With This Ring (Young Justice SI) (Thread Fourteen)

[Queshire]

*furiously refreshing for update*

 

[Mr Zoat]

10th February
08:19 GMT -7

"So this pattern is… Another 'you'?"

Sunset scurries along behind me as I stride in the direction of my 'reinterpretation' of the portal generator Mr Wayne 50 used to break me out of gaol last year. It hasn't been a high priority. My work here and on Tamaran keeps me more than busy enough without worrying about parallel universes as well. I only really built the thing in case… Lynne ever wanted to go back. Some day. Perhaps to visit her grandparents, or… Other relatives? I'll have to look into it when I'm there.

"Probably."

"Didn't you say there was another version of you in this universe?"

"Yes. But I don't know that he's from here originally. He could be Grayven Fifty. Heck, I'm not sure that this universe is really the one I originally came from, so he could be Sixteen and I could be… Something else."

"So your god-power can go from one universe to another without a portal. That's… Fascinating."

"Don't get too excited; I think that's to do with how we're linked to the Source. I doubt that alicorns work in the same way." I stop as the Apokoliptian technology built into the bulkhead confirms my identity. "Though… It could be because Scott came here, and… Our souls touched…"

"Do you think he'd mind if I scanned him?"

"You can ask."

Though… Huh. Okay, Scott and Barda know I was faking. Fakingish. But the rest of their team probably don't. So I either need to get a message to him that the others won't pick up on, or link up with the remaining Lords again and get an update from them. That.. sounds more sensible, actually. And it will be nice to see them again, see how they're getting on.

There's a chime from the bulkhead and I demand its obeisance.

"Could this take me to Equestria?"

"Theoretically, yes." I lead the way through as the door opens. "In practice, you should probably avoid it. Scouting out destinations using this technology is highly inefficient, and it wouldn't transform you back into a pony. Plus, it's purely technological, with none of that useful 'sympathetic resonance targeting'-"

"That's not what it's called."

"-that magic transportation systems tend to have. And we don't have Equestria's coordinates."

The bulkhead seals itself behind us, and a half-dozen types of defensive and obscurative fields reactivate. I really don't want relatively casual parallel universe travel being a thing. I remember in… Ex Machina, where a man from a parallel universe tries to warn the cast of the dangers of immigration and they all write him off as a deranged Republican. But I remembered an episode in series one of Sliders, in which a parallel universe version of Quinn Mallory slides the entire population of his Earth to another Earth. Going from six billion people to twelve billion people in an instant causes total social collapse and mass starvation. It's not that the Earth can't support twelve billion people; it certainly can. But Human civilisation can't, not without a lot of time to build up.

Plus… Well. I might need an edge at some point.

My version of the device -which is even now going through its warm-up sequence- is a highly modified boom tube. I didn't realise until I tried building one for myself, but the one Batman 50 built uses a stupid amount of power and has to be activated very slowly. The main reason they had to make do with me is that they literally couldn't open it again. Of course, that wasn't a problem when his word was law and he could take whatever he wanted from the US power grid… Anyway, using a boom tube makes it work better with all of my other New God technology and cuts down the power requirements to something a little more manageable.

I'm also planning to use this to give myself the ability to re-enter Equestria as a biped if the pony thing doesn't work out.

Ping.

Alright, whereabouts to go-. Wait.

"Sunset, are you planning on coming with me?"

"Yes?" She shrugs. "I need to get a look at other New Gods, and find out what happened with you and the other Mister Miracle."

"Fine, but I don't know what conditions are like on the far side, I'm a known would-be alien conqueror and you're not properly equipped."

She frowns. "What do you mean, 'would-be alien conqueror'? You said that you'd met them before."

I regard her in puzzlement. "Did you actually read the mission report?"

"No?" She shrugs. "Wasn't that where you picked up Lynne?"

A-ah-h. "Okay, I'm happy to have you along, but you need to read the file and you need to get some armour. I helped their new global-tier super team gain acclaim by going full alien hamlord conqueror, so we can't expect a positive reception."

"Aren't you going straight to your brother? Their version, I mean."

"No, I need to get the lay of the land, first. For all I know my alter-ego has already invaded their Earth. And he probably can't let anyone know that my attempt to take control of America was less than authentic without damaging his credibility."

