#macabre days union

[luneratic]

Back for now. Also today is my birthday and I’ll probably make art of it

Macabre_Day! :]

[mrs5sn0w]

Serenade of Shadows

I : A Dance of Shadows -> II : Whisper of Deceit -> III : A Symphony of Heartbreak -> IV : Fractured Reflections -> V : Shadows of allegiance -> VI : Echoes of Decent

Series Masterlist

Young!Coriolanus Snow x Fem!reader

warnings: Arranged marriage, HEAVY ANGST, unrequited love, friends to enemies, enemies to lovers

Reader's surname : Flare

Time frame: Before, during and after tbosbas

Synopsis: In the events of Panem's political dynamics and the 10th annual Hunger Games, Coriolanus Snow and her find themselves entwined. Standing at the brink of an enforced union, 6 years later, their mutual trust unravels amidst a damaging misinterpretation, prompting Coriolanus to believe the wrong. As the glacial barriers guarding his emotions begin to melt, a revelation of profound feelings unfolds, initiating a sprint against time for redemption.

The air was thick with unspoken tension as the First Lady, confronted President Snow about the revelation made by Mrs. Crane. The coming days brought a heavy shift in the Capitol's political landscape as she embarked on her plan to modify the Hunger Games and expose the Crane couple's illicit dealings.

---

The preparations for the 16th annual Hunger Games were in full swing, and the first lady was at the forefront, orchestrating the changes she envisioned.

The air in the control room hummed with anticipation as she outlined her modifications to the Game Makers.

"I want these Games to be more intense, more unpredictable. We need to give the districts a show they'll never forget,"

she asserted, her eyes ablaze with a newfound determination.

The head Gamemaker, Octavius, raised an eyebrow but nodded in agreement. "Very well, Mrs Snow. We'll implement your changes."

As the arena was transformed into a nightmarish landscape, her influence was evident in every diabolical detail. The once calculated brutality of the Hunger Games took a macabre turn under her direction.

The night before the Games, the Capitol gathered for the traditional pre-Games banquet. She was adorned in a dress that mirrored the ominous atmosphere she had cultivated, took the stage. The cheers from the Capitol citizens echoed through the grand hall as she began her speech.

"Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed citizens of the Capitol, thank you for joining me tonight. As your First Lady, I have taken it upon myself to enhance the grand tradition of the Hunger Games. This year, you will witness a spectacle like never before. I've modified the Games to push the limits of survival and test the resilience of our tributes. May the odds be ever in their favor."

The applause that followed was thunderous, but Coriolanus Snow, watching from the shadows, felt a pang of unease. He had underestimated the extent to which she would go to assert her influence.

---

The night after her speech and the modifications to the Hunger Games, tension hung in the air of the Presidential Mansion. Coriolanus Snow, unable to contain his frustration and anger, confronted her in their private chambers. The conversation quickly escalated into a heated argument.

Coriolanus, his voice laced with disdain, accused her,

"You've turned the Games into a bloodbath ! What were you thinking ?"

She was undeterred as she met his gaze with determination.

"I'm doing what needs to be done, Coriolanus. This is the Capitol's game, and I'm playing it better than anyone expected."

He scoffed,

"Playing it? You're reveling in the bloodshed! You think this is power? This is madness!"

"Madness or not, it's the reality of our world," she retorted, her words a counterpunch to his condemnation.

Coriolanus, fueled by frustration and a sense of superiority, underestimated her resolve.

"You're nothing more than a pawn in this game. Your modifications won't change a thing. You're not capable of understanding the true nature of power."

She was stung by his words but shot back, "You underestimate me, Coriolanus. I understand power better than you ever will. This," she gestured to the opulence surrounding them, "is just a façade. True power lies in the ability to shape the narrative, to control the minds of the Capitol."

His laughter was mocking. "You think you can control anything? You're a naive idealist. Your little modifications won't change a thing. The Capitol will continue to thrive, and you'll be nothing more than a forgotten First Lady."

The words cut deep, and she, despite her resolve, felt the sting of his disdain. Yet, she refused to back down.

"You may think I'm naive, but I'm not blind. I see the rot within the Capitol, and I refuse to be a silent spectator. I will change things, with or without your approval."

Coriolanus, unyielding, dismissed her with a wave of his hand.

"Change? You don't even understand the concept. This is the way things have always been, and this is the way they'll always be. Your feeble attempts at change are nothing more than a momentary disturbance."

In the midst of their heated argument, she was undeterred by Coriolanus Snow's verbal assault as she seized a moment to confront him about his own role in the brutality of the Hunger Games.

"Why are you so pressed, Coriolanus? Isn't this what you wanted?" her voice, though tinged with anger, carried a genuine curiosity.

Coriolanus, momentarily taken aback by her question, retorted,

"I wanted control, not chaos! There's a difference between maintaining order and descending into senseless brutality."

She countered, her tone cutting through the tension,

"But you've always admired the Games for their brutality, haven't you? You've reveled in the suffering of others. This is merely an extension of your own desires."

Coriolanus, unwilling to admit his own culpability, deflected,

"This isn't about me. This is about the Capitol, about preserving our way of life."

Her gaze bore into him, her eyes challenging his evasion, she scoffed.

"No, Coriolanus, this is about you. You've always been fascinated by the Games, by the power it gives you. You can't distance yourself from the very brutality you championed."

A tense silence settled between them as Coriolanus struggled to find a response. While she refused to back down, she continued,

"You can't play the victim now. You wanted a spectacle, and that's precisely what I'm giving the Capitol. You can't stand the reality of your own desires staring back at you."

Coriolanus, his composure slipping, snapped,

"This isn't what I wanted. You've taken it too far. You're jeopardizing everything."

"Jeopardizing what, Coriolanus?" she questioned, a note of frustration in her voice.

"The illusion of control? The carefully constructed façade of Capitol ideals? You can't blame me for embracing the very darkness you've always admired."

Their verbal sparring continued, each accusation and retort revealing the cracks in their marriage. The grandeur of the Presidential Mansion became a witness to the unraveling of a relationship built on political convenience and masked desires.

In that charged moment, Coriolanus Snow found himself confronted not just by the changes in the Hunger Games but by the undeniable truth of his own desires. The power he had sought now manifested in a form that challenged even his own convictions. His wife, unapologetic in her pursuit of change, stood as a reflection of the consequences of the very brutality he had championed. The intricacies of their relationship, once carefully hidden behind political maneuvers, were laid bare in the battlefield of their private chambers.

The argument reached its climax as her frustration collided with Coriolanus's arrogance. Hurtful words were exchanged, each sentence a dagger that severed the fragile threads holding their marriage together. The room echoed with the intensity of their discord.

"You're incapable of understanding anything beyond your thirst for power," Coriolanus sneered.

Her eyes ablaze with a mixture of anger and hurt, shot back,

"And you're incapable of seeing anything beyond your own reflection. This marriage is nothing more than a political transaction to you."

The wounds of their verbal sparring ran deep, leaving a chasm between them that seemed insurmountable. The realization that they were on opposing sides of a battle, not just politically but emotionally, cast a shadow over the grandeur of the Presidential Mansion.

---

The Hunger Games arena became a grotesque stage where the First lady, his unexpected tether to humanity, faced an imminent, brutal demise.

In the grim arena, her delicate frame seemed fragile against the brutal backdrop. The poison, a sinister creation of Coriolanus Snow, introduced an insidious element to the already perilous games.

Coriolanus Snow's heart clenched as he watched her lift the poisoned chalice to her lips in the arena. A chilling fear gripped him, and he couldn't contain his desperation.

"No, don't drink it!" he pleaded, his voice echoing unheard in the arena's cruel expanse.

too late.

As she consumed the toxic drink, the effect was swift, a cruel dance of life slipping away.

The poison's tendrils took hold, and a cascade of reactions unfolded within her. A subtle tremor betrayed the onset of its deadly influence. Her gaze, once vibrant with determination, now flickered like a fading ember. The poison worked its way through her, a silent assassin claiming its victim.

Unaware of the treacherous nature of the drink, she looked toward him, a trusting gaze that stabbed him with guilt.

"Coryo, what is this?"

In that moment, fear etched lines on his face as he struggled to find words.

"It's poisoned, y/n. Drop it ! Please!"

