Trapped in a trance

Heather scowled as everyone crowded around the table set up in her hotel room. Upon hearing news of the 6B tournament, she had called for a meeting of not just team England, but all the teams of the UK and Commonwealth.

"Seems Australia has done their own thing and already sent people," Heather glared directly at Azalea.

"S- Sorry, your highness. They immediately sprung into action and I couldn't stop them."

"Shave your head in repentance."

"Ara, a little harsh, Heathy. You know those folks are known for their impulse dares," Sorcha smiled.

"But Scharlachrot would say that!"

The matter of Azalea's hair was quickly tabled as things got to the main discussion point.

"This event. The timing's really off. Why announce something like this last-minute? This kind of thing you should announce earlier in order to give everyone time to plan," Bette scowled.

"I have the opposite opinion; it makes sense why this would be announced the way it was as it's only a day tournament taking place in the evening," Tonka proclaimed.

"Yeah, what madam prime minister's saying. Therefore, we should send some reps to try n' win as much cash as we can, for the league and nation of course," Gwen smirked.

"We didn't hear a word o this at HQ. I don't know a damn bout this Mifsud either," Buffy scowled.

"Says the woman who shaved her prized thick red hair and brows off."

"Are ye trying to equate that Mifsud as the symbol of all bald women in the world? Ye're fecking up the wrong tree."

"They got some high-level participants, notably our favorite damsel and her crazy mother who wiped us out," Vittoria smiled as she played with her earring.

"Ara, you're volunteering?" Sorcha asked.

"Guess I am. Don't worry, if no one else steps forth, I'll pair up with Abby."

"HEY! Why am I always treated as the whipping girl!?" Abigail fumed.

"Aye, treat the girl a little nicer. Thanks to me, there's a chance England could get a second DSPCM spot, and there's good word that she could be nominated for it," Buffy stated.

"And London?" Heather asked.

"Still stuck with the robot."

"Speaking of DSPCMs, looks like they're listing them off right now on the show," Blossom stated.

"Ah yes, that Mifsud... She's implying I need to shave my head and participate," Myfanwy frowned.

"And if ya do, I'll join ya! I was plannin' on shavin' this all off for charity n' stuff, but this fast tracks it," Jasna smiled as she pointed at her multi-colored hair.

"And Wales and England now have their representatives. For Canada I nominate the McDonalds, so what says Scotland, New Zealand, and Northern Ireland?" Tonka asked.

"A bit ahead of yourself, but if we're participating, me n' Lí Ban should go since we're both over 2700," Síofra smiled.

"Hmm, it is true you'd be a top seed, which could actually increase betting odds for us," Medeucesa mumbled.

"Betting odds?"

"Oh, yes. See, there's betting odds over on this other site," Medeucesa stated as she showed everyone her phone.

The site in question was a betting site owned by one of Mifsud's corporations, furthering skepticism towards the event.

"This seems like an exhibition, or perhaps the world's greatest scam and humiliation. Very well, if it's sketchy, New Zealand shall send Camilla. She can play by herself, and be mocked for the monster she is," Leah scoffed.

"Oi, we aren't even eligible thanks in no small part to you always benching me. And over a petty thing as my lineage?" Camilla scowled.

"An unholy fusion of elf and blood-sucker should not exist, yet here you sit defiling the order of the world."

"And I'll have you know my vampire side's descended from Romanian royalty."

"Then go join your blood-sucking ilk in Bucharest!"

"I'm a born n' bred Kiwi. Auckland's my home, and I'm the best female chess player in the country. Deal with it."

"No, by law, I am the best in the land at all."

"At all, including fucking up?"

Leah slammed her fist down on the table. "Ethelreda, discipline that monster. The nineteen-tailed whip will do."

"As you wish, ma'am," Ethelreda smirked as she unlatched her whip from her belt.

But before she could get a swing in, she froze in place. "6B... Ra-ra... Must partake... Conduit fate if I'm late," she mumbled as she dropped her whip and began slowly trudging towards the door as if trapped in a trance.

