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)

Less than 12 hours!

submitted by Aiden D, age 11, Florida
(June 30, 2014 - 7:28 pm)

1. Aeron Lemore

2. He has midnight blue robes and a azure blue cloak emblazoned with a silver wolf. He has a long silver beard, cropped hair, and golden eyes.

3. Aeron grew up a very intelligent boy who had a knack for reading people.  He went to an incredibly famous school of magic and graduated with flying colors. He moved to Fable's town and recognized her talents quickly, taking her in as his apprentice.

4. Town alchemist, physician, sorcerer, and herbalist.

5. Fatherly and kind.

6. He's incredibly powerful. He can shapeshift into some animal forms.

7. He believes that he was secretly responsible for his little brother's death.

8. He helps Fable control her power.

9. To save Fable from all harm and make up his little brother's death.

10.

Aeron woke up in a sweat. He had had the same dream for two weeks. That night, sixty years ago, jumping out the window and grabbing the tree branch as the house went up in flames. His ten year old little brother suddenly appeared at the window.

"Grab my hand!" his brother screamed.

"I can't!"

But this was the worst dream yet. His brother, at the end of the dream, always went down with the flaming house.  But this time, his brother morphed into Fable as the light in those starry blue eyes went out.

He sat up, relieved to here the sound of Fable sleeping peacefully in the next room. No. Fable wouldn't meet the same end his brother had all those years ago.

He would keep her safe. 

submitted by Brooke E., age 11, Arkansas
(July 1, 2014 - 12:20 pm)

Aeron would be "the man who recognized her talents"

submitted by Brooke E., age 11, Arkansas
(July 2, 2014 - 10:09 am)

1. Name

Edwin Glenn

2. Appearance

6'2", rather skinny, wears a brown trenchcoat 

3. Background

He only started to get to know Fable recently. He is "the man who thoroughly recognized her talents." While delivering (spoiled) milk that was ordered by Fable's family from his (rotten and deceptive) employer, he noticed Fable writing. Being a writer himself, he invited her to live with him, thinking he could mentor her and help her use her writing abilities to help. Fable agreed and left her family to live with him.

4. Occupation or trade

The milkman thing isn't all. He does a lot of other stuff too, such as writing, although, he has readily admitted that he's not as good at it as Fable.

He also studies a bit of basic sorcery, as well as planting a garden and making clay figurines, which he sells on the street when he's not at his job as a milkman.

Speaking of that job, he really hates it and has been trying to get fired for years. But he never does, because...

His dad is the lying, cheating manager. And will never fire him, because he knows how much Edwin hates it.

5. Attitude toward main character

He really loves and cares for Fable. He wants her to live a long happy life.

6. Strengths or special abilities

Edwin knows a few things about the magical practices, and he is super observant and has good eyes. He is also incredibly confident all the time about everything. And he's pretty smart. 

7. Fears, weaknesses, or secrets

Every night Edwin has bad dreams about his dad. He really hates, and is afraid of, his dad, because he treated him cruelly as a child and continues to be hard on him to this day.

He is also trying to keep it secret from his dad that Fable lives with him, because his dad actually owns (but does not live in) his house, and has made it abundantly clear that he doesn't want Edwin to have anyone else there.

8. How is the sidekick helpful?

Since Fable moved in he has been trying to help her figure out what her true calling is and also avoid the prophecy somehow. And also trying to cheer her up, since she's often pretty anxious.

9. What does the sidekick want most?

He wants to help Fable as much as I can.

Next to that, he wants to lose his job. He's actually considered moving away where his dad can't find him, and at one point planned it and had everything ready to go when Fable interceded and said she didn't want to leave. So he stayed, because helping Fable was a higher priority than escaping his dad.

10. Your Crowd Sorcery Sentence(s)

Edwin looked over Fable's shoulder and smiled. She looked rather nervous and scared, and was shaking as she wrote the words.

"You're doing good," he said.

"I don't want to do good," Fable said. "I want this to stop. I want to be normal."

