Okay, this is my next Artemis Fowl fic, I have no idea where it's going but
thank you to everybody who reviewed my last AF fic. Ladeda, this one is at
your request. (
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Artemis paced up and down the stage behind the curtain, wondering why his parents weren't out there yet. He was graduating the 8th grade and he was the valedictorian. He peeked past the curtain again. Butler and Juliet were there, where were his parents?
"Artemis, we can't delay any longer, we must start the ceremony even without your parents," the Dean put a hand on Artemis's shoulder and Artemis flinched and backed away.
"Of course. I was just going to suggest that. Useless to wait." Artemis took his place standing beside the other students, already arranged on benches.
The curtain was drawn back and the Dean of Students spoke from the podium. "Welcome to St. Bartleby's for the annual graduation ceremony!" The audience gave polite applause and he continued. "These fine young gentleman are the future. They will be the engineers, the architects, the leaders of our community, and the leaders of major corporations." Several of the students had fathers who owned major corporations and would likely inherit them upon their father's death. "And now our valedictorian, a boy who has the highest tested IQ of anyone who has ever gone to this fine school, a very unique boy, Artemis Fowl the second."
Artemis walked over to the podium, when he spoke his voice was soft and clipped. "Parents, students, teachers, and anyone else who does not wish to be here, I welcome you. And I pity you. Like I, you were unable to avoid coming here today, my parents were lucky enough not to have that problem and managed to avoid appearing. But as you are hear now you must be forced to listen to my words or leave. There really is no third option. If you believe the pathetic group standing behind is adequately prepared to face the world, they aren't. They've learned nothing here that they will ever use and you have wasted your money and their time if you think otherwise. They have knowledge, yes, but without proper application it is useless. I highly doubt St. Bartleby's has properly trained them in the ways in which this knowledge will be of use in the business world. I, however, have trained myself and would like to say now, that I shall crush any business competition that comes my way. Go enjoy the cake and punch that the school has provided. To my classmates I say this: enjoy your last summer before you must enter high school and become the low man on the totem pole. Enjoy your last summer as carefree children because you will be crushed eventually and at last, after your ruin if not before, you will turn into piteous whining old men who sit about smoking and complaining. You have been warned." He gave a vampire-like smile and returned to his place.
No applause followed his speech.
The Dean went back to the podium. "Er, yes. As I said before, Artemis is one of our more unique students, never known another student to drive out as many of the school councilors as he has." He laughed to try and relieve the tension. "This class has come far and learned a great deal in it's years here and will never be forgotten. The class president, Alfred Davenport would like to say something."
A pudgy boy with sandy hair got up and went to the podium. "Our class would like to present the school with a brand new flagpole and flag of Ireland."
The parents and faculty in the audience applauded.
"It will be put up this summer so that the other classes will have it when they start school in fall and we can see it when we visit."
"Thank you, Alfred," said the Dean. Alfred returned to his place. "As Artemis pointed out there are refreshments in the lobby. I have just two more words to say to our graduates: Good Luck!"
The graduates came off the stage in two orderly lines, as they had practiced.
"Butler, Juliet, wait here just a few moments and I'll be out as soon as I dispose of these garments." He was referring to the maroon graduation gown and the mortarboard he'd been forced to wear over his Armani suit.
"Shouldn't we take a picture for your parents, Arty?"
"No, Juliet," he said coldly.
Butler put a hand on his shoulder. "They wanted to come. Just before the ceremony started we got a call from your parents saying their flight had been delayed because of bad weather."
Artemis surrendered and allowed his bodyguard and his bodyguard's sister to take photos of him before he went to remove the robe and hat. He wondered idly just what was happening underground.
Artemis paced up and down the stage behind the curtain, wondering why his parents weren't out there yet. He was graduating the 8th grade and he was the valedictorian. He peeked past the curtain again. Butler and Juliet were there, where were his parents?
"Artemis, we can't delay any longer, we must start the ceremony even without your parents," the Dean put a hand on Artemis's shoulder and Artemis flinched and backed away.
"Of course. I was just going to suggest that. Useless to wait." Artemis took his place standing beside the other students, already arranged on benches.
The curtain was drawn back and the Dean of Students spoke from the podium. "Welcome to St. Bartleby's for the annual graduation ceremony!" The audience gave polite applause and he continued. "These fine young gentleman are the future. They will be the engineers, the architects, the leaders of our community, and the leaders of major corporations." Several of the students had fathers who owned major corporations and would likely inherit them upon their father's death. "And now our valedictorian, a boy who has the highest tested IQ of anyone who has ever gone to this fine school, a very unique boy, Artemis Fowl the second."
Artemis walked over to the podium, when he spoke his voice was soft and clipped. "Parents, students, teachers, and anyone else who does not wish to be here, I welcome you. And I pity you. Like I, you were unable to avoid coming here today, my parents were lucky enough not to have that problem and managed to avoid appearing. But as you are hear now you must be forced to listen to my words or leave. There really is no third option. If you believe the pathetic group standing behind is adequately prepared to face the world, they aren't. They've learned nothing here that they will ever use and you have wasted your money and their time if you think otherwise. They have knowledge, yes, but without proper application it is useless. I highly doubt St. Bartleby's has properly trained them in the ways in which this knowledge will be of use in the business world. I, however, have trained myself and would like to say now, that I shall crush any business competition that comes my way. Go enjoy the cake and punch that the school has provided. To my classmates I say this: enjoy your last summer before you must enter high school and become the low man on the totem pole. Enjoy your last summer as carefree children because you will be crushed eventually and at last, after your ruin if not before, you will turn into piteous whining old men who sit about smoking and complaining. You have been warned." He gave a vampire-like smile and returned to his place.
No applause followed his speech.
The Dean went back to the podium. "Er, yes. As I said before, Artemis is one of our more unique students, never known another student to drive out as many of the school councilors as he has." He laughed to try and relieve the tension. "This class has come far and learned a great deal in it's years here and will never be forgotten. The class president, Alfred Davenport would like to say something."
A pudgy boy with sandy hair got up and went to the podium. "Our class would like to present the school with a brand new flagpole and flag of Ireland."
The parents and faculty in the audience applauded.
"It will be put up this summer so that the other classes will have it when they start school in fall and we can see it when we visit."
"Thank you, Alfred," said the Dean. Alfred returned to his place. "As Artemis pointed out there are refreshments in the lobby. I have just two more words to say to our graduates: Good Luck!"
The graduates came off the stage in two orderly lines, as they had practiced.
"Butler, Juliet, wait here just a few moments and I'll be out as soon as I dispose of these garments." He was referring to the maroon graduation gown and the mortarboard he'd been forced to wear over his Armani suit.
"Shouldn't we take a picture for your parents, Arty?"
"No, Juliet," he said coldly.
Butler put a hand on his shoulder. "They wanted to come. Just before the ceremony started we got a call from your parents saying their flight had been delayed because of bad weather."
Artemis surrendered and allowed his bodyguard and his bodyguard's sister to take photos of him before he went to remove the robe and hat. He wondered idly just what was happening underground.