"Okay." She nods. "I've got.. protective spells on my lab coat. But… Yeah, I suppose it's not a good idea." She frowns at me. "Are you going to go like that?"

"Of course not." I take a charm out of subspace and put it on, my appearance shifting to that of an unremarkable human man. Won't fool another New God, but should work against most mundane forms of detection. "Now, off you trot. I'll contact you once I'm prepared."

She nods and takes a step back as the-

BOOM!

-boom tube opens up. Now, that.. should open up in the Chihuahuan Desert, so there's not much chance of me being spotted. Still, need to move quick. I jog through the portal as Sunset tries to work out how to magically hack the bulkhead door that can only be opened by a New God.

Be interesting to see what she comes up with.

And… Out again, the boom tube shutting off behind me. No local response… Yet. Well, if Grayven 50 is invading, he isn't invading here. I strongly suspect that a planet that has been attacked by Apokoliptians repeatedly over the past decade will have boom tube detection equipment, so I should relocate reasonably quickly.

Sinestro?

Under my illusion, my armour glows yellow.

Lantern Grayven. I see that we have returned.

We have indeed.

Nearest settlement of any size is… Las Cruces. Can't use hush tubes from here, boom tubes would risk drawing attention. Low level flight it is, then. I rise a short distance off the ground and begin flying north.

Sinestro, while you were active around here, did you have any contact with my alter-ego?

No, though from what I heard he would have made a reasonable yellow ring user. He supposedly shares your virtues without your moderating influences.

Hm. Begin passive interception of local communications. Is Grayven Fifty here already?

It appears not.

Good show. Give me the status of the Lords and Stormwatch.

Nothing recent about the Justice Lords is being openly discussed. Stormwatch are still active, and while I cannot determine how representative a sample I am receiving they appear to be reasonably well regarded.

A detailed examination will have to wait until we reach Las Cruces. Internet cafes are still a thing, aren't they?

 

[thebishop8]

Anyway, using a boom tube make it work better

Click to shrink...

*makes

Hm. Begin passive interception of local communications.
Is Gravyen Fifty here already?

Click to shrink...

*Grayven

Also I think this needs to be spaced differently.

 

[Chojin Patriarch]

Sunset scurries along behind me as I stride in the direction of my 'reinterpretation' of the portal generator Mr Wayne 50 used to break me out of gaol last year. It hasn't been a high priority. My work here and on Tamaran keeps me more than busy enough without worrying about parallel universes as well. I only really built the thing in case… Lynne ever wanted to go back. Some day. Perhaps to visit her grandparents, or… Other relatives? I'll have to look into it when I'm there.

Click to shrink...

Besides, never know when you'll need a dimensional portal.

Spoiler: Commentary spoilered for length

"Yes. But I don't know that he's from here originally. He could be Grayven Fifty. Heck, I'm not sure that this universe is really the one I originally came from, so he could be Sixteen and I could be… Something else."

Click to shrink...

Something else, indeed. Half-truths are great lies.

"Don't get too excited; I think that's to do with how we're linked to the Source. I doubt that alicorns work in the same way." I stop as the Apokoliptian technology built into the bulkhead confirms my identity. "Though… It could be because Scott came here, and… Our souls touched…"

Click to shrink...

Like a blockchain connection, sort of?

Though… Huh. Okay, Scott and Barda know I was faking. Fakingish. But the rest of their team probably don't. So I either need to get a message to him that the others won't pick up on, or link up with the remaining Lords again and get an update from them. That.. sounds more sensible, actually. And it will be nice to see them again, see how they're getting on.

Click to shrink...

Make sure they haven't blundered into another disaster, that sort of thing.

"-that magic transportation systems tend to have. And we don't have Equestria's coordinates."

Click to shrink...

Unless you'd like to fling yourself into interdimensional space without protection.

I'm also planning to use this to give myself the ability to re-enter Equestria as a biped if the pony thing doesn't work out.

Click to shrink...

Heh. Much better to have hands, yes.

"Fine, but I don't know what conditions are like on the far side, I'm a known would-be alien conqueror and you're not properly equipped."

Click to shrink...

Something in leather perhaps? With shoulder spikes and a black cape?

