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

Mr Zoat · Nov 10, 2023

Silveraith said:
Two quotation marks after new gods.

Thank you, corrected.

Steelplaza · Nov 10, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
Washington, District of Columbia, is an unusually flat city. The original Alliance of the Just building was just under the forty metre legal limit for building height, and the buildings around it were that tall or shorter. Now it's grown, the new techno-infernal structure something that would be right at home on Apokolips. All they would need to do to complete the picture would be to punch down to the planet's mantel for that fire pit glow.

Ten years later....

"Yes, the Anti-Life incident killed a lot of people, but studies show that being able to violate building codes and putting up all this new and valuable architecture makes the whole thing a net economic positive for DC."

"You're shitting me."

"I am not! Apokolips Apartments alone has been worth billions to the city's economic development. And the acoustics of the Slaughterdome make it perfect for all kinds of performances. We could never have gotten that built under code."

Handlewithcare · Nov 10, 2023

The plan really does not call for every hero available to teleport in? This is arguably the most important moment in Earth's modern history. They need everyone they can get.

Someguy Somewhere · Nov 10, 2023

Handlewithcare said:
The plan really does not call for every hero available to teleport in? This is arguably the most important moment in Earth's modern history. They need everyone they can get.

There's a few reasons.

The obvious one is that the JL and team don't have a site to site transporter. The Zeta tubes and OL's Portal Network are base station based, if the stations aren't destroyed or deactivated by now then they're likely heavily guarded. OL can greedy port himself, and maybe a handful of folks if they could shield themselves. He can Transition a bit more then that in a local area if Ring FTL isn't jammed somehow but if that's abused it's VERY unhealthy. The Other side has full access to elf gates, boom tubes and the teleportation network the Not! Justice League operated.

One of the practical reasons is simply that most hero's aren't in this weight class and would be threatened just being in the area of impact while the heavy hitters are throwing haymakers. You bring who you need to win the fight, reserves to handle combat losses, and that's about it.

Two is command and control issues, you need a tight and short chain of command when you need the fine details looked after, and adapting to things on the fly. Throwing a bunch of hero's that aren't used to working together all into one spot is asking for a lot of complications from friendly fire, power interactions and just bad communication.

Three is spreading enemy forces. If you have All your doods in one spot, the enemy can do the same, leaving the rest of the world up for grabs for anyone not part of the brawl. Your wide open for flanking attacks, or someone hitting a Weapon of Mass Destruction and killing everyone in the combat zone while the other side boom tubes out at the last minute. The other side of this is that while they make this assault, the rest of the league can be launching attacks in different locations as diversions. Until the big rainbow gets warmed up for the Life Vs Anti-life attack, this just looks like any other Hero attack, so bad guys have to keep their response force proportional what they're seeing, at least until they identify the level of the threat.

NightmareWarden · Nov 11, 2023

Handlewithcare said:
The plan really does not call for every hero available to teleport in? This is arguably the most important moment in Earth's modern history. They need everyone they can get.

I know, right? This is the endgame. The Atom is the best option for beating Mannheim, and the Justice League can be a good distraction.

Cuchulin · Nov 11, 2023

Steelplaza said:
Ten years later....

"Yes, the Anti-Life incident killed a lot of people, but studies show that being able to violate building codes and putting up all this new and valuable architecture makes the whole thing a net economic positive for DC."

"You're shitting me."

"I am not! Apokolips Apartments alone has been worth billions to the city's economic development. And the acoustics of the Slaughterdome make it perfect for all kinds of performances. We could never have gotten that built under code."

But first they needed to be decorated with up lifting murals using bright primary colors and pastels, also lots of potted plants and other bits of greenery.

Twilight666 · Nov 11, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
[color=red[But this [i]thing[/i][/color]-!"

Broken tag. Also it's been 15' and not posted on this thread too.

Duke Long · Nov 11, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
Now it's grown, the new techno-infernal structure something that would be right at home on Apokolips. All they would need to do to complete the picture would be to punch down to the planet's mantel for that fire pit glow.

'mantle'

Darko · Nov 11, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
Makes sense. And-.

Ahh… I didn't…

I didn't… Know that Nommo felt like that. I thought that his prime directive approach was an intellectual thing, not…

Hmm, what does Nommo feel?

