EPIC Side Story: Dragon Ball

Though it might have disturbed him several hundred years prior, Vahn was able to maintain a completely relaxed smile even as he hooked up a seven-year-old boy to a dialysis machine.Dialysis, or, more specifically, hemodialysis was a process to clean and purify the blood in patients whose liver and kidneys were failing. It drew a patient's blood into a machine that filtered out waste products before cycling it back into their body through an arteriovenous fistula, a specially prepared vein that had been grafted to an artery to increase blood flow.If performed incorrectly, hemodialysis could quickly lead to a patient bleeding out. Unfortunately, once their kidneys had started to fail, patients would need to come in between 3-5 times a week depending on their conditions, diet, and degree of activity."I just want you to know you're a very brave young man. Not just anyone can go through this kind of process with a smile on their face. Maintain this kind of mentality and I can assure you that your cancer will be gone before you know it..."Hearing Vahn's voice, the young boy, Soya, opened his previously closed, slightly bruised blue eyes. A few months prior, he had also had bright yellow hair, but, after several, intensifying sessions of chemotherapy, his head and body were barren and heartbreakingly pale.Though he was only seven years olds, Soya had learned how to read a person's surface thoughts by observing their face and eyes. He knew when people were lying to try and make him feel better, so, seeing the completely relaxed and oddly tender look on Vahn's face, he couldn't help asking, "Does bravery make cancer go away...?"Surprising the youth quite a bit, Vahn shook his head, the look in his eyes softening as he said, "It isn't quite that simple, I'm afraid. However, it is one of the byproducts of something that 'can' cure cancer. A powerful, fundamental force that we all have buried deep inside of us..."Pointing to the boy's sunken chest, a thin strand of source energy flowed from Vahn's fingertips as he continued, a radiant smile developing across his face as he added, "Force of will, or, simply put, willpower. So long as you sincerely believe you are going to be okay, you need not fear any kind of illness. Right now, you're afraid because you're still young and know little of the world beyond your experiences thus far. Now that our paths have crossed like this, I can all but guarantee your illness with subside. You simply need to believe."Retracting his finger from the youth's chest, Vahn turned on the dialysis machine before rising to his feet. Then, prior to departing the room, he glanced over his shoulder and said, "A good first step is opening your heart to your parents. Trying to face this alone won't ease their burdens. Rather, one of the most powerful forces in the Universe is the bond between families. Together, there is nothing you can't overcome."Waving towards the conflicted-looking youth, Vahn briefly exchanged glances with the attending Nurse before departing the room. He still had quite a number of patients to see, as, despite only working in the hospital for a few weeks, his name and reputation had already circulated to every major city. Everyone was calling him a miracle doctor, as, without exception, each and every single one of his patients had shown signs of improvement from the moment he became their attending physician.Soya, as could be expected from such a calm and introspective youth, was the son of one of the most powerful merchant families in North City. The man had donated a tremendous amount of Zeni to see that his son got the best treatment possible, so, promptly following the youth's arrival, Vahn was assigned the case. The Surgeon General had intended for him to regard Soya as his most important patient. Instead, Vahn had been treating the youth just like any other patient, as, at times, the best medicine was simply being treated 'normally'.As important as the body was, it was useless to treat physical conditions if you completely ignored mental and spiritual health."Dr. Mason? Are you just coming from Young Master Soya's room...?"Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Vahn maintained a smile as he nodded towards the remarkably tall man that had been waiting to intercept him for the better part of half an hour. He had greying hair, sharp, hazel-red eyes, and a neatly trimmed mustache that suited his perceptually serious yet grandfatherly expression. As for his identity, he was none other than the Surgeon General of West City, Dr. Shigetsugu Gouken."Dr. Shigetsugu, it is a pleasure to see you again. Would you like to accompany me to meet with my next patient or did you require a consult...?"Though he may have been offended if anyone else asked if he needed a consult, a grandfatherly smile developed across Dr. Shigetsugu's face when he heard Vahn's words. He had become quite fond of the latter, not just because he had a flawless record, but because he showed absolutely no concern for fame despite his incomparable talents. The only thing Vahn seemed to care about was making sure his patients were in perfect health."There is a patient I would like you to