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

[Darko]

Though I don't suppose you or somebody could explain to me what a 'Master' of the Universe actually means?

Click to shrink...

It's basically the name of Eternia's greatest group of heroes and warriors.

 

[Mr Zoat]

21st October 2012
19:13 GMT -5

"…remember any of them?"

Death-Doll shrugs, and I try not to look at the way the stitching holding her epidermis together pulls her 'skin'. It looks painful, and under other circumstances I'd offer to fix… Fix her. But some people like looking that different and I don't know her well enough to know how she feels about it.

"Nah. I mean, I think I remember some of them, but I didn't talk to any of 'em." Her attention shifts from me to Canis, who is openly staring at her clearly-altered physiology. She smiles, her head tilting to the left and her hair -which is either artificial or held together with something that's not so much hairspray as hairglue- just sort of holds its shape rather than flowing with gravity. "See something you like, kid?"

"Your body is a walking sculpture; a meditation on the disposable and transitory nature of human flesh. Every inch of it thrills me."

She… Stares at him for a moment.

"I would like very much to paint you, if you would allow it."

"That's not something I expected to hear today." She stares as if not sure what to make of him. "Um. Sure, I guess."

"Hah!" Canis shakes his head, then turns to face me. "My art professor tried to tell me that humans disliked posing for paintings. As if nudity was something to be ashamed of."

"Wait, I didn't say anything about 'naked'. I'm married."

Canis looks puzzled. "I have no libidinous intent. I wish to depict the glory of your stitched together flesh on canvas."

And this is why Canis is extremely useful for interviews like this. I know that Death-Doll used to operate under the name Liberty-Lass, until a covert operation she undertook for the CIA went badly wrong. I know that the resulting 'experimental medical procedure' -read: we're handing your barely living body over to mad scientists and told them they could do whatever they like, no loss to us either way- left her a little unhinged. And a lot more violent.

In a normal confrontation with a League-affiliated superhero she'd posture about how dark and edgy she is. Canis wrong-foots her and I've got a larger body count and neither of us are bothered about talking about it. Which improves the chance that she'll cooperate, if only out of confusion.

She looks to me for a rational response. Which was probably a mistake.

"Is he for real?"

"He's the Apokoliptian God of Art, so, yes. Though in other circumstances he would probably call sex 'performance art'."

"I-. I mean-. Would anyone else be there?"

Canis nods. "How many people do you want?" A sight for all eyes?

"If we could return to the matter at hand? Canis?"

He nods a little sheepishly.

"What did you think of the meeting?"

"Meeting-? Oh. Ah. Guess they were well-meaning, but… I've been doing this a while. I know how to work with police, levels of force…" She shrugs. "There wasn't really anything there that I wanted."

"What do you think of the organisation as a whole?"

"Seem like good people. Probably real useful for people starting out. I don't do well in…" She raises her right hand and runs it over her neck seam. "Organizations."

"Did anyone approach you during or after the meeting?"

"It was a mixer. Plenty of people approached me. Only one that stuck out was a little girl."

"In what way?"

She frowns incredulously. "Because she was a little girl in a room full of roided out men. You've seen the guest list, right?"

I shrug. "They don't keep one, only a sign-up sheet."

"Right. Anyway, yeah, you know the statistics on the sort of people who put on masks, right?"

"What, that they're overwhelmingly male, particularly when they don't have superpowers?"

"Teenage girls who do it are usually part of a group. She was there on her own, but I think she'd already joined."

"What makes you say that?"

"The officials paid attention to her. Nothing obvious, just looking at her a bit more."

"To the teenaged girl in the room with the 'roided out men'? That doesn't seem too unreasonable."

"No, they weren't looking out for her. People look at people they know differently. Trust me."

While she's far from the strangest looking person I've met, I can't help but take in her raggy doll appearance when she asks me to take something on faith. We know the procedures altered her thought processes-.

