In her room, Cinder couldn't contain her excitement as she dressed in her finest combat attire.
The occasion was that special.
So Cinder chose her favorite red dress, adorned with gold patterns infused with Dust. Although it was an almost useless addition now that she no longer had her Maiden powers, it served a purpose by matching the color of her beautiful eyes.
More than that, it was an outfit that helped highlight her beauty and femininity to the fullest, featuring a generous neckline to better accentuate her voluptuous breasts and show off her beautiful, toned legs.
Sexy enough to win over any man in this world.
Unfortunately, Vegeta was not just anyone or even an inhabitant of Remnant.
An unexpected revelation that Cinder still had a hard time believing.
Vegeta was an alien and powerful enough to destroy entire worlds!
The mere notion of this was ridiculous, but only until she remembered the little trip off the planet two months ago, when she went along with the other girls to visit an alien world and help collect samples of its biodiversity for analysis.
A red world full of strange creatures that Weiss Schnee had received as a gift.
Lucky bitch.
That absurdity aside, that was the day Cinder had a reality check when she was forced to accept how small and insignificant she really was.
Not only her, but all beings from her home planet, including Salem, who had reigned supreme as the strongest for centuries after the Brother Gods left this world behind.
Now, that resentful witch wasn't even in the top five of Remnant's new hierarchy.
Something that needed to stay that way, and was one of the reasons Cinder was trying so hard.
Even if it hurt more than just her ego and self-esteem.
Dressing up as a maid, regardless of whether it was for a different reason and to look extremely sexy, and serving other people was a terrifying experience that gave her nightmares and momentary lapses of reality.
With just that much, it wouldn't be wrong to say she had PTSD.
That sucks.
Cinder felt like she was walking on eggshells all the time, afraid of making a mistake and constantly checking her neck to see if there was a shock collar ready to punish her at any moment.
Still, Cinder endured.
This was a test given to her by Vegeta, even after seeing her past, and not out of mere pity.
After all, his past was much worse than hers could ever be.
It took some time, but Cinder managed to get close to Ruby Rose, the most naive and innocent girl walking this world.
It wasn't for nothing that she was a bearer of Silver Eyes.
Then there was Blake Belladonna, the girl who had been rejected and was focused on her war against the injustices of the world.
Thanks to these two, Cinder learned a lot about this man from another world.
Prince Vegeta the Fourth was a member of a nearly extinct warrior race known as the Saiyans and had committed crimes that made any human or faunus in Remnant's history seem cute in comparison.
Not only had Vegeta been a slave in the hands of an intergalactic tyrant since childhood, but he had also committed mass genocide, wiped out countless races, and destroyed entire planets while terrorizing the northern quadrant of the universe for decades.
Again, it sounded absurd and impossible, but only until she questioned him directly and got confirmation from the guilt in those dark eyes.
It was at that moment that Cinder felt her heart beat faster as she looked at this man in a completely different light.
At first, she had hated him for forcefully removing the power of the Fall Maiden from her body, even if it meant freeing her from Salem's clutches.
However, it didn't take long for Cinder to understand that the Maiden power was insignificant and would only serve to get in the way of what she could achieve and truly desired.
So it was no wonder that her heart had been moved, as this was the first time Cinder had met someone remotely similar to her, but worse.
A kindred spirit.
So, contrary to what Weiss Schnee believed, Cinder didn't want Vegeta just because of his power.
At least, not anymore.
After all, where would she find a man more worthy and similar to her than him?
There was Kakarot, the most powerful mortal in the universe, who ruined Vegeta's life, but he couldn't be more different. That, and he was already married, besides being a complete idiot who almost destroyed this entire universe with his recklessness.
Cinder preferred to keep her distance from someone so unpredictable and dangerous.
One more thing she had in common with Vegeta, and he must know that, or else he wouldn't have allowed her presence after seeing the kind of person she was.
Vegeta wanted to see how far Cinder was willing to go when the person she had to hurt to gain power was herself, and if she could turn over a new leaf as he had done.
Apparently, you didn't have to be a bad person to become strong.
That and something about destroying any thoughts of the past and recreating yourself from scratch.
Before creation came destruction.
Whatever that means.
Well, Cinder would at least admit that all the attention, thanks, and praise she received after saving a life wasn't so bad.
There was also the delight of destroying the lives of criminals.
I can get used to that.
In any case, it was for all these reasons that since Cinder had started living in this house almost three months ago, she had been dressing up in front of this mirror every day.
Something she had never bothered to do before.
Cinder was beautiful, and that was undeniable.
So much so that if she really wanted to, she could become a model or marry some rich man without even trying.
However, what Cinder wanted the most was not fame or material possessions, but to never have to submit to anyone else again.
She didn't want to live in fear anymore, and only power could help her with that.
Or living alongside someone insanely powerful.
Unfortunately, even with her beauty, Cinder couldn't compare to Weiss Schnee.
The princess's regular appearance was already formidable, but nothing to be afraid of.
To Cinder, Yang was much more dangerous, possessing a body that seemed to have been hand-drawn to be desire incarnate.
But then, she saw what true beauty was.
Weiss Schnee could transform, and more than once, raising not only her powers to another level, but her beauty as well.
This girl ascended with her celestial blue form and then transcended with her golden form.
For the first time since Cinder had learned about the extent of her own beauty, she had felt less than someone else.
Much less, to the point that she felt ashamed to be in the presence of a true goddess.
It was not for nothing that Weiss had managed to win Vegeta's heart.
You would have to be an emotionless monster with no balls not to fall for a woman like that.
Still, just like Yang, Cinder had not given up.
