B*tch Please drabble (2015-11-29)

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Meeting my new mother for the first time–after being born again, that is–explained a lot. If Kuromaru-alpha is a very large dog, then Shiromi-mother is a giant.

Right now, Akamaru-brother and I are about the size of normal puppies, but according to what I remember, we’re going to grow to be huge. Much larger than the Haimaru-litter-packmates, larger than Kuromaru-alpha even. Well, Akamaru-brother will, at least. I’m not so sure about me. I shouldn’t even exist, after all.

“The runt has returned,” Shiromi-mother says in human language, her voice is deep and strong–no doubt corresponding to her massive lungs.

Kuromaru-alpha and the Haimaru-litter-packmates are about the size of dogs I’d seen in my previous life; like a Great Dane or a Saint Bernard, except far more ferocious looking. But Shiromi-mother was an impossibility–a dog the size of a bear!

No wonder Kiba-brother would one day be able to ride Akamaru-brother! I don’t know if I’ll get that big, too. I’m the runt, a puppy that shouldn’t have lived and a person that shouldn’t exist, I don’t know anything about my future.

“Shiromi-mother,” I say, in my small puppy voice, steeling myself for the conversation.

“Oh? The runt has something to say?” Shiromi-mother doesn’t mean to be cruel, it is how a higher ranking packmate should talk to a lower ranking one. But it’s such a deep contrast from what I remember of my own mother, that I can’t help but feel hurt.

“I don’t want to be a breeder,” I say, as calmly as I can, even though this is something that twists me up inside. I want to do what’s best for the Inuzuka clan, and any female–even a runt–is something precious, a future mother to continue the line. And, well, it’s true I am scared–the world is a dangerous place, and Inuzuka familiars are expected to keep up with their human counterparts.

But I don’t want to just be some puppy-making machine, no matter how well treated breeders are. I want to be able to change the world–or at least help keep my part of it safe.

“I want to be a ninken!”

~

A/N: Realized it was midnight and scrounged together a tiny scene from B*tch Please. Hehehehe, it’s pretty fun.

Dreaming of S(ake), a DoS remix drabble (2015-11-28)

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“You never sleep?” Shikako asks one night, mind calmed and cleared after a session in the sand cocoon. It makes her braver or, more likely, less concerned about manners; she’s basically cuddling the Kazekage, such a thing would require bravery and rudeness both.

Gaara’s hand in her hair stills, briefly, before resuming its path across her scalp. “I doze, sometimes,” he says, pausing as if to better articulate his thoughts, “I’m told it’s more of a meditative state than actual sleep, though.”

Shikako hums, part acknowledgement part contentment.

“When I was younger, I used to be able to sleep for short amounts of time before…” he trails off. Before Shukaku would take over, he doesn’t need to say, “After that, I was trained in ways to stay awake.”

“How old were you then?” She asks, already reaching for his free hand to intertwine their fingers.

“Four years old.”

—

Their conversation ends at that, though they remain curled together on the sofa for an hour more, before one of the Sand ANBU equivalents comes to the office and Gaara must resume his duties as Kazekage.

It sticks with her, though, a glimmering shard of thought not quite distracting her but definitely tugging at her attention throughout the day. Not so much the tragedy of it, as coldhearted as that might be, but rather the implications that come from it.

If Gaara used to be able to sleep as a child, when people’s strength of will are raw and untrained, then that means there was something else preventing Shukaku from taking over. Some part of his jinchuuriki seal that protected him as a toddler but could not anymore as he grew. Something that had weakened or degraded over the course of three years.

Something she might be able to fix.

But she holds on to that idea for a little while longer. She doesn’t have enough information yet.

—

Technically, she shouldn’t have access to this information–despite the alliance, she’s still distinctly a Konoha nin– but, well, it’s not like she’s reading a file she shouldn’t. She’s just plying the Elders of Suna with alcohol in hopes that they’ll be willing to answer her questions.

“Our livers are going to rot and it’s all your fault,” Kankurou hisses at her, before downing another saucer of sake at Chiyo-baa-sama’s demand.

“You’re the one who wanted free booze,” Shikako shoots back between gritted teeth, a parody of a smile as she also throws back a saucer of her own. Ebizo-jii-sama has not stopped laughing for the past ten minutes.

“This is a terrible plan,” he adds, yet again, before steeling himself for another round.

She doesn’t respond because she already knows that, but like hell she’s going to agree out loud. Especially not where the elderly siblings can hear it.

