EPIC Side Story: Dragon Ball

With the sun gradually setting toward the horizon, Vahn looked toward the darkening sky and said, "It's getting late. We should probably make camp before it gets too dark."On that note, Vahn rose to his feet with the intention of pulling out a decently sized cottage from his Inventory. Bulma seemed to have something else in mind, however, as she immediately seized the opportunity to jump up and declare, "Leave it to me!" with a notably haughty smile on her face.Pulling out a bulletproof container filled with color-coded and differently sized capsules, Bulma selected one of the larger ones before saying, "Get a load of this."Clicking the button at the top of the capsule, Bulma tossed it towards a clearing a few meters away from the group's position. Seconds later, the capsule exploded with a force comparable to an anti-tank mine. There was also a bright flash of light and a large plume of peculiar orange smoke. When the smoke cleared, a hemispherical cottage with three compartments now occupied the previously empty space.With her arms akimbo and a cheeky smile on her face, Bulma was practically beaming as she asked, "Well, whaddya think? Pretty neat, huh?"Contrasting Bulma's expectations, Vahn and Sarina had relaxed smiles on their faces while Goku, thinking the capsule house was some kind of monster, whipped out the red pole on his back and shouted, "Everyone, stay behind me! I'll protect you from this beast...!"Though she was mildly annoyed by the indifferent expressions of Vahn and Sarina, an amused smile developed across Bulma's face when she heard Goku's words.("At least one of them is surprised...")"This isn't a beast, silly. It's one of the Capsule Homes my father developed. It's a fully furnished portable home with water, electricity, satellite television, a walk-in closet, and a fully stocked fridge. Pretty much everything a young girl needs when adventuring outside the city."Without waiting for Goku's response, Bulma made her way over to the reinforced metal door that served as the entrance to the Capsule Home. She hadn't mentioned it, but, other than the amenities she had pointed out, the Capsule Home also served as a miniature fortress. The inside resembled a normal house, complete with square rooms, while the outside was shaped like a dome. Said dome was almost entirely comprised of armored plating, and, more importantly, there was a transmitter in the roof that generated an EM field that deterred dinosaurs and other dangerous creatures.With a quick palm scan, a low mechanical hiss could be heard as the numerous locks on the door were promptly deactivated. Then, like a hostess trying to lure in customers, Bulma half-turned, a beaming smile on her face as she gestured towards the interior of the Capsule Home and said, "It might be a bit cramped for four people but there's a bath inside and plenty of space on the floor. I'm sure I have a futon or two stowed away in the closet."Amused by Bulma's 'thoughtfulness', a low chuckle emanated from Vahn's throat as he said, "Thank you, Ms. Briefs, but I actually had something else in mind."Surprising even Sarina, Vahn snapped his fingers to produce an inn-sized cottage with three floors, a storage room, a workshop, and an annexed, open-air bath. It was a bit overkill, but, when it came to showing off, Vahn was no slouch.Since Bulma had so graciously offered her home to them, Vahn figured he might as well do the same, stating, "You're welcome to take a look inside. The bottom floor is structured similarly to a tavern but there are seven bedrooms located up the stairs. They might lack satellite TV, but, once you feel how comfortable the beds are, I doubt you'll mind."On that note, Vahn turned towards Goku, his expression softening as he said, "Come along, Goku. I'll show you how to use the bath and then we'll get you outfitted with some new clothes. While I'm certain that dark blue gi has some sentimental value, it could do with a good cleaning..."Though he had been ignoring it, Vahn was well aware of the foul odor emanating from Goku. The youth probably hadn't taken a bath since his Grandfather died. His body smelled like a fish market, and, unless he was mistaken, Vahn was pretty sure the original color of his gi was grey-blue. Now, however, it was a dark and grimy shade of blue that was quickly approaching black in the areas that accumulated sweat..."Sure thing, Uncle Vahn! Just let me say goodnight to my Grandpa real quick!"Without waiting for permission, Goku scampered over to the small hut that had once served as his Grandfather's home. This afforded Bulma the opportunity to tentatively inquire, "How...how did you produce a house out of thin air...?"Answering in Vahn's stead, Sarina stated, "I told you before. Vahn can do just about anything. The sooner you accept that the easier things will become."Smiling wryly in response to Sarina's words, Vahn extended his hand to caress the raven-haired teen's head as he appended, "The Universe is a truly vast, mysterious, and terrifying place, Bulma. Even Earth possesses countless secrets just waiting to be uncovered. The real question is, are you truly prepared to receive the answers you're looking for? Most people are a lot happier remaining completely ignorant of the world abroad...only those with the greatest of wills are qualified to peel back the veil and uncover the truth that lies beneath...""