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

It's that 'watching a car accident' fixation. You know it's bad, you know how it ends, but can't turn away from the spectacle of it all.
We don't really know how it ends.

We know how it reaches it's mid point.

But he's a Doctor Light level villain in a superhero universe, which means Destiny's going to come for him eventually. And there will be nothing he can do to avoid his fate.
 
Something to the effect of 'is under the effects of some substance that removes your sense of morality and refuses to fix himself because he no longer understands why moral bankruptcy is a bad thing'

I don't remember what's up with the ring though.
ah the Paul that drank the potion of evil and have his ring turn on shoulder angel mode so he wouldn't do something super stupid
 
so what this Paul deal again ?

He drank the Hyde formula as a power up and is now basically incapable of positive human emotions, who we see later is a "greater good" sociopath who is also a murderer (Erased Wonder Woman's mind) and rapist (Built her a personality that is an eager sex slave).

Normally dubbed Tangsied for his resemblance to Darkseid and his ALE mind control.
 
Something to the effect of 'is under the effects of some substance that removes your sense of morality and refuses to fix himself because he no longer understands why moral bankruptcy is a bad thing'

I don't remember what's up with the ring though.
Before drinking the potion of evil he loaded his current mental state into his ring so he would be able to detect changes. Of course then ring him immediately noticed the changes, but evil Paul didn't feel like changing back.
 
1st October 2010
19:45 GMT -5


Artemis is looking around…

Suspiciously. She doesn't trust you.
And she has good reason to, given what she knows of him. Let's hope she stays that way, and doesn't get taken in by his handsome face and well-chosen words... Sadly, he's very good at saying what people want to hear.

Well, yes, if she was an idiot I wouldn't be interested in her to this degree.

"Planet Krypton? A superhero-themed restaurant?"
Best known for it's debut in Kingdom Come's epilogue.

No, she doesn't need me to confirm the evidence of her eyes. She's asking me to explain my reasoning.

"You eat at fast food restaurants enough that it wouldn't be special, but a high-class restaurant would just make you feel out of place. This is good enough to be memorable without being overwhelming."
And I suppose they can bond in amusement over the inconsistencies of the costumes.

She looks critically at a woman wearing a Black Canary costume which Black Canary hasn't worn in years. It's not even a good copy.

"You know it's… Kinda creepy when you say stuff like that, right?"
...Is it the bustier and fishnets? That takes a certain level of upkeep to be in shape for that... :p

I sigh. "I… Would you prefer it if I lied?"

"A normal person would say 'I like the food'."
Somehow, I don't think he'd want to eat here unless you dragged him in here.

"I've never eaten here before."

She flaps her right arm. "Then why aren't we somewhere you have been before?"
I suspect his taste would run to places, as he put it, 'that would make you uncomfortable.'

"Because..? I like the food?"

Good try, sport.
And once again, the Ring proves itself second only to Ringestro in snark. :V

"Are you sure you're not a robot?"

"Yes. I check daily."
...Not sounding any less crazy, Tang.

She splutters with laughter. "You know, with you I can actually believe that."

"The reviews are reasonable and… That wasn't the main consideration, like I said. How's your mother doing?"
At least he has the tact to divert the conversation.

"It… I mean, she can't walk yet. Doctor says she should be able to stand unaided in a few days, and once she starts exercising she should start walking in a week or two."

A waiter in a Flash costume with fake abdominal muscles walks over. "Do you have a reservation?"
No doubt, unlike the Paragon, he didn't fix her muscles too. Because why would he put that much effort in?

I nod. "I put it under 'Earthworm Jim."

He checks his phone. "Ah… Yeah, you're on table seven in Wonder Woman's zone." He wiggles his eyebrows at me.
Ah, the cheesecake section. :rolleyes:

I don't react, but Artemis raises her eyebrows. "Pretty brave, wearing that costume."

"Metropolis doesn't have a 'Hooters'. Please follow me."
Some of them probably like their outfits better than others. Then again, the waiter there is probably not wearing the classic Flash onesie.

