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

[Shadowj6480]

Oh, joy. So Mark doesn't really have any idea of how to fight people of comparable strength. No wonder his default tactic is 'fly in, super-punch'

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So I can't say anything for the comics, but Mark seems to have one additional trick for specifically fighting Viltrumites that isn't just "Hit them. Then hit them again." Against his Mohawk self and Conquest, he slams both his fists into his enemies ears. Kind of like clapping someone's ears. Assumably, this somehow also took advantage of the hearing weakness of Viltrumites. Which is why this can stun and/or damage them.

 

[CTrees]

She takes one of the pullets I just created. "What are these?"

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He gave her young chickens? Or is this a Britishism I'm unfamiliar with?

 

[Bud-E]

@Mr Zoat, is there a Paul in the Injustice universe comics or game?

 

[Mr Zoat]

He gave her young chickens? Or is this a Britishism I'm unfamiliar with?

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Thank you, corrected. Also, I've learned a word today.

@Mr Zoat, is there a Paul in the Injustice universe comics or game?

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Someone did say something about modding one in, but that was a couple of forums ago.

Probably not? It doesn't really seem all that interesting, and I imagine that his story would be pretty close to that of the Flash.

 

[Bud-E]

Someone did say something about modding one in, but that was a couple of forums ago.

Probably not? It doesn't really seem all that interesting, and I imagine that his story would be pretty close to that of the Flash.

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You mean indecisive until the plot says otherwise? I just brought it up cause the way this Paul immediately rolled over to the invincible world seemed odd to me

 

[Mr Zoat]

You mean indecisive until the plot says otherwise? I just brought it up cause the way this Paul immediately rolled over to the invincible world seemed odd to me

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Having just watched the game's cut scenes, it seemed to me that the Flash considered the Regime better than the alternative until it became obvious exactly how round the bend Superman had gone. If a version of me was dropped off in a world like that and managed to stay relevent, well... It's Superman. I'd trust him.

 

[inglorius]

I smile blackly. I suppose that they would. "How's Ak-Var been getting on?"

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"Blankly" I suppose.
OL should just go and ask mr. Atom what's up, better chance of getting a straight answer

 

[Mr Zoat]

"Blankly" I suppose.

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No, as in 'with black humour'.

 

[Stsword]

Having just watched the game's cut scenes, it seemed to me that the Flash considered the Regime better than the alternative until it became obvious exactly how round the bend Superman had gone. If a version of me was dropped off in a world like that and managed to stay relevent, well... It's Superman. I'd trust him.

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Yeah I get that.

Although thinking about it I envisioned my SI dunking Lois' body into a Lazarus Pit.

Let Lois go "What the @$$#$ are you doing, Clark?"

 

[CrazyNoVa]

Having just watched the game's cut scenes, it seemed to me that the Flash considered the Regime better than the alternative until it became obvious exactly how round the bend Superman had gone. If a version of me was dropped off in a world like that and managed to stay relevent, well... It's Superman. I'd trust him.

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Okay, but what about Sinestro? Didn't you once say that your ideals and Sinestro's plans are ultimately incompatible? Or would you try to sway Superman away from Sinestro?

Furthermore, what about Billy's death? Would you try to prevent it too?

Yeah I get that.

Although thinking about it I envisioned my SI dunking Lois' body into a Lazarus Pit.

Let Lois go "What the @$$#$ are you doing, Clark?"

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You know, that's an interesting point: Why hasn't High Councillor Superman tried that? Considering how crazy he is, you'd think that he wouldn't have any qualms about resurrecting her with a Lazarus pit.

 

[inglorius]

No, as in 'with black humour'.

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Chat, is this real?
I have not seen this expression before.

 

[CrazyNoVa]

Chat, is this real?
I have not seen this expression before.

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I've heard it used before, but where I'm from, we usually use "dark humour" or "black comedy" instead,

 

[Mr Zoat]

Yeah I get that.

Although thinking about it I envisioned my SI dunking Lois' body into a Lazarus Pit.

Let Lois go "What the @$$#$ are you doing, Clark?"

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Was there a body? The only reason I can think of for not doing that is if it was entirely destroyed.

Okay, but what about Sinestro? Didn't you once say that your ideals and Sinestro's plans are ultimately incompatible? Or would you try to sway Superman away from Sinestro?

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In the game, Sinestro is basically running a high-end police force. The SI would be fine with that version.

