xxxHOLiC AU requests - third batch

[rallamajoop]

Pending any unexpected further bursts of inspiration, the final batch is done.

7. Superheros
Requested by stormantia (again) (Original Thread):

...S...Superheroes...?

This has got to be the shortest request in the whole batch – but sometimes, additional detail really isn’t necessary.

---

Saving the life of Doumeki Shizuka was rapidly turning into the biggest mistake Watanuki had ever made.

“No I’m not. Don’t be ridiculous,” he protested helplessly. “I don’t look anything like him!”

“Yes you do,” said Doumeki. “The only difference is that you’re wearing glasses. And no spandex. No cape either. I liked the cape,” he added.

This was completely unfair. No-one ever recognised him out of costume! And maybe that was just because it wouldn’t occur to them that quiet, mild-mannered Watanuki could ever be a superhero, or maybe it was just because when you were a sidekick to Yuuko no-one much noticed you at all, but it had always worked perfectly well before. The nerve of his guy – recognising him in public, of all things – it was beyond all reasonable belief.

“It wasn’t my cape!” Watanuki wailed.

“The spandex didn’t really suit you though,” said Doumeki thoughtfully.

“It wasn’t my idea!”

Doumeki raised an eyebrow.

“And it wasn’t my spandex!” Watanuki amended quickly. “On account of how whoever you saw wasn’t me!”

Doumeki’s other eyebrow joined the first one. Watanuki swallowed nervously. Damn Yuuko and her damn spandex. He’d never liked wearing it anyway. “I don’t know what’s going through that crazy head of yours, but…”

Doumeki reached out suddenly and had pulled Watanuki’s glasses away from his face before their owner had any time to realise what he was doing. He peered speculatively into Watanuki’s face with such an intense expression that eventually Watanuki gave in just to make him stop doing it. A horrible possibility struck him. “Oh my god!” he shrieked, “You’re a supervillain, aren’t you? That’s the only possible way you could have been able to see through my disguise!”

“Am not,” said Doumeki.

“You must be!” Watanuki wailed. “It explains everything!”

“Like why you had to save my life yesterday?” said Doumeki.

“Obviously that was all part of your evil play to get close enough that you could find out my secret identity!”

“So I could confront you about it at school today?”

“Yes! That’s exactly the sort of thing a supervillain would do!”

“Why?” said Doumeki.

“So you could scare me by making me think my whole secret was in danger! It all makes sense now! Wait, where are you going?”

“Anywhere there’s no-one accusing me of supervillainry would do,” said Doumeki, without turning around.

Watanuki watched him go, unsure precisely how this behaviour fit into his supervillain theory but certain he’d figure it out. It wasn’t until Doumeki had made it around the next corner that his internal reality-check kicked in long enough to make him yell, ‘Wait!’ and run after.

Doumeki did wait, which was more than Watanuki would have given him credit for. “Still not a supervillain,” he said, once his pursuer had caught up. Watanuki ignored him.

“You can’t tell anyone else about me,” he hissed desperately. “It’s really important.”

“Can’t I?” said Doumeki. He was obviously going to make this difficult.

“Please!” said Watanuki helplessly. “I’m begging you not to.” Doumeki looked amused by this, which had to be a bad sign. “Oh god,” Watanuki muttered in shock. “You’re going to blackmail me, aren’t you?”

“Why not?” said Doumeki thoughtfully. “What are you offering?”

Watanuki wracked his brains for any clue as to what a villain like Doumeki might expect from him, but he didn’t have the faintest idea. “What do you want me to offer?”

“I don’t know,” said Doumeki thoughtfully. “You could buy me lunch.”

Watanuki deflated slightly. He was painfully aware Doumeki was mocking him, but equally aware he was getting off lightly and shouldn’t complain. “Oh, fine,” he grumbled. “But – I honestly don’t have any money on me today.”

“You could give me your lunch,” suggested Doumeki.

Sacrifices, Watanuki thought to himself, as he fished out his lunchbox. Being a superhero was all about making sacrifices. No wonder he hated it so much. You’d think protecting the city from alien invaders was enough, but no, he had to deal with Doumeki as well.

“Here!” he snapped, thrusting the lunchbox at his new, least-favourite supervillain. “But that’s the end of it, understand? And don’t go thinking I’m ever saving your life again!”

(Prize to anyone who can tell me what Watanuki’s superhero name is, and what his superpower actually *are*. Keep in mind that it does seem likely that Yuuko may not actually possess any superpowers of her own (or at least none Watanuki knows for sure about) and that her role may very well be to do little more than pose dramatically on the tops of buildings while Watanuki does all the hard work. And of course to keep him supplied with spandex.)

---

8. Post-Apocalyptic

Requested by lunargeography (Original thread):

Post-apocalyptic world, with brutal feudal feuding between gangs among the crumbling, mostly-empty cities. Watanuki sees and talks to ghosts -- which enables him to find all sorts of neat caches of food and guns and tech toys, and also sometimes to get instructions for how to use the tech toys -- but most spirits aren't happy and they exact a high price from him for thier information.

