EPIC Side Story: Dragon Ball

Unable to look Vahn in the eye, Cheelai sat with her head on the table, hands folded behind her head as she unenthusiastically inquired, "So...? When do I start...?"Maintaining the same amused smile he had been sporting ever since Cheelai's little debacle, Vahn answered, "Technically speaking, you started the moment I transferred you from Frieza Planet 297. Your duties don't actually cover anything specific. You just need to watch over Broly and treat him well. Other than that, you're free to do just about anything you want."Since it wouldn't be long before the manor was capable of autonomously sustaining itself, Vahn didn't need Cheelai to perform menial tasks like cleaning or cooking. So long as she didn't try to manipulate Broly or machinate against the other residents, he didn't mind if she simply regarded the manor as her home. It may as well be...Though she couldn't help thinking there was another reason she, specifically, had been chosen as Broly's caretaker, Cheelai wasn't going to complain about fewer duties and greater freedom. Heck, just being able to request things from him was a tremendous boon. His powers seemed borderline omnipotent. So long as he played her cards right, her life would basically be smooth sailing from this moment onward...Choosing to believe this was the case, Cheelai raised her head to reveal an excited smile as she said, "Sounds a little too good to be true but I'm not gonna complain. When do I get to meet the kid...?"Shifting his intent to Broly, Vahn found the young Saiyan on his hand and knees, silently observing his reflection in an emerald green lake. His expression gave off a remarkably introspective vibe, but, considering his father probably only talked to him when he was giving orders, it wasn't particularly strange. Besides Ba, the massive, remarkably malleable, and cat-like creature, he didn't really have any friends, much less someone to talk to."Hmm...I'd like to give you more time to acclimate to life within the manor, but, if you're this eager to get started, I don't mind retrieving him now."Since there wasn't actually all that much to do in the manor besides laze about, Cheelai, while not exactly eager to get started, would rather have something to do than continue sitting around. Life on the streets hadn't exactly been glamorous but it was nothing if not stimulating. At the very least, it kept her on her toes and forced her to stay alert if she wanted to survive.As much as she had enjoyed the last couple of days, Cheelai was beginning to feel a kind of stress she couldn't put into words. She felt like she 'had' to do something, but, without any tasks or even a single person to talk to, the only thing she could do was keep herself occupied. It was indescribably stressful, so much so that she hadn't been exaggerating when she mentioned thinking the manor was some kind of purgatory."Sounds good. I guess I'll wait here...?"Nodding his head in affirmation, Vahn rose to his feet, saying, "Go ahead and finish your breakfast. I won't be gone for too long but it might take a short while to get Broly situated. I'll inform you once everything is ready."Recalling that she had, in fact, been in the middle of cooking, Cheelai was doubly surprised when she looked over to find that her food hadn't burned. In fact, it was nearly in the exact same state she had left it, almost as though time had stopped the moment she turned away...Unfortunately, just as she turned around to ask, Vahn's body appeared to simply blink away. For a brief moment, Cheelai's body tensed at the notion he may have turned himself invisible. There was nothing preventing him from doing so. In fact, as the person who had created her ring and clothing, there was a very good chance he could negate them whenever he wanted.Feeling a shiver pass through her body, tiny goose pimples appeared on Cheelai's arms and legs as she returned her attention to her breakfast. There really wasn't much she could do against someone like Vahn, so, rather than worrying about his incomprehensible abilities, she decided to focus on the task at hand. As for the not-so-subtle moisture build-up in her panties, she would have to deal with that later.........With Saiyans developing in stages, much like the spiritual beings of the Divine Realm, Broly wasn't much larger than Goku despite being sixteen, nearly seventeen years old. He resembled a young boy of around 8-10 years old, his height barely exceeding 130cm despite the fact he would grow to exceed 220cm in the next fourteen months."Hello there..."Hearing a voice behind him, Broly unhesitantly jumped into the pool of emerald green water before swimming several tens of meters in an instant. It was only once he had reached the other side that he bothered to look back, but, by then, Vahn was