Bonus Round 1: AUs

[referees]

SASO 2017 is over, but this round is perpetually open to new fills (no new prompts).


This popular round is back once again! To begin this year's SASO, we encourage you to let your mind run wild with alternate ideas and settings.


Please read this whole post before commenting to ensure that your team gets the most points possible. (There are changes from last year!)

RULES

• Submit prompts by commenting to this post with an alternate universe idea, along with a ship from one of our nominated fandoms. There's a comment template below for your convenience.
  • Your prompt MUST include some kind of relationship. (This is not the sports anime gen olympics.) Platonic relationships are indicated by an "&" between the names (e.g., Izumi & Sakaeguchi). Non-platonic relationships use "/" (e.g., Izumi/Sakaeguchi). Please don't say "Any pairing," either!
• An AU can be a canon divergence, e.g. "what if [character] was the Team Captain instead of the canon captain character?", or a completely different setting altogether, e.g., pop idol AU, coffee shop AU, superheroes AU, etc.
• Fill prompts by leaving a responding comment to the prompt with your newly-created work.
• Remember to follow the general bonus round rules, outlined here.

FORMAT

Bonus round shenanigans all happen in the comments below. Brand-new works only, please.

Required Work Minimums:

• 400 words (prose)
• 400px by 400px (art)
• 14 lines (poetry)

There is no max work cap.

Format your comment in one of the following ways:

If PROMPTING:	If FILLING:	If FILLING as a TEAM GRANDSTAND participant:
PROMPT: TEAM [YOUR SHIP] Replace [YOUR SHIP] with the name of the team you belong to. Any way you format it is fine. Copy/paste/fill out the following form into your comment box. Delete the guidance text that's in parentheses. Make sure you use tags. Here is a BR Template Creator for your convenience if the textarea is confusing. (Please delete all text in parentheses as you go. LEAVE THE HTML ALONE or the bonus round scoring program can't parse your comment. Don't forget a comment subject!) <strong>Ship:</strong> (the ship your prompt is focused on. "&" indicates a platonic relationship, "/" is non-platonic. Format the ship name any way you want, but clarity is more likely to get you fills.) <strong>Fandom:</strong> (what fandom the ship is from) <strong>Major Tags:</strong> (https://sportsanime.dreamwidth.org/1609.html, when applicable; these apply to content *in the prompt itself* and is NOT an implication of what you're looking for in a fill. If your prompt doesn't require tags, write "None" here.) <strong>Other Tags:</strong> (anything else that you feel requires tagging; can include jokey tumblr-style tags here; may also pull from the "Additional Tags" list from the URL above, if applicable; otherwise, write "None" here.) <strong>Prompt:</strong>	FILL: TEAM [YOUR SHIP], [RATING] Replace [YOUR SHIP] with the name of the team you belong to. Any way you format it is fine. Replace RATING with the rating of your fill (G - E) Copy/paste/fill out the following form into your comment box. Delete the guidance text that's in parentheses. Make sure you use tags. Here is a BR Template Creator for your convenience if the textarea is confusing. (Please delete all text in parentheses as you go. LEAVE THE HEADER HTML ALONE or the bonus round scoring program can't parse your comment. Don't forget a comment subject!) <strong>Major Tags:</strong> (https://sportsanime.dreamwidth.org/1609.html, when applicable; otherwise write "None".) <strong>Other Tags:</strong> (anything else that you feel requires tagging; can include jokey tumblr-style tags here; may also pull from the "Additional Tags" list from the URL above, if applicable; otherwise, write "None" here.) <strong>Word Count:</strong> (if applicable; otherwise write "None") (Place any author/artist's notes BEFORE the asterisks. Leave the asterisks alone or you may not get points!) *** (Place your fill here. You can use HTML after the asterisks. FOR NSFW FILLS, please cross-link these fills and use clear tags. Refer to the body of the post above for more information. To place an image in your comment, use this code: <img src="LINK TO YOUR IMAGE" alt="DESCRIPTION OF YOUR IMAGE"/>. Consider posting only a thumbnail if the image is large. For more info, visit http://referees.dreamwidth.org/5647.html#images ) NSFW FILLS: Please cross-link these fills and tag them clearly. saso_afterhours is open to all NSFW fills. Written/text fills can be hosted on AO3 or saso_afterhours ONLY. Art/visual fills can be hosted anywhere; you may include a small safe-for-work thumbnail of the fill in your comment.	FILL: TEAM GRANDSTAND, [RATING] Replace RATING with the rating of your fill (G - E) Copy/paste/fill out the following form into your comment box. Delete the guidance text that's in parentheses. Make sure you use tags. Here is a BR Template Creator for your convenience if the textarea is confusing. (Please delete all text in parentheses as you go. LEAVE THE HEADER HTML ALONE or the bonus round scoring program can't parse your comment. Don't forget a comment subject!) <strong>Major Tags:</strong> (https://sportsanime.dreamwidth.org/1609.html, when applicable; otherwise write "None".) <strong>Other Tags:</strong> (anything else that you feel requires tagging; can include jokey tumblr-style tags here; may also pull from the "Additional Tags" list from the URL above, if applicable; otherwise, write "None" here.) <strong>Word Count:</strong> (if applicable; otherwise write "None") (Place any author/artist's notes BEFORE the asterisks. Leave the asterisks alone or you may not get points!) *** (Place your fill here. You can use HTML. FOR NSFW FILLS, please cross-link these fills and use clear tags. Refer to the body of the post above for more information. To place an image in your comment, use this code: <img src="LINK TO YOUR IMAGE" alt="DESCRIPTION OF YOUR IMAGE"/>. Consider posting only a thumbnail if the image is large. For more info, visit http://referees.dreamwidth.org/5647.html#images ) NSFW FILLS: Please cross-link these fills and tag them clearly. saso_afterhours is open to all NSFW fills. Written/text fills can be hosted on AO3 or saso_afterhours ONLY. Art/visual fills can be hosted anywhere; you may include a small safe-for-work thumbnail of the fill in your comment.

