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

Cuchulin · Oct 25, 2022

Vanbers said:
inb4 "No, I'm not the Messiah." "You hear that?! He must be the Messiah!" *Long-suffering sigh*

He is NOT the Messiah, he's a very naughty boy!

Handlewithcare · Oct 25, 2022

Paul. Paul stop coopting cults.

You're part of the friggin Ophidian. You play on the level of actual gods. People whorshipping you might have a point.

Vanbers · Oct 25, 2022

Handlewithcare said:
Paul. Paul stop coopting cults.

You're part of the friggin Ophidian. You play on the level of actual gods. People whorshipping you might have a point.

"He's the Chosen Avatar of Avarice! He must be the one to lead the Age of Vice to it's end!"

*Crowd cheers*

"You see, Paul? You see this? This is why we let Superman do the talking."

Old Knife · Oct 25, 2022

Vanbers said:
"He's the Chosen Avatar of Avarice! He must be the one to lead the Age of Vice to it's end!"

*Crowd cheers*

"You see, Paul? You see this? This is why we let Superman do the talking."

PLEASE. Clark is just as bad.

Mr. IB

main-qimg-87a6e569933163a4106f3de3947abad9

Chojin Patriarch · Oct 25, 2022

Mr Zoat said:
31st December 2012
14:52 GMT -5

Alan looks concerned.

"Are you sure it's safe to bring them here?"

Is there anywhere on Earth that's safe at the moment? At least if your army is all together, it'll take less to protect them. Which raises all manner of questions about where they're going to muster the forces. Watchtower's still secret. Hall of Justice is in DC, right under the enemy's eyes. I doubt the Team wants the bad guys in their Mount Justice hangout...

I look down as the Justified tear apart Belle Reve's front gate with some sort of magnetism control ability before driving in. They're not trying to rush through the outer defence cordon, and if the defences were manned they would be slaughtered. Even the automated defences would probably be able to kill them.

Waller gives me a sidelong glance. "I could always turn them back on."

And kill hundreds of brainwashed innocents. Sure, Wall, you go right ahead. I'm sure the jury will understand...

I shake my head. "They're almost certainly victims, too. I'll shoot through a hostage if I have to, but in this situation there's really no need."

I turn and look over to where Mr. Mahkent is sitting on a construct bench in a flying construct prison bus and watching the movements below very carefully. Unlike his old colleague Mr. Crock, he never moved beyond city-level supervillainy, but he made it work for him profitably for a prolonged period of time. He's not a fool by any means, and while he's bound against certain types of hostility he is allowed to question the people giving him orders. A politely phrased 'how do we even know these people are coming for us' is well below the level the contract penalises and also undermines me in the event that I couldn't produce.

And an object lesson is always useful, whether it be supplied by you or the foe.

"Satisfied?"

He grunts quietly as the Justified leave their vehicles, obviously unusual helmets on their heads.

Just think, if not for OL's kind offer, you'd soon be joining them down there. Assuming they didn't just shoot you where you lay.

"Then if everyone's prepared, we will now sojourn to a place of relative safety. Orange Lantern to Mister Miracle, we're about ready."

Of course, I can fly us to Salem, but the area where the Tower intersects with normal space is standing room only at the moment and we're trying to avoid-.

And a bunch of giant orange-glowing buses are just a wee bit noticeable.

I consider the majority of my passengers.

And I'm trying to avoid collateral damage. Mother Box is perfectly capable of bypassing the dimensional differences between normal Earth and the Tower of Fate's exterior, though Dr. Balewa will be checking everyone thoroughly before anyone gets inside.

I expect the Tower will politely steer anyone not on the approved access list back to their mustering areas if they go wandering...

I wish John was here. I know Diana's going to want to check on Themyscira as soon as possible, but-.

BOOM!

Hey, at least these Amazons aren't unleashing their super-science weapons on the world.

