Thank you for letting me get past those horrific end of year exams. FREEDOM! Anyway, sorry it's been so long. Thanks to everyone, reviewers and readers. (Especially reviewers!) And an honourable mention to youjustcrossedtheline. My supportive friend who read this chapter, grabbed a pen, and started marking in all the comma's i'd missed, and the words she disapproved of. (few, came, just. exc) Hope you enjoy!

Holly gasped and awoke in a cold sweat. It was just a dream. She reminded herself grimly. Artemis doesn't really think those things. That confusion at the end, that was just a dream. It was my dream, not his.

At that moment, Artemis woke up as well. He knew that the dream may or may not have been experienced by Holly. If it had been, he had just one thought, I hope she doesn't have that weapon in her apartment. If so, it's my last night on Earth. Or rather, in Earth. He chuckled, then stifled it in case Holly heard.

Better to be safe then sorry. Artemis thought.

Holly was sitting at her kitchen table when Artemis entered. "Sit." She instructed, then poured herself some juice and ignored the mudboy. Artemis had a feeling that Holly did not have the greatest night either, after all, she had shot him, and because it had been her dream as well, the seemingly harmless Neutrino had blasted a hole straight through his heart. Classic.

Holly slammed some breakfast nutriblocks in front of Artemis and stared at him. "Did you have any dreams last night, Ar-ty?" Holly exaggerated the last two syllables and Artemis shuddered at her rage. Holly Short was not someone you wanted to get angry.

"Holly, none of this is my fault!" Artemis exclaimed at his friend.

On cue, he got a cutting reply.

"Who stole magic from me? Who lied to me? Who ruined my career? Who captured me?" With each accusation, Holly's voice grew louder, until the glasses on the table rattled and Artemis could've sworn the sun strips flickered.

"I admit to all those crimes." Artemis coolly answered, "But causing us to dream walk, I do not." Holly swore,

"Mud boy, you gave me those answers!" Artemis stood his ground,

"You asked the questions." He replied simply. Holly was enraged,

"I thought it was a dream!" she cried. Artemis looked at the elf with despair,

"Holly, so did I. And I don't want to fight. Not now, not ever. Please Holly, we are in this together." Holly slumped down in her seat,

"I just... wish this was all a dream." Holly elaborated, "Everything that has happened since Vinyàya died. Nothing good has come from our last adventures Artemis, and this one isn't any different." Her voice was now barely a whisper, and Artemis was about to reply when someone knocked on the door.

Holly stood up, gave a withering, 'Do not mention this' glare, and moved to open the door. Two small demons were standing there, one was carrying a stack of scrolls and books that seemed to be taller than him. That demon, was of course, No1, and as he gave Holly a sorrowful look, she took the pile with ease and let both fairies in. Artemis was standing up and Holly was surprised to see that he had cleared the table. No1 led the more elderly demon, Qwan, to the couch. Holly proceeded after them, and Artemis filed in immediately after.

Qwan was the first to speak, "I hope we are not intruding, but I suppose you both know why No1 and I are here. Yesterday, I went though the archives electronically, but nothing came up, when I contacted the ancient library however, a few books jumped out at me."

No1 gave a glare at the 'few books' which Holly had placed on the small table in front of the couch.

Qwan continued, "And so, here in front of you, are some mentions of what might be the only knowledge there is of bonds, apart from my own, and your own experiences. But first, has there been any more symptoms?" Holly and Artemis hesitated, then, "Well, we both... had the same dream." Artemis said. Qwan nodded, "I think you mean, you were communicating in a dream." Holly nodded miserably, and patted the hip where her Neutrino usually hung. She hoped that would be the end to the questioning.

No1 shuddered, "Okay. I don't know why Foaly couldn't copy these books electronically, but here they are." Qwan flipped open the book on top of the pile.

"Alright, this book here, is on humans, say, these are very old fairytales, or rather, humantales." Qwan looked around but no one smiled at his joke. "Okay. Here is the most interesting one. By The Bend in the River. It's a poem" He shifted the open book around, then began to read.

By the bend in the river, under the tree,

I tried to be quiet, But a mudman saw me.

I thought they were savages, that killed, wanted glory.

But he had different goals, to avoid memento mori.

We sat down, and he listened, to my story.

"What on earth does that mean?" Holly asked,

"To be reminded of death." Artemis said softly.

"This poem sucks." Holly stated. Artemis shook his head in amusement.

Qwan looked up. "Ten thousand years ago, I don't think human's were writing poetry, no matter the quality." He injected, "Let me continue. This poem might help you.

