the alternate universe meme.

[luft]

The Alternate Universe Meme

How To Play
1. Post with Your Character, name and canon in the subject line.
2. Feel free to mention which AUs you’re willing or not willing to play in the body of the comment.
3. Tag by rolling for an Alternate Universe setting using rng.
4. Or Tag by picking whatever AU you’d like to play in most.
5. Have fun!

Alternate Universes
i - All Human: In an All Human AU, characters who are canonically vampires, werewolves or superheroes, are now humans, with corresponding changes to their backstories.

ii - Apocalypse: A portmanteau of "apocalypse fic", apocafic is fiction set during or after some sort of apocalypse, or end of the world. Some canons carry a built-in apocalypse against which the protagonists are fighting: in apocafic, they lose. For example, apocafic in Stargate and X-Files is usually set after the alien occupation; Supernatural apocafic is set on a demon-controlled Earth.

iii - Band: An alternate universe in which the characters are members in, or form a band. Often, the instruments they plan and their roles in the band are analogous to their canon identities. For example, Tony Stark might be cast as the fame-hungry lead singer who is also a musical genius, or River Tam might be a classically trained pianist who, after a terrible experience at Julliard, writes songs for Mal Reynold's grunge rock band, Serenity.

iv - Circus: Circus AUs are a popular trope in fanfic and sometimes fanart. Using a circus as a setting means introducing the characters to each other in a close-knit community. That can help break down barriers between them and make them bond together against the outside world which may not understand them as well as the other characters do. It also brings a sense of adventure and the idea that this world may have different rules and everything is possible. A circus can also be a good place for characters to go undercover and meet the love of their lives.

v - Coffee Shop: The Barista AU (or coffeeshop AU, or the closely related bakery AU) is a popular fanfiction trope in LiveJournal fandoms. In most cases, one half of the main pairing is the barista and the other is or becomes their favorite customer; in some stories the whole cast works at a coffee shop. This trope is especially popular in fandoms where one character is very attached to coffee, either in canon or in fanon, or is frequently stressed.

vi - College/High School: College Fic is a popular genre of fanfic (less often a genre of fanart) that places characters together in college or another secondary institution such as the Starfleet Academy in Star Trek fic (then called "Academy Fic"). This can be canon stories, for example backstory if characters have or could have met during college, or College AUs, similar to High School AUs. In science fiction, historical or fantasy fandoms the present day College AU is a popular subgenre of the Modern AU that puts fantastic or historical characters in more mundane everyday settings.

vii - Cop/Detective: An alternate universe in which the characters are cast as cops or investigators of some kind. Often, the canon villain is also cast as the villain in the story. This might be set in modern times, or in a noir-like environment, complete with gangsters and femme fatales.

viii - Daemons: His Dark Materials is a fantasy trilogy by Philip Pullman. The trilogy consists of The Golden Compass (1995; published in the UK as Northern Lights), The Subtle Knife (1997), and The Amber Spyglass (2000). There are currently two companion novellas: Lyra's Oxford (2003) and Once Upon A Time In The North (2008). A movie adaptation of the first book was released in theatres in late 2007. Humans have their souls living outside their body in the form of an animal companion. Males have female souls and females have male souls. The animals often correspond to the character’s personality.

ix - Fantasy: An alternate universe populated with fantastical characters like elves, dwarves, unicorns, sorcerers, and dragons. Canon characters might be cast as analogous races (e.g. Clint Barton or Katniss Everdeen as elf archers) or they might be humans in a fantastical setting. Characters also might be able to secretly shape-shift into another form, like a dragon, and therefore is related closely to were/vampire/supernatural AUs.

x - Historical: A historical AU is a fanwork which moves characters into a different historical period than their canon setting. Typically this involves taking "contemporary" characters (from the late 20th Century or 21st Century) and putting them in an earlier historical period (such as the 19th Century or before). Popular settings for historical AUs include: Pirates, America's Old West, Britain's Regency period, Ancient Rome, a vague facsimile of medieval England such as Robin Hood, and many others.

xi - Hooker/Porn/Stripper: Hookerfic is a type of fanfic where one or more of the characters is a sex worker. There are many different types of hookerfic, ranging from more realistic depictions to the more common Pretty Woman-type fantasy of a hooker with a heart of gold, rescued from life on the streets by a client. Sex work of all kinds is portrayed—brothels, escorts, street prostitution, "call-girls" as well as strippers and go-go boys.

