Path not Taken

By Devon Masterson

AN: This is a working title. I might change it if I think of a better one. I would love suggestions for this story. I have been sitting on the 2 ch I have for a year and the concept for 4 years. R+R

"Are you ok, miss?" Gohan asked as he stood over the beautiful young woman.

She sat up and held her head. "Yes, I'm fine, thank you."

"You gave us quite a scare," Videl answered beside her husband. "You've been out for two days. That's quite a bump on your head."

"Bump?" she asked as her hand went to the side of her forehead. Yes, she remembered what happened she appeared in mid-air instead of solid ground. "The coordinates on the machine must have been off."

"Machine?" they asked.

"It's nothing," she replied as she smiled. There was no point mentioning it especially if didn't work. Perhaps screwing with it before using it was not such a hot idea after all. "Oh well, there's nothing I can do now. I just hoped it worked," she thought. "Could you tell me where I am."

"You're in our house a couple miles outside of Satan City. I'm Gohan and this my wife…"

"Videl," Videl answered as she smiled.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Se…Reiko."

"Well, we're glad you're feeling better, Reiko," Videl smiled.

"Thank you, for…"

"Mama. Mama," Pan called as she ran into the room. "Icarus and I flew all over the…she's awake! Hi, I'm Pan." Pan jumped onto the bed. "Would you like to play with me."

Reiko smile at the young girl. "I would love to."

"Great!" Pan grabbed Reiko by the arm and pulled her out of the room before either parent could protest.

"You're very strong for a little girl," Reiko commented as she rubbed her arm.

Pan smiled in pride. "I'm part saiyan like my dad."

"Saiyan?"

"Yeah, like my grandfather Goku," she answered.

"I don't know him."
Pan looked at Reiko as though she were crazy. She thought everyone knew who Goku was. "What planet are you from?"

Reiko blushed. At least she knew now that machine worked. "If you promise not to tell anybody, I'll tell you later."

"Will you tell me at bedtime?" Pan asked.

"Sure," she answered. "So what do want to play?"

"It'll have to be tomorrow," Videl answered as she came outside. "It's dinner time and then time for bed."

"Oh, man" Pan groaned. "Do I have to, Daddy?"

"You heard your mother," he replied. There was no way he was going to give her the chance to give him the puppy face.

"Okay," she said lowly as she walked towards the house. She suddenly perked up as she remembered her new friend. "Come with me and sit with me!" She grabbed Reiko's hand and pulled her along once again.

"Okay," Reiko agreed as though she had a choice.

Pan's parents smiled apologetically as they watched their daughter. "She really likes Reiko, she hasn't tried to destroy her yet," Videl commented as they walked to the house.

"Maybe we should ask her to stay for awhile," Gohan suggested. "I don't think she has any place else to go."

A couple hours later, Reiko sat beside Pan's bed. "Guess what. I'm going to be your new nanny."

"Yea! We can train together and explore stuff," Pan said excitedly. "And you can meet Trunks."

"Whose Trunks?"

"My boyfriend," Pan blushed.

"Oh, I see," Reiko smiled as she thought about her childhood crushes from the past. She then frowned. It was not her past anymore. She had no past. "That's her life now and I have to make my own way."

"Why are you looking so sad?" Pan asked.

"It's nothing," Reiko replied. "How about I tell you a story?"

"Kay."

"You probably never heard this one before," Reiko began, "about two thousand years ago there was complete peace in the universe. It was the time known as silver millenium and Queen Serenity ruled with benevolence and grace with the power of the silver imperium crystal."

"You're not telling it right," Pan declared as she sat up. "Serenity was a warrior that used the imperium crystal sword."

Reiko shook her head. "I think I know how the story goes."

"I read it in a book and my mommy told me the story."

"I think I know what my mother…I know the story," Reiko commented.

"Okay then where did she live?"

"On the moon of course," Reiko answered.

"Lucky guess," Pan replied. "Let's look at Trunks' book tomorrow. He knows about all that kind of stuff."

Reiko smiled. "That's fine. I can meet your little friend."

