We certainly have a fandom rich in Alternate Universes (AUs). Here are some AU questions/prompts to play with this April. If you are an AU writer, this might be a good time to add to existing AUs or write new ones. If you’re an artist, anything is possible :D
Favourite AU
An AU you’ve seen in another fandom you would love to see in this one.
Describe your favourite character in a new AU.
Canon can be described as ‘vanilla’, what would you describe for the following:
Coffee
Chocolate
Strawberry
Tutti-Frutti
Rum & raisin
Sour or bitter
The ultimate crossover?
What never changes, no matter the AU?
Some AU prompts:
Change where they live
Something crucial in their past never happens
Swords and axes
The future
War
Someone thought dead returns unexpectedly
Canon is a layer of reality that can be accessed by the real world somehow
Mirror
Sky, earth, sun, ocean, moon and shadow.
Play through April and expand your universes :D
-o-o-o-
Nutty
(Hmm, I feel a little Sweetapple and Thunderdragons...or maybe Steampunk AU?)
mermaid AU, roaring 20s AU, and fake dating AU with Hiei and Dabi too plz? ~nikkzships
@nikkzships sdgsdrhdfgjghjk!!! AHHHHHH!! NIKKI!! I love you so much oml
As a note, I apparently do not know how to ‘just write headcanons’ for these two, and I just straight up started writing bLURBS AHH-
Mermaid AU: Who is the adventurous mermaid who swims a little too close to the shore? Who is the curious human who finds them? Give one headcanon about you and your f/o’s relationship in this AU!
It goes without saying that for this AU, their first meeting(s) would be as wee beans. For those that don’t know what I mean by wee beans, they’re all children. Cause it’s adorable, and that’s how my brain thought these up.
For Hiei, he’d be the mermaid (merman?) and Gabe would be the Human.
Just Hiei being a tsundere little shit, like “No, I’m not getting too close to the Humans! I’m just making sure they won’t find us...” but the section of shore line that Hiei likes to hang out and sunbathe in, also happens to be Gabe’s little hiding spot away from everyone. So one day while Hiei’s laid back on a rock, almost asleep, Gabe stumbles down, rubbing at their eyes, so they don’t see him. As they settle against Hiei’s rock, still not having noticed him, Hiei had noticed them, and the fact that they were upset.
“Why are you crying?”
The question makes Gabe jump, and they start rubbing harder at their face as they stand back up. “I’m sorry, I didn’t think anyone would be here. I’ll leave...” They lower their hands to look at him, and finally notice he’s a merman.
“You don’t have to leave yet. Not til you answer my question first, at least...”
Gabe eventually manages to calm down enough to answer him, “My family don’t like me, and keep calling me a monster...”
“Hn. A Human as pretty as you can’t possibly be a monster.” At Gabe’s smile, Hiei smiles a little too. “I’m Hiei.”
“My name’s Gabe. Will you... be my friend?”
Hiei nods, smiling more.
@junkratsloverat also asked for Mermaid!AU with Dabi, so here you go, Hannah!!
For Dabi, Gabe’s the mermaid.
Touya had been going to that section of beach almost every day for a month, now; It seemed to be ignored by most of the locals, with tall grass and weeds growing right up to the waters edge. He thought he’d heard singing coming from there one day while walking by, and he’d hoped to find the source. Touya had tripped, crying out in surprise as his face met sand, before hearing a splashing sound and silence. Today, he was hoping his luck would change.
As he walked closer, he thought he could hear a melody over the wind. Touya had to force himself to be careful this time, didn’t need to trip and scare them away again. As he crept close, the song got louder and louder, and he could start making out the words the person sung. Passing a large driftwood log, a figure came into view, leaning over a large rock to look down into a tide pool. Their blonde hair gently swayed back and forth as continued their song, watching as a small crab scuttled by a starfish. The red-head leaned forward, putting more of his weight on the log, hoping to get a better look at the singer.
The driftwood let out a creaky groan before moving under Touya, frightening both him and the blonde. The figures head shot up, looking straight at him before pushing themself away from the rock and into the water.
“Wait!” Touya cried out, running towards the rock. The crab had the good sense to scuttle under the crags of the rock, before the human accidentally stepped on him. He jumped up onto it, where the figure had been resting, looking over to try and find them, but there was no sign of them. He sighed, and sat down, catching his breath.
“I just wanted to tell you that I liked your song...”
Hearing nothing but the waves lapping against the rock in response, Touya stood back up and turned to hop off the rock.
“...You liked it?”
The question made Touya jump and whip back around to the water, quickly loosing his balance and falling back into ocean. He felt the burn of the frigged water, followed by arms around him, pulling him back up. He’s set down on the rock, just out of the water.
“Are all humans this accident prone, or is it just you?” the voice joked. Touya opened his eyes, and saw the blonde figure in front of him, still half in the water.
“...Aren’t you cold?” He asked, noticing they weren’t wearing a shirt of any kind.
“Why would I get cold? Do humans not have good circulation? Is that why you wear those fabrics?”
“Huh? What do you mean?” Touya stared at them, confused by their questions. He looked down at the water again, and noticed something shimmering at their waist. “...Are you not human?”
The blonde shook their head. “I’m a mermaid!” A look of guilt shot across their face and they ducked down slightly. “We’re not supposed to let humans know we exist... You promise not to tell anyone, yeah?”
Touya quickly nodded as he grinned. “I promise!”