He leads the way across the restaurant, and I take the time to review the food and the hygiene status of the kitchen. I mean, the inspection results were good but the day I trust anyone's cleaning except my own-.

Is the day I can retire, because you'll be cured.
A pity we know otherwise...

That nearly makes me stop and stare at the ring.

I am not a disease.

Not what I meant, sport.
...It's gonna be a sad day when he finally does delete the backup.

The kitchen is pretty good, but the food… More effort spent on presentation than on ingredients, and their suppliers have done that American thing of shoving toxic crap into everything. About what I expected honestly, but I'm going to see if I can take her to somewhere in a civilised country next time.

Ah, optimism.
No, he's so slick he'll manage to put her at ease. Unfortunately...

What, having high food safety standards? If both Britain and France agree on something then it's probably a good idea.

Just try your best.
Oh, he will. I suspect he hates wasting his time, and if she isn't tricked into being happy, then he will have.

Flash-waiter leaves us after nodding to Wonder Woman-waitress, who's about a foot shorter and appreciably flabbier than actual Wonder Woman, even wearing those heels. She hands us our menus.

"Anything to drink?"
Ah, the joy of mere mortal flesh and blood trying to live up to the ideal of the superhuman...

Can Americans mess up milk? Yes, of course they can. Just-. Just order something and then change it.

Artemis is frowning at me. "Ah… Cola."
Probably Soder-Cola, if I remember right.

I fix my face in a polite smile. "Banana milkshake, please."

She nods and turns away. "I'll be back in a few."
Well, a few minutes to have a quiet chat...

Artemis waits until she gets half-way to the kitchens and then leans towards me. "What was that?"

"What was what?"

"You nearly went crazy over the drinks menu."
To be fair, half the drinks are probably mixes with cutesy 'superhero' names.

"The perils of actually knowing what goes into the food you eat and drink. I mean, cola should just be sugar, water and kola nut, but there's a whole list of things that get added and most of them aren't really designed for the human body."

"Ah… You didn't say anything when I drank cola in the base?"
You think he'd allow sub-par American soda onto his turf?

"Red label or blue label?"

"What's the difference?"

"The blue label is the stuff I bought in a country with better food standards, the red label is what I made myself."
Heh. Thought so. The home-made stuff must be amazing, though, given his perfectionist streak.

"Oh. Ah, red. Tasted pretty good. Didn't realise you were such a food-. Guy."

I shake my head. "If you'd seen the things I'd seen, you'd understand."
I shudder to imagine.

"It's not bad, I just-. You usually hang out in your lab, and then when we went to India to fight those snake men you told Mia to stop breaking arms because breaking their necks was more efficient."

"Yes?"
...Which probably doesn't help with his 'creepily cold' image, I bet.

"I mean it's-. A different side of you. And…" She takes a deep breath. "How..? Serious are you?"

"Completely, about everything."
Of course he is. But it's not necessarily a good thing.

"I mean, dating me. You come across… Really… Inhuman. And creepy."

"I.. know. I'm working on it."
Not being evil might help with that.

"'cause… When you said 'date'-."

"You thought that I was holding your mother to ransom for sexual favours." She blanches, then gives a small nod. "I wasn't. I do want to have sex with you; you are an extremely attractive young woman. But blackmailing you into it would be such a short term.. thing, I just… Don't see the point. It doesn't get me what I want."
...Well, it's truthful, f not tactful.

"Which is..?"

"A long term relationship, shared interests and time together, marriage, two point four children-. Probably rounded up to three. Gradually rising to the apex of our open and secret professional lives before transcending mortality entirely and-."
Because he still has that thanatophobia, of course.

Something about her facial expression makes me stop.

"'Inhuman'?"
Wow, you didn't even need the Ring to speak up this time...

"Started good. Not a lot of guys our age bring up marriage on the second date. Guess you… Are serious, huh?"

"Yes."

"Okay, so-. Explain the ring-thing to me."
Why do I see him being open about his self-enhancement program? Merely omitting the drawbacks he experienced...