I'm flying myself and my passengers forward even as the aperture appears, construct bus convoy passing through without any difficulty. And then we're in a void where the only matter appears to be the tower roof. In a legacy of Fake John's time here it isn't using the 'stony tower' skin, but looks more like the top of a science fiction tower block. Or possibly the launch bay of a military space station.

The boom tube opening shuts behind us as we come in to land. Acting President Nathanial Adams is in full service dress uniform to emphasise his position, with a small military detail one of the other retrieval missions recovered. Dr. Balewa and Angelica are on hand to check everyone over for residual influence and Batman is here to debrief me.

Oof. That last one is almost as scary as going toe-to-toe with Mannheim. Possibly moreso.

I need to find out where everyone else is.

I open the bus doors, and my guests begin making their way off my constructs. The guards and William move fairly quickly, Waller in particular marching off to speak to Mr. Adams. My redemption-in-progress prisoners leave the bus and then hesitate, watching their environment carefully. The enpacted on the other hand hesitate, not out of fear by in the same way a predator would an open space. They want to see what's going on before they commit to moving.

Well, then, maybe they just need a little push...

So I dismiss the constructs.

Most land just fine. Several glare my way but I'm mildly pleased to see that no one… Invokes their penalty clause.

...That works.

"Wizards, please report to Doctor Mist. Everyone else, please form lines and we'll get you situated just as soon as we've checked you over for residual Anti-Life infection." I generate constructs marking lanes. "Staff here,-" I make momentary eye contact with Dr. Quinzel and give her a reassuring smile. "-prisoners who were part of the accelerated release group here, remaining male inmates here and remaining female inmates here."

The last two groups aren't exactly in a hurry to obey, but they gradually move in the direction indicated. But first-.

I expect a little pushing and shoving as the more insecure try to establish some form of dominance.

"In the mean time, Mister and Miss Flinders, might I borrow you for a moment?"

He landed a little more heavily than she did, and consequently looks a little more put out with me. She just looks… Not completely blank, but blanker. Jade can fake facial expressions far better, but I suppose they didn't have exactly the same roles.

Ah, the cult of Kobra contingent. What little there are present. Or at least the least fanatical about it.

Mister Flinders trudges over, with his sister a little behind him. It's an instinctual thing, with him far better able to absorb damage than her it makes sense for him to take the lead and attract attention.

"Let's talk about Kobra." Fortunately, Mr. Burr elected to remain behind, not even deigning to turn away from his back wall when I went to speak with him. "Actually, do I need to get Mister Weiss over here-?"

What's the bet Kobra thought he could talk the Justified into falling at his feet? Pity it's unlikely that they'd just kill him.

"No." / "No."

"Very well. As I understand Kobra theology, shouldn't you be cheering right now?"

For more explanation on that: The Kobra Cult. Basically, doomsday-cult stuff with veneer of Hinduist beliefs.

Miss Flinders gives me a thoughtful look. "Burr was declared a false messiah."

"True, but Lady Eve is still keeping the faith. It doesn't get much more Kali Yuga than this."

Which makes me wonder what they're up to in all this? Sitting around in religious bliss? Out there killing Justified? Who knows?

"I hope the contract doesn't only work if you believe in it."

And there's Mr. Crock. Alright, he stuck to the back of the male line and isn't that far away, and it's not as if there's anything else to draw attention.

No doubt looking to sneak off. I doubt he trusts OL not to kill him, so there's a good chance he'll be one of the first to trigger the penalty clauses.

"No, it still works, and Hinduism is perfectly accepting of the idea of hostile demons. But the Kobra variant is accelerationist-." Mr. and Miss Flinders look blank. "You were trying to bring civilisation down faster than would otherwise have been the case in order to minimise the time spent in the Age of Vice and hasten the return of the Age of Righteousness."

Miss Flinders nods cautiously.

...Put that way, it sounds almost altruistic. Pity it came via violence and murder.

"Thus, any evil act is justified because you're not embracing vice for yourself, but rather trying to make civilisation as evil as possible until it collapses. I'm still not completely clear where Jeffrey Burr comes in."

"He was supposed to make it happen, and rule over the new age."

