BONUS ROUND 1

[hso_mods]

Bonus Round 1

Genre-Mixing

Hey, shippers! Welcome to your very first bonus round proper--we hope you have lots of fun with it! This time around we're going to be asking you to mix it up a little--each fanwork posted for this round will be a mish-mash of two different genres, blended together in a delightful incestuous slurry to create an UNSTOPPABLE CREATIVE CONCOCTION--er. Or. Something.

Yeah, we're genre-mixing. That's what we're doing this round.

Rules

1. Submit prompts! Prompts should consist of two different genres and one ship. This cannot be your team's ship! These are worth 5 points each, for a maximum of 100 points per team.


2. Look through the prompts and fill whichever you like!


3. You may not fill prompts for your ship, nor may you fill your own team's prompts.


4. Fills should be posted as replies to the prompts which they are for, following the format below. They may be any medium.

Title Format
If you are starting a new thread, please use this format in your title.
PROMPT: TEAM [YOUR SHIP]
Replace [YOUR SHIP] with the name of the team YOU belong to; please use the characters and quadrant, not whatever portmanteau or nickname you've come up with.
If your team name is not in this format and in the title we cannot guarantee that it will be counted.

If you are filling a prompt, use this format in your title.
FILL: TEAM [YOUR SHIP]
Replace [YOUR SHIP] with the name of the team YOU belong to; please use the characters and quadrant, not whatever portmanteau or nickname you've come up with.
If your team name is not in this format and in the title we cannot guarantee that it will be counted.

Posts not using this format in the title will be understood to be unofficial discussion posts, no matter what they contain. They, like all comments on the comm, are subject to the Wank Policy.

Scoring
For prompt posts: 5 points each (maximum of 100 per team)

For fills (as stated here):
First 5 entries in each post: 30 (per entry)
Entries 6-10 in each post: 20 (per entry)
Entries 11-15 in each post: 10 (per entry)
Entries 16+ in each post: 5 (per entry)

All scored content must be created/assembled new for this round.

If you have any questions, please ask them at the FAQ post here, or email them to us (homestuck.shipping at gmail). Otherwise, we cannot guarantee that we will see them in a timely fashion!

Comments

FILL: TEAM ROSE<3JADE

[generalzoi]

Oh god this turned out too long.
======================================================

In the morning Rose scrubbed the floors, washed the laundry, and set out the waste. In the afternoon she did the shopping: heavy bags of groceries hanging from each arm and entirely too many people jostling her with elbows and shoulders. In the evening she cleaned the kitchen, folded the clothes, and scrubbed the toilets. Nighttime, however, was her own, filled with burning candles and worn books. She spent hours reliving fantastic--and often horrific--stories she had long ago learned by heart.

Sometimes, while in the market, she would slip past displays of splendid jewels and rows and elaborate dresses, and would touch the fabric so carefully just to experience its softness on her fingertips. Sometimes, after closing her favorite fairy tale book, she would go to the window to see the stars, and wonder.

One night, she made a decision. One night, she went to the kitchen window, and when she stared at the stars she'd didn't wonder, but wished.

"'Sup."

Rose whirled around, knocking a jar off the counter and directly into the waiting hand of a young man she had never seen before. He smoothly slid the jar back into its place and settled his hands in his pockets. "So we gonna get this ball thing going on or what?"

Rose blinked. The young man had blond hair and dark glasses, and besides that looked altogether unremarkable, which somehow made his impossible appearance in her kitchen all the more annoying. "I'm...sorry, but what?"

The man cocked his head a bit--Rose imagined he was rolling his eyes--and said, "Dave, fairy godmother, here to give you the mad hookup so you can get your royal ball on."

Rose opened and closed her mouth a few times, and with great effort said, "Was there supposed to be something intelligible in that statement? Or have I passed out from the cleaning supply fumes again? If so, I'll admit I'm disappointed. My hallucinations usually involve beasts of the zoologically dubious variety."

"Really more than I ever needed to know about you right there." He rolled one shoulder nonchalantly. "You made a wish on the star, didn't you? You knew what would happen."

Rose considered this, and carefully pushed herself away from the window. "You're here about my wish?"

"Yep." He stuck out his hand. "Name's Dave, in case you missed it."

"Rose," she said as she took it. "Forgive my surprise, I just expected you to be...female. And a fairy."

"Only trolls get to be fairies," he said, "and don't discriminate. Now let's get a move on, gotta get you dolled up so you can get your royal ball on."

"Royal ball?" She crossed her arms now and leaned against the counter. "My wish was that I could improve my current economic situation." It had been a long time since she had been able to buy any new books (which was the main reason she knew the stories she did have so well).

"Yeah, well, that's boring as hell, so we're gonna liven things up by taking you to the ball to mack on some rich-ass royal hotties."

"You have very retrograde ideas about how women see their roles in the world."

"Look, you want mystical wish granting, I'm about all you got." Dave shrugged. "And I don't do economics and shit. I pretty much just work with balls."

Rose's eyebrow arched. "Do tell."

Dave went stock still for a moment, then said, "Just go do your hair or whatever girly shit you gotta take care of," and disappeared.

Rose glanced once more out the window to the wishing star. "I'm beginning to question your judgement."

----------

A short while later Rose was sitting in front of her vanity, straightening out the last few unruly locks. This time, when Dave appeared behind her, the mirror gave her ample warning.

"You know, I had begun to question whether you were real," she said as he dumped a bundle of deep lavender fabric on her bed.

"Man, shit can literally not get any more real than me."