This makes Watanuki a prize to be fought over by gang leaders. Either Doumeki as a gang leader, or possibly as someone trying to overthrow the system. Or maybe a prisoner Watanuki frees?

A little secret – I didn’t expect I’d get to this one. It was one of the later ones to be posted and by the time I saw it I’d already picked seven ideas, and that sounded like more than enough. Then late one night this one snuck up and leapt on me. Then it picked up an extra scene, a bunch of extra characters, many of whom are developing whole detailed extra backstories of their own. In fact, this may now be the most likely to be continued out of all the worlds I’ve written for.

It’s also almost definitely the darkest.

---

“Well what were you expecting?” said the boy.

“Dunno,” said Doumeki, slinging his gun over his shoulder. “Just…” Not you. He would have been an odd enough sight even without his surroundings and the poor lighting to go with them. Glasses in any sort of intact state were rare enough – worth a fortune to the right people. He was scrawny too – but so was everyone these days. “But it is you, right? You’re the one they call the April Fool?”

The boy made a choking noise. “It’s not any of them, if that’s what you mean,” he said, indicating the rest of the room with a shuddering movement of his shoulders. “That’s what you’re doing here, isn’t it?”

“Followed the gunfire,” said Doumeki. That and the screaming. Mostly the screaming, really.

“You’ll be the first one in two years who hasn’t had to steal me from another gang then,” said the boy, though Doumeki couldn’t tell quite how he felt about this. Behind the lenses, his eyes were strange and unfocused. Look into his eyes long enough and you could almost believe he really could see things no-one else could. He didn’t look like he’d been crying, though he did give the impression it might have been a relief to him if he could have been.

Doumeki could only make out a little of what was left in the shadows around the rest of the room, and while not generally squeamish he was glad for it. Even in the poor light the smell was starting to get to him. “Let’s go outside.”

The boy nodded without really looking at him. He was well enough to stand, though he was shaking badly – but when Doumeki stepped forward to offer his support the boy only glared at him until he stepped back again.

Outside, the air was fresher, early morning light not yet bright enough for the true desolation of the landscape to be evident, but if anything the boy only seemed to hunch further in on himself. “Well?” he said after a bit, probably more because he was sick of being stared at than because he really wanted to talk. “What do you want to know?”

“The stories,” said Doumeki, “are they true?”

“Which ones?” said the boy irritably. “The ones where I’m a human food finding radar? The ones where I can lead people to supply caches only dead men should know about?” He made the choking sound again, closer to a laugh this time. “Most of them.” His eyes flickered Doumeki’s way suspiciously. “Aren’t you going to ask me how I do it?”

“How do you do it?” said Doumeki obediently.

“The ghosts tell me where they are,” said the boy, voice taking on a shrill quality. “They’re everywhere! Thick as flies in some places. Sometimes I can’t even hear anything else for them all talking at once.” He stopped and gave Doumeki another look – trying to gauge whether it had been decided he was crazy yet. Doumeki kept his expression carefully neutral.

“Sometimes they want to help. That’s when they lead me places. Tell me where stuff is,” the boy went on, his voice getting faster the longer he spoke. “But not always. And I know this part isn’t in any of the stories you’ve heard, but it really matters that you understand it, because that last lot never did – and look where they wound up! – sometimes the ghosts don’t help. Even dead people make mistakes. They remember wrong, or they lead me somewhere where there used to be food but it’s all gone rotten or been taken already. And sometimes – sometimes they even do it on purpose.” On the last word his voice dropped to a hiss. “Some of them think it’s funny. They lead me for days on end through the worst country to get to places where they know there’s nothing to find at all! That’s how it is, and I swear to any god anyone still believes in I can’t ever tell which one it’s going to be.”

“People get angry at you for that,” Doumeki guessed. The boy let out a weak laugh.

“If I’m lucky they only get angry at me. But the ghosts… the strongest ones – sometimes they can even move things. You understand what I’m saying, right? Enough to attack someone! And sometimes, they get really, really protective of me.

“I don’t mind being hit,” said the April Fool, the hysterical note in his voice getting much stronger. “I mean, I don’t like it, I’m not that crazy yet, but I can deal with it. It’s hardly any worse than what everyone else goes through around here. But, so help me,” he pointed an arm back into the building without looking around, “I do not want to have to see anything like that ever again!.”

Doumeki hadn’t believed for a moment when he’d arrived on the scene of all the screaming and gunfire that this boy could have been the one who killed everyone else in that room. The fact that disbelief showed so clearly on his face may have been a big part of the reason the boy was no more panicky than he was. But any reasonable person could have told you he sounded crazy – maybe crazy enough to have turned a few lucky finds of badly-needed supplies into a miracle in the eyes of his handlers – and Doumeki knew far too well that crazy people could pull off crazy and terrible things when pushed. Even slightly-built boys like this one.

But then… in a world populated by a few surviving gangs of angry, desperate humans, and six billion angry, desperate ghosts, who was he to say what was crazy, what was a hope they couldn’t afford to waste?

