June 8, 2024

Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!

We went to the waterpark today!!!

It’s after Memorial Day, so the cheaper one is open.  See, there are several waterparks here in Round Rock.  The best but most expensive one is an indoor waterpark that’s open all year round but it’s EXPENSIVE so we only go there on special occasions.  It’s one of the biggest in the world, but you’re gonna pay if you want to spend a day there.

Another, slightly less expensive option, is a waterpark in Pflugerville, but it’s only open in the summer, because it’s not indoors.  But it’s after memorial day now so they’re open and we get to go and have fun!!!

BTW… Pflugerville is such a weird name and the town is so dumpy, but at least they have a waterpark!!!

Anyway, we splished and splashed and slid and had all sorts of fun.  It was kind of hard to explain my passport stuck between my floppy bits in my bikini top, but it’s no one’s business anyway, really.  I need to find a solution to that, though, it could get ripped off or out.  Especially because my swimsuit top is more interested in being a swimsuit and staying on than covering anything but the bare essentials.  And the essentials are almost bare…

Sabby doesn’t really like my swimsuit but I don’t wear it to show off, I wear it to get wet and the less wet fabric there is the better!

I think I spent too much time in the Japanese onsen, I seem to have lost my shame..

Anyway…  other than that, it was a quiet day.  I’m just chilling tonight with some of the girls.  Liz is over, Crystal is over, but Diana isn’t, she has plans with her mother or something.  Diana’s not really all that noisy, Crystal’s much more rowdy, so there’s not a whole lot of difference in noise level.

Crystal bought her guitar and is shredding for is.  Dang that girl got good fast.  I wonder what she’ll be like in a year.  I taught her some music theory stuff and she, well, ran with it.  Oh, the things you can do with a diminished minor chord…

Okay, well, it’s about bedtime now, we’re all tired.

Love you all!!! ❤️

From the Creator:

Yes, Pflugerville is dumpy.  It’s got the waterpark, of course, and a decent shopping center, but otherwise it’s just got one or two main roads with some kinda dumpy businesses and a bunch of seemingly poorly designed neighborhoods.

But oh well.  It’s got a Pfabulous name.

May 7, 2024

Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!

Liz had her recital tonight.  She shared the stage with two other violinists.

It went well.

I accompanied her on a couple of pieces, and she did a solo.  She did really well!!!  I put on my nice dress and some flat shoes and kind of limped out on stage, but once I sat down, I played just fine.  She did really well too, she didn’t get a standing ovation, but there were a few whoops.  I think that was Crystal, though.  Hah!!!

Yeah, all the girls came.  That seemed to mean a lot to Liz.  Liz isn’t exactly a social butterfly, but we’re all her friends, and even though it’s not really Crystal’s type of music, she came anyway.

Otherwise, it’s pretty quiet.  All the girls are over and we got Liz a big ol’ cake.  And now that we are in a chocolate haze, we’re just sitting around and chatting.

Another last…  Awww.

Love you all!!! ❤️

June 5, 2024

Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!

I’m feeling lots better today!!! I still hurt a little but I can walk pretty well and even went down the stairs without help!  (though I took it really slow).  Yay!!!

Liz’s recital is this weekend, so we’re practicing that a lot.  I can sit on a piano and use the pedal, so I’m alright.  I might not be able to fit into my high heels, but Liz says she doesn’t care about that, and I can go out barefoot for all she cares.  I won’t do that, but some sensible shoes probably aren’t a horrible idea.  Liz already talked to her teacher to make sure she knows, so everyone’s fine.  We’re not doing too difficult a piece (for me, anyway), so everything’s good. Liz is just happy to be able to play with me.

When she became my best friend, neither of us knew I could play.  She always secretly wanted a friend she could play with, but that never worked out.  And then we went to Orlando, and I found out I could play piano!!!  She was secretly (though not so secret now because she told me later) really happy about that.  I guess I understand.  There’s something intimate about playing music with or for someone.  I hope maybe someday Jack learns how to play an instrument (he was in his band in high school but he never really broke out, he was always comfortable just playing second trombone in brass section).  I won’t love him any less if he doesn’t, but still.  It would be nice to be able to play with him.

Well, in other ways.  BLUSH

Anyway…

Ever get that feeling that something big’s about to happen but you don’t know what, when, or why?  Maybe it’s this passport that’s always between my floppy bits – I feel it all the time and it always reminds me something weird’s going on.  Why would I be able to enter, say, Japan without having to check in with customs?  It’s not like I’m going to hop a dingy and boat twelve thousand miles and end up washing up on Enoshima…

Right?

