Um, hi. *ducks various objects being thrown at face* Okay, okay, I'm sorry! I know, it's been months since I last updated, and this chapter probably isn't long enough to make up for that. But I've gotten really into TMNT and ideas for that have just been bombarding me nonstop. Check my profile if you don't believe me. But, anyway, here you go.

CHAPTER 6

Packing his bags was the easy part. Rather like the Atlantis Complex, this werewolf thing was starting to wedge its way into Artemis's personality. In the end, he packed a few changes of clothes, his laptop (now with even more firewalls in place then ever before), his phone, and a couple dusty old volumes on werewolf folklore. All stuffed into a backpack he dug out of the back of a closet on the second floor. On a whim, he also threw in his Swiss Army knife that had never been used.

Travel light. His mind whispered. Be prepared to move on or fight on a moments notice. Do not be hampered by unnecessary trinkets.

Yep. Just like Atlantis, except not quite as annoying or persistent.

The hard part was convincing Butler not to come.

"I'm coming Artemis. I'm one of the only reasons you're still alive. There is no way I'm letting you go on another escapade without me."

Butler was firm. But Artemis was a genius. There was no contest.

"This will not be like previous ventures underground, Butler. Haven is perfectly safe at the minute. I am not facing any adversary other than this new condition. I shall be perfectly safe without you. Holly will be with me. Butler, I will be underground for a week, perhaps longer. I am still at a height where I can navigate most of Haven without having to worry about ducking. You on the other hand, my old friend, would have to crawl in some of the shorter caverns. I can not ask for you to live like that for so long."

Artemis was aware of the height problem, but that wasn't the main reason he wanted Butler to stay behind. This condition of his was so new, so foreign. He had no idea how it worked. According to all accounts, he was only a major threat to those around him when the moon was full. But there was so little actually known about werewolves that was solid fact. What if the accounts were wrong? What if something happened and he lost control? This condition, for lack of a better word, was twisting his mind and his body. Who knew what else it could do, what it could make him do, even as a human?

Artemis did not want to put more people at risk than he had to. He didn't even want to go to Haven. If he lost control there... if they somehow triggered a transformation... the people of Haven would be sitting ducks. But Haven was where the only people he knew who might be able to help were, so that was where he had to go. He would simply have to employ precautions. Many, many precautions.

"I can deal." Butler made a futile attempt to stay with his principal.

"Not for so long, Butler. I do not want to, but I will play the employer card if necessary. I wish for you to stay on the surface. I will be perfectly fine."

Butler sighed. "There's nothing I can say to make you change your mind, is there?"

Artemis shook his head. Butler sighed again. "Fine. But you will explain this to your mother, BEFORE the family gets home to find out from me."

Artemis nodded. "Of course. I will tell Mother tomorrow." He frowned slightly. He was not looking forward to that conversation.

"Ready to go?" Holly, having gotten tired of waiting, burst into the room.

"Yes Holly. Lead the way." The three walked out to the Fowl Bentley. Butler settled into the driver's seat while Artemis and Holly slipped into the back. Soon, Fowl Manor was just a speck in the distance.

Artemis gazed longingly at his home as it disappeared into the horizon and sighed. He turned forward and stared out the window at the large expanses of field rushing past, the dew glittering in the sunlight like crystals.

Holly noticed the melancholy look on her friends face and lightly punched his shoulder. "It'll be okay Artemis. We'll find an answer."

Artemis sighed again. "I hope so Holly. For everyone's sake, I sure hope so." He whispered.

Holly frowned. She had rarely seen Artemis so depressed. "Come on Arty. Any ideas? I know you're dying to share what's flowing through that brain of yours right now."

Artemis smiled and shook his head. "I have a few theories, but unfortunately they are almost certainly wrong. I know almost nothing about werewolves, aside from the legends and basics, which may prove false as well. I need real information before I can seriously start thinking of a way to reverse the process."

If there is a way. He added in his head.

The ride down to Haven was quick. And by quick, I mean Holly broke every speed limit and possibly some laws of physics on the way down. The sooner they got Artemis to Foaly's lab, the sooner they could start curing him.

Artemis climbed out of the shuttle no worse for the wear, if not slightly green. "Holly, I know you are eager to help me find a cure, and I appreciate it dearly, but it will not be worth it if they have to scrap me off the walls of the chutes to get a look at me. Next time, do you think we could actually do the speed limit?"

Holly grinned at him. "Where's the fun in that? And you call yourself a criminal mastermind."

