Cross My Heart: Crossovering 2016
This letter is for the 
crossovering annual fanfiction challenge. Sign-ups are open through the 17th of July.
This letter has three parts. Part I gives general likes and dislikes, Part II gives notes on individual fandoms, and Part III gives possible prompts for the crossovers I've requested.
General Likes and Dislikes
DNWs
Hand injuries; amnesia; addiction and substance abuse.
General likes
Worldbuilding, original characters, outsider viewpoints, magical realism. Trains, cities, dramatic weather. Wishes and their consequences. Mentors and their protegé(e)s. Descriptions of skills and technical or practical processes, or things that are very specific to a location and time. Complicated and simple relationships (platonic, romantic, antagonistic, any combination...) Dark consequences of simple things. Uplifting and hopeful messages. Cool gadgets and enthusiasm for scientific innovation. Beautiful animals or beautiful landscapes or beautiful homes. Wingfic. Vivid colours and textures. Multiple identities and identity porn (especially the kind where person A has secret reasons for protecting or helping person B, but to person B, A is an ordinary stranger). For porn specifically: awkward sex, praise kink, telepathy, xeno, dub-con, touch starvation. For porn or romance, feel free to write any combination of genders.
I love fusions, crossovers, and stories that take elements from two different canons to create a universe that isn't really either.
Fandoms
I've listed some favourite characters, and for some canons, I've also listed characters I'm less keen on. These are suggestions only; I trust you if you want explore other characters or otherwise work orthogonally to my prompts.
Black Jewels
I like: the extremes of loyalty and magical power; the found families; the dances of etiquette - and the potential consequences of a mis-step; the places that less-powerful individuals carve out for themselves in a society that we see through the lens of the most dangerous and dramatic people; the choices and their costs. I like thinking about the magic and class system and Realms. I like thinking about the Terreilleans settling in Kaeleer during the events of Heir & Queen, caught in the power struggle between Dorothea and Jaenelle. I like thinking about the Landens. Sparkly magic animals don't hurt either.
My favourite characters are Wilhelmina, Karla, and Sylvia, though I sometimes prefer to disregard the short story that focuses on Sylvia and her sons (I just want to pretend that didn't happen to them) - so feel free to also disregard it, if you want. There aren't any characters I would specifically like you to avoid. Generally, I like the canon ships, though I'm also fond of Daemon/Lucivar, Wilhelmina/OC, and Karla/OFC.
Chronicles of Narnia
I like: the adventure, the seriousness with which Lewis treats the elements of his rather outlandish world; the balance of conquering both internal and external demons; the literary references and in-jokes; the scope of the world and the way it doesn't always seem fit together neatly. (The islands that Caspian visits in The Dawn Treader seem to be out of a different world to the wastes across which Jill and Eustace and Puddleglum travel in The Silver Chair, and then there's the Telmarines...) I love the asides about how adventures don't seem as jolly when you're cold and tired and frightened for your life, and, in contrast, the celebrations of good company and shelter and food. I like the combination of certainty and wonder.
I'm enthralled by Jadis, and other witches like the Lady of the Green Kirtle. I'm interested in parts of Narnian history that are hinted at but not shown. I love Tirian and Jewel and Reepicheep, and all the children who visited Narnia. I have not seen any of the recent movies, only some of the early BBC ones, so would prefer book!verse, where possible, for characterisation and relationships. I would prefer not to get a story that aims to solve the Problem of Susan - her fate at the end of the canon and how you feel about it can be part of your story, but I'd prefer that it not be the largest part.
Dragonriders of Pern
One of my oldest, die-hard I-don’t-care-about-its-quality-or-how-it’s-aged fannish obsessions. I read Anne McCaffrey all through my adolescence. I’d love equally a fusion that borrows the tropes and culture, or a story that explores one of the Pernese characters. I haven’t read past All the Weyrs of Pern; I don’t mind references to events past that, or earlier events written by Todd, but you may need to spell out explicitly what happened in order for me to follow along. My favourite books are Moreta’s Ride and Red Star Rising (alternately published as Dragonseye), and my favourite characters come from those books, but I also love Mirrim and Brekke and Kylara; Menolly and Robinton and Piemur; Mnementh. I’m less fond of Jaxom. I admit I really love Impression scenes and the dragon flights and the potential for drama they offer.
Fairy Tales
I love fairy tale fanfic so much that I help my friend Rosencrantz run an exchange for it! :D You can see my past requests for the exchange on this page and this page. I grew up on the Andrew Lang collections (now on Project Gutenberg). So basically I am very enthusiastic and I hope you feel free to go in many different creative directions. Some of my favourite fairy tales, especially if you’re considering fusions, are East of the Sun, West of the Moon, Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, and Beauty and the Beast. Although, equally, take your favourite fairy tale and run with it. I like the idea of fairy tales retold in other genres, or characters from another canon following a fairy-tale plot, or of other canons' worlds' rules becoming more fairy-tale-like.
I am fascinated by the way moral rules almost seem to supersede the laws of physics. I enjoy kindness being rewarded and cruelty punished. I enjoy the laws of three and animal transformations and other tropes that play across multiple tales. I enjoy the pantheon of witches and ogres, wolves and princesses, seamstresses and sailors.
Greek and Roman Mythology
I like the sense of the gods' human or super-human emotions juxtaposed with their powers; in every way, they are larger than life. As with fairy tales, I like the sense of a different logic to the world. In contrast to fairy tales, I like exploring the sense of inherent unfairness I get from many mythological tales: disproportionate punishments and rages, senseless fates; the great imbalance between gods and men. I love the idea of nymphs and dryads and nereids, and other elemental figures.
