The sharp mountain wind carried an eerie silence as Vegeta stood like an unyielding pillar, his arms crossed, his tail flicking in slow arcs behind him. His sharp gaze was fixed on Pan, who balanced precariously on the edge of a boulder, her legs swinging idly. Her face held an expression Vegeta didn't like—a mix of curiosity and confidence that had no place in the controlled discipline he was teaching her.
She had been unnervingly quiet, and Vegeta knew from experience that such stillness rarely meant anything good.
"Pan," he barked, his voice slicing through the stillness. "Whatever foolishness you're planning, stop it now."
She didn't respond, her gaze fixed ahead as though lost in some deep calculation. Vegeta's instincts sharpened, a tension creeping up his spine. He took a single step forward, his tail curling tightly in irritation.
"Pan—"
Without warning, she stood, her brows furrowed in concentration. Her small frame crackled with energy as her aura ignited in a brilliant golden hue. Vegeta's sharp eyes caught every detail, from the shifting pebbles beneath her feet to the slight tremor in her hands as she extended her arm.
"I said stop—" Vegeta growled.
But before he could finish, Pan slashed her hand through the air, and the atmosphere twisted violently around her. Space itself rippled as though caught in a tempest, bending and warping unnaturally. Then, with a deafening roar, the fabric of reality tore open, revealing a jagged rift that pulsed with an unearthly, alien glow.
Vegeta froze, his sharp instincts screaming warnings he hadn't felt since his encounters with gods and beings beyond comprehension. The rift emanated a chill that wasn't physical—it was primal, ancient, and utterly wrong. The mere presence of the rift made the air grow thick, and his senses screamed of something he could not comprehend—something beyond the realm of ordinary ki manipulation.
This isn't good, Vegeta's mind raced. What is she doing?
The memory of Vala's reckless actions, tearing open a rift on Beerus' planet to further her own agenda, flashed through his mind. The rift was not merely a tear in space—it was a breach into something far worse, a place where the laws of reality itself bent and twisted, far beyond their control. Vala had opened a rift with similar intent, to erase and manipulate. But Pan—Pan was just a child. This was something else entirely. She had no idea what she had just done.
"Uncle Vegeta… do you see this?" Pan's voice trembled, reflecting the same mix of wonder and terror that now filled the air.
Vegeta's eyes narrowed, his thoughts clearer now. This isn't just energy. She's tampered with something far older, far darker.
"Pan," he snapped, his voice as sharp as the mountain winds, "close it. Undo whatever foolishness you've unleashed—now."
"I didn't mean to," Pan stammered, her voice shaking as her gaze darted between her trembling hand and the rift. "I didn't know—"
"Now," Vegeta commanded, his tone rising with a deep urgency. His instincts screamed to act—before it was too late.
But Pan's hand reached out toward the rift before he could stop her.
"Pan, no!" Goku's voice rang out, cutting through the chaos as he surged forward.
But it was too late.
Dark tendrils erupted from the rift with terrifying speed, coiling around Pan's small frame before anyone could react. Her golden aura flickered and dimmed as the tendrils pulled her into the rift. In an instant, she was gone.
The rift pulsed once, twice, before collapsing on itself with a deafening crack. The clearing fell into an unnatural silence, the weight of the moment suffocating.
Vegeta's fists clenched at his sides, his features twisted in fury and alarm. His tail lashed violently, betraying the storm raging within him. "Damn it!" he roared, spinning toward Goku, who stood frozen in place.
Goku's usual carefree expression was gone, replaced by a rare seriousness. His voice was low but steady. "What do you think that was?"
"That," Vegeta growled, his voice dripping with barely contained anger, "was something no Saiyan, no mortal, should ever tamper with. She's reckless! She doesn't understand what she's done!"
/-
An hour passed in tense silence. The clearing had grown eerily calm, as though the world itself was holding its breath. Vegeta and Goku stood at opposite edges of the clearing, their gazes fixed on the horizon, searching for any sign of Pan.
The ground trembled suddenly, and both Saiyans turned sharply. A golden shockwave erupted from above, its energy washing over them like a gentle tide. It wasn't destructive but carried a strange, soothing warmth that made the hairs on their necks stand on end.
Vegeta's instincts sharpened as the air above the clearing shimmered and fractured once more. A second rift appeared, its edges glowing with a soft, golden light. The energy emanating from it was different from before—calmer, yet no less unnatural.
From the rift emerged Pan, her small frame flickering faintly as though caught between worlds. Her golden hair glowed dimly, her Super Saiyan form barely holding as she swayed unsteadily. When her feet touched the ground, a fissure spread beneath her, cracking the earth and sending debris flying.
"Pan!" Goku shouted, rushing forward as she began to collapse. He caught her just before she hit the ground, cradling her small form.
Her golden aura faded entirely, her hair returning to black as her ki flickered weakly. Goku knelt, placing her gently on the ground as he examined her for injuries.
"Vegeta, come here," Goku called, his voice steady but urgent.
Vegeta approached cautiously, his sharp gaze sweeping over Pan's unconscious form. He froze when something unusual caught his eye.
A tail.
The sight of the brown, Saiyan tail coiled loosely against the ground left Vegeta momentarily stunned. He lowered his arms, his sharp instincts screaming that this was no ordinary change.
Vegeta's brows furrowed deeply as he stepped closer. His tail curled tightly around his waist, a gesture of unease he rarely allowed himself. "Something about that rift..." he muttered. "It's not natural. That energy—it rewrote her."
