I suspect that there are many exiles that are in fact better technical fighters then Goku was. It only took Kakara 3 actions to fully power up Super Saiyain. It would always make more sense for Goku to focus on uping his power level and getting to the next transformation rather then training his fighting skill. It takes 10 or more actions to master a style (along with the incidentals like hand-to-hand and ki manipulation), but only 3 to power up enough to make all that skill meaningless in the face of the power difference.
The exiles being forced to not power up are likely much more skilled fighters then Goku.
[X] Spend time with your family tonight.
[X] Head on over and have a chat with...
-[x] Papata Fren
[X] Search for a vision.
-[X] Presentsight - Visit Jiichan
Ancient Custom
Upon leaving the shooting event, you immediately split yourself in three. One is bound for your family's box, another for Papata Fren's press box, and the last one for your family apartments in the Hall.
You plan on filling the day up.
But first...
One turns to the other two. "So, um, that happened."
Two and Three trade a long glance. "Yeah, One. Sure did," says Two.
"Sky sure is blue today," says Three.
"And I've been thinking: this water thing? Pretty wet," says Two.
"We all liked it," say One and Two, in unison. "We only just split."
"I'm bouncing ideas off of you," snaps Three. "Otherwise what's the point? It's just...how do we feel about this? I like Dad telling everybody that we did good, but we..."
"We got it for shooting things," murmurs Two. "We get it. It doesn't really feel right."
"We don't want to be remembered for that," says One, crossing her arms.
"Do we even have a choice?"
"Who cares? We make our own choices."
"We've gotten in trouble before, thinking like that."
"We get in trouble for doing things without remembering that other people can do things we don't expect."
"We get in trouble for deciding that we don't have to follow the same rules as everybody else!"
"We get in trouble because we just get in trouble."
Two and Three both come up short and give one a weird look.
She crosses her arms. "What?"
"That's what you pick?" asks Two.
"You two got the good arguments," mopes One. "We're split between two ideas, not three. I had to come up with something."
The others shrug and nod, conceding the point. Silence falls for a moment.
"Break for now, and think about it when we reform?"
"Yeah, sure."
"Sounds good."
"Cool. Break."
* * *
Your target sits, unaware of your presence. You inch a little closer. She shifts, still blissfully ignorant.
You pounce.
Fasha shrieks in surprise and your fingers find her sides and you start tickling her, Her scream turns into howls of laughter. "K- Ka- Kakara-! Stooop!"
"No!" you say, giggling. "Not until you surrender!"
"I surrender! I gi- gi-" She subsides into helpless laughter.
"What was that?" you ask, grinning. "Couldn't hear!"
Endivan sits beside the two of you, giving you a wide-eyed, bewildered stare. Something about it strikes you as unbearably funny, and you laugh harder, doubling over in glee He continues to stare at you in confusion as you lose yourself laughing and Fasha frees herself, breathing heavily.
She promptly turns around and leaps. "COUNTER ATAAAAAAACK!"
You yelp as your little sister slams into your belly and bears you into the couch. "Ah! Fasha, what-?"
"E, come help!" yells your sis, wrapping all five of her limbs around you in a surprisingly powerful grip.
You start prying away at her fingers, making sure not to hurt her even as you continue to double over laughing.
"E! Endivan! Come on and help!"
Your little brother finally makes up his mind and jumps down on your back while you're bent over, his arms latching around your head.
Your arms go up to his. "Ack! What the-!"
"Surrender, Kari!" calls Fasha, snickering.
You roll your eyes, lurching to your feet. "Oh no! I've been beaten! I'll never recover. Mato...avenge me..."
Then you turn around and flop onto the couch face-first, flipping Endivan over your head as you do. Both of your siblings wind up trapped beneath you, squawking in outrage.
Mato, on the chair across the room, looks up from his notes and rolls his eyes before going back to his work.
Endivan squirms. "C'mon, Kari, lemme up," he mutters.
"Can't," you mutter, sighing. "I'm out cold. You beat me up."
Fasha pounds at your sides with enough strength to shatter skyscrapers. You barely feel it.
