Sidekick

Chatterbox: Crowd Sorcery

Sidekick

Sidekick

Sidekicks in great stories come in many shapes and sizes: a jolly traveling companion, a dog or cat, a wise wizard who gives helpful advice, a goldfish in a bowl, a walking stick that talks. A sidekick gives the main character someone to talk to, which allows for dialogue and interaction. With two minds in the story, there’s the possibility for more action, tension, and more unexpected things to happen! 

I can imagine Quill, the moonlight girl I mentioned on the Hero and Heroines thread, having a friend, Colin, whom she meets because he goes into the forest at night to gather Silvercaps, special flowers that sprout up when the moon is shining but wither before dawn.

I might write: “During the daytime, when he was not off in the village selling his Silvercaps, Colin tended to sleep inside his favorite hollow tree trunk. So there were usually bits of bark in his unruly dust-colored hair, and sometimes a centipede would crawl out of his pocket or an ant would drop out of his collar. He scratched his head often and smelled like the forest after a rain.”

Now that we have a main character, Fable Thatcher, what sidekick will you imagine for her? A comical friend? A wise mentor? A romantic interest? Will your sidekick even be human? Let your imaginations run wild!

 

1. Name

2. Appearance

3. Background

4. Occupation or trade

5. Attitude toward main character

6. Strengths or special abilities

7. Fears, weaknesses, or secrets

8. How is the sidekick helpful?

9. What does the sidekick want most?

10. Your Crowd Sorcery Sentence(s)

 

Please note that you have until July 14 to create your sidekicks in time for voting.

submitted by Fred Durbin
(April 23, 2014 - 11:52 am)

1. Name: Ezequial Folarvani (pronounced Ezekiel)

2. Appearance: Wild, rusty-red hair that falls in his face a lot. Piercing green eyes. Freckles across his nose. He's skinny and short. He wears a grimy white shirt that hangs off of him, pants that are too small, and no shoes or socks. His skin would be pale, if it wasn't so sunburned.

3. Background: His parents died when he was only three, and he grew up on the streets. When he was eight, he started doing chores for money. He saved a lot of money, but then he was robbed on the streets, and never found out who the thief was. Starving, with no possessions except for the clothes he was wearing, he stowed away on a ship across the ocean. There, he started walking, and ended up in Fable's hometown.

4. Occupation or trade: Doing any odd jobs he could find

5. Attitude toward main character: Is awkward around her, wants to be her friend

6. Strengths or special abilites: No special abilities. No matter what situation he's in, he can keep a positive outlook, and be brave.

7. Fears, weaknesses or secrets: Terrified of heights, though good at concealing it

8. How is the sidekick helpful: Even if Fable is scared of her powers, he can convince her that it'll be okay

9. What does the sidekick want most: Friends, and a family

10. Your Crowd Sorcery Sentences: Ezequiel brushed his hair out of his eyes and peered around. The pitch-black night seemed to envelope him. Fear squeezed his heart, and he wondered if he would ever get home. But then, with a tremendous effort, he forced himself to smile. You'll be okay, Zeke, he said to himself, using Fable's nickname for him. It'll be fine. He put one foot in front of the other, struggling on through the darkness. 

submitted by Claire S., age 10, Belmont, MA
(July 5, 2014 - 3:12 pm)

1. Ezequial Folarvani (pronounced Ezekiel)

2. Wild rusty-red hair that always falls in his face. Piercing green eyes. Freckles across his nose. Skinny and short. Wears a grimy white shirt that hangs off him, pants that are too small, and no shoes or socks. His skin would be pale if it weren't so sunburned. 

3. Parents died when he was two. He lived on the streets, doing odd jobs for money. Then someone robbed him. He never tracked down the thief. With no possessions but the clothes he wore, he sneaked onto a ship and sailed across the ocean. There, he wandered around, eventually finding Fable's village.

4. Doing odd jobs.

5. Is awkward around Fable, wants to be her friend

6. Can always keep a positive outlook and be brave

7. Scared of heights and the dark, though is able to force himself to be brave

8. When Fable is scared of her powers, Ezequial can help her stay positive

9. To have friends, and a family

10. Ezequial brushed his hair out of his eyes and peered around. He couldn't see a thing. He felt like the blackness was enveloping him. Fear squeezed its cold hand around his heart. Would he ever see Fable again? Would he ever have a real family?

