Kayoubi ✎ "What If?" Scenarios (Canon Divergence)

[creepy_shetan]

Hey there, creepy_shetan here. =^.^= I'd warn you to beware pointy objects and violent betrayal, but my Ides of March has been pleasantly sunny, almost as if it were lulling me into a false sense of security...

Today's theme: "what if?" scenarios. Prompts don't have to include the phrase "what if," however it would be helpful if prompts were written to complete the question. Any form of canon divergence, whether it's a radically different AU or not, is welcome today.

A reminder of the rules:

✦ Use the full names of the fandom(s) and character(s) in your prompts
✦ No more than five prompts in a row per day
✦ No more than three prompts per fandom per day
✦ If one or more of your prompts is filled today, then you may prompt again
✦ Include a clear warning for any possible triggers in prompts and fills
✦ For prompts, no spoilers until one month after the airdate/release (use a spoiler tag to hide part or all of the text)
✦ For fills, warn for spoilers clearly, and either leave blank space before the text or hide the text under a spoiler tag

Please remember to use the proper format for prompts.
➔ ➔ ➔ Fandom [/ Crossover], Character [+ or / Relationship], Prompt
Again, please include the full names of the fandom(s) and character(s). This is so that unfilled prompts can easily be added to the Lonely Prompts Spreadsheet and be found through manual search.

Examples:

For a single fandom:
✧ Star Wars, General Hux + or / Kylo Ren, Hux found Ren as Starkiller fell but before he fought Rey and Finn
✧ Gundam (any 'verse), any, a pilot (took the mobile suit and) defected to an enemy side

For multiple fandoms / crossovers:
✧ Marvel: Deadpool/X-Men (movie 'verse), Wade Wilson + any, the studio was able to afford more than two X-Men (and a discount bundle of Westchester shots and Wolverine references)

We are now using AO3 to keep track of filled prompts. If you fill a prompt and (cross-)post it to AO3, please add your story to the Bite Sized Bits of Fic from 2016 collection. More information on this can be found here.

If the plot bunnies aren’t biting you today, feel free to check out our Lonely Prompts Spreadsheet (ever a work in progress) or the community's archive calendar. Another prompt archive (and recent work in progress by comm members) is here. You can also find prompts to write (and fills to read) with LJ’s advanced search options by limiting keyword results to comments posted in this community. (We exist on delicious as well, but it's rather dusty.)
While the above are available options, the simplest method might be to bookmark prompts that you like as you find them and return later when inspiration strikes.

Have fun, everyone~! ❤


tag="What If"

Comments

[creepy_shetan]

Star Wars, General Hux + or / Kylo Ren, Hux found Ren as Starkiller fell but before he fought Rey and Finn

[creepy_shetan]

Gundam (any 'verse), any, a pilot (took the mobile suit and) defected to an enemy side

Fill: Gundam Wing

[nagi-schwarz.livejournal.com]

Quatre should have known. He was both strategist and tactician. He'd made it a point to get to know the other pilots as much as possible, hacking their personnel files and training vids, learning as much as he could about them. It was difficult, with Heero and Duo and Trowa, because they hadn't had families or formal schooling, and records on them were sparse. If any of the Gundam pilot were going to truly defect to OZ, it was going to be one of them. They had weaker ties to the colonies, to the cause.

He should have known it was going to be Trowa. Duo and Heero were at least both definitely colony-born. Heero had been raised by a man dedicated to a cause. Duo had been raised with a cause of his own – survive. Be loyal to your friends. He'd named himself after his best friend. Trowa – he'd been raised by mercenaries. His only cause was the fight. And like a good mercenary, a smart mercenary, he fought for the highest bidder.

Quatre's heart broke all the same the first time Heavyarms was brought to bear against Sandrock in battle. He was too damn grateful to ZERO for being able to recalibrate its plans to include Heavyarms as FOE instead of FRIEND, because Quatre was only human, couldn't turn his feelings on and off like that. He closed his eyes, surrendered himself to ZERO, and then brought the full forces of the other Gundams to bear on Heavyarms.

After that, it was all too easy to turn the big guns on a colony that betrayed him.

[creepy_shetan]

Marvel: Deadpool/X-Men (movie 'verse), Wade Wilson + any, the studio was able to afford more than two X-Men (and a discount bundle of Westchester shots and Wolverine references)

[doreyg.livejournal.com]

Batman (comics), Jason Todd/Bruce Wayne, Jason is never murdered

[doreyg.livejournal.com]

Batman: TAS, Harley Quinn/Bruce Wayne, Harley successfully reforms at the end of ‘Harley’s Holiday’

[doreyg.livejournal.com]

Starfire (comics), Kori/Stella Gomez, Kori does the sensible thing and starts dating Stella instead

[doreyg.livejournal.com]

The Flash (TV), Leonard Snart/Barry Allen, Len’s dad doesn’t go to prison when he’s a kid

AU where Len is a police detective

[daria234.livejournal.com]

"So. Kid. When were you going to tell me that you're the Flash?" Len said casually as he buttoned up his shirt.

