Darien Shields
1st August 2004, 05:55 PM
Fan Fic Forum E-zine: August
Still here, and still late. Sorry again. We've got some good stuff this month, a preview of my upcoming fic, “i Monster”, which as you may guess takes inspiration from the Asimov book-come movie. Sorry to hog this particular preview, but as always, I put things off, so the more I could do without contacting others, the better. As for next month's spot, I already promised it to Zak Hunter aka Tainted aka Skullfire, (who has a new upcoming fic), as another reward for his running column. I'm considering a few things, like revising the FFFEz into the FFM, Fan Forum Monthly, which would be a 'Zine for both the Fan Forums. I'm waiting for Iveechan to give me heads up on that though, so don't hold your breaths.
P.S.: I borrowed Gavin Luper's review, without permission, but I'm fully creditting him. I think the FFRO did agree to let us use reviews, but I'm still not quite sure. Terribley sorry if I offended you Gav', and I'll take it down if you don't want it used.
Contents:
August Spotlight: The Emerald League by Captain Pringle
August Under Appreciated Spotlight: Zedrelthus by Zak Hunter
Pick 3 By Zak Hunter
August Contest: Urk.
Fan Fic Preview: i Monster
Next Month!
August Spotlight: The Emerald League
By Captain Pringle
Perhaps the most acclaimed fic on TPM, The Emerald League goes back several years, and several boards (resulting in several reposts.) Perhaps it could be called a typical trainer fic, but the excellent writing style defines it as the template for all trainer fics.
Review (Reviewer Gavin Luper)
Plot (15/20 points): The Emerald League was one of those trainer fics – but it was the very first trainer fic I read that had a more interesting plot. Trainer fics are always at a disadvantage with Plot and Plot Originality, but TEL really is a cut above the rest. The first chapter quickly captivates us – Bryce is on a boat, heading to the new land, which is the setting of the Emerald League. Almost at once, a whirlpool hits the boat, causing a spectacular array of pokemon attacks used to counteract it. The interesting, though by no means complex plot continues, with Captain Pringle turning a trainer fic into a really excellent narrative. The reader follows Bryce Westfahl as he goes deeper into the new land, finding new pokemon and capturing them, and searching deep in forests and other places for obscure gyms. Another plus for the plot is that it is so realistic, so that we can imagine this story actually happening. On the whole, The Emerald League is really quite a world away from the likes of the anime, which is an excellent attribute for any fiction.
Plot Originality (6.5/10 points): Despite the fact that Bryce is a trainer, heading for the Emerald League, something about the way TEL is written makes it feel a lot more original than perhaps it is. We see Bryce as a traveller just as much as he is a trainer. Maybe because Emerald Island is such a new, unknown place, and nobody really knows what direction the story is going to take next, the plot seems quite original. Despite all this, though, The Emerald League is still a trainer fic, with pokemon and gyms and new places, but somehow it manages to avoid all the pitfalls and plot traps of the average trainer fic.
Writing Style (18.5/20 points): This has always been the strongest point of the fic. The writing style is superb; quite unrivalled on this forum, in my opinion. The first person narrative gives us an excellent insight into Bryce’s thoughts and feelings during the battles, as well as the general day-to-day activities, though, whether intentionally or not, CP has never delved too far into Bryce’s mind, so that it never feels like a psychological analysis. Rather, we feel as though we have known Bryce for years. Just as expertly, CP manages to write in first person without impairing description of battles or the settings. What else can I say? Pure brilliance.
Spelling and Grammar (9.5/10 points): I can’t say I’ve noticed many errors in either of these; definitely no visible spelling errors. However, some sentence structures could be improved, I suppose, which counts against the grammar slightly. But honestly, this is near perfect.
Characters (13/15 points): CP has created excellent characters, without making any of their personalities too glaringly obvious. Bryce is the average joe really, he has a realistic sense of humour and is clearly imaginable as a human being. His Dad, too, is quite clearly defined. As for the other characters, such as the pokemon Bryce trains, as well as gym leaders and trainers that appear later on in the story, they somehow feel real, despite their only brief appearances. Most seem to have a good sense of humour and an amiable presence, much like Bryce himself. The extra bits, like Chikorita and Shellder’s love for marshmallow, is a great touch. Overall, very good character development.
Settings (13/15 points): Emerald Island is a unique setting, one that CP created from scratch, which is always a positive. Each of the gyms, also, has a unique setting and atmosphere. One of the main traits of CP’s writing when referring to the settings is that he doesn’t go into detail about the surrounds and clog the fic with setting description – he mentions it and allows the reader to picture everything in their head, which makes it all the more fun to read. If only I could do that … anyway, excellent settings.
Overall Apreciation (9.5/10 points): All the factors of this fic mesh together very nicely to produce a great fic, something that is very much a pleasure to read. It’s easy to read, interesting, fun, and engrossing. My complements to the author!
Final Result: 85/100 = 85%.
Closing advice: There is very little to be improved on in The Emerald League. My only real suggestion would be to insert more subplots in the sidelines every now and then, however if you take that advice, treat it with caution. With most fics, I’d encourage more plot development, but with TEL, well, it doesn’t seem to need it; it’s not a story that relies heavily on plot twists and so on. Too much plot would probably clog the fic, but a little more shouldn’t hurt. My only other piece of advice: post the next chapter SOON! This result is an excellent one, CP, though that goes without saying. The Emerald League is easily one of the all-time greatest fics on TPM, and that’s definitely not an overstatement. Well done!
Interview with the Author (Interviewer Darien Shields)
Question 1:
The Emerald League is one of TPM's biggest Trainer Hits to date, what in your opinion, made it so popular?
Captain Pringle: Well, if I remember correctly, trainer fics were pretty popular back when I started TEL (way back in June 2001), so I'm sure that's a big part of it. The other big thing that helped TEL get a ton of readers really fast was that my other two fics, Michael's Pokemon Journey (my first complete fic, another trainer fic) and The Adventures of Firewood Kethcup and His Friends Cloudy and Sock (my still-incomplete comedy fic) were both extremely popular. I had a big fanbase, so when I started TEL I didn't have to waste time slowly building readership; it was already there.
Question 2:
What are your feelings regarding this popularity? Is it "about time", or are you still a bit daunted by it all, "I'm not worhy" sort of thing?
Captain Pringle: Oh, I'm definitely not worthy. Some fics just make it big like that for some reason, so I just count myself fortunate. I mean, I guess I'll take a little credit for coming up with a unique twist on the standard trainer fic, but I think anybody could've done that. Of course, I don't mind the fic being popular. ^_^ That's just more feedback for me, and I'm always trying to improve as a writer, so it works out very nicely.
Question 3:
TEL probably holds one more special record- most popular and longest running fic that is still pending completion. What reasons have you for this grind to a hault, as the fic reaches conclusion?
Captain Pringle: The main reason is that I'm not into pokemon anymore. *everyone gasps* Yeah, that's right. :p And as time has gone on, I've only gotten more and more out of touch with the feel of the whole thing. I mean, I still think it's a cool idea, but it's just been overdone to death for me. And the fact that I'm in the middle of writing the Pokemon League chapters which (due to lazy story planning on my part) are little more than back-to-back battles... well, that doesn't help. Also, I'm in college now, so that obviously cuts back on my writing time.
Question 4:
Are you going to 'see it through', and finish TEL? Considering your current pace, its obviously not easy, what is your inspiration to carry on, rather than dump it?
Captain Pringle: Well, the crazy thing is over 80,000 words already. ^_^ So, I mean, that's a lot of my inspiration. Who wants to write this big cool story, and then leave it hanging at the very very end? I just like to finish what I start. :) Besides, there's only one or two chapters left to write.
Question 5:
Do you see a future for yourself as a writer here on TPM after the completion of TEL?
Captain Pringle: Yeah. I dunno if you guys will want me around if I keep up these 6 to 12 month waits between chapters though. ^_^; Nah, I'll try to stop that if I start a new story. No more pokemon though, no way. I'll probably do a fantasy fic next... if not that, then a spy fic.
Question 6:
What is your favourite aspect of TEL, the part that you feel best shows off your talent for writing?
