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

It's possible the Roman gods in this fic are like their comic counterpart, and were split from the Greek pantheon by Darkseid because he feared their power.
Speaking of, Mr Zoat, I noticed that Paul told Haephestus about how Vulcan used to be a volcano god. I don't know if you're aware, but ηφαίστειο (from which the name Ήφαιστος/Hephaestus derives) also means volcano in Greek. So it's probably a pre split thing and not a Vulcan-specific quirk.
 
...

I've been writing this story for seven and a half years.

I was just thinking 'how long has it been? Three or four?'. Nope. Seven and a half.

Huh.
I discovered this story sometime in 2014 or so when the archive was a dozen pages. It has been a pretty consistent part of my daily routine ever since. I was in high school and now I'm post college age.

What a ride it has been! Ups and downs included.
 
...

I've been writing this story for seven and a half years.

I was just thinking 'how long has it been? Three or four?'. Nope. Seven and a half.

Huh.
I read it about six(ish) years ago(Zatanna and Star Saphire arc hadn't finished yet), but that was when I didn't bookmark things and after binging I forgot the name. Came back this spring and found a bunch more story. It's weird because I used to skip Grayven chapters but now it's my favorite portions. I think it's because I'm at the engaged and looking into fostering stage, so Grayven really hits a chord with me now.
 
...

I've been writing this story for seven and a half years.

I was just thinking 'how long has it been? Three or four?'. Nope. Seven and a half.

Huh.
and i hope you keep writing.


unrelated question, but its been bothering me,
can anybody on surface world learn atlantean magic if they were given permission by the atlanis gov or do they have to be homo magi? is the answer the same in dc comics canon? can anybody pick up magic? what about in the yj series?
 
and i hope you keep writing.


unrelated question, but its been bothering me,
can anybody on surface world learn atlantean magic if they were given permission by the atlanis gov or do they have to be homo magi? is the answer the same in dc comics canon? can anybody pick up magic? what about in the yj series?

According to word of Greg for YJ, genetic talent is a factor in learning magic, but no one is prohibited from learning it, it's just a matter of some people being naturally better at it.

In the comics, it's similar, but rather than talent per se it's about energy. Magic requires energy. The genetically blessed like homo magi, changelings, demigods, nephilim, cambions, etc, etc, etc, they've got mopeds instead of bicycles.

So anyone can learn magic in the comics but it's far less convenient. I remember one sorceress giving Zatanna a little speech about it. Something like "You're one of the magi, aren't you? You have no idea of the deals I've had to make. The sacrifices made. No selling your soul for you, you just wiggle your fingers and go bippity boppity boo and magic comes to your call like an eager puppy!"

Zoat has simplified things and focused on it being a skill, talent or some people having a natural energy reserve is downplayed in importance.

Energy reserves are still a thing though, as evidenced by Circe getting a magic bump from Hecate possession and then replacing that with New God status or the Lords enjoying the benefit of a personal all you can eat buffet from the realms of Order or Chaos.
 
and i hope you keep writing.
I think I've forgotten how not to.
unrelated question, but its been bothering me,
can anybody on surface world learn atlantean magic if they were given permission by the atlanis gov or do they have to be homo magi? is the answer the same in dc comics canon? can anybody pick up magic? what about in the yj series?
Anyone on the surface can -in theory- learn any style of magic they want. It would take a great deal of application, but they could do it. The modern Atlantean tradition grew out of a pre-existing tradition, and a small number of Atlantean books have made their way to the surface over the centuries. There isn't any general prohibition against Atlantean magic users teaching surface dwellers, but since they wouldn't have the background knowledge or constant exposure it wouldn't be easy for them to learn.
According to word of Greg for YJ, genetic talent is a factor in learning magic, but no one is prohibited from learning it, it's just a matter of some people being naturally better at it.

In the comics, it's similar, but rather than talent per se it's about energy. Magic requires energy. The genetically blessed like homo magi, changelings, demigods, nephilim, cambions, etc, etc, etc, they've got mopeds instead of bicycles.

So anyone can learn magic in the comics but it's far less convenient. I remember one sorceress giving Zatanna a little speech about it. Something like "You're one of the magi, aren't you? You have no idea of the deals I've had to make. The sacrifices made. No selling your soul for you, you just wiggle your fingers and go bippity boppity boo and magic comes to your call like an eager puppy!"

Zoat has simplified things and focused on it being a skill, talent or some people having a natural energy reserve is downplayed in importance.

