And yes, Karen is basically telling the story as she knows it, editing on the fly to avoid specific infohazard issues like names and references to the dragon balls. I actually considered doing things according to the "abridge the shit out of it" version, and decided not to.
Plus, the part where Gohan goes berserk is the start of Gohan's story, which is probably just as important in Kakara's eyes as anything else that happened in the fight with Raditz. And a great example of a 'weak' character finding it in themselves to contribute decisively to a fight between more powerful figures, which is a big part of what this was all about in the first place.
Traditionally, yes. Usage is shifting, especially given the absurdity-to-impracticality of many other attempts at singular gender-neutral personal pronouns (really, "xir?"). As for the formal classification, perhaps, perhaps not, but even having earned a degree in English as my first language, I find it difficult to pointless to keep track of what is formal, proper usage at any given nanosecond. I do prefer, "they," in any event.
"Even though Jii was practically just a baby, he floated up in the air, then touched back down on the ground, glowing with anger! Marsden shouted to his son, telling him run away from this place, run as fast as he could. But Jii, who had never shown any ki before, was still getting stronger, tears of anger flowing now, his power level rising! Until it was higher than his father's, even higher than his uncle's, screaming and furious! He shouted "LEAVE MY DAD ALONE!" and shot forward like a rocket, his head smashing into Radd's chest hard enough to shatter the invader's armored breastplate into a dozen pieces! Radd staggered backwards, gasping and clutching at himself, and Jii felt his power fading. That attack had taken all the little boy's energy! And now Radd was looking at him, huge and angry..."
"Radd shouted "You'll pay for that!" And bellowing, Jii's uncle struck him, knocking him across the ground, and began charging up a blast of energy to destroy the little boy! But before he could throw it, Marsden jumped up behind Radd and grabbed his arms, wrapping his hands around his brother's neck. He used every bit of his strength, and even after the cruel beating he'd taken from earlier, it was- barely- enough to hold Radd still. Marsden shouted to Ma, who was nearly done charging up his second Devil Drill Beam, and Radd cried out in fear: "No, don't do this, we'll both be killed!" "
Wait. Crapbaskets. The rest of the story. You stop for a moment; you're going to have to completely twist it around. You take a deep breath.
"But Ma aimed very carefully, and at the last moment Marsden twisted with all his remaining strength! The might of the Devil Drill struck Radd squarely in the chest, and despite Radd's power, some of it- only some- burned through, leaving a dreadful wound in Marsden's own body!"
"Ma sank to sit on the grass, exhausted. Jii was knocked out cold. But blasted through by Ma's attack, Radd fell, dead as a stone... and Marsden collapsed, bleeding on the ground. He would surely have died there with his brother, except that in those minutes, Marsden's friends arrived!
Gemma looked as though she was suddenly remembering. "Dots and Turtle Man?"
"And Bloom, yes."
"But... did she have ki powers?"
"No, but she did have a fast car to chase after the others in."
Sophie's brow furrows. "Wait, a car?"
"This was before people forgot how to build cars. You didn't think they were new, did you?"
"Ohhh."
"Dots and Turtle Man arrived first, running with all their power, and did everything they could to care for their wounded friend. Turtle Man used everything he knew of healing, from his many long years of wisdom. Even so, it was barely enough to sustain him until Bloom could get there. With her magic, she cast a spell that would keep Marsden stable, but in a coma, on the edge between life and death, until they could find a way to heal him."
"Then they turned to look at where Ma, the green man with the fierce fangs and claws, sat on the grass, rising to his feet. Turtle Man gulped when he realized what might happen, and Dots clenched his fists. For just yesterday, Ma the Younger had been the most powerful enemy the land of Mu had ever known, and only Marsden had been strong enough to beat him. If he decided to try conquering the kingdom himself now... who could stop him?"
"And not for nothing did they fear what happened next. Losing an arm would cripple a human being, but now that he'd had time to concentrate, it was only an inconvenience for Ma. And with a rush of his terrible powers, before the eyes of Marsden's friends, Ma the Younger grew a new arm!"
That surprises your friends. Flying and energy blasts and the strength to crack mountains, they're starting to take for granted. But they've never heard of that before.
"Then he swept across the field and picked up little Jii, still stunned. Grinning, he said "You know, I'm starting to like the boy. I think I'll train him myself..." and laughed- then he flew away!"
"Dots and Turtle Man looked at each other, and at Bloom. The three of them were brave, loyal friends of Marsden, and they cherished his son. But none of them could fly, and none of them had the kind of power to fight a demon. Though they hadn't given up, what happened next would be another story."