She examined the dress. "This is lovely, but where did you get it?"

He shrugged. "Around. I tried that blue one you were looking at the other day first, but that thing did no favors to your hips."

"First?" she asked. "And how would you know that?"

"Just trust me."

She glanced up at him then, and her eyes widened. "Is that a wand in your pocket?"

"Maybe I'm just happy to see you."

"Juvenile, and too easy."

"You're one to talk," he said as she plucked the slender wooden instrument from his pocket. "You like that?"

"Dark magic is a bit of an interest of mine," she admitted. "Though only in theory, of course. Is this how you appear and disappear?"

"Hell no, that's all me." He watched her finger the wand and said, "I never really got the hang of that thing though. You want it?"

"Really?" Rose asked, rolling the delicate wood between her fingertips.

"Yeah sure. Might come in handy. Now." He snapped twice, pointed to Rose, then the dress. "You. Dress. Some of us don't have all the time in the world, and by some of us I mean you."

"Fine," she said, and set the wand on the bed. "You're not going to stay while I change, I assume?"

"Killjoy," he said, and disappeared again.

----------

"Dave," Rose said as they strolled ever closer to the palace entrance.

"Yeah?"

"I admit I have mostly been going along with this because I was reasonably sure I was dreaming." He put his hand on her arm then, stopping her. After a second a horse trotted past, splashing mud in front of them. "Thank you," Rose said as they started walking again. "As I was saying, I thought this couldn't possibly be real, but now that we're actually here at the palace it occurs to me that I don't actually know what I'm supposed to do."

"Mack on fly honeys, I told you."

"Call me a prude if you must, but I don't actually want to seduce a royal for their fortunes."

"Alright. Prude." He stopped then, and Rose turned to face him. "Look, I got you the mad hookup with the dress and the shoes and that stupid little clutch you wouldn't leave the house without. You're looking totally hot, so it's time to go nab yourself a prince."

"Dave..."

"Or a princess. I don't care."

"Dave."

"Actually, nab a princess. That's way hotter."

"Dave!"

"Alright, I'm outie." He disappeared yet again, and Rose was left cursing the night sky.

----------

The castle vaults were always well guarded, of course, but on nights like this--when the palace had so many visitors and security had to be spread quite a bit thinner than usual--it wasn't quite as well guarded.

So naturally, this was when Dave decided to strike.

He had about made it to the door when he heard the familiar sound of a sword being unsheathed behind him. "Where do you think you're going?" the guard growled.

"You really want to play this?" Dave asked, readying his own weapon.

The guard snarled--then stopped, twitched, groaned, and collapsed. Behind him was a distinctly nonplussed Rose, holding a wand that was crackling with dark energy.

"Nice," Dave said, sheathing his sword. "I knew you'd pick it up quick."

That snapped her back to attention. "I think," Rose said, stepping slowly forward and keeping her wand ready, "that you need to explain exactly what's going on, before I do to you what I did to the guard."

"Easy now." Dave raised his hands placatingly. "Why don't you aim that thing at this door here?"

Rose glanced briefly to the side. Dave was standing in front of a tightly sealed stone door that was dull and nondescript, apart from the glowing runes covering its surface.

"And that is...?"

"Treasure vault." Rose's gaze sharpened at that. "I've been traveling back and forth on this night 'bout a dozen times tryin' to get in. But it's got some kind of magical ward." He reached over and tapped the door. The runes near his touch flashed briefly. "Sealed up tight. Finally figured out I needed some kinda wizard or something. And here you are, just when I need you."

"Partners, then," she said. "A lovely sentiment. I'm especially fond of how you gloss over the fact that you abandoned me in the middle of the courtyard to sneak down here and take the treasure for yourself."

Dave pressed his hand to his heart. "Damn, girl. You cut me deep. I was just following the rules."

"Oh, wait a moment," Rose said, idly twirling the wand. "I want to see if I can figure out how to conjure up a comfortable seat, that I might better enjoy the yarn you are undoubtedly about to spin. Maybe some snacks as well. Do you have a preference to red or white wine?"

"Merlot, '67." He inclined his head towards the wand. "That thing working out for you?"

"It seems to suit me," she said easily.

"Thank fucking Christ, because that fairy godmother BS was pretty much insufferable." He flopped a bit roughly against the door, ignoring the brightened runes. "Those things aren't easy to come across. I finally had to sign up for this fairy godmother program. They're standard issue, but you gotta sign a contract that you're gonna gussy some chick up and deliver her to the royal ball to get swept off her feet."

Rose looked down at her immaculately styled gown and pursed her lips. "You seem to have reneged on your contract then. The dress is lovely, but I wasn't exactly swept off my feet."

He shrugged. "Not my problem. My responsibility ends once you walk into the castle." He scratched his neck then and said, "Though, for the record, you totally could have bagged that princess."

Rose smirked. "Not giving that up, I see."

"Never."

"Hm." Rose walked over and pressed the flat of her palm against the door. Beneath her hand she could feel the warmth of the runes and the flow of the protective magic. She knew, instinctively, just how to break it.

"You're not always going to be this difficult to work with, are you?" she asked, already tracing arcane patterns through the air.

"This from the dark sorceress who considers a thesaurus light reading?" His eyes were hidden behind his darkened glasses, but Rose almost thought he was smiling. "Naw, I think everything's gonna work out fine."

Rose smiled and pushed open the door.

Re: FILL: TEAM ROSE<3JADE

[candyredcoolkid]

OMG i really really love this, thank you so much!

awesome characterization, like woah!

<3