Ignorance and Deceit - Casting Stones at the NC-17 Policy by roku kyu
Disclaimer: The characters from Fushigi Yuugi are the creations
and property of Yuu Watase and related enterprises. The characters from
Inu-Yasha are the creations and property of Rumiko Takahashi and related
enterprises. I do not own them and do not make any profit from this fiction
except for my own enjoyment in spending time with them.
On the other hand, the original characters Chichiri’s Girl and the
Vampire Princess are my original creations and they belong to me. As do other
assorted family members. As for the reviewers and fanfic authors in this fic -
they belong to themselves! But they are making guest appearances here with
their express permission.
This fic is rated "R" for Tasuki language and references
to adult and sexual situations.
*****************************************************************************
Setting: An opulent and historic theatre in the theatre district of
a major Midwestern U.S. city, in which the cast of Fushigi Yuugi is attempting
to stage the play "White Stones in the Moonlight" before a
rambunctious audience composed of fanfic authors and reviewers, in addition to
characters from other anime series. The author and director, Roku-chan, has
called a halt to the performance and chosen to address the concerns of her
audience. This scene takes place during the Epilogue to Chapter 8,
"Forgiveness." In the preceding chapter of "Casting
Stones," Mitsukake, Hotohori, and Tasuki have been changed into the
Director and her sisters by the illusory powers of Shin. Much to their relief,
they have reverted to their original forms for this discussion - at least until
the next chapter of "Casting Stones."
The theatre house lights are up, as is the stage curtain, so that
the cast, crew and audience members can see each other easily. Kryssa and
Kaze-chan have been released from the tech booth, and they now sit on the stage
apron, dangling their legs over the side. They are joined by the above-mentioned
backstage crew members, the Director and her sisters and the entire cast of
"White Stones," either sprawled comfortably onstage near the
downstage apron, or, in Roku-chan’s case, pacing agitatedly around. Mitsukake
sits next to Kaze-chan, who he regards as a little sister, while Aikido-chan
has taken a seat on the other side of Mits, her favorite seishi. Tama-neko
wanders happily back and forth between Kaze-chan, Mitsukake, and Aikido-chan.
Roku-chan finally approaches the downstage apron - she, unlike her cast, is
unused to addressing large groups of people.
Roku: (nervously) So you’re probably wondering why I called you
all here...
Tasuki: (growling) We were here already, baka girl!
Roku: (shooting a reproachful look at her lead actor) I know that!
I’m just trying to find an opening for this...
Chichiri’s Girl: (impatient) Oh, just tell the truth! Say that you
feel the need to pitch a public bitch-fit!
Roku: (pissed) Fine, fine!! Alright, I need to bitch! I’m
so pissed off at Fanfiction.net’s new policy against NC-17 fics - and the
subsequent fall-out that’s already happening - that I can’t concentrate on
writing my newest chapters of "Bridge!"
Tasuki: (bored) And this is s’posed to interest us how?
Roku: (glaring at him) It oughta interest you,
buddy--especially since you’ll be stuck with breasts till I come back to
"Casting Stones"--and I ain’t coming back till I kick out two new
chapters of "Bridge!"
Tasuki: (pale) Ulp! (grumbling) And it's not as if they were
particularly nice breasts, either!
Chichiri’s Girl: (pissed off) Hey!
Hotohori turns equally pale, while Mitsukake just shakes his head.
Of course, this was only the first transformation for Mitsukake, whereas Tasuki
and Hotohori had no sooner recovered from their ordeal as Inu-Yasha and Shippou
than they were transformed into the Director’s sisters. Hotohori approaches
Roku-chan nervously.
Hotohori: Roku-chan - is there anything I can do to help with
Bridge?! I can type while you dictate...or maybe get coffee for you...or make
dinner, or polish your shoes! (clings to her knees while weeping) Anything
at all; just don’t make me stay in that horrible form!
Vampire Princess: (pissed off) Hey!
Roku-chan tries to peel the distraught emperor off her legs.
Kei-chan gets fed up with the dithering and marches up to the apron, addressing
the audience and cast.
Kei-chan: Look, let’s just cut to the chase here! This new policy
of Fanfiction.net in eliminating NC-17 fanfics is utter BULLSHIT! (raising her
voice and getting red in the face) How can they open this public forum for
stories - and then try to limit the creativity of the writers?! How can they
expect someone to write what truly comes from their heart if they have to be careful
not to offend anyone?! (turns to her psychic twin) Come on, Tasuki - let’s go
kick some administrative ass!
