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

any of my chosen appellations work as a notarikon of my true name.

That's... generally not how notarikon works. The only things "Prince of the World" is notarikon for is "potw" or maybe "peoftewd". If you go through Hebrew, "נה" - which could be pronounced 'Nah' or "Nuhuh" or "neeeeeeeee" - notarikon is much more flexible in Biblical Hebrew where you can add in whatever vowels you like. (The only other time I've seen notarikon in English is UNSONG - though it's in the last chapter and spoils the whole premise of the story, so be warned.)
 
Fucking finally, I've been waiting to learn more about Boss :) since those fucking chapters dropped
 
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Actually DC has the actual Demiurge- Synnar.

Yes, God's architect is a supervillain.
Huh, it's like they brought in a little bit of the gnostic ideas without being willing to commit to Sophia as a separate entity being responsible for creating Yaldabaoth, the demiurge also being the serpent of the garden of Eden, etc. Point is, the demiurge being evil is a core idea of Gnosticism.
 
Dear John (part 12)
Twilight, Local Time

Guh!

A painfully laboured breath, then I take a moment to mutter swears that would sear a saint's ears at everyone involved in this whole fucking fiasco. And because I'm not John Gadzooking Constantine I don't forget to include myself in that.

But I don't insult whoever it was that designed Belle Reve's magic cells. That was good. Damn good. Heh.

I reach across to my jacket pocket without really thinking about it, feeling for a packet of Silk Cuts and finding only my own bare chest.

Shit, yeah. That's the downside. Couldn't find a way past the spells and couldn't just ride out on synchronicity wave because it turns out that demons can't do that. All the memories he left me with, the one he used so much that he couldn't keep it from me, and it's sodding useless. Couldn't make a deal with the guards because they've go around in groups of four and they got remote monitoring. Couldn't summon help, not with all the wards they had up. Couldn't force my way out.

But I'm a demon. All I had to do to get free was die. Create a feedback loop in the spells the Atlanteans put on the chains wasn't easy, but… I'm a demon. Drain too much magic away and I just fall apart, which would normally send me right down to the bottom of the heap down under. Not a good place to be.

But a few drops of blood hidden away somewhere and that's an anchor. A demon glyph to draw power from some kind of old ritual murder no one remembers, and I'm back.

Naked, broke, hungry, thirsty, achy, and… Hell, I don't even know what the date is. Probably cold, but that sort of thing doesn't bother me anymore.

I take a moment to let a good long frustrated breath out from between my teeth.

That's it for Satanus, then. No more Colin Thornton means no more DMN junkies, no more free cash and no more cover from other big dogs looking to put the bite on someone with John's face. Satanus might get out and he might claw his way back up the hierarchy in Hell, but that's not going to happen soon.

I turn in the direction I vaguely remember the closest village being and start walking. There's brambles and a bunch of other angry plants I've never learned the names of, but I've walked from one end of Hell to the other. My feet do what I tell them.

What am I even going to do now?

I was just doing favours for Satanus so he'd owe me. His chance of getting power in Hell is… Probably better than the other high up demons doing it. But one sniff of John

And then there's the other bloke.

I made a deal. I wanted to be me, he wanted to be him. He's keeping away from me and we've both got a reason to keep that up. Which is the best way to do it. But with John not around I'm comparing what I'm doing to what he's doing-.

Is this how John felt about it? I was getting a grip on… I thought I was getting a grip on him, with him not around and me…

If John's not around, why not just take his life? Not like it's hard, and I'm already John-shaped. One part of his soul running down the John-shaped furrow in the world rather than the other.

So what the fuck am I doing here? If I'm going to be John, I need to go be miserable in London, feeling all of the pain and misery that makes up that place. Where I can get a crap beer with crap service and be pissed enough not to care.

Fuck me, I think I can hear a road. Don't know who's driving around at this time of night, but I can get people to do what I want as easy as he can.

No, hang on. Favours.

I stop, looking around for-. That'll do. A tree with bark flat enough to write on. No pen, nothing in me stomach, ground is… Cold and dry. Runes drawn in mud are shit, anyway.