take a look at. For the time being, however, I wanted to discuss your ongoing treatment of Young Master Soya. His parents, particularly his father, have demanded to be kept in the loop regarding each of his treatments..."While it might not be fair to the other patients, Dr. Shigetsugu had to prioritize the treatment of VIPs. Wukong General Hospital received funding from both Central and West City, but, like most hospitals, they were both understaffed and underfunded. More than half of their operational funds came from charitable donations, so, while he was glad Vahn treated each of his patients equally, Dr. Shigetsugu would prefer it if he showed a bit of 'additional consideration' when it came to their VIP clients...Understanding the elderly Doctor's concerns, Vahn supplied an understanding nod before making a, 'shall we walk and talk' kind of gesture. He was handling a significantly higher load compared to the average Resident, so, while he didn't mind humoring the Surgeon General's concerns, he would prefer they discuss them when he was off the clock. Standing and talking in the hallway when there were people who needed treatment wasn't exactly the best use of a Doctor's time.Shaking his head in mock exasperation, a dry chuckle emanated from Dr. Shigetsugu's throat as he fell into step next to Vahn. He couldn't exactly admonish the 'young' Doctor for wanting to move on to his next patient, so, while he would normally 'insist' a Resident accompanied him to his office, Dr. Shigetsugu decided to humor their hospital's most gifted youth. It was only a matter of time before Vahn became a household, so, in the hopes of capitalizing on his fame and increasing the hospital's funding, Dr. Shigetsugu was willing to give the young Doctor a bit of special treatment.Their hospital desperately needed the exposure.........While Vahn was busy making a name for himself as one of the most talented physicians in recent history, Sarina, Bulma, and Chi-Chi had been making waves of their own.Though Bulma had always been exceptionally popular, her fame was primarily the result of her identity. Most people found her personality abrasive and annoying, so, while there were a number of people who tried to get close to her, those that stuck around typically did so in the pursuit of various benefits.One of the things that had always stressed Bulma, at least when she started Senior High, was her lack of a boyfriend. She had been asked out by a substantial number of men, several of which were her own teachers, but, after learning about what happened to her elder sister, Bulma had made sure to research each of her would-be suitors to ascertain their true intentions.Now that she no longer had to worry about finding a boyfriend, Bulma was bubblier and more confident than ever before. People still approached her to try to ask her out, but, now, instead of having to make excuses, she could proudly inform them she already had a boyfriend. Better yet, Vahn had provided quite a number of photos of the two of them together, so, whenever someone asked about him, she could readily show him off.The looks of envy and mild resentment on her classmates' faces gave Bulma an indescribable sense of mirth.Benefitting Bulma even further, Sarina had quickly secured her place as one of Senior High's most talented and prominent beauties. She wasn't anywhere near the top of the class in terms of grades, but, given her power level, she absolutely dominated each and every sport she participated in. The Teachers and Coaches had even tried talking her into meeting with Scouts, as, regardless of whether it was Baseball, Basketball, or Track and Field, Sarina was the best in every event.It wasn't even close.As they were both the same age, Sarina and Bulma spent quite a bit of time together while they were at school. This was a pretty drastic change for Bulma, as, despite being a social butterfly, she didn't actually have any friends she could talk to. Sarina was, in many ways, the first real friend she had ever made. The only other person that Bulma could consider a true friend was her sister, but, for reasons she had never fully understood, Tights had left home when she was still a little girl.A long time ago, Bulma had viewed Tights as her hero. She had collected all of her sister's books, and, no matter how many times the latter regaled her with tales of her adventures in space, Bulma would always be starry-eyed. Bulma had genuinely wanted to grow up to be just like her sister, but, shortly after revealing this, Tights had stopped actively communicating with her. The only time they talked after that was when Tights came home to visit or when Bulma was lucky enough to catch her in between her journies.Bulma had always wanted to ask her older sister why she had 'run away', but, fearing she might be the reason, the words never found their way to her lips. Now, Bulma was just happy they could talk whenever she returned 'home' from school. She had even dragged Sarina and Chi-Chi over so that the four of them could talk and practice doing makeup together. The latter was basically the entire group's little sister, so, while Bulma was a little weirded out by the vigor which Chi-Chi