Max: Ha! Neither of you can beat me! *lets go of Celia and Zach and sprints off*
Celia: Oh, Max.
Zach: Max indeed. *takes Celia's hand* Come on, I think Short's hole is just through this stretch of forest.
Me: It is indeed! (Thanks, Zach!)
Zach:
Celia: We're almost there!

Geo: *runs after Max* Yeah Tynx, I'm good!

Max: *runs up a hill, then trips over a chimney* Ouch. Who put a chimney there?
Me: That's my hobbit-hole, Maxy.
Celia: You okay?
Max: Pssh. 'Course.
Zach: This is where you live, Elizabeth?
Me: This is one of the many places I wish I lived. *opens round door* Welcome to my humble abode! Care for a drink? Or maybe some food, I suppose we haven't eaten in a while...
Celia: Sure! But why did the instructions lead us here?
Me: I... don't know...

Dawn: Something doesn't smell right... and it's not just Geo...

Geo:

Dawn: Just messing with you kid. But seriously though, something's wierd about this...

Jaimie: * laughs * "Max, are you okay?"

Me: "Playing with Tynx is like therapy." ^^

Tynx: Gah! Being left behind! [Dashes off, yapping loudly]

Me: He's so weird.

Tynx: [Nearly gets his head stuck in the chimney] Oh, sweet! A hobbit-hole!

Me: [To Shawn] I'm so quoting that.

Me: Something IS fishy... *sniffs* Seriously, it smells like fish. *Leads the others into a wide entry area* May I take your coats? *hangs coats on coatstand that resembles a tree made of iron, then heads for the kitchen* Does anyone else smell that?
Max: Phew! It stinks!
Celia: Did you forget you bought fish, Elizabeth?
Me: Maybe... I don't know, I've never let fish rot before. *cautiously opens kitchen door and peeks in*
*faintly green-tinted fog leaks from the door*
Me: *faints*
Zach: *catches Elizabeth*
Celia: Oh great. What do we do without her?
Max: Heh, all the authors are dropping like flies...
Zach: This can't be good. What are we going to do without them?!
Max: Let's get them outside./ This fog seems to affect them and not us, for whatever reason... *picks up Misty*
Celia: *drags Shawn*
Zach/Max/Celia: *come back for Manda, Aris, Elanhil, and the others whose names have been forgotten*
Zach: What do you think was in there, being protected by the fog?
Celia: And why doesn't it affect us? It only affected the "Me"s.
Max: Well, looks like we'll just have to let them sleep it off. Let's go back in there and find out, shall we?

(If this isn't okay with y'all, by the way, just say so. I thought it would be fun to see how our characters fare without us. )

(I like it. )

Geo: *pokes my face* She looks weird when she sleeps. *continues poking* And kinda funny.

Jay: Quit that; it's weird...

Dawn: Maybe we should investigate the fridge, since it doesn't seem to have any affect on fictional characters...

Me: * grins at Aris * "Glad you like it." * faints *

Jaimie:

Me: "No, give it back!!!"

Jaimie: "My Authoress sleep-talks???"

Tynx: [Squeaks in horror] Aris. [Pokes my face] She's out cold. Did she die?! Oh no, she can't die!

( )

( )

Jaimie: "Tynx, Tynx, calm down!" * hugs the fuzzy little fox * "Just calm down, okay? She's sleeping, sort of."

Me: *snores*
Max: Yeah, let's go back in. *leads the way* Cel, stay out here and try to keep the other characters calm...
Celia: What? Me?!
Zach: It's a good idea, Cel. And a very important job. *nods* I mean, just look at that fox guy. He's beside himself.
Celia: Oh, all right. Be careful.
Zach: Always. *marches back into the hobbit-hole with Max and the others*
Celia: *shakes me* Wake up, you!
Me: Impolitzzz...peoplzzzzz... *SNORE*
Celia: She talks in her sleep too, apparently.

[Inside]

Max: *shoves past Geo and flings kitchen door wide* Now! What on earth is this fishyness all about?
Zach: Fishyness? I thought better of your vocabulary, Max. *shakes head*
Max: YOU KNOW WHAT?
Zach: No, what? *pokes dangly pretty thing hanging from ceiling*
Max: ANYWAY... *opens fridge* What's this?
Zach: It's definitely not a fridge... *sticks hand in* It's water... And it's all dark.
Max: It's vertical. Has the gravity in Liz's fridge been altered?
Zach: Looks like a portal of some kind... *opens freezer* And look! *pulls out scuba masks and tanks* There sure are a lot of these... Enough for all of us, in fact. How did they all fit... Never mind, I don't even want to think about it. It's making my head spin.
Max: And the vertical water is not? Let's go in!
Zach: Wait! Don't you think we should investigate a little more first? Where do you suppose the smell is coming from?
Max: *looks around* *opens pantry* Whoa!
Zach: Ack!