It’s not that she thought she could outdrink and trick answers out if them. She knows better than that, Sakura’s almost haunted look as she told the kunoichi group about Tsunade-sama’s drinking habits and Jiraiya-sama’s own ridiculous competence while intoxicated has taught Shikako better than that. But she figured free sake would make them, if not pliant, then pleased enough to indulge her questions.

Instead she is going to die of liver poisoning. Well, at least Kankurou is going down with her.

—

Three hours and an unspeakable number of empty sake bottles later, Shikako has joined Ebizo-jii-sama with giggling of her own. She doesn’t know what she’s laughing at, just that it’s very funny.

“And then I said. I said to myself. And I said to Temari. I said,” Kankurou rambles, cheeks flushed red, “I… What was I saying?”

Shikako bursts into another fit of giggles, the elderly siblings adding cackling of their own. Their poor, patient server looks utterly resigned with life; Shikako has to remember to give him a big tip.

“Chiyo, Ebizo,” a low voice says, just the smallest hint of amusement overtop the monotone.

And now the server looks a strange mixture of relieved and nervous.

“Hey! It’s Gaara!” Kankurou shouts, completely unnecessarily, “I was telling them about. I was saying. I said…” He looks around confused, as if the rest of his sentence would reveal itself to him, “Gaara’s here, Sparky!” He announces instead.

“Kankurou,” Gaara nods at his brother, a small curve edging onto his mouth, “Shikako.”

“Gaara’s here, Theater Nerd,” she agrees with Kankurou solemnly.

“And Baki,” he adds.

“Yes, and Baki,” she repeats. They both laugh.

“The two of you can take care of these drunks,” Chiyo-baa-sama doesn’t ask, just states as fact.

“Kids these days just don’t know how to handle alcohol,” Ebizo-jii-sama shakes his head, “Though for a Leaf nin, I guess she did well enough.”

As the two Elders stand to leave, Chiyo-baa-sama affectionately slaps Kankurou upside the head and tugs on Shikako’s braid. “We’ll have training tomorrow morning, brat. As for you, Leaf, I’ll answer your questions then. If you show up, that is. But I’m sure you two can handle a measly hangover,” she cackles before leaving with her brother.

The first smidgeon of doom trickles through their inebriated minds. They turn to each other.

“We’re going to die for real, Sparky,” Kankurou whispers–or tries to, it ends up more like shouting.

Shikako hides behind her braid. Unsurprisingly, it is ineffective.

They laugh again.

“Please, Kazekage-sama, Baki-san,” the server says, desperate, as if it were his dying wish, “Please take them away.”

Impassive, Baki picks up his ex-student in a fireman’s carry, before disappearing in a blur of speed–combining Kankurou’s transportation with his punishment. Very efficient, Baki.

Shikako says as much. Gaara, thankfully, is far more gentle with her; the two of them sitting on a platform of sand, him carefully holding her so she doesn’t fall off.

By the time they get to her inn, she’s already halfway asleep. Thankfully, this isn’t the first time he’s put her to bed, and likely it won’t be the last.

“Stay,” Shikako mumbles, grabbing his sleeve. Her eyes are closed, so she doesn’t see Gaara hesitate. He doesn’t sleep, but he settles beside her soon enough.

~

A/N: So I was stuck in a car for about ten hours and wrote this on my phone. I only just got back to my laptop now.

Um… this was yet another attempt at properly filling @byebyebriar’s prompt that derailed itself from my original goal. This time, courtesy of Theater Nerd and Sparky’s drunken shenanigans and the Elders of Suna sadistic tendencies.

Also! Do I mean English “sake” as in purpose or do I mean Japanese “sake” as in the rice wine? WHO KNOWS? I certainly don’t.

omg that was the cutest. Kakashi was just shut down and someone is going to die because of Shikamaru. Hopefully you’ll continue! Thank you!

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🙂 Thanks!

I mostly wanted to take Kakashi out of play because there’s no way Shikako can keep her dating life a secret from him if he really wanted to. But my inner IrukaxKakashi shipper was like, now is your chance to do some super subtle completely unnecessary foundation, and I just obeyed like the weak-willed person I am.

It’ll take a while longer for the continuation (if there is one) mostly because I need to let it stew a bit in my head. Hopefully equally cute/hilarious things will shake out.

