Question Any stories where the main character isn't gender bent?

I enjoy many of the stories here, but I am getting really tired of going through the first few chapters where the character turns female is upset then learns to accept it.

SO any stories where the main character is not genderbent? Or I guess female to male might be a change of pace as well.

Jadis, Loophole, Imp, Jericho, Tansy from Gen 1 and Shieldwall and AJ from Gen 2, just to name a few.

Razorback and Lancer (Hank) are both FtM.

On top of those mentioned by Katssun : Mischief, Shi'ine, Murphy, Charge, Aquerna, Natch, the Three little witches among other are characters who have had at least one PoV story (up to 4) and are not gender bent.

Out of all the characters who have been mentioned so far, I think the Imp storyline would be the easiest to jump into. You really don't need to have read anything else before.

Even knowing the characters I want to read finding the stories is tough. Is there even a Jadis tag. I read a few of her stories years ago and really liked them would like to read more. Would like to read more of all the Bad seeds.

For most of the stories, the easiest way might be this page of the wiki : http://crystalhall.wikia.com/wiki/Canon_Stories_by_Release_Date

Thank you for the Wiki link. With it I was able to detrimene that there have not been any stories written about those characters in the 5 years since I last came to this sight. I guess I am try the second gen.

fictionfan wrote: Even knowing the characters I want to read finding the stories is tough. Is there even a Jadis tag. I read a few of her stories years ago and really liked them would like to read more. Would like to read more of all the Bad seeds.

There is a Jadis tag.

Select Stories from the top bar, Original Canon from the side bar, and there is a dropdown box with the tags at the top of the list of stories. The names aren't in any kind of particular order, but they're there.

You do have to be in the correct canon for the names to work (i.e. Ayla doesn't show up in the Gen 2 list, and Tia won't show in the Gen 1 list). Also bear in mind that not all stories are tagged, so you should also check the Wiki.

edit:
You may want to check again. Jadis shares POV narration in some of Vamp's stories.

Other than Anomaly and Caitlyn's earliest stories, JG's stories really don't focus much on the genderbent aspect. It's technically there, but it's really minor, so I recommend reading his material if you want to avoid genderbent as a focus, but can tolerate it as an extremely minor background element.

Would you guys say that most fanfic isn't about genderbends?

Malady wrote: Would you guys say that most fanfic isn't about genderbends?

I wouldn't say that, or at least not regarding the WhatIf which are currently available to the general public.

Esar wrote:

Malady wrote: Would you guys say that most fanfic isn't about genderbends?

I wouldn't say that, or at least not regarding the WhatIf which are currently available to the general public.

Warning: Spoiler! [ Click to expand ] [ Click to hide ]

For master FtM in a weird way, Evershade MtF/C, Seeing is believing is a weird case because it's not but at the same time it is but is not seen until twisted triplet MtF, A matter of fact FtM, Jeffrey morning star MtF

Hard being pure and Homecoming are the exceptions.

I meant those in the FabLab... But, thanks for those stats!

Dragonsblade, Charger, and Shieldwall (The Curse of the Dragon Queen & The Road to Whateley & Good Cop/Bad Cop) are not gender bent. Reinforce too.

Soaring by Phoenix isn't.

Imp's and Mischief's stories.

Date Night by Elrod isn't.

This sums up JG's char's to a T. And makes me giggle every time i read it.

“Maybe. For her, likely, but as I said they are all GSD except Jericho and he’s black.”

That statement was pulled from Blood sister-Blood brother. The conversation was regarding GSD/Racial composition of the OC team to a former WW2 era Nazi bio devisor who had previous views on eradicating the GSD population at large.

fictionfan wrote: Thank you for the Wiki link. With it I was able to detrimene that there have not been any stories written about those characters in the 5 years since I last came to this sight. I guess I am try the second gen.

???? Which characters are you talking about? Because if you're talking about the ones in the first 2 replies, including 'Shine and Charge, I can guarantee those were written in the past 3 years. I know Bek has written parts of Diamond-Vamp, which includes significant Jadis time.