"Ehtelreda, what are you-"

"6B... Ra-ra... Must go... Must partake... Conduit fate if I'm late," Justin mumbled as he too began to get up and trudge out.

"Whoa, where ya going? We ain't dismissed yet," Grizzly smiled as he attempted to block the two from leaving.

Yet as if being pulled by a powerful magnet, the two easily slipped out of Grizzly's grip, making their way out the door.

"Rasputin, you dragged a man into this? Well it matters not. He's nothing of value, so the least he can do is serve as a conduit when he's denied entry to the tournament," Tonka thought. "It seems we're all participating. Now who will step forth for Scotland?" she asked aloud.

"Hold on, why are you taking charge when I'M the queen!?" Heather fumed.

"I'll do it. Trudy, will you accompany me?" Lorna asked.

Iona turned to Lorna in shock. "Sister, you're volunteering?"

"I always volunteer. That's my duty as student council president. Worry not, Iona, we'll overcome this trial."

"But your hair's so long-"

"And it can be used to make a fine wig. Perhaps that is the true good of this event."

As Lorna and Trudy headed out, Lí Ban and Síofra got up to leave too as did Vittoria with Abigail in tow.

"Guess we gotta-"

"-Go with the flow," the McDonald twins shrugged as they gave chase to the others.

"Wait! We didn't even have a proper meeting!" Heather cried.

"We did. It was a short and effective one. Now no complaints. We'll watch the tournament and bet on the app," Tonka growled.

Despite her tone, Tonka couldn't have been more thrilled the meeting went the way it did. She had strung everything along to her tune like a pied piper, and regardless of how the tournament went, would be receiving praise from her cohorts, her TRUE cohorts, for successfully getting so many potential so-called "conduits" for the mysterious Deep Blue.

...

Inez scoffed as news of the 6B tournament made it's way to her. "That's the stupidest shit there is. What idiot would shave all their hair off just to likely fail at winning some cash?"

"The maestro of Japan and that prodigy... What's her name?" Rosa asked.

"Mimoko. But with those two in, they've got a chance at winning. See that's the thing; the top teams will win this shit by design. You don't win your division, no money and no hair for you. We shouldn't even bother."

"I shave my head and eyebrows whenever Argentina has a big game, it makes no difference to me if I'm bald," Silvina proudly huffed.

"That's a megafan for you. Well buddy up with Catalina if you wanna embarrass yourself."

"Um, no. I'm a die-hard fan for my country, but I'm not shaving my head over something like this. A major football game was coming up? Shave n' paint my head light blue. But for this? Not worth it. Besides, I wanna see you rock the bald, Inez," Catalina snickered.

"There is voting, so we could all vote to have you play," Fiorella chuckled.

"DO THAT AND YOU'RE ALL FUCKING DEAD!" Inez roared.

But before anyone could even put forth a nomination, Inez suddenly began acting weird. Her arms dangled limp from her sides, her eyes rolled back slightly, and her mouth hung open just a bit.

"Ra-ra, broke the vow, ate these 5 days, must repay with 6B, fail to partake, a conduit fate," she muttered on repeat as she began heading out.

"Uh, we still have to vote. I'm voting for you!" Catalina scowled.

"Um, Catalina, something's off," Fiorella frowned.

And this wasn't a unique phenomenon for similar situations like this were happening with other teams around the same time.

...

Mimosa giggled as she flicked her long green hair.

"You wanna be my smooth sister, huh? Well I'm down for it. But, I gotta admit I'd rather not go bald with you," Alice nervously smiled.

"Oh no worries. I prefer you with hair anyway. But I've been thinking it'd be real romantic for you to shave me bald."

"Not my ideal of romance, but knock yourself out," Fleur sighed.

"I take it that means you don't want to buddy up with Mimosa. Collette?" Fifi asked?"

Collette let out a chuckle as she strutted over. "Not wanting to participate either? Well no worry, the peak femininity Mizuse embraced is something I've longed to embrace as well. I'd even go as far as to have a butterfly tattooed on my face and head, to truly make a statement."

