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

Handlewithcare · Jun 22, 2022

Yay, more weird conceptual stuff!

I'm looking forward to the weirdness

Also, "When we are in position, we will need to make our owen."

Owen?

Stsword · Jun 22, 2022

Chojin Patriarch said:
Wonder if the blurry names is because text in dreams is said to be nonsensical gibberish? As for the graveyard, I half expected Cain to be hanging about in his capacity as a narrator. Because atmosphere.

Or Elvira. She also likes to narrate and was the hostess of the House of Mystery in DC.

Mr Zoat · Jun 22, 2022

Duke Long said:
'Thet'
This sentence is malformed, but I don't know what it's supposed to be.
'thet'
'no' or 'not a'
'own'

Chojin Patriarch said:
...braziers either at the front or hanging from the roof.
I'm guessing that was meant to be 'feed'?
Was that intentional for his accent, or..?
Alan hefts it slightly, then peers over the rim...

Thank you, corrected.

thebishop8 · Jun 22, 2022

I have a question regarding something I've been mildly curious about for a while. Way back in episode 24, after Paul got his ring back from Truggs, there was a throwaway line in which he said that he couldn't access some files Truggs left on his ring. I was wondering if Paul was ever going to access those files, or if he already did off-screen and it just turned out to be Truggs porn stash or something.

AR760 · Jun 22, 2022

"No. Demons can't dream. Or sleep, unless we're possessing someone. John gave me a few of his memories, but he never came somewhere like this as a demon." He closes his eyes and inhales through his nose. "I think I can smell him."

This seems...odd. I feel like I remember reading in either Sandman or Lucifer a scene where Dream/Morpheus essentially responded to the threats of Lucifer and claims of Dream being powerless with a line that implies something of the opposite.

The line being something along the lines of..."What power would Hell have if those here imprisoned were not able to dream of Heaven?"

So hearing that Demons for some reason are fundamentally incapable of dreaming feel weird. What's up with that?

Darko · Jun 22, 2022

Xepeyon said:
This seems...odd. I feel like I remember reading in either Sandman or Lucifer a scene where Dream/Morpheus essentially responded to the threats of Lucifer and claims of Dream being powerless with a line that implies something of the opposite.

The line being something along the lines of..."What power would Hell have if those here imprisoned were not able to dream of Heaven?"

So hearing that Demons for some reason are fundamentally incapable of dreaming feel weird. What's up with that?

I think he was talking about the damned souls, not the demons.

BR549 · Jun 22, 2022

Xepeyon said:
This seems...odd. I feel like I remember reading in either Sandman or Lucifer a scene where Dream/Morpheus essentially responded to the threats of Lucifer and claims of Dream being powerless with a line that implies something of the opposite.

The line being something along the lines of..."What power would Hell have if those here imprisoned were not able to dream of Heaven?"

So hearing that Demons for some reason are fundamentally incapable of dreaming feel weird. What's up with that?

The demons aren't the ones imprisoned in Hell - that's the souls of mortals who were sent there. The Dreams of the damned souls make the torments the demons make effective, is what Morpheus was saying there.

The demons, themselves, have no Dreams.

Mr Zoat · Jun 22, 2022

thebishop8 said:
I have a question regarding something I've been mildly curious about for a while. Way back in episode 24, after Paul got his ring back from Truggs, there was a throwaway line in which he said that he couldn't access some files Truggs left on his ring. I was wondering if Paul was ever going to access those files, or if he already did off-screen and it just turned out to be Truggs porn stash or something.

Ah. I forgot about that, and I've got no idea what I planned. Let's say that he entered an alien thought process as a sort of memetic attack, but the Ophidian ate it.

Xepeyon said:
This seems...odd. I feel like I remember reading in either Sandman or Lucifer a scene where Dream/Morpheus essentially responded to the threats of Lucifer and claims of Dream being powerless with a line that implies something of the opposite.

The line being something along the lines of..."What power would Hell have if those here imprisoned were not able to dream of Heaven?"

So hearing that Demons for some reason are fundamentally incapable of dreaming feel weird. What's up with that?

The line was really more of a metaphor.

AR760 · Jun 22, 2022

Darko BR549
Demons are still prisoners of hell though? I feel like I remember that being something mentioned previously and in DC.