“Come on,” he told the boy. “If we get going now, we can make it back to the camp before it gets very light.”

The boy followed him without complaint.

---

(Several months later)

When Doumeki got back an aura of gloom had descended over the camp. Syaoran was the one who pulled him aside to explain why. Watanuki had lead them on two supply missions while Doumeki had been away – both of them busts. In the months since Watanuki had first joined their camp he’d lead them on eleven missions for which Doumeki had been present, and only one had ever failed to reward them with something they could use. This new trend had everyone uncomfortable. It could have been no more than co-incidence, but talents like Watanuki’s made everyone that little bit superstitious. Whether this meant Watanuki’s lucky streak was over, or whether this was all just some immature form of protest over Doumeki’s extended absence, or whatever other reason, it wasn’t looking good.

At least no-one here would ever have hit him for it, which was more relieving to both him and Watanuki than even the room full of bodies where the boy had been found could entirely explain.

Watanuki looked relieved to see him back, but only for a moment.

“It’s easier when you’re around,” he said angrily. Angry at having to justify himself all the time, angry at having to explain all this to someone he knew only halfway believed him, probably angrier still at having to give Doumeki credit for something he was blatantly unaware he was doing at all. “All the angriest ghosts – the big ugly ones and the ones that only want to make trouble – they won’t go near you. Don’t ask me why, I’ve never seen that happen around anyone before,” he added, with a certain amount of grudging awe. “And as soon as you left they came back again.”

Doumeki didn’t know what to begin to make of this and didn’t try. “The others think you were sulking about me being away.” Well, Kurogane and Syoaran did, or suspected it at least. Sakura didn’t think things like that about anyone, and he never knew what Fye was thinking about anything.

“You still don’t believe me, do you?” said Watanuki, hotly.

“I don’t know what to believe,” said Doumeki. All he knew for sure was that Watanuki was far too good at finding them what they needed for it to matter how he did it.

Watanuki glared at him, then gave up. “I had a dream while you were away,” he said, looking back towards the camp. “About this guy who looked just like you.”

“I’m not dead,” said Doumeki firmly.

“Of course not,” Watanuki snorted, “He couldn’t have been you. He smiled far too much. All the time.” Behind him, Doumeki went very still. Watanuki went on oblivious. “He said his name was Haruka.”

“Stop there,” said Doumeki.

Watanuki gave him one of his flickering glances. “He was your grandfather, wasn’t he?”

Doumeki had Watanuki by the collar of his shirt before he knew what he was doing. “I told you to shut. Up,” he said, voice low and dangerous.

Watanuki’s eyes widened with shock, then settled quickly back into their usual angry defiance. It didn’t matter now what Doumeki might or might not admit, Watanuki knew he’d scored a point. Fortunately, he was still wise enough to stay silent on the subject after that.

Doumeki spent the rest of the day trying to remember whether he’d ever mentioned Doumeki Haruka to anyone in the camp – anyone Watanuki might have spoken to. It wouldn’t be like him to have said anything, would have been even less like him to forget it if he had, but it wasn’t impossible and it was still easier to believe than the alternative.

---

Extra: Piffle World bonus scenes

Anyone remember me finishing the Piffle World AU with a note that I would leave where things went from there to your imagination? Well, I lied - there’s a little more left to go yet. Actually, there’s more left to go than even I was expecting, because factorielle went and gave me a couple of lines of Tomoyo dialogue in a comment thread back on an earlier entry, which spawned into another scene. These are now being posted in the order I wrote them rather than the order they occur chronologically, because they still work better in my head that way. ^^;

So, suffice to say this first scene happens a good long while after the end of the last one –possibly even as much as year – and Doumeki has made a certain amount of progress with that extra job he was given.

---

“We could be having sex right now,” Doumeki pointed out. It was eight o’clock on a Friday evening, and they had both been at work since eight AM. He was pretty sure this was exactly the sort of situation he’d been hired to prevent in the first place, though he couldn’t convince even himself that the suggestion he’d just made had anything to do with keeping his job.

“Just imagine,” said Watanuki, without looking up.

Doumeki tried out a different tack. “What if I said that if we don’t make it home within an hour today, there won’t be any sex this weekend?”

“You’d be lying, and we’d both know it,” said Watanuki. Doumeki had to admit he was right. Time for the emergency backup plan. Doumeki got to his feet.

“And where do you think you’re going?” said Watanuki, looking up at last.

“Home,” said Doumeki. “To bed.”

“Fine,” said Watanuki. “Go ahead. But I’m not coming with you and you can’t make me.”

“To bed,” Doumeki repeated, “where you will be entirely welcome to join me at an time, where in fact you will be entirely able to join me within fifteen minutes of leaving this office at any time tonight.”

Watanuki glared at him. “Don’t you even think about trying the look again. What was the rule we made about that look?”

“Something about the Geneva convention?” Doumeki suggested vaguely.

