EXCHANGE INTERFACE

So, as it turned out, I wrote six stories in Chocolate Box - one assignment, one pinch hit, and four treats.

My Assignment was for chokolattejedi and was Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern - or, more correctly, the Harper Hall of Pern, centering on Menolly.

FANDOM: Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey
TITLE: Rhythms Of Living
SUMMARY: Learning and growing in the Harper Hall.
RATING: PG-13
TAGS: Menolly (Dragonriders of Pern), Robinton (Dragonriders of Pern), Sebell (Dragonriders of Pern), Silvina (Dragonriders of Pern), Lessa (Dragonriders of Pern), The Harper Hall, Journeyman Menolly, Dealing With Prejudice, Women of Pern

It's kind of funny; Menolly and the Harper Hall aren't my favourite parts of Pern to read - I'm fond of them, sure, but I always wanted more about Lessa/F'lar and Brekke/F'nor myself. Still, it was good to go back through Menolly's books, and even read All The Weyrs again.

I haven't read any of Todd McCaffrey's books; I think I pretty much gave up at the Dolphins of Pern, or maybe one book later? The Masterharper of Pern? IDEK. It might just be that I'd grown up and moved on, or that I wanted more complicated characterisation, or more female protags... I don't remember why anymore. I just haven't looked at a Pern book in a while.

--

My pinch hit was a Rogue One Jyn/Cassian request for opticalprism who prompted "5 ways they drive each other up the wall (and they wouldn't have it any other way)" which, of course, occasioned not only All The Little Things That Irk Them, but also Word Play Opportunity. I love it when a good plan comes together!

FANDOM: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
TITLE: Drive Me Crazy
SUMMARY: Chirrut’s mouth quirks. “Grow used to it from one you love. Trust me. Easier all around.”
RATING: Mature
TAGS: Cassian Andor/Jyn Erso, Chirrut Îmwe/Baze Malbus (background), Jyn Erso, Cassian Andor, Bodhi Rook, Baze Malbus, Chirrut Îmwe, Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, Five Times, 5+1 Things, relationship, Humour, Cameos from everyone, Fluff

I'm extremely pleased with how this turned out, and really pleased with the response to it, which has been quite enthusiastic. I don't usually get a lot of comments on my fics. I'm not sure why. Am I intimidating?

--

After my required stories, it was a question of going back through and looking for prompts I liked and could fill. Unfortunately nobody else asked for Maria/Steve, so I went hunting for other seeds out of which I could grow trees.

I did a quick search for anyone requesting Luna Lovegood in HP (my OTP for Harry is actually Harry/Luna) and found lirin was asking for Luna and Neville during their 7th Year at Hogwarts. To quote Chekov: "I CAN DO ZAT!" (*sob*)

FANDOM: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
TITLE: Evenly Distributed
SUMMARY: They can do this. They can survive. They will.
RATING: G
TAGS: Neville Longbottom & Luna Lovegood, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, Dumbledore's Army, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Freeform, Missing Scene, Carrows Reign at Hogwarts

--

Next up, Gelsey was asking for Stargate SG1, Sam Carter and Jack O'Neill. I haven't written these two crazy kids in years...

FANDOM: Stargate SG-1
TITLE: Quite Proper
SUMMARY: It is totally and completely appropriate for a general to look out for his people.
RATING: G
TAGS: Sam Carter & Jack O'Neill, Jack O'Neill, Sam Carter, Friendship, All The Things They Don't Say, Late Night Conversations, Snacks & Snack Food

This was written at fairly high speed - no time for a significant story, just write an interlude!

--

Generally speaking, my friends don't tend to ask for things I really enjoy writing. I still keep an eye out for their requests. And when theladyscribe asked for Queen/Spy original fiction, my brain produced a bunny...

FANDOM: Original Work
TITLE: Emperah and Spy
SUMMARY: "A consort is for bringing up sons," said her mother, the Emperah that was. "The concubini are for pleasure and release and a little fun. But lovers... A lover is a threat to you and to the empire."
RATING: G
TAGS: Queen, Spy

In spite of it's limited appeal, I'm quite pleased with it. I've had several Imperial courts in my head for a while, and the idea of a beneficial Imperium vs. a corrupt and venal Republic is a concept that I think would be worth exploring in our current times. It all comes down to working out the plot, the structure, and the twist (if there is one).

And after I wrote Emperah and Spy, I figured I was done.

BUT NOT FOR LONG!!!

Because while perusing letters, I discovered bittersnake had asked for a Rogue One, Cassian/Jyn Black Jewels fusion...

...

...

...

Yeah.

FANDOM:
TITLE: Oaths Broken And Remade
SUMMARY: It’s one thing to know that obedience isn’t the first law and quite another to look at nearly twenty males who are about to break faith with the Queens whose honor they once swore to uphold.
RATING: G
TAGS: Cassian Andor/Jyn Erso, Cassian Andor, Jyn Erso, Alternate Universe - Black Jewels Fusion

The idea of honour, and of Blood male responsibilities is a theme that comes up again and again in the Black Jewels series. It's usually explored with regards to a Queen, which is understandable because that's how the society works. But I thought it would be interesting to explore further the concept of males serving an idea or ideal, mingled in with the refrain that's passed through the books, from Saetan to Lucivar to Daemon, and from Lucivar to Jared Blaed: The First Law isn't obedience. I was going to add in Everything has a price, but figured that would only muddy the waters.

Incidentally? Twenty-four men focused around a single female works as the First and Second Circles of a Queen's court. It's the little things...

--

All in all, I'm pretty happy with them all - not just the responses to them, but with them as stories.