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

12th July 2012
07:12 GMT -8


I find myself pulling a face as I dock with the aesthetian and feel the slight pull as it connects with my ingestion hole. Perhaps I will be accustomed to it in time. Or perhaps I am too accustomed to my physical freedom to ever really get accustomed to something like this. Still, it is progress, and it is more… Respectful, than being thrown into a bucket of partially digested fish heads. Relaxing my face, I reach out with my mind for the neural interface made with the new types of synthetic flesh which is compatible with Un-Men…
Ah, Doctor Cranius, head surgeon and master creator of the Un-Men. A modern-day Frankenstein with a taste for the aesthetic and unusual, if anyone doesn't remember him. Also no more than a head with limbs, so I understand him creating extra optional body parts.

**[Connect]**

At once the next texture and flavour of the air change as neural mechanisms which the-. That Anton Arcane considered superfluous to my design, connect to my brain. My innate capacity for the chemical analysis of air is usually limited to 'breathable', 'contains blood' and 'not breathable', but with a little help…
Heh, I see his maker's programming is still there, and that he's well aware of that. And really? He considered the ability to eat and taste food superfluous? What a fool.

My brain can learn to do things that it was not designed to do.

With the connection in place the aesthetian… Since this is the final version I need to think of a name for it. It would not do to appear to be treating an Un-Man as an object after all, even if this is no more intelligent that a chipmunk. 'Bud' as in 'taste bud'? No, no, that makes it sound like a flower. Gus Tatory? Satisfactory, but I will check with Niko before I make it official. When you are a grotesque, your humour is grotesque. It does not always play well to others.
And yet that sense of humour is quite refined. After all, what better name than a pun on the act of eating?

I tested it with crackers while I was experimenting with the design, but Grayven suggested try toast for the first 'proper' meal. And suggested that the taste might kill me and then laughed about it. Niko suggested chocolate, but despite the safety mechanisms it might be better to be cautious. While not being so afraid of my own creation that I simply go along with Grayven's joke.

Gus's tentacles reach out and coats the first slice of toast in a very thin layer of butter, then cut it in half. The first half is delivered into the 'taste' receptacle directly, while the second is held up to my own mouth. It is a-.
...Yeah, chocolate may be a bit much for a first run. After all, even the simplest taste can be overwhelming when you're not familiar with it. Chocolate, with its variety of possible tastes and textures? Could well cause catatonia or addiction...

I shudder as the feedback from Gus's taste nerves begins to reach me, unfamiliar.. feelings… I have knows lipids since my first moment, but I feel that I have never know them at all until this moment. Butter! All of the animal instincts I have never had are delighted to be putting away fat for winter! The toast itself is a more complex sensation, but… Let us try texture!
Careful, now, Cranius. Don't want to let that desire for more become an addiction. Next thing you know 'Gus' will be running around licking everything just to taste it for you...

I command the tentacle to bring the mouth half closer and bite. I have only basic sensation inside of my mouth, but I do have teeth and I do get pressure feedback to a surprisingly generous degree. I suspect that is because Arcane wanted me to know when I bit something rather than any sort of consideration for me, but between that and the taste… I will check with a computerized axial tomography scan later, but I think I am effectively receiving the sensation of eating toast as an unmodified man would.
Don't think about it logically, Cranius. Sometimes, you just have to let yourself feel.

Splendid!

Of course, the downside since I don't actually have an oesophagus…
Ooh. You may want to correct that before you do this in front of, well, anyone else.

I open my mouth a little wider, wadding as much of the chewed bread material into the front of my mouth as I can. A tentacle reaches down and scoops it up to deposit in the taste receptacle, where a moment later it gives a sudden jolt as the masticated food decays faster than the solid piece and gives the taste buds a more intense rush of chemicals.

My word.
Now, if you can install those sensory nerves in your mouth, you'll have a much easier time of everything...

There's a quiet knock on the door.

"Cranius? Are you..? Ah, decent?"
Heh. Admittedly, he has no shame to cover up. And no real shame anyway.

"Niko! Eh." I have the tentacle holding the toast to my mouth swiftly redirect it to the taste receptacle. Much as she is willing to embrace the strangeness that is a part of our nature I think that her stomach would still be turned by my chewing. "I am as decent as I am likely to get!"

She pushes her way into my workshop, computer tablet in hand. I am still not entirely comfortable with machines that can pretend to think, but I can appreciate the utility. She looks closely at Gus as she walks closer, then raises her eyebrows.
Good to know he actually can tell if something is too nasty for company... And fascinating outlook on smart tech. It's only natural that he would consider bio-technology superior... I can only imagine what he's been getting up to with the Atlantean Biomancy texts I remember Grayven acquiring for him... Unless Gus is exactly that.