This was not the first time she had faced odds that seemed impossible to overcome.
If Weiss Schnee could ascend and transcend after receiving Vegeta's power, then so could Cinder!
No, she would reach an even higher level and carve her way into Vegeta's heart!
Time to take my first step!
Cinder put on red lipstick along with the rest of her light makeup and smiled at the beautiful result reflected in the mirror before her.
With this, she couldn't be more ready to meet her destiny.
-----
Outside, Weiss was gleaming with power and flashing a wide smile as she collided with her beloved in a way that no one else in this world was capable of.
What she loved most about this was that her smile and excitement were reciprocated, showing that Vegeta was enjoying this moment as much as she was.
While Weiss knew she wasn't really pushing him and helping him improve, merely training with her partner was what made this moment so unique and special.
Something truly Saiyan.
"I know you're excited to get stronger," Vegeta began, sensing her desire to progress even further with each blow, and that worried him. "However, you don't need to push yourself that hard."
To the point where she was making use, even if moderately, of the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.
Which wouldn't be a problem if she were a Saiyan, but since that wasn't the case, she had to be more careful.
"I don't want to hear that from you." Weiss snorted as she rolled her eyes and flashed a small smile, a touch of sarcasm present in her voice. "Not when you train like there's no tomorrow."
Which could indeed be the case given the fight that awaited him in the Empty World in nine months and all the absurdities that this man had already lived through... and died, twice at that.
Crazy stuff, as Yang liked to say.
"It's different, and you know it." Vegeta recognized that there was a certain level of hypocrisy coming from him, but it was nothing that a little explanation couldn't solve. "I'm a Saiyan, and getting hurt only makes me stronger."
It might sound unfair, but every race has its own unique characteristics and advantages.
This girl in front of him was a perfect example of that, possessing a Semblance so special that her growth potential was at a level that most beings in the universe could only dream of achieving.
"I know..." Weiss let go of her power, floating among the clouds to get closer and be welcomed into the arms of her beloved. "I just want to grow enough to be able to help with your training."
Much more than she already did through Soul Resonance.
"You are already progressing and helping me tremendously," Vegeta assured her, then smiled at what he was about to reveal. "In fact, you are much stronger than I was at your age."
Not only that, she was stronger than he was, even if he added another decade to his age.
A little more, and this girl would surpass Captain Ginyu's power level.
"Wait, seriously?!" Weiss was taken aback for a second, but soon she was smiling in a way that could rival Ruby on her best day as she remembered that her beloved doesn't joke around. "But how?!"
While she knew Vegeta was older, it wasn't that much older!
Besides, at her age, he was already fighting and conquering entire planets around the northern quadrant of the universe!
"No one is born at the top of the world." Vegeta knew this better than anyone, it being a fact he only accepted after he started living on Earth. "Not even gods and angels."
Everyone needed to train... except for the Omni King, but that thing was an existence on a completely different level.
"For example, I only ascended and transformed into a Super Saiyan when I was over thirty years old," Vegeta remembered that time with a certain nostalgia, it being the happiest day of his life, almost as much as the day he conquered and destroyed his first planet. "So you don't need to rush."
It wasn't as if she were about to face any opponent capable of threatening her planet.
At least, not while Vegeta was around.
"I see." Weiss calmed down a little, understanding better now that there was more than just blood predestination behind what one could achieve. "I'll stop trying so hard."
But only a little, because she didn't want to be left behind.
While Weiss was the strongest in Remnant, if she let her guard down, Ruby would end up catching up to her and maybe even surpassing her.
This was especially true now that Cinder was also going to start training.
"Good," Vegeta nodded, satisfied that she understood. "Besides, your power is close to making another considerable leap."
He could sense that her Spiritual Energy level was close to matching her current Life Energy level.
When that happened, her golden form would be complete and reach its true potential.
Honestly, Vegeta was looking forward to it, and he wasn't the only one.
"Yes, and I can't wait!" Weiss was already aware of this, and it was part of the reason why she had been pushing herself so hard in her training recently. "Then I'll be able to give you a much better challenge!"
At the end of the day, her goal remained the same:
To help her beloved and make him happy!
This girl... Vegeta never knew how to deal with displays of affection like this or the fact that he didn't hate any of it. She makes dying no longer an option.
Because the idea of making her cry bothered him more than anything else.
"There's a lot to do today, so let's get back to it." Vegeta let go of Weiss and was about to descend when he felt her touch, holding him firmly in place. "What is it?"
A question that became rhetorical as soon as he saw this beautiful girl blush and the way she was acting, being all shy.
Well, shit.
It seemed that this battle was not over yet.
"That can wait a little," Weiss said lovingly as she hugged her man closer. "Don't you think?"
After all, it wasn't often that they had a moment of privacy like this and in such a beautiful setting.
At that moment, they were floating above the clouds, with a white ocean below, surrounded by blue sky and the sun shining on the horizon.
It would be difficult to find a more romantic place than this.
Vegeta swallowed hard, his face heating up along with his body as he was unable to pull himself away from this girl.
So strong, yet so weak.
There was no other way to describe him at that moment.
Especially with the desire that had only grown inside him since they started training using Soul Resonance.
Yang and Cinder didn't help with their daily advances, bringing him closer and closer to the boiling point, and the last thing he wanted now was to cross the point of no return with this girl.
Still...
"You're right," Vegeta sighed as he hardened his resolve once more, refusing to admit defeat and soon returning to this girl's embrace. "Everything else can wait."
He didn't have anything too important to do today anyway.
Weiss could only smile at her small victory, loving every second of it while wishing this moment would last forever.