"Radd shouted "You'll pay for that!" And bellowing, Jii's uncle struck him, knocking him across the ground, and began charging up a blast of energy to destroy the little boy! But before he could throw it, Marsden jumped up behind Radd and grabbed his arms, wrapping his hands around his brother's neck. He used every bit of his strength, and even after the cruel beating he'd taken from earlier, it was- barely- enough to hold Radd still. Marsden shouted to Ma, who was nearly done charging up his second Devil Drill Beam, and Radd cried out in fear: "No, don't do this, we'll both be killed!" "
Wait. Crapbaskets. The rest of the story. You stop for a moment; you're going to have to completely twist it around. You take a deep breath.
"But Ma aimed very carefully, and at the last moment Marsden twisted with all his remaining strength! The might of the Devil Drill struck Radd squarely in the chest, and despite Radd's power, some of it- only some- burned through, leaving a dreadful wound in Marsden's own body!"
"Ma sank to sit on the grass, exhausted. Jii was knocked out cold. But blasted through by Ma's attack, Radd fell, dead as a stone... and Marsden collapsed, bleeding on the ground. He would surely have died there with his brother, except that in those minutes, Marsden's friends arrived!
Gemma looked as though she was suddenly remembering. "Dots and Turtle Man?"
"And Bloom, yes."
"But... did she have ki powers?"
"No, but she did have a fast car to chase after the others in."
Sophie's brow furrows. "Wait, a car?"
"This was before people forgot how to build cars. You didn't think they were new, did you?"
"Ohhh."
"Dots and Turtle Man arrived first, running with all their power, and did everything they could to care for their wounded friend. Turtle Man used everything he knew of healing, from his many long years of wisdom. Even so, it was barely enough to sustain him until Bloom could get there. With her magic, she cast a spell that would keep Marsden stable, but in a coma, on the edge between life and death, until they could find a way to heal him."
"Then they turned to look at where Ma, the green man with the fierce fangs and claws, sat on the grass, rising to his feet. Turtle Man gulped when he realized what might happen, and Dots clenched his fists. For just yesterday, Ma the Younger had been the most powerful enemy the land of Mu had ever known, and only Marsden had been strong enough to beat him. If he decided to try conquering the kingdom himself now... who could stop him?"
"And not for nothing did they fear what happened next. Losing an arm would cripple a human being, but now that he'd had time to concentrate, it was only an inconvenience for Ma. And with a rush of his terrible powers, before the eyes of Marsden's friends, Ma the Younger grew a new arm!"
That surprises your friends. Flying and energy blasts and the strength to crack mountains, they're starting to take for granted. But they've never heard of that before.
"Then he swept across the field and picked up little Jii, still stunned. Grinning, he said "You know, I'm starting to like the boy. I think I'll train him myself..." and laughed- then he flew away!"
"Dots and Turtle Man looked at each other, and at Bloom. The three of them were brave, loyal friends of Marsden, and they cherished his son. But none of them could fly, and none of them had the kind of power to fight a demon. Though they hadn't given up, what happened next would be another story."
Ptffffff, it's easier to sell the fact that cars predate recorded history to Grenhulders then them being developed lately.
.....Hey guys, here's a new thought.
What if nuclear bombs predate the arrival of the Saiyans? What if Grenhulders DID have a really advanced civilization that crumbled down long before we got here? What if, being influenced by all these "rediscovered" things by Exile society, some Grenhulders really DID find some ancient technology of their own?
my ancestor jumped up and grabbed Radd-" um- "in a wrestling hold! It was a special secret hold, now- lost. But it was terribly painful, and Radd groaned
Without context, this sounds like Goku literally grabbed Raditz by the balls. I think there should be some kind of reaction to this, whether it be a bit of giggling or Jaron unconsciously crossing his legs a bit or something else.
EDIT: Sorry, you've been getting a lot of this as of late. Seriously good work on these omakes.
Without context, this sounds like Goku literally grabbed Raditz by the balls. I think there should be some kind of reaction to this, whether it be a bit of giggling or Jaron unconsciously crossing his legs a bit or something else.
EDIT: Sorry, you've been getting a lot of this as of late. Seriously good work on these omakes.
No, the thought that they would think that specifically occurred to me and I specifically considered writing exactly the reaction you described. I thought about it and decided I couldn't depict it in a way I was confident would work.
If @PoptartProdigy thinks it should be there, I agree it should be there.
Sorry I have trouble reading your facial expressions. Do you mean that you are already writing and the act of replying to me is risking losing the draft?
Sorry I have trouble reading your facial expressions. Do you mean that you are already writing and the act of replying to me is risking losing the draft?
