100 Drabbles of 2012 #91-100
91) Author's Choice: moonlight
Time Period: Just post-"Secundus"
Notes: Another one for the other couples, this time focusing on Richard and Emily. I really wanted Emily to have another moonlight dance – pretend she's going around the grounds of Finklestein's castle. I think Richard is adorably awkward here. (At least Emily avoided this time what happened to her in canon – lack of high roots must have helped :P)
The sight of Emily dancing in the moonlight was not one Richard had expected to see. It was a nice one, though. She moved with such grace – and he was quite impressed with her ability to twirl with that long train.
Emily caught sight of him and extended a hand. “Join me?”
Richard blushed. “Uh – I don’t really dance. . . .”
Emily fluttered her eyelashes. “Please?”
What was it about her that melted his insides? “But what if I trip?” he asked, taking her hand.
Emily giggled. “Think of it like this – if you trip, you don’t risk losing half your leg.”
92) Author's Choice: missing you
Time Period: Post-"Secundus," pre-"Secundus 2," Doc and Marty back in Hill Valley era
Notes: I dunno what prompted this – maybe the fact I've written some about Victor missing Marty and Doc during the gap between "Secundus" and "Secundus 2?" At any rate, I wanted to show that Doc and Marty missed him just as much.
“Oh, for–”
“This thing’s just not coming together, is it?” Marty said, glaring just as hard as Doc at the pile of parts in front of them.
“No. No it is not.” Doc grumbled as he tried again to join the sides. “We’ve been at this for two hours. Progress should have been made at this point!”
“Tell me about it. I’m gonna call Victor and–”
Both teen and blacksmith stopped as what Marty had said sunk in. For a long moment, there was quiet in the shop. Then, softly, Marty said, “I really miss him.”
“So do I,” Doc sighed.
93) Author's Choice: twins
Time Period: Post-"Secundus 2," birth of Marty's kids
Notes: This is the first drabble I wrote highlighting the fact that both Marty and Victor end up with twins. We've already covered the surprise Marty got when Victor made the announcement in "52) season,", now we get the kinda-fluffy birth stuff. :) This also touches on Marty, Doc, and Victor's little thing where their first couple of kids get their middle names from the other two. As you've seen, Marty's middle namesake does indeed turn out to be Vincent.
“Well?” Victor asked as Marty came back out.
Marty grinned at him. “A boy and a girl – both healthy.”
“Wonderful!” Victor gave his friend a hug. “And Jennifer?”
“She’s doing fine, though she’s pretty tired. Guess you can’t blame her for that, though. I mean, from what I hear, pushing out one baby’s hard enough.”
Victor nodded. “Oh yes. . .I’m glad she’s well. So it’s Douglas and Marlene, right?”
“Yup – Douglas Emmett and Marlene Victoria.” Marty playfully poked Victor’s shoulder. “Which means. . . .”
Victor laughed. “Yes yes – when ours come along this September, one will be either Vincent Martin or Lorina Martha.”
94) Author's Choice: namesake
Time Period: Post-"Secundus 2," young children era
Notes: I guess this one was inspired by the above one, "93) Author's Choice: twins," in a way – at least, it got me thinking about what Lorina might think about her middle name. Childlike curiosity and all. And yeah, I toyed with "Lorina Lousia" (spelled the less awkward way), but ultimately felt "Lorina Carroll" worked better.
“Mama?”
“What is it, Lorina?”
“The other girls at school say my middle name’s all wrong. They told me ‘Carol’s’ only spelled with one r and one l. Why is mine different?”
“Oh – well, you know how your brothers’ middle names are those of your papa’s closest friends?”
“Yes?”
“It’s the same way with yours – a friend we lost some time ago. We just happened to use his last name instead of his first with you.”
“Oh. But why not use his first name?”
“Because I think even he would have agreed ‘Lorina Lewisa’ sounds – and looks – a bit awkward.”
95) Author's Choice: Greek to me
Time Period: Post-"Secundus 2," grandchildren era
Notes: More on the grandbabies! After borrowing the name "Electra" from the BTTF card game (yes, they have a character named Electra McFly – also a Jules McFly, for some arcane reason), I decided to run with the theme and made Marlene and Jules Greek history buffs. I wanted to include the fact that they even honeymooned in Greece, but it ended up getting cut. Marty does have a point, though – all these kids' names are related in some way to the Trojan War, and that wasn't exactly a pleasant story.