Tasuki: (eager for a fight) Yeah! Let’s show those assholes what
free speech really means!
Roku-chan has successfully detached Hotohori from her knees with
Nuriko’s help and now strides downstage to try to contain the two excitable
redheads.
Roku: Look, you two, this isn’t the kind of situation where you
can just beat sense into the misguided minds behind this decision. For one
thing, the administration is not only faceless, but also pretty hard to reach
by any other means. For another, physical violence isn’t going to open their
tiny minds!
Tasuki: (impatient) So whaddaya suggest we do - nothin'?!
Roku: No; if I really were that apathetic, I wouldn't be writing
this in the first place. What we have to do is first organize the people whose
views on censorship are the same as ours--and then make our opinions public,
preferably in writing! In other words, hotheads… (she fixes the two with an intense
stare) I suggest that we make as much noise as possible!
Tasuki: Yeah! Noise, yeah!
Tamahome: (dryly) What a surprising opinion from Mr. Shrinking
Violet.
Tasuki: Fuck you, Obake-chan!
Roku: Okay, guys, let's just take the brawl as given and proceed from
here, if that's all right with you?
The two seishi lower their fists and retreat, grumbling.
Roku: One of the most difficult things about this situation is
that FF.net has just handed down a unilateral decision that affects all of us,
yet at the same time isn't letting us know exactly what the complaints are,
who's placing them, and how prevalent the problem is. If this is a problem that
parents have with their underage children accessing inappropriate material, I
think that FF.net has to learn to defend the system that they set up to
discourage children from accessing NC-17 fics by accident.
Kryssa: Yeah! First off, the Internet is no more a babysitter than
the television is, and if you want to hear my voice on that issue, I'd take up
this entire fic! We live in the age of "It's not my fault, it's everyone
else's that I'm so fucked up." Naturally, we don't want to take blame for
"our" children doing something they shouldn't, wanting everyone else
to deal with it.. However, it is unfair to blame the innocent third party,
whose place is to entertain and (at times) educate the public. Parents should
take responsibility for what their children do, and should have instilled in
them a sense of rules and regulations they need to follow to become a good member
of society. If not, then simply getting rid of NC-17 stories won't do shit in
their moral lives!
Roku: Well put, Kris.
Kryssa: Wait, I have more to say about the FF.net filtering
system. It's unfair to blame a webpage that not only warned the general population
of what they were getting into but also gave them a chance to get OUT of it!
FF.net put up a little blub that said "Are you 17 years of age? If not,
then please click no," or something to that effect. This way, readers were
given a last-minute chance to ditch the fic and read more appropriate stories.
FF.net did everything they could short of grabbing parents by the ears and
making them stand over their kids as they read!
Roku: True - and I don't know why they didn't point that out to
the complainers and stand up for their rating system.
Chichiri's Girl: (darkly) Maybe there's more to this than just
some dissatisfied lazy parents. I may sound paranoid, but I'm stuck living in
the Bible Belt now, and I can tell you that the religious right has some very
organized strategies for influencing advertisers and others to fall in line
with their idea of morality! (snorts in contempt) And this from the very
same region that has more "gentlemen's clubs" and topless car washes
than any other place I've ever seen!
Tasuki and Tamahome: (interested) Topless car washes?!
Tasuki: You got a car, Obake-chan?
Tamahome: Yeah…but Miaka's always driving it.
Roku: (in an undertone to the clueless idiots) If you two know
what's good for you, you'll abandon this line of thinking before the Wrath of
Miko falls upon you both! (points at Miaka, who is glaring at the two seishi)
Tasuki and Tamahome: Ulpp!!
Ryuen: You know, I wondered for one moment if I should get
involved in this debate, being that I neither write nor do I care to read,
NC-17 fics. But here's the thing: FF.net is supposed to be a place for free
_expression of creativity, but they're telling us what we can and cannot
write...and well, that's not riiiight. So I dashed off a letter to FF.net
letting them know that I feel as if a great injustice is being done to the
users of FF.net. I told them that this new rule will cause the deletion of some
truly well-written stories, many of which provide a focus other than the
NC-17 material itself. I figured that even if my email does nothing but sit in
an inbox and is never so much as glanced at, I'll at least feel better for
having written it.