Mr Zoat said:
And I feel-.

"Thank you, fools

Shit, now he may have access to corrupt the White Light entity.

Mr Zoat · Nov 11, 2023

17th February 2013
20:41 GMT

"Taaru!" / "Taaru!" / "Taaru!" / "Taaru!" / "Taaru!"
"We Are One!"

"No."

And… The Forever People stand there looking like lemons for a moment before diving for cover as Finality Man opens fire with its arm-mounted weapons. Fortunately Alan's on the ball, tearing a lump of concrete out of the ground and throwing it into the path of the beam.

Railguns.

Compliance.

The concrete is annihilated, only the tiniest fragments falling to the ground, but the Forever People are able to scramble away from the giant robot. Justifiers are… Closing in-.

"Accursed thief!"

Orion flies at Finality Man's head, blossoming red chainsaw blades whirring around him. Finality Man's eyes glow red as it prepares to fire its eye beams, and I load a crumbler and fire at maximum power. The round hits it just as it fires, causing the same burst of red energy I remember from Norway as I spoil the shot. Orion hits a moment later, blades biting at-.

"Die for Mannheim."

Finality Man just punches him, shattering his construct and smashing him into the ground!

Ah… Can we do this with Finality Man still active? Not sure. Going to try.

Load mage slayers.

Compliance.

"Doctor Mist! Where is the elf gate?!"

"Somewhere within the building."

Ghia'ta and Stewart dart over to the Forever People, grab them and fly away from the Anti-Life broadcaster. Might work. I fire a volley of mage slayers rounds into the building itself in an attempt to shut down the gate but it would be pure luck at this point.

"Can you shut it down?"

"No, his grip is too strong."

"He's connected it to himself?"

"Yes-. I see. Thet may be possible. But we must deal with Finality Man."

Finality Man's eyes go red again, and another crumbler-.

Hits a force field, the glow is still building, and I'm not sure where he's looking girder!

I rip the giant metal beam out of an abandoned building, bend it and hoopla it over Finality Man's head just as he fires, blocking the sho-.

Blaster bolts hit my construct armour from the rear, and I half-turn to see Malvolio raining green fists down on the oncoming-.

Graviton deflator and teleportation dis-. No, jammer.

Compliance.

"Taaru!" / "Taaru!" / "Taaru!" / "Taaru!" / "Taaru!"
"We Are One!"

Did that-?

"Drax."

"You've made a mess of my machine, Uxas." Prince Drax doesn't so much fly as run through the air, stepping off… Temporarily solid patches of air as he hurtles towards Finality Man. "That took a lot of work."

Finality Man raises its hands and fires at him, but the beams of golden energy… Bend around and smash into its chest.

"Which isn't to say it was perfect. If you Lanterns have a plan-"

"Orange Lantern to everyone. Mannheim has bound himself to the gate network. We can hit him first."

Drax dodges past Finality Man's arms, grabs onto its back and punches… Something on its back. "-you should probably get on with it." A blue light spreads out from the point of impact, and Finality Man freezes up. "This will only hold as long as I do."

"Good." Usually a good sign when Batman likes the plan. "Green Lantern, Ghia'ta, keep the Justifiers from interfering. Everyone else, get to the main entrance."

I fly fast, Malvolio just behind me and the others coming in from all directions. Stewart begins making hit and run attacks against the oncoming masses, but we need to do this quickly. I land, orange light pooling around my left hand.

"You're not trying to make energy pulses. You're trying to forcibly inject the purest form of your colour into the target. Trying to push Darkseid… Whatever Darkseid did to Mannheim out of him. He can probably backhack any one of us. He can't backhack what we can do together."

I raise my right hand, Larfleeze's ring shining, and I call desire forth from the world and push that into the Alliance Building. There's resistance, but I push on through, connecting with… Something. A… Dark presence-.

"There seems aught to it."

I can feel Malvolio's certainty and conviction. It's not like Guy, where he uses his own soul as a battering ram. This is all-enveloping presence putting everything just in its place. And it's there and around the gateway, but our colours aren't really combining or becoming greater than a sum of their parts.

