#they r father and son if anyone crazy is having doubts

[cararata]

I think ONCE about them in YEARS and this is what happens

[callsigndragon]

Seeing Red | Ch. 16: Dada to the rescue ✍️ 📲

Word count: 2.5k

Warnings: mentions of food, mentions of uranium mission, mentions of death, Red and Nat have a nice talk, someone gets sick.

A/N; Okay so, I've been doing some research of how a 2.5 y/o is supposed to talk and they throw short sentences here and there, you have to keep in mind that is H A R D to write down how a kid talks, and the only experience I have with babies is with spanish ones, so it's a whole different story. So bear with me. Also, is this totally influenced by me having a migraine the other day? Yes. Absolutely.

Masterlist on pinned!

It’s been a rather eventful morning. Problems have been mounting, from Jake's tardy arrival and overstuffing Liam with toys to Cyclone entering the briefing room with your son. After that, luckily, Jake took Liam with him to see his F-18, and all the group followed, as if he were the head of a rather small and chaotic family. 

When you think about it, he is. After Maverick decided that it was time to stop doing crazy things and start enjoying life, he married Penny, proved to everyone and himself that he could be a good teacher at Top Gun, and left the squad leader position to someone else.

The expected successor was, obviously, Rooster. But he didn’t want to be in charge of that many lives. It was something that still scared him. And he wasn’t a good choice in Cyclone's eyes because he deliberately crashed his plane so he could help Maverick, going against direct orders from the Vice Admiral. 

Yeah, there was no way Rooster could be the team leader. 

So the next one in line was, without a doubt, Hangman. Aside from Maverick, he is the only naval aviator on active duty with two confirmed air-to-air kills. It started well, with Jake following the rules, and for once, it seemed like he would play by the book. But old habits die hard, and when you’re used to doing things on your own without having to worry about anyone else, having to lead a group becomes a challenge. Cyclone told you that he didn’t leave anyone behind like he usually did if he was working with his squad, his family. 

However, when some new pilots joined the group for a short period of time last year, Jake didn't waste a second and left them behind. And that’s when the problems started again. 

It’s surprising, however, how Jake turned back into his old self, and the whole squad was there to support him, not once saying anything wrong. Deep down, every pilot knows that they can trust their leader. And they would follow Jake to hell and back if he asked them to. 

When your trip to the tarmac was over and Liam had fulfilled his dream of being inside one of those planes he loves so much, you all went back to the briefing room, where you finally prepared for the class you need to teach tomorrow. Part of you wanted to focus on the topic at hand, but it was impossible because Jake was sitting in the front row, with Liam sound asleep and his small face pressed against his father's broad chest. 

A part of you wanted to record the whole scene so you could rewatch it in the future. 

There’s something about him being this completely different person that amazes you. Sometimes it seems like he’s the same man he was before, but then he drops everything to take care of his son, a kid that he has known for only a few days. But being a father was something he always dreamed of, and you can’t deny that he’s doing a good damn job. 

Is this the same man who refused to work with new pilots because he didn’t know them? 

It’s hard to believe, honestly. 

The man that sat in front of you was gently caressing Liam’s back while his other hand held Liam’s, as if he was afraid that at any moment, someone would enter the room and take him away from him. 

No. This isn’t the same Jake Seresin you knew.

“Hey, Red!” You raise your eyes from the paper in your hands as Nat enters your office. “Did you have lunch?” 

“I just came back from dropping Liam off at my house. He didn’t want to go to daycare, and my mom is still here.” You explain, putting the papers away. “Wanna go and get something?” 

She raises her hands, showing you paper bags with food in them. “We have a lot of catching up to do, girl.”

“I know the first thing you want to ask is how I hid my pregnancy from you.” 

“Yes, please, explain.” She begs, sitting down and giving you one bag of food. “Cause I literally went to your house at Christmas that year and there wasn’t a baby around.” 

“He was at my mom’s house. Look, I didn’t want Jake to find out because someone else told him.” 

“Yeah, I know where you’re coming from, but three years? How did you do that?” She says while eating her sandwich.

“With extreme caution. Whenever I want to go to a park with him, I usually drive to another city. He never went to daycare, my mom was there to help me. But now, she’s going back home to bring Lady and probably, now that Jake knows, she’s gonna try and leave again once she brings the dog.” 

“Is Charlotte still rooting for Jake?” Nat chuckles, opening her water bottle. 

“Since the day he left. I know she doesn’t know anything, but she has this... ‘feeling’. And keeps insisting on the idea that Jake had a reason.” 

She watches you for a few seconds before answering. “Do you think he had a reason?” 

You sigh, carefully leaving your sandwich on the table. “Nat, you know Jake better than me. I met him five years ago, but you? You've known him since way back. Do you think he would do such a thing without a reason?” 

Nat looks at the sandwich, deep in thought. “I think something really bad happened, and he didn’t have any choice left.” 

“We were texting before, and he tried to tell me, but said that it was ‘too dangerous’.”

“He followed Bob’s advice?” 

“Bob told him to talk to me?” Since when does Jake accept advice from other people? 

“Bob is a good man. He’s the one who stays quiet but sees everything. He’s the type of man you want on a suicide mission. He’ll always have your back.” 

You nod slowly, her words sinking in. That’s not the type of man Jake would have as a friend. He really has changed. 

“It’s like I don’t know him.” You finally say, sandwich long forgotten and a dull ache on the side of your head. “Has he changed so much in three years?” 

“He changed in three weeks, Red. You don’t know the shit we went through.” 

“You mean the uranium mission?” 

“Yeah… We pulled ten G’s on a steep climb” 

“On an F-18? The stress limit is 7.5!”

“As I said, we went through a lot of shit.” 

“Was Jake flying the mission?” 

Nat shakes her head. “He was waiting back at the carrier in case he was needed. And he was.” 

“What happened?” 

“Mav saved Rooster with a Cobra maneuver and then crashed. Rooster went against direct orders and crashed his own plane to save Mav. They found an old F-14 at the enemy air base and used it to fly back to the carrier, but they were being followed. If Jake had arrived a second later, those two would have died.” 

“And all that happened in one morning?” 

"Actually, I think it was a few hours." 

“Holy shit. I suppose that’s when Jake and Bradley became friends.” 

“Yep.” 

“And that was in October?” 

“End of October, beginning of November. I can’t remember the dates. Why?” 

“I was in my last month of pregnancy, and I had a feeling that something was really, really wrong. I thought it was Liam, but... I don’t know. I’m going crazy, Nat.” You let out a nervous laugh, all the events of the week finally getting to you. 

“Look, if I’ve learned something with Mickey and his grandma, it's that when you have a hunch, it’s not just a hunch.” 

“Mickey’s grandma?” 

“Camila. She’s an absolute legend around here. She and Roberta, Bob’s grandma, got drunk at Mav's wedding. It was hilarious. Camila was flirting with Jake.” Nat tells you between laughs, her eyes filling with happy tears. 

“I missed you a lot, Nat. And I’m sorry I hid Liam from you.” 

“Eh, you did what you had to. I won’t understand what it is to care for another human being in that way until I have my own kids.” 

“For now, you can be Liam’s grandmother.” 

“Me? You’re kidding.” 

You smile, getting up to hug her. “I wanted to ask you since he opened his tiny eyes for the first time.” 

“Shut up, or I’ll cry.” She hugs you tight, laughing and tearing up at the same time. “Well, now I’m crying!” 

“Oh poor baby.” 

“I’ll punch you Red; don’t push it.” 

You laugh together, feeling as close to her as you were three years ago. It’s so sad that you had to distance yourself from her, but you haven't worked together in almost four years, so it was difficult to meet up. But you’ve called and texted her during these years, even though it wasn’t the same as this.

“So, I’m gonna drop the one million dollar question,” She says, collecting all the remnants of the food left on the desk. 

“Sure, go ahead.” 

“Are there any chances of you and Jake getting back together?” 

“I like the version of him I’m seeing, and I would be lying if I said that watching him with Liam doesn’t make me feel things, but he still hasn’t said why he left, and I need to know.” 

“And if he told you?” 

You consider the answer for a second. You could lie to her, but she would know. “If it’s as dangerous as he says it is and he was only trying to protect me, I’ll think about it.” 

“I think Mav knows.” 

You sit down, open your papers, and prepare to return to work. “Yeah, he told me. I’m a bit mad that he knows before me, but he talked about Mav, Penny and her daughter as his adoptive family.” 

“They have a strong bond, Red. It’s like the family he always wished for. I think it all began after his mom died two years ago.” 

You drop your pen. “His mom died?” 

“I don’t know the deets, but yeah. They didn’t talk too much, right?” 

“I’ve never met someone from his family. They weren’t invited to the wedding, remember?” 

“Yeah, I know. Maybe you should wait until he tells you; you don’t want him to think you’re gossiping around about him.” 

“It’s exactly what I’m doing, though.” You blurt, feeling the headache getting worse. You just want the day to end and to go home. 

“He doesn’t need to know. Anyway, I’m going to do some paperwork for tomorrow’s class. We still have lots of things to talk about, Mama Seresin.” 

You groan. “Is everyone going to call me that?” 

She nods happily while exiting your office, leaving you alone with tons of paperwork. 

Jake is getting worried. He is aware that you arrived home earlier today, with Charlotte having to return home to fetch Lady. She said that a road trip with a baby was tiring enough, and she didn’t need a dog added to the equation. So she is now going back to prepare for her second road trip. 

So why aren’t you answering his texts? He had been waiting for a while in case you'd been feeding or bathing Liam. 

He calls you, and you pick up right away, but he hears a voice he wasn’t expecting. “Hello” 

“Liam?” 

“Dada!” He cheers, babbling lots of words in his own language that Jake doesn’t comprehend. 

“Hey bubs, where’s Mama?” 

“Mama it’s hurt” 

Jake swears his heart stops for a split second. “Mama’s hurt?” 

“Yes. Mama hurt” 

Jake, who had been sitting in his car for ten minutes now, turns on the engine and puts the phone on speaker while he drives to your home. “Buddy, where’s mama?” 

“Mama! Mama!” Liam drops the phone, and Jake can hear him running to wherever you are. Jake drives faster, thanking God that your house is relatively close to his. 

When he gets there, he sees the lights from outside the house, with the doors and windows closed. It doesn’t seem like someone had broken in. Good, that’s good. Jake breathes a bit better. He walks to the door, and opens it easily.

“Come on, Red. You don’t go around leaving doors unlocked.” He mutters to himself, walking in and locking the door after him. “Liam?” 

“Dada!” Liam walks out of the bathroom; he seems to have been crying. Maybe whatever is happening to you has scared the kid. “Come with me.”

Liam grabs his dad’s hand and takes him to the bathroom, where he sees you sitting on the floor, upper body leaning over the toilet, throwing up. Migraine. He has been through enough of them with you. 

“Okay buddy, you’re gonna go to your room and play, okay? I’ll help Mama.” 

“No! I stay with Mama.” Jake sees in his son’s eyes the same fire he saw in you. He’s not leaving you alone. He wants to protect you. 

“You two are exactly the same,” he sighs, walking inside the bathroom and grabbing a towel. 

“Jake? What are you doing here?” You say, trying to get up from the floor. 

“It doesn’t matter now.” He wets the towel and kneels down, cleaning your face. “Did you take your pills?” 

“Yeah, a while ago.” You whisper while flushing the toilet. “I just want to sleep.” 

“Do you still have that headache hat?” He mutters while carrying you in bridal style to your bedroom, Liam follows close behind, determined to be with you at all times. 

“Freezer.” 

He lays you down in your bed, closing the windows and shutting the blinds, creating a dark, quiet room that will help you ease the pain. Liam follows Jake to the kitchen, observing every moment without saying a word. 

He gets the hat from the freezer and kneels down, grabbing Liam’s hands. “Liam, Mama is gonna be okay. Her head hurts.” 

“Can I kiss her head?” 

“I’m sure that will make her feel better. Come on” 

He walks into the room with Liam on his hip, helping you put on the hat. “I’m gonna stay here, okay?” 

“Liam needs to go to bed. He has eaten dinner already.” You whisper, voice strained and hoarse. 

“I think he’s not going to bed anytime soon.” He moves Liam close to you, and your son kisses your cheek and your head. 

“Feel good, Mama.” 

“Come on, bubs. Let’s go read a book.” 

Liam, who is now on the floor, goes to his room to search for a book. “Let me know if you need anything, okay?” 

“Thank you, Jake.” 

“Any time.” He whispers, softly caressing your cheek before walking out of the room and softly closing the door. 

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[pastelwitchling]

Journey to the Past

read on ao3

This was meant to be part of my one-shot collection, it turned out to be too long, and now it’s a separate fic. If you enjoy reading even a little bit, please comment and share/reblog, it always makes the world of a difference ❤

Michael woke to find he’d fallen asleep at Alex’s bedside. Before anything, he sat up, checked to see if Alex’s eyes hadn’t fluttered, if he wasn’t finally waking from his coma, but his hand remained perfectly still in Michael’s, the heart monitor echoed steadily into the otherwise empty room and echoing off Max’s bedroom walls.

They would’ve taken him to the hospital, but since the attack that did this to him had been by his father’s rogue Project Shepherd agents, they couldn’t risk leaving him in a room that any enemy could access. At least here, Isobel and Michael could set up forcefields around the grounds. At least here, Max could strike anybody that came too close with lightning and they could blame it on the weather. At least here, Michael could cling to Alex and no one would bother him about it.

Michael wasn’t Alex’s boyfriend, he knew. Alex’s actual boyfriend – or his ex, that is, as of two weeks ago – was back in New York, unaware that the man he’d fallen so deeply and treacherously in love with had fallen victim to his father’s pissed off and ridiculously loyal minions.

Michael followed the bruises on Alex’s jaw and cheeks with his eyes, the cut on his lower lip, visible under the thick respirator. There was a stitched up gash in his forehead, and his knuckles on his right hand were scraped and bloody from the fight he’d given the attackers. He’d fended most of them off, before Michael had arrived to blow the rest of them into the walls and knock them out, but not before one of them had managed a stray shot in and got Alex in the stomach.

Max had done his best to heal him, but the bullets had been laced with yellow pollen. Jesse Manes’ last attempt to kill his youngest son, apparently, had followed him out the grave.

Michael shut his eyes against the thought, and instinctively gripped Alex’s hand tighter. He didn’t want to think about Project Shepherd and what they’d intended. They’d failed, and that was all that mattered. His grip turned painful on Alex’s hand. They’d failed.

A knock came at the door, but Michael did not look away from Alex’s face. He heard Max’s voice from the end of the room ask, “How’re you holding up?”

“Why isn’t he awake yet?” Michael demanded. “You said he’d be awake by now.”

“No,” Max sighed, and closed the door behind him. “I said Kyle hoped he’d be awake by now.”

“It’s been two days.”

“We’re doing everything we can –”

“Well, it’s not enough!” Michael snapped, and the room collapsed back into silence.

“He’ll wake up,” Max promised him. “He will. Just give him some time.”

“I need him,” Michael whispered.

“I know –”

“No,” he growled. “I need him.” He rubbed his face roughly with one hand. “Where’s Is?”

“Outside,” he said. “Why?” When Michael didn’t answer, Max’s shoulders slumped and his frown deepened. “Michael, no.”

“I know we said there were risks –”

“Risks?” he scoffed. “I already told you it’s too dangerous to go digging through Alex’s head! Isobel told you it’s dangerous!”

Michael stood. “Valenti said his brain waves are normal, he’s just asleep. If I can find the part of him that doesn’t want to wake up, then – then I get him back.”

“Or you guys screw something up,” Max argued, “and change something that can’t be changed back.”

Michael clenched his jaw. “He won’t wake up, not like this, and I can’t just sit here and wait.”

“Michael,” Max tried, purposely calming his voice in that way when he knew Michael was seconds away from blowing up and wanted to ease him back down. “Listen to me. I know you’re worried about him, but if you go into his mind, you could make things worse.”

Michael swallowed. Max was right, he knew Max was right. But he remembered Kyle’s voice when he’d hoped Alex would wake up soon. He had been too quiet, his eyes downcast like he was praying and didn’t want the others to know it was that bad.

He had no idea that when it came to Alex, Michael paid attention. Only when it came to Alex.

“If I do nothing,” he said, “Alex stays asleep.” His fingers curled to fists at his sides at the thought. He looked back at Alex, the slow rise and fall of his chest as he breathed softly. His unmoving fingers and closed eyes.

Michael sniffed, and decided, “If Alex doesn’t wake up by tomorrow morning, I’m going in to wake him up myself.”

 They waited until the next morning, then noon. Michael had been ready to start at dawn, but Kyle had seemed anxious, and Max argued for “Just a couple more hours, Michael, he’s the doctor here!”

Michael had argued that Alex didn’t need a human doctor, and Kyle had argued that Alex was human, so who else was going to treat him?

Michael forgot that sometimes; that Alex wasn’t actually an alien like him, that he didn’t have any superpowers like the others did. He’d just always seemed so strong and intelligent that it slipped Michael’s mind. But Alex was human, and more fragile than Michael allowed himself to believe. He’d been too careless, too willing to ask for Alex’s help fixing this or fixing that without ever considering what he might’ve been doing to him. What it might cost.

Maybe that was why Michael was so eager to go into Alex’s mind already and wake him up. It was time for him to save Alex for a change.

“Just for the record,” Isobel said, “I don’t think this is a good idea.”

“You deal with brains all the time,” Michael argued.

“Not like Kyle,” she insisted. “And not memories. It’s like . . . time travelling! If you touch something in the past, you could change the future forever!” She swallowed. “And Alex is . . . he’s too important.”

She didn’t need to say the words for Michael to know what she was thinking. He’s too important to you, she seemed to be telling Michael. If I hurt him, it’ll break you, and I could never forgive myself for that.

Michael took her hand. “You’re gonna do great,” he said resolutely. “If anyone can do this, you can.”

Her brows pinched, unconvinced, but Michael didn’t have any more time for doubt or hesitation. Alex hadn’t woken up in too long, and his nerves were fraying with every passing second.

“Do it,” he said.

Isobel glanced hesitantly at Kyle. Kyle looked to Alex, as if weighing the damage that they could do, but even he must’ve known that Alex being asleep for this long was abnormal, because he looked to Isobel and nodded, clearly unhappy about it.

“Be careful,” Max warned. “For your sakes, and his.”

Isobel’s hand on Michael’s tightened, and she shut her eyes. Michael kept his gaze on Alex for as long as he could. Then he felt a sudden chill shoot throughout his entire body from his hand, and he inhaled sharply. One second he was looking at Alex’s sleeping figure, and the next, the world around him turned to smoke, and he found himself standing in the desert on a bright, sunny day.

He was still holding Isobel’s hand, but nothing looked familiar. There was just desert and gray-steel buildings built high with tall glass windows, clustered like boulders in the sea.

In the distance, he could see uniformed soldiers, marching in formation. Men and women training, sergeants barking orders, laughter from friends somewhere hidden. Where were they?

“What the hell?” he muttered, looking around. He didn’t recognize the area at all.

Isobel shook her head. “I don’t know.”

“Where’s Alex?”

Michael turned and found they were inches from a doorway that opened to a large, steel room. There was a raised platform at the very opposite end, and several soldiers fighting, sparring, exercising – but Michael couldn’t see any of them.

Isobel gasped. “Michael,” she pointed. “Isn’t that Alex?”

Michael had already spotted him. He was on the platform, fighting another young man. But even before Isobel and Michael approached him, Michael knew this was a much younger Alex. He looked barely eighteen, his hair having lost its spike and was cut short, he was throwing punches and kicks in a way that seemed very unnatural for the man who hardly had to raise a finger to induce fear. And he was losing. Badly.

“I don’t think anybody can see us,” Isobel murmured, looking around at the other soldiers as they passed. “Or hear us.”

Michael’s eyes were on Alex. His heart was hammering, beating painfully against his ribs with every beating Alex took, every time his body fell to the floor. His opponent delivered a roundhouse kick that had Alex on his face again, and Michael snapped. He held a hand up to blast the other fighter back, but his powers wouldn’t work.

“Are you crazy?!” Isobel hissed, slapping his arm. “You can’t change anything, remember?”

“Literally,” Michael spat, hoping Alex’s opponent could feel his glares. “My telekinesis isn’t working.”

Isobel looked around before her eyes focused on another soldier who was doing pushups. Her brows furrowed for barely half a second, then she winced and put a hand to her temple.

Michael tugged on her hand. “Are you okay?”

“It’s taking all of my power for us to just be here,” she sighed. “My other powers won’t work either.” She frowned. “What’s he doing?”

Michael followed her gaze, and saw that Alex, beaten and bloody, was slowly pushing himself to his feet with trembling arms.

“His face is covered in blood,” Isobel shook her head. “He needs to stay down!”

Michael guessed he shouldn’t have been surprised to see Alex so resolved to stay on his feet. His hair was plastered to his temples with blood and sweat, his breaths were quick and short, like his chest ached, but his shoulders were straight and his eyes were filled with a fiery anger. Alex was looking at his opponent like he was every other person who’d ever beat him down and ordered him to stay there. He was screaming, without any words at all, that he wouldn’t.

It didn’t seem to matter to the opponent as he threw hit after hit, hurting Alex again and again, making Michael flinch and burn with rage every time.

When the fight was over, the other soldiers jeering and eager to start their own training match next, Alex’s opponent crouched down beside him and whispered, loud enough for Michael and Isobel to hear, as though they were in Alex’s place themselves –

“Nobody cares who your daddy and brothers are, Manes,” the opponent sneered with disgust. “Your kind will never survive here.”

Michael clenched his jaw. He felt Alex’s anger, his frustration, his grief. He’d often wondered what happened to Alex after he’d enlisted, how a soldier trained and what that did to them, whether it was hurting Alex the same way.

No one offered Alex a hand, no one knew what to make of this lesser Manes. Michael wanted to kill them all for hurting him, for pushing him down. Alex, on the other hand, seemed to see things differently.

With all the charge of that emo kid from high school, Alex groaned and pushed himself to his feet. He spat the blood in his mouth out, and wiped his forearm against his nose. His eyes were dry, his expression unreadable, but that same anger stayed.

More than a few soldiers looked surprised and even impressed, but Alex, already walking away, didn’t notice.

The scene changed.

Before Michael could blink, they were outside again. A cursory look around told them they were behind the building this time, where rocks and stray blades of grass grew out. Alex was sitting against the wall, his knees pulled up to his chest. In the distance, soldiers marched on, but nobody seemed to see Alex as he cried.

He hadn’t wanted anyone to see him.

Michael glanced at Isobel, and saw her eyes were wide and sympathetic. Alex wiped the tears away faster than they could fall. He sniffled, and pulled a picture out of his pocket, hiding it between his eyes and knees, a secret for no one else.

“I’m sorry,” Alex sniffled again, and wiped his cheek on his shoulder. “I’m trying not to. I’m getting better at it. Not that I think you’d be disappointed that I cried, I just . . . don’t want to cry in front of anybody else. Never again.”

Michael and Isobel each went to a different side of Alex to see whose picture he was talking to, all the while Michael trying not to scrunch up with the uncomfortable thought that Alex had taken enough comfort in someone else that he would sneak a photo of them into base, even back then.

When he saw the picture, he froze. Isobel breathed, “Oh my god . . .,” and Michael had to kneel down next to Alex. It was a picture of them – him and Alex – similar to the picture he had in his airstream. Except this one was taken at a different angle, and they were smiling at each other, taken in the exact moment Alex had noticed Michael watching him play guitar, and the two had laughed, giddy at being so close together and knowing what they knew about their feelings for one another.

Michael tried to breathe, but a lump lodged itself in his throat. Alex had kept a picture of them with him when he’d first gone to the base, and he pulled it out whenever he needed strength and comfort. All this time, he’d thought Alex hadn’t thought twice about him . . .

“I’m scared, Guerin,” Alex confessed to the picture, his grip on the edges tightening. “I don’t – I don’t know what to do. I’m not strong enough to be here. I don’t want to be here.” His lower lip trembled. “But that’s why you started to pull away, right? I was too weak to protect you . . .”

“No,” Michael breathed, shaking his head. “No, please, don’t say that, please.”

“That’s why Alex enlisted?” Isobel said. “Because his dad hit you?”

“It was after Rosa,” Michael croaked, eyes on Alex. “Everything changed, and I . . . I could never tell him what happened. But he – he thought . . . I didn’t know he thought . . .”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Alex cried, hiding his face with one hand. “I’m trying not to cry, I swear I’m trying. I just miss you so much, Guerin. You’re the only person that’s ever felt like home to me, and now I’m here, and I’m more lost than ever.” He exhaled shakily. “All I wanted was a goodbye. I keep thinking about the way I left. I didn’t even get to say goodbye.”

Isobel’s own eyes were glassy. “Michael?”

“I didn’t want to,” he whispered in response to her silent question. “I didn’t want to say goodbye. It felt like I would never see him again if I did.” He clenched his jaw. He tried to press his forehead to Alex’s temple, to inhale his scent, but he couldn’t feel Alex at all. He could only watch him suffer.

“The last thing I ever said to him before he left was –” he scowled at the bile in his throat “—that I’d be better off if he left. I was just angry, and – and hurt!” he tried. “I didn’t mean it!”

“It doesn’t matter,” she said firmly, pulling her eyes off Alex. “It’s in the past, Michael. That’s what all of this stuff is. Memories. You know Alex now, you know what he thinks of you. He loves you.”

Michael shook his head. “That’s not what hurts, Is.”

“Then what does?”

“It’s that he loved me this much even back then.”

“Private Manes,” a voice sounded, and Alex gasped just quickly enough for Michael to catch it before he was on his feet, straight as a board.

Michael looked up and found none other than Sergeant Ramos, Alex’s mysterious leader who’d come to Roswell a mere few weeks ago. The man Alex had looked up to and smiled around and trusted. The man who seemed more Alex’s father than Jesse Manes had ever been.

Sergeant Ramos, looking about twelve years younger, raised a brow at Alex’s right hand which was subtly pushing the photo back into its hiding place in his pocket.

He tilted his head at Alex. “You’re the new kid, right? Jesse’s youngest. Alec?”

“Alex Manes, sir,” Alex said loudly, coherently. Like a soldier.

“Alex,” he nodded. “You miss your friend, Alex?”

Alex faltered. “Sir?”

“Your friend,” he nudged his chin at Alex’s pocket. “In the picture.” His eyes were meaningful when he said, “You must’ve been very close.”

Alex swallowed. It was no use trying to hide the panic in his eyes. He’d just come back from his father’s house, he was too used to being afraid. He hadn’t spent a decade learning to hide that fear.

“Is he the reason you’re here?”

Alex raised his chin. “I’m here to be stronger, sir!”

Ramos smiled, like he knew something Alex didn’t. “You seemed plenty strong to me up on that platform, Private.”

Alex frowned. “I was . . . losing, sir.”

“No,” he shook his head. “No, you were getting back up. No matter what he hit you with.”

Alex clenched his jaw. “I don’t like bullies, sir.”

“Did a bully hurt your friend there?” he asked. “Is that why you’re here?”

Alex said nothing, and Michael could see the questions in the furrow of his brow. What would happen to him if a sergeant discovered he was gay? Would he report him to Jesse?

Ramos sighed and looked around. “If you don’t know why you’re here,” he said, “you won’t last long, I can guarantee you that. You know where you are?”

Alex blinked, confused. “The – the US Air Force Base?”

“Are you asking me?”

He straightened. “The US Air Force Base, sir!”

“You ever been in a plane?” he asked. “Ever seen what we see up there?”

Alex hesitated, then shook his head. He quickly caught himself and said, “No, sir!”

Ramos hummed, then patted Alex’s shoulder once, hard enough to make Alex stumble. “All right, follow me! I’m about to show you the few good things about being out in this godforsaken desert.”

Alex followed as he was supposed to, though doubt never left his face. He seemed convinced that there was nothing good about being out here.

Michael and Isobel exchanged a glance before they quickly followed. Michael stayed close to Alex and reached for his hand several times, until they passed right through each other and Alex hardly seemed aware of him.

They went into a hangar with several smaller planes inside, and Alex tensed just for a moment at the sight of them all before he realized Ramos was leading him to a little aircraft at the far right of the room.

“Stay with me, Guerin,” Alex suddenly whispered, his eyes wide and betraying some fear. Michael looked to him, surprised, but realized that Alex was just talking to himself. His hand covered his pocket where his picture of him and Michael was, and with a deep, shaking sigh, he followed Ramos to the plane.

When Alex got close enough, Ramos tossed him a helmet. “Hop in, kid!”

Alex swallowed. He looked like he wanted to stutter an excuse not to, but he gripped his pocket tightly and nodded once, putting on the helmet.

“Oh my god,” Isobel said with a smirk tugging at her lips as realization dawned. “You’re like his good luck charm.”

Michael swallowed, though he definitely didn’t want to smile. When did it stop? When did Alex realize that he wasn’t good luck at all? When had he stopped needing him?

Before Michael and Isobel could say anything else, they both ended up in the backseat of the little aircraft, Ramos and Alex in the front, the plane on a wide stretch of road. Michael didn’t know if this aircraft had initially fit two people in the back, but it was like the memory warped and changed for them to be able to follow.

“We’re tied to Alex,” Isobel told him. Despite the roar of the engine, they heard each other, and the other two passengers, perfectly. “We’ll keep getting tugged along with him.”

Alex gripped the edge of his seat tightly as the plane took off into the air. Michael could hear his gasp, his eyes wanting to close but unwilling to do it in front of his sergeant. They rose high to the clouds, Alex’s knuckles white. Michael wanted more than anything to reach for him, to hold and comfort him, but this Alex was on his own. He’d never had Michael there as Michael had had Max and Isobel. It was just him, alone, with nothing but a picture to comfort him.

“Better hold onto somethin’,” Ramos laughed and pulled up high above the clouds.

What they saw knocked the breath out of their lungs. High above a bed of white, the sun shined brightly, turning the sky around it to gold and pink and purple and blue. It looked like the color of their spaceship surrounding them.

The sunlight hit Alex’s wide eyes, and Michael watched him breathing quickly, emotions turning from fear to shock to grief to wonder to amazement to grief and shock again. He could’ve done anything in that moment. He could’ve cried, could’ve screamed. Instead he smiled, a surprised burst of laughter escaping his lips.

He held up his hands and yelled, “WOOOOOOO!” and Ramous laughed harder. Isobel couldn’t help but laugh along, and Michael couldn’t look away from Alex. The bright sunlight had turned his tear-filled eyes to crystal green, and if Ramos noticed his crying, he didn’t say anything. Alex just laughed and ran his hands through his hair, marveling at the sight before him, as if he’d never expected that such a beautiful treasure could be right over his head this whole time.

After they’d come back down, Ramos handed Alex his half of a ham and cheese sandwich. “Every year,” he told him, “I look at new recruits, try to decide if there are any worth keeping an eye out for. This year, that’s you.”

Alex blinked. “Why me?”

“Because a soldier who can start a battle is a dime a dozen,” he said simply. “I need the kind of person who can win them. I think I can make you captain in record’s time.” He raised a brow, and finished his sandwich in one bite. “Would that be something you would want?”

Alex’s eyes widened. “That would outrank my dad – er – Sergeant Manes.”

“Yes,” Sergeant Ramos said slowly, as though he’d just figured out the bully’s name. “It would. He would have to answer to you.”

Alex’s cheeks were red, but his expression fierce and hopeful. “You can really make me captain, sir?”

“If it’s what you want,” he said. “If it’s the kind of person you want to be. But you ‘aint gonna get it getting beaten down the way you do.”

“I’m – I’m trying –”

“Trying is for excuses,” he said. “‘Round here, you do. If you want to outrank your old man, there’s only one way to do it, Manes. I can train you, but the work’s gotta come from you. What do you think?” He tilted his head. “How far are you willing to go to be the stronger one?”

The look on Alex’s face said it all. He would become whatever he had to, do whatever needed doing. He had enemies, and he wanted them to burn.

The picture changed. It was like walking through a film, memories too blurred and passing now for Michael and Isobel to cling to.

“What’s going on?” Michael asked Isobel, and she shook her head.

“Alex doesn’t clearly remember any of this stuff,” she said, “so we can’t see it any better than he can.”

They saw Alex get older, training harder, running faster, shooting better than anybody else around him. They saw him rise in ranks quickly, uniformed men pinning medals to his chest, congratulating him. Alex laughing with a team of his own, men with muscles larger than Michael’s head, following him like he was their hero.

The memory then stopped, and Michael and Isobel found themselves in a hospital hallway.

Isobel shivered and clung to Michael’s arm. “What is this?” she asked. “Where are we?”

Michael looked around, and pointed at a familiar man pacing along the wall, his thumb pressed to his lower lip.

“Gregory?” Isobel blinked. “What’s he doing here?”

A doctor stepped out, and Gregory was on him in an instant. “How is he?” he demanded at once.

The doctor sighed. It sounded sad. Gregory’s face fell, anguish overtaking his expression. “We did all we could,” he said, “but we couldn’t save the leg.”

Isobel gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. “No,” she breathed. “I don’t want to be here, I don’t want to see this.”

Michael couldn’t hear anything else she said. He was watching Alex who was sitting up in bed, staring numbly at the ceiling. Michael went inside and stood at Alex’s bedside. He did not look at the sheets and what they revealed.

“Private,” he whispered, leaning in as close as he could without touching Alex. “Can you hear me?”

Alex said nothing. He didn’t look down or move. The circles around his eyes were dark. He slowly reached over to the tray beside his bed where a few of his belongings sat in an opened plastic bag, and took something out. It was a picture, his picture of him and Michael, tattered around the edges and stained with specs of blood on the back. He hugged it against his chest as a tear wordlessly rolled down his cheek, though he remained expressionless.

“Alex,” Gregory came in. He looked over Alex’s missing right leg, and swallowed thickly. “Hey,” he brushed his hair back from his face. Alex was either half-asleep or still filled with anesthetic. “Hey, can you hear me?”

Michael knew Alex could, that he remembered this moment perfectly, or he and Isobel would never have been able to see it.

Alex’s lips tugged up in half a sad smile, his brows furrowed as another tear fell down the bridge of his nose. “He’ll think I’m broken now. He’s so beautiful, he’d . . . he’d never love me like this.”

Michael stepped back, feeling like he’d been shot. Alex had kept the picture. Alex had thought Michael wouldn’t love him without his leg. Even now, after all these years, he’d kept the photo of them together. Even now, Michael was still his comfort.

The scene changed.

“I’m getting dizzy,” Isobel groaned. “Where are we now? It looks like Alex’s house, doesn’t it?”

It did. It was night, and they were right in Alex’s driveway, the trees lit with fairy lights, and there sat Michael, or a previous version of Michael, on the bed of his truck.

Michael’s heart fell into his stomach. “No,” he breathed. He remembered this.

“Whoa,” Isobel looked between Michael and Memory Michael. “It’s like Inception.”

“No, please, no,” Michael whispered as Alex pulled up. He stepped out and saw Michael shaking his head.

“What?” he asked in that cute way Michael had never admitted to.

“Pick another memory,” Michael told Isobel. “Any other memory!”

“I can’t control where we go!” Isobel said. “Why? What happens here, Michael?”

Michael pressed the bottoms of his palms into his eyes as Alex’s plea to help him find out more about his mom sounds in his ears. Then Michael’s own cruel words, “I like Maria, okay?”

Isobel’s hand tightened on Michael’s. “Oh.”

Michael was about to say something, though he didn’t know what, when the image before them blurred. It didn’t go away, it just faded to darkness.

“What’s happening?” Michael asked Isobel.

Isobel’s brows were furrowed. “It’s Alex,” she said. “He – he stopped paying attention.”

Michael swallowed thickly as the colors ran around him. Then he and Isobel were in Alex’s living room as Alex came in. It was right after Michael had left his house.

Alex sat down on the couch, staring off into the distance. He pulled off his cap, and his arm fell limp to his side. Slowly, Alex let his head fall back against the wall, and he stared at the ceiling, the same numb expression on his face as when he’d woken up to losing his leg. Any pretense of being fine or indifferent to Michael’s confession was gone.

Alex sniffled, then straightened. His eyes were dry. He reached into his breast pocket and pulled out that same picture of him and Michael. He stared at it for a long time, but he didn’t say anything.

