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

[Oglymogly]

Man, thats a good start to a arc. Also evil to poor Paul. No subspace pocket to use, poor thing.

Its always nice to see how many ways you can disable Paul right before he starts a fight/arc. It hasn't happened in a while, but I didn't expect it for THIS arc.

 

[Sockmonkey]

Ooooo, this makes sense when you remember that Krona knew about Hinon chucking an orange ring into the bleed. He must have figured that multiple versions of it would pop out in multiple universes, and thus give him the hooks he'd need to shred the multiverse.

Being enlightened, OL is immune from the violet ring fucking him up, but he'd have to master his new ring before he could create a lantern to charge it with.

 

[thebishop8]

No, not picking it up. Let's see. I wonder what Jade's going right now?

Click to shrink...

Change "going" to "doing".

Jade would hate me giving up a weapons like this.

Click to shrink...

Change "weapons" to "weapon".

 

[Darko]

Ghi'ta could have hopefully taken the SI's advice about having equipment to heart and stocked her subspace area full of all kinds of goodies.

 

[Redhawk]

Well that's no good.

 

[NightmareWarden]

I know better than to solely criticize something I'm experiencing for free. So I'll focus on the positives.

I enjoyed how trippy that time loop sequence was. The conversion from orange dragon claws to predator-inspired insectoid graspers is pretty good, but I wish the constructs were described as imperfect. I reckon we will experience a Paragon-Paul version of the Grayven-Harmony-Powerup revelations. Just as we saw a slight difference in the love Zatanna feels for her father versus her romantic attachment to Paul, we will see how solid or shallow paragon-Paul's love truly is.

hmm. I wonder if Paul is still going to feel any significant amount of love towards Jade after this. Like... the setup of this arc has a few different indicators that hilarity could happen, but I can foresee Paragon-Paul being too emotionally-drained to appreciate any of it.

 

[Mr Zoat]

'neither of us' not 'either of us'
'a short distance' not 'a shirt distance'

Click to shrink...

Change "going" to "doing".
Change "weapons" to "weapon".

Click to shrink...

Thank you, corrected.

 

[Flux Casey]

"Of course it is. And no, you can't. He's almost certainly watching for us. I can't risk breaking cover." He turns away again and continues down the corridor. "I hope that you're a quick learner, for all our sakes."

Click to shrink...

And now I'm remembering way back when, when it was discussed what if any other colour ring the paragon and renegade would get. If memory serves it was "Yes. Grayven's will make far too much sense. And OL's will be rather inconvenient." Or something along those lines.

I believe we all thought that meant blue. Go figure.

 

[thebishop8]

And now I'm remembering way back when, when it was discussed what if any other colour ring the paragon and renegade would get. If memory serves it was "Yes. Grayven's will make far too much sense. And OL's will be rather inconvenient." Or something along those lines.

I believe we all thought that meant blue. Go figure.

Click to shrink...

That doesn't make sense unless Paragon is going to keep the violet ring after this storyline is over.

 

[Chojin Patriarch]

2nd April 2012
09:12 GMT -5

Ghia'ta limply raises her left hand, and wafts of orange mist drift from my borrowed ring.

Click to shrink...

So, not going quite as well as hoped for, eh? Still, at least she hasn't descended into 'WantwantwantWANT!' territory.

Spoiler: Commentary spoilered for length

"It's.. a start. How does it feel?"

She drops her hand and the mist vanishes at once.

"I feel as if Queen Aga'po may appear at any moment to lecture me for this misdeed."

Click to shrink...

Honestly, it's not like she's sitting at a scrying monitor, watching you warily at all times... Is she?

"I mean, in yourself."

"It isn't… I don't think that it really… Fits me."

Click to shrink...

Don't worry, it's like yoga pants. They just don't suit everyone.

"Ghia'ta." I lean closer. "It's just you and me. Your ring isn't reporting on your actions because you're not wearing it. It's okay to want things for yourself."

"I am aware of that; it is the exclusion of other feelings that feels unnatural to me." She takes it off and holds it out to me. "I doubt that you could change to using a violet ring any easier-"

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"Challenge accepted. Hold my ring."

I'm already pulling my ring off my finger.