There was a loud knock on the door. "Edwin! Open up!" Dang. Of all people, it was Edwin's father. And employer. And (in Edwin's mind anyway) his archenemy.

Fable almost shrieked but Edwin clapped a hand over her mouth and shoved her into a closet. Then, trying with difficulty to keep his face straight, he went and opened the door.

"Hi . . .  Dad," Edwin said, and although he was trying to keep calm, there was an edge in his voice.

"Edwin. You're late!" said his father. He stepped inside the house without being invited.

"Dad, I'm busy."

"Too busy to come to work? Edwin. There is nothing more important than your work!"

"Dad, actually my garden and claycraft  . . ."

"Nothing more important to me."

Edwin sighed.

His dad noticed the closet ajar. And then his eyes darted downwards. Too late, Edwin realized that Fable's shoe had fallen off in his haste to hide her.

"Is that your shoe?"

"Yes," said Edwin nervously. He sounded awfully stupid.

"What's in this closet?"

"No," said Edwin.

"Excuse me?"

"You're not allowed in my closet."

"This is my house! I'm allowed wherever in here!"

Edwin's dad flung the door open.

Edwin closed his eyes. But then he heard the door shut, and he opened them.

"Just as much of a mess as usual. Edwin, you ought to clean the closet sometime. Dust everywhere! Gah!"

His father turned to leave.

"I want you at work in 5 minutes!"

Edwin opened the closet. Inside was Fable, looking perfectly okay, but shaken.

"How'd you do that?" asked Edwin.

Fable said nothing, but instead held up her quill pen. 

submitted by Joe the Stickfiddler, age 15, Pen Vortex
(July 1, 2014 - 1:36 pm)

1. Name

Maximus (or just Max, for short)

 

 

2. Physical Appearance

Max is a crow. Don't judge. He just is. He can't change his species.

 

3. Background

Max is misunderstood. As a low-status child, authors everywhere used his species as a symbol for death and evil. Then, after learning English, Max set out to write a book in which crows were the heroes. Unfortunately, the publisher hated the story due to "inaccurate symbolism". Max took this as a personal insult. He resigned himself to a life of poverty. One day, however, while stealing -- I mean't, uh...borrowing some food from a picnicker, he saw it. The Nasskash, a magic, red, glowing stone that has the power to bend any mortal's will to the bearer of the stone. Max took the stone and forged it into an amulet (fit for a crow, so if a human were to wear it, they would have to lengthen the neck-cord) and hid it in a box buried under a giant oak tree (he has a nest in that tree). However, he did not use it. I don't know if he even was going to use it. But, regardless, the next day, it vanished. Max blames the villain.

 

4. Occupation or trade

Since Max is a crow, he stands most of his time "appropriating" food from innocent bystanding humans on their lunch break.

 

5. Attitude toward main character

Max likes Ms. Thatcher because he thinks she can help him get back the Nasskash. He doesn't want to use the Nasskash, only to keep it safe from falling into the wrong hands. Other than that, he thinks of her as any other human being, inferior (all crows think humans are inferior). Maybe his view will change. I can't see the future and I don't believe many that say they can. 

 

6. Strengths or special abilities

The Nasskash won't work on Max because, after his book failed, but before he gave up to beg for food on the streets, he dabbled a bit in Dark Magic (he's a crow, so please try not to judge) and the only spells he knows is one that magically slices and serves tropical fruit, an invisibility spell (works on himself or others), and the spell to resist the influence of the Nasskash. Also, he can fly.

 

7. Fears, weaknesses, or secrets

Max has a terrible fear of raccoons, but he can see through most bluffing (so merely pretending to have a raccoon wouldn't work). He's fairly small compared to most humans, so I suppose that's a weakness. Max is secretly in love with a crow named Marie, but she doesn't even know he exists. I think that, in addition to saving the world, he's trying to impress her. Of course, what he doesn't know is that she is working for the villain (or maybe, she just wants to be working for the villain (the underlying point I'm getting at is that she is evil, but Max doesn't know that)) Lastly, he likes to be called Maximus and is annoyed when people call him Max, but he never tells anyone, so they all call him Max.

