EPIC Side Story: Dragon Ball

With Goku returning from his joy ride atop the Flying Nimbus, Vahn and the others said their farewells to Master Roshi before seeing the newly rejuvenated Turtle Hermit off. Since they were already at the beach, however, Vahn proposed they spend the rest of the day lounging around as their next destination, Aru Village, was more than eight hundred kilometers away.Since Goku still wanted to play around with his newly acquired companion, the only person who was against sticking around was Bulma. She was already beginning to miss her workshop and the comforts of West City, so, ever since learning that her journey could basically be completed in an instant by Vahn, she kind of wanted to just get it over with.Of course, the main reason for Bulma's sudden change in mentality was the notion that her journey no longer served a purpose. Being called out by both Vahn and Sarina had caused her to reconsider her wish.In hindsight, Bulma realized there were a number of problems with wishing for a perfect boyfriend. If such a person did exist, she would basically be brainwashing them to love her. If they didn't exist, she would be willing them into existence for the sole purpose of pandering to her.Imagining what it would be like to be on the receiving end of such a wish, Bulma realized just how short-sighted she had been prior to setting out on her journey. She had also set Vahn as her current goal, so, even if they did obtain all seven Dragon Balls, she no longer had any use for them. She was already ludicrously wealthy, supremely intelligent, and remarkably beautiful. Other than a boyfriend that could match her status, she had never wanted for anything her entire life...With this, and several other thoughts plaguing her mind, Bulma was caught off guard when Sarina suddenly sat next to her and asked, "What are you thinking about with such a serious look on your face?"Adopting a slightly hostile expression, Bulma retorted, "There's no way you would understand. You have a literal God as your mentor and boyfriend. I bet you don't even have to ask and Vahn grants all your wishes, doesn't he?"Furrowing her brows, Sarina wanted to refute Bulma's words but she couldn't. Vahn had literally created an entire metaverse for her, and, despite having far more pressing matters to attend, he hadn't even hesitated to agree to her request. If she asked, he would transform her into a Saiyan, teleport her anywhere she wanted to go, and dedicate entire planets to her training. There were very few things he wouldn't outright give her, chief among them being power she hadn't earned."..."Seeing the conflicted expression on Sarina's face, Bulma's own formed into a pout. There was a lot she could infer from Sarina's reaction. This created innumerable questions in her mind, but, instead of focusing on general curiosities, Bulma decided to strike at the heart of the matter, asking, "Were you the one who asked Vahn to come here...?"Not expecting such a question out of the blue, Sarina opened her mouth to refute, but, before she could utter so much as a single syllable, Bulma snorted through her nose, adding, "I knew it. Vahn is far too powerful to be wasting time here on Earth. You must have taken advantage of your status as his lover to request that he bring you here. The question is, why?"Realizing she had severely underestimated Bulma's intelligence, Sarina decided to borrow a page from Loki's book. The irredeemably perverted Goddess had taken an interest in her during most of her stays in the Game Board. This had forced Sarina into a number of compromising positions, but, in exchange, she was able to learn from one of the most intelligent and clever Goddesses in Vahn's memory.Squinting her eyes, a weak yet palpable bloodlust radiated from Sarina's body as she said, "Though I can understand your reasons, aren't you being a little too presumptuous? People aren't obligated to reveal their secrets just because you asked. And to think, I was actually about to give you advice on how to further your relationship with Vahn..."Shaking her head, Sarina rose from her seated position before looking down at Bulma and adding, "You're right about one thing. Vahn came here because of me. If I asked him to leave, do you think he would refuse...?"Without waiting for Bulma's response, Sarina walked over to where Vahn was manipulating the sand to build a 1:10 scale model of a castle for Goku. The young Saiyan was having a blast destroying the record-setting sandcastle, as, despite possessing a pure heart, Goku was ultimately a pure-blooded Saiyan. Vahn was intending to help him control his destructive instincts, but, before that, he wanted to draw them out so that Goku was better aware of them.Following Sarina's departure with a withering gaze, Bulma's desire to steal Vahn for herself matured from a simple sapling to a veritable world tree. At the same time, however, her rational mind kicked into overdrive. It didn't take a genius to understand that Sarina's words weren't so much a threat as they were a statement of fact. If she did ask Vahn to whisk her away, Bulma had no doubt he would do exactly that."How annoying...I finally find someone suitable enough to be my