A flicker of realization crossed her eyes, and the glass slipped from her trembling hands, crashing to the ground. The poison, however, had already claimed its place in her system, and an unspoken horror hung in the air

Every step she took became a struggle, the arena's terrain now a treacherous adversary. The poison's cruel progression manifested in her weakening limbs, each movement a testament to the inescapable grip of impending doom.

The tributes, initially mere pawns in the Capitol's game, sensed the shift in dynamics. As she faltered, they closed in like vultures, seizing the opportunity presented by her deteriorating state. The once defiant first lady, now weakened by the poison's relentless advance, faced the impending threat of the tributes' brutality.

In the cruel ballet of the arena, her demise unfolded with a tragic inevitability. The poison, a manifestation of Coriolanus Snow's malevolence, became the instrument of her tragic end,

His wife, weakened by the poison's relentless advance, managed a feeble smile while stuttering,

"do you hate me that bad ?"

"I didn't want this"

"I just wanted....the Coryo i knew back" she gently caressed his cheek while blood came out from her mouth, coughing the crimson red liquid out.

His heart ached.

The arena, once a grand stage for political machinations, now bore witness to a personal tragedy. In that moment of shared terror, the boundaries of power dissolved, leaving behind only the raw emotions of a man who had unwittingly set in motion the demise of the woman he had never intended to love.

Her skin grew colder beneath his touch, each passing moment stealing away the warmth he had come to associate with her. The vibrant life that animated her seemed to wane, replaced by an unsettling chill that permeated the very air.

His fingers, once intertwined with hers, now registered a subtle but undeniable drop in temperature.

He could feel the rhythm of her heartbeat slowing, each thud echoing a painful countdown. The heartbeat, once a steady cadence that resonated with life, now played a haunting melody of departure. It was as if time itself conspired against him, dragging out the inevitable moment of separation.

In that dream-induced reality, the fear of losing her intensified with every passing moment, a visceral force that gripped him in its merciless jaws. It wasn’t just the loss of a piece on the Capitol’s chessboard; it was the unraveling of a connection he had fiercely denied.

In the disorienting aftermath of Coriolanus Snow's harrowing nightmare, the dimly lit room bore witness to the lingering echoes of his distress. The air was thick with tension as he gasped for breath, still caught in the clutches of the haunting visions that had unfolded within the recesses of his dreams.

Coriolanus Snow woke with a start, his eyes stinging with unshed tears. The remnants of the dream lingered, casting a shadow over the reality of the dimly lit room.

His breaths were ragged, and he could feel the wet trails of tears on his cheeks. In the disorienting transition between the nightmare and wakefulness, he whispered to himself,

“y/n…”

The room seemed to close in on him, the weight of the dream still clinging to his consciousness. He wiped away the lingering tears, the vulnerability of the nightmare etched in his expression.

As he gathered himself, the echoes of her imagined demise reverberated in his mind. He couldn’t shake the visceral emotions, and the tears that escaped his eyes were a testament to the tumult within.

“Why does it hurt so much?” he murmured, a question left hanging in the air, unanswered.

Sensing his palpable distress, she rose from her position on the sofa, sprang into action. The soft rustle of fabric accompanied her swift movements across the room. Her usually composed demeanor gave way to urgency, her eyes reflecting concern as she approached him.

"Coryo," she called out softly, her voice a soothing cadence cutting through the lingering echoes of the nightmare. Her measured steps brought her to his side, where she knelt down with a graceful ease, a silhouette against the dimly lit room.

Reaching out, she gently placed her hand on his trembling shoulder, a gesture of reassurance and comfort. The warmth of her touch aimed to ground him in the reality that surrounded them, a stark contrast to the surreal horrors he had experienced in the dream.

"It's just a dream," she murmured, her voice a delicate melody attempting to calm the tempest within him. Her words were spoken with a tenderness that hoped to dissolve the lingering fear that had wrapped itself around his consciousness.

Coriolanus, still caught between the realms of dream and wakefulness, turned his gaze toward her. The dim light accentuated the concern etched on her face, the lines of worry contrasting with the usually composed features.

"I saw you die in the arena," he confessed, the vulnerability in his voice revealing a facet of himself he rarely exposed. The weight of the nightmare clung to him like a shroud, and she, perceptive to his unspoken turmoil, continued to provide solace.

Her eyes, pools of understanding, met his, and she whispered,

"It wasn't real. I'm right here."

With a graceful movement, she enveloped him in a comforting embrace, her arms a sanctuary against the residual fear that lingered in the air.

As she held him, the room became a haven, shielded from the phantoms of the nightmare. her touch was a balm, an anchor grounding him in the present.

The soothing repetition of her words became a mantra, gradually dispelling the haunting images that had plagued his subconscious.

Coriolanus, his voice a mixture of relief and lingering unease, responded,

"I don't know why it scared me so much. It felt too real, I hate you but I'm scared of losing you."

Her embrace tightened as she whispered,

"Fear doesn't always make sense. I'm here with you, safe and sound. The nightmare can't hurt you."

He nodded, the weight of the nightmare gradually lifting as her words sank in.

"I just... I couldn't bear the thought of losing you," he admitted, the admission hanging in the air.

"Then is it so hard to love me back?" she uttered, the words hanging in the air like an unspoken challenge. Coriolanus, taken aback, felt a pang of discomfort. The question pierced through the layers of his stoicism, and for a moment, the vulnerability he rarely displayed surfaced.

His gaze, usually unwavering, flickered with uncertainty. The weight of her inquiry lingered, and as she held him in that fragile moment, the room seemed to hold its breath, awaiting his response.

She did not get a response from him but Snow began to confront a truth he had fervently avoided—the fear of losing the woman who had become an unintended anchor to his existence. As she held him, the barriers that had once defined their relationship crumbled, and the night unfolded with a raw honesty.

In that vulnerable moment, Coriolanus Snow, usually composed and stoic, let down his defenses. As he kissed his wife, there was a rawness to the emotion—an unspoken language that surpassed the political complexities of their relationship.

His lips, once reserved, now conveyed a longing that echoed the fears and vulnerabilities stirred by the haunting nightmare. The kiss held a passion that spoke of a connection beyond the Capitol's facade, an unexpected bridge between two souls navigating the intricate dance of power.

She who felt the intensity of his kiss, reciprocated with a tenderness that transcended the lingering unease. The dimly lit room bore witness to this unspoken exchange, where the weight of nightmares was replaced by the warmth of a shared moment—a moment that hinted at the complexities of love and longing in the tumultuous world they inhabited.

The lingering echoes of the nightmare were replaced by the warmth of genuine emotions, as if the haunting specter had unintentionally ushered in a new chapter in their shared existence, marked by the scars of anguish and the fragile threads of a newfound connection.

yet, she remained oblivious whether he would end up loving her or not.

Taglist : @randomgurl2326 @princessloveweird @rosewine-5 @cookielovesbook-akie @qoopeeya @corpsebridenightmare @bl0ndelilac @unclecrunkle @puredreamagination @lofhdfn

[scary-grace]

would you happen to have a favorite nuclear disaster? i know a lot of them but i'm most partial to chernobyl because of how extensively it's been researched

In fact I do! Picking a favorite criticality incident felt a little macabre (look up the demon core if you want a scary story or two), so my favorite larger-scale disaster has to be the story of the Soviet nuclear submarine K-19.

K-19 was the first Soviet sub to be equipped with nuclear missiles, and while it was the pride of the Soviet fleet, it wasn't particularly friendly to Soviet citizens. Multiple people were killed in accidents during the construction of K-19, and at its launching ceremony, the bottle of champagne that was supposed to be smashed on her keel to christen her didn't break. One could say that the omens weren't favorable. One could also say that the construction of K-19 was so rushed that something was bound to go wrong on her maiden voyage. Either way, something did.

A pipe in K-19's nuclear reactor that was meant to funnel coolant to the reactor was damaged during the construction process, and during the submarine's first mission in June 1961, it cracked. This prevented coolant from reaching the reactor, and the reactor overheated, threatening to melt down and take K-19 with it. K-19's captain later said that he was afraid that an explosion on a Soviet nuclear submarine would trigger a nuclear exchange between the Soviet Union and the United States. In order to save the submarine and the people on board (and potentially avert nuclear war) K-19's captain assembled three-man teams of volunteers who would enter the reactor room and make the necessary repair.

