Disclaimer: I do not own any of Eoin Colfer's characters. I only own Artemis Fole (a girl) and the plot.

Author's Note: This is my first fan fic, so please review! I need some advice...

Prologue

I cannot believe that Father and Mother still refuse to take me out of St. Bartleby's School for Young Gentlemen even after my continuous protests. Those teachers are unperturbed by my intelligence and those exams were so simple. The food there is disgusting. When I come home for the holidays, the first thing I will do is ask for some caviar. A boy genius certainly cannot live on the garbage served to the students at that school. Sometimes, the food causes a temporary shutdown on my digestive system, thus forcing my food to be regurgitated.

I may have spent only three months at that dump, but instead of liking it, I am growing to hate it even more. Father has been urging me to make some friends there, but I shall ignore his so-called advice. Who would want to make friends at that rubbish school anyway? They're all dimwitted and their intelligence doesn't even match up to half of mine.

Father broke his prosthetic limb last week. Mother says that Father had been playing soccer with her and he accidentally kicked the gatepost. I cannot believe that Father actually played that ridiculous game with Mother. Of course his prosthetic limb would break! All you do is kick a ball around. When Father was normal, he would stay indoors all the time, researching on more ways to get gold. Now all he does is kick a ball around. I feel sorry for him.

Just yesterday, I visited Father at the hospital. He was being fitted for his new prosthetic limb. I certainly do not remember seeing him being fitted for his old one, but Father said I had been sleeping. I don't doubt it, but I am sure I should have remembered. All child prodigies, like me, have excellent memory and should remember everything they do in their lives. After all, I have only lived for thirteen years and nine months. After Father had finished his walking exercises, he sat down beside me. He ruffled my hair (which I hate) and said, "So, Arty, do you know the answer to my question?"

I looked curiously at my father.

"What are you talking about, Father?" I asked.

"The question I asked you three months ago. Whether you would make the journey with me. When the moment comes, whether you would take your chance to be a hero," he sighed. I almost choked. What rubbish was my father saying?

"I don't understand, Father," I said truthfully. He sighed heavily, patted my hair and stood up.

"Think over it, Arty," he said and walked out of the room, leaving me deep in thought. Did Father say those words to me before? And would I say yes to his question? I didn't know. I still don't.

what is wrong with this? why are there chinese words all over the place?(for chapter2) Please review and tell me why!!!