"Ow, ow, ow, ow…" Ebony, Pandora, and I yelped as Melissa dragged us back to the living room by the ears. And frankly, when a tiny Buneary was pulling a full grown human down to their level, it was quite uncomfortable.

Melissa sighed. "Oh yeah, I definitely need to come around here every year. I cannot trust you three to run around unattended."

"I'm 22!" I argued, but she pinched my ear tighter. "Ow!"

She let us go and sat back down. "It is like watching over children…"

Lenny handed her some eggnog. "Want a drink?"

"Gladly." She took it and guzzled it down.

Ryder balanced his cup on his claw. "So Brad, you'll want to talk about what got you into writing in the first place?"

I sat down and massaged my ear. "Yeah. I figure a lot of us have that one show or series that got us into what we're doing today, or something we hold close to our hearts. It's something a lot of people should hold onto. You can find inspiration from the things in your childhood. But I'm getting ahead of myself. We have one last round of questions to get to first."

Jango smiled. "Well, we certainly have a handful to get through, so let's get to work."

"Right-o!" I clapped my hands together and grinned. "Though the first session was a bit of a slog, we did enjoy answering everyone's questions. It feels more personal getting to know people. If you ask me—"

"Get on with it!" Laura exclaimed.

"Yes, get on with it!" Pandora yelled.

"Okay, okay, don't Monty Python me!" I printed out the new batch of questions and took the first sheet. "First up, we've got another set from austin .todd .315. Let's get started."

OMG, Dark VS Ivan Faust is planned for Ultimate Arena? That's literally my most wanted matchup!

"Heh, I'm not surprised. Aside from Dark vs. the Shadow King, Dark vs. Ivan Faust makes quite a lot of sense if you know anything about the characters. It will be an interesting fight to write once I get around to it. Of course, like any great battle between two characters of separate worlds, the tricky part is figuring out what triggers the fight. Shouldn't be too hard since…you know, Dark."

LITC is a very nostalgic story for me, since it's one of your earlier ones. I have noticed, however, that the direction you've been going in with your stories conflicts with it quite a lot. TSOTI and BOTF are essentially the antithesis of LITC, especially since their current phases are nonlinear stories that focus on so many different characters and groups at once.

Of course, LITC has a lot of charm in its simplicity, along with the rest of your earlier works.

"Yeah. Like I said, it would be nice to return to it. That rewrite may not ever happen, though branching off to a one-shot series wouldn't be a bad idea. No real plot, just characters…doing crazy stuff. I would have to retcon a few things, though. Still, the simplicity in it was probably my favorite thing about it, even if I'm much more involved in my current stuff."

Phoenix Knight's Path sounds exciting. I still can't believe how long it's been since TAATP was one of the current stories in progress.

"Hard to believe that took me three years to write. No seriously, think about it. Souls Tied by Fate has exceeded TAATP's word count already, and I've only been writing it for seven months. What the actual heck?"

Jango smirked. "I fear the word count for Phoenix Knight's Path."

Regarding the Fusion Hunters, now that you mention it, I suppose they didn't get a lot of spotlight. Although I did enjoy what we did get of them. They were a really cool concept and if the story had been told from a different perspective, they could have easily been the main characters themselves. Ultimate Arena could make up for it though, as you can always include them if you ever want to give them a little more screen time. I would say a side story, but you already have plenty of those.

"So many side story projects…mostly for the aftermath of Souls." I shook my head and smiled. "But yeah, it would've been nice to get more out of the Fusion Hunters back then. Maybe I could do something with them in Ultimate Arena, namely the main three of Dario, Maddock, and Archie, though they don't have that many feats to work with. Maybe I'll figure something out."

Which leads to my question: How do you handle your workload? I've seen very few authors update with such consistency, and this is despite the fact that your chapters are quite meaty now, and that you're in the middle of juggling two stories with very complex, nonlinear narratives with a lot of deep and detailed overarching plotlines. I keep making excuse after excuse about how I haven't been able to get back to the story that I currently have planned, but you've been pumping things out since you started, I'm pretty sure. And of course there is real life on top of that. Do you just have a really high work ethic?

I laughed awkwardly. "Well, to tell you the truth, I'm usually wrestling with myself to sit down and do something. I can be quite lazy and have to tell myself 'Get out of bed, stop watching YouTube videos on your TV, and write!' It's a complicated process of whether or not I'm in the mood, though I do try and get something done at least once a day. It helps that I really enjoy writing and that this is more of stress reliever than an obligation.

"Though, it helps I work better when I have a predetermined deadline for myself. On average, I get chapters out in five days, sometimes seven if it's a particularly busy week for me or three if I really enjoyed writing that particular chapter. I think the debut chapter for Vivi in TOF was the fastest I got something out. Two days. My top record, I think. I always set one goal in mind for myself: try to write two times a day for an hour. For each hour I work, try to get at least this scene done, or get a thousand words written. I set myself these imaginary deadlines because, believe it or not, I work better under pressure. Seriously…you have no idea what I'm capable of when I accidentally forget to complete summer assignments for my master classes."

"…Huh?" the Pokémon gasped.

Ryder rolled his eyes and pointed his cup at me. "He had four days to write two papers."

"Oooooh."

"It was a stressful four days." I shook my head. "This is why I plan out what I want to do about ten chapters ahead with quick summaries. I pretty much have all of BOTF planned out, just not the chapters and connecting bits. I write one hour in the day, then one hour before I go to bed. Simple process."

Anyway, that's all I have to say for now. I always look forward to these specials and hopefully there will continue to be plenty of exciting things to discuss in the future.

PS: I'm totally not recommending Diego and Pandora for Ultimate Arena, but maybe I am.

Happy Holidays!

Pandora laughed. "Oh please, I'm the host of Ultimate Arena! There's no way I would take part in it."

"Yeeeeah…no way at all," I mumbled, hastily scribbling something down on my notepad. "But anyway, thanks a bunch for you time, Austin. Have a wonderful holiday!"

"Take care!" Pandora exclaimed. She glared over at me. "What did you write down?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing." I put the notepad away and grabbed the next set of questions. "A-Anyway, up next, we've got JDunks898! Glad to have you, JDunks898. I already read ahead, so sorry you're having trouble logging in. Hopefully that gets resolved soon. This is site can be quite finicking."

"You would know," Ryder quipped.

"That was a long day…" I grumbled. "Anyway!"

Having difficulty logging in, so I figured I'd just do this instead! Great to see you again, Pandora! Now, on to the important topic, Melissa's weapon. Does it just turn into whatever she needs to utilize whatever fighting style she mimics with Copycat, or is it like a Green Lantern ring in that it creates the weapon in the form of hard-light? You're teaching Lucient, so it's possible he could show you how to pull that off.

