gensplosion | Entries tagged with timey wimeyness

FANDOM: Labyrinth (1986)
FIC LINK: The Labyrinth of Time
AUTHOR LINK:

Serenade
RATING/WARNING(S): G
WIP?/WORD COUNT: complete, 1568 words
MAIN CHARACTERS: Sarah Williams

FIC SUMMARY: Life was a series of labyrinths. You had to figure out which path to take.

RECCER'S NOTES: A character meeting their younger self is one of my favorite tropes ever, and this story is such a beautiful example of it. ❤ Adult Sarah meets herself twice and each version of her helps the other versions in different ways. Everything is wonderfully connected and leads to a really touching conclusion.

This fic is a gift I received during the

past_imperfect exchange.

facethestrange

FANDOM: Firefly (+ Serenity) / Buffy the Vampire Slayer
FIC LINK: A Friend to the Spirit
AUTHOR LINK:

ChronicBookworm
RATING/WARNING(S): T
WIP?/WORD COUNT: complete, 3190 words
MAIN CHARACTERS: River Tam, Buffy Summers

FIC SUMMARY: In her dreams, there was an angel, like in legends from Earth-that-Was, with blonde hair and a kind smile, and River knew that this angel meant her well; that she was here to protect her; that she was River’s sister.

RECCER'S NOTES: The entire idea of this story is such a fantastic way to make this crossover work - there are some brilliant reveals that I'm not going to spoil. It's a relatively dark fic (it deals with River's past abuse and current trauma) but ultimately it's full of hope. I love how elements from both canons and all the characters ring 100% true, which means that it can go from poignant to humorous and back again, often in the same paragraph, just like the source material does. Other than the central, touching relationship between Buffy and River, my favorite part of this story are quips between Buffy and Mal.

It's another exchange gift I got, this time at

x_ship. :)

thisbluespirit

FANDOM: Sapphire and Steel
FIC LINK: Lieder ohne Worte
AUTHOR LINK:

eponymous_rose
RATING/WARNING(S): G | None
WIP?/WORD COUNT: 1365
MAIN CHARACTERS: Sapphire, Steel

FIC SUMMARY: He and she and an abandoned music hall: a solitary performer plays for an empty audience, keeping Time.

RECCER'S NOTES: It’s gorgeously written and haunting, with so much going on in each small phrase. It captures not only the complementary natures of Sapphire and Steel but also that fascinating feel of the canon, of viewing human life from the outside. Just beautiful.

thisbluespirit

FANDOM: Sapphire and Steel
FIC LINK: Daisy Bell
AUTHOR LINK:

usernamegoeshere
RATING/WARNING(S): Teen | Canon-typical horror, ghosts, death
WIP?/WORD COUNT: 32,278 words
MAIN CHARACTERS: Sapphire, Steel, Silver, Diamond, Radium, Original Characters

FIC SUMMARY: In 1979, Sapphire and Steel arrive at the Howard Street Hospital to investigate a time break. They have a chance encounter with the receptionist, Daisy. In 1999, Diamond, Radium, and Silver arrive at the Howard Street Hospital to investigate a time break. They have a chance encounter with the receptionist, Daisy.

RECCER'S NOTES: Sapphire and Steel is the most beautifully weird TV show I have ever encountered (as one TV guidebook described it: “There are many ways of holding a TV audience... Total lack of explanation is not supposed to be one of them.”) and also one of the most interesting fandoms for fic, as authors each try in their own way to interpret those mysteries and transpose that sense of otherness in the mundane to their writing, and nobody does it quite the same way, so I’m hoping to rec some more S&S before I’m done here.

Anyway, this fic one of the best examples - it’s marvellous, long, plotty, completely true to canon-weirdness (if you can say such a thing) and sharply characterised, with every bit of Sapphire-Steel-Silver interaction a delight. Plus – always a huge bonus for me – not only does it include Silver but it brings in some additional ‘operators’ from the opening credits, and explores just how strange they might be. And if you don’t know the series, but you like exploring the weirdness of time or enjoy ghost stories, why not give it a try? It’s a glorious fic and you really won’t know any less than those of us who have watched the canon, honest…

espresso_addict

FANDOM: Star Trek: The Next Generation
FIC LINK: Quantum Entanglement
AUTHOR LINK:

killer_quean
RATING/WARNING(S): Teen | None
WIP?/WORD COUNT: Complete | ~1400 words
MAIN CHARACTERS: Guinan, Ro Laren

FIC SUMMARY: Guinan and Ro Laren's friendship: across timelines, worlds, and depths of memory.

