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

Vaermina · Sep 27, 2021

Nervaqus987 said:
Aside from, you know, people that get dragged into Hell because they got sacrificed to a demon or something. They certainly aren't feeling guilty over being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Let's not pretend that DC Hell is at all consistent. It changes depending on the story line like every other thing in comics according to the needs of the story and the bias of the writer.

If a cultist sacrifices someone to Hell then it's the cultist's magic binding that soul to hell.

And DC Hell is actually very consistent, it's consistency just depends on how a person ends up in hell. Sell your soul to a demon, you gotta kill the demon or steal your soul back from it. Someone binds your soul to hell, you gotta break the spell holding your soul there. You end up in Hell the natural way, you gotta get over your guilt and you can just move on.

Mr Zoat · Sep 27, 2021

11th September 2012
19:40 GMT

Gaudia gestures towards the doorway I just flew through.

"A few of our new cousins came for a visit, and we got a tour of a few parts of this building. And then a lot of soldiers started running around and we were shoved back in here."

"'Shoved'?"

She shrugs, looking away from me.

"Escorted with menaces."

"Did you see anything untoward?"

"Do three instances of repressed sexual attraction count?"

"Probably not, unless it was occurring in the local gods. Also, these aren't your people so please don't go poking around inside their souls."

"I could transfer." She shrugs defensively. "They don't have an avarice or wealth goddess. I would fit right in."

"They're a new pantheon looking to do a lot of work. Somehow, I doubt that you'll take to it."

"What if I limit myself to vague but spiritually uplifting pronouncements?"

"I don't-."

"There was a 'boom'." Aporia grips onto the head of her bench to pull herself upright-. The fruit bowl is entirely empty. "Does that matter?"

"What sort of boom?"

"A boom boom. Like…" She throws her arms up. "Boom!"

"An explosion?"

"No. You know… Boom." She blinks blearily and I start hoping that there's a god-level sobriety potion or spell somewhere. "Boom?"

"Like a gun?"

"No? That's more like-."

I hold up my right hand.

"Stop. Stop. Melinoë, did you hear anything?"

"No. We left her here to…" She moues. "Recover."

"Okay. Okay. Boom like-"

I have my ring make the sound of a gunshot.

"-that?"

"No, that's a gun. I know what a gun sounds like."

"Alright. Boom like-"

I have my ring make the sound of a car backfiring.

"-that?"

"No."

I play a recording of a controlled demolition.

"No. Just… BOOM!"

Oh dear. I play the sound of a boom tube appearing.

BOOM!

Aporia beams. "Yes, that's it!"

"Did you hear it once, or several times?"

"Ah… Once?"

"Did you see anyone you didn't recognise?"

"I don't recognise anyone. I just got here!"

"Did you see anyone who seemed out of the-. I'm wasting my time."

Melinoë looks at me contemptuously.

"How has it taken you this long to work that out?"

"Badly misplaced optimism. Look, Phoebe is… Biologically 'dead', and they don't have an afterlife set up to handle that."

"That happens. Cronus digested all of my aunts and uncles older than Aunt Hestia. Not even a trace of them remains. I don't even know the names of most of them, and I know that Grandmother Rhea named them all."

I wonder if they tried cutting into Cronus again after the war, to check? Or if that means that Metis is gone? She would be stronger than a newborn, but it's been a long time…

That might explain some of Zeus's decisions.

I take a hologram generator out of subspace and generate an image of Phoebe.

"Do you have any idea what could have caused this?"

Melinoë barely bothers looking at it.

"No obvious injury. I felt no great magic. If I could examine her directly I might learn something, but this tells me nothing."

Reasonable. So, boom tubes means New Genesis, Apokolips, or Lonnie Machin. And last time I checked, he wasn't at anything like that level yet. My main concern is that Grayven might be involved, but there's no obvious reason for him to care what happens here. We're not particularly close to Reach territory here, and I haven't seen any indication that he has other ships on the scale of his personal dreadnaught. Splitting his forces…

Except… He could. There's no real defence fleet here. The planet isn't especially populous and their lack of industry means that it wouldn't be all that difficult to ramp up production. Apokoliptians are comfortable using magic, so non-magic technology becoming unreliable wouldn't be a crippling problem. He could send a very small fleet, and as long as they had a way to kill the gods…

Or it could be anyone else. I wouldn't even be totally surprised if it turned out to be Canis. Dead without a wound on her? He probably would find Coeus's emotional pain artistic.

"Okay, I'll try and get you permission-."