Some figures and stories that have particularly captured my imagination: Cupid and Psyche; Prometheus; Pandora; Orpheus and Eurydice; Apollo and Artemis; Demeter, Persephone, and Hades; and Amalthea, Atalanta, Hestia, Mercury, Rhea, and Chrysaor, though I don't really know much about those last six. (If treating with Persephone and Hades, I'm less keen on versions in which Hades seized Persephone as a fully-consensual pre-arranged plan, or where she plotted it to get away from Demeter.) Sorry about the mix of Roman and Greek names! Please use which names feel right for you and the sources you are using.
Harry Potter
I love the incredibly inventive invented world. I love how weird the magic could be, and how funny, too. I loved Harry as a Chosen One and I loved him struggling with being special, too. Wizard society and world building is particularly fascinating to me. I like the explorations of power and responsibility.
I am particularly fond of Luna and Ginny and Cedric and McGonagall and Dumbledore (especially a complicated Dumbledore). I love the intricacies of wands and Houses and the (rather arbitrary) branches of magic. (I consider myself to be aligned somewhere between Slytherin and Hufflepuff.) I'd like a story about pretty much anyone, and especially about worldbuilding. Er, I should probably mention I have no clue about Pottermore and similar post-book canon; feel free to disregard, or, if using Pottermore canon, please try to design your story to stand alone without that knowledge, or leave me some notes.
Kingsman
I like the, er, uncomplicated morality (though subverting it is also fine!) and the silly, somewhat optimistic take on dangerous missions and a world at stake. I like the sense of tribute to wacky spy film gadgets and other tropes. There's no character I'd particularly like you to avoid (except perhaps the real-life heads of state mentioned in the film); my favourites are Eggsy, Harry, Merlin, and Roxy, and I'm particularly fond of Eggsy/Harry and Merlin/Roxy/Eggsy, or platonic Roxy & Eggsy. Other ships are fine, though. Like most of fandom, I'm pretty happy to hand-wave protagonist deaths. I'm mostly unspoiled for the upcoming movie.
I particularly love the mentor-mentee bonds, whether they're platonic or not. This canon is full of characters who show off for each other, or perform acts of loyalty for each other, or are quietly (or not so) pleased when they are respected or admired by the others, and I love that.
Labyrinth
I like the fantastical world, the power of story, and the power of wish and will. I like the exploration of the way expectations shape reality, and I love the range of moods, from frightening to absurd. I love Sarah's friendship with Hogget and Sir Didymus and others, and also her much more complicated relationship with Jareth. I love that she is aware of her own power. I love Jareth’s own changeling, reflective nature. I like to think that we never see all of him. I definitely ship Sarah/Jareth (though, optional!). I'd also love to know more about Jareth's world - and how Sarah's book came to be. A future Toby interests me too.
Marvel Cinematic Universe
I like: the hero narratives, the balance of conquering both internal and external demons, and the way the ethical questions to be grappled with shift according to the technology that's forcing the issues. I like it when different team members' skills complement each other. I like Big Damn Hero moments and I like worldbuilding that colours in what it means to have serums and AIs and self-assembling armor and Extremis. I like the way that who is using the technology (or is physically enhanced by it) is just as important as what the technology is.
I haven't seen Thor: The Dark World or any Hulk movies. My favourite movies are Iron Man 1 & 3, though I'm also fond of Captain America: The First Avenger and Ant-Man. I have also seen season 1 of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. I'm especially fond of Tony, Steve, Sam, Natasha, Pepper, Maya, Wanda, and JARVIS; I'm less keen on Vision, so would prefer he wasn't the sole focus. Canon ships are welcome; so are your favourite ships, though I'd appreciate some in-story development for any non-canon ship, rather than the characters just being a couple with little/no explanation.
Also, I love Guardians of the Galaxy, so although I imagine most people offering MCU are thinking of Earth or Asgardian settings, if you have an idea involving the Guardians, I would love that too.
Person of Interest
I like this canon's exploration of applied knowledge as power; I like how it explores the way that disparities of information lead to enormous power imbalances. I also have an uncomplicated love for the idea that the people with the information are trying to make the world a better place. I love both Finch and Reese's reclusive-genius and man-of-action-with-angsty-past archetypes, and I love the broader aspects of their respective characters. And I love that put together they're basically Batman. I love the Machine and how she gradually emerges as a character. I'm also fond of Shaw and Fusco and Zoe Morgan, and am curious about Control.
I have complicated feelings about Root; if you're tossing up between several different story ideas, maybe please choose one that isn't primarily about Root or about Root/Shaw. I guess I feel that Root was still on a path to redemption, rather than fully redeemed, by the end of the story. (Obviously the Machine has a more positive view of Root than I do. OK if your story reflects that!) Although I happily ship Finch/Reese, I'm fine with Finch/Grace, or Grace having a large part to play in general. My other feelings about ships are pretty neutral.
Pokémon
I love the sense of an enormous world waiting to be explored, filled with wondrous creatures that could be your friends! I love the combination of adventure and dangerou and wonder with generally low ratings for violence and darkness - though I'm very happy to consume fanworks that subvert and darken the world, too. I love ordinary people meeting legendaries and going on amazing quests; I love loyalty and hard work between trainers and their Pokémon; I love just how weird some of the Pokémon are. I love stories about training but I also love stories about ordinary people just living side-by-side with Pokémon.
I'm only familiar with the games through Ruby, and the anime through Johto; totally fine if you want to refer to further canon (one exception: please don't base a story on Pokémon Go concepts or on another canon's characters playing Pokémon Go), but you may want to consider leaving me some helpful links in your author's notes. If you have a favourite game or anime character, or favourite Pokémon, that I'm not familiar with, go ahead and use them and show me what you love about them. I love Mewtwo and the Unown/Annon, and Silver and Gold as characters. I love all kinds of AUs as well as explorations of the Pokémon world.
