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

Angelic (part 8)
28th January
11:22 GMT -5


Raquel waits until the door closes.

"You took a look at her soul."

I glance back, nod, then lead the way towards the room Chief Clayborne set aside for Tula.

"Try what out?"

"Gosh, Rocket, I just can't imagine what a group of teenagers from a socially conservative background might want to try out when their parents weren't around. Do you think we should go back and clarify it for the record?"

I can feel her eye roll. "So what does that have to do with that Buzz guy? Did he just like to watch?"

"That's possible. But there are ways to draw magic power from that sort of thing. And ways to use magic to lower people's inhibitions. If he knows enough about magic to dodge a police cordon, he's easily good enough at magic to do both."

"You think he was mind controlling teenagers into 'trying things out'?"

"Easy to explain away if anyone found out about it. But even if he was, we'd never be able to prove it. That sort of magic barely uses any energy. He'd be in more trouble for concealing himself from the police with magic."

"She didn't mention DMN. He might not be the supplier."

"All sorts of things are possible. If she can't locate anything by scrying we can take Tula down to the building they were using for a meeting place, see what sort of reading she can get. Trying to locate Linda Danvers will be our third avenue."

I learned that her father was on the local police force when I did my initial sweep, but if she hasn't done anything worse than have a boyfriend from the wrong side of the tracks I don't plan on embarrassing either of them by sticking my oar in.

"Why not do both?"

"Travel speed. Devil Jizz can make things that are hard for us to fight-. Fight without killing the user, anyway. You and Tula have kinetic belts and I can teleport, but if this 'Buzz' has summoned something and there are also users-"

I push open the door. Artemis nods at us and Chief Clayborne looks up from Tula's water… Tablet? Slate? She appears to be making thaumaturgical notes on it with her right hand while holding her left over the map.

"-somewhere else-."

"We don't split up."

I nod. "Split up further anyway."

Tula's eyes clear as she comes out of her trance, and she turns to look at us.

"Got something?"

"I may have." She doesn't sound convinced. "They're definitely using demonic magic, but it does not feel… The energies involved do not feel like those of the combat demons we have encountered before."

"Okay, so what is it?"

"I think that it is a carnalite of some kind."

Artemis smirks, checks where on the map Tula is indicating and pulls her phone out, while Chief Clayborne frowns. "And what does that mean?"

"'Carnalite', from 'carnal', meaning-."

He closes his eyes, nodding. "We've got a succubus."

"Technically, there are demons that can feed on any overwhelming sensation. There are greed demons who get powered up by people gorging themselves. Succubi are just the most popular for…" I shrug theatrically. "Some reason."

"Can't imagine why."

Artemis holds up her phone. "It's a succubus. That's-" She nods at the map. "-a massage parlour."

"Artemis, I'm a masseur. I've massaged you bef-."

"Not a massage parlour massage parlour. A massage parlour."

Chief Clayborne holds his hand out for the phone. "Can I see that?"

Artemis presses a couple of buttons and then hands it over. Chief Clayborne looks at the place and nods before handing it back. "Yeah, I know the place. We've… Had people poke around there a few times. Never caught anyone in the act-." He looks up at me. "We haven't had any unexplained deaths where it looks like the… Deceased had been… Y'know, drained."

I shake my head. "Succubi can kill when feeding, but they don't need to. Sex demons working in the sex trade usually just leave their partners extremely tired. That way they can get repeat business, and it's far harder for demon hunters to find them. And I know of at least one who's married." Hm. "I know that both 'DMN' and prostitution are illegal in Virginia, but how do you want to handle this?"

He shrugs. "I mostly want to shut down the supply side. If they are using DMN then I don't mind looking the other way this once if that gets us the ringleaders. But you can be sure that we'll be going back there on a regular basis afterwards. If they're actually summoning demons then everyone there gets prosecuted to the full extent of the law, no exceptions."

"Do you have the facilities for containing demons?"

"Ah… Not-. No."

I look at Tula, who nods. "I have binding chains, and I can place spells of containment on the holding cells. If they are within the usual power distribution curve for carnalites then that will be sufficient."

I nod. "Could you put a containment ward on the building from the outside?"

She nods again. "I will just need to direct a circle of water around the area to be warded. It will only take a few minutes as long as you only want me to create a version which requires my constant attention. A lasting version will take longer."

"No, that should be fine." I look at Chief Clayborne. "And if by some freak chance it turns out that they've hired a demon chef or something..?"

