Claudia D. Christian

Estimated reading time: 3 – 4 minutes

Yukio followed his elder through the wall. It dissolved around them before snapping back into place. The floor vanished, leaving Director H. and Yukio to float down.

Director H. assumed a comfortable position. He predicted this journey would take a bit of time. He observed his young charge with a benevolent smile. One which Yukio refused to reflect, causing Director H. to chide. “I hope you show a little more effort than this. It’s not as if we’re tying you to an unattractive girl, Yukio.”

“I wouldn’t care.” He inhaled sharply. “I don’t expect you to understand. After all, everything is of humor to you.”

“True. The tragedy of existing leaves two choices—madness of pain or madness of laughter. I choose the latter. You are stupidly choosing the first.”

As expected, the younger man drew up, limbs stiff like knives. “There is no stupidity in honoring the Yamagatas.”

“You do honor them to a fault. Duty is an unforgiving mistress, isn’t she?”

Yukio didn’t react overtly to the subtle barb. “I am here because of duty. I am going to dishonor my beliefs for this duty. I am going to submit my life to your disgusting program. I will bed that girl as many times as it takes to produce issue. The only stupidity here is not on my part.”

“Very passionate for a man of your honor. I am heartened to see you only control ice but are not entirely made of it.” Director H. reached out and touched Yukio’s colorless hair. “It’s too bad we’ll have to cut this. It seems so long ago since I had hair like yours. Seeing it makes me remember.”

Moments elapsed. “Remember what?” The question, although grudging, required the politeness of a response.

Director H. laughed and withdrew his hand. “It makes me remember why I choose the latter.” He clapped once. “All right, young Yukio. We must first cut off all this beautiful hair. It wouldn’t do for our Alice to see you with it, especially since it can’t stay. She’ll only mourn its loss and how would that be fair?”

He unfolded his legs precisely when the floor reappeared. His walk bounced with excitement. “Let us hurry!” Director H. swept his arm out with a flourish. A door appeared, suspended from nothing and leading to everywhere. He waited until Yukio stepped through before following. “Ana, my darling, how have you been?”

She leaned down from her considerable height and kissed his cheek. “Absolute.” Statuesque and willowy, Ana possessed a complexion so fair it made Yukio’s appear flushed. She motioned him to sit on her chair. The gorgeous pink cushion matched her tightly curled locks. “The regular?”

“High and tight.”

“Has he been collared yet?”

“No.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“How long before his hair grows back?”

Director H. considered for a moment. “No less than an hour and seven minutes.”

“Will he be collared by then?”

“Perhaps.”

Ana’s inhumanely long fingers caressed Yukio’s scalp. “If not then you’ll have to bring him back?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, I hope so.”

“Yukio, there’s nothing to fear here. Ana has quite a love affair with hair, that’s all.”

“I feared nothing.” He didn’t acknowledge the friendly pat to his arm.

“Good. Then you won’t fear knowing she will be able to fashion a doppelganger from your locks—one that looks exactly like you?”

Revulsion flickered. “For what purpose?”

“Many. Isn’t that right, Ana?”

“I’ll only keep one for myself, Yamagata-sama, just one. Then I’ll kill it after I’m done. You’ll only feel the tiniest bit of pain. Very, very tiny.”

“See? Very tiny.” Director H.’s brilliant grin widened. “Now off with the hair. He must hurry to see Alice before she drowns.”