"Great! Night"

"Good night," Reiko said as she kissed her charge on the forehead. She never imagined herself as the nanny type, but then there was all those times she babysat her brother and looked after Rini. "Rini…that's right I'll never get to be her mother." Her life was totally screwed up. She was in a strange world with no past. Her only consolation was she could start anew with a life all her own. If only she had listened to Ami, then her life would be as it always was, happy instead of confusing and lonely.

"Yes, Pan?" Trunks asked slightly annoyed the next morning. He knew she entered the room even though she was being as quiet as a eight year old could possibly could.

Pan sighed "I never sneak up on you," she complained.

"If you want to sneak up on me then you're going to have to get your dad to teach you how to hide your energy level," he suggested as he patted her head. "So what brings you by?"

"My friend and I want to ask you a question."

"Where is she?" Trunks asked. "Is she shy?"

"I told her to wait outside," Pan replied, "I'll go get her." Pan ran off.

Trunks shook his head. "It's good she's making friends. She needs to be around people her own age."

"This is Reiko," Pan said, braking into his thoughts.

Trunks looked up and his eyes widened as he saw a beautiful woman standing in front of him. "Hi, I'm Trunks."

"So you're the boyfriend I've heard so much about," Reiko replied. "You have good taste, Pan."

Pan smiled and hugged Trunks around the waist. "I know."

Trunks blushed slightly. "Pan…"

Pan smiled and hugged him tighter. "I love you, Trunks," she replied as she hugged him with almost all her strength.

Any normal man would have been crushed, but Trunks only sighed. "You and I are going to have a talk," he said softly.

Reiko coughed to hide her laughter. Trunks was not quite what she had expected. He was much better to look at than any elementary school mate. "Sorry to bother you…"

"You're not bothering me," Trunks interrupted as he gathered his composure and appear to be suave.

Reiko smiled. "Pan told me that you knew about the legend of Serenity and the imperium sword," she finished.

"You're kind of old for bedtime stories, aren't you?" he suggested flirtatiously as he walked over to a book shelf and pulled out an old book. "My mother used to tell me the story when I was little. I even went in search of the quest, but all I found hunk of rock in a cavern."

"What did the rock look like?" Reiko asked curiously.

"Your standard quartz crystal, about the side of a golf ball," Trunks answered sensing her interest. "I brought it back with me. I keep it as a sort of prize, would you like to see it?"

"Yes, I would," Reiko answered.

Trunks motioned for her to follow him. "You never told me about that," Pan commented as she ran after him.

"You never asked," Trunks answered.

Pan scrunched her face then smiled. She would get him back later.

"Here it is," Trunks announced

"I can't believe it," Reiko replied as she looked at the crystal that he held in his hand. It was almost the exact same silver imperium crystal that she gave up only days before. The luster was not the same it was dull and lifeless as though it had been without an owner for millenia. "Can I touch it?"

"Sure," Trunks answered as he handed it to her.

As soon as she touched it, the crystal began to shine brightly in the hands of its true owner. Reiko gasped as images of the pervious owner's life rushed through her mind. She dropped to her knees and the crystal disappeared.

"Are you okay?" Trunks asked as he dropped to his knees as well. Pan moved Trunks over and hugged Reiko. Trunks shook his head. "Let's take her to the infirmary."

"I'm fine," she replied. She moved away from them and stood to her feet. "I just feel…" she started to sway and Trunks caught her before she fell. "..fine."
"I think my mother should she take a look at you," Trunks suggested.

"I'm fine, this always happens when my power increases," she said casually.

Trunks raised an eyebrow. When she entered the room, he could feel a small power level coming from her, but now it was phenomenial. The others would be able to feel it and would be on their way soon. "I'm taking you to get checked out."

Pan nodded in agreement. "You're going to get to meet everybody," she smiled as she floated up to Reiko's eye level. "But you gotta see Auntie Bulma first."

Reiko's eyes widened as she watched her charge float in front of her. "You're flying?" she asked.

"You can learn too. You have a high energy level," Pan smiled.

"I want to get you checked out, then I have some questions," Trunks replied, "before the others get here."

"What do you mean others?" she asked as he opened the door to the infirmary.

He laid her on table and called for his mother on the intercom. "When whatever happened, happened your energy level went from traceable to rediculously obvious."

"You can sense my energy level?" Reiko answered.

The door opened before Trunks answered and an attractive middle aged woman with blue hair walked in. "Hi, I'm Bulma, Trunks-kun's mom."

