EPIC Side Story: Dragon Ball

Leaving Cheelai to her own devices, Vahn, Sarina, and Goku spent two-and-a-half hours traveling Northwest across the mountains surrounding Mount Frypan. This brought them a unique location on the outskirts of the Diablo Desert, a vast expanse of terrain known as the Mushroom Forest.As the name implied, Mushroom Forest was dominated by massive, tree-sized mushrooms that seemed to stretch out towards the horizon. Unlike normal mushrooms, however, the mushrooms of Mushroom Forest were rock solid near the base and remarkably springy near the top.In the distant past, long before the reign of King Picollo, people had used the Mushroom Forest like an extreme sports playground. It required a bit of skill, but, so long as you had sufficient finesse and adequate equipment, it was possible to bound from one mushroom to another as if they were giant trampolines.Though King Picollo had been defeated three hundred years prior, humanity was still in the process of a slow and gradual recovery. The crazed Namekian had gone around wrecking cities and hunting humans for sport. Were it not for the sacrifice of Master Mutaito, Roshi's former teacher, the human race would have been pushed to the brink of extinction and reduced to slaves.Fortunately, though they had been forced to endure severe hardships in the interim, the destruction wrought by King Picollo wasn't without its silver lining. The near-destruction of the human race had brought an end to nearly every conflict driven by race, religion, greed, and political fear-mongering. As a result, people of all races, religions, and backgrounds had banded together with the common goal of surviving, rebuilding, and ultimately prospering.Now, three hundred years after the destruction wrought by King Picollo, the people of Earth had become so tolerant of one another that pills capable of changing a person's gender and race had been created without any significant backlash. There had even been a craze ten years ago where millions of people, captivated by the notion of becoming Animal-Type Earthlings consumed a pill known as Animorphaline.By consuming a single, tick-tack-sized pill, a human's genetic code could be altered in such a way that the changes in their genome would be passed on to their descendants. It was even possible to determine which animal you ended up as by having a DNA and blood test prior to consuming the pill. As a result, nearly 17% of the global population had become Animal-type Earthlings as it made survival in some of the more inhospitable climates of Earth much easier.With even the 'King of Earth' having consumed the pill, subsequently becoming a Dog, it wasn't an exaggeration to say that Animorphaline was remarkably popular for those who wanted to spice up their lives and experience something new.........Aiming for the massive clearing located near the center of Mushroom Forest, it wasn't long before Vahn, Sarina, and Goku found themselves in an extremely arid region whose only landmark was a massive, predominately sand-colored castle.With architecture reminiscent of Arabian and Egyptian cultures, complete with a pyramid base, said castle would have stood out as a marvel of ancient and modern engineering. Unfortunately, nearly half the castle currently lay in ruin. As for the culprit, she was currently sunbathing atop the chassis of the Model Tiamat, her developing yet remarkably mature body on full display as she relaxed in little more than a bikini and sunglasses...Teleporting over to the destroyed section of the castle with Sarina in tow, Vahn was unsurprised to find the wreckage of a peculiar blue, pink, and green robot littering the area. The differently colored sections had once represented individual mecha, but, due to the creator's obsession with retro cartoons and transformation sequences, they were able to change shape to form a single, massive robot.Unfortunately, said robot may as well have been a cheap action figure against the much larger and exponentially more powerful Imperial Dragon. Bulma had plucked away its limbs like the petals of a flower. Once she ran out, she forcefully separated them before threatening to give their bodies the same treatment if they attempted to run away.Powerless against the overwhelming might of the Model Tiamat, the trio, consisting of an imp-like man with blue skin, a raven-haired woman that could best be described as an Eastern femme-fatale, and a petite man resembling a chubby Shiba-inu remained confined to their cockpits. With the tail of the Model Tiamat contracting whenever they attempted an escape, there was little they could do but wait patiently for their fates to be decided."I see you took care of things on this end..."Hearing Vahn's words, Bulma was startled to a seated position. When she saw him standing next to Sarina, the latter wearing little more than yoga pants and a sports bra, a faint yet ill-tempered snort emanated from her nose as she retorted, "You sure took your sweet time. I was beginning to believe you wouldn't show."Though she hadn't considered for a moment that Vahn might