Yuletide Letter 2009
To my Yuletide Writer,
Thank you in advance for all your hard work! I'm excited to see someone else that's a fan of one of the same series as I am. (High five! Fandom buddies!) This is my first time participating in Yuletide so hopefully this letter covers any of the questions you might have about my requests.
Happy Holidays and Happy Writing!
Dear Yulegoat,
I've been a very good fangirl this year...mostly. I kept my squeeing at an indoor voice level, refrained from the full-body glomping of bishies, even when it was very, very tempting to do so, and I did not involve myself with character bashing.
So, for presents this year, here are some hints I have for what would make me an especially happy fangirl this Yuletide.
My number one love in all fandom is the strong female character, and, for me, that strength can take any number of forms. Whether it's a purely physical fighting strength, emotional strength, intelligence, or any combination of the three, I'll take the girl who strong enough to believe in herself over the weepy damsel in distress any ol' day.
Pairing wise on the other hand. *evil cackle* If you can make me believe it, I'll read just about any Het pairing be it Canon, Alt, or Crack. Though, I must confess I have a certain soft spot for the bad boys - as you may or may not have guessed from some of my requests. (Additionally, combining the bad boys with suits/uniforms is worth bonus points and will make me squee.) *ahem* As romance goes though, unresolved Ust is always appreciated and I'd actually prefer it to anything explicitly PWP. But, then again, I'm just as happy with fluffy, comedic romance. Really, so long as my female character of choice is squiggled in there somewhere I'm libel to read it.
The same can really be said about genres. While pairing is usually the first check I make before I actually read anything. I don't really have a preference for genres. From the light-hearted comedies all the way to the more serious stories that make you think, I really do love them all. The only thing I don't particularly go for are fics that end on a depressing note.
Overall though, despite my taste in pairings, I'm really a canon setting sort of fangirl. AU's can be wonderful; but, the larger reason why I fall in love with certain series usually has to do with the setting that they're in. The imagery, the allusions, the characters being who they are - these are all the things that make fandom fun for me. Being able to see an extension of those worlds and the characters in them are why I like to read fanfiction. I love reading the 'what if', the post-series speculation, the cute little vignettes that feel like they should have been part of the series in the first place. All of it.
I have a lot less things that squick me than I used to regarding fanfiction (and otakudom in general) but I remain one of the rare fangirls who has no interest in slash. *shrugs* Just doesn't excite me. I like my strong female characters. Given the choice, I'd much rather read about a weak female character become stronger than squee and speculate that two male character's rivalry is something more than rivalry. (I'm looking at you Naruto-fandom.) Aside from that, things that turn me off of a fanfic are excessive OOCness, High School AU's, deliberate alteration of canon facts, character bashing, female characters being reduced to weepy damsels in distress, using allusions/references that are out of place for the setting or are merely reflections of the writer's own preferences (i.e. character's shopping at Hot Topic in the mall, listening to Linkin Park, etc.). Oh, and I suppose as an odd personal thing, I don't particularly like 1st or 2nd POV? *shrugs* It's not a squick per se but just one of those weird things that, given three books, I'd finish the 3rd POV first, then the 1st, and probably wind up getting bored with the 2nd POV half way through.
Granted there are of course always exceptions to the rules. For one, Gintama and all of the canon character bashing of Saachan and Kondou...and the Gintama 3Z extension...and, yeeeah, Gintama in general can usually weasel its was around most of these while keeping canon....
But just to give a general exploration into each of the prompts I gave:
Kiba
Noa, Roya
Prompt: Something with a Noa/Roya lean to it. An expansion on their tiny spark of friendship during the Joust in Neotopia? Post-series revolving around Noa's recovery and their seemingly patent/nurse relationship? Anything would make me a very happy fangirl. Add supporting characters as needed. Please no: Slash.
