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

Mr Zoat · 2025-05-18T08:19:58+0100

TFTwink said:
Error in the markup.

Darko said:
"they would"

Duke Long said:
'they'
'to'
'built'
'lever'?
'is'
'recognised'
'effective'?

Thank you, corrected.

Chojin Patriarch · 2025-05-18T08:37:33+0100

Mr Zoat said:
Mid-Autumn, IC 690

It's been six years since the Saderan legions under Prince Zorzal El Caesar fought here. The lagomorph tribes who once lived here are physically stronger and faster than unaugmented humans, but have only cottage industry and little higher learning. Unlike most tribal societies I've encountered, they also have a highly uneven birth rate. Almost all of their children are female, with the few males being physically unimposing and getting closeted as a result.

Ah, a return to the 'Gate' world, and the continuation of Ringified-OL's story. And of course there are bunny-girl tribes, with a lady-heavy gender bias. I suspect we can guess what that subplot title refers to, then...

The other oddity is that the female warriors raid their neighbours to acquire male slaves whom them can rape and use for non-combat related labour. I'm not sure if there aren't enough of their own males to maintain the population or they just don't like sharing. They used to be a constant irritation in the Saderan Empire's border regions, which is one of the things that promoted the invasion.

I'm guessing their males just can't keep up with the demands of the ladies. Especially if they're not overly fit and strong.

The other is… It's not like the Empire doesn't know what happens when warriors fight soldiers. Slaves and new fertile land available at a relatively low price? Who could resist?

Prince Diabo's eyes shine with the orange light as he stares through the ground at the decaying remains beneath it.

An inevitability of such cultures. There must always be expansion, after all.

"How.. many died here?"

"I'm afraid that I don't know. This is a long way from my temple, and I wasn't paying specific attention to it when it happened. Why-?"

And the legions probably didn't bother recording the deaths of 'primitives'.

"We tracked the progress of the campaign. Every.. battle. The legions didn't bother taking any of their weapons with them due to the low quality of the metal."

"Yes?"

Just plenty of prisoners, I suppose.

"I see the corpses of warrior bunnies, but very few weapons. And I see rope around their arms and legs."

"Ah. Probably the old or very young, then. Those who couldn't survive the march to the slave markets in the Saderan Empire proper."

Heartlessly pragmatic. And entirely what I'd expect of the psuedo-Roman Imperial troops.

"But there is work for the old and the young! And we were settling the area, they didn't need to march them anywhere."

"I'm not sure what you want me to say, Prince Diabo. The officers of the legion were looking for an easy profit, and other than the legionaries mustering out in the area, there weren't any settlers to pay them for the sub-prime slaves. They might have gotten less money than they theoretically could by only taking the most physically able, but it was a simple and reliable profit. If you scan in more detail-."

...Oh. I certainly hope they kept records of who oversaw the sale of the captives, then, and question them about the loss of lives.

His eyes flare again.

"Small skeletons, and skeletons with a low mineral content. They were the old and the young."

"I'm a little surprised that you're surprised. When was the last time you saw an old slave in the market?"

I doubt they value intellect and learning in their slaves, especially if they consider them primitives.

"I live in the capital! Naturally, we get the highest quality slaves, that doesn't mean that the rest should just-. It doesn't mean that the rest should just be killed because it's too much effort."

"We are planning to start a rather large war."

But there's a difference between the killing of enemies in hot-blooded battle, and the casual slaughter of captives in a cold-blooded desire for profit. I see Diabo is strongly inclined towards honourable and civilised wars, not this...

"There's a difference between fighting another nation and killing bound prisoners. Or do you not see it that way?"

"Oh, no, I agree completely. I just wanted to get you in the right headspace for your next meeting. And to see how assertive you have become."

Ah, an object lesson for the young man, then. Something to push him towards sympathy for the people he's meeting with. But not into full compassion, of course.

Three years managing the Saderan Empire's gun development project has caused him to grow a bit more of a backbone. And he needed it. Alchemy isn't exactly a popular field for Imperial nobility, and it turns out that when the main delay in gathering materials is the time it takes to collect and boil vast quantities of excrement… Well, the isolated location of the works wasn't primarily down to a need for secrecy, and the smell also resulted in the place being run by slaves and a couple of slightly crazed alchemists who needed royal patronage.

