//------------------------------// // The One: Chapter Three: Journal Two // Story: The Few // by EctopicEntropy //------------------------------// 7/16/11 I found my old buddy, David Castillo, and caught up with him. He’s been well, but wants out of his folk’s house. I told him I planned to try making my way in the capitalist world and then offered to put him up for a while. He accepted, and I said I’d get ahold of him when I had gotten on my feet. We parted ways after that, and I went on the job hunt. I’m already hating this. Resume writing is boring, and it honestly isn’t even a very impressive one. Not one to be deterred, I sent in to a few places anyway, via the library computers downtown. From there, I went and performed on the street, to see if I couldn’t make a few quick bucks to start off with. 7/17/11 The oddest place accepted my resume and asked for a follow up interview. The Arizona Daily Star emailed me, saying they were looking for someone like me. I don’t quite know what someone like me is, but I’ve got an interview tomorrow. Time to attempt to conjure a business suit. 7/18/11 The interview went over well, but them looking past my case of homelessness really struck me. Most businesses won’t hire you if you’re homeless, so I guess they really want me. And, coincidentally, as a journalist. I suppose now’s a good time to look for an apartment. 7/19/11 Everything’s falling into place. I found a nice, cheap apartment with room enough for two that allows pets, and it fits my salary. The initial payment they asked for on it was a bit much, but they agreed to attempt to reserve one for me, in the agreement that I’d pay them as soon as my first paycheck. 7/20/11 I started today at my new job. It’s not such bad work, going out and interviewing certain persons of interest, but I have an odd feeling it won’t lead to a great journal. So, I’m going to only write on the weekends now. I hope that isn’t too horrible for you, whoever you are. 7/23/11 First few days weren’t bad. Since I won’t be paid for a few weeks, I’m living off of my street performing. Thankfully enough, I don’t make bad money, so Silver and I still eat fairly well. 7/24/11 I met up with David again today. He says he discussed the idea of him moving out and they’re alright with it. Seems I’ll have some company next week. 7/30/11 I got paid yesterday. Not much, considering I only put in one and a half weeks of work, but it was enough to buy myself a place. I invited David to move in immediately, and his folks are going to help him get his stuff down here tomorrow. I’m so excited! 7/31/11 Moving went smoothly, though his folks were a little suspicious about my monetary reliability. I, without thought, told them not to worry about it, that it’d all work out just fine. I’m not so sure that’s true, but we’re going to try. 8/6/11 David went back to school Monday. I was a little sad to see him go in the morning, even though I knew he’d be back that afternoon. He’s a senior in highschool now. It seems a little strange that the to-be high school graduate is having the dropout pay his bills. Not that I mind, of course. 8/7/11 David did say that he may look for a part time job to help pay the bills. It will be nice to have a second source of income. 8/13/11 David’s out in the job hunting world now. I’m so proud, he’s all grown up! Kidding, of course. I’d never wish this kind of hell on anyone. 8/14/11 The Abercrombie in the mall emailed David for an interview. I’m suspicious of someone who’d email back that fast, but he said he’d go in on Monday. 8/20/11 David got the job and started working Wednesday. I looked over their offer, and found they give no hours and less pay. It’s so sad, to see youth wasted so. 8/21/11 I actually looked up how many teens work at Abercrombie, and I think I figured them out. They hire a larger amount of teens, ones who are desperate, and give them a crap job, then no hours so they don’t have to grant benefits. They gain a massive workforce, while saving money and being able to say they’re helping teens get job experience. Everyone except for the employee wins. 8/27/11 Being a journalist isn’t so bad. It’s sort of like my journal here, except everyone reads it. And, because of my journaling experience, I don’t even need my editor. Life’s pretty good right now. 8/28/11 Life’s not so good for David. He hates his job, and with a passion. Honestly, I don’t blame him. The job sucks, it really does. David’s already on the hunt for another job. 9/3/11 Nobody’s biting for David. I feel bad for him, and he’s pretty down, too. I don’t know what we’re going to do. 9/4/11 I told David to maybe take his mind off work by picking up a hobby. He said he always loved drawing, and boy, did he look happy doing it. 9/10/11 Inspired by the happiness David found in a hobby, I decided to pick up my own hobby. I’m looking into cybernetics at the moment, because the idea of being a mad scientist has always tickled my fancy. 9/11/11 Cybernetics is definitely my thing. Having only read up on the wiring, I managed to make a tiny little robot out of some scrap. 9/17/11 I’ve started spending some of my disposable income on scrap computer parts, things junkyards usually can’t sell, and I’ve been making so many little robots. They’re everywhere! 9/18/11 Say, if the brain communicates to the cells with electricity, could you interpret that electrical signal in such a way that a computer could respond and perform an action? Time to find out. 9/24/11 So, last weekend, I mapped the electrical signals sent by David’s brain, and all the specs on it. I think I’ve figured it out well enough that I may be able to make fully functional cybernetic limbs. 9/25/11 I’ve got something horrible to say. I’m going to blow up David. It’s going to be a ‘wiring gone wrong’ explosion, just enough to take his arm off. It’s necessary, though. For science. 