Roku: (frowning out at the audience) Is that Ryuen talking? Does she
actually have a voice? I thought she only spoke through the keyboard!
Purple Mouse: (in defense of her blushing friend) Come on, Roku,
quit picking on her. Just because she's too polite to interrupt! Unlike some
other people I can name!
Roku: (grinning) Yeah, sorry, Ryu-chan; just can't resist an
opportunity to poke fun at ya! We're gonna hafta condition you to shove your
way into conversations, if you hope to hold your own at any more fanfic authors
conventions!
Ryuen: Well, you'll be sorry when I learn to nail you as
effectively as Kryssa does!
Roku: Touche! But once again, I've digressed - back to the
ranting! Very good point, Ryuen - and thanks for taking the trouble to express
your opinion, not only with us, but more importantly with the people at FF.net!
Kaze-chan: Well, just like Ryuen, I don't write NC-17 fics, so it
doesn't affect me much. However, I do read the good ones - there's one
in the Kenshin section I absolutely adore. Not for the lemon, but that fic has
good, quality romance writing, excellent writing all together, and while the
lemon part is important, certainly, the story could stand without it on its own
and more importantly DOES. Getting rid of the gratuitous sex I understand - it
really was getting out of hand, especially with some Inu-Yasha authors.
Up in the balcony, Inu-Yasha looks up from his cup of Ramen, while
Kagome slumps down in her seat and blushes. Miroku smirks triumphantly, while
Sango's hand twitches towards Hiraikotsu, her giant boomerang.
Sango: (growling at the perverted monk) Don't get any ideas,
Houshi-sama; just because people may make up stories about us doesn't mean that
you're getting anywhere with me. And you'd better move that hand back if you
don't want to lose it!
Miroku: (beaming innocently) Why, Lady Sango, don't you feel that
we have a responsibility to satisfy the expectations of our loyal fans?
Sango: (glaring) Understand this, Houshi-sama - I have no
intention of satisfying anyone's expectations - especially yours!
Inu-Yasha: (finally slurping down the last of his noodles) Oi,
Kagome! What the hell are they talking about?!
Kagome: (blushing and waving her hand innocently) Ahhhhhh,
nothing, nothing, Inu-Yasha! (to herself) Good thing they don't have Internet
access in the Sengoku Jidai!
Kaze-chan: But I wish there was some way to save the quality
stories like the Kenshin one. I can't even find it anymore. (looking up at the
Director defensively) And don't give me that look, Roku-oneesan! You know I'm
way mature enough to read these stories! So, all in all, the NC-17 loss makes
me a bit sad - but also, I know I can get sappy romance some other way.
Roku: No, I'm not giving you a look because you read NC-17 fics;
technically, you're of age anyway. What concerns me is your mistaken impression
that this ruling doesn't really affect you since you don't write NC-17
stories. Have you ever heard of something called "The Slippery
Slope?"
Kaze-chan shakes her head.
Roku: Well, in this case, it would work something like this. Since
these parents or organized religious groups or whoever have succeeded in
getting FF.net to knuckle under to their complaints about NC-17, what makes you
think that they're going to stop there? The next thing in line will be R-rated
fics - and their complaints will carry even more weight since the
R-rated fics don't have all the protective filters that the NC-17 fics had.
After that, it will be anything that clashes with their moral
values--especially shounen-ai, even if it's rated PG-13--and next, anything
that promotes non-Christian beliefs, like the Universe of the Four Gods or God
forbid, heroic demons like in Inu-Yasha! I personally know of churches that
preach against Harry Potter as being "ungodly" because of the magic
used in that innocent little story; can you imagine the shit-fit they would
have over demons as positive role models?!
Sesshoumaru: (smirking) Inu-Yasha…positive role model? Iye! That
worthless hanyou…
Inu-Yasha tries to snarl and swallow Ramen noodles at the same
time, succeeding in spitting noodles all over Shippou and Jaken.
Inu-Yasha: (coughing) Teme! You bastard, Sesshoumaru!
(turning to Kagome and speaking in an undertone) Kagome, what does Positive
Role Model mean, anyway?
Sango: (overhearing his question) If you don't know, why are you
getting angry at Sesshoumaru?
