Disclaimer: DBZ belongs to Akira Toriyama.
Summary: Videl Satan has always been the top-ranked student at OSH. All seemed well until the arrival of Son Gohan, her greatest rival. Suddenly, Videl finds herself outmatched in everything she does. From sports to academics, she just can't keep up with this prodigy. However, she's determined to finally defeat Gohan in anything and won't stop until she rises victorious.
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Taking a Hint
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Chapter 1: Shifting Winds
Autumn burned brightly that morning, a wildfire blazing through the streets. Fall was in full bloom, the atmosphere tasting of delicate change. Crisp air nipped her skin as Videl Satan dashed with the wind, a flurry of leaves scattering behind her wake.
Today was the day. She would finally be entering her last year at Orange Star High. While high school was nothing exciting by any means, a sense of anticipation seized Videl as she spotted the familiar building just up ahead. It stood tall and proud, clearly the most prominent structure in the area.
There was only one problem: Not only had the school year already started, she was late—a month late.
Sights of the familiar hallways encompassed her vision as Videl entered the school. She inhaled sharply, the lingering smell of morning coffee teasing her nose while she took in the rowdy halls as students milled around. Hardly anything had changed since she had last been here. Same old polished windows, same stains on the ivory walls. Videl could even see the dent on one locker where she accidentally slammed a basketball against it too hard.
A voice rang from the distance.
"It's Videl! She's back!"
The reaction was almost instantaneous. Heads swiveled in her direction and activity ignited. After a month of absence from school, the star of OSH, Videl Satan, was back and ready for action. Used to the attention, Videl ignored the excited whispers that accompanied her, shoving her way through until finally, she reached her classroom. The moment she entered, she sought out her friends. Erasa came bounding through the room and pulled her into a crushing hug.
"Welcome back, Vi!" Erasa cried, nearly knocking Videl over.
Videl laughed, peering at a face she hadn't seen in a while. "Good to see you, too, 'Rase."
The two stepped back, Erasa impatiently pushing Videl into her seat. "Now tell me, how was your training? The Martial Arts Tournament has been the rave of the city!" Erasa propped her chin on her wrists, her blue eyes brimming with curiosity.
In front of them, a head of long blond hair swiveled, revealing the face of Sharpner. A languid grin spread on his lips as he rested his arm over his chair. "Yeah, babe. With you skipping classes for a month, we all want to know how you plan to win."
Videl rolled her eyes before punching Sharpner on the arm—hard. He winced. "Shut it, Sharpner," she said, flexing her gloved fingers. They were newly embedded with steel at the knuckles. Friends as they were, there was no way he would ever get a pass at her. "You know I had a good reason to skip. I have to get stronger if I want to win the tournament. Even though it won't be for a couple of months, I like to get a head start."
"We know, we know," Erasa chimed in, filing away her already manicured nails. "But it was so drab with you gone training. I mean, you left me with this guy!" She pointed an accusing finger at Sharpner.
"Hey! What's wrong with being around this?" Sharpner exclaimed, gesturing at his body from head to toe. He flexed, shamelessly showcasing his rippling muscles and tanned skin. Erasa's brow raised in appreciation.
"Mn, nothing," Erasa said. "It's just nicer to have a girl around rather than a muscle-head like you."
Videl chuckled as she watched the two fall into their daily bickering; it was a wonder how they became friends in the first place seeing as they always got on each other's nerves. Regardless of their differences, the trio remained in their tight pod from childhood up until this point, so perhaps it was because they were such good friends, they could banter like this.
Settling, she dug out everything she needed for class. With her month-long absence, there was a lot she had to catch up on, but Videl was confident she could climb back up in no time. She had studied the material between breaks, after all, and her pride would never allow failure to be an option. In terms of ranking, Videl had always been in the top five percent of her class, and that wasn't something she intended to change.
Plus, the biggest event of the year was approaching steadily: The World Martial Arts Tournament. Ever since her father had won the Cell Games, martial arts had become the most famous thing in the world. It was celebrated almost religiously. It was only natural that Videl would participate, and for that, she would do anything to get stronger.
Weeks of grueling training and a strict workout regimen had helped. Videl tightened the police communicuff around her wrist. Although her build was slight, her muscles were toned and in top shape; she certainly felt stronger. Her morning jog to school had hardly winded her.
It had always been her dream to become the next champion. Surely, she was far from beating her father, but it would further prove her worth as a martial artist. She wanted to build a name for herself, be someone more than just Hercule Satan's daughter. It was one of the reasons why she joined the police force, other than stopping crime in the city and protecting its citizens.
And, Videl always did love a challenge.
"I'll be signing up for the tournament, too," Sharpner said, breaking Videl from her reverie. He crossed his arms, proudly puffing out his chest. "I guess I can't hold back if I'm meeting you in the ring." His teeth were bared, a challenging smile.
Videl returned his grin with an equally confident one of her own. "There's no way in hell I'd go easy on you, blondie."
"Wouldn't dream of it."