More me being amused at somebody telling me to do what I already am doing. But technically yes, to that second one, although I keep my drafts in their own window these days.
Sorry I have trouble reading your facial expressions. Do you mean that you are already writing and the act of replying to me is risking losing the draft?
... This isn't a matter of facial expressions. Opening the post with 'pauses writing' and closing it with 'resumes writing' makes it a matter of basic reading comprehension to infer that Poptart was already writing.
Sorry I have trouble reading your facial expressions. Do you mean that you are already writing and the act of replying to me is risking losing the draft?
Man, you never mentioned you were capable of Clairvoyance!
Unrelated note: Did anything come of the write-in a while back to mention mind control as a possible cause of the rebellion earlier? Or should that be an [Ask] vote?
If so:
[X][ASK] Did anything come of our suggestion of mind control being involved, or were we totally off-base?
Speaking of which, can you imagine if we had chosen the Tinker background only to find out how anti innovation the Garenhulders are? We would have been so pissed about it.
Speaking of which, can you imagine if we had chosen the Tinker background only to find out how anti innovation the Garenhulders are? We would have been so pissed about it.
Speaking of which, can you imagine if we had chosen the Tinker background only to find out how anti innovation the Garenhulders are? We would have been so pissed about it.
I mean, that depends on whether or not we combined it with the Sight. Use it to recreate capsulecorp tech (of which there is a lot, and a lot that's hella lost, like tech shielding that puts the Hall to shame) and we could even claim it's ancient rediscovered technology without lying.
Inline-spoilered it because I have absolutely no idea where the Dub is...
You laugh, folding your arms. "Okay, here's a story I know...but you have to promise not to share it. It's for my family and my closest friends, about one of my own ancestors."
Sophie, Gemma, and Jennifer nod solemnly. You take on a sing-song cadence you picked up from your mother, and lift a line from a few of the handful Earth stories you've ever heard that aren't a Goku story or a Z fighter story. You're pretty sure they got distorted in the early days of the Exiles, because parts of them sound kind of mixed up with some of the Goku stories. But you at least remember the opening lines well enough to repurpose them, and somehow it feels right...
"Sing, spirits, of the valor of Marsden, son of Bok, dark-haired and bright-eyed, who walked in the years before the oceans drank the lost land of Mu..."
Jennifer glares. "Did you decide to name the hero of your story after your family?"
Grr. "No, we're named after him." You cross your arms and frown. "This really happened, even if it was hundreds and hundreds of years ago.
"Now, Marsden was found as a baby in a shipwreck on the realm's shore, by his foster father, Jii." You smile to yourself. "It was Jii who saw Marsden's potential and trained him in the ways of ki. Though this was ages ago, in the time before the immortals saw fit to teach the secrets of the greater powers to mortals. Even heroes were weaker then.
"Marsden had many adventures, beginning with his quest for the legendary..." You pause, suddenly thinking better of how you were going to phrase that. "...Eyes of the Snake, and rising to a climax when he saved the kingdom by slaying Ma the Elder, a terrible demon who had returned to the lands of mortals from the blackest depths of the Unknown Realms. The Younger Ma, the demon's vengeful son, rose to threaten the kingdom in turn, but Marsden bested him in a tournament of skill and prowess. He went on to marry his beloved, the Ox Princess, and have a healthy young son, whom he named Jii, after the kindly old man who raised him.
"Four years passed. The younger Ma had learned some honor when Marsden helped tend to his wounds after the tournament, and no longer threatened the land. Marsden grew complacent, and relaxed his training. How could anyone possibly defeat him, the greatest warrior in all of Mu?"
Sophie goggles. Jenny snorts. You shake your head. "Like I said, this was before the immortals revealed most of their secrets. And before anyone had ever heard of alien invasions, too!
"Now, Marsden had gone to visit some of his friends from his adventures. He met with his best friend, a warrior named Dots. And his oldest friend, Bloom the...magician. They met at the home of the Turtle Man, the wise, ancient master who'd trained him after old Jii passed away."
"Wait, Turtle Man?" asks Gemma.
"Are you saying he was a man, or a turtle?" says Sophie.
"A man with a pet turtle," you clarify.
"Oh." Gemma looks satisfied, but Sophie looks slightly disappointed.
"Anyway, Marsden had taken his son to visit Turtle Man and his other friends. And as they were speaking, Marsden suddenly looked worried. Bloom, who had been with him since the beginning of his journeys, asked him, 'What is it?'
"Marsden pointed into the sky. 'I sense something coming! Something bad!'
"Six Dots gulped. 'I feel it now, too... It's not Ma, is it?'
