So I've noticed that Prince Vegeta isn't really snarky enough. I imagine that having been raised on his home planet as the Prince, and not in Frieza's ship as the monkey pet I imagine him to be a little less sneerish. His meeting with Bardock wasn't meant to be admiration, sorry if you got that impression, I was going more for a careful probing, maybe a little of cold calculation and then some grudging concealed warrior respect. Oh yeah and I was also trying to explain why everyone was suddenly so interested in him. However I will be bringing the Prince back to his usual snappy Kakarot hating self shortly. Thanks for all the reviews. They're great but it's like OHKAY SO THEY LIKE THE STORY! YAY! BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU SCREW UP? AHHH. Random thought of the day. Hahaha.

Chapter 3.

Kakarot opened his eyes as the liquid was drained from the tank. His father was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and the reflection of a storm in his eyes. The storm was his own thoughts as he processed his new situation.

"Dad?" Kakarot asked when he removed the mask.

Bardock just pointed to a towel and the set of clothes. Kakarot nodded and started to dress himself. He looked questioningly at the clothing.

"Why am I not wearing low class gi?" he asked turning to a medical assistant.

"You are in the programme. You gi signifies that."

Bardock started to walk out of the infirmary and Kakarot skipped along next to him with that infuriating smile on his face.

"You need to start learning how to get home by yourself." Bardock muttered, more a thought than anything else.

"Ohkay. I've almost got it." Kakarot replied.

Bardock looked down at the perpetually happy boy and frowned. He hated to think about what would happen to the boy if anything happened to him. He knew Radditz would not take care of him. He shook his head before the thoughts could really develop.

He had to carry Kakarot half of the way home. The boy was fast asleep by the time he walked through the door. Radditz was snoring softly on the small couch. The dirty dishes indicated that Radditz had already eaten. Couldn't he wash a dish or two?

Bardock sighed. His experience on other worlds had taught him that their existence was not ideal. As a warrior race they lacked certain things as a social race and it constantly surprised him how small things like material attachments made a difference to a being's fighting. Sayians fought because at first they had known nothing different. Then it had become a challenge and eventually it had settled on a living. If a Sayian didn't fight they were doomed to either medical service or farming duty. If they were fit for neither they were executed.

Kakarot could hope only for a swift death.

Kakarot was awake before Radditz because he had not had dinner and was beyond hungry.

"Dad?" Kakarot whispered opening his father's door a crack.

There was no reply.

"Daddy?" Kakarot said again, a little louder.

Radditz pulled him away and shut the door. He then steered the younger boy to the kitchen and started piling food in front of him for them both.
"So what's with the get up?" Radditz asked with his back to the younger Sayian.

"The King has put me in a new training programme. We're supposed to be developing new fighting techniques for the Prince." Kakarot replied around his food.

Radditz paused. How was that possible? He was the better fighter. Maybe it was because Kakarot was younger, more adaptable. If that was so then why did they not just start from infancy? Perhaps they didn't want to wait for them to grow up.

"How old are the Sayians in the programme and what class are they?" Radditz asked.

"Well they're all way older than me and they're all elites as far as I can tell." Kakarot replied oblivious to Radditz's thoughts.

Bardock opened his door then and walked into the bathroom. The sound of the shower told them what he was doing. Radditz let the matter drop and finished his food before his brother ate it for him.

"Radditz, I have to go on a mission today. You will have to pick up Kakarot from the Elite training centre. You won't be able to get in but I'm sure the runt can find the front door." Bardock informed the older of the two Sayians in front of him calmly but firmly.

Radditz nodded but inside he was seething. The Elite training centre? What the hell? His brother was low class scum. He was reminded of that fact every time he screwed up in training. He had to find out more about this programme.

Bardock took Kakarot to the centre and left to go to his off world mission with his crew. Kakarot watched him leave, not looking away until his father was no longer visible.

"So runt, you came back." The instructor said with a sneer.

Kakarot joined the back of the line to receive that day's instructions. He was used to the jibes. As a low class that was pathetic at fighting in every other Sayian's point of view he got jibed at a lot.