"Well that makes things easy. So I guess we go to the salon, ugh, but I hear anyone on the team that enters gets shaved... Maybe I'd be spared if I volunteered to help shave?" Alice mumbled.

But before anyone could offer feedback, Collette began acting just like Inez was and began walking out as if in a trance. "Ra-ra, broke the vow, ate these 5 days, must repay with 6B, fail to partake, a conduit fate."

"Um, Collette? ... Guess we'll follow," Mimosa shrugged as she and Alice headed out after her.

...

In another hotel room, the Philippines' women's team just finished nominating someone to go bald, but not necessarily compete in the 6B tournament.

"It's always me. And I take it none of you want to participate?" Kristel groaned.

"That's right, we're above shaving our heads and humiliating ourselves," Inday smirked.

"You're practically bald-"

"HEY! This isn't much hair, but it's precious hair. My fleeting semblance of maidenhood in the rough n' gruff world of mercs," Inday swooned in a girlie tone.

"Pft, sorry, but you actually sounding girlie is hilarious," Luzviminda giggled, intantly earning Inday's ire.

As the two began fighting, Glaiza began acting weird and exited the room, repeating, "Ra-ra, broke the vow, ate these 5 days, must repay with 6B, fail to partake, a conduit fate" as she walked.

Queenie was quick to take notice, ordering Kristel to investigate. "Not sure why she's seemingly heading for 6B, but we voted for you to bald, so if she really is going there, bald with her and ask her what the hell is wrong with her."

With a heavy sigh, Kristel obliged and headed off after Glaiza.

...

Meisa frowned as she stared at her phone and scratched her head.

"Hmm? You really thinking of BZZ! Shavin' it all smooth n' shiny, sis? With all that skin ya got exposed, they'd cream ya up like a Christmas tree!" Suzuna snickered.

"I don't think I have a choice. It's been 5 days, and I've eaten. I told you about that Rasputin guy and his weird dance. I think, this is what it was all for."

"Then you most certainly aren't going to participate. If that monster is involved in this, you must stay far away," Yua scowled.

But Rasputin's hypnotism was unbreakable with Mifsud sending out the silent signal needed to activate it.

Just like the others, Meisa entered a zombie-like state while muttering, "Ra-ra, broke the vow, ate these 5 days, must repay with 6B, fail to partake, a conduit fate" as she began trudging for the salon.

"Whelp, guess we're playing. Always wanted to shave my head and cry at how ugly I'd look. Lemme just make sure the phone's charged, it is, see ya, mom," Suzuna waved as she ran out after Meisa, leaving Yua in dismay.

"Why so dreary? Shit looks like it'll be a hoot," Mihn sneered.

"Mihn, be a bit nicer. I'm kinda with Miss Yua on this. It feels too malicious, but if that Rasputin guy really did cast some kind of spell on Meisa, there's little we can do. Miss Yua realizes this, but Suzuna running out didn't help. We just gotta hope we're all just overblowing this and it's all just dumb fun," Phuoc sighed.

...

"Come on, Mirjam. A smooth scalp will improve your racing. Plus I'd deck it out with fine art that all could see," Sjouke giddily trembled.

"No. First off, I wear a helmet. Second, I'm not letting you ink one inch of my beautiful skin," Mirjam glared.

"But it's for ART! I can just see the malevolent glean atop your head. The hairless horsewoman, or perhaps the knight with a shining scalp, either way, I'll paint it like it's my masterpiece."

"Why? Why am I always the muse of your art projects? I've been subjected to full-body paints, yet you want to shave me bald AND tattoo me? You're mad."

"But the tattoos are necessary to keep the art from washing away."

"Yeah, ink's sick. Just do it, girl," Nel smirked as she exhaled a puff of smoke.

"You're high again, how'd you even get that shit here?" Henrica scowled.

"Smugs, girl. They can get ya EVER-Y-THING."

"Maybe you should shave your head. It'd suit you," Mirjam glared.

"Nah, but yeah. I'm down when tulip stonks net me mils."

"Ra-ra, broke the vow, ate these 5 days, must repay with 6B, fail to partake, a conduit fate," Lieke mumbled.