Furthermore, what about Billy's death? Would you try to prevent it too?

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Sure, but it came out of nowhere and there's no reason for a neophyte superhero to be in that room.

You know, that's an interesting point: Why hasn't High Councillor Superman tried that? Considering how crazy he is, you'd think that he wouldn't have any qualms about resurrecting her with a Lazarus pit.

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Rough guess? Either there wasn't a body, or the writing wasn't very good. Some of the things I've seen in the little bits of the comic I read...

 

[Stsword]

Was there a body? The only reason I can think of for not doing that is if it was entirely destroyed.

In the game, Sinestro is basically running a high-end police force. The SI would be fine with that version.

Sure, but it came out of nowhere and there's no reason for a neophyte superhero to be in that room.

Rough guess? Either there wasn't a body, or the writing wasn't very good. Some of the things I've seen in the little bits of the comic I read...

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Clark cradled Lois' body in the ruins of Metropolis and then gave her body to Wonder Woman before he went to find Joker.

So yeah, my vote is bad writing.

 

[Bud-E]

I think the comics use the Lazarus Pit to bring back Alfred? But yeah, it's weird/bad writing that it's never a plot point to bring back Lois, or Superman, immediately revealing his secret identity to the world like his parents aren't still alive and easily hurt.

 

[Rebel.JPG]

then gave her body to Wonder Woman

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Well, that's the problem right there. She probably dropped the body in a woodchipper "by accident". Injustice Diana saw what was happening to Clark, and decided it was really hot for some reason.

'Cus Injustice isn't just a "if Superman went bad" world, it's a "if the entire Trinity went bad (in different ways)" world.

 

[CrazyNoVa]

I think the comics use the Lazarus Pit to bring back Alfred? But yeah, it's weird/bad writing that it's never a plot point to bring back Lois, or Superman, immediately revealing his secret identity to the world like his parents aren't still alive and easily hurt.

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Yeah, that decision always baffled me. Why the hell would he reveal his secret identity when his parents are still alive and could get threatened by his enemies? Hell, that's exactly what the government does later to make Superman stand down: They kidnap his parents, because now they know who he is.

Well, that's the problem right there. She probably dropped the body in a woodchipper "by accident". Injustice Diana saw what was happening to Clark, and decided it was really hot for some reason.

'Cus Injustice isn't just a "if Superman went bad" world, it's a "if the entire Trinity went bad (in different ways)" world.

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Nah, probably not. Considering how obsessed with Lois this Superman was, he was probably keeping a constant eye on the body, so Diana wouldn't have had an opportunity to get rid of it.

In the game, Sinestro is basically running a high-end police force. The SI would be fine with that version.

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But the comics showed that he still leads his own version of the Sinestro Corps, just like in this universe. And his methods are just like the Sinestro in the main continuiy. He's not that different from the Sinestro in your story either.

Sure, but it came out of nowhere and there's no reason for a neophyte superhero to be in that room.

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To be fair, that version of Billy had been Captain Marvel for several years before the events of the game, so calling him a neophyte is a bit of a stretch.

Also, he had been a member of the Regime for a long time too, so including him in the room does make some kind of sense. Besides, they allowed Grundy to take part of the meeting, didn't they?

 

[Steelplaza]

My reread has progressed to the arc where Mitchell interns at LexCorp, and there was actually a story segment at the beginning of the arc where we get a Lex POV and find out what he thinks about the Justice League taking over the world.

Obviously this is a couple of months before the new legislation the recent arc where the SI is getting excited about the new legislation, but there were probably the "less objectionable" draft versions beginning to float around even in mid-April. I think the big takeaway is that Lex's obsession with Superman has not gone away. Though he was willing to talk with Paul as though Batman was the prime mover, Lex still firmly believes that Superman is leading the Justice League's efforts to control the world, at least at the high "guiding hand" level.

I always thought that someone with the ego to dress in a skin tight blue costume with a red cape would refuse to take over the world indirectly. Someone so brazen would never stoop to covert means. Their ego wouldn't allow it. But I suppose that anyone of moderate intellect can employ people capable of pursuing useful methods that don't come naturally to themselves.

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That's the money quote. If Lex was thinking that way in mid-April, I doubt he's changed his mind by mid-July. Especially given that his monitoring equipment probably saw Superman floating immediately outside and having a "talk" with OL immediately after OL brought these concerns to Lex.

