#jerome adams is a FREAK | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

valiantgentle · 6 years ago

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HOUSE OF HALLOWEEN. an ashley adams one-shot. slightly au-ish, but technically post-season-one.

─ on halloween, ashley’s seventeenth birthday, she and the rest of the anubis students are dragged into a grave scavenger hunt, and alfie’s life may be at stake.

Halloween is the best day of the year for three reasons. 1) You get to dress up as anyone you want to be. You want to be a princess? Wear that tiara, spin around in a frilly dress. You want to be a superhero? Remember that with great power comes great responsibility. You want to be a god from any mythology on the planet? …Good luck. 2) You get free sweets. Chocolate, lollipops, and M&Ms, oh my! 3) It’s my birthday. That’s right, 31st October is my birthday, and today, I am seventeen years old.

Sixteen was an insane year by any standards. Joy went missing, kidnapped by a secret society and her father, and Nina showed up out of nowhere and became one of my closest friends. Then we had that whole Cup of Ankh thing, I saw actual ghosts, and also I started to call Jerome by his first name. Still getting used to that one.

Anyway. It’s Halloween, it’s my birthday, and it’s the best frickin’ day of the year.

“Hey, Ash, happy birthday,” Fabian says to me as Nina, Amber, and I sit down for breakfast.

My roomies had already wished me the same when I woke up—actually, one of them replaced the alarm on my phone to play the birthday song instead of the normal annoying tone. It seeped into my dream and presented in the form of the pharaoh from those museum movies singing it. That was weird.

Alfie looks up from his orange juice as I thank him, remarking, “It’s your birthday?” I raise my eyebrows, as does everyone else at the table. Even Mara in the kitchen stops and stares at him. Huh. I thought Alfie, of all people, would’ve remembered, what with it being Halloween and all. He said once that we should switch birthdays so he gets the fun one. “That works.”

“What?” I ask lamely.

“You forgot her birthday?” Jerome questions.

Alfie counters, the confused expression replaced with a curious one, “You remembered?”

“It’s kind of hard to forget. It’s Halloween.”

Patricia inquires nonchalantly, “You sure that’s why you remember?”

Jerome glares as I roll my eyes. They’re really still on this Jashley thing, aren’t they? Just because he and I have decided to be more civil with each other doesn’t mean we’re suddenly into each other. Then again, they’ve been on this pretty much since he and I met, so I’m sure us being actual friends has probably just egged them on even more.

Alfie downs the rest of his orange juice in a single gulp. “I’m off to school,” he says as he grabs a muffin. “Happy birthday, Ash—but more importantly, happy Halloween.”

He laughs maniacally as he backs out of the room. The entirety of Anubis House (excluding Victor, who’s locked up in his office like always) follows him with our eyes until we hear the door to the house close. I turn around and question, “Is he acting weird?”

From the kitchen, Trudy nods. “He was up before me,” she remarks. “And not for a snack.”

“You know,” Jerome states thoughtfully, “I haven’t seen him with a zombie mask on today. He might be feeling sick.”

Amber sighs deeply. “I know Alfie.” She’s kind of dating him. Kind of. “He’ll be back to normal after school.”

Patricia quips, “Is he ever normal?”

The halls of the school are entirely decked out for Halloween. There’s a plastic mummy poking out of a paper sarcophagus on every corner, spider webs along the walls, and orange and black streamers hanging from every doorway. My own locker is covered with orange and black balloons and a ripped piece of paper that reads in a classic spooky font HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

I smile as I push the balloons away to open the locker, but something falls out and onto the floor. I bend to pick it up, frowning. It’s a plain white envelope with the number 1 on it. Opening the envelope, I find inside a Halloween greeting card, but the printed message on the inside is covered up with tape. In its place are two messages—one written in English using newspaper clippings, like a ransom note, and the other in French, written in cursive.

A Halloween Quest for Miss Ashley Adams! To find the rest of your message, locate Nina Martin, Mara Jaffray, and Mick Campbell. Don’t tell anyone, or you’ll get a fright.

ils disent que les chauves-souris sortent la nuit

“What the…” I mumble. I close my locker, reading over the messages again. Nina passes by me, smiling as she puts in the combination to her locker. “Hey, do you know what this is?”

Nina looks at the envelope and shakes her head, just as an identical one with the number 2 instead falls out of her locker. She looks at it, then at me. “I know it’s not a birthday card.” She opens it up, looking over it before turning it around to show me. The French message on hers is different, but the English one is identical, just with mine and Nina’s name swapped around. “Okay, this is weird.”

“Mick and Mara probably got the same thing,” I say. “We should find them.”

But we don’t have to go far, because before Nina and I can even get going, the couple comes up to us with matching envelopes. “It’s so strange,” Mara says. “We found these envelopes in our bags during first class.”

“We found them in our lockers,” Nina responds. “It’s probably Trudy doing some fun Halloween game for us. We’ve all got study hall next, right? Might as well see what it says.”

“We just passed by the lounge,” Mick says, pointing his thumb that direction. “Hardly anyone’s in there.”

So the four of us go to the lounge, setting our respective cards and envelopes on the table in the middle of the room. Mara’s the one that notices that each envelope is labeled with a number and organizes them in numerical order.

“It stands to reason,” she says, switching around Nina and Mick’s envelopes, “that the message goes in order of the numbers. So the one Ashley got is first, Nina’s second, mine third, and Mick’s fourth. It’s a four part message.”

“So we should each take our own part,” Mick suggests, already reaching for the fourth envelope and card. At the same time, he takes his phone out of his blazer pocket.

“What are you doing?” Mara asks.

“I’m looking the translations up online.”

“But I have a French-to-English dictionary right beside me.”

“But this is faster.”

“You two are so weird,” I interrupt. “I vote for Google. I wanna know what it says. Nina?”

Nina’s eyes are glued on the four cards, and it takes me saying her name twice for her to pay attention. “What? Oh, I—I have to choose the internet. Something’s bothering me about this.”

My eyebrows furrow. “You mean the unsigned ransom note stuffed into our lockers that warn us not to tell anyone aside from the people we were told to find or we’ll get a fright, which I’m assuming means an extended hospital and/or morgue stay?” Nina blinks at me. Mick and Mara share a concerned glance. “Anyway, we all want to know what the message says. Off to Google Translate.”

I reach forward and grab my card, already pulling up the search engine on my phone. “You know,” I continue as they hesitantly reach for theirs, “if we’re a team, we need a team name. Team Jackal.”

“Team Jackal?” Mick questions.

“The head of Anubis is a jackal,” Mara explains for me, “in Egyptian mythology.”

“Oh. I get it. We live in Anubis House.”

“And we need nicknames,” I remark. “I will be The Artist. Nina, you’re The Sleuth. Mick, The Jock. Mara, the Nerd.”

As I look from my phone to the card, Nina says, “Isn’t it weird that it’s the four of us? I mean, separately, in pairs of two, it makes sense. Me and Ashley, you two,” she gestures across to Mick and Mara. “But the four of us together? It doesn’t make any sense.”

Mick chuckles lightly. “Makes you wonder what the rest of the house is doing. I’ve got mine done, by the way.”

“Mine, too,” us girls chorus in unison. Mick looks a little freaked out, while the three of us just laugh. Mara adds, “All right, Ashley, you got the envelope numbered 1. Yours must be first.”

I nod, reading from my phone as Mara readies her pencil to write it on her notepad. “‘They say bats come out at night.’”

“Nina?”

“Uh,” she says, “‘But don’t be overcome with fright.’ Fright, like in the other message.”

Mara nods. “Mine is, ‘A bat hangs learning somewhere.’ And Mick?”

Mick finishes, “‘And your next clue is hidden there.’”

They say bats come out at night, but don’t be overcome with fright. A bat hangs learning somewhere, and your next clue is hidden there.

“It’s a scavenger hunt,” Mara realizes. I look around the lounge, noticing something odd on the stage. It’s Jerome, Patricia, Fabian, and Amber talking in hushed tones in a circle. That’s weird. I didn’t think any of them willingly spoke to Jerome. “Someone’s sending us on a scavenger hunt.”

“Not just a scavenger hunt,” I say. “A Halloween-themed scavenger hunt.”

“Should we…” Mick pauses. “…you know, scavenge?”

“I think we should,” says Nina, The Sleuth. “I know I’m not going to rest until I get to the bottom of it. The clue says there’s a bat learning somewhere—obviously in the school. We should split up and search, text when we find a bat hanging from the ceiling. Hopefully fake.”

“Let’s go, then,” I say, standing. I head toward the door first, my card in my hand, and nearly run into Alfie. “Oh, hey, Alfie. How’s it going?”

Alfie shrugs. “It’s Halloween. Things couldn’t be better! What’s that?” He gestures to the card. “Looks fun and spooky. What’s it say?”

I glance at the card. “Oh, it’s, uh, a card from my sis. It’s my Hallobirth.”

“Hallobirth?”

“It sounded better than Birthoween.”

“Oh, my God.” Alfie laughs, shaking his head, and holds his glance on the group at the stage. Well, mostly on Amber, I assume. “I’ll see you later, Ash.”

I take the east side of the school to search; Nina’s north, Mara’s west, and Mick’s south. As I duck into classrooms in search of a hanging plastic bat on the ceiling, I ponder whatever’s happening. Honestly, I’m a little worried this has something to do with our Sibuna stuff. Like… I don’t know, maybe Rufus is back from the dead to taunt us on Halloween. He knew both me and my great-grandmother Lily Henry. Heck, they were technically siblings through adoption! He had to know we share the same birthday, amongst other things.

But, you know… Rufus is dead. There’s no way he survived those sandflies. But also, what if he had a partner?

Nope. Ashley, stop it. It’s not Rufus. Rufus Zeno is dead and he’s gonna stay dead.

As I’m leaving the tenth classroom on the east side of the school, my phone pings with a text message. Mick. He says he found the bat in Mrs. Burton’s art classroom. I stuff my phone back into my pocket, pushing through the crowd in the direction of the art classroom.

“Hey,” I say, the last one of Team Jackal to arrive, “where is it?”

“Up there,” Mick says, pointing to the corner. Sure enough, there’s an obviously fake bat hanging from the ceiling, right above a painting I recognize as my own. “Found this paper in its beak. Have no idea what it says.”

“Another language again?”

Mick hands it to Mara, who frowns as she looks over it. “They’re hieroglyphs. I don’t have a dictionary for this.”

“Can we see?” Nina asks, holding her hand out. Mara hands over the paper. There’s quite a few hieroglyphs printed onto it. “We could bring it to Fabian. He could translate it for us.”

I shake my head. “No. The first message said not to tell anyone. I can translate it.”

The three of them chorus at the same time, “You can?”

I frown. I’m not a fan of the doubt in their voices. “Yeah. I can do this. I’ve been taking an online class.”

Mara raises her eyebrows. “Why?”

‘Cause I was forced by my ancestry to participate in Ancient Egyptian mysteries in the place where we live isn’t an acceptable answer, I assume. So I respond, “‘Cause I wanna learn a new language.”

“You might want to try one that’s being used in the twenty-first century.”

“What, should I learn Latin, Mara?” I retort, my words coming out sharper and more condescending than I intended. Nina elbows me, and I sigh. “Sorry, Mara. What I mean is, give me a few hours, and I’ll have this translated. Every glyph. Trust me.”

I spend most of the school day subtly using my phone and the internet to translate the hieroglyphs from the second clue. It was really hard to do that without any of the teachers noticing, but somehow I succeeded in getting away with it. And in translating it. That’s right, Miss Amateur Hieroglyph Translator got thirty-two menacing, creepy as heck words out of those hieroglyphs. The Artist does better with pictures and numbers.

Also, I’ve seen some of these before with our prior mystery. That helped a lot.

“You’re sure that’s what it says?” Nina questions warily as Team Jackal crowds around me in Mr. Sweet’s empty classroom just after last bell. “Like, absolutely sure?”

“One hundred percent,” I answer. “I know. It’s freaking me out a little, too.”

You found the bat, now find the raven. Corbierre is not who we speak about. There is, in the school, another raven, and if you find it, you might just save him.

“Save him,” Mara repeats, her voice slightly trembling. “We should tell someone now. Someone’s life may be at stake.”

“Maybe it’s just one of those Halloween things,” Mick suggests weakly.

“We’ll never know unless we find the raven it’s talking about,” I state. “We should find it first before we make any decisions to tell authorities. You with me?” Nina nods. So does Mick. Mara does so reluctantly. “All right. So it says the raven’s not Corbierre. That’s good, that means Victor won’t come tear apart the school to find his precious bird.”

“If there was a real raven in the school,” Mick remarks, “we would’ve heard about it by now.”

“It’d be all over social media,” Mara adds.

Nina has her thinking face on. “What if it’s not a real bird? What if it never was? Corbierre’s taxidermy. What if we’re looking for one that was always made of plastic?”

“What do you mean?” I question, not quite following.

“The Mysteries of Anubis,” Nina states. Mick and Mara turn pink at the mention of the play (must be thinking about their prolonged-kiss when the curtains fell when the first act ended). But in that play, Fabian played a character inspired by Victor—complete with a prop raven. “The raven.”

“It’s still backstage with the rest of the props,” I recall. “That has to be it. Great job, Sleuth!”

“Let’s go!”

The curtains are drawn when we arrive. There are boxes of props spread across the stage, but none of them have our prop raven on top. Nina orders us to start digging for the raven in such an authoritative, leading tone that not one of us pauses to verbally question why on earth all of these boxes are laid out so nicely for us. These weren’t on the stage when we were in here this morning.

I throw a feathery scarf around my neck to get it out of the way, digging my hands into the box. “Monocle, flowers—does anyone know why there’s a lion mask in here?”

Mara pipes up, “The school play the year before you came was The Wizard of Oz.”

“Cool. Who was the scarecrow without a brain?”

I’m about to answer my own question with Jerome’s name when Mick calls, a frown very evident in his voice, “Uh… over here.”

Mara, Nina, and I drop the props in our hands as we crowd around the box Mick’s rifling through. He’s holding the prop raven, the one we used for the play, in his hands, but there’s something taped to it. A photograph of a smiling familiar face.

“That’s Alfie,” I say slowly, reaching over to take the raven from him. Alfie’s photograph is taped to the raven we were told to find. What does this mean? Does it mean…. “Is Alfie the ‘him’ in ‘you might just save him?’”

“Okay, we need to tell Mr. Sweet now,” Mara says certainly, sounding freaked out now. More than before. “Whoever sent us on this scavenger hunt has Alfie!”

“We need to calm down,” Nina instructs. “Take a breath. It looks like there’s something written on the back. Maybe another clue that will lead us to Alfie or whoever’s leaving these.”

