Outfoxed by Cesare (almostnever) (G)
Dec. 30th, 2011 11:41 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
danceswithgary posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
stargateficrecShow: SGA
Rec Category: Sheppard/McKay
Characters:: Rodney McKay, John Sheppard
Pairing: Sheppard/McKay
Het/Slash/Gen: Slash
Warnings: None
Author on LJ:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
almostnever
Author's Website:
Link: Outfoxed
Why This Must Be Read:
A slyly humorous retelling of The Golden Bird, this story is an enchanting treasure.
Excerpt:
John whistled his way along the path, and passed the edge of the wood. There stood a Fox, half hiding behind a fallen log.
"You there, Prince," called the Fox, and then withdrew still further behind the log.
"You can talk?" John asked, startled. "Hey, little guy, you don't have to hide back there. I'm not gonna hurt you."
"Well, good. You shouldn't hurt me, because I'm extremely intelligent and I have all kinds of good advice. That is, if you're sure about the whole not-hurting-me thing," said the Fox, peering at him doubtfully. "I really don't need any more rocks or bullets coming at me, if you don't mind."
"Fair enough," said John. "I'm on a kind of a quest. You wanna come along? I could use the company."
"It depends. Do you have a snare or some other close-range melee weapon out there?" asked the Fox, his voice full of suspicion.
"No! Look," John displayed his hands. "I have a bow and a quiver of arrows, and they're both slung on my back, see? You've got nothing to worry about." He didn't mention the knife in his boot for fear it would scare the curious talking creature away.
Slowly the Fox emerged from hiding and approached him. The Fox stood to John's shin; the main body of his coat was a fluffy orange-red, and he had brown legs and brown on the ends of his ears, and a very splendid white ruff and tail-tip.
His muzzle was pointed, but not long, and his ears, the same. Strangely, his eyes were a very vivid blue, startling against his red fur.
"Hi there," said John. "You have a name?"
The Fox blinked as if surprised by the question, and sat back on his hind legs, looking up at John quizzically. "Well," he said. "Yes."
"...Mind telling me your name?"
"Let's see how far you get first," said the Fox. "Follow me. We're going to arrive at a village soon, there're two inns, blah blah blah, just do what I say and go to the dark inn."
"Okay," John agreed amiably, and they walked along the path. Although the fox had, of course, much shorter legs, he never seemed to hurry to keep up with John; and as they walked, the countryside slid past them in a blur.
The miles melted away so rapidly that John was astonished. "Hey," he said, "are you using magic to make us faster?"
"What?! No, no, no! It's much more complicated than that," said the Fox, his tail waving wildly in agitation. "But... it takes a certain amount of concentration on my part, and I'd have to give you so much remedial background information, I can't explain it to you right now. So sure, whatever you need to tell yourself to keep from getting speed-sick, call it what you want. Minkowski space, witchcraft, voodoo, whatever."
"I guess it makes sense you'd be magical," John said, enjoying the Fox's exasperated growl and annoyed muttering about oversimplification. "Talking fox and all."
"Yes, I'm just bursting with pixie dust," said the Fox. "Shut up now."
John kept his peace and enjoyed the ride, watching the scenery slide by them. The constant breeze on his face made him feel almost as though he were flying.
They arrived at the town just after sunset. "I'll leave you here, I don't want any of these idiots trying to kill me because they think I'm after their chickens," said the Fox. "If you make it to the other side of town, I'll meet you there."
"What do you mean, if I make it?" John asked.
"Just do what I told you. The dark inn, not the bright one."
John shrugged and followed the Fox's advice, sparing not even a glance at the loud and merry inn across the way. The dark inn had seen better days, but it was clean and well-kept, and John had a good supper and passed a restful night there.
...
Rec Category: Sheppard/McKay
Characters:: Rodney McKay, John Sheppard
Pairing: Sheppard/McKay
Het/Slash/Gen: Slash
Warnings: None
Author on LJ:
almostneverAuthor's Website:
Link: Outfoxed
Why This Must Be Read:
A slyly humorous retelling of The Golden Bird, this story is an enchanting treasure.
Excerpt:
John whistled his way along the path, and passed the edge of the wood. There stood a Fox, half hiding behind a fallen log.
"You there, Prince," called the Fox, and then withdrew still further behind the log.
"You can talk?" John asked, startled. "Hey, little guy, you don't have to hide back there. I'm not gonna hurt you."
"Well, good. You shouldn't hurt me, because I'm extremely intelligent and I have all kinds of good advice. That is, if you're sure about the whole not-hurting-me thing," said the Fox, peering at him doubtfully. "I really don't need any more rocks or bullets coming at me, if you don't mind."
"Fair enough," said John. "I'm on a kind of a quest. You wanna come along? I could use the company."
"It depends. Do you have a snare or some other close-range melee weapon out there?" asked the Fox, his voice full of suspicion.
"No! Look," John displayed his hands. "I have a bow and a quiver of arrows, and they're both slung on my back, see? You've got nothing to worry about." He didn't mention the knife in his boot for fear it would scare the curious talking creature away.
Slowly the Fox emerged from hiding and approached him. The Fox stood to John's shin; the main body of his coat was a fluffy orange-red, and he had brown legs and brown on the ends of his ears, and a very splendid white ruff and tail-tip.
His muzzle was pointed, but not long, and his ears, the same. Strangely, his eyes were a very vivid blue, startling against his red fur.
"Hi there," said John. "You have a name?"
The Fox blinked as if surprised by the question, and sat back on his hind legs, looking up at John quizzically. "Well," he said. "Yes."
"...Mind telling me your name?"
"Let's see how far you get first," said the Fox. "Follow me. We're going to arrive at a village soon, there're two inns, blah blah blah, just do what I say and go to the dark inn."
"Okay," John agreed amiably, and they walked along the path. Although the fox had, of course, much shorter legs, he never seemed to hurry to keep up with John; and as they walked, the countryside slid past them in a blur.
The miles melted away so rapidly that John was astonished. "Hey," he said, "are you using magic to make us faster?"
"What?! No, no, no! It's much more complicated than that," said the Fox, his tail waving wildly in agitation. "But... it takes a certain amount of concentration on my part, and I'd have to give you so much remedial background information, I can't explain it to you right now. So sure, whatever you need to tell yourself to keep from getting speed-sick, call it what you want. Minkowski space, witchcraft, voodoo, whatever."
"I guess it makes sense you'd be magical," John said, enjoying the Fox's exasperated growl and annoyed muttering about oversimplification. "Talking fox and all."
"Yes, I'm just bursting with pixie dust," said the Fox. "Shut up now."
John kept his peace and enjoyed the ride, watching the scenery slide by them. The constant breeze on his face made him feel almost as though he were flying.
They arrived at the town just after sunset. "I'll leave you here, I don't want any of these idiots trying to kill me because they think I'm after their chickens," said the Fox. "If you make it to the other side of town, I'll meet you there."
"What do you mean, if I make it?" John asked.
"Just do what I told you. The dark inn, not the bright one."
John shrugged and followed the Fox's advice, sparing not even a glance at the loud and merry inn across the way. The dark inn had seen better days, but it was clean and well-kept, and John had a good supper and passed a restful night there.
...