“He kept it,” Isobel breathed. “All this time, he’s loved you so much.”

“I didn’t –” Michael croaked, shaking his head. “I didn’t know.”

He’d thought Alex didn’t care who he was with. Then he thought to the way Alex’s eyes had fallen time and time again; in his driveway, his backyard, outside Michael’s airstream over and over and over again. Never surprised, just afraid that his suspicions had been right. That he was too broken for Michael to love anymore.

Alex lied down with a deep sigh that sounded frighteningly like resignation, his hand with the picture hanging off the couch. Slowly, his jaw clenched, Alex let the picture flutter out of his fingers and to the floor. He turned over to his other side and closed his eyes. He didn’t pick the picture up again.

“Alex . . .” Michael whispered, but before he could try reaching for Alex, the picture changed again, and he and Isobel were standing next to Alex in front of a short building. Kids played outside and elders swept their front porch.

Isobel leaned her weight against Michael. He put an arm around her waist. “Whoa, are you okay?”

“Yeah,” she breathed, “yeah, I’m fine. Just tired. I don’t think I can keep this up much longer, Michael. We have to find the broken part here, fast.”

Michael looked Alex over. “I think we’re getting there. Wasn’t this what he was wearing the day he was ambushed?”

Isobel straightened, eyes narrowed. She gasped. “Kyle told me Alex had gone to visit his mom that morning! He called on his way to the bunker, and –”

“That’s where they got him,” Michael growled, his hands turned to fists at the thought. “We’re close.”

As if hearing the urgency in their voices, a woman opened the door to greet Alex. She had Alex’s dark eyes, dark hair, and kind smile.

“My baby,” Alex’s mother pulled him in for a hug. Alex hugged her back just as tightly.

“Hey, mom,” he said. He sounded exhausted.

His mother quickly noticed and her smile faltered. She cupped his cheek. “Okay, baby, come in. Come on. I’ll make you some tea.”

That was how they found themselves minutes later, seated in a small but comfy living room with plush floral couches, Michael and Isobel on each side of Alex as he and his mother nursed hot cups of tea.

“What’s going on?” Alex’s mother said. “Why do you look like that?”

Alex scoffed halfheartedly, “Are you saying I look bad?”

She brushed his hair back from his eyes. “My son is the handsomest in the world.” She brought her hand to his chin and lifted his head. “So why is he so upset?”

“I’m not upset, mom,” he said, smiling weakly. “I’m just . . . so tired.” His smile fell away and he pinched the bridge of his nose. He took a sip of his tea and set the mug down. He rubbed his hands together. “When you called last night, I told you everything was fine. I lied, mom.”

She nodded, like this didn’t surprise her in the slightest. “I know.” She tilted her head, and softly asked, “Is it your breakup? I thought you were okay with that.”

“I was,” Alex shook his head, eyes shut. “I – I am, but I . . .” He sighed and pulled something out of his pocket. He huffed a miserable chuckle. “I tried to burn it. I couldn’t.”

She took the picture from him, and Isobel gasped softly. It was the same one Alex had had of him and Michael for all of these years. He’d never gotten rid of it. Michael had never stopped being a comfort to him. Until, apparently, now.

Realization dawned on Alex’s mother’s face. “This boy. What was his name again?”

Alex rubbed his face. “It doesn’t matter. None of this matters anymore. Forrest and I broke up, and he still won’t tell me anything.”

She frowned. “I thought you said you loved each other?”

Alex nodded. “I used to believe that.” He sighed shakily. “Not anymore.” He chuckled sadly, and covered his face with his hands. “I’m so tired, mom. I’m so tired of – of excuses and being afraid and – and being brave just to find out that it makes no difference. It’s not enough. I’m not enough.”

“Alex,” Alex’s mother looked horrified at her son’s words. “Did he tell you that?”

“He didn’t have to,” Alex confessed in a whisper. “He showed me. He told Maria he loved her.”

Isobel’s eyes were wide. “Michael, you what?” she demanded. “Why would you lie like that?”

“I was scared,” he said, his eyes on Alex. “I wanted to hold onto something easy.”

But he didn’t know this was what he’d been doing to Alex. That he was hurting him this badly, all to date someone he’d never actually wanted to date. Michael looked at the dark circles around Alex’s eyes, his hollow cheeks, his tousled hair, and wondered how long it had been since Alex had eaten or slept.

“I can’t do this anymore,” Alex said. “I’d always hoped that . . . that we’d end up together. But it’s not something he wants anymore. If he ever wanted it at all.” His eyes shut tight. “I can’t keep clinging to bread crumbs, mom, I don’t want to.”

His mom looked concerned, but she took Alex’s hands in both of hers and said steadily, “Alex, what’re you trying to say? You can tell me.”

Alex exhaled shakily, and lifted his gaze to his mother’s. “Mom, I’ve thought about this a lot. I’ve thought about it since he and Maria first started . . .” he clenched his jaw and looked away, like just the thought of Michael and Maria together pained him. Finally, he said, “I’m leaving Roswell.”

“No,” Michael breathed.

“And I’m not coming back this time.”

“NO!” Michael stood. “Alex, you can’t leave!”

“Michael,” Isobel tried. “He can’t hear you.”

“Alex can’t leave me,” he shook his head. “He can’t.”

“I can’t see him anymore,” Alex said. “I can’t pretend he still loves me. It hurts too much.”

Despite Isobel’s protests, Michael leaned over Alex and grabbed his arms. He kept going through him.

“Alex, look at me!” he demanded. “I’m right here, look at me!”

Alex flinched just as Michael’s hands collided with his arms, grabbing onto him. He could feel Alex, and Alex could feel him.

Alex looked startled, his mother’s voice was gone. Everyone’s voices were gone but Michael’s, Isobel’s, and Alex’s. The world around them was turning to black as Alex searched the air in front of him, as if looking for the source of the sound.

“He can hear me,” Michael muttered, eyes wide. “He can – he can hear me!”

Alex’s eyes fell onto Michael’s, and his brows furrowed. “Guerin?”

“This is it,” Isobel stood. “This is the faulty memory! The part where Alex’s brain is screwed up and is keeping him asleep!”

“Isobel?” Alex blinked. He tried to stand with Michael clinging to him. Michael was afraid that if he let go of this memory, Alex would disappear from him for good. “What’re you guys doing here, what is all this?”

They were standing in darkness. Nothingness upon nothingness.

“You were attacked,” Isobel told him, “by Project Shepherd agents.”

“You’ve been in a coma for three days,” Michael said. “We couldn’t get you to wake up, we had to come into your mind, try to wake you from here.”

“You’re not making any sense,” Alex shook his head. “Attacked? Coma? None of this makes any sense!”

“Remember!” Michael demanded. “Remember! This is just a memory, the real you knows what happened! Remember, Alex!”

Alex looked shocked, doubtful, disbelieving. Then something in his expression slotted together. “I was – I was at the bunker . . . the door was open . . . it all happened so fast.” He blinked, and gasped. “A gunshot. Someone – someone shot me.” He frantically patted down his stomach, looking for the wound, but he wouldn’t find it in a memory. He looked back to Isobel, then Michael. “You’re telling the truth.”

“You have to fight it, Alex,” Isobel urged. She leaned forward on her knees and huffed, like just breathing was getting tiresome for her. “You have to want to wake up.”

“Want to wake up?”

“Yeah,” Michael cupped his jaw. “Come on, baby. Wake up for me,” he breathed. “I miss you, please wake up for me.”

Alex searched his face, then said, “No.”

Michael faltered. “N-No?”

“No,” Alex tried pulling his arms out of Michael’s grasp, but Michael held on. “Guerin, I don’t want to.”

“What do you mean you don’t want to? Alex, this is your life we’re talking about –”

“My life?” he laughed. It sounded so sad. “What life, Guerin? The one where the man I love won’t say two nice words to me? The one where my friends don’t think twice about what their decisions might do to me? Where my own brother tried to kill me because I got in his way?”

Alex shook his head. “No, Guerin. No. I’ve been tired for a long time, and I want to rest now.”

Michael gripped his arms harder. “You think I don’t know the real you?” he demanded. “You think I don’t know that you’ve had hope for us even when I didn’t? You think I don’t know that no matter what you say, you’ll believe in us whether you want to or not? We’re cosmic, Alex, this won’t kill us, and you know it won’t. If you don’t wake up, I’ll just come after you again, you know I will.”

Isobel stared, shocked. “Michael . . .”

His grip on Alex turned painfully tight. “I’ve never trusted anything, Alex. I’m not like you, I can’t see the good even when everything just feels bad. But I trust you. If you don’t wake up, I’ll die.” He shrugged, a sad smile tugging at his lips as a tear rolled down his cheek. “And you won’t let me. I believe that.”

His grip loosened.

“What’re you doing?” Alex said, though he seemed to already know the answer.

“I’m trusting you to come back to me,” Michael said, his whole body trembling. “Because you always do.”

“Michael,” Isobel warned, “if you let him go now, we might lose him for good.”

Michael smirked, and a tear fell down Alex’s face. “I’m not letting you go,” Michael told Alex. “I can’t.”

“Guerin,” Alex tried, but Michael was already straightening, bracing himself.

“You’ll come back,” he said, sure of this more than anything else.

Without another word, he let go of Alex, and a sudden wind hit his face. Then he blinked, and he was back in Max’s bedroom. He and Isobel both broke apart and fell to the ground.

“Oh my god,” Kyle gasped somewhere in the distance and helped Isobel up while Max came to Michael’s side.

“You guys have been frozen for hours!” he said, pulling Michael to his feet. “What happened?”

“Michael had Alex,” Isobel said, and looked to her brother. “Why?” she demanded. “Michael, after what he told us –”

“What?” Kyle said, looking between them. “Told you what?”

Michael lumbered out of Max’s hold and took his place at Alex’s bedside again, taking his hand in his. “Come on, Alex,” he begged in a whisper. “Come on. Come back to me.”

“He said . . . he said . . .”

“It doesn’t matter!” Michael snapped, and Isobel fell silent. “He’ll wake up. He will. Come on, baby,” he murmured into Alex’s hand. “Come on.”

The minutes ticked by in silence, like everyone was holding their breath, waiting for something to happen, but nothing did.

“Michael,” Isobel said quietly. “He’s not going to wake up.”

“Yes, he will,” Michael said at once, his grip on Alex’s hand bruising. “He will.”

“Just give him a minute,” he heard Kyle say. He must’ve been clinging to that hope just as desperately as Michael was.

“Come on,” he pleaded. “Come on, Alex. Stay with me.”

A moment. Two. Michael’s eyes burned, and his hands started to tremble. Then he felt it; he felt Alex’s fingers move in his.

He gasped, and waited. Alex moved again.

Kyle pointed at one of the monitors. “Brain activity’s increasing!” he all but yelled. “Alex?”

They looked to Alex, waiting, waiting, waiting. Then Alex’s eyes fluttered open, and a sob escaped Michael’s lips before he pressed them to Alex’s fingers, kissing each one. Kyle gently pulled off the respirator, and he and Michael both helped a confused Alex sit up.

Alex’s brows were furrowed as he took in the room. When he spoke, his voice was dry and hoarse. “I had the weirdest dream.”

Isobel collapsed into tearful giggles, and Max, relieved, patted Alex’s shoulder twice. Kyle ruffled his hair, and Michael moved to sit next to him, hugging him tightly and keeping him close.

“Don’t ever do that to us again, Manes,” Kyle warned him with a trembling smile.

“Do what?” Alex asked. “I don’t remember anything – ow!” He lifted up his short sleeve to reveal red nail marks. Michael’s nail marks from when he’d been gripping him a little too tightly, terrified of losing him.

Alex met Michael’s gaze with furrowed brows, realization quickly dawning. Michael pressed their foreheads together and took a second to breathe Alex in before he closed the distance between them, taking Alex’s lips in his own.

He tilted his head, deepening the kiss, and then Alex broke away, panting, though they kept their foreheads together.

“Get off him,” Kyle slapped Michael’s shoulder. “He still needs a minute to breathe.”

“No,” Michael said simply, resting his head on Alex’s shoulder and nuzzling his neck, feeling as much of him as he could.

“Oh!” Isobel started. “Alex, what ever happened to that photograph?”

Michael tensed.

“What photograph?” Max asked.

“Alex,” she said, “had this picture of him and Michael when they were seventeen. We saw it in all of his memories.”

“Isobel,” Michael warned through grit teeth. He expected the same out of Alex, to see him embarrassed or shy, but Alex simply blinked like he’d forgotten about the picture.

“That?” he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the small photograph.

Michael hugged his waist with one hand and took the photo with the other. “I have one just like this.”

Alex laughed. “Yeah?”

“I’ll show it to you,” he promised into his shoulder.

“I don’t know,” Alex sighed. “I think it might be time for a new one.” He smiled at Michael like he adored him. No, more than adored him. The thought made Michael’s heart flutter and made him cling tighter.

Michael kissed Alex’s neck, then his shoulder. “Good. ‘Cause I have a few ideas.”

“Um,” Isobel said testily as Max and Kyle looked away with red faces. “Y’all know we’re still here, right?”

[ninjakasuga]

Sonally Celebration Week, Year 3, Day 2: Mystery

Day two has come for the celebration of one of the best furry OTP’s ever~. @gojira007 ‘s celebration blog @boundforfreedomsonsal of Sonic and Sally continues and here’s my second entry. Enjoy all~

Sonsally Week, Year Three!!

Day 02: Mystery

Foreword: This episode is still set in the Archie-Verse depicted in my fics of last year and day one’s story. This one is set some years after the fall of Eggman, when peaceful times finally settled on Mobius for the first time in ages. Of course, peace doesn’t always equate to ‘easy’, especially when babysitting two spirited scamps.

“Sonia, Manic- WHERE THE FREAKING BLEEP ARE YOU?!!” Shouted an irate, and clearly frustrated blue hedgehog as his right eye twitched something horribly. Standing in the town-square of the rebuilt Knothole Village, his gaze shifting back and forth from the trees, and the various huts of the quiet village. While mostly destroyed during one of Dr. Eggman’s devastating attacks; the entire village was rebuilt as it was during the war era of fighting the original Robotnik. With a few Eggman era buildings kept, and one or two new additions. Knothole was mainly a tribute to the village that sheltered the survivors of the fall of the original Mobotropolis, and became home of the resistance that would become the Freedom Fighters. Mostly a standing all-may-come museum to pay homage to the place that started as a Royal Retreat/shelter, but became so much more. A few of the huts were still livable, home away from home for certain members of the Freedom Fighters who occasionally would return to Knothole with their families to celebrate and remember those days.

Today, it was host to a game of hide and seek, giving the two instigators of the game a plethora of hiding places. One that was driving the elder brother of Sonia and Manic Hedgehog, one Sonic the Hedgehog, former hero of Mobius, crazy!

After tapping his foot rapidly for a scant few seconds, Sonic cupped his hands together again and shouted as loudly as he could manage. “MANIC! SONIA! FOR BLEEPING FRACK’S SAKE YOU BETTER GET YOUR BUTTS OUT WHERE I CAN SEE EM’! AIN’T FUNNY NO MORE!” It really wasn’t, Sonic nor his lovely wife, had agreed to hide and seek, but his two younger siblings opted to begin a game without anyone’s consent.

A voice soon called to him, followed by familiar footsteps. “Is there a reason you’re using frack and bleep? Is that a new sibling code of some sort Sonic?”

Speaking of lovely wife’s, there she was. Turning to face his wife, Sonic shrugged with a sheepish expression. “It was censor myself or risk using words I don’t think Mom nor Dad would care for two nine-year-olds to repeat.”

“That is probably for the best.” Agreed Sally, with a tired sigh as a hand went to her rounded stomach. She wasn’t far enough along in her own pregnancy; her movements were not hampered; but the extra weight of the two passengers in her belly was sapping her energy. “Whew, I’ve just been walking but I feel ready to kick back.”

Concerned, Sonic walked over and touched her shoulder. “All the more reason I’m not too happy they started this ‘game’ when I made it clear you can’t be as play-happy as usual because you’re pregnant.”

Shaking her head, Sally reached over to place her hand over his, giving an assuring squeeze as she managed a smile. “They’re just kids, it’s alright Sonic. They probably just want to get some last playtime with us before I’m truly an invalid.”

Sonic had to admit she had a point but his ire was not fully dissolved. “Maybe, but this is still too much. Even Mom n’ Dad told em’ to not get carried away.”

Smirking, Sally lifted an eyebrow as she glanced at her husband. “Sonic, they’re ‘your’ siblings. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. There seems to be an innate sass-o-meter in your family. Pushing buttons seems to be something of a religious doctrine.”

Opening his mouth to counter, Sonic slowly shut it, frowning deeply. “... Fair nuff, but I still say you’ve rubbed off on them if we’re going for sass influence.”

“ME?!” Sputtered Sally, an incredulous frown, forming over her face. Beautiful blue, eyes narrowing almost dangerously. “How pray tell, do I count as a bad influence toward Manic or Sonia?”

Smirking widely as he got her goat, Sonic yanked the chain more, counting off with his fingers. “Well again, you’re the Queen of Sass and not just the Kingdom. When you gotta be right, you will argue til’ the cows come home. Plus you’re good at being playful when you want something, Manny’s baby-of-the-family routine is killer thanks to watching you. N’ Sonia’s all about emulating her Sis-in-law’s fancy mannerisms, and silver tongue. Just the other day she was in trouble and convinced Mom to let her off the hook light with a buncha big words she got from you.”

Almost mirroring Sonic, Sally opened her mouth, then closed it as she thought better of it. “...Touche’, but that doesn’t excuse the bad habits you’ve given them love-of-my-life.”

Laughing, Sonic gave her a big, if careful hug. Letting her have that one as, one it was true, and two, he knew jerking her around too much with hormones a-flame was a bad idea. “Of course, of course, but they also picked up on my coolness factor.”

“Truly…” Replied Sally in a dull, drawl that spoke volumes of how little she believed that. “I just hope our own bundles give us something of a break compared to these two. I can see why your parents are all-too-eager for us to babysit when we can.”

“Knowing us, they’ll drive us insane cuz they’ll be just like us in ways, but we’ll love em’ anyway.” Sonic mused, placing a hand to her belly and leaning in to kiss her gently. Sighing in a content manner, Sally melted into the kiss and hug, feeling a bit of the weight of impending motherhood ease off her shoulders to a degree.

Almost as if on cue, a duo of childish voices are heard uttering, “Eeeew gross!”

Instantly, both Sally and Sonic broke the kiss, angled their heads upward, and pointed as they both cried out in triumphant unison. “AH-HA! THERE YOU TWO SCAMPS ARE!”

“Aw crude!” Muttered Manic, as he and his sister clung to one of the large tree branches, quite a ways up that was connected to one of the tree house type huts.

“Well we gave them the ghost for a good twenty-minutes I’d say we won.” Stated Sonia in a rather faux-haughty manner. The more purple-blue of the two, whipped back her-pink hair? Wait, Sonia was blonde! Plus some of her fur looked more magenta-purple now?

In fact, why was Manic’s fur and quills more of a green-ish tinge than the light-blue they should be? Not to mention that punk-esque quill style... Eyes narrowing, Sonic let go of Sally, zipped into the hollowed out large tree with a hut built around the base. With the same speed, he charged up the ladder within the hollowed out tree, allowing him to come out at the point where the tree-house hut was, and lean out where the landing gave way to a natural, thick tree branch. 

“Oh no, you two did not!”

Putting on the best coy, innocent face he could, Manic twiddled his fingers together in a playful manner. “What’re you talking about Big-Bro?”

“Seriously Sonic, you need to use clear, concise words.” Snickered Sonia.

“You both dyed your hair and fur!” Sonic pointed between each sibling. “Mom’s gonna have kittens!” Growled their elder brother as his mind swam with images of a none-too-pleased Bernadette Hedgehog glaring at her son and daughter-in-law.

Arms crossed, Sally tapped her foot, in a manner not unlike her husband. “You two sneaks lost us to go and do the dye-jobs yourself didn’t you?”

“Maaaaaaaaaaaaaybe.” Both twins chorused.

Sighing Sally frowned more. “Manic, Sonia, you do realize your Mother and Father are going to tan the crap out of your hides. They both told you, neither of you could have such radical dye jobs until you were fifteen, thirteen at the earliest if you both proved responsible enough! Plus, Manic, sweetie, why are you intent on making yourself look like Scourge?!”

“Hey!” Manic cried indignantly, a pout forming on his lips. “I just like the color, it’s not my fault Sonic’s scrub of a doppelganger had the same color-job! It screams ‘me’! Plus I don’t have sharp teeth or those evil eyes like he does, plus my quills are cooler lookin!”

“I’ll give you that li’ bro, on the being cooler looking thing, but dam-er dang it!” Sonic grabbed his own head-quills, mussing them up some in frustration. “Urgh Mom n’ Dad ain’t gonna let us watch you two ever again if you pull crap like this again!”

“He’s right.” Sighed Sally, rather dramatically. “We’ll be seen as so irresponsible they will forbid us from ever seeing you again!” She put a hand to her heart, and the other against her head. Truly, piling on the dramatic flair. “They may even question if we’re fit to be parents ourselves and have our babies taken from us.”

While Sonia rolled her eyes, Manic’s went wide as panic took over his earlier nonchalant attitude. “R-really?! We don’t want that!”

“Manny, bro she’s trying to guilt us!”

“Well it’s working! I didn’t wanna get them in that deep of trouble!”

“Manic she’s the QUEEN!! Mom and Dad can’t do jack to her!” His (slighty) older twin argued, seeing her partner-in-crime was about to fold.

“Wanna bet?” Sonic crossed his arms, smirking fully as he saw the sliver of doubt in the two’s eyes. “Mom can be scary when she wants and Dad, Dad is aaaaaaaaaall about the ‘subtle, quiet big stick’ kind of approach.”

Now even Sonia was doubting if they’d gone too far, especially as it pertained to how much trouble this might land her and Manic. Maybe she underestimated her ability to talk her way out of trouble. “M-Maaaybe we got a little carried away?”

“You sure did you two scamps, now if you come with me down the tree, we might ‘might’ convince Mom and Dad to let you both stay the night, and we can wash out the dyes and treat your fur so they never notice.”

Nodding as they both climbed fast, but still safely across the branch to Sonic. The two younger hedgehogs cling onto his legs. “We give, we give!!”

“Smart choice!” Laughed Sally from the ground, smiling at the won tag-team victory of talking the kids into doing their bidding. “If you two behave onward, there might be my special ice cream sundaes after supper.”

“Really?!”

Maybe handling kids wouldn’t be so hard after all? Sally thought before speaking aloud to them. “Cross my heart!”

“N’ you know Sal’s promises are good as gold.” Quipped Sonic as he guided the two once they stood up towards the ladder down to ground level. “Also, expect to help do some chores as further punishment for this stunt.”

“What?! Oh come on big brother-!”

“Nope, nada, don’t even try to talk me down Sonia!” Sonic cut her off as he coaxed first Manic, then Sonia to climb down the ladder. “Sal’s gotta take it easy and I need help doing this and that.”

“But you guys got a staff at the castle to do stuff!” Pipped Manic, his voice echoing through the hollow tree.

“It keeps us honest to do our own chores.” Quipped Sonic, watching them both get halfway before he started down the ladder himself. “Plus if you want us to keep quiet about the dye-thing-.”

“Oh fine!” Both younger hedgehogs huffed, giving up arguing.

“Being a big brother has its perks.” Chuckled Sonic to himself as he made his way down. Maybe in a few years, Sally and he could return the favor and foist their own kids on Manic and Sonia to babysit. Oh the payback will be sweet!

[donnieluvsthings]

anyway i’m still thinkin about roceit newsies au...this got SO LONG its basically a bullet fic of the whole plot at this point but uh enjoy!!! its has all the sides and remy and emile bc i rly wanted to shove them all in here aldkaldka

this is based on the musical mostly bc i have never watched the original movie all the way thru oops

roman is jack and remus is crutchie (thanks boop). remus does crazy stunts even with his crutch and roman is Constantly Worried TM and overprotective of remus even tho remus can DEF take care of himself

on the other hand remus knows roman hates working as a newsboy and just wants to escape to some small town where he can become a local artist of some sort. remus wants roman to go CHASE his DREAMS even tho he’s afraid roman might leave him behind

roman may be the actor but remus is great at coming up with gruesome yet intriguing headlines that get people to buy papers and would totally be a great author of some sort

ON THAT NOTE roman dreams of santa fe and can picture it perfectly but whenever he tries to explain it, it comes out as senseless rambling and longing. it’s remus who can really put into words what roman feels (bc theyre bros and they just GET each other)

virgil as davey, patton as les, logan as sarah (its the musical but they have an extra sibling okay. let me have older brother logan)

virgil and patton show up and virgil is super untrusting and hates that theyre basically lying to get people to buy papers but patton is just EXCITED to meet New People!!! and looks up to roman (and remus), like, instantly

it helps that roman promises to take them to a real actual theater after they sell all their papers owned by the one the only emile picani !!!

also roman is the one who first calls him “virge” which is like jack saying “davey” instead of david. yes this is necessary information

so they sell their papers (and roman briefly meets an ESPECIALLY handsome guy wink wink) and go see emile who performs some variant of That’s Rich like the star he is. u cant take singer emile away from me

roman also performs bc i said so. he spies someone watching him during his act up above the stage and climbs up there when he’s done

janus. its janus, if that wasnt clear or u dont know the plot of the newsies musical aldkaldlal

so yeah janus as katherine!! he may be pulitzer’s son but that doesn’t mean his father wants him to be a journalist. pulitzer thinks he should prepare to inherit the publishing company or be a banker or smth, not be a journalist

i just think janus’ “society is a LIE” vibe fits with katherine. i mean, just look at Watch What Happens. “give life’s little guys some ink,” “they’ll storm the gates,” “rich greedy sourpusses” .... idk it just SCREAMS janus to me

ALSO, katherine technically lies about her identity for like 3/4 of the musical, so

anyway! roman meets janus and janus is all suave and lowkey flirty at first but then roman starts flirting BACK and jan is like “uh oh how to talk to cute boys????”

so then he gets all “i have more important things to do” *hair flip* and goes back to the article he’s supposed to be writing about emile’s theater (a lot of his notes are about roman’s performance but nobody needs to know that shhh)

roman draws a portrait of jan and leaves it there and janus gently & dramatically picks it up, stares at it, and tucks it into his suit with a soft smile

uh oh prices for papers went up! virgil steps up and helps roman lead a strike. turns out his caution works GREAT with roman’s determination and they keep each other from going towards extreme overthinking (virgil) or extreme stupidity (roman). they are a TEAM and they are BESTIES.

remus: lets SET THE PAPERS ON FIRE

roman, starry eyed: HECK YEAH LETS DO IT

virgil: how about we dont do that and instead form a union

and then the twins are like GOOD IDEA and tell everyone else. virgil may be a cautious and untrusting and afraid of public speaking but he has good ideas dangit

the intro to seize the day yknow? virgil says a Good Idea (which can probably be traced back to him always listening to logan rant about his studies) and roman spreads the message in a Firm Rebellion-y way to the other newsies

and patton is there doing his absolute best. he may be small but he knows that this isn’t right or fair to the newsboys and he’s ready to physically fight someone

enter logan who is lowkey really proud of virgil for stepping outside of his comfort zone to do whats right. logan may be scared out of his mind for his little bros but he’s gonna help them as much as he can between college and trying to work side jobs to help their fam

basically logan knows janus and tells him that he should report on the strike bc logan wants to help his bros AND his friend however he can

cue janus seeing his opportunity and TAKING it. he’s gonna write about this strike even if no one else will!!! take THAT, father

he also maybe possibly wanted to see roman again. but roman never needs to know that okay what he doesnt know cant hurt him

seize the day happens!!!! they strike!!!! they r powerful!!! but then no one else from any other sections of new york strike with them and they lowkey get rekt

remus mocks the delanceys but that was a BAD decision cuz now theyre targeting him and he gets taken to the REFUGE

roman is SAD bc his brother’s been taken away, no one showed up to help them strike, his brother’s been taken away and he just wants to get OUT of there. run away to santa fe, his ideal world, but he can’t even articulate that because his brother is gone

how is that just act one. how have i written so much yet left out so much???

remus is at the refuge and he’s a little more scared, now, that roman really will just leave him behind even though he knows deep down that roman would never.

still. he writes roman a letter and maybe he goes into a little too much detail about his injuries and the refuge but hey, that’s remus. he writes about how maybe they can run away to santa fe together. he signs it “your brother” and i CRY because they are the best bros

roman reads it and ALSO cries. especially because there it is, the description of santa fe he can never come up with by himself. remus rly does know him, huh

total scene change: janus finds the other newsies (and logan) in a restaurant? bar? and is like “!!! ur on the FRONT PAGE on my newspaper” which i just decided is called the snake instead of the sun

virgil didn’t totally trust janus would follow thru at first but now he’s convinced. they did it!!!! theyre on the front page!!!! the world WILL know!!!!

cue tapdancing!!!!!! king of new york is an absolute bop. i need logan tapdancing daintily and then janus LAUNCHING into some complex tap routine bc the newsies think he too will dance daintily

i know they wouldnt,,, actually dance but just let me have this self-indulgence in this entirely self-indulgent au

the Bro Trio + janus go hunt down roman to show him the paper and find him painting stuff at emile’s all sad and upset bc, well, they lost and remus was taken

but virgil is trying to show him that they made progress!!! sure pulitzer won but he won the BATTLE and actually the poor guy’s head is spinning bc theyre gonna win.

“cmon, ro, if i’m is telling you to be optimistic there must be hope”

see virgil calls him RO and its cute bc roman gave him the nickname ‘virge’ and now virgil’s giving him the nickname ‘ro’ theyre just besties okay

roman is unconvinced but then logan, who roman has actually never met before, steps in with Facts and Statistics, and patton adds some adorable words of encouragement, and janus sassily waves their Front Page Story at him, and roman starts realizing they DO have a chance

but then uh oh pulitzer threatens remus and the Bro Trio and roman is forced to speak out against the strike or risk ruining the lives of everyone he loves. and also he finds out that janus is pulitzer’s son and is Betrayed TM

theres some “he’s just trying to build up a false confidence in u so u can plummet to even greater depths” parallels in there somewhere....u can’t trust many people as a newsie and when roman DOES trust someone turns out he’s the son of the guy ur trying to fight

so roman says overnight in pulitzer’s basement, sleeping on an uncomfortable old printing press, and makes his decision

now for the RALLY

remy is spot conlon bc he DESERVES to be the leader of the brooklyn newsies. brooklyn, flushing, richmond, etc all show up to a newsies rally and are like YEAH!!! STRIKE!!!!

virgil is trying to tame the crowd nervously and keeps waiting for roman to show up bc they work best when theyre working together!!!! finally roman’s there and virgil introduces him (the attention isnt solely on him now thank gosh)

but then roman starts talking about how they dont stand a chance and how they shouldnt go on strike and virgil is just. confused and upset and angry

especially when he sees one of pulitzer’s employees slipping roman wads of money

virgil corners roman afterwards and is absolutely RIPPING into him. roman could fix this if he would just tell virgil the truth, tell him he doesn’t care about the money, he just wanted to keep him and patton and logan safe—

but roman knows if he tells virgil, then virgil will turn all his anger towards pulitzer, will be able to convince roman to keep going, and roman won’t. he can’t put virgil, put his family, at risk.

so he lies.

he doesn’t mean any of it. but he says it.

and maybe he kind of understands why janus lied, too.

he says he’s never had anyone to take care of him or remus, not like virgil does with his parents and his older brother. he says virgil will never know what it’s like.

virgil scoffs and glares and beneath all his fury looks crushed. but there’s still fire in his eyes, a spark roman saw that first day that only grew and engulfed any doubts virgil ever had.

roman says he’ll take the money and go, leave new york behind.

virgil says fine. we don’t need you. because you know what? all those words you said were mine. i didn’t have the courage to say them back then but now i do. we don’t need you.

(because i watched that scene in the movie and like YES go OFF davey i mean virgil)

roman flees to his “bedroom” which is really just a fire escape and just longs for remus’ reassurance. he has the letter but it doesn’t seem as encouraging now, not when he’s lost everything else important to him.

then janus shows up and roman’s mad at him but not mad enough to kick him out. and janus watched roman just give up on everything they’ve been fighting for and just wants to know WHY. why did he turn his back on the newsies when they were so close?

and roman, tired and upset and defeated, just says they wouldn’t succeed. even if all the newsies went on strike no one would report on it, anyway, because pultizer has all the printing presses on lockdown, even the one janus published from. and they already lost once! what more could they possibly do?

roman looks out over the railing, chest heaving from his rant, longing for his imaginary santa fe where he doesn’t have to face his failures. janus stands next to him and puts his hand over roman’s.

“i don’t have a simple answer to that question....but here’s a start.”

and janus pulls out a paper with roman’s words (well, and virgil’s, because virgil said it first but roman rephrased it powerfully, and that’s why they worked as a team) typed out, words that make the strike not about newsies but about ALL working children in the city who are being exploited for their youth and naivety.

it’s an entire article, expertly written. if published it would get the word out to the other newsies that they haven’t given up and show other working children and adults alike that this is IMPORTANT and they aren’t going away.

and then roman remembers his drawings of the refuge and remus’ graphic descriptions and shows them to janus and hey!!! they have a plan!!! they just need to print it....

roman’s like yo there’s an old press in ur dad’s basement he’d never suspect anything

and theyre both so excited and theyre gonna DO this, FINALLY, and janus sees hope on roman’s face again, maybe permanently this time, and janus just leans in and kisses him.

its very sweet and cute and theyre in LOVE

they pull back and kinda stand there awkwardly for a few seconds before both of them start grinning

and they both know its fragile, that they’ve hurt each other and trust was cracked, but it wasn’t broken completely, and they can fix this. they believe in each other and that’s enough for now.

and then they go find virgil at his house

roman knocks on the door and virgil opens it and just. glares at roman. and roman starts rambling apologies and explanations and tries to tell virgil about their plan and did he mention he’s sorry

virgil kinda just stares at him as he goes on and on and the only thing that stops him is patton running out and launching himself at roman

then logan appears behind virgil, and virgil kinda just smiles

“glad to have u back. again.”

and then they go sneak into pulitzer’s basement and print the article with jan’s writing and ro’s drawings and remus’ descriptions and the other newsies go spread the papers ALL around the city

the next morning EVERYONE is out on strike!!! u cant get ANYWHERE without seeing ppl, newsies or otherwise, filling the streets with chants of “seize the day”

roman, with the Bro Trio and Janus trailing close behind, waltzs on in to pulitzer’s office and flings the money pulitzer gave him back on the desk and is like whatcha gonna do NOW, joe??

pulitzer angrily tells them he’s a fool for going back on their deal and logan steps in sayin pulitzer is a fool for letting this get so out of hand over a 10 cent price increase. his sales are down 70%!! objectively the price increase was like the worst business decision ever

virgil’s like plus it’s making u look bad that ur business is the reason most of these kids are suffering. people really love kids, mr pulitzer and patton smiles brightly but in like a menacing way

then emile walks in with a ~dazzling smile~ and is like ur son told me about this whole situation, it’d be a shame if i contacted my good friend governor roosevelt who won’t be as kind as these brave newsies since u tried so hard to stop him from being elected :)

((in the show roosevelt is actually there but i want emile to have a moment to SHINE))

so pulitzer’s like FINE and talks to roman alone and roman wears him down, throwing words from janus, virgil, and pulitzer himself right in pulitzer’s face until FINALLY they have a deal. he’ll lower the prices by half AND pulitzer will buy back whatever they don’t sell full price

roman bursts out of the office into the streets where all the newsies are waiting and is like WE WONNN

and since they published all that stuff about the refuge in the paper, the guy who runs it is being arrested and REMUS IS FREE

the twins hug for like a full two minutes

then pulitzer offers roman a job as a political cartoonist and roman’s like. well idk now that this is over i should probably...head out

bc lowkey he’s thinking virgil still doesn’t wanna see roman ever again and he did say he would leave, so

but then virgil’s like come on, ro, you don’t really think we want u to leave, do u? what’s santa fe got that new york aint? tarantulas? sandstorms? stampedes? you can’t go to santa fe what if you DIE—

and logan says new york’s got us!

patton: and we’re family, right?

then janus is like you got a union to lead! and...you got me.

and remus is like bro, anyone can dream, all you do is close ur eyes! but some made up world is all you’ll ever see. (bc he’s the wordsy one, u see. he helps roman have the poetic realization that his santa fe isn’t real, but this IS)

so roman says well if u guys INSIST.....and then he takes jan’s hand and kinda asks w his eyes and then kisses jan in front of all the newsies who proceed to cheer obnoxiously

when they break apart roman leads janus by the hand over to the paper-buying-cart and slaps some couns down on the table and BUYS SOME PAPERS BC THEYRE NEWSIES BABEY

and everyone lived happily ever after🥰

[askbittyerror]

Wedding RP part 8

Askbittyerror09/28/2020 The being snarls, and twists in Bells’ direction, the sound gibbering and shaky, echoing itself over and over into a demented cacophony. It takes a shuffling, quivering step and jerks back, a scarlet spear exploding through one of its many torsos, flinging the chunks back over itself where they unwind and meld back into the main body. Its gaze is swung back to Flare who stands, manic grin splitting his face, swirling black-red wings spread, gold dripping from his eyes and teeth and the cracks in his skull. He’s laughing. Hysterically. “Oh,” The atlatl in his hands reloads, the spear filling it taller than three people stacked on top of each other. The shield in his hands swings to cover his chest, his body shimmering with cracked golden armor. Flare’s eyes narrow, giggling muffled through his broken-winged helm. “This will be fun."(edited)

with-bells-upon09/28/2020 "...can you please take the fun somewhere that my children aren't at risk of being crushed to death in the crossfire!? please!?"(edited)

salty darkness09/28/2020 The darkness curls around, and Greylu steps into the room, tendrils lashing behind him. He falters a little at the sight of the crazy god and eldritch abomination, but at least he doesn't run away entirely. "Where. Now."

with-bells-upon09/28/2020 "I... I don't... preferably not the one currently at risk of collapsing!? I don't think straining the code is a good idea?!" [9:30 PM] "...Juice has a trained army..."

salty darkness09/28/2020 Greylu growls. That's... probably not exactly what he was asking. Tendrils curl around the room the best that they can, and he looks around frantically. "CHILDREN. MINE. WHERE?" "...Raine?"

with-bells-upon09/28/2020 "...um. Raine, greenhouse..." "-the others, the tree room, the mirror room, the uppermost wing-" [9:32 PM] Trying to locate every wandering child is... tricky(edited)

salty darkness09/28/2020 Darkness curls around, and he's gone. ...a tendril brushes against Bells' cheek, leaving a small stain of tar and/or goop.

with-bells-upon09/28/2020 "...I love you too." they whisper shakily. they need to get out, need to- -Umbra... [9:37 PM] They look for their fallen friend...

