After our job in California Ware contacted me. She seemed to have a sort of business proposition, but it sounded more like friends helping each other out to me. I'm to help her test prototype equipment and keep her in mind in case I ever find some sort of magical artifact I don't need. In return I can keep what she gives me. Unless I'm more socially inept than I thought, this is just the type of thing friends do for each other, right? They help each other out when they can.

Anyway, she said she needed help testing an exo-skeleton. She made her way over in a helicopter and hand delivered a pair of the suits. Jupiter was a little spooked by the noise at first, but he welcomed Ware once things quieted down a smidge. She said I should try wearing it under my clothes and so I did. Took a bit to put it on, it was weird and clunky at first but eventually I was able to move around unhindered. Ware needs to work on her ease of use, but it did its job. She tested it by throwing a shuriken at me, without any warning. I moved to dodge, and the suit moved with me, intercepting the attack with some sort of energy shield. Bit of a dick move but her invention worked. Apparently, she assumed a "field test" was obvious enough warning. When I told her a field test could also just be picking up a heavy thing she took the note pretty well. Lastly she asked me to teach her ASL. I was about to offer anyway so I invited her in for some tea and taught her the basics. She picked it up pretty quickly. I told her she could stick around to study with me, but she said she could just set up a video call to learn more. I tried to tell her that it's really difficult to learn ASL properly over the internet but she insisted.

At the very least she'll know how to read me, but she's gonna have trouble talking with others, I think. Eh, I'll find out the next time I meet her.

I spent my time practicing my tracking skills. It's so strange, after these contracts I always seem to learn to so much faster. I tracked for practice, keeping tabs on the local deer population. I swear their tracks were running deeper, and the moon always shined in such a way that I pick up on things I never noticed before. Deer look so beautiful sleeping. I know I dedicate my skills to killing such creatures, but a vital part of the hunt is appreciating the prey. Because of them I can eat well, and hone my skills. I hope they are gifted an understanding of their importance by Artemis in the after life.

Grandma Josie seems to think the same when I visited her this month. I wonder what her life was like that she seems most comfortable speaking to me of the art of the hunt. She never seems caught off guard by my musings. Maybe she used to be a hunter herself?

Liv reached out to me a little after my latest contract. Looks like she had studied ASL because we were able to have a conversation without needing to write anything down. I'm glad to see my presence has convinced my fellow contractors to learn the language, it's incredibly useful, and not just for communicating with the deaf. She wanted to ask me about my pelts, to see if I had bought them or obtained them the old fashioned way. I was a little nervous. Activists focused on animal welfare have very conflicting views on hunting practices, so I was ready to burn a bridge tonight. But she had no problems with it! I was relieved, when I first met her I was hoping we could be friends. Anyone who has the kit to start a riot is a good friend to have. Though she caught me off guard with how flirty she was (that is, at all. Maybe I just keep to myself enough I don't meet enough people to for them to have the chance to flirt, but I was under the impression I wasn't very attractive). We went back and forth for a bit and she signed off for a game night with her housemates. She's cute, but before this goes even a single step further beyond casual flirting I'll need to ask how old she is. I'm sure it's fine, I just want to make sure that she isn't like, a decade younger than me, but that would be ridiculous.

Oh! She has a really cute dog as well.

So Liv is a decade younger than me. That, uh, instantly shut down any attraction I had for her. But she was chill, we'll still keep in touch and work together. Speaking of, she asked if I wanted to help hunt something called a Mastodon in California. A magical creature of some sort. I was on board instantly. I've been itching to have something big to offer up to Artemis, to properly show off how much her gifts have helped me. I was picturing something big, with grand tusks I could carve into totems. It's a tiny lizard that feeds off thoughts. Called up Ware to help her network and field test the exo-suits. They got along great! Glad I could help Ware meet someone useful. First outing didn't go to well. Little shits managed to eat my thoughts, and I think it implanted a fear of lizards? I don't know, I'm scared of lizards now and that's weird. Too a week off to recover, went back out and bagged one. Liv owes me a favor and got to dedicate another kill to Artemis, even if it was a little underwhelming.

I went to visit Rio to learn where he got his magical knowledge. When I last saw him so many months ago, he was clearly unwell but could still move around. This time he was bedridden. I wasn't surprised, but it still hit me like a ton of bricks. We talked about business first, he let me look through his library and gave me a point of contact for a fellow practitioner. But once that was out of the way we just talked. He was less lonely now that his apprentice is taking his role seriously. I'm glad, I was unsure how he would take to the new role. But once we got that out of the way I just spent time with the two. Chatting with Rio was a lot nicer when I wasn't on a job with such a strict time limit. After a few days the apprentice tried to flirt with me, I shut him down quickly by letting him know I was a lesbian. Thankfully he wasn't gross about it, and even offered to wingman for me during a night on the town. I had some fun and both of us got some company for the night. Feels weird to think about now, though.

Rio died about a day after.

He just, didn't wake up. I'm glad he passed peacefully, and that it was at least while I was there. I extended my trip for his funeral. I know he's in the sun's warmth, but it still hurts. He was one of the only people who didn't look at me strangely for my faith, and he had amazing taste in tea. I didn't have anything with me to leave at his grave so he could take it into the after life, so I did the next best thing I could. I left him my notebook with a message for him. I hope it proves useful, at the very least. You never regret having a spot to write things down, right?

He thanked me for being one of the only ones who came back. I wonder who will come to my funeral?

Got invited to a brunch by Dr. Laz. It was meant as a bit of a networking get together. Normally I hate anything you can refer to as "networking" but this was Dr. Laz. I'm sure it wouldn't be too bad. Ware got invited as well and I hitched a ride with you. The brunch was being held at this little breakfast restaurant that another contractor, Frank rented out for the night. There were all sorts of people there, mostly folks I've met before. From the top of my head, Elizabeth, Vel, ZMan, Dr. Laz, Ware were the people I spent most of my time with. Frank, our host, was a fucking cop. Not officially or anything. But he looked like he stepped out of a noire novel and certainly had a respect for the law. Bit embarrassing to be honest.

Other people I met were Topir, a nerd who talked about a lot of stuff I didn't understand, and Wally. Wally was a talking dog. He understood sign language.

I ended up playing bartender for Elizabeth because she got curious about alcohol thanks to Dr. Laz being stupid enough to tell her that "It tastes great!" Love the guy, but that wasn't his proudest moment. Of course, she got it her head to have a drink, and when a super powered teenager decides she wants to have a drink she's going to get one. So I did damage control. Spotted her stealing a drink from behind the bar, it was a 65% gin. I have never been more thankful to be a fast walker. She handed it over after I said I'd mix her something she'd actually like, so I started making her a strawberry daiquiri, that is until Frank walked over. He got real upset I was making her a drink. Which was fair, I would also be upset if I saw some random thirty year old mixing a drink for a teenager. I tried explaining that I was just going to giver a sip so that she would stop trying to steal something for herself, but even with Dr. Laz vouching for me (Thanks Laz, sorry I called you stupid in my head earlier) he wouldn't have it. Something about how Laws are vital to our society and if we didn't follow them, yadda yadda that kinda stuff. Luckily ZMan saw the commotion and smoothed things over with him. Leaving me and Elizabeth. Gave her a tiny sip then made a mocktail version since she wanted to drink the whole thing. I answered her questions about why it wasn't really good for her to be drinking anything at her age and why adults do it. She gives me the impression her home life isn't very good, if whatever passes for her parents hasn't even told her what drinking is. I really hope she's alright, kids don't deserve to have to do this kinda work.