Ultimately, I decided it was better to include the seeds so that it didn't feel like it came out of nowhere during the payoff. Whether that is the best narrative choice remains to be seen. :)

One of the earliest scenes I ever outlined for it doesn’t occur until the mid-20s chapters, but I was able to weave in a small tease by Chapter 19.

The legend, though, is the day he tried to print a hologram, failed, and left an entire computer console on the intern’s desk with a note that simply said: “need toggle.”

We still don’t know who taught him that word.
When we find them, they will be made past tense.

He’s broken more scouters than tech can inventory. He’s also gone through seven learning tablets, two elevator security systems, and one intern’s will to live.

Unguarded isn’t dark for shock value; rather, it's willing to follow threads DBZ couldn’t without turning them into jokes. The lore is layered, the relationships messy, and the consequences actually matter. No Deus Ex Wish Orbs to undo the past.

This snippet comes from mid Ch. 19: Fissure, which is on track to wrap just before Christmas 2025 on Patreon (about four months ahead of the free version).

I really should write myself a Style Guide at some point.
The thumbs I draft for each new scene stay extremely rough—I draw the final pages within a month or so. They only need to be readable to me so they're probably incomprehensible to anyone else.

The entire story lives first in a giant chapter-by-chapter summary in Word. I break things down by scene, add side comments with dialogue fragments, notes, and reminders for my developmental editor. I also put together a small show bible for her to help align UG with DB canon.

These are fantastic! Adding to my brushes, thank you for sharing :)