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

KaiKolo · Jun 4, 2022

So much for trying not to mess with the minds of every American by changing things in the nation's Negative Headspace.

I'm not arguing with the intentions or the results, there's a lot of ugly baggage that's negatively affecting everyone that we all tolerate, but even Paul have to admit that he is very hands-on and interventionist at times.

BlueMangoAdea · Jun 4, 2022

Mr Zoat said:
He takes my hand and I feel a tremendous sense of reassurance and warmth at his presence. It's like meeting my father again after being at university for a term.

I don't think I like it.

Mr Zoat said:
Huh.

Okay. Didn't feel too bad that time.

Huh. Right. Enlightenment means that Paul is perfectly aware that the hope was artificially induced.

In the first case, it was something he would not have felt without the hope aura.

In the second case, Paul (to an extent) shares the same hope even without the aura, so it wouldn't be as disconcerting.

Vaermina · Jun 4, 2022

People forget that the Blue Light of Hope is the Orange Lights opposing color.

Ngamer11 · Jun 4, 2022

Vaermina said:
People forget that the Blue Light of Hope is the Orange Lights opposing color.

Blue is the opposite of Yellow. The opposite of Orange on the Emotional Electromagnetic Spectrum is Indigo.

BlueMangoAdea · Jun 4, 2022

Ngamer11 said:
Blue is the opposite of Yellow. The opposite of Orange on the Emotional Electromagnetic Spectrum is Indigo.

Yup. Avarice and Compassion. Works very well as opposites.

BlackCoat13 · Jun 4, 2022

It's weird to say, but I think Vaermina might be onto something there. Paul's soul is literally made from the Orange Light, after all, and this is as Blue as it gets without there being more Blue Lanterns or being next to the Hope Embodiment.

Chojin Patriarch · Jun 4, 2022

Mr Zoat said:
7th November 2012
Roughly 10:51 GMT -5

I cautiously look at the two men sitting at the side of the idea of a road. One is floating just off the ground in the cross legged position, his eyes closed. The other keeps reaching up to his head as if to check that it's still there, then jerking his hands down.

"Green Lantern.

"Yes, Mister President?"

Oh, hell yes. Though he seems a little out of date. That's to be expected, given that the last thing he probably remembers is a nice publicity tour in Dallas, and sitting alongside his wife on a driving parade...

"This administration-." The younger man twitches slightly. I feel that I have just incurred some great debt to you, but I don't seem quite able to recall what for."

Alan floats upright, though his feet don't quite touch the ground.

A great debt... Yes, you could call it that.

"You were in a bad way, sir, and I put you back together. But I'm afraid that America needs your help."

"It's my duty to the free world to aid our greatest hero." President Kennedy has a confused frown as he pulls himself to his feet and dusts himself off, and I find myself smiling at his description of Alan. "What seems to be the problem?"

And that 'Greatest Hero' title is no mistake. Green Lantern was probably the third most powerful being in the country in the middle of the century (The Spectre and Johnny Thunder by way of his 'genie' Yz being the top two.)

"An evil spirit-."

"Alan, Alan. Just a… Just a minute."

Yeah, he's still deep in the Hopeful Place, isn't he? Better cool him down before he breaks something vital.

Alan looks at me, his eyes still glowing pits.

"All of those emotions that were somewhere else, you feel them begin to return as you move away from the blue place. Remember all the things that made you angry? They're with you again, burning under your-."

And yes, it may hurt to remember them, but that's part of being human.

Alan gasps, dropping to his feet and his eyes returning to normal.

"You alright?"

He just mainlined Hope without the safety net of hosting the Embodiment, I'd say he's not all right... But he will be.

He nods. "Is that what it's like for you?"

"Don't know, but maybe."

OL's perceptions are more tinted orange thanks to his Enlightenment. Alan had simply rejected all else for a short time...

"Ah. I need a moment-."

"No problem. Mister President." I step forward and offer him my right hand. "Orange Lantern."

"Any friend of Green Lantern is a friend of mine."

Yeah, Alan's gonna need a moment to find his centre again.