"Yeah, I know. But trust me, all that spy craft stuff stayed. They'd have cut me up-. Left me in parts if it didn't. No one wants an incompetent assassin."

I nod. "Thank you. We'll be in touch if we need to ask any follow up questions."

"You got any idea why I'm still alive? I'm not exactly shy about maiming or killing."

"No idea at all." I smile. "It is not by eliminating the impossible that crimes are solved, but by the much harder job of eliminating the possible. Orchid wasn't violent. She breaks the pattern, so that can't be it. Maybe it's because you didn't cross… Whatever line there was. I don't know. Though if you're curious, I'll get in touch once we do solve it."

"I'd appreciate it."

I stand, stepping away-. Canis isn't following. I give him an interrogative frown.

"This was our last interview for today. I have no further business with you, and Death-Doll and I haven't agreed a time for her to pose for me."

"I haven't said I'm going to pose for you."

"You can read the intentions of a room by where people look and do not look? I know when someone will work with me."

She shakes her head. "I.. can't believe I'm considering this."

"I'll leave you two to it." I

step out

and reappear in the Mountain.

Richard glance around. "Same thing?"

"An out of place teenaged girl. I think we need to find her." I nod at the facial recognition system they've got running. "Find her yet?"

The Alliance genuinely made sure that the cameras of their venues weren't active, because not everyone turning up had the hang of the whole 'secret identity' thing. But there wasn't any rule about the people attending having their own cameras. They took pictures, and uploaded them to their masked identity's social media accounts. So there are hundreds of images for us to find this girl.

Beryl calls up a picture.

"I think we have."

 

[BlueMangoAdea]

"Your body is a walking sculpture; a meditation on the disposable and transitory nature of human flesh. Every inch of it thrills me."

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Canis is pretty great. And that does sound like an interesting sight.

 

[Vaermina]

"I think we have."

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Oh look, an anti-life fragment.

 

[oct9010]

Always love to see more Canis.

Spoiler: correction

"I'll leave you two to it. I"

step out

Click to shrink...

I think this should probably be

"I'll leave you two to it." I

step out

Click to shrink...

 

[Darko]

But some people like looking that different and I don't know her well enough to know how she feels about it.

Click to shrink...

You could just see her desires.

who is opening staring at her

Click to shrink...

'is openly'

See something you like, kid?"

"Your body is a walking sculpture; a meditation on the disposable and transitory nature of human flesh. Every inch of it thrills me."

She… Stares at him for a moment.

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Yeah...that's Canis for you.

I would like very much to paint you, if you would allow it."

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Always the art lover.

art professor said tried to tell me that humans

Click to shrink...

Remove 'said'.

know that Death Doll used to

Click to shrink...

'Death-Doll'

name Liberty Lass,

Click to shrink...

'Liberty-Lass'

we handing your barely living body over to a mad scientists and told them

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'we're handing'

In a normal confrontation with a League-affiliated superhero she'd posture about how dark and edgy she is. Canis wrong-foots her and I've got a larger body count and neither of us are bothered about talking about it. Which improves the chance that she'll cooperate, if only out of confusion

Click to shrink...

Both of you are too crazy or terrible for her to be effective on you.

She looks to me for a rational response. Which was probably a mistake

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Ha!

No kidding.

"No idea at all." I smile. "It is not by eliminating the impossible that crimes are solved, but by the much harder job of eliminating the possible. Orchid wasn't violent. She breaks the pattern, so that can't be it. Maybe it's because you didn't cross… Whatever line there was. I don't know. Though if you're curious, I'll get in touch once we do solve it."

Click to shrink...

Maybe the guns were planning on killing her after Ted.

Beryl calls up a picture.

"I think we have."

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Ohh, boy.

Looks like it is Anti-Life affiliated.

 

[Stsword]

It's basically the name of Eternia's greatest group of heroes and warriors.

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Yes, not exactly a "as described on the tin" situation, but then again, it's not like the Avengers do a lot of avenging as a rule, and the Justice League is not a social club for judges, so that's pretty par for the course.