10/1/11 Well, it went off without a hitch. A little acting, a little magic, and a lot of science, and David has a mechanical arm. I doubt I’ll be able to pull that off again, even on a fresh subject. While exhausting, it was very satisfying. I also managed to design a port so that upgrading will be a little easier if I ever do make an upgrade. 10/2/11 He’s still in shock. And a lot of pain. He’s got this empty, hollow look about him and always looks terrified when he sees me or his arm. What have I done? 10/8/11 Thankfully, David has recovered from his shock. I still haven’t told him the truth, and I think I never will, but it’s also probably for the best. 10/9/11 I fashioned David a skin-colored sleeve to cover his arm. It seemed to be the only thing bothering him, so I helped him out. It’s skin-tight, so to speak, and perfectly matches his skin tone. Sadly, it won’t tan naturally, so it’ll have to be changed if he ever pursues that life. 10/15/11 David realized that, with the mechanical arm, he’s a little strength imbalanced. I figure it’s a good idea for us both to hit the gym, so I signed up. Good for your health and whatnot. 10/16/11 Sundays are really quite nice. All the religious folk are gone, so it’s just me and David with the neighborhood to ourselves. It’s a surprisingly good time just riding up and down the street all day on our old bikes. 10/22/11 CPS visited today. Just a routine visit, nothing big. There were very surprised to see that two minors were able to make it on their own. I, of course, laughed about it, knowing my own story. So glad I lied about my name. 10/23/11 David challenged me to a boxing match today. It was all in good fun, but I found out the hard way just how imbalanced his strength is now. 10/29/11 I get to perform an interesting social experiment tomorrow. It’s my brother’s birthday, I know where it will be held, I’ve changed physically, and my family no longer knows what I look like. I’m going to slip in, hopefully unnoticed, and proceed to socialize with people who don’t even know I’m related to them. 10/30/11 It went off without a hitch. I hinted at who I was with my brother, just for fun, and I think he may have caught on, but I didn’t stick around long enough to find out. He was twenty this year, and seeming to get along just fine in life. It’s a nice feeling that not everything was shaken up by my leaving. 11/5/11 My brother managed to track me down. He told me some unsettling news. Dad fell into alcoholism after I was presumed dead, blaming himself for my death. He was never connected with my mom, but apparently she managed to pull through. From what he knows, she’s still working, and well. I think I have to go see them tomorrow. 11/6/11 I found my dad, in the same house I left, passed out on his bed. It was a sad sight. He used to be a great technician, able to get a job anywhere by just stating his name. I left him a note, though, saying I was doing fine, and that he’s only to blame for one thing: my survival. My mom was a bit more of an emotional case, mostly because she was awake. There were more tears than I cared for, but I completely understood the sentiment. I was never terribly attached to my mom, but there’s still something to say for the warm fuzzies I got for helping her get over her depression. Apparently, she blamed herself for me running. I told her it was not her fault, and she melted. I did have to tell her that I’d probably not see her much, since I had a job, but no phone. She didn’t care, so long as I was safe and alive. 11/12/11 We’ve only been training for a few weeks, but David’s already a lot more balanced in arm strength. It’s honestly quite scary, because it’s very surprising how strong he is. And, hitting the gym has allowed him to shed an awesome amount of weight, and he’s picked up tremendous speed. He might make a good boxer later in life. 11/13/11 We’ve made a habit of taking the streets on Sunday. We’ve marked out our territory, which is a few blocks, and we dominate it. Already, I know more about these streets than the old street I lived on for fifteen years. 11/19/11 Happy birthday to me! Seventeen as of today. Too bad numbers don’t matter. Just another year I’ve survived. 11/20/11 We ran into a couple fellow bikers on our street. We invited them to join us, and formed a small ‘biker gang’ we call The Hyenas. I suppose it’ll spice up our life a little. 11/26/11 Up until now, David’s arm has been running on batteries. This leads to his arm randomly dying at points during the day. It’s definitely a hindrance, so I’ve been looking into ways to convert biological energy, what allows the body to move, into electricity, what allows the arm to move. So far, I’ve come up with very little, but by studying how the brain converts energy into electricity, I’ve come up with a simple converter. I plan to upgrade it before I make David a new arm, but it’s fairly close to being proper. I may even add a sleek shell to the new arm model. 11/27/11 The Hyenas took to the streets for the first official time today. We aren’t much, just the four of us, but we’re all pretty good. We’re planning to take to the skate park on Wednesday, when it will be the most active, to do some showing off. 12/3/11 Big news! I managed to ‘perfect’ the converter and install it in a new model of arm. I stuck it in David’s socket at the skate park on Wednesday, which everyone thought was awesome. He’s a lot less shy about his arm because of that. Also, at the skate park, we recruited a few new members to The Hyenas. We’re a happy little family of ten now, and we meet at the skate park on Wednesdays and Sundays now. I want to think we’ll become famous for something, but I doubt we will. 12/4/11 Every day we attend the skate park, we seem to recruit new members. We’re up to twelve, and I’ve been thinking of designing a shirt for us. Shouldn’t be too hard, right? 