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

You really don't want beacon-based teleportation to go wrong"
Missing Full Stop.
Just like there are advantages and disadvantages to either system...
It is through the Messiah and the Lord that man may come...
It feels like a chunk of this sentence is missing before the comma. Not sure exactly what, though.
'mean'
Thank you, corrected.
If he is Catholic? Then that confirms he is evil! J/K!
The SI has a good working relationship with Father Mattias.
 
Hey Zoat, if the SI took the ring off and got drunk, what would he be like? Enlightenment still letting his super-prioritize or would that mess it up?
 
It always confuses me when people expect Paul to be actually genre-savy and go "well you're talking a bit like an evil dude, ol chap.", like in this situation or the Olympia masking herself as WW update. He's not getting a snapshot of the worst/most entertaining days like we are which practically gives the twist away, he's living it fully.

The sort of person who could actually hold on to these comic tropes as a genre standard after living for two whole years in a 'verse would be a complete psychopath. At the very least he wouldn't see other beings as sentient, and I'd imagine they would turn out much more like Tangseid or some other variation on being a brutal uncaring person.

? I don't think a lot of people are expecting Paul to be aware, just saying from an audience POV.

Though there are some genre standards I can see being held onto, that's more the 'you're a hero and you're a blood relative of a villain, okay you two are going to fight unless you're a Markov sibling'
 
The sort of person who could actually hold on to these comic tropes as a genre standard after living for two whole years in a 'verse would be a complete psychopath. At the very least he wouldn't see other beings as sentient, and I'd imagine they would turn out much more like Tangseid or some other variation on being a brutal uncaring person.

There is absolutely no reason to believe that. He already knows he's not in a story he's read, people aren't acting out storylines he knows the end of. He just knows the approximate personalities of a bunch of people before meeting them; most socially-adept people do that all the time. Sociopaths rarely do.
 
Pete Tong (part 6)
31st December 2012
12:23 GMT -5


Artemis looks at me askance.

"So… Nothing went wrong?"

"I don't know."

No Catholic priest in America named 'Bruno' matching that description. No Anglican priest either. Or Mormon or Methodist. Smaller denominations don't necessarily have their memberships listed in a simple and accessible format.

"Nothing went wrong with the technology or demonstration that I could see. No one attacked the sites. But there was definitely something odd about Father Bruno."

"Okay, I know you don't have a great relationship with Christianity, but doesn't mean that all priests are out to get you."

"I have nothing but respect for Father Mattias. But Father Bruno doesn't appear to exist."

Not as if there's a law against wearing clerical garb. Or any particular difficulty in getting one made even if there was.

"And Johanna hasn't mentioned him."

"Maybe because he's not suspicious?"

"He said that he did therapy work for the Alliance. And alright, that doesn't mean that he's a qualified therapist, but she's a Nazi raised as a living weapon. I'd give her therapy if she was going to work for me."

"Would you? Because…"

"Hah hah."

"Yeah, 'cause I was joking." She looks at the searches I'm running. "Okay, so maybe he's not a priest. Have you tried just.. searching on a description?"

"No."

"You thought he was suspicious. If he's ever been in prison just about anywhere, he'll be in the database."

"I know, it's just…"

I mean, there are probably plenty of people who fit his description, to say nothing of illusion spells and shapeshifters.

"Okay, ah… Black hair, over six feet tall, muscular build-."

"Ah, didn't you scan him?" She frowns. "Why don't you just put his exact description in the computer and see what comes out?"

"Ah, no, I-. Didn't?"

She tilts her head to the side and puts her right hand on her hip.

"Are you feeling okay?"

"I didn't scan him. Vincent Edge has something that blocks my sophisticated scans and exotic vision, but I've captured visual images of him every time we've met. I didn't scan Father Bruno at all."

"So just get it from your brain."

"Um."

"Paul?"

"Black hair, tan skin, big. Strong. Ask me what his nose looked like."

"Ah, okay. What did his nose look like?"

"I don't know. I spoke to him an hour ago and I don't know what his nose looked like."

"You've got perfect memory."

"I've got perfect memory and I'm trained to resist telepathy." I make a fist with my left hand and hold it out to the side, while I use Larfleeze's ring to project a construct image of the reception room. "Ring, recreate room as of eleven fifteen, play. Also, lantern."

My personal lantern appears from subspace.

"This is my cause, this is my fight,
Shine through the void with orange light,
I've claimed all within my sight,
To keep what is mine, that is my right."

A wave of orange passes through me and the sleepy eye of the Ophidian briefly passes over me before it shuts down. And I watch myself with the reporters, the crowds in the reception area, then Mr. Edge walks over and…

"Did you imagine it?"

"Ring, sound recording."

"I told you I wanted you to meet Father Bruno." There's a pause. "Oh. Yeah. Of course." In my voice, then another pause. Then…

Nothing.

"Ring, where are the sounds?"

"Data not found."

"So I remember there being someone there, but I don't remember anyone other than Mister Edge and me talking to him, and there's no record. Ring, contact Alpha Centurion."