"Lantern." Athyns strides into the room. "And companions. The gods require your presence."

"I serve at the gods' will."

"Hah!"

I look around, and a momentarily shocked Melinoë blinks in surprise before considering her position and deciding to glare at Gaudia.

Gaudia looks surprised, then sags slightly.

"Sorry."

moralrelativity · Sep 27, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
Ah… Once?[ color=black]"[/color]

Darko · Sep 27, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
There was a 'boom'." Aporia grips onto the head of her bench to pull herself upright-. The fruit bowl is entirely empty. "Does that matter?"

"What sort of boom?"

"A boom boom. Like…" She throws her arms up. "Boom!"

"An explosion?"

"No. You know… Boom." She blinks blearily and I start hoping that there's a god-level sobriety potion or spell somewhere. "Boom?"

"Like a gun?"

Ahh crap, New Gods.

Mr Zoat said:
How has it taken you this long to work that out

Paul isn't the sharpest.

Mr Zoat said:
Or it could be anyone else. I wouldn't even be totally surprised if it turned out to be Canis. Dead without a wound on her? He probably would find Coeus's emotional pain artistic.

Ahh yes, your 'teammate'.

Mr Zoat said:
"I serve at the gods' will."

"Hah!"

I look around, and a momentarily shocked Melinoë blinks in surprise before considering her position and deciding to glare at Gaudia.

Gaudia looks surprised, then sags slightly.

"Sorry."

Don't be sorry Gaudia.

DonLyn · Sep 27, 2021

Do I understand correctly that Melly is the one who shouted "Hah!" and then decided to blame Gaudia?

Silverias · Sep 27, 2021

DonLyn said:
Do I understand correctly that Melly is the one who shouted "Hah!" and then decided to blame Gaudia?

That's how I read it.

CTrees · Sep 27, 2021

All I can think of with all the "booms" is Babylon 5 and Ivanova's "No boom today. Boom tomorrow. There's always a boom tomorrow."

Chojin Patriarch · Sep 27, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
11th September 2012
19:40 GMT

Gaudia gestures towards the doorway I just flew through.

"A few of our new cousins came for a visit, and we got a tour of a few parts of this building. And then a lot of soldiers started running around and we were shoved back in here."

Okay, not too bad. Completely reasonable given the circumstances. As long as they were polite about it. Gaudia is most likely exaggerating for sympathy. ...Also completely reasonable, given her demonstrated character...

"'Shoved'?"

She shrugs, looking away from me.

"Escorted with menaces."

Well, I'm sure they were trying to be polite. You didn't say anything offensive during the process, did you?

"Did you see anything untoward?"

"Do three instances of repressed sexual attraction count?"

Well, that depends on who they were towards. After all, Melinoë has a certain exotic beauty... I'm sure she fills out her formal armour quite well...

"Probably not, unless it was occurring in the local gods. Also, these aren't your people so please don't go poking around inside their souls."

"I could transfer." She shrugs defensively. "They don't have an avarice or wealth goddess. I would fit right in."

Yeah, I don't see them being particularly interested in accepting new hires. Comes from this being something of a family business. And if they decide to contact Hades to check your references... Well.

"They're a new pantheon looking to do a lot of work. Somehow, I doubt that you'll take to it."

"What if I limit myself to vague but spiritually uplifting pronouncements?"

I don't think they need a goddess of 'Cutesy homilies' or 'Folksy knowledge'.

"I don't-."

"There was a 'boom'." Aporia grips onto the head of her bench to pull herself upright-. The fruit bowl is entirely empty. "Does that matter?"

Crap, she is sloshed.

"What sort of boom?"

"A boom boom. Like…" She throws her arms up. "Boom!"

Well, that just clears it right up!

"An explosion?"

"No. You know… Boom." She blinks blearily and I start hoping that there's a god-level sobriety potion or spell somewhere. "Boom?"

Alas, I don't think she's going to able to get so drunk she comes back to sober from the other side... Thankfully, I don't think Bilious, Oh God of Hangovers is nearby, so she might not suffer too badly once she sleeps it off.

"Like a gun?"

"No? That's more like-."

Well, at least she knows what one sounds like. Which raises more questions about what the hell she's been doing to keep busy over the centuries...

I hold up my right hand.

"Stop. Stop. Melinoë, did you hear anything?"

"No. We left her here to…" She moues. "Recover."

...Was the bowl empty before or after you left for the tour?

"Okay. Okay. Boom like-"

I have my ring make the sound of a gunshot.

"-that?"