Before I get a chance to rip the photograph off the raven to read the next clue, there’s heavy footsteps from the door. Team Jackal spins around at the same time to see that it’s the group from earlier—Jerome, Patricia, Fabian, and Amber. They’re talking over each other but stop dead in their tracks when they see us staring at them.

“What are you guys doing here?” Fabian asks.

“We could ask you the same thing,” Nina responds.

Patricia’s eyes widen as she points to the prop in my hand. “That’s the raven we’re looking for! What are you doing with it?”

I counter quickly, “What do you want with it?”

Jerome steps forward and says bluntly, “Everybody, shut up.” The room falls silent, but he waits a few seconds to continue. In those few seconds, he looks across us. Then he concludes, “You got envelopes, too, didn’t you? Numbered one through four?”

“Yeah,” Mick confirms. “You’ve been running around school all day, too?”

Amber nods. “Looking for a clue hidden in mummy gauze. I need a manicure,” she remarks, glancing briefly at her nails (which are as perfect as always). Then she abruptly looks back up, pointing to each of us. “Wait, there are nine people in Anubis House. Where’s Alfie?”

Alfie Lewis. He’s the only Anubis student missing. He’s the only one who didn’t get an envelope.

“I haven’t seen him since first class,” Jerome says.

Patricia closes her eyes. “The last clue. It said something about saving ‘him.’ Alfie must be him!”

“It told you to find a raven,” I infer, raising the raven with the photograph of our missing friend. “This raven. With Alfie’s picture taped to it.”

“Nina just said there’s a message on the back of the photo,” Mara reminds us.

The other four rush to jump onto the stage with us as I rip the photograph off the raven, throwing the prop to Jerome. I turn the photograph over, my blue eyes scanning across the unfamiliar words. “It’s in Latin. Four parts.”

“We should work on this together,” Nina suggests. “Figure out where Alfie is.”

There’s four parts to the Latin message, and there’s eight of us. With us splitting into pairs of two and being assigned a part for each pair, it shouldn’t take long at all for us to figure out this message. Especially with the internet and online translation services at our fingertips.

In the end, the message reads: One clue is at the seat of learning. Another is at the amphitheater of activity. You must split up again, but you will find him.

“Whoever wrote this knew we’d work on it together,” Fabian remarks. “They have to know us personally.” His comment earns doubtful looks from the rest of the house. “I mean—look, they didn’t even start calling each other by their first names until a few weeks ago.” He gestures between me and Jerome. “And Ashley can still hardly stand him. And Patricia can hardly stand the rest of us. Not to mention them,” now he gestures to Mick and Mara, an odd pairing by anyone’s standards. “Who else would think we would work together to translate this other than someone who knows us well?”

“That narrows it down to pretty much just Victor and Trudy,” I say. “I don’t see Victor taking the time to draw all this up.”

“Unless he wanted us out of the house.”

“He’s out of the house, though,” Amber says. “We just saw him heading into Mr. Sweet’s office. And Trudy’s out handing sweets out to the freshmen.”

“Stop speculating,” Jerome interrupts, snatching Mara’s notepad with the full translation of this clue. “What does this mean?”

Mara shrugs. “Seat of learning could be any classroom. I don’t know what amphitheater of activity could be.”

“Well, think about it,” Fabian states, grabbing the notepad from Jerome. He taps his finger against the paper. “Seat of learning. Where’s all the knowledge in the school?”

“Definitely not in our brains,” I quip.

It’s not the answer he’s looking for. I also get a lot of strange looks from them.

Fabian rolls his eyes. “No, the library! It’s full of books. The seat of learning must be the library.”

“Great,” Nina comments. She presses her lips together. “Now what’s the amphitheater of activity?”

It’s silent in the room for a few seconds as we ponder it. The answer comes from the person we least expect. Mick says, “You know, amphitheater is another word for gym.” The looks he’s given could rival the ones just given to me. Then he raises his phone. “I googled it.”

“There’s a lot of activity in the gym,” Jerome points out.

Amber jumps up from the couch. “Team Ibis—we’re taking the library. Since our team figured it out.”

“You’re Team Ibis?” I question, perking up. Two important animals in Egyptian mythology are jackals and ibises. “We’re Team Jackal! I came up with it.”

“I came up with Team Ibis, too! I also gave us nicknames. Jerk,” she points to Jerome, identifying him as the one with the apropos name, “Nerd,” Fabian, “Goth,” Patricia, “and Jewel!” She points to herself, taking the hem of her skirt and curtsying.

I laugh. “So did I! I’m the Artist, she’s the Sleuth, he’s the Jock, and she’s the Nerd. Two nerds! Nerd-squared. What are the odds?”

Nina lightly clears her throat and reminds me, “Didn’t you translate the hieroglyphs singlehandedly? Wouldn’t that make you a nerd, too?”

“Okay, but I can’t do math.”

“But you can translate hieroglyphs.”

“Oh, whatever!” I exclaim, hitting her arm lightly. Nina pulls her arm away and laughs loudly. “Team Jackal—to the gym. Jock, you live there. Lead the way.”

Mick frowns as he stands. “I’m roommates with Fabian.”

The gymnasium doesn’t look out of place to me. On this Halloween, it’s being used as a sweets hub, with tables set up inside and adults handing out sweets to younger teenagers dressed in costumes. Trudy’s here, too, dressed as a classic witch.

“Does anything look different to you, Mick?” Mara asks him. “You were in here yesterday.”

Mick narrows his eyes as he looks around the gym. Nina and I share a glance as Mara watches him intently. I know Mick probably has the layout of this place memorized, but would he really spot something so minuscule as a random clue in a room full of costumed children and the smell of chocolate wafting through the ai—

“The footballs,” Mick interrupts my inner doubts. I snap out of it and blink, following his finger point. There’s a stack of sports equipment with gauze-covered footballs. “They weren’t covered with gauze yesterday.”

“Gauze like mummy gauze?” I question.

“When you say football,” Nina says, “you mean a soccer ball, right? I mean, for me, the American.”

“Yes, he means soccer in American. There’s not an American football in the room.”

“I think an American football wrapped in gauze would be a cool Halloween decoration. Stick some googly eyes on it, make a body out of haystacks. We did that for decorations one year, me and Gran.”

“Like a Halloween snowman?”

“Yeah, but made of straw and googly eyes.”

“Nina, Ashley!” Mara shouts from across the room. She and Mick are already over there by the stack of gauze-covered sports equipment. Nina and I exchange an alarmed glance before running across the floor. She’s holding one in particular. “There’s writing on this gauze.”

Trudy calls, “Oh, hello!” We turn, waving meekly at her. “What a strange group, you four. Would you like any sweets?”

“Oh, no, thanks, Trudy,” Nina declines for all of us. “We’re just, uh… walking. Getting in some exercise before partying tonight—double the celebration, you know, with Ash’s birthday and Halloween.”

I completely forgot it was my birthday until she said that. Oops.

Trudy gives us a thumbs-up and grins before returning to handing out candy to the lowerclassmen.

Mara’s carefully unwrapping the gauze from the football. Mick’s holding the other end of the gauze and she hands the football itself off to me once it’s completely unwrapped. I can see the message through the thin gauze—and even with it backwards, I can tell it’s English. Thank God, no more translations.

“‘This clue you have figured out,’” she reads aloud, “‘beyond a shadow of a doubt. The final is nothing to write home about. Anubis is what it’s all about.’”

Nina gasps. “The final clue—it’s at Anubis House!”

Anubis House is decorated for the holiday, too. Well, as decorated as Victor would allow. As in, there’s fake spider webs on the sign outside, and he let us place some fake pumpkins around the place. That’s pretty much the extent he would let us decorate the public areas—our rooms were ours for the taking.

Team Jackal stumbles into the house, which is exactly the same as we left it.

“Mick, Mara, you take downstairs,” Nina says. “Look for anything out of the ordinary. Ash and I’ll take upstairs.”

Before we even get a chance to split up, a commotion from upstairs drifts down to us. It causes us to freeze where we stand before we run toward the stairs, skipping steps and nearly falling more than once. Bursting through the doors to the girls’ rooms, we’re met with the sight of Team Ibis talking over one another again, stood in front of the attic.

“What are you all doing up here?” I ask loudly, interrupting them. The four part long enough for me to spot a piece of paper taped to the attic door. “What does that say?”

Find the key and you’ll set him free.

“The spare key to the attic?” Mara inquires. I try pulling on the doorknob, but it’s locked. “That’s in Victor’s office.”

“I can pick the office lock—” Nina begins.

Fabian interrupts, “We already tried that. The spare key is missing.”

“Well, what about the attic door?”

“We were just arguing about that—”

“What’s there to argue about? Mara, do you have a bobby pin?”

My eyes jump around the door area, looking for anything strange about it. I can see Mara in my peripheral vision pulling a bobby pin out of her hair, but when I turn my head to see that fully, something glimmers from the top of the doorframe. I step forward, biting the inside of my cheek. There’s something on top of the frame.

“Hey, Mick,” I say without taking my eyes off the spot, “give me a boost.” Mick bends and holds out his hands so I can step onto them. He lifts me up long enough for me to grab the key. It nearly stumbles out of my hands as he sets me back down. “Got the key! Move, Clarke!”

“Don’t stab me with it,” Jerome says, jumping out of the way.

I push the key into the lock, turning it. The door unlocks and opens. “Team Jackal goes first,” I say lowly, looking at the dark stairs. “Well, me and Nina do. I have a weird feeling about this.”

I can hear the rest of them following Nina and I upstairs. She and I are holding onto each other’s arms, the cold key against my skin. We slowly round the corner together before entering the attic fully. There’s someone standing there with their back to us, dressed in a long black cape.

“Ah,” says the person in the attic, with a Transylvanian accent, “you have figured out my clues.”

And they turn around. The face throws me and everyone else into a state of confusion and shock.

“Alfie?!” Anubis House questions in unison.

Alfie grins at us, showing us his plastic fangs. “Hello, Anubis. Happy Halloween! Welcome to our party.”

“Alfie,” Jerome says slowly, “do you want to explain what’s going on here?”

“And why we were led to believe that you were in danger,” I add, “when you look pretty not-in-danger to me?”

“Oh, I was so tempted to put you two on the same team,” Alfie states happily, “but then I thought: no, putting my two best friends on separate teams was gonna work. Let me explain—I’ve been working on this elaborate scavenger hunt for months. Every detail, every clue, was drawn to perfection. I even tailored them to your interests.”

Fabian stammers, “Different languages interest?”

Alfie nods. “Yeah, that’s why I put you and Ashley on separate teams. I’m the one that put the idea of taking hieroglyph classes in her head.” I frown. Yeah, that’s technically correct. He more encouraged me to do it than outright told me to. “Mrs. Andrews helped me with the French clues, and Mr. Sweet with the Latin ones. I gave Team Tweedledee,” he gestures to my team, “the bat in the art room and I assumed you would take the amphitheater of activity because… well…”

“Oh, because of me!” Mick exclaims.

“Exactly! And I gave Team Tweedledum the mummies in the halls at school because of Fabian—and I’d hope you’d go to the seat of learning.”

Amber raises her hand. “I found that one. The one that said to come here. It was in a pretty book on the table.”

Alfie smiles warmly at her. “I knew you’d do that. And the hieroglyphs I found online. I put on a disguise and watched you all scramble to figure out the clues before coming back here when you figured out the Latin one. It was so much fun, you should’ve seen your faces.”

“Wait a second,” Patricia says, and there’s a warning in her tone. “You tricked us into going on this scavenger hunt, made us believe you were in danger, and watched us run all about the school for fun?”

Alfie nods. “Pretty much.”

“If this is a party, where’s the punch?”

His eyes widen as he steps back abruptly, bumping into the wall. “No need to pour punch on me or punch me, Trixie! This is a Halloween party. And,” he looks over at me, “it’s Ash’s birthday. I’m gonna be honest with you—I did forget today was your birthday until Fabian said something this morning. But hey, it all worked out!”

I narrow my eyes, stepping toward him. “You…are so much smarter than I thought you were.”

“Oh. I thought you were gonna say something about me being stupid.”

“You are stupid, but this was also fun until we thought you were in danger.”

“Hey, you guys would’ve pinned this on me the second you realized I was the only one who didn’t get an envelope and in a group. I had to take the suspicion off myself. So who’d you think it was? Victor, Trudy? Oh, was it Mr. Sweet?”

Alfie doesn’t get an answer as we all stare at him.

“Okay, so forget that I made you think I was in danger,” Alfie compromises, “and let’s get our party on! Go get costumed up and get back up here, because Trudy and Victor aren’t gonna be back for another two hours! Oh, and get whatever presents you bought Ash!”

Halloween-themed music and sound effects blast through some speakers set up in the attic as we dance around with each other. Amber’s dressed as (of course) a princess, Nina as Dorothy Gale, and myself as a pirate. Fabian’s recycled his costume from the play earlier this year (sharpie beard and all), Patricia’s a regular witch (no pun intended), Mick and Mara are doing a couples’ thing as Frankenstein’s Monster and the Bride of Frankenstein, and Jerome’s a skeleton. Alfie’s Dracula, the same costume we found him in.

Honestly, him being behind this whole thing was a plot twist I never expected. In hindsight, I should’ve realized it. He was so focused on making this work that he wasn’t very enthusiastic about Halloween in general.

But good for him. This was fun, figuring out the clues.

The presents I received for my birthday were perfect. It was mostly art supplies, but Fabian gifted me a book on Egyptian mythology and Amber bought me a bracelet that goes perfectly with my Ankh charm. The only person who didn’t give me anything was Jerome, which, to be honest, I expected. Although, he could’ve at least, like, given me a chocolate bar.

I sneak out of the attic with my empty cup, planning to go downstairs and fill it up with water from the kitchen. As I turn the sink on, I hear one of the doors in the hallway downstairs open and close. When I switch the sink off, my cup full, someone says, “Leaving the party so soon?”

Spinning around, I find that it’s Jerome in all his skeleton-glory. “Just getting something to drink. What about you?”

“Wanted to give you something,” he replies. He steps toward me, holding out a small, Halloween-themed gift bag. “It’s your present. I didn’t give it to you in front of everyone because I didn’t want anyone to make fun of me.”

“Oh, you poor thing,” I say sarcastically, taking it from him. “I’m definitely gonna make fun of you.”

“I’m sure.”

I laugh lightly, reaching into the bag. My fingers wrap around a long box and I set the bag on the counter as I pull it out. It’s a pen box, not one of those writing pens, but one for drawing. I’ve been on the fence about buying this exact pen for months. I didn’t know if I actually needed it.

