Chapter 3

Skuld stared hard at the bowl on the table before her. The liquid in it remained flat and motionless. She raised her right hand over it and began to chant in old Norse. The liquid flashed bright white and a wave of energy went out.

"Come on." Skuld muttered. "Again!" She waved her hand and a second wave of energy went out.

"Again!"

A third.

"AGAIN!"

A fourth.

She stared hard at the liquid, waiting for a sign.

She saw none.

Skuld sat back in her chair and placed her head in her hands.

"Dammit." She murmured, "Where are you?"

Then she felt it. A dark cold presence.

And a familiar one at that.

"Show yourself." Skuld said, raising her head.

Mara, Demoness first class, stepped into view on the porch. Her red eyes widened slightly at the sight of the shattered doors and the destruction inside.

"That must have been some party." Mara said, "Why wasn't I invited?"

"What do you want?" Skuld asked, "I'm in no mood for your stupid games."

Mara raised her hands.

"No games." She said, "I'm here purely out of curiosity. It seems someone in this vicinity has been sending out powerful search scans. Once is nothing, twice, still nothing, but over fifty?!" Mara shook her head. "What is going on?"

Skuld sighed.

"Yoko's missing. She's probably been kidnapped."

Mara's eyes went wide. "What?! What the hell are you still doing here then? Why aren't you searching?!"

"I have been searching!" Skuld snapped back, "Why do you think I've been using the search spell so damn much?! The entire motor club is out there searching! Sayoko Mishima is using her own money to hire private investigators! The police have sent her picture out all over the country! Peorth is even trying to get Yggdrasil to find her! WHAT ELSE COULD I POSSIBLY DO TO FIND HER?!!!"

Mara waited until Skuld had finished screaming, before speaking in a low soft voice.

"I know you don't trust me." She said, "But I do want to help. I'll go to the Queen for assistance. She did like Belldandy after all."

Skuld looked at Mara, her eyes staring deep into the Demoness'.

"Thank you." Skuld said.

Mara nodded, and started to leave. She paused at the door.

"You want help fixing this?" She indicated the wall.

"At this point Mara," Skuld said as she walked towards the table, "the condition of this place is my last concern."

Mara watched as Skuld resumed her search spell. She felt, as well as saw the first of what soon became many more scans. The Demoness then turned and headed away from the temple, vanishing into flame as she her foot touched the sidewalk.

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Artemis sat before the fire in the living room of the Manor. Almost a day had passed since he'd contacted the fairies, and they still hadn't replied. The fairy communicator remained silent beside him. He knew they would reply soon. Night had fallen but minutes before, and the last rays of dusk had long since vanished.

Juliet had of course been warned. She was in her room with the child. Apparently, the child liked to watch TV shows on automobiles, motorcycles, and racing.

Such a strange little girl.

Butler then entered the room. Artemis glanced over at him curiously.

"One fairy approaching the house. Shielded."

Artemis nodded. "Warn Juliet and then answer the door. Bring the fairy here."

Butler nodded and walked off to carry out the commands.

Artemis turned back to the fire.

'Why am I doing this? What is this child to me?' he thought, 'Perhaps by helping her, I am assured a place in heaven? No, the gods will see right through that. What is it then?' Artemis reran the events of his first meeting with Sayoko in his mind.

'It was the eyes.' He thought, 'so full of fear….pain….so deep….' He shook his head. 'Damn that Captain Short. She's made me soft.'

Butler then entered the room.

"Captain Holly Short." He announced as the three foot tall elf entered.

Speak of the devil.

"Hello Captain Short." Artemis said, "How nice of you to come."

"Like I had any choice in the matter." Holly replied, deciding to get the truth out of Artemis, "Really Fowl, kidnapping a Goddess? Why would you go a do a crazy thing like that?"

A frown appeared on Artemis' face.

"I had nothing to do with that." He replied, staring straight into the Elf's eyes. "In fact, you could say I rescued her."

"Ha!" Holly exclaimed, "What's in it for you? What scheme is hatching in your head right now to exploit her?"

"No scheme." Artemis replied. He then nodded to Butler. Butler hesitated, looking at Holly, more specifically her Neutrino, before he headed out of the room. "Won't you have a seat?"

Holly frowned at Artemis. He was being far too polite. She did however take a seat across the fire form him. The chair almost completely swallowed up her tiny form.

"Would you care for some refreshment?" he asked, "I have some bottled water of course."

"No, thank-you." Holly replied. Even the mud men's filtered water tasted somehow…..impure to her fairy taste buds.

The door to the room reopened, and Juliet peered in.

"Ah!" Artemis said, rising to his feet. "Here we are."

Holly jumped out of the chair and looked over. Juliet remained in the doorway, but her hand seemed to be held by someone just out of view.