My own blood it is, then.

I walk up to the tree, putting my right forefinger in my mouth and biting the soft skin. My teeth are sharper and my blood more magical than John's, so this shouldn't be quite as difficult as it was for him. There's a few demons who should answer me without too much grief, but right now I'm vulnerable, and the list of demons I can trust not to take the piss…

Is about one.

At least her being on Earth means I don't need to summon up the energy to let her out.

It takes effort to stop my blood from clotting, and add a little something to stop anyone I don't want hearing this… Probably. The way people are learning magic right now I can't rely on that. Only good thing is Atlanteans don't have much to do with demons -or British street magicians- if they can help it.

Fuck me I'm tired.

I slump down, the blood from my finger wound trickling onto the ground. I take a moment to focus and the cut closes. Alright, the walk and the spell wiped me out, but it's not like I can die.

Rest my eyes for a minu-

FLASH!

-tefuck! I shield my eyes with both arms as the whole area goes violet and-.

And it's like a scab getting knocked off my soul, and all the things about Kit that John gave me as a sop before he packed me off to Hell come flooding to the surface and all the weakness I tried to bury comes rushing back and I'm crying and I don't even have proper tear ducts anymore.


"John, whatever happened to you? Are you alright?"

"Knock it off, Elle."

She had been reaching out, but now she hesitates.

"Oh. It's you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"John isn't exactly an easy man to get along with, and you're made of the worst parts of him."

She folds her arms across her chest, and my memories of his meetings with her mean I spot straight away that for once she's not doing it to emphasise her breasts. And her clothes… Elle wasn't an all-tart all the time sort of hellwhore, but her conservative clothing seems to fit in a way it usually didn't. Something John did, but what? There's a few magicians who've sent sex demons to nunneries before, but they weren't trying to convert the demons. And Elle…

Oh that's her game. I make myself stop blocking the memories, remembering that brief period of his life when it was all coming together. Simple domestic stuff that he'd never had before and that meant so much. And now she's looking at him curiously.


"Not just the worst parts, then. Why are you here?"

"Long story. You got a spare jacket or something?"

"Why would you-? You're naked?"

"Long story."

"Here."

She takes it off and tosses it to me. I-. Steady, stand up and put it on. It's too tight, but at least I could sneak into town without getting arrested right away.

"Cheers. Any idea what day it is?"

"Sixth of January."

Over a month. Heat should have died down a bit, and it's not like I left the stove on.

"Alright. Thanks. I owe you. Point me at the nearest town and I'll get out of you-."

"I'm not letting you out of my sight."
 
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Well, I didn't expect to see his POV.

guards because they've go around in groups of four and they've got remote

"they go around"

But one sniff of John

Yeah, they'd torture you.

made a deal. I wanted to be me, he wanted to be him. He's keeping away from me and we've both got a reason to keep that up. Which is the best way to do it. But with John not around I'm comparing what I'm doing to what he's doing-.

Is this how John felt about it? I was getting a grip on… I thought I was getting a grip on him, with him not around and me…

I'm guessing he's talking about John Quinn?
 
So, Ellie got redeemed and there's no reason you could do the same for Demon John. Will could work.

Or Anger. He got plenty of that.

Hm. Did he actually murder the guy whose face he took? Seems like they made some sort of deal.

Also, time jump. We're not getting to see the Smiley/Paul boss fight, do we?
 
So, Ellie got redeemed and there's no reason you couldn't do the same for Demon John. Will could work. He certainly got a shit start through no fault of his own.

Or Anger. He got plenty of that

I doubt Paul would be willing to help him since so far he's just hurt people and he may not want to make him more powerful.

Hm. Did he actually murder the guy whose face he took? Seems like they made some sort of deal.

I think he made a deal with someone else.
 
Twilight, Local Time

Guh!

