Thank you to jayjthebigmouth for being my awesome beta, and to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. You guys are why I write!
Also, there are no set update times. I have school seven hours a day, five days a week, and a ton of homework. I will write in any free time I may get, and I will try to update ASAP. Every chapter will (hopefully) be at least 2000 words, 1000 if I happen to catch a bad case of writer's block. But things are looking hopeful, as the plot bunny that created this story will not leave me alone. Thank you, and happy reading! (I think I'm gonna make that my catch phrase. Watcha think?)
°°°TLU°°°
Five years later
Myriad galloped through the woods, clutching the straps of her small backpack tight. She heard the footsteps get louder, but she didn't dare look back. She ran faster in a zigzagging pattern like a rabbit, which made her harder to catch. She made a wide turn to the left and ran back the way she had come. Willing herself to breathe quieter, she heard the footsteps chasing her start to recede. She sighed in relief, but kept running. After a while hers were the only footsteps heard. Panting, she lied down in the grass and pulled a thorn out of her back leg, then sent blue sparks to close the hole. She inspected the other three for injuries. Her hooves were all dried and cracked, but for some reason magic didn't work on hooves, so she was used to it by now. She prided herself on being alone and living this long. But the beast was getting faster, stronger. She knew she had to get help.
She pulled a bandana out of her backpack, tied it around her head, and got up. She looked around. She was surrounded by trees, some still leafless in the beginning of spring. She sniffed the air, and turned sharply to the right. She sensed magic in this direction. Strong magic. Hoping it was a close fairy city and not a hostile magical creature, she pulled the straps around her shoulders and started off in the direction of the source.
°°°TLU°°°
I'm close. I can feel it. But this is a Mud Man city. I don't see a shuttleport entrance.
Myriad switched on her hologram. It made the bottom half of her body look human, so she looked like a woman. She'd just have to be careful not to bump into anyone.
She continued on in the direction of the magic, straight towards a certain man's house. She stared at anyone that came close until they backed away, embarrassed. She didn't need to reveal the existence of her people today, even if they had technically outlawed her.
When she saw where the magic she was following ended, where it was, she gasped. No way. The sky was getting dark, so she settled down in the bushes beside the house and slept.
°°°TLU°°°
Fowl Manor Living Room
Holly awoke to rustling.
She groaned and rubbed her eyes awake. She was curled up on Artemis' lap, her ring sitting on the table beside the couch. She opened her eyes and saw Butler rearranging the books on the shelf. A glance at the clock told her it was five-thirty in the morning.
"Butler" She moaned. "What are you doing out here?"
He shrugged. "I couldn't sleep. You?"
Her face reddened. "I don't wanna talk about it." With that, she put on her shapeshifting ring and padded down to the bathroom.
The sudden lack of warmth on Artemis' lap caused him to wake up as well. He groaned. "Butler, what are you doing? It's five-thirty in the morning."
"I could ask you the same thing." The bodyguard answered, setting down a vase. "Why were you and Holly asleep on the couch?"
Artemis looked down at his lap and muttered something unintelligible, his face red.
Butler picked up a picture frame, dusting under it. "I'm sorry, what was that?"
"The bed broke."
Butler tried to hold in his laughter, he really did, but when you hear something like that coming from Artemis Fowl there's not much you can do to stifle the giggles.
"Butler, are you laughing?"
"No…yes!" Butler bent over, taking a breath.
Artemis scowled at him. "Just go assemble another bed."
The older man raised an eyebrow at him. "Where do I get this bed from, Artemis?"
"There's one in the attic."
Butler thought about asking his charge how he knew about the bed in the attic, but decided he didn't want to know and set off to assemble the bed.
He met Juliet on the way up. "Hey, Jules." He greeted. "Pay up."
"What?" Juliet yawned.
"You heard me. It broke."
"What broke?" Momentary confusion passed over her face before her sleepy mind remembered. "Oh. The bed. Wait, it broke? Already? Wow. They're more active than I thought."
"Yup. And five years aren't up. You owe me, little sis."
Juliet groaned. "Let me see if I have fifty Euros in my bank."
She stomped off and Butler continued to the attic.
°°°TLU°°°
Artemis was just nodding off again, with Holly curled up on his lap once more, when the doorbell rang. Holly groaned. "I'll get it."
About that time, Butler came down. "Artemis, there's a fairy at the door."
Artemis put a hand on his wife's shoulder, who had put her ring back on. He hugged her shoulder. "Sorry, Holly, you can't answer it. Butler, please get the door. The fairy is disguised, yes?"
"Yes, sir, she has a hologram.
"Good. Did she look like a city fairy?"
"No, sir, she looked like she lives on the surface. Come see."
Artemis and Holly followed Butler to the security room. Butler pointed to the top right screen. Standing at the front door was a young woman about four feet tall in jeans and a black T-shirt. The shirt was ripped and mud was caked on it in places. She had big brown eyes and long brown hair that was tangled and knotted. She was fairly tan and wore a large bandana around her head. A pointed ear tip just barely stuck out of the rat's nest that was her hair. She had an anxious look on her face, and she kept looking over her shoulder as if something was following her.
"By her height, I'm guessing she is a centaur." Butler continued. "Do you still want me to answer her?"
"Go ahead." Artemis answered. "She doesn't look like one of Foaly's techies, that's for sure. Ask her a few questions, pretend you think she's human, and if she is here for a decent reason, let her in."
