by him, maybe with a hand on his shoulder, but he knew the
proud prince would reject any contact, so he waited patiently for the other man to talk.

After a moment, Vegeta spoke. Goku had to strain his exceptional hearing to make out what the other man was saying.
"You wouldn't understand, Kakarott."

"Try me."

"There's no one who would understand. I am the last of my kind."

Goku knew what Vegeta's response would be, but it had to be said. "I'm Saiyan also."

Vegeta whirled, his face a mask of rage. "You are a brain-damaged weak half-excuse for a Saiyan."

Goku winced inwardly, carefully keeping his reaction off of his face and body. It could have been worse. "That may be,
but I am still stronger than you." He hated to say it. The insane rivalry that Vegeta felt was entirely one-sided, but
Goku knew that he needed to goad Vegeta into letting out his bottled up emotions. And the overly proud prince would
only do it if he were angry enough.

Vegeta launched himself through the air at his opponent. Goku had been expecting it and stepped easily to one side,
powering up to Super Saiyan as he moved. He indulged himself in a brief thrill at the power flowing through him before
readying himself for Vegeta's next move.

The prince changed direction immediately after his initial charge and flew back, straight into his powered-up
opponent. Goku didn't even bother to block. He just let his increased power absorb the attack. Vegeta flew back
several feet before pulling up. He hung in the air, fists balled in rage, his ebon eyes crackling.

Before Vegeta could speak, Goku said, "I suppose I really should fight on your level, but I don't want to fight you at
all. Spar, yes. Battle, no. I have nothing to prove to you."

The proud Saiyan's shoulders slumped, and he lowered himself slowly to the ground. "No, I suppose you don't. Again,
you prove your superior power. The first of our kind in one thousand years to reach the level of a Super Saiyan."

Goku dropped out of Super Saiyan. As always, he felt a brief pang of loss as he let go of the power. "Vegeta. I don't
want to prove anything to you. I just want you to tell me what is wrong."

Vegeta sighed and moved to a nearby rocky outcropping. He leaned against the rock, folding his arms across his chest
in his customary pose. Goku stifled a smile at the action, but some of his amusement must have crept into his eyes
because Vegeta shot the taller Saiyan his most choice scowl. "Well, if you won't give it up, I suppose I might as well
talk to you. Perhaps then we can have a decent sparring session."

Trust Vegeta to turn an offer of help into a royal privilege.

Vegeta straightened and stepped closer to the edge of the cliff face. As he spoke, he faced across the valley. "Damn
it, Kakarott, what do I really have to live for? Endless training to get strong enough to beat you? Standing on the
sidelines watching the antics of your fool friends? I was bred to be the ultimate Saiyan warrior, and now there are no
more Saiyans, except you, and you constantly prove yourself stronger than me. So I have even failed at that."

Goku wanted to step forward. Vegeta's voice held no hope, no animation. As close as the other was standing to the
edge, Goku wasn't sure he'd step off and plummet to the ground below. He thought he could catch the prince, but saving
Vegeta wasn't what the other Saiyan wanted right now. He knew that words were the only way to get through, and, as he
had told Bulma, he was painfully aware that this wasn't his strength. He was much better at fighting than talking.

Vegeta waited with uncommon patience, not stepping back, but not moving forward either. Finally, Goku nodded and
spoke. "Training is important. Not to become stronger than me. But to become as strong as you can, for yourself. You
are a mighty warrior. I am proud to fight at your side."

Vegeta hmphed and started to speak, but Goku raised a hand to stop him. "No, Vegeta. I'm not done yet."

Amazingly, Vegeta closed his mouth and listened. Goku's heart rose. Perhaps he was getting through, at least for the
moment. "But there is more to life than training." He grinned slightly. "Chi-Chi would never believe I said that."

Vegeta chuckled. "No, she'd remind you that there is also eating."

Goku blushed. "Well, yeah. There is always that." But then his expression sobered, and the flush slowly left his
cheeks. "But that's not what I meant. Training is only important if you are training for something." His expression
grew far away. Did he want to go the next step?

Vegeta cleared his throat impatiently. "On with it, Kakarott."

