Hello all!

Welcome to my profile page! It isn't a grandiose, spectacular embodiment of what my description page could be, but what can I say, I'm lazy, unmotivated, and simply put, lack the time/energy! Someday I have every intention of making this more presentable, I promise! (Hmmm...promises are candy-coated lies, yes?) In any case, I am pleased to be back on this website after a considerable "x" amount of years. I really had no intention of starting all over again, but what can I say? Fanfiction can be SO impossibly addicting. And besides, I have already met (via online, of course!) so many interesting and wonderful people, I can't possibly turn back now!

And now, a very little about my writing tendencies and preferences...
A. I soley write Yu-gi-oh fanfiction. I'm not sure why. I probably could write about other fandoms if I tried, but for some reason, this anime/manga ended up being the one I know a startling amount on. Maybe I will deviate from this fandom, but I don't know, I feel like I've made a cozy "home" writing for this specific fandom! (and I'm doggedly loyal...)
B. I don't descriminate against certain pairings! If you can make it work, make it work. As I always say, convince me and I'll believe you. (I know, rocket science, right?)
C. At the same time, I am a sort of realistic freak. I appreciate characters that act how they are supposed to...I value this detail 1000xs more than if a story applies to the actual plot...after all, it wouldn't be fanfiction if there wasn't some deviation.
D. My "favorite" characters (used subjectively and liberally! The list may or may not change, depending on my mood): Ryou, Yami Bakura, Yuugi (so precious), Atem, Malik, sometimes Seto. Am I forgetting anyone? I hope not. Note that there aren't any female characters...not because that I don't like them, it's just that I feel Mr. Takahashi didn't portray the female characters accurately, or at least with as much depth as I would have liked (you may throw your cyber trash at me now for disrespecting the creator of our obsession). I suppose the same arguement could be made for Ryou, although he's more excuseable since he's got an attention hog stealing the spotlight the whole time. In any case, Anzu especially had so much potential to have been one kick-ass character! She still is, in her own subtle way, but not as much as I would have liked.
E. Bashers/flamers/rage-aholics= immaturity. Enough said. Respect is a two-way street, friends.
F. I tend to write not-so-happy pieces. This doesn't mean I have depression issues, I swear! It's just easier for me (aka, it's my crutch) to evoke more emotion through these circumstances.

My vow to the Yu-gi-oh characters:
1.) I vow to never have Ryou cut himself. Or throw himself off a building/bridge/anything with a fateful fall. Or drown himself in a bathtub.
2.) I vow to never attack a character through my writing. How juvenile, right? I'm sorry to say that Anzu does not have a dual soul living inside her body like the majority of the YGO characters. Its name is not the Green Monster, or Jealousy, or Vengeful Bitch.
3.) I vow to never create an original character who waltzes her way into every male's life and casts a love spell over them.
4.) I vow to never have Atem hurt Yuugi intentionally. I couldn't imagine such blasphemy!
5.) I vow to never end a story filled with sunshine and rainbows and butterflies and sprinkles. (although "A Dance With the Luna Moth" came pretty damn close, haha!)

Rest assured, this list will GROW when inspiration strikes me!!

