autumnswarm | [Dual Post]

[Journal]

Greetings Domino~ I'm back! You may or may not remember me, depending on your circumstances, but I am Sullivan Adams. I am currently acting director of OOPARTS, as Onni takes a little break for... personal reasons. Please view me as you would Director Haita as I strive to keep the city safe.

If you're an OOPARTS employee and don't remember me, please report to the director's office for an immediate fix.

If you're my god-children, you're staying with me, unless you've succeeded in your task, in which case it is with whoever is willing to let you stay.

[Event]

Sullivan is in the director's office. They've wasted no time in redecorating in deep purples and blacks, and it's a little... darker in here than it usually is, strange shadows cast from orbs of light on the walls and ceilings rather than anything remotely normal. Perhaps you've been meaning to talk to Onni and have found Sullivan instead. Maybe you don't remember Sullivan and now technically work FOR them and you're up here to scream at this clearly deranged person in Onni's office.

Or maybe, you very unfortunately DO remember Sullivan, and need marching orders.

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Mmmm, not sure if I can talk to you about what I needed to bug Onni about, but I guess I can stay for a little chat, sure!

*He slips into the chair, trying to not feel too alerted*

"I understand." They take a seat, pouring a cup of coffee out.

"Coffee?"

They take a long sip of their coffee and hum as they look Tarou over, letting out a few hums.

"Forgive me for saying this, but you look like you're in not too great of shape and, well. Extremely shady."

Oh, yes, please, the stronger the better.

*he takes the scrutiny with dignity*

... I'm getting better! Onni was actually, uh... Helping me so I don't physically fall apart, if you'd believe it.

They pour out a cup of coffee that's so dark and strong it doesn't reflect light.

"Oh, no worries there. I think we're quite alike on that!" They pass the cup to Tarou.

"I do believe that, actually. He has a habit of taking in dark sorcerers and attempting to reform them and... well, I suppose that I'm the big success story. I'm usually in the basement levels of OOPARTS, with my lab, though I'm not sure what did survive my little trip to the void."

*taking the coffee, drinking it. I'm pretty sure this is partially dark matter.*

Mmm, only been to Onni's own labs, of course. He outfitted me with a little something or other to keep my spine reinforced-- it's done some wonders for me! I just mostly needed his advice on a little something I'm hoping to do as a favor to someone else.

It definitely is.

"I'm not sure I'm in any position to be giving out advice, unfortunately. If you're willing to share, I can see... But I also understand not being willing to share with strangers." A sip.

"If you needed maintenance done, I could definitely do that, but advice... we may be a little too similar."

No, no, the reinforcement has been proceeding fine enough. This is definitely more of a "I need someone with a little more moral fiber but not too much to bounce ideas off of."

But if you MUST know, I needed to talk to him about me playing the role of the bad guy.

"I have a moral fiber, somewhere in me. Probably. Eh, morality's a societal construct I'll pretend I believe in for the next few minutes."

They tap their chin and lean backwards.

"Bad guy? In what way?"

Well, there's a lot of messy context about this, but the short of it is: I'm an alternate of another person and I'm being haunted by the constant guilt of having taken a dark god into my being that I successfully cast out after more than a decade, so I'm trying to make amends with the person I attempted to replace by helping with his nephew who might be possessed by some unknown being.

And since his nephew already doesn't trust me, I might as well play the role of the "bad guy" for it. For his own good.

*well, that certainly is a messy context.*

They stare at Tarou for that, and let out a long breath and then nod.

"I can't fault you for any of those decisions. I made some similar ones myself. Possessed by an unknown being, hm? Odd... well, how does the nephew need to be helped?"

My alternate would rather like his nephew to not be possessed, and said nephew seems to be unaware of the whole situation! It's pretty troublesome.

Thankfully, I'm well-versed in setting up exorcisms, and this one would be much smaller and simpler than what I was attempting before, since, well. The one I'm helping here is also possessed, but in a way that's more trouble than it's worth to fix, I realized.

... ... And yes, I do find irony in the fact that we're all subjected to that to varying degrees. *sipping at his coffee again*

"As long as you find the irony in it." A small smile crosses their face.

"So to help the nephew, you're thinking you're going to have to be a villain, essentially. I see what you're getting at. Kidnapping is probably a bad idea for various reasons, and so is causing a scene... Hrm, quite a conundrum..."

Well, this is why I wanted his thoughts too, since he'd probably be able to say if it's a good or a bad idea to even do this.

But he's not here right now, is he?

"He's not. It's just me, and my first instinct is saying kidnap him, and I've learned to not listen to my first instinct. He stepped out to deal with family business I have no desire to get involved in."

Sullivan taps on their chin.

"I fear you may have to wait for proper advice."

Well, thankfully, even I have enough sense to go "kidnapping might be a step too far". I've had enough of pulling people from their lives, at least!

"... I do not!"

They pause.

"So, while I was kicked out of reality, my incredibly cursed, awful basement lab probably festered like a sore upon the skin of reality and I haven't opened it up yet. While I can't offer advice on your problem, do you want to come look at that with me so this trip isn't a waste?"

Hnmm, be invited to a horrible lab with no foresight of being able to escape?

I'd be actually delighted yes, thank you.

"I knew you had to be a kindred spiri-Oh, I apologize. I never got your name. May I have it before we start the tour? I promise to give it back after."

Oh, sure, not like I'm using it right now.

"Satou, Tarou". *that isn't his real name.*

"Wise to give me a false name!"

They stand up, adjust their cuffs and stride out of the room, beckoning Tarou to follow.

Dang, that means that hasn't situated into reality enough yet. Oh well, still a win.

*He gets up to follow along! Still outwardly jovial.*

Edited 2024-08-27 04:04 (UTC)

Sullivan hears this, but doesn't pry. Professional courtesy amongst the lost and the damned.

They head down to the first floor, and then stop at a particularly dark patch of shadows, bending down and beginning to fiddle with a giant turning wheel as they mutter to themselves.

"Now, this was supposed to be a bunker and safe against these sorts of effects, let's see how that panned out... at least I got a good stress test..."

There is a release of air and the sound of a giant door slowly creaking open. It smells... wrong. Like someone mixed too many schools of magic and fiddled with things they shouldn't have. So, probably home-y.

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