“I went to that art shop in town you’re always talking about,” Jerome explains. “They know you by name there, you know that? All I said is I was looking for something for you and they told me about this pen you’ve been looking at forever. Said you never bought it.”

“So… you bought it for me?” I question slowly. I didn’t expect this.

“Yeah. I didn’t want to walk around that shop looking for something I have no idea about. This was the easy way out. Happy birthday, Ash.”

“This is, uh… very sweet of you, Jerome,” I say, blinking several times. “Thank you. Seriously. I didn’t expect this.”

“Don’t get used to it.”

“Afraid I’m gonna tell everyone the Tinman has a heart?”

“Hilarious, truly.”

I smile, shaking my head. I take his arm and pull him out into the hallway. “Come on. If we’re both gone for too long, they’ll think we’re up to no good. Happy Halloween.”

“Happy Halloween.”

#ch: ashley adams #ocappreciation #type: writing #q #happy halloween!!!#and happy 24th birthday to my fave ash!!!#god i missed writing her this felt good #the first clue (the one in french) was found on pinterest but the others are mine #(full disclosure: i do not speak french so i used google)#also i've had this written for two months it's been agony not being able to post it until now #also u can thank this one shot for getting me started on editing wlb

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glysimachia-blog · 6 years ago

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titan lysimachia, husband of calliope and father of gaea, was born poor and with a love and desire for money. it wouldn’t be until meeting calliope that he would make something of himself, his charisma and work ethic all his father needed to see in order to give him enough money to start his own business. titan, his company, his baby, concentrates on security, technology and steel manufacturing, namely when it comes to navel warships and commercial cruisers. because of his humble beginnings, he is willing to do anything in order to keep his company and money. anything.

alien: titan works for weyland - yutani, a spokesperson that recruits and tells the public how absolutely necessary the organization is. he is not nearly as obsessed with xenomorphs as his employer but their destructive capabilities fascinate him. learning that his daughter is not only attacking his company but also shacked up with a human - xenomorph hybrid causes him to take things personal and put out a hit on her. whoever brings her back to him alive will be rewarded substantially.

dceu: very similar to her main verse. despite running out to amnesty bay to get out from beneath her father’s thumb and away from him, titan refuses to let the person who has helped him build so many lasting and beneficial partnerships go. with people watching her home and gaea not wanting to burden those who she has befriended ( heroes or otherwise ), she does what she must in order to keep him and that part of her life away from them.

dragon age: inquisition: obsessed with calliope, a woman from a different hold, titan approaches her and tells her of his intentions to marry her. not particularly interested, calliope tells him as much but his adamance has her acquiescing. after stealing her in the middle of the night, the ceremony takes place the next day. humiliated by not being able to undo the knots made by her during her all too short song, they are only married for a year and in that year, she gives birth to gaea. seeking revenge, titan steals gaea in the middle of the night as well and raises her in his own hold. calliope’s fate is sealed one winter’s day but he lies, telling his daughter she died in childbirth. with no real desire to care for her, he allows the women of the hold and the augur to do so.

fallout: caps are not easy to come by, not without endangering one’s self. the idea of running a brothel had come during one particularly long night of drinking and chems. the thought to have his own daughter work in it had immediately followed. and it had been easy to convince her, that this was the way to a better life, that her mother had birthed her into the world at the loss of her own life and that he had made his own sacrifices in order to keep her alive. he told her it was her turn to take care of him, just long enough for them to be able to get a place in diamond city. the moment she had, he had left her, pockets heavy with the caps she had made for him. and he had squandered them, coming up short after buying chems and alcohol he had never gotten to before. now he works as a janitor for the entire city, forced to watch as his daughter succeeds at her kiosk. not even his shouting about the things she has done turns people away.

far cry: he loses the first eye in a fight, a grotesque wound hidden behind an eye patch. his sight in his spare had been done away with with a stroke and a trip down the stairs, his head hitting the banister. he swears that if gaea had been there, being a dutiful daughter instead of whoring herself out to whatever person was pitying her, it never would have happened. when he decides to move to montana, he knows her guilt will make her come along. and despite the kindness of jerome’s congregation, he knows power and the project at eden’s gate certainly has that. in his opinion, joining them had been the only smart thing gaea had done her entire life. and for a while, things were good. good, until the one jacob couldn’t break had arrived ...

final fantasy xv & lord of the rings: he is titan, the archaean, immovable as the rock. he was indifferent to their plights but their disrespect, their lack of fear, he empathized with ifrit’s desire to wage war on them. instead of waiting for them to come to their senses, he made a worshiper of his own, a messenger: gaea. the firstborn of his messengers, she was the one treated the most poorly. she was the one who would experience what it was like to be thought of as nothing. sending her to middle earth when the king of light had failed and the astrals had to recover their strength was the only kindness he would bestow on her. bringing her back had been unnecessary. but he swears, he could have feasted on her sorrow at the thought she wouldn’t be able to return for centuries.

main verse: calliope dies, not in childbirth, but in a car accident. distraught over the loss and never having any real affection for their daughter, titan ‘raises’ gaea by himself, spending long periods away from home and barely tolerating her when he is there. once his daughter turns eighteen, he offers her the position of negotiator. sex and money, in his eyes, make the world go around. and in order for him to keep the latter, he needs her to do the former. while her reputation among those in the building is in shambles, he is considered a genius, with a ruthlessness that is to be feared and respected.

marvel: no child of his, no one who has his last name, is going to be one of those freaks. with the world remembering what mutants are and a glance out the window making him all too aware of what gaea is, he doesn’t hesitate to make a call to one of the places meant to take mutants down. perhaps he should feel bad that he sent death after the child of his late wife. but he believes that had he not, she never would have become the woman she does: a figurehead for mutant rights and one with such close ties to the avengers. middle class and unable to find better work, he attempts to contact her in order to make apologies. and, even more importantly, to take advantage of her relationship with the avengers. ( i decided to use the more open of gaea’s marvel verses for this, rather than her new canon ).

overwatch: with his interest turning to other things and his position in talon becoming more prominent, titan allows his daughter to become the new ceo of titan. he has no real confidence in her ideas, her skills ( believes her to be far too soft ). but the direction she takes it toward the medical field seems to do wonders for the money coming in. having always been vocal about her hate for talon and what they do, when she becomes a bit more docile, he decides to test her. a team of talon operatives flood his building, there to test her strength and to kill her if she proves too weak. it isn’t until after that he allows her more into his underground dealings, using her as a reward for those who particularly please him.

#✿ *・ﾟ( titan ) — ❝ alone staring over the edge ( trying not to forget all manner of joy and glee ) ❞#npc information.#family.#tw: forced prostitution #tw forced prostitution #forced prostitution tw #tw: noncon #tw noncon #noncon tw #tw: fucked up family #tw fucked up family #fucked up family tw

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ultralaser · 6 years ago

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The fear of an enormous conspiracy conjured by Corsi, and more or less embraced by Stone, sounds like an invention of the Internet era, but it actually represents a venerable strain of American political thought. In the mid-nineteen-sixties, Bernard Bailyn, a historian at Harvard, upended the study of the American Revolution by revealing the centrality of conspiracy theories for the leading minds of the era. Previously, the primary influences on the Framers were thought to be Enlightenment figures such as Locke and Montesquieu. But, as Bailyn spelled out in his classic “The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution,” the colonists were also shaped by the views of the radicals behind the English Civil War of the seventeenth century. This led the Revolutionaries to believe “that they were faced with a deliberate conspiracy.” Bailyn noted that the Declaration of Independence, after its famous opening lines, consists mostly of an “enumeration of conspiratorial efforts” against the American colonies. This preoccupation “serves to link the Revolutionary generation to our own in the most intimate way.” . Bailyn was writing in the aftermath of the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the fulcrum of modern conspiracy theories. Both Stone and Corsi wrote books about the assassination for its fiftieth anniversary, in 2013. Stone blasts out his theory in his title, “The Man Who Killed Kennedy: The Case Against LBJ.” His book, written with a former journalist named Mike Colapietro, is an extended diatribe against Johnson, but it offers little in the way of proof (because there is none) that he was complicit in his predecessor’s murder. Corsi’s book “Who Really Killed Kennedy?” portrays the assassination as the product of the deep state. He explores the purported roles of the C.I.A. and organized crime in the murder and, in answering the question of “who really killed JFK,” concludes, “all of the above.”

Roger Stone’s and Jerome Corsi’s Time in the Barrel

fun fact, in 1800ish, jefferson almost started the civil war sixty years early because he was convinced adams was using the alien and sedition acts as a backdoor for the federal government to supersede the states and abolish slavery. madison(?) had to talk him down in private letters, bc washington was at the time too busy freaking out about his belief that napoleon had agents working to undermine the new country in order to reclaim dominance in the colonies. american history is WILD.

#roger stone #jerome corsi #trumpets #conspiracies #founding fathers #jefferson #adams #madison #washington #CIVIL WAR #alien and sedition acts #1800

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lyricfrost13 · 7 years ago

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My AO3 Fics

Yup I write fanfiction in addition to the doodles I post on here a lot, so I’m going to start posting links to them here because that’s a thing people do. If you’re a reader of my stuff, feel free to message me/send an ask! If you message me just say in the first message that you’re a reader so I know where you’re coming from.

If you don’t want to sift through this post, but want to follow me, here:

Haunted_Frost on AO3

Anyway! *tosses fic in the air* Catch!

Family and Dissociation from Awkward Situations

Fandoms: Batman - All Media Types DCU Gotham (TV) Super Sons (Comics) Batman Beyond

Not Rated (but probably T at best) Choose Not To Use Archive Warnings; Language: English. Words: 25,262. Chapters: 8/8. Minor or Background Relationships

Characters: Bruce Wayne Jason Todd Dick Grayson Alfred Pennyworth Tim Drake Barbara Gordon Damian Wayne Duke Thomas Stephanie Brown Kate Kane Harper Row Cassandra Cain Minor Characters Original Characters Joker (DCU) Terry McGinnis Mar'i Grayson Jerome Valeska

Tags: Bat Family, Reconciliation, Family Feels, My First Work in This Fandom, POV Multiple, Not Beta Read, Catholic Character, Time Travel, Jason-Centric, Babysitting, Alternate Universe, Team as Family, Panic Attacks, News Media, Fluff and Humor, Some Plot

Jason's returned to Gotham to find things oddly different, but mostly the same. As he reacquaints himself with the Bats, and as they begin a new case or two, it might just turn out that the Red Hood belonged there all along. Reunions are uncomfortable, but sometimes they just might be worth it.

The Barnes Family Portrait

Fandoms: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Captain America (Movies), Winter Soldier (Comics)

Teen And Up Audiences, No Archive Warnings Apply, Gen, Part 1 of The White Wolf, Language: English. Words: 8,328.

Characters: James "Bucky" Barnes Steve Rogers Natasha Romanov Tony Stark Rebecca Barnes Proctor Scott Proctor (Marvel) Kimberly Proctor Howling Commandos Peggy Carter

Tags: Alternate Universe Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence Bucky Barnes Recovering Family Team as Family Art Artist Steve Rogers Avenger Bucky Barnes Reunions Identity Reveal Secret Identity Bucky Barnes Feels Bucky Barnes-centric Steve Rogers Feels

"I began by being perplexed about my body; and I ended by being anxious about my soul. In short, I wished to know what I was." -Adolphe Monod

Bucky Barnes wrenches control back with his own two hands, and so does Steve - they find each other anyway, because the whole Barnes family is built to last, and so are they.

All Go Bare and Live by the Air

Fandoms: Deadpool - All Media Types, Spider-Man - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe

Mature, Choose Not To Use Archive Warnings, M/M, Language: English. Words: 32,417. Chapters: 27/27

Peter Parker/Wade Wilson Peter Parker Wade Wilson Tony Stark Bruce Banner Steve Rogers Clint Barton Natasha Romanova Matt Murdock May Parker (Spider-Man) Rebecca Barnes Proctor Gwen Stacy Mary Jane Watson Harry Osborn Eleanor Camacho

Tags: Song Lyrics Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence Slow Burn Knitting Wade Wilson Needs A Hug Peter Parker is an Avenger Avengers Family Fluff Panic Attacks Implied/Referenced Self-Harm Photographer Peter Parker Dadpool Implied Sexual Content Kidnapping Happy Ending

Each chapter accompanied by a verse from "Bedlam Boys"; this fic alternates between Peter and Wade as they recover themselves and find each other.

The Fighting and Most Sensible Brothers Black

Fandoms: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling

Teen And Up Audiences No Archive Warnings Apply Gen Complete Work Language: English. Words: 3,173.

Characters: Regulus Black & Sirius Black Minor or Background Relationship(s) Sirius Black Regulus Black Walburga Black Orion Black Remus Lupin Harry Potter

Tags: Regulus Black Lives Sirius Black Lives Brotherly Love Marauders' Era Grimmauld Place Book 5: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Animagus

Snippets of Sirius and Regulus growing up, growing apart, and growing together again.

Team Free Will

Fandoms: Supernatural

Mature No Archive Warnings Apply M/M, Other Complete Work Language: English. Words: 21,808. Chapters: 16/16.

Characters: Gabriel/Sam Winchester Catiel/Dean Winchester Dean Winchester Sam Winchester Castiel Gabriel Charlie Bradbury Bobby Singer

Tags: Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers Superhero Dean Superhero Sam Superhero Castiel Superhero Gabriel

In the cities of Crossroads, Garrison, Lawrence, and Palo Alto, four heroes have begun to work together against the crime organization, Hell. Locals aren't sure what to call the group-they run by their own rules, but get the job done.

The Hunter, who's famous for taking down a branch of Hell with just his gun, the legendary Colt at his side, is really just Dean Winchester, a mechanic trying to save the world. Legacy, the calm, collected man that can take out a criminal in a blink of an eye, is Sam Winchester, who just wants to prove that he isn't a freak, that he can do good in the world. Enoch-the silent, mysterious dark-winged angel that works part time for the Host, is Castiel Shurley, who is far more lost than he dares let anyone see. The Trickster left the Host and his Herald name behind, preferring to dish out justice as he saw it--Gabriel Shurley won't let his family make him choose a side again.

And when stirrings of Hell threaten the lives of those they love, nothing can stand in the way of Team Free Will.

Five Lights Rising

Fandoms: Supernatural

Teen And Up Audiences No Archive Warnings Apply F/M, M/M. Part 1 of Five Lights. Language: English. Words: 46,832. Chapters: 32/32.