Carol joins next, reaching out to share her own sororal love with anyone who wants to see how it's done. Alan's unquenchable faith that everything will work out. Still nothing added, but we need all the parts.

Batman's contribution is the fear of a thousand criminals and the fears of a collapsing civilisation. Everything's in flux and nothing's what we thought it was. Makes sense. And-.

Ahh… I didn't…

I didn't… Know that Nommo felt like that. I thought that his prime directive approach was an intellectual thing, not…

Ah, okay, okay, it's working so far. Where-?

Orion is trying to cut Finality Man's right leg off.

"Orion! We need you!"

"I need no tricks to destroy my father! But this thing-!"

"The meaning of victory is not to merely defeat your enemy but to destroy him, to completely eradicate him from living memory, to leave no remnant of his endeavours, to crush utterly his achievement and remove from all record his every trace of existence!" He turns his head my way, actually paying attention. "We need to be able to erase the Anti-Life, or we haven't done anything. Darkseid loves the Anti-Life? Let's take away something he actually cares about."

"Fine!"

He stomps closer, opening his mouth and exhaling the accumulated rage of an immortal's lifetime, joining in our stream…

And I feel-.

"Thank you, fools."

Mr Zoat · Nov 11, 2023

Duke Long said:
'mantle'

Twilight666 said:
Broken tag.

Thank you, corrected.

Also it's been 15' and not posted on this thread too.

I have a cold. Woke up feeling freezing. Forced myself out of bed, turned the central heating and the fan heater on, posted on Story Only and then went back to bed. Got a temperature a few minutes later but wasn't thinking straight enough to turn the heating off. Felt hot and miserable for however long it's been.

I mean, I knew that people over the age of 40 were more susceptible to disease but I've had two colds since my last birthday.

Chojin Patriarch · Nov 11, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
17th February 2013
20:41 GMT

"Taaru!" / "Taaru!" / "Taaru!" / "Taaru!" / "Taaru!"
"We Are One!"

"No."

Oof! Completely no-sold by master override, huh? Or is Mannheim simply suppressing their shared ability somehow? Which says worrying things about his current power level. We can but hope his ego has inflated in turn and he gets cocky.

And… The Forever People stand there looking like lemons for a moment before diving for cover as Finality Man opens fire with its arm-mounted weapons. Fortunately Alan's on the ball, tearing a lump of concrete out of the ground and throwing it into the path of the beam.

Railguns.

Well, then. Time to keep the escort NPCs alive until they can do their thing.

Compliance.

The concrete is annihilated, only the tiniest fragments falling to the ground, but the Forever People are able to scramble away from the giant robot. Justifiers are… Closing in-.

Good, they're not dumb enough to try again right away. On the other hand, they might not get another chance at this rate.

"Accursed thief!"

Orion flies at Finality Man's head, blossoming red chainsaw blades whirring around him. Finality Man's eyes glow red as it prepares to fire its eye beams, and I load a crumbler and fire at maximum power. The round hits it just as it fires, causing the same burst of red energy I remember from Norway as I spoil the shot. Orion hits a moment later, blades biting at-.

Hopefully, that wouldn't have simply annihilated Orion, but let's not test that theory until after you do the thing.

"Die for Mannheim."

Finality Man just punches him, shattering his construct and smashing him into the ground!

Ah, right. Still a giant eff-off robot.

Ah… Can we do this with Finality Man still active? Not sure. Going to try.

Load mage slayers.

Gonna need a bigger stick, OL...

Compliance.

"Doctor Mist! Where is the elf gate?!"

...Okay, I was expecting him to shoot the robot guy, but that works better.

"Somewhere within the building."

Ghia'ta and Stewart dart over to the Forever People, grab the and fly away from the Anti-Life broadcaster. Might work. I fire a volley of mage slayers rounds into the building itself in an attempt to shut down the gate but it would be pure luck at this point.

Without a clearer location, this is down to rolling a 20.

"Can you shut it down?"

"No, his grip is too strong."

Ugh, railroading final bosses, huh?

"He's connected it to himself?"

"Yes-. I see. Thet may be possible. But we must deal with Finality Man."

...He's not talking entirely to OL, is he?

Finality Man's eyes go red again, and another crumbler-.