Remember, unless Demons are summoned, for the most part they are trapped in hell. And Demons are nothing more than Human Souls who have been corrupted. Their origin is human. Unless, you know, the demon in question was a former Angel or a syncretized deity or something.

And even Demons suffer in hell, unless they exist at the top of the hierarchy. Even then, most of them, as seen with the Satanus stuff, have and would work to escape or have ways out and such and such when they can.

They still dream of something better. They still have hopes and desires, and all in all don't seem to have drifted really all that far from the baseline human experience.

Other than, you know, being able to feed off of darker acts and emotions, which DC Magicians have been able to empower themselves with previously too, so even humans seem to have that potential on some level.

Was it ever mentioned in DC that Demons were disconnected from the Dreaming all together? I mean, the metaphysics could always be different here, granted. But I don't ever remember the story going into why they wouldn't be able to connect to the Dreaming after transitioning into Demons.

The Endless and their Domains tend to be something greater, who touch basically everyone and everything in existence. And the number of beings not connected to them tend to be Lucifer level and up

Windona · Jun 22, 2022

Into the Dream!

I have a feeling Morpheus will show up at some point anyway. But it sure looks like it will be a fun ride.

Lord Ernest · Jun 22, 2022

I'm not sure about the metaphysics or the hierarchy regarding the Endless, but The Demon Constantine implied the the Demons' current situation of "not dreaming" is in part because of the debacle with Morpheus and because they, generally, don't sleep. I would assume that they have imagination, expectations, assumptions, aspirations and such, all thoughts connected in some way with the Dream. And the Dream itself might as well be the basis/origin of magic or magical entities in a more broad sense so, yes, the demons are in some way connected to the Dream. But they don't Dream the way mortal minds do, they are not generators of The Dreaming nor inhabitants nor dependants of it, I would assume.

And regarding demons being prisoners of Hell. Are we prisoners of Earth? To demons being in Hell is natural, that's their habitat, doesn't matter how shitty it might be to most. It's not like life is not shitty to a lot of people on Earth as well. The difference being that the Demons' main job/vocation is messing, preying on and taking advantage of us and we are on the mortal plane, so they obviously have to come here. And the same way we have to prepare to exit our planet, they have to prepare to exit their hellish plane of existance. At least, that's how I understand it.

Bud-E · Jun 22, 2022

Xepeyon said:
This seems...odd. I feel like I remember reading in either Sandman or Lucifer a scene where Dream/Morpheus essentially responded to the threats of Lucifer and claims of Dream being powerless with a line that implies something of the opposite.

The line being something along the lines of..."What power would Hell have if those here imprisoned were not able to dream of Heaven?"

So hearing that Demons for some reason are fundamentally incapable of dreaming feel weird. What's up with that?

I'm pretty sure Morpheus was specifically referring to the people getting punished in hell, not the demons doing the punishing.

Fallengamer13 · Jun 22, 2022

Bud-E said:
I'm pretty sure Morpheus was specifically referring to the people getting punished in hell, not the demons doing the punishing.

Speaking of hell, how are things going in heaven? I dont exactly remember any details about it after the whole incident with Smiley. Any interesting developments lately? More angelic superheroes?

Sorry for the trouble.

Vaermina · Jun 23, 2022

Xepeyon said:
This seems...odd. I feel like I remember reading in either Sandman or Lucifer a scene where Dream/Morpheus essentially responded to the threats of Lucifer and claims of Dream being powerless with a line that implies something of the opposite.

The line being something along the lines of..."What power would Hell have if those here imprisoned were not able to dream of Heaven?"

So hearing that Demons for some reason are fundamentally incapable of dreaming feel weird. What's up with that?

It's just a Zoat re-write.

Mr Zoat · Jun 23, 2022

8th November 2012
17:06 GMT +3

My spear embeds itself in the upper torso of the first zombie I run into, and-. And I didn't think this through, because while the spear does its job and the zombie can't get any closer, it isn't de-animated by something as trivial as a pierced heart and bronchi. Alan's sword on the other hand slices neatly through the neck of his first opponent and is then free to slash the arm off another. Okay, bad choice. I shove the spear forward to push the impalee back into the mob, letting it go and replacing it with-.

I still think a sword is too short. Zombies like this are-.

