Title:  Alice
Fandom:  Weiss Kreuz
Pairing:  Schuldich/Ken as the main couple, and background couples Aya/Omi, Crawford/Yohji, & Nagi/Farfarello - but in the mirror world only
Categories:  AU, angst, romance
Length:  Epic [~94,500 words]
Warnings:  mentions of self-harm, violence, characters are OOC (understandably, but still)


Author on LJ:  mami_san
Website:  Patterns of Blood

Author's Summary:  Through the looking glass and into the fire: Ken wakes up to find out his life could have been different. Only how much better is it, and will it be worth the past he knows to live in this future?

Review:  This story is an excellent example of the genre in which characters suddenly find themselves in a "mirror" world, where everything and/or everyone they know seems to be different.  Here, Canon-Ken falls through an actual mirror -- or does he? let the resolution of the story tell you -- and wakes up in a world where neither Schwarz nor Weiss operate as assassins.  Instead, both groups mix together as friends, with mundane jobs, who have met each other during their professional lives and grown close.  While psychic powers still exist, that seems to be the only element of this mirror world that separates it from yours and mine.  Ken is, understandably, delighted at the apparent peacefulness of the mirror world, but appalled that he seems to be Schuldig's boyfriend.

I especially like the parts of this story that break from the conventions of this genre.  First, Ken makes a complete fool of himself when he first sees Schwarz in his kitchen, which is perfectly accurate characterization and quite a bit different from the typical levelheaded world-hopper characterization these fics portray; as a plus, his freak-out is important later when he wants to reveal the truth to his skeptical friends.  Second, Ken doesn't manage to keep his secret for more than a few hours from Schuldig, unlike stories that would have readers believe that a lover doesn't notice drastic changes in personality or memory in their loved one... and Schuldig believes him because of the very valid reason that, duh, he's psychic and can tell the difference between his Ken and this Ken.  Third, while it's obvious that Ken doesn't know something very important about other-Ken, the eventual revelation was a shock to the reader as well as to Ken, and was beautifully set up.  Finally, the resolution of the story was utterly satisfying, and I would've recommended this fic on the strength of that alone.

I also like many of the small details of this story.  The alternate careers for the Weiss and Schwarz men seem to suit them.  Schwarz in particular receive excellent focus and characterization, since it was necessary to humanize them in Ken's eyes, and they come across as very likeable (and in two cases, tragic) figures.  Also, it's great to see a conscious and vivacious Aya-chan.

Alice  {link to first part; following chapter linked at bottom of each chapter}

Title:  Alice
Fandom:  Weiss Kreuz
Pairing:  Schuldich/Ken as the main couple, and background couples Aya/Omi, Crawford/Yohji, & Nagi/Farfarello - but in the mirror world only
Categories:  AU, angst, romance
Length:  Epic [~94,500 words]
Warnings:  mentions of self-harm, violence, characters are OOC (understandably, but still)


Author on LJ:  mami_san
Website:  Patterns of Blood

Author's Summary:  Through the looking glass and into the fire: Ken wakes up to find out his life could have been different. Only how much better is it, and will it be worth the past he knows to live in this future?

Review:  This story is an excellent example of the genre in which characters suddenly find themselves in a "mirror" world, where everything and/or everyone they know seems to be different.  Here, Canon-Ken falls through an actual mirror -- or does he? let the resolution of the story tell you -- and wakes up in a world where neither Schwarz nor Weiss operate as assassins.  Instead, both groups mix together as friends, with mundane jobs, who have met each other during their professional lives and grown close.  While psychic powers still exist, that seems to be the only element of this mirror world that separates it from yours and mine.  Ken is, understandably, delighted at the apparent peacefulness of the mirror world, but appalled that he seems to be Schuldig's boyfriend.

I especially like the parts of this story that break from the conventions of this genre.  First, Ken makes a complete fool of himself when he first sees Schwarz in his kitchen, which is perfectly accurate characterization and quite a bit different from the typical levelheaded world-hopper characterization these fics portray; as a plus, his freak-out is important later when he wants to reveal the truth to his skeptical friends.  Second, Ken doesn't manage to keep his secret for more than a few hours from Schuldig, unlike stories that would have readers believe that a lover doesn't notice drastic changes in personality or memory in their loved one... and Schuldig believes him because of the very valid reason that, duh, he's psychic and can tell the difference between his Ken and this Ken.  Third, while it's obvious that Ken doesn't know something very important about other-Ken, the eventual revelation was a shock to the reader as well as to Ken, and was beautifully set up.  Finally, the resolution of the story was utterly satisfying, and I would've recommended this fic on the strength of that alone.

I also like many of the small details of this story.  The alternate careers for the Weiss and Schwarz men seem to suit them.  Schwarz in particular receive excellent focus and characterization, since it was necessary to humanize them in Ken's eyes, and they come across as very likeable (and in two cases, tragic) figures.  Also, it's great to see a conscious and vivacious Aya-chan.

Alice  {link to first part; following chapter linked at bottom of each chapter}

Title:  Alice
Fandom:  Weiss Kreuz
Pairing:  Schuldich/Ken as the main couple, and background couples Aya/Omi, Crawford/Yohji, & Nagi/Farfarello - but in the mirror world only
Categories:  AU, angst, romance
Length:  Epic [~94,500 words]
Warnings:  mentions of self-harm, violence, characters are OOC (understandably, but still)


Author on LJ:  mami_san
Website:  Patterns of Blood

Author's Summary:  Through the looking glass and into the fire: Ken wakes up to find out his life could have been different. Only how much better is it, and will it be worth the past he knows to live in this future?

