This was sort of a random unplanned chapter and I think it shows. I hope it's not too out of place. Although there are aspects in here that do contribute to the story. It's also shorter than other recent chapters. Next time I'll stick to the plan. Promise, from now on no more unplanned chapters.

Chapter 11.

Bardock had tried to keep up with Kakarot as the young boy had told him of his days with the Prince so far but his exhaustion was taking its toll.

"Why don't you sleep here dad?" Kakarot asked suddenly.

"Here? At the palace?" Bardock asked in surprise.

"Why not? You can sleep right here in my bed. I don't use that side so it's like it's brand new." Kakarot said shifting over so that Bardock could see his point.

Bardock sighed wearily and decided that the boy was right, either that or he was just too tired to argue. He managed to shift off his armour and get in a quick shower before stumbling over to the bed and falling onto it. Kakarot smiled before snuggling into his father's chest and pulling the blankets over them.

"Good night dad." He whispered before closing his eyes.

Bardock grunted once before his breaths became even and deeper.

Bardock woke up much later the next day. Kakarot was no longer next to him. The kid had probably left him to sleep. Bardock stretched and yawned before getting up and starting to pull on his armour once more.

"Morning Dad!" Kakarot announced loudly just as Bardock was finished adjusting his breastplate.

"Does your happy really have to be so loud?" Bardock asked with a wince.

"Are you hungry?" Kakarot barrelled on without much thought to the muttered question.

"Can you breathe?" Bardock replied.

"Great! Come on, let's go before everything's gone." Kakarot yelled tugging on Bardock's arm.

"I'm not even allowed in the palace and now you want me to go with breakfast with the royals." Bardock asked starting to sweat.

"Nah it's ohkay. I asked Prince Vegeta while he was still really sleepy so he said yes. It's amazing really, his thought process in the morning is very slow but he remembers every decision he makes while in that state. Me, I hardly know which way is up. I wonder if I could get him to agree to anything while he's sleepy. What do you think? What should I ask him for? . . ." Kakarot rambled.

Bardock looked at his son as he followed him to where the food was. Jip, he was home alright. He couldn't help the smirk on his face when the elite palace guards scowled at him. Silently he just begged, yes begged, them to make a move. His mouth was practically salivating at the thought of showing them a thing or two. All of these cowards had grown soft in their arrogance. He on the other hand was a warrior accustomed to battle, brutal battle if necessary. He didn't have the upper hand when it came to power, he wasn't an elite but experience. Yes he had plenty of that.

"We're here." Kakarot announced and breaking Bardock's train of bloodlust filled thoughts.

Bardock turned his attention to the now silent room they had just entered. Kakarot ignored them all heading straight for a table in the far corner of the room. It was a small table that held three chairs. One of those chairs was already occupied.

Kakarot smiled at this and rushed over to the other Sayian. Bardock kept at his measured pace. He didn't miss the glaring challenges in the elites' eyes but he blatantly and painfully ignored them.

"Dad this is Prince Tarble. He's really cool." Kakarot introduced as soon as Bardock sat down.

Bardock looked at the small Sayian boy who ducked his head and blushed. He looked like he was perpetually in fear. Bardock narrowed his eyes slightly at the Prince part. So this was the hushed up third class brat everyone whispered about. Bardock would've pressed the side of his scouter just for curiosity's sake but decided that the little guy had pride and reading his power level would probably damage the little he had left. So instead he inclined his head in acknowledgement before starting on the food that Kakarot had already dug into.

"RUNT!" Prince Vegeta screeched upon slamming the doors open.

Kakarot didn't even flinch so this had to be normal.

"Wake me up one more time and I will send you to the afterlife in pieces!" Prince Vegeta hollered further before sitting down.

"Hay I wasn't the one that went out to the places I'm not supposed to tell anyone about late last night when I should have been getting some sleep for my training." Kakarot replied through a mouth full of food and because of that only two people in the room really understood him, Bardock and the Prince.

