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

Discussion in 'Creative Writing' started by Mr Zoat, Jan 27, 2019.

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  1. Jormuungaand

    Jormuungaand Out of work World Serpent

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    I think she was trying to entice him to buy more.
     
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  2. Jormuungaand

    Jormuungaand Out of work World Serpent

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    Ah, irony.
     
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  3. BR549

    BR549 This is filth! FILTH!!

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    He ordered sarsparilla. She offered to upgrade him to a cocktail, noting - since he ordered a non-alcoholic drink - that the cocktails are available in 'virgin' fashion if he wants one.
     
  4. Xelloss

    Xelloss Know what you're doing yet?

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    I didn't event knew sarsparilla could be consummed by people and not just smurfs...
     
  5. Mquz

    Mquz Versed in the lewd.

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    It can. For lack of a better description of the taste, it is to root beer what Pepsi is to Coke, except good. A bit like a cross between a cream soda and a root beer.
     
  6. TheMidnightRook

    TheMidnightRook Well worn.

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    It was actually the drink of choice of a lot of cowboys in old Western movies. Mostly those made during the Hays Code era, when depicting alcohol wasn't allowed.
     
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  7. Stsword

    Stsword Versed in the lewd.

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    More modern movies referencing it include the like of the Big Lebowski's cowboy narrator drinking it, or it being Doc's drink of choice in Back to the Future 3 when he was stuck in the Old West.

    So I imagine there are those who know that cowboys drink sarsaparilla from seeing movies that reference that trope rather than seeing those old Westerns themselves....Pop cultural osmosis I guess.
     
    Last edited: Oct 8, 2019
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  8. Mr Zoat

    Mr Zoat Dedicated ragequitter

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    Thank you, corrected.
    There's no such thing as 'bullet proof'. Most parts of Batman's regular armour can take a couple of hits from low calibre bullets. Also:
     
    Last edited: Oct 8, 2019
  9. Vaermina

    Vaermina Well worn.

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    While very few real studies have been done on the subject due to reasons.

    You could fix that with your power ring. :D
     
  10. Ardy

    Ardy I trust you know where the happy button is?

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    Paul strongly recommended it during the performance review, which means Batman ignored him.

    I... what... why is Vaermina making a good point?????
     
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  11. Maxx Crowley

    Maxx Crowley I trust you know where the happy button is?

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    As I recall, around that time, the bright yellow oval with the Bat symbol inside was the most heavily armored part. The bright yellow part being handwaved as being purposeful as he WANTED people to aim there.

    Problem? That part of his chest is one of the worst places to take a bullet, Kevlar or no. Which was what he had back then.

    Reason? While Kevlar might stop a bullet, it's still halting a small point of extreme kinetic force. Feeling like a mini car wreck/the hardest punch you could possibly ever take. Bruising is a given, cracked or broken bones an extremely likely hood. Over the breast bone like Batman has?

    Also? Enough repeat impacts and its just not going to matter. Bullet "proof" material can be brute forced.
     
  12. Valiran

    Valiran Seeker of fluffiness

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    Sounds more like an offer he won’t want to refuse, which is so much better for avoiding unpleasant grudges.
    Then watch as he freaks out criminals by re-enacting the minigun scene from Superman Returns.
    Possibly with good reason. With all the crazy shit he’s seen I wouldn’t be surprised if he passed on the opportunity because A: no matter how safe the technology is, there’s always going to be some crazy side-effect because it’s DC Earth, and B: he’d eventually run into some mad scientist type who could use the kinetic field against him somehow, and with how powerful it is he probably wouldn’t survive the event.

    In the context of the setting, Batman’s general unwillingness to use anything that wasn’t developed by normal humans unless he’s got no other viable option makes more sense. There’s always something unexpected in that universe ready to screw over the unwary or unknowing, and I think Batman has a very good idea of how much there is in the universe he doesn’t know or understand.

    Does that make him overly cautious? Maybe, but if I lived on Earth-16, I’d be cautious as hell too!
     
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  13. Maxx Crowley

    Maxx Crowley I trust you know where the happy button is?

