EPIC Side Story: Dragon Ball

Though Vahn brought out a beach house for them to rest in, Bulma ended up sleeping within her Capsule Home. She had never actually had a boyfriend before, much less a fiancee, so she wasn't entirely sure how to act. The only thing she knew with absolute certainty was that Vahn was 'a lot' more experienced than her. So much so that it not so subtly terrified her.Fortunately, Vahn was far from the wolf-like man Bulma assumed all guys to be. He did stop by to check on her, but, instead of insisting she let him in, he brought her a cup of hot cocoa and asked if she was okay. After she assured him she was, he gave her a gentle and chaste kiss on the forehead before wishing her peaceful dreams.When Vahn first left her alone, Bulma was a little annoyed with him. She knew he would be going to spend time with Sarina, so, despite being the reason they weren't sharing the same bed, she placed most of the blame on him.For this reason, Bulma was more than a little surprised when she woke up the next morning feeling completely refreshed. She didn't even remember falling asleep the night before. All she recalled was taking a bath and getting in bed.Though she suspected Vahn had done something, a quick perusal of the security tapes showed that she had simply fallen asleep moments after hitting her bed. Thus, after a quick scan of the cup Vahn had brought to her the previous night, Bulma accepted that, even if he had done something to help her sleep, there hadn't been any malicious intentions behind his actions.Comforted by the lack of evidence, Bulma took a quick shower before commencing her hour-long ritual to find a suitable outfit and hairstyle. She hated wearing the same outfit twice, and, thanks to one of her inventions, she could adjust the length of her hair whenever she wanted. Thus, unless the situation didn't allow it, she made sure to change her hair and clothing every single day.It was during this process that Bulma discovered a tiny, subtly luminescent golden ring balanced atop the faucet of her bathroom sink. This confused her at first, but, seeing her name engraved in a peculiar form of cursive along the interior, Bulma's heart skipped several beats as the notion that it was an engagement ring crossed her mind. Instead, it was something even better, as, shortly after putting it on, Bulma's eyes went out of focus as a three-dimensional projection of her current form appeared in her mind...Realizing what the ring was, Bulma spent what felt like two hours cycling through the options in the [REquip] System only to discover that seconds had passed in the outside world. Upon realizing this, the smile on her face became so wide that it threatened to tear at the muscles of her face. After all, as much as she enjoyed choosing outfits and styling her hair, it was an extremely tedious and time-consuming affair. Now, even if she spent ten times as long picking out the perfect outfit, she would never be pressed for time.Feeling adventurous, or, at the very least, emboldened, Bulma selected a pair of lacy white lingerie on the off chance that something happened later on. Over that, she wore a pair of form-fitting tan hotpants, as, even after a mere two days, she had already noticed Vahn's obsessions with butts. She hadn't caught him sneaking a glance at her breasts even once, yet, the moment she wore a pair of form-fitting shorts, he ended up copping a feel the first chance he got.Completing her outfit, Bulma wore a simple white t-shirt with her name embossed over the breasts. Then, after checking herself in both the mirror and her mind, she donned the flight jacket Vahn had given her the previous day. It was, technically speaking, the first gift she had ever received. Her dad usually just gave her a credit card to buy whatever she wanted on her birthdays, so, while she would never complain about receiving money, Bulma would be lying if she said it didn't bother her.Donning the remarkably comfortable jacket, a smile developed across Bulma's face as she checked herself in the mirror one last time. Then, believing Vahn was already up and working on breakfast, Bulma departed her Capsule Home before following the fragrant aroma of breakfast sausage and baked goods to the kitchen.........Sensing Bulma's arrival, Vahn briefly inspected her aura to determine which side of the bed she had awoken on. Pink, yellow, and azure blue was a good sign, so, after adjusting the flow of time within the oven, instantaneously completing the baking process, he emerged from the kitchen with a tray of souffles and a relaxed smile, saying, "Good morning, Bulma. You're looking especially radiant this morning. Sleep well?"Though she briefly glanced towards Sarina and Goku, a smile developed across Bulma's face as she retorted, "Yeah, I wonder if a certain someone had something