Captain Pringle: I guess I'd say the description of the battles. It's by far the most common compliment I get regarding TEL. One of the things I enjoy most about writing my trainer fics is that I get to take these pokemon into whatever dynamic 3D environments I want, and then directly involve those environments in the battle. I've had floating platforms, a waterfall cliffside, a bed of charcoal... whatever I feel like. It's fun! And one thing I constantly catch myself doing while writing battles is, well, basically blowing up the field (or deforming it in some other way), and then having one of the trainers use that change in the field to their advantage. I think one of the more interesting examples of this is found in Chapter 39 (the most recent chapter) of TEL, despite my lack of writing practice as of late.
Question 7:
Which aspect (if any) is the opposite, the part of the fic which you are not proud of, and would rather for get, given half a chance?
Captain Pringle: Personally, I'd say the character development, both for Bryce and his pokemon. The pokemon started out with a healthy dose of personality, but as they got stronger and the story went on, it kind of disappeared. Bryce's character might not be quite so bad off, simply because the story is written in first person, which gives the reader a lot of insight into the way Bryce thinks. But still, I'm not really satisfied with it, and I've already vowed to make character development & interaction my main focus when writing my next fic, to improve that aspect of my writing.
Question 8:
Obviously as Fan Fic writers we don't expect our work to ever get published, but has the thought ever entered your mind? Have you ever wondered how much you'd get? I'm certain that stories of a lower calibur were published in the fad ages of pokemon (I own copies of several.)
Captain Pringle: Yeah, the thought has passed through my mind, though I've never dwelled on the idea too much. I am going to start writing original fiction after TEL and TAoFKaHFCaS are done, though, so perhaps the possibility will always be there in the very very very very back of my mind. I doubt I'll seriously try to get something published, but I have to admit, it would be very cool.
Question 9:
Is there anything you'd like to say to writers/readers?
Well, to whoever came up with these questions, good job. They're good questions. ^_^ Um, let's see... I never know what to say for these open-ended advice-to-others type questions. :p I guess, one thing... readers are just as important as writers are to a good healthy writing community. I'm pretty bad about getting around to reading other peoples' stuff, but I'm glad this place does seem to have a lot of people who are willing to give their time to read fics and reply with helpful advice. And to writers, though it's been said way too many times, be open to advice from your readers. They can see your story a lot more objectively than you can. =) Looking back on MY fics and the advice I've received, I've found that the readers' advice has been pretty right-on, even if I didn't think so at the time. :)
August Under Appreciated Spotlight: Zedrelthus By Zak Hunter
Or very own Zak Hunter (author of the Pick Three Column) is Zedrelthus's author. For a few years now Zedrelthus has been building up, brushed asside by readers as a none-pokemon fic. But we here (rather, me here) at the E-zine decided that it deserved a little more recognition, so hopefully this spotlight will get it on the right track. Too bad there's no review yet...
Review
by Mistysakura
-Plot (14/20 points): A thief’s ordinary life – until a talking kitten, a journey, a war and strange lands come into the picture. Sooz the talking kitten leads Zedrelthus on a journey with an unknown destination. There are some unrevealed mysteries that keep the reader waiting; such is the mystery surrounding the opponent Xhell, and the identity of Evalyn. However, most of this fic’s captivation does not lie in its plot, but in its descriptions of battle and action.
-Plot Originality (7/10 points): A man, a mission, a destiny to be fulfilled, a mysterious talking kitten… where have I heard this before? (Besides the talking kitten bit, I mean.) However, besides the basic plot, this fic does not lack originality. There are many new lands, their atmospheres described in minute detail; there are original details such as the identity of the kitten and its rival; and there are even twists on characters’ personalities. Let’s just say that I definitely didn’t see Chapter VII’s twist coming. I reckon a major twist would liven things up though.
-Writing Style (15/20 points): The description in this fic is very detailed, especially in the combat scenes. It allows us to picture everything that is going on, although a bit jumbled sometimes. The sorcery practice is also memorable. There is quality description of each character, giving a snapshot of the character as well as the usual physical description; the bump on Elexus’ nose illustrating his combat injuries is a good example. There is also a good balance between dialogue and action (although they each seem to come in huge chunks; but then, no sense in speaking while in a fight). I think that one thing could be improved on though; although having in-depth personality analysis would be really out of character in this fic, it would be good to know what people are thinking once in a while. It would help us understand the characters’ motives and feelings more.
-Spelling and Grammar (8.5/10 points): No spelling mistakes spotted, but with grammar, remember to end a speech quote with a punctuation mark, like “The first step is acceptance, Zedrelthus,” Landon spoke to him.
-Characters (9/15 points): Zedrelthus is clearly established as an almost-antagonist, not-so-nice, calculating character, but there is more than one side to his personality; he feels a strong sense of responsibility, and cares for the lives under his duty. Raia represents the milder woman, who takes care of an orphan child. Some other characters are not so distinguished though. This is where the lack of detail in characters’ thoughts gets annoying. For instance, Ghet deserves a more in-depth personality (although I suppose it would be a bit pointless) and so does Landon. Also, perhaps having more detailed description on the emotions and motives of characters would assist us in relating to them. It would have been good to make Dett’s hatred more realistic, for example.
-Settings (12/15 points): Very detailed setting indeed. The different countries’ inhabitants are well-explained and most are easily distinguishable, such as the Noiretteans and the peaceful people of Zelwig. I dislike his father’s long speech on the countries though, perhaps it would have been better to bring the details of the setting up when needed, or when a new place is reached. As for physical setting, the arena is the only vivid image that comes to mind, and it was good that you achieved the atmosphere without using too much description. In the rest of the fic, I think that the description of people and places should be more balanced, for example the forts and houses could have had more detailed description. It would probably be a good idea to fit those in with the country’s personality too.
-Overall Appreciation (7.5/10 points): Although breaking up the analysis of the fic into categories reveals some flaws, they do not show in the fic. The factors work well together, especially the description and the setting. Personally, I think this fic would make a good movie.
Final Result: 73/100 = 73%.
Closing advice: You’ve set up a pretty good fic, keep up the good work with the description. As mentioned before, slipping some small details about the way the characters think will make an improvement. Watch the grammar too, it’s not hard to improve on that. Overall, nicely done.
Interview with the Author (Interviewer Darien Shields)
Question 1:
Your Fic, Zedrelthus, Original Fantasy, has been on the trot for over two years now, with less than a page worth of replies, have you ever felt bitter about this?
Quite bitter, actually-- I'd like to believe I have quite a few closet readers that just don't want to reply. Regardless, I keep on writing. I don't blame the people for not replying-- I just think it's a bad spot for a fantasy fic. Here, you have tons of readers that don't want to venture into lands unknown-- they want their pokemon, and such and such, and well-- when something a bit more original comes along it frightens them. Either that, or fantasy just isn't a popular genre for reading anymore.
Question 2:
Why do you believe that you have so few readers?
If I could get inside the typical reader's head then I would know, but I can't for obvious reasons. So, it could be because of the occasional grammar or spelling error-- it could be because they just don't flow with my writing style. The most likely thing is just the target audience isn't ready for fantasy, and is more geared towards pokemon.
Question 3:
It seems evident that your readers aren't your inspiration, so what is it that causes you to 'keep at it'?
Well, if you haven't noticed I've been writing slower lately because of lack of readers-- so a few readers would, of course, drive me to write more. I write for myself-- I don't write for readers. If I were ever asked to write a biography of myself, it'd be set in some far away world and would be entirely false because my life is too typical, too boring. I love fantasy because there's such a setting to it-- you have so much information that only YOU, the writer knows and that the reader will never have to know. I just create worlds, it's like playing God, I suppose, and I like it.
Question 4:
You opened Zedrelthus with a contest, to create characters for inclusion, an innovative idea, but did it work? Did you get much response?
Well, I had a few people that were quite intrigued originally-- but as of now, I have no submissions. So here is where I plea-- you want your character to be in a fantasy story, maybe even become a main character? Submit away, I love input from my readers. So-- I thought it was a nice idea, it was sort of a grab for readers, but as of now it's basically failed and blown up in my face.
