Much as I did in October 2021, I made the most of February 2022 by writing a short scene every day (plus two from the end of January).
Here are the results of those exercises.
The Last Two Days of January
Day -2: A Per Diem Pirate
“Right,” Kat says, glancing around the deck of the ship. “Mizzen the mainmast. And, uh, main the topsails. Up the anchor. And, like, thing the… thing.”
Day -1: Kat vs. the Traditional Cuisine of Yamatai
Kat likes the arrangement they have. Kat eats noodles while Kokoro tells her about Yamatai.
Week 1
Day 1: Kat vs. Amara & the Traditional Folk Costume of Yamatai
“Have you ever seen a garment so relentlessly elegant, Katherine? It is just utterly sublime, isn’t it?”
Day 2: Kat’s Cat (acts like a dog)
“Yes, what could Kat possibly have in common with a little misfit animal that doesn’t quite fit in wherever it goes and that everyone mocks because they don’t quite understand what makes it the way it is?”
Day 3: Annie vs. the House with Too Many Corners
“Count Bunnyescu is a man of integrity and courage. He’ll keep you safe all night, I promise.”
Day 4: Kat & Bruna and the Pink Foxhound, Part 1
“You know,” Estelle Darkstone says, “my Kat is something of an adventurer herself.”
Day 5: Kat & Bruna and the Pink Foxhound, Part 2
“There is a lesson here, lass,” he continues, “always wash like colours together.”
Day 6: The Weasel Girl of Porthaven
“A pleasure. Now, with such formalities out of the way, I shall show you my collection.”
“Your collection… of weasels?”
Day 7: And so, we learn it is not the Floor which is made of lava, but ourselves
“It’s not really lava,” Dunstana explains. “But that would be pretty cool. It’s just a game.”
Week 2
Day 8: Dunstana, Jimena & Ponderous, Unfathomably Vast Turtles
“Stevens was saying that he read in a book that some philosophers say the world is being carried on the back of a giant cosmic turtle. Jenkins says that couldn’t possibly be true, on the grounds that while the world is standing on a turtle, the turtle itself isn’t standing on anything.”
Day 9: Eleonora Strahlend’s Biggest Fan
“I’ve got all your books. I’ve even got the translations of all your books. Even the infamous first edition of the Hrimfaxi translation of The Treasure of the Crypt King! It’s one of only fifty surviving copies. If I may, ma’am, I think it belongs in a museum.”
Day 10: Kat and Amara Read Trashy Romance Novels
The Bridgewalltonshire Priory books are some of the stupidest things ever put down in print: stupid, trashy, melodramatic yarns about the unbearably elegant burden of being unbearably elegant and rich and beautiful. And then dying in some contrived, overwrought manner.
Day 11: Sandford Whitehead’s Tragicall Historie Tour
“The Tragicall Historie of Jacobus and Ricarda. It’s the tale of a dashing pirate captain and a beautiful bosun’s daughter, who strive valiantly against all odds to realise their forbidden love. And then die. Meanwhile, their adversaries turn to all sorts of vile schemes to keep them apart. And then die. All this while the townsfolk go about their own lives. And then die.”
Day 12: Manus Australis
“You say you are not left-handed,” she notes as she draws her sword — with her left hand. “I am.”
“Oh, bother,” the bandit leader mutters.
Day 13: Big Pirate, Little Pirate
“What does a mentor do?”
“Well, they… mentor people. You know, younger people. In need of mentoring…ship. Programs.”
Day 14: Happy Day of Concord!
“I, uh, I have no strong objections to being your sister,” Kat tells her sister.
“I like you, too,” Dunstana says. “Thanks for always coming on adventures with me.”
Week 3
Day 15: Space is Indeed the Place
“I, uh, I don’t think the ship can hear you, Captain,” Amy notes.
“If that—” She glances back at the ship. “—piece of junk—” She turns back to Amy. “—had a butt, I would kick it from here to the Lohengrin Verge.”
Day 16: More About Dwarven Folk Costume
Than You’ve Ever Wanted to Know
“Foreigners writing about them talked about the Dwarves wearing these scarves, but they must not have explained it very well, because before too long, everyone was talking about how every Dwarf had a beard, even the women and the kids.”
