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

Mr Zoat · Dec 6, 2024

WereDragon said:
The skill thief.

It's really more skill copyright violation.

_The_Bomb · Dec 7, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
The interior-proper of the Spider Guild ship is a curious

Mr Zoat said:
"Flew out from the Forbidden Forest of Weeds."

Mr Zoat said:
look around, seeing a well built, gold-skinned woman with short pink hair sticking directly up from her head. "It was a misunderstanding."

Mr Zoat said:
inexpressive, but he doesn't look particularly impressed. He

Mr Zoat said:
seems that Ryand'r…

Mr Zoat said:
I mean, I sent them a Guardian ship with a request for a meeting. I'm having a hard time believing that they couldn't send a single person to Earth to say hello. I mean, there are only nine Guardians left and they still managed to send Appa Ali Apsa to spend a couple of weeks just.. driving around America with Lantern Jordan and Mister Queen. There's no way them ignoring me isn't supposed to be sending some sort of message. I just don't know-.

Mr Zoat said:
The inner door fades to nothing and I step through. Hm. What else could I do to make my point..? Ah, of course. My armour and robes vanish into subspace, the cloth which emerges to replace them pulling itself tight around me to create a uniform obviously designed to match what the Green Lanterns wear. A bright orange patch front and back, a little like a female one piece swimming costume. Dark grey for the arms and legs, then orange boots and… White gloves, I think. And… Okay, and a tiny mask. I'm labouring a point, not dressing in a way that makes any sense at all.

Mr Zoat said:
She's also wearing blue and red, not robes but simple trousers and pullover. Thin white hair is bound in a tight bun. There are screens around the bier, and I walk past the first Controller to get a better look.

Mr Zoat said:
"Green… Lantern..? Oh, they finally got around to upgunning those Halla people." She looks past me to the other Controller. "Who are you?"

Mr Zoat said:
She tilts her head slightly to the side. "You don't have the Orange Light Fountain yet. It's a little premature to speak as if this is a done deal. There were reasons why the Guardians were reluctant to press Larfleeze after he killed Ogandu Onna Oslan."

Mr Zoat said:
That's a weird one. Sort of… Undead Battle-Dragonfly-Wasp? It appears to be drifting somewhat aimlessly, its construct-body rippling slightly as it phases through the tree trunks. I'm not seeing any other orange light… I could try usurping Larfleeze's control-. No. Ah. It came from that direction, so I'll try that way. At least I can check whether my stealth systems are achieving anything.

Mr Zoat said:
No. Not a dead end.

Mr Zoat said:
my right. A regal looking… Thing floats in the centre of the chamber, near to the

Here are some more instances of link rot for you. I highly recommend you upload any image you want preserved to Imgur, and like to its hosting there as you did in the example below. That will last essentially forever, whereas most of the images you've directly linked to have died after only a few years.

Mr Zoat said:
I remember from the comics that the Controllers brushed aside a group of Okaarans on their way in, then went through the Forest and into a cave complex. Assuming the people in the fort were the same as the ones they barged through in the comic that was another example of Maltusian-descendant highhandedness. All I had to do was ask. They're not here to stop people, just give warning to the rest of the planet of anything Larfleeze does.

Mr Zoat · Dec 7, 2024

1st May 2013
15:58 GMT

"…why anyone would want to get rid of their cutie mark?"

Rarity watches nervously as Sweetie Belle looks up Starlight Glimmer's equipment with fascinated dubiousness.

Starlight's eyes light up as she takes a breath, then she spots me ambling through the research laboratory and calms down a little.

"The exact relationship between special talents, cutie marks, and a pony's personal magics isn't something we know a lot about. Most ponies assume it works a particular way, but they can't prove it."

Sweetie switches her attention from the machine to Starlight herself. "What do you mean?"

"Hm." Starlight rests her right forehoof against her chin for a moment. "If you wanted to find out what a pony's special talent was, how would you do that?"

"I'd ask them."

"Okay, but what if they lied?"

"Um. Well… Why would they do that?"

Starlight points at me. "Grayven lied about his special talent to make a joke."

Sweetie looks at me for confirmation, and I nod. "Why?"

"Ah, because I use humour as a method for defusing social tension. My actual species doesn't have cutie marks, so it doesn't have the same significance for me as it does for ponies." She looks a bit blank. "It's more like a tattoo than a major life indicator."

Sweetie frowns. "What's a tattoo?"

Rarity's eyes widen, and she urgently trots closer.

"A tattoo is where you inject ink-."

"A-bup-bup-bup." Rarity gives me a mild glare as she covers Sweetie's ears with her forehooves. "That's quite enough."

Starlight gives her a hard look. "That's exactly the attitude that stops us learning anything."

Sweetie ducks her head and brushes her sister's hooves off. "Okay, well, I could look at their cutie mark."

I gesture to Rarity's haunches with my right forehoof. "If you looked at Rarity's cutie mark, you'd think that her special talent was gem carving. Or that Cherilee could grow nice flowers."

Starlight frowns at Rarity in puzzlement. "Oh, I… Thought that too. What is your special talent?"

"I have an instinct for creating exactly the right ensembles to reveal a pony's hidden beauty."

Hm. "I was wondering. Does that just apply to dresses, or clothes, or is it in general and you just prefer dresses?"

"I…" She looks thoughtful. "Ah..? I do find it easier to express my talent through dress-making, but when I make suits for Spike or when I arrange a showing…" She nods decisively. "Yes, I do believe that it applies generally. Unfortunately, there just isn't enough time to learn all the ways that a pony can shine, much less actually put them into practice."

Starlight nods. "A lot of cutie marks are metaphorical rather than literal. It my case it's fairly obvious that my talent is something to do with magic, but with Grayven unless you knew what a fasces is, it just looks like an axe and some sticks and suggests that his talent might be chopping wood."

"Huh. Well then… I guess I could get them to try a bunch of different things and see what they're good at. That's what the Crusaders do."

Starlight blinks. "The what?"

Rarity sighs. "The 'Cutie Mark Crusaders'. Sweetie Belle and her friends Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. They are the last in their class at school to get their marks and they're rather self-conscious about it."

"So..?"

Sweetie Belle adopts a stubborn posture. "So our marks must be for something we haven't done yet. We think that if we try enough things, we'll have to find out what our talents are."

Starlight looks unconvinced. "I think a meta-analysis might work better, but I guess it gets you out of the house."

Sweetie blinks. "A meta-what?"

"Meta-analysis. Rather than trying something new, you look at all the things you've already tried and see if there are any trends."