For the potassium nitrate needed for gunpowder, of course. Sulphur is easier, but, well... There's a reason classic D&D 'Fireball' material components include sulphur and guano.

The insults rather died off once he demonstrated the first wyvern-dropped barrel bomb, and ended completely when the first production model cannon battery was demonstrated against a stone wall.

"Then I suppose I should begin."

Heh. Especially amongst those who didn't see the Earth forces in battle, I bet. I see Ring-OL is pushing this world towards a more Renaissance-level of technology, whether the local gods like it or not.

He raises his left hand and I glow for a moment before we transition, appearing in the middle of a warrior bunny encampment near the edge of their former range. They were expecting him-. Us, but swords and spears are drawn despite how useless they'd be. I take a moment to study the women here, and it is just women. Bunny warriors from outlying territories who didn't hear their former queen's call to arms, reinforced by survivors and refugees. But this part of the country was sparsely populated for a reason. The soil is poor, there isn't much game, and the closest people they could raid have solid walls and defences. There was just about enough for their former numbers, but from the looks of things that is no longer the case. In addition, many are carrying wounds that haven't had time to heal, or amputations where the wounds couldn't be healed.

Desperate and starving. The kind of people that do foolish things that might get them killed...

Their best option was the raid the newly build Saderan settlements, but they know perfectly well what would happen if they tried that.

"I am Prince Diabo El Caesar. I am here to speak with your chief."

The Saderan legions would come back and finish the job they started, without mercy, of course. And the only Lapines remaining would be slaves...

Turning up without an escort, either of praetorians or blunderbusseers, is a statement in its own right. In other places it would suggest weakness but on Falmart, where everyone has heard of Apostles, it's a statement of power. 'I am the next thing to a god', it says. 'Take a shot if you like, I could do with a laugh'.

I wonder if the rabbit-folk have their own gods, or some who at least look at them with fond amusement, or if they got wiped out by stronger deities...

"I am Chief Eithne. What do you want?"

Muscular, not wearing much, clipped ears and manacles indicating a former slave. The chains attached to the manacles have had a leaver shoved into them to pry them apart, but I'd guess that the manacles themselves are more than their primitive metallurgy can deal with. She looks irritable and tired.

Removing them would be a good show of power and mercy, as would healing them, but I suspect Diabo would need to be more invested to muster that much Avarice.

"Hungry? Allow me."

He waves his left hand, and a table laden with foods appears from subspace. Cured sausage, jars of pickled and otherwise preserved vegetables and fruit, and a smaller quantity of fresh bread and fruit. Jugs of water and wine. Nothing that cost a great deal in the capital's markets, but all things the locals desperately could do with.

They're probably subsisting on forage and hunting, but the more people around, the more they need to feed them and that isn't sustainable...

The local women can't quite help themselves twitch towards it, but they control themselves a moment later.

The chief looks bitter. "You know that we can't refuse. Just say what you want in exchange."

Kind of sad that they're so resigned, but she probably understands very well their tenuous position...

"The Saderan Empire will soon be at war. Next year, most likely. Certainly not longer than another year after that. Our former auxiliary suffered significant casualties during our war with the Men in Green. I wish for the warriors of your tribe to take their place. You would serve as scouts and skirmishers, under my command."

And now I'm getting flashes of Viera, from Final Fantasy's Ivalice setting. Their warriors are probably not too different to what they'll be doing here.

"At war." She tilts her head slightly. "So the Empire will have fewer legions protecting its people."

"True. So it would take us a little longer to completely exterminate you if you tried to attack us than it would otherwise take. But that it part of why I'm making an offer at all."

Better to have them as friends than a distraction.

"And what do we get?"

"Food. Water. Our forbearance. And for those of you who complete the ten year term of service…" He looks around the gathering. "Imperial citizenship."

Which would mostly protect them from slavery, if nothing else.

There's a quiet intake of breath from all around.

"You would be granted an area of the former Warrior Bunny lands, and your occupancy would be recognise by the Empire. You would be subject to our laws… But you could actually live, rather than…" He looks around again, this time focusing on the tents and cook fires. "This."

A very tantalising proposition. But can they open up long enough to consider it fairly?

The chief snorts. "And what is the chance that we will survive? What stops you killing us off just before that?"

"You, convincing us that you can be useful as free women, and not just as slaves. And frankly, what we're offering costs us little."

