An elite. That's what I first remember being called, long before hearing my own name.
Born to an overpopulated race of warriors, overrun with commonplace individuals, where very few were permitted to hold the noble status of "elite", I was crowned as their prince. I don't believe I could ever remember a time when I wasn't considered royalty. Or even treated as a regular person. Even among these warriors that held no formality nor mannerisms other than the respect shown during combat, the prince and the king were to be held in the highest regard possible. All commoners would lower their heads whenever in their presence.
After all, the prince surpasses all because he is an elite and the others are just commoners. It's because of this that everybody must lower their head in his presence, because's he's special. But they don't even know me. They've never taken the time to know who I am. Or what I have to offer. All they see is my lineage... And from that, they have determined I am special. Weak people need to look to the strong for hope, otherwise they have nothing but death. Nothing to live for. The elites, to them, are the strong. I'm just a tool to them. But regardless, I am special. I am an elite and they should always bow down before me.
If that weren't the case... then I must be...
...all alone, right?
While the other warriors of the lower-class spent their days on the front lines, acquiring the resources that our people derived our living upon, mine was particularly sheltered. I spent my days in the palace, developing my warrior skills, as training and academics were the foundation of my entire life. And my power grew... I was becoming the strong elite they saw me as. The prince's strength, even as a child, was great enough to inspire a sense of hope in the hearts of the warrior race, for they could see the future in me.
But there was an aspect of the future they could not foresee.
An evil tyrant, hell bent on universal domination, whose strength shadowed even we elites of the warrior race, appeared before us.
This monster... was evil incarnate.
He forced us into servitude to do his bidding and to amass whatever his heart desired. But like a monster, his desires only grew greater and deeper, to the point that even we of the warrior race could no longer serve his agenda fittingly. And though we did our best to please the hungry beast, it was all for naught.
With a mere snap of his fingers, he managed to do the unthinkable. And completely eliminated the commoners and the elite... in one fell swoop. Not only that, but our very home disappeared as though it were a mirage. Just... gone. All gone. To these people that did all they could for a power-starved demon lord, that abandoned their own pride to do so, were bled dry of their honor and then thrown to the wayside as trash.
They looked to me as the future of their world. They... saw me as the light. But all it won them was darkness. And me, the prince that was destined to carry them forward into a bright future, could do nothing but watch from far... far away. unable to do anything.
I... I'm sorry... My brethren... I...
But I can't be saddened. I have to... keep being the elite warrior they saw me as. Under this tyrant, that chose to spare me for whatever use I still had in his demonic eyes, I had to keep up my elite image in order to show him the difference between myself... and those he so willingly destroyed.
I don't have anybody else... I don't want to be alone...
So I must persevere and... allow myself to serve this monster.
And so I did, well into my adult years.
Sheltered as a child, I suddenly found myself doing the commoner's job. I was actually on the battlefield. On the front lines. And using my elite prowess to vanquish the enemy. I suppose I actually did find amusement in destroying weaker beings. It was a form of therapy, allowing me to let out my rage at being trampled upon by that tyrant.
All the while, deep inside, spurned a hatred for this tyrant that treated me, an elite, like his personal... door mat! But over the years, the hatred slowly descended into misery and depression. No matter how hard I try, I can't... hope to be as strong as him. Never... but then, I heard word of a magical instrument that could provide me with the strength necessary to vanquish the tyrant that stole my life away.
I traveled to parts unknown, and in doing so, word reached my ears of a... survivor. One commoner that managed to survive the destruction of our home. And once I reached that land, I soon came face to face with this man.
He was far different than the others. There was... a look about him that felt different. His eyes displayed independence and... confidence. And yet, unlike the others, there was no hint of selfishness in his voice. Nor in his actions. Despite being a mere peasant, he definitely had power. Enough to even defeat the elite escort that served as my assistant on my travels. And the people around him, his comrades, didn't view him like a king, but... saw him as somebody to be loved.
Love? Did I even know what that word was back then? All I knew was superiority and respect. Those were the only relationships I had with others. Why is he so... strange? He came from the same place as I. And he was born a commoner. Why isn't he bowing down to me like the others would? Where is his respect for my superiority?! Why... Why does he look at me like an equal?!
And I soon discovered why. His strength was amazing. It reached levels that I didn't think was possible for somebody of our race that wasn't born an elite. And even among other elites, my power reigned supreme. So then... How is this commoner... able to resist me?
How is he able to match me, fist for fist?
How is... How can he...
How was he able to defeat me?!
This was the second... humiliating... crushing defeat that I was dealt.
I left that land, battered and broken, only pondering these questions and nothing else.
Suddenly, for a brief moment of my life, the tyrant didn't mean anything to me. No... Now this low-class warrior that somehow acquired great power was the only one clouding my thoughts. I couldn't take it! I couldn't accept it!
Eventually, I had enough. I couldn't stand this anymore, remaining under the thumb of an evil tyrant or remaining inferior to a low-class scum. I decided to take action now. And through acquiring even greater power through my birthright, through several horrible trials of battle,
But the result was the same. I somehow managed to work up the courage and faced the monster head on. And I was crushed. The overwhelming power of the tyrant reached levels that I couldn't even imagine, let alone reach, and I hit the ground harder than the realization did to my pride... that for all I could attempt, I would never be free.
Until that low-class warrior arrived.
He arrived, fearless and confident... composed... just as he was when he fought me. And for a minute, I felt like the commoners did whenever they looked toward me. I saw... for the first time in my life...
Hope.
And out came all those years of repression and shame... and sadness. It was akin to a dam tearing down from the pressure of the water smashing up against it. I poured my soul and pleaded with the low-class warrior... to defeat this tyrant. To destroy him just as he destroyed our people. I confessed everything to him... Everything I thought was buried away forever found its way to the forefront.
This low-class warrior... did what I could not... and defeated the tyrant... once and for all.
I was free. Finally free.
But then it hit me. This is what I wanted, but at the same time, what I feared the most.
Loneliness? Is that... what was to drown my life now? After living my life as a tool, I had nothing now.
But somehow, I was proven wrong.
I was introduced to... community and family. To what that feeling known as love is. And though it was far too difficult to accept this at first, given my upbringing, I slowly began to accept it. And though I may forever be unaware of it, I do know that I cannot do without it any longer.
It took a long time for me to comprehend it. But I soon realized. I am no longer afraid of the darkness. Today, I stare death in the face without fear of losing my pride nor the death of my being. I stand composed and confident. Assured.
Today, I am no longer the elite. I am no longer the prince.
I am simply... Vegeta.
"I do this for you, Bulma... Trunks... and yes, even for you... Kakarot."