James_D_Fawkes
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[B-A] Background Ascendancy - Parts 1, 2, & 3
🕑 Added 2023-10-04 01:19:04 +0000 UTCStill not sure whether this thing has a long term future or if it's just a plot bunny I'm exorcising. I've technically got two more chapters warming up (but not finished) and ideas for what to do with this thing up to the start of DBZ canon, but I don't know if this thing is a viable project long term either, so I haven't put too much thought into it beyond that.
In case it wasn't obvious from the start, this idea was spawned from a certain story on SB written by Silver W King, but I'm twisting even the basic premise away from where he started. The first chapter rehashes a couple episodes from canon DB as a way of comparing and contrasting what's changed, but things go rapidly off the rails after that. Chapter 2 and 3 are even technically flashbacks.
I want to know what you guys think of this. Like it, hate it? Want to see more of it? I can't promise how much attention it'll receive when Hereafter is still my main focus, but this thing wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote at least some of it out, so if it's something people like, maybe I'll do more of it in the future.
Title, by the way, is a reference to "The Eminence in Shadow," because I loved that anime, it was glorious.
EDIT: Lots of comments, but only a single like. I'm not quite sure what to make of that ratio, especially since the comments are pretty positive.
Maybe it's because this is a bit outside my usual fare and people are quite sure what to make of the story either. Or maybe because it's just three chapters, people don't quite have a strong opinion on it yet.
Comments
Raphael Mort
Finished the first part: very interesting
Caractacus
The bet was more like, "Hey, you think the kid will actually mistake me for Kami?" Except when Goku asked if he knew Kami, Rikkuta says, "Yeah, I guess you could say that," and Goku completely missed the prompt for, "Because you ARE him!" Goku might not be dumb, exactly, but he's never been the sharpest tool in the shed until you throw him into a fight.
V01D
So… Rikkuta bet that he could convince Goku that he was Kami? It makes a lot more sense, though the ending made me think that it was the other way around.
Caractacus
The funny thing is, Goku totally would've asked if Rikkuta was Kami, but the stuff Rikkuta said convinced Goku he wasn't before that could even happen. Rikkuta lost the bet because he was trying to be funny and mysterious.
s22132
I completely understand, and this story definitely looks promising thus far.
Caractacus
Oh, that's completely fair. If I tried to get into it as an adult, I'm not sure I could have. But DBZ was a huge chunk of my childhood, so even if the story can get a bit nonsensical and Toriyama forgot important bits of lore every few dozen chapters, it will always have a special place in my heart.
s22132
Heh, fair. I've watched a few episodes and I know the main characters' names and other details, but I've lost most of my interest in it, mainly due to personal preferences regarding stories and power systems.
Caractacus
I'm kind of amazed, DBZ being as ubiquitous as it is. But I guess I'd be even more amazed if you'd never heard of it at all.
V01D
This is very interesting! Even I can totally see how the Great Elder’s task isn’t as easy as it first appears, given that he’ll have to convince the village elders to give it up of their own free will For a moment, I had the thought that Goku’s kid wouldn’t be named Son Gohan, but then I realized that by the time he HAS a son, his grandfather likely will have died of natural causes. Isn’t it interesting how the strongest members of the combat junkie species are the kindest? Not even just the ones from this universe - Kale is a good example! DID Goku mistake SI for Kami? He never SAYS anything that implies as such, as far as I can tell…
s22132
I only know the basics of DBZ, but this definitely has my interest.
Gifted-Monster
It's intriguing as hell. Be amusing to see how DBZ diverges really. Reminds me of an old DBZ fic from ages ago where Gohan was the main character and learned a lot from Vegeta. Be interesting to see what lessons on Saiyan culture and society he imparts to Carrot
Caractacus
The Saiyan SI about Dive the Deserter. That formed a...very loose inspiration for the basis of this story.
V01D
Which story is this a reference to?
