Mint and Zoey - Chapter 2 - Part 2

Since RHRP is finally finished and I promised my little sister I'd keep writing Mint and Zoey once I was done, here it is:



See what has happened up until now...




     Mint

Running through the hallways of the remote forest manor, shaggy hair and frilly skirts flying, Mint burst into Zoey's bedroom.
"Look what I made!" She screamed, sending Zoey toppling out of his bed in fright. "It's a kitty." She announced, thrusting a carved apple into his face.
"Don't DO that." Zoey exclaimed, clutching his chest.
"Sorry," Mint said hurriedly, examining her apple. "Crystal helped me make him. Do you think I should name him? I want to, but then I'm afraid I'll like him too much to eat him. I'm gonna ask Madona." 
Spinning on her bare heel, she dashed out of the room.
"You do that!" She heard Zoey call after her.
About to burst in Madona's room, Mint stopped abruptly and though better of it, remembering the look on Zoey's face when she crashed into his room and startled him awake. 
She gently pushed over the old woman's door.
"Madona?" Mint tiptoed to her bedside. "Are you awake?"
The little girl placed a hand on the woman's shoulder.
With a gasp, she jumped back as if stung. A bitter cold surrounded her. She had seen this before, and she knew it all to well. The whole scene was a horrible deja-vu.
She wanted to scream, but at first, no sound came.
"Zoey!"
Her memories had come back to haunt her.

     *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

After comforting the traumatized Mint, Zoey and Crystal buried the loving woman next to her husband.
Since they had no gravestone, they carved a note into some wood and placed it over the grave.
It read:

Madona

Loving Wife, kind friend, forever remembered.

A couple of days later, a crude but beautiful carving appeared on the headstone. I suspect Crystal had something to do with it, but when Zoey asked Mint what she thought, the little girl hadn't said a word about it.

     *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


Zoey

"What now?" Mint's question had been whispered so quietly that Zoey had hardly caught it.
Placing his bowl of steaming soup on the kitchen table, he sat down on one of the four mismatched wooden chairs. "I don't know." With I sigh, he ran his finger's through his rust-colored hair.
It had been almost a week since Madona had died. The three had gone through the motions, and Zoey knew Mint had tried to hide her crying at night. Crystal had been unusually solemn and quite, and none of them ever felt like doing much of anything.
"We can't stay here forever." Mint's bright eyes met his. Once again she had stated the very thought he had been so hesitant to say.

"Why not?" Crystal sat across from Zoey, her two toned eyes met his. "We have food, we have shelter,"
"But the chickens and cow will die, and crops may fail," Mint pointed out miserably. "This house is very old and already falling apart. Someone's got to have known there was an old lady living out here, and if they come looking, they'll find us and a dead woman." Dropping her idle spoon, she rested her chin on balled fists. "And besides, we still have something to finish."
Zoey caught her meaningful look. 'She's way beyond her years,' he thought, stirring is soup, deep in thought. 'and she's right. We can't stay here forever. Mint and I, we have business to finish.' Finally he pushed back his chair and stood.
"Mint and I want to find the one that killed our parents'. We will leave as soon as we're ready." Pausing at the door, Zoey said over his shoulder: "Where ever you decide to go, Crystal, is up to you."
The girl was silent at first, then: "You haven't touched your soup."
"I'm not hungry."

Mint

"There." Putting on the last touches, Mint stepped back to admire her work. "You look absolutely stunning, Thorvald dear." She patted the small, raggedy plush horse on the head. The old brown thing wore a pastel pink doll dress.
"Isn't "Thorvald dear" a boy?" Tossing a shirt on to the pile of things he would pack, Zoey emerged from the closet, a quizzical look on his face.
Mint smiled wide. "Yes, but he was misbehaving earlier this morning and I thought this would be the best way to punish him."
Zoey laughed and ruffled her blue-green hair. "That is certainly the worst punishment I could imagine."
"Well, killing him would be much too--"
Crystal walked into the room and plopped a bag onto Zoey's bed. Her jaw was set; hand on hip.
"What's this?" The other two asked, Mint jumping up to see what was inside the bag.
"My things." The girl explained with finality. "I'm coming with you."
Mint looked to Zoey, wondering what the older boy would think. His face was unreadable.
"Okay. When can you be ready?" He asked evenly.
"Whenever you are." Crystal looked at Zoey, daring him to refuse her.
Mint glanced back and forth between the two. When neither said anything, she smiled. "Yay."

