About the Author:

“A good novel tells us the truth about its hero; but a bad novel tells us the truth about its author. It does much more than that, it tells us the truth about its readers; and, oddly enough, it tells us this all the more the more cynical and immoral be the motive of its manufacture.”

—G.K. Chesterton, Heretics (1905) Chapter XV: On Smart Novelists and the Smart Set

There are many who claim that fan-fiction is a waste of time, that not only is it mostly trash, but those with actual talent are wasting it on properties they can never call their own. To be frank, I understand and mostly agree with that claim. In my experience, fan-fiction is just as terrible as people think it is. Writers care little about respecting the source material, resulting in stories that are virtually unrecognizable to the originals. Characters’ personalities will be drastically changed, either to suit the taste of the writer, or because they envision them in a way that no one else does—ergo, a delusion—or simply to wedge them into new molds to serve the plot of these stories. Ships that make no sense whatsoever are placed on pedestals, regardless of the desires, sexual orientation, or current relationship status of the characters involved, with the merit of the ships never taken into consideration, nor that of whatever couples exist in the series in which they originate. Sticking to world-building is hardly worthy of consideration, resulting in far-flung worlds possessing everyday items and pop-culture sensations from our own—products, films, books, videogames, sayings, et cetera. Lastly, the bulk of fan-fiction, surprising to no one, is nothing more than smut, displaying the most unhinged, degenerate, and transgressive sexual acts imaginable, as well as lionizing the most toxic and unhealthy of relationships, whilst ignoring, and even showing disdain, for good and healthy ones. Oh, and they cannot be bothered to redraft their works, never planning them through, nor do they take any care to verify their spelling, syntax, grammar, formatting, or punctuation—though that goes without saying.

This has been the standard of this hobby for decades, long before websites such as FFN and Ao3 were formed. However, I think that good fan-fiction, which respects the source material, the world, and the characters, can be done and done well. In fact, it has. The origin of what we would recognize as fan-fiction goes back to the end of the 19th century with Sherlock Holmes, where fans were very unhappy with the death of the titular character, and thus began to write their own stories in protest. And you know what? Some of it was good—good enough to make the author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, retcon Holmes’ death and write more cases; the first becoming one of the most famous Sherlock Holmes cases of all time, The Hound of the Baskervilles. To this very day, a number of these fan-fics—referred to as the “unofficial cases”—are included with Sir Arthur’s works (the free “complete works” eBooks), in the same way some non-official James Bond novels are.

Those early fan-fiction stories were written with such passion and dedication to authenticity in order to honour the characters and the world, that they have in turn been treated with respect by modern Sherlock fans (the novels, not the Cumberbatch series). And that is how I see things: a divide between the First Generation of Fan-Fiction of the 19th century, and what fan-fiction became in the late 20th and now 21st century (1970s onward). I think there are fans—actual fans—that have such a grasp of the series they love that they can tell stories that fit right in, for they treat the source material with the reverence one expects a fan to have, operating within the established parameters of the world. Just look at people like Timothy Zahn, author of many Star Wars Expanded Universe books such as the Thrawn Trilogy; a trilogy that many fans consider canon, and now lament that Disney made their Sequel Trilogy in its place. There may not be much in terms of stories that adhere to this standard—on this website and others like it—but they are out there, and I try my best to hold myself to said standard in all that I write. As the old adage goes, if you want something done right, do it yourself.

Now, there is of course the question as to what is best for fan-fiction: Series that have so many flaws that they demand for people to take a crack at correcting the injustice of the author’s incompetence, or series that are so well written that it becomes rather easy to tell stories accurate to the source? It is a difficult one, for if the source material is well written (The Lord of the Rings for example), then there really is no reason for one to seek or write fan-fiction. Two things can be true at once, as is the undeniable fact that the majority of people who write and seek fan-fiction desire things that the series they claim to enjoy will not and cannot grant them, thus raising the uncomfortable question of where is the “fan” in “fan-fiction”. Alas, that is a conversation for another time, yet it is food for thought.

I hope for those of you who desire more from your fan-fiction than the run-of-the-mill pubescent smut and teenage angst, you might just find some enjoyment here. And here there be dragons. I bid thee welcome, and enjoy your stay.