Although now I'm picturing a fusion setting with Judge Dredd where in fact the Justice League is in fact a league of justices....

 

[Mr Zoat]

Always love to see more Canis.

Spoiler: correction

I think this should probably be

Click to shrink...

'is openly'
Remove 'said'.
'Death-Doll'
'Liberty-Lass'
'we're handing'

Click to shrink...

Thank you, corrected.

 

[Ngamer11]

"My art professor tried to tell me that humans disliked posing for paintings. As if nudity was something to be ashamed of."

Click to shrink...

I thought Canis was taught by a damaged Mother Box? Who's he referring to here?

"Wait, I didn't say anything about 'naked'. I'm married."

Canis looks puzzled. "I have no libidinous intent. I wish to depict the glory of your stitched together flesh on canvas."

And this is why Canis is extremely useful for interviews like this. I know that Death-Doll used to operate under the name Liberty-Lass, until a covert operation she undertook for the CIA went badly wrong. I know that the resulting 'experimental medical procedure' -read: we're handing your barely living body over to a mad scientists and told them they could do whatever they like, no loss to us either way- left her a little unhinged. And a lot more violent.

In a normal confrontation with a League-affiliated superhero she'd posture about how dark and edgy she is. Canis wrong-foots her and I've got a larger body count and neither of us are bothered about talking about it. Which improves the chance that she'll cooperate, if only out of confusion.

She looks to me for a rational response. Which was probably a mistake.

"Is he for real?"

"He's the Apokoliptian God of Art, so, yes. Though in other circumstances he would probably call sex 'performance art'."

"I-. I mean-. Would anyone else be there?"

Canis nods. "How many people do you want?" A sight for all eyes?

Click to shrink...

I do so enjoy reading stories that feature Canis Minor. It lets us see a whole different kind of crazy from the kind Paul usually gets up to.

"I think we have."

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Her image was one of the ones shown when the Alliance of the Just first appeared, meaning she was an early member, if not a founding member. Empress was a minor character in the grand scheme of things in the comics. so I'm hoping that she'll somehow be added to the Team or something, since she's one of the few good characters to use a fragment of the Anti-Life Equation. By the way, how will the Frees, Canis, and their Motherboxes react to learning that a human girl is able to effectively use even a small fragment of the Anti-Life Equation?

 

[Massgamer]

Beryl calls up a picture.

"I think we have."

Click to shrink...

Oh boy, since Anti-Life Equation is involved. Frees will be freaked out.

 

[Michael Vonica]

The only thing Canis is missing when it comes to being a devoted artist is being a starving artist. But I don't think he could ever pull that off, what with him likely being free from all but the basest of material needs, thanks to his godhood. Plus the team covering any of his extra expenses, and his access to super advanced technology that could provide him with just about anything else he needs. Maybe back on Apokolips, he spent the hungry nights obsessing over his art, to fill the void?

 

[Ngamer11]

The only thing Canis is missing when it comes to being a devoted artist is being a starving artist. But I don't think he could ever pull that off, what with him likely being free from all but the basest of material needs, thanks to his godhood. Plus the team covering any of his extra expenses, and his access to super advanced technology that could provide him with just about anything else he needs. Maybe back on Apokolips, he spent the hungry nights obsessing over his art, to fill the void?

Click to shrink...

The Renegade either told Lynne or thought to himself that he's unaware of any New God dying of starvation, so it might literally be impossible for them.

 

[edmantgoog]

funny name

 

[Darko]

I thought Canis was taught by a damaged Mother Box? Who's he referring to here

Click to shrink...

Maybe he took some art classes from a human to better understand their art.

By the way, how will the Frees, Canis, and their Motherboxes react to learning that a human girl is able to effectively use even a small fragment of the Anti-Life Equation?

Click to shrink...

Scott and Barda would be worried and freaked out.

Canis would be excited.