xii - Magic: Magic AUs are alternate universe fanworks that incorporate magic in fandoms where there is no magic present in canon. (Or in some cases, fanworks that make a canon with magic more magical.) They differ from Elf AUs in that there may be magic without any elves showing up, and are opposites of All Human and Mundane AUs.

xiii - Neighbors/Roomates: An alternate universe where the canon characters live next-door to one another, or in the same apartment building or complex, or in the same apartment. Often, this is also an all-human AU, if the canon characters are powered in some way. The forced proximity is usually used to create romantic tension between characters.

xiv - Space/Sci-Fi: A space AU is an alternate universe where a source set on Earth is transported into space; works are often referred to as "[Fandom] in SPAAAAAAAAACE!" The trope can be a form of crackfic, but often includes surprisingly serious reinterpretations of the most earthbound of sources, particularly historical fiction written or set before space exploration. Cyberpunk trappings such as robots, cyborgs and AIs are often included.

xv - Steampunk: Steampunk was originally a term for a sub-genre of speculative fiction that imitated 19th Century "scientific romances" like the work of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells. Later, the term was applied to a general aesthetic involving styles that would be "futuristic" from the perspective of the 19th Century. Steampunk appears in fanworks as both a genre and an aesthetic. There are some fandoms for which the canon is steampunk(-ish), e.g. The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne, but more often it is found as steampunk alternate universe.

xvi - Western: The Western is a genre of fiction set in the later half of the 19th century in the Western part of North America, especially the United States, but also Canada and Mexico. Sometimes also included in the genre are stories about Western-type characters and plots in other settings, e.g. "Space Westerns" (in science fiction settings) and Contemporary Westerns (set in the western part of contemporary North America).

xvii - Were/Vamp/Supernatural: A reversal of the All-Human, in these fics characters who are normally human are now supernatural creatures of some kind the most common being werewolves or vampires.

Comments

13, bitch

[gikei]

[kakashi walks straight to the table with his usual lazy face and hand in his pocket. except this time, he's got a wrapped box, and he's standing very still and staring for a very long time.

until he suddenly drops it on the table with a smile in his eye. it's been a few months, but him and obito still aren't on any decent term, so maybe this will help break them in a little...?]

Hey.

spock | star trek aos

[dow]

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III | How to Train Your Dragon

[dragonconqueror]

[phonetical]

[For what it's worth, Nyota feels bad for whoever lives next door to her and Gaila. It's bad enough living with Gaila and her tendency to pick any random guy up and bring him home, even worse when Nyota wakes up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and accidentally walks in on them going at in the shower. Again. It has to be downright hell to be the one sharing the paper-thin wall of her bedroom when she's so... vocal.

Tonight is no exception and it drives Nyota not only insane but out of the house and into the hallway, clutching her pillow to escape the coital noise that, if Nyota guesses from experience, won't end anytime soon.]

eat my tl;dr

[raleighs]

[Sometimes, Raleigh's not sure what the fuck he's doing. He'll wake up in the morning (on nights that he actually sleeps which are becoming more and more rare as the years drag on), roll over and stare at the ceiling and smoke a cigarette (or the whole pack if he can't convince himself that getting up is a good idea). Lung cancer is what killed his mom, but everyone else in the club smokes and maybe he wants something to kill him sooner rather than later. Can't get low enough that he wants to go kill himself but can't find his way out of the darkness, so he is waiting and looking for something to finally conquer him. The club's not... the most respectable thing he could be doing, there's shit he does every single day that he never thought he'd do in a million years but the club and Chau don't require anything from him except his cooperation and his fighting skills. Nobody asks him what he's feeling or thinking and he can stumble through life in a daze of drinking, fighting, riding, smoking and that works for him.

He knows one thing for sure: if Yancy knew where he'd ended up, what he was involved in right now, he'd kick his ass all the way back to Alaska. But Yancy's dead, so you don't get an opinion, brother. Little Raleigh's all grown up.

He hasn't any idea why Herc Hansen told his daughter to go find Yancy after his death. Can't remember that name ever coming up when Yancy was alive, so what the fuck did she expect from him? And he didn't appreciate some girl tracking him down, after he walked away from his old life, and asking him questions about his brother, about a guy that she never even met and he's not obligated to tell her anything.

