FeepingCreature
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The concept of a temple where the thing that is venerated is that temple is delightful.
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With This Ring (Young Justice SI) (Thread Fourteen)
- Thread starter Mr Zoat
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- self insert young justice
Meetings Squared (part 1)
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Mr Zoat
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13th February 2284
15:36 GMT -6
My father-in-law Chief Balm-Upon-Wounds smiles down fondly at my son as he in turn stares bleary-eyed at the unfamiliar adults around him. After a moment he decides that as long as his mother keeps holding him it's probably alright and lays his head on her chest. Balm-Upon-Wounds gently offers his grandson his right forefinger, and is rewarded with the boy instinctively grasping it. For a moment he looks surprised, then he turns to me.
"What did you name him?"
"Adam, in the Canaanite fashion. But it literally means 'Son-Of-Red-Earth', if that sounds better to you."
"Ah." He smiles, nodding as he carefully reclaims his finger and steps back to allow his-. Ah, Tear's mother and her… Fellow wife? Access to their daughter. "A name that both of our peoples can use. That sort of solution is one that you prefer in all of your dealings."
I nod, because it's true. With the wars which have wracked North America petering out, I've been able to turn my attention to political work. The State of Nevada isn't back yet, but between what's left of New Reno, Vault City, the Ranger Citadel and New Vegas there's a gradual acceptance that something like that is going to happen at some point. New Reno was on the cusp of becoming either an N.C.R. state or merging with Redding State, which is the preferred solution of that.. pesky git Anton Flynn and the Brahmin Barons he lobbies for, but then Anderson happened... So we're holding off on any definitive steps until the war with the Legion is over.
That actually… Caused an argument between Ranger General Hernán 'Snake' Vargas and President Grant Columbus Hayes of the N.C.R. because… The Rangers would quite like their home back when the Legion finally dies, while Hayes would rather annex the whole area to the N.C.R.. Which he really shouldn't do, because the Ranger Unification Treaty says that the Desert Rangers get it. When I asked former N.C.R. president Wendell Peterson about that particular clause in the Ranger Unification Treaty, he told me that he only agreed to it because he didn't think it would ever be put into effect. Which is a pretty unhelpful answer, but at least no one can claim that they misunderstood the provision.
"Let us…" He smiles as the women laugh about something I wasn't paying attention to. "Leave them to it. There are matters where I would seek your advice."
I nod. "Of course."
I lead the way out of the nursery and towards… Yes, I think that the living room is the appropriate venue. This is my father-in-law, not a merchant or lobbyist. I take a seat, while he takes a moment to admire our entertainment setup; a cabinet containing a radio and a functioning widescreen television. Not a lot to watch on the latter yet other than restored pre-War films, but Christopher Wright reopened a film studio recently so hopefully New Reno will start producing non-pornographic entertainment eventually.
"In my youth, I could not have imagined such a thing."
"In mine, I'd have found it strange to be in a house without one."
He makes an amused snort and then sits down opposite me, sitting… A little awkwardly on the soft cushions. He then looks at the television and then back at me, shaking his head. "It is like a black window in the corner of my eye…"
I nod, get up, walk across the room and close the cabinet door. "Better?"
He nods. "Yes. You must think it foolish…"
"It's not something that you're used to." I return to my seat. "Accepting that a thing exists isn't quite the same as wanting it in your home."
"It is not. Young… Adam. He has your strength."
I nod. "He does. The changes the F.E.V. makes to a person's body are genetic. In the blood. All of my children will have it."
"But… Not…" He raises his right hand to the side of his head and gestures towards it.
"No. While there are people who are born with those abilities, they're usually fairly weak. We felt it best not to grant mental powers to small children."
"You continue to demonstrate your wisdom."
I do. Adam's a fairly calm child and Tears and I can both calm him down telepathically, either by learning from his mind what he wants or by reassuring him with our mental presence. But he's had a few screaming fits and I'm jolly glad that the Sky Walkers have collectively decided that none of us want small children screaming in our minds as well as our ears.
"What is it that you want to talk to me about?"
"The men of the N.C.R. want to… Discuss how our alliance will proceed after the death of the Legion. I know that there is to be a meeting of Chiefs once the war is over, but they want to talk about things before it begins. Are they trying to secure an agreement without our other allies being involved?"
"Ah, they might be, but it's actually fairly common for everyone involved to agree to how a lot of things should be before the actual summit, and then to discuss the last few details in person. I've been doing a fair bit of the running around for that myself, but it's a lot easier for the N.C.R. to send someone to New Canaan than to New Demon City."
