I'M FINALLY BACK! AND FINALLY OUT OF SCHOOL!

… which means I need a job now. Shit. Well, whatever, it's fine, MORE M EST P. Literally typed this whole chapter in pretty much one go on Christmas Eve, so as far as I'm concerned you guys can consider this a late Christmas present.

(Also, did you guys know there's a spinoff of Artemis Fowl called The Fowl Twins, following Myles and Beckett when they're 11? I haven't read it yet, but aksjfdgh I want to really badly now, if only so I can know whether or not there's any elements from the book I want to include in this series. Which, as of right now, is currently none except that Myles will definitely be getting glasses when he is older. So just assume nothing in here is from The Fowl Twins canon, alright? Just to be safe.)

ANYWHO, enough chit-chat, ONWARDS


Later, Frisk would think that they really didn't have an excuse for how surprised they were at Artemis's question. The fairies were paranoid to the point of hardcore paranoia, and the eldest Fowl son had obviously adopted some of that paranoia for himself to go along with his "the fairies are a priority" mentality. In both cases, those mindsets would have had them nitpicking at every little detail they could find in Frisk's memories, and Chara had been around for far longer than a decade, so it was only logical to assume they'd found out about the ghost.

But in the moment, Frisk didn't have much room for those kind of thoughts in their head, partially because they were still in a state of mild panic, and partially because both Chara and Flowey had taken it on themselves to start bristling like angry cats whose tails had just been trod on.

"How the ever-living fuck do you know about Chara?" Flowey snarled.

*Yeah, seriously, how the hell. I've never turned up on any recordings before, so why now of all fucking times?!

Artemis didn't so much as flinch at the angry flower in the room. Instead, he just studied Flowey with the look of someone putting together a particularly complicated jigsaw puzzle who had just been delivered a particularly irritating piece that he had yet to fit into the whole. "They were present in some of Frisk's memories. Unfortunately, due to some unforeseen interference, possibly because of the ghost themselves, all we know for certain is that they exist and that they seem to be helping Frisk." His eyes flicked back to Frisk. "The mind-wipe comes to mind."

Frisk pursed their lips, and only paid half a mind to Chara's angry muttering as the ghost grumbled something about wish I could affect technology like those stupid ghosts in the movies. And to a disgruntled whinny from the centaur as he whined something about seriously Mud Boy, that's the first thing you ask? Instead, they kept their eyes on Artemis, all too aware that they felt on the verge of a panic attack and trying not to let it get the better of them.

I still have no idea how far back they looked. Was it only this timeline's SAVEs they'd seen, or did they see anything else?

They had no idea. And wouldn't have an idea unless they answered the question, of that they were sure. They could see it in the Irishman's eyes – now that there was an answer pending, Artemis Fowl would not be letting them leave until he got what he was looking for.

Scary. I don't think I've seen a look that determined on anybody's face but mine, in the mirror.

Frisk gulped. Hastily started arranging their thoughts in some vague resemblance to order. They had to get this right – they had to get this right, and since they had no idea how much they actually knew apart from the basics, they didn't know what the right answer was here.

"… how did you guess it was a time loop?" They croaked, finally managing to get their tongue to stop malfunctioning.

"There were faaaaaar too many things repeating in your memories, kid," Foaly said, drawing out one word far too long for it to feel like anything but minorly patronizing. "And we've all seen Groundhog Day, it wasn't hard to figure out."

"The movie didn't have anything to with our guesses, no matter what the centaur says," Captain Short said dryly. "But that's pretty much it on our end. Foaly noticed duplicate memories in what the mind-wipe team recorded, and he and Artemis ended up going over the information from that with a fine-toothed comb." She shrugged, looking distinctly uncomfortable. "It's pretty clear you've been doing this sort of thing for a while, Ambassador. And you seem pretty sensible, apart from your chronic lack of self preservation. So the only reason for everything to keep repeating in your memories that involves time travel…"

"Would be a time loop," Frisk finished quietly, tensing like a stretched rubber band. "I…" They shifted their weight uncomfortably. "You're… not wrong, I guess."

