Holly had managed to get away without running into anyone. "That was too close, Holly." Foaly cursed, leading her through the building and into a safe room. "This should be a safe room. There'll be a computer in here too, so I can log you into it and hack my way into the security system and you can watch the tributes through the cameras."
Holly followed Foaly's directions to a small room with a bed and desk in it. She sat behind the desk and powered up the computer. Once logged in, she started to follow Artemis on the live feed.
"Do you really see something in this guy? It'll be a miracle if he can actually make it past the first night in the Arena, let alone the entire Games." Holly didn't respond, still watching Artemis as he was lead to a room where he was prepared to met his stylist. He was very good at keeping his emotions from showing, standing straight and proper. When Caballine came into the room, Artemis managed to keep himself from gawking at the fact that she was a centaur. They started talking politely and Holly sighed, leaning back in her chair.
"Is there anyway I can hear them?" Holly asked. Foaly grunted in response and after a second of him hacking farther into the system, she could hear what they were saying.
"So, you had District 3 forced on you?" Artemis asked, trying to make conversation.
Caballine laughed lightly. "Not necessarily forced. It wasn't my first choices, but it certainly wasn't my last." Artemis nodded and shifted awkwardly, not good at conversation. "So, District 3. Now, my partner and I didn't want to go all cliche on it like all the other stylists do. But what we're going to do might be a bit, well, bold to say the least."
Artemis raises a brow sceptically. "As long as you're not going to make us go naked." Caballine laughs and shakes her head.
"You do not have to worry about that. Now Artemis, what do you know about fiber optics?"
* * *
Artemis was ushered out and into the dark tunnel. He could feel Minerva at his side and blindly reach out to grab her hand. He felt weird in the outfit they had forced him to wear, but it suprisingly comfy and kept him cool. He helped Minerva up onto the carrige before getting up there himself and taking a breath.
"You better not blow this, Artemis Fowl." Minerva hissed in his ear. Artemis rolled his eyes and put on the best Crowd-Pleasing-Smile he could. "Much better."
"Are you ready?" He heard Caballine ask in the dark.
He nodded silently and then said, "Yes."
"Good. You're going out in a minute. Try to smile and don't kill each other."
"No promises," Minerva muttered loud enough for Artemis to hear.
There was a pressing silence for a moment, and then the door far in front of them opened. the resounding roar of the crowd filled the darkened space. The carriage lurched and then rolled smoothly forward.
"Oh! Wait!" Caballine jogged alongside the carriage. "There are buttons in your pockets! Press them and you'll activate the special feature! But not yet- turn them on when you get outside. It's almost dark, so the crowd will be able to see them. Good luck!"
She waved to them for as long as she could, before the rest of the districts had passed.
A sound next to her made her jump for a second, but when she looked down at her side she saw it was just her assistant Chix, looking nervous.
"Think they'll make it through?" He asked, wringing his hands.
"It'd take a miracle, especially for that Artemis kid. But don't worry, Chix. Foaly has a plan."
"I hope so," He muttered, watching as the carriages rolled from the building and down the aisle.
Artemis let go of Minerva and kept a hand on the button in his pocket. The second he rolled out the door, he was greeted by the roaring capital people. Minerva was smiling and waving amiably in their direction, and Artemis just stood sort of dumbfounded, watching the people roll by. A sharp jab of Minerva's elbow sent him back to earth and almost with a jolt he realised himself. He grinned cheerily and waved at the Capital people as they passed and felt incrediby overwhelmed.
The carriages moved into place in a semicircle around a large podium, rising above all the people, where the president stood, looking at all the tributes.
President Spiro gave a nod and began his speech. It was long. It was boring. We're not going into details.
Darkness was falling while he spoke. Minerva tapped Artemis again and pulled a small remote from her pocket.
“Caballine said we should turn it on,” she reminded him.
“Do you think it’ll explode?” he asked.
“No, I trust them to know what they’re doing. On three. One, two… Three.”
Artemis pressed the button.
In a second, his plain suit lit up with a soft blue light, and faded to a light green. He looked over at Minerva, and saw that her clothing was doing the same thing.
“Fiber optics,” he whispered to her with a grin.
“I know.”
He watched as his suit shifted into a set of red and orange pixels fading into a blurred flower. It was a beautiful effect, and he found himself mesmerized by it.
“It’s beautiful,” Minerva muttered.
“Hm?”
“It’s beautiful, I said. Don’t look at me like that, I know what beautiful is.”
They were startled by clapping.
“I think he’s finished,” Minerva yelled above the noise. “The horses should be going back in a moment.”
With a lurch, they were headed back.
“Right on schedule.”
“Mm.”
Artemis glanced over at Minerva, and for a minute, he swore he saw the faintest trace of a smile.
YOU ARE READING
Artemis Fowl and the Hunger Games
Fanfiction(Apologies for any confusion, we are doing some upkeep and changing certain things around) As the title so beautifully states, this is a cross over between the well known books Artemis Fowl and the Hunger Games. All rights to their proper owners.