already on the opposite shore waiting for him."There's no need to be afraid, young one. I haven't come here to hurt you..."Moving before Broly could react, Vahn instantaneously removed the restrictive shock collar around the young Saiyan's neck, his expression placid despite the powerful charge attempting to invade his body.Seeing his collar in Vahn's hand, Broly's tensions rapidly faded as he softly inquired, "Who are you?" in a curious, rather than fearful tone.Taking a knee, Vahn lowered his head so that he was nearly eye level with the young Saiyan before answering, "My name is Vahn. I've come to take you and Ba someplace safe. A place where you can eat your fill, make friends, and never have to worry about someone placing a collar on you. Will you come with me...?"Demonstrating just how gentle a soul he truly was, Broly's expression reflected his internal conflict as he gazed in the approximate direction of his father, Paragus.Even as an adult, Broly had always cared deeply about his father. It could be due to the fact he was the only other person Broly knew growing up, but, even after being forced to suffer for decades, he never resented his father. Instead, the death of Paragus actually served as the reason for him losing control and entering the Legendary Super Saiyan state...Following Broly's gaze with his own, Vahn briefly considered his options. The simplest solution was to erase Paragus from Broly's memories. Inversely, he could always erase Paragus's memories, or, better yet, have him think he had fled the destruction of Planet Vegeta rather than the persecution of its King. Vahn wasn't sure of Sarina's intentions regarding the Prince, but, regardless of what she had in mind, it was better for the aged Saiyan to resent the person who had destroyed his planet and its people rather than a child who had never wronged him.Those that expected the descendants of despots, opportunists, and criminals to pay for crimes they had no hand in were the absolute worst kinds of people..."Your father can come with us. However, for both of your sakes, I will have to erase a large part of his memories. I think you know this, but your father isn't exactly a good person. If he were allowed to leave this planet with his current mentality, he would injure and even kill a lot of people before finally being killed himself...""Mmm..."Rather than refute Vahn's words, Broly immediately nodded his head in understanding. He knew, first-hand, how consumed by vengeance his father had become. He was also ruthless to the point of shooting one of his comrades in the back just to save provisions that wouldn't have lasted more than a few weeks. It was a completely senseless killing that ultimately left him marooned on Vampa for nearly sixteen years as he simply lacked the knowledge and expertise to repair a damaged ship...Extending his hand, Vahn ruffled the young Saiyan's hair before surprising him quite a bit by picking him up and placing him on his shoulders. He may have given Goku a similar treatment, but, as Broly had never received even a small amount of affection from his father, he had absolutely no idea how to react. As a result, he ended up tensing like a statue, his hands tightly grasping Vahn's hair as their surroundings instantaneously changed.As it was impossible for Broly to injure him in any way, Vahn let the young Saiyan do as he pleased while observing the massive, lake-like pool of green fur in front of him.Sensing the subtle vibration from Vahn's and Broly's hearts, the lake-like pool of fur began to bristle loudly as the center deformed to reveal a massive, cat-like creature with an amorphous, snake-like body. It actually reminded Vahn of a Lake Slime, but, instead of possessing a body comprised of a gel-like substance, it had mammalian, shapeshifting properties similar to Xysteria...While Vahn was staring at it, Ba was looking at Broly sitting on his shoulders. Then, demonstrating where its name had originated, it roared a thunderous, "Ba...!" that generated a wave of pressure in their direction.Waving his hand, Vahn casually dissipating the physical sound wave as he responded with a curious, "Ba...?"Though it was about to initiate a follow-up attack, Ba slowed its momentum when it heard Vahn's words. A markedly confused expression appeared on its face, but, compared to the astonishment on Broly's, it was a relatively tame response. As for why the young Saiyan was so surprised, it was because the massive creature lowered its head, various growling sounds emanating from its throat as Vahn responded with remarkably similar sounds...Unsurprisingly for a creature the size of a small lake, Ba possessed a rudimentary intelligence that allowed it to communicate with members of its own species. Vahn was effectively a member of all species, and, thanks to the