displayed in her pursuits as a wife, she, or, more specifically, all of them were learning quite a bit from the young and resolute warrior princess.Similar to Sarina, Chi-Chi had quickly made a name for herself as a peerless athlete. She had broken each and every single one of the school's records during team/club tryouts. Unfortunately, at least for the teams that wanted to recruit her as their Ace, Chi-Chi refused each of them before following through on her desire to join the Rythmic Gymnastics and Cooking Clubs. She also tried to join the Classical Dance Club, but, due to the school's restrictions, most students could only participate in a single club. The only reason she was able to participate in two was because she had demonstrated an almost unreasonable degree of proficiency in both.From the perspective of the Administration, Chi-Chi was a perfect student. She was always the first to raise her hand when teachers asked questions, and, no matter the subject, she always got perfect scores. On one of her practice exams, she had even revised a few questions to reflect changes and discoveries that had been made following the original textbook's publication. She still answered in accordance with what the school expected, but, on the back of her test paper, the revised questions and answers were written along with the proper citation.Needless to say, the Administration was extremely impressed by Chi-Chi's performance. Were it not for the existence of Bulma, someone who had earned enough credits to attend any college of her choosing by the age of six, they would have regarded her as the most talented youth in centuries. Unfortunately, when the Headmistress and Dean asked Chi-Chi what she wanted to be when she grew up, the latter didn't even hesitate to claim she would be the perfect housewife.........(A/N: RIP Headmistress and Dean. Chi-Chi isn't going to be the golden egg that earns your school fame (U w U)...)

Though she was self-published through a subsidiary of Capsule Corp, Tights still had a team of Editors that kept in contact with her. They would get worried when she was gone for long periods of time, so, after three and a half weeks of idling about in the Godhand Pavilion, Tights surprised everyone at dinner by sharing, "I intend to return to West City tomorrow morning. I want to spend some time with my parents before returning to Dr. Omori's island..."As Tights hadn't even hinted at the possibility she would be leaving any time soon, Bulma was the most surprised among the people that had gathered. She didn't spit out her food or drop her fork but she did swallow the half-chewed contents in her mouth before following it with a large gulp of tea. Then, with a moderately offended expression on her face, she slammed her cup down and said, "Hey! You never told me you were returning so soon! We haven't even done anything as sisters! At least wait until Sunday so we can go shopping together...!"Shaking her head, Tights maintained a calm and resolute expression on her face as she said, "You know I don't like shopping. Besides, with Vahn's power, we can pretty much meet up whenever we want. It isn't like I'm crossing dimensions or disappearing into some random void. It wouldn't even take a few minutes for you to come and visit me with the Model Tiamat."Furrowing her brows, Bulma wanted to protest but was preempted by Vahn saying, "I intend to standardize teleportation in the near future. With their permission, I'll install teleportation arrays at Capsule Corp and Dr. Omori's island. That will allow the two of you to visit each other when you'd like."Though Bulma perked up quite a bit, a wry smile developed across Tights's face as she thought of a way to politely refuse Vahn's suggestion. There were times when she felt lonely but she had grown fond of the relative peace and quiet of Dr. Omori's island. She may have mentioned how easy it was for Bulma to pay her a visit her but she wasn't really comfortable with the notion that people could just drop by whenever they wanted...Allaying Tights's concerns, a knowing smile developed across Vahn's face as he said, "Don't worry. The teleportation array will function similarly to a telecommunications network. Unless someone on the other side picks up or authorizes the transfer, the array will not activate."Returning a smile of her own, Tights resisted the urge to thank Vahn for his consideration. Luckily, Bulma was currently considering the pros and cons of unregulated teleportation. It would become a problem if criminals or terrorists could simply send bombs through a teleportation array, so, after a moment of consideration, she nodded her head in approval, saying, "That's probably for the best." before following up by asking, "How do you plan to regulate it?"Anticipating Bulma's question, Vahn pulled out a rather futuristic tablet before sliding it toward her with a smile. He didn't mind answering questions, but, when it came to things she was interested in, Bulma didn't know when to stop. It was actually one of the more charming aspects of her character. Vahn simply didn't want to spend the rest of the meal answering every question that popped into the bubbly bluenette's head.Like