"How is it?"

"I have nozhing wizh which I could compare it. It is intense and it is novel, which is the most I could hope for. I… Zhink zhat tomorrow I will experiment with zhings ozher zhan toast."
There's a big difference between existing and living, herr Doktor. Now you get to experience on of the fun parts of living.

"Chocolate?"

"Eh-h. I zhink baby steps for now."
Nice that he realises his limits...

Of course, I still have to actually ingest. It feels like the digestion process is ready, so I trigger the egestion system, and… I feels the same as usual. Perhaps a little tidier due to the fact that I now have a dedicated mechanism for fulfilling the purpose.

"Are you okay?"
"Oh, yes. Just something I ate..."

"Yes?"

"You looked a little… Constipated, there."

"My dear, I don't have a bowel. Or a gut."
...And now I'm not sure whether to ask how the waste gets out... Let's hope he realises to disconnect his sense of taste before doing so, if it's the obvious method.

But I make an effort to control my expression. I don't want to make her uncomfortable.

"I guess that's a novel experience for you too, then."
She has no idea of what's involved, does she? Her sanity is probably thankful for that.

I close my pseudo sphincter and disconnect, rising up on my fingertips.

"Let us not go crazy."
Ah, so it's like an exhaust port? Well, I suppose that's better than what I was reluctantly imagining...

I disconnect my mind from Gus, who folds up back into 'sleep' mode to minimise energy wastage until I need to eat again. Perhaps some fruit? I used the brain of a monkey as my guide when I designed his brain, so that should work well. Next, I call Otto over and have him pick me up and set me down between his shoulders.

"Who is on zhe slab today?"
Now, now, Doctor, when you're dealing with live patients, it's a table. Also, I can't wait until he discovers things like Ice Cream. HE might have to ration his eating time per week, if only to prevent addiction.

"A seven year old boy named Klahan Saelim. He has terminal leukaemia."

Oh? Oh. A publicity job, then. Otto sighs for me as-.
Man, that's gonna be fun for the boy. Going to sleep feeling horrible, waking up as a cool monster!

"His parents have signed off on you giving him… Slightly visible improvements."

Ah… That's a little better. No, wait.
Define 'slightly'? After all, a lot can be hidden under clothes.

"Like tiger-strip hair, or somezhing useful or significant?"

She taps her tablet. "They.. haven't specified. So there aren't any restrictions. Just remember-."
Don't go too crazy with the freakshow stuff? I'm sure there are all manner of internal improvements he coudl make. A functioning appendix, for instance, and completely resistant to appendicitis...

"Yes, yes. Nothing to scare zhe person doing zhe post-procedure interviews. I'm zhinking… Squid eyes, obviously, wizh the expanded visual range."

"Ah, if he can't navigate-."

"Yah yah, slightly expanded. I'm not going to make him see gamma radiation."
As cool as that sounds, I'd still prefer to be able to see normally... What about hawk eyesight? Imagine his reaction to being able to read fine print from a hundred meters away?

I learned that lesson after the third time. I thought it was pretty!

Niko looks like she doesn't completely believe me.
She knows you too well, Doctor.

"Okay, I don't think they'll be any problem with getting them to accept perfect eyesight. Do you want to throw anything else in there?"

Yes. I want to give him dragon wings and scale-covered shin capable of resisting low calibre bullets and the ability to spit napalm. Don't 7 year old boys like dragons?
Sure, but his parents might have objections to that level of tweaking. I wonder, how many patients have been tempted to sue after he got a 'little carried away?'

Ah, the dreams of a better tomorrow. I honestly had believed that the American military would be more enthusiastic about modifications that have combat applications, but it seems that if they do not allow the soldier to tear through sheet metal they have nearly as many reservations as the FDA.

The Department of Energy doesn't have that problem. Their agents are daring each other to be the first to get the electric eel discharge system.
You'd think they'd jump at the chance to have soldiers who can go without sleep for weeks, spit acid or change colours. All of which are Astartes implants no doubt suggested by Grayven...

"I zhink… I will see where the muse takes me. Wizhin bounds."

"Okay. After that, Crassus wants to talk to you about his synthetic skin project."
A project for growing bulk skin grafts for burn victim treatments, perhaps? Though knowing the Un-Men, it could be for nearly anything...

"He is still working with wizh the laboratory staff?"

