Re: Self-prompt - Politics (sligh) crossover with His Dark Materials (FILL)
anonymous
May 2 2013, 20:09:45 UTC
Tony, naturally, thinks his daemon is the most magnificent of them all. A glorious burnished coat and jet black, flowing mane, she set upon her final form (a glorious chestnut Arabian horse) at a young age and has charmed others - both daemon and human - ever since.
Gordon was looking forward to his daemon settling - she’d been flitting slower and slower between her forms and he had a feeling she’d end up choosing an owl. He’d been excited at the prospect - owls, after all, being seen as indicative of some of the more revered qualities. Wise. All seeing. Silent. Oh yes, excitement hardly covered it. And then right at the last minute, he’d opened his eyes one morning and seen a baby elephant at his bedside, looking ever so morose and sorry for itself. Once he’d got over the initial shock, all he could do was laugh. She’d given him what was no doubt intended to be a dignified snort, which had unfortunately come out as a high-pitched trumpet. He grew used to her quickly enough - thankfully she hadn’t grown much bigger, and it was nowhere near as bad as those whose daemons had ended up as a fish or, heaven forbid, a shark. It was a good thing, he mused, that daemons were forbidden from the House of Commons (a rule strictly enforced by Bercow and his meerkat daemon (the only exception)). Nevertheless, she was ever present in his office and had become a source of amusement for his fellow MPs. The snide comments behind his back rolled off him, however, and he realised the thick skin of his daemon was more than symbolic. And when Peter had betrayed him for Tony, she was a silent reminder of the requirement that he do not simply forgive and forget.
Peter’s daemon wasn’t like the others. He (for it was unmistakably male) didn’t shift through the forms at nearly the same rate as they. So Peter already had a fair idea of what kind of beast would end up being decided upon. He’d hedged his bets with a fox, but, just to be contrary, his daemon had gone for an eagle. Peter always said to his parents that he didn’t care what his daemon chose - whatever it was would be an accurate representation of himself and he wasn’t embarrassed about anything - but secretly he was immensely proud of the sheer majesty of the golden eagle that nestles in the crook of his elbow.
Alastair’s daemon settled quite late (a beagle), but that’s not what’s interesting. What is interesting - and unprecedented - is that about 15 years after settling, she shifted. Alastair was unaware at the time; preoccupied as he was, he’d not realised the profound effect his mental state had had on his life partner. He’d almost collapsed in that Glaswegian hotel and as his mind whirled, she’d scampered around him with worried baying howls. And then within seconds, as Alastair turned in on himself, she’d flashed in the blink of an eye from a floppy-eared hound with sparky eyes, to a trembling mouse, and buried through the buttons of his shirt to clutch at his heaving chest. Even whilst in the prison cell, he was unaware of the change - merely that her presence was with him, terrified but attempting to soothe him nevertheless. It took months for things to go back to normal. Indeed, Alastair had been convinced they’d never manage it and they’d be broken for the rest of their lives. He’d tried to focus on his recovery, yet still she remained in her skittish mouse form - a testament to the burning sense of shame in the back of his mind. And then, one bright shining day almost a year later, he and Fiona were awoken with an excited bark and he’d opened bleary eyes to see his adoring daemon, padded paws resting on the bed and almost beaming at him between the silky floppy ears he’d loved before the incident. And he’d opened his arms and she’d bounded into them and licked his face as he laughed delightedly; and he knew things were going to be alright.
Re: Self-prompt - Politics (sligh) crossover with His Dark Materials (FILL)
anonymous
May 9 2013, 21:10:15 UTC
This is just the ticket, aa! I love HDM crossovers and you've come up with some really original, convincing forms here. I want to see Tony riding triumphantly into Downing Street on his horse daemon. And Gordon's stubborn little elephant is utterly perfect. <3 Most of all I ADORE your paragraph for Alastair. I think a dog is definitely the right choice, so loyal and definitely a pack hunter. Why did you go for a beagle in particular? The story of it changing into a mouse works really well as a touching metaphor for his breakdown, I think. Thank you for sharing this, I love it! And if you feel like expanding to cover other some figures' daemons, I'd definitely read it...
Re: Self-prompt - Politics (sligh) crossover with His Dark Materials (FILL)
anonymous
May 9 2013, 22:28:17 UTC
(AA here) Thanks! This is one of the first things I've written on this meme and wasn't sure if people wanted it so I'm glad you enjoyed it. Interestingly, Tony's was the hardest for me to decide on.
