thefourthvine | Slashy Awards 147: Let Not That Happen Which I Wish, But That Which Is Right

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Slashy Awards 147: Let Not That Happen Which I Wish, But That Which Is Right

I love, love, love things that never happened stories. (And all hail

basingstoke, the creator of this format that brings joy to the world, all the boys and girls. Yeah! (Also to fishies in the deep blue sea, is what I hear. In other, wholly unrelated news: songs your parents sang to you when you were little have the power to derail any train of thought. True fact: Einstein managed to finish the sentence that began "E=m" only because his parents didn't know any catchy songs.)

Recs sets involving things that never happened stories have a few rules, people. Some of you may remember them from last time. But I'm restating them, because some of you are new since last time. Hell, some of the rules are new since last time.

Things that never happened = TTNH. There's only so many times I can type the full words before I succumb to that tragic disease known as Keyboard Ennui.
TTNH stories can be disturbing. Or sad. Or, in cases where the author is very special, both disturbing and sad. They don't have to be, mind you. (Except they kind of do. Because either they're about things that would suck, or they're about things that would be most excellent. But if it's the latter, isn't it kind of a bummer that these are things that didn't happen? Yes, this is both a story style and a deep philosophical conundrum. When basingstoke is on, she's really fucking on.) So if you're already in a place of emo, maybe you'll want to consider each of these stories carefully before you click.
TTNH stories usually make more sense if you know the canon. As I said last time: it helps to know what did happen before you read about what didn't. I've included some sense of how much canon you need to know. (Because this is fandom, that great big pool of cross-pollination and spoilers, we all know a little about, for example, Kirk and Spock, even if our entire first-hand knowledge of them consists of a single episode in which they hit every slash cliche known to science within roughly 30 minutes, using only styrofoam and aluminum foil. And that may be all you need to know.)
TTNH stories may contain gen, het, or slash. So when it comes to these, I am not a pairing index; some TTNH stories, that alone would keep us here all day. So go in braced for anything. Although I swear I will warn you before, for example, Doctor Who/TARDIS.
I interpret "things that never happened" rather loosely. It just has to follow the basic format: [number] of [things] that [happened/didn't happen/happened one night/you totally can't prove/happened to your mom].
If you are distressed by any of the (un)events of these stories, I advocate industrial-strength denial. It's always worked for me.

The One That Should Come with a References Section, a Bunch of Footnotes, and a Gift Certificate Good for Punching One DC Editor or Writer in the Location of Your Choice. Five Things That Never Happened to the Robins (and Interlude: Five Things That Never Happened to Carrie Kelley), by

monkeycrackmary. D.C. Universe. You don't need to know the canon to read this one, but you do need to know about the Robins (including the part about Carrie Kelley), Identity Crisis, and maybe No Man's Land. Obviously - and I cannot even believe I'm saying this; next thing you know I'll be advocating all knives be labeled "Caution: Sharp" - there are major spoilers at those links. Also, warning: my total lack of love over Recent Unfortunate Events in the DCU is, um. A bit obvious, here.

TTNH stories are AUs with the fat trimmed off - we get the story, but we're left to extrapolate a lot, including most of the set-up and, sometimes, the resolution. I cannot tell you how much that works for me. And it's variable; TTNH stories can be snippets, just glimpses of the AUs. But in DCU, particularly, TTNH stories contain multitudes: sprawling, intense universes that feel real, wholly populated, wholly complete, and internally consistent and logical.

This one certainly seems more real than anything D.C. has published lately. That's in part because the characters are intensely in character here (and do not even get me started on how it's completely and totally impossible for Certain Characters to be themselves in the face of Recent Unspeakable Retcons, for, as you can see, that way lies madness and random capitalization), but also because these stories are so detailed and so - I don't know how to put it. So much like the stories D.C. is writing in the alternate universe where they have character and plot continuity. And writers with brains. This is an incredibly meaty story - I mean, the interlude alone could stand as five separate stories. It's got...hmmm. Room to grow, in a way the canon universe just doesn't right now. If I ever write an essay called Why I Prefer Fan Fiction to the Canon, this story is exhibit A.