What I really like about Kiba? Hm. To sum it up. I really like the variety of cultures presented, each of the counties in Kiba is different and it shows in all the little details added from the clothing to the style of living. I also really loved the fact that rather than following the usual Shonen formula of 'Might is RIght' Kiba took a step back from that and went with the theme of 'absolute power corrupts absolutely'. And nowhere is this more obvious that in watching the changes undergone in Noa. Granted part of Noa's personality became further and further warped while he's under the influence of Sachira, but you can't aruge that Noa is practically the posterboy for the Florience Nightingale Effect. Every time he's taken in by others he winds up changing more from the person he once was into what makes others the most happy. In effect, this is how he is warped from the gentle person he starts out as into the "Absolute Justice" obsessed Savior that he turns into for the Neotopians who trick and lie to him. (Unlike Zed who goes against the grain of things even as Tempura accepts him pretty much off the bat.) Then, there's Roya who undergoes the trial of trying to rediscover who she really is after learning that she's really Tasken and comes out a stronger, more independent person who's at peace with herself. In all, it really makes me want to know what happened post series. There was clearly some spark of friendship happening between Noa and Roya in Neotopia. How would that effect Noa's recovery process? How would that effect the way Roya acts as a nurse? Ah~ I want to know. (*shakes fist at boxset* You couldn't do just one more episode, could you!?!) Really I ship both Roya/Zed and Noa/Roya for this series...the only problem is I've never actually seen Noa/Roya. *cough* Thus, my request.
Hatenkou Yugi (Dazzle)
Kiara, Rahzel
Prompt: Dark and twisted Kiara/Rahzel. I'd really love something that addresses Kiara's possessiveness and Rahzel's bold, independence. A random stalking encounter? Another piece of Kiara's hidden agenda? More from when Rahzenshia Rose became Rahzel? Add blood, snark, supporting characters, and more blood as needed. Please no: Slash, or Character Death (Rahzel).
What is it I love about Hatenkou Yugi? Umm. *points to screen name* While I could go on for a while. Aside from just the pretty, my favorite things about the series are the intrigue surrounding Kiara's goals and the theme of names. From the very beginning of the series we have Rahzel giving things the most ridiculous names and it's not really until the series gets further on that it delves into the idea of naming things to claim ownership over them. Then, we also have Kiara who shows up again and again, just enough to be useful while slowly plotting in the background. I really, really love the verbal sparring whenever Kiara and Razhel are in proximity of one another. Plus, there's the fact that Kiara has none too subtly declared ownership over Rahzel both subtly in guiding her to rename herself and blatantly when he tells Alzied point blank “I'm merely lending her to you” during the Angel Text incident. Razor sharp intelligence and nigh murderous intent vs bold independence? Dark, twisted UST fic waiting to happen. Oh, yes please.
And, just on a basic fangirling level: Kiara in his suit stabbing people with his tie. Possibly the hottest way to murder someone. Ever.
On a different note, the anime disappointed me basically all around, because it had none of the real substance and all of the filler. So for this fandom: mangaverse, pretty, pretty please?
Gintama
Okita, Kagura
Prompt: Okita/Kagura pseudo-romance because, well, let's be honest, those two will never quite be anything near traditional romance. Just shove the two of them within bantering range and anything from light-hearted brawling to more serious Yato/Japanese cultural differences would be perfectly lovely. Add violence, supporting characters, and that random twist of Gintama crackiness as needed. Traditional or 3Z universe are both acceptable. Please no: Slash.
For Gintama, I ship Okita/Kagura partially because of the lols. Their rivalry is just wildly, ridiculous, over the top at times, yet still manages to get borderline sweet....almost. For example, Okita's "That brat is mine to beat up." line in defending Kagura during the Kyuubi arc? Absolute cuteness...in a violent sort of way. Why I love Gintama in a nutshell, though? Let's see. If you look just right it has the same sense of Nakama that One Piece makes amazing. Really, for all the crack in Gintama, it still manages to pull off some of the most multi-layered serious arcs I've seen in a series. The Yoshiwara especially intrigued me with the additional dimension added to the Yato clan and Kagura in general. And, for all the series' dinking around, we never really get a good look at the Yato beyond the basic monstrous strength thing. I'd be interested to see some of the other aspects expanded on with adding Okita into the mix whether it's just a little thing about her and the effects of sunlight or a full on look into the blood lust. But quite honestly - ANYTHING - with these two would make me a very happy fangirl.