Puella Magi Madoka Magica
I only watched this last year, but fell immediately in love. It's just such a wonderful balance of dark and light. I love Madoka's courage and humility; I love Homura's loyalty (obsession) and desperation; I love Kyubey's alien logic and that in its own way it is trying to save the universe. I adore the art, especially of the witch labyrinths. I love the magical girl powers and the ordinary parts of the world, and especially the relationship between Madoka and her mother. I really love everyone. I particularly love the exploration of the dangers of sacrificing yourself to save others, and the conversation Madoka and Junko have about mistakes.
I have seen and enjoyed Rebellion; to me it feels like a sort of optional theory about what happens or could happen after the anime. It’s fine with me if you want to either use it or reject it.
Shoujo Kakumei Utena
I love the dance of is-this-symbol-or-is-this-actual, and how while you are distracted with figuring this out, SKU will stab you in your feelings. On both my first and second viewing, I was exasperated with Utena’s stubborn naivety and her inclination to simplify from her observations, and yet I love her very much, and have a similar love for everyone in the cast: they are not untarnished heroes - some are not heroes at all - yet each in their way illustrates the redemptive power of striving towards something.
I love the series’ crushing scorn for princes on white horses rescuing damsels; I love the series’ compassion for those who believe in princes and princesses even while it breaks down those ideas. Man, this isn’t very helpful. Sorry, I left this fandom for last because it’s hardest. I love people being complicit in their own deception; I love the illustrations of the Karpman Drama Triangle, and how no one’s nobility is uncomplicated. I love everyone, from Saionji to Kozue and Kanae to Mikage. I particularly love Kozue and Nanami; but pick your favourite and write about them. Each of these characters has such compelling arcs that I feel they’d thrive very well transplanted to a new setting; equally, Ohtori is a good place to plop other characters down in and see how they’d fare. I like canon ships and I like crack!ships - you can sell me on any pairing.
Tomorrowland
The struggle between optimism and pessimism; the sense of fierce nostalgia for a belief in the future: these things really grabbed me about this movie. I love Frank and David snarking back and forth; I love Casey's resourcefulness and optimism; I found Athena compelling and also rather alien. Robots breaking through their programming to be better than their programming is a fun trope, but even more when it seems that humans are doing the opposite - conditioning themselves into a self-closing loop.
I like thinking about the future that Casey is trying to create; I also like thinking about Athena and Frank's (incredibly complex) past relationship (yes I ship them but that's messy and super-optional), and I like thinking about how David came to the conclusions he did. I like imagining how it could have gone differently, and of course how David and the people of Tomorrowland have interacted with other parts of the world we know.
Requests
Request One: Black Jewels - Anne Bishop, Person of Interest (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Black Jewels and Person of Interest
-Finch and Reese in Terreille, outcast males working to subvert Dorothea's message
-Jewel powers and etiquette in New York
-The Machine as a dreamed-for Queen
Person of Interest and MCU
-JARVIS and the Machine in contact; perhaps together opposing Samaritan and/or Arnim Zola's algorithm; OR the Machine helping JARVIS survive Ultron
-Exploration of Project Insight in a PoI world (imagine Finch's reservations!)
-The Battle of New York in a PoI world
-Reese (or an other PoI character) has more than human powers
-Finch and Reese on a galactic base, interacting with the Guardians
-Control in a world with both Northern Lights and Project Insight, dealing with either Ross or Pierce
Black Jewels and MCU
-Pepper (as Queen) and Tony (as a brilliant male serving her) begin with a very different relationship
-Landens using technology against Craft
-Wanda is a Queen born to a land that doesn't understand her
-Queens created or otherwise artificial
-A Jewelled witch or Warlord joins up with the Avengers in the ordinary world
-Gamora or Nebula or both is a Black Widow or Queen
Request Two - Shoujo Kakumei Utena | Revolutionary Girl Utena, Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis, Labyrinth (1986)
Utena and Narnia
-Some of Ohtori's students are transported to Narnia (as serious or cracky as you like) (bonus for brother-sister pairs?)
-As Caspian went on a quest with the Dawn Treader, some other Narnian adventurer goes on a quest for the Castle Where Eternity Dwells (or for other adventurers who have been lost to its spell)
-The Pevensies and Eustace and Jill often return to school after a time in Narnia - maybe the school could be oddly Ohtori-like?
Narnia and Labyrinth
-Jareth's Labyrinth as a strange corner of Narnia, with overlap between the people and creatures who dwell there
-Sir Didymus and Reepicheep
-Jareth vs. the White Witch
-Sarah talks with someone who has been to Narnia
Labyrinth and Utena
-Quests for princesses or princes that aren't quite what they seem
-One person rescuing another
-Jareth as a past or future prince; Anthy as Sarah's future
-Anthy meeting Chu-Chu in the Labyrinth
-Anthy passing through the Labyrinth on her quest to find Utena
Request Three - Greek and Roman Mythology, Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Fairy Tales & Related Fandoms, Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika | Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Fairy Tales & Classical Mythology
-A myth retold in fairy-tale style or vice versa
-A witch or fairy godmother is revealed to be a goddess (and why?)