“The rule was: you do not ever get to give me that look again!” Watanuki hissed. “Fine! Go home for all I care. I’m sure I can finish all this work all by myself sometime before midnight, but don’t you think for a moment I plan to set a foot outside this office before then.”

Doumeki shrugged and walked out. He’d gotten just as far as the car park when his cell phone rang.

“We’re going to my place, not yours,” said Watanuki as soon as Doumeki answered it. “It’s closer, and there’s real food there.”

“Gotcha,” said Doumeki, and hung up.

---

(Some unspecified number of months earlier)

To Watanuki’s unmitigated horror, not only did Tomoyo not fire Doumeki on the spot, she didn’t even seem to believe anything untoward had taken place.

"Harassment? Why, I haven't noticed anything of the sort at all," Tomoyo said, deftly hitting the off button on her video camera. “You must know our company policy states that you need to be able to back up claims like this with the testimony of a third party.”

“But he only does it when he knows no-one else is watching!” Watanuki argued helplessly, feeling revenge slipping through his fingers. “He does it most when there’s no-one else here at all!”

“When there’s no-one else here at all?” said Tomoyo, sounding puzzled. “Oh my, you aren’t working here after hours again, are you Watanuki? You know what trouble we’ll be in with the occupational health and safety people – they fret so terribly over these things! And I’ve just been slipped word they may be planning a surprise inspection any day.”


When Watanuki got back later, the first thing he said was, “I’m working from home tonight.” He began clearing off his desk in a businesslike manner.

After a few moments of silence, Doumeki began doing likewise. A minute or two later, Watanuki looked up and glared at him accusingly.

“You are not coming with me! It’s my house!”

“I’m not working here if you’re not,” said Doumeki, shoving files into folders in his usual haphazard manner.

“Then go home! Your home, the one you’re always complaining you don’t see enough anymore!”

Doumeki looked at him sceptically. “Are you sure you trust me to get this stuff done without supervision?” he asked, shoving the last few files into other files without looking at them. Watanuki’s eyebrow twitched – impulses to keep an eye on Doumeki and conflicting desires not see him at all were visibly waring in his head.

“You,” he hissed, “have ulterior motives, and don’t think I don’t know it!”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” said Doumeki evenly.

Watanuki threw his arms in the air, but he didn’t stop Doumeki following him home that evening.

---

(And since I’ve gotten this far, but I really don’t know whether this will ever go any further, have one last little line from further on in the chronology – probably not set the next morning, but probably not all that far in the future either ^_~)

When Watanuki woke up the following morning, he was not half so horrified by the discovery that he’d slept with Doumeki as he was to learn that he was going to be late for work.

---

Poll time!

So here we end officially, but I'm attached enough to a number of these worlds that there's still an outside chance one or more will be continued at some point - so about time for a good list of ticky boxes it is! Can't say I haven't already gotten *some* kind of idea which of these went down best based on all the lovely feedback I've been getting, still - indulge me, I'm curious. (For the record, yes, these sort of things are known to influence me, though I give no guarantees.)

[Poll #1022276]

And thank you all for requesting, reading and just generally being an awesome fandom to write for!

ETA: Quick links to the other two batches
Round 1: Pirates, vampires and Piffle Country office politics
Round 2: Movies, medieval times and hired gunmen (and more pirates)

Comments

[sansele.livejournal.com]

Somehow I missed the last two batches, so after reading this lot, I went back. *applauds* Words cannot describe how much I love these fics! XD They're really fun to read.

[rallamajoop.livejournal.com]

^_^ They were more fun to write than anything I've worked on in ages too. Took me a little while to get them all cleaned up and posted, but they practically wrote themselves - almost all of these were written within the space of a couple of days while I was over in Queensland. Something about holic just seems to click with the way I write sometimes - almost too easy. *g* And I'm glad you're liking them too. <3

[factorielle.livejournal.com]

I now need to go hide in the bathroom and laugh my head off. XDDDD

[rallamajoop.livejournal.com]

Bwahaha! My work here is done!

[cheloya.livejournal.com]

Oh, wow... #8 sounds like it could be something amazing. I hope you do get to write more of it.

And... :( I cannot participate in your poll, because I just ticked every box except the last one and was half a second away from submitting when I realised that probably wasn't fair. ;_;

[rallamajoop.livejournal.com]

*so much giggling* Shall I take that as a vote for number 8 then? (It's certainly one of the ones tempting me the hardest right now. I'm even having thoughts on where characters like Kohane and *Chi* might fit in.)

And while I admire your restraint, I am sure someone is going to do that sooner or later. Ticky box polls just beg for trouble. XD

[rusalkaz.livejournal.com]

Wahahaha The whole 'Superhero' AU was vaguely traumatising XDDDD Watanuki in spandex... now that's a sight we'll most likely be mercifully spared from in xxxHOLiC... or I fervently hope it'll be so XD

8. Post-Apocalyptic
I must admit I'm awed and enchanted... Dark, depressing yet fascinating setup - I'd love to see more of it! *squees at the mention of Tsubasa gang* XD

“You,” he hissed, “have ulterior motives, and don’t think I don’t know it!”
Ahahaha I'm glad you've proved me wrong and Doumeki indeed CAN make Watanuki go home and uhm have fun uncovering those ulterior motives XDDD Most delightful discovery I'm sure XDDDDD

*huuuuuugs* You did great job dear :) Gotta vote for MORE AUs now ehehe

[rallamajoop.livejournal.com]

Watanuki in spandex... now that's a sight we'll most likely be mercifully spared from in xxxHOLiC...

