This blog will be devoted to my finished fanfiction. Which means that I will not post single chapters of stories that are in progress. The chapters will be uploaded once the story is finished.
In the meantime, I post one-shots and drabbles either inspired by prompts (which you can send me if you want!) or posts.
I have written (or am currently writing) for the following fandoms:
-Danny Phantom
-Spider-man
-Deadpool
-Daredevil
-Shazam!
-Camp camp
-Animaniacs
My Archive of Our Own account is @/Sprog.
I will modify this post with links for each finished story and a link to read it.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Summary:
"I forgot how green your hair truly was," Kuina says.
"I've had Tashigi to remind me what you would've looked like."
The first time he lays his eyes on her, he instinctively looks away to check for Smoker. When he doesn't see anything, he looks back and this time he notices all the differences.
Her hair is shorter, she's not wearing glasses, her shoulders are broader, her clothes much less conservative.
The sword at her hip. The jewellery in her ear.
She's looking at him with a pale expression of horror that he's sure is mirrored on his own face. Unlike the time with Tashigi, he's aware of the possibility that this one isn't a doppelganger. He doesn't want to know what the devil fruit did, exactly, only that he wishes it would stop.
He's not the first one who speaks. Well, technically, both crews have been talking since forever ago. It's only them that are stuck in a staring contest neither wants to win. But between them, it's not Zoro that speaks first. "I forgot how green your hair truly was," Kuina says.
"I've had Tashigi to remind me what you would've looked like."
"You've met?"
"Yeah. She is infuriating."
That gets a laugh out of her. "Oh, yeah. I should've guessed you would've hated her."
They lapse into a momentary silence until their captains (because even if they're both Luffy, that other one isn't Zoro's Luffy. He's not the one Zoro made a promise, swore loyalty, to) climb on their back.
"Zoro knows her?"
"Mh."
"He's the only difference, isn't he, Kuina?"
"Seems so, Luffy."
"You have the same swords." They say at the same time.
Usopp –Zoro's Usopp– slayly walks up to him and with a mischievous grin he asks, "You have a girlfriend you never told us about, Mr. Swordsman?"
"I'm gay," both of them reply at the same time.
"You're telling me," Sanji intervenes and Zoro isn't sure which one it is. "That we could've had another beautiful woman as part of the crew and instead the universe cursed us with this ball of algae that bathes once a week?" Ah, it's the one from Zoro's crew.
"Ha! Suck it!" The other Sanji, very maturely, says.
"Shut up, pervy-cook!" They reply at the same time.
Sanji slumps. "Oh, they have the same personality, I should've guessed." He sighs. "Still, I can't help but wish she's be the one here with us instead." He turns to Luffy. "Captain, we can have three swordmen right? That's fine. We can have three. We just got a second one, we can go get a third."
"Like Zoro's swords!" Luffy replies.
"... Yeah, sure, whatever convinces you to let Kuina-chan join the crew."
"You can't."
"Not really your choice is it, Marimo? Luffy already said-"
"She's dead."
That revelation freezes everyone on their spot. The two Chopper look like they're about to cry, the Franky like they sucked on a lemon, the Nami both look vaguely sick, and the Usopp shuffle on their feet unsure where to look.
"How did I die?" She asks.
"Fell down the stairs." She had just finished cleaning Wado, putting her back on her mantle, and then slipped on wet stairs when she went back to her room. "How about me?"
"A storm hit while you were training. You got sick. You didn't get better."
Zoro doesn't remember ever getting sick after training. He doesn't really remember training under the rain at all, not as a child. He wonders if they died the same day, if the storm she's talking about is the one that made the stairs to her room slippery. If maybe, in her world, whoever left the window open had remembered to close it. If the reason why he didn't get sick is because Sensei had come get him when she had fallen and he had abandoned his training swords right there on the ground.
The two crews end up sitting on the Sunny's upper deck, under the shade of Nami's tangerine trees, to have a picnic cooked by two Sanji. The other Nami agrees to part with some of her Berri to repay them for the stock used from their food pantry to feed a second Luffy.
Zoro and Kuina sit next to each other. It's clear that the rest of both crews are trying to subtly spy on their conversation and it makes Zoro roll his eyes.
"Why the three swords? Did I menage to sway you from beyond the grave?"
She scoffs. "No, three swords is still stupid. I suppose I felt bad. Kitetsu knew I wasn't the one she was waiting for, but I knew you would never show up to claim her. So I took her with. And with her came Yubashiri."
"And now Shusui?"
"Yep."
They're silent for a little while, savoring the food they've been served (Kuina passes the fruity cocktail her Sanji made to him while showing him her middle finger), until Zoro blurts out, "Wanna spar?"
"Finally!" She jumps up, pulling him with her. "I almost thought you've been replaced by a pod person with how long it took you to ask." She takes Wado and jumps down towards the main deck, getting into position. "C'mon, shrimp. Do you worse."
Zoro can't help it. He laughs and jumps after her, Shusui and Kitetsu in his hands. "I'll have you know, I made a promise to my Captain never to lose again."