-Encounters between characters from fairy tales & characters from myths who undergo similar transformations
-Friendship or romance between humans or other human-shaped characters and characters in temporary animal form
Fairy Tales & Pokémon
-Animal transformation = Pokémon transformation
-Fairy magic in the Pokémon world
-Pokémon myths and legends
-Pokémon as animal antagonists/companions in fairy tales, or as objects of a fairy tale quest (i.e., the magical bird, the magical horse)
Classical Mythology & Pokémon
-Animal transformation = Pokémon transformation
-Pokémon myths and legends
-Pokémon as elemental spirits or gods, or the servants of gods
-Stories about Legendary Pokémon that draw on Greek and Roman myths
Classical Mythology & Madoka
-A human cast down by the gods takes a contract with Kyubey
-The gods have opinions on Kyubey's contracts
-The story of Prometheus or Pandora can be explained by contracts
-Mado-kami interacts with older gods
-A retelling of Hades & Persephone with Homura & Madoka
Fairy Tales & Madoka
-Different kinds of girls & magic
-A fairy tale witch is a PMMM witch (especially if they were once a princess in a previous fairy tale)
-People stolen away to fairy realms (Twelve Dancing Princesses, Tam Lin) are actually people trapped in a witch labyrinth
Madoka & Pokémon
-The girls as Pokémon trainers (either with no magical contracts, or perhaps with magical contracts that Pokémon are more sensitive to than humans)
-Kyubey as a Legendary Pokémon
-Your favourite Pokémon trainer character makes a contract
Request Four - Black Jewels - Anne Bishop, Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015), Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey
Black Jewels & Pokémon
-Pokémon as Kindred
-Jewels as Leaf Stones, Thunder Stones etc - causing transformations in both Blood and Pokémon
-Unexplored Realms; Realms where people under a certain power level shouldn't go
-Cassidy and Gray attempting to recreate harmony between people and Pokémon in their Territory; Cassidy as leader of a Sceltie (or Sceltie-equivalent) gym?
-In the Pokémon world, only the Blood can train Pokémon (...except?)
-Legendaries are like Queens that humans or other Pokémon are drawn to serve
Black Jewels & Kingsman
-Secret missions in Terreille; the Kingsman characters work to uphold the Old Ways; Kingsman characters as Blood
-Landens vs. Blood
-Gazelle vs Surreal?
-Parallels between Saetan & Andulvar & Prothvar & Mephis, and the older generation of Kingsman characters
Black Jewels & Pern
-One set of human(oid)s devolved from dragons; one set of dragons designed by humans...
-Mix and match the etiquette and protocols
-Pern as a small, remote territory in the Realms where Landen and (thought-extinct) dragons cooperate
-Karla or Jaenelle as a queen rider; Lessa or Moreta as a Jewelled Queen
-Moreta torn between castes of Healer and Queen
Kingsman & Pern
-The Kingsman characters as a secret group within a Weyr, OR a secret Holds-based group designed to get an advantage over the Weyrs
-Fire lizards in the modern/Kingsman world
-Thread falls on Earth
-Reinterpret the Harper Hold in the modern/Kingsman world?
Kingsman & Pokémon
-Kingsman vs. Team Rocket
-Kingsman characters as Pokémon trainers (Eggsy as Gym junior hopeful? Pokémon training is only for the elite?)
-Pokémon as a new development (genetic engineering? manifestation of spirits?) in our world
-Your favourite human character from Pokémon as a new Kingsman recruit
Pern & Pokémon
-Pern as a small, remote territory in the Pokémon world where dragon Pokémon are particularly cherished
-Pokémon created to fight Thread
-Pokémon created on a new world during human galactic expansion; the inhabitants of the two worlds visit each other
-Pokémon training is about the bond between one human and one Pokémon
-A Pernese character (Menolly?) is a Pokémon trainer; a Pokémon trainer is a dragon rider
-Weyrleaders as Gym Leaders
Request Five - Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika | Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Tomorrowland (2015), Person of Interest (TV), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Madoka & Tomorrowland
-Different explorations of trying to save the world/the future
-David perhaps under Kyubey's influence?
-Casey comes up with her own way of preventing witches
-Tomorrowland is actually Madoka's world, and when Casey (or Homura) goes there from our world, she discovers a catch
-Tomorrowland as a witch's labyrinth - or, from the perspective of Tomorrowland, Earth is the witch's labyrinth
-Athena as an experiment made by Kyubey
Madoka & Person of Interest
-The Machine tries to figure out magical girls (there is a number who is a magical girl, or who is saved by a magical girl?)
-Different ways of trying to save people or save the future
-Kyubey is behind Samaritan - OR the Machine
-The Machine is created by someone's wish
-Shaw/Root parallels Madoka/Homura in some way (yes this is an exception to my fandom notes for PoI)
-Thinking of Root & Reese - perhaps the Machine is able to incorporate/upload soul gems?
Madoka & Harry Potter
-People attempting to cheat death or gain power they shouldn't have
-Prophesies and averting them
-A Squib trying to attend Hogwarts
-Luna or Hermione or Ginny as a magical girl (Chamber of Secrets: witch's labyrinth?)
Harry Potter & Person of Interest
-The Machine tries to figure out wizards (they get a wizard or witch's number?)
-One of the PoI characters is a wizard in exile from the wizarding world
-The Machine is a magical creation; perhaps the agglomeration of all prophesies at the Department of Mysteries, or, the Department of Mysteries gains sentience?
-Finch and Reese attempt to protect wizards with muggle heritage during a period of tension in the wizarding world
Harry Potter & Tomorrowland
-Some people get a letter by owl, some people get a pin...
-Tomorrowland as a wizarding enclave cut off from humanity
-Intersections between people excited about technology & people excited about magic
-Prophesies and averting them
Person of Interest and Tomorrowland
-The Machine and the tachyon machine
-Team Machine tries to find Tomorrowland
-The Machine attempts to find people like Casey who can fix the future
-the tachyon machine identifies potential assets, rather than young people, who might be able to save the world
-Finch was thrown out of Tomorrowland
In conclusion: if there's something in my prompts you can use, fantastic; if not, go your own way and I look forward to reading something that's a complete surprise. I hope you have fun. This entry is also posted at https://morbane.dreamwidth.org/32396.html. There are
comments. Please comment either here or there.
crossovering annual fanfiction challenge. Sign-ups are open through the 17th of July.