12/10/11 Nobody could agree on a design on Wednesday, so I proposed a simple black shirt with ‘HYENAS’ on the back in large, white, gothic letters. They seemed alright with it. I couldn’t help but show off and conjure the shirts right there. People are so easily impressed it’s funny. 12/11/11 Our numbers seem to not stop growing. Hyenas have started wearing their shirts around and people have asked to join, just randomly. We’re past twenty strong and still growing. It’s honestly quite incredible. Well, society fell. ‘Terrorists,’ as the government calls them, destroyed the world trade center, the white house, the pentagon, and basically every government building they could find. Society is in shambles, I lost my job, and David quit. I think The Hyenas are going to do something great. 12/17/11 With school no longer being enforced, our numbers have swelled and swelled. We’ve grown to near fifty strong, and still growing. There’s talk of taking over the town and helping it out. I said we didn’t have anybody too into politics, but David reminded me I am incredibly talented at learning. So, I guess I’m studying politics now. 12/18/11 Politics don't seem too complicated. Just don't piss people off and you'll be fine. Killing them is probably a bad idea too. Time to put study into action, though. 12/24/11 Ruling a town in chaos is hard. Sadly, some of The Hyenas took matters into their own hands and began beating civilians into submission. I revoked their status on the spot, as an example to everyone that violence against innocents will not be tolerated. Instead, Hyenas have gone out as evangelists, promising food and shelter for those who take refuge under our wings. It’s working fairly well, and we have as many dependents as we do members now. 12/25/11 One Hyena got the bright idea to post flyers with our address and our promise. The whole of Tucson is now either a Hyena or a dependent. It feels good to be doing right, but there's not enough space to keep all these people. So, I proposed to the people that, starting tomorrow, we'll build our selves a good old fashioned castle. 12/31/11 Construction's going well. My magic is coming in very handy, both for the supply of resources and for getting those hard to reach places. I'm quite proud of our work so far, as we've got the entirety of the castle built now, and are starting in on the farm cottages that will occupy the gap between the wall and the castle. However, we'll be ringing in the new year tonight, so no work will be done for a while. 1/1/12 Woo! Happy new year!. Everyone's so excited. I honestly think it's the thrill of a job well done that's got everybody in a festive mood, but that could just be me being delusional. Either way, the mood was light and spirits were high last night. 1/7/12 Construction on the cottages has begun, and they''re coming along nicely. I say cottages because it fits the theme of the castle, but I've let the people take a few creative liberties with their homes. Because of this, we've wound up with all sorts of houses, from modern Swiss architecture to actual cottages. It's really quite neat. 1/8/12 With my castle having been built, and my not needing to be involved in the building of the houses besides providing raw materials, I've begun to decorate my castle. I've always been a sucker for the olden style, so I've decorated my medieval style castle in a medieval style. However, I left some rooms bare, since Hyena members will be allowed to live in the castle with me, and I want them to feel as at home as possible. Just my little way of giving back to the ones who made me successful. 1/14/12 The people have finished their constructions, and are in good spirits again. There is a large party going on in the courtyard. Such a big one that I couldn't bear to tell them that they weren't quite finished. So, instead of breaking the good mood, I built the wall myself. It wasn't terribly hard, since I have plenty of magic to aid me. 1/15/12 The people have decided that we need a ruling party. I asked why, since most crime is committed out of need, and everyone has everything they need. Still, the richer people, the paranoid ones from the foothills, insisted we instate a government. So, the higher ranking Hyenas, including David and myself, have formed a council. We have written in a few basic laws, basically all the ones that just say 'No infringing on others' rights to the pursuit of happiness.' I think it's simple enough. 1/21/12 Things are going well for Tucson. The rest of the country, from what I can gather, is in disarray. Without a central government, they've gone completely animalistic. However, efforts seem to be underway for reinstating the government. Without my help, though, building something like that could take years. However, I don't think I'll help. I like my power. 1/22/12 I sat on my throne for the first time today. It feels right. It feels like a seat of power, especially how I have it placed, at the end of a grand hall, opposite a balcony that overlooks the peasants. How small they are from up here. 1/28/12 David noticed me writing the other day, and made the simple request to read what I had written. I, of course, complied, since it was originally intended to document my journey so he may know what happened. However, when he got to last week's entry, he had something important to say; He fears I am being corrupted by my power. I didn't blow off his opinion, as he's always right in some way, but I don't see it. I'll make sure to be more mindful of myself from now on. 1/29/12 I definitely am being corrupted. Never before has the thought of enslaving my people crossed my mind, but today it did. I am truly scared. What if I can't fight it? 2/4/12 I can fight this. I won't be the next mad king. I refuse. I will be benevolent, and I will feed my people, and I will protect them from any encroachment. 