HYUNMI “HALLE” CHAE   →  Q U E S T I O N N A I R E

all about the mun !

alias/nicknames: kat

favorite tv show: masterchef/letterkenny

favorite fc to play: ms. jeon somin, aka my female ult in kpop sgdkld

favorite typical character trope: hnng lemme get back to you on that one, too many to choose from LKSDGFJ

favorite type of weather: foggy or rainy with the occasional sunny break

favorite type of rp task/event: for tasks, questionnaires and moodboards/playlists + for events, set pairs/groups for an activity and their related interactions

something you’re looking forward to: interacting with everyone and fleshing out both of my muses !

do you like cheesecake?: i’m super picky about it, the filling can be a bit much for me depending on the flavour but i’m generally a fan !

do you watch stranger things?: currently, no — i’ve only watched s1 in full tbh

what has hands but can’t clap?: a clock ! 

what can travel around the world while staying in a corner?: .. not a clue SGLDFKJ

what’s your favorite fact about your muse(s)?: how halle’s able to keep herself composed/her emotions in check so readily when god knows i’d be a wreck over what she’d consider a minor inconvenience

all about halle !

full name: chae hyunmi

nicknames: halle, mimi, snowflake

general appearance: brown hair often styled straight with a flow to it, perfect posture and trendy outfits adorning her somewhat athletic build. she tends to stray from anything super provocative, preferring a more chic vibe because she’s all about presenting herself as poised, though she’ll show skin when she feels like it. often wearing red lipstick or just a bit of colour on her lips, she dons a light amount of makeup some days — others see her deciding to stop at tinted moisturizer and some lip balm

any scars?: one small scar near her left elbow, which she’d gotten after losing her balance on the ice and wiping out when she was about six sfdgklj

likes/dislikes: likes — winter, classical music, cranberry salsa, cropped sweaters, dark chocolate, winning + dislikes — distractions, laziness, cherries, dairy, the chainsmokers, failure

are they a funny person?: in a way, yes. she doesn’t try to be funny, nor does she have a more pleasant or generally appealing sense of humour, you could say. it can come across as sardonic, especially if her pride somehow comes into play

any superstitions?: nope, she doesn’t really buy into the bad omens that some inattentive actions could possibly bring jgsdflk

do they make new years resolutions?: she finds it to be pointless. eat better and exercise ? she’s done it for years. drink less ? if anything, she should drink MORE. she doesn’t see anything that she needs to improve upon, so why should she bother ?

biggest regret: none

biggest accomplishment: competing in sochi

are they affectionate?: *crickets chirping* lgfsdkj she could be compelled once in a blue moon, but it’s a generally rare — if almost nonexistent — occurrence

how did their name come about?: her parents wanted to give her a name that had some amount of strength behind it, so they settled on hyunmi, which means virtuous + beautiful

it’s saturday afternoon. what’s your muse doing?: here in sovana, hyunmi’s saturday afternoons consist of walking around the town, almost begrudgingly stopping to smell the roses and running errands. she can only spend so much time at the gym, after all, as it takes up most of her morning as it stands

what’s their life motto?: success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it

what’s their biggest pet peeve?: people who don’t ( properly ) devote themselves to their craft

what’s their worst habit?: overworking fgsjlksf

what would it be like to live with them?: stressful ! it’s her way or.. Her Way as it stands, so any roommate she could have — which she wouldn’t want since she likes her space, has a specific routine and sense of order — would probably lose their mind

what always makes them laugh?: the cpr training scene on “the office” DKSGFLJD

last time they cried?: a year and a half ago, while bitterly watching the olympics glsdkjf

what type of cinnamon roll are they?: looks like they could kill you and would actually kill you

hogwarts house: slytherin

zodiac sign: aquarius

and lastly, what is arguably the weirdest thing your character wishes to do or accomplish before they die?: considering she’s a fan, she wants to visit chopin’s grave in paris

Heart of Stone

Cullen + red lyrium = the Big Sad

One of the favourites of mine when it comes to my own works. I absolutely loved writing it so I do hope it will find its reader one day.

Genres: Angst, Drama, Dark, Deviates From Canon, Hurt, Mental Health Issues

Pairing: Male Inquisitor Lavellan & Cullen Rutherford, (optional) Male Inquisitor Lavellan/Cullen Rutherford

Characters: Cullen Rutherford, Male Inquisitor Lavellan, Varric Tethras, Cassandra Pentaghast, Solas, Cole, Vivienne 

Rating: M for Might be disturbing for some readers

Size: around 18 pages

THE PAIRING IS OPTIONAL! This work is not intended to contain the pairing male!Lavellan/Cullen, but I am also completely fine if somebody chooses to read it that way. 

The numbers in the text stand for the songs in my playlist you have to listen to while reading to get a better experience.

Here's the list of songs: 1. Soap&Skin - The Sun 2. L'Enfant De La Forêt - Katabasis 3. L'Enfant De La Forêt - Noir-Etang 4. Soap&Skin - Deathmental 5. L'Enfant De La Forêt - ...For The Love Of God 6. Soap&Skin - Janitor of Lunacy 7. Soap&Skin - Sugarbread 8. Soap&Skin - Marche Funèbre

(01) “Why won’t you let me out, Inquisitor?”

“Don’t talk to me.”

“I thought you came here to talk. You always do.”

“I said don’t talk to me!”

“Abandon all hope, ye who enter here… Have you abandoned?” Cullen twitched forward; the chains holding him clinked loudly in dead silence of the prison cell. “Have you? Have you, Inquisitor?”

Inquisitor turned away, afraid to look at the face of somebody he once called a friend. Pale, worn-out, and distorted, it resembled a shadow of a person, a spirit who escaped the Fade and now lurked among others with nothing reminding him of what he used to be.

“I want to see your eyes, Inquisitor. You made me like this, you keep me here. It’s all your fault.”

“It isn’t. You are here because I have faith in you. You won’t make me hate you, no matter what you say.”

“Oh, you already hate me,”—Cullen laughed insincerely—“I know you do. I can sense it. But there is still a chance…”

Inquisitor raised his head. He gripped the bars tightly and leaned forward, so close that he could feel cold iron touching the skin on his cheeks and forehead.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

Cullen closed his eyes. His body was relaxed, hands were loosely hanging. The veins visible under half-transparent skin were pulsating red.

“If you could let me share the song with you…” he muttered under his breath. “It’s so serene. You’ll see, you’ll understand then. You left me here on my own with it, and I accepted it, and so will you.”

Inquisitor’s hands exploded with a burst of magic as he clutched the bars with all the force he had left in his weakened body. His teeth were grit and his head hurt. He tried to say something, but no sound came out – his throat seemed swollen and a feeling of pressure in his chest made it difficult to breathe.

“You owe me this. I’m here because of you. Listen to me”—Cullen made a pause, waiting for the Inquisitor to react—“Listen to me!” he shouted, gripping his fists and rattling the chains that bound him.

Lavellan looked him in the eyes, ready to suffer through whatever he had to tell him.

“The song I used to hear is nothing compared to this one…” went on Cullen in a less agitated manner. “It embraces, caresses… I would hear it in my sleep, but now I don’t sleep anymore... First, the dreams left, and now I don’t need to sleep at all. I just listen.”

“I’ll find the cure,” said Inquisitor in an attempt to persuade Cullen, though, not sounding confident enough to believe it himself.

“I don’t need any cure, Inquisitor. I am not sick. I need to get out of here, I need to feel the wind, the heat of it is KILLING me!”

“You have to withstand it. The lyrium will devour you if you don’t resist, you know that!”

Cullen chuckled. His voice was crispy and low after spending so much time in a cold cell without any food and water. He wasn’t denied it, he just refused to take any.

