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

Bigking321 · Dec 14, 2024

Huh.

So they tell each other their talents at the same time and use discord as a magical booster to induce ascension at the same time.

Clever. And neat.

Good for them coming up on how to ascend on their own.

Chojin Patriarch · Dec 14, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
1st May 2013
16:08 GMT

Darn it!

I trot towards the park, head down. How could-? All that time and all that effort, trying to find out something everypony already knew!

Ah, Sweetie Belle. Still fuming over the not-so-pleasant discovery from several Renegade chapters back. Though it's understandable that she and the other Crusaders never caught on, given that they are not prone to introspection. Side effect of being young...

We got covered in tree sap-! I don't even know how many times! Or how many times I got yelled at…

Okay, that-.

I slow down in front of an empty plinth and sit down with a thud.

Such are the troubles of trying such random things in an attempt to discover herself.

No one made us do any of that. Not Rarity, not Diamond Tiara or Silver Spoon… We chose to do it. But we chose to do it because we wanted to find out who we are! Our special talents! And if they didn't want to tell us they could have just nudged us or something!

I mean, am I even supposed to tell them? If I don't, does that mean I'm doing what Rarity-. And probably Mom and Dad-. What everypony is doing when they don't tell me? I wanted to talk to Miss Starlight because she's a cutie mark expert, but I didn't think this would happen.

To be fair, some of their advice was good. It's just that, being young, you assumed it didn't apply to you, or wouldn't work, would take too long, be boring, or any number of excuses that made perfect sense to you at the time.

"Well, aren't you smiling!"

I look up-. That's Discord, floating in the air the wrong way up. Discord's right eye, because he's made it grow real big so he can stare at me better. I back up a bit and he makes it go back to normal. Then he puts his paw on his left nostril and snorts a lump of… Goo, at a pigeon.

Ah, heck. This is never a good sign. Good chance this is part of how they upgraded, though.

"Coo-?"

The pigeon gets all gunked up in the goo and then stuck to a tree trunk. Discord glares at it. It he going to do something weird to it? More weird? No, he's turning back to me, and… Turning his head upside down.

Well, he is trying to be good at this point. Doesn't want to disappoint Fluttershy, you know.

"No, that's the wrong way up for a smile. What's got you so angsty? Are you a teenager already?"

"No…"

She'd be pretty close in human terms, though. Late Bloomer, if you will.

He flashes, and then he's back with a long black coat, white face paint and a black wig. "Going through a Goth phase? Agonised by ennui?"

"No. I don't.. really want to talk about it."

Heh. Something of a Crow reference? To be fair, that does suit the aesthetic.

"Well, do something interesting." He jerks his head around and snorts another wad of goo at another pigeon. It gets stuck to the tree next to the other one. "Revenge only keeps me interested for so long."

Huh? "What did the pigeons do to you?"

He doesn't look happy I asked. "I was a statue for over a thousand years. You work it out."

Oooh. Yeah, I suspect he's got some pent-up frustration.

Huh?

Oh.

Ooooh.

'Horseapples', to borrow a phrase.

"If it wasn't for a little surge of chaos, I might still be…" He's glaring at the plinth. "There."

"Oh." I frown. "Miss Cherilee took us here on a class trip just before you got free."

Man, those three are just magnets for this sort of thing.

He twists around in the air so that he's laying belly down with his paws supporting his head. "I don't suppose you saw anything particularly chaotic, did you? I suppose that I owe someone a thank you."

"Ah." Oh. "Kinda? I got into a fight with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo right next to you."

And the magical resonance, well...

He raises his eyebrows. "Are they your closest friends?"

"Y… Yeah."

"Hm."

He can totally see the harmonic bonds, can't he?

He makes a clicking noise with his paw, and his clothes vanish and get replaced with a lab coat and… Some sort of machine, like the ones Twilight use to have in her basement. He points something that looks a bit like a microphone at the plinth and the machine starts clattering. Then a reel of paper pops out and he stares at it.

Surprised he didn't just pull out a tricorder. Then again, lab coat.

"Do you know what this says?"

"No?"

The paper jumps out of his hands and sprouts legs, running over to me. It grows a paw and points to the writing which says 'IT WAS YOU'. Then Discord makes the clicking noise again and it disappears and he goes back to normal.

I suppose a lion's paw or raptor talon isn't conducive to snapping your fingers, yet he does it anyway. It's all about the style, don't you know?

