Three years later…
"Kakarot! To your left!" Vegeta called out, and his tall, lanky Royal Guard whipped around, blasting the giant worm before it had a chance to swallow him whole. Kakarot's eyes scanned the area, making certain the area was clear, before finally relaxing. His eyes went to Vegeta, who had come to the same conclusion, the tension fading from his shoulders.
They had been training for quite a while today, and had already been exhausted when the needle worms came. Of course, as the Saiyans grew, so did the needle worms; now they were big enough to swallow them whole, if given the chance. It had happened to Vegeta once; they had come after training, when the two Saiyans were at their weakest, and Vegeta had almost been digested. Kakarot had had to cut him out of the vile thing.
Of course…. that had been before he achieved the legend…
Now, he and Kakarot were almost at the same level. Kakarot had increased his strength and stamina in his base form, training with Vegeta for the past three years, which translated to a boost in power in his Super Saiyan form. Of course, Vegeta's base form was already pretty strong, so when he turned Super Saiyan, he was quite powerful.
But Kakarot was still stronger than him.
There was a time, when that very thought would vex him, when the idea of someone else being stronger than he was would cause him no end of jealous rage. But… there was meeting a stronger opponent, and then there was witnessing the strength of your army. Kakarot wasn't his competition; he had proven, time and again, that he did not want Vegeta's position. In fact, Kakarot was jealously protective of Vegeta; he had no doubt that, should anyone else challenge him, Kakarot would remain at Vegeta's side.
Even if he lost said challenge.
Kakarot wasn't a challenge to his rule. He was a weapon, and armor, which Vegeta could choose to use, or not to use, but which would always be there, waiting for him.
And he was strong.
And so it was, that Vegeta relished in the strides Kakarot was making in their training, because he knew, if Kakarot was that strong, then soon, he, Vegeta, would also be that strong. And Kakarot was certain that there was a level above Super Saiyan, a level that called to them, just beyond their reach.
They had five years left to go, and they still had Oozaru training to do. Kakarot wished to have full control of his transformation, and Vegeta knew that, if any low-born Saiyan could accomplish it, Kakarot could.
"If I never see another one of those damned things, it'll be too soon," Kakarot said, stretching. He then grinned. "Hey, that puts me at 47 today. Aren't you at 46, Sire?" he asked shooting the prince a mischievous glance.
Prince Vegeta scowled at him. "You're an idiot, Kakarot. You messed up the count. That last one makes 45, not 47. I win."
Kakarot took a moment to count on his fingers. "No, I'm pretty sure that was 47. And how were you counting my kills, when you were busy with your own?" he accused.
Prince Vegeta raised an eyebrow, smirking. "It's simple logic, Kakarot. Whatever number of kills you made, I made one more than you, because I'm better than you. So, if I made 46 kills, that means you made 45."
"Ha! As if! You're just crying 'cause I got one more than you. Admit it!" Kakarot shot back.
Prince Vegeta rolled his eyes. "No one's crying, Kakarot. I was simply testing your math skills. You're almost smart enough to add big boy numbers," he taunted.
Kakarot growled. "I'm gettin' better! I spent most of my life alone in the woods, what do you want? It's not like numbers are as important as fightin'!"
With that, the Saiyan prince smacked him on the back of the head. "Logic helps with fighting, Kakarot. Numbers help with fighting. There's much more for you to learn, you've barely scratched the surface. Your ignorance is a weakness, and one you should pay immediate attention to. Or, do you enjoy being tricked all the time?" he said with a smirk.
Kakarot sighed. "No, Sire," he said sourly, rubbing the back of his head where Vegeta had struck him. "I'll work on it."
Vegeta gave a short nod, then looked around them. "Tomorrow, Kakarot. We'll leave this jungle tomorrow. Are you ready?" he asked.
Kakarot felt a flutter of nervousness in his stomach, but pushed it down. He was going to finish the training he'd begun with his father, for even longer. They were going to master the Oozaru form, and get a true feel for what they were capable of.
But first… he had to destroy his Grandpa.
"I know it's not really my Grandpa, Sire. But… the thought of… the thought of destroying something that even looks like him…," he said, lowering his eyes.
Vegeta grunted at that. "You lived among humans too long, Kakarot," he said, frowning. "If this 'Grandpa' of yours were a Saiyan, he would be asking you to battle him one final time, so he could die with honor, instead of wasting away in a bed, helplessly," he said. "I know, if it were me, and some creature was using my face to destroy what I'd worked so hard to build, I would want you to kill it without a second thought," he said, shaking his head.
What I'd worked so hard to build… Vegeta was right, Kakarot realized. His Grandpa, his real Grandpa, had only had his well-being in mind. The confidence he had, the cheerfulness, the way he could enjoy the little, peaceful things in life… those had all come from him. He had carefully cultivated those qualities in him, and now, some jungle was trying to mess all of that up.