A painfully laboured breath, then I take a moment to mutter swears that would sear a saints ears at everyone involved in this whole fucking fiasco. And because I'm not John Gadzooking Constantine I don't forget to include myself in that.
Well, there's a mood whiplash. Here we were, expecting all hell to break loose on OL and Alan's heads... And we suddenly find ourselves inside the Demon Constantine's head. I'm guessing this will be Important at some point, then.

But I don't insult whoever it was that designed Belle Reve's magic cells. That was good. Damn good. Heh.

I reach across to my jacket pocket without really thinking about it, feeling for a packet of Silk Cuts and finding only my own bare chest.
So... He somehow tore himself out of Belle Reve and 'respawned' here, naked as the day John was born?

Shit, yeah. That's the downside. Couldn't find a way past the spells and couldn't just ride out on synchronicity wave because it turns out that demons can't do that. All the memories he left me with, the one he used so much that he couldn't keep it from me, and it's sodding useless. Couldn't make a deal with the guards because they've go around in groups of four and they've got remote monitoring. Couldn't summon help, not with all the wards they had up. Couldn't force my way out.

But I'm a demon. All I had to do to get free was die. Create a feedback loop in the spells the Atlanteans put on the chains wasn't easy, but… I'm a demon. Drain too much magic away and I just fall apart, which would normally send me right down to the bottom of the heap down under. Not a good place to be.
Well, there's an awkward loophole, indeed. Though it looks like you'd have to be both a demon and sneaky as hell to take advantage of it.

But a few drops of blood hidden away somewhere and that's an anchor. A demon glyph to draw power from some kind of old ritual murder no one remembers, and I'm back.

Naked, broke, hungry, thirsty, achy, and… Hell, I don't even know what the date is. Probably cold, but that sort of thing doesn't bother me anymore.
Crafty bastard, ain't he? Must be the Constantine in him.

I take a moment to let a good long frustrated breath out from between my teeth.

That's it for Satanus, then. No more Colin Thornton means no more DMN junkies, no more free cash and no more cover from other big dogs looking to put the bite on someone with John's face. Satanus might get out and he might claw his way back up the heirarchy in Hell, but that's not going to happen soon.
Gee, couldn't happen to a nastier guy.

I turn in the direction I vaguely remember the closest village being and start walking. There's brambles and a bunch of other angry plants I've never learned the names of, but I've walked from one end of Hell to the other. My feet do what I tell them.

What am I even going to do now?
Pants would be a good start. :p Otherwise you'll be up on indecent exposure charges right quick.

I was just doing favours for Satanus so he'd owe me. His chance of getting power in Hell is… Probably better than the other high up demons doing it. But one sniff of John

And then there's the other bloke.
Hmm... Now who could he mean by that, I wonder? John Quinn? Sounds like he's a little worried, doesn't he?

I made a deal. I wanted to be me, he wanted to be him. He's keeping away from me and we've both got a reason to keep that up. Which is the best way to do it. But with John not around I'm comparing what I'm doing to what he's doing-.

Is this how John felt about it? I was getting a grip on… I thought I was getting a grip on him, with him not around and me…
And more evidence that John's done a literal runner from this Earth, perhaps?

If John's not around, why not just take his life? Not like it's hard, and I'm already John-shaped. One part of his soul running down the John-shaped furrow in the world rather than the other.

So what the fuck am I doing here? If I'm going to be John, I need to go be miserable in London, feeling all of the pain and misery that makes up that place. Where I can get a crap beer with crap service and be pissed enough not to care.
And unlike John, it might well empower him a little, being a demon and all...

Fuck me, I think I can hear a road. Don't know who's driving around at this time of night, but I can get people to do what I want as easy as he can.

No, hang on. Favours.
Ah, he's going to try and contact an old infernal friend, huh? Well, not a friend - Demon, after all - but someone he can exploit...

I stop, looking around for-. That'll do. A tree with bark flat enough to write on. No pen, nothing in me stomach, ground is… Cold and dry. Runes drawn in mud are shit, anyway.

My own blood it is, then.
A potent material, after all. The only other option is a little hard to be tidy with, after all.

