Issaru/1st 10 Year Downtime Report For Sera

You find yourself in a dimly lit room scented with lilacs and musk, decorated in shades of blue, purple, and black silks. The carpeting is plush and cloudlike, the furninshings are elegant and pleasing to the eye, but the main focus in this room is the massive rumpled bed on a raised dais. Amongst the blankets and sheets is a book, the covers are made of ivory and tipped in white gold. You wonder if it's safe to stay and read, and decide you're bored enough to flip through a page or two...

Mood - relieved
Home, finally. It feels great to be back, the trip was hellish and nasty and icky and miserable and wet and dead and, and...I could go on forever. I had definately had enough when it started raining pus and maggots on us. But still, the stench of Nexus air, the crowds, the hustle of daily life....home. When we got to the edge of the lawn, Moonshadow challenged me to a race to the door. He won, of course, he always does, because I'm not running. All that huffing and panting and turning red, and I didn't even do anything more fun than get to the door faster? Get real. Grey, the butler, opened the door at the last minute and Moonshadow nearly ran him over... it was hilarious, though i don't think Grey thought so. I felt vaguely human again after a long soak in the bath, when I got back to my room, Moonshadow was lying across the bed barefoot and shirtless reading a book of poems. He looked up and smiled when I came in, mmmmm, that smile....Needless to say, nothing else got done for the next few days, I'm truly a sucker for that smile. I wonder does he know...I don't know if I wanna tell him...Nah.

Mood - Annoyed
So, I lost my job. Let a girl go off to see the world for a year or two, and they stamp you as dead and hire somebody else in your place. She was ugly, too. They couldn't have found anyone better? Now I have to find some way to feed us, well, I guess there's enough money stored up to last us a while. A guy approached me and asked if I wanted to invest in this caravan group. Its better than nothing, could be good money.

Mood - Mixed
The investments are rolling along nicely, there have been good returns for everyone, but... There's always a "but", isn't there. Moonshadow is leaving. He'll only be gone a few years, training with the Children in the woods, eating bark and being manly, but I want him here. Home. Where he belongs. It isn't fair, we just got back, now he wants to leave. He says its only so he'll be able to protect me better. Yeah right, I'll be dead in this filthy festering stinkpot of a city within a week with no one to watch over me like he does. I need a bath to think this all over.

Mood - Depressed
Note: this page is slightly tear-stained
He's gone. Just like that. He kissed me goodbye, and left. He left me in the care of some wacko barbarian from the North, who doesn't even like to bathe. I mean, I guess he's alright, his name is Laughing Wolf or something, he's all tall and skinny, and he doesn't talk, and he can't braid hair. He won't even try. And he eats with both hands, like he's never seen food in his life! I hate people like that, that can eat and eat but never gain a pound. Their mothers didn't raise them right. He won't let me dress him, all he does is walk around in all white clothes on all that horribly pale skin and washed out hair looking like a Calibration wraith. It's too much to bear, I tell you. But, when I get some of the work I need to do around here done, I'll go visit my Moonshadow. Then everything will be alright again. I need to get drunk.

Mood - Happy
The caravan investments are paying off better than I thought they would, things are going well enough back home that I could visit Moonshadow for a while. The Children keep asking when will I come and train with them, I keep putting it off, but looking at the change in him so far...maybe it wouldn't be so bad. He seems even stronger, more sure of himself. He says that's what happens when you train constantly for 2 years. I didn't think it had been that long. I weaseled my way onto a short waiting list for a home in Bastion, while I'm waiting on that I think I'll keep going with that caravan group. I've made enough to help Moonshadow open his dojo, I've even gotten it all furnished for him for when he gets back. I'm saving up the rest for the house, it doesn';t look like it's going to be cheap at all. I've even scoped out a great spot to open my own "house" in...imagine, me, a Madame! That would be so cool...

Mood - Excited!!!
In retrospect, I guess Laughing Wolf (was that his name?) wasn't such a bad guy. A bit dull, dour, and generally uninteresting, but hey, you can't have everything. He could swing an axe like nobodys business, though. He dropped me off in the village, and left shortly after. I don't think he ever really liked it here, he was always antsy when we were visiting. So, now I'm here to train, and get some of that warrior type beefiness about me, I guess. My first day of training was pretty basic, the subsequent days have been harder, but there's very little fighting involved, actually. I'm kinda disappointed, I was expecting to be all muscle-y and stuff. I have other classes, and a lot of studying to do... actually I'm a bit behind in this musty tome...I should get to work.