"-that I can-."

"Pass it over, then."

Click to shrink...

Wow, just jumping in with both feet. Such confidence.

She blinks. And while that could be because since either of us are wearing rings she's hearing me in English for the first time, I suspect that it's due to surprise. I haven't bothered ritualistically removing my ring for a while and she might well have assumed that I simply didn't take it off.

"Pass it-? You intend to use it?"

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Well, duh. Why did you think he took his ring off?

"Don't know. I haven't ever tried using another colour ring before." I shrug. "But I wasn't born as an enlightened avarice mystic. I know the theory, and perhaps I'll be able to help you better if I know what you're used to working with." I shrug, shaking my head. "You don't have to of course, but we know that humans as a species can use violet rings with deleterious metal effects…"

Click to shrink...

As shown by Carol Ferris... Kind of. Also by Earth-14 Dame Carol...

"You haven't tried a green ring?"

"No. I asked Guy once and he looked at me as if I'd asked to borrow his testicles. Offered him my ring in return and he jerked his hand back." I shrug. "I could ask Alan, but I didn't want to risk his health."

Click to shrink...

And I can see Guy having just those reactions.

"I don't have a spare ring." She picks her ring up from the side table and awkwardly holds it out to me. "Please, be careful with it."

No, not picking it up. Let's see. I wonder what Jade's going right now?

Click to shrink...

Okay, OL, now that's just showing off.

The ring rises unsteadily from Ghia'ta's hand and floats onto my right ring finger. Heh, well, eventually, but I wouldn't want Jade to get the wrong idea.

Now…

Click to shrink...

Well, of course the various Ring wielder skillsets crossover. After all, they scripted in the ability to master all seven. It's a prerequisite to learn the White Lantern skillset. But that's for top-level players running perk-based endgame quests...

I flex my right hand, trying to see how the violet version of the environmental shield responds. It doesn't feel as natural as the orange light, but that's.. probably just me.

Jade would hate me giving up a weapons like this.

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Heh, she'd see it that way, all right.

Glowing crystalline construct-armour covers my body as I rise into the air.

"See? It's not so bad."

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Aw, not going for classic 'Kingdom Come'-style knightly armour?

Ghia'ta stares. Then she gets up and walks around me, still staring.

Ghia'ta stares. Then she gets up and walks around me, still staring.

Click to shrink...

"Did anyone else see that cat?"

Ghia'ta stares. Then she gets up and walks around me, still staring.

Ghia'ta-.

I frown. Wait, what?

Click to shrink...

Oh, come on! Of course this is what happens when the developers insist on always-online, even for single-player... Gorram lag!

Glowing crystalline construct-armour covers my body as I rise into the air.

"I don't have a spare ring." She picks her ring up from the side table-.

Click to shrink...

Seriously, this would be freaky as hell. Reality is not meant to stutter like a lagging videogame.

No, no, what?

I walk into the briefing room for my meeting with Ghia'ta, and I see that I'm already there.

Click to shrink...

Trippy. Cue the 'Doctor Strange' movie soundtrack!

"No. I asked Guy once and he looked at me as if I'd asked to borrow his testicles."

Time-? No, I didn't see this. Which could mean that this is an 'I hate temporal mechanics' situation, but I'm pretty sure-.

Click to shrink...

Now, who do we know who can play around with time like this?

"Orange Lantern, we need-"

There's a figure in a purple robe standing a shirt distance from me. I don't seem to be able to move.

Click to shrink...

Time Trapper. Should have known. I wonder if it's still Mandated-Paul.

Jade hates people controlling her, too.

"-to leave at once-."

Something… Shatters, and I regain control of myself.

Click to shrink...

Time to get angry.

"What-?"

A violet repto-insectiod claw grips the figure around the chest and slams it into the wall-.

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Nice to see how quickly he's got the knack of constructs.

A violet repto-insectiod claw grips-.

A violet repto-insectiod claw tries to grip, but I misjudged the distance and it misses.

Click to shrink...

Argh, retcon-defenses? Now that's cheating!

No, wait, I didn't. That just-.

"What you are experiencing is temporal dislocation. I'm using it to hide us. Anyone looking into this timeline from outside will see the future you, rather than the you whose timeline you are now living."