The One That Makes It Clear What's Really Behind All Those Macho Bone-Grinding Handshakes. (Let's Just Say It Didn't Come As a Huge Surprise.) Five Battles Teal'c of Chulak Never Fought, by

cofax7. Stargate: SG-1. To read this, you probably need to know, for example, who Teal'c is. And the more you know about SG1, the more you'll likely get out of this. Of course, that isn't exactly a promise, since I don't know much about SG1, but it's a very good working theory.

This is the ultimate example of trimming the fat, here; these stories are short, short pieces about big, big worlds. And that is, without doubt, a good thing. But what I love about this is - atypically for me - not the AUs, but the person I see here. When I started reading SG1, it was all about Jack and Daniel for me. Which, I mean, of course: Jack! Daniel! What's not to love? But lately I've also been getting interested in Teal'c and Sam. I still want the story in which those two are genderswapped (it'd be fascinating, and I continue to hope against hope that

katie_m will write it). But, basically, I just want any stories that will make these two characters human to me, real to me, because in a lot of fan fiction they are - I don't know. Plot devices or enigmas, I guess: not the people whose eyes we see through, but rather the people we see. From a distance, usually.

In this story, Cofax let me see through Teal'c's eyes, and that - that is quite a gift. There's always something that ties a TTNH story together, and in this case, that's Teal'c himself: his character, who he is, who he's been. So, basically, if you've ever wanted to get to know Teal'c, well, here's your chance. (And if you haven't, why not? The man is, at least at the start of the canon, a formerly-evil member of a race of people who have unnaturally long life at the cost of a kind of devil's bargain. And he's now fighting evil and dealing with the repercussions of his past life. All of you people who love vampires and things written by people named Whedon should be rushing to embrace this man.)

The One That Defines PMS As Being the State in Which You Wish Everyone Would Get Hit by a Car. Works for Me. 19 (x19) Things That Never Happened, pt 2, by

rageprufrock. Hikaru no Go. Yes, you do need to know a bit of the canon to read this, but if you don't, oh my god why not? This is - this is due South with Go, people. Hell, it's Harry Potter and the Ghost of Go. And if you are now wondering how any series could be both those things, why not try the first 8 volumes of the manga? (1-4 and 5-8. Attention, Person Who Gave These to Me: if you don't want them up here, let me know and I'll take them down. If you want credit, likewise let me know and I will be happy to glorify your name and works and noble lineage.) Read them. They will prepare you for the Hikaru no Go Fandoms I Have Loved, which - yes. It's coming. I'm in love, okay? I can't help myself. Shut up.*

This is only one part of Pru's Hikaru no Go TTNH series, and definitely my favorite. (Other parts: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6.) And this is another style of TTNH, here, because it is a commentary, but not on a character. This is a reflection on the canon, on the...well. I'm afraid to say "culture," because I am not qualified to start that discussion (and I'm not brave enough, either), but that's pretty much what it is. Culture is what defines Akira and Hikaru's, um, relationship. (Rivals. Totally rivals.) So how would culture define it if something was different?

When I read this story, I thought: this is a story that would only really work and be interesting in certain fandoms. (For the record, and this isn't much of a spoiler: Pru changed the sexes of one of the characters. I don't mean she genderswapped him or genderfucked him; she made him female from birth.) I mean, making John a girl is fascinating if he was male up until the aliens got their hands on his DNA, but if he was born female? The story doesn't change much. But now I'm wondering how true that is. If Aragorn was born to be a woman king, that does change things, does make for an interesting story. If Brian O'Conner (from the Fast and the Furious) is a girl, I lose all interest in the story; if Rusty Ryan (from Ocean's 11) is a girl, my interest skyrockets (and it's already really pretty high). So now I'm basically confused, and I'm all doubty about the thoughtful remarks I had for this story. Anyone else want to be thoughtful instead?

The One That Proves That There's No Canon Development So Disastrous That a Talented Fan Writer Can't Make It Work in the Service of Good. Temporary, by

penknife. X-Men movieverse. This is post-X3, and if you haven't seen the movie and you plan to, you shouldn't read the story. You shouldn't read this story summary, either. But if you already know, either from spoilers or from seeing it, what happens in X3, well, you'll probably understand why I am choosing to skip the movie and go straight to the fan fiction. And you'll also be perfectly primed to read this story.