"Compliance."

"Yes?"

"Marcus, do you mind if I take a look at the internal security cameras for the Washington DC branch? I think someone who shouldn't have been there may have put in an appearance."

"Very well. Let me know what you discover."

"Of course. Thank you."

"File received."

"Show me this part of the room."

"View not found."

"Show me every face, and identify."

My ring connects to the mountain's hologram projectors, faces and identities flashing into being. No, no, no… No. No.

He's not there. No one who even meets his vague physical description.

"Ring, contact Alan Scott."

Alan's ring appears above my ring. "Paul? What's up?"

"Did you get introduced to Father Bruno?"

"Ah, yeah. We didn't speak all that long, but he said a few words. About how the Alliance has God's approval."

"What did he look like?"

"You forget already?"

"Humour me."

"Ah, tall. Black hair, tan skin. Big fellow."

"What did his nose look like?"

"Paul?"

"His nose, Alan. What did his nose look like?"

"I… I.. can't rightly remember. What-? What happened?"

"I don't know. But we both need to talk to Mister J'onzz."
 
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Well nice to know Paul caught on quick after the fact how shady Bruno is.

Could be whatever makes him invisible to memory beyond vague description and even recordings is what also didn't set off alarm bells in Paul's head when actually taking to him. Kinda like a 'I am no threat' field or something.
 
No Catholic priest in America named 'Bruno' matching that description. No Anglican priest either. Or Mormon or Methodist. Smaller denominations don't necessarily have their memberships listed in a simple and accessible format

Nice to see you looking into this.

Not as if there's a law against wearing clerical garb. Or any particular difficulty in getting one made even if there was

I think there might be some laws about impersonating priests.

pause. "Oh. Yeah. Of course. In my voice,

"of course". In"

someone how shouldn't have been

'someone who'
 
I love how LePaul gets so pissy any time someone gets one over on him.

But this one's especially hilarious given this is basically someone running around with a better version of his hidey tattoos. And he's basically super worried about someone doing to him what he's been doing to others since pretty much his arrival.
 
31st December 2012
12:23 GMT -5


Artemis looks at me askance.

"So… Nothing went wrong?"
Oh, I know it sounds crazy to even suggest that, what with OL's track record of public appearances... But somehow, it did. Which is all the more concerning. And not even OL can deny it...

"I don't know."

No Catholic priest in America named 'Bruno' matching that description. No Anglican priest either. Or Mormon or Methodist. Smaller denominations don't necessarily have their memberships listed in a simple and accessible format.
Ah, good to see he isn't completely at ease about it either.

"Nothing went wrong with the technology or demonstration that I could see. No one attacked the sites. But there was definitely something odd about Father Bruno."

"Okay, I know you don't have a great relationship with Christianity, but doesn't mean that all priests are out to get you."
True. Despite his track record with their heavenly bosses...

"I have nothing but respect for Father Mattias. But Father Bruno doesn't appear to exist."

Not as if there's a law against wearing clerical garb. Or any particular difficulty in getting one made even if there was.
And many don't wear the iconic black cost and collar chip all day every day... Not that that's every demonination's outfit either. Look at how many televangelists do their shows in a basic suit.

"And Johanna hasn't mentioned him."

"Maybe because he's not suspicious?"
Or they haven't met. Or she's already been mind-whammied and no-one noticed.

"He said that he did therapy work for the Alliance. And alright, that doesn't mean that he's a qualified therapist, but she's a Nazi raised as a living weapon. I'd give her therapy if she was going to work for me."

"Would you? Because…"
Rubbing a few people the wrong way, is she?

"Hah hah."

"Yeah, 'cause I was joking." She looks at the searches I'm running. "Okay, so maybe he's not a priest. Have you tried just.. searching on a description?"
And look in places other than just the 'ordained priests' databases...

"No."

"You thought he was suspicious. If he's ever been in prison just about anywhere, he'll be in the database."
Complete with mugshots. And criminal history, which 'Ugly' Bruno would have a long list.

"I know, it's just…"

I mean, there are probably plenty of people who fit his description, to say nothing of illusion spells and shapeshifters.
...And that sounds like he's trying to make excuses not to do it. Now where have we seen that before, hmm?

"Okay, ah… Black hair, over six feet tall, muscular build-."

"Ah, didn't you scan him?" She frowns. "Why don't you just put his exact description in the computer and see what comes out?"
That is a damn good point. Even at the lightest level, he'd have some kind of data readings.

"Ah, no, I-. Didn't?"

She tilts her head to the side and puts her right hand on her hip.
Ha, even she thinks it's odd he didn't.

"Are you feeling okay?"

"I didn't scan him. Vincent Edge has something that blocks my sophisticated scans and exotic vision, but I've captured visual images of him every time we've met. I didn't scan Father Bruno at all."
And so many red flags are waving now that it looks like a Communist Party parade...

"So just get it from your brain."

"Um."
...Well, that's concerning. He actually forgot something while wearing the Rings? That's some serious mojo, whatever did it.

