AUs and Timelines
"We've run out of time."
This page may contain disturbing content. Reader discretion advised!
"It's kind of how we pass the time."
This page is about fanon. Do not consider the subject of this page canon.
Alternate Universes, or AUs, take characters out of their setting and put them in new ones, or fundamentally change the rules of the established universe. Classics include Coffee Shop, High School, Soulmates, Omegaverse, and Modern; though more exist. An Alternate Timeline is similar to an AU, but does not change the setting or fundamental rules; rather, the events that happen while expanding upon the pre-established setting.
In a nutshell, if you want to see the characters in new contexts, look for AUs. If you want to see the setting tell new stories, look for ATs.
Standard AUs
These AUs are seen across fandoms of all kinds. Their concepts are simple: dealing with settings, periods, and conflicts that can inspire writer and visual artist alike.
| Type | Description | Known Fics |
|---|---|---|
| High School | Says it right on the tin: the characters are placed into a (usually United States) high school environment. Sometimes the characters are students, other times teachers. | Aestas |
| Elementary School | Similar to the High School AU, but set in elementary school. Often used to show what the characters would do if they had the mindset of small children - how would a brash and loud knight map onto such a setting? | Levy Elementary |
| Dance | In which one or more characters are professional dancers. Ballet dominates this area, but other instances like freestyle and tap are also seen. | Ballet Makes Fools of Us All |
| Corporate/Office | In which the characters are part of a professional corporate environment. | Down then Left |
| 1970s | Rather than being set in the mid-2000s, the series is set sometime in the 1970s. | Oh My Moon |
Crossover AUs
These AUs take the characters out of their setting, and place them into the settings of other named works of art. The concept behind these AUs is to bring people together from other fandoms, allowing for fun experimentation with the worlbuilding, rules of magic, character relationships, and everything in between.
There are two settings for these AUs: NATM characters in a non-NATM setting (Type A), or non-NATM characters in the NATM setting (Type B).
| Name | Media and Type | Description | Known Fics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Night at the Vegas Strip | Fallout Type A | Given a name by @mister.remeat, this AU specifically takes place in the setting of Fallout: New Vegas; though this term can be used to refer to any Fallout AU. Characters vary in their alignment, allegiances, and abilities: Larry and Nick have been portrayed as Vault Dwellers, Rexy has been depicted as a tamed Deathclaw, Jedediah has been seen as anything from a random prospector to Courier 6, and Octavius has been a member of Caesar's Legion in one version and a ghoul in another. |
Alternate Timelines
Unlike AUs, which change fundamental rules of the universe, ATs add onto what is already there.
| Type | Description | Known Fics |
|---|---|---|
| The Heavenverse | An alternate timeline for the three years between the events of SotT and the return of the tablet. In this case, Jed and Octavius die in Pompeii and undergo a spiritual journey. The character Psychopomp, the embodiment of death, is essential to this setting, as it is one that deals with death and rebirth. Originally written by HungryOnMain in late 2022. | i'm afraid i'll go to heaven |
| The H.O.M.E. | The "Hall of Miniature Environments" is a key setting in the universe of Any Weather. In this case, the third floor of the AMNH has been converted into a large diorama hall, filled with thousands of miniatures by miniature artists from around New York. Canonically, it contains The Old West, Rome, The Age of Sail, Egypt, Prohibition New York, Mesopotamia, the Maya Civilization, The Great Wall of China, Greece, and the French Revolution. In later installments, the area has been expanded to include other dioramas, such as the Mexican Revolution. | Any Weather, Against the World |
Fandom Originals
These fics are exclusive to the NatM fandom. They are extremely dependent on the characters present or scenes from the films, and include ATs and AUs.
| Type | Description | Known Fics |
|---|---|---|
| Hourglass Fic | One of the oldest fandom staples, an Hourglass Fic focuses on Jed's experience in the hourglass during NatM 2. Sometimes he gets out, sometimes he doesn't. ...Usually, he doesn't. | i'm leaving, i'm closing my eyes, Sandfall, In this Shirt, Too Late, The Glass Shard, How Can I Help You Say Goodbye?, The sands trickle down to Elysium |
| Prima Porta | A setting invented by @rvstyartstar where Octavius is not a miniature in a diorama, but the Augustus of Prima Porta statue. This is sometimes paired with Jedediah being a portrait of Jedediah Strong Smith, but the AU began with Jed as normal. At times, the small cupid of the statue is included. | A Statue and a Portrait |