drabbles: SGA, SN, Halloweentown - PG
Title: foreshock
Fandom: “Stargate: Atlantis”
Disclaimer: not my characters; just for fun.
Warnings: AU in a major way
Pairings: pre-McShep
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 485
Point of view: third
In Pegasus, they found the people weren’t that different. They were harder, and hardier, less inclined to play around but not above games. They welcomed strangers with a wariness only the war-torn nations back home had, but only rarely turned them away.
“We need friends,” Dr. Weir said, in the quiet way of all earths. “We are strangers here, Colonel Sumner. We don’t know this galaxy.”
“We don’t need anyone but ourselves,” he replied, flames dazzling across his palm. “We’ll bring this galaxy to heel.”
John looked from one to the other, then turned away. They’d work it out, and Colonel Sumner had made it clear his place was only as a light-switch, so he’d go play nice with the geeks. Maybe after, he could sneak away for a test-flight in Pegasus air.
Atlantis sang to him as he walked down the hall, trailing his fingers on the wall. Welcome, welcome, son of Air, she whispered. We have missed you.
“Ah, Major,” Dr. McKay said as he strode in. “Touch this.” He held out some sort of… something. It looked kind of like a toaster.
John took it from him, turning it over in his hands. On, he thought at it. Nothing happened. He shrugged, giving it back to McKay. “Not working.”
McKay frowned down at it before placing it on the table. “No matter,” he said. “Next!” He grabbed something else and John looked at the table, full of shiny Ancient toys to play with, most of which were probably broken.
Oh, yeah, he’d go flying later. He’d have to, just to decompress.
“So, what’s Pegasus like?” Dr. McKay asked without looking up from his computer.
John shrugged again, examining an Ancient marker. “Kinda like Earth, really,” he answered.
McKay snorted. “That’s about right,” he grumbled.
Flicking a glance at the scientist, John said, “I don’t think I told you this earlier, but thank you.” As McKay raised his head, John added, “For saving all our lives.”
McKay’s mouth opened, but he kept silent, like he was searching for words. After a moment, he said, “It was nothing. Just another day at the office, raising Ancient cities from the depths of the sea. Nothing.”
John hid his smile by ducking his head. “So, you’re pretty powerful, then?”
McKay perked right up, saying, “Strongest water on Earth.” Then he admitted, “Though, having all that ocean around did help some.”
Chuckling, John said, “I bet.” Smirking, he mused, “You know, we’re not on Earth anymore. Some of the natives I met, they were elements, too.”
McKay glared at him, but it didn’t seem that serious. “Well, thank you for that tidbit of knowledge, Major.” A smile lurked in his eyes. “Touch this.” He held out another doohickey; John took it.
“I’m gonna go flying later,” John told him. “You wanna come with me?”
“Actually,” McKay replied, jotting down a note, “I’ve been meaning to go swimming.”
continues here
Title: the play of light on bright stones
Fandom: “Supernatural”
Disclaimer: not my characters; just for fun. Title from Denise Levertov.
Warnings: spoilers for season four
Pairings: none stated
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 325
Point of view: third
Castiel has seen him broken, tainted beyond purity, as the plaything of the darkest being in the pit.
Castiel has seen him so low there is nowhere left to fall.
Castiel still sees him as beautiful.
o0o
Uriel does not like Dean or his brother. He can barely stand being in the same realm as them.
Castiel, however, finds them fascinating. He has always been curious of Their Father’s favorite creatures, His special children. They are so vibrant and young. Whenever he is on their plane, he cannot look away.
Uriel would turn them all to dust, if he had his way. Castiel cannot fathom it.
o0o
Castiel gripped Dean’s soul tight, shoved it back into his rotting corpse, and healed him. He restored Dean to life, erasing all flaws and scars. He watched Dean fight his way out the grave and stumble into town.
He watched Dean force down the memories and marveled at humanity’s resilience.
o0o
Castiel saw him in the pit, tearing open another damned soul. Castiel saw him shattered; with His Father’s grace and tender forgiveness, Castiel pieced him back together.
And now Castiel cannot look away.
o0o
Take care, Castiel, Uriel told him. Be careful you do not stray.
Castiel had no reply.
o0o
Castiel has seen him broken. Castiel has seen him in the pit, torturing others with a glee that can only be termed unholy. Castiel has seen him fallen so low there is nowhere else.
Castiel has seen Dean at his darkest, most twisted moments-and Castiel is the one who returned him to the light. Gave him back hope for redemption.
Uriel cannot stand to be near Dean or Sam-especially Sam-but Castiel wishes he never had to leave.
They are fascinating, so vibrant and so young, and he wants to understand them better. How can that be a sin?
