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

inglorius · Apr 16, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
"What's the worse-case scenario?"

Should be "worst", like in next few paragraphs.

If the other John is right about "evil magician", it can be Circe or that-old-guy-from-atlantis. Convenient how they were recently higlighted in renegate timeline.

Darko · Apr 16, 2021

inglorius said:
Should be "worst", like in next few paragraphs.

If the other John is right about "evil magician", it can be Circe or that-old-guy-from-atlantis. Convenient how they were recently higlighted in renegate timeline.

Circe, maybe.

Ahri'ahn, probably not.

Chojin Patriarch · Apr 16, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
28th August 2010
12:03GMT -2

I wave the ring, undoing in an instant the damage Black Manta and Company made when they broke into the Poseidonis Science Center and stole...

Ooooh. Common Sense time! Let's see what plot points he derails today? Now, what about the Poseidonis Science Center would Black Manta.. want... (One quick wiki-walk later)

Oooh, dear.

"I'm sorry, Minister Vulko, what exactly did they take?"

He looks up from where he's discussing something with another researcher.

Ah, Vulko. Sometimes Orin's greatest ally, sometimes his worst traitor (out of usually misguided devotion.) And whichever continuity he's in, possessor of a damn classy beard.

"They didn't take anything. Black Manta attempted to steal an ancient creature frozen in artic ice, but when Kaldur'ahm and Garth stopped him all he could do was destroy it."

"When you say 'ancient', how old do you mean?"

Oh, yes. This is going exactly where you think it is... After all, what creature in DC would be likely to be frozen in ancient Arctic ice packs?

"It's hard to say. Before the Sinking, certainly. As I hope you can appreciate, we have excellent records of aquatic life in the Atlantic Ocean after that."

"So… Was it an aquatic dinosaur?"

...No. While there are still dinosaurs wandering here and there on the face of DC Earth and beyond, they would have no business in the Arctic...

"Almost certainly not. It appeared to be some form of echinoderm, but I'm afraid that we weren't able to really begin our analysis before the attack."

"Like a sea urchin?"

"More like a giant star fish."

Yup. It's a Starro. Those who've seen the series will know exactly where this is going. Namely, the dig site.

My environmental shield wavers. DC, giant starfish. That says Starro to me, though… I suppose that there might be other giant starfish around the place. I was never an expert on extinct aquatic species.

"Roughly how big?"

I mean, a simple face-hugger form... Not too big a worry... Unless it manages to hit someone powerful. But even then, it's not a great threat.

"Roughly… Eight metres, arm tip to arm tip?"

"And it was completely destroyed?"

Oh, that's bad. At that scale, there's no need for the face-huggers. They'll control people direct.

"No, not completely. A small amount of tissue was left over." He sighs as he swims upwards towards me to carry on out conversation. "We're sending it to the surface. King Orin feels that S.T.A.R. labs are better situated to contain samples in the face of criminal attack." He looks at my face, then gives me a mild frown. "Is there a problem?"

Explaining what I think it could be might risk someone questioning how I-.

Surely this isn't the first time your meta-knowledge has informed you of something of concern, CS!OL? Still, let that little super-power of yours work...

<Common Sense Interrupt>

Oh, of course. The Green Lantern Corps must have records of Starro. Even if the local Green Lanterns haven't ever bothered looking it up. And while Jordan and Stewart regularly talk to each other, neither of them talk to Gardner if they can possibly help it. I've talked to all three of them, and unlike me they don't have perfect recall. They also don't know that I have perfect recall. If questioned I can just say 'I think you mentioned it one time', and if, say, Jordan says that he doesn't remember I can just shrug and say if might have been Gardner. He won't be sure that it wasn't him and he certainly won't contact Gardner to check.

Ah, the joy of taking advantage of other Lantern's issues with Bobblehead Malware...

And their poor relationship with Guy. Just a little annoying there. Still, needs must...

"It… Might be nothing, but I've been training with Green Lantern Two Eight One Four A, and… He mentioned a species of giant alien starfish. It might not be the same species, but it… Might be worth checking."

"I hardly think it's likely that an alien starfish made its way to Earth. We didn't find any wreckage or remains that could have been a ship…"

Vulko, Vulko, Vulko... This is a world of magic and miraculous technology. Yet you draw the line at something flying in space unaided?