RECCER'S NOTES: Star Trek has so many alien races yet so little fanfiction tries to understand an alien perspective. This short piece, written for the Rarewomen exchange, explores Guinan's perception of the universe via her relationship with another outsider, Ro Laren. Killer Quean comes up with an interesting possible answer to the question of what friendship might mean to a being who perceives alternate timelines. The piece's three parts overlay each other, using repetition to underscore the differences & similarities between the timelines. The final part is particularly strong, with the best description of assimilation I've read.

thady

FANDOM: Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika | Puella Magi Madoka Magica
FIC LINK: the edges of Eternity
AUTHOR LINK:

SaRart
RATING/WARNING(S): R
WIP?/WORD COUNT: one-shot | ~ 3,200 words
MAIN CHARACTERS: Homura Akemi

FIC SUMMARY: Immortality, she had long since realized, was not so glorious a thing; Insanity, she knew, was not so elusive a creature as she had once thought. And the two of them were her signposts, her sole company, the sharpened edges of the narrow path - until Eternity. Oneshot. Pre- and post-series.

RECCER'S NOTES:

This is a harrowing look at Homura during her time-travels. I love how she grows and changes. I really love her characterization here.

dirty_diana

FANDOM: Marvel Cinematic Universe/Captain America/Avengers
FIC LINK: Some Guardian Angels Have Missing Parts
AUTHOR LINK:

hufflepirate
RATING/WARNING(S): Teen / none
WIP?/WORD COUNT: complete / 38 000 words
MAIN CHARACTERS: Bucky Barnes, Sam Wilson, Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, Clint Barton, Natasha Romanov, Bruce Banner, Thor

FIC SUMMARY: Bucky Barnes has been tailing the Avengers ever since Steve got dragged back in to help them instead of continuing his search for Bucky. That makes him the first on the scene when the Avengers are hit by a spell that leaves them deaged into 6-year-olds. He knows how to finish the fight and rescue them, but gaining their trust, looking after them, and getting them back to their old selves isn't so easy. Luckily, he has watched Steve long enough to know he can trust Sam Wilson, and that just might be enough to get them by...

RECCER'S NOTES: Lots of de-aged cuteness, which I can never turn down. But more than that, it is a lovely story about Bucky Barnes being slowly dragged back into the land of the living by six tiny superheroes. The image of a young and faithful Steve treating the tramautised Winter Soldier as if they're both still six years old is utterly priceless.

Abruptly, the adrenaline from the fight drained out of him, leaving him feeling hollow and useless. He'd spent a lot of time feeling hollow and useless since he'd left HYDRA to become a person instead of a weapon. It was harder than it sounded. But he couldn't afford to think like that right now, because the kids didn't need a weapon. They needed a person. He needed to push through the empty feeling and be a person for them.

isabelquinn

FANDOM: Doctor Who/The Chronicles of Narnia
FIC LINK: Out of Place
AUTHOR LINK:

rthstewart
RATING/WARNING(S): G
WIP?/WORD COUNT: 1019
MAIN CHARACTERS: Polly Plummer, River Song

FIC SUMMARY: The first time Doctor River Song met Polly Plummer and rules that are meant to be broken.

RECCER'S NOTES: This is a delightful ficlet <3 Polly and River are a fascinating combination. They're very different from each other, but there's something about the pair of them that fits together beautifully. River's POV in this fic is fantastic, and I love how the author gets across her vast experience of the Universe in such a small number of words.

espresso_addict

FANDOM: Doctor Who
FIC LINK: Looked Up in Perfect Silence at the Stars
AUTHOR LINK:

doyle_sb4,

Doyle-sb4, Doyle@Teaspoon
RATING/WARNING(S): G | None
WIP?/WORD COUNT: Complete | ~1900 words
MAIN CHARACTERS: Sarah Jane Smith, Romana II

FIC SUMMARY: “If he’d left me on Earth,” Sarah said, “if he’d had time to take me home, like he’d meant to, before he got dragged back here... everything would have been different. My whole life.”