to do with that...?"Shifting her attention to Vahn, Bulma's expression became visibly amused as she noticed his smile cramping. Instead of pressing further, however, she took a seat on the opposite side of Goku before asking, "So, what's the plan? I may no longer have an interest in the Dragon Balls but I'm willing to see this journey through to the end. Just keep in mind that I need to be home before October. My school starts up on the 2nd."Though he was unsurprised by Bulma's words, Vahn's mind briefly stalled at the notion that Bulma was the first student he had ever 'dated'. She would literally be attending Senior High for six days a week, and, due to her electives and club activities, she would be leaving around 6 AM and returning at around 5-6 PM every single day. If she decided to attend college after graduation, they would be spending more than half the day apart..."What's the matter...?"Noticing Vahn's not-so-subtle pause, Bulma couldn't help wondering what was on his mind. In the end, she almost wished she hadn't asked as she had no idea how to react when he answered, "I just realized we won't be able to spend that much time together while you're away at school..." in a soft, melancholic tone of voice.Unfortunately for Bulma, she and Vahn weren't the only two at the table. Thus, long before she was able to get her own thoughts in order, Sarina chimed in to say, "If it bothers you that much, you can always enroll as a student or a professor. I'm also interested in school so I wouldn't mind attending for a year or two before focusing on my training."As most of her favorite animes and mangas revolved around protagonists in Middle or High School, Sarina would be lying if she said she wasn't interested in attending. Two of her top three choices for Actualized Worlds would have involved enrolling as a student, so, now that the subject of schooling had presented itself, she figured she might as well give it a shot.Having acted as both a Headmaster and a Teacher in the past, the notion of becoming a student actually intrigued Vahn quite a bit. It was one of the things he had most been looking forward to during the year-long intermission when he was waiting to reincarnate. That changed pretty quickly once he found himself in the Netherworld, but, deep down, the desire to attend school still existed in the depths of his subconscious. The only reason he hadn't tried it out in an Actualized World was his fear that every female student in his class, teachers included, would invariably imprint on him...Now that he had his promise with Bulma as insurance, Vahn was confident he could attend school without too much trouble. The real question was whether or not he should become a teacher or a student...Interrupting Vahn's train of thought, Bulma slammed the table with both hands as she stood up and shouted, "No way! I can't have my fiancee attending the same school as me! Teacher or student, it makes no difference. The moment people find out we're engaged, every hussy within West City will be trying to get their grimy little hands on you just to spite me!"Though she made an earnest effort to fit in, Bulma had made quite a number of enemies over the years. People were supremely jealous of her beauty, wealth, and intellect. It was one of the reasons she had never been able to get a boyfriend. Everyone around her saw her as a means to an end, an easy way to make all their dreams come true without any real effort. Men viewed her as a trophy or an object of conquest while women, despite putting on polite airs and praising her in public, spread all kinds of negative rumors behind her back. When she tried exposing them using information she collected online and using private investigators, she, the person they were actively victimizing, was somehow seen as the bad guy...Surprised by Bulma's outburst, any desire Vahn had to attend school was temporarily quashed as he softly replied, "It's okay, Bulma. In case you've forgotten, I'm not exactly a normal person. You don't have to worry about me breaking my promise. Besides, Sarina was just making a suggestion. Even if I were to attend school, it wouldn't without first discussing it with you."Relieved by Vahn's words, Bulma returned to her seat with a plop. A wave of guilt promptly washed over her, but, as the notion of attending school with her Godly fiance was a little too much, she was glad Vahn was willing to compromise. She might be able to tolerate Sarina but there was no way in hell she would be okay with her classmates vying for Vahn's attention. This had very little to do with him. She just didn't trust other women."I can probably pull some strings to get Sarina enrolled once we return to West City. As for you, I'll talk to my father about getting you set up in our mansion. He generally lets me do whatever I want so I