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Dragon Ball: After the End

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Other Side of the Curtain
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    • Other Side of the Curtain​

    ...not all showy blasts and flying -- although flying is awesome. Ki can help people in all kinds of ways just in your day-to-day.

    You consider for a moment and then decide to start a new paragraph. You get back to typing.

    There are tons of ways to save time with just a few simple tricks. We don't really think about it, since we do it all the time, but we spend a lot of time actually getting up and walking around to do things. You can't end up being too lazy -- that's why sparring and martial arts are one of the best ways to train your ki, even if you're not going to fight with it -- because you can still get fat, but if you're careful with it, you can save almost an hour a day just by using telekinesis to grab things instead of walking over and back to pick them up. And that's not even getting into-

    "Karen!"

    You yelp, flick the mouse down to the corner of the screen, and hit the button to minimize everything as you whip around.

    Sophie raises her eyebrows at you, folding her arms. "What are you doing?"

    "Writing!" you say, still wide-eyed from the shock. "Stuff!"

    "Well, get up, it's time for-" she blinks, taking in your appearance. "You're not even dressed! Karen, we have school today! You're going to make us-!"

    tsewtsewtsewtsew

    You reappear in front of your friend, fully dressed and groomed to perfection.

    She blinks. "-late. That...I'm still getting used to that."

    "You could do it to your mom," you point out, hefting your backpack. "You're strong enough."

    "Still getting used to it," she repeats, stepping out the door as you fall in beside her. "Speaking of stuff I'm not used to, why are you even at school today?"

    "I can be anywhere in minutes," you say, which is true. Even at your, "public," power level, with you marking Maya's progress you're up to three million by now.

    "It's not just that!" says Sophie as the two of you leave your house. "School's almost over! Summer is starting. We're barely learning anything right now! You wouldn't be missing anything if you left."

    "My Mom would kill me," you say, snorting.

    "For this?!" Sophie rounds on you. "Karen, you're going to speak at the Congress of Nations today! I don't think she'd be mad!"

    You tilt your head to concede the point. "Yeah, well...still. You think skipping school would be a great way to get people comfortable with me?"

    Sophie rolls her eyes. "Oh my god. And Gemma's supposed to be the nerd."

    You huff, grab her with telekinesis, and hurl up skyward before leaping after her. She shrieks in surprise before getting her motion under control.

    "Very funny, Sophie!" you say, rocketing past her and sending her tumbling again.

    "Get back here!"

    You giggle to yourself and race her all the way to your school.

    The last few months have been extremely stressful, after all. The chance to relax a bit isn't something you take lightly. Still, it's only the moment, and then you need to focus again.

    After all, it's not every day a thirteen-year-old girl gets to stand up with her father to address the representatives of every nation on Garenhuld.


    You, your grandmother, and your father have discussed among yourselves what the best way to present this would be. By default, Dandeer is falling in line with your decision. After a lot of discussion, you concluded that the best thing to say is that...

    [ ][FACE] ...your father possesses some vaguely-defined office, the limits of which only need be publicly defined in terms of his ability to make promises on behalf of the Exiles.
    [ ][FACE] ...your family is a traditionally influential one, and your father in particular possesses an outright leadership position over roughly half your population.
    [ ][FACE] ...you are hereditary nobility, your grandmother is the prior sitting Lady, your father is the sitting Lord, and you will yourself become Lady some day.
    [ ][FACE] Write-in (keep it simple, please).

    As for your role in particular, you have decided to...

    [ ][ROLE] ...actively address the Congress. Your blog posts over the course of the year so far have achieved widespread recognition, your continued attendance at school has done a lot to normalize you in the public view, and you have a decent amount of capital. Plus, you're a thirteen-year-old girl; even by virtue of not being able to take you seriously, people won't think, "threat," when they look at you.
    [ ][ROLE] ...answer any questions directed to you. You have no address planned, but you will be prepared to field any questions they ask. Better to keep the focus on your father, but there's no reason to decline all questions.
    [ ][ROLE] ...just observe. You're not Lady yet. Your role in this is public relations, not foreign policy. You'll smile at reporters and write blog posts. Dad can handle the diplomats.

    TWO-HOUR MORATORIUM. THIS VOTE IS NOW CLOSED.

    I'm trying something a little different over the next few updates. Seeing if I can't pick up the pace a bit.

    Enjoy, folks! Short one, but bigger ones are coming.
     
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    • PoptartProdigy said:
    "You could do it you your mom," you point out, hefting your backpack. "You're strong enough."
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    Duplicate word, and doesn't make sense.
    PoptartProdigy said:
    "My Mom would kill me," you say, snorting.