This letter has three parts. Part I gives general likes and dislikes, Part II gives notes on individual fandoms, and Part III gives possible prompts for the crossovers I've requested.
General Likes and Dislikes
DNWs
Hand injuries; amnesia; addiction and substance abuse.
General likes
Worldbuilding, original characters, outsider viewpoints, magical realism. Trains, cities, dramatic weather. Wishes and their consequences. Mentors and their protegé(e)s. Descriptions of skills and technical or practical processes, or things that are very specific to a location and time. Complicated and simple relationships (platonic, romantic, antagonistic, any combination...) Dark consequences of simple things. Uplifting and hopeful messages. Cool gadgets and enthusiasm for scientific innovation. Beautiful animals or beautiful landscapes or beautiful homes. Wingfic. Vivid colours and textures. Multiple identities and identity porn (especially the kind where person A has secret reasons for protecting or helping person B, but to person B, A is an ordinary stranger). For porn specifically: awkward sex, praise kink, telepathy, xeno, dub-con, touch starvation. For porn or romance, feel free to write any combination of genders.
I love fusions, crossovers, and stories that take elements from two different canons to create a universe that isn't really either.
Fandoms
I've listed some favourite characters, and for some canons, I've also listed characters I'm less keen on. These are suggestions only; I trust you if you want explore other characters or otherwise work orthogonally to my prompts.
Black Jewels
I like: the extremes of loyalty and magical power; the found families; the dances of etiquette - and the potential consequences of a mis-step; the places that less-powerful individuals carve out for themselves in a society that we see through the lens of the most dangerous and dramatic people; the choices and their costs. I like thinking about the magic and class system and Realms. I like thinking about the Terreilleans settling in Kaeleer during the events of Heir & Queen, caught in the power struggle between Dorothea and Jaenelle. I like thinking about the Landens. Sparkly magic animals don't hurt either.
My favourite characters are Wilhelmina, Karla, and Sylvia, though I sometimes prefer to disregard the short story that focuses on Sylvia and her sons (I just want to pretend that didn't happen to them) - so feel free to also disregard it, if you want. There aren't any characters I would specifically like you to avoid. Generally, I like the canon ships, though I'm also fond of Daemon/Lucivar, Wilhelmina/OC, and Karla/OFC.
Chronicles of Narnia
I like: the adventure, the seriousness with which Lewis treats the elements of his rather outlandish world; the balance of conquering both internal and external demons; the literary references and in-jokes; the scope of the world and the way it doesn't always seem fit together neatly. (The islands that Caspian visits in The Dawn Treader seem to be out of a different world to the wastes across which Jill and Eustace and Puddleglum travel in The Silver Chair, and then there's the Telmarines...) I love the asides about how adventures don't seem as jolly when you're cold and tired and frightened for your life, and, in contrast, the celebrations of good company and shelter and food. I like the combination of certainty and wonder.
I'm enthralled by Jadis, and other witches like the Lady of the Green Kirtle. I'm interested in parts of Narnian history that are hinted at but not shown. I love Tirian and Jewel and Reepicheep, and all the children who visited Narnia. I have not seen any of the recent movies, only some of the early BBC ones, so would prefer book!verse, where possible, for characterisation and relationships. I would prefer not to get a story that aims to solve the Problem of Susan - her fate at the end of the canon and how you feel about it can be part of your story, but I'd prefer that it not be the largest part.
Dragonriders of Pern
One of my oldest, die-hard I-don’t-care-about-its-quality-or-how-it’s-aged fannish obsessions. I read Anne McCaffrey all through my adolescence. I’d love equally a fusion that borrows the tropes and culture, or a story that explores one of the Pernese characters. I haven’t read past All the Weyrs of Pern; I don’t mind references to events past that, or earlier events written by Todd, but you may need to spell out explicitly what happened in order for me to follow along. My favourite books are Moreta’s Ride and Red Star Rising (alternately published as Dragonseye), and my favourite characters come from those books, but I also love Mirrim and Brekke and Kylara; Menolly and Robinton and Piemur; Mnementh. I’m less fond of Jaxom. I admit I really love Impression scenes and the dragon flights and the potential for drama they offer.
Fairy Tales
I love fairy tale fanfic so much that I help my friend Rosencrantz run an exchange for it! :D You can see my past requests for the exchange on this page and this page. I grew up on the Andrew Lang collections (now on Project Gutenberg). So basically I am very enthusiastic and I hope you feel free to go in many different creative directions. Some of my favourite fairy tales, especially if you’re considering fusions, are East of the Sun, West of the Moon, Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, and Beauty and the Beast. Although, equally, take your favourite fairy tale and run with it. I like the idea of fairy tales retold in other genres, or characters from another canon following a fairy-tale plot, or of other canons' worlds' rules becoming more fairy-tale-like.
I am fascinated by the way moral rules almost seem to supersede the laws of physics. I enjoy kindness being rewarded and cruelty punished. I enjoy the laws of three and animal transformations and other tropes that play across multiple tales. I enjoy the pantheon of witches and ogres, wolves and princesses, seamstresses and sailors.
Greek and Roman Mythology
I like the sense of the gods' human or super-human emotions juxtaposed with their powers; in every way, they are larger than life. As with fairy tales, I like the sense of a different logic to the world. In contrast to fairy tales, I like exploring the sense of inherent unfairness I get from many mythological tales: disproportionate punishments and rages, senseless fates; the great imbalance between gods and men. I love the idea of nymphs and dryads and nereids, and other elemental figures.
