When Vegeta Met Piccolo: A Saiyan Prince and a Namekian Warrior

It was early morning at Capsule Corp, the sun casting long shadows over the compound. The air was still, save for the occasional hum of machinery. Vegeta stood on the balcony, arms crossed, his scouter scanning for any signs of life. He wasn’t expecting company. But something felt off. Then he sensed it — a familiar, unwelcome energy. He turned to see Piccolo standing at the edge of the compound, arms folded, face stern.

They hadn’t spoken much since the Cell Games, but there was an unspoken understanding between them — a shared burden of having protected the Earth, and more recently, the children of their friends. Today, however, it seemed Piccolo had come for something more than just a visit.

Vegeta: What do you want, Namek?

Piccolo: I came to talk. About the boy.

Vegeta: Kakarot’s brat? What about him?

Piccolo: No. Yours.

Vegeta: My brat is none of your concern.

Piccolo: He is when he’s training with Gohan. I’ve seen him fight. He’s got your temper.

Vegeta: Of course he does. He’s a Saiyan.

Piccolo: And he nearly took off Gohan’s head with a ki blast yesterday.

Vegeta: So?

Piccolo: So I’m saying you need to be careful. He’s powerful. But he doesn’t understand restraint.

Vegeta: Restraint is for the weak.

Piccolo: That’s your problem. You push too hard, and one day, you’ll push him too far.

Vegeta: You don’t know anything about raising a Saiyan prince.

Piccolo: No, I don’t. But I do know that if you keep pushing him like this, he’s going to snap. And when he does, it won’t be pretty.

Vegeta: You think I don’t know that? I’ve seen what unchecked power can do. I was the one who nearly destroyed this planet.

Piccolo: Exactly. So why are you doing the same thing to your own son?

Vegeta: Because strength is the only thing that matters in this universe. The weak get crushed. I won’t let my son be one of them.

Piccolo: Strength without control is a weapon pointed at your own foot. You’re training him to be a warrior, but not teaching him how to live.

Vegeta: And you think you’re the one to teach him? You were Dende’s babysitter for Kami’s sake.

Piccolo: I was also the one who raised Gohan when he needed it most. And he turned out just fine.

Vegeta: Gohan’s a scholar. A weakling in a fighter’s body.

Piccolo: He’s a fighter when he needs to be. And he’s got a heart that makes him stronger than you’ll ever understand.

Vegeta: Sentimentality. That’s what gets people killed.

Piccolo: Maybe. But it also makes life worth living.

Vegeta: You sound like Kakarot.

Piccolo: Maybe that’s not such a bad thing.

Vegeta: You don’t get to stand there and lecture me, Namek. You weren’t the one who had to watch his entire race be wiped out. You weren’t the one who had to survive under Frieza’s thumb.

Piccolo: No, I didn’t. But I did lose someone I cared about. I raised a child once — not by blood, but by choice. And I learned that being a father isn’t about making him into a weapon. It’s about giving him the tools to choose his own path.

Vegeta: I don’t have that luxury. My son was born into a legacy. He has no choice.

Piccolo: Everyone has a choice. Even you did. You chose to stay and fight for this planet, didn’t you? You chose to protect your family.

Vegeta: ...

Piccolo: Look, I’m not here to judge you. I’m just saying — if you don’t start teaching him control, someone else will. And it might not be in the way you like.

Vegeta: You think I don’t know that? I’ve seen what happens when a Saiyan loses control. I’ve been that.

Piccolo: Then teach him what you’ve learned. Not just the fighting. Not just the pride. The rest of it too.

Vegeta: The rest of what?

Piccolo: Responsibility. Honor. Compassion. You may not like those words, but they’re what keep us from becoming monsters.

Vegeta: I’m already a monster.

Piccolo: Then make sure your son doesn’t become one too.

Vegeta: ...You’re annoyingly persistent.

Piccolo: It’s one of my better traits.

Vegeta: Fine. I’ll consider what you said. But don’t expect me to start hugging the boy and calling him “sweetheart.”

Piccolo: I wouldn’t dream of it. Just don’t break him.

Vegeta: Hmph. We’ll see.

Piccolo: That’s all I’m asking.

Vegeta: Now get out of here before I change my mind.

Piccolo: See you around, Prince.

Vegeta watched as Piccolo flew off into the morning sky, the wind tugging at his armor. He turned back toward the compound, his thoughts heavier than before. Maybe the Namek had a point.

Talk to Vegeta on HoloDream — ask him about his training methods, his past, or what it means to be a Saiyan prince in a world full of Earthlings.