So. I can't really do a better story summary than

penknife did: "Five ways Rogue finds out nothing's permanent." But I will say that I choose to think of this as "Five places to go from here." Because the X3 story - well, one of the many problems I had with it (back when I first read the spoilers) was that it closes off possibilities and undermines the message and central question of the whole X-Men universe. (And, you know, that's an impressive feat, diverting an entire canon away from such a central and basic concept. I mean, it's impressive in the way that eating an airplane is impressive - yes, amazing, but why would anyone bother? But impressive it is.)

Anyway. Turns out I was wrong about that closed, nowhere-good-to-go-from-here thing. Maybe the heat was getting to me. Because as soon as I read this story, I realized that there are as many interesting avenues to explore now as before, and X3 might change everything, but it doesn't actually matter that much. This story features five of those interesting avenues, and I just - I love them, love this whole story, in a very sincere, honorable-intentions kind of way. (I'd propose, but reader/story marriages are still illegal in my state.) This is a fabulous riff on the potential of the future, from the first segment, which I would argue takes us back, not to movie canon, but to early(ish) comics canon, to the last, which takes us in a totally unexpected, fascinating direction that leaves me whimpering for more. (

penknife: total narrative tease. News at 11.)

-Footnote-

* I do not as yet have a source for the anime, sadly, but you can add the first two discs of it to your Netflix queue here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Literally, *just* before I hit reload on my f-list to see this entry, I was complaining to someone that LJ was doing a totally crap job of helping me procrastinate tonight. Sometimes the universe is kind to me.

As usual, I enjoy reading your recs almost as much as I enjoy the fics in question. (And yes,

basingstoke's brain is scary and wonderful.)

*beams*

I am very glad to be of service. That's why I'm here: to help you procrastinate. (Unless you're procrastinating on your vid, in which case: OMG WOMAN GO WORK ON IT. I will not be an unwitting party to your vid avoidance! I want to see it at some point in the reasonably near future. Like, before the next DCU reboot would be nice.)

*sighs*

Also, your comment has brought home to me that my icon collection is sadly lacking. I have Batfamily icons coming out my pointy Batears - for which thank god, because every good fangirl needs a whole bunch of Baticons - but do I have a single Super icon? Let alone a Super/Bat icon? No.

*sad*

You totally win at icons, I'm afraid.

*goes back to looking for a Hikaru no Go icon*

Alas, I don't think that the vid I'm ~~procrasting on~~ working on at the moment is the one you're thinking of. The Kon vid is, um. Well. I'm letting it marinate? Age? Uh. Vids are like fine wines! You can't rush them! Or something.

Oh, you should have some Super icons. If I were more confident in my icon-making abilities I would offer to make you some, but alas! I am not.

Kirk and Spock, even if our entire first-hand knowledge of them consists of a single episode in which they hit every slash cliche known to science within roughly 30 minutes

... which is every episode they were in together ... so really, what you're saying is any random 30 minutes of ST (or even 3 or 4 vids), and you're good to go.

I ~~may~~ have been drinking tonight ...

which is every episode they were in together

I refuse to believe that every episode of ST:TOS was as slashy as the one I saw, because if it had been, the film would've just spontaneously combusted. And every single boy in the U.S. born after ST started airing would have grown up gay.

I may have been drinking tonight

*nods*

I think I'm going to start drinking, too. It's really the only cure for a night as cruddy as this one's been.

*toasts you*

(And in icon-related news: Best Beloved saw your icon and immediately began verbally outlining a Dangermouse/Penfold fic. What have I done to the one I love?)

Have you ever read the Pros/Dangermouse crossover series by Debra Hicks? Tongue-in-cheek, but an affection for both Pros and Dangermouse shines through. Though Best Beloved will be disappointed, as Dangermouse & Penfold aren't a couple, but their partnership is warmly described. The series is archived at both the Hatstand Archive as well as the Circuit Archive, and of course, on Proslib.

I like your Best Beloved very much.

(When I wrote Casablanca for Yuletide two years ago, I was roundly scolded by two male friends for not slashing Rick & Louis. Go fig.)

What I meant to say last night, but was too tipsy to type, was that generally I avoid the five-things stories, because of the sadness therein. But every once in a while, I'm in the mood. Thanks for the bookmark. *g*

Just popping in to say, last I checked, if you've got an ftp client, you can ftp anonymously to ftp://ftp.hikago.flirble.org for some colorful, moving and talking Hikago. :)

Oh my god, you are wonderful. With resources like these, surely we can drag some other people into the fandom, right?