"I'm Reiko," she introduced. "I feel fine but he wanted to make sure."

"Well I imagined it couldn't hurt to check it out," Bulma commented when she saw the look on Trunks's face. She waved a wand about to Reiko to check her vital signs. "Everything's okay."

"See," Reiko replied triumphantly.

"You're not from Earth though," Bulma commented, "but then most of our friends aren't. So what planet are you from?"

Reiko looked at her incredulously. Most of her friends weren't from Earth either, but felt weird hearing someone she did not know say that. "I would rather not say right…."

The door burst open as Vegeta and the others rushed in. "Who's emenating that high energy level?"

"Don't you know how to knock?" Bulma barked as she looked Vegeta and the rest of the Z-fighters.

Vegeta ignored her and looked around the room. A scowl formed across his countenance as his eyes rested on a blond sitting on the table. "The power level is you?" he asked as he stood in front of the girl. He looked her up and down. "Speak, girl?" he commanded.

Reiko sat in shock. She nodded and Bulma stepped in front of her. "Leave her alone Vegeta. She's not a threat and she isn't up to answering questions."

Vegeta stared at the girl. "This is a waste of time and I have better things to do," he replied as he left the infirmary.

"And that goes for you too," Bulma growled as she eyed the rest of the fighters.
"But, Bulma," Krillin urged as he tried to get a closer look at Reiko.

"It's okay, Bulma," Reiko replied as she jumped off the table. "I knew this would happen sooner or later. What do you want to know?"

"I want to know where the crystal went and why did it shine in your hands?" Trunks asked.

"What crystal?" Bulma asked.

"Sometime ago I went on a quest to find the legendary sword that Serenity once used, but I only found a small crystal. Today when Reiko touched it the crystal glowed and disappeared."

"I can answer that," Reiko answered. "The crystal is inside my body."

"Wha?" Krillin asked. "How do we get it out? Are you ok?"

"I'm fine," Reiko answered. "The crystal is mine. When I need it I will be able to call upon it's power, but I'm not strong enough to use it without…I'm not strong enough yet."

"Does that mean you're from the moon?" Pan asked.

"Pan don't be so silly," Videl chastised as she hugged her daughter. "No one lives on the moon and besides, Piccolo destroyed it."

"Oh yeah," Pan remembered disappointedly.

"The moon's been destroyed??" Reiko asked. "Why…who?"

"I had to do it to keep Gohan from transforming," Piccolo answered. "Though you can always wish it back with the dragon balls."

Reiko backed up in surprise at the sight of the tall Namekian. A borrowed memory flashed in her mind. "Kami?"

Piccolo shook his head. "Not quite any way. I merged back with him some time ago. I recognize you as well. You're from the Moon Kingdom and you look a lot like Serenity."

"When I touched the crystal," Reiko began, "I saw the memories of Serenity. Her kingdom was destroyed by a race of conquers eons ago. She was able to destroy them by unleashing all her power, killing herself as well."

"Serenity had no heirs," Piccolo commented. "So how did you come about?"

Reiko looked away, when she heard a sneeze. She had forgotten that everyone else was still in the room. Everyone seemed to be listened intently to her story. "I'm from another dimension where I no longer fit in," she answered. "The funny thing is I always knew pretty much what my destiny was, but a friend of mine always said 'preknowledge does not equal predestiny, and destiny can be a cruel, uncertain thing.' Now I'm in a strange dimension queen of a forgotten kingdom."

Trunks started to put his arm around Reiko when Pan wedged in between them and hugged Reiko. "It'll be okay," Trunks said soothingly.

"You need to find your sword. That was what you used to wield your power," Piccolo commented. "I'm sure with Trunks's help you'll be able to find it. As for me I'm going back to training. You never know what's lurking around in the shadows these days." Piccolo nodded then turned to leave.

"Piccolo's right, besides we're not needed," Yamcha replied as he and the others left. "I'm too old for quests like that anyway."

"I wanna go," Pan said to Reiko. "I'll be real good. Please. Please. Please."

Reiko looked toward Videl. She knew that there could be the potential of danger, but she proved not to be an ordinary child.

Videl nodded reluctantly and Pan started to jump in down. She was going on her first adventure.