I absolutely enjoy your DOS snippets! Here’s a prompt for you, you wonderful creature: Shikako, after a long and brutal battle, can’t absorb her detached shadow self into herself again for some reason, and Gaara is the only one who succeeds in putting her back together. Happy writing!

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Yay! 🙂 Dreaming of Sunshine is a fun sandbox to play with, but it’s still nice to hear that other people like what I come up with.

Ooh, okay… hm… this one’s a little trickier, so the turnaround time won’t be anywhere as quick as the anon prompt response. But this is an excellent Dreaming of S(omething) drabble idea, thanks for sending it my way!

Don’t Hold Back, a DoS prompt response drabble (2015-11-27)

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They were practically legends, despite their age. The Lucky Sevens’ infamy turning into something more like mythos, like the Sannin in their youth except, somehow, more. More faith, more impossibilities, more potential: the three Sages of Konoha–Uzumaki, Uchiha, and Nara; Toad, Hawk, and Deer.

Of course, to each other, they’re still just the same dorky kids who turned training into games and despite all efforts still had no idea what was under their sensei’s mask.

Which meant that, when Shikako–normally so unflappable–opted out of team Ichiraku that night, then started blushing when they asked why, it was like waving a red flag in front of a bull. Or a face mask in front of a group of curious teenagers.

Of course Naruto and Sasuke were going to snoop around.

Unfortunately for them, Shikako was much better at sneaking around than either of them.

Which meant they would need reinforcements.

—

Kakashi-sensei, being overly fond of messing with his cute little genin (despite none of them being genin anymore, or little) was all for joining them. But, being the Rokudaime Hokage in charge of the entire village, that meant that he couldn’t.

“But shouldn’t a Hokage be invested in the people of Konoha?” He asked, almost coyly, eyes curved in an unmistakeable smile.

“No,” Iruka-sensei responded implacably, setting yet another stack of scrolls on the desk.

And that was that.

—

Their next recruitment was a lot more successful. Not enthusiastically so, but that word never really could be applied to Shikamaru, even if it did have to do with his twin sister.

“And you’re sure it’s not anything official?” Shikamaru asked, just to confirm. It wouldn’t be the first time Team Seven dragged him into something which the paperwork ninja spoke of in horrified whispers.

“She said no to ramen! And she was blushing!” Naruto answered, in a rather unhelpful manner.

A quirk of Shikamaru’s eyebrow had Sasuke clarifying, “It was pretty unusual. She wouldn’t say what she was doing instead, just that she had already made plans with someone else.”

“Hm,” Shikamaru pondered, hands curved into his meditative gesture, “We’ll need someone with more intel.”

“Your dad?” Naruto asked, both thrilled and intimidated at asking the elder Nara for help.

“No way,” Shikamaru snorted, “We’ll need Ino.”

—

Given the fact that Ino is Shikako’s best friend, it stood to reason that she would know exactly what was going on with Shikako.

Then again, given that same fact, it also made sense that Ino wouldn’t share that information without Shikako’s consent. Even to her brother and teammates.

In this case, especially to her brother and teammates.

With a series very unsubtle facial and hand movements, Sasuke was convinced to use his charms on Ino to get her to talk.

She just laughed right in their faces.

“Oh, Sasuke-kun, you will always have a place in my heart,” she said, before patting his cheek the way one would a small child or a beloved pet, “But you really are not cut out for seduction missions.

"Although–just because I know it’ll be hilarious to see what you dumb boys do–I’ll tell you this,” she said, smile bright and devious, “It’s not a matter of what Shikako is doing, but rather a who.”

“What?” Naruto asked, confused.

“What.” Sasuke said, flatly.

“WHO?” Shikamaru practically seethed.

Instead of answering, Ino just laughed again, tossing her blonde hair and relishing in the triumph of knowing something someone else doesn’t.

~

A/N: A little late, but considering my sleep schedule is all messed up, not too bad? Also, a surprising short turn-around time on this one.

A response to this anonymous prompt. And though it doesn’t completely fill it, I thought this would be fun. Actually, I may continue this later so as to fill the rest of the prompt, but I quite liked this silly mystery set up. 

Anyway, I hope you and your friend enjoy, anon!

edit: now titled “Don’t Hold Back” as a little nod towards the Scooby Doo theme song. Having a title does mean I’m more likely to visit a series so… take that as you will…

edit2: added to Dreaming One Shots

Me and my friend were debating this and I decided that you were one of the really good writers for drabbles for DOS. So here’s this prompt: Shikako starts dating, and Team 7 (Naruto, Sasuke, Kakashi), Shikamaru, and Shikaku make it their life mission to stop it. (Bonus if one of the guys vying for her attention is Gaara and another is Kiba because his mom said so and Shikako is pretty so why not?)