Which he would have been happy to do, being a power-hungry lunatic.

"How? He's as much of a creature of the Age of Vice as the rest of us."

"He… We know he's not now, but he's the one we thought the prophecies were talking about."

See, that's the problem with vague prophecies. Too often, someone might fit enough of the predictions to fool you into believing they're it.

"How would you recognise when it's happened?"

Mr. Flinders frowns. "When what's happened?"

...Yeah, Mammoth wasn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed even before he got Venom-Bustered...

"When the Age of Vice has reached maximum decay? Because I can't.. really imagine how life on Earth could get worse than 'Anti-Life is everywhere'. I mean, you felt that, right?"

Miss Flinders nods slowly, her eyes avoiding my face. "So, what? You think this is the Age of Righteousness?"

No, it's a time of transition. What, you thought it'd flip like a clock ticking over?

"No, but can you imagine living in the same way with what you've seen of yourself?" I give them a moment, but neither of them respond. "I think this is the last moment of the Age of Vice, and what comes after we win is the Age of Righteousness. I don't know exactly how we're going to get there either, but I think.. that's what happens. So I totally respect it if you want to die to bring about the next age, but I think they'll be a place for you in it if that's what you want."

Ah, a little nudge to make sure they don't go off on a suicidal charge.

Ah, yes. They had a normal cult indoctrination. They know the words, but the theology is a bit beyond them. This is why Scientologists don't tell people about Xenu at the start.

"Just think about it, alright?"

...I bet there's steam already rising off Mammoth's skull.

This is going to be a delicate round of people management, isn't it? Careful handling of each and every personality to make sure they don't get any independent ideas going... This is no time to have someone going off on their own tangent during a mission. And some of these fellows might chafe at being told what to do, after being the big dogs in the yard for so long at Belle Reve. I don't doubt there's going to have to be an example or two made before this is over...

Lord Ernest · Oct 25, 2022

My two favorite parts; first, the Illustres considering how he's mostly transporting supervillains so he's the one that has to consider collateral damage. And second, he's totally trying to co-opt those two and, if I remember right, Lady Eve was already giving him a considering eye. So when is he finally making a move to lead Kobra? Just get it over with.

Oh, and finally, I've never paid attention to scientology. But hell below, is that really what they believe in!? Shit, that isn't even a good sci-fi plot! Never expected for this chapter to just further damage my faith in humanity. Although, then again, we are in an Anti-Life arc, so it's appropriate.

And can somebody remind me if Jeffrey Burr is still "empowered" or "snaked" or whatever it is he was? Or if he has been returned to normal? I vaguely remember something along those lines but can't quite recall.

Doccer · Oct 25, 2022

Mr Zoat said:
Flinders

Who are the Flinders again? I remember Joseph/Jeffrey Burr and the Cobra Cult bit but who are these people?

Lord Ernest · Oct 25, 2022

Doccer said:
Who are the Flinders again? I remember Joseph/Jeffrey Burr and the Cobra Cult bit but who are these people?

Mammoth and Shimmer. The fellows that ousted Bane and took over Santa Prisca in Young Justice and in the first official mission of this fic as well. Big fellow Venom Buster-ed and his sister was a lithe woman, stylized cut hair and athletic/martial artist.

Edit: My bad, got the alias of the sister wrong first. Shimmer its her name.

Darko · Oct 25, 2022

Chojin Patriarch said:
And kill hundreds of brainwashed innocents. Sure, Wall, you go right ahead. I'm sure the jury will understand...

I think a jury is required to not know about the case beforehand and that's unlikely to happen here.

Plus, I think most would be grateful that they're free.

Chojin Patriarch said:
See, that's the problem with vague prophecies. Too often, someone might fit enough of the predictions to fool you into believing they're it.

It's a fairly standard culture practice to be vague so that you can change your belief to fit whatever you want.

It's a common thing in most mainstream religions too.