a child that had just received a new toy, Bulma's eyes practically turned to stars when she saw the structure and design of the tablet. Before she could even ask, Vahn answered, "The schematics for several generations of the tablet exist within one of the enclosed folders. Feel free to market it at your leisure."As things like LED and Holographic displays simply didn't exist in the present market, Capsule Corp would be able to expand their fortunes once Bulma had patented the technology. They already had a monopoly in several fields, but, for the sake of the unification of Earth, Vahn didn't mind providing the means to increase their earnings. After all, by the time of Dragon Ball Super, the annual revenue of Capsule Corps had exceeded the combined earnings of every nation on the planet.Saving the world and having exclusive access to magical, wish-granting balls made dominating the market remarkably easy...Unable to contain herself, Bulma took advantage of the fact she was sitting next to Vahn to pounce and plant a kiss on his cheek before exclaiming, "That's my fiance~! You really know how to make a girl happy, don't'cha~?"Since Bulma didn't immediately separate from him, Vahn hooked his hand around her waist before guiding her to sit on his lap. This caused a rather potent blush to develop across her face, but, due to the presence of Tights, Cheelai, Chi-Chi, and Broly, Vahn kept things relatively tame by leaning his forehead against Bulma's and whispering, "Just returning the favor..."Swallowing due to the proximity of their lips, Bulma didn't immediately register the meaning behind Vahn's words. When it finally hit her, a silly grin spread across her face as she realized he was saying this was compensation for the happiness she made him feel.Though she was primarily concerned with her own happiness, Bulma was slowly but surely learning how to show concern and be happy for others. Knowing she made Vahn happy made her feel even happier, so, after a moment of muddled thinking, she linked her arms around his neck before Vahn seized the initiative to plant a chaste kiss on her lips and remind her, "We're at the dining table..."Startling slightly due to the reminder, Bulma's eyes widened as she looked around the table to find everyone staring directly at her. A far more potent blush developed across her face, but, instead of lashing out like she used to, she hopped up from Vahn's lap before grabbing the tablet and hastily departing the room. Due to the influence of Gag Laws, there was even a bit of steam rising from her head and trailing behind her as she disappeared around the door's threshold...Restraining the urge to laugh, the corners of Vahn's smile curled upward as he attempted to guide the dinner back on track by asking about Tights's next book. He knew she had started on multiple drafts, as, for the past two and a half weeks, she had interviewed him a number of times to inquire about the tales and legends of other worlds. This was the method she had come up with to justify spending time together, so, whenever he had time to spare, Vahn entertained the bashful blonde by allowing her to peruse the memories he had accumulated during his stay in the Actualized World of Tri-Enix.Science Fiction and Existentialism were two of Tights's favorite subjects. The notion that entire realities could exist within a simulation was enough to get her blood as an author boiling.........As it was Tights's last night in the Godhand Pavilion, at least for the time being, the girls, including Cheelai, ended up having something of a sleepover. This left Vahn to look after Broly, so, once the girls had settled in for the night, he decided to take the young Saiyan to check up on his father.It was never overtly discussed in the source material but Saiyans were actually nocturnal by nature. Broly had also spent most of his life keeping watch on nights that didn't have a full moon, so, while others would begin to feel tired once the sun descended over the horizon, the young Saiyan began to feel restless.Fortunately, Cheelai, or, more accurately, the Orionite people were also nocturnal by nature. They had also been genetically engineered to require very little sleep, so, while she could laze about for hours on end, Cheelai rarely slept for more than fifteen minutes at a time. This was a trait that was intended to make her species more adaptive to working in space, but, as fate would have it, it also made her an exceptionally good caretaker. She would regularly need to warm herself due to being cold-blooded, but, thanks to Broly lending her Baa, she was able to remain active even when it was dark and cold outside.Recalling the scene of Cheelai wearing a hoodie-version of Baa as she played hide-and-seek with Broly, a faint smile developed across Vahn's face. He didn't have a vested interest in Paragus, so, while the young Saiyan was watching his father chat with a pleasantly plump nurse, Vahn kept his gaze focused on the full moon overhead. He had erected a barrier around the entire planet, so, even if Broly, Paragus, or Goku were to stare directly at the moon, it wouldn't result in an Oozaru transformation.Couldn't have an amnesiac Saiyan looking