luxken27: (Inuyasha - Equals)
LuxKen27 ([personal profile] luxken27) wrote2010-10-08 07:36 pm

Unexpected fanart! (and the shipping meme)

Is this some weird kismet, or what?

I was just thinking about what the answer to today's question on the shipping meme would be, and how I needed to go dig up a piece of fanart for it...when [livejournal.com profile] landofthekwt gave me the most *awesome* surprise. I am surprised, pleased, hell - shocked! And so very, very sorry that I didn't notice it when it was originally posted in the first place :-/

Day 21 - A pairing you like and no one else understands why?


Sesshoumaru/Kagome, Inuyasha - Yes, I went there. Don't look so shocked ~ I acknowledge that there are *plenty* of S/K fangirls in this world (they're practically the only thing left of IY fandom, if you even consider Dokuga part of IY fandom which is debatable), but I can honestly say that the reasons they enjoy the ship/fandom/cult are not the same reasons I enjoy it. I've said this all before, so I'll spare you guys the rehash, but in short...

I like this pairing because of the potential it has. I first started writing IY fanfic after reading the absolutely awesome Tales from the House of the Moon, and I started writing Sess/Kag about 18 months later because of my own curiosity about whether I'd be able to meet the challenge of pairing these two together realistically and as in-character as an alt ship could possibly be. I loved it. Sesshoumaru is my favorite character, and one I feel is very difficult to capture well in fanfic; ultimately, I became very protective and possessive of that admiration. I worked hard on my fics, and I worked hard to find acceptance among the other so-called SK fans ~ but it never came. Ironically enough, my audience was made up primarily of everyone else, the sorts of people that wouldn't read SK without five recs and a blowtorch in hand. It took me a long time to realize why, and when it all came to a head, I left IY fandom for an extended hiatus.

What I realized was this: Dokuga fangirls enjoy this pairing for something else. I don't know what, exactly - the easy template they can overlay their own fantasies and wish-fulfillment on? - but I know it's not why I like it. I never fit in over there, and I still don't. Even now, eight months after laying down my S/K fic so as not to ultimately destroy it, the whole Dokuga experience feels so foreign to me. I don't worship the BNFs. I don't sekritly think [livejournal.com profile] forthrightly is Queen Goddess of anything (much less Sess characterization). I don't believe the best way to show you like a story is to nominate it for an award instead of, I don't know, actually commenting on the fic or to the author privately. I hate the competitive, cliquish nature of it all.

But I still love this pairing, even if no one else truly understands why.


Previous....
Day 01 - What is your current favorite ship? Sam Thomas/Stacey McGill, Baby-sitters Club
Day 02 - What was your very first ship? Ryan/Stacy, Kids Inc
Day 03 - A pairing that needs to happen now? Seeley Booth/Temperance Brennan, Bones
Day 04 - The pairing with the most chemistry? Matt Hunter/Maxie Jones, General Hospital
Day 05 - The pairing with the least chemistry? Sesshoumaru/Kagome, Inuyasha
Day 06 - The best kiss? Tommy Quincy/Jude Harrison, Instant Star
Day 07 - The most heartbreaking scene? Shawn Brady/Belle Black, Days of Our Lives
Day 08 - The pairing with the most baggage? Miroku/Sango, Inuyasha
Day 09 - The most believable relationship? Jonathan Creek/Maddie Magellan, Jonathan Creek
Day 10 - Why aren't these two married in real life? Jason Cook/Kirsten Storms
Day 11 - What is your dream pairing? Charlie Thomas/Janine Kishi, Baby-sitters Club
Day 12 - Who had the best wedding? Byron Sully/Michaela Quinn, Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman
Day 13 - What is your favorite television pairing? Ryan/Stacy, Kids Inc
Day 14 - What is your favorite book pairing? William Dunford/Henrietta Barret, Minx
Day 15 - What is your favorite real life pairing? Queen Victoria & Albert, the Prince Consort
Day 16 - What is the absolute worst pairing? Sesshoumaru/Inuyasha, Inuyasha
Day 17 - A pairing you thought would never work out, but did? Archie "Snake" Simpson/Christine "Spike" Nelson, Degrassi Junior High/High/TNG
Day 18 - What is the cutest pairing? Early Classic Shelle, Days of Our Lives
Day 19 - A pairing you've rooted for since the beginning? Trent Lane/Daria Morgendorffer, Daria
Day 20 - The "can't stand the sexual tension anymore" pairing? Kyouya/Haruhi, Ouran High School Host Club

Upcoming...
Day 22 - A pairing you hate and no one else understands why?
Day 23 - A crazy love triangle/quadrilateral that worked out great?
Day 24 - A crazy love triangle/quadrilateral that worked out badly?
Day 25 - A pairing that was/would-be adorable, but could never work out?
Day 26 - A pairing that you hated and ended up loving?
Day 27 - A pairing that you loved and ended up hating?
Day 28 - A pairing that you will never understand?
Day 29 - What ship had the best proposal?
Day 30 - Your favorite ship forever and ever and ever?

Thank you, Rath-Roiben-Rye, for giving me a reason to smile when I think of this pairing again :) You're awesome, and I'm only sorry that I didn't know of this until over a year had passed >.<.