Some figures and stories that have particularly captured my imagination: Cupid and Psyche; Prometheus; Pandora; Orpheus and Eurydice; Apollo and Artemis; Demeter, Persephone, and Hades; and Amalthea, Atalanta, Hestia, Mercury, Rhea, and Chrysaor, though I don't really know much about those last six. (If treating with Persephone and Hades, I'm less keen on versions in which Hades seized Persephone as a fully-consensual pre-arranged plan, or where she plotted it to get away from Demeter.) Sorry about the mix of Roman and Greek names! Please use which names feel right for you and the sources you are using.
Harry Potter
I love the incredibly inventive invented world. I love how weird the magic could be, and how funny, too. I loved Harry as a Chosen One and I loved him struggling with being special, too. Wizard society and world building is particularly fascinating to me. I like the explorations of power and responsibility.
I am particularly fond of Luna and Ginny and Cedric and McGonagall and Dumbledore (especially a complicated Dumbledore). I love the intricacies of wands and Houses and the (rather arbitrary) branches of magic. (I consider myself to be aligned somewhere between Slytherin and Hufflepuff.) I'd like a story about pretty much anyone, and especially about worldbuilding. Er, I should probably mention I have no clue about Pottermore and similar post-book canon; feel free to disregard, or, if using Pottermore canon, please try to design your story to stand alone without that knowledge, or leave me some notes.
Kingsman
I like the, er, uncomplicated morality (though subverting it is also fine!) and the silly, somewhat optimistic take on dangerous missions and a world at stake. I like the sense of tribute to wacky spy film gadgets and other tropes. There's no character I'd particularly like you to avoid (except perhaps the real-life heads of state mentioned in the film); my favourites are Eggsy, Harry, Merlin, and Roxy, and I'm particularly fond of Eggsy/Harry and Merlin/Roxy/Eggsy, or platonic Roxy & Eggsy. Other ships are fine, though. Like most of fandom, I'm pretty happy to hand-wave protagonist deaths. I'm mostly unspoiled for the upcoming movie.
I particularly love the mentor-mentee bonds, whether they're platonic or not. This canon is full of characters who show off for each other, or perform acts of loyalty for each other, or are quietly (or not so) pleased when they are respected or admired by the others, and I love that.
Labyrinth
I like the fantastical world, the power of story, and the power of wish and will. I like the exploration of the way expectations shape reality, and I love the range of moods, from frightening to absurd. I love Sarah's friendship with Hogget and Sir Didymus and others, and also her much more complicated relationship with Jareth. I love that she is aware of her own power. I love Jareth’s own changeling, reflective nature. I like to think that we never see all of him. I definitely ship Sarah/Jareth (though, optional!). I'd also love to know more about Jareth's world - and how Sarah's book came to be. A future Toby interests me too.
Marvel Cinematic Universe
I like: the hero narratives, the balance of conquering both internal and external demons, and the way the ethical questions to be grappled with shift according to the technology that's forcing the issues. I like it when different team members' skills complement each other. I like Big Damn Hero moments and I like worldbuilding that colours in what it means to have serums and AIs and self-assembling armor and Extremis. I like the way that who is using the technology (or is physically enhanced by it) is just as important as what the technology is.
I haven't seen Thor: The Dark World or any Hulk movies. My favourite movies are Iron Man 1 & 3, though I'm also fond of Captain America: The First Avenger and Ant-Man. I have also seen season 1 of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. I'm especially fond of Tony, Steve, Sam, Natasha, Pepper, Maya, Wanda, and JARVIS; I'm less keen on Vision, so would prefer he wasn't the sole focus. Canon ships are welcome; so are your favourite ships, though I'd appreciate some in-story development for any non-canon ship, rather than the characters just being a couple with little/no explanation.
Also, I love Guardians of the Galaxy, so although I imagine most people offering MCU are thinking of Earth or Asgardian settings, if you have an idea involving the Guardians, I would love that too.
Person of Interest
I like this canon's exploration of applied knowledge as power; I like how it explores the way that disparities of information lead to enormous power imbalances. I also have an uncomplicated love for the idea that the people with the information are trying to make the world a better place. I love both Finch and Reese's reclusive-genius and man-of-action-with-angsty-past archetypes, and I love the broader aspects of their respective characters. And I love that put together they're basically Batman. I love the Machine and how she gradually emerges as a character. I'm also fond of Shaw and Fusco and Zoe Morgan, and am curious about Control.
I have complicated feelings about Root; if you're tossing up between several different story ideas, maybe please choose one that isn't primarily about Root or about Root/Shaw. I guess I feel that Root was still on a path to redemption, rather than fully redeemed, by the end of the story. (Obviously the Machine has a more positive view of Root than I do. OK if your story reflects that!) Although I happily ship Finch/Reese, I'm fine with Finch/Grace, or Grace having a large part to play in general. My other feelings about ships are pretty neutral.
Pokémon
I love the sense of an enormous world waiting to be explored, filled with wondrous creatures that could be your friends! I love the combination of adventure and dangerou and wonder with generally low ratings for violence and darkness - though I'm very happy to consume fanworks that subvert and darken the world, too. I love ordinary people meeting legendaries and going on amazing quests; I love loyalty and hard work between trainers and their Pokémon; I love just how weird some of the Pokémon are. I love stories about training but I also love stories about ordinary people just living side-by-side with Pokémon.
I'm only familiar with the games through Ruby, and the anime through Johto; totally fine if you want to refer to further canon (one exception: please don't base a story on Pokémon Go concepts or on another canon's characters playing Pokémon Go), but you may want to consider leaving me some helpful links in your author's notes. If you have a favourite game or anime character, or favourite Pokémon, that I'm not familiar with, go ahead and use them and show me what you love about them. I love Mewtwo and the Unown/Annon, and Silver and Gold as characters. I love all kinds of AUs as well as explorations of the Pokémon world.
