********* ********* ********* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ******* ********* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * ********* Frequently Asked Questions Written by Freedom Fighter Welcome, dear readers and loyal fans! Courtesy of Freedom Fighter's Library, this is the place whether you have questions about me or any of my fanfics! Anything you've ever wanted to ask and more, now answered just for you! Just look at the table of contents to see where your question will be answered! I am open to adding to this FAQ, if you believe there's a question that needs to be answered but isn't listed on here. If that's the case, then e-mail me at fanfic_writer82@yahoo.com! Please note that I have typed this out with my own two hands for the benefit of you, the reader. Although you may print this out for your own enjoyment, distributing it to others, whether through print form or through a website other than this one, Freedom Fighter's Library, is strictly prohibited! If you wish to direct link to this FAQ through your personal webpage, though, that is perfectly acceptable! Just let me know you're doing so, though, by e-mailing me. You are reading Version 1.41, released to the public on 7/26/07. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Version 1.41 (7/26/07) Updated Notes 6 and 8 of Section I. Version 1.4 (5/31/07) Added a new question with Note 6 of Section VI (bumping the original Note 6 to Note 7). Updated the new Note 7 of Section VI. Version 1.3 (1/24/07) Added Notes 6 and 7 of Section II (bumping all of the other notes down two slots). Moved (Old) Notes 11-13 of Section II to new Section IX and renamed those Notes 1-3, plus added a Note 4. Replaced Note 5 of Section VIII with a new question. Updates made to Notes 6 and 7 of Section I, Note 8 of Section II, and Note 3 of Section VIII. Fixed up some grammar mistakes, too. Version 1.2 (7/20/06) HTML Version of FAQ up at long last! Some minor revisions scattered about, too. Version 1.12 (5/24/06) Updates made to Notes 4, 6, and 7 of Section I, as well as smaller fixes to several other areas of the FAQ. Version 1.11 (1/26/06) Fixing grammar and spelling mistakes. FAQ will be brought up-to-date within a few days. Version 1.1 (4/27/05) Sections V through VIII complete. Version 1.0 (4/21/05) FAQ posted, with Sections I through IV complete. Table of Contents I. Freedom Fighter (All About Me) 1. Who are you? 2. What do you do? 3. Well, what else can you tell us about yourself? 4. What's the history behind 'Freedom Fighter's Library?' 5. What kind of fanfiction do you write? 6. What are your favorite TV shows? 7. Do you watch anything that isn't animated? If so, what? 8. What's the deal with your semi-retirement? 9. Have you ever thought of writing any original fanfiction? 10. How do I get in contact with you? II. Adventures Series 1. Just what is the "Adventures Series?" 2. Why did you pick such a generic name for it? 3. How much of the anime series do you have to know of to start reading it? 4. Why are there two divulging storylines for the first season? 5. Why are the episodes so long? 6. How can I keep track of the characters and their Pokémon? 7. What's with the 'Best New Female Character' award? 8. Why are Episodes 43-46 missing? 9. What's this about movie-length episodes being planned? 10. How many episodes were planned? 11. Who is this Matt Lenz that's always credited in this fic? 12. Why was "Unhappy Anniversary" written? III. Roomies 1. What is "Roomies?" 2. What's with two separate houses in the first season? 3. What's with the weird system used to determine how much each character could win at the end? 4. Why did only four shows make up the first season's large cast, with more than half of them characters from "Pokémon" and "Digimon?" 5. How was each season's winner decided? 6. Will there be a "Roomies 4?" Please, oh please say yes! IV. Mystery Solvers 1. What is "Mystery Solvers?" 2. Where are the quizzes? And the answers? 3. Wasn't there a contest associated with this fanfic? 4. Why wasn't a prize given out? 5. Will there be a "Mystery Solvers 2?" V. The Animated Amazing Race 1. What is "The Animated Amazing Race?" 2. How did you go about picking teams? 3. Will you ever finish it? 4. Yes, I have to ask... "The Animated Amazing Race 2?" VI. Pokémon Girls 1. What is the "Pokémon Girls" series? 2. How many 'books' were planned? 3. What is with the 'prologue - nine chapters - epilogue' formatting? 4. Why do each of the fics have an 'Author's Commentary' section? 5. Will you write any sequels to the already finished 'books?' 6. Is "May's Awesomely Youthful and Stupendously Unique Expedition" part of the "Pokémon Girls" series? 7. How about new 'books' with other girls, planned or not? VII. The Detectives Kamiya 1. What is "The Detectives Kamiya?" 2. Why is it rated R? Does it have to be? 3. Why include the Digimon if this was mainly about the humans? 4. How many of the Digidestined were going to make an appearance? 5. Were there plans to add characters from the other seasons of "Digimon?" 6. Since you've already called it quits... if you had continued, what might have we seen happen? VIII. The Circle of the Digidestined 1. What is "The Circle of the Digidestined?" 2. How much is changed from the ending of "Digimon Adventure 02" for this fic? 3. Why code name the bad guys after colors? 