In a fandom so hopelessly obsessed with maid uniforms, the idea of spandex can still scare. XD Though I must admit, he's maybe not the best built for it, going by the usual superhero physique.

8. Post-Apocalyptic
I must admit I'm awed and enchanted... Dark, depressing yet fascinating setup - I'd love to see more of it! *squees at the mention of Tsubasa gang* XD

Looking like a popular opinion so far - it's even beating pirates in the poll right now. =3

Ahahaha I'm glad you've proved me wrong and Doumeki indeed CAN make Watanuki go home and uhm have fun uncovering those ulterior motives XDDD Most delightful discovery I'm sure XDDDDD

Face it - with Tomoyo acting as co-conspirator, Watanuki never had any hope. XD

[yukitsu.livejournal.com]

Will I be shot dead if I vote for all of them...? @_@

Hee. I liked it. I especially liked Spazzing Superhero Watanuki because I'm a sucker for super heroes and the post-apocalyptic one.

[rallamajoop.livejournal.com]

*checks poll* Well, you, er, wouldn't be the first. ^^;;

Hee. I liked it. I especially liked Spazzing Superhero Watanuki because I'm a sucker for super heroes

If only I knew what his superpowers were. (Other than spazzing. And cooking. And spazzing some more.)

and the post-apocalyptic one.

For one of very few dark ones in a long list of fluffy ones, it does seem to have gone down rather well with people. ^_^

[retsuko.livejournal.com]

The post-apoc. AU is the most absorbing. Not to say the others weren't great (the pirates one still has me giggling) but I feel like there's a giant comma at the end of the P.A. story, and I want to hear what comes next. ^-^;;

These are simply fabulous! You really brightened my morning with some good fic.

[rallamajoop.livejournal.com]

...but I feel like there's a giant comma at the end of the P.A. story, and I want to hear what comes next.

Aha, you know, I don't think I even did that intentionally, it was just the way that scene was going - but it certainly seems to have grabbed people. Poll results are looking pretty clear cut. ^^; There's probably just as much to be said about what came *before* as what comes next in that world (though I don't think even I'm ever going to know quite what the apocalypse was about - though for story purposes I probably don't need to).

Thanks. ^_^ Always encouraging to hear.

[nikkernoodle.livejournal.com]

So much love for all these AUs. So much. They're so, so much fun to read--and I really, really wanna know what comes next in the P.A. one. It just seems like there's going to be more that comes next.

Absolutely awsome! Thanks for writting these, they've been a joy to read. ^.^

[rallamajoop.livejournal.com]

I did maybe leave that one on a bit of an emotional cliffhanger, didn't I? ^^; No wonder it's doing so well. Thanks a lot!

[batty-angel.livejournal.com]

I loved the super hero one! XD
(hmmm... could his super hero name be 'The blue eyed wonder' or 'ghostie spandex boy'?... okay I suck at name calling -_-)

and I would definatly like to see the Post-Apocalyptic one to be continued. *claps* Well done for the fabulous work!!

[rallamajoop.livejournal.com]

XD It's harder to come up with a name than you'd think, isn't it? All I think I can say for sure is that 1. Whatever name he's got is hideously embarrassing, 2. He was talked into using it because all the other names Yuuko was suggesting were infinitely worse. And presumably his power has something to do with being able to see invisible monsters (though just what he does about them is a whole other question).

I'm thinking at this point there's at least a half-decent chance that post-apoc one will get some kind of continuation. Thanks!

[akra-reloaded.livejournal.com]

Loved them all, so could only limit myself to voting for...3. *hangs head in shame* BUT BUT BUT, if I'm voting for that many I'll at least say why. :3


Vampires: Because there's nothing better than Doumeki having no time limits on wearing Watanuki down.

Piffle World: Tomoyo. I don't really need to say anything else?

Post-Apocalyptic: I just really want to see this fleshed out, when we've gotten so much to start already. It's like touring a gourmet restaurant, seeing a feast prepared and having to leave without sampling ANYTHING. *wibbles*

[rallamajoop.livejournal.com]

That *is* what the ticky-boxes are there for, you know! (Also, believe me, you have shown excellent restraint compared to many of the people voting in this poll so far. XD)

Vampires: Oh, I'm sure Watanuki will have calmed down and they'll have everything all sorted out within a century or two.