"Ah… Yes, no recent report of any problems."
Ah, good to hear he can restrain his less conventional sensibilities.

I smile.

"And after that-. Oh. We've got a booking for an emergency consultation. They… Haven't explained the nature of the problem, but they've only asked for two hours."
What's the bet that's the Team, getting a professional opinion on the Young Arion case?

Ah, such is life. They will have paid well for the privilege, and perhaps they have dreams of something original?

A disembodied head can dream, can't he?

"Okay. Let us go and see zhe young man."
And perform all manner of Science! upon his ailing young body!

Man, I didn't even realise the Toast thing was a Pratchett reference until others mentioned it. Ways of discorporating Auditors of Reality, yeah? At any rate, good to see the Un-Men doing well. It's getting interesting to see all the people Grayven's affected get their time in the limelight. No doubt we'll get some Circe later, maybe as the Team looks to unravel the anonymising spell on the poor victim.
 
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A modern-day Frankenstein

As well as being a modern day Frankensteins Monster.

..And now I'm not sure whether to ask how the waste gets out

Maybe he efficiently processes and then sweats it out.

Define 'slightly'? After all, a lot can be hidden under clothes.

And what Cranius thinks is light modification, others may think that it came straight out of the Nightbreed movie.

You'd think they'd jump at the chance to have soldiers who can go without sleep for weeks, spit acid or change colours. All of which are Astartes implants no doubt suggested by Grayven...

I think Games Workshop was suing them for the similarities.
 
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As cool as that sounds, I'd still prefer to be able to see normally... What about hawk eyesight? Imagine his reaction to being able to read fine print from a hundred meters away?
Squid eyes do see what we would consider normally.
Their vision is sharper and much better in low light because the nerves and blood vessels plug into the back of the eye rather than draping across the retina where they block light.
 
know -> known
feels -> feel (or maybe this is just how his internal monologue talks)
Thank you, corrected.
Ah, Doctor Cranius, head surgeon and master creator of the Un-Men.
Technically, Crassus is Head Surgeon.
Heh, I see his maker's programming is still there, and that he's well aware of that. And really? He considered the ability to eat and taste food superfluous? What a fool.
It was superfluous to Anton Arcane's needs.
As cool as that sounds, I'd still prefer to be able to see normally... What about hawk eyesight? Imagine his reaction to being able to read fine print from a hundred meters away?
"No, no. Hawks have zhe same stupid backwards eyes as humans."
 
Grayven's new Light are Grayven, Lex Luthor, Queen Clea, Cranius, Circe and The Shade, right? Am I forgetting anyone?

Also, who other than Black Manta are Shade employees without working for only one of the members?
 
Another look into members of the Light, and a very interesting perspective it is. The Good Doctor is having some self improvement time. I guess with a bit of Grayven rubbing off on him, that there might be more of an urge to expand himself, and not just his people as the Muse wills.

This and the fact Grayven is his own boss is part of the reason I like him more that Oh El.

Well that and beating the anti-life... I think it has been 3 times now?

Harmony is not bad; is about balance after all not just being good.

I wonder what people thinks of Harmony Grayven?
 
Squid eyes? Much more efficient, though I think they have their own downsides?
Nope. All positives. They're even resistant to retinal detachment.
Reptile lungs are another example of a straight upgrade with no penalty.
The cross chamber connections create a more efficient airflow.
 
Two Jews: three opinions. Whether or not there is a hell in Judaism is a matter of debate, though I've never heard a Jewish person state that it would be eternal, just proportional to the amount of sin.

Only three? You underestimate my power!

Yeah, the earliest extant records of debates in the Jewish religion over the afterlife were over whether it existed at all - there were groups who argued that there was nothing but oblivion. These more or less entirely died out by the first or second century CE.

From that point, there's a consensus that there's a 'good place', and a 'place where you are punished in some way', at this point there's like two millenia of arguing over the precise meaning of every one of the words in quotes. There are some points of consensus, mostly ones that were induced by particularly traumatic or widespread events or cultural shifts (like the Crusader massacres), or are just so old, simple, and appealing everyone kind of just went with it (e.g. like the one that upper-bounds the length-of-punishment to 11 months)

I translate the term for the... 'Jewish bad place' as 'purgatory' because in most of the views I've encountered, its purpose is to atone, so the person can spend the rest of the eternity without the burden of whatever they did wrong hanging over them.

There are conceptions that have the punishment look more or less like Christian conception, complete with demons and fire. My favorite one is that it's basically just the person being forced to confront what they did and the consequences thereof, complete with "Oh God, what have I done" and counseling.