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Thanks! I’m flattered you think so, and I’m glad you and your friend enjoy my writing.

This does sound like a very appealing prompt and I immediately know what I would like to do with it, so hopefully I will get to it very soon. Thanks for the prompt 🙂

edit: filled here, and may turn into a series titled “Don’t Hold Back” 

Cross-Post: Richie Todd Wayne Goes To Paris, Brainstorm (2015-10-06)

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jacksgreysays:

A/N1: I guess I bit off more than I could chew for this story, it’s collapsed under it’s own weight. Rather, there’s too much set up for not enough plot in return. So below is the brainstorming/outlining/ranting of my thoughts regarding this fic. I dunno. Maybe I’ll come back to it, but probably not? I was a little overeager yesterday.

Again, Richie Todd Wayne is from @mgnemesi‘s babyfic verse.

Technically, this is a cross-post, only because when I thought I was going to write it I transcribed all of my thoughts onto an lj post for safekeeping.

So, original here. Dated 2015-10-06.

—

Because babyfic verse didn’t explicitly go the route of JayTim (though mgnemesi wanted to) and there was some consideration for JayKon, at least temporarily, my brain extrapolated and went–what if that’s because Tim leaves?

So it starts with the dysfunctional first impressions take two with baby– the fact that Jason trusts the baby with Damian of all people. And sure it’s actually because Jason and Damian have history, but to Tim it seems like “I would rather hand this baby over to a literal assassin than trust him with you.” And maybe Tim takes it as a remark on himself–I wasn’t really going to nerve strike him, but am I so suspicious/untrustworthy that you think I would do that to a baby?

And of course Alfred wants Richie to be raised in Wayne Manor, but Jason obviously has issues with the family. But this is even before Bruce has been brought back, so it’s only Dick and Damian in the Manor (because Tim has moved out–he’s not going to live with Damian)… so maybe it’s like. Jason is more comfortable in the Manor when Tim isn’t there–so Tim interprets it in a way that says, he is not trusted with the baby.

Since it is during the Red Robin arc, Tim is out of Gotham for the most part, anyway so it’s not a deliberate avoidance. During which, Jason and Richie are already pretty settled in the manor. Until he brings back Bruce.

Obviously it’s tense at first, but then it becomes clear that Jason’s not killing people because he’s got a baby! And, really, that’s all that Bruce wanted so it’s fine. So Bruce welcomes him back (never mind that it’s Bruce returning). Jason is also tense, but being a father has given him perspective–he’s not so angry or out of control–so they reconcile.

Meanwhile, Tim is like… they’re a happy family now. Without me. So he just jets. Since Bruce is back he doesn’t need to be Wayne Enterprise’s CEO/poster-boy. But he thrives when he’s necessary, so he tries to come up with more jobs he can fulfill.

So he starts with expansion of WE and Batman Inc into Canada, sees how everyone gets along without him. How quickly they are to take over/distribute his territory/patrols. How utterly unnecessary he is in Gotham.

Likewise he’s not needed with the Titans because they’re a Robin thing and he’s not Robin anymore. Sure they didn’t like him at first, but everyone collectively mellows out and begin to get along. Especially since they are JLA light. And while Tim never wants to be Batman, the others are still in line of succession and it just makes sense for Batman in training to be on a team with the other JLA in training.

So there’s really no need for him to go back (which he interprets as, he can’t go back).

While Tim interprets the family as not needing him, so he does other things elsewhere, the family interprets his actions as him being so swamped/busy. So they try to lessen his load. Like, Bruce took back the CEO position for WE because he thought Tim was being overworked–instead Tim saw it as, of course, I’m just a placeholder. Now I don’t have WE or Robin, I have to make a place for me. It’s a spiral. Everyone thinks he’s moved on from them, when in fact it’s Tim thinking I should leave before you kick me out.

And a lot of that mentality spills over. Once he establishes a team in Canada (as both Batman Inc. and JLA International, because he knows there are some metahumans and he does not discriminate, also, double the financing), he sees that they’re functioning well, that they can run without him. He’s unnecessary again [there’s definitely some influence from saccarines’ fic Correspondence].

He goes back to Gotham after establishing the Canadian team, sees how well they function without him, decides to go where he’s needed–i.e. establishing teams in Europe.

