Tired of Transfigurations on Pecari Commons

Echo Elms

October 07, 2006 9:33 AM

Tired of Transfigurations by Echo Elms

Echo crumpled up another sheet of failed transfiguration essay and ket it drop to the ground with the other three. It didn't help that his ballpoint pen kept dying. It was his last one, too. He thought he had a whole box of them somewhere in his room, but he couldn't seem to find them.

Maybe if he slept on the stupid obtusely written textbook he would figure it out. Learning by Active Transport. Some people would say "learning by osmosis" but that assumes that the book has more total knowledge than you do, and Echo was pretty sure that wasn't true in this case. Maybe if it was a set of encyclopedias.

He watched the other kids mill around the common room. It was Saturday morning, which meant he was probably the only one even thinking about getting stuff done.

"I'm going to write a novel," he said outloud, to no one in particular. He didn't know where that came from, but as soon as he said it, he decided it was an A+ idea and sure beat transfiguration homework. He, Echo Elms, was going to write a book. He'd seen an internet site once about writing a book in a month. That was what he was going to do. Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month) had already come and gone -- it was in November -- but he didn't have internet at Sonora anyway. He'd need some other people to write, too, to keep him on task.

Step one: Write home for more ballpoint pens, a cool journal, and the book No Plot No Problem he'd borrowed once from the library.

Step two: Convince someone else they should write a novel too.

Step three: Set a starting date and start planning.

"I am. I'm going to write a novel," he said again, feeling strangely at the center of attention even though he didn't think anyone was listening. Echo looked around hopefully at his fellow Pecaris. "Who's with me?"\n\n

21 Echo Elms Tired of Transfigurations 93 Echo Elms 1 5

Saul Pierce

October 09, 2006 11:38 AM

Answering to the rallying cry! by Saul Pierce

Saul had been writing out his astronomy essay and unhappily grumbling under his breath that the professor of that class was a giant jerk for talking about pizzas and not giving them any. So caught up in his angry sulk that the essay wasn't really progressing at all and he missed almost everything of what Echo had just called out to the room.

Almost everything except the last bit. The words "Who's with me?" sallied forth into the Commons, a rallying cry if ever Saul had heard one.

He was on his feet in a blink, the astronomy essay forgotten. "I am!" he cried out enthusiastically. He had no clue what Echo wanted him to do, but Echo was a cool kid, and Saul had sort of adopted the whole first year Pecari class. It was only right to support his kids.

Besides, it had to be better than doing homework for a guy who wouldn't even give out pizzas.\n\n

1 Saul Pierce Answering to the rallying cry! 82 Saul Pierce 0 5

Echo Elms

October 09, 2006 12:02 PM

That's one! Do I hear two?! by Echo Elms

He had one, "I am!" and a very enthusiastic one at that. Echo grinned at Saul and, caught up in the moment he jumped up and stood by Saul's side.

He had a vague feeling that people were staring, and not in a good way. He was completely out of his usual sittng quietly and not drawing attention mode. But that was okay. He had a purpose! As long as it was part of a project, Echo could do anything. Especially with Saul by his side.

He raised his fist to the sky, "That's one! We stand at the brink of noveling fury? Who stands with us?"\n\n

21 Echo Elms That's one! Do I hear two?! 93 Echo Elms 0 5

Caedence Redoak

October 09, 2006 8:01 PM

Only cause I just love scarin you! by Caedence Redoak

Caedence had been minding her own buisness quietly reading a book. Then, some idiot started thinking out loud. She was fully prepared to go up to her room, when he asked for people to join him. About a novel, Caedecne though she heard. A voice joined his. Saul Pierce. That boy who had decided that he was the 'official' tourguide. She sighed, if he was in, Caedence was out.

Then she noticed the rallier. Echo.... Elms? Yes, Elms was his surname. Well, maybe joining the same cause as Pierce wasn't so bad. She gained a wolfish grin. Quickly she replaced it with a scowl. Elly was going to love to hear about this...wait, she wasn't. Caedence wasn't too sure if she wanted to converse quiet yet with her. Astronomy was tesnse enough. Well, that was fine.

Walking up behind him, quietly hoping to startle him, Caedence said, "I'm in." in her scary angry voice. Inside she was doubled over laughing. No trace of her inner laughter reached her face, however. No, not until she was sure that he was good and scared. Then she'd laugh. Probably would scare him further.

OOC: thank goodness for FT. Elly, lets pretend the above post was after this, mkay? that is if you join this thread.\n\n

0 Caedence Redoak Only cause I just love scarin you! 94 Caedence Redoak 0 5

Echo Elms

October 09, 2006 9:28 PM

There's two, do I hear three? by Echo Elms

Echo's fist was still partially in the air when he heard a voice behind him, close and cold. Way too close. He knew that voice. The voice of a speared braid.

"I'm in," it said.

He was jumping away, and turning toward her like an enemy he didn't dare have his back to. Her breath, he could still feel it at his nape -- it tingled with weirdness whether she'd been that close or not.

As he spun he sensed one hand nearing Saul's arm and jerked it back inward. When he stopped moving he froze, staring wide-eyed at Caedence Redoak.

"I'm in," she had said.

"You--you're in?" he floundered. She didn't even like him. She was unpredictable, wild, aloof, difficult. He rubbed his neck. He hadn't counted on Caedence. He figured, well, he figured scary people like her wouldn't be interested in a month of novelling. But it was an open invitation to all of Pecari. He couldn't just say no to people.

He was on a crusade.

Come on, Echo, he told himself, This isn't about friends and liking people. This is about NaNoWriMo and the mad crazy writing fury. This is your project, you can deal.