"Can't say I really.. like the idea, but… My job is to enforce the law. If they're in America legally and they're not hurting anyone, that's… Really all there is to it." I nod. "What sort of support do you need?"

"A small cordon to keep people back, just in case there's a fight and it spills outside. A scene of crime team to check the place over with Tula. A van for prisoner transportation, and you'll need to make sure that the officers who will be in direct contact-."

"They'll need your magic amulets, right." He nods. "You need a SWAT team?"

I frown, regarding him curiously for a moment. I'm not sure what he thinks they'd do, but I suppose that he's only trying to be helpful. "Ah, no, thank you. How soon can you get that together?"

"Apart from the forensics guys, twenty minutes? Do I.. need to hurry things along?"

I look at Tula, who shakes her head. "I can not feel any particular build up of power. There may be an advantage in waiting until there are more cultists present."

Chief Clayborne nods at me, then marches out of the room to set things in motion.

Artemis shrugs. "We don't actually know they're a cult."

"I do not know the English collective noun for a group of prostitutes."

"Actually, a succubus could probably survive as a masseuse, even without happy endings." Hm. "I think."

Raquel looks between me and Tula. "If they are using succubus-flavored Devil Jizz, what can they actually do?"

"Enhanced sexual appeal, limited shapeshifting including wings, enhanced strength and toughness… They might have thralled their clients, but I doubt it. I won't ask whether you ladies think you might be susceptible, but do you all have your wards?" Three nods. "Glad to hear it. Let's take a look at the building plans while we wait for the police to ready themselves."
 
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"I may have done." She doesn't sound convinced. "They're definitely using demonic magic, but it does not feel… The energies involved do not feel like those of the combat demons we have encountered before."

Possible Britishism that Tula wouldn't have any reason to use? It reads weird to me at least.
 
<takes a breath to speak...

"Gosh, Rocket, I just can't image what a group of teenagers from a socially conservative background might want to try out when their parents weren't around. Do you think we should go back and clarify it for the record?"
...Damn, you beat me to it. Also: 'imagine'

"She didn't mention DMN. He might not be the supplier."
I'm sure there's some statue about 'inciting lewd behaviours in minors' or something...

I push open the door. Artemis nods at us and Chief Clayborne looks up from Tula's water… Tablet? Slate? She appears to be making thaumaturgical notes on it with her right hand while holding her left over the map.
High-magitech divining. Nice.

I nod. "Split up further anyway."
Never split the party, after all.

"I may have done." She doesn't sound convinced.
She also sounds a little British there :p

"Not a massage parlour massage parlour. A massage parlour."
Ah, the kind that gives.. Happy Endings.

I shake my head. "Succubi can kill when feeding, but they don't need to. Sex demons working in the sex trade usually just leave their partners extremely tired.
And extremely happy, I bet.

If they are within the usual power distribution curve for carnalite then that will be sufficient."
If they are within the usual power distribution curve for carnalites then that will be sufficient."

"Can't say I really.. like the idea, but… My job in to enforce the law. If they're in America legally and they're not hurting anyone, that's… Really all there is to it." I nod. "What sort of support do you need?"
Well, good to see he's not too biased.

I look at Tula, who shakes her head. "I can not feel any particular built up of power.
Better as one word, perhaps?

"I do not know the English collective noun for a group of prostitutes."
A Nunnery? :D

Heh, this could be a rare occurence in a superhero setting. Police raiding a possibly succubus-employing massage parlor? That's the sort of thing you'd read about in the trashy Tabloids.
 
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I knew what video that was before clicking.

This operation seems like a resource collection gig to me, some demon building up power. Me thinks OL should be more worried than this.
 
Possible Britishism that Tula wouldn't have any reason to use? It reads weird to me at least.
"Gosh, Rocket, I just can't image what a group of teenagers from a socially conservative background might want to try out when their parents weren't around. Do you think we should go back and clarify it for the record?"
...Damn, you beat me to it. Also: 'imagine'
If they are within the usual power distribution curve for carnalite then that will be sufficient."
If they are within the usual power distribution curve for carnalites then that will be sufficient."
Thank you, corrected.
I look at Tula, who shakes her head. "I can not feel any particular built up of power.
Better as one word, perhaps?
Tula's English isn't up to contractions yet.
 
Artemis is one of the most durable beings on the planet, how would a masage have any effect on her?
It probably only altered the mechanical properties of her flesh at the extreme end, e.g. tensile strength. Think of it this way: (thin) fabric made from woven kevlar is about as easy to bend as a paper towel, but try tearing kevlar and you're not gonna have a ton of luck.
 