Wait. Vodun zombies are living people with part of their soul removed. They're immune to pain but die from physical injuries like anyone else. These are-. These look like animated corpses-

With no weapon in hand I settle for shield-charging a group of zombies who are getting too close to Sanderson and Dr. Balewa, knocking them on their backs as Sandman II continues leading the way.

-but there's no one animating them and there's no spell bound to them. Animating a corpse using pure magic is hard. Usually, wizards would bind a spirit of some sort and have it pilot the body, but while Dream entities can gain consciousness-.

I pause, making eye contact with one of the more intact zombies.

"I apologise for my presumption, but are you an intelligent-?"

"Grhhhhhhhhhhhh…"

I look at her chest cavity while keeping a careful eye on the rest of the squad.

"Of course."

There's no orange light, but the tissues of her chest knit back together in response to my desire for wholeness and order and good health.

Alan stops suddenly, spotting what I'm doing and looking awkwardly at his sword.

"Wait, was I supposed to be doing that?"

"This is people's dreams of death. Death is a terrifying thing when you don't know what's going to happen. Amazons still don't like the Temple of Hades, much less actually coming to Erebos when they don't have to. So if this isn't a horror film, then these things are nightmare and not actual physical threats. Ma'am?"

"Cold."

I raise my right hand and a thick poncho appears draped over her shoulders.

"Lonely."

I form a floating gauntlet, grab another zombie and pull them in front of her.

"He looks nice."

She shambles a step closer and wraps her arms around the other zombie.

"Uuuuuuuuugh…"

Who awkwardly wraps his arms back around her.

"Dream zombies! Death isn't that bad! Souls are real! Your consciousness continues after your organic death! And I know that-"

The zombies are sort of shambling to a stop.

"-change is disconcerting, and unwanted change doubly so, but I think you could make a go of this place! Just think of all the fascinating stories the zombies around you have to tell!"

"Hungry."

"You don't have a stomach or lower jaw. How are you going to eat? That doesn't make any sense."

"Gahh?"

"Okay, fine, but this is a dream. If you want something to eat, there's probably something out there somewhere. Or you could just go back to sleep."

The entire crowd for as far as I can see has stopped.

"Okay! Excitement over!" I dismiss my shield and calmly and confidently walk over to where Dr. Balewa is looking suspiciously pleased with himself. "Doctor?"

"You are so disruptive thet your discordant nature spreads to the Dream. These are not people."

Alan looks around. "Well, no. But they're not zombies either?"

"People dream of dying and death. Their projected thoughts make this place."

"Not quite, but close enough. I suspect thet the Gate we used was created when Hades turned Erebos into an afterlife. He may hev drawn on this place to change Erebos's nature."

Alan nods. "So it's all like a test?"

"Test? No. But there will be ways to approach the place thet are not immediately obvious. Fighting would hev worked. Mister Hawkins?"

"Ah?" Sanderson tears his attention away from a zombie group hug. "Is it alright to leave them like this?"

"This is a dream, Mister Hawkins. We may share it, but once we leave only the themes will remain."

"So they..? Die? I mean, again? Or-." He frowns. "Wait."

"The term I hev heard used is 'amortal'. They do not live, and so cannot die. Any complex behaviour emerges from our minds and expectations." He smiles faintly. "Your concern for their wellbeing speaks well of you, but you do not need to fear."

Sanderson doesn't look either entirely happy or entirely convinced, but leads the way through the throng of hugging, poncho-wearing zombies. We're heading… Slightly downhill, though with the mist still high I can't tell what we're heading towards.

Alan dismisses his sword, though he keeps his shield. "Why did you pick a spear?"

"Better reach. And I thought that-. Well, you know how guns are a pain to enchant because they don't have the same length of history?"

He nods. "So you didn't think a gun would work."

"Except it-." / "Thet is not-."

Dr. Balewa nods to me, gesturing to me with an open right palm. "Continue. I am interested in your reasoning."

"The thaumosphere is slow to change. History counts for a lot. But in the Dream… Ideas and.. social transmission matter, but I.. imagine that it's far more closely related to what the people currently alive dream. So actually, a gun should work just fine."

"Thet is mostly true. The oldest Dream-creatures may refuse to acknowledge them, but against the Unknowable Dead it would have worked."

Sanderson frowns and then accelerates to a jog, the zombies falling behind and the land dropping-.

I hear water and that's a stream, Sanderson walking out onto a jetty.

"I found us a boat. That should take us to… Wherever's next."