You almost hope she finds out what he did to himself, don't you? So she can try to convince him to undo it. :( A pity we all know that's not how this will end... Really, it's just a matter of how long until things go tits-up and the fecal matter hits the fan. And in the meantime, we get to see him being his creepy, 'American Psycho' self...
 
Did Tangsied get his lantern from Alan, and is he bound by Gaea like Paragon and Renegade were?
 
and rapist (Built her a personality that is an eager sex slave).
Actually, no. He didn't do that. It just happened that after he changed the things that were preventing him from realising his ideal world they had a lot in common. That part is actually less creepy than what the Warhammer SI did to Arenei.
Did Tangsied get his lantern from Alan, and is he bound by Gaea like Paragon and Renegade were?
Haven't decided. Since you've asked and I've thought about it I'm leaning towards 'no'. He went looking for Lantern Yalan Gur's Lantern and ran into Abin Sur, who was looking after it for his late friend Alan Scott.
 
Haven't decided. Since you've asked and I've thought about it I'm leaning towards 'no'. He went looking for Lantern Yalan Gur's Lantern and ran into Abin Sur, who was looking after it for his late friend Alan Scott.

And that could also mean that he isn't oathbound like paragon and renegade if Abin Sur didn't think of asking Diana for help since he may not be as close to her as Alan was.
 
I disagree.

Lots of people date and have no intention of marrying the other person.

They may just do it because they enjoy the others company, but aren't interested in such a commitment.

They may find the other person interesting and fun, but they may not necessarily have the characteristics you're looking for in a partner that you're most likely going to be living with.
I also disagree, but your list is nicer than mine. In the spirit of this Tangseid chapter, here are a few more reasons:

The sex is good, even if you are otherwise incompatible

It's preferable to loneliness, and you haven't found a better replacement partner yet

There are other fringe benefits you don't yet want to give up. As an example, in my more cynical youth, I continued dating a woman for several months past the obvious expiration date of the relationship because I didn't want to lose access to her mother, who was a former executive chef and (at the time) worked as a food critic. The meals I got by staying around were just phenomenal.
 
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I wonder if dating Artemis, trying to in this case, is the catalyst or the starting point where TangPaul decides to start rearranging the desires of those around him or just his would be partner. Like after a few dates and maybe a few intimate/vulnerable moments Artemis decides to break things off with one of those cliche lines of its not him but her, and feeling like he wasted time or resources he could spent doing more productive. During all that time Artemis has been hesitant to get physical/intimate with TangPaul with good reason but to him it feels like she's letting her various hangups from realizing her various desires. Que him using the orange light to at least make the break up worth it to him by using her physical desire to satisfy him.

Or maybe Artemis feels somewhat jilted once TangPaul winds up taking Jade up on some offer of a one night stand, or he starts easily putting his attention to another girl rather than act all heart broken about their break up. And he decides rather than waste time he manipulates her desires so she leaves him alone and no one is none the wiser especially if she blows up in public or to one of their coworkers.
 
Or maybe Artemis feels somewhat jilted once TangPaul winds up taking Jade up on some offer of a one night stand, or he starts easily putting his attention to another girl rather than act all heart broken about their break up. And he decides rather than waste time he manipulates her desires so she leaves him alone and no one is none the wiser especially if she blows up in public or to one of their coworkers.
Good news! In this timeline Jade has her comic canon origin and is not related to Artemis.
 
I disagree.

Lots of people date and have no intention of marrying the other person.

They may just do it because they enjoy the others company, but aren't interested in such a commitment.

They may find the other person interesting and fun, but they may not necessarily have the characteristics you're looking for in a partner that you're most likely going to be living with.
Then really what you're doing there is holding someone back from finding their partner.
 
Hellish Consent (part 4)
1st October 2010
19:51 GMT -5


I trace my right forefinger up my glass, transmuting all of the anti-human ingredients within into something more ingestible.

Artemis hasn't touched her cola yet. "Do I need to worry?"

"Are you asking me to scan you in detail?"

"No, I-. Meant with the drink."

"Assuming that you've been drinking things like that for years, no, but I suggest giving me access to your body so that I can remove any build-up of dangerous materials."