If you're familiar with Chernobyl, then you're familiar with acute radiation sickness, and aware that the fatal dose of radiation for an adult human is uncomfortably small. K-19's reactor room would have been dangerous even for a person wearing proper protective clothing, but K-19's crewmembers had only raincoats and gas masks. Each of the men who entered K-19's reactor room received three times the lethal dose of radiation. Within six days of entering the reactor room, all of them were dead.

Of the 139 crewmembers of K-19, 22 ultimately died from radiation poisoning. That being said, the crewmembers who entered the reactor room succeeded in saving the boat. K-19 survived and continued to sail until 1972, at which point a fire onboard killed 28 people. At that point the Soviet navy gave up the ghost and decommissioned the ship -- but not before K-19 had earned the nickname "Hiroshima" from the people who sailed it.

Sources:

Accidents in Nuclear Ships

Nuclear Sub's '61 Tragedy

[cheesus-doodles]

Why do I feel like Taiju - like Izana - doesn’t give too much of a crap over his kids? (Because mans has a kink he claimed is his christian values of procreation so there will be many baby Shibas running about)

Like maybe he cares marginally in a way that he views them as offspring, his legacy, living proof of your union and whatnot…but like Izana if he had to pick he’d always choose us. Plus he’s not above using them as leverage to get us to behave.

In retrospect there are probably few tr yanderes that genuinely care about their children. I can see Mitsuya, Baji, kakucho and draken for sure in terms of honest to goodness love. The middle of the pack like koko maybe Inui, the Haitani bros…do care but it’s a majorly stems from either a twisted sense of possession or a macabre family portrait. The tail end is where izana, Mikey, kisaki, Haruchiyo come in.

Kind of rambled there, I swear i just was going to focus on Taiju and I spiraled. it’s my take on it, but i would love your opinion on this if it isn’t too much of an ask. Be well and have a great day!

Link to Taiju's birthday fic

Masterlist

‎

ahh merry christmas, happy holidays and happy new year to everyone! since christmas just passed you know we gotta give some love to our favourite christian delinquent boy - sorry it took so long to get back to you kind anon!

Actually I think when it comes to their children, Taiju and Izana would be complete opposites as opposed to being on the same side.

Taiju would be the one that would actually make the effort to be a present, loving father to all his little Shiba children. Which yes would be one for the above mentioned reason of Christian values (cough definitely got nothing to be with his kink or rather you'll never get him to admit it cough), and two, getting you pregnant again when you start getting restless helps keep you dependent and pliant. Helps that he loves seeing you round with another kid and having to ask him for help when you stop being able to waddle around the house - which he is more than happy to do so, bridal carrying you everywhere.

I feel that Taiju does love his children to a certain degree, especially since its the ones he had with you even if it is no where close to his love for you, but he isn't 100% opposed to sharing the light of his life with them and does see the value in keeping them on his side. Taking good care of them would mean that they would be more inclined to listen to their father when he asks them to do something for the "benefit" of their mama, plus you wouldn't have to spend so much time looking out of them instead of looking after him. This boy definitely isn't above using your children as leverage when he needs to, and in fact its usually with the cooperation of his children. Having them help keep an eye on you while he is at work, making sure you stay home and out of the public's eyes, taking your breaks as needed, and then telling them to ignore you or send them to their uncle or aunt's place; children come in useful when their father is as charismatic as Taiju, though no doubt they love the affection from their mama more.

Taiju won't see his children as a threat to you, be they male or female - of course he would always pick you over them if it came down to it, but he wouldn't be in any hurry to kick his children out or send them away for school to get them away from you. As long as they keep in line that is, and don't make any attempts to separate him from the love of his life. And Hakkai and Yuzuha help to remind the little Shibas whenever they get the opportunity to - no one is in any hurry to find out what the old Taiju re-emerging would look or feel like.

Others that I feel would also fall into this category would be yes Koko, Inupi and Rindo, but none of them would care to have as many children as Taiju - maybe at most two or three, which would the limits of their tolerance.

‎

Izana on the other hand is a hell lot more possessive over you - this boy would absolutely give little to zero shits about his kid because he is already your baby, and would only have that one child because he doesn’t like having your attention off of him even for a single minute. Only had a kid because honestly they were a mistake and Izana hadn't realized that babytrapping you was going to lead to you having a baby. Sometimes thoughts just do not pass through his head fully, but at least realizes that you were now tied very permanently to him, and your child would be living proof of your union with him. Gets very jealous very easily, and would insist that you pamper him even more than usual to "make up" for the attention you were giving his kid. Sometimes would take the time and effort to parade his child around to show them off and indirectly show you off to others, though its not unusual for this big baby to sometimes just choose to ignore the fact that he even has a child when he is pouting.

Definitely uses his child as leverage over you, strictly controlling the amount of time you get to spend with your baby. Refusing to let you hold the child for any more than necessary when Izana thinks you are misbehaving (usually when he is clingy and in a meltdown thinking that you want to leave him), and rewarding you with more playtime and even outside time when he is in a good mood. Takes a lot of your effort to finally get Izana to acknowledge and internalize that he has a child, and that is when he finally lets loose a little and proceeds to spoil his kid rotten materially. Still stingy with his affection though, and only ever wants to cuddle with you.

But Izana would 100% be the sort to see his child as a threat to you and his relationship with you the more they grow up. Definitely difference in treatment if the child was a boy or a girl - he'll be so much softer if he had a daughter, since she would be no threat in his eyes, even more so if she was a daddy's girl. But if he had a son, ho boy. Would at most tolerate the kid until he was 15 or 16, and then its sending him off to college as far away from you as possible, and making it damn near impossible for him to come back home unless you force the exception, either through taking away cuddling time or being extra nice to him. Any time you get to spend with your kid is heavily restricted and monitored, Izana would most likely even give his son a job just to keep him away from you.

Others that would fall into this category would be Mikey, Kazutora, Sanzu, Kisaki and even Ran, though only Ran would also differentiate between if he had a son or daughter. Kisaki would keep his child around as leverage no matter the gender, and Mikey, Kazutora and Sanzu would have no qualms banishing their kid as soon as they were of age, be it daughter or son.

[vale-isei]

Headcanons #2

◉ Dynamic and his brothers are Aurorian royalty. Fatal and Dynamic are princes, and Sonder as the oldest is the supposed king (Sonder married Enouement and gave him the full title of “King”, hence why Enouement is the main leader of the Republic of Aurora (though he doesn’t like being addressed as “Your Majesty”, etc.)). Dynamic, unlike his siblings, carries his title with pride. As the youngest, he has a lot to prove as an Aurorian Prince serving in the Days Union. He’s very flamboyant with his status.

Also going off of this huge headcanon: Macabre joined the Union the same time as Dynamic for obvious reasons. Sonder and Enouement commanded him to be Dynamic’s bodyguard, and since his new assignment, Macabre has been watchguarding Dynamic. From this stemmed a comfortable friendship between them.

Most of the Union likes or at least tolerates Dynamic. Except Radiant.

◉ Sorrowful isn’t from this time period. He grew up in Brazil, 2041.

◉ If you have ever watched Hannibal, you know Will Graham and his unique thinking process. I headcanon Practical to have the same thinking process: walking in someone else’s shoes, thinking of every little detail and re-enacting it in his head. “This is my design.” He can perfectly imagine a scenario, a thought, and use it at will. For example, he will sit at his desk and close his eyes. Every little noise fades away as he thinks about the blueprint of a new circuit board. He can see every wire, feel the warmth of every spark---the entire experience feels so surreal. He can take apart this mental image of the circuit board in his head, over and over again until he comes up with the most exceptional design. Once he has it, Practical opens his eyes and draws out the blueprints. Another example could be strategizing battlefield plans with Great, Scary and Dreadful. The three of them will be talking, but Practical closes his eyes and shuts out the noise. Everything around him fades into the battlefield setting. Practical can see the future movements of the enemy soldiers and predict multiple outcomes. He can see every enemy cannon placement, the exact formations made, the physical conditions surrounding the battlefield. Upon opening his eyes, he knows what to do.

This ability is completely unique. It’s the process of elimination and imagination intensified by the thousands. (As you can see, I admire Will Graham’s thinking process very much)

Of course, there are repercussions to having this ability. Intense imagination can be a blessing as much as it is a curse. Endless nightmares, constant thoughts of horrible outcomes, just to name a few.

◉ Unstable has a mechanical right hand. A night creature bit his hand and Benevolent… well. Benevolent had an axe and only a few moments before the infection reached Unstable’s brain. You can surely put two and two together on what ensued.

