"Since I've come to this world,
I'm still second best to you"*
Vegeta to Kakarrot while fighting Janenba
Alone in his quiet place, he replayed the confrontation with his mate one more time in his mind. Two years had passed since Bulma had been brought back to life by the dragonballs and he found himself growing increasingly restless. He could scarcely concentrate on anything in his life as of late over the sound of the shattering of the inner peace he had held so dearly. Yes, all traces of his peace were nearly gone now.
'Woman, leave me alone! There is nothing wrong with me', he had shouted angrily at his mate from across the kitchen table slamming his fists down so hard that dishes flew and the table broke. Trunks just sat there stunned. And in a typical response, first came Bulma's bitter words and then finally, her tears.
Each time she would ask what was wrong with him, he would respond with more anger and sharpness than he had intended. But the truth was, something was wrong and he was raging against it. It was illusive and haunting, and it was growing. Deep inside of himself, he knew something bad was coming. He also knew that his newfound sense of protectiveness toward his mate and his son was part of the problem. Somehow, he knew this upcoming evil was going to affect them too. But how could he stop it if he didn't even know the source?
"Perhaps I am just losing my mind", Vegeta said to himself. And he closed his eyes to shield them from the afternoon sun's intensity.
He tried to convince himself that the problem had to do with the last seven years since the Cell Games when Kakarrot died and had chosen to remain in the other world. 'It is simply that I'm not accustomed to these soft times of peace', he told himself.
It was in his own house that Kakarrot had announced he would be returning to earth for just one day to fight in the upcoming Marshall Arts Tournament. Finally, Vegeta would have the opportunity prove once and for all that he was the strongest. He determined to use this opportunity to regain the honor and pride that he felt had been lost to Kakarrot. Finally, the humiliation of being second best to a low level Saiyan would come to an end. But even the excitement of this challenge did not eliminate his deepening sense that something was very wrong.
As he sat on the ground with his back against a tree, Vegeta began to think about Trunks and how different his son was at 8 than he himself was at that age. It had just come to his attention that Trunks was already a Super Saiyan. The boy was strong, yet he was spoiled and pampered, and he had never before experienced any type of battle apart from his spats with the youngest son of Kakarrot.
By the time he had turned 8, Frieza had already taken Vegeta from his father. At age 8, he had already taken the lives of others. And at age 8, the young Prince was totally alone -- no father, no kingdom, and no home planet. As time went on, he learned to survive by turning his feelings off. And by the time he reached adulthood, he had forgotten that he even had feelings. The only thing left inside of him was rage.
And now, he longed for the simplicity of those times. His attachment to the woman and his son would forever change how he fought. The killer instinct that he used to have in battle had somehow lost it's edge.
"I am a warrior"! He shouted to the trees and the mountains as he sprang to his feet.
"I will fight you Kakarrot and I will totally defeat you! Do you hear me?" Vegeta stood shouting defiantly upwards toward the sky as though Kakarrot could somehow hear him.
"I can never forgive you for surpassing me and I can never forgive you for saving my life. You, a low level, and me, a Prince. Do you hear me up there where ever you are, you bastard!" continued Vegeta as he shot an energy blast straight upward into the sky.
"I will kill you this time, Kakarrot. I don't care about the good things you've done. I don't care about your family. I don't care about mine anymore either! I don't. They can all go straight to hell. I don't care anymore. I don't! Do you hear me, Kakarrot?!. I don't care anymore. I'm the one with royal blood in my veins and you have humiliated me long enough, I will…….."
"So Vegeta, just who are you trying to convince that you don't care anymore? Is it Goku? Or is it yourself you're talking to?" Shocked, Vegeta spun around only to see Piccolo standing there, in full glory with his crossed arms and his caped arrogance.
"And just what are you doing here, Namek? You had better turn your green hide around and fly away right now before I blast you into oblivion!"
"Not until you answer my question. Who are you trying so hard to convince?"
"Namek! What are you doing here?" Vegeta was so enraged that the words came out in a dangerous, deadly hiss.
"Vegeta, that blast you fired off nearly hit the lookout. Besides, it was hard to not hear your little temper tantrum down here", Piccolo answered with a sarcastic smirk. "What is wrong with you!"
"And since when did you come to care so deeply about Vegeta?" the warrior asked with sparks of electricity shooting out around him.
"I'll ask you again. It's not a hard question. Why are you trying so hard to convince yourself that you are still a cold-blooded killer who doesn't care about anything or anyone? You're not that person anymore, Vegeta. Now give it a rest already!" Vegeta could see that Piccolo was not giving an inch.
"Look, Namek. Don't you think I already know that? It's maddening. I am not the warrior I used to be. My feelings have made me weak and now I fear that I will never be stronger than Kakarrot. So there. Are you happy now? Is that what you wanted to hear? Now you answer me this -- just what will it take to get you to go away and leave me alone?!!
"It's your call Vegeta". And with that, Piccolo leapt into the sky and was soon out of sight.
In utter frustration, Vegeta fell to his knees and slammed his fists hard on the ground. 'The Namek is right', he thought to himself. 'I have changed. I am not the warrior I used to be. And that means I will never be stronger than Kakarrot now'!
Hot tears of anger began to flow down his cheeks. In all of his life, Bulma and Kakarrot were the only two people who had ever caused him to shed tears and right now he hated both of them for it. And out there, alone and on his knees in his quiet place, sobs shuddered through his body as the proud Prince wept bitterly.
From high upon Kami's lookout, Piccolo watched with great concern. He too had been getting dark images of an upcoming evil. Even though he didn't know how yet, he knew that Vegeta would somehow play an important role as the upcoming drama, whatever it was, unfolded.
And from a distance high on a hill, a young lavender haired boy also watched with great concern.
"Please don't cry, Poppa", Trunks whispered to his father. "Whatever I did, I'm sorry. I promise I won't do it again. I love you Poppa, you're the best! Please come home soon."
And the young son of Vegeta chose to walk, rather than fly, back to Capsule Corporation.
"I'm still second best to you"*
Vegeta
*Movie 12. The Rebirth of Fusion: Goku and Vegita
*Movie 12. The Rebirth of Fusion: Goku and Vegita