#childsoldier au

[royalsmugbug]

I'm compiling a list of all my AUs and how they'll be tagged, here!

#paleprince au - AU where the Pale King changes the Hollow Knight plan midway through raising the Pure Vessel. He takes their place, and leaves the Pure Vessel as the ruler.

#paleprince2 au - AU where the Pale King never concocts the Hollow Knight plan, and instead immediately chooses himself to contain the Radiance. But the kingdom will need someone to rule when he's gone. He expected to leave Hallownest to one of his heirs. Unfortunately, he underestimated exactly how many heirs his wife is capable of bearing. Hallownest has a lot of Root-Wyrmlings to choose from.

#mosswood au - While Hornet's off in Pharloom (may or may not be of her own free will. We'll see if Silksong ever comes out), the three youngest gods of Hallownest - Ghost, the Grimmchild, and the Hollow Knight - visit another kingdom, Mosswood, seeking help from its own deities to help come into their own divinities.

#embracethelight au - Basically a bad-end AU. The Hollow Knight breaks sooner, and the Radiance escapes. Using an enthralled Vessel and Dreamers, she quickly sets about conquering Hallownest, and it seems no one can stop her.

#nightmarekingdom au - AU where, with the Radiance killed, there's a power vacuum in the Dream Realms, now. And the Nightmare Heart is quite willing to use the ties it's current vessel - the Grimmchild - has to Hallownest and its gods to ensnare the kingdom in his Heart.

#acolyte au - Instead of using the Hollow Knight to trap the Radiance, the Pale King offers to indoctrinate them to act as her personal acolyte and devotee. Rebuild her followers and strength, and end the Infection and secure an alliance with her, on the sacrifice of his child's freedom and mind.

#daliance au - AU where the Pale King realizes a bit too late that the Pure Vessel isn't so pure. Scrambling to find a new solution, he's inspired by his original deal with Herrah. He offers to sire a child with the Radiance, and she agrees. And now, he's left with an angsty spider demigod, an emotionally repressed Root-Wyrm-Void godling, and a Moth-Wyrm godling with major daddy issues.

#spontaneousadoption au - AU in which the Traitor Lord turns traitor sooner. The Mantis Lords, seeking to replace their treacherous brother, decide the Hollow Knight will be the perfect candidate. They can easily train this empty vessel to act just like their brother. Except, as they quickly learn, the Hollow Knight isn't as hollow as they first imagine.

#butwaittheresmore au - AU in which the Pale King doesn't kill all his Void-infused children. Instead, he takes them all home, and let's the process of training to be the Hollow Knight naturally weed out the Pure Vessel from the rest. Only problem is, none of the Vessels appear to be "Pure."

#bwtmpp au - Crossover AU between But Wait There's More and Pale Prince. Essentially, the Pale King uses his methods from But Wait There's More to determine the Hollow Knight, only to get too attached to all his Vessels and decide to imprison the Radiance himself. The kingdom still has an issue of figuring out which will rule next. They just have the added caveat of Void sprinkled on top. For ✨flavor✨

#bwtmd au - Another crossover AU of But Wait There's More, this time with Daliance. Same methods, same realization the plan won't work. The method this time, though? Sire the Radiance's child. Now, he's left with a spider demigod, a Moth-Wyrm godling, and multiple Root-Wyrm-Void godlings to raise!

#childsoldier au - AU in which the Pale King realizes, why just use the Void to contain the Radiance in one mere Vessel? Why not use it to kill her instead, to raise a perfect army of Root-Wyrm-Void soldiers that can consume her light and remain loyal to his?

I'll probably add more as I come up with more ideas but here's the gist of my AUs that I'll be talking about on this blog! Cheers!

[royalsmugbird]

Ah shit. Here we go again.

Hollow Knight:

HollowMonsters/PocketKnight!AU: The story of Hollow Knight... But with Pokemon! (Not all bug types, alas, because too many characters and not enough bug type)

Acolyte!AU: In which the Pale King seeks out not a Vessel to contain the Radiance, but a Vessel for her to mold into a perfect follower, to rekindle her believers and end the Infection . But things still aren't simple in this happier path. Because this promised-empty Vessel under the Radiance's wings isn't empty at all, and something more than belief may be brewing inside their mind, and that of the Moth goddess.

Daliance!AU: In which the Pale King is inspired by his bargain with Herrah. He offers to sire a child with the Radiance, one whose very existence would assure her return to Hallownest's minds, tied through him. She takes it, and now he's left with a problem: a Hollow Knight without purpose, and the weight of countless filicide on his back.

