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

Mother box is now pinging very loudly and slowly.

 

I mean, Draan called what was happening to Orion as a minor manifestation of the Butcher. So not entirely.

Edit: My mistake, it was Kalmin who was disappointed and called it a minor manifestation of the Butcher.

 

The flow of this chapter isn't reading right to me.

This sounds like he knows about Draan's workshop being a battlestation, including a central intelligence that can be bonded with,

This sounds like he knows about the station because it is something connected to the Anti-Monitor, whose lore he has studied and memorized.

Which is being treaded like a reveal. But he apparently already knew because above.

And here. where before he was asking it Draan was trying to become the controller, like he didn't think he was for some reason.

And the battlestation being a creation of the Anti Monitor is news to him, when above he was expected to know about it because of his connection to the Anti Monitor.

...Nothing may outright contradict other parts, but the flow just feels jinky to me, enough to comment on.

 

Kalmin deduced roughly what happened fairly quickly. He just didn't know that it was the Void Hound that they were on.

 

Mr Zoat, the hellwraith was destroyed by Nabu 666. Unless it was actually captured and then returned offscreen, though there was no hint of that possibility before.

That should say on fire.

 

was that bit of god speech from orion or paul, i'm asking because it sounds like pauls trying to reason with him rather then orion agreeing

 

Thank you, corrected.

Orion.

 

Well, with a little effort, and probably a lot of Ring Charge. But as we've seen with the Renegade, it won't stick. So for now, Orion's stuck with the... Well, you folks saw the picture. Hopefully he looses some of that demonic chic by the time this is done.

Spoiler: Commentary spoilered for length

The Source changes all it touches. Us lesser beings aren't even aware of it, but New Gods...

An understandable reaction. It's part of him, on a primal, soul-deep level. His cross to bear, his burden to master. So no wonder he feels like something has literally been ripped out of him...

That will change, Orion. Just a little spectrum mojo, and... Boom.

Yeah, he wouldn't have been involved in this if not for you, OL. This is kind of your fault.

Well, I guess 'Wholeness Rightfully Assumed' will be getting quite the workout later. Or OL will need to fire up another clone body.

It probably feels like a looming shadow to him, a giant hound peering down at an ant.

Given that form doesn't exactly look flexible, I'm not surprised.

Ah. Well, at least lock it and set the alarm, so Draan doesn't get any ideas?

Then it's a tug of war. Are you weaker than a Maltusian? How much do you want your Rage back, then?

"Now, now, Mister Lantern, that kind of talk isn't helpful." She's right, that is kind of... Obvious.

...Putting Orion in charge of the planet-killing moon-sized battle platform. That sounds like a marvellous idea. Or worse, OL in charge of it...

Ah. All right, then.

Beware the desperate amateur, because they don't know enough to be wary of what they can unleash...

Oh, it's been a while since we saw that font. Damn, where's that 'tripping balls' OL picture when you want it?

And I'm picturing something like Balakaika from 'Black Lagoon'. Picture giant, ragged scars like triangular patches over her entire body.

"Oooh! Yes, Mister Lantern, that looks like it'll work. Try it!"

"...Can't it be both? But yes, this should work."

And here comes the spiritual tug of war. Except now it's two-on-one.

But you can act as a conduit for it. A pipe for it to flow through, from the reservoir within Draan into the waiting vessel of Orion.

...Stuff the Hellwraith, which is still gone, right? Send out Satanus. He might last longer.

Oof. Being stampeded across his soul. That has to sting.

"Now, Sweetie! Take back what's rightfully yours!"

Yeah, last thing you need is an incurable headache ahead of a desperate fight against an enraged maltusian.

"Well, I can't believe that worked. But it did! Everything's going right where it should be."

"...You may want to duck. And try to look small and pathetic."

...Fingers crossed he settles down once his mad-on towards Draan is finished with.

Well, then. Let the clash of the titans begin! Hopefully it goes better this time, now that you can recognise the Boss' tells and hit boxes. Meanwhile, OL, Jade and Kalmin get to try and subvert the Void Hound while trying not to get splattered by the fighters. This promises to be an exciting few minutes, at least.

 

It's not too often that OL finds himself one of the weaker links on the team.

But when you have 'New God mainlining the Butcher' and 'pissed off Qwardian' as teammates, you stay behind them.

 

Since it’s a non-specific construct lantern now, I’m trying to remember what he even has. The most relevant one is probably Satanus, right? He also has a bunch of Reach thralls, the saremite (is he still around?), that fungoid, T.O. Morrow (I think he’s still hanging around with Red Tornado?), and Nabu 666 (he’s still stuck on some guy’s head, right?).
Did I forget any?