They both shared competitive smirks, sparks of electricity almost crackling between them. Dull as he was sometimes, Sharpner was strong; after all, he was a pupil of the Satan City Dojo. His muscles weren't just for show no matter how much he flaunted them. But between the two of them, Videl knew she outmatched him in both strength, skill, and speed. Although with her police training over the years, she had learned to never underestimate any opponent. Knowing her friend, he was skilled enough to actually make her sweat a little.
It was nothing she couldn't handle.
"Enough with the 'I'll break your bones' talk," Erasa interrupted. "Videl and I need some quality time together. We should take a trip right to the mall after school! There's a huge sale going on, you know."
Her eyes were twinkling with hope.
"No, thanks," Videl said bluntly, avoiding eye contact. Yes, she loved Erasa to death, but shopping wasn't her idea of a good time. She shuddered. The last time they went on a shopping spree, Videl was dragged from store to store for an entire day, and it felt like years had gone by the time they reached their last stop. Not exactly what she would call a fun experience.
"But Videl!" Erasa exclaimed, slamming her hands against the table. "Forty percent off of shoes. That is a steal!"
"Really, I don't need anything new." Videl scooted away from her friend, sweat building above her brow. Her hands met the edge of her seat, and the blonde was only inching closer. If it was one opponent she couldn't defeat, it was Erasa.
The only thing that saved her in that moment was a sudden commotion by the door. Snapping her head to the side, Videl frowned. The bell hadn't even rung yet but even more students piled into the classroom. Hell, Videl wasn't even sure they were in the same grade. She could make out snippets of conversation amidst the yelling:
"Please, join the chess club! We'd love to have you here!"
"No, the tennis team is where you belong!"
"Excuse me. I just want to get to my seat…"
Videl squinted. "What's going on over there?" she inquired, successfully diverting Erasa's attention. The blonde glanced towards the front of the classroom, her eyes lighting up in delight.
"Oh, that's the new kid," she chirped, clasping her hands together. "He's a real cutie! He came here at around the time you left, Vi, so I doubt you met him before. Poor guy's still fending off people that are trying to bribe him into joining their club."
Now that caught Videl's interest. Naturally, she was curious about everyone she met, and this new guy was no exception, especially with this ruckus he was creating. She craned her neck to see past the students with no luck. It seemed that this mystery person was drowned in a sea of heads.
"What's he like?" Videl asked, her curiosity piqued.
"He's the enemy of all men," Sharpner cut in, sniffing indifferently. His lips curled in distaste. "The girls love him. I don't see why though; he's just some pansy."
"Oh please, Sharpner. I know for a fact that he's the reason why you're passing math. I'd say you're getting along well," teased Erasa, laughing lightly. She poked him on the cheek.
"Shut up!" Sharpner sputtered. A light tint stained his cheeks as he crossed his arms stubbornly. "Nerd-Boy just had to help. I never asked for it."
"Just be honest and admit you did. I do remember he had you pegged in gym…"
Videl raised a brow at the arguing duo, one clearly enjoying the expense of the other's embarrassment. She snapped her gaze towards the center of the classroom as the bell blared overhead. Her eyes narrowed in the center of the crowd, and all she caught was a glimpse of unruly black hair amidst the throng of adoring girls.
So. It seemed like he was some player. Interest rapidly fading, Videl turned away, flipping through the pages of her notebook. If he attracted that much attention, it was likely he was some shameless flirt. She had more important matters to attend to, such as reviewing a bit before class started.
"By the way, I never told you his name," Erasa said, tapping Videl's arm. "It's—"
By now Videl had completely tuned out Erasa's voice, mainly because the noise in the classroom hadn't nullified at all. Chin resting over one hand, she languidly dragged her gaze back up front. The students were dissipating, almost retreating as an entity as one boy broke away and ascended the stairs.
Videl's eyes widened and her back straightened. All motion of the world ceased around her, her attention focused raptly on the person approaching. The first thing that peeked into view was cropped, jet-black hair, shorter than she remembered. Then, it the familiar angle of his face and the straightness of his nose; it was all there.
As he slowly continued up the steps in her direction, his head turned after bidding someone farewell, giving her a full view of his face. He had the same onyx eyes, crinkled with mirth from the broad smile that was spread across his lips.
She knew him. She knew that face. Realization slowly sunk into Videl, her heart dropping the moment she saw his smile. Within agonizing seconds, their eyes locked for a fleeting moment, and neither looked away. The smile faded from the boy's lips, his eyes reflecting curiosity.
He was now in front of her.
It can't be, Videl thought, dread filling every fiber of her being. Her fists tightened into balls and her cheeks flushed. Anger. Mortification. It's—
"Hi, I don't think we've met before," the boy said, grinning amiably. It was that same infuriating smile. All Videl saw were sirens blaring as his hand extended out before her.
"I'm Son Gohan. It's nice to meet you."
…...
A/N: Hi everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please stay tuned for the next update :) Also, please give me as much constructive criticism as possible! I want to become the best writer I can be and any feedback would be appreciated. I think this will be a pretty light fic, too. It'll be roughly ten chapters.
Thanks for reading! Review?
Revised May 2019
