A/N – Woohoo! Almost 4 pages for this one! Hey, thank you for all the glowing reviews! If you happen to get bored or something, try some of my other fanfics. They probably aren't as good as this one, but I am proud of them nonetheless.

Changing Faces

Part 2 – Choices They Make

Chapter 34 – Ending the Masquerade

Antella watched from her perch behind a rock. They weren't going to win as long as no one made an aggressive move towards the dragon. She observed the dragon's fortitude as Gohan and Videl kicked him back and forth.

"They need a plan," she whispered, "I will find this creature's weakness. It certainly isn't impatience."

The two half Saiyans paused, and Antella vaguely heard them confirm their need of a tactic. She gasped as it seemed Gohan had blown the head from the fire dragon, yet it was still there as the smoke dissipated.

"I've got it," she shouted, jumping from her hiding place and running to the edge of the cavern, "Videl! Aim for his mouth! Make sure it's open!"

Videl's attention turned from the dragon to Antella. Of course! Why didn't I think of that?

The dragon thrashed about; his patience had finally worn down. He somersaulted from side to side, whipping his strong tail all around in a temper tantrum. Gohan dodged the appendage, but Videl did not.

The tail struck her back, driving the air from her lungs forcefully. She felt cracking as red filled her vision and then turned to black.

"VIDEL!" Gohan exclaimed as he rushed to her listless form before she fell to her death.

Gohan caught her as gently as he could, cradling her body against his. He landed on the Pandovan side of the cavern and carefully placed her next to Antella.

"Gohana... if that is your name, please listen closely," she said quietly.

His eyes betrayed her supposition; it was hard for him to lie for very long. She could sense his pure heart and that his intention was only to help his friend in her need.

"To defeat the dragon, use that blast thing you do, while his mouth is open. That way you hit the only unprotected part of his body," she said, her brown locks hanging loose by her face.

"Right," he said softly, "The trick is getting his mouth open in the first place."

"Let me," Videl struggled to sit up, "I will be the bait. I will lure him to be defenseless."

"Videl, no, you're injured," Gohan protested.

She would not hear it, "You risk your life for a planet that isn't yours and you expect me to sit out because I've got a little bruise? I don't think so, Mister. I won't lose you like I lost Celessa."

Antella looked back and forth between the two lovers. In the back of her mind, she hoped that no one could hear the conversation. It would be damning for both.

"Well... alright," Gohan sighed reluctantly. If he couldn't refuse her the first time, what made him think he could do it now?

"Let's go," Videl said, taking to the air.

Videl had been both sad and happy at the same time lately, and Antella had noticed. She knew Videl's heart was meant only for fighting, but Antella knew there had to be much more to life than that. It seemed Videl had found it. If having a male counterpart could change her sister so drastically in such a short time, what could possibly be wrong with it? 

The dragon saw the long haired warrior and floated toward her. Videl zigzagged around the creature, just out of his reach. The action distracted the dragon as Gohan waited for the right moment.

A wave of dizziness washed over the young Saiyan. I think I'm going into shock, he thought weakly, I'd better do this quickly.

Gohan threw caution to the wind as he powered up to Super Saiyan. If he did not take care of the dragon then, there would be no one left to defend the planet if he passed out. Unaware that all eyes were suddenly on him, he flew strait at the dragon's head and kicked underneath his chin. The move stunned the giant beast, enough to give Gohan the advantage.

"Videl, get back," he tossed over his shoulder, not removing his eyes from the beast. 

As the dragon recovered, Gohan waited for his moment. They were at eye level with each other. The creature roared in anger and opened his jaws in an attempt to swallow the gold glowing fighter perched in front of him. Just when the observers thought all hope was lost, Gohan threw a massive energy attack down the creature's throat.

The dragon paused and gulped, not knowing exactly what had happened. There was dead silence as everyone clipped their breath and watched in anticipation.

"That was it," Gohan said wearily, unable to hold is power level to Super Saiyan, "I have nothing left."

Suddenly, the dragon erupted in a ball of fire, sending a shock wave through the cavern. Gohan took the most of the wave and was thrown against the roof. He lost consciousness.

Videl watched in horror as her lover slammed into the ceiling and began a long, slow tumble to the red depths below. She took off for the edge when her mother's voice rang out.

"Videl! No, the dragon might still be there," she cried.

"Mother, I won't let him die! I love him! Gohan! I'm coming!" She screamed as she disappeared below the edge.

"..Him? You... love... him?" Venom filled her voice as she realized that everyone near her had heard her daughter's proclamation.

Tense moments passed as eyes darted back and forth between the clearing smoke ball and the edge of the cliff. Gasps of relief flooded the cavern as the opaque haze lifted to reveal Gohan's tactic had worked.

Slowly, Videl appeared over the edge of the fissure, with a barely conscious Gohan. She gently placed him on the ground.

"Videl...," her mother began slowly, "Tell me... Tell me now... What exactly you said, just moments ago?"

The gleam in her mother's eyes told her to lie and Videl saw it. Plain as day. It was time for her to reveal what the truth was.

"I cannot live a lie, Mother," she began slowly.

Gohan sat up and rubbed his head, "Videl... what happened...?"

"Don't speak," she hushed him.

Standing behind him, Videl removed her neckerchief. She moved around Gohan to show her back, and her bite mark.

More gasps were heard as whispers started rising among the witnesses. Nothing could have prepared her mother, or anyone, for what happened next.

Videl kneeled next to Gohan, wrapped her arms around him, and embraced him affectionately. Gohan, who had no real idea of what she was doing, returned the gesture. She ran her lips along his neck, sending shivers up and down his spine.


Gohan gasped in surprise as her teeth sliced into his neck. His body shook as hormones rushed through his veins, slamming him back and forth between pain and pleasure. If there was a bad time for Videl to choose to complete their bond, she had picked one of the worst. He leaned forward into her arms to hide his very sudden need for her, and she pulled him close.

A young warrior moved forward, "Princess... no! You can't!"

Matiko stopped her, "What is done is done; there is no reversing time. They will be brought to trail and punished accordingly. Javera, Tatalia, Antella, remove the witnesses from the Lava Pits, take their names and send them home. I will brief you later," she said, staring at her feet.

Inside, Matiko's heart broke as she realized that even though 'Gohan' had saved the planet from certain doom, there was no return for Videl, who had chosen her own path, separate from her birthright and her family.