It probably only altered the mechanical properties of her flesh at the extreme end, e.g. tensile strength. Think of it this way: (thin) fabric made from woven kevlar is about as easy to bend as a paper towel, but try tearing kevlar and you're not gonna have a ton of luck.
It's not just her skin being more durable, though. The muscles are the issue here, and those are certainly strong enough that he'd need his power ring or some other enhancement.
 
It's not just her skin being more durable, though. The muscles are the issue here, and those are certainly strong enough that he'd need his power ring or some other enhancement.
But the idea is that you don't necessarily have to make a substance less flexible, bendable, etc to make it capable of withstanding greater forces. Her muscles could be just as flexible, squishable, etc-able as normal muscles, it just happens that they tense with much greater force when contracted, and can withstand a much greater force before risking failure.

Though, that would make massaging kinda difficult at first, if even somewhat tensed muscles had the rigidity of steel cable.
 
Power rings don't really have telekinesis - they move things indirectly through solid constructs that they can move - he'd probably be jack-hammering her muscles or something, but he can't give a deep tissue massage from the inside.
 
The question that occurs to me is that yes, OL checked Earth-16 Linda Danvers for 'being a Kryptonian' and came up empty.

But do we know if Kryptonians had any technology akin to, say, a Chameleon Arch?
 
The question that occurs to me is that yes, OL checked Earth-16 Linda Danvers for 'being a Kryptonian' and came up empty.

But do we know if Kryptonians had any technology akin to, say, a Chameleon Arch?
Well, Linda Danvers in a lot of universes isn't Kryptonian, but angelic, or at least a fallen angel of some kind reborn as human. That's the whole Earth Angel Supergirl thing
 
"Can't say I really.. like the idea, but… My job is to enforce the law. If they're in America legally and they're not hurting anyone, that's… Really all there is to it." I nod. "What sort of support do you need?"
How can a Demon be in the country legally? Are they allowed to naturalise, or something?

Shouldn't banishment back to Hell be simply deporting them?

Or, has nobody thought of it in that kind of way?
 
How can a Demon be in the country legally? Are they allowed to naturalise, or something?

Shouldn't banishment back to Hell be simply deporting them?

Or, has nobody thought of it in that kind of way?
How can you tell if they're a demon? How can you tell they weren't born in the states and just aren't registered? Or that there's no demons in the system itself?
 
How can you tell if they're a demon? How can you tell they weren't born in the states and just aren't registered? Or that there's no demons in the system itself?
I'm sure there's ways to tell if their demons, although the average cop isn't likely to have them. Demons, as far as I know, are all born in Hell, although there are people with demonic powers/infuance who aren't.

As for Demonic citizens, I'd want to see the paperwork on that, and see how many times they lied on it. Remove their citizenship for lies?


Frankly, knowing what I do about Demons in DC, I'd assume they should be gotten rid of, and fuck the paperwork. Treating them like people is not something I approve of. Aliens being people, sure. Demons? No.
 
It heats up when he comes up against epic level magic effects. Against street magicians it barely gets warm.
The heat effect is intentional, a way of notifying the wearer that they're under attack. Otherwise they would be none the wiser until the spell finally overloaded it.
So which is it?

If the effect is intentional so you know you are under attack, the minimum starting heat level should be warm enough so it is easily detectable without a power ring monitoring for minute amounts of heat and then issuing a warning.

You know, explicitly for the subtle John Constantine type stuff that uses very little magic. Even if the Spell Eater stops it from working on you, you should really want to know if some normally undetectable spell was just attempted on you. Instead of the opposition knowing their "Influence Minds" spell got blocked, with you never even aware they made the attempt because you never noticed the spell eater barely getting warm.

Everything has a connection to the Dreaming.
Except the Malthusians. Apparently they get some variant of Error 503 Connection Refused by Server.

There are greed demons who get powered up by people gorging themselves.
gluttony demons?
 
So which is it?

If the effect is intentional so you know you are under attack, the minimum starting heat level should be warm enough so it is easily detectable without a power ring monitoring for minute amounts of heat and then issuing a warning.

You know, explicitly for the subtle John Constantine type stuff that uses very little magic. Even if the Spell Eater stops it from working on you, you should really want to know if some normally undetectable spell was just attempted on you. Instead of the opposition knowing their "Influence Minds" spell got blocked, with you never even aware they made the attempt because you never noticed the spell eater barely getting warm.


