Entry 406; Day 532

[misterblackbird]

Yesterday, I saw a man sitting the cafe for the whole of the afternoon, putting milk into his tea over and over and over. The cup never overflowed, and he never stopped adding the milk. He was hardly the first person I saw doing something over and over, unceasing--and not in any sort of peculiar way, the way I've know some people to check the locks at their doors far too many times. It was rather like seeing something in a recording on the Network being played over and over again. It must have been maddening for the people caught in those cycles, and I'll count myself fortunate not to have been one of them. It was eerie enough to see them--on the Network, of course, but moreso in person.

Yes, it was a curse, but it suggests something that we've already suspected: the 'deities' seem quite content and quite able to control time and our actions in it. I remember Merry coming into the City from an 'earlier' time--there's no better way to put it--than Riff and I. I know others have seen the same thing happen. Of course it would make sense that the 'deities' could snatch us from any time in our lives that they pleased--which means we'll never really be free of this place, even if we don't remember it in between the times that we spend here.

But to be able to set us on a circuit like that, to force us into repeating useless motions over and over until it drove us mad--that proves something more, I daresay.

Is it reason to fear them? I say no, but then I'm the one who refuses to even call them gods, because I say there's an explanation for it all, if it can be found. But they've some ability or skill to make these things happen, even maddening nightmares like that: to be putting milk into one's tea forever.

It's rather like it always being teatime, isn't it? Isn't that how it followed, that mad tea party? It was always teatime, forever, ever since the clock had stopped.

And, yes, I do see the strains of irony in all that. I won't give them credit or power over time. But it is interesting.

That hardly seems to matter now, though, since there seemed to be far more interesting things going on last night, and no sooner than the curse had ended.

What happened last night? I'm quite aware that there was something like a declaration of war--that's hardly the first time I've seen such a thing thrown on the Network. I suppose that proves the one responsible, and he hardly seems to care.

Another one, I suppose, who hates humans and would kill himself if it meant destroying us as well.

I certainly heard a great deal going on in the streets, and saw a few flashes of light--a few, since it seemed like the lights went out in that part of the City shortly thereafter. What the fight was, I couldn't see, though I tried for it. And nothing turned up on the Network thereafter either. I suppose the police found out about it soon enough.

I suppose the first question is whether anyone is hurt. The second question is what happened?

Can anyone answer me that?

[Private to Megumi || Unhackable]
Of course I felt some of what was going on. Are you all right? I know you were there somewhere--and I know it was nearby the hospital. What was going on?
[//end private filter]

Miss Reinette, I have not forgotten my promise to you, but this hardly seems like the time to discuss plans in that regard.

Rosella, I hope you're still bearing up as well as possible.

~C.

[ooc: Geeze--haven't posted in an age. Yeah, Alice-y types, he's referencing your mad tea party--it's basically canon that he knows it. lol, I'd wanted this to be a short post. Fail. Also, let's talk war~]

Comments

[chosered.livejournal.com]

That sounds like a meditation technique. To keep pouring milk but never having the glass overflow.

[misterblackbird.livejournal.com]

It was more unsettling than meditative, I have to say. At first I thought I was seeing things.

Were you struck by this last curse?

[chosered.livejournal.com]

No. I guess there isn't anything in my day to repeat.

[misterblackbird.livejournal.com]

That rather says something about your day, I think.

[chosered.livejournal.com]

What does it say?

[misterblackbird.livejournal.com]

Clearly, you must do nothing but unique things all day.

I'm sure I couldn't manage it.

[chosered.livejournal.com]

I'm sure you'll find that it's really not so difficult.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

The lights did go out, yes. And there was a great lot of noise, too, for it being the middle of the night. But I don't know what it was, either.

[misterblackbird.livejournal.com]

I suppose it's not so unusual for there to be a great deal of noise in the middle of the night here in the City. Still, I should like to know what happened.

I think you must have had a better view of it all than I did.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

I didn't go out to see, I'm afraid. I lost track of time and stayed late at the Library, and was just about to head home when it all started up. But with all that noise outside, I thought it'd be better if I just stayed inside until things quieted down again, whatever it was.

[misterblackbird.livejournal.com]

Yes, I suppose that was the sensible thing to do. It's a shame no one seems to have seen what happened, though.

[Private || Unhackable]
Are you doing well otherwise?

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

I'm sure someone must've. All that commotion couldn't have gone unnoticed by everyone, certainly.

[Private || Unhackable]
I'm all right, I suppose. I've been trying to keep busy, at least.

[misterblackbird.livejournal.com]

I think we would have seen far more of it if it hadn't been seen by someone. Obviously, someone stopped whatever it was that was going on.

I dislike how many unknowns are in that statement.

[Private || Unhackable]
If you're staying that late at the library, I should think you must be keeping quite busy.

Well, I only thought I should ask.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

If you're right that the same person who issued that...well, declaration of war, as you put it, is the one behind whatever happened last night...then I might have a few guesses. I've spoken with him before.

[Private || Unhackable]
I really never meant to stay so late. I just lost track of the time and before I knew it, it was the middle of the night.

Private || Cain

[roseblooms.livejournal.com]

Ugh-- you really don't want to know. Kanda and his friend were out trying to fight that Prince Nuada fellow's men and it was one bloody mess.

You're fine, aren't you?

Private || Megumi

[misterblackbird.livejournal.com]

Are they complete idiots? I suppose they must be. I heard that Nuada was behind this attack--and the story goes that he's acting in retaliation.

Yes, I'm perfectly all right. I only wanted to know if you were.

Private || Cain

[roseblooms.livejournal.com]

I'll be surprised if they haven't gone to jail for it. Though knowing this place--

[ a sigh. ] I'm all right. Just a wee bit confused, all the same.

Private || Megumi

[misterblackbird.livejournal.com]

Knowing this place, they probably wandered off to a celebratory drink and went home for the night.

Confused? About what?

Private || Cain 1/2

[roseblooms.livejournal.com]

I did hold back on healing them completely so they wouldn't have too much fun, all the same..


[ yes, Cain can totally hear that grumble. But ahem. ]

Private || Cain

[roseblooms.livejournal.com]

...Ah.

[ A pause. ]

It was something that Nuada fellow said...

I'm not sure why he thought he was justified declaring war in a place like this City, when whatever had happened with him had... happened in his own world from my understanding.

Even if a lot of the things he said... really hit a little too close to home.

Private || Megumi

[misterblackbird.livejournal.com]

So that's where this vengeance comes from? Rosella and I had been betting it came from the recent attacks on certain people in the City and the slaughter of a unicorn. He seems more supportive of magical types and, so far as I know, the attacks were carried out against magical people but by mundane means.

What did he say?

Private || Cain 1/2

[roseblooms.livejournal.com]

Rosella and-- hm.


[ It's a small thing, really-- but let's let that go for now, they're talking about Nuada, not how Cain's been occupied outside of their own time. ]

Private || Cain

[roseblooms.livejournal.com]

I'd assume as much. He did mention it-- I couldn't get much out of him until the whole mess started.

But he said that-- humans had betrayed a long-standing treaty with his kind. And that they were all the same everywhere...

I can't say he wasn't wrong, but that kind of behaviour doesn't limit itself to just humans, and any anger for it definitely doesn't need to be taken out on innocents. It's why I helped Kanda and Lavi at all.

[fireplacegirl.livejournal.com]

It is of no concern, Cain; I understand that things do come up. We have much time to plan.

{ooc; Sorry for the late reply, bb; just returned from Atlanta and drowning in backtags! }

[misterblackbird.livejournal.com]

Certainly, we do.