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Breaking the Prince (Part 2)	By : Doog Category: Dragon Ball Z > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 2235 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball Z or any of its characters. I will not make a profit from this story.

Chapter List
- 4
- 5
- 6
A/N: The flashback from which some of this is taken was the original inspiration for Part 1 (i.e. Vegeta's statement that he already knew Freeza had killed his father and people). Reference material is English subs of Dragon Box release.
Chapter Five

The Shattsujin were a prideful race, with some good cause. Economically, their reputation extended beyond the reaches of their direct influence, which was impressively vast in itself. Unfortunately for them, commercial allies were of little value in a full-scale war.
They had still retained their pride, however, and were making things very difficult for the PTO’s average forces. The minimally-trained soldiers had worked for weeks to force a surrender, but with no result. That was the reason the assignment had been shifted to Vegeta, Nappa, and Raditz. The three Saiyajin, who had been grouped together as one unit since Vegeta’s fall from distinction, had been carrying out a string of patronizing missions when the task had been delegated to them by Freeza. Shattsusei had been close enough that they had been peripherally aware of the trouble Freeza’s troops had been having. Though Vegeta could see that this sudden upgrade in missions could easily be attributed to being in the right place at the right time, he refused to focus on the insulting implication that he did not otherwise qualify. If anything, he felt relief that this was a mission with a low probability of sabotage since it had not been originally created for him.
The Saiyajin had quickly assessed the specifications of the mission and traveled to their new target. They were now finishing their third day on the green, swampy planet, but their work was almost already done. The Shattsujin ruler had been eliminated early in the PTO’s initial attacks, but his people had rallied around the heir to the throne, a young but stubborn prince who had encouraged his people’s resistance.
After his arrival, Vegeta had requested the withdrawal of the PTO soldiers. This change in tactics had allowed the Shattsujin one last illusion of possible victory as he, Nappa, and Raditz had worked covertly for two days to locate the heir-in-hiding. Encouraged by the withdrawal, the Shattsujin had let their covert communication networks slowly return to life. It had only been a matter of patience and perseverance for Vegeta and his two men to trace the activity until they found a place that was slightly more guarded than the others. It was not the sort of plan that Vegeta would usually relish, being more inclined to take a planet by force, but it was well-suited for a small group of powerful fighters. This was especially the case since minimal damage was required and a larger, more direct attack had failed.
Now they were outside was was undoubtedly the prince’s place of hiding: a nondescript base hidden in a mountain far away from any of the large, modern cities. Raditz and Nappa used efficient blasts of ki to take out the smattering of brightly clothed guards still remaining outside of the concealed fortress. Vegeta thought he saw at least one use a communications device, but it no longer mattered.
Without needing to look at his men before continuing, Vegeta raised his right arm to direct a shot of ki at the barricaded entrance. The explosion pushed the wall of rock inward, the stone burning red as it melted away. Though he still struggled to control it from time to time, Vegeta was pleased at the opportunity to confirm that his command over his ki was slowly returning to him.
Vegeta marched through the opening, flanked on either side by his large comrades as he entered the open space of the hollowed mountain. The glow of the damaged rock painted the inhabitants’ terrified faces red as the three menacing figures neared them. The Shattsujin’s attire and hair were brightly colored, but their bodies and faces were not unlike those of Saiyajin. They lacked tails, however, which made them appear weak and incomplete to Vegeta. Some soldiers were present, distinguished only by their oval goggles and blue handheld cannons, but they were also helplessly frozen.
Vegeta could not stop himself from grinning, nor did he have any desire to attempt it. This was the first moment that he had felt like himself since he had resumed normal missions. His failure on Bachisei had relegated him to grunt work, and this was his first real opportunity to show Freeza’s men that he was still a powerful fighter. Over the months following his failure, Freeza’s now outward display of disdain had slowly trickled down through his best men to the general population of underlings. Vegeta couldn’t decide which had been worse: the growing pool of insults he had endured immediately after, or the slow drop into insignificance that followed. One successful mission could possibly reverse some of this damage. On the other hand, he did not yet want Freeza to return his attention to him. Vegeta was far from ready for that, and would gladly remain forgotten by the tyrant until he was ready to fight head-on. Still, the idea of Freeza having to acknowledge his merit made Vegeta’s grin slightly wider.
At the far end of the room, Vegeta could make out stairs leading up to a raised platform and a throne. The young prince sat stunned in his too-large seat, his mouth gaping. Under his adorned headdress, his eyes were transfixed on the three terrifying aliens that were dressed like PTO soldiers but were unlike any he had seen before.