The Demon folds his arms across his chest.

"Hope one of you can row. I smoke forty a day."

Darko · Jun 23, 2022

Mr Zoat said:
no one animated them

"animating"

Mr Zoat said:
"Lonely."

I form a floating gauntlet, grab another zombie and pull them in front of her.

"He looks nice."

She shambles a step closer and wraps her arms around the other zombie.

"Uuuuuuuuugh…"

Who awkwardly wraps his arms back around her

Cute.

Mr Zoat said:
Hope one of you can row. I smoke forty a day."

Cutting back?

Bud-E · Jun 23, 2022

Mr Zoat said:
"You are so disruptive that your discordant nature spreads to the Dream. These are not people."

Look at Paul making Eris proud. BTW anyone else get the feeling Demon-Constantine is gonna try to absorb/consume Quinn?

Coltsguy · Jun 23, 2022

Paul pulled a 'Warm Bodies' on the zombies. Nice.

Stsword · Jun 23, 2022

Coltsguy said:
Paul pulled a 'Warm Bodies' on the zombies. Nice.

I think that was an homage to the Hellblazer story in which a ghost was asking people for hugs, and when refused froze them to death.

John gave the ghost a hug and the ghost moved on, leaving John fine physically.

Or as fit as he was before the hug, anyway.

Chojin Patriarch · Jun 23, 2022

Mr Zoat said:
8th November 2012
17:06 GMT +3

My spear embeds itself in the upper torso of the first zombie I run into, and-. And I didn't think this through, because while the spear does its job and the zombie can't get any closer, it isn't de-animated by something as trivial as a pierced heart and bronchi. Alan's sword on the other hand slices neatly through the neck of his first opponent and is then free to slash the arm off another. Okay, bad choice. I shove the spear forward to push the impalee back into the mob, letting it go and replacing it with-.

Yeah, not the best choice against zombies, really. After all, Piercing weapons traditionally don't bother things that don't use their organs for living. Slashing damage, on the other hand, is much more useful, if at least by dismembering them...

I still think a sword is too short. Zombies like this are-.

Wait. Vodun zombies are living people with part of their soul removed. They're immune to pain but die from physical injuries like anyone else. These are-. These look like animated corpses-

Classic 'necromancy' zombies or 'evil science' zombies, then? The latter at least operate a bit like living people, besides a tendency to mutate.

With no weapon in hand I settle for shield-charging a group of zombies who are getting too close to Sanderson and Dr. Balewa, knocking them on their backs as Sandman II continues leading the way.

-but there's no one animated them and there's no spell bound to them. Animating a corpse using pure magic is hard. Usually, wizards would bind a spirit of some sort and have it pilot the body, but while Dream entities can gain consciousness-.

Thinking too mundane, OL. This is a realm of metaphor and perception.

I pause, making eye contact with one of the more intact zombies.

"I apologise for my presumption, but are you an intelligent-?"

And if this were a regular RPG session, the DM would be groaning right now, along with the other players, at the 'quirky guy's antics.

There's always one...

"Grhhhhhhhhhhhh…"

I look at her chest cavity while keeping a careful eye on the rest of the squad.

Hard to speak without lungs, after all. Or at least a working diaphragm.

"Of course."

There's no orange light, but the tissues of her chest knit back together in response to my desire for wholeness and order and good health.

Well, not classic D&D zombies, then. Healing effects deal damage to them due to being infused with Negative Energy (Healing being Positive Energy-based...)

Alan stop suddenly, spotting what I'm going and looking awkwardly at his sword.

"Wait, was I supposed to be doing that?"

Well, hard to go past your first inclination. I'm sure the ones you slashed up appreciate being taken seriously.

"This is people's dreams of death. Death is a terrifying thing when you don't know what's going to happen. Amazons still don't like the Temple of Hades, much less actually coming to Erebos when they don't have to. So if this isn't a horror film, then these things are nightmare and not actual physical threats. Ma'am?"

"Cold."

Now, You (and OL) might assume she's talking about being dead, but I choose to assume she's insulted by OL's reaction. You're not supposed to care about the zombie horde, dammit!

I raise my right hand and a thick poncho appears draped over her shoulders.

"Lonely."

...Or she is really dedicated to playing her role.

I form a floating gauntlet, grab another zombie and pull them in front of her.

"He looks nice."

