I think it's prudent.

Okay.

I should probably leave so I don't interfere with the tests.

Uncling. "Okay."

He smiles and floats back away.

Another cape, this one wearing a suit with a red bow tie, oiled hair, and a simple wooden mask, walks in. "Hello. Epic, isn't that right?"

"Yes."

"I'm Puppeteer. I think the name should be suggestive."

"Probably. We should try with and without oaths - just try normally first -"

"Okay." He closes his eyes, visible through the mask, and after about a minute or so starts moving his fingers.

And he raises his arm.

Puppeteer lowers a finger, raises another.

Other arm.

He lowers his fingers. "Seems to work."

Nod. "Now - I swear that until I say 'escape clause' or one hour has passed I will not take any actions I did not decide on in advance -"

Raise finger.

Still works.

He lowers his finger again. "My power works by taking direct control of your nervous system, so I believe it doesn't count as you having done it."

He can't move!

"- escape clause - yeah, that'd make sense."

"An application that might be... a bit more dangerous to you is making you swear something, if that's binding as it seems to be."

"It is. You can make people say things?"

"Yes. I can control any of your muscles. Some are more complex than others, but I can."

"I don't know if it'd count as swearing, for the same reason it doesn't count as moving, but we should check - something like 'until an hour has passed or I say 'escape clause' I swear not to say the word 'elephant' -"

He nods. "This will take a few more minutes, I need to get a better feel for how your nervous system works..."

He wraps his wings around himself and waits.

"...your wings feel very peculiar. And your whole nervous system is... subtly different. I expect that's because of the physical alterations due to your trigger event?"