Act I - The Beginning
Opening Scene (Set the tone of the story and introduce the protagonist):
Masha and Vee are standing next to their lockers, grabbing some textbooks and stuff for their classes. Vee is pretty excited to have her first day of human school!
Setup (Scenes that introduce the world & supporting characters, and hints to the story to come):
Masha points to a wall of wet paint. Hey Vee, you should watch that wet paint over there, make sure nothing happens to it, she jokes.
Inciting Incident (The surprise moment that turns the protagonist’s world upside down and kicks off the main plot):
Vee wonders what human paint could possibly get up to in her head, and says “yeah” to Masha.
Call to Action (How do the characters react to the inciting incident? What choice must the protagonist make?):
Vee didn’t seem to get the joke, but that’s okay, Masha thinks. It’s time for them to head to class.
Vee grabs a chair from a desk setup in the hallway and sits on it, to begin her watch over the wet paint.
Act II, Part 1 - The Middle
The Choice (How does the protagonist decide to deal with the problem? What are the stakes?):
Vee worries about missing her first day of class, but Masha wouldn’t task her with something if it wasn’t important. She just wishes she asked Masha to tell her teacher she’d be here.
Rising Action / Mounting Problems (Troubles mount as the conflict kicks into high gear. What keeps the protagonist going?):
Vee struggles to keep her focus on the wall of paint. It’s pretty boring. She’s starting to get sucked into her own thoughts. What if she doesn’t fit in with her classmates? What if human school is weird?
Midpoint / Reversal (A surprise event that wrecks the plan and raises the takes, often after a temporary triumph):
Vee’s anxious questioning has prompted the question “what if they notice I’m a shape-shifter? What if I accidentally shape-shift?”, and she fully forgets about the wall of paint.
Act II, Part 2 - After the Reversal
More Troubles (There is fallout from the midpoint, continuing the conflict as problems pile up.):
Fully consumed by her thoughts, she quickly becomes panicked about the horrible possibilities that could out her as different from everyone else.
Disaster (A moment where everything goes wrong and the goal appears to be impossible to achieve):
Vee worries about the end of her supply of magic, and how she may have to hide away as the horrible demon monster she is forever.
Turning Point (New ideas or fresh inspiration offer hope and set up the story’s final act):
Vee turns to her jacket pocket and looks for her magic cards, which she has a few of. She’ll have enough to make it for a while just in her coat, a good week or two.
Act III - Resolution
Plan / Resolve (All the pieces are moved into place for the finale. Subplots tie together and the stakes reach a peak):
Vee has to reassure herself everything will be fine, and she will have a good time. It’s time to calm down.
Climax (The protagonist comes face to face with the antagonist or main obstacle and is victorious… or fails):
Taking a couple deep breaths, she calms herself down, and assures herself of everything being okay.
Dénouement (After the climax, the protagonist and/or world have changed. A final scene provides closure to the story.):
The class period is over, and Masha comes back to see Vee sitting in the chair. They say “Hey Vee, you actually watched the paint dry?”, which startles Vee. The wall of paint is still here, I’m still here, everything is good. We’re going have a good day… but I guess I have a teacher to apologize to now.