Mizugami/SessionFive

3rd Day of Descending Water, RY 768

Judas has a new servant, retired general Manka Jovan of the 2nd Field Force. I guess he’s an important son of the family, after all. Almost as interesting, Judas has jade smashfists now, too. I assume Jovan brought them.

7th Day of Descending Water, RY 768

The Spring Festival starts tomorrow. Preparations have gone well, so I think it’s going to be quite a party. I drew the afternoon slot on day 2 for my part of the host club. I wonder who I’ll get?

8th Day of Descending Water, RY 768

The opening ceremonies were well-attended. Lasha emceed it and did a fine job. Chead spoke well and Crow did her duty. Several students spoke, too, and were quite eloquent. None of them held a candle to Satrap Amosa, however. She’d be a gifted speaker even without charms. I was surprised to see so many adults without direct ties to the school in attendance, but many of Cherak’s leading citizens were there.

Reflections of Chaos spent the whole day with me. I don’t think she’s had any kind of falling out with Moro and Miyako, but she certainly seems to be spending more time with me now than with them-- I really hope she hasn’t developed a crush. I can only imagine what it’s like to be living with and going to school with people 5 years older than you. There are barely any mortal students here that are her age.

9th Day of Descending Water, RY 768

As luck would have it, the winner of my time for the host club was Kazuki’s friend Chisato. Smart girl; I guess she’s only part of the Idiots by association. She’s got a fascination with the occult but seems smart enough to understand the danger. She’s also the first person since the school year started to mention that she remembered me from last year. Perceptive girl. Anyway, we helped out on Dunleavy Hall a bit and I think we sampled every sort of food at every stall in the festival. The Ball is in a few hours now; I’ll write again afterward.

My goodness, the Ball was spectacular! I think I found a real ally in V’neef Tegraat. He’s willing to help convince my House if I wish to be a magistrate or diplomat upon graduation instead of going to a Legion. Recently, I have to say that I’ve been disheartened at the prospect. With my skills and the classes I’m taking, I would likely end up in Supply and Logistics, or maybe a staff position if I’m lucky. While those are both valuable roles, critical in fact, there is little chance for honor and glory. No one gives quartermasters a medal if they’re particularly speedy at getting food to the troops. Besides Tegraat, I managed to get significant face-time with every important citizen in attendance. Best of all, Aunt Elana was in town and made an appearance. Besides Crow, she’s probably the only person there who could get away with wearing articulated plate and a daiklave to the ball. I hope she’ll be in town more often now. I’ve hardly seen her since school started.

I also kept an eye on who my classmates socialized with. Admiral Helkar was his usual boisterous self, drinking the night away with Judas. It was the most social I think I’ve ever see him. Judas being boisterous wasn’t the strangest sight of the evening, however. Margard Nastani got J’hanna to dance! I even caught her smiling for an instant. Abbott Takgana had a lot to say to Kira, I guess about that cemetery and Project Babylon. Most disturbingly, Deadly Rose Lord and his thug spent the evening whispering no-doubt honeyed words into Ranka’s ear. She’s from the Threshold, so I’m sure it wasn’t her first experience with the Guild, but unless her father was overly forthcoming I doubt she understands just what they’re like.

Judging from the reactions, I think I’ve forced a lot of people to reevaluate their assessments of me, too. Early in the evening, I danced with Reflections a traditional Haslanti dance, one performed between brothers and sisters, or fathers and daughters. She really enjoyed it and I figure it was a clear enough message to her in case she does have a crush on me. Later, towards the end of the night, I danced what would have been a veil dance with Lasha, had either of us been dressed for it. Well, Lasha was nearly dressed for it, but I wasn’t. Anyway, it should put a twist on the reputation I’m sure I was developing.

I wonder if tonight is at all what adulthood is like for a diplomat or politician? I think I could get used to it. Sure it’s a lot of work, but parties like that are incredible.

10th Day of Descending Water, RY 768

Well, I hadn’t intended on it, but I got involved in the grape fight. I’d heard a commotion and wandered over to find Kazuki and Kira in there. J’hanna was watching from the crowd, too. Kazuki made some noise like he was going to try and get her involved, so I tried to throw her in. It was a picture perfect throw, too, but she managed to catch the lip of the tub and reverse course to land pretty as you please back where she’d been standing.

Then Kazuki and Kira both tried throwing grapes at her. I’m glad they’ve got other talents, because they managed to hit everyone in the area BUT J’hanna, including me. Since I was covered in grapes now, I decided I’d take one more shot at getting J’hanna to have fun and smeared a big handful down her back before throwing myself into the tub. I was happy to see that she followed me in. Maybe we’ll get her out of her bad mood yet.

Tonight I managed to obtain an invitation to a party hosted by the Kalama family. I was interested in it because Cynis Elin was attending. She’s obviously making connections here in the North and I’d like to know what she’s up to. I have no reason to suspect anything sinister, but I’d like to be sure of that before I propose anything. Anyway, it sounded like she was developing contacts in Wallport. Ugly town, I imagine she’s making connections so that she won’t have to go there in person. It all seems on the up and up, but I’m not ready to make a move yet.

11th Day of Descending Water, RY 768

I feel like such a fool. Kira asked to attend a party with me tonight, so I picked out an easy one where she couldn’t do much damage. If I’d remembered my own advice to my classmates I wouldn’t have been surprised, but I was. She worked the room with skill and poise. You’d never know she spends all her time in the library. She did so well that we excused ourselves after an hour or so and went to another one.

