Disclaimer: Sadly, I still don't own Artemis Fowl. I'll have to move onto stage two of the 'Kidnap Eion Colfer and steal Artemis Fowl' plan. Till then, I'll just keep writing out these disclaimers and sink lower into melodramatic depression.
Seriously readers, I don't know whether to make this HollyXArtemis. Opinions would be greatly appretiated. Of course, opinions would be appretiated anyway.
Chapter 2 Cream Addicted Mutant
Butler kept his word. He followed Artemis around all day, till the boy finally lost it, snapping at the man. "What is it? Stop following me, Butler." Artemis didn't snap a whole lot, so his voice stayed level and calm, it just became very icy. Butler, sighing, explained.
"Artemis, I was checking on you last night and..." He trailed off, unsure how to put it. "Your head, um..." Artemis's withdrawn look meant he understood, but didn't like it.
"Stay here Butler." He said softly. "I'll be back in a moment." Looking at the sceptical look he recieved from Butler, Artemis smiled weakly. "What do you think I would do, Butler?" He asked softly. "Run, just because of you?" Not entirely sure how to take that, Butler took a seat.
Meanwhile, Artemis ruffled his hair, and as he did, his ears perked up, flicking outwards. Looking in a side mirror, he could see that they weren't completely straight on his head, they were angeled. Now came the hard, and devestating, part. Artemis had figured that since the cameras could only be hacked into by Foaly or someone equal to himself, which wasn't likely, if he told Butler about the ears and the tail, he could make life much more comfortable for himself by walking around with the tail showing. He didn't want to scare Butler, but in a week the jet apendage had grown uncomfortably tight against his leg, and he wasn't sure he'd be able to take it much longer. This was sweet relief. So, with a pair of scissors, he sliced a small hole through the back of his unimaginably expensive pants, and his long black tail unfurled behind him. It was now long enough that it reached his shoulder, and the tip had become as icy white colour. Looking at himself in the mirror, an anime version of Artemis looked back. He wouldn't have known about anime, but it was becoming huge; on the occasions he watched televison there were often colourful, big eyed adds, japanese pop ups on the internet, and now, with two cat ears sticking up from his head, and a tail curving around one arm, he could imagine himself shouting 'Arty Power Up!' Shivering slightly at the thought, Artemis walked back out to the room, where Butler was sitting, watching the doorway. He took a deep breath, put his hands behind his back, and strolled calmly into the room, waiting for Butler's reaction.
Not a word. Butler stared, mildly horror striken, at the boy. Artemis felt his tail go very still behind him. "Artemis." Began Butler softly. "What happened?" Artemis sighed, and fell into a chair. For the first time, sideways, so his tail could hang off the arm and not just cause pain by being sat on. He began explaining. And, now unsurprisingly, Butler didn't ask why he went alone. But then, Artemis asked a question. What was that hang dog look about? "I, I was worried about you." Said Butler softly. "So I called for help."
Artemis stared straight up, his ears straightening and tail flicking. Butler almost flinched. "Help from who?" Said the youth softly. The look on Butler's face was enough, but the honest apology on his face made Artemis ease up. His tail and ears lost a little of their ridgidity. "The fairies? Did you call Holly?" That was when it sparked. Holly. What had happened to Holly? "Foaly?" Continued Artemis, a little absently, worried about the recon officer. Was she in the same state he was? Oh no, if she was... Butler nodded for the second name, and Artemis decided to move. He felt like...
"Thank you for your honesty, Butler." Said Artemis formaly. "I'm going to get some cream from the kitchen, is there anything else?" Butler shook his head, a little in wonderment at Artemis's resiliance. But cream? The young boy got up, walking in the direction of the kitchen, two halls away. His tail, black but for the pearl coloured tip, was swinging slowly as he walked. Butler didn't know what to think, how to react, but if Artemis took it so well, they would both wait till the fairies arrived. Holly might be with them, and that would be good for Artemis. He didn't have many friends, and an extremely strange relationship with Captain Short, but it was definately a friendship.