..."Staring into Vahn's abnormally deep yet vibrant eyes, Bulma had the uncanny impression she was staring into an endless well of knowledge. It was, if she were being completely honest, a little scary. At the same time, however, an excitement reminiscent of the first time she had built something was swelling from the depths of Bulma's psyche. She hadn't earned the distinction of being the smartest girl in the world by fearing the unknown, so, after a moment of consideration, she crossed her arms and adopted a confident smile as she retorted, "Who do you think you're talking to? I'm not some little girl you can frighten with scary stories. Everything has an explanation, and, so long as I live and breathe, I won't stop until I expose all the Universe's secrets!"Nodding his head in approval, Vahn's expression noticeably softened as he muttered, "Good. That's the correct way to live..."Hearing Vahn's deep yet velvety tone, a shiver ran through Bulma's body as her heart promptly skipped a beat. She was the type of girl that would mentally insert herself into romance flicks and dramas, so, having a handsome man staring at her with a 'smoldering' look on his face was a bit too much for Bulma to handle. Her knees felt wobbly, and, though it was quite warm outside, she felt a slight chill as the gentle summer breeze passed through her thighs and beneath her skirt.Unfortunately, just as Bulma's thoughts were beginning to take a rosy hue, her mind was brought crashing back to reality as Vahn softly teased, "When you're finished staring off into space, come inside. You'll need to rest your body and mind if you're serious about continuing your journey to find the Dragon Balls."Though her mind nearly fell into the gutter when she heard the phrase 'come inside', Bulma was able to conceal her slightly perverse nature behind a veil of fury as she groaned, "Uuuuugh...why'd you have to remind me? I'm still pissed off that you're making me go and search for the balls when you can just bring them here whenever you want. I know you want me to learn some kind of lesson but can't you make an exception, just this once? If you do, I promise to make it worth your while..."Unable to completely suppress her true nature, a lewd and somewhat silly smile developed across Bulma's face as she grabbed the hem of her pleated pink skirt and flared it provocatively. She didn't actually reveal the skirt's contents, but, against most men, even a flash of her milky white thighs was more than enough to get them drooling like dogs.As Bulma was rather infamous for taking advantage of and being exploited for her sexuality, Vahn wasn't particularly surprised by her behavior. Her original had even tried to convince Goku to part with his Dragon Ball by promising a flash of her panties. Less than three episodes later, she used a similar method to convince Master Roshi, but, due to a bit of mischief wrought by Goku, she ended up flashing a lot more than her panties...Surprising the precocious blunette quite a bit, Vahn adopted a teasing smile as he stated, "Trust me, Ms. Briefs, if something were to happen between us, it wouldn't be me receiving their while's worth. Now, unless you have something substantial to discuss, I have a little nephew to attend. Feel free to stop by my room if your curiosity gets the better of you."Punctuating his words with a playful wink, Vahn grabbed Sarina's hand before surprising the bright red blunette by promptly teleporting away. This left Bulma without an outlet, or, more accurately, a scapegoat to direct her embarrassment and frustration towards. As a result, she ended up burying her beet-red face into her hands, illusory steam rising from her head as she muttered, "What have I gotten myself into...?"......Though Bulma never came to his room, Vahn could sense that she was awake deep into the night. There was even a moment where she went around to every other room but his own, ostensibly in search of Sarina. When she failed to find her, Bulma ended up standing in the hallway connecting to his room for the better part of half an hour before ultimately returning to the 'comfort' of her own. There, she remained awake until around 2 AM before finally passing out thanks to a combination of mental fatigue and physical exhaustion.........With the dawn of a new day, Vahn took the time to help Sarina perform her morning routine before heading downstairs to prepare breakfast. The aroma of the food promptly roused Goku, who, after a thorough cleaning and a change of apparel, now resembled a bubbly youth with large, hazel eyes and a carefree smile limited only by the bounds of his face."Good morning, Uncle Vahn! Wow, something sure smells great!"Unable to restrain his curiosity, Goku