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

Reader mode
Mr Zoat said:
"I… Don't know. Maybe the Great Migration really did happen, but the techniques for channelling Earth Pony magic got lost along the way, and… Never relearned. Or… Maybe it just never got found out, or ponies thought it was part of their special talent and not something teachable." She lowers her arms. "But that's why I should become an Alicorn. If Celestia hasn't done anything about this waste for a thousand years, someone who understands magic needs to. And that someone is going to be me."
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It's the whole Zebra skillset...
 
Sceptic said:
Yet.

Does that mean it's now a race to post a pony character in that thread?
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I'm half-seriously thinking of writing Kalibak/Celestia.
Fallen Gods Rise said:
When you began this all those years ago, did you ever think it would become this...?
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I never thought that I'd actually keep going like this.
Deadring said:
Jesus christ, add that one to the list of stuff i never wanted to think about
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He was doing a few weeks on general anatomy, and it just came up.
 
Damn it people. First you bring up butt-sex, one of the greatest things ever. Then you bring up ponies....but try as you might, you will never ruin butt-sex!

Plus it made me think of that guy who died cuz a of the horse-humpery. That's what size-queening will get ya.
 
Mr Zoat said:
I'm half-seriously thinking of writing Kalibak/Celestia.
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You're probably just messing with people but.......

the_darkseid_of_celestia_by_berty_j_a_dbl5asf-pre.jpg

https://www.deviantart.com/berty-j-a/art/The-Darkseid-of-Celestia-700647135
Thank you internet, for providing what no one asked for
 
If you're going to cross DC and MLP already then why stop there? Well, it's niche enough that I suspect it's a picture for some fanfic, though I don't know what one.
 
Field Trip (part 2)
  • Threadmarks
    • 3rd January
    21:45 GMT

    "Thank you for agreeing to meet with me."

    The Red Martian opposite me doesn't say anything. I wonder if this is-. Oh, right.

    "I'm sorry. If you're trying to speak to me telepathically, I instinctively block-."

    Her shape begins to shift, moving away from the broad chested, long armed and short legged natural martian form to something more like Mister J'onzz's first attempt at looking humanish. "Is this better?"

    I shrug. "That's up to you. Your appearance doesn't bother me, but you'll probably find it easier to communicate with me with a standard humanoid vocal system."

    "Your telepathic block is quite impressive." Got the form but not the body language, I see. "For what reason did you develop it?"

    "Self defence. There might not be many telepaths on Earth-" Or Apokolips, actually. Plenty of people who can get into your head, but surprisingly few classical telepaths. "-but given my power and position, I can't afford to leave a glaring vulnerability."

    "Martians who wish to shield their thoughts sometimes do so by altering the structure of their brains."

    I smile politely. "Not all of us share your species' protean nature. It's true that many humanoid species have techniques for shielding their thoughts which involve mindless repetition of facts or ideas, or training themselves to adopt alien thought patterns on the same brain, but I prefer my approach."

    "I myself have some experience with combining magic and telepathy. But I do not believe that any martian handles it in quite the way that you do."

    "Ah, yes. My people can learn to manipulate magic as you do, but we also have a more… Instinctive form. Our souls naturally form certain shapes, and within that we can draw upon our own reserves of spiritual strength to manifest particular effects. If I might demonstrate?"

    "Yes."

    I take a thick iron bar out of subspace and create a clamp construct at either end to hold it up. Next, I take two Apokoliptian cleavers. One I hold out, the blade just above the bar. Through the second I exert myself. Will To Conquer!

    Then, without pressing them down, I allow the blades to rest on the metal. The second passes through with almost no resistance, while the first barely has a chance to make any impact at all before the bar falls.

    "That is interesting. I have never felt anything quite like it."

    "That's why I'm here." I return my demonstration aids to subspace. "Earth… There are many more magic practitioners on Earth than there are on Mars, but they are still only a tiny fraction of the population. I've… Already sponsored a school, but that is an institution for neophytes, to give the ignorant a basic level of education. For true discovery to happen…" I shrug. "My hope is that by bringing together educated magic users from multiple traditions, I might bring about a sharing of knowledge and experience which will bring everyone forward."

    "You are right. Few martians study magic."

    I nod. "I… Realise that you only teach Red Martians, but I had understood that your pool of potential students had dramatically increased recently."

    I was fascinated to hear from M'gann that someone on Mars had found a way to remove the Maltusian lock. She wanted to know if I was responsible, but while I'm not sure how I would have responded if directly asked to remove it, in this case I'm totally innocent.

    "No. It has not."

    "But there are so many new Reds…"

    "A White or Green who shifted their colouration to red would not be admissible. The same applies to these… Social radicals."