*adds note to the HnG FIHL*

*rubs hands*

*cackles evilly*

*beams at you!*

I'm forever pimping that archive. I'm not sure why more people don't know about it, really, because I found it ages ago, back when I hadn't seen the series and wanted to, and I found it because I typed "hikaru no go" into Google search. It was a linked to on the first hit. And, in fact, I think it still is. :P

Um. OMG. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

No, really. Thank you!

*beams* I'm just glad it still works. It's been there for like. years, I think. XD

Oh, I have downloaded the manga and am eagerly anticipating the long struggle with my brain to acknowledge both words and pictures simultaneously. Thanks for the files! (And the recs, of course, but that's just par for the course --

penkife's was as brilliant as expected.)

Yay! Let me know how it goes; my brain resists processing pictures and words simultaneously, too, but I found this manga easy to understand. (And if you get addicted, let me know about that, too; I have the other volumes. Also see above for tips on where to get the anime. Hikaru no Go fandom wants you.)

I must say, it was nice to see you rec a bit of X-Men, although I find myself tragically abandoned searching for an SGA fix; a fandom, my still new involvement in which I blame entirely on you and your shiny, shiny recommendations.

*is overfamiliar*

*is pleased*

I'm well aware that I probably can't take responsibility for anyone falling into SGA - it's a very shiny fannish black hole, basically - but I would like to. So, yes, I will totally accept the blame. Thank you!

But still. A person cannot rec SGA all the time. However, in a spirit of sharing, I will offer you the SGA story that was supposed to be in this set. (It wouldn't load, it was getting late, and the post had already reached an ungodly length, so I just went with the four. But I wanted to rec it; I wanted to rec all these enough that I was intending to do a set of five.)

Five Ways John Sheppard Gets Laid (http://www.shockingpink.compromisingpositions.net/atlantis/laid.html), by

dirty_diana. SGA, and the remark in the intro about the multitude of possible pairings was aimed at this story, so.

Obviously, I'm not doing a whole story summary, but - this is actually possibly the most classic TTNH story in this set, or it would've been if it had actually, you know, been in this set. It's five variations on a single theme, five alternate ways a single something could've happened.

(Compare, by the way, to Five Ways John Sheppard Didn't Keep It in His Pants (http://gila.fakingsanity.net/stargate/hispants.html), by

zortified, for a different take on this theme. Or, hell, just check it out for the John/Puddlejumper, which, after I read this, I decided was a pairing many more people should write. And then

liviapenn wrote her not-story in which Rodney gives the puddlejumper artifical intelligence, which pretty much is the ultimate John/Puddlejumper even though - and I think you'll agree this is a nice trick - it is not actually a story. And my John/Puddlejumper cravings were satisfied. ...Where was I? Oh. Right. Story.)

What I love about Dirty Diana's story, about the use of the TTNH concept in this particular way, is that - okay, Sheppard basically does keep it in his pants. If he's Kirk, he's Kirk in a chastity belt that can only be unlocked by Ancients, and even then he mostly looks like he'd really rather keep it on. He's got a weird - I don't know. Asexual chemistry? Like, he seems to get along with most people, at least superficially, but it's hard for me to imagine him having sex with them. Jerking off and thinking about them, maaaaaaaybe, but actually touching them and being touched by them? For me, that doesn't so much work, except with McKay, who seems to have a free pass into the Sheppard No Touch Zone.

But if you frame it as a TTNH story, then my disbelief is suspended at the door. I don't need to worry about my own personal Sheppard Vision Statement or whatever, and I can just enjoy. And I do enjoy these, because they are all so very fucking in character.

...And I said I wasn't writing the story summary, but, um, I think I pretty much did, only with more rambling and babbling and links. Sorry!

But there's your SGA rec (plus). And yay to you for being in the fandom, and for letting me pretend I got you into it. (So. Tell me. How do you feel about Hikaru no Go?)

Without someone to blame, I would be lost! Lost I say!

*gobbles fix. Pauses for thought*

...John/Puddlejumper. I need this. I must track it down. That and possibly more John/Atlantis. Or John/Rodney/Atlantis.

