Seymour: Hmm, I suppose that may depend on what sort of fightin you do. For a friendly duel, that may be an important factor, but in a fight to the death, knowing more about what moves can save your neck and what moves that will get it slit are the better choices. [Brings his blade down diagonally between Gavin's neck and shoulder]

Zurik: [Glares at Hetsila] I was a child. But my father held no worth for me in his eyes. He was a fool, the reason of the near exiction of my people. He had no worth for my advice, and that ultimately led to his death. But now I am correcting his mistakes.

Me: Developement! Thank you Hetsila!

Zurik: What?

Tynx: [Blinks] Why did you accept it?

Suragore: [Surfaces and opens his hood, looks back at Alaric] It was a very enjoyable race. Thank you for... for joining me.

Chayn: No! [Thrashes her tail angrily] Shawn, run!

Me: Did two people just overpower a dragon??

Taranis: It would appear so...and it's for...err...development?

Me: *giggles* Pretty much. 'Tis fun reading what everyone else is doing.

Gavin: So...fancy moves aren't good when you're fighting for your life? *blocks staff with his sword* But they're so much cooler!

Me: Where did he learn the term "cool"?

Pirzak: "Three, actually."

Me: *giggles*

Pirzak: "What?"

Me: "Never mind... It's a long story."

Pirzak: "Then, please, restrain yourself."

Me:

Jay: "Sara looked at me, her eyes wide, and crawled into the space as people started pounding on the door. As I kicked the grate cover on I heard a key scraping in the lock. 'Go!' I shouted as a large group of guards rushed in. 'Crawl!'"

Me: Three? *counts CI characters* I counted two...then again...I'm not entirely sure happened during the first part of the fight and-

Alianna: Stop rambling! Story! *listens to Jay*

Me: Well...ain't she a touchy one?...

Jay: "While I did my best to buy Sara as much time as possible, she was crawling through the very dusty vent. She found an opening- one that was right over the fire escape."

Pirzak: *sneers* "Me, Raczr, and Skylar."

Alianna: Then what happened?? What did you do???

Me: Aye! I just decided something!

Alianna: What?

Me: You didn't have a childhood.

Alianna: That's....sad...

Emuna: Not really, none of her MCs had a childhood..except Gavin. And look how he turned out.

Gavin: Hey!

Me: (Pirzak) Oh, yeah...I guess I was counting you and Raczr as one person.

Fallen: *crosses her arms* I wanted it.


Alaric: *grins* Thank you for letting me! *wanders off to find something else to do*

Malcolm: *picks Tesmir off of his tail by his shirt and throws him in the river* Hmhmhmm. Well ridden small one.

Tanner: *climbs off and dries his face with a towel*

Lyna: *dives off Victor's back and swims to the shore, shaking herself off like a dog once she reaches the bank*

Kaida: *watches Erronys*

Erronys: *sits next to Cassie and nods*

Kaida: *releases Zurik and cleans her blade* You're in his hands now, act wisely for your own sake.

Trevelian: *twists a piece of grass between his fingers and observes the crowds*

Aren: *observes the crowds and approaches Inesdar* Greetings friend. *touches his talon to his head and extends it*

Alexis: *spins around* Well then? Talk.

Skylar: (@Raczr) You get to do the honours, then. *walks over to Shawn* Hello!

Crissa (from trilogy, protagonist): Hello! [cautiously] Keep Inesdar's villain away from me.

Vadley (from trilogy, antagonist): What about me?

Paul (from Nano '10 novel): *grabs sword* On guard!

Crissa: *twirls her two-tipped pink-handled sword*

Paul: Where did you learn that?

Crissa: Oh, cheerleading class. And baton-twirling class. Do not attempt in your own home.

Merry (from Nano '10 novel): *eyes are wide*

Vadley: Baton twirling class? *laughs*

Crissa: Bet you don't want to know what I learned in fire-throwing class.

(to be continued...)

Seymour: Not usually, no. But of course, I don't know all there is about swordcraft, so I'm sure there is a 'cool' move that keeps your head firmly between your shoulders.

Me: You're a cheery guy, you know that?