“You’re not supposed to resist,” he made a special emphasis on the last word. “It makes you stronger, it lets you see so much more… You have no idea.”

Inquisitor let go of the bars frozen by a sudden outburst of his magic. He barely managed to keep it inside as it wanted to get out so eagerly and uncontrollably. This place smelled of despair and desolation and it took away all the energy he had. He wanted to leave, but could not force himself to do so.

Cullen slowly hummed a few notes while crossing his legs on the bare stone floor. He drew deep long breath and a hint of a smile touched his chapped lips as he spoke.

“I hated mages. You already know that, I recon. As any other reasonable templar would do. I was afraid of their power, but now… Now I am not. Your magic doesn’t scare me, Inquisitor, because soon even you won’t be able to stop me.”

“I don’t want to stop you. I just want to help.”

“Help yourself, Inquisitor. You look pathetic.”

Lavellan looked not much better than his former Commander. He barely got any sleep, always having to help others, being not himself, but the Inquisitor. Those few free moments he had he would spend in this dungeon of anguish, chiding himself for what had happened to Cullen and making himself suffer by looking at the sufferings of the templar.

Time was passing by mercilessly. He wished he could stay there without any movement forever, but the whole world was frantically spinning around him and without his intervention everything could fall apart any minute. He threw one last tired look at the templar and left the prison, foolishly hoping the next time he came everything would be different.

“I’ll be here, Inquisitor. In case you want to chat.”

Cullen didn’t stop smiling. His posture was stiff and eyes were blank, glowing crimson red.

 (02-03) “Inquisitor.”

“Yes, Solas?” Lavellan stopped to greet the elf with an exhausted half-smile on his face. He knew he couldn’t fool him, but the habit of pretending had already become a part of him.

“You’ve been there again. Don’t deny it.” Solas’ eyes were piercing the Inquisitor. It was not a question because he did not really need the answer, he knew everything intuitively. This terrifying power of his never left Lavellan any chance of retrieval.

“Yes, I have. I am trying to understand…” Inquisitor looked down in a kind of shame, like a child who did what was not allowed. “There must be something I can do,” he added quietly.

“If you really want to help him, you must put him out of his misery. This is the only option. The longer you wait, the more his condition deteriorates,” said Solas in a tone that did not allow for any disagreement.

The throbbing pain in his temples made Lavellan feel as if he also heard the song. The one that outvoiced all his thoughts and common sense, forced him to say what he didn’t mean and let slowly crawling insanity possess his mind.

“I don’t care. I do not care what you think, Solas!” he yelled, not paying attention to all the other people in the castle yard who were startled by his outburst of anger. “I will not abandon him, even if it will be the death of me!”

Solas frowned. This was the only visible sign of his dissatisfaction. Even though he greatly disapproved of what the Inquisitor’s opinion was, he would never lose his temper.

“You don’t belong to yourself anymore. People rely on you, and you have to remember that. Sometimes thousand lives are more important than one,” he simply said.

Lavellan shook his head, now feeling ashamed for his behaviour. He did not mean it, merely didn’t know how to defend his position anymore.

“I know… I am sorry,” he replied. “I promise to think it over. I just need some rest; it’s been a long day.”

“Indeed, it has. I understand, my friend. Great responsibility lies on your shoulders.” Solas patted Lavellan on the back. “Don’t try to carry it on your own. We are all here to share it with you.”

Inquisitor nodded gratefully and hurried to leave the unpleasant conversation behind.

“Varric wanted to see you. He looked worried,” said Solas after him.

“Thank you. I will see him at once,” answered Inquisitor, disappointed that he couldn’t be left alone even for a moment.

The dwarf was right were Lavellan assumed he would be – near the fireplace in the great hall, working on his drafts. The mage approached a wooden table and took a seat on a chair near Varric.

“Your Inquisitorialness,” said Varric and took his gaze off the pages scattered all over the table. “You look… good enough.” The expression on his face suggested he was of a different opinion.

“You don’t have to lie to me, Varric. You’re the only person here allowed to criticize me so we’re friends no matter what you say.”

“Okay, well, a little rough around the edges, but I’ve seen worse.” The dwarf smiled in a friendly way, finally put aside his soaked in ink quill and diverted all of his attention to the conversation.

“I appreciate the honesty,” said Lavellan. His head still hurt, but the tender warmth of the fire in the fireplace and the calm air always present around Varric made it easier to endure.

“Chuckles probably made it sound like a big deal, but there wasn’t really any significant reason I needed to see you. Just wanted to tell you that Cassandra took over all of Commander’s plans and… Well, she’ll take care of everything. Things will continue as planned.”

“I appreciate that as well,” said Inquisitor, his voice gradually becoming quieter. He knew he should talk to Cassandra. After all, her role in the Inquisition was already great enough, and now she had even more responsibilities to deal with. Yet he did not know what to tell her. He could neither congratulate her not say that he was sorry. All seemed wrong.

“Look, I know you don’t want to talk about it, but let me say something. I know how it feels.”

Varric also possessed the ability to know what people around him thought about and it made the Inquisitor consider the fact that he was the only one who couldn’t see past the pretension of others. He couldn’t even understand his own thoughts, let alone somebody else’s.

He didn’t answer, just looked blankly in front of himself, right into the void, at nothing in particular.

“I lost my brother to it…” continued Varric.

“I’ve never heard you had a brother. What was he like?”

“Stubborn would probably be the best word to describe him.”

“Seems like you two had quite a lot in common,” said Inquisitor jokingly.

“Not really. He was this “businessman” type of guy – always thinking about profits and dubious affairs. And, unlike me, he wasn’t a charismatic and talented hero-lover.”

“Obviously. It is hard to find another dwarf like you.”

“Impossible, I would say”—Varric heaved a deep sigh and his tone shifted to a more serious one—“It’s difficult to come in terms with at the beginning, but sooner or later you just do. It’s long and complicated, but we’re all here to support you. We knew what we signed up for.”

Inquisitor thought that it wasn’t true. He didn’t know. Cullen didn’t know. Nobody knew. Even so, he would probably be able to accept any consequences if they applied to him personally, but he was not ready to watch others degrade that easily.

“You should go and lie down. My talks make you sleepy, apparently.” Varric gave Lavellan an encouraging wink in an effort to end the conversation on a higher note.

“It’s good to hear at least one actually useful advice today,” said Lavellan. “Let me know if anything needs my attention.”

“Of course.”

Varric dipped his quill in ink and continued writing. Inquisitor headed to his quarters, trying not to pass out from fatigue on his way there.

 (04) The next time Inquisitor entered the dreary prison, he barely managed to hold in a scream of terror. Cullen’s state was rapidly decaying. Red lyrium crystals were nesting on him, tearing the pale skin from the inside, feeding on his flesh. The whole cell was illuminated by appalling red light emitted by the crystals that were now part of his body. It was unbearably hot down there – apart from light, the lyrium also radiated heat. Cullen hardly moved since the last time Inquisitor saw him.

“I thought you’d never come,” he said with the same ominous smile he demonstrated previously. There was neither kindness nor hospitality in it.

“I was busy.” Inquisitor swallowed his horror before the intimidating creature dwelling in the basement of his castle and approached the cell. “Does it hurt?”

“It used to. It was more painful when I tried to oppose my addiction. Now, having given in, I see that there was no point in it. The most difficult path isn’t always the right one.”

“I refuse to believe that this is really what you think!”

Lavellan’s right hand flushed with green light. His constantly pressured and distraught state of mind depressed his control over magic abilities, especially those concerned with the Mark. Closing small tears grew more and more troublesome, as his power did not obey him and instead forced more demons to come out of the Fade.