Kal-El gives me a faint frown, then looks past me in the direction of LexCorp. "Were you just… Talking to Lex?"

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[Mr Zoat]

But the comics showed that he still leads his own version of the Sinestro Corps, just like in this universe. And his methods are just like the Sinestro in the main continuity. He's not that different from the Sinestro in your story either.

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That wasn't in the game, and from what little I saw of the comic it looked like they all died.

To be fair, that version of Billy had been Captain Marvel for several years before the events of the game, so calling him a neophyte is a bit of a stretch.

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No, the SI would be the neophyte, not William.

Also, he had been a member of the Regime for a long time too, so including him in the room does make some kind of sense. Besides, they allowed Grundy to take part of the meeting, didn't they?

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Grundy's a sort of semi-guided weapon they're keeping an eye on.

 

[Mr Zoat]

10th July 2013
09:40 GMT -5

Batman is understandably busy, but I've made a request for a meeting. And since I'm trying the whole openness and honesty thing, I made it clear what it was about.

I…

I'm hit by a wave of remorse for my action in re-enfearing his brain.

And I accept it.

Because that's why this is bothering me. I doubt that the happily-processing-his-grief-and-on-the-way-to-recovery Batman I briefly met would… I wouldn't suspect him of doing something unwise-. Bad. Yes, that's probably the best word. Something bad with this opportunity. But a Batman who's just had his brain rewired? Oh yes, that's a Batman who might well make some unfortunate choices.

We shouldn't be looking at a full Brother Eye situation. That required him getting his brain messed up by someone he liked and trusted, rather than a serial problem child like me. And it took longer for the paranoia-inducing near-recall of the event to produce the dreadful consequences that occurred.

Funny thing. I can think of two comics where Kal-El becomes a dictator: Red Son and that.. Metropolis thing. I can't think of one where Batman does. Even when he gets turned into a vampire nothing much else comes of it. But when you know them, you see immediately that it's ridiculous. Kal-El-. Superman, wouldn't think like that. He wouldn't integrate into society tightly enough to build those structures. I could sort of see him becoming an overlord in all but name, but if that happened I doubt that even he'd think of himself as being that. There'd be someone else in charge, and all he'd do is occasionally offer advice or aid.

Batman, on the other hand? Oh yes. I could see that happening. Building an organisation, establishing control, and all for the best reasons. He doesn't want power for it's own sake. Not to raise himself above others. But… What was the line? 'We've made a world where no eight year old boy will ever lose his parents because of some punk with a gun'. He wouldn't like doing it, but he wouldn't hold back if he thought it was necessary.

But that's a problem for tomorrow. For now, I've got an appointment with the Washington Monument.

Lantern Jordan and Lantern Stewart made a point of tidying up the city after we destroyed the Anti-Life broadcasting system. But it… The only industries it really has are government and tourism, and neither are really in demand at the moment.

Maybe things will stabilise, and maybe we can just repurpose it for something useful instead.

There are a few people around, but no one pays a lot of attention as I transition down to near the entrance of a nearby building dressed as a builder and carrying a small tent. No one pays me much attention as I head towards the Monument at a quick walk. There isn't a lot of building work in the city at the moment, and the people who have it can't afford to give the impression that they're slacking.

Set the tent up in a plausible location near to the Monument and step inside. Drop a sound-deadening field out of subspace covering the interior of the tent. Generate a large construct drill and dig, sending the expelled stone, concrete and earth into subspace. And wires-. Ah, replace those and move them to the edge of the hole and hope that no one noticed. Keep boring down...

Hm.

Alright, dismiss my construct, shore up the existing shaft and then create a new drill. If this doesn't go anywhere then I can just fill the hole in. The Monument is that way, so dig and brace as we go.

It'll be a bit embarrassing if I don't find anything, but just in case I'm early-.

Huh. That wall isn't supposed to be there. Or rather, it is, because it's what I'm looking for, but the location doesn't match any plans I've been able to find and I couldn't detect it by scanning.

Right then. Another sound nullifying field generator dropped out of subspace. Not to prevent the occupant -if there is one- hearing me, but to prevent sound from this encounter making its way to the surface.

Dismiss the drill bit, generate a crumbler ram, and… Breach.

I walk out into… Just above floor level in an underground base of some kind. Scans show… No, whatever ward system they've got set up doesn't just affect the outer wall. Plenty of room though, so I dismiss the ram, don my power armour and generate construct armour. Shouldn't need that, but there's no sense in taking foolish risks.