I regard her in puzzlement. "Did you actually read the mission report?"

Click to shrink...

Ah, so it's not just the Justice league. She's going to learn the hard way to do so.

A-ah-h. "Okay, I'm happy to have you along, but you need to read the file and you need to get some armour. I helped their new global-tier super team gain acclaim by going full alien hamlord conqueror, so we can't expect a positive reception."

Click to shrink...

...And suddenly the title of the episode makes sense...

-boom tube opens up. Now, that.. should open up in the Chihuahuan Desert, so there's not much chance of me being spotted. Still, need to move quick. I jog through the portal as Sunset tries to work out how to magically hack the bulkhead door that can only be opened by a New God.

Click to shrink...

...Did you just leave her in a locked room? Ha!

Be interesting to see what she comes up with.

Click to shrink...

Indeed!

Nearest settlement of any size is… Las Cruces. Can't use hush tubes from here, boom tubes would risk drawing attention. Low level flight it is, then. I rise a short distance off the ground and begin flying north.

Click to shrink...

How long has it been since he's just flown anywhere, I wonder?

A detailed examination will have to wait until we reach Las Cruces. Internet cafes are still a thing, aren't they?

Click to shrink...

Assuming there's no secret spy-software in this parallel's internet that immediately lets Batman know about certain search keywords.

Seriously, this is full-meme Batman. You know he's got plans within plans for this shit.
(And trying a slightly different format. Looks a bit spaghetti-esque. Takes only slightly longer to write up...)

Godspeech:

There's a chime from the bulkhead and I demand it's obeisance.

Click to shrink...

 

[Sceptic]

And trying a slightly different format.

Click to shrink...

Clearly separated quotes and responses? Who are you and what have you done with the real Chojin?

Thanks, much more readable.

 

[Handlewithcare]

Grayven trapping Sunset. Not nice

 

[topin89]

For all non-native speakers (and for some natives):

 

[Mr Zoat]

*makes

*Grayven

Also I think this needs to be spaced differently.

Click to shrink...

Thank you, corrected.

Something in leather perhaps? With shoulder spikes and a black cape?

Click to shrink...

Maybe.

 

[Chojin Patriarch]

Clearly separated quotes and responses? Who are you and what have you done with the real Chojin?

Thanks, much more readable.

Click to shrink...

Indeed. I think in the morning, i'll go through and change my older posts to the same format. It won't matter much to us now, but it might make it easier on future readers.

 

[Vlad]

Everytime it gets brought up that RenePaul identity is being overwritten by Grayven the more it reminds me that this is one of my personal horror nightmares. Losing ones self-identity and sanity is a fear of mine.

 

[Lord Ernest]

Ah, Earth 50, easily Top 5 for arcs in this fic, those two chapters of Grayven's adventures in (semi-)dystopian DCAU. I was about to ask why Grayven didn't think to ask Lynne if she wanted to come, but then that sounds stupid, she doesn't have happy memories from this place and she's probably at school or something. Still, kind of cavalier for Grayven to not even think about bringing back up (or even his drones) to a place where he got nuked; but at the same time that's Grayven and I like him because he's like that.

For all non-native speakers (and for some natives):

Click to shrink...

By the way, I'm amazed, I did not know that's how it's supposed to be pronounced. I had seen the word, in context I understood what it meant, but through speak and what have you I thought they were using 'jail' all the time. Ah, English, you never cease to amaze me with your devious (and criminal) ways.

 

[DAT_NOOB]

Everytime it gets brought up that RenePaul identity is being overwritten by Grayven the more it reminds me that this is one of my personal horror nightmares. Losing ones self-identity and sanity is a fear of mine.

Click to shrink...

I believe that was one of renepauls fears aswell

 

[moralrelativity]

Godspeech:

Click to shrink...

Much more readable. Thanks.

 

[Ngamer11]

How pissed and shocked are Stormwatch going to be when they find out they were built on a lie? Flash II is gonna have her confidence shattered, learning that Grayven and the Justice Lords were the ones to give her the formula, and Kara is gonna slug Dick for keeping his knowledge from the rest of them. Does Nightwing even know that the confrontation with Grayven was a sham?