Askbittyerror09/28/2020 Bells' request isn’t even acknowledged. The being roars, the sound both eardrum-shatteringly loud and too soft to hear. The eyes swivel in many directions, more specialized limbs and mouths appearing, paws and massive fangs and beaks and scythes all snapping and swinging with wild abandon. Another spear snaps through its point, where the creature is leading from, from which everything else quivers back, and the thing writhes, then howls as a wave of red slams through it and lifts it up then slams it into the ground and lifts it up and slams it into the ground and lifts it up and slams it into the ground, looping again and again until Flare hits the end of the spear boot first and it detonates deep inside. Umbra pushes himself up, hand on his chest, gone far too pale with his tentacles quivering. He wheezes, breathless, his eyes unfocused and blurred. Flare flips himself over the jittering neck, bashing his shield against a snapping, string laden maw, cackling all the while.

with-bells-upon09/28/2020 Bells moves to Umbra's side, trying to help support his weight. "We need to go." It's not that simple. Of course it's not that simple. They look at Flare, helplessly. He's going to be the death of his own son too...

Askbittyerror09/28/2020 Umbra shakes his head, shoves them away, collapses and screams. “MORRIS!” The creature freezes, looks at him, and then suddenly Flare is bound tight in a ball of blue strings and flung at full speed into the wall. A pulsating wave passes over the being and it thunders in their direction, all scrabbling limbs and writhing coils and wide-eyed, tarry shrieks.

with-bells-upon09/28/2020 "..." Bells retreats. They know when they're in over their head. They mutter a useless apology, ready to teleport away and get out who they can.

Potatolord09/28/2020 when you just wanted a nice wedding rp but a wild little shit appears and fucks everything up smh

Askbittyerror09/28/2020 The creature stops just short of trampling Umbra and pulses to the ground with a hollow thud, a pointy toothless snout pushed into his chest, the only pair of eyes capable of focusing solely on him. “H-hey, big guy.” Umbra pats the main head, smiling weakly. “Haven’t seen you in a while.” The being purrs, magic rippling down its body, limbs vibrating, and shapeless, dripping tongues falling out of mouths. “Glad you still r-remember me, Morris.” Umbra scritches, the head’s green eyes closing and snout shifting in a gentle nuzzle. “Do you think you could do something for me?” Umbra asks gently. A few of Morris’ tails wag, smashing into walls. “Can you get smaller?” A dissenting growl, a quivering shudder. Glitches jump and crackle. “Please?” Umbra pets. “There are kids here. Innocents. People who haven’t done anything wrong.” Loud huffs, echoing down the line. “I know at least some of you care.” He tilts the snout, looking into the central eyes. “Please?”

with-bells-upon09/28/2020 ...the lich stops, and watches... Then looks to see what Flare is doing...

with-bells-upon09/28/2020 don't make them need to jettison the tol, it'll only make him angrier in the long run

Askbittyerror09/28/2020 The string ball holding Flare is spasming and creaking, red light flashing from inside. The creature trembles, mouths snapping and snarling at each other, then the main head closes its eyes- and the whole thing just deflates into eight (hunched) feet of vaguely man shaped tar, glitches and string. “Thank you.” Umbra pats the still-pointed head, Morris rumbling soundlessly and nuzzling him. [11:02 PM] Umbra smiles, giving the beastie some good boy pets, then flinches as the string ball shatters. Flare roars, a spear goes flying, one of Umbra’s tentacles grab it out of the air- and stab it right through his own chest. September 29, 2020

with-bells-uponYesterday at 12:05 PM If time seemed to still before, it does again now, if for entirely different reasons. All they see is the scene before them, the three figures caught in one horrific instant that their mind desperately wants to disbelieve. ...Umbra... did, he do it to stop his father? Did they have the feeling he'd done this many times before? Their eyes turn to Flare, then Mo... Mo? Morris? Both? Guilt, anger, guilt... ...something... but they do nothing. only stare.

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 12:33 PM Flare freezes. His eyelights gut out. He vanishes. The tentacle shoves the spear violently out Umbra's back and it detonates against the far wall. Umbra wheezes, blood bubbling up from his pierced lung, and slumps. Morris rumbles, catching him, tar hissing and spitting, and tears a hunk of matted string from it's own body, holding it to Umbra's wound and letting it wind through the flesh, binding and sealing until everything has been stitched back together.

with-bells-uponYesterday at 12:38 PM Silent... Emotions begin to return full force, and oh they are feeling one hell of a lot of emotions right now. Flare. He- Their anger feels like ice. Brittle and dangerous. No. Nuh uh. The time of giving him the benefit of the doubt was clearly done. ...Bells watches the two, then teleport away, leaving them alone. They find their phone, and text briefly that the fight is done for now, and damage seems to be limited. Look around to see where they find themself, content to see that they're alone... ...and retrieve the wedding gift from V from their inventory.

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 12:41 PM on the note is a simple :)

with-bells-uponYesterday at 12:46 PM "Hello," a soft spoken greeting, eerily calm after all that. "I think I'm ready to cash in that offer. are you listening?"

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 1:00 PM "Oh, of course." The paper reads. "I'm never not."

with-bells-uponYesterday at 1:09 PM "...I suppose you wouldn't be." they consider the paper for a long moment, feeling it's texture between their fingers, memorizing every small nuance of the writing that appears on it. fixing it to memory. "...I want a binding. one that no longer allows Flare to inflict physical or magical damage, directly or indirectly, to any that I lay claim to." "Mates. Children. Siblings. Extended family. Protectorates. Any and all that I've claimed? His attacks, and the collateral damage caused by them... cannot hurt, damage, or kill." "..." "I include myself in this, as I am my own." "...and I also include Mo... and to whatever extent I can, Umbra as well. Q, of course- even Pink." "...is this an acceptable plot device to redeem?"

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 1:14 PM "Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..." The page is covered by for a moment. "...sure. Why not? I can still work with this. Let me know if you ever want to add anyone else to that list, and if I forget, just let me know, I'll undo the damage and no one will ever remember it."

with-bells-uponYesterday at 1:14 PM "...thank you." "Do I, rip this up now?"

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 1:17 PM "Hell yes, shred me baby ;p"

with-bells-uponYesterday at 1:18 PM "..." a twitch of a smile. "-good lord, sounds like something I'd say to Erebus..." They grasp the paper firmly at the top in either hand, and RIP!!

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 1:20 PM The page is covered with a big italicized MOAN, then it sheds and burns up, leaving behind nothing but ash.

with-bells-uponYesterday at 1:21 PM they stifle a laugh, unable to deny their amusement. Well then! the ash falls from their fingers, to the bare floor below, and they leave it there. ...it's time to go looking in on the others

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 1:22 PM The creator is pleased.

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 1:53 PM He's going to have so much fun.

with-bells-uponYesterday at 1:55 PM Bells returns to the water garden, emotionally weary, ready for more damage control, and utterly certain they've just made a pact with a fae- again.

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 2:09 PM Morris looks bigger, not on the eldritch scale it was before, but still bigger. Its beastial, long-tailed, limited to only four string-bound legs and a long necked, mouthless pointed head. Its green eyes blink at them, coiled around Umbra, supporting and nuzzling him as the Nightmare clings to its neck and whimpers, crying and choking on air as he tries to ride out the pain.(edited)

with-bells-uponYesterday at 2:30 PM "...let me help?" They ask Morris, quietly. Making no move until theyre allowed... or none at all, if denied it

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 2:38 PM Morris rumbles and subtly bobs its head, being careful to avoid dislodging Umbra. It rests its snout on its side, eyes slipping shut.

with-bells-uponYesterday at 2:46 PM They approach, considering the eldritch one, and finally coming to a stop by Umbra's side. "I need to see the wound. I'll do what i can to heal it. To heal him."

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 2:53 PM A section of strings lift from its back, unwinding from the main body, the sludge kept inside slowly leaking out. They separate, splitting off, slipping under and around Umbra as they carefully lift and turn him, slowly pulling the Nightmare's arm from where its clutched over the mass of stitching on his chest.

with-bells-uponYesterday at 2:58 PM "...you do your best to take care of him, don't you?" fingertips, near the wound, but not touching. lines of light begin showing the path of his magic, as they draw the shimmering gossamer thread from seemingly nothing. for one instant though, a multitude of threads seems almost visible, vast beyond any countable number, linking every pebble, droo of water, and blade of grass, before vanishing just as quickly... if they were ever there at all

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 3:04 PM A shrug of the back pair of shoulders. A soundless huff. A hand, signing quickly, if they can read it. "Soft. Don't want suffering."

with-bells-uponYesterday at 3:06 PM A faint smile, as they follow the lines, seeing where they're broken. "Him? Or you for him?" They muse- -then begin stitching. Slowly, carefully.

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 3:08 PM "His at least ends." A tail flicks.

with-bells-uponYesterday at 3:10 PM -their hand still, briefly. "I meant the soft part." they answer, humor gone. they turn back then, continuing. they have to keep their focus. as well as they can

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 3:11 PM Its back shakes. A snort. "He's soft. We're squishy."

with-bells-uponYesterday at 3:13 PM the last stitch slips into place, and they sigh, then smile at Morris again. "-so's my husband. still soft though."

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 3:16 PM Umbra breathes easier, his eyes still closed. Morris huffs, gently lowering him and rewinding its threads back into itself.

with-bells-uponYesterday at 3:18 PM Bells brushes the hair back from Umbra's face again, trying to gauge from his expression how much pains he's still in- -then looks back at Morris. "...'at least his suffering ends?'" They ask.

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 3:33 PM Umbra’s brows have a permanent crease, his skin has shallow dips and craters, crossed with faint scars from cuts and burns. He looks calm. Tired. Soft. “Ripped him in half once. Felt bad. Stitched him back together.” Morris looks at the Nightmare, something gentle in its eyes. “He healed. Took a while, but he’s all better now.”

with-bells-uponYesterday at 3:38 PM "he's a very good soul." they murmur, petting Umbra's hair. "I hope he doesn't always get hurt so much. I'd like him to have the chance to be happy. And, heal the parts... harder to see."

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 3:51 PM Morris nods. Umbra sighs, leaning into the touch. His eyes open. "Bells?"

with-bells-uponYesterday at 3:54 PM "that's me." they agree, hand pausing briefly, if not quite pulling away. "you uh, you have a way of getting your father's attention, don't you?"

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 3:56 PM "He doesnt stop 'till I get hurt..." Umbra mumbles, cheek against Morris' strings and faintly nuzzling.

with-bells-uponYesterday at 3:57 PM "...yeah." they're not gonna say anything about the wedding gift, or how they used it. the new limitation will make itself known in time. "he uh, he really needs to work on that."

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 4:12 PM "He isn't himself." Umbra's eyes close. "He rarely ever is..."

with-bells-uponYesterday at 4:14 PM "...he's, not. the man I remember." it's reluctant, regretful. "but it's been thousands of years... I don't imagine he could be. I don't intend to give up in him though."

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 4:16 PM "Thank you." Umbra sighs. "...did he leave?"

with-bells-uponYesterday at 4:18 PM "Mmhm. As soon as you got hurt. Eyelights went out, and he just... left." "...Morris is still here. I'm not, going to pry about that? But... is Mo okay? I'm not entirely sure how this works."

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 4:23 PM "He does that." Umbra mutters. "He's fine." Morris signs. "Just scared."

with-bells-uponYesterday at 4:30 PM "...he's been hurt too many times." Bells says quietly, returning their attention to head pets. 'Its time that stops too."

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 4:37 PM “When he gets upset,” Morris rumbles. “We come out. He is skilled, but not strong. I fight for him.”

with-bells-uponYesterday at 4:39 PM "..." they start to say they're glad someone does, then remember what happened in the hall, with Mashe. instead they say nothing on it, though after a moment they do ask, "do you let anyone by Umbra pet you?"

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 4:40 PM It looks at them. "No one else has ever tried."

with-bells-uponYesterday at 4:42 PM "...May i?"

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 4:43 PM It stares at them for a long moment, then bobs its head.

with-bells-uponYesterday at 4:44 PM Bells extends their hand, glancing at it to make sure it hasn't changed its mind. "-i will stop, if you ask." They assure.

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 4:48 PM Hesitation. "Thank you." It signs.(edited)

with-bells-uponYesterday at 4:49 PM A nod, and they extend their hand further, offering pets. They try touching near it's snoot, like Umbra had, and make a point if avoiding poking anything that looks like an eye. "...this okay?"

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 4:56 PM Morris is still for a moment, then its eyes close, and it leans into the touch. Luckily, in this form. the appendages are limited to reason, just two eyes, four limbs, one head and a tail.

with-bells-uponYesterday at 4:57 PM ...soft pets. gentle with the not as massive and terrifying one.

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 5:00 PM The tail wags. It rumbles in a silent purr.

with-bells-uponYesterday at 5:00 PM That. That makes them smile a little. ...purry eldritch one.

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 5:04 PM "Told you you were cuddly." Umbra giggles. A bit of string baps him on the forehead. "You shush."

with-bells-uponYesterday at 5:09 PM okay, they smile a little more. and, stuff should be calmer now, right? people were probably already starting to wind their way home...

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 5:14 PM Morris purrs again, sighs, and starts to shrink, strings uncoiling and withdrawing until all that's left is Mo, sitting with his arms wrapped around his knees, face hidden. Umbra's arm is around him, the Nightmare's chin on his shoulder. Mo's shaking.

with-bells-uponYesterday at 5:16 PM "..." obviously they stoo petting, but they don't touch, don't speak. they feel like they don't have a right.

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 5:17 PM "Hey." Umbra nudges. "Who- who did I hurt?" Mo mumbles. "Nobody." Umbra gently squeezes him. "Everyone is fine." "Promise?" "Promise."

with-bells-uponYesterday at 5:19 PM "..." they stay nearby, very blatantly not hurt, and let the sibling's embrace without interference. they'll go soon. just, not yet.

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 5:25 PM "I'm not mad." Umbra nuzzles. "It was nice to see Morris again." "'m surprised he didnt eat anyone." "All that was around was me, Bells and dad." "Ugh." Mo groans. "Is he still aroung?" "You think I'd be cuddling you if he was?" Umbra asks. "No, he hit me then buzzed off like usual." A sharp intake of breath. "Are you alright?" "I'm fine." "Umbra..." Umbra sighs. "Got me through the lung with a spear, it exploded away from me, had a pretty big hole but Morris sewed it up and Bells healed me." Mo's head lifts, cheek pressing against his Nightmare's. "Okay."(edited)

with-bells-uponYesterday at 5:27 PM "...you two should stay here tonight. get some rest before you head back home." Bells gets to their feet,  brushing the... large, amount of torn up earth from their now somewhat worse for the wear wedding outfit. "I have spare rooms, baths, clean beds. You're welcome to them, both of you." "Tomorrow will come soon enough."

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 5:29 PM "Thank you." Umbra says, nuzzling Mo back into calm when he jumps and hisses. "But we, uh, dont know how to get back home. Dad was kinda our ride, and I dont think he's coming back."

with-bells-uponYesterday at 5:31 PM "...in that case, I'll take you home." they amend softly, "but not until after I've slept. I'm way too exhausted to jump across multiverses, passengers in tow." "so. the offer stands."

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 5:34 PM They look at eachother. "Beds would be nice." Umbra nods. "Please and thank you."

with-bells-uponYesterday at 10:17 PM "good, um- probably a double, right?" they consider the two then, a bit hesitant to suggest this but- "you're both a mess. no offense, but you'll get a lot less blood and mud on the sheets if we swing by one of the bathing rooms first."

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 10:20 PM "Gods yes." Umbra nods. "Please." He pokes at himself. "Blood always gets so crusty..." "I have strings and goop everywhere." Mo says.

with-bells-uponYesterday at 10:22 PM "..." it was true, they'd need to clean the tubs too. but this was still the better option. "The rooms a flight down are the closest option. Just, need to-" they look around at the torn up sod, and broken stone. "Um. Gimme a sec, okay?"

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 10:24 PM Mo scoops his Nightmare up, nuzzling his head when he squeaks. "I'll carry Umbra." "I can wa- uh, slither!" Umbra protests, pushing at his face. Mo smiles and nuzzles into his hand. "Shh, let me help you."

with-bells-uponYesterday at 10:29 PM They can't help the smile... those two could enjoy being brothers, given the chance. In the meantime? They couldn't leave this place this banged up, structural integrity and all. Reach out with both hands, their fingertips seem to play across several dozen of the unseen threads, tugging at a few, and with a gravelly whisper? Every broken stone, speck of dirt, and drop of water, returns to its place. ...the only thing left damaged is the plants. They can't do plants. "Gardener's gonna kill me-" they admit, heading towards the stairs, leading the way. "I'm gonna have to give him so many weird plants to get him back in a good mood. Cmon."

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 10:30 PM Mo looks around before following them. "Wow, you're so cool."

with-bells-uponYesterday at 10:35 PM They, may be showing off a little, even if they did need to do it. "the tower's an extension of my magic these days. has been ever since I had to rebuild it out here. But, um, thanks." Pleased lich. The hall downstairs is pretty straightforward, even if everything is made of a really heavy dark wood. Several bedrooms lay open on either side. "You can take your pick, they all have personal bathrooms, shower, so on..." "But the main bath is at the end of the hall. I suggest starting with the shower first, then heading there, just because... soaking in blood, tar, and string filled water doesn't sound fun."

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 10:36 PM Mo looks around and just walks into the first bedroom. "Thank you." He says back to them. "Yeah." Umbra nods, smiling.

with-bells-uponYesterday at 10:46 PM "You're welcome." They smile. Not a double then, that ptobably should've been expected. It's a simple room, with a very comfortable bed, clean sheets, and a bathroom, with a large bathrobe and towels hung up for guest use. Even a wardrobe and dresser... though, all they hold currently is more sheets, towels, and toiletries. ...the bath at the end of the hall though... there are actually several baths, each large enough to stretch out in fully, and a full three feet deep, with spigots more like small fountains, and a soft rubber in the bottom for traction... and comfiness. ...basically a room filled with cordoned off hottubs. [10:47 PM] "I'll see you in the morning." The lich slips away... time to sleep.

AskbittyerrorYesterday at 10:47 PM They nod, and the door closes. September 30, 2020

with-bells-uponToday at 12:25 PM ...Bells returns, after several hours of much, much needed rest, peering down the hall where the twins 'rooms' are located.

AskbittyerrorToday at 12:40 PM The room is silent but for the soft pinging of a game system.

with-bells-uponToday at 12:42 PM "...?" Huh. Bells heads tiwards the first room, Mo's, as they recall, and knocks lightly.

AskbittyerrorToday at 12:48 PM "Yeah?" Umbra says, softly.

with-bells-uponToday at 12:49 PM Huh. Again. "Its Bells, I wanted to ask if you two are ready to return to the bitty shop? Or, come down to the kitchen for breakfast?"

AskbittyerrorToday at 12:55 PM "Food?" Mo mumbles, still sleepy. A pause. "You've been awake this whole time?" Umbra asks, exasperated. "...you're cuddly."

with-bells-uponToday at 1:00 PM they try not to giggle too audibly. "why do I feel like I've heard that same reasoning given before?" "-but yes, food. and a question of whether you'd like it brought up here, or you're willing to come down to the kitchen? I can make sure everyone but Pyre has cleared out, first..." "I'm not asking him to clear out though. At this point it's his kitchen, and I'm not risking offending our cook."

AskbittyerrorToday at 1:47 PM "We can come down." A soft thump and a grunt from where Mo is shoved out of bed. "And that's fine, we promise to be nice."

with-bells-uponToday at 1:49 PM They find themself smiling again, though they do attempt to suppress it. The pair of them remind Bells of themselves and their own brothers. "Good, he's really... quite the impressive cook, all things considered."

AskbittyerrorToday at 1:58 PM "Think he'll let me watch?" Umbra asks, pulling Mo up and sighing when he immediately latches on. "I'm always looking to learn some new recipes."

with-bells-uponToday at 2:00 PM A half grimace, amused. "I uh, highly doubt you'll manage to catch him. I seriously don't even question how he manages to avoid anyone seeing him cook, but... all things considered, I'm not even sure how he manages it at all, considering-" "...I'm sure he'll be willing to talk recipes though."(edited)

AskbittyerrorToday at 2:24 PM "Good enough!" Umbra opens the door, still wearing his bloodied clothes from yesterday, his Dream clinging to him.

with-bells-uponToday at 2:29 PM "..." "I really need to start stashing spare clothes around." Nonetheless, they gesture the two to follow, and the moment they hit the stairwell, the air is filled with every delicious breakfast-y smell imaginable. Bread rolls, pancakes, eggs, muffins, bacon, sausage, and whats likely oatmeal, all waft temptingly about them, originating from only a single floor down.

AskbittyerrorToday at 2:32 PM Umbra is hoisted halfway down the hall and half-heartedly smacks at his chuckling Dream's face, both of them pausing from the sheer force of their grumbling stomachs once they reach the stairs.

with-bells-uponToday at 2:35 PM "...Pyre is used to cooking for a lot more people." they 'explain,' "when I mentioned you'd probably be extra hungry... well..."

AskbittyerrorToday at 2:50 PM "Umbra can put away so much food its surprising he doesn't explode." Mo smiles. "I swear to fuck if you don't eat your fill too I will kick your ass." Umbra baps his face, grumbling as a tentacle soothing pats Mo's head.

with-bells-uponToday at 2:54 PM A soft snort, surprised themself how easy it is to be comfortable with the both of them this way. "C'mon, let's not keep our cook waiting- he huffs if we let his food get cold." The lich leads them down to the kitchen- opening the door only renews the mouth watering aroma, as they're led to a table stacked with roughly a dozen dishes worth of food, each one piled high. ...curiously, there's no sign of the much spoken of cook. Unless of course, he happens to be the maybe two foot long grillby lamia currently napping on the burner of the stove, looking highly satisfied with himself. But that's impossible, right?(edited)

AskbittyerrorToday at 2:59 PM Both boy's eyes are solely locked on the food.

with-bells-uponToday at 3:23 PM "...showoff." they whisper to the bitty. he makes a shushing motion, never opening his eyes. can't they see? he's clearly asleep! Bells grabs three plates, and hands one to each guardian. "Grab whatever you like. Try not to give yourself a stomachache from eating too much... believe me it's tempting."

AskbittyerrorToday at 3:56 PM Mo puts Umbra down and watches as he slithers over to the bitty. "Thank you for cooking for us." Umbra bows his head. "We greatly appreciate it."

with-bells-uponToday at 4:01 PM Pyre lifts his head, nodding, expression content. "I enjoyed it- since the bitty villages moved on, I don't have much opportunity to test myself. you're welcome... and welcome in my kitchen any time you like." A flick of his tongue, as he lays back down admit the heat, with a gentle chuckle. "Now. I think I'll take my nap." [4:01 PM] "-don't mind me..."

AskbittyerrorToday at 4:04 PM "May your dreams be sweet." Umbra smiles, turning back around and squeaking when a plate laden with savory treats is shoved into his chest. "Eat." Mo commands. "You get a plate, and then I'll eat." Umbra counters. "...fffffine." Mo piles some sweet noms onto his plate.

with-bells-uponToday at 4:06 PM "...you two remind me of me and my brother." Bells smiles, starting to fill their own plate. "I still have to badger him sometimes if I want him to eat much. He's doing better now that his kiddo's born though."

AskbittyerrorToday at 4:12 PM "This dumbass went without food so I'd have more while we were trapped." Umbra scowls, the twins battling it out in a staring contest, waiting for the other to take a bite before taking one of their own. "Without telling me!" Mo rolls his eyes, picks up a roll from Umbra's plate and crams it into his mouth though the Nightmare's offended squeak. "Shush."

with-bells-uponToday at 4:22 PM "..." they don't say why their brother picked up the habit, just turning to their meal, and enjoying the twin's company. They consider what waits ahead, ince they return- "take your time. We'll head back once everyone's done."

AskbittyerrorToday at 4:35 PM The floodgates are open, the boys are cramming food in their faces. Watch your fingers!

with-bells-uponToday at 4:35 PM "...or do that." hey, it works. ...they need to bring Q by sometime. For reasons.

AskbittyerrorToday at 4:36 PM Hungry boys. Very wiggly, happy tentacles. Q would probably eat the entire kitchen.

with-bells-uponToday at 4:42 PM ...after millions of years of starving, they'd be glad to provide him with three kitchens. It. Would likely take a while though.

AskbittyerrorToday at 4:46 PM "Thank you for the food." Umbra wipes his mouth. "It was very good." "And..." He smiles softly. "Thank you for being so kind to us. We really appreciate it."

with-bells-uponToday at 4:53 PM a slight pause, fork halfway to their mouth... a smile, as they continue. "you're welcome." just this, no more. no mention of them now considering the pair as ones to protect, care for. be family. hopefully, actions would bear that out better than words ever could,

AskbittyerrorToday at 4:57 PM Umbra's smile is sweet, shy. He looks away. "And uh, sorry for crashing your wedding."

with-bells-uponToday at 5:02 PM "Umbra? I would've just gone right ahead and invited you if i hadn't known there would be so many people." They deny easily, "and uh, well if it actually had much chance to know you," they add, this time to Mo, "other than the, multiverse ending stuff... um, just. Same." There. Excellently said. [5:03 PM] "...circumstances notwithstanding, chaos and all, I'm... glad I had the chance to spend some time with both of you."

AskbittyerrorToday at 5:14 PM Very happy noot. Much wiggle-waggles. "Same." He smiles, tucked into his wings, flushing a bit. "I, uh, hope we can do more in the future? Just without all the me getting stabbed and Morris going feral? Hopefully?"(edited)

with-bells-uponToday at 5:22 PM "very very hopefully." they agree, gaze drawn slightly to the wagging. a brief, soft look, "my husband does that waggly stuff too when he's happy. a bunch of our kids too." "...they're really good kids." "uh. even if Raine did try straight up challenging your father, snarls and all... like, that was any kind of good idea."

AskbittyerrorToday at 5:23 PM "I bet they are." Umbra smiles. "And yeah, that'd been a terrible idea."

with-bells-uponToday at 5:25 PM "...well, no, she actually did. he just looked amused until... uh, Huitzi kind of, tried to keep him from going after anyone. physically." [5:25 PM] "..." "That's, going to be a mess later." [5:27 PM] "...but seriously, my child needs to learn not to do that. It would help if literally every adult in her family wasn't the same way."

AskbittyerrorToday at 5:31 PM Umbra winces. Big time. "Yikes..."

with-bells-uponToday at 5:35 PM "...her soul bond literally cussed out a god before she could manage more than a few words. It, was interesting." They shake their head. "Castle coming down around us, and our daughter decides he needs to know her opinion of him." [5:36 PM] "...but, yeah. Him and Huitzi... I can only imagine that's gonna be rough."

AskbittyerrorToday at 5:41 PM "...I'll try to keep them apart till Dad cools down." Umbra nods. "Your kid sounds neat." Mo smiles. "I like her."

with-bells-uponToday at 5:44 PM "Me too." A decided, decided softness. "Mea and Raine were our first. Mea, just a little older... Raine, precocious thing she was, starting using her aura while I still carried her. She and Mea would have 'conversations,' and after she was born, that toddler did her best to carry her literally everywhere." Ah. Their plate's empty. When did that happen. [5:45 PM] ...Oh well.

AskbittyerrorToday at 5:47 PM "Aw, that's adorable." Umbra smiles, Mo nodding.

with-bells-uponToday at 5:50 PM "-it is, but i could talk about my kids for hours." they chuckle, picking up their empty plates, and any others that no longer bore their loads. "Whenever you're ready, I can take you back..." "...but you can stay longer if you like, too."

AskbittyerrorToday at 5:51 PM The two look hesitant. "Can we... stay for a while?" Umbra asks. "Please?"

with-bells-uponToday at 6:00 PM "Mmhm, you can." They agree, "wouldnt have offered, otherwise." "-though I may need to find you some clean clothes..."

AskbittyerrorToday at 6:01 PM "It's not necessary but," He smiles softly. "Thank you."

[robbiekaysfavoritelostgirl]

Robbie Christmas Prompt

Prompts: 13  “Your hands are freezing!” , 

               41, “If you don’t go to sleep right now, Santa’s not coming.” 

               55, “You want to go to the mall now? ARE YOU CRAZY?”

               68 winter proposal 

              and 75.  “Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays, love.”

Requested: Yes! And thank you for letting me know which prompt list you were talking about! Made this whole thing a lot easier lol 

  “Your hands are freezing!” I moaned as my four year old nephew placed my hands around my neck, giggling at the look on my face. “What happened to your mittens?” I demanded, pulling his hands away from my neck in order to inspect the pockets of his thick winter coat. 

    “Gone!” He cried, giggling as he leaned forward so his nose, which too was freezing, was pressed against my cheek. I groaned, shaking my head as he began to happily chant about having no mittens. 

   “Get inside you crazy kid.” I sighed, standing up and directing him off towards the living room. Moments later the sounds of “Blue Clues” reached me, followed quickly by his screaming out answers to every silly question that Steve asked. Knowing that I would not be needed anytime soon, I began to search the basket of mittens. I knew my nephew and knew that the moment Robbie arrived home, he was off visiting his sister and his own nephew, that he would drag Robbie outside to play in the snow and would need mittens. When I failed to any mittens there, I quickly searched the “Lion King” bag my brother had sent with Noah cursing when I failed to find any. Another quick search of the rest of my brothers overnight bags turned up no signs of mittens for Noah, which caused me to let out a loud groan.

    “Great.” I huffed, running a hand over my face as I turned towards the living room. “Now I have to go to the damn mall on Christmas Eve.” I could, of course, call my brother and tell him that Noah needed mits but Carter was nervous enough as it was. Since April had left he was afraid of leaving Noah alone, for fear that the little boy would think he was being abandoned by both of his parents and calling him now would only panic him for no reason. 

    “Auntie can I have a cookie?” Noah screamed, his voice barely audible over the sounds of Blue Clues. 

    “Of course.” I answered, smiling as I headed off towards the kitchen. “I am made sugar cookies did you want to decorate them now or wait until Robbie gets here?”

    “Now!” He screamed, turning the TV off as suddenly as he had turned it on and raced out of the living room, nearly crashing into my legs in process. “Do you have sprinkles?” He inquired, only “sprinkles” sound much more like “sprwinles” since he was still have difficulty with his “r”s  

   “Well of course I do, you can make sugar cookies without sprinkles!” I giggled, ruffling his hair as I followed him into the kitchen, his little feet padding against the ilumnu flooring. 

     We had just finished decorating the last cookie, or I should I just finished as he stopped half way through and decided eating the icing and cookies was the best option, when Robbie arrived. 

   “Love?” He screamed out, laughing as Noah let out a cry of pure joy and began racing off towards him, myself hot on his heels. I had turned the corner just in time to see Noah throw himself at Robbie, who was ready for the four year old and was kneeling down with his arms wide open. 

   “We just finished cookies!” I laughed, my smile growing as I watched the two of them.I loved watching them together and couldn’t help but picture what he would look like with our own child. 

   “Perfect! I could use a cookie!” Robbie laughed, untangling himself from Noah and heading towards me. He paused, pressing a quick kiss to my lips before allowing Noah to drag him off to the kitchen. 

   “When your finished your cookie could you maybe go to the mall with me? Little man needs mittens.” I asked, watching as he accepted a cookie, that was more icing and sprinkles than cookie since Noah made it, only to have him pause halfway to his mouth. 

    “You want to go to the mall now? ARE YOU CRAZY!” He demanded, staring at me as if I already was crazy and I may be just that. Going to the mall, which was the only large shopping center in our small town, on Christmas Eve was certainly a crazy idea. However it was the only one I had at the moment, despite forcing an overly excited three year old to stay inside while there was snow outside. 

    “He needs mittens.” I repeated, watching as Noah began to grow impatient with us both. 

   “Who said he can’t just wear a pair that is too big. It’s just for now right?” Robbie laughed, biting into the cookie Noah had prepared and instantly declaring it the best cookie he had ever tasted. “We will just tuck the sleeves of his coat into the mits with him and call it done. No need to go to the mall love, unless you really want to.” 

   “Do I want to go to the mall?” I inquired with a laugh. “Hell no, we will do it your way then. Besides it’s late out already we won’t be out there too long so it should be fine.” Knowing that I no longer had to face the overly crowded mall, I allowed myself to relax. 

    “Robbie outside!” Noah screamed, laughing happily when Robbie nodded. 

    “Let’s go get ready then lil man.” With that Noah was gone, nothing more than a brown haired little streak in a Batman onesie. “Are you going to come outside with us?” 

   “No you two men are going to need hot chocolate for when your done.” 

   “Are you going to make your famous homemade hot chocolate?” When I nodded, giggling at how excited he was. 

   “Yes and I will also get dinner started while I am at it. How does something simple sound, I’m thinking finger foods.” 

   “Sounds perfect to me my love.” He cooed, bending down to press a kiss against to my lips. “Whatever you make is good to me.”

     Robbie and Noah had been playing out in the snow for over an hour, their laughter reaching me through the windows, when my brother arrived home, grunting as Noah no doubt threw himself at his father. Minutes later the three men in my life had made their way inside, all of them covered in snow and cold to the bone. 

    “Take your things off, dinner is ready. We having chinese.” I announced, laughing at the three overly excited cries of approval from the three men in my life. I barely had time to place the full plates out on the table when they were rushing towards it, sitting down and digging in. “Hot chocolate anyone?” It was a rhetorical question but I was answered with grunts nonetheless. I shook my head as I began to pour out the hot chocolate, pausing to kiss each man on my way by before finally settling down at the table beside Robbie and helping myself. 