Tynx: Why would you want evil, if you already had good?

Suragore: [Smiles slightly and nods]

Aelynn: I found the sticks! [Comes running back, waving several straight sticks in the air]

Tounon: [Slides off Malcolm, almost landing in the water] Oh, my legs feel weird...

Tesmir: [Surfaces, sputtering] That was cool! Can you throw me farther?

Rune: Can I disown him?

Me: No.

Rune: Jek would still be a seventh.

Me: No.

Cassie: [Hugs Erronys's leg] You did a good job racing!

Zurik: [Glances angrily at Kaida] Whose hands?

Me: I think Erroy.

Zurik: The mute reptile?

Me: [Smacks forehead]

Chayn: Run, little one, run! [Thrashes tail in alarm and frustration] Gerroff my nose, villain!

Me: Development!

Chayn: I don't like like this development!

Me: Tough luck.

Rowen: [Huffs across the finish line, looking about ready to collapse where he is.] I.... need.... to work out...

Me: Elly! You is here! Vadley and Crissa, too! And Merry and Paul!

Tynx: Yo!

Tesmir: [Tips an imaginary hat, still in the water.]

Me: My little sister cometh to the CI!!! *glomps Elly* Ello, Elly dearest! Welcome to the best thread in all of HW!!! *shoves Alianna to one of Elly's characters* Say, hi and be nice.

Alianna: I'm ten. What's the worse I can do? Bite someone?

Me:

Alianna: *skips over to Crissa* Hullo! Where are you from?

Me: Okay...back to what other characters were doing.

Terminus: *crosses arms* Well, it's no fun to talk to you if I'm not annoying you...

Me: You're really weird, Termy...

Terminus: I'm in your head...how much more weird can I get?

Me: You're also a lot more quirkier than in the book here.

Terminus: Not....reaaaally...

Me: *sighs loudly*

Gavin: Great! What move might that be, Master Seymour?

Brian: *whispers to Seymour* He has troubles keeping his head on his shoulders.

Alexis: Oh, really? Well then, if you have nothing to say, I'll be on my way. *half turns away*

Terminus: *ponders* Yup, I'm good...think I'll just go beat up coward. *strolls over to Brian*

Me: *thwacks Terminus with the LoTR trilogy*

Terminus: Ow!

Me: Since when do you beat up people mindlessly???

Terminus: Since I'm bored!

Me: That's out of character!

Terminus: *sighs and sits down waiting for Me to figure out how I would react in this scenario*

Me: Better.

Alexis: *chuckles to herself* *walks over to Brian, eyeing the sword in his hand* If you have no more use for it.....

Brian: *glances at the sword he was twirling in his hands* Oh, right. *hands Alexis the sword* My bad. It's a nice sword.

Alexis: *smiles happily* Many thanks. I think so too. *strokes the hilt familiarly*

Fallen: *sourly* It wasn't about "wanting evil." It made me feel stronger, better. I loved the thrill it gave me.

Ark: You mean the thrill of knowing you were breaking rules?

Fallen: *sends a beam of light at him*

Ark: *ducks*


Alaric: *walks over to Elly's characters* Hello!

Jay: "I was... well, um, I don't remember very well at this point." "Sara ran down the fire escape as fast as she could. As soon as she got to the bottom several of the guards ran out of the building and started chasing her."

Shawn: *struggles with the rope* "I... can't..."

Jay: *looks at me* "I don't think I can stand yet."

Me: "You can't."

Jay: "Augh!" *starting to get anxious*

Raczr: *draws sword* "You failed to instruct us on how to kill a dragon."

Me: "Duh!"

Raczr: "Our author is clueless in this matter."

Me: *headdesk*

Pirzak: "Not a chance." *hold on tightly*

Alianna: *waits for more story*

Me: Haha, don't you kill a dragon by stabbing it on the soft spot on its underbelly?

Depends on the dragon.

Oh, okay, that's why I was confused, I was thinking Griffin was on top for the past like 4 posts of mine. Could we rewind a little bit? Please...

Alexis: *walks over to Maf and Faolan* Hello and welcome.