I was in love, he was my shield.

And after first kiss, our love was sealed,

So the bond was too, my heart now was healed.

Than the mudman became smarter,

His mind plotted, bad events did occur.

Holly was secretly shocked, but didn't let it show. The poem was beginning to seem too much like a warning. Or a prophecy for past events.

"No offense Qwan, but this poetry is abhorrent." Artemis added, he then glanced at Holly, she gave him a look that wistfully said 'the story of our lives..'

"This is the important bit." Qwan said in offense. and continued.

The magical perks included mind talking,

And shared feelings, emotions

and even sleepwalking,

All the time, I wasn't aware of thy changing,

But all the while, our minds rearranging.

Holly glanced at Artemis. "Mind talking?" She gasped. "What next?"

Qwan shrugged, and kept reading, unbeknowing what his friends were thinking.

Holly: D'arvit! I don't want to know what Arty's thinking!

Artemis: This might have some serious repercussions in the near future.

We were happy for a short while,

But soon the mudman turned hostile.

Yet we knew each others thoughts. What a big mistake.

And until my death, my heart will still ache.

Heed this warning, don't ever bond for your sake.

Then, we fought, and he kidnapped me.

By the bend in the river, under the tree.

The mudman came and kidnapped me,

Soon I escaped, and was finally free.

The mudmen want profit,

There is no love, there is no 'we'.

Artemis looked up in shock, Holly's darker complexion was looking an Artemis-like unhealthy shade of white. He wanted to tell Qwan to stop, but wanted to see how it ended.

To bond with man, may have some use,

But faerie child, please don't confuse,

A true friendship, and misuse.

Which all the while, 'till ye die,

Ye'll regret it, faerie child of my.

There was silence for a few minutes. No1's cough made everyone look up. "It is just a story." Qwan stated softly. "The product of the imagination of a rather melodramatic pixie. Nothing to worry about."

Holly looked at Artemis, and she felt a mental shock when she saw a tear leak down from her eye. Maybe seeing that was the unnerving thing, or maybe it was because Artemis never cried.

She held out her hand and he took it. No1 looked wildly at his friends, "What is wrong?" He asked with shock. Artemis beat Holly to speaking first, simply because she couldn't find the words.

"No1, I met the fairy kind when I was 12, I was a selfish, cruel boy, and I first met them, when I captured a fairy and ransomed her for gold." It took a few seconds for any reaction to occur on No1's face, when it did, it was a mixture of shock and utter disbelief. "That fairy must hate you." No1 said finally. Artemis felt like laughing at the comment, but the circumstances made it seem unsuitable. Instead, he uttered, "I dearly hope not."

"She doesn't." Holly whispered. No1 was now turning his grey head from Holly to Artemis and back. "How do you know?" He asked worriedly.

Holly sighed, "No1, I was that fairy."

And the demon was so shocked that he knocked several photo frames, and a vase over with a gust of magic that ruffled the pages of the book and made Holly's fringe change direction. She hurried to straighten it.

No1 just looked at her. "How?" He asked, as if he was intruding on something private.

"It's a long story-"

"That you can soon read in Argon's new book." Artemis interrupted Holly. This silenced everyone for quite a few seconds. The knock on the door made the demons jump and hurriedly make excuses as to why they needed to be someplace else.

Holly opened the door, and Trouble stalked in. "Trouble, this isn't the best time to-"

"Firstly, you will address me by my rank, Captain, and as to why I am here, I'm sorry to interrupt your gathering, but you and Fowl are needed at the Plaza."

Artemis stood up, "Well.. Commander, why are you in such desperate need of my help? And Holly's of course."

Trouble seemed to growl like a feral dog, "Opal has left us a message, and as she is yet another fairy that really wants to kill you, we can use you to capture her."

Artemis whistled, "Not even a jaunt about being an armpit louse. We'll be best friends soon."

"Stop it you two." Holly cried in frustration, "We have a job to do, and I won't let your pig headedness hinder our efforts."

Trouble grinned, "Me or Fowl?"

Holly frowned at him, "You of course."

This stopped the discussion until Trouble and Artemis were without Holly, later that day. Obviously, then the bickering resumed.

Foaly swiveled his chair around from the computer he had been using, "I love doing that!" he observed, then got back to business. "Opal wants a challenge, a few months of nothing to do simply annoys her. She thinks she is worth more, and so, she left this note. He passed the said note to Holly with the pretense of as if it was a stinging viper.

"I want the LEP to know that I am at large and you should expect some interactions with me. Please note that I will capture and torture Fowl and Short, and I thank my informer within the LEP for giving me priceless information. Opal... xxxx."

