I was in the conference room sitting in a chair. The sterile, clean banality of this setting did contrast rather starkly with the bloody corpse strewn battlefield. I hated the realization that I preferred the battlefield to this place. I worried that was intentional. As uncomfortable and disempowering as it was to be surrounded by Narrators deciding what happened in my life, I was in the room and could raise my voice. As small as it was, I had some influence here.

That's how they get you, participate in the system, or be excluded.

Spine was on my left. He shouted in rage and terror and stabbed the table in front of him. He blinked, "Wait! I need to get back. There was a spider! It was gonna get to the bus! It was gonna get to Janky!"

"Time is stopped there,' Celeste said soothingly from my right.

"I need to-" Spine tried to stand.

I put a hand on his shoulder. "We're with you. Stay as calm as you can, and be ready when you go back."

Spine grabbed his dagger. He had to wrench it out of the wood of the table.

"Pussy," Grond spat. He was sitting there across from us. His face was covered in nicks and cuts that openly trickled blood. A massive hole in his stomach poured gore down his front. He held a hand over the wound and was struggling to breath.

Shouldn't there be Narrators here? No, they were letting us stew. They knew we would wind each other up. Then after things got off the rails, they could step in and tell us what was gonna happen. Divide and distract.

When I didn't respond to his bait, Grond pressed again, "What's the matter you big bitch, can't think of a comeback?"

"I was just giving Celeste first response, since she kicked you ass up and down the sky," I told Grond.

"Was that supposed to be a barb to trade?" Celeste asked. She shook her head, "That just seems to be how you talk. Bitch, is basically punctuation for you. Insults are meant to attack someone's weak spots. You aren't aimed at the right targets. Would you like to try again?"

"Eat shit and die you angelic cunt!" Grond spat.

Celeste tilted her head side to side considering, "Better. That was clearly an insult, but again that didn't hurt my feelings at all. There are things beyond curse words and genitalia, Grond. If you can't tailor your verbal attack to a target, you just come across as insecure."

Grond scoffed. In doing so he spat blood on the table. "If your so smart than show me what you got, you fucking uppity glowstick."

"Oh, I don't punch down," Celeste explained. Apparently, one of her parents had sat celeste down as a child and told her: if you can't say something nice, say something brutal, witty, and devastating.

"Yeah I don't care," Wilson said. He had appeared out of nowhere and grabbed a chair at the head of the table, "If it isn't about the obvious threat of cancelation, don't bring it up."

"That's bullshit!" Lindsey yelled as she stepped into view opposite Wilson and slammed her hands on the table. The traffic cone she still had as a hat fell off. After scooping it back up and placing it on her head she continued "You are leveraging this threat of cancellation to grab more control over my stories!"

"Cancelation is a real threat," Denise said, appearing behind me. She scurried past Celeste and sat next to Wilson. "It may be too late to stop. We may have to go into a full stall tactics so we can prepare for the inevitable."

"Says you, the spineless ass kisser," Lindsey spat. She had to grab her hat to stop it from falling off.

"Cancellation is a real threat," Grace proclaimed. She stepped into existence and took the chair opposite Wilson.

"Yes ma'am," Lindsey agreed immediately. She sat on Grond's side of the table, but stayed far away from him, a whole chair between them.

"Yeah, we need to really pull together here, or else a showrunner is gonna step in," Marge added. She had manifest from nowhere. She took a puff from her massive blunt and exhaled a cloud. "Mr. Smith is not fun to work with."

"No kidding," Brandon sighed. He stepped into view looking beat up. That isn't a statement on his overall vibe. Someone had kicked dozens of times. He had footprints on his muddy clothes, "I had a incident with a landmine in one of my stories-"

When Brandon glanced over to WIlson. Wilson grinned maliciously, "Told ya."

"- He really tore into me," Brandon finished. He sat down next to Grond.

"Get the fuck away from me," Grond growled. Brandon hopped out the chair and moved two chairs down and sat next to Denise.

Lindsey stared at him. Brandon shrugged, nervously.

"Flirt later kids," Wilson spoke before anyone else could continue with awkward bullshit. "We are here for one reason. Resolving this fight."

"You mean killing Grond," Lindsey accused.

"You can't kill me," Grond spoke up.

