Author's Note: I'm getting less and less reviews per chapter. Never mind, I'm still going to write! Sorry I haven't updated for three days, I was studying for a test. Enjoy! The next chapter will be out probably on Thursday! Thanks for your support!
Disclaimer: Really lazy to write it.
A Twist of Fate by Stardust Firebolt
Chapter Six: Destructive Voices In My Head
Still at Fowl Manor
The next morning
Holly woke up, and was surprised to see that she was lying in her own bed at the Fowl Manor. She had been talking to Artemis from eleven to about twelve at midnight last night when abruptly, she had felt herself falling asleep. She recalled Artemis reciting some of his poetry to her at her request (she wanted to make up for the way she had been judgemental, and was determined to give Artemis a chance to show his true self), and although she struggled to stay awake, her eyelids got heavier and heavier as she started to succumb to the tempting arms of dreamland. The last thing she knew was Artemis whispering a poem about the stars to her ears, and after that, she must have fallen asleep because she couldn't remember anything else.
In that case, how did I get here? she thought bewilderedly. Did I sleep-walk?
Holly got dressed as she contemplated the possibilities of how she had ended up in her bed instead of waking up to a field of sky blue with the scratchy grass beneath her.
"Artemis!" she yelled as she ran out of her room noisily.
"Tone it down, Captain Short, I value my hearing," Artemis replied from his room next door.
Holly was sheepish. She knew she couldn't help it if she yelled loudly. Having worked in the LEP for so long, she had forgotten how to be a lady with demure manners and gentle etiquette. Holly ran into the next room and almost crashed into Artemis for the second time that week. Hurriedly skidding to a stop, she self-consciously smoothed down her hair and pants, trying not to look so ruffled, and especially trying not to look as if she was in such a hurry to see someone like him.
Artemis looked hugely amused. "Ah, Captain Holly Short ends up in my room looking desperate for the second time this week. May I ask what has possessed you to want to enjoy my pleasant company?"
Holly felt her cheeks burn. The fact that Artemis' statement was so ambiguous made her realize that he was deliberately trying to make her uncomfortable. The audacity of Artemis Fowl! How dare he be so bold, and so arrogant! She wanted to slap him, but she restrained herself. She would not let Artemis gloat over how she had judged him too soon. Maybe this was just Artemis' way of joking with her, a way of lightening the tension between them. Maybe she just took his comments too seriously. She counted to ten to calm herself down, before she spoke.
"Did you carry me back here after I fell asleep last night?" Holly questioned.
Artemis smiled. "Isn't the answer obvious?"
Holly was stunned. So he had carried her back here, but...why?
"Why? That's too....nice...of you."
Artemis' eyes glinted with amusement and he casually leaned against his desk. "Surprised, Captain Short? I do have a bit of humanity you know, not to let you freeze outside in the cold night air."
"Well....er....did you...er....do...anything...to me last night?" Holly asked softly, embarrassed at her question, which was obviously a reference to whether Artemis could keep his hormones in check. She had to ask as a precaution, because she never knew how dangerous Artemis could get.
Artemis chortled, and his icy composure slipped just at that moment. His eyes crinkled up in mirth as he burst out in raucous laughter. "Do....anything...to...you?" he repeated laughingly. He seemed as if he hadn't laughed that hard in ages.
Holly flushed with embarrassment, and tried to salvage the rest of her disintegrating pride by lifting her chin up high. "You obviously know what I mean, don't you?" she asked shrilly, her embarrassment causing her voice to go up a notch.
Artemis flashed a charming smile at her while his eyes held a hint of hilarity. "The fact that you could even think of the possibility that I would rape you while you were asleep, suggests that you obviously have been fantasizing about it, haven't you?"
Holly's mouth dropped open. What a bold question! She was at a loss for words. "Of course I - I haven't, you...you...arrogant piece of filth! How dare you....!" she lunged for him angrily, furious at his attempt to make her feel embarrassed. She had never been so embarrassed in her life! How Artemis could even joke about a matter like this was unthinkable!
Artemis laughed again as he dodged the flying fairy, who was trying to strangle him in the hope that his vocal chords would break and he would never insult her again.
