On Fri, 7 Aug 1998, Guy Under The Bridge . wrote:

I don't post to this list to flame;

Oh, really?  Remember this 'non-flame' to catbert's SI fic?

(Dated Tuesday, Aug 04)

Here are the four things I absolutely hate in Ranma fanfiction, in
ascending order of loathing: 

1.  Inserting geek pop-culture references
2.  Inserting geek pop-culture college life references
3.  Inserting geek pop-culture college life internet references
4.  Geeks inserting themselves

If this isn't a flame, I hope if you don't mind if some of the others on
the FFML give their 'non-flame' opinions, either.  Here's mine, and
in the interests of keeping the fic-nonfic ratio...

[Sometime between tapes 4 and 5 of Slayers...]

"Food..." moaned Gourry, dragging himself across a bridge.

"Food..." moaned Lina, as she dragged herself right after him.  They'd
just obliterated some bandits earlier this morning, but the last one had
been in the middle of their packs when Amelia had blasted him.  All food
supplies had been lost.  After the battle, Amelia had "volunteered" to run
ahead to the next town, and get some lunch (Lina and Gourry had
"encouraged" her with a few well placed explosions and much screaming),
but she had either gotten lost, or sidetracked, as it was close to
suppertime, and there was not yet any sign of her. 

"Gourry?"  asked Lina.  "You exercize a lot, right?  I mean, there's not
too much fat on is, is there?"

"Uhhh...no.  I don't think so, Lina.  Why?"

"Your leg smells like turkey."   *CHOMP!*

"Ow!  Hey!"
"Leggo, I'm hungry!"
...

"Wait!  You're not supposed to do this!" a voice called from below.

"Wha..."  Both of the starving bandit killers ceased in their struggles.

"No, no, no!  You're supposed to start singing 'Gohan!  La-la-la!' and get
shimmery eyes, and..."

Both Lina and Gourry peeked over the edge of the bridge, and saw a ranting
troll.  "Hey, Lina!  It's a troll!"

*bonk*

"I already know that!"

The troll, heedless of whether anyone was paying any attention to what he
was saying, continued.  "I really don't see where you're going with any of
this, and you've exhausted what little character you have.  Yes, you're
way out of character..."

"Liiiina-san!  Gourry-san!  I found Zel-kun on the way back from the
market!"  Sure enough, Zeldigas was right behind the young sorceress.
Getting closer, he noticed that the bridge smelled heavily of spam, and
that the two were trying to cover their ears.

"What are you two doing?"

"Well, you see, there's this guy under the bridge who's getting pretty
obnoxious, and..."

"Do you know what?"  the troll asked everyone, "I have four things I hate,
which I will list in order of loathing.  Firstly, stone-skinned freaks
getting on my bridge.  Secondly, stone-skinned freak references to life.
Thirdly..."

"FIREBALL!"

"Aieee!  Why am I getting flamed?"

And that will be that...

-Natsume Ranma Ranma
-------
The sardines weren't worth the trouble.  A few more shots, then 
Ryoga-san would overheat and explode.  Ducking around a corner, 
I managed to lose him as I entered the ramshackle residence of 
my Anime supplier.

One look at his face and I knew that I was betrayed.  "Tell me."
I insisted.  He refused, so I slammed him against the wall.
"Last chance.  Where can Ranma-Ranma find good fanfics?"
"Try Jason Liao." he whispered, before he slumped to the floor.
I heard the sounds of a door splintering as I left through the 
window, one step ahead of Tendo Heavy Industries...