Unexpectedly Sequeled

MTOW 46

I know I just came back, but I'm going on a short break to get other stuff done again. While I'm sick. AGAIN. After this, I'll try my best to continue a predetermined schedule, but life happens. On a better note, this story is almost over! Yay! I can't say I know how this will turn out, because I don't, but I'm not even sure who I want to win anymore, so... We'll just let fate and time take the wheel, won't we? 

------------

Despite Host's reassurance that this would go on long enough for them to sleep through, the dark egos refused to go to bed until it was time to bring their counterparts back home. After all, they had just sent those two insane bastards to their deaths- knowing them, they could find a way to screw this up and get themselves killed before it was time. So, they needed to stay up with Host just in case. 

Host, of course, didn't mind staying up. He had no reason to fret over sleep... Well, that was a lie, he soon realized. Once the horror egos came back, they would surely force him to stay here with them so they could have updates on their kids and possibly conversations. In a house like this, it was nearly impossible for any normal person to sleep. Host would know from experience, of course. 

The three of them sat in the living room, the TV on but on mute. They sat in silence, just mulling over the day. It really had been chaotic. One minute, everything was... Well, 'fine' isn't the word, but it was stable. Then everything just went to hell. 

"So, Host, I have a question we all probably need the answer to, though I'm unsure you know the answer." Dark spoke up after collecting his thoughts, his voice cutting through the air like a knife. "Yeah, like how you got from your little forest to here so quickly." Anti huffed, half curious and genuinely bewildered, half just hissing at the guy for no reason.

"The Host merely caught a train from the nearest train station and ended up not too far away. Though, he did have to run to get there in time, so..." Host clicked his tongue, trailing off and showing no signs of continuing. He either lost his train of thought, didn't really have one in the first place, or just wasn't going to continue. 

"Alright. But, anyways, back to my question. Do you know why the Author is doing this?" Dark asked, finally just turning the TV off. "So that they'll die, remember?" Host cocked a brow, turning his head vaguely in the direction of the dark egos. "Yes, I know that, but why?" Dark pressed, noting how quickly Host faced away this time. 

They sat in the quiet again for a minute, Host just tapping his fingers against his chin as he thought up a response. "Do you not know? Or are they... Here?" Anti glitched a bit, his brows creasing in worry. 

"They're here, there's no doubt about that. But it's nothing to worry about. The Host was just thinking of a suitable way to put this. A... Gentle way, if you will. Or, at least, a way that would make sense." Host tried to explain without explaining anything. Just like goddamn Henrik.

"They... Some things are hard to put down into words, The Host informs. But he assures them that the Author never had any malicious intent. Everybody would've been fine if the Author went through with it. Well, everybody except..." Host trailed off as Anti spoke over him, "so what was all that nonsense with the tarantula and the destruction and all that shit?" 

"Ah. That was merely a warning that was set in a certain way so that Anti would assume it meant one thing, when it really meant another." Host informed, "in other words, a type of lie." "Oh. I see. A lie. Yes, that makes perfect sense-" Dark stopped, his brows furrowing.

"...You fucking lied?" Anti turned, his glare burning into Host's blindfold. "Would Anti perhaps not do the same for his own children?" Host rose a brow, answering with a question. "You could've just said, 'oh, hey, could you stop that, please? If you continue, you're going to get my kid killed.' Or send a not to us saying, 'hey, a child's in danger and we need your help.'" Anti snarled. "Well, that would also be a lie. They're not actually a child. The dark egos would not come running to save a random person." Host reasoned.

"You're still a dick for doing that. Poor Dark over there looks like he's gonna cry." Anti huffed. Dark protested, "what? No, I don't! You're the one who was scolding him a second ago! I'm just confused." "Exactly. You're gonna cry. ANYWAYS-! Host, you're telling me that the Author did all of this for no reason?" Anti teasingly waved Dark off, earning a grumble somewhere along the lines of 'I wish I DID kill you.' 

"The Host chuckles drily, fearing that Anti didn't quite catch his message. Of everyone here, Host would've thought the dark egos could understand the situation best. Henrik certainly did- figured it out almost instantly, in fact. And it didn't take too long for the Attorney to figure it out, either. And they're emotionless right now! Anti's experience with such feelings was much more recent than Dark's, so it would be sensible if Dark didn't understand but Anti did... But it seems that neither can figure it out." Host beat around the bush, trying to lead them on the right trail without giving them a straight answer.

"I... I think I know what it is, but it doesn't really make any sense." Dark muttered, shaking his head. He was still confused, but things were starting to click into place in his mind. "If they really just wanted to... Die... Then why go about it like this? Do they just like the feeling of throwing their fate up in the air?" 

"Because nobody would know. Nobody would know if they actually died, or if it was all just part of the show." Host's voice was cold, but not unemotional. "But- I mean, WE would know." Anti said. "No, nobody here would know for certain." Host shook his head, "because they're not HERE." 

And with those words, it all made sense. All of the questions were answered.

...

Except for one.

"How do we know they didn't set this all up?" Anti frowned. "The only thing the Author ever plans ahead for is timing. There was a certain point in the other story's storyline in which the horror egos were supposed to go home, but they went home early, setting off one of the only parts in the story that was planned ahead for." Host brushed it off. 

And trust me, it's true. I would know. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN I'M LOSING-

Who needs planning ahead when you have- uh... 

Uh... Um... UMMM... 

"Is the Author quite done?" 

Screw you. 

"I love you, too, child."