AN: Set at any time during the books. Enjoy.

The Barber

Otto ran a hand over his snow white hair. "It's starting to lay flat," he said. "I don't like it." He glanced over at Laura who was reading beside him on the atrium couch.

"Is it really," she murmured distractedly without looking up from her book.

"I don't suppose you could give it a trim?" he asked hopefully.

"I guess. If you want to look like Block and Tackle."

Otto frowned. He looked to Wing, who sat on the couch opposite. "What about you, Wing? You're secretly a master hairdresser, right?"

Wing raised an eyebrow. "Afraid not. But I'm willing to try my hand if absolutely necessary."

"Hm. Let's hope it doesn't come to that," Otto muttered. "I wonder if Shelby could do it."

"You want me to cut your hair?" Shelby's enthusiastic voice came from directly behind Otto, making him jump.

He turned toward her. "Umm. Maybe."

"I'd LOVE to!" Shelby gleefully rubbed her hands together. "This is gonna be epic! I can color it too. I'm thinking… should it be green or orange, Brand?"

"On second thought, I don't need a haircut," Otto hastily interjected. "I'll just grow it out like Wing."

Shelby burst out laughing as Laura jerked her head to glare at Otto. "No. Absolutely not. End of subject." She went back to her book.

Otto gave a defeated sigh. "The Barber it is…"

xxxxxxxxxx

The hall where Laura, Shelby, and Wing waited was eerily deserted.

H. I.V.E.'s barber shop was tucked deep into a maze of featureless corridors where students rarely wandered. A cheery red and white barber pole was bolted next to the steel blast doors that were the only entrance to the shop. No sound came from within and Laura chose to take this as a good sign.

Suddenly there was the clank of a lock disengaging and the doors groaned open, seemingly of their own volition. The brightly lit hallway made it hard for the three to see into the shop's shadowy interior. A moment later, a very trim looking Otto came bolting out, skidding to a stop beside his friends. The doors slammed shut behind him.

Laura looked at him sympathetically. "What did he use this time? Battleaxes? Circular saws?"

Otto shuddered. "Throwing knives." He nervously patted his head. "It's not uneven, is it?"

"No, it looks grea -" Laura was cut off by a mechanical whirring sound. A sign was lowering from the ceiling in front of the barber shop door.

NO LOITERING, it said in giant red letters.

They ran.

If the H.I.V.E. barber is this bad, just imagine the dentist...

Feedback and suggestions encouraged.