I had actually been aware of Hitomi's "disappearance" for some time before
the question hit the FFML - and Bert Van Vliet was the one who told me
what had happened, by report from Twister, when I asked . . . so I've been
aware of this for maybe a month (?) but didn't feel qualified to answer
people's questions.

Several months ago, I began working on a fairly hefty writing project -
one that I didn't want to make "public" until I was much further along.
Some of you are already at least aware of the fact that I'm working on
something; I am going to keep my mouth shut about the details for a while
longer, but it's pretty big and I felt I could use some help on it:
namely, pre-readers.

At the time, I approached Hitomi and Bert via e-mail, asking them if they
could pre-read for me; I also asked Hitomi if she could help me with some
research, as I wanted some solid information and better hypotheses than I
might be able to gather on my own. Hitomi said she would get what
information she could.

However, it was only after much pressure that Hitomi ever gave me any C&C
on the first chapter, and that was just one line saying she thought it
looked pretty good but she would need a larger sample to help me in more
detail. I *never* heard back from her on the second chapter, and after a
few weeks of continuing silence, I asked Bert if he knew if something had
happened to Hitomi.
That was when Bert wrote back and shared Twister's findings with me.

Yes, I was very surprised. I'd met "Hitomi" over on RanmaMUCK, 'she' was
sort of my first friend there - and without her influence, I think I can
safely say that I would not have started writing. At least not at that
point.

Those of you who remember The Shuriken Cycle may remember that I was not
originally able to post to RAAS (as it was then known); Hitomi posted the
first few parts of the Shuriken Cycle for me. This is why I've gotten into
the habit of including the "Author's Foreword" with my e-mail address at
the beginning of every fic I write, harkening back to the days when
somebody else might post a story for me.

It was the ability to get my fanfic posted that really kicked me into gear
on The Shuriken Cycle; when my interests began spreading out from Ranma
into other series, my writing eventually followed. If it weren't for
Hitomi - heck, I might *never* have started writing. I certainly wouldn't
have the experience I do.

So, when I finish the big project, Hitomi's name is still going to be in
the acknowledgements. However real she is, may the kami be with her.

				Tim Miller
					trmiller@mail.bcpl.lib.md.us