boyfriend and he's taken by some hussy with more tits than brains..."Willfully ignoring the fact her breasts were much larger than the majority of girls her age, Bulma's mind raced to come up with a plan to sway Vahn's favor. He had already expressed an interest in her, so, ideally, she just needed to give him a few small pushes to shift his attention from Sarina to herself...Shaking such thoughts from her mind, Bulma bit the nail of her right thump as she muttered, "No, that won't work. Even if he looks like a normal, albeit attractive human male, Vahn is ultimately a God. If he really has lived for billions of years, there's no way he will just abandon one of his lovers to be with someone else..."Though she was supremely confident in her intelligence and beauty, Bulma wasn't vain enough to think Vahn would simply abandon the person he descended to Earth to train. There was also a very real possibility he would see through her intentions the moment she attempted to turn him against Sarina. If that happened, Bulma wagered he would either distance himself from her or simply regard her as another, inconsequential human being..."Damnit..."Realizing her only hope was to convince Sarina to leave Vahn, Bulma couldn't help cursing under her breath. She had barely even known Vahn for twenty-four hours and it was already impossible for her to regard him as anything less than perfect. If he were her boyfriend, there was no way in hell she would leave him for someone else. She might if he completely ignored her, but, seeing as how he was willing to descend to Earth on Sarina's whim, it was pretty obvious Vahn didn't ignore his women..."Women..."Recalling the fact that Sarina had introduced herself as 'one of Vahn's lovers', the realization that he had other women suddenly crossed Bulma's mind. It would certainly explain why he was so open to her visiting his room despite the fact Sarina was already there. As a God that had lived for billions of years, he probably had dozens, if not hundreds of wives awaiting his return in some higher plane of existence..."Oh, great. I finally find someone worthy enough to be my boyfriend and there's a possibility he has enough wives to populate a small city...""It's not quite to that point...""Uwaaaah~!?"Hearing Vahn's voice coming from beside her, Bulma issued a high-pitched scream before nearly falling out of her beach chair. This was prevented by Vahn, who, afterward, held out a glass of ice tea, asking, "You okay? I didn't mean to startle you."Though Bulma ultimately accepted the offering, it wasn't before she remarked, "As if...don't think I haven't caught on to your little game, Buster. You really enjoy teasing people, don't you?"Shrugging his shoulders, Vahn neither confirmed nor denied Bulma's accusations as he went on to explain, "You're right about the existence of my harem. However, so long as I'm here in this world, you can rest assured that they will never make an appearance. If you ever do meet them, it will be because you've ascended to Godhood or agreed to come with me when I return. As for when that will be...I'm not entirely sure. At the very least, I will probably stay here for thirty-odd years. I could also stick around until you die of natural causes, but, even if we never become a thing, that isn't too likely to occur. I take care of my friends and family. We might never become the latter but I'd like it if we were to remain friends for the duration of my stay..."Furrowing her brows, Bulma's various trains of thought briefly ground to a halt as she asked, "Are you trying to friend zone me?"Shaking his head, Vahn's expression softened as he said, "I'm just being honest with you. I don't want you to feel pressured to make a decision just because you think time is limited. While that may be the case, thirty years is a long time from the perspective of humans. Take your time and decide for yourself the path you wish to walk. So long as you don't ask me to mind control people or give you the power to destroy galaxies with a sneeze, I'll always be here to lend an ear...""..."Though she was tempted to point out he had mentioned only being around for thirty years, Bulma decided against correcting Vahn's statement. She was far more focused on the fact he was basically telling her he would grant her wishes even if she didn't choose to become one of his many lovers. If that were true, there must be a reason he was indirectly pushing her to continue the search for the Dragon Balls...Looking past Vahn, Bulma could see Goku laughing boisterously in the middle of a now-destroyed sandcastle. She also recalled that Vahn had previously shown off his tail, yet, despite wearing a pair of loose-fitting swim trunks, it was currently nowhere to be seen. This, combined with the things he had said during his conversation with Roshi, had begun to paint a clear picture within her mind. This wasn't her journey, it was Goku's...Taking advantage of the fact that Vahn apparently couldn't lie, Bulma's expression formed into a pout as she asked, "If I asked you to take me back to West City...would you continue searching for the Dragon Balls?"Even without Vahn answering directly, Bulma knew the answer the moment a wry smile developed