leaped up to the counter to get a better look at the food Vahn was preparing. Under normal circumstances, Vahn wouldn't particularly mind this. In Goku's case, he understood the young Saiyan needed a guiding hand and a parental figure, so, with the shadow of a frown on his face, he said, "You shouldn't stand on the counter, Goku. We use such surfaces to cut and prepare ingredients. If they get dirty, there's a small chance that the food we prepare will make people sick. Have you ever had a stomach ache or experience diarrhea...?"Paling at the mention of the word, Goku promptly hopped from the counter before answering, "I used to get it a lot when I ate fish from the lake. There were even worms in my poop one time so I usually go fishing in the river or catch bears and rabbits in the woods"Raising his brows, Vahn set the stove to simmer before reaching out to place his palm on Goku's head. He hadn't noticed anything amiss the day before, but, hearing mention of worms, he couldn't help feeling slightly concerned. Fortunately, while there were signs of microscopic tearing in Goku's intestines, there were no parasites anywhere in his body.Though he didn't understand why Vahn had suddenly started to caress his head, Goku just smiled innocently as the tip of his monkey-like tail curled in contentedness. Vahn's actions reminded him of his Grandpa, so, while there were no guarantees they were related, the notion they were family was already firmly cemented in his mind.........(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Bulma be like, *smug cat*','Vahn be like, *himself*','Not all families are forged through blood relations...')

Arriving nearly an hour after everyone else had already finished breakfast, Bulma was looking more than a little worse for wear as she entered the dining room and groaned, "Ugh...where's the coffee? I need at least three cups or I'm going to be out of it the entire day."As the only one remaining in the dining room, Vahn offered a casual smile as he manifested a pot of coffee out of thin air and asked, "Didn't get much sleep?"Furrowing her brows, Bulma briefly studied Vahn's face for any signs that he might be alluding to her nightly activities. In response, Vahn raised his brows in mock confusion as he emptied the entire pot of coffee into a thermos.Though Vahn's reaction appeared genuine, Bulma couldn't shake the feeling he was pretending. A faint blush began to color her cheeks, and, though part of her didn't want to know, another part of her was too curious not to ask, "Were you...awake last night...?"Understanding what she was actually asking, Vahn's smile curled up at the edges as he said, "Don't worry. There is a special enchantment on each of the beds. Not only do they make themselves, but, so long as you don't damage the base materials, they even clean their own sheets...""Oh Kami..."Covering her hastily reddening face, Bulma promptly squatted down as if she were attempting to shrink into a form too small to see. Fortunately, not that it made much of a difference if he wanted to see, Bulma had changed into a loose-fitting, dark-pink nightgown the previous night. The fabric extended all the way to her ankles, so, even when she squatted down, nothing was visible.Restraining the urge to laugh, Vahn placed the thermos on the edge of the table before pulling out a plate filled with pastries and sliced fruit. Then, without further comment, he teleported outside to find Sarina in the process of teaching Goku how to stretch. She was, at least for the time being, the strongest human on the planet, so, while Goku would quickly catch up once his potential had been awakened, Sarina was currently his Senior Apprentice/Senpai.Unable to restrain his curiosity, Vahn purchased a green, AT Model 34 Scouter for a surprisingly modest 8,000 OP. He could have created one, but, with a functionally infinite and ever-increasing supply of OP, Vahn wasn't too concerned with spending it."Now, let's see what we're working with..."Placing the Scouter over his right ear, Vahn was marginally surprised when microscopic holes in the Scouter's cushioning formed tiny vacuum seals against his skin. This created a surprisingly powerful suction force, so much so that a normal person would need to press a release valve on the side just to remove it."That's pretty neat..."As it was something he had always been curious about, Vahn was rather pleased with the relatively trivial discovery. In the very next moment, however, he shifted his focus to the actual display before pressing the button at the center of the earpiece. A surprisingly high-pitched sound then assaulted his eardrum, and, judging by how both Sarina and Goku shifted their attention his way, it was easy to surmise they could also hear it.Adopting a wry smile, Vahn mused, "Not the stealthiest piece of technology I've ever worked with..." before pressing the button a few more times until the HUD indicated the Scouter was in detection mode."Is that a Scouter? I didn't expect you to bring one out so soon."Recognizing the device the moment