12th Day of Descending Water, RY 768

I have to say, I’m going to be more than a little sad when the festival is over. I’ve had more fun this week than I’ve had all school year. I performed a concert today with Margard Moro, Reflections of Chaos, Ferem Amana, Soros Kitana, and Disala Boto. Just to be safe I used Memorable Performance Technique, but I’m not sure I needed to. I don’t think anyone would have known that Reflections and I had never played with the group until 20 minutes before the performance. I should really try to play more often, or perform anyway. It seems like I perform on special occasions and that’s it.

14th Day of Descending Water, RY 768

Well, I’d always wondered if a Dragon-Blood could get a hangover from run of the mill spirits and I’m sorry to say that we can. Or at least I can. Still it was completely worth it. And the girl, Anali, was even more worth it.

I’m amazed that anyone would try to assassinate a Dragon-Blood on campus, especially in such a bold way during such a busy time at the Colleges. Maybe that was part of the point, to make a statement. It was a close thing; blind luck, really, that Reflections and I happened to be right there when it happened. They had Kazuki in trouble in a hurry but Reflections and I managed to narrow the odds within seconds. The only one presenting serious danger was Red-Fist Hayoo and I’m still surprised at the relative ease with which we defeated him.

I say ease, because we defeated a skilled and much-feared assassin, but he still nearly killed Kazuki, Kira, and myself. I think I understand now what Aunt Elana means when she talks about embracing death. I faced it yesterday and discovered it no longer held any fear for me. I’m certainly not rushing headlong to embrace it, but as I moved to engage Hayhoo, I felt as calm as I’d ever felt. Death was right there, glowing on his fists, but I had my training and my friend was in trouble. If I fell, I would re-enter the cycle secure in the knowledge that I had done right.

Thankfully, after treatment from Reflections and Incomparable Ebony Comet, Kira was none the worse for wear. I kidded her that her lessons with Rector Belar had obviously been paying off. Kazuki holed up with his friends after the attack, but J’hanna, Kira, and I went out. It probably wasn’t very smart, but nobody ended up hassling us. I found Kira a boy and tried to find one for J’hanna, too, but she rejected every guy or girl I sent in her direction. Guess I’ll have to keep working on loosening her up, but I think Kira and I are probably friends for life now.

Ugh, I wish I could remember how much I had to drink so I can stop sooner than that in the future. I need to figure out if Anali was a one-night thing or not, too. And find out what the 2 prisoners had to say. I’ll write again later.

For just a moment, I thought things were about to change with Judas. I asked him about Jovan and he just sort of opened up to me, so I tried to capitalize on the opening. Unfortunately, when he won’t acknowledge that there’s a problem and, even worse, flat out denies he’s done the things that he’s done, there’s not much chance of things improving. He’s remarkably whiny. Blah blah, my parents don’t love me and ignore me; I’m a disappointment to my family. I didn’t think parents in Lookshy had a hands-on role in raising children, but from the way he whined, I guess they usually do. At least I have a better understanding of him now, not that I can act on it. I don’t like the way it makes me feel, either. I’m frustrated that ethically, I can’t use what I know to manage him and that frustration feels like a moral failing. But keeping it to myself is the right thing, the honorable thing, and that should be enough. More later…

The festival is officially over now and I’m more than a little sad. The bonfire was nice, a good way to cap the week and a great step in the rehabilitation of Dunleavy Hall. Rector Danic even danced a bit! We have an extra day off tomorrow, too. I’m going to visit Aunt Elana while she’s still in town.

15th Day of Descending Water, RY 768

The night of the ball, Aunt Elana asked me if there was anything I needed. At the time I was flying pretty high and said no. After the events of the 13th I reconsidered, though. I know when I graduate, I’ll be getting at least a couple of artifacts, but I’ve been trying to hint in my letters home that I could really use a daiklave sooner rather than later. Not only does it look bad that students from a minor house and a hostile foreign power possess artifact weapons while I, scion of a Great House, do not, the incident with Hayoo proved, I think, a legitimate need. True, I do well with a rapier and I’m not sure I could properly wield a daiklave right now, anyway, but I’m working on it.

So this afternoon I went to Aunt Elana’s estate and asked her to use whatever influence she has with my parents to convince them to give me a daiklave. She wouldn’t do it without testing me and her assessment matches my own: I’m not ready to wield one. But like I wrote, I’m working on it. Even better, I asked her to train me when she was in town and she said yes!! I’m now getting combat instruction from 1 of the greatest heroes of the Realm! I wish she was in Cherak more often, but I guess that’s just selfish. She has a job to do and I’ve got classes, but can anyone blame me more wanting to spend more time in lessons with her?

17th Day of Descending Water, RY 768

Bleah, the legendary corruption of the Cheraki Guard strikes again. I just found out that both of our prisoners died in custody. I’m guessing that the Red-Fist Tong’s assets are long gone now, too. I wish I knew how to clean it up, but it’s such a massive organization and the corruption is so deep, I don’t even know where you’d start.

19th Day of Descending Water, RY 768

So, I guess Anali wasn't a one time thing. She's not obviously, or even surreptitiously, trying to profit from our relationship, which is nice. It's not serious, but having someone to have fun with is nice. She graduated 2 years ago and helps keep the books of her family's business; they're respectable patricians, so I don't imagine my family is going to have a problem with it.