But to them, it's so very, very much. He's certainly learned the benefits of negotiating from a position of power.

And having scouts with their physical abilities, who don't need hard-to-provision horses to remain mobile and effective, would be very useful. People remember Agincourt, but there were battles in the same campaign where the English were caught out of position and overrun. We need to make sure that doesn't happen, because it will be another generation before the Saderan Empire can be as profligate with manpower as it was before the gate opened.

They took that many losses? Kind of impressive, especially with how quickly the conflict ended with Diabo's interference.

The chief is clearly on the verge of saying yes, but a little-

"I also took the liberty of purchasing others of your kind in the slave markets. Including two males. Naturally, the would be placed under your command."

Given his potential funds, he could probably have cleaned them out entirely. But this is only the hook, not the line or sinker.

-push, and her eyes light up, and he has her.

"I agree."

I see he's learned to use the more esoteric aspects of the Orange Light quite well.

Prince Diabo smiles, and gestures to the table.

"Then eat, drink and be merry. For tomorrow, you march."

'We march' would have been more friendly, but I doubt he'd be walking with them either way.

So, three years since the last 'Gate' segments. I'm surprised Ring-OL hasn't tried to leave yet, but evidently he'd rather beat the local gods at their own game, and a few decades as a Ring is hardly an inconvenience. And it looks like he's trying to change up the game, by bumping their tech level up a bit. Wondering how the local gods are taking that bit of gamesmanship?

Coltsguy · 2025-05-18T08:39:06+0100

More GATE? Nice.

WereDragon · 2025-05-18T10:32:52+0100

Mr Zoat said:
Mid-Autumn, IC 690

Nice to see this universe again. Harkens back to the early episodes when Power Rings Were Awesome.

Prince Diabo

Paul's disciple is coming along well. Learning the power of bribery and of turning problems into features.

Sordid Snake · 2025-05-18T14:36:04+0100

Mr Zoat said:
The lagomorph tribes who once lived here are physically stronger and faster than unaugmented humans

Did someone spill Final Fantasy all over the Gate, or is this canon for Gate?

Someguy Somewhere · 2025-05-18T14:50:30+0100

From what remember of the bunny assassin they're certainly faster and more agile, and a poke at some wiki's backs that up. Same with the male birth rates thing.

Dur'id the Druid · 2025-05-18T15:11:21+0100

Mr Zoat said:
Then eat, drink and be merry. For tomorrow, you march.

Nice I thought this plot was abandoned! Though I'm a little worried that Prince Diablo is raising a levy of his own soldiers? I guess there was a breakdown between the Empire and Japan / UN government?

Ardy · 2025-05-18T15:26:28+0100

Dur'id the Druid said:
Nice I thought this plot was abandoned! Though I'm a little worried that Prince Diablo is raising a levy of his own soldiers? I guess there was a breakdown between the Empire and Japan / UN government?

It's been 3 years, the gate likely closed

Mr Zoat · 2025-05-18T15:33:22+0100

Dur'id the Druid said:
Nice I thought this plot was abandoned! Though I'm a little worried that Prince Diablo is raising a levy of his own soldiers? I guess there was a breakdown between the Empire and Japan / UN government?

Ardy said:
It's been 3 years, the gate likely closed

Yep. Gate closed, Japan experiencing the results of alienating America, and Diabo having to make good on his promise to the Emperor.

néocorvinus · 2025-05-18T15:46:19+0100

Did some of the Japanese got stuck on the wrong side of the Gate?

Also, what were the names of the previous Gate arcs?

Ngamer11 · 2025-05-18T15:51:50+0100

@Mr Zoat, has SHADE been rendered defunct because of the Anti-Life? Or did Batman co-opt them somehow?

Mr Zoat · 2025-05-18T16:14:01+0100

néocorvinus said:
Did some of the Japanese got stuck on the wrong side of the Gate?

No.

Emperor Molt was fairly pleased that a few nobles decided to keep their Japanese slaves despite his proclamation. It allowed him to liquidate their estates to fund Prince Diabo's work.

Also, what were the names of the previous Gate arcs?

Gateway.
Late Summer, IC 687
Gateway (part 1)
Gateway (part 2)
Gateway (part 3)
Gateway (part 4)
Gateway (part 5)
Gateway (part 6)
Gateway (part 7)
Gateway (part 8)
Gateway (part 9)
Gateway (part 10)

NightmareWarden · 2025-05-18T19:04:48+0100

Mr Zoat said:
No.