"Funny. I did the same thing."
From the upper deck they hear cheers from their respective crews –except the Sanji, who are both cheering for Kuina– as they all lean on the railing to get a look at the two swordspeople.
I so want to write a Ranma/One piece crossover that is just Nerima and Jusenkyo being two islands on the Grand Line and the Straw Hats doing a pit stop there.
This version of Ryoga ate a devil fruit that lets him duplicate things (because that's entirely too many bandanas) which he mainly uses on his weapons. Upon hearing about him they insist on meeting him because well money and also ammo, but Ranma says, "The guy gets lost going on a straight line and following other people, honestly it's been like 3 days since we've last seen him. Chances are he's in the South Blue right now." And all the Straw Hats slowly turn to Zoro who is busy trying to figure out what curse is on Ranma.
All the powers in Ranma ½ are explained as either curses or some application os Haki that Happosai figured out and passed to his students.
Akane would kick Sanji's ass 😔 she wouldn't stand for his white knighting and would take great offence at being implied as in need of protection.
They meet the cast because Zoro can sense curses in this cause it would be so funny and he's like "there's something over here" and the something is the cluster fuck that is the Tendo dojo.
Gemma would reveal that technically speaking he and Ranma are also considered pirates by the Marines and it's why he always goes out as a panda. Their posters haven't been seen in a few years so he figures they're in the clear but better safe than sorry. Ranma's rage is felt all the way to Laugh Tale. He has to be physically restrained because he might genuinely kill his father rn.
And yes. Shampoo is from Amazon Lily in this AU. The marrying/killing an opponent who defeats you is more of a "her family" thing than a whole island thing. Ranma and Genma ended up there by chance and no they do not know the extent of what Amazon Lily is.
Ranma's curse gets revealed to them because he and Akane get into a fight and Sanji tries to get in between them. Akane gets so mad she pours water on Ranma and goes, "See! Now we're both girls! Can we go back to fightin now? Is this ok with you? Or do you still feel like butting in where you're not invited?" Nami gains a lot of respect for her.
Sanji and Kasumi gets surprisingly along really well. She opens up to him about their mother and stepping up to learn how to do housework because there was no way their father was going to and she wasn't going to leave them to fend for themselves, even if it meant having to give up martial arts. He also discovers that she's still quite strong, and maybe reignites in her a bit of hope for her fighting spirit. After all, he's able to do both, isn't he?
Luffy tries to steal Ranma when Nadoka, his mom, shows up and they learn about the deal her and his father made.
Sanji would have a terrible time here, other than with Kasumi. Between Ranma and his flippancy about his own gender, Akane and Nabiki fighting him for every word that comes out of his mouth, that weirdo Tatewaki trying to kill him for some perceived slight, Ukyo and Tsunasa's general queerness, and getting attacked by a duck for reasons that are yet to be explained to him, this is the place he either learns something about being ok with queer people or dies (Ukyo-Shampoo joined effort).
Luffy would LOVE Ukyo while Sanji would hate her (while he's under the impression she's a guy) because food and fighting! But also wasting food >:(. When they discover she's a girl Sanji blue screens.
Robin would LOVE Nerima. It's a weird ass place with people who value martial arts in all aspects of their lives from and train in using it with Haki from a very young age. Also! Jusenkyo curses! Very intriguing topic indeed. She'd experiment on Ranma and his transformation by dropping water on him by "accident". Has never been "clumsy" in her life and yet. She wants to know the logistics so bad.
Chopper would also be hella curious but he'd be polite enough not to pry with invasive questions. Maybe a few about the springs themselves, but not like. How Ranma's body works, y'know? Also besties with Dr. Tofu.
Would be hella funny if Zoro and Ryoga knew each other. Like being from the same village I mean. Maybe the all boys school he went to with Ranma was actually from Shimotsuki village and Zoro was also there. Cue shocked Straw Hats joking about not knowing Zoro could read and then Usopp going, "No but actually that explains why he's so good at numbers. He had an actual education. At a school." And Zoro frowns because, "Yeah I left Shimotsuki after getting my highschool diploma." Stunned silence as their realize Zoro is the only one of them who actually Did That™.
Also Tatewaki is definitely a noble, right? Lime not a world noble. A noble in the way Sabo was a noble. Kinda only relevant in Nerima.
Brook, Jimbei, Franky, and Usopp honestly wouldn't get much out of Nerima. Which is a bit of a bummer. Usopp would have his usual "YOU HOTTA ASK YOURSELF 'WHAT AM I WILLING TO OUT UO WITH TODAY?' NOT. FUCKING. THIS!" straight man role. Brook might get a kick out of Tatewaki, maybe? Along with Zoro since he's able to use a bamboo sword to cut things. That's talent. There isn't anything that might interest Franky other than he and Ranma being transgender together. And Jimbei would only probably have something going on with Shampoo, if anything at all.