Viarri & Htogarh: - follows into hobbit hole -

Htogarh: - peers at vertical water -

Viarri: - pokes water - Hmmmm... - takes out sword and slices through water - - sword is yanked from her grasp and disappears into the murky water - - yelps - - dives in after sword and disappears as well -

Htogarh: Viiiiiaaaarriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!! - looks around for something long to stick in after her - - picks up old walking stick and pokes it into the water only to have it pulled from his grasp and vanish into the water -

Sapphire: - enters just as Viarri disappears -

Htogarh: - is about to dive in after Viarri -

Sapphire: NO!! No use diving in and probably getting yourself killed.

Htogarh: But- but- but Viarri is in there!

Sapphire: If Viarri is not dead, then you diving blindly in, will not help her in the least. If you do not die, you will only become as helpless as she, if she is indeed helpless. Let's wait a little while and scheme and then maybe Viarri will find a way out.

Htogarh: - hesitates - - sighs - Oh, very well...

Max: What is that?!
Zach: It's a big, fat, dead, rotten fish, apparently.
Max: Wait, what is this in its mouth? *takes out a waterproofed piece of paper* "You will never find what you are looking for unless you go to my home. I have created a portal for you, and am writing this note in case you do not arrive in time. Remember..."
Zach: Yes?
Max: That's all it says.
*Viarri comes in... Viarri disappears into water thingy*
Max: Viarri! *grabs two of the scuba tanks* Someone has to give this to her. *straps one on*
Zach: It's too dangerous, Max. We don't know what's in there.
Max: Well, I guess we'll find out, won't we? *jumps into watery stuff*

Jaimie: * makes a face at the fish * "Yech. Okay, this is obviously a bad idea. The fish died, and it's supposed to live in water! People aren't supposed to live in water."

Klasina: This is getting odder by the moment... and Manda's missed two pages again.

Me: ...

Klasina: No reaction? That's right, you're sleeping. You can't hurt us!

Me: I wanted to come too...

Klasina: Apparently all the authors sleep talk.

Kitty: I doesn't like water! *hides behind Tynx*

Tynx: [Sniffs] So, she's not dead?

Me: [Starts snoring lightly]

Tynx: Oh goodness. Nope, she ain't dead! It's all good! [Follow cautiously into the hobbit-hole] Well, who wants to jump in a black vertical water first? Should we take our authors, or leave them?

Zach: Well, considering they can't swim if they're asleep... *straps a mask onto Tynx*

Geo: *puts on equipment as well* *holds a pair out for Dawn* Let's go!

Me: The gorrila took my popcorn, mommy...

Geo: Yeah... what you said... *jumps in*

Dawn: Come on everyone! *dives in*

Tynx: [Snorts in surprise and paws at the mask] So I'm set? [Sniffs vertical water]

Me: He took my socks....

Tynx: Oookay.

*starts laughing hysterically*

*continues crazy giggling*

>outside<
Me: Whazfunny..? Pass the buttered popsicle...
Celia: Oh dear.

>in kitchen<
Zach: *grabs dead fish* What? We might need it. You never know. *jumps into water*

>in watery weirdness<
The greenish-blue water is dark and murky, but there is enough light shining from ahead to see the ocean floor. It is bare, nary a bit of seaweed to be found. Characters find that they are able to walk on the bottom. Max can be seen up ahead with Viarri; she has evidently just given her the mask.
Suddenly the characters realize they can hear each other.

Max: Hey guys! there seems to be a communications system built in to our masks.
Zach: This is weird... This is very weird...

Me: "You're just a voice! You can't even wear socks!"

Jaimie: "A Month of the Novel quote? Really?"

Me: "Mine! MypenmypenmypenmypenIlovemypen... My pen."

Jaimie: "Can I have a mask? And we might need our author at some point..."

Tynx: Well, I guess they can catch up. You know how they have those creepy author powers [Pokes me, but jumps backward with a yelp of alarm when I swing my arm at him. He trips and falls into the water] Oh that's weird! [Tests his weight on the surface] So weird...

Dawn: You say it as if something we've done had been normal. *lands on the ocean floor*

Jay: *decides to stay behind with Celia and guard his author's body as well*

Charlotte: *puts on equipment with a bored look on her face* *hops into the fridge and sinks down to join the others*

Geo: *starts rapidly swimming forward* The water's pretty thick...

Kitty: *stands by edge of the water, to terrified to get in*

Klasina: Tynx is... on top of the water? *follows everyone else in, leaving Kitty alone*

Me: All the pretty flying elvessssssss......... Precioussssss......

Jaimie: "Huh." * pokes the top of the water * "It's sort of like Jell-O for me..."

Me: "Give it back, David! That's MY author!"

Jaimie:

Tynx: [looks down at his paws] I don't think I'm standing on it. I don't know what I'm doing, exactly.

Me: I.... nah....

Tynx: Wow, my author's pretty boring when it comes to sleeptalking.

Me: "Nooooooo! Not Flynn too!"

Jaimie: * gingerly climbs on top of the water * * wobbles * "Weird..."

Me: * half-singing * "That was a green umbrella, so long ago..."

Jaimie: "I think our authors will scare off any creatures in the area..."

Jay: @Celia: So... you're author's one of the psychotic ones too, huh?