The basic conception of the good place is, like, hilariously stereotypical - you basically sit around reading and debating everything with everyone forever, and if you were really really good in life, the reward is that you get to sit near and debate with the very best.


Also, might have been no sleep only reading too much, lol
 
. I want to give him dragon wings and scale-covered skin capable of resisting low calibre bullets and the ability to spit napalm. Don't 7 year old boys like dragons?
I can't remember the title off hand but there is a fic where that was done and the little boy got into a very angry argument with his mother about a month later and unconsciously started to change. If the guy hadn't been there she might have accidentally been killed.
 
Kinda surprised he can't find at least the occasional volunteer for more outre work. Just in the furry fandom, not every furry wants to genuinely be their fursona, and some of those who do probably don't meet The Doctor's aesthetic sense or comply with the laws of physics, but there's still a pretty sizable number who'd be all over becoming chimeric abominations of science, and consider situations like Stalking Cat less a cautionary tale and more the limitations of the available technology.
 
Liberticide (part 2)
21st January 2006
11:28 GMT -5


Mr. Logan shakes his head in bewilderment.

"But, I mean, how does that even happen?"

I stop walking. The other Titans also stop walking, except Koriand'r who keeps flying for a few moments before realising that she's left everyone else behind.

"In Europe, we joke about American sex education, but I always-"

He's blushing purple.

"-assumed that it was just a j-."

"No! I know how it works. My parents were naturalists. But you're different species!"

I gesture to Miss Roth with both hands.

"This is Raven." I generate a construct image of her mother. "This is Angela Roth, her mother. The hundred metre-tall four-eyed demon we all saw last week was her father. How did you think that worked?"

"I dunno." He blinks, his gaze growing distant and his head tilting to the left. "And honestly? I kinda wish I wasn't trying to picture it right now."

Miss Roth squeezes her eyes shut. "Magic. It was magic."

"I dunno." Mr. Stone shrugs. "Ah mean, he could change his size-."

Miss Roth opens her eyes just enough to glare at him. "It. Was. Magic."

Koriand'r frowns, looking genuinely concerned.

"Friends, do you not understand the mechanisms of sexual intercourse?"

"Ah…"

"On Tamaran we are far more open about such things. I can explain the functions of men and women in great detail if you would like?"

I dismiss the construct and walk up the front steps of the manor house Komand'r and I recently purchased. We won't be moving in properly for a while due to all of the work needed to get it up to super vigilante specifications, but she wanted-.

She's in nesting mode. Do Tamaraneans do that?

I reach into my right front pocket to pull out my key, but the door bursts open and Komand'r flies out, hitting me in the chest and lifting me off the ground into the sky as she embraces me!

"Isn't it wonderful! I sat outside this morning and it was like there was no one else on the entire planet!"

Out of the corner of my eye I see Mr. Stone look confusedly between Koriand'r and Komand'r, then blink, then stare at Mr. Grayson with his eyebrows raised. It takes Mr. Grayson a moment to spot where Mr. Stone's gaze has ended up, but his frantic head-shaking does put a smile on my face.

I pull Komand'r close and kiss her, for a moment wishing that my ring was of any use for anything medical. I mean, I vaguely remember from the comics that Nightstar was perfectly healthy, but I haven't bothered making the sorts of contacts I'd need to cope with medical problems. Komand'r isn't vulnerable to human diseases and is very hard to hurt. The few time's she's been injured she's either ignored it or stuck a bandage over the cut for a few days.

"Komand'r, I've found-."

"Sister!"

Komand'r flies into Koriand'r, embracing her warmly. Koriand'r doesn't appear even slightly put off by that, even though their relationship since Komand'r arrived on Earth two and a half years ago might charitably be described as 'tense'.



Komand'r is the woman I love, but even inside my head 'one-sided bitchathon' feels more honest. She never got to the stage of siccing alien bounty hunters on her again, but I don't think she's spoken a civil word to her in the entire time.

"I am so happy to see you!"

"I am so happy to see you!"

Miss Roth sighs quietly. "Now there's two of them. Great."

"I have a tiny hat for you!"

Koriand'r reaches up and puts a top hat about the size of an egg cup on Komand'r's head. Komand'r goes cross eyed trying to see it, then reaches up with both hands to feel it instead.

She gasps.

"I love it! But-. Wait. This is-."

Koriand'r nods, grins, and offers Komand'r a… Small cake dripping with green… Something or other.

A bumble bee flies close to it, folds up and crashes to the ground in a fairly typical Earth reaction to Tamaranean food.