This ffnet fic had me thinking about a Pokémon universe fusion AU (as in anime/games fusion. At least for gen 1 and 2) where Ash and Red are twins that started their journey at the same time (but Red woke up in time like a normal person. Yes the Pikachu is a coincidence. No the hat is not. They won that contest twice), and Gary and Green/Blue are the same person (I like Blue personally, so I'm going to use Blue and Gary interchangeably here).
I don't know why the two different names. Maybe with Blue being a nickname to go with Red's actual name. I imagine those two are friends-turned-rivals for their journey, while Ash and Gary have always had beef for no real reason (yes I know about the halved pokeball. I still think they'd be at each other's throats the entire time).
So I see the stories happening simultaneously, with Red being just a bit ahead of Ash and Gary just a bit ahead of both. So Red keeps meeting the actually dangerous Team Rocket people and kicking their asses purely because of timing. Gary is too fast, but Ash gets there once those situations are already resolved (though he has his own shit that he goes through).
Then, Red fucks off to Mt Silver and I like to imagine Ash knows and promised him he would become a better trainer than Red to get him down. At the end, that honour goes to Hibiki, which makes Ash seeth.
Blue gets to be the Viridian Gym Leader for a bit, with no idea where Red went and occasionally bumping into Ash, and then Hibiki beats his ass and gets Red down from the mountain so he goes "well ok fuck this noise. I'm becoming a Pokémon professor."
I have no idea how to reconcile the Battle Tree with the Sun and Moon canon, but the best idea is to say that they're still teens instead of being adults there (rip their honeymoon. I still ship Reguri in this au, but there's a side note of Blue having unrepented beef with Ash).
Ash becomes champion of Alola and he gets a surprise visit from these two knuckleheads and everyone in Alola gets to discover that Ash has a twin he never spoke about. Because when does he ever say anything about his past journeys.
They establish the Battle Tree with Red and Blue as the big honchos and Ash goes through it a few times before he manages to battle against Red and actually win.
While still journeying in Kanto, a little while before the league (let's say that there's some stipulation that if you're fast enough you can do the league like they do in the games instead of the anime, or the tournament Ash goes through is unrelated? Idk some other criteria that lets Red and Blue skip that. Yes this AU also does mean that Gary gets to be Champions for a whole 20 minutes and he thought about rubbing it in Ash's face but well then Red disappears and it feels a little to mean) Ash gets the call from his mom that Red is gone. Whoosh. Disappeared. Blue hasn't seen him since their last battle, no one can reach him, and no one else has seen him. She asks him to keep an eye out.
Ash is distraught. At first he thinks team rocket might have something to do with it, but learn from Gary that Red took care of them. Well, not the trio he's used to, but they don't do human kidnappings that's unethical. I don't know how he manages to figure out about Mt Silver, but once he does he promises himself he'll be back and beat Red down from there.
He fails. Gold gets there first. While he's in Hoenn, playing with Jirachi.
They don't see each other for a while. Red and Blue start traveling together, mostly following Blues' job assignments, going to Hoenn then Kalos then Galar and wherever else they're called to. Red does little in terms of Pokémon battles. It's just all too much. He battles with Blue and the occasional eager child who has no idea who he is and he catches Pokémon to add to the Pokédex and he takes up photography to help Blue in his studies.
But he doesn't battle as much.
World keeps spinning. Kalos happens. Red and Blue missed the whole thing because of course they did. They haven't been at the center of the cyclone since their time in Kanto, not really. Sometimes Blue would end up helping Ash, but always at times where Red was sick or visiting his mom or tending to their Pokémon.
Ash doesn't write.
He doesn't call, doesn't send a message through his mom. Or professor Oak. He hears the news about Red coming back. He meets Gold even. But he's so ashamed at having been useless at getting Red back, for years, that he avoids all of them. His mom scolds him, says that Red is sorry and wants to apologise and explain himself in person, says that Red doesn't talk as much as he used to (which is saying a lot), but Ash feels like he's the one that should apologise.
With Kalos Red decides he's going to track Ash down, catch him mid journey, whatever it takes. He misses his brother. He's the reason why Red got a Pikachu. He's the reason why they have their hats. It's been how many years? 6? And he spent 2 of those on a mountain feeling sorry for himself. Even as he worried about Ash and all the things he went through with the legendaries. Even as their mom tells him that Ash is fine. He's been fine. He loves his life and helping people and journeying.
But something about Kalos is different.
Ash comes home scared.
Red had planned to be there when he showed, corner him, go out to eat or something, but Delia gets a little frightened. This is her little man, her little man who's not shaken by gods and monsters. So books that Alola vacation she'd been saving for a rainy day and they go as soon as possible.
Alola, she thinks, is going to be a nice reprieve.
Ash gets himself entangled with a legendary.
But he's smiling and excited about what the new region brings.
She lets him stay as long as he has someone looking out for him, an adult this time. And professor Kukui, having been in Ash's shoes, volunteers.
There's many instances where Red thinks about going to Alola to check on Ash, but Delia tells him give him time. That he won't do Ash any good to be reminded of bad things right at the start of a new adventure.