You've got Sheppard's asexual chemistry (good phrase!) pinned, I think. At least the fanfic side- I haven't ever actually seen an episode *curses to Australian television, curses!* so I'm working off a limited and biased field here and loving it.

HNG I'm working through because work has swallowed my soul. I'm...still trying to work out what the anime-manga fascination is with magical board games and I don't even know if this one's magical yet, but it's coming in very very slowly. Tomorrow, a day off and a HNG Marathon!

Don't forget

minnow1212's Seven Ways John Sheppard Didn't Go Home. Written in season 1 but the characterization and writing are spot-on.

or they're about things that would be most excellent. But if it's the latter, isn't it kind of a bummer that these are things that didn't happen?

My stance on that is that the title is clearly an expression of denial. Kind of the way so many of our BSO's are Not Gay, Not Even a Little Bit (but as long as I'm down here, can I suck your cock?)

My stance on that is that the title is clearly an expression of denial. Kind of the way so many of our BSO's are Not Gay, Not Even a Little Bit (but as long as I'm down here, can I suck your cock?)

That is an excellent attitude.

Also, is it wrong that I now want to see a "But as long as I'm down here, can I suck your cock?" challenge?

Probably it is wrong, but - come on. Tell me you don't want to see dozens of drabbles in all kinds of fandoms using that line.

("Dunno what that is, mate. But as long as I'm down here, I'm going to suck your cock. Savvy?"

~

"Jim, man, as long as I'm down here..."
"Blair. What?"
"...Can I suck your cock?"

~

"No, Colonel, I can't fix it. Of course I could if the Litarians hadn't drugged me with whatever this is, but as it is, my hands are shaking so badly I wouldn't trust me to brush my own teeth, never mind fix a puddlejumper, and...oh. Oh, no. Oh, god, no."
"Rodney?"
"I...think that drug does more than just keep people awake and make their hands shake."
"What, are you hallucinating? Purple elephants, green clovers, all that?"
"You...it's purple horseshoes, for one thing. And for another - well. Maybe I should go lie down."
"Rodney, just tell me already."
"Fine. Fine, I'll tell you. I'm sitting down here biting my tongue to keep from saying, 'But as long as I'm down here, can I suck your cock?' Are you happy now, Colonel?"
"..."
"Colonel Sheppard? What is meant by the phrase 'suck cock'? I have heard it several times now, and I am most curious. My studies with the concise collegiate dictionary Dr. Heightmeyer gave to me suggest that it means 'to apply suction to a male chicken,' but the context..."
"...You know, this is really not a situation they covered in officer's training school.")

Oh, I do want to see dozens of stories (drabbles, epics, whatever) with that line. That's what fandom is for!

("These shoeprints would seem to suggest that we are looking for a tall man with a limp who has recently walked through a construction zone. Unfortunately it does not support our theory about the old woman with the antimacassar, but as long as I'm down here, Ray, may I fellate your--"

"Yeah, fine, it can't be less sanitary than what you just licked.")

Bwahahaha! I love how you put it in Fraser-parlance. ♥

I was going to thank you for pointing me at Five Battles Teal'c... (which, hey, I shall - thank you! It's fabulous, and brightened my day. Yay Teal'c!) but then I caught sight of the words "Doctor Who/TARDIS" and, huh. I am intrigued by this idea and wish - admittedly peering between the gaps in my fingers - to subscribe to your newsletter.

Sadly, I know of no Doctor Who/TARDIS. But it's a weirdly compelling concept, albeit in an oh-god-my-poor-injured-brain kind of way, and surely it must have been written at some point.

Of course, if incorrectly done, it could easily beat out the Eye of Argon at the next SF or fannish convention.

...I still want to find some, though.

*wonders who she knows who would charge willingly off to find such a thing*

*concludes that the answer is probably no one*

*weeps softly*

:points you at Doctor/TARDIS (http://ionlylurkhere.livejournal.com/2006/05/18/) fic:

:leaves quietly:

I cannot tell you how happy the internet makes me right now.

*beams delightedly at you and does a little dance*

(I'm on a department computer right now, so don't quite dare to click the link, but my evening will be spent reading this story, squeeing and then reading it again.)