See, that's what you should have started with.

"No, that's a gun. I know what a gun sounds like."

"Alright. Boom like-"

I have my ring make the sound of a car backfiring.

No doubt the Ring has quite the sound effects library.

"-that?"

"No."

I play a recording of a controlled demolition.

That, I rather suspect more people would have noticed...

"No. Just… BOOM!"

Oh dear. I play the sound of a boom tube appearing.

...Oh, boy. It's a long shot...

BOOM!

Aporia beams. "Yes, that's it!"

...Okay. That doesn't mean it was specifically an Apokaliptian. New Genesis has Boom Tubes too. And I'm sure there are loose Mother boxes out there in the universe. It's not impossible someone 'acquired' one from a New God traveller...

"Did you hear it once, or several times?"

"Ah… Once?"

Well, there's that at least... Unfortunately, that means whoever Tubed in is still here.

"Did you see anyone you didn't recognise?"

"I don't recognise anyone. I just got here!"

Yes, you rather walked into that one, OL. Joy of dealing with someone this drunk.

"Did you see anyone who seemed out of the-. I'm wasting my time."

Melinoë looks at me contemptuously.

Don't be like that, dear. He's simply a little slow to realise futility.

"How has it taken you this long to work that out?"

"Badly misplaced optimism. Look, Phoebe is… Biologically 'dead', and they don't have an afterlife set up to handle that."

...Hmm. I would expect the Olympians are written into the rules of Hades' Realm. There's probably a comfy location set aside for them to stay while they pull themselves back together...

"That happens. Cronus digested all of my aunts and uncles older than Aunt Demeter. Not even a trace of them remains. I don't even know the names of most of them, and I know that Grandmother Rhea named them all."

Ugh. Given that only the last dozen or so he ate came out alive... That just makes Cronus even nastier...

I wonder if they tried cutting into Cronus again after the war, to check? Or if that means that Metis is gone? She would be stronger than a newborn, but it's been a long time…

That might explain some of Zeus's decisions.

Heh. Yeah, I can see it. Because I doubt his 'Little Thunderbolt' has much wisdom in it...

I take a hologram generator out of subspace and generate an image of Phoebe.

"Do you have any idea what could have caused this?"

...Did you bother to get a reading of the Thaumic outline of her remains? Because a purely visual scan won't be much use.

Melinoë barely bothers looking at it.

"No obvious injury. I felt no great magic. If I could examine her directly I might learn something, but this tells me nothing."

Which raises the question of what weapon the assailant used. Perhaps it was some manner of soul trap, and Phoebe can be revived if they get a hold of it...

Reasonable. So, boom tubes means New Genesis, Apokolips, or Lonnie Machin. And last time I checked, he wasn't at anything like that level yet. My main concern is that Grayven might be involved, but there's no obvious reason for him to care what happens here. We're not particularly close to Reach territory here, and I haven't seen any indication that he has other ships on the scale of his personal dreadnaught. Splitting his forces…

To borrow a Worm saying: "Not everything is a Simurgh Plot..." All you have is a rather addled observation of something that may have been New God technology. Don't go jumping to conclusions, even if you have a natural +20 to Jump checks to do so.

Except… He could. There's no real defence fleet here. The planet isn't especially populous and their lack of industry means that it wouldn't be all that difficult to ramp up production. Apokoliptians are comfortable using magic, so non-magic technology becoming unreliable wouldn't be a crippling problem. He could send a very small fleet, and as long as they had a way to kill the gods…

And we know that in the Renegade timeline he did 'conquer' the Citizenry in passing. But No, I don't think he's go this far out of his way. Not unless he found out about the... Sun-Eaters...

Ohhh crap...

Or it could be anyone else. I wouldn't even be totally surprised if it turned out to be Canis. Dead without a wound on her? He probably would find Coeus's emotional pain artistic.

"Okay, I'll try and get you permission-."

True, it could be any random member of Apokaliptian Nobility looking to have a little fun with the Titans.

"Lantern." Athyns strides into the room. "And companions. The gods require your presence."

"I serve at the gods' will."

"Hah!"

Hey, he's trying to be respectful of his hosts, Melinoë.

I look around, and a momentarily shocked Melinoë blinks in surprise before considering her position and deciding to glare at Gaudia.

Gaudia looks surprised, then sags slightly.

"Sorry."

Moments later, Melinoë dope-slaps her. Not really the best timing, you know.