"Do you even have a brain?" Prince Vegeta asked rhetorically.

Kakarot retaliated by sticking out his tongue. Oh how mature Bardock thought dryly. Breakfast was eaten with little to no incidents unless a servant being chased around by some carefully controlled Ki counted. Apparently Elites were not immune to the pain of hot drinks being spilt on their crotches. Bardock had had to thump his own chest as he choked of the food in his mouth and laughed silently at the same time.

"So you're the pathetic low class runt's father." Prince Vegeta mused coming over to the little table.

Bardock looked him over and grunted. He stood and bowed respectfully but respect only went so far on Planet Vegeta.

"And you're the brat Prince that is to rule over us all one day." Bardock replied.

"A brat Prince that will gladly kill you. I see you've met my pathetic sibling." Prince Vegeta replied looking at Prince Tarble with scorn.

Bardock noticed Kakarot's frown at the words.

"My son disagrees with you, about which part I'm so sure though." Bardock said quietly.

"I don't care what he thinks." Prince Vegeta snapped almost like it was a habit and not something he truly believed.

"Oh so that means I can take him home, since he's useless all the same." Bardock smirked.

"No. I'm having far too much fun with him." Prince Vegeta said with his own smirk and up close Bardock knew why it caused so many to wake from their slumber in imagined terror, perhaps not so imagined.

"Maturity has done you good Prince but you're still a brat." Bardock replied shrugging a shoulder.

"Spar with me." Prince Vegeta suddenly asked, his eyes lighting up with pure enjoyment.

Kakarot was surprised to realise that the Prince was enjoying Bardock's crude suicidal behaviour. He was absolutely thriving on it.

"You wouldn't even present a challenge to me." Bardock said with a scoff and look of aloofness.

It hit a nerve and Prince Vegeta got angry. More openly angry than what Kakarot had ever actually seen him as before.

"I'm stronger than you. I am the strongest Sayian there ever was. I will defeat you." Prince Vegeta declared and Bardock sensed the desperation that peppered those words ever so slightly. He needed to believe those words. It was all he had.

"Strength isn't everything, Prince." Bardock said quietly but falling into a fighting stance nonetheless.

Prince Vegeta sprang at Bardock, taking the offensive immediately. His style was flawless and in that, did it have its weakness. Prince Vegeta fought with textbook execution. He'd never been in a battle for his life. He'd never had to kill to survive. Well maybe not anything that wasn't Sayian and certainly nothing that was stronger than him. His fighting while perfect was predictable. He hadn't learnt to properly strategize. Bardock taught him the hard way, blocking all his moves and delivering powerful ones of his own.

"Change your style to suit your situation Prince." Bardock coached as they fought.

"Faster, harder and unpredictable. That is the code you must live by. Just remember to keep it smart. Rage filled attacks get you nowhere as you can plainly see." Bardock continued.

Their fight had been taken to the air, a clear disadvantage for Prince Vegeta. He'd never trained for much more than power so he lacked a few essential skills. Bardock exploited it all. The Prince needed to learn the hard way if he was ever to stand a chance in defeating Frieza. He was raised to believe that this was an inevitability but he'd never been told the reality of his situation. Bardock pinned him to the wall, high above the watching Sayians. Prince Vegeta struggled but Bardock had pinned him in such a way that his struggles only made it painful for him. After all Bardock had plenty of experience with opponents stronger than him. Prince Vegeta had none.

"Power means nothing without experience brat Prince. You've been far too pampered in your quest for power. You say you're destined to defeat Frieza but you know nothing of his power. There's a reason why Sayians are considered to the dirt under his foot. His weakest soldiers are stronger than we are and the only reason we were ever useful to him was our ability to transform into the Oozaru. Without that we are nothing and easily defeated. Your father figured that out very fast and that is why we bow to him. You expect to kill a being you don't even understand. When you learn that power isn't everything then you will realise just how big this task of yours is. I will take you seriously when you have learnt the real art of war. This pampered life of yours will be your undoing. I hope Kakarot can teach you what you will need to know." Bardock whispered so quietly that only the Prince could hear him, "Now save your pride and end this."