across his face. A surprisingly painful feeling spread through her chest, and, for a brief moment, she almost felt as though she was about to begin hyperventilating. Before she could, Vahn's placed his hand on her back, a notably bewildered expression on his face as he stated, "I think you may have misunderstood something..."Turning to face him, Bulma noticed a hint of concern in Vahn's eyes as he clarified, "I came here to train Sarina. While you and Goku are instrumental to this world's survival, it was never my intention to control, manipulate, or dictate your lives. I am here as more of an observer than an actual actor. I will invariably take action when I see fit but this is ultimately your world...your life...what you choose to do with it is ultimately up to you."Though it wasn't the answer she wanted, Bulma wasn't too surprised by Vahn's words. If he tried to convince her he had come to Earth specifically for her, she wouldn't have believed him. He had also gone on the record to reveal the purpose behind his visit on no less than three separate occasions so it would be strange for him to change his tone just to make her feel better.Realizing that Vahn didn't truly care about this world or the people in it, countless thoughts began to form in Bulma's mind. His words and actions implied that things were going to get pretty hectic if she and Goku were somehow instrumental to the world's survival. His interactions with Roshi also supported this notion, so, after a moment of deliberation, a serious glimmer flashed across Bulma's eyes as she asked, "Will you marry me...?"......(A/N: Alternate Titles; 'Drama Squad, Assemble...!','Bulma is, unsurprisingly, very smart...','Well, that escalated quickly...')

"I think you may have misunderstood my intentions when I said to take your time..."Snorting in response to Vahn's words, Bulma crossed her arms in a manner that made her bikini top noticeably slacken as she retorted, "You also mentioned thirty years, twice, made allusions to beings with the power to erase entire galaxies, and directly stated that Goku and I were instrumental to the world's survival. Thirty years may be a fair amount of time, but, based on your words and actions, it might as well be a time limit."Realizing he might have revealed a little too much information, a wry smile developed across Vahn's face as he sincerely stated, "You truly are a brilliant woman..."With a haughty smile on her face, Bulma raised her head in a proud manner as she said, "Well, duh. I am the greatest inventor in the world. Give me the chance to study alien technologies and it's only a matter of time before I become the greatest in the Universe."As the Bulma he was familiar with had gone on to create things like interdimensional time machines and radars capable of detecting energy throughout the Universe, Vahn didn't doubt her claim. If she had been a bit more 'ambitious', she could have easily risen to the level of Da Vinci. Whether or not she could surpass her was an entirely separate matter."While your words are remarkably on point, they don't really explain your sudden interest in getting married. Unless I'm mistaken, shouldn't you be against the idea of settling down?"Though Vahn's words revealed that he knew more about her than he had initially let on, that wasn't the thing Bulma focused on. She had decades to figure out where he came from and how he knew the things he did. For now, there were far more pressing matters at hand. With that in mind, she did her best to calm the beating of her heart as she explained, "The comment you made regarding your wives and their inability to intervene in this world implies you only recently arrived here. You don't strike me as the type to ignore your lovers so that must mean they exist in a place where time flows separately from our own. That, combined with your complete lack of inhibitions, leads me to believe it's only a matter of time before you set your sights on other women. I'm already at a disadvantage due to your preexisting relationship with Sarina. I'll be damned if I'm going to play second fiddle to any other girls you encounter during your stay..."Leaving out her intentions to monopolize, or, at the very least, take advantage of Vahn's knowledge and power, Bulma laid everything else on the table. She might not be able to do anything about Sarina, but, just as the latter was able to threaten her with the notion of convincing Vahn to leave, Bulma was confident she could anchor him to the planet and prevent people she didn't approve of from trying to claim him. If there was going to be a pecking order, she was going to do everything in her power to remain at the top...Understanding that Bulma was serious, the expression on Vahn's face changed to match. Instead of agreeing to marry her, however, he noted, "You're currently sixteen years old and still in Senior High School. While it might be legal for girls as young as sixteen to get married, proposing to a man you just met is extremely rash. I understand your reasons but they don't really justify charging headfirst into marriage..."Seeing the look on Bulma's face turn remarkably sour, the edges of Vahn's lips curled into a smile as he added, "Don't be so