Darko · Oct 25, 2022

Lord Ernest said:
Oh, and finally, I've never paid attention to scientology. But hell below, is that really what they believe in!? Shit, that isn't even a good sci-fi plot

Hubbard was never exactly a good writer.

Lord Ernest said:
And can somebody remind me if Jeffrey Burr is still "empowered" or "snaked" or whatever it is he was? Or if he has been returned to normal? I vaguely remember something along those lines but can't quite recall

He's an ordinary human now after the leader if the cult took away whatever power he had.

Ngamer11 · Oct 25, 2022

I'm now curious if we'll see the POV of the Light. What are they doing in this situation right now Mr Zoat?

Karmic Acumen · Oct 25, 2022

Vandal Savage on anti-life. Might be enough to turn him into the doomed future version from the Justice League cartoon.

mastermenthe · Oct 25, 2022

Karmic Acumen said:
Vandal Savage on anti-life. Might be enough to turn him into the doomed future version from the Justice League cartoon.

I can't find that. Help?

Mr Zoat · Oct 25, 2022

Handlewithcare said:
People whorshipping you might have a point.

I assure you that no one is whorshipping the SI.

Chojin Patriarch said:
And kill hundreds of brainwashed innocents. Sure, Wall, you go right ahead. I'm sure the jury will understand...

The jury: "Anti-Life justifies her actions!"

Hey, at least these Amazons aren't unleashing their super-science weapons on the world.

Lord Ernest said:
Oh, and finally, I've never paid attention to scientology. But hell below, is that really what they believe in!? Shit, that isn't even a good sci-fi plot! Never expected for this chapter to just further damage my faith in humanity. Although, then again, we are in an Anti-Life arc, so it's appropriate.

Yes. There's a reason why the church leaders had to physically restrain him from fleeing what he'd created.

Darko said:
He's an ordinary human now after the leader if the cult took away whatever power he had.

I wouldn't go that far. He is very good at fighting.

mastermenthe said:
I can't find that. Help?

Hereafter.

moralrelativity · Oct 25, 2022

Mr Zoat said:
not out of fear by in the same way

by -> but

Mr Zoat · Oct 25, 2022

moralrelativity said:
by -> but

Thank you, corrected.

Windona · Oct 25, 2022

Lmao, OL making a good case of why he should be their messiah inadvertently. Though I can see it causing as much trouble as it solves, especially since as a cult Lady Eve would want someone that fits the prophecy and gets with the program.

Hmm, I wonder who else was rescued. Will be fun to find out.

rdfox · Oct 25, 2022

Mr Zoat said:
I assure you that no one is whorshipping the SI.

Of course not. It's well know that he's already in a relationship, and that anyone making any such accusations about Jade would be liable to wake to an amateur laryngectomy in progress.

The only question is whether the amateur surgeon in question would have boobs or not, and that's probably determined by whether Jade was able to get leave...

CTrees · Oct 25, 2022

Mr Zoat said:
I assure you that no one is whorshipping the SI.

But maybe the In Praise of Eros version of OL...

Pinklestia · Oct 25, 2022

Vanbers said:
inb4 "No, I'm not the Messiah." "You hear that?! He must be the Messiah!" *Long-suffering sigh*

Why do the British like this so much?

Coda · Oct 25, 2022

Mr Zoat said:
Nathanial Adams

I thought his name was spelled "Nathaniel".

Mr Zoat said:
think they'll be a place for you in it

think there'll be a place

Mr Zoat · Oct 25, 2022

Coda said:
I thought his name was spelled "Nathaniel".
think there'll be a place

Thank you, corrected.

Doccer · Oct 26, 2022

Mr Zoat said:
I assure you that no one is whorshipping the SI.

Yet.
There are worshippers of the Green. There will be worshippers of the Orange. And given OL's ties to The Ophidian?

...also...
Hades already said he'd just kick him upstairs if he ever actually died, managed to stay dead and end up in his realm.

Silverias · Oct 26, 2022

Doccer said:
Yet.
There are worshippers of the Green. There will be worshippers of the Orange. And given OL's ties to The Ophidian?

