A short chapter to keep you all busy. Sorry for the delay, I've been busy
with tedious school work.... Anyway, this is only about half of Chapter
Two, but I'm working on the other half as we speak and that'll be up within
a couple days. (at least, i'll post it within a couple days, I don't know
about Fanfiction.net actually getting it up and running.) Nothing too big
going on yet... but... just wait a bit^^;;;;;
Chapter Two: Surprise Trip
"Lance Digger?" Artemis said, dazed.
"The very same."
Artemis shook his head vigorously, struggling to regain composure. "Well, 'Mr. Digger'. What business do you have in my manor?" He almost smiled, delighted. His tone was icy as ever.
An suddenly uneasy Mulch/Lance muttered lamely in reply, "The darndest thing happened... See, I was just trying to get what gold you might have left in here, and the moment I slip down from the vents, your 'warrior princess' here jumped me." He made quite a show of pouting and pointing at the blond servant before adding with a barely hidden grin, "I woulda gotten away with it, too, if it just weren't for this one meddling kid..."
"Mr. Diggums, Mr. Diggums," Artemis waggled an index finger. "But that's not all, is it? I believe it's not just a fetish for gold that brought your hide here. Going to my manor, of all places, is like suicide, no? In a split second Butler could disable you in more ways than even I would care to count."
"He could, couldn't he?" He tugged gently at his stiff dwarf beard. "But then again, he hasn't. Has he? I already know something you didn't think I would know you knew I know."
Juliet smacked the side of her pretty blond head against the wall. She had been left out on the mysterious journey to the Arctic, she had no idea who this Mulch was, and so she was lost enough. Did he have to speak in such crazy sentences as well?
"Mud Boy," the diminutive man continued, glancing briefly at Juliet and then returning his attention to Artemis. "You need me for something. Otherwise, you're macho Butler would have crushed me by now."
Artemis opened his mouth to come up with a snappy response just as the phone rang. "One moment," he said instead. He shuffled over to the phone and picked up the receiver and could hardly mask the irritation in his voice. "Yes?"
"When was it you planned on seeing Sir Fowl Senior?" sounded the most polite voice of a familiar Dr. Sharon Geary.
"Sharon, now's not a very good time for me," Artemis growled into the phone.
"He's not well at all," Dr. Geary went on, trying to ignore the fact that Artemis had called her by her first name. "In fact, he's almost completely lost it. He really needs to be with his family. And Artemis, Dublin is just so far from Helsinki-if you're going to go see your father you have to leave straight away."
Artemis's expression softened. "All right Geary. We'll be over in a couple hours." He gently let the phone fall back into its cradle and turned to the silent Juliet and Butler and jumpy Mulch.
"Dr. Geary wants me and Mother to go to see father," he said quietly. "Butler, let's go prepare my things." He mentally pushed his emotions aside for a moment and threw a sharp glance at Mulch, who just happened to be shimmying himself up into the vent. "Diggums, this doesn't get you off the hook. Get your arse down from there. The Fowls are all taking a nice, long trip, and you're to tag along."
Angeline was in the back of the Fowl's private plane reading a magazine when her son sat himself down in a plush chair next to his manservant and opposite the butler's sister and a dwarf. Mulch was silently debating with himself whether he should consider escape as he gnawed at his nails. The only thing that kept him anchored to his seat was the dawning realization that Juliet was quite pretty for a mere human. Meanwhile, Butler was rather worriedly glancing at his little sister, who was staring off into space and reciting all the wrestling moves she could off the top of her head. "Pile Driver, Diablo Crusher, Whirl 'im Good...."
Artemis's face was a mask of cool composure. He had to act as if this were a perfectly normal situation. "So, caviar anyone?" he reached into a little cooler.
Juliet droned on as Mulch fidgeted and finally said, "Well, I'm more of a carrot dwarf myself."
"Well, it just so happens I've got some carrots in here..."
Faster than a faery child pouncing on a wrapped new wings module, Mulch dove and snatched a handful of carrots before walking in a very 'gentlemen- like' fashion back to his seat. "So," he talked in between loud crunches, "Why am I here?"
Artemis blinked, just once in slight surprise at the speed of his movements before replying. Leaning forward in his chair with steepled fingers, he smiled. A very uncommon sight. "Mr. Diggums, I wanted you to come along on this trip because well, let's face it, it's a long trip from Dublin, Ireland to Helsinki, Finland. But it gives me just the time I need. I've been wanting to talk to you about something."
Mulch blinked in return at Artemis's politeness. "What's it you need to talk about?" he asked, genuinely curious.
"Oh, I've got a plan that I think is right up your alley. You see, I want you to do a break-in...."
A Break-In. Yes, very predictable, I know. But you'll see just what sort of break-in in a little bit... And Artemis will see just what harm his little break-in can do. Tune in next time o.O
SIDE NOTES: Sharon's a doctor at the Helsinki University. Yes, I updated the story so that Artemis's father is still being treated at Helsinki University Hospital... You'll learn a little more about her in the next few chapters. Also, the intentions of Artemis and Mulch shall both be revealed within the next two chapters, and then, things'll start to really pick up. I have no idea what kind of R&R's I'll get for this chapter... but... we'll see u.u
To Karita: No, it is a fact that Mulch Diggums/Lance Digger wouldn't be caught dead running around robbing things in pajamas. Rather, he wears something kind of like the old fashioned sort of pajamas-or so I imagine, from the description of the 'back flap' and the feet Artemis undoes, in the second book, which lie under a fine pair of boots. Much in contrast, I imagine the little man to wear a cloak over such garments, or maybe a loosely fitting tunic (Or even a scruffy white shirt, un-tucked, fitting his messy/laidback persona.). But that's me.