"Well. Thank you-" He grins, and it sort of sticks out outside of his face. "-my little pony. Is there-? Ugh. Is there anything I can do to help you? In return?"

"Do you know where Scootaloo and Apple Bloom are?"

...Ooooh, dear.

"No?" He frowns. "Do I have to do something nice for them as well? This 'reform' business is so confusing. Why can't I just do things and make people enjoy them? It all adds up the same."

"Um. I don't think it does. But I thought you can do anything?"

It's kind of against the rules, I think. Making them feel happy means it wasn't their choice to be happy.

"DO? Yes. Well. Nearly. But that doesn't mean I know what I'm doing." He widens his eyes. "No surprises ever? That would be dreadfully dull. I shudder to think of it."

I look back to where Rarity's pretending she's not following me. "Which one is closer?"

And no doubt she's quite concerned about Discord talking to her sister.

He puts one paw on his back and makes another click-.

There's a flash and we're right in front of Scootaloo-. In a school? There's an adult pegasus and an earth pony talking to an-. An alicorn mare with red and yellow hair. And they all turn around to stare at Discord.

Her ~~aunts~~ parents consulting Sunset, I see.

"Don't mind me, just…" He yawns. "Repaying an obligation."

Scootaloo prances over to me. "Sweetie! They're gunna fix my wings by making me an alicorn!"

Easy there, speedy. They were considering it.

"Ah." The alicorn frowns. "We could, except I haven't studied what happens when I do that to somepony who doesn't have their cutie mark yet. I'd rather err on the safe side than risk messing something up."

Scootaloo pulls a face. "But I don't even know what my special talent is yet."

That sort of thing tends to work itself out, I bet.

"Rarity does." I sag a bit. "Rainbow Dash and your aunts probably know yours as well."

"Huh?" Scootaloo looks as confused as I feel. "How come?"

And the ~~aunts~~ parents in question are probably sweating a bit under their fur at the awkwardness of the moment.

"You have to do a…" What was it? "Metanys-." … "Look at stuff you do when you do other stuff. How you do different stuff. I'm pretty sure I know what special talents you and Apple Bloom have."

Her eyes widen. "What is it? Tell me!"

Huh. "Didn't..? Princess Twilight become an alicorn when her friends all had their cutie marks swapped around?"

Oh no, she's getting ideas.

The alicorn nods. "Yes. I'm not exactly sure how that happened. I think it was a side effect of their emotional bonds and the undirected magic energy from the Elements of Harmony." She looks thoughtfully. "Thinking about it…" She levitates a piece of paper over form her desk, then starts walking off. "That might help Starlight Glimmer with her research on how to share special talents."

Given that the five other Elements discharged into the Element of Magic, that's a safe bet. And fits with Sunset using a carefully managed super-pulse of Harmony.

Huh. "Scootaloo, is there something that I do a lot when we're crusading? Like, something I do that most ponies wouldn't do?"

"Ah." She rubs her snout with her hoof. "Well, you do usually-."

I shove a hoof in her mouth. "Don't tell me! Just remember it."

Not wanting to ruin the moment just yet. Or trigger something unexpected...

Discord leans in. "Oh? Are you planning something, my little ponies?"

"I'm angry about Rarity lying to me. But if we were princesses, we could tell them to never lie to us again."

...And one of the older princesses could tell them to ignore that. You're forgetting, princess or not, you'd still be children.

Discord nods real fast. "That sounds completely reasonable to me, but what do I know?"

"Scootaloo, do you know what you need to become an alicorn?"

Any plan Discord agrees with is probably a bad plan. Or about to be a very amusing one... For him.

"Ah, three different types of pony, something binding them together, and lots of magic? Oh, and the things with lots of magic has to be something they're connected to."

I nod. "Mister Discord, what happens if the three of us get our cutie marks at the same time? Can we use you instead of the Elements of Harmony?"

As long as they don't take on traits of his magic. Imagine if something comedic happened every time they tired to do something?

He looks… I guess that's thoughtful? "I don't know…" Then he perks up. "But I'm-" Suddenly there are two of him, and they've each got a foreleg around the other's shoulder. "-besides myself with excitement to find out."

The pegasus mare looks a little worried. "Ah, Scoots, honey-."

The Discords clicks their paws, and we vanish in a flash.

Off to Apple Bloom, of course. And I doubt Applejack will be able to stop this, since we know it's happened.

