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

I've always found that the grand, multiverse/universe changing plotlines were the weakest in comics. Or at least the ones I'm least interested in. Similarly here, I'm having more fun when Paul is doing Pragmatic Superheroing or actually making an effort at rehabilitating people, and the looks at the alternates. So this setup kind of leaves me flat, because nine times out of ten in any fiction dealing with time travel results in nothing really happening to the status quo.
Yeah, I've found that multiverse crap tends to be a sign of jumping the shark and just clutters up the storyline unless it's the big ending.
 
The whole love brainwashing may not happen.

It's possible the Zamarons took that feature out, or that the process needs to be activated by the user themselves.
If that is the case then Paul just has to make sure not to activate it.
 
Repetition (part 4)
2nd April 2012
Indeterminate


"Because he was more interested in studying the universe than in changing it."

"I'd say 'typical Guardian', except that he isn't. A typical Guardian would just have shut me down. Krona.. is… Expanding things. Even I don't know what sort of damage he'll end up doing to time. For all I know he's deliberately trying to collapse the universe in order to gain experimental data."

"Is that a worst-case scenario, or a realistic assessment?"

"I don't know. He's expanded my work significantly beyond what I needed for my purposes. From a distance I have only an approximate idea of what he's doing. While I was his captive he spent most of his time simply insulting me rather than explaining himself."

"You escaped?"

"Krona was punished with incorporeality by the Guardians. He can work around it, but he still retains certain… Limits. Not all of his abductees came gently, and in the confusion I was able to free myself and one other. But that won't do much to hold him back. Not at this stage."

"Who else?"

He raises his right arm and points over to the base of the spire, where I see a woman in all-concealing red armour and robes. I don't recognise the ensemble, but from the scarlet arcs of energy swirling from her to the central pillar I'm going to assume that she has some sort of power relating to this place.

"Red Queen. Are we ready?"

Red Queen doesn't look around as we approach.

"I can open a portal to a different alternity. That's it. Krona has already taken enough crystal from here to prevent any second tries."

Oh. I suppose that it shouldn't be a complete surprise.

"Jade? Is that you under there? Or… A you?"

"The only me left. Krona acquired every one of my safety-alternaties before he came after this me."

"No, I... I'm not sure what you mean."

Time Trapper holds out the small crystal he used to open the portal to and from Mount Justice to her and she takes it and attaches it to her vambrace.

"I can create replica universes. Everything the same as the one I duplicate, except for anything I do there. But now Krona's using my.. abilities for something else. He captured too many of me for me to work around."

"Have we.. met before?"

"No. If there was ever a version of you in my original alternity, I never met him. I take it you've met one version of me before."

"Two, actually, though I'm on good terms with my native one."

"I'm not her. Try to remember that."

"Okay, I.. will. So what's the plan?"

Time Trapper turns towards me.

"Locate the alternate versions of you that he's targeting and bring them here before he can acquire them. Red Queen and I can shield them far more easily here than we can anywhere else."

"And then?"

"I rebuild my device and use it to negate his. Then we attack him directly and either kill him or at least damage him sufficiently that he can't come after me again."

"And what about your project?"

"I'll ask for volunteers while everyone is assembled in one place, but stopping Krona is far more important."

"I still haven't actually seen Krona yet."

Time Trapper's robes move in such a way as to suggest a shrug.

"You'll see him before the end. Unless you're unlucky, in which case you'll see him earlier. Are you ready?"

"Not quite. Can you get Angelika back to her home parallel?"

"Not.. now, but once Krona is defeated, yes, easily. And I'd far rather do that than let her take another swing at me."

I raise my right hand, then lower it, the crystal around her head decaying.

Angelika looks decidedly unimpressed with me, but her eyes aren't glowing. Yet.

"Angelika, these people have offered to send you home. They even want our help against the person who attacked your parallel. Can you control yourself for long enough to actually focus on the one responsible for what happened to your people?"

"Has he shown you evidence that anyone else is responsible?"

