All characters depicted in situations are 18 years of age or older and of the age of consent, even if it looks otherwise. Acts depicted are all consensual. No real or fictional person was harmed in the making of this work.
Scene 1: Goodbye to the Pigtails
Videl stood in front of the large mirror in her bedroom in Satan City, packing for her training retreat at Kame House. Gohan had spoken highly of Master Roshi's martial arts foundations and Krillin's experience. However, as she imagined herself training on a tropical beach, she felt the heavy weight of her signature long pigtails.
"If I want them to take me seriously as a martial artist and not just as daddy's spoiled little girl, this has to change," she told herself.
She picked up a pair of sharp scissors and, without hesitation, snipped through the base of both pigtails. The hair fell to the floor, leaving her with a chin-length bob. She shook her head, feeling lighter and ready. It was a middle ground: comfortable, but still keeping her usual style.
Scene 2: The Heat of Kame House and the Pixie
The training on the island turned out to be much more physical than she expected. Under the scorching midday sun, Videl tried to hold a balancing stance while Krillin set the pace. However, sweat poured down her forehead, and the damp strands of her new bob clung to her eyes and cheeks, blinding her at critical moments.
Frustrated after failing to block a strike because her hair was in her face, she called a time-out and marched into the small bathroom of Kame House.
"It's not enough. It's still in the way," she muttered.
With quick, aggressive snips, she hacked away the long bangs and the hair at the nape of her neck, leaving it very short and layered: the pixie cut that Gohan had once suggested. As she walked back outside, the sea breeze cooled her neck. Now she was truly ready to fight without distractions.
Scene 3: The Limit of Her Patience
Unfortunately, her new pixie cut and tight sportswear (a t-shirt and spandex shorts) turned out to be a magnet for Master Roshi. Instead of correcting her fighting technique, the old man spent his time hovering around her, adjusting his sunglasses, and praising her "fresh, adorable youthful look," while trying to measure her "proportions" under the guise of fixing her stance.
Videl was boiling with rage. She glanced at Krillin, who was sighing in resignation as he remembered his own early training days. Videl noticed something: Krillin, at his core a pure martial artist of the Turtle School, used to have a completely shaved head. There was no vanity. No "adorable look." Just sheer discipline.
That night, while everyone else was asleep, Videl returned to the bathroom. She found a pair of electric clippers on the shelf. She turned them on, the motor coming to life with a dull buzz. Without an ounce of regret, she ran the zero guard straight down the middle of her head, watching the short black strands fall down the drain. She repeated the motion over and over until her scalp was completely bare and smooth.
To top it off, she dug through the guest closet and put on a baggy orange Turtle School gi. When she looked in the mirror, she no longer saw a "cute girl." She saw an intimidating, fiercely determined warrior.
Scene 4: Gohan's Shock
The next morning, Gohan landed on the island carrying boxes of food from his mother. He walked toward the beach looking for his girlfriend. In the distance, he saw Krillin sparring with what looked like a new disciple of the school: someone short, with a completely shaved head shining under the sun, wearing the orange uniform.
"Hey guys!" Gohan greeted them as his boots hit the sand. "Hey Krillin, who's the new guy? Where's Vi...?"
The "new guy" turned around, wiping the sweat from a bald forehead with a forearm. The large blue eyes and fine features were unmistakable.
Gohan dropped the food box, which hit the sand with a heavy thud. His jaw completely unhinged.
"V-V-VIDEL?!" he stammered, his eyes nearly bugging out of his skull.
Videl smirked, resting her hands on her hips. "What's wrong, Gohan? You told me short hair was better for fighting. I just decided to take it to the next level. Besides..." she glared sideways at Master Roshi, who was now sweating nervously and keeping a very respectful distance, "...this keeps a certain dirty old man from treating me like a little doll. Now, are we going to train, or are you just gonna stand there staring?"