Monday, September 16, 2013

Happy Christmas (Tour is Over)

I thought the title of this entry was smart and funny, effectively conveying the relief at another tour being over and done with in a winning and whimsical manner. But how many of you are going to miss the John Lennon reference and just puzzle at the "Happy Christmas| part? Ah well. Too late now to go changing it.

So, another tour bites the dust. This was a fun one, lots of people turning up, lots of glares and scowls and cakes and pictures and fist-bumps and many, many moody looks into camera... All in a day's work, really. Thanks to everyone who came along — it was tiring but I had a blast.

And now I'm home, and it's time to get organised.

There's going to be some cool news coming your way over the next few weeks and months. Some of it will make you go "Cool!" and some of it will make you grin. Some of it, of course, will make you weep, as it's coming up to that time when I'll have to start plotting out Book Nine. Most of you will still be reeling from the events of LSODM, so you'll know not to trust me. For some reason, the tagline from the original Texas Chain Saw Massacre is floating through my head...

"Who will survive, and what will be left of them?"

The good news is, now that the pressure of editing and touring is off, I'll be able to get back to my regular (ahem) blogging and Twitter routine, so I should be chatting to you guys a little more often than I have been. Hopefully.

The fact is, I'm going to be incredibly busy for the next year. Want a brief rundown on what I have ahead of me?

1) Plot, write and finish Book Nine by March.

2) Work on Mystery Project 2.

3) Write 10 brand new short stories for the Skulduggery Collection out next Summer.

4) Work on Mystery Project 3.

5) Devise, plan and start writing New Book Series by September 2014.

6) Work on Mystery Project 4.


All that, and blog and tweet and play with my nieces. Oh, and my nephew.

Nephew, you say? But Golden God, you don't HAVE a nephew. I do now, gentle Minion. Born this afternoon, weighing in at over 9 pounds, Baby Skulduggery is now part of my Baby Army of Terror, and he is to be feared.

(Okay fine, my sister hasn't OFFICIALLY named him Baby Skulduggery, but come on... How could she NOT?)

4,949 comments:

  1. first comment!!!!


    oh and congrats derek

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  2. sorry i am second

    but first the worst second the best

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  3. I've never been first before. Thanks for bringing skulduggery into my life, Derek. You are epic.

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  4. So you've got all your nieces and nephews, then? So how many years is it until Serpine kills you for the Sceptre?


    I want the new series, but at the same time... I just want Skulduggery Pleasant...


    You're just going to make us cry in that one too, aren't you? I can feel it.

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  5. My brother thinks they should make a Skulduggery onesie.... Heh heh...

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  6. HE WAS ON HERE THREE MINUTES AGO, I SAW IT.

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  7. YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY NEPHEW! :)

    @Trip: :) Thanks, but I don't need a hug. :) Other people do.

    And - Adra, your plot is really interesting; I'm only ignoring it coz I'm not roleplaying.
    I'm not MEANT to be here at all, but A7X's songs keep speaking!!! :P

    #ChaseForBookNine

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  8. He's still here, laughing at our pain...

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  9. *runs under the tent side, going back towards the vortex, running faster and fast and-*
    *pauses, looking up at it*

    But.... *touches the side* But it's....
    *looks at the large circular structure, very empty of all light, dead. Broken*

    *steps through and lands on 1600's soil in a 1600's war- not modern day Tipperary*

    *sits down, looking up at it*

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  10. ((Derek you little shit get on here))

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  11. *dies* ROSE OMFG ANSWER 1 OMFG ROSE *dies laughing* I totes would too xD

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  12. We had a slight weapons malfunction... We're all fine, here, now. Thank you.

    How are you?

    #ChaseDorBook9

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  13. *leans up against the tree, looking at the huge metal structure*

    I don't want to wait 400 years to see him again...

    *buries her head in her hands* God and no one knows where I am.... No one even knows I'm gone...

    *curses*

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  14. Rose Derek said something in number 2 of my questions go read i slowly died laughing because I totes would to get to where i am


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  15. I've offered the golden god a Star Wars quote as a sacrifice. If the power of this offering doesn't summon him, he is lost.

