A/N: I apologize before hand for any OOC-ness. It was not/was intended. What the characters do is intended. Not the fact that they are OOC.

This chapter is dedicated to FlamingWingsAndFrozenHearts , the 88th reviewer. I'm glad you like this story!

Disclaimer: I do not own most settings or any characters. Except Glimmer Vendera and Tinsel Cornsprite, though honestly, if you want to use them in a story, or even just their names, go right ahead. This is me giving you permission. (Though if you could credit me/ let me know that would make me happy.)

Also, I want to apologize for this chapter. It's not very good. I had writer's block for this whole chapter. What had to happen happened, but the writing is not really any good. Sorry. :(

"So." Mulch said when Artemis had finished. "Is there any particular reason why it can only be us? What about the rest of the LEP?"

"You of all people should know what a bureaucratic mess the LEP has been these last few years," Holly said. "Commander Kelp is only just starting to un-entangle us from the Council. As it is, it takes days to get a topside retrieval fully authorized."

"Besides, very few fairies of the LEP trust me at all," Artemis said quietly. "And really, we need bait of some kind." That was the part of the plan that Holly did not like at all. Artemis was getting way too self-sacrificing. The first few times they had saved the world, Artemis had actually cared about his own safety. Then the rest of his friend's safety. And now, apparently he had graduated to the world's safety. Which would be good, if he still cared about himself.

"I do not like this, Artemis." Butler had stayed surprisingly quiet while Artemis laid out his plan; everyone had been waiting for him to voice his displeasure. Artemis sighed as he stood, right hand absently fiddling with the cuff of his jacket.

"I know, old friend. But it's the most likely way to trick her. I know next to nothing about her personally, so I have to go with this."

Number One looked nervous, but he nodded. "I think he's right. This Glimmer's magic is powerful. She is not as strong as me, but if she is not distracted, I . . . I am not yet very good with containment spells," he admitted. "And a powerful elven warlock could easily break out of mine if they knew what was happening."

"You're sure about this?"

"Yes, Holly. Though, I suppose that it is true that plans don't always work when they're made before everything happens." Artemis rubbed his temples with the tips of his fingers. "We'll cross that bridge when we get there, though. For now, I still have some fairy tech in my study; Foaly keeps sending things."

"Does he send them for you to use?" Holly asked doubtfully.

"He might as well," Artemis said with a shrug. "He knows I find all his bugs and build things from them, yet he continues sending them."

He stood fluidly, and Holly allowed herself to think, for a moment, that maybe he really was better, that the magic wasn't abusing his mind. But the skin around his eyes was tight with suppressed pain, and Holly was pretty sure Artemis was clenching his jaw. Butler put a supporting hand on his charge's shoulder as the group filed out into the hall.

"Alright," Artemis said once the door to his study had been closed. "It is not yet eight in the morning; I'd like to leave before my parents find out about this, as they would no doubt be unhappy about it."

He moved about the room with confidence, which people only did if they were nervous or trying to convince someone they were fine. Stop worrying, she told herself. You're seeing problems where there are none. He's fine. Enough. Hopefully. Ugh. That hadn't helped.

The fact that Artemis sat in the chair behind his desk as soon as he could (and that he seemed to drop more than sit) had even Mulch glancing at Holly with worry prominent on his features. Holly tried to ignore it. There was nothing she could do except take down Glimmer again, which was what they were working towards anyway.

"Guys. I know that I'm not at my most healthy," Artemis said, his tone a little sharper than normal as it pulled Holly from her thoughts. "But I need you to pay attention now. The world is at stake. Again."

"I ah . . . I can try to take away some of the pain, if you'd like," Number One said quietly. Artemis squeezed his eyes shut, and shook his head.

"Not yet. Later, Number One." It took a visible effort for Artemis to compose himself before pulling open a drawer at the bottom of the desk. For a second, Holly wondered why he kept fairy tech in a desk drawer, but then there was a buzz and part of the wall behind him slid aside to reveal a metal safe with an electronic lock. "Butler, if you would be so kind," the Mudboy said. "The code is the twins' birthday." His hands fiddled with a pencil. "Something I was regrettably absent for."

The safe opened with a hiss, and Butler lifted out the large box inside and set it on the desk in front of Artemis, who popped the lid with a satisfied smile. "I am working on it, but there's still not anything quite like fairy tech," he said, handing out earpieces.

"Is this just me, or is this too similar to the John Spiro issue?" Holly murmured as Artemis fastened the flesh-colored mic to his throat. Yeah, there was no way Foaly hadn't meant Artemis to find this stuff. Or maybe the Centaur had simply caved to the inevitable.

"Well, we all survived that one, so maybe that's a good thing," Mulch responded, though Number One just looked confused.

"The rest of you should have mics as well," Artemis said. "Holly does your helmet . . ."

"Yes, it has a built-in mic. Why?"

"I wouldn't have enough for everyone otherwise." Artemis was blinking rapidly now, looking a bit confused. He brought a hand to his face, rubbing at his forehead. "I do apologize," he said. "My mind is rather . . . muddled. I think the pain is starting to cause issues."

"Artemis please, let me try to stop the pain," implored Number One.

"Fine. But try to make it fast. We need to leave soon." By the end of the sentence, Artemis was groaning with pain, slumping forward, his elbows on the desk the only thing keeping him upright.

Holly exchanged a very worried glance with Butler as Number One gently touched Artemis' forehead and the runes on his own began spinning. How much pain could one person stand? Surely Artemis only had a few days left. Not even that if Number One couldn't ease the pain. Holly promised that Glimmer would pay for this.

A/N: Hey, you made it through that terrible mess! Next chapter will be better. I hope. Anyways . . . good for you! You deserve a cookie. Or several. (::) (::) (::)