ALTERNATE UNIVERSE EXCHANGE 2020

[vagabonddawn]

Alternate Universe Exchange 2020 Letter

General likes:

I love long fic but I'd also appreciate any kind of 'one scene of a larger plot' or setup scene, because these are all concepts that tend to sprawl!

• Canon divergences – characters making different decisions at critical points, small changes butterflying to bigger ones, people reacting to slightly changed circumstances, characters meeting earlier or differently.
• Time Travel – all kinds! Time Loops, Groundhog day, Peggy Sue, physical time travel, accidental or purposeful.
• Fix its – any kind of story that leads to characters being better off or happier (or more alive) than unfortunate canon events left them. Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies AU’s.
• Arranged marriage / marriage of convenience tropes, matchmaking services, political alliances.
• Mission fic/Casefic is great but so are Slice of Life fics and Outside POVs (the more bewildered and misunderstanding the better). Hurt/comfort is great, Canadian Shack/hypothermia/huddling’n’cuddling for warmth fic is great, secret identity tropes are great, found family and team-as-family tropes are excellent. Characters having positive and supportive (and snarky) friendships is amazing.

Shipping: my shipping bar is so low. I’m happy to read subtext into anything – if I’ve prompted a / relationship, I’ll read it that way, even if nothing overtly shippy happens. And, honestly, I would also be happy with a & reading (in a lot of places, I have both / and &); I just want characters to interact, or think about it other, or exist relative to each other!

DNW: Non-con (including rape roleplay and rape kink), poly/threesomes, tragic endings, Bad Guys Win,

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人渣反派自救系统 - 墨香铜臭 | The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù

Note: I’m happy to have canon pairings here simply handwaved away with as much or little explanation as you like (including character death).

Characters:

1. Group: Liǔ Qīnggē/Shěn Yuán | Shěn Qīngqiū (SVSSS)
2. Group: Shěn Yuán | Shěn Qīngqiū & Shàng Qīnghuá (SVSSS)
3. Group: Shàng Qīnghuá/Shěn Yuán | Shěn Qīngqiū (SVSSS)
4. Group: Shang Qinghua & System (SVSSS)
5. Group: Shen Yuan | Shen Qingqiu & System (SVSSS)
6. Worldbuilding (SVSSS)

Freeforms:

• SVSSS: All Peaks are separate sects

This is an interesting world-building prompt! I'd be interested in seeing how the Peak Lords all differ in their relationships if the Peaks aren't part of the same sect. Are they allied? Are they enemies? Are they smaller and lower prestige than, say, Huan Hua Palace now? How do their specialities translate to being whole sects?

• SVSSS: Luo Binghe never enters the Abyss

This seems like a fair 'the plot never happens' sort of AU to explore any happier circumstances. Maybe the system doesn't insist, maybe SQQ has argued for a 'better' plot than the Abyss, maybe the system is just broken. What happens from there, if SQQ doesn't plan for his own death/reincarnation?

• SVSSS: Fix-it; Shen Yuan time travels back to his disciple days
• SVSSS: Shen Yuan Transmigrates as System for Airplane!Shang Qinghua
• SVSSS: Shen Yuan Transmigrates as System for Shen Jiu with Manual and Assigned Goal 'Fix the Plot'
• ALL: Peggy-Sue
• All: Time Travel Fix-It

I love time travel and canon divergence and transmigration circumstances. SY arguing with SJ into being a 'better character' seems like it would be hilarious, as would SY rage reviewing SQH to his face.

• All: A Is a Ghost Only B Can See

SQQ during his attempted Sun and Moon Flower reincarnation period? Or one of the other characters dies (temporarily, or at least, in a way that doesn't make the whole relationship totally tragic?).

• All: Arranged Marriage AU

The sheer awkwardness of either LQG/SQQ or SQH/SQQ having to marry each other. Why? How did that come about?

• ALL: Ghost Marriage

Ghost Marriage

In Chinese tradition, a ghost marriage is a marriage in which one or both parties are deceased.

Given that SQQ spends several years of canon deceased, this was too tempting to pass up. Since they’re unable to retrieve his body, does Cang Qiong Mountain decide to try safeguard his spirit instead? Tie it to the sect again and ensure LBH can’t get at it? Some other reason?

