The Plan and the Rules: Although I know the definition of the word "succinct," I am one who almost never practices being such (that is, I'm often lengthy in what I write). When I recently learned what a fiction drabble was (a short story or scene consisting of exactly 100 words), I decided that it might be fun to challenge myself to write one drabble about "The Penguins of Madagascar" each day for 100 days (September 7-December 15, 2009). To do this, I have set the following rules for myself (sorry that they're a bit long):

1.) Each drabble must be exactly 100 words without exception. 2.) Each drabble will be numbered and dated at the top, as well as given a brief title. This information does not count towards or against the 100 words which form the body of the drabble. 3.) To avoid overburdening readers, drabbles will not be released individually. Instead, 10 will be published at a time and will form one "chapter." There will be a total of 10 chapters, one as close to every 10 days as possible. 4.) The individual drabbles must be written on the dates they are represented as. No drabbles can be written in advance, nor can any be made-up for any dates missed. An idea, however, may be thought of ahead of time, so long as none of the actual drabble is written as such. 5.) The subject of the drabble does not necessarily have to take place on the date it is presented as. In other words, a Christmas scene would be allowed to be the drabble for sometime in October, for example. 6.) Any drabble which may warrant further information to be provided to readers shall have placed after its title a number-letter denotation in brackets (example: "[1A]"). Readers can then read the additional notes at the bottom of the chapter. 7.) Words which are hyphenated count only as one word.

Well, those are the rules I have set for myself. Can I meet my own challenge? Below are the first 10 drabbles (September 7-16, 2009). Wish me luck!


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1.) September 7, 2009: "Divorce"

"Hey, Kowalski," Skipper called over to his first lieutenant, "you remember that hula doll bobblehead that I married?"

"Yes, sir," Kowalski replied. "I was the best man at your wedding, after all."

"I still can't believe that I actually did that," Skipper continued. "Do you think that I ought to file formal divorce papers?"

"I don't think such would be necessary," Kowalski replied. "Knowledge of New York state law tells me that a marriage between a penguin and an inanimate object – preformed by a lion in Africa – isn't legally binding here in the Empire State."

"That's a relief," Skipper said.


2.) September 8, 2009: "Going Gray" [1A]

Julien was usually ecstatic on the morning of his birthday, but not this year. As he continued to stand in front of the mirror running his hands through his hair, Maurice came by.

"Happy birthday, King Julien," he said. "Are you all right over here?"

"Oh, Maurice, I am becoming so old," Julien said. "I'm not the youthful ring-tail that I used to be."

"Oh, come on, it's just one more year," Maurice said. "What makes you think you're so over-the-hill?"

"Because I think that I just found another gray hair," Julien declared.

"Your majesty, they're all gray," Maurice replied.


3.) September 9, 2009: "A Penguin Ponders"

Private looked at his flippers. He had long pondered the question, so he waddled over to Skipper and Kowalski to find out.

"What species of penguin are we?" he asked.

"Class C penguins," Skipper replied.

"Class C?" Private wondered.

"It means our species is classified," Skipper stated. "So classified that even I haven't got a clue."

"There are between 17 and 20 penguin species, depending on who you ask," Kowalski reported. "But even I don't know what we are."

"Could you do a blood test to find out?" Private inquired.

"Private, some things should just remain a mystery," Kowalski replied.


4.) September 10, 2009: "Save Room"

At 1900 hours, the penguins were just about ready to begin eating dinner. But while there were only two minutes remaining on their fried catfish cooking on the stove, Private just couldn't wait to eat.

"Private, don't fill up on bread," Skipper declared as Private began to butter a roll. "Save room for dinner."

Once the fish had finished cooking, Skipper placed it on the table. Private took an average-sized piece, but Rico took and began to devour a huge chunk.

"Rico, don't fill up on dinner," Skipper conveyed as Rico swallowed another piece of fish. "Save room for dynamite."


