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Lance paced over the silk carpet in his room, looking over his holo-pad notes. The palace’s Christmas Gala was nearly upon them, Lance serving as the prime organizer. He had already briefed the other knights on their outfits, but realised with dawning horror-
“My dear Hamletta, I have never seen Jestro without his hat.”
Hamletta looked up with her compassionate eyes.
“And I can’t let him wear a jester hat to a gala, can I?” Lance asked. He shuddered, and checked his watch. It was late, there was no telling if his most chaotic friend was dead asleep or dancing around a campfire with Lavaria and the lava monsters.
Lance sighed melodramatically. He must simply wait till morning. He kissed Hamletta on the head and adjusted a silk blanket over both of them, soon drifting off to sleep.
The palace was aglow in green and red. Jestro was dressed in the same as he stepped out of his holo-carriage with a wide smile, simply delighted to be there. Lance rushed up to him, catching him by the sleeve.
“Jestro, we have twelve minutes before we become unfashionably late. Follow me, I’ll do something with your hair.”
Jestro blinked in surprise, but complied, pulling off his hat. Lance withheld a grimace as he stared down black, scruffy hair that Jestro had probably cut himself.
“Okay. Okay. I can work with this. Let me just-” He took a brush and spray bottle from a squirebot, but when he turned back, nearly jumped from his skin.
Somehow, Jestro’s head was now uncut, instead bursting out in the most hideous mop of hat-hair. It would take hours to comb out!
Lance cursed internally- It was unclassy to do so aloud- and paced, trying to think. The guests were filling in. As he turned around, about to announce that he may have to cut Jestro’s hair-
Two long pigtails sat atop his head, right where the spires of his hat had been.
“You’re doing this on purpose!” Lance exclaimed, grabbing Jestro by the shoulders. “Some kind of dastardly spell!”
“I am?” Jestro asked, puzzled.
Lance hadn’t even blinked when the pigtails were gone and- The poor jester had no hair at all, just a shiny circle atop his head.
Lance choked on a scream and found himself sitting bolt-upright in bed. Hamletta was still snoring beside him. Carefully, as not to wake her, Lance shot out of bed, bolted from the manor, vaulted onto his hover-horse, and skedaddled for Jestro’s house.
It was still barely morning when the knight arrived, but Jestro opened the door of his humble cottage anyway. “Oh, hey Lance! How are you?”
Lance quickly waved away the pleasantries. “Jestro, as your friend, I need to know what your natural hair looks like for the gala.”
Jestro frowned in slight confusion. “I was thinkin’ of just keeping the hat. I mean, it suits me.”
Lance shook his head in exasperation, forgiving his friend's lack of social grace. “Please, just- trust me.”
“Alright…” Jestro shrugged, and pulled off his hat, letting down-
The most flowing, curling, cascading, shining ebony locks Lance had ever seen.
Lance sat up sharply in bed, actually screaming this time. He grasped his head, confirming to himself, yes, the most exquisite hair in the kingdom was still there. He gasped for breath, glancing around his room to be sure it was real this time. Hamletta looked up in concern.
He sighed, leaning back again. “Oh, let Jestro wear his hat,” he sighed. “It’s his signature style.” He pulled up his blanket and fell back asleep.