Yozakura Quartet
Kyosuke, Hime
Prompt: A little Kyosuke/Hime something. I really like the balance between of Hime's almost brash, determination and Kyosuke's willingness to act as her support. Whether it be mayoral duties about Sakura-shin, tussling with youkai, or more romantically inclined sweetness, just about anything involving these two would make me happy to see. Add supporting characters as needed. Manga or Anime-verse are both fine. Please no: Slash.
I actually fell in love with Suzuhito Yasuda's character designs in Kamisama Kazoku before I saw Yozakura so this series started out as a visual love for me. What sealed the deal was all of the mythological allusions. I love the idea of a more day to day look at human/yokai interaction and Yozakura does that even with the threat of Enshin hanging over Sakurashin. I also really love the dynamic of Kyosuke and Hime. I mean assistant and mayor? Demon and dragon? What's not to love? I also like the idea of the Kyosuke/Hime ship over the more canon Akina/Hime ship because the gap between Akina and Hime is not merely the space of one seat at the ramen bar. With Gin gone, the gap in between Akina and Hime is on an emotional level as well as just a physical one. And, as strong as she is Hime has proven that she really does need an emotional support more than just physical aid. Thus, I ship elsewere. But, seriously? I was absolutely tickled that this series got on Yuletide without me being the one to suggest it myself. (Unlike other series. *gestures towards Kiba and Hatenkou Yugi*) The slightest bit of ficcage for this series would send me over the moon.
And, ACK that's horribly terribly long winded, isn't it?
But, all ramblings aside if my pairings/prompts are too cumbersome feel perfectly free to dismiss them to do whatever. Quite honestly, I picked these particular series purely because they're so small and having any shiny new fic from these fandoms would be enough to make me do a happy dance.
An advanced thank you for all your hard work~
Here's to a happy Yuletide!!
Thank you in advance for all your hard work! I'm excited to see someone else that's a fan of one of the same series as I am. (High five! Fandom buddies!) This is my first time participating in Yuletide so hopefully this letter covers any of the questions you might have about my requests.
Happy Holidays and Happy Writing!
Dear Yulegoat,
I've been a very good fangirl this year...mostly. I kept my squeeing at an indoor voice level, refrained from the full-body glomping of bishies, even when it was very, very tempting to do so, and I did not involve myself with character bashing.
So, for presents this year, here are some hints I have for what would make me an especially happy fangirl this Yuletide.
My number one love in all fandom is the strong female character, and, for me, that strength can take any number of forms. Whether it's a purely physical fighting strength, emotional strength, intelligence, or any combination of the three, I'll take the girl who strong enough to believe in herself over the weepy damsel in distress any ol' day.
Pairing wise on the other hand. *evil cackle* If you can make me believe it, I'll read just about any Het pairing be it Canon, Alt, or Crack. Though, I must confess I have a certain soft spot for the bad boys - as you may or may not have guessed from some of my requests. (Additionally, combining the bad boys with suits/uniforms is worth bonus points and will make me squee.) *ahem* As romance goes though, unresolved Ust is always appreciated and I'd actually prefer it to anything explicitly PWP. But, then again, I'm just as happy with fluffy, comedic romance. Really, so long as my female character of choice is squiggled in there somewhere I'm libel to read it.
The same can really be said about genres. While pairing is usually the first check I make before I actually read anything. I don't really have a preference for genres. From the light-hearted comedies all the way to the more serious stories that make you think, I really do love them all. The only thing I don't particularly go for are fics that end on a depressing note.
Overall though, despite my taste in pairings, I'm really a canon setting sort of fangirl. AU's can be wonderful; but, the larger reason why I fall in love with certain series usually has to do with the setting that they're in. The imagery, the allusions, the characters being who they are - these are all the things that make fandom fun for me. Being able to see an extension of those worlds and the characters in them are why I like to read fanfiction. I love reading the 'what if', the post-series speculation, the cute little vignettes that feel like they should have been part of the series in the first place. All of it.
