Valkyrie looked up at Skulduggery as he adjusted his tie. "You seem awfully joyful," she commented.
"Indeed I am. Shocker I really thought was dead. Now to see him standing there is a big surprise to me."
"I'm glad you found another little piece of your family again."
He smiled at her and gasped her in a tight hug. "Truthfully, you were all the family I would have ever needed."
Valkyrie patted his stomach when she saw his brother approaching.
"Ah, ain't that sweet?" sighed Insane. "Hey by the way, I didn't catch your name."
"It's Victoria Morency," Valkyrie said quickly.
"Very elegant name, I'm impressed. Very much more exciting then Ernest Lock would ever be." He put a baseball cap on his head.
"I thought you tried your hardest," grinned Skulduggery.
"Ha ha," he responded sarcastically, "I don't care. I wouldn't have thought of anything like Skulduggery anyway." The Shocker gestured for them to follow as he began to snake through the crowed market.
"What are doing down here?" Skulduggery indicated to Shocker.
"Oh, um... been doing some stealing here and there. My specialty happens to be down in Australia. I personally sell music but my fianc is a witch and she sells animal body parts in jars."
Valkyrie made a face, "Doesn't it stick in there?"
"Yeah, it does. Back at our place she has a separate shed for doing extractions and such so it's not too bad."
Valkyrie smiled. The Insane Shocker certainly doesn't act like a killer. She looked to her left as they entered into another part of the Black Market. This district ranged from weapons, maps, and armor. She caught Skulduggery glancing, every few booths, at guns. Once he stopped for a moment but kept walking.
They entered into the district filled with music, clothes, and artworks. If she had to choose, this would be her favorite part of the Black Market. She gazed in awe at the numerous amounts of statues that raised above her head. Some she recognized from Greek mythology. Her eye caught a small girl asking for a pair of Asian shoes. The man at her side was ten times her size. He bought the shoes then reached down to kiss her. Suddenly she didn't think it was a little girl anymore.
When the Insane Shocker finally came to a halt. He instructed that they'd stay put while he checked in. When he had disappeared behind a cloth door, Valkyrie asked Skulduggery whether he thought Kane would remember him.
"He might. Actually I'm counting that he will. He would be useful for information."
She raised an eyebrow at him but didn't continue. When Skulduggery's brother returned, he didn't look all too happy. "What's wrong?"
"Turns out he's not here," he reported, "Apparently he's out on business. But I'm sure you can catch him later. Definitely when he presents his yearly celebration."
"Celebration?" asked Skulduggery.
"Yeah. Gregous usually finances the yearly Day of the Living Celebration."
"Why is it in June?" asked Valkyrie.
"Well, it's said that that day was the first day the Ancients and the Faceless Ones came about. It's only celebrated by the Black Market because it represents our little secret that's been kept a secret for years."
"Oh."
"Yep, interesting stuff. Remember those Faceless worshipers Ang? They were a bitch to kill weren't they? Them and their little flashy gizmos."
"Yes they were." He looked away.
"So you guys sticking around?" Insane asked.
"No, I think we should be heading." Skulduggery smiled. "Can you point us to the out?"
"You can go through the sewer entrance or the cemetery."
"We'll take the sewer. My car's parked out there."
"Wait if there's two entry ways in, then how do the people with the slaves and animals get in here without being spotted?" asked Valkyrie.
"Teleporters. With the lack of Teleporters around lately though they are highly expensive to hire." He pointed behind them, "That's the way through to the sewers."
"Where can we get a membership?" asked Skulduggery.
"Oh you can get those in any district, but I'd recommend you go to the one in the potions area. She won't rip you off."
"Thanks, Shock."
"No problem Ang. So I'll be seeing ya Victoria." He held his hand out to her.
She shook his hand and he departed, saluting to Skulduggery. "He's nice."
"That he is."
--------
When they arrived back in the witches district, as she called it, Skulduggery left for a moment to purchase their memberships. She wandered over to a shop that was selling spell books. She gaped at the collection China would be proud of. After wandering around for a few minutes she saw a book that caught her eye. Spells and Charms to Improve your Daily Life. Interesting.
Skulduggery appeared next to her suddenly. "What you staring at now, love?"
