Perseverance
by
Sir Mac
"I...I did it," Vegeta said in utter disbelief. His greatest opponent, Goku, lay at his feet, beaten and unconscious. "I can't believe I did it! Kakorot has been beaten!"
Their fight had been, by far, the most intense battle either of them had ever been involved in. Their fight took them from earth, to the moons of Saturn, resulting in the complete destruction of the rings and 4 moons, then to a far and distant desert world where their heated fight reached the ultimate climax.
Goku, a Master martial artist and earth's greatest champion used every tactic he could against the Saiyan prince, only to see them deflected, or bettered with energy blasts and pure brute force. Goku's speed and power was no match for the cruel intention Vegeta had for him. The "Spirit Bomb", "Instant Transmission", and even the awe-inspiring "Kamaehamaeha" were thwarted with a swat of the hand, I twist to the left, and a more powerful attack from the driven Saiyan.
Goku's power was greater, his moves more crisp, but he could not maintain his speed against the sheer strength and intensity overpowered him. With a final, desperate explosion of power, Goku fell at the feet of his rival on the edge of death.
Vegeta, basking in the triumph of his victory, looked down upon the face down Saiyan with a broad smile on his face. Breathing heavily, blood running down his forehead, from the left side of his lip, and his eardrum, the Saiyan prince fell back into the sand laughing victoriously.
"," he shouted, leaping from the orange and brown sand into starry dark sky, an explosion of sand falling around him. "I have done it! I have proven I am the strongest fighter in the universe!"
Vegeta laughed, rolling through the sky as he flew in jubilation. He zig-zagged in and out of clouds, punched through mountains effortlessly, and even destroyed a passing meteor. Quickly, Vegeta landed on the peak of a low mountain, his voice rang out as he yelled into the night sky.
"I am the best! I am the greatest fighter in the universe. Kakorot now bows before me! I have no equal!"
Again, Vegeta began to laugh, throwing his head back as he let the tears of joy fall down his sore cheeks, living in the moment. He looked down the slope of the mountain, his voice continued to reverberate off the jagged nooks and crannies.
"Kakorot, you are no match for me now! I have beaten you, I needn't prove myself anymore that I am better."
It was then that Vegeta felt the impact of his words. "I needn't prove myself anymore." The laughter died, the joyous feeling inside him began to fade away and the sense of accomplishment was replaced by a sense of emptiness. "What is there left for me to do? I've had tunnel vision for so long, I've never put another milestone out before me."
Vegeta slowly began to rise from the rock he stood upon, higher into the air, his mind began to roam in thousands of directions at once.
"All my life I've worked to be the best, and then you came along, Kakorot, and you gave me a goal. To beat you would mean regaining my places at the head of the table. I fought you once on earth, then under the control of the wizard Bobidi, and now. I was so driven to beat you that I neglected my family, friends, nearly killed myself in my training. I've stared down our greatest enemies, Majin Buu, Cell, Freiza, and each one, I've watched you, or your son, take down every one with little effort, only fueling my jealousy and my desire to be better."
Vegeta flew back toward Goku, still unconscious in the sand, and landed near him. He turned over him over and brushed the dust away from his face.
"I envied you for how fast you became a Super Saiyan. I hated you for being stronger than me. I despised you for pushing your son into the spotlight when I knew in my heart of hearts that I was to be the one basking in the glory victory. Gloating about my skill and valor to all near me. I felt cheated, and became obsessed with you and your skill. I became angrier, training to the brink of destruction. And when I felt ready, I challenged you."
Vegeta sank to his knees, picking Goku's head up from the sand and resting it in his lap. He moved aside a handful of Goku's hair, once blonde in Super Saiyan mode, now black as midnight once more, those tears of joy he once cried were tears of disappointment.
"I have nothing left, Kakorot. Nothing! I have no reason to continue fighting, I have no reason to continue training. What purpose do I have, Kakorot? What am I supposed to do now? We have fought the strongest, we've beaten the most powerful, and yet I only saw you at the end of that tunnel, my goals, no, my life revolved around beating you." Vegeta sobbed softly. "What am I to do, Kakorot?"
Vegeta lifted his head, once more, to the heavens and this time he shouted out,
"WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO!"