"Giving-? Do you have a thing where you need to phrase stuff in the creepiest way possible?"

"I.. could have done it without asking. I mean, I was tempted. Do you know much lead and.. mercury there was in my body when I started this? And I never lived in a place like Sprang Boulevard. If anything ever happens to the roof? Get out immediately."

"They got lead paint up there?"

"No. Asbestos sheeting. One of my uncles had asbestosis, died years earlier than he should have and struggled with physical activity for years before that because of the damage to his lungs." Hm. "Though there is lead paint throughout the building, there's just not more of it up there."

"And let me guess: you'll clear it up for another date?"

"Yes. Your determination -and its manifestation in your physique- is the thing I find most attractive about you, but you can't determine through lead poisoning. Though…"

"Yeah?"

"I was sort of hoping that after two dates you'd be prepared to at least give me a short term commitment without the need for making it a transaction."

"You wanted-! Ohkay. Your ring needs avarice to work. You.. want me, but you can't just make asbestos or lead paint disappear until there's something in it for you."

I nod. "That certainly appears to be how it works. There isn't really anyone I can consult."

"What about-?" She checks around as no one listens to us. "Mister Sur?"

"Mister Sur doesn't know anything about orange rings. Green rings don't have that problem. He can't enter Vega without putting his ring aside and the Guardians would want to know why he did that when it's not in his Sector."

"And if I agreed to… Keep dating you, would that make a difference?"

"If you agree to become mine? Yes."

"You really do have a thing. Are you gunna ask me to put on a collar next?"

I frown. "Corinthians seven, verse four. 'The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife.' Saint Saul could be surprisingly romantic." … "And I have no strong feelings about collars."

She takes a moment to consider that. "What..? Else, do you do that's… Different?"

"You know how I keep bringing up things that I… Find disconcerting?"

"One way of putting it."

"And you've seen my research into augmentative techniques. It goes a little further than that. I've stopped myself decaying."

"You made yourself invulnerable?"

I shake my head. "I don't think anything is truly invulnerable. Even Superman can be hurt by sufficient force. No, I mean that for as long as I wear the ring I don't age and -if I do get injured- I heal immediately."

"So one day I'll be an old woman and you'll look like this." I look at her, puzzled as to why-. "Oh. So.. I'd-. Not get old."

I look at her in puzzlement. "Do you want to?"

"No, I just… It's a bit-. Much, you know?"

"No, you're worth it."

"So-. Okay, this is-. Why..? Why me, not… Mia? Or M'gann?"

"Mia doesn't want to be involved in superheroing. We still don't really know why Brainiac augmented her and she told me directly that she'd rather give it up and forget about it. You are the child of two supervillains and you chose this. You didn't have to. You could just have had a-. Okay, not a normal life, but something close to normal. Instead, you went out and started fighting crime with a bow. Mia's not a bad person, but you're better. And M'gann's still pretending she looks like a green human."

"She doesn't?"

I frown. "Of course not. She actually copied her original 'human' appearance from a pornographic film loosely inspired by Martian Manhunter's older cases."

"Really? 'cause…" She glances at our waitress as she deals with another table's pudding order. The waitress undulates slightly as she turns away, something that Diana's armour doesn't actually allow.

"'Innocent barely legal schoolgirl' requires a different body type."

"Ew." She frowns. "Based on Martian Manhunter's cases?"

"Very, very loosely. She kept the shape but expanded her costume to actually cover her body. But she's not determined, she's just optimistic. It's not that she knows what can go wrong but decides to do it anyway, she just decides that nothing can go wrong. Watch out for that, actually. She means well, but her judgement isn't the best. Anyway, that's why. How about you?"

"I'm here for my Mom."

"If that was it then you wouldn't bother asking questions."

"I agreed to a date, so… Date. It's a date conversation."

"You're still considering it." I raise my eyebrows. "Am I wrong?"

"How many guys do you think ask me out?"

Hm. Well, the rejection rate is usually pretty high at that age, she's probably even more prickly with random people than with actual superheroes and she doesn't behave in a feminine manner most of the time…

"Five this year? At least two of which were crude half-efforts?"

