Drabbleroundup: AUs
Went to the dentist today. Not bad, all things considered, but between the medication and the fact that dentists stress me out, I'm not much with the energy for anything actually productive. So! Drabble roundup post.
liltigre: FFVII: Reeve is the one Hojo experimented on, not Vincent
Through the sight of his sniper rifle, Vincent could make out AVALANCHE passing below -- Strife’s distinctive hair, Wallace’s silhouette, and -- something else. A man, bearded, badly scarred and... altered in ways too subtle to name but which came together to give him a wholly alien look.
“Who the hell is that?” Vincent asked. Reno lounged against the short wall that stood between them and the sheer drop.
“One of Hojo’s little toys.” Reno’s nose wrinkled; like most Turks, Vincent included, he had little trust for the more outre of Shinra’s experiments. “You gonna shoot or keep fucking around?”
Vincent wondered.
mithrigil: FFXII: Vossler becomes king (and sequel)
The wedding serves also as coronation -- for both of them. It is Ashe’s second marriage, and so it is, for a royal wedding, subdued: she is grave and beautiful, her hand firm in his.
The crown is not so much heavy as solid, a presence he cannot ignore. He wonders if that will pass.
The heavy armor of a Judge lurks, quiet and unobtrusive, at the back of the temple. Vossler chooses to look at Ashe instead of at the... liason. She turns away a little to smile at the assembly. Watching her, he is happy, for now.
***
“The agreement,” Vossler said, voice tight, “was that we could rule without interference from Archadia.”
“I am not here to interfere,” said the Judge Magister. A woman. Her voice low and cool. “I am here merely to observe.”
“I mislike it,” he said, “and I do not trust your master.”
“Justice is my master,” she said. “Your complaint is duly registered, Highness.” Her voice carried the subtle whiff of irony.
“Queen Ashelia will protest as well,” he said. “In somewhat stronger terms.”
“Then I shall discuss it with her myself,” said the Judge. “Indeed, I look forward to the conversation.”
maho_kiwi: FFXII/DDS: Judges as a Junkyard tribe
As a demon, the woman appeared to have no mouth, which confused Argilla until the first time she saw her feed -- and her body unhinged and opened, all dark mouth and serrated teeth, to engulf her hapless prey.
Argilla must have looked dismayed, because the man -- Gabranth? -- said, “We must feed. In our Junkard, Drace never saw fit to deny this fundamental fact.”
“I never agreed with that,” Argilla said.
The woman returned to her own shape. Her means of devouring left her clean, no blood on her hands or her mouth. “A noble sentiment,” she said, “but, ultimately, doomed.”
laylah: KH2: Welsh sheepfarming AU, Xigbar as poacher
Xigbar had been running all night -- not exactly to get away, he could have done that easily, but to get away without losing his poached (‘liberated’) deer and pheasants. He heard shouting, and slipped around into the rocky streambed, to leave them no tracks to follow to his cache.
Unfortunately, he wasn’t the only one who knew these woods well. The sheriff waited for him at the cache, and though he was a local man Xigbar knew he wouldn’t give in easy.
“Two of the pheasants to look the other way?” he tried.
“That’s not what I want,” Xaldin said.
pyrasaur: FFVII/FFXII: Red XIII in Ivalice
“What shall I call you?” Ashe asked. “In Dalmasca, we refer to your kind as hell-hounds, but that seems impolite -- “
“Call me Nanaki,” he said, “and never mind the name of my people; you are not likely to encounter any of them on this continent.”
“You are far from home,” she said, her gaze falling to the ugly brand on his thigh, cut deep into ruddy fur. He did not choose to take her hint and give her answer.
Instead he said, “We must make haste to Archades. There are tasks you must perform there, and I as well.”
derestissilence: FFVII/LOTR: Reeve/Vincent in Middle Earth
The occasion of their first meeting was not auspicious. When Reeve the Castellan arrived on the north border he found a lone Orc, firebrand in hand, expressionless as he laid the buildings to burning.
"Have done," Reeve said, "for I wish no violence, but cannot let this go unchallenged."
The Orc's visage showed sign of the elves in his twisted lineage, yet his fangs, when he bared them, were as sharp and ill-fitting as any Orc's. "A Man," he scoffed.