Pandora rubbed her chin. "Well, as much as I would love to give her something akin to a Green Lantern ring, that is…way beyond anything anyone in my universe can pull off without a similar technique to Lucient's. No, I'm focusing more on incorporating the basics of what she'll need. I can't make it too bulky, which is why I need the elementium to better conduct Melissa's abilities."

Melissa raised her brow. "Again, should I be concerned?"

"Not in the slightest. It might have a sword, a gun, grappling hook—"

"A gun?!"

"Non-lethal ammo, of course." Pandora grinned. "Although, I would pay a lot to get my hands on something that can transform into whatever I need." She stopped, then glared thoughtfully. "I wonder if I could something with JoJo's DNA…"

"Oh dear…"

And also, question for Melissa: are you just copying the specialized techniques of every Forester who's developed one (and anyone you fight who's developed one, dear Arceus, BE CAREFUL WITH THOSE ABYSS CLOUDS) or are you going through them and stockpiling the ones you know you'll be able to use with little difficulty? Obviously you can pull off the Abyss Clouds, presumably Jet's Endless Ocean, but would you use, say, Lucient's hard-light constructs or would you stick to simpler stuff like Ragger's... Thunder Storm Claw, I think you called it?

Melissa crossed her arms and leaned into the couch. "I am just picking up on the ones I naturally come across. I cannot learn all of them since, according to Klaus recently, his specialty might be more of a hinderance on me. So far, I have been learning to mimic Amos, Althalos, Ragger, Jet, and Jason, though with some issues. I cannot copy abilities, which can actually make the foundation of a Pokémon's enhanced moves. Jason has told me his Lightning Rod helps him out a lot, so I probably could not copy him at his best.

"Jet's Endless Ocean is a different story since that is his Razor Shell boosted by his Inherited Will. As I discovered, try as I might, I cannot copy it. He can manipulate and increase the sharpness of the water molecules in his water blade, but I have not been able to mimic it. It might be better to stick with simpler abilities since Lucient's hard light constructs seems a little too advance for me right now. Still waiting to see how I do imitating Ragger."

"Have you run into any problems using Faithless Imitation?" Lenny asked.

"Not yet, though Jason warned me to be careful when using it."

Finally, Mr Author: WHEN ARE WE GETTING MORE OF JET'S FLASHBACKS?! Also does Brinley die horribly and painfully, and if so do we get to see it?

I waggled my finger. "I said we have a two question limit, JDunks. I cannot say as of now."

"…It wasn't a no," Ryder mumbled.

"Anyway, thank you for your time, JDunks. Hope to see more of you in the future. Take care and have a happy holiday!"

Asher looked over at Pandora. "When will you be finished with Melissa's weapon?"

Pandora shrugged. "Meta speaking, who knows? In-universe speaking, give it a few months."

"Alright, up next—" I grabbed the next questions. "We have Void Reader. Let's see here…"

Huh. I was really looking forward to a rewrite of LITC. I wanted to know what was it that Diego n Chase did to settle in Neo City. What was the cause for Diego's supposedly hemophobia. Chase n Rebecca's romance development. Diego n Diana finding feelings for each other. The dealtment with that brutal Lucario cop. I thought there was a plot hidden to unfold later. U can't start a character's story without a plot to follow. Well, I'll leave u to how it goes. I'll still miss the whole story though.

I sighed. "Void, it sucks, I know, but that isn't a written rule. Frankly, the fact I included that brutal cop speaks volumes of how unsure I was about where I was going with this because I practically had nothing planned for him—no offense, Austin Todd, since you're the one who submitted him. Trust me, the series would've just lost any joy I could muster if I forced myself to keep writing it. I'm not changing my mind on this.

"That said, if I ever decide to go back to Life in the City, I might just convert it into a one shot series. It'll carry on from LITC, but with no timeline to work with. I think that might've been its biggest problem: I was trying to write a linear timeline for a story with no actual plot. So, if I do make that, the first three chapters or so would be a multi-parter condensing the meeting of the Anarchy Duo with the Montoya sisters. After that, I could just go nuts with whatever."

Anyone else suppose if Sheila were to see Asher picking up other females, she would be swooned n jelly-legged? ':/

Asher grinned and stroked his chin. "Well, there's an idea there. Hehehehe."

Ebony rolled her eyes. "And I thought that Tony fellow was the shameless flirt."

Hey, I wouldn't have suggested the maid tread if there weren't any worthy attractions to taste/admire. What can I say, inhuman fetish. Besides, won't there missions that involve infiltration? My favourite for worthy females, maids. Just ask Saddie.

Melissa whined and covered her red face. Pandora sighed. "I am so glad Marie's not here. It'd be the end of my dignity."

"No kidding," Melissa mumbled.

Ebony rolled her eyes. "You two worry too much. They're just maid outfits. It's honestly not the worst thing to be wearing, even if for eye candy."

Pandora shot a look at her. "So, you wouldn't mind wearing one?"

"Oh heck no, I wouldn't be caught dead in one." Melissa and Pandora sighed and drooped their heads.

DON'T give the spoilers in Ultimate Arena. I can still wait for more OCs to have their stories told. So Legends n Ninjas won't be written? N is Ryder's Fear almost done? Update soon. Happy Holidays.

I shrugged. "It's not like I'll be revealing the matchups straight up. If anything, I'll be giving vague indicators of who's competing. But fair enough, I won't spoil any of the other matches, like the long requested match between Rusty and Gladys…oops."

Lenny raised his brow. "Who are Rusty and Gladys?"

Asher and Pandora deadpanned. "You don't want to know," they both groaned. Melissa covered her mouth and giggled.

"And yeah, there's a high chance those two stories won't get written. A shame, but better than starting something halfway through, right? I'll get to Ryder's Fear eventually, I'm just more focused on other things right now. Anyway, take care and Happy Holidays."

Asher grinned at Pandora and Melissa. "You know, since this is the time for celebration, you two could put on some maid outfits for us." They both glared at him, then pelted him with candy canes. "Ow, ow, ow!" He fell out of his seat. "Ow...fair enough."

"Oh, hang on," I interrupted. "There's one more thing from Void."

Almost forgot, My Hero Academia? When did u wrote a fanfic like that? Where is it? N this wiki for it.

"No, no, I said I submitted to one. It's actually in my favorites right now. Regency Academy: For Queen & Country by ManofPewter. And obviously, based off that title, it obviously focuses on a hero school in the good ol' state of Texas!" I laughed and shook my head. "Okay, seriously, a hero school in London. I do partake in OC submissions since MHA fanfics are prime candidates for SYOC type stuff. I actually got a character submitted into the story. Feel free to check it out. It's pretty good."

"What about the wiki?" Jango asked.

"You could probably find it on Pewter's page. A bunch of us on the Regency Discord channel decided to make a wiki for the story. I'm probably one of the few who actively updates it. It actually made me consider making one for Bandits of the Forest, though I'm not experienced in making wikis beyond the stuff the actual expert taught me. Still, worth consideration."

