Rainbows and Butterflies

Saw a girl playing in the rain today, so I decided to join her. She was cute. Naive to the extreme, but incredibly cute. I hope she has a home and a family. She looked well cared for, so I'm assuming she did. She wasn't skin and bones like I was am. I'd have taken her home with me if she was.

I hope I run into her again. I haven't had the chance to show off my gymnastics in a while.

Gotta find Gretchen. Maybe I'll check the apartment one more time...

I can't believe it. I just... I can't believe it. I found him. After all this time... I found my Dad.

I knew it from the moment I met him. I just knew. There was something about him and I knew that he was... Even knowing who he is now, I still love him. I love my daddy.

( Got up all by yourself today, I see. (Bastard) )

I ran into Vasili Babenkov in an alley last night. Almost literally. I was out for my evening jog. The alley was narrow and nobody seemed to want to move, so I stopped to chat. It took me a while to remember that he was the "Cowardly Rat" from the story at the Siren. I can safely say that Master Babenkov is neither cowardly, nor a rat. And the topic is not open for discussion.
After waving a gun at me and getting jittery, he told me that I was going to walk with him. That's when the tiger came out of bleedin' nowhere. I think she was fixing to tear him apart. Probably the same one from the story. Well, Babenkov handed me off to his slave, Vova. Said he'd kill me if the tiger didn't leave. Said I'd die if the tiger tried anything. Either Babenkov would shoot me or Vova would snap my neck. I was assured that this would be painless. Right. And I've just been named bloody Queen of the world.
The tiger, shifter I s'pose I should say, left in a hurry. I wonder who she really was. Probably some sort of protector of the innocent, since I can't think of anyone who'd go out on a limb for me. Except for Shane, and I know he doesn't shift into a girltiger. Though that is a funny thought, when you think on it.
Babenkov has apparently decided to keep me. I was okay with that at first. Until the whore showed up. You know, she was a lot nicer when I met her at Foul Bay. You know, back when she wasn't slapping my favourite bartender. I wonder if I'll ever be able to weasel free booze out of Gretchen again.
I wonder if I'll ever see Gretchen again.
Rajini is the bitch's name. She's a real piece of work. A goddamn exhibitionist, too. I told her that I didn't appreciate what she was doing with Master Babenkov right in front of me. She won't even directly address me because she thinks I'm too beneath her. I think she's a fuckin' coward. Hiding behind her so-called status. Come to London, bitch. Let's see how you fare on my turf.
I think she's charging him double or something. Babenkov got her to stay, despite my 'rudeness.' I still say she was the rude one. But I've got a bad feeling about this whole thing. I don't think I'm going to be quite so healthy come tomorrow evening. At least I've always looked good in black and blue.
I told him I have nothing to fear from him, and I mean it. He won't break me. I am Bobbie Basiliard. Basiliards bend, but never break. You cannot scare me, Vasili Babenkov. In the end, I will be victorious.
I hope I get to spend more time with Vova. He's incredibly nice. He's also mute, I think. Maybe he wouldn't be quite so nice if he could speak his mind. But something tells me that if he were mad at me, I'd know it. He gives good hugs. (Bear hugs?)
I liked Babenkov at first. I really did. But now? Now I'm not so sure.

I hate knee-pad wearing whores.

I met a woman at the Foul Bay tonight. She wouldn't tell me her name, but she bought me dinner. I like her, but she's not nearly so nice as Gretchen. Sometime during the course of our conversation at the Bay, we were joined by another woman. She's got some great makeup. I don't know what I think of all the jewels and the flashy dress, but I liked her lipstick. Fancy. The way she said a couple'a things got my stomach all knotted up, though. I don't get it. It wasn't like I was scared or nothin'. I just.. Felt weird. I'd ask the Champ if he had any idea what would cause that, but he'd probably just tell me to go lock myself in the bathroom until I feel better, so that I don't puke on his floor. Wasn't like I felt sick either, though. I hope I run into her again, though. The only way to learn is to keep experiencing, right?

Michiyo. She says her name is Michiyo.

( You like getting mugged then? (Rajini, Nobara) )

I met tons of cool people tonight at the Siren! I got to meet Gretchen, who was tending the bar, and Mister Bastard. It's an odd name, but that's all right. He was wearin' a Union Jack. He sounds like he's from the north, like Mum 'n' I. It's nice to see somethin' familiar. I miss the U.K. But Bleaker's not so bad, if you ignore that crazy Mister Zero character. Which you really can't, I suppose. I think everything's just gotten a little more difficult since Mum died. Though I've got to admit, it's a lot easier to hide just myself and not worry about gettin' back to someone. Or worry that there won't be anybody to go back to anymore. Shane seems a sturdy sort. I think he might stick around a while. S'awful nice of him to let me use his place. It's even nicer of him not to kick me out after that hole I still haven't fixed. But I said I'd fix it and I would, because Mum always told me that a Basiliard never goes back on their word. Dunno why that should mean so much to me, though. Mum wasn't a Basiliard. Dad was a Basiliard, and I never met him. 'Course, maybe he gave his word that I'd never meet him. That would mean he hadn't gone back on it, wouldn't it? Does that make him a trustworthy sort? Dunno, but I fall back on the name anyway. If Mum thought it was important, then it must have been.

I love you, Mum. Thanks for gettin' me here.

( Yes we do. Do floats. (Gretchen, Shane, Bastard, Orvus, Kaji, Simon, Lovecat) )

Went lookin' for the champ today. Found 'im at the Flying Siren, as I suspected I would. He looked so happy, I just didn't have the heart to tell him that I'd been practicing one of my wall-runs and kicked a hole in the kitchen divider. I'll fix it! I just don't wanna go get the plaster on my own. I'll be extra nice and make him a big plate of grilled cheese and a whole pot of tomato soup. That'll cheer him up, right?

He's gonna kick my ass.

( Wha' brings you ou' 'ere? A bar's no place for a midge'. (Shane, Lovecat) )