Holly collided into Artemis and they both fell to the floor, Holly lying on top of Artemis. Juliet, Butler's sister, walked in that moment with the breakfast tray for Artemis, and promptly dropped it as she considered Holly and Artemis' position.
"Oh. My. God." Juliet gaped and clapped a hand over her mouth.
Holly scrambled to her feet. "No, it isn't like what you think it is!" Holly said pleadingly.
"Holly, you are just gross! Arty's only seventeen, he's too young!" With that, Juliet ran out, obviously off to gossip about this scandalous affair.
A burst of laughter erupted from Artemis just then, and Holly whirled around furiously. "SEE WHAT YOU'VE DONE!" Holly screamed.
Artemis got to his feet and raised an eyebrow at her. "You went for me, I didn't do anything." He smiled at the double meaning of his sentence.
Holly fumed silently, and Artemis, who noticed, put an arm tentatively around her shoulders. "Poor Captain Short. Accused of something she couldn't have done. She's eighty, and too old to charm a man anyway."
That was the last straw. Holly knew he was just teasing her, but Holly was already angry enough to erupt any minute. Holly broke free from Artemis and lifted her hand, preparing to slap the smile out of Artemis' face, but just before her hand made contact with his cheek, he apologized.
"I'm sorry, Holly, I was just joking," Artemis said. His eyes reflected the shock he felt at Holly responding so vehemently to his words.
"Why don't you mean it, for once!" Holly shrieked. "And stop hurting people's feelings!"
Artemis obviously realized he had gone too far with his jokes. "All right, all right, I'm sorry, Holly. You can...slap me now." He braced himself.
"And stop calling me Holly! Who do you think you are!" Holly shrieked. She didn't want Artemis to think they were friends, because it would make her confused. Yet, she had to admit, she had melted the moment Artemis had said the first sorry, and added the Holly at the back. She didn't want to keep feeling like this around Artemis, how he could just play with her emotions by calling her Holly and knowing when to apologize. It was just so different from the Artemis she knew before. She didn't want him to change. She was afraid her own feelings about him would change.
Artemis looked at his feet. "I'm sorry...Captain Short."
Holly realized that she had never really understood Artemis. He was just so mysterious in the ways he acted around her. Sometimes, he could argue with her as if they were enemies, and sometimes he could be so sweet that she didn't know why they fought in the first place.
"Well...I forgive you," she finally replied. If Artemis was going to be civil, so could she.
"Thank you," Artemis replied. He tried a tentative smile, and when Holly didn't comment, a warm smile lit up his features, obviously glad that he had been forgiven. Holly wasn't even sure if that smile was genuine. Artemis had two kinds of smiles - the frosty, sarcastic, 'I'm-obviously-smarter-than-you-so-get-out-of-here' smile, or the pleasant, welcoming kind.
The two stood there staring at each other, not knowing what to say. Suddenly Holly realized that they never really had a decent conversation. Now that there was an opportunity, they weren't making use of it.
Artemis eventually turned away from her, and looked at the mess that Juliet had made. He sighed and ruffled his hair.
"Well, Captain Short, it seems I can't have my breakfast in here after all. Shall we go down to have breakfast then?"
How Artemis could still remain so calm after the major argument they just had astounded Holly. He was so assertive, so self-assured...did anything really faze him? Did he really have no regards for emotion whatsoever?
"Yes, please," replied Holly, awed.
~*~
Holly took a stroll after a rather decent breakfast with Artemis. They had managed to eat without throwing food at one another. Artemis had gone to his study to write an essay for school, which left Holly free to do whatever she wanted. Holly walked on the green grass of Ireland and realized that she would miss this place when she left for her home in Haven, which would be soon as she had imposed on the Fowls too long. Furthermore, she was fine.
Would you miss Fowl Manor, or miss a certain someone? her sub-conscience nagged at her. Holly ignored the absurd thought and sat down on the same hill she had shared with Artemis the night before. Her eyes scanned the familiar flowers growing on the ground and the ships that lay in the sea beyond.
Enjoying the scenery, Holly dear? a voice said in her head.
