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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. Coda

    Coda Versed in the lewd.

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    "their" -- Also, missing full stop.

    peek
     
  2. Pinklestia

    Pinklestia Well worn.

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    "We are all mad here."



    Just... less American, more British.
     
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  3. Mr Zoat

    Mr Zoat Dedicated ragequitter

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    I'd answer, but, well...

    I don't believe that you're correct. They are it's friends.
    Thank you, corrected.
     
  4. Stsword

    Stsword Versed in the lewd.

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    I do believe that Paragon and Renegade have interacted with the same Antimatter universe.

    There's only supposed to be one Antimatter universe. Per multiverse.
     
  5. B.B. Rain

    B.B. Rain I trust you know where the happy button is?

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    I mean...there seems to be different versions of Qward, given that Paul recruited Kalmin, and later returned for his apprentice, while Grayven recruited said apprentice after her version of Kalmin was killed.

    Kalmin made Alan's Blue Lantern, while the apprentice...Lyssa? Made the Red Lantern for whatsisface, the leader of post-Satanic UK.

    EDIT: If I'm remembering correctly - it's been a while since I've done a re-read, and since I read those bits in the first place.
     
  6. Stsword

    Stsword Versed in the lewd.

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    I typed "i do believe" for a reason. My memory might be playing tricks on me. It happens.
     
  7. PDV

    PDV Revelation That Uncertainty Is Itself An Answer

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    Like several other candidates, an excellent song which would make a far better national anthem than the one we actually picked. Though for this one, there was an actual solid reason why not: using the old country's tune is passé. When it was written (1831) that would have been even worse, since the Brits hadn't totally accepted we were really independent and weren't going to "come to our senses" and rejoin any day now, at that point. Two wars weren't quite enough.
     
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  8. Threadmarks: Dear John (part 18)
    Mr Zoat

    Mr Zoat Dedicated ragequitter

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    7th November 2012
    Roughly 10:43 GMT -5


    "So how does this work?"

    "Somewhere, there is a place where the hopes of all things that can hope or have ever hoped are inscribed upon the very structure of that place."

    "Uh… Huh."

    "The Honden of Hope. I use the Honden of Avarice whenever I do my teleportation thing. However, just connecting to it should be far easier."

    "Do I have a..? Blue-Ophidian?"

    "An Entity, yes. Its name is Adara and it's a… Giant… Bird-like alien. As far as I remember it's a good deal more easygoing than the Ophidian, but we shouldn’t need to get its attention anyway."

    "Is it dangerous?"

    "Anything as powerful as an Entity is dangerous, but it shouldn't be hostile. In the unlikely event that you encounter it, remain calm and offer it birdseed."

    "Ph-?"

    It takes a second, but then he realises that it was a joke.

    "Seriously though, what should I do?"

    "I can't say for certain. It will probably just be curious, so show it your hopes and where they come from. If it wants to help, then let it, but I imagine that once it sees that you're genuine it will go back to whatever it was doing before."

    Hm.

    "Eagle, do you want to help?"

    The eagle tears its eyes away from the remains of the fallen president.

    "How?"

    "Alan's going to be using all of the hopes associated with President Kennedy to try to restore his soul to something approaching what it should be. Honestly… It's more likely that he's going to overshoot and turn him into the best president that America can imagine because who people think about a person -particularly after they're dead- has only the most tenuous connection to what they were actually like."

    Alan frowns. "I thought I was just going to be fixing him up?"

    "And this is why it's important to ensure that your afterlife arrangements are secure. He can't be 'fixed', any more than I could have scooped the chunks of brain he's dropped and shoved them back into a living person to repair their brain."

    His face drops. "Oh. That's…"

    "That's better than what everyone in my home parallel gets. So if you ever wonder why I keep going on about it, that's why. From my point of view, everyone here who does is like… Like someone with AIDS who's got an easy-to-use hypodermic with the cure loaded into it right next to them, but is so lazy that they'd rather die horribly than reach over and fix themselves."

    Huh. That got 'real' rather quickly.

    "But this way we turn him into some sort of perfect dream president and he can… Eagle, would he be Heartlands material if we did that?"

    "I think so? I'd have to see him afterwards to know for sure."

    "So there you go." I nod at President Kennedy. "That, for eternity."

    "I'm a… Doughnut…"

    "Or a demigod."

    "Okay." Alan nods. "I'm on board."

    I incline my head towards him. He frowns, then spots that his environmental shield is barely there.

    "Oh. Just a moment." He closes his eyes and his shield burns back into life. "Everyone deserves better than this, and he certainly does."

    "Okay, now, keep your eyes closed and focus on the things that inspire hope in you. For me, I feel hope every time I go to see the Beresfords and see that they really don't want to go back to being thugs. Every time people I know make good decisions without me needing to talk them through it, and I see it's not just me pushing the world up a hill in a wheelbarrow."

    He nods, eyes still closed. A few moments pass, then his flame grows into a bonfire.