Right?

I hope not.  That’d be weird even for me.

But there’s gotta be a reason Mrs. X got me that passport.  It’s a lot of trust, both by her, but by the US and whatever governments I end up showing this passport to.  I mean, I guess I could smuggle stuff.  I won’t, but I could.  What’d stop me until they found out? 

Again… I won’t.  I WON’T.  I know you read this Mrs. X!!!

That reminds me, I found out what “Budgie Smuggler” means in Australian lately.  Hahaha!!!

I guess I should go.  We practiced a lot and I should get some sleep.

Love you all!!! ❤️

From the Creator:

Again…  she should not be talking about this stuff in-universe.  But I can’t tell the story if she doesn’t, so she is.  Somehow it won’t work against her.  Even though it should.

June 4, 2024

Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!

I heard from Haruna today.  She’s doing alright.  She decided she wants to actually go to school.  Good for her, no, seriously.  So now she’s attending a cram school so she can pass the entrance exams.  She doesn’t know which college she wants to go to yet, but she didn’t get a great education because she was spending all her time singing and dancing, so she has a lot to catch up on.

But she seems happy, and that’s the important thing.

I saw that Suzuka did a commercial, she sent it to me.  It’s funny!  Basically her in a very skimpy swimsuit looking longingly at a popsicle.  Umm…  well, I guess that’s Japan for you.  And, to be fair, it did look like a delicious popsicle.

Japan loves sweet treats and swimsuits.

It’s funnier because I know Suzuka.  That’s, kind of…. not really who she is.  She’s a pretty modest girl when you get to know her.  But I guess if you’re a gravure model you have to throw that modesty to the side, trim some hair where you wouldn’t normally trim, and get to getting.

I haven’t given an update on the friends I don’t usually talk about, so…

Let’s see.  We’ll start with the aidols.  They all graduated, and they’re heading to college now.  Ai got into a pretty good one, but a couple of the other aidols didn’t.  So they got into their second choice school.  They’re a little bummed that they’re not going to college together, but they’re happy they at least got in, so there’s that.

Miki and group are steadily learning all the stuff that they want to learn.  Miki can play guitar decently now, a couple of the idols can play drums, and… one of them took up piano.  I mean, she seriously took up piano.  She can’t play anything really complex yet, but she’s not bad.  Except for the pianist (that’s a hard instrument and she’s focusing entirely on that), they’re all learning more than one instrument.  I think Miki said they’re learning one rock instrument and one band instrument.  Miki’s also learning clarinet.  She says it’s fun and makes her a good kisser.

… I don’t want to know.  haha!!!

I’m pretty sure that was a hypothetical statement.  Pretty sure.   At least it’d better be. She’s an idol for Kami’s sake.

Let’s see… Rebecca and friends.  Rebecca actually is getting into animal husbandry.  She loves the horses.  Her friend is letting her take care of the horses in exchange for learning how to ride, and she’s having a blast.  I never thought Rebecca would adapt so well to Texas life, but she’s coming into her own now.  She’s going to attend Texas State in Dallas.  I think she wants to be a veterinarian.

I think it was a good move for her.

And Rebecca’s old friends – well, the three of them are heading off to college now.  Yu is heading off to Stanford last I heard, Britni, well…  she got into Oxford (which is no surprise at all, girl’s a genius), and Chelsi, well, she’s sticking around in SoCal so she can surf a lot.  I guess she’s going to USC or something like that.  Not an awful choice, really.  Not where I’d want to go but I completely understand.

Emiko and family are doing their thing.  Aika and Mika are young women now, and they’re getting into a bit of trouble with boys.  Thankfully it’s young woman kinds of trouble and not older teenager kinds of trouble.  I guess they caught Aika kissing a boy.  Oops!!!  Emiko got so mad she’s talking about shipping her back to Japan to stay with Ai.  I doubt she will, but that boy is persona non grata now.  I guess I get it, girl’s like 12 or so, that’s way too young.  Mika’s not as interested, not only is she younger, but she’s a little more studious,. and I guess boys get in the way.

And I forgot to mention, with all the hubbub about the accident…  David’s at his camp now.  I hope he’s staying out of trouble.

Let’s see…  I have so many friends… I probably forgot one or two.  Aww. Oh yeah, Allison.  I haven’t heard from her lately, I guess she’s really busy with all her new friends.  Hope she’s alright.