"Uhhhh," Barry said, pausing midway as he was pulling up his pants. Leave it to Len to ask something like that right after sex. "What -- why would say something like that? That's like, ridiculous."

"Kid. I'm a detective. And you aren't a good enough liar to fool a five year old."

"Ummm..."

"Don't worry. You know I can keep a secret." He gave Barry a little smirk. "I mean I managed not to tell my partner that I'm sleeping with his son."

"Yeah, Joe seems to get really annoyed that Iris and I keep dating his partners. But like, really, I don't know what you're going on about. Me? The Flash? I wish," Barry said weakly.

Len rolled his eyes. "Play it however you want, Barry. But since you have superspeed, I'm gonna say it's your job to go to the store when we run out of condoms." Len straightened out his tie in the mirror and walked out.

"You're kind of a dick, you know that?" Barry called out as Len walked out the door.

Len just laughed.

[doreyg.livejournal.com]

Legends of Tomorrow, Mick Rory/Ray Palmer, Mick doesn’t betray the group

[creepy_shetan]

author's choice, any, it was all in the imagination of a kid playing with toys

[creepy_shetan]

Burn Notice, any, [any character] didn't actually die


(I... I tried to pick one... I couldn't. >_<)

Fill: Victor Stecker-Epps

[nagi-schwarz.livejournal.com]

Sam probably shouldn't have been surprised when he went to knock on Michael's door one morning and it was Crazy Victor who opened the door instead of Michael. Victor, who had a cup of yogurt in one hand and the spoon in his mouth so he could open the door with his other hand and who was decidedly alive.

Sam was surprised all the same. He'd never actually survived an explosion like that, just happened to get far enough away that it didn't kill him. In his professional opinion, there was no way Victor could have gotten far enough away.

Except here Victor was, in Michael's apartment, eating – not Michael's yogurt. A different brand.

Victor let Sam all the way into an apartment with a wordless sound of greeting around the spoon.

"Michael's in the shower," he said, and Sam immediately cast about for –

Okay. Two mattresses. Michael had given Victor a spare. Victor coming back from the dead, Sam could deal with. Anything more than that and his brain would break.

"Thanks," Sam said, and padded over to the fridge.

Which was now filled with two kinds of yogurt, neatly separated on two different shelves, and also three kinds of beer. Thankfully, one of those kinds was Sam's preferred brew. He cracked one open and took a deep pull and suspected he'd need about a dozen or so mojitos to really process Victor's presence in Michael's apartment and his life.

"So," Sam said. "You're alive. How does that work?"

Victor shrugged. "I have this thing about dying and coming back. My old coworkers used to have a running gag about it. 'See this? Victor would just die.' 'What, again?'"

"And you're just going to live with Mike and join the team?"

"I'm just here till I get a place of my own. I'm on the team if you want me. If not, there are places I can go, things I've always wanted to see." His gaze went distant.

Sam eyed Victor over the top of his beer bottle. The guy was a damn fine operative. Maybe having him around would tame Fi a bit. So Sam offered hand. "Well, welcome to the team. Provisionally."

"Provisionally." Victor shook his hand, amusement gleaming in his blue eyes.

And three months later, Sam also had a stash of non-Michael yogurt in his fridge, and so did Maddie.

Fi was holding out. For now.

[brumeier.livejournal.com]

Stargate Atlantis, John Sheppard/Rodney McKay, feelings were revealed post-The Lost Boys, during Rodney's recovery from the Wraith enzyme overdose

[brumeier.livejournal.com]

Any, Any, it's all just delusions in a fractured mind

Fill: SGA/SG-1/Dollhouse (just go with me on this)

[nagi-schwarz.livejournal.com]

"You know, you're like an obsessive fanboy," Ivy said.

"Says the girl who has tuned in to every single episode of Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis since they both started playing," Topher returned. He held out the little bowl of popcorn, and Ivy plucked up a few kernels and popped them into her mouth.

"I can't believe you gave the scenarios names and talk about them like they're television shows." Ivy shook her head in disbelief. But she was still gazing fixedly at the screen, where John Sheppard was getting ready to sacrifice himself for Earth.

