Madgirl in the flesh

Dear Mother,

You know the girl with whom Mr. Baron danced at her birthday last week, whose name turned out to be Clarabella Corryong? Last night I met her in person. The contrast between her and me was almost physically painful to observe. There is nothing wrong with her. She is clever and friendly and well-dressed and tidy and pretty. She is even a Spark, complete with her own minions. I cannot help but think that she must have the happiest parents in the world. Why does God make flawless people like her and then make people like me? I suppose only the greatest saints and philosophers know. I already sort of miss the contented state in which I didn't know anything about her. But that's no way to look at life, is it? I suppose the best thing to do is spend time around her and try to become more like her. Maybe I should give her my sewing book as a peace offering. I'm sure she could get more out of it than I can. Perhaps when we are both older, keeping close to her will grant me access to more high-caliber suitors.
I learned about other people, too. For example, Miss Captain Nacht is a captain of Mr. Baron's swordpeople. All this time I've been calling her simply "Miss Nacht". I hope she's not been offended.
I also learned through casual conversation that Miss Dreamscape is older even than Mr. Captain: She is in her six hundreds. Suddenly I'm even more nervous in her presence than before, knowing that I may very well be remembered centuries from now (and not just as a disembodied name connected to wondrous accomplishments). Unless I am as boring to her as a snail on a fencepost, she will hold memories of the real me, the one who makes mistakes all the time and doesn't know how to talk to her friends and hits the target throwing thing when she means to touch the dancing machine and trips over her own feet. As much as I want to finish the unfinished parts of your lives for you, as your daughter and the heir of your dreams, I don't think I personally want to be remembered as the real, fallible bundle of errors I was.
I indirectly tried to learn a bit about the condition of Mr. Paine, who collapsed last week. I was informed that he is still alive but somehow changed. I do hope he isn't ill! I should have stayed up and helped nurse him to health! Not that I would have had any inkling what to do without careful instructions, but still, I shouldn't have just left the scene like that.
Lastly, I met a shapeshifting lady personally invited by Miss Dreamscape. She had a different last name, but when she took on a humanlike form, I could see a family resemblance between the two. Before that, she was a partly human-shaped dragon. I've never met a dragon-type being before. Although she told me not to be afraid because she didn't like the taste of humans, she really didn't need to. No matter what her native culture has forced her to do in the past, Miss Dreamscape had trusted her enough to bring her in, and that was all I needed. Assurances were redundant. Though I'm still no good at interaction, it's always nice to make the acquaintance of decent people.

Love,
Shaqad