Son Quest (Dragon Ball)

I think we have a workable write in that has a decent shot of succeeding. as it would take more than a week's time training together to gain any kind of unit cohesion for a 3 on 1 fight against a superior foe.

[X] Hold on, let's be smart about this
-[X] Write-In alternate plan: We know that the gang is planning to attack within the week, however, that must take a ton of preparation for weapons, guns, food, etc. This means that if we strike smartly we can take out all of the weapons that they would need to launch the attack thus delaying it for a bit. From there further sabotage could weaken the gang and make them less loyal to Raion. Then when we challenge him in such a way as to make beating us solo the only way he can maintain any credibility as a leader. While doing this we should make sure to train together so that when the time comes we can fight effectively as a team.
 
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[X] Hold on, let's be smart about this
-[X] Write-In alternate plan: We know that the gang is planning to attack within the week, however, that must take a ton of preparation for weapons, guns, food, etc. This means that if we strike smartly we can take out all of the weapons that they would need to launch the attack thus delaying it for a bit. From there further sabotage could weaken the gang and make them less loyal to Raion. Then when we challenge him in such a way as to make beating us solo the only way he can maintain any credibility as a leader. While doing this we should make sure to train together so that when the time comes we can fight effectively as a team.
 
[X] Hold on, let's be smart about this
-[X] Write-In alternate plan: We know that the gang is planning to attack within the week, however, that must take a ton of preparation for weapons, guns, food, etc. This means that if we strike smartly we can take out all of the weapons that they would need to launch the attack thus delaying it for a bit. From there further sabotage could weaken the gang and make them less loyal to Raion. Then when we challenge him in such a way as to make beating us solo the only way he can maintain any credibility as a leader. While doing this we should make sure to train together so that when the time comes we can fight effectively as a team.
 
[X] Hold on, let's be smart about this
-[X] Write-In alternate plan: We know that the gang is planning to attack within the week, however, that must take a ton of preparation for weapons, guns, food, etc. This means that if we strike smartly we can take out all of the weapons that they would need to launch the attack thus delaying it for a bit. From there further sabotage could weaken the gang and make them less loyal to Raion. Then when we challenge him in such a way as to make beating us solo the only way he can maintain any credibility as a leader. While doing this we should make sure to train together so that when the time comes we can fight effectively as a team.
 
Finally, he holds up the cap and presents it to you. "And this… is a cap stuck with a feather from the legendary Vermilion Phoenix, who gave up the fire of her life to rekindle the sun. When you wear this cap, you can will the feather to catch fire when it does, you will be filled with the energy and vitality of a phoenix until the feather is reduced entirely to ashes. But if this cap catches the first rays of dawn's light, the feather will regrow in the cap once more
I have to ask... Can we call this magic item 'Macaroni'? :V

But worry not. I already changed my vote to exited(the laser evil of the two) a couple of posts ago, when i realized sicken won't win
I can tell already that you are a wise man. Always cleave to the laser of two evils. :D

[X] One of the mountains in the Devil's Spine nearby has a large, deep cave in it. Bulma can take shelter in there while you and Goku guard the cave's mouth, beating back the bandits.
-[X] Make sure everyone is OK with going lethal due to the large number of bandits
-[X] Get Goku to act as long range mobile support by taking out any major threats before they set up
-[X] Ask Bulma what devices she has that we could use to make traps.
--[X] e.g. set up a fake back to the cave so that if bandits get in somehow they wont see her immediately. Or some other form of defense
-[X] Perform harassment of the approaching army
--[X] Stealing or destroying guns, food, fuel, and water would slow them down and weaken them greatly and improve our odds
-[X] Set up loose boulders above the cave that we can use to cause a boulders to roll down the mountain (should get us some breathing room if we need it). But has to be done carefully so that it is not cause us problems

Personally I prefer "the princess is in another castle" however as it is unlikely to pass I have just mentioned the things we can do to maximize our odds using this plan. It is in order of priority and ease of setup so we can focus on the top things first.
Something of a pity this didn't win. Given the lack of variable outcomes in this quest, the best way to win is to stack the odds as heavily in your favour as you can, and pile on as many force multipliers as possible.