Characters: Castiel/Dean Winchester Gabriel/Sam Winchester Adam Milligan/OFC Dean Winchester Sam Winchester Castiel Gabriel Original Female Character(s) Adam Milligan Amara Chuck Shurley Crowley Rowena MacLeod Original Male Character(s)

Tags: Season 11 au Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net Angel Dean Winchester Angel Sam Winchester Archangels Season/Series 11 Trials Hellhounds Time Travel prayers Archangel Sam Winchester Archangel Dean Winchester Happy Ending Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts Alternate Season/Series 11

Against the Darkness, the boys will need new and old allies to save the world again.

Faced with orders from a God who won't show his face, they will have to endure the Heavenly Trials, a series of tasks that will ensure they have the power to take down something as old as God himself.

Coming Back Again

Fandoms: Supernatural

Teen And Up Audiences No Archive Warnings Apply Gen Complete Work Part 2 of Five Lights. Language: English. Words: 5,872.

Characters: Gabriel & Lucifer & Michael & Raphael Minor or Background Relationship(s) Lucifer Michael Raphael Gabriel Sam Winchester Chuck Shurley

Tags: Oneshot Archangel Gabriel Archangel Sam Winchester Human Lucifer Human Michael Human Raphael Vessels Time Travel Family Feels Brotherhood

Chuck decided, after the whole fiasco with Amara resurrecting his sons, that they deserved a human life. Gabriel's assignment, after running so far, was to stay close and protect his now-human brothers in the past.

Snippets of their lives come together, and they realize that no matter what, the universe seems to circle around back to them.

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writer59january13 · 5 years ago

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***** NONPARTISAN SHAM (BULL SH*T) SPECIAL NEWS BULLETIN *****

Innocuous, yet unhealthy threat looms across

(air/radio) telecommunications devices

linkedin with plenti networks that criss cross

even primitive computers utilizing DOS

by George, which archaic code

once powered Mill on the Floss,

now long since covered over

with flora I lichen and recognize as moss.

Surgeon general (Jerome Michael Adams

20th Surgeon General of the United States)

strongly advises against, yet he does not boast

threat looms large coast to coast

watching more than five minutes at most

equivalent machination, the following I post

re: guarding haunting experience

analogous visit by fashionably late ghost

2020 presidential election coverage

able, eager, and ready to prey upon host

whereby curious George experiences

feeling noggin fried like toast.

A carefully worded (fake) communiqué

purportedly the brainchild of one freak

Matthew Scott Harris, whose jargon puzzling as deciphering Greek

long story short while in utero,

he experienced cerebral leak,

said cheesy mousy man no longer meek

quite evident courtesy literary pique

his haughty style aiming to characterize

generic guy as self anointed Sheikh

sought after acceptance tepid and week.

Nevertheless he speaks/writes truth to power

aforementioned serious risk steeped within

social media platform sensory overload I ascribe,

whereby subliminal messages

voter's blitzkrieg does bribe,

albeit unconsciously, hence me subsequent rhyme

equals forewarning in league with mild diatribe

which receptive yours truly can transcribe.

All joking aside

oversaturation soaking up

presidential election aye chide

against viewing in excess (five minutes at most)

affixed to live streaming broadcast

can find thee steadfast staring getting bug eyed

thus hoop fully let moderation serve as guide

cuz the eventual outcome re: guarding

president elect political experts cannot hide

though be wary lest premature ejaculation trumpets

sore loser candidate, that

bombastic egotistical ignoramus lied

cuz prejudice nsync with pompous pride

for four years to many

the webbed wide world let him slide,

now as one common Joe,

a hardened criminal he best be tried.

0 notes

sunlitroom · 8 years ago

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Gotham 3.20

As I watched it, and some random observations here and there.

Previously on Gotham.

Bruce is being trained for some grand purpose. The Court plan to release the virus. Ed and Oswald escape. Then they face off in the street. Selina beats Bruce 2. Where is Bruce?! Jervis spits malice at Lee. Lee blames herself for everything, and infects herself with the virus. Bruce has been brainwashed.

As always, long post will be long - reaaally long. There are likely to be rambling digressions. Gobblepot may appear (although I welcome all shippers and non-shippers alike :)). There will be naked favouritism and naked not-favouritism. Broader comments at the end on plotlines and parallels and general direction.

We open at the Court’s headquarters – where Bruce’s teacher is addressing the gathered Court.

The day of judgment has come to Gotham and the Court.

He tells the Court that Thomas and Martha Wayne’s blood is on their hands.

A member of the Court argues. Thomas was going to expose the Court. They had no choice but to eliminate him. We hear Bruce’s voice:

And my mother? She had to die as well?

Bruce is here to pass judgment, the Court leader announces.

The argumentative owl seems to be getting years of repressed workplace frustration out, and essentially tells the leader that he doesn’t get to waltz in and complain about decisions they made, when he was the one whose hands-off management style meant that they were forced to be anonymous.

The Court Leader decides that after endlessly going on at Bruce about moving on from his parents’ death – he’ll have one last go at manipulating it for his own ends.

'You knelt in their blood - let blood avenge blood'

He wants Bruce to give the order – but Bruce falters. The Leader is forced to give the nod. As Bruce looks round. The talons approach, and cuts the Court’s collective throat.

Bruce looks round – troubled. The leader is also troubled.

You hesitated

Bruce looks determined.

Next time I won't - I promise

The leader gives an approving grunt.

No - I know you won't.

Police cars arrive at the Court building. Jim reminds all the officers present of the situation, and tells them to be ready for anything. They probably weren’t expecting ‘anything’ to be a room full of corpses. One gurgling Owl helpfully fills Jim in on the necessary plot details. Jim, Alfred and Harvey are wide-eyed at the revelation that Bruce was involved.

Back at GCPD, the stress is making Alfred cockney uncontrollably. That geezer was lying about Bruce. Harvey is more interested in why the leader would kill them all. Maybe the bomb plot is off. The bomb plot is on, insists Jim. He wants to follow the leads – but Alfred is impatient and leaves. Harvey says he’s just worried about Bruce. Jim doesn’t blame him.

A plain-clothed officer approaches and tells them that the officers waiting at Lee’s house have reported that she’s back at home. Harvey is sceptical that she injected herself – but Jim is adamant.

(An aside – I know it’s necessary for plot reasons – but this was beyond dumb. They’ve seen how dangerous Barnes is. They know how angry Lee is with Jim. But Jim just trots off alone? Nope.)

Sirens, where Ed is telling an incredulous Barbara, Tabitha and Butch that Oswald is alive. Tabitha thinks it’s some kind of set-up, and finds his whole story ridiculous.

Barbara snipes that Tabitha would know all about set-ups, being an expert in betrayal – and butch has to break them up. Ed says that Tabitha’s betrayal did reveal something useful - that Gotham is run by the Court of Owls – but can’t tell them anything about them, other than they’re not interested in the underworld and that Kathryn had a stern updo. They should all worry more about Oswald.

(An aside – Ed’s line is pretty funny, but that means that storyline did sort of fizzle. Ed discovered nothing, and Barbara just seems to move on)

Butch says Oswald is not their problem. Ed points out that they all colluded, and Oswald will want revenge on everyone. He’s my rage-filled little favourite.

Barbara has an attack of stupid, and says she’ll send a team to hit Oswald’s house. Like he’d have gone home to meekly wait for them to attack. Ed says he’s more likely in a safehouse – but that he knows where all those are, because early s3 Oswald suffered a sharp drop in IQ for storyline reasons.

As he leaves, he throws a comment over his shoulder, about how Oswald has recruited an army of Hugo Strange’s monsters.

(An aside – expect, as we’ll find out later – they all apparently wandered off, and he doesn’t have an army anymore. Which again, feels like a storyline that came to nothing).

Outside Lee’s house, Jim dismisses the officers, and says he’ll take this alone which – again – is beyond stupid.

He lets himself into Lee's house – where’s she’s borrowed the atmospheric fluttering muslin curtains look from Wayne Manor. Jim calls her name.

(An aside - why are we getting creaky ship noises?)

Lee emerges from the shadows

Hello Jim

Apparently, Lee left the house in order to go shopping for eyeliner and a trouser suit. It’s a good look. Practical, yet elegant, villainy.

Lee is amused by Jim’s wide-eyed expression and brushes off his surprise – he must have known she’d taken the virus. Jim said he hoped he was wrong. Lee offers him a drink and a jab in the process.

I know how you like your whiskey

Jim tells her that none of what happened was her fault, but Lee disagrees. It’s moot at this point, anyway, she adds. Jim insists that they can get her help – it took weeks for Barnes to be full-blown. (Yes, Jim, but Barnes got the virus via one drop of blood on his face. Lee injected a syringe-full of the virus alone right into her bloodstream)

Lee laughs at him.

I’m no virologist, but I think you missed the boat on that one.

Jim grabs at her arm, which she doesn’t like one little bit, given how the virus clouds her eyes.

Lee asks Jim if he doesn’t want to know what the virus revealed in her. Apparently, it’s shown her about the nature of her love for Jim. It’s obvious – why would perfect Dr Lee Thompkins be drawn to a man like him, with such darkness inside him, such an appetite for violence?

Jim says that this isn’t true. Jim- of course – is terrified that he’s fundamentally rotten, a destructive influence on those around him, and hearing this confirmed from Lee must be pretty high on his worst nightmare list.

Lee goes on. It is true. She liked it, craved it, needed it. Now she’s going to give into her deepest desires - no longer deny herself what she really wants.

(An aside – well, it doesn’t not work with what we know – I suppose? Lee stayed with Jim despite knowing he was responsible for two murders, and excused his behaviour to the point that she herself wondered if she actually enabled it. She was intrigued and vaguely thrilled – not scared or disgusted – by Jerome’s confession back in The Blind Fortuneteller. She enjoyed using her mob ties to intimidate Ed. So Lee craves darkness and violence, and loved Jim because she saw it in him?)

Jim swallows. She asks him if he has a problem, and grabs his throat. She tells Jim he’s always denying who he is. But she can help him. She throws him across the room.

(An aside – whereas this is just a bit repetitive of Barbara’s whole – ‘Jim and I have the same darkness inside us and that’s why we’re made for each other’ spiel.)

GCPD. Where we learn that some locations are not on the map – and Alfred will look up that handy Ukrainian smuggling gang again.

A safehouse, where Oswald is trashing a room. Ivy and Selina watch – interestingly – not remotely frightened. Oswald’s interactions with men are pretty exhaustively analysed – but how he deals with women, and vice-versa, is worth noticing.

Ivy tells Selina Oswald is angry that he lost their freak army

They all left when they thought Pengy had split

(An aside – What the fuck? He wasn’t gone that long. Besides – Bridget was knocked out by a Talon – she knows he was taken, and that he was pursuing a shadowy organisation: it’s not like he walked out on them.)

(Another aside – Ivy calling Oswald Pengy is pretty adorable.)

Oswald asks if Selina can find her. A hard-faced Selina asks what’s in it for her. An infuriated Oswald says:

My gratitude.

There’s voices and footsteps – someone has found the safehouse. Selina tries to run and tells Ivy to come with her – but she refuses:

I can't leave Penguin

Selina leaves them to it.

There’s a thud at the door, and Ivy squeaks, rushing to hide behind Oswald.

(An aside – their relationship is oddly sweet. I’d quite like Gotham not to ruin it.)

She asks if he has a way out. He’s impatient – telling her of course he does, it’s a safe house.

Ed and Butch appear with guns. At Oswald’s seeming lack of panic, Ed realises something is wrong.

Oswald sneers,

Oh Ed - so smart.

He presses a button, shutters come down and an alarm sounds. A door opens behind them, and he and Ivy escape.

Ed says that it’s just delaying the inevitable, and asks Butch where his better half is.

On the roof, apparently – punching a fleeing Selina in the face.

Bruce broods at a fireplace. He’s achieved justice – but still feels a failure, apparently because he didn’t give the order. He is assured that he’ll get another choice to prove himself worthy. We hear a voice,

Hello Bruce. Good to see you again

(An aside – I loathe Hugo, but BD Wong is a thing of beauty and a joy forever in this role.)

Fascinating. He's completely docile -I’d like to hear your techniques - sensei

The leader promises he will – but wants to see the weapon, and reminds Bruce that the final step remains. Bruce has to release the virus. The city will be torn apart, nad out of the ashes, a dark hero will rise.

Blah blah -destiny again.

Alfred and Harvey burst in. Alfred hears Bruce repeating the lines about destiny.

They’re knocked out - but manage to bring Hugo in.

At GCPD. Harvey yells to the officer that he’ll be back to bust Hugo’s head in a minute. Hugo looks hilariously indignant. Alfred, meanwhile – isn’t OK: Bruce is now a zombie zealot. They need to find that bomb. Harvey says they’ll interrogate ‘Baldilocks’ (Oh, Harvey) for info.

The officer from before approaches and says Jim and Lee are missing. At this Lee, enters, saying she’s right here. This moment has been giffed and promo’d to death – so you know the score.

Jim wakes in a coffin. Breath shaky, he hits the sides. Finding a torch by his side, he looks round and realising his situation, begins to kick and scream for Lee.

Back at GCPD – Lee laughs at the guns aimed at her. She says that Harvey is just like Jim, but the virus isn’t bad She's contemptuous of them all. Jim is their hero (Jim was hated quite continuously for much of season one, but anyways), and they forced him to deny himself by putting him on a pedestal. She says he’s six feet under now.

A beyond-livid Harvey asked if she killed him. But no – she’s buried him alive. She chats to Jim via a walkie-talkie, and tells him to say hi to Harvey, but also to conserve air. She’s buried the virus with him. If he takes it – he’ll have the strength to get out. If not – he dies. Lee laughs, and tells him she told him she’d help him find his darkness.

Harvey begs Lee in the name of all that’s holy and not insane. He’ll let her walk. But Lee doesn’t want to walk. She wants to see look on their faces when Jim takes the virus and reveals his true self. She asks for coffee. Harvey agrees, but also has her sent to a cell. Lee’s smirking as she’s led away. Harvey orders everyone back to work. Lee looks over at Hugo in the neighbouring cell, and smiles at him. Hugo smiles smarmily back Lee – then backs away as he sees the virus cloud her eyes. Lee rolls her eyes, almost impatient at his fear.

Jim tells Harvey the radio has a shortwave frequency – and that Lucius might be able to get a trace. He then tells himself to conserve his breath, and stay calm.

Sirens, where Barbara, Butch, Tabitha and Ed crowd threateningly around Selina and interrogate her. She says she's not working for Oswald – she only dropped by because Ivy asked, and because a friend of hers might be there.

Ed smarms nastily that she’s friends with the ‘firebug’. Fuck off, Ed.

