[meme] The everyone survived AU

[goldenplaits]

Due to recent events in the movie world, it seemed like we needed one of these again...

THE ARDA AU MEME


{source}

All the AUs! With classics as the obligatory and all important

> EVERYONE LIVED AU. Maybe you're at Thorin's festive coronation or a drinking game between Boromir and Haldir after the end of the War, or Fëanor and Thingol finally talk to each other. Maybe Belladonna comes with her son on adventures, or Maedhros spends some very awkward hours at Elrond's wedding. U know the drill.
> but let's not forget the staple COFFEESHOP AU either
> or the no less important WHAT IF AU: What if the Silmarils were glowing bunnies? What if Bard hadn't managed to take down Smaug? What if Maeglin had not betrayed Gondolin, what if Galadriel had accepted the One Ring? What if Sam had a giant afro?
> and really any other AUs that you can think of.


As a note, since not everyone has seen BOFA yet and some people care about not being spoiled, please make a note in your top level comment/the subject line of a comment if you might bring up spoilers in threads or don't want to be spoiled, something like "bofa spoilers yes" or "bofa spoilers no".

Comments

[feanaro_curufinwe]

[so i herd u liek AUs]

[bythewaves]

[ come to my arms IDK bitty adult death scene Fe comes looking for the son who never made it home HOW WOULD YOU LIKE ]

[feanaro_curufinwe]

[OH MY GLOB Feefee bullies his way out of Mandos to come looking for his baby? I could deal with that.]

then we shall do that ~

[bythewaves]

[ Five Ages of the World come and go, and one by one, the sons of Feanor are released back into the world, but their famous father is not. Six Ages, and the last of the Feanorionnath are reborn, but their father is not, and one son is still missing. Seven, and Maedhros begs at the feet of the Valar for news of his missing brother, and Nerdanel looks ever East, and in the Halls of Mandos Feanor humbles himself finally to ask for news of his last son.

On the shores of Earth, Men have had their dominion and built their great ships and left for the stars, leaving behind a world exhausted, stripped of most of its resources. But left to its own devices, it has begun to heal, slowly. And it is not without its guardians.

Long long ago, the last of the Eldar sailed or faded, leaving only one behind. Maglor does not know why he stayed, nor why he does not fade. He could have followed the starships, seeking new worlds, but the stars do not call for him, when his home lies in a different direction entire, although he cannot deny that he was tempted. So in the end he stayed. He talks to himself, sometimes, but he sings no longer, for who is there to hear him? He has set himself the task of healing the broken planet, piece by piece, until he finally fades (he resigned himself to never sailing sometime in the First Age). He is a mad ghost, a memory... but he is still here ]

[feanaro_curufinwe]

[It was, perhaps, the hardest thing Feanor has ever had to do in his existence entire, asking after Canafinwe-- only to be told but grudgingly, after what felt like a small eternity: "He lives."

While it was a relief to know that much, it was maddening at the same time to know so little. 'He lives', after all, says nothing about the state of his mind, or his body, and even less about his spirit. And so he asked again. And again.

And yet again, only to be answered not at all.

And so Feanor, finally, bidding his beloved mother a bittersweet farewell, did what he does best, and roused some rabble; he was hardly the only one discontent with remaining in the Halls, and when Namo himself came to quell the unrest, it quickly became clear that the only way to stop it was to send the Spirit of Fire out into the world once more, for the truth of the matter was, that while embodied he had ultimately the same limits upon him that all fleshly creatures did, when he was free of his hroa, and need not worry about destroying it himself, his fëa was unmatched: truly the greatest of the Children of Illuvatar. And the little shit knew it, too.

It was thus that he sailed alone - he would not risk his children again, for all that they would have come in a heartbeat - to strange, starlit shores.]