Plus, it actually works better to, you know, not go lethal. It doesn't cost much more energy or effort or time to nonlethally beat someone up but, you know, corpses they can just sort of ditch while on the other hand injured people can massively slow them down and killing their own men for the high price of getting hurt will damage their morale.

It's more pragmatic to just break a leg or something than to crack a skull, completly ignoring all issues of morality.

That's not to say I'm not against killing people for moral issues, just that, you know, not everyone has the same beliefs.
It is like they say: kill an enemy and you take one enemy out of action. Cripple an enemy and you take out around 2-3.

"Goku, for once I'm almost as lost as you are," you reply
"Only almost, though. No-one is ever actually as lost as you."

I like this write-in. Stack the odds in our favour as hard as we can.

[X] Hold on, let's be smart about this
-[X] Write-In alternate plan: We know that the gang is planning to attack within the week, however, that must take a ton of preparation for weapons, guns, food, etc. This means that if we strike smartly we can take out all of the weapons that they would need to launch the attack thus delaying it for a bit. From there further sabotage could weaken the gang and make them less loyal to Raion. Then when we challenge him in such a way as to make beating us solo the only way he can maintain any credibility as a leader. While doing this we should make sure to train together so that when the time comes we can fight effectively as a team.
 
I have to ask... Can we call this magic item 'Macaroni'? :V

I can tell already that you are a wise man. Always cleave to the laser of two evils. :D

Something of a pity this didn't win. Given the lack of variable outcomes in this quest, the best way to win is to stack the odds as heavily in your favour as you can, and pile on as many force multipliers as possible.

It is like they say: kill an enemy and you take one enemy out of action. Cripple an enemy and you take out around 2-3.

"Only almost, though. No-one is ever actually as lost as you."

I like this write-in. Stack the odds in our favour as hard as we can.

[X] Hold on, let's be smart about this
-[X] Write-In alternate plan: We know that the gang is planning to attack within the week, however, that must take a ton of preparation for weapons, guns, food, etc. This means that if we strike smartly we can take out all of the weapons that they would need to launch the attack thus delaying it for a bit. From there further sabotage could weaken the gang and make them less loyal to Raion. Then when we challenge him in such a way as to make beating us solo the only way he can maintain any credibility as a leader. While doing this we should make sure to train together so that when the time comes we can fight effectively as a team.

Welcome, and nice reactions. If you had done that for at least 500 words, you'd have gotten Jin a bonus the next time he had a training montage.
 
Omake: Maybe She Will by Skewfiend
"I want you to close your eyes and begin to watch your breathing." You instruct the petulant, blue-haired girl in front of you, who does her best to comply, closing her eyes and beginning to breathe deeply. "Do not change your breathing." You correct gently. "Merely accept it for what it is, and observe it, letting it flow in and out of you."

As you watch, her breathing becomes more natural and comfortable, returning to its usual rate.

After a few minutes of this, you say "Very good. Now I want you to imagine a well of light, deep within you. Focus on that image. Can you see it clearly?"

"Sort of?" She says hesitantly, seeming almost startled by the long silence being broken. "I can kind of picture something like that, but it feels distant and weak. A sort of bright blue fog of light"

You smile. It is a pleasant surprise to have her sensing Ki this soon. "Now I want you to imagine reaching out to that light, and pulling it towards you." You wait, as her closed eyes tighten in concentration, until she gives a tiny, almost imperceptible nod. "Now I want you to push that light all around your body. Feel it suffising every part of you. If you can accomplish this, you will be well on the road to reinforcing hour body with Ki."

Just like that, almost as if a spell was broken, her frown of concentration wavers, and is replaced with a scowl, and she snaps her eyes open. "Damn." She drawls. "I lost it. I knew this was impossible."

You raise an eyebrow. "Again you use that word. Do you need another object lesson about the possibility of using ki?"

She quickly shakes her head. "No, no, I remember just fine. It's just... Everything I know about science says that this should be impossible."

"Then your science is wrong, or incomplete." You answer simply.

