Yes, Professor Primate does make his entrance, if only for a few short sentences. So please welcome Professor Primate to his debut in 'Dance of Life' with a round of applause!
Artemis bent down to examine the animal fat Holly and No. 1 had left behind on their trek from the study to the Fowl master en suite bathroom. Sana stood behind him, leaning against the doorway of the bathroom where the two fairies were being hosed down by Butler. Their laughter had stopped a while ago and the two fairy creatures had been retching on and off, punctuated with curses and complaints. Artemis did not take much notice of all this, observing it only in passing, his attention riveted on the animal fat. He stared, fascinated, at the expansive mass of gloop slowly spreading across the rug to coalesce with other, smaller masses of gloop. How ingenious was that pixie! Take out the magic-wielding elements of the equation by suppressing their magic; take control of the human factors using her own magic to effectively 'box in' the single unknown in the equation, in this case, himself. Unfortunately for her, this plan had backfired as the plan was effective only against one unknown and not two. If this had been his plan, he would have calculated this possibility into his equation, thus cementing the plan's success. The door opened quietly, and Artemis, noticing his entrance, turned to face his older self.
"Look," he said, standing up. "Opal used animal fat to suppress Number One's magic. How ingenious."
Horror flitted across the older Artemis' face, but the younger Artemis did not notice, his attention now on Angeline. The two Artemises stood there, looking at their mother lying peacefully in a goosedown duvet. She turned and coughed gently. Instantly, both Artemises and Sana had teleported themselves by her side. Artemis looked at the two ten-year-olds by his side.
"You can see how this might be awkward." He raised an eyebrow at Artemis standing next to him.
Artemis nodded. "I can indeed. Why don't I have a poke around in your… my study. See what I come up with." He turned and walked slowly away. Sana looked questionably at Artemis, head cocked to one side.
Should I go too? She sent. Would it be weird if I was here? Actually, I'll just go and join Arty. Want me to keep an eye on him?
Artemis smiled at the younger girl's thought process. That'll be great, thanks.
Sana nodded, smiling fleetingly at the fifteen-year-old, then turned and followed Artemis, who she found had not actually gone to the study and was instead skulking by the bookcase. She walked over and stood next to him, both children fixing their eyes on their mother. Angeline opened her eyes. Even from this distance Sana could see the shadows ringing her eyes.
"Artemis. I dreamed I was flying. And there was a monkey…" Her voice was rustling leaves dancing in the wind, barely carrying to where Artemis and Sana were straining their ears in the corner.
Artemis trembled slightly, relief etched into his every line, echoed in his every movement. "It was a lemur, Mother. Mum." Although his back faced Sana, she could hear the smile in his voice.
From the bed Angeline smiled and gently reached one hand up to stroke her son's face. "Mum. I have waited so long to hear you say that. So long." Angeline eyes closed, and lying back, she fell asleep, the echo of her last smile still lingering on her lips. Artemis stood there for a moment, and then, surreptitiously rubbing his eyes, turned around to greet Butler, who had just emerged from the bathroom dripping water on to the already gooey rug, leaning on the doorway for support.
"Welcome back. This little one is quite a chip off the old block. Gave me one hell of a jump-start." Butler smiled at the younger Artemis, who smiled back, albeit tentatively. Sana had not seen him smile genuinely since Artemis Fowl Senior's disappearance a few months ago.
"He is the old block," said Artemis dryly. Artemis the younger raised an eyebrow at the comment.
"Those two," Butler jerked his thumb over his shoulder, "didn't enjoy their dip in the barrel."
"Animal fat is poison to fairies. Blocks the magical flow. Turns their own power rancid."
Butler frowned, the light going out of his eyes. "Opal made me do it. She… Miss Book approached me at the main gates as I left for the airport. I was trapped in my own skull."
Artemis laid a hand on his bodyguard's forearm. "I know. No apologies are necessary."
Butler twitched his lips upwards, asking "What did you do with Schalke? Knockout dart?"
"No. Our paths did not cross." Sana felt Artemis stiffen next to her.