Let's hope that using Discord as a magical power source doesn't backfire by inheriting some chaotic aspect of his abilities. Because any plan involving the aspect of Chaos itself seems like a bad idea. Their families are going to be very upset when they trigger what's about to happen, that's for sure, and some of that anger might end up aimed at Discord too.

Vaermina · Dec 14, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
He looks… I guess that's thoughtful? "I don't know…" Then he perks up. "But I'm-" Suddenly there are two of him, and they've each got a foreleg around the other's shoulder. "-besides myself with excitement to find out."

The pegasus mare looks a little worried. "Ah, Scoots, honey-."

The Discords clicks their paws, and we vanish in a flash.

I feel like Grayven is going to be writing "I will not meddel" out by hand on a blackboard a few hundred thousand times by the time this is all over.

Irked · Dec 14, 2024

So they're not just Alicorns, they are Discordian Alicorns who ascended via the power of chaos.

That honestly fits them perfectly.

Mr Zoat · Dec 14, 2024

Darko said:
"used to"
"Discord"

Thank you, corrected.

Chojin Patriarch said:
And the aunts in question are probably sweating a bit under their fur at the awkwardness of the moment.

No, those are her parents. Sweetie Belle just doesn't recognise them, having never seen them before.

Coltsguy · Dec 14, 2024

Man, I do love when the Renegade story is getting pony-centric. It's always more fun.

Silveraith · Dec 14, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
Discord's right eye, because he's made it grow real big so her can stare at me better.

He.

Bud-E · Dec 14, 2024

Do the Alicon cutie-mark crusaders have cutie marks now? Also, does Discord know Grayven's in town he seemed very motivated to not be in the same plane of existence as him?

hkim · Dec 14, 2024

I still don't know who had the idea "what if we put Q in this magic TV show for kids" but they probably should get a medal for it.

Darko · Dec 14, 2024

Bud-E said:
Do the Alicon cutie-mark crusaders have cutie marks now? Also, does Discord know Grayven's in town he seemed very motivated to not be in the same plane of existence as him?

He was scared of him the first time because he just found out that he killed several Lords of Chaos and seemed to be able to suppress his powers to a degree.

Renegade had been traveling to Equestria for some time now and Discord may have been keeping an eye on him during that time, so he may know that Renegade isn't just going to kill him without a reason.

Discord is also more than a bit crazy, so he may have just wanted to cause chaos even if it blew up at him.

Neruz · Dec 14, 2024

Darko said:
Discord is also more than a bit crazy, so he may have just wanted to cause chaos even if it blew up at him.

He was also just bemoaning the lack of surprises and those 3 using his power to ascend as Alicorns would definitely be very surprising.

Nervaqus987 · Dec 14, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
He doesn't look happy I asked. "I was a statue for over a thousand years. You work it out."

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Mr Zoat · Dec 14, 2024

Silveraith said:
He.

Thank you, corrected.

Bud-E said:
Do the Alicon cutie-mark crusaders have cutie marks now?

Yes. They're described later.

Also, does Discord know Grayven's in town he seemed very motivated to not be in the same plane of existence as him?

Discord knows that Grayven visits. But where's the fun in constantly monitoring him? At least now that he's not under threat of death.

Ardy · Dec 14, 2024

Two random questions, if you're up for them Zoat.

1. What's going on with Kalmin. With the anti-lantern tech the reach got he probably got more influence since his tech isn't vulnerable.

2. how did the talk between Alan and the Shade go? Alan was trying to track down his potentially existing son with a connection to the shadowlands son by asking Shade, but we don't know how that went or what Shade did during/since the Anti-Life

Mr Zoat · Dec 14, 2024

Ardy said:
Two random questions, if you're up for them Zoat.

1. What's going on with Kalmin. With the anti-lantern tech the reach got he probably got more influence since his tech isn't vulnerable.

He's making weapons, designing weapons, a somehow not finding killing things not quite as fulfilling as he used to.

2. how did the talk between Alan and the Shade go? Alan was trying to track down his potentially existing son with a connection to the shadowlands son by asking Shade, but we don't know how that went or what Shade did during/since the Anti-Life

I don't remember that at all.

Ardy · Dec 14, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
He's making weapons, designing weapons, a somehow not finding killing things not quite as fulfilling as he used to.

I don't remember that at all.