...Then again, does the average Atlantean really understand the concept of Space?

"The species in question flew in space using massively strong telekinetic fields. I don't now how familiar you are with the phenomena..?"

He shakes his head. "Not at all. The genetics that grant risk to that class of mental abilities don't occur in Atlanteans. I think it may be something to do with the alterations made to us to adapt us to sub aquatic life. Or it might be that our forebears simply didn't have the genes. Since magic can serve virtually the same purpose there wouldn't have been any evolutionary incentive for the trait to arise. But these starfish could fly through interstellar space?"

Even if an Atlantean had possessed psychic powers, they would likely have left society due to the mental noise. And their abilities would have been unlikely to be recognised as psychic powers due to ignorance...

I shrug. "I haven't seen it myself, but that was my understanding."

"Fascinating. I wonder if they're artificial, or-. No, no, that's not important. Are they dangerous?"

Yes, focus on the important questions, Vulko. You saw how CS!OL's aura flickered, you must be able to recognise the significance...

"They can mind control the populations of entire planets, so yes. Do you still have the remaining tissue here?"

"I… No. It's on its way to America. But it's almost certainly dead."

Dead is such a loaded term, especially with creatures like that.

"Right, but are all of the others?"

"Others?"

"They usually send millions of little ones. I don't know exactly how their life cycle works." I look around the room. "So it was… Here, right?"

Hmm... Wonder if the Pluto situation might get discovered much earlier... But that's for future CS!OL to deal with, sensibly.

"Yes?"

"Ring, scan for genetic material in detail."

Ooh, that's going to be a lot of material...

"Compliance."

Thick waves of orange light radiate outwards, repeatedly flowing over every surface.

"Eliminate samples from Atlanteans and known sea creatures."

Boy, he is focused on this, isn't he? At least that search will knock a lot of signatures off the list...

"Compliance."

"And forward the rest to Lantern Two Eight One Four A and ask him to call me back once he's checked them against the Green Lantern Corps' database."

Ha! Oh, Jordan is going to be putting his environmental field's waste removal function to use when he sees this, won't he.

"Compliance."

"So were there any other starfish where you found this one?"

"The… Excavation is still ongoing."

Which Black Manta knows, given that he's in contact with Orm...

<Common Sense Interrupt>

"And… What happens if Black Manta goes there?"

"Go there-?" His eyes widen. "They have.. guards…"

Enough guards to deal with Manta and his men? I think not...

I blink.

"More guards than the city of Poseidonis? Also, are those guards sufficiently skilled at defensive magic to prevent an alien starfish taking control of their minds?"

Because that is a definite risk. Depending on whether there are any more Starros on site...

Also: what? Yes, S.T.A.R. labs usually have good security, but this is the capital city of Atlantis. Even with distraction attacks… That's like Pokolistan sending a commando team to raid the Natural History Museum and just flying away. On the surface they'd have to get past radar and sonar. Ships and aircraft would be redirected to intercept exactly like they are when the Russians decide to try it on. How the heck did Manta get into position to do this?

Obvious answer: He has a man on the inside. And that's going to set a catfish amongst the minnows...

"No. No, you.. definitely have a point. I will suggest that King Orin-."

The ring blinks.

That would be Hal going "On the phone! Get him on the phone! I want him on the phone right now!" after seeing the scans...

"Excuse me. Answer."

Jordan's concerned-looking face appears.

"Don't touch it and don't go near it. Where are you?"

Don't worry, Hal, the local item is dealt with... But there may be more on planet...

"Poseidonis. The Atlanteans dug it out from…" I look at Vulko. "Somewhere?"

"The northern polar ice. It's an alien, then?"

Yes, Vulko, CS!OL explained this already. Do keep up.

When a Green Lantern is in this much of a rush, things are bad.

"Where is it now?"

"What's left of it after Black Manta hit it with a missile is heading for S.T.A.R. Labs Gotham. Might I respectfully incinerating it, sir?"

I've no doubt Hal will be en-route in moments. Though I expect he'll want a full report on the 'Black Manta with a missile' later...

"There's no need to suggest the completely obvious. I'm heading to Gotham now. Isolate wherever you found it. I'll clear that up next. Green Lantern out."