The room is mostly filled with mostly-empty shelving, and there's a thin layer of dust on most of it. That makes sense; this is a mostly-sealed environment, so there's only so much dust that can get in. The places where the dust has been removed seems to be from someone poking around to see what's in the storage units, though it doesn't look like they've taken anything.

Naturally, I ring-dust the whole place as I walk through the door to the rest of the facility.

"Mister Machin, if you're here, I'd like a word."

No sudden yelp of panic, and I… Seem to remember that he had an A.I. installed during his own series. That doesn't try speaking to me either. Instead, a small white terrier with a black patch over its left eye walks out of another room, tail wagging hopefully. He's wearing a black collar and has an A-in-a-circle pendant dangling off it.

He stops in the doorway, tail wagging nervously.

Ugh.

"I don't remember your name, dog."

"Rup!" He yaps, tail still wagging. "Rup!"

Ugh. I don't like the idea of scaring a dog in his own home, and Lonnie himself doesn't appear to be in. Dismiss construct armour, send power armour back to subspace, turn the environmental shield down to the absolute minimum, and kneel down. Take a… Chicken drumstick, yes, that'll do, out of subspace, and hold it out.

"Hungry, boy? I'm not here to hurt you. I just want to talk to your owner."

And because power rings can translate into dog, he actually understands what I'm saying. As much as a dog can, anyway. His ears perk up, and his stance goes from nervous to quizzical. Then his tail slows and he walks forwards, pulling the drumstick from my hand with his mouth before turning around and trotting back into the room from whence he came.

Right, so he is using this place, but he's not here right now. Either that or he's a very heavy sleeper. I follow the dog into… Looks like a control room. There's a large computer console across the opposite side, panels open and… Wiring that escaped from the sixties visible inside. It looks like he's making an effort to modernise it, but that's slow going for a boy his age.

Hm.

I could update that for him. And make sure that he's actually eating healthily. And check up on the structure of his brain just in case he's done anything unwise to himself.

The dog returns to his basket and starts stripping the meat from the bone with obvious relish.

"Any idea when he's getting back?"

The dog woof-snorts.

"Alright. Let's.. see then." I extrude construct probes towards the computer, trying to find the data storage components. The older-.

Is that a..? My goodness. The core of this thing is an ancient hard drive the size of a laundry basket. It looks… In reasonable condition at least. I access it and… Gather the paltry amount of data that it actually stores. It looks like Mr. Machin has modified the access mechanisms in an attempt to speed it up, but-.

BOOM!

 

[Z000]

well, Zoat did say that Bruce and Paul is not gonna get along in the future

i guess the future have arrive

 

[RichardWhereat]

Uncooked chook though, right?

 

[Darko]

We shouldn't be looking at a full Brother Eye situation. That required him getting his brain messed up by someone he liked and trusted, rather than a serial problem child like me

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I mean, there are several reasons that he would like you.

You gave Dick the Danner formula, so now he doesn't have to worry about his son getting killed when he fights criminals.

You helped heal Dick's uncle.

You managed to convince Talia to leave her dad and later destroyed his organization, so now he could marry her.

from hand had with his

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"from my hand with"

 

[Neruz]

Uncooked chook though, right?

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Despite common belief, whether the bones are cooked or not does not have any measurable effect on the safety: All bird bones, raw or cooked, have a small but non-zero chance of splintering in such a way as to damage the dog's digestive tract. It has to do with the structural differences between bird bones and the bones of mammals and reptiles etc, and as far as I know there's never been any real scientific evidence that cooking the bones actually increases the odds of them splintering like that.

 

[Mr Zoat]

"from my hand with"

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Thank you, corrected.

Despite common belief, whether the bones are cooked or not does not have any measurable effect on the safety: All bird bones, raw or cooked, have a small but non-zero chance of splintering in such a way as to damage the dog's digestive tract. It has to do with the structural differences between bird bones and the bones of mammals and reptiles etc, and as far as I know there's never been any real scientific evidence that cooking the bones actually increases the odds of them splintering like that.

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[Duke Long]

Right, so he is using this place, but he's not here right now. Either that or he's a very heavy sleeper.

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Or he teleported away immediately upon hearing intrusion, but that's unlikely since it'd mean he abandoned his dog.

BOOM!