RECCER'S NOTES: Doyle's one of my favourite DW writers; I think this brief conversation piece is one of her best. It centres around the Time War, with a clever, disturbing look at the fallout that will send you back to the start as soon as you've finished the final paragraphs. The characters, all women, leap off the page, and their humour, bravery & pragmatism lighten what might otherwise be a very dark piece. Set on Gallifrey, it's also imbued with a lovely wistful sense of place.

I'm tagging this for author rec as I've never encountered a story of Doyle's that wasn't worth reading, and many of her works are gen. She also writes in the Buffyverse.

ozqueen

Don't mind me as I try to cram in a few recs as my Gensploder of the Month role winds down! I'm so close to a gold badge for 'crossovers' eep! There will be a couple of adjustments for the next round but we'll make sure the Gensploders signed up for May are aware of them within the next couple of days. ♥

FANDOM: Firefly, Psych
FIC LINK: I Rather Think the Gun Helps
AUTHOR LINK:

xela
RATING/WARNING(S): Teen
WIP?/WORD COUNT: Complete | 3974
MAIN CHARACTERS: Malcolm Reynolds, Carlton Lassiter, River Tam, Saffron (Firefly), Shawn Spencer, Burton 'Gus' Guster, Kaylee Frye, Inara Serra, Jayne Cobb, Simon Tam

FIC SUMMARY: “Now let me get this straight,” Mal said, staring at the humming object suspiciously. “We’re going to steal the Lassiter...before the Lassiter became the Lassiter.” Because nothing could go wrong if the crew of Serenity started dabbling in time travel.

RECCER'S NOTES:

There is so much right with this. Saffron hijinks, perfect levels of snark for each character, and Lassiter and Jayne bonding over their love of guns. Another fun, funny fic.

ozqueen

FANDOM: Doctor Who
FIC LINK: Of Walking Through Dust, and Impossible Things
AUTHOR LINK:

_thirty2flavors
RATING/WARNING(S): PG, spoilers for S4
WIP?/WORD COUNT: Complete | 2400
MAIN CHARACTERS: Donna Noble, the Doctor

FIC SUMMARY: Everyone asks where she’s been, lately, and Donna finds herself saying “the usual” so many times she wonders if it might be better to get it tattooed on her forehead.

RECCER'S NOTES:

I love fics about Donna's life after the Doctor, and this fic shows her rebuilding herself slowly, discovering a knack for things she's not sure she should know, like a hidden talent for foreign languages. It's got a really nice pace to it and I like that her solo travels are what set the foundation for rediscovering the travels she had with Ten.

-

FANDOM: Doctor Who, The X Files
FIC LINK: The Flexible Concept of Tomorrow
AUTHOR LINK:

finisterre
RATING/WARNING(S): Teen
WIP?/WORD COUNT: Complete | 11,244
MAIN CHARACTERS: Fox Mulder, Donna Noble & (background) Dana Scully, The Doctor

FIC SUMMARY: Five Times Donna Noble Remembers Meeting That Bloke With The Stupid Name (And One Time She Doesn't)

or

Five Times Fox Mulder Remembers Meeting That Other Redhead (And One Time He Doesn't)

RECCER'S NOTES:

Amazing. Beautifully written, and a fantastic idea, with great references to Mulder's canon timeline scattered throughout. Just really, really beautiful, touching and well done.

ozqueen

FANDOM: Doctor Who, Sense and Sensibility
FIC LINK: Relatives & Relativity
AUTHOR LINK:

yahtzee
RATING/WARNING(S): G
WIP?/WORD COUNT: Complete | 17,942
MAIN CHARACTERS: Ninth Doctor, Elinor Dashwood, Marianne Dashwood

FIC SUMMARY: "Elinor – do you think it could be real – that he could – that he might be a magician?"
"His speech is rather rough, dearest. More likely he is a day-labourer from the North."

RECCER'S NOTES:

This fic takes place immediately after/during Nine's regeneration. The Dashwood sisters happen upon him, a broken man after the Time War, and it's just - wow.

