Vegeta's Fear
This very short story does not follow the true canon of Dragon Ball Z's ideas of Hell. It takes place after Vegeta sacrificed himself against Majin Buu.
At the bottom of Other World rests Hell – a dark, horrific place where those judged by the great King Yemma as evil are sent. The worst are tortured in this dim world – such as the galactic overlord, Frieza or the obsessed perfectionist, Cell. Among those who were sent to Hell was the prideful Saiyan, Prince Vegeta. The Saiyan who sacrificed himself to save his family. Yet, his actions were not enough to resolve the evil that has tainted his soul for several years.
The Saiyan prince, shackled by the Hell guardians, marched slowly past several prison cell. He crept closer and closer to a darker section of Hell's domain. He closed his eyes as each step he took began to echo louder – until a point where not even the screams of the suffering could be heard by the echos of every movement in the shadows. The guardians stopped, Vegeta opened his eyes and looked in front of him. He saw his cell – damp, cold, uninviting by every means. Yet, this was his new home. The guards unshackled him and without a fight, without a struggle, without a word, the warrior accepted his fate and crawled to his cell. They closed the door and locked it. The Prince listened to the echos of the chamber being closed for an eternity as the guards walked away. He accepted it. To fight seemed meaningless. His act of sacrificial generosity changed him. The thrill of battle meant nothing to him, not without the love of protecting his family. He sighed with the realization that he did not desire the evil in his heart to be reawakened – merely the knowledge that he could be on par with his rival, Kakarot. With his final spar with Kakarot, he has finally accomplished it.
"Well, well, well. It seems the Prince finally graced us with his presence." A familiar voice said.
Vegeta looked around, he knew the voice. He found the owner, his former boss and murderer of his race, Frieza.
"You should be so lucky." Vegeta responded.
"Yes, though I must admit, I was saddened to not see you down here sooner."
"You would have. But unlike you, people actually wanted to bring me back from the dead."
"Ouch. That one hurt. Hit me right through the chest. You would know that feeling, wouldn't you?"
"That was a long time ago, Frieza. I've became stronger since then. I'm what you fear, a Super Saiyan!"
"Oh? A Super Saiyan? That may have been intimidating – If I were alive. I just hope you had fun playing catch up to Goku."
"Quiet! I am far stronger than you, Frieza!"
"Do you think that even matters now? You're in Hell."
Frieza gave a maniacal laugh and receded into his cell. Vegeta grunted and punched the wall as hard as he could, yet it stood in place. He sat down and looked up – the ceiling has flooded in a shadow. He closed his eyes and thought over many things – from his fight with Majin Buu, to his rivalry with Kakarot, and most of all, his wife, Bulma and son, Trunks. The Saiyan prince felt a longing to be with them, but rest comfortably knowing that he saved them from harms way. He smiled.
"Vegeta ..." A dark, deep voice growled.
"Who's there? Where are you? Show yourself!" Vegeta demanded.
"Up here, Vegeta ..."
Vegeta looked up and blue shady ooze fell upon him. The Saiyan screamed and tried to fight out, but it was no use. The ooze wrapped around him and held him in place. Only his head was exposed. He cried out, trying to gather power, but none was found. A skull came out of the ooze and met Vegeta.
"It's no use, Saiyan! Your powers are nothing here! This is what Hell is, Vegeta! Ahahahaha! Feeling helpless! And, of course, coming face to face with your worst nightmare!"
"What are you saying?" Vegeta groaned.
The skull moved closer to Vegeta's face. The skull's eye sockets glowed green, as did Vegeta's eyes. Vegeta tried to cry out, but couldn't.
"Now," The skull started, "Let's see what your fear is! Ahahaha! Oh … Interesting … this fear is deep … Yes, you fear him! Very well, let's make it a reality!"
Vegeta awoke in cold sweat, he took several deep breaths. He examined his surroundings, he knew the room too well. His and Bulma's room. He was home. Vegeta got up and marched over to the closet. He opened the door and looked at the attached mirror on the other side. He studied his forehead.
"That was all too real." He said to himself.