Review:  This story is an excellent example of the genre in which characters suddenly find themselves in a "mirror" world, where everything and/or everyone they know seems to be different.  Here, Canon-Ken falls through an actual mirror -- or does he? let the resolution of the story tell you -- and wakes up in a world where neither Schwarz nor Weiss operate as assassins.  Instead, both groups mix together as friends, with mundane jobs, who have met each other during their professional lives and grown close.  While psychic powers still exist, that seems to be the only element of this mirror world that separates it from yours and mine.  Ken is, understandably, delighted at the apparent peacefulness of the mirror world, but appalled that he seems to be Schuldig's boyfriend.

I especially like the parts of this story that break from the conventions of this genre.  First, Ken makes a complete fool of himself when he first sees Schwarz in his kitchen, which is perfectly accurate characterization and quite a bit different from the typical levelheaded world-hopper characterization these fics portray; as a plus, his freak-out is important later when he wants to reveal the truth to his skeptical friends.  Second, Ken doesn't manage to keep his secret for more than a few hours from Schuldig, unlike stories that would have readers believe that a lover doesn't notice drastic changes in personality or memory in their loved one... and Schuldig believes him because of the very valid reason that, duh, he's psychic and can tell the difference between his Ken and this Ken.  Third, while it's obvious that Ken doesn't know something very important about other-Ken, the eventual revelation was a shock to the reader as well as to Ken, and was beautifully set up.  Finally, the resolution of the story was utterly satisfying, and I would've recommended this fic on the strength of that alone.

I also like many of the small details of this story.  The alternate careers for the Weiss and Schwarz men seem to suit them.  Schwarz in particular receive excellent focus and characterization, since it was necessary to humanize them in Ken's eyes, and they come across as very likeable (and in two cases, tragic) figures.  Also, it's great to see a conscious and vivacious Aya-chan.

Alice  {link to first part; following chapter linked at bottom of each chapter}

Title:  Alice
Fandom:  Weiss Kreuz
Pairing:  Schuldich/Ken as the main couple, and background couples Aya/Omi, Crawford/Yohji, & Nagi/Farfarello - but in the mirror world only
Categories:  AU, angst, romance
Length:  Epic [~94,500 words]
Warnings:  mentions of self-harm, violence, characters are OOC (understandably, but still)


Author on LJ:  mami_san
Website:  Patterns of Blood

Author's Summary:  Through the looking glass and into the fire: Ken wakes up to find out his life could have been different. Only how much better is it, and will it be worth the past he knows to live in this future?

Review:  This story is an excellent example of the genre in which characters suddenly find themselves in a "mirror" world, where everything and/or everyone they know seems to be different.  Here, Canon-Ken falls through an actual mirror -- or does he? let the resolution of the story tell you -- and wakes up in a world where neither Schwarz nor Weiss operate as assassins.  Instead, both groups mix together as friends, with mundane jobs, who have met each other during their professional lives and grown close.  While psychic powers still exist, that seems to be the only element of this mirror world that separates it from yours and mine.  Ken is, understandably, delighted at the apparent peacefulness of the mirror world, but appalled that he seems to be Schuldig's boyfriend.

I especially like the parts of this story that break from the conventions of this genre.  First, Ken makes a complete fool of himself when he first sees Schwarz in his kitchen, which is perfectly accurate characterization and quite a bit different from the typical levelheaded world-hopper characterization these fics portray; as a plus, his freak-out is important later when he wants to reveal the truth to his skeptical friends.  Second, Ken doesn't manage to keep his secret for more than a few hours from Schuldig, unlike stories that would have readers believe that a lover doesn't notice drastic changes in personality or memory in their loved one... and Schuldig believes him because of the very valid reason that, duh, he's psychic and can tell the difference between his Ken and this Ken.  Third, while it's obvious that Ken doesn't know something very important about other-Ken, the eventual revelation was a shock to the reader as well as to Ken, and was beautifully set up.  Finally, the resolution of the story was utterly satisfying, and I would've recommended this fic on the strength of that alone.

I also like many of the small details of this story.  The alternate careers for the Weiss and Schwarz men seem to suit them.  Schwarz in particular receive excellent focus and characterization, since it was necessary to humanize them in Ken's eyes, and they come across as very likeable (and in two cases, tragic) figures.  Also, it's great to see a conscious and vivacious Aya-chan.

Alice  {link to first part; following chapter linked at bottom of each chapter}

Title:  Alice
Fandom:  Weiss Kreuz
Pairing:  Schuldich/Ken as the main couple, and background couples Aya/Omi, Crawford/Yohji, & Nagi/Farfarello - but in the mirror world only
Categories:  AU, angst, romance
Length:  Epic [~94,500 words]
Warnings:  mentions of self-harm, violence, characters are OOC (understandably, but still)


Author on LJ:  mami_san
Website:  Patterns of Blood

Author's Summary:  Through the looking glass and into the fire: Ken wakes up to find out his life could have been different. Only how much better is it, and will it be worth the past he knows to live in this future?

Review:  This story is an excellent example of the genre in which characters suddenly find themselves in a "mirror" world, where everything and/or everyone they know seems to be different.  Here, Canon-Ken falls through an actual mirror -- or does he? let the resolution of the story tell you -- and wakes up in a world where neither Schwarz nor Weiss operate as assassins.  Instead, both groups mix together as friends, with mundane jobs, who have met each other during their professional lives and grown close.  While psychic powers still exist, that seems to be the only element of this mirror world that separates it from yours and mine.  Ken is, understandably, delighted at the apparent peacefulness of the mirror world, but appalled that he seems to be Schuldig's boyfriend.