“So – you’ve already got Electra Penelope and Hector Jason. And this one’s – Helen Cassandra?”
“Helene,” Marlene corrected her father.
“I thought it was just plain old ‘Helen of Troy.’”
Jules shrugged. “We liked the version with an e on the end better.”
Marty nodded, then looked at Doc. “Why’d we let them study so much Greek mythology again?”
“Oh come on, Dad,” Marlene laughed.
“Hey, a guy can’t help but worry about you naming your kids after a girl who killed her own dad, a guy who got killed in a war, and a girl who helped start that war.”
96) Author's Choice: graceful
Time Period: Post-"Secundus 2," teenage children era
Notes: More kid-fic! And another one focusing on one of the lesser-seen kids, Victoria's daughter Mabel. I have an idea that she loves dancing, so this evolved out of that. And yes, Vincent does end up marrying her.
It was the way she moved that first got his attention – the way she seemed to glide through life, so light on her feet. She never seemed to stumble, never put a foot wrong. She dodged obstacles with grace and dignity. It was like she danced through her life.
He found himself watching her, noticing things about her he’d never seen before. How pretty her face really was. How melodious her voice sounded when she laughed. How seeing her smile made something melt inside him.
Almost before he knew it, Vincent Van Dort found himself completely smitten with Mabel Lloyd.
97) Author's Choice: fixed
Time Period: Post-last chapter of "Secundus," pre-wedding epilogue
Notes:Okay – all I really wanted to do here was to write something else featuring Victor's parents. This idea just wouldn't leave me alone. I've mentioned in other fic how Victor's final break with his parents came during a post-Touched meeting at a coffee shop, where Nell said that she wanted Victor "fixed," and brought up the old Baron Wulfenbach (for those of you unfamiliar with "Girl Genius," the elder Wulfenbach studies the Spark (what makes a mad scientist a mad scientist) via removing sections of the brain of Sparky people (typically dangerous ones, but still. . .)). My previous fic (scroll down on that until you hit "33. Thunder") on this subject has been all about the aftermath (well, except for the bit where she insulted Alice). I think it's about time you saw the actual incident.
“For God’s sake, Victor! Isn’t there any way we can fix you?”
Victor jerked back, looking like he’d just been slapped. Nell didn’t care, too annoyed with her wayward child. “All we want is for you to be normal again!” she added.
Victor shook his head. “M-Mother, you can’t f-fix this! There’s not a psychiatrist in the world who w-would know how!”
“Of course there’s ways to fix this! The old Baron Wulfenbach fixes Touched all the time!”
The moment she said it, Nell knew she’d made a mistake. And the look on Victor’s face. . . .
They’d lost their son for good.
98) Author's Choice: thumbtack
Time Period: Vague "Secundus"
Notes: You're probably thinking this is a weird one – why did I write a fic where Victor and Marty are musing on and praising thumbtacks? Well, at the time, I was working on the early chapters of "Finding You" – specifically, the one where Alice offers Victor some help in getting his drawings hung up. In trying to figure out what would be used to hang them, I discovered two things:
1. in the game itself, Alice's drawings are apparently held up by magical sticky paper;
2. that the most logical way to hang up these drawings, thumbtacks (or drawing pins), weren't invented until around 1903.
I eventually solved the problem via vagueness (Alice just brings him "pins" in the final version), but I decided that, to save myself grief, thumbtacks got invented early in the Secundus-verse.
Yes I wrote a spitefic about thumbtacks shut up. Now on with the fic itself, which probably isn't nearly as amusing as my obsessive ranting.
“You know, sometimes I wonder who first came up with these.”
“Thumbtacks?” Marty picked one up. “I dunno. Probably some guy who was sick of how hard it was to get a nail out of a wall.”
“That does sound plausible,” Victor chuckled. “Whoever he – or she – was, I’m glad they decided to invent these. They’re terribly useful.”