 

[Michael Vonica]

The Renegade either told Lynne or thought to himself that he's unaware of any New God dying of starvation, so it might literally be impossible for them.

Click to shrink...

Yup. Can't quite be a starving artist if you can't starve. He also won't be able to suffer from the elements with that strong body of his. Could probably go nude in the Arctic and suffer minimal consequences. He could live in a shack or rundown apartment somewhere, and only wear cheap rags, but it would probably be taken more as 'look at how I obviously contrast to my environment', rather than 'my pursuit of true beauty has driven me to my absolute limits'.

 

[Chojin Patriarch]

21st October 2012
19:13 GMT -5

"…remember any of them?"

Death-Doll shrugs, and I try not to look at the way the stitching holding her epidermis together pulls her 'skin'. It looks painful, and under other circumstances I'd offer to fix… Fix her. But some people like looking that different and I don't know her well enough to know how she feels about it.

Click to shrink...

I rather think she'd be happy to have it undone. The surface changes, at least. There's probably enhancements under the skin, but if they're not well-tuned... It might cause lingering pain. Still, OL's not here to fix broken dolls...

Spoiler: Commentary spoilered for length

"Nah. I mean, I think I remember some of them, but I didn't talk to any of 'em." Her attention shifts from me to Canis, who is opening staring at her clearly-altered physiology. She smiles, her head tilting to the left and her hair -which is either artificial or held together with something that's not so much hairspray as hairglue- just sort of holds its shape rather than flowing with gravity. "See something you like, kid?"

"Your body is a walking sculpture; a meditation on the disposable and transitory nature of human flesh. Every inch of it thrills me."

Click to shrink...

Canis, remember that talk about appropriate timing? Still, I doubt there's anything sexual in it. He doesn't seem the sort for mere physical attraction.

She… Stares at him for a moment.

"I would like very much to paint you, if you would allow it."

Click to shrink...

See? Pure artistic appreciation.

"That's not something I expected to hear today." She stares as if not sure what to make of him. "Um. Sure, I guess."

"Hah!" Canis shakes his head, then turns to face me. "My art professor said tried to tell me that humans disliked posing for paintings. As if nudity was something to be ashamed of."

Click to shrink...

Well, it depends on the person, and their culture...

"Wait, I didn't say anything about 'naked'. I'm married."

Canis looks puzzled. "I have no libidinous intent. I wish to depict the glory of your stitched together flesh on canvas."

Click to shrink...

I love that subtle difference. He says 'Nude', she thinks 'Naked'. There's certainly a difference.

And this is why Canis is extremely useful for interviews like this. I know that Death Doll used to operate under the name Liberty Lass, until a covert operation she undertook for the CIA went badly wrong. I know that the resulting 'experimental medical procedure' -read: we handing your barely living body over to a mad scientists and told them they could do whatever they like, no loss to us either way- left her a little unhinged. And a lot more violent.

In a normal confrontation with a League-affiliated superhero she'd posture about how dark and edgy she is. Canis wrong-foots her and I've got a larger body count and neither of us are bothered about talking about it. Which improves the chance that she'll cooperate, if only out of confusion.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, her 'edginess' is the sort a twelve-year-old boy might find interest in. Blood! Guns! Sexiness! All the trappings of adulthood with none of the maturity...

She looks to me for a rational response. Which was probably a mistake.

"Is he for real?"

Click to shrink...

Boy, OL is being remarkably self-aware this episode.

"He's the Apokoliptian God of Art, so, yes. Though in other circumstances he would probably call sex 'performance art'."

"I-. I mean-. Would anyone else be there?"

Click to shrink...

Your husband, perhaps? Given that she said 'married' in the present tense... I think Canis might well enjoy painting them together...

Canis nods. "How many people do you want?" A sight for all eyes?

"If we could return to the matter at hand? Canis?"

Click to shrink...

Hora, hora... I hope she remembers to ask him to keep the results private...

He nods a little sheepishly.