Selina says her name is Bridget. Ed proceeds to laugh smugly. Again – shut up, Ed. He hypothesises that they needed Selina to find Bridget because Oswald has lost his monster army. He tells Selina she’s going to take them to Oswald. She wants to know what’s in it for her – preferably enough money to get out of town, and the insistence that they leave Ivy alone, who is stupid, but not a traitor.

(An aside - Selina doesn’t really have much option here. She could have spun them a tale – but I’m guessing they’d hold her until they definitely had Oswald. However, it does fit with the evolution of her character since her mother’s unpleasant visit. Whereas her immediate reaction before was altruism, and an attempt to forge connections – albeit masked by cynicism – she know wants to know what’s in it for her. She generally doesn’t care if anyone gets hurt in the process, either. She’s not exactly besties with Oswald, but he did seem to informally take her in at the beginning of season 2. She wants Ivy protected, but she’s also seen that Ivy seems to genuinely care about Oswald, and would be hurt if something happened to him.)

Barbara says it’s time for the grown-ups to talk now and shoos Tabitha and Butch away. Butch asks how long they’re going to put up with this. Barbara and Ed smirk.

Harvey has news – Lucius has traced the signal to Jackson Park. Alfred asks if this is the best use of time – what with the bomb and a missing Bruce. Harvey says that he has Alfred to help – and he’s to get his hands really dirty with Strange, and find out what they need to know. Hugo’s eyes widen as he hears this. Alfred thanks Harvey.

As they leave to search for Jim, Lee yells that they’ll never find him. They be together the way they were meant to be, and it’s going to be beautiful.

Alfred has Hugo over the edge of the building by his tie. Long story short – because my wrists hurt – he gets the info he needs: they’re at Wayne Tower. Also – Hugo tells him he’s too late anyway – the Bruce’s he knows is gone, his mind no longer his own. He’s not smarmy about it – just matter-of-fact, and it’s worth remembering here that Hugo had some complicated regrets over Thomas Wayne’s death.

Alfred knocks him out and calls him a slag. If Alfred becomes any more cockney this episode, he’s going to turn into Peggy Mitchell.

Wayne Enterprises – where there’s more talk of destiny. Bruce says he’s not troubled by Alfred’s appearance – he just doesn’t want to fail. The leader assures him he won’t – he’s been prepared for this moment. Afterwards – he’ll get to meet the one whose vision identified him as Gotham’s hero.

At the park. There’s a lot of back and forth. Jim is desperate but firm that he won’t take the virus. He tells Harvey he did everything he could. An almost tearful Harvey begs him to take the virus – we’ll figure something out. Jim toys with the syringe.

Alfred delivers the news about when the bomb will go off – in 20 minutes at Union Station. Jim is still cool-headed enough to remember Kathryn hinting at a clock and tells Harvey. They momentarily lose signal. Jim injects himself, and punches his way out.

Ivy's greenhouse. There’s music playing, and Ivy is seemingly relaxedly taking care of some plants while

Oswald is drinking and ranting about loyalty in the old days. Falcone, Maroni, Fish – they had a code. Ed and Barbara wouldn’t even have been admitted to the same table. It demeans Oswald to do battle with them.

(An aside. Oswald’s a complicated little bag of tricks. On one hand, he chafed under their authority of those people, despised their lack of imagination – and ultimately overthrew them, him - the despised outsider, the freakish little man. However, they also provided the model for his idea of how authority should look and act. He usurped them, but then adopted their mantle, in many ways. This kind of cognitive dissonance is what makes him complex).

Ivy serenely says plants better than people – plants don’t let you down. She also tells Oswald he does have one monster left, Bridget. Oswald’s face lights up momentarily – but instantly drops. This is too easy, and it’s obviously a set-up by Selina. Ivy’s face also drops as she realises this is true, and hears footsteps.

It’s Ed and co. Oswald smiles defiantly, while Ivy looks worried.

At the park, they find Jim's ex-grave and an empty syringe. Harvey rushes everyone to Union Station.

At GCPD, Lee overhears that Jim is infected. She steals a key and escapes.

At Ivy’s house – Oswald is spitting bile at Ed about how proud he must be of himself for outsmarting him, pointedly using his name.

Ed says he will call him Riddler before he dies. Oswald pretends to think about it.

Ed’s face twists. He says he has a choice. It can be quick, or take hours, days.

Oswald doesn’t flinch before choosing option B. You fucking show him, Oswald. He adds that using that ridiculous name would be torture in itself.

Ed grabs Oswald by the throat

Very well. Slow and painful it will be

Barbara is pissed that she’s not been consulted on this. Tabitha snipes that now she knows how it feels.

Before Ed can begin – they are interrupted.....

Fish! Ah, Fish. She’s invented a time machine to take me back to season one.

Well - she hasn’t, but she’s saved Oswald’s neck, and that’s enough.

Oswald breathes her name

Fish

Hello Oswald

She points at his face

Now see, that there - that's a look of respect. Or is it fear?

Butch smiles fondly – and asks her how she’s been

She puts on a bit of a show, smiling round:

Alive, dead (this with a glare at Oswald) alive again. Things are looking up

Oswald asks why she’s here – face twisted in anger. Fish strokes his face threateningly.

You shall see

She looks dismissively at Ed.

As for you - whoever you may be - excuse us - my little Penguin and I will be leaving

Oswald is taken away.

Butch comments admiringly that Fish always did know how to made an entrance. Tabitha is not too pleased.

(An aside – this seems a little hostile – based on Fish and Oswald’s last encounter, which was all about an acknowledgment of connection. Mind you – Oswald did tell her not to come back to Gotham, but he’s not really got room for complaint, seeing as she saved his neck. I’m guessing that Fish is not too happy that Oswald tried to co-opt Bridget and Victor, given that she wanted to create her own army of monsters. Their mirroring storyline in this respect points to how influential Fish is on Oswald’s persona).

Jim sprints into the station, hurling people out of his way. Virus Jim just seems to be regular Jim, but with more upper-body strength.

Bruce and the leader are having the destiny conversation for the 456th time. Alfred sprints in, gun aimed. he tries to convince Bruce he’s been sold a lie, and that Alfred won’t let him be a murderer: if he presses the detonator there’s no going back. Bruce steps between Alfred and the leader. The leader tells Bruce Alfred is weak and won’t shoot, but Bruce isn’t weak. Alfred begs. Apparently fearing Bruce won’t go through with it, the leader squeezes his hand, starting the detonation sequence. Alfred shoots him – but it’s too late.

Jim gets to the bomb, but before he can try to defuse it, Lee hits him over the head with something heavy

The dying guru leaves Bruce instructions to find the shadowy leader we all know to be Alexander Siddig. Bruce’s face twists with grief as he dies, and he turns, screaming, and attacks Alfred. Alfred holds his arms up in defence, but his face is devastated. Police haul Bruce away.

From the floor, Jim is blinking disbelievingly at Lee. Interestingly, the virus has cleared from his eyes. She smiles

When you’re ready - come and find me.

She leaves as the bomb explodes and the virus is released. Chaos ensues.

Everyone’s efforts have been in vain, and Alfred stands, broken-looking, by the window at Wayne Enterprises, as a plume of red smoke rises high.

General Observations

Everything is basically now in place for the finale. The virus has been released – and I’d guess everyone’s thoughts are – or should be – turning to an antidote, but they’ll probably end up squabbling amongst themselves.

Who knows what we’ll get. Buckle up, and adopt the fix-it fic writing position.

Thoughts?

#gotham commentary #gotham s3e20 #pretty hate machine

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predi-cam-ment · 8 years ago

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Monster au stuff(idk)

Seto * Drinks herbal tea,it is literally the only thing he will drink * Has insomnia,so he's a tired boy * Works at the library * 5"8 Ty * Loves Seto * But he's too shy to admit it * Abandonment issues * 5"10 Sky * Call him Adam and he will hit you * A little shit * Mention Ant and your dead * Super protective over Jason * 6"0 Jason * Dreamy little space boy * Has his head in the clouds 24/7 * Can't remember anything until a few years ago * Actually over thousands of years old * 5"4 Mitch * Puffs out smoke when he laughs * His human form makes him look like he has tons of burns on his body * Hot-blooded * 5"10 Jerome * Fluffy * Loves raw fish * Loves cuddling with his gfs and bf * Excitable * 6"2 Ian * Sweet tooth * Bad at cooking,but his bfs won't tell him that * The mom friend * 6"1 Derp * Clumsy * He's also kinda in the poly ship too * Sensitive * Thinks he's ugly,bfs say he's gorgeous * Self deprecating Husky * Fish creature that hates water * Aquaphobia * Freaks when he sees the ocean on the tv,Annie calms him down * 5"5 Brice * Bubbly artist * Total geek for art * Takes a lot to make him angry,but be scared when he is * Usually super animated when talking,but when he's working on a project he's completely stoic * Even though he's older then Seto,he thinks of him like an older brother(Suck it SetoSolace) * Huge crush on Tyler and Kyle(I ADDED ANOTHER SHIP AND CHAR FIGHT ME) * 5"9 Preston * Super chill * Because if he's not then the entire place will go up in flames,and he's terrified that will happen * His bfs cuddle him a lot and make him feel loved * 5"9 Lachlan * A fucking Disney princess * Tol bf * Squeals when Rob nuzzles him,and its adorable * Loves any kind of affection * 6"1 Rob * Tol,protective wolf bf * Nuzzles all his bfs * Fluffy in wolf form,and the others cuddle into his fur * No parents,the poor thing * Mitch is like his brother * 6"0 Vikk * Smol protective dragon bf * Wraps his bfs in his wings a lot * Tiny for a Star dragon * Sassy and will fight you if you call him short * 5"8 Crainer * Gets frustrated with his magic very easily,bfs calm him down * Hurt his bfs and all your plants will die * When he's sad plants around him wither away * 5"11 Jordan * His tears are pure black * He has no eyes in his true form * Give him all the cuddles * Serves a deity named Ianite,apparently she's a goddess to void creatures * 5"6 Annie * Hurt her bf and you'll get an arrow to the knee * When her bf has a panic attack,she's always right by his side * Makes Husky potions so he can breath on land * 5"10 Red * Invents stuff * Will flirt with his siblings crushes for them * Ultimate wingman * 5"10 Blue * Sad,needs reassurance 24/7 * His giggle is literal music * Hugs are nice * 5"8 Yellow * When someone's sad he magically appears to cheer them up * HUGS ARE A++++ * Crush on Tim Tam(Because Adam is taken and I like the idea of this ship) * Friends with everyone * 5"9 Purple * Sad grumpy emo boy * Actually loves when someone holds his hand * Total tsundere * 5"11 Green * Asexual/Romantic * Has tons of piercings * Loves coffee more than people(other than his siblings) * Acts like he doesn't care,cares a lot * 5"11 Pink * Very gay * Will punch anyone who messes with her siblings and gf * The eldest * 6"0 Barney * Cold-blooded,needs Red to snuggle with him a lot * Don't ask about the eye * Was the tough guy in high school,he's a huge goof now though * 6"0 Ross * Abandonment issues * Monophobic,like don't leave this poor boy alone * Really good with technology * 5"8 Max * Hot headed (//shot) * Shelby is his bestie * Will burn you if you mess with Shelby or Ross * Done with everything * 5"11 Shelby * Little Optimistic ball of sunshine * Loves her buff and protective gf * Plants are A+++ * Ross is her adopted cousin * 5"3 Jess * When in fairy form(which is really tiny)she'll snuggle up in her bfs and gfs hair/fur * Sits on her lovers' shoulders in fairy form a lot * Optimistic * SNUGGLES! * 5"4 Louise * Fluffy * Puts chin on Mitch's head a lot * Picks Jess up and twirls her around a lot * Gets frustrated when she can't pick Jerome up * Gets kisses afterwards and feels better * 6"1 Alesa * Loves flying but can't do it very often * Sky's bff * Cuddles with her birb gf a lot * Don't mess with her friends unless you wanna get your ass beat * 5"10 Aph * Loves telling stories * BABIES! * Wants to adopt a kid with Alesa * 4"10 Tyler * Part of a band,he's the guitarist * In a relationship with Kyle * Total geek * 5"9 Jocelyn * Likes being outside * Forces Ty out of his apartment for some sunlight * Ty's friend * 5"7 Ant * Laid back * Protective big brother type * Wanted a family when he was alive * 6"0 Steven * Thinks Monsters are fascinating * Studies different types of Monsters,and writes them down in a journal * Is technically the owner of a bar * 5"6 Bart * Grumpy * The mom friend 2 * Is a bartender * 6"5 Dave * Has been dead for 60 years * Always on his Gameboy * Has a little game with Seto where he occasionally gives a small fact about himself and Seto tries to piece together who he was * 5"9 Cory * Sassy as fuck * Doesn't give two shits about anything(other than his bfs and gf) * Loves cameras * 5"10 Dawn * Precious robot son * Has PTSD * Doesn't like virus's * 5"6 Uni * He dyes his hair tons of other colors,but blue is the one he does most * Loves cuddles * Bfs and gf constantly compliment his art,he blushes every time * 5"9 Ashlie * Has Forget-Me-Nots in her hair * Has a dog named Wilbert * LOVES ANIMALS! * 5"3 Nick * thAT FUCKING VOICE * 'It's just red soup guys''IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S A SECRET THAT YOUR A VAMPIRE NICK!' * The only logical one other than Dawn * 5"5 Tommy * THE SINGING VOICE OF AN ANGEL * Kinda crazy * Sings lullabies to Dawn when he has nightmares * 6"0 Mat * Doesn't like rain,he will rust * Protective bf * People Immediately turn to him when things break,he rolls his eyes and then makes the thing better then before * 6"0 Pete * Eats EVERYTHING * Don't touch his beanie * Technically doesn't have a sex,he just goes by he/him pronouns * 5"8 though he can change his body anyway he wants to Choco * Gets grumpy when his feathers start multing * Puts Mat under his wing in the rain when he can * Best cook * 5"11 Kyle * Don't question his pink hair * Loves when Tyler plays his guitar * When people see his hair they ask if he's gay,he just gives Tyler a big smooch and glares at the person * 5"10 Tim * Curls around people,it freaks some people out when he's in his true form * Anime nerd * Cold blooded,he gets sleepy during winter * 5"6 Dawn * Always grumpy * Smol and sassy * Let her sleep * 5"0 Ashley * Hugs Dawn with her wings a lot * Free spirited * Has amazing reflexes * 6"0

#mcyt Monster au #TOO LAZY FOR ALL THE TAGS

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mcytmonsterauheadcanons · 8 years ago

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Monster au stuff(idk)

Already posted on my main blog but here some stuff on all the characters

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marcusssanderson · 6 years ago

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80 Helpful Death Quotes On The Ways We Grieve

Looking for helpful death quotes that will bring you calm? These quotes about death will help remind you that each and everyone of us grieves in a different way.