I walk up to the tree, putting my right forefinger in my mouth and biting the soft skin. My teeth are sharper and my blood more magical than John's, so this shouldn't be quite as difficult as it was for him. There's a few demons who should answer me without too much grief, but right now I'm vulnerable, and the list of demons I can trust not to take the piss…

Is about one.
Yeah, I can't imagine he doesn't have enemies, both John's and those he's made for himself.

At least her being on Earth means I don't need to summon up the energy to let her out.

It takes effort to stop my blood from clotting, and add a little something to stop anyone I don't want hearing this… Probably. The way people are learning magic right now I can't rely on that. Only good thing is Atlanteans don't have much to do with demons -or British street magicians- if they can help if.
On the other hand, you're practically in the middle of nowhere. Who you expect to be out here, I don't know.

Fuck me I'm tired.

I slump down, the blood from my finger wound trickling onto the ground. I take a moment to focus and the cut closes. Alright, the walk and the spell wiped me out, but it's not like I can die.
Which would be kind of torturous. So exhausted you can't do anything, but incapable of dying from it?

Rest my eyes for a minu-

FLASH!
Given that Ghiata or Dame Carol would have nothing to do with a demon, that Violet light can only be one person...

-tefuck! I shield my eyes with both arms as the whole area goes violet and-.

And it's like a scab getting knocked off my soul, and all the things about Kit that John gave me as a sop before he packed me off to Hell come flooding to the surface and all the weakness I tried to bury comes rushing back and I'm crying and I don't even have proper tear ducts anymore.
Chantinelle. One of human John's few demonic friends. And sort of a demi-elemental thanks to OL's help.

"John, whatever happened to you? Are you alright?"

"Knock it off, Elle."
Heh, yeah. Be an arse, that'll make her want to help you...

She had been reaching out, but now she hesitates.

"Oh. It's you."
Guessing they don't exactly have the best of relationships, then.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"John isn't exactly a easy man to get along with, and you're made of the worst parts of him."
Completely true. But he can develop new quirks, surely.

She folds her arms across her chest, and my memories of his meetings with her mean I spot straight away that for once she's not doing it to emphasise her breasts. And her clothes… Elle wasn't an all-tart all the time sort of hellwhore, but her conservative clothing seems to fit in a way it usually didn't. Something John did, but what? There's a few magicians who've sent sex demons to nunneries before, but they weren't trying to convert the demons. And Elle…

Oh that's her game. I make myself stop blocking the memories, remembering that brief period of his life when it was all coming together. Simple domestic stuff that he'd never had before and that meant so much. And now she's looking at him curiously.
Well, that's different. Memories of Kit Ryan coming in handy, eh?

"Not just the worst parts, then. Why are you here?"

"Long story. You got a spare jacket or something?"
Or failing that, a spell for pants? Seriously, how has he not learnt something like that before?

"Why would you-? You're naked?"

"Long story."
And one she is going to want to hear, I think. Preferably once you're clothed.

"Here."

She takes it off and tosses it to me. I-. Steady, stand up and put it on. It's too tight, but at least I could sneak into town without getting arrested right away.
No, merely looking like a flasher.

"Cheers. Any idea what day it is?"

"Sixth of January."
Interesting. Over nine months ago. And no-one thought to let OL know about him disappearing? Oh, right, OL did get told. Surprised he didn't try harder to find him, though...

Over a month. Heat should have died down a bit, and it's not like I left the stove on.

"Alright. Thanks. I owe you. Point me at the nearest town and I'll get out of you-."

"I'm not letting you out of my sight."
Damn smart. Demon or not, he's still a Constantine.

So, The Demon Constantine's been in the wild for months, and no-one noticed? Either he's been keeping his head down, or Chantinelle made it a project to try and reform him somehow. Thought I'm not sure how this will come into play in the rest of the episode. I guess we'll see what tomorrow brings.

...that would sear a saints ears at everyone...
...that would sear a saint's ears at everyone...

...back up the heirarchy in Hell...
...back up the hierarchy in Hell...
-or British street magicians- if they can help if.
-or British street magicians- if they can help it.
 
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Guessing they don't exactly have the best of relationships, then.