 

"Highfather"

 

"Bravo in stating the obvious."

It's a signature Paul idea.

 

I honestly have no idea.

Thank you, corrected.

 

I'm confused. Why is he sending out a construct lantern? Is there someone here he wants killed or...?

No, that's all of them. Well, all of Paul's anyway. I know TV Tropes has most of them listed.

Edit: Paul also has the Karrakanian 'New Ascendant' he assimilated in Fleet Traction.

 

Yes. Draan Del Daar.

 

Those are some impressive quotation-marks you've got there, Orion! Grats!

 

Huh, I hadn’t appreciated how much stuff there was on this story in TV Tropes. There really is a lot. Congrats to whoever went to all that work.

 

Either "warn you, if I regain" or "warn you that, if I regain".

Semicolon should just be a comma.

 

Thank you, corrected.

 

So it appears that Orion can now just generate Red constructs. Here's hoping that they can still return his form to normal (perhaps move all that Red Light into a Ring?)

 

He's sending out the construct to be annoying.
Hopefully distract Draan Del Dar during the battle with Orion and the other heavy hitting combatants.
...It's job is to be the Green Arrow / Black Canary in a Justice League fight.

 

That seemed to easy? Waiting for the other shoe to drop.

 

Quick on the uptake, I see.

 

"considerably"

 

Hopefully Hinon will be understanding when she learns that Paul helped a New God kill a maltusian. Also, I hope they'll be able to use Erdammeru for something.

 

I suppose that depends on how much it hates Draan. If it can overcome the memories of battling his in his prime, and see how weak he's become... While there's too much Red in it to truly feel fear, it can understand how dangerous Draan is to it...

Spoiler: Commentary spoilered for length

Not an option here, alas. Mostly because Orion is likely not in the same place mentally, nor as interesting to an Entity as one of you is.

...If that's true, then why hasn't he killed you lot yet? It's not like you're really much of a threat to him right now.

But the systems still exist, because why remove a perfectly functional capability that can prove useful in an edge case like this?

...Not willingly. But if he doesn't realise he's empowering your systems...

Ha! Kalmin probably didn't think of it because it would be too crazy for him. Not direct enough.

I mean, it's not like he has a bottomless reservoir of energy in his symbionts?

True, he could probably gimmick up something with a box of scraps OL pulled out of his subspace...

This is going to be a DBZ-scale fight. There's going to be plenty of energy flying about.

I notice that Kalmin didn't duck. Presumably his own barrier handled it.

Hmm... Interesting. Maybe he's already burnt out a lot of his reserves just stealing the Red back? And what he stole is only going so far, especially with Orion trying to kill him.

And conduit opened. Should be more careful with your AoE effects, Draan.

Qwardian know-how says 'fuck you.' OL just needs to hold on long enough...

...For Draan to spend his reserves.

Key rule of a fight like this, boyo: Don't get distracted.

Again, maltusians don't exactly need their meaty bits for survival. It's more like wearing an old pair of pants for comfort.

...Anyone else smell jerky?

Okay, that should force him to...

"Orion, Sweetie! That's enough, you got him." ...Well, I guess that's going to be enough to keep him down?

"Oh, my goodness. Orion, sweetie, you can stop now, dear."

"Orion! Young man, that's enough. Calm down, please."

"Excuse me? Young man, you had better have a good reason for backtalking-..."

...Ew. But evidently he's got something in mind.

Yeah, when someone in this condition barks an order, you don't stop to argue.

After all, you are getting what you wanted.

...Orion stomping its would-be master into chunky salsa doesn't count?

...Oh. It's just being a picky puppy, then.

...And is immediately shockcrowned? No?

...Okay, now Shockcrown him. Do not let him get away this time, OL...

Honestly, that was kind of anti-climactic, but if Draan was exhausted from stealing the Rage out of Orion, I can understand him going out like a needy bastard. Now, If OL is smart, he will cuff the Free Lancer captain and not let go until Orion has the Ring forged and safely on his finger (and hopefully de-monsterised.) Hopefully he can provide some helpful exposition into Draan's scheme.

 

Draan Del Dar was literally suicidal: he was deliberately going to go on a rampage until someone killed him so that his final living moments would be a snapshot of Perfect Passion, preserved for eternity in death.

 

"Ohh, you better have a good reason for the backtalk, shitstain!"