Question 5:
Zedrelthus is one of the few fantasy (i.e. non-pokemon) pieces on the boards, how do you feel about this in general?
I like being unique, I hate falling into cliches and such-- even though fantasy in general is regarded as a huge cliche. Nearly every fantasy story starts out the same, and although mine starts out the same-- I promise it dramatically twists throughout the story to produce an ending that not even a psychic could predict.
Even though there is a growth in non-pokemon fictions lately, they have came about much after Zedrelthus began (nearly two years ago), and none of them are quite as long as Zedrelthus so far. As of now, Zedrelthus consists of 65 pages on word perfect-- and I'm probably about one sixth through the story.
Question 6:
Do you bear any resentment for the pokemon fic genre? That is, did you choose to write this fantasy fic to scourn pokemon, on some level?
I don't particularily like how writers that are much worse than myself (not to sound arrogant or conceited) get a lot more replies than myself because what they wrote was pokemon. I don't bear much resentment to pokemon fics, but yeah, like any fantasy writer on a pokemon board-- it's there, just very minimal.
Question 7:
What's next for you? Are you going to stick it out with Zedrelthus despite (current) unpopularity, or start a new fic (possibly to run at the same time.) If so, have you considered writing in Pokemon or Fantasy?
Not. Touching. Pokemon. End of story. I'm, of course, continuing with Zedrelthus but I'm bringing out very soon a superhero story entitled 'Atlas' as a side-story to run alongside Zedrelthus. It's set in Toronto, in Canada-- and features a HUGE cast of villains that are all unique. A Scottish Highlander, a Hobo wielding a stick, a man in a metal machine, a trained assasin from Germany, and a grim-reaper style Sandman-- all of these characters and more.
I'm very, very working on character development in this one, as I feel that if you've got great characters, other things are looked aside. I'm also planning to work on dialogue (which was lacking quality in Zedrelthus), but yes, I will still have the awesome action sequences that are infamous to Zedrelthus. So-- look in early September for Atlas-- the story of a Slavic immigrant and his quest to become known to mankind.
Question 8:
Have you ever considered publishing Zedrelthus, some day?
If I were ever approached with the opportunity, yes, I would definately snatch it up. It's basically been my dream ever since I was around ten and I started writing to be published. Now I'm fourteen, and I'll admit-- I'm still quite a ways away from that 'publishing quality,' but I'm working at it.
I don't necessarily aim to be published, it would just be an added bonus-- I write entirely for myself, to release ideas and create worlds. I'm like a spider at the keyboard-- I spin the webs that make time, and I connect past, present and future with single threads-- weaving together a near perfection that can only be compared to reality itself.
Question 9:
Is there anything you'd like to say to writers/readers?
Don't ever be discouraged if you aren't getting read, keep writing. The differance between a good writer and a bad writer isn't the amount of people that reply to his/her story-- it's who they write for. Do they write to please the readers, or do they write how they feel things should go. Remember, pleasing the readers may get you popularity-- but it's not always the best thing to do.
To readers: Get out there and read! Please-- writers like me are dying with no replies, and although we don't need replies to live, it's always an added bonus. Criticism too, don't just reply-- tell the writer what you liked and what you disliked-- writers LOVE feedback.
Well, that about wraps it up-- read, and keep writing! Oh, and don't forget to look for 'Atlas' in the upcoming September.
Adieu,
Zak Hunter
Pick Three
Brought to you by the letter X, the number 7 and: Zak Hunter
This is the second edition of the Pick Three column written by yours truly, and I would like to take the time opening this to express a strong feeling of reversed justification for the supposed ‘temporary loss’ of activity on the fanfic forum. I think it’s coming along great, the reviewing society is now in the Writer’s Lounge, so check that out, and along with this E-zine, hell, I think we’re going to be just fine activity-wise. Summer’s rolling around, and with really only one month until school starts again, fan fiction should be at a temporary prime—but, enough with this crap, let’s cut to the three lucky, randomly chosen stories of the month.
Jeremy Sinai: Ion Adventures is the first one we’re taking a look at, and it’s by Papa Smurf. It’s a trainer-fic, and I don’t really have many good experiences with trainer-fics to date, so I went in not expecting much. It tells the story of Jeremy Sinai, a boy who dreams of pokemon, wakes up late from the dream, arrives late at the professors laboratory, and, well—you basically get the drift of things. Well, even though Jeremy Sinai is late to the lab, he is still the first one there—so apparently timing isn’t priority in a trainer’s eyes.
Jeremy is gifted with a Nidoran, his friend Ashley with a Sandshrew, and his rival Kevin obtained a Luvdisc. Our hero, Jeremy, defeats his rival in a little match and Kevin hands him over twenty dollars for the victory. After this, it is found out that Nidoran does not like pokeballs, so he walks freely beside Jeremy. This is where all that has been written so far ends.
Severe disappointment—because although I expected not much from a trainer fic, I figured it wouldn’t be as cliché as it was. Replace Jeremy Sinai with Ash, Nidoran with Pikachu, Kevin with Gary, and Luvdisc with a random pokemon of mass destruction, and hell, you’ve got the anime. Along with the obvious cliché-factor, it was coupled with tense errors and such. So, it’s tough to say it, but not much potential here.
Pokemon: Dark Shadows by FusionSonicX gets our next lucky pick. It was very short, but left a strong impression. It starts with a man named Neo staring at a beautiful girl, and then disobeying his superior and being attacked by him and two others. The prologue ends with the same beautiful girl crying as she sees Neo go down.
Somewhat powerful, although it wasn’t explained why Neo decided to defend this particular girl. It does appear, though, that they wanted to experiment on this girl—and that Neo, having already been experimented on, does not want her to go through these horrors. All in all, well written—but short.
Snorlax19 writes our last choice for this month’s Pick Three column, and it is called Mystic Thief. Snorlax19 tells the story of a thief so far only known as Oriontho, a fake name he gives to a bunch of pirates that end up slaving him. He starts off stealing a loaf of bread—and is nearly put to the gallows when his father, a wizard, saves him. After this, Oriontho leaves home and is promptly captured by pirates who put him through slavery. Oriontho is then sold to an arena that put him through a challenge where he has to kill other slaves—and he does, finding out in the process that he is a magician. From here, the story kicks off—and will continue to excite and take readers on a wild ride.
I enjoyed this story quite a lot, it is a re-post, and I have read what part was posted beforehand, but regardless, re-reading the beginning is good, again. It has been re-written, and although it is filled with the occasional spelling or grammatical error, it has been edited to a near perfection. Go read it, in fact—why don’t you stop reading this and make Mystic Thief a priority.
Well—those are the lucky three this month, and this is your Pick Three writer signing out—check out next month for three more randomly chosen lucky writers, and their three randomly chosen lucky stories. For now, keep reading, keep writing, become immersed in this world we call fan fiction.
Adieu,
Zak Hunter
August Contest: The Hosted FFFEz Chain Fic Foundation Competition
Still got problems with this, I've just about gathered a team of stalwart judges, yet the subject of the fic is still up in the air- a Trainer Fic seems the sort of thing to do, but at the same time clichè. So, I don't know a trainer fic set in the future? Hahah, maybe, maybenot.
August Preview: “i, Monster” By Darien Shields
2056
Kerry Acosta strode smugly through the forest smugly, Morgan Bray following cautiously. Morgan's shoulders were hunched close together, and she hung her head low, her brow furrowed with worry. She looked anxiously at her surroundings as she meekly followed her companion.
They were in the artificial Meiji forest, a few miles south of Nagoya. Unlike the Viridian, Ecruteak or other forests in the Chita region which had survived the wars and ravages of time, to become preserved for their historical and cultural value, the Meiji forest was planted at great expense by the government to be a pokemon reserve. It took almost a decade, but the forest had finally come to flourish on its own, and the pokemon that had been introduced to populate it had become so abundant that the government considered it acceptable for trainers to battle and capture pokemon in it.