Skylar: (@Raczr) Chayn said that the belly near the heart should work. (@Shawn) *pins her down with his hands pressing her arms on the ground* Where do you think you're going?

Maf: Honored, yes. But the castle is a little cold and drafty. My wife named our daughter.

Me: At least the castle stays cool in the summer. *shrugs*

Maf (@Alexis): Thank you, my lady. *steps forward and holds out his hands, crossed at the wrists*

Faolan: *nods, half smiles*

Emuna: Haha, cold and drafty...I'm sure you could have worse complaints.

Jay: "She managed to lose them in the crowd at the fair, which was nearby. She lost no time in heading for the merry-go-round."

Shawn: "No!" *struggles*

Jay: *pleading and frantic*

Me: "No."

Jay: "Please!"

Me: "No."

Pirzak:

Raczr: *eyes Chayn* "She's lying down..."

Alianna: *glances at Shawn and whatever everybody else is doing to the poor dragon* *scoots closer towards Jay* Too much fighting.

Me: *mumbles* Baby....*perks up* Or traumatized! Development!

Alianna: The things that makes authors happy...

Tornado: Are other characters allowed to intervene?

Ark: (@Tornado) Usually, yes. Sometimes non-intervention is requested, but most of the time it is acceptable to intervene.

Crissa: Estanor, Zoriah. From some trilogy that hasn't been written yet.

Me:

Paul: Can you show us the fire throwing?

Merry: Paul, no!

Vadley: Go ahead, Crissa.

Princess Anastasia: AAAUUGHHHH!! What's HE! doing in here?

Gwyn: [says nothing, but takes in Vadley with her blue eyes]

Vadley: Beware! My eyes can melt steel.

Me: And they can, too. I should have never created him....

Ryan: [leaps to Gwyn's side]

Emuna: A lovely name, your world has, Crissa.

Seymour: I don't believe I know any specific moves-

Me: Yeah you do.

Rune: You made it up.

Me: It'd work, wouldn't it?

Rune: Against Gavin? Probably. Against someone like Kimun? Not a chance in the world.

Me: Thank you for boosting the confidence.

Seymour: [Ignores. Then suddenly lands the butt of his spear into Gavin's stomach, and slices down at Gavin's neck] That would perhaps be a move that could sever your head.

Tynx: Oh, I'm sure being evil makes you feel stronger and better, but it makes you seem really messed up. Like Mordir.

Mordir: Excuse me?!

Zurik: The only worth I thought myself to have was to the swine I took care of, who knew I was the one who fed them. Other than that, I don't believe I had any, not even from my own mother. She had eyes only for my father, and my sister.

Me: This is awesome! Background development for Zurik!

Tounon: She's really enjoying that.

Chase: I'll bet Zurik isn't.

Cassie: Why? Hetsila's smart, she's trying to make him smart, too.

Chase: [Smiles]

Zurik: I don't need her to make me smart.

Me: Careful.

Chayn: [Struggles more] Leave my rider be! [Looks at Raczr] Don't harm Shawn, please.

Rune: Aris!

Me: Nope. No intervention right now. Development.

Chase: But you never develop.

Me: Well. Not always, but right now I am.

Cassie: Shawn's not gonna be happy-

Me: Shush shush!

Chayn: I don't like our author's idea of development.

Tesmir: [To Elly's characters] Water's great, guys. Jump in!

Rowen: [Climbs out of the water, wheezing] Well, that didn't work. You still on, Zanya?

Gavin: *half steps back when sword hits him and narrowly avoids slice* *shakes head to clear mind* That hurt.

Me: *mumbles* Wimp.

Gavin: You want to get hit with a staff in your ribs??

Me: Sure!

Gavin: Strange author...

Me: The strangest.

Gavin: *slices at Seymour's neck*

Me - ( has lost her last post)

Sumira - How on earth do you lose a post?

Me - Very easily. (Finds it) AHA!

Sumira - Yeesh.

Zanya - (Slips off Rowen's back, soaked and draggled) I'm still here. Whew. You did amazing back there, friend.

Ember - (Collapses on the riverbank, blowing hard) Wow . . . That was awesome. How're you doing, Guilo?

