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

Darko · Jan 26, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
The Evil Formula?!"

Yep.

Mr Zoat said:
Admit everything and start undoing the changes it made to your brain. You could do it gradually. You've got enough information now, and it wouldn't be 'erasing' yourself

Wise, ring man.

Unfortunately wisdom isn't something Tang here is capable of.

Mr Zoat said:
Just tell the truth, sport. It's for the best.

Don't be ridiculous

Wow.

Mr Zoat said:
"That's not its technical name. That's an informal description some of the researchers gave it because some of the people who received it became more violent afterwards

And you're in the "some" group.

Mr Zoat said:
"Look, I ran models with my computer and the power ring, tested it on animals and read all of the original research I could find. And it worked

Too bad you didn't search for an actual user of the thing until after you took it.

Mr Zoat said:
I've been monitoring my own behaviour and I haven't noticed any problems

Your ring has.

Too bad you don't listen to it.

Mr Zoat said:
You gave me this personality so I could look out for you. This is me looking out for you. What's happening now is only going to get worse if you

He's not listening.

I'm honestly hoping the ring somehow ends up undoing some of things this guy is doing in the future.

Mr Zoat said:
"I'm not sure how good the selection of candidates was on the original study, but I haven't just.. decided to attack people for daring to look at me, or anything like that

That's kinda worse.

At least with a clearly violent person you know that there's something obviously wrong with them.

Mr Zoat said:
The fact is, in our line of work, being somewhat at ease with violence is a job skill."

But too much ease with violence isn't.

Mr Zoat said:
"I would have preferred it had you mentioned this before now."

"You just told me that you're not a biochemist

Yes, but he's your leader and he could have potentially gotten the League to involve a biochemist.

Mr Zoat said:
I'm literally the leading world authority on most of these formulae and this is the only one I've actually used

The scientific community on this planet must truly be pathetic if you're a leading expert.

Mr Zoat said:
There's no need to worry

That's terrifying.

Silverbladestar · Jan 26, 2024

This Paul is a pretty damm sad one.

Vaermina · Jan 26, 2024

Yes... He just tested something called the evil formula on himself and is acting like a sociopath...

No big deal. Just believe him that everything is fine.

Silverbladestar · Jan 26, 2024

Vaermina said:
Yes... He just tested something called the evil formula on himself and is acting like a sociopath...

No big deal. Just believe him that everything is fine.

And like, really far in denial.

Wivk · Jan 26, 2024

Lots of people do not believe in souls or Satan, but if an extradimensional being self identifying as Satan appeared to them and offered them wealth, fame, or power in exchange for their soul, I think most would still be hesitant to accept. The same thing thing should have applied here.

Not believing in objective morality or whatever isn't a very good reason to take something called the evil formula invented by a comic book mad scientist. Maybe you were even right, and in your world there was no souls, no afterlife, and no such thing as evil, but you do know for sure that those things are real in the comic book world that you have found yourself in.

Really, it is entirely possible that narrative tropes might be just as real as fundamental forces like electromagnetism there. Maybe I am just underestimating how overwhelming it is to be sent to a hell world with chaos in the streets from villain terrorists and alien invaders? But you already have a power ring, and there should be plenty of other power ups available that don't have huge and obvious drawbacks.

Blue1ao said:
God bruh so many people banned on sufficient velocity I'm listening to this audiobook style at work and just wanted to see how people reacted to graven learning how to cry again meeting his ex jade in the mountain spot T.T idk which is sadder the amount of banned accounts or jade causally acting like what she did wasn't a big deal

Are there fanfiction forums that aren't owned and operated by ban happy far left radicals? Haha. How do you listen to this story as an audiobook, do you have like, a chrome extension, or is it a blind person disability work around setting in windows operating system?

Chojin Patriarch · Jan 26, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
31st October 2010
15:24 GMT -5

"The Evil Formula?!"

Artemis marches towards the bioship's entrance, waving a folder at me as I stop walking down the steps and consider what I should do.

Ah, I see they didn't have much trouble finding out. I suppose Tang kept his research records on the League's public servers. Though leaving the 'Evil formula' name in the documents probably seems a bit foolhardy.

