Well, it's only been about nine and a half months since I updated... to the two or three of you who actually remember this story, sorry it's taken me so long to update it. I got pretty sick right after I posted the last chapter, and I guess I lost the motivation to keep writing for a while. Anyway, long story short, I'm back with a new chapter! Hopefully the rest will come very soon!

February 23, 1778

Wonderful news today! My family accepted my invitation, and has arrived at Valley Forge, to spend the winter with me! As expected, Father could not join them, but my mother and my sister have finally arrived! Mother looks just the same as ever, but my sister Kari has grown so much, I hardly recognized her! When I left, she barely reached my shoulders, but now I can practically look her in the eye on level ground.

What I wasn't expecting though, was the happy surprise my family brought with them. I very nearly didn't recognize her, but alongside my mother and sister, our neighbor, Sora Takenouchi came to spend the winter in Valley Forge as well. I left home to join the army when I was a month shy of the age of fifteen, and Sora was only five months younger than myself, so the last time we laid eyes on each other, we were no more than scrawny teenagers, who'd never seen a day's hardship.

Living out in the country, we were the only friends each other had growing up, and we spent many days exploring the nearby woods and fields. When Kari got old enough to join us, we always made sure to include her when we could, but my sister never enjoyed our exploring as much as Sora and I did, so we usually ended up playing closer to home. Despite this, Sora and I were somehow always able to find time each week to get away and go on adventures of our own, making up games, and pretending we were running through the woods with fantastical creatures and fighting evil. When we came back home from—wait, no. I'm drifting away from the point, aren't I?

Ah yes, as I was saying, I very nearly didn't recognize her. Although I'd like to think that I've grown quite a bit in the more than two years since I've seen her, but I can say with certainty that Sora has. Although she would wear dresses to Sunday services, for the majority of our childhood, Sora preferred to wear pants as we ran through the woods, and practically shunned anything that would make her look too "girly". When I saw her today however, she was wearing what looked to be a fashionable dress, the kind her mother would always be wearing, and she even wore a sky-blue bonnet on her head… the exact kind of thing she used to abhor wearing on Sundays. When I realized it was her, I was at a loss for words, and I have to assume it was because of the unexpected nature of her appearance. We didn't get a chance to speak more than a few brief sentences, but I dearly hope she has not changed so much from the friend I used to know…

And for the first time since I left home, I'm wondering how much this war has changed me.

But I'm letting myself get carried away again. Also arriving today was a pompous German baron, I think he was called von Stupin.*(See Historian's Note) According to the rumors floating around camp, he doesn't even know how to speak English. I've been through enough encounters to know that in a pinch, most people covered in as many medals as he was, aren't worth the metal their medals are made of, but everyone else was impressed by his appearance. I think one of the most impressed was Izzy. When he first caught sight of the baron, I swear I heard him whisper to himself something about the baron being "Mars incarnate," who would "lead us all to victory," though when I asked him to repeat it, he blushed and denied having ever said a word.

In the past several months, I have managed to make Izzy open up to us more. Before he was born, his parent's ran a small tavern along the shore in Pennsylvania. Around the time of his birth though, they sold the tavern, moved to Rhode Island. His father became a baker, while his mother would occasionally work as a seamstress out of their home. Apparently, before he joined, he was a Baptist preacher in Rhode Island. There was something a bit frightening in his eyes when he said that though, and the way he spoke about it… it was almost like he hated to think about who he was back then. I'm worried about him, but until he's ready to talk, there's only so much I can do for him.

Between Izzy's, and the Ishida brother's own reluctance towards talking about their past, I've got a lot of work cut out for me in the months ahead.

Not to mention making time to see my family and Sora. They've had a few hours to settle into their lodging by now. I should go make sure they have everything they need for tonight.

Until next time.

*Historian's Note: Sergeant Kamiya is referring to the Prussian Baron von Steuben. An experienced military strategist before the American Revolution, von Steuben was appointed Inspector General by George Washington, and later became one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. During the winter at Valley Forge, von Steuben was a key figure in the turning the loosely organized Continental militias into a properly organized army, and taught the army how to organize encampments to improve health and sanitary conditions. Today he is considered one of the Father's of the US Army.
Sergeant Kamiya spells his name correctly in later entries.