"Turtle Man frowned and said, 'No, but I smell death in the air...' He was worried, for in Mu, in those days, the power of flight was rare, and only the strongest could use it.
"The approaching figure landed. He was tall and strong, and clad in armor the likes of which Marsden had never seen. His black hair was long and unbound, in a huge mane down his back. He stood proudly, every line of his body radiating arrogance and evil might. And his power was greater than any creature Marsden had ever seen- be they man, beast, or devil. Then he spoke to Marsden. 'You may not recognize me, but I recognize you, Karr! For I am your older brother, Radd!'
"Marsden had never heard this name, and was confused. And Dots, who was very brave, if sometimes foolish, approached the stranger. He challenged Radd, standing as tall and proud as he could, asking him if he was confused, or insane, or drunk. And then Radd slapped Dots through a tree! And he laughed, as Dots groaned, stunned. He looked back at Marsden.
"The stranger smiled. 'I fight for...'" You stop to think. Er, names, names. No infohazards... "'...King Kevta, last prince of..." Um... "'Greenland, our people's native home! Though we are few now that Greenland has sunk into the sea, we are strong! Now, you may have neglected your training, little brother, but no matter! Come and join me, so that we may conquer in the name of the Last King!'
"Marsden frowned. 'I've never heard of Kevta or Greenland, and I don't want to go around conquering other people's countries. I'm Marsden, and I live here! Now leave us alone!' Then he realized that Radd was looking at little Jii.
"The foreigner smiled and folded his arms. 'I see that you've fathered a son, Karr. Perhaps we can train him up to fight for King Kevta, if you are afraid...'
"Marsden was furious, and powered up, shouting, 'You're not taking my son anywhere!' Dots struggled to his feet and rushed to stand at Marsden's side. Marsden braced himself, and readied the powerful punches that had knocked down demons and monsters and armies in years before."
Your friends' eyes are wide- expecting this to be where the fight starts. But that's not what happened; not the way you learned it.
You continue, gesturing with your hands for emphasis. "But Radd was too fast. He had more than twice as much power as his brother, and he did this-" You phase quickly, launching a knee strike into the empty air. "Marsden went flying backwards and up into the air, and landed with a crash, sprawled in pain! Though Bloom tried to stop him, Jii ran to his father's side, crying out, 'Daddy, Daddy!' And Radd swooped in and grabbed the little boy.
"Then Radd sneered at his brother. 'Weakling! I am taking your son, and if you ever want to see him alive again, you have one day to choose to join us! When you do, you must kill one hundred Murian peasants, to prove your loyalty and worthiness to fight by our side! Otherwise, you will never see your son -- my nephew -- again!' With a cruel smile and an evil laugh, Radd flew away, carrying little Jii in his arms as the boy waved his hands and screamed.
"It took Marsden a minute before he could even stand up again, so painful had been the blow Karr landed. When he recovered, he glared out over the land and sea, in the direction Radd had flown away in. Dots was the first to speak. He said, 'We'll help you get him back!'
"Now, Dots and Turtle Man were both strong, and had fought in some of the same tournaments as Marsden when he was younger. But they were nowhere near as powerful as Marsden was now, and not even a quarter as strong as Radd.
"So Marsden said to his friend and his mentor, 'No, don't come with me! He's much too strong! Stay here. Don't risk your lives; the only one strong enough to stand even a chance against him is me!'
"Then Turtle Man pointed into the sky and said, 'You...or Young Ma.' And when Marsden looked up, he sensed the energy of his old rival immediately. As the long-fanged, clawed, green demon touched down beside Turtle Man's home, Marsden tensed, expecting Ma to take advantage of their momentary weakness and attack."
"But instead of firing a blast or charging, Ma spoke. 'The stranger came to me when I was meditating in the desert, mistaking my energy for yours. He challenged me, and I hit him full force with a blast- but it only singed his hair.' Ma growled. 'Then he flew off. He must have been looking for you, I thought. He's...very strong.'
"Marsden clenched his fists. 'He's got my son.' Ma simply nodded, and Marsden looked at the demon carefully.'"Maybe together, we can beat him.' And Ma nodded again, and took off into the sky. For the younger Ma was of the race of demons, and knew a few of the secrets of the immortals from his father, the elder Ma. Marsden, who had studied under an immortal for only a short time, couldn't fly very far, or fast -- but he could. And so they flew off, in the direction they sensed that Radd had gone.
"So Dots and Turtle Man were troubled. They thought about following Marsden's advice to stay home. They thought, and they thought, and they made their decision. Since they couldn't fly, they started running as fast as they could after their friend.
