Chapter 5 – Turn of the Tables

DISCLAIMER~~ We do not own anything from the Skulduggery Pleasant series! Derek Landy is the rightful and amazing owner of the awesomeness that is Skulduggery and Valkyrie, and all the other characters!

Sorry about the previous chapter, by the time this is uploaded, it should have been fixed. I didn't know how or why it didn't upload properly! I'm sure you all don't want to read chapter 2 again!

Also, sorry about not uploading sooner!

Back to the action!

ooOoo

A few months later after Valkyrie's birthday..

"Where about's is he most likely to be?" Valkyrie asked Skulduggery. They were standing in front of a map of Dublin. They'd circled the most likely hotels that this person would be. Tanith wandered in to the room with two cups of tea. She peered over Val's shoulder and at the map.

"He's a teleporter who can get what ever he wants. He's most likely in a hotel that has everything. Including games." she said, pointing to a very expensive hotel right in the middle of the map.

A few hours later, they arrive outside the hotel..

"Wow," Valkyrie said, gazing up at the tall hotel. It had so many levels. "So, he's staying here?"

Skulduggery shrugged and nodded at her. He made his way in to the hotel, and Valkyrie followed him.

The receptionist looked up at them as they came through, and her eyes widened slightly. Her hand reached for the phone.

"Y-your.. Your a sk-" she began, interrupted by Skulduggery's hand over her mouth.

"Shut up. We need to know where a boy named Fletcher Renn is staying." He told her.

The receptionist nodded shakily and motioned for him to take his hand away from her mouth. Once he had, she took her hand away from the phone and began typing at the computer.

"H-he's in room 0211. Floor 5." she stammered.

Skulduggery nodded and got out his phone and called the Sanctuary. "I need Geoffry Scrutinous out here. Main hotel in Dublin." after a moment, he put the phone away and they began to make their way to the lift.

Valkyrie pushed the button that said '5' on it, and they began to go up.

Eventually, they reached the top of the hotel, and they made their way to room 0211. But on their way to the room, they came across a tall, light haired man with a long, black over coat on. He couldn't look more suspicious if he tried, and he happened to be heading for the same room they were.

Skulduggery looked at the man, and the man looked at him. Skulduggery then looked at Valkyrie and nodded. She understood, and bolted for the door of room 0211. Knocking the door down, she propelled herself towards the person sitting in there, and pinned him to the floor.

Outside the room, she could hear Skulduggery fighting with the man. The person she was pinning glared up at her.

"Who the heck are you!" he asked. Valkyrie looked down at him.

"Shut up and stay quiet. We're here to protect you." she got up off of him and walked towards the knocked down door. The boy got up and walked after her. He caught a glimpse of Skulduggery, and nearly fell over in shock.

"He's a flippin' skeleton!" he exclaimed.

Valkyrie sighed and shoved him out of the way. "Just stay back and don't get in the way," she told him.

She clicked her fingers and summoned a flame in her hands. Developing the flame in to a ball, just like Skulduggery had taught her, she threw it at the light haired man. The boy stared at her with amazement as she continued to throw fireballs at the man.

The man screeched as he caught fire. People always end up on fire in these situations, Valkyrie thought to herself. She watched as Skulduggery knocked him out with a palm-strike.

Both Valkyrie and Skulduggery turned to the boy. "You are Fletcher Renn, right?" she asked him.

Fletcher nodded, a little speechless.

A few minutes or so later, they are in the Bentley and on their way to Gordon's mansion(or house)..

Fletcher sat in the back, staring at the back of Valkyrie's head. She found this very annoying, but decided not to act on it. He had just seen a skeleton in a fight, after all.

"You saved my life." Fletcher said, still staring at Valkyrie.

"Yes, I did. Amazing, aren't I?" Valkyrie said half-heartily.

"Yes.. You're amazing. And you're pretty. I've never been saved by a pretty girl before." he continued.

Valkyrie raised an eyebrow. She didn't know whether to be flattered or creeped out. "Well, you experience something knew every day." she said.

"You sure do.." he murmured. Valkyrie noticed Skulduggery stiffen next to her. That was odd. What was he thinking about?

The unconscious man next to Fletcher stirred, and Fletcher let out a yelp and whacked him over the head with his shoe, knocking him back out again.

Valkyrie laughed and shook her head.

They finally arrived at Gordon's mansion. Ghastly helped Skulduggery drag the unconscious man out and in to the house. They tied him to a chair and placed him in a small, dusty room.

As Skulduggery and Ghastly contacted the Sanctuary, Valkyrie and Fletcher were left alone in the hall.

Valkyrie took this time to get a better look at him. HIs hair was ridiculous- blonde and all spiked up, lathered with hair gel.

"Your hair looks ridiculous," she said, staring at him.

Fletcher looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "My hair is amazing, I'll have you know. Do you know how much time and effort goes in to making it look this cool?"

"No."

"Lots."

"Wow."

"I know," Fletcher grinned. He shuffled a little closer to Valkyrie, still grinning at her. Valkyrie raised an eyebrow.

"What are you doing?" she questioned him.

Fletcher shrugged and reached out to her face with his hand. Valkyrie, creeped out immensely, backed away from him. She was about to tell him to go away before she bit his hand off, when there was a crash from up the stairs.