But smart does not always mean wise, after all...

Admit everything and start undoing the changes it made to your brain. You could do it gradually. You've got enough information now, and it wouldn't be 'erasing' yourself.

No. If it wasn't something I wanted to do before Artemis… And Robin from the looks of it, found out, then them finding out hasn't made me want to revert myself more.

Dammit, the perfect moment to change the 'bad end' future, and it's ignored...

Kaldur is standing at the bottom of the steps, and frowns at Artemis. "What do you mean?"

"Paul tried something on himself! It's called 'The Evil Formula'."

Now, how is he going to talk his way out of this...

"That was-." Eh. That was weak, and I don't like looking weak, and I haven't gotten better at coming up with answers on the spot.

Just tell the truth, sport. It's for the best.

Sadly, at this stage, he'd need to pull his head out of his ass to do so. And it is stuck deep in there.

Don't be ridiculous.

"That's not its technical name. That's an informal description some of the researchers gave it because some of the people who received it became more violent afterwards."

Oh, there's someone who didn't turn into an immoral psychopath after being dosed?

Kaldur frowns and turns towards me. "You assured me that you were not testing the results of your work upon yourself."

I shrug. "I'd already used it by the time you said that. Combinations are unpredictable, so I obviously wasn't going to use any more."

Oh, the joy of loopholes.

Not that any of the other formulae I've been able to get hold of would work on me. I thought that B'wana Beast's elixir would be a superior substitute but for some reason it doesn't do anything.

M'gann comes out of the ship behind me and takes in the scene. "What's going on?"

Sadly, he missed the not-so-obvious clue that they were alchemical in nature, and he lacked the critical thing they needed to act upon: a Soul...

Robin smirks. "Oh El's been sampling his own work."

"Oh. Is that bad?" His smirk fades a little. "I mean, you wouldn't trust a cook who wouldn't eat their own food, would you?"

Not that kind of work, M'gann! I swear, is this one even ditzier than canon?

"It's not quite that simple, M'gann."

I finish walking down the bioship's steps and put a very small smile on my lips. I've been practicing, and I think those are my most natural-looking.

Or the most sinister-looking. It's a fine line sometimes.

"Look, I ran models with my computer and the power ring, tested it on animals and read all of the original research I could find. And it worked: it made me stronger, just like it was supposed to. I've been monitoring my own behaviour and I haven't noticed any problems, if I do then all the changes are purely physical and I can revert back to my pre-change self. It would be a blow, but if it was really a problem I could do it."

You haven't noticed any issues because you're on the inside of said issues.

I look pointedly at Robin and Artemis.

"You know you could have just ask me this. I do keep research logs."

I figured that's how they found out, actually.

Artemis… Stands there.

Guilty. She's looking guilty, because her boyfriend was 'nice' about her going behind his back. Do you see the problem? You can't tell emotions from facial expression or body language any more, sport. That's a big deal.

Unfortunately, the formula also gives a +20 to 'ignoring good advice'...

I'm managing. No one is getting hurt, and you can't deny that it's made me more effective at my job.

There's more to life than efficiency. You're trying to date Artemis. What if you've changed your brain so that you can't love her?

No-one is getting hurt yet. Empathy is kind of a critical requirement for pretty much anything you want to do...

I'm still attached to her. The fact that my attachment manifests differently to most people doesn't matter.

You gave me this personality so I could look out for you. This is me looking out for you. What's happening now is only going to get worse if you-.

It's not love you're feeling now, Tang. It's possessiveness. You can't see anyone else as people anymore...

I'm not going to lie to them.

But you're not going to trust them with the full truth, are you?

...So of course he's going to treat them like NPCs.

"Orange Lantern?"

Kaldur is.. looking at me. That's… Concern. Isn't it?

Yes, sport. That's concern.

And the fact you had to be told that should be a clear sign of the problem. But no...

"Sorry, just talking to the ring's AI. Did you.. say something?"

Robin holds up his arm computer with a.. recording of my original induction interview playing on it.

I imagine that was quite a bit tenser than OL's. Even before the formula shenanigans, there'd be the issue of him having a technically-unknown Ring colour...

"Yes?"

"You're kind of acting different, Oh El. See how your expression are different?"

