Title: Stolen Innocence

Rating:PG-13

A/N: Well, it's been a while since I've done a songfic, but this particular song just seemed to fit Vegeta so I had to do it. First of all, I don't own the song, Metallica does. (I don't wanna get my ass sued off like Napster did…) The song is Don't Tread On Me, and if you haven't listened to it, you should.

Don't tread on me

So don't tread on me

No. This just couldn't be possible. My home is gone. It was supposed to stay there forever… It can't be gone… No matter how many times I tell myself that, I know in the back of my mind that it's gone and there's nothing I can do about it. Absolutely nothing.

Frieza told me that it was a meteor shower that destroyed my planet, but I don't think I believe him. He sounded far too triumphant when he delivered the news for me to believe that. I think that HE might have done it. According to what my father told me before I left, Frieza had more than enough power to do just that.

Now I'm stuck here with absolutely no way out. All I have is this room on Frieza's ship that I refuse to leave. I do not wish to see his face more than I have to. It reminds me of everything I have lost and will never get back. My home…

"Vegeta!!" The tyrant's closest servant, Zarbon, is calling me to the main chamber of the ship. I am normally only called there when I do something wrong, but I have not left my room since the last time except to eat.

I am by far the youngest person on this ship; yet, Frieza seems to think that I have the most potential of all of them. At least, that's Zarbon's excuse for despising me, anyway… Most of the others just hate me because I'm a Saiyajin. I don't care. I've never been liked much before, and I don't expect to be liked here, either.

Liberty or death

What we so proudly hail

Once you provoke her

Rattling on her tail

"VEGETA!!! Get your sorry little ass out here before I come in there and blast it for you!!" Zarbon screams.

Well, he seems less than pleased with me… However, it really doesn't matter. The only one that I know that I must please is Frieza, but that is only to remain living, though. I detest doing it, but it is the only way to remain breathing so I must.

I open the door to see a livid Zarbon glaring daggers at me. He's pissed but not pissed enough in my opinion, so I decide to have a little fun with him. After all, he can't kill me, or he'll face the wrath of Frieza.

"What do you want, blue man?" I say, dripping with sarcasm.

Honey-gold eyes narrow dangerously, "Vegeta, you need to learn to watch your mouth. Talk that way to Frieza, and you'll be beaten to an inch of your life."

I narrow my own eyes in return, trying not to show any fear for the kind of torture that Frieza could inflict, "So, what do you want?"

Never begins it

Never, but once engaged

Never surrenders

Showing the fangs of rage

"Lord Frieza wishes to see you," Zarbon said, trying in vain to suppress a grin at this. "What have you done this time, little monkey?"

I feel the hatred boil up as my eyes narrow to slits, "What did you call me?" My tone is icy and full of the pent-up rage I have been suppressing for the past five months. I know that he is much stronger than me, but in that moment, I truly do not care.

"Don't even think about it, Vegeta," The changeling warns, an icy tone in his voice as well. "You don't want to get the shit beat out of you before you have to…"

I process this for a moment and decide that I will find a way to deal with Zarbon later. Frieza's patience is probably already wearing thin, and I wish to be capable of taking whatever punishment I am getting well.

A snort of disgust is all I give the changeling in response as I brush past him in the direction of Frieza's throne room. He eyes me warily but does nothing. I can feel his angry gaze on my back until I disappear from his sight.

So don't tread on me

So be it

Threaten no more

To secure peace is

To prepare for war

The door to the central room of the ship is wide open. Apparently the tyrant had been waiting for quite some time. I wince as I realize that that will mean more pain for me when the warlord begins whatever 'disciplining' he thinks that I need. I am still not sure what I have done wrong, though… I assume I will find out soon.

I stand to the side of the doorway, contemplating the situation for a moment, and I hear part of the conversation the frozen king is having with Dodoria.

"Where IS that little monkey?!" Frieza's voice reaches my ears and I cringe, knowing I will be punished for taking so long.

"I don't know, sir," The pink blob replies.

"Maybe I should have left the little bastard on the planet when I killed the rest of his pathetic race…"

My eyes widen as this finally processes into my jumbled thoughts. He did it… I knew it…. Fucking liar!!!!

I force my anger down. I must appear calm in front of him. If I don't, it will mean the end of me, and I want to live to kill him. I will avenge my fallen race, but I will have to wait until I am strong enough to do it. I must be patient…

So be it

Settle the score

Touch me again with the words that you will live evermore

I take a stiff posture and a deep breath to try to calm my anger and stride into the room; the two immediately stop their conversation to stare at me.

"Well, Vegeta, I hope you have a good reason for taking so long," The ice lord states.

I kneel and prepare to receive whatever beating the demented tyrant has planned for me, "Lord Frieza," I feel like retching as the title comes past my lips, " I was temporarily detained by Zarbon on my way to see you."

The dictator's eyes narrow, "Dodoria, go tell Zarbon that I will like to have a word with him after I am done with Vegeta."

I smirk inwardly, knowing that the blue changeling will be punished far worse than me; however, to show this physically will cause me to be punished myself so I keep my elation contained as the pink blob exits the room to tell Zarbon of his wrongdoing.

Don't tread on me

Love it or leave it

She was the deadly bite

Quick as the blue tongue

Bolts as a lightning strike

Bloodred eyes then fix themselves on my own, "Vegeta, you have been very seclusive, and we can't have that, now can we?"

I swallow and take a deep breath, "No, Lord Frieza."

"Now, my little princeling, I have something to keep you occupied," The warlord purrs. "I've had your monkey servant grow some of those wonderful little Saibamen for you to train with. After all, we can't have a weak little prince, now can we?"

I shove the rage rising in me down, "No, we can't."

"Good, good. I'm glad you see it my way, my princeling. I will be expecting to see you in the training chamber in less than an hour," The delight in his voice is unmistakable.

Shining with brightness

Always in surveillance

Eyes never close

Ends with a vigilance

"Yes, Lord Frieza," My words come at barely more than a whisper as I push the rage growing in my heart down.

"You may be dismissed."

I turn and walk out of the room as quickly as possible. He wants me to train? I'll show him train… I'll use his own orders against him. I will become stronger than him through this. I will make him regret the day he first met a Saiyajin… This is war…

So be it

Threaten no more

To secure peace is

To prepare for war