Disclaimer: I don't own.

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Childhood: Part II – The city and the thievery

Vegeta yawned. He was in a cross mood because he needed to wake up earlier than he should be ever forced to. Growling he sat in the cherry tree, waiting for that Kakarotto to show up. The morning was chilly and the street below on the other side had something ominous about it, Vegeta couldn't put his hands on it, but it bothered him. It felt... dangerous. Shivering slightly in the same servant clothes he had worn yesterday the cold morning air was biting him in the ass.

" Where's that blasted third class..." he muttered and looked around. Absolutely no one was in sight. A sudden movement caught his eyes and Kakarotto ran into the sight, his eyes noting everything. He didn't notice Vegeta but he seemed as if he was all the time little afraid to Vegeta.

" What took you so long!" Vegeta hissed from the tree and Kakarotto looked up frowning.

" Hi to you too! I'm on time. You're just being an early ass in the cold!" With that he started running towards the white wall. Vegeta wondered for a moment had the boy lost it and was trying to kill himself by running into a wall but to his utter surprise Kakarotto ran up the wall and with a final leap got the hold of the edge and pulled himself up, now crouching on the wall.

Kakarotto noted his stare and smiled, " I told ya I can't fly, damnit Ve! How else you expect me to move around? Swimming? Now come on! This district isn't the best place to hang around even in daylight!"

Vegeta bit back a biting comment and decided to concentrate on the matter at hand. " How I am supposed to cross the wall's field?"

" Nah, doncha worry, my friend, about that," Kakarotto remarked mysteriously and stood up. " All you have to do is to crawl form between my legs. There's no field there since I'm blocking the signal!"

Vegeta's face was one of utter horror. Crawl between his legs? No way! But it was his only way to the city...! Swallowing his pride and humiliation he wordlessly slipped from under his legs and jumped down on the muddy street. Kakarotto soon joined him and landed on the ground soundly as he couldn't use his chi to soften the fall.

" Now let's go, Ve! He announced with vigour and Vegeta nodded. The prince was about to take off, Kakarotto grabbed his arm. " What are you doing? Only elites, guards and first class are allowed to fly as they want! We can't fly outside the training grounds, remember, or we'll be killed on the spot!"

Freezing on the spot Vegeta nodded dumbly. There was a rule like that? Like reading his thoughts Kakarotto answered, " Yeah... who the hell ever came up with that shit must be a total asshole...! Now let's scram!" Kakarotto started jogging fast, dragging Vegeta behind him. The prince soon manage to gain the control of his own legs and started jogging alongside his supposed friend. He smelled the dusky and cold air and to him it smelled like freedom and for a second he was ecstatic until faint scent of freshly spilled blood reached his nostrils.

" Blood?" he asked to himself and Kakarotto nodded darkly.

" A fight got out of hand at night in a local bar. Many died," he explained, sounding grave. " Obviously those lazy asses haven't cleaned up yet properly," he added as a side note as they passed the bar where the fight had taken place. It was in shambles, burnt by chi and reeked of ale, sweat and blood. His eyes were wide for a second and he turned his gaze away. He was no stranger to a sight of blood in the training room but the whole setting around him made it stomach turning experience. He looked down and wished he hadn't; the sandy street was red with dried blood... And he was walking on it. Pacing his gait to a faster one he soon ran side to side with Kakarotto, who didn't seem to be bothered that much.

" Heh... were relatively safe right now..." he turned and flashed him a smirk and Vegeta noted he had a huge bruise almost covering the left side of his face.

" What happened to your face, Kakarotto?" he asked and the younger boy touched surprised his cheek.

" Oh this...? I accidentally collided with some first class guards and they hit me out of the way."

" Oh..." Vegeta uttered and they continued walking with Vegeta making question and Kakarotto answering them to his best ability. The town was absolutely amazing to Vegeta who had only ever traveled in a carriage to meet some rich elite his father was friends with in the west side. All the smells and people mingling about their business. Old, young and children all moved in the streets working, spending their leisure day, most of them third classes since they were in the deep maze of shacks and slums with no real planning or map of the area. Shops and houses lined the streets and there were tables where everyday things were sold and people haggled and debated. Vegeta noted that most of the third classes bore bruises and some cuts on them.