"Come on." Juliet said to the person out of view, "It's alright."

A head peered into the room and looked around curiously. To Holly, it looked like a young mud girl, with long dark brown hair and bright blue eyes. She also had strange markings on her forehead and cheeks, something that Commander Root had said would help identify her as a goddess.

"Hello Sayoko." Artemis said, "How have you been?"

"Fine." Sayoko replied. She was still very reluctant to enter the room.

Artemis held out his hand, indicating Holly.

"This is Captain Short of the LEPrecon." He said, "She's going to help you get home."

Holly was now staring at Artemis in total amazement. When had she agreed to that?

"Holly." Came Foaly's voice from her earpiece. "We need a better view of her. We can't quite make out the markings."

Holly shook her head, then walked over to Sayoko. They were almost the exact same height.

"Hello Sayoko." The elf said, "You can call me Holly."

"You're going to help me get home to Auntie?" Sayoko asked, staring at Holly with her blue eyes.

Holly felt like she was under a mesmer. The girl's eyes seemed to look deep into her soul.

"She is a Goddess." Root's voice then came over the earpiece. "D'Avrit!! Why did Fowl of all people have to be the one to find her?"

Sayoko's eyes went wide.

"That was a bad word." She whispered.

Holly's eyes widened.

"You heard that?" she asked, "And understood?"

Sayoko nodded.

"She has very good hearing." Juliet said, "I was muttering to myself across the room and she heard me, while the TV was on."

"I suggest you tell Foaly or the Commander to watch their language." Artemis said, a slight smirk appearing on his face. "She understands quite a few languages, including Gnomish."

Holly's head snapped towards Artemis in surprise. She then looked back at Sayoko and spoke in Gnomish.

"You can understand me?" she asked.

"Yes." Sayoko replied in Gnomish.

"Oh frond." Holly murmured. Then seeing Sayoko's eyes narrow she covered up her mouth.

"D'Av….." She started to exclaim before stopping.

"That's it." Came Foaly's voice, "teach the kid naughty words."

"Short." Root said, "Take her out of there. Bring her here. It's safer then being with Fowl."

Holly turned to Artemis.

"I'll take custody of her. We'll see that she is returned to her family."

"I don't doubt that." Artemis replied, "But I would prefer to be the one to return her. All I asked is for your assistance."

"I suppose you expect to be rewarded too." Holly said, "Improve your image, as well as your pocket book?"

Artemis shrugged, "That benefit had occurred to me."

"Well I'm sorry but I'm not about to let that happen. She's coming with me."

Artemis crossed his arms. "And just how to you propose to get out of this manor with her?" He pointed to the door. Butler was now standing beside his sister Juliet. "Somehow I doubt you'll get passed them both."

Holly pulled out her Neutrino and pointed it at Artemis.

"They will if I have you as a hostage." Holly replied, "IollH doubt they'll try anything with this pointed at you."

"They won't." Artemis replied, still standing with his arms crossed, "But I think you forgot someone."

Holly looked over at Sayoko. The young Goddess was staring at her with an odd expression.

It looked almost like…… disappointment.

"Come on Sayoko." Holly said, "We're leaving."

"I'm going home?" the Goddess asked.

"You're coming to my home." Holly said, "Then we'll get you to your family."

Sayoko shook her head.

"I want to stay with Juliet, Butler, and Arty."

"What!?" Holly stared at the girl in shock.

Artemis wanted to smirk at Holly's expression, but the child had just called him 'Arty'. He gave Juliet a glare, but the teenage girl just shrugged at him.

"Sayoko," Holly said slowly, "You aren't safe here. You'll be safer with me and the other fairies."

"No." Sayoko replied, "I want to stay HERE."

"Just grab her and go Short!" Root's voice screamed in her ear.

Holly returned her gaze to Artemis.

"What did you do to her!" she asked.

"Nothing." He replied.

Before Holly could say anything else, she felt a sudden surge in energy coming from right beside her. She turned her head in time to see Sayoko's eyes glowing white. Then there was a sharp sting in her hands as something slammed into them, sending her Neutrino flying. Holly turned back to see Artemis' face a mixture of shock and anger. His eyes were staring at a vase that lay shattered on the floor, along side her Neutrino.

"Sayoko." Artemis said, trying to control his voice, "That was very expensive."

"The kid did that?" Foaly whispered in shock, "Wow."

Holly took that moment to leap towards her fallen Neutrino. But just as her fingers brushed against it, she felt another surge of power. The Neutrino hurtled up into the air. Holly then watched in shock as the Neutrino collapsed inward on itself, becoming just a small crumbled ball of metal. It landed on the floor in front of her with a thunk.

"Perhaps we should reconsider the 'Grab her and run' order." Foaly said.

