- A New Era -

Part 1 - Learning friendship.

 
A few months had passed since a strange young man had come to warn King Vegeta of an unsuspected attack by Freeza's army. The boy pretended to come from the future and from another planet. He said he was the son of a Saiyajin and tried to prove it with an interesting display of his powers. Although his origins seemed unquestionable, the king didn't believe that prophecy at first and wanted to execute the boy for high treason for having dared to accuse Lord Freeza like he did. But for a reason he couldn't explain he had the feeling that this young man was telling the truth. In doubt he ordered to delay any mission in order to keep as much soldiers as he could on the planet. He truly believed the boy when he heard that one of his men assured that he had visions of Freeza's army attacking. This man had been away when the mysterious boy arrived and couldn't have known his warning. Too much for coincidence. The king ordered an attack on Freeza's ship, taking his two visionaries with him. He didn't regret it. The attack of Vegetasei had actually been scheduled and the Saiyajin arrived in time to stop it. The mysterious boy took care of Freeza himself, nicely slicing him with his sword. The king heard him mutter something about getting used to it and wondered what he had meant by that.
 
A good part of Freeza's army had been destroyed and the survivors had been taken as slaves. Then the young man went back to his planet and time, and life went on on Vegetasei. As the young man had expected, things had changed. But with Freeza's death, Saiyajin's mercenary activities were significantly reduced.
 
 
 
 
The room rang with the sounds of colliding bodies. Nappa smiled as the young prince's attack missed him and the little boy crashed on the floor, an inch away from a big marble column.
 
 
"A little bit to the right and your father would have killed you for the loss of that column..."
 
"Stop it! I know what I'm doing!"
 
 
Vegeta was not allowed to train in that room but he loved coming there, most of the time for training. It was a vast marble decorated room, with two rows of columns. This place was used for ceremonies. His father had strictly forbidden him to train there, but the boy suspected he knew what he was doing here. So he only allowed himself physical attacks to avoid ruining the place. He rose and immediately rushed on Nappa, punching him in the stomach. He stopped suddenly and turned, trying to find the presence he just felt in the room.
 
 
"Someone is watching us."
 
"No one is allowed here, my prince. Not even us."
 
"I'm sure someone is here. I can feel a presence. And it's not the first time."
 
 
He looked around him again but found nothing. It was annoying.
 
 
"I know you're here! Come on, show yourself! If you're hiding, you're a coward."
 
"I'm not!"
 
 
A young boy, a few years older than the prince, stepped into view. He kneeled and bowed. The prince looked at him angrily.
 
 
"Who are you? What are you doing here?"
 
"I'm Bardock's son. I wanted to see you train and I saw that you were coming here to do this sometimes."
 
"I didn't ask you who your father is. I want to know who you are."
 
"My name is Raditz."
 
"How did you get here? This part of the palace is guarded and restricted."
 
"I've learned how to go somewhere without being seen. It was easy, I'm still short, people wouldn't notice me."
 
"You know that the access to this room is forbidden? You know what would have happened to you if someone else had caught you?"
 
"Yes..."
 
"But you came anyway... I don't know if you're courageous or just a fool. You've found your way in, I'm sure you'll manage to get out. Come on Nappa, let's go, I'm tired of this."
 
 
He exited the room, followed closely by his tall companion, leaving the still kneeling young boy behind them.
 
 
 
 
Raditz didn't dare going to the prince's training room again. He could have been killed the last time he did it, he wasn't going to take that risk again. He was lying on his bed when he saw a small silhouette standing in the doorway. He jumped from his bed and kneeled with respect.
 
 
"Prince Vegeta? What are you doing here? And alone..."
 
 
The young prince looked all around, quickly inspecting the room.
 
 
"So this is where you live? It's small."
 
"I don't really need more space. How did you find me?"
 
"You told me your name and your father's name. That was easy. I can have access to any information I want."
 
"But why are you here?"
 
"I want you to show me how to go past these guards without being seen."
 
"You mean you can't do this?"
 
 
Vegeta shot him an angry look and Raditz looked down.
 
 
"I'm sorry. It's just that I thought you had been taught this."
 
 
The young prince turned when he heard whining outside. He looked back at Raditz with a surprised look.
 
 
"What's that sound?"
 
"Come with me."
 
 
Raditz rose with a smile and led Vegeta next room to stop in front of a cradle. The prince looked at the noisy creature in it.
 
 
"What's this?"
 
"A baby."
 
"Stop being disrespectful, I know what a baby is."
 
"It's my baby brother, Kakarotto. He yells a lot, but he's cute. He looks a lot like our father. I wonder if he was so noisy when he was a baby!"
 
"What about you? You don't look like your father?"
 
"No. I have my mother's hair, I just hope I got something more... masculine from my father."
 
 
The prince eyed him from top to toe, his eyes resting on his crotch for a while. Raditz blushed crimson.
 
