This is my first fanfiction in English. Please don't go away because of the
grammatical, spelling or syntactic mistakes and review, it could help me. I hope you'll enjoy
it.
Disclaimer : I do not own the characters nor the places contained in Artemis Fowl.
1. The accident
The pale boy lay unconscious among the remains of his jet aircraft. Blood was
trickling from his mouth, accentuating even more Artemis Fowl's usual complexion. The
quicksands, bubbling lazily, had started engulfing him. In the jungle, the birds had stopped
singing, and only the sputterings of the incandescent torn parachute were still to be heard. The
shut mouth of Artemis was now covered by the treacherous swamp, and soon the nostrils
would be filled in the same way, putting an end to the life of the most astonishing youth of
Ireland.
But suddenly, emerging from the thick bushes and huge trees, appeared a tall elf
dressed in a short tunic of shining silver cloth. With a curved stick, he reached Artemis' body
and dragged him to the shore. Then, firmly, he knelt down and stared intently at him. After a
long moment, a strange grin widened on his face. The elf took a scroll of parchment out of his
pocket and look at the picture. Same bloodless complexion, same dark hair, there could be no
doubt about it : this young adolescent was the most famous Mud Boy having ever dealt with
the Fairy People. Consequently a threat. The elf's smile disappeared, his features hardened.
There was no time to lose wondering about what to do : what could be the best ? The
elf took the fifteen-year old boy in his arms and clipped him on his belt. Then, activating his
wings, he flew to the beach of the lonely island. A broken trunk seemed to be waiting for a
passenger to transport. Without hesitation, the elf put Artemis Fowl in the hollow trunk and
pushed the makeshift small boat in the sea. The elf's face lit again.
" Farewell, Mud Boy ", he whispered. " And do not come back again… Never… "
He watched the trunk sailing away without the slightest remorse, although he knew the
ocean was dangerous at that period. However, what he actually wanted was Artemis to sink
without anyone noticing it.
Artemis woke up crying, his head buzzing furiously. He had a sigh of relief. All that
had been a nightmare. A terrible nightmare. No accident, no fire in the cockpit, no parachute.
Only a bad dream. And what a dream, really ! Flying alone over the Atlantic Ocean, without
his loyal manservant Butler to look after him. How silly ! But, wait a minute… No ! It was
real ! For a second the boy had felt his heart stop. For Heaven's sake, where was he ? Why
did he feel so seasick ? What was that terrifying noise he heard ? A thunder of waves…
Artemis raised. What he saw was appalling. In the weakening light of dusk, as far as he could
see, there was only water. No land in sight. Not even a boat. And behind him, attracting the
trunk he was in, a huge whirlpool. It was only a matter of seconds before he was crashed by
the power of water.
Here Artemis' great IQ would be of no use. Had it been an electronic system to fight,
he would have found a solution, but what could he possibly do in presence of such a force of
nature ? Jump overboard, to avoid being jailed in a sarcophagus ? the adolescent thought
bitterly. Before he could think more of his horrible end, Artemis was sucked in the whirlpool.
The speed was such that water was not able to enter the boy's lungs. In fact, Artemis could
not even breathe a single particle of oxygen. All he could do was hear the thunder of the
stream and see the blue of the sea carrying him in the depths of the ocean.
The lack of air made his lungs burn with pain, and Artemis was about to faint when his
infernal descent briskly ceased. Instinctively, the adolescent swam upwards. Nevertheless, he
felt it was too late, for his body could no longer move. His vision started to blur, catching a
glimpse of a slim fish urging towards him. Adieu, cruel world, thought Artemis, I won't have
the life I dreamt of. He fainted.
A mermaid grabbed his shoulders and kissed him gently to give him some air.
Immediately, Artemis became less pale and the lines on his brow went away. The creature
activated her rainbow-coloured wings, then carried the boy to a gigantic dome which she
crossed without difficulty.
2. Atlantis
Artemis' opened his eyes, blinking at the powerful bluish light above him. Although
he felt a great tiredness, his limbs were not painful after all they had encountered those last
hours. He gathered his thoughts. All had begun that morning at the Fowl Manor, in Ireland.
He had awaken in a state of great excitement, after a dream he had had. During those last two
years, when he had discovered a plot against him, he had kept searching for the truth. All had
stayed a blur in his mind, as in Juliet and Butler's. There was no way finding out what had
happened, all was out of reach. However, a week ago, a dwarf, who had introduced himself as
Mister Mulch Diggums, came knocking at the manor's door. The security system had not
noticed his arrival at the entrance gate.
The man had insisted to see Artemis, and then he had smiled with teeth like
tombstones, hugging the adolescent in his arms. Artemis was surprised at that reaction but had
not protested because the view of that strange man had reminded him of important but lost
memories. Mister Diggums had given a golden medallion to Artemis. It was a small disk, the
size of a coin, with a hole in the centre. The young boy, for a reason he ignored, could not
detached his eyes from the medallion. Suddenly, images of small creatures with pointed ears
and wings came to him, as those of a man-horse tapping on a keyboard. You need to sleep,
boy. Too much readings about magical creatures. It was Mulch who had brought him back to
reality. After a look in the sky, where the sun was rising, the mysterious dwarf had suddenly
said goodbye to the youth and run away.
Artemis had closely observed the dwarf's gift on the microscope, and quickly noticed
a scratch on the golden surface. So he had carefully scraped the layer of gold until a digital
disk appeared. Artemis had feverishly put it in his computer and found incredible documents
about fairies. The more he read, the more he remembered the written facts. It seemed unreal to
him but the documents proved that the mentioned "mind wipe" was the cause of his
incapacity to discover the plotter.