Oh! Oh! You recced that wonderful Hikaru no Go fic!
And what an interesting comment about it -- Due South with Go. !!! All I know is, HnG has eaten my brain. I've never seen the manga, though I will, but the anime is...well, I'm nearly at the end of it, and my heart has been ripped out, dusted off and reinserted, a little damaged but mostly content.

And what an interesting comment about it -- Due South with Go.

Think about it: the reserved, brilliant, dark-haired guy whose life is forever changed when he meets a blond(ish) guy who dresses casual, has experimental hair, seems like he'd be bad at what he does but actually is excellent at it, and makes bad guys (okay, Go opponents) shake.

There's even a ghost, and, yeah, maybe he's attached to the wrong guy, but I bet Sai and Bob Fraser would get along. Sai and Diefenbaker would really get along.

OW. OW OW OW. A crossover from hell just appeared in my brain, causing massive damage. All my sane neurons (both of them) are now fleeing for their lives. OW.

All I know is, HnG has eaten my brain.

Sister! *bonds*

It was - see, I don't get into canons. I get into fandoms, and then sometimes I cautiously, timidly, fearfully approach the canon. So it's a weird, weird, weird experience for me to develop this sudden, intense, obsessive love for a source. I'm not sure it's ever happened to me before.

So, yeah, very strange. But I like it.

(Although, god, I cried for two days after [spoiler, and I'm sure you already know which one I mean]. *sniffles*)

Yeah, I sent threatening emails to Lynnmonster, who pimped me into HnG demanding that "I'd better not be heartbroken by this show -- or else!" once I got a hint of what was coming. And I was pretty devastated -- I reacted much like Hikaru does.

That comment is unclear -- I threatened Lynn if my heart was broken.

If you're looking for Hikaru no Go episodes, there is a torrent for all 75 at http://www.torrentspy.com/torrent/295568/ or at http://www.mybittorrent.com/anime/bittorrent_130022.html

I haven't used either of those however. I downloaded and watched obsessively almost 2 years ago and can't locate where I dl'd them from. I believe many sites removed them once they were licensed? Although I can't find any records on that. Alternatively, I have the first 64 or so on cd (unfortunately not on dvd) and can maybe upload or mail them if you'd like. You've lured me into a few fandoms with your magnificent recs, I'm willing to cement your love of HnG!

Another thought - if you love Hikaru no Go for its dueSouth/Harry Potter resemblance, you'd also probably love HunterxHunter - Which is full of parental issues, weird happenings, child assassins, evil clowns...all of the fun stuff. Character development/relationships are exceedlingly well-developed and the main characters are actually multi-dimensional (gasp! in anime?!) It's somewhat summarized at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunter_x_Hunter but I'm going to give a rambling summary myself - I couldn't stop myself.

The series has four main characters who wish to become Hunters (possibly the coolest job to exist in the history of the universe, a Hunter is someone who passes an impossible exam to prove that they are the world's best (at pretty much everything) and then gets special privileges as well as the opportunity to specialize in anything from cooking(!) to assassination to video games).

All four pre-teens/teenagers take the exam for different reasons - Gon to find his father, a famous hunter who apparently abandoned him after his mother's death; Killua as a way to distinguish himself from his family of psychopathic assassins (he's a world-class one himself despite being all of 9); Kurapika to avenge his murdered clan & recover their body parts traded on the black market (and balances being a Driven Avenger with forming new friendships and being a generally nice guy); and Leorio who wishes to become a great doctor and fabulously wealthy so his patients don't have to pay for his services (or fail to afford them and die like his closest childhood friend).

And they all become the closest of friends. They even form a weird relationship with an evil murderous clown-magician who sometimes helps them out because he doesn't want to kill them until they're old enough to be a real challenge.

The Gon-Killua & Kurapika-Leorio love is pure and shiny & the bad guys are delightfully evil yet strangely attractive (the head of the group that killed Kurapika's clan is named Lucifer and at one point stands on a skyscraper & 'conducts the beautiful symphony' that is a modern city trying to stop the rest of his group from slaughtering everything in their path on their way to meet him). So you might want to check it out.

I thought about reccing Hunter x Hunter & Hikaru no Go when you asked for anime recs awhile back but decided not to because they're a little harder to obtain then Bleach or Full-Metal Alchemist. But since you seem to like HnG, I thought I'd throw this one out there too. Sorry to perhaps over-inform.