Let's hear this excuse...

I watch the image for a moment, then shake my head. "No, not… Really. Seems like fairly typical submissive behaviour to me."

"Ah..? What do you mean?"

...And it's being coloured by his altered mental state, of course. Dominance and submissiveness. Diplomacy versus Intimidation.

"Smiling like that when surrounded by people who are far stronger than you. It's an instinctive way to show that you're not a threat. I don't specifically remember doing it, so it was probably automatic." I shrug. "I'm not sure what you think this means?"

Artemis passes the file to Kaldur, who looks at her instead of the paperwork.

Tang, it's called the 'Evil Formula'. What do you think their problem is, hmm?

"I am not well versed in surface world science. What do you want me to do with this?"

"Read the report on how everyone who took it started acting. How it turned regular guys into violent psychos."

And no doubt Tang has a pat explanation for that too...

Kaldur looks at me. I shrug.

"They were looking at how to make physical and psychological changes to soldiers in order to make them better soldiers and reduce instances of shell shock. That included altering behaviour. I'm not saying that I haven't changed, I'm saying that it's not a problem. Which is something that I genuinely believe."

But now that Batman is aware of the matter, as he should be by now... He's almost certainly preparing countermeasures.

"Believe what?"

Mia drifts down from the kitchen area, looking for an explanation.

Ah, the strongest beatstick they have if they need to take him down...

"I used a thoroughly tested augmentative formula on myself two months ago and.. my.. friends are concerned for me."

She frowns. "Two months…" She clicks her fingers. "August nineteenth, right?"

Only two months? Feels much longer than that to us, anyway.

"Ah, yes."

Artemis frowns. "Wait, you knew?"

Supersenses. Hell, depending on continuity, Kryptonians could probably see auras and discern 'Good' and 'Evil' from them.

"He started acting a bit different. And smelling different. I thought it was because he started dating you."

I shrug. "I'm.. not saying that I.. don't act differently. You.. saw how hesitant I was in our first couple of missions."

To be fair, he was a rookie going on superhero espionage missions. Which almost certainly went hot.

Kaldur nods. "And now you are not hesitant."

"I'm not sure how good the selection of candidates was on the original study, but I haven't just.. decided to attack people for daring to look at me, or anything like that. The fact is, in our line of work, being somewhat at ease with violence is a job skill."

To be fair, that was probably some sort of dominance instinct coming out in the soldiers, seeing it as defiance of a superior being, or something narcissistic like that. But Tang has the benefit of being a Lantern, and thus so powerful that nothing on Earth is a threat to his 'position'. Not that it excuses him...

"I would have preferred it had you mentioned this before now."

"You just told me that you're not a biochemist. I'm literally the leading world authority on most of these formulae and this is the only one I've actually used. If you want to.. get a second opinion, be my guest, but… You haven't complained about my conduct so far. What's the issue now?"

Argh, he's so damn blind to his own faults now...

Artemis stomps a step closer. "Because I'm worried about you… Ass!"

They're not accusing me of anything, they're not accusing me of anything…

Ah, feeling a bit threatened now, monkey-man?

I'm reminded of some of Hyde's behaviours in the original Strange Case. The violence in the face of interactions with other people, when Hyde didn't like how they responded?

Artemis is worried about me. And that's… Good? Good.

"Well, thank you, but you really don't need to me. I'm.. in a good place. I'm fine. There's no need to worry."

And with a bit of fast talking, he's getting away scot free...

Eesh. The joy of teenagers doing the confronting. I bet if it had been Batman and Wonder Woman approaching him, with Lasso in hand, things might have gone differently. Admittedly, it might have turned violent, but at least it would be exposed. But no, his teammates are too accepting, too trusting that 'he's totally got this, guys'... And so the tragedy is set in motion.

Vaermina · Jan 26, 2024

Chojin Patriarch said:
Eesh. The joy of teenagers doing the confronting. I bet if it had been Batman and Wonder Woman approaching him, with Lasso in hand, things might have gone differently. Admittedly, it might have turned violent, but at least it would be exposed. But no, his teammates are too accepting, too trusting that 'he's totally got this, guys'... And so the tragedy is set in motion.