Europe does weird things to Tim–he broke a lot of laws there, it’s an older place, and the ways of world are different. Magic, not metahumans [Ladybug and Chat Noir?!]. The teams he assemble aren’t as wide-eyed innocent and stalwart as the North American teams. They’re darker, somehow–not that Gotham, world capital of the criminally insane isn’t dark as well, but the vigilante culture is so controlled by Bruce’s lofty standards that, in comparison, Tim’s European Batman Inc teams are more shades of gray and subtlety.

He’s pretty established as the voice/face of Batman Inc in Europe. London, Paris, Berlin, Athens (WE stimulates economy, Batman Inc protects the people). He’s not really the boss, but he has the most experience and he is the one who established them. He made them to function independently of him… mostly he floats between them, acting as an intermediary between HQs or them and mafia. He can’t get a foothold in Italy because the mafia are so established, but maybe he makes deals with them occasionally (more of that sketchy gray area). He probably does have some dealings with Ra’s al Ghul, but that’s really minimal to the story.

He very rarely goes back to Gotham–less and less frequently as time goes by–and definitely never the Manor when Jason and Richie are there. Because he doesn’t want Jason to feel like his home is unsafe, not realizing that the Manor should also be Tim’s home. He makes himself busy, makes himself necessary elsewhere. Avoids the entire family.

ANYWAY

Richie goes to Paris when he’s thirteen because he’s frustrated. When is he going to be Robin? Damian has officially become Batman and Richie was always going to be his Robin. He’s already had a lot of training because he literally was raised by all of the Batmen, Robins, Batgirls (Aunt Cass visits AT LEAST once a year, which is more than Tim does, because she’s not a neurotic mess of self esteem issues).

It’s been over a decade since Tim has come home/interacted with the family not in a professional capacity–either WE or BI [although, he did have Cass come over and help train his Europe teams].

Richie’s a little nervous around Tim because, with everyone else, his other “teachers” are just his family. He’s grown up with them–Aunt Stephanie was the one to buy him waffles before teaching him how to stitch a wound closed. His Dad taught him how to wire a bomb but still makes sure he doesn’t watch R-rated movies. But with Tim, it’s this stranger. And the thing is, they don’t really talk about him in the Manor. You don’t really talk about people unless they’re present in some way… maybe Richie grew up on stories of Red Robin/the third Robin (what, with Jay and Kon having had a thing a few years ago) but it’s not prevalent in his life. He’s a lingering ghost in the Manor, and even in the Titans Tower.

So Richie’s nervous, but Tim of course interprets that as “Oh, he hates me.” Because why wouldn’t he? As far as Tim knows, this is Richie, the son of Jason who hates his Replacement. The boy who’s in love with/going to be Robin of Damian, who hates his predecessor and literally tried to kill him.
But of course Jason doesn’t hate Tim, he’s just really fucking awkward around him. And… well, I don’t necessarily want it to also be DamiTim, but that is a possibility (and I’m always a sucker for DamiTim, or at least theoretically DamiTim–Tim is building Batman Inc, and Batman is now Damian. He’s building Damian’s empire).

But Richie has a crush on Damian… I want Richie to have a happy ending, but having your first love requited, especially when it’s for a man who will be your mentor/vigilante partner isn’t exactly going to lead to a happy ending for Richie… definitely one-sided Richie x Damian.

Richie is a good boy. He’s all of the hope of Robin within him. He is loved by his family and is all of their good traits. So when Tim is feeling low, saying that he can learn better from someone else, Richie replies with “They’re not you.”
Tim doesn’t think he’s part of the family, while Richie is the baby of the family. So there’s this gulf between them–the one who (thinks he) is unloved and the child who is most loved.

Richie is a lovable boy–and Tim doesn’t have any problem with training this boy. He’s going to be a Robin that Damian Wayne needs. That Damian Wayne wants. And Tim will do anything in his power to help make someone needed/wanted. Dick was also very lovable–loving and being loved, as was Jason whose love burned and was passionate and invited reciprocation, Stephanie loved easily, strongly, and it was easy to love her in turn, Damian of course would be loved. Tim thinks he wasn’t loveable–he loved but wasn’t loved in turn.

