Disclaimer:  As you are probably well aware of, I DO NOT own Ranma ½, a bunch of rich people do.  Suing me will result in a gum drop and an overdue phone bill.  You've been warned!

Chapter 6

My Hair isn't my Life!

Kasumi lowered the flame on the stove and let the meal simmer while she started on a side dish.  Hearing the front door open, she frowned slightly, glancing at the clock.  School still wouldn't be out for a few hours.  Wiping her hands off on her apron, she walked out into the hall to see Ranma about to trudge upstairs.

Ranma stopped at seeing Kasumi's sudden appearance, and noted with dismay that she was looking at her with that wide eyed stare; the same way everyone else had, including the people that she had passed on the way home.  "What?" she asked quietly, feigning ignorance though she absently rubbed the jagged mess her hair had become.

To Kasumi's credit, the stare quickly passed and became one of sympathy.  Ranma sighed; she wasn't sure which one was worse.

"What happened?" Kasumi asked simply.

"Oh, it's nothing," she lied unconvincingly.  "I just thought it was getting a little long…"  Ranma winced.  It sounded lame, even to her.

Kasumi regarded her closely for a few moments before she spoke.  "Would you like me to even it out for you?" she asked in that soft, motherly tone.

"That's ok, I'm fine," Ranma said quickly and was about to continue upstairs when Kasumi asked again.

"Please?  I've gotten quite good at trimming Nabiki and Akane's hair over the years."

Ranma looked into her eyes and realized it would be easier to throw herself at the ground and miss then to say no to this young women.  Ranma managed a small smile and agreed, finding it easier to do then she thought it would be.

***

About a half-hour later, the front door opened and Akane entered with Ryouga close behind.  He was wearing a new school jacket that Nabiki offered him; for a small fee, of course.  After removing his shoes, Ryouga excused himself quickly to go check up on Ranma.

Forty minutes later, he finally found the guestroom and knocked lightly on the closed door.  A few moments passed with no response.  Then a few more. 

Carefully, Ryouga slid the door open and stepped into the darkened room.  He didn't see her at first, but then noticed the lump underneath the blanket on the futon.  "Ranma?"

She sighed heavily.  "Go away, Ryouga."

He winced, but reached into his backpack and pulled out some books.  "I picked up your homework for you before I came home."

"Gee, thanks a lot," she said sarcastically, crawling out of the covers.

He briefly noticed that she had changed out of her uniform and into her usual red and black ensemble, but the main focus of his attention was her new hairstyle.  It was much shorter in the back, tapering off where her neck began.  A few stray bangs, not being held back by a pigtail any longer, fell across her cheeks and framed her face.  The style was a bit tomboyish, but very-

"Take a picture; it'll last longer," she said self-consciously.

Cute.  "I was just…surprised, that's all," he said, kneeling on the floor besides her, his head held low.  "I- I'm really sorry."

She clenched her fists.  "There's nothing to be sorry about," she said through gritted teeth.  "I don't even care about it.  I mean, it's not like my hair's my life or anything!" she said angrily.  After a moment, she suddenly dropped her fists and squeezed her eyes shut.

Ryouga watched her closely, noticing that she was trembling slightly.

She whispered quietly, so softly that Ryouga had to strain to hear her.  "I think there's something wrong with me."

"Wrong?  What do you mean?" he asked worriedly, examining her with his eyes, trying to find any visible injuries.

Ranma continued in that same quiet tone.  "They were all just staring at me and I know it doesn't matter- I don't care- but…but…"  Something began bubbling up inside her as she thought about it.

He noticed her trembling grow a little stronger.  "R- Ranma…?" 

Suddenly, Ranma put her head in her hands and burst into tears, sobbing loudly. 

Ryouga sat completely immobile for a moment, the sight of a crying Ranma shocking him to the core of his being.  Then, very carefully, he placed a hand on her shoulder.  "Hey, a- are you alright?"  It was a silly question, of course, as she very obviously wasn't alright- but it just seemed like the kind of thing you say at a time like this.

Without warning, she leaned forward and before he knew it, she was crying into his shoulder.  'Something's not right here…I've never seen Ranma this upset,' Ryouga thought to himself as he cradled the redhead, lightly rubbing her back.

Unbeknownst to the two, Akane stood outside in the hall, watching the scene through the slightly ajar door.  Tears moistening her eyes, she turned and quietly shuffled off to her room.

***

Ranma wasn't sure how much time had passed, but eventually the sobs stopped and the tears dried.  After a couple of hiccups, the room was silent except for their quiet breathing.

She was amazed at how much better she felt.  It was as if some great weight had been lifted off her chest and she could finally relax.  And she did feel relaxed.  She was warm and comfortable, and the hand rubbing her back felt pretty nice… 

Her eyes suddenly snapped open and she pulled away, quickly wiping the tears off with her sleeve.  "I- uh, must have had something in my eye…" she said quickly.

Ryouga looked at her, mouth agape, unsure of what to say.  Finally, he slowly nodded.  "Yeah, I hate it when that happens…"

She glanced around the room, hoping to change the subject.  After a moment, her eyes settled on the homework Ryouga had placed besides her.  "So how'd you get home, anyway?"          