His face vanishes, and I nod. That seems like an entirely proportional response to me. But I don't know why Black Manta is able to get in and out of Atlantean territory-.

Ah, I see he's having a moment of clarity...

<Common Sense Interrupt>

Oh. Heh. Okay, yes, that would make more sense. Of course, it doesn't really help when I have a power ring that can track someone anywhere on the planet.

Let me guess, remembering the whole 'Orm equals Ocean Master' thing that he assumed wasn't applicable here, and finding himself wondering...

"You don't have a blood sample from Black Manta, do you?"

Heh. And since he presumably didn't spook the League of Shadows after the Clayface thing, no wards... Talk about easy-mode.

Methinks the Light will be asking Klarion for something after this.

Oh, so many butterflies to derail future issues... No starro-fragment, no Klarion distraction to steal it, no split world. No starro-fragment for mind control tech, no takeover of the Justice League, no off-world trip. The question of how Manta bypassed so many of Poseidonis' defences means Orm may be exposed. The Green lanterns being on higher alert means they may well find the Star Mother in Pluto this time... Honestly, Common Sense is so overpowered in this universe, it's practically a cheat code.

...an ancient creature frozen in artic ice, but when...

...an ancient creature frozen in arctic ice, but when...

Darko · Apr 16, 2021

Chojin Patriarch said:
And whichever continuity he's in, possessor of a damn classy beard.

Except in the 2018 movie.

Though Dafoe's performance was still great, even if it lacked a beard.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Yet you draw the line at something flying in space unaided?

Hey, the guys a scientist, so accepting everything without proof would be kinda against science or whatever.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Then again, does the average Atlantean really understand the concept of Space?

Probably, though they may not think too much about it.

Chojin Patriarch said:
And their abilities would have been unlikely to be recognised as psychic powers due to ignorance...

I think you're wrong here.

Seeing as Atlantis is magical they probably would recognize their abilities.

If it was on the surface then they probably wouldn't be recognized.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Yes, focus on the important questions, Vulko. You saw how CS!OL's aura flickered, you must be able to recognise the significance...

This is probably their first meeting.

As far as he knows the flicker could just be something that happens from time to time.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Hmm... Wonder if the Pluto situation might get discovered much earlier... But that's for future CS!OL to deal with, sensibly.

If they stop the Starros now then that may not happen.

If I remember correctly the one in Pluto was awakened by a bunch of smaller Starros, so if they're stopped here that may not happen.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Yes, Vulko, CS!OL explained this already. Do keep up

There's nothing wrong with getting a second opinion, especially from someone more experienced in a subject, which Hal, seeing as he's been a Lantern far longer than Paul, would naturally be seen as having more experience with aliens.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Heh. And since he presumably didn't spook the League of Shadows after the Clayface thing, no wards... Talk about easy-mode. Methinks the Light will be asking Klarion for something after this.

Manta has been fighting Atlantis for years, so he may already have magic defences courtesy of Orm.

Ras didn't really seem to fight people utilizing magic, so it's understandable why he would lack scrying defences, but Manta has been fighting magic users.

When Kaldur told Paul that they could have used his blood to find Manta, Paul told him that Manta probably had defences against that.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Oh, so many butterflies to derail future issues... No starro-fragment, no Klarion distraction to steal it, no split world. No starro-fragment for mind control tech, no takeover of the Justice League, no off-world trip. The question of how Manta bypassed so many of Poseidonis' defences means Orm may be exposed. The Green lanterns being on higher alert means they may well find the Star Mother in Pluto this time... Honestly, Common Sense is so overpowered in this universe, it's practically a cheat code.

Not completely sure about some of these.

Klarion may decide to split the world because the Light needs a distraction for something else, or because he just felt like doing it.

Though it may be stopped much sooner here.

There were some Common Sense omakes with Nabu.

In one of them Paul and Nabu start at a much friendlier place and Paul recommends him asking Atlantis for a host or hosts, which Nabu seemed to consider, before he took out the magic Klarion infected Paul with.

If Nabu found a host sooner, then he may be able to stop Klarion before too much damage is done.