Artemis raised one eyebrow, his eyes sharp. "Not wrong, but we do not know the specifics that you do. I intend to fix that here and now, Frisk."

No further questions. No demands. His tone of voice, though calm, was also a demanding one. Frisk grimaced, holding Flowey's pot a little tighter. The flower growled, though whether it was at Frisk nearly crushing him again or at Artemis's demands they weren't sure. Either way…

"… I don't know much." They wanted to tear their eyes away, but they refused, keeping their eyes fixed on blade-like circles of blue. "They just… started happening." They took a deep breath, steeled themselves as best they could despite the beginnings of trembling in their body. They hadn't explained this except to Sans in… well, they'd pretty much never told anyone. And Sans… had already had an idea that something had gone very very wrong in the other timelines, based on his nightmares alone.

But they had to try. Best to just get it over with and rip that old used bandage off.

"The first time it happened, it was after I'd died to a monster in Snowdin after my first time falling into the Underground."

The fairies, including the little gargoyle "demon" onscreen, sat up to attention. Artemis frowned, his eyes becoming a fraction less flinty as he settled in to listen. Frisk tried not to let their stares unnerve them so much, but… god, it was so hard. How was this harder than having explained to Sans that once they'd taken everything away from him that he'd ever cared about?

"I was… still naive then. Toriel's a strong monster, but even though I came close to dying when she tried to keep me in the Ruins, I could tell she… really didn't want to hurt me. And she'd told me that the monsters outside the Ruins were worse than anything there, but… I'd never come close to dying until then." They shuddered, remembering how Snowdin had seemed to them in that first run, stepping out of the Ruins into the dim snow-lit light of an old, dead forest. More than a little unsettling. "It was… two of the dogs that killed me the first time. Dogamy and Dogaressa. I'd just found my way through a spike trap that was blocking the way, and then… two dog monsters in black hoods approach with massive battle axes." They finally closed their eyes – maybe it would be easier if they couldn't see their faces? "I couldn't… figure out what I needed to do to have them let me run past. And I couldn't dodge all of their attacks. I hadn't been able to practice that yet. So the next thing I know…"

Their voice trailed off as they remembered that very first Reset, seeing a shining white pair of blades coming down on their heads, the pain – and then waking up back in the golden flowers, like nothing had happened… save for Flowey's taunts after he'd realized they remembered, just like he could.

"… I woke up back on top of the golden flowers I landed on, at the same time on the same day."

"Pathetic little thing you were, too," Flowey scoffed, though without much venom. "Scared and shaking and blubbering like a little kid."

"At first I thought it was just a one time thing," Frisk continued, ignoring him and trying not to let the silence in the room get to them. "Just… like a bad dream. But then it happened again when I got careless fighting Toriel and accidentally ran into a fireball, and again when Snowdrake got in a lucky hit in Snowdin, and so many other times when I ran into the Dogi again before I…"

Before, in a fit of frustration, they'd lashed out at one of the dogs. The first dust on their hands, if only by accident, because back then they hadn't known just how fragile monster souls were to intent.

"… eventually, though, I started getting used to it. And Flowey… well, he was worse back then than he is now."

There was a disbelieving snort from Foaly, and a quiet shush and let them talk from No. 1.

"I guess he just got bored of me not figuring things out like he had." Frisk continued quietly. "Because eventually… he started dropping hints about the SAVE points. Why aren't you using any of that determination of yours, stupid? Those big glowing stars exist for a damn reason, you know."

"Well, it was fucking stupid that you weren't using them," Flowey deadpanned, unrepentant.

"I didn't know how back then," Frisk said, quietly. "Once I figured out how, though… whenever I died, I started reappearing at the SAVE points instead. Only… I can only use them so many times before everything Resets again." They finally opened their eyes again, trying not to let the desperation they felt with what felt like every day now seep into their voice like it wanted to. Every eye in the room was on them, and every last one of them felt like thousand-yard stares, going right through them and out the other side. "And everything always Resets again. Always. It never stops. The SAVE points only stave off the inevitable for so long, and once they run out of SAVEs, I end up right back in the beginning again, all progress erased like it never happened in the first place, and I don't know why."