Barring the bits of face missing. All those soft tissues that are first to go, after all, like the nose, ears and eyelids...

She shambles a step closer and wraps her arms around the other zombie.

"Uuuuuuuuugh…"

Oh, brother. Only OL could consider hugging therapy as a counter to zombies.

Who awkwardly wraps his arms back around her.

"Dream zombies! Death isn't that bad! Souls are real! Your consciousness continues after your organic death! And I know that-"

Background Zombie #1: "Oh, come on, mate, quit playing the arse. We're here to get chopped up! I quite enjoy getting an arm lopped off now and then!"

The zombies are sort of shambling to a stop.

"-change is disconcerting, and unwanted change doubly so, but I think you could make a go of this place! Just think of all the fascinating stories the zombies around you have to tell!"

And the DM is just face-down behind his screen, rolling his head back and forth and making pained sounds...

"Hungry."

"You don't have a stomach or lower jaw. How are you going to eat? That doesn't make any sense."

"Gahh?"

Background Zombie #2: "Well, there's no need to point out my deficiencies, pal. Geez, rude much?"

"Okay, fine, but this is a dream. If you want something to eat, there's probably something out there somewhere. Or you could just go back to sleep."

The entire crowd for as far as I can see has stopped.

Background Zombie #3: "Well, it's no fun if you're not going to play along, you know..."

"Okay! Excitement over!" I dismiss my shield and calmly and confidently walk over to where Dr. Balewa is looking suspiciously pleased with himself. "Doctor?"

"You are so disruptive that your discordant nature spreads to the Dream. These are not people."

Background Zombie #1: "Oi! Watch the animatism! We have feelings too!"

Alan looks around. "Well, no. But they're not zombies either?"

"People dream of dying and death. Their projected thoughts make this place."

And no doubt many others like it. Not every culture or faith has the same vision of a place of stagnant death, after all. Just watch out for the ones based on DOOM. Messy places, those.

"Not quite, but close enough. I suspect thet the Gate we used was created when Hades turned Erebos into an afterlife. He may hev drawn on this place to change Erebos's nature."

Alan nods. "So it's all like a test?"

If it was, I suspect whether you passed or not is still up in the air...

"Test? No. But there will be ways to approach the place that are not immediately obvious. Fighting would have worked. Mister Hawkins?"

"Ah?" Sanderson tears his attention away from a zombie group hug. "Is it alright to leave them like this?"

Background Zombie #2: "Eh, there'll be another bunch along any minute now. Maybe they'll be into it. Or maybe we can get to dance this time! I like dancing!"

Background Zombie #3: "But you've got two left feet."

Background Zombie #2: "Hey, I can't help how I was sewn together!"

"This is a dream, Mister Hawkins. We may share it, but once we leave only the themes will remain."

"So they..? Die? I mean, again? Or-." He frowns. "Wait."

Think of them as actors playing out scenes. That's probably closer to their actual condition than anything.

"The term I hev heard used is 'amortal'. They do not live, and so cannot die. Any complex behaviour emerges from our minds and expectations." He smiles faintly. "Your concern for their wellbeing speaks well of you, but you do not need to fear."

Sanderson doesn't look either entirely happy or entirely convinced, but leads the way through the throng of hugging, poncho-wearing zombies. We're heading… Slightly downhill, though with the mist still high I can't tell what we're heading towards.

Well, if he managed to do what Doctor Mist asked, you should hear the sound of water against a shoreline any time.

Alan dismisses his sword, though he keeps his shield. "Why did you pick a spear?"

"Better reach. And I though that-. Well, you know how guns are a pain to enchant because they don't have the same length of history?"

Unless you're an extremely powerful mage, with power to burn.

He nods. "So you didn't think a gun would work."

"Except it-." / "Thet is not-."

Eh, two of you are American, and Doc is quite aware of the power of a Gun, and especially it's imagery...

Dr. Balewa nods to me, gesturing to me with an open right palm. "Continue. I am interested in your reasoning."

"The thaumosphere is slow to change. History counts for a lot. But in the Dream… Ideas and.. social transmission matter, but I.. imagine that it's far more closely related to what the people currently alive dream. So actually, a gun should work just fine."

As long as you don't go for a flamethrower or something. Then not only are they chasing you, they're chasing you on fire.

"Thet is mostly true. The oldest Dream-creatures may refuse to acknowledge them, but against the Unknowable Dead it would have worked."