◉ Dreadful wears two inch-heeled boots, the reason being, “It’ll hurt harder when I kick someone in the balls”. He also enjoys the clicking noise they make on metal platforms and tiled floors. And it “coincidentally” boosts his height.

◉ Nobody has ever seen Sorrowful’s face except Scary (but nobody knows that).

◉ On that note, Placid has only ever revealed his face to Macabre and Practical.

[kafkaoftherubble]

做工前肯定要讲几句有关249的事: 憂太的 领域展开

// I Must Talk About c249 Before I Work: On Yuta's Domain Expansion

This post contains spoilers for Chapter 249 of Jujutsu Kaisen.

If I don't dump it here, these thoughts will distract me later! I'm already very distracted lately! Too distracted for my own good! Ahhhhh!

First off, I was eating so good. Yuta fans, simps, appreciators, and Rika (good taste, y'all)—rejoice, for this chapter is basically 95% Yuta! That's right; the next 5% was Yuta's Eyebags!

Look at this! He's so cute! So handsome!

Oh, I have to learn to exorcise spirits now. Then I can kick that fake Rika away and become his Rika!

Also, some people are somehow even more handsome just by being shown slow breathing. Is it just me who thinks that? Or is this what "rizz" truly means? I mean, look at that slight frown! Look at those eyebags! Look at him breathing!

... I'm sorry. I'm usually not one to write something with such trifling, substanceless content.

It's just... Yuta, man.

Anyway, the main point. Please, look at Yuta's

Domain Expansion

Shit is so magnificent. The many swords are obviously the first thing one would notice (and all that joke about Unlimited Blade Works and that Bleach... thing), but it's the abundance of crosses and the knots behind them that attracted my attention.

I'll get the easy out of the way first.

The Crosses

I would suspect these are meant to be "gravestones." Not too hard to think of "till death do us part," right? Though, to be fair, death didn't do Yuta and Rika part. In fact, it strengthened Yuta's split-moment craving for Rika and cursed her—in true dukkha fashion—into something quite macabre.

If one's Domain is the extension of their mental-scape, then it makes sense that Yuta's would incorporate gravestones, since his genesis as a cursed energy user effectively began on the day Rika died.

----

The Knots

Now this is the part that attracted the most of my attention!

Japanese knot-tying traditions are largely influenced by Chinese knotting (中国结) [1]. The word for knots in Chinese, 结, means "to bind," which then comes to represent all kinds of "union." Marriage, for example, is 结婚 (hanzi) /結婚 (kanji) [2][3]. Given Yuta's "love" motif, you can already see why the knots are part of his Domain.

There are plenty of meanings for the word 结, inter alia, it's a pun on 吉 (blessed) [2][3]. The fact that these knots are intertwined also comes to represent "interdependence," "connection," and "bonds." [2]

It's a bit of a stretch, admittedly, but I suppose one could probably draw this to that time Yuta described himself as "blessed." He is blessed because he was loved—he is enriched by connections and bonds with other people.

-

What is the knot type in Yuta's domain, then?

There are two candidates I could find.

I always rank each possibility from the highest confidence level to the lowest, so here goes. Note that I'm using the Chinese name (I would love it if someone added a more Japanese-focused viewpoint in this post on a reblog. I'm much more familiar with Chinese and cannot read Japanese, so...):

(1) 双钱结, The Double Coin Knot, 淡路結び [1]

It's shaped like two copper coins that are intertwined, hence its blessing is largely related to fortune and money [2][4].

However, the pronunciation of 钱 ("money") is similar to 全, "whole." Meanwhile, there is a pair of coins in this knot. This gives 双钱 an alternative reading—双全, "a pair that makes the whole." It also means 好事成双, "good things come in pairs." [4][5]

Yuta, as a jujutsu sorcerer, is more of a pair than an individual—he fights with Rika and is connected to her. These two together make a whole. A force of good that comes in a pair.

Due to sturdy enough sources corroborating the meaning of this knot, the similarity in appearance to Yuta's Knot, as well as the very fitting "pair + whole" symbolism, I have a higher confidence in this knot being the one in Yuta's Domain.

(2) 八字结, The “Figure 8” Knot

It's a pretty dime-a-dozen knot where the number 8 is formed. It has pragmatic purposes (eg. rock climbing), but here, because these two loops are intertwined, it apparently means "honest love" and "unchanging friendship." [6]

I rank this knot as lower in confidence level. It does at least pertain to the motif of love, according to one source, but it doesn't resemble Yuta's knot quite as well as the Double Coin Knot.

A bit of a caveat, in the spirit of intellectual honesty and rigor: The meaning of this knot has been found in only one source (see Citation #6), and it doesn't actually pass my internal rigor test. I've tried to search for corroboration from Chinese sources, but no dice. The only site in Chinese that corroborates the meaning of "eternal love" has busted web certificates and links.

----

The Name of Yuta's Domain Expansion

The translated name by OP Scan is terrible. It certainly pays homage to Yuta's fame (infamy?) as "The War God of Pure Love," but the actual kanji is 真贋相愛。

真 - Truth or real

贋 - False or fake

相愛 - mutual love, or reciprocal love, or "in love."

真贋 literally means "truth and false. Together it usually means "veracity." Here though? I'd interpret it as "The (Mutual) Love Between The Real and The False."

Isn't this shit metal as fuck? I mean, it's also fucking poetry. Truly the kind of magnificence only one with premium quality eyebags could provide!

It's worth nothing that 真贋 itself makes a contrasting pair, which again, links back to the Double Coin Knot's meaning.

I'm sure yall can make your own interpretation of what 真贋相愛 could symbolize vis-a-vis Yuta and Rika. Let's go, people!

----

Tangents to My Research - Side Dish

Knots have come to be a very important symbol of relationships, especially love, since the Tang and Song Dynasty [1]. To draw to the Japanese side of the practice, Chinese knotting practice reaches Japan during the Tang Dynasty as well [1]. It's not too surprising that this love connotation could also have been passed to Japan.

The entangling property of knots also comes to mind the term "连理（枝）", which means "interlocking (tree branches)." Here are two poems referring to the word:

(1) 同心结缕带，连理织成衣. —By Luo Binwang (骆宾王)

We tie this ribbon into a concentric knot, and we turn our interlocking branches (of love)into our clothes. Translation mine.

(2) 在天愿作比翼鸟，在地愿为连理枝 —By Bai Juyi (白居易）

In heaven, I want to become a Biyi Bird (with you). On earth, I want to be (a mesh of) interlocking branches (with you). Translation mine.

The Biyi Bird is a mythological bird recorded in the purely fantastical geographical treatise, The Classics of the Mountain and Seas (《山海经》). The bird is born with only one eye and one wing on one side. To fly, it needs a partner with the other eye and wing of the other side—and the two will fly together as a complement. [7]

It's very lovey-dovey and romantic and shit.

...Damn, Yuta is really all about love and connection, isn't he?

----

Wow, I didn't work on my actual job at all. Because I deadass spend hours just on this. Seriously?

But then again, there has been a precedence to me breaking my lackadaisical attitude toward writing JJK-related things—and that is when it concerns my favorite character. You don't need to click on the link to know who that other one is; it was Gojo Satoru.

Yuta, bless his rizz, deserves all of my time. If he dies (NO FUCKING WAY, GEGE!!!), then at least I have made something of worth about him.

Thank you for reading my ramble!

---- ----- ------

Citations:

"Chinese knotting" from Wikipedia

"中国结的历史来历和寓意" ("The history and meaning of the Chinese knotting") from 妍妍旅行记 on Sohu.com (in Chinese)

"Chinese Knots, Winding the Best Wishes with Cords" by Beijing Tourism

"双钱结寓意和象征，双钱结编法" ("The meaning and symbolism of the Double Coin Knot; How to Make a Double Coin Knot") on 结艺网 www.zhongguojie.org (in Chinese)

双色绳的编法有哪些？("Whast are the ways to make knots using two different colors?") on Zhihu (in Chinese)

"19 Popular Types of Chinese Knots and Their Meanings" on AnyofChina

"比翼鸟" from Wikipedia (in Chinese; English page not created)

There are also other links embedded in the ramble; these are references for that one specific instance and so do not warrant their inclusion under this section.

[thecrookedcypress]

Step into the enchanting world of the Louisiana swamp, where beauty and the macabre intertwine in a mesmerizing dance. Amidst the murky waters and twisting vines, there lies a certain allure that captivates the soul.