"…I have no idea what a wiki or discord is," Melissa mumbled.

Pandora patted her head. "I'll tell you later."

I rubbed my chin. "It would be cool to write a My Hero Academia SYOC story, though. Eh, can't give myself too many more projects. Anyway, continuing…" I grabbed the next questions. "Now we have Fiction Realm again. What do you have for us today?"

Shame that Legend isn't going to be written along with Ninjas...Oh well.

"I wouldn't say it's impossible for them to be written, but…very unlikely. But yeah, pretty unfortunate. Legend especially since it would've been very different to the general atmosphere of my stories."

Anyways for the Ultimate Arena. Since I'm getting DEATH BATTLE vibes I think I'll share which Death Battles will suit your guests:

Laura - Match #98 - Optimus Prime VS RX-78-2 Gundam
Ryder - Match #48 - Solid Snake VS Sam Fisher
Lenny - Match #81 - Balrog VS TJ Combo
Pandora - Match #19 - Dr. Eggman VS Dr. Wily
Melissa - Match #20 - Princess Zelda VS Princess Peach
Jango - Match #41 - Ragna The Bloodedge VS Sol Badguy
Ebony - Match #54 - Yang Xiao Long VS Tifa Lockheart
Asher - Match #128 - Danny Phantom VS Jake Long

I grinned. "To be fair, Death Battle was the main inspiration for this."

Ryder tapped his chin. "I may have to check Snake vs. Fisher out. Sounds interesting."

Laura grinned. "Optimus Prime's certainly the looker."

"Bad Laura!" Melissa yelled, throwing a candy cane at the screen.

I shook my head. "I'm sure they'll all enjoy the Death Battles, Fic—wait, which one did you suggest to Pandora?!"

Pandora squinted at the list. "Dr. Eggman and Dr. Wily, huh?"

I pulled the list away. "Nothing!"

"Who are they?"

"No one!"

"Now I'm even more curious!" She leapt off the couch and tackled me to the ground. "Answer the question!"

"I do not want to give you any ideas!"

"Now I really need to see!"

Lenny walked over and grabbed the next set of questions. "So, uh…thanks you, Fiction Realm. Enjoy your human holiday." He skimmed the paper. "Up next, we have GiratinaEmpress."

Melissa perked up. "Oh, they are the one who submitted Lillia for Bandits of the Forest. Hello, Empress!" she exclaimed with a wave.

I pried Pandora off and tossed her back onto the couch. "Hello, GiratinaEmpress. Nice to see you." I sat up and shook my head. "Lenny, mind reading it out?"

"Sure."

Ah, yay, we've got a PM64 christmas special! Always a delight to read these, Happy holidays to everyone!

A great selection of characters this time, indeed... Hello Melissa, 'twas I who inflicted you with having to deal with Lillia, I hope you're happy with that- And Pandora! The best character, as a fellow evil empress I respect you completely.

Pandora picked herself up and grinned. "Ah yes, someone who understands the majesty of evil. You and I should form an alliance. We can discuss business propositions for both our empires…of EVIL! Mwuahahahahaha!"

Lenny deadpanned. "There is something not right with her."

Melissa giggled. "Yeah~."

But also, we've got Jango! TAATP was so, so long ago... and it was well, a lot different from your level of writing at this point, so I'm very excited to see how the Phoenix Knight's path will turn out, and the new bearer characters all seem to be interesting, my first question is, you say they're bearers for spirits? As opposed to Demons? I can't say I remember exactly what happened in the ending, if Jango's demon turning to the Zen thing was it turning into a spirit, but just in case, is there anything you can say about the differences, or is that spoilers?

I sat back down in my chair. "Admittedly, TAATP could've been better planned at the time, so let me explain. Scourge, the spirit Jango was bound to, was the Spirit of Hatred and Evil before reverting back to his original title, Spirit of Purity and Life. Zen is what I would call the demonic beast of that title, much like how Jango transformed into Destruction."

Jango held his arm out. "Maybe Scourge can explain." Blue flames traveled up his arm and took the shape of a fiery bird with red eyes.

Scourge ruffled his flaming feathers. "Hello."

Laura raised her brow. "I completely forgot you could do that."

"Heh," Jango mumbled sheepishly.

Scourge raised a feather. "To clarify, we spirits give our bearers the power to transform into demonic beasts representative of our titles and our appearances. Zen, as Brad explained, is basically the same as Destruction, though more controllable and less murderous. It's just one of the many tricks a bearer gets with their spirit."

I nodded. "Thank you very much, Scourge."

I'm sure the answer to that will be interesting... but anyway, Brad! We've talked just a bit, and I hope your holidays have been good, and will continue to be so. Sorry for shooting all this word vomit at you and your characters, but it's a christmas special, so... deal with it, it's the holiday spirit. I'm very interested in the idea of having a wiki, that'd be a good way to remember all the scattered information that you put in your stories- And the death battle arena sounds like fun! I can't wait to see some characters get annhilated, so don't be a spoilsport, let Laura kill them-

I laughed nervously. "I rather not have the image of beloved characters of mine tearing out each other's entrails."

"Lame!" Ebony yelled. "You are lame!"

"I regret inviting you!" I yelled back. I sighed, then smiled. "You know, really thinking it over, it'd be kind of nice to have my own official wiki for Bandits of the Forest and maybe even Secret of the Idol, especially since those are both my more lore heavy stories. Maybe I'll look into it over the months. I did say I know someone who knows how it works, so I could probably seek advice from them."

Pandora grinned. "Ah yes, the perfect place to immortalize my greatness!"

"I guess I have a pet project to look forward to." I smiled. "And thanks a bunch, Empress. I'm looking forward to Christmas, especially with all the treats we're making on my end. I might be addicted to peppermint bark."

"Peppermint bark?" Melissa asked.

"A chocolate layer with cream on top and a mixture of crushed peppermint."

Melissa's mouth watered. "I must try this…"

My second question, since mostly everything else I want to know will probably be put in future updates, is one to you... since we've got our handsome flirt, Asher here, I'll ask a fun, romance question. Are there any of your characters that you'd ship cross-universe? Are there some you think would make a great pairing, or just hilarious crack fuel? I already have ideas of my own...

I covered my mouth, nearly breaking down in laughter. "Oh gee, where do I start with that? I have quite a few of those."

"Oh no," Asher mumbled, hiding his smirk.

"If we're talking legitimate pairings, Dark X Pandora would be a fun one. God of Evil and future Empress of Virdis. The ultimate evil couple."

Laura glared. "Excuse me?!"

"I have eyes for one guy, thank you very much!" Pandora exclaimed. She paused, then tapped her chin. "Although, theoretically speaking, Dark would make an excellent king…"

"Hey!" Laura yelled.

I grinned. "Well, while we're on the subject, Laura X Codex. You two would have a lot to talk about."