Sweetie looks disgruntled for a moment. "None of them worked."

"No, but… Say, in my case, I tried a series of different activities, but I always used magic, or tried to do things better by using magic I invented, that would suggest that my talent was magic-related."

Sweetie sits, her brow furrowed in thought. "Huuuuuuh."

"Ooh." I perk up. "I've been meaning to ask: if you work out what a unmarked pony's talent is, is it heresy to tell them?"

Starlight looks a little puzzled. "Not exactly, but usually if it's that obvious then they've worked it out for themselves and gotten their mark. Otherwise you're just guessing, and the worst that can happen is that you put them off for a little while because they don't want to listen to you."

"Okay, but what if they're really obtuse?"

Rarity blinks, works out where I'm going, and frowns at me.

"So…" Sweetie is frowning at the floor. "If… Apple Bloom builds things we need for trying things, then… Her talent might be building things?"

I smile at Rarity.

"And… Scootaloo moves things around using her scooter when we need to go somewhere, so maybe that's her special talent? But she's always done that." She looks up at Starlight. "Shouldn't she have her cutie mark by now?"

"Getting a cutie mark isn't just about using a talent. I used magic for years before getting my cutie mark. It-. It's about realising the importance of your talent in your life."

Goodness me. Those public relations lessons have really paid off. Even a few months ago she's have delivered a rather irate lecture if someone said something like-

"At least, that's how it's traditionally understood."

-that. Ah, here we go.

Starlight starts pacing. "The truth is that we don't understand the exact mechanisms which cause cutie mark manifestations. Twilight Sparkle, Sunset Shimmer and I all have similar special talents and… Even our names are similar. But our cutie marks are completely different."

She takes a breath to carry on, then hesitates and looks at me. I make a 'slowly lowering hoof' gesture which I hope she takes as meaning that she should truncate her usual rant for her current audience. She nods.

Sweetie Belle frowns. "So her name's 'Scootaloo', and she scooters everywhere all the time… But she doesn't realise how important scootering is to her?"

Starlight thinks for a moment. "Ah, I don't know her, but that's certainly possible. It fits what we know about the process."

"Huh." She thinks for a moment, then nods slowly. "I guess that could happen. So what about me?"

I shrug. "I'm afraid that I don't know you well enough, though I imagine that the ponies closest to you have an idea."

"You mean..?" She turns to look at her sister. "Rarity? Do you know what my special talent is?"

Rarity recoils slightly. "Well… Ah… I… Have suspicions."

"Since when?"

"A… While. But Sweetie-."

Sweetie Belle looks a little hurt. "Before we started crusading, or after?"

Rarity regards her nervously for a moment, then glares at me and Starlight.

"Rarity?"

"A… Little while before."

"So… With the crusade… We're just totally wasting our time… And you knew that."

"I wouldn't put it quite like that, Sweetie-."

Sweetie Belle stands up and walks towards the door. "I'm going outside. I think I need some air."

Chojin Patriarch · Dec 7, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
1st May 2013
15:58 GMT

"…why anyone would want to get rid of their cutie mark?"

Rarity watches nervously as Sweetie Belle looks up Starlight Glimmer's equipment with fascinated dubiousness.

Ah, this is going to be a fun discussion. Like trying to explain sex to a precociously curious youngster. Possibly more embarrassing when they discover Mommy's special 'massager' and want to know why it looks like, well...

That's something I suspect any parent or older sibling dreads.

Starlight's eyes light up as she takes a breath, then she spots me ambling through the research laboratory and calms down a little.

"The exact relationship between special talents, cutie marks, and a pony's personal magics isn't something we know a lot about. Most ponies assume it works a particular way, but they can't prove it."

And as Starlight Glimemr has been frustrated to find, not many people want to find out why.

Sweetie switches her attention from the machine to Starlight herself. "What do you mean?"

"Hm." Starlight rests her right forehoof against her chin for a moment. "If you wanted to find out what a pony's special talent was, how would you do that?"

It would be a bit of a tricky subject to broach. It's not like they talk in advertising-speak, declaring their name and special talent like a commercial whenever they meet someone new. (And that sort of thing always comes across awkwardly in fiction, like this example.

"I'd ask them."

"Okay, but what if they lied?"

"Um. Well… Why would they do that?"

Ah, the innocence of children, shocked that someone could think to do that.

Starlight points at me. "Grayven lied about his special talent to make a joke."

Sweetie looks at me for confirmation, and I nod. "Why?"

"Ah, because I use humour as a method for defusing social tension. My actual species doesn't have cutie marks, so it doesn't have the same significance for me as it does for ponies." She looks a bit blank. "It's more like a tattoo than a major life indicator."

Heh. To be fair, the actual characteristic it represents is probably not one considered fit for pleasant company. Few people consider declaring oneself to be a 'conqueror' to be a typical act.

Sweetie frowns. "What's a tattoo?"

Rarity's eyes widen, and she urgently trots closer.

...Wonder how tattoos work for a species with short coats of fur. Would it be more like dying the fur in patterns than...

"A tattoo is where you inject ink-."

"A-bup-bup-bup." Rarity gives me a mild glare as she covers Sweetie's ears with her forehooves. "That's quite enough."

...The human method. And you should know by now, Rarity that making something seem taboo just makes it more interesting to children.

Starlight gives her a hard look. "That's exactly the attitude that stops us learning anything."

Sweetie ducks her head and brushes her sister's hooves off. "Okay, well, I could look at their cutie mark."

If it's visible. And craning your head around to look at someone's flank upon just meeting seems a bit... Cheeky?

I gesture to Rarity's haunches with my right forehoof. "If you looked at Rarity's cutie mark, you'd think that her special talent was gem carving. Or that Cherilee could grow nice flowers."

Starlight frowns at Rarity in puzzlement. "Oh, I… Thought that too. What is your special talent?"

Then again, a lot of ponies do like to accessorize using their Cutie Mark. Things like saddle-bag clasps, blanket-pins, that sort of thing.

"I have an instinct for creating exactly the right ensembles to reveal a pony's hidden beauty."

Hm. "I was wondering. Just that just apply to dresses, or clothes, or is it in general and you just prefer dresses?"

Good point. How wide does her talent work fashion-wise? I mean, dresses are the easiest option, certainly, given the comparatively high ratio of female to male Equestrians in places she frequents...

