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

Idkusername · Apr 19, 2021

Handlewithcare said:
Last part reads a little jumbled.

Anyway, Paul seems a bit too overconfident again.

But then we know he doesn't think baseline anymore.

He is so averse to inefficiency he doesn't leave enough room for the unexpected.

You could say he's becoming too...

*shades*

...Orderly.

Mr Zoat · Apr 19, 2021

Idkusername said:
A bunch of open size tags.

If I correct it before you post then it doesn't count.

wards -> towards, unless some people are busy fiddling with magical protections.

Darko said:
'has been'
'when they'
'saying it'

Thank you, corrected.

Maxx Crowley · Apr 19, 2021

I mean god damn it OL.

Did you really just....We need a dope slap the MC button.

Idkusername · Apr 19, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
If I correct it before you post then it doesn't count.

They were still there after I reloaded the page after editing my comment. In fact, at least one still is.

Mr Zoat said:
"And put what on my head? I don't think so. Where's Uncle John?"[size]

Pinklestia · Apr 19, 2021

Handlewithcare said:
Last part reads a little jumbled.

Anyway, Paul seems a bit too overconfident again.

But then we know he doesn't think baseline anymore.

He is so averse to inefficiency he doesn't leave enough room for the unexpected.

Any engineer would slap him silly.

Not enough redundancies.

Fun Fact: The first mind trranfer tech to ever exist in DC transfered a male mad scientist mind into a woman's body.

Chojin Patriarch · Apr 19, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
22nd July 2012
19:32 GMT

Kara shakes her head. "I can't see anything out of the ordinary either. Not that I spend a lot of time staring at breakfast cereal factories."

I feel so cut off from my roots. I honestly have no idea if 'Weetiebrix' is an off-brand Weetabix, its parallel universe replacement, or something completely different. The factory looks like it's in reasonably good condition… I don't know anything about breakfast cereal production. Hasn't really come up until now. Is it strange that there's a site in London still in production? A quick ring search says 'slightly, but not significantly', and a check on the company's finances doesn't show any significant irregularities.

Not unusual. Especially if the city expanded around the factory. But an abandoned factory just smacks of 'trap'. I would be taking entry very carefully and very slowly.

Anything odd about this place? Any-.

Oh. That makes a painful amount of sense.

It's clearly something Constantine-related, isn't it?

This is where Richard Simpson died. They found the charred remains of his body in the building's control room one morning, John Constantine having got in and out without troubling either the security guards or the security cameras. No one had any idea how it happened. The coroner's report had an open verdict as no one could really believe that an electrical surge could do that much damage to him without leaving any other sign.

And since relocating to Hell, he's been into demonic technology.

Ah. Okay, earlyriser, you called it! Now, to see whether he's acting alone, working on something for Mammon or pulling a revenge play on John Constantine...

…

Guess I can tell Lord Fate he can take the rest of the day off. Now I've just got to arm-twist Mr. Simpson into telling me what he's playing at.

I would keep investigating. This may be a side-plot, Simpson taking advantage of the weird stuff to make his own play.

"Gemma, did John ever talk to you about Richard Simpson?"

She thinks for a moment. "Richie Simpson?" I nod. "I think he mentioned him. I don't remember what he said. Why?"

Probably a good thing she doesn't know details. But at least she'll be on her guard.

"I think that's who we're going to meet."

She frowns. "Isn't he dead?"

Death is such a trivial side-trip to some people's lives... In DC, people don't always die when they are killed, to borrow the meme...

"Sort of. He wasn't in his body when it died and then he downloaded his consciousness into a demon lord's avatar. I've met him and he seemed reasonably rational. No idea what he wants with you, though."

She strides forward towards the building. "Only one way to find out."

Don't be so eager, little missy. What if he wants to flay you alive? Or worse, use you as bait for your uncle?

"That's not exactly true."

She glances back at me like I'm an idiot. "That's what you say."

Gemma, the man has quite possibly the greatest tool in the universe on his finger, powered solely by his wanting something. There are always multiple ways to do something when that's involved.

"When it's true. Otherwise it doesn't make any sense."

She shakes her head and walks faster.

Argh. Teenagers.

"Kara, if he just wants to negotiate or something, I'll handle it. If this is some sort of ambush, grab Gemma and fall back."

"I thought you said you knew him?"

Yes, and that's why he's saying this. Simpson is not someone you want to trust with anything, unless you have him on a very short, very painful leash. And even then, be wary.

"Yes, but we're not friends or allies. And as far as I can tell, gaining power is what demons are most interested in. Depending on how assimilated he's become, violence is very much on the cards."