Click to shrink...

Care to try that again in linear-time English, please?

"I… Recognise you. We haven't met-."

"No. We have, but the event was erased from your personal timeline. You're remembering it because I'm partially removing you from the normal flow of time. Please don't attack me again, I don't have a great deal of leeway and our need is great."

Click to shrink...

Ah, it is Mandated-Paul. And that's too awkward. I shall call him Maul.

"'Our' need?"

"The fallen Guardian Krona is abducting versions of you from alternate parallel universes and discontinued timelines in order to pry apart the universe at a fundamental level. I was only just able to escape." He pauses. "Do you know who I am?"

Click to shrink...

Well, of course he does, you have the same metaknowledge of DC.

"The Time Trapper. I'm not exactly sure what that entails."

"It means that I tried to manipulate time in an unwise way, and was rendered outside it for my hubris. I have my own reasons for stopping Krona, quite aside from what he did to me in order to put his insane scheme into action. Come."

Click to shrink...

I sense a bit of off-screen mayhem. Hopefully we'll get told it if or when we need to know.

He turns and walks away.

"We will need to travel. I need you for your power and connection to your parallel alternate selves."

"Can I pick up my ring first?"

Click to shrink...

"Wait, what?"

The Time Trapper pauses, then the hood glances back at me.

"You have your ring."

Click to shrink...

I'm guessing he didn't have time to do research before all this started...

"No, I have Ghia'ta's ring which I used for the first time a few seconds ago. My ring is back in there."

He stares at me, then lets out a peel of pained laughter.

Click to shrink...

And watch him facepalm at his own hastiness.

"Of course it is. And no, you can't. He's almost certainly watching for us. I can't risk breaking cover." He turns away again and continues down the corridor. "I hope that you're a quick learner, for all our sakes."

Click to shrink...

Well, given that he's got an environmental field and constructs within 30 seconds of putting the ring on... He's got this. And Maul is going to be very glad this OL was mono-focused on Ring mastery.

So... Things are about to get trippy. Time to cue up all your favourite 'getting high' music tracks on shuffle... And it's confirmed that the Blue Hand is Krona. Short version for the latecomers: Crazy Maltusian Super-scientist who wants to know the secrets of the universe.

...with deleterious metal effects…

Click to shrink...

...with deleterious mental effects…

 

[Darko]

Zoat did say once, or I think he said once, that the paragon was going to get another colored ring that would be more trouble than it is worth.

When he and Zatanna went to -14 I thought they were going to get the Gauntlet of Volthoom, Power Ring's gauntlet.
Apparently it can make its wielders more stubborn and seeing as paragon can be pretty stubborn sometimes him becoming even more under the influence of the gauntlet would be more trouble than it is worth.

 

[Mr Zoat]

...with deleterious mental effects…

Click to shrink...

Thank you, corrected.

 

[NightmareWarden]

How would everyone feel if Paul attempts to call an orange ring from across the galaxy, alerting any Larfleeze analogues, once the jig is up and the spy mission turns into a battle?

 

[Darko]

Aside from Green Lantern Jade, Anti Green and his Jade and Clayface who else got snatched by Krona?

Wonder if there is going to be an interlude chapter for how the others were snatched?

Zoat is this going to be a two parter episode?

How many chapters is this episode, and the next one if it is a two parter, going to contain?

 

[Prognostic Hannya]

Don't know if Paul is capable of making a ring.

He was able to make a lantern, but it was a poor piece of work.

Click to shrink...

He could probably make a ring with Canon Alan-level channeling abilities.

Although, Paul should be able to do that on his own. I think he's underselling himself when he calls himself an "enlightened avarice mystic", I mean his freaking soul is made up from orange light, and it's so spiritually weighty that he can understand New God speech. He's basically an avarice deity at this point. Maybe even something more; he's more connected to avarice than Eris is to chaos (her soul gets read in the Queen of Fables arc, and it's still made of earthly magic at its core).