"What did you think of the meeting?"

Click to shrink...

Now, back on topic... Always getting distracted, these two.

"Meeting-? Oh. Ah. Guess they were well-meaning, but… I've been doing this a while. I know how to work with police, levels of force…" She shrugs. "There wasn't really anything there that I wanted."

"What do you think of the organisation as a whole?"

Click to shrink...

The Alliance definitely seems more oriented to rookie capes. People who might otherwise have found themselves being painted on the villainous side of the line through excessive force, over-enthusiastic investigations or straight up thuggery...

"Seem like good people. Probably real useful for people starting out. I don't do well in…" She raises her right hand and runs it over her neck seam. "Organizations."

"Did anyone approach you during or after the meeting?"

Click to shrink...

Yeah, she doesn't strike me as a joiner. All those bad experiences.

"It was a mixer. Plenty of people approached me. Only one that stuck out was a little girl."

"In what way?"

Click to shrink...

How little? Teenager? Preteen? That's pretty significant.

She frowns incredulously. "Because she was a little girl in a room full of roided out men. You've seen the guest list, right?"

I shrug. "They don't keep one, only a sign-up sheet."

Click to shrink...

Man, I can just imagine the improvised costumes. Modified gym gear as far as the eye can see...

"Right. Anyway, yeah, you know the statistics on the sort of people who put on masks, right?"

"What, that they're overwhelmingly male, particularly when they don't have superpowers?"

Click to shrink...

Sounds like it's an ego thing for some. Probably more productive than getting into bar fights or racing hotted-up cars.

"Teenage girls who do it are usually part of a group. She was there on her own, but I think she'd already joined."

"What makes you say that?"

Click to shrink...

Ah, the difference between men and women...

"The officials paid attention to her. Nothing obvious, just looking at her a bit more."

"To the teenaged girl in the room with the 'roided out men'? That doesn't seem too unreasonable."

Click to shrink...

Though I suspect other people might have mentioned that sort of thing.

"No, they weren't looking out for her. People look at people they know differently. Trust me."

While she's far from the strangest looking person I've met, I can't help but take in her raggy doll appearance when she asks me to take something on faith. We know the procedures altered her thought processes-.

Click to shrink...

And I just picture him doing the 'look down then up, raise eyebrow' thing...

"Yeah, I know. But trust me, all that spy craft stuff stayed. They'd have cut me up-. Left me in parts if it didn't. No one wants an incompetent assassin."

I nod. "Thank you. We'll be in touch if we need to ask any follow up questions."

Click to shrink...

Well, incompetent assassins can make for useful distractions. Like the Blockbustered guy in South Korea Rhelasia, way back when.

"You got any idea why I'm still alive? I'm not exactly shy about maiming or killing."

"No idea at all." I smile. "It is not by eliminating the impossible that crimes are solved, but by the much harder job of eliminating the possible. Orchid wasn't violent. She breaks the pattern, so that can't be it. Maybe it's because you didn't cross… Whatever line there was. I don't know. Though if you're curious, I'll get in touch once we do solve it."

Click to shrink...

Sounds like word about Crimson Avenger spread fast amongst the Community. Bet more than a few with red in their ledger have been paranoid since then.

"I'd appreciate it."

I stand, stepping away-. Canis isn't following. I give him an interrogative frown.

Click to shrink...

Canis, still on the clock. Save the chatting for later.

"This was our last interview for today. I have no further business with you, and Death-Doll and I haven't agreed a time for her to pose for me."

"I haven't said I'm going to pose for you."

Click to shrink...

Come on, you can't tell me you're not a little interested in being appreciated for your looks now?

"You can read the intentions of a room by where people look and do not look? I know when someone will work with me."

She shakes her head. "I.. can't believe I'm considering this."

Click to shrink...

Just be sure to get her husband involved, Canis. I'm sure you'll enjoy both their company...

"I'll leave you two to it. I"

step out

and reappear in the Mountain.

