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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. Lord Ernest

    Lord Ernest At the End...

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    He's a New God, for it too affect him in this story, it would have to be a strong, overt effect and the Illustres would have seen the Red Light like a beacon instead of needing local guides to navigate possible locations of the Butcher's Blood. Besides, the locals would all be berserks instead of just warlike.

    Orion is susceptible to his own anger, though. And that just needs enough stimuli to trigger, a probable target and for nobody to support the Mother Box in trying to calm him. So, give it 50/50 he goes on a righteous rampage.
     
  2. Darko

    Darko Connoisseur.

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    They may require the permission of the local ruling body for that.

    Given that the locals may not want to potentially lose their power to an alien, they'd rather live with the ash.

    Maybe this sector is relatively peaceful, so they can wait.

    Given the fact that the Butcher's blood exists on this planet it's fully possible that some people have received visions of a strange and powerful being urging them to give into their anger.
     
  3. rkyeun

    rkyeun Cabbitus Maximus

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    If something from space sets off your supervolcano, they do.
    If your society sets off your supervolcano, they assume you wanted it and it's not their place to interfere.
     
  4. Vaermina

    Vaermina Well worn.

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    That's not how planets work...

    You can't just clear a portion of the sky of ash, the rest of it will just move back in and a couple weeks later you will be back at square one with a tiny bit of overall diminishment.
     
    Last edited: Mar 15, 2023
  5. Duke Long

    Duke Long Glomerulus

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    Vaermina, it seems obvious to me that he’s talking about what he’s going to do right now, not any sort of long-term policy. It doesn’t matter if it’ll come back in a few weeks, or even if it would come back in a few days, because before then he’ll have cleared up the whole world.
     
  6. BR549

    BR549 This is filth! FILTH!!

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    I've never been able to refind the clip of the scene, but we all know the scene from GL:TAS that absolutely confirms this is indeed Razer. ;)
     
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  7. hkim

    hkim Know what you're doing yet?

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    Reminder that you're talking to Vaermina. The facts don't matter, sadly.
     
  8. Vaermina

    Vaermina Well worn.

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    Na, he was referencing it potentially being enough to convince the neighbors to go for diplomacy over raiding.

    And the only scenario where that sort of thing would fit, is one where he thought it would stay clear after he left since nobody is going to think anything more then "oh hey, temporary cloud hole" for the couple hours it would take him to deal with this then start on the rest of the planet.
     
  9. Cuchulin

    Cuchulin Versed in the lewd.

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    True.
     
  10. Threadmarks: Meanwhile, on Earth -14
    Mr Zoat

    Mr Zoat Dedicated ragequitter

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    Meanwhile, on Earth -14

    21st January 2013
    11:34 GMT +2


    "…we really need to do this, mate?"

    I smile obsequiously at Jackie Quick as he winces in the bright Central African sunlight. Arrowette doesn't look much better, while their 'pet' Skud seems… About as with it as someone with an IQ of 82 can.

    "Jackie, you were the one who complained about not being involved-"

    He bows his head and rests his forehead on his palms. "Fuck me."

    "-in 'important decisions'. Now, I'm afraid that being involved involves your time and attention. Though…" I hold up my hands with an expression of forbearance on my face. "I have absolutely no authority to keep you here. I am after all merely an emissary of the Management, and have no right to give you orders."

    Jackie looks up, slightly hopefully.

    "No, but I do." Jonathan looks at Jackie with an expression of mild irritation. "You're staying. And next time, don't drink that much before a meet'n."

    I float a glass of water over to each of them, Arrowette flashing me a grateful look before downing it.

    "Or you could do what my old manager did at university, and hook yourself up to a saline drip before going to sleep. The headache's a product of dehydration rather than a moral judgement. Now."

    I clap my hands together, smiling as they wince harder.

    "Quick summary of the Syndicate's position, and then we can get to the meat of the issue. The Syndicate has taken control of all of the parts of the world no one really cares about, replacing corrupt politicians with effective and professional supervillains. Most people don't see much different, except that unauthorised crime is way down on what it was."

