Summer Holiday With My Characters!

Well, it's been a month since last I posted on my blog. And that is because I've been working on something. Working on getting five people to agree to go on holiday together. And I finally sent them off yesterday! I'm Clara Murphy, Queen of Fandoms, and this is Summer Vacation With My Characters!

You may remember my last post: Grace from Time Traveller's Daughter created a tag, and tagged me with it. I've been working on it for a while, and it's finally done.


Anyway, the rules are:

1.     Pick 3 to 5 characters from your writings. These can be from any of your works—long or short, work-in-progress or finished, in any form—and the characters can be of any kind, but they must be your own characters.

2.     Each answer must be written as if you are interviewing all of the characters together, in real life. (See my own example later in the post). They don't have to be very elaborate, and can in fact be as simple as each character just saying his answer—in his own voice, of course. But remember, they are all together in the same place.

3.     You must link back to the person who tagged you.

4.     You must tag at least one other person to do the tag.

This is such a fun tag. I suppose this will honestly be my first bit of fanfic. That I've actually written and posted, that is.

Now, just as a forewarning, I may be cheating just a little bit. The thing calls for original characters. And some of them are in fact completely original to me, even if I've attached them to someone else's story world. But some of them are sort of pre-existing. You'll probably be able to tell who. But I think they're original enough for this. At least I hope so.

Besides, that's what you get for tagging someone whose only known writing is about fandoms.  XD   Just saying!

Either way, this will be interesting. Hope you enjoy!

 

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Introduce your characters (or rather, let them introduce themselves)!

*four people are sitting on a couch and armchairs in my living room when I enter with a camera; instantly, a woman dressed in purple, with mostly-brown hair, jumps up with a bright smile*

(A) *in British accent* Hello there! My name is Atlas Fletcher. *curtsies a little* I’m the captain of the A.S. Hildegarde.

*a middle-aged man, sitting in an armchair, laughs with a sneer*

(B) *in American accent* You? Captain of a sea-faring vessel?

(A) Well, not exactly…

(B) I knew it!

(A) …I suppose it’s really more of a sky-faring vessel. An airship, if you will!

(B) *blinks in surprise* Uh—wai—what?

(A) Oh! And I’m from the year 1875, by the way. Since you all look rather, er, modern, I thought I should make that clear.

*a boy with dark-brown, rather messy hair sits forward with interest*

(S) *in American accent* You’re a time traveller and an airship captain? Huh. Looks like this will be a worthwhile trip after all.

*a man, wearing a teal coat and brown fedora, who had been sitting straight and quiet, now leans forward a little*

(P) *in a slight Australian accent* Name’s Perry. Perry Flynn. *tips his fedora*

(S) Hold on, wasn’t it Peregrine Flynn?

(A) He told me it was Percival.

(P) Uh, well, it’s both, actually. Peregrine Percival Flynn. But Perry’s shorter.

(S) Then why not just say ‘Perry’ to all of us?

(P) *slight pause, shrugs*

(S) *suspicious* Uh-huh. Well, I’m gonna be straightforward with my name. It’s Shermie. Shermie Pines. I’m from Glass Shard Beach.

(A) That’s a rather interesting name. Where is that?

(S) New Jersey. But it’s kind of boring. Just like the rest of my life.

(A) Boring? Now, how could your whole life be boring?

(S) Well, not all of us are skyship captains.

(A) Yes, but haven’t you got brothers and sisters?

(S) One brother. Stanford. But he’s like fifteen years older than me, and he lives way out in some little town in Oregon. *takes on mock realization* Of course, what was I thinking, that’s a total riot right there! How could anything be boring around him when I haven’t even seen him in years?

(A) You’re being sarcastic, aren’t you?

(B) UGH, you all take too long! I’m—

*he is interrupted by a door opening, and a teenaged girl—who looks strangely like Liv Tyler and is carrying a book—bursting through said door; he groans*

(G) *in American accent* Sorry I’m late! I just got a little caught up in my reading, and—did I miss it?

(A) Not at all, dear girl! We were just introducing ourselves to this small black box with a monacle lens on it.

(B) *snickers*

(A) Though I’m not really sure why.

(G) Oh, okay, then. *clears throat and looks at the camera* I’m Gwen Walker. I’m seventeen years old. And… well, I guess that’s the basics. I don’t have to say where I’m from, do I? No? Okay. *sits next to Shermie*

(B) *arms crossed* My name’s Biff, as if anybody cares. From Danville.

*Perry’s eyebrows rise, but he says nothing*


Who drives on the trip?