Drunk people staggered in the streets singing, yelling and otherwise expressing rude things and the guard nonchalantly knocked them out and left them laying on the street. Vegeta could only rise an eyebrow at this happening and Kakarotto only laughed at his expression. They finally arrived at the east side's square market and Vegeta's mouth dropped in awe.

" Hey Ve, stop gaping like a drowned fish I need to get some food before I die from starvation," Kakarotto punched him slightly in the arm and he growled don't punch me and then asked.

" How you plan on getting food? I though you said you have no money?"

Kakarotto smirked again in a mischievous way that Vegeta was beginning to associate with Kakarotto and he suddenly felt like this was going to be good and entertaining.

" Who said anything about buying, ey?" he said and Vegeta's eyes widened.

" You're gonna steal?" he whispered huskily, his voice gone." But stealing is---"

" Wrong? So is denying people their daily food! It's not like I am given an option now am I?" Kakarotto glared at him challengingly. Vegeta humphed though he was excited about stealing something. He had never even thought about it until now. He had all his life had everything he could wish for so stealing something for one's life was not familiar thought for him.

They wandered the market place and marked few good food booths that sold bread and meat with some fruits. Noting everything that seemed worthwhile they sat down in a corner ready to strike, or at least Kakarotto was.

" So good! When I am getting the bread you can get the meat!"

" What! I though you'd do the stealing!"

" Nuh huh! Ya're gonna help me! I can't do this alone! And finally what's with the accent and formal speech? Your sire strict on manners and wants you to rise in rank? Anyway... what, you scared?"

" Wha-what?" Vegeta repeated dumbfounded. His accent and way of speaking was perfect as prince's should but now a thought of it distinguishing him from the crowd entered his head and he decided to start speaking differently. After all, is this was gonna continue he needed to blend in as a citizen, not as the spoiled prince of the entire planet. And his dad surely didn't want him to rise in rank in next ten years... and he was not some scared pussy cat!

" Oh fine! I'll do it!" he threatened and Kakarotto cast another weird glance his way, grimacing.

" Pu-lease, Ve stop the 'oh fine' thing... it sounds so gay and formal... how about fucking fine, instead?" he suggested and Vegeta growled on verge of blasting the impudent boy to smithereens.

" Gay...? Fucking fine then!" he bellowed at the younger boy who fell on his back as Vegeta screamed at him.

" See? I knew you could do it!" he grinned evilly and Vegeta found himself smirking back, completely taken by the moment of companionship to remember he was just using the boy to accomplish his selfish goals. A turning point in his life was at hand and after that he would never be the same again. The young prince felt unbelievably giddy. It was the first curse word he had ever uttered in his life. He swore his language arts teachers would be probably fighting in the clutches of a heart attack had he heard... at least Vegeta hoped so. The man was so dry it was a miracle itself he didn't crumble into pile of sand any day!

"Let's go!" Kakarotto's excited voice sounded. Vegeta nodded and grinned in anticipation. Going their separate ways into crowd which conveniently provided shelter for them for their task. Stealing food was easy they both noted and giddy with their accomplishments were headed for the planned meeting place when they both bumped into a huge, fat, first class soldier, who stepped between them from the crowd just as they were about to meet and brag about the success of their feat. Falling on the ground the meat, fruits and bread scattered and the guard turned around angrily glaring at them.

" Wah! Sorry sir I was just carrying mom's buyings blah blah..." Kakarotto started a huge flood of explanations while Vegeta quickly gathered the fallen stolen food. They were lost, this was supposed to happen and the plan was blown but luckily Kakarotto seemed to be talking their way out of it. Vegeta had just picked up the last fruit and the man was glaring at them like he was about to stick them into a spike, grill them and then eat them alive, when a yell sounded.

" Guard! THIEVES! THEY'RE THIEVES! GET THEM!" A first class saleswoman screamed loudly and the whole market place was suddenly looking at them. Vegeta and Kakarotto's eyes bugged in panic. The man towering over them smirked evilly and Vegeta felt his knees go weak in fear. Sure Nappa was bigger and meaner and Vegeta knew he was maybe stronger than this brute but the whole situation made him freeze up.

" What fucking now?" he asked in a high-pitched voice, sweat forming on his forehead.

