Hello, people. It's been a while. Over a month in fact.
Oops.
There've been various things that stopped me from updating. They include:
-A two-week school trip.
-Homework.
-My mom's birthday.
-A chinese speech competition.
-Jaws (Hey, I think I deserve a break for this one. I mean, come on! Who, given the chance to watch Jaws for the first time, would choose to write fanfic instead?)
-A piece of original fiction that has moved into my head and is refusing to pay rent by letting me think about other things.
-A chinese test.
-Kingkiller Chronicles.
So, all in all, I've been really busy on weekends. I'll try to update next weekend. We'll see what happens.
Also, a reply to whoever it was that commented that Artemis was being to harsh:
1. I agree. It's kind of an accident, because the Artemis I most enjoy reading about is the Artemis in the first few books, and I think that came through...
2. He did kind of dig himself into a hole with the whole Nico thing. He threatened to hurt him, counting on Butler ferocious aspect and Nico's relative youth, and then he got disappointed and had to choose between hurting him but earning his fear (or so he thought) or not hurting him and earning Nico's disgust, or lack of respect, or whatever.
3. I had a third point, I know I did...
Thanks for pointing it out, though.
Enjoy! And thank you to everyone who kept this story afloat!
A steel ruler smacked down onto the desk. It was held by a hand, which was attached to an arm, which was attached to a very annoyed Commander Trouble Kelp. He was annoyed, as far as Butler could tell, because of Artemis' forthcomingness, or lack thereof, in the area of explaining to your allies what the hell is going on. This deficiency of his employer's might have irritated Butler twenty years ago, but by now he had long adapted to his charge's secrecy. Trouble Kelp, however, was not, and as Commander of the LEP was used to being told exactly what everyone was doing and thinking.
The two prisoners were on the ground, once more unconscious- Artemis' orders. Butler had been only too happy to comply, especially after the boy had managed to break the plastic manacles Kelp had put on him.
"Just tell me what you've figured out," growled Kelp. Artemis sat back in his leather office chair, unimpressed, and inspected his fingernails.
"I don't see any particular reason to, especially as the less they know you know, the safer we all are. You may have noticed that Butler is no more up-to-date on this than you, so I was hoping you might appreciate that this is not out of spite. And please get that ruler off of my desk."
Kelp glowered, but slowly withdrew his makeshift weapon.
"Good. Now, I will tell you that these beings are extremely powerful, and it would be best if you did not anger them unduly or, if at all possible, confront them in any way." Artemis smiled briefly, a cold, supercilious smile that did nothing to improve the room's atmosphere, and turned to face the unconscious girl and boy.
"Well," he said after a moment, "I would say that the most you can expect from the boy is super-strength and skill with weapons. The girl, however..." Artemis drifted off, tilting his head slightly as he studied her. "Commander, open one of her eyes."
Kelp glared and twisted his mouth into a sort of leer, but did as Artemis said. The girl's eye, stretched wide between the Commander's fingers, was the color of molten gold.
"Remarkable," murmured Artemis. "Try not to let her near missile weapons, even basketballs, musical instruments, or any precious gemstones. It could be either, frankly."
There was an awkward silence of the sort found when one person knows everything and is giving the two people who do not commands that make absolutely no sense.
"And as for the others," said Artemis brightly into the quiet, "well, I would suggest to stay clear of our friend Nico di Angelo, especially if it's night time or you're near a graveyard, and you should go near the boy called Leo only if you're fireproof or very confident in yourself, and don't let him get his hands on machinery."
"And what do you want us to do?" asked Trouble Kelp.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Piper lay back against a tree and sighed.
"Damn," she muttered. "Damn damn damn. Blast it all." She opened her eyes, scanning the clearing. "Jason?"
The blond looked over. "Yeah?"
"Promise me we are going to stick together until this wretched thing is through?"
"What?"
"Jason," said Piper, her voice cracking slightly. "We may only spend another day or so in this world, but by Zeus I want to spend every moment of it with you."
Jason gave her a long, low look.
"Of course," he said. "I wouldn't dream of spending it any other way. But take heart. We may yet survive."
Piper gave a sad smile.
"Maybe," she said.
"Guys?" Annabeth's voice called over to them. "I was thinking about the prophecy. What if the line about keeping down under and above segregated means keeping the Underworld and Olympus away from each other."
Piper sat up, rubbing her eyes with her hand.
"That makes sense," she yawned. "And that could mean a few different things. It could mean we shouldn't let Hades go to Olympus. Or that the souls of the dead are going to try to rise up there. Or that we shouldn't let Nico and Jason, even Hazel and Jason, anywhere near each other."
"What marvelous ideas," said Leo gloomily. Then he jumped up. "Well. I'm leaving. I think it's time we stopped moping around and procrastinating. I'm going to find Hazel and Frank."
"Leo's right," said Percy, sighing. "But if they're in trouble, then we're going to need a bigger rescue team. And there's Nico. Someone should go look for him, too." He looked at Annabeth. "Coming, Wise Girl?"
"I would love to, Percy," she said, her voice breaking. "But I need to talk to Nico and I don't think it would help matters if you're there. You go with Leo."
Percy nodded silently, looking down at his feet.
"We'll come with you, Annabeth," said Jason. "Is that all right by you, Piper?"
"It's fine."
"Then let's go."
The two groups headed their separate ways into the night—one to the manor, and the other to the fields.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
The carpet was rough. That was the main thing Frank focused on. It was rough and scratchy. It looked very fancy, but that came at a cost, which was that anyone lying down on it (or, say, thrown bodily down) got a rash.
A voice from above him was talking about their powers—saying that the only thing they had to fear from him was skill with weapons. Hah. And turning into a gecko. That would be something to watch out for too.
Very, very carefully and slowly, he maneuvered his hand across the floor until he was touching the letter opener on the desk. Not much of a weapon—in fact, an extremely lame one—but it was better than nothing. And while he could turn into a gorilla or a bear, Hazel might need a weapon to defend herself if chucking jewelry at their opponents failed.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
It had all gotten a bit out of hand. He really hadn't meant for anyone to get hurt. He just wanted a chance to outshine—him. And now they were poised for another interspecies war, what with him and Artemis Fowl and those demigods. And there might be killing.
He didn't want anyone to die.
His servant, a blank look on his face, walked up to him, holding a bow.
"I lost three arrows, sir."
"We'll get you more. You sure you don't want a gun?"
The servant nodded.
"Okay." Something inside him, probably his inner unwillingness to actually hurt anyone, prompted him to add: "But don't shoot anyone. Just stay here."
Yes, it was all out of his control now. Things usually were. And it was a pity because for once, he'd gotten a chance to push the entire fairy world forward with his discovery.
He hoped his mother would understand.
