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

m_d · 2026-03-06T06:59:32+0000

Mr Zoat said:
assumed your ability to form normal emotional bonds was messed up _my_ your mother's upbringing

messed up _by_ your mother's

Chojin Patriarch · 2026-03-06T07:35:45+0000

Mr Zoat said:
20th August 2013
11:48 GMT -7

I nod as I carry Persuader across the barren landscape. "So it can weaken us physically, but our New God powers still work. That's… Strange."

Iname stops skipping for a moment, walking normally as she glances at me. "Why is that, Master?"

Heh, still feeling a bit zonked after her massive chest wound, eh? And you're right, that is strange. Unless it doesn't have the metaphysical oomph to do so? It is working with a newly-generated thaumosphere.

"A purely hostile enemy would remove all of our advantages, or at least as many as they could. The fact that they haven't suggests either that they can't, or… Aren't able to perceive it."

"Or they're just dumb."

Who says it has to be just one thing? Given its behaviour so far, it does seem pretty specialised, maybe it isn't able to care about their higher powers... Like an 'Oblivion' guard walking up to a PC in their endgame armour set, carrying at least three different apocalyptic-scale weapons and give them the old 'Stop! You've violated the law!' routine.

"Thank you, Persuader. Are you up to walking yet?"

"Ah. No?" Iname glares at her. "I mean, I probably could…"

Probably a little jealous Persuader is riding while she's not. And annoyed too.

"This isn't difficult for me, I just know how teenagers are about their independence. Did you learn anything from the experience?"

"Getting shot when you can't take it sucks?"

Hardly a useful lesson, given that 'don't get shot at all' is generally the first lesson taught.

"I meant, personally."

"I'm glad I didn't get shot when I was a kid. Mon wasn't that kind of psycho."

If you'd got shot as a kid, you probably wouldn't be here now, so hardly useful either...

"Okay, anything else?"

"Is this about Mister Johnson?"

"It might be?"

Ah, a name that came up during her illusion. I take it we're gonna get some backstory.

"Obviously I shouldn't have killed him."

Iname shakes her head. "Who is Mister Johnson?"

Persuader… Hesitates for a moment, then decides that she doesn't care. "First person I killed. My old math teacher."

Was he at least a creepy old guy who eyed up female students? Someone who might deserve it?

I frown as Iname blinks in bewilderment. "While we're on the subject, why did you kill him?"

She looks confused. "You didn't have the g-gnomes look at my brain?"

That would totally have ruined any trust she might have gained in him, if he had done it and she found out.

"Actually, no. I assumed your ability to form normal emotional bonds was messed up my your mother's upbringing to the point where you could kill people without feeling emotion, but once I decided on your parole I didn't see any reason to revisit the situation. And I have been pleased with the way you've responded. But if it's going to be relevant…"

Especially if this place can throw her into another scenario based off that...

"I was planning on running away. Joining a gang. I figured that it would help if I'd killed someone already. So I knew I wouldn't freeze up if I killed someone on the job. And that I could plan stuff without getting caught."

"Was that your first experience of violence?"

...With her mother? I doubt it, though probably not on that scale. Unearned spankings, light beatings where bruises wouldn't show, that kind of abuse...

"No. I mean, not really. First… In-the-field violence, yeah. I used to work out regularly, do some sparring… But it's not like killing people is hard."

I nod. "All too true. Why him?"

Heck, hit someone in the head too hard, knock them down just the wrong way... Injustice Nightwing died because of a single rock. Not even getting hit by it, either. Humans are shockingly fragile yet ludicrously durable at the same time...

"I needed money and I didn't know anyone else anyone wanted dead. He didn't, like, do anything or anything."

Huh. "Wouldn't the school stoners have had connections to drug distribution networks? Could have had an employment opportunity there."

"Ah, actually? My school was pretty clean. If anyone was on anything, it was the teachers, and that was all prescription stuff."

I mean, dealign with teenagers all day, wouldn't you want something to keep your mood up?

I nod. "That's where the real money is."

"You..?" Iname looks up at her, wide-eyed. "You murdered your teacher just because you could?"

Yes, some people are just that... Well, evil. But she's working to atone, hopefully.

"Pretty much, yeah."

"That's why Knockout oversaw her training."

Probably felt nostalgic, reminded her of her mother.
EDIT: Oooh, Mr Zoat's response bodes ill...

"But that's horrible, Master!"

Persuader looks down at her. "So… You didn't do anything like that?"

"I liked all of my teachers! Even Teacher Itō who smelled weird all the time!"

She's such a nice girl...

"I always figured Grayven pick you up 'cause you killed someone, to."

"I did, but that wasn't why! The man I killed was a murderer!"

Don't forget to mention who he killed, mind.