out the window and then proceeding to destroy the surrounding city just because he thought the moon looked pretty..."I'm done..."Hearing Broly's words, Vahn shifted his attention from the inordinately large moon to the young Saiyan staring up at him. He could see a lonely yet resolute light in the youth's eyes, so, instead of asking if he was certain, Vahn simply nodded his head before asking, "Want to fly or run back...?"Though he enjoyed the liberating feeling of flying, Broly had been emulating Sarina's and Chi-Chi's exercise routine whenever he could. He also enjoyed running around and bounding over obstacles, so, after a very long period of consideration, he answered, "I will race you."Resisting the urge to point out the rather drastic difference in their maximum speeds, Vahn offered an approving nod before ruffling the young Saiyan's hair and saying, "I'll give you a five...make that three-minute head start. If I overtake you, you'll have to stop complaining whenever Cheelai tries to give you a bath. Deal?"While others may have asked what they stood to gain from such an arrangement, Broly didn't even hesitate to nod before bounding off the roof they had been sitting on. He wasn't the type to harbor sentiments related to wants and needs. He could be happy so long as he had food to eat and a roof to shelter him from the rain. Thus, rather than think about how he might benefit from the exchange, Broly interpreted Vahn's words as a challenge, his tiny legs carrying very near the speed of sound as he bolted in the direction of Cheelai's energy signature.Seeing the young Saiyan speed off towards the edge of the city, an affectionate smile developed across Vahn's face as he leaned back against the roof to continue staring at the moon. At the same time, his intent briefly shifted to Goku. This caused an amused glimmer to reflect across his eyes, as, rather than sleeping peacefully at her side, Goku was currently resting with his face nestled between the blonde-haired Launch's breasts. What made the scene so amusing was the fact that Launch was very clearly torn between hugging the slumbering Saiyan and smacking him on the head..."It seems things are going well over at Kame House..."Though this wasn't the first time he had peeked in on Goku, and, as a result, Launch, Vahn couldn't help being amused by the situation. Goku possessed a very powerful fate, and, prior to the Ox-King giving Chi-Chi the option to choose her future husband, the duo's fates had been intertwined. Now, seemingly for no better reason than to assure Gohan, Goku's canon son would be born, his fate had gradually become entangled with Launch's. Right now, she viewed him more as a little brother, but, once Goku matured, Launch's perspective of the young Saiyan was bound to change. After all, while most would unquestionably assume she was much older, Launch was actually less than a year older than Bulma at seventeen years old. This placed her around 4-5 years old than Goku, but, thanks to the Room of Spirit and Time, he was actually older than her by the time of Super...Seeing the angry expression on Launch's face slowly fade away, the corners of Vahn's smile curled up as the usually antagonistic woman began to affectionately run her fingers through Goku's hair. With this development, he didn't have to worry about Gohan being born. As for Trunks and Goten, there was a very good chance he would personally see to their creation. Thus, while great changes were afoot in the Actualized World, the power of fate was working hard to ensure everything was still flowing in the 'proper' direction.........(A/N: Broly is remarkably pure. Goku is remarkably lucky xD.)

By the time Vahn had returned from West City, Bulma had already moved most of her stuff into his room. She could be remarkably bold when she wanted to be, so, after their first, almost dream-like night together, she forcibly set aside her pride and began making an effort to get along with Sarina.Though things were still tremendously awkward between them, Vahn wasn't too concerned as the girls would be spending the next few years attending the same school. They had plenty of time to get to know one another. All he had to do was treat them well, satiate Bulma's curiosity, and make sure both of them felt completely gratified once the Sun when down. Such things were as simple as breathing for the current him, so, even before the end of the Summer vacation, Bulma was already showing signs of appreciation for Sarina's presence.It didn't take a genius to figure out that Vahn wasn't the type of man any singular woman could handle.........With five days passing in the blink of an eye, an appreciative smile had developed across Vahn's face as he observed Bulma, Sarina, and Chi-Chi in their school uniforms.Though West City was supposed to be a stand-in for the Americas of more standard Earths, each of the Cardinal Cities had adopted traditional Japanese school uniforms. This included the iconic sailor fuku for girls and a somewhat roguish-looking gakuran for boys. In the middle-school division and below, girls even wore buruma and school swimsuits.Vahn's preference, at least as far as school uniforms went, had always