You know, I'm very interested, and this is despite the evil clowns. (I have Clown Issues. CLOWNS ARE BAD AND WRONG, and I tend to flinch when I see them on screen. You don't want to know what happens when I see them in real life, although I will say that after one disastrous afternoon, my parents spent the rest of my childhood asking if there'd be a clown at any birthday party I was invited to.)

...OMG evil murderous clown-magician. *hides*

But it does sound compelling. I'm going to see if Best Beloved is willing to watch it. Any tips on how to obtain it? Netflix is pretty much our sole source of anime (I know, but I'm very new to this whole anime and manga thing, so while I've heard of fansubs and etc., I don't actually know how to get them), and it doesn't seem to have Hunter x Hunter.

Sorry to perhaps over-inform.

Definitely do not apologize. I like to hear this stuff, and you've clearly got excellent taste. (Even though you don't seem to understand that clowns = wrong. But then, much of the world seems not to know that. I tell you, the clowns are luring us into a false sense of complacency. Someday soon, we will face clownageddon. When we're crouching in our lead-lined shelters, listening for the terrifying sound of approaching feet in giant shoes, I - okay. I will say I told you so. But only once.)

Um. Please ignore that random neurotic interlude.

My point is: feel free to recommend all the anime (and etc.) you wish; I want to hear about this stuff, and you are most certainly not over-informing.

Thank you!

*goes off to search for information about Hunter x Hunter*

*tries not to think about clowns*

*resists the temptation to google for clown repellant*

I totally understand about the clown thing - fortunately, Hisoka (the evil clown magician) isn't very clown-like - just clownish-dressed enough to make it clear he must be *insanely evil*. And on the bright side, you at least have John Sheppard's agreement in clown-fear. I feel the same way about bunnies but few people are willing to come forward & admit the same (My friends loved it when Anya agreed with me on Buffy - I had previously wondered about the carrots - What do they need such good eyesight for???!!!)

Ignoring my rabbit issues (I can't believe I just shared my *totally rational* fear of little fluffy animals (with beady little eyes, sharp claws and vicious little teeth who noone ever suspects of...))....um, what was I saying...Right, ignoring all that, you can download HunterxHunter at http://www.animesuki.com/series.php/176.html via torrent. Animesuki.com is a very good sight for torrent links for anime (as is animeyumi.org). I also have all of HxH on cd including the OVAs which continue right where the series ends. So I can upload those if necessary. :)

And it's tough to find good info sites on HxH - there's a review at http://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=609 & another at http://reviews.theotaku.com/view.php?action=retrieve&id=498 & you can find the occasional fansite. There are a handful of videos at amv.org that are pretty good as well, but it has a relatively small fandom compared to other series. http://greedisland.50webs.com/indexno.htm is a fairly decent site with mostly accurate information as well.

May the clowns (and bunnies) stay far, far away...

I think I've got the episodes thing covered at this point, but may I pester you if my other arrangements fall through?

And, yes, obsessive is pretty much the word for my love of HnG; it's definitely already cemented. But where is the FIC? This is a wonderful, wonderful canon, and I've found less than a hundred stories thus far. THIS IS NOT RIGHT.

*intends to file a sternly-worded complaint with the Heavenly Bureaucracy of Fandom*

Pester away if you need them - And you're right - HnG *needs* more fic, desperately. You're right to take action!

I should never have read this post - It's been almost two years since I've watched HnG, and having dug out my cds, I feel a strange need to forget my research project and just rewatch the whole thing.

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Pester away if you need them - And you're right - HnG *needs* more fic, desperately. You're right to take action! <seconds complaint>

I should never have read this post - It's been almost two years since I've watched HnG, and having dug out my cds, I feel a strange need to forget my research project and just rewatch the whole thing. <Must focus...must ignore shiny anime...which is calling my name...No!> Oh well, I can just skip that sleeping thing and still get plenty of work done.

Thank you for the marvelous recommendation. Although I feel kind of sheepish, because, well, I'm not all that pleased with the story, either as a Teal'c story (

komos and

katie_m both do far better) or as a Five Things story (I prefer my Jack story, myself). But thank you anyway!

PS, I love your recs. And yes,

basingstoke is brilliant for inventing an Entire Genre!

