I'm surprised so many people responded so quickly to the firt chapter... I hope you keep coming back for more!

Enjoy!

A cold morning wind swept across the runway. Just three hours till take-off... or longer if Holly didn't arrive soon.

Butler's titanic form sluggishly made it's way towards the hangar. His usual black leather coat billowing in the wind.
"Artemis! I believe we should depart soon... you are supposed to meet Mr. Tigumi in two hours!"

"I'm sure Mr. Tigumi is busy, but I am also sure that if this 'financial venture' of his is as important as he led on, he'll be willing to wait a little longer." Folding my arms across my chest, I made it quite clear that I was going nowhere until Holly arrived.

Safely I hope.

Holly's POV

GODS THIS THING IS HEAVY! That blasted centaur Foaly had decided, (at the last moment mind you) ,that he needed something delivered to Artemis... and of all things, he asked me to deliver a piece of equipment to him.

I'm gonna kill that mule.

Foaly's head appeared over the top of his desk, "And remember Captain, that device is to reach Artemis unharmed, got it?"

"Sure, whatever. Do you think you could issue me a Moonbelt?" I gave him my best pleading face.

"No." It didn't work.

"Why not?"

"Because there is a recon squad moving topside soon, and they need every belt available." He turned and started jotting something down on a piece of durafilm.

"What the heck are they hauling? Trolls?" There were supposed to be six-hundred of those things available.

"As a matter of fact, they are." A cheeky grin spread across his ugly mug.

"WHAT?"

"Trolls... that's what they're hauling."

"Ummmm... aren't they underground creatures?"

"Yeah."

"THEN WHY ARE YOU SENDING THEM UP THERE?" I shouted, dropping the device on my foot. And after hopping around holding my crushed foot, a stream of blue sparks raced down my leg and into my boot.

"That looked like it hurt." Mused Foaly.

"Yeah it did, now would you mind answering my question?"

"What question?"

"Whatever." I scoffed. I picked the contraption up and started toward the door, "Oh and another thing Foaly, tell Trubs that I'll be back next week... maybe."

He nodded and turned his attention back to his sketch.

Artemis' POV

"WHERE IN BLOODY HELL IS SHE?" My frustration had finally gotten the better of me... three hours in gale-force winds standing next to an expensive private jet could do that to you.

"I'm sure she is on her way." Butler chuckled from behind a 'Evening Herald' Newspaper.

I turned to Butler with annoyance, "How can you be so sure?"
When he did not respond, I turned and faced the hangar door.
A loud 'THUMP!', caused me to jump... not the most dignified thing to see I assure you. I rushed outside, struggling against the wind, "WHO'S THERE?"

The familiar heat haze of a shielded fairy caught my attention.

"It's me Arty." Holly materialized next to me.

"Holly... what's that?" I gestured at a small white box on the concrete next to her.

"This? Foaly asked me to give it to you..." She lifted it and presented it to me. Rather unceremoniously I might add...

"What has Donkey-boy concocted this time?" Lifting the white metal lid, I glanced at the object inside... "A rock?"
I lifted the rough round rock out of the box, it was surprisingly heavy.

"I don't know what it is... but Foaly was adamant that this thing reach you unharmed."

"Is that so? Must be important then... but the only thing I can deduce from looking at this thing, is that it must be a meteorite... look at the ridges on the sides, they indicate the trajectory from which the molten metal flowed as it fell through the Earth's atmosphere... but why would he want me to have this?" The last portion of the speech was largely centered on me, but Holly answered.

"Don't know, but I'm guessing it has a magnetic field, I was having a little bit of trouble getting over here... something was messing with my GPS unit."

Glancing at her with my eyebrows raised, I questioned, "GPS? I didn't know The People still used magnetics."

She smirked, "There is a lot you don't know about us Arty... more than you could imagine."

In response, I gave her my best grin, "Come now Holly, I know a lot about you! How many people can say they know about that scar on your right inner thigh?"

A rose blush crept across her cheeks, "ARTEMIS! You... you little... I oughta smack you!" She raised her hand as if to follow through with her threat, but luckily Butler cut in before the blow.

"Artemis? I'm sorry to interrupt, but we must depart soon. Mr. Tigumi will be getting impatient."

I turned back to the Captain and grinned wider, "Ah for the loss of time! 'We must away ere' break of day'!" I bet none of you can guess where that came from!

"We'll talk about this later." She growled.

At times like this, I simply can't help myself! You could blame Juliet and Holly for my newly humorous disposition.

But enough about that... We made our way inside to the plane.

How was that? I apologize for the length, but I had to post something... My time online is limited until I return to the college Monday.

But I digress, I highly enjoy knowing that there are people who enjoy reading my efforts!

So I bid you, my dear friends...

Until Next Time!