The manservant nodded and went back down the stairs as Artemis and Holly sat down to watch on the screen. Artemis pursed his lips. "Do you recognize her?"
Holly shook her head. "No, I've never seen her before in my life."
Artemis nodded once and shifted his gaze back to the screen.
°°°TLU°°°
Butler opened the door and looked at the fairy with a menacing glare. "Are you lost, miss?"
She shook her head, speaking in a slightly scratchy voice from lack of water. "No, I think this is the right place." Myriad could feel the magic inside this house calling to her. She knew that whatever was the source of all this magic was in the house. She looked over her shoulder again. She knew that the beast wouldn't dare come out in broad daylight, surrounded by humans, but it was still early. The sun had barely begun to show over the horizon. "Can we please talk inside?"
"Not until you tell me why you're here."
Myriad may have been an outcast, living on the surface her whole life, but even she knew who Artemis Fowl was, and she knew this man knew what she was. "I'm here because of magic." That was true. "I know you know what I am. Please, can we talk inside?" There was a hint of urgency in her voice.
Butler sighed. "Fine. Let me get Master Artemis." He held the door for the girl and told her to take a seat on the couch. He then met Artemis half way to the security room. "Is Holly coming?" He asked.
His charge nodded, putting a hand on what seemed to be thin air. "Holly is shielded, just in case this fairy knows who she is."
They returned to the living room to find the girl awkwardly trying to sit on the couch. She had turned off her hologram to reveal a chestnut horse body and dark brown tail. She was trying to situate this body on the couch, and failing miserably. Artemis chuckled. "You don't have to sit down if you don't want to." She sighed in relief and stood up, her cracked hooves clicking on the wooden floor. "Thank you. I'm Myriad, by the way."
"Artemis. Artemis Fowl." He stuck out his hand, and she hesitantly shook it.
As soon as she touched his hand, she felt it. Magic. Coursing through his veins, flowing in his blood, all throughout his body. Strong magic. She jerked her hand back, startled by the magic in this human.
Artemis looked at her with confusion and suspicion written all over his features. The young centaur smiled nervously and slowly backed away. Artemis sat on the couch and Butler took his place behind his charge. Myriad knelt down on the floor, her legs tired from running almost all day the previous day. Artemis clasped his hands together. "So, Myriad. Why are you here? What business do you have here that involves me or this household?"
But Myriad wasn't looking at him. She was looking at the space on the couch directly next to him. She cocked her head. "Who is that? Is that a fairy?"
The young man blinked. "I'm sorry, what do you mean?"
"Is someone recording this conversation?" Myriad continued. "Were you expecting me? Did you not know I can see through shields? Do you not know that there is a fairy sitting on the couch beside you? A fairy that looks human?" She gasped. "Do you know what I am?"
Artemis sighed. "Holly, unshield." Holly shimmered into the visible spectrum beside him, her legs crossed at the ankles and her face contorted into a curious and surprised but wary expression. "How…how? How can you…what are you?"
Myriad drew a shaky breath. "I'm not answering any questions until you prove to me that you aren't working for some government or something. And that LEP suit doesn't help at all." She answered, eyeing Holly's uniform. "I'm not working for the LEP anymore." The elf explained. "This suit is the only thing I own that I can shield in." Myriad didn't look convinced.
"Look, Myriad." Artemis started. "We weren't expecting you, and we have no idea what you want from us, so can we please get this over with?" He yawned. "Its six forty-five in the morning, and I'd like to get some sleep sooner or later."
"What makes you think I want something?" Myriad asked.
"Oh, please." A voice said from the stairs. "He's Artemis Fowl. Everyone wants something from him." She stopped short when she reached the bottom. "Um, Artemis? Did Caballine get a makeover or did you kidnap another fairy girl?"
"Neither." Holly answered her. "This centaur showed up on the doorstep wanting to come in. Please go make me some coffee. Medium brown–"
"Seven sugars, three creams, I know. Artemis, you want any?"
"No, Juliet, I'm fine."
"Kay." She skipped into the kitchen, and the couple turned back to Myriad.
"Myriad, how can you see through shields?" Holly asked. "Centaurs don't have magic. They can't see through shields. The only non-magical creatures that can see through shields are rats and two species of monkey. Not centaurs."
"That is true." Myriad answered, getting up. She walked over to the desk in the corner of the living room and picked up a pair of scissors out of a cup. "You are absolutely right." She clopped back in front of them. Before they could stop her, she opened the scissors and plunged one of the blades into her arm, making a deep cut. She pulled it out, and a flurry of blue sparks raced to stop the bleeding and sew up the wound. She looked at Artemis' and Holly's expressions of disbelief. "I will explain everything later. But the is something I must ask of you if you want answers. First…"
"I need your help."
°°°TLU°°°
kappufanit: No, although I may use the bridesmaids dresses in my future wedding.
shaadiaThePrincessOfWeird: Yes! That's how I always imagined them.
Awesome3.1415926: Love the name. Keep reviewing!
jayjthebigmouth: Don't worry. Happens to me ALL THE TIME.
BossMan1a22: Thanks! I'll update as soon as I have time.
RAHbooks: Thanks. I got the idea from KellyCat77's All I Want For Christmas Is You. Go check it out, it's really good.
Remember to review! P.S.: Does anyone know(or think they know) Myriad's secret yet?