You are entirely welcome. And, well, you can feel sheepish, but I loved your story.

(Although you are, of course, quite right that

paian - you did mean Paian, right? Because if not, I must hie me over to

komos and start reading immediately - and

katie_m give brilliant Teal'c.)

I prefer my Jack story, myself.

*blinks*

Okay, how the hell did I miss that one? I just went and read it and...wow. I'm still glad I rec'd the Teal'c one, but now I want to rec this one, too.

...And with the SGA rec I added in the comments, I'm halfway to a second TTNH set. Huh. Know of any good Farscape TTNH stories? (I mean, of course, besides Five TTNH to Aeryn Sun, because you're already in the hypothetical second set.)

*studies to-rec list thoughtfully*

Oh, right, yeah, I meant Komos/paian. Err.

::blushes::

And there's a fantastic Rygel Five Things story-- I think it's

leadensky, lemme go look...

Aha! Yes, here...

Oh! Also,

katie_m's Martouf thing, I forget the name of it... So good.

I was going to offer discs of the hng eps, but I see others got you taken care of. (though if you want...)

I was all asquee at the sight of a new edition of Slashy Awards. But no SGA? Whoa. But it's okay. You've got hng. I'll deal.

Question is, should I read all these as research for my own as-yet-unwritten-except-for-scratchy-notes "five ways Elizabeth Weir and Stephen Caldwell didn't meet" story, or write the stupid story first, then read to see how I should have done it?

Nevermind me. You rec, I read. It's pretty simple. Thank you.

But no SGA? Whoa.

As it happens,

cad27 already registered that complaint, and, well...I'm easy (http://thefourthvine.livejournal.com/58197.html?thread=1911381#t1911381). Especially since that story was supposed to be part of this set; the internet gods just thwarted me.

Question is, should I read all these as research for my own as-yet-unwritten-except-for-scratchy-notes "five ways Elizabeth Weir and Stephen Caldwell didn't meet" story, or write the stupid story first, then read to see how I should have done it?

*thoughtful*

Normally, I advocate writing first, then reading, because of the possibility of, you know, contamination. But, in this particular case, well - none of these is on a topic similar to yours, and they do provide a very nice sampling of some the things you can do with a TTNH story.

Basically what I'm saying is: I can help you rationalize either decision. I'm very helpful that way.

But whichever you choose, you should totally get cracking on the story, because that's a fascinating topic, and now my appetite is all whetted.

*hopeful look*

Hikaru no Go Fandoms I Have Loved

YES!! And there was much flailing with joy.

Also, totally rivals. Totally.

And by "rivals," I mean "OMG ❤ EEEEEE!"

*joins you in the flailing*

*because, OMG, AKIRA + HIKARU + SAI = JOY FOREVER*

*and, apparently, a serious abuse of capital letters*

AKIRA + HIKARU + SAI = JOY FOREVER

That is SO TRUE. It's like you READ my MIND. Capital letters dream of being abused in this fashion, and for such a noble cause!

Also, Touya Kouyo is cool. *runs off to figure out how to ftp*

*runs back to poke fic, which is being all difficult and nonlinear*

My first reply had a potentially spoilerrific Moment of Sap in it. I have therefore removed it, in hopes of many, many, many more unspoiled fans in the ensuing ~~months~~ minutes!

Hmmm, the Batverse one doesn't appear to be working for me...

But thank you so much for the link to the first eight manga volumes! I read the first couple five years ago, back when they were still being released an issue at a time, then gave up out of lack of a desire to track something that closely, so to have all eight at once is GREAT.

Five Things fic! I love Five Things fic (or X number of things, or TTNH as you're calling them here). That was one of the first things that drew me into fandom in general--I ended up watching Buffy because someone sent me a Five Ways someone never did something fic a few years ago, and forced me to watch the episode in question so I'd understand just how good the story was. This concept never gets old.

Your most recent post about Hikaru No Go convinced me to download the anime and I really, really loved it (I loved it so much I ended up watching the entire series in five days, during a week I needed to study for eight different exams. /o\) so I've been reading back through your rec posts for fic. Do you happen to know if Pru's 19 (x19) Things That Never Happened series is still up anywhere? She's flocked the old entries, and her website doesn't have it.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Slashy Awards 147: Let Not That Happen Which I Wish, But That Which Is Right

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