2/5/12 The hounds of war are tugging at their chains. Hyena scouts have found newcomers. Desperate, hungry, violent newcomers. We lost three today. 2/11/12 War is hell. The newcomers have refused our offerings of peace, and have instead taken to sieging our castle. Everyone who is fit and able has been equipped with bows and arrows, and we've been fending off the siege fairly well. Not many are accurate with unsighted bows, but we've started a points system, in the hopes that friendly competition will improve accuracy. 2/12/12 It is said that history will repeat itself if you don't learn from it. Such was the case this Sunday. The invaders left us a prize, in surrender. It was a huge basket of food, almost too big for our gates. Some of the more ignorant Hyenas began dragging it in immediately, but I told them to stop. I inspected the invaders' forces, which were a tiny fraction of what they had been yesterday. We used the Trojans in the food basket as bonfire fodder. Needless to say, the last Trojans fled. 2/18/12 I feel bad for the slaughter of last Sunday, but David assured me it was kill or be killed. Still, what if we had counter-sieged them, making them accept our peace offering as an ultimatum, instead of killing them all? I suppose we'll never know. 2/19/12 The people are getting restless. They have nothing to do most of the time, and seek entertainment. I proposed the idea of constructing robots to fight in an arena, and the people gobbled it up. I've started building the robots, and they've started the arena. 2/25/12 The people love the arena. I built the first two to fight, a big brute and a small agile fighter. They make for good matches, but they're all we have right now. So, to rectify that problem, I've started instructional courses on building robots. It's going fairly well, but a lot of the people are not bright enough to understand the concepts, or lack the dexterity to properly construct them. Still, I'm hopeful. 2/26/12 I love these Sunday mornings. There's not much going on this early, and all is peaceful. I feel positively regal overlooking the courtyard of people. Even if I am not a monarch, I feel like one on mornings like this. 3/3/12 A few people in my robotics class have really improved. We have three new fighters for the ring, just some standard gladiators, but they're good enough in the arena that we've got fresh entertainment. 3/4/12 A few of the teachers who were left without jobs when society fell have started up optional schools. Without a codified curriculum, they've started teaching how they want to, and I think it's a very good method. They're teaching the kids how to find the answers on their own, instead of teaching them the answers. The few kids who opted into the curriculum are terrifically enthused. It's a good thing to see our society developing. 3/10/12 A few doctors in our society have started doing house calls. With this development, people have started expressing joy towards the council. Even though we're more of a figurehead, we seem to be the middleman for change. As such, we've applauded the doctors for acting on their own merit and encouraged others to do the same. 3/11/12 The Hyenas are growing restless. They want a skate park like the one we first bonded over. I said that if they wanted something like that, they were free to do so. 3/17/12 The robotics students have been coming along nicely. We have a dozen or so robots in the ring now, and the people are loving it. Also, the skate park has come along nicely. They've decided to constantly expand it, and not fence it in. I think it's a wonderful idea, and I've even pulled the old bike out of storage. 3/18/12 I woke up this morning and had myself a think. I'm not even eighteen and I've managed to bring around a functional society. Most of the people under my care are double my age or more. It's really quite boggling to think about it. 3/24/12 The people seem to have accepted that the oligarchy isn't going to be doing much for them, and they've started really providing for themselves. I've been conjuring almost all of the food, but some people wanted different food. So, they decided to farm the food they want. I've done my best to help, using my magic to make the soil fertile. It's going well, and I've got high hopes for the future. 3/25/12 A band has started up in the village. They're not much, but it's nice to have the sound of music coming from the village. 4/1/12 It's April Fool's day. I've locked myself away in my bedroom. No one's getting me this year! 4/2/12 I really like to get up early, before the sun. It's nice to see the world unlit. Without electricity, the village is dark at night, and so peaceful. Truly, whatever powers that be took extra care when making the night. 4/8/12 I have no need to be ruler anymore. However, I don't know if the people are ready for me to step down, so I sent a few Hyenas into the populace in order to gauge their opinion. 4/9/12 My spies reported back, saying that most of the citizens agreed that I didn't really have a place at the top any more. So, I plan to step down in a dramatic way within the next week. The only question left is how to do it. 4/15/12 I have decided to blow up my throne over the people. It will make for a dramatic display, and, with the help of some magic, they won't even suffer the shrapnel. It is due to be done tomorrow. 