Cavalyn Haha, I figured as much. But thank you for reviewing still! Yes, yes, poor Guy. Just wait for- Oh, don't want to spill anything now, haha. Artemis just has a lot of years behind her in her habit.

Hikari-Chimedekina-Neko Haha, thank you. Oh, I'm sure Jade's gettin pretty close to and Guy...well, you'll find out when that comes up now won't you?

The Fool Arcana Well, you should already know the answer to that now, haha. Maybe when I have time I'll sketch out some of her costumes.

Kurowriter1122 Ah, just taking a first glance at your review made me happy. Haha, sorry but it was so long that I got a little happy. I'm glad you like Artemis' character! I'm always worried about her... I hope you continue to follow this!

Midnightxwolfx oh ho ho ho that's for you to find outttt

Icebox Plums ahh I'm glad. thanks for reviewing this time around

Aquamarine Silvertail haha well to himself he is definitely having those thoughts

I was planning to post this sometime next week, but seeing as I won't be here to do so, I'm posting it now. Sorry, one day I'll have an update schedule.

summary: Artemis Niels is a part-time topographer, gel maker, and merchant, with some medical talents just for kicks. Dressing as a male comes naturally. but she never thought she'd be dragged on a quest to save the world. 'Tales of the Abyss is not my property'

Page 11:

"I see," Jade and Tear were both watching Artemis who was at the front of the group along with Luke and Guy.

"It was probably his seals from being a slave," Tear said quietly.

Jade glanced at her, "Did you see what the seals looked like?"

Tear shook her head, "I wasn't looking at them well enough at the time."

The Colonel sighed, "If you had seen what they looked like released we might have been able to narrow down the suspects."

"...Do you..." Tear started, "Do you know what kind of slave he might have been?"

Jade glanced at her again. She was looking sadly at Artemis' back. He fixed his glasses and followed her look.

"I have my suspicions."

"You're from Hod, huh?" Artemis whistled, "That's interesting."

"Yeah, I guess."

Guy glanced at Artemis again, "...Hey, Artemis."

He turned to Guy and stared at him. He blinked a few times and settled for walking backwards.

"What is it, Guy?"

"Are you...feeling alright?" For some reason he was a little too energetic. Guy was worried that the man was sick and trying to cover it by being lively.

He stared at Guy again and blinked.

"I feel fine," he replied simply, "Do you feel fine?"

"Huh?" Guy was a little taken-aback. Artemis grinned and wrapped an arm around his shoulder.

"Do you feel fine? Or do you need another cold shower?"

"W-What!" Guy sputtered.

Artemis laughed heartily and punched him in the side before going over to Luke.

Di-Did he know that he- No, that couldn't be! Did Jade tell him something?

"ARG, YOU'RE SO ANNOYING!" Luke exclaimed and swatted at the merchant. Artemis of course laughed it off and ran ahead of Luke. The red haired noble growled before unsheathing his sword.

"I'm going to wipe that stupid grin off your face!"

Artemis stopped a few meters in front of him and waited for the noble to catch up. Luke brought his sword down on the man but he simply twirled out the hit and stood behind Luke. His smile twisted upwards a little before he suddenly pulled out his blade so quickly that Luke didn't notice it in time. He clenched his eyes shut as the blade whizzed past him.

Everyone was shocked that Artemis would actually pull out his blade on Luke, but even more surprised when he hurled it straight past him and into the distance. It probably landed in a dune.

"Watch your back, little noble," he whispered into his ear before walking around Luke.

Guy's eyes were concentrated on Artemis' hands as they moved back and forth in step with his walk. Artemis was moving through the desert sands on his own at the moment. Everyone was too busy piecing together possibilities as to why he would pull out a weapon on Luke. He was wondering why the man hadn't pulled out his own blade. Even though, Artemis didn't always pull out the weapon when they fought, he had never used the sword that sat on his waist. It was probably just a decorative accent anyway. So why now?

"GUAAAAH!"

Everyone looked at each other. Before they had even noticed it, Artemis and Jade had disappeared behind some sand dunes. They ran over to where they had heard the scream.

Squelch. Guy looked down and jumped back. He'd just stepped on someone's hand. He looked around and felt his stomach drop. There were bandits and half of them were dead. And from the looks of it, Artemis had been aiming for them when she had thrown her decoration. From the looks of the wound it had gone through one of the thief's throat. Jade was holding blocking Artemis off from hitting him with his spear. They noticed the group that had gathered.

"Oh, Guy," Artemis started even though he was fighting with Jade, "You've stepped on his hand..."

He glanced at one of the bandits. He was holding on to his arm where it was bleeding profusely. Artemis tsked, "That's no good."

"Artemis?" Mieu squeaked fear in his eyes. He stepped back once and Artemis noticed.

"He's not himself right now!" Jade shouted just as Artemis pushed him back forcefully.

Artemis ran over with the sword pulled back ready to strike but Guy ran in front of him and parried the attack. The smile on Artemis' face twisted upwards and Guy caught a look into Artemis' eyes.

"Peacock Eyes!"

"Dammit, back off!" Luke shouted. Guy's head jerked to the side. More bandits had appeared and were attacking the others. He grimaced and turned back to Artemis who was just about to cut his skull open. He blocked it and pushed Artemis away from him. Artemis jumped back some ways and stopped. The sword made a muted thud as the tip of the blade dug into the sand. He smiled at Guy and tilted his head to the side.

"You're much more fun to play with," he suddenly said. He shrugged his shoulders and nodded his head in the direction of Jade, the only person not too busy to watch their interaction at the moment, "The Necromancer doesn't really have as much stamina as I thought he would."

"You- What are you talking about!" Guy exclaimed, "What's wrong with you! Snap out of it, Artemis! We're on the same side!"