He takes my hand and I feel a tremendous sense of reassurance and warmth at his presence. It's like meeting my father again after being at university for a term.

I don't think I like it.

Well, aren't you just a pessimistic grumpy guts?

"Sir, we're in a magic realm where all the worst parts of the American psyche are real objects or people. We're trying to get to the part which corresponds to Washington so that we can deal with the spirit of corruption that has kidnapped Uncle Sam and replaced him in the real world."

"And where do I come in?"

Well, he is technically the second-highest power in the land. You can guess the first.

"A manifestation of the Military-Industrial Complex has fortified the outskirts with a giant wall, but I'm hoping that they'll open the gates for the President."

"A wall around Washington? Unthinkable. I'll demand that they tear it down!"

As long as you don't go declaring you're a jelly-filled doughnut again.

"Sir, I'm not sure that a direct confrontation with the Military-Industrial Complex would turn out well for you."

"I choose to tear down the Military-Industrial Complex, not because it is easy, but because it is hard."

...So, how happy is he going to be when he sees they made it to the Moon? And then angry that they didn't stick around?

Alan nods, creating a platform under the Super President's feet and rising into the air. The birds and I follow them, the great grey walls of the Military-Industrial Complex growing steadily closer. I see the missile batteries and flak guns train themselves on us.

"Green Lantern, put me on the radio."

Quickly, please, before you get to experience what that pigeon did a couple of chapters back. And the big man here's already had one run-in with getting holes shot in him...

An old style radio microphone appears in front of him.

"To the forces occupying the capital of the great nation, I am the President of the United States. With the authority invested in me by the Constitution, I as Commander in Chief order you to stand down."

...And now to see if that works.

The guns keep tracking us, but… We're over their perimeter now and they haven't fired. Close up, the walls tower into the heavens and we're flying almost vertical in an attempt to clear the battlements.

"Our purpose is to defend America. Why would the President order us to stand down?"

And for some reason, I'm hearing that in Gomer Pyle's voice.

"Total war makes no sense in an age where great powers can maintain large and relatively invulnerable nuclear forces and refuse to surrender without resort to those forces. It makes no sense in an age when a single nuclear weapon contains almost ten times the explosive force delivered by all the allied air forces in the Second World War. It makes no sense in an age when the deadly poisons produced by a nuclear exchange would be carried by wind and water and soil and seed to the far corners of the globe and to generations yet unborn."

Nice speech, Mr President.

"What alternative is there?"

"Too many of us think that peace is impossible. Too many think it is unreal. But that is a dangerous, defeatist belief. It leads to the conclusion that war is inevitable, that mankind is doomed, that we are gripped by forces we cannot control. We need not accept that view. Our problems are manmade. Therefore, they can be solved by man. And man can be as big as he wants. No problem of human destiny is beyond human beings. Man's reason and spirit have often solved the seemingly unsolvable and I believe they can do it again."

...And now I wonder if that's having some effect on the world at large.

So much for not messing with America's collective psyche.

…

Huh.

Okay. Didn't feel too bad that time.

Because he's saying the things that make you nod your head. It's not as different to your own agenda as his initial contact.

"You clearly don't understand what we're about. But this sounds like a problem for The Brass."

There's a clunk, and a section of the wall slides away while the missiles and gun batteries return to the neutral position.

...Don't think we didn't hear those Capital Letters. Looks like this isn't over yet.

"Come on in, Mister President."

"Thank you."

Take your shoes off, put your feet up.

The five of us fly forward into the gap, prompting my to frown at the vulture.

"Why are you still here? The Military-Industrial Complex didn't kill us."

She's patient. And probably figures you're good for days of nibbling.

"Early days."

We enter the tunnel, which… Keeps going, the entry gate sliding back into place behind us, followed by a bulkhead shutter-. And then another, and another, slamming down the moment we're past them.

And now we're in the 'Get Smart' opening titles... Sheesh. Shows of the President's approximate era, getting a real workout.

Alan glances back. "Friendly, aren't they?"

"Perhaps we should have pretended to be arms lobbyists."

