Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice is written by Higuchi Tachibana; I own nothing but the plot. Songs, people, books mentioned here aren't mine either.

Confessions of a Fan Girl

PROLOGUE

Name of Blog: Confessions of a Fan Girl.
Blog Post Title: #1 – An Introduction
Posted By: Mikan Yukihira (ohmanitsmikan)
Published on March 31, 2013.

I consider myself to be a fan girl.

Contrary to popular belief—that a fan girl typically is obsessed with a person, a book, a TV show and the like, and that we are shallow human beings who are easily fooled into buying a lot of their merchandise until we are all out of money—I am here to clarify that I do not fall under that category in the fandom, and I resent that sort of thinking that is embedded in people's heads. We are human beings and we are no strangers to rational thinking.

"Oh, so you're a healthy fan, huh? Thank goodness, your sanity is kept intact."

I find this very insulting and I'd automatically be repulsed by whoever mentions this. How else am I supposed to feel about this? Trying to contain these emotions requires a lot of effort, oftentimes I profess my love for ingenious authors ranging from Stephen King to Jane Austen, stating my reasons all the while people would stare, and I wouldn't mind because I embrace my fan girl side. However, as long as the topic doesn't surface in a conversation, I wouldn't spaz about these things.

I just don't want my identity as a fan girl to be the focus of my life because I know that there are some things out there that are worth living for. I don't want the title of a fan girl to define me as a person and I don't want to be remembered as being merely a fan girl but also as someone who dreams of having a professional career in the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization, living in Paris while being given the opportunity to travel to different places to perform humanitarian acts.

And people say fan girls are shallow.

"If that's the case, well, you don't sound like you're much of a fan girl anyway."

Ah, the prejudice that's evident amongst fandoms. From my experience in joining fan-based forums, I would say that some fans love to impose that they're the greater fan than the other because they have been supporting (insert person or object which a person claims to be a fan of here) since the dawn of the dinosaurs, that they know everything there is to know about (insert person or object which a person claims to be a fan of here), that they have proven themselves the elite within the fandom because they've contributed to numerous projects in the name of (insert person or object which a person claims to be a fan of here) or their levels of obsession are way beyond what the metric system could measure.

But not all fans behave in this manner. There are also fans who joined for the sake of meeting people who share the same interests, all for the love of (insert person or object which a person claims to be a fan of here) because that's all that matters. I couldn't care less on how inferior of a fan girl I am compared to other fans that treat it like it's a competition or something.

Although I must say that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, and it's best for one to get to know the person or object that one claims to be a fan of first before calling yourself a fan girl, or a fan boy for guys.

"Freak! Society won't benefit from people like you."

Excuse me? Society has totally benefited from us. Art nourishes a person's soul and inspires them to do things. Take a look at the artworks, songs, and penned stories by fans that, if not for their admiration for a certain piece, wouldn't be able to accomplish these works and hone their talents. Culture is what shapes a society, a country, and without these people, a country's legacy would fade into oblivion.

"That doesn't even make any sense!"

WELL YOU DON'T MAKE SENSE! HURRY UP BEFORE I GET A BLOWTORCH AND BURN YOU INTO ASHES.

Fans can't be civil at all times. We also reach our limits and become immature, especially when it comes to fan wars. Now, I don't want to talk about fan wars. It's a waste of one's time (though sometimes, I wouldn't mind getting involved in one where I can caps-lock a person to death).

"Which fandoms do you consider yourself to be a part of?"

Actually, there are a lot, and I can't possibly enumerate each and every fandom I've joined (though not officially—please refer to the paragraph that talks about prejudice), though I could state my favorites.

Book Series: The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien
Author: Edgar Allan Poe
Movie: Gone with the Wind, directed by Victor Fleming
Band: Two-way tie between the Runaways and Nirvana
Anime: Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto

I could cite more but then again I did say that I am a fan of a lot of things.

"What is the typical lifestyle of a fan girl then?"

Well, in my case, I spend more than twelve hours on the internet listening to music, reading fan fiction, browsing artworks, and on rare occasions, I'd cover a song and upload it on a website. When I feel like watching TV, I'd tune into channels that feature anime, classic movies, and American TV series; Japanese live-action dramas bore me. If I'm not at home, I'd probably be with a friend with whom I can fan girl with, go to gigs and concerts, attend all sorts of conventions in town, or even by simply heading to a bookstore where I could read for hours and hours… or until the shop owner catches me. There isn't the need to mention this, but I have the tendency to scream during concerts. And cry.

"Would you date someone who considers himself a fan boy?"

Definitely! Fan boys are fun to be with. I have a senior named Tsubasa who's a comic book fan boy as well as a rock enthusiast, though my ideal type would be a man similar to Fitzwilliam Darcy (Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen) or Rhaegar Targaryen (A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin), and Tsubasa isn't like any of those two. My point is that there's a higher chance of us getting along and for a relationship to last if we share the same interests, you know?

But I don't see myself dating anytime soon. I reckon I should get my masters degree first before pursuing a serious relationship. I've never been in a relationship either... not because no one courted me but because my standards are too high (Fitzwilliam Darcy and Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, please?). Good looking and kind hearted fan boys are a rare find.

"What prompted you to publish this blog?"

This blog is where I'd mainly fan girl over my favorites and voice out my opinions on them, though I'm also thinking of recording the memorable events of my life when I start university tomorrow. Basically, this is a blog that is meant to be written (but it wouldn't hurt to get comments every once in a while, right?) It acts as a place where I could release all of my fan girl emotions.

—Mikan Yukihira

A/N: I'm trying out a new writing style compared to my first novel here at the GA archive, in a way that it's more descriptive. Honestly, I was a bit hesitant in posting this since I don't know if it will be well received by readers, so give me a heads up if you're interested in this story. As for the prologue, I reckon the blog post will do, which is why I haven't included events in Mikan's perspective here. I'm planning to shift POV's in every chapter though it's mostly between Mikan and Natsume. The plot's not so complex either, I suppose. Anyway, thanks for reading!

My-violinprince.