"So, did..? You have super speed before Grayven hired you, or did he give that to you?"

"He gave it to me. He gave me the power to avenge the murder of my parents!"

There you go. See, now we're sharing!

"Oh, see, I had totally the wrong idea."

"I know!"

What, did she think Iname was a side-piece or something?

"So… Did the police drop the ball? I'm kinda-" Iname cringes out of her righteous indignation. Why did she do that? "-used to Grayven dealing with the police and stuff."

"Um." Iname looks away. "That…"

I mean, Japanese Police forces don't always have the best of reputations.

"Or did Grayven think it was better for you to do it yourself. Boss?"

I frown. "I thought you said that your lawyer wasn't sure they'd get a conviction."

Ah, damn. Did Misa misunderstand her lawyer or did she flat-out lie?

"I… Did not entirely understand what he was saying. He meant that… He was not sure that the case would be completed quickly, and that I might find it difficult because I would have to give testimony in court."

"So..?"

Oh. To be fair, she was barely an adult and grieving. It's not surprising that she wasn't paying due attention.

"They would probably have convicted him and executed him anyway."

"Oh. Oh well."

She looks up at me. "You aren't angry with me?"

The drawback of her subservient nature towards him: His opinion means much to her.

"Angry? No. If I cared about exactly how a thief and murderer died I'd have looked into it myself at the time. As far as I'm concerned I just saved the Japanese people the cost of a rope. Though, Iname? Do remember to listen more carefully in future."

She smiles, clearly cheered up by my statement. "Yes, Master!"

I'm sure she'll be duly attentive to all conversations to come.

"So…" Persuader still sounds puzzled. "What, you just happened to bump into each other..?"

"No, I was out shopping with Lynne in the shop where she was working. She took the initiative and asked me, and here we are."

Amazing how things can pivot on such a simple happenstance.

"She asked you for super powers?"

Iname stops smiling and starts glancing at me nervously instead.

"No, she asked me to kill him. I thought that giving her the ability would be better, and give me a useful employee who could benefit from having a mentor."

Indeed. Remember, he was still in his building-up phase at the time.

"But she's useful because she's fast. Iname, what exactly was the plan there? Just hope-" Iname's blushing. "-that he'd kill someone 'cause you asked him to?"

I snort with laughter. "Um. No."

Certainly, if she'd put her case forwards with enough conviction, he might consider it.

Iname looks away for a moment, and then turns back. "That isn't what we're talking about! You murdered your teacher!"

Huh. I suppose I could… "Did he see you?"

Persuader looks at me for a moment. "Why does that matter?"

Ah, he's going to pull a karma houdini for her, eh?

"Did you read the reports on the supervillian group 'The Light'?"

"I did after I found out Klarion was a member."

Oh? Personal thing for her?

"You remember how I turned Ra's al Ghul into a construct?" She nods. "That gives me his memories. I know how to make Lazarus Pits. They're not a hundred percent reliable, but they have a good chance of resurrecting a corpse. And since I know where Mister Johnson's body is, and if it doesn't work we could just stick it back in the grave with no one being any the wiser, we could give it a shot. As long as he didn't see you."

Although it's going to be tricky to explain how he came back after so long, why the Renegade did this for him and so forth...

"No, I came up behind him and my face was covered. I burned all the clothes I was wearing and chucked the knife in an incinerator. No evidence. Are you..? Serious about that?"

"May as well. There are only so many sites of geomantic energy in the world that will support a Pit, but I can burn one to make your life a little easier."

"Huh. Uh. Thanks. So… What did Iname do that she doesn't want to talk about?"

I'm guessing it's something to do with the 'tentacle ogre cult' thing from back in the day...

An amusing little breather from OL's firefight. And some nice sharing between co-workers. Hopefully the Renegade's little plan doesn't go awry somehow. They'd better get ready, though, I get the feeling when they reach the center of the crater, things will come to a head...

Mr Zoat · 2026-03-06T08:36:16+0000

m_d said:
messed up _by_ your mother's

Thank you, corrected.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Probably felt nostalgic, reminded her of her mother.

I winced when I read this, and in a week or so you will too.

What, did she think Iname was a side-piece or something?

No, she assumed that Iname was the upbeat sort of psycho, recruited for penance as she was.

boo600 · 2026-03-06T09:06:38+0000

CrazyNoVa said:
OH GOD, HE'S SAVVY ENOUGH ABOUT MATH TO FIGURE OUT THE ANTI-LIFE EQUATION!

I believe that YK is arrogant enough to decry the ALE as 'boring scribbles.' He's powerful enough to defeat Darkseid and the rest of Apokolips with a wave of his hand, though he's also self-disposing; I haven't ever heard of a Yuga Khan story that doesn't end with him charging right back at the Source Wall and getting stuck again like the world's dumbest fly.