"And yet I am quick as a cat."
The Orc but grunted, and shook his head.
abby_sarajane: FFVII: Rufus/Tseng, where Rufus is delusional and everything is in his head.
Rufus swam in and out of consciousness, eyes sometimes closed, sometimes wide and staring, only rarely focused. Tseng spent as much time with him as he could - despite his co-workers’ raised eyebrows.
It was worth it for the times Rufus swam back to consciousness. “Tseng,” he gasped.
“I’m here.”
“Where am I?” Rufus struggled up onto his elbows. “I need to be in Junon. The planet - “
“Please,” he said, around a lump in his throat, “please, try to relax.”
Rufus shook his head. “No, I - Sephiroth --!” Then his eyes glassed over, and he was gone once more.
shunka_shuutou: FFXII: The one where Reks lives.
When Reks appeared -- supported by Vaan, one leg dragging - Basch’s chest tightened.
“I am sorry,” he said. “I am so deeply sorry.”
“It was not you,” Reks said. “I know that now.”
“Very touching,” Balthier said. “I am loathe to break up this heart-wrenching moment, but can we be on our way before we are found again?”
Vaan rolled his eyes and, once he was sure his brother was balanced, went with Balthier and Fran to discuss avenues of escape.
Reks reached out - wobbling a little on his one good leg - and put his hand on Basch’s shoulder.
elanor_pam: FFVII: Zack and Cloud as brothers; Cloud has a magic power
“What on earth kind of power is that?” Zack asked.
Cloud gave him an uncomfortable shrug. “I dunno. I guess I’ve always had it, I just didn’t realize until now.”
“So it just - when you tried it - “
“Yes. It worked. Just like…” His voice dropped. “…magic.”
“Are you going to tell mom and dad?” Zack asked.
Cloud shook his head. “No. I think they’d just think I was nuts.”
“Still,” Zack said, taking another bite, “I have to give you credit. Being able to make perfect pineapple upside-down cake in the world is a power I won’t argue with.”
qara_isuke: KH2: Mix-and-match Organization loyalties.
Larxene would likely be the death of him, for she would never forgive him for his betrayal - and she was a deadly creature at the best of times. It was only appropriate; Lexaeus would never forgive Xaldin for betraying him, though that retribution would come slow and inexorable as an avalanche rather than fast and savage as lightning.
Marluxia bore no malice toward Larxene. It was inevitable, in truth, and he was at least realistic about that fact. Verdant growth allied itself naturally to the earth, after all - just as thunder and lightning was the perfect companion to the windstorm.
lassarina: FFVII/FFXII: Elena/Tseng as spies for Vayne
“Pursue,” Tseng asked, “or wait?”
Elena cleaned her fingernails with the tip of her knifed, examined her fingernails, examined the knife. “Wait,” she finally said. “Let Ba’gamnan take care of the hard part for us and handle the questioning after.”
Tseng made an approving noise. “We must bring him in more or less whole,” he cautioned. “Doctor Bunansa will be most displeased otherwise.”
Elena sighed. “I suppose I shall have to restrain myself, then.”
“Your sacrifice will not go unnoticed,” Tseng said drily. Elena laughed. For all she had a Dalmascan mother, Tseng thought, she was Archadia-loyal to the bone.
elvaron: FFVII/KH2: Midgar overrun with Heartless
The shotgun couldn’t kill them, but it could knock the black shapes flat. While Rufus held them off, Elena and Tseng took stock of options.
“Grenades?” she asked. Her favorite one-size-fits-all solution.
“Not unless we want to fall through the floor,” Tseng pointed out. “Electricity?”
“That’s what Reno tried.” He had survived. Barely. “Flamethrower?” Elena suggested.
Tseng’s hand closed around it. He checked the fuel tank, then pressed the nozzle into her hand. “Would you like to do the honors?”
Her smile turned savage. Little fuckers think they want to invade my city, they have another thing coming. “With pleasure.”
simargl_wings: FFVII: Werewolf Turks
Full moon was the most important time, when they gathered to howl and reinforce bonds, but new moon was her favorite time.