Inu-Yasha: Baaa-ka! All he ever says about me are insults, anyway
- what does it matter if I don't know whaat he means?
Sango: (sighing) True…
Roku: So you see, Kaze-chan--and all of you out there--even if you
don't think this ruling affects you now, eventually it will! That's why I'm
trying to get you all to organize and write letters of protest to FF.net.
(darkly) And I'm already seeing some very bad side-effects to this ruling.
Since FF.net gave NC-17 authors relatively short notice about their change in
policy, many of these authors have chosen to keep their stories on FF.net by
re-rating them as "R" - without bothering to change one word of their
content. And by doing this, they are justifying every complaint made by
the Powers That Be about the inappropriate accessibility of adult material!!
Kaze-chan: What in the fucking hell are they THINKING?!
Everyone stops in shock for a moment at the unaccustomed use of
Tasuki-language coming from the young girl.
Kaze-chan: (blushing) Sorry - but this just makes me so mad! I
can’t imagine what they’re thinking!
Roku: I can tell you what they’re thinking; they don’t want to
lose this nice public arena for their stories, and they don’t want to lose
their fan base. Shit, I would feel the same way about "White Stones"
if--and when--ff.net threatens that story. But what they don’t
understand is that they’re going about this all wrong and becoming part
of the problem instead of part of the solution. And I gotta tell you -
this stunt on the part of fanfic authors makes them every bit as hypocritical
as the administration of FF.net!
Aikido: Them’s fightin’ words, Roku.
Roku: I don’t care! I hope they get pissed at me; it’ll be
worth it if I can shock some sense into them! I mean, they're playing right
into the hands of the enemy--and dragging the rest of us down with them! All
the time that we authors of R-rated and PG-rated fics are out there fighting
for THEIR rights, they choose to slink away and hide behind lies--lies
that are gonna hurt us in the end! I stand here positively CHOKING on the irony
of all this! (gak - cough - hack!)
Chichiri: (coming up and putting his hand on Roku-chan’s shoulder,
concerned) Are you sure that it’s not Shin you’re choking on?
Roku: (smiling at him gratefully) Well, maybe that, too.
Chichiri’s Girl: Grrrrrrrrrrrr…you just HAVE to play with the
Sorcerer and yank us fangirls around, even in the middle of this serious
discussion! Bitch!
Roku: (widening her eyes innocently) What? He just touched my
shoulder, for pity’s sake! (grins up at Chichiri and winks)
Kryssa: (snarling) I saw that, you wench! Much more of that, and I’m
gonna silence you - permanently!
Roku: All right, all right. I’ll quit fooling around and get
back to business. This story I mentioned in the previous version of this fic,
though--that is by far not the only one out there masquerading as an
R-rated fic! There are plenty more - and in more than just the Fushigi Yuugi
category, too!
Tasuki: Good - I’m glad she stopped picking on that story,
‘cause I like it! I get a lotta good action in that one... (fails to notice
Miaka’s sudden cold glare) In fact, I like all the fics where I get
matched up with girls!
Miaka: (hissing) Hentai!
Tasuki: (turns pale) Ulpp!
Tamahome: (frowning) Why should you care what he does in some
other fic, anyway, Miaka?
Miaka and Tasuki: Ulpp!
Tamahome: (pondering to himself) And anyway, why doesn’t anybody
write any stories about me, where I’m an indefatigable sex god?
Tasuki: (smirking) ‘Cause this is the anime category, not the
science fiction section!
Tamahome: (infuriated) Asshole! (leaps at Tasuki)
As the two brawl around the stage, they fail to notice the dark,
thunderous _expression on Miaka’s face. This doesn’t escape the notice of the
Director and her sisters, however.
Chichiri’s Girl: (smirking) Those two had better turn gay and fall
in love… ‘cause judging by the scowl on Miaka’s face, that’s the only way either
of them is gonna get any action in the near future!
Roku: Oh, great, just what I need for the upcoming Enchantment
chapter. The resentment and hostility is really gonna sell that scene!
Vampire Princess: Don’t worry, Roku; let your big sister make it
all right for you.
The Vampire Princess strolls over to the two brawling boys.
Vampire Princess: (in her best ear-shattering screech) That’s
ENOUGH!!
Tamahome and Tasuki fall over, clutching their ears. In the
balcony, Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru and Kouga let out involuntary howls of pain.
