pofinterest_chat | Kicking around a fic idea...

Edited because first I hit Enter and this posted! And I totally wasn’t ready for that, and I was at the end of my lunch hour, and I hadn’t tagged this properly, and - *deep breaths in and out of the bag* - so I did a quick edit, but then I forgot to *waves hello* and tell you how much I’ve enjoyed reading through the posts here. It’s wonderful to find such an engaged comm with intelligent discussion. It’s definitely you guys who got my brain poking at the idea of writing my first PoI fic. So thank you and hello at the same time.

Here’s my scenario: one of the team puts into motion the equivalent of a Secret Santa-like activity. I was thinking a sort of ‘real-time’ (as far as episodes are concerned) effort leading up to 2013 Halloween. It starts out very mysterious and hush-hush with slips of paper bearing intriguing messages turning up – as he gets out of the rowboat, John reaches into his pocket; frowning, he pulls out a slip of paper that says simply: Carter – Zoe doesn’t wake up when John leaves, but when she gets up in the morning there is a slip of paper on her nightstand that reads: Commence 10/25, Reveal 10/31 – tucked in with his bookmark, Finch finds a slip of paper informing him that there is a ‘$15 limit – firm’. Once everyone is aware something is going on, there’s an underlying buzz as they work separately (and perhaps some of them together) on the puzzle pieces. I imagine that limit notification definitely goes up on the board where a corner has been given over to this mini-case.

What I’m looking for is some brain storming regarding how you think different scenarios would play out with everyone IC. What would Finch buy for $15 if he got Fusco? What would he get John for $15? Who would seek a consult with whom regarding these intriguing slips of paper? Who is actually running the thing? Who strikes you as least likely to have set it in motion? What would you most like to see between any two characters? Do you think Shaw would trade slips until she got the one assigning her Bear? (Because maybe Fusco isn’t trading their canine companion for anyone other than Zoe, and Finch isn’t giving her up for anyone less than John, and Carter wants Fusco…) Any suggestions for how best to involve The Machine in the game?

My goal is to keep the story edgy despite the fluffiness of the basic concept, and I feel like the key to that lies in keeping everyone as in character as possible. I think if I can accomplish that, then the edge will come naturally.

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The Machine is obviously running the game. I mean, it seems like its particular form of Daddy-pranking.

Very true. What do you think about Root suggesting it and the Machine, after carefully vetting the idea, following through?

\o/ I'm pleased as punch you're enjoying the comm! 8DD Hello indeed!

I'm with Bookblather! OMG. The machine sets it all up, sends it all via text messages (that may or may not get increasingly persistent, because these humans are really stupid sometimes, and let's be honest, the machine has proven it/she really enjoys getting into people's business) or manages to hire someone to leave the notes. It's NYC. I'm sure there are plenty of strannnnge courier companies. ;)

Is this your first fic at all, or just your first POI fic?

My first PoI fic. I've dabbled in Sherlock and Doyle canon with tiny sides of M*A*S*H and Once Upon a Time.

I love, love, love the idea of couriers! I'm totally stealing that. Texts are a good idea too for some aspects of it, but I like the idea of something tangible; I think Finch's instructions are written in calligraphy on elegant note cards and put into matching envelopes.

Thanks for the welcome! It's a great comm. :-)

I agree with bookblather, too the Machine sets it all up. Or, as an alternative, Zoe. She's the only one who I can see initiating something like that. It'd be too whimsical for Finch, John wouldn't involve Fusco, Fusco wouldn't dare pulling something like this and it doesn't feel like Carter. Shaw would participate but not seeing the point in coming up with it herself. Question is, does Root get to play (definitely if we go with the Machine masterminding) and whom does she get?

I think it's probably Root's idea. It's tempting to make it Zoe, but then I'd have to give her some way to talk to the Machine if it's running things. It's simpler to make it Root's idea. The idea sort of feels like her smiles, now that I consider it.

We'll let Root play because she gets cranky when she's excluded. Two questions: 1. Who does she want? 2. Who does the Machine give her?

Who does she want is easy, Harold.