benefits provided by The Path, he could even communicate with bugs, creatures that primarily communicated with pheromones. Talking with mammals was exponentially easier, so, after promising the cat-like creature it would never have to go hungry again, Ba lowered its head and allowed Vahn to touch its nose.Increasingly Broly's confusion exponentially, the massive body of Ba immediately shrunk down to the size of a large, lime-green house cat. It still had the same red eyes and fierce-looking teeth of its original counterpart, but, instead of occupying a crater the size of a football stadium, it was now tiny enough to carry around. More importantly, it still possessed its shapeshifting qualities. In fact, Vahn had enhanced them quite a bit."Here, try this on..."Though he was profoundly confused by Vahn's words, Broly still extended his hands to accept Ba the moment it was proferred to him. To his surprise, the malleable cat promptly deformed around his arms, rapidly climbing up the rest of his body in a manner that made Broly think he was about to be consumed. Fortunately, this was far from the case. Instead, Ba formed a shape resembling a hoodie with a lush green tail."What...is this...?"Understanding the young Saiyan's confusion, Vahn teleported them near the location of Paragus's crashed ship before explaining, "I had a small chat with Ba. It agreed to become your partner and help protect you so long as you provide it with a steady supply of Ki. Since your body produces an almost unlimited amount, I taught it how to shapeshift into a variety of different forms that would allow the two of you to stay together always.""Ba...!"Hearing Ba's voice reverberating through his head, Broly moved his hands up to feel the soft fur of his best friend enveloping him. This caused the furry hoodie to bristle slightly, the hairs along Ba's body standing on end as it wasn't used to being caressed.........(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'When you're active all the time, having nothing to occupy yourself may as well be hell...','Boly is too pure for this world...','Ba...!')

After giving Broly and Ba enough food to keep them occupied for a few minutes, Vahn entered the cave that served as Paragus's home. It was technically Broly's home as well, but, due to the insectoid creatures that would generally hunt in the night, the young Saiyan often slept outside, guarding the premises while Paragus slept...Standing at 181cm tall and possessing a muscular figure that belied his advanced age, Paragus was currently in the process of trying to repair the distress beacon he had ripped from his crashed ship. Unfortunately, he had very little technical experience, so, while he was able to fashion Broly's collar and jury-rig a water purification system, he lacked the skills necessary to fully repair the beacon.Fortunately, Paragus was nothing if not persistent. He may lack the technical skills to repair the beacon but that wasn't going to stop him from trying. He had even managed to get it to transmit a signal strong enough to penetrate the atmosphere a few months prior, so, even if he had to fashion a circuit board from animal parts, he was determined to get off Planet Vampa and get his revenge...Seeing the mixture of black, purple, green, and red comprising Paragus's aura, Vahn exhaled a sigh that caused the ever-alert Saiyan's body to tense along with the surrounding atmosphere. Then, in spite of the fact he had been awaiting rescue for nearly two decades, Paragus immediately reached for his Ray Gun before dodging to the side and unleashing a projectile strong enough to penetrate the hull of a spaceship.Grabbing the projectile with his bare hand, Vahn crushed it into particles of light as he muttered a moderately incredulous, "Seriously...?"Though his eyes widened when he saw Vahn shatter a beam of energy like a glass rod, Paragus kept his ray gun trained on Vahn's head as he asked, "Who are you..?" before immediately following it by asking, "Did King Vegeta send you..?" in a grim tone.Seeing Paragus's aura turn a sickly shade of red and black, Vahn decided against giving the man an explanation. He was originally going to discuss Broly's adoption and see what he had to say on the matter before dealing with him. Now, realizing such an explanation would be completely wasted on the single-minded avenger, he reappeared in front of the middle-aged Saiyan before Paragus could even process he had moved.As he still had a policy against tweaking a person's memories directly, Vahn greeted the surprised Paragus with a strike to both sides of the head, stating, "Boushinha Shougeki...!" in a solemn tone that reverberated off the cave walls. (A/N: Boushinha Shougeki = Amnesia Fist)With his brain and eyes vibrating in accordance with a specific frequency, Paragus's consciousness