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Well, that sounds like a boom tube. Who could that be? Did Batman figure out boom tubes with his ring and is using them to visit Oh El? That would be a twist. More likely it's Lonnie coming home, since a Google suggests that he had boom tubes in at least some comics. I suppose there's enough Apokoliptian technology lying around that it isn't shocking. Another possibility is that the boom is a complete trick and a self-destruct went off in the computer, but I doubt that.

Is that a..? My goodness. The core of this thing is an ancient hard drive the size of a laundry basket. It looks… In reasonable condition at least. I access it and… Gather the paltry amount of data that it actually stores. It looks like Mr. Machin has modified the access mechanisms in an attempt to speed it up, but-.

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I'm guessing this is an unmodernised version of the secret base used by Paragon in another universe to design that president robot for SHADE?

 

[Chojin Patriarch]

10th July 2013
09:40 GMT -5

Batman is understandably busy, but I've made a request for a meeting. And since I'm trying the whole openness and honesty thing, I made it clear what it was about.

I…

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He's probably already feeling a headache coming on, but glad you actually thought to ask before doing something foolish. Heck, he may even make time to speak with you if he can manage it. Just to prevent anything silly.

Spoiler: Commentary spoilered for length

I'm hit by a wave of remorse for my action in re-enfearing his brain.

And I accept it.

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It was your fault, after all. We could have had 'Brave and the Bold' batman, but no, you needed a trustworthy Yellow Ring user.

Because that's why this is bothering me. I doubt that the happily-processing-his-grief-and-on-the-way-to-recovery Batman I briefly met would… I wouldn't suspect him of doing something unwise-. Bad. Yes, that's probably the best word. Something bad with this opportunity. But a Batman who's just had his brain rewired? Oh yes, that's a Batman who might well make some unfortunate choices.

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Especially one mainlining Fear like he's been doing since the White Light. Seriously, I hope he's keeping his Ring use to a bare minimum. But I know he hasn't.

We shouldn't be looking at a full Brother Eye situation. That required him getting his brain messed up by someone he liked and trusted, rather than a serial problem child like me. And it took longer for the paranoia-inducing near-recall of the event to produce the dreadful consequences that occurred.

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And OL hasn't tried to hide the fact he got mind-whammied. Heck, Bats agreed to this, sort of. Out of necessity. He wasn't happy about it, but he knew about it.

Funny thing. I can think of two comics where Kal-El becomes a dictator: Red Son and that.. Metropolis thing. I can't think of one where Batman does. Even when he gets turned into a vampire nothing much else comes of it. But when you know them, you see immediately that it's ridiculous. Kal-El-. Superman, wouldn't think like that. He wouldn't integrate into society tightly enough to build those structures. I could sort of see him becoming an overlord in all but name, but if that happened I doubt that even he'd think of himself as being that. There'd be someone else in charge, and all he'd do is occasionally offer advice or aid.

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It's probably because of the difference in power-sets. You could imagine someone with Superman's powers taking over the world by force of arms or by charisma. Batman? He's a scary guy, especially when he gets something that lets him punch above street-level weights, but otherwise, he's just a man. Ruling Gotham, maybe, but beyond that? Unlikely.

Batman, on the other hand? Oh yes. I could see that happening. Building an organisation, establishing control, and all for the best reasons. He doesn't want power for it's own sake. Not to raise himself above others. But… What was the line? 'We've made a world where no eight year old boy will ever lose his parents because of some punk with a gun'. He wouldn't like doing it, but he wouldn't hold back if he thought it was necessary.

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'The Road to Hell' and all that... As compassionate as he is, he can bend that compassion in dangerous ways.

But that's a problem for tomorrow. For now, I've got an appointment with the Washington Monument.

Lantern Jordan and Lantern Stewart made a point of tidying up the city after we destroyed the Anti-Life broadcasting system. But it… The only industries it really has are government and tourism, and neither are really in demand at the moment.

Click to shrink...

Now, what do we remember is underneath the Washington monument? That's right, a SHADE base! I expect that holds true here.

Maybe things will stabilise, and maybe we can just repurpose it for something useful instead.

There are a few people around, but no one pays a lot of attention as I transition down to near the entrance of a nearby building dressed as a builder and carrying a small tent. No one pays me much attention as I head towards the Monument at a quick walk. There isn't a lot of building work in the city at the moment, and the people who have it can't afford to give the impression that they're slacking.

Click to shrink...

Ah, the classic Clipboard trick. Carry appropriate tools for your dress, move like you know what you're doing, and almost no-one will trouble you.

