A/N: Hello, again! Yeah, I'm horrible about updating, but like I said in my profile, as soon as I finsh CSWDT and MA, I will devote all my creative energies to this fic. It took four months, but I finally found a main plot. (And there was much rejoicing...). This chapter is really short, but another chapter (alas, also really short) will be posted immediately afterward.
Thank you Raisu, loVsicK, VenusPrincess, Fireheart, shell (maybe to all of your requests), ashley, abc's (The Immortals should be updated within a week or two), Mystica, Eccentricity is Me, Nuriko No Tenshi, little hecate (Either or both Bill and Seamus will appear in Chapter 16. Promise!) MiniMe, Just Someone, Silent Stalker, Maharet, TanisaFyre, Minna, Mary, Kit Cloudkicker, Khyie, ClarKeRaVen, Cat Samwise, Silverfox, Redhawk (more Ron and/or Neville soon...chapter 17 or 18), Cassie!, coriander, Lady Aquila, Obake, Fleur Rochard, Scratches,Krissy and Rehanna (when do you get more? How about next week?)
At last, the ending to our duel!
***
"C'mon, wake up," a good-natured voice said.
"He's dead. And his weary soul will trudge the path of life no longer," sighed a deep female voice.
"Oh, come off it," scoffed the first voice. "Who ever heard of death by washable marker? Calligraphy pens maybe. Those things are sharp." Complication opened his eyes. Everything was blurry at first, but quickly became focused. He saw that two new faces had been added to their group and like everyone else, they appeared concerned. He knew those faces.
"Humor? Angst?" he said groggily.
"At your service. Well, the author's service actually," Angst replied, tossing her long multicolored hair.
"What are you doing here?" Complication asked.
"You didn't think we were going to let you two kill each other, did you?" Humor inquired, helping Complication to his feet. Complication looked around.
"Where's- oh," he said spying Pointlessness.
"Yeah, 'oh'," Pointlessness echoed.
"You're alive," Complication said flatly.
"How astute," murmured Humor.
"I could say the same for you."
"Technically, neither of you are alive," Order said. "You don't qualify as organisms since you don't eat or grow or reproduce independently of the author."
"My sister, the little ray of sunshine," Complete Chaos sighed.
"You both are not dead, how about that?" Depth offered.
"Actually, they can't be dead if they were never really alive," Confusion mused.
"See what you started?" Complete Chaos whined.
"So we're what? Puppets here for the joy and amusement of others?" Angst asked.
"I know it's difficult, but can you be a smidge more upbeat?" Humor requested.
"Are you ready to continue?" Pointlessness inquired of Complication.
"I think so," Complication said, rising.
"What are you doing?" Depth asked.
"Don't pretend you care," Plot mumbled.
"Of course I care!" She grabbed Complication's arm. "Please. Don't do this. He insults me all the time. It's really not worth you getting killed over."
"Yeah, don't you think you're being a bit ridiculous? You both nearly killed each other. Take it as a sign that both of you were in the wrong and need to apologize," Complete Chaos advised.
"Are you agreeing with *her*?" Pointlessness asked incredulously.
"Yes, since I don't particularly fancy the idea of you getting killed."
"And as much as I hate to admit it, I don't want you dead either," Depth confessed to Complication.
"Now that we've wormed a semi-confession of affection from the ice princess can we put the swords down, gentlemen?" Humor asked. Pointlessness and Complication acquiesced, laying down their weapons.
"Thank you," Depth said, offering Complication her hand.
"It was nothing," Complication said, smiling.
"You know, you're kind of cute when you're not drooling," Depth giggled.
"Shoot me now," Pointlessness muttered.
"Not a chance," Complete Chaos said, resting his head on Pointlessness' shoulder.
"Oh, how unrelentingly sappy," Angst complained.
"What's the name of our publisher? Harlequin?" asked Humor.
"We don't have a publisher," Trouble said.
"Good. What editor would be crazy enough to take this lot on anyway?" Humor responded.