4/16/12 I proclaimed the people free and threw my throne over them, where it exploded. I made the last second decision of also throwing in some fireworks. I think it went over well. Some of the more paranoid citizens have come to me regarding the enforcement of the laws. I told them they had the right to defend themselves. I do hope I made the right choice. 4/22/12 Somehow, in my stepping down, people have come to respect me more. I suppose it almost makes sense, since it is what the people wanted, but I still don't quite understand it. 4/23/12 I have torn down the castle, building instead some modest housing for me and the rest of The Hyenas. It makes me feel like my rulership is truly over, like I am one of the common folk now. It's a good change, I feel. 4/29/12 The U.S. military seems to be back up in order. A helicopter dropped by to check on the citizens' status. Seeing a calm, peaceful, atmosphere seemed to convince him that all was well. But, when he heard we had no ruling party, he was set on edge again. I dislike the military. 4/30/12 The military left a squad here to ensure we were well kept. I assured him we needed no such assistance, but he insisted. A feeling of intense hatred wells up every time I see that outdated flag stitched onto a tan jacket. 5/6/12 We forced the military boys out of our small community. It took a lot of saliva, in more ways than one, to get them to go. Everybody's happier now that they've pulled out. 5/7/12 I went scrying today, to see why the military was attempting to occupy our state. As it turns out, the power of propaganda and fear is very powerful. The government buildings have been rebuilt, and they are already going to war. Every fit and able person has been drafted to fight the terrorist threat, except for us. I did catch that the military knows they need to do something about us, which worries me. 5/13/12 I thought the worst threat would be the U.S. military, but it seems Mexico rallied its armies and is taking advantage of the U.S.'s weakened state. It wouldn't worry me so much if we weren't right in the crossfire. 5/14/12 I went scrying again, to see what I could see. It seems the European powers are funding Mexico's fight against the U.S. I didn't know they had gathered so many enemies. In other news, I did find a smattering of other small societies like ours. I invited them to join us as a separate nation against both the U.S. and Mexico. They agreed swiftly, seeing the impending danger of the war coming down upon our heads. 5/20/12 The other leaders agreed that my place was the best suited as a stronghold, and have decided to come to us as soon as they can. I'm glad we'll have new members, but I'm worried they may perish on the way here or after the war starts. 5/21/12 The societies asked me if I could do anything to help them with the journey. I knew I couldn't do much, there being too many people to teleport, but I sent some food and took their elderly and young early. Hopefully that'll improve their chances and their speed. 5/27/12 The first of the migrants have begun trickling in. There's not enough to be all of them yet, but there's definitely enough that if this is less than half of the total population, we're going to have a problem. 5/28/12 Integration has been going well. The newcomers are a little anxious that there's no government, but our people are nice enough to help them get accustomed to the change. I'm glad I've raised such a good group of people. 6/3/12 People just keep flowing in. I'm starting to get worried we won't have enough space. One can only hope at this point. 6/4/12 I've had to make some of the more adventurous people to take up homes underground since we're running fairly low on space. I feel kind of bad, but the ones who volunteered don't seem to mind. 6/10/12 The last of the people have come through our gates, and we locked them for the foreseeable future. It's going to be a good while until the U.S. is back on its feet, I feel. But, I've been wrong before, so I guess we'll see how it turns out. 6/11/12 We've set bowmen up on the wall, at the first sight of invading Mexicans, and the fear in town is palpable. I hope beyond hope that we make it through this war alive, but I fear we may not. 6/17/12 The Mexican army sent a dignitary last week. He told us of Mexico's plan to retake the parts of the U.S. that were taken from them. I told him we wouldn't stop him, but we wouldn't be taken, that we were independent of all greater governments. We signed a truce to say that neither will attack the other, and we will stay independent. We'll just have to see who breaks it first. 6/18/12 Mexico is on the move, spreading over the southwestern part of what was once the U.S. The U.S. is on the move, too, taking back more eastern territories. When they clash, I can only hope the truce holds. 6/24/12 Both factions are moving fast. The U.S. forces have already reclaimed all the way through to Kansas, and Mexico has laid claim to everything from the border to Colorado. They're about to butt heads, and I fear we may drown in the blood. 6/25/12 Luckily, the first of the fighting has taken place on the eastern front, but unluckily, Mexico's taken fairly drastic measures and occupied our town. We have made it extremely clear that if they harass any of our citizens, they will be evicted from the premises. I just hope they're smart enough to not try anything funny. 7/1/12 The bullets are flying and the blood is flowing. War is in full swing on the eastern front, and the Mexican occupants are getting restless. It seems we may have a fight on our hands soon. 7/2/12 Our citizens have begun arming themselves. I don't blame them, and I've told the Mexicans that they are simply stretching their right to bear arms as an active militia. They requested I don't provide them with arms. It's a tenuous relation we hold, but I mean to leave it on good terms. As such, I have withdrawn my support from the militia. I hope I'm doing this leading thing correctly. 