Vegeta Vs. Beerus, Part 1

The sky returned to its normal state, and the Dragon Balls, enveloped in their light, rose to the deep blue and scattered around the world once again. Goku looked back at everyone and said, "Well, you heard the dragon, guys! Guess we'd better get started."

"Hold on," Piccolo requested harshly, "are we really sure that we have five pure-hearted Saiyans here?"

Goku looked back at his family and friends, specifically Gohan, Vegeta, Goten, and Trunks. Counting himself, there were five Saiyans. The sixth person they would need, a pregnant Videl, would have to serve as a fill-in for lack of another Saiyan. But he could see what the former guardian was implying. "Vegeta's been fighting on our side for years now, he's definitely mellowed out. At least enough for me to call him pure."

Piccolo glared at the man. His skull was as thick as his power was insurmountable. "If I recall correctly, it was just a few years ago that he intentionally allowed Babidi to take control of his mind and slaughtered hundreds of innocent people at the World Tournament. And don't even get me started on how he allowed Cell to reach his Perfect Form."

Goku scratched his head in thought for a brief moment. "That's true," he admitted. Shortly afterwards, a smile stretched across his face. "But hang on! When we made the wish to revive everyone good who lost their lives during the fight with Majin Buu, Vegeta came back. That's gotta mean something, right? Besides, Cell was years ago, and I did something similar with Frieza, didn't I? You shoulda' heard King Kai talking in my ear. Boy was he pissed."

"It means he's a good person, or at least decent at best," Piccolo stated. "Being decent doesn't necessarily mean you're pure of heart. You can't look at me and tell me if, providing a situation called it, that he wouldn't kill you in a battle if he got the chance."

"Now hold on a second," Gohan interjected, casting a furrowed brow at his former mentor, "I think Vegeta's changed his ways. I would consider him pure of heart. Or are you forgetting how he sacrificed himself for everyone against Majin Buu?"

Vegeta, who stood quietly through all of this, scowled at the thought of his sacrifice. He'd blown himself to smithereens, only for the damned creature to regenerate and carry out his destruction as if it were nothing. Furthermore, even once he was granted a second chance by King Yemma to fight Majin Buu once again, he was still powerless in the face of a monster that had grown even stronger, while his strength still stayed at its paltry, uncomparable level. Even now, against Beerus, despite obtaining a power boost that finally put him above Kakarot, he was still unable to face the threat before them. As the Z Fighters continued to argue the case of Vegeta's purity, an anger swelled in him so fiercely that he couldn't stay quiet anymore.

"That's enough!" Vegeta demanded. Everyone turned their attention to the Saiyan Prince as he said, "We're doing this, and I'll be the one to become the Super Saiyan God."

"Wh- What?!" cried Goku. "Hang on, I thought we agreed that I was going to be the Super Saiyan God?"

"If I may," said Dende as he approached the fighters, "Vegeta would actually be our best bet if we were to do this. We were all here to witness him surpass you, if only for a brief moment. If he were to become the Super Saiyan God, he would technically be stronger than you would, Goku."

"That's true," agreed Piccolo. "However, Goku's seen Beerus fight multiple times. Vegeta may be the stronger one, but Goku knows how he fights."

"Well, would you really call all of us being beaten within seconds fighting?" asked Gohan.

Vegeta crossed his arms as he recalled how quickly Beerus defeated him, despite his rage-filled power boost. "I think you're forgetting the fact that Kakarot was beaten in three blows, while I took much more of a beating from him, and I'm not laying in some crater like he was."

Piccolo looked at Goku with a smirk. "He's got a point, Goku. Not even your Super Saiyan 3 could stand up to him, yet Vegeta was able to do more against him in Super Saiyan 2."

"C'mon, let my dad do it!" cried the young Trunks. "He's stronger than Goten's dad! He should do it!"

Krillin let out a restrained sigh as he admitted, "I can't believe I'm saying this, but maybe we should give Vegeta a chance this time."

"And what if he botches this like he did with Cell?" questioned Tien. "I nearly Tri Beamed myself into early retirement trying to stop Cell, and Vegeta just went and let him absorb 18. He even kicked Trunks!"