"Marsden and his demon rival flew towards their battle with Radd. Marsden turned to Ma and said, 'I know you were my enemy once. Thank you for being willing to help me rescue Jii.'
"Ma smiled. 'Oh, I'm not doing this for your little boy. But I can't let your brother conquer Mu. After all, one day I'm still going to conquer it for myself!' Marsden held his tongue, but watched his ally closely. They were getting close -- and suddenly Marsden saw his son Jii, chained into a steel cage by his kidnapping uncle!
"Marsden and his former enemy, Ma, landed on their feet, crouched and ready on the grassy plain. But Radd was ready for them, and screamed to Marsden! 'You're a disgrace to all Greenlanders! Prepare to die!' He rushed between Ma and Marsden like a red-hot wind, striking both of them across the ground. They bounced like rubber balls, rolling to their feet as his mane of black hair flew.
"The two greatest fighters of Mu pressed close against Radd, pounding at him with punches, but he dodged every one, knocking them back with huge kicks of his own. He took to the air and they flew after him, only for him to blast them with ki bolts hotter than furnaces. Marsden barely dodged, and the stray shots...well. Let's just say Jaron's not the only one who accidentally wrecks a mountain or two when he doesn't watch where he's going."
That gets a few giggles from your friends, even if it's mostly your delivery.
"Marsden crashed to the ground, looking around, trying to sense where Radd had gone -- but his evil brother was right behind him! Marsden rolled with the kick to his back and came back strong, and Radd dug in to resist. For a time he blocked Marsden's whirlwind of punches. Even though outmatched in power, Marsden fought bravely and fiercely. But finally, Radd connected with a devastating blow that knocked my ancestor sprawling!
"And then...he saw Ma. Ma had fallen down from the same blast that had knocked Marsden out of the sky...and his left arm was gone! Marsden rushed over to the green demon, who was rising to his feet, and..." How did the Attestation of Rakkyo say it? "...Radd, sure nothing the Mu fighters could do would hurt him, ignored them. Ma took the time to whisper to his old rival. 'Marsden, good news and bad news! I've got an attack that can stop him, and I can use it with only one arm!'"
You pause for a moment, looking expectant. Sophie blinks. "Wow. What was the bad news?"
You smile. "That's what Marsden said. And Ma said 'You'll have to distract him while I charge it...'"
Jennifer shook her head. "That doesn't sound too bad."
"...for five minutes!"
"Oh."
"Marsden was no fool, and leapt around, striking at Radd from all angles, trying to avoid giving him a solid target. They fought on, the minutes stretching out like hours, Marsden trying to hold out and keep Radd too busy to stop Ma's charging attack. But Radd was too strong, and Marsden decided to use his ultimate attack, hoping it would at least slow his brother down. 'HAAA!' Marsden shouted, leaping into the air, and letting fly with his biggest blast!
"Radd tried to dodge, but Marsden looped the blast after him. Radd tried to catch it, digging in his heels with all of his strength, knowing how much more powerful he was than his younger brother. The blast was so big, that for a moment, neither of them knew what would happen, but then there was a tremendous explosion! And when the smoke cleared, Radd was breathing hard, but still standing! He threw a blast of his own, and it knocked Marsden back to the ground like a falling stone."
The girls wince.
"But all was not lost! Ma was done charging the Devil Drill Beam, and fired a howling tornado of energy, that could pierce nearly anything! And it would have, too...if Radd hadn't dodged. It wasn't looking good for them...
"Radd just laughed and raised his hands, gathering energy to blow Ma away for good! Ma braced himself, raising his arm in front of his face, but he knew he couldn't stop the blast. At the last moment, though, my ancestor jumped up and grabbed Radd-" NAMES "-in a wrestling hold! It was a special secret hold, now lost. But it was terribly painful, and Radd groaned in defeat, helpless. Marsden shouted to Ma, 'Can you fire that attack one more time?'
"'With pleasure!' the demon shouted. Radd gasped in fear, knowing that this time he wouldn't be able to dodge. He screamed at the top of his lungs, crying out, 'LET ME GO!' as loud as he could! He looked back at Marsden, crying out, 'No, you can't do this! I'm your brother!'
"Marsden was angry now. 'You're no brother of mine! You kidnapped my son and tried to kill me! You wanted me to help you conquer innocent people -- you tried to make me kill innocent people!'
"'No, no!' Radd said. 'It was all a trick! I knew you would never do such a thing, but I would do anything to convince my brother to join us! I could never hurt my own flesh and blood, I swear it!'
"Marsden looked sternly at his brother. 'Do you promise to leave?'
"Radd screamed, 'YES! I'll leave this land, and never come back, I promise!' And Marsden...let him go."