Grandpa Gohan would be mad.
"Thanks, Sire," Kakarot said, meeting Vegeta's eyes. "I won't fail," he said, determined.
Vegeta smirked. "Hn. See that you don't," he said, and stretched. "Go hunt for us, Kakarot. It will get you in the right frame of mind," he commanded, and set about gathering wood dry enough for a fire.
Kakarot gave a single nod, and disappeared into the trees. He loved hunting, it was never really a chore for him. It was one of those simple things in life he enjoyed so much, thanks to his Grandpa Gohan.
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The next morning found the two Saiyans ready to go, in the brightest part of the jungle they could find, the part which they had discovered a year ago, and had labeled as the most likely way out. Not that they'd been able to leave… the same thing that kept them from just flying up through the leaves of the trees, kept them from emerging from the jungle towards the light.
Vegeta had decided to go first, wishing to get this over with. He stood on a log and, transforming, cried out, "FRIEZA! COME AND GET ME! I'M HERE TO DEFEAT YOU, ONCE AND FOR ALL!"
A shape emerged from the darkness, and Kakarot narrowed his eyes. That shape… it wasn't Frieza.
It was King Vegeta.
Kakarot had seen King Vegeta appear a few times before, but usually only to say something discouraging to the prince, never to fight. Yet, here he was, striding towards him. Prince Vegeta hesitated.
"I called for Frieza, not for you, Father," Vegeta said.
King Vegeta narrowed his eyes. "You're not ready to face Frieza yet. You cannot even defeat me," he taunted.
Prince Vegeta and Kakarot had faced against his father in verbal sparring matches up until now, and Vegeta held his own, for the most part, though it had never come to blows. "You're not as strong as me, Father. I'm a Super Saiyan now. You can't hope to beat me," he said menacingly.
King Vegeta merely smirked at that. "Your mistake, Prince Vegeta, is thinking that I'm your father!" he said, then suddenly attacked.
Vegeta was knocked back several feet.
Kakarot's eyes widened. Had… had King Vegeta just knocked back a Super Saiyan? Warily, he watched the King's movements. Something wasn't right…
Vegeta rushed at the King, throwing punch after punch, being blocked every time. He scowled. "You're right… my father… was never this strong!" he said, and smirked as the two backed away from each other for a moment. "Good. I would have been upset if leaving this accursed place proved to be no challenge after all this time," he said.
King Vegeta returned the smirk. "You're never leaving here, Prince Vegeta. Don't you get it now? You have to lose!" he said, and rushed after him again, sending the prince hurling into a nearby tree with a powerful kick to the side.
Vegeta was up in moments, his mind working quickly, as he analyzed his opponent's weaknesses. It wasn't easy… his defenses were flawless, it was almost as if…
"Of fucking course!" Vegeta muttered, then charged up an attack. "Gallic…" he said, as King Vegeta powered a similar blast, "GUN!"
The two blasts met in mid-air, and Vegeta suddenly bashed his head backwards, neatly head butting King Vegeta, who had appeared behind him. Grabbing the King's hair, he placed a hand in front of his face. "The old ways failed, father, and I am not you! I will learn from your mistakes, and be a better king than you ever were!" he exclaimed, then fired a blast straight into the other Saiyan's face.
King Vegeta disappeared at the last moment, reappearing behind Prince Vegeta, and sending a blow straight to the back of the prince's neck. Only…
Kakarot gasped. That wasn't King Vegeta.
Prince Vegeta turned to see pretty much what he expected to see. Himself, in his father's armor. His doppelganger knelt, lowering his eyes. Vegeta smirked. "My father chose to lick Frieza's boots for wealth and power, and all he got was the bottom of Frieza's boots. I will never become what he was," he said, and, holding out his hand, blasted the fake prince.
The prince disappeared, and suddenly, the jungle seemed to get a lot lighter around them.
Kakarot was about to say something, but was immediately struck from behind. He whirled around to see Grandpa Gohan standing where he had been moments before. "Your turn, Goku," he said, placing his hands behind his back. "I tried to warn you away from all this violence, but you just wouldn't listen to me. And now look at you. Ready to strike down your own Grandpa, the man who took you in and raised you as his own. You can't claim killing me was an accident anymore, Goku, not when you're here, ready to do it on purpose!"
Kakarot scowled at him. "You're not my Grandpa! Stop pretending to be!" he demanded, his fists clenched, a dangerous look in his eyes.
"Well… you're right about that…" the old man said, then suddenly his form shifted.
Kakarot wasn't sure what to make of what he saw next.
Before him, stood… well, him. Only, instead of battle armor, he wore an orange fighting gi, with the turtle symbol on it, the same one that Krillin had worn at the World Martial Arts Tournament all those years ago. His tail was missing, but it was him.
"I'm not Grandpa. I'm Son Goku!" the other him said, scowling at him.
