A/N: This fic is currently on hiatus until the rest of the books in the SP series are published. Since this fic takes place during the time Skulduggery was a man I'd like to know as much about his past as possible and I think we'll learn a lot more about that in the next books. Sorry about the wait :) but I promise you I'll make this fic absolutely epic when the time comes!
Chapter One
"Clairvoyants, Magic Mirrors, and A Wise Old Skeleton"
"I thought clairvoyants looked into people's pasts or read minds or something," a young woman of seventeen said to her partner. Her hands dug deep into her pockets as she hunched against the cold night air.
"Mm-hm, but the man we are seeking is an Adept, taking his clairvoyant abilities to a whole new level," her partner replied, a tall man who happened to be a walking, talking skeleton with a great sense of style. His coat flapped away from his thin body in the night breeze. The brim of his hat shadowed the black pits where his eyes should have been from the bright moon.
"'A whole new level'?" Valkyrie Cain asked with a raised eyebrow. "What exactly does that mean?"
"No idea," Skulduggery replied without slowing his pace. "We'll find out when he get there."
She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. Without any skin he didn't feel the shiver of the cold, she thought enviously, trembling when they were blasted with a gust of merciless wind. They were inclining a tall hill, and with each step the breeze picked up speed. Their destination was at the top where a lone formation loomed, a perfect picture of a haunted house with the abnormally large moon residing just behind it.
"We have to go in there?" Valkyrie asked, unable to keep the whine from her voice.
"Don't let its scenery scare you." The skeleton said, as though reading her mind. "It is actually quite cozy inside. I think."
Valkyrie rolled her eyes, "I've worked with you for five years, Mr. Skulduggery Pleasant. Nothing scares me anymore."
Skulduggery looked down at her, his skull face seeming to smile, "I think you would be surprised."
When the two reached the top, they strolled up to the small wooden door of the ominous house. Valkyrie noticed Skulduggery begin to raise back his leg, preparing to kick down the door.
"Wait!" She shouted. His leg froze in mid-air, keeping his perfect balance. "I know you love your dramatic entrances, but haven't you wrecked enough doors . . ." She went up to the door and wrapped her knuckles on the wood. Skulduggery shrugged and stood next to her.
"You're no fun," she heard him mumble under his breath. She rose an eyebrow at him as she heard a pair of footsteps sound on the other side of the door. The metal hinges squeaked, and a shiver ran up Valkyrie's spine. The door opened a couple inches and a middle aged man peered through the crack with shiny squinted eyes. When the pair settled on Skulduggery, a small smirk appeared on his face, a common reaction when centered upon the skeleton. He opened the door some, revealing his shabby but homey clothes of a pullover and jeans.
"Metaphys," Skulduggery said in greeting.
"I've been expecting you." Metaphys said, his voice was soft, but like the wind outside, it chilled Valkyrie to the marrow.
Don't they always say that, Valkyrie thought.
As if she had spoken her words aloud, his eyes shifted to her and he nodded in greeting, "Miss Stephanie Edgely," he said behind a restrained smile that seemed to grow with the passing seconds.
Ah, that's a little weird, Valkyrie thought. No one knew about her given name except Skulduggery, family, and a few unfortunate villains.
"You've been expecting us?" Valkyrie inquired, glancing at Skulduggery wondering if he had contacted the Adept ahead of time without telling her.
"Yes," Metaphys replied in his soft voice.
"For how long," she wondered, curious how an Adept clairvoyant's mind worked.
"Oh, five or ten minutes," he said with a little shrug, "however long it took you to climb that damned hill. It always takes people about that long." He nodded to Valkyrie, "You know, I've been trying to find some way to make it easier for people. I don't know, I've been thinking maybe moving my house down the hill so visitors don't die of exhaustion making it up here, but on the other hand it is quite a nice workout for me when I go to and fro. Getting exercise, especially for my age, is vital, at least that's what the doctor says, but who listens to them, right? So actually the house is perfect where it is, I wouldn't change a thing." He paused, taking in Valkyrie's blank face. "So . . . just scratch every thing I just said.
"Got it," she replied. She reminded herself to think hard first before asking him another question about his power.
Metaphys turned to Skulduggery whom had remained silent and still during his little speech. "So how is it you wish to use my abilities, hm? I understand you have many enemies, do you want me to read their mind, plant thoughts, dreams, or terrors into their brains? Or perhaps something a little more personal. Perhaps you have a thought in the back of your mind you can't quite reach." He winked at Skulduggery, "or maybe an idea for a new sense of style."