Sophie smiles. Jennifer's lips part in a look of surprise. You go on, feeling a little sheepish. "And then...Radd laughed, and elbowed Marsden in the face. Hard."
Gemma coughed. "Uh...Karen?"
"Yes?"
"Do your stories of Marsden ever talk about your ancestor's cleverness?"
You blink, suppressing a frown, and speak carefully. "Marsden was the strongest, bravest man I've ever heard of. He was a very good man, with a pure heart."
Gemma simply nods. You feel a little uncomfortable, and you fold your arms.
"Anyway. Radd's treacherous trick had left Marsden flat on his back, and his brother walked over and stepped on him, stomping on his chest over and over. Marsden screamed in pain! Radd taunted Marsden, mocking him and beating him, while Ma was still trying to charge up a beam powerful enough to do anything, knowing he couldn't fight Radd up close with only one arm. It looked as though all was lost... And that was when little Jii broke out of his iron cage!"
Jenny frowns. "How?"
"Same way you would."
"Uh-"
"Same way you would now."
"Ohhh." She smiles.
"Even though Jii was practically just a baby, he floated up in the air, then touched back down on the ground, glowing with anger! Marsden shouted to his son, telling him run away from this place, run as fast as he could. But Jii, who had never shown any ki before, was still getting stronger, tears of anger flowing now, his power level rising! Until it was higher than his father's, even higher than his uncle's, screaming and furious! He shouted, 'LEAVE MY DAD ALONE!' and shot forward like a rocket, his head smashing into Radd's chest hard enough to shatter the invader's armored breastplate into a dozen pieces! Radd staggered backwards, gasping and clutching at himself, and Jii felt his power fading. That attack had taken all the little boy's energy! And now Radd was looking at him, huge and angry...
"Radd shouted, 'You'll pay for that!' Bellowing, Jii's uncle struck him, knocking him across the ground, and began charging up a blast of energy to destroy the little boy! But before he could throw it, Marsden jumped up behind Radd and grabbed his arms, wrapping his hands around his brother's neck. He used every bit of his strength, and even after the cruel beating he'd taken from earlier, it was barely enough to hold Radd still. Marsden shouted to Ma, who was nearly done charging up his second Devil Drill Beam, and Radd cried out in fear, 'No, don't do this, we'll both be killed!'"
Wait. Crapbaskets. The rest of the story. You stop for a moment; you're going to have to completely twist it around. You take a deep breath.
"But Ma aimed very carefully, and at the last moment Marsden twisted with all his remaining strength! The might of the Devil Drill struck Radd squarely in the chest, and despite Radd's power, some of it -- only some -- burned through, leaving a dreadful wound in Marsden's own body!
"Ma sank to sit on the grass, exhausted. Jii was knocked out cold. But blasted through by Ma's attack, Radd fell, dead as a stone... and Marsden collapsed, bleeding on the ground. He would surely have died there with his brother, except that in those minutes, Marsden's friends arrived!"
Gemma looked as though she was suddenly remembering. "Dots and Turtle Man?"
"And Bloom, yes."
"But...did she have ki powers?"
"No, but she did have a fast car to chase after the others in."
Sophie's brow furrows. "Wait, a car?"
"This was before people forgot how to build cars. You didn't think they were new, did you?"
"Oh, of course..."
"Dots and Turtle Man arrived first, running with all their power, and did everything they could to care for their wounded friend. Turtle Man used everything he knew of healing, from his many long years of wisdom. Even so, it was barely enough to sustain him until Bloom could get there. With her magic, she cast a spell that would keep Marsden stable, but in a coma, on the edge between life and death, until they could find a way to heal him.
"Then they turned to look at where Ma, the green man with the fierce fangs and claws, sat on the grass, rising to his feet. Turtle Man gulped when he realized what might happen, and Dots clenched his fists. For just yesterday, Ma the Younger had been the most powerful enemy the land of Mu had ever known, and only Marsden had been strong enough to beat him. If he decided to try conquering the kingdom himself now...who could stop him?
"And not for nothing did they fear what happened next. Losing an arm would cripple a human being, but now that he'd had time to concentrate, it was only an inconvenience for Ma. And with a rush of his terrible powers, before the eyes of Marsden's friends, Ma the Younger grew a new arm!"
That surprises your friends. Flying and energy blasts and the strength to crack mountains, they're starting to take for granted. But they've never heard of that before.
"Then he swept across the field and picked up little Jii, still stunned. Grinning, he said, 'You know, I'm starting to like the boy. I think I'll train him myself...' And he laughed, before flying away!