The blonde grinned back. “I’m ᎶᏗᏰᏒᎥᏋᏝ.” At the sight of Touya’s confused face, they slowly nodded, “You probably can’t pronounce that... Uhhh, you can call me Gabe?”
“And you can call me Touya!”
Roaring 20s AU: Who is new to the city or visiting family in the city? Who’s the wealthy bachelor who notices them at a party? Give one headcanon about you and your f/o’s relationship in this AU!
Dabi would the wealthy bachelor? With Gabe being new to the city.
Touya had been dragged to the party by Natsuo, who just wanted him to have some fun without their father constantly breathing down his neck. Gabe had also been dragged to the party, by Atsuhiro, so they could make some new friends. So Gabe’s off being a social butterfly with Atsu, and Touya notices them flitting around, and their joy is almost infectious, and he can’t help but go and say hello.
Now for Hiei... He’d be visiting Kurama for one reason or another, and Kurama convinced him to go to the party to loosen up a bit. Hiei’s always constantly stressed, and maybe a bit of light-hearted shenanigans would do him some good. Gabe’s been too busy lately to just relax, and let’s their brother Yusuke convince them to come to the party as well. Yusuke and Kurama are old friends, so of course they introduce the two, and the enjoy the party together.
Fake dating AU: Who has a plan and needs a fake partner to show to their parents or ex? Who begrudgingly agrees? Give one headcanon about you and your f/o’s relationship in this AU!
In both cases, it’ll be Gabe who needs a partner, cause we already have Hero!Dabi needing the fake partner for that wedding.
Hiei doesn’t understand why the witch would need him to pretend to be their date, Kurama would do a much more convincing job of it. But the longer he thinks about that, the more upset the thought makes him, so he stops thinking about it, and agrees to parade around for their family. The sight of Gabe relaxing in relief has him feeling a certain way, and now he’s confused and slightly worried there’s something wrong with him.
Hiei hasn’t experienced these feelings before, so he goes to talk to Kurama, who would surely know the answer.
“Hiei, you like them.”
“I tolerate their existence.”
“I think you love them.”
“What? No, that’s ridiculous.”
Well, Kurama didn’t have the right answer.
So Hiei goes through the week of Gabe’s family visiting, holding their hand, constantly being near them, and letting Gabe do all the talk as he watched them. On the last day of the visit, it finally clicks that he actually enjoyed being that close to them, and after today, he wouldn’t be able to do that anymore.
And fuck, Kurama was right.
So he goes and tracks them down. Luckily, Gabe’s just chilling in their room, as it’s still early, and they didn’t want to talk with anyone yet. So, true to Hiei fashion, he’s terrible with words, and just goes in for a kiss, hoping that would get his point across.
It does.
For Dabi... Hmm...
Gabe and Dabi would be chilling in a random bar, when in walks a rather attractive looking woman, who smirks when she sees Gabe and starts walking over.
“Ahh, fuck it’s my ex... Uhh... Can you make out with me?”
Dabi almost spits out his drink, “What?”
“Make out with me! I don’t want to deal with her manipulative ass tonight. I will cook you dinner for a month-” Their offer was cut off as Dabi’s fingers lifted their chin towards him, and he moved in to kiss them. Just as Gabe started to kiss back, Dabi felt a tap on his shoulder. He slowly pulled away slightly, just enough to glance at the woman, who was now sporting an offended look on her face.
“Excuse me, can you stop making out with my boyfriend?”
Dabi slowly looked her up and down, before smirking, and pulling Gabe over to straddle his lap. “Sorry, sweetheart, but I think you mean my boyfriend. They broke up with your terrible sense of style ages ago,” and pulled Gabe’s face down to connect with his again. The woman’s best impression of a fish did nothing to break their kiss a second time, leaving her to storm off, spouting off obscenities and threats.
After a minute, and neither could hear her screaming anymore, they parted again, their breathing heavier than expected. “Thanks Dabi. I... Really appreciate that.” Gabe smiled as a tint of red started to creep onto their face.
“Don’t worry about it,” Dabi smiled back, rubbing his thumbs gently on Gabe’s hips where he’d rested them. “I... Uh... wouldn’t mind skipping out on those dinners, if... you wanted to keep making out on a more... romantic basis...?”
Gabe’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“Yeah...” and they leaned in to continue their make out session.
This was from last year’s AU!April and I haven’t archived it on Ao3 because it is really just a scene. But yeah, this is what happened when I attempted to cross Thunderbirds Are Go with Disney’s Beauty and the Beast :D
::insert insanity emojis here::
-o-o-o-
Virgil stared at the flower that held them all captive.
John had been trying for years to break its spell, determined that magic was not a thing, despite the proof that was their lives.
A single white daisy held in stasis, placed there by that same brother as their eldest was held back, prevented from stopping the scientist by brute force.
Scott still hadn’t forgiven Virgil for his intervention.
He rolled his shoulders, the handsewn flannel stretching and tearing yet again at the movement.
Thank god they had a set of china who could weave cloth almost out of nothing.
Who was he kidding? Coffee mugs didn’t usually knit.
Or dance.
The singing was very irritating first thing in the morning.
Fabric out of nothing was easier to believe than a coffee mug that monitored his caffeine intake and complained when his moustache needed trimming.
While he drank coffee that also appeared out of nothing.
The daisy sparkled.