Originally it was almost entirely composed of pine trees, as they were the fastest to grow, and most readily available than any other, but over the years they'd introduced Oaks, Silver Birches and Elms as saplings and they had become interwoven into the wood. Underfoot thick moss made up the forest carpet, between the long and tall shoots of grass that shot up to waist height.
Morgan looked with despair at her socks, now soaked by the damp moss and dew soaked grass. Her sheltered upbringing in a wealthy family favoured in-door training, and she had rarely ventured outside. As a consequence, she had no idea how to dress sensibly, and wore a heavy skirt, which now rubbed against her legs with the added weight of water, giving her an itch, a white shirt and brown cardigan. The latter would have been bone dry, granted they were above the grass, were they not drenched in sweat. Already Morgan had unbuttoned her cardigan, (prudence stopped her from undoing a singly button on her shirt), yet still she found her hair matted with sweat, and her eyes stung with the salty fluid.
Kerry, who preferred to train in the open air, was prepared, and wore a sporty red tracksuit that kept her cool and dry despite the humid atmosphere. Pushing through the grass she looked like Morgan's polar opposite, bold, blond and vigorous, while the bookish Morgan fretted, trying to wring her black hair and remove some of the sweat. It was a surprise that these two girls were friends at all, but since Pokemon Trainers were few and far between, they found this common interest to keep them together. Furthermore, the sport was male dominated, and Kerry was determined to make her mark as a female trainer (and if she couldn't, she wanted to make sure another female trainer would.)
“I don't know Ker'...” Morgan mumbled, “Trained pokemon are stronger, so better to battle against.” she argued logically.
“But you can't catch trained pokemon, Morgue.” Kerry grinned. She had coined this nickname for her friend after learning of her occult interests, and kinship for Ghost Pokmone.
“Your license only holds 30.” Morgan slated.
“And I only have 12.” her friend retorted.
“But...” Morgan knew fine well how many pokemon her partner had, she had seen each one, and seen most of them being caught. Morgan felt that with a limit of 30 (or even her own limit of 50) each pokemon must be picked carefully, with much forethought and consideration, so as not to waste a slot.
“'Sides, I could always get dad to pay for me to get an expanded license...” Kerry added, “...if I can stand begging that old wind-bag... Or boot the newbie, if they don't make the cut.”
“You've already released two pokemon!” Morgan complained further. After trainers started releasing their pokemon into the wild èn masse o make room on their license, the government had put strict limitations on releasing pokemon, allowing trainers only five releases a year. Otherwise the habitats became populated with pokemon from far off regions, who didn't fit in, or often, muscled out the pokemon who lived there already.
“Well I'll just make sure to catch a really good pokemon then, shall I?” Kerry laughed, putting an end to the argument. Morgan found herself unable to come up with a response, although she still felt that the argument was unresolved.
“Eep!” Morgan yelped, hopping forward and grabbing Kerry around the waist. Kerry, who was crouching over to look through the grass, shot up and twisted around within her partners grasp.
“Eh?!” Kerry grunted. In response Morgan pointed shakily, releasing her bear-hug, but leaving one arm firmly locked on Kerry's waist to secure herself. She pointed at a black form in the undergrowth, crouched a few metres away from them.
“What is it?” Kerry hissed.
“Don't you know?!” Morgan squealed loudly, fear obviously stopping her from controlling her voice.
“Shhh!” Kerry elbowed Morgan sharply in the guy to silence her.
“It's a Nidohorn.” Morgan wheezed.
Kerry wasn't unfamiliar with the pokemon, and odd crossbreed of the Nido family and Ryhorn, but she could barely make out the dark silhouette lurking in the shadows. The pokemon was famously ferocious, it had the territorial attitude of their fathers, Nidos, but with the rock hard hide of its mother, Rhydon. Its spinning rock horns were unbreakable, and secreted a poison that petrified the blood vessels.
“Excellent, I'll catch it!” Kerry declared.
“Bu...” Morgan protested from over her shoulder.
“It's certainly strong enough.” she pointed out.
“But maybe... too strong?” Morgan asked.
“My team can take 'im!” Kerry answered, and hurled forth a pokeball.
The tiny silver-crimson sphere hit the ground and exploded. Moments before the Nidohorn had lept sideways, and now ran past the explosion of light, towards the two girls. Morgan screamed again and chucked a pokeball of her own at the pokemon. It bounced off of its hard skull, and it continued on, un-phased, until a pokemon started to materialise in front of it. The charging pokemon screeched to a halt.
By now the pokemon behind it had emerged, and was ready to battle. “Scyther!” it stated its name proudly, and spun around, slamming the rock type with his wings, sending him careering into the bushes, and away from Scyther's trainer. Beside it now stood a Kirlia, Morgan's pokemon, who stared after the Nidohorn, anxiously awaking its next move.
“I've got it, my and Scyther can handle 'im.” Kerry growled, protectively, breaking free of Morgan's arm, which had still been locked onto her waist.
“Handle him all you want, I just don't want to get clobbered!” Morgan pleaded.
Nidohorn lept forward towards Kirlia and bounced off an invisible wall. Before it hit the ground a gust of wind intertwined with silver ribbons that sent it careering back into the bushes where it landed with a thud. Undeterred, the rocky pokemon roared and came bounding out.
“On second thoughts, maybe I could use some help.” Kerry confessed.
Nidohorn's spinning horn plowed through the ground as Scyther dodged sideways. The bug lashed out with his razor sharp arms, but the blows left little more than scratches on the Nidohorn's back. Nidohorn spun round with rage in its eyes, and lunged at Scyther. Scyther twisted round to avoid the spinning rock-blade, but was glanced by his foes jagged ears, and the force spun him away. As Nidohorn prepared to ram once more, it found itself unable to move, the long shoots of grass around it had become bindings, tying its feet and neck close to the ground. Kirlia, whose Secret Powers had bound the Nidohorn, nodded to Scyther. Now the bug flew forward and landed blow after blow on the rock type, carefully avoiding the grass bindings. The rock type wailed in protest, and bucked his head, forcing Scyther to fall backwards. With a burst of strength the Nidohorn lept free of the grass shackles, and brought its feet crashing down on Scyther.
“Scyther, Wing Attack!” Kerry yelled.
Morgan, though her eyes dead set on the battle, was suddenly distracted. A chill ran down her back, causing all the hairs on her neck to stand up straight. The image in front of her blurred, and the sounds of battle dropped into the background. She felt quite sure something was behind her. She could not see it (as she was facing the opposite direction), but she heard, above the sound of the battle, very heavy breathing behind her. It rasped and wheezed, and she could feel the cold pattern of breaths chilling her neck. It was as if some lurid figure was right over her shoulder. Terror surged through her body in waves, flowing forward, ebbing back, lurching through her. Her teeth chattered and her hands shook as she stood stock still, she could feel not only the thing's breath, but its presence, rolling over her. She shut her eyes tight, and quivered violently.
“What the?!” Kerry exclaimed, “What's wrong keep fi-” she stopped abruptly.
The three pokemon had also stopped dead. Scyther stood with his blades poised to strike in front of the Nidohorn, whose head was bowed, ready to drill through his foe, and Kirlia sat with her head bowed. Slowly but surely each pokemon turned to face the girls, their eyes dim, and soulless.
Kerry looked with terror at Morgan, who had fallen to her knees, whimpering pathetically. The fear was tearing through Kerry now, saturating her, until every last digit was in horror. She tried to run, but her legs failed her, and she fell face first into the ground. She screamed, to no avail, and screamed again, wishing that the forest was populated by more than rogue pokemon.
“No!”
Next Month!
Zak Hunter's already bagged next month's preview spot (sorry folks), but I think that we'll finally get the chain fic competition started. UA Spotlight and regular Spotlight are up for grabs.
Credits
The Fan Fic Reviewer Organisation (http://www.pokemasters.net/forums/showthread.php?t=29859&page=1&pp=15), for providing us with the Reviews.