she saw it, Sarina's tensions began to build as she approached Vahn with an excited smile. Goku also walked over, but, unlike Sarina, he had a somewhat airheaded look on his face as he innocently inquired, "What's a Scouter? Could it be that weird-looking thing on Uncle Vahn's head?"Restraining a light chuckle, Vahn's smile became marginally more prominent as he explained, "It may be a little lacking in the aesthetics department but this little fella has the ability to quantify a person's strength in a numerical format. It's generally better not to rely on things like this but it's pretty useful in the early stages of training. Now, hold still a moment..."As the HUD display flickered and produced yet another high-pitched sound, Vahn waited patiently until it 'dinged' to reveal a surprisingly low value of 14. He wasn't quite sure what he had expected, but, after seeing Goku kick Bulma's car flying, he assumed it would be much higher. After all, a fully grown adult man had an average power level of 5. Unless they were something along the lines of a bodybuilder or a skilled martial artist, there was no way a normal human could withstand bullets or total a car with a kick...Surmising that Goku's power level fluctuated tremendously depending on his emotions, Vahn made a mental note to keep tabs on the young Saiyan's growth as he shifted his attention to Sarina. Her face practically lit up the moment he looked at her. This was pretty par for the course when it came to the beautiful brunette. This time, however, she was focused more on the Scouter than staring at his face...*ding*"Oh? 492 without Ki training? That's pretty impressive."As even Master Roshi only had a power level of around 180-200 at the beginning of Dragon Ball, it wasn't an exaggeration to say that Sarina was currently one of the strongest people on the planet. In fact, according to a small notification that had appeared on the HUD, there were only two power levels above her.With his intent allowing him to peer across vast distances if he were there, Vahn could see that one of the power levels belonged to the gigantic figure of the Ox-King. Even more surprising was that his power level, despite being submissive to Master Roshi, was a whopping 902.Recalling that even Kami and King Piccolo should only have power levels ranging between 260 and 440, Vahn couldn't help wondering why the Ox-King wasn't able to step in and defeat the tyrannical villain...Dismissing that thought for the moment, Vahn shifted his intent to the next power level. When he saw what it belonged to, a look of astonishment flashed across his face as, rather than a person, the power's origin belonged to a dark purple, egg-like object covered in pulsating veins..."What's wrong?"Hearing Sarina's voice, Vahn immediately returned to his senses before adopting a wry smile and saying, "It would appear this Scouter is a little more advanced than the variety we're familiar with. It was even able to detect the trace amounts of magical energy radiating from a certain bubblegum pink villain..."Though she was momentarily confused by Vahn's words, it didn't take long for Sarina to realize who he was talking about. After all, there wasn't exactly a plethora of bubblegum-pink villains. In fact, as far as she was aware, there were only two. Majin Buu and Android 21. Since the latter only appeared in a few anime, Sarina highly doubted she was the villain Vahn was referring to.Bringing his left index finger to his lips, Vahn shook his head to indicate that Sarina shouldn't make mention of Majin Buu. Earth had been closely monitored by the Eastern Supreme Kai ever since he killed Majin Buu's creator more than five million years prior. Some stories even depicted the purple-skinned Kai stepping in when Vegeta, or other threats, had managed to come out ahead against the Z-Fighters. In those instances, he would immediately eliminate any and all threats to prevent Buu's awakening.While he wasn't even remotely worried about Shin, Vahn would rather avoid speeding things up to the point that people with power levels in the hundreds of millions were popping up when the main cast was still decades away from breaking through one thousand...Understanding what Vahn was trying to say, even if she didn't fully understand the reason behind his decision, Sarina simply nodded her head. Immediately thereafter, she asked, "Can I try out the Scouter? I want to see what your power level is."Tapping the release valve, the Scouter hissed for a moment before popping away from Vahn's head without issue. He doubted the Scouter would be able to read anything, but, curious to find out, he showed Sarina how to attach it before giving her a quick explanation regarding its use.Following Vahn's instructions, Sarina quickly set the Scouter to detection mode before focusing her rather intense gaze on his face. Several strange symbols immediately appeared on the Scouter, but, thanks to the System Template Vahn had gifted her, they quickly transformed into a format she was able to read. In spite of this, she had no way of making sense of the ludicrous number possessing a dizzying number of commas digits..."Uh..."Fortunately for Sarina, the System Template was perfect for situations such as this. The moment she began floundering for a response, a voice identical to Vahn's softly informed her, (*Rounded up, the number is approximately seventeen octodecillion.