...also...
Hades already said he'd just kick him upstairs if he ever actually died, managed to stay dead and end up in his realm.

Check the spelling

Ganurath · Oct 26, 2022

Pinklestia said:
Why do the British like this so much?

Absurdist humor is rooted heavily in the subversion of expectations, which Monty Python excelled at by consistently finding new ways to make British people act silly in ways that didn't involve stereotypes or crossdressing.

BR549 · Oct 26, 2022

Ganurath said:
Absurdist humor is rooted heavily in the subversion of expectations, which Monty Python excelled at by consistently finding new ways to make British people act silly in ways that didn't involve stereotypes or crossdressing.

Also as has been noted, The Life of Brian works this especially well because once you start running with the absurd premise, everything that follows progresses logically from there.

Mr Zoat · Oct 26, 2022

31st December 2012
15:24 GMT -5

Former General Eiling looks down at Acting President Adams as the wizards finish their final checks.

"How the Hell did we end up with you in charge?"

Adams' expression is stern, verging contemptuous. I haven't seen him in officer mode before. Even with him being retroactively cleared of wrongdoing, his duties don't actually come with any… Ah, airmen under him in his chain of command. But now he's theoretically in charge of everyone.

"Do we know each other, convict?"

"You want name, rank and serial n-?"

"Eiling." Though, credit to Adams, his face barely twitches. "How the Hell are you still alive?"

"Same way you are. I volunteered for important government work."

"What government work?"

"Something called the Danner Formula. Gives people super strength, but only works in fetuses. They wanted to find a way to make it work on adults." He flexes his arms and chest. "Amazing what a few stem cell injections can do."

Hm. Yes, using foetal stem cells and then injecting them… Could work, if you killed the host's immune system first and they engrafted properly. It would be more likely to give the test subject super-cancer, but I suppose that explains the mutations. Not something I'd want to experiment with…

"So you got a stay of execution."

"So I get to keep working for my country."

"Your country? You were murdering US servicemen and selling weapons to the Viet Cong in the Vietnam War for personal profit, then you tried getting all your co-conspirators killed so you could get away free."

"Personal profit? Heh." Eiling looks down contemptuously. "If it was personal profit I'd have quit the army right after Vietnam and bought a place in Aruba. I wouldn't have bothered sticking around."

"What was it, then?"

"Since you're the 'President' I guess you're clear to know. CIA knew that the Vietnam War was a lost cause. Not enough public support and not enough balls in the White House to fully commit to winning. So they figured, why not sell the Communists weapons, then use that money to fund winnable fights in South America? Have the Communists pay to kill other Communists?" He snorts. "Don't know how successful it was, but that was what I was trying to do."

"And the people you murdered?"

"Shame. But that was the only way to make it happen."

"That's inhuman."

"Oh yeah? You were a pilot. Remind me, how many Cambodian villages did you drop Willy Pete on? You wanna call me a monster because I took orders from a CIA station chief instead of Henry Kissinger?" He leans a little closer. "Grow up, Mister President."

"Get out of my sight."

Eiling.. salutes, and while I'm sure that he means it sarcastically it's as near to textbook as his current physiology allows. Then he steps away and marches towards the cargo lift we're using to take the men to their quarters.

Not sure whether he was lying or not. Kissinger's plan was to lie on official documents by rerouting pilots while they were in the air, and leaving the official target as one in Vietnam. While at this point everyone who knows anything about the era knows that it happened, matching any one pilot to any one bombing run would probably be impossible. Adams wouldn't have known exactly where they were sending him… But again, the fact that the US was moving people to villages they build in 'safe' zones and then bombing anything in the areas they'd cleared, civilian or military, isn't exactly a secret either. I've never bothered to find out exactly what Adams spent the war doing, but if Eiling's telling the truth then he's not wrong about the morality of the situation.

I walk past with a nod, taking my place at the front of the lift.

"Thank you for your cooperation so far. We will now be taking you to your home for the foreseeable future. You will be freely able to leave your own rooms, but the majority of the Tower will be inaccessible unless you're accompanied by an authorised member of staff."