Trunks looked at the Triclops with a furrowed brow. "Wait, what? I wasn't there. He'd never hurt me!"

"Oh, now you've done it," groaned an annoyed Bulma. "I'll explain all of that later," she told the boy. "Right now, we need to decide who's going to do this!"

"Yes, you do," agreed Beerus, sending an ominous glare to the Z Fighters. "I'm starting to get impatient, and its most unwise to keep a Destroyer waiting. Either you produce the Super Saiyan God, or I'll destroy you all right now!"

"We've already decided! I'm going to become the Super Saiyan God!" Vegeta loudly declared. "Now hurry up before we all get destroyed."

The five gathered around Vegeta with joined hands. Gohan, and a slightly reluctant Goku, placed their hands on the man's back. As they prepared, Goku thought to himself for a moment and said, "Y'know, now that I think about it, I don't think this is something I'd want. I mean, I wanna be a Super Saiyan God and all, but I don't wanna get the power like this."

Goku's words were like sharp blows to Vegeta's chest. It made his blood boil that he had to resort to taking on the power of not just one, but five other people in order to stand a chance against Beerus. He looked over at the Destroyer, who had gone back to relaxing in the comfort of the beach chair. His mysterious attendant, Whis, sat next to him as they both continued to indulge themselves in another wonder of Earth's delicacies: spaghetti. Though their heads were down at their plates, he noticed their eyes were trained on him, and they remained silent. He could see that though it wasn't obvious, they were just as curious as he was about what would happen next.

Vegeta began to feel their energy flood into him like water bursting through a dam. The feeling only intensified as those that could, ascended into their Super Saiyan states. The child inside of Videl, resonating with the other Saiyans, caused her hair to turn the same golden yellow, though she was not technically a Super Saiyan.

"You feel anything yet?" an impatient Goku asked just a few seconds into the ritual.

"Shut up, Kakarot," barked Vegeta back at him. He could feel his own power skyrocket as all of their energies mixed inside of him, but it was nothing unusual one would feel when being given energy. But suddenly, an immense pressure began to build up inside of him from the base of his spine. It was as if his very essence was being rewritten. His energy signature began to change. What was usually a sharp, defined power began to smooth out, and expand higher and higher until it became undetectable to the others. Beerus looked up from his plate with a saucy noodle hanging from his mouth, as he could feel something familiar resonate with him- the divine energy of a god. And it only continued to increase.

The pressure became noticeable to everyone on Bulma's property. As it built up, this feeling only expanded around the world. People going about their daily lives stopped as they, too, could feel something in the air. The power expanded churned the skies and oceans underneath its overwhelming pressure. It was enough to tear mountains apart as if they were houses of cards. Storms brewed over the seas, wrecking ships and flooding nearby shores. The skies turned the darkest of black, and unleashed a torrent of natural calamities. Tornadoes rocked plains, torrential downpours of rain pounded on houses, and frigid blizzards ravaged the land as the Earth itself quivered underneath the power that was being harnessed within the Saiyan.

Vegeta rose into the sky. Goku and the others stepped back and witnessed as the man was enveloped in a light so bright that they needed to shield their eyes. Not even the Solar Flare shone with such intensity as this. It was as if a star was exploding right in front of them. The devastation of such a power could be felt around the world, but it was ten times worse at its eye- where Vegeta was. The Z Fighters and their family huddled together underneath the storm as the light continued to shine brighter and brighter. It was at this point that no one else could feel Vegeta's energy. No one else except Dende, Beerus, and Whis, who all seemed to be unfazed as they looked up at the birth of the new god.

Soon, the winds stopped, and the seas ceased their churning. The dark, awful clouds that once covered the sky parted, and the sun shone through once again with its beams of light. As the sunlight struck Vegeta, the light lifted from his body, and he descended not as a man, but as a god.

Beerus stood to acknowledge the Saiyan as pools of blood red leered back at him. "Well, it seems you were successful. Congratulations."