“Tell me about it. Little nails you can reuse whenever you want? Definitely makes life easier.”
“I know,” Victor nodded. “Can you imagine a world without them?”
“Guess we’d be using sewing pins or something to stick up our stuff,” Marty joked.
99) Author's Choice: bunny
Time Period: Pre-"Secundus"
Notes: I was thinking about Alice's beloved toy rabbit shortly before I wrote this, and I realized I never actually showed it in the story, did I? So here's a sad little drabble to prove to you that yes, this version still has it. I watched the beginning of "American McGee's Alice" to confirm her parents' dialogue – and let me tell you, it STILL gets me to mist up. :(
The flames were everywhere, clawing, devouring her house – she ran, desperately seeking the familiar, the safe – “Mum? Father?!”
“Get out, Alice!”
“Save yourself, Alice! Get out of the house!”
And then there was only running, a desperate leap through her window, a crash, her mother screaming –
Alice woke in a cold sweat. Breathing hard, she pulled the only other survivor of the fire – her bunny – to her chest. The great Alice Liddell, clinging to an old stuffed toy, she thought.
But it was all she had left of her parents. And it was all that could soothe her right now.
100) Author's Choice: famous
Time Period: Post-"Secundus"
Notes: And here's my final drabble, and one with an interesting theme. After writing so much about the main and secondary characters, I wanted to do something new for the very last story. So – have two completely random characters (both ladies) getting mildly starstruck by Victor and Alice. XD Because my cast aren't the only people living in Secundus, after all.
“Oh my. Is that–”
“I think it is!”
“Goodness, I didn’t think we’d ever get so close to them! Do you think they’d be insulted if we asked for an autograph?”
“Oh, I don’t know. They probably get that a lot.”
“Yes, but – can you blame people? It’s Victor and Alice Van Dort! The saviors of Secundus!”
“I’m aware! Oh, go ask them!”
“All right, all right, I’ll go.”
“. . .Well?”
“I have their signatures right here!”
“Wonderful! What a souvenir!”
“Yes. It’s funny, though – poor Mr. Van Dort looked almost embarrassed.”
“Well, I have heard he is a bit shy. . . .”
Time Period: Just post-"Secundus"
Notes: Another one for the other couples, this time focusing on Richard and Emily. I really wanted Emily to have another moonlight dance – pretend she's going around the grounds of Finklestein's castle. I think Richard is adorably awkward here. (At least Emily avoided this time what happened to her in canon – lack of high roots must have helped :P)
The sight of Emily dancing in the moonlight was not one Richard had expected to see. It was a nice one, though. She moved with such grace – and he was quite impressed with her ability to twirl with that long train.
Emily caught sight of him and extended a hand. “Join me?”
Richard blushed. “Uh – I don’t really dance. . . .”
Emily fluttered her eyelashes. “Please?”
What was it about her that melted his insides? “But what if I trip?” he asked, taking her hand.
Emily giggled. “Think of it like this – if you trip, you don’t risk losing half your leg.”
92) Author's Choice: missing you
Time Period: Post-"Secundus," pre-"Secundus 2," Doc and Marty back in Hill Valley era
Notes: I dunno what prompted this – maybe the fact I've written some about Victor missing Marty and Doc during the gap between "Secundus" and "Secundus 2?" At any rate, I wanted to show that Doc and Marty missed him just as much.
“Oh, for–”
“This thing’s just not coming together, is it?” Marty said, glaring just as hard as Doc at the pile of parts in front of them.
“No. No it is not.” Doc grumbled as he tried again to join the sides. “We’ve been at this for two hours. Progress should have been made at this point!”
“Tell me about it. I’m gonna call Victor and–”
Both teen and blacksmith stopped as what Marty had said sunk in. For a long moment, there was quiet in the shop. Then, softly, Marty said, “I really miss him.”
“So do I,” Doc sighed.
93) Author's Choice: twins
Time Period: Post-"Secundus 2," birth of Marty's kids
Notes: This is the first drabble I wrote highlighting the fact that both Marty and Victor end up with twins. We've already covered the surprise Marty got when Victor made the announcement in "52) season,", now we get the kinda-fluffy birth stuff. :) This also touches on Marty, Doc, and Victor's little thing where their first couple of kids get their middle names from the other two. As you've seen, Marty's middle namesake does indeed turn out to be Vincent.