    “When Santa coming?” Noah demanded between bites of food. Though it came out more as “When Santa woming.” While he could say all three words perfectly, it was growing late and he was getting sleepy, which meant that he was slurring his words. It wouldn’t be much longer until he passed out.  

  “Late tonight when you are asleep. Just like every Christmas.” Carson answered, smiling down at his son. “So that means after dinner and Rudolph it’s time for bed.” Watching Rudolph after dinner Christmas eve was a tradition my mother had started and Noah adored it. 

   “No bed.” Noah cried, the word bed waking him up enough to glare at his father. 

    “Whatever you say little man.” Carson laughed, ruffling Noah’s hair before he turned back to his meal. As dinner went on however, it became clear that Noah was not able to stay awake much longer, especially when he began to doze over his mug of hot chocolate. However when Carson picked him up for bed, he began to protest, sleepy little cries of no bed, ringing throughout the house. 

   “If you don’t go to be right now, Santa’s not coming!” Carson warned, Robbie and I stifling our laughter when Noah instantly fell silent. 

    “Why don’t you come for a walk with me.” Robbie suggested, chuckling softly at my raised brow. “Come on it won’t be to bad now, plus it will be beautiful.”

   “I never said no, I just don’t understand why you suddenly want to go for a walk.”

   “Sudden whims.” He chuckled, smiling as I pushed myself away from the table and headed out to the front hall. 

   “Your lucky I have mittens.” I chuckled, smiling at him as I began to get into hat and mitts. He followed my lead and in less than a minute we were out in the cold, the bitter December wind biting at our faces. “So where to?”

    “Just around is all.” He replied with a shrug, reaching out to wrap my arm around his own. I hummed, taking a step closer to him, leaning my head on his shoulder. We walked in silence, each of us taking turns to pick a direction. We came to a stop when we reached the river. It was covered in ice and had the moonlight was reflecting of the lake. It was here that I met Robbie for the first time. I taken Noah down to swim in the lake two summers before and ran into him. We started talking and that was the end of it. 

   “Did you know when I first met you I didn’t think love was real. I honestly thought it was just a fairytale. All I had knew of love was that people got hurt. They took advantage of you and left you to mend your trust issues and heart. Then you came along and suddenly I could see why people put so much into it. I knew the moment that I saw you running around trying to collect frogs, while clearly terrified, that you were the type of person that would do anything for the people you love. I also knew then, when you turned to smile widely at me, that you were it. I didn’t even try to fight it you know. As stupid as it sounds you make that cheesy line from twilight real. You know the when where Edward is like, when you came into my life you were like the sun or whatever. You were my sun and it wasn’t until I saw your smile that I noticed I was living in the dark and that I never wanted to return to that. I need you in my life, you make me a better man. So will you please do me the honour of becoming my wife.” As he spoke he fell to one knee, pulling a simple ring from his pocket. Despite being a simple golden band with single diamond in the center, it was the most beautiful ring I had ever seen. 

    “Oh Robbie, please get up it’s freezing and yes I will marry you.” I cried, laughing as he instantly jumped to his feet. Before pulling me into a kiss, he slipped the ring on my finger, both of us grinning when it was the perfect fit. As his lips touched mine, it felt like everything was falling to place. 

    “Merry Christmas love.” He whispered as he pulled away, grinning widely at me. 

    “Merry Christmas darling.” I answered, smiling again as I leaned in for another kiss. 

[illegiblewords]

Recent Shadowbringers story has me speculating a bit on Convocation of the Fourteen relative to mythology and I think I got stuff.

Heads up this spoils like crazy.

IIRC it got confirmed that the Convocation members got Greek names, although I don’t remember if they were all named for the pantheon or not.

But since Hades gets referred to using abilities known as Titanomachy in particular I’m gonna lean hard toward YES.

Who is which god though? What’s even happening? I have a few ideas and in order to explore ‘em a bit will list the names and details that strike me as particularly important. A point of note though, Hades is not an Olympian within mythology. One of the original gods born of Rhea and Cronos yes, but he literally drew the short stick that said “congrats you get to live alone among the dead have fun”.

Zeus: Youngest of six siblings born to Rhea and Cronos. Drew lots with Poseidon and Hades, wound up getting dominion over the sky as king of the gods. Had loads and loads of sex. Strongly affiliated with lightning.

Hera: Hands down has the title of pissiest of the gods, which is fuckin’ saying something. This is like 98% because she’s the goddess of marriage, childbirth, women, family, and fidelity while being married to Zeus the fuckhead. Youngest daughter of the six siblings born to Rhea and Cronos. Associated with the peacock. Commonly transformed her husband’s lovers into animals and IIRC had some ties to storms but I might be misremembering. Also notable for having given birth to Ares with Zeus legitimately (who no one likes except Aphrodite) and Hephaestus alone. She threw Hephaestus down the side of a mountain because he came out ugly iirc.

Poseidon: God of the seas, water, storms, earthquakes, and horses. Middle son of the six siblings born to Rhea and Cronos, when he drew straws with Zeus and Hades he got dominion over the oceans.

Demeter: Goddess of the harvest, fertility, motherhood, agriculture, nature, and the seasons. Middle daughter of the six siblings born to Rhea and Cronos. Hades abducted and married her daughter Persephone and she got next level pissed about it, made the world cold and barren (winter) until Persephone was returned.

Athena: Born from Zeus and Metis, confirmed more powerful than Zeus. Metis had a prophecy where any child she bore would be more powerful than the father, so of course Zeus had to stick his dick in that. Later became filled with regret and fear when it turned out Metis was pregnant, turned her into a fly and ate her. Fast forward a bit and Metis gives birth to Athena inside of Zeus, and Athena explodes fully formed and adult complete with armor out of Zeus’ head. Athena has some duality with Ares as they’re both war gods and both technically born from Zeus. Athena is goddess of wisdom, handicraft (like weaving), and strategic warfare. Virgin goddess.

Apollo: God of the sun/light and the arts, also certain kinds of performance including music, poetry, philosophy. Notable in that his golden arrows were not nearly so painful as the silver ones favored by Artemis. Twins with Artemis. Also majorly known for being associated with both plague and healing as well as prophecy. Prophecy comes up in particular through the Oracle of Delphi. Notably the reason to Dionysus’ madness in some philosophy.

Artemis: Goddess of the hunt, twins with Apollo, uses silver arrows that hurt like a motherfucker compared to the golden ones her brother favors. A virgin goddess associated with the moon, wilderness, childbirth, protection, and plague. Worth noting she could be super super pissy and did in fact turn a man into a deer to be mauled to death and eaten by his own hounds because he accidentally caught her bathing.

Ares: God of war as in slaughter and bloodlust, also of violence and “manly virtues” as in his dick r big. Has weird sibling energy with Athena because they represent dramatically different aspects of war. Only loved by Aphrodite, literally no one else likes him.

Aphrodite: Goddess of love and beauty and fucking, top tier manipulator, also affiliated with pleasure, passion, fertility, and desire. Married to Hephaestus but not at all happy about it, has a pretty open affair with Ares. Sometimes she’s a daughter of Zeus but usually she was born from the universe’s castrated dick being thrown into the ocean and making a ton of sea foam which became her.

Hephaestus: Smith of the gods, master craftsman and god of the forge. Also associated with invention, fire, and volcanos. Didn’t really cheat on Aphrodite despite her cheating on him hard. Was rejected by his mother Hera for being too ugly and was literally crippled by her.

Hermes: Messenger of the gods, a trickster, god of travelers and athletes, guide to the dead, has fucking WILD cults dedicated to him to this day including fucktons of alchemists and just Hermeticism as a whole. In other words also the god of new age and magicK. Not magic, emphasis on the k because that’s what the modern magicians in their funny hats do when they’re feeling edgy.

Hestia: Eldest of six siblings born to Rhea and Cronos. Goddess of the hearth, being fire and the home. Has probably the least amount of drama out of all the gods ever, and while that isn’t necessarily saying a lot she seriously had no drama. Possibly relinquished her seat among the Olympians to Dionysus in some stories. Was notably a virgin and had a major following of priestesses in Rome consisting of the Vestal Virgins.

Dionysus: If there is a god of chaos and insanity besides Eris it is him. God of drunks and performance and opulence/excess/parties, notably has a philosophical contrast with Apollo as the madness to his reason. Top hedonist. Has a group of violently crazy women who worship him called the Bacchantes. Do not understate violently crazy bit they have torn people to shred with their bare hands.

Hades: We know this is Emet-Selch already and have more lore on how he visualizes souls/the Lifestream (interesting term given rivers of the dead in Greek myth, though not exclusive concept to Greek myth)/the Underworld. Eldest son of the six siblings born to Rhea and Cronos, though he is younger than Hestia.

Another point of note--there are, classically, TWELVE Olympian gods and then Hades. Why then one extra and how suspicious is that with our Convocation of 14?

Normally, like I mentioned Hestia is an original member who essentially gives her seat up for Dionysus. But she’s also a much quieter goddess within mythological stories, so while she could be included it’s also possible that another god or goddess is being used to reach fourteen.

First, I’m gonna go on a limb here and say I think Lahabrea is either Apollo or Ares, but leaning heavily toward Apollo. The orator thing fits, his role within being crazy good/productive in creating concepts makes some sense (I mentioned possibly Ares because he has an affinity for certain weapons too which makes me squint), and with how much the Ascians have referenced things being foretold or prophesized at least one of them is required to have ties with that ability. Additionally, Apollo being tied to plague when there the Terminus event going on and people are speculating that creation magics had something to do with the cause has me unbelievably suspicious.

I am also going to say that I think it’s possible Elidibus is Hermes. Emissary-->Messenger as well as having a pattern of being a trickster or liar makes a lot of sense. Also interesting in that one of his other functions is as psychopomp, or escort of the dead. I wouldn’t be shocked if he was the one responsible for raising new sundered Ascians.

I also think that if Lahabrea is Apollo, Igeyorhm might really be Artemis for that twin thing + their Ascian Prime misadventure. The impulsivity makes a bit of sense for her too, as does the fact that she fucked up the entire thirteenth shard while being tied to plague. If I thought Lahabrea was Hermes I’d have pitched Igeyorhm as Aphrodite purely because it’s myth canon they made a hermaphroditic child together one time, but I don’t think that makes as much sense.

I don’t think the game is putting as much emphasis on the three kings setup for Ascians with Zeus/Poseidon/Hades because Lahabrea and Elidibus don’t really fit into the roles of Zeus or Poseidon either of them. FFXIV associates lightning with judgment in a cool way but it gets stressed really hard that Elidibus is just supposed to be an Emissary and Lahabrea has other gods he fits with better. I honestly think the ones who remained unsundered just happened to be the ones who got missed rather than that particular trio.

On WoL, there are plenty of fans having fun speculating that WoL is Persephone in the name of shipping lol. It’s maaaaaaaaybe possible because she’s goddess of spring, renewal, rebirth, nature, and the underworld. And she also goes back and forth between spending time with Hades and spending time with her mother. So that whole MIA thing might work.

Halmarut being all about plants I’ll bet 100% is Demeter. No one else makes sense.

Nabriales if he does use lightning like I remember might be Zeus, which explains his attempted sleaziness a bit and his inferiority complex being one of the sundered. But I’m a bit doubtful because he seems like he has too big of an ego to have potentially been in charge of Amaurot at any point ever. His personality and eagerness to fight remind me more of Ares. Also no one likes him lol. Dionysus strikes me as most likely overall because it would explain him being pissed at being under Lahabrea as well as his whole attitude.

Mitron is Poseidon. Cannot be anyone else, he is all about oceans and fishes. Strongest case for Elidibus and Lahabrea not being tied to the other two kings--Mitron literally cannot be anyone but Poseidon.

Who is WoL though?

Currently my big guesses are Dionysus if Nabriales isn’t (as a foil to Lahabrea-Apollo), Zeus (mightiest of the gods, lightning of judgment and huge badass), Persephone (the creation and underworld thing is neat and who even knows), maaaaaaaaaaybe Hestia because of the primordial light/fire bit, being oldest, and just not being about the drama.

I know basically nothing about Altima besides her being there but would be more inclined to figure her for Athena than any other goddess purely because SE seems to be going with matching gender stuff and with a name like Altima I’m doubtful about other goddesses fitting better. Hera is the only one beside Athena who could maybe own that.

If anyone else has knowledge/notes on Ascians and can chime in on what seems fitting feel free!

[rosapeachhogwartsmystery]

The Curse of Being a Seer - part 5 (Hogwarts Mystery Imagine - fem!Seer reader)

Masterlist

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 |  Part 4 | Part 5 (You are here) | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8

Series masterlist

Words: 4.4k

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“Hey Rowan, where is Y/N?” Penny asked when Rowan walked over by herself to the group in the Great Hall.

“She is currently not at Hogwarts.” Rowan said, before realising it might make everyone worried. “I mean, she is at St. Mungo, visiting Jacob. Nothing bad happened to her.” She quickly said.

“Merlin's beard... For a moment I thought something happened to Y/N, Ro.” Tonks said, giving Rowan a small grin.

“Still, it is kind of sudden, don’t you think so?” Tulip pointed out. “When did she decide to go to Jacob in St. Mungo?”

“I believe last night. She got a letter from her mother and then she went to ask Dumbledore for permission to visit Jacob.” Rowan said. “It probably was important if she needed to be there today.”

“Only her mother sent her a letter? Not both her parents?” Bill asked.

“Her father seems to have a tough time dealing with… Well, everything that is happening in the family. So, he is sort of unable to visit Jacob or talk to Y/N as far as I know from Y/N.” Rowan said, looking slightly unsure if she got what you meant when you told her about it. “As for her mom, well, according to Y/N, things between her and her mom are still quite uneasy.”

“Of course, what do you expect? Her parents both told her the ability to see the future was rubbish and non-existing.” Tulip said, frowning.

“Not to mention, Y/N doesn’t really see her parents as her family.” Barnaby said honestly.

“Also, not surprising, knowing her parents also work for the Ministry of Magic. People in the Ministry are always too busy for anything…” Tulip muttered.

“Merlin, Tulip. Are you in a bad mood today?” Penny asked, looking slightly concerned at the Ravenclaw.

“I have detention with Snyde later… I'm really not looking forward to that...” Tulip said, shaking her head. “Just don’t mind me, all right?”

Tonks gave Tulip a weird look, wondering what was going on with her best friend. Then she looked at the rest of the group and put on a mischievous look. “So, I’ll be heading to Zonko’s later, does anybody need something from there?”

Bill, Rowan and Penny all shook their heads.

“I don’t think so?” Barnaby said, looking slightly unsure.

“If you could get me some Dungbombs, that would be great.” Tulip said, giving Tonks a small smile.

“You’ve got it, girl.” Tonks said with a grin, glad that her friend didn’t act completely off.

  Charlie and Andre both walked over to the table with a grin on their faces.

“What have got you in such a good mood today?” Penny asked with a giggle.

“Oh, we are just excited about the Quidditch match of tonight.” Charlie said.

“It’s going to be the match of the year. Ravenclaw against Gryffindor.” Andre said with a grin. “You guys will watch our match, right?”

“Of course.” Penny smiled.

“We’ll be there to root for you.” Tonks said with wink.

“You better win when I come to watch your match, Andre Egwu.” Tulip said slightly amused.

“It might not be the easiest task, but Ravenclaw definitely has a shot against Gryffindor.” Andre said with a chuckle.

“Don’t get too cocky, Andre. I mean, Gryffindor has also trained hard for the match.” Charlie said amused.

“I have no doubt about that, but I suppose we will see who wins the match tonight.”

“At least your team plays fair compared to Slytherin.”

“They can be quite sneaky… Although, the match against Slytherin went pretty all right.”

“Yeah, they are probably worse to us, because of the Slytherin-Gryffindor rivalry.” Charlie shrugged.

Tonks leaned closer to Penny. “I bet they will keep talking about the Quidditch match until they have actually played the match.” She whispered.

 “I suppose so.” Penny nodded. “I just wonder how things are with Y/N.”

  You sat on a chair next to Jacob’s bed. Your mother had basically left when you had arrived, saying you could look after Jacob for a while. You were certain she was going to work for a few hours, not wanting to stop working just to make sure things were going all right with her son.

Jacob had seen you, but he didn’t say a word. You kind of expected him not to say anything, but after you heard he had spoken to a Healer and your mom, you kind of hoped he would say something to you as well.

“I wish you would tell me something about your time with R, Jacob.” You mumbled. “My vision suggested you have been driven insane… If you could just confirm it then I know you never meant to join the dark side… Also, you won't have to go to Azkaban if the Ministry knows you weren't in control of your actions.”

Of course, Jacob decided not to say a word. He just glanced at you before he began staring at the ceiling.

“Thanks for the help, Jacob.” You mumbled sarcastically. “Then again, I know you can’t help it. You barely spoke to anyone since you have been sent here.”

He once again looked at you, but he didn’t talk.

You sighed and then you stood up. “I will be right back. I’m getting some tea.” You told Jacob before you left his room.

  You passed some other rooms on your way to get something to drink. From some rooms you could hear some screaming, from others you just didn’t hear anything. Still, it wasn’t pleasant to walk in this hallway. You knew the people in this hallway mostly had mental issues that needed to be treated. Well, if they could be treated.

“Pssst… Young lady.”

You blinked and stopped walking, seeing an old woman pointing at you. She was quite thin and she looked quite fragile. She kept her eyes closed, like she didn't want to open her eyes. “Are you talking to me?” You asked, thinking she might have mistaken you for a Healer.

“Of course. Who else is here?” The old woman said, like it was obvious she was talking to you.

You looked around and noticed you were indeed the only one there. "I think you might have mistaken me for someone else. I could look for a Healer if you need one."

"No, I was looking for you, not a Healer." She laughed softly. “You probably think, what does this crazy old woman want from me, but I think it would be good if you listen to me for a moment.”

You raised an eyebrow. Why would she be looking for you? You definitely didn't know her and she probably didn't even know who you were either. “I’m not sure if I’m supposed to talk to anyone besides my brother…”

“I’m pretty sure you have broken the rules before, Y/N.” She said with a grin.

You were surprised when she said your name. “You have heard of me?”

“Well, you are the younger sister of Jacob Y/L/N. Your name has come across here a few times, especially after his trial.”

Of course, the articles about the trial have mentioned your name multiple times. Your face was probably pretty known by now.

  “Also, I have foreseen your arrival here. Your mother asked you to come and visit Jacob so she could work for a little while, isn’t that right?” The old woman said.

You were surprised once again. She couldn't have known that by reading an article... “Wait… Did you say you have foreseen my arrival here?”

“I did. I am a Seer after all. Just like you are.” She said with a smile. She opened her eyelids, which revealed two empty eye sockets. It was obvious why the woman was keeping her eyes closed. She was missing both her eyes! You were certain if a little child saw her opening her eyes, they would be terrified.

'Another Seer… What is she doing at St. Mungo?' She wanted to tell you something, you were sure of it. Why else did she ask you to listen to her?

“You are in danger, girl.” She told you. “This organisation, R, is after you. You really have to watch your back at all times. You don’t want to end up like me after all.”

You were certain she was an actual Seer. Who else would know about R? She wouldn’t have known it if she hadn’t heard the name somewhere else, probably in a vision. “What… What do you mean with ending up like you?”

“Well, have you heard about Personal Seers?”

Your eyes widened. “You… You were a personal Seer?”

“For almost four decades.” She nodded. “Why else do you think I am here? I’m still not over the whole thing. My mind isn’t what it was anymore. Then again, such things happen when someone has full control over you.”

  “I know you are looking for more information about it, in order to prevent it from happening to you, Y/N. I wish there was a way to prevent yourself from becoming mad, but as far as I know, there is no cure for the experience.” The old woman said with a smile. “Although, I can definitely share my experience with you. Maybe you can use the information for something…”

You knew you would have to return to Jacob, but you couldn’t just say no to this. This was important to you and she could tell you a lot about being a Seer. Before you could answer her, a Healer walked over.

“Mrs. White, you shouldn’t be out of your room.” The Healer said. “And you definitely shouldn’t bother this young lady.”

“I can assure you I wasn’t bothering. I was just trying to give her some good advice.” The old woman, Mrs. White said.

“You know the rules…” The Healer said.

“But this young lady needs all the advice she could get. She is the one who is in danger of ending up in the same situation I was in.” Mrs. White said.

  The Healer looked at you. “Are you Jacob’s younger sister?” She asked. You could see a hint of concern in her eyes

You nodded. “Yeah…” You said softly before you gave the Healer an apologetic smile. “I should probably head back to him, just in case…” You said, wanting to get away.

“Don’t take your own eyes out! I thought it would stop the visions, but they kept coming anyways!” Mrs. White said loudly enough for you to hear.

“Mrs. White!” The Healer scolded the older woman, thinking it would scare you.

“What? Like I said, she needs all the advice she can get.”

You just kept walking away, not sure what to think at this point.

  “That was nice match to watch.” Penny said with a smile.

“I bet there is a party in the Common room right now.” Tulip said with a grin. “Maybe I could let you in to celebrate with all the Ravenclaws.”

“Sounds tempting.” Tonks said with a grin.

“You should come.” Tulip said. “It's a good way to forget the terrible detention with Snyde.”

“Was it really that terrible?” Penny asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Just because Snape seems to like you as student, doesn’t mean he likes the rest of us. Although, he wasn’t being nice to Snyde either.” Tulip shrugged. “We had to clean all the cauldrons.”

“Of course. He always seems to do that whenever people have detention.” Tonks said, rolling her eyes. “I’d rather work in the Kitchens, like Y/N has to do when she has to go to detention.”

“I’m not sure… Pitts isn’t the nicest either.” Tulip pointed out. “Then again, no one is nice in detention.”

“Maybe if you didn’t prank so much, you wouldn’t be in detention so often.” Penny said, shaking her head.

“But what is fun about that, Penny?” Tonks smirked, wrapping an arm around Penny’s shoulder.

“We need to have some fun when we are here. Besides, Hogwarts would get really boring without our pranks.” Tulip said amused, wrapping an arm around Penny’s other shoulder.

  Penny was about to say something, until she saw someone familiar. “Hey, isn’t that Y/N?”

Tulip and Tonks both looked at the same direction as Penny and they both looked surprised.

“I think that really is Y/N.” Tonks said.

“I didn’t think she would be back by now.” Tulip said honestly. “Let’s ask her about how things were going with Jacob.”

“Do you think she wants to talk about that now? Maybe something happened and she has to let it all sink in.” Penny said, feeling slightly concerned.

“Well, if something happened, she probably shouldn’t be left alone with her thoughts, don’t you think so?” Tonks looked at them both.

“We’ll just go over to her and ask how things went. If she doesn’t want to talk about the details, we can ask her another time.” Tulip suggested.

“Sounds good to me.” Penny said honestly.

The Hufflepuffs and the Ravenclaw were about to walk over when suddenly a guy walks over to you. They all stopped walking and blinked for a moment.

“Is that the guy who has been bothering her?” Penny asked.

“I don’t know, I mean, we have never seen someone bothering Y/N.” Tonks said.

“I’m pretty sure this is not the guy who has been bothering Y/N. That guy was older and this is Jae Kim from our year.” Tulip explained.

  “You know, I haven’t seen you in detention for a while.” Jae said with a grin. “Did you actually manage to talk yourself out of detention?”

You grinned lightly. “Some stuff happened and they tried to make my punishment lighter.” You explained.

Jae nodded. “I see. So, it’s because of the whole Seer thing?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“That makes sense. It sounds like a lot to deal with at once. Still, detention is less interesting without you. I mean, who else has almost driven Pitts mad by acting like you enjoyed detention in the Kitchens?” Jae laughed.

“Well, you probably will still see me there sometimes. I mean, they just made my punishment lighter. It's not like they said I don't have to go to detention at all.”

“I wish they would consider to lighten my punishment, but then I probably can’t make good deals with people anymore.”

“Well, I suppose your stuff is supposed to fully legal if you want a lighter punishment.” You said amused.

“Exactly, and that won’t make me able to make good deals with people here in Hogwarts.” Jae grinned.

“That would be a shame. Where else would students get their rare goods from if you aren’t able to get those goods for them?”

“You have got the point of my whole business, Y/N.” He said amused. “Well, it was good seeing you outside of detention. Now, I have some work to do.” He said with a wink before he walked away.

  “You never told us you were acquainted with Jae Kim.”

You turned around and saw Tulip, Penny and Tonks walking over to you. “Oh, Jae and I know each other from detentions in the Kitchens.”

“Oh, that’s true. Jae also has detention a lot. I just didn’t know you two knew each other.” Tonks said.

“We’re friends, I guess. At least, we sort of try to make detentions with Pitts a little more interesting.” You said slightly amused. “Besides, it’s not like I never saw Jae before. After all, he is in our year.”

“That’s true, we sort of know who is in our year and who is not.” Penny pointed out.

“I suppose that’s true.” Tulip said and then she gave you a concerned look. “Anyways, how was your time at St. Mungo’s Hospital?” She asked.

You frowned slightly. “Well… It wasn’t very pleasant, that’s for sure… My mom basically left once I arrived, so she could go to work. I tried to talk to Jacob, since he apparently has talked not too long ago, but of course, he didn’t speak when I was there.” You sighed.

“Sounds pretty awful…” Penny said honestly.

“It was a weird experience.” You said with a shrug.

  “Did anything else happen?” Tulip asked.

You nodded. “Well, sort of…”

“Sort of?” Tonks looked slightly confused. "What do you mean?"

“Well, it was kind of a strange experience. I mean, I should have expected to see some weird things, since Jacob is in the ward of mental issues, but it was just strange... You see, I came across a woman, who got my attention.” You said softly.

“What woman? What was strange about this woman?” Tulip asked.

“Well, she was an old woman and she didn’t have her eyes anymore…” You said.

“She was blind?” Penny asked.

“She literally didn’t have eyes, like you were staring into empty eye sockets.” You explained.

Penny made a face like she didn’t find the image she had of this woman pleasant.

“Anyways, she suddenly called out to me. At that point I didn’t notice she anything strange, because her eyes were closed. I thought she probably mistook me for somebody else. I mean, I didn't know her and she would only kind of know who I was because of the Daily Prophet."

“So, what made the encounter with this lady so strange?” Tonks asked. “Besides the missing eyes.”

“She was a Seer.” You said seriously.

“A Seer?” Penny said surprised.

“Can Seers sense other Seers? I mean, that would be a cool ability.” Tonks said.

“Not that I know of.” You said.

  “Anyways, that’s not the point. Apparently, she has been a Personal Seer for almost four decades…!” You told them.

The three of them looked surprised, not expecting you to say that.

“Wait, so the older lady said she was a Personal Seer and she suddenly came over to you?” Tonks asked.

“That definitely wasn't a coincidence…” Tulip said honestly. “She must have seen or sensed something that involved you, Y/N.”

“Well, she basically told me she had foreseen my arrival." You mumbled, frowning a bit. "She seemed to be sure I am in danger of becoming a Personal Seer, saying there is no cure for becoming mad because she was still in St. Mungo’s to be cured.”

“There is no way we are just going to let you get taken away by R and let you become their Personal Seer.” Tulip said determined.

You wished it was as easy as Tulip made it sound. Perhaps you were already doomed. Maybe you couldn’t change the future…

  “So, the Yule Ball is coming up and we probably should prepare ourselves for that.” Penny said, hoping she could lift the mood.

Everyone was stressed about something. Some of them were worried about the curse that trapped students inside paintings and others were worried about what R wanted. You were worried about both these things and there was also Tulip who was confused about her feelings.

Andre nodded. “Yes, we definitely should prepare ourselves for it. How about I help the guys with picking out a good outfit for the ball?”

“Why can’t we pick out our own outfits?” Charlie asked, raising an eyebrow.

“No offense, Charlie, but I think I have the best taste in fashion here.” Andre said. “And you want to look good, don’t you?”

Charlie rolled his eyes, grinning slightly. “Well, fine. I guess you have the most knowledge about fashion here.”

“Great, then I will help the girls with their outfits.” Penny said with a grin.

Tonks let out a fake gasp. “What? Don’t you trust us to pick out something good either? I’m hurt, Penny.”

“Come on, Tonks.” Penny rolled her eyes.

Tonks laughed. “Relax, Pens. I’m pretty sure you are the most suited person to help us out with finding the right outfits for us girls.”

  “I’m not sure if I’m going…” Ben mumbled softly.

Andre looked at Ben and raised an eyebrow. “What? Why not?”

“What if I can’t find a date?” Ben asked. “Besides, I’m not the best at dancing either…”

“Nonsense, Ben! Believe me, everything will turn out to be okay.” Andre said.

“What if I go with you, Ben?” Penny suggested.

Everyone looked at Penny surprised.

“What?” Penny asked, looking a little confused by everyone’s reaction.

“Penny, you don’t have to go with me out of pity…” Ben said softly.

“But I want to.” Penny said with a smile.

Ben looked even more surprised. “Well, i-if you really want to, then I would like to go with you as well.” He said blushing.

“Great, then it is a date.” Penny said with a smile.

“It seems like you will have to get a nice suit after all, Ben. Especially because you have a great date.” Andre said amused.

“Well, I suppose Ben is the first one of the guys to score a date.” Charlie said.

“Wrong, Charlie. I already asked someone.” Andre said with a big grin.

Charlie’s jaw almost dropped. “What? Since when?”

“Yesterday.” He said amused.

“I guess I have to hurry before everyone is taken.” Charlie said.

“Oh please, I’m pretty sure many people would love to go with you.” Andre said honestly. “Who doesn’t want to go to the ball with a Gryffindor Seeker?”

“Probably most Slytherins.” Rowan pointed out.

“You have got a point…” Andre said honestly.

  “Y/N, who do you want to be your date for the ball?” Penny asked.

Everyone looked at you, waiting for an answer.

“Oh… Well, I do have someone in mind, but I’m not going to tell you yet.” You said slightly amused.

“So unfair, Y/N.” Tonks said slightly amused. “But then again, I have no clue who I should go with.”

“Maybe she isn’t saying it because it is one of us.” Tulip smirked.

“Maybe, but maybe not. I’m not saying anything.” You said, smirking slightly.

“I suppose we should just focus on finding dates before everyone is taken.” Rowan pointed out.

“You are right, Rowan Khanna. We should begin looking.” Tulip said with a sigh. “Well then, Tonks, let’s look around, shall we?”

“All right, let’s do that.” Tonks said with a grin.

Tonks and Tulip left the group and everyone seemed to be thinking about something.

“Maybe we should also start looking for dates like them?” Rowan suggested, feeling slightly unsure.

You shrugged. “I don’t know. I mean, it depends on how you want to find a date, right?”

“Y/N is right. It depends on how you want to find someone.” Bill agreed.

  “I’m pretty sure we all be able to find someone for the ball; however, I really need to start studying for my O.W.L.s. All the stuff that is going on is making it hard for me to study.” You said when you stood up.

“Oh, if you need help with studying, I can come along.” Rowan said. “I need to be studying as well.”

“It’s probably better if I do the same thing.” Barnaby said. “I mean, it takes a bit longer for me to understand everything I have to know.”

“All right, let’s go to the library then.” You said with a smile.

Bill also stood up. “I also have to study for my N.E.W.T.s, I will come along too.”

“Great! Andre, Penny, Charlie and Ben, do you also want to come along?” You asked.

“No, thanks, Y/N. I have something else to do.” Andre said.

“Yeah, me too.” Penny said honestly.

“Maybe later.” Charlie said. “I promised to visit Hagrid.”

“I promised Flitwick to help some first years with Charms…” Ben said softly.

You nodded. “All right, I guess we will see you guys later.” You waved goodbye to them before you walked towards the library with Bill, Rowan and Barnaby.

  A few nights later, Rowan had noticed you weren’t in your bed anymore. She looked around the dormitory, wondering where you were. She didn’t want to assume something bad had happened, but she also knew about this vision where you would encounter R. She quickly got out of the dormitory, thinking you might have gone to the Common Room. However, when she reached the Common Room, she still couldn’t find you. Why would you be out of the Common Room at night? She slowly began to panic more, wondering you might have had another vision and rushed out of the dormitory to prevent it from happening. Just like you did when you had the vision about Bill.

She considered to call a teacher for help, but she wasn’t sure if that was a good idea. Maybe a Prefect had seen you? Perhaps Bill has already seen you. She thought about warning the others, thinking they might know where you were. It wasn’t until she laid eyes on a letter that was left behind on one of the couches.

   ‘Dear Y/N Y/L/N,

 It would be easier if you just turn yourself in to us. We do not wish to harm you, for your gift is truly important to us. We promise we will take good care of you as long as you serve us as our Personal Seer. We even promise to bring Jacob back for you, so you will have your brother back.

 -R’

 Rowan immediately feared the worst. Were you looking for them on your own? Did you turn yourself in? She couldn’t do nothing with this information. She needed to know where you were, thinking you might be doing something dangerous.

“Rowan?”

She turned around to see you walk into the Common Room. “Y/N! You are still here!”

You raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“The letter! I thought…”

“You thought I would just turn myself in?”

“I… Well…”

You sighed softly. “Rowan, I’m not going to turn myself in. That would be stupid. Besides, I was just out because I was asked to help the other Prefects when they thought they saw something suspicious.”

Rowan stared for a moment. Then she sighed in relief, glad you didn’t do anything dangerous. “Thank Merlin… I just couldn’t help but to think about that one vision you had…”

“Sorry if I gave you a heart attack, Rowan. I should have put the letter away before getting out of the Common Room.” You said honestly. “I probably should give this to Madam Rakepick tomorrow. I promised her to keep her informed about the situation.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to give it directly to Professor Dumbledore?”

“Maybe, but I think it is easier to reach Dumbledore via Rakepick, I mean, Dumbledore is a busy man.” You mumbled honestly.

  “Let’s go back to bed, shall we? We have a lot of things to do tomorrow.” You suggested.

Rowan nodded. “All right.” She said when you both headed back to the dormitory.

[gochigalore]

Seven Days - A GoChi Fanfic Series for GoChi Week.

Day Two: Pride

A/N: Another form of pride within the seven deadly sins is known as vanity. Which is what is actually meant by pride so this will be the theme of this chapter.

"Hey Cheech...are you okay?"

Goku peered his head into the room to see his wife sitting on the edge of their made up bed. We just caught her wiping a tear from her eye and rests her hands together on her lap of her beautiful red dress she had brought for tonight's occasion. Taking caution the nervous saiyan made his way over to Chichi trying to find the words to say.

"So that was something back there huh? You and me, fighting over food. It's kinda funny when you think about it." Goku put his hand behind his head as a nervous reaction as he gave off a weak laugh ChiChi's shot Goku a glance that immediately stopped the laughter.

"That was so embarrassing!" ChiChi whined. "I was acting like a starving barbarian. We were acting like that. But the strange this is...I couldn't control myself."

"Yeah...same with me. It was like something got control of my body and emotions and I just surrendered to them. Don't get me wrong, I love food but I'd never act like that over it." Goku sighed and sat down on the bed beside her. ChiChi repeated the event over and over again in her mine and covered her face in shame.

"Ugh I can't believe we did that in front of our sons, our daughter-in-law, our granddaughter!" She sighed. "They're probably laughing at us right now as we speak."

"Don't say that." Goku scooted closer to her. "Listen, even though I didn't know what happened back there, I'm sorry for being a part of it. I knew how much tonight meant to you."

ChiChi turned to him and saw the genuine look of sincerity in his eyes. Seeing that made her heart melt that she couldn't help but to give a warm smile and patted his knee playfully.

"Well, what's done is done. I kinda want to move on from tonight. We should hear back to the others."

But as if on que another knock was heard.

"Hello?" It was Gohan who slowly entered his head though the cracked opened door. "Is...everything okay?"

The two lovers looked at each other in a sign of approval towards one another and then both turn their gaze back to Gohan. They needed to think of a lie. "Yes, everything is alright son. Sorry about dinner. Uh...your mom and I had a long day and we went a little crazy. Right, dear?" Goku looked back at ChiChi as she picked up on his notion.

"R-right. I was busy cooking all day and I barely ate. I guess I got a little too tense back there." ChiChi laughed nervously. "We're terribly sorry about that. We've should've acted far more mature then what we were being."