7/8/12 The U.S. is tearing through the Mexican military. I figured they would, even with Mexico receiving outside help. Still, I worry for us, stuck right in the crossfire. I hope we don't become the next Alamo. 7/9/12 The U.S. is as far as Texas now. The Mexicans have fallen back to our town as a last defense. This is bad. They have hostages now, even though the hostages are armed. I don't want to see the blood of innocents spill any time soon, but it may happen. 7/15/12 The U.S. is at our doorstep as I write. They are sending volunteer forces to reclaim what lies to our west, but the majority of the forces are beating down our door. I'm still trying to remain on good terms with the Mexicans, so I'm not supporting the militia, but instead attempting to convince them to withdraw. Negotiations are not going well, especially since we don't speak the same language very well. I worry for our people. 7/16/12 The Mexicans went too far. They kidnapped everybody, then used them as bargaining chips against the U.S. I killed them. Easily a hundred Mexicans. Every one died. By my hand. I... I can't. I just can't. 7/22/12 The people look at me strangely now. I don't blame them. 7/23/12 David worries for me. I worry for me too. 7/29/12 I've come to terms with what I did. It's what I had to, for my people. It's no excuse for evil, but sometimes evil is necessary. For the greater good. 7/30/12 I found out that, while I locked myself away for the past couple of weeks, people were writing thank you letters and were worrying for me. I thought they were disappointed that I had to resort to violence, but it was quite the opposite. They were proud I was able to hold the violence off for so long, yet I could do what was necessary when it was necessary. I suppose it's all alright, then. Right? 8/5/12 I have decided that no, it isn't alright. Not really. It's never alright to kill, but sometimes it is necessary. But that is no reason to set it beside, saying it's okay to kill if its right. That leads to justifying all murder, and eventual emotional detachment, etcetera etcetera. Remorse is a sign of being human, I guess. 8/6/12 The U.S. finished off the Mexican forces, and even went so far as to take some of the northern parts of Mexico. I think they plan to take all of Mexico, but I can't tell for sure. 8/12/12 The U.S. sent a dignitary, who apparently had visited right after the hostage situation, but couldn't contact me, as I was locked away at the time. He just wanted to thank me on behalf of the United States, for saving the lives of the innocents. Apparently I'll be awarded a medal of honor after the war's over. I asked him if New Tucson could remain independent of the U.S, and he said he'd try to work something out. I don't think he'll succeed, honestly. 8/13/12 People in helicopters move fast. The dignitary already went back and forth, and said the president would allow New Tucson to be its own country. The people have elected me as the president, even though I didn't want the position. Still, I took the position and plan to be the best first president I can be. To me, I guess. 8/19/12 So, amidst the chaos, Silver disappeared. I wasn't terribly worried, since he's a wolf and he'd survive on his own. I was elated, though, when he returned this last Wednesday. With a little magic, I found out he had gone and roamed over the desert to avoid the Mexicans' inevitable slaughter. I'm so glad he didn't die and, better than that, he came back. It's like a good old family reunion. Not that I've ever been to one. 8/20/12 As president, I'm expected to write laws and make speeches, but I've been shirking my duties. The people haven't complained about it, but David, my 'royal advisor,' says I need to be doing some sort of something for the country. I think the country's fine without rules, and I get the same from the people. I'm at an impasse. 8/26/12 I decided that rules were necessary. I wrote in a few basic rules, essentially the U.S. Constitution, but that's all so far. Really, I'm worried if I write in too many too soon, I'll either over inhibit or go mad with power again, and neither of those are appealing. I'm going to gauge the public's response to the laws and go from there, I think. 8/27/12 The people seem to be happier with the new rules. I'm not sure if my want is corrupting the results, as magic will show you more of what you want to see, and less of what you fear, but it's reassuring to know that at least some people like it. 9/2/12 NONE OF IT WAS REAL! IT WAS ALL A LIE PERPETRATED BY MY MAGIC. OH GOD, WHAT HAVE I DONE?!?! 9/23/12 Sorry for having gone dark after freaking out like that. I just found out that the magic can make you see things that aren't there. It can also make them real. The Mexicans were real, I know that much. But the U.S. government is still down. They didn't reclaim anything. They have no army. It was all me. I slaughtered millions of Mexicans under the guise that I was protecting my people and my home. I don't think I can trust my magic any more. 9/24/12 I'm still having trouble coming to terms with my atrocities. I don't know if I can be president any more. I think I'm stepping down. 10/1/12 I gave the position to a man by the name of Moises Enriquez, who seemed to have a good head on his shoulders. We, being David and I, moved out of the big house and into a smaller one, nearer to the wall. I feel this move will be therapeutic in helping me deal with reality. 