“Well?” Victor asked as Marty came back out.
Marty grinned at him. “A boy and a girl – both healthy.”
“Wonderful!” Victor gave his friend a hug. “And Jennifer?”
“She’s doing fine, though she’s pretty tired. Guess you can’t blame her for that, though. I mean, from what I hear, pushing out one baby’s hard enough.”
Victor nodded. “Oh yes. . .I’m glad she’s well. So it’s Douglas and Marlene, right?”
“Yup – Douglas Emmett and Marlene Victoria.” Marty playfully poked Victor’s shoulder. “Which means. . . .”
Victor laughed. “Yes yes – when ours come along this September, one will be either Vincent Martin or Lorina Martha.”
94) Author's Choice: namesake
Time Period: Post-"Secundus 2," young children era
Notes: I guess this one was inspired by the above one, "93) Author's Choice: twins," in a way – at least, it got me thinking about what Lorina might think about her middle name. Childlike curiosity and all. And yeah, I toyed with "Lorina Lousia" (spelled the less awkward way), but ultimately felt "Lorina Carroll" worked better.
“Mama?”
“What is it, Lorina?”
“The other girls at school say my middle name’s all wrong. They told me ‘Carol’s’ only spelled with one r and one l. Why is mine different?”
“Oh – well, you know how your brothers’ middle names are those of your papa’s closest friends?”
“Yes?”
“It’s the same way with yours – a friend we lost some time ago. We just happened to use his last name instead of his first with you.”
“Oh. But why not use his first name?”
“Because I think even he would have agreed ‘Lorina Lewisa’ sounds – and looks – a bit awkward.”
95) Author's Choice: Greek to me
Time Period: Post-"Secundus 2," grandchildren era
Notes: More on the grandbabies! After borrowing the name "Electra" from the BTTF card game (yes, they have a character named Electra McFly – also a Jules McFly, for some arcane reason), I decided to run with the theme and made Marlene and Jules Greek history buffs. I wanted to include the fact that they even honeymooned in Greece, but it ended up getting cut. Marty does have a point, though – all these kids' names are related in some way to the Trojan War, and that wasn't exactly a pleasant story.
“So – you’ve already got Electra Penelope and Hector Jason. And this one’s – Helen Cassandra?”
“Helene,” Marlene corrected her father.
“I thought it was just plain old ‘Helen of Troy.’”
Jules shrugged. “We liked the version with an e on the end better.”
Marty nodded, then looked at Doc. “Why’d we let them study so much Greek mythology again?”
“Oh come on, Dad,” Marlene laughed.
“Hey, a guy can’t help but worry about you naming your kids after a girl who killed her own dad, a guy who got killed in a war, and a girl who helped start that war.”
96) Author's Choice: graceful
Time Period: Post-"Secundus 2," teenage children era
Notes: More kid-fic! And another one focusing on one of the lesser-seen kids, Victoria's daughter Mabel. I have an idea that she loves dancing, so this evolved out of that. And yes, Vincent does end up marrying her.
It was the way she moved that first got his attention – the way she seemed to glide through life, so light on her feet. She never seemed to stumble, never put a foot wrong. She dodged obstacles with grace and dignity. It was like she danced through her life.
He found himself watching her, noticing things about her he’d never seen before. How pretty her face really was. How melodious her voice sounded when she laughed. How seeing her smile made something melt inside him.
Almost before he knew it, Vincent Van Dort found himself completely smitten with Mabel Lloyd.
97) Author's Choice: fixed
Time Period: Post-last chapter of "Secundus," pre-wedding epilogue
Notes:Okay – all I really wanted to do here was to write something else featuring Victor's parents. This idea just wouldn't leave me alone. I've mentioned in other fic how Victor's final break with his parents came during a post-Touched meeting at a coffee shop, where Nell said that she wanted Victor "fixed," and brought up the old Baron Wulfenbach (for those of you unfamiliar with "Girl Genius," the elder Wulfenbach studies the Spark (what makes a mad scientist a mad scientist) via removing sections of the brain of Sparky people (typically dangerous ones, but still. . .)). My previous fic (scroll down on that until you hit "33. Thunder") on this subject has been all about the aftermath (well, except for the bit where she insulted Alice). I think it's about time you saw the actual incident.