Alastair was always going to be a dog though. And it was always going to be a hound, just because they're so tenacious and, though incredibly loyal, they're just utterly untrainable. I was debating between a basset and a beagle and knew that if I went for basset people would just imagine morose droopy eyes and big ears and a kind of miserable personality (even though they're nothing like this!). Beagles appear more playful and are slightly nuts and borderline mad and I thought that fit more with his hardworking/etc.
phew.
I was thinking about filling for other politicians but I'm far less familiar with them, so I'd be worried I wouldn't get it right... [hint hint: if anyone else wants to fill please be my guest]
Woah that turned into an essay anon. But anyway - glad you liked it! :)
Gordon was looking forward to his daemon settling - she’d been flitting slower and slower between her forms and he had a feeling she’d end up choosing an owl. He’d been excited at the prospect - owls, after all, being seen as indicative of some of the more revered qualities. Wise. All seeing. Silent. Oh yes, excitement hardly covered it. And then right at the last minute, he’d opened his eyes one morning and seen a baby elephant at his bedside, looking ever so morose and sorry for itself. Once he’d got over the initial shock, all he could do was laugh. She’d given him what was no doubt intended to be a dignified snort, which had unfortunately come out as a high-pitched trumpet. He grew used to her quickly enough - thankfully she hadn’t grown much bigger, and it was nowhere near as bad as those whose daemons had ended up as a fish or, heaven forbid, a shark. It was a good thing, he mused, that daemons were forbidden from the House of Commons (a rule strictly enforced by Bercow and his meerkat daemon (the only exception)). Nevertheless, she was ever present in his office and had become a source of amusement for his fellow MPs. The snide comments behind his back rolled off him, however, and he realised the thick skin of his daemon was more than symbolic. And when Peter had betrayed him for Tony, she was a silent reminder of the requirement that he do not simply forgive and forget.
Peter’s daemon wasn’t like the others. He (for it was unmistakably male) didn’t shift through the forms at nearly the same rate as they. So Peter already had a fair idea of what kind of beast would end up being decided upon. He’d hedged his bets with a fox, but, just to be contrary, his daemon had gone for an eagle. Peter always said to his parents that he didn’t care what his daemon chose - whatever it was would be an accurate representation of himself and he wasn’t embarrassed about anything - but secretly he was immensely proud of the sheer majesty of the golden eagle that nestles in the crook of his elbow.
Alastair’s daemon settled quite late (a beagle), but that’s not what’s interesting. What is interesting - and unprecedented - is that about 15 years after settling, she shifted.
Alastair was unaware at the time; preoccupied as he was, he’d not realised the profound effect his mental state had had on his life partner. He’d almost collapsed in that Glaswegian hotel and as his mind whirled, she’d scampered around him with worried baying howls. And then within seconds, as Alastair turned in on himself, she’d flashed in the blink of an eye from a floppy-eared hound with sparky eyes, to a trembling mouse, and buried through the buttons of his shirt to clutch at his heaving chest. Even whilst in the prison cell, he was unaware of the change - merely that her presence was with him, terrified but attempting to soothe him nevertheless.
It took months for things to go back to normal. Indeed, Alastair had been convinced they’d never manage it and they’d be broken for the rest of their lives. He’d tried to focus on his recovery, yet still she remained in her skittish mouse form - a testament to the burning sense of shame in the back of his mind. And then, one bright shining day almost a year later, he and Fiona were awoken with an excited bark and he’d opened bleary eyes to see his adoring daemon, padded paws resting on the bed and almost beaming at him between the silky floppy ears he’d loved before the incident. And he’d opened his arms and she’d bounded into them and licked his face as he laughed delightedly; and he knew things were going to be alright.
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Alastair was always going to be a dog though. And it was always going to be a hound, just because they're so tenacious and, though incredibly loyal, they're just utterly untrainable.
I was debating between a basset and a beagle and knew that if I went for basset people would just imagine morose droopy eyes and big ears and a kind of miserable personality (even though they're nothing like this!). Beagles appear more playful and are slightly nuts and borderline mad and I thought that fit more with his hardworking/etc.
phew.
I was thinking about filling for other politicians but I'm far less familiar with them, so I'd be worried I wouldn't get it right...
[hint hint: if anyone else wants to fill please be my guest]
Woah that turned into an essay anon. But anyway - glad you liked it! :)
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