Alice's Birthday Party

Chapter 1 - Gregory Mischief

"Alice just invited us to her birthday party", Valkyrie said after finishing the phone call with her still six-year-old sister. She was sitting in the passenger seat of the black Bentley that she loved so dearly, next to her partner in crime and best friend whom she loved dearly as well.

"Us? She invited me too?" Skulduggery asked, tilting his head in wonderment, and raising an eyebrow of his Mediterranean looking façade. They were out on a case, distracting themselves from the barely progressing search for Abyssinia and her son Caisson. Gregory Mischief, a known collector and suspect to be responsible for the theft of the four extremely rare books on the functionality of magic which were secured safely in the African and Australian sanctuary, was spotted thrice in Dublin within the past days. China herself asked them to investigate in the matter and Valkyrie knew that China's request was not only fuelled by the fear to be the next target but rather rooted in her own interest in the stolen things.

"Very much so. She asked me to come and added immediately bring Skulduggery with you. She said something about you being fun"

Skulduggery nodded in agreement. "I am fun. She really does have an outstanding taste in people for someone that young. It took you six years longer to appreciate my genius"

"I didn't even know you when I was six!"

"You were obsessed with me as a baby though. Gordon wouldn't admit it, but he was jealous how you followed me around like a puppy. Now that I think about it, nothing much has changed"

Valkyrie smacked his arm and he chuckled. "She simply doesn't know you well enough to realise that your ego is bigger than she is. To her, you are still some kind of selfless hero who helped prevent a psychopath to kill her. And me."

"Just admit that I am a loveable person already"

She rolled her eyes so hard, it was almost audible. "Right. Anyway, I told her we'd come, so we better finish this quickly."

"When's her birthday again?"

"In three days"

"Did you buy her a gift?"

"I... I am going to. Definitely. It is what good big sisters do, don't they? I just..." She sighed. "I am absolutely clueless what to get. I haven't been part of her life for five years, what do I know what she likes? What do I know of six years olds?"

"You really aren't good with presents."

"Are you planning to help me or are you just going to mock me?"

"Both, probably. But not now -- looks like we found our suspect."

Valkyrie looked up to see a man in a long, grey coat hurrying out of a taxi towards the library in Roarhaven. He had his hat pulled deeply in his face as though he didn't want to be recognised, but his tall, lanky figure gave his identity away nonetheless. Gregory Mischief. They had a decent plan; create a forgery from a one-of-a-kind book from the remains of China's collection and spread the word that it was for sale on the black market, then set up a meeting in a public place and hope Temper would distract him long enough for the Dynamic Duo to capture him. Simple. Efficient. The best preconditions for an embarrassing failure.

They got out of the car and quickly walked into the library while Skulduggery's façade melted away. Just like any other building in Roarhaven City, it was a huge, palatial building with an exquisite collection; only the best for a city ruled by China Sorrows. It was a short way to the isolated private room meant for reading in peace which they had rented for the exact purpose of meeting Mischief and when they turned up, they found Temper in a disguise facing the suspect.

"It is in a decent condition" Temper said calmly, "I stole it myself from Supreme Mage Sorrows private chambers."

"And how exactly did you manage to overcome the sigils? The security? Surely there must have been cleavers around!"

Valkyrie frowned at the sound of his voice. She expected something dark and dangerous, instead his voice was almost too high to be taken seriously and average at best, if not even boring, with a thick midwestern accent. She hated when the bad guys disappointed.

"No cleavers. A few sigils. I have to admit, it took me quite some time to figure out how to disable them, but the Supreme Mage is too busy being important to call around her place lately."

"Very well. I wanna see it. Show it to me"

"And the money?"

"What, you think I am trying to trick you?" With a grin he took a pouch out and opened it, the diamonds sparkling in midday sun.

She watched how Temper nodded satisfied and pulled the forgery out of the back and handed it over while simultaneously taking the pouch. That was the sign. Skulduggery signalled her to hold on for a second while he slowly stepped into the room, careful to not make a single noise. Mischief turned the book in his hands, opened it and turned some arbitrary pages. Then he smiled. Once again Valkyrie looked at Skulduggery, who pointed to her that it was her turn in three...two...one... The electricity spanked between her finger tips as Valkyrie stepped out of the shadow into the room, pulling out the shackles which would bind his magic. Mischief turned around immediately and froze as he saw her.

"Mr Mischief. I hereby arrest you for the stealing of four magic relicts and the attempt to buy a fifth one. You don't really have any rights, so just be a good boy and put these shackles on"

She expected resistance, fighting, maybe some tears. Instead she got this tall, grownup man looking at her with obvious admiration. He dropped down to his knees, tilted his head and screamed full of delight: "Darquesse! It is you! You came to reward me for all the obstacles I've undergone to get you back!"

"I am not Darquesse, I am arresting you"

"You are a god! I've been waiting for your return! I am studying everything about magic just to get you back! I love you, Darquesse! You gave my life purpose again, you -" he stopped at once, falling over and landing right before her feet. Behind him stood Skulduggery with his revolver in his hand.

"That" he said, "was undignified. You may just be the only person who can drive people this insane"

"Admire me or kill me, is that how it goes now?" she mumbled and put the shackles around the criminal forearms.

"It is not exactly a new development, Valkyrie. This it how it's been going for years. You just have this effect"

"Yay me"

Temper came closer and lifted Mischief over his shoulder. "Well I for once am happy to see that everything worked out just fine. And I take his little love talk as confession for the crimes and bring him to the High Sanctuary. Supreme Mage Sorrows will be more than pleased to find him"

"and the stolen relicts of which she will probably take care herself" Skulduggery added.

"That too. I would invite you to come along..."

"That's quite alright" Valkyrie interrupted, "we still have important things to do"

"We do?"

"Yes. Like buying a present for my baby sister."

Temper laughed. "How old is she now? Six? She is not a baby anymore!"

"Well, she is to me. So, if you don't need us anymore..."

"No, I'm good. You two go enjoy yourselves."

"Excellent." She turned on her heel and quickly left the room.

"She still hasn't coped with the entire Darquesse-thing, has she?" asked Temper quietly.

"Valkyrie is a good person, it is not easy for her to accept that a part of her killed thousand of people, even if it wasn't her. But she is getting better, slowly."

"Make sure to take good care of her. She deserves to be happy"

"Exactly my thinking" Skulduggery tapped his collarbone to activate his façade once again and quickly followed Valkyrie out. What an odd couple the two made, Temper thought to himself. And yet, he had to admit, it was oddly charming too.