    Because there's no point in robbing yourself.

    "This has added a surprising number of legitimate revenue streams to the Syndicate and has… Basically made Europe dependent on us for certain types of fruit. Go team."

    Jonathan snorts with amusement. "Guess that's full circle. I'm back where grandma and grandpa started."

    "Do-?" Skud blinks as everyone looks at her. "D-do..?"

    I smile at her. "It's alright, Skud. If you've got something to say, we want to hear it."

    I give M'gavv a sideways glance, but she pointedly looks away.

    "Do people..? Pay lots? For fruit?"

    "Between cheap labour, productive farms and the new and improved infrastructure, in bulk, yes."

    "Then..? Why'd we make drugs? Before? Or-? Or now?"

    "If you've only got a little land, illegal drugs can make lots of money. If you've got lots of land and try making drugs, people attack you and destroy your crop. And making so much makes the price fall anyway."

    "They don't attack you if you've only got a little bit?"

    I shake my head. "There's no point. It's like how stealing twenty dollars isn't usually worth it, but stealing a million is."

    She nods slowly, and Arrowette pats her hand. I'm not sure that she gets it, but… I wasn't expecting her to. Honestly, I'm surprised that she spoke up at all. Good for her.

    The situation is amazing, though. Between the 'African Growers' Association' and the fact that a surprisingly large number of Made Men have powers that have non-criminal applications, we've actually… Made Africa richer and less corrupt than it was before. If only because the take is being spread between fewer people. I've had to put on shows a few times for the Made Men, to convince them that this is all 'acceptably villainous', and I'm not sure how long that can go on. I mean, some of them have to work it out eventually, right?

    And that's the reason for the little meeting.

    "So: Luthor doesn't care about us, no local power is strong enough to stop us and revenue is fine. What's the problem?"

    Lamprey tilts his head slightly as he considers the question. "Expansion?"

    "No, plenty of places to expand into inwardly. Africa's huge, and we're creating new industries from scratch."

    Mary grins unpleasantly. "Each other. Supervillains gunna supervillain." Her eyes widen in excitement. "Is that it? Am I finally gunna get to rrrrrrrip someone's head off?"

    "It might come to that. What we're going to do is brainstorm ways to prevent things getting-"

    "BOOOO-ring!"

    "-that far. So who can tell me what holds the Syndicate together?"

    Jonathan nods. "Personal loyalty. You're loyal to the guy above you, and you treat the people below you decent."

    Sea Witch sneers. "Because that works so well with Talon."

    He looks away, shrugging. "Ah, if my pa'd been Owlman rather than Ultraman, I'd have done the same thing. Owlman mighta made him, but he didn't make him loyal. Treat people bad, and…"

    I nod. "Alright then Ultraboy: did Talon know that you were treated better than he was?"

    His eyes focus on me. "Yeah."

    "So why didn't he come over to Ultraman's syndicate? Or anyone else's? Why did he go over to Slade and Luthor?"

    "He was angry. Wan'ed to destroy Owlman's legacy."

    I shrug. "What if he hadn't been angry? What tied him to the Syndicate?"

    His eyes drift away as he tries to come up with a good answer. I'm sure that he wants to say 'me', and he did try treating Talon with the respect his abilities deserved. But ultimately-.

    "Nuthin'. We were all on Owlman's side, so we didn't matter none."

    "Right. You said that the Syndicate is about personal loyalty. How many people can feel that strong loyalty to someone? Practically? Ultraman met all of his Made Men, socialised with them, but how many were loyal enough for it to count? Zorina told me that the Syndicate is a brutal meritocracy. You get what you earn." I shrug. "Great if you're Management. You get everything you want, and you get to know that you're better than everyone."

    I make eye contact with each of them. Each of them who aren't burying their face in their hands. "What made people loyal to Slade? To Luthor? To America?"

    Lamprey nods. "Ideas. Ideals."