Because apparently 'Des Moines' is supposed to be pronounced like that and the Enclave enlisted found it funny. They actually go out in their spare time and 'correct' the surviving signage.
"Their messenger spoke of rebuilding the 'United States of America'."
"Yes, both President Hayes and Governor Autumn are in agreement on that point."
"What is it?"
"Oh." Ah. Huh. "Wasn't.. Daniel able to explain it?"
"I know that it was the great confederation of tribes which ruled these lands until the day they were burned. I know little else. The man from the N.C.R. called my lands 'Utah', but the Mormons call them 'Deseret'. I had thought that Deseret was the old American name for them, but when I saw your maps it was indeed called Utah. Why does it have two names?"
"Ah. I might not be the best person to ask about that, but the short version…" I get up again and walk over to the bookshelf. A newly printed world atlas was a present from Diana last Christmas, and I open it to the page showing the entire world before putting it down on the table and sitting down next to Balm-Upon-Wounds. "Alright." I point to Siberia. "The very oldest tribes in North America like the Navajo and the Choctaw trace their lineage back to people who travelled across from here-" I move my finger to Alaska. "-to here when the sea froze solid."
He looks disturbed. Balm-Upon-Wounds has seen the sea a grand total of once in his life, and he wasn't very keen on it then. "It can do that?"
"It was a very long time ago. The world was much colder back then than it is now. Anyway, from there they spread out across America, north and south. Then about… Seven hundred years ago? The first people from Europe-" I point to my tiny continent. "-sailed across the Atlantic Ocean and began settling the east coast. They were far more technologically advanced than the people who were there already, and even with the long supply line were gradually able to conquer them. I'm simplifying a lot."
"How long ago did the people from..?" He peers at Siberia. "Russia? Come to America?"
"I don't know. They didn't keep written records and there wasn't anyone to see them arrive. A long time before the Europeans got here, certainly."
"I see."
"The main religion of the Europeans is called 'Christianity'-."
"Yes, I know Christianity. It is the religion of the Mormons."
I wince faintly, remembering Reverend Robinson's rather pointed off-the-cuff lecture on the subject. "Sort of. The Mormons actually added… Quite a lot to the religion, to the point where people who practice the more traditional forms of the religion say that they're a new religion rather than part of Christianity. That was certainly the attitude amongst the rulers of the United States when the first Mormons went to settle this part of America. Them settling it was fine, but they refused to recognise the name 'Deseret' which they took from the Book of Mormon because they considered it an insult to their God. I'm not sure exactly where the name 'Utah' came from, but that was chosen as the official name and that was what this region was called until the Great War."
"Do men like Hayes and Autumn consider it an insult to their god today?"
"No, they just consider it to be factually incorrect."
"Good. I do not want to insult their gods, but they say that I am supposed to be attending the gathering as 'Governor of Utah', and I do not know what that is."
I frown. 'Governor'..? "Did they give you anything written down? Because this sounds like something I need to read."
15:36 GMT -6
My father-in-law Chief Balm-Upon-Wounds smiles down fondly at my son as he in turn stares bleary-eyed at the unfamiliar adults around him. After a moment he decides that as long as his mother keeps holding him it's probably alright and lays his head on her chest. Balm-Upon-Wounds gently offers his grandson his right forefinger, and is rewarded with the boy instinctively grasping it. For a moment he looks surprised, then he turns to me.
"What did you name him?"
"Adam, in the Canaanite fashion. But it literally means 'Son-Of-Red-Earth', if that sounds better to you."
"Ah." He smiles, nodding as he carefully reclaims his finger and steps back to allow his-. Ah, Tear's mother and her… Fellow wife? Access to their daughter. "A name that both of our peoples can use. That sort of solution is one that you prefer in all of your dealings."
I nod, because it's true. With the wars which have wracked North America petering out, I've been able to turn my attention to political work. The State of Nevada isn't back yet, but between what's left of New Reno, Vault City, the Ranger Citadel and New Vegas there's a gradual acceptance that something like that is going to happen at some point. New Reno was on the cusp of becoming either an N.C.R. state or merging with Redding State, which is the preferred solution of that.. pesky git Anton Flynn and the Brahmin Barons he lobbies for, but then Anderson happened... So we're holding off on any definitive steps until the war with the Legion is over.
That actually… Caused an argument between Ranger General Hernán 'Snake' Vargas and President Grant Columbus Hayes of the N.C.R. because… The Rangers would quite like their home back when the Legion finally dies, while Hayes would rather annex the whole area to the N.C.R.. Which he really shouldn't do, because the Ranger Unification Treaty says that the Desert Rangers get it. When I asked former N.C.R. president Wendell Peterson about that particular clause in the Ranger Unification Treaty, he told me that he only agreed to it because he didn't think it would ever be put into effect. Which is a pretty unhelpful answer, but at least no one can claim that they misunderstood the provision.