Holly scrambled to her feet. "Not you again," she groaned.
Holly...I am right behind you. Then you will see if I am real.
Holly whirled around, and gasped. Tears brimmed in her eyes and she shook her head vehemently.
"Stop...stop playing with my feelings...I won't give in...I'm not crazy," Holly said, trying to be calm.
Nobody said you were, Holly. Her father stretched out his hand. Take it. If you think you are hallucinating, you will not feel it, right?
Holly stretched out a tentative, shaking hand. It was time to end this silly hallucination once and for all. She placed her palm in his. It was warm.
Am I real now, Holly? Am I real?
Holly burst into tears and hugged her father. "I thought...I thought you were dead!"
Her father stroked her head. The voice had vanished out of her head, and he reverted to speaking normally. "I was never dead, Holly."
"But....why?" she questioned.
"The bloody scheming LEP. They wanted me out," her father growled. "Sit down while I tell you the story."
Holly sank down beside her father, hardly daring to believe. Her eyes opened wide as her father narrated the truth to her.
~*~
(Artemis' point of view)
Artemis sighed. Why can't I get Holly out of my head? he thought irritably. When he had carried her into Fowl Manor the day before, he couldn't help but notice the way she seemed like an angel when she was sleeping.
Urrrgh, Artemis, get a grip on yourself, Artemis thought, disgusted with himself. Trust yourself to get so sentimental over some overgrown fairy, he snorted to himself. He ran a hand lightly over his tousled hair and stared out of the window of his study. How he wished that Holly hadn't got such a coloured perception of him. Had he not tried to change himself? Had he not tried to be nice to her? Had he not tried to show his gentler side? Didn't she understand that his arrogance was a false show of confidence? Didn't she understand that he teased her to get her attention? Why did she hate him so?
Why do you care if she hates you or not, Artemis? You're being absolutely retarded. Face the fact that Holly's going to leave Fowl Manor one day for her own home, and before your parents get back, which is about in a week's time. You can't do anything about it, and you shouldn't. Even if you do like her, you must be mad. There are so many other girls who'd be dying to go after you, because of your status and prestige.
But Holly's not like that, Artemis argued mentally.
Artemis sighed. Sometimes his own thoughts really confused him. Butler entered his room just then, startling Artemis. They hadn't talked for quite some time, because Artemis had been too preoccupied with Holly. Butler placed a hand of his client's shoulder as Artemis continued to stare out of the window.
"Where's Holly?" Artemis said instinctively, and it was all Butler could do not to hide his grin behind a hand.
"That's the fourth time you've asked me that today, Artemis," Butler replied. "Can't bear to let her out of your sight?"
Artemis turned around and looked at Butler squarely in the eye, covering up his emotions effectively. "Nonsense," he exclaimed.
Butler chuckled. "From what Juliet has told me, I gather it's not."
Artemis groaned. "Whatever Juliet's said, it's definitely not true."
Butler winked, a conspiratorial wink between close friends. Over the years, he had grown to be more of a friend than a bodyguard, but their friendship wasn't really displayed in the open. "Right, Artemis," he said, knowing that what Artemis said wasn't true, and knowing that Artemis knew that he thought it wasn't true.
Artemis seemed distracted as he stared listlessly out of the window again. Something was troubling Artemis, but Butler wasn't sure what. He seemed to be too quiet, unlike the Artemis he knew who would always confide in him.
"Anything wrong, Artemis?" he asked quietly.
Artemis' blue eyes scanned the estate that stretched for miles around outside. "You know, Butler..." he began seriously.
"Yes?" Butler replied, listening with rapt attention.
"I wonder what is it I live for."
Butler sat up in shock. Was young Artemis feeling suicidal? "Artemis!" he said alarmingly. "Whatever it is you're thinking, don't be foolish!"
Artemis laughed at Butler's overreaction. "Don't be silly, Butler. I didn't mean I wanted to commit suicide. I merely meant..." Artemis began to bite his lip, and Butler was reminded again of how young Artemis still was, even though he tried to act more mature than his age.