Everyone went silent and turned towards Lieke as she rose from her seat and began trudging out of the room.

"Hmm, didn't take her to be that type... Oh well, I invoke the voting rules of this event to vote we send Mirjam to the makeover moon!" Sjouke smiled.

"Yeah, shave her nice n' smooth, honey trap her too," Nel grinned.

"No, and HELL NO! I'm not going bald or being smeared in honey! I vote for Sjouke. Shave your own damn head for art!" Mirjam fumed.

"Interesting. I vote for Sjouke, which means it's a tie. Lieke! Oh, Lieke! She' gone. Guess you two follow her," Henrica smiled as she began shoving Mirjam and Sjouke out of the room.

...

"This is the perfect time to make due on that promise to shave your head if you lost in the third round. Well you've lost humiliatingly in two rounds since, costing us big!" Wieslawa fumed.

"Twas the bastard boy of Japan! He even stomped upon my father's head the other night, which led to him being tortured by those vicious Mongols," Jadwiga huffed.

"I thought you hated him."

"I do, but he is prime minister of Poland, the nation's leader and representative. Those acts against him are acts against Poland itself."

"Yeah, yeah. Maria's already bald, so make her day and be her bald bestie."

Jadwiga gritted her teeth, but before she could get an insult in, the trance took hold of her.

"Ra-ra, broke the vow, ate these 5 days, must repay with 6B, fail to partake, a conduit fate."

"Haha! Talk about a turnaround! Serves you right, miss haughty bitch queen! Now your bald head will be the next to be stepped on!" Wieslawa laughed as Jadwiga trudged out.

"Uh, you know she's not acting right," Ursula glared.

"Go follow her then."

"I thought you wanted to see her go bald," Zosia glared.

"I ain't getting anywhere near that salon with the bald fetish brigade out in full force."

"But we'd match then," Maria pouted as she rested her head on Wieslawa's lap.

"No. Now get off me and go join with queen idiot."

...

Agneta frowned as she fluffed her hair with her hands.

"Agneta, if you actually shave your head for this, it'll officially be the dumbest thing you've ever done in your life," Petra scowled.

"Really? I'm honored."

"I should have kept track of the number of the times you tripped and fell as a toddler."

"Guess that means Agnes' gotta get in on the action. "Agnes n' Agneta go bald" has a nice ring to it," Agnes smirked as she flicked her ponytail.

"You two must share a braincell. It still makes no sense that you're not related. Petra, you sure you're not misremembering shit?" Dagmar scowled.

"No, and neither is my husband. Agnes Englund has no relationship to us."

"Then we fix that with a little marriage-"

"Ra-ra, broke the vow, ate these 5 days, must repay with 6B, fail to partake, a conduit fate."

Everyone turned to Agneta, who was now in a zombie-like state as she began trudging towards the door.

"Guess she's doing something for it... Not my business... Oh, gotta run, girls. They want me for a project," Helle waved as she walked past Agneta and headed out first.

...

Evangelia blushed as she finished tying the laces on her sneakers.

"Always so flustered. We sleep together nude every night, just as they did back in antiquity," Athena chuckled.

"I- I have... ..."

"Always too shy to talk about your crush aloud. No matter. Contact the snakes, and order them to shear themselves for humiliation's sake in this event."

"That's a bit too far. I know you hate Stheno and Euryale, but that doesn't mean they should be forced to go bald."

"Yeah, specially when I'm totes down for a hardcore headshavin," Daphne smiled as she got out of bed and began dressing herself.

"Oh? You'd sacrifice your long raven locks, or was this the intent of growing them so long?" Athena mused.

"That's why you're the professor; Einstein power, girl."

"Besides, Daphne is but one, and two are required for this event. One of the snakes must participate."

"NO! We- We can vote-"

Athena's glare intensified, striking Evangelia with fear. While there was technically no stopping her from voting alongside the Indiko sisters to force Athena to participate, the commanding and frightful aura always emanating from Athena had long kept her leashed at her mercy. That being said, she still had free will.

"I- I'll shave my head."