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    I recall a story where Batman was giving a type of force-field generator. I'm almost positive that it was Wayne-tech, but either way, it was developed by someone who was either a Bat-ally or someone who works for Bruce Wayne.

    Basically the thing blocked bullets.

    So Batman goes out batmanning, and some mafia goon shoots at him over the course of the night, to which the bullet bounces off the shield....and hits one of the people trying to KILL HIM.

    "You break it, you bought it." Says the leader as Batman stands there horrified.

    Que a frantic Batman diving the injured goon to the hospital.

    Moral of the Story? Batman swears never to use this incredibly useful piece of tech ever again as he gives it back to what I now wanna say was Lucius Fox. Reason? "Because I'll risk my life, but not others."

    Fuck Batman and everything about Batman. Rich, mentally ill lunatic.

    But also fuck the writer for their hackneyed, moronic attempt to justify why Batman won't use more advanced tech.
     
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  14. TheMidnightRook

    TheMidnightRook Well worn.

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    Sounds a lot like the "Field Test" story from Batman: Gotham Knight, unless the story's gotten reused at some point since which... wouldn't surprise me. As I recall, the "force-field" was an electromagnet that he wore on a harness under both civilian clothes and armour.
     
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  15. thebishop8

    thebishop8 Umm, ackchyually...

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    You beat me to it. Here's a link for those curious:

     
  16. Buggy123

    Buggy123 I trust you know where the happy button is?

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    >red shirt tries to kill a guy, gets punched in the face
    >a bunch of his friends also try to kill that guy
    >one of his friends' bullets ricochets and hits red shirt in the shoulder
    >"You've killed me!"

    Ahahahahahahahaha.

    Oh, wait, he's serious.

    HAHAHAHA!
     
    Last edited: Oct 8, 2019
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  17. Siskulous

    Siskulous Know what you're doing yet?

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    Bulletproof-ish. Unlike Superman and his ilk Bat's suit can't shrug off .50 rounds and would probably struggle with multiple hits from a .776 or any other actual combat focused round. And even for rounds your average thug is likely to use like .45 armor piercing ammo is a thing.

    She's not confusing Sarsaparilla with alcohol. She's mentioning that they have other non-alcoholic options that he may not be aware of and might enjoy. Designated drivers get that sort of thing a lot when ordering soda in bars.

    Actually quite a few studies have been done on the subject. I've personally read at least half a dozen BIG studies on the subject, and dozens of smaller ones. Getting into what they say strays a little too close to rule 8 IMO. I suggest you go look them up yourself.
     
  18. Coda

    Coda Versed in the lewd.

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    Semicolon.

    Sarsaparilla is good stuff even if the average person can't guess how to spell it.

    Rocket's kinetic barrier doesn't deflect bullets, it stops them by absorbing their kinetic energy. They don't bounce off.
     
  19. Vaermina

    Vaermina Well worn.

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    You missed a key word there, it was "real".
     
  20. Ardy

    Ardy I trust you know where the happy button is?

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    There’s the Vaermina we all know and.... know
     
  21. Buggy123

    Buggy123 I trust you know where the happy button is?

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    No.

    You do not have the authority to credit or discredit scientific studies. There's a system, and you are not a part of it.


    Secondly, you are wrong.
    There are a number of real studies done on the matter. "Real" meaning it is either peer-reviewed or backed by a known and reputable source. For instance, here is a meta-review on the subject, which checks and agglomerates information from a total of 68 other studies. They go into detail on their epistemology, the sources for their data, the criteria they used for selecting studies, and more. This information can easily be found in the "methods" section.

    Note that this particular review is more focused on finding the types of health risk rather than their overall likelyhood, be it in comparison to any other substance or otherwise. However, it is quite easy to find more studies on that website if you wish.


    Please do not come back until you have educated yourself. Thank you.
     
  22. Mquz

    Mquz Versed in the lewd.

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    Also, in your theoretical world, who’s paying for the “fake” studies. “Big Weed” wasn’t a thing since it became illegal.
     