They'd see through you in a second. Not cut-throat enough.

Kennedy shakes his head. "That would be unwise. The Military-Industrial Complex that besets this great country is not friendly towards foreign competition, even from our most stalwart allies. They would sell an armed robber a bullet to shoot their own mothers if they could turn a profit that way."

The inner door opens ahead of us, but I can't help frowning.

Sadly true of so many nations...

And let's not argue over it, folks? We've been doing so well so far.

"Did anyone else hear the way he said 'The Brass'? Because-."

"The M.I.C. leaves complex decisions to me!"

Ah, that would be The Brass. Loud fella, ain't he?

The titanic robot made of shining brown metal standing towering over Washington raises its shoulder and forearm mounted cannons.

"And I've decided to designate this place a free-fire zone!"

Whatever happened to 'speak softly, but carry a big stick'?

...And now I'm picturing Liberty Prime, in a brass colour scheme, wearing an officer's hat and bedecked with medals. Great. Well, at least this should be a clearer target to deal with than giant walls laden with guns. Let's just hope Kennedy-Prime can flex his Commander-in-Chief muscles in a way that they listen. Or things might get real noisy.

w34v3r · Jun 4, 2022

BlackCoat13 said:
It's weird to say, but I think Vaermina might be onto something there. Paul's soul is literally made from the Orange Light, after all, and this is as Blue as it gets without there being more Blue Lanterns or being next to the Hope Embodiment.

Not really. Orange lanterns as a whole aren't really especially vulnerable or resistant to blue light compared to other lanterns. Larfleeze on the other hand IS because he's an emotional wreck who mainlined orange light and part of him hopes one day to be free of it.

As a rule Blues are better at messing with Reds and Yellows, however there's always a level of variation due to individual, culture, and species differences, like how Tamaranians deal with orange light so well on average.

Mr Zoat · Jun 4, 2022

Ngamer11 said:
These two are missing quotation marks.
That should say 'me'.

Thank you, corrected.

Now that Alan has an idea of what Paul feels like when doing that, will this lead to a greater understanding of the Blue Light for future enlightenment?

It will help his understanding, but having met the SI and Lord Malvolio, do you think Alan's likely to want it?

Darko · Jun 4, 2022

Chojin Patriarch said:
And that 'Greatest Hero' title is no mistake. Green Lantern was probably the third most powerful being in the country in the middle of the century (The Spectre and Johnny Thunder by way of his 'genie' Yz being the top two.)

I think Nabu would also qualify there.

woweed · Jun 4, 2022

BlueMangoAdea said:
Yup. Avarice and Compassion. Works very well as opposites.

Or, perhaps more broadly, Selfishness and Selflessness. Avarice (at least the way Paul does it) allows for outcomes beneficial to third parties, but only third parties that mean something to you, selfishly. Compassion, meanwhile, will help perfect strangers just as much as their closest friends, ideally.

NightmareWarden · Jun 4, 2022

Mr Zoat said:
Thank you, corrected.

It will help his understanding, but having met the SI and Lord Malvolio, do you think Alan's likely to want it?

Did Alan meet Lord Malvolio or did he simply read reports on the green fella's actions?

Hey gang, I'm not sure if Uncle Sam will be in any sort of shape to help against the yellow grinner. And the "good" heartland does not seem like it has the defenses to keep out Smiley while Uncle Sam recovers there. If Uncle Sam does not get a quick fix and he does not die, passing his mantle on to another, how could he affect the rest of the arc? Could he get killed for good, just so Smiley can spite Paul?

AmericanNumbers · Jun 4, 2022

If this is somehow leading to the Titan Presidents of Bismoll....

w34v3r · Jun 4, 2022

Mr Zoat said:
It will help his understanding, but having met the SI and Lord Malvolio, do you think Alan's likely to want it?

Does choice enter the equation? I mean so far all of the non-green lantern people who attain enlightenment don't do it on purpose, or at least not with the goal to achieve that state specifically.