Zak Hunter, Column Writer: Pick 3
Darien Shields, Editor, Interviewer
Gavin Luper, although he may not know it (wrote the review on TEL)
Order of Articles and staff was decided on the order of their work submission. Anyone who had signed up to do work, I'll put you on the Staff when you publish something
Still here, and still late. Sorry again. We've got some good stuff this month, a preview of my upcoming fic, “i Monster”, which as you may guess takes inspiration from the Asimov book-come movie. Sorry to hog this particular preview, but as always, I put things off, so the more I could do without contacting others, the better. As for next month's spot, I already promised it to Zak Hunter aka Tainted aka Skullfire, (who has a new upcoming fic), as another reward for his running column. I'm considering a few things, like revising the FFFEz into the FFM, Fan Forum Monthly, which would be a 'Zine for both the Fan Forums. I'm waiting for Iveechan to give me heads up on that though, so don't hold your breaths.
P.S.: I borrowed Gavin Luper's review, without permission, but I'm fully creditting him. I think the FFRO did agree to let us use reviews, but I'm still not quite sure. Terribley sorry if I offended you Gav', and I'll take it down if you don't want it used.
Contents:
August Spotlight: The Emerald League by Captain Pringle
August Under Appreciated Spotlight: Zedrelthus by Zak Hunter
Pick 3 By Zak Hunter
August Contest: Urk.
Fan Fic Preview: i Monster
Next Month!
August Spotlight: The Emerald League
By Captain Pringle
Perhaps the most acclaimed fic on TPM, The Emerald League goes back several years, and several boards (resulting in several reposts.) Perhaps it could be called a typical trainer fic, but the excellent writing style defines it as the template for all trainer fics.
Review (Reviewer Gavin Luper)
Plot (15/20 points): The Emerald League was one of those trainer fics – but it was the very first trainer fic I read that had a more interesting plot. Trainer fics are always at a disadvantage with Plot and Plot Originality, but TEL really is a cut above the rest. The first chapter quickly captivates us – Bryce is on a boat, heading to the new land, which is the setting of the Emerald League. Almost at once, a whirlpool hits the boat, causing a spectacular array of pokemon attacks used to counteract it. The interesting, though by no means complex plot continues, with Captain Pringle turning a trainer fic into a really excellent narrative. The reader follows Bryce Westfahl as he goes deeper into the new land, finding new pokemon and capturing them, and searching deep in forests and other places for obscure gyms. Another plus for the plot is that it is so realistic, so that we can imagine this story actually happening. On the whole, The Emerald League is really quite a world away from the likes of the anime, which is an excellent attribute for any fiction.
Plot Originality (6.5/10 points): Despite the fact that Bryce is a trainer, heading for the Emerald League, something about the way TEL is written makes it feel a lot more original than perhaps it is. We see Bryce as a traveller just as much as he is a trainer. Maybe because Emerald Island is such a new, unknown place, and nobody really knows what direction the story is going to take next, the plot seems quite original. Despite all this, though, The Emerald League is still a trainer fic, with pokemon and gyms and new places, but somehow it manages to avoid all the pitfalls and plot traps of the average trainer fic.
Writing Style (18.5/20 points): This has always been the strongest point of the fic. The writing style is superb; quite unrivalled on this forum, in my opinion. The first person narrative gives us an excellent insight into Bryce’s thoughts and feelings during the battles, as well as the general day-to-day activities, though, whether intentionally or not, CP has never delved too far into Bryce’s mind, so that it never feels like a psychological analysis. Rather, we feel as though we have known Bryce for years. Just as expertly, CP manages to write in first person without impairing description of battles or the settings. What else can I say? Pure brilliance.
Spelling and Grammar (9.5/10 points): I can’t say I’ve noticed many errors in either of these; definitely no visible spelling errors. However, some sentence structures could be improved, I suppose, which counts against the grammar slightly. But honestly, this is near perfect.
Characters (13/15 points): CP has created excellent characters, without making any of their personalities too glaringly obvious. Bryce is the average joe really, he has a realistic sense of humour and is clearly imaginable as a human being. His Dad, too, is quite clearly defined. As for the other characters, such as the pokemon Bryce trains, as well as gym leaders and trainers that appear later on in the story, they somehow feel real, despite their only brief appearances. Most seem to have a good sense of humour and an amiable presence, much like Bryce himself. The extra bits, like Chikorita and Shellder’s love for marshmallow, is a great touch. Overall, very good character development.
Settings (13/15 points): Emerald Island is a unique setting, one that CP created from scratch, which is always a positive. Each of the gyms, also, has a unique setting and atmosphere. One of the main traits of CP’s writing when referring to the settings is that he doesn’t go into detail about the surrounds and clog the fic with setting description – he mentions it and allows the reader to picture everything in their head, which makes it all the more fun to read. If only I could do that … anyway, excellent settings.
Overall Apreciation (9.5/10 points): All the factors of this fic mesh together very nicely to produce a great fic, something that is very much a pleasure to read. It’s easy to read, interesting, fun, and engrossing. My complements to the author!
Final Result: 85/100 = 85%.
Closing advice: There is very little to be improved on in The Emerald League. My only real suggestion would be to insert more subplots in the sidelines every now and then, however if you take that advice, treat it with caution. With most fics, I’d encourage more plot development, but with TEL, well, it doesn’t seem to need it; it’s not a story that relies heavily on plot twists and so on. Too much plot would probably clog the fic, but a little more shouldn’t hurt. My only other piece of advice: post the next chapter SOON! This result is an excellent one, CP, though that goes without saying. The Emerald League is easily one of the all-time greatest fics on TPM, and that’s definitely not an overstatement. Well done!
Interview with the Author (Interviewer Darien Shields)
Question 1:
The Emerald League is one of TPM's biggest Trainer Hits to date, what in your opinion, made it so popular?
Captain Pringle: Well, if I remember correctly, trainer fics were pretty popular back when I started TEL (way back in June 2001), so I'm sure that's a big part of it. The other big thing that helped TEL get a ton of readers really fast was that my other two fics, Michael's Pokemon Journey (my first complete fic, another trainer fic) and The Adventures of Firewood Kethcup and His Friends Cloudy and Sock (my still-incomplete comedy fic) were both extremely popular. I had a big fanbase, so when I started TEL I didn't have to waste time slowly building readership; it was already there.
Question 2:
What are your feelings regarding this popularity? Is it "about time", or are you still a bit daunted by it all, "I'm not worhy" sort of thing?
Captain Pringle: Oh, I'm definitely not worthy. Some fics just make it big like that for some reason, so I just count myself fortunate. I mean, I guess I'll take a little credit for coming up with a unique twist on the standard trainer fic, but I think anybody could've done that. Of course, I don't mind the fic being popular. ^_^ That's just more feedback for me, and I'm always trying to improve as a writer, so it works out very nicely.
Question 3:
TEL probably holds one more special record- most popular and longest running fic that is still pending completion. What reasons have you for this grind to a hault, as the fic reaches conclusion?
Captain Pringle: The main reason is that I'm not into pokemon anymore. *everyone gasps* Yeah, that's right. :p And as time has gone on, I've only gotten more and more out of touch with the feel of the whole thing. I mean, I still think it's a cool idea, but it's just been overdone to death for me. And the fact that I'm in the middle of writing the Pokemon League chapters which (due to lazy story planning on my part) are little more than back-to-back battles... well, that doesn't help. Also, I'm in college now, so that obviously cuts back on my writing time.
Question 4:
Are you going to 'see it through', and finish TEL? Considering your current pace, its obviously not easy, what is your inspiration to carry on, rather than dump it?
Captain Pringle: Well, the crazy thing is over 80,000 words already. ^_^ So, I mean, that's a lot of my inspiration. Who wants to write this big cool story, and then leave it hanging at the very very end? I just like to finish what I start. :) Besides, there's only one or two chapters left to write.
Question 5:
Do you see a future for yourself as a writer here on TPM after the completion of TEL?
Captain Pringle: Yeah. I dunno if you guys will want me around if I keep up these 6 to 12 month waits between chapters though. ^_^; Nah, I'll try to stop that if I start a new story. No more pokemon though, no way. I'll probably do a fantasy fic next... if not that, then a spy fic.
Question 6:
What is your favourite aspect of TEL, the part that you feel best shows off your talent for writing?