On a random note, I have some recommended reading if you are interested...not on fanfiction, these are actual books. I do this primarily for myself to keep track of what books I've read recently and have actually liked :)
1.) The Egyptian- by Mika Waltari. If you are into historical fiction, then this book which centers around ancient Egypt is for you! It's about a poor man's journey and how he makes his way to be the most respected physician in Egypt...and how he eventually falls to his destruction.
2.) Gossip Girl- by Cecily von Ziegesar. A very easy summer read! There are a ton of books that are in this series and if you like the tv show, then you'll love this! You'll be shocked by all the changes, though...
3.) Wuthering Heights- a classic by Emily Bronte. It has to be the most epic love tale of all time. This is definitely not a light read, though.
4.) Memoirs of a Geisha- by Arthur Golden. Believe me, it's a lot better than the movie. If you are into Japanese culture, then you will appreciate this for its intense detail.
5.) The Kite Runner- by Khaled Hosseini. It's a very tragic story about the nature of forgiveness and envy. (I was close to crying through the entire book)
6.) The Lovely Bones- by Alice Sebold. A fantastic book that proves that justice, unfortunately, doesn’t always come to those who need it the most. A young girl gets murdered and must be a spectator in heaven, witnessing the slow process of healing her family undergoes.
7.) The Book Thief- An awe-inducing, excellent piece that embodies everything a novel should be. The narrator has got to be the coolest guy since Jesus Christ Super Star (completely kidding here). It takes place during WWII in Nazi Germany and this said "book thief" is a girl...so sad but incredible.
8.) Speak- (Laurie Anderson) One of my favorite books since middle school. It's about a girl who is raped but no one believes her. She becomes so traumatized she loses the will to talk to anyone. Highly recommended for those who like shorter, but impactful, novels.
9.) Good Omens- (co-written between Neil Gaiman and Terri Pratchett) A fantastically hilarious novel on so many levels. My favorite aspect of the book is the two main characters, the angel Aziraphale and the demon Crowley. They make an unusual but awesome team and literally are as different as night and day. Although they won't admit it, they're friends who partnered up to abort Satan's plan to inject the anti-Christ into the world...only thing is, they forgot where the anti-Christ is! A highly recommended reading.

That's it for now, but more to come!

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MESSAGE BOARD!

1/7: What a surprise- I kept my promise ;) Chapter 11 was posted today. I'll definitely be sure to write Chapter 12 when I get the chance, but as they say, patience is a virtue!

1/6: Good news! Almost done with Chapter 11 of Ryou's Story. Expect it up in a day or so :)

1/2/2010! Happy New Year to everyone! I posted Chapter 10 of Ryou's Story on the first, I believe. Hopefully I will tack up another one before my break ends, which will be on 1/10. I really hope so! And I was also thinking to myself...I really wish I could create another one-shot! I have at least three decent ideas on the backburner of my mind :/

12/24: Happy Christmas Eve! So, I should technically be done with Chapter 10 of Ryou's Story, but I'm only 6 pages in. I was actually writing scenes for future events, which is a really bad habit because it might make my story sound disjointed. But it's at least progress, right? The next installment may be posted within the next few days, so we'll see how well I can stick to my expectations!

12/19: Chapter 9 of Ryou's Story finally posted. And by the way, this website sometimes sends out delayed emails, which I'd say is pretty annoying!

12/18: And now my rant of the week! So who has seen the preview to the new Yu-gi-oh movie: Super Fusion- Bonds that Transcend Time (yadayadayada)? Honestly, I'm very wary about this coming out in January (just in Japan, though). If/when it comes over to the U.S, trust me when I say I DO NOT WANT TO SEE IT! I mean, it's just going to be another means of whatever company to rake in more money. Clearly, the series after YGO just plain sucked (because their target audience was especially for little kids- even more so than the original YGO if you ask me...). The company was probably like, "Hm. So we pretty much aren't making any money. That only happened when we had the original YGO out years ago. So let's just throw the original Yuugi into our crap movie to spike the ex-fan's interest! It can be the shittiest movie ever, because IT DOESN'T MATTER! Fans everywhere are more than willing to waste an hour and fifteen minutes plus ten dollars just to see a 'new' scene with Yuugi's face thrown in! Money money money!!" (insert wicked laughter here)
My point is, the first movie of YGO that came out in America (even though it didn't even originate in Japan- it was all 4Kids) was just plain awful. Here's a secret: whenever a theater offers you FREE MERCHANDISE for seeing a movie (like an "exclusive" card that holds zero value sentimentally, monetarily, etc) you know it will be horrendous. Period. So frankly, that's my thought on this new movie. Like, why now? 10th anniversary? Who cares! We all know companies randomly throw the public a scrappy commercialized bone to keep their wallets fat. My advice? Should this movie ever slither its way overseas, don't see it! It will more than likely destroy your closure with the YGO series. More than anything, it'll piss you off.

...All right, I'm done. I just had a deep breath and am now on my way for a Starbucks run. That'll make me feel better.