    "Yes. The Syndicate has no idea. There is no higher cause here. No sense of responsibility. We're violent narcissists. And that's a problem, because now that no one thinks that Slade's going to rise from his grave and follow us here, Made Men are going to start pushing. They might agree that the Management are in charge, but that personal loyalty isn't there and there's nothing else."

    M'gavv nods. "And we can't even threaten them because they want that fight."

    Jackie slumps more. "Mate, I am too hung over for this. Bottom line? Please?"

    "The Syndicate needs an ideology. Even if it's just feudalism. Some reason to make its members stick together and stay orderly beyond simple gratification and personal safety. Some rules for everyone to follow, including the Management. Or some way to convince everyone to accept a binding geas, which was Zorina's preferred option. We need… Something that can unify people. Any ideas?"

    "Eh."

    "No?"

    "I don't know-."

    "I do not."

    "Why not let them fight it out, and kill the survivors we don’t like?" Mary smiles as the rest stare. "What? That's more than you idiots managed."
     
    Last edited: Mar 16, 2023
  11. BlackCoat13

    BlackCoat13 I trust you know where the happy button is?

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    Hey, Blue Paul is slowly twisting the team into becoming legitimate. Something something something the difference between a Bandit Warlord and Legitimate Government is two or three generations.
     
  12. Celtic Spartan

    Celtic Spartan Know what you're doing yet?

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    Huh guess negative fourteen earth is going to turn into a knockoff of new genesis and apocalypse?
     
  13. Lord Ernest

    Lord Ernest At the End...

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    So... new chapter, who dis?

    I can remember most of the Team counterparts, like Lamprey = Aqualad (most badass of the Evil Team, by the way), but I don't recall these two nor whose counterparts they are.
     
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  14. Vaermina

    Vaermina Well worn.

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    Na, sounds like just Africa, and only that because Luthor doesn't care enough about the place to stop them.
     
  15. BR549

    BR549 This is filth! FILTH!!

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    I assume Sea Witch is Tula.

    The only results I can find for Skud are one mention of a Metropolis street gang member, so...
     
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  16. Ngamer11

    Ngamer11 Experienced.

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    Skud is the counterpart of Rocket. She was experimented on using alien tech, I think by Owlman, and so her mind has been affected. And yes, Sea Witch is Tula.
     
  17. Old Knife

    Old Knife Not too sore, are you?

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    Power Ring arriving in 3-2-1.
     
  18. BR549

    BR549 This is filth! FILTH!!

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    ...

    Rocket.

    Skud.

    I see what was done there...
     
  19. Ngamer11

    Ngamer11 Experienced.

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    Can you explain it then? Because I don't get it.
     
  20. Rebu

    Rebu hey, little Anna, you're the one

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  21. RoninSword

    RoninSword Sky God

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    Their version of (Green) Power Ring had a Gauntlet, and I believe he died with the Decapitation.
    Power Ring with Volthoom is on -16, not -14.
     
  22. Duke Long

    Duke Long Glomerulus

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    ‘let them’
    I would be shocked if his plan was to leave the ash cloud in place for a couple of weeks with only that one area cleared. I agree that I’m not sure how feasible his plan is, but the idea that he’s going to leave the global cloud in place just doesn’t seem possible. He’d be condemning them all to starving and warring for a couple of weeks, and while he totally would do that if he had something better to do, I don’t think he does.
     
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  23. Chojin Patriarch

    Chojin Patriarch Veteran Lurker

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    ooh, looking in on Baul of Earth -14? An interesting bit of timing, given the focus on it's Universe 16 counterpart we've recently had. Wonder how Baul's getting on with Zorina eh? The Young Offenders still rising to their mentor's mantles?

    Still, I suspect their issues are self-inflicted. The Quicks of Crime Syndicate Earths tend to have substance abuse issues of one kind or another.

    Of course, leaving for a little 'hair of the dog' now might have repercussions later.

    Not getting off that easy, kiddies.

    ...An IV drip? :confused: Seems a bit excessive. Also, you'd have to have enough coordination to manage it without aerating your blood vessels...

    So, an honest improvement of conditions in their turf, huh?