Ebony grinned. "Oh, imagine the intimacy~."

Laura slammed her face into the bar counter. "You people are the worst…"

"Marie X Cruella, the Kirlia-Mismagius, would also be quite entertaining. And Gwyn X Ren because, frankly, the sweetness overload would be amazing. Now, if we're talking completely nonsensical crack shippings, we've got—

"Valentine X 4th Wall, a match made in the shattered heavens!"

"Rusty X Gladys, the ultimate companions joined as lovers!"

"Tony X pretty much any female character you can think of! Tamara, Ebony, Amanda, Jade, Chloe, that one Luxio that rejected him, Melissa—heck, let's just give this man a harem!"

"Valentine X Basil, because the chaotic energy between these two would be astounding!"

"Tamara X Justice! She loves justice so much, she forms a relationship with the literal concept!"

Melissa raised her hand awkwardly. "You, uh, put way too much thought into this."

"Oh, definitely."

Melissa gulped. "I fear whatever GiratinaEmpress had in mind…"

Well, I could keep going on and on, talking to you and the characters is delightful afterall, but I think I'll leave you all alone. All in all, have a good holiday, keep doing the fun content you do, stay safe and rested, and have a good Christmas!

"Thanks again, GiratinaEmpress. I hope you have a fantastic Christmas/holiday yourself. Take care!"

Ryder tapped his chin. "You know, I'm honestly surprised you didn't try to pair Tamara with me."

"If I prattled off every legitimate or crack ship I could, we'd be here all day."

Ryder shrugged. "Fair enough."

I reached for the next set of questions. "Besides, not sure Jade or Spaz would appreciate the ship."

"I certainly don't appreciate the idea of Jade being in a harem."

I laughed, then held up the questions. "Alright, we've got another set from 1NF1N1TE L1GH7. Hopefully you were satisfied with our responses. Let's see what we got now."

Dark vs Faust? Huh... Never thought about that, since I don't know jack-squat about Faust. I guess this what I get for not taking the time to read Tribes of Fusion. My preferred match-up for Dark is The Shadow King because of obvious connections, but this one is pretty good. Idk who wins, I'm just hoping it's not as big of a stomp.

"I did say Dark vs. the Shadow King was taken into consideration, so you might be able to see that one. I personally felt more connected to Dark vs. Faust given how surprisingly similar those two are. Still, the battle of ultimate evils would be worth the watch. There would be multiple matchups utilizing the same characters, anyway."

This Christmas special so far has given me more reason to love Melissa's character. Melissa is the best girl, change my mind.

Melissa blushed and covered her cheeks. "Aww. I am not that great."

Pandora grabbed her face and pulled her close. "Mels, you are a precious bean. Embrace it! You have untold power and charisma in that cute face of yours!"

Melissa gently pushed Pandora away and laughed. "Um, thanks?"

I grinned. "I may have to put up a poll for 'Who is Best Girl'."

*Ahem* That aside, I don't have a lot to ask this time around. If I have any more questions in the future, I'll just ask Brad in PMs.

1. To Lenny and Pandora, what in Arceus' name made you agree to be hosts in Ultimate Arena to watch people beat the crap out of each other? And what the heck are you guys gonna do there? XD

Pandora grinned wickedly. "You answered the question yourself! There's no greater joy than watching the violence and mayhem unfold in front of me! Mwuahahahaha!"

Lenny waved it off. "Honestly, I'm just promoting my business. Plus, I was the only one who accepted the job."

Pandora puffed out her chest. "We will be the ones analyzing our competitors and determining who is mostly likely to take home the gold. You could say we are the hype men for our lovely competitors. Although, hehehehehe…I'm going to have a lot of fun torturing you all. I have been mastering your earth slang these past several months and intend to weaponize the deadly art of cringe!"

Ebony deadpanned. "Well, that's not disturbing in the slightest."

2. Brad, I recall you mentioning that you're using Pokemon as a sort of "placeholder" for your characters and that when you're finished with writing on Fanfiction, you'll move on to writing your own original material. How do you plan on doing this and what kind of material do you wish to write?

"Ah, this one could be made into its own session topic." I leaned back and sighed. "The how is surprisingly simple. I just need to finish writing the book I want to eventually publish and find an editor who will take me. Either that, or self-publishing, though I may have to broaden my public image if I want it to sell well.

"As for what I want to write, I have a variety of different stories planned out, mostly for my own amusement and to cover my bases. I have a lot of different action oriented stories, one more focused on horror elements, and even one geared towards children. However, the story I'm most interested in getting published is my own superhero story.

"So, I'm well aware how oversaturated the superhero genre has gotten, so maybe it seems redundant. On the other hand, it's well received for a reason. However, I want to take my own spin on things when discussing the inspiration found in these types of stories. I'm not the biggest fan of superhero deconstructions mainly because they seem to bring out the worst in humanity, and we really don't need more examples of that these days.

"I want to try my hand at a deconstruction, but also utilize a reconstruction of those elements. I see it more as an analysis and a celebration of the genre and reaffirming why some of the more tired elements aren't dated and even have relevancy in today's times. Might be something worth exploring."

So, I guess that's it for me for now, hope everyone has a happy holiday!

P.S. Brad, listen... Of course Ryder vs Jango is the better match-up. It IS their BEST match-up. You can NOT seriously think Wes vs Jango is superior. I get that they may have SOME connections, but I mean like...COME ON! Ryder and Jango are like your oldest characters and they're virtually THE SAME. It's probably your BIGGEST match-up. Angry rant over. Have a nice Day! :D

P.P.S. ...What are Wes' and Jango's connections, aside from magic, anyway? You don't need to answer that if you don't want to. XD

I chuckled. "Okay, I see your point and I do like the idea, though I may have to produce it before Phoenix Knight's Path due to…making sure the fight's fair and stuff. Wes and Jango, however, could arguably make as much sense. See, they may not have as many connections aside from magic, but I like to think they work as two of my strongest protagonists and will eventually reach newfound heights of power. I can see a matchup of grand proportions once both their series come to an end. Some of these fights were decided just because both characters either have similar mindset or similar abilities. Some don't line up as smoothly as Dark vs. Faust.

"But anyway, I hope I've answered thoroughly for you. Have a wonderful holiday, 1NF1N1TE. Take care!"

"There's a lot of interesting match-ups you could pull from us," Asher noted.

I nodded as I grabbed the next questions. "Honestly, it gives me a new appreciation for certain characters when I find good matchups for everyone. Anyone, looks like we have Damon Wolf Cub. Though not a regular around these parts, a familiar face. Nice to see ya, Damon. Hope the year's been treating you well. Let's see what you have to say."

Well, I missed the first round, but eh. Let's do this.

"Eh, I wouldn't worry about it. There's always next year."

So, question 1: Are you ever going to do another OC contest? I really like seeing how you handle other people's OCs.