So he waits.
And then a wormhole opens up on top of Alola- and no ok sorry mom Red is booking it. He doesn't get there in time to help with the problem but he does go to help with the clean up (Gold and Silver are also there but they won't tell anyone why).
As he and Blue help fix things, professor Kukui proposes to them the Battle Tree idea. Post game so post Ash becoming Champion. And they agree, because they want to surprise Ash and congratulate him.
The Battle Tree turns out to be a great idea for Red too. It brings him back some of the joy of battling that his first league (and the team rocket situation) took away.
The first time they see each other, Ash turns around and runs back to Kukui's house, much to the confusion of the rest of the Alola gang who didn't even know Ash had a brother.
Minato Live AU where since energy can't be destroyed or created (but only transformed) and the Bijuu are made of chakra (energy), when Minato gave himself to the Shinigami as a bargain to keep half the Kyuubi contained, it was a temporary arrangement. Not that Minato knew. The Shinigami did though.
So 12 years after the attack, when Kurama regains all of his strength (which iirc happens during the wave mission right? That's the turning point? If it wasn't it is now) Minato also shows up inside of his own body. Logic dictates that even if the whole thing was temporary his body would've rot, but no. Because since it was a temporary arrangement, the Shinigami only took his spiritual chakra so that his body wouldn't get consumed by the earth.
So Minato has to quite literally dug his way out of his own grave, which is probably a horrifying experience (why not hiraishin? Well he doesn't know where he is, what is happening, why it's happening, and he's freaking out a little).
What would follow would probably be a trip to T&I, an audience with Hiruzen, a message sent for both Tsunade and Jiraya, and a lot -and I mean a LOT- of questions.
This is pre chunin exams so they don't know about a possible successful Edo Tensei, so I don't know if they'd look into the possibility of that.
Danzo would HATE this an unbelievable amount. Minato is not as manipulable as Hiruzen. He's a paranoid asshole at heart so he'd never believe it's the real Minato.
However they'd also probably worry about "if the deal with the Shinigami was keeping the Kyuubi in exchange for you.... And you're here... Then what's happening with the Kyuubi?" Cue frantic searching for Naruto, who's on the other side of the country, currently getting swallowed by red chakra, and almost killing a Kiri nukenin.
I have written like 1 and ½ chapters of this since making the post. It's around 35k nowadays I think. I had planned for it to be like 10k per chapter. Ch 1 ended up 16k. Now I'm only halfway what I had planned for ch 2 and its already over that. Lol. Lmao even.
She doesn't have a ton of characterization unfortunately because she's one of the prime example of fridging (and I think her death is important to the Spider-man mythos, totally, but is also a drop in a sea of a larger issue), but there IS also Ghost Spider (Spider Gwen) that we can look at.
Gwen is, much like MJ, someone who complements Peter. She's the scientist side of him. Smart, determined, willing to put herself on the line to help him.
She understands Spider-man.
She's the daughter of a police officer. She had to bury both her parents before she made it to college.
Dying, especially at Peter's hands, would fuck her up majorly. But also she would worry more about what Peter must've felt like, to bury yet another person he loved. Because she understands the feeling. And I don't think she'd regret getting involved. Her dad gave his life to save New York (I'm more referencing the live action film because I do NOT want to deal w detangling more than 60 years of comic books and retcons) and she didn't hesitate to do the same.
When she finds herself in Gotham, she's stuck in the middle of a Joker attack. The whole situation is so reminiscent that she doesn't even compute that she should be dead and that she's not in the clock tower anymore until she's looking for Peter and realizes that another set of vigilantes are on the scene.
She finally breaks down when she's led towards some paramedics by Robin, calling out for Peter, looking for him, the suit, anything, out in the crowd. She makes eye contact with Robin. She can't see his eyes from behind the domino mask. It's then she starts shaking.
"We ain't in Kansas anymore, Gwenny" she can hear Peter say and it makes it all worse.
Meanwhile Robin is assessing her and her green water stained clothes.
Yūri who never speaks at competitions because of his anxiety (both social and regular) making it impossible for him to utter a single word. He dodges interviews and fellow skaters alike.
Chris and Phichit are the only ones that Yūri is able to speak to, when they're in private, but he chokes up in between routines with them too. Chris because he manages to distract and baffle Yūri out of his panic, Phichit because he can calm Yūri down.
Still, people in the circuit have a very nasty idea of Yūri's character. They think he's haughty in a very obnoxious way where he can't even put his money where his mouth is. And even fans think he's a bit up his own because he doesn't really stop to take pictures or do autographs either. Though there's a very small subset of Japanese fans, people who actually met him, that swear up and down that he's just really shy and possibly has anxiety issues.
At the banquet he ends up drunk and loose-lipped. He never drank so much in front of fellow competitors and sponsors, but all things considered he had kind of given up on, like, everything. So he gets drunk and he speaks, however soft-spoken, in front of all of them the singular sentence of "be my coach, Viktor".