Daisies were his mother’s favourite flower and that bastard knew it…somehow.
First he killed their mother and then he whisked their father away to who knew where and locked the rest of them down with this damned spell.
Virgil’s lip curled. Strand five men on an island, trap them there until they find true love…thousands of miles from any other land, much less another human being.
Gordy had already fallen in love with the ocean, three fish, several octopuses, and even a dolphin, a fellow mammal that was caught up in the caldera once.
Hadn’t done a thing.
Gordon claimed that they all needed to fall in love and that the rest of them were spoiling it.
Lightning had struck Tracy Peak moments after Gordon’s declaration and Scott had stalked off, the ever-present storm in his expression.
Virgil’s jaw ached.
Since the shirt was trashed anyway, he flexed both shoulders and stretched out his arms. He itched to move. Flannel shredded and jet-black fur sprung out through the seams.
Damn.
He shouldn’t care, but he did.
Maybe that was because…five, four, three, two, one…
“Again? You need to be more careful, really, sir.” The green metal mechanic’s cart zipped down the hallway towards him, tools clanking inside it. Did she have radar? Probably.
“I’m fine, Two.”
“I doubt Eos would agree.” Her handles patted him down to make sure because apparently Virgil’s word wasn’t enough. “That is the third shirt this week. Perhaps you should wear your uniform, the material withstands so much more…flexing.”
Virgil let the growl out between his fangs. “Two! I’m fine!”
Animated eyes darted between Virgil and the protected flower. “I can see that.” The words dripped sarcasm.
Seriously, there had been a time Virgil could have listened to his ‘bird all day. She wouldn’t have to say a word and he would understand everything.
But now…
The cart moved closer until a handle gently touched his waist. “It will happen one day, sir. We will see the sky again.”
Virgil swallowed. “Don’t call me ‘sir’.”
But his paw landed gently on the handle anyway.
Only to tremble as he was startled by the emergency alarm.
That hadn’t gone off in years.
Well, not since Alan tried to cheer them up that time.
It had backfired just like everything around here did.
“Sir! Sir! The alarm! We must respond!”
Before he could react, Two had knocked him off his feet and scooped his hairy ass into her tray.
“Two, goddamnit.”
“Responding, sir!”
She carted him all the way down to the lounge.
It was dark.
It was always dark. The caldera below was draped in fog and the only light was from the holoprojector in the centre of the room flashing the alarm signal.
As he stumbled to his feet, it lit up three other familiar and gargoyleish features. It was like a scene out of a black and white horror holo.
John appeared on the projection, his aquamarine eyes almost fevered. “We have a situation.”
“A what?!” Alan bounced like the golden marmoset he resembled.
Virgil’s snout twisted. At least one of them had a chance, in a cute, petsy kind of way.
John’s eyes flickered towards him. “Apparent shipwreck on the other side of Mateo. Looks like five survivors, possibly in need of medical aid.”
Virgil frowned up at his brother. The man’s ginger fur was bristled like a toilet brush.
Their scientist brother had migrated towards the top of Tracy Peak some years ago, all of them helping to build him a station as close to the sky as they could get it.
They knew it would help their space brother at least a little. He couldn’t see the stars or the sky any more than they could, but he would have sensory line of sight to monitor everything on the Island.
It was better than nothing.
And it kept Scott and John apart. Probably the best thing for all of them.
But now…
“We have a rescue?” Gordon was dripping water on the hardwood floor again, his fur soaking wet. At least this time no one cared.
Scott’s spine was as straight as he could get it. His eyes latched onto John’s.
A breath sucked in through sharp teeth.
And released in an incredulous whisper…”Thunderbirds are go.”
We certainly have a fandom rich in Alternate Universes (AUs). Here are some AU questions/prompts to play with this April. If you are an AU writer, this might be a good time to add to existing AUs or write new ones. If you’re an artist, anything is possible :D
Favourite AU
An AU you’ve seen in another fandom you would love to see in this one.
Describe your favourite character in a new AU.
Canon can be described as ‘vanilla’, what would you describe for the following:
Coffee
Chocolate
Strawberry
Tutti-Frutti
Rum & raisin
Sour or bitter
The ultimate crossover?
What never changes, no matter the AU?
Some AU prompts:
Change where they live
Something crucial in their past never happens
Swords and axes
The future
War
Someone thought dead returns unexpectedly
Canon is a layer of reality that can be accessed by the real world somehow
Mirror
Sky, earth, sun, ocean, moon and shadow.
Play through April and expand your universes :D
-o-o-o-
Hmm, time to get a little wacky with da bois, me thinks :D Wonder what I can come up with this year?
Nutty
(yeah, I’m a bit late, but was working yesterday, kinda)
This is also Gentle Rain, Scott/Em, Scott/OC and contains elements of romance. If not your thing, this one ain’t for you. I’ll write you something else later :D If you don’t know who Em Harris is, you can find the series here :D It should be noted that Gentle Rain is a subseries of Warm Rain which involves lots of Virgil/Kayo, however there is no V/K in this fic.
@symphony-of-flutes I haven’t forgotten your ask, I have something in the pipeline. My writing has just been haphazard of late ::hugs::
This fic is also new and complete. Almost a first for me this year :D There may be a sequel, Virg is being nosy in my head and John is a little pissed off.
Many thanks to @the-original-sineater and @janetm74 for the read throughs and support :D
It’s AU!April, and this one just happened. It was also Scott’s birthday and he deserves some nice stuff.