(A) Ooh! Can I try?

(B) *a little incredulous* You just said you’re from 1875! What do ya wanna do, kill us?

(A) *a bit embarrassed* Oh. So sorry. I just was wondering what it’d be like to drive a car—have been since I first saw one.

(S) I don’t blame her. I can’t wait to get my driver’s license either.

(A) What about our Miss Walker, here?

(G) No thanks. I want to get in some reading. *taps the book on her lap twice*

(B) Good, cause I want to drive.

(P) I don’t think so.

(B) What, you think I forged my driver’s license or something?

(P) Let’s just say I think we’d all be a bit safer if I was the one driving.

(B) And what’s that supposed to mean?

*Perry says nothing*

(B) Fine. I need some relaxation anyway.


What is your most essential item to bring on the trip?


(G) Definitely my Tolkien books. Which I already have in my bags, except for Silmarillion. *holds up her book* This, I’m going to read. I’m going to try to get at least to Beren and Luthien, but after that—

(B) *snort-laughs* Seriously, you made those words up, didn’t you?

(G) Wha—no! Haven’t you ever heard of Tolkien?

(B) Nope. All that silly fantasy stuff is… is silly!

(G) *annoyed* Well, then, I’d like to know just what you think is essential.

(B) Well— *pause, thinking* uh…

*Gwen raises her eyebrows*

(B) Okay! I’ve already got it on, alright? I think I’ve got the most essential thing on me right now.

(G) And that is…?

(B) *thumbs toward his face and grins*

(G) *rolls eyes*

(A) Well, I’m sure that is very essential for you. But for me, it’s this! *holds up a tarnished grey pocketwatch*

(S) Why? Is it some kind of time machine?

(A) No—

(S) Maybe the key to operating your airship?

(A) No, no, nothing like that. It’s just something I was given a long time ago by a very dear friend of mine. I’d never part with it. *smiles fondly in memory*

(B) UGH, sentimental mush. Next! Flynn?

(P) *fingering something small on a chain around his neck* No comment.

(G) How about you, Shermie?

(S) *shrugs* Ehh, I don’t have one.

(G) You don’t?

(S) Nope. I got all I really need *taps his own head twice* up here.


Pick one song for your playlist.


(A) Oh yes! Dakota told me about these! Let me see, what was that title? *thinks just a moment* ‘You Snuck Your Way Right Into My Heart’.

(P) Hm. Really?

(A) Well, it was the best one he played for me. A lot better than that silly woodcutter song, though it wasn’t—

(B) Okay, hold it a second. Hold it. Did you say Dakota? As in the time traveller?

(A) Yes. Why?

(B) *throws up hands and groans* Of course! Out of all the people I could’ve gotten stuck with on this trip, it had to be a friend of that little—

(A) Mind your words, sir! Now what do you have against him?

(B) That twerp? *humourless laugh* Everything. The whole reason I even agreed to this trip was to get away from the Dakotas for a while!

(A) I don’t understand! Why would he—

(B) *holds up finger as he speaks* Heavy metal.

(A) *confused* What?

(B) Anything heavy metal. That’s what kind of music I want to listen to in the car.

*Atlas still seems confused, but is interrupted before she can say anything further*

(S) I don’t really care what kind of music we listen to. I’m not into all that stuff.

(P) Same.

(G) If I had to pick just one song, I might pick ‘The Greatest Adventure’, from the Rankin-Bass Hobbit movie. Though all the songs in that are really good. I practically grew up with that cartoon.

(A) *slowly* What’s a cartoon?


What movie would you watch in the car?


(B) Any Western. See, those are why you people are so amusing.

(S) Us people?

(B) You know what I mean.

(S) *suspiciously* I think I’m starting to.

(P) I’ll be honest, I don’t think I’ll have much time to watch anything. But I do like spy movies. James Bond, Mission Impossible, things like that.

(G) The Rankin-Bass version of The Hobbit is my thought.

(A) You really like those hobbit-stories and all, don’t you?

(G) Yes. But I don’t think they’ve made very many adaptations of them, especially not that you can watch—

(P) Well, aren’t you forgetting the Lord of the Rings movies?

(G) *kind of not wanting to talk about it* Well, the first animated version, the Bashki one, is kind of—

(B) Hello? *knocking on the top of her head—she annoyedly whacks at his fist a bit* Hello, anybody home? Think, girly! He’s talking about the live-action ones, not the cartoons!

(G) *eyes widen* There are live-action movies? Of Lord of the Rings?