I'm guessing the Titans have been discussing the situation. Which makes the audience a good time to ask about anyone hearing the 'BOOM' Aporia heard. I still think OL might be aiming his suspicions in the wrong direction. I suppose we'll see how this plays out.

Stsword · Sep 27, 2021

Dr Impossible might just be rando Penguin goon who found a 'box, so yeah, it could literally be anyone.

Vaermina · Sep 27, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
So, boom tubes means New Genesis, Apokolips, or Lonnie Machin.

Or time travelers, or someone from another dimension, or someone who stole a Motherbox/Fatherbox, or Cyborg, or Brainiac.

Mr Zoat · Sep 27, 2021

DonLyn said:
Do I understand correctly that Melly is the one who shouted "Hah!" and then decided to blame Gaudia?

Yes.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Well, that depends on who they were towards. After all, Melinoë has a certain exotic beauty... I'm sure she fills out her formal armour quite well...

Not really. It's armour. It doesn't 'lift and support' so much as 'flatten and oppress'.
moralrelativity
Thank you, corrected.

Rafin · Sep 27, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
"That happens. Cronus digested all of my aunts and uncles older than Aunt Demeter. Not even a trace of them remains. I don't even know the names of most of them, and I know that Grandmother Rhea named them all."

Ooh, interesting idea. Is it original by you or is it based on some comic canon or even some mythology I somehow completely missed?

Also, did this at all affect Demeter? Like due to being most digested before rescue?

LZB1285 · Sep 27, 2021

A single BOOM!, so either they're still here or they were already here and have already left.
Has anyone done a headcount yet?

Mr Zoat · Sep 27, 2021

Rafin said:
Ooh, interesting idea. Is it original by you or is it based on some comic canon or even some mythology I somehow completely missed?

It's my explanation as to why the names of the gods and titans given in some sources don't match the others.

Also, did this at all affect Demeter? Like due to being most digested before rescue?

If so, there is no sign of it in the modern era.

Darko · Sep 27, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
"That happens. Cronus digested all of my aunts and uncles older than Aunt Demeter

Mr Zoat said:
It's my explanation as to why the names of the gods and titans given in some sources don't match the others.

So is Hestia alive in this story?

Because in mythology she's the oldest daughter of Cronus, not Demeter.

Maybe change it to 'Aunt Hestia'.

Mr Zoat · Sep 27, 2021

Darko said:
So is Hestia alive in this story?

Because in mythology she's the oldest daughter of Cronus, not Demeter.

Maybe change it to 'Aunt Hestia'.

Curse you Wikipedia!

Darko · Sep 27, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
Curse you Wikipedia!

So what's up with the whole Demeter and Hestia situation in this story?

Is Hestia younger or did she die?

Bud-E · Sep 27, 2021

Darko said:
So what's up with the whole Demeter and Hestia situation in this story?

Is Hestia younger or did she die?

She's probably alive, sometimes the Lasso of Truth is referred to as the Lasso of Hestia. Depending on the continuity Hestia wove it other times Athena did.

Ngamer11 · Sep 27, 2021

Darko said:
So what's up with the whole Demeter and Hestia situation in this story?

Is Hestia younger or did she die?

Mr Zoat will most likely edit that part so that it says Hestia instead of Demeter, just like you suggested.

Mr Zoat · Sep 27, 2021

Darko said:
So what's up with the whole Demeter and Hestia situation in this story?

Is Hestia younger or did she die?

She didn't die. I'll think about the rest.

Handlewithcare · Sep 27, 2021

New Gods attacking Old Gods?

Maybe to steal a domain?

Citizen · Sep 27, 2021

Why does Lonnie Machin have Boom Tube technology?

Ardy · Sep 27, 2021

Citizen said:
Why does Lonnie Machin have Boom Tube technology?

Earth is bullshit

Bud-E · Sep 27, 2021

Ardy said:
Earth is bullshit

That should be our slogan

Steelplaza · Sep 27, 2021

Something I've been wondering about with the Olympians and the Titans in-universe. Did any of their history actually happen as they remember it happening? If you took a Legion time bubble back to circa 3000 BC would you find any gods or titans there?

I mean, they're formed out of the Dreaming right? Sure is a coincidence that all these Greek human legends managed to accurately describe their early history, even when it's stuff that you wouldn't think they would tell humans about (or at least widely publicize). Or more plausibly, a bunch of proto-Greeks made up a bunch of stories and myths, and those resonated with the Dreaming, and then one day the Greek gods woke up "remembering" a history that those myths described. The stories creating the gods rather than the gods the stories.

