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

[Neruz]

Destiny is somewhat inscrutable even at the best of times, so it's hard to say what he will do here.

It's not like Challengers of the Unknown (people who aren't in his book) haven't happened before, though possibly they might not have happened before in this setting. On the other hand when they did happen Destiny's solution was to break his chains and give them the book, which somehow 'fixed' it so that they were able to be taken into account again, or something along those lines.


So it's not impossible that he's literally just going to give Paul the book and say "hold onto this for a week until it's finished writing you into it."

 

[Mr Zoat]

@Mr Zoat, will we get an in-universe clarification on what happened to Ahri'ahn in the Paragon timeline? Or will the characters not know for sure while you will clarify what happened to him to us in this thread?

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You'll find out when/if the characters do.

...the power of Delirium or the despair getting to her. (Unless said despair is so significant it deserves the capital...)

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Thank you, corrected.

 

[Vaermina]

Fortunately he can't be ret-gone'd away. Far too many changes to the timeline because of him, and some of those changes would prevent that sort of temporal erasure anyway thanks to timeline-splitting.

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Destiny isn't a time traveler, and he doesn't use his book to alter what's already happened.

The worst he could probably do to Paul is stripping away all of his powers and abilities like he once did with Superman.

Or I suppose he could alter the Destiny's of everyone Paul cares about so they become the universes buttmonkey's.

 

[Bud-E]

Why didn't Aquaman ask Dr. Mist what happened to Gamemnae? Why call Paul specifically?

 

[Ngamer11]

Why didn't Aquaman ask Dr. Mist what happened to Gamemnae? Why call Paul specifically?

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He assumes Paul was the one to fix things. Alternatively, Dr. Mist or Mera told him Paul can better answer his questions.

 

[LZB1285]

What app would you recommend for reading on a phone that preserves the formatting? I've been using eBoox, but it sets all text to monochrome.

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MoonReader displays some of the colouring, however this may be because the process of transferring the text from web to epub is lossy. There appears to be the correct tagging in the code, but no CSS to describe how certain tags are supposed to be displayed. The problem may not be with your app, but within the epub itself. The only other reader I've used seriously is Lithium, but I can't find that one at the moment. I can make no comments about Apple devices.

 

[PDV]

the power of Deliruim

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Still off slightly.

He assumes Paul was the one to fix things. Alternatively, Dr. Mist or Mera told him Paul can better answer his questions.

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More importantly Paul was an eyewitness to the end.

 

[Mr Zoat]

Still off slightly.

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No, that's correct. Power taken directly from Delirium of the Endless.

 

[Odysseus2099]

No, that's correct. Power taken directly from Delirium of the Endless.

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That's not what you have written though. It's apparently taking power from someone named Deliruim, who I can only assume is Delirium's Bizzaroverse counterpart.

 

[Mr Zoat]

That's not what you have written though. It's apparently taking power from someone named Deliruim, who I can only assume is Delirium's Bizzaroverse counterpart.

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Ah, right, with you. Thank you, corrected.

Could everyone please be extremely explicit about exactly what they're correcting from now on? Thank you.

 

[Ardy]

Ah, right, with you. Thank you, corrected.

Could everyone please be extremely explicit about exactly what they're correcting from now on? Thank you.

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No

 

[Duke Long]

Though… Is Scarab phasing combatable with the modifications? What would they need in the way of tissue samples to clone or adapt the bio-modifications? As far as I know they can't make rings…

No, I should leave Mr. Wyck to it. Nothing critical is going to be lost, and my relationship with him and his improvement as a squad leader are more important. I think. If an Effigy-Scarab turns up in a few months boy is there going to be egg on my face.

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'compatible'?

No. He doesn't have any authority over me! I can explain things to the Controller and-.

"Mister-"

FUCK!

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This guy is hilarious.

"Unfortunately, my hard-coded programming doesn't take any of that into account! I'd like it if it did, but since it doesn't I've just got to work out the most efficient way to kill everyone!"

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Hahaha, what a jolly fellow.

Mr. van Wyck looks for a moment, then shrugs. "Is that good?"

"We can't possible support you there."