Sordid Snake · 2026-03-06T10:36:24+0000

Mr Zoat said:
"May as well. There are only so many sites of geomantic energy in the world that will support a Pit, but I can burn one to make your life a little easier."

Wonder if this will blow up in the same way as it did for Original OL when he tried to do the same thing for Jade?

Mr Zoat · 2026-03-06T10:41:41+0000

Sordid Snake said:
Wonder if this will blow up in the same way as it did for Original OL when he tried to do the same thing for Jade?

Hell remembers what Grayven did to the First. They're not going to try pulling that sort of thing with him.

Ngamer11 · 2026-03-06T10:46:30+0000

Mr Zoat said:
Hell remembers what Grayven did to the First. They're not going to try pulling that sort of thing with him.

Now the question is how can the Renegade take advantage of the fact that he basically has free rein to resurrect anyone who's gone to Hell.

Darko · 2026-03-06T10:56:31+0000

Sordid Snake said:
Wonder if this will blow up in the same way as it did for Original OL when he tried to do the same thing for Jade?

Mr Zoat said:
Hell remembers what Grayven did to the First. They're not going to try pulling that sort of thing with him.

Ngamer11 said:
Now the question is how can the Renegade take advantage of the fact that he basically has free rein to resurrect anyone who's gone to Hell.

The teacher may not have ended up in Hell.

And it wouldn't be the first time Renegade has used Lazarus waters to bring someone back to life.

He used them to bring back Kanto 50s wife. Though he also used a coffin-like machine.

WereDragon · 2026-03-06T11:12:29+0000

Mr Zoat said:
20th August 2013
11:48 GMT -7

Grayven very much in dad mode today.

Odd he would care about Random Teacher. Persuader certainly doesn't.

Duke Long · 2026-03-06T11:17:59+0000

Mr Zoat said:
"I always figured Grayven picked you up 'cause you killed someone, to."

'too'

I wonder what the excuse for resurrecting this guy will be. Could be as simple as saying 'Persuader was your student and she was sad that you died.'

Mr Zoat · 2026-03-06T12:05:49+0000

WereDragon said:
Odd he would care about Random Teacher. Persuader certainly doesn't.

Oh, he doesn't. But it makes things easier if his employee isn't a net murderer.

Duke Long said:
'too'

Thank you, corrected.

I wonder what the excuse for resurrecting this guy will be. Could be as simple as saying 'Persuader was your student and she was sad that you died.'

Nah, just dump him in a crop circle somewhere.

WereDragon · 2026-03-06T14:18:42+0000

Mr Zoat said:
Oh, he doesn't. But it makes things easier if his employee isn't a net murderer.

Doesn't sound like anyone, lease of all the law, knows she did that specific murder. Not seeing how it makes a difference either way.

Mr Zoat · 2026-03-06T16:28:24+0000

WereDragon said:
Doesn't sound like anyone, lease of all the law, knows she did that specific murder. Not seeing how it makes a difference either way.

It makes a difference to his family. And it probably makes at least some difference to Persuader. And it's not impossible that someone might work it out later, especially with magic for policing purposes becoming available if uncommon.

Steelplaza · 2026-03-06T16:28:34+0000

WereDragon said:
Doesn't sound like anyone, lease of all the law, knows she did that specific murder. Not seeing how it makes a difference either way.

It goes back to being genre savvy. Grayven knows that a secret that "no one knows" can have a way of coming out at the worst possible time in a universe full of mind-readers, soul readers, living incarnations of karmic justice, and the like. (Hey, remember the Crimson Avenger?) It's a minor gap in the mail of moral superiority (or at least moral I-did-nothing-wrong) he generally tries to wear when interacting with the superhero world. Being able to say, "Sure my subordinate murdered a guy for no reason but I fixed it," is putting in a patch against a future problem.

Mr Zoat said:
What did Iname do that she doesn't want to talk about

Iname embarrassed that in a moment of desperation and despair she tried to trade sexual favors for her revenge. I guess it doesn't fit with her self-image. Persuader probably could have easily guessed if she was more clever than she is.

It's interesting that despite having co-existed in Grayven's employment (and done some fighting tournaments together), Persuader and Iname didn't know much about each other. I'd say that they might be better friends from now on, but actually they probably come out of this liking each other less. (Iname because she judges Persuader and Persuader because she doesn't like being judged.)

Valint · 2026-03-06T16:42:03+0000

WereDragon said:
Grayven very much in dad mode today.

Odd he would care about Random Teacher. Persuader certainly doesn't.

I mean, if he's in dad mode and wants to help her develop empathy, showing that the teacher's life has enough value for Grayven to put in the time to resurrect him is probably useful.

The converse, of just kind of shrugging and moving on, feels like it wouldn't be helpful.

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

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