"So, I've been hinting around this during the special, but there will be an OC contest in the future. So, you know when I brought up Darkmon Region Road Trip, that I kept specifying it'll star Koda, Chloe, and three unidentified Darkmon? Well, there's your answer. I'll eventually come up with something once I get around to plotting out the short story. Though, this one will be a bit tricky since there's some certain specifications I need, like their assigned number and that they still retain some of their old evil nature. Always remember to check when I make posts on my profile since that's where I explain upcoming events."

Ryder sighed. "Great, more Darkmon. Just what we needed…"

"Oh hush up. Not sure when I'll get working on that. Probably when I finish either Ryder's Fear or Laura's short story. But yeah, look forward to that."

Question 2: Has your opinion changed in regards to your favorite character you created, or is it still Jango?

Like several others here, I personally like Jango the most out your characters due mostly to him being the first of your protagonists who's story I've read and kept track of all the way to the end. It's great to see the first of many fire-lizards and Keri's biggest inspiration back in action(ish)!

"Well, while Jango still holds a special place in my heart, my personal favorite nowadays is our newest Buneary to the family, Melissa."

Melissa blushed and covered her cheeks. "Aww."

"Though not the strongest compared to Jango or Ryder, she has a lot of heart to her. I say this mostly because she's probably the most innocent and loveable of the two while having the makings to be one of the strongest. Unlike these two, she still has a long way to go before she reaches that point, but I have a lot of fun writing for her. Maybe it shows how much I love working on BOTF since it has a little bit of everything I like."

Melissa beamed. "Oh, I am sure everyone shares your sentiments. All the more reason to make your kiwi thing."

"Wiki."

"Wiki, yes."

I smiled. "I'd say Melissa earned her place alongside Ryder and Jango as a fellow protagonist."

Jango hooked his arm around Melissa. "Allow me to be the first to say 'Welcome to the club, Princess!'"

"Aww, thank you, Jango!"

I grinned. "And I suppose that's another reason why Jango's so great, too. Anyway, glad to hear from you, Damon. Stay safe and have a wonderful holiday!"

Laura snorted. "Now I'm just wondering how Melissa would fair against that Glacial creep we dealt with the first time."

"Who?" Melissa asked.

"Err, nothing, Mels," I assured as I retrieved the next questions. "Alright, we've got another set from AllKorean. Let's see what they have to say now."

Good to know that Ultimate Arena might come out sooner than I thought. And just when I thought the things implied in BOTF were already pretty violent, you want to take it a step further in Bandit of the Outlands. Anyways, I'll keep my questions more simple this time around.

"If any of you knew me in real life, I like to experiment with my writing. Plus, Bandit of the Outlands will be digging more into the western tropes themes than BOTF. Might be fun especially since it'll be following a previous antagonist who's not so shy about offing people. Plus, some fun side characters to add."

1. What are the names and order of the months on the calendar in BOTF? Are there any dates in particular that hold significance such as historic events or celebrations other than what's been shown so far?

"So, I'm sure some of you have noticed that I've made an official calendar system for the series. This is mostly so I can keep track of the timeline because…frankly, I have no idea what day it is in TSOTI. The calendar system is in line with our own, so the days pretty much line with 2020. I actually wished I designed this sooner, but I'm just glad it wasn't that hard to pin down how much time passed. Really helps that Melissa was gone from her kingdom for about two months by the time she became a Forester.

"But anyway, starting from January to December, the months go as follows: Rebirth Moon, Clear Glass Moon, Red Ash Moon, Vernal Moon, Festive Moon, Summer Moon, Life Moon, Noble Lion Moon, Autumn Moon, Hollow Moon, Wisdom Moon, and Winter Moon.

"I do plan on revealing historical events or other celebrations in the future, but those are still in development. That said, fun fact: Melissa's birthday is on the 16th Red Ash Moon, or 16th of March. So, in terms of the story, she'll be turning nineteen in three months. And Jason's is on the 1st Summer Moon, or the 1st of June. I'm still working out every else's birthdays. That said, to everyone who submitted a character to BOTF, feel free to update your characters by giving them official birthdays. Don't worry about giving me a year, I can fill that in using math.

"And, I suppose while we're on the topic of important events, Melissa's birthday may count as one…in more ways than one."

Melissa blinked, then looked ahead. "…That does not sound ominous at all."

2. Is there any particular reason the emblem of the Foresters is a Decidueye? Maybe I'm looking too much into it, but other than the stealth/Robinhood(stealing from the rich and giving to the poor) theme I can't think of anything else.

"In a meta sense, that's exactly why I made it their symbol. I mean, come on, much like how people call Inteleon the James Pond, Decidueye is basically Robin Hood, though not specifically known for stealing riches like Robin Hood. In universe, however, there is a reason for the Decidueye emblem. Can't say why because spoilers, but keep in mind Jason made the Foresters and…well, he's complicated. Place your bets. Is the emblem some tragic reminder of something or is Jason subtly showing his geeky side by using an emblem described from his favorite book?"

"I call tragedy!" Pandora exclaimed.

"Geeky reason!" Melissa cheered.

Ryder sighed. "Guess I'll call the other characters later so we can start a betting circle."

As always I hope you have a great Christmas and a prosperous new year! Until next time!

"I dare say all of us are hoping for a prosperous new year, haha. Thanks a bunch, AllKorean. Hope to hear more from you later on. Take care and have a Merry Christmas!"

Lenny sipped his eggnog. "So, how much time did pass in TSOTI?"

I shrugged. "My best guess, about two years since the beginning. Which means Wes, Ella, and Gwyn should be 21. Flint's 22. Griffin's 25. And Tony's 20."

"I keep forgetting Griffin's the oldest out of all of them," Lenny mumbled. "And that Tony's the youngest."

"You'd think Gwyn was the youngest, haha." I grabbed the next questions. "Alright, we have another set from Drifter77. Let's begin."

Drifter77 here once again. Some details I want to share with my work in progress story is that it takes place in the far future where pokemon have mastered travel through ultra space, the gateway between worlds, but its regulatory body has split off into two powers: the Directorate, which is dedicated to upholding stability for the best of everyone, and the Separatist Coalition, whose members believe that power should belong to the worlds, indirectly creating the Drifters, pokemon and ultra beasts who don't have worlds to call home and travel around in ultra space. But enough about the concept of my story for now, here are my questions:

"I would love to hear more about this, Drifter. Like I said, a setting in Ultra Space would be pretty cool. Plus, think of the different ways you can play around with the concept of different Ultra Space worlds. From the normal to the perplexingly strange."

1) What was the role you had planned for the Fusion Hunters in Tribe of Fusions?