Does he even have to inhabit a body anymore? I know PaulSnek couldn't leave a summoning circle on earth in the War in Heaven arc, but he was just fine in a high-magic environment like the Silver City. I hope we get to see Paul get merc-ed, go snek-mode and heal up the dead body, and then leap right back in. I love seeing Paul's gradual ascension in the cosmic/spiritual hierarchy as time goes on, it's probably my favorite part out of all my favorite parts of this fic.

Also, not gonna lie and say I don't wanna see the meeting between Paul and Grayven, but holy shit it would be so funny if Zoat spent all this time building up these various alternate Pauls, and planning their abductions, and then one of the main characters of the story goes "huh that was weird" and then shrugs and gets back to pony-ing.

 

[Mr Zoat]

Aside from Green Lantern Jade, Anti Green and his Jade and Clayface who else got snatched by Krona?

Wonder if there is going to be an interlude chapter for how the others were snatched?

Zoat is this going to be a two parter episode?

How many chapters is this episode, and the next one if it is a two parter, going to contain?

Click to shrink...

That's four. You get two.

And don't think I missed what you said about preferring Life Ore Death.

 

[Pinklestia]

Well fuck, no armour, no crumblers, no mage slayers.

None of his inventory, nothing from his database.

Click to shrink...

That's what he gets for storing everything in his ring storage. One would think he would have learned by all the times he couldn't use his ring, lost power, had his ring stolen and so on.

Grayven? He has two different rings, two different lanterns as power sources, the sword of the Fallen and a Mother Box. Plus whatever power of Harmony was engraved in his soul.

Was Grayven version of Jade stolen?

Life Ore Death.

Click to shrink...

That fic is easy to hate for... reasons. Still better that being crossover overdosed but I prefer way more the Dragon Slayer (Fairy Tail) or the one with the guy who glued a fire elemental copse to his soul than FOD.

I am gonna be honest here, without Grayven I would have quit reading this fic when Paragon started his Lazarus pits experiments and didn't stop when he started to get demons.

 

[Darko]

Is this going to be a two parter episode?

How many chapters is this episode, and the next one if it is a two parter, going to contain?

I actually like Life Ore Death because of the fact that it gives a lot of focus on the other characters, aside from the mc, and how they develop, still prefer your story though.

It can a bit difficult to understand, because I'm not that much of a Mistborn fan, but it is still enjoyable.

The fic where the mc glues a fire elemental to his soul is called 'Pyroclasm'.
Sadly I think it's dead.

 

[Z3r0Sama]

Can't wait for paragon to meet the Gravy and realise that while he's a bigger asshole he also trumps him when it comes too interpersonal relationships.

 

[Vaermina]

"The fallen Guardian Krona is abducting versions of you from alternate parallel universes and discontinued timelines in order to pry apart the universe at a fundamental level. I was only just able to escape." He pauses. "Do you know who I am?"

Click to shrink...

If this was anything other then a self insert I would say you were fucked.

 

[Darko]

The paragon may not meet renegade seeing as renegade stabbed Krona in the finger.

Krona may not try to get renegade again if the Sword did some serious damage.

Seeing as Maltusians aren't fully arcane he may have just suffered some minor damage, but seeing as the Sword was made from some VERY bad shit and Hinon could sense that something was unique about it, the damage may be more than just a flesh wound, though if Krona sensed what it was he could be afraid of it.

 

[Mr Zoat]

Is this going to be a two parter episode?

Click to shrink...

Haven't decided yet. Maybe. I'll see how long it takes to tell the story.

How many chapters is this episode, and the next one if it is a two parter, going to contain?

Click to shrink...

40-50.

I actually like Life Ore Death because of the fact that it gives a lot of focus on the other characters, aside from the mc, and how they develop, still prefer your story though.

It can a bit difficult to understand, because I'm not that much of a Mistborn fan, but it is still enjoyable.

Click to shrink...

You know what I think it is?

You ask me plenty of questions about things that don't really matter in the narrative. I gave up on Life Ore Death after the... Third multi-thousand word post on the mechanics of Mistborn magic that had nothing to do with the plot. Once the main character joined the team, she got access to just about any non-nuclear metal she wanted. The mechanics don't matter for her power any more on the strategic level because she's sidestepped the limiting factor, not teaching anyone else and not trying to learn new magic systems.

