The eyes of Oswald Knight were partially open, his mind quieted of all criminal plans, of all underworld dealings for the moment, for in this moment in the hours after sleep, his mind lay at rest, firmly in the land of dreams, his mind soaring above the highest trees, over the most lovely lakes, nature calling out to him as if summoning back home to his native land of Australia, a land that had been key in the rise of the eventual formation of Oswald Knight.
His lips formed into a smile, a sense of almost childlike delight in his eyes as he appeared over a dreamlike version of his homeland, an idealised version in which maybe Oswald could have become something other than a criminal. And yet something in the back of Oswald’s mind whispered that this was a dream, that it was an illusion designed to indulge a fantastical childhood in which he had been happy, had known what it was like to know hope and safety.
Even in his dreams Oswald knew his mother had cared for him, but despite that, despite her love, he hadn’t been happy, he had been lost, confused, angry and terrifying. In his waking state Oswald had taken those negative qualities and used them in his rise to power, had chosen to adopt a mask of neutrality as he fought back against a world he hated, a world he loathed.
Oswald Knight Voiceover: “I'm like a scarf trick, it's all up the sleeve.Fifty words for murder and I'm every one of them.”
A spectral and three year old version of Oswald Knight stood in the lounge of his childhood home, a set of black and white odd looking aquatic creatures took pride of place on the floor, the creatures reminiscent of his present day name of ‘Mr Penguin’. The colour scheme had been one that appealed to Oswald, black and white, neutral, fair, favouring no side save that of their own.
The scene changed as Oswald’s spectral form now appeared to be five years old, on his first day of school, clad in a refined and stylish version of a black and white suit, complete with a fur lining, this childlike version of Oswald did appear mature, almost like an adult in a child’s body.
Oswald Knight Voiceover: “Early on I learned that this world is unjust, cruel, and that it only makes sense if you make it make sense. While most children were learning how to share, how to pronounce their ABC’s I was learning how to divide and conquer, how to plan and build innumerable strategies.”
Now Oswald’s five year old form hung to the back of the classroom, watching his fellow students bicker and argue amongst themselves. What none of them knew was that Oswald had orchestrated their arguing, a few whispered words in each of their ears and in minutes Oswald had them all turning on each other in a masterstroke of a plan.
Oswald Knight Voiceover: “Look at how they fight, look at how they squabble like wild animals. It was all too easy to have them turn on each other, barely even a challenge. I am quite disgusted by their weakness.”
Over the span of several more minutes the scene changed once more this time to a fifteen year old Oswald. His form slender and wiry, his musculature light and deceptively nonthreatening. An appearance that would lure in a great many men, men who had made the mistake of dismissing him.
Oswald Knight Voiceover: “Emotions are a weakness, they make you vulnerable. Love. Joy. Hope. Anger. Fancy words for weakness. I pity those who feel such things. Emotions are an unreliable way to make a decision.”
A floating sensation of chaos drifted through Oswald’s mind, a mind clear of emotion, wrapped in the warm embrace of neutrality. That same neutrality had allowed Oswald to become a bigger, far more dangerous threat, a threat whose mind knew no limits, knew only to take what it wanted, what it craved like so much life giving air.
For what felt like an eternity his soul floated back into his body, reuniting both halves of himself once more. Now with the memories of his childhood Oswald stood firm, stood in an extravagantly furnished club, his club. His business, a symbol of his rise to power, a power that he’d never allow anyone to forget.
Oswald Knight: “I'm a killing spree in dressed in black and white, eyes like broken Christmas lights. My touch is black and poisonous. Tonight we are victorious. Champagne pouring over us. All my friends we're glorious. Oh we gotta turn up the crazy. At the ronin rumble I set everything right, I upend the game on its head, all hail Mr Penguin. AAPW. UOW I care for neither of you, in my view you are like parasites feeding off a host. And that is a crime I cannot OVERLOOK! I cannot FORGIVE! But most of all I’ll expose the selfishness of both AAPW and UOW management.”
********** Fade in on a pier overlooking the sea**********
The scent of sea spray and salt hung in the air as Oswald Knight looked out over the pier, staring straight into the swirling water beneath his thoughts went to the climates in which his namesake bird lived. There was something honest, something authentic about living in the cold as the penguins did, something that Oswald himself could and did understand.
‘Mr Penguin’ Oswald Knight: “Unlike most of my contemporaries I do not boast supernatural strength, Yokai blood, or supernatural skills. No I am human, a human with sublime skills of preparation, in many ways I am a symbol of humanity, a figure who rose to prominence without the aid of superpowers, No I rose to power with pure hard work, with sheer force of will. This is what sets me apart from all the others, makes me a rarity in a world laden with the supernatural.”
Oswald took a lengthy pause before finishing out his speech by adding the following.
‘Mr Penguin’ Oswald Knight: “I’m a wildly shrewd businessman used to making deals that will benefit my own goals. To that end I am reluctantly offering The Man Of Lightning an alliance for The Ronin Rumble.”
Oswald made a small gagging sound as he muttered something beneath his breath, something that sounded like….
‘Mr Penguin’ Oswald Knight: “I think I threw up a little in my mouth. What can I say these are desperate times, and desperate times require unorthodox solutions.”
The scene faded to black on these words, Oswald’s mind spinning as he wondered how many more unlikely alliances he’d have to make to combat the rising threat of AAPW.