Most of the ones in Stand-Alone Stories List aren't, with the main exceptions being "Big Idea", "A Single Fold", and the parts related to "Book of Jobe" (actually, "No Beast So Fierce" is only tangentially related, though it does discuss Belphoebe's adjustments to her new life). However, most of these take place fairly late in the series, with most of them being for the Fall 2006 Combat Finals; spoilers do occur in some of them, so if you haven't gotten that far you might want to exercise caution. You could try "Razzle Dazzle", "Baker's Dozen" (oops, overlooked that one), "Sara's Little Purple Book" (which is less a story than an in-world sex manual), "Crime and Chaos", and "Mimeographic" (the latter has one small spoiler near the end, but it probably would be more confusing than spoiling).

You can also try "Silent Nacht", which I didn't include in that list either for reasons I now regret (I should fix that). There's a one-line mention of a gender-swapped character who doesn't appear in the story, and another whose sex is crucial to the plot, but for the most part it isn't focused on that.

For some reason, my other Starting Points lists (Team Kimba and Intro Stories) seem to vanished into the ether. Anyway, I'm pretty sure I still have a copy of them, so I'll see about getting some links out of those.

The intro stories for 'Shine, Garafena, Soaring, and Murphy all lack significant amounts of gender-bending. While all of these are older pieces - like most of the Gen 1 stories, it was written when most of the original Canon Cabal (There Is No Canon Cabal) were still around, five years ago being the cut-off point where several left due to outside obligations and/or interpersonal conflicts. Some, Like Dr Bender and Renae, have now returned, but for a period around from mid-2012 to late 2015, pretty much the only authors still working the series were Diane Castle, E. E. Nalley, Joe Gunnarson, and Bek D. Corbin, and only E.E. and Bek were from the original group (though Diane came in relatively early). Diane was carrying this group for a time, though Joe, E.E. and (for a time) Drunkfu were posting new pieces on a limited basis.

Who was that a reply to Kristen?

@Kristen That's the problem - I assumed this would be the case, so that was the first place I looked. They don't appear there for me. Mind you, I am probably doing something wrong with it, but I don't see them there.

Mind you, I couldn't figure out how to publish them, either. I was still working on Stand-Alone when either I published it by mistake, or you did thinking it was finished (I seem to recall having to ask you to solve a problem with it at the time, and it was showing up as published before I got your reply). I had tried to publish the others earlier and couldn't.

Schol-R-LEA wrote: The intro stories for 'Shine, Garafena, Soaring, and Murphy all lack significant amounts of gender-bending. While all of these are older pieces - like most of the Gen 1 stories, it was written when most of the original Canon Cabal (There Is No Canon Cabal) were still around, five years ago being the cut-off point where several left due to outside obligations and/or interpersonal conflicts.
...
for a period around from mid-2012 to late 2015, pretty much the only authors still working the series were Diane Castle, E. E. Nalley, Joe Gunnarson, and Bek D. Corbin, and only E.E. and Bek were from the original group (though Diane came in relatively early). Diane was carrying this group for a time, though Joe, E.E. and (for a time) Drunkfu were posting new pieces on a limited basis.

'Shine is NOT from 5 years ago. 'Shine is my character from less than 2 years ago. Charge is also devoid of gender-bending, and her 4 stories are from less than 2 years ago.

At the time I started in the cabal, EE and Bek were the only ones posting stories, and then my deluge started. Shortly after I posted Buffalo Gal, I created other characters, including adopting Charge (who has no gender-bending), and THEN I wrote 'Shine.

Charge has gender bended characters, but Charge herself is very much NOT bent gender. 100% pure woman with a French Temper and a heaping dose of Humble Pie to eat.

@Kristin Thanks, that will help. I will get them published post-haste, assuming you haven't done so already.

The one I specifically was going to link was Origin Stories , as obviously all of the Team Kimba stories involve gender-bending.

@elrodw I forgot about that. Sorry.

I don't think anyone's mentioned Loose Cannons yet. It's one of the older stories, and completely independent of the other stories. It does feature a changeling protagonist (heck, I think Loose Cannons may hold the record for most gender bender origins in a single story, unless you count the one where Nikki bodyswaps the crystal wavers), but very little time is spent on the "OMG Boobs!" plotline that you're tired of. Mostly because there are significantly larger problems for them to deal with.

