Okay, guys, I wrote this a long time ago when I actually knew stuff about Artemis Fowl, but had only read the first book. So yeah, here you go. Don't give me flames about how it doesn't match the storyline or anything. xp
Captain Holly Short stepped through the door and stalked over to where Artemis Fowl was pacing. "You all right?" She asked, combing a hand through her red hair.
Artemis looked up and smiled for a moment. How unusual. He quickly returned his features to their usual the-world-could-explode-and-I-wouldn't-care calmness.
"Yes. What about you? Sorry we gave the LEPrecon such a hard time."
Holly blinked. Sorry? The Artemis Fowl she knew never said sorry.
"Uh, it's okay... Just glad to hear you're not hurt." She blinked again. What in the People's world had made her say that? Or in the mud-men's world, for that matter!
Artemis seemed just as surprised. He raised an eyebrow.
"You sure that explosion didn't get to your head?" He asked, brushing a flop of hair out of his face. It was as black as the famous Harry-something's hair that Holly had seen all over the place on her trips to the mud-men's world.
Flushing, which was odd for an elf, Holly sat in one of the chairs that were dotted in the otherwise empty room. Artemis took one across from her.
"Pretty bad, wasn't it?"
Holly nodded. "Root is sure to be furious with you."
His laugh was slightly cold. "Never did like that Root. Too...Purple."
She couldn't help laughing. Commander Root was purple. Especially when he was angry. Which he probably was right this very minute. Leaning back in her chair, Holly gazed at the metal ceiling. Silence for a moment.
"You didn't mean to do it, did you?" Holly's voice was barely more than a whisper, yet the words echoed.
Artemis sat up with a jolt. "You think I meant for this to happen? For one little thing to blow up half the Lower Elements?" His voice was angry and hurt. She looked guiltily at the floor.
It was amazing how one little experiment with a bomb that was supposed to blow up just one little house, could destroy half a city. An underground one, at that.
"No." She whispered.
Artemis looked at her, and his eyes softened. He ran his hands through his hair, sighing.
"Do you know how hard it is to be a fourteen year-old mastermind?"
"Is that what you call yourself?" Holly leaned across the space between the chairs and brushed the lock he'd missed off his forehead. He looked up at her and suddenly they were very close. Their lips were barely touching...
"SHORT! FOWL! GET IN HERE!"
They pulled away from each other, both bright crimson.
"Um, guess we'd better go," Artemis murmured, turning away. Holly nodded, too shocked to speak. They made their way out into the hall to see the plum-faced Commander Root.
Julius Root paced back and forth, glaring at Holly Short and Artemis Fowl. Captain Short was staring at the ground, her face oddly red. Her hands were clasped behind her back. The fourteen-year-old, Artemis, was looking to the side. He was slightly more composed than Holly, but still a bit flustered. Root wondered what was wrong with them. But that doesn't matter, he told himself, his gaze falling once more on Short."Well, do you have an explanation?" He barked at last. Holly kept her eyes on the floor and muttered, "I'm not sure exactly what happened, Commander. Ask Fowl." Captain Short's voice quivered slightly when she said the boy's name What under earth was the matter?
Root scowled, and turned to Artemis.
"Well?"
Artemis looked up. He met Root's gaze squarely for a moment.
"As you know, it was an experiment. For a bomb to blow up exactly one house, no more, no less. It..." He glanced at Holly, who didn't look back. "It went wrong."
"And...?"
The boy sighed. "I measured it wrong. Somehow."
"I see," Root said, boiling with anger. "I thought you were experienced with this sort of thing, Fowl!"
"I thought so, too." He glanced at Holly once more. This time she looked back.
"Yes, we thought so, too."
Yeah, it isn't that good. But whatever. I just thought I'd post it.