Training starts with undercover stuff, because it is the one thing that Tim is the best at amongst the family. It’s something that the European branches take pride in because they are more subtle, and it gives them a way to seem more than they are (each team is really three or four people, but each person has multiple identities so they seem larger), it’s their specialty. So at first Tim teaches Richie that, because he doesn’t know what else to do.
And after a week, Tim expects Richie to be bored and want to go home. Except, no Richie wants to stay, “I still have so much to learn from you.” And Tim’s just like… “Really? Like what? But… okay?” And he’s scrambling around trying to find what else to teach Richie–he doesn’t want to teach him the wrong thing, doesn’t want to ruin this Robin to be.

But he’s good at this. He basically raised Kon and Bart, he’s been training teams since he was a teenager himself, his self made job is to create and train teams to independence. He’s good at it. So long as Tim doesn’t get distracted by holding himself up to the ideal of Robin, he’s a really good teacher. He get’s more comfortable with Richie and vice versa, and then a month passes.

And Tim really doesn’t have anything else to teach him. But then they stumble upon this conflict. Because Tim thought he’d be gone after a week, and the family thought maybe a month but definitely after he’s done with training. Whereas Richie is like–I’m going to stay here forever, or at least until they let me be Robin.

At which point Tim is like… are you holding yourself hostage? And they discuss the philosophies of Robin. It’s something that Tim has been different about in regards to the role. With Dick it was “I want to help fight crime.” With Jason it was “I now have the power to do good.” With Stephanie, she was going to fight crime regardless, as Spoiler, but as Robin she’s Bat-sanctioned, Bat-trained, “I am getting the authority.” With Damian, Robin was a step to Batman–a Batman in training role.

But with Tim, he stepped up to be Robin because someone needed to step up to be Robin. Robin needs to exist as a complementary role to Batman–regardless of who fills the suit or what comes after.

It helps Richie understand Tim. Because it’s about being whatever Batman needs. And that’s why Tim is so messed up, because when he had Robin taken away from him he took that as a sign that he was not needed. Whereas Richie is raised with all these people, constantly reassuring him that he’s loved and that he doesn’t have to join the family business. And if he doesn’t he knows he will still be loved. His place is solid in the family, and that’s something that Tim doesn’t realize about family.

Tim tells him to go home. Don’t be so eager to be Robin right now. Or rather, be the Robin that they need. Right now Damian doesn’t need someone to fight beside him. He doesn’t need a Robin on the streets, he needs someone who will be there for him. It’s his first year as Batman and he needs to establish himself as a hero in his own right before he becomes a mentor, he needs time. So maybe what he needs from Richie is to give him that time… and Richie accepts that. He’s not as desperate to be Robin, he’s patient.

But Richie personally still needs to learn. Which Tim acknowledges as true. After all, Tim did a training trip with Shiva and so maybe Richie needs something similar. So Time is like… how much time do you have until school? Another month? Well for this month, you’ll be operating in Europe. It’ll be a taste of what it’s like to be an operative. Then the adventures of Richie Todd Wayne as Egg. And afterwards, Richie goes home, settled and stronger. Ready for Robin, but willing to wait.

… Except he bonded with Tim, and he knows how lonely Tim is, how unsure of his place in the family is. So he wants to bring him home (which is, basically what Alfred was trying to do from the start by sending Richie to Tim)… so Richie pulls a Parent Trap for Jason and Tim… or something like that.

—

A/N2: Uh… so yeah. I actually did all of brainstorming verbally in an hour long voice recording while I was stuck in traffic. There was a lot of cussing… and me yelling out OBLIGATORY TIM FEELS like… six times. Basically… I had a lot of feelings yesterday.

OH NO! So I was delving into the Miraculous Ladybug wiki (as I am wont to do when getting sucked into new fandoms) and I stumbled upon the Quantic Kids aka the original superhero team concept before the creators settled on the idea of the kwami and having only a Ladybug and Chat Noir duo.

Mostly, I saw the three/four “abandoned” characters and mourned because they had pretty cool character designs. In particular, I really liked Sparrow and how “normal human trying to fight crime without magic/superpowers” he looked. As in, a perfect candidate for Batman Inc–even his superhero name is thematic.

Basically, given that Mercury is a speedster, there is a Kid Mime with (most likely) telepathy power, and Melodie whose outfit and weapon frankly look super badass, I figure the “abandoned” Quantic Kids members would be almost a blast from the past for Tim; a lot of Young Justice vibes. It probably explains why he’s more fond of the team and prefers his Paris apartment even though–numbering at six with Chat Noir and Ladybug included–their team would be the largest and wouldn’t need Tim as an auxiliary, part-time member.

