My last chapter... I love this fic so much… Pity I couldn't do a refloc style, 10 chapters. Or better, a 31 chapter thing… I forgot the author. Well, I guess I'm stuck on chapter six. Oh yes, and the sequel is called Invictus…

Thank you to everyone who even remotely liked this story! Oh yes, and about Mulch… I had this idea of putting him in at the end of the story. The thing is, I forgot how it was supposed to turn out. So you're left with this much, much shorter version of Same Ground chapter six.

Disclaimer: What? A disclaimer? I don't need one! I own Artemis and Holly and Mulch and…. Oh no here come the lawyers. Ooh, there's Eoin himself! Now I can demand why he chose Nicholas Hoult… Oh no, I see the court already… Got to dash. Well, anyway, I don't own them. There, that got those lawyers out of my way….

No. There was absolutely no way he was going to do that.

"Can you repeat that please?" he asked, taking a bite from his second spring roll. He was hoping that he had heard wrong.

"I said that I can keep Miss Short prisoner here for quite a long time."

"After that."

"I said that if you wanted me to release her, I will."

He sighed with relief. "That's good. At first I thought I heard you say that you would possess me for the rest of my life."

"I did."

He dropped the spring roll halfway to his mouth. Holly was still sitting on the chair, eyes wide, looking at Chrysanthene with intense hatred.

"It's just that there's so much leg room in there."

"You're insane." Holly glared fiercely as she spoke.

"I know. I'm proud of it." The fairy ran her fingers through her curly hair.

"What about my parents? What about Butler, and everyone else? I have a routine…" He was grasping at straws here, and Chrysanthene seemed to know it.

"I already know your routine. Memories really come in handy. And I will, of course, act like you."

"My studies?"

"Don't worry. With your genius, it's impossible to fail. That is, if you can control it. Fortunately for you I am extremely intelligent, though not yet a genius. And I will bring out your genius when I need it. Maybe I will even enhance it."

Artemis had one last straw to grasp. If she had it covered, he was doomed. "Physical development?"

A sigh. "Yes, I have to be quite careful about that. It's just that it was so funny, especially when-"

"Skip that part," Holly said, not wanting to hear it. After all, it was rather unlikely that all that had happened to Artemis was height increase.

"Fine. But I've got that covered too. I studied the developments of humans in Zoology last year. I just graduated. Several companies asked me to join them in their human studies, but I declined. I prefer working on my own. I even timed the developments. Girls, mostly, because I am female, but I did some boys too. Don't worry, you'll be fine."

"As fine as someone can be without being able to control their life," Holly spat.

But Artemis had an idea. Hopefully it would work. "And if I decline?"

"Decline to have yourself possessed? Well obviously Miss Short here has to stay. If you do decline, I would advise her to stay in one place. After all, I can't exactly bring her food and water if I can't find her, can I?"

The boy knew she was manipulating him. He detested that act. He hated it. But he wasn't about to deny Holly her freedom, right? She was his friend. But he had always dreamed of being great, of proving himself by his own genius, not the intelligence of a fairy. "I know you're manipulating me. But I do not want to keep my friend shut in here for the rest of her life. She is, after all, quite adventurous. I remember all those things we went through together. I wonder what it will be like, going on adventures with her, without really being there."

Chrysanthene's gaze softened a bit. Maybe it would work. Hopefully it would. But then realization dawned on her. "I can't believe you. You're manipulating me."

No such luck. If it had been anyone else, he would have cried. But he was Artemis Fowl II, so he only bit his lip. An unusual act for him. But then, who could blame him? Everything he knew, everything he thought he was going to do, was shattering into a million pieces. He wouldn't even be able to control his thoughts. Unless he declined.

He tried not to look at Holly. He honestly did. But it was useless. He caught her gaze. Her eyes had a strange look in them. A mixture of sadness, trust, and…. Pity? No one pitied a Fowl. Not unless that Fowl was going to have his life completely taken over by a fairy.

He sighed. She trusted him. He didn't want to leave a friend in here. Neither did he want to be controlled, but that was the price you paid. Your freedom for someone else's.

Artemis sighed again. "Very well."

Those were the last voluntary words to come from his lips. Chrysanthene smiled, transformed into a shadow, and flew into him. She was possessing him again. And she knew that this particular possession would last a long, long time.

Author's notes: … Well, I guess that's it. The sequel, Invictus, is up… I hope you liked it…