Come to think of it, that's basically how the origin stories for the G2 changelings Eisenmadel and Dragonfyre go as well. "Hm, I seemed to have grown boobs. I guess I'll have something to think about once I'm no longer in danger of being killed/tortured/brainwashed."

fictionfan wrote: I enjoy many of the stories here, but I am getting really tired of going through the first few chapters where the character turns female is upset then learns to accept it.

SO any stories where the main character is not genderbent? Or I guess female to male might be a change of pace as well.

Aside from the Outcast Corner stories, from the past 5 years or so, you might consider:

The Final Trump: Yes JJ is genderbent, but not in crisis about it nor is it a major story focus
Blast from the Past: Elizabeth Carson & Donna Fields
A Good Man
All the King's Horses: Wondercute, Odds & Ends as prologue

The Bear, The Bitch, and Everything: Loophole, Kodiak, Solange, Pejuta
It may be very helpful to start with:
Every Murphy's Law Has It's Loophole: Loophole, Murphy, Kodiak
* A Cold Plate of Vengeance
* Whilst Any Speaks
+
A Pocket Full of Tansy: Solange's Bitch to Human transformation
* As Beauty Does
* Galatea Debutante
+
The Boys of Summer

Hank 1-4: Lancer (MtF)
The Island of Dr. DNA
* The Backside of Paradise
North to Atlantis: Kodiak, The Kodiak
Forging Anew: The Artificer, Destiny's Wave (implied)
The Art of Being the Imp: Imp
* Mission Imp-probable
* A Touch of Mischief: Mischief
* First Imp-pression
* Quick Imp-ressions
* Imp 5: Head Over Tail

Rise 'n' Shine: 'Shine
Charge 1-3: Charge

VAMP: Vamp's genderbent, but well past having problems with that
Diamonds are a Vamp's Best Friend: Vamp, Jadis, and the Saks & Violence Crewe

What's Up, Dork: Foxfire vs OMAG, or Lit Chix vs Losers
Sun and Fun: Lady Jettatura
May Your Death Be Sweet: Team Kimba, The Hardass, and others
Saks and Violence: She-Beast
Silent Nacht: Nacht
The Widening Gyre: Jadis

Malady wrote: Would you guys say that most fanfic isn't about genderbends?

I'm not sure how you'd parse them out to analyse, having some fics ranging from 1 post stories to multiple story threads, each with multiple chapters. Some, like Sted and Faolan, start off with a MtF origin story, but how many of the later stories are still about coming to terms with being transgendered?

I'd still guess that 3/4 of the FabLab stories feature a transgendered character. However, most of those stories don't dwell on the internal problems associated with that because the featured characters have to deal with other issues for now.


As JG said, "most of my characters are heavy GSD in one form or another. so a mere gender change would likely have been a kindness."

In my fic, Metro is male and coming from a culture in which 40k buys you a functional new gender - pfft, boost a few Escalades or stomp on some "misplaced" novacoke, and you're there! He's aware that it's a bad idea for him, but hazy on the issue otherwise. For now, dealing with GSD, mental illness, and just plain surviving are priorities. Valravn is male because it's made the most sense at the time for whatever cover story Mads was using at the time. Rorsmand is FtM, and frequently left wondering why God hates him so much that he's been charged with trying to keep these two out of trouble. Telluride is just a genuinely nice guy caught in the line of fire.

I know it's not complete yet, but Myriad Meetings: A Tale of Two Cottages (Part One) focuses on Tanya.

I kind of hoped SOMEONE would remember her...

NeoMagus wrote: I know it's not complete yet, but Myriad Meetings: A Tale of Two Cottages (Part One) focuses on Tanya.

I kind of hoped SOMEONE would remember her...

I'll admit that until the G2 changelings thread brought it up I didn't realize that Tanya wasn't a changeling. In particular I took the line " And when you manifest with the same powers your mother had, and start to look like her, you get confused and start asking questions..." from her character bio as an indication that she used to be a boy..

You know that tansgender fiction was pretty well where the entiere Whateley Universe came from, and writing such fiction was how the original Whateley Authors made eachothers aquaintance. Its not all surprising that most Whateley stories still focuse on such characters.

konzill wrote: You know that tansgender fiction was pretty well where the entiere Whateley Universe came from, and writing such fiction was how the original Whateley Authors made eachothers aquaintance. Its not all surprising that most Whateley stories still focuse on such characters.