not show, that didn't prevent Bulma from complaining. Fortunately, this was the last stop on their journey to collect the Dragon Balls. If she was lucky, they would be West City and celebrating before nightfall. Then, after decompressing for a bit, she could begin implementing the plans she had drafted since her engagement with Vahn.Shifting his attention to the buxom blunette, Vahn was unsurprised to find Bulma leaning forward in a way that showed off her faintly tanned breasts. He rewarded her expectations with a brief glance, but, instead of gawking, he quickly met her sapphirine gaze, answering, "There was a minor incident we'll need to discuss once we're finished here. Have you recovered the last Dragon Ball...?"Shaking her head, Bulma restrained her curiosity as she pointed towards the smallest of the three robots, the blue one, as she explained, "Nah. I figured it would be safer to wait until you arrived. I do know where it's at, though. That little blue-skinned man has it."Responding to Bulma's accusation, the external speaker of the blue robot hissed to life as a shrill, high-pitched voice answered, "Lies! Slander! I've never even heard of these magical, wish-granting balls you speak of...!"Scoffing in response to the imp-like man's excessively expository remark, Bulma used her [REquip] System to don something more appropriate than a bikini before having the Model Tiamat lower her to the ground. Then, despite knowing Vahn could sense the Dragon Balls, she walked over with the Dragon Radar, dangling it in front of petite imp's blast shield as she said, "Nice try, loser. Now, hand it over before I show you what real violence looks like."Rather than abiding by Bulma's demand, the imp-like man popped open the hatch of his robot with a ludger-like pistol in hand. Under normal circumstances, this would have terrified Bulma, but, now that she had a literal God as a fiance, she adopted a cheeky smile with only a hint of nervousness in her expression.Though he was a little unnerved by Bulma's reaction, the diminutive imp placed a bit of pressure on the trigger as he stammered, "I-If you know what's good for you, you'll hand over your Dragon Balls and that monster of a machine! I'm in a forgiving mood today so I could be convinced to let you go if you're obedient!"With the look on Bulma's face showing ridicule rather than fear, veins bulged at the imp-like man's temples as he shouted, "You ungrateful wench! How dare you mock the Great Emperor Pilaf!? Let's see you smile with a bullet between your eyes...!"Without waiting for Bulma's response, the imp-like man, self-proclaimed Emperor Pilaf, pulled the trigger to his pistol several times over. This caused a series of clicks to echo through the destroyed throne room. The first few caused Bulma's body to tense, but, realizing both the chamber and click were empty, a rather vicious smile developed across her face as she sent the diminutive man back into his cockpit with a punch before shouting, "Emperor my foot...!" as she stomped his face and hands with the heel of her foot.Though Bulma was well within her right to seek vengeance after Pilaf attempted to shoot her in the face, her foreknowledge that nothing would happen made her reaction unnecessarily violent. Thus, the moment she had kicked the petite man the exact number of times he had fired, Vahn appeared next to her, saying, "That's enough..." in a soft yet firm tone.Feeling calmer the moment Vahn wrapped his arms around her body, Bulma's adrenaline-fueled frenzy gradually ceased. In its wake, her body trembled violently for several seconds, but, thanks to Vahn, even that faded away as he held her head to his chest and gently caressed her back.Sensing that she had calmed down, Vahn relaxed his hold on Bulma's body, his tone gentle and soothing as he asked, "You okay...?"Too ashamed to look Vahn in the eye, Bulma lightly headbutted his chest before complaining, "You could have made the gun disappear instead of making the chamber empty..."Nodding his head, Vahn softly replied, "You're right..." in the same soothing tone as before. This left Bulma feeling at a momentary loss for words, as, rather than feeling vindicated by his response, she felt even greater shame. After all, there was nothing requiring her to step forward and confront Pilaf herself. She had just wanted to show off...If Vahn hadn't taken the initiative to remove the bullets from Pilaf's gun, Bulma would currently be sporting ten holes in her head. She was far from bulletproof, so, even if the pistol was a relatively low caliber, it wouldn't have had any trouble penetrating her skull. As a gun fanatic, Bulma was well aware of this, so, the moment Pilaf pulled the trigger, she had nearly peed herself from fright...Feeling the chaotic and not-so-subtle fluctuations in Bulma's aura, Vahn continued to hold her for several minutes without saying a word. She was a remarkably intelligent woman, so, as long as she had the time, she could sort things out. If he tried to speed the process, there was an exceptionally high probability that his words would have the