“For God’s sake, Victor! Isn’t there any way we can fix you?”
Victor jerked back, looking like he’d just been slapped. Nell didn’t care, too annoyed with her wayward child. “All we want is for you to be normal again!” she added.
Victor shook his head. “M-Mother, you can’t f-fix this! There’s not a psychiatrist in the world who w-would know how!”
“Of course there’s ways to fix this! The old Baron Wulfenbach fixes Touched all the time!”
The moment she said it, Nell knew she’d made a mistake. And the look on Victor’s face. . . .
They’d lost their son for good.
98) Author's Choice: thumbtack
Time Period: Vague "Secundus"
Notes: You're probably thinking this is a weird one – why did I write a fic where Victor and Marty are musing on and praising thumbtacks? Well, at the time, I was working on the early chapters of "Finding You" – specifically, the one where Alice offers Victor some help in getting his drawings hung up. In trying to figure out what would be used to hang them, I discovered two things:
1. in the game itself, Alice's drawings are apparently held up by magical sticky paper;
2. that the most logical way to hang up these drawings, thumbtacks (or drawing pins), weren't invented until around 1903.
I eventually solved the problem via vagueness (Alice just brings him "pins" in the final version), but I decided that, to save myself grief, thumbtacks got invented early in the Secundus-verse.
Yes I wrote a spitefic about thumbtacks shut up. Now on with the fic itself, which probably isn't nearly as amusing as my obsessive ranting.
“You know, sometimes I wonder who first came up with these.”
“Thumbtacks?” Marty picked one up. “I dunno. Probably some guy who was sick of how hard it was to get a nail out of a wall.”
“That does sound plausible,” Victor chuckled. “Whoever he – or she – was, I’m glad they decided to invent these. They’re terribly useful.”
“Tell me about it. Little nails you can reuse whenever you want? Definitely makes life easier.”
“I know,” Victor nodded. “Can you imagine a world without them?”
“Guess we’d be using sewing pins or something to stick up our stuff,” Marty joked.
99) Author's Choice: bunny
Time Period: Pre-"Secundus"
Notes: I was thinking about Alice's beloved toy rabbit shortly before I wrote this, and I realized I never actually showed it in the story, did I? So here's a sad little drabble to prove to you that yes, this version still has it. I watched the beginning of "American McGee's Alice" to confirm her parents' dialogue – and let me tell you, it STILL gets me to mist up. :(
The flames were everywhere, clawing, devouring her house – she ran, desperately seeking the familiar, the safe – “Mum? Father?!”
“Get out, Alice!”
“Save yourself, Alice! Get out of the house!”
And then there was only running, a desperate leap through her window, a crash, her mother screaming –
Alice woke in a cold sweat. Breathing hard, she pulled the only other survivor of the fire – her bunny – to her chest. The great Alice Liddell, clinging to an old stuffed toy, she thought.
But it was all she had left of her parents. And it was all that could soothe her right now.
100) Author's Choice: famous
Time Period: Post-"Secundus"
Notes: And here's my final drabble, and one with an interesting theme. After writing so much about the main and secondary characters, I wanted to do something new for the very last story. So – have two completely random characters (both ladies) getting mildly starstruck by Victor and Alice. XD Because my cast aren't the only people living in Secundus, after all.
“Oh my. Is that–”
“I think it is!”
“Goodness, I didn’t think we’d ever get so close to them! Do you think they’d be insulted if we asked for an autograph?”
“Oh, I don’t know. They probably get that a lot.”
“Yes, but – can you blame people? It’s Victor and Alice Van Dort! The saviors of Secundus!”
“I’m aware! Oh, go ask them!”
“All right, all right, I’ll go.”
“. . .Well?”
“I have their signatures right here!”
“Wonderful! What a souvenir!”
“Yes. It’s funny, though – poor Mr. Van Dort looked almost embarrassed.”
“Well, I have heard he is a bit shy. . . .”