I especially like the parts of this story that break from the conventions of this genre.  First, Ken makes a complete fool of himself when he first sees Schwarz in his kitchen, which is perfectly accurate characterization and quite a bit different from the typical levelheaded world-hopper characterization these fics portray; as a plus, his freak-out is important later when he wants to reveal the truth to his skeptical friends.  Second, Ken doesn't manage to keep his secret for more than a few hours from Schuldig, unlike stories that would have readers believe that a lover doesn't notice drastic changes in personality or memory in their loved one... and Schuldig believes him because of the very valid reason that, duh, he's psychic and can tell the difference between his Ken and this Ken.  Third, while it's obvious that Ken doesn't know something very important about other-Ken, the eventual revelation was a shock to the reader as well as to Ken, and was beautifully set up.  Finally, the resolution of the story was utterly satisfying, and I would've recommended this fic on the strength of that alone.

I also like many of the small details of this story.  The alternate careers for the Weiss and Schwarz men seem to suit them.  Schwarz in particular receive excellent focus and characterization, since it was necessary to humanize them in Ken's eyes, and they come across as very likeable (and in two cases, tragic) figures.  Also, it's great to see a conscious and vivacious Aya-chan.

Alice  {link to first part; following chapter linked at bottom of each chapter}

Title:  Alice
Fandom:  Weiss Kreuz
Pairing:  Schuldich/Ken as the main couple, and background couples Aya/Omi, Crawford/Yohji, & Nagi/Farfarello - but in the mirror world only
Categories:  AU, angst, romance
Length:  Epic [~94,500 words]
Warnings:  mentions of self-harm, violence, characters are OOC (understandably, but still)


Author on LJ:  mami_san
Website:  Patterns of Blood

Author's Summary:  Through the looking glass and into the fire: Ken wakes up to find out his life could have been different. Only how much better is it, and will it be worth the past he knows to live in this future?

Review:  This story is an excellent example of the genre in which characters suddenly find themselves in a "mirror" world, where everything and/or everyone they know seems to be different.  Here, Canon-Ken falls through an actual mirror -- or does he? let the resolution of the story tell you -- and wakes up in a world where neither Schwarz nor Weiss operate as assassins.  Instead, both groups mix together as friends, with mundane jobs, who have met each other during their professional lives and grown close.  While psychic powers still exist, that seems to be the only element of this mirror world that separates it from yours and mine.  Ken is, understandably, delighted at the apparent peacefulness of the mirror world, but appalled that he seems to be Schuldig's boyfriend.

I especially like the parts of this story that break from the conventions of this genre.  First, Ken makes a complete fool of himself when he first sees Schwarz in his kitchen, which is perfectly accurate characterization and quite a bit different from the typical levelheaded world-hopper characterization these fics portray; as a plus, his freak-out is important later when he wants to reveal the truth to his skeptical friends.  Second, Ken doesn't manage to keep his secret for more than a few hours from Schuldig, unlike stories that would have readers believe that a lover doesn't notice drastic changes in personality or memory in their loved one... and Schuldig believes him because of the very valid reason that, duh, he's psychic and can tell the difference between his Ken and this Ken.  Third, while it's obvious that Ken doesn't know something very important about other-Ken, the eventual revelation was a shock to the reader as well as to Ken, and was beautifully set up.  Finally, the resolution of the story was utterly satisfying, and I would've recommended this fic on the strength of that alone.

I also like many of the small details of this story.  The alternate careers for the Weiss and Schwarz men seem to suit them.  Schwarz in particular receive excellent focus and characterization, since it was necessary to humanize them in Ken's eyes, and they come across as very likeable (and in two cases, tragic) figures.  Also, it's great to see a conscious and vivacious Aya-chan.

Alice  {link to first part; following chapter linked at bottom of each chapter}

Title:  Gefallene Engel
Fandom:  Weiss Kreuz
Pairing:  Schuldig/Farfarello and Schuldig/Yohji --> Yohji/Schuldig/Farfarello
Categories:  angst, amnesia (for the villains' victims), drama, a smidge of romance, and dark
Length:  Epic [~144,000 words]
Warnings: violence, noncon, mindrape, long-term abuse, self-harm (cutting), and the biggie character death


Author on LJ:  mami_san 
Website:  Mami-san's Fic on Patterns of Blood

Summary:  A nightmare from the past returns to haunt Schwarz, and Weiss is dragged into their life and death games. Schwarz was almost destroyed the last time they went head to head with Schatten; how can they possibly survive this time?

Review:  There's something about Weiss Kreuz that makes me willing to read the darkest fic that I ever do.  Characters get violated both physically and mentally, and I keep reading - and character death?  No problem, bring it on.  Maybe it's the melodrama of the canon, I don't know.  (There is something to be said for a world in which teenage girls aren't terribly surprised to be picked up while walking down the street in Tokyo and get a kidney removed by illicit organ traders - and oh yeah, the main characters are all assassins.)  But I do know that "Gefallene Engel" is one of the best epic-length fics in this fandom, and it would be remiss of me not to recommend it.  "Gefallene Engel" dives right into the darker side of the Weiss Kreuz universe and stays there.