Tomoyo: Would you believe she's actually one of those CCS characters I'm *least* attached to? I never imagined I'd wind up writing something with her in a central. Certainly never imagined I'd enjoy writing her half so much. ^_^

Post-apoc: I wasn't too sure how such a dark world would go down after so much mindless fluff, but I think all doubt there has been cleared up now. ^^;

[everdarksilver.livejournal.com]

I am absolutely in love with that post-apocalyptic one. *_* <3

And I have such a soft spot for superheros too. XD Doumeki blackmailing a superhero!Watanuki is just pure awesomeness.

[rallamajoop.livejournal.com]

You wouldn't think superhero!Watanuki would be so easy to fit into a near-holic world, would you? And of course, in all worlds, Doumeki is there to make life difficult. XD Thanks!

[brains-on-toast.livejournal.com]

Ahaha. Voted for more than my fair share, I'm sure (curse you, ticky-box!).

Although now that I'm thinking about it, the superhero universe, while full of win, does seem pretty complete. “You could give me your lunch,” suggested Doumeki. Because in the end, that's what the whole series is really about.

But yeah. Love you so hard.

[rallamajoop.livejournal.com]

The ticky-boxes are there to taunt you! but still not as hard as the radio buttons would have, forcing everyone to pick just one would have been far eviler of me

The main problem with the superhero world is likely to be that we have - as you say - this nice little snapshot which does do everything it really needs to, but to write any more I'm going to need *mountains* of context and backstory about all of what's going on. (Mind you, same kinda goes for the pirates world and the post-apoc world, but they're at least marginally less likely to break my brain than coming up with powers for superhero!Watanuki. ^^;)

Aww. ^___^

[hiza-chan.livejournal.com]

I voted. I think my favorite was the post-Apocalyptic one. It seems like it would make an awesome story if you continued it. I always love your Holic stories though, so really, I'd be happy with any of them being continued.

[rallamajoop.livejournal.com]

I voted. I think my favorite was the post-Apocalyptic one. It seems like it would make an awesome story if you continued it

It's certainly trying to spawn one in my head now. Curse you all for agreeing with me so easily! XD

You may be pleased to hear that it's looking like it may be not so much a question of *whether* any are continued as how many and how far. ^^;

[animeartistjo.livejournal.com]

Love the Post-Apocalyptic one--it matches the more serious/dark tone that the most recent xxxholic scans are taking.
The Piffle princess one is great too--covers the CLAMP humor well and Watanuki and Doumeki's student-characters show much better in this lighter world.

[rallamajoop.livejournal.com]

Oh dear, I'm sure I should be doing the opposite and posting more *light* stuff considering where the series is going lately just to give people some relief. ^^; But there are plenty of fluffy worlds to go with it - and the fact they give us utter fluff *and* doom and gloom is one of the things that was always responsible for making me fall in love with so many CLAMP series so hard. <3

I THINK I LOVE YOU...!

[tommyrotter.livejournal.com]

...

I. I know I should probably apologize for, you know, hijacking your thread and stealing two of the coveted AU spots, but. If it spawned stuff like this I'm willing to be selfish >)

But omg! Everything is absolutely fantastic! The Superhero one was hilarious! I loved the jabs at how superheroes work--Watanuki is the next Clark Kent. Ducking into phonebooths to magically change into his costume. I would laugh if it was butterfly related (he and Yuuko would have to match!)

Piffle was wonderful as well! Oh Doumeki. Doumeki Doumeki Doumeki. Could you imagine the drama that would come up if Watanuki found out Tomoyo hired Doumeki to make him relax? Doumeki would have a lot of backtracking to do then. heh!

And oh! Oh! The Post-Apocalyptic world was so heart-wrenching! Watanuki is so broken and just not altogether there, and so is Doumeki, but Watanuki! Just thinking of how many friends he'd make, only to have them die, time and time again, and the abuse...wow. In so few words you painted a really vivid world, and. While my first hope is that you will continue the HIRED GUNS one (favorite~! ♥ ♥ ♥) this is definitely second! I just want them to be happy!

I really hope to see more from you! ♥ ♥ &heart;s

Re: I THINK I LOVE YOU...!

[rallamajoop.livejournal.com]

Well, it was never so much like there were actual *slots* available for AUs as much as there was a certain subset within all those requests which leapt on me and insisted on being written. Not your fault you happened to come up with two of the best ones. ^_~

Butterfly-related, huh? XD Who knows, Watanuki would certainly find it embarrassing enough.

As for Piffle world, no drama - Doumeki was simply hired to take some of the workload away from Watanuki so that he could get more time to rest and relax and go on to be *more* efficient during his working hours! How could he possibly argue with such good intentions? (He is *putty* in Tomoyo's hands - PUTTY, I tell you)

Hired Guns is looking to be the most forgotten out of all the different worlds, sadly - but the post-apoc one is a bit of a different matter, to say the least. It's going to be one of the darker things I've ever written if I do continue with it and need a crapload of background development. But I think I will be up to the task. ^_^

Either way, I think more from me should be the one thing you can count on. ^_^

[ynm.livejournal.com]

I want Superheroes (spandex!), Post-Apocalyptic (coz its all dark and gloomy and yet! no one dies...yet), Movies (pron!), Hired Guns (coz spazzy Watanuki who is a great shot is just...great!)...actually I want them all...