"Not yet, merely given a promise that such evidence will be forthcoming. But we can always kill him later if he fails to produce it. And if Krona really is responsible, would you really want to have killed an innocent man first?"

"I do not believe that anyone with such power could possibly be innocent."

"Innocent of the particular crime you're accusing him of. Innocent in general, probably not, but…" I smile. "Who here is?"

She grimaces, but dips her head.

"Let me out."

Ring, grant freedom.

The crystal melts and vanishes, nothing flowing back to the ring. Different, but-. Ring, power level.

Eighty eight percent to go.

Huh. I was half-expecting Jade's voice, but it's actually my Nan's. Anyway, it should be enough for me to play gopher. I'll need to grab an orange ring if I'm actually forced to fight someone in my weight class…

I turn to Time Trapper.

"Where are you sending us first?"

Angelika steps forward forcefully. "Send us to my world. Overman will ensure that we have the resources we need to succeed."

"No. Krona has already been to your world and taken what he needs. Temporal positioning isn't a concern here, but.. exposure… Krona will certainly notice if a large number of people from one parallel begin working across a multitude in concert."

Angelika doesn't look happy, but she appears to accept it.

"We're sending you to parallel thirty two. Locate your alter ego and impress upon them the urgency of our situation. It would also help if you can locate their version of Jade Nguyen, though she's less essential."

"Alright, what can you tell me about him?"

"Little. I had no reason to study his parallel. He has a red power ring, and appears to have acquired a soul." I nod. "Are you ready to depart?"

"Yes. Let's go."
 
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So the big multiverse storyline that's been teased for so long and our main character has been reduced to the role of gofer with no real combat ability as a result of narrative convenience

Thats not incredibly disappointing at all
 
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So the big multiverse storyline that's been teased for so long and our main character has been reduced to the role of gofer with no real combat ability as a result of narrative convenience

Thats not incredibly disappointing at all
Leaving aside the whole "acquire an orange ring", Paul can and in fact already did use a violet one in combat without any inconvenience. He is most probably not at his peak, but I can't see where are you getting "no real combat ability" at all.
 
2nd April 2012
Indeterminate


"Because he was more interested in studying the universe than in changing it."

"I'd say 'typical Guardian', except that he isn't. A typical Guardian would just have shut me down. Krona.. is… Expanding things. Even I don't know what sort of damage he'll end up doing to time. For all I know he's deliberately trying to collapse the universe in order to gain experimental data."
While Krona sits comfortably outside entropic causality, popping a science!-boner from all the data... Frigging typical of him.

"Is that a worst-case scenario, or a realistic assessment?"

"I don't know. He's expanded my work significantly beyond what I needed for my purposes. From a distance I have only an approximate idea of what he's doing. While I was his captive he spent most of his time simply insulting me rather than explaining himself."
Fascinating. And indicative of Krona's state of mind. 'Oh, someone familiar with the workings of this machinery? An inferior being to be confined and mocked.' Entirely in character.

"You escaped?"

"Krona was punished with incorporeality by the Guardians. He can work around it, but he still retains certain… Limits. Not all of his abductees came gently, and in the confusion I was able to free myself and one other. But that won't do much to hold him back. Not at this stage."
So, busily building himself up to a climactic explosion of science, at the cost of the Multiverse's stability. Seriously, dude needs to get laid...

"Who else?"

He raises his right arm and points over to the base of the spire, where I see a woman in all-concealing red armour and robes. I don't recognise the ensemble, but from the scarlet arcs of energy swirling from her to the central pillar I'm going to assume that she has some sort of power relating to this place.
Channelling the power of Morpheus' Ruby (aka the Materioptikon) to power their technology? Interesting.

"Red Queen. Are we ready?"

Red Queen doesn't look around as we approach.

"I can open a portal to a different alternaty. That's it. Krona has already taken enough crystal from here to prevent any second tries."
So, the next trip is one-way, unless they can find another way to travel the Bleed and the Continuum.

Oh. I suppose that it shouldn't be a complete surprise.

"Jade? Is that you under there? Or… A you?"
Because of course he knows her voice. Good to see him making no assumptions about her.