4. How did you decide how many Digidestined will die? 5. What's up with the rushed ending? IX. The Year of Rocket's Revenge 1. What is "The Year of Rocket's Revenge?" 2. How long will "The Year of Rocket's Revenge" be? 3. Why are there two versions? What's the difference? 4. Can I read it without having read "Adventures Series?" ------------------------------------------------------------------ I. All About Me (Freedom Fighter) ------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Who are you? My name is Freedom Fighter. I've been writing fanfiction since 1999, and I also run the website you are glancing at this very second! 2. What do you do? I kinda just did explain it, but allow me to be more specific. I started my fanfiction career in 1999 by writing stories about the hit anime 'Pokémon.' Over the years, I've added to that stories starring casts of 'Digimon,' 'Cardcaptor Sakura,' and a host of others through my... Wait... you mean what do I do in real life? Sorry... ain't telling! 3. Well, what else can you tell us about yourself? Not much, I'm afraid. I don't like to talk about my life outside of writing fanfiction. But... if you look in the right places *hint, hint,* you could find out my real name, how old I am, and what state I live in. Some older fans and my best online friends may have that information as well... good luck getting them to say anything! 4. What's the history behind 'Freedom Fighter's Library?' It all dates back to late '99 or 2000, don't remember exactly. My first site was called 'The Poké-Post,' and it was hosted on Acme City. It served more as a general 'Pokémon' site as opposed to a full fanfiction site. When many of Acme City's sections started to closed down, I packed up and moved to 50megs.com. Sound familiar? It's the server I'm on now. But it wasn't called 50megs.com back then... it was something else... the name escapes me. But I do know the move, plus my motion towards doing more than just 'Pokémon' fanfiction, led me to name the site by another name. 'Freedom Fighter's Anime Fanfiction Library.' I think I was comfortable there for a few months, maybe almost a year. But then that's when 50megs.com replaced the old server, and getting used to all of the new uploading and page-creating stuff they had there got way too complicated and frustrating way too fast. That's about the time I discovered Fanfiction.net and started thinking about posting fanfics there. Before I did, 'Freedom Fighter's Anime Fanfiction Library' got a second life at DenCity. Guess what happened next? That's right, DenCity went belly up... kaput! So I gave up on maintaining my own website and moved full-time to Fanfiction.net. That relationship lasted three full years, and netted me new friends and fans I probably wouldn't have met otherwise. Then came FF.net's big 'script-format fic' purge, and a lot of big-name authors, myself included, were left enraged and scrambling for shelter, so to speak. It took me a few months before I finally got off my butt and decided... people still wanted to see my old fics, the ones that got shoved off FF.net. And so it was my duty to give it to them. And in January 2005, they got their wish. 'Freedom Fighter's Library' (shortened from the last title since I don't write just about anime anymore) was born! Even better, the site's been ad-free since February 2006! Yep, I'm paying for this site own of my pocket! With that, hopefully, it'll be around for a long time! 5. What kind of fanfiction do you write? I lean heavily towards action-adventure, but I have done a few mystery pieces, as well as a few comedy ones. And although I have never been completely absorbed by the 'reality show' craze, I do have three fics based off varying combinations of my favorite reality shows. If you're into reality, that is. 6. What are your favorite TV shows? Wow! Tough question. All-time, I'd say 'Gargoyles' and old-school 'Scooby-Doo.' 'Gargoyles' gave me an after-school adventure series like no other (and before anyone asks, no, 'Batman: The Animated Series' couldn't do the same), and I just fell in love with 'Scooby-Doo' the first time I saw him in 1995. Though the two live-action movies and most of the animated features released since then have left a sour taste in my mouth. On the anime side, my all-time favorite has to be 'Martian Successor Nadesico,' only because it's the only series I've seen that mixes so many different genres so seamlessly. It's also got wonderful characters and an ear-pleasing soundtrack. I really think anyone being introduced to anime needs to be shown this series, as it provides plenty to sample from, no matter what they like. 'Kim Possible' definitely leads my list of shows I'm watching right now and that I'm totally in love with. The show had all the ingredients it needed to be a hit, and no other series on average has left me satisfied after every episode as much as KP did. I'm glad that the show got picked up for a fourth season! I hope it's worth it! There's also 'Avatar: The Last Airbender,' a gem of a show that doesn't sound as if it belongs on Nickelodeon. Yet... I don't have a problem with it. Great animation, great characters, a great storyline... I can't stop singing the praises of his great show. After all of these years, I'm still watching 'Pokémon' too. May is no Misty, but I'm actually glad May isn't because she brings a new spin that the show desperately needed. That, and it seems Hoenn's filler episodes are a whole lot better than many of Johto's. Many other shows I've watched recently are, in no particular order... 