ShreyF
A side story from the UHT universe. 30 page comic pdf available on my patreon
The Multiversal Mandate
The familiar sanctuary of the bedroom felt entirely the same, yet the girl sitting before the mirror was irrevocably altered. Usagi stared at her reflection, her hands gingerly touching the prickly, buzzed sides of her head and the stark, spiked strip of blonde hair that remained atop her crown. It was a drastic, severe look, a far cry from the iconic, flowing odango she had worn for years. But to her, it was a necessity. The multiversal balance was not a theory; it was real, and the Hair Mass Index—the HMI—demanded a sacrifice.
She lowered her hands, her expression hardening into a mask of grim determination. She had done her part to save reality, and now, she had to make sure the other Guardians did theirs. The question of who to target first weighed heavily on her mind. Ami was far too analytical; she would immediately ask a barrage of scientific questions and demand peer-reviewed papers on the celestial mechanics of hair. Minako, vain and fiercely protective of her golden locks, would simply run away screaming at the mere mention of scissors. Makoto was physically overpowering; if she refused, there was absolutely no way Usagi could force her into a barber chair.
It had to be someone whose life was ruled by discipline. It had to be someone who intimately understood the concept of personal sacrifice for the greater good.
Rei.
Rei was devoted to her duty as a priestess above all else. Her loyalty to ancient hierarchies and spiritual decrees was absolute. If the gods demanded it, Rei wouldn’t hesitate for a single second. Usagi grinned, a slightly unhinged glint in her eye. She didn’t need to convince Rei with logic; she just needed to play the part of the gods. Telling Rei the unvarnished truth about multiversal Overseers would just make Rei think she had completely lost her mind. And sneaking into the shrine to shave Rei in her sleep was a guaranteed death sentence; the fiery priestess would undoubtedly wake up and set her on fire.
No, it had to be a divine decree. Rei respected the ancient hierarchy more than anything else in the world. Booting up a glowing, holographic tablet, Usagi utilized the advanced technology left behind by the Overseers to forge a highly convincing message from the Grand Priestess Council.
The Forgery at the Shrine
The clock struck 2:00 AM. The Hikawa Shrine was draped in absolute silence, the only sound the rustling of autumn leaves against the ancient wooden structures. Dressed head-to-toe in black tactical gear, Usagi crept across the sacred grounds. Her heart pounded furiously against her ribs. She felt like a ninja—a very guilty ninja.
Approaching the main offering box, she carefully produced a heavy, ornate wooden scroll. She tapped the center, and a glowing, ethereal seal materialized upon the surface. It was the seal of the Grand Priestess, forged to absolute perfection. She placed it gently onto the slatted wood, her breath catching in the cold night air as she whispered to herself that she was almost done.
Hours later, the sun broke over the horizon, casting a warm, golden glow over the shrine. At 6:30 AM, Rei emerged from her living quarters, clad in her pristine white hakama and vibrant red pleated skirt. Armed with a traditional bamboo broom, she began her morning ritual of sweeping the stone pathways. The rhythmic swish, swish of the bristles was suddenly interrupted.
Rei paused, her violet eyes locking onto the strange object resting on the offering box. It was a beautiful, ancient-looking scroll radiating a faint, magical aura. She approached cautiously, noting to herself that it absolutely had not been there the night before.
Hidden safely behind the thick foliage of a nearby bush, Usagi watched with bated breath, silently cheering, Here we go.
Rei picked up the scroll with white-gloved hands, unrolling the thick parchment. As her eyes scanned the elegant calligraphy, her expression shifted from mild curiosity to profound shock. The text detailed a critical cosmic imbalance. It spoke of celestial flow and a desperate need for stabilization. To achieve this, the decree explicitly demanded a mandatory “Warrior’s Crop”. The mandate was uncompromising: all active maidens were required to surrender their length.
Rei’s grip tightened on the parchment. Her mind raced with the gravity of the situation. This was not a suggestion; it was an order from the highest spiritual authority. She closed her eyes, bowing her head slightly in reverence. If the Grand Council decreed it to save their world, she had no choice but to obey.
The Eve of Sacrifice
That nighttime, the atmosphere in Rei’s bedroom was heavy with unspoken grief. The moonlight filtered through the window, casting long shadows across her vanity table. Rei sat perfectly still, staring at her own reflection. In her hand, she held a wooden bristle brush, pulling it slowly and methodically through her waist-length, raven hair.