Hits a force field, the glow is still building, and I'm not sure where he's looking girder!

Ah, damn, he's learning to defend himself against that trick.

I rip the giant metal beam out of an abandoned building, bend it and hoopla it over Finality Man's head just as he fires, blocking the sho-.

Blaster bolts hit my construct armour from the rear, and I half-turn to see Malvolio raining green fists down on the oncoming-.

Ah, right, the trash mobs. Little more than an annoyance at this stage.

Graviton deflator and teleportation dis-. No, jammer.

Compliance.

Yeah, can't trust it'll go easy, OL. Take no chances with this.

"Taaru!" / "Taaru!" / "Taaru!" / "Taaru!" / "Taaru!"
"We Are One!"

Did that-?

...I know it's tiny because they're further away, but I can't help but imagine them whispering it..

"Drax."

"You've made a mess of my machine, Uxas." Prince Drax doesn't so much fly as run through the air, stepping off… Temporarily solid patches of air as he hurtles towards Finality Man. "That took a lot of work."

Oh, dear. Mannheim's gone full Darkseid. Enough that other New Gods see him as the being riding him...

Finality Man raises its hands and fires at him, but the beams of golden energy… Bend around and smash into his chest.

"Which isn't to say it was perfect. If you Lanterns have a plan-"

Ah, the joy of having all the hax. Pity he times out way too fast to be useful...

"Orange Lantern to everyone. Mannheim has bound himself to the gate network. We can hit him first."

Drax dodges past Finality Man's arms, grabs onto its back and punches… Something on its back. "-you should probably get on with it." A blue light spreads out from the point of impact, and Finality Man freezes up. "This will only hold as long as I do."

Because you never build something like this without some kind of off switch or master override only you know about...

"Good." Usually a good sign when Batman likes the plan. "Green Lantern, Ghia'ta, keep the Justifiers from interfering. Everyone else, get to the main entrance."

I fly fast, Malvolio just behind me and the others coming in from all directions. Stewart begins making hit and run attacks against the oncoming masses, but we need to do this quickly. I land, orange light pooling around my left hand.

Oh, boy... The big moment arrives!

"You're not trying to make energy pulses. You're trying to forcibly inject the purist form of your colour into the target. Trying to push Darkseid… Whatever Darkseid did to Mannheim out of him. He can probably backhack any one of us. He can't backhack what we can do together."

I raise my right hand, Larfleeze's ring shining, and I call desire forth from the world and push that into the Alliance Building. There's resistance, but I push on through, connecting with… Something. A… Dark presence-.

Ah, damn, is his Anti-Life infection acting up?. That could be trouble.

"There seems aught to it."

I can feel Malvolio's certainty and conviction. It's not like Guy, where he uses his own soul as a battering ram. This is all-enveloping presence putting everything just in its place. And it's there and around the gateway, but our colours aren't really combining or becoming greater than a sum of their parts.

The framework the rest can slot into and around, eh?

Carol joins next, reaching out to share her own sororal love without anyone who wants to see how it's done. Alan's unquenchable faith that everything will work out. Still nothing added, but we need all the parts.

Batman's contribution is the fear of a thousand criminals and the fears of a collapsing civilisation. Everything's in flux and nothing's what we though it was. Makes sense. And-.

It won't make sense until the last piece slots into place, of course. Who can comprehend Life in all it's splendour when they're seeing only a tiny part, after all?

Ahh… I didn't…

I didn't… Know that Nommo felt like that. I thought that his prime directive approach was an intellectual thing, not…

Hopefully, that counts for the Indigo Light.

Ah, okay, okay, it's working so far. Where-?

Orion is trying to cut Finality Man's right leg off.

Goddammit, he's going 'feral berserker' mode.

"Orion! We need you!"

"I need no tricks to destroy my father! But this thing-!"

Idiot! One servant is not the master! But this can hurt Him properly!

"The meaning of victory is not to merely defeat your enemy but to destroy him, to completely eradicate him from living memory, to leave no remnant of his endeavours, to crush utterly his achievement and remove from all record his every trace of existence!" He turns his head my way, actually paying attention. "We need to be able to erase the Anti-Life, or we haven't done anything. Darkseid loves the Anti-Life? Let's take away something he actually cares about."