"I was just wondering...what is my life going to be like? My future is sealed of course, I will inherit all of Fowl Manor and its estates, and my father's money....but....what do I do with it? To have so much money and not be able to find a use for it....isn't it pointless?" Artemis sighed. "It might be hard to understand, Butler. I know I can have everything I ask for..." Artemis turned to the window and stared outside again. "...but I feel there's something missing in my life."
"What is it that you feel you're missing?" Butler asked.
"I don't know..." Artemis said. "There's just this emptiness inside of me that aches to be filled up. I thought I had grown over that stage. You know that since I was young, I was singled out because I was a genius and thus I didn't have many friends. I guess you could say I felt...lonely. But Butler, I'm seventeen now....why doesn't the feeling go away?"
Artemis sounded so lost and forlorn that Butler felt sorry for him. "You've got a friend in me," he said, trying to sound jovial.
"I know..." Artemis trailed off, before speaking again. "But it's just not the same. I ache to go out and meet people, to befriend them, to make them like me..." He looked at his feet. "Yet when I get the opportunity, I hurt them, extort money from them, and use them for my own selfish gain. I know I was reckless....but somehow, not everybody has been able to forgive me for that. Maybe that's why I don't have many friends..."
Butler placed a hand on Artemis' shoulder. "Don't worry about it, Artemis. When you get the chance, you will be able to make it up to them. Like Holly for example. She's here now, why not try and patch things up with her? It's like fate put her here for a reason."
"Perhaps," Artemis began simply. Their conversation was interrupted by a frantic Juliet, who ran in, her voice coming out sharp and hurried.
"Arty, Arty," she panted, trying to catch her breath. She seemed as if she had been running.
"What is it, Juliet?" Artemis asked, frowning anxiously.
"Holly...she's...she's..."
Artemis went numb. All he could hear was the pounding of his heart in his ears. He couldn't feel anything else - he didn't dare to feel anything else. The silence in the air was tense.
"What's up with her?" Artemis asked slowly, not daring to breathe.
"Holly's behaving like she's possessed or something. I just came back from shopping and I saw her heading out of Fowl Manor, towards some place. But...she looked so scary! I said hi, and I was about to apologize for making a big deal about just now when I saw you two together... but it's like she didn't even recognize me. She looked at me like I was a deformed creature." Juliet shuddered, lifting her hands to her pale cheeks. "Which would be such an insult to my beauty!"
Artemis tried to calm himself down. "And after that?"
"She glared at me before she like, totally ignored me and went off somewhere. It was so creepy and crazy, I tell you!" Juliet exclaimed.
Artemis let his worry get the better of him and bustled out of the door without a second word. Butler began to run after him, wondering what Artemis was going to do.
"Hey!" Juliet shouted furiously. "Isn't anyone going to care about my trauma?!" She was left there alone as her words reverberated around the empty room, and she pouted and sat furiously down on a chair.
~*~
Tell me where you are, Holly...please...Artemis thought frantically as he jumped into his car and revved up the engine. A panting Butler slid into the seat next to him, and an alarmed Artemis glanced up at him. "Butler! What are you doing here!" Artemis remarked, the car's engine rumbling softly.
"I go wherever my charge goes. It's my duty," Butler replied. "Besides, you and I have a lot to talk about."
"Whatever you say," Artemis said grimly as he swung the car 180 degrees and sped off into action.
"Whoa!" Butler cried as he slammed against the car door. "Calm down, Artemis! I've never seen you this crazy before!"
"Put on your seatbelt and hold on tight then," Artemis said tersely, clutching the steering wheel tightly.
"Why don't you let me drive then, Artemis?" Butler suggested. That way, they both wouldn't be killed at the speed he was going.
"No," Artemis said fiercely.
"You wouldn't be doing this if it weren't for Holly, would you," Butler commented. It was more of a statement than a question.
"So what if it's for Holly? You have a problem with that?" Artemis snapped as he turned sharply around a bend, causing the tyres to screech with alarm.
"No," Butler said simply, wondering when Artemis' temper had gotten so short.
"Then shut up and look after yourself," Artemis retorted. Butler's eyes widened with shock. Since when had Artemis been so obsessed about something that he couldn't care about anything else?