The video that the girls upload sends him into a bit of a spiral and he shuts down even around family for quite a while.
When Viktor shows up, Yūri struggles to talk to him for a long time. Even when they're alone, Viktor is too intimidating and he's too new and Yūri has to focus so much on breathing first and foremost that talking just takes last place in his list of important things he needs.
Yūri's mom is the one that told Viktor about Yūri's mutism, reassuring him that Yūri was a sweet boy and that Viktor himself didn't do anything. Viktor thinks they'd made some progress, but then Yuri shows up and it's one step forward and two steps back./Ironically, Yūri is able to speak to Yuri to ask him for help with his quad flip (iirc). Viktor tries really hard not to explode in jealousy for it because he knows it's not something Yūri can control, that it's not something he can pretend from him, but he can't help but think "why him and not me".
Weirdly enough, the Eros program, putting him so much out of his comfort zone, helps him.
The first time Yūri actually speaks in front of a camera is to give his speech about his theme for that season being love. It's much more stilted than in canon, Yūri's face is flushed, he gets patched towards the end, and his voice peters out, but what he says is essentially the same.
The skating fandom part of the internet just about collapsed. The fans who tried telling everyone that he was just shy feel a sense of vindication. The haters keep hating, but for different reasons this time. People with anxiety decided he was their patron saint (it lasts about until the kiss where THAT one takes precedence).
The actual first thing he says to Viktor, to his face, is when he tells him to look at him.
Viktor fucks up majorly when he tries to break Yūri more to see what would happen, because it freaks Yūri out so much he cannot respond like the does in canon, telling Viktor to be believe him him more then Yūri himself does. So they both have a way worse time and freak out (by putting so much more explicit pressure on this Yūri, he has a full blown panic attack, which Viktor is much less equipped to deal with than a crying Yūri), though they eventually figure it out via typing on their phones.
It takes them some time and Yūri ends up entering the ice sniffling a little. Still, as I'm canon, he feels relief after having a good cry though a little more exhausted from the panic attack.
After his program he's so light and so giddy and excited by his own performance, that he actually yells at Viktor "I did great, didn't I?" With a smile. This moment also goes viral on its own, not hindered by the fact that it's followed by THE kiss.
At one point one interviewer tries to give Yūri a whiteboard, thinking that'd fix the issue he has with interviews, but Yūri gets so overwhelmed by the camera and the bombardment of questions that he just drops it and flees. He's a bit easier to interview if Viktor or Makkachin are there for support. Hell, even Phichit on a good day can make Yūri more intervew-able. But his spoken responses are still few and far between.
When Yūri and Viktor's relationship grows and Yūri gets more and more comfortable with him, they resort to Yūri whispering his answers in Viktor's ears so he can answer in Yūri's steed.
Viktor learns more about Yūri when they're alone, with quiet and slow conversations, it's just that at first Yūri was avoiding being alone with Viktor out of even more anxiety.
Yūri still proposes and they still have the dinner w the rest of the skaters. Yūri is mortified to learn about the banquet, but it does explain some things. You'd think he'd drink all the time if alcohol loosens his lips, but Yūri is too anxious about not being able to control himself and what comes out of his mouth to drink enough for him to speak on the regular.
The rest of the story would go on pretty much the same. Just with less spoken words from Yūri and the ones he does say are soft and quiet when in the presence of other people.
Soulmates AU where when someone looks in the mirror, or any reflective surface, the face staring back at them is what their soulmate looks like in that moment. Like a live feed.
The movements are their own, however.
It wouldn't apply to cameras though. So photos or videos would look correct. And it's not something only the person can see. Everyone can see the soulmate reflected in the mirrors and other reflective surfaces.
It also gives so much identity shananigans for mask wearing characters. Both possibility for angst and for fun.
I've got two after death options. Either they see their own reflection for the first time, or their reflection becomes an impression of their soulmate's very last moments.
Would it be comforting? Or haunting? For their face to be forever immortalized in someone else's reflection? What would it be like for relatives? Would they hunt down their loved ones soulmates just for the possibility of seeing the one more time?
MLP AUs for BBC Merlin always fall flat for me because I'm never satisfied with how people reconcile the ban on magic with the innate magic that every pony possesses. Because MLP has specific rules for its magic system and it doesn't really fit with the magic system of BBC Merlin. I've thought about it a lot myself but I can't come up with a satisfying compromise.
So, MLP AU but it's just that The Elements of Harmony exist in Camelot and the knights turn someone into stone using the Power of Friendship (which, for those that don't know, is a tangible force that turns people into stone, amongst other things).
They go on a journey to find this supposed weapon to defeat the Camelot equivalent to Discord (Draconiqus, god of chaos, might just be the same Discord all things considered. He just took a vacay) while Arthur has been made captive and arrive to a forest full of trials where each of them goes through a trial for one of the elements , without knowing they're being tested. They then reach a clearing with a tree whose fruits are gems (I know that's not how the Tree of Harmony works in MLP but I figured it would be cool to go with the magic of the Earth bit for this) and when they pick them, they turn into jewels (because if they turned into swords it would be too easy. Now they've gotta use magic to save Arthur. Also: Merlin in a tiara).