He forced himself to be brave. Come on, Zeke, he said to himself, using Fable's nickname for him. It'll be okay. You can do it. 

He put one foot in front of the other, and started walking into the dark, eerie night. 

submitted by Claire S., age 10, Belmont, MA
(July 5, 2014 - 3:51 pm)

1. Name

Poeta 

2. Appearance

Small, Pale, with freckels sprinkled over her face, dark brown eyes

3. Background

Poeta lived in a house filled with many people, the town the house was in was very small and very poor, she was like the runt of the litter, she was the smallest and the youngest, many times she didn't understand what was going on in her life, but one day her mind went blank, and she woke in a weird man's house after that she's been living with him. 

4. Occupation or trade

She is forced to do chores around the house and helps the "strange man" do his weird jobs 

5. Attitude toward main character

She thinks Fables talent is amazing she absolutley adores her 

6. Strengths or special abilities

She has an amazing mind, she can plan anything in her mind and knows things that nobody else does. The only thing she doesn't is her past 

7. Fears, weaknesses, or secrets

She is afraid of her past, and the strange man, sometimes her curisoity can get the better of her 

8. How is the sidekick helpful?

She helps Fable understand the her writing talent is a gift not a curse, she also gives Fable helpful information 

9. What does the sidekick want most?

To find a way back to her old village and to be free of this man

10. Your Crowd Sorcery Sentence(s) 

Poeta woke up to see someone sitting in the desk, she was writing in a journal with a quil pen, she looked worried about something. "Who is she?" Poeta thought, she decided to find out for herself, Poeta walked over to the desk she was sitting at, it was amazing, the words that girl wrote on the page were like magic. And suddenly she stopped, she turned around and looked at me, her eyes were deep blue, and she looked like she was in pain somehow, "hi" Poeta mumbled with all the courage she had. Still nothing came out of her, she turned back around and started writing again. The strange man suddenly bursted in. "Poeta meet Fable"

submitted by Danielle T., age 11
(July 5, 2014 - 4:09 pm)

The strange man is the man who discoverd Fable's talents.

 

 

 

submitted by Danielle T., age 11
(July 5, 2014 - 8:18 pm)

Hello, other Danielle ;)

submitted by Danielle P., age 10, California
(July 7, 2014 - 7:09 pm)

I really like it, Little Sis!

submitted by Madeline T., age 13, Sun Prairie, WI
(July 5, 2014 - 8:44 pm)

Sorry for all the Ezequial posts–Embarassed

It's just that it always looked like the post didn't register, so I made another one.

Ezequial Folarvani is the same guy in all the comments.

Please vote for Ezequial! Laughing

Sorry,

Claire S. 

submitted by Claire S., age 10, Belmont, MA
(July 5, 2014 - 6:11 pm)

1. Daniel Rodriguez 

2. Curly, short black hair, dark skin, brown eyes. Tallish. Wears any clothes that are fairly clean, so they're usually too small. Has a dazzling smile. Has no left leg, instead has a peg leg.

3. Has eighteen siblings. One is a really sick baby, so no one has room for Daniel. When he was ten, he ran away from home. He had saved some money, so he could eat pretty well. He ended up in Fable's village.

4. Street dancer. He loves to dance.

5. Thinks of her as someone who needs a protector, and he wants to be that protector.

6. He has a strange dancing style with his peg leg. Whenever he dances, everyone is forced to watch him, no matter what they're doing. Their heads just whip around and stare at him. (That's how he got his money–people liked his dancing and tipped him.)

7. Grim secret: he used to have a leg. His father was in an awful temper, and managed to cut it off with a hatchett, when Daniel was six.

8. He's eighteen, strong, and able, and besides, he can earn money by dancing.

9. Attention for himself.

10. Daniel wiped his sweaty brow with his shirtsleeve. He had just finished his longest and most complicated dance routine. Sure, he'd earned more money than he ever had before, but he was dog-tired.

Daniel shoved open the door to a little hut, hoping for a night's shelter. Inside, there wasn't even a floor, just dirt. The walls were plain straw, without any decorations. There were no beds; instead, a straw mattress was shoved in the corner of the small room. 