Whom does she get, the obvious choices are John or Shaw and for that reason I wouldn't go for them. Carter could be a way of the Machine trying to get Root a sane female mentor. Fusco, because he has a redemption arc, too. Also his face, once he finds out, would be hilarious. It depends on the Machine's motivation behind it all.

Yes, I agree Harold is the obvious choice. Despite her progress I don't think that has changed at this point.

Oh, hey, this entire exercise has just turned into therapy for Root initiated by the Machine.

Dude. I didn't see that coming.

Hm. Carter or Fusco. Carter has her own new protegee at the moment; we might be forced to call in our (arguably) most put-upon team member.

Thank you so much for jumping in and playing with me. I appreciate it immensely!

Hey, I can't write to safe my life but throwing ideas around is one of the joys of being in fandom, so thanks for letting me play.

Oh, agreed as regards fandom. Writing is more fun for me when it's a collaborative effort. :-) I enjoy being prompted.

And look at that, you actually gave me a story to tell relevant to canon; before you chimed in it was a novelty destined to be too fluffy for its own good.

Oh, this is such an interesting idea! If Bear is on the list to receive a gift, does that mean he's also going to give one, or that someone else is giving a present but not getting one? I guess that could be Root, or the Machine. If the entire exercise is both her own idea and a therapeutic intervention on her behalf by the Machine, maybe Root doesn't need a specific other present... although it would be interesting if she did get one. Hmm, and while I'm talking about players, would Leon be part of the game?

Speculation would absolutely be rampant about who had started it all. Do you think enough of them would talk about it together to start any kind of betting pool? OMG, and there are so many possibilities when it comes to gift selection. Characters asking other characters for advice, characters thinking that other characters need advice... Who's the most curious about who has their name, as opposed to being concerned with the gift they themselves give?

I'm terrible at thinking of gifts, really, but I think if he thought he'd read it, Finch might give Reese a secondhand book acquired cheaply -- possibly one that was worth more than its seller had realized, but maybe just one he thought he'd like.

I hadn't quite decided on Bear; no one will be left out, but Bear's gift might be an 'extra' direct from the Machine. I'm not sure about Root either. I need to do some typing and see how the thing takes shape between her and the Machine. I'm not sure yet if she's given the assignment specifically or if she's told to find something to set in motion that will have positive results.

I'm going to say Leon doesn't qualify for this one. Part of what made me think about this is the new team dynamic at the beginning of this season; I sort of feel like they need a team building activity while they're settling into the new 'routine'. We used to do this in my office at Christmas and again in the summer, and it was just so much fun. We stopped because it drove our boss nuts that we were having fun...but I digress...

I love the advice aspect. That wasn't something I had thought of, but you're totally right: John clocked it as hour three on the park bench. Shaw had just given up and swallowed the last bit of coffee she'd been desperately rationing for the last thirty minutes. She put the cup down. Her fingers twitched. "You should get him something he doesn't know he wants."

My first thought for John is a week of candy or cupcakes; for once he isn't the one providing the baked goods. But a secondhand book is a very good idea (and what I would like most to receive!) if I can find just the right one.

Eee, I'm loving the glimpses of this story as it takes shape. And by the way, since I didn't say it earlier -- hello, and nice to meet you!

Thank you, it's nice to meet you too! I spent last night discovering what Harold will be getting, so things are continuing to come together nicely. I'm starting to get slightly worried because I thought this was going to be short, but stories tend to expand once I get started. Sigh.

And since you enjoy the snippets, do have another:

The changes were small.

Sometimes, now, John didn’t come into the library bearing the correct number of morning beverages and pastries.

He resisted the impulse to start checking in because Shaw usually had her own cup already; she hardly needed another.

If it annoyed him that she had taken to habitually stealing half of Finch’s bear claw, well, Harold didn’t seem to mind so why should John? And, let’s face it, this was breakfast they were talking about; you were obviously talking to the wrong guy about life or death if you were also referencing a breakfast pastry.

(Or were you?)

Cheers! :-)

♥

Kicking around a fic idea...

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