faded the moment Vahn's blow landed. All the neural circuitry in his mind 'fired' at nearly the exact same time, and, though no permanent damage was done, the shock had effectively short-circuited his hippocampus. He would quickly recover basic skills such as the ability to speak, read, and write, but, with Vahn's attack also fracturing his Ego, everything that defined who Paragus was as a person had been erased.Though there was a chance that Broly might resent him in the future, Vahn didn't think the young Saiyan had it in him to resent anyone, much less the person who had saved him and his friend. So long as his father was alive and well, he would remain content. After all, even after sixteen years, he had never actually gotten to know the man.........After explaining the situation to a surprisingly understanding Broly, Vahn sealed the majority of Paragus's power before dropping him off at a luxurious retirement home that specialized in caring for people with dementia and other forms of memory loss. He would eventually recover, and, due to a bit of tweaking on Vahn's part, there was a fair chance he would even find love. Either way, he would have very little to do with Broly in the future, as, unless the young Saiyan approached him of his own volition, Paragus would never even know he existed.With that taken care of, Vahn pulled a bit of a prank on the Flying Nimbus by imitating Goku's voice and aura before calling out to it. He had never seen a cloud look so confused before, but, instead of brooding or zipping off like a tsundere, it permitted him to run his hands through its billowy surface before allowing Broly to attempt riding on its back.Unsurprisingly, Broly had absolutely no problem sitting atop the Flying Nimbus. This gave the cloud mixed feelings, but, with Goku currently receiving his first lessons from Master Roshi, it wasn't like it had anything better to do. Thus, when Vahn asked if it wanted to give Broly a tour and race back to West City, it readily agreed. As for Broly and Bay, they just enjoyed the view and the feeling of wind through their hair and fur.........Though she had initially waited for Vahn's return in the kitchen, Cheelai eventually got bored after more than an hour of just sitting around. Unfortunately, there wasn't really anything else for her to do, so, after briefly considering her options, she decided to get back at Vahn for his indifference to her sex appeal. More specifically, she decided to perform her daily ritual by sauntering over to what she assumed to be the master bedroom.With nothing but her own thoughts to keep her company for the better part of three, nearly four days, Cheelai's mind had wandered all over the place. She had also assumed that she was going to be forced to perform all kinds of sex acts, so, despite being given her own room, she had spent the previous two nights sleeping in the master bedroom. It had basically become her private sanctuary, so, after confirming that the bed actually cleaned and maintained itself, Cheelai had been having a bit of 'fun' at the mattress's expense.Intent on doing the same thing today, Cheelai was more than a little surprised when she reached the door preceding the master bedroom and found it locked. This caused a pout to form on her face, but, rather than fret over it, she just shrugged her shoulders before mumbling, "Well, there goes that plan..." before heading towards the bath as her next destination.In hindsight, Cheelai realized it probably wouldn't have been the best idea to play with herself when she was currently waiting for Vahn to return with a young boy in tow. She didn't think he would just teleport directly to her, but, not knowing how his teleportation worked, it was probably safer to err on the side of caution...?Recalling that she could now become invisible, a mischievous smile developed across Cheelai's face as she immediately threw caution to the wind. If people couldn't see her, it didn't matter where she got off. In fact, it might even be exciting to get 'caught' only for the person who discovered her to find an empty room...As this, and many other thoughts were having a field day within Cheelai's mind, the green-skinned woman was obvious to the fact that Sarina had emerged from the master bedroom shortly after her departure.Seeing Cheelai's 'mature' appearance, Sarina was honestly surprised. She had always assumed that Broly was much older than the green-skinned woman. Instead, Cheelai appeared to be in her mid to late twenties while Broly, as far as she knew, was around the same size as Goku.In reality, Cheelai was a fair bit younger than Sarina and Vahn believed. It was just that her species, similar to Saiyans, spent the first few years of their lives in gestation tanks before being moved to incubators. By the time they