5.) September 11, 2009: "The Pledge of Allegiance" [2A]

At 0846 in the morning, the 10 friends gathered around the flagpole to pay their respects to those who had died eight years earlier.

"Everyone, place your right flipper or hand over your heart and follow my lead by responding with the next few words," Skipper said. "I pledge allegiance."

"To the Flag," Kowalski continued.

"Of the United," Private stated.

"States of America," Rico spoke.

"And to the Republic," Julien declared.

"For which it stands," Maurice continued.

"One Nation," Mort added.

"Under God," Marlene affirmed.

"Indivisible," Mason responded.

"With liberty," Phil signed.

"And justice for all," the 10 together declared.


6.) September 12, 2009: "Hearts"

Skipper shuffled the deck and dealt 13 cards to each of the four players. Each player then passed three cards to the player on their left. Marlene, since she held the Two of Clubs, then placed it on the table to begin the game.

Next on the left, Kowalski threw the Ace of Clubs, as he intended on taking the trick.

"Go fish!" Julien declared as he next placed down his card, the Nine of Diamonds. "Even though I, the king, do not eat fishy fish."

Skipper rolled his eyes.

"For the last time, ring-tail, we're playing Hearts!" he shouted.


7.) September 13, 2009: "Wilted"

Julien was devastated when he woke up one morning to find that his leafy crown had wilted overnight.

"Mort, these are delicate plants!" the king shouted as he held his now-droopy head adornment in his hands. "You know you're supposed to water my crown each night! You killed my plants!"

"Oops," Mort said. "But I bet a foot rub would cheer you up!"

"Never!" Julien declared. "Now Maurice, fetch me my spare crown."

"Your majesty, that is your spare crown," Maurice informed his monarch.

"No!" Julien exclaimed. "Quick, Maurice, call a florist. I need my crown brought back to life!"


8.) September 14, 2009: "Secret Snack"

A little past midnight, Kowalski awoke hearing some noise. He looked across the room to see that it was Skipper, holding a box of Winky cakes.

"Midnight snack, eh, Skipper?" Kowalski asked from his bunk.

"I don't suppose I could convince you that this is a dream, can I?" Skipper asked after swallowing the treat he was eating. "Tell no one."

"My bill will stay silent, but on one condition," Kowalski said. "Give me one."

"Deal," Skipper said as he tossed a Winky to Kowalski, but he missed and threw it into Rico's bunk.

"Mmm, peanut-buttery," a now-awake Rico mumbled.


9.) September 15, 2009: "Learning from the Master"

Marlene waited until the penguins had completed their morning karate-style training routine before approaching Skipper on the penguins' platform.

"Hey, Skipper," she said, "do you think you could teach me some of those moves?"

"I don't know, Marlene," Skipper replied. "Some of this stuff is highly classified. Maybe you should get a season of 'Walker, Texas Ranger' on DVD and learn from good ole Chuck Norris instead."

"Please, Skipper," she persisted. "It would be fun, and I know that you can handle fun."

Skipper smiled.

"OK, Marlene," he said as he reached for her paw. "First up, the karate chop."


10.) September 16, 2009: "Molting"

Marlene walked into the penguins' HQ to find the penguins sitting around their table. She noticed that the feathers of all four were kind of odd-looking and fluffy in some patches.

"Bad feather day, guys?" she asked.

"More like a bad feather week," Skipper replied.

"This is called 'molting': the process, usually annual in occurrence, by which birds generate new feathers," Kowalski stated.

"Does it hurt?" Marlene asked.

"Nope," Private replied.

Marlene looked at her friends for a few moments. She wasn't sure if she should ask, but her curiosity prompted her to ask anyway.

"Could I feel your feathers?"


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Drabble Notes

1A: For reference, the date I have concocted to be Julien's date of birth is April 1, 1990.

2A: God bless America. Never forget Tuesday, September 11, 2001.