The Angelic Paradox

Uncharacteristically Speechless

Emerald and I pull apart at the sound of the door easing open. Opening doors seems to be a reoccurring metaphor in our...relationship. Holly steps in, grinning whenshe notices my body so close to Emerald's. I can hardly ignore it myself, the energy she gives off is positively euphoric and addicting.
"Twice, Fowl. Twice I've found you smoochin' this poor girl's face off. Where are you manners? I thought you were a gentleman," she scolds, hands resting on her pelvis.
"Hardly, Holly. A gentleman does not plot dastardly acts nor does he save the world on many occasions. Fancy attire and abundant wealth does not a gentleman make."
Emerald stifles a laugh beside me, and I squeeze her hand as Holly just raises her eyebrows, "I just hope, for your sake, Foaly wasn't monitoring the screens, otherwise you'll never hear the end of this. Now, c'mon. The council's waiting for you guys' input of our current catastrophe."
I pull Emerald toward the door my arm feeling as if it can never leave her shoulders, as if my flesh has a magnetic connection to her. I...I cannot explain it, for the first time in my life, I do not know what or why. I just feel...happy with her. Sweet, enchanted, content, emotions fairly new to me. I would never had thought I could feel such a thing for a female, it's stunning to be in love. That has got to be what I am currently experiencing. Love.
We are whisked down the corridoor, hand in hand, and I make no attempt to smother the wide grin on my face. Regularly, I would be be appalled at the level of weakness I'm exposing to this girl, but she's just so accepting, so loving, it seems to bring out my softest side. I honestly never believed in fate or love at first sight, but I think I do now. At the very least, I'm positive I have feeling for Emerald Tate.
"Artemis! Wake up,"Holly snaps at me.
I'm regurgitated back into the present, back to the small corridoor in Haven City.
Emerald looks at me thoughtfully, "Hmm, you never seemed like the kinda person to get lost in thought so easily. You frequently visit the study in your head?"
"Yes, but I make sure I can get out," I respond.
She chuckles and murmurs, "Atlanis Complex."
Holly glances back at us, arching her brow.
"Book seven!" Emerald exclaims happily.
Holly smirks at me, "Ya' know, I really should read those books."
Emerald giggles into her sleeve, "Yeah."
I shrugg, "Perhaps I will as well."
She cackles in my ear, "I could recite it to you!"
Holly glances back, suprise scribbled across her brow, "You have it memorized?"
"Just the first chapter."
"Wow. Let's hear it."
She giggles once again, "Okay. Chapter One, The Book. 'Ho Chi Minh City in the summer. Sweltering by anyone's standards. Needless to say, Artemis Fowl would not have been willing to put up with such discomfort if something extremely important had not been at stake,'" She pauses, eyeing me pointedly, "'Important to the plan.
Sun did not suit Artemis. He did not look well in it. Long hours indoors in front of a computer screen had bleached the glow from his skin. He was as white as a vampire and almost as testy in the light of day.' Sound familiar Arty?"
Holly laughs, "Do continue."
I interrupt, "I believe I then said something about another wild goose chase. Correct?"
"'I hope this isn't another wild goose chase, Butler,' he said, his voice soft and clipped. 'Especially after Cairo.'
It was a gentle rebuke. They had traveled to Egypt on the word of Butler's informant.
'No, sir. I'm certain this time. Nguyen is a good man.'
'Hmm,' droned Artemis, unconvinced'---"
Holly stops us at the end of the corridor and Emerald falls silent. I grasp her hand and draw her closer to my body as if I could shield her from the Peoples' judgement. I already know that that won't do any more to protect her than it did back twelve years ago in her life and aproximately a week in mine, when Sabriel killed her with the snap of his fingers. The door eases open and the first thing I see is Foaly's gloating smirk.
"Wow, Fowl. Wow," he chuckles as we walk in slowly. I ignore the comment and stride into center, emitting my cocky air in rippling waves. I feel Emerald straighten up beside me. She squeezes my hand. I squeeze back
"Greetings, friends," I begin, "I present to you Miss Emerald Lilith Tate, prophecised saviour of the Earth. As you know Sabriel is growing stronger as we speak therefore we must take drastic action immediately..."
I continue, my gaze locking on Emerald's. The speech floods from my lips but my thoughts are elsewhere. Her hair, her eyes...her lips softly against mine. She watches me back, a slight grin decorating her beautiful features. She enchants me. Since Foaly's surveillance began, something has drawn me to this mysterious girl with an important future and an even more important present. Since I met her, I haven't been myself, I've been softer than my usual hard, smooth self. Emerald Tate is...everything.
"So what's the plan, Mud Boy?" Trouble Kelp says bluntly.
"The plan..." I say, still captivated in my Emerald-induced trace.
Kelp glares at me fiercely, "Yeah, the plan, genius boy."
I shake myself mentally, part of me appalled with my absent mindedness, "Ah, yes. The plan is my area of expertise, I do suppose. My plan shall be executed as the Spiro plot was. Each person bearing a role in the procedure will know only their role to minimize the risk of endangering the whole plan. Each set of instructions will be recorded for strictly one participant to view. As aforementioned, I plan to execute this as flawlessly and brilliantly as the Spiro plot when I was a mere boy."
Holly snorts, "Flawless, my foot. Seriously, Arty, that plan was a disaster."
"It made a great book, though," Emerald pipes in, coming to my defense.
I shake my head at Holly, "Nonetheless, Artemis Fowl the Second claimed victor in the end. I aim for the same outcome against Sabriel."
Foaly taps his hoof on the ground impatiently, "Yeah, except Jon Spiro was a human business man, and Sabriel is a supernatural force far beyond any fairy, no to mention Mud Men. Even you, Mud Boy."
I roll my eyes, "I'm not an imbecile, Foaly."
"Indeed you aren't, but neither is Sabriel."
I stick my chin in the air confidently, "I don't intend to lose. In fact, I'm determined to succeed."
"And Arty gets what Arty wants," Emerald says, the muscles on her face visibly struggling to contain her grin.
"Now, if excuse us, Miss Tate and I have business to attend," I say stiffly, guiding Emerald toward the door.
Foaly giggles, "Business? Like kissing business? Or more than that?"
Emerald glares at him as my face heats up, "There's none of that crap going on between Artemis and me except a frenzy of crazy, teenage hormones. But nice try, though."
Holly puts herhead on the table to stifle her laughter, as Foaly stares at her.
"Bya!" she says cheerfully, sweeping me out the door.