Of course not.

He's a Constantine and is thus prone to having bad relationships with people.

He's also the worst parts of Constantine.

Interesting. Over nine months ago. And no-one thought to let OL know about him disappearing?

Paul has known about this for some time.

So, The Demon Constantine's been in the wild for months, and no-one noticed? Either he's been keeping his head down, or Chantinelle made it a project to try and reform him somehow. Thought I'm not sure how this will come into play in the rest of the episode. I guess we'll see what tomorrow brings

I'm guessing that thing with Kit may have been her attempt to reform him with the power of love.
 
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Time rewind, actually.
We're not getting to see the Smiley/Paul boss fight, do we?
No, you will. I mean, it's basically this entire story as the SI tries to change things and Smiley reaches out with a thousand hands to stop him, but yes.
...that would sear a saint's ears at everyone...
...back up the hierarchy in Hell...
-or British street magicians- if they can help it.
Thank you, corrected.
 
Mr Zoat, if this leads to Elle the Love Elemental getting killed and Demon!Constantine working covertly for the Prince of the World, I will be very cross with you.

It is just… Her getting killed (or getting her soul drained by a demon) while slowly redeeming herself is SUCH a Hellblazer move that I think you'll do it. It'd hurt me, my feelings.
 
That should say 'an'.
Thank you, corrected.
Mr Zoat, if this leads to Elle the Love Elemental getting killed and Demon!Constantine working covertly for the Prince of the World, I will be very cross with you.

It is just… Her getting killed (or getting her soul drained by a demon) while slowly redeeming herself is SUCH a Hellblazer move that I think you'll do it. It'd hurt me, my feelings.
Don't worry, I wouldn't bring back a character just to kill them off. I'm still annoyed about Robo SG1.

If I kill someone, it will be after giving you plenty of time to get used to them being around.
 
Or Anger. He got plenty of that.

Hm. Did he actually murder the guy whose face he took? Seems like they made some sort of deal.

Also, time jump. We're not getting to see the Smiley/Paul boss fight, do we?
Boss Smiley likely did some sort of reality warping thing. So we might have seen the entire fight.
 
Yo, sorry for changing the subject, but can anyone give me the link to the chapter where Paul is in the Avenger's Earth's mightiest hero universe, the one where Paul explains to Captain America that he was frozen?
 
Don't worry, I wouldn't bring back a character just to kill them off. I'm still annoyed about Robo SG1.
Thank you! I was so excited at the beginning of that episode and solo pissed off at the end. I have a sneaking suspicion they write that episode to shut fans up.

If I kill someone, it will be after giving you plenty of time to get used to them being around
Man, I still miss Teelk.
 
Dear John (part 13)
6th January 2012
07:30 CTZ


Clothes bought from a tramp. The other diners are giving me dirty looks, but all Elle has to do is meet their eyes and they turn away, feeling guilty about getting irritated about what is clearly a nice Christian act of charity.

John didn't mind owing people. I'm a demon, and right now I'm on the wrong end of this transaction.


"What happened in Fawcett City, John?"

Well there's no point in lying, is there?

"Satanus gave me a job offer. He was trying to get made King of Hell, needed to convince the rest of the demon upper crust to go along with it."

"And so you tried to murder an entire city?"

Bit rich her coming on all high and mighty, but they haven't served breakfast yet.

"So I helped him do something he was going to do anyway, only a bit more subtly than he was originally planning. And I got out of Hell, which made it all worth while."

"You don't like Hell?"

No harm in explaining, I suppose.

"How long was I down there, before I became a demon?"

"Oh. Not long enough."

"Yeah. When John made me, he used his own demon-tainted blood to hold me together. Nergal's blood. Which let me use Hell's magic but doesn't exactly make me a native. And then his plan was for me to bind the soul of some damned arsehole to me and dump all the torment on him. Which worked just fine until some bastard did a séance and summoned him up. And then it hit me."

She doesn't look impressed.

"We all go through that. Even the ones who used to be angels had to fall and burn and suffer before they adjusted."