I hope you enjoy :D
-o-o-o-
He was hovering beside a mountain. He had Virgil in his ear, his voice churned across the mountain range by John, listing the stress limits of the rockface, and fretting over the storm lashing above.
And three climbers exposed, one seriously injured, and all desperately needing immediate rescue.
A soft voice from his left interrupted it all. “We’re fine, Thunderbird Two. Rescue underway. I’ll look after him, you know that.”
A sigh across comms. “FAB, Thunderbird White.” And Virgil signed off, no doubt to worry in silence while completing his own rescue.
“You are going to send your brother grey, you know that, don’t you?” Em smiled just a little as she unfastened her harness and reached for her helmet. Her uniform hoverscoot interfaced wirelessly with the systems in One and kept her stable as Scott adjusted for the buffeting the ship was receiving.
“He worries.”
“He has reason.” She shoved her helmet over her head and straightened her white baldric. “We doing this?”
Scott rolled his eyes just briefly. “Thunderbird Five, Eos, you’ve got control.”
“FAB, Thunderbird One.”
He reluctantly let go of the controls as they flashed the blue of remote. Eos could compensate for the massive turbulence even faster than he could.
But it felt wrong to give up control.
He climbed out of his seat and his body creaked protest. Sure, he was healed, but this was his first rescue back in the saddle for at least a couple of months and he knew Virgil had every right to worry.
Em kept her worry to herself and only glanced at him from time to time, medical eyes assessing in a way that he knew she would intervene if she felt it necessary.
If there was anything he knew about Em Harris, it was that she was as protective of her family as he was.
And at some point, his family and hers had merged.
The thought struck him sideways, out of the blue, and at completely the wrong time. He needed to focus.
A dark eyebrow arched in his direction and he knew she had noticed.
The funny thing was, if that eyebrow had belonged to Virgil, he would have been irritated. He knew Virgil’s motivation was similar to Em’s, but it was different.
Virgil was his brother. Em was his…girlfriend.
The word really wasn’t enough to express what she meant to him.
That thought sprouted about a dozen others better suited to a fancy restaurant and a candle lit dinner.
Instead, One shook them a little as Eos failed to fully compensate for the storm outside.
“Scott?”
Great. He’d advanced from arched eyebrow to verbal enquiry. He’d better move his ass before Em took command, wrapped him in cotton wool, and jumped out of One to save the climbers herself.
It wasn’t like she wasn’t capable. In the two years since they had become a couple, she had thrown herself into International Rescue almost as much as he. As the Thunderchicks became a force for the world to contend with, the Thunderbirds stepped back just a little. Em had kept an eye on Scott and reined him in, alongside Virgil, when the urge to jump in himself became too much. Today was one where Thunderbird One’s capabilities were needed. Thunderbird Two could also have sufficed, this storm battled even better by the massive green behemoth, but Virgil was hip deep in the floods in Bangladesh on the other end of the Himalayas.
Scott should be in Bangladesh as well, but both Em and Virgil had said no.
Grandma’s quiet hand on his shoulder had been the closer.
Virtually all of IR was in Bangladesh, a world-wide effort as the country was drowning under rising sea levels and its monsoon. Only a small contingent was available for the rest of the world and Scott was it.
Didn’t mean Em or Virgil liked it very much.
A soft hand on his cheek. “Are you sure you’re okay?” Pale blue eyes were as piercing as any yellow-eyed mediscanner.
He smiled just a little. “I’m fine.” But distracted, damnit.
He forced himself to ignore her hair tied back, the arch of her eyebrow, and the fact the word ‘girlfriend’ no longer described her well enough.
Scott shoved on his helmet and held out his hands signalling mutual safety check.
All business, he ran his hands across her harness, ever so careful to make sure she was properly secured to her specialist hoverscoot. Virgil’s handiwork was all over it and consequently, there was no way she was falling out of it.
Her hands ran over his harness and jetpack, fast, efficient…and to his shame, distracting.
Goddamnit, focus, you have a job to do!
Lines deployed he opened One’s hatch and stepped out into the weather.
Any chance of further distraction was immediately slapped sideways as wind and snow caught him.
If it wasn’t for his HUD, he would be blinded.
Thank god for Brains.
“Careful with that first step, White.”
“FAB.”
It was his job to secure the first of the climbers. It was her job to locate the injured person, do a medical assessment of their needs and prep for transport.
He hated the fact that she disappeared into the storm.
But they were professionals and as Scott’s feet made contact with the mountainside, his thoughts turned immediately to the rescuee and their safety.
As he lifted the woman off the mountain, her gushing thanks stolen by the storm, Em signalled Scott to attend the third rescuee. The injured person would need both of them.
The third climber was a man who did not want to leave his wife. Em had secured herself to the rockface with a piton, her hoverscoot managing her stability and her position beside the unconscious woman dangling against the cliff.
It only took him a glance to note she had followed procedure and secured the woman to herself before attempting any assessment.
Why he felt the need to check was frustrating. It wasn’t as if she didn’t know. Em was a professional on several fronts. She had passed every test he and Virgil and even John could think of throwing at her. It had still taken a little more convincing on Virgil’s part, not to mention several expletives on Kayo’s part, before Scott let her out into the field.
He couldn’t help it. He knew she was good. He trusted her with more than his life.
But he also knew what could happen out here and goddamnit, it still scared him.
