Butterfly's "What the heck am I doing" NaNo

[Butterfly]

Other than the fact that I thought it sounded fun from the first time I heard about this a few years ago, I'm not sure what I was thinking when I signed up. I have no plan, a ridiculous lack of writing experience, and have never successfully written more than a scene or two at a time. XD

I have a strong feeling this will dissolve into gibberish at some point, but hey...everyone's gotta start somewhere, right? Why not jump in head first.

[Sq]

That's the spirit! Everyone's gotta start somewhere, right? Anyway, good luck.

[Butterfly]

Thanks! (I'm gonna need it ) I'm actually pretty excited about this.

[Chao]

One scene or two at a time, is enough if 'at a time' is a day. A nice scene tends to have about 800 words or more, so writing two scenes per day would get you the 50k at the end As for gibberish, who cares? NaNo does not have to be edited... you can do the editing later and change the gibberish

[Ginz ❤]

Go Butterfly! ^_^ You can do it! Just have fun with it!. ;D

[Butterfly]

Thanks for all the encouragement!

AND...only a little over 100 words in and it's already kinda nuts. Maybe I shouldn't write while sleepy. XD I think after my writing session tonight I'll do a quick run through what I've written and take notes on the characters. At least get down the genders and names.

[Butterfly]

SPOILER: Click to show

Zoe - Blond - Blue Eyed - 14 - Kind weird but otherwise average
Family - Mom Dad and Brother. For now fairly undefined. Will separate as needed. Father has been named Roger. Brother is younger and named Conner. Parents overprotective, but occasionally forgetful. Brother prides self on good memory.
Trish - Dark haired - about Zoe's age

I beat 1,500 words before bed! The beginning of this is really fun!

[Butterfly]

Still going slow, but fun! I wish I didn't have school work getting in the way...but I can't afford to fail things, so I guess school has to come first. Writing is more fun though.

So far my two main characters are off to save the world from certain destruction, which is apparently routine business. Haven't quite decided quite how I want it to work though, so maybe it's a good thing I have to go pretend I care about my art class.

SPOILER: Click to show

Fire, water, sweet rain and warm sun
Take us down where things begun
Long journey was long awaited
Paean Awoken Unstated!

Random entrance spell ^

“You expected logic? Or science even? The worlds have been connected long before people ever came around. This is ancient magic, hard to explain even when you’ve spent your whole life knowing about it. And stop pacing. We need to get going, remember?”

And new favorite line ^

It's actually scary how much more I enjoy this than any other writing project I've tried. Maybe because I'm not worrying about it being good.

[Butterfly]

Been dying to do some random art based on my story so far. So here's my two main characters at some point before where I'm at now.



I know the shadows and fire light are most likely way off, but I think they get the point across.

They're supposed to be in a tunnel/cave thing, but I suck at rocks so it looks more like a stone hallway.

[Butterfly]

Yay, beat 8000! I think this is the most I've written on any of the days so far. I still need another hundred or so words to make it to goal though, so I think I'll try to get that in before I pass out. 4am or not 4am.

I've been having a lot of fun with random traps and stuff. So far they've had to survive a random cave-in/flood (good writer block breaker that was), cross a gaping chasm with only a rope, swim across an underground lake, and escape from one of those spiking crushing tunnels of death. Which means they're exhausted and currently trying to catch their breath from that last mad sprint. Fun stuff.

[Butterfly]

I beat 10K! And with a scene I've been working towards for a while now.

SPOILER: Click to show

They were in a large room. In the very center was a tablet, just as Trish had described. It was glowing with a ethereal blue light, pulsating slightly.

Trish put a finger to her lips as Zoe stared around in awe, and then motioned Zoe to follow her.

She pointed at a spot just to the side of the tablet. Zoe kneeled there as instructed, and placed her hands upon the tablet. Trish nodded and walked around to the other side.

Trish’s voice rang out in an unfamiliar language:

“Vaim maapinnast.
Vaimu maa.
Asju tagasi nii nagu nad peaksid olema.
Taastamine maailmas.
Taastada maa!”

The glow around the tablet pulsed brightly.

“Vaim maapinnast.
Vaimu maa.
Asju tagasi nii nagu nad peaksid olema.
Taastamine maailmas.
Taastada maa!”

The spell was repeated. Zoe’s hands began to tingle and a soft breeze began to blow through her hair.

“Vaim maapinnast.
Vaimu maa.
Asju tagasi nii nagu nad peaksid olema.
Taastamine maailmas.
Taastada maa!”

The glow was now so bright that Zoe was blinded by it. The tingling spread from her hands all the way up her arms.