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'possibly'

ARGOS kneels, with a THUD, and a Loadlifter comes closer to remove a capture pod from his sides and transfer them to a Tank Track Robot.

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'transfer it'?

"They you're weak enough to attack for real!"

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'Then'

"You are! That's great! My success rate has now gone up by zero point zero zero zero two nine seven percent to zero point zero zero zero two nine seven percent!"

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This implies an amusingly huge number of failed attempts. If my maths isn't off, this would require hundreds of thousands of attempted romances. It's actually impressive that she's this awful at the thing she dedicates her life to. Given the mention of her not being stupid, I have to wonder if her goal structure doesn't actually place much emphasis on people successfully getting together. I guess it stops being a dating game if they stop dating?

Okay-. I duck my head to the side to evade a stab from the Scurry Robot, then turn so that I'm holding it long its underside. The Security Robots can't get a clear shot at my head because its legs are in the way and because I'm having to constantly reposition as it bucks, writhes and stabs.

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'along'?

I gingerly touch my face, and-. That doesn't feel good. My inertia shield should have turned a lot of the plasma away, but-. I've been burned badly enough that face is bloody and I don't want to even try and use my eyes.

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'my face'

It fires, then gives up when it realises that I've moved back into the corridor. The C-27 will probably only block ones more volley, but that's all I need. Telekinetically throw it at the turret to distract its sensors, step out and aim, fire the moment the C-27 falls.

Blaaaaart!

One more turret down, room cleared. On I go.

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'one more'

I… Unfocus, trying to see the Reachians in terms of their shared desires and natures. Observations of Reach prisoners suggests that they don't suffer from drifting attention in the way that humans do, but cope with periods of inactivity less well as a result. Pressing buttons they don't have don't do anything, but…

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'won't do'?

Power armour. Four suites of T-51 with Sentinel Command Slaves. Bit of a risk: I can just rip the Sentinel units out and use the armour myself. For a short mission I can just do a quick-mount without worrying about the plumbing. Still, depending on what they're armed with-.

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'Four suits'?

Lanius's robot body vanishes as one of ARGOS's primary railguns obliterates it, legs collapsing and arms flying out to the sides and his brain case flips over and lands on the ground. It's armoured enough to survive the impact and the bio-gel could keep him alive for a century.

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'as his brain'?

Back to reading this after a long period of reading other stuff. These chapters were very pleasant. The Reach are great fun and this Calculator plot is cool.

 

[Mr Zoat]

7th May 2013
14:35 GMT -2

"You are a living Orange Lantern. And you are not Larfleeze."

I float in front of him. It's a little awkward, actually. With Hades he arrayed himself as a king so I reacted to him as a petitioner would to his king. Destiny looks a little like a monk, but I don't think that's what he's going for. If he's even thought about it. What does he want me to do? What does he consider polite behaviour? There really isn't any clue.

"Yes." Ah. "Currently, by most standards of 'living'."

"Do you possess documentation on your activities?"

"Uh. I don't keep a diary, but I've got my rings' scans and my mission reports, if that's any good?"

"Yes." He holds his book out slightly. "In paper format, if you please."

Um. Ring, what sort of volume-?

"I'm not sure there's enough… Space up here?"

"Do not concern yourself with that."

Well, he's the superbeing. I systematise my first month's worth of reports and ring scans and start materialising the paper-.

And as each page is created it flies free of my control and… Into Destiny's book. It just hits the cover and then there's a sort of twist-.

Ow ow ow.

Okay, not looking at that.

Since he can clearly deal with it, I start generating paper faster and with more condensed text. I suppose he can… Probably reference anything that wasn't created by me directly.

"Um. Destiny, sir? What exactly is this doing?"

"And why would you ask that after doing it?"

"Because I'd like to know? I know there are spells which use the information in your book as a reference, so if I'm... In there now, those might start working on me."

"Then you need not be concerned. This is merely adjusting my records to reflect reality as it is. It will not create records for your future or past."

"Huh."

"Are you not relieved? From what you have written, it seems that you have little regard for the inherent majesty of 'jumped-up elementals'."