"Dots and Turtle Man looked at each other, and at Bloom. The three of them were brave, loyal friends of Marsden, and they cherished his son. But none of them could fly, and none of them had the kind of power to fight a demon. Though they hadn't given up, the quest to get Jii back would need to wait another day. And that...is another story."
They blink, the spell of the story ending all at once. "No, you can't end it there!" says Sophie, leaning forward. "What happened next?"
"Yeah, how'd they beat Ma?" asks Jenny.
"Is Ma how cars wound up being forgotten?" asks Gemma, pencil poised over her notebook. Everybody looks at her in confusion. She hunches her shoulders defensively. "What? It makes sense. Somebody like that? I bet he'd do it."
You laugh, not at all shakily. "I'll tell you later! I'm not going to tell you all of my people's legends at once!" And to give myself time to figure out how in Earth's name I'll change the other stories. They'd be a lot harder. Especially for Gemma.
Gemma's as curious as a Garenhulder gets without being literally Maya, and she's good at picking up on the little details. You'll be a lot more comfortable telling further stories once you have the chance to pastwatch this with a notepad to make sure you know all of the things you need to keep straight. A few weeks to think of how to tell the other stories won't be out of place, either.
In any case, the girls are nodding. "I guess that's fair," says Jenny, scowling.
Sophie nudges her with her elbow. "Very fair."
Jenny sighs, rolling her eyes.
You tilt your head. "So, can you guess why I told you that story?"
Gemma blinks at you. "To tell us not to worry so much about falling behind."
You feel vaguely patronized, but push past the feeling. "Yeah. Radd was so much stronger than either Ma or Marsden had ever even thought was possible. He was much stronger than either of them. But working together, they were able to take him down. Not because they were stronger than him when grouped together, but because they managed to distract and trick him, and hit him with the right technique. And Jii...it turned out that when he needed to be, he was stronger than anybody there. Just for a moment...but a moment was long enough to tip the scales." You peer at Jenny as you speak.
She looks away, waving you off. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. I'm not gonna stop after hearing that." She purses her lips. You might say that it looks like a suppressed smile, if you were the kind of person inclined to mischief. If.
But, of course, nothing could be further from the truth. Thus, why you're also just looking away from her to check on Jaron and Maya, rather than to hide your own laughter.
Yes.
This turned out nicely.
Maya Webley end-of-year power level at 2,398,407. Jaron Somerlad end-of-year power level at 2,421,098. Sophie Schultz end-of-year power level at 56,469. Jennifer Birch end-of-year power level at 60,032. Gemina Kostos end-of-year power level at 50,813.
No Misfits trained in ki sensing save Maya Webley (this was deliberate, to minimize the fallout from the dragon should you manage to quarantine the fight). All Misfits trained in flight. All Misfits taught basic ki projection skills.
-long, raspy stalks in a seemingly-endless grassland, filling the ears with a rustling whisper to the sounds of-
The breeze.
-echoing in a hollow whine for miles and miles in every direction, unbroken by even the slightest fold in the landscape until, well beyond the horizon, it finally encounters-
The trees.
-scraggly specimens, those, but the first sign of a place where water graces-
The earth below.
-before scattering a thousand directions upon a thousand directions and fleeing beyond all hope of following with your Sight, although in reality the streamer you have followed this far was only but one such streamer in a symphony of countless more that only incidentally included-
Me.
While Grandpa's home was a magnificent sensation, hooked into the home of a god as it was, it was not alive. God or not, Grandpa's home was the home of the dead, and what sat there did not truly live. It continued, it existed, and it was -- and that last one in particular was important, somehow, although you can't quite put your finger on how, even now -- but it did not have the unique feel of life. It is something other -- a new state in the circle of existence that encompasses what the mortality-bound call the circle of life. It was beautiful, but it was only one part of a whole -- and a part that you are increasingly convinced holds none of the answers you seek.
So...where is my ki?
Garenhuld, meanwhile, bursts with life. Every square inch of this planet sings, raising voices that only a few can hear, in a glorious medley that echoes out into the very stars before fading into the emptiness -- a lonely refrain that has recurred for...a long time, you know. How long, you know not. And in this symphony, right at the center -- at least for you -- is your own song.
It's here.
It is not what you are hoping to achieve. This state of meditation Grandpa tried to teach you...it is beautiful, but when you delve into it, hoping to find the answer to your questions, you always feel like your fingers are scrabbling along the spine of a book without gaining purchase. Knowledge and understanding, so close that you can nearly taste it, and yet for all the good that does you it might as well be on the other side of the moon. You have tasted this planet's ki dozens of times. You have worked with the foremost researchers of both Clans. You have worked day and night, Masqued and not. You have tried the saiyan Masque. You have written your thoughts, spoke them, sang them, forced your father to project them to you with telepathy over and over-
-and...