 

8. How is the sidekick helpful?

Max speaks English, French, Spanish, Sindarin, Crowish (obviously), and a bit of Penguinish (South American dialect). He has a large vocabulary in all those llanguages except Sindarin and Penguinish and he is very good at writing poetry. He can fly, and, due to his small size, can pass unseen by most if he wishes, especially at night. Another good thing is that, unlike most birds, he is potty trained and doesn't randomly coat every surface in sight with a smelly, white substance. Also, as I mentioned before, he knows a teensy bit of magic.

 

9. What does the sidekick want most?

Max wants to get back the Nasskash so that it won't fall into the wrong hands. He also wants Marie to love him, but he is going to be sorely disappointed in that wish.

 

10. Your Crowd Sorcery Sentence(s)

Max slowly approached the innocent French Fry. His unsuspecting prey lay on the ground like an inanimate object (because it was). He cocked his head to one side as perceived a new creature in the area. He froze. The bushes directly opposite him rustled. Max could see, thought the branches, two darkish brown eyes. His own eyes grew wide with fear, but he dare not move. The horrendous monster crawled out from the bushes, licking its lips and hungrily eyeing Max's French Fry. It's striped tail flicked in the waning sun. The creature bared it's claws and approached Max's French Fry, mouth frothing. Max knew that he could not fight this beast. He would have to leave his Fry to its doom.

But just as Max had resigned himself to the awful truth, a human came running up. The human bravely yelled at the demonic thing, "Hey! You're such a mean raccoon! Let the crow eat the French Fry! Get out of here!" As the monster fled, the human knelt down to Max, and, looking into her starry, blue eyes, he thanked her in plain English.

submitted by Cole D., age 15, Alternate Universe
(July 1, 2014 - 1:42 pm)

Holy DUDE, DUDE!!! You submitted the exact same character on the villain thread, with a few differences. If that character had gotten voted against as a villain I'd say it was fine to reinvent him as a sidekick, but I think this is ridiculous!

http://www.cricketmagkids.com/chatterbox/crowdsorcery/node/134333?page=1

submitted by Joe the Stickfiddler, age 15, Duplicate Vortex
(July 1, 2014 - 4:25 pm)

I don't really know, but I think Max could be either a good character or a bad character. He just sort of has those traits. Besides, it all really depends on one's point of view. Mostly, I really liked Max and felt that he deserved to be shown in an alternate light, I suppose.

submitted by Cole D., age 15, No longer certain
(July 2, 2014 - 1:13 pm)

I agree with Joe. That is just crazy.

submitted by Brooke E., age 11, Arkansas
(July 3, 2014 - 11:14 am)

Timor is a homolupus, part human part wolf, that can
turn into a shadow. He was once a warrior to the Master, a strange nightmare in
Hero’s dream. Timor used to attack the residents of a town, until he found more
pleasure in heroics. He has short black hair with wolf ears sticking out of his
head. He also has grey fangs and claws. He wears a black cape and boots, and a
dark violet tunic. He is usually happy and looks on the bright side of things,
but has a dark humor…                                                                                 

Timor
thinks the hero is an awesome person who is better than Master, personality and
scent wise. He uses his claws in battle, and thinks they are better than swords.
Timor is absolutely terrified of light or shiny objects, and once got a scar
from the sun’s rays. He also can howl, and use shadow powers (such as summoning,
riding, and even transforming into one). Timor’s lifelong wish is freedom. No
matter how far he runs, the Master can always teleport him back. He can’t speak
of his master and his mouth zips shut when he speaks, or writes of his
dwellings.                                  

Sentences for Timor: “You see, I can’t
even speak about Master’s dwell- ingths hrouusthh! Errr Exactly.’’ Timor
paused. I hear a noise. A noise of people screaming. Ha ha! How fun! Oh… Nar. I
just find the things that you find terrifying hilarious.

submitted by Lydia G., age 12, Altoona Pennsylvania
(July 1, 2014 - 5:00 pm)

name 

 

Millai (mel-lay) Tigers.