Artemis had the answer to his questions about Butler's recent weakness : he had been
shot dead because of Artemis ! The description of his restoration to life was incredible. The
young Irish mastermind had asked the help of the Fairy People ! He had to regain his
memories of these events. He would go to Florida, where the most skilful neurologist worked.
Consequently, Artemis discretely went to his jet aircraft and flew towards the United States.
He would not hurt anyone this time. Juliet and his brother Butler would be safe from his
extravagant plans.
Artemis had successfully regained his thoughts and was flying towards the Emerald
Isle when his plane had had one of its wings on fire. Then it was all blurred. But where was he
now ? The boy sat straight. Around him, great walls sculpted with delicate patterns. Through
the window, above the house he was in, a huge cupola separating the air from the sea. So he
was underwater. He walked cautiously to the vault of the room and waited. No one to be
seen. Artemis ran down a cobbled street and stopped at a crossroads. Fairies were walking
peacefully on the roads : elves, dwarves, centaurs, pixies, gnomes, even unicorns and flying
mermaids !
Someone grasped Artemis' shoulder. The boy almost gave a start but relaxed when he
recognized the captain of the LEP, Holly Short. The fairy was smiling at him. She was pretty
in her electric blue pareo and bikini. Her long auburn hair was flowing to her waist. She was
even prettier than in her official uniform. Artemis Fowl blushed and lowered his head shyly.
" I thought you were out of business since our last meeting ", she teased him.
" Hey, Holly ! " the adolescent said, smiling too. " Glad to see you ! "
The fairy took his hand and brought him to a desert square.
" Aren't you… angry ? " Artemis asked with an arched eyebrow.
Holly Short laughed heartily. Artemis felt strange. The fairy was… wow…
marvellous. The genius repressed his feelings : well, boy, love and adolescence, quite normal
actually.
" Angry ? Me ? ", said Holly. " Why would I ? I'm on holiday, Mud Boy. But, tell me, how
did you manage to come in Atlantis ? "
" Atlantis ? " choked the boy, puzzled. " The engulfed isle of Atlantis ? "
" If you could see your face, Artemis, really, it's amazing ! " laughed the fairy. " Atlantis is
legendary and engulfed for Mud Men, but in fact, it's nothing than a readaptation to new
activities. "
Artemis listened to Holly wide-eyed.
" Oh, Artemis, stop looking at me this way, you look like an owl ! You humans are so
stubborn ! Atlantis has never been destroyed by a cataclysm, sinking down into the abysses
was just of way of stopping Mud Men invading it. Too much tourism can be a threat to a
place, you know. "
The adolescent stood by Holly's side, perplexedly staring at the dome.
" You didn't answer my question, Mud Boy " Holly went on. " How did you manage to come
here ? "
" I didn't do it on purpose ! " Artemis protested. " My plane crashed over an island ! The last
thing I can remember was sailing on board a trunk, although I don't understand how it could
have happened. "
Holly Short looked fixedly at the pale adolescent. His expression was sheer sincerity.
But with Artemis Fowl, one could not be sure. Holly, struck by a sudden thought,
suspiciously said :
" How come you still know me, Artemis ? "
" I've just been to a neurologist. He reactivated what was hidden in the recess of my brain. "
It was Holly's turn to be amazed.
" But a mind wipe has never failed before ! "
Artemis smiled widely, pride shining in his gaze.
" I had told Butler to put all the information about the Fairy People on a disk. The one I gave
Mulch Diggums. He gave it back to me yesterday. And so here I am, with the full possession
of my memories. "
The fairy captain was tempted to blame him, but remained silent, admiration showing
in her eyes.
3. Contacting Julius Root
" Artemis, even though I'm not on duty, I will have to tell Commander Root about your
coming in Atlantis. "
The boy nodded, perfectly aware that it would be difficult for Julius Root to believe
him. Holly Short made her way to her home and put her helmet on her head. Once the
communication was established with the LEPrecon, the fairy asked to talk to her commander.
Soon, a red-faced male fairy appeared on her visor.
" Yes ? ", he said. " Holly… Captain Short ? Is that you ? "
" Yes, sir. "
" Weren't you spending a week in Atlantis, Captain ? You deserved those holidays, after all
you did for Haven City. Don't tell me you miss your missions ? "
Holly cleared her throat, avoiding her superior's gaze.
" Artemis Fowl is here, Commander ", she simply said.
Julius Root's face turned scarlet. He coughed violently before asking in an angry tone
of voice :
" Won't that Mud Boy ever stop messing with Fairy People ? "
Holly Short interrupted her commander.
" It was an incident, sir ", she explained calmly, " Artemis was wrecked. "
Silence from the LEP commander.
" Are you sure it was an incident, Captain ? ", he asked slowly.
" Yes, sir. I've heard witnesses. They saw an elf reject the unconscious Mud Boy to the sea. "
Julius Root groaned.
" I want a complete report of that, Captain Short. And the fairy who is responsible for that
disaster must be identified. "
" OK, Commander Root. "
Before Holly cut the communication, her boss cried :
" Wait a minute, Captain ! ", he barked. " Why am I not surprised that this Mud Boy is still in
contact with us ? Has he regained his memory ? "
The fairy girl did not answer. Her commander sighed.
" Well well well ", he said hoarsely. " Bring him to the Haven. No way discussing, it's an
order ! "
To be continued…