Honestly? If they are actually going along with him here I would say it's past the point of believability.

But then. This particular branch has always been stretching things on that front. Especially given encounters like the big team up where the sociopath is apparently capable of fooling people with empathetic vision.

lancelot · Jan 26, 2024

Are we still on this shitty making of a serial killer docudrama?

Mors · Jan 26, 2024

lancelot said:
Are we still on this shitty making of a serial killer docudrama?

I for one am enjoying it better than the current Renegade arc.

Rebu · Jan 26, 2024

Wivk said:
How do you listen to this story as an audiobook, do you have like, a chrome extension, or is it a blind person disability work around setting in windows operating system?

There are websites and apps and programs that let you download FanFiction from forums, into ebooks.

If your phone or computer has text-to-speech you can just use it on the downloaded fanfic. Or even in your browser.

Blue1ao · Jan 26, 2024

Wivk said:
Lots of people do not believe in souls or Satan, but if an extradimensional being self identifying as Satan appeared to them and offered them wealth, fame, or power in exchange for their soul, I think most would still be hesitant to accept. The same thing thing should have applied here.

Not believing in objective morality or whatever isn't a very good reason to take something called the evil formula invented by a comic book mad scientist. Maybe you were even right, and in your world there was no souls, no afterlife, and no such thing as evil, but you do know for sure that those things are real in the comic book world that you have found yourself in.

Really, it is entirely possible that narrative tropes might be just as real as fundamental forces like electromagnetism there. Maybe I am just underestimating how overwhelming it is to be sent to a hell world with chaos in the streets from villain terrorists and alien invaders? But you already have a power ring, and there should be plenty of other power ups available that don't have huge and obvious drawbacks.

Are there fanfiction forums that aren't owned and operated by ban happy far left radicals? Haha. How do you listen to this story as an audiobook, do you have like, a chrome extension, or is it a blind person disability work around setting in windows operating system?

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hyperionics.avar I've been using this for years mess with the settings put on a Voice you like and it's chill

https://fichub.net/ this grabs most stories no problem as far as this one goes epub is on the 1st page

Mr Zoat · Jan 26, 2024

Chojin Patriarch said:
Oh, there's someone who didn't turn into an immoral psychopath after being dosed?

Nothing about being a psychopath means that you can't live a full and fulfilling life.

Agumentic · Jan 26, 2024

I am interested in seeing the event that made this Paul decide that other people can't be trusted with their own opinions. It is kind of sad and painful to read this, because you know it isn't ending anywhere good, even though with every update where things go well - more or less - there's hope in your heart that maybe somehow it will. But it's sad and painful in a good way.

WereDragon · Jan 26, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
31st October 2010
15:24 GMT -5

Of all the many Pauls we have seen, this one remains by far the least interesting. He is a blithering moron who has yet to suffer the consequences of his actions. When his comeuppance and or redemption happens I will care, but until then he is just another pitiful banality.

Zig · Jan 26, 2024

RoninSword said:
That seems like a good time for say, Robin to ask Batman to order Paul to revert the change.

I believe Zoat mentioned this SI got his lantern elsewhere and probably didn't make such a pact

Bolo · Jan 26, 2024

If it's not a problem to remove the formula then if everything is ok you can always reapply it.

FuzzyZergling · Jan 26, 2024

Gonna disagree with some of the people in the thread; I, for one, find this storyline and character interesting.
Keep doing what you're doing Zoat!

NightmareWarden · Jan 26, 2024

I'm quite surprised the personality in the ring wasn't wiped this chapter. I guess that will be in the future.

I read a description of why Palpatine was such a powerful Sith recently. His hatred towards so, so much of existence ran deep, and very little gave him pleasant feelings. To put it in my own words, he also had an iron Will when it came to not lashing out or otherwise acting on his ever present, emotionally exhausting hatred in visible ways. I bring this up because Paul here was clearly putting on an act, masking his hate-tinged frustration. Perhaps some aggression too. And Paul could beer away from the path of Palpatine, but still become a terrifying villain, if he find something pleasant. Perhaps addictively pleasant, or pleasurable.

