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It had been the middle of the night when she first noticed them.
Bai He was washing her hands when she got a glance of herself in the mirror. And noticed a streak of white in her hair.
She reached up and touched the streak, a horrible not twisting in her stomach at the reminder. The reminder of what she did.
She looked around her bathroom and found a pair of scissors, the ones her mom used to cut her hair when she was young. She snatched them and clips the streak out.
Bai He looked at the ivory strand, and tossed it in the garbage. She checked in the mirror, sure it was a good chunk taken out, but her hair is dark enough to cover it up.
So she went back to bed. Seemingly a problem solved.
… then more white streaks started appearing.
Each time she cut, more snowy streaks would appear. Like a twisted hydra of hair.
Until one day, when she looked in the mirror, her hair was almost fully white.
It was mockery really. She couldn’t forget. Forget the cold, the whispers, the pain.
Her chest tightened, she felt like she couldn’t breath. She needed to leave. She needed to leave.
So she threw on a hoodie and left the house quicker before her dad could ask where she was going. She would feel bad, but she just needed to go anywhere else.
It was late in the afternoon when she stopped to rest by the steps of the theater. It was deserted due to the repairs going on, so it was a nice spot to relax for a bit.
“Long time no see, kid.”
Bai He’s shoulders tensed slightly and her head spun to look at the stranger.
The figure had a red scarf over their head covering what looked like tuffs of dark hair but other than that she couldn’t see their face. Behind them she could see a long, dark monkey’s tail lightly swishing back and forth. And it clicked.
“Mr. Macaque?” She questioned the looming stranger. Who let out a light chuckle and removed his hood, proving her guess correct as the simian gave her a small smirk.
“The one and only,” he said as he took a seat next to the girl. Ever since the battle with her, Bai He had managed to form a friendship with the, rather reserved, monkey. A task that was almost ‘impossible’ according to Mk’s teacher. But she found that she rather enjoyed the simian’s company, even if he was a bit moody at times.
“So, what brings you to the theater?” The question broke Bai He’s train of thought.
“What?”
“What brings you to the theater?”
“Oh, uhm,” Bai He fidgets with her hoodie string, “I just… needed some fresh air.”
Macaque furrowed his brow slightly, as if he was trying to see into her thoughts.
“Are…” he hesitated for a second, before continuing, “are you okay?”
Bai He looked down at her feet, Macaque was the one of the only other people who had been used by her, perhaps he’d understand.
“But what if he doesn’t,” the thought crept in without her noticing, “he’ll see that you’re no different from her and he won’t be your friend anymore. Actually, no one would wanna be your friend if they saw your freaky white hair. You’ll be alone forever. Alone forever. Alone forever-“
“Kid,”
Bai He perked and looked over at Macaque.
“You can talk to me,” he assured, a soft smile on his face.
Bai He hesitated, “Promise you won’t judge?”
“I promise,”
With the encouragement of the simian, she grabbed her hood and pulled it down.
She watched as Macaque’s eyes shifted to her hair, she can’t quite make out how he’s feeling, and soon her doubts creep back in.
“Is it bad?”
His eyes return to her, he smiled and shrugged, “eh, I’ve seen worse,” he chuckled, “you should’ve seen when Monkey King tried cutting his own fur,”
“I don’t mean the cut, I mean the color!”
Macaque’s gaze softened, “Look, kiddo, there’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
“I know!” Bai He protested, “but it feels like… like I’m becoming her. No matter how much I try to forget, she’s taunting me!”
Tears sting her eyes, she hugs her knees to her chest, “I just want to forget…”
Macaque frowns, he looks down at his lap for a second, before making up his mind.
Bai He hears a soft twinkling sound before it ceases, she looks over at the simian and perks up at his change of appearance.
Half of his fur is now pure white, along with an extra set of ears on his head, and a nasty looking scar on his right eye.
“I got this shortly after I,” he hesitated for a second, “woke up, let’s say. I hated it for a while, still kinda do. But, no matter how much I tried, I can’t forget what happened in the past.”
A soft smile appeared on his face, “but, it’s a part of my life, whether I like it or not.”
“…Do the memories still bother you?”
“Yeah, but I’m trying to appreciate the happy ones more.”
Bai He smiles, “thanks,” she began, “for the talk, I mean. I don’t think I can pull off white hair though.”
Macaque smiles, with a simple flick of his hand, his fur returns to its midnight color, “that’s alright,” he stands up, “I think I might have some scissors and hair dye lying around, if you feel up for it,” he offers out his hand.
Bai He looks at it for a moment, before accepting it, “I’d like that,”
“Hold on tight, kiddo,” Macaque warns before a shadow portal appeared from under them, before she could blink they sunk in only to reappear in the simian’s dojo.
He looks down at Bai He, “how’s about we get started yeah?”
***
The past two hours have been… a little chaotic in all honesty, but Macaque was surprisingly skilled at handling hair. Bai He likes her new style.
After drying her hair, Macaque took her back home, but before he left.
“Mr. Macaque?”
The former looked towards the girl, a curious look on his face, “what’s up?”
Bai He rushed up to him and hugged him, she felt him tense slightly, before somewhat easing in and patting her back.
After a few seconds, she pulls back and smiles, “thanks again, have a good night!”
She turned and entered her home.
Macaque stood there for a few seconds, still processing what happened. Before quietly sinking into the shadows. Leaving not a trace.