A/N: Another chapter! I got so many reviews! Okay... I actually got one... but I'm sure I'll get some more! Right?Well anyway, this is a much longer chapter, and it has a big fight scene in it. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Derek's characters are Derek's characters. I only own my OC's.

The four of them stood there, waiting for the attack. Waiting for this Demon to strike. Waiting for the terrible battle ahead. Waiting for-

Nothing was happening.

Amethyst dropped her sword at her side. "Well, that's a mood killer. Why is she just standing there?" She said. Valkyrie sighed. Everyone dropped their hands at their sides and started over at the girl. She really was just standing there. The four of them began to talk amongst themselves, their attention no longer on the girl. Therefore they did not notice the grin that spread across her face. Her face was mottled with freckles and she had jagged yellow teeth.

When they looked back over to the girl, she was gone.
"What? Where the hell did she go?" Lunae asked, picking up her daggers. Everyone scanned the surrounding area, but couldn't find a trace of her.
"Nice job guys! Now we've lost her!" Valkyrie sighed.
"Hey! Don't try to pin the blame on us! We were preparing the ritual! If anything, it was you and Skulduggery's fault! You're supposed to be detectives, why don't you find her?" Lunae snapped.
"Guys, let's just all presume it was everyone's fault?" Amethyst said.
"Whatever," Valkyrie sighed, "the main thing is, she has disappeared."
"We'll find her soon. Even a Demon can't resist a fight when it sees one." Skulduggery stated, checking the bullets in his revolver. And not a moment too soon.

A sharp scream cut through the autumn air. Lunae and Valkyrie cringed, putting their hands over their ears. Skulduggery seemed oblivious to the situation, standing as he had done a moment before. But he had heard. He was scanning around, trying to find the source of the sound. Amethyst gripped her sword in two hands, breathing steadily.

The girl suddenly appeared in front of them, the screaming came to an end, and that crazy grin was still plastered to her face.
"Oh, holy crap!" Valkyrie exclaimed. "I think I almost had a heart attack!"
"You know, you shouldn't really scare people like that. It isn't very polite." Skulduggery said.
The girl merely grinned even wider, making her look quite insane.
"So… what's the deal here?" Lunae asked Amethyst, "What's her power?" Amethyst didn't say anything. She nodded towards the girl. Everyone watched her, wondering what power this demon would possess.

"Look at her sleeve" Amethyst whispered between clenched teeth. Everyone followed Amethyst's gaze, and for a split second, saw a tiny cockroach poke its head out. Valkyrie gasped. This was bad. She had always hated bugs.
"Right. We'll subdue her, and lead her to the pentagr-" Skulduggery was cut short, as the small girl opened her mouth. A steady stream of cockroaches poured out and spilled onto the floor. Valkyrie let out a muffled shriek. Amethyst's knuckles had turned white, as she was gripping the sword like there was not tomorrow. Lunae let go a breath she didn't know she was holding in. The girl noticed their shock, and the stream intensified.

Amethyst swiped at the girl with her sword, but she ducked out of the way. Valkyrie could see the bugs crawling underneath the girl's skin, and it made her sick to her stomach. She sent some sharpened shadows speeding towards the girl, but the girl dodged; only to meet Lunae's foot in her face. The force of the kick sent the girl reeling, and she dropped the ground. Skulduggery took the opportunity and snuck is arm around the girl's neck, cutting off her air supply with the sleeper hold. She writhed and kicked, but Skulduggery wasn't letting go of her. She was going to lose consciousness anytime now… Well. She would have. If she hadn't sent a stream of cockroaches onto Skulduggery. They crawled up to his skull and went to his eye sockets. He yelled, and rolled away from the girl, releasing her from the sleeper hold. Valkyrie was busy torching some bugs with her flames, so she didn't notice the girl starting to get up. The girl grabbed Valkyrie from behind, and her sharpened nails clawed at Valkyrie's belly. Thank god I zipped up my jacket, Valkyrie thought, as she flipped the girl over her shoulder. The girl landed hard on her back, and growled at Valkyrie.
"That was a nice-ugh- move!" Amethyst said to Valkyrie, whilst flicking a big cockroach off her shoulder. Valkyrie grinned back at her and kicked the girl down again as she attempted to get back up.