(Once upon a time, Raleigh was an open kid, affectionate and laughing but that person died the night that he stumbled out of a wrecked car, bleeding from a gash above his eye and holy shit Yancy, Yancy wake up, Yancyyancyancy and he's never coming back)

So maybe he was rude to Chuck at first but he makes up for it over time. Gets her a job, looks out for her even if she is never aware of it, tells all the boys in the club that she isn't going to be their old lady so don't even touch her or he'd break their face. And alright, maybe she's not as awful as he originally thought, can be decent to talk to sometimes and she cooks a mean steak.

(and then there's the times she stars in his dreams and he actually wakes up with morning wood which hasn't happened to him since he was fifteen and it's a struggle not to grab her the next time he sees her and push her against the closest wall and then fuck her into it)

When she doesn't show up at his house, and doesn't answer her phone after his third call--he gets suspicious. When he calls the shop and learns that she left over an hour ago--he knows for sure. Something's wrong. Raleigh sends a text to the rest of the boys, telling that Chuck has gone AWOL before hopping on his bike and going to look for her himself. If this is some stupid prank, or she's just lost or her phone's battery died, he's going to be so fucking mad at her.

He finds her not too far down the road, though he doesn't actually realize it's her at first. Just sees that someone's down there and stops to see what the fuck is going on. Raleigh forgets how to breathe for a moment when he realizes who it is, that Chuck is beaten and bleeding in a fucking ditch.]

Shit. Shitshitshit.

[He reaches her side and then reaches for her without thinking about it, his hands drifting between the cuts on her face and the bruises on her arms and--]

What the fuck happened?

[godwish]

[ Before Kakashi enters, all Obito's done is pretty much sulking and eating chips. He doesn't look at Kakashi when he enters, until he's at the table and pulling out something that picks his interest. Obito's trying to keep it cool, but his curiosity is painfully obvious as he's staring at the wrapped box intensely, eyes following it as it drops to the table top. ]

What's that?

[ He's trying so hard to pretend he doesn't care, but he totally does. Oh my god he totally does. ]

[hummels]

Right. That's reassuring.

[ Kurt stares at him. Okay, this is definitely weird.]

And we're both sure we're not hallucinating or anything.

[literario]

Well, I did use a little magic, but I'm pretty sure it didn't get me high. I tend to avoid the brain-screwing kind of fun.

[ He motions to the books on Kurt's bed. ]

I was looking for a journal.

[dow]

[ It's beyond what most people would consider a joke, by now. Not Spock, because it was never funny to begin with and is of the opinion that the situation has only escalated from Annoying to Thoughtlessly Inappropriate Behavior on the part of his neighbors. When he took the apartment last week it had seemed the perfectly logical choice: close to his place of work, not too compact, away from the roar of the main streets.

Scientifically speaking, it's a wonder any one woman can make that kind of racket that often and not tear her vocal cords to shreds.

It's 0200 hours when he unlocks his front door with the intent of going over and banging on theirs until someone appears to deal with his ire. He won't get angry (although he simmers with resentment) at them, but this cannot continue. He has papers to finish grading. He has to sleep. Spock steps out into the corridor looking more than a little worn around the edges; a severe haircut is rumpled, his plain grey t-shirt and slacks are creased and there's a dark shadow of stubble covering him from ear to throat. ]

Pardon me. [ Startled, it doesn't especially show besides in the tightening of his brow and the way he stills. A pillow-clutching woman is so far from what he expected to see that for a moment he's thrown for what to do, reverting to manners. ] Are you alright?

[gikei]

[he takes a seat and nudges the box more into obito's direction before folding his arms in front of himself.]

Open it and find out. I hope you like it, though.

[godwish]

[ He manages to keep himself from grabbing it the instant he says it's for him. Obito huffs, casually grabbing the box and ripping the gift wrap off like the skin of his enemies. However, just before he opens the box-- ]

This ain't gonna jump at my face and kill me, is it?

[hummels]

Magic? What're you talking about?

[ And now Kurt's looking at him like he's crazy. ]

I don't own any journals.

[literario]

You know. Magic? Teleportation, alchemy, abracadabra?

[ Now he thinks Kurt is crazy. ]

Yeah, I noticed.

colette brunel ♛ tales of symphonia

[spiritua]

[phonetical]

[Each scream of the guy's name (this one happens to be Eric; Go Eric) strikes Nyota in the back of her teeth in the same way fingernails against a chalkboard does. She too wonders how Gaila can be at that volume constantly and not be the least bit hoarse in the morning. But those are questions Nyota will never ask, much less wonder about beyond irritated passing. She presses her back against a wall, directly across from her door, and slides down to the ground for a seat. She sets the pillow under her for comfort because boy, this is going to be a long night.

