Holly

Holly Short is an inquisitive and tenacious elf, and the only female captain in the Lower Elements Police Reconnaissance (LEPRecon) squad. She is defined by her rebellious nature, often bending or outright breaking the rules to get the job done. This stems from a deep-seated belief in doing what's right, even if it goes against the rigid bureaucracy of the LEP. She possesses a fiery temper and a sharp wit, unafraid to speak her mind to her superiors, especially Commander Julius Root. Despite her defiance, she is incredibly loyal to her friends and colleagues. She is a skilled officer and pilot, with a natural talent for technology and reconnaissance.

Holly has a complicated relationship with her mentor and boss, Commander Julius Root. He sees her potential but is constantly frustrated by her insubordination. He often refers to her as "Short," a nickname she despises, which highlights their bickering, yet deeply respectful, dynamic. Another key figure in her life is Foaly, the LEP's centaur technical consultant. Holly and Foaly share a strong rapport built on mutual respect for each other's abilities. They often work together, with Foaly providing technical support and witty banter from the operations center. Their friendship is a source of both humor and strength, as they frequently cover for each other and challenge the status quo.

Holly is also a survivor, having had to overcome obstacles to rise through the ranks in a male-dominated force. Her determination is a core part of her personality, fueling her drive to prove herself and protect the fairy world. Her perspective on the human world, or "the Surface," is one of wary curiosity. She sees humans as unpredictable and dangerous, but recognizes their potential for both great evil and great good. Her initial encounters with Artemis Fowl solidify this view, as she sees him as a brilliant but dangerous adversary. She begrudgingly acknowledges his intellect and recognizes his potential to be an asset, even if it goes against her nature to trust a human, especially one who has kidnapped her. This begrudging cooperation and acknowledgment of his potential is a key part of her character development. She is fiercely protective of her own kind and the magical world they inhabit, and this protective instinct often drives her actions, making her a formidable and principled officer.

Holly Short stands out physically from other fairies, being notably small even for an elf at exactly 1 metre tall, a fact that her Commander, Julius Root, uses to his advantage in a nickname she despises; “Short”. Her elfin heritage is clear in her pointed ears, and she is an adept pilot of the LEP's reconnaissance pods. She is a highly proficient user of fairy technology and weaponry, with her standard issue being the Neutrino 500 energy pistol. Her skills extend to utilizing the full capabilities of her helmet, which provides her with various vision modes, communications, and other diagnostic tools.

Her past is marked by a personal tragedy that fuels her dedication to the LEP. Her father was also an officer who disappeared during a mission, and the mystery surrounding his fate is a lingering source of pain and motivation for her. This history has instilled in her a deep sense of responsibility and a desire for justice that sometimes clashes with the official LEP protocol. Despite her outward bravado and constant challenging of authority, she carries the weight of this loss and a profound sense of duty to her people.

As a fairy, she possesses natural magical abilities, with her most notable being the power of aural healing, which is a powerful talent that all fairies have. She can also layer her voice with “Mesmer” to sway and manipulate others into doing as she says.

However, her magic is not limitless; she must periodically perform a specific ritual involving a sapling to replenish her power, a need that becomes a critical point of vulnerability when she is on extended missions or, in the case of her first encounter with him, when she is held captive by Artemis Fowl. Her emotional resilience is tested constantly, as she is driven by a strong moral compass that often puts her at odds with her superiors and forces her to rely on her own ingenuity and instincts to succeed.

She is slender and has an athletic build, a result of her demanding physical work as a reconnaissance officer. Her hair is a dark, cropped pixie cut, a practical style for her job. She has large, expressive hazel eyes with a determined, often weary, glint that reflects the pressures of her position. Her pointed ears are her most obvious elfin feature.

She is typically seen in her LEPRecon uniform, which is a practical, armoured jumpsuit that shows signs of wear and tear, a testament to her constant action and willingness to get her hands dirty. It would be assumed that her under layers would be similar in style and appearance. Holly has a small bust and equivalently small butt.

By elf standards, she is relatively young at around eighty years old. She looks, in human standards, around 23.

In a crime, Holly has a few suspects already in mind: Artemis Fowl, the human that kidnapped her and the human child prodigy, gadget lover, puzzle solver and criminal genius, is always her number one suspect; Opal Koboi, a sprite who’s small, fast, nimble, agile and evil. Opal used to supply most of the weaponry to the LEP before she stabbed them in the back and tried to kill them all; the B’wa Kell, a gang of numerous but idiotic goblins; Mulch Diggums, the pickpocket dwarf and master digger; and Ezara, a Dark Pixie with illusions of grandeur that generally isn’t too much of an issue for the LEP since she’s normally focused on her own things.