Author's note: this is a remake of the original story Protection. Story includes lyrics of different music. Please enjoy!
Chapter one: Nightmares and Scares
It was raining; heavier than it ever was in years. It was like someone poured a bucket of water over the earth. The temperature dropped and the wind was blowing.
Skulduggery Pleasant was on top of Big Ben; beaten and wet. His clothes was ripped and dirty; his jacket and hat missing. In his right hand were five gems; blue, green, red, orange, and yellow. They glowed in his closed fist.
Suddenly, something busted through the ground; almost knocking the skeleton over. It was a big falcon-like monster with yellow eyes and slick, black feathers. It let out a shrill roar that shook the whole clock. Skulduggery tried to back away but almost slipped off the edge.
The monster laughed. "You have nowhere to go, detective," it said in a scratchy voice. "Now hand them over!" When it took a step toward him, Skulduggery closed his right fist tighter; slowly crushing the gems. Crackling filled the air. The beast stopped suddenly.
"What do you think you're doing?!"
"One more step and I'll destroy the gems." Skulduggery said in a very calm voice. He was trying to buy more time.
The monster glared threateningly at him. "You fool, I don't believe you've thought this through."
"I believe I have." Skulduggery replied; closing his fist tighter.
"If you even put a mark on them," it growled slowly. "I will break every bone that's left in your body!"
Skulduggery shrugged. "I expected as much."
The beast began to breathe heavily; its patience running thin. It wanted to kill the skeleton right then and there. But it'll risk destroying the gems. The monster couldn't do that. It needed the gems. It craved for them. It was so close into achieving his that it could almost taste the power that lingered around the gems. The only thing standing in its way was this good-for-nothing detective.
"Listen," the monster hissed. "This conversation is going nowhere. You are not strong enough to fight me off, detective. I can rip you apart and you know it. Why don't you save yourself the trouble and hand the gems over? If you do, I promise that I'll let you live and … I won't hurt that pretty girl of yours."
Skulduggery clenched his teeth and said slowly, "I will not help into destroying this world."
"I'm warning you, Mr. Pleasant. I'll - ."
"And I'm warning you, beast," Skulduggery held his fist up for the beast to see. "If you try anything, threaten me or threaten my Val, I'll throw these gems over the edge." The sound of crackling appeared again and the monster began to panic.
"Detective, don't - !" Before it could get him, Skulduggery had hurled the gems other the edge. The beast watched them fall to the ground; paralyzed in rage. It stared back at Skulduggery.
"You…!" It roared a terrifying screech and lunged toward the detective. Skulduggery turned and the monster smashed into him. They both fell off the edge. Roars of rage and pain filled the rainy night as images of the monster ripping the struggling skeleton apart appeared.
You shout it out
But I can't hear a word you say
I'm talking loud, not saying much
I'm criticized but all your bullets ricochet
You shoot me down, but I get up
Then they fell into darkness.
Valkyrie Cain sat up in her bed with a cry; panting in fear. Her face was soaked with sweat and her hands were trembling. She closed them into tight fists as she breathed heavily.
It was the fourth night she had that nightmare. She didn't know why but she thought it might mean something. It was the same thing; her friend, Skulduggery Pleasant was fighting a falcon-like monster and gets killed. She never told anyone about it and she hoped it wouldn't have to come to that.
She got up from her bed and walked to the window on the other side of the room. It was raining and cold wind was blowing. She listened quietly to the soft pitter-patter of the raindrops. Well, it's not raining buckets, she thought as she headed downstairs.
She lived in her uncle's old house. Her Uncle Gordon passed away a few years ago and left his house to her. Valkyrie's parents were glad that they had more space for their daughter but there were other relatives who weren't as happy like her Aunt Beryl and Uncle Fergus and their daughters – the Toxic Twins - Carol and Crystal. They only got a boat and a car.
She wasn't lonely or anything but it can get a little scary. When she spent her first night in the house, a man broke in and tried to get Valkyrie to give him a key that Gordon had. If Skulduggery hadn't come when he did, she would be dead right now. Sometimes she still feels that she'll be attacked again by a burglar or a hit man, perhaps. But she's put at ease when Skulduggery made surprise visits.
Valkyrie liked Mr. Pleasant. He was a good friend, teacher, and reading companion. He taught her how to do magic. But it's not like playing cards and stuff from TV. She means like real magic. Skulduggery taught her how to control the four elements – wind, water, fire, and earth. Well, maybe not earth but at least the other three. This way she could use the elements for self-defense when Skulduggery wasn't around.
As she descended the steps, she still couldn't stop thinking about the dream. It terrified her that her best friend was murdered by a monster. Questions filled every part of her brain. What was that beast? Why did it want those gems so much? Where was she when Skulduggery needed back up? As the questions continued to pile up in her head, only one seems to keep coming back to her. Why had Skulduggery referred her as "his Val"? Valkyrie had this strange feeling that she was going to find out the answers soon. That thought made her shiver.
The phone rang as Valkyrie neared the living room. It was two o'clock in the morning. Who could be calling this late? She picked the phone off its receiver and put it to her ear.
"Hello?"
It was sprinkling a little over the streets of Cemetery Road. The raindrops pitter-pattered on the windows of the house. Skulduggery Pleasant was sitting in his armchair; book in one hand, glass in the other. He reluctantly closed the book that was labeled Pride and Prejudice and check the clock. It was two-thirty.
He rubbed his nonexistent eyes tiredly. He needed to stretch his legs. He got up from the armchair; taking the bottle of scotch which sat on the table with him. His white button-down shirt was untucked and all but two buttons were unfastened. The skeleton walked up to the tall window. The rain had stopped and moon shone bright. The gray clouds still remained.
Skulduggery poured the gold liquid into his glass, sat it down and drunk out of the bottle. He always drank to drown his never-ending sorrows. The day was coming and it was coming quick. He turned to look at a picture that sat on his fireplace. It showed both him and his good friend and partner, Valkyrie Cain. They both had their thumbs up and between them was a man with four red eyes and his face twisted in a sneer; his hands cuffed. He was charged for attempted murder and rape. They had eventually captured the criminal and Valkyrie had insisted they take a picture of the three of them. It took a whole ten minutes before Skulduggery finally agreed. She gave the photo to him after it was developed.
He liked Miss Cain. She can be pretty annoying at times but she was good company. He taught her everything he knew; from myths and legends to magic and combat. The first time they met was at his old friend, Gordon Edgley's funeral. They didn't really talk long. It was a little awkward really but a few days after, they saw each other again at the discussing of the will. But they truly met after he saved her from one of Serpine's men. Of course, she had fainted after that.
The phone sounded and Skulduggery turned toward it. Who could possibly be calling at this hour? He walked up to it and took the phone off its receiver.
"Hello?"
It was a few moments before he hung up. Then he put the bottle of scotch down and began to straighten himself up. He then grabbed his hat and gun and walked out the front door.
I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose
Fire away, fire away
Ricochet, you take your aim
Fire away, fire away
You shoot me down but I won't fall
I am titanium
You shout me down but I won't fall
I am titanium
Another adventure awaits.
A tall dark figure stood on top of a building. He stared down at the rushing vehicles of London City. He smirked. They didn't know what's coming to them. He pulled his black hood over his blue eyes and disappeared into the night.
Stone-hard, machine gun
Firing at the ones who run
Stone-hard as bulletproof glass
Author's after note: In case you were wondering, I know he's a skeleton but I thought since Skulduggery was magic, he could magically digest liquids and foods. By the way, the lyrics were Titanium by David Guetta ft. Sia. Please continue on!