RoninSword · Jan 26, 2024

Zig said:
I believe Zoat mentioned this SI got his lantern elsewhere and probably didn't make such a pact

Had to double check, you are correct.

Mr Zoat · Jan 26, 2024

NightmareWarden said:
I'm quite surprised the personality in the ring wasn't wiped this chapter. I guess that will be in the future.

I read a description of why Palpatine was such a powerful Sith recently. His hatred towards so, so much of existence ran deep, and very little gave him pleasant feelings. To put it in my own words, he also had an iron Will when it came to not lashing out or otherwise acting on his ever present, emotionally exhausting hatred in visible ways. I bring this up because Paul here was clearly putting on an act, masking his hate-tinged frustration. Perhaps some aggression too. And Paul could beer away from the path of Palpatine, but still become a terrifying villain, if he find something pleasant. Perhaps addictively pleasant, or pleasurable.

I don't drink beer.

Vaermina · Jan 26, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
Nothing about being a psychopath means that you can't live a full and fulfilling life.

Yes, but you've written Tangseid as a Sociopath not a Psychopath.

Coda · Jan 27, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
Queen Triskelle, are you in there

Isn't it "Triskele"? Consistently misspelled.

Mr Zoat said:
Well, thank you, but you really don't need to me.

need to be

And reposting one that slipped under the radar earlier:

Mr Zoat said:
he took his shirt of to make it even

off

Mr Zoat · Jan 27, 2024

Coda said:
Isn't it "Triskele"? Consistently misspelled.

...

It was four times.

need to be

Thank you, corrected.

And reposting one that slipped under the radar earlier:

off

Looks corrected to me. Where are you seeing it?

Mr Zoat · Jan 27, 2024

31st October 2010
16:08 GMT -5

That didn't take long.

The resources of the Justice League are useful to me. Having trainers and legal coverage and… People who will drag my broken body to a hospital if things go badly wrong, those are useful to me. They're not essential. There is, in fact, a grand total of one man I can't just walk away from.

Green Lantern Abin Sur, Sector 2814. Mardi Gras skin, inhumanly large eyes with yellow sclera and no iris, a far better Lantern than me -at the moment- and someone who could end my career very easily and very permanently by reporting me to the Guardians. Even if all they do is take the ring and Lantern from me, I'll still be stuck… Mundane. Oh, I've got.. money, and mostly-legal paperwork. I won't starve or be arrested for existing, but this is my new normal. None of the alternate empowerment techniques I've looked at match a power ring because I haven't been trying to match a power ring, I've been trying to supplement it.

Lantern Sur bows his head slightly. "I see what they meant about your smile. Are you really that worried?"

"Yes."

He nods slowly. "I had thought that we had a better relationship than that. What is it that concerns you so?"

"I can evade every other member of the Justice League indefinitely."

"Have you done anything which might mean that you have to evade me?"

"No, but you're still here."

He looks at me… Sadly?

It's not much progress, but I'll take it.

Then he raises his right hand and calls up… Some kind of report on a construct page that I… Can't read for some reason.

"Yes, I see. I did note a change in your attitude when you used this-." He makes eye contact with me for a moment. "'Augmentative formula one seven three dash B'-" Thank you. "-but I thought it was a reaction to the change in your life circumstances. Will you allow me to scan your brain?"

I have my own scans, of course. And every record he's shown me suggests that doing more than scan with a green ring is an expert level thing, and despite his long service Lantern Sur isn't actually an 'expert' with a ring in any particular field. But he's either decided that turning me back by any means is necessary or he's really just concerned, and this is the man who founded the Indigo Lantern Corps.

It still really rankles, though. That's a trait of psychopathy that… Alright, I wouldn't exactly miss it.

I don't bother trying to smile, but I do take off my ring and put it down on the work bench before fanning out my hands. I couldn't fight him if he was determined to take it anyway, and a show of trust-.

And a show of submission, yes.

No.

Might be just the ticket.

He doesn't scan me immediately, so, good?

I nod. "Go ahead."

"Thank you." He raises his ring and green light strobes over my head, then slowly shift down to the rest of my body. "Hm. Yes, you're a good deal stronger now, and your brain… The patterns of activity are very similar to those of a psychopath."