opposite effect. This was something he had learned after associating with quite a number of prideful women, so, while Sarina and Goku handled tying up Pilaf's crew and assembling the Dragon Balls, he remained by Bulma's side until she was the one to say, "I'm okay now..."Giving her one last squeeze, Vahn released Bulma from his embrace before smiling affectionately in response to her staring up at him with a visible blush on her cheeks. He knew she wanted to thank him, but, as a result of her pride, the words couldn't quite make their way to her lips. Instead, Vahn bent down to claim them for himself, startling the befuddled blunette back to her sense.Pulling away before she could get too hot and bothered, Vahn gave Bulma's cheek a gentle caress as he asked, "Shall we go and summon the dragon? Even if you've lost interest in this journey, it's a sight you wouldn't want to miss. I guarantee it."Unable to find the words to convey her current emotions, Bulma just nodded her head in response to Vahn's invitation. When he subsequently grabbed her hand, the blush on her face threatened to extend into her ears, as, despite turning seventeen in a few months, she had never so much as held a boy's hand. Her father and the boys from her preschool obviously didn't count, so, even though this was actually the second time Vahn had held her hand, Bulma's heart raced as she cemented it as one of their firsts.........(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'So, you're telling me the solution to most of the world's problems is to push humanity to the brink of extinction? Naruhodo...','Giga Chad Model Tiamat vs. Beta Pilaf Machine','A woman's heart and mind are as complex as a rubix cube with constantly changing color panels...')

With Pilaf and his gang well out of earshot, Sarina waited until Vahn approached with Bulma before raising her hands high and exclaiming, "Eternal Dragon, by your name, I summon you! Come forth, Shenlong...!"Though it may have been a little childish of her, Sarina had always wanted to try calling forth the Eternal Dragon ever since she saw it appear on screen. She had even tried to throw a kamehameha when she was training in secret, so, seeing the orbs light up in response to her cry, an excited grin developed across her face...Responding to Sarina's summons, the Dragon Balls released a golden light that forced everyone except Vahn to cover their eyes. Then, as the sky above darkened, a golden pillar of light erupted from within, instantaneously piercing the heavens as thick clouds gathered overhead.With the light fading away, Sarina opened her eyes before promptly swallowing when she looked up to find a massive dragon staring at her. Shenlong was much bigger than she expected, so much so that his form appeared to blot out the sky as it continued to flow infinitely from the still-glowing Dragon Balls. Its maw was so large that, even if she were to stand next to its smallest tooth, it would be several times her size."I am the Eternal Dragon. State your wish, but, be warned, for it will come true..."Feeling her bones vibrating in response to Shenlong's booming voice, Sarina found herself wholly unable to respond. It was only when Vahn touched her shoulder, silently supporting her, that she was able to state, "I wish for the ability to summon the Dragon Balls to my side whenever I want...!"Though Sarina's wish was rather unorthodox, there were no rules prohibiting someone from using their wish to acquire the Dragon Balls. This was a bit of a loophole, but, as it didn't really care what people wished for, Shenlong's crimson-red eyes glowed against the backdrop of the stormy sky as it released an invisible, magical pulse and stated, "Your wish...has been granted..."As the earliest versions of Shenlong only had the power to grant a single wish, its body burst into gold light the moment it finished speaking. The Dragon Balls began to ascend towards the sky, but, instead of splitting off in random directions at the speed of light, they promptly fell to the Earth as inert, ashen-grey spheres...Speaking out while the others were still recovering from their stupors, a bemused expression on his face as he remarked, "That was a little surprising...I half-expected you to wish for the bloodline of an Ancient Saiyan or something similar..."Giggling in response to Vahn's words, Sarina leaned into him as she mused, "Why would I waste a wish on something I can just ask you for? This will make collecting the Dragon Balls without your help much easier. It also lets me steal them from anyone who is trying to misuse them. Win-win, right?"Unable to refute the raven-haired woman's logic, Vahn just planted a kiss atop her head before cradling her in his arms. This elicited a series of coughs from Bulma, but, instead of releasing Sarina from his grasp, Vahn continued to hold her until she took the initiative to separate, whispering, "You should hurry up and do her. I'm starting to get tired of her acting like a spoiled brat all the time..."Resisting the urge to point out she was also quite spoiled, Vahn planted a second