I mean, I guess what I’m trying to say is that if I were to revisit Richie Todd Wayne Goes To Paris it would definitely be a DCU x Quantic Kids crossover sort of thing more than it’s original DCU with some Miraculous Ladybug cameos. Like, Richie would be an outsider POV for the team, and they would be an outsider POV for the whole Wayne family drama thing.

Outliving The Ruins, 2/? (2015-11-26)

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When she was younger and far more reckless with her magic, the Fairy Godmother was once called the Blue Fairy.

Like most other elements, Air has a specialization, too–but where Earth has Metal and Fire has Lightning, Air has more in common with Water. Water which can heal, which can turn a person’s blood against them.

Water is the body, but Air is the spirit.

She brought a wooden puppet to life once.

Surely she can bring a daughter into this world, too.

“Please,” she whispers, holding the still, tiny body to her chest, “Please.”

On a moonless night, several hours after her birth, Jane breathes her first breath.

—

The last Avatar was originally an Earth bender, a masterful one at that. From a stone, he gathered and extracted all of its metal and formed a magical sword. The sword that would one day choose Arthur as king.

That Avatar had trained Arthur, had brought him to the Spirit World, bestowed upon him a wisdom that would one day unite all of Albion into a single kingdom.

Of course, that union lasted only for a very short time, the separate kingdoms splitting apart not long after King Arthur’s death. Earth endures, but the loss of his student had the Avatar retreating into isolation for the rest of his long life.

Merlin died only a few years after seeing Albion reunited under a new name.

Mal was born with the impossible conviction that she would one day return to her rightful place–beside the king of Auradon.

—

Ben remembers being small and sitting between his parents. He remembers the smell of old books and the warm sunlight shining through the library’s windows. He remembers the way they looked at each other, soft and in love.

He remembers hearing about their story–from them, from his grandfather, from the rest of the household–and thinking that one day he’d like to fall in love, too; to love someone so much as to defy society.

Except he also remembers the way everyone would gloss over just how his father survived Gaston’s attacks. He remembers how his mother would only play in the snow with him and Chip, always with a secretive smile on her lips.

He remembers, fuzzily, being sick for such a long time–no manner of medicine able to cure him–and finally recovering under his mother’s cool, glowing hands.

Bending is dangerous–the other royal families say–except for the Fairy Godmother, benders are villains in waiting.

It’s been a decade since Ben saw his mother. It’s been a decade since Ben learned his father was a coward.

~

A/N: Related to this previous drabble. I guess you can consider this the Auradon side.

I’m not very keen on the Merlin section but… mreh. And, I know Albion is only meant to be the United Kingdom but in this weird amalgamated, modern-day-set Disney world, I figure it wouldn’t be too out there to imply that Albion = medieval Auradon…

As for the Ben+parents’ section, uh… given what we see of Beast/Adam and Belle in the movie, I figure that if Belle were a waterbender (healing tears, snow fight, etc) and Beast/Adam were under pressure from the other royal families well. Even though Beauty and Beast’s “evil” was human arrogance, the other kingdoms suffered under magical/bending villains.

EDIT: NOW WITH TITLE “OUTLIVING THE RUINS”

Could you do a ShikakoxKakashi that is completely accidental? Like somehow, out of no where, Shikako seemed very pretty? And Kakashi’s horrible habits somehow become endearing and charming? And it’s all very WTF on both sides?

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I don’t sh– hm… well… I mean, I guess if it’s–but they– hm…

HMMMM…

Okay, so I am a multi-shipper at heart and, unrelated, I am always fascinated in trying to mesh two different fandoms into a cohesive crossover/fusion. So it’s not entirely out of my interests to ponder how two people would function in a romantic relationship.

That being said, I’m also extremely wary of ships that have inherent problems–such as a teacher-student pair becoming lovers (long story short, I once played with fire and sort of shipped a thing which I knew going in was problematic, but didn’t realize until after I clawed my way out of the fandom just how problematic it was)

It’s not the age difference that bothers me (because, if I’m going to continue being candid, I’ve shipped things with bigger age gaps) but rather the power imbalance that a teacher-student relationship represents. Even if Shikako is no longer Kakashi’s student, being promoted to tokubetsu jounin, that’s still the basis which their relationship is built on–he’s teaching her kenjutsu and helping with her sensing, etc.

