Artemis Fowl: The Unpredictable Future

Chapter 17: Revalations

Artemis was surprised to be the first to have woken up. Lucky for him, Holly and Rachel had squirmed towards the ends of the bed. He slipped out of the bed, being careful not to disturb the girls. They definitely deserved the rest. His smile slowly faded as the gears in his mind began to turn. He looked around the room for his boxers and, he sighed, those blasted shorts. He quietly left the room after redressing his lower half, crossing his arms in front of his chest as he walked through the house. The position of the sun rays shining through the blindfolds of the window seem to indicate that it is near 7:00. He turned his head and noticed a digital clock inside the wall. He paused curiously. Twenty-nine hundred hours? Perhaps time itself has changed over the millennia.

He found his way to the kitchen and found Foaly drinking out of a coffee cup at the table, only to spit out its contents at the sight of Artemis in just his shorts. Artemis scowled and groaned from the back of his throat, "I'm sure you are quite proud of yourself centaur. Now please tell me you acquired what I requested of you."

Still laughing, he wiped his eyes and spoke in-between gasps of air, "Did... did you not like the shirt mud boy? I thought it completed the outfit!" He cantered over to a nearby cabinet and opened it, breathing hard as he tried to hold in his laughing fit. He pulled out a box and placed it on the table.

Artemis narrowed his eyes and walked towards the box, "As I told Holly, there isn't enough gold in the world, or under it." He opened the box and sighed happily, "Finally, some decency." He looked up at Foaly, "I'll be just a moment. There is something I'd like to talk to you about." As he turned around to walk back to the bedroom, Foaly could not contain the laughter that erupted from his gut upon seeing 'Kiss Me I'm Irish" on the backside of his shorts. He laid his forehead down and began slapping at the tabletop, gasping desperately for air to refill his lungs. Artemis walked faster to get out of his sight, grumbling the entire way. Now I'm definitely not sorry for defiling your guest room.

After several minutes, Artemis walked back into the kitchen. He was dawning a freshly new, midnight black Armani suit, a blackish-red belt, a neon green silk tie, and shiny black loafers. He reached up and straightened his tie, albeit with a strange smile on his face. "What is it with you and green apparel, Foaly? Although admittingly, I think it ties the look together."

Foaly cantered over and patted his shoulders, "Now there's the mud boy we all love to hate." He chuckled, "What's with the fake accent by the way?" He shook his head, "Never mind that. What was it that you wanted to talk to me about?"

Artemis cleared his throat, "I want you to run some tests on me. Something strange has happened since we've arrived here. It might be physical, it might be psychological, it could be a change in my very DNA for all I know. I'm just certain that something has changed and if it that is so... Then it has changed Holly and Rachel as well."

Foaly's expression went from casual host to serious scientist, "A change you say?" He scratched his chin, looking down at him. "Follow me, Artemis." He trotted over to the living room with Artemis walking steadily beside him, his hands behind his back. Foaly stopped at the wall. Artemis looked at him curiously. If he remembered correctly, there was an ash tree on the other side.

Foaly reached up and grabbed the frame of a painting that was hanging on the wall. It was a portrait of him and Caballine, accompanied by two smaller centaurs.

"You have children?" Artemis questioned.

Foaly laughed, "Oh yeah. Roughly three years after your disappearance. They are going to school underground for the time being." He pointed at the boy, "This is Felrand and this is his older sister, Twilight Sparkle."

Artemis cocked his head, "Twilight Sparkle?"

Foaly snickered, "Of course not. Just making sure you were paying attention. Her name is Coraline."