I have a doctorate in English literature and work in a library, which probably explains most of what you are about to read.

Please note that several drabbles formerly archived separately ("Ghosts," "The Sneeze" and "The Fly") can now be found in the sequence Chibi Drabbles.

FAQ: I have been asked why I write the name of Edward and Alphonse Elric's home town as "Riesenbuhl". The katakana Arakawa uses to represent this word are RI ZE N BUU RU. Since she frequently borrows names from western languages for her characters and settings, I find the transcription "Riesenbuhl" -- a real German place-name -- highly persuasive. (The Japanese vowel "I" approximates the sound of German "ie".)

Acknowledgments: Fullmetal Alchemist (Hagane no Renkinjutsushi) was created by Arakawa Hiromu and serialized monthly in Shonen Gangan (Square Enix); two anime of the same title were produced by Studio Bones. Copyright for these properties is held, inter alia, by Arakawa Hiromu, Square Enix, and Studio Bones.

Princess Tutu was created by Ikuko Ito and Junichi Sato. Copyright for this property is held by HAL and GANSIS/TUTU.

Avatar: The Last Airbender was created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko; copyright for this property is held by Viacom International, Inc.

Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle was created by CLAMP and is published by Kodansha, Ltd. and Del Rey Books, inter alia; copyright for this property is held by CLAMP.

The books of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series were written, and their copyright is held, by Rick Riordan.

Pumpkin Scissors was created by Iwanaga Ryotaro and is serialized in Monthly Shounen Magazine. The anime of the same title was directed by Akiyama Katsushito and produced by Studio Gonzo x AIC in association with COSPA. Copyright for this property is held by Iwanaga Ryotaro and Kodansha/Izumi Project, inter alia.

Cybersix, based on the comic of the same name by Carlos Meglia and Carlos Trio, was produced by Hervé Bedard, Koji Takeuchi, and Toshihiko Masuda and animated by TMS/NOA. Copyright for this property is held by TMS/NOA.

Dark Oracle was created by Jana Sinyor and Heather Conkie. Copyright for this property is held by Shaftesbury Kids V. Inc.

The books of the Leviathan series were written, and their copyright is held, by Scott Westerfeld.

The animated film How To Train Your Dragon, based on the books by Cressida Cowell, was written by Will Davies, Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders and directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois. Copyright for this property (and for the related t.v. series Dragons) is held by DreamWorks LLC.

The graphic novels of the Girl Genius series were written, and their copyright is held, by Phil and Kaja Foglio.

Transformers Prime was created by Hasbro Studios. Copyright for this property is held by Hasbro.

Balance of Power was created by the author-group Crackbunny Syndrome; the original characters and situations described therein belong, according to the courtesy due living authors, to them and no others.