Anyway, I should go to bed now.  The storms are mostly gone… now it’s just HOT.  I hope I can run again soon.

Love you all!!! ❤️

June 3, 2024

Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!

I went to the doctor today, and I’m doing lots better, he said I’m healing fine.  They used one of those low-voltage electronic thingies that’s supposed to help with healing.  It’s not really pleasant but it doesn’t hurt, just kind of tingles and makes my muscles move on their own.

That guy was arraigned, and there’s a court date now.  I’m not sure if I have to testify or not, but I guess I’ll find out.  It’s pretty quick, so not like I have to worry about being in Japan or anything.

I seem to end up in court a lot.  I wonder if that’s a part of my “karen magnet” property.

My lycoris radiata sculpture is a little subtly different.  It’s glowing a little brighter, and the pulses seem to be getting a little more irregular.  I wonder why that is.  It’s still as beautiful as ever, but it feels like it’s, well, a little antsy about something.

Usually I wouldn’t, umm…. what’s that word…  anthropomorphize things like that, but…  it really does feel that way.  Like there’s something it’s made for and it’s getting impatient.

Anyway…

Love you all!!! ❤️

June 2, 2024

Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!

I’m sleeping by myself for the night.  I actually miss Liz. I mean, I know the girls and I make piles all the time, but this time it was just me and Liz for a few days… and it was nice to spend all that time with her.  And it was so nice of her to take care of me.  I mean she didn’t have to… but she wanted to.

I’m still a little sore but I don’t need the cane anymore, at least for short trips like to the bathroom.  going downstairs is still a little bit of a challenge, but Sabby lets me lean on her and it works out alright.

The guy bailed out, apparently, but he’s in a world of hurt.  He got arraigned for DUI (third offense), vehicular assault, criminal negligence, driving without insurance, driving on a suspended license…  he’s pretty much going to have the book thrown at him.

He hasn’t attempted to contact me.  That’s good.  I hope he doesn’t.  I won’t mind talking with him, because I think I do have something important to say to him, but it needs to be on my terms.  He’s done enough damage, I think.

I took Mrs. X’s advice, and I have a little waterproof pocket I can put my passport in.  It’s not stuck to me just yet, but it hangs around my neck, and I even wear it into the shower.  It’s attached to a little choker collar and looks like it’s a necklace…  and if I stick it between my floppy bits no one knows different.  I even added a couple of charms.  Mrs. X never told me why it’s so important, I’m guessing it’s so that it doesn’t get stolen, or something.  Maybe she’ll tell me more about it someday.  She’s really kind of a mysterious woman.  Joe’s not her bodyguard anymore, but she still has them.

They’re moving the shop over to the new building.  Sabby hired some contractors this time to do the work of building the stage, etc (business was good enough we had it stashed away) and it’s going to be a little bigger and a lot better, with more state of the art sound and lighting and stuff.  But we’re still aiming for that slightly grungy live house look.  I haven’t had a chance to see what they’re doing, I hope it turns out like Sabby and I envision.

I’m sure it’ll work out.

Crystal and her band want to do the inaugural concert.  We told her that she needs to sell a bunch of tickets first, and if she manages, then they can do a concert.  I guess they were out yesterday afternoon busking and selling tickets…  they’re pretty involved.  That’s cool.  Crystal needs people around her that are as driven as she is.

Anyway…  enough of that, I guess.

Father’s day is coming up.  I need to figure out something to do for Dave.  It’s another last, coming up…

Love you all!!! ❤️

From the creator:

When I first introduced Mrs. X., I had her sign her first letter as “lycoris radiata”.  I took that out on review because I had no idea why she would have said that.  It was one of those aborted storylines that I thought I needed to retcon.

I’m debating putting it back in, because recently I realized that Mrs. X has some interesting attributes I, well, hadn’t planned for when I first wrote her.  And they work out really, really well with that, well, signature.

Here in my town, there have been three hailstorms this year.  I’ve never seen this much hail.  Ow.

June 1, 2024

Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!

It’s June!!!

I don’t have anything special to say about June.  Or today, actually.  It was just another day.  Crystal’s band did come over to rehearse a bit, they’re getting to be really good.  They’re starting to write their own music, and Crystal’s really good with the lyrics.

Otherwise… I’m just going to go to bed.  I’m tired.

Love you all!!! ❤️

From the creator:

It’ll be quiet for a bit.  It’ll ramp up eventually.