"I prefer juvenile genuis now. Thanks to your interference, I have changed." Artemis replied coldly. Holly just smiled back, knowing Artemis was messing with her.

"Come on then, juvenile genuis. You have an urgent appointment with Foaly and his tech." Holly pushed the genuis forward towards Ops, Artemis's heels digging into the sidewalk, suddenly very nervous about the thought of all the machinery and tests he would be subjected to.

"You mean my tech." He mumbled as he stumbled over his own feet and began walking on his own power. Holly just shook her head, hiding a smile and trooped after him, ignoring all the strange looks from the good people of Haven City.

They made the winding trip to Foaly's booth and, after a tedious few minutes of punching in codes and passing scans of all types, were finally let in. Foaly turned, or rather, rolled around in his specially made roller chair.

"So you weren't joking. This isn't some eloborate prank?" Foaly asked, clinging to that last hope. Artemis shook his head and pulled down the collar and sleeve of his shirt, exposing the bite scars, and smiled crookedly to display his canines. Foaly slumped, the last hope shredded and stomped into the ground.

"D'Arvit Artemis. What did you do to annoy the universe so much that you'd get this much karma?"

Artemis shrugged. "I'm Artemis Fowl. Annoying people is one of my special talents."

Foaly blinked. Once, twice. "Did you just make a joke? There is something wrong with you."

"Can we just get started? The sooner we get started, the better." Artemis said crossly.

"Sure thing Arty." Ignoring Artemis's scowl, Foaly swiveled back around and picked up a piece of equipment. "Let's start with the basics, shall we? Temperature, blood pressure, height, weight, all that fun stuff. Luckily, my new invention can do all that." Foaly pressed a button and the device hovered in the air. A laser fanned out to scan Artemis from head to toe. It was only with extreme restraint and his fingernails digging into his palms that he didn't run away. He didn't know what it was, but even this noninvasive way of determining his health made him extremely skittish.

To try to ignore it, Artemis did what he did best. Gathered information. "How can this thing possibly tell my weight by using lasers?"

"It can't, smarty." Foaly held the button down, then pressed it twice in rapid succession. The device landed softly in the floor and opened up to reveal a wide rectangle with a small readout. Recognizing the obvious, Artemis stepped up onto it and let the machine do its job. A couple seconds later, the device gave a little beep, and Artemis almost eagerly stepped off it.

Foaly picked it up and set it on his computer, linking it to the network, and called up the data. He scanned it for a minute, then rolled around in his chair.

"Well, Arty -"

As Foaly turned around, his tail whacked Artemis's arm. Artemis's eyes instantly narrowed, and his weight shifted to his back foot. He tensed his muscles, and bared his canines, letting out a low warning snarl, eyes locked on Foaly. Foaly and Holly froze, unsure of what to do. For a second, Holly thought she saw a flash of gold in Artemis's eyes. Then it was gone, and Artemis relaxed, looking confused (something that did not happen every day).

"What -? Did I just - growl at you, Foaly?" Artemis asked.

"Note to self. Do not touch Artemis, at least not when he can't see you doing it." Foaly said in a skittish voice.

"I'm sorry, Foaly. This condition seems to be currently unstable, settling into my personality and instinctive responses. Wolf-like instincts keep popping up at emotionally or sensory stimulating times. Hopefully, as time passes, it will settle and I can control responses." Artemis mused, almost talking to himself rather than the room.

"Yeah, let's hope." Foaly said, moving back to the data, extra careful not to brush up against Artemis.

Artemis sat his backpack down by the side of his bed, looked around, and sighed. The LEP had been kind enough to let him stay at a safe house that was reasonably comfortable. Holly had decided to stay with him as well. Well, more like the LEP wanted someone to keep both eyes on him 24/7 and Holly was the only one both qualified and willing to do so.

Foaly had gone through the data his device had collected, and taken a DNA sample to compare to ones on file from his stay at Argon's. The regular data should that Artemis was in perfect health, and that he had even grown a centimeter. The samples were still processing, so it would be a while before any results would come in. In the meanwhile, Artemis had been suggested to get some rest. Artemis had humored Foaly, and gone with Holly to the safe house to "settle in." But really, all he wanted to be doing was researching the lycanthropes and werewolves so he could find a cure. The sooner he did, the more the risk was reduced. He would never say so aloud, he would sound absolutely childish, but all he could think in his head was, I don't want to hurt anyone.

Review please! And, if it's not too much trouble, I have a couple of Artemis Fowl oneshots on my profile that I would appreciate feedback on.

But for now, have a great day/night!

-Katana