"It's okay really. Beside when has anything normal ever happened around here? It was kinda funny actually." Gohan retuned with a more genuine laugh. "Anyway. I was about to send Goten to bed for you guys and then me and Videl are going to bed ourselves. We're gonna be staying here a couple of days, if you guys don't mind. You guys need anything?”

Goku gave his usual bright smile. "That's great to hear! We'd love to have you guys stay over. And nah, I think we're good for the night. We'll talk tomorrow okay?"

And that was it. Goten was tucked into bed and the two couples drifted off to bed themselves hoping to forget about that chaotic dinner.

The next day.

Goku woke up to the pleasant sound of ChiChi humming as we arose from him bed. He looked around at the position he was in and new instantly that he slept well. He had always been just as a sloppy sleeper as he was a sloppy eater. He rubbed his eyes with his hand to clear his blurred vision to reveal ChiChi in front of the mirror trying on various clothing in her closet. She was holding a long teal dress in front of her, examining how good it would look on her. Her after studying the lovely dress, she cringed.

"Ew, the colors don't look good in me at all! Who the hell have me this crap?" ChiChi scoffed in disgust as she tossed the dress to the side in a haughty sigh. Goku's eyed followed the dress and he discovered the huge pile of close where the dress had landed. He speculated that she must have went trough half her wardrobe while he was asleep. ChiChi noticed her awaking husband and turned him for a second then back to the mirror.

"Oh Good morning, sweetheart!" She spook nonchalantly too busy with her clothing to really pay attention.

"G-good morning ChiChi, Um...what are you doing?"

"Trying to find something to wear. I cannot believe half of the junk that's in my closet." She was now holding a pink and yellow blouse but again she cringed and tossed aside to her ever growing pile of rejected clothing.

"For what? Are we having another dinner?" Goku asked innocently.

"No, I just woke up in the mood to raid my closet and get rid of the hideous shit." She now was holding a very classic looking yellow dress with blue outlines. This time she turned to Goku and asked. "Why the hell do I even own this?"

"But ChiChi, you love that dress. It's was a gift your father gave you for your birthday last year, remember?"

"Oh..." she sneered in boredomas she looked at the dress again before tossing it to the side. She then gave a flustered sigh and walked to the bathroom. "I'm gonna need new clothes. None of these does my body or my looks any favored I'm going to go shopping today. We still have money left over right?"

"Yeah...But you said that was for to help Goten get a better education." Goku protested. ChiChi came back out back in a towel as she was getting ready to take her morning bath.

"Pfft, a couple of hundred of dollars wouldn't hurt." ChiChi snorted obnoxiously "Besides don't you want your wife to look as hot as possible?"

"Uh..." Goku blinked dumbfounded. He never heard his wife talk this way before. To put herself before her own son's studies was something she's never EVER do. It was like she was like a whole other person.

"Then it's settled. I'm going shopping and you're coming with me." ChiChi demanded. Goku looked at her as to say 'Why do I have to go?' and ChiChi read his mind. "You're in more of a desperate need of a new wardrobe then I do. I can't be bothered to be seen with you in that Orange and Blue getup that you wear all the time?"

"You mean my Gi? But you never had an problem with it before-"

Goku stopped when ChiChi interrupted. "My mind is made up, Goku! You're getting new clothes whether you like it not!" ChiChi fave a fake smile and sashayed out of the room leaving Goku unsatisfied with the conversation. He gets up from the bed and walks over the mirror and takes a good long look at himself. While he always thought of himself as kinda food-looking he never really cared too much about appearances let alone his own. But then... the same blue light from before shined in his eyes momentarily And dissolved then he look at himself again the mirror and suddenly got a new perspective of himself. He turned his body around to see every angle he could Of himself. He suddenly began to have a better appreciation or his own physique which was quite impressive to most.

"Gosh, I never knew how...hot I was. I mean...ChiChi tells me all the time how hot I am but I never noticed until now. I don't think anyone is as hot as me. No wonder she's so crazy about me." Goku's eyes traced down every inch of his own body, flexing his muscles, smirking slyly. "Maybe ChiChi was right, I could use some new clothes. After all I could use something to show off my hot body." He chuckled to himself as he flexed in front of the mirror admiring himself.

While in the middle of his flexing, Goten enters the room to see his dad having fun with himself in the mirror. He watched in embarrassment at his father going on and on about how sexy he thought he was. Goten turned around quickly and walked away mouthing "wow" as he did so.

Later at the mall Goku and ChiChi arrived liking around and the number of people buzzing around the store.

"So when do we go shopping for my new stuff?" Goku asked excitedly

"After I finish shopping first. You know it chivalrous to let the ladies go first, and only the fairest of ladies have the right to go first, don't you think?" ChiChi smirked as Goku rolled his eyes.

"Whatever, I'll be over in the men's department if you need me, but I doubt they'll have anything even remotely decent in his hellhole." complained as he walked off.

It was Chichi's turn to roll her eyes as she made her way through the many racks of clothes. Unfortunately, the more she looked through the clothes, then more disgusted she became. She flicked through every clothes degrading every single piece she came across.

"Ew...no...hell no... I won't be caught dead in this crap...disgusting...gross...just...just no...”

ChiChi was so busy with her "shopping" that she didn't see the store clerk approach her. "May I help you ma'am?" He asked her.

ChiChi turned to the clerk with a haughty glare. "Yes. Do you have anything that is...oh you know...actually wearable in h is place? All of these are hideous. Who would wear any of these?"

The clerk was taken aback by her bluntness. "Well...uh...I don't know what you mean. All of the clothing here are in style."

"Ha! If these are "in style" then I'm a super saiyan." ChiChi mocked, quite please herself with the joke.

"A what?"

"Oh outta my way!" ChiChi shoved passed him and continued browsing through the many racks of clothing. Minutes and many dresses later she finally found found something worthy of her attention. It was like a diamond in the clothes rough. It was a cute, clingy, long-sleeved burgundy dress that just by one look at it she knew it was created for her body.

"Eureka!" She shrieked as he ran over the dress, however the minute her hands landed on one sleeve soon. Anotherhand arrives on the other side." ChiChi's eyes immediately looked up as the figure holding the other dress and gave her the same leer woman was giving her. They both lacked on the dress and pull the opposite parts toward them ChiChi became concerned when the dress was at it stretch limit and feared it would tear.

"Let it go, bitch." ChiChi sneered.

"No way! I saw it first!" The woman barked back.

"Bullshit! You was nowhere near it!"

“Says you!”

“This is only good piece of clothing that’s in this store and you’re candy ass is not gonna take it away from me.”

“What are you gonna do? Fight me?” The woman laughed haughtily as before she she react a foot came fly across her face and she was on the floor. She looked up to see Chichi with the dress in her hand. ChiChi smirked innocently

“You asked for it.” She shined as she turned to walk away. Just then she felt something on her ankles that prevented her from leaving and she fell on the ground. The ruthless woman then climbed on top of her to try and get the upper hand in her But ChiChi was much stronger then she was and she was on top of her trying to yank the dress from her. Thy wee starts to draw in a crowd This lasted for a little while before the story manager and security came rushing over to them to break it up. The two security guard held both each of the ladies as the manager got in between them. Then the security guards let them go.

“You two are casing a scene!” The manager shouted “This is a repeatable store! And I won’t stand for this roughhousing. Now if you two don’t behave I’ll be forced to kick you both o-“

A suddenly crash from across the room was heard and everyone’s directions cane toward Goku who was holding a middle aged man by the collar with a murderous look in his eyes because he wanted the same tank top Goku did.

“I’m sorry I’m sorry!" The man pleaded with his life. “It’s big deal you can have it!”

“That’s what I thought.” Goku smirked reeling in his minor victory.

“HEY YOU LET HIM GO THIS INSTANT!” The manager shouted! He turned to ChiChi “is he with you?”

“Yeah? What’s it to ya!” She barked.

“Ok this is out of hand. I was gonna give you a second chance but you and your barbaric husband is tearing up my store! I want you two out at once!

“Fine” ChiChi sneered.

ChiChi saw this as her chance. While the manager had retrieved the dress from them he was too busy looking at what Goku was doing to pay attention to them. ChiChi snatched the dress from the manager and darted off.

“HEY COME BACK HERE YOU THEIF!” The manager called out to her. Waving his hands like a mad man

“GOKU LET’S GO!” ChiChi call out to him as she ran out of the store. At her call Goku grabbed the dark gray tank top and ran after his wife.

“SECURITY! SEIZE THEM!!!”

The manager screamed as security took off after the shoplifting couple. It wast long until they began to catch up with them. “Goku they’re gaining on us!”

“Don’t worry I got an idea! Hop on my back!” Goku commanded as ChiChi jumped on his back and wrapped her arms around his neck. Once Goku had her safely on her back. He took off flying into the air leaving the exhausted security guards watching in defeat as they made their getaway.

[weekendwarriorblog]

The Weekend Warrior Jan. 17, 2020 - WEATHERING WITH YOU, BAD BOYS FOR LIFE, DOLITTLE

Only the second column of the year, and I’m already questioning how long I’m going to keep writing this. In case you haven’t heard, I’m no longer writing for The Beat. I don’t really want to talk about it, but it was generally a horrible experience that I put up with since I needed the work/money. It turns out that someone I thought I knew, someone I respected and considered a friend for almost a quarter of a century, turned out to be a truly awful person. That’s really all I’m going to say... for now. (The Beat decided not to run my final Box Office Preview, so that’s incorporated within, as well.)

The good news is that Makoto Shinkai’s latest animated film, WEATHERING WITH YOU (GKIDS), will hit U.S. theaters this Friday after a few “fan previews” on Weds and Thursday night. If you don’t know the name of that Japanese animation filmmaker then you clearly didn’t see the fantastic sci-fi film Your Name, which was an absolutely enormous hit, grossing $354 million worldwide, most of that in Japan, China and South Korea in 2016. That movie eventually opened in North America in 2017 and made another $5 million, but it’s probably one of my favorite animated films. (Your Name will be playing again at the Metrograph starting February 7 if you haven’t seen it.)

But back to Weathering with You, which is another wonderful film from Makoto-san, this one about a high school senior named Hodaka who runs off to Tokyo and runs into financial problems in the gloomy city (boy, can I relate) until he meets Hina, an optimistic girl who has the ability to stop the rain and clear the clouds, something that they turn into a thriving business. It’s a simpler premise than Your Name for sure, but it’s still steeped in magic and fantasy that really makes it a very special film.

You can get tickets for Weathering with You here.

BAD BOYS FOR LIFE (Sony)

Cast: Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Alexander Ludwig, Joe Pantoliano, Paola Nuñez, Kate Del Castilo, DJ Khaled Directed By: Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah (Black, Gangsta, Image) MPAA Rating: R

Oddly, it took three whole weeks to get our first sequel of 2020 – that is, if you don’t count The Grudge, which actually is a sequel. I guess that would make Bad Boys for Life the first sequel that people actually may want to see, because it reunites Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, the stars of two very popular buddy cop movies a nd two of the biggest stars of the ‘90s.

The first Bad Boys came out in 1995 when both guys were pretty big TV stars, Lawrence on Fox show Martin and Smith from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Oddly, Lawrence already had quite a bit of film success from the “House Party” movies and Eddie Murphy’s Boomerang when he was paired with Smith.When the original Bad Boys opened with $15.5 million and grossed $65.6 million, that was considered pretty good for the time, especially for first-time director Michael Bay. That’s right. Bad Boyswas also Bay’s debut.

Ever since then, things have gotten crazy, especially for Smith, who starred in Roland Emmerich’s blockbuster Independence Day just one year later, the first Men in Black the year after that, and the rest is history. Lawrence went on to a couple big movies of his own, including the copycat Blue Streak, but other than 2000’s Big Momma’s Houseand its sequel six years later, he just didn’t have much draw when he tried other things. 2011’s Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son made about half what its predecessor made (about $38) million and then Lawrence vanished for a while.

Smith and Lawrence reunited for 2003’s Bad Boys II, again with Bay, who was also a much bigger director by then (and that was even before the “Transformers” movies) and that opened with $46.6 million and grossed $138.5 million domestically, showing how much bigger both stars had become.

That brings us to Bad Boys for Life, the third movie that may or may not have quite the same audience as the last movie. Little-known Belgian directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah take over from Michael Bay for this threequel, and oddly, it’s Smith’s fourth movie in the past year after the disappointing showing for Ang Lee’s Gemini Man and the animated Spies in Disguise over the holidays. On the other hand, Smith also had a huge hit last summer with Disney’s Aladdin,and that seemed to be enough to appease his fans who had gotten used to him doing one movie a year.

In some ways, Bad Boys for Life might feel a little like Men in Black 3, which Sony Pictures released in the summer of 2012, just nine years after the previous movie’s $190 million. While it didn’t seem like a necessary sequel, the third Men in Blackstill made only a little bit less. Obviously, nine years wasn’t enough to sour anyone on Smith’s character, although that movie also was now eight years ago, and we’re coming off a year of a ton of disappointing sequels.

Oddly, the MLK Jr. weekend has become a prime weekend for buddy cop movies, two of them seemingly inspired by the “Bad Boys” movies, as Ice Cube and Kevin Hart teamed up for Ride Along and its sequel. Both of them opened this weekend, the original six years ago to $48.6 million over the four-day weekend, and its sequel two years later made $41 million over the extended weekend.

That would seem like a pretty good barometer for Bad Boys for Life, if not for the fact that it’s a sequel to a movie that came out 16 years ago with a much hotter blockbuster director. Will audiences who were 18, 19, 20 when Bad Boys 2come out be anywhere near as interested in Smith and Lawrence’s shenanigans now that they’re well into their 30s?

Reportedly, Bad Boys for Life cost $90 million, although it’s doubtful that Sony expects the movie to make all of that money domestically. Bad Boys II made almost the exact same amount overseas than in North America, although the international market has exploded in the 15 years since then.

Reviews will probably hit around the same time that this column goes live or maybe slightly earlier, so it might be hard to tell if there’s a consensus either for or (more likely) against it. (It’s a sequel being released in January. Do you REALLY think that critics are gonna give it a fair shake?)

That just leaves the question of how well Bad Boys for Life might do, considering that Bay isn’t involved and Lawrence hasn’t been in the public eye very much. I think Smith’s ongoing popularity and the number fans of the previous movies should help the movie make close to $40 million over the four-day weekend, give or take. It certainly will offer something new for the key 20-to-40 year old males that already saw 1917.

DOLITTLE (Universal)

Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Ralph Ineson, Michael Sheen, Antonio Banderas, Carmel Laniado, Jim Broadbent, Jessie Buckley with the voices of Emma Thompson, Rami Malek, John Cena, Craig Robinson, Kumail Nanjiani, Octavia Spencer, Ralph Fiennes, Selena Gomez and more Directed By: Stephen Gaghan (Syriana, Gold) MPAA Rating: PG

Next, we have a slightly oddball of a first new family film for the year, as well as Robert Downey Jr’s first non-Marvel movie in a very long time, playing the classic kids book hero Doctor Dolittle, a doctor who can talk to animals. The children’s books by Hugh Lofting originated all the way back in 1920, and it was only eight years later before it was adapted into a silent animated short film. Probably the most famous movie (at least for 30 years) was the 1967 version of the movie starring Rex Harrison, but Eddie Murphy took on the role in 1998 for two hit movies released by 20th Century Fox (so maybe we’ll see them on Disney+ soon?).

Which might make you wonder how Universal got its hands on the property and why the studio isn’t making it a bigger deal about 2020 being the 100thanniversary of the character? Well, kids, it’s something called “public domain,” which allows anyone who wants to make a movie based on the character to do so. In this case, it’s Oscar-nominated filmmaker Stephen Gaghan, best known for his political thriller, Syriana, which got George Clooney his first Oscar. Obviously, a family-friendly fantasy adventure seems like an odd choice, but obviously, this is a real movie.

The story involves Dolittle being called to save Queen Victoria (played by the wonderful Jessie Buckley, star of Wild Rose) who is dying. Dolittle brings along a young lad named Stubbins (Harry Collett from Dunkirk) as well as a slew of animals voiced by a menagerie of actors. We’ll get back to them in a bit.

Obviously, Downey’s presence will probably play a larger part in anyone’s interest in the movie, since I’m not sure Doctor Dolittle has been able to maintain any sort of place in the pantheon of popular children’s book characters among younger readers. (I could be wrong.)  This movie is co-produced by Joe Roth, who helped pave the way for big stars to take on popular fantasy characters, putting Johnny Depp in one of Disney’s bigger pre-Marvel/Lucasfilm hits, Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, James Franco in Sam Raimi’s Oz the Great and Powerful, and Angelina Jolie in Maleficent. Universal (who previously teamed with Roth for Snow White and the Huntsmanin 2012 and its less successful sequel) are hoping that Downey can bring a similar starpower to Dolittleto get people into theaters.

The last time Downey took on a non-Marvel literary character was his eponymous turn as Sherlock Holmes in the movie directed by Guy Ritchie just over ten years ago. That made a half a billion worldwide, and its sequel two years later did similar business. Other than a starring role in Todd Phillips’ Due Date and the passion project The Judge with Robert Duvall, Downey hasn’t done much outside the MCU. But why should he? Apparently, he is getting somewhere around $50 million to make each of those movies, and for most people, that’s early retirement money, especially after wrapping up the role inAvengers: Endgame, the highest-grossing blockbuster of all time (globally). And yet, we’ll supposedly be seeing Downey’s Tony Stark in this year’s Black Widow, probably in flashback, so he’s clearly not putting the rest of his career in the hands of playing Doctor Dolittle.

The rest of the cast might not be as important but the movie does star the popular actor Michael Sheen (Good Omens), Antonio Banderas (who just received his first Oscar nomination earlier this week) and then the voices include a strange mix of British and American actors, includingEmma Thompson, Rami Malek, John Cena, Craig Robinson,Kumail Nanjiani, Octavia Spencer, Ralph Fiennes, Selena Gomez and more. It’s kind of a shame they couldn’t find a role for Kevin Bacon, as it would make that “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” game so much easier.

Family movies have generally been tough to predict, especially ones that may or may not interest teen and/or older audiences, which is certainly the case here. Opening Dolittle on a weekend with no school on Monday is a wise move by Universal, as well as doing so in January where there isn’t as much competition for eyes. More than anything, Dolittle will be a very good (and possibly sobering) test on whether Downey is a box office star when not playing Tony Stark… or Sherlock Holmes.

The movie has not caught the attention or interest of the ever-outraged #FilmTwitter, except to make fun of it, but that doesn’t mean younger kids won’t want to see a fun adventure with talking animals, and the latter should help Dolittle make somewhere between $25 and $28 million over the four-day weekend.

This Week’s Box Office Predictions:  

Despite the impressive opening for Sam Mendes’ 1917 last weekend and its ten Oscar nominations, it’s very likely that either Bad Boys for Life or Dolittle (or both) will knock it out of first place this weekend. It definitely could be a close race for second place, depending on how well the latest movies from superstars Will Smith and Robert Downey are received. Expect Greta Gerwig’s Little Women to also get a nice bump from its own Best Picture nomination this weekend.

(Note: All the numbers below are for the four-day holiday weekend.)

Bad Boys for Life (Sony) - $42.5 million N/A (up $4 million)*

1917 (Universal) - $29.5 million -20%

Dolittle (Universal) - $23.5 million N/A (down $3.5 million)*

Jumanji: The Next Level (Sony) - $12 million -15%

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (Lucasfilm/Disney) - $9.5 million -38%

Just Mercy (Warner Bros.) - $9 million -7%

Like a Boss (Paramount) - $7.5 -25%

Little Women (Sony) - $6.6 million -15%

Knives Out (Lionsgate) - $4.6 million -18%

Frozen II  (Disney) - $4.5 million -24%

*UPDATE: Okay, my earlier predictions may have been a little unrealistic and it’s pretty clear that Bad Boys for Life, which has gotten decent reviews, will  do significantly better than Dolittle, despite there not being much family competition. I’m adjusting accordingly.

LIMITED RELEASES

Besides Weathering with You, Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon’s kid (well, he’s 30) Jack Henry Robbins’ movie VHYES (Oscilloscope) will be out in select theaters and presumably VOD sometime soon. It’s a fairly odd movie made up of bits recorded on a VHS camera meant to look like it was recorded off various television stations by a teen, which includes bits of “late night adult television.”  It’s pretty amusing more for appearances by the likes of Kerri Kenney and Thomas Lennon from “Reno 911,” Mark Proksh from “What We Do in the Shadows,” Charlyne Yi and more. It will open in select theaters Friday, including the Alamo Drafthouse in Brooklyn.  It has some funny moments but it’s a little disjointed; I’m sure it would be great in an environment that involves drinking.

Also on the genre side of things is Gille Klabin’s directorial debut The Wave (Epic Pictures), starring Justin Long and Donald Faison, a weird movie in which Long plays an insurance lawyer who goes out on the town with his co-worker (Faison) but then gets dosed with a hallucinogen.  It will open in select cities and On Demand Friday.

Alex (Taxi to the Dark Side) Gibney’s latest doc Citizen K (Greenwich) will open at the Film Forum on Wednesday, this one looking at Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the wealthiest man in Russia who was valued at $15 billion from his Siberian oil before being thrown into jail by Putin. I haven’t seen the movie, but it recently received a nomination from the Writers Guild (WGA).

A couple mostly VOD horror films out on Friday are Pedro C. Alonso’s horror/thriller Feedback (Blue Fox Entertainment), starring Eddie Marsan, Paul Anderson and Ivana Baquero (Pan’s Labyrinth) and Andy Newberry’s The Host (Vertical Entertainment), starring Maryam Hassouni, Mike Beckingham, and Dougie Poynter.

REPERTORY

Before we get to the regular stuff, if you happen to have some free time on Saturday, like the whole day, you should get down to the Anthology Film Archives for Subway Cinema’s latest all-day marathon, “It’s the Nineties, Stupid!” a collection of six rare and probably very weird films from the ‘90s shown on 35mm. These events are always a lot of fun, and there may still be some tickets left if you act quickly.

METROGRAPH (NYC):

Welcome To Metrograph: Reduxcontinues this weekend with Seizun Suzuki’s Branded to Kill (1967) and Edward Yang’s A Brighter Summer Day (1991). I personally haven’t seen either but might give one or more a try.This weekend’s Late Nites at Metrograph is Paul Schrader’s 1985 movie Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters, a movie I’m not really familiar but apparently, it stars Ken Ogata as Japanese artist Yukio Mishima, who committed seppuku. This weekend’s Playtime: Family Matinees is the classic sci-fi film Them!(1954).

ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE BROOKLYN (NYC)

Next Monday’s “Fist City” screening is Wesley Snipe’s Passenger 57 (1992), the “Terror Tuesday” is Adam Wingard’s 2014 movie The Guest, starring Dan Stevens, with Wingard in person for a QnA, and then next week’s “Weird Wednesday,” January 22, is the 1990 film Brain Dead, starring Bills Paxton and Pullman, hosted by YOURS TRULY!! Yes, I’m making my Alamo debut with a movie from the ‘90s I absolutely loved.

THE NEW BEVERLY (L.A.):

Today’s “Afternoon Classics” matinee is John Huston’s The African Queen (1951), while Friday’s “Freaky Fridays” is the 1985 horror film, Silver Bullet. Friday night’s midnight offering is Tarantino’s Django Unchained while Saturday’s midnight movie is Scorsese’s Raging Bull, celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. The weekend “Kiddee Matinee” is Miyazaki’s Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989).

FILM FORUM (NYC):

The West Village theater begins an expansive new series called “Black Women: Trailblazing African American Actresses 1920-2001” on Friday, and it’s fairly self-explanatory except that there are a lot of films that have rarely been seen in recent years, such as Otto Preminger’s 1954 film Carmen Jones, starring Dorothy Dandridge; Vincente Minelli’s 1943 film Cabin in the Sky with Ethel Waters and Lena Horne, and even Pam Grier as Coffy in Jack Hill’s 1973 film. This is going to be a very special series, one unlike anything else that’s been done on the New York rep scene, and I wish I could afford to check some of these movies out. As part of the series, “Film Forum Jr.” will play the 1972 movie Sounder, for which Cicely Tyson received an Oscar nomination.

EGYPTIAN THEATRE (LA):

On Friday, Beyond Fest presents a 35mm print of the 1993 movie Freaked with directors Alex Winter and Tom Stern and most of the cast and many of the crew in attendance. Hosted by my pal, Drew McWeeney! On Saturday, there’s a matinee of Disney’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) and then that night is a double feature of Marlon Brando’s One Eyed Jacks  (1961) and Peter Fonda’s The Hired Hand (1971). Sunday Print Edition is a matinee of 1945’s Hangover Square, then later on Sunday is the first Sean Connery Bond film, Doctor No (1962). Sunday night is a screening of Hitchcock’s Rear Window (1954).

AERO  (LA):

On Weds. night, Greg Proops is presenting the hilarious Barbara Streisand-Ryan O’Neal comedy What’s Up, Doc? (1972) as part of his monthly film club. On Thursday the 16th, the Aero is showing Raging Bull in a matinee as part of its “Films of Marty and Bob,” then Friday is the 15thannual Focus on Female Directors, a mix of older and newer movies including the recently nominated short, Kitbull. Saturday begins “A Tribute to Noah Baumbach” with a double feature on Saturday night of Frances Haand Mistress America, his two collaborations with Greta Gerwig. Sunday is a double feature of his earlier films The Squid and the Whale and Kicking and Screaming. Tuesday’s offering in “The Films of Marty and Bob” is the classic King of Comedy, one of my favorite collaborations between the duo.

QUAD CINEMA (NYC):

On Friday, the Quad begins the series “Origin Stories: Bertrand Bonello’s Footnotes to Zombi Child” aka Bonello’s new movie, which opens next Friday. This series will include lots of genre films  that influenced the film,including Carpenter’s The Serpent and the Rainbow, De Palma’s Carrie, The Exorcist: Extended Director’s Cut, I Walked with a Zombie and the Aussie classic, Picnic at Hanging Rock (also a director’s cut).

MOMA  (NYC):

This week’s Modern Matinees: Jack Lemmonare Billy Wilder’s Oscar-winning The Apartment (1960) with Shirley MacLaine, the 1955 film Mister Roberts Thursday, and Costa-Gravas’ 1982 film Missing on Friday. Also, the International Teen Cinema series Show Me Love continues through Sunday. (You can click on the link to see what’s playing.) Another series, To Save and Project, the 17thMOMA International Festival of Film Preservation will run through the weekend and next week with some interesting choices like Roger Corman’s The Masque of the Red Death (1964) and Mystery of the Wax Museum from 1933.

FILM AT LINCOLN CENTER (NYC):

Although most of the screens here will be taken up by the 2020 New York Jewish Film Festival (see below), but FilmLinc is also getting a head start on its annual “Film Comment Selects”  with the New York premiere of Jeffrey Peixoto’s Over the Rainbow and a 35mm screening of Darren Aronofksy’s controversial 2017 film mother!, starring Jennifer Lawrence. Okay, neither are that old but still sort of repertory.

IFC CENTER (NYC)

“The Films of Studio Ghibli” ends on Thursday, so it might be your last chance to see many of these films theatrically before they move to HBO Max later this year. Otherwise, it’s most of the same movies screening at midnight: David Lynch’s Eraserhead and Mulholland Drive, as well as James Cameron’s The Terminator. Ah! Looks like the IFC Center added its new winter repertory series after I wrote this week’s column.  Weekend Classics: Luis Buñuel will screen the filmmaker’s 1972 film The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoise, The Terminator (1984) is screening as part of Waverly Midnights: Hindsight is 2020s, and  Late Night Favorites: Winter 2020 is Kubrick’s The Shining (1980) but ALSO Prince’s 1984 classic, Purple Rain. 

MUSEUM OF THE MOVING IMAGE (NYC):

As part of the exhibition “Envisioning 2001: Stanley Kubrick’s Space Odysey,” MOMI will have a screening of Stanley Kubrick’s film on Saturday afternoon with actor Dan Richter appearing in person. (For $25, you can get access to the exhibition after the screening.)

ROXY CINEMA (NYC)

The love for Nicolas Cage continues as the Roxy will screen Brian De Palma’s Snake Eyes (1998) on Wednesday and Saturday, and Joel Schumacher’s 1999 film 8mm on Thursday.

LANDMARK THEATRES NUART  (LA):

This Friday’s midnight offering is Pink Floyd’s The Wall (1982) by filmmaker Alan Parker.

FILM FESTIVALS

Going back to Film at Lincoln Center’s 29thAnnual New York Jewish Film Festival – which I oddly have NEVER attended  (mainly since I don’t have an outlet to write about it) – it begins on Wednesday with the New York premiere of the doc Picture of his Life, about underwater photographer Amos Nachoum.  It will run through the end of the month, closing on Jan. 28 with the New York premiere of Dror Zahavi’s Crescendo about a world-famous conductor, and the Centerpiece selection is Marceline Loridan-Ivens’ 2003 film The Birch Tree Meadow. I’m not really sure why I haven’t gotten to more of the films in this festival, but it’s mainly because it offers so much, and I never know what’s good or bad and what’s worth my time, which is kind of a shame.

STREAMING AND CABLE

Okay, it’s a little funny that media mogul Tyler Perry is making his transition to Netflix with a film called TYLER PERRY’S A FALL FROM GRACE on Friday, and unlike most of Perry’s movies, I was invited to a press screening, which I sadly couldn’t make since I have to see Bad Boys for Life. It’s about a young woman named Grace (Crystal Fox) who confesses to killing her husband so her lawyer needs to learn the truth.

I also haven’t been able to watch the Viola Davis-McKenna Grace dramedy Troop Zero from filmmakers named “Bert & Bertie” but it will premiere on Amazon Prime this Friday. It also stars Oscar-winner Allison Janney and Jim Gaffigan, but it takes place in 1977 Georgia where a young girl (Grace) dreams of going to space by being recorded on NASA’s Golden Record.

Next week, we get The Gentlemen (STXfilms), the latest ensemble crime movie from Guy Ritchie, which I’m really excited about, and the horror/thriller The Turning (Universal). Again, I’m not really sure if I’m going to be writing anything more after this.

[sarkastically]

Drifting in the Black

(Spoilers for GotG 2 so you might not want to read if you haven’t watched it yet. Always warning for cursing and mentioned but not explicit child abuse.)

Sometimes Peter imagines conversations with Yondu--dead dad Yondu he tells himself and then laughs until he cries, tells himself he's laughing anyway because that's better than admitting that he's just choking on years worth of tears and sentiment for a man he always held at a distance because that man never, couldn't really because he didn't even know how, showed him how to hold him close, how to hold anyone close--in the twinkling space between worlds, in the coldness of the stars, in the silence of the enforced night cycles when the rest of the crew sleep. Peter walks the halls and mutters to himself like some fucking loon, like a Ravager, and pretends that Yondu saunters along beside him all sharp quick smile and big open laugh and nonsense words and threats that don't mean much in the end except as a way to save face. Though Peter has not forgotten any of the blows that rained down on him, mostly bestowed by Yondu's hand, the hand of a man who never knew gentle and couldn't parse it, couldn't offer it when it was needed.

Peter's not excusing his behavior, the years of emotional and mental and physical abuse that were heaped on him by the man who swore he'd eat him, kill him, the same man who choose not to take him to his homicidal maniac planet father all those years ago because it was wrong. Yondu had a shaky sense of right and wrong, one built as a slave to the Kree suffering unknown horrors that Pete won't ask Kraglin about because he doesn’t want to know and doesn’t want to put the other man through saying, but Yondu still figured out that Ego was wrong. And that meant a little more than the money he'd pay. Enough to save Peter's life.

He remembers being thirteen and skinny but getting taller, starting to become all limbs and cracking voice, and how Yondu would show him how to use all sorts of weapons, just the two of them, when the crew would be on R&R or out doing a job. He remembers one blue arm wrapped in leather that smelled like something out of a garbage shoot wrapped around his shoulders and holding him tightly for a moment, just a small, precious little blip in time that passed by too quickly because he realized what was happening and Yondu realized what was happening and it. It wasn’t in their emotional language. And how empty his shoulders felt, how empty his heart felt, when Yondu pulled away with a gruff sort of laugh, tugging at the neck of his jacket as though it had canted strangely. He remembers how Yondu whistled then, and they both watched that arrow soar through the air and catch falling leaves until they had forgotten about the span of moments when they were not captive and captor, when they were something else, something a little bit closer.

He remembers:

“I bet you’re nothing like your father. Must be like your momma.”

“How would you know?”

“I don’t. I’m just saying.” A beat. “Cause you’re soft.”

And how Peter had taken those words, how he had turned them over in his head and made something terrible out of them. Soft from Yondu’s mouth had to mean something bad. Soft as in easy to kill. Soft as in worthless. Soft as in not a Ravager. And how Peter had told himself he had to prove him wrong. How he had built walls ten thousand stories high, walls no one could get through, and then stood on top of them and laughed, fucking laughed with his head thrown back in a challenge like the way Yondu himself laughed, like he had finally beat all of them.

Nowadays, walking the halls at night with only the music from the Zune for company, that and the ghost of Yondu that lives somewhere between his heart and his head because Peter can never get it right, he wonders what the man actually meant by that exchange, if he meant it the way that Peter took it. Or if it was something else?

“He might be your father, but he ain’t your daddy.”

“I bet you’re nothing like your father.”

“Cause you’re soft.”

After meeting Ego, after knowing Ego--someone else, someone more inclined to turning over the meanings behind things might contemplate how apt a name that was, but that is not what Peter does so he will leave it for Gamora who will suss it all out and then probably never tell him about it until he needs to hear it but doesn’t want to hear it like she always does--Peter knows that Yondu was right. Peter is nothing like Ego.

But he’s not completely like his mother, either. There are pieces of Meredith Quill in him, no doubt. A lot of her. A world of her. But there is more than that. His mother was kind and giving and gentle. She was, as Yondu had said without ever knowing her, soft, but that was her strength. Peter has not been able to achieve this feat. It is greater than he can ever dream of being.

He remembers:

He had run from the hospital as fast as his legs could carry him, and he had been so angry with her. How dare she? How dare she be sick? How dare she make up some crazy story about his father being from the stars? How dare she leave?

He had run. Out. Into the night. To escape. To hide. It was all too much for him at that moment. It might have been too much for him forever, but Peter never got the chance to find out. That chance was taken from him.

By a bright light. By a blue man with a red stripe down his head and facial scars and bad teeth and bad breath and a weirdly warm laugh even if it sounded like a monster waking up, reaching from the cool darkness of the world that existed under the bed.

“I’ll eat you, boy. I’ll feed you to my crew. Just you hush up right now.”

And Peter, stricken with fear and grief and anger, had done the only thing he could think of, he had reached a hand into his backpack and pulled out a toy, a KITT car, that his mother had given him and thrust it at the blue man as though it were a weapon, as though it were a knife that he could stab and kill him with. Just a car. Just a simple, tiny trinket, a bobble. Nothing expensive or fancy or good. Just plastic and metal, cheap, a throwaway toy, but Peter had loved it. His mother had given it to him. It was his favorite TV show. It was the best thing that he had other than his Walkman, which he would never give away, not even to save his life.

He thrust it out like a shield, and Yondu took it. In wonder. In awe.

Peter didn’t understand the look on his face back then, but he does now. He understands it. Because he saw that look in small glimpses over the years. He saw it when Yondu died. For him. Because he was--is, will always be--Yondu’s son. It was shock, yes, it was awe from a man who had been given so very little over his life, who had to take everything he had in whatever fashion he could.

And it was the start of care, of love, though neither of them really understood what that meant, how to express it.

“Soft,” Yondu had said not as a curse, not as a criticism, not as something that needed to be washed away. “Soft,” as a compliment, as a mark of honor, as something to aspire to, as something that he had never known but maybe would have liked to. In some other life. Some other universe. Some other Yondu that neither of them will never know because all those chances are gone now, drifting in the black.

Sometimes, walking the halls, wandering the night, listening to Cat Stevens, which makes him cry in the sort of fashion that Yondu would have scoffed at and teased him over, Peter wonders how things would have been different if he had never handed that car over, if Yondu would have taken him to Ego instead of kept him, raised him, fathered him in the ways that mattered even if they weren’t great, even if they weren’t what a kid needs. He doesn’t know. He can’t say. Yondu’s mind, as ever, is a mystery to him, something alien still.