She gave him a face before she took the book off the shelf. "Stuff to improve our lives. Maybe there's a cooking spell so we don't have to eat out all the time. I don't want to get fat." He shook his head as she took the book off its shelf. After purchasing it, they both headed back through the districts. When they arrived back inside the sewer way, Skulduggery turned off the Tame and put his disguise back to use. "I much prefer you the other way," she commented.
"Yeah, well, people respect this me more then they respect the other."
--------
Finally back in the Bentley, Skulduggery proposed to her the idea of going to the Sanctuary to tell them who the suspects are. He insisted that she'd stay behind.
"No, Skulduggery," she said firmly.
"Valkyrie please," he pleaded, "I am going to have a fit thrown at me because Kane is working as the Black Market. Not only that but I need to report this Elia Red and Bloods presence in this matter. I'd really feel better if you stayed at Cemetery Road."
Valkyrie crossed her arms over her chest. Pouting, she mumbled "Fine." She felt Skulduggery smile.
Upon arriving back at Skulduggery's house, he opened the Tame to give her a passionate kiss outside the front door. "I love you," he whispered in her ear before heading back to the Bentley.
She smiled and waved as he left her behind. Damn him for being so freakin' romantic. She could only hate him for a temporary time. Closing the front door behind her, she walked to their room and looked through her other jacket pockets. A thought occurred to her as she did. I have to ask Ghastly for new fighting clothes, since the other one is gone. Finding what she was looking for, she placed the echo stone on the dresser and turned it on. Gordon appeared glaring at her.
"What happened?" he asked.
"The Sanctuary came," she answered, folding up clothes that were laying on the floor.
"Did you get caught yet?"
"If you're talking about me and Skulduggery, then no. Actually we're doing pretty good right now."
"After the, what? How many times have you had sex with this man?"
She turned to him sharply, "With respect, none of your business Uncle." She pulled out the spell book she had bought and laid it out on the bed. "If all you're going to talk to me about is my relationships then you might as well go back into that stone of yours."
He just stood there.
Valkyrie opened the book and started skimming through the pages. Convenient stuff. How to clean your house with the snap of your fingers. How to fix your bed with the wave of your hand. She felt Gordon come by her side.
"What you reading, Val?"
She turned it over for him to see, "Spells and Charms to Improve your Daily Life."
"Ah."
She flipped throught a couple more pages and a particular one called Memory Recall caught Gordons eye. It was used when you suspect your spouse had been cheating on you. A smile dawned on his face. She turned the page. "Hey, have you ever wandered what it be like to meet the old Skulduggery?"
"No, not really." But as she pondered over it, her curiosity wandered to Skulduggery's memories. What did his head hold inside it?
"Oh I think you do. Don't you want to know why he acts the way he does."
She sighed, "I guess you're right but it doesn't mean I'm going to snoop in Skulduggery's memories."
"I want to show you something then. A memory of mine."
Valkyrie looked down at the book. The spell called for something of the person in question. "You have something?"
"Myself of course," he smiled.
Valkyrie followed the instructions carefully and precisely. Having Gordon stand in front of the mirror she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Gordon slipped one of Skulduggery's ties in his pocket. The spell was cast on the mirror in front of her, resulting in a wave of magic that hit gently on the surface. She gaped in amazement as a view of a dark Dublin street appeared in her mirror. The instructions directed her to come up with a word to return back to the present. After thinking for a moment, she decided on the word Stephanie. Glancing at the time on the clock, it read 2:32 pm. Taking a deep breath, Gordon placed the tie against it as Valkyrie stepped inside the mirror.
December 31, 1921 - - - - Dublin, Ireland
Valkyrie gasped as she plummeted to the stone ground. Cursing the book, she lifted herself to her feet and looked around her. It was about midday, she concluded, and she was on a small narrow street, filled with piles of wood, trash, and beer cans. What a weird place to come. She looked up when she heard someone walking down the street. It was a boy with black hair and loosely worn clothes. He wore a thin white shirt and black slacks. She was about to hide so he wouldn't see her when suddenly another boy with red hair walked right through her from behind. She shrieked away noticing that they didn't hear her or see her. Makes sense, I'm in a memory. But neither of these boys looked like Gordon.
"Hey so are you in or not?" the red head boy asked.
"I am," replied the other.
"Good you know what you have to do then."
"Yes."
"Good luck Do-"
"Please," the other boy interrupted, "Call me Skulduggery, Skulduggery Pleasant."
Start of my mini story within a story. =)
More to come!