“Please let me stay.” The man had tears in his voice while attempting to pull away. Scott’s external mic scratched together what the man was saying through the screaming wind. “This is my fault. Please, please let me stay!”
Outside of a rescue, Scott would probably have felt the pain in those words and those eyes. But this was a rescue. His goal was to keep these people safe.
He couldn’t afford to feel too much.
For anyone.
“Sir, we will do our best!” His external speakers fought to get the man to hear him. “We need to get you to safety first!”
He either didn’t hear Scott or chose to ignore him. Either way he yanked himself out of his grip and tried to climb closer to where Em was now huddled into a crack in the cliff, attempting to both provide first aid and get out of the wind.
Scott grabbed at him and felt his side twinge.
Shit. He couldn’t afford to stress his body. He could feel Virgil’s frown from the other side of the planet and the thought of facing Em again…
“Sir!” A gust of wind threw the both of them hard against the rockface.
Scott instinctively glanced at Em.
Again.
Hell, she was more secure than he was. Now well into that crack, she was immobilising the woman ready for transport.
But Scott wouldn’t be happy until Em was once again safe aboard One
Focus!
He turned back to his still struggling charge. “Sir, I need you in this harness, now!”
“She’s my wife!”
“And you’re endangering mine!”
The man stared at him, mouth open, snowflakes catching on his lips. His mouth closed without anything further falling out. Instead, he quietly reached for the harness and with Scott’s equally wordless help, put it on.
Moments to secure their line, a last glance at Em, and Scott reeled them up into One.
The sudden protection from the wind made him stumble as he steered himself and the rescuee onto the deckplates.
Little was said as Scott released him from his harness, directed him to a seat and strapped the man in. Once he was secured Scott could finally turn all his attention to Em and her patient.
He grabbed a basket stretcher and attached it to a line. Much like Em’s ‘scoot, it had hoverjets designed for stabilising in high winds.
Drawing it close to his body, he jumped out of his Thunderbird again. “White, report.”
“Broken arm and leg, bad concussion, still unconscious. Rescuee prepped for transport.” Her tone was ever so clipped and professional.
He still loved to hear her voice.
As he decelerated towards her position, he kicked himself yet again for his distraction. What the hell was wrong with him?
His feet hit the rockface again and he stalked across it sideways to her position, activating the basketstretcher as he moved. It’s hoverjets fired and stabilised.
Em had the woman fully splinted with a neck brace in place just in case.
Yellow light flickered as Dr Harris ran the mediscanner over her again. “Nothing life threatening, but I’d like to get her to a hospital before she regains consciousness.” Em’s entire attention was on her patient.
He loved her focus, her determination…
For goodness sake!
“FAB.” His acknowledgement was as distracted as he was, but he was efficient, he had that much going for him. Together, they bundled her patient into the stretcher and secured her for transport.
The wind howled and buffeted them the entire time, screaming between the peaks. Em’s hoverscoot fought the gusts, keeping her level and moving. No words, just efficiency and concentration. Within minutes the rescuee was ready to be lifted up into One.
Scott gripped the edge of the stretcher, keeping himself stable as much as stabilising it. White’s gloved hand swept the scanner across the woman one last time, Em’s fingers wrapped around the instrument, her pale blue eyes focussed and obscured by snow.
He stared at her, caught in the moment despite the situation, despite the howling wind. Words formed on his lips and fell out without thought.
“Marry me?”
She glanced up at him, and stared a full moment, before frowning. “Ready for evac.”
Scott blinked, and they were moving. Automatically, smoothly, as a team.
They clung to the stretcher as One hauled them up. Nothing was more was said.
In fact, they managed to deliver the climbers to the nearest hospital before anything was said outside professional questions and replies.
By the time they tore over the Bay of Bengal on the way back to base, Scott’s hands were sweaty inside his gloves on the controls. His heart was beating far too fast, and if he was honest, he was terrified.
“Thunderbird One, what is your status?” John voice was concerned.
Scott swore under his breath. Five had access to his vitals which were, no doubt, bouncing about in all their holographic glory.
“A-okay, Thunderbird Five.”
But Thunderbird Two cut in. “Scott what the hell is going on? I told you to take it easy! Thunderbird White, report!”
Scott opened his mouth to berate his brother into paying more attention to his rescue, but a hand landed gently on his.
Scott’s grip on his ‘bird was absolute, but that hand…
“Put her into a hover.” Em’s voice was ever so quiet…until she spoke to his brothers. “Thunderbirds Five and Two, situation is under control. Rescue complete, and we are on our way home. Her eyes flicked over to him as One’s engines slowed and switched to a hover over the Indian Ocean far below. “Scott is okay.” Pale blue eyes were fixed on him. “There is no need for concern.”
John butted in again, but Em cut him off. “Thunderbird One out.”
She was still staring at him.
Wordlessly, she removed her helmet, her curls falling out onto her shoulders despite being tied back. She put it aside and then quietly reached for his.
He was frozen. For one of the very few times in his life, he had no idea what to do. This was all her. She had all the answers.
All of them.
His helmet hissed as she released its catch and he continued to watch her as she put it beside hers.
And then her eyes were back on him.
Her hand touched his cheek. “How can you think that my answer would be anything but yes, flyboy?”
Something inside him snapped and a goofy smile spread across his lips. “Really?” God, he sounded like a child.
Her lips curled into a loving smile and she was kissing him.