See? That is how you defeat someone, boy. Not by punching a robot in the sensitive parts.

"Fine!"

He stomps closer, opening his mouth and exhaling the accumulated rage of an immortal's lifetime, joining in our stream…

There you go! Was that so hard, brat?

And I feel-.

"Thank you, fools."

...Oh, hell no! You don't get to play a trap card, Mannheim!

Well, the colours are flowing. But they haven't merged yet. Perhaps they need some sort of prism to shine through. And what better piece than the very thing trying to stain the true Light? But first they have to overcome him. Things are about to get very strange indeed, I suspect. Let's hope Mr Zoat is well enough to finish the tale, at least.

But don't force yourself to work on our account, Paul. Look to your own health, even if it means missing a day.

Ngamer11 · Nov 11, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
Batman's contribution is the fear of a thousand criminals and the fears of a collapsing civilisation. Everything's in flux and nothing's what we though it was. Makes sense. And-.

That should say 'thought'.

Silveraith · Nov 11, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
Ghia'ta and Stewart dart over to the Forever People, grab the and fly away from the Anti-Life broadcaster.

Them.

Darko · Nov 11, 2023

Chojin Patriarch said:
Oh, hell no! You don't get to play a trap card, Mannheim!

Let's just hope that the same thing that happened to Dandy Dick whwn he tried a trap card happens to Darkseid here.

Duke Long · Nov 11, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
Finality Man raises its hands and fires at him, but the beams of golden energy… Bend around and smash into his chest.

Are they smashing into Finality Man's chest or Drax's? If the former, should it be 'its chest'?

Mr Zoat said:
"You're not trying to make energy pulses. You're trying to forcibly inject the purist form of your colour into the target.

'purest'

Mr Zoat said:
Carol joins next, reaching out to share her own sororal love without anyone who wants to see how it's done.

'with anyone'?

Mr Zoat said:
"I need no tricks to destroy my father! But this thing-!"
"The meaning of victory is not to merely defeat your enemy but to destroy him, to completely eradicate him from living memory, to leave no remnant of his endeavours, to crush utterly his achievement and remove from all record his every trace of existence!"

There should be an extra line.
Is that a quote from somewhere?

NightmareWarden · Nov 11, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
Thank you, corrected.

I have a cold. Woke up feeling freezing. Forced myself out of bed, turned the central heating and the fan heater on, posted on Story Only and then went back to bed. Got a temperature a few minutes later but wasn't thinking straight enough to turn the heating off. Felt hot and miserable for however long it's been.

I mean, I knew that people over the age of 40 were more susceptible to disease but I've had two colds since my last birthday.

Dang, and the way colds mess with everything's taste... Best wishes, Mr Zoat, I hope it isn't the flu. Hopefully the only people you risk spreading it to are pricks.

Vaermina · Nov 11, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
I raise my right hand, Larfleeze's ring shining, and I call desire forth from the world and push that into the Alliance Building. There's resistance, but I push on through, connecting with… Something. A… Dark presence-.

Mr Zoat said:
"Thank you, fools."

He really should have purged the Anti-Life from the Orange Light before going on this part of the quest.

Fylantine · Nov 11, 2023

Hey pals, can someone help me out? I tapped out an appreciable time ago, and would like to return to reading. Last thing I remember is evil-ed merging of Forever People coming onto scene when Earth is just infected by Anti-life. Which chapter it was?

Rebu · Nov 11, 2023

Fylantine said:
Hey pals, can someone help me out? I tapped out an appreciable time ago, and would like to return to reading. Last thing I remember is evil-ed merging of Forever People coming onto scene when Earth is just infected by Anti-life. Which chapter it was?

https://forum.questionablequesting....i-thread-fourteen.8938/page-1917#post-6135712 ?

Mr Zoat · Nov 11, 2023

Ngamer11 said:
That should say 'thought'.

Silveraith said:
Them.

Duke Long said:
Are they smashing into Finality Man's chest or Drax's? If the former, should it be 'its chest'?
'purest'
'with anyone'?
There should be an extra line.

Thank you, corrected.

Is that a quote from somewhere?

Warhammer 40,000. Naturally.