I think they do know. They didn't seem to have a problem with that particular plot arc, they were just bored with it.

However we also have the question, are they TG or just suffering from GSD?

For example, in G2, Laura is obviously TG - she loves being a girl.
Erica, from her reaction to men, is also TG (even if she may not have realised it before her change)

But we have Bianca and Morgana, both of whom are not TG, and just forced into a form with GSD, which also happens to be female. So for them, its just GSD, neither of them wanted to be female, and are just having to make the best of it.

In fact, in G2 TG kids are in a definate minority.

Aaaaaand that's why after that brouhaha with the activist on the wiki, I went with "gender-complicated" instead of "transgender" for the category name. Because different people will have different opinions on whether the "transgender" label applies to a character.

For instance, one could argue that Bianca and Morgana weren't transgender originally -- but they forcibly became transgender after their GSD, since they now self-identify as males but have female bodies. But not everybody would agree that it is the correct use of the terminology.

As for characters who were "born transgender" so to speak (to avoid the whole mess of the paragraph above)... we have a number of those. Chaka, Generator, Beltane, Mega-Girl, Crimson Comet, Delta Spike to name a few in G1, Laura in G2. There's pretty much no doubt that these had a strong gender-identity that was opposite their body gender even before manifestation.

But then, there are the ones who didn't seem to have gender issues pre-manifestation but nevertheless went through an "easy adaptation" process: Tennyo. Lancer. Fey. Tool/Demona. Carmilla. Erica in G2... were they originally transgender? Or did something in their manifestation mess with their gender identities? Or they simply had weak gender identities and adapted? In Tennyo's and Erica's case, at the least, I would suggest that, given the quickness of the change, the "something messed with their gender identities" hypothesis is worth some investigation. Fey is also worth looking at -- she didn't want the change originally, but ended up embracing it in so complete a manner that one has to be suspicious of meddling. Lancer and Demona I would place in the "weak gender identity, adapted to the new body" camp.

(Kayda is... hmmm... an interesting case. Nobody would claim that she had an easy transition, and even after she embraced her female identity she still almost fell for Coyote's offer... so not that weak a gender identity, not brainwashed by Wakan Tanka, but... maybe something in the middle? Not a 100% macho male identity, just flexible enough that Brandon could adapt with slight nudges from Wakan Tanka?)

Diamondback is actually TwoSiblingsInOne, or something? Or did Ryan actually turn into Sandra?

I did look up the definition of transgender, but to be honest its so busy trying to be all things to all men/women/?? that its now pretty much meaningless.

Of course, there is an assumption here. That someone changed by GSD, and may not even be completely human any more, is a female just becasue they look (or look most closely like) a human girl...

Astrodragon wrote: I did look up the definition of transgender, but to be honest its so busy trying to be all things to all men/women/?? that its now pretty much meaningless.

Of course, there is an assumption here. That someone changed by GSD, and may not even be completely human any more, is a female just becasue they look (or look most closely like) a human girl...

... Why does Eldritch look like a human girl?

You could go straight biological and define female/male of whatever the GSD end result is, fertilizer, and not-fertilizer.

... If there are male Artificers / Golem-things / whatever the Artificer species is called, could fem!Artificers get pregnant and have Artificer babies??

Malady wrote:

Astrodragon wrote: I did look up the definition of transgender, but to be honest its so busy trying to be all things to all men/women/?? that its now pretty much meaningless.

Of course, there is an assumption here. That someone changed by GSD, and may not even be completely human any more, is a female just becasue they look (or look most closely like) a human girl...

... Why does Eldritch look like a human girl?

You could go straight biological and define female/male of whatever the GSD end result is, fertilizer, and not-fertilizer.

... If there are male Artificers / Golem-things / whatever the Artificer species is called, could fem!Artificers get pregnant and have Artificer babies??

What evidence do you have that Eldrich is a female artificer and not a male one?

Malady wrote:

Astrodragon wrote: I did look up the definition of transgender, but to be honest its so busy trying to be all things to all men/women/?? that its now pretty much meaningless.

