Because I'm the only person who has been uploading FFX-2 fic to AO3 en masse so far, the character with the most stories in the archive is Paine (with 15 out of 25). And Nooj is second (10).

Considering that there are only 102 stories tagged with Nooj's name on FF.net out of over 3000 X-2 stories, and only 38 tags in the ff_press archive, this amuses me. Greatly. (To compare, there are 356 Paine stories on FF.net, and 43 tags in the archive; not huge numbers for her, either.)

Greater visibility for my favorite characters? I am pleased! (Although if other X-2 people want to start uploading fic to AO3 and evening out the numbers a little, I certainly won't complain!)

Probably brought on by too many watchings of Muppet Bohemian Rhapsody. But I've always had this idea that Leblanc reminded me of another character in another medium, and I finally figured out today who it is: Miss Piggy.

Wait, where are you going?

No, really. I'm totally serious about this. And I don't mean it in a derogatory way at all -- Miss Piggy has long been one of my favorite characters. I love how take-charge she is, that she doesn't take crap from anyone, her confidence and determination. And Leblanc shares all these characteristics with Miss Piggy, along with a love of pink and a willingness to use The Heel to get her way. ("Hiiiii-ya!") These are two women who know what they want and will stop at nothing to get it.

And what do they want? Among other things, the affections of a man (or frog) who does not appear to return their feelings. Vociferously in the case of Kermit, whereas Nooj seems more indifferent, but the final result is the same. Not that this stops either Piggy or Leblanc in their mad pursuit -- Miss Piggy, at least, seems to get more determined the more her "Kermie" protests, and though we don't have as much history to go on with Leblanc and Nooj, the parallel is at least suggested, down to the goofy nickname for the object of her desires.

So, thoughts? Am I torturing the comparisons, or is it a parallel that makes sense?

Also, I am trying really, really hard not to consider the crossover possibilities... Down, brain! Down!

Unexpected side effect of working on FFXII and FFX-2 stories simultaneously: Baralai's voice ends up a lot more formal. I have to keep reminding myself that Spira's leaders are not nearly as verbose as those of Ivalice.

I'm actively playing with three stories right now -- one from the alphabet meme, "Aftermath", and an FF12 story that's been bouncing in my head for a couple of weeks at least -- and none of them are going particularly well. Too much atmosphere, not enough plot. This is a problem I've had before, but rarely with so many stories at once. I need to kick-start the bunny generators somehow.

Title: A Lesson
Fandom: FFX-2
Rating: G
Wordcount: 150
Characters: Paine, Rikku, Yuna
Spoilers: None
Notes: Written for the Alphabet Fic Meme, to first_seventhe's request of "Pain - YRP". This one started out wanting to be a drabble, but I just couldn't make it fit into 100 words. Then I tried expanding it to a double drabble, and that was even more awkward -- if it's possible for a 200 word story to be unwieldy, this one was. So I pared it back again, and it ended up as a "drabble-and-a-half", which is probably cheating, but oh well.

( 'Ow!' )

Title: Nightmares
Fandom: FFX-2
Rating: PG-13 (for mentions of violence)
Wordcount: 100
Pairings: Paine/Nooj
Spoilers: For Nooj's story
Notes: Written for the Alphabet fic meme (which is still almost wide open), to lassarina's prompt, which was "S: Solid, Paine/Nooj". The first true drabble I've written in a long time. I always forget what a satisfying challenge it can be to write to a strict word count. Also the first P/N story I've finished in awhile. It's always nice to get back to them.


( Sometimes Nooj startles himself awake... )

Was chatting with renay about fandom stuff, and we got to wondering something that really requires the collective consciousness of fandom. So, have a poll.

( How many fandoms? )

Please spread this one far and wide; I want as broad a sampling as possible. Also, my standard disclaimer: I welcome open and honest discussion, but I request that you not flame FFX-2 in comments -- flawed or no, I happen to be quite fond of it, so if anyone comes out with the burning hatred, the conversation isn't going to get very far. Thanks.

I've done this before, and now I'm doing it again. This iteration is from auronlu.

Comment with the word "ICONS" and I'll select six of yours for you to talk about in your journal.

( Auronlu's choices and my explanations behind the cut. )

In other news, I have an amybang all week, so if I'm a little scarce the next few days, that would be why.

I don't know whether it's because of FFEX or what, but the writing bug has bit me hard lately, in particular with regard to finishing up all the various requests and prompts that I have hanging around. I intend to take advantage of the urge while it lasts...