The Vampire Princess takes Tasuki by the arm and leads him off to
the wings at stage left.
Vampire Princess: (fixing him with "the look") I got
just one warning for you, buddy, about going where every man has gone
before. Bogo-magogo, pal, walking down the STD street... (points emphatically
below his belt) Right. Where. You. Live.
Tasuki flushes...then begins to squirm.
Vampire Princess: (maliciously) Starting to twitch? Starting to
itch? Can you feel the burn yet? Burn, baby, burrrrn!
Tasuki: Gaaaahhhhhhh! (wailing) Mitsukake!
The big physician jumps up and runs over to the wings to see
what’s wrong. Tasuki staggers across to the doctor and grabs him by his shirt.
Tasuki: Mits, ya gotta help me, please! She did this to me!
Vampire Princess: Sorry, buddy, but you did this to yourself. Or
at least your favorite stories did!
Mitsukake: (taking in the situation) Oh, for the love of Mike!
Vampire Princess: (evilly) It wasn’t the love of Mike that
brought him to this sorry state! Or if it was, Mike had to stand in line!
Mitsukake just shakes his head...then releases his green healing
spheres around the afflicted seishi. Tasuki finally calms, then, sending an
evil glare at the Vampire Princess, he stalks back onstage to confront the
Director.
Tasuki: (to Roku-chan, resentfully) I thought I was s'posed to be
your favorite! How could you let your sister do that to me?!
Roku: (guiltily) Eheheheh. You see, I promised everybody that they
would get the chance to air their point-of-view...and that happens to be the
pet peeve of the Vampire Princess: the lack of consequences in fanfics of
rampant, unprotected sex. She's kind of a disease freak, you know - even worse
than me, and I research the stuff!
The Vampire Princess and Mitsukake rejoin them onstage, Mitsukake
taking his original seat between Kaze-chan and Aikido-chan. The Vampire
Princess smirks at her angry victim.
Vampire Princess: Just take that as an object lesson, Fang-Boy...
and keep your nose--and other parts--clean. (nods at Miaka, who is
angrily turning her back on an abashed Tamahome) Especially if you still harbor
any hopes in that direction!
Tasuki mutters and kicks at the floor.
Aikido: You know, I completely agree with you, VP! At least some
of the stories on the Inuyasha page take into account questions such as birth
control. I have yet to read one on the FY site that even considers such
problems! (raises her voice) In fact, I’m so sick of some of the stuff I’ve
been reading that I made up a list of rules for so-called adult fics. Number
One: Use spell-check, people! You can’t imagine how jarring it is for the
reader to be cruising along in your stories--and then run up against
"kat" instead of "cat"! (getting really passionate) Number
Two: Don’t write about sex unless you’ve actually had sex!
Kryssa: Whoa! That’s a harsh one!
Aikido: No, I’m serious! If I read the phrase "the warm spurt
of seed" one more time, I’ll...! (stops and blushes)
Chichiri’s Girl: She’s absolutely right! It isn’t warm, people,
not on the inside! Right, Mits?
The cast stares at her.
Chichiri’s Girl: (resentful) What?! What’s your problem?! I’m
married, for God’s sake!
Kryssa: Then why the Chichiri obsession?
Chichiri’s Girl: (smirking) I said I was married - not
dead!
Chichiri: (wearily) Daaaaa, no da!
Mitsukake breaks in with his "professional" tone.
Mitsukake: Quite accurate, CG. Each person’s body temperature
would be at 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit or 37 degrees Celsius. Therefore, no bodily
fluid would register a "warm" feeling to the recipient, if we’re
talking internal sensations here. In fact, for spermatocytes to remain viable,
they must be kept approximately two degrees below normal body
temperature. Thus the reason for the external male sexual organs - to keep the
spermatocytes below internal body temperature. That’s the entire purpose of the
scro...
Roku: (breaking in desperately) Yes, thank you very much, Mits,
for that valuable and enlightening lesson in anatomy and physiology. But let’s
try to keep this story from an NC-17 rating, okay?!
Mitsukake: (slightly offended) Very well, Roku-chan. But I wasn’t
trying to be provocative...
The entire male cast of Casting Stones mutters resentfully,
blushing and crossing their legs. Chichiri's Girl smirks triumphantly.