Of course, there is an assumption here. That someone changed by GSD, and may not even be completely human any more, is a female just becasue they look (or look most closely like) a human girl...

... Why does Eldritch look like a human girl?

You could go straight biological and define female/male of whatever the GSD end result is, fertilizer, and not-fertilizer.

... If there are male Artificers / Golem-things / whatever the Artificer species is called, could fem!Artificers get pregnant and have Artificer babies??

Discounting the "girl" part, why does Eldritch look human? My guess is that because she is making things for human shaped people, she would need to be shaped human so she can tell that they are properly made.

Sir Lee it is worse than you think, there are at least 4 TG types out there.

[

1. 1. Those that were born TG, Chaka, Beltane, Cee Cee, etc. They would be TG no matter what.
2. 2. Those that were changed by their mutation directly, Lancer, Mokole, Zenith, etc. They were changed directly by there mutation.
3. 3. Those that changed when their mutation kicked in, but there was some outside force that caused the gender change,
   Fey, Kayda, Tennyo, Chou, Sphere, etc. Their mutation wasn't directly responsible for their gender change, but something else interfered, be it Goddess, the Tao, Fudge, or burnout.
4. 4. Those that were changed well after their mutation kicked in, Jobe, Reach, Tool/Demona, Folder, etc. Their mutation has nothing to do with changes, but what was done to them caused them to change gender.

My guess...The 2 other Male Artificers are already busy in the world. So that leaves female form by default.

... If there are male Artificers / Golem-things / whatever the Artificer species is called, could fem!Artificers get pregnant and have Artificer babies??

I would have to say no. Since there are only 4 of them in the world at any one given time. Not to mention the heavy internal GSD involved. Unless they make babies by humping elementals and laying eggs!

Valentine wrote: Sir Lee it is worse than you think, there are at least 4 TG types out there.

[

1. 1. Those that were born TG, Chaka, Beltane, Cee Cee, etc. They would be TG no matter what.
2. 2. Those that were changed by their mutation directly, Lancer, Mokole, Zenith, etc. They were changed directly by there mutation.
3. 3. Those that changed when their mutation kicked in, but there was some outside force that caused the gender change,
   Fey, Kayda, Tennyo, Chou, Sphere, etc. Their mutation wasn't directly responsible for their gender change, but something else interfered, be it Goddess, the Tao, Fudge, or burnout.
4. 4. Those that were changed well after their mutation kicked in, Jobe, Reach, Tool/Demona, Folder, etc. Their mutation has nothing to do with changes, but what was done to them caused them to change gender.

I'm not one to harp about the ever expanding acronym in question, but debatably, there are actually five.

Kayda and Sandra are the very definition of Two Spirits. They exist as both, have both sides of their personalities and gender identities working in concert, using the benefits of both, and they are comfortable despite their form changing by whatever method. There's no conflict because their male side is still there.

It just took Kayda a little while longer to catch up to Sandra.

Katssun wrote: Kayda and Sandra are the very definition of Two Spirits. They exist as both, have both sides of their personalities and gender identities working in concert, using the benefits of both, and they are comfortable despite their form changing by whatever method. There's no conflict because their male side is still there.

It just took Kayda a little while longer to catch up to Sandra.

So... Two Spirits is Multiple Personality 'Disorder' a.k.a SplitPersonality?? Or is it two minds SharingABody??

'Cause for Kayda and Brandon, they're physical perceptions (Matrix RSI?), as we can see in the mind dive-thing, are different...

While for Sandra and Ryan... They acknowledge that they share the same body?

Katssun wrote: It's more like Sandra is always in the physical world, and Ryan is always in the astral world. Overlapping coexisting bodies.

Could they turn into separate bodies? ... Although, if they were separate minds, would that be noted in the blood bond? ... Or is Sandra linked, while Ryan isn't???

Malady wrote:

Katssun wrote: Kayda and Sandra are the very definition of Two Spirits. They exist as both, have both sides of their personalities and gender identities working in concert, using the benefits of both, and they are comfortable despite their form changing by whatever method. There's no conflict because their male side is still there.

It just took Kayda a little while longer to catch up to Sandra.

