Update on Abandonment Party 2, chapter 12, 4th draft: Got it done; added all the intrigue and character-driven agency that Kim wanted. But this chapter was waaaaay too long. 26 pages. I found a good opportunity for a break and a DRAMATIC ending line, so I split it up into two chapters. Chapter 12 will be “Villan’s Legacy” and 13 will be “Prisoner.” Tell me what you think, even though you don’t know the contents of the text. Unless you’re Kim or Matt. Then you can tell me what you think of those titles. Unless you forgot what happened AGAIN, Matt.
Speaking of Matt, the 21st was his birthday! Congrats! You da best! I went out to eat with him and his sister to a public place called Westport Social. It’s kind of like a bar inside a warehouse with cruise ship party games spread around. Here’s a photo I took:
Matt took me back to his house after we ate and played foosball. He told me about some new A.I. program called “ChatGPT” and he claimed that it could write stories if you give it info about the characters and setting you wanted.
I told him no way would it write anything good! A.I. has been terrible at that sort of thing my whole life. Well, at least Eliza was terrible back on my old Macintosh Classic. So I told Matt to show me the money. He accepted the challenge and used characters from Abandonment Party as an example. I’ll label Matt’s prompts to the A.I., along with the A.I.’s response, then my own comments will be in parenthesis.
Matt: Let’s write a chapter of a fantasy fiction novel. There are two characters. Mean LaVir is a petite young woman with the power to control gravity. Vornis is a humanoid creature covered in spikes. They have just landed on a new planet with a mysterious virus. There are hex gates that allow them to travel to different places on the planet. There’s an overzealous security guard named Mackaba who is trying to stop them. Mean doesn’t want to hurt him but Vornis is ready to rumble.
In this chapter, Mackaba tries to arrest them but Mean doesn’t want Vornis to fight him so she uses her powers to escape.
ChatGPT: Mean LaVir and Vornis stepped through the hex gate, arriving on a planet that was unlike any they had seen before. The sky was a deep purple, and the trees had leaves of every color of the rainbow. The ground was covered in a thin layer of mist, and the air smelled like freshly baked bread. But their attention was quickly drawn to the other inhabitants of this new world. They were a strange, humanoid species that had blue skin and pointed ears.
As Mean and Vornis explored the new planet, they quickly realized that something was wrong. The inhabitants were sick, and a strange virus was spreading rapidly. Mean could sense the fear and desperation in their minds.
But they didn’t have much time to think about the virus as they soon encountered Mackaba, the overzealous security guard who was trying to stop them. He was a burly man with a stern expression and a large weapon in his hand.
“Stop right there!” he barked. “You are under arrest for trespassing on this planet.”
Mean stepped forward, trying to diffuse the situation. “Please, we didn’t mean any harm. We’re just here to help.”
But Mackaba wasn’t listening. He raised his weapon, ready to attack. Vornis growled, ready to fight back.
Mean knew that she had to act quickly. She focused her mind, feeling the pull of gravity around her. She lifted her hand, and suddenly Mackaba was floating in the air, his weapon slipping from his grasp.
“Mackaba, please. We don’t want to hurt you,” Mean said calmly.
Mackaba struggled in the air, trying to break free from the force of gravity. But Mean was too powerful. She gently lowered him to the ground, and Mackaba stumbled backward, his eyes wide with fear.
Without another word, Mean and Vornis slipped away through the hex gate, disappearing into the misty landscape.
As they traveled further into the planet, they knew that they had to find a way to stop the virus before it spread any further. But they also knew that they had to be careful. They didn’t want to cause any more trouble with the planet’s inhabitants, and they certainly didn’t want to encounter Mackaba again.
(This is quite an improvement over ol’ Eliza! Much better than I was expecting. I’m not sure why everything smells like bread, but the characters act just as Matt instructed!)
Matt: That’s great but instead of a weapon, let’s make Mackaba have a giant whistle.