Though his heart, that arrow flying through the air, that arrow that struck people down in the thick of battle who dared to get close to Peter, that arrow that protected him first, last and always even when he could protect himself, is something that he has begun to understand. Now. Only now that it is gone.

“I bet you’re nothing like your father.”

He carries that phrase, and he hopes that Yondu was right.

“Must be like your momma.”

“I am,” Peter Quill whispers into the night, hand pressed against a pane of thick thick glass as he peers out at the swirling stars, stars that Yondu saw, stars that Yondu is spread across now as dust and char in the Ravager way, the way that he wanted. “I am like my momma, but maybe I’m a little more like my daddy.” He thinks, he imagines, he hopes that a star winks at him the same way that Yondu would at those words.

[halfacat]

Logan is Worth an Oscar | GD

A

It's f*cking Hugh Jackman!

I was first exposed to the Wolverine series (aka Hugh Jackman) when X-Men Origins: Wolverine was all the rage. My sister wanted to go watch the night premiere, but after one look at Jackman - ripped and bloody and snarling - I shook my head and shied away. Fast forward three years, and Wolverine is the best goddamn X-Men ever created, Hugh Jackman is the best casting decision ever made, and Logan has changed superhero movies forever.

The previous Wolverine films haven't been that successful. Compared to the Avengers franchise or basically any other Marvel movie created (minus Green Lantern but Deadpool makes up for that, right?), Wolverine has suffered a bad case of misfire after misfire. While Hugh Jackman was practically made for the role of James Howlett aka Logan, it wasn't until perhaps the X-Men series itself (or Jean Grey?) that catapulted the character into the iconic symbol it is now.

The year is 2029, and mutants are all but gone. Logan lives a quiet life as a limousine driver in the wee hours of the morning. He drinks a lot and is rather lonely, and his only company lies in caring for a senile Professor X with mutant tracker, Caliban (Stephen Merchant). One day, Logan is approached by a mysterious woman by the name of Gabriella Lopez who is a nurse at a shady cancer research company, Transigen who asks Logan to take in Laura (Dafne Keen). Laura turns out to be X-23, Wolverine's daughter, and a product of Transigen, which manufactures and turns babies into mutant soldiers. Lopez was part of the movement to take the kids to safety - to a sanctuary called Eden - but in the chaos, only managed to save Laura. Obviously, as the grumpy old man he is, Logan refuses but after a series of circumstances, is forced to take in Laura.

First of all, the action in this movie is what Avengers, Deadpool, Spiderman, even Ironman (my Avenger bae) wants their movies to have. It's phenomenal and by phenomenal, I mean, dark and gory and real and absolutely invigorating. It's CGI but it's not and you really can't tell when the line begins and ends because it was that mesmerizing. The screams, the wounds, the metal-on-metal, even the blood (fake and alive) splatter the screens and in our minds, and make Deadpool a kiddie splash in the adult pool of R-rated fun. And might I add that Hugh Jackman, at 48, still looks killer?

While the action was top-notch, it wouldn't have been done justice without the performances of the star-studded cast. Hugh Jackman delivers a powerful and heart-tugging performance as a lonely, dying but still stubborn Logan. You feel his pain through the screen, as always, but this time as a darker, gloomier version of the beloved character. Patrick Stewart is fabulous as a mentally-ill Professor X, providing the majority of the film's humor (he crazy but not that crazy). Dafne Keen, our newest recruit, steals a great majority of the scenes. She puts a new meaning on "Silent but deadly" because she is - and it was fucking awesome. The supporting cast is also pretty great, too. Stephen Merchant as Caliban is a new - but wonderful - addition and our main villain, Donald Pierce (Boyd Holbrook) sports a believable Southern twang and is just as calculating as he is despicable.

But what makes Logan stand out from the rest of the Wolverine films (heck, even all the Avengers, screw it) is the emotion that it lends the viewers. Sure, it's grimmer than the others but it's a film about family. Professor X as Grandpa Chuck and Logan as his son is a humorous take on the powerful connection that the two characters have. It's heartfelt and a bit tragic...but in a beautiful way. Also, there is a unique bond between Laura and Logan that you don't - can't - see with anyone else. Not Mariko Yashida (The Wolverine), not even Jean Grey...in fact, this father-daughter duo is what propels the movie into its deep, emotional core that other superhero movies miss. In fact, I cried. Twice. And there were grown men right next to me, and I heard them sniffle at least once.

Now, the plot is a different question entirely. It's nothing wholly new - bad guys go after the main character. Truly, it's the action and the heart that add it a spice that was never tried before in the Marvel-verse. Yet, although the main plot was usually surface-deep, Logan took risks that rocketed it to the 92% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. First, both Professor X and Logan are dying. They've lived a good, long life but the fact that you're introduced to their dying states (and Logan's suicidal thoughts) near the beginning of the movie hint at a less than happy ending (more on that later). Second, the mutant kids, and not just Laura. The kids - young, artificial mutants - are in search of a new home, a new phase in their lives essentially (in the shape of a franchise, perhaps?). They are part of Wolverine's final battle, and a crucial step in the destruction (and introduction) of their foes. Two risks set up in a way that made me a bit doubtful of the movie, but two risks done beautifully by Director Mangold and the rest of the cast.

And then there's the ending. By God, have I ever tried to hide crying that hard? No, I don't think so. I'm still thinking about it now - heck, the only reason I didn't post this sooner was so I could collect my thoughts. To be fair, though, I didn't particularly love the way it ended. It was fitting to the story-line but just tragic. It stole any chance of the Wolverine series ending somewhat peacefully, but nevertheless, Laura was there to give her father some short-lived tranquility (which he delivered a heartfelt quote - the only one that the father and daughter had time to spare). The X-shaped cross was a clever touch, too, but gah, I half-expected something more and half-expected something less, and ended up getting both. *crying*

In short, Logan is a gem. An Infinity Stone, if you must (get it? No? Alright...). With just the action scenes alone, this movie deserves an Oscar. With the performances of Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart as our old friends, and Dafne Keen as the vicious and spunky X-23, Logan is worth an Oscar and a thousand. I couldn't have asked for anything short of what I saw today, and I was both entranced and destroyed at the same time. And if you're anything of a masochist like I am, or someone who just loves the Wolverine, Marvel, and/or Hugh Jackman like I do, then Logan is your best bet for a deliciously soggy Saturday afternoon.

*originally watched 3/11 

PS. I heard news that there will be more Wolverine movies in the future? And that it will NOT be Hugh Jackman who will be playing him? Hm...what do you think about this?

[astormofships]

Pick Your Darling: Annette

“Darling heart, I loved you from the start, but you'll never know what a fool I've been. Darling heart, I loved you from the start, but that's no excuse for the state I'm in..”

Ship name

Winter Melody. The Wolf and the Siren. The Warrior and the Maid come again, jested Theon. No names blended, it wouldn't be satisfactory. They are much better left alone xD

Meeting

White Harbour was probably the most prosperous and welcoming city in the North. And luckily, you lived there. All your life, to be exact. The people were fond of sweet Annette; if a visitor dropped by, they might hear tales of a golden haired woman healing the mind with music. They praised your harmonious voice too. Others were curious about your Lannister look, golden hair and green eyes. But it wasn't that bad, considering your noble blood and illogicality of hiding a possible relative when Lord Tywin could have married you to spread his power in Westeros. No, you were not related to the lions in any way. Words reached Catelyn Stark's ears which prompted an invitation to Winterfell. Accepting, you arrived a full moon later. She personally welcomed you and introduced her family during a humble yet tasty meal prepared in your honour. Afterwards, a visit of the castle followed. Sansa and Robb were your guides although the former did most of the task seeing that the latter was required somewhere else.

First impressions, the way it used to be before it became romantic

Words flowed easily. Politeness did not put a strain on the discussion, nor added pressure to the cordial atmosphere. Surprisingly, humor made an appearance. He was not just a lord's son, and you were not just a pleasing face. A friendship surely took root, based on positivity, respect and trust. You stayed a few months, then returned home. And repeat. When you weren't in the city, letters were the best option. While Arya, Rickon and the rest of the Starks preferred to see you in person, Sansa had taken to send ravens. But the one who possessed the most faithful quill feather was Robb. The content of the letters spoke of news of self, families and respective cities. Ranting on parchment or giving opinions was not a rarity. Talking about the plot of stories and characters you wrote happened. You played games, too, like long distance riddles. Signatures were usually “R”, “A” or “Winter” and “Melody”. That way people may not recognize who wrote if they stumbled upon it intentionally or accidentally. If a Littlefinger had access to them, he would figure it out almost immediately. The initials and names, along with the known friendship, were effortless to link back together and guess who the authors were. Annette and Robb were not known to focus on cleverness or worry about intelligence. By no means simpletons, being associated with bravery or fairness were more flattering and accurate goals. But anyway, being together was better, naturally. You knew what to say when he was feeling down, he would be there to offer help even though you were sometimes too stubborn to consider accepting. That unhealthy habit had met its enemy; the young man was determined to be there no matter what, whether support was in the form of physical assistance, a shoulder to cry on or making you laugh. Not particularly knowledgeable in the art of music, he liked hearing you play instruments and sing, or both at the same time. He sang with you when feeling overly bold and merry. Dancing lessons were a thing, to not lose the practice acquired years ago. Yeah, right. Mostly because it was enjoyable too. Knowing how important writing was, he made sure to get parchments, quills and bottles of ink before your current resources were entirely used. In return, you allowed him to read some of your work. Because why not? His hear soared the first time it occurred, honoured by the actual proof of trust you were showing. During competitions including swords, mêlées, archery or any brutish entertainment, you were apprehensive but always rooted for him. When he wanted to get away from his duties or find solace, he joined you in the library. It was a soothing place, nobody spoke there. Just you two, actually. Little rebels. About nothing and everything, or books. The one resting on the table you were sitting at, or other tales. It led to passionate debates, philosophical ones or sharing dreams, who were your favourites heroes and heroines, what lands you would love to see, real or not.

Who took the first step

No meeting organized, fate let it happen when the stars were aligned. Or if you were less poetic, feelings spoke on their own and did the job. It's crazy how both could smile and look at the other without saying anything, content. One day, you were dancing. Eyes met, even wanted to close. Overwhelmed to the point of forcing yourself to break contact or else no more distance would exist between your bodies, you excused yourself. He asked if you were okay. Nodding with a smile to reassure him, he saw through the protective mask and gently took ahold of your hands, caressing one with his thumb to sooth your growing nerves and keep you in place. He verbally acknowledged what was going on between the two of you. Professed his feelings. It made you smile, feeling like everything was perfect at this specific moment. Then laughter openly escaped your mouth. Sighing peacefully, arms lightly resting on his shoulders as it went to circle around his neck, you told him you had fallen too. And with those words, you kissed him with firm tenderness. He responded eagerly.

Who approves, who disapproves

His siblings were pleased. Your entourage were beyond themselves: Annette and the heir of Winterfell? The Sevens had blessed the family. Theon was satisfied if his best friend was happy, there were worse women in the land.  You were a catch.

Well, all the ladies who dreamed of a handsome and wealthy husband and a few men who wanted to seduce you clearly weren't enchanted by the news but what could they do.

Ned and Cat were surprised that their eldest son would settle for you. You were respected and loved by many, including them. But they imagined Robb betrothed to a lady of a higher house. Reed, Karstark, Mormont... your name did not figure on the list. They did not protest vehemently, though. Nobles seldom married for love and if their son had this chance, they would not ruin it for him.

The best friend and the one you get along with the least

Sansa. You both lived in your head and trusting one another, it allowed to gush and share fantasies you wouldn't dare with anyone else. She was the one who got to read your stories and give constructive criticism or compliments. Gaining a new sister was a tempting prospect to her. Being the old one, she had always wanted a big sister to look up to. You were not a disappointing choice.

Robb often asked for her opinion concerning gifts when he was doubting his own.

“What should I offer Annette? Her name day is approaching and she deserves something special. “

“Well, maybe you should favour a sentimental present instead of material.”

“Should I just.. write a poem?”

Let's just say he was relieved Theon and Jon were not here to listen to the conversation, those pricks certainly would tease the crap out of him. He would simply pity them, ignorants to the joy of love.  

In this universe, Theon was fascinated by the way you seem to wish to see the good in everyone, even a scoundrel like him.    

Cersei was convinced you were a tart.

Joffrey and The Hound were a little disgusted by the constant goodness.

If somebody else fancies one of you

Who doesn't sigh dreamily at the thought of Robb Stark? Men wanted to be him and women longed to be in his arms.

Your pretty eyes and alluring voice charmed more than one, especially a young lad back home who you didn't view as more than a friend.

The best and the worst

The common dream of happiness and having children with the love of your life.

His co-existing reliability and playfulness.

Your heart of gold.

The locks he loves to caress and play with, the eyes he never gets tired of staring into.

How embraces feel like home.

THE RED WEDDING.

Hogwarts Houses

Chivalry, Bravery, Boldness. Loyalty, Honesty and Justice.  Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Robb could fit in both. But he eventually became a rebel and the King in the North. So Gryffindor it is. Dedicated, friendly and unafraid of toil, yours remain Hufflepuff.

Seven Deadly Sins and Virtues

Wrath, both of you. Usually calm and friendly, the young wolf had a temper when provoked. He became the leader of a rebellion, did he not? In the name of his father, murdered by the crown. Revenge in mind and justice in his sword, Robb Stark was ready to destroy those unappeasable enemies who were also ready to fight to the death. Forget positivity for a minute and let's imagine someone crossed the line by engaging in evildoing and betrayal. These were two things you could not tolerate, nor forgive. Especially not from a loved one. You might try to give them a second chance, but nothing would be as it used to be. Messing with you was not recommended.

  Dutiful, content to live a peaceful life and chivalrous,  his virtue would be Diligence.

Kindness is yours again, for obvious reasons.

Who is the sun, who is the moon

The Direwolf represents House Stark, we know that. But he is not the moon just because of that. People watch Robb because he is a son of Winterfell and easy on the eye, let's be honest. The moon can be seen during the day, if you try very hard to see it. Truly? Correct or not, we know it's there. When they look at you, it's because you attract attention when you enter the room. If the place was already illuminated, you'd still bring another source of light with your mere presence. You radiated like the sun, with those good intentions and bubbly aura.  

Endgame or not

Ha ha ha ha ha ha.... no. You thought Ned Stark's death was the end of your romance but when you tried again, a name was the answer. Frey. Or was it Westerling? When Robb prepared himself to go to war against the crown, you wanted to go as well. Refusing categorically, your stubbornness was your strongest ally in this fight. Yes, there was shouting involved. Without condescension, he pleaded with you not to follow because of your chronic pain and how your place was not on an army's camp. They moved a lot and had to be swift in case of surprise attack. He was worried you would get in harm's way although he knew trusted soldiers would keep you safe. Besides, what if they couldn't? What if the enemies took you hostage or worse? What if he died? What if the war was lost? Telling you to go home was the best choice. Even if White Harbour were allies of the North, the Lannisters couldn't dismiss them in the end; business with the Manderlys was useful: Fish, thick clothing, its notable seaport visited by Westerosi and Essosi people... you had the chance to have a decent future, in spite of Robb's presence in your life. You were angry, to say the least. But he was the love of your life, was he not? You wanted to follow your heart, and it was him. You wanted to stand by his side as he lived the worst years of his life,  fighting for a good cause: his family. He accepted, touched by the loyalty but still worried nevertheless. It all crashed down when he told you of his alliance with Walder Frey, how he had to marry one of his daughter. And that was it. Your relationship was over. Pride wouldn't let it pass. Deep down, there was hope for another solution to come up at the last minute but no. Bad news did: Robb suddenly got married to a lady of the west named Jeyne Westerling. Not only were you heartbroken and betrayed, but so were the Freys. That is, betrayed. It's not like they personally cared for the Young Wolf. It was over, truly, when it had the potential of lasting forever. Sorrow, rage, what feeling dominated you the most? You wondered. When a tragic payback called The Red Wedding took place, news began to spread the next morrow. You were speechless at first, literally and figuratively. Catelyn, Grey Wind, Ro'-him. They did not deserve such fate, never. All you could do was mourn, and move on. Thank the Seven for your entourage, what would you have done without them and their support? Quite frankly, you didn't know.          

Who I truly ship you with regardless of the requests’ details

Robb is my favourite match even if you end up with Jaime, which won't last either. This lion man has another woman in mind and heart. And it isn't his twin, nor you.

[networkingdefinition]

Vietnam Quotes

Official Website: Vietnam Quotes

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• A country that has been through as much as Vietnam has to have some crazy music somewhere. – Henry Rollins • A first novel of astonishing force, craft and beauty, The Headmaster’s Wager conjures up a dizzyingly evocative wartime Saigon in the story of Percival Chen, a Chinese schoolmaster in Vietnam. This extraordinary book made me weep. Read it. – Janice Y. K. Lee • A great read; an exciting, frightening account of organized crime today. But like all important works of nonfiction, it goes further… This book is must reading for anyone with an interest in the enduring effects of the Vietnam War, the subject of crime in our streets, and the issue of personal responsibility in a harsh, chaotic world. – Le Ly Hayslip • A lot of people have warned President Clinton that Bosnia will turn into another Vietnam, which would be embarrassing for him because he’ll have to go back to college. – Bill Maher • A time comes when silence is betrayal. That time has come for us in relation to Vietnam. A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift, is approaching spiritual death.I knew that America would never invest the necessary funds or energies in rehabilitation of its poor so long as adventures like Vietnam continued to draw men and skills and money like some demonic destructive suction tube. So I was increasingly compelled to see the war as an enemy of the poor. – Martin Luther King, Jr. • Above all, Vietnam was a war that asked everything of a few and nothing of most in America. – Myra MacPherson • After every major conflict – World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the fall of the Soviet Union – what happened was that we ultimately hollowed out the force, largely by doing deep across-the-board cuts. – Leon Panetta • After four or five different wars, I grew weary of that work, partly because in an open war, open to coverage, as Vietnam was, it’s not that difficult, really. – Morley Safer • After the ’30s, we said, “no more Munichs.” And it got us in a lot of problems. Then we said, “No more Vietnams.” Now if we say, “No more Iraqs,” the next one won’t be an Iraq. It will be something different. You can’t learn lessons. – Brent Scowcroft • All the wrong people remember Vietnam. I think all the people who remember it should forget it, and all the people who forgot it should remember it. – Michael Herr • America has entered one of its periods of historical madness, but this is the worst I can remember: worse than McCarthyism, worse than the Bay of Pigs and in the long term potentially more disastrous than the Vietnam War. – John le Carre • America has made no reparation to the Vietnamese, nothing. We are the richest people in the world and they are among the poorest. We savaged them, though they had never hurt us, and we cannot find it in our hearts, our honor, to give them help-because the government of Vietnam is Communist. And perhaps because they won.- Martha Gellhorn • Any of these Vietnam vets that have been there and know the deal, they don’t feel that any Hollywood endeavor about the Vietnam era has ever gotten it right yet. – Sam Elliott • As I come to understand Vietnam and what it implies about the human condition, I also realize that few humans will permit themselves such an understanding. – Alan Moore

jQuery(document).ready(function($) var data = action: 'polyxgo_products_search', type: 'Product', keywords: 'Vietnam', orderby: 'rand', order: 'DESC', template: '1', limit: '68', columns: '4', viewall:'Shop All', ; jQuery.post(spyr_params.ajaxurl,data, function(response) var obj = jQuery.parseJSON(response); jQuery('#thelovesof_vietnam').html(obj); jQuery('#thelovesof_vietnam img.swiper-lazy:not(.swiper-lazy-loaded)' ).each(function () var img = jQuery(this); img.attr("src",img.data('src')); img.addClass( 'swiper-lazy-loaded' ); img.removeAttr('data-src'); ); ); ); • Back in the old Corp, we weren’t training those privates to infiltrate into the peacetime Marine Corp. We were training those privates to go to Vietnam. – R. Lee Ermey • Because the GIs were sent massively to South Vietnam, maybe it’s a good idea to have a broadcast for them. – Hanoi Hannah • Before the Civil War, Canada was at the top of the underground railroad. If you made it into Canada, you were safe unless someone came and hauled you back. That was also true during the Vietnam War for draft resisters. – Margaret Atwood • Before we put an American in harm’s way, tell us why. No one wants to see the region descend into further chaos. There’s a lot of concern about getting embroiled in another Vietnam and … about sending American troops once again to fight someone else’s war. – Xavier Becerra • Being in Vietnam changed him [Johnny Cash] fundamentally. He was devastated when we went into Iraq. – Rosanne Cash • Bill Klinton was the ultimate rock star as president. I don’t think as a result of his presidency we will ever have a rock star as president again. In the same way that we will never get involved in another Vietnam. – Joe Eszterhas • But although Australia was also involved in the Vietnam conflict, I can remember my dad telling us that if we were in Australia, we wouldn’t be drafted until we were 20. – Mel Gibson • But despite their heroic acts, the Vietnam Veterans of America continued to struggle to establish a combat badge in honor of these brave pilots and medics. – Tim Holden • By 1973, John Kerry had already accused American soldiers of committing war crimes in Vietnam, thrown someone else’s medals to the ground in an anti-war demonstration, and married his first heiress. – Ann Coulter • By the year 2025, 500 million people will die of smoking. Now, that’s a Vietnam War every day for 27 years. That’s the Titanic sinking every 27 minutes for 27 years. – C. Everett Koop • Charles Reich discredits reason because it has been used to justify the war in Vietnam, which is like deciding that because your mother has cooked you a few bad meals you must never eat again. – Molly Haskell • ‘Dare to Discipline’ was published in 1970 in the midst of the Vietnam War and a culture of rebellion. The book was written in that context, but the principles of child rearing have not changed. – James Dobson • Everybody respects the Vietnam Veterans of America. – R. Lee Ermey • Fathers are always so proud the first time they see their sons in uniform,” she said. “I know Big John Karpinski was,” I said. He is my neighbor to the north, of course. Big John’s son Little John did badly in high school, and the police caught him selling dope. So he joined the Army while the Vietnam War was going on. And the first time he came home in uniform, I never saw Big John so happy, because it looked to him as though Little John was all straightened out and would amount to something. But then Little John came home in a body bag. – Kurt Vonnegut • For my generation – the “Children of Nixon,” as I call us in the book – the Lebanese civil war was an iconic event. Downtown Beirut became a metaphor for so many things: man’s inhumanity to man, what Charles Bukowski called “the impossibility of being human.” It shaped our perceptions of war and human nature, just as Vietnam did for our parents. We used it to understand how the world works. – Annia Ciezadlo • Forty years ago this country went down a rabbit hole in Vietnam and millions died. I fear we’re going down a rabbit hole once again – and if people can stop and think and reflect on some of the ideas and issues in this movie, perhaps I’ve done some damn good here! – Errol Morris • From 1962 to 1965 the US was dedicated to try to prevent the independence of South Vietnam, the reason was of course that Kennedy and Johnson knew that if any political solution was permitted in the south, the National Liberation Front would effectively come to power, so strong was its political support in comparison with the political support of the so-called South Vietnamese government. – Noam Chomsky • Had there been a reporter along with Lieutenant Calley when he massacred those people in Vietnam, I think that probably wouldn’t have happened. – Bob Schieffer • Have you ever had any anger about President Bush – who spent his time during the Vietnam War in the National Guard – running, in effect, a campaign that does its best to diminish your service in Vietnam? You have to be at least irritated by that, or have you been? – Dan Rather • Helvetica is the font of the Vietnam War. – Paula Scher • Hollywood never knew there was a Vietnam War until they made the movie. – Jerry Stiller • How do you ask a man to be the last man to die in Vietnam? How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake? – John F. Kerry • I always felt more emotionally attached to Cambodia than I did to Vietnam. – Ed Bradley • I am afraid if the present trend in Vietnam continues that direct confrontation, first of all between Washington and Peking, is inevitable. – U Thant • I am convinced that it is one of the most unjust wars that has ever been fought in the history of the world. Our involvement in the war in Vietnam has torn up the Geneva Accord. It has strengthened the military-industrial complex; it has strengthened the forces of reaction in our nation. It has put us against the self-determination of a vast majority of the Vietnamese people, and put us in the position of protecting a corrupt regime that is stacked against the poor. – Martin Luther King, Jr. • I believe the liberal international order is under assault from Russia, and from other authoritarian regimes, and it is being questioned from within the West by nationalists, by nativists, and by people who doubt our – doubt the values of the West. We’ve gone through periods like this before; in the ’70s, after Vietnam and Watergate, and certainly in the ’30s, when people thought liberal democracy was dead, and the future belonged either to the fascists or the communists. – Daniel Fried • I could have ended the war in a month. I could have made North Vietnam look like a mud puddle. – Barry Goldwater • I couldn’t be happier that President Bush has stood up for having served in the National Guard, because I can finally put an end to all those who questioned my motives for enlisting in the Army Reserve at the height of the Vietnam War. – Larry David • I deliberately did not read anything about the Vietnam War because I felt the politics of the war eclipsed what happened to the veterans. The politics were irrelevant to what this memorial was. – Maya Lin • I didn’t like anti-Vietnam War art. I didn’t like feminist art. I thought it was heavy-handed and stupid – as art. – Robert Barry • I do not believe that the men who served in uniform in Vietnam have been given the credit they deserve. It was a difficult war against an unorthodox enemy. – William Westmoreland • I flew in combat in Vietnam. I got shot at, I shot back, I got shot down. Compared to this flight, I felt a lot safer in combat. – Dick Rutan • I get very sad when I think about Vietnam where there seems to be no choice but violence. This violence goes on for centuries perpetuating itself. – Yoko Ono • I had been in that part of the world as a soldier in Korea, so I had been interested in Vietnam. – Michael Caine • I knew that America would never invest the necessary funds of energies in rehabilitation of its poor as long as adventures like Vietnam continued to draw men and skills and money like some demonic destructive suction tube. – Martin Luther King, Jr. • I like automatic weapons. I fought for my right to use them in Vietnam. – Oliver Stone • I oppose the war in Vietnam because I love America. I speak out against it not in anger but with anxiety and sorrow in my heart, and above all with a passionate desire to see our beloved country stand as a moral example of the world. – Martin Luther King, Jr. • I predict you will sink step by step into a bottomless quagmire, however much you spend in men and money.” (On Vietnam War) – Charles de Gaulle • I said to the president’s wife, Vietnam is the main reason we are having trouble with the youth of America. It is a war without explanation or reason. – Eartha Kitt • I saw a man walk into my camera viewfinder from the left. He took a pistol out of his holster and raised it. I had no idea he would shoot. It was common to hold a pistol to the head of prisoners during questioning. So I prepared to make that picture – the threat, the interrogation. But it didn’t happen. The man just pulled a pistol out of his holster, raised it to the VC’s head and shot him in the temple. I made a picture at the same time. (On his 1968 photograph of the summary street corner execution of prisoner Nguyen Van Lem by South Vietnam’s police chief, Lt. Col. Nguyen Ngoc Loan.) – Eddie Adams • I saw courage both in the Vietnam War and in the struggle to stop it. I learned that patriotism includes protest, not just military service. – John F. Kerry • I served two tours of duty in Vietnam. I won the Bronze Star. I won the Purple Heart. – Ron Kovic • I think most of us secretly know – and those of us at the radical middle are inclined to say – that without such concepts as duty and honor and service, no civilization can endure. … I suspect most Americans would respond positively to a [draft] if it gives us some choice in how to exercise that duty and service. … Exactly the kind of choice my generation did not have during the Vietnam War. – Mark Satin • I think we can end the divisions within the United States. What I think is quite clear is that we can work together in the last analysis. And that what has been going on with the United States over the period of that last three years, the divisions, the violence, the disenchantment with our society, the divisions – whether it’s between blacks and whites, between the poor and the more affluent, or between age groups, or in the war in Vietnam – that we can work together. We are a great country, an unselfish country and a compassionate country. And I intend to make that my basis for running. – Robert Kennedy • I think we fought Vietnam for the benefits of civilization, and certainly we fought it to oppose authority. To show our authority, to show we weren’t weak. Isn’t that what Nixon kept saying? “We have to show the world that we’re not weak.” So of course what we ended up showing the world was that we were, yep, weak. ‘Cause we couldn’t beat these kids in black pajamas. – Stephen King • I thought the Vietnam war was an utter, unmitigated disaster, so it was very hard for me to say anything good about it. – George McGovern • I try to express with the camera what the story is, to get to the heart of the story with picture. In battle I look at things first in terms of people, second in terms of strategies or casualties… To tell a story, you don’t photograph one hundred dead civilians to prove there were one hundred dead civilians. You photograph one dead civilian with an expression on his face that says, This is what it’s like if you’re a dead civilian in Vietnam. – Horst Faas • I used to love going into local hardware stores, to look at little things they made locally. Nowadays it’s harder, though you can still do it in Vietnam. – Francis Ford Coppola • I want to make sure that the Coast Guard people in Vietnam know that I am hearing about them often and that I am pleased with what I hear. – Wallace M. Greene • I was arrested 1965. I had come back from the merchant marines, got into conversations about the war. I had never heard of Vietnam until I was in the merchant marines in constitution square in Athens, and I picked up the New York Herald or the International Herald Tribune and there was my first introduction of the word Vietnam. – Bill Ayers • I was caught up in the hysteria during the Vietnam era, which was brought about through Marxist propaganda underlying the so-called peace movement. – Jon Voight • I was getting money for showing one man killing another. Two lives were destroyed and I was getting paid for it. (On his 1968 photograph of the summary street corner execution of prisoner Nguyen Van Lem by South Vietnam’s police chief, Lt. Col. Nguyen Ngoc Loan.) – Eddie Adams • I was proud of the youths who opposed the war in Vietnam because they were my babies.- Benjamin Spock • I was so opposed to the war in Vietnam that I initially refused President Nixon’s urgings for me to go there. – Sammy Davis, Jr. • I was the guy who was constantly speaking out against the Vietnam War. I have no regrets about that.- George McGovern • I was too young for Korea and too old for Vietnam. – Stephen Ambrose • I was very much a child of the 1960s. I protested the Vietnam War and grew up in a fairly politicized home. My father was like a cross between William Kunstler and Zorba the Greek. I grew up among left-wing lawyers. – Marianne Williamson • I wasn’t for Vietnam. When I told that to the hippie newspaper, all my people got nervous. – Loretta Lynn • I went to Vietnam; it was my first assignment as a reporter for the UPI, and I never could get away from the war. – Neil Sheehan • I would like to say something, not just to Vietnam veterans in New England, but to men who were in Vietnam, who I hurt, or whose pain I caused to deepen because of the things that I said or did. I was trying to help end the killing and the war, but there were times when I was thoughtless and careless about it and I’m…very sorry that I hurt them. And I want to apologize to them and their families. – Jane Fonda • I would not trade you a billion dollars for the kids I led to combat in Vietnam or in fact any of the Marines that I served with for a quarter of a century. – Oliver North • If America’s soul becomes totally poisoned, part of the autopsy must read Vietnam. It can never be saved so long as it destroys the hopes of men the world over. – Martin Luther King, Jr. • If John McCain were really a war hero he would’ve won Vietnam. – Zach Braff • If people become ecstatic the whole society will have to change, because this society is based on misery. If people are blissful you cannot lead them to war — to Vietnam, or to Egypt, or to Israel. No. Someone who is blissful will just laugh and say: This is nonsense! – Rajneesh • If Recep Tayyip Erdogan cannot placate ISIS, how are we ever gonna be able to? And placate is clearly what John Kerry, who once served in Vietnam, and Barack Hussein O and Hillary Clinton think is the only thing we have to do is placate them. Because we’re at fault, see. – Rush Limbaugh • If there really had been a Mercutio, and if there really were a Paradise, Mercutio might be hanging out with teenage Vietnam draftee casualties now, talking about what it felt like to die for other people’s vanity and foolishness. – Kurt Vonnegut • If we quit Vietnam, tomorrow we’ll be fighting in Hawaii, and next week we’ll have to fight in San Francisco. – Lyndon B. Johnson • If we were not in Vietnam, all that part of the world would be enjoying the obscurity it so richly deserves. – John Kenneth Galbraith • If you get a President (Hillary) Clinton, you might well find, just as after Vietnam, that there is a retraction from Iraq and of American influence in the world. And in a couple of years the Europeans will be complaining about that too. – John Bolton • If you look at China – and frankly, Vietnam now is doing a big number, and you look at Japan and India and Mexico – Mexico’s killing us at the border and they’re killing us with trade. – Donald Trump • If you run an Internet search on Vietnam and the war, most of the information you get begins at about 1962. I think this is telling. It is missing the whole period that led up to the reasons the war happened in the first place. – Brendan Fraser • I’ll always have the memories of guys I lost in Vietnam. And I’ve lost friends since the war, but I’ll always have the memories. The riches are great, but riches aren’t everything, because when you go you can only take your memories and your word and your honor to the grave with you. – Michael E. Thornton • I’ll tell you what I really think about politicians. The other night I watched some politicians on television talking about Vietnam. I wanted very much to burst through the screen with a flame thrower and burn their eyes out and their balls off and then inquire from them how they would assess the action from a political point of view. – Harold Pinter • I’m not going to say I was opposed to the Vietnam War. I’m going to say I’m opposed to war. But I’m also opposed to protests that deny other people their rights. – John Wooden • I’m not so sure that people consider homelessness to be as important as, say, the Vietnam War. One should never even try to equate them because, of course, they’re tragedies on both sides of the coin. – Graham Nash • I’m old enough to remember John Kennedy sending a few advisers into Vietnam. I’m very worried we’ll get in and we’ll get mired down in something we don’t have any idea what to do [with]. – Jim McDermott • In 1961, the United States began chemical warfare in Vietnam, South Vietnam, chemical warfare to destroy crops and livestock. That went on for seven years. The level of poison – they used the most extreme carcinogen known: dioxin. And this went on for years. – Noam Chomsky • In F-111, I question the collusion between the Vietnam War, income taxes, consumerism, and advertising. – James Rosen • In revealing the workings of government that led to the Vietnam War, the newspapers nobly did precisely that which the Founders hoped and trusted they would do. – Hugo Black • In the 1960s, there was a point, 1968, ’69, when there was a very strong antiwar movement against the war in Vietnam. But it’s worth remembering that the war in Vietnam started – an outright war started in 1962. – Noam Chomsky • In the ’60s we fought for peace, when the Vietnam war was on. We were against the cops and against the politicians, and there was a lot of waving banners and all that. And I think in a way, just as they were enjoying that machoism of war, we were enjoying the machismo of being anti-war, you know? – Yoko Ono • Iraq was a war of choice, like Vietnam. – Chuck Hagel • It doesn t require any particular bravery to stand on the floor of the Senate and urge our boys in Vietnam to fight harder and if this war mushrooms into a major conflict and a hundred thousand young Americans are killed it won t be U.S. Senators who die. It will be American soldiers who are too young to qualify for the Senate. – George McGovern • It is a fact that the Left routinely resists, then as now: Americans fought and died in Vietnam for freedom, just as they are doing in Iraq and Afghanistan today. Whatever mistakes generals and policymakers have made along the way cannot detract from that essential truth – which should be a part of any reliable history. – Arthur L. Herman • It is unconscionable that 10,000 boys have died in Vietnam. If 10,000 American women had mind enough they could end the war, if they were committed to the task, even if it meant going to jail. – Jeannette Rankin • It might interest you that just as the U.S. was ramping up its involvement in Vietnam, LBJ launched an illegal invasion of the Dominican Republic (April 28, 1965). (Santo Domingo was Iraq before Iraq was Iraq.) – Junot Diaz • It seems now more certain than ever that the bloody experience of Vietnam is to end in a stalemate. – Walter Cronkite • It was a tough press conference for President Bush. He spent the first ten minutes trying to pronounce Fallujah. … Bush insisted that Iraq is not Vietnam. Of course not, he avoided Vietnam. – David Letterman • It was not my desire to go off and serve in Vietnam. – Mitt Romney • It would be good for the workers in Vietnam even as it helps make sure that they’re not undercutting competition here in the United States. – Barack Obama • It would take 2,000 Vietnam Memorials to list the [Twentieth] century’s war dead. – Kim Stanley • It’s a weird scene. You win a few baseball games and all of a sudden you’re surrounded by reporters and TV men with cameras asking you about Vietnam and race relations. – Vida Blue • It’s silly talking about how many years we will have to spend in the jungles of Vietnam when we could pave the whole country and put parking stripes on it and still be home by Christmas. – Ronald Reagan • It’s very common to say that Star Wars in the late ’70s, that was kind of perfect for Cold War culture and the aftermath of Vietnam in the ’60s to have an upbeat, hopeful, cartoonish tale of a hero’s journey. I think those explanations are easy to offer and almost always wrong. – Cass Sunstein