Butler staggered across to the bedroom door, Artemis following closely behind him. "Opal is controlling him, though he's making her work for it. We need to secure them both right now." The pair hurried through the door and down the hall. Sana and Artemis glanced at each other and then, as if they had read each other's mind, broke into a run. The four of them reached the empty security booth some minutes later. Artemis rushed to the nearest window, the other Artemis and Sana following him, and gazed down the driveway, where a blocky rear ended Mercedes was about to disappear around the bend. Something bounced on the back seat. Squinting, Sana could just recognise Opal, but the setting sun shone into her eyes, making it hard for her to see clearly. Butler lurched over to loom over the three.
"This isn't over yet," he said, panting. Artemis did not respond. Then the engine began to whine, higher and louder than before. "Gear change," stated Butler. "She's coming back."
Artemis stood there, frowning. The two ten-year-olds looked at him, wondering about his plan. Or rather, Sana looked at him and wondered. The younger Artemis was no doubt thinking what he would do if it were up to him.
A few moments later, Artemis began to speak. "I need to take Jayjay away from here," he explained quickly. "So long as he is in the manor, everyone is in danger. Opal will kill us all to cover her tracks."
Butler nodded. "Yes. We can make it to the Cessna." His voice was laboured, sweat dripped from him onto the carpet. Anyone there could see that Butler was not fit enough to walk, let alone run to the plane and fly it.
"I can make it to the Cessna, old friend. I am charging you with the protection of my mother and friends, not to mention keeping my younger self off the Internet. He is as dangerous as Opal." The younger Artemis opened his mouth to object, but Sana, guessing his intent, kicked him hard on the shin, making him bend over in pain. Artemis and Butler did not notice any of this.
Butler frowned resignedly. "Very well. Don't take her over three thousand metres and watch the flaps – they're a bit sticky."
Artemis nodded. "Three thousand. Flaps. Got it."
"Would you like a gun? I have a neat Beretta."
"No guns." Artemis shook his head. "My ain is so bad that even with Holly's eye to help me I would probably only succeed in shooting off a toe or two. No, all I need is the bait," He paused, thinking. "And my sunglasses."
Artemis turned to Sana. "Sana, you know the microwave heat gel packs in the medical kits? Could you heat one up for me please?" Sana nodded, bemused, and set off running towards the kitchen. He then turned to his younger self. "Don't do anything rash. Butler will keep an eye on you. Look after the fairies for me." Butler nodded from behind him. Artemis scowled after his older self, who had taken off and was now running up the stairs. He was in the future, for goodness' sakes! He could learn so much, updating his knowledge on newer technologies that had been invented in the last eight years, on political structures in the world, on the environmental crisis that was getting worse day by day, and his older self charged him with babysitting. Babysitting!
Butler chuckled. "I've never seen Artemis run so fast or so far." He leaned heavily onto his young charge. "Let's go back to Angeline's room and get the two fairies out of there." Artemis sighed wearily, his indignation running out of him like sand in an hourglass, and the two began making their way up the stairs.
Sana sat on a stool, watching the gel pack turn around and around in the microwave, when Artemis ran into the room and collapsed onto another stool in the room, panting hard. He leaned forward and put his head on the kitchen bench, cushioning his head with folded arms.
Sana smiled. You're running. She sent, her mindvoice tinged with humour. You're actually running.
Artemis did not look up from the bench. For your information, I do participate in exercise now.
What type of exercise?
Artemis paused. Riding, he said sheepishly.
Sana withdrew from his mind, shaking her head, and smiled widely. She hit Artemis lightly on the head with a fist and went back to watching the microwave rotate slowly. Sana glanced at the clock, counting down the last few seconds left in a minute. Five…four…three…two…one... The microwave dinged softly. Artemis sat up, trying to master his breathing pattern.
"Could you get that for me, please?" Sana obliged, sliding off her stool and took the gel pack out of the microwave. She handed it to Artemis, who then took a stuffed monkey out from somewhere under the table and inserted the heated gel pack into the toy. Sana raised her eyebrows.
When did you get a stuffed monkey, Arty? She asked, entering his mind once more. I've never seen that before.