12/17: Posted "Gingerbread Men." Just random garbage, really, but I figured I wouldn't want a finished story to decay in my flashdrive. Let's face it, not many YGO fans are interested in reading about Mai or Shizuka! That aside, I'm 8 pages into Ryou's Story, chapter 9, and it should be up within a few days (give or take).

12/10: Happy, happy December!! I am officially on break, so horrah. This means that I can finally finish writing chapter 9 of Ryou's Story! I am 5 pages in, and hope to be done within a week. So be on the lookout! :) Annnnd, if time permits, I might post a quick/very short Christmas-themed one-shot that borderlines meaningless sugary junk. Uncharacteristic for me, I know, but 'tis the season!

11/6: I just posted Chapter 8 of Ryou's Story! There, now I have tacked up TWO chapters prior to when I intended! But I seriously am on a "suspension" for now because I've got two mountainous papers calling my name! So...goodbye!

11/1: Posted the second part to "Kaleidoscopic Lens"! I pretty much kept my promise, right? (we all know how gosh-darn awful I am at updating). But you know, I love being 'put to the test' or challenged, and can't think of anything else until my mission is complete! But now, I am officially behind in my school work. Not to mention, the Halloween weekend= poor life decisions...so yeah, I'm a mess right now :(
Back on topic, on to Ryou's Story! I am seven pages into chapter 8. Just to warn you all, the first scene is morbid and violent, and I'm sorry! I had just finished watching several of the Saw movies on tv (pre-Halloween), and I felt like doing something particularly horrific. So heed my warning!

10/30: Just posted the first part to "Kaleidoscopic Lens." It's a fanfiction meme- the challenge was given to me by Bakura's Guardian Angel...which, by the way, I am absolutely thrilled about! Her stories are simply amazing, so you should seriously consider checking her work out!
Going back on topic here, I will hopefully be tacking up the 2nd (and final) part to this challenge within a day or so. Let's see how closely I stick to my word!

9/22: HAPPY FALL!! On that random note, here's another: don't ask me why, but I just took the online quiz, "How Well Do You Know Ryou Bakura?" and guess what- I got 100. I think this is a pretty good indicator that I need a life? :)
On a more relevant topic, I think you all should know (if you care) that I am torn between either updating Ryou's Story OR creating a Halloween one-shot in late October. What do you guys think? You can either PM me or I may just put up a new poll...

9/18: Can I just say that I am so happy with the response I got with Chapter 7 of Ryou's Story?! It's a record thus far! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed/favorited my story :)

8/7: Random Music recommendation of the week! I had recently received Matchbook Romance's album "Voices" in the mail and I am SO glad that I bought it! It's like one of the most creative albums I had ever listened to in a loooooong time. Also! Did you know that there are "secret messages" scattered throughout the lyrics book? So cool. If you want to know what has been my inspiration for writing "Ryou's Story" then know that this album is a major part of it.

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Fanfiction Dictionary! Here are some terms that I was familiar with but didn't know the exact meaning.

1.) AU/AR/AT- Alternate Universe, Alternate Reality, Alternate Timeline...when a major event, character or setting in the original story has changed.

2.) Canon- Verifiable source material...ask yourself, 'is that a fact? Can it be proven?'

3.) Crack!fic- fanfiction with a plotline presented in a nonsensical sort of way. Originated from the high one may get from drugs and is euphemistically referred to as a sugarfic by authors who claim to write a story on a 'sugar high.' (these stories are prone to OOC issues but in turn can be comedic) Not to be confused with a "crack pairing."

4.) Drabble- A work of fiction consisting of exactly 100 words. (often incorrectly used to describe works less than 1000 words)

5.) Ficlet- work of fiction that totals up to 1000 words. (also referred to as a flashfic or shortfic..and incorrectly called drabbles)

6.) Lemon and Lime fics- Lemon refers to sexually explicit fanfiction. Lime refers to sexual themes in fanfiction, although not as 'hard core.'

7.) SI- Self-insertion or self-insert, which refers to when an author puts himself/herself into a story- not necessarily a Mary Sue/ Gary Stue

8.) Slashfiction- often referring to male/male pairings, although it can be used to describe both same-sex pairings. In anime fanfiction, often the japanese terms are used instead, with yaoi/shonen-ai used interchangeabley for males and yuri/shojo-ai used for females.