Post Scriptum: Given the growing instability of this website, you can also find me on Archive of Our Own, which have images to go along with my notes for my RWBY stories, as well as others (https:// archiveofourown . org/users/DragonoftheEastblue)

Hobbies: Reading, writing, gaming, coin collecting, book collecting, and photography

Interests: History, weaponry, cigars, and classical fantasy

Note Regarding my RWBY Stories and RWBY Fans:

One of the things that has changed since my hiatus from writing, are the series that I now wish to write about. Whilst I started with Naruto, I have now switched to RWBY. The reason for this is because I lost all interest in Naruto, having no desire in trying to write a better version of it, or even finish my stories, as I would have to rewrite so much of them to regain interest and passion. Frankly, I see Naruto as dead on arrival with no potential, and any rewriting would be to such a degree that it would be unrecognizable from the original, safe for attacking it for what it is and slowly changing it. Admittedly, that was the plan with The Soul of the Fox and the Eagle, where “Naruto” was in reality Kurama, with the real Naruto having died in the merging process, and the shinobi eventually being deposed in order to reinstate the samurai class, daimyo, and shogunate. My passion for Naruto began to die before the dreaded “Filler Arc”, with Naruto’s refusal to recognize Sasuke’s treason, for I saw it as the red-flag that signalled its demise. It was the lack of change from Part I to Part II, Naruto’s Stockholm Syndrome-like fixation on Sasuke, and the death of the locating for the Jinchuriki plot, that made me walk away. The series and the community are some of the worst, with its completion being as predictable and terrible as we all feared. The utter failure of the sequel series, as well as Kishimoto’s new original series, confirmed the smoke-and-mirrors popularity of both he and Naruto. Any love and attachment I had had long since died, and I saw no reason to give Naruto any more attention.

RWBY, however, is a different story. After I fell in love with the show in 2015, watching it as part of my mourning of Monty’s death, I was gutted by its turn to garbage with Volumes III and IV. Upon quitting the show at the end of Volume IV, I cut ties with all things Rooster Teeth and RWBY—even fan-made content—and began to imagine of what the show could have been. Taking my earlier ideas from 2015, I rewrote it from stem to stern in my mind, seeing new potential that I had never considered or dreamed of before. Only after the catastrophe of 2019, was I compelled to try writing again, resulting in several stories, all drawing from my full rewrite.

I mention this as a warning to those who stumble across my work and cannot understand it. Allow me to speak plainly. I think that the show is absolutely terrible on every front—characters, story, designs, world-building, messaging, themes, et cetera. I am deeply critical of how CRWBY handled it, but I am also critical of Monty himself, seeing how many problems started with him, and how little thought he put into his creation. That said, I love the original idea, as well as most of the characters as they once were, and if taken seriously, could have become an impressive fantasy epic. My stories are an attempt to express and explore those ideas, albeit tempered down to a more digestible package. They are also filled with my criticisms of the show, going into great detail as to what I see wrong with the show and the decisions that Monty and CRWBY made, as well as why. In doing this, I have been attacked and insulted by RWBY zealots and consumers, who do not even bother to read what I have said before chastising me. Even when I ask for them to be specific, they refuse, and just want to grandstand that I would dare say anything negative about the show and Rooster Teeth. It has become so predictable that I have made Bingo cards.

My stories are for the ex-patriots, the fans who loved this show but have come to accept its fate, which only now the zealots are coming to terms with, and throwing desperate tantrums in the process—as Thomas Jefferson from the John Adams miniseries would say, “in the throes of a violent birth”. I welcome all to read my stories, but they must read them, and if they disagree with my arguments and opinions, then they must do so cordially and clearly, highlighting what it is they take issue with. I will respond to civil criticism with civil argument and discussion, whereas ad hominem attacks and hollow patronizing will be riposted with mockery. Standing up for myself and my work is not being thin-skinned, no matter how often my detractors claim, though their screaming at me for merely existing and not bowing down to them and CRWBY, certainly is thin-skinned.

If this is not your cup of tea, which is normally loving the show and CRWBY/Rooster Teeth unconditionally, supporting crack-ships and hating straight romance, hating Jaune Arc and Team JNPR, hating Weiss Schnee, Sun Wukong, General Ironwood, et cetera, my work is not for you. I know these warnings will not stop you, but at least I can say that I have exhausted all avenues, safe for quitting my writing of RWBY stories altogether. If, however, you have an open mind, or are a fan that quit after Volumes III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, or IX, or even just feel disappointed by it all, I hope my work can bring you some entertainment, which is my raison d'être.