“Vaim maapinnast!
Vaimu maa!
Asju tagasi nii nagu nad peaksid olema!
Taastamine maailmas!
Taastada maa!”

Trish was shouting now over the gusts of wind. Zoe felt the presence of the magic sweep through her whole body.

“Vaim maapinnast!
Vaimu maa!
Asju tagasi nii nagu nad peaksid olema!
Taastamine maailmas!
Taastada maa!”

She was cold. She could clearly feel the magic flowing through her now as her body started to go numb.

“Vaim! Maapinnast!”

The flow of magic was warm once again. The wind ripped at her clothing and hair.

“Vaimu! Maa!”

She felt a more malevolent presence enter her now. She instinctively fought it with all her strength.

“Asju tagasi nii nagu!”

The malevolence was winning. A sudden burst of pain caused what was left of her resistance to fall.

“Nad peaksid olema!”

She was screaming now. The pain continued and her grasp on consciousness began to slip.

“Taastamine maailmas!”

She could barely hear Trish shouting the spell anymore. She couldn’t even see the glow of the tablet. Her body fought the pain, and she tried to pull away.

“Taastada maa!”

As much as she struggled, she couldn’t break free. Her hands were stuck fast. The pain intensified with every passing moment. She couldn’t even hear her own screams any more.

As her last sliver of consciousness faded, she felt her body break free and fall to the ground. The last thing she heard before the darkness took her was a far away voice shouting. “Finally!”

I think I like this scene more than I ought to. But it feels so good to get it down and have it almost just the way I wanted it.

[Butterfly]

Trish is stuck helping out in a really beginners fencing class, and so I'd just like to thank my real fencing teacher for this little gem:

"Now, you will call this a foil while you are in my class. If you forget, I will understand if you call it a sword. However, I will not tolerate 'poking stick', understand?"

It's not an exact quote of course, but it is fairly true to what he said to us on the first day. XD It's stuck in my head since then, and I'm glad I had opportunity to use it here.

[Butterfly]

Random personal notes:

New characters introduced today:

Unnamed Healer - possibly multiple ones. not really elaborated on
Dr. Bitumen: Trish's boss
Professor Greenleaf: Mid 20's, fencing teacher
Unnamed fencing students - range of ages, both genders.
Freddie Boyle - Younger than Trish. Doesn't understand her insitance in never leaving anyone behind. Trish accused him of leaving people behind for fun.
Annette - Friend of Trish. Assumed to be about her age.
Harmony - One of the healers.
Dr. Ramey - mentioned but not seen. Head of Annette's division.





Things I've learned about the world and characters:

Trish is 15.

Dr. Bitumen shares Trish's belief that you shouldn't leave people behind (implied of course.) Possible that he doesn't share it to quite the same extent.

Trish's home base thing, which is starting to sound like a whacked out boarding school, has a lounge, living quarters, fencing studio and assorted gyms, and medical wing

Trish swears occasionally

Freddie is in a different division that Trish

Heck, there's different divisions in this place. I haven't even /described/ the place properly. Gah!

Annette is in Dr. Ramey's department.

Trish has a trainer

[Butterfly]

The joy and peril of writing about an area with more than just a few set people. XD

Joyce - Last name currently unknown. Trish's trainer.
Dr. Ramey (previously mentioned but now seen) - Dark haired, middle aged man.
Dr. Doolan - head of Freddie's division. Red headed, youngish, strict looking, bit of a word-i'd-prefer-not-to-say
Dr Heckart - Young guy, division leader, male

[Butterfly]

My latest scene, which is at least two days in the works.

SPOILER: Click to show

Trish was awoken early the next morning by the shrill ringing of her alarm clock. She rolled out of bed and haphazardly threw on some clothes.

"Morning Trish," said Harmony as Trish entered the medical wing.

"Morning. How's she doing?"

"She's been stirring more and more frequently. It shouldn't be long now."

"Thank goodness."

"Dr. Bitumen told me to tell you that he's giving you the day off training, since there's no telling what we might need you to do once she wakes up."

"Works for me."

"Would you like some tea?"

"Absolutely."

Harmony walked into the healers' private quarters and came back with a steaming tea pot and a couple cups. "It's green tea this morning, hope you don't mind."

"Not at all." Trish accepted a cup full of the steaming brew and, mixing in some sugar, took a cautious sip. "Mmm, boiling hot, just he way I like it."

The sound of Zoe stirring came from the bed next to them. Both looked over, but Zoe soon settled down again.

"Won't be long now," said Kendra, walking in with a pile of fresh sheets.

"Let's hope so," said Trish. She set down her teacup and helped Kendra and Harmony change the sheets around Zoe. Through this, Zoe started to stir once more.

