I forgot to say, this will be somewhere in the middle of TOD and no matter what happens, Root will be alive. (He needs to be alive trust me) But Artemis will have his “growing up” problem and Artemis and LEP still kind of dislike each other ok?  Tell me what you think of this chapter!  And sorry I piled up all of this last minute info on you guys!  Don’t forget to R&R!

Diana was typing away on her laptop, the one her mother gave to her for her school term.  Artemis was watching her and both their parents were catching up on things in the other room.  Juliet was in the kitchen making some snacks for everyone.  Then Diana and Artemis heard laughter.    

“Is that Rhodes and Butler?” she asked him. 

“Possibly and Rhodes is your bodyguard correct?” 

She looked at him and answered back, “Whatever gave you idea Artemis?”  He gave her a little glare but she gave him a taunting smile.

“Hey Lady D?” 

“Artemis?”

“What is it?” they both answered. 

Rhodes continued, “You’ll never believe who this is!”

“He’s your old friend from Madame Ko right?” Diana said to her guard in a bored tone. 

“No, he’s my old friend from Madame–wait, how did you know?” 

She looked at him and smiled, ”Lucky guess, I guess.” 

Rhodes smiled back at her while she returned to her work.  But she suddenly stopped, looking like she remembered something. 

“Rhodes?”

“Yeah?”"Where’s my guitar?”

“Oh, I think I put it upstairs in your room already.  Sorry.” 

She sighed, ”Never mind then.”  She turned to Artemis, “Would you have a piano here by any chance?” 

He raised an eyebrow at her, “Why?” 

She grinned at him, “Because I want you to play a game with me.” 

Artemis looked at her with a ‘do-I-look-I play-games’ look.  

She only responded with a mischievous whisper, “Afraid you’re going to lose?” 

As an answer, he got up and motioned Diana to follow him.

“Is he always this cheerful?” Rhodes asked his friend.

“Only if he got challenged like he did now.” Butler responded, ”And what kind of game is she talking about anyway?” 

Rhodes just grinned, “A music game.”   

Then Rhodes walked into the same room their principles did.  Butler just thought to himself, I hope Diana listens to the same music Artemis does, or he’s gonna lose–big time.  And then he went into the room as well.

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In his family’s ballroom, Artemis showed Diana the baby grand.  What she said next surprised Artemis. 

“This is from Steinway and Sons right?  The Macassar Ebony?  From their Crown Jewel Collection?  We have East Indian Rosewood ourselves.” 

Artemis was astounded, all girls in St. Bartelby’s don’t even own a piano, yet she knows the company name, the collection name, and even the name of the piano!  She was one to keep an eye on, this Chase girl.

“So what kind of game are we going to play Diana?” he asked her.  She looked back at him before taking a seat in front of the piano and smiled once again.

“We’re going to play a guessing game, a musical guessing game to be exact.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, and if you can guess all three pieces of music I’m about to play, I’ll tell you some things about myself.”

“And if I can’t?” Although Artemis thought this was very unlikely. 

She pondered for a moment, “Then you have to find out by yourself.”

Artemis smirked, he almost felt sorry for her.  This was going to be way too easy.  “Deal.” 

And she started to play a piece of classical music that he recognized at once.  Then she stopped and turned to him.

“Well?” Diana inquired.

“That was a piece from Tchaikovsky’s opera, ‘Eugen Onegin’, the overture I believe.”

She smirked at him, “Impressive Master Fowl.” 

“Thank you Lady Chase.” he responded also with a smirk on his face. 

“All right, here’s the next one Artemis.” 

Then she started to play on the baby grand once more.  This too was familiar to him. 

And when she had finished he answered, “That was the ’Black Key Etude’ by Chopin.” 

Diana clapped her hands in delight and smiled, ”Very good!” Then she had a mischievous grin on her face and continued, “But you will never guess the last one.”  And she started to play.

Artemis’ eyes widened with surprise and when she finished playing, he answered with a triumphant grin and tone. “That was ‘It’s No Game’ by David Bowie!’” 

Now it was Diana’s turn to look surprised and said, “Yes, but what part?” 

Artemis smirked at her, “Part 2.” 

Then Rhodes and Butler walked into the room, it was a long walk, and Rhodes asked, “Which one you musical geniuses won?” 

Diana sighed, “The plural for ‘genius’ is ‘genii’, Rhodes.  Not ‘geniuses’; that’s redundant.” 

He scoffed, “Whatever, so who won?”  

“I did.” Artemis said to the eager Rhodes.

Rhodes turned to Butler and said, “Hah!  I told you he’d win!  Now pay up!” 

Diana and Artemis both turned to their big friends and said, “What are you two talking about?” 

This time Butler answered their question. “While we were walking here, I bet Rhodes that Diana would win and Rhodes bet that Artemis would win.  I lost.”  

“Sorry Butler.” Diana said to him.  “But if may ask, what did you bet?” 

Rhodes answered her this time, “20 bucks!  So fork it over Butler!”  S

o he reached into his pocket and gave him $20.  Rhodes giggled like a little boy that just got a new video game.  Diana looked annoyed, Artemis looked confused, and Butler looked like he was about to strangle Rhodes on the spot. 

Diana rose from the piano seat and said to her giggling friend, “Come on, Rhodes, I’m hungry.” 

He immediately stopped and looked all serious, “Okay.  I think the kitchen’s over this way.”  And they both walked in that direction.

Artemis said to Butler, “Rhodes seems…nice.” 

“So is Diana.  You think she’s pretty?”

“Yes.  I mean no.  I-I-I mean.  Ugh, what’s the point?  You will just keep asking me that until I say I think she’s pretty.  And are you sure that there’s nothing I can do to make this blasted puberty stop?”

“No Artemis, it’s natural for boys your age to think girls you like are pretty.”

“I do not like her!”

“Sure you don’t.” the manservant replied and smiled slyly. ”Come on, I think Juliet is almost finished with dinner.”

“All right, I’m coming.”  But for some reason, he couldn’t stop thinking about the game that he and Diana played.  Did he really like her?  I mean, he had just met her a little over an hour ago.  He made a mental note to himself that he would put an end to this puberty problem. 

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Should I continue this?  I’m not sure….

Some other stories by mayqueen17:

• Update: Old Friends, New Friends
• Twilight Tears
• I Love You
• In A Time Capsule...
• Assassin's Game

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