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"Help Fowl, why?" Trouble was a little sceptical about the Commander just wanting to check up on the mud boy to the extent of sending two fairies to check on him. This was Julius Root they were talking about. But according to Foaly that was exactly what he wanted.
Foaly shrugged at the question. "That's just what he wanted, and who am I to deny Julius?" That was the first tip off. Foaly didn't talk like that. He was lying. But Trouble didn't let on.
"So who do I have to take with me? You said two fairies." Foaly grinned.
"The commander wants more above ground work for one of the squad." He chuckled. "A corporal Ke-"
"No way!" Trouble stared at the centaur disbelievingly. "I can deal with Grub when theres a team to keep him in line, but the two of us, and Artemis Fowl? No way." But Foaly just smiled. The smile instantly evaporated when Commander Root stormed through the door, and still outraged over being paired with his brother, Trouble began moaning to him. "Commander!" Growled Trouble, then paled when Root turned to him, turning a darker shade of red at being addressed in such a fashion. Kelp plowed on regardless, but in a more subversive tone. "Why do you want to check on the mudboy, Artemis? Couldn't Foaly just use the cameras, or something? And why do I have to take Grub with me? He'll spend the whole time telling his only war story, about the human Butler! Shouldn't I be taking Holly? She knows them both better than I do..." Trouble trailed off when he saw the furiously blank look on Root's face. Trouble Kelp knew when something was dangerous, and took a step back.
"FOALY!" Roared Root, blocking the door in case the centaur tried to escape (Root was very sure of himself when angry). "What's going on!" To save time, Foaly started at the beginning.
"See, the scanners picked up something... So I thought... I'd rather send Holly, but she's been ill... I would have told you, sir, but you wouldn't have let him go." If no-one has guessed, I just put in bits of what he said, because I'm a lazy author and writing it all out would be boring for the readers. Anyway:
After he was finished, Root nodded slowly. "We owe him, don't we?" He sounded extremely depressed by the idea, but as he never dwelt on decisions, he decided it was action time. "Alright, Kelp, go, with the corporal, to check on Artemis Fowl. I don't think Butler would say anything if it wasn't really important."
"But-"
"No Buts! You're going as soon as Foaly has you outfitted. And Foaly, I want you to go check on Short."
"What?"
"You heard me. It's not like the captain to miss work. She came to the office on a day she had to be sent back again after passing out from a fever." Foaly nodded. It was strange of Holly. And she had promised to let him go get her if something happened to do with Artemis.
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Attached to the front doors of Fowl Manor was a very quaint little sign. Guests Of All Species Welcome. Trouble was sceptical, but he couldn't stand his brother's whining, so told him to go in.
"This is what you get for always running to mommy." He muttered as Grub obeyed, though the younger brother didn't look happy about it. It took threats to make him walk up the stairs towards the door, and Trouble, standing back, was waiting to see if the sign would work or not, when Butler opened the door and looked at them. He smiled wryly when he saw them.
"Want to play it safe?" He asked lightly. Grub's whimper was as much answer as he needed. "You are both welcome in Fowl Manor. For now." The brothers sighed, walking into the dim light of the main hall.
"So, what's so bad about Artemis that you wanted our help?" Asked Trouble for conversation. "Other than the usual stuff we can't fix." Butler threw a pacient glare over his shoulder, but didn't speak, other than:
"You'll see." Glancing at each other, the fairy siblings shared, for once, a look of puzzlement. And this time Foaly wasn't on the other side of their each pieces and iriscams. He was obeying the commander and checking up on Holly. Butler opened the door into the library, where, last time he checked, Artemis had been reading. He hadn't moved, and was sprawled sideways in a chair, his now prominant ears matching the black of his hair. Butler left the fairies in the doorway, waiting for their reaction.
"I didn't know Artemis Fowl liked Tokyo Mew Mew." Said a surprised Grub. Trouble glanced at his brother in a confused way, so missed when Artemis's ears twitched, the only sign he was listening.