 
"I don't know, I've never seen your father. Can you make that stupid kid stop crying? I would become mad hearing this longer. How can you stand it?"
 
"I've heard that they had put him in a separate room when he was in the nursery. He was making everyone mad!"
 
 
Raditz leaned and took his baby brother in his arms and looked at him lovingly, gently rocking him. He then handed the baby to the prince.
 
 
"He's hungry. Can you hold him, please? It should quiet him a bit while I warm his bottle."
 
 
He put the baby in Vegeta's arms before the prince could protest. Kakarotto looked at the prince and stopped yelling. He smiled and stretched his little arms towards the boy's face. Raditz looked at them amazed.
 
 
"How did you do that? He never stops until he's taking his bottle."
 
"I did nothing, but get him off my arms quickly!"
 
 
Raditz soon took his brother back, fed him and put him back into his cradle, where the baby quickly fell asleep.
 
 
"It seems he likes you."
 
"I don't care if your brother likes me. Will you show me how you got to the ceremony room, now?!"
 
"I can't."
 
"What?!"
 
"I can't leave him here. I promised my mother that I will take care of him."
 
"I don't give a damn! Come!"
 
"No."
 
"You dare oppose my will?"
 
"I have to take care of him. He's my little brother."
 
 
Vegeta looked at Raditz confused. He wasn't used to that kind of reaction from someone who had received an order from him. And he was surprised to see how much the boy cared for his brother. All this was so new to the prince.
 
 
"All right, I'm calling Nappa, he'll take care of him while you're gone. No... Take him with us, we'll let him to his care at the Palace."
 
 
The two boys and their little burden flew towards the Palace. They let Kakarotto to Vegeta's surprised bodyguard and headed to the forbidden room. Raditz started to explain how to move to be almost invisible. Vegeta listened and watched carefully but soon his attention went to the older boy. He was studying him. His body, his face, his hair. The way he moved, the intonation when he explained something, his laugh. This boy was so kind. Usually people talked to him or obeyed him only because they had to, because he was the prince. But Raditz seemed to do it just because he wanted to make Vegeta happy. Like he did with Kakarotto. He suddenly realized that he had everything he wanted but he didn't have a brother. He had Nappa to take care of him, listen and talk to him. The man was halfway between a brother and a father. But it wasn't enough. It wasn't like Raditz.
 
 
 
When he got to bed that night, Vegeta was still thinking about his visit at Raditz's place. When Nappa came to check if everything was alright the prince motioned for him to come closer. The man sat on the bed and took the boy's hand. Nappa was the only one in whom the prince allowed himself to confide. The only one allowed to see his weaknesses and to be that close to him. Despite his strong and cold look, Vegeta was still a little boy who sometimes needed comfort.
 
 
"What's wrong, my prince?"
 
"Nappa, do you have a brother?"
 
"I had one. He's dead, he has been killed on a mission."
 
"You loved him?"
 
"Yes, I think."
 
"Was he kind with you?"
 
"Yes. What's happening to you? You never mentioned anything on that topic before. I guess it has something to do with these kids you brought here."
 
"Maybe."
 
"Could it be possible that you found a friend?"
 
"I never had any friend. I don't know. I like Raditz, he seems to be always sincere, not hypocritical like everybody here."
 
 
Vegeta saw the hurt look on Nappa's face and quickly wrapped his arms around the man's waist, resting his head on his chest.
 
 
"I was not talking about you, fool!"
 
"I know... Well, I hope so. You should sleep, now."
 
 
He ruffled the boy's hair, set him back in his bed and placed a kiss on his forehead before leaving the room. Vegeta sighed sadly and closed his eyes. He wanted to see Raditz again. He was having more fun with him than with anybody else. He had to find a reason to go back to his house. He fell asleep to the memories of what had been an amazing day for him.
 
Days passed and unlike what the young prince had hoped, Raditz didn't show up to the Palace. After being chased from the kitchen for the umpteenth time Vegeta found the reason he had been looking for. He quickly flew to Raditz's place and without even knocking he opened the door. He was the prince, he didn't need to knock. He entered and found himself facing an angry young woman.
 
 
"Who do you think you are, brat, for coming in people's house without permission?!"
 
 
She stopped with a surprised look on his face and quickly kneeled.
 
 
"Prince Vegeta? I'm sorry, my Lord, I didn't know it was you. I thought it was one of my son's friends."
 
 
He looked at her and remembered that Raditz had told him he looked like his mother. This woman had long hair going past her knees and something in her face reminded him of Raditz.
 
 
"You're Raditz's mother? Is he here?"
 
"Yes, I'm here."
 
 
The young prince felt his heart racing at the sound of that voice. He looked up to see the older boy coming in the room, stopping before him to kneel. Vegeta looked from mother to son and smiled. At that instant, with their heads bowed, they really looked alike, if it wasn't for the size.
 
 
"Get up. Raditz, do you have to watch over your brother today?"
 
"No, mother is here."
 
"Good, we won't have to let him to Nappa this time. Come."
 