Set the tent up in a plausible location near to the Monument and step inside. Drop a sound-deadening field out of subspace covering the interior of the tent. Generate a large construct drill and dig, sending the expelled stone, concrete and earth into subspace. And wires-. Ah, replace those and move them to the edge of the hole and hope that no one noticed. Keep boring down...

Click to shrink...

Heh. Always check for buried lines before you dig, kiddies. Don't want to knock out someone's cable because you were lazy.

Hm.

Alright, dismiss my construct, shore up the existing shaft and then create a new drill. If this doesn't go anywhere then I can just fill the hole in. The Monument is that way, so dig and brace as we go.

Click to shrink...

Ah, I see he is checking for hidden underground lairs.

It'll be a bit embarrassing if I don't find anything, but just in case I'm early-.

Huh. That wall isn't supposed to be there. Or rather, it is, because it's what I'm looking for, but the location doesn't match any plans I've been able to find and I couldn't detect it by scanning.

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Because, naturally, it's warded to hell and back. As expected of a secret organisation with one foot in the arcane.

Right then. Another sound nullifying field generator dropped out of subspace. Not to prevent the occupant -if there is one- hearing me, but to prevent sound from this encounter making its way to the surface.

Dismiss the drill bit, generate a crumbler ram, and… Breach.

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At least he was more subtle than the Renegade's visit was in Earth-50.

I walk out into… Just above floor level in an underground base of some kind. Scans show… No, whatever ward system they've got set up doesn't just affect the outer wall. Plenty of room though, so I dismiss the ram, don my power armour and generate construct armour. Shouldn't need that, but there's no sense in taking foolish risks.

Click to shrink...

Joy of learning through experience.

The room is mostly filled with mostly-empty shelving, and there's a thin layer of dust on most of it. That makes sense; this is a mostly-sealed environment, so there's only so much dust that can get in. The places where the dust has been removed seems to be from someone poking around to see what's in the storage units, though it doesn't look like they've taken anything.

Click to shrink...

Nothing useful to the guests, then. I'm assuming he's here after Lonnie. The boy does have a knack for finding hidden secret lairs to squat in.

Naturally, I ring-dust the whole place as I walk through the door to the rest of the facility.

"Mister Machin, if you're here, I'd like a word."

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I suppose it's a little gratifying for Lonnie to be treated as an adult. Even if it's as a supervillain.

No sudden yelp of panic, and I… Seem to remember that he had an A.I. installed during his own series. That doesn't try speaking to me either. Instead, a small white terrier with a black patch over its left eye walks out of another room, tail wagging hopefully. He's wearing a black collar and has an A-in-a-circle pendant dangling off it.

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...Because of course he's got a dog. He is a preteen boy.

He stops in the doorway, tail wagging nervously.

Ugh.

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Reminded of Wolf? Conner's pet Dannered wolf. What's been happening with her, I wonder?

"I don't remember your name, dog."

"Rup!" He yaps, tail still wagging. "Rup!"

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Well, whatever his name is, he's clearly a good boy. Aren't you, buddy?

Ugh. I don't like the idea of scaring a dog in his own home, and Lonnie himself doesn't appear to be in. Dismiss construct armour, send power armour back to subspace, turn the environmental shield down to the absolute minimum, and kneel down. Take a… Chicken drumstick, yes, that'll do, out of subspace, and hold it out.

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As @Neruz pointed out the issue, I hope the bone is artificial or at least of a kind that won't crumble poorly.

"Hungry, boy? I'm not here to hurt you. I just want to talk to your owner."

And because power rings can translate into dog, he actually understands what I'm saying. As much as a dog can, anyway. His ears perk up, and his stance goes from nervous to quizzical. Then his tail slows and he walks forwards, pulling the drumstick from hand had with his mouth before turning around and trotting back into the room from whence he came.

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His train of thought is probably 'Man has food? Good man. Man wants my human? I show him.'

Right, so he is using this place, but he's not here right now. Either that or he's a very heavy sleeper. I follow the dog into… Looks like a control room. There's a large computer console across the opposite side, panels open and… Wiring that escaped from the sixties visible inside. It looks like he's making an effort to modernise it, but that's slow going for a boy his age.

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Honestly, buying a cheap off-the-shelf PC would probably blow the system out of the water. Sixties-era mainframes were not powerful by modern standards. Hell, a game-boy is probably better.