Energy reserves are still a thing though, as evidenced by Circe getting a magic bump from Hecate possession and then replacing that with New God status or the Lords enjoying the benefit of a personal all you can eat buffet from the realms of Order or Chaos.
This as well.
 
...

I've been writing this story for seven and a half years.

I was just thinking 'how long has it been? Three or four?'. Nope. Seven and a half.

Huh.

Is it still on the same track you originally set for it? It seems like a lot could change about you and the way you write in that amount of time.
 
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Is it still on the same track you originally set for it? It seems like a lot could about you and the way you write in that amount of time.

I believe he mentioned Zatanna was originally going to be a love interest. Then he realized how creepy that sounded and stopped.
 
Negetiations (part 1)
Negetiations

2nd August 2012
09:00 GMT


"No, no, I like it."

I look up at the anatomy arena, as physicians, magicians, medically and theologically orientated Lanterns and a surprising number of Controllers look back.

"Very nineteenth century. And since that was when my country was at the peak of its relative power, I'm taking that as a good sign."

Hinon shakes her head.

"Please limit yourself to pertinent comments. Stand there."

Rather than nod or point, she merely looks at a point just a little back from the centre of the examination space. I shrug and stride over to my appointed place before turning back to her. I widen my stance and spread my arms a little.

"Like this?"

"Acceptable." She glances up at the audience for a moment before holding out her right hand and calling a small tool to her.

"Not a bad showing. How do you feel about the turnout?"

"If I recall correctly, don't your species wrap screens about crashed ground vehicles, in order to prevent others jamming your highways by ghoulishly staring at them?"

"No. Sometimes we just let people watch. We learn best from worked examples, and it's hard to get a better example than an actual wreck with actual mangled bodies in it."

"I'm sure that you're every bit as fascinating as a mangled piece of wreckage."

"High praise. But really. I know that you're ancient, but I'm reasonably well informed on Guardian history and I don't think you've had this sort of following amongst the younger races ever. The Controllers separated before they started up the Halla. Isn't this a novel experience for you?"

"I have personally created more species than are represented here. And many of them I created intentionally."

"Nothing?"

"As much as anything else."

"You want to swap places after this, see if I can fix that? It can't be a pleasant way to live."

"The day I trust an infant like you to 'fix' my psyche is the day I let you. It will not be swift in coming."

I smile. "Are you doing this? I didn't think you were a magician."

"Do you just not pay attention when I say how old I am? I don't habitually use magic because taking advantage of the etheric ripples created by beings younger and weaker than me is wasteful."

"So-?"

The three Lanterns who will be serving as her assistants enter. Lantern Natu I recognise at once. I raise my right hand in greeting, but she remains almost aggressively impassive. I've rather been avoiding her since she caved to common sense and picked up the ring I left with her, but I suppose the chance to study me was more than she could pass up.

The other two I don't immediately recognise, though I do recognise Lantern… Nax's? Species. Vagabond Dominator knock-offs, the Naidroth Collective are a minor but persistent nuisance across this galaxy, unnecessarily vivisecting people for data they could just as easily get by asking for a data file at a local hospital. I've firmly categorised them as 'Stupid Evil', though by Dungeons and Dragons definitions I suppose that they'd be 'Unwise Evil'. And the other fellow is…

Lantern Hieronymous the Under-Achiever. That's… That's actually the name on his file.

"I did recruit a number of wizards whose surnames aren't 'under-achiever'."

"No need to worry about that, Lord Illustres!" He's smiling too much for someone that far gone into the orange light. "My problem was always one of motivation!" I can see the sigils in his eyes. I'm… Genuinely surprised that he's functional. "And with the orange light driving me on, there's no stopping me!"

Oh. It… Looks like actually being able to do something useful is such a novel experience for him that even in what should be full megalomaniacal mode he's actually fairly placid.

"Okay, so where do you want to start?"

Lantern Natu nods. "Please remove your ring and your clothes."

"As you wish."

My robes vanish into subspace, followed by my underwear. My ring I float over to Controller Hinon. She looks at it for a moment, then sends it over to her equipment rack with a wave of her left hand.

"Okay, so what's ne-?"

My point of view jumps forward, and a humanoid-. That's the back of my head. There's also a non-trivial amount of pain, but that's far more manageable. Empathic vision is still working…

"This is strange."

Lantern Nax blinks at me.

"Are you not in pain?"

"A bit. What's happening?"

"I have physically separated your different body tissues so that we may more easily study them."

"Um. How?"

"My parents called it psychic vivisection. I'm not exactly sure how it works. I have never done it to anyone who didn't immediately start screaming in agony."