Like many fics in this fandom, the author switches focus to the antagonist assassin team, the psychics of Schwarz.  The Schwarz team gets a background and enemies, another psychic team called Schatten, who have returned to dog their steps in Japan.  The enemies, all OCs, are very believably characterized, and they fit right in with the bloodthirsty crazies of canon.  Schwarz becomes human and sympathetic in comparison, and the reader is gripped by the tension of their fight to survive against Schatten.  Weiss is involved, because a member of the team, Yohji, stumbles upon Schuldig after Schuldig has been trapped and tortured by Schatten, and is forced to pretend that he is a member of Schwarz (it's a bit more complex than that, but I wouldn't want to spoil all the plot twists for you).  Yohji's growing attraction to Schuldig clashes with his sensible worry that his teammates will be put in danger and that he will not be able to see them again until the danger has passed; conversely, Schuldig's interest in Yohji is barred by his relationship with Farfarello, another member of Schwarz.  Mami's talent is great enough that she manages to tie together all these plot threads while not losing focus on the bigger picture, and the story's climax - battles and aftermath - does not disappoint.

Gefallene Engel

Title:  Gefallene Engel
Fandom:  Weiss Kreuz
Pairing:  Schuldig/Farfarello and Schuldig/Yohji --> Yohji/Schuldig/Farfarello
Categories:  angst, amnesia (for the villains' victims), drama, a smidge of romance, and dark
Length:  Epic [~144,000 words]
Warnings: violence, noncon, mindrape, long-term abuse, self-harm (cutting), and the biggie character death


Author on LJ:  mami_san 
Website:  Mami-san's Fic on Patterns of Blood

Summary:  A nightmare from the past returns to haunt Schwarz, and Weiss is dragged into their life and death games. Schwarz was almost destroyed the last time they went head to head with Schatten; how can they possibly survive this time?

Review:  There's something about Weiss Kreuz that makes me willing to read the darkest fic that I ever do.  Characters get violated both physically and mentally, and I keep reading - and character death?  No problem, bring it on.  Maybe it's the melodrama of the canon, I don't know.  (There is something to be said for a world in which teenage girls aren't terribly surprised to be picked up while walking down the street in Tokyo and get a kidney removed by illicit organ traders - and oh yeah, the main characters are all assassins.)  But I do know that "Gefallene Engel" is one of the best epic-length fics in this fandom, and it would be remiss of me not to recommend it.  "Gefallene Engel" dives right into the darker side of the Weiss Kreuz universe and stays there.

Like many fics in this fandom, the author switches focus to the antagonist assassin team, the psychics of Schwarz.  The Schwarz team gets a background and enemies, another psychic team called Schatten, who have returned to dog their steps in Japan.  The enemies, all OCs, are very believably characterized, and they fit right in with the bloodthirsty crazies of canon.  Schwarz becomes human and sympathetic in comparison, and the reader is gripped by the tension of their fight to survive against Schatten.  Weiss is involved, because a member of the team, Yohji, stumbles upon Schuldig after Schuldig has been trapped and tortured by Schatten, and is forced to pretend that he is a member of Schwarz (it's a bit more complex than that, but I wouldn't want to spoil all the plot twists for you).  Yohji's growing attraction to Schuldig clashes with his sensible worry that his teammates will be put in danger and that he will not be able to see them again until the danger has passed; conversely, Schuldig's interest in Yohji is barred by his relationship with Farfarello, another member of Schwarz.  Mami's talent is great enough that she manages to tie together all these plot threads while not losing focus on the bigger picture, and the story's climax - battles and aftermath - does not disappoint.

Gefallene Engel

Title:  Gefallene Engel
Fandom:  Weiss Kreuz
Pairing:  Schuldig/Farfarello and Schuldig/Yohji --> Yohji/Schuldig/Farfarello
Categories:  angst, amnesia (for the villains' victims), drama, a smidge of romance, and dark
Length:  Epic [~144,000 words]
Warnings: violence, noncon, mindrape, long-term abuse, self-harm (cutting), and the biggie character death


Author on LJ:  mami_san 
Website:  Mami-san's Fic on Patterns of Blood

Summary:  A nightmare from the past returns to haunt Schwarz, and Weiss is dragged into their life and death games. Schwarz was almost destroyed the last time they went head to head with Schatten; how can they possibly survive this time?

Review:  There's something about Weiss Kreuz that makes me willing to read the darkest fic that I ever do.  Characters get violated both physically and mentally, and I keep reading - and character death?  No problem, bring it on.  Maybe it's the melodrama of the canon, I don't know.  (There is something to be said for a world in which teenage girls aren't terribly surprised to be picked up while walking down the street in Tokyo and get a kidney removed by illicit organ traders - and oh yeah, the main characters are all assassins.)  But I do know that "Gefallene Engel" is one of the best epic-length fics in this fandom, and it would be remiss of me not to recommend it.  "Gefallene Engel" dives right into the darker side of the Weiss Kreuz universe and stays there.

Like many fics in this fandom, the author switches focus to the antagonist assassin team, the psychics of Schwarz.  The Schwarz team gets a background and enemies, another psychic team called Schatten, who have returned to dog their steps in Japan.  The enemies, all OCs, are very believably characterized, and they fit right in with the bloodthirsty crazies of canon.  Schwarz becomes human and sympathetic in comparison, and the reader is gripped by the tension of their fight to survive against Schatten.  Weiss is involved, because a member of the team, Yohji, stumbles upon Schuldig after Schuldig has been trapped and tortured by Schatten, and is forced to pretend that he is a member of Schwarz (it's a bit more complex than that, but I wouldn't want to spoil all the plot twists for you).  Yohji's growing attraction to Schuldig clashes with his sensible worry that his teammates will be put in danger and that he will not be able to see them again until the danger has passed; conversely, Schuldig's interest in Yohji is barred by his relationship with Farfarello, another member of Schwarz.  Mami's talent is great enough that she manages to tie together all these plot threads while not losing focus on the bigger picture, and the story's climax - battles and aftermath - does not disappoint.