Chapter Two: Surprise Trip
"Lance Digger?" Artemis said, dazed.
"The very same."
Artemis shook his head vigorously, struggling to regain composure. "Well, 'Mr. Digger'. What business do you have in my manor?" He almost smiled, delighted. His tone was icy as ever.
An suddenly uneasy Mulch/Lance muttered lamely in reply, "The darndest thing happened... See, I was just trying to get what gold you might have left in here, and the moment I slip down from the vents, your 'warrior princess' here jumped me." He made quite a show of pouting and pointing at the blond servant before adding with a barely hidden grin, "I woulda gotten away with it, too, if it just weren't for this one meddling kid..."
"Mr. Diggums, Mr. Diggums," Artemis waggled an index finger. "But that's not all, is it? I believe it's not just a fetish for gold that brought your hide here. Going to my manor, of all places, is like suicide, no? In a split second Butler could disable you in more ways than even I would care to count."
"He could, couldn't he?" He tugged gently at his stiff dwarf beard. "But then again, he hasn't. Has he? I already know something you didn't think I would know you knew I know."
Juliet smacked the side of her pretty blond head against the wall. She had been left out on the mysterious journey to the Arctic, she had no idea who this Mulch was, and so she was lost enough. Did he have to speak in such crazy sentences as well?
"Mud Boy," the diminutive man continued, glancing briefly at Juliet and then returning his attention to Artemis. "You need me for something. Otherwise, you're macho Butler would have crushed me by now."
Artemis opened his mouth to come up with a snappy response just as the phone rang. "One moment," he said instead. He shuffled over to the phone and picked up the receiver and could hardly mask the irritation in his voice. "Yes?"
"When was it you planned on seeing Sir Fowl Senior?" sounded the most polite voice of a familiar Dr. Sharon Geary.
"Sharon, now's not a very good time for me," Artemis growled into the phone.
"He's not well at all," Dr. Geary went on, trying to ignore the fact that Artemis had called her by her first name. "In fact, he's almost completely lost it. He really needs to be with his family. And Artemis, Dublin is just so far from Helsinki-if you're going to go see your father you have to leave straight away."
Artemis's expression softened. "All right Geary. We'll be over in a couple hours." He gently let the phone fall back into its cradle and turned to the silent Juliet and Butler and jumpy Mulch.
"Dr. Geary wants me and Mother to go to see father," he said quietly. "Butler, let's go prepare my things." He mentally pushed his emotions aside for a moment and threw a sharp glance at Mulch, who just happened to be shimmying himself up into the vent. "Diggums, this doesn't get you off the hook. Get your arse down from there. The Fowls are all taking a nice, long trip, and you're to tag along."
Angeline was in the back of the Fowl's private plane reading a magazine when her son sat himself down in a plush chair next to his manservant and opposite the butler's sister and a dwarf. Mulch was silently debating with himself whether he should consider escape as he gnawed at his nails. The only thing that kept him anchored to his seat was the dawning realization that Juliet was quite pretty for a mere human. Meanwhile, Butler was rather worriedly glancing at his little sister, who was staring off into space and reciting all the wrestling moves she could off the top of her head. "Pile Driver, Diablo Crusher, Whirl 'im Good...."
Artemis's face was a mask of cool composure. He had to act as if this were a perfectly normal situation. "So, caviar anyone?" he reached into a little cooler.
Juliet droned on as Mulch fidgeted and finally said, "Well, I'm more of a carrot dwarf myself."
"Well, it just so happens I've got some carrots in here..."
Faster than a faery child pouncing on a wrapped new wings module, Mulch dove and snatched a handful of carrots before walking in a very 'gentlemen- like' fashion back to his seat. "So," he talked in between loud crunches, "Why am I here?"
Artemis blinked, just once in slight surprise at the speed of his movements before replying. Leaning forward in his chair with steepled fingers, he smiled. A very uncommon sight. "Mr. Diggums, I wanted you to come along on this trip because well, let's face it, it's a long trip from Dublin, Ireland to Helsinki, Finland. But it gives me just the time I need. I've been wanting to talk to you about something."
Mulch blinked in return at Artemis's politeness. "What's it you need to talk about?" he asked, genuinely curious.
"Oh, I've got a plan that I think is right up your alley. You see, I want you to do a break-in...."
A Break-In. Yes, very predictable, I know. But you'll see just what sort of break-in in a little bit... And Artemis will see just what harm his little break-in can do. Tune in next time o.O
SIDE NOTES: Sharon's a doctor at the Helsinki University. Yes, I updated the story so that Artemis's father is still being treated at Helsinki University Hospital... You'll learn a little more about her in the next few chapters. Also, the intentions of Artemis and Mulch shall both be revealed within the next two chapters, and then, things'll start to really pick up. I have no idea what kind of R&R's I'll get for this chapter... but... we'll see u.u
To Karita: No, it is a fact that Mulch Diggums/Lance Digger wouldn't be caught dead running around robbing things in pajamas. Rather, he wears something kind of like the old fashioned sort of pajamas-or so I imagine, from the description of the 'back flap' and the feet Artemis undoes, in the second book, which lie under a fine pair of boots. Much in contrast, I imagine the little man to wear a cloak over such garments, or maybe a loosely fitting tunic (Or even a scruffy white shirt, un-tucked, fitting his messy/laidback persona.). But that's me.