Snowflake Challenge 2022 - Challenge #3
Challenge #3
In your own space, put some favorite characters into an AU, fuse some favorite canons together, talk about your favorite AU/fusion tropes, or tell us why AU/fusions aren’t your cup of tea. Leave a comment in this post saying you did it. Include a link to your post if you feel comfortable doing so.
AUs and fusions are some of my favorite parts of fandom, though I haven't written a whole lot of them. I think just about every fandom has to have at least one coffee shop AU story, something I've always enjoyed even if I've never been inspired to write one myself.
One of my favorite AU stories comes from Star Trek: Enterprise, and was called the AU Switcheroo series. Basically, the writer took the characters from the show and swapped their roles so they now held a different rank and position in the crew. Inventive and yet so logical. Sadly, I've only found a few of the stories online, so that series appears to be lost to time and the internet.
As for the AUs and fusions I've written, there are a few, listed below in no particular order.
This Isn't Twilight and He Doesn't Sparkle
This is a fusion between Numb3rs and Moonlight. It's the first fusion story I ever wrote, and still one of my favorites.
A Study in Magic
This is a fusion of Sherlock (the BBC version) and Harry Potter. Sherlock, John and Mycroft are all magical, though just about everything else is the same. I have one more story planned for this series, which I will (hopefully) get to writing one of these days.
NCIS: Starfleet
I'm a Star Trek junkie from way back, so it was inevitable that I created a fusion 'verse with another of my longtime favorites, NCIS (specifically NCIS: LA). I have another story planned for this 'verse that'll be writing for the Rough Trade challenge in April, this one for NCIS instead of :LA. I've had it on my to-do list for ages, so I'm glad I'll finally get to tell that story.
The Gods Who Walk Among Us
I wrote the first part of this series for the Marvel Big Bang several years ago, and the second part for a Rough Trade challenge a few years later. The story features several Avengers as Greek Gods, plus a few demi-gods and other traditional characters from mythology. It was originally inspired by a Tumblr post that I've since lost track of, but the idea wouldn't leave me alone until I'd written it.
Sentinel fusions:
I kind of fell head first into The Sentinel when I stumbled into the Rough Trade community. I'd never seen the show, and knew precious little about the concept of a Sentinel, but that didn't seem to stop me from becoming obsessed. Stories written for this particular fusion incude The Promised Land (Timeless), the Captain America: The First Sentinel (MCU) series, The Heart of a Man (Sanctuary), The Only Easy Day (SEAL Team), and Beyond Reason (Star Trek: AOS).
Shelter From the Storm
The only true AU I've ever written was a Band AU for NCIS. I turned Tony DiNozzo into a Michael Buble type and then just ran with it. It's easily one of my favorite stories I've ever written, and one I revisit ever once in a while, just because.
I've also turned James Bond into a vampire (Deep Night and the Monsters Within) and an immortal (The Eternal Warrior). I gave Captain America the vampire treatment, too (Heart of Darkness). And I turned Jason Hayes into, well, a harbinger (The Harbinger of Death).
Oddly, I've only ever written two stories for my very favorite AU: Soulmates. Both Between the Shadow and the Soul and Missing Pieces are part of the MCU. Maybe this year I'll try writing another one. /shrugs/
I could keep going, because I believe at its heart, all of fanfiction is AU in one way or another, but I think I'll stop here since you get the idea. If you know of any stories you think I might like, leave a note here. Despite the fact that I have a fulltime job, I'm always happy to waste an afternoon reading instead of doing the work I'm supposed to be doing.