*)While thanking the System Template in her mind, Sarina's confused expression morphed into a happy smile as she parroted, "It keeps fluctuating, but your power level rounds up to seventeen octodecillion."Surprised that the Scouter could even analyze his generally incomprehensible power level, Vahn's brows perked up as he muttered a sincere, "Wow..." before promptly suppressing the urge to power up and have her scan him again. After all, as exciting as large numbers were, power levels in Dragon Ball had never been an accurate representation of a person's strength."What's an octodillion...?'Having never even heard of numbers greater than a hundred, Goku had no clue where Vahn and Sarina were talking about. He just wanted to join in the conversation as he had started to feel left out.Ruffling the young Saiyan's hair, Vahn answered, "In this particular instance, it may as well be a made-up word. For now, let's focus on you..."Explaining to Goku the basics of power levels and how his own compared to a normal person's, Vahn was able to successfully hype up the aspiring martial artist. Having a basic grasp of where you stood in relation to others was a powerful motivator, so, hearing that Sarina was as strong as thirty-five of him, flames of competitiveness appeared in Goku's hazel-brown eyes as he promptly asked her for a fight.........Though she had been slightly annoyed when Vahn suddenly disappeared on her, the majority of Bulma's anger vanished when she rose to her feet and found a still-warm breakfast waiting for her. She normally skipped the most important meal of the day, but, recalling how she hadn't even had to use the bathroom since eating Vahn's food, Bulma decided to give it a try."Oh, wow. Is this a cheese danish? How can it be so crispy without flaking...?"As normal pastries were quite messy, Bulma couldn't help marveling as the strangely luminescent danish retained its shape even when she shook it. This was in spite of the fact that it crisped like a potato chip the moment she bit into it."How strange..."Finishing the danish in record time, Bulma opened the thermos to find that the coffee inside was mixed with cinnamon dolce creamer, yet another one of her favorites. A ruddy hue immediately spread through her cheeks. At the same time, largely due to the fact she was alone, a somewhat distorted, ostensibly perverted smile spread across her face. Then, after looking around to make sure no one was looking, she rolled up the back of her nightgown before sitting where Vahn had been prior to her arrival. When she noticed it was still warm, a very small amount of drool leaked from Bulma's mouth before she promptly wiped it away.........(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Scouter got that guuud succc...','Ox-King is secretly the MC...','While it might be difficult to believe, this is exactly how Bulma behaves in Dragon Ball canon. If you don't believe me, just watch the first few episodes xD...')

Curious to see how much Goku could fit into his remarkably small body, Vahn cooked up a feast fit for at least fifteen people. In spite of this, the young Saiyan kept gorging down food as if he were a garbage chute, his body metabolizing it almost instantly before converting it into trace amounts of Ki...Though Vahn was amused by Goku's ability to put down food, the only thing preventing Bulma from losing her appetite was the phantasmal quality of even the most casual dishes he prepared."This is really good, Vahn. You should come back with me when I return to West City. I can help Sarina and Goku enroll in school while you work off their tuition as my personal chef."Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Vahn skillfully flipped a line of thinly cut Tyrannosaurus Tail Steak as he replied, "There are some things money can't buy, Ms. Briefs. I believe your journey to discover the Dragon Balls is proof enough of that..."Adopting an annoyed expression, Bulma huffed before scarfing down half her plate and saying, "If I wanted to, I could easily purchase what I'm looking for. It's just, even if I did, I wouldn't be happy..."Asking in Vahn's stead, Sarina chimed in to inquire, "What, exactly, are you planning to wish for? I'm curious."Blushing in embarrassment, Bulma began to fiddle around with the food on her plate as she meekly replied, "I want to wish for the perfect boyfriend..."Though she already knew about Bulma's wish after watching Dragon Ball, Sarina couldn't restrain an awkward smile. After all, there were innumerable flaws with such a wish. After all, the definition of a perfect boyfriend would vary from person to person, and, unless they constantly adapted to match your wants and needs in any given situation, could they