Me: *sings* There was an old woman who swallowed a fly...

Jay: *puts foot over my mouth* Hearing her sing is very unpleasant.

Geo: *catches up to Max* Where do you think we're supposed to go?

Dawn: Also, do you suppose there's an end to this Jello-y water?

Jaimie: "No idea. It seems to work differently for different people, though."

Me: "Hey, you might hit the gopher on the head... It takes 6 muscles to shoot an arrow off an apple treeeeee..."

Jaimie: "Stop. Singing."

Me: "Yes ma'am. I'll do it." * rolls over * "That was some trip!"

Klasina: Okay... so who so far has fallen into the 'water' and who's still on top?

Kitty: *gingerly steps into the water* *falls to the bottom*

Klasina: I'm on top, Kitty's who-knows-where....

Kitty: *voice distorted* There ish fissssshhhh!

Me: We wants it.... we musts have it! Nasty Bagginses, they stoles our Preciousssss!

Klasina: Also, does anyone have any duct tape?

Authors are asleep outside on the front lawn. All characters except Celia and Jay have gone into the water, I believe.
I don't know what to do next...

Me: Troll...stole my left sock...Uncle!
Celia: Oh dear. *pokes my face* Be quiet.
Me: Cream... ice...cone...No! Put the ham back on the horse!

You guys, the water is vertical, like a wall. I don't think you can stand on it. You walk in and you find yourself standing on the ocean floor. Just to clarify.

Jaimie: "It does?" * falls off into the ocean *

Me: "Not all who salad are tossed... One does not simply toss into..." Zzzz..

Tynx: Where does this lead? [Paws at his mask] How can you humans stand this thing?

LOLROFLMBO!!!
Anyway...

The characters walk on through the water toward the light, and finally break out of another vertical water-wall into...

Jaimie: * trips and falls over a stone, blinking from the light * "What is this place?" * blinks *

Me: (All credit for that quote to Owl City, by the way, NotThat.)

Tynx: [Squints in the bright light] Whoa....

*The adventurers find themselves standing at the threshold of a city. The buildings are tall, all inlaid with gold and other jewels. The streets are polished marble. It appears to be a city of great wealth, but there's only one problem:

There's no one here.*

Me: Feel free, any of you, to change this if you wish.

I'll go with it! But I'm too tired from my night shift to actually write anything right now... I'll come back later.

Dawn: I don't like this...

Geo: I do! *swims towards city*

Charlotte: Isn't it a tad suspicious that no one is here?

Dawn: My thoughts exactly.

Cat-Dragon: GOLD!!!

Klasina: Didn't Manda kick you out?

Cat-Dragon: GOLD!!!

Klasina: *headdesk*

Me: *would make some hopefully witty remark but is still asleep far away from the characters*

Kitty: *bounces along* Definitely weird that there's no one here. A place so pretty should have people. Maybe they all went on a picnic!

Klasina: All at the same time.

Kitty: Yup!

Klasina: *headdesk*

Kitty: Do you have any more sensible ideas?

Klasina: ...not really.....

Tynx: Maybe they have some kind of big festival or something. Lets go see! [Runs forward]

* reads through the entire thread in one afternoon, editing as she goes *

* comes to the end *

Cool!

I like Tynx.

* disappears *

Jay: I wonder how they're doing... also, how long do you think we'll be here, Celia?

Geo: *swings arms around once he reaches the city to make sure there are no barriers* We're good!

Charlotte: *catches up with Dawn at her side* *starts to inspect the outside of the buildings* I'm serious everyone. We should leave.

Dawn: They're not gonna listen. Just go along with it.

Kitty: *runs backwards* This is waaaaaaaay too much fun to even think about leav- ow! *ran into something*

Klasina: *snickers* That'll teach ya to watch where you're going.

Kitty: *glares at Klasi and turns around* What is that thing? *points to large statue/monument that she ran into.* [It's about thirty feet tall, looks like it's made out of stone, has the body of a reptile, complete with scales, but feathery wings, and bird-like head and talons.]

Tynx: That's a big bird. [Sniffs statue, then shivers and backs up] Too many memories... [Peers up at the statue] What's it for? Do the people who live here worship it?

Kitty: *shrug* I don't know.

Klasina: Let's keep looking for people, then, maybe we can ask someone.

*Klasina and Kitty go on. The statue's head turns to watch them when no one is looking at it*

[apparently I did not post this two days ago when I thought I did... *headdesk*]

Me: "What happened?"

Jaimie: "Seconded."

Klasina: *spots a boy (fifteen maybe?) sneaking down an alley* Hey, wait! *runs after him*

Kitty: *headdesk* That girl knows nothing of catching people. *shifts into a large cat and joins the chase*

Me: @SH - We found a big statue and it moved when nobody was looking at it. I'm letting ya'll decide what it is.

Jaimie: "DON'T BLINK!!!!"

(That was for my benefit, wasn't it? As if my eyes aren't tired from Rome...)

Jaimie: * sighs and chases after Klasi * "Wait up!"