Valkyrie darted up the stairs in time to see Ghastly be thrown against a wall by a Hollow Man. Her eyes widened as she glimpsed Skulduggery being dragged out of the window.

"Skulduggery!" She cried out, staring after him.

He was slowly pulled towards a large, black van. Standing next to the van was a tall, black haired man with a red glove on one of his hands. Was this the notorious Serpine that Skulduggery had been telling her about?

Wasting no time to find out, she leapt out of the window, using the air to cushion her landing. The van began to drive away, and Valkyrie sprinted after it desperately.

"Skulduggery!" she cried out again, gasping for breath.

Suddenly a hand pulled her to a halt, and she turned around to see Ghastly shaking his head at her.

A few hours later..

Valkyrie pulled the hat low over her eyes.

Ghastly had told her that Skulduggery would get out of this by himself, but Valkyrie wasn't going to count on it.

She was standing outside a castle. It wasn't the most impressive castle she'd ever seen, but it was very tall. And inside it, was Skulduggery.

Meanwhile with Skulduggery..

Skulduggery was tied to a slab of stone in a damp-smelling room. The door was to his right, wide open. But he knew he couldn't escape.

The magic on this stone took away his magic, his strength. He could barely lift a finger.

Letting out a sigh, he stared at the ceiling for what seemed like for ever, when Serpine walked in to the room, a smirk upon his lips.

"Ah, well this sure does bring back memories, Detective.." he muttered, circling Skulduggery like a vulture. "Do you remember those times? When I had you tied to a chair, and then I tortured you? Those were the days, Skulduggery, those were the days.." he patted Skulduggery's skull and smiled slyly.

"Yes, I remember those days, Serpine. They sure were fun.." Skulduggery managed to say.

"Now, Skulduggery.. all fun memories put a side.. We both know why you're here. Tell me where the key is, and I promise I won't hurt you that much." Serpine lent down and hissed in to his ear. "And if you don't.. Well.. I'll be sure to say hello to your little friend Valkyrie.. After I've crushed you."

Skulduggery's jaw clenched. He didn't know where the key was, but if he told Serpine that, would he believe him? Would he still go after Valkyrie?

I could lie.. he thought to himself, and if I do end up dead, at least she will have Fletcher to go to.

Serpine grinned evilly, as though he had heard his thoughts. "I will eventually get it out of you, Mr Pleasant.." and with that, he raised his hand and pointed it at Skulduggery.

Valkyrie's POV

There was a deafening cry, and my head snapped round to the general direction of it. Was that Skulduggery?

Filled with adrenaline, I searched every room that I came across, but with no luck.

I was beginning to give up hope, when I finally came across a door that I had not opened yet. From inside the room, I heard talking.

Pressing my ear against the door, I could make out a man speaking, and Skulduggery groaning in pain. My eyes widened and I stepped back from the door. What should I do? Should I barge in there and kick the hell out of Serpine? Or would he notice I'm outside before I even make up my mind?

Shaking my head, I charged at the door and kicked it open.

An awkward silence filled the room as Serpine and Skulduggery stared at me. I hadn't really thought about what I'd do after I charged in.

"Who is that?" Serpine asked Skulduggery, who just tilted his head.

Pulling myself together, I shrugged off my coat and hat, and charged at Serpine, who got a face full of my fists.

Serpine flew backwards and his head hit the wall with a sickening 'thwack'. I stared wide eyed at my hands.

"Dear lord, I'm epic." I said, and turned to Skulduggery. I looked at the rope keeping him to the stone and frowned. "I assume I have to burn that."

Skulduggery nodded, remaining silent. Sighing, I clicked my fingers and leant over him to get at the rope.

General POV

Valkyrie and Skulduggery were face to face. And very close to each other. Valkyrie's train of thought drifted off as she looked at Skulduggery. He still hadn't said anything.

Even though he had no eyes, Valkyrie knew that he was looking back at her. She found herself wanting to look away, to get on with getting him free, but she continued to stare at him.

Valkyrie leant closer to him so that she could reach the rope that kept Skulduggery bound to the stone. Skulduggery noticed how close their lips were as she did this, and he watched her look from the rope to his eyes.

He would have smiled if he had lips as her cheeks reddened, and she quickly looked away, turning her attention back to the rope. Eventually, it came undone and Skulduggery was free.

Valkyrie stood back up straight again as Skulduggery dusted himself off and ruffled her hair. "Thanks, Val." he said while taking a hold of Val's arm and ran out of the castle.

Once outside, they ran to the van. Skulduggery opened the door for Valkyrie and said "Get in, quickly!," she did as Skulduggery asked and got in the car. Skulduggery started the car and drove away.

A few minutes later in the car.

"Thank you once more for saving me, Val. But don't come and save me on your own again, it can be very dangerous," Skulduggery said to begin a conversation. Valkyrie blushed and looked out of the window. 'I'm sorry, I was just.. Stubborn. Ghastly didn't want me to go either.' Skulduggery laughed at her reply, and shook his head.
It was quiet for a while in the car, Valkyrie didn't know what to say, she felt awkward. 'Its me that's saved you for a change.' she said after a while, smirking to herself.

ooOoo

Just managed to finished this one- sorry its so late.
Ciao my fellow Nuggets!