~Tried...and True?~

This is the chapter where I reply to reviews, and if I get any, answer some questions about the fic. It’ll be updated as the story progresses, so check back now and then to see if I addressed your questions or mentioned your review! If you don’t see me reply to your review specifically, it doesn’t mean I don’t like you; it probably means that A) I ran out of time, or B) that your review was so profound, it didn’t need me adding to it. XD

No questions yet, so this time I’ll just be replying to the awesome people who reviewed. Let’s begin, shall we?

BlueUtopiah: I’m glad the emergence of a sequel made you flail. *grins* That was kinda what I was going for. Thank you for your compliment concerning “Once Burned;” I’m happy to see that one hasn’t died!

On the subject of “Tried,” yeah, Hiei having doubts was one of the major plot points I was working with. There was someone who reviewed “Once Burned” who made me think that perhaps the first story ended too abruptly, and that unless I wanted to leave people with a Disney taste in their mouths (no offense, Walt, I love ya), I’d better start the next installment off with some nice, wholesome angst. XD

You have no idea how much I enjoyed using “charcoal breath” for one of Yusuke’s verbal stabs. I considered a variety of insults beforehand, but that was the one I could really hear our favorite spirit detective flinging.

mhmartini: I’m excited to see you back! It’s always great when a reviewer returns. No need to apologize for anything, honestly. You’re around, you’re reading, and that’s one of those things that really makes the updates worthwhile, beyond the writing itself, of course. That summary killed me, I’ll tell you what. I had to rework it about ten times before I was satisfied it had the right attraction power. Glad to see it works!

Thank you for your kind words of reassurance concerning the ICness; I’d thought of those points before, but as I’m sure you guys remember from the author’s notes in “Once Burned,” I have my emo days. n_n;

Rose Thorne: Thanks for reading; I’m flattered that my fic was what reeled you back into the world of YYH. *bows* You’re right, of course: evolution came in many ways in the previous story, and the characters are now who they are pertaining to this ficverse. Naturally, this doesn’t mean I’ll completely relax! There are still plenty of ways to make Hiei and Kurama OOC beyond tolerable limits, and I’m determined not to let them befall this fic. It will definitely continue, so please do keep reading!

Amiwyrn: I wanted to continue the cautious dynamic between Hiei and Yusuke in this fic that I began in the first, because Yusuke seems like he would actually make a decent confidant. He isn’t one to judge people, and he’s got a way of speaking his mind which could potentially translate into good advice, given a little maturity. It worked out pretty well in “Once,” so I figured it could survive a sequel. XD With Chapter 3, I hope the mystery of the new mission was solved for you—but don’t worry, because there’ll be more where that came from. For your praise, I thank you! I’ll be trying hard to live up to it.

BWinner: By the blessed winds, I do indeed live! Fear not, because it just isn’t in me to give up writing; it’s one of my passions. I think I might have a little bit of an idea how happy you are, but that could just be the lovely review. n_~ I’ve been wanting to look into “Trials” again, so lemme know when you start working on it again, and I’ll let you know what I think.

I’d love to email you in the near future. :) Sorry I haven’t gotten around to it in a while, but I think that with a little bit more time on my hands lately, I can probably send one off sooner than later. And please don’t take my silence to mean I’ve forgotten about you; I’ve just been sorely busy. n_n;;

Amiwyrn (hi again!): As a matter of fact, when I write the dialogue, I have a system of sorts: if I can’t imagine the character’s voice speaking the words in my head, then nine times out of ten the dialogue will get tossed. Likewise, when I can actually imagine the character speaking the words on screen, then I know I’ve got a truly, successfully IC bit of dialogue.

That scene was actually the most difficult to write so far. Hiei in the actual show seems the sort who, if he sees a thing as impossible, either refuses to acknowledge that weakness and tries anyway, or goes completely the other way and shrugs that thing off as unimportant. I didn’t want the Hiei in my fic to take the latter route, because while denial makes a good tool for angst, it isn’t really conducive to moving the plot forward. On the other hand, though, Hiei appears as a being who exists almost entirely for the “now,” so I had to get him to grasp for the uncertain future without being consciously aware of how desperate he was to make it there. This created a sense of chaos “in the moment,” and that tension was what I really wanted out of the scene.

As for Kurama, well…I couldn’t afford to have him wig out, because that would have made the scene unnecessarily long and drawn out. I figured if the fox could handle the shock of Yusuke’s death in the Sensui Arc without coming to pieces, he could handle his lover going temporarily psycho on him. Eh-heh. n_n;;; Yeah, he’s a nice guy.

On a separate note: come back here and request your prize, you silly thing. Just send me a message about what you’d like to my email (that’s tourastripe10@hotmail.com), and I’ll get right on it. ^_^

BlueUtopiah(repeat reviewers, I definitely like. XD): Huzzah indeed! Thank you and thank you; “heartbreaking” was a definite goal, and I’m glad to see it was accomplished. Yes, I attribute the maturity to two things: the characters being older and more comfortable with each other, and me not having the patience to write them having a bitch fight about the problem. XDD Hopefully, Hiei won’t be the only one learning a thing or two in this fic.

Thank you for your patience with the arrival of Chapter 3…and now you get to wait for Chapter 4! 8D Contemplate the hours of your existence I’ve wasted as you realize that the chase was all you ever had. *BRICK’D*

suicidein angeleyes: I’m so glad! I was worried the sequel would be inferior to the original, as sequels far too often are. More will come, so please have patience with this perpetually harassed writer.

lildemonicfoofubunni: Your username made me snort soda out my nose. XD I realize Hiei talks a lot in my fics, but please understand that the dialogue is making up for a great many visual cues and “foley” effects that aren’t present in writing. Also, if he didn’t talk, how would he and Kurama communicate in ways that the audience would understand? n_n; My last line of defense is to ask my knowledgeable readers to recall that one episode of YYH where Hiei narrates the entire time. He has his verbose moments, but I promise to not make him a genuine chatterbox throughout the whole fic.

Believe me, though, I understand the value of a good, hard, sarcastic streak! If sarcasm weren’t meant to exist, it wouldn’t be funny. So, no offense taken; we’re all mature here. XD

Also, thanks to your suggestion, I have given my muses cookies. They responded by demanding milk.

Hiei08: Me luvvies reviewers. And I have high hopes for this fic myself; it’s just gonna take a hell of a lot of work! Keep reading, and I’ll keep doing my best to make it worth your time.

And last but not least, one more for BlueUtopiah (I’m starting to think you like my fic or something): I humbly accept your praise. Using Rando was probably a long shot, so I’m glad he worked out. Truthfully, what was this fic other than an excuse to give the other main characters ears and tails? *laughs* I’m pleased to see the fic has the desired appeal. I’ve always believed that any fic which doesn’t grab you by the eyeballs right off the bat isn’t going to survive the inevitable slow periods between action/sex scenes. n_n;;

Never fear: you shall have more fic! My goal is to make this one fit within the same eleven or so chapters as the first story, give or take. I don’t want it to be so short it leaves the reader feeling too deprived, but I’d rather it didn’t turn into a twenty-thirty chapter monstrosity, either! I’m saving that kind of pain for my WIP Fushigi Yuugi fic. XD

Thanks again, guys, and remember to check back here now and then to see if your comments have been added and your questions answered. Peace!