Though Paul also shot Teekle there and banished Klarion, so the split world may not happen and some other Chaos Lord,like Mordru, may come.

People may also may not be so interested in magic, seeing as Roanoke basically showed them it was real and they needed to be prepared, so if it doesn't happen here, then interest in magic may also not happen.

If this happens, then we see that sometimes common sense can backfire in big ways.

The Light may also try to utilize other mind control methods.

Stsword · Apr 16, 2021

An amusing bit of trivia, and no evidence whatsoever that it's true in YJ- but in the comics Aquaman does in fact have telekinesis. Only time I can recall him using it is to enhance Black Canary's sonic scream as a combo attack.

Probably powered by the Clear like his marine telepathy.

Mr Zoat · Apr 16, 2021

Gantradies said:
I actually wouldn't mind seeing an expended version of the Fallout-Alternate's story someday- I've allways loved the setting, and some of the people/factions from the mod it's set in sound fascinating...

expanded

inglorius said:
Should be "worst", like in next few paragraphs.

No, the SI just used bad grammar.

Chojin Patriarch said:
...an ancient creature frozen in arctic ice, but when...

Thank you, corrected.

Someguy Somewhere · Apr 16, 2021

Darko said:
The Light may also try to utilize other mind control methods.

With all the ultimate power that is common sense, the Light might specifically target CS!OL specifically due to A)him being far too effective and B) catching a small dose of common sense from him opening his mouth around them or their spies

Chaoswind · Apr 16, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
"You don't have a blood sample from Black Manta, do you?"

If they did blackmanta would have gotten scry and die a while ago, so either they don't or he has some magic to shield him since he is an agent in the employment of ocean master aka Prince Orm.

But good effort on everything else.

Xmaster3000 · Apr 16, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
The genetics that grant risk to that class of mental abilities don't occur in Atlanteans.

I think it's "grant rise", not "grant risk".

Mr Zoat · Apr 16, 2021

Xmaster3000 said:
I think it's "grant rise", not "grant risk".

Thank you, corrected.

WereDragon · Apr 16, 2021

Mr Zoat said:

Ah, my favourite department. This time shown scuttling one of the stupider plots in YJ.

Tzeentch · Apr 16, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
Not perfect. Her eyes are still vacant, her brain… It's in pristine condition but there's nothing going on.

Rereading this, from the Nehekharan perspective on the nature of the soul, the young lady had her "Kha", her mortal shell fully restored, but lacks the "Ka", her ego, ability to reason, and have abstract thought, the "Ba", her subconscious self and emotions, and the "Ab", her Conscience, her ability to choose right from wrong.

While the Liche Priests ARE rather lacking in transmuting dead flesh to living flesh, (unless they figure out how to perform such a feat through ritual/divine magic by observing how Paul does it), I imagine they have methods and means to restore those lost or diminished portions of the handmaiden's "Akhu."

Perhaps by learning and using her "Ren", her True Name?

Mr Zoat · Apr 17, 2021

22nd July 2012
19:15 GMT

'lE˥5 ˥Ħ1H'

I frown at the clock radio.

"Have you tried answering it?"

Gemma Masters shakes her head. "Uncle John always said that if anything tried talking to me I should get rid of it and phone him right away."

"Get rid of it then phone him, or phone him and get rid of it if reasonably practical?"

She's staring at the clock. "Yeah, that one. What is it?"

I can feel it as her father stares at the back of my head. I was allowed in because Zauriel has officially okayed me, but Anthony Masters is one of many people who aren't at all happy about the fact that magic use is working its way into the mainstream. It's not even an Anglican thing, really. The High Church strand of Anglican thought has pretty much accepted the Catholic outlook on magic, and that's the trend that's currently dominant in the Church of England. But the Archbishop of Canterbury is stuck moderating the increasingly vacuous-. Vicious arguments between that portion of the Anglican Communion and the Evangelical wing which really doesn't.

"How long have you had this clock?"

"Six years. So it's not a century spirit."

"Those-. That's not exactly how it works."

She glances at me, rolling her eyes.

"I know."

"But you're right. It hasn't developed an arcane presence on its own. Something's acting through it, and-."

"Then we'll burn it." Mr. Masters walks around me and reaches out to-.

"Please don't do that."