Does it help or hinder SQQ’s Sun and Moon Dew Flower Seed body growth? What’s his opinion when he wakes up to find what’s taken place? Was he actually a ghost during it?

Or is there actually a cultivational resurrection ritual involving marrying ghosts? Does SQH remember a deleted scene? Does it need family/sect leader/someone to speak on behalf of the dead? Did SQQ know and plan it as an alternative to the Flower Seed Body?

• ALL: one character gets three wishes

Would PIDW contain a broken wish granting artefact? Yes, probably. Who makes what wishes and how does it change things?

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陈情令 | The Untamed (TV)

Likes: For this canon, I really enjoy the years before Wei Wuxian died (Cloud Recesses, Sunshot Campaign, Yunmeng Era, Yiling) and would really love anything that expanded on those years. After resurrection is perfectly fine too, though!

I love Wangxian in the Untamed and the connection they have through all the years — they always feel like they're just missing each other by the barest fraction, when one is ready to try deal with feelings the other is in the middle of going through Some Shit, and the instant that WWX comes back they just click together at long last.

That said, I think WWX has chemistry with so many people and I love 'different characters get together' AU's, especially since the pairing is so central to what happens and how characters deal and react in this show.

Request 1

Fix-It Fic Free Space! Any kind of time travel or canon divergence that would result in a happier situation (even just slightly!).

Characters:

1. Luo "Mian Mian" Qingyang (The Untamed)
2. Nie Huaisang (Untamed)
3. Wei Wuxian (Untamed)
4. Wen Ning (The Untamed)
5. Wen Qing (The Untamed)
6. Group: Song Lan/Xiao Xingchen (Untamed)
7. Group: Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian (Untamed)
8. Worldbuilding (The Untamed)

Freeforms:

• ALL: Canon Character Death Evaded
• ALL: Canon Divergence AU
• All: Character deals with a canonical difficult situation better than in canon
• All: Character gets another character’s help that they didn’t get in canon
• ALL: Character saves their younger self from trauma
• ALL: Characters become friends/allies earlier than canon
• ALL: Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies
• ALL: Peggy-Sue
• All: Time Travel Fix-It

Request 2

Characters:

1. Group: Jiang Yanli/Nie Huaisang (The Untamed)
2. Group: Jiang Yanli/Nie Mingjue (The Untamed)

I’d be interested in a feelings-based relationship or something feelings-free but pragmatic (either leading to feelings or not) for both of these pairings. Both Yanli and Huaisang are non-combat types, who prefer to avoid conflict (while worrying about those that do fight) and I think they would have a lot in common. Yanli and Mingjue are far more opposites, but respect the type of person that the other is.

During the Sunshot Campaign, Yanli and Jin Zixuan have broken their engagement and not yet repaired their relationship, and Yanli is stationed in Qinghe (at least when Wei Wuxian returns), which feels like the ideal sort of time to broach any ‘political marriage to gain allies to restore Yunmeng Jiang Sect’ ideas. Or for people to be around each other enough to develop feelings.

Or bonus time travel where people try to change the future but wind up engaged somehow. I’d be happy for anyone to be the time traveller, given that they all have interestingly different pieces of knowledge and perspectives and potential ambitions to change things.

1. Group: Jiang Cheng/Nie Huaisang (The Untamed)

Nie Huaisang is totally unbothered by the whole angry-growly-thing, and Wei Wuxian hiding behind him to get away from Jiang Cheng is consistently funny. Jiang Cheng always rolls his eyes and yet goes along with Nie Huaisang’s shenanigans.

There's also the potential for a political/arranged marriage twist, given that they're both sect heirs, then later, sect leaders, and all the baggage that would bring with it. As well as any personal feelings they might have on such a marriage.

1. Group: Wei Wuxian/Nie Huaisang (The Untamed)
2. Group: Wei Wuxian & Nie Huaisang (The Untamed)

I love their sunshine friendship in the Cloud Recesses, and how NHS just third wheels along on the Yin Metal quest. The moment between them in the Goddess Statue shrine, where WWX tells him to hold on and not let go is just… trust and protection. But there's also that reunion in Qinghe after the burial mounds where WWX flinches and NHS just… knows something bad is up — and how he tries (but fails) to direct the conversation somewhere safe during the feast afterwards. I'd love to see them actually connect over it instead of drifting apart.

