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

Mr Zoat · Mar 1, 2020

Galler said:
Broken link

Works for me. Anyone else?

Zig · Mar 1, 2020

Mr Zoat said:
Works for me. Anyone else?

Says image not found for me

Bigreader · Mar 1, 2020

Mr Zoat said:
glance down to where the self-renamed Party Popper is lying pressed up against my barrel. I don't think that she's fully awake-

She yawns, her eyes opening and then closing again.

-but she appears to be heading in that direction. What to say? I used her to illustrate a point, and-. Huh. I was expecting to feel a little guilt, but this is quite a bit more than I was expecting. Maybe it's because she's small and furry and adorable.

did Renegade Paul do something with party popper? Do I need to call an adult or the cops? Lantus side that was a very surreal song and it made me feel like I was taking drugs which is kind of interesting since I've never actually taken drugs. But it was a good chapter in a good I guess ending for this section of the story though I do hope we have sunsets resolution before this ends

Chojin Patriarch · Mar 1, 2020

Mr Zoat said:
Local morning
Probably still the 1st of April back home

I take a moment to look at my forehooves. They still look much the same, particularly given that I didn't take my armour off last night. I'm.. pretty sure that what I dreamt actually happened -for a given value of 'actually happened' but… I don't exactly know how to tell.

Well, do you feel any lingering trace of depression and/or self-doubt from the Anti-life? Also: Sleeping in armour? Tres uncomfortable.

"Mhr?"

I glance down to where the self-renamed Party Popper is lying pressed up against my barrel. I don't think that she's fully awake-

She yawns, her eyes opening and then closing again.

<Hnnng!> Too cute...

-but she appears to be heading in that direction. What to say? I used her to illustrate a point, and-. Huh. I was expecting to feel a little guilt, but this is quite a bit more than I was expecting. Maybe it's because she's small and furry and adorable.

I mean… It might be because I don't have an Anti-Life fragment any longer, but I'm not going to gamble on that until Sunset and Scott have checked.

Definitely something worth checking, yes.

"Uhh."

Party Popper blearily looks around, notices my barrel and then pokes it with her left forehoof to check that it's really there.

"Huh. Mom always told me something like this would happen if I left the rock farm."

Well, I don't think she meant 'wake up in bed with transmogrified alien' precisely. But I expect it was similarly scandalous.

"She did?"

She turns her head towards mine. "Weeeeeeeell… Not this exact thing. But I think this is the sort of thing she meant."

Not even a blush? Shameless, Popper, shameless.

"Party Popper, I'm sorry for dragging you into this. I-."

"Are you?" She blinks up at me. "Are you really?"

"Are... You... Reeeeeeaaaaalllly?"

I nod.

"No one's more surprised than me. Normally the most I feel in situations like this is a mild obligation to the injured party. This is actually…" I sigh. "Bringing you here illustrated the point a little better, but honestly? From what Luna said, just teleporting Twilight and your primogenitor to the Mirror Pool would have worked just as well. I just wanted to break their resistance as fast as I could and didn't really care if I hurt you to do it. And I should have done. So; not just an apology. I do actually want you to organise Sunset Shimmer's party, if you're still willing. And obviously I'm in your debt in addition to that."

The first of many apologies to make to many, many ponies... And a surer sign of character development we've not seen.

"Huh." She looks thoughtful for a moment, then brightens up. "Hey, you passed!"

"Good? Passed what?"

Ah, Pinkie Pie, confusing people no matter the form or name...

"Princess Luna told me that if you didn't apologise I had to buck you in the flank." She cranes her neck to bring her face a little closer to mine. "And unlike someponies, I actually know where the flank is."

"It's another word for 'haunches', isn't it?"

Hint: it's not where the Cutie Marks are. If you can't see the linked image, it's basically the ribs to edge of the hip... Like this.

She shakes her head definitively, smiling broadly. "Nope!"

I snort with amusement. "Hey, you want to know what's funny?"