'Teen Titans,' 'R.O.D. the TV,' 'Fullmetal Alchemist,' 'Naruto,' 'Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends,' 'Oban Star-Racers,' and 'My-HiME,' just to name a few. 7. Do you watch anything that isn't animated? Yes. What, you think my life revolves around just cartoons? Just like everyone else back in the '90's, I was a diehard 'Mighty Morphin Power Rangers' fan. Who wasn't back in those days? Of course, I've long outgrown the series, which is still running, miraculously, despite its attempts to try and pull me back in. Note one Jason David Frank. These days, I'm a huge fan of '24.' There's no show on TV that's quite the adrenaline rush like Jack Bauer and the rest of the Counter Terrorism Unit dish out every single week. So much to love, especially since you always can't see every twist coming. I'm also watching 'Prison Break,' 'The Amazing Race,' and the new hit on NBC, 'Heroes.' Which, consequently, runs against '24' on Mondays. Talk about a dilemma on what to watch live and what to tape every week! I do watch sports as well... I'm a diehard football (both NFL and college... it's all good) and NASCAR fan. Basketball and baseball... meh, usually only around playoffs. And don't even get me started on hockey. 8. What's the deal with your 'semi-retirement?' Things pretty much have been going downhill the last few years. My interest in writing fanfiction... and reading fanfiction, for that matter, has waned considerably. Sometime during the summer of 2003, between newfound computer problems, too much stress from my day job, and just complete disinterest in fanfics period, it just stopped. Completely. At the beginning of Summer 2004, I made a decision to myself that I needed to tell my fans what I've been up to and what my plans would be for the future. After giving it some thought, I decided to announce my 'semi-retirement.' Basically, I was promising that with one exception ('The Year of Rocket's Revenge') I would no longer be starting any new fics. I also promised that I would attempt to finish some of the unresolved fics I had left behind in my absence. And I had said that at the completion of 'The Year of Rocket's Revenge' in a year, I'd quit for good. 0-for-2 so far, 99.9% chance of being 0-for-3. I pretty much stalled again, and it wasn't until the FF.net incident and then the creation of this website that the wheels finally got turning again. I'm still starting new fanfics when I know I shouldn't be. Most of the unresolved fics have either been abandoned or given shortened endings. And 'The Year of Rocket's Revenge' is many months behind schedule. So, the semi-retirement phase is taking a whole lot longer than I thought it would. I'm still trying, though, and as long as there are ideas for stories that keep popping into my head, I'll keep writing. 9. Have you ever thought of writing any original fanfiction? Yes. I had one idea involving Arius and Cassie, my two lead created characters from 'The Adventures Series.' It wasn't a completely original idea, though... some stuff was going to be borrowed from 'Pokémon' and from '24.' The idea never got past the brainstorming stage, though, due to lack of interest and willpower to explore the idea further. But I've never had a true original idea for a fanfiction project. I've been thinking about it ever since one fan reviewed one of my fics and asked if I ever thought of writing original works. A full-blown idea has never come to mind to actually write one, otherwise, I probably would've started on one a long time ago. The thought's been there... nothing else is with it, though. 10. How do I get in contact with you? Three ways to reach me, if you ever have any comments, questions, or concerns about any of my fics or anything else on this site: By e-mail: fanfic_writer82@yahoo.com By Yahoo! M: fanfic_writer82 By AIM: Coming Soon! I also post regularly on Toon Zone, under Freedom Fighter, mostly under talkbacks for animated premieres. You have to be 13 years old and registered to post there, though. But even if you're not registered, you can still view all the boards. My preferred method of contact is by e-mail, though. You've got the best chance of reaching me there. ------------------------------------------------------------------ II. Adventures Series ------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Just what is the "Adventures Series?" My first published fanfic, and in turn, my first 'Pokémon' fanfic. My take of the animated series starting from after Ash earns his eighth Kanto League gym badge. Originally started in October of 1999, it spans 53 episodes, one special, and an epic end-all series that is currently in the midst of release. 2. Why did you pick such a generic name for it? Believe it or not, originally the first season was not packaged as a series... just a bunch of mini-series. I just decided at one point that since they were all intertwined with each other, it would be better to brand them over one general title. I don't remember how the name exactly came up, but it was kind of an arbitrary might-change-it-later title. All these years later, I never came up with an actual, permanent title... and for some reason, I can't part with the old 'Adventures Series' moniker. 