"I…" She looks thoughtful. "Ah..? I do find it easier to express my talent through dress-making, but when I makes suits for Spike or when I arrange a showing…" She nods decisively. "Yes, I do believe that it applies generally. Unfortunately, there just isn't enough time to learn all the ways that a pony can shine, much less actually put them into practice."

Not without being some sort of tailoring savant. And talented as Rarity is, she's not that.

Starlight nods. "A lot of cutie marks are metaphorical rather than literal. It my case it's fairly obvious that my talent is something to do with magic, but with Grayven unless you knew what a fasces is, it just looks like an axe and some sticks and suggests that his talent might be chopping wood."

That would be amusing. Just picture him waving an axe the size of a small car around in alicorn form, menacing trees...

"Huh. Well then… I guess I could get them to try a bunch of different things and see what they're good at. That's what the Crusaders do."

Starlight blinks. "The what?"

Ah, she hasn't had the pleasure of experiencing that little quirk of Ponyville life...

Rarity sighs. "The 'Cutie Mark Crusaders'. Sweetie Belle and her friends Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. They are the last in their class at school to get their marks and they're rather self-conscious about it."

"So..?"

Picture 'discovery via experimentation.' But without the scientific process.

Sweetie Belle adopts a stubborn posture. "So our marks must be for something we haven't done yet. We think that if we try enough things, we'll have to find out what our talents are."

Starlight looks unconvinced. "I think a meta-analysis might work better, but I guess it gets you out of the house."

And ironically, it doesn't work that way anyway. But at least they're making themselves useful. Sometimes.

Sweetie blinks. "A meta-what?"

"Meta-analysis. Rather than trying something new, you look at all the things you've already tried and see if there are any trends."

Of course, those watching the show caught on right quick... Benefit of the omniscient observer's perspective.

Sweetie looks disgruntled for a moment. "None of them worked."

"No, but… Say, in my case, I tried a series of different activities, but I always used magic, or tried to do things better by using magic I invented, that would suggest that my talent was magic-related."

Seems a bit self-fulfilling, but if it worked...

Sweetie sits, her brow furrowed in thought. "Huuuuuuh."

"Ooh." I perk up. "I've been meaning to ask: if you work out what a unmarked pony's talent is, is it heresy to tell them?"

...That would be an awkward thing, wouldn't it? Almost the inverse of a kid coming out to their parents. The parents have known for years, but the youngster still hasn't worked it out...

Starlight looks a little puzzled. "Not exactly, but usually if it's that obvious then they've worked it out for themselves and gotten their mark. Otherwise you're just guessing, and the worst that can happen is that you put them off for a little while because they don't want to listen to you."

Typical childish reaction. 'Nah, that can't be right. They're old, what do they know?'

"Okay, but what if they're really obtuse?"

Rarity blinks, works out where I'm going, and frowns at me.

I'm impressed she resisted the reflexive urge to glance at Sweetie belle.

"So…" Sweetie is frowning at the floor. "If… Apple Bloom builds things we need for trying things, then… Her talent might be building things?"

I smile at Rarity.

She's certainly on the right track there.

"And… Scootaloo moves things around using her scooter when we need to go somewhere, so maybe that's her special talent? But she's always done that." She looks up at Starlight. "Shouldn't she have her cutie mark by now?"

"Getting a cutie mark isn't just about using a talent. I used magic for years before getting my cutie mark. It-. It's about realising the importance of your talent in your life."

It's not so much the scootering as the driving skills, I think. Or possibly the engineering involved in building one that can withstand the forces she can invoke.

Goodness me. Those public relations lessons have really paid off. Even a few months ago she's have delivered a rather irate lecture if someone said something like-

"At least, that's how it's traditionally understood."

-that. Ah, here we go.

So far, yet still so short of the mark.

Starlight starts pacing. "The truth is that we don't understand the exact mechanisms which cause cutie mark manifestations. Twilight Sparkle, Sunset Shimmer and I all have similar special talents and… Even our names are similar. But our cutie marks are completely different."

And also the way they manifested, I bet. Twilight's was potentially traumatic, if anything, with bursts of wild magic going off. Fortunately her accidental polymorphs weren't irreversible.

She takes a breath to carry on, then hesitates and looks at me. I make a 'slowly lowering hoof' gesture which I hope she takes as meaning that she should truncate her usual rant for her current audience. She nods.

Sweetie Belle frowns. "So her name's 'Scootaloo', and she scooters everywhere all the time… But she doesn't realise how important scootering is to her?"

I'm impressed, Starlight actually read the room... With a little hint.

Starlight thinks for a moment. "Ah, I don't know her, but that's certainly possible. It fits what we know about the process."

"Huh." She thinks for a moment, then nods slowly. "I guess that could happen. So what about me?"

Ah, now the really awkward stuff begins. How to tell someone something they've been trying to work out for years but you've been pretty sure about for a while?

I shrug. "I'm afraid that I don't know you well enough, though I imagine that the ponies closest to you have an idea."

"You mean..?" She turns to look at her sister. "Rarity? Do you know what my special talent is?"

Probably a harder question for Equestrian parents and guardians than 'where do foals come from?'

Rarity recoils slightly. "Well… Ah… I… Have suspicions."

"Since when?"

"A… While. But Sweetie-."

Ooh, she can see the potential relationship minefield a mile away, but on Sweetie stampedes, oblivious...

Sweetie Belle looks a little hurt. "Before we started crusading, or after?"

Rarity regards her nervously for a moment, then glares at me and Starlight.

Silence is only more damning, madame.

"Rarity?"

"A… Little while before."

"So… With the crusade… We're just totally wasting our time… And you knew that."

Ooh, I can hear the tone of voice drop into 'I'm not happy with you.'

"I wouldn't put it quite like that, Sweetie-."

Sweetie Belle stands up and walks towards the door. "I'm going outside. I think I need some air."

Oooh... That's painful. I can just picture Rarity in deep gloom at her whoopsie.

Well, there's some hurt feelings there. Rarity's gonna have to work to make up for that little social misstep. On the other hand, Sweetie Belle might go and have a long think about things she's done, see how much she enjoyed certain things and bam, Cutie Mark-agogo. Doubt we'll see the official 'Crusader badge' mark, though, with those butterflies flapping away.

Chaoswind · Dec 7, 2024

Man I think I will need to get a bulk of chapters pile up for a couple of weeks because I am finding it difficult to maintain my interest on all these diverse plot points from alternate time lines. When the other alternates get interesting by linking up with the controller in Maltus we switch to Paragon, when the Stargate alternative gets interesting, we switch to Paragon again, when Paragon starts to get interesting we switch to Renegade when Renegade does a funny we go to Paragon again with the whiplash messing up the flow of the narrative, this has always been a little bit of a problem for this fic, but boy it feels worse during the last two episodes.