    #ChaseForBook9

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  16. *Leo leans up against the same tree on the other side of Adra*

    Well... that's not entirely true.

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  17. ((OFFER HIM THE PRINCESS BRIDE))

    *pulls out a sheet of paper, beginning to write*

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  18. DEREK LANDY YOU GET YOUR IRISH SELF ON THIS COMMENTS SECTION OR I EXPLODE YOU AND DONT SAY YOU'lLL KILL ME OFF I HAVENT BEEN CONFIRMED TO EVEN BE IN BOOK 9

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  19. LEO *shrieks* HOW
    NO
    NO
    I DON'T EVEN WANT TO KNOW

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  20. Yay. New blog! omg New book series? oyus. Derek, if the 9th book is finished in march why make us wait till September? ;-;

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  21. *Leo shrugs*

    I'm a paranormal, one of a kind. Don't ask questions lol

    What are you doing Adra??

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  22. (How can I fit- GOT IT!)

    DAMN IT! It's a spoiler. Ummmmmmm.

    Got it.

    My name is Woody Roberts. You killed my favourite character, prepare to die.

    #ChaseDorBook9

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  23. Jesus.

    Jeeeeeesus *falls to her knees* Oh lord, you scared me half to death. *wipes her eyes* I went back in time, you idiot. What does this look like

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  24. ((*throws herself down the hill* AAAASSSSSS YOUUUUUU WIIIIISSSSHHHHHH))

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  25. I realise that you have gone back in time, hence why I'm bloody here rescuing your arse.

    But why have you come back Adra?

    This is not what I meant when I said you have to let them go...

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  26. btw i posted my fanfic chapter 2. please take a look ill go through all the grammar and spelling mistakes tomorrow. with that i bid you all a good night.

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  27. Aww! Congrats Derek, and to the new (or maybe not new?) parents!

    Remember what else you're supposed to be doing soon.

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  28. (*laughs)

    Come now Derek, we made offerings, grant us with a comment.

    Or a spell! Like in D&D!

    #ChaseForBook9

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  29. Hey! I was going to send a letter to 2013... Or something. *frowns* Excuse me for not being all-knowing, but you left in a rather rude manner.

    I don't suppose you know how to get back, then?

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  30. Heh, heh... *Smiles randomly* I feel stoned...

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  31. Maybe I do...

    Then again maybe I should leave your arse here in the 1600's and teach you not to attack Drew or the people who care about you...

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  32. *Hi ED!*

    ((DEREK YOU ARE WHO YOU CHOSE TO BE))

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  33. Well then! *sits down* Go right ahead. I'll die here and you get to tell them that you left me.

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  34. Ah, I can't wait for next year... I'm going to go murder Derek... And say that I'm me... That'll be awkward... IM SO EXCITED!!

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  35. On this day a year ago, "Louis" tweeted a fan (@skyleridk), saying "How's this , Larry is the biggest load of bullshit I've ever heard . I'm happy why can't you accept that ."
    We all know it was management. They made it too damn obvious.
    Louis doesn't put spaces in before the full stop.
    Louis doesn't say 'bullshit'. He says 'shite', because Niall got him into the habit, as stated by Louis in an interview.
    Louis was seen out with Harry that night, holding hands.

    *shrugs* I like Elounor. I get why people ship it. I just don't understand why people can be so blind.

    #ChaseForBook9

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  36. So um... How does this work...

    Almighty Derek. You know how Clerics pray to their deities for spells? Well, here I am. Now, I know how most clerics do a lot of healing, but I'm guessing your powers are more awesomeness based. So could I have some charm persons, some charm monsters, some charm animals and some sort of cool golden aura spell you surely have. Oh! And one that let's me rewrite the universe. Cheers, your devout follower, me.

    #ChaseForBook9

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  37. Okay then, it's a good thing I can alter Trip's spirit line, it'll be like you never met him, like a part of him never dies...

    I'm not playing anymore Adra. I will seriously do that and your behaviour yesterday is tempting me even more than usual.

