A/N: What is it w/ AF and SP? They're SO similar but it's like nobody is willing to mix them! Well no more ppls! I present to you.... The Genius and the Skeleton.

*

Something Weird

"WHAT?!" Holly Short glared at her commander.

"Calm down Holly, it'll just be for a few months."

"A few months living in a human residence, going to a human school and eating human food?!"
Trouble Kelp knew this was going to be difficult, but Holly was the elf with the most expertise on humans. "Captain Short, you will live in the residence for two months, you will make sure nobody is suspicious of you, you will also investigate that anomally the Foaly has picked up. Do you understand?"

"Yessir." She grumbled.

It was only when Holly had finished her briefing and packing the few things she was allowed to bring (a snack for the journey, a human-sized brush that Artemis' mother had given her, and some other things) that she called Artemis.

He answered on the second ring.

"Yes?"

"I'm going to the surface."

"Why?"

Holly spoke through gritted teeth. "I'm being forced to a place called Haggard to investigate a disturbance Foaly was... disturbed at. Apparently I'm the one with most experience with humans."

She heard him chuckle gently. "You are probably the only fairy in the LEP that calls us humans and not mud men... well most of us."

Holly smirked. "That's right mud boy—almost all of you. Listen, I'm going to be disguised as a human school girl – about your age – and I'm going to be living in someone's house as an exchange student. Do you know where Haggard is?"

"No. However I can easily find out. Do you want me to enrol temporarily in the school?"

"I wouldn't mind some help but you don't have to. Could you just... live there for a little while? Foaly's going to ask you for help anyway, this thing his sensors... sensed, well, it's big and weird."

Artemis laughed loudly, once. "I guess 'big and weird' is one thing to call it..."

Of course. "Artemis, you already know what's going on, don't you?"

"I didn't know you were being sent up for it. How long?"
"Two months."

"Why two months?"

"Because it's believable for an exchange student."

"Six months is believable for an exchange student."

"Way too long."

"What if you need more than two months?"

"Then I'll stay, but out of sight. This whole charade is to investigate the locals."

Eight hours later, Holly Short was human-looking and in school, wearing the itchy school uniform and standing uncomfortably next to Artemis who hadn't been allowed to come unless he was enrolled as an exchange student, he was under the assumed name of Aristo Holt and he was supposed to be from the same school that Holly was supposed to be from.

For the first half of the school day they would be shown around by their respective hosts, and then after Lunch they would join said host in their classes.

Artemis' host was a boy called Remus Jackson; Holly was to be taken by someone called Stephanie Edgely.

*

Valkyrie couldn't believe her luck. The one day she was forced to go to school and she got half the day off! On the downside she'd have to tow around a snooty girl from some posh private school, but hopefully she wouldn't be too bad. The exchange students were being introduced to the student body, there were eight of them, all pairs from different schools.

There was one girl who didn't look that bad, her hair was auburn and cropped, one eye was hazel and the other dark blue, that paired with her light brown skin made her look mischievous.

Valkyrie knew she wouldn't be lucky enough to end up with her.

The principal was calling out the names of the students and their wards, when each name was called the students would walk up and take their exchange student.

Valkyrie couldn't believe her luck. She got the red-head! For a moment there she thought she was going to have to take the blonde bimbo that openly turned her nose up at them.

When she reached the red-head – Holly Short – Valkyrie smiled.

"Stephanie." She said, extending a hand.

"I guessed. Holly." Holly shook it.

"I guessed. Shall we go?"

"Sure. See you Art—" t seemed like she cut herself off. Which was weird. Valkyrie glanced at the boy, and was shocked to see he had the same eyes.

"Are you related?"

"No. C'mon, let's go."

"OK."

*

D'Arvit, D'Arvit, D'Arvit! How could I have been so stupid! Of course she would ask if Artemis and I were related! I should havbe said we were. Now we have a curious school girl to worry about. Mind you, she's not a genius as most human school-aged kids I know are so I might get lucky...

"And this is the Office. And this ends our tour. What do you wanna do?"

Holly blinked and stared at Stephanie. "Er... what is there to do?"

"At school, with no classes? Nothing. I don't suppose you have a good book with you?"

"She doesn't but I do."

Artemis was behind them, with Remus, a gangly teenager that looked like he was in panic mode.

"What have you done to the poor kid, Art?"

Artemis put his hands up. "I swear I've done nothing but explain to him that his theory on space-time is completely and utterly wrong. Is that so bad?"

"Yes. It's very bad."

"Fine. Do you want the book?"

"Which book?" Stephanie spoke up, looking suspicious.

Artemis looked at her. "The Vampire Lestat. One of my mother's favourites. I knew you wouldn't bring anything to do, Holly."

"Cough it up mud boy."

He raised an eyebrow but said nothing as he handed Holly the book.

*

Holly Short's case diary. Entry #1.

After school Stephanie led me to her house, where I will be staying for the next two months. She doesn't have any friends that I am aware of. She seems like a social misfit; the only thing strange about her is that there was a Bentley by the pier, with a man that was completely covered up in the driver's seat, she glanced at it quickly, and I saw her mouth just a minute. When we got to her house she introduced me to her parents and said she needed to go to the toilet. When she came back she was kind of... blank. She showed me around the house, but refrained from talking. I was woken up in the middle of the night by the sound a window sill slamming open, I rushed to my own window and opened it just in time to see the man from the Bentley climb out, he stared to turn his head and I shielded. I went back in the room because it was cold, just to get my blanket, when I looked out again Stephanie was sitting on her windowsill crying, the man was nowhere in sight.

Something really weird is going on in Haggard and I think I'm in the right house to find out what.