Vegeta took a minute to admire himself, and noticed how much he had slimmed down. Crimson red locks stood up on end as they did naturally, and his skin had gained a healthier, pink tone to it. But he could feel an unfathomable power coursing through his Saiyan blood. A vast pool of untapped energy waited inside of him, so bountiful that he could scarcely believe it. This was how the Warrior Saiyan Race looked enveloped in god ki. "So this is it, huh?" he asked himself, almost unable to comprehend it.

Beerus looked the man up and down, and concluded his examination with a small huff. "You don't look half bad, Vegeta. Now, let's see what you're made of."

Vegeta lowered himself into his stance, the same one he took against Kakarot in their first battle many years ago. Beerus simply stood, relaxed, seemingly with no guard. But Vegeta knew better than to assume the Destroyer had no defenses. He would most likely block the first strike, which he did. Vegeta's right hook came crashing into the rough palm of the feline creature. The force dispersed a shockwave that tore up the ground beneath them. It nearly blew Goku and the others back, but Beerus hadn't moved an inch. Not even a single twitch from his arm.

There may have been no physical acknowledgement from Beerus, but for the first time during his time of being awake, and for the first time in thousands, perhaps even millions of years, he was forced to guard. Vegeta stepped back, unable to believe he was quick enough and powerful enough to strike the Destroyer. His confidence began to surge as a fiery red aura bleed from his muscles, making him appear as if his very essence was a radiant flame.

"Let's take this somewhere else," Vegeta suggested. Beerus played along and followed the Saiyan through town to an empty, remote field so far into the wilderness that not even many animals were around. They passed a few dinosaurs, which made Beerus a little uncomfortable, as he thought he had done away the species long ago, but now wasn't the time to think about this. His dream had finally come true.

Both of the warriors touched down on the grassy field in no particular spot.

"Come on, then," Beerus said to the Saiyan.

Vegeta charged and led with a kick. The force of his boot crashing against Beerus's forearm sent shockwaves rippling through the area. With his heightened senses, Vegeta could see the Destroyer's hand curl up into a fist. He moved back from the incoming uppercut and managed to swipe the deity off his feet. Beerus steadied his fall with his hand planted firmly in the dirt, and let loose a kick into Vegeta's side. The Saiyan stumbled back a bit, clenching it to notice a crack in his armor. In a flash of heightened emotion, his ki swelled and burned so hot that it burned his armor plating off. He didn't pay it much mind, however, as he hadn't needed it in years anyway.

They exchanged blow after blow, and countered in between when possible. Beerus was able to strike through Vegeta's guard relatively easily, as the Saiyan had not yet gained control of this power. But with every kick, every punch, and every dodge, he could see his movements growing sharper. After every attack the prince launched, Beerus responded with one even stronger. He knew this would entice the Saiyan to tap deeper into the vast reserves of energy within him.

"Take this!" Vegeta cried as he jabbed Beerus in the stomach. Such a victorious strike was short lived, as Beerus immediately kicked him away. Vegeta stopped himself before he collided with the ground, rather surprised that the kick didn't hurt nearly as much as it did when he fought him at his strengthened Super Saiyan 2, and it was even stronger than the blows he landed on him before. This power really did put him in a league he never knew was possible. But despite this, the Saiyan's expression showed more frustration than fun.

"Oh? What seems to be the matter? Aren't you enjoying our fight?" Beerus asked.

Vegeta looked at himself and said, "This power is incredible. I truly never would have thought that I, the Prince of all Saiyans, would be the one to possess this. But this achievement comes with the burden of knowing that I never would have been able to do this on my own. And I hate that."

Beerus chuckled loudly at the man's pride. "You say such strange things, Saiyan! Shouldn't you be happy to have friends that are willing to do this for you?"

"That doesn't change the fact that I'm a Saiyan, and we don't ask others for help!" Vegeta let his anger swell as he did when fighting Beerus earlier. He noticed an increase in power, but compared to how much his strength increased during his fit of rage when in Super Saiyan 2, the increase now was minimal compared to it. But still, he rushed in, and the fight continued.

The two dueled across the skies, attempting to outspeed one another. At every turn, Beerus would be there to meet him with a blow. Vegeta could always react in time to guard, but never to strike back. Not even feints worked, as the God could see right through him.