Title: Baralai at 12
Fandom: FFX-2
Rating: G
Wordcount: 830
Characters: Baralai
Notes: For wildejoy

( Neeta still remembers the day Baralai arrived in Bevelle... )

So I wrote two Moogle Fluff stories for ff_exchange this week (quickies to help tide over people who are waiting for late gifts): a Baralai/Gippal AU and a bittersweet Balthier/Ashe. Both of these stories came from bunnies that bit me hard and wouldn't let go, especially the first -- I spent a whole day at work thinking about it, writing down snippets so I wouldn't lose them, rushing through dinner so I could collect them into a story. That's a rush I haven't had in ages. Nice.

Lots of other nice stories and art over there, too, if you are looking for something to read. Moogle Fluff is almost closed, but the Chocobo Down prompts should be going up soon. Something for everyone! I know I'll be browsing the prompts.

Note that I have now written three stories this round, and two of them have been FFXII. I am getting more comfortable with writing in that universe all the time, and struck by more bunnies, and it's been fun. I figured the replay would help in that respect, but it's gone far beyond my expectations, and I'm probably only about halfway through.

Speaking of that replay... Have I really not updated since Jahara? ( Thoughts through Balfonheim. )

Title: Gifts
Fandom: FFX-2
Rating: G
Wordcount: 972
Characters: Maechen
Spoilers: For Maechen's backstory, and (really indirectly) the end of FFX.
Notes: Written for muggy_mountain's request in the Alphabet Fic meme (which still has lots of open slots, if anyone is interested). She gave me the pairing "Maechen/books" and two prompt words, "herbs" and "wonder", and I mashed them all together into two kinda-related ficbits. My interpretation may be somewhat more liberal than was intended; if so, I can only beg your indulgence. (Can you tell I've been writing Maechen?)

( It was a beautiful summer day in Zanarkand, and Maechen was, as usual, in the library. )

For several months now, I have been working on a super-secret project with bottle_of_shine; now it can finally be told.

The Pursuit of Happiness (or, Fifty Ways to Leave, Find, or Get Busy With Your Lover)
A collection of microfics inspired by 1sentence, co-authored by owlmoose and bottle_of_shine.
About 4,200 words.
Final Fantasy X-2, Paine/Nooj, NC-17.

First we never expected it to take this long; then we never expected to finish. But it is done! Hooray. Read and enjoy!

I've probably done this before, but not in awhile, and I'm feeling like a distraction. So...

Post one of my fandoms and the number of any of these questions (as many or few as you like) and I'll tell you the answer!

Note #1: "All" is absolutely an option.
Note #2: Fandom choice is wide open. If you pick something I really don't know well enough, I'll let you know and you can pick a fall-back.

1. The first character I fell in love with:
2. The character I never expected to love as much as I do now:
3. The character everyone else loves that I don’t:
4. The character I love that everyone else hates:
5. The character I would shag anytime:
6. The character I'd want to be like:
7. The character I'd slap:
8. A pairing that I love:
9. A pairing that I despise:
10. Favorite character:
11. What are my five favorite things about the fandom.
12. What are my five least favorite things about the fandom.
13. Who are my five favorite characters.
14. Who are my five least favorite characters.
15. What are my five favorite pairings.
16. What are my five least favorite pairings.
17. Which character are you most like.
18. What is my deep, dark fandom secret.

Title: Search
Fandom: FFX
Rating: G
Wordcount: 670
Characters: Lucil, Elma
Pairings: Lucil/Elma undertones
Spoilers: Not for the game. Maybe very mild spoilers for FFX-2
Notes: Written for auronlu, who requested Lucil and Elma for the Out of the Comfort Zone meme. This story is set within the "Aftermath" universe, right after Chapter 3, but all you need to know from that story is this: Post FFX, Elma comes home to Kilika. A few months later, Lucil comes to visit in the hopes of convincing Elma and others to join her in the Seekers, a band of sphere hunters working for Lord Trema. The rest should be self-explanatory.