She won’t lie to herself. This hurt.
The rhythmic brushing was a comfort she had known her entire life. She had been growing this dark, silken curtain out since she was a little girl. It was a defining feature, a symbol of her femininity, and her ultimate pride. But as she set the brush down on the vanity, her resolve hardened. Duty always came first.
She climbed into her bed, pulling the thick, blue comforter up to her chin. Her long hair splayed out across the white pillowcase like spilled ink. She closed her eyes, the weight of tomorrow pressing down on her chest. Tomorrow, everything changes.
The Final Wash
At 9:00 AM sharp, Rei pushed open the heavy glass doors of Salon D’Étoile. The salon was an oasis of modern luxury, filled with sleek mirrors, spotless countertops, and the faint, comforting aroma of expensive botanical hair products.
“Morning,” Rei announced softly. She paused in the doorway, taking a deep breath and reminding herself that it was just hair.
“Rei! My favorite client!” A cheerful voice rang out. The owner of the salon, a vibrant woman with bouncy pink hair named Cath, bounded over with a wide, welcoming smile. “You’re right on time!”.
Cath guided Rei to a plush leather styling chair. “Before we start, I have to ask a huge favor,” Cath said, clasping her gloved hands together pleadingly. “Your hair is so incredibly long and healthy. Could I please experiment with a few updo styles first?”. Cath gestured to her phone. “Just to take some photos for my portfolio?”.
Rei looked at her reflection in the towering mirror. She offered a small, resigned nod. “Sure. Go ahead,” she agreed softly. “It’s probably my last day with long hair anyway”.
Cath beamed and immediately led Rei to the washbasins for the final wash. Rei leaned back, resting her neck against the porcelain edge. As Cath turned on the faucet and began to work a rich, foaming lather into her tresses, Rei closed her eyes. The heavy, wet mass of her hair sank into the basin. It felt so heavy… like memory.
“Water temperature okay?” Cath asked gently, holding the showerhead over Rei’s dark locks.
“Yes, it’s perfect,” Rei murmured, letting the warmth soak away a fraction of her anxiety.
Back in the styling chair, Cath began the meticulous process of drying and brushing. Cath was taking so much care, treating every strand with the utmost respect. Rei watched the golden nozzle of the blow-dryer smooth out her raven locks. It almost makes this harder, Rei thought bitterly. It will all be gone soon. The brush pulled through the silky expanse, leaving it glossy and immaculate. Rei looked at the sheer volume cascading down her back. It feels so full… for now.
For the next hour, Cath transformed Rei into a living canvas. First, her hands wove the massive length into a complex, flowing waterfall braid. Cath snapped a few photos, marveling at the thickness. Next, she twisted the hair into a massive, intricate crown that made Rei look like ancient royalty. Finally, Cath gathered the dark silk into two massive, elegant buns atop Rei’s head.
After the final photos were taken, Cath pulled the pins out, leaving the hair freshly brushed and completely down. It was a perfect end to a long day for her beloved locks.
The Consultation
Cath stood behind Rei, hands resting lightly on the priestess’s shoulders. “What are we doing today?” Cath asked cheerfully, her eyes meeting Rei’s in the mirror. “Just a trim? Blunt bangs? Some cute layers?”.
Rei took a deep breath, her hands folding primly in her lap. “Thank you so much,” she began. “Okay, down to business”. Rei’s violet eyes steeled with absolute resolve. “We’re taking it all off”.
A loud CLATTER echoed through the quiet salon. Cath’s black carbon comb slipped from her fingers, striking the tiled floor. The stylist stared at Rei, her mouth agape in pure shock. “All of it?!” Cath gasped, her eyes wide. “Rei, are you serious? Did something happen? A bad breakup?”.
A faint blush dusted Rei’s cheeks, but her posture remained rigidly straight. “No,” she replied firmly, meeting Cath’s panicked gaze in the glass. “It is for a… sacred duty. I cannot reveal the details”.
Cath hesitated, her hands hovering nervously in the air. “A sacred duty… okay. If you’re absolutely sure“.
“I am sure,” Rei commanded. “Please, show me your extreme short options”.
Still reeling from the shock, Cath reached over and activated the digital catalog built into the wall beside the mirror. “Extreme short. Alright. Let’s look at the catalog,” she said, swiping through pages of highly stylized haircuts.