Sylvia - (Hugs Erronys's neck and slides off) Thank you so much! (Runs over to Ember, and kisses his nose) Are you ok?

Ember - I'll live. (Rolls over and goes limp, sighing deep) Ahhhhhh . . . .

Silver - (Floating in the river) Why's everyone so tired?

Ashrai - (Reels as Mordir's punch strikes his face, but doesn't lose his grip. Spits out a loosened tooth) Like you're never distracted. (Twists his body so that he flings Mordir towards the edge of the rafter by his arm)

Me - Did I make that clear? I can visualize that move, but I can't describe it . . .

Ashrai - (sarcastically) Don't bother clarifying, Author. Only my life is on the line, here.

Me - I thought you don't care about dying?

Ashrai - I don't! It's losing to another assassin what I have a problem with.

Kuura'zan - (Gets free of Rahor and vanishes into the shadows)

Rahor - How does he do that with white fur.

Niarah - (Shrugs) So, what was I doing before he attacked me?

Me - Wow, it really has been a while since I last got on.

Rahor - Not long enough to earn that smiley, though.

Thysal - (Watching Chayn's struggle. Her scales bristle in anger, and she stands) Chayn, need help?

Me - No, stay here.

Thysal - WHAT?

Me - (Glare)

Thysal - But . . .

Me - And if they get Jay while he can't get up?

Thysal - . . . (Curls up with a snort, silver eyes alert)

Guilo: I'm fine. *flaps as much of the water off his wings as he can* Although my wings and clothes need to dry out. *takes off his leather jacket, hangs it on a tree and lays down on a rock to dry out.

Lyna: *scrambles up a tree and sits like a frog* Okay, what do we do now?

Amos: Ah, thank you. *takes the sticks and begins tying them to the material*

Kaida: Alright, I need a break. *dives into the river*

Aren: *gathers sticks and builds a fire, then pulls his hunted deer from the edge of the woods*

Trevelian: *crosses the river silently and sits thoughtfully on the near bank*

Alexis: I beg your pardon that I cannot greet you properly. *gestures to her broken right arm and the deep gash on her shoulder* *grasps one of Maf's hands with her left in a firm grip* *smiles gently and nods in return to Faolan*

Skylar: (@Raczr) She's on her side. The ropes pulled her legs out from under her in the same direction. (@Shawn) Oh, yes. *holds her arms tightly*

Seymour: I apologize. [Blocks Gavin's slice and twists to the side, ramming the side of his staff into Gavin's back] If ramming the end of a staff into your ribs causes you to falter, you must toughen up. I don't mean that offensively, but there are worse things than getting wood to a rib.

Rowen: [Shakes the dripping water off] Thank you. Although I feel as if I left a lung or two back there.

Mordir: I am sometimes. Nobody's perfect. [Yanks his arm backward, hoping to bring Ashrai with him] I won't be taken down by some cat.

Chayn: I-

Me: No.

Chayn: [Rumbles] They'll hurt her!

Me: Her author has it covered. This your development.

Chayn: I don't need development!!!

Me: Yeah you do.

Rune: You're going to have one unhappy dragon.

Me: I know, but she'll.... err, live.

Chayn: [Thrashes her tail, sending up dirt]

Tynx: Hey, you mind?

Aelynn: [Watches Amos, fascinated]

Gavin: *stumbles* Really? My back? Can't you hit a non-sensitive place?? *stabs at Seymour's chest*

Me: You have...no idea what you are doing...

Gavin: And whose fault is that?

Me: Yours...actually. Not my fault you don't nave any fighting skills.

Gavin: Yeah, it is your fault!

Fallen: Messed up? Excuse me?

Shawn: *struggles and arches her back, trying to get free* "No! Don't hurt Chayn!"

Jay: "Gah!"

Me: "Finish your story."

Jay: *makes a face of desperation* "You'll be okay, Alli. Sara ran up to the merry-go-round, which was being run by Shawn. We were, ah, working together.

'Jayson... trouble... bad guy...' she gasped.

'What?'

'Jayson and I... got captured... by a guy named Muffin... He's still... back there.'