His hands left the controls and she was in his arms, her slight body crushed against his chest, baldrics caught against each other.
“Thunderbird One! What the hell is going on down there?!” John’s patience was obviously shot.
Em pulled back and caught his eyes as she arched an eyebrow. “Your timing is questionable.” She hit her comms. “Thunderbird Five, everything is fine. Beyond fine, in fact. Just give us a minute.”
“Thunderbird White!”
“John, please.”
There was silence over comms for a grumbling minute. “FAB.” Five cut off.
And Em’s attention returned to Scott. Her eyes stared at him for a moment and when he did and said nothing, she frowned. “Scott?”
“You are so beautiful.”
Her lips smiled, but the frown didn’t quite go away. “You’ve been distracted all rescue. Are you sure you are okay?” Her hand hovered over her baldric, obviously ready to yank out that mediscanner and zap him for information.
Instead he pulled her close again, almost clinging. “I’m fine.” He held her ever so tight. “Couldn’t be better.”
This one is totally @janetm74 and @onereyofstarlight ‘s fault as their post ambushed me over breakfast. I had most of this planned out within seconds of reading it. Talk about taking over my neurons.
Many thanks to @onereyofstarlight and @gaviiadastra for reading and putting up with my crazy while writing this morning :D Who knew I would write over 1600 words this morning?
Again, it has crack genetics, so read it for fun :D
I hope you enjoy :D
-o-o-o-
It was a day to end all days.
The meteorite took out his father’s cornfield and the tractor shed.
It also landed only a week after he lost his wife in childbirth. All the technology they had and still…
His first born slept quietly in his arms as he stepped out onto the porch. His mother was fortunately still asleep. She had taken it all as a personal failure and was exhausted.
A destroyed tractor shed was minor in comparison.
If he had been himself, he would have rushed to put the fire out and save everything he could. But he wasn’t. Grief had him bowed over his little son who didn’t know what had been taken from him yet. Little Alan, so fragile and precious.
All he had left of Lucille.
The flames flickered orange light over his sleeping face.
He stood their staring at the shed as it eventually came down in a pile burning rubble. It was loud enough to wake both Allie and his mother.
He was still trying to settle his upset little boy when Jeff was joined by his mom.
“What the hell happened?”
“Would you believe a shooting star?”
She stared up at him in the orange darkness. “You’re kidding.”
He shook his head and rocked Allie a little more. That drew his mother’s attention to their newest family member.
Consequently, neither of them saw where the young boy came from. About ten years old he stepped away from the wreckage and approached the Tracys, determination in his eyes.
He said something in a language neither of them could understand. But he led them towards the smoking ruins and a capsule in a crater half buried under the remains of their prize tractor.
Three more young boys were curled up asleep inside what was obviously not a meteorite.
Jeff couldn’t see the colour of his eyes in the darkness, but morning revealed their startling blue.
Also a considerable intelligence. The eldest boy was speaking English before the sun rose and his story was of a dying planet, the need for refuge and dead parents.
His visage cracked just a little as he mentioned Jor El.
He had three younger brothers, the youngest little more than a toddler.
It was like Lucy had sent him the family they both wanted from beyond the grave.
When asked why they had landed in the Tracys’ backyard. The answer was simply ‘Eos’.
Jeff didn’t know when the decision to keep the boys was made, how he was going to hide them from the authorities, who, no doubt would be on his front lawn first thing…perhaps it was the dark-haired younger brother crying on the eldest’s shoulder, the toddler drawing circles in the dirt with his finger, or maybe the middle youngest with hair of red-gold that stared at him with no emotion, yet every emotion on his face at one time.
Jeff had worked for the government. Jeff had been in space. Jeff knew what would likely happen.
The eldest had flame in his eyes.
But for whatever reason, the decision was made and Scott, Virgil, John and Gordon Tracy joined their little family and Alan had a whole set of big brothers to look after him.
To protect him for life.
-o-o-o-
Parenting four sons of non-terrestrial origin had its challenges. Scott was his biggest ally and to be honest, Jeff had no idea if he would have been able to manage it without him.
There was also his mother, Kyrano and Ohana, there were plenty of parental figures. But his boys were blatantly more than human.
The day little Gordy fell in the dam and didn’t come out sprouted more grey hair than Jeff thought he was capable of growing. Learning that, for his sons, breathing was optional…
Once Gordon discovered it, there was no keeping him out of the water at all.
Fake scuba diving equipment was invested in eventually, but for years, Jeff and Scott managed to cover for him.
Virgil’s artistic tendencies were another matter. They discovered the apparent ability to throw some kind of laser-like heat beam from their eyes the day Virgil burnt a rendition of the Mona Lisa into the living room wall.
There was a painting spree after that.
But it was John who revealed the most important skill they possessed.
The boy was obsessed with the stars. Jeff wondered if it was a determination to find a way back to where they had come from. Scott spoke rarely of what had happened there, but it was obvious all four boys were traumatised.
John cried out in his sleep, dreams wracking the six-year-old from the very first night in their new home.
He and Scott talked a lot. Jeff tried his best, but there were limits. So sometimes all he could do was be there and hold him as he cried.
As he grew older, the dreams grew fewer, but they always returned.
So it was with a little fear that Jeff watched his third eldest stare up at the stars.