"I….uh…tend to agree sir." Holly replied.

Holly waited for Root to say something. Instead, she heard the slam of a door followed by muffled shouting coming over the comm.

"He's gone." Foaly said, "Somehow I think it's a good thing you're up there."

Holly looked over at Artemis, who was still staring at the shattered vase, then over at Sayoko, whom was still glaring at her.

"I'm not so sure." She replied.

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"Little basterd," O'Connell muttered, "cheating us out of our money."

Baker glanced at O'Connell who was now downing a beer. He waited until O'Connell had signaled the bartender for another before speaking.

"What are you thinking of doing Boss?" Baker asked.

O'Connell sloshed his drink around for a moment.

"The basterd is rich enough." He replied, "Hell, his family is loaded." He turned and smiled at Baker.

"I think we should go and collect our fee."

"But what about the bodyguard?" Baker asked, "He's good. Very good. Then there's the Goddess…….."

"Well I don't intend to go alone." O'Connell snapped back. "Go get the boys. Make sure they're heavily armed."

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Holly stared at the lump of metal in her hands.

"I can't believe she did that." She murmured.

"I can. Be glad it was just your gun." Artemis replied. He then narrowed his eyes at the Elf. "You pointed your gun at me."

"So?" Holly replied, "You kidnapped me."

"Are we going back to that again?" Artemis asked, "I was young! Immature."

"It was under a year ago."

"I've grown up since then!"

Holly glared at the mud man.

"You kidnapped me and held me for ransom." She growled, "How do we know you didn't do the same with her?" She thumbed over her shoulder to where Sayoko was listening to Juliet read a book. "Who knows what you would ask the gods for!"

Artemis sighed.

"I suppose one might take that view considering our history."

"OUR history?!" Holly snorted, "There is no us! YOU are a kidnapper! A Blackmailer! A……"

"Is the circumstance of our first meeting always going to be held over my head?" Artemis asked.

"Hmm, let me think." Holly replied sarcastically, tapping her chin as if in thought. She then turned and glared at Artemis. "YES!"

Artemis let out another sigh. He seemed to be doing this a lot around her.

"So how exactly are we," He saw Holly's eyes narrow, "going to return the Goddess to her family? I can't exactly call God up on my cell phone now can I?"

"Foaly's working on that." Holly replied, "He's accessing computer files even as we speak." She glanced over towards Sayoko. "I wonder……what else can she do?"

"I don't know." Artemis replied, "I'll admit I am curious as well. She is, of course, a child. I imagine an adult can do much more." He looked over at Holly. "I don't recommend trying a mesmer on her though."

Holly ignored his comment. She was still looking towards the young goddess on Juliet's lap as the elder girl was showing the younger a wrestling magazine. The girl was giving Juliet her complete and undivided attention, her blue eyes showing excitement.

"Why?"

Artemis blinked.

"What?" he asked.

Holly was surprised as well. She hadn't realized she'd spoken.

"Why?" Holly repeated, looking at the mud man. "Why are you helping her?"

Artemis frowned.

"I honestly don't know." He finally said, "When I first met with O'Connell, I was expecting something interesting. I wasn't expecting a child, much less a Goddess." He paused for a moment, leaning back in his chair.

"Her eyes." He whispered, "It was like they were looking into my soul. And they held so much emotion, I think I could feel some of her pain." He looked over at Holly. "I just couldn't leave her there. I had to help her."

Holly smiled. "Perhaps you're becoming a decent person."

"Maybe I am." Artemis admitted, "And I'm blaming you for it."

"Me?"

"Yes, you."

"What did I do?"

"You, Miss Short," Artemis replied, "have caused me to grow a conscious."

"Is that such a bad thing?" Holly asked.

"It is when you are supposed to be, and I'll use your words, a criminal genius." Artemis replied.

"You can't be a criminal forever. Eventually you will be caught."

"I suppose." Artemis then smirked, "Though if I'm caught by you, I suppose it wouldn't be all that bad."

Holly smirked back, her cheeks taking on a slight tinge of red.

From across the room, a pair of blue eyes had turned and now watched them.

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"Tamiya woke up."

Skuld's head lifted from the bowl on the table and turned to face Chihiro.

"When?" she asked.

"About fifteen minutes ago." Chihiro replied, "The dumb ox called me because he's too afraid to talk to you."

Skuld blinked.

"Afraid of me?"

"He's upset he didn't stop them from taking Yoko."

Skuld shook her head.

"It's not his fault. You be sure and tell him that."

"I will." She then paused for a moment. "I do have a name for you."

"Name?"

"Tamiya overheard it before he went down." Chihiro replied, "Does the name O'Connell mean anything to you?"

Skuld's eyes narrowed.

"O'Connell?"