" Uh, run?" Kakarotto squeaked. Split second later Kakarotto had kicked the guard on balls and they were running full speed in the crowd, not even glancing back at the funny sight of a big man doubled over because of a third class brat-thief.

" Why you couldn't look at where you were going! NOW COLLIDE WITH A FUCKING BIG ASS FIRST CLASS GUARD! IDIOT!" Kakarotto howled a he heard shouts of the sentries to capture them.

" NOT MY FAULT! YOU BUMBPED INTO HIM TOO, DIMWIT!" Vegeta argued back running solely on his muscles, the use of chi never even entering his head as he had told himself the whole day he was a third class and thus didn't have that great power.

" SHUT UP AND RUN! I DON'T WANNA LISTEN TO YA AT THE MOMENT!"

" FUCKING FINE THEN!" Vegeta growled back and they slipped into an alley they guards after them. The chaser soon lost the sight of them and their powerlevels really weren't that high to register to their scouters. The boys stopped to catch their breath, thinking they had lost the guard but were soon proved wrong as a group of shouts 'there they are!' rang in the air.

Eeping the duo continued their running, managing to outrun and outwit the guards many times they spent the good portion of the day running around the third class district and east side Kakarotto commenting how he used to walk to shop here with his dad and how he got beaten up in that corner or what fight had erupted in which bar. The area and the uncharted street were soon very familiar to Vegeta who only needed to follow Kakarotto to learn all the secret short cuts.

They panted in exhaustion, but they really had gotten over the stage where you felt tired and now they only kept running because their prides didn't allow them to stop and fail. They once again turned into some alley and stopped for a breathed in middle of it.

" Damnit Kakarotto! I swear we've ran through this alley at least ten times...!!" Vegeta pated painfully, his heart beating like drum.

" Actually twelve times..." Kakarotto told him and Vegeta groaned, his hand reflexively clutching the stolen food to his chest. Never in his life had he felt so spent, not even after three hours of sparring with Nappa. His legs felt like logs and he just wanted to slump on the ground and fall asleep, and damn the guards and the consequences.

" There you are, brats! There's no escape now!"

" Oh shit...!" They mouthed in unison as the whirled around and saw both ends of the alleys full of guards. Most guards would have given up hours ago but obviously being outsmarted, outrun and humiliated by two low class children didn't bode well with first class noble guards. Got on their pride, seemingly.

" Hiih!" Kakarotto winced as the both groups started running to wards them with crushing force chi blast growing and ready to be released in their hands.

" A door!" Vegeta shrieked and they dove for the door at the dirty wall. A back door of some sort. The duo managed to crash in the half-rotten wooden door and run yelling in the soldiers right after them. Straight into the most shocking sight of their life.

" Oh my poor virgin eyes! Oh my ears!"

" Oh my virgin ears! Holy shit! My poor virgin eyes!"

Shrieking, they ran blindly through the nearest door to another even more shocking room and then outside of the nearest window, their tails resembling bottle brushes in the state of shock. It was a bordello alright. The guards rather stayed to see the porn show going on than chase two insignificant brats anyway... I mean naked dancers in erotic poses versus chasing two brats? The first one clearly weighted out the latter...

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" That... was the most disturbing scene I've ever seen..." Kakarotto managed to utter as he and Vegeta sat against a wall, staring into emptiness, in shock. Vegeta surely hadn't ever in his wildest thought his day with Kakarotto would turn out like this, with such events.

" Kakarotto..."

" What... I wanna sleep..." he mumbled in response. "... and forget about 'that'...!!"

" We did it!" Vegeta said triumphantly shoving the fruits and meat under Kakarotto's face. " We stole them and didn't get caught! We shoved up those jerks!"

" Whoa you're right! Cool! I almost forgot how hungry I was!" With that the boys tore into their food and to Vegeta it was the best food he had ever tasted. He had worked for it, hell almost literally died for it and here he was eating it...! Slurps and grunts were heard the food disappeared into hungry mouths. They ate quickly and then Kakarotto expediently found a roof top and they drank water from a barrel placed on roof top to gather the rain water to drink from.

" Hey Ve! Wasn't I supposed to show my house?" Kakarotto asked Vegeta after they had rested on the warm sun rays on the roof top hidden by a fabric folded over to beams.

" Yeah... I wanna see where you live... too bad I can't come to you but you have to come get me... damned field..." Vegeta answered sourly. He was already planning tomorrow and how to spend it in the city with Kakarotto, learning more and having fun.