In the heart of the swamp, where shadows play hide-and-seek with the light, there's a peculiar beauty to be found in the eerie silence and the haunting calls of unseen creatures. The Spanish moss drapes languidly from ancient cypress trees, casting intricate patterns of shadows on the water's surface, while the mist shrouds secrets that whisper of bygone days.

Amidst the tangled undergrowth, the remnants of forgotten tales emerge: decaying remnants of old cabins, rusted remnants of long-abandoned machinery, and the skeletal remains of once-majestic beasts. Yet, even in their decay, there is a certain beauty – a reminder of the relentless cycle of life and death, of nature's inexorable march.

And then there are the creatures that call this place home – the alligators gliding stealthily through the water, their eyes gleaming like shards of obsidian in the moonlight, the haunting cry of the barred owl echoing through the trees, and the elusive fireflies that dance among the shadows, their bioluminescent glow casting a spell of enchantment.

In the Louisiana swamp, beauty and the macabre converge in a harmonious union, inviting us to embrace the darkness and find solace in its depths. It's a place where the veil between the living and the dead grows thin, where every whisper carries the weight of history, and where the mysteries of the universe seem to unfurl before our very eyes. So step into the embrace of the Louisiana swamp, and let its haunting beauty envelop you in its spell.

[1997thebracket]

Round 2A

End of Evangelion: It all returns to nothing. So says the haunting tune 'Komm, Süsser Tod' by Arianne, which soundtracks the fate of humanity in the End of Evangelion. The film serves as an alternate ending to the original anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion, which bewitched viewers with the then-unconventional match of giant mecha and existential depression all wrapped up in religious iconography. The final episodes of the anime are incredibly cerebral and proved controversial for viewers at the time, which led to director Hideaki Anno further expressing himself in the 1997 film... which took the heady themes and conflicting stylistic choices of the show and put them in a high-octane blender, along with a tall glass of Human Tang. At its core, End of Evangelion asks if individualism is the one great folly of humanity and the source of our suffering, or if it is the very point of it; it shows the loss of barriers between people and subsequent extinction of loneliness as a sort of cosmic horror. Looking back at the scenes, imagery, and music most associated with the anime and its continued influence, much of the franchise's legacy stems from the End of Evangelion.

Princess Diana's Legacy: Listen. We here at 1997 The Bracket do not wish to trade in the tasteless or the macabre, gentle reader, but rather strive to bring you the most representative, influential, and dare I say undeniable pop culture of the year for your voting pleasure. With that, respectfully, it must be said that 1997 was... not a good year for Diana, and the omnipresence of that fact was undeniable.

Lady Diana Spencer became Diana, Princess of Wales through her marriage to Prince Charles in 1981; the royal union would be spotted with dysfunction and infidelity, and would come to an end in 1996. In the final days of the busy Parisian summer, Diana would have her life cut short in a paparazzi-driven automobile accident on August 31st, 1997. Note, however, that this is not a vote for Diana's death, but for her legacy. Diana captured the world's attention with an openness and compassion that the royal spectacle seen in papers and television often lacked. Her charitable work, particularly her emphasis on the human reality behind the epidemics of AIDS and homelessness, earned her breathless news coverage as well as earnest and enduring admiration. Though she would face crushing media scrutiny in her personal life, Diana's legacy sees her cited today as a humanitarian, a martyr, and most quotably as the People's Princess.

[corvidcrybaby]

I haven't posted art in ages but I finally finished a few pieces. Here's another Som Velddra piece!

WHO IS SOM VELDDRA?

The solitary daughter of the central lineage of House Velddra, Som was born to the unusual union of a human father and a Drow mother. Noteworthy for their inadherence to Lolth, the Spider Queen, the Velddra family occupied a precarious place in Dark Elven society. Their ancestral patron, Gištal, the Distortion Wyrm, also known as the Centipede, is renowned for its elusive and esoteric nature - being representative of antimatter, decay, and natural endings.

All this, and its historic enmity with Lolth. An important and damning detail that marked Som's life for turmoil before she was ever born.

Som's mother, prodigal warlock Vixzhi Velddra, attempted to hide her existence from grander Dark Elven society by residing on the surface for the first twelve years of young Som's life, eventually relocating to the Underdark due to widespread prejudicial sentiment from surface dwellers. For two years, Som continued to grow in relative peace alongside her full-blooded kin.

This was not to last.

One fateful day, a rival family of Drow attacked on bogus political pretexts. Som's mother was ripped away and imprisoned, and her human father executed before them both. Som survived only through a drastic intervention by the house patron, warping her to the surface at the young age of fourteen. For the next ten years, Som scraped by as a de facto orphan, ducking inside a hovel on the edge of a small fishing village. Rumors no doubt abounded of the strange, ill-faring young girl of abnormally pallid skin, striking red eyes and wild black hair who winced at the light of day and avoided eye contact at all times.

In time, however, she fell into step with a ragtag adventuring party of equally eccentric personalities. Through them, she found connection, belonging, friendship, and a lifelong love. They reunited her with her long-lost mother, aided her family in vengeance upon those who took her life from her, and restored House Velddra to its niche in the Underdark ecosystem.

Now, Som reigns as the standing operative of her patron's will on the Material Plane, making up for lost time with her intimidating and severe, but caring and doting mother. In the span of but a few months, she transformed from a fearful wretch ekeing out a living in the shadows to a proud, imperious and clever scion of her house. One day, she will become matriarch, but until such a time comes, she continues to indulge her arcane curiosities and investigations into the mad and macabre.

"Who'd have thought the half-breed would go on to save the entire bloody house?" - Som Velddra

[fakepriest]

@madamhatter

🙊― a memory you don’t ever talk about.

The day of celebration has come at last.

Is this not when his chest is supposed to swell with happiness? She is slowly walking down the altar wrapped in a simple dress, pristine veil covering her face--a bouquet brimming with various flowers that he does not recognize held tightly in nervous hands.

The wedding march reverberates throughout the small church as the bride’s father leads her towards the altar.

Is she trembling with anxiety--does she finally have doubts regarding their union? Has she cried in fear the day before, perhaps even as she was donning that pure, white gown?

In that moment, he knows. there shall be no happiness whatsoever in store for them; her sight leaves him indifferent and his hands are itching with something unknown that he cannot even pinpoint. 

His heart is pounding in his chest unlike ever before. He is about to swear his love. He is about to lie before her, before God--to defile this selfless saint of a woman.

With a disgusted shiver -one that he barely manages to suppress under the proud gaze of his father-, the groom realises there’s a part of him, buried beneath various layers of propriety and decorum (so many that they cannot be counted, not anymore, not after all these years) which eagerly covets such a thing.

The priest’s voice goes on and on, but Kirei only looks into Claudia’s eyes, lost in thoughts that none should have on such a joyful day. Those amber pools are shining ever so slightly with unshed tears due to sheer elation. Is she truly oblivious to what is happening?

If only it were sadness.

The psalms have already been read, the introduction has just now ended, and when they are asked for a confirmation of their vow of love, they both nod.

It is too late to turn back, now.

Con la grazia di Cristo, prometto di esserti fedele sempre, nella gioia e nel dolore, nella salute e nella malattia, e di amarti e onorarti tutti i giorni della mia vita.

All the rings had looked the same. Meaningless pieces of metal. They did not matter to him, and the choice had gone to her.

Il Signore benedica questi anelli, che vi donate scambievolmente in segno di amore e di fedeltà.

Each and every holy image and statue that surrounds him should have a calming, encouraging effect on such a feverishly religious man, and yet they all seem to be clouded with ominous shadows, each pair of the saints’ eyes harshly casting judgement upon his rotten presence, as if entreating him to leave such a sacred place.

“Ti amo,” come the dreaded words, uttered in the sweetest, most melodious voice he has ever heard.

There is but a nod in response, and a frail, pale hand being squeezed.

In that precise moment, the joyful, upbeat chime of the bells as they make their way outside sounds like that of a macabre funeral.

[beardedmrbean]

Two associates of leading Mozambican opposition candidate Venancio Mondlane were gunned down in Mozambique's capital, Maputo, on Saturday.

It comes after an October 9 election after which the opposition accused the ruling Frelimo party of electoral fraud.

What do we know about the killings?

Lawyer Elvino Dias and candidate Paulo Guambe were in a car in downtown Maputo when they were surrounded by other vehicles and shot at, according to witnesses.

