The Twelve Kingdoms Forum

I like to read fanfiction as well as write it (maybe even quite a bit more since it requires no effort on my part). Sadly, as I am sure has been noted, the fandom is a little bit, shall we say... cozy. I'm looking for any recommendations for really good stories from the Twelve Kingdoms. Anyone?

I second this; I am not much into fanfiction: if someone other than you created more good stories, I'd like to know.

I'm unaware of any good 12K fanfiction, I'm afraid, despite having written one. It's not bad, I hope, but it is just one scene as I can't write a plot to save my life.

Looking at the fanfiction.net ones, they're mostly King/Kirin romance (which is specifically and cannonically a bad idea), mostly involving Taiki and EnKi (who are literally and physically underage respectively). At least there isn't THAT much there, which is a small mercy.

I'm unaware of any other archives.

Ha HA! I found a good one, I found a good one. *does happy dance in place*. You totally have to check this one out, it's called Hooves of Glass, The Hawk Arises. Here's the link.

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8232403/1/H ... awk_Arises

I started to read it, and then I saw ..."computer". Then I stopped. Sorry.

The end of the chapter was cool, you should have kept going. Yuka's interaction with Gouran was suitably creepy.

I took a look and liked it that Gouran hates Hourai, as it kills them. It makes it sound like people/shirei from the Juuni Kokki world are shocked at how polluted it is.

New stuff, new stuff! Tralalalalala!

Title: If You Don't Remember Your Dreams Did They Still Happen
Author: TUCUXI
http://tucuxi.livejournal.com/7545.html

I Love this one! It had Gyousou and Taiki in it!
Title: Spring
Author: Tochira
http://12k-drabbles.livejournal.com/9106.html#cutid1

Title: Interlude
Author: Cloudednine
http://12k-drabbles.livejournal.com/8947.html#cutid1

Title: In the Garden, An Emperor
Author: Katharos
http://antique-land.livejournal.com/18857.html#cutid1

Might have more soon!

I read the last one and I admit to chuckling. The rest is more Taiki stuf...may read later.

I found a really good one with Youko and Rakushun that kept them in-character and it also featured the Sou royal family.
Title: Era Of Red Happiness
Author: Anonymous
http://archiveofourown.org/works/541022

And there's a super heart-wrenchingly good (and quite cannonical too!) multi-chapter fic of Taiki and Risai and Gyousou that takes place directly after the events in The Shore at Twilight the Sky at Daybreak that you all simply must read!
Title:A Great Storm in the Sky, The Sun in the North
Author: daphnerunning
http://archiveofourown.org/works/299594/chapters/479449

And another Youko and rakshun peice where she's recruiting him.
Title: All things Grow
Author: ryfkah
http://archiveofourown.org/works/288334

I just read the first story and I have to say it's quite good: it's a nice piece that mentions a lot of characters I like and not not just Rakushun. I like the idea of Youko ordering him to use whatever from he feels like it and face prejudice, their mentions of Shoukei and arguing about jewelry(some bad habits never case completely), and talking about Shun which is usually forgotten, and about Ren-ou and Renrin's habits. The story could use Kantai, however.

The idea of "confessing" is also relevant to the language barrier discussion we had in this forum a while ago. I like that he firstly thinks of a "crime" because I also abhor how affection is misinterpreted in Hourai and not treated like a natural thing in many places.

Since I'm the one making most of the reccommendations anyway I'm just going to go ahead and commit the ultimate an gauche behavior (though with some of the things I've seen on the rare occassions I can stomach watching reality television, perhaps I'm not so bad after all) and pimp my own fic.

It's a new one, just posted it and I did my research this time so I'm quite proud of it.
Title: The Convenient Queen
Author: Nightheart
http://archiveofourown.org/works/565912

That one was a good rec: Iliked i quite a bit, but what to say...it was pretty detailed and descriptive in a geopolitical way, which is something that interests me and I like to read about. I like the idea of hiding mercenaries to murder youma, and I like all compliments to Gyosou because I like him a lot and also hope he returns.

I found an abosolutely wonderful Gyousou-centric fic on FFN that follows his life like a series of snapshots up to the point where Taiki bows his head. I just love it, and it needs some love so I'm going to reccommend it.

Title: The Whirlwind King
Author: theicingandcherryontop
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8806398/1/T ... lwind-King

Thank you for the rec: this one is a very good concept and was executed well: I like how the author thought about the cultural identity of Tai and the harsh environment he grew in is very interesting(though I don't think they measure temperature in Celsius degrees!);

-I also like him preferring a brother and I empathize with his being oblivious to the girls when he was young, haha.
-I like how surprised at how people are born in Hourai: again it shows the other side of the coin, it's a shame so many people from our world can't grasp biology being different in fiction.
-I am interested by the some of the tales the author thought of, such as a king who was led astray due to having access to much knowledge and delving himself in studies and forgetting to reign, and another Tai-ou who invaded Shouzan.
-I had a funny mental image with this line: "Gyousou's confidence in himself was dampened a little by his mother dumping tons of medical supplies in his luggage and giving him stern lectures on behavior and recklessness. Nothing can make a man feel less like an impressive, country changing general than a fussy mother."
-I like that he's portrayed as someone who has the most determination to change Tai out of everyone, even of those who do act on it. It makes sense that he managed to reach a very important rank while very young, and I am sure he would stay as one for hundreds of years even if he was not chosen Tai-ou. I also like how all people wanted to see him and En-ou duel.
-I also like that he risked himself a lot to capture his suguu, justifying himself in that it's fair to risk his life as he wants his youma companion to be able to risk his life for him as well. It's also interesting that he considers Kirins to also be flawed.
-Perhaps the best part was his thoughts about choosing not to kill the king or taiho, even though he knew their reign would flaw, as an armed insurrection considering the political background of the country would cause more harm than good, and instead took action to prepare for the hardship after the king died.
-Is the point about kirin only living 10 years in Hourai without being found canon? It was never mentioned in the anime and I don't recall it in the novels(I just read the anime ones).

Very good read overall! That would make very good canon.