Lemme know what you think!

Goodbye RHRP, Hello HotSM

Red-Haired Runaway Princess is finally finished. That means it's time to say goodbye.


Me (Sophie/Sprinkles): Miss you! *sob*

Britt Aeryn: Bye!

Aurum: Whatever. *grin*

Solomon, Ace, Quinn, Lucy, Lowla, etc. : Bye!

Lord Falco: Don't be that way. *grump* You have no reason to be sad, because you're not the one--

Sophie: DON'T SAY IT! *stuffs cotton wads down Falco's throat* YOU'LL GIVE AWAY THE ENDING. >:D
*sob* T^T I love you all! *choke*

RHRP charries: *exits, dragging multiple bags, belongings, suitcases, sheep, etc.*

~~~  (< Squiggly =3)

HotSM charries: *enters*

Lily: Hasn't changed much...

Zagum: Yo peeps! We're back in town!

Violet: I've missed you so!  T^T

Sophie: I've missed you too!  T^T

Marth: *scuffs toe* ...nice to see you again...

Sophie: HE SPEAKS. O.O
*flail* I loveyou toooooo! *glomp*

Marth: ...Get off me.

Taylor: Ack! I'm so stoked to be back!

Rocky: ...

Sophie: *gaspeth* Who's this one?

Violet: That's Rocky. *whisper* His identity is a secret.

Sophie: Oooooh, aaaaah...

Rocky: ...shutup.

Sophie: You know, it seems like I've seen your before. You look very familiar...

Rocky: ...You haven't.

Truette: Hey.

Sophie: AGH! *jumps onto nearby table* O.O ANOTHER NEW ONE?

Taylor: That's Truette. *whisperwhisper* No one knows much about him.

Sophie: *climbs off table to inspect newcomer* Oooooh, aaaaah...

Truette: Don't touch me.

Sophie: Umph. *pouts* All these newbies are grumpy.

Truette: Bite me.

Character Development

Okay, so I found this on Pinterest as well:

Character Name:

Age:

Appearance:

1. What do you know about this character now that s/he doesn't yet know?

2. What is this character's greatest flaw?

3. What do you know about this character that s/he would never admit?

4. What is this character's greatest asset?

5. If this Character could choose a different identity, who would s/he be?

6. What music doe this character sing to when no one else is around?

7. In what or whom does this character have the greatest faith?

8. What is this character's favorite movie?

9. Does this character have a favorite article of clothing? Favorite shoes?

10. Does this character have a vice? Name it.

11. Name this character's favorite person. (Living or dead)

12.What is this character's secret wish?

13. What is this character's proudest achievement? 

14. Describe this character's most embarrassing moment.

15. What is this character's deepest regret?

16. What is this character's greatest fear?

17.  Describe this character's most devastating moment.

18. What is this character's greatest achievement? 

19. What is this character's greatest hope?

20. Does this character have an obsession? Name it.

21. What is this character's greatest disappointment?

22. What is this character's  worst nightmare?

23. Whom does this character most wish to please? Why?

24. Describe this character's mother.

25. Describe this character's father.

26. If s/he had to choose, with whom would this character would this character prefer to live?

27. Where does this character fall in birth order? What effect does this have?

28. Describe this character's siblings or other close relatives.

29. Describe this character's bedroom. Include three cherished items.

30. What is this character's birth date? Hoes does this character manifest traits of his/her astrological sign?

31. If this character had to live in seclusion for six months, what six items would s/he bring?

32. WHy is this character angry?

33. What calm this character?

34. Describe a recurring dream of nightmare this character might have.

35. List the choices (not circumstances) that led this character to his/her current predicament.

36. List the circumstances over which this character has no control.

37. What wakes this character in the middle of the night?

38. How would a stranger describe this character?

39.  What does this character resolve to do differently every morning?

40. Who depends on this character? Why?

41. If this character knew s/he had exactly one month to live, what would s/he do?

42. How would a dear friend of relative describe this character?

43. What is this character's most noticeable physical attribute?

44. What is this character hiding from his/herself?

45. Write one additional thing about your character.

100 Questions to Ask Before Writing Your Novel

I stumbled upon this on Pinterest. Thought y'all might find it useful.

100 questions to ask before you write your novel.

1. Who is your main character? Hero? Anti-hero?
2. Why should we be interested in them?
3. What attracts you to your protagonist? Do you like them? Loathe them?
4. Why do you need to write about them?
5. Why should we be excited about them?
6. Why do you believe we will find your hero sympathetic? Empathetic?
7. What makes us curious about them? What is their “mystery”? What is their “magic”? Charisma? How do you show it?
8. What does the audience find in the main character’s story that is relevant to them? Why do you believe they will identify with them?
