some degree? Or like literally? Which obviously I do not.

No. Actually, I don't. Do you? Is this your home? Do you live in my computer?

[salemswitchtrial]

5 gum? Really? I'm actually going to let that one slide because it got a little chuckle out of me.

Oh now we're on to something. I love rollerblading presently. Mostly ice skating, but the two are similar enough. I can at least get behind a good movie night indoors. Which is great indoors, but could also be great outdoors. Like that that retro drive in theater they have in town.

Consider opening a window and chewing 5 Gum. Fresh air and stimulation in the comfort of indoors.

I have some outdoor activities I like, sure. I played spring and fall sports in high school. I used to love roller blading, too, and snowboarding in the winter. I just prefer indoors. It's safer that way.

[salemswitchtrial]

Right. Well, I'll consider that. Doubt I can count on you when I get arrested for being a creep?

It can't be your own abs. You have to go and find a stranger, and stare at their abs until you reach enlightenment.

[salemswitchtrial]

You have to embrace the embarrassment. It's the first step towards not giving a shit when you faceplant on the ice. I've been skating since I was a kid and I still fall all the time. You just need some practice.

Between trying out hobbies and sharing them back and forth, we might actually become jacks of all trades.

Ice? You're way out of my league. But to be fair I think the biggest thing that holds me back from trying new things is the fear of embarrassing myself. I always say that I'll stop caring what others think but it's easier said than done.

Let me know how it goes, I'll catch you up on my new hobbies everyone's been suggesting and let you know if they stick or not.

[salemswitchtrial]

Right... Well I'm not sure why you've chosen to speak in code. But I'm thinking I don't have the right key. And definitely lacking the motivation.

nfortunatelyuayleg, iyayleg hinktayleg 'veiayleg ecomebayleg heirtayleg obbyhayleg.

[unfortunately, I think I've become their hobby]

[salemswitchtrial]

[pm] Uh... nope not really. Honestly, I never thought I'd get out of Indiana. Thought I'd just be stuck there with my family my whole life.

I've been told by some that I'm a "contrarian" and "like to argue" so I knew that doing something because I was told I needed to would only have bad results for me. But things seemed to work out for you, yeah? You seem to have a very niche career that you're good at.

Ooh interesting. Okay, I can do that. I should be able to erase the memory of seeing it and can try to pick out the paranoia and fear after. She'll probably continue to have some weird dreams for a couple weeks from her subconscious, but eventually that will wear off.

[pm] You don't have a plan for after? Like, any plan? Fair play to you, I'm happy you're studying something you're enjoying! I've only ever studied anything because I needed to know it later, I can't imagine doing it just for the sake of it.

Super big yikes. I knew I liked you for a reason, we're definitely not doing messy. So, about a week ago, she had an encounter with a small, coal-colored fey with bright white eyes. For about an hour afterwards, she was terrified of everything, and I mean everything. Cracks in the road, her TV remote, her pillow, an apple. She's clearly having some long term effects from the encounter. If your magic can reverse that, great, but if she can just forget enough of the initial hour that she isn't telling everyone where her sudden anxiety is coming from, that will be plenty.

[salemswitchtrial]

I've been staring at my abs for an hour and I really don't know what makes them special or unique

Oh, yeah, don't take my word for it. Study some abs. It's important.

[salemswitchtrial]

This was either some sort of butt post or you just hacked into the mainframe.

[user's squonk sits on his laptop while he's out of the room]

sdrfjkhhjk ui'o;'ods; 7we4ryhui aehujiklf

[salemswitchtrial]

Uh hey there.... come here often?

👁👄👁

hi

[salemswitchtrial]

A ransom note??? Maybe you should be trying like... the police instead of strangers on the internet?

Also, that feels like so much work. Whoever the thief is seriously needs a hobby.

Is anyone particularly gifted at tracing where a ransom note came from? Because ANOTHER one of the flamingos is gone, and instead of a leg in its place was a note, but all the letters were made out of pictures of the leg....

help?

[salemswitchtrial]

Hm. Interesting. I'll have to take this into consideration. And check for myself, probably

They're like fingerprints, babe! No two are alike.

[salemswitchtrial]

[pm] Honestly, I've never thought that far ahead. I started doing it back home because they were ingredients in some spells and I wanted to learn more about. Then I actually ended up enjoying it.

Terrifying flying elf? Big yikes. Either could work, though I tend to work better with getting rid of specific memories rather than entire pieces of time. Broad times get messy. I don't really like messy.

[pm] Oh cool! But a whole class on worms, that seems Is that the career you want to work in, once you finish?

I mean, they're sympathetic-ish, but they can't exactly do anything about "terrifying flying elf" even if they believed what she was saying. If she finds said fae, she'll have a worse time. Great, that's so helpful. How does this work for you - like, if I tell you when it happened, is that enough? Or is it more useful to know what exactly happened?

[salemswitchtrial]

How would staring at someone's abs identify them?

I mean, I don't really recognize people by their legs. I tend to look just a little further up.

[salemswitchtrial]

Right, yeah of course. I'll google what aperture means prior to the hike.

That's perfect. I'll send you my contact details and we can meet up.

If you give it a fair shake, I have nothing to be disappointed about. Different aperture for different lighting, as they say! That was a photography joke.

Ah, but you beat me to the punch! Thank you! Exploring a new place with a new friend. I should pack a nice wine. The campus would work for me—I had wanted to get a head start on scouting for graduation, anyway, so I could give it a once-over and meet you somewhere central?