Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, or Artemis Fowl and yes I have used an excerpt from Artemis Fowl. Official source works cited included at the bottom of the page.

Here There Be Dragons

Chapter 7:

Nausea. Rolling waves of discomfort. Clinking. Metal on glass. Voices. Warm honey. Low steel.

"Of all the cases you could have brought me, you bring me this. And a human too. Don't look at me like that. Of course I'll help her."

Case…I'm not a case,… just tired. Very…tired…

-

Flashing images. People. Guy, Lee, Sakura, Kiba, Akamaru, Kakashi, Shizune. Neji.

Bright lights, hovering heads, a soft touch.

"She's hallucinating. What did you do? Don't answer that. Just keep holding her hand."

Cool, dry hands gripped TenTen's hand. Curiously, she felt the pressure but was numb to the touch.

More faces…

-

A soft hand touched TenTen's chilled forehead.

A smug voice hummed above her.

"There we go. She'll pull through…are you going to change now or later? I don't think she'll appreciate…poisoned by…friend."

The hand was replaced with a cool clothe covering her eyes and forehead.

Poisoned by a friend? Whatever could that mean?

-

The temptation to fall back asleep was a tremendous one, and TenTen's first instinct. Her second instinct was to panic, but logic jerked the controls away from emotion and ordered for a process of rational thought and observation.

Her surroundings were warm and soft causing the muscles in her back to practically sing in relief. A moment of lazy indolence passed over TenTen. All cuddled up in her nest, a welcome change from the hard, wooden branches, TenTen was tempted to simply fall back into sleep's embrace. All that barred her from returning to sleep was an incongruity which she could not placate: she did not know where she was, and that unknown status prevented her from acquiescing to dreaming.

Reluctantly, TenTen pulled herself up out of the last wisps of sleep and cracked open her eyes. Her bleary vision soon cleared and took in the soft light bathing the room, a good sign in her opinion. Her eyes skirted across the ceiling, and TenTen decided the room definitely possessed a decidedly cozy air.

The ceiling was a sloped structure curving upwards into a shallow dome, with a creamy caramel coat of paint enhancing the wooden rafters. Tucked up in the eaves of the rafters and strung across the open space, were various bundles of dried plants, herbs, if TenTen's prickling nose was accurate.

TenTen tilted her head forward to take in the weight on her chest; a faded patchwork quilt snuggly tucked around her and nestled TenTen in her own personal cocoon of blankets, pillows, and body warmth. Eyes blinking rapidly, TenTen shifted her gaze over to her left. She came face to face with a wall.

TenTen was so abstracted and lost in her observations, of the bookshelves lining the walls, the braided rugs on the wooden floor, the mother of all supply cabinets taking up its own respective wall, and the niche her resting spot was located in, that she almost didn't notice the other presence in the room. Almost.

Across the room sat one of the most stunning women TenTen had ever seen. The features of smooth, unwrinkled skin, blonde hair, and a well endowed figure spoke of youth but failed to meld with the lady's eyes. Her eyes were amber jewels glowing with an inner fire which radiated the wisdom, authority, and experience that belied her youthful features. The lady clearly wasn't human.

The two amber jewels were currently fixated on TenTen with a mix of amusement and as if TenTen had suddenly sprouted red geraniums out of her skull. The lady's next statement sated TenTen's question of her racial origins.

"So you're the human who all this din and uproar is about."

The lady was definitely a "wild thing". She was, also, a master healer, herbologist, a medic and, simply put, the epitome of a virtuoso in the art of healing. Her name was Tsunade, Lady Tsunade as TenTen would call her, and an expert on poisons.

Following her awakening in Lady Tsunade's home, TenTen learned many things in the week. Lady Tsunade's proficiency in conquering poisons had caused the two's paths to cross. TenTen had been poisoned for roughly a week when she had first been brought to Lady Tsunade's doorstep.

TenTen had possessed a few advantages on her side. She had spent three nights and two days hospitalized, inactive, and medicated which had slowed the spread of the poison. She had also been diagnosed.

When TenTen had visited Shizune after her hospital stay and had been diagnosed with her "bug", Shizune had done two things TenTen had thought at the time strange. One, Shizune had given TenTen antibiotics, and two, a dog tag.

"Shizune probably knew you would attempt some precipitate feat all alone in the wilderness. Hence the medicine and the dog tag. The medicine was simply to bolster your body's defenses against the poison, and the dog tag was on the off chance a good Samaritan found your collapsed form on the forest floor that they would know to take you to me and for me to know exactly what your ailment was."