 

[Jirachi]

Is it just me or does Renegade put way more magic items in his subspace storage than Paul does? It's probably murder on his charge reserves...
He's pointedly not thinking about darkseid and the possibility that he'll need it to run away from him if he attacks before he's ready, isn't he?
Hope he gets around to awakening more of the Earth 50 supers, since it's always neat to see more gods up and about and Stormwatch for the moment is probably too small and weak to deal with some of the larger threats a super team on there level ends up dealing with.
The whole thing with the portal seems like it would bait a reckless metaphysical transformation from her which *could* be genuinely dangerous in a way that he hasn't prepared for.

 

[Mr Zoat]

Is it just me or does Renegade put way more magic items in his subspace storage than Paul does? It's probably murder on his charge reserves...

Click to shrink...

Not really. The SI's mage slayers are magic items. That particular restriction is only a big problem with really powerful items, not minor ones.

He's pointedly not thinking about darkseid and the possibility that he'll need it to run away from him if he attacks before he's ready, isn't he?

Click to shrink...

He is going to Equestria in a few months.

 

[Coda]

The question is, lateral movement compared to what?

Click to shrink...

Lateral compared to any of the four standard dimensions. I thought that was well-implied by the reference to going to a different parallel.

If the cause for the divergence is still a change in the past that propagated chaotically (and just so happened to end up with almost everything the same) you'd still be likely to find other changes of similar magnitude at a similar frequency, or more probable changes at much higher frequencies. And a change from "a" to "e" is one of many, many possible changes of that sort of magnitude, so if that happened even once, then in all likelihood switches happen very frequently. Frequently enough that I'd suspect that it'd be rather noticeable, because small objects would be slightly changing positions around you thousands of times per second like something out of the quantum realm.

Click to shrink...

For all we know, they DO happen very frequently. I specifically pointed out that the probability of it being a change that you would even notice would be very low -- the divergence could be somewhere you'll never perceive or interact with.

And everything around you IS slightly changing positions around you thousands of times per second. Most of the displacements are so small or so brief that your retinas can't resolve the difference. Our skin, however, IS capable of noticing it. We can't track the individual positions or timings, but we can tell it's happening. It feels like heat.

Put in quantum terms, it could also be said that we're entangled with multiple worldstates, and it's probabilistic which state propagates through our senses at any given time. (This description is actually true, by the way.) This would mean that you're not really teleporting between parallels, but rather you exist in both of them at once and the probabilities tipped at some point to make it most likely that you'd perceive a different one most often.

 

[Jirachi]

Not really. The SI's mage slayers are magic items. That particular restriction is only a big problem with really powerful items, not minor ones.

He is going to Equestria in a few months.

Click to shrink...

Doesn't Paul have all of the magic items that he carries around have a feature that makes them less draining to carry related to being 'off' when not in earth's magical fields? That definitely made it *seem* like it's somewhat larger than that.
I'm curious about how the green light priests work in general, and particularily whether there are actual green light using mages in there order, more detail about the philosphies they teach and so on.
It's a shame that Paul hasn't gotten much in space that will help the team or league...
I sort of miss Paul's science and R&D interludes...

 

[Pinklestia]

Internet cafes are still a thing, aren't they?

Click to shrink...

In that time period? Yes.

 

[Mr Zoat]

Doesn't Paul have all of the magic items that he carries around have a feature that makes them less draining to carry related to being 'off' when not in earth's magical fields? That definitely made it *seem* like it's somewhat larger than that.

Click to shrink...

He may have. He may have.

I'm assuming that you're referring to a Word of Zoat I've long since forgotten here.

I'm curious about how the green light priests work in general, and particularly whether there are actual green light using mages in there order,

Click to shrink...

No.

more detail about the philosophies they teach and so on.
It's a shame that Paul hasn't gotten much in space that will help the team or league...

Click to shrink...

Like a Lantern Corps?

I sort of miss Paul's science and R&D interludes...

Click to shrink...

I'll try and put another one in this episode.

 

[Jirachi]

Taking the binding chains out of subspace takes more power than I really want to spend, but the new generation sort of cuts out when not in contact with the Earth's arcane fields and so isn't quite as bad.

Click to shrink...

He may have. He may have.

I'm assuming that you're referring to a Word of Zoat I've long since forgotten here.

No.

Like a Lantern Corps?

