Character Building - Short Story

Partly as a result of having started a book of short stories I received for Christmas, partly as a result of feeling guilty for not having anything to show to my writers group, and partly to dive back into this universe, I have decided that I want to write a short story in the UFPE world.

The MC is going to be the Bad Guy of the story, who is one of my favorite characters. During Volume II, he explains to Our Heroine that when he was younger, he left Bad Guy Nation and spent some time traveling. It strikes me that this is probably a formative period of his life and his development as a villain; as someone who is doomed by his bloodline to never be quite good enough for Bad Guy Nation (unless his plot comes to fruition), I have a hard time understanding why he turned around and chose to embrace them as fiercely as he does. Why not settle down with a nice girl who has no idea who he is, in a nice village (or city!) where he can have nice neighbors who don't care what sort of scandals a great-great-great ancestor of his got caught up in so long ago?

For that matter, how did Bad Guy Nation come to listen to him? Now that he's solidified his reputation as a leader - just not quite as powerful as he'd like - who is poised to bring Bad Guy Nation into total world domination, his compatriots are willing to overlook his bad blood, as long he doesn't try to claim supreme leadership. But why would anyone listen to him in the first place? As I think about it, I am becoming convinced that he pulled a Talented Mr. Ripley or similarly devious scheme, to arise to his preeminent position.

Like any despot, though, L did not begin life twirling a mustache. His family life was fairly normal, but their blood taint cut them off from society at large. He was not one of those children who tore the wings off flies; he just spent a lot of time alone and understood from a very young age why his family was politely shunned. He never heard any suggestion that this was unjust. I like the idea that, at some point, he or his parents expressed a hope that one day, their descendants might be accepted back into society.

In something of an ironic twist, it might be his sojourn into the outside world that convinces him that this is possible; ironic because his quest later on is to Destroy All Humans or something of the sort. When he leaves his home, he may believe he is leaving for good, but he returns with a renewed vigor. Is it a sense of self-confidence he never had? A learned skill for oration and the power of hawkish rhetoric? Does he learn something about his people that he can use to sway them? I think all of the above - and as he's conducting his research into the history of Bad Guy Nation, the Secret Society who plays a major role in this story learns about him and his special snowflake astrology that makes him their perfect tool.

So - a story of a young man who leaves his home with the idea of never returning there again, of starting life anew as an anonymous farmer in a faraway land. Something convinces him to return home and lead his people to the greatest glory they have ever known. I suppose that could almost be a novel in itself. I have an image of my head of this story beginning at a carnival in one of the great cities. L is almost swept up in the mad whirling chaos of the place when he comes across a charlatan, doing something to swindle people out of their money. It immediately jolts him out of the magic of the event, and he thinks sniffily that his people may be extraordinarily bigoted in their way but they would never cheat one another.

It's a good beginning. I'm not sure where to take it from there, though I have an idea or two. Someone is going to tell him that at events like that, everyone knows something like that will happen. It's human nature.

Yes, that's the key there.

"They come to these carnivals, knowing that they'll be cheated?"

Laughter. "Most people like to think that they are too smart to be swindled, but yes. It's the price we pay for our pleasures."

He doesn't understand. "It's exciting, but surely someone must see what that man really is. Why allow him to continue to ply his trade?"

"Everyone knows what he is. Everyone knows what Carnival is - watered-down drink, meat pies spiced heavily to cover the taste of spoilage, and woman rouged to look ten years younger. We know them, but really, they know us better than we know ourselves. They understand human nature intuitively. They know just how far they can go. When they call to us, we are helpless." More laughter. "If I could do it, boy, I can't say I wouldn't join them."

From this, L has the idea to learn about the nature of his own people, and how he can call to them.

Excellent! Another productive entry!