TenTen was sitting up in her nest fingering the dog tag during Lady Tsunade's dialogue while she examining her patient's injuries. The dog tag had two engraved symbols on it: A slug and a small, red skull and crossbones.

"Why do you surmise that this Shizune gave me this dog tag?" TenTen asked. She had been conscious for a day at most and was still fairly wary of her hostess/healer. The verbal communication between the two had been a skillful match of quip and repartee which had ultimately boiled down to TenTen's only defense in the past 24 hours.

"I recognize all of my apprentices' work as if it were my own," Lady Tsunade replied unfazed as she continued to poke and prod TenTen. "Roll over onto your back." TenTen reluctantly complied. "Now explain why someone such as yourself would dare enter Konoha with half your wits about you and poisoned?"

TenTen's jaded smile was reflected in her response. "Because I'm a loyal twit to my best friend."

The poison had essentially ravaged TenTen's body. The toll of being attacked by Big Boy, the rouge and his fox, and the poison combined left her body sore, weak, and in need of recovery. A great weariness and fatigue haunted TenTen even after the poison had been purged from her body. She was left inclined to drift off into an extended period of mental wandering or sleep. Her stomach was hyper-sensitively picky. The merest whiff of the wrong aroma sent TenTen's stomach into sheer recoil and rebellion.

In her opinion, she was pathetically weak. In Lady Tsunade's opinion, TenTen was as weak as a kitten and had officially resigned her to bed rest.

"Kittens," she had said, "do not bring down antelope."

The abrupt transition from physical activity 24:7 to the sudden standstill of inactivity did not go favorably for TenTen and, consequentially, Lady Tsunade.

On day three of TenTen's bed rest (day 5 of her stay), TenTen possessed more energy then a jitter-bugging jumping bean on caffeine. Lady Tsunade soon discovered she had to distract her patient or risk the loss of both their sane minds.

The activity could not be mentally dull or physically demanding. TenTen, though hyper, had only recently accomplished the magnificent feat of crossing the room from the kitchen to the bed without becoming lightheaded. But, in her desperation, Lady Tsunade persevered and succeeded when a quick glance around the room opened a world of possibilities.

TenTen stared bleakly at the crisp white papers in front of her. Ask one wrong question one time to many about the time, what the herb Lady Tsunade was working with did exactly, or the identity of the peculiar burnt smell in the kitchen area, and WHAM! a broken table, scary amber eyes, and a newfound appreciation for vocalizing different forms of literature.

TenTen's "hyper-ness"—in her opinion energy—having annoyed Lady Tsunade one too many times had led to Lady Tsunade thrusting a book into TenTen's hands with the order to read or else. The or else bit remained unspoken and heeded duly.

Since the fifth day of TenTen's stay she had read classic and contemporary authors shifting through various genres. Many author's works passed beneath her eyes, including: H.G.Wells, J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S.Lewis, Fancis Hodgson Burnett, Shakespeare, Dumas, Dante, Aristotle, Tenderson, Ibsen, Chaucer, Sir Thomas Malory, Edmund Spenser, Milton, Bunyon and finally the singularly oddest choice in Lady Tsunade's library. The author was Colfer. Eoin Colfer.

'"Believe it or not, I almost miss that criminal. He had a way of insulting a person," Root glanced toward the heavens. "I wonder if he's up there now, looking down on us."

"In a manner of speaking," said Holly guiltily. "Actually, Commander, Mulch Diggums is in Los Angeles."

End of Chapter. Turn page. Drink water. Clear throat.

Chapter 11: Mulch ado about Nothing

Los Angeles

Mulch Diggums was, in fact, outside the apartment of an Oscar-winning actress. Of course, she didn't know he was there. And naturally, he was up to no good. Once a thief always a thief.'

TenTen glanced toward Lady Tsunade. Artemis Fowl. Who knew? The Secret Garden and The Three Musketeers she understood to an extent along with Pride and Prejudice (terribly long book. Took 35 chapters until the main character finally got a clue). The titles were classics, reminiscent of an age long passed.

But Artemis Fowl… Apparently Lady Tsunade had a sense of humor.

"TenTen, I know you haven't finished yet." Lady Tsunade called from the kitchen. Tantalizing aromas wafted toward TenTen's nose stimulating a rush of saliva. A red alert flashed in TenTen's head. Lady Tsunade didn't cook, unless…

"You wouldn't happen to have added anything to whatever you're cooking, would you?" TenTen asked suspiciously. Like sake?

TenTen could practically hear the cheeky smile in Lady Tsunade's voice. "Whatever gave you that idea? Now read."

Rolling her eyes, TenTen complied though with a vengeance. She would read, but she didn't have to entertain the listener.