    "Good. Now, keep doing that, and imagine… All the things that make you angry or hateful moving away. They're still there, still part of you, but they're not where you are right now."

    "Uh-huh."

    His aura dips for a moment, then burns back, the flames not any larger butSteadier.

    "Next, your selfish desires. Everyone has things that they want for themselves, but all of yours are somewhere else. They haven't stopped existing and they'll be there when you need them, but your hopes are all that surround you."

    He nods slowly.

    "Next, your fears. A normal animal reaction to danger, but yours have no place here."

    Hm. Skip will, since it should synergise with any mental effort. Hope is what we're using, and… Compassion and love.

    "It is a noble thing to help others without the desire for reward, but that is not where you are. This is a place for inspiring others, not aiding them directly. Your compassion is elsewhere, waiting for you when you leave."

    The flaming effect is basically gone, though the size of his aura has continued to grow. I wonder if that's what I look like when I meditate?

    "Love is our particular attachment to those closest to us. But you are somewhere universal, and the particular only serves to distract you. All around you are your hopes made manifest."

    His mouth moves, opening and closing a little like he's feeling around for the words.

    "I see it."

    "Good. Now, your hopes are the walls and the ceiling and the floor, but on the other side of one is the chamber for someone who shares that hope with you. Can you picture that?"

    "It's like I'm… There."

    And now he's gone slightly translucent. Um. Okay, just carry on.

    "We're looking for images of John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Every person he inspired is there with you, and we need their hopes. Can you see them?"

    "I can. It's… All so beautiful…"

    "Now you've seen how he exists in that place, in their minds, draw the blue light to you and make it true. Make Kennedy the Kennedy they believe in."

    Alan opens his eyes, and they're pools of blue light as he reaches for Kennedy's broken head.
     
    Last edited: Jun 4, 2022
  9. Darko

    Darko Connoisseur.

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    Yeah.

    Add a " at the end.
     
  10. dw7thdoctor

    dw7thdoctor Getting sticky.

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    I love this chapter probably my favorite so far. Your writing is inspiring sir.
     
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  11. Fellow

    Fellow Know what you're doing yet?

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    Goodness Mr. Zoat. You have such a way with words.
     
  12. BlueMangoAdea

    BlueMangoAdea Alive. For now.

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    Becoming ELEMENTAL. Paul may have accelerated the process. Kalmin would be happy.
     
  13. moralrelativity

    moralrelativity Recovering pendant.

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    Love this one, brought out an emotional shiver in me.

    their -> they're
    missing closing "
     
  14. Massgamer

    Massgamer Not too sore, are you?

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    Man, Alan picked this up fast.

    I guess it helps Paul is helping walk him through it based on his own experience, but he is also just such a fount of Hope already and near an elemental in nature so he is likely connecting to it easier.

    No doubt that doing this will turn what remains of Kennedy's soul into the very ideal of what all American people view as an amazing president, a kinda American demigod of leadership or something.
     
  15. ForeverShogo

    ForeverShogo Not too sore, are you?

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    It's an interesting assumption to make, all things considered. To assume that your parallel is the special one that doesn't have any kind of afterlife when you've been thrown into a multiverse where other things you thought were fictional turned out to be real. Even had that crossover event with other versions of yourself that ended up in non-DC universes.

    If anything I'd wonder how it is that our reality has the same religions. Like, the Earth he's on now can say their pantheons are actually there. But our Earth, where he's assuming they never existed, just happens to come up with all the same shit?

    Of course I'm not talking about real life belief, or lack thereof. Just that the SI doesn't really seem to question it.

    Beyond that, I guess I'm kind of curious how this ULTIMATE PRESIDENT will turn out. I'm sure various people have their fair share of ideas of what would make someone the best possible President.
     
  16. crazygrox

    crazygrox Versed in the lewd.

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    Ho boy.

    If they can't send him to the heartland after this, but they leave him unable to fit in the evil heartland, they're going to have an idealized Kennedy running around America.
    I have no idea how that's going to work out.
     
  17. Prince Charon

    Prince Charon Just zis guy, you know?

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    I thought they'd be looking for John Fitzgerald Kennedy? Did he have a different middle name on Earth-16, or is this just Paul's memory being flawed (after all, Paul is from the UK, and also fairly young compared to JFK's generation) and Alan not correcting him?
     
  18. dw7thdoctor

    dw7thdoctor Getting sticky.

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    Yeah but when paul came to this world he didn't have a soul that why he is basing his belief that his home parallel doesn't have an afterlife.
     
  19. Handlewithcare

    Handlewithcare Versed in the lewd.

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    Again, feeling very patriotic and hopeful and american without being one right now.

    Zoat, if you ever go into writing political speeches, don't use your powers for evil, yeah?
     
  20. Bud-E

    Bud-E Stand up so I can push you down!

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    Who wants to bet this ideal Kennedy becomes a superhero.
     
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  21. BlueMangoAdea

    BlueMangoAdea Alive. For now.

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    Yup. Could make the argument that the isekai process stripped him of his soul or that what the DC locals recognize as soul is different from souls in Paul’s reality, but those arguments would be convoluted and have no evidence to back them.
     