Except the Malthusians. Apparently they get some variant of Error 503 Connection Refused by Server.


gluttony demons?
Gluttony is a kind of greed. The point is that they're like Succubi in that they feed off of excess sensation.
 
Gluttony is a kind of greed. The point is that they're like Succubi in that they feed off of excess sensation.
Um. This is demons we are talking about here. Ever hear about the Seven Deadly Sins?

Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, & Pride?

Gluttony is in its own category separate from Greed. If a succubus is called a Lust demon, then something that feeds off of people gorging themselves would then be a called a gluttony demon.
 
Um. This is demons we are talking about here. Ever hear about the Seven Deadly Sins?

Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, & Pride?

Gluttony is in its own category separate from Greed. If a succubus is called a Lust demon, then something that feeds off of people gorging themselves would then be a called a gluttony demon.
What specifically the seven deadly sins are has changed quite often over time and has included both gluttony and greed both at the same time and taking the place of the other.
 
What specifically the seven deadly sins are has changed quite often over time and has included both gluttony and greed both at the same time and taking the place of the other.

Yes, I helped playtest a choice game in which one gets kidnapped by serial killers who claim to be the embodiments of the sins. It's open to interpretation if they're actually right about that or not.

The fact that the Dante's Inferno 8 were just as valid comes up in story, but naturally discouraged by the leaders of the group.

The worst sin according to Dante's Inferno is treachery, after all. They wouldn't want any of their killers getting ideas...
 
Angelic (part 9)
28th January
11:58 GMT -5


Midday Saturday doesn't appear to be a very busy time for 'massages'.

"What sort of ward is that?"

Water trailing from her armour, Tula considers it for a moment. "A weak one. I would guess that they copied images from a book without any understanding."

I nod to the police officers setting up a barricade across the road. I get a… Not entirely friendly look back. Why is-? Oh, come on. Angels mark you for death one time and suddenly you're the bad guy! Should have negotiated for a general announcement…

"I'm starting to take that sort of thing a little personally." I blink, the world before me changing colour. "Good job it only blocks my empathic vision. Three… Probably clients, getting an actual massage. One masseuse each, receptionist and two others."

Hm. Perhaps it's a massage parlour and a 'massage parlour'?

"Are you picking up any active magic use?"

"No, none." Her eyes unfocus slightly as she takes another reading of the ambient magics. "I don't think we're going to find a leader or magician here."

"Probably not. But now that we're here, we may as well take a look. It's difficult to use demon magic in America without breaking the law, and at the very least we might be able to scare them off doing anything more with it." She nods. "Please stay here and maintain the ward." I raise my left hand to my ear. "Artemis, are you in position?"

"Yeah, all set up here."

Artemis is perfectly capable of covering the rear exit with glue arrows. I was going to have Raquel in reserve above the building, but that seems… Unnecessary. On the other hand, asking her where she'd prefer to be isn't how things are done.

"Rocket, how much reading have you done on magic use?"

"Ah, some? I don't know as much as you or Tula. DMN never caught on in Dakota."

So I can't really justify her taking the lead here. Maybe next time, then. I mean, given Dakota I imagined that drug trafficking would be right up her street.

"Okay, keep an eye and an ear out. I'm going in. I'll shout if I need you."

"Right."

"Chief Clayborne?"

At the other end of the street I see him raise his right hand. "All set up here."

"Orange Lantern moving into suspect premises."

Out of ingrained habit I look both ways before crossing the road. This mission doesn't call for power armour. Light armour with a ward and a personal kinetic barrier is more than enough. If any crimes are happening in there, the presence of police is going to be more than scary enough without me crashing around.

I push open the door and look around. They've gone for a kind of… Doctor's waiting room aesthetic. The receptionist -a strikingly attractive-.

Hah.

Warning: spell eater temperature increasing.

I head over to the desk as she smiles welcomingly-. No, invitingly at me. The desk and the seating behind it are set up to draw the eye to the receptionist's spectacular cleavage. When her eyes meet mine I surreptitiously fish my rune stone out of its pouch and glance down at it. Weakly demonic. Probably a minor infusion of essence of succubus for a cheap instant makeover and instinctive glamour, which thanks to the spell eater is doing nothing to me. Are people cutting DMN with things now? The version Satanus was handing out when we first encountered it gave far stronger effects than this. Or maybe they don't think that they need it?

"Good morning."

She smiles winsomely. "I don't believe that I have anyone down for a mid-day appointment, sir. If you'd like to book-."