"Yes, I know. But my behaviour-."

"Has changed, even if you haven't done anything that would require us to detain you. You do understand why I am concerned, don't you?"

I nod. "I was concerned as well, then I checked that I could recognise when a thing was wrong even if I didn't really feel it any longer. I submitted mission reports at the time."

"And I read them. I-."

"Paul, I-" Artemis shoves the door open, and then spots Lantern Sur. "-want-. Ed. Ah, Green Lantern."

She didn't know he was here, so… Another attempt to persuade me.. without other people being around? I suppose that she's most likely to recognise how psychopaths behave, but I'd assumed that she was most familiar with the violent sort of psychopath.

"Miss Artemis. Do you.. wish to speak privately with Paul?"

"That-. Are you talking him out of this?"

Lantern Sur considers me for a moment. "I don't think that I can, if he has set his mind to it. As he is now, we can't form the sort of emotional bond that would make him simply accept my suggestion."

I can't stop myself from snorting. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

"You say that like it's not. Have you considered the impact of not being able to form relationships with people will have-."

I glance at Artemis. "I can."

"Not remotely normal ones." He turns and walks towards the door. "Please, for your own sake, consider it."

I keep.. watching Artemis as Lantern Sur leaves and the door shuts behind him. She looks… Awkward.

"Yeah, I-."

"Given the behaviour you've seen from your father's associates, I'm… A risk."

"It's not-. Like that. They're messed up! They make themselves and everyone around them-."

"Fine."

She stops, mid-rant. "Huh."

"I want you. As I am.. now, anyway. But this is a big deal for you. So… Okay. I…"

"Oh."

"Yeah. But… When I removed the… When I used it, I didn't really notice that it was gone. Adding it back in… I'll have to do it gradually, and I'm… Probably going to be an emotional mess."

I call the ring back to my finger.

Ring, notify Kaldur that I won't be available for a week.

Sure thing, sport. I think you're making the right-.

Don't. I'm not happy about being in this situation, but I need to be realistic.

Okay. Standing by.

"But when I.. do this… Assuming I'm still interested, am I boyfriend material?"

"I-." I think she's considering just saying 'yes', but then decides to be honest instead. "Maybe. We can.. try it. Just-. Don't inject yourself with.. more things."

"But-." It's a trust issue. Even for the safe things, if I can't-. "Okay. No injections."

I fabricate myself a cushioned pad and set it on the floor before lying on it and strapping myself in.

"Ah… What's.. that?"

"I'm going to be manually changing the structure of my brain. I'm expecting seizures and extremes of emotion until things settle down. Which means that I can't just strap myself in with the ring, because I won't be able to focus my emotions."

"You.. don't want to do this in the medical..?"

"No, I just want to get it done. Ring, re-. Slowly, revert."

Vaermina · Jan 27, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
"No, I just want to get it done. Ring, re-. Slowly, revert."

This would be a lot more impactful if we didn't already know it doesn't work.

BlackCoat13 · Jan 27, 2024

Huh? He's actually going through with the reversion? What, does it get stopped part way? Does he take another, second dose after he's fixed because he decided he doesn't want to live with being normal?

Mquz · Jan 27, 2024

My guess is still that this is yet a further branch on this one's timeline. More than one Paul could have decided to inject themselves with the evil formula.

Twilight666 · Jan 27, 2024

BlackCoat13 said:
Huh? He's actually going through with the reversion? What, does it get stopped part way? Does he take another, second dose after he's fixed because he decided he doesn't want to live with being normal?

We don't actually know that Tangseid is actually still on the formula when Paul met him.
I think it's a combination of 2 things:

He is going to remember the 'clarity of purpose' he had when he was on the formula and
- either try to get it again without telling anyone, after making sure no one can tell that he did
- realize that while the end result is something he wants, the side effects are too much, so he will try to reach the same mentality someway else
He is going to remember that he had a very useful power up. And while he had side effects, he didn't actually do any actions that would be wrong. And the League ordered him to revert. Not because they had better knowledge or data. But because he 'hurt their sensibilities'. So he is going to double down on working without their input. Which would lead to the end result we saw. (Wonder woman was probably one of the people that figured him out. So he 'killed' her)

Agumentic · Jan 27, 2024

I suppose if there was a time for a sudden but inevitable betrayal/hijack from Indigo, it is now.

