Hey Diary,

  Tonight and last night we stayed in inns, and I’ve been practicing the runes. They’re complicated, but last night I practiced until I could draw them perfectly, and tonight I practiced carving them into inert stones. I’m pretty confident that when we get to Mouse day after tomorrow, I’ll be ready to carve them on the real stone.

  Maeve says she wants to stay in Mouse for a week, and we’ve all agreed it would be good. Staying in one place will be fun. We might be able to make friends with people in the Guild! Making friends would be nice. I kinda feel like I haven't been able to talk to anyone other than Maeve, Maki, and Luke since we left Default. We’ve just been too busy.

  I mean, yeah I’ve talked to people, but it’s been the kind of talk that’s used when you know you’ll never see this person ever again. Not I-care-what-you-think talk.

  If it was I-care-what-you-think talk, I might have realized I was on a date. Instead of just thinking Sally was really nice.

  Anyways, I promised myself I’d never think about that again.

  There was a big earthquake this morning. And I mean big. It lasted like half a minute. Peanut was very scared, but I was able to calm him down. Then I tried finding other animals, but all I got was a family of mice.

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  So yeah, I need the boost stone. My range is just too limited right now.

  I’m not worried about what it’ll feel like any more. I tied the lightning boost stone into a necklace, then turned it on and kept it up until after dinner. It felt weird and scary for the first few minutes, but then I got used to it. When I turned it off, it felt like I’d cut my tail off. I was just… weak and unbalanced. Then a few minutes later I was back to feeling normal.

  So a big, sudden change in magic level won't affect me for more than a few minutes. All I need to do is sit there and not move for a bit as my soul gets used to it.

  Simple.

  A part of me was worried the increase would be addictive, but I don't feel the need to put the necklace back on and activate it. It’s fine staying in my backpack tonight. Besides, leveling up from 147 to 148 will take way more time than getting from level 47 to 48, so I kinda don't want to do any normal magic with it on.

  Maybe I should turn the rhodonite into a necklace before carving the runes into it. That way I’ll know for sure how to carve it. I mean, I don't think it’s gonna be too different from carving the citrine, but I don't know for sure.

  I wonder if I should get a ruby and carve the 1000 boost runes onto it for Maeve. Or Maki. That way if there’s lava when the continent cracks, they’ll be able to pull the heat out and stop it from destroying things.

  I should make sure I can carve my own stone before I try making plans for after that.

  Yeah. One thing at a time.

  Signing off,