And cue the faint sound of music in the background. Man, where's Music Meister when you need him. Oh, well, Rings! (No, Corpsman. Just... No.)

"Aaaaaaalways."

"Luna's my best friend in all of Equestria."

It's like a pair of eight-year-olds swapping secrets... How appropriate.

She leans back, squinting at me. "Really? Whaw."

"I know, right. So she visited your dream too?"

"Yep. So I know all the other mes didn't really die and they're all going to be let out soon and I can be Party Popper for real or even Pinkie Pie except that could get confusing when we're all together and I can even go back to Ponyville if I want to."

Cloudy Quartz (Pinkie's mother) is gonna be reeeaaal confused when she finds out about this...

"Do you want to?"

"I…" She sags a little, looking away. "Dunno. I do kinda wanna see everypony again, but Twilight did try and sorta-kill me. Any everypony else went along with it. And I've made a whole bunch of new friends in Manehattan. Wait a sec-ond." Her turns her face back towards me, peering at me suspiciously. "Didn't your horn used to be orange?"

What?

I briefly go cross-eyed trying to see it.

"Ah-."

I know ponies have a good field of vision but I don't think it's quite that good, no.

Party Popper sticks her right hoof into her mane and pulls out a hoof mirror. She holds it up towards me.

"See?"

I look at my own reflection. I look… Pretty much the same. Which is good; if I'd turned into a white pony I'd be worried that Harmony was racist. But… I'm looking a little less sinister all round, and my horn is now a grey spiral face spear rather than a smooth orange face claw.

So, more natural, less Construct.

"Ah, could you please cover your ears for a moment?"

Party Popper stuffs her mirror back into her mane, then grabs a pillow and holds it over her head.

"Life… Equals… Pain."

Dude! Be more careful when trying to poke the memetic cognitive hazard!

…

It's gone.

It's… Gone.

Until Dad decides you're ready for something a little stronger...

I step off the bed, prompting Party Popper to slump into the depression I made in the bed. She drops the pillow and looks at me expectantly.

"I.. admit I've been a churl
Since I woke up over a world"

And now she's grinning like a loon, because Musical Number!

I take another look at my reflection in the mirror over the dresser.

"The day before was sour
And it left me feeling dour

That 'one bad day' that set him on the path of the Renegade...

I lost everything
Except a glowing orange ring
And though I fought in the good fight
I never did quite get it right."

Yeah, Paragon works so much better. Although your counterpart is a little cracked in his own way too...

I turn back to Party Popper, who's standing on the floor and looking strangely excited.

Dude, if you weren't so big, she'd probably be jumping your 'bones' right now...

"And my allies, they were fine
Though not exactly of like mind
Played them false? Yes, I admit it
And I never seemed to quit it.

Indeed, you might want to arrange a little meeting with the Team later...

Tossed a coin, picked a side,
Because I'd rather fight the tide
And my rage meant that my friends
Were mostly just means to my ends."

Yep, you were a manipulative jerk. Own it and make amends for it.

Life… Doesn't equal pain. Life can be good, full of opportunities.

"And… Now… I'm… Free!"

"There are... No strings... On me... Whoops, wrong tune."

I shove open the door and march down the corridor.

"I'm filled with glee!
There is no Anti-Life in me!
And everyone around can see
That I'm a jubilant pony!

If this weren't Equestria, I suspect people would be thinking 'he's a nutcase!' As it is, they're going 'oh, someone's had an epiphany worthy of a musical routine.'

And now I'm free!
I'm filled with glee!
There is no Anti-Life in me!
And everyone around can see
That I'm a jubilant pony!"

I really hope the rings are recording this. Ringnestro, you better be, if only to embarrass him later!
Oh, you can count on that...

I open my wings and fly down the main staircase, Party Popper hot on my heels. I toss a bag of bits at the front desk attendant and head out of the front doors.

Now, can we get passers-by to join in on the choreography? Popper, get on it!

"Took a stand, won a prize
Cut my foes right down to size
One to rebuild from the rubble
The rest weren't worth the trouble

The fall of the first Light. Lex lives, the rest got Orange Crushed...

