Bracelet of Mentality
Disclaimer: See chapter one. Everything from my imagination is mine. Nothing else.
Settings: Fowl Manor, Jet
Chapter 5: Jesters, Gestures and Other Fine Things
Silence. A world of complete relaxation was the room that held two of the most destructive forces in the world. How ironic it seemed to harbor such things as the Sisters of Doom in a room that was so peaceful. Deidra and Huyen woke harmoniously in the pleasant beds that Artemis had provided. Both wore identical frowns and exhibited extreme anger. The moment of utter tranquility was ruined as soon as Deidra unfastened the sharp-worded hole that was her mouth.
"That damn man! If I could, you know I would murder him, right? I can't believe he killed us both because we 'were in the Other Realm for too long.' What the hell gave him the right to send us back to this dismal place?"
"The fact that he had a sword and cut your head off for one," Huyen stated sourly.
"You didn't fare any better!" Deidra shot back.
"And I don't care about it as much as you do. Did you notice how upset he seemed to be? I think he knows that the time is coming."
"What do you mean?" came the rude jut of Deidra's anger.
"Are you really that stupid Dei? Artemis has Amara and us. Now all he has to do is return here, gather us all up, and go to our original home. He's about to conquer the entire world and here we are, bickering."
"We are not," Deidra said. Huyen growled at her stupidity.
"Whatever, fine. Just work with me. We have to find a way out of here. Maybe this bed will come apart if we try hard enough."
"Don't bother," said the all too familiar voice of Juliet. She entered the room lackadaisically, walking with deliberation in her perfectly calculated steps. "Artemis has already phoned to say that he's on his way. He said to watch out for any last minute genius plans from you two, so I figured I'd keep an eye on you. Good idea too, I might add." A plain wooden chair sat in the far corner of which she gracefully plopped herself onto. With a heavy sigh, Juliet leaned back into the chair and looked upon her prey. "So, ladies…do you two like wrestling?"
"What?" Huyen asked, shocked by the ostensibly random question. Deidra on the other hand had burst out laughing.
"I take that as a no," she pouted. "Just trying to make conversation unless you two really want to pass the time in total silence…" she paused. The Sisters glanced at each other as a sordid sort of grin played across Juliet's face. Her head leveled back up and her eyes met Deidra's. "How about that spar I promised?" The laughter she had been spouting stopped abruptly.
"What? I already told the Boy Genius that I refused to, flat out. I'm not sparring against you! It's final." Although Deidra said it with confidence and gave Juliet the most contumacious look she could muster, that maniacal grin didn't falter one bit. If anything could be said about it at all, it would have to be that after that rebellious statement, the jester's sneer grew tenfold. Huyen felt the pit of her stomach drop off. This wasn't very promising. Not at all.
Blond hair fluttered demoniacally in the air. Just as violent was the owner of the said blond hair, Adamina Brandt. Her charge had flown the coup, so to speak, and was now half way around the world. Damn human inventions. Damn humans for that matter. She had been so close to the girl… but Amara knew how to manipulate Adamina, and that was the problem. She had been stuck with the officers and the witness because she'd lost sight of her prey. Never again, she vowed to herself. Never again.
She veered to the left, then back to the right to catch the next updraft. Adamina was currently tracking down her dear companion Amara. It would seem she had moved to the country where Haven was located. Oh, how Holly was going to love this…
Although it had taken a long time for her friend and neighbor- this being Captain Holly Short - to catch on to what she was doing and address her about it, Adamina had been doing it for a much longer time. And what was it she was doing, one might ask? Well, she was training to kill the Sisters of Doom, and not just one. She was going to kill all three ensuring they were never resurrected again.
Of course, any good hunter knew how to be a step ahead of the game, and she was. She was on one step that everyone else had yet to remember. As she had spied from a distance, the giant man had lugged her target into his car and dropped her there like she was his prize to claim. Then they had driven off and back home, but they had forgotten.
The Bracelet of Mentality. How could such an intelligent young human have forgotten the key element to this game? He couldn't dominate the world without it, for one Sister missing from the three didn't give him the power of the Sisters. It gave him nothing and Adamina planned to keep it like that. The odds were in her favor now, and who would stop her?
When she had finished watching her prey be dragged away by another, Adamina had left, searching for the Bracelet. She couldn't touch it herself, but her magic could. The Bracelet of Mentality had been stored in the vaults of Haven along with the precious fairy gold. All she had to do was sneak in, find it, and conceal it in a box made from raw earth. That part had gone well. In fact, everything had…until she had been leaving the crime scene. That idiot centaur, Foaly, had spotted her on a security camera and the alert went out to the L.E.P. Adamina fled not wanting a confrontation with her own kind. From there she had flown swiftly on her own wings unlike her brethren who used strap-on ones.
After aforementioned interrogation of the idiot humans, Adamina had deduced that it was time to play with the boy. She would bring the Bracelet of Mentality close to him to lure the Betraying Angel out seeing as she was the only one who could touch it. That would be her moment to strike and demolish her first target. After that, it was all so simple. Infiltrate the castle of old and assassinate the two remaining Sisters. It was almost too simple.