kiss on Sarina's forehead before answering, "When she's ready..." in a whisper of his own.Since she couldn't exactly force Vahn to have sex, Sarina gave a helpless sigh before standing on the tips of her toes and giving him a kiss. Then, despite each ball weighing several kilograms, she casually picked them up before placing them into a satchel. Their magical properties prevented them from being placed into spatial storage devices so this was the alternative she had prepared prior to making her wish.Seeing Sarina placing the inert Dragon Balls into her satchel, Goku approached with a concerned look on his face, asking, "Which one of these is my Grandpa's ball...?" before following it up with, "Are they going to stay like this?"Emulating Vahn's habit, Sarina gently ruffled Goku's hair as she explained, "Don't worry, little guy. They'll return to normal in twelve months. As for your Grandpa's ball...why don't I just let you hold on to each of them?"Knowing that the Red Ribbon Army would begin searching for the Dragon Balls shortly after they became active, Sarina figured she might as well entrust them to Goku. She didn't really know how fate worked but she assumed they would seek him out at Kame House and eventually antagonize him into wiping them out. If they didn't, well, she would simply have to take matters into her own hands.Though she understood her actions were a little outrageous, Lapis and Lazuli, better known as Androids 17 and 18, were two of Sarina's favorite characters. She really wanted them to exist in the present timeline, so, even though she could easily defeat Dr. Gero long before he became a threat, she would rather just leave things to Goku and let fate take its course. They would probably resent her if they knew the truth, but, so long as they never found out, they would be happier as Androids than normal people. At least, that's what she told herself.Unaware of Sarina's machinations, Goku happily accepted the satchel filled with stone spheres. This caused a wave of guilt to wash over Sarina's mind, but, as this may well be her only chance to enter an Actualized World, she intended to make the most of it. So long as she actively helped more than she harmed, it should all balance itself out.........After explaining the situation with Chi-Chi, Vahn received a rather crisp smack from a very enraged Bulma. She accused him of breaking their promise, but, upon learning about Chi-Chi's age and the finer details surrounding their 'engagement', she eventually calmed enough to tell him he was on thin ice.Promptly shattering said ice, Vahn also revealed the existence of Cheelai and his intentions to foster Broly. Bulma ended up hearing him out till the end, but, shortly thereafter, she blasted off in the Model Tiamat after saying she would come and find him once she had calmed down and made the necessary arrangements for Sarina's and Chi-Chi's transfers.Though he could understand why Bulma was angry, there wasn't too much Vahn could do without acting as though the entire universe revolved around her. She wasn't the reason he had entered the Actualized World, so, while he intended to do what he could to guarantee her happiness, he wasn't going to ignore everything else just to pander to her. If he let her, she would treat him as little more than a convenience to get whatever she wanted. Not because she was evil or exploitative by nature, but because she simply didn't know how to prioritize anything but herself.As narcissistic as it may sound, Vahn knew everything would kind of sort itself out the moment he and Bulma had sex. He was also one of the few people she would be able to bounce ideas off of, so, once she had mellowed out and overcome her teen angst, everyone would be a lot happier. Until then, Vahn's priorities were helping Sarina grow stronger and subtly manipulating events to ensure she got the most out of their time in the Actualized World.With this in mind, Vahn pretended not to notice Pilaf and his two cronies, Mai and Shu, sneaking away while he, Goku, and Sarina discussed returning to Grandpa Gohan's house and resting for a few days. They were currently a few days ahead of schedule in regards to the original timeline, so, while it would be a simple matter to just drop Goku off at Master Roshi's house, Vahn wanted to give him the opportunity to encounter and become frenemies with Krillin.Just as Sarina had her favorite characters, Vahn had quite a few himself. Krillin had been kind of annoying in the earlier seasons, but, by the events of the Saiyan Saga, he was one of the hardest working members of the Z-Fighters. He had been a part of every major battle, and, no matter how massive the gap between himself and his opponents, he never gave up improving himself until he settled down and started a family.While Sarina was obviously intending to pair him with Lazuli, Vahn had no intention of changing the cool and reticent blonde's preferences. She clearly had a thing for shorter men, as, despite lacking a nose, Krillin had been the apple of Lazuli's eye from the moment they met. The same could be said of