Vegeta ignored it all as if it were just a dream. He garbed himself in his pink shirt and yellow pants and green shoes. He walked to the kitchen – Trunks and Bulma were eating pancakes, a plate was set out for him too. Vegeta took his seat.
"Hey Dad!" Trunks greeted.
"Hey … Son."
Bulma smiled and spoke.
"About time you woke up, sleepy head."
"I was caught up in a dream. No matter."
"Dad," Trunks started, "Are we training today?"
"Of course, Son." Vegeta answered, taking a bite of the pancakes.
"Alright!"
A knock at the door arose, Goku then entered..
"Yoohoo!" Goku called out while entering.
"What are you doing here, Kakarot?" Vegeta asked.
"Just visiting, Vegeta. Not like I get to see you guys all that often."
"Oh, whatever."
Bulma stood up and took her's and Trunks' plate to the sink. Trunks stood up raced to Goku and asked if he could go play with Goten. Goku smiled and placed his hand on Trunks' head. His hand began to glow with a blue light, his eyebrows lowered and his grin failed. Goku then blasted Trunks away. Bulma screamed and Goku swiftly answered her with a fist through her stomach.
"K-Kakarot?" Vegeta asked in shock. He could not believe what he witnessed.
"Oh, it's me Vegeta. Kakarot, the Saiyan you wanted me to be. Merciless. A perfect warrior!"
He stepped closer to Vegeta, his hair suddenly glowed a golden light, his eyes blue and unforgiving, his aura threatening.
"Kakarot! You'll pay for this!"
Vegeta transformed into a Super Saiyan as well and charged after Goku, who easily knocked him down. Vegeta quickly got up and punched Goku in the face. Goku smirked and kneed Vegeta in the belly and followed with an elbow to the back – sending him back to the floor. Vegeta stood back up, growled and back flipped away from Goku.
"That's it, Kakarot! You die! Galick Gun!"
Vegeta curled his fingers together, moved his hands behind his chest and then fired a purple orb of energy out at Goku. The murdering Saiyan stood there, fearless, and caught the blast with one hand.
"What?" Vegeta shouted.
Goku smirked and replied by sending it back to him. In a purple explosion, the Saiyan Prince found himself helpless. The house was ruined – entirely in rubble – and be prince was lying in the middle of it, completely powerless. Vegeta could hear Trunks' voice.
"Dad! Why didn't you save me Dad? Why didn't you save Mom? I thought you were the strongest in the universe! Why did you let Goku kill us? Why? Why Dad? Why?"
Vegeta cried his son's and wife's name. Goku walked up to him and laughed.
"You're pathetic, Vegeta! You call yourself a warrior? You call yourself the prince of all Saiyans? King Vegeta must have stolen the throne from Bardock, because you are certainly weaker than me! Pitiful, look at you! You're helpless."
"Curse you … Kakarot. This isn't … you ..."
"Yes, it is. This is me! I am Kakarot!"
Vegeta screamed and threw a small energy blast at Kakarot, but to no hope. Kakarot smiled and kicked Vegeta.
"Hey, Vegeta, wanna see a neat trick?"
Kakarot yelled out as he performed a transformation. His hair grew longer, his eyebrows reclused, his muscles gained mass. Vegeta watched as what he worked and strived for fell for Goku in ease.
"No … This can't be ..." Vegeta said to himself.
"That's right, Vegeta, I am a Super Saiyan Three. And you? You're dead."
"Damn you, Kakarot."
Goku placed his palms together and brought them to his hips. Blue lights began to appear in his hands.
"Kame-ha-me-ha!"
A tear fell from Vegeta's left eye as he awaited the blast to hit and finish him off for good.
Vegeta screamed and found himself in Hell's cell. Two guards were standing at the door.
"Vegeta, King Yemma wants to see you. Come with us." A guard said.
Vegeta looked around the cell and saw no sign of the nightmare maker. The cell door opened and he walked out and had no care over what King Yemma wanted from him. He could only think about what he just experienced. He did not know it, but he created a new found respect for his rival, Kakarot.