Forever Knight Fan Fiction Challenge

Here are a few of my challenge ideas. They are divided into xover and non-xover categories, although you can add xover elements to non-xover stories at your discretion. (These also qualify as "my favorite episodes that were never made".) If someone has already attempted the idea, the name will be marked with an *.
"Medieval Knight" - (non-xover)
A murder by sword has occurred in the dressing room at the "Medieval Times" dinner and tournament facility in Toronto. Det. Nick Knight has been called in to investigate. The story must contain at least one sword fight between Nick and the villain. (Undercover work optional.)

(NOTE: There are several "Medieval Times" restaurants scattered around the U.S. besides the one in Toronto [e-mail me for the information phone numbers] which provide a three course banquet (fixed menu) at a re-creation of an 11th century tournament, including feats of horsemanship, jousting, sword fighting and other games at a simulated medieval castle. The audience gets to cheer their own knight [and his allies] and boo his enemies, and a lady from the audience is chosen by the champion to be his "Queen of Love and Beauty".)

Possible motives:

"He knew too much"
- the victim discovered some criminal activity at the show (smuggling valuable artifacts in [or as] props or cheap reproductions for the gift shop, "horse crimes" involving the rare and valuable Andalusian stallions used in the show [think thoroughbreds], etc.), and was silenced.
"Crime of passion"
- the motive was personal, and the weapon was one of opportunity. A fertile ground for red herrings. For plots, think murder mysteries at a theater or a circus - "Medieval Times" combines elements of both.
"There can be only one"
- unavoidable HL xover. Can be combined with either of the above motives.
Possible Scenes:
"Spellbound Knight" - (non-xover)
There is a fairly large Wiccan community in the Toronto area that (in Nick's world) would certainly be aware of the vampires in their midst. Now, members of a local coven are being murdered in bizarre ways that point to a supernatural explanation. Why did they ask that Nick be assigned this case? How does Tracy (a lapsed Catholic) deal with an pagan religion? Where did Nat meet the coven members before? And what are the new ingredients in her "protein shakes"?

"Everybody's a Critic" - (non-xover)
Write a book review for "Out of the Coffin: One Vampire's Journey into the Light" by (?).

"Reality Check, Please"
"He Walked Around the Caddy" - (non-xover)
Nick suddenly finds himself in parallel world where he and his friends have never existed - except as television characters in a recently cancelled series. How does he get home (or even survive)?

[NOTE: the title is borrowed from H. Beam Piper's "He Walked Around the Horses", a parallel world story based on a true incident, the disappearance of British diplomat Benjamin Bathurst outside a Prussian inn. Since this happened on November 25, 1809, Nick might very well have memories of the event.]

Feel free to rescue Nick yourself.

"(S)He Walked Around the (?)" - (non-xover)*
A fan or cast member of FK suddenly finds him/herself in a parallel world where the show is real. How does (s)he get home (or even survive in a world with vampires)?

[NOTE: there are no fan factions in this world, and the characters would be shocked to discover people who know their secrets, or strangers who look like them. See the NOTE in the previous challenge for further information.]

Feel free to include yourself, but please play the situation seriously (if you can't do something here, you couldn't do it there).

"The Exchange Program" - (non-xover)
Nick and Ger switch places. See last two challenges for ideas.

[NOTE: this would work as well for any other cast/character combination.]

I'm sure this has been done before, but I've never seen it myself, and the idea is too general to copyright.

"Nat's Deja Vu" - (non-xover)
Another of Nat's "patients" wakes up, and this time she's ready. But how do you handle an abandoned (and thirsty) fledgling? Obvious fanfic, but I've never seen it done.

"A Matter of Trust" - (non-xover)
Nat reads a book about coroner seduced by a vampire as part of a plot to take control of a small city. In it, a convenient psychopath is hypnotized to kill a couple of cops (friends of the coroner) on the verge of discovering their secret as part of an atrocity killing many innocent bystanders. Now Nat has to decide if life has imitated art (or vice versa). [Third season, after Black Budda.]

"Keystone/Threshold - The Unlimited Xover (T.U.X.)"
"No one knows who built these gateways between worlds, the half teardrop shaped crystaline keystones that open them, or the stone passages that connect the gates. All that is known is that once you pass the threshold, you cannot use the same gate to return. Do not fear - the keystone on the other side will lead you to the nearest usable gate. Be careful not to lose it, for it is your only ticket home."