Captain Pringle: I guess I'd say the description of the battles. It's by far the most common compliment I get regarding TEL. One of the things I enjoy most about writing my trainer fics is that I get to take these pokemon into whatever dynamic 3D environments I want, and then directly involve those environments in the battle. I've had floating platforms, a waterfall cliffside, a bed of charcoal... whatever I feel like. It's fun! And one thing I constantly catch myself doing while writing battles is, well, basically blowing up the field (or deforming it in some other way), and then having one of the trainers use that change in the field to their advantage. I think one of the more interesting examples of this is found in Chapter 39 (the most recent chapter) of TEL, despite my lack of writing practice as of late.
Question 7:
Which aspect (if any) is the opposite, the part of the fic which you are not proud of, and would rather for get, given half a chance?
Captain Pringle: Personally, I'd say the character development, both for Bryce and his pokemon. The pokemon started out with a healthy dose of personality, but as they got stronger and the story went on, it kind of disappeared. Bryce's character might not be quite so bad off, simply because the story is written in first person, which gives the reader a lot of insight into the way Bryce thinks. But still, I'm not really satisfied with it, and I've already vowed to make character development & interaction my main focus when writing my next fic, to improve that aspect of my writing.
Question 8:
Obviously as Fan Fic writers we don't expect our work to ever get published, but has the thought ever entered your mind? Have you ever wondered how much you'd get? I'm certain that stories of a lower calibur were published in the fad ages of pokemon (I own copies of several.)
Captain Pringle: Yeah, the thought has passed through my mind, though I've never dwelled on the idea too much. I am going to start writing original fiction after TEL and TAoFKaHFCaS are done, though, so perhaps the possibility will always be there in the very very very very back of my mind. I doubt I'll seriously try to get something published, but I have to admit, it would be very cool.
Question 9:
Is there anything you'd like to say to writers/readers?
Well, to whoever came up with these questions, good job. They're good questions. ^_^ Um, let's see... I never know what to say for these open-ended advice-to-others type questions. :p I guess, one thing... readers are just as important as writers are to a good healthy writing community. I'm pretty bad about getting around to reading other peoples' stuff, but I'm glad this place does seem to have a lot of people who are willing to give their time to read fics and reply with helpful advice. And to writers, though it's been said way too many times, be open to advice from your readers. They can see your story a lot more objectively than you can. =) Looking back on MY fics and the advice I've received, I've found that the readers' advice has been pretty right-on, even if I didn't think so at the time. :)
August Under Appreciated Spotlight: Zedrelthus By Zak Hunter
Or very own Zak Hunter (author of the Pick Three Column) is Zedrelthus's author. For a few years now Zedrelthus has been building up, brushed asside by readers as a none-pokemon fic. But we here (rather, me here) at the E-zine decided that it deserved a little more recognition, so hopefully this spotlight will get it on the right track. Too bad there's no review yet...
Review
by Mistysakura
-Plot (14/20 points): A thief’s ordinary life – until a talking kitten, a journey, a war and strange lands come into the picture. Sooz the talking kitten leads Zedrelthus on a journey with an unknown destination. There are some unrevealed mysteries that keep the reader waiting; such is the mystery surrounding the opponent Xhell, and the identity of Evalyn. However, most of this fic’s captivation does not lie in its plot, but in its descriptions of battle and action.
-Plot Originality (7/10 points): A man, a mission, a destiny to be fulfilled, a mysterious talking kitten… where have I heard this before? (Besides the talking kitten bit, I mean.) However, besides the basic plot, this fic does not lack originality. There are many new lands, their atmospheres described in minute detail; there are original details such as the identity of the kitten and its rival; and there are even twists on characters’ personalities. Let’s just say that I definitely didn’t see Chapter VII’s twist coming. I reckon a major twist would liven things up though.
-Writing Style (15/20 points): The description in this fic is very detailed, especially in the combat scenes. It allows us to picture everything that is going on, although a bit jumbled sometimes. The sorcery practice is also memorable. There is quality description of each character, giving a snapshot of the character as well as the usual physical description; the bump on Elexus’ nose illustrating his combat injuries is a good example. There is also a good balance between dialogue and action (although they each seem to come in huge chunks; but then, no sense in speaking while in a fight). I think that one thing could be improved on though; although having in-depth personality analysis would be really out of character in this fic, it would be good to know what people are thinking once in a while. It would help us understand the characters’ motives and feelings more.
-Spelling and Grammar (8.5/10 points): No spelling mistakes spotted, but with grammar, remember to end a speech quote with a punctuation mark, like “The first step is acceptance, Zedrelthus,” Landon spoke to him.
-Characters (9/15 points): Zedrelthus is clearly established as an almost-antagonist, not-so-nice, calculating character, but there is more than one side to his personality; he feels a strong sense of responsibility, and cares for the lives under his duty. Raia represents the milder woman, who takes care of an orphan child. Some other characters are not so distinguished though. This is where the lack of detail in characters’ thoughts gets annoying. For instance, Ghet deserves a more in-depth personality (although I suppose it would be a bit pointless) and so does Landon. Also, perhaps having more detailed description on the emotions and motives of characters would assist us in relating to them. It would have been good to make Dett’s hatred more realistic, for example.
-Settings (12/15 points): Very detailed setting indeed. The different countries’ inhabitants are well-explained and most are easily distinguishable, such as the Noiretteans and the peaceful people of Zelwig. I dislike his father’s long speech on the countries though, perhaps it would have been better to bring the details of the setting up when needed, or when a new place is reached. As for physical setting, the arena is the only vivid image that comes to mind, and it was good that you achieved the atmosphere without using too much description. In the rest of the fic, I think that the description of people and places should be more balanced, for example the forts and houses could have had more detailed description. It would probably be a good idea to fit those in with the country’s personality too.
-Overall Appreciation (7.5/10 points): Although breaking up the analysis of the fic into categories reveals some flaws, they do not show in the fic. The factors work well together, especially the description and the setting. Personally, I think this fic would make a good movie.
Final Result: 73/100 = 73%.
Closing advice: You’ve set up a pretty good fic, keep up the good work with the description. As mentioned before, slipping some small details about the way the characters think will make an improvement. Watch the grammar too, it’s not hard to improve on that. Overall, nicely done.
Interview with the Author (Interviewer Darien Shields)
Question 1:
Your Fic, Zedrelthus, Original Fantasy, has been on the trot for over two years now, with less than a page worth of replies, have you ever felt bitter about this?
Quite bitter, actually-- I'd like to believe I have quite a few closet readers that just don't want to reply. Regardless, I keep on writing. I don't blame the people for not replying-- I just think it's a bad spot for a fantasy fic. Here, you have tons of readers that don't want to venture into lands unknown-- they want their pokemon, and such and such, and well-- when something a bit more original comes along it frightens them. Either that, or fantasy just isn't a popular genre for reading anymore.
Question 2:
Why do you believe that you have so few readers?
If I could get inside the typical reader's head then I would know, but I can't for obvious reasons. So, it could be because of the occasional grammar or spelling error-- it could be because they just don't flow with my writing style. The most likely thing is just the target audience isn't ready for fantasy, and is more geared towards pokemon.
Question 3:
It seems evident that your readers aren't your inspiration, so what is it that causes you to 'keep at it'?
Well, if you haven't noticed I've been writing slower lately because of lack of readers-- so a few readers would, of course, drive me to write more. I write for myself-- I don't write for readers. If I were ever asked to write a biography of myself, it'd be set in some far away world and would be entirely false because my life is too typical, too boring. I love fantasy because there's such a setting to it-- you have so much information that only YOU, the writer knows and that the reader will never have to know. I just create worlds, it's like playing God, I suppose, and I like it.
Question 4:
You opened Zedrelthus with a contest, to create characters for inclusion, an innovative idea, but did it work? Did you get much response?
Well, I had a few people that were quite intrigued originally-- but as of now, I have no submissions. So here is where I plea-- you want your character to be in a fantasy story, maybe even become a main character? Submit away, I love input from my readers. So-- I thought it was a nice idea, it was sort of a grab for readers, but as of now it's basically failed and blown up in my face.