He stops, but he looks even less happy. "What? Burning will get rid of whatever it is, won't it?"

"It will stop it communicating through the clock, yes, but it won't deal with the thing that's doing the communicating. And this clock isn't the only thing that's behaving like this."

"But it won't be behaving like this here anymore."

"Based on the evidence I've accumulated so far, it can manifest through any technological device. Do you have any power tools in the house? Or a vacuum cleaner?"

He sags slightly. To be fair to the man, his exposure to magic started with John Constantine and ended with the Sheeda. And the bit in the middle wasn't much fun either. Irritating as I personally find him and his, he's a basically decent man in over his head, which is a problem because given the state of the world today there's no way for him to pull his head out. The world now is very different to what it was not all that long ago. Whatever… Masquerade there was has been thoroughly destroyed.

Keeping your head down doesn't really work if you're inside the blast radius. And married to a Constantine.

"So what do we do?"

I take a rune stone out of my pouch and hold it out. A weak resonance. That could just be from the spell being used to connect the foetal god to the device. Or it could be imbued into the device itself. The only way to check without an actual magician would be to drain it and see if it kept going.

I've got plenty of sites for John Quinn to triangulate. I just had my rings monitor social media for people reporting odd events, then paid a visit if it seemed to be on brand. But none of the devices so far affected have attempted two-way communication. That could just be a matter of luck, but it could also be a sign that events are progressing towards something. Or that the god is waking up.

A clock radio doesn't have a microphone, but I can make the speakers vibrate easily enough. The question is, is it advantageous to do so?

"Have these.. things hurt anyone?"

"One man hospitalised for observation after he had a panic attack. No injuries directly inflicted. So far."

I plug orange filaments into the clock radio and generate a microphone construct, handing it to Gemma.

"It's your radio."

She looks decidedly pleased as she takes the microphone, drawing herself up slightly before putting it to her lips.

"This is Gemma. Who am I talking to?"

'HE110 CE∩∩∩∩Ħ'

"It's talking to me! It's talking to me!"

'˥HE ˥1∩∩E 15'

Gemma frowns. "What's it doing?"

'19:17'

The numbers remain on the screen.

"What?"

"It's your clock radio. It's telling you the time."

"W-? Yeah, but-? What?"

I tilt my head back, closing my eyes for a moment.

"Clocks tell their owner the time. So that's what it's doing. It got your attention and told you the time."

"But-. I thought…"

She sounds severely disappointed.

"Magic-based lifeforms don't work like organic ones. You can't assume that text indicates a human-equivalent mind any more than it does when a parrot talks."

"But how did it know my name?"

"Has your name ever been used within reach of its speakers? Or… Did you fill in a warranty?"

"I took it-." She huffs, then picks it up and turns it over. 'GEMMA' is written in indelible ink on the bottom. "I took it to Sharon's house for a sleepover."

"Oh thank God."

Mr. Masters takes his crucifix in his right hand and closes his eyes for a moment. Gemma puts the clock radio down again-.

'lE˥5 ˥Ħ1H'

"Let me guess. It's seven eighteen."

'∩0'

"What, then?"

'19:17'

Gemma rolls her eyes. "Thanks."

She starts to hand it to me-.

'1 H∩0UU UUHEĦE J0H∩ 15'

She immediately lifts the clock radio up to her face.

"Where Uncle John is? Where?!"

'C0∩∩E F1∩0 ∩∩E'

Idkusername · Apr 17, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
but Anthony Masters one of many people

missing 'is'

Pranks and riddles... such is the way of chaos.

Z000 · Apr 17, 2021

oh god, John

what did you do this time, did you dump your Chaos magic stuff onto a new born god of machine

Darko · Apr 17, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
Gemma Masters shakes her head. "Uncle John always said that if anything tried talking to me I should get rid of it and phone him right away."

Smart.

Mr Zoat said:
Anthony Masters one of many people who aren't at all happy about the fact that magic use is working its way into the mainstream.

If his first exposure was due to Constantine, then it's understandable.

Mr Zoat said:
. To be fair to the man, his exposure to magic started with John Constantine and ended with the Sheeda.

And the things in the middle, like Roanoke, Oceanus, the Angel invasion, Hell in Fawcett, probably didn't help.