“I gain power while you lose it. How ironic.” Cullen’s red eyes were staring right into Inquisitor’s soul, omitting what was on the outside. Lavellan’s appearance made it obvious that he was also experiencing drastic changes, but Cullen did not need to see how he looked to know that he was broken already. “The Anchor doesn’t belong to you, so soon it will turn against you, the way it should’ve done long ago. And then the Master will take it.”

“The Master? Now you serve him? Cullen, have you forgotten what he did to our people? Haven’t you seen how the Sanctuary was destroyed?”

“I remember everything perfectly, and that is why I understand how fast he will achieve dominance over everything else. You’re blind, Inquisitor, and I gained my sight here, in this dark basement, thanks to you. I pity you for how miserable your efforts to defy us are.”

“You have never talked to him, Cullen. He is insane, he blatantly uses everyone who supports him. They are disposable! Do you really want to be one of them?”

“I don’t need to talk to him, I have the song. It’s with me all the time. Unlike you were.” Cullen stopped smiling and grimaced. “If the song I heard from usual lyrium reminded the voice of the Maker, then this one sounds like the Old God. Something greater than all of us, something indescribable and immensely strong. There is no Maker in the Golden City, Inquisitor. Nobody cares about your soul, might as well sacrifice it in the grand battle for this world. But betting on the right side.”

“Cullen, you’re not yourself anymore…”

“Have you just noticed? What kind of leader are you if you don’t pay attention to what is going on with your advisors and trusted ones? To how Leliana bends down under the weight of the decision she makes for you, to how the Bull is torn between what is dear to him and what he must do, to how Cole suffers every minute he is present in this world affected by the vices and sins people commit… And all because of you.”

Lavellan tried not to yield, not to show that every word pierced him like a dagger. Every day he thought about all the lost opportunities, missed chances and mistakes made. Every night he lay sleepless because of the regrets and guilt haunting him whenever he closed his eyes. He did not see darkness under the lowered eyelids, only the faces of people he lost to the war nobody was ready for. However absurd templar’s words were, he would believe them because he himself was disappointed in what leader he turned out to be. He tried not to yield but did it quite poorly.

“Even though you don’t admit it, I know you’re crushed. You’re as lost as the day the Breach opened and you were the only one to survive the explosion. I could show you the way… or end you. You decide.”

“I don’t need any help from you. You are not the person you pretend to be anyway... We’ll talk everything over, but only when I bring back the Commander I know.”

“How persistent,” said Cullen, stretching every word as if he was savouring them. “It’s a shame you weren’t so determined previously. Perhaps it would have saved a lot of lives and your beloved Commander in his previous form. Although, I am quite upset that you prefer to disown me now that you don’t like the way I am anymore. You turned out to be so shallow…”

“We’ve all seen what lyrium does to the templars, Cullen… Your words will not influence me because I know that it’s the Blight talking in you. Once you get rid of that filth—”

“You’re not really so certain, are you?” asked Cullen mockingly and laughed. “You think you can just rip it out of me, but it runs through my veins now. You can try whatever you want, you can break the crystals, you can cut them out, you can use your wretched magic, your Mark, yet you will not make the song go away. It will grow louder and stronger, and so will I.”

“You haven’t eaten for days, Cullen. You don’t sleep, you don’t talk to people. Your life slips through your fingers. Nobody is allowed to go down here except for me, so I am the only one who can help you. Please, don’t make it worse for the both of us.”

“I’m not the one making it worse. You are.”

Cullen turned his head away from the Inquisitor, not willing to talk anymore. The crystals on his body glimmered with red lights. There were no other light sources in the basement so Cullen’s face was illuminated only by this sinister glow. His eyes as well as the veins visibly pulsating under the dead-white skin of his drained body were red. Everything about him was red. The fetters around his wrists were covered in rust, but the glow of the crystals made it seem like they were rotting.  

Lavellan couldn’t help but notice that most of the crystals were growing on his left shoulder and the appropriate side of his neck, forming a cluster. A number of smaller ones was spread over his stomach and forearms. Although he had already spent days in the cell, his body wasn’t as weakened and feeble as it should have been, and it scared the elf. He really wasn’t going to die or surrender that easily.

Inquisitor did not know how long he stood there without saying anything, just examining the former Commander. At one moment, the realization that he hated being there just dawned on him. He slept for a few hours and even tried to eat before coming, but now felt as if he hadn’t had any rest for weeks. The heat produced by the lyrium crystals made him feel feverish. His vision became dizzy and he thought that he may lose consciousness if he stayed here.

The room that always felt so empty now seemed to be filled with presence. Cullen was the only prisoner, but to Inquisitor the basement seemed overcrowded: he couldn’t breathe freely, his whole body hurt as if he was pushed around with heavy shoves. Convincing himself that there was nothing he could say or do to help Cullen right here and right now, he decided to leave.

Cullen said nothing.

 (05) “Oh, dear, you look hideous,” said Vivienne, catching Inquisitor on his way to the war table. Her voice suggested that she was both unsatisfied and a little bothered. “We need to do something about that immediately,” she added, looking him up and down.

“I am sorry, Vivienne, but there is no time for that. One of our scouts went missing and we need to decide where we should start searching. I promise I’ll get some sleep later.”

“No-no, beauty sleep will not help you anymore. I’m afraid, we need to eliminate the cause of your worries or else you’ll scare all our allies away.”

“I know what you want to tell me and no, I will not—”

“This is not a discussion, my dear,” said Vivienne, interrupting Lavellan who already raised his hand as a sign of protest. “It’s difficult for all of us, but you cannot show your weakness. You represent the Inquisition and appearing like that is almost the same as telling everybody we are just a group of worthless bandits. Look at those clothes, at that face… You look like you were the one who sat in that cell with no fresh air and good company. Please, I beg you, don’t make me feel ashamed of you.”

“I cannot promise you to deal with what bothers me, but I will pull myself together,” managed to utter Inquisitor after a few seconds of silence.

“And the clothing.” Vivienne looked skeptically at the old torn leather armor Inquisitor had been wearing for god knows how many days.

“Yes, I will surely change it.”

“That is what I wanted to hear. Don’t let others use your vulnerability against you. Don’t look like you have any in the first place.”

Inquisitor nodded to the Grand Enchanter to pay his respect. She gave him a polite nod as well before leaving him in the great hall. In reality, he rarely shared her point of view regarding pretty much anything, but he just could not resist her openly: she was too powerful and too valuable. Her knowledge of Orlesian court and magic powers were of great use to the Inquisition so sometimes he just needed to say what she wanted to hear in order to keep their temporary peace.

He hurried to open the heavy wooden door that led to the command centre. All of his advisors had already gathered at the war table. All, but one.

As days went by, Inquisitor slowly descended into madness. He frantically slaughtered all enemies he met on his way being as merciless as never before. His magic powers grew to be more effective on the battlefield, burning, freezing, and crushing, but, at the same time, almost uncontrollable. There was no middle ground for him, only lethal blows. Each red templar he spotted made him furious beyond all reason – he used every single spell on them to see what dealt the most damage. He couldn’t use his healing powers anymore, but instead gained the ability to bring the strongest pain to every red lyrium addict he saw. Blackwall, Dorian and Varric shared his hate for the enemies they fought, but certainly did not approve of his methods. They thought nobody deserved that much suffering, no matter what they did.

When time allowed it, Lavellan would stop to examine the bodies of the deceased templars. He paid special attention to how the crystals rooting in their bodies developed and grew, how the skin around the ruptures looked and behaved. He killed countless knights, guards and marksmen, observing how different were states of their corruption. He noticed how crystals pierced their armour, making it part of them. Some of them wore helmets overgrown by it, so he wondered how they could even see anything. A few shadows he eliminated had arms completely covered in lyrium which made them much more dangerous than the others, raw lyrium being extremely harmful in any state, but at the same time filling their existence with agony: contact that close made them lose their humanity faster and degraded their physical and mental state.