Posts not using this format will be understood to be unofficial discussion posts, regardless of what they contain. They, like all comments in this community, are subject to the code of conduct.

If you see anyone breaking the code of conduct (e.g., causing drama, being rude) anywhere (not just DW), please contact the mods immediately.

SCORING

These numbers apply to your team as a whole, not each individual teammate. Make as many prompts/fills as you want!

For prompts: 5 points each (maximum of 50 prompt points per team per round)

For fills:
First 4 fills by any member of your team: 20 points each
Fills 5-10: 15 points each
Fills 11-20: 5 points each
Fills 21-50: 2 points each
Fills 51+: 1 point each

All scored content must be created new for this round.

Etc.

If you're hunting through the prompts looking for what to fill, a good trick is to view top-level comments only (see the line of links below this post).

Have a question? Check The FAQ first. If you still need help, feel free to contact the mods. Happy fanworking!

Comments

Prompt: team miyuki kazuya/oikawa tooru

[aicqt]

Ship: Manami & Miki or Teshima or Arakita or Toudou or any combination u think would be good, tbh.
Fandom: Yowamushi pedal
Major Tags: None
Other Tags: Person of Interest au

Prompt: One of the characters is the machine, another is root but if you wanna do something else whatever you feel like would be wonderful ♥

FILL: TEAM Kanzaki Miki/Miyahara, G

[qingtian]

Major Tags: spoilers for Person of Interest (vague); mention of past mental institutionalisation (very small and vague)
Other Tags: person of interest / ywpd au
Word Count: 657

Featuring Manami in Root's role, Miki as the Machine.
This isn't polished yet, and I may add on more sections via reply, I'm sorry. Alternatively, Welcome to 12am where the timeline isn't stable, the research isn't encompassing and the rules don't matter--
also, I want to apologise that the Root that we're writing, doesn't seem to like Finch at the time... Sorry Finch.