The characterisation is flawless and I'm definitely adopting this as my head canon. I would say you'll still be able to heartily enjoy this even if you're not familiar with both canons.

The Doctor sat at the pianoforte's keyboard, bashing out the tune with undisguised glee. Sir John clapped in time, a broad grin upon his face, as Mrs. Jennings and Margaret danced as best they could with only one another for partners. Even Mrs. Dashwood nodded her head and smiled broadly, and when the Doctor finished with a flourish, all applauded.

"What a jaunty tune!" exclaimed Mrs. Jennings. "I swear, I never heard its like. So thrilling! Quite the thing for dancing. Tell us, what is it called?"

"Blue Suede Shoes." The Doctor closed the pianoforte lid with apparent regret. "Hasn't quite caught on in London yet, but give it time."

( And the second fic in the series, Doctor Who/Gone With the Wind... )

ozqueen

FANDOM: Supernatural
FIC LINK: Heroes for Ghosts
AUTHOR LINK:

gaelicspirit
RATING/WARNING(S): T, canon-typical violence
WIP?/WORD COUNT: 113,000 words
MAIN CHARACTERS: Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester, original characters

FIC SUMMARY: Set after 1.16, Shadow. In an attempt to save a disillusioned hunter from himself, Dean and Sam are caught in a spell that sends them to 1870 Texas. Surviving the old west is hard enough. Escaping it could prove to be impossible.

RECCER'S NOTES:

YOU GUYS. When my hands weren't busy scrolling my mouse down through this fic, they were clutched to my face in delight. This is such an epic, epic read. So beautifully written, with such vivid language and imagery, perfect characterisation, and such an amazing blend of tension and humour. The original characters are amazing, and the world created in this fic is just. perfect.

It's a long read, but a fantastic read, and like nothing I have read before. It's honestly not as cracky as it sounds - somehow it just works. It's Supernatural in the Old West, and yes, it's phenomenal.

ozqueen

FANDOM: Supernatural & The Time Traveler's Wife
FIC LINK: Barefoot Girl
AUTHOR LINK:

kalquessa
RATING/WARNING(S): PG / Spoilers for the book and up to/including S2's Houses of the Holy for Supernatural.
WIP?/WORD COUNT: 11,547
MAIN CHARACTERS: Dean Winchester, Alba DeTamble, Sam Winchester

FIC SUMMARY: None provided, I'll just post a quick excerpt:

He's never seen her before in his life, and he's supposed to meet his dad several blocks from here in a couple minutes, but she beckons him over with a happy wave of her hand, still smiling, and he crosses back over to the sidewalk, half out of curiosity and half out of a sort of obligatory suspicion that she's something weird that needs looking into.

RECCER'S NOTES:

This is a combination of fandoms I have never even considered, but I found this fic yesterday and it is amazing. Somehow it blends angst and fluff really, really well. There's some suspicion and confusion, and a lot of cuteness as Dean and Alba stumble into one another. I love Dean's attitude towards not only her time travelling, but Alba herself, and the scenes with Sam are really well done, with just the right touch of snark and sense.

The Espresso Addict

Diary & multifandom recs

gensplosion!

Entries tagged with timey wimeyness

Labyrinth: The Labyrinth of Time, by Serenade

Firefly/BtVS: A Friend to the Spirit, by ChronicBookworm

Sapphire & Steel: Lieder ohne Worte by eponymous_rose

Sapphire & Steel: Daisy Bell by nemo_the_everbeing

ST:TNG: Quantum Entanglement, by Killer Quean

Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika: the edges of Eternity, by SaRart.

MCU: Some Guardian Angels Have Missing Parts, by hufflepirate

Doctor Who/The Chronicles of Narnia: Out of Place

Doctor Who: Looked Up in Perfect Silence at the Stars, by Doyle

i rather think the gun helps, by xela

two doctor who recs (one crossover with the x files)

Doctor Who: The Great Companions series, by yahtzee

Supernatural: Heroes for Ghosts, by gaelicspirit

Supernatural/The Time Traveler's Wife: Barefoot Girl, by kalquessa

The Espresso Addict