Puella Magi Madoka Magica
I only watched this last year, but fell immediately in love. It's just such a wonderful balance of dark and light. I love Madoka's courage and humility; I love Homura's loyalty (obsession) and desperation; I love Kyubey's alien logic and that in its own way it is trying to save the universe. I adore the art, especially of the witch labyrinths. I love the magical girl powers and the ordinary parts of the world, and especially the relationship between Madoka and her mother. I really love everyone. I particularly love the exploration of the dangers of sacrificing yourself to save others, and the conversation Madoka and Junko have about mistakes.
I have seen and enjoyed Rebellion; to me it feels like a sort of optional theory about what happens or could happen after the anime. It’s fine with me if you want to either use it or reject it.
Shoujo Kakumei Utena
I love the dance of is-this-symbol-or-is-this-actual, and how while you are distracted with figuring this out, SKU will stab you in your feelings. On both my first and second viewing, I was exasperated with Utena’s stubborn naivety and her inclination to simplify from her observations, and yet I love her very much, and have a similar love for everyone in the cast: they are not untarnished heroes - some are not heroes at all - yet each in their way illustrates the redemptive power of striving towards something.
I love the series’ crushing scorn for princes on white horses rescuing damsels; I love the series’ compassion for those who believe in princes and princesses even while it breaks down those ideas. Man, this isn’t very helpful. Sorry, I left this fandom for last because it’s hardest. I love people being complicit in their own deception; I love the illustrations of the Karpman Drama Triangle, and how no one’s nobility is uncomplicated. I love everyone, from Saionji to Kozue and Kanae to Mikage. I particularly love Kozue and Nanami; but pick your favourite and write about them. Each of these characters has such compelling arcs that I feel they’d thrive very well transplanted to a new setting; equally, Ohtori is a good place to plop other characters down in and see how they’d fare. I like canon ships and I like crack!ships - you can sell me on any pairing.
Tomorrowland
The struggle between optimism and pessimism; the sense of fierce nostalgia for a belief in the future: these things really grabbed me about this movie. I love Frank and David snarking back and forth; I love Casey's resourcefulness and optimism; I found Athena compelling and also rather alien. Robots breaking through their programming to be better than their programming is a fun trope, but even more when it seems that humans are doing the opposite - conditioning themselves into a self-closing loop.
I like thinking about the future that Casey is trying to create; I also like thinking about Athena and Frank's (incredibly complex) past relationship (yes I ship them but that's messy and super-optional), and I like thinking about how David came to the conclusions he did. I like imagining how it could have gone differently, and of course how David and the people of Tomorrowland have interacted with other parts of the world we know.
Requests
Request One: Black Jewels - Anne Bishop, Person of Interest (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Black Jewels and Person of Interest
-Finch and Reese in Terreille, outcast males working to subvert Dorothea's message
-Jewel powers and etiquette in New York
-The Machine as a dreamed-for Queen
Person of Interest and MCU
-JARVIS and the Machine in contact; perhaps together opposing Samaritan and/or Arnim Zola's algorithm; OR the Machine helping JARVIS survive Ultron
-Exploration of Project Insight in a PoI world (imagine Finch's reservations!)
-The Battle of New York in a PoI world
-Reese (or an other PoI character) has more than human powers
-Finch and Reese on a galactic base, interacting with the Guardians
-Control in a world with both Northern Lights and Project Insight, dealing with either Ross or Pierce
Black Jewels and MCU
-Pepper (as Queen) and Tony (as a brilliant male serving her) begin with a very different relationship
-Landens using technology against Craft
-Wanda is a Queen born to a land that doesn't understand her
-Queens created or otherwise artificial
-A Jewelled witch or Warlord joins up with the Avengers in the ordinary world
-Gamora or Nebula or both is a Black Widow or Queen
Request Two - Shoujo Kakumei Utena | Revolutionary Girl Utena, Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis, Labyrinth (1986)
Utena and Narnia
-Some of Ohtori's students are transported to Narnia (as serious or cracky as you like) (bonus for brother-sister pairs?)
-As Caspian went on a quest with the Dawn Treader, some other Narnian adventurer goes on a quest for the Castle Where Eternity Dwells (or for other adventurers who have been lost to its spell)
-The Pevensies and Eustace and Jill often return to school after a time in Narnia - maybe the school could be oddly Ohtori-like?
Narnia and Labyrinth
-Jareth's Labyrinth as a strange corner of Narnia, with overlap between the people and creatures who dwell there
-Sir Didymus and Reepicheep
-Jareth vs. the White Witch
-Sarah talks with someone who has been to Narnia
Labyrinth and Utena
-Quests for princesses or princes that aren't quite what they seem
-One person rescuing another
-Jareth as a past or future prince; Anthy as Sarah's future
-Anthy meeting Chu-Chu in the Labyrinth
-Anthy passing through the Labyrinth on her quest to find Utena
Request Three - Greek and Roman Mythology, Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Fairy Tales & Related Fandoms, Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika | Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Fairy Tales & Classical Mythology
-A myth retold in fairy-tale style or vice versa
-A witch or fairy godmother is revealed to be a goddess (and why?)