I have a lot less things that squick me than I used to regarding fanfiction (and otakudom in general) but I remain one of the rare fangirls who has no interest in slash. *shrugs* Just doesn't excite me. I like my strong female characters. Given the choice, I'd much rather read about a weak female character become stronger than squee and speculate that two male character's rivalry is something more than rivalry. (I'm looking at you Naruto-fandom.) Aside from that, things that turn me off of a fanfic are excessive OOCness, High School AU's, deliberate alteration of canon facts, character bashing, female characters being reduced to weepy damsels in distress, using allusions/references that are out of place for the setting or are merely reflections of the writer's own preferences (i.e. character's shopping at Hot Topic in the mall, listening to Linkin Park, etc.). Oh, and I suppose as an odd personal thing, I don't particularly like 1st or 2nd POV? *shrugs* It's not a squick per se but just one of those weird things that, given three books, I'd finish the 3rd POV first, then the 1st, and probably wind up getting bored with the 2nd POV half way through.
Granted there are of course always exceptions to the rules. For one, Gintama and all of the canon character bashing of Saachan and Kondou...and the Gintama 3Z extension...and, yeeeah, Gintama in general can usually weasel its was around most of these while keeping canon....
But just to give a general exploration into each of the prompts I gave:
Kiba
Noa, Roya
Prompt: Something with a Noa/Roya lean to it. An expansion on their tiny spark of friendship during the Joust in Neotopia? Post-series revolving around Noa's recovery and their seemingly patent/nurse relationship? Anything would make me a very happy fangirl. Add supporting characters as needed. Please no: Slash.
What I really like about Kiba? Hm. To sum it up. I really like the variety of cultures presented, each of the counties in Kiba is different and it shows in all the little details added from the clothing to the style of living. I also really loved the fact that rather than following the usual Shonen formula of 'Might is RIght' Kiba took a step back from that and went with the theme of 'absolute power corrupts absolutely'. And nowhere is this more obvious that in watching the changes undergone in Noa. Granted part of Noa's personality became further and further warped while he's under the influence of Sachira, but you can't aruge that Noa is practically the posterboy for the Florience Nightingale Effect. Every time he's taken in by others he winds up changing more from the person he once was into what makes others the most happy. In effect, this is how he is warped from the gentle person he starts out as into the "Absolute Justice" obsessed Savior that he turns into for the Neotopians who trick and lie to him. (Unlike Zed who goes against the grain of things even as Tempura accepts him pretty much off the bat.) Then, there's Roya who undergoes the trial of trying to rediscover who she really is after learning that she's really Tasken and comes out a stronger, more independent person who's at peace with herself. In all, it really makes me want to know what happened post series. There was clearly some spark of friendship happening between Noa and Roya in Neotopia. How would that effect Noa's recovery process? How would that effect the way Roya acts as a nurse? Ah~ I want to know. (*shakes fist at boxset* You couldn't do just one more episode, could you!?!) Really I ship both Roya/Zed and Noa/Roya for this series...the only problem is I've never actually seen Noa/Roya. *cough* Thus, my request.
Hatenkou Yugi (Dazzle)
Kiara, Rahzel
Prompt: Dark and twisted Kiara/Rahzel. I'd really love something that addresses Kiara's possessiveness and Rahzel's bold, independence. A random stalking encounter? Another piece of Kiara's hidden agenda? More from when Rahzenshia Rose became Rahzel? Add blood, snark, supporting characters, and more blood as needed. Please no: Slash, or Character Death (Rahzel).
