Xmaster3000
Know what you're doing yet?
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Dream zombies, from earlier in the chapter.
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Dream zombies, from earlier in the chapter.
I assume that Dream does, though, and set up the aesthetics of his gift with that in mind.No you don't Paul, Sandy's power only really works while he's inside the Dreaming and I highly doubt Sandy knows what Dragon Ball Z is.
Ah, time to catch up, and see what kind of trouble each party member has been getting up to in the absence of the rest. I bet there'll be a few surprised looks once OL hears what happened to Alan...8th November 2012
18:32 GMT +3
"Blue Lantern?"
I frown as a group of guards escort Alan and Sanderson into the drawing room The Demon and I were politely escorted following our audience.
So, the Caliph is considering your suggestion, then? It's certainly a lot less disruptive than having a magical city pop out of nowhere right in the middle of Iraq..."Hey, Orange Lantern. Having fun?"
"I think I might have headed off a potential problem. And I've found out that what we're attempting is suicide. You?"
...Oooh, that's a loud silence."I got abducted and locked up in a dungeon while they sucked my dreams out."
…
An impressive show of restraint from OL. I suspect if Alan said it wasn't resolved, there'd be a conspicuous lack of orange in the room right now... Plus some very unhappy people, including the Caliph... Since OL tends to get a bit noisy."I trust that you've resolved matters to your satisfaction?"
"They dragged the people away in chains. Their boss is explaining himself to the Caliph now." Alan looks around the room. "No sign of Doctor Mist?"
Then again, he may show up as they go to leave, complaining that he spent all that time wandering around lost and none of them thought to look for him..."If any of us could navigate a magic city, I'd assume it would be him."
Sanderson perks up a little. "I can probably do that now."
And OL feels a sudden need to facepalm, hard. Give in to it, OL. You know you want to.
I'm amazed he got any of that out without his voice breaking in fear and horror.There's a sharp intake of breath through my lips, and the lips of… The courtier who brought them in, who after a moment nervously walks towards him.
"Sir, did you say that you made a 'deal' with the Lord of Dreams?"
If only to gauge how big the blast radius will be when it goes wrong?"Yeah, I guess that's kind of a big deal for you guys, huh?"
"Could this humble one ask what the terms of your deal was?"
Ha! Trust OL to consider the min-max possibilities."Sure. The Dream will give me prophetic visions in exchange for living through them. Oh, and I can get visions of other places in the Dream and teleport to them."
I blink. "Does that include the Tower of Fate?"
No, no, simply dying is the best probable result. I'm sure you got a few 'erased from existence as if you had never been' responses too, right?"I dunno. I don't know what the Tower looks like." He shrugs awkwardly. "I never visited. Salem wasn't exactly a day trip."
"Okay, but-." I glance over to where the courier is dashing out of the room with one hand on his turban. I suppose that if the Caliph wasn't informed of that fact before now it does warrant a bit of haste. "Ah, but what exactly are the limitations? Can you take people with you? Because I wasn't exaggerating earlier when I said that everyone I asked said it was suicide."
Well, one way or another, Sandy's going to be doing some training, huh?"I don't know. I haven't tried much with it yet."
"Okay, well, try teleporting back to the graveyard. That way we'll know whether you can go between regions of the Dream or not."
I mean, the teleportation could be entirely conceptual. He's only been taking short hops with it so far.He looks to Alan to check whether that's a good idea or not. Alan considers for a moment, then nods slowly. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. If you can just teleport us inside the Tower-. Paul, you've got recordings of the inside of the Tower, don't you?"
"No, but I can generate three dimensional images from my memory. I'm… Not sure what it looks like from outside, though."
Which makes for some real dimensional fuckery when it transits in and out, I suppose."Why would be want to get outside?"
"I'm not sure if the interior exists from the Dream."
The Demon has been rather quiet, hasn't he? Hope he's not sulking too hard over the mystical binding..."Would Mist know?"
"I don't know. He'd probably have to look at it. Constantine?"
Hard to go past a classic like chanting a religious mantra under your breath. Worked for Tang Sanzang, when he needed to make Sun Wukong play nice.He leans back, folding his arms across his chest. "Oh, remembered I exist? How about getting this seal removed?"
"How about getting the Caliph to tell us how to activate it?"
Think of it as a work release program."That's cruel and unusual punishment. What happen to being recognised as a person?"
"We're not in America and I'm not an American. And you're an escaped supervillain. You're still at large on the condition that you actually help us resolve this situation. In case I wasn't clear before: we're not friends or colleagues."
Now, now, OL. Don't get grumpy because the young man has principles not aligned with yours..."Hey." I turn to Sanderson, who's still here for some reason. "The Constitution doesn't ban 'Cruel and Unusual Punishment' because it the Founding Fathers just felt like it. It's banned because it's so immoral that no one should ever do it, whether they're American or not."
"I'll be sure to remind Zauriel of that next time I find myself in Hell."
You're outvoted, OL. It happens."I don't know who that is, but someone else doing it doesn't make it right for you to do it."
The Demon raises his eyebrows, clearly pleased at the situation. Alan looks a little awkward, but I know he agrees with Sanderson.
...OL, are you seriously trying to defend yourself? Great, now I want to facepalm."Do you feel that it's cruel and unusual to handcuff normal prisoners?"
"No, of course not."
