Artemis was in a lot of pain, more than he had ever been in before. The only thing he could think of doing was moaning. So he did. Not the most intellectual sound, but it seemed to suit what kind of agony he was in.
Why had he done such a brainless thing, trying to repair a severely broken weapon, created by an insane pixie? It was just unintelligent is what it was. And he regretted even trying to do it now.
His heart was racing and his head hurt, but less than it had just a moment before. His hand hurt as well, which was probably because of the burns from the electricity. But wait, it was the wrong hand. He had stuck his left hand in, but his right hand hurt. Or had it been his right hand? Maybe his brain was addled because of the electric current that had previously run through him.
He tried to open his eyes when he heard someone say, "She's awakening." It sounded like Commander Root, which meant Holly was alright. He had been worried she had been severely hurt or killed, but she was alive, which was good.
Artemis tried opening his eyes again and this time succeeded. He looked up to see Butler's enormous face. Good old Butler, saving his life again. How did Butler put up with him?
Butler began speaking to Artemis, worry in his eyes, "Can you hear me?"
Artemis opened his mouth which felt incredibly dry and tried to say something, all the came was a strange rasping noise that was definitely not speech. He was about to try again when Butler said, "Don't speak."
Artemis complied. Butler was commanding him to do something, which meant he should listen. He didn't try to speak again.
"Just nod to answer my questions, does your chest hurt?" Butler asked. Artemis realized his chest hurt, but no very much, and his heart rate was slowly slowing back to normal. He seemed like he was going to be alright, which was wrong, he should have been in much more pain. Something was wrong here.
He turned to Butler and shook his head as the ache in his chest slowly dissipated. Butler nodded and then asked, "Do you have a tingling sensation?"
Artemis started to become more aware of his body; he did feel a strange sensation, almost like a tickling sensation all over his body. It wasn't painful, it almost felt good. Which most likely meant it was bad. He nodded.
"Can you move?" Butler asked.
Artemis decided to try something. He moved his arms, which felt heavier than normal, but not too heavy to lift them. He slowly got to his feet, he felt his knees knocking together and his legs were shaking with the strain. Suddenly he pitched forward, his face heading towards the ground, when Butler caught him. Artemis looked up at Butler; he seemed, taller, bigger perhaps. His hands looked even more enormous than they usually did.
But this had to be an optical illusion, or his tired mind playing tricks on him, it had to be that, right?
The magic is still running through her, she'll be weak for awhile." Commander Root said, as if in response to him falling over. But no, he had to be talking to Holly. He had to be. Was he? Oh no, Artemis thought, this can't be good, this can't be happening. He tried to look at his body, but he felt stiff and Butler's huge hands were preventing him from moving.
He suddenly felt very tired, he needed to sleep. He closed his eyes and slumped over on Butler, unconscious once again.
Holly awoke once again, still lying on the table. Butler was looking at her again, concern and worry in his eyes and displayed across his face, which was odd for Butler, especially directed at her.
She tried to move and found it easier than before. Her heart rate had gone back to normal and her breathing came without difficulty. Her limbs weren't as heavy, though there was still the remnants of that tingling sensation running through her.
Butler helped her off the table and onto her feet. Holly looked down at her feet and her eyes widened. She wasn't wearing the shoes she had been this morning. They were nicer, black and shiny, and much more comfortable. Also, her feet were farther away than normal. Something wasn't right.
She looked up at Butler, he was still humongous, a giant, but he seemed to be…shorter than normal. Something was definitely wrong. She heard a moan from behind him, a high pitched moan, a familiar moan.
She shoved Butler aside, well not really, she more pushed on him and he moved aside. She saw someone lying on the ground behind him, she saw herself lying on the ground behind him. The only thing she could think of doing was screaming. So she did.
Butler rushed over and knelt down, he grabbed her face and made her look at him, and then he said, "Artemis, Artemis, speak to me, are you alright? Stop screaming please, are you alright?"
Holly looked at Butler confused, but she stopped screaming, "What?" She asked and she heard Artemis's voice say, "What?"
"Artemis, are you alright." Butler asked.
"Art…Art…did you just call me Artemis?" She asked.
"Yes, Artemis I did. Don't you remember who you are?" Butler asked, his eyes widening, his face almost panicked, well at least for Butler. Commander Root came over, curious and looked up at her. She turned her head to Commander Root, she was taller than him by several feet.
She felt like feinting, but that wasn't an option, she was a LEP officer, or she thought she was. She looked at her body lying on the ground and felt her breadth quicken. Suddenly she was shaken violently by Butler.
"Artemis, I'm sorry, but speak to me. Tell me you know who you are. Tell me you're Artemis." Butler pleaded.
She turned to look at Butler, straight in the eye and said, "I'm sorry Butler, I can't do that. You see, I'm not Artemis, I'm Holly."
Butler's eyes widened even more and he let go of her arms. He stared at her thoroughly for a few minutes then turned to Commander Root whose mouth was agape and had let his cigar fall to the ground.
Commander Root walked in front of her and looked up into her eyes, he glared at her, eyes seeming to pierce into her very core, then his eyes widened, almost enough to pop out of their head.
"D'Arvit!" He roared.
"Commander, what's the matter?" She asked.
"You are Holly! I can tell by that defiant look in your eye, that spark. Not that Artemis doesn't have one of those, but yours is unique if you know what I mean." Commander Root said.
"I told you I was Holly, what did you think I was lying?" She asked.
"Well, yeah." He said.
"Damn mud boy, he did this. We switched bodies." Holly said angrily.
Commander Root raised an eyebrow and then chuckled.
Holly snapped her head around to glare at him, "What?"
"Well, it's just funny to hear a human say mud boy, since technically you are one." Commander Root said.
"I am not technically anything. I am Captain Holly Short, first female recon officer of the Lower Elements Police and I am an elf!" She said insolently.
"In your head you are, but your body isn't." Commander Root said.
"I am going to kill Artemis." She said.
And on that note, Artemis in Holly's body groaned. His eyes flickered open and he looked upward. He looked up to see his own body and face glaring down at him. Then his own arm pulled back and his own hand made a fist. Then his own body punched him in the face.