Skulduggery had burnt all of the bugs that the girl had sent at him, and was about to get up when Lunae came stumbling over him. Lunae fell, and landed right next to the girl. She smiled, and grabbed Lunae by the shoulders. Lunae cried out in surprise, twisted in the girls grip and brought a fist to the girl's face. The girl fell back once again, and Lunae stayed on top of her, making sure she didn't move.
"How many bugs are there?" Valkyrie asked. No-one answered, as there was no answer to give. Amethyst pushed the girls mouth closed with her foot. But the torrent of cockroaches wasn't over. They began to stream out of the girl's nostrils, and all over Lunae who was on top of her. Lunae snarled in disgust and turned the girls head to the side, keeping the bugs off her. Skulduggery appeared by Valkyrie's side. He pointed to the girl. "Cover every place they could come from." He said. Her mouth was shut and her head was at the side, so the nose wasn't a problem.
"Ears! Cover her ear, Lunae!" Said Amethyst. Lunae nodded, and pressed a firm hand over the girl's ear. She could feel the bugs trying to get out, but Lunae only pressed harder. The girl began to laugh quietly.
"What? What have you got to be happy about?" Valkyrie asked, trying to see the funny side. There was no funny side. Only pain. The bugs burst through Lunae's hand, burrowing a giant hole through the flesh and bone. Lunae screamed with anguish and clutched at her hand. She rolled off the girl, her daggers clattering to the ground. Amethyst grabbed one of the daggers, and held it to the girls throat, grabbing a handful of the girls hair as she went.
"You're going to be a good girl, and stand up. Your little friends aren't going to help you. Then you're going to walk over to that pentagram over there on the ground, so we can get this over and done with. Okay?" Amethyst snarled through clenched teeth. The girl nodded. She was actually scared.

They all walked over to the pentagram, including Lunae, who was cradling her ruined hand. Amethyst pushed she girl so she was standing on the pentagram.
"Hand me the syringe containing purple liquid." Amethyst commanded. Valkyrie walked over to the metal cases, and took the syringe. She handed it to Amethyst, who jabbed it into the girls neck.
"What did that do?" Asked Valkyrie, as the girl fell to the ground, unconscious.
"Well, it made her go unconscious. Makes this whole ordeal easier. It also alerted the symbol you see drawn on the ground that this is the demon to be sacrificed." Amethyst said.

Lunae walked over to Amethyst holding another syringe containing a pale blue liquid. Amethyst nodded and crouched over the limp body of the girl, adding the blue liquid to her bloodstream.
"What was that one for?" Asked Skulduggery. Nor Amethyst or Lunae answered. Instead, they stood back. The circle around the pentagram stared to glow a faint orange. It intensified and shot upwards. They were almost like flames. The 'flames' curled around the girl's body and went from orange to red, to white, and finally to the darkest of blacks. Then, suddenly, everything was gone. No more lights, no more pentagrams. Just the girl remained.

"Did it work?" Valkyrie asked curiously. Amethyst nodded, and she began to pack away their stuff. Lunae joined her, and bandaged up her wound, wincing as the cloth touched the raw flesh.
"Is she dead?" Asked Skulduggery, placing his hat back on his head. Miraculously, it had remained untouched through-out the whole battle.
"I should hope she isn't dead! That was the whole point of the blue syringe!" Lunae said, locking up one of the metal cases.
"This girl was possessed by a demon. Her body was merely a host." Amethyst continued. Valkyrie looked down at the little girl. She had lost those horrible, jagged teeth, but her freckles remained. She thought they made her look cuter. Valkyrie tried to imagine if this had been her little sister, Alice, being possessed. She shivered at the thought of it.

"Well, I supposed we should get going then." Amethyst sighed, picking up one of the cases. Lunae picked up the second case, and turned to Valkyrie and Skulduggery.
"It was great meeting the both of you. You're both very skilled fighters." She said. The two women turned to leave, but Valkyrie stopped them.

"Wait. Why don't you come back to the Sanctuary with us? Lunae, your hand could do with some medical care. And I'm sure the Elders and Grand Mage would be happy to have you, seeing as you helped us." Valkyrie suggested. Amethyst and Lunae looked at each other, then at Valkyrie.
"Uh… Really? I mean… we're English mages, and seeing as Ireland haven't been getting on with England very well… Or any country at that." Amethyst said, awkwardly.
"See, Valkyrie? They don't want to come. Let's go." Skulduggery said.
Valkyrie glared at him. "Come on, Ravel and Ghastly won't mind! I can't say about Madame Mist… but Ravel and Ghastly can overrule her! Can't they Skulduggery?" She pleaded.
Skulduggery sighed. "Fine, they can come." Valkyrie grinned and helped the two women with the cases.

He couldn't have turned them down, really. Lunae had complimented him, after all. And Skulduggery Pleasant was not the one to pass down a chance to boost his ego.

A/N: There you go! The second installment. I may not be able to upload very frequently, as it's almost the end of half-term (like, the day after tomorrow). Hopefully I can upload every weekend, if my teachers are nice and don't give me piles of homework! XD