Poor Kalmin. As for the second thing

Mr Zoat said:
"I guess that's what you found out with the scry wards." He sighs. "Ah, I need to ask. Rose. Rose… Canton. My Rose."

"I don't.. know if she was pregnant or not. I mean, there's just about enough time for her to have given birth, but I-" I shake my head. "-checked the records of every orphanage in America. None of the children handed in during the period match Miss Hayden and Mister Rice's description. I mean, Miss Hayden was green, that would be on record."

"Not to start with. That came as her powers got stronger. If her powers never activated, she'd look like a regular woman. She'd be.. in her sixties now. And.. I could have been a great grandfather by now."

I reach across the table and pat his left arm with my right hand. He nods absent-mindedly.

"I don't have any leads on Jennifer, but Todd had a connection to the Shadowlands. There are other people who know that place, and I… I need to know for sure."

"The Shade?" He nods, and I nod back. "Do you want me to come?"

"No, I think Richard will respond better if it's just me. No offense."

I nod. "None taken."

Never got follow-up, to my knowledge

Mr Zoat · Dec 15, 2024

1st May 2013
15:19 GMT -5

So what do I know?

My initial guess about the tank appears to have been correct. It has exactly the components necessary to safely inject body-altering substances into a human body and monitor the changes. Unfortunately, enough components have been removed that I can't tell if it was used or what those modifications might have been. The purple healing ray projector, x-ray emitter, ultrasound imaging equipment… I can see where they were supposed to plug in, but now they're gone.

The computer is still here, but the hard drive is designed to be taken away when whoever used it leaves. Or it.. hasn't been added in yet. I mean, the dust implies that it's been abandoned again but it might just mean that they're not that bothered about cleaning.

Heathens.

Someone drilled a hole into the lift area to attach a power source, but like with everything else they took it with them. Or… They're a power-generating metahuman, but usually someone trying to channel lightning into any sort of electrical cable will cause scorching as the voltage is far too high.

Anyway, whatever cable they used is gone and the impression left on the system isn't unique enough to allow me to draw any conclusions.

And that's just about it. No personal mementos, or maps and calendars with conveniently circled locations or dates.

Johanna looks around the room. "It is strange."

"How so?"

"After you told me that it was normal to ask for help, you are trying to investigate this yourself."

"Not time critical. And rest assured, I will be passing this over to Batman if I can't find anything."

Except… He's busy. Richard or Beryl should be available at this time of day, though they might have their own missions…

"Ah, look. Clearly you-." NO! "Clearly I inadvertently insulted your competence. I apologise."

She glances at me for a moment, then goes back to examining the room. "Do you want to keep talking about this?"

"Poor interpersonal relations are likely to have a deleterious impact-."

"It reminds me of one of the American terrorist bases. Except that they always leave one of the old American flags on the wall. And here, there is nothing."

"Resistance on your Earth is intensely ideological. There can't be all that many people left who even remember pre-War America. Whoever did this didn't feel the need to taunt the Justice League."

"Anarky?"

"I don't know. Some of the other footprints look older, and some look more recent. No, sorry… Stupid. He's nine. He wouldn't be physically strong enough to move the equipment. Which… Doesn't mean that he wasn't working with someone."

"Normal strength or improved strength?"

"There's no sign of lifting equipment, so I'd guess super strength. Except… Without a teleportation system they'd have to bring everything in piece by piece. People… Might have noticed all the comings and goings, but… In a neighbourhood like this I'm not sure that anyone would have commented."

"Are there no flakes of skin or hair?"

"Sure, plenty. By default this isn't airtight, and several Justice League members came here before it was mothballed." I sigh. "And my ring scans still aren't working, and I haven't found the focus for the spell or the device that's causing the interference."

"What happens if we restore power?"

"Stuff starts working again. The computer was removed, so while the intruder detection systems are still here there's nothing for them to report to. The automatic defences are disarmed, and I haven't seen any sign that they've been restored to operational status. The floor and walls are too intact for there to have been major structural work, which means no nuclear self-destruct or anything like that."

I shake my head, pulling a bleed torsion generator out of subspace.

"At least it will put the lift back into operation."

Alright, internal generator used to be here… Use a construct to double check the proper current just in case Batman sleep-rewired the entire place… No, it's still to specification. So, plug-.

Heh.

So, construct barrier around both of us, then plug it in.

Nothing happens.

Okay, good. Now throw the light switches?