"Tokyo...?"
"Tokyo Mew Mew. There's also Tokyo Mew Mew A La Mode. It's a human cartoon, and the main characters are girls with cat ears. They all wear maid outfits, I think. Artemis must really be into it. Funny, I never thought he would be."
"Grub, why are you watching human cartoons about female human maids with cat ears?" The tone of Trouble's voice was dark, even in the whisper they were using so as not to be overheard by Artemis, who didn't seem to have noticed them.
"I, ah, well-"
"Are you two going to keep talking, or come in?" Called an irritated Artemis. They both gave a start when they saw him gazing at them with bright blue eyes. He had looked so wrapped up in the book. "And I have never heard of Mew Mew... Whatever it was you said. This book is more interesting then your nonsensical gibberish, but as my name was mentioned, it seemed prudent to listen."
"You heard us?" Said Trouble, at the same time that his brother said:
"Then what's with the ears?" That sparked a wry smile on Artemis's face.
"Butler," He called to the manservant, who was flicking through a Guns and Ammo magazine. He looked as if he knew what was coming. "You mentioned something, it seems, but our guests have no idea why they are here. That said, neither do I."
"Butler said there was something wrong with you, so Foaly sent us to check up." Said Grub proudly. Artemis nodded, looking mock thoughtful, though Grub didn't seem to notice the 'mock' part.
"Hmm, interesting. Tell me, have you seen Holly lately?" Both Kelps seemed surprised by the question.
"Maybe." Said Trouble slowly. "And maybe we'll answer if you tell us why your pal Butler thinks you were sick enough to need fairy help." This time the wry smile morphed into Artemis's dark, sadistic grin.
"What makes you think I 'was' sick? That I'm fine now?" He vaulted from his chair, tail swinging behind him. Trouble blinked, but Artemis ignored it. "There is more than one kind of sickness, by the way. And I'm afraid that I, using a slightly childish phrase, 'asked you first'. Perhaps I'll answer you when you answer me."
Trouble had, by now, figured out there was little point even trying to argue, and put energy into making his little brother stop gaping at the mud boy, who seemed as oblivious of the look as he was of the black tail that Grub was staring at. "Alright." He sighed. "No, we haven't seen Holly for a while. She's been sick since last week, and the last we heard was the Foaly was going to go check up on her. That was the day before yesterday, when we got the message from the big man." A nod was directed at Butler, who nodded back. "Now it's your turn. What's wrong with you?" The vampire smile was still in place, Artemis was standing almost before them, and with the hight he looked extremely imposing. Trouble would have taken a step back if it wouldn't have taken a huge notch from his self-respect.
"I guess that's fair." He said slowly. He put a hand to his head, flattening and parting the hair around the strange black cat's ears. When done, he fell to one knee, head down. When neither moved, he looked up amusment and anoyance sparking in his eyes. Hey, were his eyes shaped right? "Look. The ears." Trouble obeyed, moving forward a step in front of Grub. It took five seconds for him to gasp. Grub gave a strangled yelp and jumped back. Artemis looked up. "Hmm. Not so funny now, is it?" He stood and turned, causing another yelp from Grub when the fairy saw the undulating black tail. "Bu- We were hoping that magic might be able to help me." He said lightly, returning to his chair and sitting angled, in a way Trouble assumed was to keep his tail from getting sat on. Grub just stared at him, horrified, and Artemis stared back unblinking, taking a deep drinking from a mug on a nearby coffee table. "Would either of you like to sit down?" Asked the boy courtiously, gesturing at various chairs around the well stocked library. "You might as well, before one of you passes out."
"But you're part cat!"
"Shut up Grub!"
"No, it's true, I seem to be. Now, please, I'm being a terrible host. Would you like anything? Something to eat, something to drink, or a cross between the two?" He held up his own cup. "The cream is excellent, but that might not be the human part of me talking."