The lift begins to descend.

"While we're not actually going to stop you harming yourselves or others, that will activate your penalty clause outside of a refereed spar or official training session. Doctor Quinzel will still be around to discuss any personal issues you may be having. If you have any strategic or organisational questions, please address them to me or to any member of the Justice League."

"Yeah." Mr. Bailey nods from near the back. Which means that he's low on the prison totem pole. "When's chow time?"

"The Tower produces food by magic, so… Whenever you're hungry, basically. Unless you try eating a whole elephant then it's not really much of a drain on resources."

"Anything?"

"We don't have a circus, so you'll have to make do with really good bread."

"Oh, that's good." Mr. Nygma seems amused by my witticism. "But I'm puzzled as to why it is that you said that you can't see Sportsmaster. I don't think he kept any of his weapons."

Mr. Bailey might be relatively low status, but it's clear from the reactions of the others that Mr. Nygma is an Omega-level outcast. I'd sympathise if he had a slightly lower body count.

"I once told him that if I saw him again I'd kill him. I didn't take this situation into account." I shrug. "I like to think that I'm a man of my word, and I don't mind the extra effort."

"What did he do to make you say that?"

"Oh, I'm his nemesis."

That actually gets a response, as Mr. Crock… Well, the Crock-shaped blur, appears to cross his arms. "Like Hell you are."

"No, no, seriously. Classically, a nemesis is a countervailing force that comes into being in response to the actions of the primary actor. Your harshness and criminality have alienated everyone in your life, while my heroism is why I'm dating your eldest daughter, and have a better relationship than you with your younger daughter, ex-wife, mother, father, brother, nephews and ex-mother-in-law." I smile insolently. "It's a matter of contrast; by existing I repudiate your entire personal philosophy."

Mr. Nygma smiles, either not noticing or not caring about how Mr. Crock's hands clench into fists.

"Imagine that."

"My nemesis on the other hand is some Reach functionary I don't even know the name of who owes me for his current promotion. He already managed to kill me once."

Mr. Crock's face doesn't move much, but there's a little something in his eye.

"That so?"

"Qwa-matter is nasty stuff."

"So to be someone's nemesis, just fighting them isn't enough. You have to create a role for them."

"Going by the classical definition, yes."

"So the Riddler isn't Batman's nemesis, because he didn't have anything to do with getting him started."

"Now wait just a-."

"No, that's the Joker. It was Batman's fight with him when he went out as Red Hood that resulted in him getting a bath in putrefied Smilex. Batman tries to bring stability to Gotham, the Joker attacks stability just because he can."

"So who is Riddler's nemesis?"

"I'm honestly not sure that he has one."

"Hear that, Eddy?" The lift reaches our stop and Mr. Crock strides off into the prisoner residential area. "Aren't you lucky."

Parzival95 · Oct 26, 2022

Riddlers gonna be so pissed he goes out of his way to create his own nemesis and I'm absolutely ready for it.

Handlewithcare · Oct 26, 2022

Did the two cultists just hear Death doesn't stick to him?

What were we just talking about, Paul?

BR549 · Oct 26, 2022

Pretty sure Paul should be saying it was the Joker, right, given Mr. Napier's current condition?

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

Versed in the lewd.

Versed in the lewd.

Well worn.

Not too sore, are you?

Veteran Lurker

At the End...

I trust you know where the happy button is?

At the End...

Connoisseur.

Connoisseur.

Experienced.

The long-suffering one

Mint Thistle

Dedicated ragequitter

Recovering pendant.

Dedicated ragequitter

Beetle Queen of Crackshipping

Know what you're doing yet?

Chasing the ring

Well worn.

Versed in the lewd.

Dedicated ragequitter

I trust you know where the happy button is?

Know what you're doing yet?

Apologizes For Nothing

This is filth! FILTH!!

Dedicated ragequitter

Not too sore, are you?

Versed in the lewd.

This is filth! FILTH!!

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