Kendra placed a soothing hand on Zoe's forehead and gently soothed the girl. "No fever, that's a good sign," she muttered.

Trish settled back down into her chair and picked her tea back up, gently sipping the fragrant liquid.

"Hopefully the antidote we gave her yesterday will be enough to counteract the curse," said Kendra absently.

"If not, at least she'll be conscious and will be able to help us out in figuring out what we need to do," said Harmony brightly.

"I don't think Zoe has much knowledge in the ways of healing curses," said Trish.

"Of course not dear," said Kendra, perching on the edge of the bed. "But she'll be able to cooperate with us and tell us what she feels. That kind of information is invaluable."

A quiet groan came from Zoe and all heads turned to her. She stirred again, and her eyes flickered open.

"Whaa?" came her confused voice. "Where... wha happened?"

"It's ok now," said Kendra, immediately putting her hand on Zoe's forehead once more. "Harmony, go get Dr. Bitumen and tell him she's awake."

Harmony nodded and quickly left the room.

"How are you feeling?" asked Trish.

"Woozy," came the slightly slurred response. "What happened?"

"I'm not sure," said Trish. "One minute everything was going fine, the next you were on the ground. Are you ok?"

"I... I think so. God, my head is killing me!"

"That's not unexpected," said Kendra. "You were hit by a powerful curse of some kind."

"Why?"

Trish, giggling in relief, took a moment before responding. "We're not sure. Are you sure you're ok?"

"I don't know!" cried Zoe. "Give me a few minutes and ask me again, everything is either achy or numb."

"You'll be ok," said Kendra soothingly.

"Do you think you can sit up?"

"Maybe," said Zoe. She started to sit, but promptly collapsed. "I'm talking that as a no," she said, sounding slightly lightheaded.

"Don't rush it then dear." She smiled at the still woozy girl.

"I see our sleeping princess has awoken from her long sleep," said Dr. Bitumen from the doorway, smiling.

"Who's that?" asked Zoe, only making a minimal effort at turning her head.

"That's Dr. Bitumen, my boss," said Trish.

"And where am I again?"

"Trish here brought you back to her home world when you collapsed," said Kendra.

"Oh..." said Zoe. She paused, thinking, then said, "How long was I out?"

"At least three days, maybe a little longer," said Trish.

Zoe began struggling to sit up once again.

"No no, don't do that yet," said Harmony who had just entered. "You're still woozy."

"I don't care," said Zoe, distractedly.

"Silly stubborn head," muttered Trish. "Let us help you at least."

Zoe relaxed enough to allow Trish and Harmony to gently raise her to a sitting position.

"Feel better?"

"Much."

"Would you like some tea?" asked Kendra.

"I don't think I've ever had tea."

"Well, it'll warm you up all through, and might even help clear your head a little," said Kendra, and then poured her a cup.

Zoe took a sip. "Ow!"

"It's hot silly," said Trish.

Zoe took a smaller, more careful sip. "Not bad," she said. "At least, I think it's not bad. It's still too hot to taste properly."

Trish smiled. Zoe was clearly starting to feel better. Her words were no longer sleepy and slurred, and she was starting to regain her usual color.

"So," said Trish, "You think you're up to telling us what happened down there?"

"You were there Trish, don't you know?"

"No. I was caught up in the spell and didn't know anything was wrong until the magic faded and I saw you collapsed on the ground." She gave an involuntary shudder at the memory.

Zoe was silent, thinking, or perhaps remembering. "Well," she finally said, "I'm not really sure what happened myself. It happened so fast."

"Tell us what you remember if you can," said Dr. Bitumen. "Anything you tell us might be helpful."

"Ok, I'll try." She took another sip of tea and began. "I'm not sure what the process is supposed to feel like. I remember being tingly and numb at one point..." Her voice faded off.

"That's normal," said Trish encouragingly.

"It was really windy, and I couldn't see. It didn't feel bad though." She paused, remembering again. "Then this odd, bad feeling started. I tried to push it away I think, I'm not really sure. The memory is kind of fuzzy. I do remember the pain though." She swallowed nervously. "It started so suddenly, and the last thing I remember is it taking over everything and then falling." She paused again, almost looking afraid this time. "And... I thought I heard a voice," she said quietly.

"What kind of voice?" asked Dr. Bitumen.

All eyes in the room were on her, and she blushed. "I barely remember, but it sounded very far away. I don't remember anything else about it."

"Can you remember what it was saying?" asked Trish, quietly.

Zoe took a long sip of her tea, thinking. "I'm... not really sure. I think it was saying something like 'Finally'… and I definitely remember laughing."