"WHAT?" She rounds on you in startlement and indignation.

You calmly return her gaze. "Forgive my ignorance, but is not the point of science, broadly, to understand the world? If science tells you that something is impossible when you see it before your very eyes, is it not reality, but science that is at fault?"

"Well, yeah, I guess." She concedes. "But how does it work? Why does it work?"

You shrug. This isn't the first time she has asked this. "I don't know. As skilled as I am, I still remain a novice in the deeper mysteries of Ki. I don't even know if there are answers to those questions that would satisfy you."

She frowns. "What do you mean by that? The fact that it works proves that there must be some way how it works, and that's what I need in an explanation!"

"You are correct, of course." You concede, "But I know not if anyone has an explanation for the workings of Ki that meets your standards."

"So now you're saying that there might be no-one who actually understands how Ki works?" she cries petulantly. "How am I supposed to figure it out if no-one knows it?"

You shrug again. Offering: "You could figure it out for yourself."

"Maybe I will!" Says Bulma defiantly.

She seems to grow pensive for a moment, looking off at nothing in particular, before whispering "Maybe I will."

+++++++++++++
Guh. I'm really not sure I can properly write Either Jin or Bulma, in all honesty.

Ah well.

As they say: it's something.
 
Poor Bulma, if only some weird time rift would drop Gohan's book of the Science of Ki that actually does explain all the deeper mysteries of Ki in her lap. Oh well, looks like she'll have to be the one to figure it all out this time.
 
"I want you to close your eyes and begin to watch your breathing." You instruct the petulant, blue-haired girl in front of you, who does her best to comply, closing her eyes and beginning to breathe deeply. "Do not change your breathing." You correct gently. "Merely accept it for what it is, and observe it, letting it flow in and out of you."

As you watch, her breathing becomes more natural and comfortable, returning to its usual rate.

After a few minutes of this, you say "Very good. Now I want you to imagine a well of light, deep within you. Focus on that image. Can you see it clearly?"

"Sort of?" She says hesitantly, seeming almost startled by the long silence being broken. "I can kind of picture something like that, but it feels distant and weak. A sort of bright blue fog of light"

You smile. It is a pleasant surprise to have her sensing Ki this soon. "Now I want you to imagine reaching out to that light, and pulling it towards you." You wait, as her closed eyes tighten in concentration, until she gives a tiny, almost imperceptible nod. "Now I want you to push that light all around your body. Feel it suffising every part of you. If you can accomplish this, you will be well on the road to reinforcing hour body with Ki."

Just like that, almost as if a spell was broken, her frown of concentration wavers, and is replaced with a scowl, and she snaps her eyes open. "Damn." She drawls. "I lost it. I knew this was impossible."

You raise an eyebrow. "Again you use that word. Do you need another object lesson about the possibility of using ki?"

She quickly shakes her head. "No, no, I remember just fine. It's just... Everything I know about science says that this should be impossible."

"Then your science is wrong, or incomplete." You answer simply.

"WHAT?" She rounds on you in startlement and indignation.

You calmly return her gaze. "Forgive my ignorance, but is not the point of science, broadly, to understand the world? If science tells you that something is impossible when you see it before your very eyes, is it not reality, but science that is at fault?"

"Well, yeah, I guess." She concedes. "But how does it work? Why does it work?"

You shrug. This isn't the first time she has asked this. "I don't know. As skilled as I am, I still remain a novice in the deeper mysteries of Ki. I don't even know if there are answers to those questions that would satisfy you."

She frowns. "What do you mean by that? The fact that it works proves that there must be some way how it works, and that's what I need in an explanation!"

"You are correct, of course." You concede, "But I know not if anyone has an explanation for the workings of Ki that meets your standards."

"So now you're saying that there might be no-one who actually understands how Ki works?" she cries petulantly. "How am I supposed to figure it out if no-one knows it?"

You shrug again. Offering: "You could figure it out for yourself."

"Maybe I will!" Says Bulma defiantly.

She seems to grow pensive for a moment, looking off at nothing in particular, before whispering "Maybe I will."