"Yes, but I also don't make a point of picking fights with fundamental parts of reality, no matter how much I might prefer a more mechanical universe without them in it. In this case, starting an argument with you, a being whose abilites I can't quantify, would be a bad idea even if I hadn't just broken into your house. And, ah, sorry about that, but I think it was necessary."

"That place is not so much my house as it is an immobile part of my body."

"Is that better or worse?"

"I do not have to allow mortals to access my book. I do so because it is written that I do. In as much as I have an opinion, I regard it as a good thing that mortal creatures have contact with the higher structure of the universe. I deny neither access to my garden or my home. Though someone who visits at the same time as my brothers and sisters may become changed by the encounter."

"Did you do something like this with the Challengers of the Unknown?"

"Yes, though in their case their missions were far smaller in scope than those which you have undertaken."

"And... Er. How do you feel about that?"

"I feel nothing. A slight irregularity is being corrected."

"But does this..? Change other things? I mean, I've spoken to people from the future a few times and I've gotten the impression that I didn't manage to have a lasting effect on anything. Is everything I do going to get erased, or..? What?"

"What would you do if it did?"

"I'd.. try and find a parallel universe which operated on different principles and move there... I guess."

"Do you believe that my existence contradicts the notion of free will? I have heard that said before."

"No. The fact that my reactions are predictable does not mean that they are controlled by someone else. But I want to have an impact, and if you're telling me that that's categorically impossible, I.. might..."

"Or you might try to find a way to change that characteristic."

"Or… That. I thought you'd be against that?"

"I am not precisely for or against anything. It will be a notable revelation should you come to understand the process by which a person can be cut loose from the words in my book, for you and for me both. For a long time I did not realise that deviation from the content of my book was possible. And then there was a plane crash, where the occupants survived when their deaths were written."

"Was that.. you..?"

"No. I have no ability to deviate from what is written, nor desire to." The flow of paper stops and he lowers his book. "Some of my brothers and sisters counselled me to destroy them, others to encourage them. For the most part I simply watched them. I neither liked nor disliked the sensation, but I did learn that many of my assumptions concerning my nature were sorely misguided."

"Do you know where I came from?"

"No. My book suggests that it does not have a system of destinies similar to those of this reality, but just as you are unwritten so too is your original home. Similarly, I have no records on how such a place could come to be."

"I don't suppose that you've got my full name written down anywhere, have you?"

"No, for what I suspect is the same reason."

I nod. "Well, until I hear differently from you, I'm going to keep trying to improve things. Ah. Let me know if I start causing you a headache, because -to reiterate- I do not want to become your enemy at any point. In fact, if you ever need something done? Let me know and I'll do it."

"That will never happen, but I understand your intent and shall ensure that my brothers and sisters understand it as well."

"Thank you."

Alright, he seems to be as helpful as he can be…

"Just… One last thing. Would you benefit from a recording of what happens when I try writing my name?"

"I would not 'benefit', but it would be noteworthy."

"Alright. Um."

I fabricate a blank piece of paper and lay it on his book. No absorption. Then I take a pen out of subspace and draw a-.

And then I pick myself up off the floor, Destiny looking down at me. The sheet of paper is gone, though the book's master is looking as blank as ever.

"I thank you for that record. It may prove illuminating."

"Happy to help. But now I've got a country to put back together."

"According to my book, it never fell apart. As such, I suppose that I must wish you… Well."

He nods and then vanishes, and I get back to work.

 

[Ngamer11]

"Then you need not be concerned. This is merely adjusting my records to reflect reality as it is. It wil not create records for your future or past."

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That should say 'will'.

"I am not precisely for or against anything. It will be a notable revalation should you come to understand the process by which a person can be cut lose from the words in my book, for you and for me both. For a long time I did not realise that deviation from the content of my book was possible. And then there was a plane crash, where the occupants survived when their deaths were written."

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Those should say 'revelation' and 'loose'.

 

[Signaller]

Given that the Endless are theoretically replaceable, do we know which version of each we're up to?

 

[NightmareWarden]

Destiny came to Atlantis without getting prodded, investigating the divergence. His talk here with Paul clearly was not destined, but his book…? Uhh, Nevermind. We'll see you in the future, Destiny, presumably with a Constantine plot.

