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Cain Hargreaves ([personal profile] misterblackbird) wrote2008-08-06 09:49 am

Entry 196; Day 460

[Filtered from DELILAH || Unhackable]
Merryweather seems to have gone out early this morning and not told me where she's off to.

[Filtered to Opera Abandoned Residents || Unhackable]
Or has she gone out, truly?

I've seen this pattern before, where one's things are left virtually undisturbed, the doors and windows are locked, there's no sign of struggle. I saw it when Lailis vanished from the City, and I saw when Merry was briefly sent him.

Her school books are all still laid out. And her shoes are in her closet, her dresses, the coat she wore just last week in the snow. She has a small Network device that I ask her to carry with her, and even that has been left behind.

Yes, I know what you are all thinking: perhaps she's gone home. I should both like to think that and despise that thought.

At the same time, as most of you know, we--she, and Riff, and I--are not on the best of terms with everyone in the City. I mention this because, although I don't know that something like this is within their skill, they would seek to catch her. But surely they couldn't leave the room untouched like this, with only Merry herself gone.

Hence my concern, of course. So if any of you saw her going out this morning, leaving with anyone, or if you saw anyone peculiar coming in, even if it was a child or seemed a child, I must know it.

It would be simple to slide into acceptance that the City had taken her home, and yet she might still be here, tormented, with no hope of rescue because we think she is happily gone home.

SO if you've any word of her, if she told you she was going somewhere early this morning, if you saw her leave, you must tell me.
[//end Opera Abandoned filter]

If anyone in the City has seen my sister, I wish to speak to you immediately. She has friends, I know, amongst some of the other children in the City. What game might you be playing that she wouldn't tell me where she was going? I hope her friends will come forward for her sake. The City is not a safe place for someone so young as her to wander about.

Merryweather Hargreaves


Where was she seen? And with whom? Where were they going?

[Filtered to Riff || Unhackable]
Riff, I'm going to have to look for her in the Hall of the Missing if nothing comes of this search. It's the last thing I want to do. If she's there--

If she's there, then she's gone home, and she's far safer there than she is here. She's gone once before, so perhaps she'll come back. Either way, when she did come back, she had a regular Alice in Wonderland tale that you and I were still there in London, even as we were in the City. I promise, I'm not mad, but the time is out of joint here. So even if she is there, she'll be well looked-after--by you and I, no less.

I'm not going to check for her here until I'm certain she can be nowhere else.

We never did have the picnic is Xanadu she wanted.
[//end filter]

To hell with the curses of late. You know when I'm cursed and when I'm not, and no one pays mind to what goes on during a curse except the one cursed. The City has a sorry sense of humour.

I saw the ripples across the sky last night, and I heard the cries and falls. I take it the great escape didn't work. I suppose I'm not entirely surprised, but, yes, I am disappointed for you. It was a worthwhile try. And yet, Merry may have got out just after it--I call that irony--

~C.

[ooc: Merry's gone home, but Cain isn't yet sure of that. This was one of the saddest posts I've ever written. Don't expect a happy Cain for a while. He hates when this happens. Well, maybe this will prompt him to get a move on with things?]

Filtered from the Deities~

[identity profile] darklilprincess.livejournal.com 2008-08-06 02:01 pm (UTC)(link)
We were unsuccessful. And now...

I feel like the Deities are punishing us... Those who wish to go home are still here, and those who do not, seem to have vanished.

I'd offer to help look for your sister, Cain-sama, but... I am in no condition to be of any help at the moment.

Filtered from the Deities~

[identity profile] misterblackbird.livejournal.com 2008-08-06 02:06 pm (UTC)(link)
They may very well have known all along what you were up to. This is their city, after all.

Were you wounded during the attempt to escape?

[identity profile] scienceinacan.livejournal.com 2008-08-06 02:08 pm (UTC)(link)
Some failure~

[identity profile] misterblackbird.livejournal.com 2008-08-06 02:11 pm (UTC)(link)
A fair bit of failure if none of you got out.

Filtered from the Deities~

[identity profile] darklilprincess.livejournal.com 2008-08-06 02:13 pm (UTC)(link)
And this is their punishment. Shiki-san told me the Deities would be sure to provide grave consequences...

This is a nightmare.

Nothing too bad that can't be healed in a few days... I'll be alright, but I do hope you find your sister. I wish I had met her.

[ooc: she's lying of course. She's hurt pretty bad.]