She's lost in her thoughts of breaking leases and not getting her half of the security fee, legs pulled up to her chest and her arms draped around them, when the the snap of a lock being turned catches her attention. Glancing up at her neighbor, she takes in the sight of him--all sleep rumpled and possibly cranky--and wonders if he's going to blame her for this.

He doesn't, but he does ask her a question she can answer.]

No.

[No need to shy away from the truth. It's obvious what's wrong.]

so this is also like roommates and i'm cheating but it's different ok

[uncurbed]

[ when pike had convinced him to enlist in starfleet, the second he'd stepped foot onto campus he'd known he was in for it. not that he thought it would be any harder than anything else he'd done with his life up to that point, but he had a gut feeling that it was going to be .. something else.

aaaand he'd been right.

he'd gotten himself registered for classes, gotten his dorm assignment. didn't tell him a thing about the guy he was rooming with, but what the hell, it didn't matter - he's been known to get along with damn near anyone and he's sure this'll be no exception.

except he hadn't expected him to be vulcan.

well all right then.

jim lingers for a small moment near the door, taking in the new digs and thinking eh, they'll do before stepping in further and setting things down on what he assumed would be his bed, papers and a couple of welcome to starfleet academy where we'll be busting your balls for the next four three years and that brand new, cleanly-pressed uniform before addressing his new roommate. who .. hadn't even bothered looking up when he came in.

okay. ] Not interrupting, am I? [ he asks, clearing his throat. not that it means much of anything, but you know. formalities or something. ]

[gikei]

Please, that's too obvious. I already took care of that with the water you drank this morning, which should start working in about an hour.

[PAUSE. smiles!!]

But by all means, continue with the box.

[all joking aside, it's a new one-eyelet mask with a design that kakashi left to its maker when he gave him a few details on obito, so. hopefully this goes over well.]

[dow]

[ A brow arches neatly, a degree of amused sympathy buried beneath his sleep-worn exterior. Padding over on bare-feet, he pauses beside her and glances to the door. ]

Fascinating.

[ That the people inside aren't being murdered, yes. He finds his attention drawn inexorably back to the woman in a neat pile on the floor and has no idea quite what to do. He's fairly certain he's seen her coming and going from the building before tonight, similarly a resident. ]

Are they refusing to answer the door? I was about to try for myself.

[hummels]

That stuff doesn't exist.

[ Well, they're definitely at odds then, because Kurt's seriously considering calling a mental hospital and explaining his situation. ]

[phonetical]

[Fascinating? What kind of reply is that? There's nothing fascinating about being run out of your own apartment in the middle of the night, especially when you have to work in the morning. Nyota can't find in her to agree.]

Don't bother. [Nyota frowns, shifting on her makeshift seat.] She's not going to answer. And I know this because I live there and I already banged on her bedroom door and nothing happened.

[literario]

How do you think I got here, genius?

i like this tag, ANOTHER

[dow]

You are, but it is of no consequence.

[ Still decked out in his instructor's greys where he sits at a desk, Spock intends for this arrangement to go as smoothly as possible, what with a shortage of rooms having been grossly over-designated this term. He doesn't want to spend the next few months pending his return to private quarters with someone else, but if he has to then he'd rather do it in the company of the late George Kirk's brilliant (on record) son. An intelligent and studious roommate is far more preferable to a mediocre student that would inevitably rile his patience the wrong way.

He places down the PADD and rises, pacing over to find himself staring into the face of the man that so far he's only seen in documents. No hand is extended in greeting, rather clasped behind his back once having offered the ta'al. ]

I am Commander Spock. Until living arrangements are appropriately revised, we shall be sharing quarters. If you find this settlement undesirable then I suggest you lodge a complaint with the housing board while there are still new cadets who have not yet arrived.

[dow]

I see. [ Not really. Well, sort of, who wants to be locked in an apartment with howling all night? There's some common sense in having left albeit not in sitting on a cold floor. ] Perhaps if we called for animal control, a suitable tranquilizer could be issued to rectify the situation.

[ The wryest of wry, deadpan jokes. No, but could they call? Hm. ]

[hummels]

I haven't got a clue. But it's not magic. That's just stupid.

[phonetical]

[It's two in the morning. Her options were limited. Very limited. It was here or be trapped in her bedroom.]

Easy. That's my roommate you're talking about. [But Nyota's smirking, not offended in the least. For all honesty, Gaila is doing a great impression of a howler monkey right now.] I'm sorry if she woke you up.