It will be interesting if he becomes an antagonist of sorts. Dream fell and was replaced, I imagine replacing Destiny could be an opportunity to improve the universe in little ways. Like the modern Death does.

Hmm. Kalimin the Qwardian has two students, who likely know that Paul's perspective on life has proved productive and useful for survival, I wonder if they will replace Kalmin as an ally of the Corps or if they will be central to what ever happens with Kalmin. I was going to suggest one of them could look into magic and weirdness with the Endless due to Paul's records, but the only vulnerability to exploit here seems like the nugget of "my garden and house are like immobile parts of my body."

 

[Vaermina]

7th May 2013
14:35 GMT -2

Click to shrink...

I shouldn't be disappointed at this point that OL gets yet another pass.

But somehow I am.

 

[Mr Zoat]

'compatible'?
'possibly'
'transfer it'?
'Then'
'along'?
'my face'
'one more'
'won't do'?
'Four suits'?
'as his brain'?

Click to shrink...

Thank you, corrected.

 

[Mr Zoat]

That should say 'will'.
Those should say 'revelation' and 'loose'.

Click to shrink...

Thank you, corrected.

Hmm. Kalimin the Qwardian has two students, who likely know that Paul's perspective on life has proved productive and useful for survival, I wonder if they will replace Kalmin as an ally of the Corps or if they will be central to what ever happens with Kalmin. I was going to suggest one of them could look into magic and weirdness with the Endless due to Paul's records, but the only vulnerability to exploit here seems like the nugget of "my garden and house are like immobile parts of my body."

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A qwardian becoming Destiny would be... Bad. Very bad.

 

[Signaller]

Oh also, when will Destiny meet Ambush Bug?

 

[Chojin Patriarch]

7th May 2013
14:35 GMT -2

"You are a living Orange Lantern. And you are not Larfleeze."

I float in front of him. It's a little awkward, actually. With Hades he arrayed himself as a king so I reacted to him as a petitioner would to his king. Destiny looks a little like a monk, but I don't think that's what he's going for. If he's even thought about it. What does he want me to do? What does he consider polite behaviour? There really isn't any clue.

Click to shrink...

OL is also not being overcome by the Orange Light in any immediately harmful way. That alone should tell you how atypical he is. As for this meeting, I suspect it will feel more like a bureaucratic update. Paperwork. Though I can't deny Destiny has a little air of the Administratum about him...

Spoiler: Commentary spoilered for length

"Yes." Ah. "Currently, by most standards of 'living'."

"Do you possess documentation on your activities?"

Click to shrink...

Oh, boy howdy, does he ever. It's a good thing the Ring has fairly vast long-term storage capabilities and the power to summarise effectively.

"Uh. I don't keep a diary, but I've got my rings' scans and my mission reports, if that's any good?"

"Yes." He holds his book out slightly. "In paper format, if you please."

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Heh. That's amusing image. Like he's going to slip bundles in like errata.

Um. Ring, what sort of volume-?

"I'm not sure there's enough… Space up here?"

Click to shrink...

I mean, the Book probably has some manner of absorptive properties, and limitless space within. It has to hold the collective records of the entire Universe, no matter how large or small it might be right now.

"Do not concern yourself with that."

Well, he's the superbeing. I systematise my first month's worth of reports and ring scans and start materialising the paper-.

Click to shrink...

I imagine every single mission is a brick-sized volume...

And as each page is created it flies free of my control and… Into Destiny's book. It just hits the cover and then there's a sort of twist-.

Ow ow ow.

Okay, not looking at that.

Click to shrink...

Human brains aren't designed to comprehend the multi-dimensional fuckery of a set that contains all other sets.

Since he can clearly deal with it, I start generating paper faster and with more condensed text. I suppose he can… Probably reference anything that wasn't created by me directly.

"Um. Destiny, sir? What exactly is this doing?"

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Heck, he's probably checking against the 'original timeline' recorded in his book, and adjusting the records with footnotes...

"And why would you ask that after doing it?"

"Because I'd like to know? I know there are spells which use the information in your book as a reference, so if I'm... In there now, those might start working on me."

Click to shrink...