Sanderson frowns and then accelerates to a jog, the zombies falling behind and the land dropping-.

So, you probably could have gone all 'Resident Evil' on them, then.

I hear water and that's a stream, Sanderson walking out onto a jetty.

"I found us a boat. That should take us to… Wherever's next."

Unless something else has other ideas...

The Demon folds his arms across his chest.

"Hope one of you can row. I smoke forty a day."

Isn't that less than what John usually worked through?

At least one of you cares about your health.

Huh. That is not how I expected them to handle Zombies. And yet it made perfect sense, knowing OL. If any of the local personalities are watching them, I bet they're shaking their heads at his sort of lateral thinking. At any rate, best to be moving along before something nastier takes note of you. And there are some right scary blokes floating around the Dreaming, after all.

LZB1285 · Jun 23, 2022

Mr Zoat said:
Alan stop suddenly, spotting what I'm going and looking awkwardly at his sword.

This sentence needs work, try:

"Alan stops suddenly, spotting what I'm doing and looks awkwardly at his sword."

Darko · Jun 23, 2022

Chojin Patriarch said:
Yeah, not the best choice against zombies, really. After all, Piercing weapons traditionally don't bother things that don't use their organs for living.

Well unless you aim for the head.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Background Zombie #2: "Well, there's no need to point out my deficiencies, pal. Geez, rude much?"

Background Zombie #2: I can just as easily say that you're more likely to be impotent. How do you like that, you warm-bodied freak?

Duke Long · Jun 23, 2022

Mr Zoat said:
You are so disruptive that your discordant nature

'thet'

Mr Zoat said:
ways to approach the place that are not immediately obvious

'thet'
also, maybe 'this place'

Mr Zoat said:
Fighting would have worked

'hev'

Mr Zoat said:
Better reach. And I though that-

'thought'

Interesting chapter. A neat way of dealing with zombies. I wonder if this place will stop existing at some point as people get more educated on the true nature of afterlives, or if Erebos will allow it to stick around.

Mr Zoat · Jun 23, 2022

Darko said:
"animating"

LZB1285 said:
This sentence needs work, try:

"Alan stops suddenly, spotting what I'm doing and looks awkwardly at his sword."

Duke Long said:
'thet'
'thet'
also, maybe 'this place'
'hev'
'thought'

Thank you, corrected.

Windona · Jun 23, 2022

Awww, zombie hugs. That lateral thinking is always appreciated.

Vaermina · Jun 23, 2022

Mr Zoat said:
8th November 2012
17:06 GMT +3

A whole chapter of LePaul just being wrong about everything.

This amuses me.

Ngamer11 · Jun 24, 2022

Mr Zoat, have you ever read Soon I Will Be Invincible? I ask because I heard of it and what I have learned makes it seem like an interesting place for a version of Paul to end up in. Would it be possible for us to see this in the story?

thebishop8 · Jun 24, 2022

Ngamer11 said:
Mr Zoat, have you ever read Soon I Will Be Invincible? I ask because I heard of it and what I have learned makes it seem like an interesting place for a version of Paul to end up in. Would it be possible for us to see this in the story?

What about the setting makes you think it would be interesting to see a version of Paul go there?

Ngamer11 · Jun 24, 2022

thebishop8 said:
What about the setting makes you think it would be interesting to see a version of Paul go there?

The fact that the SI has read it, since he recalled Doctor Impossible in both timelines when the local versions introduced themselves. I'm interested in seeing how he'll interact with people knowing what they have/will do, at least in regards to the events in the novel, and if he can do anything about the literal mental disorder that turns people into evil geniuses.

Mr Zoat · Jun 24, 2022

8th November 2012
17:12 GMT +3

"I wonder if my college has a rowing team?"

Sanderson and I are getting into a rhythm, our oars going into the water together… Reasonably well. I've only had to stabilise myself with my ring once so far.

Alan leans a little towards him. "Shouldn't be too hard to find out."

"Wouldn't do you much good, though. Metahumans can't participate in official competitions."

"They can't? Why not?"

"What do you mean, 'they'?"

"Mean-?" He blinks. "Oh. Oh yeah. I guess that's-. I mean, magic counts?"

"The rules are a little vague about exactly what they cover, but I imagine that they would stretch to a man who could transform himself into sand."