Random Shipping Guide! Ever wonder about where these relationship names even come from? Here are a few that made me laugh:

1.) Airshipping- (Theif King Bakura, Preist Shaada)- ‘Cuz nothing’s there!
2.) Annoyshipping- (Seto, Jounouchi, Noa)- Yeah, I’d be annoyed too.
3.) Apocalypshipping- (Yami no Malik, Seto, Isis) – The world would have to be ending for this to work. I’d call it an apocalypse too.
4.) Arrogantshipping- (Seto, Mai) -Soooo true!
5.) Bananashipping- (Malik, Honda)- I think that like a banana, this pair is random.
6.) Bickershipping- (Jounouchi, Seto, Malik)- That would be easy to believe.
7.) Butterflyshipping- (Mai, Ryou, Anzu)- Someday, I’ll be a be-yoo-tee-ful butterfly!
8.) Conspireshipping- (Malik, Yami no Malik, Ryou, Yami no Bakura)- I’ll say…
9.) Driveshipping- (Mai, Malik)- Because they’re pretty much the only 2 characters who aren’t lazy and have a license!
10.) Evilshipping- (Yami no Malik, Yami no Bakura, Rebecca)- Who are they referring to, the girl or her teddy bear…?
11.) Hairshipping- (Honda, Yami no Yuugi)- No, my hair’s got more product in it than yours!
12.) Illogicshipping- (Seto, Isis, Shizuka)- Enough said.
13.) Jiishipping- (Sugoroku, Arthur)- That’s sick. Translates to ‘grandpa-shipping.’ Can you imagine? “Wait, stop, my back hurts!”
14.) Midriffshipping- (Malik, Amelda)- I’ve no clue who the latter is, but yay belly shirts!
15.) Pervertshipping- (Sugoroku, Anzu)- You got that right.
16.) Scandalshipping- (Priest Set, Pharaoh Atem) Scandal, indeed.
17.) Stoicshipping- (Preist Set, Seto)- Yeah, nothing’s gonna happen here.
18.) Twistedshipping- (Shaadi, Pegasus)- It’s twisted all right. Who would do that?
19.) Whispershipping- (Seto, Possessed Jounouchi)- Okay, that’s ridiculous. If anybody’s possessed, doesn’t that mean that really, Seto has a crush on the possessor? (who in this case would be Malik)

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Hits Board! Holy cow, people! I have finally reached the 1000 mark for Ryou's Story! I am so happy that so many people have looked at it! Yay!
As of 12/11:

A Dance With The Luna Moth: 474 hits
Ryou's Story: 1309 hits!
Swing Set Chain: 512 hits
Take the Wheel: 621 hits
Snapshots on Human Nature: 863 hits
Kaleidoscopic Lens: 127 hits

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Updates! (or lack thereof):

Gingerbread Men: One-shot posted 12/17.

Ryou's Story: Chapter 11 posted 1/7.

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The Poetry Corner (thrown in as of 9/2):

"If Grey were a Color"

It engulfs me like an overbearing wet
Blanket. Stifling and omnipresent,
Despair is nevertheless
Intoxicating. Fill me up
From head to toe
With the laments and grievances
Freshly squeezed from reality.
Do you hear that?
The skeletons from my closet
Have been revived.
They stir and shudder
When truth-soaked words
Fall on deaf ears.
Happily ever afters
Are promises in gift boxes
That will never be opened.
Smiles that taint faces
Are only a mask.
They say life’s a stage.
If such is true,
Then the auditorium,
Apparently,
Must be
Vacant.

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Haiku time!

"Monster"
(5) Jealousy, my friend
(7) What happens when I'm surpassed?
(5) I turn green, of course.

"The Happy Computer Screen"
(5) My daily routine
(7) Checking, checking, five, ten times
(5) Wanting my life back.

"Lollipop"
(5) Your smile, its sweet
(7) Sugar-coated infection
(5) Now try honesty.

"Stranger"
(5) Buried memories
(7) One time, I used to know you
(5) Snow blankets the earth...

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And now, A FANFICCER'S MANTRA:

This is something you should do,
If you've read it, YOU REVIEW!!