Good point. Heck, he saw one of those when Zatanna pinged the Book for his real name.

"Then you need not be concerned. This is merely adjusting my records to reflect reality as it is. It wil not create records for your future or past."

"Huh."

Click to shrink...

So if someone wanted to look him up, they'd get the cliff's notes of his actions, and that's all.

"Are you not relieved? From what you have written, it seems that you have little regard for the inherent majesty of 'jumped-up elementals'."

"Yes, but I also don't make a point of picking fights with fundamental parts of reality, no matter how much I might prefer a more mechanical universe without them in it. In this case, starting an argument with you, a being whose abilites I can't quantify, would be a bad idea even if I hadn't just broken into your house. And, ah, sorry about that, but I think it was necessary."

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Interesting that Destiny is aware of what's in the errata, despite not appearing to read it. Then again, if he had to actually read everything that happened... That would theoretically take longer than the life of the entire universe.

"That place is not so much my house as it is an immobile part of my body."

"Is that better or worse?"

Click to shrink...

Ah. That explains that. The Book is as much a part of him as the human form he appears in. So he's always aware of everything that should be in the Book. This avatar is just for interacting with mortals...

"I do not have to allow mortals to access my book. I do so because it is written that I do. In as much as I have an opinion, I regard it as a good thing that mortal creatures have contact with the higher structure of the universe. I deny neither access to my garden or my home. Though someone who visits at the same time as my brothers and sisters may become changed by the encounter."

Click to shrink...

As Gamemnae can attest. Heck, as OL can attest, too.

"Did you do something like this with the Challengers of the Unknown?"

"Yes, though in their case their missions were far smaller in scope than those which you have undertaken."

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True, a half-dozen or so plane-crash survivors-turned-adventurers aren't likely to make an impact even on a national scale.

"And... Er. How do you feel about that?"

"I feel nothing. A slight irregularity is being corrected."

Click to shrink...

Come now... Surely you aren't a little satisfied about sorting it out peacefully?
"No."

"But does this..? Change other things? I mean, I've spoken to people from the future a few times and I've gotten the impression that I didn't manage to have a lasting effect on anything. Is everything I do going to get erased, or..? What?"

"What would you do if it did?"

Click to shrink...

To be fair, that may be time-travel fuckery at work, with dimensional time-line sidetracking involved... The travellers were confused because they didn't come back to their own exact past.

"I'd.. try and find a parallel universe which operated on different principles and move there... I guess."

"Do you believe that my existence contradicts the notion of free will? I have heard that said before."

Click to shrink...

Nor surprising, given the knowledge of a book that contains all that is. Some would naturally assume because it records what has been, it also extends to what will be.

"No. The fact that my reactions are predictable does not mean that they are controlled by someone else. But I want to have an impact, and if you're telling me that that's categorically impossible, I.. might..."

"Or you might try to find a way to change that characteristic."

Click to shrink...

Heh. He's probably curious as to how that might be achieved, himself.

"Or… That. I thought you'd be against that?"

"I am not precisely for or against anything. It will be a notable revalation should you come to understand the process by which a person can be cut lose from the words in my book, for you and for me both. For a long time I did not realise that deviation from the content of my book was possible. And then there was a plane crash, where the occupants survived when their deaths were written."

Click to shrink...

Always helps to have stress-testing for a system. Lets you find and reinforce the weaknesses and patch up any holes in the rules.

"Was that.. you..?"

"No. I have no ability to deviate from what is written, nor desire to." The flow of paper stops and he lowers his book. "Some of my brothers and sisters counselled me to destroy them, others to encourage them. For the most part I simply watched them. I neither liked nor disliked the sensation, but I did learn that many of my assumptions concerning my nature were sorely misguided."

Click to shrink...

I'm betting Death had a 'They come to me sooner or later. Why rush it?' attitude.

"Do you know where I came from?"

"No. My book suggests that it does not have a system of destinies similar to those of this reality, but just as you are unwritten so too is your original home. Similarly, I have no records on how such a place could come to be."

Click to shrink...

As if some higher power had slipped a separate page into the Book?

"I don't suppose that you've got my full name written down anywhere, have you?"

