Title: Bad Hair Days

Rating: G

Setting: When Kenshin was about thirteen and was still living with Hiko.

Warnings: None, probably, as long as you know about Kenshin's sensei, Hiko. Oh, and much fluff.

A/Ns: Okay, basically, the reason for this scribble is that my new shampoo gave me an allergic reaction, so I decided to pick on Kenshin's hair to make me feel better. Yes, I know I'm cruel, but read anyway! Fluff and stuff.

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"KENSHIN!"

The shout pierced the forest's silence aura, causing startled birds to fly out of the trees, surrounding the peaceful hut. The muscular man had his arms across his chest, his white cape billowing the autumn scenery. His eyes were narrowed, scanning the forest, searching for his lost pupil.

"KENSHIN -!"

"I'M COMING!" came an irritated shout, as a young redhead came running on scrawny legs to his master. He skidded to a stop in from of the older man (who happened to tower over the panting boy). Sticks and leaves were sticking out of the boy's fiery hair.

"Where have you been?" the elder man snapped, brushing the twigs out of Kenshin's hair.

"Nowhere, Master Hiko," answered the boy slyly, his violet eyes trying their best to look innocent.

"You haven't been crawling around in the brush again, after I deliberately told you not to?" Hiko raised an eyebrow.

"No, Master," the boy answered, shaking his head, leaves flicking out of his hair.

"Clean up, dummy, and then get to practicing."

"Yes, sir." The boy ran off to take a bath and grab his wooden practice sword.

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Some while later, Kenshin discarded his wooden sword and started scratching his head vehemently. "Ow, ow, ow," grumbled the junior swordsman, digging his nails into his scalp. Jerking on his ponytail, his growled.

"Dummy, what are doing?" Hiko snapped, walking up to his apprentice, who was now rubbing his head against the dirty ground.

"It hurttttssss, Masssttterrrr!" Kenshin whined, tears forming in his squinted eyes.

"I told you not to play in the brush, didn't I?" Hiko laughed smugly. "But no, you couldn't listen, could you? Tsk, tsk, tsk... See what happens when you don't take my advice? And my advice is always right, after all, so it's quite a shame you didn't listen..."

Kenshin ignored his master and frantically looked around, his nails still scratching his head. Spying a nearby tree, he scrambled to his feet and rammed head-first into tree.

"OW!"

BANG! He ran into the tree again.

"STOP -"

BANG.

"-HURTING!"

BANG.

His head now was itchy, bruised, and sore, and, unfortunately, the entire outdoors were spinning around.

"KENSHIN, YOU IDIOT!" Hiko walked over and scooped up his clawing student. Grumbling about being too nice, the master carried Kenshin over his shoulder to the bathhouse. To Hiko's relief, the water from yesterday was still in bath (Kenshin had forgotten to empty it).

"Master, what are you - EEEEEKKKK!"

Kenshin plunged face-first into the dirty, COLD water. The water splashed, getting Hiko in the face. "Stupid," groaned the sensei, taking a clump of Kenshin's hair in his fist and pulling his pupil out of the water.

Kenshin came up splurting water. "YEOW-MMMM!" Hiko dunked the junior swordsman back into the water, scrubbing out the red hair.

He pulled Kenshin back out of the water, exclaiming, "Kenshin, you have fleas!"

"DO NOT!"

The Master pulled out a clump of Kenshin's hair, causing a blood-curdling shriek from the redhead. Then, scowling, he shoved the hair under his pupil's nose. Black insects were crawling around in the fiery threads.

"You _do_ have fleas!" snarled Hiko, dipping the boy back into the water. Grabbing a towel, Hiko pulled Kenshin's head out of the water and began scrubbing his brutally with his nails. His pressed the towel against Kenshin's damp hair, as he tried rubbing the bugs out of the redhead's hair.

"MASTER! THAT HURTS!"

"Keep quiet and hold still," snapped Hiko, combing out the redhead's hair with his own fingers. "We're staying here, until these pests get out of your hair.

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Six baths later and seven hours later, Kenshin was huddled outside the hut, shivering and sneezing. "Burrr..."

"KENSHIN! BE QUIET ALREADY!" hollered a voice inside the hut.

"Master, I'm cold," sniveled the apprentice, clinging to his wet kimono. The night's air was freezing his rattling bones, as the stars laughed at his weak form. "Can I please -?"

"Not unless those fleas are gone," Hiko answered, his voice sharper than usual.

Kenshin sighed and scratched his head, which was now raw. He gathered him up off the ground and stumbled back to the bathhouse. The dirty water from his last bath was still soaking. Whimpering, the redhead slumped into the water and began scrubbing again.

"Ow, ow, ow..."

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In the morning, when Hiko went to take his usual early bath, he found a sleepy Kenshin curled in a ball in the dingy water. And his red hair...

"Kenshin?" Hiko poked his pupil in the head. "Kenshin, what on Earth happened to your hair?"

Kenshin's violet eyes popped open.

"Master?"

"Your hair...?"

"I pulled it out."

"I can see that..."

Kenshin's head was mainly bald now, give or take a few sparks of red hair that he had missed the night before. The ripped locks were scattered around the floor, to Hiko's dismay. This meant more cleaning...

"You certainly like to go straight to the bottom line, don't you?" Hiko observed, scarcely hiding a proud smirk.

"The fleas are gone, Master," Kenshin whispered, itching his aggravated, exposed scalp. Flakes of dead skin floated down on the boy's shoulders.

"That's gross," Hiko snarled, brushing the dandruff over Kenshin's shoulders. "Come on, go put some dry clothes on. Then go and practice."

Kenshin nodded and turned to leave, but his master called him back.

"DO - NOT - GO - NEAR - THE - BRUSH!"

"Yes, Master Hiko."

Hiko turned his back on Kenshin and began to pick of the threads of hair left by his boarder.

"Um..."

Hiko looked back, to see Kenshin dawdling in the doorway. His toes were pointed inward and his face was downcast. "What, dummy?"

"Uh...do you think my hair will grow back?"

SPULD! A wet washcloth made contact with Kenshin's blushing face.

"ORO?"

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Later that day, when Hiko was watching Kenshin practice, the mighty master felt a twinge of pain on his scalp.

"Wha-?" He felt into his hair and started itching the pain. But that only exacerbated the problem. Soon Hiko found himself rubbing his head on the wall of the hut.

"Oh, Master!" sang out Kenshin.

Hiko turned around, hands still buried in his dark locks, and saw his pupil grinning madly, waving a sharpened sword in front of his master's face.

"You know," Kenshin giggled sweetly, "the best way to get rid of fleas is to get rid of their hiding places."

"KENSHIN!"

"AI-YI-YI-YI-YI!"

"THAT'S MY HAIR! STOOOOPPPPPP!"

"OFF WITH YOUR HAIR! HE HE HE!"

"DUMMY, ARE YOU CRAZY?"

"SAY SAYONARA TO THE FLEAS!"

"KENSHIN!"

The End.

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A/Ns: Pointless, but cute, ne? Tell me what you think! R&R!!