1. Group: Wei Wuxian/Nie Mingjue (The Untamed)

I loved their first meeting and how in awe everyone seemed of Nie Mingjue and then how he was careful to turn it back compliment NHS's friends. Even when WWX returned from the burial mounds, he seemed more concerned than truly disgusted by the demonic cultivation — and there's an avenue to explore with the similarities to Nie Saber cultivation! I'd also be really interested in a political angle where it's obvious Jin Sect is trying to get their hands on WWX and the Tiger Amulet and Yunmeng Sect isn't big enough to defend him… but Qinghe Nie is.

1. Group: Jiang Cheng/Wen Qing (The Untamed)

Their almost romance was sweetly tragic — both of them too dedicated to their families and clans to be able to be together. Maybe they'd make it in a Wen-Clan-Doesn’t-Attack AU (or attacks later AU) where they get a little bit more time to develop. Or maybe Jiang Cheng doesn’t buy so hard into the Jin manipulation and does stand with Wei Wuxian in saving the Wens. Or that brief moment when Wen Qing is rescued from the Wen Prison and Jiang Cheng offers to help her.

1. Group: Wei Wuxian & Jiang Cheng & Nie Huaisang (The Untamed)

The Cloud Recesses Trio is so goofy and adorable. They get on so well and are such troublemakers together. I’d also be interested in a Wen-Clan-Doesn’t-Attack AU (or attacks later AU) so that the Yin Iron search arc gets lengthened and they just continue to bumble around chasing chickens across mountainsides.

1. Group: Wei Wuxian & Jiang Cheng & Jiang Yanli (The Untamed)
2. Group: Wei Wuxian/Jiang Cheng (The Untamed)

The Yunmeng siblings are so full of feelings – they’re so good to each other and then fall apart so harshly. They have such massive communication issues (especially after Lotus Pier falls) and I would adore any kind of fix it fic that even partially addresses that to keep them on good terms.

Also feel free to check out my previous letters if you want more thoughts: Just Married Exchange., Chocolate Box Exchange.

Freeforms:

• Untamed: The Wen Clan does not attack

I would be very down to read any kind of non-war AU where the joy and lightness of the Cloud Recesses arc lasts for longer. Or if the Wen Clan attacks later and the Yin Metal road trip (with LWJ, or with LWJ, NHS, JC and WQ) lasts for much longer.

• Untamed: Someone other than Wen Ning is raised as an intelligent zombie

Jiang Cheng dies during the Sunshot campaign and WWX just is not having that? Or Lan Wanji (and I doubt that would be accepted very easily from the Lan's).

• Untamed: Wei Wuxian becomes a fierce corpse upon death

WWX's line to WC about seeking revenge if he's killed, because he might not have received the soul calming ceremony is a magnificent bluff. So, what if it's true? Either dying during the Burial Mounds, or his canonical Nightless City death. I was mostly thinking a Wen Ning-esque fierce corpse because it seems more narratively interesting for him to have agency — what would WWX go and do from there?

• Untamed: NHS asks WWX for help with Nie saber tomb while WWX is with the Wen remnants

Or during the war? Or just after, before the Wen remnant situation becomes clear? There does seem an interesting connection between the 'Nie Sabres store resentful energy' and 'WWX manipulates resentful energy' that NHS might be interested in exploring.

• Untamed: WWX is able to find Baoshan Sanren & get her to restore JC's golden core

WWX's lie was so close to being believable! And Xiao Xingchen is running around somewhere nearby! Maybe they can literally make it happen, without the cost to himself. How does that change the Sunshot campaign? No resentful energy to counter the Yin Metal, but maybe the help of an immortal cultivator? (Also, throwing in here a 'what if Lan Yi survived the ice cave' so we could reunite the other Wangxian parallel couple.)

• Untamed: Different characters swear brotherhood

NMJ wasn't eager to swear brotherhood with JGY, so what if he decided to go off and ally himself with someone else instead? JC? WWX? Or maybe Yunmeng Jiang is aware they'll need allies to rebuild and take advantage of their immediate heroic status at the end of the war to get some? Or WWX, JC and NHS just swear brotherhood with each other because they're young and friends and idiots? Or JC and WWX trying to prove that WQ and WN helped them hide during the war with a big statement?

