Hmm...you sure you don't mind suggestions on changing the couples?

Okay, if you're going to keep A&R together don't just say "they realized 
they loved each other."  Have some other stuff happen after volume 38 that 
makes them bond more.  It'll be more realistic that way (in the manga they 
didn't get much further than bickering like two-year-olds, but that's just 
my interpretation...).

I second that!

Also, maybe consider different pairings for the matches.  Ryoga&U, Mousse&S, 
Kuno&N, DrT&Kasumi, etc., are very obvious and have already been paired in a 

There's nothing stopping you from introducing new characters for 
matchups, either.

lot of fanfics.  Get creative!  For example (I'm not saying anyone has to 
use these),

<snicker, snicker> Good!

how would DrT&Kodachi,

This is scary.  What could you do to a person given the proper 
combination of potions and pressure points?

Herb&N,

You just _know_ that Nabiki would find some way to capitalize on 
Herb&Co's strange past - the talk show circuit? Perhaps the circus?

Kasumi&Ryoga,

"Oh, my!  It took you four days to go to the bathroom!  You should 
try some bran flakes!" :)

S&Tarou,

Now this would _really_ annoy Blade.
 

Azusa&Mousse,

"Why, Pierrette! How kawaii!"
"Hey! Give me those back! I can't see!"

Kuno&U,

"How many times do I have to tell you?!  When you flip an 
okonomiyaki, it's still the same okonomiyaki; it looks different 
because you're looking at the other side!"

etc. turn out (apart from taking longer to get together)?

I might also add that these are the nineties, and there's no saying
that you have to match guys with girls. :)


One thing that I've noticed, though, is that there are several 
stories of this type sitting unfinished in the archive.  Any 
speculation as to why?  Somehow I get the feeling that it's harder to 
be original with this type of story. 

- Sean Connor (connor@meena.cc.uregina.ca)

        "It jams." - Intel TV ad, referring to the Pentium chip.