Mood - Tired
It's good to be back home after being in the Village for so long. Training was rough, sure, 3 years of dance kata drills and mad amounts of research will wear you out. Moonshadow is...different somehow. They say he "found his essence", whatever that means. They've assured me that he wasn't hurt, but he's been sleeping a lot since we left. When we got back, I got a message that there is a home available in Bastion... with an added bonus. The spot I had been eyeing for my new "house" is available too! I'm all excited. Something tells me I should try to make it back home to Great Forks, it would be just my luck for an assassination attempt to succeed just as everything is starting to go right.

Mood - Elsewhere
The opening celebration for "The Bower of the Mask" was tonight, and it was a huge success. Both of my new houses are gorgeous, the home we live in is all done in oak and glass, the decorators worked overtime to make sure everything was all plush and cozy, just the way I like it. The Bower...it's just...wow. I couldn't have been any prouder of my staff tonight, the girls are brilliant and very pretty (though nothing like me). It feels good to see some of your dreams realized, you know? One of the burlesque performers has taken a particular liking to me...I think I like her too. Her name is Persia, but her stage name is "Bubbles". She introduced herself to me with a full kiss on the mouth, I had to respond in kind. Her mouth was so soft, she tasted so good...some of out patrons said they would pay to see how that little make-out scene turned out. I'm not really all that into public displays anymore, but there is a private performance planned tonight...just me, her, and Moonshadow... I should go, I'm keeping them waiting.

Mood - Apprehensive
We leave for Great Forks in the morning. I've got things set up here that I can leave for a bit and things will run smoothly. I don't plan on staying long, to be truthful I'm kind of afraid of the reception I'll get. Moonshadow says no matter what, he'll keep me safe. Then he strokes that massive new sword of his. I feel safe with him, but I'm still a little scared. We'll see what happens.

Mood - Pissed
I traveled all this way for a useless guard at the front to turn me away like I'm some kind of commoner? I waited all day for them to come home, and got the same answer everytime "Sorry m'lady, your parnets aren't home", then some kind of babble about orders. Dammit, this is my home. Luckily, Kukuri was home, he said he had heard I was long dead, he thought I was some kind of ghost at first. He let me stay with him for the night, we'll go and kick in the door if we have to tomorrow. Right after this bowl. How I've missed Great Forks...

Mood - Irrelavent
I think that went well? We almost had to kick in the door, Moonshadow went all threatening and the guard let us through. My mother almost dropped her teacup when she saw me. I chatted with her for a while, and I could tell she was sizing me up, trying to find out where my money comes from, etc. Things weren't looking as good as I remember in the old homestead, the decor was different, but it had been a while since any major changes were made...when my father finally came home, (he looked like he saw a ghost too!) he came in raging and yelling, and I guess my mother went out to warn him that I was home. They did some quiet coversing in the hall, and he came in demanding to know why I was there. I told him I was there to explain what happened, after some male posturing (he actually made Moonsahdow draw his sword. How gauche), he accepted that we were telling the truth. But, since he carries a Dragonblood's blade, of course my father automatically assumed he was Dragonblooded. And seeing as how I survived this long, he thinks that I am too. Which is both good and bad I think. I'm all for letting him believe what he will, as long as he leaves me in peace. But, in light of these new revalations, he's encouraging me to marry Moonshadow, to keep the blood in the family of course. Great idea, I've never heard a better one, but.. I don't know how I'm going to convince him of this...

Mood - Floating...
I told him that he's supposed to be Dragonblooded...and he should start acting the part. He asked right off if that meant we could get married. My heart stopped, I swear. I honestly thought he saw me as just another job, another rich twit to babysit until he found something better. Isn't it funny how things that are right in front of your nose you never really see? I never wanted to pry into what he was feeling, with him I always saw that as a breach of privacy. But I felt it tonight...he loves me. He didn't really say it, but I felt it. I haven't been able to focus on anything since then, including this party that Kukuri is giving in our honor. Sure I'll be there...but I can't wait to get home.

Mood - Elated
After leaving some money in the bank, and putting the paperwork in motion to get a house in Great Forks, we left with Kukuri in tow. He decided to come and hang out in Nexus for a bit, he just may even come out of retirement. I hope so, it would be great to have my oldest and dearest friend here. He's staying in one of the guest bedrooms until he can get everything figured out. My father has visited since we've been back home, he seems impressed, and he'll be contacting me later. Hopefully we can get his situation straightened out before they send someone for him. I know how that feels... Here's hoping for the best, as always...