    I bow my head. "Very well. I freely admit that I know little of Martian society."

    Though obviously I know you're all a bunch of racists. Wouldn't it be nice if I only had to deal with the nice parts of a civilisation?

    "So you wish for us to meet with human users of magic?"

    "Oh, not just human. I've got a fellow from Zerox, a couple of people from Euphorix-" I did briefly consider inviting Kalista, but thought better of it. Alonzo was perfectly happy to extend our cooperation agreement to cover magic users. "-and a young woman from Wilson, as well as representatives of several different Earth traditions."

    "Traditionally, we do not teach those who are not Red Martians."

    "You wouldn't be teaching rank amateurs. You would be sharing knowledge with your contemporaries. Of course, if you consider this unacceptable, I will understand. Our forum will be poorer for your absence, but we will persevere."

    "This is a novel situation." She rises off the ground and triggers the stone ring on one of her office walls, a portal to another part of the monastery briefly opening for her to float through. No idea if she's flying by magic or telekinesis. On the far side she waits for me.

    Hm.

    Mother B-.

    Ping!

    No, it's part of my approach to encourage her to think of us as equals.

    Ping.

    The hush tube opens and I stride through, appearing next to her. She appears to take this in her stride, shutting down the ring as Mother Box shuts down the hush tube.

    "Do you know what the purpose of this monastery is?"

    "No."

    She gestures to a work area where another Red Martian is very carefully removing soil and stone from… Something.

    "At some point during our pre-history, life dwelt on the surface of Mars."

    "I know. I was part of the group which recovered the records."

    "In places, small pieces of those forms of life were preserved, either in fossil form or mummified. Sometimes, enough of their genetic structure remained whole for biologists to recreate them. In other times, we must resort to more arcane measures."

    The sample cleaned to his satisfaction, the martian cleaning it grows two extra pairs of forearms and gestures. Yellow.. light.. swirls for a moment as the sample… No. No, the sample isn't coming back to life. I read about this. They're manifesting the universe's memory of the plant, with its remains serving as a focus. Fascinating.

    "It is our hope that we will one day be able to restore our world in full using such techniques."

    Apparently happy with the twisted root that his magic has created, the martian begins planting it in a large earth-filled pot.

    "I don't know for certain that my colleagues can help with that, but I suppose that if you don't ask you'll never know."

    "I suppose that you are correct. I will agree to an initial meeting, on the condition that we host it. There are concerns relating to ritual purity where the arcane sites of other cultures are concerned."

    "Is that… Going to be a problem going forward?"

    "No. If the meeting is productive we can prepare the ground at future meeting places ourselves."

    Hm. I think that everyone I would be bringing is capable of making their own arrangements regarding breathable air…

    "That shouldn't be a problem. How about the security arrangements?"

    "Even in fractious times, monasteries have always remained inviolate. The upstart Whites will not risk alienating those whose support they seek by assailing this holy place. And if they did?"

    Her body shimmers in a way I remember from the pictures the team took of the Burner.

    "We do not limit our studies to the magics of plant resurrection. Your allies will be quite safe here."
     
    Last edited:
  • Threadmarks
    • Mr Zoat said:
    Plenty of people who can get into you head...
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    Plenty of people who can get into your head...

    ...training themselves to adopt alien though patterns on the same brain...
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    ...training themselves to adopt alien thought patterns on the same brain...

    Though the second I exert myself.
    Click to expand...
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    Through the second, I exert myself.
    This might not be an error, it just read oddly to me.

    Then, without presses them down, I allow the blades to rest of the metal.
    Click to expand...
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    Then, without pressing them down, I allow the blades to rest on the metal.

    Wouldn't it be nice if I only had to deal with the nice parts of a civilisation?
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    Extra space here.

    ...either of fossil form or mummified.
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    ...either in fossil form or mummified.
    "We do not limit our studies to the magics of plant resurrection. Your allies will be quite safe here."
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    Welp, Murphy has been taunted. It's all going ploin-shaped before the end of the episode, guaranteed. ;)
     
    Last edited:
    Mr Zoat said:
    "I'm sorry. If you're trying to speak to me telepathically, I instinctively block-."

    "Self defence. There might not be many telepaths on Earth-" Or Apokolips, actually. Plenty of people who can get into you head, but surprisingly few classical telepaths. "-but given my power and position, I can't afford to leave a glaring vulnerability."

    I smile politely. "Not all of us share your species' protean nature. It's true that many humanoid species have techniques for shielding their thoughts which involve mindless repetition of facts or ideas, or training themselves to adopt alien though patterns on the same brain, but I prefer my approach."

    "Ah, yes. My people can learn to manipulate magic as you do, but we also have a more… Instinctive form. Our souls naturally form certain shapes, and within that we can draw upon our own reserves of spiritual strength to manifest particular affects. If I might demonstrate?"