Krillin, who, despite knowing the Androids were out to kill his best friend, couldn't help falling in love with the fierce yet secretly soft-hearted gynoid...Besides, with his ability to direct his intent pretty much anywhere, Vahn had already confirmed that Lapis and Lazuli were only a few months old. This had surprised him quite a bit, but, considering the twins were around 18 at the time of their biomechanical conversion, it made sense they were 12-13 years younger than the rest of the Z-Fighters. Thus, with Sarina conspiring to pair him with girls like Kale and Caulifla, Vahn had few qualms with letting Krillin's and Lazuli's relationship blossom...Of course, without actively viewing it, even Vahn had no clue how things might develop thanks to the changes he and Sarina had introduced. After all, they were only a few days into their journey, yet, in spite of this, he was literally preparing to adopt one of the most powerful characters in the series. With even just a small amount of training, there was a very real probability that Broly would simply fodder every enemy that appears...There was a reason he was called the Legendary Super Saiyan.........While Vahn, Sarina, and Goku were enjoying a feast back on Mount Paozu, a certain green-skinned alien with white hair and rose-pink eyes was currently loafing around in her room in little more than a purple sports bra and a matching pair of spats. Purple had always been her favorite color, so, after discovering her closet filled with purple clothes, she tried on a few before ultimately decided to just relax in her underwear.Though she still wanted to believe she had misunderstood her employer's intentions, the resort-like conditions of her new home had gradually opened Cheelai's mind to the notion of simply accepting whatever he had in mind for her. If she got to relax in a warm mineral bath and eat delicious meals every single day, she wouldn't mind playing the part of a pet. It might not be an ideal lifestyle, but, compared to living on the streets and being forced into prostitution just to get by, it was marginally more acceptable.Unfortunately, even after exploring the manor, fiddling around with herself, and even going so far as to stage a pretend getaway, no one appeared to take advantage or stop her. This caused Cheelai to reconsider if she was actually being watched, but, recalling how her employer had teleported her the moment she consented to become a caretaker, he had to have some kind of means to observe her. If not...well, there wasn't much she could do about that other than hope he returned sometime after the stain she left in the master bedroom faded away.........(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Shenlong? More like Shenlongboi...','Bulma really is a bit of a narcissist...','Ah, the things people will do when they've completely misunderstood a situation...')

"That could have gone better..."Amused by Vahn's utterance, a soft chuckle emanated from Sarina's throat before she replied, "I don't know. I feel like things went surprisingly well. This version of Chi-Chi is a lot kinder than her adult counterpart."Giving the raven-haired woman a questionable look, Vahn was surprised to find a genuine smile on Sarina's face. She didn't even seem remotely bothered by this development. Rather, undoubtedly as a result of her desire to alter the course of events to her liking, she seemed to be looking forward to the prospect of having Chi-Chi as a younger 'sister'.Noticing the look Vahn had directed her way, the smile on Sarina's face became marginally more prominent as she teased, "Don't give me that look. Besides, wasn't she a lot cuter than either of us expected? I don't remember her being that tall."As the Chi-Chi from the anime was only a half-head taller than the 124cm Goku, Sarina was more than a little surprised to see the scantily-clad Princess appearing just a few centimeters shorter than her. She didn't know her exact height but Chi-Chi had to be around 156-158cm tall. If she and Goku had been standing side-by-side, the latter wouldn't even reach her shoulders. A 32-34cm difference in height was 'very' noticeable.Understanding Sarina's confusion, Vahn explained, "When it comes to anime, there are a number of inconsistencies in the characters and art style. It's not easy to fit large characters on screen without making them take up the entire scene, so, more often than not, they're drawn to appear smaller or as a fixture in the background. As for Chi-Chi...I believe her height discrepancies are entirely related to Goku. I believe the series creator wanted them to be around the same height but got too used to drawing Goku a certain way. I mean, he barely even changes between the start of the series and the start of his training with Kami. A full three years passes in that time, yet, despite being a race that is supposed to mature quickly, he stays the same height for nearly five years..."Though her knowledge of the timeline couldn't compete with Vahn's, Sarina could recall most of the major events in the series. This included Goku's training