Chichiri's Girl: Hah! Finally you guys got a taste of your own
medicine! I can't tell you how many times I'm stuck watching tampon commercials
with male friends and relatives. I never know what to say! (goes up and gives
Nuriko a friendly punch in the arm) Whaddaya say, Joe? Those look pretty
absorbent to you? No more embarrassing accidents?
Nuriko: (smirking back at her) You're trying to embarrass the
wrong guy here, CG. You've forgotten how much time I spent in the Imperial
concubine quarters; feminine concerns are no mystery to me.
Roku: (in an undertone to herself) Well, we'll just see about that
in the White Stones sequel, won't we?
Nuriko: (frowning) What's that?
Roku: (airily) Nothing, nothing…
Aikido: And another really lame thing in all these sex fics - the
way the people throw off their clothes before making love…then stand there
posing in the nude! (strikes a "Vogue" pose) I mean, who really does
that in real life?!
Roku, Vampire Princess, Chichiri's Girl: Not me. No way.
Ryuen, Purple Mouse: (sinking down in their seats and blushing) We
wouldn't know…
Kaze-chan: Huh?
Mitsukake: Never you mind, imouto-chan.
Roku: He's right; we've gotten off-track on our ranting here.
Let's get back to the original rant - the out-and-out ratings deception being
practiced by some NC-17 authors! (addressing the guilty parties) Don't you
people get it?! - you're playing all of us into the hands of the
very people that caused this situation in the first place! When you lie about
your rating, you not only make an ethical breach of huge proportions on your
own - you also indict those of us who go to the trouble of writing true R-rated
fics!
Nakago stirs in the audience and smirks at Roku-chan.
Nakago: Forgive me, Director of White Stones…but isn't there a
certain amount of, shall we say, self-interest in this moral stance?!
Roku: Damn right there is - and I'm not ashamed to admit it! This
pisses me off something royal! I go to a lot of effort to write a story that
covers adult topics, yet couch it in language that will not educate the
uninitiated into the exact physical manipulations of consensual and
non-consensual sex! This wasn't easy, damnit, and I don't want to see
"White Stones" knocked off FF.net just because somebody else
couldn't be bothered to take the same trouble with their own fic!
Nakago: (slyly) So what are you advocating? Self-censorship for
those authors? Isn't that point-of-view somewhat (smirks broadly) fascist?!
Roku: Call me whatever you want. I didn't come up with the NC-17
policy; I'm just saying that if you want to play in the adult arena, then act
like a freaking adult instead of a schoolkid pulling a fast one on the teacher!
Become a goddamn activist against this policy and get up off your ass
and FIGHT it, instead of playing games that are gonna cost other authors in the
end! Ryuen, Purple Mouse, Kei-chan and I have already written letters to FF.net
protesting this action - and NONE of us has a single NC-17 fic in our
library!
Nakago: So are you saying that these authors should yield to
authority and let their fics be eliminated?
Roku: I'm saying that they should fight it as well as they are
able - and yield where they can't win. Let me tell you about an NC-17 author in
the Inuyasha category who has done just that. Her pen name is fujifunmum, and
she wrote a delightfully witty AU fic called "I'll Take Lemonade."
(frowns to herself) which reminds me - I'd better get around to reviewing her!
Anyway, when the FF.net ruling came down, she took her fic and removed the
NC-17 content, keeping the plotline at PG-13. But on her first page, she
explained about the ruling and offered to e-mail her fans a link to her NC-17
chapters AND also included a link to a petition against the NC-17 ruling - which
I signed! That's adult behavior, people! So you see? - she's still fighting
this ruling without making herself into a liar!
Soi: So let me get this straight - you want the NC-17 authors to
either become activists or disappear - or both.
Roku: (aggravated) Look, I'm just saying that they need to get
their fan base behind them. If they put up a notice saying that those fans will
no longer get the NC-17 material without extra effort, maybe they'll get all
those people writing to FF.net, as well. Power in numbers, folks - the
strongest force in this universe is inertia, known in human terms as apathy! So
are these authors gonna get up off their dead asses and DO something about this
ruling--or are they gonna wimp out and lie about their rating? Even doing nothing
is doing something. By doing nothing except lie, they're not only
upholding the FF.net ruling - they are, as I said before, harming those of us
who respect the rating system! And if nothing else, if they want to call their
fics "R", then damnit, go back and CHANGE the content to
"R"!!