quick to anger. I'm not actually refusing to marry you. I'm just asking you to be patient and properly consider your options. Marriage is a pretty big deal. Even more so when the other party is a God. Wouldn't you rather get to know me first?"Deciding to make things transparently clear, Bulma maintained an angry expression as she said, "I don't want to become just another flower in your bouquet. If my assertions are correct, you've only just arrived in this world. In spite of that, you've been flirting with me since the moment we met. If I don't put a leash on you, it's only a matter of time before I have to wait in line just to see you. If we get married, I can at least have a say in the order..."Furrowing his brows, a feeling of guilt swelled within Vahn's chest as he tried to view the situation from Bulma's perspective. He still believed she was being rash, but, at the same time, she was also thinking years, perhaps even decades ahead. She had also hit the nail on the head in regards to his character. There may only be a handful of female characters that came to mind when he referenced the information stored in his memories, but, as this was no longer a fictional universe, there was a very real chance he would encounter someone outside the original cast that garnered his attention.Not wanting to ruin the burgeoning relationship he was building with the beautiful blunette, Vahn decided that the best course of action was to compromise. With that in mind, he proposed, "How about this. With the obvious exception of Sarina, I promise not to become romantically entangled with any other women for the next five, make that ten years. Twenty-six is still pretty young to get married..."Though she was more than a little surprised by Vahn's offer, Bulma was a haggler to the very core of her being. If he was willing to cut a deal, she was going to make sure it favored her as much as possible. With that in mind, she immediately proposed a counteroffer, stating, "Fine. I don't mind taking things slow. However, so long as I don't officially break things off, you have to tell everyone we're engaged. I also want you to promise me that you won't go off philandering if I somehow end up pregnant and carrying the child to term. I'm willing to make an exception for Sarina but I expect you to behave like a proper father around our children..."("Yeah, she really is thinking ahead. I imagine she'll have a thirty-year plan drafted by the end of the week at this rate...")(*Well, she is one of the smartest people in her reality. You're lucky you met her when she was still in her rebellious and somewhat delusional phase. If your first encounter had been near the start of the Saiyan Saga, she might have tried to impregnate herself in vitro...*)Smiling wryly in response to Sis's remark, Vahn briefly contemplated Bulma's counteroffer before nodding his head and saying, "I will agree on the condition you accept there might be extenuating circumstances that force us to reconsider these terms. As a God, my promises serve as a powerful, binding contract. Though the odds of anything amiss occurring are slim, it's best to leave ourselves a bit of wiggle room. To that end, I propose we renegotiate terms at the end of every year starting from the fifth."As Vahn clearly understood the inner workings of being a God better than she did, Bulma decided against accusing him of scheming to leave her using the pretense of 'renegotiating' the terms of their relationship. Five years was more than enough time to get a better grasp of his character, so, even if things weren't going particularly well between them, she should be able to leverage things in her favor. She didn't know if the Gods had something like child support but Vahn's reference to her world's laws implied there were certain statutes he respected.Confident that she could convince Vahn to care about the world within the span of five years, a playfully seductive smile developed across Bulma's face as she leaned forward, further accenting her breasts as she answered, "I accept..." in a sultry tone.Returning a smile of his own, Vahn thoroughly shattered Bulma's illusion of bravado by leaning in to give her a kiss. She hadn't expected him to just go for it, so, even after he pulled away to get a look at her face, Bulma's mind was still processing the sudden yet casual intimacy.Amused by Bulma's reaction, Vahn's smile promptly developed the telltale signs of a teasing grin as he asked, "Why the confused look? We're engaged to be wed. Kissing is just the tip of a very large iceberg..."Without waiting for Bulma's response, Vahn planted another chaste kiss on her lips before pulling away to add, "This conversation went on a lot longer than I expected. If you'd like to continue, feel free to stop by my room this evening. I'll give you a glimpse of what lies beneath the surface..."Punctuating his words by gently squeezing Bulma's thigh, Vahn promptly high-tailed it before the befuddled blunette could explode. His departure served as a pretty good catalyst for this, as, the moment he tried to scamper away, she shouted, "You scoundrel...!" before throwing the remnants of her iced tea at his back.........Having paid close attention to Vahn's