Prince Vegeta lashed out angrily slamming Bardock into the opposite wall and landing on the ground so intensely that it cracked and shattered. He glanced at Bardock, feeling more alive than he had ever felt but more humiliated as well. He was also grateful. He bowed ever so slightly to Bardock in a sign of respect vowing to become a Sayian warrior worthy in his eyes. His own father's wishes meant nothing. Bardock had more right to the Sayian throne than that pathetic old fool but that throne turned warriors into nothing more than weak insignificant has been warriors. If that was the case Tarble could have the throne.

Bardock stood and winced but bowed low to Prince Vegeta. Very few would have even seen the tiny bow the Prince had given him and out of those few even fewer would actually believe it for what it was. Bardock saw it though and he felt that his views on the Prince had to shift dramatically. Perhaps he should speak to Kakarot and see what he had to say on the matter.

"That was one of the best fights I've been in in a long long time, Prince. Your technique cannot be faulted when being compared to how it is supposed to be." Bardock said still bowing low to the floor.

"But you disagree with it." Prince Vegeta stated.

"My son has often stated that the Sayian fighting style has become obsolete by our own making." Bardock said inclining his head to the side.

"And let me guess, he's already come up with a new one." Prince Vegeta stated blandly his eyes travelling over to the said Sayian who grinned nervously and rubbed the back of his neck.

"What do you think I was using to fight you with?" Bardock smirked.

While his son hadn't exactly all out taught him the newer more efficient way of fighting, he had explained a few things to Bardock and they had made sense to the older Sayian so he'd utilised those hints and adjusted his fighting technique to suit it.

"I see. Let's go again. The rest of you clear off." Prince Vegeta said crouching down once more.

Prince Tarble stood to leave with all the other Sayians but Kakarot pulled him back shaking his head when the other Sayian looked at him.

"Stay and watch." Kakarot said with a smile.

Bardock struck first but Prince Vegeta was ready for him. He'd adjusted quite fast to the new situation and was doing far better than before. Kakarot smiled when he saw that Prince Vegeta was getting more creative but making up things on the spur of the moment did have its disadvantages. The Prince was slammed backwards after a failed attempt and he crashed rather painfully to the ground.

"Kakarot I might have hit him harder than I thought. His guard wasn't even a fraction there." Bardock said lowering to the floor with a wince and clutching his ribs.

Kakarot nodded and went over to the Prince who was still lying on the floor, panting as though each breath as an elixir. Kakarot paled when he noticed the sudden drop in the Prince's power level. Bardock's scouter began to register the drop as well. Kakarot slid across the floor and placed his hand on the Prince's chest, trying to get a better sense of his Ki.

The damaged Ki areas were hotter than the undamaged ones and the warmest area was his chest . . . but it wasn't warm enough to cause that sort of drop . . . unless.

Kakarot yelped when the Prince's eyes sprang open and his glare of anger was directed at Bardock. He phased out of sight and reappeared behind Bardock delivering an elbow blow to his back. A ruse, it had all been a ruse. Kakarot began to laugh. Prince Vegeta sure did learn fast.

Kakarot turned his attention to Prince Tarble who was watching with wide eyes. How much of the fight could he actually see? Sometimes Prince Vegeta moved too fast for even Kakarot to see.

"Hay Prince Tarble, why don't you fight?" Kakarot asked walking back to the younger Sayian.

"No point." Prince Tarble muttered but Kakarot knew he didn't want to talk about it.

