Tips for when you Jump into the Deep

By: Forgotten Sunrise

AN: Sorry for the long wait. But with all my stories, they've been on hold for a while because my school work and work work backed up. And I'm the perfect students and employ before I'm a fanfiction author. Sorry. So here you are, chapter 10 to Tips for when you Jump into the Deep =]

Would you tell me I was wrong? Would you help me understand?

Are you looking down upon me? Are you proud of who I am?

There's nothing I wouldn't do to have just one more chance

To look into your eyes and see you looking back

I'm sorry for blaming you

For everything I just couldn't do

And I've hurt myself

By hurting you

-Hurt, Christina Aguilera

Chapter 10: Package

The one place everyone went to on the weekends was a small town on the Irish coast called Greystones, which was just off highway N-11 and only an hour or so drive away from the school. The small town that was bustling over with trinket stores, boutiques, and coffee and pastry shops was a teen paradise. So it wasn't surprising that Artemis didn't find the place particularly appealing.

"So, you've lived in Ireland all your life, but you never came here?" Ida asked him over a poppy-seeded muffin.

"What would be my need to? Everything here I can easily find back in Dublin." Artemis answered easily as he took another sip of the artisan earl grey. It was rare to find a place that made it as well as this. One point for the town.

"You're not going to lie to me and tell me that you don't like to explore, are you?"

"I do. I've seen more of the world then just about anyone else. I've been to all seven continents, visited just about every major city in this world, visited over a hundred museums easily and-"

"And what did you learn that couldn't be learned from any random book?" Ida question, as she stole another nibble from her poppy-seed, her oak eyes trained on his. Artemis pondered her question. What had he learned? They only trips he could think of where he learned something valuable were his trips underground to the realm of the fairy People, and he couldn't possible tell Xia about that.

"You see Artemis; I haven't been all over the world. Just the UK, France, Columbia, Italy, Morocco and Japan. And I haven't been to Tokyo or Rome or Pairs or Dar-el-Beida. But I've learned the art and the secret to ikebana in Sapporo. I picked up the best home-made Italian bread recipe in Anzio. I was taught classic dance in Vire and learned house to make a clay abode in Safi. I've lived with people in small towns, Artemis and I've learned their culture. Visiting a country is one thing, but to experience a culture is another." Ida said wisely.

"That was a very profound statement you just said there, Xia. Thought, admittidly, you are a very profound girl. You know, there was a time where I though of everything in business terms. If it wasn't making me money, then I didn't really give it much attention. But since the return of my father, I'm starting to appreciate this world a little more. And though I wasn't thinking along the lines of culture per-say, the rich beauty of this planet is something I'm itching to see more of."

Ida smiled warmly. It was getting harder and harder to kill this boy.

"It's a wonderful world, isn't it? And to think that we haven't even come close to find out what else is out there. We could co-exist with another race of intelligent beings right now and we'd never know it."

Artemis half chuckled at that. If only the girl knew that some of his closes friends where indeed of another race.

"Anything is possible." He said, finishing his tea. "What's next on your agenda of things to do while we're here?"

"Well, first, I have to go and pick up the voting ballots for Homecoming Queen and King." Ida said. "Let's hurry before everyone else get's here." She jumped up from her chair and pulled Artemis along.

School had only been out for three hours when they left the coffee shop, but already the tiny streets and side walks were filled with familiar faces. As the two made their way down the avenue, they were greeted with smiles and waves, (most of them were directed at Ida, because most didn't know how they were supposed to respond to Artemis presences.) and were left with soft whispers and murmurs in their ears.

"They're talking about us." Artemis said in a light tone.

"Of course they are. Looks like we're going to be big gossip when we get back to school. I hope that your new, and improved Minerva doesn't get jealous too easily, because this is bound to get back to her by the end of the night." Ida sated matter-of-factly, hiding her distain well.

Artemis chuckled a bit.

"All of this is ridiculous, really. Do you see them over there? Snapping up pictures of us, as if we're sneaking around."