May 31, 2024

Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!

Some storms came by this morning and Liz was scared again.

I don’t really mind.  She’s taken care of me a lot, so I get to hug her and tell her everything’s okay as the booms happen.  she’s gotten better, but I think she likes being babied just a little bit.  That’s fine, I don’t mind.

The girls are over tonight.  I’m well enough that they’re not going to cause issues.  They’re all worried about me, but it’s okay.  I told them all about the stuff I learned, and they’re kind of amazed.

And a tiny bit jealous, but I put a stop to that.  It comes with a lot of responsibility and just a little doubt.

I’m not going to write much today, there’s not too much to say.

Love you all!!! ❤️

From the creator:

Everyone needs to be babied every now and then, don’t you think?

May 30, 2024

Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!

I’ve been staring at that Lycoris Radiata for a while now.  Just staring at it.  It’s beautiful, but that’s all it is.  It feels like it’s staring back at me, but it doesn’t have any eyes, just that maddening soft glow that pulses inside it.

He told me it’s industructible and keyed to me – no one else can use it.  But I don’t even know how to use it!  It’s just a pretty flower sculpture!

Oh well.  I guess it’s nice to have around anyway.  I mean I’ve had it for a long time and it hasn’t done anything – good or bad.  It’s just been sitting there, on my shelf.

Anyway, something weird happened today.  I mean, weird even for me.  Mrs. X came by with some kind of special passport.  I don’t really understand it either.  It’s like my ordinary passport, but apparently it lets me travel anywhere in the world (that a US Passport is accepted, I’d better not get caught in North Korea) without having to check in with customs.  And to return to America, too.  It’s like a diplomatic passport on steroids.  She told me to keep it on my person at all times.  Even to hang it around my neck in the shower (sufficiently waterproofed, of course) and when I’m, er, with Jack.  I might make a little adhesive pocket to stick to my side.

She said “do not abuse it or it will cause a major diplomatic incident, and you do not want to be responsible for starting a war between the US and Japan.”  Message received.  She was being a bit hyperbolic but I get it.  No smuggling stuff in.  Not that I would anyway, of course.  I’m a good girl.

I didn’t even know one of those existed.  Neither did Dave.  Or anyone else I asked.  Even a net search only brought up rumors.

I asked her why.  She shrugged.  Said she the order came from higher up.

She’s… really high up.  How much higher up?

And why?

I’m… starting to wonder something.

Something really interesting.

But I’m not going to say it here.

Except to say…

I wonder if I’m not the only person in the world with one of these “gateways” inside me.

In fact, I’m pretty sure I’m not.

So… who else does?

Things sure took a weird turn.

Anyway, Liz is still over today, but I’m almost to the point where I can be alone.  It’s been nice having her around, and Sabby appreciates it too.  I can’t really return the favor but she says I really don’t need to, a walking temple needs to be taken care of.

Sigh.  I appreciate the sentiment, but I do kind of wish I wasn’t treated with kid gloves sometimes.  I’m still Lily.  I know Liz doesn’t mean to do it, but it would be really easy to worship me as an idol, and I don’t want that! Again, not saying anyone does, but it’d be really easy.  I’ve seen how they treat people they think are the next incarnation of the Buddha.

But she’s also my best friend, I guess that counts for a lot.

My head feels fine now, and I can walk a lot better.

That guy was not bailed out, it seems.  It looks like this was not his first time being arrested for DUI.  Or even his second.  At this point he’s looking at serious prison time.  I might have to testify in his trial, though I don’t see why I would.  I mean, I wasn’t even awake for most of it.  Maybe just for a victim statement or something.  I saw his mugshot.  He… did not look good.

Honestly…  I wasn’t hurt too badly.  I didn’t lose any body parts, losing my car wasn’t the end of the world, insurance took care of the difference…. I’m not really mad.  I’m just sad.  What makes someone do that to themselves?

Life hurts sometimes.  You meet all sorts of people.  Some are really nice, like Dave and Sabby.  And some…  I saw that some semi-famous YouTuber was arrested a few days ago for possession of a large amount of cocaine… amongst other things.  Some people were ready to throw the book at him.  Others were just…  sad.  That’s what addiction does to people, right?  It destroys them, from the inside out.

I’m glad that didn’t happen to Crystal.  I can see how it could.

Anyway…

I’m going to try to venture downstairs tomorrow… maybe take a short walk.  The doc says I should be fine to try.