Mr Zoat · Dec 7, 2024

Chojin Patriarch said:
Of course, those watching the show caught on right quick... Benefit of the omniscient observer's perspective.

It was literally the point of their first episode. Sweetie literally says that she feels too self-conscious about singing, even though she's good at it. The other two try to encourage her, but she demurs.

Unfortunately, the writers then completely forgot about it and gave her a non-mark in something she's objectively terrible at.

Mr Zoat · Dec 7, 2024

_The_Bomb said:
Here are some dead links @Mr Zoat

Superstupor, fixed.

Kontross has been scrubbed from the internet, so you'll all just have to cope I'm afraid.

Don't remember what the second Treason Day link was, so I'll just stick in a new one.

'Sleep well' replaced.

Mr Zoat · Dec 7, 2024

_The_Bomb said:
Here are some more instances of link rot for you. I highly recommend you upload any image you want preserved to Imgur, and like to its hosting there as you did in the example below. That will last essentially forever, whereas most of the images you've directly linked to have died after only a few years.

Yes, I use Img now. Have for a while. Probably years, honestly. I used to use photobucket, and then there was another site... Both dead now. I save images to my hard drive but I honestly prefer linking to the original site or artist where possible so they get credit for their work.

Don't know what the original interior Guild ship shot was, so have an exterior view.

Not sure what some of the pictures were, so they get character page links.

The only image I can find of the Controllers leaving Oa is tiny, so that'll have to stay unless someone can find me a page reference.

Alright, done as best I can.

The Froggy Ninja · Dec 7, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
It was literally the point of their first episode. Sweetie literally says that she feels too self-conscious about singing, even though she's good at it. The other two try to encourage her, but she demurs.

Unfortunately, the writers then completely forgot about it and gave her a non-mark in something she's objectively terrible at.

Honestly, Applebloom got the worst of that. At least Sweetie and Scoot got detailing related to their actual talents (a star and music note for Sweetie's musical performance and a wing and lightning bolt for Scoot, which fits the trend for athleticism talents) but Apple Bloom just got an apple with a heart in it.

I do wonder how the whole nominative determinism thing works. Is it instinct or do they have a True Name spell they cast on babies or what?

Impatient_Quill · Dec 7, 2024

The Froggy Ninja said:
Honestly, Applebloom got the worst of that. At least Sweetie and Scoot got detailing related to their actual talents (a star and music note for Sweetie's musical performance and a wing and lightning bolt for Scoot, which fits the trend for athleticism talents) but Apple Bloom just got an apple with a heart in it.

I do wonder how the whole nominative determinism thing works. Is it instinct or do they have a True Name spell they cast on babies or what?

Could be a side effect of the global magic field pushing expectations onto people during the young pony's development, as some sort of unconsciously triggered hypnotic suggestion.

The Froggy Ninja · Dec 7, 2024

Impatient_Quill said:
Could be a side effect of the global magic field pushing expectations onto people during the young pony's development, as some sort of unconsciously triggered hypnotic suggestion.

Which might indicate the capacity to intentionally shape special talents and personalities (seeing as Fluttershy's nominative determinism manifested in her personality moreso than her talent) via naming. There will obviously be outliers, such as Apple Bloom, but if it really is a matter of name influencing destiny rather than the other way around, it could have a serious (and probably pretty morally dubious) impact on society if they could prove it. Lots of upper class unicorns naming their kids Celestialevent Prettylights if nothing else.

Silveraith · Dec 7, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
Hm. "I was wondering. Just that just apply to dresses, or clothes, or is it in general and you just prefer dresses?"

"Does that just" or "Just that, does it".

Mr Zoat said:
but when I makes suits for Spike

Make.

Someguy Somewhere · Dec 7, 2024

The Froggy Ninja said:
Which might indicate the capacity to intentionally shape special talents and personalities (seeing as Fluttershy's nominative determinism manifested in her personality moreso than her talent) via naming. There will obviously be outliers, such as Apple Bloom, but if it really is a matter of name influencing destiny rather than the other way around, it could have a serious (and probably pretty morally dubious) impact on society if they could prove it. Lots of upper class unicorns naming their kids Celestialevent Prettylights if nothing else.

Of all things to be reminded of, now you have me thinking of the 'Path of Eldar' novels from 40k.

For those that don't know them, Warhammer's Space Elves, the Eldar...or 'Aeldari' these days, have a very strong emotions. The Craftworld Eldar try to focus these mental energies by walling off aspects of their personalities at different points of their lives. The various Paths are effectively jobs they take up in service to the Craftworld they live on....paths of service, of entertainment, of crafting, of war and etc. As Eldar die, their souls are encapsulated in stones so that their spirits can be placed into the heart of the craftworld, the Infinity Circuit as a form of artificial afterlife, that also acts as a form of central intelligence to the whole of the craftworld.

Now...the craftworld with it's Infinity Circuit is almost a living thing to itself. It's more then just a computer, more then an operating system or AI, and it touches both every part of the giant spaceship and the minds of everyone in it. Reading between the lines of the novels, you could take some of the actions of the Circuit as....directed, rather then just following the orders of the individuals, or even leadership of the craftworld. A character in distress finds that doors don't open for them, or their transportation takes then to a place they didn't request. It appears to be guiding them to what they Need. But that does leave the question of if the Circuit is shaping the lives of the people living on the craftworld to fill its needs, rather then the other way around. The Craftworld Needs Warriors, so it could influence things to drive someone to rage, so that they would seek out a way to vent that anger as a solider, for example.

...And now I worry that 'Harmony' could be doing things like that to ponies.

Equestria needs farmers, and cloud wranglers, and hands out special talents to fill it's needs, rather then ponies developing organically on their own.

Mr Zoat · Dec 7, 2024

Silveraith said:
"Does that just" or "Just that, does it".
Make.

Thank you, corrected.

Someguy Somewhere said:
Of all things to be reminded of, now you have me thinking of the 'Path of Eldar' novels from 40k.

For those that don't know them, Warhammer's Space Elves, the Eldar

YES THAT IS WHAT THEY ARE CALLED.

...And now I worry that 'Harmony' could be doing things like that to ponies.

The Tree flat out killed some of Chrysalis's minions. By agonisingly melting them.

