Published at 4th of August 2021 8:51 pm

Chapter 15: Compromise

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Snorting in response to Vahn's words, Bulma crossed her arms in a manner that made her bikini top noticeably slacken as she retorted, "You also mentioned thirty years, twice, made allusions to beings with the power to erase entire galaxies, and directly stated that Goku and I were instrumental to the world's survival. Thirty years may be a fair amount of time, but, based on your words and actions, it might as well be a time limit."

Realizing he might have revealed a little too much information, a wry smile developed across Vahn's face as he sincerely stated, "You truly are a brilliant woman..."

With a haughty smile on her face, Bulma raised her head in a proud manner as she said, "Well, duh. I am the greatest inventor in the world. Give me the chance to study alien technologies and it's only a matter of time before I become the greatest in the Universe."

As the Bulma he was familiar with had gone on to create things like interdimensional time machines and radars capable of detecting energy throughout the Universe, Vahn didn't doubt her claim. If she had been a bit more 'ambitious', she could have easily risen to the level of Da Vinci. Whether or not she could surpass her was an entirely separate matter.

"While your words are remarkably on point, they don't really explain your sudden interest in getting married. Unless I'm mistaken, shouldn't you be against the idea of settling down?"

Though Vahn's words revealed that he knew more about her than he had initially let on, that wasn't the thing Bulma focused on. She had decades to figure out where he came from and how he knew the things he did. For now, there were far more pressing matters at hand. With that in mind, she did her best to calm the beating of her heart as she explained, "The comment you made regarding your wives and their inability to intervene in this world implies you only recently arrived here. You don't strike me as the type to ignore your lovers so that must mean they exist in a place where time flows separately from our own. That, combined with your complete lack of inhibitions, leads me to believe it's only a matter of time before you set your sights on other women. I'm already at a disadvantage due to your preexisting relationship with Sarina. I'll be damned if I'm going to play second fiddle to any other girls you encounter during your stay..."

Leaving out her intentions to monopolize, or, at the very least, take advantage of Vahn's knowledge and power, Bulma laid everything else on the table. She might not be able to do anything about Sarina, but, just as the latter was able to threaten her with the notion of convincing Vahn to leave, Bulma was confident she could anchor him to the planet and prevent people she didn't approve of from trying to claim him. If there was going to be a pecking order, she was going to do everything in her power to remain at the top...

Understanding that Bulma was serious, the expression on Vahn's face changed to match. Instead of agreeing to marry her, however, he noted, "You're currently sixteen years old and still in Senior High School. While it might be legal for girls as young as sixteen to get married, proposing to a man you just met is extremely rash. I understand your reasons but they don't really justify charging headfirst into marriage..."

Seeing the look on Bulma's face turn remarkably sour, the edges of Vahn's lips curled into a smile as he added, "Don't be so quick to anger. I'm not actually refusing to marry you. I'm just asking you to be patient and properly consider your options. Marriage is a pretty big deal. Even more so when the other party is a God. Wouldn't you rather get to know me first?"

Deciding to make things transparently clear, Bulma maintained an angry expression as she said, "I don't want to become just another flower in your bouquet. If my assertions are correct, you've only just arrived in this world. In spite of that, you've been flirting with me since the moment we met. If I don't put a leash on you, it's only a matter of time before I have to wait in line just to see you. If we get married, I can at least have a say in the order..."

Furrowing his brows, a feeling of guilt swelled within Vahn's chest as he tried to view the situation from Bulma's perspective. He still believed she was being rash, but, at the same time, she was also thinking years, perhaps even decades ahead. She had also hit the nail on the head in regards to his character. There may only be a handful of female characters that came to mind when he referenced the information stored in his memories, but, as this was no longer a fictional universe, there was a very real chance he would encounter someone outside the original cast that garnered his attention.

Not wanting to ruin the burgeoning relationship he was building with the beautiful blunette, Vahn decided that the best course of action was to compromise. With that in mind, he proposed, "How about this. With the obvious exception of Sarina, I promise not to become romantically entangled with any other women for the next five, make that ten years. Twenty-six is still pretty young to get married..."

Though she was more than a little surprised by Vahn's offer, Bulma was a haggler to the very core of her being. If he was willing to cut a deal, she was going to make sure it favored her as much as possible. With that in mind, she immediately proposed a counteroffer, stating, "Fine. I don't mind taking things slow. However, so long as I don't officially break things off, you have to tell everyone we're engaged. I also want you to promise me that you won't go off philandering if I somehow end up pregnant and carrying the child to term. I'm willing to make an exception for Sarina but I expect you to behave like a proper father around our children..."

("Yeah, she really is thinking ahead. I imagine she'll have a thirty-year plan drafted by the end of the week at this rate...")