Vegeta brought his hand to his scouter, activating the preset signal that would tell Freeza’s men in nearby space that now was the time to make their attack against one of the planet’s military bases. He then faced his palm forward, creating an explosive blast of ki at the base of the platform that sent bodies flying away in burning pieces. Nappa and Raditz quickly took care of the remaining soldiers and witnesses. When no one was left, the Saiyajin withdrew to stand outside the molten wreckage that had once represented the resilience of the Shattsujin.
Vegeta sent the signal via his scouter that the prince had been eliminated. Allowing Nappa and Raditz to laugh triumphantly at their accomplishment, Vegeta stood quietly, contemplating the inevitable cause and effect of the prince’s demise. The word would quickly spread, and the Shattsujin would be plunged into uncertainty. This, combined with the destruction of one of the Shattsujin’s largest military bases, would be the end of their stubborn hope. Their pride would mean nothing without a ruler to guide them, and their civilization would become another numbered brick in Freeza’s empire.
****
Within hours of their first and only real attack, everything had gone according to plan. The Shattsujin had announced their unconditional surrender to the PTO, and several large ships were already on their way to begin the assessment and dismantlement of the remaining Shattsujin military.
The three Saiyajin had taken the opportunity to regroup near their pods while they waited for the coordinates of their next destination. Since it was a higher-profile mission, it was expected that they would have a customary audience with Freeza for the debriefing.
“This battle has worn me ragged! I’d like to hurry up and get to a recuperation capsule,” Nappa was still laughing, giddy from several days of nonstop work. “With just the three of us, we subjugated Shattsusei. Quite a feat,” he grinned. Still silent, Vegeta stood nearby, accepting Nappa’s rare exaltation because of his own good mood. They had all felt the pain of Vegeta’s fall from favor, and Nappa’s mood had been making a steady descent during their recent encounters with Freeza’s soldiers. This was a rare moment, born of a sense of accomplishment, and Vegeta found himself sharing in the rising morale.
“I wonder what Freeza-sama will give us,” Nappa continued. Vegeta couldn’t help but flinch inwardly at this. Of course Nappa and Raditz knew why they had all been given such tedious and meaningless missions for the past two years. Surely it was too much to hope that this would be a turning point. Regardless, Vegeta continued to smile.
It seemed that his head was finally back in the fight. The skill with which he had devised and executed his plan for Shattsusei reflected a level of functioning that would have been inconceivable not very long ago. He was still plagued with nightmares and moments of doubt, but what was important was that he had pulled himself up from the ground. He even dared to congratulate himself: he had been the only one to see the true importance of spending the time and effort to eliminate the Shattsujin prince. If anyone understood the potential danger of leaving a prideful prince alive, Vegeta certainly did. And when I am about to destroy him, Vegeta thought, Freeza will understand too.
****
Freeza had requested the Saiyajin’s audience in what turned out to be a surprisingly empty room. The narrow space was devoid of any technology save for Freeza’s hoverchair. Even Zarbon and Dodoria were not wearing their scouters, as though Freeza had not wanted the smallest disturbance. As he neared, Vegeta contemplated why Freeza was away from the center of activity. How does he pass the time without me to torture? Vegeta thought sarcastically. Then he had the image of Freeza sleeping under the guard of his right-hand men. The surprise of the idea cut off Vegeta’s bitter line of thought. Does he sleep? It struck Vegeta how little he still knew about his intended target.
The Saiyajin stopped several meters away, kneeling together. When Freeza remained silent, Vegeta tilted his head to face forward, but remained in his position on the floor. His eyes met Freeza’s, but there was no discernible gleam of recognition. Freeza had not acknowledged them so they could not stand, an inconsideration usually reserved for peons or messengers. As their eyes continued to hold each other, the silent message was clear. I am done with you. You are forgotten.
Ignoring the insulting implication of anonymity, Vegeta prepared himself to speak. They had already communicated the details of the mission to the PTO, so he was only expected to summarize the results of the conquest as a whole. “Freeza-sama, we have just returned from Shattsusei. They gave us a little trouble,” he referred to the unsuccessful attempts of the soldiers. “But we were able to conquer them in three day’s time,” he then referred to himself and his men.
“Hmmm. Is that so? Three days for such a planet...” Freeza’s voice was lazy and disinterested. Vegeta could tell that Nappa and Raditz were oblivious to the indifferent tone, because he could sense them both tensing in anticipation of some sort of praise. Vegeta kept his face neutral, but understood what was about to happen. Though Freeza was keeping his expression plain, Zarbon and Dodoria were both smiling wickedly.