In MLP the trials are
Helping someone falling off a cliff and telling them to let go and that it would be ok because they can trust you (the ground was closer than it looked)
Helping an injured animal when everyone else was too scared of its appearance to look past it
Laughing in the face of fear to get rid of it
Giving up something precious to you to help someone else
Saying no to the opportunity of a life time when that opportunity involves abandoning your friends (who are also in danger at the moment)
For Magic there isn't really a trial. It's Twilight's personal trial of realizing the importance of friendship. The moment she does —once the other elements are together— the element of magic reveals itself. I'd imagine something similar could happen with Merlin too. I think the trails fit the knights I chose pretty well.
They elements (and associated pillars) would be assigned like this:
Honesty – Strength (Lancelot)
Kindness – Healing (Percival)
Laughter – Hope (Gwaine)
Generosity – Beauty (Elyan)
Loyalty - Bravery (Leon)
Magic - Sorcery (Merlin)
Arthur gets to be the princess
I know Gwaine is strength and Arthur courage in BBC Merlin, but I like to think that's a different sorting system for a different quest. Because this one is about friendships, not fights. Also otherwise Leon gets left out and I don't like that. Merlin is just universally considered magic.
Gwaine complains about going from strength to laughter.
But they don't know what each element stands for —except for the magic, but that's a given it's Merlin. He's going to have to channel the other elements through his and it's going to be a mess. Definitely a magic reveal— so they're going to have to find the right book that explains more than what the one that told them about their existence did.
Inclined to make it Golden Era AU, or that nebulous season 4/5 period of time were all the knights were present and alive, for Merlin, because I'd certainly go for "post season 1 but before season 2 released, so the fanon version where they all go to Kaer Morhen in the winter and also Ciri is there" for the Witcher.
A sorcerer attacks the knights -as per usual- and Merlin goes to move Arthur out of the way -as per usual. Unfortunately, Gwaine also attempts the same and all three of them end up blasted through a portal that leaves them on top of the Blue Mountain.
Shivering and covered in snow and ice, they manage to locate the keep before a storm hits.
They're not greeted warmly. The keep is supposed to be a secret, really. And people -especially humans- are not usually welcome there. Especially not uninvited.
Here's another problem: Witcher medallions buzz when they detect magic.
Ultimately, Vesemir is curious enough that he lets them stay. He notices the odd clothes and the unfamiliar symbols on the knights' capes and decides he wants to help them with their problem.
Lambert is not happy about it. He's growly and snarly, especially towards Merlin, because he can't figure out what he is. He stinks of magic but even that isn't quite right.
They agree to pull their weight in exchange for bed and food. Hunting, tending to the horses, helping mend their clothes and their weapons for the next season on the path. Upkeep of the keep. All that good stuff.
It's Jaskier that figures out that they're from a different universe. He talks to them, and they're knights, so he asks stories of their adventures and quests. He doesn't recognise Camelot's crest, and he might not be an encyclopedia of noble families, but to have your own knights, well... It wouldn't do him well to be so ignorant as to not recognise a noble family with their own knight army. And they talk about a kingdom where any display of magic is punished by execution, where monsters and magical creatures encounters are few and far between, where a dragon almost razed a citadel to the ground.
He brings them a few books, instead of explaining himself. Some geography and history. He does explain witchers on his own, that they're in their keep, that magic isn't outlawed, and that if they want to go back to their sphear they're going to have to ask a sorcerer for help. Much as it pains Jaskier as well, he knows that Yennifer would be their best bet right about now, not knowing exactly what Ciri can do, but Yen is very much the type of sorceress that Arthur wouldn't trust as far as he could throw. Which I mean. Fair enough. It's for good reason, too. Her help would have a price and they have nothing they can give her, nothing that wouldn't be detrimental to themselves. And honestly? Nothing she'd want.
Merlin struggles with the rules of chaos, it being difficult from the magic force he's used to. There are similarities with the rules of equivalent exchange and balance of the old religion, but not in the strict give and take way that chaos demands. It pains him to destroy flowers every time he needs to divert an attack from Arthur.
Gwaine finds kinship in Jaskier. Not at first, perhaps, when they still don't know each other. Jaskier is dramatic, well spoken, and more than a little spoiled. On the surface, he's the picture of one of the annoying entitled nobles that Gwaine despises. But as time goes on, he sees how Jaskier's words are a performance, a character he plays into -for fun and for money both. He complains about the work, but he does it diligently. He splurges on luxuries, but he knows how to prioritise necessities. He cares about his craft and prides himself in his knowledge. There's more than a few flirty words exchanged between the two. At that point, they're insufferable for everyone else.
