misterblackbird: (Red WTF?)
Cain Hargreaves ([personal profile] misterblackbird) wrote2008-01-09 12:27 pm

Entry 113, Day 251

Those clouds of birds aren't birds. They're a murder, but not of crows. It's clear now: they're harpies, like the creatures in Homer's poems and mythology, bird-women. And they're storming the airships of the 'Stewards' like--I'm not sure what it's like, but like crows on a carcass, falcons hunting, or aerial warriors.

They must be the ones who sent the confused film messages--they, or those allied with them. So it was a fragmented record of their journey sent to us. And they made good on their promise that they were coming. Was that what the black-haired woman in the film was really? I was sure we would be obliged to somehow pay for their entrance or their help, but that has yet to happen. They may linger. It's almost exactly as I suspected and told the Intelligence branch of the resistance. They didn't seem to believe me when I insisted these films were significant. Do they see better now?

They're monstrous, yes, I've seen them too, but don't take them for granted. They're clearly fighting against the Stewards and I've yet to hear of one of them attacking a citizen unprovoked. As if one could imagine the City would lie undefended when the 'deities' told us so often that it was necessary to keep the City alive to keep the worlds we come from alive. I saw the defenses of the Carousel, and now I've seen the harpies. I can't imagine these creatures are the higher powers at work over the 'deities', but they may be the the army that defends this place against creatures like the 'Stewards'.

I heard about the animals who were here the spring before I arrived. Were the harpies present then too? And I still wonder where the 'Stewards' came from and how they got here.

No matter--those are questions to be asked in peaceful times. The harpies are repelling the 'Stewards' and amazingly so. Of course it had to be a creature that could fly to truly destroy them.

There are as yet 'Stewards' still stranded on the ground--more than a few of them too. But they're severely weakened now. Perhaps it would be safe to go up and stay up for a while. I dared to come out of my hiding place when I heard about the harpies--I fled with Merry as soon as she was rescued. I can't thank her rescuers enough for her life and safety. We were safe, but I have missed the sunlight.

There are still stewards down in the streets. I'm no soldier, but I am a fair shot.

[Private to Merry || Unhackable]
Merry, are you all right? Are you well? Are you better?
[//end filter]

~C.

[ooc: To hell with filters XD Once he's certain that Merry's all right (private message could be considered in-person, if you want, Merry-mun), he'll be hiding out on the roof or peeking out of windows and trying to snipe some of the last of the Stewards--it's canon that he's a good shot...Riff calls him an "expert marksman," but we won't go that far...]
she_deals_death: (um yeah)

[personal profile] she_deals_death 2008-01-09 05:45 pm (UTC)(link)
A harpy was present in the City. Ever heard of the animal trinity? The harpy was the bird in the trinity.

[identity profile] misterblackbird.livejournal.com 2008-01-09 05:48 pm (UTC)(link)
I was told there was a cat, a dog, and a bird, but I wouldn't have expected the bird to be a harpy. Now it makes sense.
she_deals_death: (Hmmm)

[personal profile] she_deals_death 2008-01-09 06:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes, well would you have guessed that the dog was a three-headed hellhound?

[identity profile] misterblackbird.livejournal.com 2008-01-09 06:13 pm (UTC)(link)
Knowing now that the bird was a harpy, to hear the other was Cerberus isn't such a stretch of the imagination, though I wouldn't have guessed so at first. Was the cat Bastet, the Egyptian cat god? Or perhaps just a sphinx?
she_deals_death: (um yeah)

[personal profile] she_deals_death 2008-01-09 06:16 pm (UTC)(link)
Honestly I am not sure but the cat certainly was not ordinary. It was rather large and talked liked the other two creatures. I believe the bird or harpy was the muscle among their group.

[identity profile] misterblackbird.livejournal.com 2008-01-09 06:21 pm (UTC)(link)
I might have to look into these animals more. I know I arrived here just after they'd departed. The City was still in a bit of turmoil from them.

So it would make sense that a flock, a murder of harpies would come to defend the City.

[identity profile] lyra-of-dust.livejournal.com 2008-01-09 06:05 pm (UTC)(link)
Looks like you were right. Now I understand what the bird meant.

[identity profile] misterblackbird.livejournal.com 2008-01-09 06:08 pm (UTC)(link)
At least in part, but you were picking the films apart too.

The bird? What do you mean?

[identity profile] lyra-of-dust.livejournal.com 2008-01-09 06:10 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah.

It's a long story. It was a symbol.

[identity profile] misterblackbird.livejournal.com 2008-01-09 06:15 pm (UTC)(link)
I see: like fortune-telling and the symbols on tarot cards. They sometimes seem to come clear only after the fact for Merry.

[identity profile] number1gal.livejournal.com 2008-01-09 06:07 pm (UTC)(link)
It's good to see you back to writing essays.

[identity profile] misterblackbird.livejournal.com 2008-01-09 06:12 pm (UTC)(link)
You're quite welcome, Ran.

[ooc: Translation: "Feels good to be writing them again too."]

[identity profile] misterblackbird.livejournal.com 2008-01-09 06:21 pm (UTC)(link)
We're not there entirely yet, but we're closer.

Strange how one longs for the 'usual' routines of the City when one would hardly call those 'usual' in one's own world.

[identity profile] number1gal.livejournal.com 2008-01-09 06:39 pm (UTC)(link)
Normal is all relevant.

[identity profile] misterblackbird.livejournal.com 2008-01-09 07:09 pm (UTC)(link)
Don't you mean 'relative'?

Yes, I suppose it is.

In person plz.

[identity profile] soeur-malheur.livejournal.com 2008-01-10 05:25 am (UTC)(link)
... mmh... I'm okay.
Edited 2008-01-10 05:25 (UTC)

In person GET!

[identity profile] misterblackbird.livejournal.com 2008-01-10 05:33 am (UTC)(link)
Are you certain?

I don't know what they wanted with you.

Re: In person GET!

[identity profile] soeur-malheur.livejournal.com 2008-01-10 05:34 am (UTC)(link)
Nnhh. It's alright, really.

It wasn't that bad.

[identity profile] misterblackbird.livejournal.com 2008-01-10 05:35 am (UTC)(link)
I doubt that very much, especially if you're acting like this.

What did they do, Merry?

[identity profile] soeur-malheur.livejournal.com 2008-01-10 05:45 am (UTC)(link)
... I was sedated, and I think they connected my body with something... when I was rescued, I only remember being taken out of some... tank-like thing, and there were lots of others like that, with people in them.

[identity profile] misterblackbird.livejournal.com 2008-01-10 05:48 am (UTC)(link)
Merry...

[Clinging Cain is clinging a little... He knows; he saw.]

But you weren't hurt. And for that I am immensely grateful.

[identity profile] misterblackbird.livejournal.com 2008-01-10 06:03 am (UTC)(link)
[She won't say any more about it, which worries him a bit, but he'll just keep holding her...]

I kept my promise. I got you back.

[identity profile] soeur-malheur.livejournal.com 2008-01-10 06:25 am (UTC)(link)


Yes. Yes, you did. And I'm so grateful.

[identity profile] misterblackbird.livejournal.com 2008-01-10 08:31 am (UTC)(link)
[strokes her hair]

So it's all right now. I promise that too.

[identity profile] soeur-malheur.livejournal.com 2008-01-10 12:56 pm (UTC)(link)
Mmmhhhhhh.