10/2/12 I had a nightmare last night, and I don't think it was fiction. I was a Mexican man, being paid in money from the government, and in fear of the cartels. I was just doing my job, what they told me to. Then, a horrifying figure descended from the heavens. I fell, repentant, to my knees, but no mercy was found in his eyes. His magic was pink, like mine. 10/8/12 I've been communicating with my magic teachers, and they say that the ether, where our magic is drawn from, is also host to the spirit realm, and that, more than likely, I was visited by a spirit, and forced to live his last moments. Spirits are apparently tied firmly to those that kill them. 10/9/12 I've started a farm, to better cope with reality. It's nice, honestly. The blazing sun beating down on your back, the smell of earth in your nose. It's what's real, no doubt. 10/15/12 I've gained a lot of free time, what with abdicating and moving and all. It's given me time to focus on what I'm really interested in, like building robots, again. However, my weekdays are still fairly boring, so I'm going to stick to the schedule of weekends only. 10/16/12 I've been working on a new model for David's arm. I plan to make replaceable hand pieces, so that he might have a little more utility. I also plan to make his sleeve respond to the sun in a similar manner to human skin. Big things are under way. 10/22/12 It seems that science alone can't create a skin-like material. And I definitely don't trust my magic enough to use it to make such a material. I guess David's going to be S.O.L. for a little while. The replaceable hand pieces, however, are coming along well. I've needed to make an entire new arm in order to make them compatible, so that's a bit of a hindrance. 10/23/12 I've taken to reading on Sundays. It's rather nice, taking a break from reality. I think, if I put my mind to it, I could create something similar. It'd be really something, to become a writer. 10/29/12 I can not be a writer. I tried it, wrote a chapter, and almost threw up from the quality. Absolutely atrocious, honestly. I think I'll stick to journaling, recording the real world. It's a little easier when events flow naturally. 10/30/12 I socketed David's new arm today. He was pretty happy that his hand could be more than a hand too. It's really cool to see him in the kitchen, cutting tomatoes with a knife connected directly to his wrist. 11/5/12 David thinks he's so sneaky. As if I don't know my own birthday is in two weeks and he's fond of surprises. It'll still be fun to act surprised. 11/6/12 If I were to put my house on pistons, I could leave from any floor. And I could have a three story house that only took up the air space of a one story. And I could drop it all the way into the ground for extra protection. Ideas! 11/12/12 Construction's underway! David's none too happy about the house being uprooted, but I've used some magic, cautiously, of course, to accelerate the building. It seems to be fine to use magic, so long as you don't try and see something with it. That, as I've found out from my teachers, is how it starts to mess with you, and why scryers are untrusted and good scryers are hard to find. 11/13/12 I've tried conjuring again, as an exploratory experiment into the differentiation between good and bad magics. I simply conjured a stuffed otter, one of David's favorite animals, but tried to make it bad while thinking it was good. It was a mental ordeal, but it went well. I was trying to see if, when I presented it to David, he would think it was a pile of crap and I was being deluded by the magic, or he would say that it's really nice and conjuration is pure. He said, and stuck with through several interrogations, that it was a very nice stuffed otter, and that he could find no flaws in it. I'm still skeptical, as I committed genocide without even knowing while under its influence, but David's usually honest, so I'm fairly sure it's alright to conjure. It definitely makes construction easier. 11/19/12 Today was awesome. I haven't had a good surprise party ever, but David went all out today. It's no wonder why he had to take two weeks to prepare. Everyone from New Tucson was there, and Moises even let us use the government building for the occasion. It was awesome, and even though I'm a war criminal, everyone congratulated my coming of age. I can't say anything else that wouldn't be repetitive, so I'm going with the Hyenas for a night ride. Eighteen and happy! 11/20/12 I finished upgrading the house today. It's absolutely awesome. I love being able to walk out the door on the top floor and walk in the door on the ground floor a few seconds later. It completely obfuscates the need for stairs or elevators, and it's so easy to get furniture in or out. Best idea I've had in a while. 11/26/12 Well, the house is giving us all motion sickness. And it screeches. And it groans. I'm starting to think this wasn't such a great idea. 11/27/12 In an attempt to make the house quieter, I greased the pistons. In an effort to make us less sick, I lowered the pressure for moving the house. It still screeches, though. And we still get sick, but a little less now. I think we'll have to get used to the sickness, but I can't stand the screeching. Something has to be done. 12/3/12 I fixed the screeching problem. The house itself needed lube, so that it would glide over the walls of the hole it's built in. With that problem solved, the house really is starting to be a nice thing. Still have to get used to the lurching, though. 12/4/12 I went out with the Hyenas to their skate park today. They have expanded it so much, and it just keeps growing. I really like their idea of a fenceless skate park. It allows the park to be free, and grow continually, open to new ideas from the parkgoers. It really is quite an excellent idea. 12/10/12 I decided to take a walk today, just me and Silver. It was nice, even though we didn't go far. I think I want to return to my old life, wandering my life away. Not today, though. But some day, definitely. 