Once on the Emerald Graves, Inquisitor, accompanied by his loyal followers, met a Behemoth. An enormous lump of red lyrium barely provoked the thought that it used to be a person – not a single part of its body remained intact, everything was completely covered with crystals. The air around it was pulsating with heat, and the red glow it emitted blinded them. The fight was long and tedious – Blackwall was severely injured after receiving a massive blow in his leg and Dorian exhausted all his magic forces and couldn’t continue without a dose of lyrium to boost them. When the existence of the monstrosity was finally ended by Inquisitor’s ice spell, they managed to catch a glimpse of a silhouette resembling that of a human being inside the Behemoth before it collapsed to the ground. The atmosphere became heavy, as they were crudely reminded that the creatures they were forced to fight used to be people at some point. Some of them, perhaps, didn’t choose this fate and would rather continue living their ordinary lives.

While his companions stood gloomy and silent, mulling over what happened to the world they once knew, Lavellan approached a pile of dust left of the Behemoth. He couldn’t lose such an opportunity to study it because it was the first specimen that was so corrupt that it wasn’t able to say a single word and could only scream and produce inarticulate sounds. Lately Inquisitor became almost obsessed with researching how lyrium developed in the bodies of templars, so all he could think about was finding out how it influenced human organism and seeing if it could be prevented somehow. He approached the pile and was extremely disappointed to see that there was almost nothing left in it. Being in some kind of frenzy, with his bare hand he grabbed a small lyrium crystal – the only visible part of the templar that hadn’t disintegrated yet. A few moments passed before Varric noticed what Lavellan was doing and hurried to him to drag him away from the pile and throw away the crystal. Inquisitor’s hand and fingers were already influenced by the mineral and a few deep burns were left on the skin.

All the way back to Skyhold Lavellan listened to Dorian lecturing him about how irresponsible he was. Blackwall silently frowned and lagged behind, holding on to the handle of his sword hanging in a scabbard on his side. Varric occasionally sighed and said that he agreed with Dorian. Inquisitor’s hand throbbed with pain but he did not really care. The only thing that bothered him was the fact that he didn’t make any progress in researching the influence of lyrium.  

He stopped visiting the prison at Skyhold. He was afraid to descend there and see something more terrifying that he had already seen. He wanted to send somebody down to check on Cullen occasionally, and Leliana agreed to come herself, not wanting anybody else to become the witness of what happened to the Commander of the grand Inquisition. She feared they would lose their influence and authority if the details about Cullen’s corruption became public; the Inquisitor feared he would lose any hope left after seeing his friend one more time.

After one of the visits, Leliana reported that Cullen’s left arm is covered with red lyrium crystals up to his elbow already. Apart from that, she added that he also refused to talk to her. He didn’t even acknowledge her presence.

 (06) “So… how are you doing here, Cole?” asked the Inquisitor his ghostly companion one gloomy evening. He couldn’t forget what Cullen said about him not caring about his friends. He was troubled to learn they were down, but recently just didn’t have the time to address that.

“This place is not a home. Too dark. Everybody’s hurt.” The spirit lowered his head, hiding his eyes behind the brim of his hat.

“Are you hurt too?” carefully inquired Lavellan.

“I don’t know. They are. I absorb the pain, it stings like bees, but stronger. But it brings relief to the others.”

“You don’t have to help them if it is hard for you. It’s impossible to help everybody. I don’t want you to feel pain because of that, Cole,” said Inquisitor, concerned about the spirit. He knew that comforting others was the actual reason his friend existed, but didn’t want to tolerate such state of affairs nonetheless.

“I came here to help. Pain is temporary, death is not. I take the pain and put up with it for a short while, and they are free and calm. Better than listening to their screams.”

“I see…”

It was always difficult to communicate with Cole. He was there but also in hundreds other places at the same time. He responded to questions, but was talking about something only he saw and understood. He looked like a young boy, so everybody perceived him as such, but, in reality, he knew much more than any other person in the castle. He knew about misfortunes of every soldier in the Inquisition, about their worries and fears, but nobody really knew anything about him. Inquisitor was sorry that he didn’t take enough time and make enough effort to get to know this sad entity better.

“You are the only one I can’t help. I see your pain, it’s red and dense and floats like a haze. You are surrounded by people, but they are not there. You’re alone and lost in the fog and you suffocate. I want to help.”

Lavellan moved the hat from Cole’s eyes to see his face. Usually there was no expression on it, but it was important to see his eyes to establish at least some kind of contact.

“I know, Cole. I know. But it’s my burden, and I will carry it. Others here are also miserable, so just do what you can for them. Whatever you feel right.”

“I tried to take away your fear.” Cole looked Lavellan directly in the eyes. “I come when you sleep, I watch, try to lead the demons away. They are strong, bloody, proud, drag heads of their victims as trophies. You don’t let them in, yet the fear stays. You need to rest, but not sleep. Watch yourself.”

Cole suddenly disappeared as he sometimes did. Lavellan remembered him standing beside him a second ago, but now he wasn’t there anymore. Some of Inquisition’s soldiers and commanders were against Cole’s stay in Skyhold, but the Inquisitor remained unshaken in his decision. He saw what the boy did to help those who were in need, and it was more than he himself could have ever done. The spirit didn’t disappear out of a sheer wish, somebody needed him. He always answered the call.

 (07) Lavellan was lying on the side of his bed, twisted and rolled up in a blanket. The bedsheet around him was crumpled and wet from sweat. He was in fever, as if instead of frosty mountains outside of Skyhold only sand dunes enveloped him with unbearable heat. He was delirious and mumbling something to himself. Before his eyes was the same prison cell he chose not to visit anymore. Crystals grew from every wall, from the ceiling and stone floor. They seemed to be alive, breathing and singing the song. Parts of mutilated human, elven, and dwarven bodies were stuck in the lyrium, feeding it with last drops of blood left in them, making its red colour more prominent and vivid. Inquisitor saw familiar faces captured eternally inside the crystals, lifeless, pale, and distorted. He gripped his staff tightly, ready to fight whoever would come to face him. His injured fingers hurt but he tried not to focus on the pain.

“I hoped to see you once again,” said the voice he knew all too well. He turned around and saw Cullen sitting on the floor with his back leaning on the wall. He wasn’t chained. “I was so upset you stopped visiting,” he continued.

“I couldn’t…” started Lavellan, but Cullen did not want to listen.

“I know what had really happened. You thought I was a burden and you had no wish to continue coddling me. But who will take the responsibility, Inquisitor Lavellan?”

“You should ask your new master about that!” yelled Lavellan angrily. He didn’t really know how much responsibility laid on him for all what had happened, but now he didn’t want to admit anything at all. Not before Cullen.

“He is doing what he must, and you are making things more complicated. Do you really believe you are a hero? A Herald of Andraste? You’re just a thief!”—Cullen spat on the floor in front of him—“All you know is stealing and deceiving. Who gave you the right to decide what’s right and what’s wrong? Why do you think it was better for me before I changed? Tell me, I want to know.”

“I’ve seen what this “transformation” does to the others. They become inhumane, forget their language, families, friends. They live in constant pain and their life is deprived of meaning. You don’t need to be the Herald to understand that.”

“I am different. They are unworthy, nobody cares about them. Do you know the names of all your soldiers, Inquisitor? Do you mourn the death of every one of them? Then why do you worry about those templars so much? They have their own fate and will be rewarded for their diligence. Unlike all those people stuck in here with me,” said Cullen and smiled, waving his already corrupt hand in the direction of ghastly faces behind the glass surface of red crystals on the walls.