What is it I love about Hatenkou Yugi? Umm. *points to screen name* While I could go on for a while. Aside from just the pretty, my favorite things about the series are the intrigue surrounding Kiara's goals and the theme of names. From the very beginning of the series we have Rahzel giving things the most ridiculous names and it's not really until the series gets further on that it delves into the idea of naming things to claim ownership over them. Then, we also have Kiara who shows up again and again, just enough to be useful while slowly plotting in the background. I really, really love the verbal sparring whenever Kiara and Razhel are in proximity of one another. Plus, there's the fact that Kiara has none too subtly declared ownership over Rahzel both subtly in guiding her to rename herself and blatantly when he tells Alzied point blank “I'm merely lending her to you” during the Angel Text incident. Razor sharp intelligence and nigh murderous intent vs bold independence? Dark, twisted UST fic waiting to happen. Oh, yes please.
And, just on a basic fangirling level: Kiara in his suit stabbing people with his tie. Possibly the hottest way to murder someone. Ever.
On a different note, the anime disappointed me basically all around, because it had none of the real substance and all of the filler. So for this fandom: mangaverse, pretty, pretty please?
Gintama
Okita, Kagura
Prompt: Okita/Kagura pseudo-romance because, well, let's be honest, those two will never quite be anything near traditional romance. Just shove the two of them within bantering range and anything from light-hearted brawling to more serious Yato/Japanese cultural differences would be perfectly lovely. Add violence, supporting characters, and that random twist of Gintama crackiness as needed. Traditional or 3Z universe are both acceptable. Please no: Slash.
For Gintama, I ship Okita/Kagura partially because of the lols. Their rivalry is just wildly, ridiculous, over the top at times, yet still manages to get borderline sweet....almost. For example, Okita's "That brat is mine to beat up." line in defending Kagura during the Kyuubi arc? Absolute cuteness...in a violent sort of way. Why I love Gintama in a nutshell, though? Let's see. If you look just right it has the same sense of Nakama that One Piece makes amazing. Really, for all the crack in Gintama, it still manages to pull off some of the most multi-layered serious arcs I've seen in a series. The Yoshiwara especially intrigued me with the additional dimension added to the Yato clan and Kagura in general. And, for all the series' dinking around, we never really get a good look at the Yato beyond the basic monstrous strength thing. I'd be interested to see some of the other aspects expanded on with adding Okita into the mix whether it's just a little thing about her and the effects of sunlight or a full on look into the blood lust. But quite honestly - ANYTHING - with these two would make me a very happy fangirl.
Yozakura Quartet
Kyosuke, Hime
Prompt: A little Kyosuke/Hime something. I really like the balance between of Hime's almost brash, determination and Kyosuke's willingness to act as her support. Whether it be mayoral duties about Sakura-shin, tussling with youkai, or more romantically inclined sweetness, just about anything involving these two would make me happy to see. Add supporting characters as needed. Manga or Anime-verse are both fine. Please no: Slash.
I actually fell in love with Suzuhito Yasuda's character designs in Kamisama Kazoku before I saw Yozakura so this series started out as a visual love for me. What sealed the deal was all of the mythological allusions. I love the idea of a more day to day look at human/yokai interaction and Yozakura does that even with the threat of Enshin hanging over Sakurashin. I also really love the dynamic of Kyosuke and Hime. I mean assistant and mayor? Demon and dragon? What's not to love? I also like the idea of the Kyosuke/Hime ship over the more canon Akina/Hime ship because the gap between Akina and Hime is not merely the space of one seat at the ramen bar. With Gin gone, the gap in between Akina and Hime is on an emotional level as well as just a physical one. And, as strong as she is Hime has proven that she really does need an emotional support more than just physical aid. Thus, I ship elsewere. But, seriously? I was absolutely tickled that this series got on Yuletide without me being the one to suggest it myself. (Unlike other series. *gestures towards Kiba and Hatenkou Yugi*) The slightest bit of ficcage for this series would send me over the moon.
And, ACK that's horribly terribly long winded, isn't it?
But, all ramblings aside if my pairings/prompts are too cumbersome feel perfectly free to dismiss them to do whatever. Quite honestly, I picked these particular series purely because they're so small and having any shiny new fic from these fandoms would be enough to make me do a happy dance.
An advanced thank you for all your hard work~
Here's to a happy Yuletide!!