"Generally speaking, they played more of an antagonistic role. Not on the same level as Faust, but as a force the Fusions would have to deal with. General Cragtail, who was in charge of the Fusion Hunters, had a particular loathing for Fusions, so the idea of Gappei Village would've annoyed him. I'm not saying he would randomly attack the village, but he would if it was suspected of any particular issues, like say harboring a wanted criminal or…assassin."

Asher grinned. "Ah, I see where you're going with this."

I nodded. "It played a larger role into a certain character's backstory who, frankly, could've used more time to explain their background. It occurred to me half of TOF took place in the village, and the other half was essentially Armageddon. Honestly, it would've showed off some cool scenes I wanted to do, like Tamara slicing through a tank shell or showing off the true power of the Fusion Council. TOF could've been planned better."

2) What are the types of Sin Magic you mentioned (greed and gluttony magic) and how do they work?

"The signature magic used by Ebony the Traitor and Hazel of the Wild Fangs. I haven't worked out any details regarding the rest of the Sin Magic, like Pride or Wrath, so no explanations for there. Greed and Gluttony are kind of interesting because they work the same in theory, but are executed very differently. They work mostly for drawing something towards them."

Ebony leaned back and crossed her arms behind her head. "Greed magic relies on stealing properties of something for a set amount of time. I can steal things like strength, speed, friction, and even other people's spells. Although, that's one of the more advanced spells in my arsenal. Of course, whatever I steal is temporary and will eventually leak out after a set amount of time."

I nodded. "Gluttony magic, meanwhile, focuses more of attractive forces and absorption. Ebony can't steal magic that's been thrown at her, but take it out of someone's possession with Greed's Reach. Hazel's Gluttony's Appetite allows her to suck up anything fired at her. She can choose whether to boost herself with this stolen magic or fuel it for her own counterattack.

"She can also draw people in or negate damage by literally absorbing the damage into a void at the cost of a significant amount of magic. Greed's all about taking some compulsively while Gluttony's all about taking things in excessively. In some ways, Gluttony is the most defensive of the two."

That's all for now and have a merry christmas!

"You as well, Drifter. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas! Take care!"

Jango waved. "Later."

Melissa tapped her chin. "Wow, I never realized how nuanced Greed and Gluttony magic were."

Ebony laughed. "It's all about the details!"

I selected the next question sheet. "And we've got another set from TheGrimReaper666."

Ebony grinned. "Oh sweet, the—" Melissa and Jango swiftly bonked her on the head. "YOW!"

I rolled my eyes. "Anyway…"

Dark vs Ivan Faust. That honestly sounds like a pretty awesome fight. I do agree that it sounds like a season finale type battle, so I honestly don't mind seeing it later down the line. As for the Wes vs Jango or Ryder vs Jango ordeal, I have no idea which one sounds better. They both sound so awesome, no matter who wins either one.

"It definitely has the grand finale sort of vibe. Not sure if that'll ever be the case given how infrequently I may upload Ultimate Arena, but I'd say give the series some time until I find my roots. I may do Ryder vs. Jango first since that would be a much fairer matchup than…well, trust me, Phoenix Knight's Path will make the decision fairly obvious."

Ah, being called edgy. Heh, I get that quite a lot honestly. I mean, how could you not think that from a name such as 'TheGrimReaper666'? Sounds like a teen going through an emo faze. XD! Made this name because of my fascination with the mythology of the reaper in various religions. And sense Reaper was already a username being used on this site, I came to use this name. Not exactly proud of it, but hey, I'll take it.

I laughed a bit. "Try not to take anything we say here seriously. Frankly, I agree with your fascination regarding the Grim Reaper. Heck, a good chunk of my characters take inspiration or aspects from the reaper. Ryder's cloak, the rumors surrounding Grim Deadlock, Slade Karmic from PKP, Asher's whole shtick, etc. It's pretty cool seeing different interpretations of the personified concept of death.

"But yeah, the edgy comment was nothing more than a harmless joke, haha. Right, Ebony?" We all glared at the drunken rabbit.

She tilted her head and raised her brow. "What are y'all looking at me for? Besides, Brad's not one to talk. Need I remind you of Fang's identification number?"

I rolled my eyes. "Moving on!"

Thank you for pointing out my mistake in one of my questions. Totally forgot that Algus and Subterra were kingdoms. Again, need to pay more attention to what I am reading. Also, in my first question, I meant to type in FOUR kingdoms instead of three, but the auto correct had other ideas. Hate it so much. Lol!

"I felt it was right to point out you came to your own realization instead of just answering it as is."

Pandora huffed, playing with her stereotypical nerdy glasses. "Yeah, thanks for that…" Melissa giggled and patted her head.

"Heck, I feel the need to point out my own mistakes." I laughed awkwardly. "Admittedly, because of the order I was doing these during the first session, I almost skipped over you. I kept telling myself 'I did Reaper's section, right? Yeah, I did Reaper's section. I already answered his question about the…wait. Ah CRAP!' Glad I caught that, haha!"

I don't have any other questions to ask, but I will be here nonetheless. It's just fun reading other people's questions. With that said, once again, have a great day! See ya in the next session!

"Perfectly fine. Just talking to you all is enough for me. You never know what people have to say, and some do surprise me, like Drifter's question regarding Greed and Gluttony magic. It gives me some introspection on how far I've come that I can answer so many detailed questions, or show just how much I ramble when left to my own accord."

Asher chuckled. "He does like to ramble when no one's watching."

"Hush, I say!" I smiled. "But anyway, thanks a bunch, Reaper. Glad to have you around. I hope you have a fantastic holiday this week! Take care!"

"Bye-bye!" Melissa cheered.

Ebony smirked and waved. "No hard feelings, Sir Ed—" Lenny chopped her in the head. "OW! You people are worse than Hugo!"

I chuckled, then grabbed the final sheet. "Last, but not least, we have Pikachu47."

Pandora grinned. "Ah, a Pikachu hitman, yes?"

"…Wow, you really have been researching human culture recently. But no, not that 47."

"Hmph!"

I smiled. "Happy to see you, Pikachu47. Hope things are well. Let's see what you've got for us."

Oops! I missed this. Sorry my email was de-sycronised.
It's alright, I don't have any questions anyway. I don't have any rush to know what you gonna do next. I'm patiently waiting, let's see what happens.

"That's fine. Like I said, it's nice to talk and see what's on everyone's minds. Sorry to hear about what happened to your email." I scratched my head. "Though, weirdly enough, my email started receiving PMs again, which hasn't happened in a long time. Weird."

'Relationship' part 1 is coming, after December I will be free from all this stuff and I can read and review your stories. And also tell me about your opinion on my reviews, if bad or good or just bland.

"It could be my faulty memory, but I'm guessing this 'Relationship' part 1 is a story you've been working on. If so, I look forward to seeing it. If not, then…well, I'm at a loss, haha. Sorry. And don't worry about how good your reviews are. Even if it's just a simple acknowledgement, I'm fine with it. Though, maybe don't leave anything like 'Nice'. That would be a bit too bland, haha."

