A/N – this is the start of a main fight scene. I hope I describe it well. To answer a question in the reviews, the mind controlling device emits wavelengths that disturb the normal thought patterns, permitting another to command the mindless slave, or rendering him useless. The effect depends upon the individual's mental strength. Naturally, a warrior like Gohan or Videl would have a very strong mind compared to a field worker who never read a book in his life. This is very similar to the Jedi thing that Obi-Wan does in Ep. 4. Did that help?

Changing Faces

Part 2 – Choices They Make

Chapter 17 – Revenge Is Bittersweet

Videl's head fell again and she clenched her fists in anger of the memory of her intense battle.

*flashback*

Videl arrived at the entrance of the cavern, landing softly in the dust. Four of her counterparts, warriors like herself, stepped up. Their eyes were blank and unseeing; no emotion crossed their faces. They were mindless. She turned to footsteps and chi behind her; male slaves armed with shovels and staffs closed the circle behind her.

"Step aside, warriors, I have no desire to fight you. I am here to avenge my sister's death. Show me the one who killed Celessa!"

They did not reply. She focused on one of the warriors.

"Don't you recognize me? I am Videl, daughter of Queen Matiko. Your queen. You pledged allegiance to her," she paused as realization flashed through the imprisoned warrior's eyes.

Yes, it worked!

"Miss Videl," she sputtered as she fell to her knees in shame, "Please forgive me, I could not break free."

"Rise warrior. Redeem yourself by finding me the one who killed my sister, Celessa."

A look of horror rose to her face at the thought of the death of the crown princess, but she complied with Videl's request.

"As you wish," she turned and stepped into the cave.

Videl followed her chi, until in a blinding flash of energy, the woman's life snuffed out like an oxygen-starved candle. A larger, darker chi replaced hers, and in a moment of shock, Videl gasped.

What awful power... Self doubt planted a seed in her chest.

With very little warning, a huge wall of flaming energy escaped the cave. The senseless beings around her launched in a wild tumble, crashing far away. Not one moved afterward.

Only Videl had been able to react. The smoke cleared and she was left standing, her arms crossed defensively in front of her. She opened her eyes to the familiar face of a Ruani.

"Duasha!" She gasped.

"Yes. I killed your sister. She was weak. Not worth my time. If she hadn't killed so many of my little minions, I would have let her go. But hey, how's that saying go? An eye for an eye? A life for a life. Works for me," he conversed nonchalantly.

Videl's blood boiled and she could barely control her rage. You bastard! How dare you!

She repeated it out loud, and he brandished his clawed hands.

"Now that wasn't necessary, was it?"

"What? Can't take a little name calling? Let's call this the pre-game bash, shall we?" She spat at him.

"Very well. Then the pre-game is over. Take this," he blasted an invisible wave of energy at her.

Videl's very acute senses had warned her of a subtle power rise and she was able to block the attack. She took a step back and gathered her energy. Duasha expected her to release the same attack as he and merely set up for defense. Videl moved her right hand behind her, focused the energy to her palm, and threw it like a baseball.

With sudden awareness, Duasha's feeble attempt to block the blast failed and he was tossed into the wall above the cave entrance. The impact was weak enough to keep the cave intact, luckily for the Pandovans inside. But Duasha's calm and cool demeanor had collapsed in fury of being caught off guard.

He landed meters from his original spot, and he stared her down with disbelief, "Where did a Pandovan learn such an advanced technique? I was not aware of such increased skill of a warrior here."

"Then it is your own fault, for not knowing your enemies before you attack," Videl said smugly, "I have come here to get rid of you and your machine. Most importantly, I have come to avenge my sister's death and bring honor to my family name."

"Such big talk!" He slid into an attack position, "I hope you can hold up to your people's expectations, because your sister sure didn't!"

The dam broke loose and Videl attacked with a passion. She powered as high as she could and came at Duasha, unleashing a volley of punches and kicks. Most made their hit as the Ruani warlord took one retreating step after another. He could barely keep the young woman in his senses as she moved so quickly. He noticed abstractly that she maintained her speed; punch after punch and kick after kick, was lightning fast yet light.

Its affects were the same as if she had hit him with one punch containing all of her being's power. Finally, he devised a plan. He somersaulted out of her 'ring of fire' but was face planted with a kick to his head, back down where he had launched.

"Where do you think you're going," she taunted from above.

I have got to catch her off guard... But how?

She hovered parallel to the ground, her shadow blanketing his quivering form. Videl cupped her hands and gathered her energy for the finishing blow. Her concentration was in the making of the energy blast and she didn't notice the devious glint in his eyes.

Perfect... He thought as he moved his taloned hands behind his back. She was only one and a half meters above him, but the handspring brought his booted feet, claws extended, right into her midsection. The move killed her attack, and energy shot everywhere in a firework.

Time stopped after the scatter. Videl remained impaled by the lizard creature. Slowly, her face drained of blood, her pupils shrank, and her expression faded from shock to pain. Duasha kept his balance of the Pandovan princess on his clawed feet; he snickered as her lifeblood crept down the three talons and stained his brown leather boots.

It was a fine decoration, he smiled.