"No, for what I suspect is the same reason."

Click to shrink...

Definitely giving OL a bit of a 'what the hell made this all happen?' paranoia.

I nod. "Well, until I hear differently from you, I'm going to keep trying to improve things. Ah. Let me know if I start causing you a headache, because -to reiterate- I do not want to become your enemy at any point. If fact, if you ever need something done? Let me know and I'll do it."

Click to shrink...

And I assume he'll want some updates at some point or another. Maybe the next time something big happens that his Book didn't record correctly.

"That will never happen, but I understand your intent and shall ensure that my brothers and sisters understand it as well."

"Thank you."

Click to shrink...

To be fair, most of the ones he's met have been taking a hands-off approach already.

Alright, he seems to be as helpful as he can be…

"Just… One last thing. Would you benefit from a recording of what happens when I try writing my name?"

Click to shrink...

Given that OL couldn't exactly provide anything more than video recordings of the process, that's probably a good idea.

"I would not 'benefit', but it would be noteworthy."

"Alright. Um."

Click to shrink...

There could be some aspect to it that an Endless might catch that a lesser mage might miss, after all. Whether Destiny would share that, well, that's up to the Book.

I fabricate a blank piece of paper and lay it on his book. No absorption. Then I take a pen out of subspace and draw a-.

And then I pick myself up off the floor, Destiny looking down at me. The sheet of paper is gone, though the book's master is looking as blank as ever.

Click to shrink...

As if what was visible of his face was carved in stone? Yeah, that fits with depictions.

"I thank you for that record. It may prove illuminating."

"Happy to help. But now I've got a country to put back together."

Click to shrink...

...Again. At least it shouldn't be too hard to repair Atlantis this time.

"According to my book, it never fell apart. As such, I suppose that I must wish you… Well."

He nods and then vanishes, and I get back to work.

Click to shrink...

No doubt once he reaches his House, he might well let a tiny smirk at OL's antics slip. Or he may not...

About as well as expected, despite some's disappointment. To be fair, Destiny doesn't tend to be vindictive anyway... Unless he's meant to be. And when dealing with an anomaly as accommodating as OL has been, I doubt he'd have much reason to be bothered. His Book has been updated, errata set in place, and the anomaly will be more willing to accommodate further updates in future. All as written.

 

[B00ki5h]

"But does this..? Change other things? I mean, I've spoken to people from the future a few times and I've gotten the impression that I didn't manage to have a lasting effect on anything. Is everything I do going to get erased, or..? What?"

Click to shrink...

Pants of time theory, the time travelers can only go back to a binary fork. They came from the left leg where Paul never existed anything post Paul is the right leg and not their future.

 

[Neruz]

Well that was quicker than I expected but that's about what I thought would happen; Destiny is pretty chill about that sort of thing.

 

[Stsword]

Given that the Endless are theoretically replaceable, do we know which version of each we're up to?

Click to shrink...

That's sort of a complicated question.

The original Despair died and was replaced.

Then there is Death.

Death decided that she should really know what this whole "living and dying thing" is about so every year she lives for a day.

At the end of the day she dies and is claimed by herself.

So one could make the argument that Death is her own successor every year. Thessaly did mention in one comic that Death is the only Endless who has no rules she is actually required to follow.

Of course one could disagree, in which case if Zoat has Morpheus replaced with Daniel it will the grand total of second time it's ever happened.

 

[Old Knife]

"I thank you for that record. It may prove illuminating."

Click to shrink...

... As illuminating as a being that CANNOT BE PUT INTO THE BOOK.

This is some reverse son wu kong shit.

 

[Bigking321]

That went pretty smoothly.

Seems like a chill kinda fundamental force.

 

[Khettien]

So I was gonna comment that Destiny seems like the sort of entity that would follow a self-fulfilling prophecy because he'd trust there was a reason he was recorded as doing so. Then I got the idea of Delerium scribbling in his book in a moment of boredom, and got this vivid mental image of Destiny playing along just to entertain Delerium. In which case, he'd still trust there was a reason for the recording, and would still do what it said.

Just thought I'd share that thought process. This is possibly how some of the weirder parts of Destiny's behavior came about.