But being the supportive father he was, he built an observatory on the roof. John was often to be found up there, listening to Eos as she spoke of stars humans hadn’t even discovered yet. Sometimes he perched precariously on the railing as if he was a bird who could launch himself into the sky and fly away.
And one day he did.
Perhaps not quite as elegantly as he could have. Jeff had just arrived home from a business trip late one night just in time to see his little stargazer fall off the damned roof.
He fell out of sight and Jeff was out of his car and running for his life. Only to find John spread-eagled mid-air, floating with surprise on his face.
It was chaos after that.
His boys took to the sky like a flock of birds. Even Scott who proved more a natural than should be possible.
The boy found freedom up there.
By this time Jeff had met Hiram Hackenbacker and at the risk of everything, he had let the young scientist in on the secret.
Jeff had needed money to keep his family safe and protected. It was the capsule that provided that income – unbeknownst to the world at large. Small technologies built patents and Jeff, with his business and aeronautical background, Scott’s and Eos’ help, was able to build Tracy Industries and earn far more money than he had initially expected.
The Tracy farm became a fortress of his family’s safety.
Outside its boundaries, they had to act human. Inside, his boys could be themselves, use their skills and play.
But as they grew, it became obvious it was not enough and Jeff began looking for another solution. His boys were good, they wanted to help…everyone.
Hell, Virgil was banned from watching the news and John had blocked him from all the news internet sites.
They hurt him too much when he knew if he was there, he could have helped, saved, all those people.
His boys were good and kind.
So, using the one thing he had that could help, he bought a distant island in the Pacific and with the help of Hiram, who had a heart of gold, and Kyrano, whose heart was even softer, built the infrastructure that would enable them to do good and stay safe at the same time.
International Rescue was born.
No one needed to know the thunder of the sound barrier being broken wasn’t from the rocket engines built into Hiram’s miraculous machines, but from his sons pushing from inside, using the specially designed superstructures built into the craft.
Of course, all the brothers had a different skill set. Scott was obviously made for the sky. Gordon fell in love with the ocean the moment his eyes landed on it. The boy even built his own underwater habitat just to the south of the newly christened Tracy Island. Declared it his ‘fortress of solitude’ just inside the privacy barrier encircling the Island.
And then promptly invited Alan down there for a movie night.
Jeff just rolled his eyes and chuckled.
Perhaps he should have been worried. After all, Alan was simply human and did not possess the various skills of his older brothers.
But if there was anything the four eldest cared about beyond helping people, it was Alan.
Alan had four brothers who would do anything for him. He had to be the safest human on the planet. The four Krytonian children may have been adopted by Jeff and his mother, but they had adopted Alan in return and for all his human frailty, he was safe in their hands.
He flew with Scott and Virgil, swam with Gordon and stargazed with John.
In fact, Jeff was pretty sure it was Alan who kept John on the planet and not amongst the stars he so loved. There was a reason why Thunderbird Five was built, beyond John’s love of those far off points of light.
It was because Alan followed him.
Perhaps in the footsteps of Jeff who had gone to space himself, but here was a brother who could reach the stars unaided.
So, Allie became part of International Rescue, albeit with the protection of the elder four.
Jeff managed the business that kept them hidden and supplied while his boys went out and saved human lives.
It was a good life.
Until one day after a business meeting in London, Jeff met a man by the name of Hood.
Who smiled as he picked Jeff by the front of his shirt.
We certainly have a fandom rich in Alternate Universes (AUs). Here are some AU questions/prompts to play with this April. If you are an AU writer, this might be a good time to add to existing AUs or write new ones.
Favourite AU
An AU you’ve seen in another fandom you would love to see in this one.
Describe your favourite character in a new AU.
Canon can be described as ‘vanilla’, what would you describe for the following:
Coffee
Chocolate
Strawberry
Tutti-Frutti
Rum & raisin
Sour or bitter
The ultimate crossover?
What never changes, no matter the AU?
Some AU prompts:
Change where they live
Something crucial in their past never happens
Swords and axes
The future
War
Someone thought dead returns unexpectedly
Canon is a layer of reality that can be accessed by the real world somehow
How could I forget this AU? I had a whole storyline worked out. Now if I could only remember it all...
-o-o-o-
Sal was old and weary. Tired of the waiting, the dread, the not knowing if her loved ones would be returning and the doubt echoing throughout the halls of her home. Each year her body ached more with age. Each year she missed those she had lost more.
She knew her time was fading, but she could not leave. She was needed.
Her bodice was tight as she stood waiting on the dais. As always she took her place to the left of the great empty chair that stood looming in the middle. Above it, in all its majestic awe hung the gilt Thunderbird crest, its great wings flourished and defiant. Fire shone in its jewelled eyes and the crystal sword of justice clutched in its talons sparkled with the cause.
The cause that was so broken.
The bells at the gates rung furiously, followed not long after by the deep resonance of the central bell tower.
She held her breath.
At least one of her grandsons had made it home.
Her spirit was anxious to flee the room and find her grandchildren to reassure herself that they had all come home, that her family had not lost more to this holocaust, but there was more than her to consider here. There was the people, the desperate souls looking to their ruling class to save them from the menace.
So she held her position.
And waited.
It was not long, but forever, before the great doors at the end of the hall opened with a clatter and her littlest, Alan, just sixteen, burst through. He wore his state baldric, his accent as ruby as the great firebird the stars had foretold at his birth, his expression one of fury.