I'll try and put another one in this episode.

Click to shrink...

Yep, though I'm not sure how much of the rest of his stuff has that feature.
Shame.
I mean, they can *help*, but it's more about the helping them help themselves than anything. He mostly doesn't seem to have acquired anything that would help empower his teammates...
Thanks!
Did the Hawks ever end up upgunning?

 

[thebishop8]

Various things updated. Not sure how many links are the same, mind.

Click to shrink...

Here's the ones that were missed:

Spoiler

There wasn't really much doubt, but my smile grows a little at the news anyway. "-of in excess of one thousand individuals as well as lesser offences too numerous to mention. Though it is likely that we will never know the precise magnitude of your evil the law demands only one sentence. Captain!"

Colonel Fang bows to the bench and then barks an order.

Click to shrink...

I missed this one.

. Captain Fang looks at me briefly before his eyes drill into Tao, who cringes slightly in response. I take my place just behind him and place a hand on his shoulder where Kon's body prevents Captain Fang from seeing it.

Click to shrink...

You missed this...

**Savage, Klarion, Red Guardsman, One Deadly Bother and August General in the meeting hall.

Click to shrink...

...and this.

Colonel Fang nods politely. "Miss Wayland."

She bows again, a little nervously. "Congratulations, General Fang. Missus Hu."

Click to shrink...

Should be General, obviously.

Here's some more regular corrections:

Spoiler

Wait a moment. If all it's done is make the water a solid unit. Ring, subspace it.

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Either take out the 'if', or give the middle sentence ellipses.

Her face takes on a sterner aspect that I'm used to seeing.

Click to shrink...

Should that be 'than I'm used to'?

And when you killed your own sliced up your own pet Demon with a sword-."

Click to shrink...

Not sure where this came from, it's fine on Sufficient Velocity, but it needs to be either 'killed your own' or 'sliced your own'. Both versions on SF are 'sliced you own'.

Ring, is Amalak wearing a communication device?

Confirmed.

Anything you feel like contributing, Commodore?

Keep me alive and I will reward you well.

Click to shrink...

If the ring is transmitting the message directly into Paul's brain, shouldn't Amalak's text be orange?

"Orange Lantern Two Eight One Four reporting for duty, sir."

The sense of yellow I'd been getting from our audience noticeably dips. Ring-based facial analysis -of the humanoids anyway- suggests curiosity and wonder. Perhaps they think the Controllers were expecting me? At least I don't appear to be seeking a fight.

…

How long is he going to-?

"Come."

There's a faint rustle from his robes as he turns, floating just above the ground. That's it? 'Come'? Well. Alright then. I come to my feet and raise my lantern high with my left hand.

"Ophidian. Return."

"Yes, my Agent."

She twists in the air, shrinking as she comes closer. The Controller slows in his passage, turning his head slightly to catch a glimpse of the Embodiment of Avarice flying back into my personal lantern.

No, he's not looking at the lantern. The lack of pupils makes it hard to tell-.

He looks away again.

My lantern flickers as the Ophidian completes her entry, some of the air cars around us resuming their journeys. Most seem content to watch me follow my nominal superior inside the Controllers' building. Through the entrance and… From this side there isn't a door. Very nice.

"I was hoping for a little more than an 'interesting'. You did get the ship I-."

"It was the property of the Guardians of the Universe. I assume that the wooden boxes were part of your species' funerary traditions."

Click to shrink...

Paul says he was hoping for more than an 'interesting', but the only word the Controller has said at that point is 'come'.

I've been unable to contact my home plane for a year.

Click to shrink...

Should plane be planet?

"If you're missing that Apokoliptian flavour we could beat each other with pain sticks for a while…

Click to shrink...

The video is unavailable.

"Oh.. what.. a.. mess. "

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A space is between the period and end quotation mark.

Let's go with 'yes'.

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I should stop coming up with explanations for contradictions so you'll be forced to come up with your own.

He may have. He may have.

I'm assuming that you're referring to a Word of Zoat I've long since forgotten here.

Click to shrink...

Well, while we're on the subject, he once planned to use Dolmen gates to store magic items instead of using subspace, but I'm pretty sure that never happened.