"Let us…" He smiles as the women laugh about something I wasn't paying attention to. "Leave them to it. There are matters where I would seek your advice."
I nod. "Of course."
I lead the way out of the nursery and towards… Yes, I think that the living room is the appropriate venue. This is my father-in-law, not a merchant or lobbyist. I take a seat, while he takes a moment to admire our entertainment setup; a cabinet containing a radio and a functioning widescreen television. Not a lot to watch on the latter yet other than restored pre-War films, but Christopher Wright reopened a film studio recently so hopefully New Reno will start producing non-pornographic entertainment eventually.
"In my youth, I could not have imagined such a thing."
"In mine, I'd have found it strange to be in a house without one."
He makes an amused snort and then sits down opposite me, sitting… A little awkwardly on the soft cushions. He then looks at the television and then back at me, shaking his head. "It is like a black window in the corner of my eye…"
I nod, get up, walk across the room and close the cabinet door. "Better?"
He nods. "Yes. You must think it foolish…"
"It's not something that you're used to." I return to my seat. "Accepting that a thing exists isn't quite the same as wanting it in your home."
"It is not. Young… Adam. He has your strength."
I nod. "He does. The changes the F.E.V. makes to a person's body are genetic. In the blood. All of my children will have it."
"But… Not…" He raises his right hand to the side of his head and gestures towards it.
"No. While there are people who are born with those abilities, they're usually fairly weak. We felt it best not to grant mental powers to small children."
"You continue to demonstrate your wisdom."
I do. Adam's a fairly calm child and Tears and I can both calm him down telepathically, either by learning from his mind what he wants or by reassuring him with our mental presence. But he's had a few screaming fits and I'm jolly glad that the Sky Walkers have collectively decided that none of us want small children screaming in our minds as well as our ears.
"What is it that you want to talk to me about?"
"The men of the N.C.R. want to… Discuss how our alliance will proceed after the death of the Legion. I know that there is to be a meeting of Chiefs once the war is over, but they want to talk about things before it begins. Are they trying to secure an agreement without our other allies being involved?"
"Ah, they might be, but it's actually fairly common for everyone involved to agree to how a lot of things should be before the actual summit, and then to discuss the last few details in person. I've been doing a fair bit of the running around for that myself, but it's a lot easier for the N.C.R. to send someone to New Canaan than to New Demon City."
Because apparently 'Des Moines' is supposed to be pronounced like that and the Enclave enlisted found it funny. They actually go out in their spare time and 'correct' the surviving signage.
"Their messenger spoke of rebuilding the 'United States of America'."
"Yes, both President Hayes and Governor Autumn are in agreement on that point."
"What is it?"
"Oh." Ah. Huh. "Wasn't.. Daniel able to explain it?"
"I know that it was the great confederation of tribes which ruled these lands until the day they were burned. I know little else. The man from the N.C.R. called my lands 'Utah', but the Mormons call them 'Deseret'. I had thought that Deseret was the old American name for them, but when I saw your maps it was indeed called Utah. Why does it have two names?"
"Ah. I might not be the best person to ask about that, but the short version…" I get up again and walk over to the bookshelf. A newly printed world atlas was a present from Diana last Christmas, and I open it to the page showing the entire world before putting it down on the table and sitting down next to Balm-Upon-Wounds. "Alright." I point to Siberia. "The very oldest tribes in North America like the Navajo and the Choctaw trace their lineage back to people who travelled across from here-" I move my finger to Alaska. "-to here when the sea froze solid."
He looks disturbed. Balm-Upon-Wounds has seen the sea a grand total of once in his life, and he wasn't very keen on it then. "It can do that?"
"It was a very long time ago. The world was much colder back then than it is now. Anyway, from there they spread out across America, north and south. Then about… Seven hundred years ago? The first people from Europe-" I point to my tiny continent. "-sailed across the Atlantic Ocean and began settling the east coast. They were far more technologically advanced than the people who were there already, and even with the long supply line were gradually able to conquer them. I'm simplifying a lot."
"How long ago did the people from..?" He peers at Siberia. "Russia? Come to America?"
"I don't know. They didn't keep written records and there wasn't anyone to see them arrive. A long time before the Europeans got here, certainly."
"I see."
"The main religion of the Europeans is called 'Christianity'-."
"Yes, I know Christianity. It is the religion of the Mormons."