Today they had to pair up and predictably Kakarot had no partner. He chose instead to watch, learn and make adjustments to what he had already learned. For three hours that was all he did even fighting with an imaginary foe at one point to test out a series of moves.

"Oi runt. I need this taken to the registration office immediately." The instructor barked trusting a clipboard under Kakarot's nose.

He took the metal board and walked to the door. He didn't know where the registration office was but he could always as right? As he walked he hummed to himself, looking around him curiously. All around him various age groups in various stages of training fought, sparring with each other.

Kakarot stopped walking all together when he heard the obvious sounds of one person training with them self. He sounded serious and he drew Kakarot's curiosity. He walked to the room he heard it coming from and looked around the door frame. His breath caught in his throat and he nearly fell over in surprise. Prince Vegeta was training right there. He moved at incredible speeds and punched with enough force to make Kakarot's teeth rattle even where he stood. Suddenly the eleven year old Prince stopped moving. He looked down, scowling at the floor.

"Nappa it's still not right." The Prince barked angrily.

"I thought you were doing brilliantly Prince." An unseen Sayian replied.

"Of course you would, you're too weak to actually see more than a blur." Prince Vegeta snapped back angrily.

Kakarot accidently dropped the clipboard he was supposed to be taking to the registration office bringing the Prince's attention to him.

"You there! I order you to come here right now!" Prince Vegeta barked angrily.

Kakarot hesitated before walking into the room. Prince Vegeta studied him silently as Kakarot looked at the floor in respect.

"You look like that Bardock Sayian so you must be the low class runt." Prince Vegeta said after a long tense moment.

"You need to spread your feet more." Kakarot muttered, "and you need to lean a little back."

"What?" The Prince barked.

"You said that it wasn't right and I'm telling you why." Kakarot replied in a squeaky voice only just realising that he might actually be insulting the Prince.

"I see. You are part of the imbecilic programme. However don't ever tell me what to do unless I ask for your opinion." Prince Vegeta replied neutrally.

Kakarot looked up in his surprise. Prince Vegeta was looking at him with a blank expression apart from a small frown, a tiny downward tilt of the corners of his mouth. That frown looked like it was permanently there and Kakarot couldn't help the desire that sprang up to remove it.

"What are you doing here anyways? Trainees aren't supposed to be anywhere near here, Elite or not." Prince Vegeta asked, his eyes flicking to the clip board.

"I was supposed to be taking that to the registration office but I don't know where it is and I didn't want to ask my instructor since he's already mad at me. Between you and me I think he hates me." Kakarot said in a very loud whisper.

His eyes were large, trusting and even his tail stood in the air behind him, instead of around his waist where it should have been. Prince Vegeta's eyes widened in surprise but Kakarot did not notice since he was too busy looking around the room.

The room was a standard training room with cameras lining the walls so that they could catch every angle and watch for mistakes in the Prince's already flawless technique.

"Say, you don't perhaps know where the bathroom is?" Kakarot suddenly asked, scrunching up his nose and crossing his legs before proceeding to hop.

"Nappa, show this boy to the bathroom and then the registration office." Prince Vegeta barked slightly worried that the very childlike Sayian in front of him wouldn't be able to hold it till he got to the bathroom. What was with this kid? He also wanted to try out the boy's advice but not while there was Sayian's around to watch. If the boy was right then, he, Prince Vegeta, would look like an imbecile and that simply would not do.

Kakarot was led out the room by the simple yet effective method of grabbing his collar and dragging him from the room.

It was time for Kakarot to go home now. He wasn't in a rejuvenation tank today and for that he was grateful but he was pretty banged up. He had seen some snickering and whispering amongst the other Sayians and he was pretty sure that they didn't want him to end up in a tank, least he actually catch up to them in power. He didn't care though. He had met the Prince.

Bardock had expressly instructed Radditz to pick Kakarot up but the older Sayian was nowhere in sight. The sun was beginning to sink low into the blood red sky and the tired young Sayian sat down. He placed his feet together and sighed. His tail stood erect behind him and slightly curled at the end. His head was bowed as he stared meekly at his training boots.

