Summery: After being rescued by Holly from a toxic spill, Artemis feels different. He and Holly were covered in sludge, and now they're sprouting tails! Will the others find an antidote before kid and cop become cats?

A/N: This is set before The Opal Deception, except without the mind wipes. Possibly HollyXArtemis, I don't know, but feel free to tell me what you think. I got the idea for this from Chrono Crusade character Sinner Shader, and catguy/catgirl generators on drawing websites, and the ten thousand cat pictures I've drawn. This seems strange and warped, but it won't be cutesy and babyish.

Artemis Feline

How did she get into situations like this? What had she done to deserve them? That was all the thought that managed to break through Holly's mind as she stared at Artemis, from the shadow above a pipe, as the boy stood against a glass tank filled with a ghastly greenish liquid. If they both survived, she would slap him till he bled just for being there.

They were in a wide, open lab, seven guards surronding Artemis. He should have been smart enough to realise that would happen. What had possesed him to actually go into the lab? To mess with the computer! Usually, Holly would have asked about why he was there in the first place, but Foaly had been wondering about the contents of a human lab, which was why Holly was there. It was no surprise Artemis was there too. But why wasn't Butler nearby? The lack of manservant had left the boy as an easy target. Of course, if he had had any idea Holly was nearby, he wouldn't have his hands up, doing his best to talk his way out of the situation. Again, if they both made it out alive, there would be a good deal of teasing about that.

Holly tensed, ready to knock the seven unconcious without the need of a mindwipe, when a man in a lad coat ran in. Even from where she crouched, Holly wrinkled her nose against the strong smell of cats. Artemis's knowledgeable nod meant he knew exactly why the scientist smelled that way. Or had a strong hunch about it. The man began speaking, and Holly listened carefully. If not for herself, Foaly would kill her if he missed anything important.

"You little weasel!" Cried the man, pointing a wavering finger at Artemis, who imediately folded his arms and smirked. "How did you get in here?" Holly was wondering that herself. But, like the loch ness monster, flying saucers, and the human version of the theory of Atlantis, it was a mystery that man would never understand. Holly decided to ask Foaly first thing when she got back to Haven. "Be careful, man!" Continued the almost hysterical scientist. Artemis, still pressed against the foul vat, glanced at it. He was right. "If even a drop of that spills it'll be your head on a plate!" He turned to look back at Artemis, and an evil smile spread across his face. "But please, go ahead and kill the boy, he's seen too much." Artemis was smart enough to swallow hard, and Holly grinned at him. Then cocked her gun stun, and shot all seven of the men, and the scientist. Artemis stared in her direction, and she swooped down gracefully.

"Why do I always have to save you?" She asked sweetly. He smiled suavely.

"Maybe, Captain, you like me." Said the boy, watching Holly's look of horror. A feinted look of horror, by the way, but neither of them knew it.

"If that's what you think, mudboy, those hormones are messing with your brain." Artemis's smile turned to a grimace. Then his eyes widdened. Holly, spun around, knowing enough that any emotion from the Fowl heir at that moment couldn't be good. But it was too late, Holly fired two shots at the hidden marksman, both hitting, but not after he had shot his own. It grazed her elbow, sending her spinning into Artemis, and imbedded itself in the glass behind them, sending cracks spiralling along it's lenght, but not breaking the glass. They would have gotten away if the bullet had missed Holly, or if Artemis was stronger, as when she spun into the adolesant, the unexpected weight and pushed back against the vat. With enough frce to break it.

"Ahhh!" They managed twin screams before the were choking on disgusting green liquid, which was both thicker and stickier than originally thought. And the smells would have made them gag, if they weren't both, for a few seconds, completely covered and surronded by the stuff, which blocked every physical passage, and caused them both to pass out, if only for a few minutes. And by then they had swallowed gallons.

"That was the most disgusting thing I've ever tasted!" Moaned Holly, when she and Artemis awoke. "And I've had Julius's home cooking." Despite the urge to ask why she had tasted Commander Root's home made anything, Artemis merely nodded. He felt like throwing up. Whatever that stuff was, if it was deadly, he was a goner. And so was Holly.

Again, though he wanted to ask what she had been doing there, he assumed it had something to do with Foaly, and simply said: "Mind if I get a ride home? I got here by, ah, public means, since if I was caught on the roads I'd be arrested." Holly rolled her eyes.

"Do you really think I'd just leave you here, mudboy? Come on."

It was a unique trip back to Fowl manor. Why there was a science building four hours away was a mystery, but it was in the opposite direction to civilization, so that made more sense. Not to close as to get visitors often, not to far that it would seem hugely suspicious. But by air it was a quick trip, though very strange. Holly just picked up Artemis, he was reletively light, so she managed, and shielded. Not being, magic, Artemis had to shut his eyes tightly shut to avoid throwing up all over his taxi, as even though she was flying straight, the sheild meant she was never in exactly the same spot for more than a thousanth of a second.

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"Goodnight Fowl." Came Holly's voice, vibrating just outside Artemis the Second's window. It seemed the best place to drop him off. Both were still dripping in the now gelatinious slime, and both planned on immediate showers. Artemis even offered.

"Captain." He said fomaly. "If you wish to get the gunk out-"

"Nah." She dismissed his offer with the wave of a hand. "'Fraid I'll just be off, Artemis. And, technically, we're sort of friends now, so you can call me Holly."

He smirked. "I call you Holly anyway."

"Not just then you didn't. I'll be seeing ya 'round, Arty. Even if it is through Foaly's cameras." Without another word, she took off, but not before Artemis got the last word.

"Funny. That's exactly what I was going to say."

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"Anything good?" Asked Foaly the next fairy workday. "And sorry I wasn't on call; meetings. But I can check the camera footage. Anyway, what happened? Probally pretty boring, just a mudman's chemistry lab."

"Oh, it was interesting, all right." Replied Holly, deciding on the spot to edit out getting drenched in something to avoid health tests and a talk from her supiriors. She felt fine anyway. What could possibly have happened?

Okay, that was my first chapter, so please be kind. I'll do better, and go for longer, next time, I swear!