I pull out my Justice League documentation and hold it out. For a second her face falls, then she brightens up and-

Warning: spell eater temperature increasing.

-I'm going to assume that she's trying to turn up her glamour.

"Please don't do that. Justice League operatives aren't susceptible to weak magic. I'd like the arrests here to be as peaceful as possible."

Her eyes water as-

Warning: spell eater temperature increasing.

-she tries turning it up again, her right hand going for her desk telephone. I tag the phone with a filament and move it into my left hand, then take a mage slayer round out of subspace, lean forward and tap the tip of it against her forehead. The tiny runes on the round shimmer for an instant, then her chest deflates, minor instances of discolouration appear on her skin and the structure of her face becomes just a little more asymmetrical.

"When I say 'please don't do that', I'm not actually offering you a free choice, I'm just being British." I put the rune stone and round into an equipment pouch, because the round is now evidence. "Would you care to explain to me how you got access to demonic magic?"

"I-. N-not without talking to a lawyer."

"You do of course have that right. However, if as a result of you withholding information a demonic attack occurs I will encourage the judge to impose the maximum sentence possible. Police officers are waiting outside to arrest you."

I scan her, but I'm not seeing any weapons or vials of DMN and a quick burst of empathic vision doesn't show anything relating to fighting.

I point to the door. "Go now."

With a minor false start she rises, cowed, and walks out of the front door.

"Receptionist disempowered and coming out. Please arrest her."

"Will do. They're definitely using Devil Ji-. Using DMN, then?"

I smile at the Chief's slip. "She was, or something very much like it."

"Okay, I see her." There's a momentary pause as I consider whether I should walk in on the massages in progress or head towards the other people. "You got any idea who came up with that God damned name for it?"

"Me, actually. I wanted something that would put people off the stuff."

He huffs into his radio. "I suppose I can't fault your logic, but have you got any idea what it's like to write that on official reports?"

"Yes, actually, and mine go to Batman." Massage rooms are closer, so I walk towards the nearest. "Heading to the massage rooms."

"The receptionist is asking for a lawyer."

"I'm not supposed to mind control people into spilling their guts unless I have 'clear and direct evidence that they are a party to an imminent or ongoing attack', so I'm afraid that she's entitled."

"Huh. Guess I assumed that you guys could do whatever."

"I couldn't be punished for it, but it would undermine the prosecution. And probably terminate your career if you asked me to without good cause. I would action your request as you're the ranking police officer, but I would strongly advise-."

"Yeah, no. By the book unless there's a smoking gun."

"Understood."

I knock, then push open the door. Another improbably attractive woman, this time with her hands wrapped around a middle-aged man's shoulders. Her patient looks up, frowning in my direction.

"I'm.. sorry sir-."

"Orange Lantern. I work for the Justice League and I'm afraid that you're under arrest." Another mage slayer taps her on the forehead, to much the same effect as it had on the receptionist. "Please leave the building at once and surrender yourself to the police. Sir, you aren't under arrest, but I'm afraid that I'm going to have to ask you to answer a few questions. Please dress and then make your way outside."

"What? I was just getting a massage?"

"And that's perfectly legal sir, but unfortunately this parlour uses demonic magic and we feel it would be best-."

His face falls, and he turns his head to look at his masseuse and then double-takes and scrambles off the massage table, sans towel.

"Dress in your own good time, sir. Madam, I'm afraid that I'm going to have to insist."
 
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How can a Demon be in the country legally? Are they allowed to naturalise, or something?

Shouldn't banishment back to Hell be simply deporting them?

Or, has nobody thought of it in that kind of way?
People immigrating into the United States aren't required to reveal their species. Any demon who went through the process would be there legally. Alternatively, they could have lived their life as a human in the United States before going to Hell and becoming a demon. Or they could have come to the United States before citizenship requirements were as exacting as they are now.
So which is it?

If the effect is intentional so you know you are under attack, the minimum starting heat level should be warm enough so it is easily detectable without a power ring monitoring for minute amounts of heat and then issuing a warning.

You know, explicitly for the subtle John Constantine type stuff that uses very little magic. Even if the Spell Eater stops it from working on you, you should really want to know if some normally undetectable spell was just attempted on you. Instead of the opposition knowing their "Influence Minds" spell got blocked, with you never even aware they made the attempt because you never noticed the spell eater barely getting warm.
Technically, any amount of magic will result in it getting slightly warmed. It just won't get significantly warmer unless the spell has significant power behind it.
Them too.
 

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