She was never sure whether she pursued him or he her; in the end it didn’t really matter. She was slightly faster, but his pelt was inky black, and so he had the advantage of better disguise. In the moondark they chased one another, fleet foot and hearts pounding and the high hunting howl that was so different than the pack-howl. It ended when they were human again, sweaty, sometimes bloody, wound together breathless in the deep shadows.
moondark: KH2: Riku is a courtesan given as a gift to Kairi
“A slave?” Sora demanded.
“That’s what I thought,” Kairi said helplessly. “I couldn’t say no. It would have been rude. “
“What are you going to do with him?”
“I don’t know!” Kairi glanced over at the courtesan -- Riku -- who looked just as discomfited as she felt, although he was trying to hide it behind his fan.
“Maybe you should see if he’s… hungry or something?” Sora said. “I mean…”
It was as good an idea as any. “Excuse me,” Kairi said. “Would you like, um - a sandwich?”
Riku gave her a disbelieving look.
“Or something?” she added.
puella_nerdii: FFXII: Balthier and Fran as cowboys
“Nice night,” Balthier said as they lay beside the dwindling fire. The lowing of cattle in the distance lulled Fran.
“Indeed,” she said, and because she could not help herself, “a lovely night for rustlers, too, I expect.”
Balthier sighed but didn’t argue. “You want the first watch, or second?”
“First watch,” she said. “It will take you that long to sleep off your whiskey.”
“Slander,” he said comfortably, turning over in his bedroll. “Wake me for my turn.”
Fran settled back, looking up at the stars - but not before she pulled her Winchester into her lap. Just in case.
jessara40k: FFVII: Role-reversal where Aeris went mad and Sephiroth remained sane
When Sephiroth returned, wiping blood from his sword, Cloud felt a little elated and a little sick. “You - “
“It was an untenable situation,” Sephiroth said. “I have resolved it.”
“You mean she’s - “ Tifa began, and broke off.
“Aeris was quite mad,” Sephiroth said calmly, “and suffering. It was a kindness.”
“I don’t know quite what to make of you,” Tifa whispered, and Cloud couldn’t but agree. It was necessary, surely, and yet - and yet.
Sephiroth finished cleaning his sword, turned it in the light, nodded, and sheathed it. “I am what I was made to be,” he said.
liltigre: FFVII: Reeve is the one Hojo experimented on, not Vincent
Through the sight of his sniper rifle, Vincent could make out AVALANCHE passing below -- Strife’s distinctive hair, Wallace’s silhouette, and -- something else. A man, bearded, badly scarred and... altered in ways too subtle to name but which came together to give him a wholly alien look.
“Who the hell is that?” Vincent asked. Reno lounged against the short wall that stood between them and the sheer drop.
“One of Hojo’s little toys.” Reno’s nose wrinkled; like most Turks, Vincent included, he had little trust for the more outre of Shinra’s experiments. “You gonna shoot or keep fucking around?”
Vincent wondered.
mithrigil: FFXII: Vossler becomes king (and sequel)
The wedding serves also as coronation -- for both of them. It is Ashe’s second marriage, and so it is, for a royal wedding, subdued: she is grave and beautiful, her hand firm in his.
The crown is not so much heavy as solid, a presence he cannot ignore. He wonders if that will pass.
The heavy armor of a Judge lurks, quiet and unobtrusive, at the back of the temple. Vossler chooses to look at Ashe instead of at the... liason. She turns away a little to smile at the assembly. Watching her, he is happy, for now.
***
“The agreement,” Vossler said, voice tight, “was that we could rule without interference from Archadia.”
“I am not here to interfere,” said the Judge Magister. A woman. Her voice low and cool. “I am here merely to observe.”
“I mislike it,” he said, “and I do not trust your master.”
“Justice is my master,” she said. “Your complaint is duly registered, Highness.” Her voice carried the subtle whiff of irony.
“Queen Ashelia will protest as well,” he said. “In somewhat stronger terms.”
“Then I shall discuss it with her myself,” said the Judge. “Indeed, I look forward to the conversation.”
maho_kiwi: FFXII/DDS: Judges as a Junkyard tribe
As a demon, the woman appeared to have no mouth, which confused Argilla until the first time she saw her feed -- and her body unhinged and opened, all dark mouth and serrated teeth, to engulf her hapless prey.