"Alright, I'll keep watch. Be careful."

At least 'surprise Kryptonian interrupt' is a good trump card.

"Thank you, but I'm in the wrong job for 'careful'."

I fly towards the building, picking Gemma up and unlocking-. The magnetic lock on the door is already inactive. I open the door and fly us both in. The room where Mr. Simpson died was been entirely rewired when the redid the factory's IT systems-. The cameras aren't recording us, the alarms aren't sounding and the internal card-reader operated doors aren't requiring a card.

Yes, that's not worrying at all. Someone has prepared their ground very well, and the snare has bait in it... Unfortunately, the only option seems to be setting off the trap and surviving.

Someone was definitely waiting for us.

I stop just outside the offices containing the control centre.

Because of course Simpson has set up in there...

"What does the clock say?"

She pulls it out of her back and shows me.

'C0∩∩E C105ER'

Laying it on thick, huh? This is going to suck.

"He sounds creepy."

"He's a demon technology fetishist. Unless you're secretly a gynoid, you should be safe."

Heh. Now I picture Succubuses wearing metal plates futilely trying to get his attention as he assembles a robotic love doll...

"Gywhat?"

"Synthetic device patterned in the likeness of a woman. A girl robot."

Which makes it a little annoying when you hear someone refer to one as an android, because it sounds fancy and sci-fi-y...

Usually because some writers tend not to deal with things outside their knowledge base well...

"Oh. Okay." She looks into the offices. "So I just go in there?"

"I'll hang back, and jump in the moment anything happens. You've got your ward, so I'll have plenty of time."

...You hope. Not that you want her to know that...

"You know… You don't have to jump right in. He's going to be happier talking to me, isn't he? I mean, he's not going to see me as a threat."

"While true, I don't intend to risk you when I'm fairly confident that I can compel him to talk."

Remind me, has he branded Simpson before? Surprised he doesn't just go for it from out here...

"Won't he just know you're here? He's got control of the cameras, right?"

I shrug. "Then he knows. But my warding tattoos make me invisible to magic, even if there's a camera involved."

Oh, don't tell her that... She'll want...

She takes this in.

"Can I get tattoos like that?"

...Some of her own. To be fair, she's a Constantine, and very much like her uncle.

"Certainly. Just as soon as you have your eighteenth birthday, or-."

"That's-!"

"OR." She looks at me with very low expectations. "Get your father's permission."

And there's more chance of Mammon calling up asking about the sudden snowfall Down Below before that happens...

She sullens, sighs teenagerly, then trudges towards the control room.

Hm. Alright. Mr. Simpson is -or rather was- an expert on electronic mysticism. But he's been in hell for a few years and IT is a fast moving area. I don't remember him having anything to do with Rosacarnis in the comics despite him possessing the father she hated. Here they're nominal allies, but how much access to up-to-date technology does he actually have? I mean, his demonic machinery looked modern enough…

To be honest, above a certain point, all technology tends to look the same, and not just in trends of form factor and user interface... Even under the hood, things tend towards a standard...

"Alright clock, I'm here. What is it?"

She propped the door open, good. I don't want to scan because those can be detected, but I can use empathic vision to keep an eye on the room she's in.

Just watch out for something big enough to cause backlash. Remember what happened to Dox? (Yes, I know, not Empathic vision, but still...)

"Plug you in? Why?"

She's saying in loud for my benefit. Good girl.

Well, she is a Constantine. Smarts and sneakiness go hand-in-hand in that line.

"Ah, okay? But how's that going to help… Fine."

You can't plug a clock radio into a computer. But you can plug it into a wall socket next to a plug from a computer, and use sympathetic resonance to link the two. So he wants access to the computer in the place where he died. I don't think that's enough for a summoning, not for a demon of his raw power. And he can't possess Gemma unless she does something silly and voluntarily vacates her body.

Even then, he'd have to go through the ward to get anywhere, whether by charm or by force. And she's too wary to allow anything.

"And put what on my head? I don't think so. Where's Uncle John?"

"Paul?" Kara sounds concerned. "There are people moving wards the factory outside."

Crap. He has backup? Or is someone else coming to this party? Could it be John, having picked up on the threat to his blood?

"That's fine. The more resources he commits, the better."

"Hey there, Gemma. I'm-."

Yes, turn up the sleaze. That's surely going to make her do what you want, Simpson.

"Richie Simpson. You died here. What do you want?"

"Oh. You, actually."

Heh, he actually sounds surprised. Not sure why, OL was bound to have warned her when he saw where they were.