ButWaitTheresMore!AU: In which the Pale King realizes that using babies crawling out of a death pit is a terrible criteria for determining hollowness. The Pale King takes all the Vessels from the Abyss, training them all as automatons until they begin to show personhood. One by one, the candidates for the Hollow Knight are eliminated by love and care, until only one remains. The perfect, Pure Vessel to contain the Radiance.

ButWaitTheresMore-PalePrinces!AU: Variance of But Wait There's More that slightly crosses with my Pale Prince AU. In which the Pale King takes all the Vessels from the Abyss, planning on a process of elimination to determine which will be the Hollow Knight. Only problem is, he gets attached to them all, even the supposed Pure Vessel. So he takes their place and leaves the kingdom to his many children. Surely, no problems will arise from this.

ButWaitTheresMore-PalePrinces2!AU: Another variance of But Wait There's More and the Pale Prince AUs. In which the Pale King never concocts the Hollow Knight plan, immediately jumping to contain the Radiance himself. But he can't leave the kingdom without a ruler. So he leaves it to his children. This time, Hallownest is in the hands of hundreds of pure Root-and-Wyrmlings, no Void attached. Nothing can go wrong here, no siree.

ButWaitTheresMore-Daliance!AU: Variance of But Wait There's More AU crossing with the Daliance AU. The Pale King's methods for determining the Hollow Knight differ, but the bargain made to the Radiance stays the same. And now, he has to deal with fathering countless vessels, a half-spider, and a half-moth-god in the aftermath.

ButWaitTheresMore-ChildSoldiers!AU: Variance of But Wait There's More AU. In which the Pale King realizes, why just contain the Radiance when he can throw all the Void at her via his kids, whom he can raise into perfect, moth-murdering machines? Will this be successful? Probably. Will there be any repercussions to this? Also probably.

Rain World:

RainMonsters/PocketWorld!AU: Rain World, but with Pokemon. Such creative. Much wow.

HelpI'veTurnedIntoASlugcat!AU: When Moon first collapses, something goes horribly wrong... Or horribly right, from a certain perspective. The blue iterator wakes up after her collapse, far from her Can. Except she's not an iterator anymore. Is this the answer to the Great Problem? Or is this a just a new, cursed life that she still can't escape?

Owl House:

EmperorWittebane!AU: In which Caleb survives Phillip's attempt on his life... At the cost of his brother's. A world in which Caleb Wittebane ascends to become Emperor of the Boiling Isles, desperate to bring his baby brother back. Even if it drives him to monstrous means. Even if it means dabbling in the creation of Grimwalkers.

Steven Universe:

Revolution!AU: In which the Diamonds never see reason, because if Pink Diamond couldn't change their minds, then her son isn't going to do any better. Trapped on Homeworld and looking for a way home and to heal the corrupted Gems, Steven has to seek out a new way to solve his problems. But the truth of Pink Diamond's rebellion has lit a spark within the core of Gemkind, one that will grow into an inferno far beyond the banner of Rose Quartz could ever span.

Undertale:

Multiplayer!AU: Choose your character! Choose your drive, and play with friends! Will you explore the Underground, spurred on by Patience? Bravery? Integrity? Perseverance, Kindness, or Justice? Or will you be driven by sheer DETERMINATION?

DeltaRune:

LittleBeast!AU: A reversed world, where Kris is the only monster in a realm of humans. Essentially the DeltaRune equivalent of the Undertale Monsterswap AU. (Idk how original this AU actually is or not...)

DarkChild!AU: In which Kris was raised in the world of the Darkeners. Sent to conquer the world of the Light, long claimed by the monsters, will they be willing to follow through? Or will they bring peace and balance to the Light and Dark?

Don't mind me, just compiling a list of AUs and fanfics I've been thinking of here for my own sake, because I'm afraid I'll forget them under the stress of my current workload!