emerged, typically around the age of three, their bodies had matured to resemble 8-10-year-olds. They would then be given a crash-course education before being sent off to the frontlines or selected for a special education program intended to rear gifted children for positions aboard spaceships.Chronologically, Cheelai was just under fourteen years old. Her people just had drastically different standards than the people of Earth. As for how she ended up in the orphanage, that was a very long story. One she would rather not recollect, much less discuss with others...Unaware that she was being followed, Cheelai poked her head into a few rooms before reaching a rather sizeable Library. Most of the books within were written in languages she couldn't even begin to understand. She also wasn't particularly fond of reading, so, unless she literally had nothing else to do, she wouldn't waste her time reading someone else's story. She had her own life to live, and, more importantly, an itch that needed scratching...Seeing the ornate and expensive-looking wooden desk on the opposite end of the Library, a smile developed across Cheelai's face as she wet her lips with her tongue. Shortly thereafter, at least from the perspective of Sarina, she completely disappeared from view."What the heck...?"As Vahn had failed to make her aware of the fact he had gifted Cheelai with the means to become invisible, Sarina was profoundly confused by the green-skinned woman's sudden appearance. The simplest explanation was that Vahn had simply teleported Cheelai over to him. Sarina just couldn't imagine him doing such a thing if he knew she was nearby.Peeking into the Library, Sarina was confused yet unsurprised to find it completely empty. Just as she turned to leave, however, she heard the sound of something dropping behind her. The hairs on the back of her neck immediately stood on end, so, without hesitation, she pulled the Scouter Vahn had gifted her from her personalized storage ring...Stepping into the Library this time, Sarina's eyes should have darted to the thickly bound book in the middle of the floor. At least, that was the intention of the woman who had thrown it. Cheelai had noticed Sarina's appearance shortly after the latter poked her head in, so, unable to resist the temptation, she made a bit of noise to both spook and draw the woman's attention.Unfortunately for Cheelai, the inordinately advanced Scouter, capable of grasping even Vahn's base power, possessed a number of different filters. This included a function that allowed the user to see things like body heat, radiation, and numerous frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum. While none of these directly revealed Cheelai's features, they provided more than enough information to ascertain her location and the position she was in...Seeing a roughly Cheelai-shaped heat signature sitting atop the desk with her legs spread, Sarina's expression morphed into a deadpan. At the exact same moment, Cheelai's body became as rigid as a statue, her eyes briefly darting to the ring finger of her left hand before subsequently focusing on the Scouter on Sarina's head.Having used Scouters quite a number of times in the past, Cheelai convinced herself that Sarina was only able to detect her approximate location and power level. This tempted her to continue, but, as there was a fair chance that Sarina was someone important to her employer, she promptly shut her legs before sitting upright and asking, "Can I help you...?" in a cool tone that contradicted the rapid beating of her heart.Unsure of how to respond, Sarina's brows creased for a moment before she asked, "What are you doing here?"Thinking that Sarina hadn't been informed of her presence or who she was, Cheelai began to calm down, her confidence gradually restoring as she answered, "My name is Cheelai. Vahn hired me to take care of some Saiyan brat named Broly. He also gave me free reign to make use of the manor's facilities, so, unless you have something important to discuss, I believe you have your own duties to attend..."Opening her mouth, Sarina wanted to say something to explain who she was, but, believing Cheelai was currently naked, she decided against it. Instead, she elected to pretend she hadn't just intruded on the green-skinned woman's obvious attempts to masterbate in public...Not sure what else to say, Sarina's expression formed into an awkward smile as she said, "Uh...have fun...?" before promptly departing the Library. This caused the receding blush on Cheelai's face to spread through her ears, but, much like Sarina, she quickly convinced herself that the latter didn't actually know what she had been doing.........(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Pencak or Pancake?','Tsundere cloud...','Nothing to see here. Move along...')