Goku and the others watched from afar, unable to sense their energy signatures, and at times, just barely being able to see the fight itself. "Man, they're really going at it out there," he said.

Krillin looked at his childhood friend, shocked at his somewhat relaxed tone. "You almost sound relieved you're not out there right now."

"Nah," Goku said as he forced his hands to stop twitching. "My body's aching to be out there. But… I can't say I would have been able to defeat him. Even after obtaining that power, Vegeta's just barely keeping up with him, and something tells me that Beerus is still holding back."

"You aren't wrong, Goku," said Whis as he appeared next to the Z Fighters. His orb projected a display of the fight overhead. "Would anyone who's having trouble following those two like to watch?"

Much to the surprise of the Angel, none of the Z Fighters took him up on his offer. He could see Goku adamantly opposed the idea, as he hardly even acknowledged him. His eyes were trained on the fight, and though he couldn't properly see, he was learning. Knowing how Vegeta fought also helped, as it allowed him to predict some of his moves. He'll learn how to sense divine energy in no time, Whis thought to himself with an interested smile.

Back on the battlefield, Vegeta and Beerus had finished exchanging blows and distanced themselves from one another. The Destroyer eyed his adversary carefully, and observed the Saiyan's divine energy pouring out of him like a fountain. "You're starting to get the hang of this, sort of," he commented. "I'm rather impressed, actually. I've never sparred against a warrior quite like yourself. You Saiyans are fast learners."

Vegeta stood in silence. His aura shifted slightly at the deity's words, flickering at the compliment. Beerus took notice of the sudden fluctuation in the man's energy and asked, "What's wrong, Saiyan? Aren't you glad to be able to finally face me?"

"I am," Vegeta nodded. But as he admitted this, his fists tightened. "But I know now that this is a power I could never obtain on my own. Me, the Prince of all Saiyans, having to lower myself to accept energy from others- its pathetic."

The Destroyer laughed at the man's pride. "Still on about that, huh? You speak of pride, yet wasn't it not even an hour ago that you put on a song and dance just to keep me from becoming angered?" The shock on Vegeta's face was apparent, as the Destroyer took the opportunity to appear behind him. "You know, I quite looked down on you for that. A prince lowering himself to such a shameful tactic, and out of what? Fear?"

Vegeta's elbow reacted before he himself could even jump away, rocketing back into the Destroyer's stomach. Beerus caught the blow with his hand and thrusted Vegeta away. "You're still not seeing things clearly, are you?" said the Destroyer.

"What do you mean?" Vegeta asked as he steadied himself and regained his composure.

"Your pride is foolish!" Beerus proclaimed as he struck the Saiyan in the chest with an open palm. He felt a torrent of wind gush out of the warrior's mouth as he stumbled back.

It was for that instant that Vegeta couldn't follow him. He knew the Destroyer was still holding back, but to think that by this much, was phenomenal. "H- How dare you?!" Vegeta stammered. "You know nothing about my race! Because if there's one thing that's never foolish, and one thing that a Saiyan always keeps- ITS THEIR PRIDE!"

The Earth trembled at the rage of the Super Saiyan God. Vegeta's aura intensified, and burned like a raging wildfire consuming everything in its path. The ground beneath his boots was scorched with his red-hot energy pouring out of him as he tapped deeper and deeper into the power that was Super Saiyan God. Though his anger was great, there was but a meager boost to his power.

"You may be a fast learner indeed, but you still have a lot to learn," commented Beerus.

Vegeta took his stance once again. His eyes were steeled with a composure and determination so sharp that it could cut through the planet.

"Perhaps I should show you firsthand what you still fail to understand about this power," suggested the Destroyer.

"By all means," urged Vegeta, "come experience what it's like to fight a true Saiyan warrior!"

AN: Hello! Thank you for the interest you've shown in the story. If you are planning on leaving a review, I only ask that you refrain from making suggestions. I have two Beta Readers named WTBB501 and Flaming Fate Zero who help me with planning and proof reading, and they are more than enough to help me keep the story interesting. I thank you all for any ideas or suggestions you may have, but I will not use them.