 

Appearance 

very long messy Dirty blond hair, put into a long braid, tied with a strip of deer skin. ginger cat ears and tail. chrystal blue eyes, short for her age, skinny, very, very skinny. has deer skin tank top and clothes, barefoot everywhere. can grow claws instead of nails if she wants.   very inti-social and heck is she sassy.

Background 

parents unknown (of course) she was born somehow with ears and a tail, and was raised by tigers.  her tiger family was taken to the zoo because hunters wanted them, because her tiger family was all siberian tigers exept for her and her and her best friend, Lunt, who was was a snow tiger. she is/was a street kid.

 

Occupation or trade 

loner. street kid. thief.

 

 Attitude toward main character

 

annoyed sometimes. but protective. (is at least fourteen, but please if you pick her, please get her older then Fable, and at most eighteen.) also, secretly, considers her as a best friend Embarassed awww...

 

 Strengths or special abilities

 

can grow her nails into deadly claws in a split second. and since have been raised by tigers, pretty deadly. can translate any language, exept for rodent, cardinal, and woodpecker.

and sleeping things dont effect her, exept for sleeping gas, sleeping darts, and things like darts. arrows, bullets, and those dont hurt her. they just drop dead. unless they are sleeping. is dead silent without even trying or thinking about it.

 

Fears, weaknesses, or secrets

 

fears: that her tiger family is dead, that she could be in danger because she is different, and that her real family doenst want her, is horrible, or dead. or maybe the people who chased away her tiger family.

 

weaknesses: her tiger family, if they were in danger, she would do anything to save them. even if it ment her life. she can't be near sleep gas. sleeping gas for them, is poisened gas for her. she can be saved from it if she's gotten to fresh air in one hour,  she passes out immediantly. if not gotten to fresh air in five minutes, she will stay passed out for one and a half hours. oh yea, same thing sleeping darts, and those things. other than that, sleeping stuff doesnt effect her.

 

secrets. same thing with her fears, as well as the fact of the best friend, she might, might not want to find her true family... AND if theres a young male villian sidekick her around her age, then, she likes likes him Yell  

 

How is the sidekick helpful?

 

she knows a lot of things, and she can translate all naguages exept for rodent and cardinal and woodpecker. she can also spy easily. and silently. can gather information well.

 

What does the sidekick want most?

 

to just have her family back

to get a best friend 

 to find her true family :( 

 

Your Crowd Sorcery Sentence(s)

"abandoned first day of her life, riased bytigers and born with ears and a tail. her tiger family was taken away to a zoo to be saved from hunters. she wanders the streets, a loner, a street kid. a thief. her darkest fear is that her true family is the reason her tiger family is gone. who is this girl? Milla Tigers.

 

submitted by Sensai L., age 11, Rhode Island
(July 1, 2014 - 7:33 pm)

Sorry if you got repetitive suggestions, stupid computers. Undecided

submitted by Sensai, age 11
(July 1, 2014 - 7:43 pm)

1. Name: Sage Silversoul

2. Appearance: Short, choppy brown hair and laughing green
eyes. She thinks her freckles are “Bothersome…”, but everyone else says they’re
cute.

3. Background: Sage lived with her twin sister, Quinn, after
her parents died. Unfortunately, Quinn ran off to become a witch, and left Sage
all on her own. After her sister ran away, Sage moved out of her little cottage
and took up being a wilderness guide.