3. How much of the anime series do you have to know of to start reading it? If you've seen up to Episode 63, the episode where Ash earns the Earth Badge, then you're more than ready. I have, over the years, added a few Orange Island and Johto characters, so you'll probably need that down in the second and third seasons... but most 'Pokémon' fans already do anyway. 4. Why are there two divulging storylines for the first season? Originally, "Misty's Travels to the Pokémon League," which ran 14 chapters plus a short epilogue, was to be the main storyline. That was because, at the time, I was absolutely crazy about Misty, and just wanted to write about her. But I quickly decided that I couldn't completely write Ash (and Brock) out of the fanfic, so I gave them three smaller mini-series to compensate for the discrepancy. For completeness purposes, and to make the first season more reader-friendly, the two storylines were combined in a way that the episodes fell, for the most part, in chronological order. 5. Why are the episodes so long? When I started my career, I was against writing short fics because chapters would be way too short and, in most cases, over without having a big revelation or something worth reviewing. So I decided that a half-hour episode length (20 to 25 pages) would suffice for a good episode. (But apparently, I've heard that typical half-hour episode scripts run twice to three times as long... so I'm not exactly accurate.) 6. How can I keep track of the characters and their Pokémon? If you look on the page for the series, there are sections reserved for character profiles. These are designed for old and new readers to the series alike, to keep track of where all the characters are and what Pokémon they have. As of the latest update to this FAQ, I don't have any of it up. It's one of those projects on the site that I have been putting off for many months. Hopefully I'll be able to remedy that real soon. 7. What's with the 'Best New Female Character - 2nd Place' award? The "Adventures Series" was submitted by me in the Summer 2000 edition of the Pokémon Fanfiction Academy Awards. Authors were required to nominate their own works for the categories, and then fellow fans were encouraged to vote for their favorites. One of the categories I submitted a nomination for was 'Best New Female Character.' That was for Sally Highsaw, and Episode 27, "Dreams Do Come True, Chapter 5: Everything Changes" was submitted as the example. It garnered enough votes to finish 2nd in the category. Behind who, I don't really remember. I wonder if it was the actual subject matter of the episode and not the character herself that won it. Hmmm... maybe you should go read it and find out for yourself, eh? 8. Why are Episodes 43-46 missing? I do have Episodes 45 & 46, but 43 & 44 were lost in the great FF.net purge. The reason I can't post the last two without the first two is because they made up the four-part mini-series starring Gary and his cheerleading squad... and the problems they were having on the road. If I ever find 43 & 44, I'll post all four episodes. Until then, it's highly doubtful they'll ever see the light of day again. 9. What's this about movie-length episodes being planned? Originally, there was going to be as many as 5 movie-length specials that I was beginning to plan out shortly after the end of Season 1. Most faithful readers probably know about what was to be the first... "Love Affair in Pallet Town." "Love Affair in Pallet Town" is a story that takes place over the course of one month, bridging the two major scenes of Season 1's last episode. Wanting a chance to meet the great Professor Oak, Giselle decides to accompany Ash on his trip home to Pallet. And hopefully get a leg up on the competition at the Pokémon League Novice Tournament. What was to follow was animosity between the two upon arriving and to continue during their weeks of training. And, as the title suggests, the two even briefly fall in love! Gary and Joe (Giselle's admirer from Pokémon Tech) were also scheduled to make appearances in the later chapters. "The Return of Mewtwo" was the second feature, not to be confused with the animated special "Mewtwo Returns." It was basically a sequel to Episode 22 of the series, the one where Ash, Brock, TJ, and Sally run into Mewtwo terrorizing a city. I don't think it was planned out beyond that, though, when I gave up on the idea. The third idea was an origin story for the Pokémon Trainers' Association, specifically how Arius and Cassie met for the first time and became members of the organization. The other two I don't remember (though I think I have notes on paper somewhere). Much of the stuff I had planned to use in those movie specials will show up in one form or another in "The Year of Rocket's Revenge." 