 

[Silverias]

"As Destiny, I am stating definitively that if you weren't here the world wouldn't be in this state. Enjoy knowing that."

 

[Duke Long]

I generate 'THANK YOU' in construct letters as the last of his target's primary guns comes free from its hull. He actually does a double take when he turns around and sees it. The he smiles awkwardly and-.

Click to shrink...

'Then'

He turns away and makes the 'assemble' gesture to his squad. It takes a few moments for them to notice, but after less than a minutes most of the squad has formed up around our ship.

Click to shrink...

'minute'?

"Technically, no, but it's… Ritual." Recharge complete, I send the lantern back into subspace and restore the construct barrier around the ship. "There was a... Event, that made me think about what I was trying to do as a Lantern, and that's when I came up with it. Now it's just… Part of the whole thing. With newer Lanterns I encourage it as a way to keep them stable."

Click to shrink...

'an…'?

Wall, wall, some-. Hah! Confident guys with guns who I flew through without really noticing until I was past them, and… There. That's what it looks like when its in one piece. No soldiers in this one. Maybe that's who I flew through?

Click to shrink...

'it's in one'

I let go. "Fuck up and it's your funeral. And yours ships are getting pretty shooty."

Click to shrink...

'your'

"The Writ is our sacred text. A Writ-wrangler is someone who takes part of it out of context to justify doing something idiotic like shoot up a productive space station as part of a weapons test when there are perfectly-"

My right ear… Buzzes, and I look around and he's pointing a gun at me. Fucker shot me!

Click to shrink...

Is this the first indication of internal strife among the reachians? Maybe I'm forgetting something but I can't remember any other cases of them being at odds with one another as far as I've read.

Huh. The ship actually moved a little when I hit its shield. That's new. And then the shield breaks and I'm slamming into the hull as the ships weapons start shooting at me. I think some of them hit me, but I covered the distance really quick and they don't have a lot of time to aim before they don't have an angle on me. Then-.

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'ship's weapons'

I point to the exit. "Run." And then I walk to the buzzing, glowing thing.

It takes them a few second, but once they start going they really commit to the running thing.

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'seconds'

"I'm destroying your interdiction field generator. I can do that with everyone dead or most of you alive. Where is it?"

"You are not Written."

I flare the disruption aura around my head. "Lotta other people I can ask."

He points to his left, towards the bottom of the station. "That way."

Click to shrink...

I'm surprised that this actually seems to work. In a situation where resisting only marginally impairs the enemy and there's no hope of significantly harming them, I understand submission, but in this situation it does seem like the Reach would be better served by holding up these Effigies for as long as possible. Are these reachians just making a mistake because they don't understand the wider situation, or are they trying to lure them into a false sense of security so they can give them wrong directions in a future case where it is really important?

"DO YOU LACK OBJECT PERMINANCE?"

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'PERMANENCE?'

"Brain-Scarabs. Some of… The people who's brains they're harvesting. They stuck Scarabs on them and sent them after us."

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'whose'

I try to smile reassuringly, ignoring the sensation of my legs being pulled open and bits of me ended up in a metal dish. "What doesn't kill me makes me stronger."

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'ending up'?

Okay, clothes, check, armour and inertia field, check. Plasma pistol in working order, check, restock of medical supplies, check. Brain… Feels like its in good condition.

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'it's in', or maybe it isn't in such good condition as he thinks.

"No. The Controller thinks it probably possible to get them up again, but it's not easy. Making…"

"Making more is easier and fulfils the same strategic necessity."

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'it's probably'?

I watch as Thunderbird frowns at the sudden increase in illumination. And then I smile as Helios fires a giant burning beam down from orbit, completely obliterating him, his car, and most of the Eighties leadership! Missiles begin slamming into cars a moment later, fuel detonating, fragments of destroyed vehicle scything through anyone nearly!

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'nearby!'

As this point everyone who can run is running, crowds and militia alive fleeing for cover. Some try to drive away, but with the wrecks blocking the road a good many are forced to abandon their vehicles and flee on foot.

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'militia alike'?

 

[Silveraith]

If fact, if you ever need something done?

Click to shrink...

In.