Daniel's peg leg thunked against the floor. It was the same thunk that used to happen on the floor of his family's place... That was it! This place reminded him of his old house!

A girl was sitting on the mattress, writing. Daniel tried to walk quietly, but he couldn't with his clumsy wooden leg. 

The girl jumped. Spinning around, she yelled, "Who are you?"

Daniel, as shocked as she was, replied, "Daniel Rodriguez."

"Fable Thatcher," the girl told him.

"Okay..." Daniel started awkwardly. "Uh... what are you doing?"

And Fable began to explain. 

 

 

submitted by Claire S., age 10, Osmendia
(July 5, 2014 - 6:35 pm)

I don't know what happened to my format! Sorry for any difficulties!CryFrown

1. Name
Diana Silverwood
2. Appearance
She has raven back hair that cascades down to the middle of her back, and a pair of startling gray-blue eyes. She is a bit taller than everyone else her age and always wears a necklace that ends in a blue stone, a blue unlike any other hue. She wears a shirt and long pants, complete with a belt and warrior boots, similar to what the boys wear. She rarely goes anywhere without her bow and arrows, a precious family heirloom.
3. Background
Diana lives alone in a poor village. Orphaned at the age of nine (her dad disappeared mysteriously and her mom died), she has always felt alone. Her only consolation is writing, which her mother, Katherine Silverwood, always encouraged. “Let your words fly, Diana,” she always said. “And one day you’ll never regret it.”  She has elfin royalty in her blood, and is said to have descended from the great elfin king Asa’s daughter, Princess Lily, herself. The last bloodline of the elfin royalty. Diana can sometimes see the future, or parts or it, and writes it down in prophecy form. However, her fellow villagers think she’s a witch, and therefore avoids her at all times. And sometimes, Diana thinks so too, because the things she writes and foresees aren’t that good. And it scares her.
4. Occupation or trade
Huntress, part-time farmer and village prophet
5. Attitude toward main character
Kind, understanding, and supportive. She knows what Fable is going through, and therefore is Fable’s closest friend.
6. Strengths or special abilities
Diana can see the future or parts of it at times. She is good at writing (not as good as Fable of course), and her quiet, observing but fiercely loyal and just personality makes her a strong ally.
7. Fears, weaknesses, or secrets
Diana is scared of doing something that betrays or hurts her friends and family. She sometimes thinks that her dad left because he didn’t want her anymore and will therefore never come back. She is worried about doing the right thing, and if her friend(s) abandoned her, she would certainly be hurt. A lot. Her secret lies in her necklace. Also a family heirloom, it was given to her by her mom at her deathbed. It is the key to all her powers, the ones that she knows of and the ones that she doesn’t. 
8. How is the sidekick helpful?
Fiercely loyal, Diana will do anything to protect her friends and will stick with them through bad times and good. She will never, ever betray her friends. Especially skilled with her bow, Diana makes a good warrior. Give her a sword or another weapon, and you better watch out.
9. What does the sidekick want most?
Diana wants to find her dad and discover her destiny. She hopes that her dad will one day come back.  
10. Your Crowd Sorcery Sentence(s)
Diana stared at the prophecy she just wrote. Interesting, she thought. In her previous predictions, she wasn’t in it. Until now. Pondering the meanings of this particular prophecy, Diana took her bow and arrows from her shelf and went into the woods.
Just as she raised her bow, arrow ready to fly, she glimpsed a flash of a cloak. Intruders! Diana aimed her arrow and let it go. Thwack! It pierced the trunk of an oak tree, pinning the cloak and its wearer to the tree. Cautiously, Diana moved through the grass. As she drew near, she saw a girl, around her qge, struggling to free herself. Papers and pens scattered around her. She froze as Diana drew near. “What do you want?” she asked nervously.
“Who are you?” inquired Diana. The girl refused to speak.
“I won’t hurt you. I just thought you were…” she trailed off.
“An intruder,” finished the girl. “There has been a lot of them these days.”
“Exactly. And I’m sorry if I frightened you.” Diana plucked the arrow from the tree. The girl adjusted her cloak and bent to collect her papers. Diana watched.
“I’m Fable Thatcher,” said the girl as she straightened. “And you are...?”
Diana stumbled. Fable? Fable Thatcher? She stared at the girl with astonishment.
“What?” asked Fable. Diana showed her the prophecy she just written. Fable looked startled too. She rummaged through her papers and pulled one out to show Diana.
“You must be Diana Silverwood. I…er….predicted your coming.” Diana stared at the paper with disbelief. It was a prophecy, just like hers. Except it was about her.