Johanna winces slightly as the main lights come on and the emergency lights turn off.

Three, two…

…

No? Nothing?

…

Alright, I… guess we're leaving, then. I-.

There's a very quiet noise from the lift shaft.

Scan says that there's no one inside, but that's clearly bullshit. Active scans risk being detected, and… Between the two of us there aren't all that many things on Earth we can't take in a fight. Fewer that would bother to use a lift.

I dismiss the construct bubble, and Johanna moves to flank the lift exit as I swap to my heavier armour.

Let's see who this is.

The lift doors open and-. I have no idea who that is. Male, Caucasian, square face, black hair with a short Mohawk. He's wearing faded orange corduroy trousers and a blue t-shirt-.

It's not particularly cold, but it's not really comfortable t-shirt only weather.

He stands there, completely calm, as he sees me.

"You're not authorised to be in here."

"I am Orange Lantern. I am investigating-."

There's a blue and red blur, then he and Johanna crash into the side wall hard enough to crater the concrete!

Darn it, I-. Okay, super speed and probably super toughness. The first can be countered with a vertigo inducer but I'm not sure about the second.

Dust explodes around them as Johanna evades his punches, dirt from the floor being joined by concrete fragments as I get an idea of exactly how strong he is.

"Blitzen, back."

I throw out the vertigo inducer before I get past the 'z', and she's responded before the inducer lands. The man-. He's grown, his clothes now tighter around his bulked up muscles. He looks around as he notices that Johanna isn't there any more, then staggers as the inducer gets to work on his inner ear.

"Okay, who-?"

His eyes flicker and the inducer explodes!

Darko · Dec 15, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
So what do I know?

You know nothing, Paul Tallowin.

Mr Zoat said:
but usually someone trying to channel lightning into any sort of electrical cable causing scorching as the voltage is far too high.

"will cause scorching as the"

Mr Zoat said:
Resistance on your Earth is intensely ideological. There can't be all that many people left who even remember pre-War America. Whoever did this didn't feel the need to taunt the Justice League."

Maybe Anarky just doesn't cate about things like flags or such symbols.

BR549 · Dec 15, 2024

Forgot the threadmark!

Mr Zoat said:
Or… They're a power-generating metahuman, but usually someone trying to channel lightning into any sort of electrical cable causing scorching

'causes'

genkumon · Dec 15, 2024

Well, hello there Buddy Blank.

Chojin Patriarch · Dec 15, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
1st May 2013
15:19 GMT -5

So what do I know?

My initial guess about the tank appears to have been correct. It has exactly the components necessary to safely inject body-altering substances into a human body and monitor the changes. Unfortunately, enough components have been removed that I can't tell if it was used or what those modifications might have been. The purple healing ray projector, x-ray emitter, ultrasound imaging equipment… I can see where they were supposed to plug in, but now they're gone.

Presumably looted them for their own site once they did whatever was done here. And I'm guessing whatever injection mechanisms were involved are also long gone. Looks like someone was doing some augmentation on someone.

The computer is still here, but the hard drive is designed to be taken away when whoever used it leaves. Or it.. hasn't been added in yet. I mean, the dust implies that it's been abandoned again but it might just mean that they're not that bothered about cleaning.

Heathens.

Seriously, PCs don't like dust. Too much build-up and it can foul fans, clog drive motors... Never mind the fire risk in hot spots.

Someone drilled a hole into the lift area to attach a power source, but like with everything else they took it with them. Or… They're a power-generating metahuman, but usually someone trying to channel lightning into any sort of electrical cable causing scorching as the voltage is far too high.

That would be a vexingly weak power, or a phenomenal amount of control over discharged energy.

Anyway, whatever cable they used is gone and the impression left on the system isn't unique enough to allow me to draw any conclusions.

And that's just about it. No personal mementos, or maps and calendars with conveniently circled locations or dates.

Safe bet that's all in the head of Lonnie. It's a safe bet he did this, or was involved somehow.

Johanna looks around the room. "It is strange."

"How so?"

"After you told me that it was normal to ask for help, you are trying to investigate this yourself."

To be fair, Johanna... Well, are you trained in crime scene investigation? And could you know what you're looking for down here?

"Not time critical. And rest assured, I will be passing this over to Batman if I can't find anything."

Except… He's busy. Richard or Beryl should be available at this time of day, though they might have their own missions…

There's got to be someone the League can call in. Though I dread what might happen if the Question gets involved here, assuming he's recovered from serving as part of the initial broadcast.