( The sounds of insects and dripping water echoed through the jungle. )

Title: Weapon of Choice
Fandom: FFX-2
Rating: PG
Wordcount: ~6000
Characters: Paine, Cast
Pairings: Hints of Paine/Nooj, but mostly gen. Unless Paine/her sword counts as a pairing.
Spoilers: Minor for Paine's backstory and other parts of the game.
Notes: Written for 30_fantasies, theme #2, "Sword", and largely inspired by a long-ago request by parron for a Paine/sword story. This one is for her, although I suspect she had something much crackier in mind when she asked for it. ;) This story has taken almost two years to write, and I stalled on it several times, but working on it for JaNoWriMo really helped shake things loose, especially the concept for the ending.

Ten short pieces about a woman and her most faithful companion.

Title: Options
Fandom: FFX-2
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 640
Characters: Nooj, Rikku
Spoilers: None
Notes: I left this off the JaNoWriMo to-do list, but only to preserve a little surprise; I intended from the beginning that this would be the first thing written and published. Happy Birthday yesterday to bottle_of_shine!! Written to the prompt "Rikku, Nooj: change is the law of life", one of her unfilled requests from "Trick or Treat 2008" and chosen in part because it gave me the opportunity to use a line that's been floating around in my head for years now. Hopefully they are a good fit.

( The last thing he'd expected to see was Rikku, greeting him with a cheery wave as she clambered up onto the barstool beside him. )

Title: The Reason
Fandom: FFX-2
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 470
Pairings: Beclem/Yuna
Spoilers: For the end of FFX only.
Notes: In the spirit of finishing things up before the end of the year, I caught up on transferring everything I've written this summer and fall to my archive, including my three Trick or Treat 2008 stories. Usually, when I participate in a fic battle, I don't post the ficlets individually in my journal, but I've been meaning to make an exception for these, and this one in particular. The prompt was "Beclem/Yuna, murder", and I was so strongly put in mind of "Aftermath" that I couldn't help but write a metafic for it. Set post-game (and so post-"Aftermath" as well).

( 'I had to kill them, you know.' )

Title: Home Movie
Fandom: FFX-2
Rating: PG-13
Wordcount: ~1425
Pairings: Rikku/Gippal
Spoilers: Very minor, Crimson Squad-related
Notes: This was written for bottle_of_shine's request for the Out of the Comfort Zone meme, which was "Rikku/Gippal, with porn". The porn part was optional -- and a good thing, too, because I highly doubt this is what Nay had in mind when she asked for it ;) -- but it's the part of the prompt that gave me the hook for the story in the end. Hopefully she will be amused enough to forgive me...

( 'Hello?' Rikku stuck her head around the half-open door of Djose Temple and looked around. )

Title: Growing Pains
Fandom: FFX-2
Rating: PG
Wordcount: ~690
Characters: Leblanc, Logos, Ormi
Pairings: n/a
Spoilers: Hmm, let's say very minor, for Logos and Ormi's backstory
Notes: Written for the "Out of the Comfort Zone" meme, to regann's request for a story featuring Leblanc. Also inspired by my discovery, in my last playthrough of X-2, that there was at least one Al Bhed goon in the Leblanc syndicate.

( 'All right, you can go. You'll have an answer by tomorrow.' Leblanc rose from the couch and extended her hand, smiling despite her eagerness to get rid of the latest band of recruits. )

Title: A Good Team
Fandom: FFX-2
Rating: G
Wordcount: 950
Characters: Rikku, Nooj
Spoilers: Not really
Notes: Written for the Out of the Comfort Zone meme to the prompt of "Rikku, Nooj, frogs". This took me a few false starts, but overall I'm pretty content with how it came out (although I'm not convinced about the ending, but what else is new?). Also this is not in any way inspired by Quina's frog hunting game, and I did not have the FFIX soundtrack on repeat the entire time I was writing it. No, not at all. *insert shifty eyes here*

( Thoroughly engrossed in the hunt, Rikku didn't realize that she was no longer alone until she heard the low harrumphing sound of a throat being cleared behind her. )

Sometimes, even when a story isn't perfect, you need to let it go. Especially when you've been poking at it off and on for months, and when as you read through it you find yourself making edits and then changing them back...

Title: Simple
Fandom: FFX-2
Rating: R
Wordcount: 3884
Pairings: Paine/Nooj
Spoilers: Not really.
Notes: Written as a follow up to "Where They Left Off" and secondarily for the painexnooj prompt "Reunion" -- which I chose, in large part, to make myself finish this story!


"Your people need to understand that we can no longer take just anyone!" Nooj banged his fist on the table and glared at Elma, who stared coolly back. "The League is changing, and--"

"Meyvn?"