About your review on The Syndrome...

I've had a lot of people from time to time have complains about not liking some of the characters in this story. Depending on the chapter, they either love or hate Kagome, and I think it has a lot to do with personal perspective and experiences. I grew up a girl with more guy friends than anything and I think I pull a lot of this from my life at that time. I know for one specific chapter I got a lot of 'Kagome was such a bitch in this chapter! I totally hate her!'

I think it's interesting that you say everyone is completely out of character. See, I don't try very hard to keep them in character, instead letting them develop as the story goes on, not keeping them set in a tightly fixed mold the whole time. Even so, I get a lot of comments saying how they think I do a great job of keeping them all in character when so out of universe... which amuses me. It's very interesting to see bits and pieces of how other people see things.

I really can't say whether continuing to read the story would be good or not, but by chapter 11 you've only begun to skim the surface and (I can't remember without checking) I don't think you've seen Kagome's hidden feelings yet either. You also probably haven't gotten to the explanation for why Sesshoumaru behaves the way he does. (Again, I can't be sure without checking the chapters list... been a long time since I wrote the early chappies)

When I started this fic is was all lighthearted and silly, until I figured out where it was going and since then I've tried to keep humor in it even in the angsty feel bad for Sesshoumaru parts. I have a tendency to lean towards tormenting him and I absolutely love making him cold on the outside and yet pathetically insecure on the inside. I didn't even realize it was angsty until it won a Best Angst @ Feudal Association and I asked me friend, 'Is this really even Angst?'

I don't like fics that make Sesshoumaru perfect and Kagome does anything to get him, or where he does horrible things to her and she loves him anyway. I like this pairing because I like both characters and I try to torture them equally and reward them the same way. There is a lot more depth to her than you've seen and she's not feeling so great about things either, especially relationship-wise.

I really appreciate the time you took to write out all your concerns, especially how you managed to make sure they didn't come off as an attack. I can and do get rather defensive at times, my own insecurities rising to the surface, and I actually didn't while reading your review. I don't get a lot of criticisms and when I do it's primarily complaints about updated taking too long or chapters being too short, along with things not moving fast enough (which makes me crazy! I like drawing things out!) and even if I don't change a thing about the way the story is written or progressing, it is still very informative to see not only what you don't like but why.

I'd love to tell you to keep going and see how you feel by the time you get caught up but I can't say, given your concerns, that you'd enjoy it any more. There isn't so much of a twist as move levels being peeled back. I really enjoy writing in the alternating past/present pattern because it allows me to show how everyone got to where they are without excessive flashbacks. I wish that everyone could love everything by everyone else, but life doesn't work that way and there's a good portion of things I've read that I just hated for various reasons too. Life's experience really makes a difference in how you take things.

I hope no one gives you any trouble about your review, which it sounded like you're concerned about. You were honest and polite and I appreciate that above all. If you do continue to read, I'd like to hear from you again at some point, to find out if your opinion changes or stays the same. Thanks for taking the time to review so thoroughly. Thanks for taking the time to read all of this too! It got a tad long!