Reincarnation

Chapter 28: Give and Take

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Vegeta sat in front of four gravestones, each one eroded and covered with moss. The names on each stone had long faded, and plants that were once bloomed and placed for them now laid in piles of dust in front of them.

The saiyan glanced at the stone that stood the closest to the abandoned house. It held more cracks in it, and it looked much smaller than the rest. He stood up and walked to it and sat in front of it instead. He used his glove and wiped off the moss on top of the name to confirm his suspicions. The plant came off easily and revealed a faded and delicate carving of a familiar name.

"Prince Vegeta the Fourth," Vegeta laughed shortly. "That idiot actually wrote my full name. Didn't know he could write." He traced the lines for his name and his smile faded into a frown once more. It was obvious Goku had taken his time to write his name, each line deep and rigid into the stone. He noticed a small carving on the bottom of the gravestone and pushed the tablet back to see it more clearly.

If the writing was done with precision, then the carving was surely done in haste. Vegeta couldn't tell what he was looking at, with how jagged the symbol was drawn. It almost looked like it was just scribbles. He scrubbed off the dirt on the edge and realized what it was.

It was his family symbol, an arrow pointing upward with another arrow jutting out from each end, two rough lines underneath and a poorly cut semi- circle with the edges cut sharply, and a small line going through the center of the circle. His family symbol that he only wore once against his first fight with Goku.

Vegeta growled and ripped the gravestone from the ground and threw it away from the house. He wasn't quite sure why did that, but something about his symbol, his name, his stone being here, it just wasn't right. The prince stood up and dusted himself off before glancing at the other gravestones. It was obvious which stone belonged to whom, the gravestone beside his grave no doubt being Goku's late wife from a century ago. Vegeta sighed and ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

He didn't belong here. No matter what he did, or what anyone else did. He didn't belong here when Goku fought him, he didn't belong here when the Namekians had to find a new planet, he didn't belong here when Goku returned, he didn't belong here when his son was born and Goku died, and he didn't belong here when he was possessed by majin buu.

His grave here signified nothing but his displacement on Earth. And he hated it.

A flicker of ki brought Vegeta back to his senses, and he looked up to see who it was. He grit his teeth as the figure got closer, and jumped into a fighting stance. "Can't get a moment of peace, can't I?"

The figure dropped down and landed a few feet from Vegeta, smirking when he saw how defensive he got. "Vegeta, it's been a while."

"Fuck off, Zarbon," Vegeta spat and growled. "I'm not in the mood to play your games."

"Well then it's good I'm not here to play," Zarbon dropped into a similar stance and glared at the prince. "I'm here to return what you gave me last time."

Vegeta laughed coldy and grinned. "I'd like to see you try, you ugly toad!"

Zarbon grit his teeth and dashed towards him, initiating a series of punches and kicks. "You dare call me a toad?!"

Vegeta ducked from a sudden right hook and frowned. Zarbon didn't show any increase in strength after being resurrected, and fighting him was like child's play knowing he could easily smash the drama queen into a pulp the second he ascended. But that wasn't the issue.