    Heh. And I bet they charge through the nose for them, don't they?

    Let me guess, the Kents ran produce markets with an iron fist? :p

    A warning about messing with the newbies, eh?

    Though I'm guessing Baul is making sure things aren't too criminal, eh? People getting paid what their work is worth?

    Supply and demand. At least with their produce scheme, they're not breaking international narcotics laws.

    Economies of scale. The more you have, the more others will want to bring you down.

    I'm guessing she's been treated more like a smart pet or an impaired child, than an actual team member...

    Just about any goon with plant-related powers or earth-moving tricks would be invaluable for the planting and harvesting stages. And if they look at the money they're making, they should feel plenty evil. :D

    Morale, if Baul's little contemplation is anything to go by.

    Yeah, it's a full-blown continent. And one of the largest, behind the combined Asia/Europe.

    ...Who's Mary again, and why is she so... Bloody-minded? No, wait... Superwoman's sidekick?

    Not their mutual hatred and contempt for each other. That's a given. :D

    Tula's equivalent, eh? No doubt leaning hard on the magical side of Atlantean lineage...

    Almost certainly. If nothing else, Owlman would be sadistic enough to be sure of it.

    ...Huh. Like Jason Todd, after his revival, playing at being a villain for a while...

    Besides whatever mental hooks Owlman embedded in him to control him...

    ...And therein lies the issue. What, besides fear, keeps the lower capes in line?

    ...But what of the little guy on the street, clubbing people over the head for a chance to rummage through their pockets?

    And we have a winner!

    Because they think they might have a chance of winning, and becoming the Management in turn. the joy of such a system.

    ...Let's not go making a religion of this, though. That way leads to... Well, just look at Earth-16 right now.

    ...And you kids are supposed to be in charge? :rolleyes:

    Appealing, but let's leave the mass chaos to the 'last resort' tray, please?

    So, it's not been all sunshine and roses for the Young Offenders, eh? Such is the nature of their world. Canis Canim Edit. Those below them are so desirous of more power, likely more than they can handle, that they'll forget to look at the bigger picture. And the slightest sign of weakness will make them more likely to make a play...
     
  24. Dakkan Sall

    Dakkan Sall Random Encounter

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    I'm guessing this should be "ideal" rather than "idea"?

    And otherwise... was not expecting Crime Syndicate interlude. Haven't really thought about them for a while... If it weren't for Alan being around I suppose ParaPaul might have ended up looking to Power Ring Blue here to complete his Rainbow Ring Roundup, but otherwise...
     
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  25. Pinklestia

    Pinklestia Well worn.

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    Like the Vikings/Nordics becoming a legitimategovernment and that pirate island becoming a farming island?

    Also you can be legit and evil, like the Colonial Spanish Empire that used to rule a lot of the American Continental to get all the gold and silver.
     
  26. DAT_NOOB

    DAT_NOOB Accused of writing in a far away land

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    Is the syndicate doing a minority rule? Or are they staying as criminal elements rather than governmental?
     
  27. Ngamer11

    Ngamer11 Experienced.

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    Shouldn't that just say 'Syndicate'? Baul specifically said that's what they called themselves when Paul called them the Crime Syndicate.

    Technically, she's Superwoman's other half. They somehow got split, but Mary still has her powers and doesn't become an adult anymore.
     
  28. Mr Zoat

    Mr Zoat Dedicated ragequitter

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    Thank you, corrected.
    It's actually quite hard for people at that level of technology to make war upon each other. Organising, building up supplies and then moving take a long time.
    No, that's correct. No big idea. No guiding idea.
    The rulers are always a minority.
    Thank you, corrected.
     
  29. DAT_NOOB

    DAT_NOOB Accused of writing in a far away land

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    Haha, very funny.

    The question still stands are they government or still criminal elements? And can non-superpowered locals hold office?
     
  30. Rafin

    Rafin Not too sore, are you?

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    Are you seriously telling me to believe that the supervillains are not doing a colonialism on a massive scale and squeezing the locals like a lord would a peasant?
     
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