Holly tossed the note to the floor and was about to stomp on it when Artemis picked it up. "Just like Opal to do that." He commented dryly. Holly showed her frustration more thoroughly. "And we can't trace her off this, , it's not electronic!" She frowned, "Informer in the LEP? Do you think that is true?"

"Knowing Opal, it could be just a taunt or it could be real. Either way, that was meant to unsettle us and distract us." Foaly answered.

"Opal would give us some clues. She wants us to think of something." Artemis added,

Then he looked at the letter, "Foaly, are there any fingerprints on this?" Foaly grinned, "Of course! That seems very Opal. He took the letter and picked up an envelope that was addresses to Holly via the LEP. Holly turned to Foaly in shock. "You read my mail?" She gasped in horror, Foaly shuffled his hooves,

"It was from Opal." He said sheepishly, if that was possible. Holly snatched the envelope and waved it in front of Foaly.

"It was unmarked!" She cried, "Damn it centaur, do you read all my mail?"

"You don't ever get any. Who sends letters these days?"

Holly frowned, "Okay, okay. Just check this for fingerprints." Foaly took the envelope and walked out. Artemis sat down at the chair and groaned. "Never an ordinary day here." He observed. Holly sat down too, "I've never experienced ordinary in my life." She responded. "Artemis, about this bond thing, I don't know. I wish it never happened. All these events.."

Holly trailed off. Artemis thought for a few moments, then said slowly,

"Do you wish you'd never met me?" Holly stared at him, clearly unable to answer.

Artemis shifted uncomfortably, but remained silent. Holly sat there, then answered a question with a question.

"Would you, um." Holly struggled with the wording, "If you could go back a few years. What would you do differently?" Artemis was silent for a moment.

"I regret capturing you. But if I never did it, I wouldn't know you, Holly. I would never have all the amazing adventures and the friends I have, and I would still be a selfish brat. I... I can't answer that question."

Holly nodded, then gave Artemis a pained smile. "If there was a way, I would save my mother and father. Family is such an important thing, and we often forget that. And... I don't regret you kidnapping me, because I would never have met you Artemis."

Artemis shook his head. "Why Holly? If you had never met me, your career would've taken off, you would still have Root and.."

"Don't blame yourself for that." Holly whispered. "If it weren't for you, Opal would've taken over and many fairies would have died. Not just Commander Root."

Foaly came trotting in, his expression was blank. "They used gloves." He said with frustration, tossing the letter onto his overcrowded desk. "Why are these things always so complicated?"

Artemis, nor Holly answered the question that they assumed was rhetorical, instead, their gaze was on the v-board. Artemis had the goggles, but Holly could see it as well. At that point Holly gave up trying to explain all the anomalies she encountered, but focused on what Artemis was doing. He searched the LEP files using Trouble's password, which he did just so he could smirk at the commander. Holly rolled her eyes. Artemis brought up a list of people that were around at the time the letter was delivered to reception. Then he brought up a list of who gave envelopes to reception. There were about 20. Holly nodded and tapped Foaly to show him. "That gives us twenty-four suspects." Holly pointed at the list. Foaly frowned,

"I don't have V-Goggles, and neither do you." Foaly looked at Holly to Artemis and back. "What's going on?" He snapped, "Explain this, and don't leave anything out. I know you two have secrets."

Holly swallowed. Where to start?

"Artemis, and, Artemis and I, we..." Holly trailed off. Artemis shifted uncomfortably for the second time that day.

"There is something called a Bond that existed between fairies and humans, way back when we were friends. It's a connection, and it hasn't happened in over ten thousand years. "

"Then you two came alone.." Foaly finished for her. He frowned, "This is just, it's nothing to do with the kiss right?"

"Foaly!" Holly exclaimed angrily, Artemis stared at the centaur in shock, then remembered something Orion had said. Artemis hoped he had been dreaming, but he asked just in case.

"You know about what happened eight years ago?"

"What happened eight years ago?" Trouble stalked in and sighed at Foaly and Holly's stricken expressions. "Never mind, don't bother." Then he noticed Artemis, whose absolutely shocked expression was suddenly hidden, and was was sighing in relief. Trouble smirked, "Now, now. I changed my mind. Do tell." Artemis widened his eyes in shock and Trouble remembered what he had shouted to those goblins all those years ago,

If you're looking for Trouble, you've come to the right place.

I couldn't resist this end to the chapter. Yes, I am evil. heh heh heh. Thanks again!

- Evil Bunny