"Ah, look. Clearly you-." NO! "Clearly I inadvertently insulted your competence. I apologise."

She glances at me for a moment, then goes back to examining the room. "Do you want to keep talking about this?"

It's kind of an OL thing. He always likes to get along with co-workers...

"Poor interpersonal relations are likely to have a deleterious impact-."

"It reminds me of one of the American terrorist bases. Except that they always leave one of the old American flags on the wall. And here, there is nothing."

True, not even an anarchist emblem. You know, the 'A in a circle' icon?

"Resistance on your Earth is intensely ideological. There can't be all that many people left who even remember pre-War America. Whoever did this didn't feel the need to taunt the Justice League."

"Anarky?"

Maybe he didn't feel like vandalising the place?

"I don't know. Some of the other footprints look older, and some look more recent. No, sorry… Stupid. He's nine. He wouldn't be physically strong enough to move the equipment. Which… Doesn't mean that he wasn't working with someone."

"Normal strength or improved strength?"

I mean, how big was some of the equipment? I know some X-Ray machines can be compact, but...

"There's no sign of lifting equipment, so I'd guess super strength. Except… Without a teleportation system they'd have to bring everything in piece by piece. People… Might have noticed all the comings and goings, but… In a neighbourhood like this I'm not sure that anyone would have commented."

Especially if it happened during the Anti-Life event. Even after... Well, people in places like this tend to consider inquisitiveness a social faux pas.

"Are there no flakes of skin or hair?"

"Sure, plenty. By default this isn't airtight, and several Justice League members came here before it was mothballed." I sigh. "And my ring scans still aren't working, and I haven't found the focus for the spell or the device that's causing the interference."

Johanna could help with that, make a sweep at speed. Though you might have to clean the dust out or her breeze might make for a cloudy moment.

"What happens if we restore power?"

"Stuff starts working again. The computer was removed, so while the intruder detection systems are still here there's nothing for them to report to. The automatic defences are disarmed, and I haven't seen any sign that they've been restored to operational status. The floor and walls are too intact for there to have been major structural work, which means no nuclear self-destruct or anything like that."

A fairly low-security facility, then, even before decommissioning.

I shake my head, pulling a bleed torsion generator out of subspace.

"At least it will put the lift back into operation."

As long as you keep an eye on the lift. Someone could be hiding from your ring scans, just waiting for you to plug it in.

Alright, internal generator used to be here… Use a construct to double check the proper current just in case Batman sleep-rewired the entire place… No, it's still to specification. So, plug-.

Heh.

So, construct barrier around both of us, then plug it in.

Just in case there's a booby-trap or something, eh?

Nothing happens.

Okay, good. Now throw the light switches?

Johanna winces slightly as the main lights come on and the emergency lights turn off.

That'll make a room-by-room sweep easier.

Three, two…

…

No? Nothing?

Expecting trouble, OL? Not surprised, this would have been a perfect moment.

…

Alright, I… guess we're leaving, then. I-.

There's a very quiet noise from the lift shaft.

Ah-hah! Someone was lurking here!

Scan says that there's no one inside, but that's clearly bullshit. Active scans risk being detected, and… Between the two of us there aren't all that many things on Earth we can't take in a fight. Fewer that would bother to use a lift.

I dismiss the construct bubble, and Johanna moves to flank the lift exit as I swap to my heavier armour.

But is it going up or coming down? Going by the lack of making for the surface, I'd say it's descending.

Let's see who this is.

The lift doors open and-. I have no idea who that is. Male, Caucasian, square face, black hair with a short Mohawk. He's wearing faded orange corduroy trousers and a blue t-shirt-.

Hmm... Not sure if a notable character or not. Only mohawked characters I recognise in DC are Nuklon/Atom Smasher or the Buddy Blank OMAC. And the colours are definitely a callback to that one.

It's not particularly cold, but it's not really comfortable t-shirt only weather.

He stand there, completely calm, as he sees me.

Definitely augmented, then. Or he's one of those fellows who toughs it out to seem macho.

"You're not authorised to be in here."

"I am Orange Lantern. I am investigating-."

Despite what he said, if he's League-affiliated, he should recognise Orange lantern by the sigils if nothing else.

There's a blue and red blur, then he and Johanna crash into the side wall hard enough to crater the concrete!