I thought up this idea over 20 years ago (long before "Sliders") as a way to get characters from one story universe to another. I could never decide which stories to mix and match.

E-mail me for more details about this concept.

"Saturday Morning Knight" - (xover)
After staying up late (until noon) watching Saturday morning cartoons with Nat, Nick dreams about cases involving the characters he saw. Possible dreams:
"ReVamp"
Using GVP VR gear (yes, I know it was destroyed, but this is a DREAM), Nick is ported out of the Vamp game and into the world of Mainframe, where he helps Bob defeat Megabyte.
"Marvel Vampire Universe"
Dr. Doom and the Mandarin join forces with LaCroix to take over the world, forcing Nick to seek out Reed Richards and Tony Stark. Vachon joins a furry biker gang to fight a really cheesy villain.
"Mighty Morphing Power Vampires"
Tired of the opposition in Angel Grove, Lord Zed turns his attentions towards Toronto, but meets with some unexpected resistance. Zordon creates new Zords for the local heros.
"VampiRe Troopers"
Using GVP VR gear (see "ReVamp") and a spare virtualizer, Nick joins the VR Troopers to fight Grimlord.
"Night Flyers"
A strange boat with four passengers (three statues and a New York cop) drifts into Toronto harbour. When night falls, the statues vanish. Suddenly Nick is no longer alone in the night sky. (I know there was an HL/Gargoyles xover, but I can't remember if FK showed up in it.)
"Nicky and the Brain"
Nat gets a new lab mouse from Acme Labs who promises Nick a cure for his curse in exchange for his aid in world domination. Meanwhile, Tracy helps her new pet try to find his lost friend, while protecting him from Screed.
"The Mask"
"Nat's New Look"
Our favorite coroner finds a mysterious wooden mask in the personal effects of one of her "clients," and feels compelled to put it on. When she does ...
"Tracy's New Look"
Nick's perky partner finds a mysterious wooden mask at a crime scene, and feels compelled to put it on. When she does ...
"Sidney's New Look"
(ARRGH, Somebody Stop Me ....)
"The Secret World of ..."
A California chemical company relocates a special project (and the family of the project head) from Paradise Valley, CA. to Toronto. Later, ...

"... Tracy Vetter" (in progress)
at a crime scene in a warehouse, Nick's perky partner is accidently doused in a mysterious chemical that give her strange powers...
"... Natalie Lambert"
at a crime scene in a warehouse, our favorite coroner is accidently doused in a mysterious chemical that give her strange powers...
"... Sidney Lambert"
while hunting a mouse in a warehouse, our favorite feline is <KLONNNG!> OWW! Thanks for stopping me. <THUD>
"Warrior Coroner" - (xover) (in progress)
When Nat grasps an ancient Greek Chakram used as a murder weapon, she changes places in time with her remote ancestor, Xena.

(Inspired by a Spiderman/Red Sonya xover comic I read many years ago.) Must include following dialog:

(Tracy leaves after being particularly perky)
Xena: (staring after her) Is she always like that?
Nick: (shrugs) You get used to it.
Xena: (bemused) I know what you mean.

Variants:
  1. The exchange is spiritual rather than physical. (Include flashbacks to the episodes Sons of Belial, Dark of Night and Francesca [or maybe Hearts of Darkness if Nick doubts Nat's sanity].)
  2. Nat is possessed by Xena's spirit, who has some mission to complete before she can retire to the Ellysian Fields. (See flashbacks above.)
  3. Xena gives Tracy Gabrielle's staff, and another exchange (physical or spiritual) takes place. See "Perky is Forever" below. Must include following dialog:

    (Gabrielle leaves after being particularly perky)
    Nick: (staring after her) Is she always like that?
    Xena: (shrugs) You get used to it.
    Nick: (bemused) I know what you mean.

"Perky is Forever" - (xover) Warrior Coroner ")

Variants:

  1. The exchange is spiritual rather than physical. (See "Warrior Coroner" flashbacks above.)
  2. Tracy is possessed by Gabrielle's spirit, who has some mission to complete before she can retire to the Ellysian Fields. (See flashbacks above.)
  3. Gabrielle gives Nat Xena's Chakram, and another exchange (physical or spiritual) takes place. See "Must include" dialog from variant 3 of "Warrior Coroner")

I think that's enough for now. Good writing.