[rallamajoop.livejournal.com]

Post-Apocalyptic (coz its all dark and gloomy and yet! no one dies...yet)

Not the sort of thing I'd trust to last very long. There's only been two scenes of the thing so far, and story which had an abused Watanuki found in a room full of bodies has a certain mood to keep up. Could well be anything lurking in some of those characters backstories. *plots*

Movies (pron!)

XD I'm not even going to ask where you got that idea from.

...actually I want them all...

You and many others, by the look of things. ^^;

[jellybubble.livejournal.com]

You know, for some reason my superhero names for Doumeki and Watanuki have been influenced by vinval's Because Love, and now I've labeled them as Spirit Bait and the Bow-Slinging Exorcist.

...And my pirate world of xxxHolic has been invaded by One Piece and I can hear Yuuko saying "Let's venture into the Grand Line!" and her having some Devil fruit ability and yelling out "Hitzuzen Punch!" (o_O *brain breaks at the idea of Yuuko with a Devil Fruit ability...* The Mokonas won't even look out of place there.)

I've got weird pictures hanging around in my head because of you (and am loving it by the way, although the fact that they want to be drawn is a pain in the ass since my art skills won't do them justice and my particular art drawing style takes ages) one of which includes Watanuki as a hired gun in a too short suit so his socks are showing with a too small fedora hat perched on his head to boot while cleaning his gun. Grahrr!


Love the fics. They've all been tons of fun. Can't wait for whatever else you decide to write.

[rallamajoop.livejournal.com]

...I would hope even poor Watanuki has a better superhero name than 'Spirit Bait'. XD

Can't comment on the One Piece stuff since I haven't seen the series - the AU owes far more to the most recent PotC movies than anything else (with maybe just a little of the Princess Bride thrown in for good measure.)

CLAMP art is sadly difficult to do justice to. As for whatever else I'm going to write - sequels to at least one of these are looking pretty likely at the moment. ^^; Thanks!

[crown-celestial.livejournal.com]

I *definitely* want to see the Post-Apocalyptic AU continued. It has such an intriguing feeling and possibly an amazing backstory. ^_^

moar pirates! MOAR!

And I blame you for all the crazy AU douwata fics now spamming my brain. XDD

[rallamajoop.livejournal.com]

Well, going by the contents of my notebook after yesterday, you may just be in luck with that post-apoc one. ^_~

I admit no responsibility! I blame CLAMP for everything!

[epicureal.livejournal.com]

BEFNOQMDWPW;AEOSDFUYG6BYVFUEJWPCIEO;LDKRFJGUHIMYTYR,KLDSR/IUD;OLTYKUJHINGBVJKLSDKKX;

KEYSMASH OF JOY <333333333333

That is to say, these are awesome beyond awesome. Um. Marry me. 8D

[rallamajoop.livejournal.com]

Awww. That is some fairly enthusiastic approval right there. ^_^ but can you cook like Watanuki?

[ficcentricity.livejournal.com]

Eeeeeee. It's almost automatic now that I squee whenever you post. And I always wait a little before I comment because you make it so hard for me to be coherent, and I must be coherent, because it would be unfair if I am not. You write them so well. <3333333333

The first line of the Superheroes AU has so much impact, and also it is just so funny. Oh, Watanuki. I'd almost feel bad that Doumeki is being such an ass and the most ungrateful rescuee(?) ever, but I am laughing to hard to be sympathetic. Indirect blackmail! Unjust accusations! :))))) Watanuki is the only superhero to ever give a suspected villain his lunch.

Did no one try to guess his superpowers? That makes me sad. It would've been a fun game. Super Bento Man!

And the Post-Apocalyptic one is extremely compelling. they're in a terrible situation, and I could practically feel the tension in the latter scenes.

Piffle. <3333333333 Watanuki being bossed around will never stop being funny. Moreso because Watanuki can't seem to muster the courage to go against Tomoyo the way he usually does with Yuuko. And and. Doumeki being sneaky. With his glances and emergency backup plans. Eeeee.

[rallamajoop.livejournal.com]

And I always wait a little before I comment because you make it so hard for me to be coherent, and I must be coherent, because it would be unfair if I am not.

Never fear, your feedback always turns out to be worth waiting for. <3

Superheros is the world that just should not have made so much sense. I mean, naturally Doumeki was the one guy who saw straight through Watanuki's useless clever disguise! And you know he's going to go *on* being the world's most ungrateful rescuee too.

Watanuki is the only superhero to ever give a suspected villain his lunch.

This line made me laugh so stupidly hard. XD

Did no one try to guess his superpowers? That makes me sad. It would've been a fun game. Super Bento Man!

There were a few guesses but not much enthusiasm. I think it's all the poll's fault - a lot of people
seem very distracted by telling me what to continue instead. >.>

And the Post-Apocalyptic one is extremely compelling. they're in a terrible situation, and I could practically feel the tension in the latter scenes.