Soi: What if they give their readers fair warning in their intros?
Roku: (pissed) Fuck that! I give strong warnings throughout
"White Stones;" I have yet to read anyone's warnings that are
stronger than mine. Yet it's still an R-rated fic with no NC-17 content. So
what the fuck does a warning mean, anyway, if you can't tell how bad the
content is without actually reading it?! Not to mention that they are still, as
I said before, playing into the hands of the complainants!
Aikido: Maybe these authors don't really understand the difference
between NC-17 and R. I mean, they both center around the age 17. And the rules
that FF.net puts up, about the motion picture industry's rating system, deal
with the visual medium.
Roku: (patiently) So think of writing as a visual medium. Here’s a
guideline for rating: think of your fic as a movie. If you have graphic
descriptions of sex organs, so that you can picture the ins-and-outs of sex as
if you had a camera right on those body parts--sorry, but that's NC-17 movie
material there. Another point of reference: if your descriptions could clue in
the most innocent of your readers into the exact mechanics of sex, then you're also
NC-17!
Vampire Princess: In other words, if you describe Part A going
into Part B, at length C, producing body fluid D, you're NC-17!
Aikido: Don't you think you're asking a lot of those authors, to
tone down their material without losing the meaning of their story?
Roku: (angry again) Well, fuck me!
Chichiri: (interested) Is that an invitation?
Kryssa: Grrrrrrrrrrrr! I swear to God, Roku, if you don't
stop this Chichiri fangirl provocation, I'm going to have to hurt you very
badly!
Roku: (laughing) Okay, okay! I just felt the need to lighten
things up for a sec!
She clears her throat and becomes serious again.
Roku: Look, you don't have to tell me about how difficult
it is to write a good love scene without going into graphic detail. But that's
the point of writing - to LEARN how to convey your meaning using just words on
a piece of paper or computer screen. So consider it a creative writing
exercise. But don't, don't, DON'T LIE about your rating!
Kaze-chan: Maybe we ought to turn these people in before their
tricks hurt real R-rated fics. I don't want to be censored anymore than you do,
just because these people can't follow the rules!
Roku: (frowning) Sorry, Kaze-chan, but that's something I can't
do. You're right, that's the right thing to do…but there's something
just a little too Gestapo about that for me. That's why I'm resorting to this
rant - to try to persuade those authors to change their ways on their own,
before someone turns them in and gets them kicked off FF.net for good.
Chichiri's Girl: (releasing her hands from around her sister's
throat, after the Chichiri line just above) I don't think you have to do that,
anyway - they're bound to get caught, sooner or later. The people who
complained about them in the NC-17 category are hardly gonna let them get away
with it in the "R" category, especially when there aren't even all
the precautionary warnings in the "R" category that the NC-17
category had.
Roku: And that's an important point that I brought up in my letter
to FF.net about the injustice of forcing NC-17 fics off-site. I also figure
that they'll get caught - but the question is when, and how much collateral
damage is gonna be done in the meantime by their lack of ethics. Yeah, I'll
admit I'm scared; scared that their stunts are gonna end up getting R-rated
fics kicked off FF.net by association. There's no way that I can rework
"White Stones" into a PG-13 fic - not without eliminating the event
that is the catalyst for the entire story!
Aikido: So what you keep saying is that "White Stones"
is threatened by these NC-17 deceivers.
Roku: Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. And I'm calling
on my fan base to write letters and sign petitions protesting the NC-17 ruling
- to try to get FF.net to reinstate the NNC-17 category so that my stuff
doesn't get dragged down by them. Not even just my stuff - all the stuff from
the authors who are part of the Casting Stones cast! If you love works by
Purple Mouse, Ryuen, Kei-chan, Kryssa, Kaze-chan and others, you'd better
become protective of those authors' rights - and that means making sure that
FF.net knows that there are consequences to their ignorant rulings! And maybe
you can also drop a note to the authors of any inappropriately rated fics you
may stumble on by accident, letting them know that although you sympathize with
their dilemma, you don't appreciate their method of dealing with it! (gets
pissed again) Just imagine - somebody trying to justify their NC-17 fic as
being in the same category as Mouse-chan's Yet Another Story! Get real,
people!
Aikido: You know, you're probably going to get a lot of hate mail
about this public rebuke of those authors.
