Zie

So I just discovered in recent months that fanfiction serves another purpose beyond keeping a fandom or characters alive that I love so much.

Back at the end of August and early September, I joined with an old RP partner of mine in a journaling RPG on Insane Journal. I am not new to Insane Journal RPGs. In fact for many years it was my preferred RP method if I couldn't get one on one IM RPs. What I didn't know was that said RP partner only wanted me for one character. Or so it seems in recent messages.

One of the few characters that were not Power Rangers RPM related that hit it off with my Ziggy was a boy named Freckles. In October when I was fully committed to the RP, I posted a thread for Ziggy and Freckles to interact in after they'd been back and forth on the "network" threads. (This RP is really strange. Previous journal RPs I'd belonged to had roughly3 comms you joined: OOC, IC, and Network). Personally that's how I prefer it. Keeps "mobile" posts more organized and there's less confusion. They don't even have a network tag.

Anyway, so I posted the thread and Ziggy and Freckles were suppsoed to go to this RP's version of The Garage, which, if you're not familiar is the base of operations from RPM. I posted the thread, she commented. I commented back. And then....NOTHING ! I mean, freakin' radio silence, y'all. Meanwhile, she's nudging me to post for Dillon more. I suspect she probably doesn't care for Ziggy. But she knew before I started that Ziggy was louder than Dillon, unlike the last time I RPed with her where Dillon really was louder.

There's a reason for this. When she and I first met, I was really into dystopian young adult novels. And I'd just gotten back into POwer Rangers thanks in no small part to the 2017 movie (which, as unpopular as it was with the OG fans of the 93 series and that era's specific movies, I really ate up for a number of reasons). Well anyway, she knew about both of those things, and suggested I check out Power Rangers RPM. Now, I'll be honest and say I was skeptical. After all, even though I knew the franchise had continued on after Turbo, I hadn't touched it outside of Dino Thunder, Mystic Force, and then later MegaForce. Yet on episode 1 (which I started on Netflix), I was hooked for a bit. But at that time, she'd specifically asked for me to try and "get" a Dillon muse.

I don't subscribe to the forcing a muse thing. But as it happened, coming off a Mortal Instruments high, I was really into the brooding bad boy archetype at the time and Dillon happned to fit that to a tee, and so I DID develop a Dillon muse. Unfortunately, there after, the RP itself fell apart, and I once again got distracted by my book fandoms, and RPM was forgotten. It should be noted that while Ziggy of course was in those episodes, since I was trying specifically for Dillon, I guess I didn't pay much attention to him.

Of course you guys know what's happened since. I finally sat down and watched more of RPM, and OMG. That was all she wrote. And while I will forever love this series for the storytelling, Ziggy will forever be my favorite character for more than the shallow superficial "he's adorable as hell" reason. Of course, there is also Gem and Gemma.

In terms of soul bonding, which I really haven't talked about much in recent years, Ziggy and I are very strongly bonded. and at times, that makes it hard for me to focus on other Power Rangers related muses, and trust me, since In Space (cause Andros, come on...and Zahne) I've developed quite arsenal of muses. Thankfully, Ziggy's only stipulation is that they make me happy and they largely do so no problems there. LOL. (He does get a little miffed when I go on my tangents a little too long... like, there was a whole week where it was "Trip this, and Trip that" and he was not fond of that at all until I reminded him that he's still my favorite of the franchise and I don't see that changing any time soon, despite Bridge Carson's best efforts...ahem...).

And now that I've gone completely off course...



In instances like what I'm dealing with with Jodi, fanfiction has helped me solve the need to play other Rangers when I can't play them anywhere else. I will say I have got a healthy cast of them in my PanFandom Discord RP now. This is what we're up to now:

Cam Wantanabe (Ninja Storm)- played by me but is on hiatus because I needed a break with my wrists being what they are with the arthritis and Carpal tunnel in colder months.
Cyber Cam (Ninja Storm) played by Shane

Bridge Carson (SPD)- played by me

Ziggy Grover (RPM)- played by Shane

Xander Bly and Chip Thorn (Mystic Force) played by me

Cyber Cam (Ninja Storm)- played by Shane

Blake Bradley (Ninja Storm- Played by me

Dustin Brooks (Ninja Storm- played by Shane

Trip Regis x 2 (Time Force) - 2040 Trip is played by Shane, I play present day Trip.

Gem and Gemma (RPM)- played by me

and Shane doesn't know it yet, but I do have an Operation Overdrive character coming in later. As predicted I don't hate Operation Overdrive as many others do. In fact, I find it very different from your average Power Rangers series. That might be what hurt it, I don't know. Where RPM being dark and dystopian was a strength to the series, I feel like Overdrive may have alienated some fans? Idk. But being as I'm a fan of not just Indiana Jones, but The Librarians movies and TV series, I am eating this series up. That's all you're getting from me on this series so far. I have a separate place for this.

I should also note that Dr. K from Power Rangers RPM has made a couple of cameos via the Rangers' communicators. Trying to get Ziggy to come back to Corinth. No success as of yet. LOL.

Other than this, I am not playing IN the sandboxes of the series' settings, and that's where Fanfiction has really helped supplement that need. In fanfiction I can orchestrate the story and it stays within the series' varying settings. And I like it that way. It's not always about just playing the chaaracter in RP. Sometimes I want to be in that world.

No franchise or fandom has made me rely on Fanfiction as much as Power Rangers has in the last couple of years. I can't tell if this is good for bad... lol. You be the judge, guys.