Spoiler

"You know how useful my subspace storage is. Now, everyone can have it. Just have a load of these lined up somewhere, dial the rune-tag and voila! You can make them small like in this rifle, or handbag size or whatever size. And I can store arcane artefacts without wiping out my power reserves. Here, you want a go?" I move the two mini Gates over to her.

Click to shrink...

Though, that makes me wonder: If he put one end of a Dolmen gate into subspace, would he be able to access that pocket through the gate?

 

[TheEyes]

...Did you just leave her in a locked room? Ha!

Click to shrink...

What I thought was greatest about that bit was that Sunset was completely unsurprised that Grayven just left her in a locked room without a key or an unlock code or anything. She just immediately started working on picking the lock, without comment. Just shows the kind of relationship they have.

 

[Mr Zoat]

Yep, though I'm not sure how much of the rest of his stuff has that feature.
Shame.
I mean, they can *help*, but it's more about the helping them help themselves than anything. He mostly doesn't seem to have acquired anything that would help empower his teammates...
Thanks!
Did the Hawks ever end up upgunning?

Click to shrink...

'Spaghetti posting' isn't banned on this site, and I'm having a little trouble working out which of my lines your lines are a response to.

The SI already has a massive database of alien technology. There isn't really anything -apart from Adam Blake's physiology or the psions' research on X'Hal- that he could get from space that he doesn't already have. The Earth already has better technology than almost everywhere else anyway, the problem is humans not using it.

Which Hawks?

 

[Jirachi]

'Spaghetti posting' isn't banned on this site, and I'm having a little trouble working out which of my lines your lines are a response to.

Click to shrink...

Will try to do in the future.

The SI already has a massive database of alien technology. There isn't really anything -apart from Adam Blake's physiology or the psions' research on X'Hal- that he could get from space that he doesn't already have. The Earth already has better technology than almost everywhere else anyway, the problem is humans not using it.

Click to shrink...

...Sort of? Paul doesn't have access to anything like New God technology from the looks of it, and there's probably a lot that he could get out of original research in areas like glow tech (no ring / lantern glowtech, like the earmuff things that block focusing of desire), qwatech and magitech (though he'd probably have a hard time finding anyone who has expertise on magic in the vast majority of the universe).

Which Hawks?

Click to shrink...

One of the things that Paul talked about during the Leagues performance review was that the Leagues hawks were just using nth metal melee weapons and nothing else. I don't *think* that they ended up doing anything there, since the 'honor duel' that hawkwoman had with Paul after Nabu seemed to just show her using those alone.

 

[DAT_NOOB]

In that time period? Yes.

Click to shrink...

hell there are like five internet cafes in my city.

 

[Mr Zoat]

One of the things that Paul talked about during the Leagues performance review was that the Leagues hawks were just using nth metal melee weapons and nothing else. I don't *think* that they ended up doing anything there, since the 'honor duel' that hawkwoman had with Paul after Nabu seemed to just show her using those alone.

Click to shrink...

As far as I remember, he mostly said that the Hawks should focus on the things covered by their pre-Earth background. That Hawkman should be more involved in criminal investigation and Hawkwoman should focus on space defences. Thanagar doesn't really have much in the way of low lethality weapons.

 

[Mquz]

As someone who lives in Silicon Valley, I can confirm that preety much every Starbucks here has free internet access, and Starbucks is still literally everywhere. There are 3 within walking distance right now, and I'm in the suburbs. There's other internet cafes too. Sometimes it seems everyone here literally lives off of overpriced coffee and students love the free internet.

 

[Pinklestia]

hell there are like five internet cafes in my city.

Click to shrink...

There is like two left in my city but there used to be way more.

 

[Chaoswind]

Mr Zoat

I have been reading through a few of the older updates and I wonder how Magnificus and Sunset are getting along after Grayven set them both up as being people that love intellectual challenges, and if in the Future incoming update when the Renegade goes to Wilson if Magnificus will be coming along as well, because Alicorn Grayven + Pegasus Magnificus (I guess the Danner formula would count for a lot, but not enough to be an Alicorn... Also since he isn't a practitioner of magic being an Unicorn wouldn't make sense... I guess he could be a simple earth pony, but that sounds fairly pedestrian to him) in Wilson would be a fairly funny and interesting chapter.