“I see. Please stand aside,” Freeza commanded.
Vegeta instantly felt Nappa and Raditz startle on either side of him. To Vegeta’s surprise, Nappa responded.
“J-just wait a minute! Is that all?” Nappa’s voice broke the silence from behind and above him; he had stood up.
Zarbon and Dodoria stepped forward menacingly at the challenge, but Vegeta remained in his kneeling position on the floor, stunned by his fellow Saiyajin’s audacity to speak so insubordinately. To Vegeta’s shock, Nappa stepped forward, continuing his frustrated tirade.
“We ran ourselves ragged, you know! What about that?” Nappa formed a fist in front of himself and his whole body began to shake, his shoulders hunched as though he were about to charge. Freeza’s mostly-concealed annoyance at this development turned to malicious delight as his eyes flickered to Vegeta. Shame at having one of his own behave so stupidly quickly mixed with Vegeta’s horror. Instead of pointing out Vegeta’s inability to control his very limited group of subjects, however, Freeza turned to Zarbon.
“Zarbon-san, how long would it have taken you to subjugate that planet?” Freeza asked with staged curiosity.
Looking back over his shoulder and smiling, Zarbon had no hesitation in his response. “Freeza-sama. If I were to have one day’s time, I am sure it would be enough.”
Freeza faced Vegeta again, obviously pleased at the ridiculous response. “I would think so. It is such a tiny planet, after all,” Freeza teased, breaking into a quiet laugh that his men joined.
I could have done it alone in one day’s time, but you wanted the planet mostly unharmed. Vegeta’s body shook as his temper overpowered his concern for Nappa’s behavior, but this was short-lived. Raditz was on his feet now, too, and had joined Nappa in his display of rage.
“Is there anything else?” Freeza challenged. “I am quite busy. If not, you may stand aside,” he repeated, plainly provoking the Saiyajin warriors. How far can I push before you have to intervene? He seemed to be asking Vegeta. It was a game that Vegeta remembered well: Freeza pushing buttons, manipulating, making him act the part of the enraged animal. It was so obvious from the outside, but was apparently very effective on his innocent comrades.
“You filthy rat!” Nappa shouted as he broke into an attacking sprint across the short distance.
Vegeta was jolted into action, standing as he shouted, “Stop, Nappa!”
Thankfully, the large Saiyajin halted mid-step directly in the center of the room, undoubtedly fractions of a second short of being slain. Vegeta watched Nappa’s body slowly relax into a normal standing position and step back as if he realized the consequences of what he had almost just done.
Vegeta fought his expression back into its usual tough facade. “Freeza-sama, if you will excuse us...” He didn’t dare to hope that it would be enough, but he turned and began to walk away, Nappa and Raditz almost instantly turning to fall into step behind him. Vegeta felt his back crackle with the electricity of the stares on him, expecting at any moment to be obliterated or to hear his closest allies vaporized beside him.
Instead, there was only silence until he heard Zarbon’s quiet laugh. The space was so narrow and empty that Zarbon’s words carried easily to Vegeta’s ears. “You monkey scum.” The insult was a painful echo of how Freeza had systematically dismantled Vegeta’s ego and the cowardly whispers that had followed him ever since. The raw offense of it caused his feet to go leaden, rooting him to the spot for a moment as he shook in painfully-contained fury. He began to turn around, but quickly thought better of it. Letting Zarbon’s words affect him would get him no closer to killing Freeza, so he straightened and pushed his body forward.
Nappa and Raditz were silent, not even asking Vegeta where he was leading them. They left the base, continuing to the area outside of the large fortress. Vegeta led them until they were walking in the paths surrounding the white structures, following the dirt trenches that had been lined with simple white walls. Freeza’s unspoken mockery played through his mind as they walked.
Monkey scum.
You can control your men no better than you can control yourself.
And you still think yourself a prince...
When he felt they were sufficiently far away from any signs of activity, Vegeta turned and pushed Nappa’s back into the nearest wall, pinning his wrists against the sloped surface as he stared up into his stunned face.
“You fucking idiot! How dare you?!” Vegeta bared his teeth, digging his gloved nails into Nappa’s forearms. “Do you realize what could have happened?!” Vegeta could feel his body tighten and his veins protrude from his forehead and neck. The frustration of having to remain composed during Freeza’s verbal abuses was all rushing out now. “You completely disgraced me!”
Nappa’s expression wavered between shock and fear before darkening. “But Vegeta-sama— we should have been reward—” he began with determination.