Cath pointed to a row of elegant, cropped styles. “If we must go extremely short, how about a chic French bob? Or a soft, textured pixie cut?”. She smiled hopefully, trying to salvage some length. “You have the perfect jawline for it, and it keeps some volume!”.
Rei barely glanced at them, shaking her head sharply. “No. Those still require styling and daily upkeep,” she dismissed. Her voice was devoid of emotion, echoing the harsh mandates of the scroll. “This isn’t a fashion statement. It is a surrender of vanity”.
Cath swallowed hard, finally understanding the severity of the request. “Okay…. skipping the fashion styles entirely,” she murmured, swiping aggressively to a hidden section of the catalog. “We are entering military and tactical territory now”.
Rei’s mind echoed the words she had read that morning at the shrine. The Grand Council’s decree demanded a “Warrior’s Crop.” It must reflect absolute discipline.
Cath tapped the screen, bringing up a row of severe, clipper-cut styles. She gestured to the most extreme options. “A full buzzcut is the ultimate extreme,” Cath explained, her voice dropping to a professional murmur. “Or there is the Caesar… heavy texture on top, with a very blunt, geometric fringe”.
Rei analyzed the images. A completely bare scalp was a monk’s path, an aesthetic of pacifism. But she was not just a priestess; she was a warrior priestess. She pointed to the image labeled ‘Caesar cut’. “The Caesar cut. That is the Warrior’s Crop,” Rei finalized.
Cath stared at the reference image, her professional composure cracking slightly. “A textured Caesar cut,” Cath repeated, ensuring there was no miscommunication. “Are you absolutely certain? It is incredibly stark”. She placed a hand near Rei’s neck to demonstrate. “It will fully expose your ears and your entire neck”.
Rei did not flinch. “I have nothing to hide from the gods,” she stated clearly. “Let’s do this”.
The Warrior’s Crop
The air in the salon grew solemn as Cath prepared for the chop. She pulled Rei’s immense length back, taking great care as she began sectioning the hair with bright pink elastic bands. The heavy, dark mass was tied off into multiple thick ponytails, isolating the bulk to make the radical transformation manageable.
Cath picked up her longest, sharpest shears. She positioned the blades just above the first pink band, near the nape of Rei’s neck. With a deep breath, Cath closed the handles.
SNIP!.
The sound was shockingly loud. The first thick ponytail sheared away from Rei’s head and plummeted downward, hitting the styling station with a heavy, hollow thud. Rei watched her reflection closely. One by one, the shears bit through the thick sections of her identity.
With the massive bulk removed, Cath moved into the rapid cutting phase. Her shears danced over Rei’s head, aggressively hacking away the remaining length until Rei was left with a choppy, uneven pixie cut.
Rei’s eyes widened slightly. She turned her head side to side. Her ears were completely exposed to the open air. It’s so light, Rei thought, a wave of shock washing over her. I feel the air conditioning on my scalp.
But a messy pixie was not the final destination. Cath reached beneath her station and retrieved a heavy, black electric clipper. She attached a short plastic guard to the metal teeth. The final pass had arrived.
Cath flipped the switch. BZZZZZT. The deep, mechanical hum vibrated through the quiet salon. Cath utilized a precision guard to ensure the perfect, uniform length required by the Caesar style.
Cath pressed the clippers against the back of Rei’s neck and pushed them upward against the grain of the hair. The metal buzzed against Rei’s skull, leaving a perfectly manicured, shadowed fade in its wake. Cath moved methodically around the sides, over the ears, and finally across the top, buzzing the texture down to a fraction of an inch. Each pass brought every single stray hair into absolute alignment. It was a masterpiece of absolute precision, a testament to absolute uniformity.
When the clippers finally clicked off, the silence in the salon was deafening. Rei stared at the stranger in the mirror. She reached a gloved hand up, running her palm over the top of her head. It feels different, she thought, marveling at the bizarre sensation. Stiff. Prickly. And yet… as she lowered her hand, a profound sense of spiritual relief washed over her. The weight is finally, completely gone.
Surrounded by a literal mountain of her own shorn, raven locks blanketing the floor around the leather chair, Rei felt a bizarre, unexpected peace. This burden was finally lifted.
She stood up, brushing a few stray clippings from her shoulders, and bowed deeply to her stylist. “Thank you. You did an excellent job,” Rei said, her voice filled with genuine gratitude.