(*Well, she is one of the smartest people in her reality. You're lucky you met her when she was still in her rebellious and somewhat delusional phase. If your first encounter had been near the start of the Saiyan Saga, she might have tried to impregnate herself in vitro...*)

Smiling wryly in response to Sis's remark, Vahn briefly contemplated Bulma's counteroffer before nodding his head and saying, "I will agree on the condition you accept there might be extenuating circumstances that force us to reconsider these terms. As a God, my promises serve as a powerful, binding contract. Though the odds of anything amiss occurring are slim, it's best to leave ourselves a bit of wiggle room. To that end, I propose we renegotiate terms at the end of every year starting from the fifth."

As Vahn clearly understood the inner workings of being a God better than she did, Bulma decided against accusing him of scheming to leave her using the pretense of 'renegotiating' the terms of their relationship. Five years was more than enough time to get a better grasp of his character, so, even if things weren't going particularly well between them, she should be able to leverage things in her favor. She didn't know if the Gods had something like child support but Vahn's reference to her world's laws implied there were certain statutes he respected.

Confident that she could convince Vahn to care about the world within the span of five years, a playfully seductive smile developed across Bulma's face as she leaned forward, further accenting her breasts as she answered, "I accept..." in a sultry tone.

Returning a smile of his own, Vahn thoroughly shattered Bulma's illusion of bravado by leaning in to give her a kiss. She hadn't expected him to just go for it, so, even after he pulled away to get a look at her face, Bulma's mind was still processing the sudden yet casual intimacy.

Amused by Bulma's reaction, Vahn's smile promptly developed the telltale signs of a teasing grin as he asked, "Why the confused look? We're engaged to be wed. Kissing is just the tip of a very large iceberg..."

Without waiting for Bulma's response, Vahn planted another chaste kiss on her lips before pulling away to add, "This conversation went on a lot longer than I expected. If you'd like to continue, feel free to stop by my room this evening. I'll give you a glimpse of what lies beneath the surface..."

Punctuating his words by gently squeezing Bulma's thigh, Vahn promptly high-tailed it before the befuddled blunette could explode. His departure served as a pretty good catalyst for this, as, the moment he tried to scamper away, she shouted, "You scoundrel...!" before throwing the remnants of her iced tea at his back...

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Having paid close attention to Vahn's conversation with Bulma, a certain pink-skinned Goddess of Time couldn't help peering a few years into the future. She might not be able to locate Vahn at any point beyond the present but she should still be able to observe the ripples his presence caused on the timeline.

Though she didn't find anything interesting or meaningful during the ten years covered by Vahn's promise, things changed rather drastically in the years that followed.

Starting with the arrival of Raditz, Earth was jeopardized or destroyed on no less than six separate occasions. It even became the center of conflict for numerous galactic, intergalactic, and universal threats despite being located in one of the most backwater regions of the entire Universe.

"I see why he would choose to show up in such a place. If Earth's defenders fail, the entire Universe will be destroyed. Unfortunately, that doesn't really explain where he came from..."

As an anomalous existence whose every action irreversibly influenced the timeline he was a part of, it wasn't an exaggeration to say that Vahn was one of the most fascinating and threatening entities in the multiverse. He had literally only existed for a few hours, yet, in spite of this, the flow of time in every Universe had been affected in such a subtle yet comprehensive manner that even she, a being that existed outside the Standard Axis of Time, couldn't identify the changes...

Furrowing her brows, a pout appeared on the pink-skinned Kai's face as she struggled to think of a solution. If Vahn was evil or proactively attempting to change things, she could always petition Lord Beerus, the God of Destruction, to deal with him. Instead, Vahn presented himself as a kind-hearted yet mischievous ladies man. As for his attestations about being a God, she wasn't quite sure what to make of them. He clearly wasn't a Kai, yet, even if she attempted a detailed scan of his physical and spiritual bodies, the results came back inconclusive.

With her long, elf-like ears twitching in frustration, the pink-skinned Kai crossed her arms beneath her more than ample bosom before issuing an annoyed groan. She really wished the Grand Priest would allow her to have an assistant to help resolve situations like this. It would certainly make her job a lot easier, but, understanding the danger of allowing outsiders in the Time Next, she couldn't really complain. Well, she could, it just wouldn't solve anything...

"Maybe I should just retire? I'm nearly a hundred million years old. Even the youngest Kai from my generation has already returned to the Garden. Why am I the only one expected to wait around till the literal destruction of the Universe...?"

Though she was well aware of the reason, speaking aloud and complaining were two of the only things keeping the Supreme Kai of Time sane. It might not solve anything, but it did make her feel better...

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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Is this a proposal or a business transaction...?','That iceberg extends to the bottom of the ocean...','Don't let Vahn catch those ears wigglin...')

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