[identity profile] scienceinacan.livejournal.com 2008-08-06 02:16 pm (UTC)(link)
Hey! I wasn't part of all of this! I was an innocent bystander!

Can you believe it! They almost accidentally made owl bbq of my 003! My wonderful 003!

[identity profile] ruined-arcana.livejournal.com 2008-08-06 02:25 pm (UTC)(link)
My lord... I certainly had no expectation that she'd...
Let's look for her together.

[identity profile] misterblackbird.livejournal.com 2008-08-06 03:02 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes, let's do.

Riff, you're to stay by my side the whole of time we're looking for her.

I forbid you to leave.
I forbid it.

[ooc: It's fine! I mostly put that there because it would be OOC for Cain not go go "OMG RIFF!"]

[identity profile] misterblackbird.livejournal.com 2008-08-06 03:04 pm (UTC)(link)
I wasn't blaming you for the failure of it all, Mr Watari.

I saw what happened--it was chaotic.

Filtered from the Deities~

[identity profile] misterblackbird.livejournal.com 2008-08-06 03:06 pm (UTC)(link)
Whenever anyone has tried something like this, yes, they have.

I'm sure you've had someone tell you this already, but go to the hospital. They're prepared for something like this.

Thank you. I hope so too.

[1/2]

[identity profile] scienceinacan.livejournal.com 2008-08-06 03:08 pm (UTC)(link)
Poor planning on whoever was behind this all! When I find out who was responsible for almost skewering 003 into fowl-food--

[2/2]

[identity profile] scienceinacan.livejournal.com 2008-08-06 03:09 pm (UTC)(link)
Someone's getting a sweet package!

[identity profile] misterblackbird.livejournal.com 2008-08-06 03:11 pm (UTC)(link)
I don't think anyone expected this to happen, Mr Watari. As I said, it was chaotic. I don't think revenge is quite the thing to seek at a time like this.

[identity profile] scienceinacan.livejournal.com 2008-08-06 03:12 pm (UTC)(link)
I think it is?

Whatever that was, it wasn't natural... so I need to know!

[identity profile] misterblackbird.livejournal.com 2008-08-06 03:14 pm (UTC)(link)
Then I admit to disagreeing with you. After something like that, with everyone now trying to mend and heal and regroup, it would certainly put you at odds with whomever was accidentally responsible for very nearly skewering your owl.

[1/2]

[identity profile] scienceinacan.livejournal.com 2008-08-06 03:16 pm (UTC)(link)
That's alright

[2/2]

[identity profile] scienceinacan.livejournal.com 2008-08-06 03:17 pm (UTC)(link)
It is important that I find who's responsible though!

[identity profile] ruined-arcana.livejournal.com 2008-08-06 03:19 pm (UTC)(link)
I was awake early as usual, and I heard nothing out of sorts. If she left on foot, or if someone came for her, it was done very quietly. But we will look.

My lord, you know that I will do everything in my power not to.

[identity profile] misterblackbird.livejournal.com 2008-08-06 03:44 pm (UTC)(link)
If she's not here, Riff, I want to believe she's home and safe. She must be.

I'd sworn for a long time that if we were to leave, it would be the three of us together. That doesn't seem possible anymore. But, still, if she is home and she is safe, then I can, and will, press on after my father. I needn't worry about him striking at her while I'm distracted.

I hate that she's gone, but so long as she's safe--

Good.

[identity profile] misterblackbird.livejournal.com 2008-08-06 03:45 pm (UTC)(link)
I suppose it does matter who did it, even if it was unintentional. It seemed like everything bounced off the walls surrounding the City.

If nothing else, this has proved that there are real walls, real barriers, surrounding the City.

[identity profile] scienceinacan.livejournal.com 2008-08-06 03:53 pm (UTC)(link)
That's something, at least~

[identity profile] misterblackbird.livejournal.com 2008-08-06 03:54 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes, it's quite significant. All those theories and superstitions about the City may very well be true after all.

[identity profile] scienceinacan.livejournal.com 2008-08-06 03:55 pm (UTC)(link)
We're one step closer to success, maybe!

[identity profile] misterblackbird.livejournal.com 2008-08-06 03:56 pm (UTC)(link)
I should like to think so, but this is the City, after all.

[identity profile] shanghai-lotis.livejournal.com 2008-08-06 04:15 pm (UTC)(link)
... I'll keep an eye out, alright?

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