Your smile, buried in your littlest brother's chest as he struggles to get away, grows a littler wider.
* * *
You poke your head into the press booth, grinning. "Hi!"
Miss Fren's head snaps up, and she looks at the door. She returns your smile with a delighted grin of her own. "Scion! Hi! Come on in." She lifts a stack of papers almost as tall as Endivan off of the chair next to her, and you sit down there. "What brings you over to my little domain today?" she asks, leaning back.
"I was wondering what you thought of the tournament so far," you say.
"Oh, I love it," she replies, grinning. "Interesting fights, challenging restrictions, and a whole set of brackets filled with people who have no idea how to respond to me when I really get going." She snickers. "They sure can fight, but I can talk."
You snort. "Did you see Cynthia and Mitsuba's fight coming?"
Fren quiets down a bit. "No, actually. I could see that Cynthia was confident -- really confident -- and that Mitsuba was taking her seriously, but honestly, I've been at a lot of these tournaments before. I'm used to seeing cocky newcomers get destroyed by experienced veterans, even if the veteran respects the newbies' raw skill. Happens all the time." She looks over at you. "Although I heard that you jumped right on that."
You blink. "Wait, people know about that?"
"Of course!" she replies. "The Scion, making a one hundred zeni bet on a complete newcomer and getting a huge payout? That story spreads fast."
You frown. The way she says that makes you nervous. "I mean, it was, um..." You founder, reaching for words.
Fren glances over at you and shifts to face you. "Take a moment. Delete whatever you have written in your head. Don't worry about being snappy or witty; this isn't an interview. We're just talking, and it's clearly something big enough that you're having trouble phrasing it. Order it in your mind, figure out exactly what you're trying to communicate before you say a word, and only then say it in as blunt -- yet tactful -- a way as possible. Clear, straightforward, and precise. But if you need to communicate a problem, avoid, 'you,' or, 'your.' Sounds accusatory, and people have trouble being objective with accusations. Phrase it as, 'I have a problem.' Gets results."
You blink and snap your mouth shut. You think for a moment. Then you say, "The way you said that makes me think that a hundred zeni is a lot more money than I thought it was. I knew it was a lot, but the way you said it makes it seem like even more than I thought it would be."
She nods, leaning back. "Ah. Yes, Kakara, a hundred zeni is...is a lot of money. You could comfortably feed a family of four for a month with that."
You choke. "What?!"
Fren chuckles. "A saiyan family of four, at that."
Your eyes widen.
"I'm guessing that that wasn't your own spending money," she says.
"No!" you say, finding your voice. "That...that was my Dad's! He just gave it to me! Like it was nothing! I wouldn't have asked if I knew it was that much! How does a hundred zeni buy that much?!"
Fren smiles. "Oh, honey, to your father it is nothing. He's the Lord Goku. Your family is rich. Senzu rich." She chuckles. "Drop in the ocean to him. I understand that he chooses to live frugally -- it was quite the sensation when he was younger -- but never forget that he's one of the wealthiest men on Garenhuld. I'm thinking he saw it as either indulging his little girl, or the chance to teach you a potential lesson on caution with an amount of money that won't hurt him or anybody else, but is enough to catch your attention once explained." She ruffles your hair. "Maybe both. He's crafty, your father. He probably has a chat waiting for you on just this subject." She settles back in her chair. "I'm guessing you've never really dealt with money before?"
You shake your head, eyes still wide. "Never. I don't...what on Earth is one zeni worth? What if you need to buy something smaller?"
"Well, zeni is only our highest denomination of currency, and we do have several lower denominations," says Miss Fren, her voice slipping into a more academic tone. "Strictly speaking, everyday expenditures are rarely handled with the zeni given their high value, and we..." She blinks and glances at you.
You check again to make sure that your eyes aren't glazing over. They're not. Probably.
She smiles at you. "I'm sure you've heard of cents, decis, and other coins. Most people use those for small things. Zeni are for big stuff." She picks up a sheet of paper. "It's pretty powerful, as currency goes. No Garenhulder money can buy as much as a zeni can."