Trish saw Dr. Bitumen and Kendra exchange glances out of the corner of her eye. Zoe, however, was contemplating her teacup.

“Ok everyone,” said Kendra. “The girl needs her rest now. You can come back and talk to her later.” She shooed Dr. Bitumen out the door and sent Harmony to go fetch breakfast for the other patients. “You can stay though, dear,” she added kindly to Trish before vanishing into the healer’s private quarters.

They sat for a while, sipping their tea in silence.

Finally, Trish said, “You’re sure you’re ok?”

“I think so,” Zoe said, nodding.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?” asked Zoe.

“I promised nothing bad would happen.”

“No, you promised I’d make it out alive,” Zoe said smiling. “Do I look dead to you?”

Trish laughed, relieved that Zoe didn’t blame her.

“Well, you are a little paler than usual.”

The two girls shared a well needed laugh.

“Really, I should be thanking you,” said Zoe when they finally stopped. “It would have been a million times easier for you to leave me.”

“I told you, I’ve never left anyone behind. Not even – “

“That guy who tried to kill you, I know,” finished Zoe with a grin.

“Oh look, the little stowaway is awake!” Trish looked up as Freddie walked in.

“What do you want, Freddie?”

“Heard the earth girl had finally woken up… had to see it for myself.” He looked Zoe over. “She’s cute I suppose, but I didn’t think you swung that way.”

Trish raised her eyebrows. Random insults from Freddie were quite common and she'd learned a long time ago that it wasn't worth getting upset about.

"What's your problem Freddie? Hmmm? Can't think of an original insult perhaps?" She smiled as she said this.

Trish chanced a glance over at Zoe. She seemed surprised at the sudden hostilities. Trish turned back to Freddie. "Don't you have anything better to do?"

"As a matter of fact, I don't." He leaned up against the wall with a slightly smug expression on his face. "Got a mission later today, once they get the portal set up for me. I've got the day off until then."

Trish glared at him. She knew that he was also thinking of their previous argument.

"Don't look so stricken," he said in mock concern. "I'm sure they'll give you another mission after this whole fiasco is over."

"What fiasco?" asked Trish, curious despite herself.

"Bringing an outsider here. Tsk Tsk." He crossed his arms. "Dr. Doolan says they should take away your license. Of course Dr. Bitumen, the big softy that he is, is fighting against it. I'd say he ought to be able to get them to lay off the jail time. After all, you're just a big misguided softy yourself."

"What are you doing in here?" came the voice of Kendra as she entered from the hall. "Shoo, shoo! This girl needs her rest." She shooed Freddie out and shook her head. "Nasty piece of work, that boy. Hope he didn't upset you," she added kindly to Zoe. She left the tray of food she had brought for Zoe's breakfast and exited once more.

"Did I cause you trouble?" asked Zoe, looking concerned and worried.

"Of course not," said Trish with a smile.

"But that boy said something about jail time!"

Trish waved away the idea with her hand. "There is no rule that says I can't bring you here. If anyone objects to it, it's Dr. Doolan." She shrugged. "The idea of them sending me to jail or taking away my license is preposterous. Freddie was just trying to cause trouble."

"If you're sure," said Zoe, still looking worried. "Who's Dr. Doolan?"

"She the head of Freddie's division. She's a right lady dog when you get right down to it. Oops," she added, and looked around to make sure no one was around to hear. "Sorry, even though she's not my boss I still have to be respectful. But she is."

Zoe laughed. "Anyone who thinks you did something wrong probably is," she agreed.

"She's super strict," Trish said with a grin. "Thinks that anyone who does more than they were asked to is wasting their time. Called you a security risk at last night's meeting if I'm remembering correctly."

"Am I?"

"Not any more than you were the moment I told you what we had to go do." Trish took another sip of her now luke warm tea. "If Dr. Doolan had her way, we'd basically break into people's homes, knock them out, drag them to the connection point, and then wake them up just long enough for them to perform the ritual." She scowled as she said this.

"Wow, what a..." Zoe said, stopping before she became insulting.

"Absolutely. She doesn't care one whit if her agents bother to help the people back out of the tunnels. I'm not sure if she's mean, or just doesn't think it worthy of her bother."

"I don't get people like that," said Zoe, frowning.

"Me either," Trish agreed.

Harmony popped her head in. "I think Ms. Zoe needs her rest now Trish."

Zoe started to protest, but Trish cut her off. "She's right. You get some rest and I'll see you later." She left Zoe to her nap and wandered off down the hall.

Since she had the whole day off, she wasn't quite sure what to do with herself. So she wandered down to the training grounds, intent on watching some of the beginner's classes.

Heh, wow. It's longer than I thought.