conversation with Bulma, a certain pink-skinned Goddess of Time couldn't help peering a few years into the future. She might not be able to locate Vahn at any point beyond the present but she should still be able to observe the ripples his presence caused on the timeline.Though she didn't find anything interesting or meaningful during the ten years covered by Vahn's promise, things changed rather drastically in the years that followed.Starting with the arrival of Raditz, Earth was jeopardized or destroyed on no less than six separate occasions. It even became the center of conflict for numerous galactic, intergalactic, and universal threats despite being located in one of the most backwater regions of the entire Universe."I see why he would choose to show up in such a place. If Earth's defenders fail, the entire Universe will be destroyed. Unfortunately, that doesn't really explain where he came from..."As an anomalous existence whose every action irreversibly influenced the timeline he was a part of, it wasn't an exaggeration to say that Vahn was one of the most fascinating and threatening entities in the multiverse. He had literally only existed for a few hours, yet, in spite of this, the flow of time in every Universe had been affected in such a subtle yet comprehensive manner that even she, a being that existed outside the Standard Axis of Time, couldn't identify the changes...Furrowing her brows, a pout appeared on the pink-skinned Kai's face as she struggled to think of a solution. If Vahn was evil or proactively attempting to change things, she could always petition Lord Beerus, the God of Destruction, to deal with him. Instead, Vahn presented himself as a kind-hearted yet mischievous ladies man. As for his attestations about being a God, she wasn't quite sure what to make of them. He clearly wasn't a Kai, yet, even if she attempted a detailed scan of his physical and spiritual bodies, the results came back inconclusive.With her long, elf-like ears twitching in frustration, the pink-skinned Kai crossed her arms beneath her more than ample bosom before issuing an annoyed groan. She really wished the Grand Priest would allow her to have an assistant to help resolve situations like this. It would certainly make her job a lot easier, but, understanding the danger of allowing outsiders in the Time Next, she couldn't really complain. Well, she could, it just wouldn't solve anything..."Maybe I should just retire? I'm nearly a hundred million years old. Even the youngest Kai from my generation has already returned to the Garden. Why am I the only one expected to wait around till the literal destruction of the Universe...?"Though she was well aware of the reason, speaking aloud and complaining were two of the only things keeping the Supreme Kai of Time sane. It might not solve anything, but it did make her feel better.........(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Is this a proposal or a business transaction...?','That iceberg extends to the bottom of the ocean...','Don't let Vahn catch those ears wigglin...')

Though there was a short delay, it wasn't long before Master Roshi's shout was greeted by a fluffy golden cloud zipping across the sky at 1500km/h.With a quality that made it appear like a moving painting, the Flying Nimbus was the offspring of a pseudo-spiritual creature birthed between the Realms of Heaven and Earth. The actual Nimbus was a massive golden cloud said to bring great fortune to all who witnessed its splendor while the much smaller variant, creating a long golden trail as it moved across the sky like a comet, was the favorite mode of transport for Earth's former Sages.As a pseudo-spiritual entity with a nascent ego, the Flying Nimbus possessed the innate ability to ascertain whether or not the person trying to ride it was good, evil, pure of heart, or malicious. If it didn't approve of your character, trying to board it was the same as stepping into empty air."This little fella is known as Nimbus, the Somersault Cloud. Back in the day, these bad boys used to ferry the righteous and pure of heart all over the world. Now, the only people that can board them are young children and those who have dedicated their lives to the pursuit of martial arts. Here, let me demonstrate."Though it had been decades since he last attempted to board the Flying Nimbus, long before the advent of Television, Roshi showed zero hesitation when he attempted to jump up and sit on the glistening golden cloud. Unfortunately, it had been quite some time since he was pure of heart, so, the moment his bottom impacted the cloud, he promptly slipped through it."What tha-!?"Thanks to his shell, Roshi was able to avoid landing directly on his tailbone. Unfortunately, not all injuries were to the body. He was so embarrassed by the unexpected faux pas that his face became red from his nose to his ears. It was kind of sad, but, when it came down to it, the only person Roshi could blame for the mishap was himself.Forcing himself to his feet, Roshi took a moment to dust himself off before clearing his throat with a cough and saying, "Anyways...feel free to give it a go, youngsters. So long as you're able to sit upon its back, the Nimbus will forever