"We absolutely can," Grace watched Grond coldly.

"But we shouldn't," Lindsey added sounding a little desperate.

Grace shot her a sidelong look before turning to Wilson, "What do you want."

Wilson grinned maliciously, "I just want us to follow the rules here."

"Hell no," Lindsey almost shouted.

"I don't think that is a good idea either," Brandon added.

"You could have stopped that sentence after think," Marge pointed out.

"Let's make a list of things that need to occur, and establish a priority list," Denise suggested. She stood and an aisle with a large notepad appeared. She then wrote: Rule Continuity

"Brand's survival," Brandon said. "I need him whole and healthy to get the Mcguffin back to the Eternal Kingdom."

"Don't participate in this idiocy," Lindsey told Brandon.

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

"I don't want Celeste killing Grond," Grace spoke up. "We would have to alter the damage and then allow an action for Grond under the effects of the taunt. Have him battle the Titan Spawn."

"You want me to take a shot of him?" Grond asked. He seemed suspicious of Grace.

"Yes, you and the spawn fighting has pathos," Grace confirmed.

"Grond, and Angelica and Celeste had a hell of fight in the dungeon," I pointed.

Grace stared at me for a moment, "And?"

"They almost murdered each other and it was huge thing," I pointed out.

"No one cares," Lindsey snapped.

"I care," I stated loudly.

"Cuck," Grond muttered.

"Within your dipshit parlance it would be simp. Pay attention, Celeste can only help you so much," I told him. That stuck in his craw.

"Add it to the board Denise," Wilson cut in before Grond could retort. "What else?"

"We need to slow down on killing goblins. Between last night and this battle, they are down thirty-eight hundred. That's manageable, but most of it has been the mooks big'un there is gonna march into the tower. We lose too many more and the fight is gonna look silly."

"Boo fuckin' hoo. My heart bleeds," Grond taunted.

"Literally," Marge agreed. She exhaled a cloud of smoke in his face.

"Grond you gotta quit trying to fight these ladies in a war of words you're not good at it." I told him.

"Shut up. Are you trying to score wife guy points?" Lindsey spat.

"I get it Lindsey, you have never felt loved in your hateful existence so you lash out at everyone. So what is the next move: idle threat, infectual insult, or appeal to a superior to save face?" I taunted Lindsey. I felt a little bad doing that -it is shit behavior- but she was actively trying to kill me and was easy to wind-up into making mistakes.

"I will fuck you up!" Lindsey shrieked. The stupid cone hat fell off her head. She glared at me ignoring the hat.

I watched her impassively, "Idle threat. Seriously, take a shot right here, right now, or admit you never will. At this point I want to see you actually do something."

"Add that to the board Denise," Wilson said derailing Lindsey's rage. She gawked at Wilson as Denise wrote down Doug V Lindsey fist fight.

"You can stop wearing the hat now," Wilson added beaming.

"How does that work with our agreement?" I asked Wilson. He had given me one free shot at a Narrator. I was less than enthused in walking into a situation where I could only punch back once.

Wilson's grin sharpened and spoke in that neutral near monotone when he was being serious and/or extremely evil, "This will be separate. We will have to maintain continuity so no damage, but that means you can do whatever you want."

"What deal?" Grace demanded.

"Don't worry about it," Wilson said back to his easy charm, "Just a little handshake agreement, no need to write it down. Right Doug?"

"Yeah, sure," I watched Grace as she turned from me to Wilson.

Grace shook her head. She was a little worried.

"I want something, if big, dumb, and stupid looking get something," Grond spoke up.

"This isn't exactly the best time to make demands, We have to plot out the best path for everyone," Denise tried to explain.

"Suck my dick," Grond counter. "You and everyone like you are doing what's best for you at my expense. So suck my cock."

Denise blinked, not processing what she just heard, "What? Ew, no," Denise stepped further from him.

"Oh so he gets preferential treatment, and you expect me to just follow your dictates?" Grond demanded. "That's unequal treatment."

"He has a point. Collaboration is our best path for high Scale players," Brandon pointed out.

Wilson shrugged, "If you feel so strongly about it you can give Grond head." He turned to Denise, "Write that down." he turned back to the rest of us and drummed his hands on the table, "That is probably gonna have to say behind the scenes folks,"

"Agreed," Grace said.