It seems more like a state brought on by continuing to engage with and train your interaction with a specific emotion. Something Alan is certainly doing, and something he's been doing for a long time, albeit I'm not sure if all of those credits transfer.

It seems like physical conditioning, you can want to be a softie all day, but if you're actually putting in the work then you'll get the results even if you'd rather not.

Handlewithcare · Jun 4, 2022

Damn that was a good speech. Was that sampled from a real Kennedy one?

In either case, it represents what Paul and this fic are about perfectly.

Nothing is unfixable.

BR549 · Jun 4, 2022

Mr Zoat said:
"Did anyone else hear the way he said 'The Brass'? Because-."

"The M.I.C. leaves complex decisions to me!"

The titanic robot made of shining brown metal standing towering over Washington raises its shoulder and forearm mounted cannons.

Chojin Patriarch said:
...And now I'm picturing Liberty Prime, in a brass colour scheme, wearing an officer's hat and bedecked with medals.

Oh, hey, it's a Fake Nemesis...

Bud-E · Jun 4, 2022

I just had an idea is Demon-Constantine's plan to turn himself into a weird love elemental, but because he's such a screwed up person (Him being a demon and all) he somehow calls/summons the Predator the elemental embodiment of love.

0zymandias · Jun 4, 2022

Chojin Patriarch said:
And that 'Greatest Hero' title is no mistake. Green Lantern was probably the third most powerful being in the country in the middle of the century (The Spectre and Johnny Thunder by way of his 'genie' Yz being the top two.)

I think 'Greatest Hero' =/= 'Most Powerful', yeah sure in a fight Nabu and the Spectre could likely beat Alan but those guys don't inspire people like Alan does even when he was a Green Lantern. We saw a hint of that way back when an old Chinese man was mentioned asking about the Green Lantern. It's a similar vein of how despite Hulk and Thor battling over who's the strongest avenger; it's undisputed that Captain America is the Greatest Avenger.

Also, I might be a bit paranoid but I have s small feeling that Gordan the Vulture Capitalist might be another face for Boss Smiley.

Mr Zoat · Jun 4, 2022

Handlewithcare said:
Damn that was a good speech. Was that sampled from a real Kennedy one?

Yes.

President Kennedy said:
President Anderson, members of the faculty, board of trustees, distinguished guests, my old colleague, Senator Bob Byrd, who has earned his degree through many years of attending night law school, while I am earning mine in the next 30 minutes, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.
It is with great pride that I participate in this ceremony of the American University, sponsored by the Methodist Church, founded by Bishop John Fletcher Hurst, and first opened by President Woodrow Wilson in 1914. This is a young and growing university, but it has already fulfilled Bishop Hurst's enlightened hope for the study of history and public affairs in a city devoted to the making of history and to the conduct of the public's business. By sponsoring this institution of higher learning for all who wish to learn, whatever their color or their creed, the Methodists of this area and the Nation deserve the Nation's thanks, and I commend all those who are today graduating.
Professor Woodrow Wilson once said that every man sent out from a university should be a man of his nation as well as a man of his time, and I am confident that the men and women who carry the honor of graduating from this institution will continue to give from their lives, from their talents, a high measure of public service and public support.
"There are few earthly things more beautiful than a university," wrote John Masefield in his tribute to English universities — and his words are equally true today. He did not refer to towers, or the campuses. He admired the splendid beauty of a university, because it was, he said, "a place where those who hate ignorance may strive to know, where those who perceive truth may strive to make others see."

I have, therefore, chosen this time and this place to discuss a topic on which ignorance too often abounds and the truth too rarely perceived – and that is the most important topic on earth: Peace.
What kind of a peace do I mean? What kind of a peace do we seek? Not a Pax Americana enforced on the world by American weapons of war. Not the peace of the grave or the security of the slave. I am talking about genuine peace, the kind of peace that makes life on earth worth living, the kind that enables men and nations to grow and to hope and build a better life for their children — not merely peace for Americans but peace for all men and women — not merely peace in our time but peace for all time.
I speak of peace because of the new face of war. Total war makes no sense in an age where great powers can maintain large and relatively invulnerable nuclear forces and refuse to surrender without resort to those forces. It makes no sense in an age when a single nuclear weapon contains almost ten times the explosive force delivered by all the allied air forces in the Second World War. It makes no sense in an age when the deadly poisons produced by a nuclear exchange would be carried by wind and water and soil and seed to the far corners of the globe and to generations yet unborn.
Today the expenditure of billions of dollars every year on weapons acquired for the purpose of making sure we never need them is essential to the keeping of peace. But surely the acquisition of such idle stockpiles — which can only destroy and never create — is not the only, much less the most efficient, means of assuring peace.

