Akane's Hair Cut
a short story by Dot
---
        The newspaper spread over the floor crinkles as Kasumi steps on it.

        "Last chance to change your mind," she says.

        I almost laugh.  It's not like I'm getting a tattoo or something.  
"Go ahead."

        Kasumi gently grabs a strand of hair.

	Snip.  

        I've always hated haircuts.  At first, it was because I was afraid 
of those gleaming scissors.  The ripping sound they made when they 
closed through my hair convinced me that it would hurt.  Kasumi 
sometimes had to hold me down during visits to the barber, and I 
would wail and scream that he'd cut off my ears until the 'ordeal' was over.

        Snip.  Another chunk of hair falls down onto the paper.  A few 
stray strands drift onto the poncho, and Kasumi brushes it off.

        I didn't hear Ryouga's bandanna--or whatever it was--coming until 
it was too late.  A dull 'whoosh' sounded, a rush of air passed my back, 
and a half year's worth of hair was gone, just like that.  In the split 
second that it happened, I'm pretty sure that I didn't even have the time 
to blink.

        Snip.  Time crawls by at an agonizingly slow pace.  Why can't 
Kasumi go any faster?

        My ankle throbs with pain.  I'll have to go see Dr. Tofuu later. 
This time, though, I don't look forward to seeing him.

        "Just a bit more trimming, and I'll be done," Kasumi tells me in 
her ever cheerful voice.  Until a few minutes ago, when I walked into the
kitchen with my new 'look', I don't think I've ever seen her angry, 
upset, or frightened.  It really creeps me out sometimes how calmly she 
handles everything.

        Snip.  The cold steel presses close to my ears, and I can't help 
but wince a bit.  Old habits die hard.

        "There.  Done!" Kasumi lifts the poncho off me as I stand up.  
The weight of the hair that I used to feel is completely gone.

        If only Ryouga and Ranma hadn't started fighting...if only I hadn't 
barged into the fight like an idiot...if only I hadn't lost my temper...it's 
too late to think of all that now.  My hair's already in a big pile 
on the floor.  Besides, I could always grow it back if I wanted to.

        Kasumi hands me a mirror.

        I almost don't recognize myself.  With my hair now barely cropping 
my ears, I look a lot younger, more energetic.  Maybe even a little bit cute.

	Maybe I should keep my hair like this for a while.

        I suddenly wonder what Ranma would think of my new hairstyle.  
I give Kasumi a thank you hug and head out the door.
---
Another "in-between scenes" 'fic, so short that it's bordering on 
spamfic status.  I don't even really have anything to say about it, 
either.  (For once. ^^;)

A big thanks to the FFIRC for comments on this 'fic.
(I still say it was a bandanna! ;p)
---
-"Dot"
Dot-Chan on #fanfic at bachman.newberry.edu (FFIRC Chatroom)
Proud member of CAPOW

http://www.fortunecity.com/westwood/italian/70
http://members.xoom.com/dotchan (mirror)

--Writer of Unnecessarily Long Author's Notes and Bad Spamfics. ^^;
--Bane of the FFML since 1998. ^_^
--Coming soon to your local inbox: Dragon Ball stories 
with -gasp- plot! ^_^



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