Love you all!!! ❤️
From the creator:

And some plot points I didn’t even know needed to resolve are starting to resolve.  It’s kind of amazing how that works, actually.  You’re gonna love the next few months… maybe.

This is the first of a few times in which if this were anything like reality, Mrs. X. would have told her, in no uncertain terms, DO NOT POST THIS IN YOUR DIARY.  Technically, even the existence of that passport is a government and diplomatic secret (in-story, I’ve no idea about real life).

But how would I be able to tell her story if she didn’t?  I’d have to tell it here or in a meta-diary, and I just don’t feel like setting that up, especially when we’re in the home stretch and the story is ending in a few months.

So she’s telling the world.  In story, she said nothing.  It has to be that way.

May 29, 2024

Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!

Yes, I’m still lily.  Walking shrine or ark or whatever, I’m still Lily.  I’ll always be Lily.  I’m just a Lily with a job, even if I really don’t know what that job is yet.

I was talking to Liz about all this while we were supposed to be sleeping last night, and she told me she thinks I have some of the special characteristics I have because what I am can make me a target, and it’s not fair for me to be a target without having a way to defend myself.  I guess that makes sense.  But it also means I have a responsibility, and he would be pretty mad at me if I screwed it up.  So, I guess I can’t.  I guess my job, like the one I have at church, is to just be, well. me.

I can do that.  I think.

Maybe.

I did ask him if it’s alright for me to go to Japan with all this, and he said it doesn’t really matter, I can go anywhere and do anything I want to do… when I’m supposed to do something, I’ll know.  This wasn’t intended to take up my whole life and make it so I can’t live it.  It’s also really hard to impossible to abuse (if I try it just won’t work), but if I try, we’ll have words.

I guess I wouldn’t expect any less.

I’m not that type, though.  I’m flawed in some ways – I can be a little clueless, a little selfish, just a bit hedonistic…  but I’m not a bad girl.  At least I don’t think so, and no one else seems to think I am either, so I guess I’ll be okay, maybe.

Anyway, I have a life to life.

Liz is going to go back to sleeping at her house after this weekend, and I’ll miss her.  It’s nice to have her next to me.  I feel…  a little safer than when she’s not.  And I know she feels that way, because some storms came through last night and she was holding on for dear life.

She’s really scared of storms.  I don’t know how to help her with that.  Maybe… hmm.

She’s better than she was, but she still whimpers a little at 3 am, especially when the phones go off with severe thunderstorm warnings.

What’s a severe thunderstorm, anyway?  I guess I should look it up.  I mean I know they can have wind and hail and tornadoes, but what makes them severe when other storms aren’t?  I’m sure there’s a reason.

Oh… Anathema and Joe came back.  I haven’t been able to go see them because, well…  but she seems happy.  They’re setting up in his base housing.  That means she really can’t work at the shop anymore because he’s like sixty miles away, but…  we’ll still keep in touch.  We’re helping her move this weekend.  Well, everyone else is.  I’m probably going to be still limping around the house.

Funny how for all my “gifts”, I’m still limping.  I guess I wouldn’t have had that chat with God if it didn’t happen, but still.  I guess there are limits.

Anyway,

Love you all!!! ❤️

From the creator:

Well, we learned a lot.  But… there are a few things that I haven’t yet revealed.  I didn’t even really know myself until recently.  But the story should resolve, well, nicely.  And they’re really big things that will completely change the course of the story and her life.

There’s a problem with doing the story like this, in the format I did, though.  There are some things she posts that if this were reality would be a very bad idea.  I mean, colossally “you-are-such-a-moron-little-girl” bad idea.  She’s had a few of those in the past, and I’ve even known I was sacrificing reality to tell the story.  Truth is, I can’t do otherwise.  To tell the story how I want I have to break the three and a half wall or something like that.

One of those moments is coming up in the next few months.  You’ll know it when you see it, and I’ll call it out here, but if this were real life, not only would she probably not post it, she’d probably delete her diary, get off the net, and we’d never hear from her again.  But because this diary is the only way I can tell her story, she will need to talk about things that could, (won’t, but could), get her into a whole metric buttload of trouble with a bunch of three letter agency people you wouldn’t want to get into a whole metric buttload of trouble with.

But, it’s fiction.  It’s a story.  And, her story needs to be told.  Here.  So, there will be some allowances made for that.

I have no other way to resolve that problem except to just not mention it or not tell parts of her story that need to be told, and that is not acceptable.