I Could Smell The Roses

Did I Really Do That?

"Up, Mud Boy." announced Holly briskly,
"Night time over." Artemis sat up and rubbed his eyes and squinted towards the ceiling.
"I thought we're underground. There is no day and night." Holly winked at him. Artemis was a lot more easy to handle now he had forgot about capturing faries.
"Don't think about it too much, cow pog." Artemis scowled then shook his head.
"I feel like I was supposed to remember that. But I can't. Do you have any idea..." Holly pulled up short.
"It was from one of our trips. I... I was mad at you and... I was talking to Mulch... And I told him you were a moron. I did forgive you in the end though."
"What did I do?" Asked Artemis, suddenly interested.
"I bet I messed it up. I always do." He said sadly. Holly sighed.
"Not always Mud Boy. But often." Artemis looked up.
"Who's Mulch? And how do I know you forgave me?" Holly half smiled.
"Even in a new body, you don't miss a beat, do you? Mulch is our...pungent friend, who helped us then and all the time, now I think of it. Quite embarrassing. And as for forgiving you... Trust me, you'd be feeling it right now if I hadn't. You'd be buried under a gravestone if you didn't. Besides, you always had that manner that could talk me out of killing Opal Koboi..." Holly trailed off, lost in thought. Artemis clutched his head. Holly frowned.
"Artemis?" Artemis shook himself again.
"My head hurts, should I know Opal Koboi? And why is getting help from...Mulch, embarrassing?" Holly opened her mouth as if to answer, then shut it again.
"We're getting ahead of your time, Artemis. It will scramble up your brain. We have to start from the very beginning, a very good place to start. You are twelve after all." Artemis blinked. The frowned.
"I'm eleven, what are you talking about. And I feel like trapped memories are fighting to get out in my skull. Please, I'm going to get migraine." Holly would have normally scowled at Artemis' obnoxious behaviour, but instead winked,
"Spoilers. Now, let us go out for breakfast. Haven Centre is a nice place to go for sim-coffee."

After much fussing and an argument with Artemis about if he was allowed to wear his beloved suits. Holly had hoped to get him wearing more suitable things, like jeans or at least shorts, but now they would have to settle for a compromise, Artemis would wear a formal t-shirt and trousers. As he walked out his room, with his familiar frown of distaste. Holly had a sense of déjà vu. He looks weird. She thought. Weird but good. Really quite good. As they walked through the streets of Haven, Artemis listening intently to Holly as she pointed out all the things he should know in Haven and casting an observant eye over everything, Holly felt like she was in a musical montage of a movie. They sat outside in the fake sun and Artemis reached for something in his pocket. He seemed to do it unconsciously, but when he pulled his hand out, he was clutching a pair of mirrored sunglasses. The very one that had kept him alive, sane, and saved his memory on another occasion. He stared puzzled at them.
"What are these?" Holly felt a wave of emotions crash down on her. Here he was, staring at the thing that had kept him alive so many times, not knowing what it was. She choked on a sob. She felt out of her depth again. Not mature. Without the excellent poker face she had developed over her experiences. She felt like she was at the beginning, like when Artemis was a kid. And before she knew it, tears flowed down her face. Artemis looked up anxiously, then rushed to her side.
"Holly? Holly? What's wrong?" Holly registered that he knew her name although she had never told him it. He was already remembering. She composed herself and brushed his hand off her shoulders. Artemis looked slightly offended, but sat back down. The genius seemed so much more human when he wasn't himself. Oh the irony. Holly leant forward.
"If I say one word, you will remember your life until you are twelve. You have to promise not to hurt me. And you will be half to your promise. Understand?" Artemis hesitated, then nodded.
"Ready?" He nodded again.
"Angeline."