10. How many episodes were planned? Roughly 70-75, with an option of a fourth season with anywhere from six to 26 episodes. My interest just waned in the series, and that's why most of the ideas never made it to production. Not all of it is going to waste, though. By my estimate, 75 percent of the first episode of "The Year of Rocket's Revenge" will be on the three-part storyline that would've made up Episodes 54, 55, and 56. What that is exactly... well, you'll have to wait and see. 11. Who is this 'Matt Lenz' that's always credited in this fic? Ah... Matt Lenz. A diehard supporter of the 'Adventures Series' who asked me near the end of the first season if he could pre-read for me. Aware that I wasn't always good at point out grammatical errors in my work and the benefit of a second pair of eyes to check for other mistakes, I decided to take him on to help me. I've truly benefited from him being there to make suggestions on how to make certain scenes better. I honestly don't know where I'd be today without Matt to help me out. He already knows this, but in case you're reading this Matt... I may not have shown it every time we talked, but I've appreciated every bit of help you've given me over the years. From the bottom of my heart... thank you. 12. Why was "Unhappy Anniversary" written? I wanted to try writing Arius and Cassie in a retrospective light... part "Adventures Series" tribute, part 3rd Anniversary celebration, and even part 9-11 tribute, to a small extent. It was a look back at how the duo was faring three years after "Adventures Series" ended... which is three years after they left the Pokémon Trainers Association. It was also an attempt to try to drum support to write a mini-series starring my two author-created stars. Sadly, no one spoke up and said they wanted one, so that idea got quickly shot down. ------------------------------------------------------------------ III. Roomies ------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. What is "Roomies?" Originally started in May 2001, and my first fanfic to premiere on Fanfiction.net, "Roomies" is a reality show fanfic starring anime characters. "Roomies" was inspired by similarly themed works already at FF.net at the time. But, I didn't want to go with a straight port of one reality show, so instead, I went for a combination of them. Think of "Roomies" as a cross between MTV's "Real World" with "Road Rules" challenges... without any of the endless bickering from their crossover shows. Well, okay... it wouldn't be a reality show without some bickering. 2. What's with two separate houses in the first season? Just like the "Adventures Series," there was originally supposed to be only one house. Featuring just the girls. Because, for some odd reason, writing about female characters was a whole lot easier than writing about male characters. Still, my better judgment got the better of me, and I decided to do a boys' version, which runs simultaneously with the girls'... and lead to several interactions down the road. 3. What's with the weird system used to determine how much each character could win at the end? The system was installed to do something out of the ordinary... to push the players to work harder so that if they won, they'd be carrying away more money in the end. In Season One, we had the normal challenges, in which the players would split up into two teams, and every member on the winning team would add $100,000 to their personal pots. Plays could also enter the confessional room once per day and add $5,000 to their pots, up to $200,000 max. In the second season, roommate challenges were added to the mix. Grouped into pairs, players earned money based on where their team placed in a roommate challenge. First place added $50,000, and each successive team received $10,000 less, all the way down to last place, which got nothing. The confession allotment was also reduced to $100,000 total, in order to keep the maximum prize $1,000,000. The third season was pretty much the same, but because of a slightly larger cast compared to Season 2, teams in the roommate challenges who finished sixth or worse didn't get to add to their personal pots. 4. Why did only four shows make up the first season's large cast, with more than half of them characters from "Pokémon" and "Digimon?" Back then, those were the only four shows I knew extensively enough to write about. The fact that I decided to make Sasami and Tenchi the only ones eligible to live in the houses, for safety reasons, actually played into the abundance of "Pokémon" and "Digimon" characters. This not only led to the 'one character per anime' rule for future seasons, but also reduced the chances a "Pokémon" or a "Digimon" character could get in because of their smaller pool. That didn't stop Jessie, Jeri, Whitney, or Takuya, though, did it? 5. How was each season's winners decided? By popular vote. Probably not the best decision in hindsight... but Season Three's winner was a popular choice to begin with. 6. Will there be a "Roomies 4?" Please, oh please say yes! Even though there were plans in the work at the end of "Roomies 3"... a location, theme, and several preliminary cast lists had already been finished... I decided not to do a fourth season. It was getting harder and harder to write the series and enjoy doing so at the same time. Plus, I wanted readers to pay more attention to my other non-reality show fanfics. The thought of someday doing a fourth season has been popping in and out of my mind over the last few years. But, I still can't bring myself to starting it because I don't have the confidence and will-power needed to guide me on such a large endeavor. So, the answer is pretty much no. ------------------------------------------------------------------ IV. Mystery Solvers ------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. What is "Mystery Solvers?" My second reality-show fanfic, this time featuring a mix of Japanese and American animation stars! "Mystery Solvers" is part "The Mole," part "Murder in Small Town X." Ten detectives were brought to a small southwestern town named Gullible Gulch, and are asked to help the local law enforcement catch a thief who's been stealing money and favored trinkets from the populace. Which of the detectives will crack the case first and walk away with the reward money? Read the fanfic to find out! 2. Where are the quizzes? And the answers? You can find both the quizzes and the answer key on the 'Reality-Style' page, filed with the "Mystery Solvers" fanfic section. Take care in using them, though... you risk the danger of spoiling the ending of the fanfic if you read all the way to the bottom of the page too soon! 3. Wasn't there a contest associated with the fanfic? Yes. Readers tried to predict how a selected detective would fair in an episode, as well as participate in the quizzes and try to crack the case themselves. 4. Why wasn't a prize given out? Not enough people participated. Plus, I learned of a flaw in the system that kind of skewed the results, since only one person figured out the kink in the scoring design that allowed him to get a whole lot more points than any of the other players. 5. Will there be a "Mystery Solvers 2?" Out of all three reality-show fanfics I've done, this probably has the best chance of happening. It's still a small chance, though. Some pre-planning and casting was done, but nothing else. I wouldn't bet on a second edition if I were you... but the possibility is there. ------------------------------------------------------------------ V. The Animated Amazing Race ------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. What is "The Animated Amazing Race?" My first, and to date, only direct port of a single reality show into a fanfic. "The Amazing Race" is easily my favorite reality show, and at this point of time, the only one that I wouldn't miss one waking second of. Contrary to "The Anime-zing Race," a wonderful port written by fellow fanfiction author Arpulver which featured anime characters, "The Animated Amazing Race" stars characters past and present from American animation. Because there weren't many AR ports to begin with, and, as far as I know, none with American cast members instead of Japanese ones. Oh, just in case anyone hasn't heard of the "The Amazing Race," it's basically a race around the world between 11 or 12 pairs of people with pre-race established relationships (couples, friends, family members, and co-workers), with the first getting to the finish line winning a one million dollar grand prize. 2. How did you go about picking teams? I tried to be eclectic, choosing a wide range of characters who I thought would be interesting to watch. Shows and characters represented vary by gender, race, and even the type of show they're apart of. Although most of the teams are characters that are very familiar with most people, there are also a few teams in the race that aren't as popular, that don't get as much press. And thus, here they're given a chance to shine. 3. Will you ever finish it? Working on it! Seriously... you'd think with the passion I have for the show that this would've done a long time ago... but the race will resume soon! 4. Yes, I have to ask... "The Animated Amazing Race 2?" Maybe. A big fat maybe. Although planning for a second edition has been off and on, there's no sense of making a second season if I don't finish the original edition first. Let me get through that... then we'll see where I stand. ------------------------------------------------------------------ VI. Pokémon Girls ------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. What is the "Pokémon Girls" series? When first conceived, the series was originally supposed to contain numerous 'books,' each starring one female character (or in one case, a gaggle of them) from the "Pokémon" anime. Three 'books' managed to be completed before I called it quits. "Plainly Tested," which starred Whitney, the Goldenrod City gym leader. "Before I Turn This Tassel," featuring Giselle, the girl from Pokémon Tech. And fan-favorite one-shot Duplica, in "Ditto That, Ditto!" All three 'books' can be read in their entirety on this website. 2. How many 'books' were planned? Six altogether. I had thoughts of adding a seventh... May, the new lead girl on "Pokémon," debuted after I had started the "Pokémon Girls" series. If I had gotten that far, I probably could've added a story about her. Sadly, I don't think I ever came up with a full story idea for her, though. 