All true, but you were seriously rolling across the fine line between 'sassy anti-hero' and 'dick'."Demons are able to either tear through or magically subvert normal cuffs. The only things we have to restrain them are magic artefacts or spells. Not all of them work in the way we'd ideally like or as reliably as we'd like, but so far courts have found that having a restraint that actually works is more important that having a restraint that makes the prisoner comfortable. It's like how Belle Reve collars have the capacity to electrocute their prisoners. Unusual, yes, but not 'cruel' because it's actually required. The Demon Constantine has already escaped Belle Reve. As such, a spell that cripples him when activated is legally proportionate and necessary."
Yes, let's put that rubbish behind us. Back to the experimentation!Sanderson shifts uncomfortably. "O-kay, I guess. But could you sound a little less enthusiastic about it?"
I nod. "If it makes you feel better. Are you going to try teleporting now?"
For visual reference: over an hour of Instant Transmission scenes. Enjoy."Yes." He takes a moment to calm himself, then-.
That's… Instant Transmission. He even did the little shimmer thing that Goku does before he vanishes.
Pfft. Like anyone in your circle of colleagues would know what it was.Damn it. I'm going to have to find a new joke.
There's another shimmer as he reappears.
...What would the stories involve? Surprising mundane moments?"It worked. They're sitting around camp fires and telling stories."
"Oh yeah?" Alan raises his eyebrows. "What are they saying?"
Anything to get them out of explosion range of his city, I suppose?"Rrrruh. Aaaagh. Things like that." He takes in our confusion. "I can tell that they make sense to each other. I've just got no idea what they're saying."
"Honoured guests!" The courtier from earlier runs back in, looking a little dishevelled. "Honoured guests." He comes to a halt. "His Excellency believes that he can resolve your issues here to your satisfaction, and can ease your path to the great storm."
In other words: 'You're right, but I'd probably lose my head if I said it... Literally, mind you!'"He believes that he can get us out of the way before anything else goes wrong."
"… It is impolite to argue with guests."
"Then we would be delighted to hear what he has to say."
Not just with it in mind, but the express knowledge that it would annoy LePaul.I assume that Dream does, though, and set up the aesthetics of his gift with that in mind.
(replying to Vaermina)You mean the person who had nothing to do with you being in hell?
Paul does that to people he's indifferent too, as well.I like Sanderson. He's a fun foil to Paul.
And Paul, I get you don't like him, but constantly antagonising the demon isn't very productive.
Paul does that to people he's indifferent too, as well.
Sometimes people he likes.
Occasionally loved ones.
...He's a remarkably antagonistic protagonist.
Thank you, corrected.
Thank you, corrected.
Hobbies don't have to be productive.And Paul, I get you don't like him, but constantly antagonising the demon isn't very productive.
'escorted to'
Thank you, corrected.
I think that should be "that".the sky above us sort of twisting so that the dull night sky the accompanied us since we left zombie territory is replaced
Pretty sure they're wrong, then. Using "ben" to designate a patronym is Hebrew (and Yiddish, and probably Aramaic...); the Arabic is "bin".Nope.
Good to see nominative determinism isn't a flawless predictor.
Door's
Considering it was mixed in with a bunch of "ibn"s I'm pretty sure it was meant to indicate a cultural difference for that particular ancestor.Pretty sure they're wrong, then. Using "ben" to designate a patronym is Hebrew (and Yiddish, and probably Aramaic...); the Arabic is "bin".
Is the same Queen still in charge of the UK on Earth-16p? I know there were some major changes on Earth-16r, but I'm not sure what's going on with 16p.Hey Zoat, random question for a crossover I was thinking of. If the SI was offered knighthood by the queen of the modern UK, would they accept it? Would they care? How about if one of his friends asked them to play nice?
Thank you, corrected.
Why would he be getting one? Usually a knighthood is awarded either for a lifetime of public service or a lot of big political donations.Hey Zoat, random question for a crossover I was thinking of. If the SI was offered knighthood by the queen of the modern UK, would they accept it? Would they care? How about if one of his friends asked them to play nice?
encountered anything like out prison system. Your Excellency, I believe what my
"When the Demon distorted the dream to separate us-"
"He what?"
"-I-. Yes, of course he did. He is a demon and a Constantine. I am surprised that he lasted as long as he did
Is Dr. Mist asking for the Dreams this man stole or what he actually Dreams?Dr. Balewa come to the fore of our party, smiling at the Caliph. "I believe that we can get through the storm. If Blue Lantern's agreement with Mister Al-Wujud is concluded, we will need the ropes with which he transfers dreams."
Mr. Al-Wujud nods enthusiastically. I guess rope's cheap. "Yes, oh mighty-."
"And all of his stored dreams."
"Ahhhhhhh…""
Thank you, corrected.
Why would he be getting one? Usually a knighthood is awarded either for a lifetime of public service or a lot of big political donations.
Dr. Balewa come to the fore of our party, smiling at the Caliph. "I believe that we can get through the storm. If Blue Lantern's agreement with Mister Al-Wujud is concluded, we will need the ropes with which he transfers dreams."
Mr. Al-Wujud nods enthusiastically. I guess rope's cheap. "Yes, oh mighty-."
"And all of his stored dreams."
"Ahhhhhhh…"
The Caliph raises his right eyebrow. "You believe that passage is possible?"
"Certainly. Would you like to watch?
Is Dr. Mist asking for the Dreams this man stole or what he actually Dreams?