So this is my first DBZ fic. This chapter is really short. It takes place after the Cell saga and before the Buu saga, but I might deviate from the time line every now and then. Hope you enjoy and review. I'm always ready to learn :)

I don't own any of these characters (although that would be cool). Just the story.

Vegeta: Rebirth

Prologue: Piccolo's Sacrifice

"RUN VEGETA! YOU HAVE TO SAVE GOHAN!" A battered Namekian warrior bellowed. The earth beneath him was cracking… fast. His remaining energy was depleting and his muscles were tearing and ripping. He was in an enormous amount of pain but adrenalin and the rush of battle numbed most of it. He knew he would be dead within the minute, and he didn't care. He had to insure the survival of Gohan who was, for lack of a better word, his son.

"You idiot, you'll die!" The Prince of Saiyan's yelled back. Vegeta seemed just as worn and ravaged as Piccolo but his Saiyan armor protected most of his body from the intense battle.

"I DON'T CARE! SAVE GOHA-" Piccolo's final words trailed off as he was disintegrated by his enemy's large ki attack. Vegeta wanted to say something. He wanted to yell, scream, and beat the crap out of the one responsible like he usually did. But he knew he couldn't. That would only get him killed as well. The Saiyan prince reluctantly blasted of in the opposite direction of the battle.

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Vegeta had no idea it would come back to haunt him. He thought killing his opponents insured they could no longer be a nuisance. That was why he thought Kakarot was weak. If only he had restrained himself back on Namek… then Piccolo and Goten would still be alive. A tear began forming at the corner of Vegeta's eye.

"Damn… why has the death of that blasted Namekian and Kakarot's sniveling brat affected me like this? I'm the Prince of Saiyans… ugh being on this planet has made me soft. Bulma, she has… changed me. Turned me into everything I hated about Kakarot. Blast it..."

Thoughts raced through his head a mile a minute. He had to find Kakarot and the others as soon as possible.

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"Krillin, do you think Goten's okay with Piccolo?" Chi-Chi worried. She had been looking out the window for over an hour now.

"He looked after Gohan just fine when he trained him. Chi-Chi you have nothing to worry about, that big green lug is the best baby sitter around." Krillin joked. In actuality Krillin had no idea if Goten or Piccolo were okay. He felt huge energy spikes from both of them, and then they faded like they were never there. He also felt Vegeta was with them but he didn't want to worry Chi-Chi. She never did like him after she was told he beat Gohan within an inch of his life.

"Thanks Krillin" Chi-Chi smiled weakly.

Just then Krillin felt a huge energy heading their way. It was familiar, a little bit of good chi mixed with some bad chi. He had felt it many times in the past and it usually caused fear in him. It was Vegeta.

"Vegeta's here…" Krillin whispered to Chi-Chi.

"Oh...I wonder what brings "THE PRINCE OF SAIYANS!" out here." Chi-Chi mocked Vegeta's usual introduction. The door slammed open and a short man with large hair was standing in the doorway.

"Let's go baldy, we've got work to do!" Vegeta shouted to Krillin.

"What's this about Vegeta?"

"Questions later. Let's go!" Vegeta snatched Krillin's wrists and drug him out the door. Vegeta flew off at full speed, taking Krillin along for the ride.

"KRILLIN! VEGETA! GET BACK HERE NOW!!!" Chi-Chi screamed.

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"What the hell is this about Vegeta?" Krillin asked. After being drug along for a few miles, Krillin slipped out of Vegeta's grasp and flew next to the Saiyan.

"Piccolo and Goten are dead." Krillin could sense pain in Vegeta's voice.

"Maybe Vegeta… maybe Vegeta actually is changing." Krillin thought to himself. But then his mind returned to what Vegeta had told him.

"KILLED?!" Krillin yelled.

"Yes… The Namekian sacrificed himself to give me time to flee. Kakarot's son was dead long before I got to the battlefield."

"Piccolo, Goten… oh no. What exactly were you guys fighting? I never felt a power level from anything but you guys."

"We were fighting… a mistake from my past."