Chojin Patriarch · Jan 27, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
31st October 2010
16:08 GMT -5

That didn't take long.

The resources of the Justice League are useful to me. Having trainers and legal coverage and… People who will drag my broken body to a hospital if things go badly wrong, those are useful to me. They're not essential. There is, in fact, a grand total of one man I can't just walk away from.

And he's here to check up on you, of course. Quite naturally, given that he'll have seen a report of the Team's concerns. So, then, Tang. What are you going to do, hmm? Given the man is one of the greatest Green lanterns in their history... I don't foresee you getting away with anything.

Green Lantern Abin Sur, Sector 2814. Mardi Gras skin, inhumanly large eyes with yellow sclera and no iris, a far better Lantern than me -at the moment- and someone who could end my career very easily and very permanently by reporting me to the Guardians. Even if all they do is take the ring and Lantern from me, I'll still be stuck… Mundane. Oh, I've got.. money, and mostly-legal paperwork. I won't starve or be arrested for existing, but this is my new normal. None of the alternate empowerment techniques I've looked at match a power ring because I haven't been trying to match a power ring, I've been trying to supplement it.

Good, you won't try to fight your way out of this. Not while you think you can talk it out...

Lantern Sur bows his head slightly. "I see what they meant about your smile. Are you really that worried?"

"Yes."

And to be fair, there's good reason for that. You as you are now, Tang... You're afraid of being forced to change against your will, aren't you? That afraid of being normal?

He nods slowly. "I had thought that we had a better relationship than that. What is it that concerns you so?"

"I can evade every other member of the Justice League indefinitely."

Even the Flash or Superman? Either one could keep you moving past the point of contentment with super-speed and Superman can basically track you anywhere (especially if he's closer to turn-of-the-century power levels that Mia's presence suggests he is.)

"Have you done anything which might mean that you have to evade me?"

"No, but you're still here."

Is his presence really that concerning to you? You know his Ring is more limited... Or is the threat of retribution from fighting him the concern?

He looks at me… Sadly?

It's not much progress, but I'll take it.

Which is impressive, given he has trouble with human expressions. Identifying the meaning of Abin Sur's human-like but surely different expressions...

Then he raises his right hand and calls up… Some kind of report on a construct page that I… Can't read for some reason.

"Yes, I see. I did note a change in your attitude when you used this-." He makes eye contact with me for a moment. "'Augmentative formula one seven three dash B'-" Thank you. "-but I thought it was a reaction to the change in your life circumstances. Will you allow me to scan your brain?"

Interesting. Is he using the Nok language, or is Tang's Ring being blocked from translating it somehow?

I have my own scans, of course. And every records he's shown me suggests that doing more than scan with a green ring is an expert level thing, and despite his long service Lantern Sur isn't actually an 'expert' with a ring in any particular field. But he's either decided that turning me back by any means is necessary or he's really just concerned, and this is the man who founded the Indigo Lantern Corps.

It still really rankles, though. That's a trait of psychopathy that… Alright, I wouldn't exactly miss it.

True, he is extremely compassionate for a Green Lantern, yet skilled enough not to let that compassion interfere with his Green Ring...

I don't bother trying to smile, but I do take off my ring and put it down on the work bench before fanning out my hands. I couldn't fight him if he was determined to take it anyway, and a show of trust-.

And a show of submission, yes.

Still thinking antagonistically, eh?

No.

Might be just the ticket.

...Wait, how did his Ring communicate with him while not wearing it? Short-range connection functionality?

Or is he imagining what it would say?

He doesn't scan me immediately, so, good?

I nod. "Go ahead."

See, that lack of compassion in your own mind blinding you to it in him...

"Thank you." He raises his ring and green light strobes over my head, then slowly shift down to the rest of my body. "Hm. Yes, you're a good deal stronger now, and your brain… The patterns of activity are very similar to those of a psychopath."

"Yes, I know. But my behaviour-."

...Isn't the same as it was, you know that. And maybe you could continue to operate on a lawful, rational basis... Until something finds the chink in your metaphorical stability and set off an unpleasant response.