answer your call...?"Seeing the golden cloud approach Vahn of its own fruition, Roshi's words gradually trailed off as a look of disbelief marred his elderly face...With the Nimbus nuzzling against the side of his body like a cat seeking affection, a soft chuckle emanated from Vahn's throat as he proceeded to run his hand along its surprisingly warm and expectedly fluffy surface.Though it was difficult to claim he was pure of heart, Vahn was the closest thing to Origin in each of the Records he had visited. As for his Actualized Worlds, he was the literal origin of every entity that existed within. This included the Nimbus, the Giant Nimbus, and everyone capable of riding them. If he wasn't qualified to mount the shimmering golden cloud, no one was.Unfortunately, though it very clearly wanted him to, Vahn had no intention of making the Nimbus his mount. Its maximum speed was a leisurely Mach 1.5. This was, quite literally, millions of times slower than his maximum, unassisted flight speed.As much as he enjoyed leisurely flights, Vahn knew the Nimbus would be better served in the hands of another. Thus, after fluffing it up quite a bit, he gently urged the inordinately fluffy cloud from his body as he said, "Sorry, little fella, but you'll need to choose someone else as your master. I already have a dedicated mount."Hanging its 'head' in a clearly disheartened manner, the Nimbus slowly separated from Vahn's body before moving towards Bulma. This caused a haughty smile to develop across the buxom blunette's face. In response, Sarina tried to warn her, saying, "Bulma...only the pure of heart can ride the Flying Nimbus..." but Bulma wasn't having any of it, rebutting, "I'm the purest girl you'll ever meet!" before attempting to glomp the luminous golden cloud.Unsurprisingly, Bulma fell through the cloud as if it didn't exist. Fortunately, just as she was about to crash, face-first into the ground, Vahn promptly caught her, teasing, "Someone's been naughty..." in a tone only she could hear.Blushing fiercely, Bulma wanted to protest but found herself unable to speak with Vahn's muscular arms supporting her body. His abs were also a mere three centimeters away from her face, so, for a brief moment, Bulma's eyes glazed over as Vahn helped her to a standing position before giving her butt a very discreet squeeze."...!?"With her back straightening, Bulma stared at Vahn with eyes round as saucers. In response, he just smiled back at her, asking, "You okay...?" in a tender, ostensibly concerned tone.Inhaling a deep breath through her nose, Bulma resisted the almost instinctual urge to accuse him of sexual harassment. She didn't want to cause a scene in front of Roshi, and, more importantly, she wasn't actually that upset by his behavior. After all, she had specifically chosen these shorts to draw attention to her butt. Letting him cop a feel after he had saved her from faceplanting seemed like a suitable reward...With that in mind, Bulma ultimately just snorted through her nose before averting her eyes and crossing her arms in a defiant manner. She didn't want Vahn to think she was an easy woman, so, even if she wasn't actually upset, that didn't prevent her from pretending she was...Smiling wryly in response to Bulma's behavior, Vahn briefly glanced toward the pink aura clinging to his body before shifting his attention to Sarina and asking, "Do you want to try...?" in a curious tone.Just as Bulma looked toward her with the intention of egging her own, Sarina promptly shook her head, saying, "I know I'm not pure of heart. If any of us can ride the Nimbus, it's Goku. I say we let him give it a try."Nodding his head in affirmation, Vahn turned to Goku, smiling as he asked, "How about it, kiddo? Want to give it a go?"Without any hesitation whatsoever, Goku answered, "Okay...!" before leaping onto the Nimbus with an excited smile on his face.To the surprise of no one, not even Bulma, the Nimbus solidified the moment Goku landed atop it. Then, just as Goku was about to celebrate with a merry jig, the golden cloud took off like a meteor towards the horizon. It was still feeling a little upset after Vahn's unceremonious rejection, so, now that it had a new master, it wanted to show off a bit."Well, I'll be..."Seeing the Nimbus flying around at high speeds while Goku laughed vivaciously on its back, Roshi couldn't help feeling as though the cloud and boy were made for one another. It had been decades since he saw the Nimbus so spirited, but, after watching the scene for several seconds, he ultimately shook his head before shifting his gaze to Vahn and asking, "Young man, who, or, more specifically, what are you...?"Though he had no intention of discussing the finer details, Vahn had no qualms about revealing his status as a God. Thus, rather than foot about the issue, he returned a carefree smile as he answered, "My name is Vahn Aldrnari Mason. Many know me as the Sage Dragon Emperor. Others know me as the God of Infinite Possibilities. You may simply refer to me as Vahn.""Sage Dragon Emperor...? God of Infinite Possibilities...?"Nodding his head in response to Roshi's utterance, Vahn answered, "Indeed. And, no, they are not simply titles. You probably noticed