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

This is a really good time for 40k Paul (Paol?) to fall out of a portal.

 

OMG, YES!

 

I think this update is the most I've liked Paragon and Jade's relationship. There've been other nice ones like when he picked her up from prison, and the drama post-accidentally going to Hell had a lot of pathos, but this update showcases their not immediately apparent similarities as people whose jobs and 'lives' are tied together so strongly that distinguishing between them isn't even an accurate action.

If this gets all the Darkstars to adopt Space Marine and Sisters of Battle aesthetics, that could be fun (though I like non-human factions better as a default- what's the closest DC has to Eldar/space elves?). A ceremonial version for diplomatic functions, if nothing else. I'm not sure if the Imperium's Assassin aesthetics are actually functional enough for Darkstar uniforms.

 

The more I see of Paul's vacation, the more I get the feeling that the most exotic thing he could do is to just spend it sitting around, doing nothing of any importance or note, playing games or watching crappy TV. Maybe even doing chores or yardwork.

 

I'd either focus more on reading "traditional" Fantasy (Medieval Fantasy, Swords and Sorcery stuff) or Historical Fiction if "trapped" in a comic book superhero universe.

 

Paul: “What is: Actual Torture?”

 

No, you don't. So go learn first, then talk to her before you go blabbering off some 'apology' that she'd likely take as a new insult. Seriously, you need to do better on that front. Perhaps this will prove a useful reminder to do so.

Spoiler: Commentary spoilered for length

Ah, she knows him well.

That is one thing we do know is true. Even for the meetings we didn't get to see, I'm sure 'Orange Lantern's latest Thing' was a frequent topic of discussion.

A conscience is a painful thing, sometimes. But it's also what stops you from becoming another Larfleeze...

...Yeah, when you think about it, that's actually true. How often do we see OL go somewhere for a reason other than 'checking up on an asset' or on a mission for God N.E.M.O'?

And sometimes, that's what's needed to overcome the ingrained genre blindness of DC natives... But I bet it gets reeeeal tiring.

The downside of doing what you enjoy for a job: finding out that sometimes, you don't enjoy it as much.

And knowing OL, he really did have all of the appropriate piercings... Never does things by half, he does.

Sadly, that's still a thing. Not only in Warhammer circles, though. How many games have you seen add a new set of gear that's ludicrously stronger early on, then gets nerfed once a lot have paid for it?

Alas, Games Workshop is not known for being sensible in any universe. I bet it's the development team going all sour grapes that their pet army doesn't curbstomp have some edge over all others...

For instance, what would you do on time off between Shadows missions, hmm?

...And ways to break it? That would probably be a focus given her typical missions.

Travelling? Or doing what she used to do for better reasons now?

Exploring strange new worlds, meeting new life, new civilisations? It's an old saw, sure, but it became that way because it's a good sentiment.

It's too ingrained to feel comfortable not doing. Everybody has things like that.

Why not start doing that again? It might help if you have something to help you remember what good you did for a place.

Now you live it. Fiction kinda pales before doing the things you used to read about, huh?

I remember a description something like 'having an encyclopedia turned into juice and poured into your skull'... Maybe not in this story, but the sentiment is probably applicable. Simply knowing something all of a sudden isn't as satisfying as doing it the slow way...

No, Jade, that hint might be just a bit too subtle for him...

Ooh, do I detect a hint of a deep-down fear of her own? Thoughts of what she might have become one day without someone to break her out of the League of Shadows mindset?

And at the end of the day, that's the best thing to be.

You need something entirely unlike what you do for work. Something that you can sink yourself into without being reminded of your day job...

I don't know... Wouldn't 'Warhammer: Fantasy Battles' be more pleasantly different to your day job?

Debuted 1987, in its earliest form, as Rogue Trader, more of an RPG-lite skirmish game... Which makes it 35 years old this year. In their time, it'd be in it's fifth edition.

Hmm... What army would she play, I wonder? Overwhelmingly powerful? Sneaky? Characterful? It's an odd statistic, but anecdotal evidence says most female players enjoy Tyranids, for some reason...

Haha, yes. That's about the reaction I'd expect from an old grognard like OL who's been caught on the hop like that...

Just... Don't ask why all Space marines are male, all right? It's just one of those things.

Yes, those are walking war machines taller than skyscrapers. For reference, a Gundam, at an average of 19m (59 feet, or 10 times a human's size) would be knee-high to that Warlord Titan. A jet fighter would be about the size of one gun.

...I knew exactly what pic that was before I clicked on it. And yes, I did see the models first... Because they're in focus and in the foreground. The background, however, is quite pleasant too.

True, the setting of 40k has its appeals. Just consider all the pin-up art people have done over the years.

