LEP Headquarters

Foaly's laugh nearly shook the whole headquarters. Watching Artemis and Athena squabble like an old married couple was funnier than, "Parada and Kids". Parada was a father trying to take care of his three fairy kids. It was also a chart topper when it came to "Parada: Road Trip".

Root's purple shade returned as he stormed into Foaly's office. "FOALY!" he boomed. "Why are you laughing into thesound systemwhich by the way TRANSMITS TO THE EVERY SOUND SYSTEM IN HAVEN WHICH IS AFFILIATED WITH RECON?"

"Sorry, Julius. Artemis and Athena are at it again." Foaly tried his best not to laugh again. "Is it even possible for two mud men to argue over a cartoon, without meeting face to face?"

"Let me stream you the video," Foaly offered.

Julius Root tried hard to refrain from laughing at Artemis and Athena's antics after they were about to say goodbye. Yet, he was not going to let Foaly win this time. Every case with Artemis and Athena, which so far was only one, seemed to end with Foaly up to some mischief. He had been informed by one of his sprites that Artemis was spotted at a dark place where many couples kiss, he had also been told that Artemis spent the whole night gurgling mouth wash and brushing his teeth. Artemis' actions also caused some shock in Argon and Cumulus' office who only expected him to crack at seventeen when his hormones kick in strongly. Only one suggestion had been made, the memory adder had been put to work.

"I know you want to laugh out loud," Foaly smiled cheekily.

Root scowled at the smirking centaur. "What progress is there on the case? You aren't supposed to be guffawing while hundreds might be killed."

"Calm down Root. The memo has been sent. All fairies have undergone a scan and are being shipped off to Atlantis, Mu, Lemuria and etcetera, etcetera, etcetera."

"The place is quarantined?"

"Yes."

"The important officers are safe?"

"Yes."

"Holly and Grub are on the case?"

"Yes."

"Have all the children evacuated?"

"Yes."

Root finally seemed to breathe a sigh of relief before going about his checklist. "Have you figured out a way to prevent it?"

Foaly gazed at his hooves, examining them every once in a while as Root watched frantically. "No?"

The centaur shook his head. "No."

"And what are our human contacts doing now?"

"Arguing."

"What should they be doing?"

"Searching for a cure of some sort," Foaly answered meekly. All of his bravado had disappeared in a flash since the cure had been brought up again. He couldn't help and he had nearly lost hope. Heck nearly everyone in Haven had lost hope. Only Root with every bit of courage gathered up could bring manage to shout. The serenity and peacefulness was now gone and now the fairies didn't use magic as precautions and many have moved to Atlantis for a temporary measure. Yet magic was an important thing in their life, otherwise they couldn't heal, shield or anything. Not even the most powerful warlock is immuned to this deadly robots.

"And what should you be doing?"

"Reminding them."

"Pre-" Root said holding up a finger. Before his sentence could be completed, he passed out all of a sudden. Foaly feared that his 'beloved' commander might shrivel and die but there was still hope. Julius didn't shrivel but one thing did happen, he grew. From his about one metre height he started growing until his LEP outfit could burst. Foaly shielded his eyes from the horrible sight he might have to see. Foaly fumbled with a box which he suddenly wished he had kept organised.

Feeling the chain and the oval shaped pendant he threw the activated Holo Pendant to at least cover Root with something, hologram or not. To any fairy's shock and horror the commander's ears became as one of a normal human's.

"D'Arvit," Foaly murmured several times.

Foaly could've definitely sworn that Root was becoming a human. Foaly shivered, maybe even trembled at the sight of Root, who could most definitely pass as a middle aged pot bellied mud man. There were no others in headquarters since Holly and Grub had their own mission of their own chasing a elf in Howler's Peak. Trouble on the other hand, one of the top officers was not allowed to participate until needed. Foaly felt all over his half-pony half- fairy body. Realising he had the sensitive hearing device he clicked it on and turned a knob to detect any small whirring noise. As predicted Foaly heard a small whirr and started, as Foaly could hear, moving through Root. Without magic and a fairy internal body part the nanobots are feasting on, Commander Julius Root may be better off dead than a mud man when the Council hears about this.

"Artemis, Athena," Foaly's choked up voice began through their receivers, "we need you now." He pressed a button activating a plastic bubble around Root and he quickly ran. Running away from the nanobots.

Sorry it's so short but I had a few problems with my computer. I had to rush through everything. I'm just happy that we didn't have to reformat the drive, then you'll really have to wait.