6
Several days later, Skulduggery had gotten all his affairs in order and headed to the airport. He admitted to himself that he could just simply fly himself there. But he found it was easier to keep cover if he wasn't moving at Mach 5 across the Pacific Ocean. He had decided upon Australia, a country as equal to Ireland in excitement, but with much nicer scenery. He knew that Valkyrie liked going there, so he thought that he would find her there. He knew this was far to optimistic. But the Detective didn't care, he was going on vacation for the first time in a century. He might also find a new combat accessory. One with even tighter trousers.
With all that Skulduggery had earned over the years, he was very much so prepared to dish out the money for first class. He knew his face was going to be an issue. So before he left, he got a passport that was linked to his facade, so he looked almost exactly the same as his passport, regardless of face. He also got a nice name, he knew Valkyrie would like it. The woman at customs simply smiled and waved him onto the plane saying:
"Have a pleasant flight Mr Yourick Mie" Or, Detective Inspector Me.
The plane ride was long. But the dead man slept like one. Meditation can span any number of hours if one focuses hard enough. Skulduggery appear to have slept for the whole flight. Although, half way through before his stopover, he found that they had his favorite film with Grace Kelly in it. He forgot the name, but he enjoyed it nonetheless before he went back to meditating. Arriving in Australia meant confirming said arrival in the country with the current Sanctuary. He didn't know the place, so the detective got a chaperon, a young detective called Lucius Card. Obscure name, but a plethora of interesting aspects. He was partnered with a women called Angela Spir, another interesting and obscure individual.
They picked him up in what appeared to be a funeral hearse, which felt like some kind of joke that was around 3 centuries to late for Mr Pleasant. But nonetheless, he chuckled. Awaiting outside of the Sydney airport was a car, it looked slightly conspicuous, but the owner of a Bentley Continental had no room to talk about gaudiness. Both Mr Card and Ms Spir stepped out of the hearse with a smirk, though Ms Spir was smirking on the inside. Ms Spir was dressed as though she were from a bike gang of some description. Her hair was bright shade of neon green with a single streak of pure white. Her clothing was of a similar persuasion, her jacket was the specific kind of denim that is purposefully thrown into a mosh pit and then pulled out again to see how destroyed and dilapidated it could end up. Her jeans were of a similar ilk.
Her skin was a light mahogany color, glistening with sweat, the hot sun beating down on her not at all un-impressive form. Her shirt had the phrase "I drink the blood of the Creator in the morning' in blood red, in a font that was an embodiment of the color. Her boots were from the army and appeared to have the blood of some street thugs permanently painted on to them, the laces were untied and one of the soles was coming off of the shoe. Skulduggery would have recommended her a tailor...
he would have...
Mr Card had no need for a tailor though, he was impeccably dressed. As was typical of this kind of duo. The typical ying-yang archetype. His suit was an incredible degree of bright white, perfectly creased and made of the same bullet proof material as Valk...
The suit shirt and the vest within the suit were both the color of blood and shined with the sheen that fresh velvet does, that or blood pooling beneath a victim. His shoes had the same color scheme and around his neck, a cross could be seen, but upside down. The opposite went for Ms Spir.
"A pleasure to meet a living legend, such as yourself Mr Pleasant" Mr Card said as he presented a hand to shake. His voice was deep and smooth, much like the Detective himself. There was a slight tinge to his voice, as though every word was poisonous.
"Is this what people do now?" Skulduggery said, looking down at the hand, not entirely sure what to do with it. Was it a present. Not many people hand out appendages except for Skulduggery. Many a pun had been shared at birthdays.