Hm.

I could update that for him. And make sure that he's actually eating healthily. And check up on the structure of his brain just in case he's done anything unwise to himself.

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I'd say that's nice of you, but actually apprehending him after doing that might definitely help. And good thought about his brain structure, Anarky apparently did something to fuse his brain hemispheres in the comics.

The dog returns to his basket and starts stripping the meat from the bone with obvious relish.

"Any idea when he's getting back?"

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Helps to be able to actually question the pupper. Though I doubt he understands the passage of time beyond 'before, now and later'.

The dog woof-snorts.

"Alright. Let's.. see then." I extrude construct probes towards the computer, trying to find the data storage components. The older-.

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Because naturally it's fully shielded against simply scanning the molecular structure of the whole unit, like he did early on.

Is that a..? My goodness. The core of this thing is an ancient hard drive the size of a laundry basket. It looks… In reasonable condition at least. I access it and… Gather the paltry amount of data that it actually stores. It looks like Mr. Machin has modified the access mechanisms in an attempt to speed it up, but-.

BOOM!

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Paltry is right. Hard drives of that era could hold mere megabytes of written data. You probably have photos on your phone or PC that would fill an entire drive and still overflow...

So, that 'Boom' is most likely a boom tube. I mean, it could be a boobytrap on the drive, but that seems overkill, and given the base's age, any explosive material might well have destabilised into power anyway. Unless Lonnie is paranoid enough to trap his own workshop... Of course he is. Makes you wonder what he was doing down here, though, if he was here.

 

[PJ739]

And now i want to see Paul playing Disney princess(speaking with animals) in front of the JL

And because power rings can translate into dog, he actually understands what I'm saying.

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[Ngamer11]

Now, what do we remember is underneath the Washington monument? That's right, a SHADE base! I expect that holds true here.

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I honestly forgot about that. That makes it more likely Anarky is going up against SHADE.

 

[CrazyNoVa]

That wasn't in the game, and from what little I saw of the comic it looked like they all died.

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Not true. Sure, they took massive casualties, but they eventually reformed their organization. And we know they're still active, because there's a few arcade mode endings in both games that mention the Sinestro Corps still being around. Hell, Hal's ending in Injustice 2 even has him go back to being a Yellow Lantern to re-join the Sinestro Corps as a spy for the Guardians.

No, the SI would be the neophyte, not William.

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Oops, my bad. I misunderstood.

Funny thing. I can think of two comics where Kal-El becomes a dictator: Red Son and that.. Metropolis thing. I can't think of one where Batman does.

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No, but if you're curious, we do have a lot of universes where Batman ends up being either an insane fascist or a psychotic control freak. Case in point: CRAZY STEVE.

Or hell, the Grim Knight definitely counts too. Honestly, that particular universe is really lucky that he was only content with controlling Gotham, and nowhere else.

So, that 'Boom' is most likely a boom tube. I mean, it could be a boobytrap on the drive, but that seems overkill, and given the base's age, any explosive material might well have destabilised into power anyway. Unless Lonnie is paranoid enough to trap his own workshop... Of course he is. Makes you wonder what he was doing down here, though, if he was here.

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I'm guessing it's a boom tube, because I don't think Lonnie would want to hurt his own dog in an explosion.

It's probably because of the difference in power-sets. You could imagine someone with Superman's powers taking over the world by force of arms or by charisma. Batman? He's a scary guy, especially when he gets something that lets him punch above street-level weights, but otherwise, he's just a man. Ruling Gotham, maybe, but beyond that? Unlikely.

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You're not using your imagination enough.

Here's a good example of how Batman could try taking over the world: he kills both Lex and Ra's, then takes over both Lexcorp and the League of Assassins, and then uses them to control the world from behind the scenes. With the sheer combined might of all the money and ressources he'd have with Lexcorp, Wayne Enterprises and The League of Assassins at his beck and call, he would essentially be the richest and (metaphorically) most powerful man on Earth. Thus, controlling the world in a way that nobody but him would notice would be a trivial matter for someone like Bruce.

Plus, having a ton of money, a world-spanning spy network and access to magical pits that can cure or resurrect people at Bruce's beck and call gives him a lot of potential options for controlling or subjugating world leaders or political rivals: He could bribe them, gather blackmail material on them, or, even worse, promise to either resurrect one of their dead loved ones or cure whatever incurable illness they may have in exchange for swearing their eternal fealty to him.