I believe that this story will much easier to write than the other one.

And, for those of you in the U.S. you probably heard about the two major snowstorms that friggin attacked the East Coast. Yeah! That's me getting buried in snow! We seriously just got a six day weekend due to the snow! It's crazy!


Entry #2: Written May 31

Dear Diary,

See at how bad I am at keeping up with this? I normally never write in diaries. There were a few times where I'd be really faithful about it all, then go a week without writing, then never touch it ever again. I was told for an assignment, once, to keep a dream log. I wrote down my actual dreams maybe twice, and then made the other 28 up. I remember writing about one with giant scissors chasing me. That was after Tanith threw Ghastly's scissors at Fletcher because he wouldn't shut up.

Speaking of the devil, Mr. Renn showed up on the 27th. Literally, he just popped up. I keep saying what would happen if he just appeared, and I was naked or something. He always rebuts with why I would be naked in the kitchen in the first place and so on. I hate that crafty little jerk. He said he might be staying with us for a while, but he'll "alert" us about his "busy schedule".

I don't believe that little slacker is busy at all. See, the last time he appeared (last, last April) he said he'd be staying for at least three months. The very next morning, there's a note, saying he's gone to Russia. God knows why Russia. I have nothing against Russians, I just wondered why the heck Russia. Probably to go party…and drink vodka or something. I don't know what he does with his time. Not work, perhaps?

I mean I love Fletcher a lot. He's like the whiny older brother I never had. Everyone picks on him, and makes fun of him and it's hilarious.

Anyway, the whole reason I solely exist now, it seems, is to get together with Skulduggery Pleasant. I swear that's the only thing that's been on my mind lately. See, a few days ago, he and I were at China's. China being China was following us everywhere, giving me no alone time which just pissed me off.

Anyway, China whispered something into Skulduggery's…ear, I guess, and he instantly straightened. Like that pose he does when he figured something out, or when he realized what the song "3" by Britney Spears was about (that was a terrible day that I don't ever want to remember. Skulduggery actually asked what exactly a…okay, nevermind). But China winked at him, then sauntered off, shaking her hips a little bit more. Her short skirt almost blew up a little too much when she walked past the air vent.

I glanced over at Skulduggery, and I could tell his mind was working hard. His right hand had gripped the brim of his hat, while the left hand was poised on his waist.

Don't look at me like that, Diary. I've known him for a while. I can know what he's doing just by his body movements. He does that to me! For example, yesterday, I had stubbed my toe. Being the strong and heroic…heroine I am, didn't say much. But I guess I had my jaw set too tight and my knees weren't bending as much…And I wasn't breathing normally…?

So, Diary, I believe this means that Skulduggery Pleasant was "checking me out," as the kids call it (right?) Who says someone's not breathing right unless they're staring straight at the chest?

I apparently breathe weird and walk funny and ruin my teeth more when I'm in pain. Well, that's always good to know.

Anyway, continuing with this whole China/Skulduggery/Me love triangle thing, I asked what was wrong.

"A penny for your thoughts," I said.

He shook his head slightly and bent over the book he had picked off the shelf. "It's nothing," he muttered. "Nothing important."

"I may think it's important."

"You won't find it important, trust me."

"At least tell me what it's about. No details; just vague ideas." I smiled as he played with the brim of his hat again.

His eye sockets looked up at me and he sighed. "Gargoyles."

…Um.

"What about gargoyles?" I asked, more intrigued than ever before.

"You said you wanted vague details, and gargoyles is quite vague, so there you are, Valkyrie dear."

I frowned and huffed. "You take things so literally," I grumbled and stole the book he was reading from his hands.

"Valkyrie Cain, I have reason to believe that you are four years old."

"Nah," I grinned, "that's just Tanith. I'm around seven."

He laughed quietly and leaned in closer. I backed away slowly, but he reached out and pulled my shoulder back. "Would you stop moving?" he asked with a slight tone of amusement in his voice. "I need to read this." I watched his mouth move beneath the wide brim of his hat as he read the words. His eyes were trained on the book (that was upside-down actually. I can't read upside down to save my life).