Sordid Snake · Dec 7, 2024

Someguy Somewhere said:
Equestria needs farmers, and cloud wranglers, and hands out special talents to fill it's needs

The player of Hearts of Harmony, SimWilson or RimPonyworld or whatever hands out cutie marks like an X-COM player chooses whether an Operative will level up to be a Sniper or a Ranger

Hopefully the player isn't one of those YouTubers who's schtick is to make an humorously incredible mess out of everything, like SamuelStreamer or LetsGameItOut:

"As soon as the 'Foreign Expedition' focus is done and I've raised a hundred divisions its time to justify on Stalliongrad!"
"Celestia, Princess is in a murderous rage. She is going to kill Cadence. Final straw was: Ate without a table."
"Time for Rarity to specialize in hats!"

BR549 · Dec 8, 2024

Sordid Snake said:
Hopefully the player isn't one of those YouTubers who's schtick is to make an humorously incredible mess out of everything, like SamuelStreamer or LetsGameItOut:

Josh no!

...sorry. Force of habit.

Mr Zoat · Dec 8, 2024

1st May 2013
14:39 GMT -5

"Huh." Ambrose waves a hand over the server. "Looks broken to me."

Dr. Cochin rolls his eyes. "If you feel unable to offer your services -even at LexCorps' expedited service rates- then please just say so. There are other magicians we can call upon, but please consider that they aren't familiar with the spells and that would leave Enginehead in Anarky's hands for longer."

Mr. Bierce shrugs. "You use anything magical making him?"

"I wasn't involved..?"

He turns to the lead researcher, a man who somehow became a legitimate scientist despite his parents christening him 'Rigoro Mortis'. I suppose that given that he works at LexCorp it's really only a matter of time.

Ring, add him to the watch list.

Compliance.

Dr. Mortis shakes his head. "No, no magic. Not in his construction. We added some basic… 'Ward' signs to the casing specifically to prevent things like this."

"Normally, I'd roll my eyes, but Paul says that the ones you put on your paper is pretty effective."

"Actually." I frown, looking at Mr. Bierce. "Would those wards stop the record erasure spell?"

He looks extremely sceptical. "Working off background energy they absorb versus someone actually casting a spell? Where they can just power it up as much as they want, without anyone picking up on it? Wouldn't have thought so, but I suppose you could check."

I nod. "Doctor Mortis, are you able to show us the design? Please bear in mind that I'm literally incapable of using magic, have a better one tattooed onto my skin and I've already seen the paper version."

He gives me a faint frown. "I don't know why you felt obliged to add those justifications. We're cooperating on recovering Enginehead."

"Ah… Lex.. Luthor.. doesn't have the best relationship with Superman, and through him the rest of the Justice League. We're cooperating more closely at the moment because human civilisation is more important, but I know perfectly well that he is getting upset about how much power the League has over the reconstruction… I'm not sure how much you're allowed to share."

"Look, I don't make policy decisions." He shakes his head. "Whatever's going on with the League and.. Mister Luthor, it's no concern of mine. And it's-."

Dr. Cochin snorts quietly.

"It's pronounced 'Mortice'. My grandparents got it changed at Ellis Island."

"I apologise, and will pronounce it correctly henceforth. And your first name is 'Rigoro'?"

"Rheegooro."

Dr. Cochin hums quietly as he calls up the design on the work station.

"What's that? Vodun? You didn't keep working with Papa Midnite, did you?"

"The outline is based on vodun practices using more modern symbolism. The evocation of more modern forms of power."

"Did the computer at the office have the same thing?"

Dr. Rigoro nods. "Yes, of course. They're all part of the same system. If we didn't ward everything, we might as well have not bothered."

Mr. Bierce points. "Found your problem, then. 'Communication' and 'knowledge'."

"Enginehead is a synthetic intelligence. Why would that be a problem?"

I nod. "Because you've created a ward that as a core part of its design wants to allow communication. Do you have a wizard checking these regularly?"

"No."

Mr. Bierce sucks in air through his teeth, in a way which suggests that while the mechanic can make the repairs, buying a new vehicle might be cheaper.

"Can you trace it?"

"Not a chance." He points to a series of glyphs. "This is good work, actually. You stuck a golden eagle in there?"

Dr. Rigoro nods. "Yes."

"Did it melt?"

"No. All of them were exactly as they were before the event happened."

Mr. Bierce sighs. "Yeah. The boy's clever. If he just overpowered the ward, they'd probably have melted. High end correspondence ritual." He looks at me. "How intelligent is this boy?"

"Above average, but not super-intelligent. He shouldn't have been able to use super-intuition or anything like that."

"So either he read the same spell book you did, or he got a picture from someone on the inside." He snorts. "No prizes for guessing which is most likely."

Dr. Rigoro pales. "Someone on..? The development team?"

"Or an I.T. technician, or a welder, or someone in logistics. Heck, if he asked someone while they were still Anti-Lifed, I don't think even Mister Luthor could really blame them. Or… Well, how much about how Enginehead was made was authorised for publication? He is intelligent enough to understand a technical document above his level."

He nods. "I'll… Have to notify Mister Beatty anyway."

I nod. "When you do, please ask if we can get permission for some magicians to join the investigation."

"Someone like.. Doctor Mist or Zatara?"

"Gosh no. They've got important things to do. We met a man in Los Angeles who specialises in this sort of thing. The alternative…"

I could ask Hephaestaean. This is his domain, and asking your patrons for stuff is acceptable Hellenistic practice. But that could cause all sorts of arcane spill over. No. I'll give Mr. Levi a chance to work his magic first.

"The alternative?"

I shake my head. "Sorry. There are a few places I should check for mundane clues. Let me know when you've got permission and I'll pick him and his equipment up."

I raise my left hand to my forehead,

step out

and appear in Gotham over what was once the Machin family home. It's actually on the outskirts, so that the estate agent advert probably doesn't mention Gotham at all. Garden was neat, interior decoration was warm and welcoming.

A nice place to grow up.

Regular scan, sonic imaging, thermal and magnetic… No, it's just what it looks like.

I nod to myself before transitioning to Washington D.C. and the Monument therein. In the comics he built a base underneath it, so I send a few probes into the ground, digging and sending out ground-piercing radar pulses.

No, nothing here either.

Not much I can do now until Mr. Beatty gives the okay.

Darko · Dec 8, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
Dr. Cochin rolls his eyes. "If you feel unable to offer your services -even at LexCorps' expedited service rates- then please just say so. There are other magicians we can call upon, but please consider that they aren't familiar with the spells and that would leave Enginehead in Anarky's hands for longer."