Their voice cracked on the last word, and they gritted their teeth, taking deep breathes in a desperate attempt to calm themselves down.

"Okay, okay," No. 1 said quickly, making calm down gestures with his four-fingered hands. "Easy there, Frisk, just calm down, relax, compose yourself! Nothing's… Reset yet, right? You're still here, your SAVE point out in the garden still works?"

Frisk took another deep breath, and nodded slowly. "I've… only used it a few times. All the ones in the Underground usually lasted at least a few dozen times…"

"There you go," the demon said, nodding seriously. "And I think all of us will be happy if you don't have to use it again, right?"

Frisk hesitated, but nodded again. Because while it was true that they didn't want to use their SAVE yet… they would if they had to. If it turned out this route was the wrong one to go down, yet another turn down a different path than they should go. And no kind words would change that.

"Alright," No. 1 continued, just as soothingly as before. Frisk subtly checked with Chara to see if there was anything like the mesmer O'Reilly had used on them happening, and the ghost denied it with an annoyed grunt. Seemed like the soothing tone was genuine then. "In that case… can I ask you a question or two, please? Because while time travel's not new to anyone in this room, time loops like the ones you've apparently been stuck in certainly are."

Frisk started, eyes going wide. "You can… time-travel too?"

"Not, I think, in the same way you use the SAVE points, as you call them." Artemis said briskly, finally speaking up again and taking the spotlight once more. "Put bluntly – these Resets allow you to change events as you see fit, yes? Essentially, you change the time stream depending on what actions you take, without risk of paradoxes – fairy time travel, on the other hand, is not like that whatsoever. Paradoxes are a certain side-effect of them if problems are not addressed correctly while using it." His lips quirked up, just for a second. "As everyone here can attest."*

The monster ambassador gulped nervously.

"Indeed," No. 1 giggled, and maybe they were just projecting onto him or something but he sounded pretty nervous himself. "That was a bad situation all around, thanks to Koboi. If only we'd caught her in time..." He sighed, and shook his head. "The point is… the time travel we fairies know about and your Resets are very different from one another just based on the lack of paradoxes. I'd like to know what else there is different about them, if you've noticed anything?"

*… they're up to something.

Frisk almost grimaced. Yeah. I noticed. They're… trying to warm me up for something.

*And I have a feeling I know exactly what. See how tentative Short and the centaur and the… demon, are starting to get?

Frisk's heart sank as they recognized the uncertainty in all the non-human faces a part of the conversation. Chara was right… they were getting pretty reluctant. And that meant…

"… like what?" they croaked.

"Possible side-effects come to mind," No. 1 continued, even more tentatively than before. "For example, anything like losing limbs – see this finger here, it used to be longer – switching body parts – Holly got the full brunt of that thanks to the whole Hybras mess, that blue eye technically isn't hers** – to losing memories –"

This time they couldn't keep their poker face. They flinched, and the demon feel silent, looking apologetic.

"Memory loss for certain, then," Artemis said, very quietly.

"Oh, more than fucking memory loss, you piece of crap," Flowey muttered under his breath. Frisk hugged his pot a little tighter.

Artemis raised an eyebrow. "Such as?"

Flowey sneered, bristling and curling thorny vines out of the soil his roots were planted in. "If you want your damn answers then stop hedging around the question!"

The UN representative sighed, closing his eyes. "Fine." He said shortly. "I was trying to be polite about this but if you truly wish for a blunt question –" When his eyes opened again, the irises almost felt like they were being burned into Frisk's very soul, and they froze under that stare like a deer in headlights.

"Dreemurr."

Cold as ice. Clinical.

No.

"In your memories, we've all witnessed you killing monsters in cold blood. Repeatedly."

Hard as flint and sharp as a razor.