Roku: Fine, let 'em flame me. I'm no little kid who's gonna get a
complex about it. This time, I know that I'm on the higher ethical
ground. And all I have to say to any of you who want to flame me - go ahead,
but for your own sake, be articulate about it, 'cause I'm leaving your reviews
up for everyone to see! And answer me one question: if you feel so justified
about changing your rating to "R" without changing your content -
then why did you rate yourself NC-17 in the first place?!
Kryssa: (thoughtfully) Yeah, that's a hard one to answer.
While the fanfic authors have been sounding off, the cast of White
Stones has been holding their own conference at center stage. They finally
break apart and approach the downstage apron.
Chiriko: Roku-san, we would like to say something to those authors
who are trying to keep their stories onsite without changing their content.
Mitsukake: Yes, we have discussed this at length and have come to
a collective decision.
Hotohori: We would like to appeal to their sense of honor and ask
them to please refrain from misrepresenting their content on Fanfiction.net. We
know that they have a sense of honor - otherwise, why would they be
interested in us?
Nuriko: You're right, heika. If there's anything we've tried to
stand for, it's for doing the right thing, even if it's the hardest
thing you'll ever have to do.
Chichiri: Nothing worth having comes easy, na no da.
Tasuki: Fuckin' right 'bout that, 'Chiri! And listen up, you guys
- you wanna make a difference?! Go flame the assholes at FF.net who started
this stupid thing in the first place! Roku's put some e-mail addresses to write
to at the end of this fic. So get up off yer asses and DO somethin'!
Miaka: (reproachfully) Tasuki, be nice, onegai.
Tasuki: (confused) I was bein' fuckin' nice!
Tamahome: Yeah, right, Flame-Boy. How about trying to tell them to
write nice, intelligent protests instead of flaming people?
Tasuki: (disgusted) Fuck!
Nakago stands up in the audience.
Nakago: Personally, I would like to see those authors continue to
deceive the public. It will be most…entertaining to see the subsequent
fall-out. Just think: indoctrinating young innocents into the details of sexual
intercourse, provoking the outrage of their admittedly neglectful parents,
followed by mindless oppression of all fictions dealing with controversial or
adult issues… it sounds most amusing.
Tamahome: Yeah, you would find that right up your alley,
you asshole!
Nakago: (smirking wickedly) However, minions of Suzaku, there is a
way that you can enlist my support in your cause.
Chichiri: (suspiciously) Oh, yes? And what would that be?
Nakago: Give me Tamahome.
There are seven shouts of outrage from the onstage cast - but one
dissenting voice.
Tasuki: Okay, sounds like a deal to me. (shoves Tamahome forward)
Miaka: (reproachfully) Tasuki!
Tamahome: (shoving back at Tasuki) Fuck you, asshole!
Tasuki: No, not me this time. It's your turn, Obake-chan!
Tamahome screams in outrage and jumps Tasuki. Nuriko then leaps
into the brawl for the sheer joy of it. Soon there is a shrieking pile of
seishi rolling around the stage, knocking over props and destroying the
scenery.
Roku: (sighing) I guess that's my cue to get back to work. Kryssa,
would you bring down the curtain, please?
Kryssa: Sure thing - just give me a little time to run up to the
booth, okay?
Roku: Fine, that gives me a couple more seconds to address the
crowd. (looks into the computer screen) Okay, people - like Tasuki said, here
are a couple of e-mail addresses to write to for those of you who are
interested in protesting the ff.net policy on NC-17 fics, plus an e-mail
address for the petition. And like Tamahome said, please make your letters
articulate - well, just as good as your usual reviews. Plus the petition only
takes a few seconds to sign!! (sighs) Ah, well - time for me to get back to my
real fics, so take care till we meet again! Ja ne!!
*****************************************************************************
*****************************************************************************
e-mail addresses:
Xing Li [email protected]
Petition to Fanfiction.net protesting their NC-17 policy
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/KEEPNC17/
Author's Note: (9-18-02) I would like to extend my very warm
thanks to the fanfic authors and readers who e-mailed me and whom I quoted in
this fic regarding their opinions on the NC-17 ruling. Their words are their
own, so all credit should go to them for their activist stances. However, all
flames should be directed to me alone, since it was my idea for the public
_expression for their opinions. Thank you again.
Ja ne!
Roku