Click to shrink...

With an eyeroll as he goes, I bet.

Richard glance around. "Same thing?"

"An out of place teenaged girl. I think we need to find her." I nod at the facial recognition system they've got running. "Find her yet?"

Click to shrink...

Come on, OL, it's not like they have a xenotech hyper-computer strapped to their fingers.

The Alliance genuinely made sure that the cameras of their venues weren't active, because not everyone turning up had the hang of the whole 'secret identity' thing. But there wasn't any rule about the people attending having their own cameras. They took pictures, and uploaded them to their masked identity's social media accounts. So there are hundreds of images for us to find this girl.

Beryl calls up a picture.

"I think we have."

Click to shrink...

I hope they at least censored people's faces. I doubt some of the folks going to these meetings would appreciate being outed on Lex-book.

Well, that's concerning. I rather suspect the New God associates of the League will be very interested in meeting her, though. The biggest question is what connection she has to Crimson Avenger. Is someone using her little passenger to provide targetting for the Guns, forcing them to eliminate potential threats to future plans? Let the investigation continue!

 

[Michael Vonica]

Wait, Canis has willingly decided to live on Earth in pursuit of his art. Could it be that, in a universal sense, he's already hit rock bottom? Living on a backwater planet with only the barest of necessities, like some sort of hermit?

 

[Darko]

Wait, Canis has willingly decided to live on Earth in pursuit of his art. Could it be that, in a universal sense, he's already hit rock bottom? Living on a backwater planet with only the barest of necessities, like some sort of hermit?

Click to shrink...

I think it was less him choosing to stay and mire Scott and Barda making him stay so they could keep an eye on him.

 

[Darko]

Canis, remember that talk about appropriate timing

Click to shrink...

Canis: Yes, of course I remember. But shy would I listen to anything you said?

I love that subtle difference. He says 'Nude', she thinks 'Naked'. There's certainly a difference

Click to shrink...

Yes there is.

...

No one can tell the difference.

Yeah, her 'edginess' is the sort a twelve-year-old boy might find interest in. Blood! Guns! Sexiness! All the trappings of adulthood with none of the maturity

Click to shrink...

A quintessential 90s superhero.

Boy, OL is being remarkably self-aware this episode.

Click to shrink...

Even a broken clock...

Now, back on topic... Always getting distracted, these two.

Click to shrink...

Paul getting distracted by some stupid philosophical argument and Canis by some piece of art.

Come on, you can't tell me you're not a little interested in being appreciated for your looks now?

Click to shrink...

Her husband may like how she looks.

Come on, OL, it's not like they have a xenotech hyper-computer strapped to their fingers.

Click to shrink...

True, but their computer is very advanced.

 

[Ngamer11]

Well, that's concerning. I rather suspect the New Gods of the League will be very interested in meeting her, though. The biggest question is what connection she has to Crimson Avenger. Is someone using her little passenger to provide targetting for the Guns, forcing them to eliminate potential threats to future plans? Let the investigation continue!

Click to shrink...

There are no New Gods on the Justice League in the Paragon timeline. The Frees are simply friends with some of the members and will step up if Apokolips is involved.

 

[Mr Zoat]

I thought Canis was taught by a damaged Mother Box? Who's he referring to here?

Click to shrink...

The teacher of the college course he is attending.

 

[Ngamer11]

The teacher of the college course he is attending.

Click to shrink...

That is an amusing thought. Are the Frees acting as his minders while he's there so that he doesn't do something unseemly?

 

[KaiserDrgn]

Everytime a reference to the original Young Justice comics come up, I'm just completely thrilled. Young Justice was my favourite series growing up.

 

[RichardWhereat]

under other circumstances I'd offer to fix… Fix her. But some people like looking that different and I don't know her well enough to know how she feels about it.

Click to shrink...

If only there was some way of looking at her emotions. Some sort of mystical empathy power.