“Are you now tormenting people who worked with you and admired you?” Lavellan felt dizzy. He used his staff to help himself stand straight, but his energy was being drained by the red lyrium filling the room. “What kind of commander are you?”

“An improved one. You should’ve noticed how insecure I used to be. Afraid that people would judge me for what I say or do, afraid to confess to you about my decision to stop taking lyrium. Wasn’t it hilarious? Perhaps, you kept me close because I amused you.”

“No, I didn’t. You were one of the best people I have ever known. It’s a shame you turned into this.”

The mark on Inquisitor’s hand started glowing and he felt as if he would lose consciousness soon. His vision got blurry, making it difficult to concentrate on the templar.

“Oh, I know what you feel now…” Cullen laughed repulsively. “Fear, regret, disbelief, disappointment… A little bit of sorrow maybe? Don’t try to lie to me.” He stood up. No shackles held him, now he was free to do whatever he wanted. “Are you ready to face the truth?”

Lavellan squeezed his eyes shut and tried to escape the nightmare. He knew this couldn’t be real.

He opened his eyes and found himself lying on the bed in his quarters. Cole was sitting beside him, silently saying his mantra. He stopped when noticed that Inquisitor was already awake.

“I heard your scream. Nobody here screams that loudly, only whimpers. It was almost too late. The haze swallowed you, I didn’t see, couldn’t find. I am glad you believed me.”

“The thought that it’s just a dream… Did it come from you?” Lavellan removed the blanket and sat on the bed.

“Yes. I wanted to destroy the fear and regret, but could only take you out of the nightmare. You shouldn’t be left alone.”

“Thank you, Cole… Could you stay with me?”

“That is what I implied.”

Lavellan didn’t feel like closing his eyes again.

 (08) “This is impossible! We do not have time and resources to do it!” said Cassandra. Her voice sounded as agitated and decisive as always.

“I need it! I’m not asking you to bring me Coryphaeus himself, just a few red templars.”

“You have lost your mind! How can we capture them alive if even touching them may be lethal? It’s too dangerous. You know that they never surrender.”

“It can change everything. The lyrium in dead templars is most likely also dead, there is no use of it, but if we bring them here alive… I will be able to study it, I’ll examine how it responds to different treatments and…”

“They already suffer! Even if they look like monsters, they are under the influence of it. You want to torture them even more, doesn’t it bother you?”

“What bothers me is the absence of any results in my studies, Cassandra. I need at least a tiny bit of useful information.”

Inquisitor was uncompromising, but Cassandra did not want to agree to his proposal. After all, the Inquisition was still part of the Chantry and they simply couldn’t capture templars and experiment on them. She was one of the people who started the Inquisition and didn’t want to see it come crashing down.

She sighed.

“We will make a decision at the council meeting.”

“Then tell everybody to gather.”

As one of the advisors, Cassandra made it clear that she didn’t support this endeavour of the Inquisitor. Leliana, being more practical and open-minded, decided that they should take the risk in case there was at least one possibility to gain some intel in the process. Even if they didn’t learn how to cure the corruption, they would probably discover the templars’ weak spots. Josephine was inclined to support Cassandra out of her morals, but seeing Lavellan in such despair made her budge.

Two people were in favour, so they started the operation.

Cassandra feared that soon they would not be able to keep Inquisitor in line. He was becoming more and more radical in his methods and didn’t share his thoughts with them anymore. He was grim, slept only three hours a day and most of his time spent in the libraries or on the battlefields. From the latter he would often come injured without even noticing it, as if he couldn’t feel it or didn’t care enough to notice. Their cause was still a priority to him, but determination and hope vanished from his eyes. They became dull and cold.

When first templars were delivered to the castle, he locked himself in the forge with them and didn’t come out for a few hours. Nobody was allowed to enter. There were no screams, but the silence made it seem even worse. Everybody was on the edge, not knowing what to expect. It happened a few more times, but the Inquisitor never shared anything about what he did or what results his experiments showed. As time passed, he became even more withdrawn and solitary. Solas tried talking to Lavellan about the Commander and what his inertness did to him, but with no success. Inquisitor was deaf to all inquiries.

 When the blizzard settled down and the sun managed to send a few rays through thick clouds, one of the Inquisition’s soldiers knocked on the door to Lavellan’s quarters.

“Come in,” said Inquisitor, not bothered to look away from the book he was reading.

“My lord, Sister Leliana went on her usual check and he wasn’t there…” The soldier started stammering as Lavellan abruptly pierced his gaze into him. “He escaped,” mumbled the soldier.

Inquisitor knew it would end like this. He awaited it and feared.

A comprehensive episode-by-episode list of miscellaneous sentence starters based on the single season of the Kolchak: The Night Stalker tv series (1974). 

All starters are verbatim, but pronouns have been adapted for gender neutrality. 

[LONG POST BENEATH THE CUT]