Got a visit from my Dad
He took note of all I had
And he gave me as a prize
Something I truly do despise."

How nice of him, or so Darkseid would think...

I march in the direction of the palace while Party Popper leaps onto my back and starts dancing.

Admittedly, not difficult given how big he is. That's a lot of dance-floor.

"But now I'm free!
I'm filled with glee!
There is no Anti-Life in me!
And everyone around can see
That I'm a jubilant pony!

As long as you aren't, uh, 'Standing Proud.' That might get you a fine for public indecency, even in a pony culture.

But now I'm free!
I'm filled with glee!
There is no Anti-Life in me!
And everyone around can see
That I'm a jubilant pony!"

And making an ass of yourself, Corpsman. ...And now I'm making puns. Sweet spirits...

I should probably question how I'm suddenly able to move this quickly on hooves, but… Ah. Who cares?

Do not question the logic of the song-and-dance!

"Got helped out by my bro
He said I should take things slow
So I went on a few tours
And killed many evildoers

Not exactly taking it slow, really.

Did some building, got a plan
'cause I'm not a one note man
Then I went back home to see
What I would do with me."

His Vega road-trip summed up nicely.

Prance through the palace gates, Luna should be… That way?

"So now I'm free!
I'm filled with glee!
There is no Anti-Life in me!
And everyone around can see
I'm…"

And the background music screeches to a halt.

Twilight Sparkle and I stare at each other. She looks… Rough. Worn out and generally miserable.

"A slightly contrite pony."

Apology number two! Get to it.

I stop, and Party Popper jumps down off my back.

"Twilight Sparkle."

She scowls. "What now?"

Yeah, you've earned that attitude.

"I'm sorry. I let my fervour to destroy my Anti-Life fragment blind me to other approaches that I could take, and in doing so I caused you and your friends considerable emotional distress. I didn't take into account the.. now obvious fact that the elements of harmony aren't the jewelry that you and your friends wear, but fundamental parts of Equestria's magic that are available to anyone. I forgot that Nightmare Moon destroyed the previous manifestation of the Elements and that you reformed them from your own vitues, an option that was just as available to me as it was to you. I shouldn't have come after you in the way that I did that and I'm sorry."

And well said. Good to see he's learnt the benefit of Friendship after all.

"Oh. Well. Good." She sighs, then steps around me and looks at Party Popper. "And I'm sorry. I made assumptions about how the Mirror Pool worked based on other magic artefacts I'd studied, and I was.. so wrong and I didn't check that what I thought was true really was. I spent all night getting the other Pinkie Pies out and I said sorry to all of them. I've never wanted anypony to be as afraid of me as you were."

Wow, really? Does she not have any idea of the plague she's just unleashed on Equestria? On the other hand, they can form one hell of a party planning business...

Party Popper thinks for a moment.

"I'd… Be lying if I said I was okay with any of what happened… But I know that you're telling the truth and… I guess you've really done all you can do to make up for it." She gives Twilight a quick nuzzle, then jumps back on my back. "Now go get some sleep. You look awful."

Even as a clone, she's still Twilight's friend at heart....

Twilight nods, takes one last look at me, then trots away. I watch her go for a moment, then continue down the corridor towards the gardens.

"So now I'm free.
Fairly happy.
There is no Anti-Life in me.
And everyone around can see
I'm a.. somewhat contrite pony."

Music back on, choreography at the ready! And... Action!

I step out onto the manicured lawns and nod a greeting to Luna before heading her way.

"Followed Sunset to her home
Where the little ponies roam
Tried to Harmonise my strife
And destroy the Anti-Life

One hell of an adventure, certainly.

Though they were sadly unwilling
Speaking of their Pinkie-killing
Earned me a royal visit
Whose results were-"

Oh, my! </Takei>

I lower my head as if to sniff Luna's haunches, and am rewarded with a tail whip to the snout.

"-quite exquisite."

