People always say, “Never say never,” so I can’t say that I’m NEVER going to ship a canon couple. But as a general rule, I don’t ship them. Knowingly, at least. Sometimes the writers will surprise you.

Maybe it’s my natural contrariness or perversity, but I tend to be drawn to character mash-ups (or smash-ups, if you will) that have a low to zero likelihood of happening in the canon. It’s not that I’m averse to canon pairings in the original story. As I devoured The Office, I just couldn’t get enough PB&J. I must have re-read the last chapter of Gokusen like 80 times to keep re-experiencing that final portentous scene between Shin & Yankumi. And I swear to God I was more stoked for Jon to hook up with Daenerys in the last season of Game of Thrones than the man was himself.

So let me clarify: When I say I don’t ship canon, I’m speaking purely in the context of fanfiction. You’re just not gonna see me reading or writing an InuKag fic. I don’t doubt there are some awesome InuKag stories out there, but in my mind, well, that ship has sailed. I’m perfectly happy with how Takahashi-sensei developed Inuyasha and Kagome’s relationship. It’s an integral part of the overall plot of the manga itself.

The purpose of fanfiction, to me, has always been to expand upon the possibilities presented in the original canon. Fanfiction explores the what-ifs, the maybes. It takes us down the roads less traveled, shows us different paths and endings–and of course, alternate pairings. When the author creates a world and the people in it, the tale they spin out of it is just that–their story, their interpretation. What’s so beautiful about fanfiction is that it gives us an opportunity to share that world, to tell our own stories within the framework that the original author has so thoughtfully and lovingly crafted.

So, fanfic writers out there, show me something new, something different. Show me what might have been.

And I’ll do my best to return the favor. <3