"I do believe that's how it works, Detective." Mr Card said with a smile. They shook hands and Ms Spir walked up a bit closer. She blew some bubblegum that Mr Pleasant didn't know she was chewing and blew it into his face. When it popped, she just smirked and said:
"Yeah, nice to meet ya Bones" Ms Spir said in an overwhelmingly thuggish manner. One could tell that she was trying, to no avail, to be as Tanith would say 'Hard'. Skulduggery, ever the gentlemen, separated the gum from his face using the air beneath it and put it deep into her hair. Admittedly, it was childish, but as stated previously, he wasn't exactly stable. Before he could light it on fire, Angela smiled and raised her fist to bump him. As he did so (Reluctantly) a faint glow shone from her head and the gum disintegrated.
Almost like a halo.
Quite a sight.
Skulduggery had heard of these types before, they were a specific kind of adept around the world which practiced in either Light or Dark magic which gave them the properties of either an Angel or a Demon. It was called the Path of Cain or the Path of Angels. Ironic paths for both presumably.
"My apologies for my associate here. Her manners are only equal to her brain capacity" Card said calmly.
"You have worse test score than I do!" Angela shouted into Card's ear.
"I have street smarts" Card said with a calm smirk
"You live in a mansion! When have you ever been on a street!?" Spir screamed loud enough that the departures could hear.
"One of the streets. The one in front of my mansion. Come along Mr Pleasant. Once you have checked in, you can enjoy your vacation as much as you want, within reason." Card continued to smile the smile a man gives to his dinner. The path of Cain preferred to be called "The Souls of the Damned", maybe Card saw something in the Detective.
He's looking for me.
No he's not. He's looking at me, naturally.
Really? Look closely.
He did, he looked at Card and nothing obscure about him came up, he did smell profusely of dried blood. But, upon closer inspection, it was as though Card was looking into the Detectives eye sockets.
Into his soul.
He never thought of having a soul before, but in some sense, Vile was kind of a conscience. He liked to think that he was building his soul up again. After the things he had done as Vile, he had lost any sense of what people tended to call a "Soul". As Skulduggery had a general dislike of people gazing at his perfection for too long, he went into the car and sat in the back seat, waiting for the others to get into the car. He wrapped his scarf high on his face and looked out the window, trying hard not to make eye contact. The Path of Cain was a recently made circle, more or less after the Roarhaven Debacle and the war of the Sanctuaries. He didn't think of the name all that often, more or less because Valkyrie would probably like it too much. The thing about having a partner with an equal ego is that they very rarely have anything to hurt it. He knew none of the members of Cain, he didn't like that idea. It was similar to people worshiping what he did as Vile.
Why wouldn't they? I'm a fantastic role model.
Am I rubbing off on you?
Nonsense, false hero. I was always you. In some sense, I am rubbing off on you.
I'd like to think...
Skulduggery turned away from the window, realizing Ms Spir was talking to him.
"So mate, why ya hear? Big wig like you, we don't get many round here. So, what's up?"
Skulduggery shook himself back to reality and tried to center his thoughts.
"Sorry, I don't understand Australian colloquialism. Although, i'm relatively sure I just don't understand youth these days." Skulduggery deadpanned.
"What Ms Spir meant, was that we don't typically get men of your caliber down here very often." Mr Card said cheerfully.
"You get walking skeleton's around here very often, Card?" Skulduggery said, amused.
"You'd be surprised. My path allows for such things"
"I reckon it would be good to meet more of your kind." Spir said, smirking.
"Oh yes, I've always loved family reunions. Would you like to join me for dinner with them? Guess what the main course is." Skulduggery joked, smile in his voice.
"Us?" Card said sarcastically.
Skulduggery smirked internally and said very softly.
"Spooky... scary..." He stopped halfway, knowing he would lose all respect for himself if he finished that sentence. He knew Valkyrie would have laughed at that, but she...
His train of thought slowed as they approached the Sydney branch of the Sanctuary. He hadn't really been paying attention to the drive, but he found that they were now in the middle of a town center. Parked besides a multitude of moderately priced cars, they sat in front of Queen Victoria Building.
This should be good.
Enough of this, conscience, let's show them what a real suit looks like.