matched the victorian era of fashion. In spite of this, he could still appreciate Japanese aesthetics, as, on the most fundamental level, his heritage could be traced back to the Far East. After all, Tsubaki's Manor had been his first actual home, and, ever since his descent into the Actualized World of Dragon Ball, he had taken to wearing a modified yukata that made him appear like a scholar and a martial arts expert. He really enjoyed themes, so, with the 'Godhand Pavilion' borrowing from eastern influences, Vahn figured he may as well dress the part.After gawking at Sarina and Bulma for several seconds, Vahn nodded his head in an approving manner, saying, "The two of you look stunning..." before shifting his gaze to the expectant-looking Chi-Chi and adding, "And our little princess looks absolutely adorable..."Though she would have preferred to be called stunning, Chi-Chi was gradually coming to terms with the fact that Vahn wasn't going to make a move on her no matter how much she tried to insist she was an adult. She needed to focus on bettering herself and maturing, so, rather than show any signs of being upset, a bashful smile developed across her face as she cupped her cheeks and said, "Thank you for the compliment."Restraining a chuckle, an even wider smile developed across Vahn's face as he resisted the urge to ruffle Chi-Chi's hair. Today was her first day of school, so, while he could easily undo any mussing caused by his actions, he decided against it. Today was a very important day for her and he didn't want to do anything that might increase her nerves.Noticing the hint of concern in Vahn's gentle green eyes, Bulma couldn't help rolling her own as she said, "Relax, Vahn. Chi-Chi managed to get a perfect score on her entrance exams. Even I struggled with languages when I was younger. You don't have to worry about her. She'll be fine."Smiling wryly in response to Bulma's words, Vahn countered by saying, "Though I would be lying if I said I wasn't concerned, I'm more worried about her classmates than Chi-Chi herself. At her current level, even a casual push could send a normal person crashing through a concrete wall..."Having witnessed and even participated in some of Sarina's and Chi-Chi's training, primarily out of curiosity, Bulma paled in response to Vahn's words."Uh...good point..."With everyone's gazes focused on her, a potent blush spread through Chi-Chi's face as she averted her eyes. She actually enjoyed the attention quite a bit, but, understanding Vahn's concerns, she did her best to sound confident as she said, "I promise not to get into any fights..."Shaking his head, Vahn, once again, resisted the urge to reach out and caress Chi-Chi's hair as he said, "No. You come from a warrior background. Getting into fights is to be expected. Just do your best not to severely injure or kill anyone. As for things like sports and stuff, you and Sarina are free to join any teams or clubs you like. Just don't let success and fame go to your head. There is always someone better and stronger than you..."Though it had only been a week, Chi-Chi's power level had increased from a commendable 35 to an impressive 69. This placed her among the top twenty most powerful individuals in the entire world, so, even if she didn't put in much effort, Chi-Chi could dominate every sport in the mundane world.Fortunately, at least for the people who had dedicated their entire lives to the pursuit of sports and trophies, Chi-Chi had already decided which extracurricular activity she would pursue. Vahn had, time and again, expressed the importance of flexibility, balance, and coordination, so, the moment clubs began recruiting, she intended to join the Rhythmic Gymnastics, Dance, and Cooking Clubs.If it was something she believed would make her a better wife, Chi-Chi was willing to try anything.Nodding her head in understanding, Chi-Chi held her hands up, tightly clenching her fists as she resolutely stated, "I understand...!"Before he even realized what he was doing, Vahn found his hand gently caressing Chi-Chi's head. This caused the already wry smile on his face to turn wrier, but, having already crossed the line, he saw no reason to stop. Judging by the smile on Chi-Chi's face, she appreciated it quite a bit.........After a hearty breakfast, Vahn and Co said their farewells to Cheelai, Tights, and Broly before flying to West City in a version of the Imperial Dragon called the Model Ragnarok.Unlike the Model Tiamat, a single-person mech oriented towards long-range combat, the Model Ragnarok was an armored personnel carrier. From the outside, it resembled a rather sleek-looking red dragon oriented towards speed. This was pretty accurate, as, even within the atmosphere of a planet like Earth, the Model Ragnarok was capable of moving in virtually any direction at faster than light speeds.Fortunately, much like the other versions of the Imperial Dragons, the Model Ragnarok was fully capable of piloting itself. As a result, Vahn was able to fix Chi-Chi's hair and help the girls finalize their preparations before dropping them off at their respective schools. As for why he didn't just teleport them over? Bulma thought it would be cooler