rhodrymavelyne

One of the biggest sources of inspiration for my multi-part Shiki fanfiction (other than Shiki itself) was Lost Girl.

Bo was a succubus, a woman who fed, survived, and thrived on sex. At the same time, she shied from using sex for her own personal gain. She was in many ways a girl scout, the voice of morality in the world of the fae. She was an independent, innocent, and rookie individual in a new culture of customs and tradition. I started seeing a parallel between Bo and Yuuki Natsuno of Shiki in their independence. Both Bo and Natsuno stuck out in their particular communities, often arousing interest and desire, yet never quite fitting in. (I was also watching both series at the same time.) I thought about the reaction Shimizu Megumi had to Natsuno, the way she lurked outside his window, never leaving Natsuno alone or any he got close to. Megumi's behavior reminded of Ryan Lambert and others ‘touched’ by Bo, how they’d be filled with a stalker-like madness. I considered the possibility of Natsuno having such a power lying dormant within him even before he changed into a jinrou. This power would make him more than a jinrou. I was enchanted by the idea of skittish incubus. I knew Natsuno would be wary of his power until he saw a pragmatic purpose for it, a way to use it to help others. The other thing he was skittish about was his own need to help people, the people whom got behind his defenses and got close to him. I found myself discovering this about Natsuno as I wrote More Than a Jinrou…his coldness is an act. His standoffishness is a defense to keep people away so they can’t get close to them. Once they do, his loyalty is frightening. I thought it was interesting that one of the first people to notice this quality was Tatsumi, his enemy.

Intrigued though I was, I’m not sure if I would have noticed the possibilities between Tatsumi and Natsuno if not for Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Spuffy, the pairing of Spike the Vampire with Buffy Summers. I was never much of a Buffy/Spike fan. I wasn’t a Buffy/Angel fan either at first. I’d seen far too many heterosexual relationships on television, often slapped together with overused tropes during the 1990s. Buffy and Angel had to do something different to win my heart, fighting each other to the death with swords, looking spectacular while they did it. They reminded me of Kamui/Fuuma from X 1999, a powerful pairing in its tragic adversity. (Buffy/Angel’s was brought on by a moment of perfect happiness, Kamui/Fuuma was brought on by a wish.) Besides Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanz are amazing actors. It was hard not to get drawn in by their performance for all my burnt-out grumpiness. Once Buffy/Angel hooked me, I felt a measure of loyalty to them. Even though Buffy/Faith was my favorite pairing and I loved the idea of Angel paired with Xander, Doyle, Spike, Wesley, Penn, Lindsey; I respected the bond with Buffy.

James Marsters can be amazing, too. I wasn’t a fan of Spuffy, but it was hard not to be drawn into the evolution of Spike’s character. At first I was grumpy about yet another male and female character being hooked up when incredible chemistry between many a pair of male actors or female actresses was ignored. At the same time I couldn’t forget Buffy and Spike. I’d find myself recalling many of their scenes, admiring the raw honesty in them, even in their dysfuction. Later I’d see an echo of Spuffy in the Battlestar Galactica remake between Leobwin and Kara. I didn’t like that pairing either, yet once again the raw intensity of the characters’s emotions drew me in. I found the scenes where Leobwin kept Kara prisoner in that “dollhouse” on New Caprica, to use Kara’s own words disturbing, yet they kept playing in my mind. I found myself thinking about Tatsumi keeping Natsuno prisoner in such a room, having saved Natsuno from the explosion meant to kill them both. This blossomed into my Shiki fanfic After the Explosion. The way Tatsumi and Natsuno reacted to each other when they first met on Shiki made me think of when Buffy and Spike’s encounter in the high school halls in Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 2: School Hard. If Buffy and Spike could get from that point to the one they ended on in Season 7, it was possible for Tatsumi and Natsuno to undergo an equally revolutionary journey in their relationship. There was a certain measure of respect and chemistry between them as they taunted each other. The final look on Tatsumi’s face in his last scene with Natsuno in the anime gave weight to the idea of going somewhere completely different together emotionally. This idea which became my fanfic. Plus I loved Natsuno too much to let him go. Yes, I respected the tragic finish he’d chosen to go out in, but not enough to let him rest in peace.

Along with After the Explosion, I wrote Reunion which tied in with After the Explosion. Natsuno was still alive and grumpy about it, ready to make those forcing him to live live through hell.

I hadn’t intended to write anything more. Readers kept asking me to write more. I wasn’t sure if there was any more story to tell. This was when I was watching Lost Girl, finding myself comparing Bo to Natsuno in certain ways. I also found myself wondering about Natsuno’s relationship with Ozaki Toshio, a relationship which remained mysterious in the Shiki anime to keep certain elements a surprise. If I continued, I’d have a chance to explore it. I felt that Ozaki Toshio and Muroi Seishin still had unfinished drama between them. I adored the character of Sunako, who’d been the villain, yet less villainous in many ways than Shimizu Megumi or Masao. Her cruelty had a point, a purpose. This might be a chance to show a softer or more complex side to her while she’d get a chance to interact in a more civilized fashion with her former enemies. I adore the idea that Kaori and Kanami are living together, trying to heal each other after the traumatic experiences in Sotoba with former loved ones, seeing the monstrous behavior of both shiki and humans. The way Kaori smiled and Kanami smiled back at her spoke of possibilities too.

A story is truly satisfying when it surprises me in its twists and turns yet heads where it feels like it’s supposed to go. More Than a Jinrou has surprised me often but I feel like it’s heading where it’s supposed to go. Here’s hoping the conclusion it arrives at is just as satisfying.