the Sun disappearing from the sky previously, yes? That was my doing."As it was pretty difficult not to notice the Sun disappeared from the sky, Master Roshi's expression became incomparably serious as he asked, "Why have you come to this world?"Shaking his head, Vahn answered, "Not for the reasons you suspect. I am simply an observer. I'm not here to cause trouble or take over the world. I just want to relax, enjoy life, and watch over the people around me. Being a God isn't exactly a stress-free occupation...""Hmm..."Though he couldn't help feeling a little skeptical, Roshi knew there was a fairly decent chance that Vahn was who he claimed to be. His suspicion was due to the fact he was already aware of Earth's Guardian God, Kami. He had never met the man, but, after climbing Korin's Tower more than three hundred years ago, he heard tales of the Guardian God and had even seen the Lookout suspended high above the clouds.Deciding it would be best to avoid inadvertently offending Vahn, the serious expression faded from Roshi's face as he caressed his beard and asked, "What do you intend to do with Goku? There must be a reason for you to be traveling with him."Instead of immediately answering Roshi's question, Vahn pointed to the glistening orange sphere dangling from his neck. This earned him a confused look from Roshi, but, following his gaze, Bulma immediately recognized the orb's identity, shouting, "Dragon Ball...!" in an excited tone."Dragon whatsit...?"Speaking before Bulma could unnecessarily complicate things, Vahn explained, "We're currently on a journey to gather seven of those spheres. Once we're finished, I would appreciate it if you looked after Goku for a couple of years. He may not be able to reach his full potential under your guidance but I'm certain Gohan would rest easier if Goku was entrusted to you."As he had already been planning to take Goku as a student, Roshi saw no reason to refuse Vahn's request. He did, however, ask, "What makes you believe he can't reach his full potential under my guidance? I may be getting on in years but I'm still the strongest man on Earth. I've trained many of the world's greatest martial artists and even ascended Korin's Tower in my youth..."Smiling in response to the old man's words, Vahn elected to place his hand on Roshi's shoulder rather than explain things. In response, the old man's eyes widened, as, playing within his mind were crystal clear images of Goku fighting against foes like Frieza, Cell, and Majin Buu.Retracting his hand from the old man's shoulder, Vahn explained, "The standards of Earth are not Universal. If you travel to the more populous and technologically advanced regions of the Galaxy, even a poorly trained foot soldier would vastly exceed the most powerful person on this planet. If you are serious about preserving this planet, you won't allow Goku and his future companions to become complacent in their training..."Snatching the Dragon Ball from Roshi's neck, Vahn dangled it in front of him, adding, "I'll be taking this. Think of it as compensation for my little gift...""Gift...?"Confused by Vahn's words, Roshi habitually reached up to stroke his beard only to find it missing. At that exact same moment, a frigid, seaborne breeze swept inland. Under normal circumstances, this would have left his scalp feeling chilled. Instead, strands of black obscured his vision as Roshi extended his hand to find a full head of hair in place of his previously bald head.As a courtesy, Vahn produced a mirror from his Inventory before passing it to the befuddled martial arts master and saying, "This ought to make it easier for you to keep up with the young ones."Seeing his reflection in the mirror, Roshi's mouth hung in disbelief. Immediately thereafter, a wide smile developed across his face, as, not only had his hair grown back, even his missing teeth had been replaced. He was a little sad to see his beard missing but that was a small price to pay for his apparent youth."I used a self-made magic spell to restore your body to its prime. So long as you don't engage in any 'excessive' behavior, it should persist indefinitely."Raising his brows, Roshi was about to ask what Vahn meant by 'excessive' behavior when he noticed the deadpan stare on the latter's face. This caused a wry and somewhat sad smile to develop across his own. Fortunately, just as he was about to relent and promise not to misbehave, Vahn extended a lifeline, whispering, "So long as it's consensual, there won't be any adverse consequences. Just keep in mind that there's a distinct difference between consent and someone relenting to pressure. Don't go around trying to exploit people or take advantage of their circumstances. If you do, succumbing to your old age will be the least of your concerns..."On that note, Vahn gave the now young Roshi another pat on the shoulder. This time, a cold sweat broke out across the man's body, as, rather than showing him scenes of Goku doing battle, he gave the man a peek at life inside Azathoth's dimension.........(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn makes spirits go doki doki~','Ah, yes, a fair exchange...','Master Roshi and Launch confirmed...!?')

Chapter 14: Rumination