Day 17: Lucia vs. Roland & Catnip
“Why did you think delivering a shipment of catnip was a good idea?” she exclaims at the muscular alchemist. “I am a cat!”
Day 18: The Mistress of the Way of the Sword, the Lady of Explosion Magic…
“From the distant lands of Yamatai, I have come to pursue evil wherever it may be found,” the woman on the left declares. “It is I, the Mistress of the Way of the Sword — Akari!”
“And me, hailing from the shores of Pelayo,” the woman on the right boasts, “the Lady of Explosion Magic, ready to rain down ruin on wrongdoers — Alma!”
Day 19: …And one very unhappy Darkstone
“Come back!” Kat calls after them. “I’m not done yelling at you!”
Day 20: Hither Came Overwrought Exposition
This being The Natalian Chronicle…
Day 21: Anneliese’s Forehead vs. Dwarven Architecture
Anneliese loves her little family, loves her little town, loves her little house. But she hates how little everything really is.
It’s hard being an Elf adopted by Dwarves.
Elves are tall. And Dwarves… aren’t.
Week 4 (and the extra last few days)
Day 22: Roland & Alchemy-themed Combat Techniques vs. Bandits
“So, uh, how many of these names does he have?” Lucia asks Alda.
“A lot,” Alda explains. He spent a couple of nights with our uncle’s copy of Aldenberg’s Glossary of Alchemy looking for words he could use as names for his moves.”
Day 23: The Eternal Struggle
Being short stinks. However, in Pela’s experience, the solution is obvious: get the Tall People to help. It’s advice that works as well in adventuring as everyday life.
Pela finds herself astride Falcata’s tanned, muscular shoulders as the two members of the Lyte Brigade help Sally Lyte reach down something from a tall shelf — a struggle Pela knows all too well. She hates shelves: be they library, store, or kitchen. Continental shelves are alright, she supposes.
Day 24: A Lyte Brigade Stuffed Animal Tea Party
“I like your bear,” the child declares.
Acting almost unrecognisably warm, Matilda smiles down at the orphan. “Oh, he’s the best!” she exclaims. “His name is Strawbearie. Because he’s pink.”
“Like a strawberry! And he’s a bear!” the orphan exclaims happily.
“Smart kid,” Matilda says. “Have a cookie.”
Nolan can’t remember the last time his sister gave him a cookie. He can, however, remember the last three times she locked him a shed.
Day 25: An utter Kat-astrophe!
“It’s a cat?” Scarlet asks.
“No. It is Kat,” Dunstana repeats. “Like, it’s my sister. She got magic’d and now she’s a cat! Help!”
“Dunstana. Why is your sister a cat?” Scarlet asks.
“It was an accident. It wasn’t my fault,” Dunstana insists. “I barely even exploded it!”
Day 26: A Trip to the Civic Art Gallery of Porthaven
“Why don’t we move on The War of the Trolls and Amazons?” Amara asks. “I think you’ll like that one. Everyone is hitting everyone else with pointy sticks and big rocks.”
Day 27: The Spectacular Selvario Sisters?
“So, let me get this straight,” the guard says. “You’re the Spectacular Selvario Sisters. You’re both adopted. And each have a twin who isn’t a Spectacular Selvario Sister.”
Lucia and Alda nod.
“And you’re here to perform for the boss’ birthday. Even though the boss’ birthday is on a different day than it was last year,” the guard continues. “Is that about right?”
“Yes?” Lucia replies uncertainly.
“Makes sense to me,” the guard says cheerfully, stepping aside from the door. “In you go.”
Day 28: A Trip to the Wrasslin’
Amara points to the wrestler pushing his way through the crowd to approach the ring. “And who is that, Marquis de Evil?”
“No. Marquis de Evil is a different guy,” Kat says. “That’s Aristocratic Arundel Appleby.”
“His fashion sense is striking,” Amara mutters.
“Don’t be fooled,” Kat warns. “He’s one of the bad guys.”
“But he’s so elegant!” Amara protests. “How could he possibly be a villain?”
There you have it: 28 scenes for February and 2 bonuses from the end of January.
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