9. What is the cherished secret desire of your main character?
10. Do we laugh at your hero, feel amused by them, or do we admire them?
11. What do we hope for?
12. What are we afraid of?
13. What is the worst thing that could (and hopefully will) happen to your hero?
14. What is the most favorable, brightest moment that they will experience in the story?
15. What are they going to lose if they don’t find a way to overcome the adversities?
16. Why can’t your characters get what they crave?
17. How can you make the obstacles – inner or exterior – more insurmountable?
18. How can you make the threat, the danger, more excruciating, agonizing, humiliating? Who can do that? Why should they?
19. Why can’t your characters live at peace with their conscience, respect themselves if they don’t get what they so passionately want?
20. And: what is it that your characters want (consciously and tangibly)?
21. On the other hand: what do your characters need (on the emotional, subconscious level)?
22. How can you make the temptations more irresistible and the stakes higher?
23. What can you do to eliminate the audience’s disbelief in the initial situation or collision (willing suspension of disbelief)?
24. Is there a deadline (time pressure) for the action to come to a resolution? Could there be? Who can create it?
25. When and how do your main characters realize that they are in trouble and that they must extricate themselves?
26. What are the alternatives you can imagine? How can the problem be solved?
27. But why is it impossible? Who or what makes the solution unattainable?
28. Can the predicament be evaded? What would happen if it were? Who makes the evasion impossible?
29. Can the complication be ridiculed, ignored, forgotten? Make sure that it cannot!
30. Can it be solved peacefully on friendly terms? Who will impair it?
31. Who are the supporting characters your main character can rely upon?
32. Who are the supporting characters your protagonist hopes to get on their side?
33. What doesn’t your hero anticipate, know about?
34. What does your hero – falsely – expect that won’t happen?
35. Who are the supporting characters who are a threat, who try to humiliate, stop, ridicule, or destroy your hero’s plans? Do they know about the secret desires that your hero cherishes?
36. What are their plans? What tactics do they use? What mimicry, what subterfuge? How do they try to mislead, misdirect, confuse the main character?
37. What are their hopes, desires, dreams? What do they want and need?
38. How do they rationalize their moves?
39. How can their stubbornness, hatred, rage, damaged self-esteem, ambition be fueled? What can help them to feel righteous in their actions?
40. Will the audience understand why your characters act as they do?
41. When does the audience get to know your characters’ particular intentions, desires, hopes, and fears?
42. How can the next step that your protagonist makes lead to the unexpected result? What’s the miscalculation?
43. What did the counter player do? How did the circumstances change?
44. How can the goal be made more desirable? Who can do that?
45. What can create the hesitations, doubts, or scruples in the character’s mind?
46. Try to imagine all the places, locations, sites that your character can enter in pursuit of their objective or evasion of the danger. Aren’t there some more interesting situations there? More contradictory?
47. How can the locales make the story and the specific scenes or sequences more dramatic, more complicated and difficult (therefore, more revealing) for the characters?
48. Make a list of possible events that can happen believably and plausibly in your chosen environment and a list of possible events that would be unusual, out of routine, and order. Do you see which ones will work best?
49. What are the emotions, conclusions, and decisions that result from the setback, failure, or complication?
50. What emotions does the insult, mistreat, injustice evolve? What danger, what abyss becomes visible for the viewer that the hero doesn’t see?
51. What are our expectations now? What do we hope for? What do we wish the characters would do? Why can’t they do it?
52. What doesn’t the main character know? What is the error, intentional blunder?
53. Do the antagonists mobilize their forces? Do they set a trap? Do they try to confuse the main character?
54. What are the social reasons for their actions? Do they come with accusations? Direct lies? Do they outwit the main character? How?
55. Does the hero panic? Feel alarmed? Insecure? Horrified from the realization of what could happen?
56. And what happens that helps the protagonist? On the other hand, what can help the antagonist?
57. What characters can act as catalysts that can alter and increase the reactions of the antagonist or protagonist?
58. What character (or characters) can go through a similar plight and find a different solution – compromise, assimilation, rejection etc.?