 

[Mr Zoat]

If only there was some way of looking at her emotions. Some sort of mystical empathy power.

Click to shrink...

It's kind of rude to go rifling through someone's soul without good cause.

Also, I like the signature.

 

[Ngamer11]

Mr Zoat, I was rereading and found these errors.

Mister Chase puts the drinks down on the table: a glass of milk for me, coke for Zatanna, beer for John and a pot of tea for him and Ms Sackville. Zatanna looks around the room again. "Is this really a good place to be meeting?"

Click to shrink...

"Okay? What exactly-?" One of the waiters pushes open the door to our private dining room while another pushes through a trolley upon which sit five bowls of.. um, stew? I think? He brings it to a halt a short distance from the table then picks up the first bowl with a cloth and sets it in front of Mister Chase. "I didn't think we were actually eating..?"

"We're not." Mister Chase looks unhappy about it. "Fuckin' waste. 'E enhances his food with the idea of food. Nuffin' like it, anywhere. Best restaurant in the 'ole world can't compare wiv' a couple a' rooms in Broadway Market."

Click to shrink...

Everyone served, the waiters head back out of the door and close it behind them. Mister Chase, Ms Sackville and John already have their spoons in hand. John looks like he's braced for something. What am I missing? He points at me with his spoon. "You'll probably need to take your ward off."

Click to shrink...

I look down at my own body. My clothes are still there but brighter still are the tattoos on my skin and the lines connecting my extremities to the orange sigil within me. The ring itself is glowing as well, two cords coming off it and extending out, down into the ground. My lantern and.. Okaara, I think. Looking around I see that Ms Sackville and Mister Chase look hollowed out. Their faces are still faces but they also give the impression of a skull.. or maybe a scream mask. I see the white and black patterns within them and other things which make no sense to me. John looks stranger. Half of him looks normal… Well, normal compared to the people I see through the walls. The other half looks tattered, barely there, held together by bits that don't look like they came from the same place as the rest. And the whole outline judders violently every few moments. Zatanna looks much better, golden thread woven through her metaphysique, making it stronger and more vital.

Click to shrink...

The guy's name, as far as I can see, is Albert 'Case'. It's possible you confused him with another character that you have in the story that has a similar last name, Karon Chase, aka Holly Robinson's girlfriend.

 

[RichardWhereat]

It's kind of rude to go rifling through someone's soul without good cause.

Click to shrink...

True, but knowing whether someone would want to be fixed, without insulting them by asking, is a decent cause.

Also, I like the signature.

Click to shrink...

Me too, it was an amusing line that I lost my tea at.

 

[Darko]

Ms Sackville takes a sip from her tea. "As he was saying, the manager uses magic to enhance his cooking. Has done for years

Click to shrink...

'Has done so for'

three older wizards put their spoons down beside their bowls and lean back. I

swiftly​

copy​

them as the room drops away around me. I can still see

Click to shrink...

The words should be closer together.

as well, two cords coming off it

Click to shrink...

'coming off of it'

True, but knowing whether someone would want to be fixed, without insulting them by asking, is a decent cause.

Click to shrink...

Plus Paul has looked at people's souls without permission before.

 

[Flightless Man]

'
Plus Paul has looked at people's souls without permission before.

Click to shrink...

I dunno, the last few arcs have really seemed like Paul is finally growing from his mistakes. It's pretty hard to ignore how most of our more common complaints have been addressed in story lately and how Paul in the story is admitting he may have done things wrong in the past.

The last 6-9 months have been a real breath of fresh air in the story and it doesn't feel like Paul is a stagnate character anymore.

 

[Mr Zoat]

Mr Zoat, I was rereading and found these errors.

The guy's name, as far as I can see, is Albert 'Case'. It's possible you confused him with another character that you have in the story that has a similar last name, Karon Chase, aka Holly Robinson's girlfriend.

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Thank you, corrected.

'Has done so for'
The words should be closer together.
'coming off of it'

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No, I think that's all fine.