Alice, I tried to fix it. Let's see if it worked!

Admin

submitted by Alice W., California
(July 5, 2014 - 8:54 pm)

Thanks! It worked perfectly.

(Though I have to say, I think I made a typo in number 10, second paragraph. It's supposed to say "Around her age" not "edge". )

But thanks! Smile

 

I just fixed edge to age, too.

Admin

submitted by Alice W., California
(July 7, 2014 - 1:31 pm)

It says qge.

Q G E 

submitted by Redbandit
(July 14, 2014 - 4:12 pm)

1. Name

Sean

2. Appearance

He is a glass man, and transparent. He is very frail looking, and likes cheese.

3. Background

Sean was once a real boy, but was transformed into a glass man by the villian. He used to be a spy for the king. He also was attacked by an emu while on the job, and sported a scar from his elbow to the shoulder.

4. Occupation or trade

He assists writers in various ways. Sometimes he writes, other times he just finds new feathers for pens.

5. Attitude toward main character

He is very submissive, being a glass man who is afraid of being broken, although he shows resentment toward being a servant.

6. Strengths or special abilities

He is transparent, and can hide well in the dark. He also is immune to cold weather, andcan smell food from a long distance away. He is also very stubborn. And, unlike most glass men, is reletively wise.

7. Fears, weaknesses, or secrets

He most fears being broken. He will eternally be tempted by cheese, especially pepper jack. With cheese, he just might tell anything. He also is afraid of birds.

8. How is the sidekick helpful?

He is a good spy, with the knowledge from his days as a human. He also can write without blots.

9. What does the sidekick want most?

To become human again and to return to his family.

10. Your Crowd Sorcery Sentence(s)

Sean sighed. When would she understand? A person with that ability cannot just write something without thinking it through. He crossed his arms and stuck his transparent nose up in the air and refused to write. He would absolutely not write such a thing. It would be a danger to the whole world! 

submitted by Puff the MagicDragon, age Is UNKNOWN, Hannalee
(July 5, 2014 - 11:21 pm)

1. Bandit

2. He's a dog. Don't judge. He's a Portugese Water dog, with curly black-and-white fur, and a wet black nose. All his paws except one are white.

3. He belonged to a wealthy man. One summer, the man went to an island to vacation. When he went home, he left Bandit behind. Bandit swam the channel (he's a water dog) and ended up in Fable's village.

4. None. He's a dog.

5. Wants to be her pet, and is fiercely loyal to her. Also wants food.

6. Can jump higher than any other dog or human, and can take Fable with him (by gripping onto her shirt with his teeth). That way, if the villain is on the ground, it'll delay him/her, having to get up to wherever Bandit and Fable jumped to.

7. Is always hungry. If given enough food as a bribe, it would be really hard for Bandit to resist it and still help Fable.

8. Can jump (see number 4) and is great for companionship

9. Food, and to be Fable's dog

10. There was food! Just around the corner! Bandit could smell it. He dashed over, following his nose.

When he got there, he found that the food was held by an evil looking man (or woman). He thought of Fable. He knew Fable would never forgive him for eating it, and maybe helping the villain. But... Bandit was so hungry...

With the greatest effort in his dog life, Bandit turned his back and ran, away from the food, back to Fable. 

submitted by Claire S., age 10, Belmont, MA
(July 6, 2014 - 8:43 am)

1. Skylar Podirpointance

2. Longish, tangled brown-blond hair in a lopsided haircut, clear gray eyes, no freckles. Face is smudged with coal dust and dirt. Tanned skin. Callused hands. Very tall and broad-shouldered for his age (17). Wears old-fashioned clothes (trousers and a loose shirt) and shoes that are so worn that the toes of them are falling apart. No socks. Has never been seen without his newspaper-boy-style hat.

3. His father ran away when he was seven. That same year, his mother, who needed money, sold him to the coal mines. There, he was a hard, earnest worker, but he caused a huge nuisance because of his special power (see number 6). When he was 16, they kicked him out. Being good with his hands, he obtained some wood and built himself a house in Fable's village. He met Fable as he was getting to know the neighbors, and immediately liked her.