"See, my system is highly superior to Bennet Halverson's," Topher said. "Constant sustained fear kills a doll too quickly, and then Keepers like DeWitt are constantly on the lookout to shove someone else into the Attic. You end up wasting a lot of good dolls. Scenarios like this, on the other hand, regular doses of fear tempered by humor and camaraderie, are self-sustaining. We've had Thoth in the Attic since 1994."

Thoth had once been Daniel Jackson, a brilliant linguist who'd given himself to the Dollhouse to have his trauma treated after watching his parents die and then being thrown into a broken foster care system.

"I can't decide if I like SG-1 or Atlantis better," Ivy said, and she finally sat down beside Topher instead of peering over his shoulder like a nosy classmate.

"For a while there I felt like Foxtrot was just kind of recycling some of Thoth's plots," Topher said, "so separating Thoth into his own little microcosm paid off, even if we took a bit of a hit in processing speed. That whole Vegas thing, though – that was amazing. Foxtrot's created a way for himself to explore endless numbers of alternate realities and dimensions, and he'll be useful in the Attic till he dies of old age."

Foxtrot had once been Joe Flanigan, college best friend of John Sheppard, son of Patrick Sheppard, a utilities mogul and long-time Rossum backer. When John had died his freshman year of college, Joe had naively given himself to the Dollhouse for John to be imprinted on. John Sheppard had gone on to marry (his handler) and serve a distinguished military career – until Afghanistan, where things went wrong with his second handler (and this was why other programmers shouldn't touch Topher's work). Apparently Foxtrot had gotten more caught up than previously realized in the Echo-Sierra-Victor-Kilo-Alpha disaster no one liked to talk about, and his mind had broken under the strain of knowing he as an active, so off to the Attic he went.

Topher was damn pleased with himself for having come up with an interface that allowed him to view what dolls were seeing in their heads while they were in the Attic, and now he and Ivy had instant access to hours of entertainment. It was better than Netflix.

[brumeier.livejournal.com]

Hawaii Five-0, Steve McGarrett/Danny Williams, after they're rescued from the rubble of the parking garage, Danny stays with Steve instead of going off with Amber

[brumeier.livejournal.com]

Stargate Atlantis, Aiden Ford, Aiden never left the team

[aivix.livejournal.com]

Stargate: Atlantis, John Sheppard/Rodney McKay, they didn't just get close to rationing, they WERE rationing.

[aivix.livejournal.com]

The Martian, any, the crew thought up the Maneuver long before NASA did.

[aivix.livejournal.com]

Reign, Mary/Francis, Mary didn't miscarry.

[nagi-schwarz.livejournal.com]

Stargate Atlantis: John Sheppard + Rodney McKay. Rodney did Ascend during The Tao of Rodney.

Fill 1/3: Stargate Atlantis, John Sheppard/Rodney McKay

[brumeier.livejournal.com]

“I hate diplomatic missions,” John grumbled. He sat on the bed and pulled off his boots. “Too much standing around and talking, and trying not to hurt anyone’s feelings.”

He scrubbed his hands over his face and wondered if he should shower and get some shut eye, or just lay down fully clothed since he was already on the bed. Six of one, half a dozen of another. It’s not like he’d gotten dirty listening to Teyla verbally spar with the head honcho of the settlement on M77-87R.

“They didn’t even have any good food. You probably would’ve like it, though.”

John decided to shower first. On the way to the bathroom he ghosted his fingers over the picture frame on the stand beside the bed. It held a candid shot of the team goofing around for whoever’d had the camera. John might not remember the photographer, but he distinctly recalled the squeaking sound of protest Rodney had made when Ronon picked him up off his feet, and Teyla’s tinkling laugh. It had been a good moment, one he was glad to have a visual memory of.

Things weren’t the same, with Rodney gone.

*o*o*o*

“You missed one hell of a party, buddy,” John said as he stumbled into his room. He flopped down on his bed, arms hanging off the sides, and blinked slowly up at the ceiling. His lips were numb. “That ruus wine is the devil’s drink.”

He should know, he’d had plenty of it. The party was ostensibly for everyone with a May birthday, but it had turned into a kind of memorial roast for Rodney. Nothing like the more sedate affair they’d had shortly after Rodney Ascended.

“You’d have liked this one a lot more.” John closed his eyes and forgot to open them back up again. “Everyone misses you.”

Not John, though. He was a soldier. Sometimes good men died, and in a warzone you just had to note the loss and move on. He’d learned that lesson enough times. So what if he sometimes felt like talking to himself? Nothing wrong with that. He certainly didn’t miss Rodney whining on missions, or his super-sized ego, or the way he’d smile when he was genuinely happy.