(P) *nods*

(G) *pauses, thinking; draws breath through teeth as she hesitates* Can we bring them all?

(S) Wow, you are really into those stories. I personally like science-fiction movies. Particularly older ones, just because they’re fun, but I like it more when they try to go into how the science-fiction works. I like proving them wrong.

(G) Wait, what?

(S) To be more specific, proving their science wrong. Most of these things, if they’re possible at all, usually wouldn’t work even theoretically by their physics.

(G) Right. Well, I’ll just trust you to know what you’re talking about.

(A) Whether they’re accurate or not, I’ve heard about a lot of time travel films from your day and age. I’d like to try some of them.

(B) *sarcastic* Sure, time travel! I wonder why you’d think of that!

(A) Well, you know, some of my best friends are time travellers—even Cav is one of them!

(B) “Cav”? Who’s “Cav”?

(A) My friend. The one who gave me the pocketwatch. At least, that’s his nickname: Cav. It’s short for—

(B) UGH, please, don’t say it. Please don’t tell me you’re talking about Doc Cavendish.

(A) I didn’t know he was a doctor too!


What snacks would you bring?


(A) Well, I think pistachios might be—

(B) Nope!

(A) What?

(B) That one is ruled out. Pick something else, or skip your answer.

(A) *frowning* Goodness, you are rude. But either way, I would rather like to stop at one of these swift-meal places.

(S) You mean fast food?

(A) Yes, that was it!

(G) I’m bringing apples. We’ve always got them back home, and they’re very good.

(A) Yes, I’ve always got some on my ship. Though I don’t need as many, it’s still a good idea to bring them along.

(S) Toffee peanuts, for sure. They’re my favourite snack.

*everyone looks at him blankly*

(S) Why does everyone give me a weird look when I say that? It’s not like nobody’s heard of them before!


What is your destination?


(S) Anywhere interesting. My parents keep trying to get me to go visit my brother out in Oregon for a summer. But come on. A small town like where he lives? Way too boring for me.

(A) Could we go someplace modern? I’ve only seen this time once, and that was very brief. I’d like to find out more about it.

(B) I don’t really care, as long as there’s a lot of people there.

(P) Why’s that?

(B) Just my personal preference. You got a different preference, Flynn?

(P) Actually, no. Not really.

(G) Ooh, I’ve got some preferences! My first pick would definitely be Middle Earth. There’s so many places there we could go! Rivendell, the Shire, Rohan, Minas Tirith…

(B) *sing-song-y voice* You’re making up words again…

(G) *sing-song-y voice* No, I’m no-ot!

(A) Those sound interesting, actually. I might agree to go there.

(G) Thank you, Miss Fletcher! But if that one doesn’t end up being agreed on, by *looks at Biff* certain parties, my second choice might be the North Pole.

(B) That’s silly. There’s no such thing.

(S) Huh! Now who’s being silly? Of course there’s such a thing. There’s just not a Santa Claus or elves or anything like that up there.

(G) There is— *realizes she just let those words out of her mouth; quietly:* too.

(B) Great. Now we’ve got two crazy females on the trip. Hey, why don’t I call Libby and round out the trio?

(A) Oh, don’t be rude. Gwen means the ones in the stories, right?

(S) Are we allowed to go to places that aren’t real, though?

(P) I’m pretty sure it’s allowed. Seems like it’d have to be.


How long will the vacation last?


(A) A month!

(P/B) NO!

(G) Well, it should at least be a couple of weeks. If we are going to Middle Earth, we’re going to have a lot to do.

(B) That much is true: we will have a lot to do. Plenty.

(P) *growls*

(A) Well, Mr. Flynn! That was an amazing imitation of a platypus’ growl. Where did you learn to do it?

(P) *sort of stammers* Uh—well—I guess it just comes natural.

(S) *whispers to Gwen* I’m kind of hoping it’ll be a longer trip, too.

(G) *whispers back* Why’s that?

(S) I want to observe our, uh, road-mates. Especially the men. They’ve been acting very suspicious, and I think they’ve got something to hide.

(G) Fill me in when you find out something new?

(S) Sure. At least you’re not part of the Danville Debate Club over there.

*Gwen scrunches her eyebrows*

(S) *as if it should be obvious* Come on. Biff said he’s from Danville. Atlas knows some of the same people he knows.

(G) And Mr. Flynn?

(S) I noticed how he looked when Biff said he was from Danville. Gotta be. Besides—well—they all look kind of… weird. Weird in the same ways. I don’t really know how else to describe it.