• Untamed: During Victory Banquet WWX Helps Wen Qing and Remnants when He Sees Them Being Whipped
• Untamed: Jin Zixuan isn't killed; WWX and the Wen Remnants found a new sect in the Burial Mounds
• Untamed: Wen Qing and Wen Ning are appreciated as war heroes in much the same way Meng Yao is

These all offer changes to how the Wen Situation goes down at the end of the Sunshot campaign. Do WWX and JC speak up more about how Wen Qing hid and helped them? Did she help others as well that tips the balance? Or WWX getting away with taking the Wen Remnants in a different manner — a legit political compromise or something.

• MDZS: Wei Wuxian finds out Jiang Cheng lost his core saving WWX from the Wens

These brothers! Sacrificing everything for each other in this endless cycle that only hurts them! Let them know just how much the other cares about them!

• MDZS: Jin Guangyao kills Jin Guangshan when asked to murder a sworn brother
• MDZS: Meng Yao stays with the Nies rather than aiding Jin Guangshan

Okay I don't really have JGY as a requested character, but I would very much enjoy this change that eliminates a lot of the tragedy of the story.

• All: A Is a Ghost Only B Can See

WWX is canonically dead for quite some time. There's a lot of angst to be had if he is hanging around as a ghost. Do they acknowledge him? Do they not? Do they try to exorcise him? (Does he remember when he's summoned?)

• All: Arranged Marriage AU
• All: Arranged marriage to prevent extradition or incarceration
• All: Political/Alliance Marriage

WWX's demonic cultivation is putting him at odds with the cultivation world — how do Yunmeng Jiang go about seeking alliances here? Or Wen Qing taking charge of the Wen Remnants after the Sunshot campaign and seeking alliances?

• All: Character gets another character’s help that they didn’t get in canon

There's a lot that goes wrong in canon! Would adding another character to any of the situations help?

• All: Time Travel Fix-It

I just really like time travel so feel free to combine it with as many or as few of the other changes as you'd like.

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Crossover Fandom

For crossovers I don’t really mind how crossovers come into play – is a character portaled to another world? Do both places exist in the same world, just vaguely across the ocean and unvisited? Does character A get reincarnated? It’s all good.

I'm totally okay with any timeline shenanigans or vagueness from either canon in effort to combine them. (I am not familiar with Boruto, so any post-canon Naruto facts can be made up entirely).

1. Group: Haruno Sakura (Naruto) & Wen Ning (The Untamed)
2. Group: Haruno Sakura (Naruto)/Wen Qing (The Untamed)

I would definitely prefer late shippuden/post-canon Sakura, especially in the / relationship! I have no idea how old everyone is in Untamed (as opposed to MDZS) but she visually looks an adult, so I'd prefer an adult Sakura for any pairing related things!

That said! Medics! I'd love to see them bonding over skills, or investigating the differences between spiritual energy and chakra.

Is Sakura travelling around the sects learning new medical knowledge? Is she lost? Is Wen Qing in the Elemental Nations on a fantasy school exchange pre-canon?

1. Group: Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian (The Untamed) & Nara Shikako (DoS)

Demonic Cultivator and Corpse Princess, what could go wrong? They're both complete genius nerds and would definitely spend time experimenting with new magic and making seals/talismans together.

• All: Characters transported into another canon’s setting
• Untamed: Someone else faked WWX's death and that's why his body couldn't be found
• Untamed: Crossover character helps Wei Wuxian & the Wen Remnants
• Untamed: Crossover character saves Wen Ning from WN's canonical death
• Crossover: a multiverse-wide conference for young leaders (with Shenanigans)

Feel free to include other crossover characters at the conference — I can answer questions about what canons I do/don't know.

• Crossover: Dead character from another fandom meets Death (Discworld)

You know what, I didn't see Death on the list of crossover characters, but this is a great freeform. I'm not entirely sure what Death would think of WWX's necromancy or Shikako's habit of Not Dying (let alone her renegade reincarnation) but it would be great.