Someguy Somewhere · Nov 11, 2023

Duke Long said:
Are they smashing into Finality Man's chest or Drax's? If the former, should it be 'its chest'?

'purest'

'with anyone'?

There should be an extra line.
Is that a quote from somewhere?

As Zoat said, it's from 40k, notably one of there stand-ins for Alexander The Great in Spaaaaace:

The meaning of victory is not to merely defeat your enemy but to destroy him, to completely eradicate him from living memory, to leave no remnant of his endeavours, to crush utterly his achievement and remove from all record his every trace of existence. From that defeat no enemy can ever recover. That is the meaning of victory.

- Lord Commander Solar Macharius (Codex Imperial Guard 5th Edition)

Mr Zoat · Nov 12, 2023

17th February 2013
20:43 GMT

Black.

I feel it flow out-.

Black.

I destroyed Batman's happiness and I can't undo that.

Black.

Reach up-.

Black.

I want to meet Superman's expectations despite knowing the suffering that will come from his hands-off approach.

Black.

Envelop-.

Black.

I bullishly led us into this trap, confident that I could fix things. Good work.

"Illustres, resist-!"

Black.

Whu-?

Black.

Pulled inwards-.

Black.

I can't get everything I want without…

Without-.

Bla-.

No. You reached too far.

Where am I? Can't really… Feel my body. Black everywhere and a slowly weakening orange aura around the bit where I am.

Just a foolish old man trying to recapture a youth I don't deserve.

Ala-? No.

For an instant the black recedes and I see a tiny wisp of blue between the dark strands which are boring into it. Alan, his aura fading.

Go.

And I'm there, the tendrils burned away-. No, grab that one.

"Alan, Diana's just as old as you. You don't think badly of her for being on the Justice League, do you?"

"No, of… Of course not."

"You don't think she should just kill herself and get out of the way, do you?"

"No!"

"Then why should you? There's nothing wrong with wanting things, Alan."

"I… Guess you've got a point." His flame gets a little bit bigger, and I feel a bit less worried that he's going to be swallowed. "What happened, where are we, and… I guess it didn't work?"

"It hasn't worked yet. That… That's not the same thing."

"Hey, I-. I felt that."

"I think we're all inside Bruno Mannheim's… Soul, or whatever he made with the magic power he took from the Aztec gods. I heard Malvolio a moment ago but I don't know what happened to the rest. No one has died because… The white light is still present. But… Malvolio and I were the ones who got free."

"Because you're enlightened."

"Probably."

"So we need to go pick up the others."

I look at the strand of avarice-seeking Anti-Life I'm holding. Can't do a thing to me, but…

What's at the other end?

Mannheim was working with Apokoliptians willingly, but… How signed up with this was he? With effectively becoming a different person?

"I wonder what Mannheim wanted out of this originally?"

"Power, and everything that comes with it. I read the files: he's basically just a mob boss."

"So he wouldn't want to destroy the Earth?"

"I… I mean, he is. But I get where you're coming from. So… You think he's just been Anti-Lifed like everyone else?"

"Yes. Which… Would mean that he's in here somewhere." I pull on the thread. "I want to know what this connects to."

What do you want?

Uh.

"You getting anything?"

"I think so."

And if you can pull on me, why can't I pull on you?

And if it turns out that saving one man fixes this whole mess…

I… Think I'm pulling, but… There isn't enough in this ink void for me to tell.

"Alan, do you remember what it felt like when we made the white light?"

"Ki-kind of. I understand why you made such a big deal out of it."

"When the Anti-Life is this all-enveloping, I don't think we're going to get anywhere without it. All the colours are here. Can you get back in that headspace?"

"I don't know. Some of the things… The Anti-Life isn't exactly wrong, is it?"

"Yes, it's always wrong, it's just not always untrue. When it tried to get to me through compassion it made me think that Superman's compassion would have stopped me attacking the Spider Guild. Which is nonsense because he was there when I attacked them, and while he wasn't happy about it he understood it."

"With…" I hear a sigh. "You've picked up quite a body count."