"Doesn't make it right."

Her eyes dip, and she's thinking about… Well, probably hundreds of things. What happened with Tali first of all.

John kept his empathy, but I don't actually enjoy people suffering. Not if I don't already hate them. She does, or… Did.


"What happened to you, anyway?"

"You want to know why I ended up in Hell? I barely remember."

"The violet thing. You don't feel like yourself."

"John and the Orange Lantern offered me power as a bribe to stay out of their way. It changed me. I'm not even really a succubus any more."

Huh. Possible, I suppose. Converting one type of power into another. That's basically what becoming a demon involves, but…

"How?"

"A spell focused through a piece of crystallised love. So you're out of luck."

"Why's that, then?"

"It was my love for Tali that let it work. They can't just grab a demon and change them, or they would already have done. If John gave you all his worst characteristics -and I can barely believe that there was anything left- then there's no way that-."

"I've been in love."

I mostly say it because I don't like people saying that I'm limited. Yeah, yeah, that's the only reason why I said it. Having the ability to feel human emotions mostly removed isn't something I've ever learned to live with. I don't have John's ability to read people because I can't really empathise with most things regular people feel. Which means that I only understand total bastards and him.

But I repeat meself.


"Why would John have given you any of his memories he actually liked?"

"Because it was the only way to convince me to kill meself and complete the ritual. If I didn't feel any affection for anyone I'd have told him to fuck off."

"I know John's girlfriends. Which one?"

"Kit Ryan, if you must know."

We've been leaning towards each other, and we both lean back as the waiter appears with our breakfasts. I'm playing up the homeless angle with a full fry up while Elle's just having bacon and eggs. He doesn't look at me more than he has to in order to aim the plate at the table, but his gaze lingers on Elle and she gets a warm smile.

She nods.


"Thank you."

"No problem ma'am. Enjoy your breakfast."

I've already gotten scrambled egg and fried slice on my fork and into my mouth. They hadn't quite worked out how to feed us at Belle Reve, and for a demon like me it's not just about shoving fuel down my throat. This egg was freshly cracked, and destroying chicken ovum is ritualistically empowering.

The waiter heads back to the counter and I lean forward again, mantling my food and keeping knife and fork going all the while.


"Have you seen her?"

"What?"

"Since you got back on Earth. Have you visited her?"

"Oh yeah, she'll be dead pleased to see me."

Him. Just another reason it pisses me off, really. I haven't actually had a relationship with her. She's literally the only person I could even think of being involved with. If I-.

But if Satanus is in prison… And I'm on Earth. People are looking for me, but dodging-. Most of them's easy enough.


"You know… They could do for you what they did for me."

"Doesn't seem likely."

But it could. More to the point, I've got John's memories of people back on the other side of the Atlantic. I know spells that'll let me… Absorb parts of John from the environment. Become… Something more like a whole person, even if the new parts are made of John.

Cheryl's back over there. And the other one's not going to care about her.


"She might."

John doesn't need his life or his messes any more. And if he doesn't need it, I suppose I might as well take it like everything else he didn't need.

Or maybe I just want it to be true.


"She might. She might at that."

7th November 2012
10:06 GMT -5

The old wizard stops whatever spell he was casting and grabs his headset.


"Orange Lantern? Blue Lantern?"

"Doubt they'll help, mate."

"What have you done, demon?"

"Held back things you didn't know to ask about. How about we make a deal?"
 
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feeling guilty about getting irritated about what is clearly a nice Christian act of charity.

Well it is Christian charity, but the one doing it isn't connected to your typical Christians.

And so you tried to murder an entire city?"

Bit rich her coming on all high and mighty, but they haven't served breakfast yet.

Wait to eat and then insult the one feeding you.

and destroying chicken ovum it ritualistically empowering.

"ovum is"

The old wizard stops whatever spell me was casting and grabs his headset.

"Orange Lantern? Blue Lantern?"

"Doubt they'll help, mate."

"What have you done, demon?"

"Held back things you didn't know to ask about. How about we make a deal

Fucking Constantines.
 

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