Okay, this is my first... well, second fanfic I work on, and I hope you all enjoy it, especially since it's the work of a beginner. Do enjoy!
I DO NOT OWN ARTEMIS FOWL!! (c) Eoin Colfer
Chapter 1: New Reunions
A continuation of The Lost Colony (Or so my mind says)
Saint Bartleby's School Gym, Ireland
If you didn´t know Artemis Fowl, then you'd think he was probably here to watch a girls' volleyball game with the Butlers, Minerva Paradizo and another unknown teen, but if you did, then you'd know that if he came to watch something that didn't interest him, especially sports, then something was up. That something was a nine-day trip to Cancún, Mexico, with the whole trip paid. Of course, Artemis could have paid for it himself, but Juliet insisted that he'd 'relax' and forget about his plans for a while, if a while could be counted as three long years.
"Seriously Butler," He groaned, bored. "Do we really have to go on this trip?"
"I did not enter the contest, Juliet did."
Two months previously, Juliet, who had a nice vacation after the Mexican wrestling tour for a month, had seen and advertisement on the Irish Times which said that you could win a free trip for six to Cancun to one of its most exclusive hotels, Templo del Zafiro if you completed the phrase: Kiss me, I'm Irish, and of course, the difficult part, translating it into at least five languages. For this, Juliet had to make Artemis translate it into Spanish, French, Italian, Russian, and German, which he did grudgingly, due to the fact that Artemis was in the middle of his plans, more accurately, meditating, and he obviously didn't like being disturbed when in process because he lost his train of thought, but the main reason he did it was because he knew how harsh Juliet's temper can be, and he didn't like messing with that. Of course, Juliet won the contest, but she didn't know who she would take, so she made Butler and Artemis go with her (made was a gentle term as forced would've been more appropiate.), and invited Minerva Paradizo, Gregory Paradizo, Minerva's cousin, and Alison Gallegos, Minerva's friend from Spain who happened to be playing in the volleyball game, about to serve.
Minerva, who happened to be seated next to Artemis, heard him. "Artemis, you could be nice and appreciate that you're going to one of the most beautiful beaches in Mexico, and if it makes you happy, the game is almost over."
"You said that about twenty minutes ago, and it's still not over!" Artemis hissed.
"Yes, well, sorry about that, but it happens that I don't play for my school team!" Minerva retorted.
"Nevertheless, but this trip better relax me. No more trouble for me."
Butler nodded, then he went back to looking around when he noticed that Juliet wasn't with him. He turned to look at Minerva.
"Minerva, where is Juliet?" He said, still looking around as though she might pop out from some unexpected area, a thing she had been doing lately since the day she came back.
Instead of Minerva answering, it was Artemis who answered. " She's on the first row. She said that she prefers to watch the game from up close than being in the last row. She doesn't seem afraid of being hit."
"Minerva," Butler said, looking relieved and letting out a great sigh he didn't realize he'd been holding. "Sorry to ask you this, but who's the boy next to you again?"
Minerva sighed and fixed her glasses. "This is Gregory Paradizo, my American cousin, he came to visit the family for a few weeks, and once the trip to Cancún is over, he goes back home, right Greg?" She turned to look at him.
Gregory, a fourteen-year-old boy of about five foot four, with stunning dark-green eyes and dirty blond hair, nodded. The family resemblence was obvious. For a moment, he seemed to have smiled a small smile when he saw Butler, but he went back to watching the game, with seriousness painted on his face.
"Anything wrong, Greg?" Butler asked, eyeing him carefully, raising an eyebrow.
"No." Greg responded, not looking at him.
"What part of the United States do you come from, Gregory?" Artemis asked, looking at him with a smug look on his face.
"St. Louis, Missouri."
"I presume that where the famous Arch resides?" The Irish boy commented.
"Uh-huh." It was all Greg could say to such a simple question.
There was an icy silence between Artemis and Greg, and for five long minutes no one said a word, not until Juliet came running toward them, almost running over people who were still sitting, and she had a bright look on her face.
"Ali's team won! How exciting!" Juliet yelled.
"Ali?" Artemis wondered. "Who is she?"
"You know, Alison, Minerva's friend, but everyone calls her Ali for short."
"So its over, right?" Butler asked, looking relieved.
"Yes..." Juliet noticed something. "Why so relieved looking, big brother?"
Butler didn´t answer, and of course he wouldn´t answer. Next to hotels, being in a gym was a bodyguard´s worst nightmare because there were so many people , and the exit routes happened to be far away from where Artemis and Co. happened to be. And besides, what if one of those smiling teenagers holding hands, sitting in front of Butler had a gun insides his or her pockets? You never know.
"Let us all go then." Artemis said, rising to his feet wearing a satisfied smile.