Witnesses said two gunmen fired 20 bullets in the attack.

Guambe was a candidate for the Podemos party, which backed Mondlane for president in the October 9 election.

Podemos head Albino Forquilha confirmed the killings to the AFP news agency.

Police said an investigation had begun but did not immediately confirm the identity of the two men killed.

They said a woman was also in the car and that she had been taken to hospital.

Police spokesperson Leonel Muchina said the victims had earlier been at a local bar, after which they were followed. He said that the killings might have been related to interactions with other patrons at the bar.

On Saturday evening, Mondlane joined around 100 supporters who held a vigil in Maputo.

Mozambique awaits election results amid fraud allegations

The results for Mozambique's general election are due to be published on October 24.

The ruling Frelimo party, which has governed Mozambique since its independence from Portugal in 1975, claimed victory shortly after polling day.

Mondlane has alleged fraud and called for Mozambicans to take to the streets on Monday.

Last year, Dias accused authorities of fraud in municipal elections that were won by Frelimo.

A civil society observer group, Mais Integridade, said that Dias had expressed fears over a plan to assassinate him.

Reactions to the killings

Mais Integridade called the attack "repugnant," describing it as an "act of intimidation" that undermined democracy.

The Frelimo party said that it rejected "vehemently this macabre act" and called on "all authorities to do everything in their powers to shed light on this affair."

Podemos said that the killings were "further clear evidence of the lack of justice that we are all subjected to."

The European Union issued a statement condemning the murders and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.

"In a democracy, there is no place for politically motivated killings," it said.

Meanwhile, Portugal's parliament said that it "vehemently" condemned the killings and urged Mozambican authorities to safeguard "social peace and democracy."

[ensthings]

Our love is a macabre spectacle of horror that decays on Valentine's Day. Instead of love, death hangs in the air in the month of February; its stench sags heavily in every breath, mixing with the sickeningly sweet aroma of decay as maggots writhe and squirm upon your festering flesh. This is what love does to you. It either turns you into a corpse or a cannibal—nothing in between. Love makes everybody animals; without it, we are as wild as predators, sinking our nails through our throats as hunger begins to scratch our stomachs open. But today, we are not cannibals. We don't want to devour. We seek connection and unholy union. I want to be inside you. 

Your once vibrant form now lies twisted and contorted, a grotesque parody of the body, as I, the maggots, feast upon your decaying remains. Your flesh peels and oozes with pus and bile, and I wriggle to find my own dark crevice to burrow into. Your eyes, now empty sockets, are filled with crawling vermin; your mouth, twisted into a grin, now drips with putrid saliva and chunks of rotting flesh. I am now squirming beneath your skin, where the worst of us are balanced by the best. The depth of our love is measured by how deeply I could burrow into your flesh until I could feel the sharp edges of your bones scraping against my skin. The sensation of your flesh parting beneath my touch is a cruel reminder of the power I hold over your fragile form.

This love might be feared by the rest, but it is ours and ours alone.

[bopinion]

2024 / 08

Aperçu of the Week:

"The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall."

(Nelson Mandela)

Bad News of the Week:

Saturday marked the second anniversary of the Russian attack on Ukraine. One of the macabre highlights was that the mother of political activist Alexei Anatolyevich Navalny was allowed to receive the body of her son, who died under still unexplained circumstances in a prison camp in Kharp, Siberia. Perhaps his death (after all, he was by far the most prominent opposition figure in Russia) is most emblematic of Vladimir Putin's self-image, which simply does not tolerate any contradiction. He is the all-powerful tsar who alone knows what is good for his people - even outside Russia's borders.

That very Saturday, we were invited to dinner with friends. Our hostess comes from Ukraine. There are - of course - Russian traces in her family memory too. After all, she spent her childhood as an Ukrainian in the Soviet Union. Back then, she would have liked to do sports and loved dancing. She was not allowed to do either. She wasn't good enough to be promoted by the system as a cadre. And she wasn't supposed to do it just for fun. When the children of a society are not allowed to pursue their childhood interests, it shows the ignorance of a system towards its citizens - who only count as high achievers, not as people.

I was most impressed by the story of her grandmother. She was "relocalized" from western Ukraine to the Urals under Joseph Stalin. Without being asked, she had to leave overnight with her six children, leaving all her belongings behind, her husband was separated, officially considered "missing" and declared dead a few years later. Josef Vissarionovich Stalin ruled the country with a heavy and cruel hand - from 1927 until his death in 1953. Countless people died under his dictatorship, the figures range from 7 to 60 million. Both are incredible numbers. He strategically uprooted the lives of many more people, as there was to be no sense of (national or personal) identity in the Soviet Union. Like for our friend's grandmother, who was deported over 3,000 kilometers with her children.

It is well known that Putin considers the collapse of the Soviet Union to be the greatest misfortune in human history. From this point of view, his wars in Chechnya, Georgia and now Ukraine are only logical. In the "good old days", the Soviet Union covered almost a seventh of the planet's land mass. And it was the only system, before China today, that dared to challenge US supremacy in the world, see for example the Cuban Missile Crisis. The end of the Cold War, which among other things enabled Germany to reunify, may seem like a great liberation to us in the West. In the Russian self-image, however, things may be different. Despite all the atrocities, Stalin was extremely popular in the Soviet Union and his death was sincerely mourned, our friend told us. Perhaps Putin did not "hijack" the country, but is an expression of a human longing for authoritarian leadership. Which would also explain Viktor Orbán, Recep Erdogan and a whole series of African despots. And in their world, there is no room for dissent or questioning their power. Anyone who dares to do so will pay dearly for it. Like Navalny.

But perhaps that's not really bad news - after all, who is really surprised by this prime example of the nefariousness of Putin's regime?

Good News of the Week:

Not so long ago, NATO was declared "brain dead" (French President Emmanuel Macron) and "obsolete" (US President Donald Trump). And then came the Ukraine war. Suddenly, everything happened in quick succession: Sweden and Finland were or are being admitted to NATO, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is postponing his retirement, Germany is setting up a "special fund" of 100 billion to modernize its military, various troop units are being deployed to the Baltic countries, the arms industry is ramping up production everywhere, more and more members are targeting 2% of their gross domestic product for defence spending, the largest manoeuvre in the history of the defence alliance is being carried out, some of Russia's neighbors would rather apply for membership today than tomorrow ... In short: NATO suddenly seems to be alive and kicking.

Why? Quite simply because it is needed. At least Article 5, i.e. the duty to provide assistance in the event of defense, has become extremely attractive in view of the new threat situation. As a kind of life insurance against the new Russian danger. I don't understand why this should be new, as it has been on the cards for long enough. All the hope that "But Putin won't really..." was rather naive. Democratic values are being called into question and the security situation in Europe is unstable. In this respect, it is good that there is a solidarity between the states that have learned from past wars. And who have therefore clearly positioned themselves as a defense alliance.

But perhaps that's not really good news - after all, who can feel comfortable in the face of security policy uncertainties?

Personal happy moment of the week:

I met my wife 36 years ago. In French Canada. We both have family there. We will see them again in late summer. Because we're finally making it back across the Atlantic. We made the initial plans at the weekend and booked the flights. The anticipation is a happy moment that will last a long time. Nice. Very nice.

I couldn't care less...

...about the latest battle in which PeTA is currently engaged. The rebels for animal rights (PeTA = People for the ethical treatment of animals), as justified as their mission is, sometimes overshoot the mark. But this time you could almost take it for a media hoax: they no longer want animal figures on carousels. Because "the use of artificial animals can create the wrong image for people." What's next? A campaign against zodiac signs? Or that horses should no longer be abused in chess?

It's fine with me...

...that FC Bayern is terminating the contract with its coach Thomas Tuchel at the end of this soccer season. After Paris St. Germain and Chelsea FC, he has simply not delivered (enough) in Munich either. Besides, a coach is easier to replace than an entire team.

As I write this...

...I'm listening to "50s Rock" - a tip from my daughter. Because this music (Elvis, Bill Haley, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly, The Everly Brothers...) would simply put you in a good mood. Works for me.

Post Scriptum

Germany is not doing well economically. The country that achieved the "economic miracle" after the Second World War, mastered the reunification with his east part, was instrumental in overcoming the euro crisis and has always been the largest net contributor to the European Union, is groaning. Too much bureaucracy, too little digitalization, too high labour costs, too little space, collapsing exports, too high tax burden, dilapidated infrastructure, too high energy costs, a lack of innovative strength, too slow regulation, too much pandemic, too much inflation, too much war...