TenTen spoke with a monotone that would put even the most hyper and caffeinated individual asleep (and it almost did).

"'Not that Mulch needed the money'," TenTen drawled, pickup up where she had left off, "'He'd done very well out of the Artemis Fowl siege…'"

Twenty minutes, twenty-one pages, three paragraphs, and nine words later, TenTen still pressed on with a raspy voice, dry throat, and a grumbling tummy.

'"You'll never take me alive, human. Tell Foaly not to send a Mud Man to do a fairy's job."'

As if something had hit her, TenTen's head jerked up, her skin suddenly hyperaware of her surroundings with goose bumps raised on her skin. This…was different from her body's reactions and healing from the poisons. No, TenTen hadn't felt like this, hadn't felt this feeling, this warning, this alert, in seven long years.

Oh, crud.

TenTen slowly stood, tuning out the warm yet slightly anxious voice coming from the kitchen. Her brown eyes frantically scanned her surroundings noting all exits, weapons, and the lay out of the furniture. A rush of vertigo hit her, sending her tumbling onto her knees.

Lady Tsunade's voice broke through TenTen's haze. "Alright, back to bed with you."

TenTen became aware of Lady Tsunade's arms wrapped around her shoulder providing support. Weakly, she pushed Lady Tsunade off.

"I'm fine," she muttered.

Lady Tsunade clucked her tongue. "I won't allow you to relapse after you have made this much progress in your recovery." Even so she withdrew to the edge of the room, amber eyes watching TenTen intently.

The brunette wilted against the couch, breathing deeply through her nose and aimlessly played with her hair. She hadn't put her hair up in her usual buns in the past week. Buns were such a hassle and discomfort when sleeping, and TenTen had been known to fall asleep at the drop of a dime lately.

Sighing, TenTen dropped her hands into her lap and began twiddling her thumbs. Something somewhere was not right.

TenTen dropped her gaze to her right wrist. More specifically to the bangle, the wretched piece of ornamentation that had mocked TenTen since her third day with Lady Tsunade (which was consequently the first day TenTen was conscious). The alluring bracelet possessed intricate designs engraved upon the narrow gold band.

The bangle was a mystery to TenTen. Her stay with Lady Tsunade included three of such mysteries: the golden bangle (which was not hers), the origins of the bangle, and the Good Samaritan who had brought her to Lady Tsunade.

TenTen's hand shot to her chest. The steady beating calmed her jagged nerves. For an instant she could have sworn she had heard…

Bump, bump.

The beating reiterated. The beating hadn't been from her heart, and Lady Tsunade wasn't keeling over. In fact, she was heading over to the door… The blood drained from TenTen's face.

Calling up her iron will, TenTen whipped across the room, a broom in hand, and blocked the door from Lady Tsunade. Lady Tsunade retracted the arm that had been extending toward the door and put on her no nonsense face.

"TenTen."

TenTen pressed her back against the door, the broom held horizontal in front of her. "Lady Tsunade, do you have any large items of furniture we can blockade the door with?"

The look on Lady Tsunade's face was not an amused look. TenTen stared back with an equally serious if not slightly desperate face.

"TenTen," Lady Tsunade said as she gently placed a hand on TenTen's broom. TenTen flinched involuntarily, "we have a visitor. They have medical supplies I need."

Slowly, while speaking calmly, Lady Tsunade began to draw TenTen away from the door. "There is nothing to be afraid of and no need for violence or panicking."

TenTen bit down her fear, and slowly, she lowered the broom turned makeshift weapon and retreated to stand against a wall while Lady Tsunade opened the door of her abode. She slowly forced herself to somewhat relax.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't you," Lady Tsunade said. TenTen peered past her with abounding curiosity and interest. In the week she had been under Lady Tsunade's care, she had neither been nor seen the outside world. Now warm, fresh air blew through the doorframe chasing itself around the room and playing with her hair.

TenTen locked eyes with Lady Tsunade's visitor and drew in a sharp breathe. Brown eyes were held by creamy moonlight orbs.

Colfer, Eoin. Aftemis Fowl The Artic Incident. New York: Hyperion, 2002.

A/N: Much love is given to Son of the Citation Machine. Hiyas! October is truly the month of band. Last Friday night I had 4 and 1/2 hours of sleep before I had to be up again for band, again. I was so out of sorts that I broke into a rant over my breakfast, my sausage biscuit (LONG story). Ah, football games and competition season. All band students yearn for the madness to end.

I'll update again whenever (as it is I'm pushing the computer for homework only after six pm at this point), which may not be until post November 8th...Hope you enjoyed.