Death is one of the most difficult things that any of us will have to deal with in our lives.

It is personal, unique, and very different from person to person.

Often times, people will judge the way someone else grieves because it is not the same as the way that they would personally mourn.

Some folks even go as far as to assume that someone is NOT anguished (by their definition), because they do not show it in a way that fits into this individual’s view of what grief should look like.

Here are some thoughts and quotes about death, as well as the unique view we each take of it.

Inspirational Death Quotes About Mourning

1.) “Guilt is perhaps the most painful companion to death.”- Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

2.) “You will lose someone you can’t live without, and your heart will be badly broken, and the bad news is that you never completely get over the loss of your beloved. But this is also the good news.

They live forever in your broken heart that doesn’t seal back up. And you come through. It’s like having a broken leg that never heals perfectly — that still hurts when the weather gets cold, but you learn to dance with the limp.” – Anne Lamott

3.) “There is something you must always remember. you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”- Winnie the Pooh

4.) “If I can see pain in your eyes, then share with me your tears. If I can see joy in your eyes, then share with me your smile.” – Santosh Kalwar

5.) “Deep grief sometimes is almost like a specific location, a coordinate on a map of time. When you are standing in that forest of sorrow, you cannot imagine that you could ever find your way to a better place.

But if someone can assure you that they themselves have stood in that same place, and now have moved on, sometimes this will bring hope.” – Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love

6.) “And we wept that one so lovely should have a life so brief.” – William Cullen Bryant

7.) “There is an hour, a minute – you will remember it forever – when you know instinctively on the basis of the most inconsequential evidence, that something is wrong.

You don’t know – can’t know – that it is the first of a series of “wrongful” events that will culminate in the utter devastation of your life as you have known it.”- Joyce Carol Oates, A Widow’s Story

8.) “When a friend of Abigail and John Adams was killed at Bunker Hill, Abigail’s response was to write a letter to her husband and include these words, ‘My bursting heart must find vent at my pen.’” – David McCullough

9.) “A feeling of pleasure or solace can be so hard to find when you are in the depths of your grief. Sometimes it’s the little things that help get you through the day.

You may think your comforts sound ridiculous to others, but there is nothing ridiculous about finding one little thing to help you feel good in the midst of pain and sorrow!” – Elizabeth Berrien, Creative Grieving: A Hip Chick’s Path from Loss to Hope

Beautiful Yet Profound Sayings and Quotes about Death

10.) “When your fear touches someone’s pain, it becomes pity. When your love touches someone’s pain, it becomes compassion.” – Stephen Levine

11.) “Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary.

The people we trust with that important talk can help us know that we are not alone.”- Fred Rogers

12.) “The reality is that we don’t forget, move on, and have closure. But rather we honor, we remember, and incorporate our deceased children and siblings into our lives in a new way. In fact, keeping memories of your loved one alive in your mind and heart is an important part of your healing journey.” – Harriet Schiff, author of The Bereaved Parent

13.) “What we have once enjoyed deeply we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.” – Helen Keller

14.) “She was no longer wrestling with the grief, but could sit down with it as a lasting companion and make it a sharer in her thoughts.” – George Eliot

15.) “Three things in human life are important: The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind.” – Henry James

16.) “We can endure much more than we think we can; all human experience testifies to that. All we need to do is learn not to be afraid of pain. Grit your teeth and let it hurt. Don’t deny it, don’t be overwhelmed by it. It will not last forever. One day, the pain will be gone and you will still be there.” – Harold Kushner, When All You’ve Ever Wanted Isn’t Enough

17.) “Only people who are capable of loving strongly can also suffer great sorrow, but this same necessity of loving serves to counteract their grief and heals them.” – Leo Tolstoy

18.) “Honest listening is one of the best medicines we can offer the dying and the bereaved.” – Jean Cameron (dying of cancer)

Helpful Quotes About Death of A Loved One

19.) “When he died, all things soft and beautiful and bright would be buried with him.” ― Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles

20.) “But she wasn’t around, and that’s the thing when your parents die, you feel like instead of going into every fight with backup, you are going into every fight alone.” ― Mitch Albom, For One More Day

21.) “Sadly enough, the most painful goodbyes are the ones that are left unsaid and never explained.” ― Jonathan Harnisch, Freak

22.) “The death of a beloved is an amputation.” — C. S. Lewis

23.) “For as long as the world spins and the earth is green with new wood, she will lie in this box and not in my arms. “— Lurlene McDaniel

24.) “If the people we love are stolen from us, the way to have them live on is to never stop loving them.” —James O’Barr

25.) “When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.“ – Kahlil Gibran

26.) “Unable are the loved to die. For love is immortality.” – Emily Dickinson

27.) “Perhaps they are not the stars, but rather openings in Heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know they are happy.” – Unknown

28.) “What is lovely never dies, but passes into other loveliness.” – Thomas Bailey

More Uplifting Death Quotes

29.) “You give yourself permission to grieve by recognizing the need for grieving. Grieving is the natural way of working through the loss of a love. Grieving is not weakness nor absence of faith. Grieving is as natural as crying when you are hurt, sleeping when you are tired or sneezing when your nose itches. It is nature’s way of healing a broken heart.” – Doug Manning

30.) “For some moments in life there are no words.”- David Seltzer, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971 film adaptation)

30.) “Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.” – Norman Cousins

31.) “One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it’s worth watching.” – Unknown

32.) “Some people are so afraid to die that they never begin to live.” – Henry van Dyke

33.) “It is as natural to die as it is to be born.” – Francis Bacon

34.) “All men think that all men are mortal but themselves.” – Edward Young

35.) “To fear death is to misunderstand life.” – Unknown

Comforting quotes about death

36.) “Why should I fear death? If I am, death is not. If death is, I am not. Why should I fear that which cannot exist when I do?”—Epicurus

37.) “If life must not be taken too seriously, then so neither must death”—Samuel Butler

38.) “Death can come at any age, but the pride of life fools a person into thinking that day is far away.” – John Buttrick

39.) “None of us knows the day of our death. However, if we knew that death is actually our acquisition, we would remove the fear of death from our lives.” – Sunday Adelaja

40.) “It is the secret of the world that all things subsist and do not die, but retire a little from sight and afterwards return again.”—Ralph Waldo Emerson

41.) “Death is but a door, time is but a window. I’ll be back!”—Ghostbusters II

42.) “Death is nature’s way of saying, ‘Your table is ready.’”— Robin Williams

43.) “Men fear death, as if unquestionably the greatest evil, and yet no man knows that it may not be the greatest good.” – William Mitford

44.) “I do not fear death. I had been dead for billions and billions of years before I was born, and had not suffered the slightest inconvenience from it.”— Mark Twain

45.) “The truth I have been seeking — this truth is Death. Yet Death is also a seeker. Forever seeking me. So — we have met at last. And I am prepared. I am at peace.”— Bruce Lee

Quotes about death of a friend

46.) “We go to the grave of a friend saying, “A man is dead,” but angels throng about him saying, “A man is born.” – Henry Ward Beecher

47.) “The death of a friend is equivalent to the loss of a limb.” – German Proverb

48.) “Those we love never truly leave us, Harry. There are things that death cannot touch.” ― Jack Thorne

49.) “But fate ordains that dearest friends must part.” – Edward Young

50.) “This passion, and the death of a dear friend, would go near to make a man look sad.” – William Shakespeare

51.) “Even the best of friends cannot attend each other’s funeral.” – Kehlog Albran

52.) “You cannot stop loving your friend because he’s dead, especially if he was better than anyone alive, you know?”-Jerome Salinger

53.) “When our friends are alive, we see the good qualities they lack; dead, we remember only those they possessed.” – Jean Antoine Petit-Senn

Inspirational quotes about death

54.) “If you ever lose someone dear to you, never say the words they’re gone. They’ll come back.” �� Prince

55.) “How can the dead be truly dead when they still live in the souls of those who are left behind?”—Carson McCullers

56.) “Death is a challenge. It tells us not to waste time. It tells us to tell each other right now that we love each other.” Leo Buscaglia

57.) “We all die. The goal isn’t to live forever, the goal is to create something that will.”— Chuck Palahniuk

58.) “I am prepared to meet my Maker. Whether my Maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter.”— Winston Churchill

59.) “Death is something inevitable. When a man has done what he considers to be his duty to his people and his country, he can rest in peace.”— Nelson Mandela

60.) “Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.”— Steve Jobs

Quotes about death to bring you calm

61.) “No one really knows why they are alive until they know what they’d die for.” – Martin Luther King Jr

62.) “I’m not afraid of death because I don’t believe in it. It’s just getting out of one car, and into another.” – John Lennon

63.) “A fact of life we all die. But the positive impact you have on others will be a living legacy.” – Catherine Pulsifer

64.) “I want to be thoroughly used up when I die for the harder I work the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake.” – George Bernard Shaw

65.) “No one here gets out alive.” – Jim Morrison

66.) “Death is an ending. Death is a closing. Death is idle words in the ebb and flow of life.”- Elizabeth Edwards

67.) “To live in the hearts we leave behind is not to die.” – Thomas Campbell

68.) “Life asked death, ‘Why do people love me but hate you?’ Death responded, ‘Because you are a beautiful lie and I am a painful truth.”—Author unknown

69.) “I would rather die a meaningful death than to live a meaningless life.” –Corazon Aquino

70.) “I am not afraid of death, I just don’t want to be there when it happens.” – Woody Allen

Other profound death quotes for loved ones

71.) “While I thought that I was learning how to live, I have been learning how to die.” – Leonardo da Vinci

72.) “Death is not the end of life; it is the beginning of an eternal journey.” – Debasish Mridha

73.) “Not only is death inevitable; death is necessary for us to inherit the new life we are to enjoy in Christ.” – Max Lucado

74.) “Death is nothing else but going home to God, the bond of love will be unbroken for all eternity.” – Mother Teresa

75.) “To die will be an awfully big adventure.” – Peter Pan

76.) “Death is only the end if you assume the story is about you”—Welcome to Night Vale

77.) “The boundaries which divide Life from Death are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where the one ends, and the other begins?”—Edgar Allan Poe

78.) “Death is nothing, but to live defeated and inglorious is to die daily.” –Napoleon Bonaparte

79.) “Life is for the living. Death is for the dead. Let life be like music. And death a note unsaid.” – Langston Hughes

80.) “Good men must die, but death cannot kill their names.” – Proverb

What do you think about these quotes about death?

Something we should all remember is that each and everyone of us grieves in a different way.

Each one of us has a different memory and relationship with the person who has passed away.

While some grieve openly, (others keep it to themselves) and put on a stoic face.

The important lesson to learn is that death and grief are very unique and individual processes. What is right for us may not fit another.

Hopefully, these quotes about death will help you embrace and grieve as you need to, and let others do the same.

What do you think about these death quotes? Do you have any other inspirational quotes to add? Let us know in the comment section below.

The post 80 Helpful Death Quotes On The Ways We Grieve appeared first on Everyday Power.

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lesoleilxjulien · 8 years ago

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tokyo - alternate.

And there's very few words exchanged between them, really. It's more Julien doing the talking, but only when necessary. Only to ask to let him in, and only to let Jerome know what he's thinking. But julien stays quiet and when he feels his touch on his skin he continues to gaze at Jerome, his fingers stuttering in Jerome's locks as they stare at each other but just as fast as Jerome's hand appears it disappears. Julien blushes a little, his ears turning a light dusty rose but he'd reach for the covers and pull it up to cover their shoulders before moving closer and resting a hand on Jerome's shoulder "is this okay?;;"

Jerome wanted to caress longer. Wanted to let his hand wander over the soft skin just for moments more but it would look like something if he did. It would look like he'd do something. So he had to retract his hand. But now he's just staring at him, getting lost in his eyes and he thought thinking was overwhelming alone, he doesn't know how to describe what his mind is doing now. He doesn't see the blush, the light too little for him to catch it, but he does notice his body moving closer to him and this familiar heat ignites in his chest but maximised ten times over. It's not like he remembers in the moment now, how a similar feeling captured his heart a long seven or so years ago. It's not like he clearly can pinpoint that feeling now to the girl he ran into just hours/days ago, similar but incredibly different. It's not like he realised this kind of feeling to be something he felt later in his relationship but feels it now for Julien with the label of best friend strapped to his back. What he does realize that though somewhere in the back of his mind he knows it to be reminiscent but for the first time in all those years of seeing her in different people he grew intimately close with, she was gone. And he could only see him. Even with her being so close. Even with her face updated in his mind. Even with the remaining figurative sting on his wrist at where her dainty fingers wrapped around him. She was gone and Julien was there. It makes him take an intake of breath, creating dizziness with being overwhelmed by picking up on Juliens scent mixed with his own due to mere proximity and the fact that Julien sleeps in his shirts. /his/ shirts. This feels like something he wants to have. Weekly. Daily. Hourly. Just so close. With him. Together. Juliens hand rests on his shoulder and he hears the question. /is this okay?/ and you can hear an audible swallow, similar to when they would fall on the couch together and laughing ceases for a moment when they stare at one another at the position they found each other in or to when Jerome seemingly wants to do something like lean in but stops himself. Similar to that bops his Adams apple up and down. And for a few mere moments he doesn't respond, too caught up in the eyes he glanced into that night when he realised Julien wasn't just another person to add to some kind of fuck list, but instead to be a person to watch his heart around. Because look away and he'd steal it. Get distracted and he'd steal it. Drown in pools of chocolate brown and he'd steal it. /is this okay?/ and Jerome finally does something, he moves a bit closer. Such a tiny distance but noticeable if paid attention. And he nods a bit, wanting to say "Everything you do is okay. Okay to me. Okay for you to do to me." and he does, in the most quiet whisper that's unheard to the curious walls of the hotel room and barely even heard by the male next to him. The last part of his sentence gets cut off though by the whisper turning inaudible as he rips his gaze away to focus on a different part of his face for a moment, his eyes giving a too quick of a heart rate that he can feeling pulsing.