4. Used to be a coal miner. Now is a blacksmith.

5. Thinks her writing is intruging, and wants to find out more. Is not in love with her or anything, but is aware of the villain and thinks he and Fable would be a good team to defeat him/her.

6. When he's feeling particularly emotional (i.e. mad, or sad, or happy, etc.) he can shoot fire out of his eyes. It's sort of freaky, but it doesn't hurt him.

7. Can't stop himself from shooting fire. If he's really mad, his face will get all hot, and he'll start doing it without warning. Also, an old prophecy that he had at birth said that on his 18th birthday, all the power he'd used up would mix together and kill him. At the time, he thought it was stupid lies, but since he'll be 18 in two days, he's starting to get worried.

8. His power can protect them from danger, because if he's mad enough at the villain, he'll shoot fire. Also, if they need a tool, he can make it because he's a blacksmith.

9. For life to settle down again. He thinks of the whole magic thing as a bother. He was perfectly content being the village blacksmith before it all started.

10. Skylar squared his shoulders and started walking, Fable at his side. Looking at her, clutching her pen and paper, he thought again, We would make a great team. Sure, Fable was younger than he was, and at least a head shorter. But their magic powers just seemed to... work together. Maybe, maybe, their magic combined would be able to overthrow the villain.

The villain... just thinking about him made Skylar furious. His face began to heat up with rage. Oh, no! Skylar bit his tongue, but he couldn't stop it. "Fable, watch out!" he screamed. Jets of white-hot flame shot from his eyes. They hit the wall in front of him, burning black char marks on the weathered brick.

Skylar's shoulders sagged. How could he ever control his power? And besides, there were only two days left until his 18th birthday. If the prophecy was right, that meant he had just two days left to live.   

submitted by Claire S., age 10, Belmont, MA
(July 6, 2014 - 9:31 am)

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1. Name: Animus, the Latin word for bravery. Her name was given to her back when she was brave.
            2. Appearance: Animus can transform into an apple tree when she is scared or worried, in tree form she is very tall, with long branches covered in large, green leaves that can hide the main character from view, if she is ever needs to hide. In tree form, Animus also has hundreds of red apples, which can be either medicine or poison, depending on who eats them. In human form, she still looks sort of like an apple tree, with long arms and legs, almost green blond hair, green eyes, reddish freckles (like apples), and very odd skin that looks a lot like tree bark.
         3. Background: Once, a long time ago, Animus was a princess who was very, very brave. One day she went exploring without telling anyone. Everyone thought she had disappeared, and was very sad. When she got back her mother’s sadness turned to anger. Her mother had special powers that she used to take away all of Animus’s bravery. When her mother calmed down, she felt bad, and gave Animus the power to turn into an apple tree when she was scared.
         4. Occupation or trade: Until she met the main character, she spent all of her time scampering around in terror and turning into an apple tree. Now, she helps the main character, when she needs help.
         5: Attitude toward main character: Respectful, slightly afraid.
         6: Strengths or special abilities: She can turn into an apple tree when she’s scared, and grows magic apples than are poison to villains, and medicine to heroes.
            7: Fears, weaknesses or secrets: She gets scared easily and turns into apple tree at the wrong times. For example she could turn into an apple tree at any random moment, like in the middle of a street in a big town or city.
         8: How is the sidekick helpful: The main character can climb up to high branches to spy on the villain, she can hide in leaves, she can eat the magic apples if she is hurt and they will help her feel better.
         9: What does the sidekick want most: To be brave again.
       10: Crowd sorcery sentences: Animus was the saddest sight Fable Thatcher had ever seen. The poor girl always was screaming and running around, crying out in terror every few seconds. Behind her back people would tell her terrible story: how her own mother had cursed her to forever be afraid, just because she had gone exploring one day and forgotten to tell her parents where she was going. People would throw food and pebbles at her, and call her names. Fable Thatcher had always felt bad for Animus, but she never let it show, if she did, then she too would become the target of cruel names and thrown food. But that was before . . .
 
     

submitted by Sophia B., age 11, USA
(July 6, 2014 - 3:20 pm)