Previous Post This story was originally supposed to be a 3-parter.  Unfortunately, as much as I wanted to try and save it, it looks like the entire thing is flawed.  Part 2 is now removed, and Part 1 will be deleted separately.  I don't think there's any way I can salvage it aside from a complete rewrite from Part 1, and I have no clue how to approach the core story now.  So as far as I can tell at this point, the whole story and its core concept are no longer salvageable and are dead. I started writing it two Untold Tales ago.  That means even if I manage to find inspiration it's going to take me a couple more weeks to catch up now.  I'm sorry to say that I'll have nothing to post until then besides one lone World Class chapter.  Which is not nearly as popular, but it's all I have right now. On a personal note it's both depressing and discouraging.  Yes, I know it's my own fault, and that's exactly why it awakens doubts about my ability to write in a shared environment, or at all for that matter.   Maybe I don't have the rhythm or understanding to do it anymore, or maybe I should expand my own cast and concentrate on that and the occasional tie-ins (which admittedly aren't doing too well either).  I like writing, but when things don't go smoothly I have to wonder if I've "lost the touch" and I'm just stretching to avoid going idle.  Maybe I like what I write because of the human tendency to prefer your own work out of pride even if it's drastically inferior.   I'll still be around, but I'm not sure how much or if I'll be writing, depending on whether I can find the inspiration and cast to work with. P.S.  I'm leaving this here for commentary for a couple of days before I remove the thread entirely.

You really shouldn't take another person's creation and drastically change their status quo without permission. And unless Vizh said it was OK to have Akiko arrested and Chiaki step in to take over the Yakuza that's exactly what you did.

Having their be a rift in the Akiko/Chiaki relationship is an interesting idea, but the means that set it up (Masamune kidnapping Magweed and Griffin) and then resolving it (Akiko being against type and giving in meekly) don't stay true to what we have seen about her in the past).