can't imagine him refusing to let you stay once you demonstrate your abilities. Sarina and Goku can obviously stay as well..."Though the idea of putting up one of her fiance's mistresses made her uncomfortable, Bulma knew she couldn't simply pretend Sarina didn't exist. If she tried, Vahn would find someplace else to stay. After all, he could literally create entire buildings out of thin air. Heck, he could probably plop down a mansion on the Moon or some distant planet she had never even heard of. Thus, even she wasn't enthused by the notion, she had no choice but to accept Sarina into her home.Understanding that Bulma was basically treating her as an afterthought, the expression on Sarina's face morphed from a happy, moderately enthusiastic smile to an understandably hostile look. She was more than willing to accept Bulma as her 'sister' so she couldn't understand why the latter was so mean. It's not like she was the interloper in this scenario.Fortunately, Vahn wasn't going to just let Bulma's behavior slide. Sarina was the entire reason he had come to the Actualized World of Dragon Ball, so, in response to Bulma's words, he said, "I'll most likely set up a residence in the countryside. I've never been particularly fond of large cities, and, as much as I appreciate your offer, my original purpose for visiting this world hasn't changed. I'm here to train Sarina. Doing so within the city limits is impossible."As it wasn't particularly difficult to see through Bulma's intentions, Vahn intended to do everything in his power to make sure she never had the excuse that Sarina was some kind of add-on leeching off her assets. If they were going to make things work, Bulma was going to need to change the way she thought about others. This would invariably occur the moment they had sex, but, until then, the tensions between her and Sarina were bound to increase...("Looks like I'll need to seize the initiative on this one...")(*You do have a reputation for breaking prideful women...*)......(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'If you like it then you shoulda put a ring on it~','Sarina's other choices were Naruto and Bleach. She likes the classics that Vahn enjoyed as a kid','Soon enough, Bulma will be grateful for Sarina's presence xD...')

Setting out after breakfast, Vahn attempted to cheer Bulma up by pulling a decommissioned Imperial Dragon out of his Inventory and allowing her to pilot it. As for Sarina, he dealt with her by simply running alongside her as Goku followed along atop the Flying Nimbus.With Sarina setting a pace of around 440km/h, it only took two hours for the group to reach the outskirts of Aru Village.Like many other frontier villages, Aru was comprised almost entirely of Capsule Houses. The people of Earth had nearly been wiped out 300 years prior, so, with the exception of the four cardinal cities, literally referred to as North, East, South, and West City, the rest of the world was populated by small villages that were entirely dependent on the technologies developed by Capsule Corp.What distinguished Aru from other villages, other than its remote location in the mountains, was the fact that there wasn't a single person to be seen. It was like a ghost town, and, if not for his foreknowledge of the canon and his ability to sense auras, Vahn might have assumed it was.Using the external speakers of the Imperial Dragon, Bulma took it upon herself to explain, "My scanners are detecting a total of 163 people. They appear to be hiding indoors."Resisting the urge to point out that was obviously the case, Vahn just nodded before shifting his attention to Sarina and Goku, saying, "You're up. I don't mind offering advice if you need it but I'll leave handling this situation to you."Since Bulma had clearly lost interest in searching for the Dragon Balls, Vahn didn't insist that she step out of the Imperial Dragon. She was much safer on the inside, and, so long as she was paying attention, she would actually be able to provide support without having to raise a finger. After all, even with its long-range sensors deactivated, an Imperial Dragon could easily map everything within a thousand kilometers of its position. This included underground.Nodding their heads in understanding, Sarina and Goku made their way into the village as Vahn jumped up to the shoulder of the Imperial Dragon and made himself comfortable. This prompted Bulma to open the cockpit, a cheeky grin on her face as she said, "There's plenty of room. Why don't you come inside?"Shaking his head, Vahn maintained a relaxed expression as he said, "Pay attention. You may have lost interest in this journey but Sarina and Goku are relying on you to provide overwatch. If you're not going to take that duty seriously, I'll have to confiscate your Imperial Dragon..."Having developed a fondness