Welp, evidently he wanted bait for John... Lets see if he's about to bite off more than he can chew. Because someone is about to crash this party. Now, to wonder who it might be? Mammon's people, presuming Simpson ducked out without leave? Enemies of John looking for a chance to grab leverage? A group working for John, as unlikely as that might sound?

Hopefully we get to find out tomorrow!

Darko · Apr 19, 2021

Chojin Patriarch said:
Death is such a trivial side-trip to some people's lives

But she's such a pleasant person to meet.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Remind me, has he branded Simpson before?

Nope, I think the only demon he branded was Mammon.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Surprised he doesn't just go for it from out here...

Simpson probably has some defences set up and Paul may be worried he'll escape.

Sockmonkey · Apr 19, 2021

Maxx Crowley said:
I mean god damn it OL.

Did you really just....We need a dope slap the MC button.

Yeah, really starting to miss Common Sense OL.
He should have called in Zuariel the second he saw the connection to Simpson.

King of Frost · Apr 19, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
"And put what on my head? I don't think so. Where's Uncle John?"[size]

There were apparently a bunch of these that got fixed but there's still one.

NightmareWarden · Apr 19, 2021

Remember when demon-Paul was trapped by a mere circle of salt laid by mister blood? Is it really so ridiculous the the niece of Constantine would make a protective salt circle around herself before obeying a clock-possessing magical creature? Regardless of if it was a demon?

This might go poorly.

Vaermina · Apr 19, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
"Richie Simpson. You died here. What do you want?"

"Oh. You, actually."

So it's just your average Demon plot... How utterly disappointing...

Mr Zoat · Apr 19, 2021

Idkusername said:
They were still there after I reloaded the page after editing my commenting. In fact, at least one still is.

I'm totally blaming the website for that.

Vaermina · Apr 19, 2021

Handlewithcare said:
Anyway, Paul seems a bit too overconfident again.

It's not overconfident if you never lose or even suffer more then a minor inconvenience.

It's pattern recognition.

Pez · Apr 19, 2021

Vaermina said:
It's not overconfident if you never lose or even suffer more then a minor inconvenience.

It's pattern recognition.

Paul died. Then came back with a zenkai boost. Plus, on Earth he has allies he can quickly call upon if needed.

Mr Zoat · Apr 19, 2021

Sorry, someone asked about Invincible a few days ago. I don't know all that much about either the comic series or the animated series. The fights I've seen in YouTube clips appear to be equipment-light low skill affairs, with characters whaling on each other until someone breaks. Heck, with how much they appear to have weakened Omni-Man from the comics, he's probably dropped to non-threat level to a skilled Lantern.

Your question gave me a half-baked idea for an omake where the SI is Rex Splode's foster father, but I doubt that I'll ever actually write it.

Vaermina · Apr 20, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
Sorry, someone asked about Invincible a few days ago. I don't know all that much about either the comic series or the animated series. The fights I've seen in YouTube clips appear to be equipment-light low skill affairs, with characters whaling on each other until someone breaks. Heck, with how much they appear to have weakened Omni-Man from the comics, he's probably dropped to non-threat level to a skilled Lantern.

Your question gave me a half-baked idea for an omake where the SI is Rex Splode's foster father, but I doubt that I'll ever actually write it.

Showing Zoat hasn't actually watched Invincible or even the clips.

It's actually the opposite of that, comics Omniman lost his powers during this time and even getting them back needed Rebel help to conquer the planet, while Cartoon Omniman didn't loose his powers and soloed it in seconds.

Maxx Crowley · Apr 20, 2021

Sockmonkey said:
He should have called in Zuariel the second he saw the connection to Simpson.

Well not even that. But this is John's niece....OL should clearly know that she'd be bait.

I'm not even saying she's actually in danger, in the sense that he will be unable to help fast enough.

If I didn't know better, I'd say he was deliberately trying to get her into a dangerous situation to draw John out.

Mr Zoat · Apr 20, 2021

22nd July 2012
19:36 GMT

"Yeah. Sorry about this. Nothing personal, but I'm in the middle of something important and I don't want John getting involved. So I'm going to stick you somewhere out of the way and feed him clues about where you are until I'm finished."

The ring shows me… I'm not sure that they're cultists, but the colour-associations seem to-. Yes. Looks like Richard answered an arcane plea for help during the Sheeda invasion and they're happy to pay him back by working for him rather than something more extreme. When you owe a debt to a demon, you're lucky if they don't just drag you into Hell because they got bored.

"But I don't know where Uncle John is. He disappeared."

"Then look at this as a holiday."

"Okay, I'm leaving. Weirdo."