     ➩ E.01 - The Ripper “They wanted to be successful. They should have settled for being alive.” “For reasons I have never been able to understand, they always confused my clever ingenuity with what they called "high-handed lunacy.” “They were interfering! I placed them under citizen’s arrest - that’s my right!” "Okay… What’s the bottom line?” “I’m overwhelmed by the accumulated dumb-ness.” ”Since I last wrote you the person across the street from me has come back. They’re back to their old tricks, prowling around nights in that foolish costume looking right through me with their X-Ray eyes. Can they kill me with their eyes, or will they only make me sterile?” ”They had the perpetrator trapped, treed, and cornered, and they got away. And later, no one could agree on what they saw.” “I don’t trust you, [X]. You’d double-cross your own fairy godmother.” ”I can give you a sack of material, sodden with the tears of humanity - great reference material, four novels in it at the very least.” “You know the sort of junk we do - lurid, sensational. Got any ideas?” “This will stop a love-crazed moose in its tracks.” ”Oh the murderer promised not to kill anyone? That’s great. That’s just great.” “I better tell the psychiatrist to stand by. I think we’ve got a nut that needs certifying.” “For once be a cop instead of an ostrich!” ”Okay, okay, let’s just take this time for example. Now, they have killed three people, they have jumped off of a four story building and survived, they have been hit by an automobile going thirty miles an hour, and they have taken on your crack tact squad in a tooth-and-nail confrontation. Now, do you mean to tell me you’re just going to sit there and tell me that this is just an ordinary person you can go out and arrest?” “You’re sitting on your brains!” ”If you think you were sickened by the murder of that person, just imagine, just think how sickened you’re going to be at your own murder!” ”Is this all I do? Check on weirdos? Well...” “How could you explain it? Who could explain it? Who would believe it?”      ➩ E.02 - The Zombie “What’s the catch?” “No. Absolutely, infinitely, definitely no!” “We had a relationship that was long and bloody, like The Crusades, only without the chivalry.” “You stop a bullet with that cabbage blossom you call a head, don’t expect to ride in one of our ambulances.” “As dead as six ‘44 magnum slugs can make you.” “What did you do to them - pester them to death?” ”Say something sensible? They’ll put me in jail if I open my mouth!” “Well then I envy the dead - at least they’re getting some sleep!” “Yeah they’re foreign alright. [X]’s from hell itself!” “They are dead… but not very.” “Nope, no sicknesses. Though sometimes my back hurts when I hear certain stories…” “Don’t be afraid of this blowhard!” “What’s that crack supposed to mean?” ”Why is my name on their hit list? Oh I ask a lot of questions. Seems like nobody likes that, cops, voodooists, or politicians. Wouldn’t you agree?” “Be my guest… if you’ve got the nerve.”      ➩ E.03 - They Have Been, They Are, They Will Be... “I felt people should know about it so they could be prepared when it happened again. If it’s possible to be prepared for something like this.” ”You do not reason with 207 pounds of outraged jammer!” ”Oh, that explains why I don’t remember: I was delirious.” “It’s looks to me like I’m going to take some of that overdue vacation time I’ve got coming.” “If you know what’s good for you you’ll disappear too.” ”Why you look absolutely radiant! Now there’s only one thing that puts that kind of sparkle in someone’s eye. Bologna? Yeah, well. Some call it that. Did you have a nice lunch, a few drinks ahead of time?” ”Don’t hassle technicians! This takes scientific precision, a few seconds off and you get nothing. Which is just what you got - nothing.” ”Are you beginning to make the connection? No? Then I’ll have to start at the beginning with the autopsy of the dead panda.” ”You’re going to suck the marrow out of my bones? That is no inducement for me to come out.” “'Have another seltzer and go home and go to bed,’ they said. I don’t want another seltzer…” ”Have you ever tried to report a UFO sighting?” ”What are you guys firing at? You can’t see anything anyway!” ”Somebody throw a net over them, will you? I think they’re about ready for the rubber room.” “Just don’t be stupid, please!” “What happened? It’s all a point of view really.” “As for me? Well, I haven’t heard from the boys in the sedan… yet.”      ➩ E.04 - The Vampire “That’s the way they’re handling it. All the careful words that aren’t really words and the blank stares…” ”No, no. Not me. I’m in it up to my eyeballs right here.” “Late I am, but a termite inspector I’m not. Though I’ve been known to bug a few people…” “They should meet my boss. They’d turn Buddha into a chain smoker.” “What’s wrong with “nary?” Well, it went out with “methinks.” ”When I brushed my teeth this morning, you were still alive. But then I started shaving, and the whole world ended for you.” ”You need me to lend you my lipstick? Is there something you’d like to talk about?” ”You’re not exactly Marcello Mastroianni, but you don’t hear me crying about it.” "What I saw wasn’t Kung Fu, and it wasn’t chow mein!” ”I’ve got an in-law who’s got a fourteen year old kid they’re always bailing out of juvenile hall, but I’ve go you and you are worse.” “And if they don’t want to go, close their tie in the car door and drag them.” “If you hate to see me go, you’re in the minority.” “Who would go near it? Only a monster, or some fool looking for one.” “It was a local landmark so I had to pay for another one, and I didn’t mind at all. I just couldn’t think of a way to get it on the expense account.” ”They booked me for murder, just like I thought they would.”      ➩ E.05 - The Werewolf “Look, couldn’t I have the flu? Couldn’t you tell them I’m sick?” ”Go! Only don’t let them put you in a wheelchair - you’ll probably start bleeding from the ears!” “They’re coming. They’re coming? Who? The British? The Accountants?” ”Hi, how are you? Hey, put’er there. Good to see you. Hey, let me ask you something. What are you doing here?” ”It’s the usual break-down: 40% divorced, 40% deceased, 10% delightful. Now that’s the difference that we’re interested in, right?” ”Do you do this every time you hear a whistle blow?” ”Hey, I shell out a buck-eighty for a mai tai and I don’t even get half a dance?” ”Next time don’t try to con me - just lay it on me.” “I was down here last night and I saw something absolutely incredible! …Before I blacked out.” ”I’m sure I could jury rig a suitable substitute with some chains and a couple of marlin spikes. Take about fifteen minutes.” ”Getting spliced is not the object, here. Getting your chimes rung is.” “Wait. Let me absorb this. Slowly.” ”Now if you ever need any more blessings we’ll talk about it. You just come on down to my room and we’ll have a little tinky-winky or something. But leave hi-ho silver here.” “If I were you I’d go back to my room, lock the door, stay sober, and remember some more prayers!” “So here the story sits, for good I guess. No one but you or I know the real truth, the real story.”      ➩ E.06 - Firefall “Well they certainly take a dim view of you. It’s okay - they’re rather dimwitted anyway.” ”Be puzzled on your own time!” ”You’ll worry when there’s reason? Well start worrying - there’s reason.” ”A god? Well I didn’t think about that! Maybe they’re starting those fires by hurling thunder bolts.” ”Can we please hold this hysteria down to a fever pitch?” ”They’ve ruled something out. Why don’t they rule something in, that’s all I’m asking! That’s all I want.” ”As I was to be taught once again, there are nicer ways to make a living. Far nicer.” “Books are fine, if you want to know the sociological reasons or a lot of other intellectual double-talk. But there’s nothing like someone with instincts.” ���It’s just terrible to be broke and superstitious at the same time.” “There’s a ghost trying to take over my body? Oh great, how charming.” ”I’d be more than happy to loan you some money - no questions asked.” “I need the money today. Today! Otherwise some gentlefolk are going to use my kidneys as kettle drums!” “I’m in your desk because I need your caffeine pills. I’ve been up for fifty-two hours straight and if I nod off, I’m dead.” “You want to help me? Oh that’s terrific! You can come out tonight and help me dig up a body.” ”Grave robbing and body snatching are still punishable crimes, so I had to do them by myself.” “So I think I’ll just spend a nice, good night’s sleep in the slammer.”      ➩ E.07 - The Devil’s Platform “Fearless, independent, and energetic. Why can’t they be like the rest of us? Timid, insecure, and lazy.” “I was young when I started waiting for that elevator, but there’s two things that just can’t be rushed - anyone who’s paid by the hour, and an office building elevator.” ”Have I ever taken advantage of our friendship? Not yet? Well, I’m about to.” “That’s what I love about you - you’re really into the important heart of things.” “Where’s our White Knight? Getting their Charger re-shod?” “You know they’d once planned on entering the priesthood? And then The Inquisition ended and all the fun went out of it for them.” “They looked as calm as a Buddha, a plastic Buddha.” ”Are you trying to tell me you’re concerned about the way you look? Really?” ”You can remember when I always had time for you? I don’t remember ever having time for aimless chatter.” “It’s not technical nonsense you’re worried about - it’s legal technicalities, flack from upstairs. That I understand very well.” “You know how the song goes - different strokes for different folks. Had a check-up recently?” “Satanism. Power Through Witchcraft. You’re not going to be reading these things on into the night, are you? Well, whatever turns you up…” “What’s wrong with this country? Nobody cares. Try to warn them, do they listen? No. Nobody listens. Nobody cares.” ”It’s okay - God will understand... I hope.” “Sometimes if you want a job done right, you just have to foul it up yourself.” “I noticed they were conversing in a downstairs den, so not wanting to disturb them, I looked for the back entrance. There was none. But, where there’s a window, there’s a way.” “Yes, it’s costly. But there’s the old American adage - you get what you pay for.” “A human sacrifice, huh? Uh, well, let me talk it over with my attorney first.”      ➩ E.08 - Bad Medicine “F. Scott Fitzgerald once wrote, "The rich are different than you and me.” Sure are. They’ve got more money. But there wasn’t enough money in the world to save some of them.“ "Suicide is a very ugly word, but so is murder!” “Well frankly you don’t have any tact. You don’t have any rapport with society. Just look at yourself!” “I saw it, but I didn’t believe it. And I was sure the police didn’t either.” “I want to tell you and warn you - I only have one throat.” “Why don’t you stay a bit longer in the dark room and develop a personality?” “This is not your usual run-of-the-mill caper.” “I don’t care if they’ve got a trained seal that plays La Paloma on a bicycle horn!” ”I don’t know the difference between a Chippewa and a Chippendale.” “Well then they must be a 24 karat chump!” “Alright, let’s try it from the top. How do you want it this time - in italics, or in Press Book Roman, with expletives deleted?” “Don’t you "aha” me!“ "Yes I’m staying here. I’m camping here because I thought, sometime during a twenty-four hour period, like a moth returns to the flame, that you would return to this office. And the waiting was worth it for what I’m going to tell you.”      ➩ E.09 - The Spanish Moss Murders ”Maybe you have to brush with death before you can really reflect on life, on the people and times that really meant something to you.” “There’s nothing under the sun that I fear as much as I fear dentist appointments.” ”The total value of their wine cellar exceeded the gross national product of Paraguay.” “Everyone must make a living, right?” ”Are you going to give a statement? Or is it going to be the usual down: “No comment?” “What’s happened to you? We used to call you "mad dog.” Where’d all the sweetness and light come from?“ "They looked like they’d been massaged by a bulldozer…” “Holding out? Me? Not a thing.” “You try to be a nice person? How’s that working out?” ”Don’t restrict yourself to talking. Why don’t you bang some pots and pans around? Why don’t you play a trombone solo?” “I’d love to pick you up and drop you right down an elevator shaft!” “The people in group therapy didn’t tell me I was ever going to meet anybody as un-okay as you are!” “Has the heat melted your brain pan?” “You can take your feature series and rotate on it.” “Isn’t this debasing enough without this ass running around here?” ”I don’t have to listen to this poppycock.” “You been buggin’ me, buggin’ me good! You’ve been grating on my nerves!” “Well, all of their dreams, and their nightmares, are over… I hope.” ”Getting any? Huh. As if.” ”But why call it a theory when it’s really a fact?”      ➩ E.10 - The Energy Eater “Now it was dedication time and everything was roses. It was all I could do to stay awake.” ”The bar just closed? That figures.” ”A well-performed autopsy is a joy forever.” “What the hell is that? That’s something that warrants a lot more investigation.” ”I’m going to have to hang up because I’m just not used to that sort of language.” ”Before I say goodbye, could I step in and forget my hat?” ”Are you scared enough to go along with me on an idea?” ”My head is a high visibility asset.” ”I’m a shaman, but I don’t practice it much anymore. Not since we got on Blue Cross.” ”You know what your problem is? You have no time for the amenities.” “You put that thing away or you get a close-up of my foot.” ”I guess it would be too much to hope that you’re finished?” “Any schmo can invent a rabies vaccine, but when will we find a cure for stupidity?” “Oh don’t give me that, friend. You’ve sliced bologna much thicker in your day.” “Have you ever heard such patent blather in your life?” ”Yeah, remind me of that sometime will ya?” “Just rest, and you’ll be out of here before I know it.”      ➩ E.11 - Horror In The Heights ”Whichever way you dress it up, old age is never glamorous nor exciting.” “Son, I’ve seen more dead bodies than you’ve had TV dinners.” “We all have rats, [sir/madam]. You should see the one I work for.” “Well old doesn’t have to be synonymous with senile. Just look at how old you are.” “Bleeding hearts? Me? Where?” “You’re going to throw a few brick bats, are ya? Or is that too rough? Maybe we can just pelt them with a few wet biscuits.” “You’re Richard the Lion-Hearted, Patrick Henry, and Saint Teresa all stuffed into one big pinstripe suit.” “Well, they just died - they were entitled!” “Yeah, you’re no quiz-show host. They make better money than you do. Make better jokes than you do too.” “I think you need to have your marbles examined.” “They tried to come at me with a crossbow.” “You know, in your own quiet way, you’re… Well. Yeah.” “Non-sequiturs are going to drive me into a state institution.” “I value my time. If it is your intention merely to be a music hall wag, please state so.” “Why would they take a shot at you? Well, their actions seem understandable to me, somehow.” “Now just a minute! You may be my superior, but you’re walking on eggs when you talk that way, buster!” “I only got one problem pal - I don’t trust anybody.”      ➩ E.12 - Mr. R.I.N.G. “I don’t know when exactly I was here last. In some ways it seems like I never left, but no, that’s not right. For at least a few days I was away. Far away, at the hands of people with no faces and no names. They broke me down, at least I think that’s what they did... between injections. Memories fade fast enough without chemical help, and if I don’t tell this story now I don’t think I ever will.” “Why are they happy? Well, you’re in trouble.” “Well, here I go, right into the valley of death.” “What do you want me to do, embalm them?” “Do you know in the old days they used to give this task to the lowest forms of animal life in the office? Some things never change. You should take some comfort in that.” “All that you can be sure of is if that lot were working on it, it was a colossal bore.” “But then I heard an opportunity to return to my normal, comfortable pursuit of crime, mayhem, and destruction.” “Hey, why the cream-puff treatment, eh?” “No thank you. I better go take a few lessons in double-talk.” “That’s all great stuff for the professional route, but we’re not there right now, so why don’t we just talk to each other like two grown-up human beings. What do you say?” “I’m leaving now? Ah. Yes, I am.” “You won’t believe what’s been popping today. Now I’m not sure what’s going on, but I have the feeling that it will make Watergate look like a pie-fight.” “They’re putting heat on you, right? It’s bigger than I thought. Terrific.” “Am I satisfied? Of course not.” “This might be a blockbuster, but’s the Federal Government, and it’s my block they’re going to bust!” “If they get harsh with loudmouths then I’ll whisper.” “I don’t know where to begin either. Why don’t we start with nomenclature?” “Let me talk to them. I’ve always had a knack for the folks in uniform.” “Perhaps, when I’m completely back in this world, I won’t believe any of this. But I doubt it.”      ➩ E.13 - Primal Scream “Someone said it was kind of a messy death. Ever seen one that wasn’t?” “Ever try to deal with a giant corporation? They transfer your call here, they transfer it there, they put you on hold, and you’re out in the cold.” “Sure, sure. Their hearts are as big as their profits this year!” “The scientific community is hardly the court of the Borgias.” “Yeah well I called to make an appointment and you put me on hold and by the time you came back and told me to call back my hair had grown down over the receiver. So I came anyway.” “Someday there will be a waiter’s strike and all the large corporations in America will just topple.” “What in the name of all that is good and holy is going on here?” “You see, I’ve got the seniority. I’ve got a lot of experience with baboons…” “Accident? You threw my equipment down and danced the funky chicken all over it. You owe me!” “I mean, that wasn’t J Fred Muggs out there dressed in a tutu and drooling for the public, and playing on a unicycle.” “Put in your voucher and shut up.” ”There’s no precedent for anything that’s happening, so don’t tell me there’s no precedent! Tell me something useful!” ”You might not really want to believe. But you go ahead - you believe.”      ➩ E.14 - The Trevi Collection “They were a dealer, a snitch. A peddler of information. Their clothes were as cheap as their reputation.” “What started out as a mild surprise culminated in stark-raving terror.” ”Why do I want to go up there? Because it’s there.” “You mean there’s a market for that kind of crud?” “You might be able to tie me into a story about the person’s death? Oh terrific!” “Look, some of the people like to date kind of rough types. I don’t know, it’s chic. It’s also kinda kinky.” “You can run but you can’t hide… where have I heard that line before?” “You want the police to come and rough them up? On what charge? Reading slowly in public?” “They act like I’ve got leprosy. Heaven knows I’d be safer at a leper colony.” “Oh no, no. I’ve seen that look before. You get that slack jaw, and your mind drifts off, and you don’t even really hear me.” “Dying and maiming were coming into vogue.” “There’s a couple of people with bent noses that are looking for me.” “Good? It will probably be a best-seller. Most trash is.” “Big business and free speech is what this country is all about, right?” “There is no charge. A nominal contribution will be appreciated… Not that nominal.” “Oh they called you a very filthy word. And I tend to agree with them.” “But in this particular case I would agree with what my mother used to say about chicken soup - it couldn’t hurt.” “You could make me important? How? By killing off all my enemies?” “Just what any person wants - fame, fortune, a Maserati…”      ➩ E.15 - Chopper “Well fortunately for all of us, you’re your own worst enemy.” “You’re going to be the best, eh? I believe it. If you don’t die of hypertension first. Learn to relax, will you?” “You know for something so routine, they have this thing sealed up like a Japanese Imperial Code.” “Yes, they were beheaded. And you could use a trim yourself.” “It’s for my own good? Oh that’s very original.” “I am sane, I am lucid, I am as clear-headed as Walter Cronkite!” “Save the wear and tear on my ears - I’m not releasing any information. Period.” “It was very poorly cut? So are you. We could make some alterations - take in your ears a little.” ”Well they’re all on drugs. I’m not! Who knows what they’re talking about. And I don’t know what’s wrong with you either.” ”Wax! Wax, you idiot! And some good old fashioned elbow grease!” ”It’s inane. Inane, but original!” ”Those were the days? Those were some days, alright.” “Is that what I think they do? I’ve given up trying to figure out what they do! All I know is what has to be done!” “You’re not even fit to be captain of The Rockettes!” “There’s an old simple axiom about the dead - don’t disturb them for any reason at all. I had decided to overlook that.”      ➩ E.16 - Demon In Lace “There’s no law against dropping dead.” ”Do I have a comment? Yeah, but you couldn’t print it.” “Some people dream about retiring. I dream about breaking your face.” ”Ever been in a war? Yeah. A couple of them.” ”One more step and I put a staple right through that neck tie to your backbone.” ”Where have I been all day? Well at the county morgue, for one place.” “You haven’t got a syncopated bone in your body! You walk off-rhythm!” “I’ll sue those seersucker pants right off your can!” ”Another vanishing corpse, and you get excited! Another vanishing corpse!” ”Do you know any Latin? Habeas corpus? Ipso facto? That’s it? Great, so you know Perry Mason Latin!” ”Big contacts, big mouths, big deal!” ”No, no, no, forget it. They’ve got to be exceptionally built, at least an 8. Well, say on a scale of 1 to 10, Mick Jagger in his prime is the only 9 and Quasimodo is a 2.” ”You put a scratch on this and I’ll see to it that you’re ruined.” “If should you ever meet someone that’s just too lovely to be really of this world, just remember, there’s a very good chance they aren’t.”      ➩ E.17 - Legacy Of Terror “Among the philosophers, the great thinkers, and the common joes of this world, no question is more controversial than the truth.” ”Remarkable as it may seem, I can attest that the following events did occur. Whether you believe them to be true, or not.” “They wanted me to help with the buttering-up. I promised I’d show up with a haircut, a new hat, and pressed suit… but I lie a lot.” ”As usual - a day late, and a dollar short.” ”Listen, I’ll call you later. I’ve gotta check out this homicide.” ”I’m full of good questions today? Well. Do you know that you’re full of?” “No, no. No X-Rays, no pictures. Nope. I got things in there I don’t want seen. Dark thoughts, evil plans.” ”I’m fine, you just send the EMTs back to their meat wagon there.” ”Why did I arrive first? Well I wanted to be first in line for a skull fracture.” ”Such a shame. The out-of-towners are going to get the impression that the city is filled with nuts...” ”We met? I don’t remember.” ”Well, see, that’s where you come in. You see, credibility wise, you are a rock. Where my credibility is zilch.” ”As far as having dummies in key staff positions, well. I’m as guilty as the next.” ”Over my dead body. And you, get your body out of my chair.”      ➩ E. 18 - The Knightly Murders “They were good - allegedly great. So what do you say to a living legend? Hi there…” ”Homicide is a very democratic institution.” “You’ve got a quick wit. I like that. It shows a proclivity to cope.” ”There is however one disconcerting wrinkle to that premise.” ”Alright, I can buy that. I can buy a direct question. And I respect you for it.” “Extricating myself from them cost me two hours of precious time, wherein I learned the only thing more maddening than people was certain educated people.” ”I’m an old society friend of theirs. You know, old, uh, Alpha-Beta... over and out.” ”Yes, we’re thinking about brightening up the office. They are going to be replaced by a Boston fern, and you a snapdragon!” “When you’re hot, you’re hot. And as I saw massively un-seemingly related facts coming together, I knew I was at least getting warm.” ”That person? With persistence they might make village idiot.” “I’ve been watching you! For the past few years you’ve been sitting on your laurels, not to mention your brains. You’re lazy!” ”You mean you actually did some work in between yoga classes and book reviews?” “You’re someone who has resorted to lies and chicanery to the point of being pathological.” “In short, I believe your brain has turned to onion dip.” “I wouldn’t give you another piece of information if you held me down and let a pack of rats run through my clothes willy-nilly. Not if you made me drink the oil slick off Lake Michigan would you get anything out of me!” “Just because it sounds strange isn’t any reason for me to go to the lolly-pop factory.”      ➩ E.19 - The Youth Killer ”It all boils down to a simple need.” “What happens then? Magic! Love! …Maybe even friendship.” ”I don’t want a match made, I want an angle!” “Charm, steady work, sincerity. These things don’t count for anything!” ”Oh good, business does come first.” “Well! Where have you been all my life?” ”If Monty Hall can’t liven up a morgue, no one can.” ”That’s the idea! I’m trying to get my identity crisis together. I want to change my image.”  “I got this for you. A pin-wheel for a pin-head.” “It isn’t a shrine - it’s just a morgue.” “I’ve been single for a few years, but I’ve never been that single.” ”You don’t need us. You are very independent. You have the confidence to dress as you like, and I suspect do as you like with everything.” “No rush - I’ve got a hangover that could kill a buffalo.” ”Look, when I said I’m in no hurry, I didn’t mean we should spend the day here.” ”Mayonnaise? An old cure? For what?” ”You don’t need my services? Robert Redford you are all of a sudden?” ”Destroy the temple? Destroy what temple? Come back here!” ”You’ve ruined some very expensive statues. Museum quality. And what did it get you?” “Oh. As a post-script, I’ll offer this bit of advice: should you ever find a ring, no matter how pretty or valuable, consider well before you slip it on your finger. You may never get it off again.”       ➩ E.20 - The Sentry ”Their detractors said their success was owed only their looks and their allure. Their supporters were usually too moon-struck to say anything.” “Everything is routine around here! You’re getting into a rut!” ”You schnook! You idiot!” ”I like you. I really do. I mean I like your style, I like your savoir faire, I like your directness, the way you take over a situation. I even like the way you dress.”  “Preservation through perspicuity was the company motto.” “This recession has got me in a bad mood.” “They’ve got no business connection with nickel - they’re the proverbial bad penny.” ”Only the insane man feels secure!” ”The only things that happen fast around here are accidents.” “How do you know how much my while is worth?” ”Will you just come quietly?” ”Have you ever been maced?” ”Don’t you tell me what to do with my mouth!” ”Aren’t they in prison? No, of course not. They’re on parole. And I have a small job for them.” ”You sucker. You had better learn the tune to that tone dial on the telephone, ‘cause they ain’t never gonna call!” “You know I think all that bicarbonate you’ve been drinking has put bubbles in your brain!” ”Kindness! That sweet young thing is about as kind as an SS Sturmbahnführer!” ”Look, that last problem would have never happened if somebody would have remembered to soundproof the hearse properly. And to put on lipstick! Their wig was crooked, too.” “Congratulations - for shipping purposes, you are now a precision instrument.” ”You know if all the film that I shot that’s been confiscated by the cops were laid end to end I’d have enough film to shoot War & Peace, including a travelogue and a cartoon.” “You do great things for my masculine ego, you know?” “I think [X] has the sense of a tree stump.” “Now are you willing to listen to my insane ideas?”

tag dump: hyunmi “halle” chae !