Julien can feel him move closer, can smell his scent and the way it mingles with his own. And he knows that Jerome has just been having an emotional and tumultuous couple of days but julien still settles close bc Jerome needs him and that's the most important thing. It's intimate, the pair curled up under the blankets, and their voices are so soft that everything they say is only meant for the other person, nobody else. And when Jerome says that and turns his gaze away, julien feels his heart flutter, feels all these emotions that are so strong because even when they're like this Jerome has a way of making Julien's heart race. Julien's hand relaxes, the hold on Jerome's shoulder warm. But julien instead slides his hand down, palm slipping along his body before he rests his hand on Jerome's hip. It feels right, having it down there. And his teeth sink into his lower lip, half asleep but also very much alert but he just wants to be there for him. "Can I hold you? Would that be okay too?" he'd ask, voice shy; he doesn't know what to expect in response

OMFG RIP NO. JEROME LETS HIM DO EVERYTHING. yo i feel like they'd awake spooning because jerome turned around in his arms during the night and wOW WHAT A NICE POSITION THAT IN THE FUTURE JULIEN FINDS HIMSELF IN ALWAYS BC JEROME LOVES HIM THERE and ugh UGH YO JEROME WOULD JUST WANT TO PULL HIM BACK AND HE WOULD LIKE GRAB HIS HAND AS JULIEN GETS OUT OF BED BUT THEN HE LETS GO AFTER A MOMENT all like letting the fingers slip from his grasp before glancing down and falling back onto the soft mattress because he's so tired and they slept so late and his mind didnt stop working throughout the whole night AND JFC THE TRAINWRECK YO PEOPLE WOULD JUST QUESTION A LOTTTTT

TBH. Julien would wake up with his arms around Jerome's waist and his face buried into the nape of Jerome's neck. And honestly Julien absolutely hates that he has to wake up and leave bc it feels so nice and comforting? But he knows he needs to get back to his room before people start waking up and he'd lift a hand to run in Jerome's hair "Rome? I have to go back to my room..." murmuring softly while trying to get out of bed. Julien doesn't want to leave;;;; he'd tuck Jerome into bed "I'll see you at the airport, okay? Get some rest." And he's all tired and exhausted but he just wants Jerome to be okay

oh my god. Jerome would honestly feel the need to freak out about this but he doesn't, he just would miss the warmth against his back and he just wants to pull him near and keep this serene moment because its beautiful and he doesn't know what will happen when the door closes and he is left alone again. And yo he'd probably grab his hand when he's tucking him in because /can't you stay?/ but then he'd let go and "Okay." he almost sounds defeated but he knows why he has to leave, too many questions, "You too.." and OK when Julien would be near the door Jerome would curl further under the blankets and "Thank you for caring about me." He'd be faced away from Julien then and the words leave him in a whisper but it's loud enough tot hear. and he'd mumble to himself /you have no idea in which ways i care about you/ when Julien would eventually close the door upon exiting BECAUSE HOLY SHIT HE IS FEELING EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW.

Ugh yes. It's just before sunrise in Tokyo and Julien just needs to make sure he's in his room before anyone else wakes. He wishes he could stay a bit longer, just long enough for the sun to let some of its rays shine into the window on Jerome. But he has to go. When Julien gets to the door and hears that, his heart skips a beat. He wants to say something, but he knows that if he does he might slip. It's too early to have this conversation, and there's no time, so he stays quiet instead. He opens the door and quietly leaves, heading straight to his room and climbing into his bed that hasn't been slept in, that's cold and lacks any warmth that Jerome's bed did. He doesn't see Jerome again until he's at the airport, but he's sending little texts throughout the day for him ;;;;

and Jerome wants to be protected but can't admit it because he'll look weak and he can't have that. At least he can't admit it verbally. dries tears He has a problem trusting but physically Jerome trusts Julien with so much that realizing it can scare him. Their gentle breathing would be unison and Jerome doesn't dare to open his eyes. because what if Julien is looking at him? And how would his breathing go if he sees with his own eyes how close they are now? They fall asleep like this, Jerome's thoughts slowly turning into background noise as he allows himself to bath in this warmth. H O N E S T L Y before Jerome would eventually turn around so he awakens as the little spoon he'd let his hand be removed from under him and he'd let his fingers curl into the fabric of his shirt that covers Juliens chest. Just over his heart. and he'd do that in his half asleep state and ;3; im shaken at how soft this is. Like it's so much care. So much. It's just the two of them and Juliens breathing would basically sing him to sleep like a lullaby im- rip ;-;

#&&. 2017.10;#&&. verse: canon;#&&. event: triple fantasy;

0 notes

everettwilkinson · 8 years ago

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SLAMMED: GIANFORTE WINS, vows to ‘stay out of limelight’ — TRUMP at G7: Declines to discuss whether GERMANY is bad — JARED KUSHNER a focus of Russia inquiry

Listen to the Playbook Audio Briefing http://bit.ly/2rXrTMb … Subscribe on iTunes http://apple.co/2eX6Eay … Visit the online home of Playbook http://politi.co/2f51Jnf

BULLETIN at 6:17 a.m. — “CAIRO (AP) – Egyptian state TV says 23 people were killed and 25 wounded in the attack on a bus with Coptic Christians south of Cairo.”

Story Continued Below

Good Friday morning, and happy beginning of the Memorial Day weekend! We hope you take advantage of the unofficial start to the summer vacation season. Send us some vacation pics and we’ll feature the best in Playbooks over the weekend.

GREG GIANFORTE, the Republican facing misdemeanor assault charges for allegedly body slamming Ben Jacobs, won a special election for the Montana House seat late last night. (The AP alert came into our email at 12:31 a.m., but top House Republicans were texting us around 11 p.m., telling us Gianforte had it in the bag.)

— RESULTS as of 4:20 a.m. in Montana, per the secretary of state: Greg Gianforte 50, Rob Quist 44. http://bit.ly/2s2gXfB

THE MEA CULPAS — NYT’S JONATHAN MARTIN IN BOZEMAN and ALEX BURNS IN NEW YORK — “‘You deserve a congressman who stays out of the limelight and just gets the job done,’ he said to a group of supporters at a hotel in Bozeman, who repeatedly yelled out that they forgave him.” http://nyti.ms/2rXgzjf

ELENA SCHNEIDER — “‘When you make a mistake, you have to own up to it. That’s the Montana way,’ Gianforte said. ‘Last night I made a mistake and I took an action that I can’t take back. I’m not proud of what happened. I should not have responded in the way that I did and for that I am sorry.’ ‘I should not have treated that reporter that way and for that I am sorry Mr. Ben Jacobs,’ he added. Gianforte, however, did not address his campaign’s contradictory statement released last night.” http://politi.co/2r2o1tf

GABE DEBENEDETTI’S 5 TAKEAWAYS: “Trump was an asset, not a drag … All eyes shift to Georgia … So when do Democrats actually win something? … The Republican freak-out has been delayed … Press-bashing: the new normal.” http://politi.co/2rnCovo

— WELCOME TO WASHINGTON, MR. GIANFORTE. The Capitol has hundreds of reporters roaming around daily. Cameras are running at all times. Recorders are thrust into lawmakers face all day. We have practically unfettered access to everywhere besides the House floor and your private office. Expect to get a lot of questions on this on the days to come.

— THE GOFUNDME. Danny Carlson set up a GoFundMe page to pay for Ben Jacobs’ new glasses. (Warby Parker also offered him a pair.) The drive, which has a goal of $10,000, has raised $2,660 so far. Ben emailed Danny saying “If you could donate it all to [the Committee to Protect Journalists] I would appreciate it. I can figure out glasses on my own and protecting journalism is far more important than the state of my spectacles right now.” http://bit.ly/2rGdBCp

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the front end of the G7 summit in Sicily. POOL REPORT from Jerome Cartillier of AFP (who has duties with our own Tara Palmeri): “POTUS said there would be a ‘particular focus on the North Korea problem’. ‘It’s a big problem, it’s a world problem’ ‘It will be solved at some point. It will be solved’, he added.” … A FUNNY LINE FROM P.M. SHINZO ABE: “‘There is one unfortunate thing I have to confess, this time around we will not be able to play golf together.’”

TRUMP’S FRIDAY — The president is attending G7 events all day. In the evening, he’ll go to the La Scala Philharmonic Orchestra. Italian President Sergio Mattarella is hosting a dinner in the evening.

AN OMINOUS NOTE from the first pool report of the day: “Looks like pool access will be extremely limited all day.”

THE G7 SCHEDULE, per Gary Cohn on Air Force One yesterday afternoon, courtesy WaPo’s Phil Rucker: “First session on Friday: Foreign policy and role of the G7, including terrorism and Syria … Second session on Friday: Foreign policy, including Libya, North Korea, Afghanistan, Pakistan and cyber … Third session on Friday: Global issues, including global economy, trade, climate innovation and energy”.

— “In Taormina, a Playground for the Jet Set, Trump’s Worlds Will Collide,” by NYT’s Jason Horowitz. http://nyti.ms/2qVxMeI

DER SPIEGEL — “‘The Germans Are Bad, Very Bad’: At a meeting with European Union leaders on Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump was sharply critical of Germany. DER SPIEGEL spoke with meeting participants,” by Peter Müller in Brussels: “U.S. President Donald Trump voiced significant displeasure over Germany’s trade surplus on Thursday during a meeting with European Union leaders in Brussels. ‘The Germans are bad, very bad,’ Trump said, according to meeting participants.

“The participants told DER SPIEGEL that Trump went on to say: ‘See the millions of cars they are selling to the U.S. Terrible. We will stop this.’ European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker showed solidarity with the Germans at the meeting and contradicted Trump’s rebuke. Free trade benefits everybody, Juncker said. Participants at the meeting who spoke with DER SPIEGEL said that Juncker tried to maintain a collegial tone, but remained uncompromising on that point.” http://bit.ly/2r4pnpv

— TRUMP’S SILENCE: Per Cartillier’s pool report: ‘Asked at the end of the pool spray about his comments on Germany (‘Did you say that Germany is very bad?’), POTUS did not say a word.” … GARY COHN CLARIFIES, per Tara Palmeri’s pool report: “‘He said they’re very bad on trade but he doesn’t have a problem with Germany. He said his dad is from [G]ermany.’ … ‘I don’t have a problem [with] Germany, I have a problem with German trade.'”

WAPO — “Jared Kushner now a focus in Russia investigation,” by Matt Zapotosky, Sari Horwitz, Devlin Barrett and Adam Entous: “Investigators are focusing on a series of meetings held by Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law and an influential White House adviser, as part of their probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and related matters, according to people familiar with the investigation. Kushner, who held meetings in December with the Russian ambassador and a banker from Moscow, is being investigated because of the extent and nature of his interactions with the Russians, the people said.

“The Washington Post reported last week that a senior White House official close to the president was a significant focus of the high-stakes investigation, though it did not name Kushner. FBI agents also remain keenly interested in former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn and former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, but Kushner is the only current White House official known to be considered a key person in the probe. The Post has not been told that Kushner is a target — or the central focus — of the investigation, and he has not been accused of any wrongdoing.” http://wapo.st/2qlQHg0

–“Lawyer: Kushner willing to answer questions on Russian meetings,” by Josh Gerstein and Cristiano Lima: “‘Mr. Kushner previously volunteered to share with Congress what he knows about these meetings,’ Kushner’s lawyer, Jamie Gorelick, told POLITICO in a statement. ‘He will do the same if he is contacted in connection with any other inquiry.’” http://politi.co/2r3lSO1

****** A message from the Coalition for Affordable Prescription Drugs (CAPD): One in two Americans rely on their employers for health care benefits including affordable access to prescription drugs. That’s why employers are partnering with PBMs to provide access to effective medications at the most affordable price and improve health outcomes. Learn more at www.affordableprescriptiondrugs.org. ******

ONTO THE SUPREME COURT! — “Trump travel ban showdown headed for Supreme Court,” by AP’s Jessica Gresko and Mark Sherman: “Donald Trump’s administration is pledging a Supreme Court showdown over his travel ban after a federal appeals ruled that the ban ‘drips with religious intolerance, animus and discrimination.’ … The Supreme Court is almost certain to step into the case over the presidential executive order issued by Trump that seeks to temporarily cut off visas for people from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. … The case pits the president’s significant authority over immigration against what the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit said was a policy that purported to be about national security but was intended to target Muslims.

“Parties generally have 90 days to appeal to the Supreme Court, but if the administration waits until late August to ask the court to step in, the justices probably would not vote on whether to hear the case until October and arguments probably wouldn’t take place until February 2018 at the earliest. … Administration lawyers could instead seek the justices’ approval to put the travel policy in place on an emergency basis, even as the court weighs what to do with the larger dispute.” http://apne.ws/2rX4qL4

— “Visas to Muslim-majority countries down 20 percent,” by Nahal Toosi and Ted Hesson: “President Donald Trump’s ‘Muslim ban’ may be tied up in court, but newly released figures show his administration is issuing fewer visas to visitors from Arab and Muslim-majority countries. Data posted online this week by the State Department showed that non-immigrant visas granted to people from nearly 50 Muslim-majority countries were down almost 20 percent in April compared to the 2016 monthly average. When only Arab countries were considered, non-immigrant visas were down nearly 30 percent in April compared to the 2016 monthly average. Visas issued to the six countries targeted by Trump’s March 6 travel ban — Iran, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Yemen — declined even further, down 55 percent compared to the 2016 monthly average.” http://politi.co/2qVpymt

PAGING MITCH MCCONNELL — “GOP turns gloomy over Obamacare repeal,” by Burgess Everett and Jen Haberkorn: “A feeling of pessimism is settling over Senate Republicans as they head into a week-long Memorial Day recess with deeply uncertain prospects for their push to repeal Obamacare. Senators reported that they’ve made little progress on the party’s most intractable problems this week, such as how to scale back Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion and overall Medicaid spending. Republicans are near agreement on making tax credits for low-income, elderly Americans more generous, but that might be the simplest matter at hand.

“Republicans have started writing the very basics of their repeal legislation, even though they’ve made few decisions about what it will say. Staffers will work on the bill over the break to try to increase the pace of negotiations, as well as haggle with the Senate parliamentarian over whether the chamber can even consider the bill because of procedural reasons. But in the meantime, frustrations are rising and confidence is diminishing. ‘We talk about it every goddamn day,’ said one GOP senator, who did not want to be quoted criticizing his own party. ‘But we haven’t done anything about it.’” http://politi.co/2rXjCbo

— TRUTH TALK FROM JOHN MCCAIN, via NBC’s Leigh Ann Caldwell: “Here’s the reality: We’ve got 11 weeks between now and the end of September. We’ve got repeal of Obamacare, we’re talking about tax reform, we’re talking about a defense bill, we’re talking about … there’s about three other things — a looming debt limit. How do you pack all that in? And so far, I’ve seen no strategy for doing so. I’m seeing no plan for doing so.”