Komand'r blinks, turns her head away and then fires a blast from her eyes which freezes a small bush in an ice crystal.

She turns my way.

"How did this happen?!"

21st October 2005
10:23 GMT -5


"Why do you always put those things on?"

I frown inquisitively, and she rolls her eyes.

"Do you really think that because we're both humanoid you can get me pregnant? Because that's not how biology works."

"In medieval France there was a male religious order that got a group of female elementals pregnant. A being made of air and magic gave birth to a child. So yes, I think there's definitely a possibility."

She rolls her eyes harder.

"Even if that was true, that's magic and your ring just does blood." She pulls the packet out of my hand and tosses it aside. "So don't bother. I want to feel you finish this time."

"If… If you're sure..?"

21st January 2006
11:31 GMT -5


"Yes, but I didn't think you were serious!"

"Um. I was."

Komand'r looks… Shocked and a little scared.

"Ah..?"

I float closer and put my hands on her shoulders.

"Komand'r, I love you. We are financially secure and have no living enemies. This is as good a time as any."

And just like that the moment of hesitation never happened.

"Okay. We're having a kid." Her right hand darts out, grabs the cake Koriand'r offered her and shoves it into her mouth. "Wph aw?"

"Does X'Hal do weddings?"
 
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"But, I mean, how does that even happen

Well if two people love each other, or are drunk, or crazy or any other number of things, they have sex and a baby is made.

This is Raven." I generate a construct image of her mother. "This is Angela Roth, her mother. The hundred metre-tall four-eyed demon we all saw last week was her father. How did you think that worked

In the voice of God from darkmatter2525:

"Magic".

Or Trigon has a micro-penis.

"I dunno." He blinks, his gaze growing distance and his head tilting to the left. "And honestly? I kinda wish I wasn't trying to picture it right now

'growing distant'

And I feel how Beast Boy feels.

Miss Roth squeezes her eyes shut. "Magic. It was magic."

Called it.


Sweet upjumped elementals, she has changed.

one-sided bitchathon

This is a new description of what Komand'r does and is.

It is also a completely accurate one.

Miss Roth sighs quietly. "Now there's two of them. Great."

Look on the bright side Raven.

There's one less Komand'r, at least until she gives birth.

Do you really think that because we're both humanoid you can get me pregnant? Because that's not how biology works."

Ahh, a native of a comic universe being ignorant of how biology works in a comic universe.

And condoms don't just serve to prevent pregnancy.

They also help prevent STD's, and seeing as Raul has been traveling through space he may have picked something that can be sexually transmitted and his ring can't get rid of it.

Even if that was true, that's magic and your ring just does blood

Foolish girl, red rings are magic.

"Does X'Hal do weddings?

Please answer these questions.

Have they met X'hal?

If so, how did it happen?

Or was he just asking about Tamaranean marriage ceremonies, and they haven't met X'hal?
 
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Thank you, corrected.
They also help prevent STD's, and seeing as Raul has been traveling through space he may have picked something that can be sexually transmitted and his ring can't get rid of it.
Are you suggesting that he's been sleeping around?
Please answer these questions.

Have they met X'hal?
No.
If so, how did it happen?
N/A
Or was he just asking about Tamaranean marriage ceremonies, and they haven't met X'hal?
Yes.
No, the ice crystal surrounds the bush.
 
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Huh, when Zoat made Blaze, in comics canon a half human half demon child of the wizard Shazam a 100% biological human woman with a 100% soul made out of demonic energy, well I thought that was going to be the norm for cambions in this fic.

Being a manifestation of Zoat knowing what species are while apparently DC writers don't. Or just don't care.

So the indication that Raven is actually half demon biologically here surprises me.
 
Thank you, corrected.

No, I wasn't suggesting he slept around.

I was suggesting he picked up a disease in a different way and said disease can be transmitted by sexual activity.

Like how a person can be infected with HIV from a blood transfusion, but then infect someone else by having unprotected sex with them.

Huh, when Zoat made Blaze, in comics canon a half human half demon child of the wizard Shazam a 100% biological human woman with a 100% soul made out of demonic energy, well I thought that was going to be the norm for cambions in this fic.

Being a manifestation of Zoat knowing what species are while apparently DC writers don't. Or just don't care.

So the indication that Raven is actually half demon biologically here surprises me.

Trigon isn't exactly a normal demon, so maybe that's why Raven is different.

Or hell, she may not be so different from Blaze, and is also a biological human who has demon magic for a soul.
 

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