“Shut up, or I will kill you myself!” Vegeta let go of one of Nappa’s wrists to form a retracted fist, making the threat real by allowing a ball of ki to encase his hand. Nappa’s face turned to real fear again, and he fell silent. Vegeta’s breath was heaving with the effort to resist killing Nappa on the spot, but his thoughts were suddenly pulled elsewhere.
The seclusion of their visit now made perfect sense. They did deserve to be rewarded, or at least to be given better missions, and that had created a problem for Freeza. Though he seemed to be ignoring the issue, Freeza had seen it: he did not want to praise Vegeta for a job well done. However, to find some reason to criticize the accomplishment or to ignore it would have called attention to Vegeta’s success, since it was clearly deserving of praise. So Freeza had eliminated the possibility of an audience, allowing him to belittle Vegeta while letting the accomplishment to be quietly forgotten.
The realization of having been out-played again distracted Vegeta enough that he let the ki slowly dissipate from his fist. Letting go of Nappa’s wrist, Vegeta stepped back from the stunned Saiyajin, who remained pressed against the wall. His hatred was already beginning to redirect inwardly, sapping him of his urge to punish Nappa. With his body still tense but with his voice more even, Vegeta continued.
“You will never disobey me like that again. You will take your cues from me on when to act and how. You are directly under my command, and you are never to forget it.” Vegeta emphasized every word, watching as Nappa lowered his eyes and quietly nodded in agreement. Vegeta’s throat tightened. “You may not have to directly answer to Freeza, but I...” Vegeta paused, the heat of his anger momentarily returning at the unfinished confession. “You will not speak or act against him without my permission,” he finished lamely, pausing for a second before turning to continue down the path. He made it a few meters before he heard Nappa moving to follow him, then Raditz uncertainly following behind them both.
“But Vegeta-sama, doesn’t it upset you?” Nappa pressed, catching up to crouch and speak as Vegeta passed. “I heard something— that our world, Vegetesei, was not destroyed by a collision with asteroids...or so they say.”
“What’s that?” Raditz asked, surprised.
“It was Freeza’s doing,” Nappa stated seriously.
“I-It was what?” Raditz was childishly disbelieving.
Vegeta ignored Nappa, moving forward without meeting his eyes. So he’s finally asking about it, he thought. Vegeta had been suspicious for some time that Nappa had heard something about the fate of Vegetasei. Of course, Freeza had never made an open declaration about his hand in the destruction of the Saiyajin, but Vegeta had long concluded that at least some of his men knew and had probably even been present. Regardless, rumors about the Saiyajin had begun to surface after Vegeta’s failed mission. Most were malicious barbs meant to insult the legacy of his race, but a few even implied that the Saiyajin had been the cause of their own downfall. Since Nappa usually had more contact with the general pool of soldiers serving the PTO, it made sense that he would have encountered at least one rumor that went far enough to hint that Freeza had destroyed Vegetasei.
Ignoring Nappa did not stop him. “Vegeta—your father, King Vegeta, being killed—”
The mention of his father made Vegeta stop walking and stand, his back still to Nappa. He closed his eyes as he listened, working to quickly suppress the rush of emotion that accompanied the image of King Vegeta: his childhood respect, his adolescent resentment, and his almost intolerable and fragile hope that his father had in fact died in opposition to Freeza. It pained him to think that his only knowledge of his father’s fate rested on Freeza’s word.
“—As well as the destruction of our home, Vegetasei...it was all done under the direction of Freeza,” Nappa finished speaking his barrage of would-be revelations.
For a moment, Vegeta considered dismissing the rumors. He had always thought it a danger to share what Freeza had told him, let alone the circumstances under which he had heard it. So far, it appeared that he had been correct in his assumptions that Nappa was too simple to contain his anger, even in the case of unconfirmable rumors. However, Vegeta realized that Nappa must have been concealing this supposed knowledge from him, because— why? Did he think Vegeta wasn’t strong or intelligent enough to handle it? Was Nappa only bringing up these rumors to defend his outrageous behavior towards Freeza? These thoughts incited a dangerous flash of disregard for consequence, and Vegeta opened his eyes and turned to reply.
“I am aware of it.” Vegeta’s voice was a quiet dare as he met Nappa’s gaze with narrowed eyes.
Nappa’s expression remained hardened, his arms raised before him and topped with bulging fists. “Y-you knew?!” He dropped his hands in astounded defeat, but his frustration quickly redirected to Vegeta. “In that case, why the hell are we working for him?”