"Why are you still here runt?" A familiar and gruff young voice asked.

Kakarot looked up and at the Prince. He sighed again, too upset over having been forgotten, and he was sure he was, to even bother acknowledging the Prince's titles. It never occurred to him that Radditz had purposefully left him behind.

"I'm waiting for my older brother." Kakarot mumbled.

"Why do you not just fly? You can fly can't you?" Prince Vegeta replied.

"I can fly but I don't know the way. I get lost. Usually my dad brings me home but he's off world." Kakarot replied.

"Your brother, is he like you?" The Prince asked thoughtfully.

"No. He's a third class Sayian. I heard daddy say once that he could be the poster boy." Kakarot replied.

Prince Vegeta did not reply but Kakarot was sure he heard the older Sayian mutter something like daddy in confusion.

"You know runt you should take this as an opportunity to learn." The Prince commented after a long moment of silence.

Kakarot thought about the statement and realised that the Prince was right. After all he was pretty good at remembering new fighting techniques. How different was geography really? Kakarot stood and bowed to the Prince before taking off into the air at a slower pace than anyone else had ever taken off from the Elite training centre.

Prince Vegeta watched the boy until he was no more than a black speck. It was not concern, nor friendship, nor even Princely duties that made him watch. It was the curiosity as to whether or not the boy would realise that he was going the wrong way.

"You! Has the runt arrived yet?" Prince Vegeta barked as he stormed into the training room where the said runt was supposed to be.

"No, your highness." The instructor replied before bowing low to the ground.

"Hn. Change of plans Nappa." Prince Vegeta barked again before spinning on his heel causing the red cape to flare out behind him.

"But Prince . . ." Nappa started.

"Are you questioning me?" Prince Vegeta demanded calmly, but anyone could hear the underlying threat.

"No Prince." Nappa replied with a small bow.

The Prince marched back to the entrance and took off into the air in the same direction that Kakarot had done so the previous night. He wanted the runt because he wanted to fight with him. He would have to lower his power and speed but the Prince saw it as an opportunity to learn greater control.

Buildings became scarce and sand started to rule the landscape. Trees dotted the ground beneath the two Sayians sparsely and the Prince wondered why the runt had not noticed this and turned back. Then again his power level did not afford him much flying time at high velocities. Had he gotten tired?

Prince Vegeta's patience allowed him to search for an hour before he turned around and headed back to the city and back to civilization.

Kakarot knew he had gone the wrong way. He tried not to cry as he walked around the hot desert land. Crying would only drain the little water he had left. He was hungry, tired and very, very thirsty. Why hadn't Radditz come for him? Surely he was supposed to be at the training centre by now. Someone would notice he wasn't there and someone had to come looking for him, didn't they?

A tree emerged from the haze of heat and Kakarot headed towards it. Shade was a luxury in this harsh heat. He wanted to climb the tree but it was too thin and dead looking to support his weight. He sat down and tried to catch his breath.

The day was only going to get hotter and he knew that he would eventually have to start walking again. Maybe he should wait until night. No, then the temperature would drop to freezing once again. As it was he would have to use his Ki to keep himself warm.

Kakarot got to his feet and began to wonder again, wishing he was home with his daddy instead. He knew that Bardock wasn't even on the planet and wouldn't be back until the next day. Could he wait until then? How would his father find him?

That didn't matter as the ground started to shake suddenly. Kakarot stopped walking. He looked around but saw nothing for miles other than the endless red sand.

Suddenly the sand in front of him began to bubble up. Dust rose as the ground shook harder making Kakarot fall. The ground exploded into the air spraying everything with clods of sand. Kakarot screamed in terror when a big black scale covered monster roared at him. He quite promptly burst into tears.

The thing dived at him and he only just managed to roll out of the way. He scrambled to his feet and began to run. His arms were flailing behind him as tears streamed down his cheeks. (For a visual think four year old Gohan.)

Kakarot couldn't afford to stop running. He had no idea where he was going, only that he had to keep running no matter what.

Bardock opened his pod door warily. He just wanted to eat and then sleep for a few hours. He stepped out of his pod and turned to just fly out the window since his crew could just do the paperwork for him.