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  38. Happy birthday, Baby Skulduggery :) x

    #ChaseForBook9

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  39. Man i hate to leave when you're talking about one of my favor movies... :( bye guys.

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  40. You know what? *gets up* It's probably for the best anyway. Since I'll be stuck here, save him the hurt. God knows he needs more of it.

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  41. hi trip, i have a dinosaur egg *places it on ground*

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  42. Ah. I just felt a jolt of adrenaline. I was in some way threatened. Great, that means it's someone I know.

    #ChaseForBook9

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  43. Happy birthday baby Skulduggery ;) Derek you must be an epic uncle! Omfg UNCLE DEREK WHY DID YOU KILL OFF MY FAVOURITE CHARACTER?

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  44. *Leo sighs*

    Will you cut all the pity party bullshit and come on... follow me.

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  45. I am not entirely sure either, Edward.

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  46. i got it from the jurrassic era. its a raptor *egg hatches*

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  47. *facepalms* It's Adra. It's clearly Adra.

    Zaf, you've known her for ages, if she were to travel in time, where would she go?

    #ChaseForBook9

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  48. As I thought... *grins, following him*

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  49. i also have the mother rapter in the back of the bar *removes egg*

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  50. ... This is my bar. It's not a communal storage area. Get your f****** mirder chicken out of my bar.

    #ChaseForBook9

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  51. Not die? They died so wouldnt she want to go back in time and save them?

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  52. CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU SISTER DEREK!!

    ALSO, SO MANY MYSTERY PROJECTS!! I am intrigued!!
    You are going to be exausted by September 2014!!
    GOOD!! REG! >:D

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  53. *places raptors through time vortex* fine, is it the no pets rule?

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  54. *gets out guitar* *sings*

    Darling
    You're hiding in the closet once again,
    Start smiling
    I know you're trying
    Real hard not to turn your head away
    Pretty darling
    Face tomorrow, tomorrow is not yesterday
    Yesterday oh oooooh

    Pretty please
    I know it's a drag
    Wipe your eyes and put up your head
    I wish you could be happy instead
    There's nothing else I can do
    But love you the best that I can
    Yeah yeah yeah yeah

    Darling
    I was there once a while ago
    I know
    That it's hard to be stuck with
    People that you love
    When nobody trusts

    Pretty please
    I know it's a drag
    Wipe your eyes and put up your head
    I wish you could be happy instead
    There's nothing else I can do
    But love you the best that I can
    Yeah yeah yeah yeah

    You're not the only one who's been through
    I've been there alone and now so are you
    I just want you to know, want you to know it's not your fault.
    It's not your fault, ohh, ohh
    Your fault, your fault
    It's not your fault
    Your fault, your fault, your fault

    Pretty please
    I know it's a drag
    Wipe your eyes and put up your head
    I wish you could be happy instead
    There's nothing else I can do
    But love you the best that I can
    Yeah yeah yeah yeah

    Pretty please
    I know it's a drag
    Wipe your eyes and put up your head
    I wish you could be happy instead
    There's nothing else I can do
    But love you the best that I can
    Yeah yeah yeah yeah

    Darling
    You're hiding in the closet once again,
    Start smiling


    #ChaseForBook9

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  55. No, my bar belongs to me. You can't live here, or keep your stuff here, it's mine. Find your own place to keep your murder chickens.

    #ChaseDorBook9

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  56. fine *moves roman army back through vortex* understood

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  57. I try! I dont know exact dates but I can go back to the Hall of Rememberance somewhere in there should be their names and the date they died.

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  58. *Leo leads Adra to an abandoned farmhouse that looks familiar*

    In there is a door, it's called a residual door. It brings paranormal warlocks back to the time where they are needed.

    This will bring us back to Blogland. And when we get there Adra, you are to find Trip and you are to smother him in kisses and such.

    Lord knows we need some fucking happy ending in all this...