ChatGPT: Mean LaVir and Vornis stepped through the hex gate, arriving on a planet that was unlike any they had seen before. The sky was a deep purple, and the trees had leaves of every color of the rainbow. The ground was covered in a thin layer of mist, and the air smelled like freshly baked bread. But their attention was quickly drawn to the other inhabitants of this new world. They were a strange, humanoid species that had blue skin and pointed ears.
As Mean and Vornis explored the new planet, they quickly realized that something was wrong. The inhabitants were sick, and a strange virus was spreading rapidly. Mean could sense the fear and desperation in their minds.
But they didn’t have much time to think about the virus as they soon encountered Mackaba, the overzealous security guard who was trying to stop them. He was a burly man with a stern expression and a giant whistle hanging from his neck.
“Stop right there!” he barked. “You are under arrest for trespassing on this planet.”
Mean stepped forward, trying to diffuse the situation. “Please, we didn’t mean any harm. We’re just here to help.”
But Mackaba wasn’t listening. He raised his whistle, ready to blow it and call for backup. Vornis growled, ready to fight back.
Mean knew that she had to act quickly. She focused her mind, feeling the pull of gravity around her. She lifted her hand, and suddenly Mackaba was floating in the air, his whistle slipping from his grasp.
“Mackaba, please. We don’t want to hurt you,” Mean said calmly.
Mackaba struggled in the air, trying to break free from the force of gravity. But Mean was too powerful. She gently lowered him to the ground, and Mackaba stumbled backward, his eyes wide with fear.
Without another word, Mean and Vornis slipped away through the hex gate, disappearing into the misty landscape.
As they traveled further into the planet, they knew that they had to find a way to stop the virus before it spread any further. But they also knew that they had to be careful. They didn’t want to cause any more trouble with the planet’s inhabitants, and they certainly didn’t want to encounter Mackaba again.
(I was shocked that the AI wrote out a logical use for the whistle.)
Matt: Can you turn it into a short poem.
ChatGPT: On a planet strange and new,
Mean LaVir and Vornis flew,
But sickness spread, a virus grim,
And they knew they had to help them.
But a guard, Mackaba by name,
With a whistle, not a blade of flame,
Tried to stop them, arrest their flight,
But Mean’s powers gave her might.
Gravity’s pull she did command,
And lifted Mackaba from the land,
He floated helpless in the air,
But she didn’t want to harm or scare.
Gently, she lowered him down,
And slipped away, with no sound,
Their quest continued, with care,
To save the planet from despair.
(I was amazed this time. This poem is better than any of the silly ones I’ve been writing to describe the chapters from book two. Not sure why Mean and Vornis are suddenly flying instead of using hex doors though? Did the A.I. forget?)
Matt: That’s fantastic but now let’s rewrite it in a high action anime style script
ChatGPT: [Scene opens on a strange and colorful planet, with Mean LaVir and Vornis flying towards it. The sky is a deep purple, and the trees have leaves of every color of the rainbow. The ground is covered in a thin layer of mist, and the air smells like freshly baked bread.]
Narrator: On a planet unlike any other, Mean LaVir and Vornis have arrived! But trouble is brewing, as a mysterious virus is spreading across the land.
[Cut to Mean and Vornis landing on the planet, looking around with concern. Suddenly, they hear a loud whistle, and turn to see Mackaba, an overzealous security guard, approaching them.]
Mackaba: “Stop right there, trespassers! You’re under arrest!”
[Vornis growls and prepares to fight, but Mean steps forward, trying to reason with Mackaba.]
Mean: “Please, we didn’t mean any harm. We’re here to help!”
Mackaba: “I don’t believe you! You’re coming with me!”
[As Mackaba raises his whistle, Mean’s eyes flash with determination. She lifts her hand, and suddenly Mackaba is lifted off the ground by the force of gravity.]
Narrator: Mean LaVir, the petite young woman with the power to control gravity, springs into action!