You on the other hand love that sort of extraneous detail. Which is fine, there's no objectively correct way to read fiction. But that story does probably suit you more than this one will.

 

[Senevri]

Well. Artificial hard mode is a go!

'WantwantwantWANT!' territory.

Click to shrink...

Maybe the lightness of Orange insanity is part of the nerf? I don't think Lanterns do that much planet-hauling or time travel either in this story.

 

[Darko]

40 to 50 chapters.

If it isn't a two parter then this could be the longest single episode since 'Aberration', which had around 30 chapters and a few supplementary ones about the paragon

 

[moralrelativity]

What a magnificent turn of events. I'm excited to see where this goes, especially OG!Paul's development with Violet light.

"-that I can-."

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that -> than (?)

 

[Phrexia Unbound]

Elemental!Paul? Who's this?

Click to shrink...

He's the Hypothetical Paul who upon entering the DC Multiverse, boinked Arcane into oblivion by complete happenstance and assumed direct control of The Rot as it's Champion.

Well it's not like he can put Animal Man or Swamp Thing out of a job now, is it?

 

[lancelot]

"Of course it is. And no, you can't. He's almost certainly watching for us. I can't risk breaking cover." He turns away again and continues down the corridor. "I hope that you're a quick learner, for all our sakes."

Click to shrink...

Oh come the fuck on with this bullshit I'm already pissed off by the contrivance of it all.

 

[Darko]

So Time Trapper Paul has adopted comic book thinking

Having an ally leave his most powerful weapon behind because they don't have time to get it is classic comic book logic.

Granted if he has been trying to stop the destruction of his universe for so long he could be a bit on edge and not thinking clearly.

 

[Agent Orange]

Veeeery trippy but neat I suppose

But I wasn't born as an enlightened avarice mystic.

Click to shrink...

When I first read this I just frowned but put it out of my mind and kept reading...

"No. I asked Guy once and he looked at me as if I'd asked to borrow his testicles. Offered him my ring in return and he jerked his hand back." I shrug. "I could ask Alan, but I didn't want to risk his health."

Click to shrink...

... And then I got to this part and realised that the MC has orange quotation marks. How the hell did I miss it? I read 'Ghia'ta' and (since I tend to associate her with Grayven side of the coin and since we just had a Grayven fighting off the GBH) I thought I was reading Grayven's pov. And then he mentioned being concerned about Alan's health in present tense as the reason he never borrowed his ring.

What's up with that btw? Isn't Alan's ring effectively blue? How would borrowing it help him experience what wielding a green one would be like?

"We will need to travel. I need you for your power and connection to your parallel alternate selves."

"Can I pick up my ring first?"

The Time Trapper pauses, then the hood glances back at me.

"You have your ring."

"No, I have Ghia'ta's ring which I used for the first time a few seconds ago. My ring is back in there."

He stares at me, then lets out a peel of pained laughter.

"Of course it is. And no, you can't. He's almost certainly watching for us. I can't risk breaking cover." He turns away again and continues down the corridor. "I hope that you're a quick learner, for all our sakes.

Click to shrink...

This reminds me of that Starcrossed scene with Batman-50 and Stewart-50: "You didn't even check if he had his ring on?!" or right colour ring on in this case

Ok, this should be interesting...

He's the Hypothetical Paul who upon entering the DC Multiverse, boinked Arcane into oblivion by complete happenstance and assumed direct control of The Rot as it's Champion.

Well it's not like he can put Animal Man or Swamp Thing out of a job now, is it?

Click to shrink...

Um... Are you referencing some WoZ I missed or what? I don't remember anything like this being discussed?

So Time Trapper Paul has adopted comic book thinking.

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You're saying that like Paragon didn't adopt comic book thinking as well.

Having an ally leave his most powerful weapon behind because they don't have time to get it is classic comic book logic.

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Especially when you have time control as your power But we can't have Pavlos have this too easy can we now. It wouldn't be comic booky

 

[Darko]

The blue ring was once a green one and in the comics they can synergy with each other so maybe learning how to wield one can help you wield the other.

Also I think paragon was speaking about just generally wielding a diffrent colored ring without any speciifc color in mind, just diffrent from orange