Skulduggery Pleasant - Night of the Dying Rose

Chapter 3- Little Rose

The child grinned at Skulduggery and Valkyrie, her young eyes bright and full of life, but also full of insanity. Skulduggery whipped out his gun, only to have it flung out of his hand with a casual gesture from the child. She giggled.

"Oh come on, you didn't think it would be that easy did you?" She taunted.

"So who might you be?" Skulduggery enquired.

The girl grinned, bobbing a curtsy. "I am the ever loving and faithful Little Rose, at your service Detective."

Skulduggery tilted his head. "I see, mind telling me why you've killed these people so horribly?"

The girl tutted. "Not fair if I tell you that, because where is the fun in that? I have my reasons anyway, but you'll have to figure them out for yourself."

"Wow, for a small girl you're a gigantic ass." Valkyrie snapped.

The girl raised an eyebrow, and Valkyrie was suddenly thrown hard into the wall. She grunted, landing on one knee to stop herself from faceplanting on the floor.

Skulduggery sighed. "As amusing as that was, was it really necessary?"

"For me yes, for you? Probably not." Little Rose laughed. She then smiled cruelly, taking in Skulduggery. "Tell me Detective, you have lost many people in your time, but you have always found a way to pick yourself back up from the ground. But what if I took away what was most precious to you? The person you love in many ways. Your partner...until the end." Little Rose's smile widened.

Skulduggery's voice hardened for the first time. "I won't let you do that."

Little Rose laughed, spinning on her tip-toes. "I doubt you could stop me Skulduggery. Sure you've defeated Mevolent and tricked Darquesse, but I am far worse than them all, I don't really mind if the world is destroyed. I just love the chaos and making particular people suffer. That particular person, is you."

"We've stopped many threats, we can stop you too kid." Valkyrie growled, standing slowly.

Little Rose smirked. "Feel free to try right now then Valkyrie dear."

"Valkyrie don't-" Skulduggery started. But it was too late. Valkyrie raised her hand, white lightning shooting out at Little Rose. But the impossible happened. Little Rose merely reached out her hand and caught the lightning, and sent it straight back to Valkyrie. Valkyrie cried out as she was flung backwards. Skulduggery snarled, his gun flying into his hand. He raised it and fired several times, but the bullets froze before they entered Little Rose's head. She grinned, sending them back, they hit Skulduggery's bones and he cried out, falling back.

Little Rose shook her head. "You don't get it do you? You both have had a good run together, but now you're becoming predictable, which makes you weak. Sooner or later you will both taste death for the final time. But YOU, dear Valkyrie, will be the first to taste it. And I will make you watch as I do Skulduggery dear."

Skulduggery staggered up, snapping his palm. The air shimmered like a wrecking ball. Little Rose took a step forward, stepping through the stream as if it was a small breeze. Valkyrie took out her shock stick and lunged, trying to get a hit in. Little Rose dodged casually, the shock stick flying from Valkyrie's hands. Little Rose looked at Valkyrie. Valkyrie looked at Little Rose. Little Rose raised a finger and poked Valkyrie, and every rib that Valkyrie had cracked and broke. Valkyrie screamed, staggering. Little Rose flung out a finger, and Valkyrie was flung to the ground, smacking her head against the ground, knocking her out cold.

"Valkyrie!" Skulduggery shouted.

"Oh she'll have a concussion, and sore sides for a bit, but she'll live. Probably." Little Rose chirped.

Skulduggery snarled, flying at Little Rose, but she just pushed him slightly with her hand, and Skulduggery flew backwards, hitting the wall hard. Little Rose laughed as Skulduggery crumpled to the ground.

"Well this has been fun." Little Rose hummed. "But I have things to destroy, plans to make, people to kill. So we'll meet again at some point. And one of us will die. Rest up while you can, because the real fun is about to arrive...rest well my dear Skulduggery Pleasant, and say your final goodbye's to Valkyrie Cain."

Little Rose bobbed a second curtsy, and with a blinding flash of light, she was gone.

"Well hell." Skulduggery muttered.