"Has changed, even if you haven't done anything that would require us to detain you. You do understand why I am concerned, don't you?"

I nod. "I was concerned as well, then I checked that I could recognise when a thing was wrong even if I didn't really feel it any longer. I submitted mission reports at the time."

Not enough, Tang. Not for a being as determined as a Green Lantern.

"And I read them. I-."

"Paul, I-" Artemis shoves the door open, and then spots Lantern Sur. "-want-. Ed. Ah, Green Lantern."

...Awkward. Come to try again to convince him to undo the alteration, I take it.

She didn't know he was here, so… Another attempt to persuade me.. without other people being around? I suppose that she's most likely to recognise how psychopaths behave, but I'd assumed that she was most familiar with the violent sort of psychopath.

"Miss Artemis. Do you.. wish to speak privately with Paul?"

Only a matter of time until something garners a violent response from you, Tang.

"That-. Are you talking him out of this?"

Lantern Sur considers me for a moment. "I don't think that I can, if he has set his mind to it. As he is now, we can't form the sort of emotional bond that would make him simply accept my suggestion."

Good that he recognises that Tang has to want to undo this. He really is damned good at his job, after all.

I can't stop myself from snorting. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

"You say that like it's not. Have you considered the impact of not being able to form relationships with people will have-."

Admittedly, the Orange Light can provide a measure of a framework for him to have relationships...

The kind between owner and property, mostly.

I glance at Artemis. "I can."

"Not remotely normal ones." He turns and walks towards the door. "Please, for your own sake, consider it."

Yeah, he's still thinking of her as something he can acquire if he says the right thing. A mindset that's dangerously one-sided.

I keep.. watching Artemis as Lantern Sur leaves and the door shuts behind him. She looks… Awkward.

"Yeah, I-."

I hope he's not going too far. Just in case, you know?

"Given the behaviour you've seen from your father's associates, I'm… A risk."

"It's not-. Like that. They're messed up! They make themselves and everyone around them-."

At least he can understand why she feels this way. If only on an intellectual level, not an emotional one.

"Fine."

She stops, mid-rant. "Huh."

His passivity is not making this go as she pictured it, is it?

"I want you. As I am.. now, anyway. But this is a big deal for you. So… Okay. I…"

"Oh."

...Wait, he's actually going to..?

"Yeah. But… When I removed the… When I used it, I didn't really notice that it was gone. Adding it back in… I'll have to do it gradually, and I'm… Probably going to be an emotional mess."

Ring, notify Kaldur that I won't be available for a week.

There's no way this is going to be this easy, though, is there?

Sure thing, sport. I think you're making the right-.

Don't. I'm not happy about being in this situation, but I need to be realistic.

I suppose even without a moral basis, a sense of right and wrong, even he can be made to bow to rational persuasion? Or at least the implied threat of punishment if he doesn't.

Okay. Standing by.

"But when I.. do this… Assuming I'm still interested, am I boyfriend material?"

Eyes on your prize, huh?

"I-." I think she's considering just saying 'yes', but then decides to be honest instead. "Maybe. We can.. try it. Just-. Don't inject yourself with.. more things."

"But-." Its' a trust issue. Even for the safe things, if I can't-. "Okay. No injections."

And no loopholes, either! No drinkable, inhale-able or topical applications either!

I fabricate myself a cushioned pad and set it on the floor before lying on it and strapping myself in.

"Ah… What's.. that?"

Huh, thinking ahead.

"I'm going to be manually changing the structure of my brain. I'm expecting seizures and extremes of emotion until things settle down. Which means that I can't just strap myself in with the ring, because I won't be able to focus my emotions."

"You.. don't want to do this in the medical..?"

"No, I just want to get it done. Ring, re-. Slowly, revert."

And he's making her watch. Boy, still creepy as heck.

So, bets on how this will go wrong? He redoses himself later in an emergency? Someone else doses him with it, or something worse, without his willing agreement? Maybe the serum can't be undone that easily in a complex thing like a human mind and he doesn't magically get his morality back?

Or this isn't the same Alt!Paul as Tangseid, and we've been duped the whole time... So many possibilities...

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

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