"Ali and I are going to meet you at the school entrance. She has to go change and get her things," Minerva repiled, also standing to her feet, starting to walk away. "So I'll see you then." Minerva waved at them and left, following a group of young people.
When she dissapeared, Juliet looked at the teenage boys and Butler. "You know, I´m just going to go with Minerva and meet you guys at the entrance."
Juliet left, trailing behind a pair of 9th grade girls from the nearby public school, leaving the 3 males to look at each other quietly in the noisy room.
Butler looked uncomfortably at Artemis, who was checking his manicured nails and rolling his eyes, and then at Greg, who had his hands inside his pockets, looking around with those stunning dark green eyes. Butler knew that Artemis didn't hang out with the boys in his class, not that the boys had tried, but Artemis simply refused them, but Butler thought that this was too much, so he decided to break the silence and give it a go.
"So, are you two the same age? 14?" Butler asked casually, not looking at the two boys.
It was Gregory who responded, looking at Butler for the first time straight in the eyes and noticing his height. Butler had that effect on most sane people. He winced for a second, but decided that he didn't mind as much. "I suppose, I was born in October, and I'm fourteen."
"I was born in September and I'm also fourteen as you very well know Butler." Artemis answereda look of knowledge on his face, his eyes traveling towards Greg and back to Butler. Actually, he should be seventeen because of the three missing years. Butler nodded.
"Well... any sports you do Greg?" Butler asked, giving communication another shot.
"Yeah, I'm on the school's basketball and football team, but for now, I'm on vacation apparently."
Butler was surprised. Even Artemis himself was surprised. This was the first full sentence Greg had said all night, and even though Artemis had just met him on that very same day, he could tell that Greg didn´t talk alot, let alone he wouldn´t be surprised if Greg was shy.
"I think we all should get going," Artemis concluded, ending the uncomfortable conversation between the three of them. "We´ve been here for a while and I wouldn´t be surprised if the girls are waiting for us when we are supposed to wait for them..." Artemis chuckled at his own joke, but when he remembered where he was, and who he was with, he regained his usual serious composure, hoping nobody heard him. Interesting in fact, that joke was. Artemis wasn't acostumed to telling girl jokes, especially when he wasn't around girls often.
And they left, Butler leading the way while Artemis and Greg trailed behind, not talking to each other. It took them at least five minutes to get across a crowd of adults and teenagers who were equally excited like Juliet had been a few minutes earlier. When they managed to cross the sea of people, they made it for the main hall, and at the entrance they saw Juliet, Minerva and a girl with black-brown hair that seemed to get to the length between her chest and shoulders, which was held in a messy bun, and she had dark brown eyes which had a sparkle in them, straight teeth, and her skin seemed to glow a really light tan.
Artemis couldn't help noticing this girl's beauty, those features, and especially those eyes which seemed to hypnotize not only him, but some other onlooking boys who turned to stare at her. So this was the famous Alison Gallegos, Artemis thought as he walked closer to the group. It still surprised him how powerful puberty was, first noticing Minerva, and how he had gotten nervous to see her after his absence, and even more when Butler had told him she was quite a beauty, and indeed she was, and the Irish boy was still stunned by it. But this Alison girl was different. This new person had the ability to make Artemis not only appreciate her pretty face and the dazzling smile, but what seemed to be the toughness and proudness he perceived from those fiery eyes. Artemis couldn't stop looking at her.
"So you're the amazing Artemis Fowl, right? Minerva talks alot about you." The girl named Alison said, smiling at the Irish boy, holding her hand up. He blushed a bit.
"Yes, pleased to meet you finally." Artemis responded, taking her hand and shaking it. "Minerva talked about you also. Before this trip, of course."
Alison smiled and then she saw Greg walking behind Artemis. "Hey Greg, I didn't know you were coming!"
Greg looked at her straight in the eyes and gave her a small smile and a a nod.
"You know him?" Artemis questioned, raising an eyebrow. Gregory nodded and Alison beamed.
"Yeah, we've known each other since we were twelve, and besides, we went to the same school for a while. It's great! So," She looked at everyone else. "Are we ready to leave?"
"Yes, so everyone out of this building and get on the Bentley. And that's an order." Butler said firmly, ushering the teenagers out of the school.
And they did, but quickly because none of them wanted to experience what would happen if they didn't obey Butler's order.
What do you think so far? I realize this chappie is rather short, but making you get acquainted with the new characters would take a while, so to the point, some of these people do exist, and don't worry, you'll get to know them a bit more throughout the story.
Please Rate and Review! It would really help!!
I'll get the next chappie out as soon as I figure out how to get a new chapter out! (Yes, I am new on this, so my knowledge is limited.) So if I hear complains of why it's taking so long, now you all know why.