"Two!" he announced, pulling himself together and glancing at Saul for inspiration. "Two mad crazy novelers of the future have answered the call! Who will make it three?" He glanced furtively at Caedence and let his eyes slide on to the other Pecaris, "The ranks must be filled!"\n\n

21 Echo Elms There's two, do I hear three? 93 Echo Elms 0 5

Caedence

October 10, 2006 11:01 PM

Yeah! C'Mon dont let me scare y'all off! by Caedence

Caedence allowed herself to laugh. Echo's reaction was just too funny. Jumping a mile high, paired wiht almost slapping Pierce coupled with his obvous fear was hilarious. She laughed again. Soon she was in a short fit of slightly maniacal sounding giggles. Immediately afterwards, which it lasted less than a minute, she sobered up. Then she returned to her normal face.

"I think...maybe I should write a fiction. Dont you two agree?" She asked. "I mean, a long one. I can do it. I hope. But I would need an editor... where's Elly when you need her? Oh well, you two will do. I'll get the rough draft to you soon Echo, you can be the first to edit, then Pierce, you can edit second." She raised an eyebrow that said 'You're perfectly welcome to object if you dont like the idea' but the fierce glint in her eye brought on by the idea of a new challenge suggested it wasn't a good idea to object. However, both Pierce and Echo were two people who could speak their minds if they wanted to.\n\n

0 Caedence Yeah! C'Mon dont let me scare y'all off! 94 Caedence 0 5

Echo Elms

October 11, 2006 1:05 PM

I guess they don't want to be laughed at, Caedence. by Echo Elms

The troops did not seem eager to do any more rallying today, so when Caedence started talking about specifics, it was just the transition Echo needed to stop looking for people (at least for the moment). Actually, it was sort of more like when she started laughing at him that he stopped figuring more people would join their group just now.

But there was no time for hurt feelings and barely stifled embarrassment. He could worry about whether or not Caedence thought he was an idiot later (and he probably would, at length), but right now there was too much explaining to do.

Echo didn't know where Caedence was coming from with all her editing stuff, so he ignored it and jumped right into his explanation, "Okay, it goes like this: in thirty days we will each write a 50,000 word book. We write whatever we want. Fiction," he looked at Caedence because he did catch that word flying out of her mouth a minute ago, "is best. We're not worrying about editing or anything like that until it's all over. We can't. Every day we gotta write about 2,000 words and that's mad hard so we gotta stick together and get as many people as we can to do this with us. We also need to make a starting day."

OOC: In real time, this will begin on November 1st, since I am going to be doing NaNoWriMo in real life (http://www.nanowrimo.com). You don't have to do your character's noveling for real, of course, but you might enjoy it (or enjoy doing your own novelling concurrently). I did nanowrimo last year and it's quite a ride.\n\n

21 Echo Elms I guess they don't want to be laughed at, Caedence. 93 Echo Elms 0 5

Saul

October 12, 2006 7:14 PM

Wait, wait, wait, we're doing <i>what</i>?! by Saul

The first indication that Saul had gotten into something over his head was the phrase 'noveling fury'. Novels usually meant books, unless you meant that something was new, but when it got turned into a verb, Saul was pretty sure Echo meant the book sort. Saul hated books. Reading was what teachers made him do with the textbooks. Novels were some strange source material that people used to make plays and movies. Saul had very little experience with the things and he was just as glad to leave it that way.

If they were going to be reading a ton of books Saul was out of here, rallying cry or no rallying cry. Unless it was out loud. He could do reading out loud. That was entirely different. That utilized some creativity and allowed for acting if you really got into it (which, of course, Saul would). But quietly reading books? No way. He'd go insane.

Then one of the other Pecari first years joined in and Echo was soon expanding on what they were going to be doing.

Writing. Writing a lot. 50,000 words. Saul couldn't even comprehend how long that was. It was huge. The longest thing he had ever written in his life was that list of Mars traits that didn't even win him a pizza. That had been two pages. He wondered how many words that had been. Was it close to 50,000?

Probably not. Not if Echo was talking about writing a novel. A chapter book. No pictures. That was huge. He hoped the daily amount of 2,000 words was at least close to what he'd written for Mars. Maybe he could do two pages a day.

At least writing was way more creative than reading was. But it was still quiet. Insanely quiet. Saul was incapable of that amount of quietude. He could barey handle classes.

Then he remembered the quick quotes quill he'd gotten Simon for Christmas one year. Yes! He could tell a story. That was no problem. He'd just need to have the quill write it down for him and that would be great! He could totally do that! He just needed a quill that would write everything he said. Maybe Simon still had his? Saul would have to ask. But maybe not. He'd need time to get one, or at least learn how to charm a quill himself so that it would do the same thing.

"How about January thirtieth?" he suggested as the starting date. That would be plenty of time for an owl to fly to California and back, with time in between for a shopping trip to a wizarding area. "That way the end of February is 30 days later."\n\n

1 Saul Wait, wait, wait, we're doing <i>what</i>?! 82 Saul 0 5

Echo Elms

October 20, 2006 11:55 AM

Writing, silly. by Echo Elms

"January 30th sounds great," Echo agreed. Now all they needed was a place to kick it off -- probably a classroom -- and more people. He had some ideas and a secret plot to ask his favorite teacher was already working its way to his list of things to do. "I need send home for supplies, and we all need to find more people to write with us. We'll all get together on the 30th to start writing. I'll find a place and time and let you know."

"You can start developing your stories now, but no writing until the 30th. Got it?"

Paper. Echo needed paper. What the crazy weirdo had gotten into him that he was conspiring with Caedence and ordering her around, just a little bit. He loved it. He needed to write this all down -- the to do list, not the ordering Caedence around -- and get on it like yesterday.\n\n

21 Echo Elms Writing, silly. 93 Echo Elms 0 5