for the nearly organic-looking dragon mecha, Bulma wasn't at all enthused by the prospect of having to give it up. The autonomous neural interface made it handle like a dream, and, though they had been deactivated, the cannons lining its body gave it an appeal that made her heart flutter. Most importantly, it looked badass.Not wanting to lose her brand new toy, an exasperated sigh escaped from Bulma's mouth as she eased back into the cockpit and grumbled, "Your loss..." in a defiant yet acquiescent tone. In response, Vahn just smiled before closing his eyes and linking his senses with the Imperial Dragon's sensors.........Though she didn't know where she was going, Sarina's familiarity with Dragon Ball allowed her to find her target, a house with the name Sherman Priest posted on the door, without too much fuss."This is the place, Goku. Let's try knocking."Nodding his head in affirmation, Goku answered, "Okay, Sarina." before walking up to the door and pounding on it with enough force to shake the frame. In spite of this, no one came to answer the door, so, with a tightened fist, Goku attempted to punch it open.Fortunately for the Priest family, Sarina promptly stepped in to grab Goku's hand, saying, "You shouldn't destroy other people's property..." before knocking a second time and softly calling out, "Hello? My name is Sarina. My friends and I heard a rumor about the trouble you're facing and came to help out."Sensing movement within the building, Sarina adopted her best smile as a bespectacled man with dark hair, a thick mustache, and a receding hairline peeked out at her from the crack of a nearby window.Though he didn't come outside, the man was courteous enough to advise, "Young lady, you shouldn't be here. If that terrible monster, Oolong, finds out you came to help us, he'll whisk you away to his mansion never to be seen or heard from again. He's already kidnapped three of the village's young girls. Please, leave before it's too late."Shaking her head, Sarina maintained a disarming smile as she explained, "We came here to help. We're not going to simply abandon you because it's a little dangerous. Besides, there is someone in your village who possesses something we're searching for. We were hoping that she would be willing to part with it in exchange for getting rid of this Oolong fellow."Realizing that Sarina wasn't going to give up, the middle-aged man released a sigh before opening the door to his house and asking, "What is it you're searching for? If it isn't anything important, I'm certain I can convince whoever owns it to give it to you. After that, please leave and inform the military about what's happening here. We've tried sending out a distress call but there's something jamming the signal..."Doing her best to maintain her smile in spite of the fact the man was clearly looking down on her, Sarina said, "Don't worry. I might not look like it but I'm one of the strongest martial artists in the world. I can even knock out dinosaurs with a single punch. A coward who uses magic to terrorize normal people doesn't stand a chance."Raising his brows, the balding man gave Sarina a once over, his eyes briefly lingering on her rather ample bosom before removing his glasses and pretending to clean them as he said, "If what you say is true, there's no reason for our village to refuse you..."After cleaning the nonexistent dust from his glasses, the middle-aged man returned them to his face only to find Sarina staring at him with a forced, visibly twitched smile. Fortunately, as much as she wanted to punch him in the face for daring to stare at her breasts, Sarina knew he wasn't entirely to blame for the mishap. She did, after all, elect to wear clothes that showed off a fair amount of cleavage.........Following the awkward mishap, the middle-aged man, Sherman Priest, introduced Sarina and Goku to his daughter, Pocawatha. She was an adorable little girl, who, despite possessing fair white skin, dressed in a manner reminiscent of Native Americans. Sarina didn't know this, but, as Vahn was well aware of the cultures of innumerable Earths, he could tell that the village of Aru was an amalgamation of Cowboy and Native American cultures.Unsurprisingly, Sherman went on to reveal that Pocawatha was Oolong's next target. Unlike the other young girls he had kidnapped, however, Oolong was intending to make Pocawatha his wife. If that wasn't bad enough, Pocawatha was currently only ten years old, and, according to sherman, she wasn't even the youngest girl Oolong had targetted.Though she knew Oolong was part of the original cast and would eventually become one of the good guys, Sarina couldn't help feeling disgusted. He had accumulated a small fortune by tricking and tormenting the surrounding villages. They had even built a mansion to pacify him, yet, instead of