Ichika's dilemma

In no time flat, Christmas was fast approaching. The restaurant had been decked with festive decorations, many events were planned throughout the month, and naturally, there were many new seasonal dishes available for the holidays.

"One year huh?" Rika thought as she stepped outside.

Some snow had begun to fall as she closed up the restaurant and walked home.

"I know exactly why she said December. She doesn't want me interfering with Ookuma until the election's long over. Assuming she wins, which hopefully she doesn't, that would be late October, so she'd probably be in power for a month. I doubt Ookuma will truly leave me alone either. Worst of all, I'm trapped. Damn it. I can't fight or flee, all I can do is wait. Mother truly is cruel," Rika thought.

"How ya doing Ri-ri-ka?" Ichika asked as she appeared before Rika.

She was still clad in her trademark attire despite the colder weather, and still just as hairless as before as she shivered before Rika.

"Well you must be suffering," Rika scoffed as she passed her by.

"Hey don't just ignore me! I'm freezing to death because you shaved all my hair off so now I get even colder in the winter!" Ichika protested.

"No, it's cause you made that dumb bet and tried to kill Masaru that you ended up a hairless freakshow, though your dumb bet that forced you to only wear that skimpy outfit is probably the bigger reason why you're freezing."

"Warm me up!" Ichika cried as she leaped for Rika.

"Go snuggle with Nino," Rika snarled as she dodged with ease.

"She's in Tahiti though."

"Tahiti!?"

"Yeah, I won a single ticket, but made a bet. Loser stays behind and goes bald. I... lost."

"Well then that's your problem. Go warm up inside."

"But I can't! I hypnotized myself so I couldn't go inside until Nino-nee comes back."

"Just undo your own hypnosis though."

"..."

"Don't tell me you can't."

Ichika began to cry as she shivered rapidly.

"I became so good, I became unable to break free of my own hypnosis."

"Do you know about the deal mother made with me a few months ago?" Rika glared.

"Uh, what was it again?"

Rika rolled her eyes and threw a knife at a bush. Nino let out a pained scream as she emerged and pulled the knife out of her thigh.

"No bothering me of my staff until December of NEXT year," Rika glared.

"Oh boo! I heard December, and it's well into December!" Ichika fumed as her sad persona faded.

"How'd you know she was acting?" Nino glared.

"Cause I know Ichika's a masochist deep down," Rika replied.

"AM NOT! Nino-nee's the masochist!" Ichika blushed.

"She really isn't. You really don't know us that well at all," Nino glared.

"Well why would I? I hate you two along with the rest of the family. Now leave me be," Rika glared as she stormed away.

                                                                            ...

Ichika let out a muffled sigh as she laid on a sofa encased in hot wax.

"I retract what I said earlier, you are a masochist," Nino glared as she ripped the wax off Ichika's right leg.

"Mmph, ngh mmph ngh," Ichika protested.

"Part of the bet? You have me do this to you every day!" Nino fumed as she quickly ripped all the remaining wax off Ichika's exposed skin.

"I mean, I enjoy the thrill of punishments, but ever since I lost my hair, I've been treated like shit by father. Doesn't give me any big missions, tries to kill me each morning; he have something against cute bald girls!?"

"No, you, as well as me, were humiliated, PUBLICLY. You in particular were in the top 10 trending on Bitter the month it happened. You also ended up making the headlines in all the food magazines once Rebelle got wind of your blacklisting. And since you can't disguise yourself because of your damn bet, everyone recognizes you."

"Guess when you put it that way, I really am Stockholmed for punishment. Must be mother's genes. _! Why don't we go give her a trim for Christmas?"

"Hasue said she's off limits. You want your pretty smooth skin to be covered in whatever horrendous tattoos Hasue's satanic little mind can conjure?"

"But she's in prison."

"And is already the prison boss. She could break out any time she wishes."

"Geh, how bout a killspree?"

"The last time we went on one, Rebelle caught us. Just cause we're on the same side doesn't mean we're friends. You should be thankful that I had some of that punk's mohawk hairs on me to plant as evidence. Hmm, perhaps Rika should be thanking me since me planting Takeda's hair that I gathered from his place threw suspicion off her."

"What is with the commotion?" Yuugen glared as he walked into the room.

"Father, what is with the deal mother made months ago? Are you truly fine with it?" Nino asked.

"The situation has changed now that Helena has gone rouge. There is ample opportunity to make a succession play, however, Rika has set us at a disadvantage. My brother, however, feels that placating Rika will keep things calm. Considering he's involved, he may attempt a succession play of his own with Honoka. However, I only agreed to allow Alice to negotiate the deal with him and Rika because I can see my victory at the end of the tunnel. Nino, you are to carry the weight of assassinations. Ichika, hypnotize yourself to learn coding," Yuugen glared as he walked away.

"CODING!? What the hell!?" Ichika fumed.

"I believe it was because of that recent malware we got from Rebelle. Heard she got hacked horribly," Nino stated as she tied her hair up.

"I'm gonna go on a killspree."

"No, you're going to remain here," Nino glared as she shoved a vile of immobilization serum into Ichika's neck.

She then placed a headset on Ichika and sat her in front of a computer.

"Become an expert hacker when I come back and I might let you shave my head," Nino glared as she left.

"Like hell I can do that with just voice commands!" Ichika fumed.