No no no no no -

"One after another, without a shred of mercy to be had for them. An entire loop full of nothing but death by your hands."

NononoNONONO –

"How are we to know it will not happen again, without knowing how it began in the first place?"

Their heart was pounding. Their breath was coming in too-short bursts, almost hyperventilating, their throat too tight to pull in air. They felt cold and clammy, like some sickness had taken root under their skin and was trying to surface. Because –

They knew. They knew about the second Genocide timeline. About everything Frisk had done to people that should have been too precious to ever harm again. They'd seen Frisk cut down their own mother, their own friends, the people they'd fought so hard to bring to the surface, and then walk over their corpses with dust on their hands. They'd seen that Frisk belonged in the deepest pits of hell, regardless of how they'd tried to redeem themselves since, because the EXP from every last one of those kills was still there, they knew it was, and with it came every last particle of the dead they'd left behind

Through the ringing in their ears, they could hear voices. No. 1, on the screen, the demon (and what did it say about them that they were so much worse than a demon) concerned, calling their name. Captain Short, also concerned but more rough around the edges with it (didn't she know that they weren't worth her concern?) Artemis, cold and clinical and sharp. Flowey snarling, even more furious than he'd been before, his voice so clear to them even through the panic. "Don't make them talk about it, idiots! You'll make them start crying, and then we'll be here all day because it's a pain in the stem to make them stop crying once they start!"

And behind them, behind the door, barely audible only the noise, the sound of a urgent whispering between two voices that definitely shouldn't have been there.

"Myles, what should we do?"

"I – the best way to stop a panic attack is to remove the source of the panic, so we need to get them out of there –"

The twins were outside. The twins were outside. They were there, listening in, when this shouldn't have ever reached ears not their own –

And they'd heard everything.

That was the last straw, and Frisk was gone. Out the door, past the startled Fowl twins, past a blur of blue hoodie further down the hall, tunnel vision leading them far, far away from the rising voices that now all knew far too much about one of the greatest sins they'd ever committed.


… remember how I said sometimes things get worse before they get better? Yeah, that's still happening, and it got a HELL OF A LOT WORSE.

Don't worry, though. I can guarantee this time that things are gonna start getting a bit better come the next chapter. (After all, the twins have to apologize for eavesdropping, don't they?)

Thanks to an incident involving one of my readers in the Discord server my fanfic chat is in being banned… twice … I'm not sure I feel comfortable just posting the Discord link in the notes anymore. However, so far most people that have ended up in the chat have been great, so I'm gonna take the plunge again for you guys. The Discord invite code for today is: ( /p2uwyJ). It will expire a day after this chapter is posted. (Please be polite. If another reader of mine gets banned then I might have to find out if A03 has private messaging options and use that instead.)

*Fairy Time Travel: In The Time Paradox (my second least favorite of the Artemis Fowl series but it's still a good book, read it), Artemis and Holly ended up traveling back almost eight years in time in order to save a lemur species extinct in the modern day which they could in turn use to cure an apparent illness that Artemis's mother had caught. As it turned out, though, the entire time-travel experience was all just one big paradox loop, because the "symptoms" of the "illness" that Angeline had were actually past-Opal Koboi possessing her and imitating them so that Artemis and Holly would go back in time to "steal" the lemur from her, thus leading her to sapping memories from a past version of Mulch and finding out they were from the future and then following them to the future herself, only hopping out of the timestream a few days earlier to cause the whole mess. Also, encountering his younger self (whose memories then got wiped after the whole situation) technically led to Artemis scheming to kidnap a fairy in the first place. So, yeah. Fairy time travel is not at all immune to the problems of causing paradoxes.

** "That blue eye technically isn't hers" - Something from the end of the Lost Colony. As a side effect of the less than optimal conditions while returning Hybras to the world at large, Artemis and Holly switched one eye with each other. While Artemis, thanks to being brought back to life in a clone body of himself in the Last Guardian, no longer has Holly's eye, Holly still has Artemis's original eye that got switched out in that time tunnel.