-Encounters between characters from fairy tales & characters from myths who undergo similar transformations
-Friendship or romance between humans or other human-shaped characters and characters in temporary animal form
Fairy Tales & Pokémon
-Animal transformation = Pokémon transformation
-Fairy magic in the Pokémon world
-Pokémon myths and legends
-Pokémon as animal antagonists/companions in fairy tales, or as objects of a fairy tale quest (i.e., the magical bird, the magical horse)
Classical Mythology & Pokémon
-Animal transformation = Pokémon transformation
-Pokémon myths and legends
-Pokémon as elemental spirits or gods, or the servants of gods
-Stories about Legendary Pokémon that draw on Greek and Roman myths
Classical Mythology & Madoka
-A human cast down by the gods takes a contract with Kyubey
-The gods have opinions on Kyubey's contracts
-The story of Prometheus or Pandora can be explained by contracts
-Mado-kami interacts with older gods
-A retelling of Hades & Persephone with Homura & Madoka
Fairy Tales & Madoka
-Different kinds of girls & magic
-A fairy tale witch is a PMMM witch (especially if they were once a princess in a previous fairy tale)
-People stolen away to fairy realms (Twelve Dancing Princesses, Tam Lin) are actually people trapped in a witch labyrinth
Madoka & Pokémon
-The girls as Pokémon trainers (either with no magical contracts, or perhaps with magical contracts that Pokémon are more sensitive to than humans)
-Kyubey as a Legendary Pokémon
-Your favourite Pokémon trainer character makes a contract
Request Four - Black Jewels - Anne Bishop, Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015), Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey
Black Jewels & Pokémon
-Pokémon as Kindred
-Jewels as Leaf Stones, Thunder Stones etc - causing transformations in both Blood and Pokémon
-Unexplored Realms; Realms where people under a certain power level shouldn't go
-Cassidy and Gray attempting to recreate harmony between people and Pokémon in their Territory; Cassidy as leader of a Sceltie (or Sceltie-equivalent) gym?
-In the Pokémon world, only the Blood can train Pokémon (...except?)
-Legendaries are like Queens that humans or other Pokémon are drawn to serve
Black Jewels & Kingsman
-Secret missions in Terreille; the Kingsman characters work to uphold the Old Ways; Kingsman characters as Blood
-Landens vs. Blood
-Gazelle vs Surreal?
-Parallels between Saetan & Andulvar & Prothvar & Mephis, and the older generation of Kingsman characters
Black Jewels & Pern
-One set of human(oid)s devolved from dragons; one set of dragons designed by humans...
-Mix and match the etiquette and protocols
-Pern as a small, remote territory in the Realms where Landen and (thought-extinct) dragons cooperate
-Karla or Jaenelle as a queen rider; Lessa or Moreta as a Jewelled Queen
-Moreta torn between castes of Healer and Queen
Kingsman & Pern
-The Kingsman characters as a secret group within a Weyr, OR a secret Holds-based group designed to get an advantage over the Weyrs
-Fire lizards in the modern/Kingsman world
-Thread falls on Earth
-Reinterpret the Harper Hold in the modern/Kingsman world?
Kingsman & Pokémon
-Kingsman vs. Team Rocket
-Kingsman characters as Pokémon trainers (Eggsy as Gym junior hopeful? Pokémon training is only for the elite?)
-Pokémon as a new development (genetic engineering? manifestation of spirits?) in our world
-Your favourite human character from Pokémon as a new Kingsman recruit
Pern & Pokémon
-Pern as a small, remote territory in the Pokémon world where dragon Pokémon are particularly cherished
-Pokémon created to fight Thread
-Pokémon created on a new world during human galactic expansion; the inhabitants of the two worlds visit each other
-Pokémon training is about the bond between one human and one Pokémon
-A Pernese character (Menolly?) is a Pokémon trainer; a Pokémon trainer is a dragon rider
-Weyrleaders as Gym Leaders
Request Five - Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika | Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Tomorrowland (2015), Person of Interest (TV), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Madoka & Tomorrowland
-Different explorations of trying to save the world/the future
-David perhaps under Kyubey's influence?
-Casey comes up with her own way of preventing witches
-Tomorrowland is actually Madoka's world, and when Casey (or Homura) goes there from our world, she discovers a catch
-Tomorrowland as a witch's labyrinth - or, from the perspective of Tomorrowland, Earth is the witch's labyrinth
-Athena as an experiment made by Kyubey
Madoka & Person of Interest
-The Machine tries to figure out magical girls (there is a number who is a magical girl, or who is saved by a magical girl?)
-Different ways of trying to save people or save the future
-Kyubey is behind Samaritan - OR the Machine
-The Machine is created by someone's wish
-Shaw/Root parallels Madoka/Homura in some way (yes this is an exception to my fandom notes for PoI)
-Thinking of Root & Reese - perhaps the Machine is able to incorporate/upload soul gems?
Madoka & Harry Potter
-People attempting to cheat death or gain power they shouldn't have
-Prophesies and averting them
-A Squib trying to attend Hogwarts
-Luna or Hermione or Ginny as a magical girl (Chamber of Secrets: witch's labyrinth?)
Harry Potter & Person of Interest
-The Machine tries to figure out wizards (they get a wizard or witch's number?)
-One of the PoI characters is a wizard in exile from the wizarding world
-The Machine is a magical creation; perhaps the agglomeration of all prophesies at the Department of Mysteries, or, the Department of Mysteries gains sentience?
-Finch and Reese attempt to protect wizards with muggle heritage during a period of tension in the wizarding world
Harry Potter & Tomorrowland
-Some people get a letter by owl, some people get a pin...
-Tomorrowland as a wizarding enclave cut off from humanity
-Intersections between people excited about technology & people excited about magic
-Prophesies and averting them
Person of Interest and Tomorrowland
-The Machine and the tachyon machine
-Team Machine tries to find Tomorrowland
-The Machine attempts to find people like Casey who can fix the future
-the tachyon machine identifies potential assets, rather than young people, who might be able to save the world
-Finch was thrown out of Tomorrowland
In conclusion: if there's something in my prompts you can use, fantastic; if not, go your own way and I look forward to reading something that's a complete surprise. I hope you have fun. This entry is also posted at https://morbane.dreamwidth.org/32396.html. There are
comments. Please comment either here or there.