"Paul?"

"Black hair, tan skin, big. Strong. Ask me what his nose looked like."
Because that's a readily identifiable facial feature most people notice.

"Ah, okay. What did his nose look like?"

"I don't know. I spoke to him an hour ago and I don't know what his nose looked like."
...So, in this case, it's not as clear as the nose on his face? What, is his memory of Bruno just a silhouette?

"You've got perfect memory."

"I've got perfect memory and I'm trained to resist telepathy." I make a fist with my left hand and hold it out to the side, while I use Larfleeze's ring to project a construct image of the reception room. "Ring, recreate room as of eleven fifteen, play. Also, lantern."
Ooh, gonna bring out the big guns to crack this, eh?

My personal lantern appears from subspace.

"This is my cause, this is my fight,
Shine through the void with orange light,
I've claimed all within my sight,
To keep what is mine, that is my right."
...And I'm picturing him saying it like a commercial disclaimer, to hurry up the process...

A wave of orange passes through me and the sleepy eye of the Ophidian briefly passes over me before it shuts down. And I watch myself with the reporters, the crowds in the reception area, then Mr. Edge walks over and…

"Did you imagine it?"
So, Best Snek didn't notice anything wrong, since she'd be pretty annoyed if someone messed with her Agent's head.

"Ring, sound recording."

"I told you I wanted you to meet Father Bruno." There's a pause. "Oh. Yeah. Of course. In my voice, then another pause. Then…
Well, that's not concerning at all, no... [/sarcasm]

Nothing.

"Ring, where are the sounds?"

"Data not found."
Either something erased it on site, or it never recorded anything at all... That's not good.

"So I remember there being someone there, but I don't remember anyone other than Mister Edge and me talking to him, and there's no record. Ring, contact Alpha Centurion."

"Compliance."
Let's see if he can remember what 'Father Bruno' looks like.

"Yes?"

"Marcus, do you mind if I take a look at the internal security cameras for the Washington DC branch? I think someone how shouldn't have been there may have put in an appearance."
Ah, right. Marcus would probably be one of the most affected by whatever mental tricks they used, being one of the original members of the group...

"Very well. Let me know what you discover."

"Of course. Thank you."
Still, at least there was no difficulty in accessing their records. ...Probably means Bruno's covered his tracks too well.

"File received."

"Show me this part of the room."

"View not found."
Because of course he was able to stand in the one place no camera would see him. Assuming they weren't configured with that blind spot to begin with.

"Show me every face, and identify."

My ring connects to the mountain's hologram projectors, faces and identities flashing into being. No, no, no… No. No.
Surely they got an angle of you talking to someone who's not there, right? Unless you ended up in the same blind spot.

He's not there. No one who even meets his vague physical description.

"Ring, contact Alan Scott."
Good move. The more people informed about this, the better.

Alan's ring appears above my ring. "Paul? What's up?"

"Did you get introduced to Father Bruno?"
And I expect Alan would remember that.

"Ah, yeah. We didn't speak all that long, but he said a few words. About how the Alliance has God's approval."

"What did he look like?"
Now, the acid test. Was it just focused on OL, or has Bruno been doing it to everyone?

"You forget already?"

"Humour me."
And notice that he immediately moved to deflect the question? Interesting.

"Ah, tall. Black hair, tan skin. Big fellow."

"What did his nose look like?"
After all, doing that makes you focus on the memory. Not the Cliff's Notes version we use to narrow something down, but the actual memory.

"Paul?"

"His nose, Alan. What did his nose look like?"
Looks like Alan got the same treatment. Safe bet no-one else would remember that either, no matter who they asked. Even Vincent Edge himself.

"I… I.. can't rightly remember. What-? What happened?"

"I don't know. But we both need to talk to Mister J'onzz."
Let's hope he can find something. And doesn't get his brain fried by a telepathic trap. :confused:

I'm getting the feeling Bruno has some variant of a 'Somebody Else's Problem' effect going on. Something to make his appearance so forgettable that you literally will forget it beyond 'tall, dark and built'. Even on recordings. And I don't think Bruno could come up with something like that by himself. Looks like he might be working with someone else with a lot of technological tricks available to them...
 
Bullshit no priest says Christian priest they say catholic Protestant a servant of the lord etc but not Christian priest
Bullshit they don't. Have you met every single one of them? Using absolute statements just makes you absolutely wrong if there's a single outlier, and I've met a couple.
 
Huh. I was sort of thinking that they'd find out another way, like by Big Barda or Scott Free going through the Alliance of the Just(ified)'s teleporter and recognizing the horrible feeling of Anti-Life.

If something like that happens in the Renegadeverse (I don't recall whether the AotJ has been mentioned there), I'd expect Grayven to sense it for the same reason.
 
Ok..... shooting in the dark here, but is this father more like the manifestation of a concept? Like Uncle Sam, the Endless, or Mr. Smiley? One that is forgettable by nature, but for the whispers in the ear?
 

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