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Duo wandered into the kitchen to find the other pilots already awake. "'Morning!" he announced with a big yawn, pulling a chair around to straddle it.

"It's about time you woke up, Maxwell." Wufei looked up from his book and paused, staring with the others.

Duo looked around at the other pilots seated around the table, each wearing various expressions of shock. "What?" he asked, his blue eyes shining with innocence. "Did I forget my pants or something?"

The others exchanged confused looks, and then Quatre spoke up. "Duo, what happened to your hair?" he asked, obviously completely floored.

"What, this mess?" Duo ran his fingers through his hair, now layered neatly around his shoulders. "Ah, the braid kept getting caught, so I decided to cut it off. Much easier to deal with. Doesn't take me half an hour just to wash it anymore either." He looked around the table with annoyance at the other pilots, who, if possible, looked even more shocked. "What's wrong with you guys? Its just hair after all!"

"Well, yes," Quatre replied. "It's just that you always seemed rather...umm...attached to your braid."

Heero nodded his agreement. "Even with all the times you've needed help getting it untangled."

Duo pointed at Heero. "Exactly why I cut it! I mean, what's the point of having long hair if you have to have help working on anything mechanical?"

Just then Du came in through the door. "Morning guys," she said with a yawn, not quite awake yet. She rummaged in the refrigerator for a soda, and took a swig before she did a double take at Duo's hairstyle.

"'Morning Du!" Duo chirped, getting up to grab some orange juice.

"Uhhhh....Good morning?" Du replied, taking a seat at the table. She nudged Quatre and whispered "Duo's missing his braid, isn't he?" Quatre nodded. She turned back to Duo; a bit relieved she wasn't seeing things. "You look..um..different this morning, Duo."

He gave her an impish grin. "Yeah, I'm wearing new socks!"

"That's not really what I meant."

"Oh, you must be talking about my new 'do!" Duo cocked his head to the side and grinned at her. "Got tired of getting it caught. The others don't seem to like it, though." He leaned forward and motioned her over. "I think they're just jealous," he whispered conspiratorly. The other pilots rolled their eyes in unison at that comment. Du simply shook her head. "Well, it is nice. Good luck with it."

"Well, I love it!" Relena chimed in from the doorway. "He almost looks like one of those boy band members!"

The entire kitchen burst into laughter. Duo glared at Relena, who was grinning impishly. "Well, there's no need to be insulting!" he answered with a toss of his head.

"We all know you sing in the shower," commented Du. "So how's your dancing?"

Duo assumed an injured expression as the laughter continued. "Geez, a guy tries something new and ya'll act as if the world ends." He gave everyone equal glares, rivaling Heero's Death Glare.

"Oh, it's not that, Duo," Relena replied. "We just think it's adorable! And Quatre knows people in the music business so I'm sure he can set you up with something if you ask him nicely." Her eyes shown with mock innocence as she struggled not to laugh out loud. Even Heero looked as if he was fighting a grin, and kept coughing into his hand as he was trying to conceal a laugh.

"Humph!" Duo tossed his head back. "See if I try anything new and tell you guys about it again!" He stalked out of the kitchen, his hands in his pockets, leaving the others laughing again.

He detoured into his room to pick up a few tools and paused in front of the mirror. "I don't care what Relena says. I do _not_ look like some boy band member!" he told his reflection. His reflection declined to reply as he ran his fingers through his hair, and turned his head a few times to examine his new haircut. "Oh well," he shrugged, and ran his fingers through his hair again, this time giving a firm tug. He felt the familiar thump of his braid against his back as he pulled the wig off and tossed it on the bed. He shook out his bangs, then stared at his reflection again. 'So much for that joke!' he thought to himself, sticking his tongue out at the mirror. He grabbed his tool case a sauntered out, his good humor restoring itself rapidly. 'Still, the expressions on their faces were priceless!!' he chuckled to himself. 'I wonder what I can do next year?'

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AN: Ha! Gotchya! :P April Fools!

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