Roundabout roulette

The next stop on the tour was Türkiye. This was a fun place to visit, mainly because it was home to the best automated hair styling machines around.

If you didn't want to be completely bald, or get a hybrid look of real hair x holohair, this was the place for it, mainly due to the experience. I've had my hair styled here a few times, even had all my hair shaved bald once, but it did nothing to cure my boredom or even muster a reaction. Selena didn't even show any reaction besides her default polite smile when she came out with a sky-high mohawk, but maybe Hana can provide some entertain...ment?

"Ugh, do we have to go here?" Hana glared.

The scowl upon Hana's face surprised me. I'd never seen her look so disgruntled. Even back at the baby lab, she didn't look like this. In fact, the emotion plastered on her face was far from depression, rather it was dread and resentment. I didn't see anything in her notes about having any problems with Türkiye, meaning I'd have to ask her directly... or indirectly.

I mischievously began combing through her videos and found my answer.

...

I don't like that look on Irina's face. It reminds me exactly of the face of Meredith, one of the folks I intermingled and traveled with for a bit. Meredith was close to being considered the Irina of my time, but with more mischief and malice. She was infamous for pranks and one fateful day, she subjected me to the most humiliating moment of my life.

It happened back in Fall of 2023. We were in Türkiye, taking in the sights when Meredith popped the idea of visiting a Turkish barbershop. I was down, as I'd heard that visiting one was said to be a unique experience. However there were two problems, stemming from the same issue. One, I didn't know Turkish. Two, Meredith did.

As such, she was the one to communicate with the staff and tell then what to do for each of us. Things started off fine with a blissful wash and massage, but it was when I was all buttered up that Meredith's scheme took effect. I'll never forget that moment bliss turned to horror when I opened my eyes and saw the barber shaving my head directly with a razor.

All I could do was hang my jaw down in horror as the razor scrapped away my hair. Yet once all my hair was on the floor, it still wasn't over. My eyebrows were next and then my whole head and face were encased in shaving cream and shaved once more. All the while, Meredith was brushing her now shiny silky hair with a smirk on her face.

And as soon as the shave was over, my head and face were covered in wax, which I only knew was wax after Meredith gleefully revealed the fact AFTER my mouth had been covered up. Worse, I was forced to just sit for a bit, staring dreadfully at my waxy reflection in the mirror before I was subjected to pure pain and humiliation.

I remember crying and physically slapping Meredith as hard as I could before taking off. That bitch wasn't remorseful in the slightest, even gloating in the fact that her video of the incident got more views and likes than mine. I was just afraid I'd never have hair again, which was ironically one of the reasons I first began looking for stasis places as I surmised that if my hair wouldn't grow back, then maybe I could be revived in an era where tech would exist that could revive my hair. But lo and behold it grew back, but the topic stayed in the back of my mind, eventually leading me to Jantar and the present.

"I'm NOT going anywhere near that thing. My hair is OFF LIMITS!"

Irina seemed a bit downed by that, so I decided to offer a compromise. "If you're intent on mischief, how about you put your own hair on the line instead of mine."

...

I blinked for a bit as I processed Hana's suggestion. I guess this means this is a bust, but it's understandable. Hana looked really miserable in that video of her getting shaved, and the subsequent videos after. It wasn't until her hair began to grow back that she began perking back up. I get it, we can't have everything. Besides, it isn't worth risking losing Hana's smile over a dumb little thrill gamble.

"No worries girl. Let's go someplace else."

"Not down for risking your hair?"

"Been there, done that and nothing. Not even a jaw drop."

Hana couldn't help but laugh as we began heading off.

"Oh my, is that Hana? Hana Hangetsu?" a voice rang out.

...

I froze as I recognized that voice. That snarky arrogant tone, the way she mockingly said my name in a cutesy voice... I slowly turned and there she was, the long red hair, designer clothes and platinum studded sneakers, and of course the arrogant smirk from which her arrogance sprang forth from. It was Meredith Montpelier.

I shot her a glare before attempting to walk off, but she flew in front of me, blocking my path.

"Oh this must be fate! See I'm in the middle of shooting a video, and thought it'd be great to collab with you again after soooo long."

"How are you even here?"

Meredith smirked and directed her gaze towards Irina. "Go on, I give you permission to speak about me."

Irina nodded and begun explaining that Meredith had also been put in stasis and had been revived a few months before me, yet before she could elaborate much further...

"PERMISSION REVOKED!"

"MMPH!?"

That malicious bitch revoked her permission, triggering the gag order.

"Oh my, seems your tour guide's a little gagged at the moment. Why don't we spend the time chatting over a niiiice collab," Meredith sneered as she began dragging me towards the hair styling machine.

As we reached the machine, Meredith immediately set forth a roulette, ranging from a slight bang trim to completely hairless.

"I'm NOT cutting my hair!" I glared.

"Huh? Don't ya wanna see what it's like to get all your hair shaved off in this age too?"

"NO!"

"Too bad, I need content and fun fact, I know how to rig this sucker to get a jackpot," Meredith maliciously snickered as she grabbed my arm and began pulling me towards the machine.

As we got closer, I resolved myself and slammed my foot down, causing Meredith to lose her grip on me as I bounced into the air. "In that case, YOU be the guinea pig," I glared as I shoved Meredith into the chair and watched a look of pure horror consume her face as she was strapped down and whisked inside.

I couldn't hear her screams, but like a car wash, I could see everything going on inside and I'll admit, it did make me tremble.

Even though this bitch deserved to lose all her hair, it still spooked me a bit to see the process, especially since 500 years ago, I experienced the same hell.

A minute later she popped out of the other end, balder than bald.

"YOU BITCH! I'M HIDEOUS!"

"Serves you right!" I smirked as I began to head off with Irina, leaving Meredith to sob in her baldness.

...

As soon as Irina and Hana left, I emerged from hiding and approached Meredith. "And how long are you going to cry for? Hair restoration is fully possible, or you could get holohair."

"Selena? Oh, no worries. I was just overacting," Meredith smirked as she wiped her tears away. "Besides, I've wanted to apologize for so long, but never got the chance. But now, those 500 years in stasis have finally paid off."

In her notes, Meredith specifically requested to be revived at least 3 months before Hana, all so she could plan an apology. When she learned of the hair styling machine here in Türkiye, I'll never forget the tearful smile on her face when she asked if it was possible to revive Hana asap. I told her it wasn't as we had to honor her wishes, and ever since, she's been waiting here for her.

"Now that you've "apologized" so to speak, what do you wish to do now?" I asked.

A mischievous smirk appeared on Meredith's face as she replied, "Have some fun with this bald head, then maybe catch up to Hana and travel with her again. Oh, and send her your recording of this so she gets the memo."

The humans of the past sure had roundabout ways of doing things, but it appeared that it was the most effective way for her to mend her ties with Hana. Thus, I was happy to oblige.