You do know that most people don't have a biological life hack like you do, so they actually have to work for a living?

Mr Zoat said:
He turns to the lead researcher, a man who somehow became a legitimate scientist despite his parents christening him 'Rigoro Mortis'. I suppose that given that he works at LexCorp it's really only a matter of time

Let me guess.

He's going to make computers that can somehow hack dead bodies and make a zombie army.

Mr Zoat said:
He gives me a faint frown. "I don't know why you felt obliged to add those justifications. We're cooperating on recovering Enginehead."

Guessing he doesn't know that Lex is a supervillain.

Maybe he does some digging and finds out, and that's what drives him towards supervillany.

It was about time that Paul played a role in the creation of a supervillain.

Mr Zoat said:
And it's-."

Dr. Cochin snorts quietly.

"It's pronounced 'Mortice'.

I'm guessing Paul isn't the first one that made a supervillain comparison.

Mr Zoat said:
And your first name is 'Rigoro'?"

"Rheegooro."

Maybe he'll eventually get angry with people calling him the wrong name and decides to Show Them All.

Mr Zoat said:
I nod. "Because you've created a ward that as a core part of its design wants to allow communication

So any clever enough magician can get easy access.

Mr Zoat said:
Above average, but not super-intelligent

Super-intelligent is honestly the more honest choice.

Mr Zoat said:
He shouldn't have been able to use super-intuition or anything like that."

Unless he's altered his brain like in the comics.

Mr Zoat said:
So either he read the same spell book you did, or he got a picture from someone on the inside." He snorts. "No prizes for guessing which is most likely."

Dr. Rigoro pales. "Someone on..? The development team?"

Maybe someone there wanted to encourage what they thought was just an intelligent child, or they found out about the crazy, evil and illegal thing Lex does and got in contact with Anarchy.

Mr Zoat said:
They've got important things to do. We met a man in San Francisco who specialises in this sort of thing. The alternative…"

Mr Zoat said:
No. I'll give Mr. Levi a chance to work his magic first.

Didn't they meet Levi in LA?

Ngamer11 · Dec 8, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
I nod. "Doctor Mortis, are you able to show us the design? Please bear in mind that I'm literally incapable of using magic, have a better one tattooed onto my skin and I've already seem the paper version."

That should say 'seen'.

Mr Zoat said:
I could ask Hephaestus. This is his domain, and asking your patrons for stuff is acceptable Hellenistic practice. But that could cause all sorts of arcane spill over. No. I'll give Mr. Levi a chance to work his magic first.

Can someone remind me who Mr. Levi is and if he's an original character or one from the comics? Also, if he did appear previously, when did he appear in this story?

Idkusername · Dec 8, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
I could ask Hephaestus.

Hephaestean, or however he spells his name.

Darko · Dec 8, 2024

Ngamer11 said:
Can someone remind me who Mr. Levi is and if he's an original character or one from the comics? Also, if he did appear previously, when did he appear in this story

He's a comic character.

Levi is a modern day alchemist that once tried to help Jason Blood get rid of Etrigan by putting him in sludge created using human fat and severed foreskins.

Etrigan managed to possess the sludge and go on a rampage, forcing them to put him back in Blood.

He actually appeared just a few chapters ago.

Though I do think he was mentioned in a renegade chapter several years ago.

Chojin Patriarch · Dec 8, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
1st May 2013
14:39 GMT -5

"Huh." Ambrose waves a hand over the server. "Looks broken to me."

Dr. Cochin rolls his eyes. "If you feel unable to offer your services -even at LexCorps' expedited service rates- then please just say so. There are other magicians we can call upon, but please consider that they aren't familiar with the spells and that would leave Enginehead in Anarky's hands for longer."

I would have to assume Paragon here is already dredging Ambrose's magical knowledge. Though without practice, he'd struggle to make use of it, I suspect. I wonder how much he retains after losing the source?

Mr. Bierce shrugs. "You use anything magical making him?"

"I wasn't involved..?"

He turns to the lead researcher, a man who somehow became a legitimate scientist despite his parents christening him 'Rigoro Mortis'. I suppose that given that he works at LexCorp it's really only a matter of time.

...Somehow, i doubt it's pronounced how it's spelt. He's probably well aware of how his name sounds so super-villainy.

Ring, add him to the watch list.

Compliance.

...Better safe than sorry, I suppose.

Dr. Mortis shakes his head. "No, no magic. Not in his construction. We added some basic… 'Ward' signs to the casing specifically to prevent things like this."

"Normally, I'd roll my eyes, but Paul says that the ones you put on your paper is pretty effective."

I wonder if Ambrose has encountered any in the wild, so to speak. Just the sheer volume would have mages worldwide getting annoyed by them, surely. Unless they are so specifically anti-Lantern Scan that no-one else gets hampered but hem.

"Actually." I frown, looking at Mr. Bierce. "Would those wards stop the record erasure spell?"

He looks extremely sceptical. "Working off background energy they absorb versus someone actually casting a spell? Where they can just power it up as much as they want, without anyone picking up on it? Wouldn't have thought so, but I suppose you could check."

So a proper spellcaster could just overpower the wards? Pity OL doesn't have that option.

I nod. "Doctor Mortis, are you able to show us the design? Please bear in mind that I'm literally incapable of using magic, have a better one tattooed onto my skin and I've already seem the paper version."

He gives me a faint frown. "I don't know why you felt obliged to add those justifications. We're cooperating on recovering Enginehead."

Because your boss might object, and Lex... You don't want to experience his displeasure, methinks.

"Ah… Lex.. Luthor.. doesn't have the best relationship with Superman, and through him the rest of the Justice League. We're cooperating more closely at the moment because human civilisation is more important, but I know perfectly well that he is getting upset about how much power the League has over the reconstruction… I'm not sure how much you're allowed to share."

A good reminder that to most of the world, Lex is just a powerful CEO, not a suspected super-villain. Power of good publicity departments.

"Look, I don't make policy decisions." He shakes his head. "Whatever's going on with the League and.. Mister Luthor, it's no concern of mine. And it's-."

Dr. Cochin snorts quietly.

"It's pronounced 'Mortice'. My grandparents got it changed at Ellis Island."

I thought so. Italian, of course. Probably a lazy immigration officer going 'that's too complicated. It's Mortis now.'

"I apologise, and will pronounce it correctly henceforth. And your first name is 'Rigoro'?"

"Rheegooro."

Dr. Cochin hums quietly as he calls up the design on the work station.