Mr Zoat said:
And married to a Constantine

Poor bastard.

Mr Zoat said:
But-. I thought…"

She sounds severely disappointed.

Magnus knows how you feel.

Mr Zoat said:
Where Uncle John is? Where?!"

'Where is'

Of course it would involve him.

w34v3r · Apr 17, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
'C0∩∩E F1∩0 ∩∩E'

Ok see in the common sense verse the response would be "Fuck no, John Constantine can bloody well stay lost."

I love it when he's on screen/page causing mayhem, but one does start to wonder if it'd be better for the inhabitants of the world if he just wandered off and stayed wandered.

DiceArt · Apr 17, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
'1 H∩0UU UUHEĦE J0H∩ 15'

She immediately lifts the clock radio up to her face.

"Where Uncle John is? Where?!"

'C0∩∩E F1∩0 ∩∩E'

I'm a be honest as soon as the clock did this I'm right there with dad and handing the fella a flame thrower after dousing the thing with holy water. It brought up John Constantine by saying it knows where he is, If it was John he'd have contacted them through something much more practical like the phone. The only conclusion I can draw is that a Demon is involved, and that's an instant nope not doing anything that thing tells me or asks me to do I'm a burn it to ash, and then any other inanimate object I own that tries to talk to me like that. Dat's some bad bad mojo.

BlueMangoAdea · Apr 17, 2021

Maybe being connected to Chaos messed with John's head? Which caused him to mess with the god-fetus to "halp"?

Vaermina · Apr 17, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
'1 H∩0UU UUHEĦE J0H∩ 15'

She immediately lifts the clock radio up to her face.

"Where Uncle John is? Where?!"

'C0∩∩E F1∩0 ∩∩E'

So the other John locked Constantine away somewhere, and Constantine woke the sleeping machine god as a way to reach out and contact people about it.

Darko · Apr 17, 2021

BlueMangoAdea said:
Maybe being connected to Chaos messed with John's head? Which caused him to mess with the god-fetus to "halp"?

Constantine doing something ill-advised and dangerous in order to offer his version of 'help' only to have it horribly backfire and cause pain, suffering and mayhem?

Sounds legit.

Cuchulin · Apr 17, 2021

Darko said:
Constantine doing something ill-advised and dangerous in order to offer his version of 'help' only to have it horribly backfire and cause pain, suffering and mayhem?
Sounds legit.

Indeed, his "help" may solve usually the problem but almost as often it leads to a bigger mess being created.

Bloodalchemy · Apr 17, 2021

He always fixes the deadly problem. In the process he creates a larger less deadly problem in its place.

NightmareWarden · Apr 17, 2021

Bloodalchemy said:
He always fixes the deadly problem. In the process he creates a larger less deadly problem in its place.

Like replacing an experienced arsonist with a brushfire.

Chojin Patriarch · Apr 17, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
22nd July 2012
19:15 GMT

'lE˥5 ˥Ħ1H'

I frown at the clock radio.

I.. am not even sure what that's saying. 'Let's talk', maybe? That is really hard to read. Therefore, I shall assume it's trying to say, "Hey, Listen!" Which makes me both respect the Machine's old-school taste, and hate it for making people think of Navi.

"Have you tried answering it?"

Gemma Masters shakes her head. "Uncle John always said that if anything tried talking to me I should get rid of it and phone him right away."

Sensible advice... When a Constantine is involved, things get weird. And then comes the screaming and the running and the dying...

"Get rid of it then phone him, or phone him and get rid of it if reasonably practical?"

She's staring at the clock. "Yeah, that one. What is it?"

...Typical teenager, giving a mathematician's answer without even thinking about it...

I can feel it as her father stares at the back of my head. I was allowed in because Zauriel has officially okayed me, but Anthony Masters one of many people who aren't at all happy about the fact that magic use is working its way into the mainstream. It's not even an Anglican thing, really. The High Church strand of Anglican thought has pretty much accepted the Catholic outlook on magic, and that's the trend that's currently dominant in the Church of England. But the Archbishop of Canterbury is stuck moderating the increasingly vacuous-. Vicious arguments between that portion of the Anglican Communion and the Evangelical wing which really doesn't.

