Subject: Self-Infliction Fic - DEFINITION
From: Alpha Centauri
Date: 12/29/1996, 10:53 PM
To: The Fan Fiction Mailing List
Reply-to:
Adam_Barnes@bc.sympatico.ca

It seems a few people have taken up my new genre, namely the
Self-Infliction fic. However, to ensure compliance with the spirit of
Self-Infliction, I see I'd best point out some of the rules seperating
Self-Infliction fics from Gratuitous Self-Insertion fics.

1. All Self-Infliction fics must elicit at least one verbalized 'ouch'
from those reading it.

2. In a Self Infliction fic, the inserted Otaku cannot have any
beneficial powers. This does not say that he/she cannot have unusual
abilities, but that these abilities must be used to make his/her life as
hellish as possible, such as a Nyannichuan curse + Happosai + A generous
quantity of Passion Spice. A good general rule of thumb is to leave the
Otaku as he is in real life.

3. All preknowledge of the series that an Otaku has been inserted in
must be used to his disadvantage. For instance, and Otaku knows that
Ranma and Akane are destined for one another. He tells them such, and
informs them that they should stop bickering like five year olds and
start making babies. He is then immediately trashed by the majority of
the Ranma 1/2 cast, including Ranma and Akane.

4. Otakus must abide by the rules of the universe they are inserted
into. For instance, the first rule of all Takahashi universes is that
the characters remain oblivious to impending doom until it is far too
late to do anything about it.

5. The major characters must pay no special attention to the Otakus. The
majority of the damage done to Otakus will be collateral and mainly
unnoticed by the main characters. The only time main characters will
notice the Otaku is when something extrordinarily painful is about to
happen.

6. The Otaku cannot get a break. EVER.

The Prime Saggitarian,
Alpha Centauri

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