"Three. And all of them were crude. One guy got handsy last year and I dislocated his shoulder and now I'm 'the psycho'."

"Fortunately, I have more self confidence than a bunch of Gotham protothugs."

"Yeah, insecure, that's-." She grunts and shakes her head. "So… I guess I just wanted to go on a date with someone. And you're kind of a psycho too but you're not… Not a bad guy."

"I'm willing to work on the psycho thing. I… See things differently to other people, but-. Hey, I haven't shot Streaky since you told me not to."

"Yeah, that-. Puts you ahead. But if you're immortal and you've got a power ring, why do you want to be more powerful?"

"So I can do more. People like the Flash can do more because they're more powerful than other people. He can check his whole city for crime in a couple of minutes and him stopping an armed robbery is easy. It's not because he's more skilled than, say, you. Take away his superspeed and you'd have a good chance of beating him in a fight. Same with Superman, but more so. They'd both still be good men without their powers, but most of their achievements come from having them."

"Huh. And what about Batman?"

"He could do more with powers. Being Batman costs a colossal amount of money in equipment and a lot of time in training and preparation. It's not that he's ineffectual, it's that by reconsidering some parts of his methodology he could be more effective."

"You use any of that on yourself?"

"Yes. That's why I'm as strong as I am. I don't-. It had side-effects that I'm working through, so I wouldn't recommend that you-."

"No."

"Right. But I do have weaker side-effect-free augmentics, if you're interested."

"I'll… Think about it." … "All of it."
 
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Honestly, I'm getting more fascinated by the differences inherent to this alt-universe than by Tangseid himself.

Like, do the Indigo Tribe not exist in this universe or did Abin Sur still orchestrate their creation? Is Lex Luthor a different variation of crazy here, since Superboy doesn't exist, or is he somehow associated with Brainiac?
 
So this version of M'gann is aware of J'onn J'aarkn? I'm surprised she hasn't told her uncle J'onn about him. Also, can you reveal where that image is from?

Pretty sure she met the guy? There was an episode in this fic where they forcibly deported him. He gave her a mind usb drive full of his shape-shifting knowledge.
 
Pretty sure she met the guy? There was an episode in this fic where they forcibly deported him. He gave her a mind usb drive full of his shape-shifting knowledge.

That is true, but at the same time, I don't believe she was aware of him prior to that mission?
 
1st October 2010
19:51 GMT -5


I trace my right forefinger up my glass, transmuting all of the anti-human ingredients within into something more ingestible.

Artemis hasn't touched her cola yet. "Do I need to worry?"
On the upside, you drink with him, you'll never get poisoned, either on purpose or just by dietary additives. Of course, that still means dealing with his... Unique personality quirks.

"Are you asking me to scan you in detail?"

"No, I-. Meant with the drink."
...Like he hasn't already, discreetly. He seems to be the sort. to...

"Assuming that you've been drinking things like that for years, no, but I suggest giving me access to your body so that I can remove any build-up of dangerous materials."

"Giving-? Do you have a thing where you need to phrase stuff in the creepiest way possible?"
Okay, that sounds extra-skeevy, but he probably hasn't reached the level where he'd reprogram someone... Yet.

"I.. could have done it without asking. I mean, I was tempted. Do you know much lead and.. mercury there was in my body when I started this? And I never lived in a place like Sprang Boulevard. If anything ever happens to the roof? Get out immediately."

"They got lead paint up there?"
There are worse things than that in old architecture. And I suspect a lot of the Gotham low-class housing is old.

"No. Asbestos sheeting. One of my uncles has asbestosis, died years earlier than he should have and struggled with physical activity for years before that because of the damage to his lungs." Hm. "Though there is lead paint throughout the building, there's just not more of it up there."

"And let me guess: you'll clear it up for another date?"
No doubt the money for inspections for that sort of thing disappeared into the inspector's pockets... It is Gotham, after all.