You nod, feeling slightly numb. "What am I going to do with that much money?"
"Save it," says Fren, looking down at her paper. "I'll bet your parents are already fending off the banks hoping to host your account. Not unusual. Most Lords and Ladies encourage their Scions to build up a lot of money before they succeed. But let's talk about something else." She hands you a sheet of paper. "You looking forward to the midterm rounds?"
"Um, yeah," you say. "There have been some cool fights already, and I want to see how else people try to win! That thing Cynthia did with the kienzan was pretty cool. I mean...I'm glad Mitsuba didn't really get hurt, but I never thought of using the kienzan like that! What am I doing with this paper?"
"It's not something you see a lot. A lot of masters hesitate to use kienzans up close," replies Fren to your first comments, passing a pencil. "You're going to take notes."
"For what?" you ask, taking it.
"For tomorrow," she says. "If you're looking forward to the rounds, maybe you'd like to sit in with me and say a few words of commentary."
You flush red with excitement and flattery. She wants you to work with her? "That'd be great! I mean, I need to ask my Dad first, but..."
"I'd be happy to have you," she says, smiling. "You're a clever girl. And they love you," she says, gesturing out at the crowds.
"Thank you!" you say, grinning. "For asking me, I mean."
She smiles at you and ruffles your hair again. You fix it, flushing brighter. "Of course," she says, pulling out another pencil. "Now, first fight tomorrow is between your favorite Cynthia and my cousin Snapp..."
* * *
You settle into the grass on a plan miles away from the Hall, breathing out. Ever since unlocking your Sight in truth, you've been a little hesitant to embark on another vision. The last one was...not the best time you've ever had.
Then you realized that you might be able to visit Jiichan again.
Well, Grandpa Gohan, really. You're not sure what you think about the Old Earth language and its honorifics. You never really feel like they're natural. I mean, Grandpa -- Jiichan -- whatever -- uses them when he speaks your language, so clearly he doesn't feel like it's a problem, but...
You shake your head. Wasting time. You haven't seen your distant ancestor in years. You haven't wanted to, since he told you to focus on your problems in this life before focusing on him. But...
You want his knowledge. You want the things he remembers. You want his techniques. You want even a hint of the power he wields.
You miss him.
You take a moment to remember the time when that last consideration would have been your only one.
Then you close your eyes, reach out for the familiar feel of the unknown, and leap-
* * *
Gone.
* * *
When you visited Jaffur, you physically blurred through the intervening space. But the Other World is not so simple as mere distance.
You focus. Seer check: 58. Pass.
The endless black gives way to a familiar feeling, and you crash down through into reality once more, following the feeling of belonging and love.
* * *
Gohan glances up when you arrive. His eyebrows shoot up in surprise before coming back down. Then he crosses his arms, shooting you a chiding look. "What did I say?"
You blink, still finding your balance. "What?"
"What did I say last time?" he asks, raising an eyebrow.
You look down, feeling sheepish. "Um...focus on the real world first before..."
"Mm. Yes, that does sound like something I would say," he replies, nodding sagely.
He's sitting behind a small desk this time, although the mountain meadow is the same. He rises from behind it and steps over to you, arms still folded and his expression stern.
Then the mask cracks, he smiles, and his arms open wide.
You step forward into your Grandfather's arms, humming happily as he finally hugs you again. "Welcome back, Ka-chan," he says.
You groan. "Ugh, Grandpa!"
He chuckles. "Oh, forgive an old man! I grew up with my language, I'll keep my honorifics if I please."
"No, it's just...Ka-chan? Really?" you ask, flushing like every preteen embarrassed by a family member ever does.
He pokes your nose, and you squawk and back away. "I could still call you Stinky," he says, smirking.
"You know what, fine!" you reply, folding your arms. If it's going to be a dumb name, it'll at least be the one you pick.
"Nice to meet you, Stinky," he says with utter solemnity.
Your eye twitches. No, that doesn't help at all. "Argh!"
Gohan chuckles. "So what exactly brings you back? In such a hurry to find your own afterlife?" He sits down on the ground and pats the grass next to him.