Ah, rhyming with Figaro. Most likely an old family name.

"What's that? Vodun? You didn't keep working with Papa Midnite, did you?"

"The outline is based on vodun practices using more modern symbolism. The evocation of more modern forms of power."

A refinement, then. Replacing the old little gods of vodun with modern zeitgeist archetypes.

"Did the computer at the office have the same thing?"

Dr. Rigoro nods. "Yes, of course. They're all part of the same system. If we didn't ward everything, we might as well have not bothered."

...Oh, joy. To a talented magician, that's like leaving a post-it note with all your security passwords sitting on the monitor.

Mr. Bierce points. "Found your problem, then. 'Communication' and 'knowledge'."

"Enginehead is a synthetic intelligence. Why would that be a problem?"

Sympathetic magic. You left a giant express-lane right into Enginehead's central matrix.

I nod. "Because you've created a ward that as a core part of its design wants to allow communication. Do you have a wizard checking these regularly?"

"No."

By this point, I am amazed Ambrose isn't pounding his head on the wall. Or pounding their heads on the wall.

Mr. Bierce sucks in air through his teeth, in a way which suggests that while the mechanic can make the repairs, buying a new vehicle might be cheaper.

"Can you trace it?"

And this idiots have no idea just how badly they fucked it up.

"Not a chance." He points to a series of glyphs. "This is good work, actually. You stuck a golden eagle in there?"

Dr. Rigoro nods. "Yes."

I'm guessing that's magically significant somehow.

"Did it melt?"

"No. All of them were exactly as they were before the event happened."

So it's like a safety fuse? Overload indicator? A clear visual alert that someone punched through the wardings?

Mr. Bierce sighs. "Yeah. The boy's clever. If he just overpowered the ward, they'd probably have melted. High end correspondence ritual." He looks at me. "How intelligent is this boy?"

"Above average, but not super-intelligent. He shouldn't have been able to use super-intuition or anything like that."

On the other hand, he's at an age where kids learn like sponges, just soaking up things right quick.

"So either he read the same spell book you did, or he got a picture from someone on the inside." He snorts. "No prizes for guessing which is most likely."

Dr. Rigoro pales. "Someone on..? The development team?"

Bribes or threats. A simple task for an anonymous online presence.

"Or an I.T. technician, or a welder, or someone in logistics. Heck, if he asked someone while they were still Anti-Lifed, I don't think even Mister Luthor could really blame them. Or… Well, how much about how Enginehead was made was authorised for publication? He is intelligent enough to understand a technical document above his level."

He nods. "I'll… Have to notify Mister Beatty anyway."

I nod. "When you do, please ask if we can get permission for some magicians to join the investigation."

If only to find out just how mystically compromised Lexcorp's networks are.

"Someone like.. Doctor Mist or Zatara?"

"Gosh no. They've got important things to do. We met a man in San Francisco who specialises in this sort of thing. The alternative…"

Ah, Levi? Might be a bit more than he's ready to handle, but probably more acceptable to Lex than the alternatives.

I could ask Hephaestean. This is his domain, and asking your patrons for stuff is acceptable Hellenistic practice. But that could cause all sorts of arcane spill over. No. I'll give Mr. Levi a chance to work his magic first.

"The alternative?"

And I suspect Heph is still sorting things out in his own turf.

I shake my head. "Sorry. There are a few places I should check for mundane clues. Let me know when you've got permission and I'll pick him and his equipment up."

I raise my left hand to my forehead,

Kind of taking it as given they'll accept, eh? Not like they have many options, really.

step out

and appear in Gotham over what was once the Machin family home. It's actually on the outskirts, so that the estate agent advert probably doesn't mention Gotham at all. Garden was neat, interior decoration was warm and welcoming.

Sounds nice. And far enough to avoid the crazy so endemic to the central boroughs.

A nice place to grow up.

Regular scan, sonic imaging, thermal and magnetic… No, it's just what it looks like.

Not even a biological trace? Something to tap for a mystical search?

I nod to myself before transitioning to Washington D.C. and the Monument therein. In the comics he built a base underneath it, so I send a few probes into the ground, digging and sending out ground-piercing radar pulses.

No, nothing here either.

Not much I can do now until Mr. Beatty gives the okay.

Good, investigating Paragon's comics backstory. Presumably less advanced than in Earth Fifty-R. Or no SHADE to poke their nose in.

Well, looks like things are making progress. Once more, they run into delays because of Lonnie's clever interference. But this time they have possible leads. Thin ones, but leads nonetheless. And they'll take time to chase down, leaving Enginehead in Lonnie's all the longer. Who knows what he's doing to him, or with him. What trouble is he going to get up to...

Mr Zoat · Dec 8, 2024

Darko said:
Maybe he does some digging and finds out, and that's what drives him towards supervillany.

Rigoro Mortis.

He is technically a supervillain, but he only fought Robert Reed and no one else really knew that he did it. He has neither convictions or warrants.

Didn't they meet Levi in LA?

Thank you, corrected.

Ngamer11 said:
That should say 'seen'.

Idkusername said:
Hephaestean, or however he spells his name.

Thank you, corrected.

Silveraith · Dec 8, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
Thank you, corrected.

Still there.

Mr Zoat said:
I've already seem the paper version."

Mr Zoat · Dec 8, 2024

Silveraith said:
Still there.

Alright, managed it this time.

Mr Zoat · Dec 9, 2024

18th January 2000
00:27 GMT -5

"That's… One way to put it."

Why are they doing this?

"Technically, having not declared otherwise, My Queen and her allies and Underlords are neutral in the war between System Lord Apophis and System Lord Heru'ur. Prior to his death, Supreme System Lord Ra did not formally declared either his brother or his son to be his heir designate, so we don't feel any real obligation to pick a side." I glance at Zipacna and Klorel in the defence box, giving them a pseudo-apologetic smile and shrug. "Which means that by goa'uld standards, letting them fight it out is perfectly reasonable."

They scowl back.

I stand in the witness box in front of the three… Participants? Judges? And try and work out why they're bothering to ask me these patently ridiculous questions. What do they hope to learn that they don't already know?

And why the hell they made a nox the judge? Nothing says failure of volksgeist quite like having a trial of this sort on your planet with no members of your civilisation involved. They couldn't even muster the will to pass the buck properly!

Though this necklace they've given me is interesting. Apparently it shows whether the host or the symbiote is talking. I've scanned it entirely and will give a slightly more decorative version to Bastet for when her pregnancy advances. If I and a few courtiers can tell the moment she loses control, we'll be able to cover for her far better.