"The only me left. Krona acquired every one of my safety-alternaties before he came after this me."

"No, I... I'm not sure what you mean."
Time-travel, reality-fuckery, cross-dimension shit... See why Crises are such a pain?

Time Trapper holds out the small crystal he used to open the portal to and from Mount Justice to her and she takes it and attaches it to her vambrace.

"I can create replica universes. Everything the same as the one I duplicate, except for anything I do there. But now Krona's using my.. abilities for something else. He captured too many of me for me to work around."
That's quite the powerset. I'm guessing said alternates are comparatively short-lived, because entropy.

"Have we.. met before?"

"No. If there was ever a version of you in my original alternity, I never met him. I take it you've met one version of me before."
Remember, folks, Paul's not the only one running around with alternate selves here. Not least of which is the 'Sentinel' Jade, successor to Alan Scott.

"Two, actually, though I'm on good terms with my native one."

"I'm not her. Try to remember that."
Guessing she sensed the spike of Violet light. I can almost hear the deadpan chill in her voice. Probably thinking "Ugh, why a Star Sapphire?"

"Okay, I.. will. So what's the plan?"

Time Trapper turns towards me.

"Locate the alternate versions of you that he's targeting and bring them here before he can acquire them. Red Queen and I can shield them far more easily here than we can anywhere else."
And presumably, doing so will give them the energy to make more jumps in the process...

"And then?"

"I rebuild my device and use it to negate his. Then we attack him directly and either kill him or at least damage him sufficiently that he can't come after me again."
Typical DC Crisis plot, then: Gather heroes, make macguffin machine, big fightscene until Comic Book Science! happens.

"And what about your project?"

"I'll ask for volunteers while everyone is assembled in one place, but stopping Krona is far more important."
Because you know some realities won't survive this brouhaha.

"I still haven't actually seen Krona yet."

Time Trapper's robes move in such a way as to suggest a shrug.

"You'll see him before then end. Unless you're unlucky, in which case you'll see him earlier. Are you ready?"
And naturally, meeting him early is prime Bad End. Gorram Forced Stealth levels...

"Not quite. Can you get Angelika back to her home parallel?"

"Not.. now, but once Krona is defeated, yes, easily. And I'd far rather do that than let her take another swing at me."
"I'll be holding you to that."

I raise my right hand, then lower it, the crystal around her head decaying.

Angelika looks decidedly unimpressed with me, but her eyes aren't glowing. Yet.
Ah, I see she's calmed down a little... Sapphire Crystals are basically the ultimate time-out tool, after all, even if the Zamarons use them stupidly.

"Angelika, these people have offered to send you home. They even want our help against the person who attacked you parallel. Can you control yourself for long enough to actually focus on the one responsible for what happened to your people?"

"Has he shown you evidence that anyone else is responsible?"

"Not yet, merely given a promise that such evidence will be forthcoming. But we can always kill him later if he fails to produce it. And if Krona really is responsible, would you really want to have killed an innocent man first?"
I see he knows how to talk her language: The language of violence!

"I do not believe that anyone with such power could possibly be innocent."

"Innocent of the particular crime you're accusing him of. Innocent in general, probably not, but…" I smile. "Who here is?"
<Cough>Citadel<cough> Excuse me, frog in my throat.

She grimaces, but dips her head.

"Let me out."

Ring, grant freedom.
Taking a big chance here, but presumably she's smart enough to realise killing Maul will just strand them here. And as far as she's concerned, 'here' is "Where the ficking Hell are we?"

The crystal melts and vanishes, nothing flowing back to the ring. Different, but-. Ring, power level.

Eight eight percent to go.
Been a while since he's had to perform proper charge management procedures, huh? Another reason to have him without his usual gear.

Huh. I was half-expecting Jade's voice, but it's actually my Nan's. Anyway, it should be enough for me to play gopher. I'll need to grab an orange ring if I'm actually forced to fight someone in my weight class…
I'm sure he'll likely get the chance. But not right away. That would be poor quest balance.

I turn to Time Trapper.

"Where are you sending us first?"