+++++++++++++
Guh. I'm really not sure I can properly write Either Jin or Bulma, in all honesty.

Ah well.

As they say: it's something.

Well I liked it, and speaking of something it's something that's worth a bonus! You can pick it now, but it'll only come into effect the next time Jin trains. Your choices are:
  • 1 free Attribute point to divide among your Attributes as you see fit (in increments of 0.1 only, please, and 7 is your cap right now)
  • 1 free question that I'll answer so long as it's not so spoilerific that it'll drastically alter the course of the quest
  • 1 omake about whatever subject relative to this quest that you want
  • 1 minor technique or artifact. In the former case, you pick from a selection of three. In the latter, you'll find it in Raion's treasure stash with the Dragon Ball when/if you beat him.
  • You can suggest something else, but I reserve the right to veto it.
 
[1] Screw it, assault the coliseum
@Khepri14

[12] Challenge Raion to a 3-vs-1
@Kosjurake @Derek58 @KnightofTempest @Arkatekt @Geordiefan @Orisha91 @saiman @Kelenas @Zaratustra @Derekc2 @veekie @wingstrike96

[6] Hold on, let's be smart about this
-[6] Write-In alternate plan: We know that the gang is planning to attack within the week, however, that must take a ton of preparation for weapons, guns, food, etc. This means that if we strike smartly we can take out all of the weapons that they would need to launch the attack thus delaying it for a bit. From there further sabotage could weaken the gang and make them less loyal to Raion. Then when we challenge him in such a way as to make beating us solo the only way he can maintain any credibility as a leader. While doing this we should make sure to train together so that when the time comes we can fight effectively as a team.
@daemonkeeper @Darkcrest @Barret @Walkin' Man @Iceshard @Skewfiend

Vote's still open, because I doubt I'll get time to write until Friday.
 
[X] Screw it, assault the coliseum

Okay, we can't play a bloodthirsty warrior.

Let's play a reckless MC! I haven't seen any reckless MC here.
 
VS The Desert Lion, pt. 1
[ ] Challenge Raion to a 3-vs-1

Once Yamcha is fully healed, the five of you travel overnight to Raion's fortress. Once a huge stone ruin, he's shored it up with makeshift stonework (mostly piling rubble and sandbags and blocks of rough-hewn stone) and put a bunch of sentries on guard with machine gun turrets and missile platforms. From those missiles and machine guns, as well as the jeep and APC you saw earlier, you can guess that Raion's forces must have attacked at least one military base already.

You leave Bulma and Puar in Bulma's car a safe distance away – there's no point in bringing non-combatants into the lion's den, after all. The three of you remaining take Yamcha's car right up to the front door, Yamcha holding a red flag with a camel's skull attached to the flagpole – according to him, it's a traditional sign that means that you've come as enemies, but not to fight a war.

"Who are you!?" One of the three sentries on duty at the gate barks, an assault rifle trained on your car. "State your business!"

"We're here to challenge Raion!" Yamcha yells back. "The three of us are going to fight him as one!"

The three all dissolve into uproarious laughter. "You're challenging Lord Raion! A-ha-ha! Ah, go on through, boys, we ain't the ones who're gonna clean up whatever's left!"

After parking your car with a bunch of other vehicles, the three of you walk boldly to the coliseum proper, where you catch your first glimpse of Raion, glaring down at everything imperiously from a high throne of skulls with a canopy to give him shade from the hot desert sun. Next to him is a gleaming pile of treasures and curiosities piled higher than you – obviously Raion's personal treasure stash. Honestly, it's a little underwhelming; you suppose that's why he wants to raid outside the desert. You don't see the Dragon Ball, so it's probably buried somewhere inside the pile.

"Well now this can't be right," Raion rumbles, an amused tone in his deep voice. "I was sure you'd take months licking your wounds, little pup. And who are the other mutts with you? Did you decide I hadn't killed enough dogs, that you'd bring more whelps for me to put down?" Your eyes widen as you realize exactly why Raion seems so familiar to you.


"No, Raion, the three of us are here to put an end to you!" Yamcha declares, his eyes full of hate as he glares at Raion.