Emperor Molt was fairly pleased that a few nobles decided to keep their Japanese slaves despite his proclamation. It allowed him to liquidate their estates to fund Prince Diabo's work.

Gateway.
Late Summer, IC 687
Gateway (part 1)
Gateway (part 2)
Gateway (part 3)
Gateway (part 4)
Gateway (part 5)
Gateway (part 6)
Gateway (part 7)
Gateway (part 8)
Gateway (part 9)
Gateway (part 10)

Oh right, the Apostles and the setting with the dickish gods. Of course they'd mutilate their slaves' ears, how small-minded,

Mr Zoat · 2025-05-18T19:53:34+0100

NightmareWarden said:
Oh right, the Apostles and the setting with the dickish gods. Of course they'd mutilate their slaves' ears, how small-minded,

...

Yes...

Word for the Word God.

GhostKing 666 · 2025-05-18T21:48:23+0100

Chojin Patriarch said:
Heh. Especially amongst those who didn't see the Earth forces in battle, I bet. I see Ring-OL is pushing this world towards a more Renaissance-level of technology, whether the local gods like it or not.

Renaissance Level isn't actually disallowed, the Saderans just haven't reached that point yet. The Saderan Empire might top out at around the 13th century, but they aren't actually the most advanced culture on the planet.

The various small island kingdoms of the Avion Sea are around 15th century level, with gunpowder cannons, matchlock muskets and much better naval ships.

The reason the technology simply hasn't spread to the continent of Falmart yet is because

The Saderan Empire might be a major land power, but that doesn't automatically translate to being a major naval power and the Avion Sea is apparently far enough away that they struggle to reach it(if they even can).
The Avion Sea itself Balkanized after the previous unifying power collapsed, leaving a bunch of smaller island kingdoms so focused on each other that they can't even effectively coordinate to deal with their current pirate problem, never mind pick a fight with a super-sized land empire that could cheerfully field many times the number of soldiers or possibly even mages.

Maybe if a new power unified the Avion Sea, they could go all East-India trading company, but even then the conquest of India only happened because India was less unified than Sadera and the EIC took advantage of that.

CrazyNoVa · 2025-05-18T21:51:11+0100

Vaermina said:
How do we know they were willing? They had their memories erased.

We don't. We only have their word for it, hence why I said "apparently".

Deadring said:
Unfortunately, no one in this universe has agency but Paul and the arc's designated agency haver. This wasn't always the case, but it's been so for a while.

To be fair, they're all really busy doing other stuff and fixing the world, so we can't really expect them to always get involved in everything Paul is doing. Think of it like them having their own separate adventures apart from Paul, just like how DC heroes always have their own separate adventures from each other in canon.

Galler · 2025-05-18T22:18:52+0100

Mr Zoat said:
Gateway.
Late Summer, IC 687
Gateway (part 1)
Gateway (part 2)
Gateway (part 3)
Gateway (part 4)
Gateway (part 5)
Gateway (part 6)
Gateway (part 7)
Gateway (part 8)
Gateway (part 9)
Gateway (part 10)

I believe that there were two more chaprers from the Gate section. Gateway (part 11) and Gateway (part 12)

Mr Zoat · 2025-05-19T06:09:18+0100

14th July 2013
10:13 GMT -5

"…first time we'd done a patrol in Gotham in… Ah, a while."

I smile as I float down the Gotham storm drain, sonic probes and ground-penetrating radar constructs scanning the concrete and earth around me.

"So, taking on more staff to handle the workload means that there's less work for him to do? What's his day job again?"

Richard snorts quietly with amusement. "Yeah, laugh it up. But he seemed a lot more relaxed, too. That thing you did to his brain. Are you sure he..? Redid it?"

Um…

"I.. can't be sure, no. It's what he implied, but I don't really… I didn't want to try scanning him. And… In theory, there's no reason why he couldn't go through the same mental transformation again, even without using his ring. His change was a result of a long series of changes and experiences, and even after changing his brain back without that external impetus he might just revert back."

"So how come?"

"With the pressure from the Anti-Life not being there… It's not impossible, but I… It's probably the fact that he's getting regular sleep and has competent and trustworthy people to handle a lot of his job."

"And… Okay, so I read your report on possible ways the Justice League could improve-."