3. What is with the 'prologue - nine chapters - epilogue' formatting? It just became a comfortable way of structuring the story. The set format also kept my imagination in check, so to speak. I didn't want to explore too many plot points and ideas to the point where it not only ruined potential for future stories, but also made each of the books run longer than they probably deserved to... or wanted to. 4. Why do each of the fics have an 'Author's Commentary' section? Ah, it's a peek into my psyche. Basically, how I fell in love with those girls, and why I decided to write these stories about them. It's probably more fanboyish then I'd like to admit... then again, how many authors do you know that actually reveal their thinking behind the writing of their fics? Notably, this was an idea that I wanted to try in other fics outside the "Pokémon Girls" series. So far... I haven't found an occasion that warrants it. 5. Will you write any sequels to the already finished 'books?' Probably not. I know each had some decent buzz after they were over, and that there were a few people after each that wanted a sequel. These days, I'm not hearing any talk of anyone still wanting those sequels. Naturally, if there's a large number of readers who don't want to see a sequel to at least one of the three released 'books'... I might consider penning a follow-up. 6. Is "May's Awesomely Youthful and Stupendously Unique Expedition" part of the "Pokémon Girls" series? Officially, no. Still, you have to admit, given the formatting of the fic and the prologue-nine chapters-epilogue outline, it does resemble the "Girls" format. So, by the definition of an entry in the "Girls" series, it is part of the series. But bottom line is, May was not planned as one of the original six stars (though, as you'll note above, I did entertain of making May number seven). You can call it part of the series, you can call it not part. It's totally up to how you interpret it. 7. How about new 'books' with other girls, planned or not? There are no more planned at this time, but who knows? Like "May's," an idea can pop up on a whim and I'll run with it. Anything's possible. ------------------------------------------------------------------ VII. The Detectives Kamiya ------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. What is "The Detectives Kamiya?" Ah... my foray into mystery stories. I love mystery stories... something many of you probably don't even know, because mystery shows are far and few between. "The Detectives Kamiya", a story set in a mostly alternate universe from the "Digimon" anime, starts the Kamiya siblings, Tai and Kari, as the lead characters. They've joined the Tokyo Police Department because of their sense of justice... oh, and because after ten years, they're hoping to help them close a 'cold case.' One that involved a peaceful family dinner that ended with their mother shot to death, having stepped accidentally outside of their apartment and into the crossfire of a seemingly developing-at-the-time gang fight. The inspiration for this gritty fanfic came not only from "Digimon," but from a favorite manga of mine, "Gunsmith Cats." I decided to take elements from both and create a fanfic not seen all that much in the fanfiction world. A gritty police drama starring humans and their partners, cute little digital monsters. Yeah, I know, it sounds weird... but for some reason, it worked! 2. Why is it rated R? Does it have to be? "The Detectives Kamiya" has the distinction of being my first R-rated fic. That's akin more to the "Gunsmith Cats" elements in the fics. Lots of gunfire, blood, bad language, and sexual situations. It's not to the point where it's completely over the top and there just to horrify you. But there's enough that you young fans out there should never read this fanfic. It's a weird, dark twist on a kid-favorite anime series... and I don't want the little ones to read this and then find themselves with an unflattering impression of a pretty much harmless TV show. 3. Why include the Digimon if this was mainly about the humans? To keep it connected to "Digimon," of course. Though I will admit... during the course of writing the fic and even now as I look back on it, there were times that having all the Digimon there made for too many characters to account for... and in some scenes, in situations which could've worked just as well without them. 4. How many of the Digidestined were going to make an appearance? All of the lead 12. I believe everyone got in but Ken and Cody... they were part of a storyline that never got written. Some of the other Digidestined from outside of Japan also made appearances... Michael from America and Catherine from France both appear in the pilot mini-series! 5. Were there plans to add characters from the other seasons of "Digimon?" In the final three-parter that was written, Yamaki, Megumi, and Reika from "Digimon Tamers" were the villains. There was a story in the works that would have involved Rika, another story featuring many of the other "Tamers" characters, and I believe that at least Takuya and Zoe of "Frontier" were also part of another one. 6. Since you've already called it quits... if you had continued, what might have we seen happen? Well, let's see, from where I called it quits... The next three-parter featured focused on Tai and Kari staying in London instead of heading back home, after getting a tip that Yamaki, who might know the truth of who really is their mother's killer, might be heading there. They don't find Yamaki, but they learn that TK might not be dead after all from his mistress. From there, it was on to New York City to find Yamaki. Mimi returns, having already served her time in prison (after the events of the pilot mini-series), and, thanks to Yolei's expensive diggings with the right people, Tai and Kari confront Yamaki finally and learn the truth. Season 2 concluded with