As the sun rose across the realm the morning slowly warmed up. The sunlight highlighted things that might otherwise have been forgotten until the morning chill faded away and the last of the dew began to leave.
On the shore was parked a large boat alone on a series of docks, causing it to stick out a lot more than it would otherwise. A few birds could be seen on it pecking at any bugs that might have landed on its wood, but beyond that, there was no sign of life on or around the boat.
The first sign of anyone being awake was from a nearby building as a gnoll left a nearby building that had never really been the focus of anything.
“This has been nice,” she said to herself, “I never really expected to get a break. It’s too bad it was delayed so we could get back to shore to rest and it’s annoying that most of the background characters were gone since they weren’t needed but…”
“Wait…” she said aloud with some hesitancy, “I’m… monologuing to myself? Why would I be doing… Oh, fuck.”
Turning around she looked at some of the buildings and started to knock on them one by one. When asked what this was about she told them to just wait and to go near where the boat was docked and she would explain once she got everyone.
Eventually, everyone who had been in the different buildings, mostly one per building unless they were doing some activities that would likely at most be mentioned or alluded to in some writers’ products, ended up where Kralliyen had told them to go.
The only exception was one of the many people who helped run the boat that she didn’t even know the name of that she had to throw over her shoulder to bring to the meeting.
“So,” the gnoll muttered as she dropped the last person in with the group, “I’m sure you’re all curious why I demanded we all get to talking this morning.”
“It did cross my mind,” Ciak’ra said while taking a bite of some bread, “I hadn’t even had breakfast yet and it’s not like we get vacations often.”
“From what Victor said this is the first one.”
The comment from within the crowd was confirmed, “Well yes and no. I have had weeks that were basically off and surprise weeks off because of things, but this is the first true vacation that we could just rest long term. You all think you’ve had it rough? Try being the main character. It’s a pain.”
“At least you’re allowed to actually speak to everyone, “Alinar said, “Having to pretend not to speak the same language as everyone else is annoying even if we’re finally being allowed to learn it.”
“Just as we’re going to a place where your language is the main language,” one of the sailors countered, “I suspect that will mean it’s sort of a flip on what’s useful and not for conversation.”
“We’re getting off topic,” Kralliyen growled, drawing attention to herself.
“What is the topic?”
“I was starting to monologue.”
The group fell silent for a bit until a few of the people began to ask why that was a big deal.
“The reason it’s a big deal,” Kralliyen started, “Is that it basically means that the writer is actually focusing on us. If sunflower is focusing on us it means that we are probably going to be working again soon and we are so far away from where we were. If we are the first characters written about after the hiatus is over we’re screwed because we’re here.”
“Maybe that’s not going to happen.”
“Can we really afford to think like that?” Ciak’ra said standing up with the last crumbs of his food on his face, “Think about it.”
There was a general murmur before he continued, “We are just characters and the only reason this was a vacation instead of a sort of death was because Sunflower was planning to come back and I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to give her a reason to discard us.”
A few people started to argue that Sunflower was a guy, but was shut up quickly because it wasn’t important.
“Do you realize how many web comics, web novels, fan fictions, and who knows what else is created only for the story to never actually finish? The only reason we didn’t just stop and our universe didn’t just freeze never to continue is because she was planning to keep us going. The moment our creator decides we’re not worth continuing our lives are basically over.”
“What about fan fiction?” one of the audience asked, “Isn’t that a way our lives would keep going?”
“Maybe, but probably not.”
After a slight bit of uncertainty lingered, Kralliyen spoke up, “We are us because of our writer. A fan fiction version of us would be what a new writer thinks of us without knowing the shadows of our life that only Sunflower knows about us. Plus all of you random short term people who are only around for us important characters to use to move between plot points would likely not be included. Sure maybe some would be used like say that merchant who hates spears because he was found funny, but most of you will not even be there.”
“On top of that do you really think we are well known and established enough to get fan fiction about us?”
That last comment got even some of the Progonvans to quiet down.
“So what are we going to do?”
“We are going to gather up our stuff, food first as the boat stuff is mostly still in place. We are going to sail as fast and far as possible to try to get where we were.”
“But what if we can’t get there?”
Victor this time stood up, “I’m the main character of this story so I think I know our writer better than anyone else here. I don’t think we’re going to get to Progonva right away. The sea also looks mostly the same so as long as we aren’t expected to be at the island in the first chapter back we should be good. As far as us going there since we weren’t there I don’t think we will be expected to be there and even if we are we will just barely see it at the end of the chapter.”
“But what if it’s not there when we are supposed to see it?”
“We fake it,” Ciak’ra exclaimed, “We’re a word only format and if we say we see it even if it’s not described that should be enough and will buy us until the next chapter for us to sail in order to get there so everyone pack up, we need to go.”
There was a general slightly unsure murmur from the group that ended when Kralliyen let out a roar scattering the crowd to go to the different houses and gather what they needed. The only ones still around were the three who took charge of the situation and a couple of the locals who stuck around just in case, hoping they might be given names if Sunflower needed a chapter about the town between the main story plots.
“Thanks for being here and getting us food and stuff,” Victor said, shaking one of their hands, “It made things a lot easier.”
“No worries. If you get the chance to come back here maybe come see us. I’d love to get a name.”
Victor smiled and assured him he would do his best before going to help fill up the boat, not happy about going back to work but glad that he wasn’t forgotten about by the author. After so long he didn’t want to admit that he was a little worried the vacation might end not because he was returning but because the author had tired of him.
He just wondered how much longer he had until the proper story ended and if things would end when the story did or if he would be allowed to live a life beyond the end as long as it truly ended.