Angelika steps forward forcefully. "Send us to my world. Overman will ensure that we have the resources we need to succeed."
See, the issue there is assuming your world still exists. We don't know that.

"No. Krona has already been to your world and taken what he needs. Temporal positioning isn't a concern here, but.. exposure… Krona will certainly notice if a large number of people from one parallel begin working across a multitude in concert."

Angelika doesn't look happy, but she appears to accept it.
No need to rush. Just watch your back, Crises tend to be hard on Supergirls and/or Superboys...

"We're sending you to parallel thirty two. Locate your alter ego and impress upon them the urgency of our situation. It would also help if you can locate their version of Jade Nguyen, though she's less essential."
"You mission, should you choose to accept it..." cue Mission Impossible theme of your choice.

"Alright, what can you tell me about him?"

"Little. I had no reason to study his parallel. He has a red power ring, and appears to have acquired a soul." I nod. "Are you ready to depart?"

"Yes. Let's go."
Ah, our dear homocidal bounty hunter, Raul, of the Teen Titans cartoon universe. This should be entertaining to watch...
"Why do you have a violet ring? And how did you avoid the standard uniform?"
"I'm be more interested in the whole 'red ring without being berserk' side of things."

Hmm, wonder if Raul has gotten Rage enlightenment yet? I'm betting no, if only for Mr Zoat's sanity in formatting.:p

...the person who attacked you parallel.
...the person who attacked your parallel.
 
Not all of his abductees came gently, and in the confusion I was able to free myself and one other.
Thank you Grayven. Although you played a small part, it was a vital one.

Angelika steps forward forcefully. "Send us to my world. Overman will ensure that we have the resources we need to succeed."
Is this going to build up to her finding her version of Earth destroyed? She's not my favorite character, but I don't want to see her breakdown from that.

Who would Paul find more unsettling, Sybarite, Angel!Paul or Zombie!Paul? For some reason, I want Zombie!Paul to be Time Trapper's last resort. When released, he says: "The Blackest Night falls from the skies...". That causes all Pauls who hear that to freak out, especially the ones who've been resurrected.
 
Is this going to build up to her finding her version of Earth destroyed? She's not my favorite character, but I don't want to see her breakdown from that.
I for one would find it hilarious.

Who would Paul find more unsettling, Sybarite, Angel!Paul or Zombie!Paul? For some reason, I want Zombie!Paul to be Time Trapper's last resort. When released, he says: "The Blackest Night falls from the skies...". That causes all Pauls who hear that to freak out, especially the ones who've been resurrected.
Is the zombie paul still a canon hypothetical or is there an actual update about him?
 
I for one would find it hilarious.


Is the zombie paul still a canon hypothetical or is there an actual update about him?
Only Word Of Zoat so far. We know he's one of the Pauls who got the short end of the stick. Ten seconds after waking up on Buffy Earth, he gets attacked by vampires who kill and ritually sacrifice him. Unfortunately for them, he has no soul, and the demon they summon gets sucked into the ring. He's a barely functioning zombie, and one of the show's characters try staking him or something. However, because he isn't a normal undead, that doesn't kill him. That leads to them communicating. That's all I remember from the one post Zoat made, and it might not be entirely right. I also don't know where it is, except that it is in one of the SV threads.
 
Hey Zoat is this episode, and the next one if it is a two parter, going to feature all the alternates we have seen so far, like Angel Paul, Lord Protector, Saul, Sybarite, Common Sense etc.?
 
What is this fixation you people have with Go? I notice dog shit when I walk down the street, but I don't fixate on it after I step around it.
I'd guess that, to continue the metaphor, it's because you tend to fixate on dog shit a bit more if you only realise what it is when it's already squishing between your toes.
 
Go is like a car wreck.

It is horrible, but something just makes you want to pay attention to it.

Also Zoat if the SI starts thinking about which god to worship in the future, seeing as when he finished with Devlos he seemed to be thinking about his devotion to Eris, I recommend Poros.

He's basically the Greek god of Pragmatism, specifically expedience and contrivance.
 

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