An aside: considered briefly, casting Onoda as Finch, for that Onoda+Manami-esque take on the clash of values re Finch's 'humanity is worth saving' vs Root's initial disdain of humanity. Decided against it because.... Onoda is. Willingly blind tbh, as compared to Finch. and probably wouldn't make The Machine.

So i didn't specifically cast any pedal as the rest of the POI cast.


***

Bike

A large narrow, angular package arrives at Manami's then apartment. It takes them a while to recognise the shape, in which time they'd prowled and poked around it warily. Then they do. Oh.

Manami hasn't cycled in ages. Moving around as much as they did, Manami doesn't hold on to much in terms of worldly possessions. A bicycle is bulk and stands out. An identifier. They'd sloughed that off, away and gone with the rest of the traces of unnecessary humanity they'd tried to leave behind.

They unwrap the package anyway. It's a gift from the Machine, after all. They'd never deny her.

Despite everything, it is familiar, setting up the frame, attaching the axle. It is here, that the Machine insistently intervenes, however. Her voice guides Manami's hands, a chiming that soars and dives in alternating frequencies, making her unspoken words known: adjust the saddle's angle here. lower the handlebars' height there. Tighten the chain just so.

The loyal vessel enacts the deity's will precisely.

Finally she pings in seeming satisfaction.

Stand back and survey your work. It's a beautiful machination. Brand-new and gleaming polished still, parts all coming together in cohesive form. The machine has given such care in choosing the components, of this vastly smaller, but industrious machine.

A machine creates a machine. Now that's a cycle in itself--

Manami takes the bike out for a spin, because that's what you do, when you are gifted a bike. One never truly forgets how to cycle, and it's a gloriously smooth ride. The wind speeds past searingly, and their chest heaves, long-unpracticed muscles burn -- and they find their face breaking into a grin. Ah.

They're still in love with cycling after all.

They wish they could share this with the Machine. This exhilaration, this ache, this incredibly physical joy. That they could give this to the Machine as readily as she's bestowed this to them.

But as godlike the Machine is, there are limitations, after all.

Soon enough, Machine and Manami skip town again. They keep little on them on their way out.

But the bike, they bring. For as long as they could, anyway.

----

Bluebird

Manami makes a point to keep a balance: their expressions smooth and serene, readily sliding into a smirk, while colliding wildly into people's space and leaving just as quickly. It keeps one inside everything yet safely separate.

But 'Finch'. Finch named them Grouse, like it's his mark on them; Finch who put them away, and kept them from the world, from the machine.

Manami's laid it out logically and reasonably and of course, advantageously; and they well know how much Finch has the Machine's affections. But sometimes, it smarts. Makes them want to snarl.

Finch calls them Grouse again and again, and Manami's smile strains tight, just slightly--

Then the Machine warbles in their ear.

Manami's long used to the machine's abrupt announcements, no preamble what so ever; but this one gives them visible pause.

It's a distraction, at least, and it does amuse Manami when they track down the origins of the warble. A bluebird. An Eastern Bluebird, more specifically. Three-toned and pitched somewhat low, a cheerful song, a stunning blue.

It's not exactly the most original but it pleases. Most willing to be a bird, if it's your Bluebird. Manami, at your service!

They amuse themselves, fascinatedly imagining how it must feel, the bluebird's warble. Rubbing up against that swelled throat, bursting out in those thrills. Brings hand to their own throat. They'd sing for the Machine, they would.

As if sensing their thoughts, the Machine replays the notes.

It does it again, whenever Finch calls them Grouse.

It continues to do it, like a hello, a harkening at Manami's attention. It becomes a familiar song between them, with Manami whimsically attempting the whistle back (it's poorly done but the thought counts).

Machine and Manami, facsimiling birds, facsimiling humanity.

It's pleasant, all the same.