So... Two Spirits is Multiple Personality 'Disorder' a.k.a SplitPersonality?? Or is it two minds SharingABody??

'Cause for Kayda and Brandon, they're physical perceptions (Matrix RSI?), as we can see in the mind dive-thing, are different...

While for Sandra and Ryan... They acknowledge that they share the same body?

Katssun wrote: It's more like Sandra is always in the physical world, and Ryan is always in the astral world. Overlapping coexisting bodies.

Could they turn into separate bodies? ... Although, if they were separate minds, would that be noted in the blood bond? ... Or is Sandra linked, while Ryan isn't???

It's been presented so far as more of "two versions of me." One personality in that there is no perceptible difference in terms of control. They identify differently, but would make the same decisions every time, though possibly with different considerations in mind. Something like Brandon makes a choice weighted more toward pragmatic and objective and Kayda makes the same choice from an emotional and nurturing perspective (but not as clean, overt, or insultingly cliché). Same conclusion, parallel paths to get there.

Sandra and Ryan have that dual-processor thing going on, which is what makes Diamondback smarter than she should be. Ryan and Sandra work in very, very close parallel.

As we lack much information regarding Eldritch, my assumption is that precedence plays a role. It's been made known through dreams and statements (however trustworthy those may be) that previously the/an Artificer has been in the form of a docile girl prior to being bound.

Of course, this is coloured rather heavily by my vague theory that Artificers either tap into a "hivemind" of past experiences, or they each have discreet "lineages" through the ages - assuming there are truly multiple in simultaneous existence.

So many assumptions.

Also keep in mind it has a great deal to do with how much stress the person is under and how they perceive themselves. In and upcoming story Tansy will enter a mind that shows the same person, dressed and aged very differently through incarnations that call themselves:

Drive
Rebellion
Guilt
Fear
Self Respect and
Maternal Rage...

Malady wrote: ... Why does Eldritch look like a human girl?

Why female? Numerous reasons ranging from the maker's personal kink, to that Artificer being meant for a Atlantean Court ruled primarily by Queens (West, Center)

Why more "human" than elfy?

The Artificers are supposed to be slaves. So for the Western Court's model, why not make it look human - that's where bloodsteel and moving targets for Sidhe nobles to hunt come from?

The Artificers gifted to the other Courts could be wildly different in appearance. Any of the other three making an appearance could end up cross-gendered from the chosen host or not. Not all aquatic organisms are strictly sexually dimorphic, and how many genders elemental fire creatures would have is anybody's guess (even the Artificers' creator(s) may have tried to figure that out and given up at the end to meet deadlines.)

Malady wrote: You could go straight biological and define female/male of whatever the GSD end result is, fertilizer, and not-fertilizer.

Fertilizer. Bone meal. Again, just like humans!

Malady wrote: ... If there are male Artificers / Golem-things / whatever the Artificer species is called, could fem!Artificers get pregnant and have Artificer babies??

Almost certainly not. That's Intellectual Property on the hoof, so you don't want knockoffs, by-blows, and other cheap copies flooding the market. Also, getting the bloodsteel into the little rug-golems as they develop could be a bit icky.

null0trooper wrote: ...

Malady wrote: ... If there are male Artificers / Golem-things / whatever the Artificer species is called, could fem!Artificers get pregnant and have Artificer babies??

Almost certainly not. That's Intellectual Property on the hoof, so you don't want knockoffs, by-blows, and other cheap copies flooding the market. Also, getting the bloodsteel into the little rug-golems as they develop could be a bit icky.

Lol! Nice explanations!

Eldritch can lose her bloodsteel and regain it somehow... The babies get their initial bloodsteel supply from their mother, and then grows more it like any other Artificer does?

... How does Eldritch regain bloodsteel? I guess it regenerates with enough essence or something?

... Are Artificers one of those Essence-dependent things, like the Sidhe?

She regenerates her bloodsteel the same way that Silver sweats mithril: she has a weird, magic metabolism. And yes, she does eat. There were a number of scenes of Caitlin at the Crystal Hall.

Malady wrote: ... Are Artificers one of those Essence-dependent things, like the Sidhe?

Blast From The Past seems to imply something to that effect.