...it just hasn't been enough. You look up into the sky as the wind whistles by again, and high above, you see the first snowflakes of the year, for this part of the world, sliding from the clouds above.
Winter has come.
The dragon will soon be here.
And you have failed.
Spirit Bomb/Genki Dama not recreated. Bonuses expended.
* * *
You stare at the papers in front of you, and no matter what you try to do, the numbers just will not come out right.
You grimace. "Maybe if I move the fourth team over here...?"
You scribble down the progress of the battle in your head and hiss in annoyance. No. The fourth team on the high left flank leaves the seventh team facing down twice their number of equal opponents. Maybe if you move the twelfth- but no, that leaves fifth completely unsupported!
You bury your face in your hands, frustrated beyond measure. The thought of your people approving of you -- of finding something worthy in you, something at which you're honestly good -- is a heady thought, and it has spurred you to constant efforts lately. You continually run little exercises in your head, testing out new tactics and strategies for fighting in groups. But no matter what you do, there's a certain point where you just can't make the numbers come out right. Even if all of the imaginary warriors you're moving fought perfectly, even if you find all of the right places to move people, the exercise in front of you is unwinnable. Short of somebody transforming -- not something on which you can count -- this fight would be a lost cause. It was decided before it ever began, when you assigned each side their stupid, unequal-!
You pause. Blink. You don't dare think too hard about the idea you feel just on the edge of your thoughts. Look too hard and it'll fly away, so just...
You let your eyes slide down to the paper. Your eyes sharpen on the figures on the left, detailing how much each side has to deploy.
This fight was over from the moment I assigned those numbers...
You have the beginnings of an idea.
* * *
It's a beautiful day outside. Snow blankets everything in a yet-pristine white layer, glittering in the morning sun. You grin at the sight. Despite the approaching deadline, you still love the sight of winter. If you had to walk or drive places, or even feel the cold, you're sure it'd be more annoying, but you don't have to do those things if you don't care to. All you're left with is the beauty.
"Karen?" says Maya, next to you. "Wha- what are you thinki- thinking about?"
"Just loving the day," you say, tilting your head at your friend and smiling. "You?"
She ducks her head, cheeks red from the cold. "No- nothing much. Ju- just..." She fumbles the next word a few times before shrugging and subsiding into quiet silence.
You smile and lean back. You and Maya have just finished with an early-morning training session, way out into the wilderness. You sit on the end of a cliff in the mountains overlooking hills overlooking plains, far below. The air is thin, and the view is incredible. Only gets better from space.
You sigh happily and sit back up. "Let's go flying!" you say.
Maya blinks. "Where?"
"Anywhere!" you say, laughing. "The day's beautiful! And...you need to enjoy your days as they come." You sober slightly before blowing it out in a great huff. "So! Let's just fly for a bit, and take it easy. Where should we go?"
Maya shrugs. "I don't really know. You go ahe- ahead and choose."
You roll your eyes. "Fine, I guess." You push yourself forward off the ledge before letting your flight kick in and then zoom up through several miles of atmosphere in an instant, getting an even better vantage point. You have a view all over this half of the globe. You look around and call down, "I think I see a good spot! Over thataways!" You shade your eyes, peering at your chosen destination.
Looks like a beautiful...
[ ] ...stretch of mountains, a way south of your current cliff. Ooh, that one has an avalanche going on!
[ ] ...forest -- rain forest, really -- about a quarter-hemisphere away. Not even visible from the cliff. Doesn't even look close to winter down there.
[ ] ...little wasteland. Little buttes and towering mesas. Speaks to the Z Fighter in you. Deserts and arid wastes like that are a long and proud tradition to your people.
[ ] ...ocean. Just barely in view, you can see the western edge of the continent, and the water looks stunning. You wonder what all of the little islands look like in the winter.
[ ] ...grassland. Looks like it hasn't gotten any snow, though. Actually, it's a ways south of the seasonal march of winter, so you'll bet that it's not even cold enough for the stuff. [ ] ...write-in. Not for this one, folks.
NO MORATORIUM. THIS VOTE HAS NOW CLOSED.
Year's almost done. List is all finished. Just a quick breather, and we hit the end of the year.
Credit for Kakara's story goes almost entirely to Simon_Jester. Here are the links to the original omake versions!
[X] ...ocean. Just barely in view, you can see the western edge of the continent, and the water looks stunning. You wonder what all of the little islands look like in the winter.
