The Shadows you see today is much different from the one I originally imagined. When I first got the idea, it was only going to be around ten chapters, and a basic story about two people forced into an arranged marriage for political reasons. Shadows was meant to be about two people acclimating themselves to a relationship when neither one had any idea what a romantic relationship entailed.
And then I started writing it. Even in the first chapter, the story began to change. Hanabi mentioned something about ninja, and I got to thinking. Wouldn't it be fun to play around with a ninja universe outside of Naruto canon? Around a year ago, I discovered the manga series Tail of the Moon, and thinking back on it, I saw a way to create a new universe similar to canon, but different (since I am so frustrated with canon, I doubt I'll ever write anything resembling it again). A new world began to take shape in my mind, and Shadows as you know it was born.
After that major plot revision, the story began to write itself. Gaara and Hinata grabbed onto this new information and ran with it, creating an entirely new story for themselves with mirrors to canon, but with twists I was so excited about! One such twist turned out to be they knew each other as children, which led me to write Sunshine since I couldn't quite work that much information into Shadows. Then the plot twists really started pouring in, and it was all I could do to keep up! Essentially, the story wrote itself, and that made me all the more eager to explore this new universe.
Fortunately, even after I finished telling Gaara and Hinata's story, Itachi and Temari were willing to cooperate and have their story told. I hinted at a lot of events in Shadows that I was unable to follow through on - things which connected the two and turned them into the characters we eventually met in Shadows. I've always adored Itachi, and though I can't stand her in canon, Temari's bitter attitude has always been fun to explore and expand upon in my writing. Thus was born Light and Dark - the prequel to Shadows. I took only a slight break to write Dawn a sequel to Shadows which I felt tied up the universe quite nicely. (Though I will say there might be an additional sequel on the way - more on that later, though!)
Even more so than Gaara and Hinata's story, I think, I'm excited to write Itachi and Temari's. I get to explore more of the ninja universe I created, the shadowy underworld where the village's protectors are like the wind - unseen save for their effects on the whole. I'm also excited to expand on this universe's version of the infamous Uchiha massacre, and its effects on Itachi's psyche and his interactions with others, particularly Temari. I've also very much enjoyed diving into Temari's past and the difficult childhood she and her siblings shared - and the botched mission which turned her into the embittered, ice-hearted, brutally efficient ninja we see in Light and Dark. Though filled with action, it's also a love story, one I'm very much having fun fleshing out (ahem, no pun intended!). Their growing bond makes me so excited for future events in both Light and Dark and possible future stories in this universe.
Some people may have noticed the slight crossover I put in Chapter Ten: Gift Horse . I introduced the characters of Shiki Senri and Rima, who some might recognize from the manga series Vampire Knight by Hino Matsuri. Shiki and Rima were not only my favorite characters in VK, they were also my favorite pairing. Since the series recently ended, I wanted to do a little something to tip my hat to them, so I worked them into Light and Dark (though obviously as humans).
More tips of the hat are to follow, though not in quite as large a way. Kanae's character's name was inspired by the character of the same name in another of my favorite manga, Skip*Beat! (by Nakamura Yoshiki.) Ditto her husband, Yukahito. You'll also see two more characters from Skip*Beat!, who are familiar in name and looks, if not personality: Hizuri Kuon and Kyoko (they'll become important later, though their last name has already shown up as one of the party holders Temari listed to Matsuri in Chapter Twelve: Spiral ). Inspiritation for another couple's names lie with the manga Dengeki Daisy, the Kurebeyashi. Though the correct name would be Kurosaki, if I were going directly from the manga, I decided to go with Teru's last name for the couple, just to shake things up. Normally, I don't do crossover-type things, but in this case, I couldn't help myself.
For now, Light and Dark is still ongoing, and I can promise a lot more excitement coming before the story is over. The twists, turns, ups, and downs are really exciting to me, and I look forward to sharing them with you!
In the meantime, stay tuned to my blog for further news on the possible Shadows sequel I mentioned earlier. I'll post more about it here if it really does develop into something concrete - and I really hope it does!
Until then, thanks for reading this post, and I hope you enjoy exploring my Shadows universe as much as I do! :)