— MCCAIN IS RIGHT: But he didn’t mention that Trump wants to do an infrastructure package, Congress needs to fund the government and pass a 2018 budget if it wants to do much of anything. If you’ve been reading these pages, you know we’re skeptical about Congress’s ability to get stuff done. This isn’t a new phenomenon. If you’ve been in the Capitol the last few years, you know that you should keep expectations low. Very low.

YOU DON’T SAY … — “Key Republicans Are Encouraging Hillbilly Elegy Author J.D. Vance To Run For Senate In Ohio,” by BuzzFeed’s Henry J. Gomez: “Some Republican activists and donors worried about the prospects of their party’s Senate candidate in Ohio are kicking around an outside-the-box alternative: Hillbilly Elegy author J.D. Vance. The recruiting overtures reflect unease with the early GOP frontrunner, state Treasurer Josh Mandel, who is seeking a rematch with Democratic incumbent Sherrod Brown.” http://bzfd.it/2qq8yBq

THE JUICE …

— SPOTTED — REINCE PRIEBUS at lunch at Tally Thai Thursday afternoon.

— THE MEGYN KELLY SHOW’S new promo. http://nbcnews.to/2r3ZOoL

LATE-NIGHT BEST — STEPHEN COLBERT interviewed APRIL RYAN last night to talk about what life is like inside the White House briefing room these days. 7-min. video http://bit.ly/2r39ZrF

PHOTO DU JOUR: Greg Gianforte celebrates with his wife Susan and supporters after being declared the winner of Montana’s special House election on May 25 in Bozeman, Montana. | Rachel Leathe/Bozeman Daily Chronicle via AP

POLITICO MAGAZINE FRIDAY COVER – “Meet the Real Jared Kushner: He’s a lot tougher than he looks,” by David Freedlander: “The widespread assumption liberals make about Kushner seems to be this: Because he is soft-spoken, slim and handsome, with degrees from Harvard and NYU and a family that donates to Democrats, he couldn’t possibly be the same guy knifing his West Wing rivals and urging the president to go to war with the Justice Department and the FBI. But that assumption is wrong. … [T]hose who know him from his days as a young New York real estate magnate and newspaper publisher say that America is just getting to know the Jared Kushner they have always known, that beneath the unflappable golden exterior is someone unafraid to bungee jump or to counter-punch when he feels slighted.” http://politi.co/2qVDyNb

DAVID HERSZENHORN on “Trump makes forceful NATO debut”: “He came, he saw, he harangued. U.S. President Donald Trump capped his first official visit to Brussels with a commanding — and meandering — speech at NATO’s new headquarters, in which he berated allies for not spending enough on defense, insisted that even NATO’s goal of increasing annual military expenditures to 2 percent of GDP was insufficient and provocatively declared that some allies ‘owed’ arrears for years of lagging contributions. Trump’s remarks were also notable for what he did not say: to the consternation of some allies, Trump once again did not explicitly endorse NATO’s common defense principle — that an attack on one is an attack on all.” http://politi.co/2qiFhh5

FUNNY HOW THAT WORKS — NYT Business Day front, “Blackstone Works With Saudi Arabia on U.S. Infrastructure Investments,” by Kate Kelly and Landon Thomas Jr.: “A little over a year ago, the private equity titan Stephen A. Schwarzman sat down with Mohammed bin Salman, the deputy crown prince of Saudi Arabia and chairman of the kingdom’s largest sovereign wealth fund, in hopes of expanding their relationship.

“Mr. Schwarzman’s company, the Blackstone Group, already counted Prince bin Salman’s Public Investment Fund as a major client. But the American financier now had a bold new idea: Court Saudi money to invest in projects like tunnels, bridges, airports and other sorely needed infrastructure improvements, predominantly in the United States. It was a prescient notion. Thirteen months and one election upset later, Mr. Schwarzman, who leads an elite committee of business executives advising President Trump, has announced a $20 billion cornerstone investment by the Saudi entity in a soon-to-be-created Blackstone infrastructure fund.

“That investment vehicle, which Blackstone plans to double in size, represents a new focus for the firm. More important, the fund — announced during Mr. Trump’s visit to Riyadh, the Saudi capital, and a summit meeting of global chief executives that Mr. Schwarzman attended — dovetails with a $1 trillion infrastructure initiative the Trump administration has promised, to be fueled by government partnerships with the private sector.” http://nyti.ms/2rWPLzz

****** A message from the Coalition for Affordable Prescription Drugs (CAPD): As list prices for brand drugs continue to rise, employers are partnering with PBMs to keep drug costs under control. In fact, every dollar an employer invests in a PBM service returns six dollars in savings. Learn more at www.affordableprescriptiondrugs.org. ******

YOLO! — “With state budget in crisis, Conn. governor says history will vindicate him,” by the Boston Globe’s Joshua Miller: “Asked about a recent poll that ranked him one of the least popular governors in the country, with a job approval rating of only 29 percent, Malloy interrupted a Globe reporter. ‘Well-deserved,’ [Gov. Dannel] Malloy said. Because he’s made hard choices? ‘Because I’m making the hard choices,’ the governor said, sitting in front of a wallpaper rendition of the forces of British General Charles Cornwallis surrendering at Yorktown, Va., and concluding the American Revolution.” http://bit.ly/2rX59vQ

OFF MESSAGE PODCAST BONUS EPISODE: Reps. Tom Reed (R-N.Y.) and Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) are co-chairs of the bipartisan effort to pass tax reform. The two sit down with Isaac Dovere in this week’s bonus episode of Off Message to share how they have made the case to their colleagues to pass the biggest tax reform package in history in an overwhelmingly partisan environment. Listen and subscribe http://apple.co/2nEa7y0

— “Problem Solvers insist it’s not too late for tax reform,” by Isaac Dovere: http://politi.co/2r2VrIf

IN ISRAEL — “Sheldon Adelson questioned by police in Netanyahu corruption investigation” – JTA: “Adelson was questioned Thursday at the headquarters of the Israel Police’s serious crime investigative unit in Lod. His wife, Miriam, also was expected to be questioned. The couple came to Israel earlier this week in conjunction with President Donald Trump’s visit and remained. … Part of the investigation includes accusations that Netanyahu and Arnon Mozes, publisher of the daily Yediot Acharanot, discussed a deal in which Netanyahu would receive favorable coverage in Yediot in exchange for legislation that would cut into the circulation of Adelson’s paper.” http://bit.ly/2s2mRNH

WEST COAST WATCH — “Progressives decried Jimmy Gomez’s ‘coronation’ in L.A.’s congressional primary. Now they’re lining up behind him,” by LA Times’ Christine Mai-Duc: http://lat.ms/2rG8fay

CONGRATS – JUAN WILLIAMS won the Television Broadcast Journalist of the Year last night at the Multicultural Media Correspondents Dinner: http://bit.ly/2qqhnvf

MEDIAWATCH — “Trump team keeps U.S. reporters in the dark overseas,” by Tara Palmeri in Brussels: “President Donald Trump has left American journalists in the dark during key moments of his nine-day foreign trip, delaying readouts, keeping reporters at a distance and not holding news conferences — which has allowed him to avoid having to answer to controversies at home. … Ari Fleischer, who was press secretary for George W. Bush, said his team never went through an entire foreign trip without a presidential news conference.” With other cameos by Alex Conant and Tommy Vietor http://politi.co/2rnWPs3

SPOTTED: Donald Trump Jr., 11th on the upgrade list, for the 5 p.m. DCA to LGA shuttle yesterday … Former Energy Secretary Ernie Moniz coming out of The Bottom Line yesterday.

SUNDAY SO FAR – “Fox News Sunday”: Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly … Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) … Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) … Power Player: Cmdr. Ryan Bernacchi, Blue Angels Commanding Officer aka “Boss”. Panel: Michael Needham, Gerald Seib, Gillian Turner, Charles Lane

–NBC’s “Meet the Press”: John Kelly … Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) … New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu. Panel: Joy Reid, Kim Strassel, Charlie Sykes, Amy Walter

–CNN’s “State of the Union”: Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C). Panel: Rick Santorum, Jennifer Granholm, Kevin Madden, Nina Turner

–CBS’ “Face the Nation”: Defense Secretary James Mattis

OUT AND ABOUT — On Thursday evening, friends and fellow diplomats gathered at a black-tie masquerade party to bid “au revoir” to French Ambassador Gérard Araud, who is departing Washington in July. Even the portraits and busts joined in the fun (portrait of George Washington, busy of Lafayette — pics http://bit.ly/2s2vCaH … http://bit.ly/2rnSWU1 … http://bit.ly/2r31vQZ

SPOTTED: Amb. Susan Rice and Ian Cameron, Amb. Stuart and Gwen Holliday, Septime Webre, Jake Tapper, Amb. Charles Rivkin, Fred Hochberg, Juleanna GIover and Christopher Reiter, Tracy and Adam Bernstein, Ben and Ashley Chang, Lyndon Boozer and Karen Anderson, Jonathan Capehart and Nick Schmit, Tammy Haddad, Francesca Craig, Stephanie Green, Amb. Capricia and Robert Marshall, Sir Kim and Lady Vanessa Darroch, Neera Tanden, Justice and Mrs. Samuel Alito, Kate Bennett, Kathleen Biden, Ambassador Bill and Cathy Burns, Buffy Cafritz, Kevin Chaffee, Eleanor Clift, Nelson Cunningham, Maureen Dowd, Mark and Sally Ein, Carol Melton, Fred Hochberg, Margaret Carlson, Sally Quinn, Eric Fanning, David Frum, Rep. Bart Gordon, Amb. and Mrs. Lloyd Hand, Katty Kay, Margaret Carlson, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), Jim Lehrer, Tamera Luzzatto and David Leiter, Jane Mayer and Bill Hamilton, Timothy and Anita McBride, Maureen Orth, Trevor Potter, Heidi and Douglas Rediker, Diane Rehm, Roxanne Roberts, Secretary Wilbur Ross, Rep. Edward Royce (R-Calif.).

SPOTTED at a fundraiser in Brooklyn last night for Run for Something, a gaggle of HFAers out to support the organization and its founder Amanda Litman: Liz Zaretsky, Amy Beihl, Genevieve Roth, Dennis Cheng, Mike Taylor, Taylor Salditch, Anne Hubert, Sierra Kos, Maxwell Nunes, Rob Russo, John Buysse, Yahel Carmon, Margit Westerman, Alex Wall, Danielle Kantor, Emily Samsel, Nell Thomas, Julie Zuckerbrod, Patrick McHenry, Anthony Mercurio.

HENRY MUNOZ WEDS — INBOX: “[Thursday] at a private home in Washington, former Vice President Joe Biden officiated the civic marriage ceremony of DNC Finance Chair Henry R Munoz, III, and his fiance, Kyle Ferari. Kyle and Henry were spiritually married three weeks ago in Bermuda. Munoz is the first Latino and openly gay finance chair of a major political party. Henry is a Member of the Latino Advisory Committee of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, an Alumni Board Member of the Smithsonian Institution, Trustee of the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum of the Smithsonian in New York City, and Member of the Board of Trustees of Loyola University, New Orleans. He is a co-founder of Latino Victory Project, created to mobilize Hispanic voters and support Hispanic elected officials and candidates, and is a co-founder of TheDream.US, a nonprofit created to raise private-sector dollars for DREAMers to attend college. Henry served as Co-Chairman of the Congressional Commission to establish the National Museum of the American Latino in Washington D.C.”

WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Adam Fromm, House Energy and Commerce Committee’s director of coalitions and outreach, and Molly Fromm, House Science, Space, and Technology Committee’s general counsel, welcomed their firstborn Patrick William Fromm into the world earlier this week. Patrick arrived Wednesday at 6:24 p.m. and headed home yesterday to enjoy Memorial Day weekend with mom and dad. Pic http://politi.co/2r3ZJ4t

BIRTHDAY OF THE DAY: Michael Oreskes, head of news at NPR and an AP alum. How he’s celebrating: “With my friend Eric Lane and our wives. He is a law professor and co-author of our book on the Constitution, ‘The Genius of America: How the Constitution Saved Our Country–and Why It Can Again.’ (http://bit.ly/2rXafbB) Eric’s birthday is May 25. So we celebrate together by doing our favorite thing: critique our government and politics. This is the tenth anniversary of our book. It warned that political life was deteriorating because we are losing touch with our basic political values, what we called our Constitutional Conscience. I wish I could say that we were wrong.” Read his Playbook Plus Q&A: http://politi.co/2r3YIsX

BIRTHDAYS: Devon Spurgeon (hat tip: Warren Buffett) … Gwen Rocco, public affairs at WeWork and HFA alum … Politico’s Steven Stiles and Margaret Shanley … Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) is 73 … former Rep. Rich Nugent (R-Fla.) is 66 … former Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.), now senior policy consultant at Akin Gump, is 64 … British Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn is 68 … Andrew Beilein … Jonny Dach (h/t Jon Haber) … Bloomberg’s Derek Wallbank … Joe Baerlein, owner and principal at Baerlein Partners … Scott Crider … Dina Ellis Rochkind (h/t Lee Lubarsky) … Morgan Jacobs … Arjun Jaikumar, law clerk for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit … Mike Harney, COS for Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) … Stephanie Sherman, Jake’s mom …

… Pete Madigan, of Peck Madigan Jones, is 58 … Ben Cavataro, associate at Covington and Burling … Hank Williams Jr. (h/t Kurt Bardella) … Rachel VerVelde, chief of staff for Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.) (hubby tip: Brandon) … Mia Shaw, founder and editor in chief of Justice Writers … Matt Keelen … Laura Baños … Charlene Zettel … Alex Likowski … Sally Whouley … Kevin Bailey … Angel Combs (h/ts Teresa Vilmain) … Emily Langer … April Anspach … Nelson Patterson … Yardena Schwartz … Jediah Grobstein … John Brodtke … Shahid Masood … Allison Davis … Sunny Lee … Terry Baren … Bill Roberts … Alyssa McClenning … Stoddart Pierce … Jennifer Vinson … Carnegie Endowment is 106 … Stevie Nicks is 69 … Lenny Kravitz is 53 (h/ts AP)

****** A message from the Coalition for Affordable Prescription Drugs (CAPD): One in two Americans rely on their employers to provide health care benefits. So, employers partner with PBMs to provide access to effective medications at the most affordable price. PBMs drive savings in part by using clinical expertise to identify generic alternatives that achieve the same health outcomes for a lower price. With generics accounting for 89 percent of prescriptions filled in 2015, but only 27 percent of drug costs, that represents a savings of $227 billion across the U.S. health care system in just one year. Learn more at www.affordableprescriptiondrugs.org. ******

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