(G) Don't worry. I get it. *to self* To be honest, you all looked cartoon-y, but—

(S) What was that?

(G) Nothing.


How would you pass the time along the way (aside from the things already mentioned)?


(A) By doing everything I possibly can! It’s been so long since I’ve been on a road trip, with other people! I don’t think I’ll have any trouble passing time.

(S) Wait, you haven’t been on a road trip with other people?

(A) No, I have! It’s just… been a while. *pause* A long while.

(B) Why was I not told about this question? Did you come up with this one at the last minute, bec—

(S) Why? Don’t want to talk about what you’re gonna do on the way?

(B) No, I hadn’t THOUGHT about what I’m gonna do on the way.

(P) I’ll be driving, of course. And keeping an eye on some of our… passengers. *whispering to the camera* Between you and me, this trip is a time bomb waiting to go off.

(B) *to Shermie* What are you looking at, nuthead?

(S) Just you. Your face. The way you’re holding yourself. Things like that.

(B) *shouting, voice squeaking just a little* Look, can somebody tell the kid to stop studying me? I’m getting weirded out here!

(P) *to camera* Hold on. *goes back into the group* Now, gents, let’s not lose the plot, here.

(B) Wha—?

(G) You’re exactly right, Mr. Flynn. We need to stay focused on the questions.

*the others generally agree*

(G) As for me, I’ll probably be mostly reading. That and listening to Shermie’s theories.

(B) Listening to that little twerp? Ha, shouldn’t be surprised. You’re not one of the fun females. Just another nerd. Just like that stupid Cavendish and Dakota.

(S) You’re saying nerd like it’s a bad thing.

(A) *crossing arms* Well, I should certainly hope it’s not a bad thing. *glares at Biff*

(B) Eh, at least this one’s got guts. And she’s the most annoying one, always yapping about her ‘dear old friends’. But she’s sure got guts.

(A) *eyes narrow* You’d best watch your words about my friends.

(B) *leans forward* You’d best watch your back.

(P) *steps in* Enough! Now, can we try not to kill each other before we leave the driveway?

*the two stand, still glaring, for a tense, brief moment, before their stances relax*

(A) *sigh* Mr. Flynn, you’re completely right. This sort of fighting won’t do any good. *holds out hand, still half-glaring* Shall we make it pax, for the time being, Mister…

(B) I told you, my name’s Biff. *walks away, sits back down in the armchair*

(S) *to Gwen* See? Danville Debate Club. I think what I find from studying them is gonna make this the most interesting summer of my life.

(G) Yeah. *sighs* Let’s hope this actually works.

(A) Now, to the automobile! Let’s be off!

(B) I think some of us already are.

*I push the button on the camera, and the video cuts off*


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Well, that went well, didn't it? Yeah, I seriously doubt that this trip will go without incident.  XD

But anyway, thanks for reading! I hope you found it (and especially the characters) interesting, because we'll hopefully be seeing a bit more of them around here. Once they get back from holiday, that is. Let me know what you thought down in the comments!  :)

Once again, I do apologize if one or two of the characters don't seem quite original (*cough*Biff*cough*). There is in fact a reason why I think those characters are original, but I don't want to spoil it.  ;)   It'll make sense once the story's up.

Oh, right! Tagging! I tag...

Deborah - deborahocarroll.wordpress.com
          Because I want to know more about her characters (especially Siren and the Skyship characters!  :D  )

Victoria - storitorigrace.blogspot.com
          Because her posts are really helpful, especially the So Your Character is From... posts (helped me out with Perry!) And also I'm kind of curious about her characters.

Plus, anybody who wants to do this fun tag!  :)


And now the rules:

1.     Pick 3 to 5 characters from your writings. These can be from any of your works—long or short, work-in-progress or finished, in any form—and the characters can be of any kind, but they must be your own characters.

2.     Each answer must be written as if you are interviewing all of the characters together, in real life. (See my own example later in the post). They don't have to be very elaborate, and can in fact be as simple as each character just saying his answer—in his own voice, of course. But remember, they are all together in the same place.

3.     You must link back to the person who tagged you.

4.     You must tag at least one other person to do the tag.

And the questions:

Introduce your characters (or rather, let them introduce themselves)!Who drives on the trip?
What is your most essential item to bring on the trip?
Pick one song for your playlist.
What movie would you watch in the car?
What snacks would you bring?
What is your destination?
How long will the vacation last?
How would you pass the time along the way (aside from the things already mentioned)?


And I suppose there's not much more to say in this post. So goodbye for now, and once again, happy summer!