Question 5:
Zedrelthus is one of the few fantasy (i.e. non-pokemon) pieces on the boards, how do you feel about this in general?
I like being unique, I hate falling into cliches and such-- even though fantasy in general is regarded as a huge cliche. Nearly every fantasy story starts out the same, and although mine starts out the same-- I promise it dramatically twists throughout the story to produce an ending that not even a psychic could predict.
Even though there is a growth in non-pokemon fictions lately, they have came about much after Zedrelthus began (nearly two years ago), and none of them are quite as long as Zedrelthus so far. As of now, Zedrelthus consists of 65 pages on word perfect-- and I'm probably about one sixth through the story.
Question 6:
Do you bear any resentment for the pokemon fic genre? That is, did you choose to write this fantasy fic to scourn pokemon, on some level?
I don't particularily like how writers that are much worse than myself (not to sound arrogant or conceited) get a lot more replies than myself because what they wrote was pokemon. I don't bear much resentment to pokemon fics, but yeah, like any fantasy writer on a pokemon board-- it's there, just very minimal.
Question 7:
What's next for you? Are you going to stick it out with Zedrelthus despite (current) unpopularity, or start a new fic (possibly to run at the same time.) If so, have you considered writing in Pokemon or Fantasy?
Not. Touching. Pokemon. End of story. I'm, of course, continuing with Zedrelthus but I'm bringing out very soon a superhero story entitled 'Atlas' as a side-story to run alongside Zedrelthus. It's set in Toronto, in Canada-- and features a HUGE cast of villains that are all unique. A Scottish Highlander, a Hobo wielding a stick, a man in a metal machine, a trained assasin from Germany, and a grim-reaper style Sandman-- all of these characters and more.
I'm very, very working on character development in this one, as I feel that if you've got great characters, other things are looked aside. I'm also planning to work on dialogue (which was lacking quality in Zedrelthus), but yes, I will still have the awesome action sequences that are infamous to Zedrelthus. So-- look in early September for Atlas-- the story of a Slavic immigrant and his quest to become known to mankind.
Question 8:
Have you ever considered publishing Zedrelthus, some day?
If I were ever approached with the opportunity, yes, I would definately snatch it up. It's basically been my dream ever since I was around ten and I started writing to be published. Now I'm fourteen, and I'll admit-- I'm still quite a ways away from that 'publishing quality,' but I'm working at it.
I don't necessarily aim to be published, it would just be an added bonus-- I write entirely for myself, to release ideas and create worlds. I'm like a spider at the keyboard-- I spin the webs that make time, and I connect past, present and future with single threads-- weaving together a near perfection that can only be compared to reality itself.
Question 9:
Is there anything you'd like to say to writers/readers?
Don't ever be discouraged if you aren't getting read, keep writing. The differance between a good writer and a bad writer isn't the amount of people that reply to his/her story-- it's who they write for. Do they write to please the readers, or do they write how they feel things should go. Remember, pleasing the readers may get you popularity-- but it's not always the best thing to do.
To readers: Get out there and read! Please-- writers like me are dying with no replies, and although we don't need replies to live, it's always an added bonus. Criticism too, don't just reply-- tell the writer what you liked and what you disliked-- writers LOVE feedback.
Well, that about wraps it up-- read, and keep writing! Oh, and don't forget to look for 'Atlas' in the upcoming September.
Adieu,
Zak Hunter
Pick Three
Brought to you by the letter X, the number 7 and: Zak Hunter
This is the second edition of the Pick Three column written by yours truly, and I would like to take the time opening this to express a strong feeling of reversed justification for the supposed ‘temporary loss’ of activity on the fanfic forum. I think it’s coming along great, the reviewing society is now in the Writer’s Lounge, so check that out, and along with this E-zine, hell, I think we’re going to be just fine activity-wise. Summer’s rolling around, and with really only one month until school starts again, fan fiction should be at a temporary prime—but, enough with this crap, let’s cut to the three lucky, randomly chosen stories of the month.
Jeremy Sinai: Ion Adventures is the first one we’re taking a look at, and it’s by Papa Smurf. It’s a trainer-fic, and I don’t really have many good experiences with trainer-fics to date, so I went in not expecting much. It tells the story of Jeremy Sinai, a boy who dreams of pokemon, wakes up late from the dream, arrives late at the professors laboratory, and, well—you basically get the drift of things. Well, even though Jeremy Sinai is late to the lab, he is still the first one there—so apparently timing isn’t priority in a trainer’s eyes.
Jeremy is gifted with a Nidoran, his friend Ashley with a Sandshrew, and his rival Kevin obtained a Luvdisc. Our hero, Jeremy, defeats his rival in a little match and Kevin hands him over twenty dollars for the victory. After this, it is found out that Nidoran does not like pokeballs, so he walks freely beside Jeremy. This is where all that has been written so far ends.
Severe disappointment—because although I expected not much from a trainer fic, I figured it wouldn’t be as cliché as it was. Replace Jeremy Sinai with Ash, Nidoran with Pikachu, Kevin with Gary, and Luvdisc with a random pokemon of mass destruction, and hell, you’ve got the anime. Along with the obvious cliché-factor, it was coupled with tense errors and such. So, it’s tough to say it, but not much potential here.
Pokemon: Dark Shadows by FusionSonicX gets our next lucky pick. It was very short, but left a strong impression. It starts with a man named Neo staring at a beautiful girl, and then disobeying his superior and being attacked by him and two others. The prologue ends with the same beautiful girl crying as she sees Neo go down.
Somewhat powerful, although it wasn’t explained why Neo decided to defend this particular girl. It does appear, though, that they wanted to experiment on this girl—and that Neo, having already been experimented on, does not want her to go through these horrors. All in all, well written—but short.
Snorlax19 writes our last choice for this month’s Pick Three column, and it is called Mystic Thief. Snorlax19 tells the story of a thief so far only known as Oriontho, a fake name he gives to a bunch of pirates that end up slaving him. He starts off stealing a loaf of bread—and is nearly put to the gallows when his father, a wizard, saves him. After this, Oriontho leaves home and is promptly captured by pirates who put him through slavery. Oriontho is then sold to an arena that put him through a challenge where he has to kill other slaves—and he does, finding out in the process that he is a magician. From here, the story kicks off—and will continue to excite and take readers on a wild ride.
I enjoyed this story quite a lot, it is a re-post, and I have read what part was posted beforehand, but regardless, re-reading the beginning is good, again. It has been re-written, and although it is filled with the occasional spelling or grammatical error, it has been edited to a near perfection. Go read it, in fact—why don’t you stop reading this and make Mystic Thief a priority.
Well—those are the lucky three this month, and this is your Pick Three writer signing out—check out next month for three more randomly chosen lucky writers, and their three randomly chosen lucky stories. For now, keep reading, keep writing, become immersed in this world we call fan fiction.
Adieu,
Zak Hunter
August Contest: The Hosted FFFEz Chain Fic Foundation Competition
Still got problems with this, I've just about gathered a team of stalwart judges, yet the subject of the fic is still up in the air- a Trainer Fic seems the sort of thing to do, but at the same time clichè. So, I don't know a trainer fic set in the future? Hahah, maybe, maybenot.
August Preview: “i, Monster” By Darien Shields
2056
Kerry Acosta strode smugly through the forest smugly, Morgan Bray following cautiously. Morgan's shoulders were hunched close together, and she hung her head low, her brow furrowed with worry. She looked anxiously at her surroundings as she meekly followed her companion.
They were in the artificial Meiji forest, a few miles south of Nagoya. Unlike the Viridian, Ecruteak or other forests in the Chita region which had survived the wars and ravages of time, to become preserved for their historical and cultural value, the Meiji forest was planted at great expense by the government to be a pokemon reserve. It took almost a decade, but the forest had finally come to flourish on its own, and the pokemon that had been introduced to populate it had become so abundant that the government considered it acceptable for trainers to battle and capture pokemon in it.
