1To all my reviewers....A BIG THANK YOU!!! Last chapter was kinda bad because I typed it at around 3am....this should be a little better even though nothing really happens this is sort of a exlplaintory (is that a word?) chapter. Next chapter should be 10x better. We see a bit of Holly in the next chapters.
hey does anyone know the exact schooling process of the Butlers? In the first book it says they attend a Swiss Academy when they are ten but in the third book it says they attend Madame Ko's academy at ten. I am VERY confused so in this chapter All Butlers go to the Swiss academy at age 8 return at age ten then go to Madame Ko's academy....k? Please correct me if I'm wrong.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!!!
Snuffles
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Butler bolted up. Something wasn't right. He stood up and headed out the door towards the Fowl Manor. He didn't know why, but something told him to head over there.
------------------------In the cemetery------------------------------------------------
"For so did you ordain when you created us, saying, 'You are dust, and to dust you shall return,' and all of us shall go to dust yet even at the grave shall we make your holy song: Alleluia, alleluia, praise God for he is good. Amen."
A faint amen echoed from the small group as the grave was sealed. Artemis and Dea had gotten Juliet's body back to the Manor where Artemis had told his cover story. He had been coming back home from a store when he saw Juliet laying on the ground dead. The Fowls had believed the story but, needless to say, Dea was disgusted.
-----------Back up at the Manor-------------------------
"You flippin' idiot! Its all your fault!"
"Would you be quiet? I did not see you making any protests!"
"Well how in hell was I supposed to know where you left the padding?"
"Would you just leave me alone? Go somewhere, but stay out of my parents way, and Simone's."
"Just wait until Butler finds out," Dea left muttering darkly.
Artemis paled.
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"What do you mean you won't let me in?" asked Butler in a dangerous voice.
"I've had my orders, sir. You aren't to enter."
Butler let out a roar and slammed his fist into the side of the guard house leaving a good sized dent.
"Why not?"
"I've had me...order?" squeaked out the guard. Butler stopped, there was no doubt he could force entry, but then he would be trespassing and he didn't need law problems. He turned and left.
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"Artemis!" Purred Simone, "Some help would be appreciated!" She was trying to move her suitcases into the closet.
"Ask one of the maids. And never enter my room without knocking again."
"Or what?" Simone leaned on the doorframe. She was wearing another one of her mini skirts with a halter top.
Artemis glared at her. "Or I will not be so polite next time."
Simone ginned evilly, "That idiot of a macho man isn't here, neither is that girl. So how are you going to stand up for yourself?"
"Unfortunately for you, Miss. Amblur, you are a guest in my house. Please act like it."
"Arty, why are you so mean? I just want to be friends!"
"Oh yes, and I suppose the fact that your family is going bankrupt and you need money is just a side fact?"
"Wha-"
"Do not act innocent, Miss. Amblur. You know as well as I do the reason you are here is to secure an alliance between our families."
"Well, hmph." Simone flounced out.
--------Sad Part------------------------------------
Butler knelt by the silent grave. It was a decent grave. Victorian style, complete with a bell rope that was tied to the persons hand and everything. He reached out and touched the engraving that read Juliet Butler. His head was flooded with memories.
Flashback
"Dom?" A six year old Juliet wandered into the kitchen. "Dom, I need to get my hair in braids."
"Why, Juliet."
"'Cause my hair gets in my way," she piped.
Butler sighed, "Okay come here. I'll see what I can do."
Half and hour later, Butler had managed to knot every strand of Juliet's hair. Juliet looked up at him and very solemnly said, "Butler, you're doing it wrong,"
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"I don't want to leave!" a ten year old Juliet, her hair in braids, (he had finally gotten the hang of it) insisted. "And why is it called the Swiss Academy if its in Israel? And what if I don't want to guard a Fowl?"
"Juliet, what have I told you?"
"Every Butler, at the age of eight goes to the Swiss Academy for two years. At the age of ten they then apply for Madame Ko's, But I don't want to guard some stuffy old Fowl."
