Ok, first official chapter up! I know I said 5 reviews, but I quite like this story, and I figure 4 is close enough. Thanks to everyone who reviewed!

The bits in italics are thoughts, just so you know.

And, in case anyone was wondering, no, I do not like fireworks.

26 hours earlier

Holly swooped low to the sea, calling the dolphins up to the surface. They rose, and raced her all the way to Irish coastline. She beat them, but barely. She smiled as they chattered and sank back below the waves. The pollution in their skin was still there, but it was a little better than the last time she'd seen it. Maybe the humans were actually taking care of their environment. Or maybe these were different dolphins.

She turned and flew towards Tara. She'd have preferred somewhere – anywhere – else, but Trouble was breathing down her neck about a deadline as it was, and she didn't have time for a detour. She cut the power to her wings, glided to the base of the oak and plucked an acorn from the leaf litter, ignoring the stares of the revellers, and one or two calls to join in. She leaped from the ground, initiating her wings in mid-air, and was out of cat-calling distance in seconds. She'd barely had her feet on the earth for ten seconds. Quick enough for you, Trouble?

She cut across a small town, avoiding a firework by inches, and landed in a deserted field. She pulled a face as she removed her helmet. Bonfire night, fine, but where in that description were there fireworks? And why celebrate in Ireland anyway – wasn't it an English tradition? She shook her head as another rocket exploded above her. They were all noise and no colour. If they were pretty, then maybe she could see the allure, but they weren't. They were noisy, polluting and distracting. She winced as another explosion assaulted her ears. Talking of distractions…

She knelt down, pulled the acorn from her breast pocket and pushed it into the soil.

"I return you to the earth, and claim the gift that is my right." She whispered. The blue glow engulfed her, and she grinned. Nothing beat the feeling of running hot.

Suddenly, it all went quiet. Maybe they'd run out of fireworks? Nah. That was too much to hope for. They were probably renewing their stores. Either way, she was taking no chances. She jammed her helmet back on, ran a few steps, then took off into the night sky, steering well clear of any towns on her way back to the fort. The last thing she needed was to be impaled by a stray rocket. She shook her head again and reset the filters on her helmet. The smoke was leaking in. She sighed. Gods, she hated fireworks.


Artemis was sitting in his study, trying to ignore the loud bangs coming from outside. His family didn't normally celebrate bonfire night, but the twins had been in England the previous year, seen the fireworks, and insisted on having them this year at the manor. Artemis sighed and turned up the music on his computer. Did nobody but him do any work around here?

Butler stuck his head around the door.

"Artemis? You alright?"

"I'm fine, Butler. No change in the five minutes since you last asked" the boy snapped back. Butler withdrew. When Master Artemis looked at you like that, he was best left alone.

The fireworks were spooking Butler too. In these environments, it was all too easy for a sniper to get a shot off with no-one noticing. The sound would be covered by the bangs, as would the muzzle flash. It was a security nightmare.

Butler stopped, trying to calm down. He hadn't used to be this paranoid. It was only since Artemis had vanished for three years that he worried this much. It wasn't like anyone was trying to kill him right now…

Butler recalled the Arctic incident, and the time he'd rescued the boy from a lot of hungry trolls in the replica Temple of Artemis. Opal had done that, and now she was loose again. Maybe Artemis did have someone trying to kill him after all. Butler turned and made his way back to the study. What was the saying? You're not paranoid if someone really is after you.


"Do you know what to do?" the voice asked. It came through the speaker metallic, so it sounded like a robot was talking to him. He didn't care particularly who it was, so long as the cash arrived. And it had, all thirty thousand US dollars was now sitting in a suitcase by his feet. He nodded.

"Yeah, I know. Hit him in the shoulder; make it look like someone's trying to kill him."

"I want the appearance only. If you actually kill him I'll…"

"Alright, alright. I know what I'm doing." He cut the speaker off, snapping the phone shut. He knew how to do his job. He pulled the rifle from its case and pulled it in tight to his shoulder. He squinted through the scope, smirking as he caught sight of the target in the crosshairs.

"Got you."

He squeezed the trigger once, and the figure fell from the chair, blood blossoming across one arm. Perfect. Bloody, painful, but not fatal. He packed the gun away and made his way to his car. He was gone before anyone raised the alarm.


By the way, I don't actually know if they celebrate bonfire night in Ireland or not. And Holly is not flying over Fowl Manor. I was rereading, and realised that that's what it sounded like. But she's not, anyway. And this is set after TTP. Anything else I've forgotten? Let me know in a review (hint hint!)