59. What relationships become threatened, broken up, or suddenly transformed?
60. What consequences of the previous actions can aggravate the situation?
61. What are the places your characters don’t want to go? Are afraid to go? How do you force them there?
62. What is the prevailing mood/tone of the whole story? Does the environment have a face, character, and temperament?
63. Does the time period reflect on the environment? How? What expresses it besides costumes, props, architecture and means of transportation and communication? How does it reflect our human attitudes, habits, customs, social events, rituals, and language?
64. Are the events sufficiently important and impressionable? Do they help to elucidate the life style, engagement, and involvement of your protagonist?
65. Does the main hero show naiveté, weakness? Disbelief? Re-evaluate everything?
66. Do your hero regret? Recriminate? Seek conciliation? Reject the original plans?
67. Did you exhaust all the possibilities of self-assurance, shrewdness, and foresightedness that your hero can possess?
68. Did you give your antagonists a chance to show their intelligence, vigilance, and alertness?
69. What precautions do your characters take? Do they look for advice? For help?
70. What new plans do they come up with? How do they acquire new courage? What or who can suggest a new stratagem for them?
71. How does your hero study the adversary? Does your protagonist discover the weakness of the antagonist? Or are they wrong in their assumption? What trap can both sides set?
72. How can they attack each other? How can your hero test the enemy?
73. How does inner turmoil grow in their minds? How does it embitter the antagonism?
74. What do you feel is the rhythm of the story? Does the tempo of the main action accelerate?
75. What can interrupt, temporarily stop, misdirect, or confuse the growing conflict?
76. Are the chances for the desired resolution and for the despised outcome equal?
77. What is the moment that the viewer becomes ultimately curious about?
78. What does the audience impatiently expect?
79. What doesn’t the audience realize will happen when the moment comes?
80. Is the resolution becoming inevitable? What could reverse the course of the action? Did the hero try all the possible ways and means and find out what they inevitably lead to?
81. What hopes still remain for the main character?
82. What are the most feared confrontations that the protagonist tries – in vain, obviously – to avoid, postpone, deny?
83. What is the most humiliating, painful extremity your hero will experience?
84. What is the moment when your antagonist feels triumphant?
85. How can you increase the adversary’s determination not to give up, not to show any restrain, to fight to the bitter end?
86. How can bad – or good – timing heighten the stakes (too early, too late, speeding up the plans, etc…)?
87. When does the hero realize the inevitability of the outcome? Can an appeal be made to the antagonist’s better nature?
88. Can the fear of shame or disgrace of losing one’s face be used?
89. How did the circumstances change to make the outcome more weighty, impressive, convincing?
90. Does anybody admit the errors?
91. Does anybody plead, beg forgiveness, or confess?
92. Is anybody willing to give up?
93. Is anybody trying to escape?
94. Does anybody feel shame, disgrace, insecurity, betraying one’s most cherished principles?
95. Does anybody feel terror stricken of being exposed?
96. Is there a rescue for any of the adversaries? Is this possible? For what price?
97. Is there a moment when a conscience stricken character realizes the consequences of their actions, sees themselves truly and rightly, and tries to stop the inevitable?
98. What is the last thing the main character finds out about?
99. What does “victory” mean after the whole story is over?
100. How should the viewer/audience feel when the story ends?

I'm. FINISHED.

I'm done! I've finished it! It's complete! And I skipped breakfast by mistake to do it!

My One Year Adventure novel is finally finished.
It took me a year and a half, but I've finally done it.
Red-haired Runaway Princess is complete.
I'll put it up so y'all can read it. =3

I am however, having trouble with the final words. This part always stumps me. It's like... THE HUGE CLIMAX. So it needs to be perfect.

But otherwise, I'm done.
It's a little sad really, to think this is where I say goodbye to my characters, perhaps forever.
But my feelings are also a little more like Bookkeeper once demonstrated:

Copyright: Bookkeeper

Yup.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'd better eat lunch. I'm starving.

Minecraft Skins

I play minecraft with my siblings. Just a week ago I bought my own account, after having shared my brother's for a long while.

I also make skins!
Here's one that's up for the taking:

Summer blonde with headphones.

Also:

I'm doing an digital arts course, and I post the things I do on here: http://creativeartjuice.weebly.com/

Check it out!