The Catholics, if you remember, are tolerant of magic unless it involves bad stuff. Like Demons. I suspect most religions are having a lot of issues working out their stances about Magic in general after the Sheeda invasion...

"How long have you had this clock?"

"Six years. So it's not a century spirit."

Before anyone says 'that sounds too smart!', remember: She's a Constantine. Not being well-read on magic stuff would be foolish. If not suicidal (in the Ankh-Morporkian sense.)

"Those-. That's not exactly how it works."

She glances at me, rolling her eyes.

"I know."

And given that she was introduced to us after an attempted abduction by lesser gluttony demons, that should not be surprising...

"But you're right. It hasn't developed an arcane presence on its own. Something's acting through it, and-."

"Then we'll burn it." Mr. Masters walks around me and reaches out to-.

<sigh> Do we have to restrain you, pappy? This is an ongoing investigation. Would you pull that shit with a police officer?

"Please don't do that."

He stops, but he looks even less happy. "What? Burning will get rid of whatever it is, won't it?"

Until the Machine finds something else to communicate through. Do you want the TV talking to you through the Subtitle function next?

"It will stop it communicating through the clock, yes, but it won't deal with the thing that's doing the communicating. And this clock isn't the only thing that's behaving like this."

"But it won't be behaving like this here anymore."

How short-sighted... Out of sight, out of mind? Not going to work...

"Based on the evidence I've accumulated so far, it can manifest through any technological device. Do you have any power tools in the house? Or a vacuum cleaner?"

He sags slightly. To be fair to the man, his exposure to magic started with John Constantine and ended with the Sheeda. And the bit in the middle wasn't much fun either. Irritating as I personally find him and his, he's a basically decent man in over his head, which is a problem because given the state of the world today there's no way for him to pull his head out. The world now is very different to what it was not all that long ago. Whatever… Masquerade there was has been thoroughly destroyed.

Indeed. Yes, he has very good reasons to be the way he is. That doesn't make it any easier to adapt, though. And there's probably a lot of people feeling the same way out there...

Keeping your head down doesn't really work if you're inside the blast radius. And married to a Constantine.

"So what do we do?"

It's like living with a ticking time-bomb, then. One that can explode repeatedly...

I take a rune stone out of my pouch and hold it out. A weak resonance. That could just be from the spell being used to connect the foetal god to the device. Or it could be imbued into the device itself. The only way to check without an actual magician would be to drain it and see if it kept going.

I've got plenty of sites for John Quinn to triangulate. I just had my rings monitor social media for people reporting odd events, then paid a visit if it seemed to be on brand. But none of the devices so far affected have attempted two-way communication. That could just be a matter of luck, but it could also be a sign that events are progressing towards something. Or that the god is waking up.

The problem is, none of these things are necessarily good.

A clock radio doesn't have a microphone, but I can make the speakers vibrate easily enough. The question is, is it advantageous to do so?

"Have these.. things hurt anyone?"

Did the car incident actually hurt anyone? Or just leave a lot of scared people and near-misses behind it?

"One man hospitalised for observation after he had a panic attack. No injuries directly inflicted. So far."

I plug orange filaments into the clock radio and generate a microphone construct, handing it to Gemma.

"It's your radio."

And daddy grumbles under his breath... But it makes sense, she's the closest contact to it...

She looks decidedly pleased as she takes the microphone, drawing herself up slightly before putting it to her lips.

"This is Gemma. Who am I talking to?"

Oh, she's been waiting for something like this, has she? I have to wonder what her favourite kind of fiction is... Urban Fantasy, perhaps? Or would that feel too familiar?

'HE110 CE∩∩∩∩Ħ'

"It's talking to me! It's talking to me!"

Well, to be pedantic, it's signalling to you. No sound involved on it's part, after all.

'˥HE ˥1∩∩E 15'

Gemma frowns. "What's it doing?"

Ever heard of the Speaking Clock? Probably before many people's times, given every smartphone these days includes an internet clock-sync...

'19:17'

The numbers remain on the screen.

"What?"

Well, she sounds disappointed. What a let-down, eh?

"It's your clock radio. It's telling you the time."

"W-? Yeah, but-? What?

Well, it's trying to be helpful. If it were a toaster (and somehow able to communicate) it's probably be asking how dark you'd like your toast.