  22. Vaermina

    Vaermina Well worn.

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    Two things to understand about LePaul?

    He's super full of himself and loves to make things up when there's nobody around who can correct his claims.
     
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  23. Chojin Patriarch

    Chojin Patriarch Veteran Lurker

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    I rather expect it's like a pleasant country church, rather than a grand temple or some palace of marble and gold. The 'cool' end of the Spectrum always seems more gentle and restrained that way.

    Heh. Especially if it's being done for a good cause, like this.

    Heck, if it shows up, that might be helpful, or Alan might go full host and declare he's not leaving 'till this place is fixed up properly.' That would probably be bad. :V

    Ah, a devotional offering of food. I'm sure the embodiment of Faith would appreciate that.

    Well, given how dark the mood is in this place, I'm sure it was needed.

    I mean, The Ophidian stuck around after OL contacted it. Though I suspect it'd be easier to convince Adara to let go

    Yeah, Roger could probably be useful, as a focus of American belief.

    ...And anything that gets his mind off how awful this place is would be a good thing.

    Once things get rolling, I don't think there'll be any stopping until it's done right.

    ...OL, you may have been just a bit too frank there. o_O Also, ewwww...

    Yes, just a big old bucket of sunshine today, OL.

    Well, with all the Hope they're going to be throwing at this... I rather imagine this place would find the result abhorrent. Like pouring water on an oil fire...

    :confused: ...Good grief. To be fair, anything other than this would be an improvement, certainly.

    Good man! Hope and Determination, let's go!

    ...Well, just a little bit of Will. Because Blind Hope without the strength of character to act on it is near-useless, after all.

    Seriously, if that doesn't make Adara perk its' head up, wherever it is... I don't know what would. Also, I love that seeing other people actually fixing the world is one of OL's greatest hopes and joys. :D

    And I'm sure he's had plenty, over the years... His wife's suffering, the death of the first Ragdoll, what he saw during the War...

    I hope he's paying attention to what effect this is having on Alan. While doing an exercise like this for an Orange Lantern might get dangerous...

    ...Focusing this hard on one emotion probably isn't natural for Humans, bathed in the White Light as they are.

    And in a dark place like this, Hope will have to shine all the brighter to do its work.

    And right now, he's probably visible from space.

    Oh, my. Total and utter immersion in one colour. I wonder, what lingering effects will he experience after...

    Let's hope he's still listening. I'm not sure he's entirely hearing OL right now, with the sound of all the universe's hope thrumming through his head.

    Perhaps he'll find himself able to teleport via the halls of Hope. Though that might need Adara's approval, methinks.

    And somewhere, the Smiling Bastard is feeling something like ice water running down his spine.

    Amazing stuff. I have the feeling Alan's going to be changed by this act, whatever happens. While I doubt Alan's going to come out of this Enlightened, he may well be real damn close to making the breakthrough on his own. And having this much Hope flying around the Bad Place is going to have its own effect, methinks. Like a flood reshaping a town.



    Stray space after the Quotation mark.
     
  24. Coltsguy

    Coltsguy Colts fan. Anime fan. Breast and back fan.

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    Mr. Kennedy, you will believe in the we that believes in you.
     
  25. NightmareWarden

    NightmareWarden Versed in the lewd.

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    "I can. I see a clear road, free of pot holes. The sun is out, but the weather is comfortably cool. And there’s a gas station. The parking lot is empty and free of trash. It has biofuel and a recharging station. To the side- row after row of clean, spacious bathrooms. The toilets have heated seats, they have bidets. The entrance is stocked with free toiletries, non-scented ones. They even have changing stations.”
    “It’s… All so beautiful…"
     
  26. dxdragon

    dxdragon Experienced.

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    Judging by those blue quotation marks, looks like Alan is about to unlock Hope Enlightenment.

    Can't wait to see what this causes going forward. Maybe Alan will start pushing to make a Blue Lantern Corp after feeling the Hopes of the Universe?
    He's probably tapping into all the Koriandr & Mr. Rogers of the universe. Imagine them all gaining Blue Rings?
     
  27. Mr Zoat

    Mr Zoat Dedicated ragequitter

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    Thank you, corrected.
     
  28. PrinceJonathan

    PrinceJonathan Versed in the lewd.

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    He's probably going to be the new Uncle Sam.

    The real question is, is Alan and Adara going to be the new Power Couple?

    I can just imagine Ophidian and Adara gushing over their respective Agents over afternoon tea like gossiping housewives.
     
  29. Bud-E

    Bud-E Stand up so I can push you down!

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    And like any suburban housewife, they will always compare and try to one-up each other saying their host is better than the others.
     
  30. Fouredged

    Fouredged Experienced.

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    You had me until the bidet thing. That's when you went off the rails from Merican. We wipe our ass with triple ply and LIKE it.

    One could almost say Alan was hopeful about success. Blue rings are extremely powerful, just damned fickle.
     
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