"It hurts, but I wouldn't say that it's scream-worthy. Then again, I suspect that I'm not an entirely physical intelligence any more."

I try moving, but my perspective doesn't change. I can however see my arm moving in front of me. So I assume that I'm floating off the ground, and… My tissues have been separated?

"We shall study how that works in detail. Lantern Natu?"

"The subject is an adult humanoid male of the human species, thirty one years of age. Currently occupying his third body after the first was destroyed by magic-using Source-worshippers-"

"And sword-using."

"-and the second was destroyed in a qwa-matter explosion."

I look up-. And wave up at Lantern Gozzi.

"The subject has used his ring to turn each body into a facsimile of his original, which he considered to be 'ideal'. Here, we will compare the structures of his body to his original and study the effect of intense orange light exposure on neurological structures. Please hold any questions until the end."

Oh joy.
 
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"I'm sure that you're every bit as fascinating as a mangled piece of wreckage."

And that's actually a genuine compliment.

"I have personally created more species than are represented here. And many of them I created intentionally

Judging by the Psions, that's not something to brag about.


Yep, she joined.

she remains almost aggressively impassive

Probably still pussed you were deceiving and tricking her that entire time.

How is Natu's relationship with her homeworld now?

Did she have to leave like in the comics?

the chance to study me was more than she could pass up.

And probably how to best cause you pain should you piss her off in the future.

Lantern Hieronymous the Under-Achiever. That's… That's actually the name on his file.

"I did recruit a number of wizards who's surnames aren't 'under-achiever'."

"No need to worry about that, Lord Illustres!" He's smiling too much for someone that far gone into the orange light. "My problem was always one of motivation!" I can see the sigils in his eyes. I'm… Genuinely surprised that he's functional. "And with the orange light driving me on, there's no stopping me!"

Is this guy from Zerox?

Um. How?"

"My parents called it psychic vivisection. I'm not exactly sure how it worked. I have never done it to anyone who didn't immediately start screaming in agony."

"It hurts, but I wouldn't say that it's scream-worthy. Then again, I suspect that I'm not an entirely physical intelligence any more."

Ah Paul, truly even when you're being dismembered, you're still so nonchalant about it you crazy basrard.

exactly sure how it worked.

'works'

I am sad there weren't more Common Sense chapters.
 
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How is Natu's relationship with her homeworld now?

Did she have to leave like in the comics?
The SI doesn't know.
Is this guy from Zerox?
I don't know. The planet isn't named in the comics he appears in, but the people who go there might well not have heard of Zerox.
Thank you, corrected.
I am sad there weren't more Common Sense chapters.
There will be more. Just not right now.
 
EDIT: And, please, can someone remind me of OLs history with Lantern Natu?
he was slow boating in recruiting her since he doesn't want to spook her off because her home world is Sinestro home and they don't like Lantern because of said former inhabitant

and then he stop that eyeball cult and is force to recruit her fast since he need her expertise but she punch him

from the look of this chapter, after she cool off, she pick up the ring and join because she was just that compassionate i guess
 
EDIT: And, please, can someone remind me of OLs history with Lantern Natu?

He once talked to her and told her he was trying to recruit people for jobs, while not telling her he was a Lantern.

He talked to her multiple times during his time in Vega and in space, even telling her about his killing of the Citadelians.

Shortly before Dox told him to return to Earth, Paul tried to recruit her but she was shocked and afraid, but also pissed.

She ended up punching him in the face.

He apparently left the ring there and after a while she started using it, seeing how she could help and heal people with it.
 
Negetiations

2nd August 2012
09:00 GMT


"No, no, I like it."

I look up at the anatomy arena, as physicians, magicians, medically and theologically orientated Lanterns and a surprising number of Controllers look back.
Yes, getting a very traditional vibe here. Presumably so all observing can get an elevated, eyes-on view of proceedings. After all, video transmission can have issues of resolution, which may obscure interesting details.

"Very nineteenth century. And since that was when my country was at the peak of its relative power, I'm taking that as a good sign."

Hinon shakes her head.

"Please limit yourself to pertinent comments. Stand there."
Aw, and deprive the viewers of his sterling commentary? Guess us readers will have to take up the slack.

Rather than nod or point, she merely looks at a point just a little back from the centre of the examination space. I shrug and stride over to my appointed place before turning back to her. I widen my stance and spread my arms a little.

"Like this?"
Assuming the Vitruvian Man position would probably be best. Or at least the T-Pose. But I suppose even with a power ring, your arms would get tired...

"Acceptable." She glances up at the audience for a moment before holding out her right hand and calling a small tool to her.