Gefallene Engel

Title:  Gefallene Engel
Fandom:  Weiss Kreuz
Pairing:  Schuldig/Farfarello and Schuldig/Yohji --> Yohji/Schuldig/Farfarello
Categories:  angst, amnesia (for the villains' victims), drama, a smidge of romance, and dark
Length:  Epic [~144,000 words]
Warnings: violence, noncon, mindrape, long-term abuse, self-harm (cutting), and the biggie character death


Author on LJ:  mami_san 
Website:  Mami-san's Fic on Patterns of Blood

Summary:  A nightmare from the past returns to haunt Schwarz, and Weiss is dragged into their life and death games. Schwarz was almost destroyed the last time they went head to head with Schatten; how can they possibly survive this time?

Review:  There's something about Weiss Kreuz that makes me willing to read the darkest fic that I ever do.  Characters get violated both physically and mentally, and I keep reading - and character death?  No problem, bring it on.  Maybe it's the melodrama of the canon, I don't know.  (There is something to be said for a world in which teenage girls aren't terribly surprised to be picked up while walking down the street in Tokyo and get a kidney removed by illicit organ traders - and oh yeah, the main characters are all assassins.)  But I do know that "Gefallene Engel" is one of the best epic-length fics in this fandom, and it would be remiss of me not to recommend it.  "Gefallene Engel" dives right into the darker side of the Weiss Kreuz universe and stays there.

Like many fics in this fandom, the author switches focus to the antagonist assassin team, the psychics of Schwarz.  The Schwarz team gets a background and enemies, another psychic team called Schatten, who have returned to dog their steps in Japan.  The enemies, all OCs, are very believably characterized, and they fit right in with the bloodthirsty crazies of canon.  Schwarz becomes human and sympathetic in comparison, and the reader is gripped by the tension of their fight to survive against Schatten.  Weiss is involved, because a member of the team, Yohji, stumbles upon Schuldig after Schuldig has been trapped and tortured by Schatten, and is forced to pretend that he is a member of Schwarz (it's a bit more complex than that, but I wouldn't want to spoil all the plot twists for you).  Yohji's growing attraction to Schuldig clashes with his sensible worry that his teammates will be put in danger and that he will not be able to see them again until the danger has passed; conversely, Schuldig's interest in Yohji is barred by his relationship with Farfarello, another member of Schwarz.  Mami's talent is great enough that she manages to tie together all these plot threads while not losing focus on the bigger picture, and the story's climax - battles and aftermath - does not disappoint.

Gefallene Engel

Title:  Gefallene Engel
Fandom:  Weiss Kreuz
Pairing:  Schuldig/Farfarello and Schuldig/Yohji --> Yohji/Schuldig/Farfarello
Categories:  angst, amnesia (for the villains' victims), drama, a smidge of romance, and dark
Length:  Epic [~144,000 words]
Warnings: violence, noncon, mindrape, long-term abuse, self-harm (cutting), and the biggie character death


Author on LJ:  mami_san 
Website:  Mami-san's Fic on Patterns of Blood

Summary:  A nightmare from the past returns to haunt Schwarz, and Weiss is dragged into their life and death games. Schwarz was almost destroyed the last time they went head to head with Schatten; how can they possibly survive this time?

Review:  There's something about Weiss Kreuz that makes me willing to read the darkest fic that I ever do.  Characters get violated both physically and mentally, and I keep reading - and character death?  No problem, bring it on.  Maybe it's the melodrama of the canon, I don't know.  (There is something to be said for a world in which teenage girls aren't terribly surprised to be picked up while walking down the street in Tokyo and get a kidney removed by illicit organ traders - and oh yeah, the main characters are all assassins.)  But I do know that "Gefallene Engel" is one of the best epic-length fics in this fandom, and it would be remiss of me not to recommend it.  "Gefallene Engel" dives right into the darker side of the Weiss Kreuz universe and stays there.

Like many fics in this fandom, the author switches focus to the antagonist assassin team, the psychics of Schwarz.  The Schwarz team gets a background and enemies, another psychic team called Schatten, who have returned to dog their steps in Japan.  The enemies, all OCs, are very believably characterized, and they fit right in with the bloodthirsty crazies of canon.  Schwarz becomes human and sympathetic in comparison, and the reader is gripped by the tension of their fight to survive against Schatten.  Weiss is involved, because a member of the team, Yohji, stumbles upon Schuldig after Schuldig has been trapped and tortured by Schatten, and is forced to pretend that he is a member of Schwarz (it's a bit more complex than that, but I wouldn't want to spoil all the plot twists for you).  Yohji's growing attraction to Schuldig clashes with his sensible worry that his teammates will be put in danger and that he will not be able to see them again until the danger has passed; conversely, Schuldig's interest in Yohji is barred by his relationship with Farfarello, another member of Schwarz.  Mami's talent is great enough that she manages to tie together all these plot threads while not losing focus on the bigger picture, and the story's climax - battles and aftermath - does not disappoint.