"Simply put, your duties revolve around keeping an eye on a young Saiyan named Broly. He is a remarkably powerful but passive boy with a kind heart and extreme anti-social tendencies. Due to the hatred his father holds towards the Royal Family of Vegeta, Broly has spent most of his youth being reared as little more than a weapon for vengeance. His father has even put a shock collar on him to make him easier to control..."Though she was shocked and horrified to learn she was expected to be the caretaker of a Saiyan, Cheelai's expression turned fierce when she heard about how Broly was being raised. The years she spent at the Orphanage hadn't exactly been pleasant so she held a deeply ingrained hatred towards those who exploited children."To aid in your duties, you will be given free rein of every facility we have available. All of the basic necessities for survival will be provided along with a number of luxuries. If there is anything you'd like to request, you need only inform me, and, so long as it doesn't infringe upon the rights of other creatures, I will readily accommodate your requests. In exchange, once you are ready to retire, you can expect similar treatment in regards to funding and supplies. In simple terms, every second you spend as a Caretaker will be rewarded with a single second of my favor once you leave. If you'd like to experience what that means, feel free to make a request. So long as it isn't bestowing you godly powers or granting you the right to kill whoever you want, there are few requests I am unwilling to honor..."Hearing Vahn's explanation, Cheelai couldn't help inquiring, "What are you, some sort of magical, wish-granting genie or something...?"Rather than refuting Cheelai's words, Vahn simply smiled as he answered, "Something like that..." in an audibly amused tone. This earned him an understandably skeptical look from the green-skinned beauty, who, after a moment of deliberation, asked, "Can you make me taller...?"Though he was a little surprised by the request, Vahn nodded his head before promptly opening his Unit Management. Cheelai had become his subordinate the moment she nodded her head back on Frieza Planet 297, so, while her Trust, Belief, and Loyalty values were currently very low, he could still modify her appearance using OP.Noticing her eyeline changing, Cheelai looked down at her body to discover it was slowly inflating. A wave of panic immediately washed over her, but, seeing the phenomenon stop nearly as soon as it began, she quickly regained her calm before rising to her feet and asking, "How tall am I...?" in a curious tone."You were previously 160.3cm tall. You are now 165cm even."Blinking in surprise, Cheelai left Vahn a little speechless by promptly giving her boobs a squeeze. They had grown along with her height, but, due to the Modify Function's inability to create mass without supplementary energy, Cheelai's weight had remained the same. This gave her a lean and athletic figure, as, despite appearing emaciated days prior, she had actually put on a bit of weight due to the high-quality, energy-rich ingredients stored within the pantry and fridge...After checking herself over with an excited look on her face, Cheelai's expression abruptly did a 180 as she realized the implications behind Vahn's power. If he could alter her form on request, he could just as easily change her body at his leisure. He could also teleport people, and, presumably himself, vast distances. In other words, even if she did run away, he could just pop up behind her as he had a few minutes prior...Though Cheelai got the impression that Vahn was a 'good guy', that didn't make his abilities any less terrifying. She had seen ostensibly kind people turn into monsters at the drop of a hat, so, even if Vahn was a good person, that didn't mean he was incapable of selfishness and causing harm. If he one day decided to take her by force, there was literally nothing she could do about it...Realizing she was being a little too pessimistic, Cheelai shook her head rather violently before giving the cheeks of her face a few light slaps. If she lived with the assumption that every good person could spontaneously turn bad, it was no different from assuming everyone was evil. This would contradict how she viewed herself, so, with Vahn acting in good faith thus far, she had no reason to doubt him.Returning to her seat, a purple-pink hue spread through Cheelai's cheeks as she noticed Vahn staring at her with a faintly bewildered look on his face. She had basically spent the last minute or so checking herself out before briefly succumbing to the pessimistic tendencies she had cultivated over years of being alone and on the run. Then, without so much as a word, she gave herself a few slaps on the cheeks before sitting down and acting as though nothing had happened...("How embarrassing...")Fortunately for Cheelai, Vahn had no intentions of prying into her personal life. He would listen if she wanted to talk about it, but, just as he was doing his best to avoid peeking into the future, he wanted to respect the privacy of people who weren't his enemies. As for those who plotted against him, well, they only had themselves to blame..."Right...is there anything else you'd like to request? Altering a person's height is a lot simpler than you might think. Why not try something a bit more...abstract?"Realizing that Vahn wasn't going to inquire about the peculiarities of her actions, a wave of relief washed over Cheelai's body as she promptly replied, "I don't really know what you mean. I already know you can teleport people across vast distances so I assume you could do the same with other objects. Even if I asked for something like the Galactic King's Crown, I doubt you'd have any trouble retrieving it..."As she had been too focused on surviving to think about things like wishes and requests, Cheelai wasn't quite sure what Vahn meant by