The question cut through Vegeta, almost worse than any of the hatred he inflicted upon himself. To have someone, especially one from his own diminished race, point out his failure so plainly, was almost overwhelming. Vegeta had faced his fear at Freeza ripping him from everything he had ever known. He had swallowed the loss of his family and home, only to have it smeared in his face. That Nappa would call direct attention to his pathetic inability to do anything to avenge himself or his people was nearly too much to bear. He turned sharply away as the pain of his helplessness swelled. He thought he might lose his composure and break down, but he fought it back, just as he had over many years of solitary coping.
“Whoever may have killed my father...whoever may have destroyed my home,” he began, still facing away from them. He could hear Nappa’s surprised grunt behind him before he continued. “That sort of thing doesn’t matter to me.” There was a long silence during which Vegeta gave his men time to comprehend what he was saying, and for himself to believe. The effort it took to continue made his body shake, but he forced himself to speak, to redirect his thoughts to the only thing that drove him.
“In this world, strength is everything!” Vegeta gritted his teeth, emphasizing his point with a small release of ki, remembering what it had been to completely lose his control over it. “The strong stand at the top, and subdue everyone else.” Before he could think for too long about how his part in that hierarchy had changed, he continued. “I know of Freeza’s boundless strength. There’s no way I can stand against him now.” Vegeta thought of his father, imagining him defeated by Freeza’s hand. He cast the image aside. “But just you watch! We Saiyajin have the blood of a warrior race running through us! And so, the more we fight, the stronger we get!” Vegeta turned, facing his shocked men.
“Just watch me get stronger and stronger! And then,” Vegeta held his hand in front of him, balling it into a determined fist. “One day, I will take the place of Freeza and rule the entire universe!” Lost in the moment, wanting to forget everything but the promise of vengeance and power, he looked up to the large orange planet that hung across most of the night sky.
“I have the power within me,” he finished, almost worn out by the energy he had put into his assertions. He had the power to become the legendary Super Saiyajin; it had to be true. His goal was as untouchable but also as evident to him as the planet looming above him.
****
Vegeta continued to walk within the maze of pathways long after Nappa and Raditz returned to their temporary quarters. They had become more accepting of Vegeta’s claimed callousness towards the loss of their king and planet upon the promise that they, too, would attain power. Since sleep had become Vegeta’s second least favorite activity due to the vulnerability involved, he found himself partaking of his least favorite activity: worrying about his uncertain path to victory.
Nappa’s question still pained him, but for reasons beyond it bringing attention to his inadequacies. Vegeta was now questioning why he had stayed within Freeza’s empire. Wouldn’t it be better to remove himself from the possibility of Freeza retaking an interest in him? Wouldn’t it be more effective for him to become a Super Saiyajin in seclusion, so that Freeza would not know what was coming or when? Though these advantages were valid, it would probably not be easy to escape the reaches of the PTO. Any initially available transportation was trackable and it would be difficult to conceal himself since he was so distinct. Even if he got away, Freeza had unlimited resources with which to hunt him. The latter reason bothered Vegeta the most. The concept of Freeza tracking him down, of him running away, was unthinkable. Even though he was thoroughly outmatched, he was still capable of fighting now that the K.R.I. device had been removed. Besides, hadn’t he faced Freeza on his ship, back when he had no way of knowing what would happen? The cowardice of trying to escape was simply unacceptable, whatever its strategic merits. He would not run.
Vegeta stopped walking to inspect the stars of the night sky. For most of his life, they had represented worlds to destroy or conquer, exciting new places to impose his power. As a confident young prince, he had viewed the expanses of space as an impassive victim. Looking at it now, Vegeta could feel it swallowing him, making his power inconsequential. He was at once cornered and exposed, feeling its overwhelming size and capacity to do him harm. Though he had traveled through space his entire life, he had done so mostly under the PTO. The idea of taking on the unknowns of the universe in addition to his current foe was more than he wanted to consider. Still, there had been a time before the PTO, before Freeza.
Vegeta reached vaguely for the memories, overriding his urge to immediately dismiss them. It was always a risk to think back too far, to remember what it had been like to care about his father and his people. One memory in particular returned to him, and it surprised him by being strangely relevant to his current situation. When he had been a young warrior, he had accompanied his father on a mission to conquer a primitive race. They had been far too weak to fight the Saiyajin, but had initially attempted to build an alliance. At their short meeting with the Saiyajin, King Vegeta had inquired as to their reasons for wanting to align themselves with a race that clearly wanted to destroy them. At the time, Vegeta had not appreciated their response, but he could see the value in their words now that his position was no longer the one with the advantage.
Vegeta turned from the night sky to look back at the white fortress behind him.
Keep allies close, but enemies closer.
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Breaking the Prince (Part 2)