I am limiting myself to writing fanfiction for Gunslinger Girl. Fanfiction has some distinct advantages and drawbacks. Some of the advantages include a fleshed-out setting and a receptive potential audience. The drawbacks include the inability to receive compensation for the works, and potential derision from other writers because fanfiction isn't considered 'real' fiction by some.

Time is limited, so I won't go into the setting details, but sufficie it to say that I have some original characters (OC) in my version of the world.

Paolo and Dina are the ongoing protags. Paolo is ex-military and Dina is a ... a child-turned-Terminator. As the blog title goes, let's run with that.

Massimo D'Campo is Paolo's old friend, and a background character. He is a gunrunner/fence-turned-information broker. He walks with a cane, but is still formidable.

Here's the equivalent of a 'first draft' - I'm test-fitting ideas together for overall flow and consistency. Like most first drafts, this one is incredibly rough and utterly not ready for even writing, much less publishing to any fanfiction sites.

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Paolo is meeting with Massimo to pick up a piece of hardware. They discuss how Paolo has Dina to spend the holidays with, even if she's not family.

Massim tells of his earlier days when he had a comrade in arms who was like a brother to him. In response to Paolo's queries, Massim merely says that his business is not kind to the unlucky. He begs off further conversation to rest his leg.

Paolo has a further request, and Massim says he'll have it ready the next day. Paolo's request is that they increase the fuse interval from seven seconds to five, which is a lucky number. Massim replies that he expects better than Paolo for him to believe in such superstition, and that seven isn't a lucky number.

They banter as old friends do, and Paolo offers an anecdote how seven is lucky. Massim replies that seven is unlucky for most because the few have hoarded all the luck for themselves. Paolo points out that Massim is belying his own science-based criticism of Paolo's logic. Massim laughs and agrees to change the fuse to six seconds.

We follow Massim as he leaves his armorer's shop and back to his study where he nurses a scotch and begin the stereotypical flashback scene.

This is where it gets muddy, because the next scenes are the story within the story. I need a good and strong motto that will be a leitmotif for the story. As a placeholder, I'm going to go with "Knowledge is the the sharpest blade."

Massim meets the younger Alphonse when the latter is living on the streets and (mumble) helps him avoid some trouble. It's cold and snowy, and the next days are projected to dip even lower, life-threateningly so. Massim takes Alphonse as a protege and friend. Of course, we close with Massimo telling his fried his trade secret, the signature motto.

They grow the business and each want the whole enterprise. Massim sets up a test for Alphonse, a scene where he can show his true loyalties. (Details tbd.) Alphonse chooses, and dies, grievously wounding Massimo in the process. He's saved only because he has out-planned Alphonse, but it needs to be a Sleuth-style plan-within-plan-accommodating-opposing-plan on both parts. As Massimo lays near-death, he ponders the fact that it's been seven years to the day since they first me. Need to work the theme in here somehow.

The next scene is Massim at Alphonse's funeral. His lieutenant asks if it is wise to invite those who were aligned with Alphonse. "They deserve a friend to say goodbye to their leader, just as I deserve a chance to say goodbye to my friend." His underling objects further, at which point he replies that he has men watching their families, and they know it, so if anyone would be most invested in his safety, it is Alphonse's men. Theme again. See the challenge?

Cut to the next day. Paolo and Massim meet. Need to work in the young lady-McGuffin. She's homeless because her very strict parents rejected her after she became pregnant, and her boyfriend fled.

Questions: how does she meet them, how do they become entangled, and why don't they eliminate her?

Massim remembers his flashback yesterday and suggests another test - he approaches the parents as a social worker and asks them if they want to reconcile with their daughter.

On doing so, the father denies even having a daughter. The mother is urged to do so and does. Pregnancy?

Girl is resolved to give up the child and then end her life. Need to show she is smart and has potential. Massim sighs and takes her in.

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As I said, the story is currently unworkable. It's too unfocused, and key lynchpins are missing. Still, it's a story idea. By writing it here, I'm increasing the chance that I'll revisit it and fix it due to my perfectionist tendencies.

Thanks for reading.