"For which you have my undying gratitude."

"Wasn't this one of the things you said they could do? And that one of your alter-egos came from an Earth where the Justice League already did that?"

"Earth Twelve, yes. They had to build their own space station with human technology, rather than being given it by the Guardians. So that stuff needed maintenance, and… All sorts of other things that could get done best by regular employees."

"So it's basically the same thing."

Nothing unexpected so far, so I take a right at the intersection.

"No, they had faces and memories of their lives. They were just normal if highly skilled people who were employed by the League."

"Most of us wear masks."

"Not from ourselves." Hm. "He hasn't offered you the Peace Agent augmentations?"

"Why, is it better than what you gave me?"

"No reason in principle why you couldn't have both." … "I think. I don't.. really know how his energy-absorbing nanotechnology works."

"Maybe it would, but I'm powerful enough. And even the people who don't mind fighting me just gave up when Batman showed that he had a power ring."

"It would make me give up. Speaking of, does his recent explosion of free time mean that he's going to be joining us in the Chihuahuan Desert training sessions?"

"He didn't say anything about that. Want me to ask?"

Ah…

Okay, I am concerned about this recent change in the League's organisational structure. And I'm worried that his ring might be sending everything back to Sinestro. And I'm worried that this ends with me having to fight him. But… Getting more time with him would allow me to get a better idea of how he's thinking. Because it would be really convenient if I was jumping at shadows.

And maybe it would improve our relationship if we spent more time together.

"Well… If it comes up, we'd be happy to have him."

"Worried, Oh El?"

"Yes."

"I mean, about him showing you up."

"Oh. Um, no? The whole point is to learn new things. If he's developed a technique that the rest of us don't know, that's great, because we can all learn it. I suspect that that won't be the case, because his general level of skill is a result of years of training and conditioning that he doesn't have with a power ring, but it's not a problem if I'm wrong. Heck, more for me to learn."

"You know, you're a lot harder to needle than Kid Flash."

"I should hope so." I look around the storm drain. "Is this really the only lead we have on Mister Tetch?"

"It's less of a lead and more of a process of elimination. There's only so many places he can go, but those tunnels have all kinds of hidden chambers."

"Any idea why?"

"Bringing smuggled goods ashore past British patrols, hiding fugitive slaves, construction projects that got their budget reallocated, emergency shelters…"

"And you don't already have them mapped?"

"We've got a map. But you see Oh El, the thing about unofficial modifications is that they don't end up on the official plans. And hey: once it's done it's done, and you never have to go back down there-"

My ring blinks.

"-again."

"True. Ah, hold on a moment, I've got another call."

"Three guesses who it is."

"I'm hoping it's Jade, actually. Answer."

The… Non-face of a Global Peace Agent appears over my ring. "Good morning, Orange Lantern."

"Miscellaneous Peace Agent. What can I do for you?"

"I was following up on your task of locating The Question, but I note that you're not in Hub City."

"No."

"May I ask why?"

"Um. I mean, you can, but…"

"Our tasks are calculated to most efficiently restore the functionality of planet Earth. While you are in no sense obliged to do as we ask, it really is the best way you can help."

"The Question knows what I'm doing and that I'm around. If he doesn't want to talk to me… He's not a fugitive. He doesn't have to talk to me. I've left messages in places I know that he visits, and with people I know that he talks to. If he doesn't reply in a week or two then I'll have a rethink, but otherwise I think that's the most it makes sense to do."

"We're concerned for his mental state. A great deal can happen in a week."

"He's a street shaman on the streets of his home city. Crime's at an all time low. He's less in danger than he was six months ago."

"Even so, it would be-."

"Okay, fine. I'll check up on my drop points once I've finished here."

"Thank you, Orange Lantern. And what are you currently doing?"

"Spelunking. End."

TFTwink · 2025-05-19T06:17:24+0100

Poor Faceless Men. Imagine being a newborn doing your job to Daddy World-Savior and getting hung up on

Lazurman · 2025-05-19T06:24:10+0100

My genre-savvy senses are tingling. Placing wild guesses now.

Something Nefarious is afoot, and The Question knows about it, hence why he has gone to ground and has Batman's brainwashed goons so insistently hunting for him.

BlackCoat13 · 2025-05-19T06:41:22+0100

The Question would be exactly the sort of guy to counter Bats.