Not helping those rumours settle down, Grayven...

I walk around to face her as she rolls her eyes.

"Grayven. You seem somewhat less umbral this morn."

"I feel less umbral. Did a song and everything."

"And boy, was it an... Experience. Is it really that common that no-one batted an eyelid?"

"We heard."

"How did it feel to use the Elements again?"

In the form of the White light, anyway. I suspect there's a strong connection between the two.

She thinks for a moment. "Satisfying. We feel… Cleansed by their presence in a way which being struck by their full fury does not match. Now, exactly how far does your contrition extend?"

"I'll repay every debt incurred and a little more besides. But I seem to remember making a promise to you. How-?"

Ah, he's come so far.

She yawns. It lasts several seconds.

"We apologise. Our body entered your dream physically, and we have had little time for rest since."

Keeping a lady up all night, Grayven? What will her sister say?

I nod. "I'll-."

"Because of the great upsets you caused with the Bearers."

Ah, using that Royal Prerogative to smooth over legal issues...

I nod, pausing for a moment. "I'll… Work something out, there. And I'll not keep you, but… I can remove your tiredness, if you'd rather not leave me unsupervised in your capital."

"Having seen what you planned for it, that may be wise. How-?"

Brace yourself, little filly...

Strengthen True Friend.

She shudders, coming to full alertness in an instant, her wings opening to their full span.

"Goodness."

Interesting that he could do that. I didn't expect Conquest to allow for allies rather than subjects or subordinates... Also: Obligatory 'Wing-boner!' joke.

"So why don't we head inside, and you can tell me what I can do for you, and for Equestria?"

She nods, smiling. "I would like that."

And Party Popper's smile grows ever wider...

"'cause now we're free! / "'cause now you're free!
We're filled with glee!" / We're filled with glee!"

We march back towards the palace proper alongside each other, Party Popper still on my back.

Rolling around laughing? It would be so appropriate...

"There is no Anti-Life in me!
And everyone around can see
That I'm a jubilant pony!"

"'cause now we're free! / "'cause now you're free!
We're filled with glee!" / We're filled with glee!"

And Celestia gets a funny shiver down her spine.

Luna beams.

"There is no Anti-Life in thee!
And everyone around can see
That I'm a jubilant pony!"

CUT! And roll Episode credits!

Oh, man. This really did feel like an episode of 'Friendship is Magic'... I can't stop smiling.

Well done, Mr Zoat, well done indeed. I bet this whole thing was long in the planning...

That little bit of Godspeech:

"Having seen what you planned for it, that may be wise. How-?"

Strengthen True Friend.

She shudders, coming to full alertness in an instant, her wings opening to their full span.

Correction:

Any everypony else went along with it.

And everypony else went along with it.

Since I woke up over a world"

Missing Full Stop, I believe?

...aren't the jewelry that you...

...aren't the jewellery that you...

...from your own vitues...

...from your own virtues...

Darko · Mar 1, 2020

Forget about showing a recording of this to just the Team.
This should be shown to the whole world just for shits and giggles

Speaking of showing records of gods doing weird things and interesting bit of worship for Helios would be OL showing a recording of him empowering Kon to defeat Oceanus and maybe that whole planetary destroyer level of laser eye beams he gave him and what it did on that gas giant.
OL could also pay a band to compose some kind of song for Helios seeing as he likes modern music i'm sure he will appreciate and if people see the recording of him empowering Kon than people are going to show up.
Just a suggestion

AidanMorgan · Mar 1, 2020

Idkusername said:
I just can't remember where the song's from.

Mr Zoat said:
Me.

I was thinking of Men In Tights myself.

Darko · Mar 1, 2020

Renegade really needs to patch things up with the Team, though i'm sure he will seeing as Zoat gave a spoiler about him participating in some drinking game with them.

Promenius · Mar 1, 2020

I was fucking waiting for a "let's break out into song!"-moment, and I was not disappointed. This made my day, not gonna lie. Great chapter.

