I know, i know, saying Skulduggery smokes is the worst idea. but as a one off, it seemed to fit well. PLEASE DONT KILL ME WITH ALL THE GOD DAMN REVIEWS! btw Val is about 19 here.

Valkyrie Cain walked up to Skulduggery Pleasant's house with Tanith Low, she had been told Skulduggery had got his skin back, so she had jumped to the oportunity when Tanith had offered to pick her up.

Tanith knocked on the door, and a few moments later Ghastly emerged, holding a case file. he looked at them, "Wanna come in?" He asked them and they stepped into the house.

The walls were white and the floor was a purfect wood. Valkyrie's boots clicked and clacked as she walked. She ran through the posibilities of what Skulduggery would look like, maybe pale skin and blue eyes? Dark skin and dark eyes?, She liked all the idea's she was coming up with, but none of them seemed to fit his personality.

they reached a door that led into the living room, Ghastly opened it, and led them in.

What Valkyrie saw, was not what she had been expecting.

infront of her on the black and white corner sofa in the middle of the room, was a young man, he looked to be in his 20's, with Brown hair as dark as her own framing his gorgous face. He had Forest green eyes that were fixed on the case file infront of him. his shirt sleeves were rolled up his strong arms and his tie hung loosly around his neck.

he took the roll up ciggerette out of his mouth and breathed out, smoke filling the air around him and looked over at them, a grin spread across his face, and he got up, still tall and towering, and took one last drag of the ciggarette before crushing it and leaving the remains on the table.

"Since when did you smoke?" Valkyrie asked, generally shocked.

"Since the war, we smoked the actual plant back then though," He said with a laugh.

"Why don't you quit then?" Tanith growled at him.

"I am!" He replied.

"Oh are you?" She retorted.

"It takes time, Tanith"

"Just aslong as you do it"

"I will"

"Good"

There argument was cut off by Valkyrie wrapping her arms around Skulduggery, "Its weird hearing your heartbeat" she murmured into his chest, he smelled of mints, smoke and colouine.

he wrapped his arms around her, and wispered into her ear so low no-one else could hear , "I know"

they pulled away, Skulduggery looking into Valkyrie's eyes. but there moment was cut off by Ravel and Ghastly, "oooooooooooooooh" They both chimmed, and laughed histericly.

"Excuse me" They both said, staring at the boys, but they just laughed even harder.

Tanith stormed over to them and dragged Ghastly out of the room.

Skulduggery arched an eyebrow. "What was Tanith getting moody for?"

Valkyrie's stomach was lurching. "Nothing" She said, even though she wanted to drag Tanith out of the room and demand WHY Ghastly knew that she sort of fancied Skulduggery.

_.

Tanith looked at Ghastly, "How did you know that Val liked Skul?"

"I beg your pardon? we did that cos' Skul loves Val, we had no clue that-" Ghastly said.

"He loves Val?"

"Yes"

"Am i allowed to tell her that?"

"No, he said he wants to talk about it to her himself."

"Right..."

_.

Valkyrie was looking at the case file with Skulduggery. A man called Avious Dark had killed thirty people, He had last been seen in the western area of Dublin and He was a highly trained adept who could adapt to survive and creat explosions. Avious had blonde hair and blood red eyes, He had a scar running from his right eyebrow to his lower cheek and looked like a maniac.

He had been rarely heard of for fighting in the war, and in order to find out about this man, they needed to find out who he was.

Skulduggery's phone rang and he took it out of his pocket and pressed it to his ear.

"China?...What the hell do You want?..." Skulduggery had a rare tone of disgust and hatred in his voice as he walked away to talk.

"What the hell does China want?" Valkyrie asked everyone who was trying to find out information about Avious.

"After what we found out," Tanith said "We have two conclusions. She either wants forgiveness, or wants to help us."

"I'm sticking with the first," Ravel said.

"Same" Valkyrie and Ghastly agreed.

"Look at this.." Tanith said.

Everyone came around her. "This is where he went to school, It was a sorcerer school of course." Tanith paused to pick up another paper. "But look on these records. There is another name which is familiar to us all."

Valkyrie read the names on the list. "Skulduggery Pleasant" She read out. "Trained elemental..." She looked over to another collum. "Teacher's comments...This boy is gifted. He has trained himself to be a elemental. Yet shares adept powers, particualary neormancy."

Everyone stepped back from the paper. Only Valkyrie knew that secret. She had told no-one. And now, It looked like everyone was going to know.

"Skulduggery...is a Neormancer?" Ghastly shreeked.

"Exactly" Tanith said. "Which leads me to 3 years later. The next report."

Tanith handed it to Ghastly. "Elemental... Teacher's coments again... This boy is taking a slight intrest into neormancy. He uses armour given to him by neormancer master. He never uses this armour often, When he does, He says its like his humanity is being stripped away from him. I think this boy needs to be watched."

Valkyrie's stomache was turning, she felt like she was going to throw up her dinner.

Tanith nodded, "Now look at Avious' report."

Ravel took the paper off Ghastly and read it out. "This boy is nothing but trouble, earlier this year he was in a fight with Skulduggery Pleasant. Avious was badly injured with a broken jaw, 3 smashed ribs and a crushed sholder. They must be placed far away from eachother as much as posible."

"Skulduggery knows more about this guy than he is lettin' on." Ravel said.

"I think we should leave it." Valkyrie said. Her voice slightly shaky about what she knew and what they didn't. "He will tell us when he is ready. Don't force it out of his throat."

"Agreed" Tanith said.

"Okay" Ravel said,

"Fine" Ghastly grumbled.

Skulduggery walked over. He noticed the way they were all crowded around Tanith.

"What have you found?" He asked.

"Just random school things. We thought we reconised a name, turns out we where wrong," Tanith lied.

Skulduggery looked at her in the eye. But finally gave her a nod.

"What did China have to say?" Valkyrie asked him. Desparate to get them off the subject.

"She told me that Avious has been sighted in America, I thought we could all go over for a week since Ghastly and Eskrine have finally got a week off their thrones." Skulduggery said.

"I don't think they are going to pay any attention to your insult, But i will go" Tanith said.

"We will go," Ghastly said, refering to him and Ravel, "But we will have to tell the sanctuary and keep our hoods up-"

"Because we don't want a assasination on the statue of Liberty." Ravel finished.

Skulduggery looked at Valkyrie. "You in?"

"Yeah" She said. "When are we going?"

"Tommorrow."

She glared. "I hate you"

"It can't be that hard to pack a suitcase Valkyrie"

"If we are going tommorrow, and it is 7 O'clock now, It will be hard."

He laughed, "Do you want someone to do it for you?"

"Will you?"

"Hell, no"

"Damn"

"Because that wasn't-" Ravel said.

"Shut it" Skulduggery growled, cutting him off.

Valkyrie arched an eyebrow at Ravel, "What where you going to say?"

"Nothing" Skulduggery hissed before Ravel could speak. Ravel looked at Skulduggery who was glaring daggers.

"I have to go," Valkyrie said, getting up.

"I'll give you a lift." Tanith offered, getting up after her.