And as always I see you next time, told them I said hi to everyone, wish you Marry Christmas and Happy New Year.
And also say hi especially to Laura and Melissa, two of my most favorite characters of all time.

Melissa beamed and waved. "Hi Pikachu47! Thank you very much!"

Laura crossed her arms and nodded smugly. "You've got good taste, Pikachu47. Clearly I'm the best."

Asher smirked. "Yes girls, you're both very pretty."

"You're lucky the only thing keeping me from clobbering you is the fabric of space and time!" Laura shouted, knocking on the video screen.

I chuckled. "Thanks again, Pikachu47. I hope you also have a wonderful Christmas and New Year. Like I said, we could all use a good new year."

"Just wait until the rise of December 32nd," Pandora stated, chittering evilly under her breath.

"And now she's been reading memes," I grumbled. I sighed and smiled. "Anyway, take care, Pikachu47!"

"Goodbye!" Melissa cheered.

"Remember to hit first, never ask questions!" Laura exclaimed.

"What?!" Melissa squeaked. "That's a horrible message!"

"But the correct one!"

I fell back into my seat and sighed. "Well, that's the last of the questions. I say that was a good session—"

"Wait!" Pandora cried.

"Ah, what?!" I yelped.

"Last minute submission from Zlaxe! I just found it!"

I sighed and rubbed my face. "Okay, one more. That shouldn't be too bad. Where is—" I froze as Pandora dropped a stack in front of my feet. I blinked at it, then looked at the innocent, tail-wagging Growlithe. "Pandora, what is this?"

"Zlaxe's list."

"This is a college essay!"

Pandora snickered. "Yep."

I picked it up and quickly skimmed through the pages. "Good grief, and I thought my OCs were bothersome. Again, this is why I implemented that question limit."

Jango looked at it cautiously. "So, are you going to go through all of that or…"

I took a deep breath and sighed. "Uh, Zlaxe? I'll answer your question, but, uh…if you want, we can talk over PMs. I'm sure you understand, especially given the disclaimer you put up top here."

"Probably a safe route," Ryder mumbled.

Lenny chuckled. "You found someone just as enthusiastic as you, Brad."

"Oh, good grief…"

Anyway, the only question I have is about Ultimate Arena and it regards to the submitted ones... The only one I have an almost completed story phase and moveset is Aaron
*Aaron blushes* "Aaaaw, I'm flattered that you chose me out of your HUNDREDS of characters you already thougt of but not wriite more about"
*Zlaxe eye rolls* So the question is; Can I submit a "resume" of sorts despite the story of that character is not being written yet? *If only looks could kill* What? Like I said, you're the only one I have a concrete idea, not in my first batch of options... Aaand I think I have others to choose along side you. *he writes in notedpad* Use the NPCs for back up submittions.

"Alright, simple enough. Like I said, since I still have other characters of my own to flesh out, the fights I want to do won't be coming out for a while. So, I can work with accepting OCs from other people so they can shine against other creators' OCs.

"Now, on the subject of non-completed stories, I did say they have to come from mostly finished works so that any feats that are brought up for reference, well, actually happened without any bias influence. I suppose the only way to work around this would be to pair your character up against someone else's in the same situation. They'd be equally vague. Of course, I can trust people would submit me characters that are reasonably strong and not Dragon Ball levels of strong unless they come from an actual written story for reference.

"At the very least, Zlaxe, I'll let you submit a resume for this character. Maybe we can discuss it."

Well, that's about it... Again, I'm really, REALLY sorry for not doing this sooner. I'll do better next time, if or when I can. Anyway, it's already the 25th here so... Merry Christmas everyone!

"Got to love time zones, haha." I grinned. "Don't worry about it, Zlaxe. Just, uh…love the enthusiasm, but might want to tone it back. Or at least make the transition between you and your OCs speaking a bit clearer."

Melissa giggled. "What an odd bunch."

"Anyway, hope to talk to you later, Zlaxe. I still want to hear more about your story. Like I said, we could talk over PM. Take care, and have a Merry Christmas!" I sighed and flipped back into my seat. "Please tell me there aren't any more surprise questions."

Pandora tapped her chin. "Hmm…nope! That was the last one."

"Thank goodness…" I sighed. "That was interesting."

Ryder nodded. "Certainly was. I look forward to what's in store next year."

"Agreed. And hopefully with less…global drama, haha."

Lenny crossed his arms. "You said there was one more topic of discussion for the holiday season."

"Ah yeah," Laura remembered. "You want to talk about what got you interested in writing in the first place."

I smiled and straightened up. "Well, this particular show set me on the path, that's for sure. And for it's worth, I'm grateful for its existence. I'm well aware how bad some fanfiction are, but that stipulation tends to overshadow the other great works that come from dedicated fans. So, I figure why not talk about a show I watched that got me invested in creativity, as well as sparked this little journey of ours?"

Melissa grinned. "Please, go right ahead."

I took a deep breath. "Phew. Where to begin?" I leaned back and crossed my arms. "Let's see…" I tapped my foot for a moment, then smiled.

"You know, really thinking about it, there was a lot going on before I even started writing fanfiction. I think we can all agree I've improved a lot since then. Pacing, description, dialogue, humor; I improved a lot on my shortcomings since the beginning. Back then, I just wanted to get my ideas out there, going from a fun hobby to practice for the actual day I get published. I actually have been told I should edit out the Pokémon in my fanfiction and redo it so that I can publish them as my own published work.

"Admittedly, the idea entertained me, but a lot of my stuff takes a lot from the lore and my personal head canons of the Pokémon world. Editing around that would require me to painstakingly add and remove a lot of key elements that make up the sum of those worlds. I think I'm better off sticking to the stuff I intend to publish.

"That said, there is something amazing about the places fanfiction can take you. I have my gripes with certain types of stories in the Pokémon fanfiction list, like Ash Gets Betrayed stories or any AU stories where the human characters go to school and delve into high school drama. Doesn't really feel like Pokémon, but I'm clearly not one to talk, especially if you've read my Secret of the Idol series.

"What truly makes a fanfiction good in my eyes is if they can take what made the series they're writing about amazing and take it in a new, exciting direction. I personally never found anything like that in Pokémon, though. Say what you will, but Pokémon bleeds into just about any genre or medium when you allow it. It's not that weird I'm giving Pokémon human characteristics when we literally have a series of Pokémon games that already do that. So, it's more expected than anything.

"I don't watch the Pokémon anime quite as much these days. I keep up with it, but never sit down to watch it. I watch a lot of other cartoons and anime that have filled the creative blanks in my head, inspiring new ideas or helping me improve. But there's one show in particular I still find myself coming back to every year. That show may in fact be the reason I discovered this site, and the fanfiction tied with that show is what got me down the path toward writing."