• John Kerry gave the enemy for free what I and many of my comrades in North Vietnam in the prison camps took torture to avoid saying. – Paul Galanti • Let us put an end to self-inflicted wounds. Let us remember that our national unity is a most priceless asset. Let us deny our adversaries the satisfaction of using Vietnam to pit Americans against Americans. – Gerald R. Ford • Let us understand: North Vietnam cannot defeat or humiliate the United States. Only Americans can do that. – Richard M. Nixon • Many of the architects of the Vietnam War became near pariahs as they spent the remainder of their lives in the futile quest to explain away their decisions at the time. – Graydon Carter • Militarily, we succeeded in Vietnam. We won every engagement we were involved in out there. – William Westmoreland • Moms and daughters can negotiate over anything, and they can go on longer than it took to settle the Vietnam War. – Steve Schirripa • Money, as a sort of drug, has become a great danger to our development. There will be no progress in our country unless we win the fight against corruption. This is a question of survival for the Communist Party of Vietnam and for socialism. – Nguyen Minh Triet • Most of us who were opposed to the war, especially in the early ’60’s – the war we were opposed to was the war on South Vietnam which destroyed South Vietnam’s rural society. The South was devastated. But now anyone who opposed this atrocity is regarded as having defended North Vietnam. And that’s part of the effort to present the war as if it were a war between South Vietnam and North Vietnam with the United States helping the South. Of course it’s fabrication. But it’s “official truth” now. – Noam Chomsky • My dad [Johnny Cash] went to the [Richard] Nixon White House and refused to sing “Welfare Cadillac” (instead performing the anti-war songs “The Ballad of Ira Hayes” and “Man in Black”). He protested the Vietnam War, but he went to perform for the troops with bombs dropping all around him. He had that kind of genius: a true artist’s capacity for holding two opposing thoughts at once while being large enough to encompass all realities. – Rosanne Cash • My father had gone to Vietnam. – Elizabeth Edwards • My film is not a movie; it’s not about Vietnam. It is Vietnam. – Francis Ford Coppola • My shoulders sagged. Really, is it too much to ask that I be able to come home from a long day of work and relax? Oh, no. I have to come home and read a bunch of letters written to the love of my life by his fiancée, who, if I am correct, had him killed a hundred and fifty years ago. Then, as if that is not bad enough, he wants me to explain the Vietnam War. – Meg Cabot • My solution to the problem would be to tell [the North Vietnamese Communists] frankly that they’ve got to draw in their horns and stop their aggression or we’re going to bomb them into the Stone Age. And we would shove them back into the Stone Age with Air power or Naval power – not with ground forces. – Curtis LeMay • News footage came on the TV during dinner of bloody bodies coming back from battle in Vietnam, or the race riots in the South, people getting hosed in Selma, Alabama, or the Biafra war, where I got my name. In my household, it was explained and discussed with the children, as a way of educating us from when we first started grade school why racism and war were wrong, what this all really means. – Jello Biafra • Ninety-five percent of women’s experiences are about being a victim. Or about being an underdog, or having to survive… women didn’t go to Vietnam and blow things up. They are not Rambo. – Jodie Foster • No event in American history is more misunderstood than the Vietnam War. It was misreported then, and it is misremembered now. – Richard M. Nixon • Now we have a problem in making our power credible, and Vietnam is the place. – John F. Kennedy • Nuclear power will be the Vietnam issue of the 1980s. – Jerry Brown • Numbers have dehumanized us. Over breakfast coffee we read of 40,000 American dead in Vietnam. Instead of vomiting, we reach for the toast. Our morning rush through crowded streets is not to cry murder but to hit that trough before somebody else gobbles our share. – Dalton Trumbo • Obviously all of us have thought about Vietnam, particularly in my generation in Australia that were part of conscription and fought there. Our friends came back, forever changed. So there were a lot of questions. – Phillip Noyce • On my discharge, I had the challenge of putting my life back together but Vietnam stuck in the inner recesses of my mind. – Doug Rice • On the Vietnam War: I’ve lived under situations where every decent man declared war first and I’ve lived under situations where you don’t declare war. We’ve been flexible enough to kill people without declaring war. – Lewis Blaine Hershey • One of the good things about the way the Gulf War ended in 1991 is, you’d see the Vietnam veterans marching with the Gulf War veterans. – George H. W. Bush • One of the greatest casualties of the war in Vietnam is the Great Society… shot down on the battlefield of Vietnam. – Martin Luther King, Jr. • One of the lessons learned during the Vietnam War was that the depiction of wounded soldiers, of coffins stacked higher than their living guards, had a negative effect on the viewing public. The military in Iraq specifically banned the photographing of wounded soldiers and coffins, thus sanitizing this terrible and bloody conflict. – Walter Dean Myers • One of the sharp parallels is that neither Vietnam nor Iraq was the slightest threat to America’s national security. – George McGovern • One-hundred facts about Vietnam and we studied the fact sheet and got in to these arguments and it was fantastic, and I remember one moment when we heard two students saying don’t talk to those guys, meaning my brother and me. They’ve just memorized that stupid fact sheet. And we thought, gosh do we sound that good? It didn’t seem possible. But that was my introduction to politics. – Bill Ayers • Our numbers have increased in Vietnam because the aggression of others has increased in Vietnam. There is not, and there will not be, a mindless escalation. – Lyndon B. Johnson • Our objective in South Vietnam has never been the annihilation of the enemy. It has been to bring about a recognition in Hanoi that its objective – taking over the South by force – could not be achieved. – Lyndon B. Johnson • Our purpose in Vietnam is to prevent the success of aggression. It is not conquest, it is not empire, it is not foreign bases, it is not domination. It is, simply put, just to prevent the forceful conquest of South Vietnam by North Vietnam. – Lyndon B. Johnson • Our young men in Vietnam have not only acquitted themselves in an outstanding manner during combat operations, but they also have been outstanding ambassadors of goodwill in the vital civic action and pacification work among the tortured populace of South Vietnam. – Lewis William Walt • Philadelphia reflected the national turmoil over race and the Vietnam War, often exploding on my watch. – Andrea Mitchell • President Bush is not fazed by other candidates’ war records. He said, I may have not fought in Vietnam, but I created one. – Craig Kilborn • President Bush’s campaign is now attacking John Kerry for throwing away some of his medals to protest the Vietnam War. Bush did not have any medals to throw away, but in his defense he did have all his services records thrown out. – Jay Leno • President Johnson did not want the Vietnam War to broaden. He wanted the North Vietnamese to leave their brothers in the South alone. – William Westmoreland • Regret what? That secret operation was an excellent idea. It had the effect of drawing the Russians into the Afghan trap and you want me to regret it? The day that the Soviets officially crossed the border, I wrote to President Carter. We now have the opportunity of giving to the USSR its Vietnam war. Indeed, for almost 10 years, Moscow had to carry on a war unsupportable by the government, a conflict that brought about the demoralization and finally the breakup of the Soviet empire. – Zbigniew Brzezinski • Rising sea levels will result in tens to hundreds of millions more people flooded each year with a warming of 3 or 4°C. There will be serious risks and increasing pressures for coastal protection in South East Asia (Bangladesh and Vietnam), small islands in the Caribbean and the Pacific, and large coastal cities, such as Tokyo, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Calcutta, Karachi, Buenos Aires, St. Petersburg, New York, Miami and London. – Nicholas Stern • Robert Capa: He was a good friend and a great and very brave photographer. It is bad luck for everybody that the percentages caught up with him. It is especially bad for Capa. (On Capa’s death in Vietnam, May, 27, 1954) – Ernest Hemingway • Since There are so many questions about what the president was doing over 30 years ago, what is it that he did after his honorable discharge from the National Guard? Did he make speeches alongside Jane Fonda denouncing America’s racist war in Vietnam? – Jeff Gannon • So much of my work involved the Vietnam War that it would have been obscene to show it in a gallery. But now, it’s different; it’s important to remember and to enable the young to discover what to some of us is still so present. – Martha Rosler • So one important lesson of Vietnam is, the first casualty of an unwise and unjust war are the American troops called on to fight it. Their service should be honored. – Paul Begala • Some 30 years later I found myself back here again [in Vietnam] on what was to be a short visit that lasted months, and since then I’ve been living my life with one foot in Ho Chi Minh City and the other in Fair Oaks, California. – Doug Rice • Some of the critics viewed Vietnam as a morality play in which the wicked must be punished before the final curtain and where any attempt to salvage self-respect from the outcome compounded the wrong. I viewed it as a genuine tragedy. No one had a monopoly on anguish. – Henry A. Kissinger • Some people just wanted to blow it all to hell, animal, vegetable and mineral. They wanted a Vietnam they could fit into their car ashtrays. – Michael Herr • Somehow this madness must cease. We must stop now. I speak as a child of God and brother to the suffering poor of Vietnam. I speak for those whose land is being laid waste, whose homes are being destroyed, whose culture is being subverted. I speak for the poor in America who are paying the double price of smashed hopes at home and death and corruption in Vietnam. I speak as a citizen of the world, for the world as it stands aghast at the path we have taken. I speak as an American to the leaders of my own nation. The great initiative in this war is ours. The initiative to stop it must be ours. – Martin Luther King, Jr. • Suicidal violence is not the exclusive property of the Muslim world. Suicide bombings were a tactic of nationalist struggles in 19th-century Europe and Russia, the far east during the second world war and the Vietnam war, and in modern Sri Lanka. – James Buchan • Sure Vietnam is a dirty war. I’ve never heard of a clean one. – Bob Hope • Television brought the brutality of war into the comfort of the living room. Vietnam was lost in the living rooms of America – not on the battlefields of Vietnam. – Marshall McLuhan • Thank you for the sacrifices you and your families are making. Our Vietnam Veterans have taught us that no matter what are positions may be on policy, as Americans and patriots, we must support all of our soldiers with our thoughts and our prayers. – Zach Wamp • The American claim that the bombing of North Vietnam was directed against military targets does not withstand direct investigation. – Noam Chomsky • The American Dream has run out of gas. The car has stopped. It no longer supplies the world with its images, its dreams, its fantasies. No more. It’s over. It supplies the world with its nightmares now: the Kennedy assassination, Watergate, Vietnam. – J. G. Ballard • The American people today are involved in a warfare more deadly than the war in Vietnam, but few of them seem aware of it and even fewer of them are doing anything about it. This is a war that is being waged against the American environment, against our lands, air, and water, which are the basis of that environment. – Norman Cousins • The biggest lesson I learned from Vietnam is not to trust [our own] government statements. – J. William Fulbright • The bombs in Vietnam explode at home; they destroy the hopes and possibilities for a decent America. – Martin Luther King, Jr. • The boys that were running away from America because they didn’t want to get involved with the Vietnam War had come to me. They would tell me how they felt. – Eartha Kitt • The brave men who died in Vietnam, more than 100% of which were black, were the ultimate sacrifice. – Marion Barry • The Contessa was surely way ahead of her time, too, in believing that men were not only usless and idiotic, but downright dangerous. That idea wouldn’t catch on big in her native country until the last three years of the Vietnam War. – Kurt Vonnegut • The future is now! Soon every American home will integrate their television, phone and computer. You’ll be able to visit the Louvre on one channel, or watch female wrestling on another. You can do your shopping at home, or play Mortal Kombat with a friend from Vietnam. There’s no end to the possibilities! – Jim Carrey • The hardest thing for me in Vietnam wasn’t seeing the wounded and dead. It was watching the big transport jets come in, bringing loads of fresh new boys for the war. – Johnny Cash • The industrial way of life leads to the industrial way of death. From Shiloh to Dachau, from Antietam to Stalingrad, from Hiroshima to Vietnam and Afghanistan, the great specialty of industry and technology has been the mass production of human corpses. – Edward Abbey • The International Control Commission isn’t doing anything, it’s never done anything. What good does it do to be on it or not? Before opening the embassy in Hanoi, I gave it a lot of thought, but it wasn’t really a painful decision. American policy in Vietnam is what it is, in Saigon the situation is anything but normal, and I’m happy to have done what I did. – Indira Gandhi • The lessons I learned in Vietnam and in the NFL reinforced one another: teamwork, sacrifice, responsibility, accountability, and leadership. – Rocky Bleier • The only important lesson from the Vietnam War is this: Democrats lose wars. – Ann Coulter • The Quiet American is anti the people who took them into the Vietnam War. – Michael Caine • The race for the White House should be about leadership, and leadership requires that one help heal the wounds of Vietnam, not reopen them. – John F. Kerry • The same people that are with me for not going to Vietnam because I saved them and their children.The same people will give me hell if I turn to them and say, ‘let’s free my people now’.They’re with me on one part of my beliefs about the war, that’s all. Not for my freedom. – Muhammad Ali • The TPP is another corporate-backed agreement that is the latest in a series of trade policies which have cost us millions of decent-paying jobs, pushed down wages for American workers and led to the decline of our middle class. We want American companies to create decent-paying jobs in America, not just low-wage countries like Vietnam, Malaysia or China. The TPP must be defeated. – Bernie Sanders • The truth is that I oppose the Iraq war, just as I opposed the Vietnam War, because these two conflicts have weakened the U.S. and diminished our standing in the world and our national security. – George McGovern • The U.S. directed the war against South Vietnam. There was a political settlement in 1954. But in the late ’50’s the United States organized an internal repression in South Vietnam, not using its troops, but using the local apparatus it was constructing. This was a very significant and very effective campaign of violence and terrorism against the Vietminh – which was the communist-led nationalist force that fought the French. And the Vietminh at that time was adhering to the Geneva Accords, hoping that the political settlement would work out in South Vietnam. – Noam Chomsky • The United States can certainly defeat North Vietnam, but the United States cannot defeat a guerrilla war which is being raged from a sanctuary through a pattern of penetration, intervention, evasion, which is very difficult for a technologically advanced country like the United States to combat. – Zbigniew Brzezinski • The United States must keep a low profile in Vietnam so we can negotiate its neutralization like we did in Laos . – Roger Hilsman • The Vietnam memorial is a masterpiece. The names of the dead are listed there, chronologically. Just the names. – William Westmoreland • The Vietnam War required us to emphasize the national interest rather than abstract principles. What President Nixon and I tried to do was unnatural. And that is why we didn’t make it. – Henry A. Kissinger • The Vietnamese people deeply love independence, freedom and peace. But in the face of United States aggression they have risen up, united as one man. – Ho Chi Minh • The violence of the Left is symbolic, the injuries are not intended. The violence of the Right is real – directed at people, designed to cause injuries. Vietnam, nuclear weapons, police out of control are intentional forms of violence. The violence from the Right is aimed directly at people and the violence from the Left is aimed at institutions and symbols. – George Carlin • The war against Vietnam is only the ghastliest manifestation of what I’d call imperial provincialism, which afflicts America’s whole culture-aware only of its own history, insensible to everything which isn’t part of the local atmosphere.- Stephen Vizinczey • The war in Vietnam I thought a dreadful mistake.- Stephen Ambrose • The war in vietnam threatened to tear our society apart, and the political and philosophical disagreements that separated each side continue, to some extent. It’s been said that these memorials reflect a hunger for healing. – Ronald Reagan • The war on drugs was never meant to be won. Instead, it will be prolonged as long as possible in order to allow various intelligence operations to wring the last few hundreds of millions of dollars in illicit profits from the global drug scam; then defeat will have to be declared. “Defeat” will mean, as it did in the case of the Vietnam War, that the media will correctly portray the true dimensions of the situation and the real players, and that public revulsion at the culpability, stupidity and venality of the Establishment’s role will force a policy review. – Terence McKenna • The worst nightmare I ever had about Vietnam was that I had to go back. I woke up in a sweat, in total terror. – Oliver Stone • There are some similarities, of course (between Iraq and Vietnam). Death is terrible. – George W. Bush • There are two types of courage involved with what I did. When it comes to picking up a rifle, millions of people are capable of doing that, as we see in Iraq or Vietnam. But when it comes to risking their careers, or risking being invited to lunch by the establishment, it turns out that’s remarkably rare. – Daniel Ellsberg • There’s just no question that the United States was trying desperately to prevent the independence of South Vietnam and to prevent a political settlement inside South Vietnam. And in fact it went to war precisely to prevent that. It finally bombed the North in 1965 with the purpose of trying to get the North to use its influence to call off the insurgency in the South. – Noam Chomsky • These men were wrongfully rejected, the veterans. The fighting man should never have been blamed for Vietnam. – Neil Sheehan • They told me if I voted for Goldwater, he would get us into a war in Vietnam. Well, I voted for Goldwater and that’s what happened. – William F. Buckley, Jr. • This Memorial Day should remind us of the greatness that past generations of Americans achieved from Valley Forge to Vietnam, and it should inspire us with the determination to keep America great and free by keeping America safe and strong in our own time, a time of unique destiny and opportunity for our Nation. – Richard M. Nixon • This nation should be less worried about putting the Vietnam syndrome behind us than restarting the World War II victory syndrome that resulted in the Vietnam syndrome in the first place. – Karl Marlantes • This war in Vietnam is, I believe, a war for civilization. Certainly it is not a war of our seeking. It is a war thrust upon us and we cannot yield to tyranny. – Francis Spellman • Tim O’Brien’s book about Vietnam, The Things They Carried, has won every award, is studied in college and is considered to be definitive. But it’s fiction. – Dave Eggers • To me, Columbine is just as awful as Vietnam and it’s just as awful as anything else. – Marilyn Manson • Today, America can regain the sense of pride that existed before Vietnam… These events, tragic as they are, portend neither the end of the world nor of America’s leadership in the world. – Gerald R. Ford • Vietnam is a jungle. You had jungle warfare. Kuwait, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, you have sand. [There is no need to worry about a protracted war because] from a historical basis, Middle East conflicts do not last a long time. – Dan Quayle • Vietnam presumably taught us that the United States could not serve as the world’s policeman; it should also have taught us the dangers of trying to be the world’s midwife to democracy when the birth is scheduled to take place under conditions of guerrilla war. – Jeane Kirkpatrick • Vietnam was a country where America was trying to make people stop being communists by dropping things on them from airplanes. – Kurt Vonnegut • Vietnam was as much a laboratory experiment as a war. – John Pilger • Vietnam was really an idealistic thing to stop the spread of communism, which, incidentally, it did. It was a pretty costly way to do it, but it achieved its goal. – Tom Wolfe • Vietnam was what we had instead of happy childhoods. – Michael Herr • Vietnam, me love you long time. All day, all night, me love you long time. (…) Dropping acid on the Mekong Delta, smoking grass through a rifle barrel, flying on a helicopter with opera blasting out of loudspeakers, tracer-fire and paddy-field scenery, the smell of napalm in the morning. Long time. – Alex Garland • Vietnam, we take over by doing pedicure! That’s how we take over. We take over one foot at a time, damn it – that’s the plan of attack right there. We take over from the toe up, that’s the plan. We spread over USA like fungus from the toe. – Dat Phan • Watergate enabled the Democrats to cut off all aid to South Vietnam and ensure American defeat in a war their party entered and had effectively lost, before Nixon salvaged a non-Communist South Vietnam while effecting a complete American withdrawal. – Conrad Black • We are not a warlike people. Nor is our history filled with tales of aggressive adventures and imperialism, which might come as a shock to some of the placard painters in our modern demonstrations. The lesson of Vietnam, I think, should be that never again will young Americans be asked to fight and possibly die for a cause unless that cause is so meaningful that we, as a nation, pledge our full resources to achieve victory as quickly as possible. – Ronald Reagan • We do not need more division. We certainly do not need something as complex and emotional as Vietnam reduced to simple campaign rhetoric. – John F. Kerry • We ended the war in Vietnam, and brought the troops home. – Jill Stein • We have forgotten that Vietnam, and Iraq resent being invaded and know the ground better than we do. – Wendell Berry • We managed to put together a compilation that had some creativity to it. In the meantime I was listening to the free radio stations and I noticed that during their war coverage they were playing these songs born out of the Vietnam War that were all critical of the soldiers. – Joni Mitchell • We must move past indecision to action. We must find new ways to speak for peace in Vietnam and for justice throughout the developing world, a world that borders on our doors. If we do not act, we shall surely be dragged down the long, dark, and shameful corridors of time reserved for those who possess power without compassion, might without morality, and strength without sight. – Martin Luther King, Jr. • We seem bent upon saving the Vietnamese from Ho Chi Minh, even if we have to kill them and demolish their country to do it….I do not intend to remain silent in the face of what I regard as a policy of madness which, sooner or later, will envelop my son and American youth by the millions for years to come. – George McGovern • We went to America a few times and [Brian] Epstein always tried to waffle on at us about saying nothing about Vietnam. So there came a time when George [Harrison] and I said ‘Listen, when they ask next time, we’re going to say we don’t like that war and we think they should get right out.’ That’s what we did. – John Lennon • We were sent to Vietnam to kill Communism. But we found instead that we were killing women and children. – John F. Kerry • We were very excited and we brought speakers in – then it so happened that there was a marine recruiter in the center of campus and one of our brothers, one SDS person put up a sign with a quote from the Nuremberg trial and an arrow point at the marine recruiter, saying, “This man is a war criminal.” My younger brother and I, he was freshman and I was a sophomore, got caught up in the debates that were swirling around the center of campus and the young Trotskyists had put out a fact sheet on Vietnam that was phenomenal. – Bill Ayers • We will continue to ignore political and economic forecasts, which are an expensive distraction for many investors and businessmen. Thirty years ago, no one could have foreseen the huge expansion of the Vietnam War, wage and price controls, two oil shocks, the resignation of a president, the dissolution of the Soviet Union, a one-day drop in the Dow of 508 points, or treasury bill yields fluctuating between 2.8% and 17.4%. – Warren Buffett • Well, look at what people are doing for returned veterans now. The wounded warriors. They’re working hard to make the wounded veterans feel that they are loved and welcomed home, unlike Vietnam. It was not a very kind, gentle world then. I think we are kinder and gentler. – Barbara Bush • What happened in the following years? Well, I think that among the educated classes it stayed the same. You talk about humanitarian intervention, it’s like Vietnam was a humanitarian intervention. Among the public, it’s quite different. – Noam Chomsky • What really happened in Vietnam was- all these things are away games for the American military. We’re not on our home turf, which means to succeed there has to be a partner. And the definition of partnership is someone willing to risk their lives in their home area to prevail because they think it’s necessary to build a decent life and a better life for their people. – William J. Clinton • What we do with this peace-whether we preserve it and defend it, or whether we lose it and let it slip away-will be the measure of our worthiness of the spirit and sacrifice of the hundreds of thousands who gave their lives in two World Wars, Korea, and in Vietnam. – Richard M. Nixon • When I grew up, in Taiwan, the Korean War was seen as a good war, where America protected Asia. It was sort of an extension of World War II. And it was, of course, the peak of the Cold War. People in Taiwan were generally proAmerican. The Korean War made Japan. And then the Vietnam War made Taiwan. There is some truth to that. – Ang Lee • When I was building the Vietnam Memorial, I never once asked the veterans what it was like in the war, because from my point of view, you don’t pry into other people’s business. – Maya Lin • When the soldiers came home from Vietnam, there were no parades, no celebrations. So they built the Vietnam Memorial for themselves. – William Westmoreland • When the United States fought in Vietnam, it was organized modern technology versus organized human beings, and the human beings won. – Howard Zinn • When the women’s liberation movement began, when people began protesting against the Vietnam War, civil rights movement, at the beginning of those movements, the majority of the country was not with them, did not believe in the basic principles of any of those philosophies. – Michael Moore • When was the last time the United States won a war? You know, it lost in Vietnam. It’s lost in Afghanistan. It’s lost in Iraq. And it will not be able to contain the situation. It is hemorrhaging. It is now – you know, of course you can continue with drone attacks, and you can continue these targeted killings, but on the ground, a situation is being created which no army – not America, not anybody – can control. And it’s just, you know, a combination of such foolishness, such a lack of understanding of culture in the world. – Arundhati Roy • Why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go ten thousand miles from home and drop bombs and bullets on brown people in Vietnam while so-called Negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs and denied simple human rights? – Muhammad Ali • Why was the United States so afraid of an independent South Vietnam? Well, I think the reason again is pretty clear from the internal government documents. Precisely what they were afraid of was that the “takeover” of South Vietnam by nationalist forces would not be brutal. They feared it would be conciliatory and that there would be successful social and economic development – and that the whole region might work. – Noam Chomsky • With 450,000 U. S. troops now in Vietnam, it is time that Congress decided whether or not to declare a state of war exists with North Vietnam. Previous congressional resolutions of support provide only limited authority. Although Congress may decide that the previously approved resolution on Vietnam given President Johnson is sufficient, the issue of a declaration of war should at least be put before the Congress for decision. – Dwight D. Eisenhower • With respect to where we are now, we have a voluntary army. And if we ever go back to conscription I hope that at time it will be the kind of conscription that was put in at the end of the Vietnam War. And that is, everybody is equally liable to be called to serve the nation in time of conflict. – Colin Powell • With the Black Company series Glen Cook single-handedly changed the face of fantasy—something a lot of people didn’t notice and maybe still don’t. He brought the story down to a human level, dispensing with the cliché archetypes of princes, kings, and evil sorcerers. Reading his stuff was like reading Vietnam War fiction on peyote. – Steven Erikson • Within the soul of each Vietnam veteran there is probably something that says “Bad war, good soldier.” Only now are Americans beginning to separate the war from the warrior. – Max Cleland • You don’t attack the grunts of Vietnam; you blame the theory behind the war. Nobody who fought in that war was at fault. It was the war itself that was at fault. – James Hillman • You have a row of dominoes set up; you knock over the first one, and what will happen to the last one is that it will go over very quickly. – Dwight D. Eisenhower • You have my assurance that we will respond with full force should the settlement be violated by North Vietnam. – Richard M. Nixon

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Vietnam Quotes

Official Website: Vietnam Quotes

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• A country that has been through as much as Vietnam has to have some crazy music somewhere. – Henry Rollins • A first novel of astonishing force, craft and beauty, The Headmaster’s Wager conjures up a dizzyingly evocative wartime Saigon in the story of Percival Chen, a Chinese schoolmaster in Vietnam. This extraordinary book made me weep. Read it. – Janice Y. K. Lee • A great read; an exciting, frightening account of organized crime today. But like all important works of nonfiction, it goes further… This book is must reading for anyone with an interest in the enduring effects of the Vietnam War, the subject of crime in our streets, and the issue of personal responsibility in a harsh, chaotic world. – Le Ly Hayslip • A lot of people have warned President Clinton that Bosnia will turn into another Vietnam, which would be embarrassing for him because he’ll have to go back to college. – Bill Maher • A time comes when silence is betrayal. That time has come for us in relation to Vietnam. A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift, is approaching spiritual death.I knew that America would never invest the necessary funds or energies in rehabilitation of its poor so long as adventures like Vietnam continued to draw men and skills and money like some demonic destructive suction tube. So I was increasingly compelled to see the war as an enemy of the poor. – Martin Luther King, Jr. • Above all, Vietnam was a war that asked everything of a few and nothing of most in America. – Myra MacPherson • After every major conflict – World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the fall of the Soviet Union – what happened was that we ultimately hollowed out the force, largely by doing deep across-the-board cuts. – Leon Panetta • After four or five different wars, I grew weary of that work, partly because in an open war, open to coverage, as Vietnam was, it’s not that difficult, really. – Morley Safer • After the ’30s, we said, “no more Munichs.” And it got us in a lot of problems. Then we said, “No more Vietnams.” Now if we say, “No more Iraqs,” the next one won’t be an Iraq. It will be something different. You can’t learn lessons. – Brent Scowcroft • All the wrong people remember Vietnam. I think all the people who remember it should forget it, and all the people who forgot it should remember it. – Michael Herr • America has entered one of its periods of historical madness, but this is the worst I can remember: worse than McCarthyism, worse than the Bay of Pigs and in the long term potentially more disastrous than the Vietnam War. – John le Carre • America has made no reparation to the Vietnamese, nothing. We are the richest people in the world and they are among the poorest. We savaged them, though they had never hurt us, and we cannot find it in our hearts, our honor, to give them help-because the government of Vietnam is Communist. And perhaps because they won.- Martha Gellhorn • Any of these Vietnam vets that have been there and know the deal, they don’t feel that any Hollywood endeavor about the Vietnam era has ever gotten it right yet. – Sam Elliott • As I come to understand Vietnam and what it implies about the human condition, I also realize that few humans will permit themselves such an understanding. – Alan Moore