I speak of peace, therefore, as the necessary rational end of rational men. I realize that the pursuit of peace is not as dramatic as the pursuit of war — and frequently the words of the pursuer fall on deaf ears. But we have no more urgent task.
Some say that it is useless to speak of peace or world law or world disarmament — and that it will be useless until the leaders of the Soviet Union adopt a more enlightened attitude. I hope they do. I believe we can help them do it. But I also believe that we must reexamine our own attitude — as individuals and as a Nation — for our attitude is as essential as theirs. And every graduate of this school, every thoughtful citizen who despairs of war and wishes to bring peace, should begin by looking inward — by examining his own attitude toward the possibilities of peace, toward the Soviet Union, toward the course of the Cold War and toward freedom and peace here at home.
First, examine our attitude toward peace itself. Too many of us think it is impossible. Too many think it is unreal. But that is a dangerous, defeatist belief. It leads to the conclusion that war is inevitable, that mankind is doomed, that we are gripped by forces we cannot control. We need not accept that view. Our problems are manmade. Therefore, they can be solved by man. And man can be as big as he wants. No problem of human destiny is beyond human beings. Man's reason and spirit have often solved the seemingly unsolvable and we believe they can do it again.
I am not referring to the absolute, infinite concept of peace and goodwill of which some fantasies and fanatics dream. I do not deny the value of hopes and dreams but we merely invite discouragement and incredulity by making that our only and immediate goal.

Let us focus instead on a more practical, more attainable peace, based not on a sudden revolution in human nature but on a gradual evolution in human institutions, on a series of concrete actions and effective agreements which are in the interest of all concerned. There is no single, simple key to this peace, no grand or magic formula to be adopted by one or two powers. Genuine peace must be the product of many nations, the sum of many acts. It must be dynamic, not static, changing to meet the challenge of each new generation. For peace is a process, a way of solving problems.
With such a peace, there will still be quarrels and conflicting interests, as there are within families and nations. World peace, like community peace, does not require that each man love his neighbor, it requires only that they live together in mutual tolerance, submitting their disputes to a just and peaceful settlement. And history teaches us that enmities between nations, as between individuals, do not last forever. However fixed our likes and dislikes may seem, the tide of time and events will often bring surprising changes in the relations between nations and neighbors.
So let us persevere. Peace need not be impracticable, and war need not be inevitable. By defining our goal more clearly, by making it seem more manageable and less remote, we can help all people to see it, to draw hope from it, and to move irresistibly toward it.
And second, let us reexamine our attitude toward the Soviet Union. It is discouraging to think that their leaders may actually believe what their propagandists write. It is discouraging to read a recent authoritative Soviet text on Military Strategy and find, on page after page, wholly baseless and incredible claims, such as the allegation that "American imperialist circles are preparing to unleash different types of wars, that there is a very real threat of a preventive war being unleashed by American imperialists against the Soviet Union, and that the political aims of the American imperialists are to enslave economically and politically the European and other capitalist countries and to achieve world domination by means of aggressive wars."

DAT_NOOB · Jun 4, 2022

Mr Zoat said:
"A wall around Washington? Unthinkable. I'll demand that they tear it down!"

I find this statement hilarious.

Darko said:
I think Nabu would also qualify there.

"greatest" not necessarily "strongest"

Soul Shocker · Jun 4, 2022

Bud-E said:
So Kennedy is a hope elemental now or just inspiring hope in America?

I would rather say the poured a hope elemental into Kennedy's corpse.