    "That's why I'm here." I return my demonstration aids to subspace. "Earth… There are many more magic practitioners on Earth than there are on Mars, but they are still only a tiny fraction of the population. I've… Already sponsored a school, but that is an institution for neophytes, to give the ignorant a basic level of education. For true discovery to happen…" I shrug. "My hope is that by bringing together educated magic users from multiple traditions, I might bring about a sharing of knowledge and experience which will bring everyone forward."

    I nod. "I… Realise that you only teach Red Martians, but I had understood that your pool of potential students had dramatically increased recently."

    I was fascinated to hear from M'gann that someone on Mars had found a way to remove the Maltusian lock. She wanted to know if I was responsible, but while I'm not sure how I would have responded if directly asked to remove it, in this case I'm totally innocent.

    Though obviously I know you're all a bunch of racists. Wouldn't it be nice if I only had to deal with the nice parts of a civilisation?

    "Oh, not just human. I've got a fellow from Zerox, a couple of people from Euphorix-" I did briefly consider inviting Kalista, but thought better of it. Alonzo was perfectly happy to extend our cooperation agreement to cover magic users. "-and a young woman from Wilson, as well as representatives of several different Earth traditions."

    The sample cleaned to his satisfaction, the martian cleaning it grows two extra pairs of forearms and gestures. Yellow.. light.. swirls for a moment as the sample… No. No, the sample isn't coming back to life. I read about this. They're manifesting the universe's memory of the plant, with its remains serving as a focus. Fascinating.

    "I don't know for certain that my colleagues can help with that, but I suppose that if you don't ask you'll never know."

    "I suppose that you are correct. I will agree to an initial meeting, on the condition that we host it. There are concerns relating to ritual purity where the arcane sites of other cultures are concerned."

    Hm. I think that everyone I would be bringing is capable of making their own arrangements regarding breathable air…

    Her body shimmers in a way I remember from the pictures the team took of the Burner.
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    Huh, is it me or is there a lot of emphasis here? Lots of italics, though you can't see them in the quote, and lots of bold. Maybe it's just because it's a negotiation and he's being assertive.
     
    Chojin Patriarch said:
    Plenty of people who can get into your head...
    ...training themselves to adopt alien though patterns on the same brain...
    ...training themselves to adopt alien thought patterns on the same brain...
    Though the second I exert myself.
    Through the second, I exert myself.
    This might not be an error, it just read oddly to me.
    Then, without presses them down, I allow the blades to rest of the metal.
    Then, without pressing them down, I allow the blades to rest on the metal.
    Wouldn't it be nice if I only had to deal with the nice parts of a civilisation?
    Extra space here.
    ...either of fossil form or mummified.
    ...either in fossil form or mummified.
    Click to expand...
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    Thank you, corrected.
    "We do not limit our studies to the magics of plant resurrection. Your allies will be quite safe here."
    Welp, Murphy has been taunted. It's all going ploin-shaped before the end of the episode, guaranteed. ;)
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    You mean M'urphy.
     
    Handlewithcare said:
    I don't like her.

    Also, considering the last chapter, are we going to see earth ponies revitalising Mars?
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    Um.

    Certainly not soon. I just don't want Sunset's actions in Fool's Canon 2 to come out of nowhere, or for anyone to say 'wait, there's a magic school in America? When did that happen?'.
     
    Handlewithcare said:
    Also, considering the last chapter, are we going to see earth ponies revitalising Mars?
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    Would they though?

    It'd be better for earth ponies to revitalise Australia, and migrate Whites and Greens to somewhere there. For just a few years, as a strike/protest until the Reds change their ways.
     
    Mr Zoat said:
    Certainly not soon. I just don't want Sunset's actions in Fool's Canon 2 to come out of nowhere, or for anyone to say 'wait, there's a magic school in America? When did that happen?'.
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    Oh. Well in that case your structure for exposition and foreshadowing is off. You're using an episodic story structure. For that, you want to set your foreshadowing, exposition, chekhov's guns for the episode at the beginning of the episode. More long-term stuff with long-term impacts? That tends to go at the end. Each episode is a story. So the beginning should set up this story, while the end sets up future stories.

    Ably demonstrated by the poster you were responding to. The way you did it set up false expectations for the way this episode was going to go.
     
    I am intrigued in what resulted in the divergence. Because I am fairly sure that Martians undoing their programming would have been noticed by Paul. Also, does Grayven not worry about Guardians dropping a hammer down onto Mars? There was a reason why burning martians were destroyed.

    Overall, terraforming is likely progressing in Paul's story, while martian uplifting goes faster in Grayven's.
     
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