[Mackaba struggles to break free, but Mean’s power is too great. She twists her hand, causing Mackaba to spin in mid-air, disorienting him.]
Narrator: Mackaba tries to resist, but he’s no match for Mean’s powers!
[Mean gently lowers Mackaba back to the ground, and he stumbles backward, gasping for air.]
Mean: “We didn’t want to hurt you. We’re just here to help.”
[Mackaba looks up at Mean with a mixture of fear and awe, realizing that she is not to be underestimated.]
Mackaba: “I…I understand. Please, go ahead. Do what you must.”
Narrator: Mean and Vornis nod in thanks, and slip away into the misty landscape, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
[The camera pans out, showing the strange and beautiful planet, as our heroes venture forth into the unknown.]
(Ah, NOW it makes sense for them to fly, since the AI is in Dragon Ball Z mode. They’re just here to help, Mackaba! Please understand! But wait, it seems Matt has other ideas!?)
Matt: This is good but instead of having Mackaba accept that Mean has won, have him transform into his ultimate form and overpower them.
ChatGPT: [Scene opens on a strange and colorful planet, with Mean LaVir and Vornis flying towards it. The sky is a deep purple, and the trees have leaves of every color of the rainbow. The ground is covered in a thin layer of mist, and the air smells like freshly baked bread.]
Narrator: On a planet unlike any other, Mean LaVir and Vornis have arrived! But trouble is brewing, as a mysterious virus is spreading across the land.
[Cut to Mean and Vornis landing on the planet, looking around with concern. Suddenly, they hear a loud whistle, and turn to see Mackaba, an overzealous security guard, approaching them.]
Mackaba: “Stop right there, trespassers! You’re under arrest!”
[Vornis growls and prepares to fight, but Mean steps forward, trying to reason with Mackaba.]
Mean: “Please, we didn’t mean any harm. We’re here to help!”
Mackaba: “I don’t believe you! You’re coming with me!”
[As Mackaba raises his whistle, Mean’s eyes flash with determination. She lifts her hand, and suddenly Mackaba is lifted off the ground by the force of gravity.]
Narrator: Mean LaVir, the petite young woman with the power to control gravity, springs into action!
[Mackaba struggles to break free, but suddenly his eyes begin to glow, and he lets out a loud roar. He begins to transform, growing in size and strength until he towers over Mean and Vornis.]
Narrator: But Mackaba is not what he seems! He has a secret power, one that even he didn’t know he possessed!
[With a fierce growl, Mackaba charges towards Mean and Vornis. Vornis fights bravely, but is no match for Mackaba’s strength. Mean tries to use her powers to control him, but he shakes her off effortlessly.]
Narrator: Mean LaVir and Vornis are in trouble! Can they defeat this powerful foe?
[As Mackaba prepares to strike a final blow, Mean closes her eyes and concentrates. Suddenly, the gravity around Mackaba begins to fluctuate wildly, throwing him off balance.]
Narrator: Mean has one more trick up her sleeve! She’s going to use her power to control gravity and defeat Mackaba once and for all!
[With a final burst of energy, Mean sends Mackaba flying into the air, his body weightless in her grasp. She directs him towards a nearby hex gate, and with a flick of her wrist, sends him hurtling through it.]
Narrator: Mean LaVir and Vornis emerge victorious! They have defeated Mackaba and are one step closer to saving the planet from the deadly virus.
[As they turn to leave, Mean and Vornis exchange a look of mutual respect and admiration. They know that whatever lies ahead, they’ll face it together.]
A.I. FUN COMPLETE
WOW. The A.I. remembered the hex door after all, and had Mean toss Mackaba through it! The silly thing even properly comprehended “ultimate form” and used the proper context of anime power-up transformations!
Now I kinda want to make some chapters with Mean and Vornis on their own! They seem like such great buddies here, ha,ha.
Anyway, that’s enough fun for now. See you next time! 😁