"Third Class Sayian Bardock."

Bardock looked up to see two elite soldiers facing him. He could only think of one thing that would require him to be summoned and that was his six year old son. He sighed again and walked towards them.

They led him out of the landing bay and then took to the skies. They flew at a pace that Bardock just slightly couldn't keep up with in his exhausted state and he knew that they did it on purpose.

As expected he was taken to the Elite training centre. To his surprise though, Prince Vegeta and his bodyguard, not that Bardock knew why he needed one in the first place anyway, were waiting at the entrance. Radditz stood slightly away from them with his head bowed and his shoulders slumped in shame. He also looked as though he had taken a beating.

"Prince." Bardock greeted with a bow.

"Your son Kakarot in out there somewhere." Prince Vegeta informed him gesturing vaguely in the direction of the Rikki Desert, "Your other son failed to guide him home as instructed."

Bardock didn't wait for anything more. He took off into the air faster than anyone of the elites had expected and towards Rikki Desert. That place was also known as the Sayian graveyard as many Sayians had died in there trying to concur the beasts that lived beneath the sand. Kakarot didn't stand a chance. There was also a slim chance he'd even find the boy.

Bardock flew until he had figured that Kakarot would not have been able to go any further. On the way he had looked for signs of the boy and had seen a lot of disturbed sand. The three elite guards, the Prince and Radditz had followed him.

Bardock hovered in the air watching, surveying the land, trying to make sense of the disturbed sand. It zigzagged in unnatural patterns indicating a chase. His sharp eyes saw the tiny footprints that indicated his son and he flew towards them. He followed the footprints, occasionally losing them due to something having dragged over them.

"What are you doing?" The Prince asked in confusion, floating up next to him.

"Have you ever been in a battle off world Prince, ever hunted another living being?" Bardock replied already knowing the answer.

"No." The Prince replied bitterly.

That was when Bardock heard it. It was a sound he'd never mistake. A sound that had kept him up for hours. It still haunted him. Kakarot was crying, it was faint, very far away but completely unmistakable.

Bardock stilled and listened. He closed his eyes and tried desperately to find the direction. There! He flew towards it, the disturbances in the sand increasing.

Kakarot was sitting up high in a large tree and crying his heart out. The tree was surrounded by large piles of sand. Bardock landed and looked up at his son.

"Kakarot. Jump down." Bardock said calmly.

The crying stopped immediately.

"DADDY!" Kakarot yelled before jumping straight down and into his father's arms and buried his head against his chest, "Th-th-th-there was a m-m-mean monster and and and it wouldn't s-s-t-top chasing me and and I got lost and I didn't know where I was and I had to r-r-r-run away and I got even more lost. . ."

He clung to Bardock and started to sob. His tiny body shook weakly as he cried. The boy needed sleep, food and most importantly water.

Kakarot stopped crying and looked up at his father with wide pleading eyes a second before the ground started to shake.

"Daddy." he whimpered right before a creature burst from the sand and swallowed one of the Elite guards that had followed.

Kakarot yelped and scrambled out of Bardock's arms in terror. He fell to the ground and scrambled away. Everyone except Bardock and Kakarot took to the sky. Bardock flew at the creature, intent on destroying it. Kakarot stayed where he was, watching in wide eyed terror as his father battled with the creature.

Bardock couldn't use Ki blasts as they'd only deflect off the scales. His most powerful punches didn't even seem to slow the thing down and on top of it all, he was just too damned tired for this.

Kakarot saw his father starting to slow down, to show his exhaustion and the terror was replaced with determination. He raced towards the creature with a cry of anger.

"I've had just about enough of you! You big bully!" he screamed just before he jumped and kicked the creature just under the jaw, that only spot without scales.

The creature fell to the ground either dead or unconscious. Kakarot went to his father and clamped onto a leg, completely oblivious to the looks he was receiving. All he wanted was to go home.

Bardock scooped him up and took to the air to join the others. They exchanged words that the tired young Sayian wasn't paying any attention to. As they flew towards home Kakarot's tired brain realised something. The place that they were leaving was the perfect training field.