be called perfect?Realizing that Vahn could probably do exactly that, a soft chuckle escaped Sarina's throat. Bulma, assuming Sarina was laughing at her, immediately began to flare up. Fortunately, just as she was about to shout and ask what Sarina would wish for, Vahn joined them at the table, asking, "What are the two of you whispering about?"Redirecting her ire towards Vahn, Bulma shouted, "It's none of your business, Buster! Didn't anyone ever teach you not to butt in when girls are having a private discussion!?"Showing little regard for Bulma's words, Vahn maintained a relaxed smile as he looked down at Goku and asked, "Are you enjoying the food?"Unable to talk due to the amount of food he had stuffed into his mouth, Goku just smiled up at Vahn with an expression reminiscent of a chipmunk.Amused by the young Saiyan's antics, Vahn habitually extended his hand to pat the top of Goku's head before meeting Bulma's gaze out of the corner of his eye."There is no such thing as perfection. Even if there was, it could only exist for a single moment in time. The moment it becomes bound by the Laws of the World, it is no longer perfect. After all, the definition of perfection, much like life itself, is constantly shifting from one state to another. Unless it exists in a form that cannot be observed, perfection is a transient concept that simply can't exist in any meaningful capacity..."Furrowing her brows, Bulma took a moment to reflect on Vahn's words. Not because she was in any way impacted by them but because she wanted to refute them. Before she could, Sarina interrupted her train of thought, saying, "You shouldn't get in the habit of arguing with Vahn. His Wisdom is far beyond your ability to comprehend. I'm not saying you can't question him. Just don't go into things assuming you're right. Trust me, when it comes to knowledge, there is little Vahn doesn't know and nothing he can't know..."Undaunted by Sarina's words, a challenging look flashed across Bulma's face as she remarked, "Oh, is that so? Sounds to me like this guy might have brainwashed you with his handsome appearance and delicious food..."Leaning forward, Vahn supported his head with the knuckles of his left hand as he mused, "Thanks for the compliments..."Snorting through her nose, Bulma pursed her lips before mirroring Vahn's actions. Instead of one hand, however, she framed her face with both palms as she asked, "So? How does this work? Are you some kind of Psychic or..."Seeing Vahn casually levitate a few trays with a simple raise of his right index finger, the words at the tip of Bulma's tongue promptly faded into the void.Dismissing the possibility magnets were at play, largely due to the fact the plates were ceramic and there were several other metal objects present, Bulma's intrigue was piqued as she asked, "What am I thinking right this instant?"Disguising his annoyance with a light chuckle, Vahn manifested a cup of coffee for himself before saying, "I have a policy against prying into other people's thoughts. Can I? Certainly. Do you truly want me to? No. After all, even if they find it entertaining in the beginning, the novelty wears off quite quickly. Ask yourself this, Ms. Briefs. Would you ever be able to sleep comfortably if you knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, there were people in this world who knew the inner workings of your mind even better than yourself...?"Paling at the thought, Bulma found herself swallowing a knot that had formed in her throat. Then, just as she was thinking about asking Vahn for something to drink, the cogs in her mind ground to a stop when he manifested a cup of tea for her. If it was any normal tea, she would have thought he had primed her by pulling out a cup of coffee. Instead, the tea in the cup was her favorite..."Now, how about we move on to the questions you really want answers to? So long as it doesn't invade the privacy of another, I don't mind sharing..."Feeling far more nervous than before, Bulma attempted to calm herself by positing that Vahn had simply investigated her. This was a terrifying notion in and of itself, but, compared to the possibility that there were people who knew her every thought, it was significantly less scary...Thinking he may have pushed her a little too hard, Vahn attempted to allay Bulma's concerns by saying, "Relax. As I stated previously, I have a policy against prying into a person's thoughts and memories. I also don't share private information about people without their consent, so, even if I were aware of your secrets, there is no chance of them getting out."Though she did calm down a little, Bulma wasn't particularly comforted by Vahn's words. She was now firmly convinced that there was at least a possibility that there were people in this world that 'could' read her thoughts. At the same time, however, she was fascinated by the notion that there were still forces in the Universe she had yet to fully comprehend...Organizing her thoughts, Bulma decided to put Vahn's knowledge to the test, asking, "If you're so knowledgeable, why