Cath smiled back, still slightly bewildered but supportive of her client’s journey. She opened the glass door for her. “Have a… good sacred duty, Rei!” Cath called out as Rei stepped onto the bustling street.
The Confession and The Chase
By mid-afternoon, the sun was beginning its descent, casting long shadows over the stone lanterns of the Hikawa Shrine. Usagi skipped confidently up the main path, her hands tucked into the pockets of her casual denim jacket, a brown paper bag overflowing with treats swinging by her side.
“Rei-chaaan!” Usagi hollered cheerfully, projecting an air of complete innocence. “I brought snacks!”.
Rei, standing near the main hall in her traditional priestess garb, turned slowly. The visual dissonance was staggering. The classic, flowing robes of the ancient shrine contrasted violently with her stark, severe, modern Caesar cut.
Usagi stopped dead in her tracks. Her jaw unhinged. The brown paper bag slipped from her fingers, hitting the stone steps and spilling cookies and pastries everywhere. “Rei! Your hair!” Usagi shrieked in genuine shock.
Rei stood tall, her hands confidently resting on her hips. A serene, accomplished smile graced her lips. “I received a decree from the Grand Council,” Rei announced proudly, her voice ringing out across the courtyard. “I have sacrificed my hair to balance the celestial flow”.
Usagi’s stomach twisted into a violent knot. She stared at Rei’s naked scalp, the sheer level of devotion radiating from the priestess. She looks so proud, Usagi thought, the guilt rising like bile in her throat. I can’t do it. I can’t lie to her!.
The immense weight of what she had done crashed down upon the blonde trickster. Usagi collapsed to her knees on the stone pathway, tears dramatically streaming down her face. She pointed both index fingers to the sky in a desperate plea for mercy.
“I’M SORRY!” Usagi wailed at the top of her lungs. “There is no Grand Council! It’s the multiversal Overseers! The Hair Mass Index! I forged the scroll so you would help me balance the universe!”.
The serene, proud smile vanished from Rei’s face instantly. Her violet eyes widened in disbelief, before rapidly narrowing into terrifying slits of pure, unadulterated rage. The temperature in the courtyard skyrocketed. Rei’s face flushed a furious crimson, and a massive sphere of raging, blue-hot fire ignited directly in the palm of her white-gloved hand.
“YOU FORGED A SACRED DECREE?!” Rei roared, her voice vibrating with demonic fury. “I WILL TURN YOU TO ASH!”.
“I saved the universe! Acknowledge my heroics!” Usagi screamed, scrambling to her feet as Rei launched a blistering fireball directly at her head.
What followed was a chase of epic proportions. Usagi sprinted down the shrine steps with a new kind of speed fueled by pure terror, the furious, buzzed priestess hot on her heels, hurling explosive spheres of flame into the afternoon sky.
Eventually, the adrenaline faded, leaving Rei panting, exhausted, and rubbing her severely cropped head. “Okay. I hate you,” Rei admitted, glaring daggers at the blonde girl. “But… it is very efficient for fighting. If the HMI necessity is real, I accept this”.
Usagi, still hiding behind a trash can, breathed a massive sigh of relief.
The Next Target
Later that evening, the two severely shorn warriors found themselves engaging in some supermarket stalking. Crouched low behind a large potted fern in the produce aisle, Usagi and Rei peered through the fronds toward the dairy section.
There, looking incredibly tall and powerful in a green striped shirt, was Makoto. Her massive, wavy brunette ponytail swung gently behind her as she thoughtfully inspected a carton of milk.
Usagi pulled out a glowing holographic tablet, displaying a spinning graphic titled the “HMI SACRIFICE WHEEL”. There she is… the next target, Usagi thought, a familiar, plotting gleam returning to her eyes.
Rei watched Makoto, rubbing her own bristly scalp. Mako-chan’s sacred flow… could my hair be the key? Rei pondered silently. However, Rei also knew the reality of their friend’s sheer physical power. Mako-chan is going to be a lot harder to convince than I was, Rei noted to herself.
Usagi, clutching a brown paper bag of groceries, was already muttering her next diabolical scheme. “Grooming standard… grooming standard…” she whispered repeatedly, her eyes locked on Makoto.
Usagi turned to Rei, a wicked smile spreading across her face. She tapped a picture of a severe military cut on her tablet. “Don’t worry,” Usagi assured the priestess, her mind already spinning a new web of multiversal lies. “I have an idea involving a ‘National Strength Competition’ that requires a very specific… grooming standard”.