It's... really kind of amazing what fanfic does to my writing, because I honestly wouldn't have thought I *could* write that kind of world until I got that prompt. (And people still try to claim fanfic is a waste of our time! Pff!)

Piffle. <3333333333 Watanuki being bossed around will never stop being funny. Moreso because Watanuki can't seem to muster the courage to go against Tomoyo the way he usually does with Yuuko. And and. Doumeki being sneaky. With his glances and emergency backup plans. Eeeee

Compared to Tomoyo, even Doumeki's methods are straightforward. Also his motives. And with the both of them conspiring against him, Watanuki really never had any hope. XD

[mushroom18.livejournal.com]

I love the Piffleworld AU. Everyone is so deliciously evil ♥

I'd welcome all AUs, actually.

[rallamajoop.livejournal.com]

Tomoyo is terrible, isn't she? And Doumeki's not much better. Poor Watanuki. well, not really, he did have it coming. and it all works out for the best

That would be a common opinion - people who've voted for less than three or four look to be in the minority. XD And there shall be some continuation in some form of at least one of them. Maybe more, we'll see.

[lunargeography.livejournal.com]

OMG. You did mine.

I really didn't expect that.

I've had this damn post-apocalyptic muse twitching in my head for weeks, and I really just posted the suggestion in an attempt to make her go away.

Wow. I didn't know you did dark. And you do dark good, like chocolate.

Errr, meaningful feedback is not happening tonight. Stupid exploding headaches. But thank you, and my reactions were, in order: *giggle* @_@ *cackle madly*

[rallamajoop.livejournal.com]

As I said, I didn't really expect to do it either, but what can I say? That is a hell of an involving prompt you came up with there. Maybe muse-influence is contagious? And that poll does seem to be telling me rather a lot of other people liked the idea too. ^^;

And yes, I *am* known to do dark from time to time. Though coming up with something quite *this* dark really surprised even me. o_o

And now I've got five extra pages of assorted backstory and what written and all these ideas about where things are going to go, and I would say there's a very good chance this is going to turn into a series of extra snippets and a quite decent chance it's going to turn into a fully developed fic too. I'm loving how all the characters are adapting themselves to this world.

[flamebyrd]

These are all brilliant, but I particularly liked the Superheroes.

Watanuki's superpower is overreaction! But, er, I don't think that ever comes in particularly useful.

[rallamajoop.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Overreaction = aha, so true, but probably not much use unless he uses it by yelling at monsters until they go away. We can only hope he's got some better powers as well, or his job must be even worse than I'd imagined. ^^;

[aradiantsun.livejournal.com]

*came over from your post in xxx_holic* While all of these were wonderful (the Pirates and Super Heroes are SO MUCH LOVE), the post-apocalyptic is utterly amazing, and I hope it's the one you decide to continue it. The little bit you've written is so very intriguing; I want to know how the characters came together to form the gang and all the other details that are waiting to be discovered in this dark world you've created. Excellent job.

[rallamajoop.livejournal.com]

Then you'll be pleased to know the post-apoc AU *is* being continued, the only question is how far it'll wind up going. It was always one of the ones I was most attached to, and it was finished last so it was freshest in my mind, *and* it won the poll by a mile too. How could I resist? ^_^

And just maybe I'll see whether I can get any more out of pirates later on too...

[ldydragon7.livejournal.com]

All of these (and batch 1 and 2) are just wonderful. I don't think there is enough room in the comment box to referance all of the lines I loved. I'd be happy with any of them being continued, though the Hired Guns and the Movie AUs are the ones I'd like to see the most. I egerly await more wonderful fic from you. :)

[rallamajoop.livejournal.com]

Thanks! As for more fic from me, at least one of these will be getting a continuation (not either of the ones you listed, but with all the attention pirates and post-apoc have had, it's nice to see others getting some love as well) - and after that, we'll see whether any of the others might want to go anywhere too.

[darkfox200.livejournal.com]

I-I-I...

OMG THE HIRED GUNS AND POST APOC = SO MUCH WIN~~~ TT~TT And if it weren't for the fact that I know that I enjoy torturing Watanuki at every oppertunity I can get, I'd be horrified at myself.

But omg win~~~ &hearts So much win for both of them. and the pirates, because pirates and ninjas are awesome

=darkfox200

[rallamajoop.livejournal.com]

It has been nice to see the hired guns universe is starting to get some feedback at last. ^_^ (Didn't get much response to it when it first went up, but I've had a couple of comments recently, which really is gratifying because I was always fond of it.) Post-apoc has just generally gone down with everyone, and it *will* be getting a continuation (probably a *lot* of continuation, it's really taking off for me now). Most of these universes were pure fluff, but the darker ones have been just as much fun to come up with.

And if it weren't for the fact that I know that I enjoy torturing Watanuki at every oppertunity I can get, I'd be horrified at myself.

Well, let's face it, if we didn't like a little bit of character torture now and then, we wouldn't be in CLAMP fandom.

I may not have quite managed to work ninjas into any of these worlds, but pirates were an absolute must.