Shawn stood still, then motioned a girl over to take her place. 'Stay here!' she yelled as she ran towards the Ferris wheel."

Me: *ignores guilty feelings*

Jay: *looks at Thysal* "I'm wrapping it up, and then maybe we can-"

Raczr: "I will not making any promises. My task is to take care of you." *cautiously moves closer to Chayn*

Shawn: "NO!"

Pirzak: *sneer*

Alianna: *giggles* Is Shawn your girlyfriend? *sings* Shawn and Jay sitting in a tree-

Me: How do you know these things?! You're nine!

Alianna: Ten!

Me: Nine!

Alianna: Ten!

Me: Nine and a half, happy?

Alianna: Mm....better.

Jay: "Nooooooooo... I wouldn't put it that way."

Shawn: *ignores the comment, being rather busy*

Jay: *cough* "Shawn went off to 'go get the cavalry', leaving poor Sara to worry what was going on. As for me, I was trying not to get carried off in a helicopter."

Alianna: So....is she your wife then?

Me: *thwacks Alianna*

Alianna: Ow! *lips quivers* Dat hurts!

Me: *grins*

Alianna: *goes back to paying attention to story*

Tornado: Auuuuggggghhhh! I detest these ads!!!!!!! Worthless, too darned long reviews of a worthless cereal!


Chester: Uh...

Hurricane: It may be that you detest it Tornado, but still, remember whose side you're on.

Skylar: (@Shawn) Oh, we won't hurt her. She won't feel a thing....she'll be dead.

Seymour: [sidesteps, but gets cut. He twirls the staff and lands the end of it against Gavin's shoulder] I could.

Me: Friendly duel, Seymour, not a sword fighting lesson.

Rune: He can't help it. He's taken the boy under his wing.

Me: Yeah, it sometimes looks like a Reepicheep/Eustace relationship, almost... sometimes.

Mordir: Way to be definite.

Tynx: Yeah, messed up. You know, like being all weird and 'I'm going take over the world' kind of attitude.

Chayn: [Snarls slightly, but lies still, worn out.] Careful, my ghost might come back to haunt you.

Me: [Is a little excited with the suspense]

Cassie: Aris-

Me: No.

Cassie: [Looks at Tornado] What ads?

Rowen: [Notices Chayn's predicament] Sister-

Me: No. You people stay put.

Rune: She'll die!

Me: [Looks at Rune]

Rune: [Says nothing, but looks angry]

Mordir: Hey, now I won't be acused of being angry at the author.

Me: Don't hold your breath.

Gavin: *grins* *blocks staff with his sword then kicks Seymour's chest*

Me: How does one win a friendly duel? I'm only acquainted with duels that end after death.

Brian: *cough* Overly violent *cough*

Fallen: There's nothing "messed up" about seeking dominance.

Thysal - (Shifts restlessly) Well, hurry up with that story and see if you can move, bud. (Watches, and then growls) Have I mentioned my feelings about Pirzak lately?

Zanya - (Pats Rowen's shoulder) Just catch your breath. You can't help Chayn in your condition. (Thinks, her eyes narrowing) Although, there's no reason that I can't . . .

Me - (headdesk)

Sumira - Don't hurt yourself.

Me - My characters are so headstrong and impulsive!

Sumira - Like their author.

Me - (Glares) You're no help.

Sumira - Lighten up. Focus on something else, like . . . Ashrai for example.

Ashrai - (Leaps forward, shoving Mordir so that they both fall from the rafter)

Me -

Sumira - Maybe that was a bad idea.

Niarah - Ya think?

Me - Niarah, you're my signature charrie right now. Go do something productive which doesn't involve the art of warfare.

Niarah - But Ashrai is . . .

Me - Going to die. Yes, I know.

Niarah - (Heaves a sigh and walks off)

Me - I love Hurricane's and Tornado's names, Dri.

Rahor - (Goes over to Dri's characters) Hello, there. What sort of creatures are you again?

Niarah - I love your tact, brother.

Me - Niarah Amythar, you are acting incredibly obnoxious today . . .

Thysal - You make it sound as if that's a rarity.