Castiel, Uriel cautions. They are sinful beings. They are impure and fallen.
And still, Castiel does not look away.
Title: shame and honor, and magic's grace
Fandom: Halloweentown movies
Disclaimer: not my characters; just for fun.
Warnings: spoilers for all four movies
Pairings: none
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 365
Point of view: third
It was not an easy decision, no matter how carefree he acts about it. He turned his back on the family heritage, centuries of tradition. For as long as magic existed, a Dalloway had it. For as long as Halloweentown existed, a Dalloway held a position of power there.
But then Dad betrayed them, losing all prestige, all the power accumulated since the world began. And Ethan helped him, Daddy's perfect little slave. Ethan helped torment his friends, just to prove that staying apart was the best course of action.
Magic had been a piece of Ethan from birth, deep in his blood, his memory. Humans were more of a legend than anything else, rumors about hatred and fear and death. Humans were a world away, until Marnie Cromwell opened the portal. Ethan wanted nothing to do with her exchange-student program, but Dad made him go.
Dad made him go, all part of his master-plan to cut off the worlds, but Ethan actually liked the humans. They were fun and fresh, and Cassie's absolute glee was contagious.
It was hard, so hard, to decide to give up his magic. His whole life, his strength had defined him--the only Dalloway son, heir of the magic, of the seat on the council, a fixture of Halloweentown... and Dad disgraced them all, back to the first, when he tried stealing the Cromwell magic. How could Ethan hold up his head when everyone knew he was a Dalloway?
He thought about leaving Halloweentown, vanishing into the human world. He could blend in easily, lose himself, forget the shame. Forget the magic. Dad's magic was bound and he was banished to the witch's glass, and Mom moved on, to another warlock. Ethan alone bore the brunt of Dad's disgrace.
And so, at midnight beneath a full moon, he renounced his magic, locking it away deep inside. He did it for himself, and didn't tell anyone--he needed to prove that ambition and power weren't everything, if only to himself.
Dad disgraced them. With time and patience, Ethan could possibly reclaim the family honor, the prestige of the Dalloway name.
Maybe then, on that day, he would also reclaim his magic.
Title: east of Eden he was cast
Fandom: “Supernatural”
Disclaimer: not my characters; just for fun. Title and cut-text from Bruce Springsteen.
Warnings: future!fic
Pairings: none
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 500
Point of view: third
Notes: thanks to tigris_lilsis for looking this over!
We are legion, they say, black eyes and red eyes and white eyes all in a row. We are legion but leaderless. We come to you.
And I should lead you? he asks, fingers loose around the hilt of Ruby’s knife.
You are our king, they say, spread out on the ground before him, gazes adoring. You are our majesty given flesh, power in a vessel. Lead us.
Tell me why I should. He trails the blade along his jaw. Tell me why I should give any of you bastards the time of day.
Black eyes, red eyes, white eyes, all in a row, begging and baying and belly-up. Lead us, lord and savior. You are ours and we are yours-king and majesty and eternal. Lead us from here and into the world, into the highest domain.
Hmm… He stares down at them, letting the knife dangle. Tempting.
Please, they say. You and you alone-power and strength and perfection. Please.
He lets the knife fall to the ground and stands tall, glaring out over them, black and red and white. And if I lead you? he demands. What do I get?
One streams to the forefront, black-eyed and excited. I know where they took your brother. I can show you the way.
He nods, reaching out to twirl a finger in its smoke. It giggles, dancing in place.
Take me there, he says. And I’ll be your king.
They howl in jubilation, black and red and white. Our king, our king, they chant. Ours.
He follows the eager little black-eyed demon and the hordes follow him. I saw them, it calls over its shoulder. I saw them take him away. I recognized his glow.
Ours, ours, our king, the rest whisper to each other. Finally, to battle. To war and to Heaven!
He says nothing, power swirling in his blood, magics darker and older than time. They pass mountains and canyons, going deeper into the abyss.
They took him through there, the demon says, pointing to a stairway. Up and up.
I know the way, he muses. I walked it before, until one of you pulled me back down.
You are our king? the little demon asks, spinning and whirling.
Yes, he says, caressing it gently. I am your king. Eternally your lord, as soon as I’ve taken back my brother from those self-righteous sons of bitches.
We will help you! they shriek, an unholy choir rising around him. You are ours and we are yours, and we will follow you.
Well then, he says, gazing out over them, black eyes and red eyes and white eyes staring back in awe. Let’s go.
He leads them up the stairs, his hordes, what his destiny had always been-king, majesty, raw power given flesh. He leads them up the stairs, a pathway no demon has walked in millennia.
It feels like a homecoming, and he smiles darkly, eyes shining golden. It will be homecoming, soon as he’s rescued Dean.