" Let's worry about it later now let's go, Ve!!" Kakarotto waved his hand dismissively and the two set off to Kakarotto's house. After half an hour of walking they arrived in front of a small shack and Kakarotto walked in. Vegeta followed him curiously. What he saw shocked him to no end. It was only one gray room with a small kitchen in the corner, a low table in middle of the room surrounded by worn and dirty pillows. An old cupboard stood off to the back wall and practically the whole floor was littered with sheets, pillows and mattresses. A lonely lamp hung from the ceiling not giving off any light. Some dirty clothes were scattered around and most of the light filtered through the dusty window.

" Take your shoes off... I don't want you to walk on our bed."

" Bed?" Vegeta questioned and looked around.

" Yeah.. the whole floor is the bed. Dad says we're 'floor people' you know. We don't need any chairs or high tables to live. Besides you can sleep wherever you want!" the spiky-haired boy announced happily.

" Uhm... where's the bathroom?"

" We don't have one. We are on rent as are the houses on this block. There are two common toilets we use... spoken of the rent... dad better come home soon or we don't have a house anymore." A note of worry colored the young Saiyajin boy's voice as he looked around frowning. Vegeta immediately understood how sacred and dear Kakarotto's small home was to him and was still trying to get over his astonishment that people could live like this.

Vegeta walked around with wonder and spotted a mirror hanging from the wall above a small table with few belongings and pictures on it. What the mirror reflected was not what Vegeta was used to seeing from the mirror. Instead of a neat and graciously dressed prince in finest armor with silver and gold linings and hair shining and taken care of; a very picture of wealth and power. Now his hair was messy and dusty, his face was smudged and he was dirty all over. Various scares and bruises on his arms and knees indicated how well adrenaline kept pain in check. He had obviously gotten them during their run. Slowly his face turned from a scowl to a wild smirk of recklessness.

He definitely was coming back tomorrow!

Curiosity getting the best of him he looked at the pictures and found a picture of a pretty woman smiling at the camera lovingly. The next picture was a group photo. A tall man resembling Kakarotto with a scar on his cheek had a hand around the woman in previous picture, wearing a smirk he had so many times seen on Kakarotto's face. In the woman's arms were two small babies their tails curled around the mother's arms. In front of them stood a boy around ten years of age, resembling father in face and having his mother's hairstyle.

" My family," Kakarotto said quietly and Vegeta cast him a glance.

" My mother and father and brothers."

" Brothers? Where are they now?"

" Raditsu moved away and joined the military since he was born with the powerlevel that of a first class baby. He now lives somewhere in the west area, I don't know where. I think he's a soldier in King's army. Haven't heard of him in six years... Mom's dead... died shortly after giving birth to me and Turles . She was sent on a mission and obviously failed. Turles was sent off world to conquer some planet because he was the stronger one of us twins. I was so weak... I think they let dad keep me cause they wanted to see how well a weakling like me would survive... I have only dad left." He clenched his fists in frustration.

" Hgn..." Vegeta gurgled at this piece of news, not knowing what he should say or do.

" Well, I guess it doesn't matter... dad's here... it's not like mom and Turles could help their deaths..." He shrugged and the clock distantly chimed it to be near five in the after noon.

" FIVE ALREADY! OH SHIT! I NEED TO GET BACK!" Vegeta panicked after hearing the clock. He surely didn't want anyone on his secret. He intended to keep this secret until his death...! Sure he had gotten day off because he had done so well against Nappa but the family dinner was always at five and if he were late...!

" Oh fine let's go!" the third class said tightly and they made mad dash to the wall. Kakarotto understood very well that servants who didn't do their jobs got probably whipped to death so he hurried up. Making sure no one spotted them on the deserted street Vegeta flew up with Kakarotto and placed him on the wall and crawled inside form between his legs.

" See ya tomorrow, ok! The same time!" He yelled as he ran towards the looming palace building seeing Kakarotto only nod in response before his spiky head disappeared. It was evening enough for the preparations for the night to start and Kakarotto ran home once again. He cursed the existence of the Silver Alley. Why that legendary place had to be located just there?

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A/N: Nothing to say... this is one damn huge AU... we'll see into what direction this'll develop...