It took him a few seconds to focus enough to answer the question.  "Oh, Akane brought me." 

"That maniac actually helped someone?" she asked incredulously.

"She's not that bad you know; Akane's actually pretty nice." 

"Yeah, right.  Maybe she's nice to you…though I don't know why.  After all, if we got married, and we won't, then wouldn't the dojo go to you or something?" 

Ryouga shook his head.  "Nah, she's been training her whole life to take it over.  If we actually got married-"

"And we won't," Ranma interjected.

"Then she'd probably run it and we'd just assist," Ryouga finished without missing a beat.

"They should just hand it over to her then," she said, crossing her arms.  "What the heck do they need us for?"

"To join the schools, remember?"  He grinned, playfully poking her in the stomach.  "Besides, they gotta have an heir you know."

Ranma lightly slapped his hand away, making a sour face.  "Don't even joke about that." 

Ryouga chuckled, standing up.  "I better get downstairs.  I promised Kasumi I would clean the dojo.  If I start looking for it now, I should find it by dinner."

She groaned.  "That would almost be funny if it wasn't true."

"When you're better, you might want to find some chores to do.  Don't want everyone to think we're the freeloaders Nabiki paints us out to be, right?" 

Ranma thought a moment.  "Maybe I can help out with some of the cooking…"          

Ryouga raised an eyebrow.  "Cooking?"

She glared at him.  "What, a guy can't cook?!  I've spent most of my life making my meals- the only way pop got us dinner was by stealing it.  Besides," she added.  "I didn't hear you complaining about it on the way back to Japan."

He held up his hands defensively.  "I was just teasing; I'm sure Kasumi would appreciate the help- especially considering the bottomless stomach's your father and you have."  With a small wave, he left the room, leaving Ranma alone with her thoughts. 

Ranma leaned back on the futon.  'I can't believe I cried.  And in front of Ryouga, too.  He must think I'm a total freak.' 

She rubbed her temples as a pounding headache suddenly came on, adding to the nagging discomfort that had been plaguing her all afternoon.  'Jeez, I think I'm definitely coming down with something.'

***

A few hours later, the youngest Tendo daughter stood standing outside Ranma's door.  After taking a few calming deep breaths, she knocked lightly.

"Come in," said the voice from within.

Hesitating a moment, she slid the door open and entered, shutting it behind her.

Ranma was lying on her stomach and lazily doing some math homework.  She looked up hopefully, but frowned when she saw her guest.  "Oh, it's you.  Come to make fun of me or something?" she asked bitterly, returning to her text book.  "If you don't mind, I'm busy."

Akane hung her head sadly for a few seconds before cautiously sitting down besides her.  She sighed.  "I deserved that."

Her response surprised Ranma, who had never seen Akane this…vulnerable before.  It was a far cry from the hotheaded girl she had been introduced to yesterday.

The raven-haired young women continued as tears began to spill over her eyes.  "I've been really cruel to you ever since you've arrived…and I'm…I'm…"  Leaning over, she hugged Ranma tightly.  "I'm sorry."

She was too shocked to react for a few moments.  "It- it's ok," the surprised girl finally replied, hesitantly returning the hug.

"No it's not," she argued.  "I had no right to treat you the way I did."  Akane pulled away and wiped her eyes.  "I- I'd really like to start over."

"Start over?" she asked curiously.

"Yeah, like, you know- 'Hi, I'm Akane.  Want to be friends?'"

            Ranma didn't know what to say.  The person she had thought she could never even get along with was now offering friendship.  But sitting here, seeing her hopeful and sincere face…  She smiled softly.  "I think I'd like that."

            Akane grinned and hugged her again.  Ranma found the second time a lot less awkward, and returned the hug without hesitation.

            After the hug ended, Akane put a friendly arm around her shoulder.  "So, are you ok now?"

            She rolled her eyes.  "It's no big deal- it'll grow back eventually."

            "But when I was walking by your room earlier, I saw how…upset you were."

            Ranma flinched embarrassedly at the memory and looked away.  "I wasn't…that was…"

"It's nothing to be ashamed of," she assured her.  "I'd cry too if it happened to me," Akane added, absently touching her ponytail. 

"But it's different," Ranma said.  "It shouldn't have made me cry."

They sat in silence for a few moments before Akane noticed how pale Ranma appeared.  'Hmm…'

 "Ranma?  Have you, um, been feeling…strange?" 

            "Uggh," she groaned, leaning back on the futon and laying an arm across her eyes.  "I have been feeling kind of off lately."

            "How, exactly?"

            "Besides the crying?  I don't know; I just feel weird…"  She rubbed her abdomen.  "My stomach started cramping up a few hours ago, too." 

           

            'Uh-oh.'

            Ranma, at seeing her wide eyed stare, suddenly got worried.  "Why do you ask?" she asked nervously.

            Akane sighed.  "Uh- hmm…what's the best way to explain this to you…?"  She paused.  "Well, you see, every month…"

***

            For the second evening in a row, the night was shattered with Ranma's ear piercing scream.