I wince faintly, remembering Reverend Robinson's rather pointed off-the-cuff lecture on the subject. "Sort of. The Mormons actually added… Quite a lot to the religion, to the point where people who practice the more traditional forms of the religion say that they're a new religion rather than part of Christianity. That was certainly the attitude amongst the rulers of the United States when the first Mormons went to settle this part of America. Them settling it was fine, but they refused to recognise the name 'Deseret' which they took from the Book of Mormon because they considered it an insult to their God. I'm not sure exactly where the name 'Utah' came from, but that was chosen as the official name and that was what this region was called until the Great War."
"Do men like Hayes and Autumn consider it an insult to their god today?"
"No, they just consider it to be factually incorrect."
"Good. I do not want to insult their gods, but they say that I am supposed to be attending the gathering as 'Governor of Utah', and I do not know what that is."
I frown. 'Governor'..? "Did they give you anything written down? Because this sounds like something I need to read."
Last edited:
Darko
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"from there"
ikrakro
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Fairly certain this should be "messenger."
BR549
This is filth! FILTH!!
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Welcome to Bureaucracy, Fallout!Paul. Nobody told you about this before because your need to know was not yet known...
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NX45hc0aZt0
Duke Long
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'an'
'A'
'it'
Happy to see Krono once more. I didn't know the Deseret thing. Good old Mormons, always doing something wacky.
Chojin Patriarch
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Ah, a return to Krono-Paul and the world of Fallout: Old World Blues. And I see he's wasted little time doing his husbandly duties. Though the young lad seems oddly more aware than you'd expect of an infant... I guess it comes from Krono's psionic enhancements.
...As long as he doesn't have an obsession with cybernetic enhancements and a callous lack of concern for human lives, that should be fine?
Well, when he can, anyway. I'm sure there's some folks who just can't bear to agree to peace.
Because each little fiefdom wants its own way as they assemble into a larger nation. It's been over a century since they were anything other than warring rivals for territory and resources...
I like that. They never thought it would be possible to make peace, and yet they have.
Yes, best for the menfolk to step away and let the ladies coo over the baby and mother...
Because of course the most natural, profitable use for media recording after the war was, well... The world's oldest profession.
It does feel profoundly odd to not have some sort of screen about these days, doesn't it? Especially when we depend on them so much for entertainment.
Since I doubt they have pre-recorded natural vistas handy to idle on just yet.
Especially if said home isn't as permanent a construction as Krono's house seems to be.
And that of anyone else they manage to dose with it, unless Krono only made the one perfected batch of it.
Yeah, little kids with little-to-no self-control plus psychokinetic powers would quickly equal a well-ventilated house.
So she underwent the same augmentation he did? Logical enough, given how useful it is for him.
Or find a starting point for a shared face to present to the rest of the states. Any sign of division between them would present a vulnerability...
Ah, linguistic and cultural drift after a century or more of broken civilisation.
A United States likely to be larger than it was, especially along the northern and southern borders... As for the most well-known city using that name, it's pronounced like that because of the origin of the river's name. 'Riviere des moines' translating as 'River of Monks'.
Because, again, it's been over a century since it was a thing. It's no wonder that many people don't remember the original concept.
Because of a lot of political and religious disagreements back in the day...
That must seem like an incredible concept to someone who would consider a week's ride a long distance. I've seen a few videos of tribal people like that reacting to globes and it's always a marvel to see them understand just how big everything is...
For someone from a landlocked region, I can imagine that much water would be unsettling. And learning that it can freeze like a pond in winter...
Yes, several centuries of troubles boiled down to a couple of sentences... 'Simplifying' is an understatement.
Best guess is around 20,000 years or so.
Eh, neither faith would respond to that insinuation happily, I think.
A period of some three hundred years, if I remember right.
Probably been long enough that neither group even remembers the historical arguments.
Yeah, that is quite the thing to spring on a man...
I see Krono hasn't been idle since last we saw him, and neither have any of his region's polities. No doubt still many petty warlords running around yet to pacify before they can finally manage any reunification. But by and large, some states seem to be slowly crawling their way back into being recognised as larger assemblies. Still a lot of work ahead...
BlackCoat13
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Cuchulin
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That and the old stand by of 'Orrible tales of Bloody Murder. Fascination with the Red Barn Murder of 1827 lasted for over a century with film versions and radio dramas being made based on it. Tales of 'Orrible tales of Bloody Murder sold many a newspaper in Victorian London.
Mr Zoat
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Thank you, corrected.
In game, if they actually win, they do rebrand the whole area 'Deseret'.
WereDragon
Bookwyrm
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Ha! Sure. And does this fabled 'United States of America' look strikingly similar to the New California Republic, just bigger by any chance?
At least the Enclave will be happy about it.