"What exactly are you reading about?"

"Gargoyles," he answered shortly.

"Is it celebratory Gargoyle Day or something?"

He chuckled quietly and leaned in closer. "No, but there have been some reports about stone gargoyles flying about Notre Dame Tower over in France," he said.

I nodded. "I heard about that. Of course, that was mortal news, and they just thought they were big butt birds. Think Frollo and Esmeralda are up there partying with Phoebus and Quasimodo?"

Skulduggery sighed and started at me. "Do I think the Disney cartoon characters have come to life from the paper they were drawn on and are now 'partying' on the roof of Notre Dame Tower? My answer would be no."

"You never know, Pleasant," I smirked and shut the book and tossed it to him. "Anyway, has this happened before? Is that why there's a whole section of this book devoted to them?"

He nodded and opened the book again, glaring at me. "Every few decades at random points in the year, they break free from being stone and swoop around for a bit. A few weeks after the first incident, ten people are missing from the world. It may be just a coincidence that these ten people have disappeared, but they have never been found. Thoughts?"

"When was the last appearance?" I asked as we started walking towards the front of the library again.

"If my marvelous memory serves right," he said, "it was 56 years ago, in June sometime. I don't suppose it follows a pattern by month and or year."

"When was the previous one before that?"

"That…I believe was 23 years before. So, in 79 years, there have been two attacks. The before-before one was in February at some point."

"Is there some outside force acting upon them?" I wondered aloud as we left the library and strode down the stairs.

"It's a possibility, but no one has ever even gotten a suspect," Skulduggery replied. He stopped abruptly at the Bentley parked at the curb. He motioned for me to climb in, since I was just standing there like an idiot, thinking about these gargoyle things. He flicked my arm and sighed. "This magic has ruined your brain cells," he muttered.

"No at all!" I shouted. "Getting punched in the face a few too many times should be the problem."

He laughed loudly and looked across at me. I thought I saw a few little traces of a sad smile type thing on his face, but they were gone instantly.

So, this brings me to today. It's now…3:48 in the afternoon, and I'm bored. Tanith left to London a few days ago, which was extremely depressing. I don't know who I'm going to have my idiotic girl talk with! Fletcher is on the arm chair across from me (of course, we're in Gordon's house. It's rightfully mine…but not mine…yep) and he's half-asleep. I think the slight teleport lag gets to him occasionally. Skulduggery's off with Ghastly doing man things or something. I suggested they go build something or have a beer, but the last time Skulduggery had a hammer in his hands he knocked someone unconscious.

And…the beer was just a bad idea all around. When we last went drinking…Nevermind. It's a terrible memory I try to repress from my mind every single day.

Anyway, to quench my boredom I had turned on the TV earlier. The newscasters talked about pointless things like sports and the weather and junk no one cared about. Oh, traffic as well. But, finally, after a billion years of pointless chatter, they got to the French gargoyle things.

The pretty news lady was all serious and kept repeating that "authorities weren't sure what this phenomena was." They were interviewing this French guy who clearly had no understanding of the English language and kept fudging his words, but he said that there have been reports of other "giant birds" flying around other parts of France, primarily near churches. Are all gargoyle statues near churches now?

Fletcher had come in at this point, rambling about an old Russian girlfriend he had once. Her name…something Russian, I remember. He wouldn't be quiet and I suppose he gave up when I just stopped responding. I nodded at first a couple of times during the conversation he was literally having with himself, but then I just got bored.

Pretending is hard, no?

Anyway, as the story wrapped to a close, I noticed the gargoyles were flying in a strange pattern. Nobody had seemed to point it out. But the gargoyles had been going around in a sort of pentagon shape. Who knew giant stone gargoyles that magically come to life knew geometric shapes? This mystery just keeps getting more and more…mysterious…

~Valkyrie


I couldn't think of an ending D: But anyway, hope you sort of enjoyed this! Next chapter/entry should pick up on the plot a bit more! :D

Sorry for mistakes :)