Gefallene Engel

Title:  Gefallene Engel
Fandom:  Weiss Kreuz
Pairing:  Schuldig/Farfarello and Schuldig/Yohji --> Yohji/Schuldig/Farfarello
Categories:  angst, amnesia (for the villains' victims), drama, a smidge of romance, and dark
Length:  Epic [~144,000 words]
Warnings: violence, noncon, mindrape, long-term abuse, self-harm (cutting), and the biggie character death


Author on LJ:  mami_san 
Website:  Mami-san's Fic on Patterns of Blood

Summary:  A nightmare from the past returns to haunt Schwarz, and Weiss is dragged into their life and death games. Schwarz was almost destroyed the last time they went head to head with Schatten; how can they possibly survive this time?

Review:  There's something about Weiss Kreuz that makes me willing to read the darkest fic that I ever do.  Characters get violated both physically and mentally, and I keep reading - and character death?  No problem, bring it on.  Maybe it's the melodrama of the canon, I don't know.  (There is something to be said for a world in which teenage girls aren't terribly surprised to be picked up while walking down the street in Tokyo and get a kidney removed by illicit organ traders - and oh yeah, the main characters are all assassins.)  But I do know that "Gefallene Engel" is one of the best epic-length fics in this fandom, and it would be remiss of me not to recommend it.  "Gefallene Engel" dives right into the darker side of the Weiss Kreuz universe and stays there.

Like many fics in this fandom, the author switches focus to the antagonist assassin team, the psychics of Schwarz.  The Schwarz team gets a background and enemies, another psychic team called Schatten, who have returned to dog their steps in Japan.  The enemies, all OCs, are very believably characterized, and they fit right in with the bloodthirsty crazies of canon.  Schwarz becomes human and sympathetic in comparison, and the reader is gripped by the tension of their fight to survive against Schatten.  Weiss is involved, because a member of the team, Yohji, stumbles upon Schuldig after Schuldig has been trapped and tortured by Schatten, and is forced to pretend that he is a member of Schwarz (it's a bit more complex than that, but I wouldn't want to spoil all the plot twists for you).  Yohji's growing attraction to Schuldig clashes with his sensible worry that his teammates will be put in danger and that he will not be able to see them again until the danger has passed; conversely, Schuldig's interest in Yohji is barred by his relationship with Farfarello, another member of Schwarz.  Mami's talent is great enough that she manages to tie together all these plot threads while not losing focus on the bigger picture, and the story's climax - battles and aftermath - does not disappoint.

Gefallene Engel

Title: Mars Assassins
Fandom: Weiss Kreuz, with a slight crossover with Fenndom
Pairing: Crawford/Schuldig, Victorian style
Categories: AU, action, drama, crossover
Length: EPIC [~218,000 words]
Warnings: er, if you don't like genre mashups, this is definitely not for you; main characters are psychic murderers


Author on LJ: daegaer
Website: mars_assassins

Summary: A gentle heartwarming tale of gunslinging assassins in the Old West. And on Mars. (Oh, and they're psychic.)

Review: Against all odds, Daegaer managed to move the Schwarz group out of the modern Japan setting of Weiss Kreuz, and insert them into an AU Victorian-era Wild West adventure IN SPACE, with hardly a sign of effort. The characters feel like they were meant to be in this frankly-implausible world... and that is the mark of a truly great fanfic writer. The vaguely-steampunk feel of the spaceship and Mars colony adds to the atmosphere of the fic.

Daegaer says that she wrote the story in the style of George Manville Fenn, and I can believe her - it reads exactly as if someone of that era was given a computer and a guide to slash/yaoi. The story is sixty chapters worth of Victorian sensibilities (manly handclasps, racism and all) as filtered through the viewpoints of amoral, probably-insane assassins. I particularly liked that Mars felt like yet another colony fallen victim of Western imperialism - there are Martians, and they are very clearly treated on the same level as the other human races. [Which also presents wonderful problems for Nagi, the only ethnically Japanese character.]

You don't need to be familiar with canon to enjoy this fic - while it does add something to know the characters beforehand, the story is so far removed from canon that, so long as you enjoy Victorian novels, steampunk sci-fi, assassins, psychics or slash, Mars Assassins will entertain you.

mars_assassins is the only location for this fic. Just skip back to the first journal entries, and commence losing all your free time this weekend.

Title: Mars Assassins
Fandom: Weiss Kreuz, with a slight crossover with Fenndom
Pairing: Crawford/Schuldig, Victorian style
Categories: AU, action, drama, crossover
Length: EPIC [~218,000 words]
Warnings: er, if you don't like genre mashups, this is definitely not for you; main characters are psychic murderers


Author on LJ: daegaer
Website: mars_assassins

Summary: A gentle heartwarming tale of gunslinging assassins in the Old West. And on Mars. (Oh, and they're psychic.)

Review: Against all odds, Daegaer managed to move the Schwarz group out of the modern Japan setting of Weiss Kreuz, and insert them into an AU Victorian-era Wild West adventure IN SPACE, with hardly a sign of effort. The characters feel like they were meant to be in this frankly-implausible world... and that is the mark of a truly great fanfic writer. The vaguely-steampunk feel of the spaceship and Mars colony adds to the atmosphere of the fic.

Daegaer says that she wrote the story in the style of George Manville Fenn, and I can believe her - it reads exactly as if someone of that era was given a computer and a guide to slash/yaoi. The story is sixty chapters worth of Victorian sensibilities (manly handclasps, racism and all) as filtered through the viewpoints of amoral, probably-insane assassins. I particularly liked that Mars felt like yet another colony fallen victim of Western imperialism - there are Martians, and they are very clearly treated on the same level as the other human races. [Which also presents wonderful problems for Nagi, the only ethnically Japanese character.]