"Now you're just showing off." Skulduggery replied.
Metaphys chuckled darkly, "No? Not what you're looking for? How about . . . a seance? Maybe make contact with some loved ones from your past; I know that would interest you, Mr. Pleasant. Perhaps your good ol' mum and dad, . . . or wife."
"That's enough," Valkyrie growled defensively. Metaphys turned his eyes to her with a small smirk.
"It's alright," Skulduggery said quietly. "It's a part of his power to get under people's skin; it helps him read them better."
"So," Metaphys said to Valkyrie, staring into her as though reading her soul, "you are protective of the skeleton, a good aspect for a friend, but a working partner?" He clicked his tongue.
"Wow," Valkyrie turned to Skulduggery and said clearly, "what a creep."
Her partner nodded curtly, but said, "Now-now, Valkyrie, we still need his help. Insults can wait till later." He turned his skeleton head to Metaphys. "It is quite cold out here for both of you, how about we take this inside." He waved a gloved hand beckoning to inside the house behind the middle-aged man.
Metaphys straightened his back. Valkyrie almost thought he would turn them away, and she wished she could take back her words. Once again they have a confrontation that could've been avoided if it weren't for her big mouth.
But thankfully Metaphys stood aside and gave them room to slip into the dark interior of the house. Valkyrie stepped inside the shadows feeling as though being swallowed by a large monster.
"This way," Metaphys said in the darkness. Valkyrie heard him to her right, and before her eyes adjusted to the dimness, she turned and smacked face-first into Skulduggery's back.
"Mmph, sorry," she said, and without a word he thankfully reached for her hand and guided her the rest of the way through the darkness.
Her foot caught on something sticking up from the ground, or it could've been just a carpet, and she asked irritably, "You always keep your house so pleasantly dark, Mr. Metaphys?" Skulduggery squeezed her hand in warning. "Ow," she snapped, "what?"
"Yes, actually, I do, Miss Cain," the Adept replied, "I spend so little time outside my living room, so that is where the only lights are lit. The living room is where I do most of my working, my thinking, my overall living. And it saves money on the electric bill, so that's kind of nice."
"Ah," Valkyrie nodded, and down the hall she saw a soft yellow glow through an open door. "Ah," she said again more slowly when they reached the living room. "Cozy," she couldn't help her voice from fluctuating at the end, making 'cozy' sound like a question. 'Cozy' implied a room ten by ten foot wide with walls covered in mirrors. The 'living' room contained no furniture except for a chair in the very middle of the space that looked like it was stolen from a dentist's office. The only space on the walls that weren't covered in countless framed mirrors was a door Valkyrie supposed led to the kitchen, or the bathroom, or another creepy room full of mirrors. She wasn't really curious at this point.
Skulduggery looked about the room, "Funny, I didn't take you to be the narcissistic type."
Metaphys waved his hands towards the walls with a proud smile, "My mirrors help me focus my powers. They are also my friends."
"I'm sorry?" Valkyrie asked with a raised eyebrow.
"They're magic mirrors?" Skulduggery asked.
"Yes, in a way," Metaphys replied. He walked up to one mirror with a gold frame and stroked his reflection. "A mirror never lies. It is the most reliable tool anyone can possess. Even the most ashamed man cannot become invisible and hide from its reflection. But you must also have faith in what you see within it." He held a hand out to Valkyrie. "Come, dear, have a look yourself."
"Erm, alright," she released Skulduggery's hand and the man took her by the shoulders, placing her directly in front of the golden-framed mirror. She didn't know what to expect, but she was disappointed when, "I don't notice anything different." She looked over her reflection: she was slender with dark features and curious eyes; she gave herself a sloppy half-smile and the mirror followed suit. "Do I need to say some magic words, like, 'mirror mirror on the wall' or something?"
"Keep looking, dear," Metaphys whispered in her ear.
She was suddenly aware the middle-aged man's reflection wasn't behind her in the mirror, which only showed her own. She gasped, "There's just me!" The man's words replayed in her mind, a mirror never lies. She moved closer to the mirror and she saw out of the corner of her eye Skulduggery's tall and slim form appeared. "There's Skulduggery! Why do I see only us, but not you?" She turned away from the mirror and Metaphys was still standing right behind her, but his eyes were now on Skulduggery.
"Interesting," the man muttered under his breath to the skeleton.
She looked back to the mirror, and again, it was only she and her friend. "You try," she said, holding a hand out to Skulduggery.