Chojin Patriarch · 2025-05-19T06:50:30+0100

Mr Zoat said:
14th July 2013
10:13 GMT -5

"…first time we'd done a patrol in Gotham in… Ah, a while."

I smile as I float down the Gotham storm drain, sonic probes and ground-penetrating radar constructs scanning the concrete and earth around me.

Some nice, normal, low-level crime-fighting. Man, it's been a while since he's done anything that mundane. It must feel like a relaxing vacation compared to some of his recent work.

"So, taking on more staff to handle the workload means that there's less work for him to do? What's his day job again?"

Richard snorts quietly with amusement. "Yeah, laugh it up. But he seemed a lot more relaxed, too. That thing you did to his brain. Are you sure he..? Redid it?"

...I mean, it's not impossible he learned enough to light a Ring, then let the repairs stand. But he sure didn't act like it.

Um…

"I.. can't be sure, no. It's what he implied, but I don't really… I didn't want to try scanning him. And… In theory, there's no reason why he couldn't go through the same mental transformation again, even without using his ring. His change was a result of a long series of changes and experiences, and even after changing his brain back without that external impetus he might just revert back."

Sort of a 'I use the Fear, but I don't have to like what I do with it.' thing. Perhaps if he sets the Ring aside, his mind would settle back into its 'Blue and Grey' level of comfort.

"So how come?"

"With the pressure from the Anti-Life not being there… It's not impossible, but I… It's probably the fact that he's getting regular sleep and has competent and trustworthy people to handle a lot of his job."

Do you really think Bruce would do that now, though? After mainlining Fear for so long, could he shake off that paranoid state so easily?

"And… Okay, so I read your report on possible ways the Justice League could improve-."

"For which you have my undying gratitude."

Admittedly, he can't really put anything into action for years yet, if he was of a mind to. Still, knowing the possibilities can guide him.

"Wasn't this one of the things you said they could do? And that one of your alter-egos came from an Earth where the Justice League already did that?"

"Earth Twelve, yes. They had to build their own space station with human technology, rather than being given it by the Guardians. So that stuff needed maintenance, and… All sorts of other things that could get done best by regular employees."

The problem is, here it's all super-cops and faceless handlers. More than a little worrying.

"So it's basically the same thing."

Nothing unexpected so far, so I take a right at the intersection.

And we haven't seen how they're handling support staff, beyond the dispatch operator-style Peace Agents.

"No, they had faces and memories of their lives. They were just normal if highly skilled people who were employed by the League."

"Most of us wear masks."

Which is still a little silly. With modern facial recognition technology, I don't think hiding such a small part of your face will do much to foil it.

Probably largely a courtesy that no-one's blabbed about it.

"Not from ourselves." Hm. "He hasn't offered you the Peace Agent augmentations?"

"Why, is it better than what you gave me?"

I'd also be worried about compatibility. What if the upgrades interfere with the Danner enhancements? Or vice-versa?

"No reason in principle why you couldn't have both." … "I think. I don't.. really know how his energy-absorbing nanotechnology works."

"Maybe it would, but I'm powerful enough. And even the people who don't mind fighting me just gave up when Batman showed that he had a power ring."

True. Being super-string and super-tough is enough to handle Gotham crime easily. Throw a Power Ring into that mix and I'd be amazed if any of the classic rogues still operated in the city.

"It would make me give up. Speaking of, does his recent explosion of free time mean that he's going to be joining us in the Chihuahuan Desert training sessions?"

"He didn't say anything about that. Want me to ask?"

That'd be what, four lights now? Five?

...Avarice, Fear, Will, Hope and Love (If any Violet Ring wielders are present.)

Ah…

Okay, I am concerned about this recent change in the League's organisational structure. And I'm worried that his ring might be sending everything back to Sinestro. And I'm worried that this ends with me having to fight him. But… Getting more time with him would allow me to get a better idea of how he's thinking. Because it would be really convenient if I was jumping at shadows.

Eh, I doubt it would show Sinestro anything he hadn't already seen or thought of himself. That fellow is pretty much a master of Fear already, on top of his mastery of Will.

And maybe it would improve our relationship if we spent more time together.

"Well… If it comes up, we'd be happy to have him."

Still have to wonder how much use Batman makes of the Ring, after all. It'd be marvellous for analytical tasks, if nothing else. Even if he never had to fire up more than a shield construct or bolas in a fight, he'd overpower most local crooks.