"Don't you want to know where he is?"

"You just told me that you don't know."

"That's true. I don't. But if I tell enough people that I've taken you, he'll hear about it. And then he'll come to get you, and we'll both know where he is."

"Or he won't, because he's not listening."

"Okay. What do you want?"

"What do you mean, 'what do I want'?"

"I don't want to make this any harder than it needs to be. And I don't want to hurt you. Or… I mean, I wouldn't exactly be broken up about it, but I'm not aiming to hurt John. I just want him distracted. Once I'm finished, you'll both be free to go. So what do you want, that'll make you go along with it?"

…

"What have you got?"

Because she wouldn't be a Constantine if that sort of offer wasn't near-irresistible.

"I'm Overlord of The Odium. A whole circle of Hell does what I tell it to. Magic? Knowledge? Technology? Whatever I've got, in exchange for you disappearing for a week or two."

"You're a demon."

"I'm... Currently a demon, yes. But I used to be a man. And demons might be nastier, but they're also a lot more honest."

"Honest. Really."

"I know, it doesn't sound very likely. But demons are actually pretty rule-abiding. If we make a pact, I'll have to stick to it."

"Or what?"

"I just have to. It's built in. Hasn't John told you about this?"

"… No."

"Really? This is basic stuff. Why did you think demons bother with pacts in the first place?"

"Same reason why cats play with birds they've caught. What are you trying to do, anyway?"

"I don't-. … If you agree to be bound so you can't tell John, I'll tell you."

"If you're such a powerful demon, how come you're so worried about Uncle John?"

"Because he's a Lord of Order and a Lord of Chaos! I'd love to try and work out how he did it, but if there's anything I've learned in Hell it's that there are things and people you don't mess around with if you can avoid it. And he's both."

"Both? How's that work?"

"I'm happy to explain it to you. If-."

"If I agree to help you."

"It's not as if you'll be doing anything. Just keeping out of the way for a few days."

"And you won't hurt Uncle John?"

"I don't really think I could. But sure. I won't try to hurt him."

"Or tell other people to?"

"You're a sharp one, aren't you? Not that I'd have tried anything serious, but if John's really angry I'd still like to be able to, you know, throw a minion or two at him to keep him away from me. And it's not really fair to them if I tell them they can't hurt him."

"Is Uncle John really that-?"

The door behind me opens as the first cultist strolls in.

"…handle a-."

He sees me, his eyes widen, then his body locks up as a filament usurps control of his peripheral nervous system. And march him out of the way. I'm assuming that Richard is monitoring them by magic, but my tattoos should still prevent him from seeing me. If Gemma has his full attention then he shouldn't immediately notice that his minions are distracted.

"Gary? What-?"

A filament each for each of the other three, who will soon be facing Attempted Kidnapping charges with their ropes and chloroform as evidence. In case Richard is monitoring them I slowly puppet-walk them towards the control room. The rest of the cultists appear to be spreading out throughout the building, covering doors and other likely escape routes.

"I… Suppose that… Sounds fair."

"Great! Pick your finger and bleed a little on the screen, and we'll have a pact."

"If it's just my blood, how is that supposed to bind you?"

"Because I'm using my magic. My consciousness is magic-based. Demons only have blood when they're supporting their material avatars with sympathetic magic."

"I don't believe you."

"Okay. This is..." I hear him sigh. "What guarantee do you want?"

"I want you here in person."

"That doesn't-. I don't work like that. I've got a distributed consciousness. If-."

"I don't believe you."

"And this is it? If I come to you and we bind our agreement with our blood, you'll accept it?"

"Yeah?"

"Okay. Cabinet on the right. Get a few multi-sockets out, plug them into each other to create a circle and then put in on the floor."

"Okay?"

"Then put the clock radio down in the middle and take a few steps back."

"Okay."

"And then give me a minute because this is a right mind-bender."

BlueMangoAdea · Apr 20, 2021

Lmao. Yeah, John must be really scary for demons right now.

Idkusername · Apr 20, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
"I know, it doesn't sound very likely. But demons are actually pretty rule-abiding. If we make a pact, I'll have to stick to it."

Okay, I had to like just for that.

Mr Zoat said:
Because he's a Lord of Order and a Lord of Chaos! I'd love to try and work out how he did it, but if there's anything I've learned in Hell it's that there are things and people you don't mess around with if you can avoid it. And he's both.""[/size]

He..he he.. hahaha!! The size tag strikes again!

...What? What'd you think I meant?

Cuchulin · Apr 20, 2021

Umm dude? If you want to know how John became both a Lord of Order and a Lord of Chaos you might want to talk to Orange Light using guy who helped make it happen.