"That doesn't seem fair. It doesn't make me any stronger."

"Do you get tired when you're made of sand?"

"I haven't really tested it out. Do you think I wouldn't?"

"Your sand body doesn't have any way to generate lactic acid, or… Any other chemical. Not that that necessarily means anything."

"Okay, I guess, but it's kind of obvious whether I'm made of sand or not."

"Sanderson, I know that you're a good guy, but the rules have to be written on the assumption that a certain number of participants won't be. Plenty of abilities don't have any obvious outward sign that they're in use."

The Demon slumps slightly in his seat. "None of you smoke, do you?"

"No." / "Not for sixty years." / "Aunt Dian wouldn't let me." / "No."

"You do all realise that none of you can get cancer, yeah?"

Alan shrugs. "I guess we've all got enough purpose in our lives that we don't need things like that."

"I wouldn't tempt me if I were you. Demons with purpose aren't exactly human-friendly."

He's not wrong there.

Hm. Hard to tell exactly how long we've been doing this for. The mist has gone, and we're in a river bed that's deep enough that I can't see over the bank-.

"Doctor, what's on the other side of the river banks?"

"Not a great deal. This is a travelling river. I imagine thet what surrounds us is the unformatted stuff of the Dream."

Alan frowns, straightening up slightly and peering to the left. "Is it safe?"

"It would not be wise to walk through it with your living body, but it will not hurt us here."

"If I did, what would happen?"

"It would be like being in a dream, except thet you would hev no external body to awaken into."

"Could someone get out?"

Dr. Balewa nods slowly. "Perhaps. If they were unusually self-possessed, or had someone to help them. Mister Hawkins, do you feel anything about our destination?"

"Doctor, I'm not really used to navigating by… By feel like this. I don't want to get everyone lost."

"Returning to the Gate of Horn and Ivory from a river like this is easy. Do not worry about getting us lost. As long as no one moves into the deep dream, I am confident thet I could guide our return journey myself. It is in navigating us in thet you are helpful."

"Okay, then I think we're coming up on something. But I don't-"

We all hear the rushing water, and I nod to myself.

"-know what-. Ah, that's bad, right?"

"I… Am not sure."

Dr. Balewa peers in the direction of our travel as the roar of water going over a waterfall gets louder.

"I do not believe thet it will be a problem, but if the Lanterns could-"

Lap bars, chain loops and grab rails appear on our boat, and life jackets materialise at our feet.

"-make certain-. Thank you."

The river bends, the bank blocking our view of the fall until-. Yes, there it is, the classical waterfall-from-nowhere. I swap my plate armour helmet for a diving helmet, and after a moment Alan does as well.

The Demon wraps ropes around each of his forearms. "Alright, Doctor. Anything we need to know?"

"It is probably too late to teach you how to swim."

The boat's picking up speed. We could probably reach the bank, but from what Dr. Balewa was saying there's nothing there.

"About the water."

"Despite the fact that it does not literally exist, I would not recommend breathing-"

The boat goes over the fall.

"-it-."

I'm braced, but-. What? I-.

There's a moment of disorientation as we go over, but then it's… Like we're sailing along a level river once more, the sky above us sort of twisting so that the dull night sky that accompanied us since we left zombie territory is replaced by-.

I close my eyes in an attempt to get my brain to stop hurting. Okay, it looked like a Middle eastern market from a couple of centuries ago drawn by Roger Penrose. Pathways link points that have no rational spatial relationship to one another, being at variance in place or orientation. People of various kinds walk freely at our plane, up walls and across ceilings. A few move at completely different angles, and some overpasses have people walking atop and beneath them.

"Ah, good. We hev arrived."

I open my eyes, and don't punch Dr. Balewa in the face.

"Oarsmen, please take us to the jetty. We will need to transfer here."

Sanderson and I look at each other for a moment, then carefully resume our strokes. I glance back and see that our drop-in point has vanished. The jetty's not far away, but we're one of the smaller boats on the water and we're not good at delicate manoeuvring.

"Do you recognise where we are, Orange Lantern?"

"Yes, Time Trapper mentioned it. Caliph Haroun al Raschid made a deal with Morpheus to preserve his realm forever. I assume that this is it."

"Yes. We will seek passage onwards from here, and gather supplies for our task. But be on your guard: not all things here are what they seem."

…

No. Really?

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

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