"Put an end to me?" Raion chuckles. "Listen, pup, you couldn't even scratch me last time. What the hell makes you think getting two mewling whelps to back you up would have a better result?"

Raion stands to his full height, flexing his muscles as the bandits in the stand begin chanting his name. "I am Raion, the Desert Lion! My deeds are legend, my strength unmatched!"

"Unmatched unless you're a thirteen-year old girl," you declare, your calm voice cutting right through the noise. Raion freezes and slowly turns his gaze on you, glaring in fury.

"What did you just say?" he asks in barely-constrained fury.

"I'd wondered where I'd seen you before, and now I remember. Two years ago, one of the Dragon Knights died," you explain, the words 'Dragon Knight' eliciting gasps of fear and shocked whispers to circulate through the bandits. "My father, over the protests of many, decided to hold a grand tournament, open to any who would compete, to decide who would replace him.

"You were there. You were disqualified in the second round for killing your opponent after he surrendered. Then you came back after the tournament was over and tried to kill the winner, a girl of thirteen who defeated every enemy without taking a single wound, claiming that if you succeeded then it meant you were the only one fit to be a Dragon Knight. As if my father would ever accept a craven murderer as one of the guardians of his family and kingdom," you say, your voice heavy with disdain.

"You… Who the hell are you!?" Raion demands.

"I was one of the young children who watched the tournament. And afterwards, I was one of the witnesses to your failed attempt to murder a thirteen-year old girl," you explain with a vicious smile. "I saw the whole thing. Kairu, who became my mentor, blasted you straight through a wall without so much as turning to look at you. My father didn't punish you for it because, and I quote, 'no one who makes me laugh that hard needs to be punished for it.'"

"Aw, I thought we were gonna be fighting someone strong," Goku pouts, disappointed.

As whispers circulate through the bandits about the shameful defeat their "glorious leader" had suffered, Raion roars in fury and launches himself from his throne, landing in front of the three of you, who quickly take your stances, ready for anything.

"I remember you now," Raion says, his fury barely constrained. "You were there watching with the royal family! You're the Dragon King's own son!" Yells of shock and horror sweep through the crowd at his words.

"This is just perfect," Raion says with a cruel smirk. "I'm going to slaughter all three of you! My vengeance will start here! Soon, my grand army will march and lay all before them low, and your heads will be carried on pikes at the front with me! When I carve his heart from his chest and devour it in front of him, the Dragon King will know the price of humiliating me! And that girl… her torture will be the stuff of legend!"

"It's hard to tell if you're stupid or just deluded," you say calmly. "I suppose the most likely answer is both. Regardless, your madness will end here."

"End? Boy, you are just the beginning!" Raion declares. "I'll kill you all, and my men will march with the taste of blood in their mouths!"

Raion's Might + Skill (14) vs. Might + Reflex + Goku's Aid + Yamcha's Aid (14.4) – Success!

With a mighty heave, Raion pulls one of the massive stone blocks that make up the floor of the arena and throws it at you. Even with Goku and Yamcha to help, stopping the block from crushing you is a difficult feat.

Raion's Martial Arts + Might (16) – Raion Success! (Difficulty 12)

As the three of you hold the stone block, Raion rushes forward and strikes it, shattering it into dust. The force carries over and knocks all three of you back, though you're all able to right yourself and take your stances.

"You would doubt my strength!?" Raion roars. "I am the Desert Lion! You think you can challenge me!? A baby dragon, a beaten wolf and some little monkey boy!?"

This… is probably going to be harder than Kairu made it look. What now?

[ ] Write-In your battle plan

AN: Rules for fighting alongside someone have been added to the mechanics post.
 
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[X] Plan Lion slayers
-[X] Split up and attack from all angles
-[X] Goku uses his staff to attack from range going low to disrupt Raion's movement
-[X] Yamacha is to circle around from behind focusing less on attacking and more on disruption
-[X] jin is to keep his attention using Gate palm as necessary
-[X] wear him down until we see an opening then strike as one in 3 different locations
 
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