Out of my love for RWBY, I want to explain what problems I have with it—since no one else cares to—whilst trying to tell good stories. I am just trying to be a fan, rather than a zealot, as with all things, and have a hobby. In the words of Professor Tolkien, “He [the author] makes a Secondary World which your mind can enter. Inside it, what he relates is ‘true’: it accords with the laws of that world. You therefore believe it, while you are, as it were, inside. The moment disbelief arises, the spell is broken; the magic, or rather art, has failed. You are then out in the Primary World again, looking at the little abortive Secondary World from outside. If you are obliged, by kindliness or circumstance, to stay, then disbelief must be suspended (or stifled), otherwise listening and looking would become intolerable. But this suspension of disbelief is a substitute for the genuine thing, a subterfuge we use when condescending to games or make-believe, or when trying (more or less willingly) to find what virtue we can in the work of an art that has for us failed.”

RWBY has indeed failed for me and many others, yet I still see some virtue in it—more or less willingly. A ruby in the rough, so to speak. Join me if you want to go on an adventure. I only hope that I can entertain you through it till the end.

Favourite Books (Fiction):

Manga/Anime: One Piece, Bleach, Katekyo Hitman Reborn, History's Mightiest Disciple Kenichi, Full Metal Panic, and probably more, but given how long it's been since I've read them, I honestly can't confirm I'm still a fan

Bandes Dessinées (Franco-Belgian Comics): Lucky Luke, Tin Tin, Astérix

Comic (Strip): Calvin and Hobbes

Graphic Novel: BONE

Fantasy: The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, The Once and Future King, Shadow of the Conqueror

Mystery: Sherlock Holmes

Historical Fiction: Sharpe series, The Three Musketeers, The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood

Horror: Dracula, Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Poetry: Romeo and Juliette, A Midsummer Night's Dream

War: The Good Shepard

Western: The Ghost of Capistrano (The Mark of Zorro)

Miscellaneous: A Christmas Carol

Favourite Films:

Action: Die Hard, Shooter, Pirates of the Caribbean

Animation: How to Train Your Dragon, Howl's Moving Castle, The Incredibles, Princess Mononoke,

Christmas: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)

Fantasy: The Dark Crystal, The Lord of the Rings

Horror: Godzilla (1954) Universal Horror, Nosferatu (1922), Tremors, Van Helsing

Horror-Comedy: The Army of Darkness (Evil Dead 3), Ghostbusters, Shaun of the Dead

Military: Sniper, Top Gun

Mystery: Young Sherlock Holmes (1985),

Sci-Fi: Back to the Future, Star Wars, Starship Troopers

Western: The Mask of Zorro, Rio Bravo

Current and Future Stories:

Project JADA:

Series: RWBY

Time period: Post-V3

Theme/Genre: Dark fantasy, hurt/comfort, vengeance, romance

Focus: Arkos, revenge for Pyrrha

Rating: M

Status: Six chapters are out, but story itself is not complete. Staggered release

Project LITS:

Series: RWBY

Time period: Roughly V5, set during the end of Project JADA

Theme/Genre: Romance one-shot

Focus: BlackSun

Rating: M

Project DOS/SOD:

Series: RWBY

Time period: Post-V3, during the summer break after the Vytal Tournament

Theme/Genre: Summer vacation, slice-of-life, romance

Focus: Everyone...literally, sequel to DDCT

Rating: T

Project LLAR:

Series: RWBY

Time period: V1, alternate timeline

Theme/Genre: Darker than the original, family, loss, and comfort

Focus: Ruby and her family

Rating: T

Project Iron Fortress:

Series: RWBY

Time period: Atlas Arc (V7-8)

Theme/Genre: Military, What-If

Focus: General Ironwood and the Atlassian Army, Navy, and Air Force

Rating: T

Project ABAH:

Series: RWBY and Shadow of the Conqueror

Time period: V1-3

Theme/Genre: Crossover, partial rewrite, redemption

Focus: Daylen Namaran, Teams RWBY, JNPR, SSSN

Rating: M

Project THEA:

Series: RWBY

Time period: 17 years after the end of the Second World War of Remnant, during the Vytal Festival

Theme/Genre: Life in a new era of peace, full rewrite, the next generation

Focus: Everyone's lives after the death of Salem, particularity their children, entirely from my full rewrite of RWBY

IMEIMB:

Series: Avatar the Last Airbender

Time period: Three years after the defeat of Fire Lord Ozai

Theme/Genre: Rewrite, mystery, hope, rebirth

Focus: The Gaang and reestablishing balance to the world

Rating: M

Project SotW:

Series: Big Wolf on Campus

Time period: 18 years after the end of season 3

Theme/Genre: Hurt/Comfort, hope, supernatural, horror

Focus: Tommy Dawkins and co

Rating: M