Handlewithcare · Apr 20, 2021

I want to say Richie seems kinda decent, but that's solely because he knows what happens if he hurts Gemma.

And he's going to be so pissed when he realises he could have gotten away with it if not for being overcautios.

Darko · Apr 20, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
Then look at this as a holiday."

She should get a refund from her travel agent.

Or Paul.

Mr Zoat said:
That's true. I don't. But if I tell enough people that I've taken you, he'll hear about it. And then he'll come to get you, and we'll both know where he is."

And you'll have a Lord of Chaos gunning after you.

Smart move, demon shit.

Mr Zoat said:
don't want to hurt

'I dont'

Mr Zoat said:
Because she wouldn't be a Constantine if that sort of offer wasn't near-irresistible.

The Constantine family.

Predisposed to stupid things.

Mr Zoat said:
think demons both with pacts in the first place?"

'bother with'

Mr Zoat said:
know, it doesn't sound very likely. But demons are actually pretty rule-abiding. If we make a pact, I'll have to stick to it."

Lawyers.

Even demons fear them.

Mr Zoat said:
Because he's a Lord of Order and a Lord of Chaos! I'd

So he's both?

I just though he was a Chaos one.

Mr Zoat said:
And he's both.""[/size]

Remove '[/size]'

Mr Zoat said:
You're a sharp one, aren't you? Not

She's a Constantine.

They're equal parts idiot and genius.

Mr Zoat said:
Demon only have

'Demons only'

Mr Zoat said:
Because I'm using my magic. My consciousness is magic-based. Demon only have blood when they're supporting their material avatars with sympathetic magic."

"I don't believe you."

Oddly enough I think he's telling the truth.

About the magic consciousness thing, the binding with her blood may be false.

Darko · Apr 20, 2021

Cuchulin said:
Umm dude? If you want to know how John became both a Lord of Order and a Lord of Chaos you might want to talk to Orange Light using guy who helped make it happen.

He probably doesn't know who helped John, so he would have no idea about Paul.

Mr Zoat · Apr 20, 2021

Idkusername said:
He..he he.. hahaha!! The size tag strikes again!

...What? What'd you think I meant?

Thank you, corrected.

PDV · Apr 20, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
and people you don't mess around with if you can avoid it. And he's both.""[/size]

Mr Zoat said:
Thank you, corrected.

Nope.

Mr Zoat · Apr 20, 2021

Darko said:
She should get a refund from her travel agent.

Or Paul.

Are you joking? A chance to learn about magic without her parents trying to stop her? If the SI wasn't there she might well just say 'yes'.

'I dont'
'bother with'
'Demons only'

Thank you, corrected.

PDV said:
Nope.

I hadn't clicked save yet because I was doing the other corrections.

Darko · Apr 20, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
Are you joking? A chance to learn about magic without her parents trying to stop her? If the SI wasn't there she might well just say 'yes'.

She really is a Constantine.

Messing with magic shit she really shouldn't be messing with and getting said shit from someone she really shouldn't be involved with.

John would either be proud or hate himself for getting her interested in magic and potentially dragging her through the same shit he was dragged through.

Sceptic · Apr 20, 2021

Idkusername said:
He..he he.. hahaha!! The size tag strikes again!

It's not the size, but how you use it. And evidence suggests that Zoat uses it erratically.

Irked · Apr 20, 2021

Darko said:
So he's both?

I just though he was a Chaos one.

The ritual that turned him into a Lord of Chaos was also the ritual that yoinked Nabu's mantle (and freed Zatara), so he gained that as well as they had nowhere else to put it.

He went from being a low-mid level magician who had a bunch of tricks to help him punch far above his weight class to being a Metamagical WMD that would have 99% of the people/monsters/villains/demons he used to deal with shitting bricks from his presence alone.

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

Versed in the lewd.

Dedicated ragequitter

I trust you know where the happy button is?

Versed in the lewd.

Well worn.

Veteran Lurker

Connoisseur.

I trust you know where the happy button is?

Wishing I was somewhere colder no doubt.

Versed in the lewd.

Well worn.

Dedicated ragequitter

Well worn.

Spaceman

Dedicated ragequitter

Well worn.

I trust you know where the happy button is?

Dedicated ragequitter

Alive. For now.

Versed in the lewd.

Versed in the lewd.

Versed in the lewd.

Connoisseur.

Connoisseur.

Dedicated ragequitter

Revelation That Uncertainty Is Itself An Answer

Dedicated ragequitter

Connoisseur.

Critical Irrationalist

Experienced.

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