[Private Event]

[becomeanwarrior]

[A Ten Ton Straw On A Camel's Back]

OR

[The Light Of Reason Flickers In The Eye Of The Storm]

OR

[Madness Enhancement Is A Skill That Renders Most Forms Of Communication Impossible]

OR

['Anger 2' In E Minor]

---

[ A series of vignettes in which Onni reacts about as well as anyone would to finding out their niece nearly died three weeks ago, is claiming to ascend to the status of a mad god, and every fear they had about her burgeoning powers they specifically warned her parents about has come true, all at once.

This is fine. ]

Comments

[becomeanwarrior]

Well, if you are to call me your husband I guess I must put some trust in you, then, should I not? [ He claps Sullivan on the shoulder. He will scream about this when his mind settles, for certain. ] In sickness, health, sanity, madness... is there a difference? Hard to tell, in my state.

And a new look to capitalize! I quite like it. Suits someone who has self-actualized very well. Yes, Gina and Suguru shall have to be our guardrails, cause I seem to have thrown mine out and you had very few to begin with, my kagemusha.

[ A hearty laugh. His eyes are glowing but now it's the green-blue of the soul-jar that is Gigantech rather than the roaring lamps of the Lighthouse. ]

I promise I will not leave you in this position long. I understand how you must long to return to your lab, your experiments, the secret knowledge that is your domain far from mine. But I appreciate you taking to the mantle with gusto.

Once these threats are settled, I will make certain neither of us have to play these roles again for a good long time - you of the reasonable vizier and me of the mad king. I dare say neither fit us well as long-term professions!

But... [ A beat. ] Thank you. It's not that people do not take me seriously, but I do feel like you often take me more seriously than most. A rarity for a clown such as I. Once my reason retakes me, I will not forget this debt.

[autumnswarm]

Is... Is Sullivan blushing, or feigning it?

"In sanity and madness then. And, honestly, at the point of sounding hopelessly saccharine: You've been my guardrail these years I've worked for OOPARTS, and it's time to tables the turn, as the kids say."

They straighten, uncharacteristic sentimentality passing as the two return to mostly normal human beings. Or at least seeming like it.



"I'll take it in stride, but I'm not meant to be a reasonable person for long, nor you unreasonable. ... and you're not a clown, Onni. Don't say such mean things about my husband in my presence."

[becomeanwarrior]

I'm glad that I could cast even a guiding light into the darkness which you dwell, then. Now the shadows can show me where I should not tread, devoid of reason as I am.

[ He takes the comment about the clown personally, though, his eyes lighting up and his arms sweeping outward. ]

Fie upon it, then! I cast it all aside - the red nose, the blue and white pinstripes, the rainbow wig, the makeup too! If my kagemusha declares me to cast aside the clown's regalia, then it shall be so! All that is left is a man who needs shake his family to their foundations in hopes they will listen to his mad raving!

We shall take our proper places hence soon, but I suppose I have places to be and people to strike fear into the hearts of.

[ He turns at... the door of the study, studying it intensely. ]

Hrm, yes, this will do. The firmament fades to white just before the door. I think I can use this. Without chains, what walls can hold me?

[ He turns, smiling. ]

I cannot promise I will respond promptly but do let me know should you need me, Sullivan. I am but steps away, as drama winds and gossip flies! And if my anger troubles you, let it! A little trouble is good for the soul, I've found!

[ Onni strides toward the door confidently, chuckling. You can slightly feel his anger retake him. Just as he seems like he's about to actually reach for the door, he seems to... walk through a thin, straight line that only seems to appear as he phases through it, his image looking almost two-dimensional as he does.

Leaving you, briefly, with Onni's gravelly chuckle reverberating through the walls. A promise and a threat of the revelry to come. ]

[autumnswarm]

There is a long pause as Onni disappears, leaving Sullivan with the keys. They close their eyes after watching him depart and move through the door. With a gesture, they manifest a fist-sized orb of light that casts odd shadows through the room, all moving with the sorcerer.

"Ah, just kagemusha? I was hoping for spouse." They titter to themselves as they adjust their new clothes, noticing that for the first time they're not baggy or ill-fitting.

"Ah, damn. I suppose I did self-actualize." They let out a hum as they walk to the door and open it to OOPARTS proper. "And he left in such a hurry, I didn't tell him to pass along a message to Da Eiza for me." They mumble now, the mania slowly coming back as they walk, an eerie glow coming from the light.



"I suppose I'll just have to tell her myself!"