Goku hesitated, reaching toward Pan's tail before Vegeta snapped sharply, "Don't touch it, Kakarot! We don't know what's happened to her."
Goku pulled his hand back, his expression uncharacteristically serious. "You think this has to do with the rift?"
"It wasn't just energy," Vegeta replied grimly. "That rift tore into reality itself. Whatever she pulled from there, it's left a mark. This tail—it's more than a physical change. It's a symbol of power... and vulnerability."
Pan stirred faintly, her small hands twitching as her eyes fluttered open. Both Saiyans leaned closer, their focus sharpening as she groaned softly.
"Pan," Goku said gently. "Can you hear me?"
Her black eyes flickered open, dazed and unfocused. Her gaze darted between them before landing on her tail. A look of shock crossed her face.
"I... I have a tail?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
"Yes," Vegeta said, his voice sharp but steady. "And whatever caused it is tied to that rift. Do you remember anything?"
Pan hesitated, her expression shadowed with guilt. "I don't... I don't know," she lied, her voice barely audible.
Vegeta's sharp eyes narrowed as he studied Pan's expression, noting the shadow of guilt flickering in her eyes. She's lying. The thought was cold, but it was undeniable. Vegeta stepped closer, his posture stiffening, his gaze unyielding.
"Pan," he said, his voice low and commanding, "Don't lie to me. You know something about what just happened. Tell me."
Pan's dark eyes slowly lifted to Vegeta's and then to her grandpa's before returning to Vegeta's. She pulled away from Goku, standing up and dusting herself off. She kicked the dirt, then looked up toward the sky before turning back to Vegeta.
"A lot," she began, her voice steady but carrying the weight of something deeper. "I saw pasts, the future... and a further future. I-"
Vegeta's sharp eyes narrowed, his arms crossing instinctively as he readied himself for the storm of information. Goku leaned forward slightly, his normally relaxed expression replaced with one of growing unease.
Pan's body freezes completely as something flashes across her eyes.
Vegeta stiffened. Something about the abrupt change in her demeanor sent a ripple of tension through him. Goku's expression faltered, concern flashing in his eyes as he took a small step toward her but stopped short, sensing the gravity of the moment.
After some time, she slowly looked at Goku, shaking. "Grandpa... Some man is going to show up when I'm older and forcefully take me to Universe Zero."
Goku's brow furrowed deeply, his hands curling into loose fists at his sides. "Forcefully?" he echoed softly, his voice filled with both confusion and anger. Vegeta remained silent, his eyes narrowing further as he searched Pan's face for any hesitation, any sign that she was exaggerating. He found none.
She swallowed before her eyes flicked to Vegeta, then back to Goku. "He looks just like Uncle Vegeta but... taller. Has white hair. Orange eyes. And calls himself the Dragon King."
Vegeta's breath hitched imperceptibly, his jaw tightening. The description hit far too close to home for comfort. "Tch. A doppelganger? Impossible," he muttered under his breath, though his eyes betrayed the flicker of doubt creeping into his thoughts. Goku's gaze darted to Vegeta briefly before returning to Pan, his concern deepening.
Pan's hands went to her throat, her brows furrowing. Her tail flicked behind her before curling around her waist, her head shaking as she started to breathe faster. "He shows up during one of Bulma's parties." Her eyes flicked side to side. "I was walking towards my mom when he wraps an arm around my throat. He tells me... 'This tail is still a weakness I see, but don't you worry, woman, I will bow to you later. When we reach your new home.'"
Vegeta's fists clenched so tightly that the veins on his arms bulged. The thought of anyone threatening his family—threatening Pan—was enough to ignite the embers of his fury. "He dares to show himself at Bulma's party?!" Vegeta's voice was low but seething, his anger barely restrained. "If this Dragon King thinks he can just—"
Goku raised a hand toward Vegeta, though his own expression was equally dark. "Let her finish," he said quietly, his voice unusually firm.
Pan's aura flared around her as she shook her head. "I don't want that future to happen!"
Goku's heart ached at the desperation in her voice. "Pan..." he said softly, stepping toward her, but she continued before he could say more.
She looked up at Goku, her voice trembling with anger and fear. "He—the Dragon King makes me kiss him!"
Goku's eyes widened in shock, a mix of fury and disbelief surging through him. "What?!" he blurted out, his voice sharp and edged with protective anger. Vegeta's reaction was more immediate, his ki flaring briefly in response. The thought of someone defiling his niece like that was enough to push him dangerously close to losing control.
Pan closed her eyes as she turned toward Vegeta. "You use Final Flash on him, but he has a barrier. He ignores Beerus's threat, and he opens a portal. That's the last time I see you all."
Vegeta's teeth ground together audibly, his mind racing as he tried to process her words. His Final Flash, one of his most devastating attacks, rendered useless? "A barrier strong enough to withstand that..." he muttered, the weight of her revelation settling heavily on him.
Pan shuddered, her eyes closing as she tried to gather more information. Her brows furrowed in frustration. When she opened her eyes again, she said, "I can't remember anymore. It's like I'm getting a block—like I'm not supposed to know any further."
Goku stepped closer to her, his voice gentle but firm. "Pan, you've already told us so much. Whatever this is, whatever he's planning—we're not gonna let it happen. I promise you that."
Vegeta's gaze burned with intensity as he nodded in agreement. "This Dragon King may think he's untouchable, but he'll learn the hard way not to underestimate us. We'll prepare for this. Together."