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  23. DAT_NOOB

    DAT_NOOB Accused of writing in a far away land

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    [Redacted]
    Gentlemen, please. We are getting very close to a line
     
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  24. Mquz

    Mquz Versed in the lewd.

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    Right, sorry.
     
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  25. Threadmarks: Guys from Gotham (part 5)
    Mr Zoat

    Mr Zoat Dedicated ragequitter

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    16th February
    22:09 GMT -5


    "What?"

    Richard… Probably raises his eyebrows at me as I fly up to his rooftop eyrie.

    "You didn't try and sneak up on me."

    "Come on, Oh El. How am I supposed to manage that?"

    "I happen to know that Batman still routinely sneaks-."

    "Sneaks away from Commissioner Gordon when he's looking in the other direction, I know." He turns away, accelerates to a loping run and leaps easily from one side of the street to the other. I transition after him. "Barbara asked me if it was Batman's idea of pranking him."

    "And since you've given me such an open and honest answer, I'll return the favour. Basic magic concealment will shield you from my empathic vision unless I make a real effort, scry warding will stop regular ring scans-"

    "I knew that."

    "-and other forms of radiation can be blocked in various ways. It wouldn't be easy to set something up without fully enclosed armour, but you probably could. You might be better off going 'full-magic' if that's the way you want to go."

    He accelerates to a sprint. His next jump takes him up five floors and across another road.

    "What, you weren't satisfied with getting Kid Flash into magic and now you want me to as well?"

    "Yes. Using magic equipment, anyway. You can buy directly from Atlantis so I don't have to know what you're getting-. Though you might be better off going through me to buy from Hephaestus."

    "Did you ever think about why Batman doesn't buy magic equipment?"

    "I've been assuming that it's because he can't maintain it himself. Which… Isn't much of an argument to a Lantern."

    "I think it's more because the people he knew who used it didn't exactly understand how it works. Even a guy like Jason Blood usually only explains what he can do in mystical terms. And Zatara doesn't know why things happen when he talks backwards."

    "But Atlantis-."

    "Batman didn't meet Aquaman until the Appellaxian attack. And they didn't really talk much about Atlantean magic."

    "King Orin probably didn't know all that much himself. Not like he grew up with it. But you can get in contact with the Atlantean embassy in Washington and arrange a consultation with a commercial wizard whenever you want. So, is it a prank?"

    "I don't think so?" He slows to a halt atop the tallest building in this part of Gotham. "I think in the beginning he wanted to make the police afraid of him too, seeing as how most of them were working for the mob anyway. Now it's just part of what he does."

    "Alan didn't do things like that when he worked with the Gotham police."

    "Gotham wasn't a corrupt mess in the thirties."

    "Alright, but what makes a bigger impression: disappearing in the middle of a conversation or hanging in the air while glowing brilliant green?"

    "Batman didn't know who Green Lantern was."

    "What, and he couldn't have found out?"

    "Huh." He turns away and looks out across the city. "That's actually a good point. He could have found him."

    "I mean, I understand why he didn't track down Crimson Avenger-"

    "Because he was dead."

    "-even though they operate in similar ways."

    While Hugo Danner was America's first superhero, Crimson Avenger was America's first masked hero. He also had a rather large body count. I haven't checked to see whether the local version had the demonically possessed handguns of the version I remember, but he certainly shot people dead. I mean, he didn't do it on principle; he wasn't the DC version of the Punisher or anything. But people in America are allowed to own firearms and use them for self defence or the defence of another. Back then -especially coming off the back of prohibition- the 'custom' of heroes not using lethal force basically didn't exist.

    Still. Since I'm here, it might be worth putting a little extra effort into hunting down those guns.

    "Not that similar." He turns back to me. "So how'd it go with the Penguin?"

    "He's going to keep an ear out. How'd it go with the Penguin's computers?"

    "I didn't find anything major. I mean, I didn't think he'd get involved with dealing Smilex, but he might have supplied the muscle or the intel." He shrugs. "Nothing."

    "Is that unusual?"