I'm also curious as to whether Grayven is gonna try to woo Luna for reals, now that she sees he's... well, "reformed", much like herself.

Mr Zoat said:
Works for me. Anyone else?

Link's broken for me as well, sadly.

Mr Zoat · Mar 1, 2020

Chojin Patriarch said:
Hint: it's not where the Cutie Marks are. If you can't see the linked image, it's basically the ribs to edge of the hip... Like this.
And everypony else went along with it.
Missing Full Stop, I believe?
...aren't the jewellery that you...
...from your own virtues...

Thank you, corrected.

w34v3r · Mar 1, 2020

Idkusername said:
It reminds me an awful lot of a Disney song, I just can't - Pinocchio! I'm not sure if it ever was a song, but it reminds me of 'there's no strings on me!'.

'No strings on me' or whatever the precise title is is most definitely a song. Ultron's theme in Avengers 2 to be specific. Sure the italian kid sang it first, but Ultron just put so much more of himself into it that I consider his the more definitive rendition.

SebazuD · Mar 1, 2020

King of Frost said:
I've been assuming this is a slight AU in that regard.

In canon the Pinkie clones didn't know who anyone was, and in canon Twilight would have probably had a much more visceral and panicked reaction to the idea that she murdered multiple sapient people, much less "proof" being shoved in her face, even if it all turned out they weren't killed here at all.

The Mirror copies remembereing Pinkie's life changes everything though.
It means they were purposedly destructive around Poniville rather than not knowing any better.

WhiteNoise · Mar 1, 2020

Mr Zoat said:
"The day before was sour
And it left me feeling dour

The traditional pronunciation of "dour" doesn't rhyme with "sour". It's more like "tour" than "tower". That said, rhyming with sour is getting quite common these days.

Grounded · Mar 1, 2020

SebazuD said:
The Mirror copies remembereing Pinkie's life changes everything though.
It means they were purposedly destructive around Poniville rather than not knowing any better.

Honestly I saw it more as her making a joke rather than actually recalling a memory. It's the kind of thing any mother would say to her filly, and it fit the situation.

Idkusername · Mar 1, 2020

Mr Zoat said:
Me.

Great job on the composition, then. Even more so assuming you just had one day to work on it.

Chojin Patriarch said:
"There are... No strings... On me... Whoops, wrong tune."

See! See! I'm not the only one!

Mquz · Mar 1, 2020

I think that song reminded me of something from Wicked!, though I haven't seen it in a long time.

Sorrow · Mar 1, 2020

I hate to admit it, but I just skipped past most of the singing. I might be a little literary tone deaf...

m_d · Mar 1, 2020

Mr Zoat said:
Works for me. Anyone else?

Works for me.

Azure Mirage · Mar 1, 2020

Logged in after many months of lurking just to give you Kudos Zoat. Darn good read this latest part, and that song makes me want to record a rendition of it. Heck, can we get a "Questionable Questors Sing" video going? We all submit our horrible singing of the song audio via some upload site and someone sets it to music splicing bits and pieces together here and there and just in general making it awesome? Like this: https://archive.org/details/ASingsPsychoPassOP2

WereDragon · Mar 1, 2020

Mr Zoat said:
I'm a jubilant pony!

A song was promised and a song was delivered. Magnificently.
Wasn't expecting an original though, most impressive.

Slightly disappointed that the White/Rainbow Ring didn't get a mention when they discussed what happened. Perhaps something for Sunset to investigate later.

Wonder if we will get to see him giving apologies when he gets back to Earth.

moralrelativity · Mar 1, 2020

Love this arc so, so much Mr Zoat. You've outdone yourself with this one. Thanks!

Ace Dreamer · Mar 1, 2020

Mr Zoat said:
Works for me. Anyone else?

Looks OK to me...

Mr Zoat said:
Equestrian Girls (part 20)

Nice piece of work on this. You know you're really getting into writing a story when you write song lyrics to go in it.

As for tune, for some reason my brain was trying to fit things into Modern Major General, which I know doesn't work, and somehow mixing in bits of this - no, I really don't think that works.