Like, not that I do ship it, but I’m less squicked with the idea of ShikakoxAoba than I am with ShikakoxKakashi, even though they’re the same age. Because Aoba, while taking a mentor-like role, is more of a “senpai” than a “sensei.” Yes, he helps her out and yes, he’s teaching her the way of an Intel ninja, and yes, she does follow his lead. But she could and has refused his orders (arguably, if you consider him asking about her missions as orders) and it’s a very finite mentorship–it’s more like on the job-training than an open-ended teaching of life skills like Kakashi. (Oh no, have I convinced myself to ship ShikakoxAoba?)

THAT BEING SAID, while I am reluctant to ship ShikakoxKakashi as they are in DoS canon, I am wondering at the possibility of shipping them in a AU/alternate dimension/time-travelling sort of situation.

Now that I ponder it in a non-DoS-canon context, I can immediately think of two ways to do it:

1) older!Shikako x canon!Kakashi (via diagonal dimension travel)

Shikako falls diagonally into a different Naruto dimension, possibly canon so she doesn’t exist, and preferably aged up enough to about… Anko/Shizune’s age, maybe? (A little like @ladyhallen’s DoS Switch) She doesn’t land in or anywhere near Konoha, but she does end up thankfully close to where Jiraiya currently is; a Jiraiya who is a month away from heading to Konoha because the Chuunin exams are going to be held there.

With some persistence and hella ridiculous amounts of fuinjutsu discussion, Jiraiya believes her and agrees to take her on as a sort of apprentice in order to stop all of the horrible shit that will otherwise go down without her there. So they get there, a little earlier than Jiraiya would have done by himself, and so Kakashi meets Jiraiya’s newest student–the woman who dared to take the place of his idolized sensei.

At first, they do not get along. Kakashi because he can be an immature jerk and Shikako because she has literally never been on the wrong side of Kakashi’s ire. But it does differentiate canon!Kakashi enough from her sensei DoS!Kakashi, that I don’t feel weird about shipping them (even though, at first, Shikako probably is greatly bewildered by these sorts of feelings for someone who is literally a carbon copy of her sensei). Obviously, Shikako shows how much of a total badass she is and saves a good chunk of Konoha lives in general, but his students’ lives in particular that Kakashi just kind of drops all of his hostility towards her.

And thus begins the weirdest courtship between two mostly apathetic people in existence.

2) Shikako x younger!Kakashi (via linear time travel)

Insert fuinjutsu experiment gone horribly awry, Shikako ends up back in time. Specifically, during the Third Shinobi World War. Even more specifically, when certain teenaged Konoha ninja are being attacked by adult Iwa ninja. Acting mostly on instinct, she saves them and only later realizes that she has greatly shifted the timeline by preventing a) Rin’s kidnapping, b) Kakashi’s eye injury, c) Obito’s almost-death… so on and so forth, Madara no longer has a convenient Uchiha body to do his bidding, and so no attack during the Naruto’s birth, no Kyuubi rampage, no Uchiha almost-coup and subsequent massacre, etc, etc.

But before that, all she knows is that she’s landed in the middle of a war and the only person she trusts is an asshole teenager who has no idea who she is.

Given her obvious Nara looks, and some more persistence+fuinjutsu discussion, and the fact that she saved his students’ lives Minato totally (re)instates her as a Konoha ninja, in particular as a fifth member of their team. Anyway, it’s actually more like the fourth member of the Kakashi+Obito+Rin team since, being the Yellow Flash and all, Minato is called away to missions completely out of his students’ league and most solid teams have four members.

Cue a bewildered and stranded-out-of-time Shikako interacting with Team Minato and there are definitely opportunities for shipping there.

(Although, I’d be a little concerned that it overlaps too much with @langwrites’ Catch Your Breath. Not that Shikako and Keisuke are the same, but rather if you want to read about an SI!OC kicking ass and taking names in the Kakashi Gaiden era, you really should be reading that. It’s great)

edit: i’m weak and began writing this idea in “Gambling Away The Past.” it may turn into a series–i don’t know.

There are probably many more, but those two are the ones that spring to mind right now as ways I would be comfortable in even trying. I know this doesn’t really fill your prompt, but I don’t think I can do a proper one–both the ideas above are pretty big fic as I imagine them, and I don’t quite have the chops to pull either one of them off yet :/

However, if anyone else would like to adopt one of the ideas and run with it (or even further discuss what these potential fic would entail) then I would be more than happy to help out with that. I love brainstorming fic and would honestly be happy to see anon’s prompt get filled by someone, even if that person is not me.