with Master Roshi, his conquest of the Red Ribbon Army, the revival of King Piccolo, and his subsequent training with Kami. These events transpired over the course of several years, but, just as Vahn had stated, Goku's appearance didn't change in the slightest until the time skip leading up to the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament...Staring at the inordinately petite youth flying around and performing tricks on his Flying Nimbus, a thoughtful expression appeared on Sarina's face as she inquired, "Are you going to attempt to pair him with Chi-Chi?"Surprised by the sudden question, Vahn's brows perked up as he asked, "Oh? What makes you say that...?"Snorting through her nose, Sarina adopted a playfully pouty expression as she looked up at Vahn and asked, "Do you think so little of me? I'm not an idiot, Vahn. I may have been oblivious to it at the time but you were clearly trying to set me up with Jin. You did the same thing with Nono and I'm pretty sure you're the only reason Lily even bothered to give Jin a chance..."As he had always expected Sarina to eventually catch on to his 'scheme', Vahn wasn't too surprised by her accusations. He also wasn't ashamed of his actions, as, both then and now, he had only ever wanted them to be happy. He just doesn't want to be the lynchpin for everyone's happiness.Answering Sarina's previous question, Vahn explained, "As you pointed out, Chi-Chi is too ignorant of the world abroad. Even in the canon I'm most familiar with, she was notably intolerant and even hostile towards the people living in cities. While I do intend to try and get her to open up to Goku, my primary goal is to educate her and broaden her horizons. It's the only way to prevent her from becoming as close-minded as she was in the original series..."Nodding her head in approval, Sarina attempted to imagine a version of Chi-Chi who wasn't always shouting and trying to boss people around. It was...surprisingly difficult. Fortunately, Vahn could do just about anything, so, even if his plan to set her up with Goku was doomed to failure, Chi-Chi was bound to be a much better person in this timeline than the original.With that in mind, Sarina's thoughts briefly shifted to the other girls she imagined falling for Vahn. People like Videl, her favorite character from Z, were undoubtedly off the table but there were still girls like Lazuli, Caulifla, Kale, and Cheelai. The former might be a little difficult to secure unless she allowed Dr. Gero to survive but the latter three were relatively easy to acquire. Caulifla, in particular, would probably pursue Vahn on her own after a good fight...Thinking of the trio of girls, Sarina surprised Vahn quite a bit by asking, "Why don't you teleport over to Planet Vampa and pick up Broly? He would be much happier growing up on Earth and it would prevent a scenario where you're the only guy around the house. If you still want to pair him with Cheelai, you can pick her up as well. I remember her stating she was an orphan in the spinoff series. "Resisting the urge to point out it wasn't a healthy mentality to simply 'pair' people together, Vahn briefly considered Sarina's proposal. At the same time, his intent shifted to Planet Vampa, a lush yet inhospitable world with wild animals that would fodder most planets. There, seated atop the head of a monstrous, bear-like serpent, a teenage Broly could be seen staring off into space with a wistful expression that didn't suit his youthful appearance...Directing his intent to Cheelai in turn, Vahn was somewhat surprised she appeared nearly identical to her counterpart in Super. The only notable difference was that she was currently lacking the skin-tight uniform of a Frieza Force member. Instead, she was curled up in the alleyway of a futuristic yet extremely polluted city, her green-skinned body noticeably emaciated and covered in dark purple bruises..."Hmm..."Though he knew they would survive even without his interference, Vahn would be lying if he said he didn't sympathize with the duo's current circumstances. There was also a remarkably high likelihood they would never meet, as, the moment Frieza's path crossed his own, Vahn intended to 'delete' the monstrous tyrant from existence. At the very least, there was no way in hell he was letting him come back to life...After a moment of deliberation, Vahn composed a letter in his mind before dropping a satchel next to the shivering Cheelai. This surprised the green-skinned woman quite a bit, but, after cautiously checking her surroundings, she eventually picked it up to investigate the interior. When she found a pocketbook and a change of clothes inside, her confusion increased by several orders of magnitude until she finally noticed the message scrawled on a piece of paper.Since Cheelai was very clearly an adult, Vahn wasn't going to just whisk her away from her world without notice. He also couldn't just tell her she was 'fated' to be with an alien man she had never met. Instead, he asked if she was willing to work as a caretaker in the estate he was intended to construct. Either