"Not a bad showing. How do you feel about the turnout?"
I suppose there's quite a few interested parties. Whether they're here to study the after-effects of Qwa-matter exposure, massive Orange Light exposure, or even just wondering what the mind and soul of an Avarice Enlightened individual look like.

"If I recall correctly, don't your species wrap screens about crashed ground vehicles, in order to prevent others jamming your highways by ghoulishly staring at them?"

"No. Sometimes we just let people watch. We learn best from worked examples, and it's hard to get a better example than an actual wreck with actual mangled bodies in it."
Also, sometimes conditions don't allow for screens to be erected. Bad weather, limited space, or lack of equipment, for example...

"I'm sure that you're every bit as fascinating as a mangled piece of wreckage."

"High praise. But really. I know that you're ancient, but I'm reasonably well informed on Guardian history and I don't think you've had this sort of following amongst the younger races ever. The Controllers separated before they started up the Halla. Isn't this a novel experience for you?"
Huh. I never knew the Guardians went for an organisation between the Manhunters and the Lanterns. Though honestly, giving an army of living troops surplus Manhunter gear isn't that much of a stretch.

"I have personally created more species than are represented here. And many of them I created intentionally."

"Nothing?"
I find myself wondering about the ones they created unintentionally... And how many found themselves abandoned, knowingly or not, in the process...

"As much as anything else."

"You want to swap places after this, see if I can fix that? It can't be a pleasant way to live."
Generally, the frog being dissected doesn't get a turn to do the dissecting, OL.

"The day I trust an infant like you to 'fix' my psyche is the day I let you. It will not be swift in coming."

I smile. "Are you doing this? I didn't think you were a magician."
Son, she's probably forgotten more magical traditions than the galaxy has spawned. Remember: Billions of years old.

"Do you just not pay attention when I say how old I am? I don't habitually use magic because taking advantage of the etheric ripples created by beings younger and weaker than me is wasteful."

"So-?"
It'd be like playing around with ants. Though I'm surprised she hasn't considered studying the interactions of Orange Light and arcane energies...

The three Lanterns who will be serving as her assistants enter. Lantern Natu I recognise at once. I raise my right hand in greeting, but she remains almost aggressively impassive. I've rather been avoiding her since she caved to common sense and picked up the ring I left with her, but I suppose the chance to study me was more than she could pass up.
Just couldn't resist, could she? Still, that's going to raise an interesting point of discussion for Sinestro if or when they eventually meet. I suspect he would rather his secret daughter be working a long, long way away from any lanterns...

The other two I don't immediately recognise, though I do recognise Lantern… Nax's? Species. Vagabond Dominator knock-offs, the Naidroth Collective are a minor but persistent nuisance across this galaxy, unnecessarily vivisecting people for data they could just as easily get by asking for a data file at a local hospital. I've firmly categorised them as 'Stupid Evil', though by Dungeons and Dragons definitions I suppose that they'd be 'Unwise Evil'. And the other fellow is…
Huh. A rare example of something post-Flashpoint being made use of. Still, I suppose she is an interesting character. I do hope her species' less pleasant traits, like the aforementioned vivisectionist urges, aren't biological imperatives...

Lantern Hieronymous the Under-Achiever. That's… That's actually the name on his file.

"I did recruit a number of wizards who's surnames aren't 'under-achiever'."
Huh. Even the wiki has little info on this guy. It'll be interesting to see what Mr Zoat does with him.

"No need to worry about that, Lord Illustres!" He's smiling too much for someone that far gone into the orange light. "My problem was always one of motivation!" I can see the sigils in his eyes. I'm… Genuinely surprised that he's functional. "And with the orange light driving me on, there's no stopping me!"

Oh. It… Looks like actually being able to do something useful is such a novel experience for him that even in what should be full megalomaniacal mode he's actually fairly placid.
...What was he like before? A perfect candidate for the Grey Lanterns?

"Okay, so where do you want to start?"

Lantern Natu nods. "Please remove your ring and your clothes."
Well, straight down to business, eh? Nothing she hasn't seen before, though. As long as you don't end up having to turn your head and cough...

"As you wish."

My robes vanish into subspace, followed by my underwear. My ring I float over to Controlled Hinon. She looks at it for a moment, then sends it over to her equipment rack with a wave of her left hand.
Probably making a sneaky ping of its recent logs to check he hasn't been poking any destructive cosmic energies before his exam...

"Okay, so what's ne-?"