Well, then. At least it won't cost her an arm and a leg to acquire an army, what with OL's ability to provide figures and terrain at any scale and pose she wants. Seriously, if I had a Power Ring, that's one of the things I'd use it for... So, is the next couple of chapters (and pages of discussion) going to involve what army she'd likely pick? Because I'm up for that!

---

Perhaps 'I feel like...' or 'I'm like...' might flow better here?

... like a salesman displaying his wares...

 

This is the first segment I've read in the whole story that actually sold me on Jade and Paragon Paul's relationship. Good show.

 

And I'm betting they all groan at that and someone brings out either booze or aspirin.

He even altered his body.

We will never forget TTS.

 

My first army, also. The codex came out just as I was getting into it. A bad idea, as it turned out. Big lead models are not easy to assemble.

It would, but it's deliberately wrong. He hasn't quote got his thoughts in order.

Thank you, corrected.

Or Astartes.

 

His?

What?

 

Same man. If it was for TTS I would never have gotten into it. TTS did what 6 years of Nerd Osmosis couldn’t, make me a fan.

This chapter is reminding me of the one Episode of Big Bang. The Guys come back from a failed convention road trip and find all of their girlfriends are know super into superhero comics. They assume that they’ve gone into another dimension.

 

Oh! It hasn’t been said for a while, but those future-humans that invaded Earth are a lot like Dark Eldar! Games Workshop in this setting could run a bunch of events about invading Drukhari strongholds and preparing invasions against their nonsense capital.

 

Most likely xeno players complaining about no new models so those factions get a buff from DW.

Or something about lore.

 

I asked Zoat about that a few weeks ago, actually, and it isn't what happened.

Luthor was tempted, but was too worried about this being a sign that the SI was influencing his desires, so he declined. The SI's failure was giving a choice to a man suffering from paranoia. Renegade managed because he forced Luthor to work with him, and eventually Lex came to realise that his fears were unfounded.

 

The full word was going to be 'history', but he cut himself off.

As in 'Get thee behind me, Satan'.

 

I mean, unlimited power Plus infinite life, a perfect body at a young age, it's easy enough to be jealous of the dude to begin with... But no, he has to have friends and women who are willing to talk to him and are nice to him and are actually really interested and potentially exploring relationships...

You know this is ignoring that side story where two lesbians try being bisexual for a while with the main character? I mean, I don't know about everybody else, but I was already super jealous when he had a girlfriend that was willing to spend time with him just cuddling. The fact that he has enough funding to not need a daily grinding life working for corporations that just don't give a shit... Well he actually has time to enjoy all the things he has.

Man, whatever. I think it's the side effect of his abilities that he keeps running into things that somehow block infinite power all the damn time. I could do whatever I want thanks to the orange power ring! Oh no orange power rangers don't work now for some reason on this particular guy!

The whole time I'm going, suck it up! You're going to somehow win by learning how to make cheesecake or something anyway, just enjoy being all powerful and don't complain about it.

 

Ah, cheescake. My greatest enemy.

When I was a small child, I was quite a fussy eater. I didn't eat eggs, I'd spend however long it took picking onion out of anything with onion in it, and I did not eat cheese. Not just the strong cheeses that the elder members of the family liked, but even the simple chedder that my younger sister liked. I could stomach it if I had to, but I would avoid it if I could.

My mother believed that I would grow out of it. So confident was she that she bet the princely sun of £5 that by... I think it was my 18th birthday -may have been 21st- I would be happy to consume cheese.

As the years past, my palet matured. Or perhaps deadened. I abandoned my vendetta against onions and became merely indifferent to eggs. But cheese? Milk's more plastic cousin? That I would not accept.

The day before my birthday, my mother made a chocolate cheesecake.

We had had cheesecakes before that, of course. Strange things, made with a packet mix that I can only hope was safe for human consumption. But this was the first time that actual cheese was involved. Not all that much, compared to the volume of chocolate and cream. But enough to lose me the wager.

As I handed her the money, my mother claimed that she had long since forgotten. I was simply in awe of her cunning.

 

How dare victory depend more on strategy, tactics, and working around the luck of the tice, as opposed to "do you own the currently OP stuff"?

 

The insanity's not worth it.

 

Why would he be telling her to go away?

 

Thank you. Much appreciated.

 

Because the sexy ninja girl who wants to learn to play your niche nerd shit with you is obviously a succubus out to tempt you into losing your soul and not a real girl.

 

Point.

 

This is the Justice League from the Unlimited cartoon right? Is this before or after Hawkgirl was revealed to be a secret agent working for Thangar?

 

It is the Unlimited era, so after.

 

wow. This is the 1,111 chapter of this story

 

'they enact'

Except you kinda will do that.

Unless you actually created a permanently successful system or left competent people in charge to manage things while you hop universes.

Ahh, Paul, always so pedantic.

I foresee the Seven Devils rising.

 

Thank you, corrected.