Although everyone in America supposedly has a right to free speech, I don't think it's right to openly insult an author or his/her work. Fortunately - it's not just the flamers who have free speech. As I am flamed for my work, well then I'll just retaliate. But I won't fight fire with fire - that just leads to more fire and explosions and nasty things. I pride myself on the way I respond to flames - by writing back calmly and rationally (although occasionally being a touch sarcastic/acidic, I admit) and refusing to be affected by the open hostility.

On 'Solar Flares', I will be posting the most hostile and/or stupid flames I recieve, in an effort to both show that I am proud of myself and my work as a writer, and to show flamers that I will not give in to their needless hostility.

However, I will decline from posting the e-mail addresses of the flamers (in the event they are given). They have as much a right to privacy as anyone else.

That said, on to the flames.

Type: FFN review
Author: Cyndi
About: Kimi ga Yume Mita Mirai, Boku ga Yume Mita Mirai (Ken x Wormmon)
Flame: Ohiygod...Im going to puke, and its going to shortcircuit the computer...U SUCK! This fic is like, totally gross! He's kissing a caterpillar! Like, EW! And its sooooooooooo Ken and Cari 4 Eva you dolt! 

I'm trying very hard not to discriminate and make a remark about Cyndi's typing style. For the most part, she did spell things correctly, which puts her one up on many flamers. She did miss a few punctuation marks, and her use of "U" and "4 Eva" in lieu of "you" and "forever" does little to impress me. I don't particularly like the self-righteous way in which she presents her support of Kekari/Ken x Hikari (not even spelling Kari right...), and of course she loses points for directly insulting me.

I did warn her, rather specifically I thought, in the author's notes: 
None of these characters are mine. Wish I'd come up with such a cool concept... ohwell. Also, this fanfic contains human/Digimon love and shounen-ai (boy's love). You have been warned; if you don't like this, don't blame me.

Was I unclear? Is that some strange code for "Come right on in even if you hate the content, and yell at the author when you're done"? I really must get a decoder ring. Maybe the fact that it was the second paragraph of three made it difficult. And I see she ignored the summary, which did mention it was about Ken and Wormmon. Flamers never cease to amaze me.

My response on FFN:
Everyone? May I ask something? Just where, exactly, was I unclear as to what this fanfic was about? Did I or did I not state fairly clearly that this was a romance between a human and a Digimon, and did not the summary even mention that the fanfic was about Ken and Wormmon? Cyndi, the only thing you're accomplishing with this flame is making yourself look lazy and/or stupid. Unless your back button is broken, you had every chance to go find a Kekari fic and not give this one a second glance. It's your fault for not reading the warning that I put up for the benefit of people who don't like this particular coupling. I will not take this down, nor will I apologize, if that's what you're aiming for. I don't regret writing this. I'm proud of my work and your flame changes nothing. Have a nice day.
Mystic Kitty (MK) Death's response on FFN:

Type: FFN flame
Name: None of your beewax
About: Can't Buy Love (Mimi x Sora and other couples)
Flame: ewwwww... you are sick and gay. disgusting

Alyssa's eyebrow twitches uncontrollably. One thing that has got to be somewhere in my top-20 list of Things That Irk Me, is people using 'gay' or 'lesbian' or other homophobic slurs such as 'faggot' as an insult. (Somewhere below it is assuming that the author is homosexual for writing about homosexuals. Write what you know, I know, yeah, but still...) It implies that homosexuals are somehow innately bad and corrupt and that it's a horrible thing to be gay. However, think about this - the world is a crowded place. Some kids in this country are having sex and having kids as young as 12 years old. Is the average 12-year-old American mature enough to have a child? NO. 

Furthermore, I think we should be proud to have people in our country who can face this sort of internal turmoil and survive, even if they only admit it to themselves. I myself will admit that I've been struggling with feelings for my female best friend. This is one of the most emotionally-wracking experiences a human being can endure. Dealing with homo/bisexuality is not easy. The average homosexual fights a long and bloody battle to get out of the closet, dealing with feelings of confusion, doubt, fear, hopelessness, despair, panic, and general freaked-outness along the way. Anyone who can ride that rollercoaster and survive, I think should be admired for their courage, rather than shunned for the fact that they happen to be attracted to their own sex. Kids develop sexual preference as young as five years old, but that doesn't necessarily make it easier to deal with, I don't think. 

...that rant really didn't have much to do with the flame, did it? ^^;