I think Artemis is falling in love with Holly, and there isn't a damn thing he can do about it, Butler contemplated as he jerked around in Artemis' car. He's angry with himself that he's actually incapable of getting a girl out of his head when nothing else fazes him.
"Do you see Holly anywhere?" Artemis barked at him.
Butler strained to see out of the window. "No sign."
"Tell me when you see her and I'll stop the car."
"Sure thing, Artemis."
"Sorry if I snapped at you just now." That was the closest to an apology Artemis could get, but Butler accepted it anyway. He had always felt compelled to forgive Artemis, who was a difficult child at heart.
"That's all right, Artemis." Butler replied, trying to smile at Artemis in spite of hanging on for his dear life. He looked out of the window again.
"Artemis! I think I see her....she's right there," Butler said, while Artemis stomped on the brakes and Butler jerked forward, his nose just inches from crashing into the windscreen. The seatbelt choked him as he was pushed forward. The car squealed noisily as it came to a sudden halt, and Butler was slammed back into his chair, feeling worn out. In all his years of battle, he didn't think he'd met a challenge more dangerous than when Artemis Fowl was driving.
"Where?" Artemis asked frantically, his head poking out of the car window.
Butler got out of the car and opened the door for Artemis. He pointed out Holly to him, and Artemis jumped out of the car. He began to run towards Holly, who was heading towards a farm, moving in a rather dazed fashion. Very slowly and very mechanically, as if she was being controlled by someone with a remote controller. Juliet was right. But what had happened? They hadn't let Holly out of their sight except for after breakfast, where she had requested to take a stroll. (Though Butler was sure she was trying to avoid Artemis for some reason.) After that, they hadn't heard of her. What had happened to her during the stroll?
"Holly!" Artemis screamed. Butler had never known Artemis to be so uncouth in public. But where matters of the heart were concerned, he guessed he could understand Artemis' feelings. Just like the other time, he had been driving home with Artemis from school, when they had encountered upon Holly in a field nearby, looking like she was about to split herself open, and Artemis had rushed to her side.
Holly did not reply to Artemis' yells, and kept on walking. Artemis had caught up with her and yanked her by the arm. "Holly...Holly, it's me, Artemis," he said pleadingly, as if his voice could somehow shake her out of the trance she was in.
Holly stopped for a moment before her head turned slowly towards him. She cocked her head to one side and stared bewilderedly at him. Her hazel eyes held no flicker of the vivacious spirit the lively fairy once had in her.
"Who...are....you?" Holly asked laboriously, as if she had forgotten how to speak.
Artemis searched her hazel eyes anxiously, for some sign that Holly recognized him. But there was none. "Holly...it's me, Artemis Fowl. Remember me? Okay, if you don't like me to call you Holly, how about Captain Short? Captain Short, do you know who I am?"
"Captain....Short?" Holly frowned. God, she looked beautiful, Artemis thought helplessly. But so helpless and lost. What's going on?
"I'm....I'm not Captain Short..." Holly said, her eyes blinking rather unnaturally. "I...do...not...know you...go away..." Holly wrenched her arm out of his grip and continued to walk towards the farm. Artemis followed her, worried about her safety. Butler trudged after Artemis, who looked so emotional Butler could hardly believe this was the cold Artemis he once knew.
"Butler....hurry up! We have to see where she's going!" Artemis yelled, beckoning Butler to hurry up.
"I don't like the look of things, Artemis. Holly....isn't acting like Holly."
"I don't like the look of things either, Butler." Artemis replied, running after Holly. "We have to figure out what's wrong with Holly!"
Holly seemed to be boarding a train to some place. Without question, Artemis and Butler hurried on board, hanging close behind Holly, but not so close that she noticed. She seemed oblivious to the outside world anyway. Artemis began to worry.
Does this have something to do with the voice Holly's been hearing?
~*~
Haven, Underground
LEP Headquarters
Same day, same time
Foaly whistled as he passed by Trouble at work, who looked very depressed. "Are you all right, Trouble? You've been looking like that lately."
"I can't understand how Holly's gone missing and no one cares where she's gone!" Trouble spat angrily.