Darn it, I-. Okay, super speed and probably super toughness. The first can be countered with a vertigo inducer but I'm not sure about the second.

Quick-setting containment foam of some kind?

Dust explodes around them as Johanna evades his punches, dirt from the floor being joined by concrete fragments as I get an idea of exactly how strong he is.

"Blitzen, back."

Sturdy manacles might also work, especially if you can force him into a low-leverage position when you put them on. Because super-strong doesn't always translate to super-flexing, whatever iconic Superman covers might suggest.

I throw out the vertigo inducer before I get past the 'z', and she's responded before the inducer lands. The man-. He's grown, his clothes now tighter around his bulked up muscles. He looks around as he notices that Johanna isn't there any more, then staggers as the inducer gets to work on his inner ear.

"Okay, who-?"

His eyes flicker and the inducer explodes!

Was definitely leaning more towards Albert Rothstein, then. Size expansion was one of his powers alongside the strength/durability thing... Except he couldn't make things explode with a look.

So, chances this is a simple misunderstanding because Blitzen jumped the gun? Maybe he resembled a Freedom Fighter from Earth Ten? At any rate, looks like OL might have a fight on his hands until he can get the right angle to restrain the guy. Which could be tricky given the non-physical capabilities. Not kryptonian, given the bulking up... And who knows what else he can make explode by looking at it?

lancelot · Dec 15, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
So what do I know?

That you forgot the threadmark?

Ngamer11 · Dec 15, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
1st May 2013
15:19 GMT -5

So what do I know?

You put the threadmark in the story only post instead of this one.

PepeTheFrog · Dec 15, 2024

Chojin Patriarch said:
So, chances this is a simple misunderstanding because Blitzen jumped the gun? Maybe he resembled a Freedom Fighter from Earth Ten?

Did she jump the gun? I can't tell who started the fight because it doesn't describe an instigator. OL describes the stranger as having super speed and toughness, which could come from OL observing them brawling with Johanna or being the one to make the first move, and, since I'm not sure of everyone's positions relative to the walls, simply describing "side wall" doesn't tell me if Johanna tackled the stranger into a wall or got tackled.

Mr Zoat · Dec 15, 2024

Darko said:
"will cause scorching as the"

Ngamer11 said:
You put the threadmark in the story only post instead of this one.

Thank you, corrected.

Oglymogly · Dec 15, 2024

Huh, if this is the original OMAC, I wonder who developed him. And why didn't Anarky bring OMAC with him? Did Anarky not trust his reprogramming attempt, or did Anarky plan on coming back?

Enjoyable chapter as always, thank you Mr Zoat!

Ngamer11 · Dec 15, 2024

Oglymogly said:
Huh, if this is the original OMAC, I wonder who developed him. And why didn't Anarky bring OMAC with him? Did Anarky not trust his reprogramming attempt, or did Anarky plan on coming back?

My guess is he's a creation of SHADE.

NightmareWarden · Dec 16, 2024

PepeTheFrog said:
Did she jump the gun? I can't tell who started the fight because it doesn't describe an instigator. OL describes the stranger as having super speed and toughness, which could come from OL observing them brawling with Johanna or being the one to make the first move, and, since I'm not sure of everyone's positions relative to the walls, simply describing "side wall" doesn't tell me if Johanna tackled the stranger into a wall or got tackled.

I think we can trust he started to charge forward, speed enhanced by strength, before getting his stance broken by Blitzen.

This is too vulnerable and small-scale to connect to Truggs and the Infinity Dial experiments, right? Every facility his alliance makes is a potential link back to his schemes. He must have e good infosec by now. Plus Anarky's file could have become known to Truggs at some point; is he arrogant enough to try and subvert someone under League watch?

Bud-E · Dec 16, 2024

Ngamer11 said:
My guess is he's a creation of SHADE.

I'm betting Anarky stole some super-equipment from somewhere and made his own super-soilder

Ngamer11 · Dec 16, 2024

NightmareWarden said:
This is too vulnerable and small-scale to connect to Truggs and the Infinity Dial experiments, right? Every facility his alliance makes is a potential link back to his schemes. He must have e good infosec by now. Plus Anarky's file could have become known to Truggs at some point; is he arrogant enough to try and subvert someone under League watch?

Truggs doesn't have the Hero Dial anymore, and I doubt he's behind this version of OMAC. The two big guesses on who's behind this are either SHADE or Anarky.

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