Artemis smiled grimly. It's my brother's plaything. He zipped the little monkey's back up with urgent efficiency.
Sana nodded, and then frowned. What brother? You don't have a brother.
"Yes I do." Artemis replied out loud, slinging the toy's arms around his neck so that the monkey hung from his neck like an oversized pendant. "A lot of things can happen in eight years, Sana. You'll know soon enough." With that, Artemis slid his sunglasses over his eyes and ran out the door, the little primate swinging from his neck.
After his departure, Sana slowly made her way out of the kitchen, thinking about what Artemis had said before running out the door as she walked back to the study. She paused at the window the four of them had looked out of only a few minutes ago, gazing out over the front lawn in front of the manor. Back in her time eight years ago the grass had been perfectly manicured with not one single blade out of place. The shrubs were grown and trimmed regularly and the trees were all the same shape. The garden had looked like one of the gardens that were always featured in the home-decorating magazines, but now, eight years on, it resembled more a wild meadow out in the country somewhere than a billionaire's front yard, with weeds and wild flowers mingling with the grass, which were not manicured but overgrown and unkempt. Not that she minded. Sana thought the garden looked more natural and beautiful than the one in her time, but Artemis Senior had always maintained the belief that the gardens needed to be kept neat and tidy to give their 'clients' a better impression on the Fowl family. What had happened? Angeline would never have let her husband's beliefs and mantras be forgotten or overruled, so what had made her change her mind? Maybe Arty, who had always said he would find his father, did end up finding Artemis…
Her speculations were promptly forgotten as Sana spied a small figure holding a helmet striding purposefully up the drive. The figure walked into the light and Sana gasped as Opal's beautiful but twisted features emerged from the gloom. She held the window ledge tightly, wishing and praying with all her might that Artemis had made it in time to the plane even with his extremely bad fitness levels, and, as if on cue, a small plane swooped over the manor. Opal stopped, lifting her head up to observe the plane more clearly, and then, as the plane swooped over the manor a second time, Opal placed the helmet over her head. For a long moment she looked at the plane, no doubt scanning the plane with some scanner in the helmet for something or other, finally finding what she was looking for. Pressing a button on her suit, wings sprouted from her back and Opal took off in hectic chase, soaring speedily towards the plane, arms folded across her chest to streamline her body and minimise resistance. Artemis and Opal flew over the manor, cutting off Sana's view abruptly. She sighed then continued her way up to the study, relieved that Artemis had made it to the plane in time, but her relief was tinged with worry for the Irish boy as Opal would do anything to get her hands on what the lemur, including murder.
The minute she entered the study Sana was ambushed by Holly with a gigantic hug unexpected from someone Holly's size.
"Sana! Thank you so much for getting me and No. 1 out of the fat," Holly exclaimed, letting go of the slightly dazed girl. "It was pure torture." She shivered, remembering the terrible sensations she had experienced in the barrel.
"Yeah," piped up No. 1. "Thank you, Sana. Even though I think we wouldn't have died in there, thanks to Butler's pipes," he nodded in Butler's direction, "It was still awful to go through."
Sana grinned at the two fairies, and then looked around, trying to find where her brother had gone to. She spotted him sitting on the lounge chair, reading a book on psychology. A stack of books were piled next to him. She smiled at the sight of him, until a loud voice interrupted her thoughts.
" Sana! Are you listening to what I'm saying?" said Holly.
Sana looked down at the elf, shrugging her shoulders apologetically. Holly shook her head in exasperation and repeated what she was saying before.
"The troops are going to be here any minute now, and when they arrive, we'll send you and Artemis back home to your time. One officer is going to accompany you to see you settled and to erase anyone's memories should they see you materialising from thin air, then the officer is going to come back. Arty's already promised you that you won't be mind-wiped, so you'll keep these memories in your head. But don't mention this to anyone. Got that?"
Sana nodded. At that moment, Jayjay leapt out of nowhere and landed on her head, scrambling his way down to her shoulder. She gasped, startled, then smiled and reached one hand up to the lemur. Jayjay butted his little head gently against her hand, and then made his way down to Sana's arms, where he sat, observing the world with his bright button eyes. Sana stroked him absentmindedly. Moments later, four fairies dressed in identical suits and helmets walked into the study. Holly frowned.