"If I were them, I would too. You never went out during your first year. All the other guys in our year I met here in Greystone before our school burned. But I had to go to Saint Bartleby's to see you. And even just this year- we've been in school for just about a month now and this is the first time you've left. You are a walking abnormality amongst teenagers, Artemis. And to see you, hanging around out in public, with someone? That's a site people are willing to pay to see. At least I'd pay to see it" She giggled.

"I'm not that bad. I do dine with people, and it's not like I haven't a life. It's just different from the life other people have."

"I know, I know" Ida said as she swung the door open to the stationary shop. She knew exactly what Artemis meant.

The tiny shop was filled from wall to wall with multi-coloured papers with very sort of design that could be imaged. However Ida ignored them, swiftly making her way to the front counter and rung the service bell. The with polities of smiles, she quickly conducted her business with the shopkeeper, who looked like a man who had seen too many bad days.

"It's always wonderful to see you, Ms. Perry, always a pleasure." The shopkeeper said with a ruseful smile.

"As with you John. Have you my ballots?"

"As always," John the shopkeeper bent down behind the counter and retrieved a brown packaged box and handed it over to Ida. "I check-double checked even- everything you'll need is in there. There's enough to carry you through."

For once, Ida's friendly smile waivered and was replaced with a snide smirk.

"Well it had better be. Could be disastrous else wise. Then I would have to come back."

John's smile was steady, but terror flashed through his eyes.

"Thanks, John. See you around!" Ida waved at him, her sweet lips curved into a kind smile once more.

She turned easily on her heels and headed out the tiny store towards her Rang Rover, tapping Artemis's shoulder, signaling him to follow suit.

Artemis hadn't missed the interaction between Xia and the shopkeeper, and he was beyond curious as to why the shopkeeper would be terrified of Xia. She stood under 5 foot, with a soft face and small body. She was the opposite of threatening.

But he couldn't deny that there was an undertone in the short conversation he had just bore witness to, some cryptic dual meaning.

What had just happen?

"You don't really like it here do you?" Ida said as she slid the package into the trunk of her SUV, pulling Artemis out of his thoughts.

"It's quite, bland to say the most." He said simply. His intuitions were still running ramped and he let curiosity take over him. "May I see what the ballots look like?"

Ida cocked her eyebrow slightly.

"Why? It's just like any other school ballot. Nothing fancy at all."

She was getting defensive. What was she hiding? Artemis shrugged and smiled at her.

"Oddly enough, I've never excised my democratic right to vote here at the school."

It was Ida's turn to smile now.

"Really? Take it you don't believe in popularity contest then huh?" She asked as she un-did the wrapping that covered the box.

"Maféia wanted to be the first one who saw them, but that's what she get for spending all her time with her boyfriend. There you go, Artemis." Ida said, stepping aside so he could pillage through the box.

It was full of neat stacks of burnished ruby envelopes. Artemis reached down and promptly picked one from the top and opened it.

Neatly, hand folded inside laid the ballots for Homecoming King and Queen. Artemis scanned it over quickly.

"I'm on the ballot?" He asked, slightly surprised that he was on there.

Ida nodded quickly before she turned to walk to the driver's seat.

"Why aren't you?" That was the most surprising thing of all to him. Xia was the most popular girl at school. Why didn't she make the finalist list for Homecoming Queen? And how did he make the finalist list?

"I took my name off the ballot." She stated simply as she turned on the ignition to start up the car. Her expression for a few moments was solemn as if she was silently mourning. Artemis wondered why but decided better than to pursue it; his earlier intuition that told him something was array was wrong, so this too, he assumed, was just a misreading on his part.

"Well then, allow me to remove my name from the contest." He stated as he slid into her car. From the darkness in her eyes came light and from nowhere, her laugh reverberated off the walls of the car.

Artemis admired the sound and the glint of joy in her eyes. This is the way she should always be.

"No chance, Fowl! Your name stays. It's too late to change it anyways." She said as she sped off back towards Wicklow, back towards the school and tried to ignore all the camera phones that went up as they past.

Not that they minded, not really. Artemis was too busy contemplating what the next week would bring with Minerva and Xia being in the same enclosed space, and Ida was too busy thinking about what she had just done, and wishing that she could unseal Artemis's fate.