Dear Diary (Side story)

Written by Louise Bisset, Code Name: Archivist.

Dear Diary,

It has been some time since I have written in you and so many things have happened. May hasn't taken the sudden separation from Victor well, she has been very depressed. I admit to some sadness as well, I have become close to them both over this short but strange period of time.

It is somewhat embarrassing looking back that I had a crush on Victor, not realising his age difference. In my defence I would argue he is so collected and sure of himself I was quite confused, even more so because almost no one at that time knew his age. I blame the magazines that glossed over this.

Hearing his past explains quite a lot about his maturity, forced to grow up too fast by abusive and neglectful parents.

May too is similar, only more fragile from her own narrow escape. Remember when we first met, Diary? How she became jealous and wanted to fight? It was only after explaining with the aid of hand gestures that I have given up on Victor after learning our difference. I still admire him, maybe even still like him a little if I'm being honest, but I have decided. It was not healthy.

So instead I have become her accomplice. Helping May gain his heart… and being the responsible adult (in five months!). I have to make sure they don't go too far, after all I was shocked to learn they sleep in the same bed!

May's trauma seems to make sleep without Victor nearby difficult, suffering night terrors. So to compromise, I supervise them and sleep in their bed too. I do not do not think Victor is a wonderful pillow and I will deny this assertion strenuously.

Fleur-de-lis is quite a character, even thanking me for the supervision. She could not do so with her secret identity and yet couldn't think of a way to talk Victor into accepting a foster family. His lone lifestyle had been acceptable but with May involved she was becoming worried this would lead to underage pregnancy and scandal.

But I know Victor is very reserved about his likes and dislikes. I can see he has developed affections for all of us to a degree, perhaps his traumas or perhaps his need for self control is holding him back from showing this affection. Between us, May and I had been attempting hug attacks to bring him out of his shell, or to at least help him reconcile with his emotions but it didn't seem to be working.

Time without him has been spent with May, helping her cheer up. She hangs out with me as I enchant and teach magic.

By the way, the testing phase was an astounding success, of all the agents sent to us two were found to possess talents exceeding my expectations. One from the special forces has natural skill in shadow magic, and that aggressive Major from the Airforce who amazes me at every turn. To think she is a multi-discipline savant. Ironically all of her focuses being something different from my own talents. Evocation, Necromancy, Defense, Fire Magic itself and most unusual: she had a quirk that allows her to shorten the words and gestures these magic spells require to merely a few words. I'm intensely jealous and can clearly see this is the resume of a battlemage more than anything. Some day she will be famous, I can see it. Already her nickname is 'Pyro' as the other fellow has been dubbed 'Skulker'. It seems this was actually his original call sign as a counter-terrorist operative. He's also a fully trained sniper, because he apparently wasn't scary enough for his enemies as 'merely' a rifleman.

I don't know if I can say more here, Diary so I will list no real names for these people in the future and keep things vague for their safety.

May and Victor are different, since they're an open secret.

So after the testing a good deal of the recruits had modest to minimal talent with the two surprise gems being a big thing. After the test I gave them each a few minor spells that match their talents, but for prodigies like the Major… I got carried away. Now she has learned to control flames innately through touch and insulate herself from them. We were both shocked when she gained true powers. I suspect a magic creature in her genealogy.

As far as Skulker goes, he has learned to lengthen and deepen shadows. Soon we will go further. I can already see that I will be beyond my depth in a matter of months. I will need to teach them the basics of research and self training. Perhaps in time they will be teaching me. I can only say when they are fully trained… whoever they fight will regret the encounter for the rest of their very short lives. Yeesh.

Our new home base is coming along nicely, I picked out the shower curtains yesterday. With a lot of the… unpleasant stuff removed it is quite cosy. I'm still quite concerned by why no one has said how the monster ape and its master died, I have some bad suspicions. Victor became really withdrawn afterwards.

My training with my conjured weapons is improving, I have decent grouping with my weapons at the minimum range. The firing range is where I spend an hour before ending the day. I'm slowly getting better. Soon I'll get access to moving targets and other training areas.

In other news, Papa is doing well. He has had a slight improvement, his blood test came back with promising results. So we're hoping for the best! Yeah! Get well Papa, I love you!

…

I apologise Diary, I was cut off writing you. Something big happened!

A being comprising of dirt, an elemental I believe was sighted destroying a warehouse. With Victor away May volunteered to help. And it was a complete massacre. From beginning to end the being was just used as fertiliser for her plants. Normally this wouldn't be a big deal for an elemental but she figured out some magic tricks of her own, watching me teach mine.

She metabolised the magic that was animating the creature with her plants, reducing it to plain soil. I can honestly say… wow. I never knew her ability was magic based. Further research narrows it down to plant elemental magic 'The Green'.

Fascinating. I need to research her ability more thoroughly.

Truly, I don't know what else to say.

Besides goodnight, Diary.