Seems plausible. Maybe there never was a Cronus, because the stories had him as dead back in the pre-history before the stories became real. Maybe a lot of the inconsistencies in the backstories of the Olympians are just because the Dream didn't quite settle on one story before they fell out of it.

Mr Zoat · Sep 27, 2021

Citizen said:
Why does Lonnie Machin have Boom Tube technology?

As far as the SI knows, he doesn't. But he is the only person to develop the technology independently in the comics.

Steelplaza said:
Something I've been wondering about with the Olympians and the Titans in-universe. Did any of their history actually happen as they remember it happening? If you took a Legion time bubble back to circa 3000 BC would you find any gods or titans there?

I mean, they're formed out of the Dreaming right? Sure is a coincidence that all these Greek human legends managed to accurately describe their early history, even when it's stuff that you wouldn't think they would tell humans about (or at least widely publicize). Or more plausibly, a bunch of proto-Greeks made up a bunch of stories and myths, and those resonated with the Dreaming, and then one day the Greek gods woke up "remembering" a history that those myths described. The stories creating the gods rather than the gods the stories.

Seems plausible. Maybe there never was a Cronus, because the stories had him as dead back in the pre-history before the stories became real. Maybe a lot of the inconsistencies in the backstories of the Olympians are just because the Dream didn't quite settle on one story before they fell out of it.

Interesting point, but for the sake of my sanity I'm going to say that they did exist. If you went back in time then unless you were a magician you'd just see usual storms and things like that.

Darko · Sep 27, 2021

Steelplaza said:
Something I've been wondering about with the Olympians and the Titans in-universe. Did any of their history actually happen as they remember it happening? If you took a Legion time bubble back to circa 3000 BC would you find any gods or titans there?

I mean, they're formed out of the Dreaming right? Sure is a coincidence that all these Greek human legends managed to accurately describe their early history, even when it's stuff that you wouldn't think they would tell humans about (or at least widely publicize). Or more plausibly, a bunch of proto-Greeks made up a bunch of stories and myths, and those resonated with the Dreaming, and then one day the Greek gods woke up "remembering" a history that those myths described. The stories creating the gods rather than the gods the stories.

Seems plausible. Maybe there never was a Cronus, because the stories had him as dead back in the pre-history before the stories became real. Maybe a lot of the inconsistencies in the backstories of the Olympians are just because the Dream didn't quite settle on one story before they fell out of it.

Or we could go with a simpler explanation, that the inconsistencies were simply due to the mortals not getting the whole story, making things up themselves, or the gods told them lies, or that over the millennia there were translation errors.

Steelplaza · Sep 27, 2021

Darko said:
Or we could go with a simpler explanation, that the inconsistencies were simply due to the mortals not getting the whole story, making things up themselves, or the gods told them lies, or that over the millennia there were translation errors.

Zoat already made his ruling so I'm not really arguing this, but I'm going to say that's not the simpler explanation because there aren't enough inconsistencies. To the contrary, all the myths are way too on point and true. Greek myths are suspiciously accurate to how how the gods seem to remember things, even for stuff that frankly doesn't make them look very good and you wouldn't think they'd be bragging to mortals about or correcting them to make sure the stories stayed accurate.

But hey, comics everybody! I can believe a man can fly; I can believe in accurate mythology.

Stsword · Sep 28, 2021

Citizen said:
Why does Lonnie Machin have Boom Tube technology?

Super genius who rewired his brain to be even smarter.

He also stole a green power ring.

Ngamer11 · Sep 28, 2021

Bud-E said:
That should be our slogan

I think Paul is trying to make that the case in-universe. Or is at least giving that impression to all of the aliens he meets.

Mr Zoat said:
As far as the SI knows, he doesn't. But he is the only person to develop the technology independently in the comics.

It's things like this that make me wish that Paul would either recruit him for the OLC or have a talk with Lonnie, either about becoming a superhero or finding a productive way of achieving social justice. This is just so that he doesn't go down the route of anti-villain.

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

Well worn.

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Recovering pendant.

Connoisseur.

Getting out there.

Know what you're doing yet?

Chasing the ring

Veteran Lurker

Versed in the lewd.

Well worn.

Dedicated ragequitter

Not too sore, are you?

Getting sticky.

Dedicated ragequitter

Connoisseur.

Dedicated ragequitter

Connoisseur.

Stand up so I can push you down!

Experienced.

Dedicated ragequitter

Versed in the lewd.

Well worn.

I trust you know where the happy button is?

Stand up so I can push you down!

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Experienced.

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