"No, of course not," you say, sitting down. "I just wanted to visit."
He smiles at you. "Well, I'm happy to see you, even if it means you're not listening."
You smile. "Thanks, Grandpa."
"Hm."
Silence lapses for a moment as you drink in the sights. This place really is beautiful. Then you blink. "Grandpa?"
"Mm?"
"Why aren't you telling me to call you Jiichan anymore?"
He turns and smiles at you. "Do you want me to?"
You stutter on that. "Er..."
He looks back at the sky. "That's why. I did when you were younger because I was trying to teach you the manners you'd need to interact with other people from Earth, if you ever found yourself elsewhere in the Other World. I know Yemma-sama would be furious if you addressed him improperly. He's a softy at heart, though. Don't tell him I told you." He winks. "Now, though, you are approaching a much more difficult time of life. You're going to have your work cut out for you figuring out who you are over the next few years, and if part of that struggle involves you deciding how you want to act around your terribly traditional old Jiichan, I'm not going to interfere or make it harder on you."
You blink and then smile, unexpectedly touched. "...thank you."
"Of course," he replies. "But enough idle chat. If I know you unruly grandchildren of mine, you have very little time here before you'll need to leave. What brings you back?"
What does, exactly? Top vote wins, but I'm still trialing approval voting, so vote for as many as you like (with the proviso that writing in a vote that packs fifteen separate motivations into one vote will result in me picking one to address at random before your stamina runs out). The default options are in large part culled from motivations I saw while trawling the thread, if you're wondering from where they came.
[ ] Spirit bomb research aid.
[ ] Secret of the god transformations.
[ ] Advice on your current situation.
[ ] Just to spend time.
[ ] Write-in.
TWO-HOUR MORATORIUM. THIS VOTE IS NOT YET CLOSED.
Hope you enjoy, folks! I sure did once I hit my stride. I hope you have fun. Night (for me)! See you all tomorrow!
Overall Skill: Talented. While you possess no special innate talent here, you have invested significant time and care into improving your skill, at the expense of other areas of your life. You increase hand-to-hand skills below "Talented" more quickly.
Dueling [Exceptional]: This is the art of single combat. Despite your distaste for fighting, you made the effort to become above average in the art of combat. But you have fought Jaffur Vegeta, and once beat him, wounded or not. Your understanding of this has transcended mere talent and entered the realm of the truly exceptional. You are as proficient as any Saiyan has been since the Exile.
Crowd Fighting [Talented]: You use different moves when you're fighting half a dozen people than when you only have to be worried about one, but that's alright, because you haven't slacked off on your training here, either.
Team Fighting [Talented]: As Scion, you and your father will be expected to lead the Clan into battle should the need arise. As befits somebody of your station, you've put in the effort to effectively work around your allies.
@PoptartProdigy : Why is our hand to hand still at overall skill talented? We have one Exceptional and 2 talented that is more then talented on average.
Update Ninja: Only one thing cruel. I want two. Spirt bomb and asking about the Dragon.
@PoptartProdigy : Why is our hand to hand still at overall skill talented? We have one Exceptional and 2 talented that is more then talented on average.
Or, say, if Talented is worth 1 and Exceptional is worth 2, we have ((1+1+2)/3)=4/3, or one and one-thirds, which rounds to the whole number one, which thus means that the average is closer to Talented rather than Exceptional. Given that we do not have fractional skill levels, the overall skill is thus simply Talented rather than Exceptional. Now, if we had two Exceptional, it'd be ((1+2+2)/3)=5/3, or one and two-thirds, which rounds to the whole number two, thus rendering a verdict of Exceptional.
I mean, it's no spoiler that the dragon has a weakness. Everything has a weakness. Humans have weaknesses. We're quite vulnerable to sufficient quantities of sharp- or blunt-force trauma, and to 100% of substances which we have identified as poisonous to humans.
I mean, it's no spoiler that the dragon has a weakness. Everything has a weakness. Humans have weaknesses. We're quite vulnerable to sufficient quantities of sharp- or blunt-force trauma, and to 100% of substances which we have identified as poisonous to humans.