A fun idea would be that this is a different sphere from the one where humans are originally from, as far as the Continent is concerned. So Merlin's sphere is kind of in the past of the sphere where humans are from. And that sphere maybe is ours or something similar to ours that does have the Arthurian Legends. Say that the OG humans are from uuuuhh the 16th century? Seems appropriate. They'd bring the myths with them. Surprised they didn't bring Christianity with them tbh, but I can see books having been salvaged from ships and people retelling human stories, bards and jesters taking from their OG sphere.
So Jaskier being familiar w the Arthurian Legends also. The stories being a lot different from BBC Merlin and also not that popular in the Continent, and also the issues that come with language changes over the years, it takes Jaskier a bit to connect the dots.
Geralt and Jaskier would get into an argument about the ban on magic.
In a twisted version of events, Merlin saves Morgana's life in front of the King.
Overjoyed and still shaking off the adrenaline from the scare he just got, King Uther asks Merlin how he can be repaid. He'd already made Merlin a member of the royal household and he doesn't think Morgana would take kindly to either putting a price on her life or being made to marry the guy. So, he lets Arthur's loyal and foolish manservant choose, thinking him fickle enough to ask for coin or vacation.
Put on the spot and without thinking, Merlin decides to claim the Law Of Surprise. He was sure that the most he would get would be some kind of jewel that he could send to his mother. Something she didn't know she possessed, as the Law dictates.
However, what they quickly discover is that the one thing that Morgana didn't know she had was a father.
Destiny is a funny thing and she likes playing with him like a dog would with a plushie that she keeps smacking onto the wall.
This ffnet fic had me thinking about a Pokémon universe fusion AU (as in anime/games fusion. At least for gen 1 and 2) where Ash and Red are twins that started their journey at the same time (but Red woke up in time like a normal person. Yes the Pikachu is a coincidence. No the hat is not. They won that contest twice), and Gary and Green/Blue are the same person (I like Blue personally, so I'm going to use Blue and Gary interchangeably here).
I don't know why the two different names. Maybe with Blue being a nickname to go with Red's actual name. I imagine those two are friends-turned-rivals for their journey, while Ash and Gary have always had beef for no real reason (yes I know about the halved pokeball. I still think they'd be at each other's throats the entire time).
So I see the stories happening simultaneously, with Red being just a bit ahead of Ash and Gary just a bit ahead of both. So Red keeps meeting the actually dangerous Team Rocket people and kicking their asses purely because of timing. Gary is too fast, but Ash gets there once those situations are already resolved (though he has his own shit that he goes through).
Then, Red fucks off to Mt Silver and I like to imagine Ash knows and promised him he would become a better trainer than Red to get him down. At the end, that honour goes to Hibiki, which makes Ash seeth.
Blue gets to be the Viridian Gym Leader for a bit, with no idea where Red went and occasionally bumping into Ash, and then Hibiki beats his ass and gets Red down from the mountain so he goes "well ok fuck this noise. I'm becoming a Pokémon professor."
I have no idea how to reconcile the Battle Tree with the Sun and Moon canon, but the best idea is to say that they're still teens instead of being adults there (rip their honeymoon. I still ship Reguri in this au, but there's a side note of Blue having unrepented beef with Ash).
Ash becomes champion of Alola and he gets a surprise visit from these two knuckleheads and everyone in Alola gets to discover that Ash has a twin he never spoke about. Because when does he ever say anything about his past journeys.
They establish the Battle Tree with Red and Blue as the big honchos and Ash goes through it a few times before he manages to battle against Red and actually win.
BBC Merlin role reversal but it's about who remains immortal. Everything else is the same, but Merlin is the one that dies, once again sacrificing himself, his immortality, to save Arthur.
With him, so does Magic disappear from the land. Like its connection to the people has been cut off.
And Arthur is left to wait. Wait for Merlin to come back. For the moment were Magic gets restored and so does Merlin find his way out of the lake.
I don't know what the trigger here would be, as the trigger for Arthur is "when the world needs him most" I guess.
Sonic and Shadow are speedrunners, ofc (like to imagine that they also just run. Track. They end up in the same gym once and they were so obnoxious and insufferable that they got kicked out). Shadow is a PNG-tuber while Sonic has his face fully in there. His video quality is shit but he'd entertaining. He doesn't get paid for this and never accepts sponsorships. For Shadow it's a full time job but he's a nightmare to work with so he gets little collabs opportunities other than Sonic.
Tails is in charge of his Tiktok page, but it's just all videos of Sonic doing stupid things w a link to his most recent run in the caption. When he makes solo videos he's basically Micheal Reeves.
Amy has a work out at home tutorials channel that Knuckles infiltrates sometimes (he's homeless by choice and just crashes on her couch sometimes). Her videos always start with some kind of horoscope reading though.
Eggman organizes conventions buy the kind that are overpriced and filled with scams. Sonic keeps showing up to film all the shitty things he does so they hate each other. Shadow was one of the panelists to one of those once, not knowing the bank would reimburse the money he was paid, so for a while there he and Sonic were at each other's throats.