"Yes. Your determination -and its manifestation in your physique- is the thing I find most attractive about you, but you can't determine through lead poisoning. Though…"

"Yeah?"
At least he doesn't want her for just her body. Still creepy.

"I was sort of hoping that after two dates you'd be prepared to at least give me a short term commitment without the need for making it a transaction."

"You wanted-! Ohkay. Your rings needs avarice to work. You.. want me, but you can't just make asbestos or lead paint disappear until there's something in it for you."
And once you're in a committed relationship, it gets a lot easier for him to be willing to do things that benefit you.

I nod. "That certainly appears to be how it works. There isn't really anyone I can consult."

"What about-?" She checks around as no one listens to us. "Mister Sur?"
Man, the variations between realities. Another good reminder that this isn't Earth 16.

"Mister Sur doesn't know anything about orange rings. Green rings don't have that problem. He can't enter Vega without putting his ring aside and the Guardians would want to know why he did that when it's not in his Sector."

"And if I agreed to… Keep dating you, what difference would that make?"
So it's still pretty likely that Larfleeze does exist here, going by the Vega treaty. Sure, the Guardian claim it's with the Psions and Citadelians, et al...

"If you agree to become mine? Yes."

"You really do have a thing. Are you gunna ask me to put on a collar next?"
I mean, collars are nice pieces of superhero fashion. And with a little adjustment, can serve as neck protection.

I frown. "Corinthians seven, verse four. 'The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife.' Saint Saul could be surprisingly romantic." … "And I have no strong feelings about collars."

She takes a moment to consider that. "What..? Else, do you do that's… Different?"
When you read it like that, yes, it sounds reasonably romantic.

"You know how I keep bringing up things that I… Find disconcerting?"

"One way of putting it."
As long as he's not constantly being the 'why do superheroes do things this way? It's silly.' guy... :p

"And you've seen my research into augmentative techniques. It goes a little further than that. I've stopped myself decaying."

"You made yourself invulnerable?"
That's a bit of a leap there. Immortal, yes, but not indestructible.

I shake my head. "I don't think anything is truly invulnerable. Even Superman can be hurt by sufficient force. No, I mean that for as long as I wear the ring I don't age and -if I do get injured- I heal immediately."

"So one day I'll be an old woman and you'll look like this." I look at her, puzzled as to why-. "Oh. So.. I'd-. Not get old."
Being with him has its perks. :oops: And just saying that made me shudder.

I look at her in puzzlement. "Do you want to?"

"No, I just… It's a bit-. Much, you know?"
Certainly, he's got quite the little bag of power-up tricks handy. Just a matter of the cost.

"No, you're worth it."

"So-. Okay, this is-. Why..? Why me, not… Mia? Or M'gann?"
Because you look damn good in a mid-riff-baring superhero costume? :p

"Mia doesn't want to be involved in superheroing. We still don't really know why Brainiac augmented her and she told me directly that she'd rather give it up and forget about it. You are the child of two supervillains and you chose this. You didn't have to. You could just have had a-. Okay, not a normal life, but something close to normal. Instead, you went out and started fighting crime with a bow. Mia's not a bad person, but you're better. And M'gann's still pretending she looks like a green human."
Which he no doubt finds insulting, somehow.

"She doesn't?"

I frown. "Of course not. She actually copied her original 'human' appearance from a pornographic film loosely inspired by Martian Manhunter's older cases."
That explains the costume. Seriously, some parody pornos have better, truer-to-the-source material costumes than Hollywood bothers with. Then again, they don't need to dress down from 'spandex and bodypaint.' :p

"Really? 'cause…" She glances at our waitress as she deals with another table's pudding order. The waitress undulates slightly as she turns away, something that Diana's armour doesn't actually allow.

"'Innocent barely legal schoolgirl' requires a different body type."
:confused: ...'Undulate' makes it sounds so unappealing...

"Ew." She frowns. "Based on Martian Manhunter's cases?"

"Very, very loosely. She kept the shape but expanded her costume to actually cover her body. But she's not determined, she's just optimistic. It's not that she knows what can go wrong but decides to do it anyway, she just decides that nothing can go wrong. Watch out for that, actually. She means well, but her judgement isn't the best. Anyway, that's why. How about you?"
I foresee that attitude causing all sorts of problems someday.