    *walks into the farmhouse*

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  59. centuries? i could escape, or travel back and change history

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  60. Hmm... But... No-
    there's one last thing that I need to do. Then... Then we'll go *sits up against the farm, pulling out a pad and pen, beginning to write*

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  61. fine, i will still change history though *opens vortex and jumps through*

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  62. Right! *shadow-walks to the Sanctuary walking into the Hall of Rememberance and is gone at least a half hour* finally least Bisahalani took my advice and did the dates of deaths...*shadow-walks back*

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  63. *appears at dawn of civilisation* the very first human being

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  64. (thank you zaf) *walks towards it* without this being, the human race would never evolve

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  65. *Leo looks at her with a blank expression on his face*

    I'm sure you can write your memoirs another time but we don't belong here Adra, we need to go home.

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  66. *is dragged through* yes trip, i am mad *runs through, closing portal*

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  67. Plus, I mean, there was no one first human being, it's a massive misconception. The species we now call Homo Sapiens had no one first member, small groups of them popped up everywhere.

    #ChaseForBook9

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  68. *continues to cat scratch across the paper, at least semi- understandable and running back to the tent, looking around*
    Right...

    *slips the letter into her father's briefcase, stopping and looking at him*

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  69. (it is the leader of the one of the tribes)

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  70. I could travel back and retrieve her, but I would need a exact date. If I am more than a few days off, without Aretha, I will change to the point where I am beyond caring about Adra.

    #ChaseForBook9

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  71. Fuckin.... *sighs, then let's out a scream of rage* He's going to create a time paradox!

    #ChaseForBook9

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  72. Homo erectus was the first true human but homo sapiens sapiens is modern man and homo sapiens were the fist intelligent man

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  73. *freezes human*

    (i will call it the human for now)

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  74. We don't know Niccollo, that's what we're trying to figure out. In the mean time, mind thwarting Ed?

    #ChaseForBook9

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  75. *looks at Niccolo shaking head* I dont have one it was cera so i wont risk your well being so dont I have a feeling she will come back we needn't meddle in time and dont go back Niccolo dont

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  76. *creates map of tribes of homo erectus* next tribe

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  77. Homo erects actually died out, outdone by Homo sapiens or bred into their blood lines.

    #ChaseForBook9

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  78. Been a fool wait if you go back in time take me with you if you're getting Edward

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  79. *Leo is standing in the farmhouse next to a white rectangular light*

    Ready now??

    When you step through this, you will be right at Trip so try not to scare the beejayus out of him *Leo smiles*

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  80. He's trying to wipe out the human race. I think we should kill him, he's an idiot.

    #ChaseForBook9

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  81. i will stop the homo sapien as they wont evolve without the homo erectus or neanderthal *walks up to new tribe*

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  82. *creates block to stop all time travellers within 1000 year distance*

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  83. Whether or not I will be able to bring someone else depends on how far back I'll be traveling. The discipline I have is far from flawless.

    If he destroys the human race before it evolves, he'll create a paradox. Does he know that?

    #ChaseForBook9

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  84. Oh...
    Okay.

    *looks back towards the tent once more, then Leo and steps through, landing right beside Trip*
    Oh- shit! *slides backwards, losing her footing*

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  85. He's at the dawn of man

    ((Gtg eat Coco if you want take me with you just lemme know when i return))

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  86. *sighs* Well, fortunately for us, he's well beyond 1000 years away. Pardon me.

    Oh, and Adra- welcome back. *vanishes, moving back in time*

    #ChaseForBook9

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  87. I... *moves from him* I wasn't feeling like it

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  88. *Leo steps through and closes the door behind him before leaning over clutching his chest*

    You're welcome Trip.

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  89. *puts on a brilliant fake smile* Yeah...

    *glances at Leo*

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  90. ((Edward, exactly how far did you go? I'll need to know this for future reference.))

    #ChaseForBook9

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  91. *slides off towards the woods that lead to her lab*

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  92. (about the beginning of human evolution)

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  93. ((There are many approximations for that. How many years?))

    #ChaseForBook9

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  94. Great. That was lovely. She fakes being all right, is all distant and affected, and Ed is on the cusp of destroying the universe.