"Juliet, I can't help that. Now promise you'll be a good girl and won't terrorize the other kids?"
"I promise."
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A ten year old girl came running towards him.
"Butler! See? I DID graduate!"
"Well what a shame!"
"Butler!" she punched him.
"I told you about Artemis?"
"Yeah, where is he?"
"Back at the manor, you'll meet him later."
"Blah, he'd probably some little brat that knows nothing about anything."
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"Every Butler that has come to this academy has crashed on their first flight. Do not let that happen to you." Madame Ko said as she closed the helicopter door.
He had laughed as he read the letter, she hadn't crashed, she insisted, the tree had just been in her way.
Then the bad memories started
"Do you have to leave?"
"Yes, Juliet. But I'll be back."
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"Please deliver this to Butler," the postman handed the man a letter.
"Of course," he smiled then once the postman had walked away he added "I won't" He tore the letter and threw it out.
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"Juliet? Mother? I'm home!" It was oddly quiet and the front hall was different. Completely different.
"What are you doing here?" an old man hobbled out.
"I live here!"
"No, I live here. I got this house after some lady living here was murdered."
"You mean she's dead? Where's Juliet?"
"I dunno, try the orphanage."
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"Juliet?" Butler peered into the dark room.
"Butler?" Juliet sat up.
"Juliet, I am so sorry. Why didn't you write and tell me what had happened?"
"I did. I must have sent at least thirty letters. Why didn't you come?"
"I...I didn't know,"
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"Butler!"
"I heard it!"
"So what was it?"
"I don't know."
"I have to go see-" He could see the flames raging besides the Manor
"Butler!"
"I have to go. It's my duty. I'm sorry, go outside, you'll be safe." He ran out the door, the last thing he saw was Juliet staring into space with terrified eyes.
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Butler sighed, once again he hadn't been there for his sister. He had abandoned her when she needed him most. "Butler, why do Butlers always serve Fowls?" Hmmm...good question, Juliet. I have no idea. Absolutely none. Why did we mix with the Fowls? What did it bring us?
-------------------------Underground-------------------------------------
"Captain Short reporting, sir!"
"Ah, yes. The crazy girl Captain. Council put you on soul duty, huh? Well dearie, you can forget ever going back, no one leaves soul duty." The gnome scratched his behind and opened a notebook.
"Right, they said to put you on control of line 34G, have fun." Holly was ushered into a small room with a large control panel. Cursing, she sat down to watch the souls drift slowly by the view screen.
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"Butler?" Dea approached the bodyguard. "You okay?"
He nodded.
"Charlie offered you a place to stay, right?"
Another nod.
"You know, we were hoping you could show some of the younger kids some techniques? Maybe, like, just for fun?"
Butler turned to look at her.
"Or not,"
"Tell me the truth. How did she die?" He asked calmly.
Dea took a deep breath. "They came to get me, break me out, and forgot where they had placed the mattresses for our jump back down. Or maybe the mattresses were discovered and moved. I don't know. But Juliet offered to jump and well, they weren't there."
"Master Fowl Sr. called it suicide?" Asked Butler.
"No, Artemis came up with a cover story. Butler, you can't stay here," she gestured towards the grave. "Artemis Sr. is increasing all security measures. He's becoming paranoid."
"How's Artemis?"
"I don't know. Do you know how to get to our place?"
"Yeah, and thanks." Butler stood up slowly and started towards the back wall.
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"Dea? DEA?" Artemis knocked on the hidden door, hard. He had no doubt that this hidden room was where Dea had set up camp.
"Artemis?" Asked a voice. "Why are you banging that statue and saying Dea?"
"Dea means goddess and this statue is of an animal goddess and is the key to my investigation. Unfortunately, I seem to have forgotten the correct name of this statue."
Simone came into view holding something.
Artemis frowned. "What's that?"
"Oh I found these goggles in your room. Look everything turned red and now a little man appeared. Right there!" She giggled, "Well goodnight." She flounced off. Artemis spun around.
"Unsheild fairy," he commanded.
