tampered | In a City of Faces That Never Look Back [closed/ongoing]

In a City of Faces That Never Look Back [closed/ongoing]

When; July 14^th, morning
Rating; G
Characters; The Hargreaves Household (

misterblackbird)
Summary; The City's visitors flooded in, bringing back a familiar face, who asked Merry to play messenger with a delivery for Cain: a key. Now that everyone is in better spirits after some proper food, it's time to see what's on the other side of the key. Because keys unlock things.
Log; [Now that everyone has eaten better--twice--and slept--once--it's high time to make good on a promise made yesterday.

The chain of the silver key that Merry brought to him is wrapped loosely around his wrist, leaving the key to dangle like some kind of strange jewelry. He might very well end up keeping the key itself, as well as the chest it unlocks--

--he at least knows about the chest, but not what it contains. Megumi managed to say that much about it, that there was a chest in her house, that it was something for him to find, that she'd managed with most all of her other possessions, but he wasn't at all interested in hearing the details of things bequeathed or left behind, not at a time like that.

But, still, she'd come back--almost as though with a purpose, almost as though to push him towards recovering that chest, that box, that locked mystery. And Merry had been messenger--she hadn't come to him herself.

Yes, all right, he was glad that she'd met Merry, of course, but, still--why hadn't she come to him? She'd left him this treasure--call it that--and wouldn't make mention of it again to him? It was something from her. Why wouldn't she speak to him about it? Why use Merry as the go-between, even if it meant an introduction?

He rubbed the key in his fingers: small, silvery, cool, like some icy trail of water--of course water. Even the shape of it reminded him of water. But it was her key, so of course it would. It was her way and her taste, as ever.

He stepped to the door of his room, still toying with the key and, yes, he'd be a little rude, called out:]

Merry, Riff, are you ready? Shall we go?

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[Merry popped out of her room, wearing a dainty sundress, a sun hat, and sturdy boots for the occasion. She didn't quite know where exactly they were going, but she was prepared for at least a little bit of a walk.]

Ready~

[She trotted over to where Cain stood, glancing around to look for the last member of their little excursion.]

[Riff, of course, appears immediately when Cain calls, nodding in greeting and giving Cain and Merry a smile.]

As am I, my lord.

Splendid.

We haven't far to go, I don't think. And I don't think it's to be anything especially difficult either. I'm more curious as to what's on the the other side of this key.

Riff, I don't think I'll need my hat or my coat, not on a day like this.

Where is the thing that the key unlocks, then? Or actually, do you know what the key unlocks, Cain? A box? Or a door?

[She's skipped a little bit ahead of them to stand at the top of the stairs, ready and raring to go down them and leave on their adventure.]

[A nod]

Very well, sir.

[He's curious too, but Merry's asking enough questions for the both of them--and then some--so he keeps quiet and just starts heading for the door.]

The key unlocks something in Megumi's old flat. And I do know what the thing itself is, but I wonder if I should tell you, or if I ought to make you wait.

[Since she doesn't know where Megumi's old flat is, she hangs back a little bit, letting Cain lead the way.]

Will it take a while to get to her flat? If it will, then I'd rather know now. I'm dying from the suspense!

It won't take that long, I shouldn't think. It never seemed long to me when I paid her calls.

But, if you're really going to perish, I can tell you that it opens a chest.

Hmmm, a chest...

[Merry seems satisfied with this information for now, falling quiet as she starts to imagine said chest. Big? Small? Old and wooden? Or pretty and gilded?]

[Riff's been listening but there is no point in harassing Cain with questions when the answers will be evident soon enough regardless. So he follows calmly, discreetly keeping a wary eye out along the street just in case.]

Here.

[Merry quiets along with him as they head into the building, feeling a tension in the air settle over them. When they stop in front of the door, she glances up at Cain.]

Is it locked?

[Riff follows in last, as always watching their backs just in case, and hangs back away from the door to let Cain open it or whatever it is he is planning to do.]

It's locked in a particular sort of way.

I'm a friend of Megumi's. I'm Cain Hargreaves, here with my sister, Merry, and Riff.

[Merry doesn't quite understand that, but she does after she sees the door swing open of its own accord after Cain speaks.]

Megumi's magic...

[That makes Riff look up and blink in a bit of startled wonderment.]

Magic, my lord?

It is--well, as Merry said, it's Megumi's magic. It's better than any lock or bar on a door. No one can pick this sort of lock.

More than that, this door is only a door--no, that's not how to say it. This door doesn't open onto the flat behind it. It's a door to another flat entirely. That's more of her magic. I'm just glad it's still standing, even if she's gone. Otherwise we'd have more than a little trouble finding where we were going.

Here, come on.

[Once again, Merry is awed by the extent of magic that Megumi can create. A door that leads to another place...a little part of her trembled in excitement just from the thought alone.

She takes Cain's hand, glancing back at Riff with a smile.]

Let's go, Riff!

Remarkable.

[Riff watches curiously, and follows on behind the two.]