He didn't move closer, but held a gloved hand up, "No, thank you, I've seen my reflection enough to last several lifetimes. Oh, fine." Before he even finished his sentence Valkyrie went over and pushed him to the mirror, and Skulduggery didn't resist. He didn't meet his eyes to the mirror at first, but with a heavy sigh he lifted his chin and stared at himself from beneath the brim of his hat.
"What do you see?" Valkyrie asked earnestly.
Her friend said nothing for awhile, seeming to have frozen in time. Then he tilted his head ever so slightly and moved his body slowly to the side. He took a step back as to see more of his form. He ran a gloved hand over his vest and jacket.
"Do these clothes make me look skinny?" He asked to no one in particular.
Valkyrie's eyes lost a bit of their earnestness, and she turned to Metaphys. "We need help looking for this one guy, a very bad man, as usual. He attacked the Sanctuary a couple days ago, and we've been trying to track him since, only-"
"Only he has an Untraceable." Metaphys finished with an understanding nod.
"Stolen straight from Repository," Valkyrie explained. "We were told an Adept clairvoyant could help us search this guy out, break through the Untraceable barrier he now has around him."
"You want me to reach his mind and get his location."
"If you wouldn't mind."
"Sure, only it's not that easy."
"Didn't think so."
"I've never met this man, so I'm going to need to use your mind to find him."
"Sorry."
"You have seen this man, yes?"
"Only briefly, while we were chasing him from the Sanctuary."
"Briefly is all I need," Metaphys said with a wicked-looking smirk.
"Oh," Valkyrie watched the strange man's smile increase in eeriness, "that's not very reassuring."
His smile slipped in reproachfulness. "I'll need your memories of him to find him, quick, simple, easy. Alright?"
"Done," Skulduggery nodded, shaking the middle-aged man's hand.
Valkyrie scoffed at her partner. "I guess that means you're volunteering first."
Skulduggery barked a laugh, "Don't be silly, Valkyrie, you've got a fine, young, naive mind. You'll do just fine."
"But what about you?" She suggested, she didn't like the thought of having the strange man poking through her mind.
"What about me? I'm a wise old skeleton."
"My powers only work on the breathing," Metaphys spoke up, "and technically he's dead."
"And wise."
"He also doesn't have a brain I could break into; he's nothing but conscious."
"And I'm wise."
Valkyrie flashed him a look, and Skulduggery shut his jaws. She looked back to Metaphys, worry etched in her brow. "What's the catch; there's got to be something in it for you, right?"
"Good question," Skulduggery remarked, crossing his arms over his chest as he looked down on Metaphys. "I've hardly met an Adept that would work for free."
An innocent smile crept on his lips and he shrugged. "Oh, if you insist, but really it isn't much of a payment, more sentimental worth to me, that's all."
"What do you want?" Valkyrie asked with narrowed eyes.
"I'm a collector of sorts," Metaphys explained. "I love stories, but especially true ones, and plucked fresh from the mind. By observing you I've noticed several things that could make quite a good story, and if you allow," he bowed his head respectfully to Valkyrie, or he was either trying to hide his giddiness, she wasn't quite sure, "I would enjoy placing you into a scenario that would go very well into my collection."
"What?" Valkyrie asked, glancing anxiously at Skulduggery, whom showed similar uncertainty.
"While I search for the bad man from your memories, I will send your consciousness to a place, and the new memories you possess from this place shall be your payment. Agreed?"
"Wait," Valkyrie stopped, "will it be like dreaming?"
"Better," he replied, "it will be like you are actually there. It could be quite fun if you let it."
Valkyrie looked to Skulduggery for support.
He gave a small shrug of his sharp shoulders, "It could be safer for your conscious to be busy while he works away at your mind, protecting it somewhat."
She looked back at Metaphys and nodded reluctantly for him to direct her what to do. Metaphys motioned her to sit in the only chair in the room. She lay back on the cold leather, gripping the armrests. Metaphys placed a foot on a metal lever under the chair making the back fall slowly until she was laying almost completely horizontal. Metaphys stood behind Valkyrie's head and placed two clammy hands on either side of her face. She flinched from his touch, and he told her to force herself to calm.
As she took deep breaths, Skulduggery said, "Now, just so we're clear, Metaphys, there will be no mind stealing or personality changing or nothing, alright?"
Metaphys chuckled, "I promise Miss Cain will wake up at the end of this safe and sane. Now close your eyes."
Already Valkyrie felt her mind drifting as though she were suddenly dozing off to sleep, and before she closed her eyes, the very last thing she saw was Skulduggery's skeletal face looking down at her.