Argilla must have looked dismayed, because the man -- Gabranth? -- said, “We must feed. In our Junkard, Drace never saw fit to deny this fundamental fact.”
“I never agreed with that,” Argilla said.
The woman returned to her own shape. Her means of devouring left her clean, no blood on her hands or her mouth. “A noble sentiment,” she said, “but, ultimately, doomed.”
laylah: KH2: Welsh sheepfarming AU, Xigbar as poacher
Xigbar had been running all night -- not exactly to get away, he could have done that easily, but to get away without losing his poached (‘liberated’) deer and pheasants. He heard shouting, and slipped around into the rocky streambed, to leave them no tracks to follow to his cache.
Unfortunately, he wasn’t the only one who knew these woods well. The sheriff waited for him at the cache, and though he was a local man Xigbar knew he wouldn’t give in easy.
“Two of the pheasants to look the other way?” he tried.
“That’s not what I want,” Xaldin said.
pyrasaur: FFVII/FFXII: Red XIII in Ivalice
“What shall I call you?” Ashe asked. “In Dalmasca, we refer to your kind as hell-hounds, but that seems impolite -- “
“Call me Nanaki,” he said, “and never mind the name of my people; you are not likely to encounter any of them on this continent.”
“You are far from home,” she said, her gaze falling to the ugly brand on his thigh, cut deep into ruddy fur. He did not choose to take her hint and give her answer.
Instead he said, “We must make haste to Archades. There are tasks you must perform there, and I as well.”
derestissilence: FFVII/LOTR: Reeve/Vincent in Middle Earth
The occasion of their first meeting was not auspicious. When Reeve the Castellan arrived on the north border he found a lone Orc, firebrand in hand, expressionless as he laid the buildings to burning.
"Have done," Reeve said, "for I wish no violence, but cannot let this go unchallenged."
The Orc's visage showed sign of the elves in his twisted lineage, yet his fangs, when he bared them, were as sharp and ill-fitting as any Orc's. "A Man," he scoffed.
"And yet I am quick as a cat."
The Orc but grunted, and shook his head.
abby_sarajane: FFVII: Rufus/Tseng, where Rufus is delusional and everything is in his head.
Rufus swam in and out of consciousness, eyes sometimes closed, sometimes wide and staring, only rarely focused. Tseng spent as much time with him as he could - despite his co-workers’ raised eyebrows.
It was worth it for the times Rufus swam back to consciousness. “Tseng,” he gasped.
“I’m here.”
“Where am I?” Rufus struggled up onto his elbows. “I need to be in Junon. The planet - “
“Please,” he said, around a lump in his throat, “please, try to relax.”
Rufus shook his head. “No, I - Sephiroth --!” Then his eyes glassed over, and he was gone once more.
shunka_shuutou: FFXII: The one where Reks lives.
When Reks appeared -- supported by Vaan, one leg dragging - Basch’s chest tightened.
“I am sorry,” he said. “I am so deeply sorry.”
“It was not you,” Reks said. “I know that now.”
“Very touching,” Balthier said. “I am loathe to break up this heart-wrenching moment, but can we be on our way before we are found again?”
Vaan rolled his eyes and, once he was sure his brother was balanced, went with Balthier and Fran to discuss avenues of escape.
Reks reached out - wobbling a little on his one good leg - and put his hand on Basch’s shoulder.
elanor_pam: FFVII: Zack and Cloud as brothers; Cloud has a magic power
“What on earth kind of power is that?” Zack asked.
Cloud gave him an uncomfortable shrug. “I dunno. I guess I’ve always had it, I just didn’t realize until now.”
“So it just - when you tried it - “
“Yes. It worked. Just like…” His voice dropped. “…magic.”
“Are you going to tell mom and dad?” Zack asked.
Cloud shook his head. “No. I think they’d just think I was nuts.”
“Still,” Zack said, taking another bite, “I have to give you credit. Being able to make perfect pineapple upside-down cake in the world is a power I won’t argue with.”
qara_isuke: KH2: Mix-and-match Organization loyalties.