"You're not sure if you should have sent me on my way when I tried to buy your lantern? Yeah, I can see that. Except that would have just meant that when I found a way to charge my ring again I wouldn't have morally righteous veteran superheroes around to guide me in the right direction. Even if I don't agree with them all the time. Before achieving enlightenment, one of my fears was that I'd turn into some sort of 'utility-sniper'. 'Detriment to humanity? Bang. Detriment to humanity? Bang.' You being around means that will never happen."

"Heh. Okay then. Let's go rescue Mannheim."

Darko · Nov 12, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
"It hasn't worked yet. That…" That's not the same thing.

Remove the " in the middle.

Mr Zoat said:
Mannheim was working with Apokoliptians willingly, but… How signed up with this was he? With effectively becoming a different person

I'm guessing not very.

Mr Zoat said:
"I wonder what Mannheim wanted out of this originally

He probably thought he'd be made into a god.

And he was.

Technically.

Be careful what you wish for.

Mr Zoat said:
why can't pull on you?

"I pull"

BR549 · Nov 12, 2023

Darko said:
He probably thought he'd be made into a god.

And he was.

Technically.

Be careful what you wish for.

The monkey's paw curls!

Chojin Patriarch · Nov 12, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
17th February 2013
20:43 GMT

Black.

I feel it flow out-.

I hope that's not something back-flowing along the spiritual connections to his clones. Maybe he should have put some effort into tracking down the remaining ones after that initial suicide attack. Otherwise... This is Mannheim's work, isn't it...

Black.

I destroyed Batman's happiness and I can't undo that.

Or perhaps he'll redouble his efforts to reform his methods after this, having descended into the darkest depths.

Black.

Reach up-.

All-encompassing bleakness, eh? Like a drowning man with no idea of which way to the surface...

Black.

I want to meet Superman's expectations despite knowing the suffering that will come from his hands-off approach.

Sometimes, you just have to trust that people won't be complete dickbags about things. But never let go of the big stick, either.

Black.

Envelop-.

Ah, is it more like something bubbling up, eh? Something you can scoop up, pin down or otherwise contain?

Black.

I bullishly led us into this trap, confident that I could fix things. Good work.

To be fair, this was the best solution you could think of, and the League's methods weren't doing the job...

"Illustres, resist-!"

Black.

And he's not alone here, I see. Wherever here is.

Whu-?

Black.

Seems OL wasn't expecting that. He can't have given up yet...

Pulled inwards-.

Black.

Push back, OL.It's not over until you give up. And that's what Mannheim wants.

I can't get everything I want without…

Without-.

Without stepping on what someone else wants. Yes, that's generally the nature of wanting.

Bla-.

No. You reached too far.

Hmm... Not the Ophidian, OL would have pushed her away to keep her safe. It seems his desire to fight has awakened...

Where am I? Can't really… Feel my body. Black everywhere and a slowly weakening orange aura around the bit where I am.

Just a foolish old man trying to recapture a youth I don't deserve.

Funny, that doesn't sound like something OL would think. He's not that old, after all.

Ala-? No.

For an instant the black and I see a tiny wisp of blue between the dark strands which are boring into it. Alan, his aura fading.

Oh, hell no. He does not go out like this!

Go.

And I'm there, the tendrils burned away-. No, grab that one.

Ensuring you have a trail to follow, eh, OL?

"Alan, Diana's just as old as you. You don't think badly of her for being on the Justice League, do you?"

"No, of… Of course not."

Maybe a little older, but it's a bit rude to debate just how much so...

"You don't think she should just kill herself and get out of the way, do you?"

"No!"

Old soldiers never die... But fading away is just a state of mind.

"Then why should you? There's nothing wrong with wanting things, Alan."

"I… Guess you've got a point." His flame gets a little bit bigger, and I feel a bit less worried that he's going to be swallowed. "What happened, where are we, and… I guess it didn't work?"

Interesting that OL is so... Orange, but Alan isn't Blue. Must be something to do with his innate state of mind.

"It hasn't worked yet. That… That's not the same thing."

"Hey, I-. I felt that."

Keep feeling like that, OL. Keep that connection alive...

"I think we're all inside Bruno Mannheim's… Soul, or whatever he made with the magic power he took from the Aztec gods. I heard Malvolio a moment ago but I don't know what happened to the rest. No one has died because… The white light is still present. But… Malvolio and I were the ones who got free."