Rouge is a jewel thief in this universe too. She's exactly the same. 👍
Big (and Froggie who is of course an actual very polite and very professional frog) does lofi "study while I cook/garden/fish. Accidental ASMR at times. Doesn't have many followers, but the ones he has are very dedicated and loyal.
Vanilla does "Dad How Do I?" Style videos but with typical "mom" things though if she accepts requests and will help if she knows how. Lots of recipes. Cream doesn't have social media and Vanilla doesn't want her face online, so although people know she exists, they've never seen her.
I changed my mind about Rouge. She's the LockPicking Lawer of this universe. Exactly the same vibe, only the hands are perfectly manicured. Never shows her face.
Silver is a Firefighter and he does reaction videos focused on judging the accuracy of first responders representation and protocols. Blaze is there to do the rest, like choosing the media and provide context and the video editing.
Jet is also a speedrunner and he's good but not good enough to trend above Shadow and Sonic, so most of his income actually comes from competitive tournaments, which the other two don't participate in since they don't play competitively. Well, other than against each other.
Sonic and Tails spent most of their childhood also homeless, but not by choice like Knuckles. Sonic had been on the streets for a few years when he came across Tails hot-wiring a car Sonic was planning to hack the tires of (Jason Todd style) and ended up sticking together when a bunch of older kids started picking on Tails. Tails did also successfully hot-wire that car so.
They do that a few times until they accidentally target Knuckles', who (after losing a fight against Sonic) directs them towards some resources. That's where they get their first phone.
They start making videos after they see other people's pages. Weirdly enough, Sonic does a voice reveal at one point due to his selective mutism, but never needed to do a face one since he never cared about that. It takes a few years, and once they actually get some money from the gig Sonic is 18 and can finally rent an apartment (and legally adopt Tails).
They meet Amy after she helps them get away from social services. She's not homeless, but she's in a home. "Amy Rose" is her original name that she refuses to let go of even when her adoptive parents have legally changed it to something they liked better.
Knuckles meets Amy through them.
She starts making videos after Sonic starts actually getting some real money so she can move out as soon as possible and get her name back.
Knuckles and Rouge met when he just caught her breaking and entering. They stared at each other for a full minute, but he ended up letting her get away with it. As long as she doesn't touch Knuckles' family hairloom, they get along just fine. He has a standing invite to crash at hers too but he doesn't trust she will keep her sticky fingers to herself.
Shadow woke up from a several months long coma and got given in custody to the only remaining relative from his adoptive family. Ivo Robotnick. The man isn't a great guardian. Shadow spends his time streaming once he learns about it from Eggman. That's how he gets conned into joining one of his scam conventions (leading to meeting the rest of the gang) and how he runs away from home. He ends up getting taken in by Rouge as he makes a surprisingly good pick pocket.
You've heard about Peter Parker in Gotham, I have talked about Dick Grayson/Matt Murdock (future sprog here: this was so long ago I don't think anyone remembers but man I should write that fic) and Matt getting adopted by Bruce. Now, get ready For Foggy in Gotham!! *horn going off*
Make it a bit easier on him. He's got his documents and shit, so at least he doesn't have to deal with not existing (I mean maybe he doesn't but if the documents he has look legit for DC standards there's little reason for someone to look into him). Immediately tries becoming a lawyer, he needs to move away from Gotham stat but rn it's the only place he can afford. Ofc he couldn't know not to, but he ends up catching Harvey Dent's attention. Which is a no go, but it seems like Harvey likes him?
Two face, seeing a lawyer who cares: finally! Someone who gets it!
Foggy, who's been thinking "what would Matt do" every time he gets the opportunity to get money for less than true defence cases: I am at my limit.
I just think it would be neat for Regular Dude to get the comic book protagonist treatment
Attracting Two Face's favor will probably get him in the Batfam's radar but also probably the general public. Two face endorsing a lawyer? Completely changed the kind of clientele he gets. For better or for worse. Gotham is chock-full of slimy fuckers, and seeing an up and coming lawyer in very clear desperate need it money? They think he's obviously easy picking.
But this ain't his first rodeo and it's one thing to accept a case for money with a slightly fishy high profile client, and willingly accept to defend someone who he knows for a fact is guilty.
Takes the same approach he and Matt took at home: doing some pro bono, taking other payment methods like food, and doing just about anything, not just criminal defence. He ends up with a very poor but very loyal pure Narrows and Crime Alley clientele who are ride or die for him.
... Which also means Red Hood and Signal definitely keep a close eye on him lmao imagine Red Hood just making eye contact with Foggy from a rooftop after he just exited a grocery store or some normal people thing like that. Just staring at each other, Foggy looks around. And just leaves. Doesn't acknowledge Hood at all.
And also Foggy is just? Trying to survive? He's not exactly planning to look for a way home because the fuck is HE going to do? Nah he leaves that to Matt to figure out. He knows Matt will bring HELL to help him. He only hopes there's no... Time shananigans where he spends 3 weeks there and it's been 3 decades or the opposite or something.