“Asshole,” John muttered right before he fell asleep.

*o*o*o*

John sprawled out in the chair, making himself look as relaxed as possible. If only he could unclench his jaw, which was really starting to hurt.

“It’s okay to grieve,” Dr. Heightmeyer said. “It’s a step in the process that allows us to deal with a loss and move forward. How you do that is up to you.”

It was his own fault. He’d gotten so use to talking to Rodney in private that something had slipped out during a staff meeting. Elizabeth had been sympathetic, but insisted he meet with the base psychologist all the same. Ronon had offered to run with him until he was too tired to think; that probably would’ve been the better option.

“Are you worried that you can’t show your feelings because of your leadership role?”

John shrugged. He had to give her something, just to show he was listening.

“Colonel, you lost a teammate and a friend. I don’t think anyone would think less of you to see you hurting.”

Rodney was a bastard. John knew Heightmeyer would tell him it was normal to feel anger, but to him it felt petty. He knew Rodney hadn’t had a choice. It had been ascend or die, and it was kind of nice to know that his soul or his essence or whatever was living on somewhere. Anyway, it wasn’t Rodney he was mad at. John was the one who hadn’t been able to help him meditate properly, John who had been in denial pretty much the whole time.

I hope you’re happy, he thought at Rodney. He wasn’t sure how he meant it.

[hanorganaas.livejournal.com]

Star Wars, Han Solo/Leia Organa, Han was badly injured instead of killed when he confronted his son on Starkiller.

[aivix.livejournal.com]

Stargate: Atlantis, any, Daniel did go to Atlantis in the first wave.

Filled

[truthwritaslies.livejournal.com]

Daniel heard Jack tell Doctor Weir that he needed Daniel on his own team but Daniel can't help bringing it up one last time. Daniel's so caught up in his own burning need to know that Daniel doesn't hear the sigh of loss in Jack's voice when Jack says "Alright."

Daniel just tears off down to his room and grabs his bag, always packed to leave at a moment's notice. He glances around the room for anything he might want and leaves everything except a picture of the four of them: him and Jack losing spectacularly at tug o'war to Teal'c and Sam. He shoves it hastily in his bag and then he's out the door again: running like his life depends on it.

Daniel makes it. Barely, but he still makes it. Doctor Weir looks surprised to see him. It doesn't even register, not with everything else there is to see.

It's not until after they all think they're going to have to abandon Atlantis, until after Atlantis saves itself that it hits Daniel what he's done.

Daniel turns to share his scientific excitement with Sam and she's not there, geeking out at him in return. Daniel looks around for Teal'c's indulgent presence and Teal'c's not there either. Momentarily frantic he casts about for Jack, the name on the tip of his tongue. Daniel remembers himself in time but it's still a blow.

Jack is always there, a step ahead when they pass through the gate, a step behind on the scientific exploration part of the mission, right next to Daniel nearly every other time. Jack had saved him time and again, from that very first mission to Abydos to the last one mere weeks before. They'd been practically inseparable from the moment they lost Sha'uri and Skaara: but Jack isn't here.

Daniel looks around at what is currently the greatest scientific opportunity in human history and regrets his hasty choice more than anything else in his entire life.

[hanorganaas.livejournal.com]

Stargate Atlantis, John Sheppard/Elizabeth Weir, He disobeyed her order and ran back to get Elizabeth in Lifeline.

[aivix.livejournal.com]

Not a fill, but do you know how often I've thought about this? The one time John follows orders...

[aivix.livejournal.com]

NCIS, Leroy Jethro Gibbs/Anthony DiNozzo, Ziva didn't kill Ari, Tony did.

[leni-ba.livejournal.com]

Once Upon A Time. any. Cora doesn't take out her own heart.

Fill - All or Nothing (Cora/Rumple & Regina)

[icarus-chained.livejournal.com]

I haven't watched or written OUAT in ages, but I madly adored Cora and the ferocious, Shakespearean thing she had with Rumple, so I thought I'd give this a go?

All or Nothing (http://icarus-chained.livejournal.com/512473.html) (on LJ or AO3 (http://archiveofourown.org/works/6260155))
A glimpse of how things might potentially have gone if Cora hadn't removed her own heart. If she had chosen the love she had for Rumpelstiltskin, and borne him the child she'd promised him, and made him realise he loved her too.

[leni-ba.livejournal.com]

Buffyverse. any. After 'Becoming', Buffy goes to L.A. ...and never comes back.

[leni-ba.livejournal.com]

Borgias (any version). any. Alexander never became pope.