This more than unfavorable mixture of factors has been felt for some time and with increasing intensity, and now we have it in writing. The latest economic report presented last week by Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck states in short that Germany is expensive, bureaucratic and slow. Habeck therefore sees "cause for concern". Fortunately, he blames this not only on external factors (historically low global trade, loss of purchasing power or high interest rates), but also on home-grown problems: Due to the many disputes, the government has lost confidence, he says.

Now defense spending is set to increase significantly, Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner is already publicly considering freezing social spending, the investment backlog would like to be resolved and then there's this annoying climate change that nobody takes seriously enough. I had the luxury of growing up in a world where things basically seemed to be on the up. But apparently only seemed to be. Now I fear that my children will have to pay a price for this.

[thoughtsofdoll]

February Hypnovember Day 30

Create and post a 30 song playlist that is inspired by hypnosis.

I will put video links to some of the songs but not all of them!

Also these are in no particular order.

a. The Tourist by Sarah Jarosz (or Radiohead, if that's how your sail blows) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ib4eJzDzSJ8

b. The Rhythm of the Heat by Peter Gabriel

c. Mercy Street by Peter Gabriel

d. Secret World by Peter Gabriel

e. Darkness by Peter Gabriel

f. I'm Amazing by Peter Gabriel

g. Horizon by Luna Blake

h. Afterlight by Eternal Eclipse

i. Going Down by Thea Gilmore

j. This Is How You Find The Way by Thea Gilmore

k. The Governess (OST) by Edward Shearmur with vocals by Ofra Haza

l. Weightless by Marconi Union

m. Letting The Cables Sleep (the N O W remix) by Bush

n. Happier Than Ever by Billie Eilish

o. Runaway by Aurora

p. Danse macabre - Symphonic Poem in G minor by Camille Saint-Saëns

q. La mer, trois esquisses symphoniques pour orchestre by Claude Debussy

r. The Red Violin (OST) by John Corigliano featuring Joshua Bell

s. Pini di Roma by Ottorino Respighi

t. Piano Concerto No. 2 II. Adagio sostenuto by Sergei Rachmaninoff (see also: "All By Myself" by Eric Carmen, as performed by Celine Dion)

u. Prologue: Beauty and the Beast by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman (without the narration)

v. The Demon Dance by Julian Winding

w. Anything Could Happen by Ellie Goulding

x. Only You by Ellie Goulding

y. World Inside the World by Rhett Miller

z. The Devil Wears a Suit (Live) by Kate Miller-Heidke

aa. The Last Day on Earth by Kate Miller-Heidke

bb. Zero Gravity by Kate Miller-Heidke

cc. Team by Lorde

dd. Yellow Flicker Beat by Lorde

And that should be 30!

[vale-isei]

Vale's Masterlist

(It's good to note that I go back to old posts on the occasion and change some details! I am constantly rewriting lore as I go.)

WRITING

#1 (Equinox event prompt)

#2 (Benevolent/Malevolent x Macabre) 💕

#3 (Scary and Sorrowful)

#4 (Duel aftermath prompt) (Out of date)

#5 (Sorrowful and Horrid) (Out of date)

#6 (Radiant x Dynamic) 💕

#7 (Sorrowful x Emotionless)

#8 (Revolution phase)

#9 (Practical x BioSundance)

WORLD BUILDING, CHARACTERS

Vale!Days Union (Out of date)

Headcanons #1 (Out of date)

Headcanons #2 (Out of date)

Headcanons #3

Headcanons #4

Headcanons #5

ART

Sketch #1 (Practical and Placid)

Sketch #2 (Sorrowful and Dynamic)

Sketch #3 (Sorrowful and Emotionless)

Sketch #4 (Great)

Pride Month Doodle 🏳️‍��� (Unpredictable x Dynamic)

Sketch #5 (Horrid and Great)

Sketch #7 (Horrid)

💕- Suggestive themes!

Out of date - 100% or some percent not canon to personal lore anymore.

[fantomcomics]

What's Out This Week? 11/8

Upcoming Events: Life Drawing! MtG Beginners Lesson!

Count Crowley: Mediocre Midnight Monster Hunter #1 (of 4) -David Dastmalchian & Lukas Ketner

A dead werewolf would have made Jerri Bartman feel victorious just a few days ago. But this deceased beast was her friend and our beloved monster hunter is shocked and depressed. The return of her predecessor brings no consolation and now there's a ghoulish child-snatcher on the loose in Beloit... Holly Halloween, Count Crowley! Things are really getting batty!

What If...? Dark: The Tomb Of Dracula #1 - Marv Wolfman, David Cutler & Giuseppe Camuncoli

Legend MARV WOLFMAN returns to TOMB OF DRACULA and the character he co-created! WHAT IF...the legendary Dracula transformed BLADE the vampire slayer...into a vampire?!

Petrol Head #1 (of 5) - Rob Williams & Pye Parr

In a climate crisis-ravaged future metropolis, an old, grumpy, obsolete, smoke-belching, cigar-chomping, HOTROD-RACING ROBOT is one 12-year-old girl's only hope. Together, can they outrace the chasing Robo-Cops with an invention that might just save humanity?

Punisher #1 - David Pepose, Dave Wachter & Rod Reis

Is this the return of Frank Castle - or the start of something else? Frank Castle has disappeared, but evil will always need to be punished. With all-new threats rising to claim innocent victims, criminals will need to beware of a dangerous vigilante hunting them from the shadows. Who is the new Punisher? What put him on his path of vengeance? And when the smoke clears, will he even make it out alive?

Star Wars: The High Republic Phase 3 #1 - Cavan Scott, Ario Anindito & Phil Noto

A year after the destruction of STARLIGHT BEACON, MARCHION RO and THE NIHIL stand victorious! The galaxy is in turmoil: The once mighty JEDI are outclassed, the REPUBLIC is on its knees. On the edges of the galactic frontier, JEDI MASTER KEEVE TRENNIS leads a desperate assault against an invading force! The odds are stacked against her, but a Jedi always clings to hope. THE FORCE is with her...right? Not so fast!

Superman '78: The Metal Curtain #1 (of 6) - Robert Venditti & Gavin Guidry

When the planet Krypton exploded, its last son was rocketed across the cosmos and came to settle in a small town in Kansas. But what else came with him, and what if a piece of his home landed somewhere we never knew about? As Superman has become a symbol of strength and pride for America, the Soviet Union looks to crush that image with a creation of their own, built by their own might and forged by their own power!

Thanos #1 - Christopher Cantwell, Luca Pizzari & Leinil Yu

THANOS VS. THE ILLUMINATI! The Mad Titan descends upon Earth to retrieve something he has lost. And the Illuminati must band together to stop him, because they're the ones who hid it from him!

Zawa & The Belly Of The Beast #1 (of 5) - Michael Dialynas

Trapped inside her mountain by pollution-spewing factories, the guardian spirit Zawa only has industrial waste to eat, leading her to a bitter existence of paranoia and destruction.

But when two siblings from a nearby village help her escape, they'll quickly learn that the way to calming Zawa's heart is through a well nourished stomach!

GLAAD Award-winning and Eisner Award-nominated cartoonist Michael Dialynas (Wynd, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) crafts a charmingly macabre eco-fable about nature, greed, the dangers of retribution, and good food shared among friends.

5 Centimeters Per Second HC - Makoto Shinkai & Yukiko Seike

Based on the award winning film by Makoto Shinkai, 5 Centimeters per Second is now compiled into a beautiful hardcover collector's edition! Love can move at the speed of terminal velocity, but as award-winning director Makoto Shinkai reveals in his latest comic, it can only be shared and embraced by those who refuse to see it stop.

Black Night Parade GN Vol 1 - Hikaru Nakamura

A slightly creepy Christmas comedy by the acclaimed creator of Saint Young Men that inspired a live-action film! Hino Miharu spends Christmas the same way every year, working alone at a dead-end part-time job at a convenience store. He'd do just about anything to land a full-time gig, but when he runs into a shadowy Santa Claus dressed all in black, he has no idea he's encountered the real deal. Well, almost. While the normal Santa Claus who dresses in red and white oversees Christmas for all the good boys and girls, his dark counterpart is in charge of handling the bad children-and Miharu just wound up on the naughty list. Gobbled up by a slavering, talking sack, he's spirited away to the Arctic, where he finds himself the newest employee of a massive Christmas operation. Yeah, the pay and benefits are great, and his coworkers sure are cute, but is this the dream job he's been hoping for, or the beginning of a Christmas nightmare?