Steven Universe:

TrueQuartz!AU (Steven is the son of an actual Rose Quartz, namely Shy Rose)

CrystalTemps!AU (Featuring Lapis, Peridot, Bismuth, and Spinel as our main CGs - with Lapis and Peridot as a QP Fusion called Variscite - and a lot of role/mom-swaps abound)

StevenTale (Steven Universe x Undertale crossover; Steven Universe characters in the settings/plot of Undertale, basically)

Undertale:

SaveHim!Ending (You can't save Asriel, but maybe you can save Him. Even after all he did to you, he deserves it. But that requires your own work. Basically an exploration on concepts of AI, autonomy, the plot of all Undertale paths, and more)

GameOver!AUs (Basically hypothetical scenarios on what would happen when you lose to the major bosses of the game)

Pokemon:

NotAlone!AU (Mystery Dungeon continuity, and basically an AU where the main character of Super learns they aren't the only human-turned-Pokemon, drawing on the protagonists of the past games)

Glitchmon!AU (Rarer as they've become with each passing generation, and now basically impossible to access without outside hacking tools, we all remember glitch Pokemon, right? Well, in this world, they exist, alongside regular Pokemon!)

AshRed!AU (Universe where Ask Ketchum/Satoshi is the little brother of Red. Not much else too it, save the fact it probably falls under Pokemon Yellow/Let's Go Pikachu Versions)

Dragon Ball:

AlternateZ!AU (Basically a complete rewrite/divergence of Z from the beginning, starting with Goku reluctantly going with Raditz into space. Based on a weird dream I had, and I'm trying to expand it.)

Monster!AU (Aside from the humans, all aliens/creatures/gods/whatever in the series are based off of classical monsters!)

Bleach:

Hollow!AU (In which Ichigo and friends fail to save Rukia from her execution, and Aizen uses their grief and rage to his advantage. Alongside his original Arrancar, he now has some of the most powerful Hollows under his control.)

Elder Scrolls 5 Skyrim:

The Divine Winds of Time (A Skyrim x Rune Factory 4 crossover. Basically a little what-if where, in the attempt to save her life, the lovely Divine Dragon Ventuswill and Frey are transported to Tamriel, where they meet the Dragonborn and Paarthurnax, Odahviing, and even Akatosh's firstborn himself.)

Fullmetal Alchemist (Brotherhood/Manga Canon):

HomunculiKids!AU (The Homumculi return, but as kids, with amnesia and no powers. Placed under monitored care, they slowly regain their past memories, but their previous attrocities clash with their moralities and behaviours, leading to a ton of turmoil. Mostly fluffy domestic stuff, though.)

And I'll add more as my mind keeps brewing!

[fanfictionsrookie]

DARK CINDERRUBY AUS, ANYONE?

I thought now was as good time as any to post these. I might not have the time to write fic for it, but I'd be happy to elaborate if someone was so inclined.

...

1.) BountyHunter!Cinder x Runaway!Ruby

2.) ChildSoldier!Ruby x EnemyGeneral!Cinder

3.) SerialKiller!Cinder x KnifeMaker!Ruby

4.) Sadist!Ruby x Masochist!Cinder

5.) TattooArtist!Ruby x Suicidal!Cinder

6.) Deity!Cinder x Sacrifice!Ruby

7.) Master!Ruby x Slave!Cinder

8.) CrimeBoss!Cinder x CorruptLawyer!Ruby

9.) CancerPatient!Ruby x DrugDealer!Cinder

10.) Psycopath!Cinder x Nurse!Ruby

[doribuki]

in kamma kory ama: orange [halloween au]

tw: mind control

note: once again, the witch is the bad guy. she is not to be sympathized with or rooted for in this situation, particularly as she is taking (nonsexual) advantage of a 19 year old woman of color. do not tag as dva/mercy. 

--

The Gamesmaster woke up in a cold sweat, still hearing the shrieking grind of metal. The phantom stink of gun oil and burnt flesh lingered from her nightmares, chased her into the waking world. To her credit, she was silent upon her awakening; no more than a sharp inhale through her nose and a long, slow exhale. She lay beneath the rough sheets of the tavern’s bed and fought off the urge to tremble, jaw clenched so hard her teeth ached. 

Over and over again, she told herself this; I’m not on the battlefield anymore. The constructs are dead. My home is safe. My home is safe. My home and my mother and father are safe.

This, she knew for certain. It had been many months since she’d last been able to get the gold to send her parents a letter, but they had spoken of rebuilding and safety. And if the constructs had returned, there would be a great outcry that would ripple even to this sleepy, humble town, of that the Gamesmaster was certain. 

So she was safe. She did not have to become a childsoldier once again; her mechanical craft was naught but a fancy cart. This was fine with her. Now calmed, the Gamesmaster slowly sat up and ran a hand against the sweat damp tangle of hair, resettling her breathing. She noted her companions were both asleep; the Alchemist tucked into a comfortable looking chair by the room’s window, and the Bard breathing softly in the bed beside hers. The Gamesmaster dressed quickly, gathered a bit of coin and her playing cards, and snuck out of the room.

