OK, I got this idea when I got braces. I thought to myself, what if Skulduggery got BRACES? 0_0...
Valkyrie answered her ringing phone, "Hello?" She heard someone sobbing in the background.
"Valkyrie? This is Tanith. Skulduggery needs you, now." With that, Tanith hung up.
Valkyrie ran to her Oompa Loompa and got into the green car. Tanith had sounded close to tears herself. Whatever this was, it was important.
Valkyrie drove up to Skulduggery's house and ran inside. She heard someone sobbing and another person who sounded like Ghastly wailing in sorrow. Valkyrie approached the room where the others were sitting slowly. She opened the door. Skulduggery sat facing away from her, and was shaking with uncontrollable sobbing. Ghastly sat opposite him, tears streaming down the scars on his face. Tanith's lip was wobbling as she patted Skulduggery's shoulder reassuringly.
"Skulduggery! What's wrong?" Valkyrie asked, astonished.
"Don't look at me Valkyrie! I'm hideous!" Skulduggery wailed.
Valkyrie said in a kind tone, "No Skulduggery, you're one of the most hansom skeletons I know. Your teeth are the best I've ever seen. And your cheekbones..." Valkyrie stopped as she saw Tanith shaking her head furiously, a desperate look on her face.
"You know Valkyrie, that's funny." Skulduggery said, back still facing her, "That's not what the Orthodontist said, that's not what he said at all."
Valkyrie frowned, "What?"
Skulduggery turned to face her and Valkyrie screamed and fell to the ground in shock. There, on Skulduggery's teeth were braces. And they were pink too.
Valkyrie screamed in horror, "What's happened to you?"
Skulduggery sighed sadly at her reaction, "Kenspeckle said I had a huge overbite. I have to wear these for 18 months."
"But," Valkyrie gasped, "But why are they PINK?"
Skulduggery looked at her a moment, then ran to his full-length mirror in the next room.
She heard him scream and they all ran to him. He was trying to rip the braces off of his teeth, but of course, they were cemented on. Valkyrie grabbed his hands before he hurt himself.
She stammered, "Skulduggery! It looks fine! Honestly!" She said desperately.
Skulduggery looked down at her sadly, "You were always a bad liar Valkyrie." He walked slowly to the closet, and took out a chest.
"It is clear," Skulduggery said solemnly, "That my life will be a misery if my teeth are seen in public. My facade won't work for 18 months… Therefore, I'm left with only one option." He paused and looked at them all with empty sockets, "To become Lord Vile."
They all looked at him with astonishment. He put on his armor and walked outside. Valkyrie and Tanith looked at each other as Ghastly sobbed in the corner.
Tanith broke the awkward silence, "Well then… Now what?"
Valkyrie shrugged.