did you need to inspect my Dragon Radar before being able to sense them? Shouldn't you just know the location of the Dragon Balls?"Surprised by the remarkably to the point question, the corners of Vahn's smile curled upward as he answered, "There is a significant difference between knowing the location of something and being able to sense it. For example, you undoubtedly know the location of your own house, correct? Can you sense it...?"Realizing the flaw in her question, a frown developed across Bulma's face as she quickly rephrased things, asking, "Where are the rest of the Dragon Balls located? Is there anything I need to be wary of when searching for them?"Stroking his non-existent beard, Vahn took a moment to organize his thoughts before musing, "This is dangerously close to invading the privacy of others. Fortunately for you, three of the Dragon Balls are currently regarded as little more than trinkets. Their owners could also use some help so there is a decently high probability you will be able to obtain them after rendering your assistance..."Though he was half-tempted to just steal Emperor Pilaf's Dragon Ball, Vahn knew the petite, imp-like man wasn't truly as evil as he appeared. He had always been more of a comic relief character than an actual villain, and, depending on the timeline, he even redeemed himself by sacrificing his life to protect his vassals/friends/caretakers, Mai and Shu."Let's see...the three-star Dragon Ball is in the possession of the Turtle Hermit, Master Roshi. As for the six and seven-star balls, the first is located in a village being terrorized by a pig demon with the ability to shapeshift. The second is located within the treasury of the Ox-King on Mount Frypan. So long as you can save the Village of Aru and extinguish the inextinguishable flames of Mount Frypan, the six and seven-star Dragon Balls are as good as yours. As for the one-star Dragon Ball...well, that depends on your fate..."Shivering at the mention of fate, Bulma decided to skip asking about the specifics of the first three Dragon Balls and instead asked the question at the forefront of her mind, specifically, "Are you able to teleport or summon the other Dragon Balls?"As the Dragon Balls basically became resurrection fodder after the events of the Red Ribbon Army, a soft chuckle emanated from Vahn's throat before he went on to answer, "Indeed."Demonstrating his point, Vahn briefly borrowed the seven-star Dragon Ball from Mount Frypan. The Ox-King and his daughter were currently trapped outside their palace so it wasn't like he was going to miss it.Seeing the six-star Dragon Ball in Vahn's hand, the pupils of Bulma's sapphirine eyes contracted to points as she asked, "Are...are you the Guardian God of this planet...?"Unable to contain himself, a guffaw-like laugh emanated from Vahn's throat before he promptly got it under control. Then, with a remarkably amused smile on his face, he answered, "No. That is a title that belongs to Kami. If you travel to the Sacred Grounds guarded by the Karinga Tribe, you'll find a tower that appears to extend to the Heavens. Those who climb said Tower without the aid of tools will have the opportunity to meet the Immortal Sage, Korin the Wise. From there, you need a special key to be able to ascend to Kami's Lookout, a special platform that exists between the fabric of reality and the Heavenly Realm. It is there you will find the Guardian God of this world..."Though she was left with even more questions after Vahn's explanation, Bulma decided to focus on the most important matter at hand, asking, "I'm guessing you're not going to just hand that Dragon Ball over, are you?"Returning the aforementioned ball to its previous position, another chuckle emanated from Vahn's throat as he teased, "You're a fast learner. It's no wonder you were able to create something as truly extraordinary as a radar designed to track a specific form of magical energy. I'm looking forward to seeing how you use that remarkable intelligence of yours to solve the problems of people in need."Clicking her tongue, Bulma had to take a deep breath to suppress the urge to lambast Vahn for his blatant teasing. If he would just bring the Dragon Balls directly to her, she could make her wish and be home by sunrise. Instead, he was insisting she go on a perilous journey that spanned days, if not weeks. Sure, she may have been the one to set out on this journey, but, as a man, shouldn't he feel some form of obligation towards her, a beautiful woman?("Chivalry really is dead...")With that thought now firmly cemented in her mind, Bulma began picking at her food like an ill-tempered child. The only difference was that she would take a bite every now and again, as, despite being on a diet, she simply couldn't resist the food Vahn had prepared.........(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'There are few things more terrifying than a delusional genius...','Vahn is like a ninehead...','Shenron is going to be sweating when he meets Vahn for the first time xD...')

Chapter 5: Brazen