Goku swallowed. Well, he'd gone this far. Might as well go the rest of the way. He looked directly at Vegeta, his gaze
penetrating the ebon stare as far as he dared. Deep in the lightless depths, he saw amusement, retreating anger,
and...something else. Goku nodded. Yes, Vegeta was ready. "Or if you are training for someone. Someone who means
enough to you that you want to be able to protect them from all harm."

Vegeta glanced away for a moment. When he looked back, his expression was unreadable, all trace of that elusive
something gone. Goku's heart sank again.

"And you think there is someone for me to train for?"

Goku's heart skipped a beat. Perhaps he was getting through. "No."

Vegeta's eyes widened, and he started to speak, but Goku cut him off. "I don't think there is someone. I know there
is."

Vegeta said nothing for a moment. Goku watched a range of emotion flow over the prince's face, all of them too quick
to read. Finally he spoke, his voice almost too soft for Goku to hear. "And do you think that I mean that much to this
'someone?'"

Goku nodded. "I believe so, yes." He took a step toward his proud companion, aching to offer the warm comfort of
touch, knowing he could merely offer the cold comfort of words. "Vegeta. Give her a chance to tell you herself."

Vegeta turned away, his shoulders stiff. Goku would have given anything to know exactly what was going through his
proud prince's thoughts at that moment. Suddenly, Vegeta turned and lifted into the air. "Fight me, Kakarott. Fight
me, damn it!"

Goku understood what his companion was seeking. Both of them dealt better with the physical expression of emotion. He
grinned and shot into the air, coming down hard in a flying kick. Vegeta danced aside, sweeping Goku's legs and
turning momentum against him. Goku flew toward the ground, pulling up at the last moment to face a ki-blast coming
straight at his face. Quickly, he put up his arms and blocked. Before he could regroup to launch an attack of his own,
Vegeta swooped out of the air like a stooping falcon, driving the taller Saiyan into the ground with his legs. Goku
turned his mad plummet into a handspring and shot back at his opponent.

They traded blows for several minutes, both smiling even as they pounded each other. The thrill of battle joined their
souls in a way that only Saiyans could understand.

Finally, they mutually decided to end their contest, and both pulled back, panting slightly from their exertions. Goku
grinned. "That was more like it!"

"Hmph, Kakarott. I held back. Didn't want to overwhelm your pitiful defenses."

Goku laughed out loud and pointed at a nearby crumbled butte. "Pitiful? Who was it who leveled that, anyway?"

Vegeta rubbed his shoulder and scowled.

Goku's expression sobered, and he took several steps forward, not quite touching his fighting companion. "Will you do
it, Vegeta? What I mentioned earlier?"

Vegeta turned away. He directed his answer, not at Goku, but at the familiar landscape. "I suppose I might." He
whirled and pointed a commanding finger at the other. "But I will do it in my own time and in my own way, so don't
even think about bugging me about it."

Goku backed away, raising his hands in mock-surrender. "I wouldn't consider it, my prince."

Vegeta's eyes widened at that statement. Goku held his gaze but didn't say anything.

Vegeta cleared his throat. "I'll hold you to that."

Goku smiled softly. "I would expect nothing less from you."

Vegeta turned away, starting to gather up his clothes, tossing them casually in the knapsack.

Goku waited a long moment, wanting to ask one more thing, but not sure he dared. Finally, he sighed. If he couldn't
ask now, there might not be another time. "Vegeta." His voice was soft, barely above a whisper.

The other Saiyan turned, a quizzical look on his face. "What is it Kakarott?" His voice too, was soft, as soft as Goku
had ever heard.

"Can we be friends?" Goku had long considered the other to be his friend, but even he was not foolish enough to
realize that the feeling was not reciprocated. He and Vegeta were sometimes adversaries, sometime fighting partners,
but never friends.

Vegeta looked away, again gazing out over the country that so reminded them of their native planet. Finally he shook
his head. He spoke, but without his usual rancor. "Not now, Kakarott."

Goku nodded and turned, preparing to leave. It was no more than he had expected. But, oh, how he had hoped.

However, Vegeta's next words stopped him. "Not now. But maybe someday. If I can find something that means more to me
than my pride. Then. Then, perhaps we can be friends."

Goku smiled. "I'll do anything in my power to see that day come."

And he lifted off,