"I'm here for my Mom."

"If that was it then you wouldn't bother asking questions."
...Man has a point.

"I agreed to a date, so… Date. It's a date conversation."

"You're still considering it." I raise my eyebrows. "Am I wrong?"
"He's a smoothie..."

"How many guys do you think ask me out?"

Hm. Well, the rejection rate is usually pretty high at that age, she's probably even more prickly with random people than with actual superheroes and she doesn't behave in a feminine manner most of the time…
And probably gets more than a few "Oh my god, you saved me! I love you!' comments too...

"Five this year? At least two of which were crude half-efforts?"

"Three. And all of them were crude. One guy got handsy last year and I dislocated his shoulder and now I'm 'the psycho'."
Well-deserved response, by the sound of it. Teenage guys aren't good at thinking about the lady's wishes. All that testosterone and the blood heading downstairs, if you know what I mean.

"Fortunately, I have more self confidence than a bunch of Gotham protothugs."

"Yeah, insecure, that's-." She grunts and shakes her head. "So… I guess I just wanted to go on a date with someone. And you're kind of a psycho too but you're not… Not a bad guy."
Not yet. Give him time...

"I'm willing to work on the psycho thing. I… See things differently to other people, but-. Hey, I haven't shot Streaky since you told me not to."

"Yeah, that-. Puts you ahead. But if you're immortal and you've got a power ring, why do you want to be more powerful?"
...So the cat is still in 'floaty anti-gravity' mode, huh? :p

"So I can do more. People like the Flash can do more because they're more powerful than other people. He can check his whole city for crime in a couple of minutes and him stopping an armed robbery is easy. It's not because he's more skilled than, say, you. Take away his superspeed and you'd have a good chance of beating him in a fight. Same with Superman, but more so. They'd both still be good men without their powers, but most of their achievements come from having them."
Also, without the ring, he's awfully squishy otherwise. Which is what drives the augmentation programs Alt!Pauls get into...

"Huh. And what about Batman?"

"He could do more with powers. Being Batman costs a colossal amount of money in equipment and a lot of time in training and preparation. It's not that he's ineffectual, it's that by reconsidering some parts of his methodology he could be more effective."
It's the 'control freak' side of him. If it's not something he can completely control, he won't do it.

"You use any of that on yourself?"

"Yes. That's why I'm as strong as I am. I don't-. It had side-effects that I'm working through, so I wouldn't recommend that you-."
...Closest we've gotten to it coming out. Too bad the side-effects aren't blatant.

"No."

"Right. But I do have weaker side-effect-free augmentics, if you're interested."

"I'll… Think about it." … "All of it."
So she may well get augmented later. If things don't go poorly first.

Well, for once he's surprisingly nice. Still creepy in spots, but not more than you'd expect for someone with his primary powerset. If he's like this all the time, no wonder no-one realised what he was actually like. Which makes it all the worse when you know where it ends up. All it's gonna take to come out is one bad day, one wrong move... And bam, Tangseid Is.

One of my uncles has asbestosis...
Should be 'had', unless that's in character.
Your rings needs avarice to work.
Your ring needs avarice to work.
 
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Should be 'had', unless that's in character.
Your ring needs avarice to work.
Me said:
hat difference would that make?"
Thank you, corrected.
So this version of M'gann is aware of J'onn J'aarkn? I'm surprised she hasn't told her uncle J'onn about him.
Oh, he knows.
Also, can you reveal where that image is from?
Teen Titans 37.

Megan joined the Titans in a missing year.
It's also the first picture of her in comics.
 
Haven't decided. Since you've asked and I've thought about it I'm leaning towards 'no'. He went looking for Lantern Yalan Gur's Lantern and ran into Abin Sur, who was looking after it for his late friend Alan Scott.
So I'm guessing Abin Sur bounced the idea around with the Guardians, who did the closest thing they could to panicking and made the Larfleeze deal?
 

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