4. Occupation or trade: Sage is an expert wilderness guide
and knows many of the forests.

5. Attitude toward main character: Sage finds Fable enjoyable,
and thinks of her as a sister.

6. Strengths or special abilities: Sage is a shape shifter,
and can become any animal she’s ever seen.

7. Fears, weaknesses, or secrets: Sage is deathly afraid of
birds, after one attacked her at a young age.

8. How did Sage meet Fable: Crashed through her roof.

9. What does the sidekick want most? To find her sister
again.

10. Your Crowd Sorcery Sentence(s) “Nope nope nope nope
nope!” A girl came crashing out of the woods, her hair tangled and matted. Dirt
crusted around her terror-struck eyes as she hit the ground with a large thump.
Right behind her, a massive bird broke through the line of trees. It shrieked
as Sage began to writhe on the grassy ground of the clearing. She elongated,
her skin breaking as long, silver scales plated her body like armor. She let
out a roar as massive wings broke through her back. Her face was reptilian, and
only her eyes stayed the same. Sage had become a powerful, but small, dragon. She
didn’t fight the bird, nor did she breathe fire apon it. Instead, she shot into
the air and flew as fast as she could away, still calling “Nope nope nope! I’ll
fight ANYTHING else, just not you!” Sage suddenly felt herself dropping, and
looked down. “Right now?” she cried, as she suddenly became human again. Below her,
the thatched roof of a cottage grew increasingly bigger as she fell toward it.
Her last though before breaking through the roof, was. ‘Someone’s going to have to get that fixed.’ Cool

submitted by Abigail B, age 13, Your dreams.
(July 1, 2014 - 8:50 pm)

Name: Poppy Corbell

Appearance: Short, red, curly hair, brown eyes, and light freckles. 

Background: Poppy was born into a poor, yet large family. She was loved but ignored most of the time (it was a huge family) and stayed there until her older brother decided to run away and earn more money. Poppy went with him, and they arrived in Fable's village. They made enough money to stay in a house, but then her brother got very sick and died. Poppy lives on her own, barely making enough money to live on. 

Occupation or trade: Her job isn't exactly entirely legal, although she would tell you it was... She ffinds (or in rare cases, steals) stuff and sells it.

Attitude toward the main character : Has seen her around, and thinks she may be a good freind, but wonders why she looks so sad some of the time.

Strengths or special abilities: Poppy is street-smart, and her mother was a healer, so she can heal rather well. Poppy likes to make people laugh, which she dies remrkably well. 

Fears, weaknesses, or secrets: Deathly afraid of heights. 

How is the sidekick helpful?: She makes people laugh, and is good at making deals with people. She is brave and boosts morale. 

What does the sidekick want most?: To be freinds with Fable and to help her out.

Your Crowd Sorcery Sentences:

"I'll have three tomatos, two carrots, and some kale, please" Poppy told the lady selling vegtables. She didn't joke around with her like she did with the other ladys selling their food because she was new, but she was the only seller left open at this time of night, and Poppy was hungry. The lady handed her a bag containing the vegtables and Poppy darted off towards her home. as she was running, she saw Fable running in the opposite direction, wiping a tear off her face. Poppy frowned. It was a small town, but even then, she didn't see much of Fable. She liked her, but Fable was always doing something or other. Or she just wasn't there. Poppy kept running, and ran straight into a large, wide, very grumpy lady. 

"Sorry" she said, backing away and grinning sheepishly. She knew that woman. She was the orphanage lady who was sure that she was an orphan (which she wasn't) and a troublemaker (which, Poppy admitted to herself, she might be. But that teeny little fire that eventually consumed the Margot's house wasn't eniterly her fault. She just dropped a  match and forgot about it) 

 

 

 

submitted by Katie M , age 11
(July 2, 2014 - 6:53 am)

This Quinn character and Sage seem a lot like my villan and heroine. ._.

submitted by A sorcerer
(July 2, 2014 - 9:40 pm)

Admin, are we allowed to create more than one sidekick? I'm asking because I saw someone called E.m.i.l.y. created two villains on the villain thread but I don't know if that was technically allowed, so...

Admin: You are either allowed to create one sidekick or ten sidekicks. Nothing in between. (Just kidding—make as many as you want!) 

submitted by Joe the Stickfiddler, age 15, E.m.i.l.y. Vortex
(July 2, 2014 - 8:02 am)