"Worried, Oh El?"

"Yes."

"I mean, about him showing you up."

OL's fought enough Yellow Lanterns to have a good idea of what he can do, for a start.

"Oh. Um, no? The whole point is to learn new things. If he's developed a technique that the rest of us don't know, that's great, because we can all learn it. I suspect that that won't be the case, because his general level of skill is a result of years of training and conditioning that he doesn't have with a power ring, but it's not a problem if I'm wrong. Heck, more for me to learn."

Some ninja trick that he adapted into Ring use that the others never thought of? Who knows?

"You know, you're a lot harder to needle than Kid Flash."

"I should hope so." I look around the storm drain. "Is this really the only lead we have on Mister Tetch?"

The extra decade or so of life experience probably helps, not that the kids know that.

"It's less of a lead and more of a process of elimination. There's only so many places he can go, but those tunnels have all kinds of hidden chambers."

"Any idea why?"

Especially if he can't bring himself to go somewhere other than his usual haunts. Even after the Anti-Life, there's only so many abandoned warehouses and sewer tunnel hideaways.

"Bringing smuggled goods ashore past British patrols, hiding fugitive slaves, construction projects that got their budget reallocated, emergency shelters…"

"And you don't already have them mapped?"

Gotham does have a long history. And a deeply criminal one.

"We've got a map. But you see Oh El, the thing about unofficial modifications is that they don't end up on the official plans. And hey: once it's done it's done, and you never have to go back down there-"

My ring blinks.

Until some other loony manages to make modifications somehow.

"-again."

"True. Ah, hold on a moment, I've got another call."

He's in demand lately.

"Three guesses who it is."

"I'm hoping it's Jade, actually. Answer."

It has been a while since we've seen her, after all.

The… Non-face of a Global Peace Agent appears over my ring. "Good morning, Orange Lantern."

"Miscellaneous Peace Agent. What can I do for you?"

Is it something useful they're calling him with, or just a general check-in?

"I was following up on your task of locating The Question, but I note that you're not in Hub City."

"No."

Seriously, they're tracking his movements? I understand they need to know if he's close to crisis points, but this smacks a bit of corporate-level management.

"May I ask why?"

"Um. I mean, you can, but…"

And unless it's directly interfering with someone else's case, does it matter?

"Our tasks are calculated to most efficiently restore the functionality of planet Earth. While you are in no sense obliged to do as we ask, it really is the best way you can help."

"The Question knows what I'm doing and that I'm around. If he doesn't want to talk to me… He's not a fugitive. He doesn't have to talk to me. I've left messages in places I know that he visits, and with people I know that he talks to. If he doesn't reply in a week or two then I'll have a rethink, but otherwise I think that's the most it makes sense to do."

In other words, pushing to contact him will just result in him going full paranoid.

"We're concerned for his mental state. A great deal can happen in a week."

"He's a street shaman on the streets of his home city. Crime's at an all time low. He's less in danger than he was six months ago."

...Unless they're concerned he's turning his attention on them?

"Even so, it would be-."

"Okay, fine. I'll check up on my drop points once I've finished here."

Poking a cape like this usually doesn't end with them nodding and saying 'yes, sir.' Too independent for that, you know.

"Thank you, Orange Lantern. And what are you currently doing?"

"Spelunking. End."

...Might need to talk to Bats about their pushiness.

Was anyone else getting a sort of 'pushy corporate metrics-obsessed middle-management' kind of obnoxiousness from that call? Vigilantes don't work on a reliable schedule or consistent check-ins. Sometimes, things need time to play out, and pushing for any kind of progress is just going to end up biting them in the butts. And more than a few annoyed heroes...

CrazyNoVa · 2025-05-19T07:59:29+0100

BlackCoat13 said:
The Question would be exactly the sort of guy to counter Bats.

And the kind of guy to team up with Anarky. Seriously, I could see him take on this version of Lonnie as a student.

Rebu · 2025-05-19T09:30:57+0100

CrazyNoVa said:
And the kind of guy to team up with Anarky. Seriously, I could see him take on this version of Lonnie as a student.

"Lesson one; branding."

BartlettMagic · 2025-05-19T12:17:57+0100

cool beans, i love Street Shaman Question- that flavor of esoteric paranoia just hits right

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