"Where are the rest of you?"
A deep male voice replied. "We're spread around the perimeters, just in case Opal comes back. Foaly's already briefed us, so we know what's going on."
Holly nodded. "I'll go out to get Artemis back from wherever he led Opal as soon as these kids are safe back home again." The officer nodded.
Sana handed Jayjay to Holly, sending, Bye Holly.
Bye Sana. Holly said. We'll take good care of Jayjay. Don't you worry.
Sana grinned. I know.
No. 1 waddled up to Sana. "I guess this is goodbye then." Sana crouched down and met the little demon's eyes.
I'll see you in my future, she sent into his mind. No. 1 nodded. He balanced on his stumpy tail, and then his eyes began to glow red, the swirls on his body slowly twining their way to his forehead. Sana stood and walked over to Artemis. He did not notice her, so she shook his shoulder gently. The boy looked up, surprised. He peered past Sana.
"What, are we going back already?" Artemis asked, seeing the suit-clad fairies in the room. Sana nodded. Artemis placed the book onto the stack next to him, glancing longingly at the books, and then squared his shoulders and made his way to the middle of the room. No. 1 looked at him, grinning.
"Artemis, aren't you forgetting something?" Artemis, hearing this comment, glared at No. 1 before beginning to unbutton his shirt. Sana followed his example. The fairy who had been chosen to go with them to the past was belligerent.
"What? Remove my clothes? This is insane! Why do I – "
Holly cut him off with a smirk. "Grub, I had to do this too. If I can do it, you can too. Keep the one piece on though. And don't go thinking you're going to complain about this, because it's all part of the job."
The officer grimaced, removing his helmet and unzipping his suit. Artemis hung his suit back up in the wardrobe before making his way back towards the centre of the room. No. 1 looked at him in surprise.
"Why, you're taking this better than your older self. He turned all red and all embarrassed, and you're just standing there." Artemis did not answer. What was there to be embarrassed of? It wasn't as if he was naked since he still had his boxers on. Beside him, Sana had shed her clothes in a pile and now stood straight and tall in her underwear and a camisole, also quite unembarrassed. The officer, on the other hand, made his way to the children slowly. No. 1 smiled.
"Hold hands with each other. Remember to focus on the exact time and place you had left your time. Grub, when they're all good, you don't have to do anything, my magic will lead you straight back here." All three of them nodded, grasping each other's hand. At least, Artemis and Sana did. Grub dithered about the indecency of it.
"Why do we have to do this? It's so bad! Why do I have to hold hands with two children? Two Mud children to boot?"
Holly lost her patience. "Look here Grub. If you don't move in the next second, I will buzz you." One hand made its way down to her buzz baton. Instantly after she suggested it, Grub leapt up as if he had actually been buzzed and hurried to Artemis' side, hooking his pinkie with one finger. No. 1 nodded and began to weave his spell. Just as Sana began to feel a bit light headed, a tall figure burst into the room. All of the room's occupants looked at the figure except No. 1, who was still in his trance. Sana gasped as she looked at the new person. The new girl was definitely human, she was too tall to be a fairy, and the girl was beautiful. Even though her features were not perfect as Opal's were, her face had a warmth and charm to it that Opal had lacked. The girl looked straight at Sana, and Sana felt a shiver run down her spine. The girl's eyes looked familiar...
A voice entered her head, urgently, compellingly. Sana, go to the third oak tree by the river behind your house.
Then she was in the time tunnel, and the only thing she was aware of was the girl's words and Artemis' hand, warm, dry and gripping tightly to her own.
Hi, people! It's finally the end of the first adventure (or the last, depending on how you look at it) of little Arty&co. I feel a great sense of accomplishment. ^^
Anyway, to answer some people's questions, no, Sana is NOT going to be in all of the adventures. That'll be too hard and too confusing. She might be in parts of some adventures, but definitely not all of them, and definitely not in the whole adventure.
Please review. Thankyou. -bow-