A/N – Okay, I need an opinion poll. Two choices, shorter chapters but frequent updates, or, longer chapters but less frequent updates. What I do is write ahead of the chapter to be posted, that way I can concentrate on the story and not feel rushed. Either way, the next two should be long, but after that, I will go with whatever the readers choose. Arigatoo!
Changing Faces
Part 2 – Choices They Make
Chapter 16 – That Saiyan Blood
"Very well. Have a seat, Gohan," Videl offered a chair, "This will take a while."
"I am going to start around the beginning of a timeline of events. Certain questions you might ask I cannot answer, so be prepared," she said, remaining standing. She did this partly because of pain, and to show her dominance of the situation.
"First things first, on Pandova, I am a daughter of a Queen."
No comment.
"That would make me a Princess," she added at his lack of reaction.
"Oh, you're a princess, wow, so is my mom," he smirked.
Other than Gohan, everyone's eyes bugged out and they fell over anime style.
Videl recovered first. "Your mother is a princess? I thought things didn't work like that on Earth."
"Some places do. My mother doesn't rule any kingdom, but her father did. I don't know exactly what happened to it, they never said. But it probably had something to do with my parents getting married," he explained, "So you're a princess, huh?"
"Yes, and you are a prince," she said unsteadily at first, but regained composure to continue, "I am the second daughter. I have... three sisters. You will meet them when we arrive on Pandova and I will introduce them at that time."
Videl reached for the orange kerchief at her waist, "There is also something that you need to know about our anatomy on Pandova. Earth people do not sport such an appendage, so I felt it was necessary to hide it."
As she untied the kerchief, the crew of three female warriors and one attendant also stood. Finally, a brown furry tail fell from Videl and the four other Pandovans on the ship.
"Hahh...." Gohan stuttered, "You... you're... I- I... Oh man, I don't believe it."
Saiyans... they're Saiyans. That's why Videl picked up those techniques so well. OH! I know...
He stood up and pulled his wallet out of his bag. Flipping through to pictures, he pulled one out and showed Videl. Her face immediately paled.
"That's my mom, that's my dad, and that is me. The little kid," he pointed to each image, "So you guys are S-"
With lightning speed, Videl clamped her hand over Gohan's mouth before he could reveal her secret. In doing so, what felt like a large splintering spike being driven into her back paralyzed her momentarily. Her face turned white, and she squeezed her eyes shut until she fell to her quivering knees.
Gohan realized something was wrong. He caught her and laid her gently on the steel tile of the ship's floor.
"Princess," one shouted.
They shoved him out of the way. After a few quick checks, one ordered her to her cot. Three tenderly lifted her and carried her into the sleeping quarters.
"Gohan..." he heard her call out, "I'll continue in here," quieter, he also heard, "I am fine, I just moved too quickly. That's all. At least let me sit up and keep some dignity."
Her fellow Pandovans were shooed from the room and Gohan entered. The door shut behind him and he noticed Videl had regained some color.
"I just don't believe it," she stared at him in a new way, "That was you in the picture, right? Who was... who was Saiyan? Your mother or your father?'
"Yes that was me," he answered, "And my father was full Saiyan. He was sent to Earth as a baby, but he forgot his Saiyan mission and became the protector of the planet. He had incredible powers. That is where I get my strength from."
It makes so much more sense, she thought, I found him in the first place because his energy was so familiar.
"May I ask you why you stopped me from saying the word Saiyan?"
"That is a valid question. The true secret of our ancestry is known by only two Pandovans; the current queen and the crown princess. My elder sister was told of this secret when her age was appropriate. Unfortunately, she is no longer with us. Before I left to avenge her death, my mother revealed the ancient secrets to me. I cannot even tell my sisters this information."
"So that means you definitely can't tell me, huh," he smirked.
She snorted, "Of course. Anyway, to continue- why don't you have a tail now?"
"Huh? Oh, it was cut off a long time ago, when I was a kid. I fought another Saiyan and we both lost our tails in the battle."
More Saiyans? I must find out about this new discovery, she silently pondered.
"Okay, I'm really going to continue now. I'll start with the beginning..."
She started with arriving home, meeting the Ruani ambassador, and leaving to train for a year. Videl told him of the bad feeling she got from him, but since she was the only one, she said nothing. Later, it was revealed that her youngest sister also felt this way, but both weren't sure of what exactly it meant. It was to be their undoing.
She filled him in on the trade agreement, "It allowed the Ruani to use Pandovan solid resources, such as steel ore, to create purified steel for ship building. You see, the actual planet is just a big hunk of rock. There is some water, some forests, and cities built into the mountain sides. You'll see it."
"The trade agreement held solidly for almost a year and a half and it seemed that my mother had been in good reasoning after all. That is, until little things started to slip onto the planet. Things we didn't notice until it was too late."
Next was the invasion, "Half a year after I had finished my space training, word came of a slave revolt near the main area of Ruani mining. The warriors in the area were strong enough to handle such a situation, but they were overpowered by their own. The Ruani have a device that sends out wavelengths that disrupt the normal thought pattern. It will either render you useless, or allow another to think for you. Its weakness is that stronger minded individuals can suppress the wavelengths, thus making us unaffected."
She paused, and Gohan questioned.
"Can't you destroy the device?"
"Of course, we have been searching for it since we knew what it was, but we have no real idea of where it is. Some of the weaker minded warriors have succumbed to the device, and most of the slaves too. They guard the entrance to the first Ruani mining cave fiercely. We think the device is somewhere in that cave. Their leader... he's the strongest fighter I have ever seen."
Videl's head hung in defeat, "Even I couldn't overcome him. His energy is evil, his power is dark," her head flew up and her eyes were blazing, "Please Gohan, you must defeat him. He has brought disgrace upon my name and family by taking us for fools. I have disgraced myself by not speaking my mind, and by loosing our battle. It nearly cost me my life."