You don't need to be familiar with canon to enjoy this fic - while it does add something to know the characters beforehand, the story is so far removed from canon that, so long as you enjoy Victorian novels, steampunk sci-fi, assassins, psychics or slash, Mars Assassins will entertain you.

mars_assassins is the only location for this fic. Just skip back to the first journal entries, and commence losing all your free time this weekend.

Title: Mars Assassins
Fandom: Weiss Kreuz, with a slight crossover with Fenndom
Pairing: Crawford/Schuldig, Victorian style
Categories: AU, action, drama, crossover
Length: EPIC [~218,000 words]
Warnings: er, if you don't like genre mashups, this is definitely not for you; main characters are psychic murderers


Author on LJ: daegaer
Website: mars_assassins

Summary: A gentle heartwarming tale of gunslinging assassins in the Old West. And on Mars. (Oh, and they're psychic.)

Review: Against all odds, Daegaer managed to move the Schwarz group out of the modern Japan setting of Weiss Kreuz, and insert them into an AU Victorian-era Wild West adventure IN SPACE, with hardly a sign of effort. The characters feel like they were meant to be in this frankly-implausible world... and that is the mark of a truly great fanfic writer. The vaguely-steampunk feel of the spaceship and Mars colony adds to the atmosphere of the fic.

Daegaer says that she wrote the story in the style of George Manville Fenn, and I can believe her - it reads exactly as if someone of that era was given a computer and a guide to slash/yaoi. The story is sixty chapters worth of Victorian sensibilities (manly handclasps, racism and all) as filtered through the viewpoints of amoral, probably-insane assassins. I particularly liked that Mars felt like yet another colony fallen victim of Western imperialism - there are Martians, and they are very clearly treated on the same level as the other human races. [Which also presents wonderful problems for Nagi, the only ethnically Japanese character.]

You don't need to be familiar with canon to enjoy this fic - while it does add something to know the characters beforehand, the story is so far removed from canon that, so long as you enjoy Victorian novels, steampunk sci-fi, assassins, psychics or slash, Mars Assassins will entertain you.

mars_assassins is the only location for this fic. Just skip back to the first journal entries, and commence losing all your free time this weekend.

Title: Mars Assassins
Fandom: Weiss Kreuz, with a slight crossover with Fenndom
Pairing: Crawford/Schuldig, Victorian style
Categories: AU, action, drama, crossover
Length: EPIC [~218,000 words]
Warnings: er, if you don't like genre mashups, this is definitely not for you; main characters are psychic murderers


Author on LJ: daegaer
Website: mars_assassins

Summary: A gentle heartwarming tale of gunslinging assassins in the Old West. And on Mars. (Oh, and they're psychic.)

Review: Against all odds, Daegaer managed to move the Schwarz group out of the modern Japan setting of Weiss Kreuz, and insert them into an AU Victorian-era Wild West adventure IN SPACE, with hardly a sign of effort. The characters feel like they were meant to be in this frankly-implausible world... and that is the mark of a truly great fanfic writer. The vaguely-steampunk feel of the spaceship and Mars colony adds to the atmosphere of the fic.

Daegaer says that she wrote the story in the style of George Manville Fenn, and I can believe her - it reads exactly as if someone of that era was given a computer and a guide to slash/yaoi. The story is sixty chapters worth of Victorian sensibilities (manly handclasps, racism and all) as filtered through the viewpoints of amoral, probably-insane assassins. I particularly liked that Mars felt like yet another colony fallen victim of Western imperialism - there are Martians, and they are very clearly treated on the same level as the other human races. [Which also presents wonderful problems for Nagi, the only ethnically Japanese character.]

You don't need to be familiar with canon to enjoy this fic - while it does add something to know the characters beforehand, the story is so far removed from canon that, so long as you enjoy Victorian novels, steampunk sci-fi, assassins, psychics or slash, Mars Assassins will entertain you.

mars_assassins is the only location for this fic. Just skip back to the first journal entries, and commence losing all your free time this weekend.

Title: Mars Assassins
Fandom: Weiss Kreuz, with a slight crossover with Fenndom
Pairing: Crawford/Schuldig, Victorian style
Categories: AU, action, drama, crossover
Length: EPIC [~218,000 words]
Warnings: er, if you don't like genre mashups, this is definitely not for you; main characters are psychic murderers


Author on LJ: daegaer
Website: mars_assassins

Summary: A gentle heartwarming tale of gunslinging assassins in the Old West. And on Mars. (Oh, and they're psychic.)

Review: Against all odds, Daegaer managed to move the Schwarz group out of the modern Japan setting of Weiss Kreuz, and insert them into an AU Victorian-era Wild West adventure IN SPACE, with hardly a sign of effort. The characters feel like they were meant to be in this frankly-implausible world... and that is the mark of a truly great fanfic writer. The vaguely-steampunk feel of the spaceship and Mars colony adds to the atmosphere of the fic.

Daegaer says that she wrote the story in the style of George Manville Fenn, and I can believe her - it reads exactly as if someone of that era was given a computer and a guide to slash/yaoi. The story is sixty chapters worth of Victorian sensibilities (manly handclasps, racism and all) as filtered through the viewpoints of amoral, probably-insane assassins. I particularly liked that Mars felt like yet another colony fallen victim of Western imperialism - there are Martians, and they are very clearly treated on the same level as the other human races. [Which also presents wonderful problems for Nagi, the only ethnically Japanese character.]

You don't need to be familiar with canon to enjoy this fic - while it does add something to know the characters beforehand, the story is so far removed from canon that, so long as you enjoy Victorian novels, steampunk sci-fi, assassins, psychics or slash, Mars Assassins will entertain you.

mars_assassins is the only location for this fic. Just skip back to the first journal entries, and commence losing all your free time this weekend.