Athena raised an eyebrow. "You'd sacrifice beauty for those snakes? Well learn the lesson the hard way," she scoffed as she pulled the covers back over her.

"Th- Thank you. I'll- Ra-ra, broke the vow, ate these 5 days, must repay with 6B, fail to partake, a conduit fate."

Athena glared as she sat back up to notice Evangelia trudging towards the door. "Such trouble. Daphne, do be careful. There's more nefarity to this 6B than meets the eye."

...

"Ra-ra, broke the vow, ate these 5 days, must repay with 6B, fail to partake, a conduit fate," Zabel mumbled as she trudged down the hall.

While the other members of the Armenian women's team were already out and about, Arpine was present, stalking Zabel.

"She just made this easy. I think I can just walk smugly behind her with my hands in my pockets. Now wonder what she'll do. Better be enough to ruin her career and life," she thought.

...

Leyla trembled in shock at what was unfolding before her.

"Ra-ra, broke the vow, ate these 5 days, must repay with 6B, fail to partake, a conduit fate, RA-RA BROKE THE VOW, ATE THESE 5 DAYS, MUST REPAY WITH 6B, FAIL TO PARTAKE, A CONDUIT'S FATE!" Sommer cried out as he frantically struggled to break free of Jern and Julia's grasps.

"The hell's wrong with you? The shit said it was girls only, doesn't matter if you're bald. Now stop acting all weird!" Jern fumed.

"Maybe it's cuz he is in a trance. Forget about what happened 5 nights ago?" Skaberghast sneered as he let himself into the room.

"Begone foul fetishist and sloth. Your presence cause our nation enough of a stain on it's reputation." Leyla glared.

"OK, bye."

And just as quickly as he came, Skaberghast was gone. The problem with Sommer didn't end though.

"Maybe we should let him go. What harm would come from having him go to the meetup point?" Anne frowned.

"Do you not see how uncanny he's acting!? We mustn't let him leave, for his life could be in danger!" Jane argued.

"But the same could be said for leaving him as is. Maybe he NEEDS to go to this in order to break the curse," Wendy scowled.

Leyla bit her lip as she began to sort everything out in her mind. Ultimately, she would come to a tough decision, one she would bitterly regret for the rest of her days.

...

At the salon, Melisha and Irja smiled sinisterly as a horde of girls and Justin arrived.

"Ra-ra, broke the vow, ate these 5 days, must repay with 6B, fail to partake, a conduit fate" was the common phrase most if not all were mumbling.

"He actually swept a guy into this... Sucks for him. Put out a recruitment message for stylists, we're gonna need more hands on deck," Melisha smirked.

...

Zsa Zsa glared as she saw the footage of Collette being shaved. "So Collette is playing too. Zsa Zsa will as well. One of you, join Zsa Zsa in bald," she ordered.

The others stared at each other and sighed before Jolán opted to volunteer for the deed.

"Are you sure? You're a married woman unlike the rest of us," Piroska sighed.

"I'm the best one here though. If we want to win this, we should send our best," Jolán stated as she followed Zsa Zsa out.

...

Ria smirked as she proudly strutted to the salon with Endang.

"Really not being coy about this, are you," Endang smiled.

"Nope, I've been waiting for this day for years. Bastards won't be able to do shit when I'm bald."

"And you think they won't just slap wigs on you?"

"They can try, but this shit's public. Just look at the uproar online for Arina, Iolanda, and Gisella," Ria grinned as she flashed her phone.

"And there was barely any fanfare when I lost a bet and had all my beautiful hair shaved off," Endang fake-cried.

"Everyone thought you were basically bald anyway."

Endang pouted and turned her head. "You should treat your partner better."

"Why's that?"

"Because if you don't, she might throw on purpose."

"Oi, is your ego THAT fragile?"

"Keep provoking me and you'll find out the hard way."

And with that, it looked likely that the only holdout for the tournament would be Mongolia. While it meant Korea could still participate, New Zealand and Iceland were now locked out, unless some of the remaining teams decided to pull out just before reaching the salon.

For Ethelreda, this meant that a gruesome fate awaited her if none of the other teams dropped out.