if they were dropped off outside the gate in a skyscraper-sized dragon. The words low-key simply didn't exist in her personalized dictionary.........After dropping the girls off, Vahn placed the Model Ragnarok into orbit before teleporting to the suite that served as his primary residence within West City. His presentation in front of the Surgeon General and the Board of Medical Supervisors had left quite the impact, so, while it was impossible for him to skip his residency, he was already being paid the salary of a senior physician.Performing flawless diagnostics, answering every question perfectly, and completing surgeries that were supposed to take several hours in mere minutes left quite the impression.........With the departure of Vahn, Bulma, Sarina, and Chi-Chi, the Godhand Pavilion felt even emptier than usual. As a result, Tights found herself lazing about in bed, listlessly staring at the ceiling with nothing to do.By trade, Tights was a science-fiction author who focused on worldbuilding and publishing grand space epics. She had known the Universe was filled with beings beyond comprehension ever since she was a child. Vahn, however, was so far beyond her expectations that, for the first time in many, many years, she simply didn't have the motivation to write.It didn't help that she had spent the entire week listening to her little sister brag about what it was like to be with a literal God.Bulma wasn't exactly discreet when it came to discussing matters of love and romance. She had, in painstaking detail, recounted every single experience she had with Vahn. This included their crash-landing and subsequent love-making at the bottom of the ocean, so, while she would normally be lost in the world of her imagination, Tights couldn't help feeling that Bulma's reality had suddenly become even more fantastical than any stories she could think of.It was kind of infuriating...As that thought crossed her mind, an exasperated sigh escaped Tights's throat as she rolled onto her side and hugged one of the indescribably soft pillows that made up the veritable mountain on her bed. She was the type that hated feeling restrained and smothered, so, in place of blankets, she found comfort and warmth in pillows, plushies, and stuffed animals.Though she normally kept her personal preferences and sleeping habits a secret, Tights had given up after learning that Vahn was basically omniscient. The truth of the matter was, despite her boyish appearance, Tights had always had a fondness for strange and cute things. She had also developed a number of confidence issues due to her petite frame and relatively small breasts, so, despite quite a few attempts at transitioning to more 'adult' undergarments, Tights simply felt more comfortable in plain cotton, often patterned panties.Thinking of her childish preferences, Tights's mind, once again, wandered to the presentation Vahn had given nearly a week prior. She couldn't recall every member of his harem, but, with a number of girls whose heights barely surpassed his waist, Tights couldn't help comparing herself against them. It didn't help that, among the members of Vahn's harem, several pairs of sisters and even a number of mother-daughter pairings existed...Simply put, Tights was seriously considering going back on her word and seeing if she couldn't, at the very least, spend a single night with Vahn. It had been more than a decade since she was last in a relationship, and, due to the nature of the breakup, Tights wasn't sure if she could ever truly trust another man. She was afraid of being taken advantage of, so, even though she was pushing 30, she hadn't even considered getting back into the dating scene.Fortunately, or perhaps not, Vahn wasn't just any man. He was a literal God, and, after spending a week together, Tights had come to appreciate the time they spent together. He was always caring and considerate when he spoke, and, no matter what kinds of questions she asked, the only things he concealed from her were matters related to the privacy of others. This, combined with the fact he was among the most handsome men she had ever seen invariably led Tights's mind, and fingers, wandering...Coming to her senses, Tights removed her fingers from her panties before staring at the glistening digits with the same listlessness she had afforded the ceiling. One of the problems with retreating into her shell was the fact that she simply couldn't get off like a normal woman. She had convinced herself that self-gratification and relationships were unnecessary, as, every time she touched herself, memories of her first boyfriend would resurface in her mind. This would completely ruin her mood, and, as a result, Tights found it impossible to get off. It didn't help that her Doctors had linked her stunted growth to a hormonal imbalance caused by stress and several other psychological factors...Remembering this, a depressive atmosphere exuded from Tights's body as she wiped her fingers against the fabric of her pajamas and muttered, "Stupid Bulma..."......(A/N: Sorry for the late post. I got my second dose of beer vaccine the other day and it completely kicked my shit in.)

Chapter 41: Numerous Paths