I tilt my head back, closing my eyes for a moment.

"Clocks tell their owner the time. So that's what it's doing. It got your attention and told you the time."

"But-. I thought…"

What, you thought this would be a profound communication with something ethereal? Be glad it isn't trying to kill you. Constantine, after all.

She sounds severely disappointed.

"Magic-based lifeforms don't work like organic ones. You can't assume that text indicates a human-equivalent mind any more than it does when a parrot talks."

Indeed. Everything else the Machine has touched thus far has simply tried to do its perceived job, but better.

"But how did it know my name?"

"Has your name ever been used without reach of its speakers? Or… Did you fill in a warranty?"

"I took it-." She huffs, then picks it up and turns it over. 'GEMMA' is written in indelible ink on the bottom. "I took it to Sharon's house for a sleepover."

...Ah, children.

"Oh thank God."

Mr. Masters takes his crucifix in his right hand and closes his eyes for a moment. Gemma puts the clock radio down again-.

Not sure what the crucifix could do against a god of machines. Or much else. I doubt he's pious enough to use theurgy. But hey, whatever makes him feel better...

'lE˥5 ˥Ħ1H'

"Let me guess. It's seven eighteen."

'∩0'

I suspect that would wear its welcome out right quick.

"What, then?"

'19:17'

Gemma rolls her eyes. "Thanks."

Well, that was a whole waste of...

She starts to hand it to me-.

'1 H∩0UU UUHEĦE J0H∩ 15'

Hello! Okay, now that's important. Any reason why you couldn't lead with that, digits?

She immediately lifts the clock radio up to her face.

"Where Uncle John is? Where?!"

'C0∩∩E F1∩0 ∩∩E'

I don't know. What do you say, Admiral Ackbar?
Ackbar: "It's A Trap!"

Well... Might we finally see John Constantine, Lord of Chaos, at last? And what part is he playing in the God of Machine's birth? Good gravy, this raises so many questions... At least we'll get some of the answers in the days to come.

"W-? Yeah, but-? What?

Missing End Quotation mark.

Mr Zoat · Apr 17, 2021

Idkusername said:
missing 'is'

Thank you, corrected.

Darko said:
'Where is'

She was copying what the clock radio said.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Well, it's trying to be helpful. If it were a toaster (and somehow able to communicate) it's probably be asking how dark you'd like your toast.

Missing End Quotation mark.

Thank you, corrected.

Lord Ernest · Apr 17, 2021

I feel a bit sorry for this Mr. Anthony Masters, but I have to be honest, I miss John's presence on the story and have been desperately waiting for his eventual return. John Quinn was a poor replacement. Effective though he was as mystical support, I prefer John Constantine, with his banter and his street magician experience. If this is his return I will be glad for it.

Darko · Apr 17, 2021

Chojin Patriarch said:
Until the Machine finds something else to communicate through. Do you want the TV talking to you through the Subtitle function next?

I'm reminded of an episode of Supernatural where Sam, Dean and I think Castiel were pulled into the television, specifically in a Scooby-Doo show.

Things go off the rails and eventually the Scooby gang has a collective emotional breakdown and start questioning what part of the supernatural is real and even the existence of God.

I kinda want to see something similar happen here.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Oh, she's been waiting for something like this, has she? I have to wonder what her favourite kind of fiction is... Urban Fantasy, perhaps? Or would that feel too familiar?

Familiarity breeds contempt.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Well, to be pedantic

You probably picked it up from Zoat.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Not sure what the crucifix could do against a god of machines. Or much else. I doubt he's pious enough to use theurgy. But hey, whatever makes him feel better..

When Paul went to see a vampire he brought along a bunch of religious symbols and she seemed to not like them there, even though Paul isn't exactly a pious man himself, or even that much of a believer.

This guy appears to have some faith so even if he can't use theurgy, some of that faith may be useful, like making said god be careful around someone that may have some protection from another, more powerful god.

Z000 · Apr 17, 2021

Darko said:
she seemed to not like them there

she only not like them when she know what they meant

weirdo vampire survival instinct

webxro · Apr 17, 2021

You know what a crimson red flag ? Any Constantine being invited to find on otherworldly voice

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

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