He had been forbidden to set out with his brothers, despite his aptitudes, and he had been angry the entire month they had been gone. Kay had attempted to reassure him, but he refused to listen. Worry for his brothers and frustration at not being accepted as a full Lance had him storming the halls late at night.
None of her words had been enough.
She prayed her grandsons had all come home whole.
“They have returned, Grand Mother.” His voice rung clear throughout the Great Hall as he strode hurriedly towards her, and the gathered nobility murmured words of relief and expectation. His stride was still growing, and she found herself so grateful for his youthful presence. He stopped at the ceremonial line and executed a perfect bow to the empty chair, before turning to her.
His startling blue eyes flashed hope and he bowed in deference to her before crossing the line and taking his place on her left.
The chancellor stood off to her left and his single clap echoed throughout the Hall. She straightened instinctively as the drums started up their entrance beat and her old heart kicked up and echoed them, their thrum powerful yet ominous.
The trumpets heralded the entrance of her eldest grandson.
For a moment, all was well and her heart lifted. Four young men entered the room, their baldrics lauding their identities, followed by the chaperone force of twenty lances. But the trumpets faltered as realisation set in.
The room fell silent as Scott limped his way down the aisle, his silver baldric stained with something dark. Sal drew in a breath, but behind him Virgil was staggering. His weight seemed almost all on young Gordon. The Warder’s robes were singed, torn and bloody, his head bowed and his green baldric barely hanging onto his body.
Gordon was wearing his armour, his yellow baldric dulled with dirt, his cape torn. It was obvious he had channeled recently, his eyes still shining red-gold. There was a story there between the two of them, between the fire and the water.
The only one standing entirely upright was her middle grandson. He brought up the rear, his tall, lithe form fluid as he walked. As always, his red hair was startling against his golden baldric. His eyes tracked around the room, his expression cool and controlled, but as his grandmother, she could see the tells of worry and exhaustion.
The great silver form of Eos sat on his arm preening her feathers. Every so often, the hawk would pause and survey the room, just like her bearer, her startling red eyes catching everything. Sal would never understand that relationship, but it had saved her family more than once and she was grateful, if still wary.
Their procession up the aisle was slow and the room silent in horror. Scott defied tradition several times to turn and check his brothers’ progress. An incomprehensible sound issued from Virgil and he stumbled, but Gordon caught him and they continued their silent journey to the dais.
The moment Scott reached the line, he bowed to the Great Chair, and in echo of his littlest brother moments before, he bowed to his Grand Mother and then dipped his head to Alan.
Sal’s voice was dry as the wind from the north when she spoke. “Speak.”
“Grand Mother.” Scott’s voice was commanding as always, blue eyes flickering. “The mission was a failure.”
The room erupted into loud murmuring.
“Silence.” She still had enough strength in her old body to command that at least. She turned to Scott once more. “Tell me.”
He opened his mouth, but was interrupted by a groan behind him as Virgil collapsed against Gordon and the young lance was hard put to hold his older brother up.
Eos took flight, her great wings spreading with an angry squawk as she leapt into the air. John stepped in to catch the teetering Warder. Between them, Gordon and his older brother kept Virgil upright and prevented him from meeting the polished stone floor.
“Please, Grand Mother, Warder Virgil saved our party at his own expense. He held the wards to enable us to escape, but was unable to escape uninjured himself. If it wasn’t for Lance Gordon, we would have lost him.
Sal’s heart crawled into her throat.
“Please, he needs attention.”
Eos circled in a tight ring above them, her stark calls taunting. The crowd grew nervous, eyes darting up and shoulders hunching.
The situation was a poor one. Tradition dictated a full report before the nobility, but it was obvious her grandson could not comply. Virgil appeared to have lost consciousness.
“You are excused.”
The room erupted in an uproar.
“SILENCE!”
And there was, shocked and scared. She glared at her subjects, daring any of them to contradict her order. Since the loss of her son, rule had fallen to her. Scott refused to believe his father was dead. Taken from them in a ball of fire it appeared obvious that he no longer lived, but Scott refused to step up and take his place as king. So Sal stood regent.
Their rule grew more fragile by the year and she feared if Scott did not face reality soon, all would be lost.
The shock in the room was shattered by footsteps on the stone floor as a figure pushed her way through the chaperone force behind her grandsons. Kay emerged, dressed in her leathers and worry on her face. As always she ignored tradition and hurried up to the boys, her hands immediately reaching out to the Warder hanging limp between her brothers.
The crowd did not appreciate the lack of decorum.
But to be honest, Sal didn’t care. “Take Warder Virgil to the healers. We will discuss the situation at a gathering tomorrow.”
Scott dipped his head. “Yes, Grand Mother.” And the boys, along with Kay, were hustling their injured sibling out of the Hall. The chaperone force split down the middle and then followed them out.
The crowd was not happy, but a defiant squawk from Eos far above silenced them once more. Sal’s lips thinned as the great bird dipped beneath the door’s lintel to follow her grandsons from the room.
“I do not know how you allow such conduct, Grand Mother.” The chancellor approached from her left, his long robes whispering over the floor.
“The man was injured, Belah.”
“Tradition must be observed. It keeps law and people in their place.”
She rounded on him, the ire of the day and her long standing discomfort of the bald and devious politician coming to the fore. “I rule here, Chancellor, not you.”
His eyes flickered at her, startlingly yellow in the dim light. “Yes, Grand Mother.”