Phineas and Ferb

"Anyone who has frequented Disney's lineup of shows and kept up with the advertisements for Disney Plus may have heard of this. And I can safely say a majority of people who know what an aglet is have either watched the show, or knew someone who watched it. Seriously, it's kind of hilarious.

"A show with such a repetitive and strange premise, it almost seems impossible that it lasted as long as it did. Basic rundown: two stepbrothers try to make the most of their summer, so they build elaborate contraptions that their older sister tries to expose to their mother, all while an evil pharmacist (or scientist, I guess) tries to take over the Tri-State Area, but is inevitably thwarted by the stepbrothers' pet platypus who is actually a secret agent.

"That alone makes this show sound absolutely bonkers, and it kind of is. I wasn't kidding about the repetitive nature of the show, either. Here, I'll show you—"

"Ferb, I know what we're going to do today!"

"You're so busted!"

"Hey, where's Perry?"

Perry enters his lair through a complicated passage

"What'cha Doin'?"

"Aren't you a little young to…?" "Yes, yes we are."

Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated~!

"Ah, Perry the Platypus!"

Trapped!

Doof's umpteenth traumatic backstory

"Behold! My (something)-Inator!"

The Song

Self-destruct button

Doof's inator causes Phineas and Ferb's contraption to disappear before their mom can see it

"Curse you, Perry the Platypus!"

"Oh, there you are, Perry."

"B-But, but, but, but…!"

Ferb: (says something)

"Who wants snacks?"

"Seriously, you can make a drinking game out of this. And, like I said, a show like this probably shouldn't have lasted for as long as it did, yet it got multiple specials, spin-offs, its own albums with some songs nominated for the Emmys, and two movies. The show had a lot of charisma that made the repeated formula enjoyable, plus the writers knew when to subvert the formula to their advantage.

"I got into the show when I was in middle school, I believe, and it stuck with me ever since. Just one enjoyable thrill after another. The creators obviously had a lot of fun working on the series and making it such a recognizable icon today. Naturally, I searched the show on YouTube to find anything like songs or pirated episodes.

"And here's when I came across that fanfiction.

"I happened upon some PnF videos with fanart for…something. From the way they were drawn and the title of the videos, they were all linked to their own series, which got me curious. I searched for hours, but I couldn't find anything on this mysterious PnF content. It seemed so strange. I only knew the name, but not what it was from. It never really crossed my mind what fanfiction was at the time.

"That's when I found the link to DeviantArt, and my pathway to FanFiction started."

The Seer by KicsterAsh

"I finally found it. That mysterious fanfiction that eluded me for so long. A story written about one of my favorite shows? What could this be about? Well, safe to say when it takes me a week to finish a pretty long story, I was hooked. So, what is the story about, and why does it fit into my beliefs on what makes a good fanfiction?

"Basic summary of the story, four or five years set after the show, Phineas and Ferb, along with their three friends (Isabella, Baljeet, and Buford) are hooked on this trendy game called The Seer. However, the gang comes across a weird stone one day and are transported into a world very much like that of The Seer. In order to return home, they have to defeat an evil wizard and complete a ritual of sorts that requires the Seer.

"Sounds like a typical plot you would find in any fantasy-focused fanfiction, admittedly, though there is some nuance to how it's structured. For one thing, as early as the first chapter, it foreshadows what will become the main conflict of their journey that tests the limits of their determination.

"Secondly, the context of these characters. Phineas and Ferb can do extraordinary things in their world, but that requires access to resources. This creative duo and their friends are on their own, no resources, forced into a fantasy setting where they have to rely on whatever skills and wits they have to survive. This isn't an AU type of situation where they were born into this world. Basically, an isekai situation, but no one was hit by a truck to get there, and they want to get home.

"And despite all of that, it fits perfectly in the world of Phineas and Ferb. Sure, magic has never been an established concept in the show, but they've met aliens, a living bathing suit that lives in the Himalayas, a giant floating baby head, the Avengers, and their counterparts in another dimension. Being transported to another world is hardly the weirdest thing that has ever happened to them.

"You know, saying that all out loud, I keep reminding myself how absolutely bonkers this show is." I laughed. "Funny, huh?"

Jango tilted his head. "So, what makes this show so special to you?"

"Remember how I said it seemed impossible that Phineas and Ferb lasted for as long as it did? In a way, it kind of was. If you look into the background history of how the show was developed, there was a lot of complications towards approving the story. It didn't fit the mold of a standard cartoon, the title characters were too good and almost flawless, the premise was deemed "complicated", and a whole bunch of other factors. The show went against standard principles of cartoons, yet it worked. You could find a video essay on why the show works. I recommend Nerdstalgic, as it gives a good rundown of the show's principles and development.

"The funny thing is, in a meta context, the impossibility of its existence fits with the core themes of Phineas and Ferb. It's all about the impossible being made possible, making the most out of a day. Crime fighting animals, two kids making complicated machines, aliens and creatures, and so much more. Heck, their pet is a platypus. You know, that egg-laying, semi-aquatic, beaver-duck mammal. That creature that scientists thought was some practical joke. That creature that shouldn't be possible.

"I think that's what draws me to this show so much. Everything about it strives to make the impossible possible. When you take as many writing classes as I do, you learn a lot of rules to writing, things you should avoid doing too often, like adding too many ellipses or relying on adverbs. And yet, you learn about authors who give the finger to those rules and do as they please…and it works out for them! Going against the standard can yield surprising results, and I relate to that as a writer. I don't want to fit in a mold. There are certain things writers have to follow, obviously, but I just want to have fun and make the most out of what I can do. In many ways, this show holds a special place in my heart, then and now."

Carpe Diem!

Melissa blinked. "Carpe Diem?"

"It's Latin for seize the day. Though, I suppose you could say seize the day is English for Carpe Diem."

"Huh. Neat."

I smiled. "In a lot of ways, that's something we could all use. Just to seize the day and wash away those worries. And hopefully 2021, we'll be able to seize the year and get back on track."

Ryder smirked. "I suppose there's worse ways to look at the future."

"Just have to stay positive and make the most out of every day. That's what I do whenever I write, at least."

Ebony grinned. "You'll be using your time wisely next year?"

"2020 caught us all off guard, but I won't let the past slow me down. Once 2021 starts up, I'll use whatever available free time I have to take opportunity by the horns and prioritize making my stories the best they can. And who knows? By the end of 2021, I may just find new inspiration for LITC's reboot. There's just so much opportunity waiting to be discovered, and I don't want to go on wasting it."

Pandora raised her paw. "Rock on!"

"That's the fire!" Asher cheered.

I smiled. "And to everyone who has been keeping up with us, thank you very much for your time. Here's to hoping a brand new year comes around to seize it by the horns and steer us into the right direction! Here's to a hopeful new year and more! Happy Holidays to all and, altogether everyone—" I gestured to my OCs.

"Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!"