[bythewaves]

[ The stars are few and faint, often hidden in the smog and haze that lies perpetually over most of the lands, but clear enough for Maglor to see by. He must cut a strange figure - dressed in human style (but the clothes are rags, bits scavenged from the great trash heaps), hair long and tangled. He left the seashore in the Sixth Age, when the pollution became too great, and right now is somewhere in the expanse of what was once old Europe. Most of the rain that falls these days is acidic, but he has managed to wrestle a small patch of garden in the shelter of the mountains. He found a spring that was not too choked, and slowly cleared it, and he planted the seeds and when the first tiny shoots reached skywards stretched tarpaulins over the seedlings to protect them from the rain. One small victory, but somewhere in his broken mind, it pleases him.

Tonight is a little clearer than normal, and he takes advantage to sit outside his small shelter and see if he can recognise any of the stars. The approaching figure gets a curious look. He does not call out. He shows no sign of recognition. ]

[feanaro_curufinwe]

[Oh, but Feanor recognises him; a dark day would it be indeed that he does not know his own son, even in such ragged state, and so he calls out:]

Cano!

[...and if he rather wants to strangle the Valar for leaving Cano in such a state, for not so much as telling any one of them, well.

What else is new?]

[bythewaves]

[ Who? And Maglor tips his head to look at the stranger curiously, but it takes a while before he remembers that he can talk ]

Who?

[ That beautiful voice is hoarse with disuse, and there is nothing but confusion in grey eyes, rather than recognition ]

[feanaro_curufinwe]

[His heart clenches unpleasantly, and Feanor is glad - so glad - that he did not drag anyone else with him to these benighted shores to see his second son in this state. Or worse, hear him.

He comes closer, cautiously.]

Canó. Macalaurë Canafinwë Fëanarion. Your name.

[bythewaves]

[ Maglor lets the stranger-who-is-not come closer and wonders if this is one of his ghosts (he is forgetting them, a little, some days their names slip past him. This makes him very sad.) ]

Not mine.

[ He corrects and has to pause a little to remember the name he goes by now - he had so many, when he was walking amongst Men ]

Maglor.

[ He settles on, for that one seems the truest ]

[feanaro_curufinwe]

[He manages a sad smile.]

That is also your name, yes. But it's not the one your mother gave you. Nor the one from me, my son.

[bythewaves]

[ He forgets their faces sometimes too, but although clear today they are very quiet, his ghosts, watching this one warily and he turns the statement over a few times thoughtfully ]

Mother. [ He tests the word out thoughtfully and flinches from the memory evoked ] Father?

that icon desperately needs a hugs

[feanaro_curufinwe]

Yes.

[He reaches out to touch his son's face, carefully, carefully...

This is your fault, Fëanáro Curufinwë. You did this.

The voice in his mind sounds like a blend of Nerdanel and Námo.]

it rather does XD

[bythewaves]

[ Maglor tips his head and watches Feanor's hand warily, but does not move away, and after a moment even leans into it briefly before pulling away, eyes narrowing as he remembers ]

Still angry with you.

[feanaro_curufinwe]

I don't expect you to be anything else... But I didn't come for forgiveness. I came to bring you home.

[bythewaves]

[ Confusion ]

I have no home.

[feanaro_curufinwe]

Not here, no. But acros the sea, your mother and brothers are waiting for you.

[bythewaves]

[ Blank confusion persisting ]

I am not allowed to cross the sea.

[feanaro_curufinwe]

Yes, you are.

[Because Atar will make them let you.]

[bythewaves]

I'm not.

[ He pulls back, frightened ]

I've been bad and I'm to stay here.

[feanaro_curufinwe]

[He reaches out, to take his son's hand.]

You have been better than many, Cano, and you deserve to come home.

[bythewaves]

[ He shakes his head, frightened and backs away ]

I am not allowed.

[feanaro_curufinwe]

But you are. And your mother misses you, my son, and your brothers... [He resists the urge to make a face, and continues:] Your uncles and cousins as well... And your grandfathers. And one by the name of Elrond.

[bythewaves]

[ He backs up until his back is against the wall, shaking his head in denial, but the last name, ah now. He goes very, very still ]

Elrond? [ He knows that name. It is not one of his ghosts, but one of his nightmares, yes. Slowly ]

I... knew an Elrond.

[feanaro_curufinwe]

Yes, the child you raised, when all his own blood abandoned him. Do you know, he and his love have more grandchildren for you, Cano.