abstract. There was a time when she wanted the power to become invisible, but, as Vahn had already made it clear he wouldn't grant her godly powers or the ability to kill whoever she wanted, she doubted he would comply...Deciding she may as well give it a go, Cheelai nervously evaded Vahn's eyes as she asked, "Uh...how about the ability to turn invisible? I promise not to misuse it..."Raising his brows, Vahn resisted to point out that even the most basic application of invisibility would be a misuse of its power. Instead, he briefly considered ways to limit the power before manifesting a golden ring and using the Oblivion ability of his Eyes of Truth to inscribe microscopic runes along the interior band."It goes against my beliefs to grant people power they haven't earned. Instead of bestowing you the ability to become invisible, I will provide you the means to emulate the ability. However, as a precaution against its misuse, know that any injuries you inflict upon others while invisible will be rebounded back to you..."Using his Telekinesis, Vahn guided the rune-inscribed band over to Cheelai before dropping it in her outstretched hand. A fascinated glimmer briefly flashed across her rose-pink eyes, as, even if there were limitations on its use, the ability to become invisible whenever she wanted was still incredible.Placing the ring on her finger, Cheelai was surprised when information on its use promptly invaded her mind. Shortly thereafter, fiery markings lit up across its surface before disappearing along with the ring. When she looked down, however, her body was still completely visible.Understanding Cheelai's confusion, Vahn explained, "If you were unable to see your own body, it would only be a matter of time before you seriously injured yourself. Here, try looking in a mirror."Manifesting a mirror out of thin air, Vahn slid it across the table so Cheelai could see for herself the state she was in. When she saw an 'empty' white blouse and the band of a pale-purple bra on the inside, a wave of confusion and embarrassment washed over her body. It didn't help that she could angle the mirror in such a way that she could see down the blouse to her matching purple panties...Preempting Cheelai's question, Vahn explained, "Unless it's a projection-type cloaking ability, true invisibility only affects the body and its interior. If it applied to things in contact with your body, the entire planet or anything you picked up, regardless of its size, would become invisible..."Though she could kind of understand what Vahn was getting at, a remarkably potent blush spread across Cheelai's face as she asked, "Are you telling me that the only way to become invisible is to remove my clothing...?"Chuckling in response to Cheelai's reaction, Vahn both confused and relieved her by replying, "Yes and no. If that were the case, that ring on your finger would be visible in the reflection. Simply put, the best way to avoid having to walk around naked is to wear clothes and equipment that can also turn invisible. Unfortunately, much like the ring on your finger, they will appear invisible unless you possess the ability to see invisible objects..."Without even considering that she could ask Vahn for the ability to see invisible objects, illusory steam rose from Cheelai's head as she looked down and contemplated her options. On one hand, she would need to remove her clothes to become invisible. On the other, she would appear naked even with invisible clothing. In the end, the only difference between the two seemed to be the level of comfort she would experience while walking around...Amused by the serious yet remarkably embarrassed expression on Cheelai's face, a face he could see without any issues whatsoever, Vahn elected not to tell her about the very obvious solution to her problem. Instead, he pulled out a bangle version of the [REquip] System, stating, "This will help considerably, regardless of the route you decide to go with."Accepting the rather simple-looking bracelet, Cheelai slipped it onto her wrist before perking up when, much like before, information on its use promptly appeared within her mind. Moments later, she appeared simultaneously naked and fully clothed from Vahn's perspective. His perception was such that he could perceive even the individual molecules of a person's body when he focused, so, even if the people around him wore several layers of armor, it didn't make the slightest difference from Vahn's perspective. His was a world without secrets.Unaware of Vahn's abilities, Cheelai simultaneously beamed and blushed as the clothes on her body promptly turned invisible. She could vaguely make out her bra and panties due to the elastic bands and the way they distorted her breasts, but, beyond that, she was basically sitting naked in front of a man she had just met. This made her feel paradoxically emboldened and ashamed, a peculiar mix of emotions that gave her the almost overwhelming urge to pull a prank...Taking a deep breath, Cheelai did her best to suppress such emotions as she promptly deactivated her invisibility. Unfortunately, she failed to consider that her clothing's invisibility was unrelated to the effect of her ring. She could also see her body perfectly fine while she was invisible, so, for a surprisingly long period of time, Cheelai confusedly inspected her naked body and the golden ring on her finger. She even toggled the ring's invisibility on and off a few times, seemingly believing it was the problem rather than her oversight. It was only when Vahn cleared his throat, garnering her attention, that she realized the truth of the matter...Luckily for the slumbering Sarina, the soundproofing in the manor was quite thorough.........(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Stonks 📈','Be careful what you wish for...','At this rate, it won't be long before Sarina receives a helping hand xD...')

Chapter 27: Troubled Mind