a three-parter featuring Ken and Cody making their debuts, with the former brainwashing the latter into being an assassin, and the first part of a two-parter that turned the focus towards the Digimon, namely Agumon and Gatomon, and introducing Gennai. That plot continued in the early going of Season 3, where Agumon and Gatomon learn how to digivolve. From there, the crossover stuff began... a storyline featuring Rika as a bounty hunter a la Rally Vincent, the introduction of Takuya and Zoe as a transfer team from the other side of the city, and a whole bunch of other things I don't remember. Season 3 was never planned out completely, so I didn't know how it would end, and if I would've extended the series to a fourth season. ------------------------------------------------------------------ VIII. The Circle of the Digidestined ------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. What is "The Circle of the Digidestined?" Pretty much my entry into the whole "What happened to the characters at the end of 'Digimon Adventure 02'" fic. A seemingly perfect world of peace inhabits the Digital World... until a group of lowlifes changes everything, for both human and Digimon alike. Granted, it's up to the Digidestined of not just Japan, but the world, to stop them. But things don't go exactly as planned... 2. How much is changed from the ending of "Digimon Adventure 02" for this fic? Very little, I believe. The biggest difference you'll notice is that I've assigned names to kids and non-Digidestined spouses. Otherwise, it's intact. The exact same pairings that you saw at the end of the series, no matter how much you agreed or disagreed with them. 3. Why code name the bad guys after colors? It was basically to keep the names of the actual villains a secret. Naming them after colors was just practical... nothing fancy about it. 4. How did you decide how many Digidestined will die? Based on likeability, convenience, and how much of an impact that character dying would have on the fanbase. And trust me... at least one of the deaths will blow you away. 5. What's up with the rushed ending? After working on the fic for more than four years, I just wanted to get it done and over with. Some poor planning ended up snowballing and made me pressed for time and space in the final two episodes. Even with a double-length Episode 26, the epilogue itself was actually abbreviated when it should've been played out. Though all of the essential stuff did make it in, it was all smushed into the fic in order to keep it at the pre-determined allotment of 26 episodes. If I had more time and planned out the story better, maybe the story wouldn't have ended so rushed. It's unlikely I'll ever go back and fix the problem, though. Doing so to fit in a proper ending would require the equivalent of two to three episodes worth of material being completely cut. And it's hard to think of enough that could be taken out without screwing over the storyline. ------------------------------------------------------------------ IX. The Year of Rocket's Revenge ------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. What is "The Year of Rocket's Revenge?" Think of it as "Adventures Series," Season 3.5. Or, more accurately, Season 3.2. A large story that will most likely be on the scale of the famed Ace Sanchez's "Pokémon Master" fanfic... in size, at least. Combining storylines from the remainder of Season 3, older storylines from the movie-specials, and a few new original ones, this fanfic will hopefully not only end the "Adventures Series," but send it out with a big bang! 2. How long will "The Year of Rocket's Revenge" be? 13 episodes, one per month. I haven't decided on an official length yet, but the episodes on average should be much, much longer than the ones in the "Adventures Series" ever were. 3. Why are there two versions? What's the difference? Two versions of "Year" are being released. The episodes are being split into several smaller parts and are posted on Fanfiction.net. A new installment is supposed to be uploaded every week, though, as you might expect, I've already had many delays over the course of the series. Once an episode has been completed posted on FF.net, a compiled version is posted here on its appropriate page. The difference between the versions is miniscule. The full version here will include a few extra scenes and such that were cut out of the chaptered version. You aren't missing anything if you only read the one on FF.net, though, as most of the stuff dropped is filler and not overly important to the storyline. That being said, read the compiled version too, as there's some added expansion on certain scenes and some funny bits, too. 4. Can I read it without having read "Adventures Series?" Yes. Though reading "Adventures" would you give you a firmer idea of what has already happened and what plot points are still being carried out in "Year," it's not necessary to in order to enjoy the fic. Newbies will be pleased to see several references to the old series explained in detail, so that they understand what's going on and what's trying to be accomplished. The 'recaps' of important details from that first series help me too. After all, the series first came out in 1999, so refreshing my own memory on it all helps me make sure I don't contradict an event of the past.