quitting while he was ahead, Oolong decided to kidnap their children with the intention of rearing them into his future wives.While Oolong was technically only nine years old, it didn't excuse his behavior as animal-type Earthlings matured a lot faster than humans. The original series also presented him as a nigh-irredeemable pervert, so, while Sarina knew Oolong wasn't a truly terrible person, it was hard for her to forgive him. Had Goku and Bulma not thwarted his plans, he would have continued tormenting the surrounding villages, kidnapping their children, and rearing pre-teens to be his future wives and concubines. In other words, the only reason he wasn't as evil as he could have been was because he had been stopped before he could fully implement his plans."Don't worry, Mr. Priest. The next time Oolong shows up, you can rest assured we'll give him a beating. In exchange, please ask the people of Aru if they've seen a ball that looks identical to this one. If I'm not mistaken, it should be in the hands of the Paozu family."Raising his brows, Sherman noted, "Ah, you must mean Granny Paozu. She lives near the edge of the village but it's only a short walk from here. If you'll lend me that ball, I'll run over and ask if she has the other."Since the ball in her hand was actually a prop Vahn had purchased to throw off a certain trio, Sarina had no qualms about entrusting it to Sherman. Then, in exchange for him going to talk with Granny Paozu, she and Goku watched over Pocawatha while the latter did her best to boil water for tea. The village wasn't connected to any of the major electrical grids, so, ever since Oolong destroyed most of their generators, the villagers were left with little choice but to boil water using wood stoves.Seeing how hard the young girl had to work, Sarina was reminded of what it was like to live in the Little Garden before Vahn's arrival. Her life had changed rather drastically since then, but, even now, she could vividly recall what it was like to starve for weeks on end with nothing but water to sustain her...With Goku keeping Pocawatha busy, Sarina decided to excuse herself for a brief moment so she could contact Vahn. She couldn't stand to see the people of Aru Village living like this, so, even if it was just repairing their generators, she wanted to help.What Sarina didn't know was that Vahn had already started helping from the moment of their arrival. It took virtually no effort for him to repair the damaged generators, and, as an added bonus, he even filled the village's storehouses with a variety of goods to help them recover.Instead of telling her this, Vahn simply agreed to Sarina's proposal before making a show of bringing out a few capsules filled with food and water. This was enough to entice most of the villagers out of their homes, as, for the last couple of months, they had been struggled just to get by. When the first arrivals learned that the food and water were free, news quickly spread through the entire village. Shortly after that, Granny Paozu readily parted with her dragon ball, as, even without dealing with Oolong, they had effectively saved the village. Ridding them of the pig menace would simply be the icing on the cake.........Unaware of the nightmare that was awaiting him in Aru Village, Oolong, a short and stout pig man with a height of 121cm, was currently experiencing a completely different nightmare. The village girls he had kidnapped, despite being between the ages of 9-13, had stopped fearing him the moment he revealed his true form. One was even threatening to expose how weak he was if he didn't buy her all kinds of expensive clothes and accessories, so, despite wanting to retire, he was forced to continue playing the part of a tyrannical monster just to prevent his secret from getting out.Simply put, Oolong had dug himself into a hole he didn't know how to escape. Rather than being in charge and carefully grooming the kidnapped girls into his desired brides, he was basically their servant. Pocawatha was his last chance to be happy, as, despite being ten years old, she was a very kind and caring girl. She had even helped him before his reign as Oolong the Terrible, so, after kidnapping her, he was planning to run away from his mansion and start a new life someplace far away. He had even purchased a luxurious house car in preparation for their escape. Now, he just needed to kidnap her and escape far enough that, even if she did threaten to turn against him, she wouldn't be able to tell anyone of importance about his true identity.........(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Imperial Dragon, Hoooo~!','Vahn be like, "I'm seven parallel universes ahead of you..."','Oolong really is kind of a monster...')

"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...')

Chapter 16: Planning Ahead