Zipacna flares his eyes as prepares to address me. "You use a host yourself."

I nod. "It would be rather difficult to converse if I did not."

"You do not see anything wrong with the practice."

"Ah… Sort of." He frowns. "My own host is a mindless clone. My Queen, System Lord Bastet, takes volunteer hosts for a year each, after which they join her priesthood. Being her host is a well respected role, but not one they're expected to take for their entire life. And while it is true that I do not have an instinctive revulsion to seeing humans -or other species- taken as hosts… Obviously, basic evolutionary biology has cultivated us as a species whose main way of interacting with the world is via our host bodies, obviously we don't feel weird about it… I am aware that there are… Certain social drawbacks to the default practice of taking one host and keeping them until they finally wear out."

Zipacna looks a little unhappy, and I suspect that he's actually very unhappy. And his hesitation gives Dr. Jackson the chance to jump in.

"Lord Mammon, why don't more goa'uld use clones hosts or trade hosts regularly?"

I shrug. "I can hardly speak for every goa'uld. I can tell you why I didn't, in the past, and I can make educated guesses if you like?"

He nods. "Please."

"Most humans in the universe live lives of hard physical labour. Individually, they're very replaceable to their overlords, while at the same time… Giving up their autonomy while still being able to experience a life of relative leisure isn't actually a terrible deal, even before you include the religious aspect. That, and the fact that their life is extended… After a century they're unlikely to have any living family to go back to and they will experience things they never would without becoming a host. As a result, it's usually possible to more or less come to terms with your host. It's not usually a one hundred percent adversarial relationship."

Colonel O'Neill glances aside. "'Usually.'"

"Er." I look around. "Do I answer his remarks..?"

Dr. Jackson nods. "How was it with yours hosts?"

"Ah… Going back a bit. My first host was an unas. Bit of a brute. My recollection is that as long as I kept his stomach filled and beat someone up every so often he didn't have any real complaints, but that might be the rose-tinted spectacles talking." Dr. Jackson frowns for an instant, then relaxes his face. "Then it was on to humans. I had three long-term hosts prior to this one. One treated it as a religious experience, one as a sort of theatre and the third went catatonic."

"'Catatonic'?"

"Yes. Just muttered incoherent gibberish for a few weeks after I took him and then sort of shut down." I shrug. "At the time I thought it was fairly convenient."

Something I'd learned from a combination of Mammon's own records and the records of other goa'uld.

"My main point is that while we're perfectly capable of cloning hosts, the effort isn't usually worth it. After a period of adjustment the host is usually alright about it, there's no loss to the goa'uld's realm and it's convenient. Cloning a host takes dedicated equipment, constant oversight by a goa'uld due to most humans being uneducated peasants, and requires the goa'uld to learn to control its brain without being able to co-opt the schematic systems of the existing occupant. If you'd suggested it to old-me, I'd-. Well, I'd have slain you for your insolence, but if I'd actually thought about it I imagine that I'd have shrugged and said, 'I could, but why bother?'."

"Could you clone a body for Klorel?"

I nod. "Easily. As long as he doesn't want anything special, I can have it done inside an hour."

Inside a few seconds, actually, but I have to consider how quickly it could be done with actual goa'uld technology. The sort of thing no actual goa'uld have ever built, but probably could if they wanted to.

"That…" Dr. Jackson turns to the nox running things. "Is a compromise we're happy to make."

"I mean, someone will have to pay me for it. Or I imagine the Tollan-"

Klorel's eyes glow. "No."

"-could do it for you. Probably for free."

"This body is mine."

I smile at the nox. "Did anyone get around to telling you that repeated sarcophagus use causes brain lesions and paranoia? Perhaps Lord Klorel should not conduct his own defence?"

She looks stricken. "It does?"

I nod. "Eventually. Perfectly fixable if you know what you're looking for, but everyone sort of assumes that Lord Telchak's work is flawless because it's too useful not to."

Zipacna frowns. "I have seen no evidence of this."

I shrug. "Tollan medical scanners can probably pick it up in both of you. I repaired my own already if you need a 'clean' image." I turn my head towards Colonel O'Neill. "Might be a good idea for Skaara too."

The nox nods. "We will recess while a medical investigation is performs on Klorel and Skaara." Klorel looks mulish, but glances at Zipacna. Zipacna nods, so Klorel bites down his complaint. "And Mammon."

I nod, and move to stand.

"And Zipacna."

That gets a reaction. He certainly thinks about complaining, but looks at me first. I smile harmlessly, and he weighs thinks up before deciding that it's better to go along with it.

Hm. "Thinking about it, since the Tollan have a way to remove a goa'uld safely… Well, the best way for you to find out what it's like is to try it. That way you could weigh things up based on personal experience."

The nox woman doesn't exactly look enthusiastic. "Do you want to join with me?"

I shrug. "I'm not exactly a representative sample, but if you like. We have two other potential partners here, or I could ask one of my fellow Underlords to volunteer. I'm not sure if a goa'uld has ever had a nox host; it could be an interesting experience for both parties."

Zipacna looks curious for a moment, then his eyes dip and that interest fades. Klorel on the other hand looks disgusted.

"I have no interest in becoming whatever you are."

She nods absent-mindedly. "Then I will join with Mammon. We will reconvene when the scans are complete."

Vaermina · Dec 9, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
18th January 2000
00:27 GMT -5

General reminder that the Nox should be able to sense every single lie he just told.

Of which there were many.

Darko · Dec 9, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
while at the same time… Giving up their autonomy while still being able to experience a life of relative leisure isn't actually a terrible deal

Except the host doesn't really experience the leisure since they're trapped inside their body.

Mr Zoat said:
… After a century they're unlikely to have any living family to go back to and they will experience things they never would without becoming a host

Yeah, being trapped inside yourself and being made to watch a psychotic parasite commit atrocities for centuries if not millenia is something most people will not experience.

Mr Zoat said:
'm not sure if a goa'uld has ever had a nox host

I think there was one in the comics.

Mr Zoat said:
absent-mindedly. "Than I will join

"Then"

Darko · Dec 9, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
18th January 2000

The spoiler box for the link says 17th January.

Ardy · Dec 9, 2024

Vaermina said:
General reminder that the Nox should be able to sense every single lie he just told.

Of which there were many.

A. Not really?

B. Aside from it being from an RPG, they'd have to be scanning his surface thoughts, which wouldn't work on a Go'ald so I'm not sure why you assume they'd bother.

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

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