Skulduggery Pleasant fan-fic: The Cradle of Magic (UNDER EDIT)

Fire Alarms, Khaki and Liquid Caffeine

-Bliv

I gingerly gripped my hands around his neck and pulled into the embrace. Our noses touched as I kissed him tenderly and I found him exploring my back with his free hand, the other held one finger on my chin. I moaned slightly, swaying a fraction as he briefly pulled out, gasping heavily for air. He then presumed but attempted at kissing my neck, making my spine shudder. I found myself stepping back until I was pressed tightly against the wall with Dex upon me, he, now presuming to kiss the side of my face. I lifted my hands from his neck and scraped the hair from my shoulders, as he found my lips again; pressing me harder against the wall, he then slowly moved his hand from my chin and to the wall as his other hand laid on my chest.
Suddenly there was a brief smash beside me, and quickly Dex withdrew from the kiss.
I immediately opened my eyes to see Dexter looking at the pile of glass beneath him, and his timidly moving hand on the fire alarm.
I clocked him as he began to stare in anticipation, "Hell." I mumbled, and the overhead sprinklers let loose the heavens above us, followed by a high pitched siren; echoing, eerily down the Sanctuary corridor.

***

-Skul

Her dark hair splayed loosely over the back of the mahogany textured chair, as she sat facing Erskine's desk, looking out the dark window and glimpsing the lamp-streaked street below. As the door creaked and opened a fraction as the two of us came in, her head turned and she stood abruptly, walking around the chair to face us.
She was around 5ft 8 and wore a black tank top, displayed her toned muscles with khaki trousers and black, laced, military boots. Her piercing blue eyes widened as she caught my face. Or the lack of it.

Her gaze then flicked to Erskine's un reassuringly, "Sir?"
She had a tampered English accent, mixed lightly with the Irish twang, much like Bliv and... Vin's.. I knocked the thought off...
But her accent sounded as if she had originally come from Birmingham.

"Ah..." Erskine paced towards the girl, and her back straightened a fraction out of respect. I could tell she had spent many years being trained; the question was.. Where?

"This is General Ravenna Blaze. A close friend, skilled fighter and strong leader. She will be helping us from now on in." Ravenna still looked a little bemused, but she seemed to pick up that I was an ally even considering my appearance. I still wasn't sure of her myself.

Ravel lightly put his hand on her back, "Raven, this is Detective Inspector Skulduggery Pleasant... There's no doubt you've heard of him..."

A smile immediately sprung unto her lips, "I have indeed. Wonderful to finally meet you Mr Pleasant." She held out her hand, which was shielded with black, Kevlar combat gloves.

I took her hand and placed another on top, shaking it.

She then turned to Ravel to whom was now sitting at his laptop.

"Grand Mage..." His head looked up, "We need to discuss the details before tomorrow, I'll issue my orders on your word...but we need to ready ourselves before..." She cut off and glanced at me in her peripheral vision.

"Yes, yes of course..." He began to type away on his laptop rather vigorously.

There was a long pause.

Raven turned and looked at me, sighing a little, "Er, Sir..."

She was quickly interrupted, "Oh GOD!" Ravel gripped the edges of the screen, his eyes widened.
I rushed over to him, and watched a security camera tape... From the lighting I couldn't tell who it was or where it was from, "Ravel.." I started...

He quickly got up and closed the laptop shut.
"Ravenna, I need one of your Lieutenants sent to Australia by 6:00 am tomorrow morning on an undercover mission. I will supply the extras such as plan tickets..."

Ravenna quickly saluted, "Not to worry sir, we have that sorted... And what of myself?"

Ravel looked her keenly in the eye, "You are to stay with me General Blaze... We will operate plans from the Sanctuary..."

Suddenly there was a shrill rally of beeps and a mechanical sound from above. I quickly glanced up as jets of water sprayed above us, drenching my suit yet again.

***

-Dex

I looked down at my hand. Then at Bliv. And lastly at the ceiling, as a sprinkling of water showered us, drenching my hair and clothes.
I looked at Bliv, shocked. She stared hard and looked almost angry.
There was a long, un breaking stare.
Suddenly Bliv burst into fits of laughter and gripped her dripping hair, her face titled to the ceiling.
I followed her laughter and shook my head, rather dog-like, making her laugh harder.
"Why does the Sanctuary have a fire alarm? We have elementals for that!" She yelled over the constant pattering of rain on the wooden floor.
"Probably Guild's idea..." I yelled back, scooping her up off the wet floor, "We better scoot before Ravel catches us..." She nodded quickly and smiled as I carried her bride style to the car.

***
-Vin

I could still image his car there. It was always there, in that slot... Now it was gone, he was gone... Out of my life, for an emotion that we both couldn't control.
"Valiance darling?"
I jumped and breathed out quickly, turning to face China who was holding a mug of something.
"Sorry, I..." I stammered slightly, wiping my eyes absentmindedly, "I'm sorry China I should have been studying...I..."
She cut me off, approaching me and sitting on the edge of the window seat, "shhh, it's fine... I've been working you far too hard recently, I think you deserve a break for a few hours." She handed me the mug. It warmed my hands quickly and an aroma of Tea or 'liquid caffeine', as Bliv would say, filled my nostrils.
I carefully sipped the tea and looked expectantly at China; her gaze however had wandered out the window.
There was a long pause.
"I heard you two fighting earlier..." I looked up from the mug and lowered it, swallowing; my heart pounding as if mercury had replaced the blood inside.
She flicked her gaze back to me, a different look now in her eyes. A look of doubt, and more importantly, a look of hurt.
"China... We just... It's nothing..." I could feel tears coming again, but retrained them and kept calm.
She abruptly stood, facing me straight on; "IT DIDNT SOUND LIKE NOTHING! IF YOU REGARD THE WORD 'LOVE' FROM A MAN LIKE SKULDUGGERY PLEASANT AS 'NOTHING' THEN I THINK YOU NEED YOUR SENSES CHECKED!!"
Anger flared in her eyes, along with streams of tears; putting out the fire and calming her. She softened, looking defeated and sat once more, her face in her hands.
"You love him too though don't you?" She said, lifting her head a fraction,
"I can see it in your eyes... It was the same when you first met him... I remember it well... And he..." She stopped, her eyes focusing straight on mine, "And he always loved you... And he will never stop..."

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IM SINGING IN THE RAIN!!! *swings on lamppost*
YAAAYY!! ITS FRIDAY!!!! THE DAY I UPDATE! And also the day Derek updates his blog...
WHICH REMINDS ME!!
HAVE U GUYS SEEN THE NEW DOTL COVER!!!!!!! AHHHH ITS SOOO BEAUTIFUL!!!
Tom Percival is a God.. *praise*

So on this special occasion i decided to add a new badass character ;D isn't she AWESOME?? And based on a wonderfully Smexi friend of mine ;D

This chapter is dedicated to @SummerOfLight !!!!
THANK U MY DEAR FOR BEING SO WONDERFULLY SUPPORTIVE!!!!! YOU'RE AMAZING!!
Also, Zoė (taken name) has an awesome SP fan fic too!! So be sure to read that!!!

Thank u all!!!
I love u all and thank u for all the support xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Oh, and next chapter...
Is Vinduggery themed... AHHH EXCITING!!
For a special someone xxxx (sorry didn't do much this chapter, I couldn't really fit it into the plot xxxxx)