Originally it was almost entirely composed of pine trees, as they were the fastest to grow, and most readily available than any other, but over the years they'd introduced Oaks, Silver Birches and Elms as saplings and they had become interwoven into the wood. Underfoot thick moss made up the forest carpet, between the long and tall shoots of grass that shot up to waist height.
Morgan looked with despair at her socks, now soaked by the damp moss and dew soaked grass. Her sheltered upbringing in a wealthy family favoured in-door training, and she had rarely ventured outside. As a consequence, she had no idea how to dress sensibly, and wore a heavy skirt, which now rubbed against her legs with the added weight of water, giving her an itch, a white shirt and brown cardigan. The latter would have been bone dry, granted they were above the grass, were they not drenched in sweat. Already Morgan had unbuttoned her cardigan, (prudence stopped her from undoing a singly button on her shirt), yet still she found her hair matted with sweat, and her eyes stung with the salty fluid.
Kerry, who preferred to train in the open air, was prepared, and wore a sporty red tracksuit that kept her cool and dry despite the humid atmosphere. Pushing through the grass she looked like Morgan's polar opposite, bold, blond and vigorous, while the bookish Morgan fretted, trying to wring her black hair and remove some of the sweat. It was a surprise that these two girls were friends at all, but since Pokemon Trainers were few and far between, they found this common interest to keep them together. Furthermore, the sport was male dominated, and Kerry was determined to make her mark as a female trainer (and if she couldn't, she wanted to make sure another female trainer would.)
“I don't know Ker'...” Morgan mumbled, “Trained pokemon are stronger, so better to battle against.” she argued logically.
“But you can't catch trained pokemon, Morgue.” Kerry grinned. She had coined this nickname for her friend after learning of her occult interests, and kinship for Ghost Pokmone.
“Your license only holds 30.” Morgan slated.
“And I only have 12.” her friend retorted.
“But...” Morgan knew fine well how many pokemon her partner had, she had seen each one, and seen most of them being caught. Morgan felt that with a limit of 30 (or even her own limit of 50) each pokemon must be picked carefully, with much forethought and consideration, so as not to waste a slot.
“'Sides, I could always get dad to pay for me to get an expanded license...” Kerry added, “...if I can stand begging that old wind-bag... Or boot the newbie, if they don't make the cut.”
“You've already released two pokemon!” Morgan complained further. After trainers started releasing their pokemon into the wild èn masse o make room on their license, the government had put strict limitations on releasing pokemon, allowing trainers only five releases a year. Otherwise the habitats became populated with pokemon from far off regions, who didn't fit in, or often, muscled out the pokemon who lived there already.
“Well I'll just make sure to catch a really good pokemon then, shall I?” Kerry laughed, putting an end to the argument. Morgan found herself unable to come up with a response, although she still felt that the argument was unresolved.
“Eep!” Morgan yelped, hopping forward and grabbing Kerry around the waist. Kerry, who was crouching over to look through the grass, shot up and twisted around within her partners grasp.
“Eh?!” Kerry grunted. In response Morgan pointed shakily, releasing her bear-hug, but leaving one arm firmly locked on Kerry's waist to secure herself. She pointed at a black form in the undergrowth, crouched a few metres away from them.
“What is it?” Kerry hissed.
“Don't you know?!” Morgan squealed loudly, fear obviously stopping her from controlling her voice.
“Shhh!” Kerry elbowed Morgan sharply in the guy to silence her.
“It's a Nidohorn.” Morgan wheezed.
Kerry wasn't unfamiliar with the pokemon, and odd crossbreed of the Nido family and Ryhorn, but she could barely make out the dark silhouette lurking in the shadows. The pokemon was famously ferocious, it had the territorial attitude of their fathers, Nidos, but with the rock hard hide of its mother, Rhydon. Its spinning rock horns were unbreakable, and secreted a poison that petrified the blood vessels.
“Excellent, I'll catch it!” Kerry declared.
“Bu...” Morgan protested from over her shoulder.
“It's certainly strong enough.” she pointed out.
“But maybe... too strong?” Morgan asked.
“My team can take 'im!” Kerry answered, and hurled forth a pokeball.
The tiny silver-crimson sphere hit the ground and exploded. Moments before the Nidohorn had lept sideways, and now ran past the explosion of light, towards the two girls. Morgan screamed again and chucked a pokeball of her own at the pokemon. It bounced off of its hard skull, and it continued on, un-phased, until a pokemon started to materialise in front of it. The charging pokemon screeched to a halt.
By now the pokemon behind it had emerged, and was ready to battle. “Scyther!” it stated its name proudly, and spun around, slamming the rock type with his wings, sending him careering into the bushes, and away from Scyther's trainer. Beside it now stood a Kirlia, Morgan's pokemon, who stared after the Nidohorn, anxiously awaking its next move.
“I've got it, my and Scyther can handle 'im.” Kerry growled, protectively, breaking free of Morgan's arm, which had still been locked onto her waist.
“Handle him all you want, I just don't want to get clobbered!” Morgan pleaded.
Nidohorn lept forward towards Kirlia and bounced off an invisible wall. Before it hit the ground a gust of wind intertwined with silver ribbons that sent it careering back into the bushes where it landed with a thud. Undeterred, the rocky pokemon roared and came bounding out.
“On second thoughts, maybe I could use some help.” Kerry confessed.
Nidohorn's spinning horn plowed through the ground as Scyther dodged sideways. The bug lashed out with his razor sharp arms, but the blows left little more than scratches on the Nidohorn's back. Nidohorn spun round with rage in its eyes, and lunged at Scyther. Scyther twisted round to avoid the spinning rock-blade, but was glanced by his foes jagged ears, and the force spun him away. As Nidohorn prepared to ram once more, it found itself unable to move, the long shoots of grass around it had become bindings, tying its feet and neck close to the ground. Kirlia, whose Secret Powers had bound the Nidohorn, nodded to Scyther. Now the bug flew forward and landed blow after blow on the rock type, carefully avoiding the grass bindings. The rock type wailed in protest, and bucked his head, forcing Scyther to fall backwards. With a burst of strength the Nidohorn lept free of the grass shackles, and brought its feet crashing down on Scyther.
“Scyther, Wing Attack!” Kerry yelled.
Morgan, though her eyes dead set on the battle, was suddenly distracted. A chill ran down her back, causing all the hairs on her neck to stand up straight. The image in front of her blurred, and the sounds of battle dropped into the background. She felt quite sure something was behind her. She could not see it (as she was facing the opposite direction), but she heard, above the sound of the battle, very heavy breathing behind her. It rasped and wheezed, and she could feel the cold pattern of breaths chilling her neck. It was as if some lurid figure was right over her shoulder. Terror surged through her body in waves, flowing forward, ebbing back, lurching through her. Her teeth chattered and her hands shook as she stood stock still, she could feel not only the thing's breath, but its presence, rolling over her. She shut her eyes tight, and quivered violently.
“What the?!” Kerry exclaimed, “What's wrong keep fi-” she stopped abruptly.
The three pokemon had also stopped dead. Scyther stood with his blades poised to strike in front of the Nidohorn, whose head was bowed, ready to drill through his foe, and Kirlia sat with her head bowed. Slowly but surely each pokemon turned to face the girls, their eyes dim, and soulless.
Kerry looked with terror at Morgan, who had fallen to her knees, whimpering pathetically. The fear was tearing through Kerry now, saturating her, until every last digit was in horror. She tried to run, but her legs failed her, and she fell face first into the ground. She screamed, to no avail, and screamed again, wishing that the forest was populated by more than rogue pokemon.
“No!”
Next Month!
Zak Hunter's already bagged next month's preview spot (sorry folks), but I think that we'll finally get the chain fic competition started. UA Spotlight and regular Spotlight are up for grabs.
Credits
The Fan Fic Reviewer Organisation (http://www.pokemasters.net/forums/showthread.php?t=29859&page=1&pp=15), for providing us with the Reviews.
Zak Hunter, Column Writer: Pick 3
Darien Shields, Editor, Interviewer
Gavin Luper, although he may not know it (wrote the review on TEL)
Order of Articles and staff was decided on the order of their work submission. Anyone who had signed up to do work, I'll put you on the Staff when you publish something