Like I said, nice work, and my choice of tunes is (probably) just my brain being weird, half-asleep on a Sunday 1st March morning.

(Then, there's me imagining the above linked stage show, only, all with ponies...)
((I take no responsibility for (the sanity of) anyone who might decide, on the basis of the opening above, to watch 'Excel Saga'.

))

Mr Zoat · Mar 1, 2020

Ace Dreamer said:
Looks OK to me...

I fixed it since they commented.

Nice piece of work on this. You know you're really getting into writing a story when you write song lyrics to go in it.

As for tune, for some reason my brain was trying to fit things into Modern Major General, which I know doesn't work, and somehow mixing in bits of this - no, I really don't think that works.

Like I said, nice work, and my choice of tunes is (probably) just my brain being weird, half-asleep on a Sunday 1st March morning.

(Then, there's me imagining the above linked stage show, only, all with ponies...)
((I take no responsibility for (the sanity of) anyone who might decide, on the basis of the opening above, to watch 'Excel Saga'. ))

As I said, the song sounds a little more like 'Be Our Guest', perhaps mixed with 'Lone Star'.

If we ever meet I'll try and sing it in Grayven's voice.

AidanMorgan · Mar 1, 2020

Apropos of absolutely nothing I'm messing around with what little German I remember and I'm mad I can't finish the Red Lantern oath and stay in meter.

It starts off so cool too! I'm upset.

Mit Blut und Wut von Purpurrot
Aus einer fichen Leiche gerissen.
Zusammen mit unserem Hass
Du wirst brennen,

And then the meter breaks down entirely, and God forbid anything even close fit into a rhyme scheme.

If anyone has something that's one syllable and might fit at the end of this, I would appreciate it. I know I need to use "es ist dein [blank]" and I'm almost out of syllables. This is worse than haiku.

dogbertcarroll · Mar 1, 2020

Pinkie's clones weren't blank slates, they simply got names mixed up, and being imperfect reflections that is to be expected.

Ngamer11 · Mar 1, 2020

I wonder if the Friendship is Magic beam affected Grayven's normal physical form as well? Both Grayven and Party Popper commented on his changed appearance. It would be interesting if he got his original ring-enhanced form, like when he first optimized himself, plus New God powers.

SebazuD · Mar 1, 2020

dogbertcarroll said:
Pinkie's clones weren't blank slates, they simply got names mixed up, and being imperfect reflections that is to be expected.

No, the first clone gets the name mixed up because Pinkie only told her the names of her friends once on the way out of the cave.
Then she actually took the time to teach all the other clones the names of all her friends, but with pictures.

So yeah, when they come out of the pond they only yell about "Fun", probably because they are shallow reflections, and that's the most shallow way of seeing Pinkie.

skyprinny · Mar 1, 2020

I got a kinda slow talk/singing vibe with most of the song with the chorus feeling actual singy (perhaps with backupsingers)
loved the entire thing though

Stsword · Mar 1, 2020

SebazuD said:
The Mirror copies remembereing Pinkie's life changes everything though.
It means they were purposedly destructive around Poniville rather than not knowing any better.

Or in my preferred explanation.

Party Popper, as a magical duplicate of Pinky, is also a Fourth Wall observer and simply watched the show to catch up.

One of the Pinky duplicates transformed into a G3 Pinky Pie after all.

Coincidence? I think not!

AidanMorgan · Mar 1, 2020

Stsword said:
Or in my preferred explanation.

Party Popper, as a magical duplicate of Pinky, is also a Fourth Wall observer and simply watched the show to catch up.

One of the Pinky duplicates transformed into a G3 Pinky Pie after all.

Coincidence? I think not!

How do I delete someone else's image? That's just disturbing.

Mr Zoat · Mar 1, 2020

I can't help but wonder if the reason why Equestrian ponies look the way they do is that they grew up in Discord's old kingdom ie chaos magic central. Do ponies in other parts of the world still look like regular ponies?

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

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