The corner of his eye twitched and his smile dropped. He smoothly pulled the sword up to a horizontal level with his arm.

"There's absolutely nothing wrong with me," he said coldly, "What's wrong with you?"

The Peacock Eyes influenced man lifted another arm to his chest and stopped. He gave Guy a disgusted look and ran his fingers down his chest and stopped at his waist. He sneered at Guy.

"No, you want to play with this don't you, Mr. Servant?"

Guy's eyes widened and his face turned beat red. He sputtered something incoherent while holding up his sword. Artemis started to make his way over when the ground started to shake underneath them both.

"...Stalagmite!"

Guy barely jumped out of the way in time while Artemis gracefully landed on his feet.

"J-Jade!" Guy exclaimed, "What are you doing?"

"Now!" Jade shouted while concentrating on another spell just in case instead of replying.

"O healing power...First Aid!" Tear had directed the healing arte right on Artemis.

Guy gaped at Tear. Artemis had told them specifically that any arte on him would be dangerous so why-

SHINK. The sword fell from the man's hand and into the sand beside him. He started to glow. No that wasn't right. He was starting to glow only in certain areas.

"The seals," Jade said. Guy almost jumped. He hadn't realized the colonel had gotten so close. Jade put his spear away and made his way to the Peacock user.

When he was close enough he grabbed the side of Artemis' face and stared intently at the seal on his forehead. Guy ran over. He wanted to know what was going on. The others, having defeated the remaining bandits, had also gathered around. Artemis was staring blankly back at Jade.

"This isn't any fun," he drawled but didn't move at all. It was more like he couldn't move though.

Eyes were turned to his mouth now. Jade's eyes narrowed. A seal was even on the man's tongue as well.

"Tear," Jade started but didn't turn away from Artemis, "If you wouldn't mind."

"...First Aid."

The Fonic circle underneath Artemis glowed for a second before fading away. Almost like a magnet, the glow from the seals also disappeared. The green haired man's eyes closed shut and he suddenly collapsed against the colonel.

Everyone was silent for a moment.

"Is he..okay?" Natalia asked.

"I thought he said he'd get sick," Anise turned to Tear, "Why did you do it?"

"It was Jade's plan," Tear explained, "Since none of us know how to counteract the Peacock Eyes."

"What if you killed him?" Luke asked looking at Artemis' face. Artemis was slumped against Jade, his face lying on his arm.

"Oh, I'm sure he's alive," Jade said, "Since he's got plenty of stamina and what not."

"...Are you bitter, Jade?" Guy asked carefully.

"Why would I be bitter at all?" he casually dropped Artemis into the sand dune, "I'm just an old man."

"Artemis!" Guy dropped down to his knees.

"Jade, I hardly think that was necessary!" Tear exclaimed while bending down to Artemis' side, forcing Guy to move away from Artemis' unconscious body. Stupid gynophobia...

"Well, we can't dilly-dally all day," he fixed his glasses, "We do need to get moving, after all, Ion is waiting."

"That's right," Anise said remembering that Ion was kidnapped, "We need to hurry!"

"It can't be helped," Natalia sighed, "Guy, pick him up."

"Wh-what why me?"

Anise gave him a withering look, "You want one of us girls to carry him?"

"Of course not..."

The doll-master took a step towards him just to make him step backwards.

"Well then," Jade smiled. It was definitely a Jade smile, one that promised some sort of torture, "Guy, if you would."

"...Right."

When Artemis had come to she was all alone. She was sitting at the entrance to some sort of cave? It must have been the Zao ruins. No one was around, they must have gone on ahead. She groaned and let her head drop. Another Peacock Eyes excursion. Who knows what she'd done. She only hoped it wasn't anything too embarrassing...or detrimental to her health. She especially didn't want Jade on her case. The last thing she remembered was meeting with Tear in the alleyway. How troublesome.

She looked down the dark way and sighed. She pushed herself off of the ground and steadied herself. Her whole body should have been aching but it wasn't. Black gloved hands clenched once, twice. Instead, she didn't feel anything at all. She gazed apathetically down the ruin entrance. How much longer could she hold up this front around them. It was fine on her own. No one really knew her personally when she travelled alone. But now...they'd find out everything for sure if she stayed.

As soon as the Treaty was done she'd leave. She'd never get anything done if she stayed where they were.

Or so she thought.

"It's the man with the Fon Master."

Artemis was looking up at the large man known as the Black Lion of the Six God-Generals. Another man stepped out from behind him. He had long red hair, similar to-

Luke? She thought absentmindedly.

There was a third person to their party. He had a golden mask on and green hair. Artemis remembered him as the man that had been chasing Luke's group back then. Ha, maybe he had her cloak with him.

"Ch, they must have gone back on their word," the red haired one scowled.

"No," Largo stared intently down at Artemis, "It would seem he came unknowingly."

Artemis looked up at the man through half-lidded eyes.

"Where is Luke fon Fabre?"

The red haired man clicked his tongue behind his teeth with a tsk. Artemis's rolled her eyes to stare at him.

"That dreck is gone. You just missed him, fool."

Artemis rolled her eyes to the side with an uninterested look. She gave a detached sigh and turned on her heel. Before she could take a third step forward someone's hand was under her chin. She followed the arm to the masked man. Something stirred under her skin. She recognized the feeling and new immediately just what was standing before her. A smirk crossed her lips as she stared down at the shorter God-General.

"Oh?" she said coldly, "What do you think you're doing you replica?"

Ah, I'm sorry that the chapters have been so heavy on Artemis. I'm trying to keep it humorous and still reveal some background, but I suppose it will still take a while. Please bear with me as I reveal some of Artemis' past and background!