Hello everyone! I'm back :)

I decided to start this chapter differently, a little summary since the long update break. Enjoy!

IV. That Butler, Assertive

The following contains an account of the events that occurred on the night of the 9th of November, 1888 as recorded by Detective Frederick Abberline, from the witness Martha Agnes Peabody.

At approximately a quarter past midnight, Ms. Peabody (age 57, widow), a resident of Dorsett Street , was awoken by what she describes to be a 'very loud noise.'

[quote] "I had thought for sure all of hell was flying loose…That or Parcy next door was trying one of his experiments again… The walls were shake in'! I was chattering in me teeth I was! It nearly knocked that portrait of dear old down…"

With large eyes, empathic hand gestures and a disheveled appearance made for a very impressive case.

Ms. Peabody then commented on how she discovered her cat (Toodles, a.k.a Tod) to be missing. When she looked out her window, Toodles was observed to be running down the street. Thinking that there might have been a horrific carriage accident, Ms. Peabody went downstairs and out into the street to collect her cat. As she rounded the corner of Arling's Bakery, she witnessed the scene of an apparent duel. Three gentlemen are currently implicated.

[quote] "I could barely keep my eyes on em'! There was a tall bloke swinging knives and such…and another man- a big, bald one using some newfangled pistols, I couldn't say for sure- they seemed to be both fighting this red-headed fellow. It was quite terrifying! The fellow with the long red hair seemed to be having such a good time too swinging that odd saw of his! I could've sworn he injured that tall, fine looking man with the suite…he was the one I was really cheering for you know… Well, ahem, like I was saying earlier, what really caught my eye was that there were children there! A boy and a girl, dressed oddly mind you, about my niece's age! And all this was in front of Mary Shelly's place too…between you and me detective, that woman had a nasty reputation…"

"…Dueling's against the law, so I didn't watch… well, for long anyways…And as soon as I saw that body of that poor woman with the red dress lying dead as a doornail in the street, well I turned and ran for an officer as fast as I could…"

The body of the female in the street was later identified as Angelina Durless, aka Madam Red, and the widow of Baron Barnett. The young male was identified to be her nephew the young Earl Ciel Phantomhive, along with his personal butler, the tall suited man mentioned by Ms. Peabody. After questioning, the young lady and the other bald gentlemen (identifying themselves as a Miss. Rory Schlippe and Butler) were taken into custody. The mutilated body of Mary Shelly was also discovered inside the residence.

"They aren't natural, I tell ya!" Ms. Peabody was heard declaring loudly to other curious observers as more officers arrived on the scene.

No trace of the red haired man was found at the scene. The case remains open, pending further investigation

Logged,

Nov 10/ F.A.

Grelle Sutcliffe licked the blood off the tip of his chain saw. He winked at Sebastian.

"Oohoo! That was terribly rude of you Sebast, running so far away like that! "

From the corner Sebastian panted, one hand covering the terrible gash across his shoulder. Beside him, the kneeling figure of Ciel quietly closed the staring eyes of his aunt. Though the boy's head was bent and his long bangs draped to cover his face, it did nothing to hide the anger in his voice.

"What are you doing?! I order you, Sebastain to take him down," Ciel snarled.

"Not if I can help it!" Artemis muttered. "Butler?"

"Is it ready?"

"Yes."

That was all Butler needed to hear. He nodded and sprang into action. By the pure virtue of being the closer one, he managed to reach Grelle before Sebastian by a few arm lengths.

The death reaper bared his teeth at the large Euroasian man.

"Sorry! But you're just not my type!" he sneered, and brought the death scythe crashing down at Butler. Butler caught saw on the edge of his Sig, somehow trapping it between the two barrels. The grinding of the chain saw on the steel barrels caused sparks to explode from the weapons. Sebastian followed, demon eyes gleaming. He swiveled behind Butler and reared his hand back to strike.

Artemis threw the Ring in the air.

A large blue bubble enveloped all three butlers. Sparks froze in midair where they flew.

Artemis allowed himself a small smile of satisfaction. A perfect time-stop field, almost like a miniature version of the one placed over Fowl Manor during the LEP's unsuccessful siege. The Ring hovered in midair, as if balancing, on the top of the neutrino streams. A perfect mini-bubble and a rather cute one at that… (Artemis made a mental note that his new hormones were starting to affect his brain.)

Inside his coat pocket Artemis fingered a second Ring that even the LEP didn't know about. After inspecting the first samples, Artemis had managed to persuade an eager Mulch Diggums to swipe a second Ring in exchange for a small portion of fairy gold. It was well worth the price, considering how far the fairy technology had exceeded his expectations. Even Foaly hadn't realized that when two Rings were used in conjunction with each other, they would create a zone of interference that froze everything within it.

Unfortunately, the Rings took some time to recharge after the last use to time-jump, which is why he needed Butler to stall for time. And of course, once the identity of the true reaper had been made clear, Artemis needed to find the perfect timing when the redheaded death god would stop moving around. Thanks to Butler, he now had both of these.

Artemis twisted the second Ring, changing the frequency of the magic enough to allow the air particles inside the field to move slightly so that Grelle could hear what he was about to say.

"Since you're just standing there, you might as well listen to what I have to say," Artemis said, walking slowly to the frozen Shinigami. "Oh, I'm sorry Butler. I'll have you out of there in a minute," he added seeing the large manservant still trapped between the un-animated chainsaw and the lethal blow of the other butler.

"Let me make this simple: I know what you are, death reaper, and there is something I want from you. More precisely, I would like to buy some time with your Death List. In return I will offer you something else that is very precious: this Ring. Even death gods have to stay within the laws of time…after all you cannot go harvesting people before their time correct? In any case, you who've judge all others are afraid of one thing: judgment on yourselves…And you in particular have violated some death god ethics. No doubt the correction squad is on its way right now."

Artemis could've sworn Grelle had given a nervous twitch.

"What I'm offering you is the ability to hide in the realm of time. Jump between time for as long as you'd like to avoid the judgment awaiting you. All I'd like in return is a little peek at the List."

There. He'd said it. It was like Ho Chi Min city all over again. There'd be some negotiations but the List was his. He was sure of it.

As if some rich noble's son with a penchant for the occult ever had a chance to steal the secrets to immortality from Artemis Fowl the Second- although the butler was good, he'd give him that.

Speaking of that boy….

Artemis had only lost sight of him for a moment, but the boy was gone. He was about to turn around when he heard a menacing click behind him.

The cold barrel of a gun was pressed firmly into the back of his neck.

"You're in my way," said Ciel coldly.

Anyways to clear up some things: This was not meant to be indirect slash! Genderbender is rather interesting though, no? (no no musn't think that way. It's just too weird)Tehe

Also, even if you don't like something, please do not leave threatening reviews! They're not constructive and no one'll listen to them anyways…

Sagesof Ages: You're right, being a genius doesn't mean he's smart in everything. Although it'd be a lot less fun if Artemis knew what "stop" meant ;P

Anon: Yay! You're back! *heart* for you

Thank you everyone who've been commenting and adding this story in your storyalerts! I'd have 0 motivation w/o you guys!