Well yes, but we already have examples of things in Dragon Ball that are immune to certain vectors of attack. It would be very ironic if we spent all this effort learning the Spirt bomb and it turned out the Dragon was immune or eats it. I am sort of hoping that Gohan knows enough about our situation that if that is the case he will mention it.
I mean, it's no spoiler that the dragon has a weakness. Everything has a weakness. Humans have weaknesses. We're quite vulnerable to sufficient quantities of sharp- or blunt-force trauma, and to 100% of substances which we have identified as poisonous to humans.
Humans also have weaknesses to things which are relatively benign normally; exceedingly large quantities of food or water, for instance, are quite deadly. Nothing, too, is entirely lethal to humans.
The difference between a spirit bomb powered by ambient energy and freely donated energy is huge. The first was not able to beat Frieza even if it made him sweat. The second was able to beat Boo's final form.
We have a population of Saiyans if they help us we should be able to make a spirit bomb 10 times more powerful than what beat Boo. It that isn't enough I don't see what we can do.
The difference between a spirit bomb powered by ambient energy and freely donated energy is huge. The first was not able to beat Frieza even if it made him sweat. The second was able to beat Boo's final form.
We have a population of Saiyans if they help us we should be able to make a spirit bomb 10 times more powerful than what beat Boo. It that isn't enough I don't see what we can do.
The difference between a spirit bomb powered by ambient energy and freely donated energy is huge. The first was not able to beat Frieza even if it made him sweat. The second was able to beat Boo's final form.
We have a population of Saiyans if they help us we should be able to make a spirit bomb 10 times more powerful than what beat Boo. It that isn't enough I don't see what we can do.
Asking about our situation would be nice, but I am assuming that if he is aware of anything important or relevant he would mention it on his own initiative.
Ask about the God transformation would be awesome, but also seems like alot to ask for. Like we have to impress him somehow first or have a great and present need.
If nothing else comes up, it would be nice to discuss our issues regarding pacifism with him. He's been through the same thing, and it would be nice to have a god's perspective.
If nothing else comes up, it would be nice to discuss our issues regarding pacifism with him. He's been through the same thing, and it would be nice to have a god's perspective.
There are ~300,000 Exiles. Assuming a PL of 15,000,000 each, that provides a combined PL of 4,500,000,000,000.
There are roughly 10,000,000,000,000,000,000 insects on Earth. If we assume Garenhuld has a similar amount, even if each provided 0.001 of a PL, that's a combined total of 10,000,000,000,000,000. Over 2 thousand times the amount generated by the Exiles.
There are ~300,000 Exiles. Assuming a PL of 15,000,000 each, that provides a combined PL of 4,500,000,000,000.
There are roughly 10,000,000,000,000,000,000 insects on Earth. If we assume Garenhuld has a similar amount, even if each provided 0.001 of a PL, that's a combined total of 10,000,000,000,000,000. Over 2 thousand times the amount generated by the Exiles.
Big difference between ambient energy and donated.
The difference between a spirit bomb powered by ambient energy and freely donated energy is huge. The first was not able to beat Frieza even if it made him sweat. The second was able to beat Boo's final form.
It was only humans raising their hands for the second one. Or at least any bugs raising their hands were not pictured.
Edit: Now if you are suggesting we improve our telepathy and communication skills to the point that we can convince all the life on the planet to volunteer their energy that is an awesome and interesting idea.
Edit Edit:Or going even farther we can improve our ki sense to sense machines maybe we can draw on them as well?
Maybe combine the two? Something like a quick aside of "any quick secrets to taking out a dragon, this one in particular", and then delve into Spirit Bomb?
I just had a thought. If our enemy is a dragon, shouldn't we be looking around Otherworld for... Dende? Because... if it's a simple matter of chiseling a statue of the dragon and seven spherical balls of granite and yelling, "Hey dragon! Shut the f**k up! It's already after the end, get your life together and be useful!" ...or uh, some equivalent thing that converts a dragon into a renewable quasi-benevolent mostly-controllable resource...
...wait, we better not be fighting Omega Super Shenron. Ohhh boy. >_>