Title: Mars Assassins
Fandom: Weiss Kreuz, with a slight crossover with Fenndom
Pairing: Crawford/Schuldig, Victorian style
Categories: AU, action, drama, crossover
Length: EPIC [~218,000 words]
Warnings: er, if you don't like genre mashups, this is definitely not for you; main characters are psychic murderers


Author on LJ: daegaer
Website: mars_assassins

Summary: A gentle heartwarming tale of gunslinging assassins in the Old West. And on Mars. (Oh, and they're psychic.)

Review: Against all odds, Daegaer managed to move the Schwarz group out of the modern Japan setting of Weiss Kreuz, and insert them into an AU Victorian-era Wild West adventure IN SPACE, with hardly a sign of effort. The characters feel like they were meant to be in this frankly-implausible world... and that is the mark of a truly great fanfic writer. The vaguely-steampunk feel of the spaceship and Mars colony adds to the atmosphere of the fic.

Daegaer says that she wrote the story in the style of George Manville Fenn, and I can believe her - it reads exactly as if someone of that era was given a computer and a guide to slash/yaoi. The story is sixty chapters worth of Victorian sensibilities (manly handclasps, racism and all) as filtered through the viewpoints of amoral, probably-insane assassins. I particularly liked that Mars felt like yet another colony fallen victim of Western imperialism - there are Martians, and they are very clearly treated on the same level as the other human races. [Which also presents wonderful problems for Nagi, the only ethnically Japanese character.]

You don't need to be familiar with canon to enjoy this fic - while it does add something to know the characters beforehand, the story is so far removed from canon that, so long as you enjoy Victorian novels, steampunk sci-fi, assassins, psychics or slash, Mars Assassins will entertain you.

mars_assassins is the only location for this fic. Just skip back to the first journal entries, and commence losing all your free time this weekend.

Title:  Girl
Fandom:  Weiss Kreuz
Pairing:  Aya/Yohji, OFC/Aya, some Schuldig/Aya
Categories:  angst, pre-slash, romance, drama - and definitely genderswitch
Length:  Epic [~87,000 words]
Warnings:  the dreaded het is here, cohabiting with the slash; some dubcon with Schuldig 


Authors on LJ: viridian5 and mayatawi 
Websites:  The Green Room and Zippos and Safety Pins

Review:  "Aya's changing..."

These authors wrote a compelling version of the latter days of Weiss Kreuz, if Aya-the-man ever once woke up a woman.  For those not familiar with the canon - and there are many of you - I will only say that Weiss Kreuz is crack-tastic, and amid the assassins and angst the creators saw fit to include psychic abilities.  Canonically, those abilities only belong to the antagonists, and the powers can be your stereotypical telepathy or telekinesis, or they can be weird, like Farfarello's ability to not feel pain.  Giving Aya a "weird" ability that's just manifested itself was a stroke of genius by Viridian5 and Maya Tawi... Aya already has so many issues, but having to come to terms with a fluid gender identity was just what the character needed to blow those issues out into the open.  And, thus, necessary to make Aya get help rather than continue with his angst and introversion.  

The plot is complex and interesting, and I decline to explain it further, on account of it being better as a surprise.  This is one of the best genderswitch stories I've read, in any fandom, and anyone with an interest in this type of plot should read it.  "Girl" treats the subject and its attendant issues with the respect they deserve.  As warning, though, I must admit that Schuldig, the telepathic enemy of Weiss, has altogether too much fun teasing Aya, and trying to get him worked up about his new ability.  It edges into dubcon, although not, IMHO, into non-con.  Still, if that makes you uncomfortable, this may not be the fic for you.

Girl

Title:  Girl
Fandom:  Weiss Kreuz
Pairing:  Aya/Yohji, OFC/Aya, some Schuldig/Aya
Categories:  angst, pre-slash, romance, drama - and definitely genderswitch
Length:  Epic [~87,000 words]
Warnings:  the dreaded het is here, cohabiting with the slash; some dubcon with Schuldig 


Authors on LJ: viridian5 and mayatawi 
Websites:  The Green Room and Zippos and Safety Pins

Review:  "Aya's changing..."

These authors wrote a compelling version of the latter days of Weiss Kreuz, if Aya-the-man ever once woke up a woman.  For those not familiar with the canon - and there are many of you - I will only say that Weiss Kreuz is crack-tastic, and amid the assassins and angst the creators saw fit to include psychic abilities.  Canonically, those abilities only belong to the antagonists, and the powers can be your stereotypical telepathy or telekinesis, or they can be weird, like Farfarello's ability to not feel pain.  Giving Aya a "weird" ability that's just manifested itself was a stroke of genius by Viridian5 and Maya Tawi... Aya already has so many issues, but having to come to terms with a fluid gender identity was just what the character needed to blow those issues out into the open.  And, thus, necessary to make Aya get help rather than continue with his angst and introversion.  

The plot is complex and interesting, and I decline to explain it further, on account of it being better as a surprise.  This is one of the best genderswitch stories I've read, in any fandom, and anyone with an interest in this type of plot should read it.  "Girl" treats the subject and its attendant issues with the respect they deserve.  As warning, though, I must admit that Schuldig, the telepathic enemy of Weiss, has altogether too much fun teasing Aya, and trying to get him worked up about his new ability.  It edges into dubcon, although not, IMHO, into non-con.  Still, if that makes you uncomfortable, this may not be the fic for you.

Girl