Disclaimer: I do not own anything owned by Eoin Colfer or anything to do with the Artemis Fowl books or anything like that. I only own what I own/made up/created/ thought of. Got it?

A/N: Introducing today's chapter. Friday night here in New Zealand. I'm glad that a couple of people are reviewing, but I know for a fact (thanks to those handy little hit counters) that less than 6 of the people that visited this chapter reviewed. I am not impressed. I will however, continue to update on Friday nights, because I said I would. Please review people. I guarantee that if I discover that I have got 25 reviews on the chapter posted I will update early, as soon as I learn this fact.

Review Replies:

Potter-Dork: Thanks. The pairing will be revealed in the next chapter. It kind of becomes more obvious.

sergeantstan: That pairing is becoming obvious. There will not be much point hiding it after the next chapter.

Chapter Four

The men, being under the mesmer and having the weak minds commonly associated with hunters were all too happy to comply. The largest man who was obviously their leader told the story.

'We're hunters sir, honest. We saw this thing trapped in out net and came to shoot it. Just as we got here it emitted a couple of flashes of light, well the trees did and they bounced off of it. We were scared so we shot it just to make sure. I don't know what it is sir, I've never seen anything like it in me life. Of course I've never seen anyone like you either, or heard such a beautiful voice, like a choir of angels it is. We are only hunters sir, sorry to offend you.'

Trouble held up his hand to stop the flow of explanations. He knew enough. This was not an ambush, just a simple misunderstanding that had cost a stupid goblin his life. The humans had obviously not been under the mesmer before.

He told Holly this; she nodded and pulled a bottle of acid out of her pocket. She stepped towards the body and tipped the acid over it. In seconds all that remained was a gently bubbling pool of acid, seconds later not even that. The men looked scandalised as though Holly herself had murdered the goblin. Their faces were wiped blank again as Trouble said 'You do not care about that. You will submit willingly to this mind-wipe.' The men nodded and sat down, wanting nothing less than to comply.

Between them Holly and Trouble had wiped the incident from all of the mud men's minds in less than fifteen minutes.

'Good Major, well done Captain,' said Roots voice from the speaker, 'now go and complete the ritual, I don't want to see either of you until you are full to the tips of your ears with magic. Oh, and Major Kelp, heal that cut on Short's arm. The pain scale is pulsing, it's annoying.'

'You're hurt Holly? Why didn't you tell me?'

'It's nothing, honest.'

'Sure,' mumbled Trouble as he grabbed Holly's arm. She struggled but he held her firmly. 'Just let me heal you, then we can go.'

'Fine.'

'Heal,' he muttered and blue sparks cascaded down his fingers and knitted her cut together, he didn't notice the one stray spark that floated towards her leg.

'There, that wasn't so hard now was it Holly?' said Foaly's voice.

'Let's just go,' muttered Holly as she and Trouble took to the sky and did a search for magical hotspots.

'Let's just go to Tara. It's closest, then we can get magic back sooner.'

'No, Holly, you know every hippie fairy will be dancing around there tonight. It's only half an hour longer to that secondary sight, let's go there.'

Trouble was surprised to see Holly stiffen at this suggestion, also to hear how tight her voice sounded as she answered him.

'No, not there. Let's go to that one,' she said as she pointed to a site three hours flight away.

'Holly, you're being silly, you just said yourself you wanted to get your magic back quickly.'

'Kelp, go to Tara,' interjected Commander Root.

'Why, sir?'

'Because you insensitive jock,' Foaly this time, 'that secondary site you suggested is where mud boy kidnapped her.'

Realisation crossed Trouble's face and he said quickly, 'Sorry Short, let's get going to Tara.'

The rest of the journey passed almost in silence. Trouble seemed to know that Holly wished to be left alone. At one point Commander Root interjected, 'Holly…' he began to say.

'No sir,' she interjected over him and he fell silent.

When they landed at Tara Holly stumbled, a look of pain crossed her face, unfortunately Trouble was too busy grabbing her arm to steady her to notice this.

Without showing him her right leg she bent over to pick up an acorn. On her left side Trouble did the same.

The journey back to E1 to plant the acorn passed in total silence, Trouble didn't notice Holly wince when her leg brushed a branch as she touched down.

Holly immediately dropped to her knees and planted her acorn. Trouble did the same. He stood up and turned to see Holly's leg surrounded in blue sparks. Intrigued, he turned on the dim lights and saw that her jumpsuit had a large gash in it and was stained red. Holly was very pale, the scar on her leg was fading, but he could see it had been deep. Soundlessly she bent down and planted the other acorn she had picked in the ground. She was now full of magic.

She looked like she might faint, so Trouble moved forwards and grabbed her arm to steady her.

'Why didn't you tell me Holly? I could have healed you?'

'Holly, the pain sensors were off the scale, you should have told him!'

'Short, if the sensors hadn't shown you to be in so much pain I would have reprimanded you for cutting across me. You should have told Kelp.'

'Just leave it, O.K.?' muttered Holly. Foaly, Commander Root and Trouble were shocked to hear how week her voice sounded, she was now leaning on Trouble for most of her support.

'Come on Holly, time to get you back to Haven.'

Trouble led Holly back into E1 and onto the shuttle. He managed to find a blanket and cover her. She slept the entire way back, her head lolling gently on Trouble's shoulder.

'Good Kelp, you can do paper work for the last two hours of your shift,' Commander Root was businesslike as soon as they stepped off of the shuttle. Or in Holly's case was almost lifted by Trouble.

'And Holly?' Trouble was still concerned for his friend.

Foaly chose that moment to step up to the Commander and whisper something in his ear. His face got even paler, and that was saying something.

'Cancel that, Kelp, you come to my office, you too Short, Foaly, you better come too.'

So the three of them trailed off after Commander Root, Holly and Trouble wondering what could possible have happened this time.

'Holly, Trouble, you might want to site down,' said the Commander as they entered his office. This must be bad, thought the elves; Commander Root used our first names.

A/N: That's it for now. Remember anyone who reviews, 25 reviews and I update early. Hint hint. Please. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.