The door opened then and the King entered followed by the reluctant remnants of Bardock's crew. The King did not look pleased but when he saw the Prince his face went completely blank. Was it pride or anger that made him react that way? A third class warrior who was stronger than he, training his son and actually teaching him things. It wasn't Sayian like. Ever since Kakarot a lot of things had ceased to be very Sayian like.

The King looked at Kakarot then and saw that Prince Tarble was with him. Would he allow another of royal blood to be corrupted as such? There was nothing he could do about Prince Vegeta, he was too far gone to be controlled. At least Prince Vegeta still cared for the destiny that had been bestowed upon him at birth. Defeating Frieza and becoming the legendary Super Sayian.

Prince Tarble was weak, fragile but he had once help potential. That potential had been neglected. Perhaps if the King took an interest in his youngest son he could salvage the disgrace his oldest son had caused. Instinct told him that Prince Vegeta's disgraces would only increase so long as Kakarot remained but there was nothing he could do without angering Prince Vegeta to the point where he'd even kill his own father.

Watching him now, being challenged and pushed to his limits by a mere third class dog, it was not pride, no. Rage seething like a molten lava beneath his skin. Something had to be done and Prince Tarble was his last remaining hope.

"Are you sure about this?" Bardock asked for the third time.

"Yes. You and your brat son keep reminding me that I'm too used to fighting only Sayians. You and your team are known for your accomplishments off world. None of you fight like Sayians anymore. So for the last time YES." Prince Vegeta snapped.

Fasha sprang at him first followed closely by Tora. Prince Vegeta sprang up into the air only to be met with Shugesh. Tora and Fasha were both firing up beams of Ki. He ducked at the last minute, smirking when the blasts hit Shugesh instead. Prince Vegeta phased out of sight reappearing behind Borgos and delivering a powerful kick to the back of his head. That was two down and three to go.

Fasha and Tora tried to team up against him. He stood still long enough for them to hit each other. Tora blinked with shock as Prince Vegeta appeared right in front of him, delivering a hard punch to the gut. Fasha blocked the blow aimed for her ribs and ducked under the kick but missed the punch. She slumped forward only half conscious. Those four had almost been too easy, defeating themselves really.

The last one was Bardock. Where was he? Concentrate, use your Ki. He's here somewhere. Prince Vegeta fell to the ground to avoid the blow from behind. He rolled and jumped to his feet to avoid the next one. His arm pounded with the force of Bardock's kick that he had been forced to block. His sneer matched Bardock's snarl.

They sprang apart, each one taking not of the other's growing exhaustion. They'd been fighting the whole day. Bardock had just returned from a mission and Prince Vegeta was still trying to incorporate Kakarot's training. He knew that there would be more to come but for now he had to use what he had.

Prince Vegeta attacked first. Bardock and the Prince were now familiar with each other's technique but not quite friendly. They each knew enough to avoid most of the blows. The two Sayians were completely engrossed in their fight. They had not moved from the dining hall and soon it would be time for dinner. Would there be a victor by then? Kakarot presumed that this was going to be an on-going rivalry. Even though Prince Vegeta had greatly improved it was evident that he still had a long way to go.

"Hay Prince Tarble, why don't you fight with me?" Kakarot asked suddenly after mainly keeping silent.

"Our power levels are different." Prince Tarble muttered back.

"I can change it so that we'll be fighting at the same level." Kakarot replied.

"Really? You can do that?" Prince Tarble replied with the first real amount of enthusiasm that day.

"Jip. I'm trying to teach your brother to do the same thing." Kakarot grinned and noticed Prince Tarble's enthusiasm dim somewhat.

"I could teach you if you like?" Kakarot offered quickly.

"Nah that's ohkay. Besides it's getting too late for fighting." Prince Tarble replied looking away.

"What, too late for fighting? What kind of very non Sayian like thing is that?" Kakarot asked with mock horror, "Hahaha, yeah I don't really like fighting like they do either."

Prince Tarble did grin at that one and it made Kakarot happy that he had at least made the younger Prince happy, even if it was but for a moment.