    "For this?!" Sophie rounds on you. "Karen, you're going to speak at the Congress of Nations today! I don't think she'd be mad!"
    Click to expand...
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    Mad? No. Disappointed? Probably!
    PoptartProdigy said:
    You, your grandmother, and your father have discussed among yourselves what the best way to present this would be. By default, Dandeer is falling in line with your decision. After a lot of discussion, you concluded that the best thing to say is that...

    [ ][FACE] ...your father possesses some vaguely-defined office, the limits of which only need be publicly defined in terms of his ability to make promises on behalf of the Exiles.
    [ ][FACE] ...your family is a traditionally influential one, and your father in particular possesses an outright leadership position over roughly half your population.
    [ ][FACE] ...you are hereditary nobility, your grandmother is the prior sitting Lady, your father is the sitting Lord, and you will yourself become Lady some day.
    [ ][FACE] Write-in (keep it simple, please).
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    Okay, implications off the top of my head.

    1) Implies that, while there is indeed a position of authority, it's a non-strong, possibly elected one, who primary acts as the spokesperson. Could be head diplomat for a council, could be a crisis leader. Least united, but least prestige. Countries least threatened.
    2) Implies that other families could take our place, and that we're not united, with us being the strongest of the leaders. Moderately united, moderate prestige, but shows that we're organised and probably don't follow country lines.
    3) We rule, period. Our family has a position of authority, and they deal with us or nobody. Highly unified, high prestige, but we're now definitely a separate sovereign nation that has citizens infiltrating everywhere, and occupying their land. Leaders very not happy.
    PoptartProdigy said:
    As for your role in particular, you have decided to...

    [ ][ROLE] ...actively address the Congress. Your blog posts over the course of the year so far have achieved widespread recognition, your continued attendance at school has done a lot to normalize you in the public view, and you have a decent amount of capital. Plus, you're a thirteen-year-old girl; even by virtue of not being able to take you seriously, people won't think, "threat," when they look at you.
    [ ][ROLE] ...answer any questions directed to you. You have no address planned, but you will be prepared to field any questions they ask. Better to keep the focus on your father, but there's no reason to decline all questions.
    [ ][ROLE] ...just observe. You're not Lady yet. Your role in this is public relations, not foreign policy. You'll smile at reporters and write blog posts. Dad can handle the diplomats.
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    1) We're important enough this isn't an insult, likely either viewed as a PR stunt or our father grooming us to succeed him. If we state we're nobility, definitely evidence we're being groomed, introduces ourself to them strongly.
    2) We're definitely here mainly for PR, but also show intelligence. If paired with the second option for our official position, looks like our father is trying to ensure our family keeps the leadership position.
    3) We're a PR stunt, hear to look pretty, make us look non-threatening and show that Berra is a family man.
     
    I don't know what to make of the FACE votes. Part of the problem is that people will ask questions about the Masquerade, and I'm not really sure how Berra plans to pitch it. The ki-using Garenhulder Exiles are clearly a hereditary breed of superbeings, even if theoretically most people can learn to use their powers. Depending on how we're pitching this, different FACE votes might make sense.

    Honestly I could go with either of the first two ROLE votes; Kakara's diplomancer build means that her active participation is almost certain to be an asset, though to be fair Garenhulder politicians are far more likely than most to be able to match her in that field.

    One note: Garenhuld is not that far historically from the days of feudal aristocracy, because the saiyans indirectly catalyzed the Industrial Revolution hard. This may have interesting implications for their view of "Brandon Marsden" as a hereditary aristocrat or monarch. Though whether the views are good or bad may vary depending on political details of Garenhulder history.

    That said...

    PoptartProdigy said:
    "It's not just that!" says Sophie as the two of you leave your house. "School's almost over! Summer is starting. We're barely learning anything right now! You wouldn't be missing anything if you left."
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    Mr. Carpenter:

    [TWITCH]

    ...

    [Mr. Carpenter is the science teacher from In The Shadow of Her Wings, and he damn well keeps teaching things right up until the last day of the school year. Infamous for it.

    If Jaron or Maya had accidentally knocked down the school building during the battle with the aliens, and nobody remembered to close school the next day...

    Well, Kakara probably thinks that Mr. Carpenter would have shown up to work the next day, with a lesson plan that would theoretically work without desks and a blackboard. And settled down to teach in the middle of the rubble pile, in case any students showed up.

    Is she right to think so? Well, maybe not. But Kakara is a good judge of human nature.]
     