Adamina cracked her neck to the right, spread her wings even further, and doubled her speed. Such an idiotic move to have forgotten the key element, she thought, and here I was thinking him to be a challenging opponent! Ha! She fluttered off into another gust of wind in a fury of magic and hatred. The ending to this ridiculous game would be coming soon.
Artemis smiled and reclined into his chair. It was curious for him, having just been attacked by the Sisters for the third time, to be in such an elated manor, but he knew his plan was working out well. Now was the time to gloat, but to whom? The grin turned malignant at his thoughts.
"Hey, Mulch, come here," he called into the rear of the plane. He heard the kleptomaniac pint-sized creature stumble his way to the front of the jet, mouth stuffed yet again with more food.
"Um?" he gasped through the half-chewed, semi-nutritious mass in his jaws.
"I've decided to share my plan with you as there is no one else around to tell it to."
"Wha' 'bout 'utler?" A quick glance at the man showed him sitting next to Artemis steering the plan. Butler's eyes were glued forward, jittering solely to the gadgets and what not of the cockpit. Artemis rolled his eyes.
"Yes, yes, fine, Butler can listen in too. Anyway, my plan-"
"Plan for what?" Mulch asked clearly now that he had swallowed that offending junk in his yapper.
A growl ensued from the Boy Wonder. "If you'd listen, I'm trying to tell you." To this Mulch mimicked him, but took another hunk out of his chicken leg and waved it at them indicating for him to continue.
"As of now, I've the upper hand in this. Not only do I have all three Sisters, but I have two of their weapons as well. No doubt our dear assassin-of-a Guardian is thinking herself but one step ahead of us. You follow?"
A nod and raised eyebrows. He followed somewhat.
"Good. Now, this Guardian, Adamina, will go after the third weapon, the Bracelet of Mentality. She thinks to keep it from me, or to use it as a lure in some trap of which she will have undoubtedly devised. The Guardian thinks I don't know of this, a typical downfall to most genius plans to forget your opponent's mind, but I, of course, do. As we speak, I've begun to counter her moves and made my own plans to folly hers." He sighed, satisfied. "What do you think?"
Mulch took another bite out of his chicken and chewed it slowly, nearly aggravatingly. He appeared to be mulling it over, but was there really enough intelligence in there to comprehend what Artemis had just explained?
"Well?" He demanded impatiently.
A swallow. "What about the other Guardians?" Artemis groaned inwardly. Such an idiot.
"My Mind-Breaker has demolished any sort of functioning thought patterns they had. Those two no longer comprehend regular thinking. They know only commands given by my voice. Now, as to my-"
"But what if you were wrong?" Butler chimed in, still staring out the windshield.
"How could I be wrong? I made the thing myself," he huffed angrily. "And besides, even if I were wrong, the Guardians have always failed anyway. What would make this generation any different aside from the fact that one little Earth fairy has thought herself smart enough to play with the big kids and seeks out a chance for the destruction of my ever so powerful weapons, the Sisters?"
"Well…that exactly makes it different. You've just listed the ways it's different," Mulch added, uncertain at what was happening here. Were Artemis and Butler not getting along? Was that hostility he detected in the air? It was just a little too tense in here and he somehow didn't think that had anything to do with him having food in the cockpit (an action that Butler had strongly warned him against). "Could those two seemingly miniscule differences change this entire thing?"
Artemis was alarmed. Were terms of perspicacity actually flowing out of Mulch? He'd found it near inconceivable! Hiding his astonishment, Artemis answered. "Doubtful, seeing as they are so miniscule. If they do…well, I'll just change my plans to match. Adaptation, if you will, is something I've grown fairly well at over the past years." Mainly due to my dealings with the Haven fairies.
Alas, more genius thoughts were halted then when Butler announced they were landing at the Manor. The raven-haired teen turned forward in his seat while simultaneously dismissing Mulch without so much as a word. He yawned and stretched languidly. How long had it been since he'd last slept? It mattered little. When they disembarked from the family jet he would be sure to rest up a bit in his own quarters before committing himself further to his plans. A genius needed a fully functioning mind to accomplish their plan, not one muddled by weariness and depravity of sleep.
Slap! Deidra was down again. Her legs kicked out upon instinct nabbing Juliet in the shin. The superior fighter drew back, hissing lightly. This gave the Reaper her chance to stand, regain her composure, and hope to hell her luck held.
They'd been at if for nearly an hour now, this 'sparring' that Juliet insisted on carrying out. All of that time consisted of Deidra attempting pathetically to save her own ass from being overpowered, mastered, or otherwise owned. She got in a jab or two every now and then, but all in all Juliet was scrubbing the floor rather vigorously with her, so to speak.
"That was a cheap shot," the Asian girl commented, allowing her opponent another moment to breathe whilst she tested her injured leg. It was fine, barely tender. Deidra smirked.
"At least I got one, right?" Juliet came flying at her halfway through the statement. Several punches landed in her stomach. Deidra hunched, knowing her legs and back were wide open for attack. Sure enough, an iron sweeping leg smashed into her own. The leg she'd been leaning on buckled sending her yet again to the floor with an agonizing slam. Panting heavily, Deidra remained in one spot. Like the hunter in a game, Juliet pounced and mounted her target. The younger girl struggled, but it was useless. The superior warrior had her pinned. Heavy gasps for air made their way from Deidra.
