A Hacker with a Secret

A New Look

"Nice job standing up to Cast back there." Val said to me as we walked out of a restaurant with burgers in hand. "He just wanted to show you whose boss and you showed him."

"Does he do that often? He didn't act like that yesterday."

She looked at me with amusement, "Cast acts like that when there is a new person on board, Blaze and I are used to it. Trust me, he won't do it again."

"Oh good," I smiled while eating, "it's a little annoying." 

She laughed softly while I gave Bix some beef. "Now while the boys are busy, come in here." She pushed me through a glass door and into a tall room with a white interior. Mirrors and sinks lined the walls, while bottles in an array of colors filled the shelves that formed a maze in the room.

"You don't have to take me to get my hair cut here... It's too nice. I could just cut it myself." I spoke as I finished the burger.

"Nonsense, you're going to get your hair cut while I go get you some decent sized clothes. Although you can keep the top, I like the off the shoulder look." She smiled at me and pushed me into a stylist's chair before wandering off to the front counter. She spoke with the lady behind it and pointed at me before entering her pin to pay for whatever treatment was about to happen.

While Val walked out of the store the lady from behind the counter sauntered over and wrapped a cape around my neck. "So are we going with what your friend said?"

"Did she say to do anything weird? Like shave it all off or something?"

The lady looked at me strangely. "No... did you want that?"

I put my hands up to stop her. "Whatever she said is fine then."

The lady spun me around and I looked into the mirror, staring at the long hair I had always had. The longer my hair was, the easier it was to cut by myself. Whatever Val had in mind must be good. Right?

-----

An hour later, the lady spun me back to the mirror and I stared at myself. The lady looked down at me happily, and I stopped petting Bix and ran my hands through my chocolate hair. The soft waves ended just below my shoulders. This was the shortest it had ever been and I was grateful for the change. I looked at myself one last time before thanking the woman profusely. She simply smiled at me one last time before walking away saying "My pleasure!" 

I stood looking at myself once more before putting Bix on my shoulder. He ran his paws and tails through the smaller curtain. While he marveled at the change I started to walk towards the door, stepping over the mountains of my hair. 

When I pushed past the door I saw Val waiting for me, leaning against a wall, typing on a screen projected up by a holobracelet. She glanced up upon hearing the opening of the door and immediately smiled. "Look at you!" She said in her unmistakeable accent, while powering down the bracelet. "It's perfect!"

I blushed and thanked her only to have her insist that she was only doing what was necessary. We walked towards the ship peacefully while chatting. We had almost reached it when there was a loud explosion behind us.