[144.98750] RINGMASTER'S FOURTH ADDRESS (D58)

[lordofthering]

[Bright and early on Day 58, the morning after the final carnival performances, your radios will light up with a very enthusiastic broadcast from the Ringmaster. Someone's having a good day, apparently.]

Hello, all you beautiful people of mine! Guess what? I'm back to normal! As powerful and gracious as I ever was - and I want to express my appreciation for all the kind words and offers of help you have given during my time of 'weakness.' Your loyalty and support is most flattering!

Even better, with your help I have won my bet! [And she is positively thrilled.] Please know that your combined efforts and my natural cunning have awarded us something very valuable for absolutely zero charge, and it will be of great benefit to our carnival in coming weeks.

I won't bore you with the details, but the carnival is back in action, and we will be leaving Atlantis in three hours! Please finish up any last minute business you may have, and we will be on our way!


[Well! That explains almost nothing.]

Comments

[lordofthering]

Hah! I am not so fragile of mind that I cannot handle a change of situation. What good are tales of power and cunning if all it takes is inconvenience to ruin me! I will always be myself.

[For better or for worse.]

[kingsroads]

[ this is slightly endearing in an "amazing arrogance recognizes amazing arrogance" sort of way. Strange can't help but laugh as he continues talking. ]

And I suppose we're all the better for it! It would be a rubbish carnival if the Ringmaster suddenly went to pieces.

[lordofthering]

[They can smell it on each other. They are of the same breed.]

I think so too! Not least because the lot of you would have no way to get around, or even to return home! It would be foolish to damage me because I am very useful.

[kingsroads]

[ "Oh no, I see the two people who think they're hot shit have made friends" says the rest of the carnival. ]

We'd certainly have no way to get around, but I'm not so sure about the returning home part. After all, my magic originally let me travel between my world and the realm of faerie--I assume the contract is the reason that aspect is currently restricted, which is understandable. [ gotta keep him from skipping out, after all. ] But if the contract were rescinded upon death of the original owner, who's to say that I couldn't return home?

[lordofthering]

[Oh, that's cute.]

Well... dimensional laws, for one. You may have a connection to your version of faerie, but you'll find that my version of faerie is an entirely different league.

[kingsroads]

[ captain full of himself isn't backing down that easy. ]

So you think. I'm certain that, given the chance, I'd be able to navigate my way easily! After all, it's still faerie.

[lordofthering]

Yes, but it's not the same faerie. It exists somewhere else entirely. Would you claim that you could easily navigate any city because you've once navigated your home town?

[kingsroads]

Not easily, no, but I still could navigate it.

[lordofthering]

Eventually, perhaps...

[kingsroads]

I never said that I could get home right at once. Just that I could get home in the first place.

[lordofthering]

Pfft.

You don't know what you speak of, Mr Strange!

But maybe someday you'll learn.

[kingsroads]

[ that's not ominous in the slightest. ]

Or perhaps someday you'll learn and I'll prove my point.

[lordofthering]

Well, that would be you learning, now wouldn't it!

[A HAH!]

[kingsroads]

What precisely would I be learning in that scenario?

[ throughout the conversation, Strange's tone is friendly. It's obvious he views this more as a discussion between equals instead of an actual fight. ]

[lordofthering]

You would be learning what you speak of, of course!

[It's hard to say if the feeling is mutual - her tone is friendly enough as well, if not a little pushy. Whether or not she is capable of considering anyone in the carnival her equal is still a mystery.]

[kingsroads]

I'm speaking of what I'm certain I can do! There's not much to learn in the first place.

[lordofthering]

You have no reason to be certain of that!

[kingsroads]

Yes I do! If I know what I can do, then of course I should be certain in my skills.