"Your form lacks some serious necessities. I saw openings that even some beginners don't make."
"Maybe that's because I am a beginner," she spat back, trying again to throw Juliet. The woman wouldn't be moved.
"And I thought it'd be fun to fight you."
"Get off."
"Make me, little girl." A scream of anger came from Deidra, angered beyond logic. Not only had she lost, but Juliet was also baiting her, playing ridiculous mind games with her. Something deep inside stirred. A burning, one that was very familiar; one by the name of magic.
Somehow- and believe me, it was beyond her understanding- Deidra accessed her magic, shocking Juliet and literally throwing her across the room. She regained her feet a moment later and stared somewhat disbelievingly at Deidra.
"It would appear I've yet to perfect those collars of yours," the algid voice of Artemis Fowl II said from the doorway. Butler stood beside him, an imposing figure if there ever was one. The Silent Reaper made no response, unsure of what would be said at the moment. "If you don't mind, I must ask you to return to your bed. Failure to comply will result in the aid of Butler."
She wanted to tell him what he could do with his fancy speech and Gorilla Man, but she hadn't the energy for it. The toll of her brawl was abruptly presenting itself. Her body was slowing, mind fogging with aches and elongated thought processes. Before it had begun to register in her mind, Butler had grasped her upper arm and forcibly yanked her into her original bed, shackling her there. The boy spoke again.
"It seems you weren't as impressive of a fighter as we thought. What a shame. On another note, we will be leaving tomorrow night. Butler will shortly be bringing your sister, the Betraying Angel, to share this lovely room with you. However, I've something that needs attending to, so if you'll excuse me ladies." He bowed his head, turned on his heal, and treaded away.
"Amara? Are you awake?" Smooth, soft, and caring. It was the voice of someone adored her, not the assassin Adamina. She apprehensively cracked open one eye, identifying her Sisters. Huyen was directly to her right and Deidra, silent and fuming, was off further near the door.
"W-where am I?" she questioned.
"That punk-ass kid's house," Deidra hissed.
"Oh. Well, are you guys ok?"
"Fine," Huyen said.
"Just dandy," Deidra replied sarcastically. "Got the crap beaten out of me by some strong fighter who mocked me the entire time, I'm being held captive, I'm in another country far from home, I've killed several people and am about to destroy the entire earth. Other than that, everything is just wonderful. You?"
"Don't get vicious with her, Deidra. She wanted to know if you were okay. Show some compassion."
"Sympathy isn't in my nature."
"I didn't mean to start anything," Amara tried to add. "No, you didn't do anything wrong. Deidra's just got her panties in a wad, that's all. She's a poor sport, upset-"
"That's not it!" the Reaper screamed, turning to face them. The tears that streamed down her saddened face silenced her siblings of time at once. "Were you even watching how badly she beat me? What the hell is to stop others from doing that? The only thing we have going for us is our magic, and these… damn," she pulled frantically at the collar about her neck, "…things are preventing us from using it. What do we do, huh? We're about to annihilate this planet! What's more, we have no say in what we do! And you," she turned to Amara, looking past Huyen, "let me guess. The Mercenary said no, right?"
"Well, yes, but-"
"There are no buts to it," the infuriated Deidra interjected. "This planet will be owned by the evil little tyrant and we're the ones to blame. Think about that and see how it sits with you two. I'm going to sleep. Maybe the Mercenary will come and kill me in real life while I'm out." With that she rolled over and smashed a pillow over her ears.
Having nothing better to do, the White Bringer and Betraying Angel followed suit. In a minute's time the Sisters of Doom were out, defying their names' definitions. Once again the room was pacifistic and tranquil.
All was still in the world as the Sisters awoke in the Other Realm alone and separated, each experiencing different emotions. One was bitter towards the world, pissed beyond belief. Another was uncertain and lost. She was experiencing a pain best described as separation anxiety. Her sisters meant everything to her; they truly cared for the little lost girl that was she. The last suffered from a torn heart. Her true love was bound to this world- her own fault- and despised every moment of it.
It seemed they really were the Sisters of doom and destruction. After all, if they couldn't keep their own lives in one piece, how were they supposed to aid each other with similar problems? As pessimistic as it would be to say, the best thing to do, each Sister decided unknowingly and simultaneously, would be to carry out their plan. It was time for their Guardians to be of use and rid the world of the infection that was the Three Sisters of Doom.
Author's Note:
Wow, that one rambled on at the end there. Anyone catch that? But it's a nice ending, bit of a cliffy as usual. Hope you all enjoyed it. I apologize yet again for my extreme spans of time between chapters. Something is going on with me and I'm trying my best. I think I'm just now making it back into my kick with writing, so please bare with me.
Thanks for reading. I've about one more chapter to go before I've finished and launch the final portion of this series. I'll announce the title in my next writing, so watch for it. Almost done, yeah baby! Stick with me and catch this story as it closes. I'll do my best for everyone.
Much Luv to you all,
finelley