"What?" Lindsey and Brandon shouted in unison.

This is how the committee that determined who lived and died operated. No wonder the world was fucked.

"No! No gay shit!" Grond shouted.

"Let me get this straight, Genocide is fine, but homoeroticism is where you draw the line?" Celeste asked. It was a question but it was basically rhetorical.

"Yeah, and I am not apologizing," Grond spat back. After a beat he added, "Bitch."

"Let's table the sodomy talk for now and focus on resolving this conflict," Grace spoke up. "Denise, add Doug and Grond fight to the list."

Denise looked to Wilson. After he nodded she added that to the list. Grond, who clearly did not know sodomy meant head and buttstuff, looked profoundly concerned for a moment before silently glaring at Brandon. Brandon nudged his chair slightly further from Grond.

"Could we add me killing the spider and keeping the bus full of children safe to the list," Spine asked.

"He has the juice to take one out but there are seven more big mobs in the immediate area. We could use that to pull the angel out of the fight with Grond. She can absolutely take those by the bus and mop up a bunch of the others. That frees things up for Grace's big man wrestling match."

"Just so long as Brand stays out of the mix," Brandon added.

"He is currently pact bound to protect Aiko. Brand won't interfere, and logistically he is unlikely to provide any meaningful force in that fight." Denise pointed out.

Everyone looked at Celeste.

Wilson grinned, "What will it be, Angel, will you kill that foul mouth friend of yours or stop a bunch of helpless men, women and children from dying."

Celeste looked to me.

"I'll manage," I told her.

"I am going to fucking kill you," Grond snarled.

"What about the Titan?" Lindsey asked.

"Hey, an actually smart question?" Wilson cheered. "Good job." He grew slightly more serious, "The Titan is probably going to do whatever he wants. Lucky for Grond, the Titan's focus is pulled to the Atlantic Ocean. Cole is having a time, and the big goon has a soft spot for his grandkids."

"So just to be clear, no Wrath of the Titan?" Lindsey asked.

"I can't promise shit, but I wouldn't bet on it." Wilson smiled at Grond. "Shoot your shot."

Grond glared at me at me, "I am going to fucking kill you."

"I doubt that Grond," I told him, "They are setting you up to die."

Grond sneered at me, "Nah, you can talk big and bad all you want. " He spoke mockingly, "Today's the day you die." He spat another mouthful of blood, "You're not as smart as you think. I have a card up my sleeve. You're fucked."

This didn't feel like a bluff or bravado. I didn't care for it. I did keep my expression neutral, "Sure buddy."

Grond leered with blood soaked teeth. Apparently I wasn't going to goad him into tipping his hand any further.

"How does this factor into avoiding a possible cancelation event?" Grace asked Wilson.

Wilson gave everyone a shit eating grin before saying, "Grond, that idea you have been on the fence about, make the leap. Pivot hard. It is much smarter."

Lindsey and I exchanged a brief glance before both turning to Wilson. I did not like the sound of that. I didn't exactly feel betrayed, but seeing Wilson help Grond sure as hell wasn't a good thing.

"Why the hell are you advising my player," Lindsey yelled. "What are you talking about?"

"If you were doing your job, you would know," Wilson quipped. "You're lucky I stepped in to help you."

Before Lindsey could argue, Grace said, "Agreed."

Wilson looked at his wrist to make it obvious to everyone that he was not wearing a watch, "Welp look at the time. I would like to stay, but you all annoy me." he lowered his arm, "Unless you want to discuss Doug's Edge?"

Grond quit grinning.

"Not right now." Grace said.

"I would like to know about the Edges," I argued.

"Then level up," Grace said.

"Alright then, I will leave you and Lindsey here. Twenty minutes of fun time. Go nuts." Wilson said, looking at his wrist again.

"Twenty minutes?" Lindsey demanded. I could tell she knew that was a long time for a fist fight.

"Okay I am telling myself. I don't see the point of foreplay, we booked the room for an hour. Take the 40 minutes remaining."

"Hey, Doug-" Spine started but he and everyone but Lindsey vanished.

I hate Narrators. I hate them more than snow lions.

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