    "Gotham's economy might have picked up, but it's not so good that people with long criminal records can get jobs easily. A lot of them go to the Penguin…" He shrugs. "But it's not like he runs a labor exchange. Plenty of people don't go to him."

    "Alright. What next?"

    "Next?" He brings up his arm computer. "I send a message to Batwoman, so she doesn't do anything crazy. Then I go looking for people who look like they're up to no good and ask them if they know anything."

    "Might it be worth talking to Catwoman? She lives in the sort of place where the buyers might live."

    "It's not just poor people who buy Smilex, Oh El." He exhales. "Not any more. For a little while the Joker was giving it away. He started at low doses, then escalated. People are a lot more cautious these days."

    Hm. The only person I remember selling a Smilex-derivative in the comics was Maximilian Zeus. The local version of him is a mostly-recovered businessman who attends court-mandated therapy sessions and who these days studiously avoids anything that would cause a relapse. Or maybe I'm over thinking it: sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

    "I suppose." Hm. "Speaking of exotic equipment upgrades: do you think Batman would want a power ring?"

    "Ah… Probably not from you."

    "I ask because Sinestro's dispute with the Guardians isn't strictly my problem." Richard looks decidedly dubious. "Part of Batman's method involves invoking fear, which would match the techniques needed to use a yellow ring."

    "You.. haven't been.. talking to him, have you?"

    "No, but Dox did. And I'm wondering if maybe I should. If Sinestro gained access to more rings, I'd much rather he use Batman as a template for his training methods than anyone else."

    "I'm.. gunna say 'no'."

    "How about if Sinestro had an accident? He is under sentence of death in several places."

    "Aren't you the one who said that Batman isn't the DPS guy?"

    "I suppose. Alright. I'll go and look for more Smilex, you shake down some suspicious characters. Meet you back in an hour?"
     
    Last edited: Oct 9, 2019
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  26. Ngamer11

    Ngamer11 Experienced.

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    A Lantern Corps full of Batmen. That is a scary thought.
     
  27. Buggy123

    Buggy123 I trust you know where the happy button is?

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    Missing a dot, there. Should be "Yes. Using"
     
  28. Sceptic

    Sceptic Critical Irrationalist

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    Are you sure he's not the digital signal processor guy? Or should that be DPS? :p
     
  29. Sockmonkey

    Sockmonkey I trust you know where the happy button is?

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    All true, but it's important to note that as the most heavily armored part, and not having to cover a joint, the bat-symbol would have been a rigid plate rather than the soft or semi-flexible types. Would still hurt like a bitch, but not in the "poked by Superman" kind of way.
     
  30. Chojin Patriarch

    Chojin Patriarch Veteran Lurker

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    Honestly, you should turn in your Bat-family membership! :eek:

    Prank or not, it's still kinda rude, no matter how used to it he might be.

    A maigic-geared Nightwing? Could be amusing.

    Not like he's pushing the entire team into magical gear... Just Superboy... And Kid Flash... Is Artemis using any magic arrows yet?

    True enough. It's apparently the same reason he refuses augmentation. No clear knowledge of side-effects, the time needed to retrain... Control-freak...

    Plus he'd probably have to study the thumatological notation and methodology. Not like he has the time in between fighting super-villians...

    Still rude.

    And the whole flying thing wouldn't be as common in the forties.

    If he had any reason to, he would have.

    It's the guns, I think. Batman has his whole thing about guns...

    If only to keep them out of the wrong hands. And prevent innocent people from getting caught up in some spiritual vendetta...

    That's... out of the ordinary by itself.

    Sweep the city for traces of Smilex?

    Not surprising.

    And having the real gods running around probably helped put the kibosh in his looniness.

    As Ngamer11 said, an entire Corps of Batman-style agents? Scary, pun not intended.

    Given his comics history with Rings, I'd agree with that.

    Likelyhood of finding anything significant: low on Robin's part...

    Well, more walk-and-talk (or roofhop-and-talk. Good to see Robin taking advantage of his Danner-given powers.) Even if the entire episode is like this, it'd be enjoyable just because of banter.
     
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