Windona · Jun 4, 2022

Mr Zoat said:
"A wall around Washington? Unthinkable. I'll demand that they tear it down!"

"Sir, I'm not sure that a direct confrontation with the Military-Industrial Complex would turn out well for you."

"I choose to tear down the Military-Industrial Complex, not because it is easy, but because it is hard."

Admittedly this is probably less laughable than when Reagan made that comment. And gotta admire that commitment and lack of fear.

Mr Zoat said:
"Our purpose is to defend America. Why would the President order us to stand down?"

"Total war makes no sense in an age where great powers can maintain large and relatively invulnerable nuclear forces and refuse to surrender without resort to those forces. It makes no sense in an age when a single nuclear weapon contains almost ten times the explosive force delivered by all the allied air forces in the Second World War. It makes no sense in an age when the deadly poisons produced by a nuclear exchange would be carried by wind and water and soil and seed to the far corners of the globe and to generations yet unborn."

"What alternative is there?"

"Too many of us think that peace is impossible. Too many think it is unreal. But that is a dangerous, defeatist belief. It leads to the conclusion that war is inevitable, that mankind is doomed, that we are gripped by forces we cannot control. We need not accept that view. Our problems are manmade. Therefore, they can be solved by man. And man can be as big as he wants. No problem of human destiny is beyond human beings. Man's reason and spirit have often solved the seemingly unsolvable and I believe they can do it again."

I saw it was sampled from a real Kennedy speech, but that is a banger of a speech. Not surprised it resonated with Paul: he's all about solving big problems, and that people can solve them.

Darko · Jun 4, 2022

Mr Zoat said:
surrender without resort to those

'resorting'

Mr Zoat · Jun 4, 2022

Darko said:
'resorting'

You're free to take it up with the later Mr. Kennedy.

PDV · Jun 4, 2022

Mr Zoat said:
"I choose to tear down the Military-Industrial Complex, not because it is easy, but because it is hard."

This was always my dad's favorite Kennedy quote. I'm surprised Zoat's not writing the Boston accent.

Mr Zoat · Jun 4, 2022

PDV said:
This was always my dad's favorite Kennedy quote. I'm surprised Zoat's not writing the Boston accent.

My ability to write American accents is highly variable.

Perchance · Jun 4, 2022

It took an embarrassing amount of time for me to realize that JFK was the John in Dear John this episode, you cheeky man.

So my main question is: as president can JFK Veto the upcoming macross missile massacre?

Someguy Somewhere · Jun 4, 2022

I'd just like to point out that, despite the fact that he's obviously blue in colour here, that JFK refers to Alan as Green Lantern.

This stands out to me because it means that he Remembers Alan as the Green Lantern of his era, rather then simply going by what he's currently seeing. Not bad for a dead guy who's cranium was in several pieces.

And something of a statement to how much of the man is in there with the image of the man.

Coda · Jun 4, 2022

Mr Zoat said:
With the authority invested in me

vested

Handlewithcare said:
Damn that was a good speech. Was that sampled from a real Kennedy one?

Mr Zoat said:
Yes.

That explains why I can hear it in Kennedy's voice in my head.

PDV said:
I'm surprised Zoat's not writing the Boston accent.

Kennedy's Boston accent isn't so strong as to stand out compared to a neutral American accent. The slightly nasal tone doesn't impact the phonetics, and Kennedy's voice didn't emphasize the non-rhotic nature of his accent very strongly.

Duke Long · Jun 4, 2022

Mr Zoat said:
"And this is why it's important to ensure that your afterlife arrangements are secure. He can't be 'fixed', any more than I could have scooped the chunks of brain he's dropped and shoved them back into a living person to repair their brain."

I don't think this is really fair. JFK did think that he had an afterlife arranged, in the Silver City (though he probably would have gone to Hell), but then for whatever reason he got dumped in this place instead (which is probably still better than Hell, come to think of it).

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

Know what you're doing yet?

Alive. For now.

Well worn.

Experienced.

Alive. For now.

I trust you know where the happy button is?

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