 
He went out, followed by Raditz, letting the boy's amazed mother behind them. Since when was his son close to the prince? The boys arrived at the Palace and Vegeta led Raditz near the kitchen.
 
 
"You didn't tell me why you wanted to see me."
 
"I want to try something. I use to come here to steal some food. It's a kind of game, the chef is running after me, yelling and calling me names, and threatening to kill me if I come back. It's my father who advised him to do so, one day when the chef complained about me emptying his reserves. You see? That's all the fun I can have in this Palace. Pity. So I thought that it would be even more funny to be able to steal without being caught."
 
"And what am I supposed to do?"
 
"You come with me. If we get caught, I'll run away as usual and you get killed in my place."
 
"Funny. And how can I be sure you won't let me down if we get caught? You know I'll get beaten for this."
 
"Do you mean you don't trust me?"
 
 
The little boy looked hurt. Raditz felt some remorse for this. Was a Saiyajin supposed to have that kind of feeling? He put a hand on the young prince's shoulder, realizing too late what he had done. He feared the younger boy's reaction but the prince only looked up at him.
 
 
"I don't trust many people but I'm sure you're trustworthy."
 
 
A small smile appeared on the little boy's lips. He hoped he could have hugged Raditz like he did with Nappa. But it wasn't proper. It would be a display of weakness and a prince is not allowed to have weaknesses, or at least he must hide them. He had received many lessons but never before had they seemed so stupid to him. He grabbed Raditz's hand and they entered the kitchen. A few minutes later they escaped with their arms full of food. They had won. Nobody saw them. The prince had just left a note for the chef, mocking him. He couldn't wait to see the man's reaction, but for now he had more important things to do. They had to eat! The boys flew quickly outside, Vegeta in the lead. They stopped and landed in a nearby forest. The young prince looked happy.
 
 
"I told you we would succeed! That was more funny this way."
 
"But now the chef will be more careful. He won't let you go away that easily."
 
"He won't let 'us' go away."
 
"What do you mean?"
 
"From now on you're my accomplice."
 
"I'm really honored. But we'll have to take Kakarotto with us sometimes."
 
 
Vegeta rolled his eyes. That brat, again...
 
 
"All right, we'll leave him to Nappa again. I don't want your brother to be in my way."
 
 
They ate in silence. Vegeta watched as some juice dripped from the fruit in Raditz mouth to his chin. He suddenly wanted to lick it. He was surprised by this strange thought. This sounded gross. So he just watched as the other boy wiped his chin with the back of his hand. Their little meal was quickly finished and they staid there just watching at each other. Raditz felt awkward and decided to break the silence.
 
 
"So, what are we doing, now?"
 
"I don't know. I'm supposed to train with Nappa."
 
"I'll go back home, then..."
 
"No. The day we met, you told me you wanted to see me train. Do you want to come with me?"
 
 
Raditz smiled and quickly rose. Then the boys were gone.
 
The training session had been very instructive for Raditz. He had watched Vegeta and Nappa move and attack and realized that he had a lot to learn. It was so different from his own training and lessons. He had learnt to kill and destroy, the prince had learnt to fight. He lacked the precision and grace of the younger boy's movements. At the end of the session he asked the prince how he could learn to fight like him.
 
 
"Just come training here everyday."
 
"But I don't think the king would agree."
 
"I don't care if he doesn't agree. He can't force me to stay here without having any friend. I'm going to my room, I need a shower. Want to come?"
 
 
Raditz stood there registering the word he had heard: "friend". He was the son of a low class warrior. How could he be the prince's friend? He followed the boy to a tall double door. Vegeta casually opened the door and they came in. Raditz stopped and gaped.
 
 
"This place is so big! Now I understand why you said my room was small."
 
"I'm not impressed, I've always lived here. But my father's room is bigger. Take a look around if you want, I'm going to the bathroom."
 
 
Raditz watched as the boy disappeared in an adjacent room. The room was almost as big as his house, and there was a personal bathroom. And the prince didn't even seem to realize how lucky he was. He didn't dare looking or touching anything so he decided to sit on the bed and wait. He hadn't seen a bed that big. Three adults could have slept there without feeling tightly packed. After a few minutes of waiting the prince came back into the room, only wearing a towel around his hips. He grabbed some clothes and began to remove the towel. Raditz turned but the younger boy laughed and stood squarely in front of him.
 
 
"You can watch, I don't care. I certainly have less to show than you have."
 
 
Slightly blushing, Raditz looked as the young prince dropped the towel and got dressed with loose clothes. Vegeta then sat on the bed next to him.
 
 
"Now tell me, Raditz. How did you end up spying on my training?"
 
"I'm new, here. My father had a promotion after Freeza's army's defeat. He was the one who had the same visions as this guy who said he came from the future. He fought hard, you know."
 
"Yes, I remember. I haven't been allowed to go fight with them that day, but I've seen him at the ceremony afterwards."