Pride Reforged- Vegeta (New Year’s Day)

Last night they counted down.

I counted bodies.

This ain’t a fresh start —

This is a forged one.

I was born in the fire, baptized by command,

Planet under my boots, blood stuck to my hands.

I didn’t ask to be evil, I was trained that way,

Prince taught to conquer before I learned how to pray.

I laughed while worlds burned, called it Saiyan pride,

If mercy showed its face, I’d kill it on sight.

I measured my worth by the fear in their eyes,

By how many screams fit under one sky.

I followed a tyrant ‘cause power felt safe,

Wore chains made of hate, called it destiny’s weight.

Every corpse was a step, every sin was a rung,

Till I looked in the mirror and saw no one.

New year don’t clean blood off the past,

You don’t reset shit just ‘cause midnight passed.

I don’t need forgiveness, I don’t beg, I don’t fold,

I rebuild what I broke — pride reforged.

Then I lost.

Not once — repeatedly.

A low-class clown kept defeating me.

That hurt more than death ever could,

‘Cause he fought for love — I never understood.

Earth showed me weakness that felt like a blade,

A woman who challenged me, a child who stayed.

I tried to stay cruel, tried to stay cold,

But rage don’t warm you when the nights get old.

I watched myself choose to die for a cause,

Not conquest, not ego — just breaking the laws

I lived by for years, every rule I obeyed,

I died a villain… and woke up ashamed.

Ain’t no halo, I earned every scar,

I don’t shine ‘cause I’m good — I shine ‘cause I’m scarred.

I don’t chase redemption, I don’t need applause,

I protect what I love — pride reforged.

I still hate losing, still grind my teeth,

Still train like the past tryna hunt my sleep.

But now when I fight, it ain’t to be feared,

It’s to make damn sure my family’s still here.

I don’t need a throne, don’t need my name praised,

Let history judge me — I changed anyway.

I’ll never erase what I did back then,

I carry it forward and refuse to bend.

If tomorrow comes bloody, I’ll meet it head-on,

If peace ever breaks, I’ll stand till it’s gone.

I was built by war, but I choose my role,

Not a god… not a devil… just a man with control.

The clock hit zero, but I was already awake,

I changed my life long before today’s date.

No clean slate, just a stronger resolve,

I don’t forget who I was — I evolve.

This is New Year’s Day.

Not mercy.

Discipline.

Pride… reforged.