"What author would be crazy enough to take on this lot?" Confusion asked. They all turned to stare at a small figure on the horizon hunched over a keyboard. " I should know better than to ask," he muttered, shaking his head.
***
Race you to the next chapter! But review first, k?
Thank you Raisu, loVsicK, VenusPrincess, Fireheart, shell (maybe to all of your requests), ashley, abc's (The Immortals should be updated within a week or two), Mystica, Eccentricity is Me, Nuriko No Tenshi, little hecate (Either or both Bill and Seamus will appear in Chapter 16. Promise!) MiniMe, Just Someone, Silent Stalker, Maharet, TanisaFyre, Minna, Mary, Kit Cloudkicker, Khyie, ClarKeRaVen, Cat Samwise, Silverfox, Redhawk (more Ron and/or Neville soon...chapter 17 or 18), Cassie!, coriander, Lady Aquila, Obake, Fleur Rochard, Scratches,Krissy and Rehanna (when do you get more? How about next week?)
At last, the ending to our duel!
***
"C'mon, wake up," a good-natured voice said.
"He's dead. And his weary soul will trudge the path of life no longer," sighed a deep female voice.
"Oh, come off it," scoffed the first voice. "Who ever heard of death by washable marker? Calligraphy pens maybe. Those things are sharp." Complication opened his eyes. Everything was blurry at first, but quickly became focused. He saw that two new faces had been added to their group and like everyone else, they appeared concerned. He knew those faces.
"Humor? Angst?" he said groggily.
"At your service. Well, the author's service actually," Angst replied, tossing her long multicolored hair.
"What are you doing here?" Complication asked.
"You didn't think we were going to let you two kill each other, did you?" Humor inquired, helping Complication to his feet. Complication looked around.
"Where's- oh," he said spying Pointlessness.
"Yeah, 'oh'," Pointlessness echoed.
"You're alive," Complication said flatly.
"How astute," murmured Humor.
"I could say the same for you."
"Technically, neither of you are alive," Order said. "You don't qualify as organisms since you don't eat or grow or reproduce independently of the author."
"My sister, the little ray of sunshine," Complete Chaos sighed.
"You both are not dead, how about that?" Depth offered.
"Actually, they can't be dead if they were never really alive," Confusion mused.
"See what you started?" Complete Chaos whined.
"So we're what? Puppets here for the joy and amusement of others?" Angst asked.
"I know it's difficult, but can you be a smidge more upbeat?" Humor requested.
"Are you ready to continue?" Pointlessness inquired of Complication.
"I think so," Complication said, rising.
"What are you doing?" Depth asked.
"Don't pretend you care," Plot mumbled.
"Of course I care!" She grabbed Complication's arm. "Please. Don't do this. He insults me all the time. It's really not worth you getting killed over."
"Yeah, don't you think you're being a bit ridiculous? You both nearly killed each other. Take it as a sign that both of you were in the wrong and need to apologize," Complete Chaos advised.
"Are you agreeing with *her*?" Pointlessness asked incredulously.
"Yes, since I don't particularly fancy the idea of you getting killed."
"And as much as I hate to admit it, I don't want you dead either," Depth confessed to Complication.
"Now that we've wormed a semi-confession of affection from the ice princess can we put the swords down, gentlemen?" Humor asked. Pointlessness and Complication acquiesced, laying down their weapons.
"Thank you," Depth said, offering Complication her hand.
"It was nothing," Complication said, smiling.
"You know, you're kind of cute when you're not drooling," Depth giggled.
"Shoot me now," Pointlessness muttered.
"Not a chance," Complete Chaos said, resting his head on Pointlessness' shoulder.
"Oh, how unrelentingly sappy," Angst complained.
"What's the name of our publisher? Harlequin?" asked Humor.
"We don't have a publisher," Trouble said.
"Good. What editor would be crazy enough to take this lot on anyway?" Humor responded.
"What author would be crazy enough to take on this lot?" Confusion asked. They all turned to stare at a small figure on the horizon hunched over a keyboard. " I should know better than to ask," he muttered, shaking his head.
***
Race you to the next chapter! But review first, k?