jQuery(document).ready(function($) var data = action: 'polyxgo_products_search', type: 'Product', keywords: 'Vietnam', orderby: 'rand', order: 'DESC', template: '1', limit: '68', columns: '4', viewall:'Shop All', ; jQuery.post(spyr_params.ajaxurl,data, function(response) var obj = jQuery.parseJSON(response); jQuery('#thelovesof_vietnam').html(obj); jQuery('#thelovesof_vietnam img.swiper-lazy:not(.swiper-lazy-loaded)' ).each(function () var img = jQuery(this); img.attr("src",img.data('src')); img.addClass( 'swiper-lazy-loaded' ); img.removeAttr('data-src'); ); ); ); • Back in the old Corp, we weren’t training those privates to infiltrate into the peacetime Marine Corp. We were training those privates to go to Vietnam. – R. Lee Ermey • Because the GIs were sent massively to South Vietnam, maybe it’s a good idea to have a broadcast for them. – Hanoi Hannah • Before the Civil War, Canada was at the top of the underground railroad. If you made it into Canada, you were safe unless someone came and hauled you back. That was also true during the Vietnam War for draft resisters. – Margaret Atwood • Before we put an American in harm’s way, tell us why. No one wants to see the region descend into further chaos. There’s a lot of concern about getting embroiled in another Vietnam and … about sending American troops once again to fight someone else’s war. – Xavier Becerra • Being in Vietnam changed him [Johnny Cash] fundamentally. He was devastated when we went into Iraq. – Rosanne Cash • Bill Klinton was the ultimate rock star as president. I don’t think as a result of his presidency we will ever have a rock star as president again. In the same way that we will never get involved in another Vietnam. – Joe Eszterhas • But although Australia was also involved in the Vietnam conflict, I can remember my dad telling us that if we were in Australia, we wouldn’t be drafted until we were 20. – Mel Gibson • But despite their heroic acts, the Vietnam Veterans of America continued to struggle to establish a combat badge in honor of these brave pilots and medics. – Tim Holden • By 1973, John Kerry had already accused American soldiers of committing war crimes in Vietnam, thrown someone else’s medals to the ground in an anti-war demonstration, and married his first heiress. – Ann Coulter • By the year 2025, 500 million people will die of smoking. Now, that’s a Vietnam War every day for 27 years. That’s the Titanic sinking every 27 minutes for 27 years. – C. Everett Koop • Charles Reich discredits reason because it has been used to justify the war in Vietnam, which is like deciding that because your mother has cooked you a few bad meals you must never eat again. – Molly Haskell • ‘Dare to Discipline’ was published in 1970 in the midst of the Vietnam War and a culture of rebellion. The book was written in that context, but the principles of child rearing have not changed. – James Dobson • Everybody respects the Vietnam Veterans of America. – R. Lee Ermey • Fathers are always so proud the first time they see their sons in uniform,” she said. “I know Big John Karpinski was,” I said. He is my neighbor to the north, of course. Big John’s son Little John did badly in high school, and the police caught him selling dope. So he joined the Army while the Vietnam War was going on. And the first time he came home in uniform, I never saw Big John so happy, because it looked to him as though Little John was all straightened out and would amount to something. But then Little John came home in a body bag. – Kurt Vonnegut • For my generation – the “Children of Nixon,” as I call us in the book – the Lebanese civil war was an iconic event. Downtown Beirut became a metaphor for so many things: man’s inhumanity to man, what Charles Bukowski called “the impossibility of being human.” It shaped our perceptions of war and human nature, just as Vietnam did for our parents. We used it to understand how the world works. – Annia Ciezadlo • Forty years ago this country went down a rabbit hole in Vietnam and millions died. I fear we’re going down a rabbit hole once again – and if people can stop and think and reflect on some of the ideas and issues in this movie, perhaps I’ve done some damn good here! – Errol Morris • From 1962 to 1965 the US was dedicated to try to prevent the independence of South Vietnam, the reason was of course that Kennedy and Johnson knew that if any political solution was permitted in the south, the National Liberation Front would effectively come to power, so strong was its political support in comparison with the political support of the so-called South Vietnamese government. – Noam Chomsky • Had there been a reporter along with Lieutenant Calley when he massacred those people in Vietnam, I think that probably wouldn’t have happened. – Bob Schieffer • Have you ever had any anger about President Bush – who spent his time during the Vietnam War in the National Guard – running, in effect, a campaign that does its best to diminish your service in Vietnam? You have to be at least irritated by that, or have you been? – Dan Rather • Helvetica is the font of the Vietnam War. – Paula Scher • Hollywood never knew there was a Vietnam War until they made the movie. – Jerry Stiller • How do you ask a man to be the last man to die in Vietnam? How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake? – John F. Kerry • I always felt more emotionally attached to Cambodia than I did to Vietnam. – Ed Bradley • I am afraid if the present trend in Vietnam continues that direct confrontation, first of all between Washington and Peking, is inevitable. – U Thant • I am convinced that it is one of the most unjust wars that has ever been fought in the history of the world. Our involvement in the war in Vietnam has torn up the Geneva Accord. It has strengthened the military-industrial complex; it has strengthened the forces of reaction in our nation. It has put us against the self-determination of a vast majority of the Vietnamese people, and put us in the position of protecting a corrupt regime that is stacked against the poor. – Martin Luther King, Jr. • I believe the liberal international order is under assault from Russia, and from other authoritarian regimes, and it is being questioned from within the West by nationalists, by nativists, and by people who doubt our – doubt the values of the West. We’ve gone through periods like this before; in the ’70s, after Vietnam and Watergate, and certainly in the ’30s, when people thought liberal democracy was dead, and the future belonged either to the fascists or the communists. – Daniel Fried • I could have ended the war in a month. I could have made North Vietnam look like a mud puddle. – Barry Goldwater • I couldn’t be happier that President Bush has stood up for having served in the National Guard, because I can finally put an end to all those who questioned my motives for enlisting in the Army Reserve at the height of the Vietnam War. – Larry David • I deliberately did not read anything about the Vietnam War because I felt the politics of the war eclipsed what happened to the veterans. The politics were irrelevant to what this memorial was. – Maya Lin • I didn’t like anti-Vietnam War art. I didn’t like feminist art. I thought it was heavy-handed and stupid – as art. – Robert Barry • I do not believe that the men who served in uniform in Vietnam have been given the credit they deserve. It was a difficult war against an unorthodox enemy. – William Westmoreland • I flew in combat in Vietnam. I got shot at, I shot back, I got shot down. Compared to this flight, I felt a lot safer in combat. – Dick Rutan • I get very sad when I think about Vietnam where there seems to be no choice but violence. This violence goes on for centuries perpetuating itself. – Yoko Ono • I had been in that part of the world as a soldier in Korea, so I had been interested in Vietnam. – Michael Caine • I knew that America would never invest the necessary funds of energies in rehabilitation of its poor as long as adventures like Vietnam continued to draw men and skills and money like some demonic destructive suction tube. – Martin Luther King, Jr. • I like automatic weapons. I fought for my right to use them in Vietnam. – Oliver Stone • I oppose the war in Vietnam because I love America. I speak out against it not in anger but with anxiety and sorrow in my heart, and above all with a passionate desire to see our beloved country stand as a moral example of the world. – Martin Luther King, Jr. • I predict you will sink step by step into a bottomless quagmire, however much you spend in men and money.” (On Vietnam War) – Charles de Gaulle • I said to the president’s wife, Vietnam is the main reason we are having trouble with the youth of America. It is a war without explanation or reason. – Eartha Kitt • I saw a man walk into my camera viewfinder from the left. He took a pistol out of his holster and raised it. I had no idea he would shoot. It was common to hold a pistol to the head of prisoners during questioning. So I prepared to make that picture – the threat, the interrogation. But it didn’t happen. The man just pulled a pistol out of his holster, raised it to the VC’s head and shot him in the temple. I made a picture at the same time. (On his 1968 photograph of the summary street corner execution of prisoner Nguyen Van Lem by South Vietnam’s police chief, Lt. Col. Nguyen Ngoc Loan.) – Eddie Adams • I saw courage both in the Vietnam War and in the struggle to stop it. I learned that patriotism includes protest, not just military service. – John F. Kerry • I served two tours of duty in Vietnam. I won the Bronze Star. I won the Purple Heart. – Ron Kovic • I think most of us secretly know – and those of us at the radical middle are inclined to say – that without such concepts as duty and honor and service, no civilization can endure. … I suspect most Americans would respond positively to a [draft] if it gives us some choice in how to exercise that duty and service. … Exactly the kind of choice my generation did not have during the Vietnam War. – Mark Satin • I think we can end the divisions within the United States. What I think is quite clear is that we can work together in the last analysis. And that what has been going on with the United States over the period of that last three years, the divisions, the violence, the disenchantment with our society, the divisions – whether it’s between blacks and whites, between the poor and the more affluent, or between age groups, or in the war in Vietnam – that we can work together. We are a great country, an unselfish country and a compassionate country. And I intend to make that my basis for running. – Robert Kennedy • I think we fought Vietnam for the benefits of civilization, and certainly we fought it to oppose authority. To show our authority, to show we weren’t weak. Isn’t that what Nixon kept saying? “We have to show the world that we’re not weak.” So of course what we ended up showing the world was that we were, yep, weak. ‘Cause we couldn’t beat these kids in black pajamas. – Stephen King • I thought the Vietnam war was an utter, unmitigated disaster, so it was very hard for me to say anything good about it. – George McGovern • I try to express with the camera what the story is, to get to the heart of the story with picture. In battle I look at things first in terms of people, second in terms of strategies or casualties… To tell a story, you don’t photograph one hundred dead civilians to prove there were one hundred dead civilians. You photograph one dead civilian with an expression on his face that says, This is what it’s like if you’re a dead civilian in Vietnam. – Horst Faas • I used to love going into local hardware stores, to look at little things they made locally. Nowadays it’s harder, though you can still do it in Vietnam. – Francis Ford Coppola • I want to make sure that the Coast Guard people in Vietnam know that I am hearing about them often and that I am pleased with what I hear. – Wallace M. Greene • I was arrested 1965. I had come back from the merchant marines, got into conversations about the war. I had never heard of Vietnam until I was in the merchant marines in constitution square in Athens, and I picked up the New York Herald or the International Herald Tribune and there was my first introduction of the word Vietnam. – Bill Ayers • I was caught up in the hysteria during the Vietnam era, which was brought about through Marxist propaganda underlying the so-called peace movement. – Jon Voight • I was getting money for showing one man killing another. Two lives were destroyed and I was getting paid for it. (On his 1968 photograph of the summary street corner execution of prisoner Nguyen Van Lem by South Vietnam’s police chief, Lt. Col. Nguyen Ngoc Loan.) – Eddie Adams • I was proud of the youths who opposed the war in Vietnam because they were my babies.- Benjamin Spock • I was so opposed to the war in Vietnam that I initially refused President Nixon’s urgings for me to go there. – Sammy Davis, Jr. • I was the guy who was constantly speaking out against the Vietnam War. I have no regrets about that.- George McGovern • I was too young for Korea and too old for Vietnam. – Stephen Ambrose • I was very much a child of the 1960s. I protested the Vietnam War and grew up in a fairly politicized home. My father was like a cross between William Kunstler and Zorba the Greek. I grew up among left-wing lawyers. – Marianne Williamson • I wasn’t for Vietnam. When I told that to the hippie newspaper, all my people got nervous. – Loretta Lynn • I went to Vietnam; it was my first assignment as a reporter for the UPI, and I never could get away from the war. – Neil Sheehan • I would like to say something, not just to Vietnam veterans in New England, but to men who were in Vietnam, who I hurt, or whose pain I caused to deepen because of the things that I said or did. I was trying to help end the killing and the war, but there were times when I was thoughtless and careless about it and I’m…very sorry that I hurt them. And I want to apologize to them and their families. – Jane Fonda • I would not trade you a billion dollars for the kids I led to combat in Vietnam or in fact any of the Marines that I served with for a quarter of a century. – Oliver North • If America’s soul becomes totally poisoned, part of the autopsy must read Vietnam. It can never be saved so long as it destroys the hopes of men the world over. – Martin Luther King, Jr. • If John McCain were really a war hero he would’ve won Vietnam. – Zach Braff • If people become ecstatic the whole society will have to change, because this society is based on misery. If people are blissful you cannot lead them to war — to Vietnam, or to Egypt, or to Israel. No. Someone who is blissful will just laugh and say: This is nonsense! – Rajneesh • If Recep Tayyip Erdogan cannot placate ISIS, how are we ever gonna be able to? And placate is clearly what John Kerry, who once served in Vietnam, and Barack Hussein O and Hillary Clinton think is the only thing we have to do is placate them. Because we’re at fault, see. – Rush Limbaugh • If there really had been a Mercutio, and if there really were a Paradise, Mercutio might be hanging out with teenage Vietnam draftee casualties now, talking about what it felt like to die for other people’s vanity and foolishness. – Kurt Vonnegut • If we quit Vietnam, tomorrow we’ll be fighting in Hawaii, and next week we’ll have to fight in San Francisco. – Lyndon B. Johnson • If we were not in Vietnam, all that part of the world would be enjoying the obscurity it so richly deserves. – John Kenneth Galbraith • If you get a President (Hillary) Clinton, you might well find, just as after Vietnam, that there is a retraction from Iraq and of American influence in the world. And in a couple of years the Europeans will be complaining about that too. – John Bolton • If you look at China – and frankly, Vietnam now is doing a big number, and you look at Japan and India and Mexico – Mexico’s killing us at the border and they’re killing us with trade. – Donald Trump • If you run an Internet search on Vietnam and the war, most of the information you get begins at about 1962. I think this is telling. It is missing the whole period that led up to the reasons the war happened in the first place. – Brendan Fraser • I’ll always have the memories of guys I lost in Vietnam. And I’ve lost friends since the war, but I’ll always have the memories. The riches are great, but riches aren’t everything, because when you go you can only take your memories and your word and your honor to the grave with you. – Michael E. Thornton • I’ll tell you what I really think about politicians. The other night I watched some politicians on television talking about Vietnam. I wanted very much to burst through the screen with a flame thrower and burn their eyes out and their balls off and then inquire from them how they would assess the action from a political point of view. – Harold Pinter • I’m not going to say I was opposed to the Vietnam War. I’m going to say I’m opposed to war. But I’m also opposed to protests that deny other people their rights. – John Wooden • I’m not so sure that people consider homelessness to be as important as, say, the Vietnam War. One should never even try to equate them because, of course, they’re tragedies on both sides of the coin. – Graham Nash • I’m old enough to remember John Kennedy sending a few advisers into Vietnam. I’m very worried we’ll get in and we’ll get mired down in something we don’t have any idea what to do [with]. – Jim McDermott • In 1961, the United States began chemical warfare in Vietnam, South Vietnam, chemical warfare to destroy crops and livestock. That went on for seven years. The level of poison – they used the most extreme carcinogen known: dioxin. And this went on for years. – Noam Chomsky • In F-111, I question the collusion between the Vietnam War, income taxes, consumerism, and advertising. – James Rosen • In revealing the workings of government that led to the Vietnam War, the newspapers nobly did precisely that which the Founders hoped and trusted they would do. – Hugo Black • In the 1960s, there was a point, 1968, ’69, when there was a very strong antiwar movement against the war in Vietnam. But it’s worth remembering that the war in Vietnam started – an outright war started in 1962. – Noam Chomsky • In the ’60s we fought for peace, when the Vietnam war was on. We were against the cops and against the politicians, and there was a lot of waving banners and all that. And I think in a way, just as they were enjoying that machoism of war, we were enjoying the machismo of being anti-war, you know? – Yoko Ono • Iraq was a war of choice, like Vietnam. – Chuck Hagel • It doesn t require any particular bravery to stand on the floor of the Senate and urge our boys in Vietnam to fight harder and if this war mushrooms into a major conflict and a hundred thousand young Americans are killed it won t be U.S. Senators who die. It will be American soldiers who are too young to qualify for the Senate. – George McGovern • It is a fact that the Left routinely resists, then as now: Americans fought and died in Vietnam for freedom, just as they are doing in Iraq and Afghanistan today. Whatever mistakes generals and policymakers have made along the way cannot detract from that essential truth – which should be a part of any reliable history. – Arthur L. Herman • It is unconscionable that 10,000 boys have died in Vietnam. If 10,000 American women had mind enough they could end the war, if they were committed to the task, even if it meant going to jail. – Jeannette Rankin • It might interest you that just as the U.S. was ramping up its involvement in Vietnam, LBJ launched an illegal invasion of the Dominican Republic (April 28, 1965). (Santo Domingo was Iraq before Iraq was Iraq.) – Junot Diaz • It seems now more certain than ever that the bloody experience of Vietnam is to end in a stalemate. – Walter Cronkite • It was a tough press conference for President Bush. He spent the first ten minutes trying to pronounce Fallujah. … Bush insisted that Iraq is not Vietnam. Of course not, he avoided Vietnam. – David Letterman • It was not my desire to go off and serve in Vietnam. – Mitt Romney • It would be good for the workers in Vietnam even as it helps make sure that they’re not undercutting competition here in the United States. – Barack Obama • It would take 2,000 Vietnam Memorials to list the [Twentieth] century’s war dead. – Kim Stanley • It’s a weird scene. You win a few baseball games and all of a sudden you’re surrounded by reporters and TV men with cameras asking you about Vietnam and race relations. – Vida Blue • It’s silly talking about how many years we will have to spend in the jungles of Vietnam when we could pave the whole country and put parking stripes on it and still be home by Christmas. – Ronald Reagan • It’s very common to say that Star Wars in the late ’70s, that was kind of perfect for Cold War culture and the aftermath of Vietnam in the ’60s to have an upbeat, hopeful, cartoonish tale of a hero’s journey. I think those explanations are easy to offer and almost always wrong. – Cass Sunstein

• John Kerry gave the enemy for free what I and many of my comrades in North Vietnam in the prison camps took torture to avoid saying. – Paul Galanti • Let us put an end to self-inflicted wounds. Let us remember that our national unity is a most priceless asset. Let us deny our adversaries the satisfaction of using Vietnam to pit Americans against Americans. – Gerald R. Ford • Let us understand: North Vietnam cannot defeat or humiliate the United States. Only Americans can do that. – Richard M. Nixon • Many of the architects of the Vietnam War became near pariahs as they spent the remainder of their lives in the futile quest to explain away their decisions at the time. – Graydon Carter • Militarily, we succeeded in Vietnam. We won every engagement we were involved in out there. – William Westmoreland • Moms and daughters can negotiate over anything, and they can go on longer than it took to settle the Vietnam War. – Steve Schirripa • Money, as a sort of drug, has become a great danger to our development. There will be no progress in our country unless we win the fight against corruption. This is a question of survival for the Communist Party of Vietnam and for socialism. – Nguyen Minh Triet • Most of us who were opposed to the war, especially in the early ’60’s – the war we were opposed to was the war on South Vietnam which destroyed South Vietnam’s rural society. The South was devastated. But now anyone who opposed this atrocity is regarded as having defended North Vietnam. And that’s part of the effort to present the war as if it were a war between South Vietnam and North Vietnam with the United States helping the South. Of course it’s fabrication. But it’s “official truth” now. – Noam Chomsky • My dad [Johnny Cash] went to the [Richard] Nixon White House and refused to sing “Welfare Cadillac” (instead performing the anti-war songs “The Ballad of Ira Hayes” and “Man in Black”). He protested the Vietnam War, but he went to perform for the troops with bombs dropping all around him. He had that kind of genius: a true artist’s capacity for holding two opposing thoughts at once while being large enough to encompass all realities. – Rosanne Cash • My father had gone to Vietnam. – Elizabeth Edwards • My film is not a movie; it’s not about Vietnam. It is Vietnam. – Francis Ford Coppola • My shoulders sagged. Really, is it too much to ask that I be able to come home from a long day of work and relax? Oh, no. I have to come home and read a bunch of letters written to the love of my life by his fiancée, who, if I am correct, had him killed a hundred and fifty years ago. Then, as if that is not bad enough, he wants me to explain the Vietnam War. – Meg Cabot • My solution to the problem would be to tell [the North Vietnamese Communists] frankly that they’ve got to draw in their horns and stop their aggression or we’re going to bomb them into the Stone Age. And we would shove them back into the Stone Age with Air power or Naval power – not with ground forces. – Curtis LeMay • News footage came on the TV during dinner of bloody bodies coming back from battle in Vietnam, or the race riots in the South, people getting hosed in Selma, Alabama, or the Biafra war, where I got my name. In my household, it was explained and discussed with the children, as a way of educating us from when we first started grade school why racism and war were wrong, what this all really means. – Jello Biafra • Ninety-five percent of women’s experiences are about being a victim. Or about being an underdog, or having to survive… women didn’t go to Vietnam and blow things up. They are not Rambo. – Jodie Foster • No event in American history is more misunderstood than the Vietnam War. It was misreported then, and it is misremembered now. – Richard M. Nixon • Now we have a problem in making our power credible, and Vietnam is the place. – John F. Kennedy • Nuclear power will be the Vietnam issue of the 1980s. – Jerry Brown • Numbers have dehumanized us. Over breakfast coffee we read of 40,000 American dead in Vietnam. Instead of vomiting, we reach for the toast. Our morning rush through crowded streets is not to cry murder but to hit that trough before somebody else gobbles our share. – Dalton Trumbo • Obviously all of us have thought about Vietnam, particularly in my generation in Australia that were part of conscription and fought there. Our friends came back, forever changed. So there were a lot of questions. – Phillip Noyce • On my discharge, I had the challenge of putting my life back together but Vietnam stuck in the inner recesses of my mind. – Doug Rice • On the Vietnam War: I’ve lived under situations where every decent man declared war first and I’ve lived under situations where you don’t declare war. We’ve been flexible enough to kill people without declaring war. – Lewis Blaine Hershey • One of the good things about the way the Gulf War ended in 1991 is, you’d see the Vietnam veterans marching with the Gulf War veterans. – George H. W. Bush • One of the greatest casualties of the war in Vietnam is the Great Society… shot down on the battlefield of Vietnam. – Martin Luther King, Jr. • One of the lessons learned during the Vietnam War was that the depiction of wounded soldiers, of coffins stacked higher than their living guards, had a negative effect on the viewing public. The military in Iraq specifically banned the photographing of wounded soldiers and coffins, thus sanitizing this terrible and bloody conflict. – Walter Dean Myers • One of the sharp parallels is that neither Vietnam nor Iraq was the slightest threat to America’s national security. – George McGovern • One-hundred facts about Vietnam and we studied the fact sheet and got in to these arguments and it was fantastic, and I remember one moment when we heard two students saying don’t talk to those guys, meaning my brother and me. They’ve just memorized that stupid fact sheet. And we thought, gosh do we sound that good? It didn’t seem possible. But that was my introduction to politics. – Bill Ayers • Our numbers have increased in Vietnam because the aggression of others has increased in Vietnam. There is not, and there will not be, a mindless escalation. – Lyndon B. Johnson • Our objective in South Vietnam has never been the annihilation of the enemy. It has been to bring about a recognition in Hanoi that its objective – taking over the South by force – could not be achieved. – Lyndon B. Johnson • Our purpose in Vietnam is to prevent the success of aggression. It is not conquest, it is not empire, it is not foreign bases, it is not domination. It is, simply put, just to prevent the forceful conquest of South Vietnam by North Vietnam. – Lyndon B. Johnson • Our young men in Vietnam have not only acquitted themselves in an outstanding manner during combat operations, but they also have been outstanding ambassadors of goodwill in the vital civic action and pacification work among the tortured populace of South Vietnam. – Lewis William Walt • Philadelphia reflected the national turmoil over race and the Vietnam War, often exploding on my watch. – Andrea Mitchell • President Bush is not fazed by other candidates’ war records. He said, I may have not fought in Vietnam, but I created one. – Craig Kilborn • President Bush’s campaign is now attacking John Kerry for throwing away some of his medals to protest the Vietnam War. Bush did not have any medals to throw away, but in his defense he did have all his services records thrown out. – Jay Leno • President Johnson did not want the Vietnam War to broaden. He wanted the North Vietnamese to leave their brothers in the South alone. – William Westmoreland • Regret what? That secret operation was an excellent idea. It had the effect of drawing the Russians into the Afghan trap and you want me to regret it? The day that the Soviets officially crossed the border, I wrote to President Carter. We now have the opportunity of giving to the USSR its Vietnam war. Indeed, for almost 10 years, Moscow had to carry on a war unsupportable by the government, a conflict that brought about the demoralization and finally the breakup of the Soviet empire. – Zbigniew Brzezinski • Rising sea levels will result in tens to hundreds of millions more people flooded each year with a warming of 3 or 4°C. There will be serious risks and increasing pressures for coastal protection in South East Asia (Bangladesh and Vietnam), small islands in the Caribbean and the Pacific, and large coastal cities, such as Tokyo, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Calcutta, Karachi, Buenos Aires, St. Petersburg, New York, Miami and London. – Nicholas Stern • Robert Capa: He was a good friend and a great and very brave photographer. It is bad luck for everybody that the percentages caught up with him. It is especially bad for Capa. (On Capa’s death in Vietnam, May, 27, 1954) – Ernest Hemingway • Since There are so many questions about what the president was doing over 30 years ago, what is it that he did after his honorable discharge from the National Guard? Did he make speeches alongside Jane Fonda denouncing America’s racist war in Vietnam? – Jeff Gannon • So much of my work involved the Vietnam War that it would have been obscene to show it in a gallery. But now, it’s different; it’s important to remember and to enable the young to discover what to some of us is still so present. – Martha Rosler • So one important lesson of Vietnam is, the first casualty of an unwise and unjust war are the American troops called on to fight it. Their service should be honored. – Paul Begala • Some 30 years later I found myself back here again [in Vietnam] on what was to be a short visit that lasted months, and since then I’ve been living my life with one foot in Ho Chi Minh City and the other in Fair Oaks, California. – Doug Rice • Some of the critics viewed Vietnam as a morality play in which the wicked must be punished before the final curtain and where any attempt to salvage self-respect from the outcome compounded the wrong. I viewed it as a genuine tragedy. No one had a monopoly on anguish. – Henry A. Kissinger • Some people just wanted to blow it all to hell, animal, vegetable and mineral. They wanted a Vietnam they could fit into their car ashtrays. – Michael Herr • Somehow this madness must cease. We must stop now. I speak as a child of God and brother to the suffering poor of Vietnam. I speak for those whose land is being laid waste, whose homes are being destroyed, whose culture is being subverted. I speak for the poor in America who are paying the double price of smashed hopes at home and death and corruption in Vietnam. I speak as a citizen of the world, for the world as it stands aghast at the path we have taken. I speak as an American to the leaders of my own nation. The great initiative in this war is ours. The initiative to stop it must be ours. – Martin Luther King, Jr. • Suicidal violence is not the exclusive property of the Muslim world. Suicide bombings were a tactic of nationalist struggles in 19th-century Europe and Russia, the far east during the second world war and the Vietnam war, and in modern Sri Lanka. – James Buchan • Sure Vietnam is a dirty war. I’ve never heard of a clean one. – Bob Hope • Television brought the brutality of war into the comfort of the living room. Vietnam was lost in the living rooms of America – not on the battlefields of Vietnam. – Marshall McLuhan • Thank you for the sacrifices you and your families are making. Our Vietnam Veterans have taught us that no matter what are positions may be on policy, as Americans and patriots, we must support all of our soldiers with our thoughts and our prayers. – Zach Wamp • The American claim that the bombing of North Vietnam was directed against military targets does not withstand direct investigation. – Noam Chomsky • The American Dream has run out of gas. The car has stopped. It no longer supplies the world with its images, its dreams, its fantasies. No more. It’s over. It supplies the world with its nightmares now: the Kennedy assassination, Watergate, Vietnam. – J. G. Ballard • The American people today are involved in a warfare more deadly than the war in Vietnam, but few of them seem aware of it and even fewer of them are doing anything about it. This is a war that is being waged against the American environment, against our lands, air, and water, which are the basis of that environment. – Norman Cousins • The biggest lesson I learned from Vietnam is not to trust [our own] government statements. – J. William Fulbright • The bombs in Vietnam explode at home; they destroy the hopes and possibilities for a decent America. – Martin Luther King, Jr. • The boys that were running away from America because they didn’t want to get involved with the Vietnam War had come to me. They would tell me how they felt. – Eartha Kitt • The brave men who died in Vietnam, more than 100% of which were black, were the ultimate sacrifice. – Marion Barry • The Contessa was surely way ahead of her time, too, in believing that men were not only usless and idiotic, but downright dangerous. That idea wouldn’t catch on big in her native country until the last three years of the Vietnam War. – Kurt Vonnegut • The future is now! Soon every American home will integrate their television, phone and computer. You’ll be able to visit the Louvre on one channel, or watch female wrestling on another. You can do your shopping at home, or play Mortal Kombat with a friend from Vietnam. There’s no end to the possibilities! – Jim Carrey • The hardest thing for me in Vietnam wasn’t seeing the wounded and dead. It was watching the big transport jets come in, bringing loads of fresh new boys for the war. – Johnny Cash • The industrial way of life leads to the industrial way of death. From Shiloh to Dachau, from Antietam to Stalingrad, from Hiroshima to Vietnam and Afghanistan, the great specialty of industry and technology has been the mass production of human corpses. – Edward Abbey • The International Control Commission isn’t doing anything, it’s never done anything. What good does it do to be on it or not? Before opening the embassy in Hanoi, I gave it a lot of thought, but it wasn’t really a painful decision. American policy in Vietnam is what it is, in Saigon the situation is anything but normal, and I’m happy to have done what I did. – Indira Gandhi • The lessons I learned in Vietnam and in the NFL reinforced one another: teamwork, sacrifice, responsibility, accountability, and leadership. – Rocky Bleier • The only important lesson from the Vietnam War is this: Democrats lose wars. – Ann Coulter • The Quiet American is anti the people who took them into the Vietnam War. – Michael Caine • The race for the White House should be about leadership, and leadership requires that one help heal the wounds of Vietnam, not reopen them. – John F. Kerry • The same people that are with me for not going to Vietnam because I saved them and their children.The same people will give me hell if I turn to them and say, ‘let’s free my people now’.They’re with me on one part of my beliefs about the war, that’s all. Not for my freedom. – Muhammad Ali • The TPP is another corporate-backed agreement that is the latest in a series of trade policies which have cost us millions of decent-paying jobs, pushed down wages for American workers and led to the decline of our middle class. We want American companies to create decent-paying jobs in America, not just low-wage countries like Vietnam, Malaysia or China. The TPP must be defeated. – Bernie Sanders • The truth is that I oppose the Iraq war, just as I opposed the Vietnam War, because these two conflicts have weakened the U.S. and diminished our standing in the world and our national security. – George McGovern • The U.S. directed the war against South Vietnam. There was a political settlement in 1954. But in the late ’50’s the United States organized an internal repression in South Vietnam, not using its troops, but using the local apparatus it was constructing. This was a very significant and very effective campaign of violence and terrorism against the Vietminh – which was the communist-led nationalist force that fought the French. And the Vietminh at that time was adhering to the Geneva Accords, hoping that the political settlement would work out in South Vietnam. – Noam Chomsky • The United States can certainly defeat North Vietnam, but the United States cannot defeat a guerrilla war which is being raged from a sanctuary through a pattern of penetration, intervention, evasion, which is very difficult for a technologically advanced country like the United States to combat. – Zbigniew Brzezinski • The United States must keep a low profile in Vietnam so we can negotiate its neutralization like we did in Laos . – Roger Hilsman • The Vietnam memorial is a masterpiece. The names of the dead are listed there, chronologically. Just the names. – William Westmoreland • The Vietnam War required us to emphasize the national interest rather than abstract principles. What President Nixon and I tried to do was unnatural. And that is why we didn’t make it. – Henry A. Kissinger • The Vietnamese people deeply love independence, freedom and peace. But in the face of United States aggression they have risen up, united as one man. – Ho Chi Minh • The violence of the Left is symbolic, the injuries are not intended. The violence of the Right is real – directed at people, designed to cause injuries. Vietnam, nuclear weapons, police out of control are intentional forms of violence. The violence from the Right is aimed directly at people and the violence from the Left is aimed at institutions and symbols. – George Carlin • The war against Vietnam is only the ghastliest manifestation of what I’d call imperial provincialism, which afflicts America’s whole culture-aware only of its own history, insensible to everything which isn’t part of the local atmosphere.- Stephen Vizinczey • The war in Vietnam I thought a dreadful mistake.- Stephen Ambrose • The war in vietnam threatened to tear our society apart, and the political and philosophical disagreements that separated each side continue, to some extent. It’s been said that these memorials reflect a hunger for healing. – Ronald Reagan • The war on drugs was never meant to be won. Instead, it will be prolonged as long as possible in order to allow various intelligence operations to wring the last few hundreds of millions of dollars in illicit profits from the global drug scam; then defeat will have to be declared. “Defeat” will mean, as it did in the case of the Vietnam War, that the media will correctly portray the true dimensions of the situation and the real players, and that public revulsion at the culpability, stupidity and venality of the Establishment’s role will force a policy review. – Terence McKenna • The worst nightmare I ever had about Vietnam was that I had to go back. I woke up in a sweat, in total terror. – Oliver Stone • There are some similarities, of course (between Iraq and Vietnam). Death is terrible. – George W. Bush • There are two types of courage involved with what I did. When it comes to picking up a rifle, millions of people are capable of doing that, as we see in Iraq or Vietnam. But when it comes to risking their careers, or risking being invited to lunch by the establishment, it turns out that’s remarkably rare. – Daniel Ellsberg • There’s just no question that the United States was trying desperately to prevent the independence of South Vietnam and to prevent a political settlement inside South Vietnam. And in fact it went to war precisely to prevent that. It finally bombed the North in 1965 with the purpose of trying to get the North to use its influence to call off the insurgency in the South. – Noam Chomsky • These men were wrongfully rejected, the veterans. The fighting man should never have been blamed for Vietnam. – Neil Sheehan • They told me if I voted for Goldwater, he would get us into a war in Vietnam. Well, I voted for Goldwater and that’s what happened. – William F. Buckley, Jr. • This Memorial Day should remind us of the greatness that past generations of Americans achieved from Valley Forge to Vietnam, and it should inspire us with the determination to keep America great and free by keeping America safe and strong in our own time, a time of unique destiny and opportunity for our Nation. – Richard M. Nixon • This nation should be less worried about putting the Vietnam syndrome behind us than restarting the World War II victory syndrome that resulted in the Vietnam syndrome in the first place. – Karl Marlantes • This war in Vietnam is, I believe, a war for civilization. Certainly it is not a war of our seeking. It is a war thrust upon us and we cannot yield to tyranny. – Francis Spellman • Tim O’Brien’s book about Vietnam, The Things They Carried, has won every award, is studied in college and is considered to be definitive. But it’s fiction. – Dave Eggers • To me, Columbine is just as awful as Vietnam and it’s just as awful as anything else. – Marilyn Manson • Today, America can regain the sense of pride that existed before Vietnam… These events, tragic as they are, portend neither the end of the world nor of America’s leadership in the world. – Gerald R. Ford • Vietnam is a jungle. You had jungle warfare. Kuwait, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, you have sand. [There is no need to worry about a protracted war because] from a historical basis, Middle East conflicts do not last a long time. – Dan Quayle • Vietnam presumably taught us that the United States could not serve as the world’s policeman; it should also have taught us the dangers of trying to be the world’s midwife to democracy when the birth is scheduled to take place under conditions of guerrilla war. – Jeane Kirkpatrick • Vietnam was a country where America was trying to make people stop being communists by dropping things on them from airplanes. – Kurt Vonnegut • Vietnam was as much a laboratory experiment as a war. – John Pilger • Vietnam was really an idealistic thing to stop the spread of communism, which, incidentally, it did. It was a pretty costly way to do it, but it achieved its goal. – Tom Wolfe • Vietnam was what we had instead of happy childhoods. – Michael Herr • Vietnam, me love you long time. All day, all night, me love you long time. (…) Dropping acid on the Mekong Delta, smoking grass through a rifle barrel, flying on a helicopter with opera blasting out of loudspeakers, tracer-fire and paddy-field scenery, the smell of napalm in the morning. Long time. – Alex Garland • Vietnam, we take over by doing pedicure! That’s how we take over. We take over one foot at a time, damn it – that’s the plan of attack right there. We take over from the toe up, that’s the plan. We spread over USA like fungus from the toe. – Dat Phan • Watergate enabled the Democrats to cut off all aid to South Vietnam and ensure American defeat in a war their party entered and had effectively lost, before Nixon salvaged a non-Communist South Vietnam while effecting a complete American withdrawal. – Conrad Black • We are not a warlike people. Nor is our history filled with tales of aggressive adventures and imperialism, which might come as a shock to some of the placard painters in our modern demonstrations. The lesson of Vietnam, I think, should be that never again will young Americans be asked to fight and possibly die for a cause unless that cause is so meaningful that we, as a nation, pledge our full resources to achieve victory as quickly as possible. – Ronald Reagan • We do not need more division. We certainly do not need something as complex and emotional as Vietnam reduced to simple campaign rhetoric. – John F. Kerry • We ended the war in Vietnam, and brought the troops home. – Jill Stein • We have forgotten that Vietnam, and Iraq resent being invaded and know the ground better than we do. – Wendell Berry • We managed to put together a compilation that had some creativity to it. In the meantime I was listening to the free radio stations and I noticed that during their war coverage they were playing these songs born out of the Vietnam War that were all critical of the soldiers. – Joni Mitchell • We must move past indecision to action. We must find new ways to speak for peace in Vietnam and for justice throughout the developing world, a world that borders on our doors. If we do not act, we shall surely be dragged down the long, dark, and shameful corridors of time reserved for those who possess power without compassion, might without morality, and strength without sight. – Martin Luther King, Jr. • We seem bent upon saving the Vietnamese from Ho Chi Minh, even if we have to kill them and demolish their country to do it….I do not intend to remain silent in the face of what I regard as a policy of madness which, sooner or later, will envelop my son and American youth by the millions for years to come. – George McGovern • We went to America a few times and [Brian] Epstein always tried to waffle on at us about saying nothing about Vietnam. So there came a time when George [Harrison] and I said ‘Listen, when they ask next time, we’re going to say we don’t like that war and we think they should get right out.’ That’s what we did. – John Lennon • We were sent to Vietnam to kill Communism. But we found instead that we were killing women and children. – John F. Kerry • We were very excited and we brought speakers in – then it so happened that there was a marine recruiter in the center of campus and one of our brothers, one SDS person put up a sign with a quote from the Nuremberg trial and an arrow point at the marine recruiter, saying, “This man is a war criminal.” My younger brother and I, he was freshman and I was a sophomore, got caught up in the debates that were swirling around the center of campus and the young Trotskyists had put out a fact sheet on Vietnam that was phenomenal. – Bill Ayers • We will continue to ignore political and economic forecasts, which are an expensive distraction for many investors and businessmen. Thirty years ago, no one could have foreseen the huge expansion of the Vietnam War, wage and price controls, two oil shocks, the resignation of a president, the dissolution of the Soviet Union, a one-day drop in the Dow of 508 points, or treasury bill yields fluctuating between 2.8% and 17.4%. – Warren Buffett • Well, look at what people are doing for returned veterans now. The wounded warriors. They’re working hard to make the wounded veterans feel that they are loved and welcomed home, unlike Vietnam. It was not a very kind, gentle world then. I think we are kinder and gentler. – Barbara Bush • What happened in the following years? Well, I think that among the educated classes it stayed the same. You talk about humanitarian intervention, it’s like Vietnam was a humanitarian intervention. Among the public, it’s quite different. – Noam Chomsky • What really happened in Vietnam was- all these things are away games for the American military. We’re not on our home turf, which means to succeed there has to be a partner. And the definition of partnership is someone willing to risk their lives in their home area to prevail because they think it’s necessary to build a decent life and a better life for their people. – William J. Clinton • What we do with this peace-whether we preserve it and defend it, or whether we lose it and let it slip away-will be the measure of our worthiness of the spirit and sacrifice of the hundreds of thousands who gave their lives in two World Wars, Korea, and in Vietnam. – Richard M. Nixon • When I grew up, in Taiwan, the Korean War was seen as a good war, where America protected Asia. It was sort of an extension of World War II. And it was, of course, the peak of the Cold War. People in Taiwan were generally proAmerican. The Korean War made Japan. And then the Vietnam War made Taiwan. There is some truth to that. – Ang Lee • When I was building the Vietnam Memorial, I never once asked the veterans what it was like in the war, because from my point of view, you don’t pry into other people’s business. – Maya Lin • When the soldiers came home from Vietnam, there were no parades, no celebrations. So they built the Vietnam Memorial for themselves. – William Westmoreland • When the United States fought in Vietnam, it was organized modern technology versus organized human beings, and the human beings won. – Howard Zinn • When the women’s liberation movement began, when people began protesting against the Vietnam War, civil rights movement, at the beginning of those movements, the majority of the country was not with them, did not believe in the basic principles of any of those philosophies. – Michael Moore • When was the last time the United States won a war? You know, it lost in Vietnam. It’s lost in Afghanistan. It’s lost in Iraq. And it will not be able to contain the situation. It is hemorrhaging. It is now – you know, of course you can continue with drone attacks, and you can continue these targeted killings, but on the ground, a situation is being created which no army – not America, not anybody – can control. And it’s just, you know, a combination of such foolishness, such a lack of understanding of culture in the world. – Arundhati Roy • Why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go ten thousand miles from home and drop bombs and bullets on brown people in Vietnam while so-called Negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs and denied simple human rights? – Muhammad Ali • Why was the United States so afraid of an independent South Vietnam? Well, I think the reason again is pretty clear from the internal government documents. Precisely what they were afraid of was that the “takeover” of South Vietnam by nationalist forces would not be brutal. They feared it would be conciliatory and that there would be successful social and economic development – and that the whole region might work. – Noam Chomsky • With 450,000 U. S. troops now in Vietnam, it is time that Congress decided whether or not to declare a state of war exists with North Vietnam. Previous congressional resolutions of support provide only limited authority. Although Congress may decide that the previously approved resolution on Vietnam given President Johnson is sufficient, the issue of a declaration of war should at least be put before the Congress for decision. – Dwight D. Eisenhower • With respect to where we are now, we have a voluntary army. And if we ever go back to conscription I hope that at time it will be the kind of conscription that was put in at the end of the Vietnam War. And that is, everybody is equally liable to be called to serve the nation in time of conflict. – Colin Powell • With the Black Company series Glen Cook single-handedly changed the face of fantasy—something a lot of people didn’t notice and maybe still don’t. He brought the story down to a human level, dispensing with the cliché archetypes of princes, kings, and evil sorcerers. Reading his stuff was like reading Vietnam War fiction on peyote. – Steven Erikson • Within the soul of each Vietnam veteran there is probably something that says “Bad war, good soldier.” Only now are Americans beginning to separate the war from the warrior. – Max Cleland • You don’t attack the grunts of Vietnam; you blame the theory behind the war. Nobody who fought in that war was at fault. It was the war itself that was at fault. – James Hillman • You have a row of dominoes set up; you knock over the first one, and what will happen to the last one is that it will go over very quickly. – Dwight D. Eisenhower • You have my assurance that we will respond with full force should the settlement be violated by North Vietnam. – Richard M. Nixon

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