12/11/12 Even though I've long since stepped down, my people still respect me. Even in light of my flaws, I receive quite a few “Good day, sir!”s as I go about my daily life. It's nice, to be respected. 12/17/12 I've been working on a new idea. It's a cape that will pneumatically expand into a hang glider. It's only in the design process, but I think it'll work. 12/18/12 I wonder where I can find some windbreakers... 12/24/12 It's all coming together! It's a prototype, but it'll be ready to fly by tomorrow. However, finding someone to test fly it is going to be difficult. I've a sense of impending doom. 12/25/12 My sense was right. I had to fly it. It didn't go as badly as I thought it would, but when it failed to open when I flung myself off the wall, my heart skipped a beat. In better news, it seems to work alright, it just needs some tweaking. I'll work more on it when my heart slows down. Tomorrow sounds good. 12/31/12 So, Christmas. That's still a thing, I guess. Not that I celebrate, but it's interesting to get just about everyone you know knocking at your door, asking for a tree. People and their plants, I'll never understand them. 1/1/13 Just in time for the new year, I finished my flying cape rig. Using a little magic, I was able to propel myself skywards and, using a little more magic, set off some fireworks. Fun times, but too much loose alcohol. Good night, dear reader. 1/7/13 Life is good. Spirits are high, we are free, and there's food to spare, even without my help. Good times, all around. 1/8/13 So I've been considering love. I've never really partaken in the romance scene, as I've watched its effects take their toll on David over the years. However, I have a hunger, a base need, for human contact at night. I don't really want anyone to date me just because of my status, though. I may have to go incognito. 1/14/13 I have successfully infiltrated my own community as someone different. I told them I was leaving, going back to my wandering ways, and then immediately turned around as someone different. I guess there's nothing to do now but fling myself into the dating world. 1/15/13 Romance is hard. Why should anyone have to hunt this hard for a mate? 1/21/13 Went to the library today. There was a cutie there, but she was really shy. With all my success in other fields, I think I’ll try my luck inside. 1/22/13 I asked her to entertain me a date for the night, and she said yes! I’m so happy. And really nervous. Is this what love is? This happy-nervous mix? If it is, I want more of it. 1/28/13 This last week has been the best week of my life. We’ve got so much good chemistry. And, she doesn’t even like going out, so I don’t have to spend money I don’t have. Most nights, we stay in and just read in a cozy corner, back to back. Celeste is wonderful. 1/29/13 I always thought love would be terrible, that I’d wind up finding nobody but those who want to hurt me. I am so glad I was wrong. Love is a beautiful thing. 2/4/13 David’s found his own girl, too. He used to have no luck with the ladies, every one breaking up with him and leaving him in a wreck after two weeks. He used to not go for dating at all, but he seems to be inspired by my success. I wish him well. 2/5/13 I invited Celeste out to the arena. She said she’d never gone, that she’d not wanted to be in a crowd that loud. I managed to convince her, though, and I think we had a good time. I can’t read people all that well, but she didn’t request that we leave, so that’s a good sign, right? 2/11/13 I really can’t do people things. They make no sense. Celeste refuses to see me, even avoids me at the library. Whenever I manage to talk to her, she’s always just ‘fine.’ I don’t get it, if she’s fine, why won’t she talk to me? 2/12/13 Apparently, she wasn’t fine. I finally got her to talk to me today, and after pestering her a bit, which I’m not too keen on doing again, I got her to tell me she wasn’t fine, that she had a fear of large crowds, and that going to the arena terrified her, but she didn’t want to hurt my feelings. I told her to just be honest, and I think things are patched up. However, with things as unpredictable as they have been, I’m not entirely sure we’re all settled. 2/18/13 Things are definitely going better between Celeste and I. Now that we have an honest relationship, my obliviousness doesn’t get in the way of us being a cohesive couple. Still, shouldn’t all relationships be like that, from the start? Shouldn’t we just be honest with each other, all the time? 2/19/13 Things are just swell around here. David finally got a girl he can hold on to, I’ve manage to hold on to the one I’ve got, and nobody gasps when I walk down the street. That, and, since there’s no crime, nobody looks at me funny when Silver and I go for a night time walk. Life’s good. 6/15/14 Time passes like cinder on the wind. They blow on the winds of change now, though. Things have been pretty calm around here, but the United States have refounded themselves and are trying to incorporate Tucson back into them. I’m arguing for our freedom, but I’m afraid the people don’t want to be independent any more. And I’m not sure I can stay around in a not free state for long. Also, apologies for not writing in so long. 6/13/15 Not much happened between then and now. We were assimilated, and I’ve decided I can’t stay. David is trying to convince me to stay. We’ll see how it goes. 6/14/15 He, and Celeste, managed to convince me to stay. Hopefully, I’ll be able to stay around for a while. 6/12/16 I can’t stay here any more. What I saved them from, their idiotic cult following of trends, celebrities and fashion, they went straight back to it when they had a chance. Absolutely disgusting. I am leaving, to travel the world. I’ll have to start a new journal, though. This one’s getting a little thin.