    Simon_Jester said:
    I don't know what to make of the FACE votes. Part of the problem is that people will ask questions about the Masquerade, and I'm not really sure how Berra plans to pitch it. The ki-using Garenhulder Exiles are clearly a hereditary breed of superbeings, even if theoretically most people can learn to use their powers. Depending on how we're pitching this, different FACE votes might make sense.

    Honestly I could go with either of the first two ROLE votes; Kakara's diplomancer build means that her active participation is almost certain to be an asset, though to be fair Garenhulder politicians are far more likely than most to be able to match her in that field.

    One note: Garenhuld is not that far historically from the days of feudal aristocracy, because the saiyans indirectly catalyzed the Industrial Revolution hard. This may have interesting implications for their view of "Brandon Marsden" as a hereditary aristocrat or monarch. Though whether the views are good or bad may vary depending on political details of Garenhulder history.

    That said...
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    @PoptartProdigy , do the Garenhulders have any particular views on royalty?

    Gore17 said:
    1) Implies that, while there is indeed a position of authority, it's a non-strong, possibly elected one, who primary acts as the spokesperson. Could be head diplomat for a council, could be a crisis leader. Least united, but least prestige. Countries least threatened.
    2) Implies that other families could take our place, and that we're not united, with us being the strongest of the leaders. Moderately united, moderate prestige, but shows that we're organised and probably don't follow country lines.
    3) We rule, period. Our family has a position of authority, and they deal with us or nobody. Highly unified, high prestige, but we're now definitely a separate sovereign nation that has citizens infiltrating everywhere, and occupying their land. Leaders very not happy.
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    Worth noting that us being known as literal royalty might have implications in how non-exiles treat us beyond just the Garenhulder governments - there's a marked difference in how people view "daughter of the ambassador" and "literal princess", even if the whole ki thing is making us a celebrity anyway. That might not be a bad thing, but it is a thing to consider.
     
    Am I the only one who gets nervous when Maya's powerlevel is mentioned? I know I'm probably just shadowrunning right now, but I'm worried that, with her rose colored glasses, she might decide that she wants to do something that Dad (or Karen) doesn't think is a good idea. And then, thinking she has more power, will try to back it up.

    Is that just me? I think I'd feel better if it was just me.
     
    Well, one thing I would note is that when lying about something, it's generally best if people can't find out easily. Fundamentally, the nobility are such an important part of exile culture that, if there is any significant intermingling and communication, it will come out eventually.

    I would argue that, even if it is slightly more convenient now (and that's questionable), being shady about the political organisation of the exiles and our status is just not a particularly wise idea. The likely result is that we end up looking suspicious sometime in the future when it comes out, and people go "why did you try to hide this?".
     
    PoptartProdigy said:
    While this is a good question to ask, it's about as broad as if you asked, "Do Earth natives have any particular views on royalty?" Could you narrow this down a bit for me? It's hard to answer a question that broad in any productive manner.
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    To be honest, saying it's as broad as Earth's views is good enough. There's not a pervasive cultural view one way or another, like there is with mysteries and innovation.
     
    PoptartProdigy said:
    While this is a good question to ask, it's about as broad as if you asked, "Do Earth natives have any particular views on royalty?" Could you narrow this down a bit for me? It's hard to answer a question that broad in any productive manner.
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    Better question: what are the official and general public views of the 3-5 largest, most powerful and/or influential nations on royal/nobility? Are they neutral, supportive or dismissive of such things?
     
    Perhaps the key question there could be phrased as:
    1. Do any of the major nations still have nobility?
    2. What is their status? Actual responsibilities? Figureheads?
    3. Did any of them overthrow their nobility in bloody revolution, and hence are ideologically opposed to the very concept of nobility?
    The last one is probably the most important :p
     
    Introducing ourselves as hereditary nobility in France would be a bad idea.

    Have to ask why the option says nobility rather than royalty?
     
    Why did Vegeta never name himself King Vegeta, or something? Was the leader of the Saiyans always titled Prince? Was the title Prince held in a different context to what it holds now in English?

    So many questions, so few answers [that don't cause more questions]
     
    Well if Barra wants to do another power grab that would be a way to do it.
     
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    Blonddude42 said:
    Why did Vegeta never name himself King Vegeta, or something? Was the leader of the Saiyans always titled Prince? Was the title Prince held in a different context to what it holds now in English?

    So many questions, so few answers [that don't cause more questions]
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    As I recall, his father was canonically King Vegeta. Yeah. Daddy issues, I guess.
     
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