Larxene would likely be the death of him, for she would never forgive him for his betrayal - and she was a deadly creature at the best of times. It was only appropriate; Lexaeus would never forgive Xaldin for betraying him, though that retribution would come slow and inexorable as an avalanche rather than fast and savage as lightning.
Marluxia bore no malice toward Larxene. It was inevitable, in truth, and he was at least realistic about that fact. Verdant growth allied itself naturally to the earth, after all - just as thunder and lightning was the perfect companion to the windstorm.
lassarina: FFVII/FFXII: Elena/Tseng as spies for Vayne
“Pursue,” Tseng asked, “or wait?”
Elena cleaned her fingernails with the tip of her knifed, examined her fingernails, examined the knife. “Wait,” she finally said. “Let Ba’gamnan take care of the hard part for us and handle the questioning after.”
Tseng made an approving noise. “We must bring him in more or less whole,” he cautioned. “Doctor Bunansa will be most displeased otherwise.”
Elena sighed. “I suppose I shall have to restrain myself, then.”
“Your sacrifice will not go unnoticed,” Tseng said drily. Elena laughed. For all she had a Dalmascan mother, Tseng thought, she was Archadia-loyal to the bone.
elvaron: FFVII/KH2: Midgar overrun with Heartless
The shotgun couldn’t kill them, but it could knock the black shapes flat. While Rufus held them off, Elena and Tseng took stock of options.
“Grenades?” she asked. Her favorite one-size-fits-all solution.
“Not unless we want to fall through the floor,” Tseng pointed out. “Electricity?”
“That’s what Reno tried.” He had survived. Barely. “Flamethrower?” Elena suggested.
Tseng’s hand closed around it. He checked the fuel tank, then pressed the nozzle into her hand. “Would you like to do the honors?”
Her smile turned savage. Little fuckers think they want to invade my city, they have another thing coming. “With pleasure.”
simargl_wings: FFVII: Werewolf Turks
Full moon was the most important time, when they gathered to howl and reinforce bonds, but new moon was her favorite time.
She was never sure whether she pursued him or he her; in the end it didn’t really matter. She was slightly faster, but his pelt was inky black, and so he had the advantage of better disguise. In the moondark they chased one another, fleet foot and hearts pounding and the high hunting howl that was so different than the pack-howl. It ended when they were human again, sweaty, sometimes bloody, wound together breathless in the deep shadows.
moondark: KH2: Riku is a courtesan given as a gift to Kairi
“A slave?” Sora demanded.
“That’s what I thought,” Kairi said helplessly. “I couldn’t say no. It would have been rude. “
“What are you going to do with him?”
“I don’t know!” Kairi glanced over at the courtesan -- Riku -- who looked just as discomfited as she felt, although he was trying to hide it behind his fan.
“Maybe you should see if he’s… hungry or something?” Sora said. “I mean…”
It was as good an idea as any. “Excuse me,” Kairi said. “Would you like, um - a sandwich?”
Riku gave her a disbelieving look.
“Or something?” she added.
puella_nerdii: FFXII: Balthier and Fran as cowboys
“Nice night,” Balthier said as they lay beside the dwindling fire. The lowing of cattle in the distance lulled Fran.
“Indeed,” she said, and because she could not help herself, “a lovely night for rustlers, too, I expect.”
Balthier sighed but didn’t argue. “You want the first watch, or second?”
“First watch,” she said. “It will take you that long to sleep off your whiskey.”
“Slander,” he said comfortably, turning over in his bedroll. “Wake me for my turn.”
Fran settled back, looking up at the stars - but not before she pulled her Winchester into her lap. Just in case.
jessara40k: FFVII: Role-reversal where Aeris went mad and Sephiroth remained sane
When Sephiroth returned, wiping blood from his sword, Cloud felt a little elated and a little sick. “You - “
“It was an untenable situation,” Sephiroth said. “I have resolved it.”
“You mean she’s - “ Tifa began, and broke off.
“Aeris was quite mad,” Sephiroth said calmly, “and suffering. It was a kindness.”
“I don’t know quite what to make of you,” Tifa whispered, and Cloud couldn’t but agree. It was necessary, surely, and yet - and yet.
Sephiroth finished cleaning his sword, turned it in the light, nodded, and sheathed it. “I am what I was made to be,” he said.