way, she was allowed to keep the money, clothes, and accessories contained within the satchel. They were more than enough to turn her life around, and, so long as she didn't become a despot, the pendant and bangle he placed inside would literally increase her luck.To Vahn's surprise, Cheelai didn't even hesitate to use the pen he provided to scrawl out a response. The shivering of her body made her handwriting near-illegible, but, even then, Vahn could make out the words, 'I accept. Please get me off this shitstain of a planet' as tears began to swell at the edges of Cheelai's rose-pink eyes.As he wasn't yet ready to bring Cheelai to Earth, a conflicted expression developed across Vahn's face until Sarina asked, "What's wrong? You suddenly went all silent on me."Explaining the situation in detail, Vahn was fairly surprised when Sarina suddenly palmed her head in exasperation and said, "You know, I wasn't telling check in on them and see what they were up to when I mentioned bringing them to Earth. You should have at least waited until we got situated in our new home. You know you can't help wanting to help people..."Unable to refute the buxom beauty's words, Vahn just adopted a wry smile as he looked toward the sky and contemplated solutions. There were actually quite a few, so, instead of overthinking things, he promptly manifested a Japanese style manor atop a plateau located to the West of West City. He had always been most comfortable in traditional Japanese housing, so, in preparation for the future training of Sarina, Goku, Chi-Chi, and now Broly, Vahn made sure the manor had everything from a bathhouse to a dojo.Though there was still a lot of work to be done, specifically related to the underground Workshop he was intending to build, Vahn wrapped things up by sending a follow-up message to the fretful-looking Cheelai. When she nodded her head almost violently in affirmation, he promptly teleported her away from Frieza Planet 297 before depositing her in the room that would serve as her home for the foreseeable future. She was a little dazed by the sudden and instantaneous transition, but, after a brief survey of her surroundings, a profoundly relieved expression appeared on her face as she plopped down like a marionette with its strings cut.Resisting the temptation to peer into Cheelai's past, Vahn sent the green-skinned woman one last message detailing her current situation and the facilities she had access to.Instead of immediately reacting to the piece of paper that manifested near the center of the room, Cheelai appeared to be gauging his response by staring at it for the better part of twenty minutes. When nothing happened, she tentatively made her way over before perusing the map and reading the information provided on the back.........Discovering that there was a bath located a relatively short distance away from her room, an excited smile developed across Cheelai's face. It had been a long time since she was able to relax in a tub or take a shower so she couldn't help looking forward to it.Unfortunately, the notion that someone was currently watching her made Cheelai more than a little apprehensive. She had gone to great lengths to avoid having to whore herself out after fleeing the orphanage and setting out on her own. As much as she appreciated being given an out, she would rather die than become someone's pet or plaything.Though she had failed to find any cameras during her preliminary search, the appearance of a third piece of paper made it pretty obvious she was still being watched. To make matters even worse, the person who was watching her clearly possessed special abilities. She had absolutely no idea where Earth was located but it sure as hell wasn't anywhere near Frieza Planet 297...Suppressing her growing anxiety, Cheelai tried to look on the bright side. As scary as the notion of someone possessing the ability to teleport her across the Galaxy was, it was also convenient. If she played her cards right, she could travel virtually anywhere in the Galaxy whenever she wanted. She had also been given a choice whether or not to accept her mysterious employer's invitation, so, as frightening as his powers were, he was a hell of a lot more reasonable than the twisted goons that had beaten her after she refused to whore herself out at their behest."Screw it..."Deciding that there were worse things than being seen naked by the person who may as well have saved her life, Cheelai promptly stripped out of her clothes before walking toward the bathroom in the buff. The letter informed her that she was the only person living in the manor at the present, so, even if she was being watched, she intended to make the most of it. It beat freezing to death in an alleyway.........(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Toriyama's art style changed drastically throughout the series...','Sarina is the type of person who self-inserts into a fiction and gives herself all the most powerful abilities in the first ten chapters xD...','Vahn's powers are objectively terrifying...')

Chapter 23: Bravado