[The experience is completely new to her, though. Merry feels almost something like a dizziness or warping of the senses as she goes through the door, and when she steps into this new place, she lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding. Once she steadies herself, though, she glances around, almost tempted to touch one of the pieces of furniture.

But seeing Cain head farther in, she trots after, clinging to his coat for a moment as she peers into the little room.]

[Riff has never experienced such a thing before either, and he reaches a hand out to the side to touch the wall as if to steady himself, looking around with something between curiosity and alarm. Cain seems unbothered; he's been here before, so Riff says nothing, walking a little faster to catch up since he realized he'd paused a moment without knowing it.]

This is what we've come for.

[The chest catches her attention immediately, and she moves over to take a closer look. It's a beautiful chest in and of itself, but the more important things were locked inside, for sure. Merry glances up when Cain pulls out the key, waiting expectantly.]

[The moment he sees the chest, it seems clear what that key is for, and Riff lingers back a few paces to give Cain some room to unlock the chest and gather what's inside. He watches, but doesn't hover; he doesn't mean to pry, after all.]

[Merry watches with baited breath, peering into the chest when its finally opened. Was it all for Cain? She lightly touches over the books and the tiny box, almost feeling as though she was touching a bit of Megumi's magic, feeling a bit of her warmth pass by her.

Once Cain has finished reading, she asks, wondering if it was even something that he could share:]

What did she say?

[Riff watches with curiousity and perhaps a hint of wonder, stepping a little closer to see inside the chest and notices Cain's name on the letter just as he picks it up, but of course he'll not be reading over his lord's shoulder. Instead, he steps closer to Merry Weather as if to make sure she doesn't get into trouble touching those things.]

These things are for us. This was why Megumi gave you the key to give to me: to open this box.

These are her journals from the three years she spent in the City.

And this she left for you, Merry.

[She nods a little bit in understanding; it only seems natural to leave a letter, saying that.

Merry looks up curiously when Cain looks into the small box, her eyes widening when it's presented to her instead of kept.]

For me? But I-- Megumi never--

[She falls silent, very gingerly accepting the box, finding the little jewel inside. And then her breath catches, her voice trembling.]

Oh Megumi...

[That expression on Cain's face catches Riff's attention, the bittersweet little smile, the exchange of Megumi's gift to Merry, and Riff decides to give them some privacy. There will be nothing for him there. He moves away casually to stand near the door again, fixing his necktie absently.

Cain really misses her.]

It's magic, you know--her magic, or so her letter says. It will protect you. And, if you should be wounded, which I very sincerely hope does not happen, it can heal you. But once and only once, so use that magic when you most need it, Merry.

These are her journals, Riff. Every note that she ever made--about the City, about the curses, about my father while he was in the City, about DELILAH while it was in the City, everything. It might not all serve us, but some part of it must, surely.

[She smiles back at Cain, holding the little box tightly against her chest. Maybe she was imagining it, but Merry could have sworn she felt a little warmth coming from the box.]

I will. I'll take good care of her gift.

[She turns to Riff and giggles a little.]

It looks like you might have more work to do, Riff~

[Riff looks up when he's spoken to, nodding.]

Notes about the City... and Delilah? Yes, certainly they will be helpful. Perhaps they will give us an even greater advantage against the doctor, as he has only been here a very short time in comparison.

A lot of time has passed since she made some of these notes, but they might still be valuable.

When my father was in the City, he tried to force her to join them. He wanted her for her magic. I doubt he could really win her over, though. I suppose these will tell us more.

[Merry tenses, taking in a sharp little breath. Squeezing the tiny box even tighter against her, she shakes her head. Slowly, she lets out the breath she'd held before smiling a little softly.]

Megumi would never join Father. She's too kind. Doing this for all of us, even when she's far away from us...she loves us too much to do that.

[Riff looks down at Merry, touching her shoulder reassuringly when she looks so startled at such news.]

Unsurprising that he was after Miss Megumi's magic, but I believe Miss Merry has the truth of it.

Yes, I suppose she does.

Will we be bringing home this chest, then?

I can carry it, if my lord should like.

The things inside were the important parts, but I suppose we can't very well leave it here. How heavy do you think it is, Riff? Can you carry it?

Yes, of course. I'm certain I could manage, my lord.

[Merry stands up to move out of the way, watching them for a moment before stroking over the little box in her hands.]

Thank you, Riff.

[The chest is fair-sized, but Riff knows he can carry it if he picks it up carefully. Perhaps take a break, or two- it isn't all that far. And this was important to somebody important to Cain, therefore he is more than happy to carry it if it pleases his lord.

So he'll just be picking the chest up now--it seems lighter than it looks for some reason, but Riff's found that many things do so he pays it no mind. He's just naturally strong, apparently.]

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In a City of Faces That Never Look Back [closed/ongoing]

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Slow tagger is slow--I'm so sorry!

It's okay <3

No problem~ ♥♥

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/stealing Merry's turn >> lol

:'3

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