"Geez, don't get so worked up, man. Have you combed the entire Haven to search for her?" Foaly said.
Trouble's head slumped onto his desk moodily. "Of course I have, Foaly. I've been to all the places she could be."
"Even dusted the tiniest crack in the wall to search for her?" Foaly joked.
Trouble gave him the evil eye. "This is no time to be joking around, Foaly. Who knows where she is? I'm half-tempted to paste up 'lost person' notices."
"Relax," Foaly said, nudging him in the shoulder. "Remember, Holly's supposed to be taking a holiday. She could be anywhere. Probably somewhere where she doesn't want anyone to know about the humiliation of not working for the LEP."
"That serious?" Trouble replied. "But you're right. Haven is huge. She could be anywhere. Somewhere where I haven't looked. But she'll come back."
"Atta boy!" Foaly grinned. "It's just like Holly our girl to disappear and reappear one month after." Foaly winked. "Who knows, she could even be camping out at Fowl Manor!" Foaly laughed.
Trouble groaned. "That would be a very unlikely possibility. Holly hates Fowl to the core, she told me herself."
Foaly grinned. "She told you, eh? Must be covering up her feelings or something."
Trouble sat up in shock. "You mean she likes the Mud Boy?"
Foaly shrugged nonchalantly. "Sometimes it shows. I'm not saying it's true though."
Trouble felt the urge to hit something. Holly is mine and no one else can have her. I alone can give her all the love she wants. I just haven't shown it to her. Trouble thought, feeling dejected about not having made a move when Holly had been here.
"Don't beat yourself up, man. It's not your fault Holly's gone to Timbuktu or something. She'll be back soon, it's only been a few days since she'd gone."
Trouble muttered something incoherent, and Foaly decided to leave him alone. Trouble obviously wasn't in the mood to talk, and Foaly knew it wasn't wise to go on provoking an extremely pent-up fairy. He whistled again as he walked towards his booth, when a resounding boom that shook the headquarters startled him.
"What the hell was that?" a voice shouted from an office nearby. Foaly knew it was Root. That loud voice was unmistakable.
"Do I look like I know? No," Foaly said sarcastically as he passed by the office. Another boom shook the headquarters, and this time everyone was scrambling out of their own office booths to congregate and ask what was going on.
"What's going on?"
"Did you hear that BOOM sound...?"
"...You bet I did!"
"What is it?"
"How would I know?"
"What's that sound? It's so weird."
As everyone in the LEP headquarters questioned each other about the sound, Foaly frowned and decided to run a scan on the town of Haven for any suspicious activity. He ran to his booth and clacked away on the keyboard frantically as he drew up a map of Haven, and ran a scan. A beeping sound emitted from his computers as a bright red dot sparkled ominously on the screen, locating where the suspicious activity was coming from. It was to the northeast of downtown Haven.
"Commander Root!" he yelled. A burly man rushed in behind him, and Foaly told him about his scan.
"It seems like the sounds are being made to the northeast of downtown Haven. Maybe if you send your officers to go and check it out, I can stay here and monitor the movement and send the directions over the radios," Foaly said quickly.
Root nodded slowly as he tried to understand. "But what if it isn't serious? Then won't we be wasting our time?"
Foaly contemplated. "Too bad, Commander Root. Unless you want people to start complaining about the annoying sound, you better send people over there quick."
Root nodded. "I'll take your advice for once, Foaly." He rushed out of the room, presumably to gather LEP soldiers before making their way out of the building to find out what was making the sound. As he heard the doors of the LEP building open, he heard everyone gasp in shock.
"Oh my god!" someone cried.
"What is it?" Foaly said frantically as he rushed out of the booth. That someone was a secretary who took care of administrative work in the LEP. She had covered her hands to her mouth in horror and pointing to the outside of the LEP doors. Must be something outside, Foaly thought as he made his way outside of the LEP building, and was immediately blinded by a raging sea of red.
A/N: Hehehehe! What did Foaly see? I can promise a more action-packed next chapter, because things have been moving really slowly for the past few chapters. Meanwhile, click on that pretty blue box and review!