"Because you're enlightened."

Hard for the Anti-life to get in on something that's always filled up already.

"Probably."

"So we need to go pick up the others."

Sounds like... Not a plan, too simple for that. A short-term goal.

I look at the strand of avarice-seeking Anti-Life I'm holding. Can't do a thing to me, but…

What's at the other end?

And is it something... Or Someone... You can give a stern kick in the bollocks?

Mannheim was working with Apokoliptians willingly, but… How signed up with this was he? With effectively becoming a different person?

"I wonder what Mannheim wanted out of this originally?"

I suspect he wasn't given much of a choice.

"Power, and everything that comes with it. I read the files: he's basically just a mob boss."

"So he wouldn't want to destroy the Earth?"

Most likely, once the first hooks were in, he didn't have any thoughts on the matter anymore.

"I… I mean, he is. But I get what you mean. So… You think he's just been Anti-Lifed like everyone else?"

"Yes. Which… Would mean that he's in here somewhere." I pull on the thread. "I want to know what this connects to."

Don't get too curious, OL. There are others in more need around here.

What do you want?

Uh.

...Well, that's a little embarrassing. I was hoping for something more... Lively.

"You getting anything?"

"I think so."

At least he's got something to lead the way.

And if you can pull on me, why can't I pull on you?

And if it turns out that saving one man fixes this whole mess…

Somehow, I doubt the whole plan would pivot on a single soul... But if it is the lynchpin, then perhaps pulling on it would bring the whole enterprise crashing down.

I… Think I'm pulling, but… There isn't enough in this ink void for me to tell.

"Alan, do you remember what it felt like when we made the white light?"

I mean, it was only, what a minute or two ago. He's not that old, OL.

"Ki-kind of. I understand why you made such a big deal out of it."

"When the Anti-Life is this all-enveloping, I don't think we're going to get anywhere without it. All the colours are here. Can you get back in that headspace?"

That's asking a lot, OL. Shining brightly in this black morass?

"I don't know. Some of the things… The Anti-Life isn't exactly wrong, is it?"

"Yes, it's always wrong, it's just not always untrue. When it tried to get to me through compassion it made me think that Superman's compassion would have stopped me attacking the Spider Guild. Which is nonsense because he was there when I attacked them, and while he wasn't happy about it he understood it."

Because even he can understand that sometimes, something evil enough has to be destroyed.

"With…" I hear a sigh. "You've picked up quite a body count."

"You're not sure if you should have sent me on my way when I tried to buy your lantern? Yeah, I can see that. Except that would have just meant that when I found a way to charge my ring again I wouldn't have morally righteous veteran superheroes around to guide me in the right direction. Even if I don't agree with them all the time. Before achieving enlightenment, one of my fears was that I'd turn into some sort of 'utility-sniper'. 'Detriment to humanity? Bang. Detriment to humanity? Bang.' You being around means that will never happen."

And I've seen enough Lantern SIs to imagine just that. Like Professor Black back on SB (Not that that's updated recently that I've seen.)

"Heh. Okay then. Let's go rescue Mannheim."

...And there's a line I never thought I'd hear uttered in this universe.

Well, at least they're all still fighting. Hopefully. And Hope and Want together can serve to lead our heroes to their allies. Because it's almost certain that they'll need all of them to beat back the darkness. And it's likely that each one they find will make the next easier to locate. So onwards, to the big finale!

Ngamer11 · Nov 12, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
For an instant the black and I see a tiny wisp of blue between the dark strands which are boring into it. Alan, his aura fading.

I think that's missing a word. Maybe "black recedes and'.

Firewillreign · Nov 12, 2023

I really hate Darkseid.

It sounds childish and it probably is, but I despise how great of an affect he's had on Earth 16, and just for his own amusement and satisfaction at that.

Wivk · Nov 12, 2023

I'm thinking that both the Aztec afterlife and the emotional spectrum count as energy fields larger than your head. We all know what a mistake it is trying to absorb those.

Mr Zoat · Nov 12, 2023

Darko said:
Remove the " in the middle.
"I pull"

Ngamer11 said:
I think that's missing a word. Maybe "black recedes and'.

Thank you, corrected.

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

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