    #ChaseForBook9

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  95. *walks quietly in, picking up a framed picture out of one of her boxes* *half smiles, looking at her cat-scratched words and note at the bottom: FOUND IN FILES*

    Knew it.... *tucks it back away, looking at her hair in the mirror, sighing* God damn... That idiot

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  96. *Walks over to the lake and sits on a large, smooth rock. Grabs out marker and draws three symbols and places hands on them. Symbols light up and the rock becomes large enough to lay on*

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  97. Wait, he doesn't succeed! If he did, then the universe would... Oh. I may be locked in a time loop right now. Great.

    #ChaseForBook9

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  98. Niccolo i want to go with you because this is actually i never was back in time

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  99. if this human falls, humanity wont evolve

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  100. I keep thinking about Scooby-Doo. Damn it.

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  101. ((I've already traveled back- sorry. We'll have to go another time. I couldn't have brought you back that far, anyway. As it is, I can hardly manage to bring myself.))

    #ChaseForBook9

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  102. ((Edward god can you not because you really are doing stupid things....))

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  103. Oh my God, 99 Days Without You...

    I'm only on day Seventeen-Twenty and I'm bawling my eyes out :'(

    #ChaseForBook9

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  104. *Listens to the conversation by her earpiece* Godamn... *Sits up and glowers at the water* Looke like I'm going to have to go all Men in Black on Edward...

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  105. *sits down on one of her chairs with a pen and pencil, staring at a blank sheet of paper*
    *frowns*

    I can't even draw...

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  106. *swipes her things to the side*
    *walks out and goes to the bar, pausing just outside the door, her hand on the handle*
    *considers for a moment*

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  107. Just fucking die Edward im sick of you and I wish you would fucking die. DIE. ((RP))

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  108. ((Hello Death, and Mara, and Sir, and anyone else I may have missed.

    Zafira, please calm down.))

    #ChaseForBook9

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  109. ((I cant because im sick of him trying to get us all killed!!! *seething* I am done with him he cant stop its tiring having him do this))

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  110. *her hand touches the handle again, but the lets go, walking back down the stairs*

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  111. Hello, all?

    Oh, another idiot is trying to destroy humanity? Joy. ((Ed, I in no way mean to call you an idiot outside of the roleplay.))

    Sure, Trip. Grape juice?

    [Pulls out some money]

    #ChaseForBook9

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  112. ((If you have a problem, you can always discuss it calmly. I understand you are frustrated, but simply lashing out will not accomplish anything but more tension and argument. And Emerald has made it perfectly clear that arguing will not be tolerated on this particular post. I am inclined to agree with her. And I'll see that humanity does not die out.))

    #ChaseForBook9

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  113. (Hey Eve! Hey Sharky!!))
    *Jogs over to her base and into her science magic lab. Pulls off the back of her teleporting braclet and fiddled are kind with the wires for a while*

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  114. (Hey Niccy!!))

    *Presses something on the braclet and vanishes* Ah!!

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  115. ((Fine))

    Edward will you please stop always trying to blow us off the map? Everytime you come on you have a plot to kill us or in this case all of humanity. It's tiring now. I am tired of you doing it its getting to the point where I want to kill your character off. Please stop it isn't fair to us we always have to go after you or stop you from doing this. I said it before it is tiring.

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  116. ((Edward, are you still here?))

    #ChaseForBook9

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  117. *is not actually here*


    CONGRATULATIONS, DEREK! ITS A GOOD THING YOU INCLUDED THAT CLAUSE IN THE DEDICATION OF DEATH BRINGER, OR HE'D BE FEELING PRETTY LEFT OUT, WOULDN'T, HE?

    WE WANT PICTURES!

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  118. My iPod screen just broke! Fuck!!))

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  119. ((Hello and goodbye, Kestrel.))

    #ChaseForBook9

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  120. ((My condolences, Death.))

    #ChaseForBook9

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  121. DEATH'S IPOD I DEMAND YOU WORK THIS INSTANT. AS IN NOW. DO YOU HEAR ME?

    ...of course not.

    #ChaseForBook9

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  122. ((Niccolo it is totally possile he fell asleep it is almost 12am by him I would wait 5-10 min before going back to our time just grab him and go))

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