My point of view jumps forward, and a humanoid-. That's the back of my head. There's also a non-trivial amount of pain, but that's far more manageable. Empathic vision is still working…
Huh, he unlocked Third-person Mode? Wonder if it's locked in place or if he has camera control...

"This is strange."

Lantern Nax blinks at me.

"Are you not in pain?"
Pain and OL are old friends. OL mostly has it on Ignore, though, because pain gets a bit too needy.

"A bit. What's happening?"

"I have physically separated your different body tissues so that we may more easily study them."
...Is that a common ability for your species, or did you learn this after getting a ring?

"Um. How?"

"My parents called it psychic vivisection. I'm not exactly sure how it worked. I have never done it to anyone who didn't immediately start screaming in agony."
..Fascinating </spock>. What sort of evolutionary advantage could an ability like that provide, I wonder? Easy butchering of prey, to remove the inedible parts?

"It hurts, but I wouldn't say that it's scream-worthy. Then again, I suspect that I'm not an entirely physical intelligence any more."

I try moving, but my perspective doesn't change. I can however see my arm moving in front of me. So I assume that I'm floating off the ground, and… My tissues have been separated?
I mean, OL does have a much higher scale for pain than most people do. What with having experienced things like having his everything disintegrated...

"We shall study how that works in detail. Lantern Natu?"

"The subject is an adult humanoid male of the human species, thirty one years of age. Currently occupying his third body after the first was destroyed by magic-using Source-worshippers-"
Which smacks of carelessness, when you think about it. Admittedly, few species could survive the destruction of one physical body, much less two. And those species generally put less importance on said body...

Don't forget the theurgically active fire!

"-and the second was destroyed in a qwa-matter explosion."

I look up-. And wave up at Lantern Gozzi.
Bet that was an interesting display of the Psychic Vicisection's effectiveness. Seeing however many layers of OL moving in sync...

"The subject has used his ring to turn each body into a facsimile of his original, which he considered to be 'ideal'. Here, we will compare the structures of his body to his original and studying the effect of intense orange light exposure on neurological structures. Please hold any questions until the end."

Oh joy.
I have the feeling we'll be here for a while. And OL has to sit through all of it too. We at least get to have timeskips and cutaways. :p

Well, that's an interesting way to start an episode off. This promises to be very informative for all involved... If a little squicky at times. It'll be interesting to see if OL can actually feel sensations from the separated layers. As for the title: A portmanteau of Negation and Negotiation? o_O I wonder what that'll end up referring to...
 
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Aw, and deprive the viewers of his sterling commentary?

Look on the bright side.

No annoying comments made by Paul.

Guess us readers will have to take up the slack.

Challenge accepted.

I find myself wondering about the ones they created unintentionally... And how many found themselves abandoned, knowingly or not, in the process

The Psions are one.

In the comics they cut off they're tails to emulate the Maltusians and when they found them and were rejected they underwent some kind of mass hysteria and amnesia.

Though I'm surprised she hasn't considered studying the interactions of Orange Light and arcane energies...

She probably has.

Just couldn't resist, could she? Still, that's going to raise an interesting point of discussion for Sinestro if or when they eventually meet. I suspect he would rather his secret daughter be working a long, long way away from any lanterns...

And especially away from men he hasn't had the chance to intimidate.

Even though his daughter probably couldn't give a crap about his opinions and has good reasons for disliking him.

Huh. A rare example of something post-Flashpoint being made use of.

He has used them before.

The eye gouging planet, Ratchet and the tentacle amputation, a n52 Flash villain, were all post Flashpoint and he used them, albeit sparingly.

Huh. Even the wiki has little info on this guy. It'll be interesting to see what Mr Zoat does with him.

He apparently fought Booster Gold.

Pain and OL are old friends. OL mostly has it on Ignore, though, because pain gets a bit too needy.

Like you should have Murphy on ignore Chojin.

...Is that a common ability for your species, or did you learn this after getting a ring

It was before the ring.

..Fascinating </spock>. What sort of evolutionary advantage could an ability like that provide, I wonder? Easy butchering of prey, to remove the inedible parts

Seeing as Hinon mentioned creating species, I can't help but feel that Nax's species was made to be some kind of lab assistant.

I mean, OL does have a much higher scale for pain than most people do. What with having experienced things like having his everything disintegrated

The others may have screamed due to shock at being vivisected and seeing their insides instead of purely pain.

And we know Paul's ability to be shocked has been reduced.

Don't forget the theurgically active fire!

Natu mentioned magic.

We at least get to have timeskips and cutaways. :p

But there weren't enough Common Sense chapters.

There will never be enough such chapters.
 

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