The orange lighting of the empty tavern below made the Gamesmaster frown. She’d been hoping, perhaps, for a few lingering customers--this seemed like the town to keep its old drunks--but it was empty, save for a few orange candles lit upon the tables. And that, thought the Gamesmaster, was truly odd. It seemed dangerous to allow any kind of open flame without the supervision of the owners. 

So absorbed was she in this discovery that the Gamesmaster did not see the woman upon the first or second glance. It was only when her eyes swept through the tavern a third time did she notice the muted gold of tattered wings peeking beneath a dark brown cloak. 

“Y--you,” the Gamesmaster breathed. She put a hand against her hip and sucked back a curse at her own foolishness; she’d left her pistol up in the room. 

“Be not afraid,” said the Witch in smooth, dulcet tones. What might have been beautiful once was twisted by the cold emptiness of her eyes, the unnatural smoothness of her skin, the color of her hair. The Witch was said to be old and yet she looked frozen, preserved in her youth. It disgusted the Gamesmaster, always had. “I’ve come to collect.”

“Collect?” 

“Surely, little rabbit, you haven’t forgotten?” 

The Gamesmaster gnawed on the inside of her cheek. She had been seventeen, her head full of horrors and war and death and fresh on the run from her armies, her country. The Witch had looked so different back then; perhaps she had once been truly kind, or perhaps the Gamesmaster hadn’t been able to cut through the bullshit as she was now, because when the Witch had gently offered to take the terrors away, the Gamesmaster had agreed. 

The price was but a single game, of the Witch’s choosing. 

“You want to play a game right now?”

“Have you somewhere else to be?” The Witch took a seat at a table. 

“...No.” The Gamesmaster snorted, and took her own seat. It was her own imagination that the candlelight seemed a bit brighter, was it not? Of course it was. “What’s the game?”

“Cards.” 

The Gamesmaster snorted, taking her deck out and shuffling, the Witch watching the movement. As if the Gamesmaster would cheat. As the Gamesmaster dealt them both a hand, she asked, “Only one round counts” 

“Yes. Only one hand, one game; as we promised.” The Witch nodded, picking up her cards. The corners of her mouth twitched; a bad hand, read the Gamesmaster. “Shall we sweeten the pot?” 

“What?” The Gamesmaster huffed, took a look at her own hand. She hummed, discarding one, drawing again. A better hand, for certain; better than the Witch’s, by the light furrow in the Witch’s brow. “What would someone like you have a need of gold for?” 

“It is not gold I want, girl.” The Witch’s eyes raised from her cards. “Your soul.” 

The Gamesmaster stared, then nearly swallowed her tongue choking back her laughter. “Oh, no deal.” 

“I would give you my book. It holds every contract I have; including yours. Including,” the Witch breathed, “that Alchemist’s daughter.” 

The Gamesmaster no longer wanted to laugh, fury twisting her gut. “What? What did you say?” 

“I have the old woman’s daughter in my book. If you beat me, and win the book,” the Witch tossed a card, drew one, “you could set her free. You could set them all free.”

 Her face was blank, but the Gamesmaster was confident that her hand was useless; she herself held a straight flush. Her heart raced, her palms felt cold and clammy and her head seemed to spin; had the candles been this heavily scented of pumpkin spice? The orange glow was so much brighter. A result of her own panic, the Gamesmaster rationalized. It always happened. 

“Fine,” said the Gamesmaster with a snap of teeth. “Fine. My soul if I lose. Your book if I win. Deal?”

“Deal.” The Witch smiled but--ah, it was weak! She was bluffing, thought the Gamesmaster. She would never have offered up her own precious book; anyone as selfish as the Witch would never understand that the Gamesmaster would wager her own soul to free Granny One-Eye’s lost daughter. 

I play to win, Witch.

The Gamesmaster laid down her hand with a smirk. The Witch put down her own hand; a simple flush. 

“Ha! I win!”

“Oh?” The Witch tilted her head. The world bucked beneath the Gamesmaster’s feet. “Have you now?” 

“I...” She looked down. Through the deep haze of sweet smelling smoke--what’s wrong...with the...candles...?-- she saw that she’d been...completely wrong. Her hand, the Gamesmaster saw, was the flush. The Witch held the straight flush. Her shaking hand touched the worn surface of her cards, and did not change. 

“You lost,” said the Witch.