"Or what? Now you listen, Fowl. I'm a messenger. Got it? Good." He unrolled a piece of paper and started to read. " As we the council cannot bring you below ground for a trial, we shall have one via computer. The Mud Boy Artemis Fowl II is required to be there. This trial shall help determine whether to mind wipe you again or not. Have a nice day." The fairy flew off.
Artemis turned back to the statue. "Miss. Nuhad! Now please!" The statue slid aside and Dea's head popped out.
"Hello, no, I wouldn't like to buy anything, thank you."
"Would you stop with your juvenile games and please come to my room? We had a technology problem."
"Oh and you need my help? How sweet!"
"No, actually I thought you would enjoy pretending you had a part in getting Butler back, but I must have been mistaken. Good night." Artemis turned and headed back up the three flights of stairs to his room. When he opened the door, Dea was sitting on his bed.
"Nice of you to join me, now, on to business."
"No"
"Excuse me?"
"No, I will not unlock those files. Not yet."
"And why not?"
"Because I know how to get Butler back."
"Marvelous, and I do not suppose you shall tell me?" Artemis spat.
"Nope! You have to figure it out for yourself."
Artemis sighed and closed his eyes"Butler can come back because, because..." he opened his eyes, "Because Butler is my employee. Not my father's. I hired him myself when I was five. Wait, how did you know this?"
"I didn't. I was just being difficult. But you see? You figured something out." She smiled. It took all of Artemis's self control not to react violently.
"Now will you please get to work on unlocking those files?"
"Yes, if you tell me your password."
A glare from Artemis silenced her and she set to work.
"NO! Don't press that button!"
"And why not?" she sighed.
"Because that's the destruct button. You can tell from the wiring."
"Oh and I'm supposed to know that how exactly?"
"Just forget it," Artemis said thinking it would have been better just to unlock the thing himself.
"Oh!"
"Did you get it?"
"Yes, but lets take a break."
"Wha- Very well, then will you open the files?"
"Yea....If you answer my questions."
"I will answer those question that I decide to answer. Then I get to ask a few questions in return. Agreed?"
"Sure, cheesecake and all that. Now, how did you first meet the fairies?"
So for a whole hour, Dea had Artemis telling her some of the details of his adventures with the fairies. Some of the details, not all.
"One last question, tell me about the Butlers. Everything you know."
"Miss. Nuhad, your questions always seem to need long answers. I think I shall not answer that."
"Oh dear. I suppose that I shall just let you figure this out then. Shall I?" she asked, gesturing towards the files. Artemis sighed. She could get them open, that he was positive of. When she had told him she knew how he had scanned her for any sign that meant she was lying and had found none. He could open them himself, but that would take to long. And it was grunt work.
"At the age of eight, Butlers attend the Swiss Academy in Israel. They learn basic defense technics and cooking skills. So, basically they learn to be a body guard. At the age of ten they return home and apply for Madame Ko's academy. The leave for the academy at sixteen and do not return until they have earned their tattoo. They are then assigned to a Fowl. If there is no Fowl then they go to work for someone else. Now will you to work?" It was more of a command then a question.
"Yeah, yeah. Sure, whatever." Dea slid back under cabinets and got back to work.
"And we will have to do something about your clothes."
"Wad's the matter with 'em?" asked Dea sliding back out.
"They are unacceptable. When you went shopping with my card, you might have at least bought something decent."
"Okay, when?"
"When what?"
"When are we going shopping to get me 'something decent'?"
"Miss. Nuhad could you please just get back to work?"
"Sure," she slid back under, "But what's wrong with jeans and T-shirts is beyond me."
Yay! Out just before the holidays! Next chapter should be better and it might be out tomorrow as my Mom is completely against Christmas this year. So no Christmas! : ( Oh well, make me happy and review!
Cheers!
Snuffles
Ps. You all know I'm a girl, hopefully. Because I got one review (which I had to delete because of unacceptable language, it was rather funny) that seemed to think I was a guy....AND YOU DON'T SAY ANYTHING JULIET!