Victoria Manor

Artemis stared up at the large mansion. It was obvious that his family was miles richer than Athena's. The mahogany doors creaked open slowly as he pushed them open. Athena's mini computer beeped, it was time to search for Atlanta and Veronica and make sure that they get home in time. They left LEP Headquarters early because a match had begun between Commander Root and Foaly. Now they would have loved to stay but both were sure to be interrogated later.

Artemis walked into the kitchen, he hadn't eaten yet at the moment and it was all Athena's fault. The large house reminded him vaguely of his since it was empty besides several staff members. Portraits of ancestors hung on the walls all of which looked like they've been moved many times. It must be the cause of an indecisive mother. Altogether it looked rather strange. Her ancestry looked interesting since portraits of different races which claimed to be her ancestors hung on walls.

That feeling only lasted for a few minutes before he reached the kitchen. The kitchen was big but looked so low class. The refrigerator was normal, the counter was clean and there was hardly any sign of high class in the room. The tiles were far from parquet, it was a polished wooden floor which gave it a sense of old country.

"Hey Teena," Libra called.

Artemis ignored her. Athena's name was Athena, right? Either way he absently said, "Yes?"

"There is something different with you today," Libra commented. "Did you actually tie your hair? I thought you said you hated to tie it."

"It was rather humid today," Artemis answered monotonously.

Libra raised her eyebrow. "No it isn't, plus you know the house is air conditioned twenty four seven so-"

"I just felt like it was humid, okay?" Artemis snapped irritably.

"I got you the 'Simple Plan' CD you wanted. I know it's kinda late but here," Libra smiled hopefully, giving the CD to Artemis. Her employer was really crabby today and for some reason she didn't want to know why.

"Okay," said Artemis giving a nice smile to Libra. Athena would have whacked him for treating Libra like that.

"You want food? We have Chinese," Libra said. "It's on the counter. By the way, the chain of computers are linked up. Hop by the study later to go through major downloading.

"Major downloading?" Artemis contemplated. "What are we downloading exactly?"

"You know games, programs which are all trial until you crack 'em," Libra said playfully. "Music is good too. Britney Spears' new album needs no buying."

Artemis nodded, Athena's long hair flying all over his face. She seriously needed to comb it especially since it was in knots. Even the ponytail hardly held her wild hair from clinging all over his face. "Can you send the food to my room please? I'm a little busy."

"Sure," Libra replied.

When he was out of Libra's view he quickly ran into the room and flipped open a small device which was given to him.

"Foaly," he said urgently. "You haven't filled me in on-"

"How in the world am I supposed to bath?" Athena complained.

The centaur whinnied in laughter. "You two are hilarious. Let's just put two and two together, you could bath while closing your eyes."

"That's so primitive," said Artemis. "Don't you have a special device?"

"Nope, not yet. I never thought anyone would use it," Foaly whinnied on.

"How am I supposed to bath? Squirt myself with water while my clothes are on?" Athena asked.

"Or not bath for a week," Foaly suggested.

"I'll catch pneumonia if I squirt myself with water," Athena rambled on.

"As I said close your eyes. Damn it can't you humans think of the most primitive measure," Foaly basically shouted. He clapped his hand on his mouth. "I must be hanging out with beetroot too much."

Athena seemed shocked and despite Foaly's explanation. "Fine, I'll whip something up once I figure out where everything is…"

"Don't you have to touch each others body to clean yourself?" Foaly responded. "Not that it really matters because-"

"FOALY!" both of them yelled.

"Why can't the S watcham-a-call-it be mass produced?" Athena rambled on, so that she could get the disgusting thought out of her head.

"S8294," Artemis reminded.

"Because it's expensive and the Council has to spend their precious money by pouring it into my department," Foaly huffed.

"Oh my gosh, the regionals are in a week," Athena exclaimed. "Artemis can you do the AF formation?"

"Those are my initials but I have no idea what you are talking about," Artemis replied.

"It figures," she sighed. "I'll have to train you. You seem to have no muscle."

"Everyone has a muscle," Artemis shot back.

"Except you," Athena added silently.

"Athena I think you forgot that the receiver is very sensitive which means-"
"I heard that," Artemis finished.

Athena groaned, "Why can't my life be normal?"

"Athena, where do you keep your classical music?"

"Buried somewhere under Hilary Duff, Britney Spears. Jennifer Lopez, Simple Plan, Westlife and Avril Lavigne," Athena responded. "Don't touch the any of the CDs."

The challenge was too much for Artemis. He picked up the CD case and took out the CD. Slipping it into the stereo he pressed play.

"I thought I told you not to touch it," Athena chortled.

"Pop music or not I'll do anything to annoy you," Artemis smirked. "You have done your job very well indeed eating pizza is hardly a delicacy."

"Mud boy the day you actually listen to pop music is history in the making," Foaly neighed in mock laughter. "I have to go, Root's screaming his head off about the amount of paperwork I asked him to sign and Lili Frond is going to kill me when she finds out that the brush she found is from my tail."

"Then don't tell her," said Athena sarcastically, "after all can't fairies think of the most obvious solutions."

"Mud men," Foaly muttered as he signed off.

"Hey Arty don't touch my CDs, second reminder and don't go through my diary. There's nothing private but it's quite privacy invading."

"Well do not touch my CDs or corrupt my computer," Artemis warned as the lyrics of 'Fly began to boom on the speakers.

"Hold on keep the music on. I miss that song," Athena said humming the tune.

Artemis groaned. "Goodbye Athena."

He started listening to this 'music'. Absentmindedly he hummed the tune as well. "Ugh," he winced. He pressed the stop button repeatedly but apparently the stereo refused so he was stuck listening to 'Do You Want Me?'.

I cry like a baby when I don't get my way,

Do you want me?

I won't apologise when I make a mistake,

Do you want me?

"Describes Heather," he mused lying on the king sized four poster bed. Giving himself a slap on the head he added, "I have to shut this thing off before my head is filled with nonsense."

Behind his supposed agony he enjoyed it. Personally he must like it because it's the only pop music he had listened to in his entire life. 'Weird' was up next but by then he decided not to be exposed to anymore nonsense and dug through her entire pile of CDs messily scattered on the floor. After wading through a possible number of over a hundred CDs Artemis triumphantly pulled out a classical music CD. Looks like Athena under exaggerated her number of CDs which the classical music CD was under.

"Surprising, she usually over exaggerates," said Artemis staring down at the burned CD in his hands. "I think."