The Complete American Gods HC - Neil Gaiman, P. Craig Russell, Scott Hampton, Colleen Doran, & Glenn Fabry

Shadow Moon, fresh out of jail, finds his wife dead, his life in shambles, and nowhere to turn. But a chance meeting with the mysterious Mr. Wednesday thrusts him into the center of a conflict between new and old gods, where the future of human and divine life is at stake. The Hugo, Bram Stoker, Locus, World Fantasy, and Nebula award-winning novel and hit Starz television series by Neil Gaiman is adapted as a graphic novel! Collecting the complete American Gods comic book series, along with art process features, high res scans of original art, layouts, character designs, and bonus art by Becky Cloonan, Skottie Young, Fabio Moon, Dave McKean, and many more!

Don't Spit In The Wind TP - Stefano Cardoselli

One man's trash is another man's living.

Since earth became inhospitable, humanity escaped ages ago to live in a space station floating above the atmosphere. Now Travis and his crew of garbage men are tasked with cleaning up mountains of toxic waste, working for a company called Atomic Bros INC., to create a 'Clear World'. But when one of Travis' crew members goes missing near an old nuclear facility Travis' job becomes a bit more complicated.  Collects issues #1 - 4.

Duel GN - Jessixa Bagley & Aaron Bagley

Sixth grader Lucy loves fantasy novels and is brand-new to middle school. GiGi is the undisputed queen bee of eighth grade (as well as everything else she does). They've only got one thing in common: fencing. Oh, and they're sisters. They never got along super well, but ever since their dad died, it seems like they're always at each other's throats. When GiGi humiliates Lucy in the cafeteria on the first day of school, Lucy snaps and challenges GiGi to a duel with high sisterly stakes. If GiGi wins, Lucy promises to stay out of GiGi's way; if Lucy wins, GiGi will stop teasing Lucy for good. But after their scene in the cafeteria, both girls are on thin ice with the principal and their mom. Lucy stopped practicing fencing after their fencer dad died and will have to get back to fighting form in secret or she'll be in big trouble. And GiGi must behave perfectly or risk getting kicked off the fencing team. As the clock ticks down to the girls' fencing bout, the anticipation grows. Their school is divided into GiGi and Lucy factions, complete with t-shirts declaring kids' allegiances. Both sisters are determined to triumph. But will winning the duel mean fracturing their family even further?

Ghostlore TP Vol 1 - Cullen Bunn, Leomacs & Reiko Murakami

What ghost stories do ghosts tell, and what can they tell us about ourselves?

An estranged daughter and her father wander a haunted land; they only have the restless spirits, each with its own story to tell, as company along the way.

After a deadly accident of which they are the only survivors, Lucas and Harmony Agate can see the dead-an overwhelming amount of the deceased, all with their own warnings, cries for help, and malevolence alike.

But Lucas and Harmony aren't the only ones with this ability; there are other nearly-deads, some of which have malicious motivations...

Good Girls Go To Hell GN - Tohar Sherman-Friedman

From political protests to personal struggles with school, body image, and relationships with family and friends, Tohar Sherman-Friedman's life is an inspiring story of conflicting convictions, rebellion, and personal growth. Tohar recounts her experience as the youngest of seven children in a conservative Jewish family, navigating a life buffeted by high expectations for school performance and religious adherence at home and tense conflict in the world outside. With utter sincerity and through detailed panel-style drawing, she relates what it's like to be on a journey that ultimately takes her far from how she was taught to think and what she was expected to believe. A coming-of-age graphic memoir set in the West Bank, Good Girls Go to Hell depicts the reality of growing up in a region split by religious tensions-and sometimes violent conflict.

I Am Only A Foreigner Because You Do Not Understand GN - L. Nichols

Some books take the whole of a lifetime to write. I Am Only a Foreigner Because You Do Not Understand continues Flocks, L. Nichols's graphic memoir of growing up trans in the rural South. These comics document L.'s further transition, from living as a man to walking the middle path, facing depression, disease, divorce and death. Healing leaves scars, things fall apart, and pronouns change until there is no I, there is only us.

I Did It! SC - Michael Emberley

Learning to ride a bike is hard. Can I do it? Yes, I can! A fun comic that kindergarteners and first graders can read on their own. Can I do it? I can't do it. I want to do it. I did it! Simple text that new readers can read by themselves, along with delightful pictures in a comic format, show a little creature trying and trying again as they learn to ride a bicycle.  All their friends help with supportive words of encouragement. "You did it!" their friends exclaim.

Keeper Of The Lost Cities GN Vol 1 Part 1 - Shannon Messenger, Celina Frenn & Gabriella Chianello

Twelve-year-old Sophie Foster has never quite fit into her life. She's skipped multiple grades and doesn't really connect with the older kids at school, but she's not comfortable with her family, either. The reason? Sophie's a Telepath, someone who can read minds. No one knows her secret-at least, that's what she thinks... But the day Sophie meets Fitz, a mysterious (and adorable) boy, she learns she's not alone. He's a Telepath too, and it turns out the reason she has never felt at home is that, well... she isn't. Fitz opens Sophie's eyes to a shocking truth, and she is forced to leave behind her family for a new life in a place that is vastly different from what she has ever known.

The Lesbian Experience With Loneliness HC - Kabi Nagata

A beautiful hardcover rerelease of the critically acclaimed manga that won the Harvey Award, with a new cover and bonus chapter. My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness is a raw and heartfelt account of one young woman's struggles with her sexuality, mental well-being, and feelings of alienation in our modern age. Told using expressive artwork that invokes both laughter and tears, this intensely personal and insightful work was previously released in a single volume paperback edition. This hardcover special edition features new cover art and an all-new bonus chapter by the author.

My Pancreas Broke But My Life Got Better GN - Kabi Nagata

The latest diary manga from the Harvey Award-winning creator of My Lesbian Experience With Loneliness and My Wandering Warrior Existence. In this new autobiographical manga, Nagata Kabi has quit drinking in an attempt to get healthier-or she's trying to, anyway. Her former struggles with alcohol led to pancreatitis and a serious hospitalization, and now she has no choice but to give up drinking. Follow the author as she details the quest to improve her health during a global pandemic.

The Nightcrawlers HC Vol 1 - Marco Lopez & Rachel Distler

When things go bump in the night, they bump back.

If you think aliens replaced your teachers or your neighbor might be a vampire, then there's only one group to call for help: The Nightcrawlers.

The Nightcrawlers take on their first case when a friend from school believes werewolves replaced his parents. They get more than they bargained for when their investigation leads them right in the middle of a confrontation between their caretaker William Jones and a former Nightcrawler out for revenge. This story is about the unlikeliest group of friends coming together to help others...with a spooky twist!

Office Gods GN - Catharina Octorina & Hiikariin

Gods, demigods, and true romance? Office Gods, based on the hit webcomic, is an addictive rom-com set in the corporate HQ of the Olympians themselves! Iris, a young human woman, is swept into the world of divine bureaucracy when she's recruited to work in the office of the gods, in the department of Hermes. The gods and goddesses may be beautiful beyond human comprehension, but she quickly learns that they're every bit as petty and quarrelsome as they were thousands of years ago. Can she survive Eros' antics, Aphrodite's temper, and getting caught between a love triangle with the demigod sons of Athena and Hades?

On The Way GN - Paco Hernandez & Jose Angel Ares

Emma, a newly single cartoonist in her thirties, impulsively finds herself standing in Roncesvalles with her gaze fixed on Santiago de Compostela. Following the pilgrimage route known as The Way of St. James, she realizes the path she is traveling is bringing her closer to and somehow farther away from everyone around her, that the weight of her backpack is more than the clothes and pans inside, and that what she believed to be a simple walk to get some miles behind her (and her past) is a chance to learn not only about the people she meets along the way, but also herself.

Osamu Tezuka's One Hundred Tales GN - Osamu Tezuka

One Hundred Tales is a story about being careful what you wish for. Ichirui Hanri is an ordinary accountant serving his master. Though innocent, he is ordered to commit hara-kiri after being entangled in some trouble in his master's house. Just then, a witch named Sudama appears. She signs a contract with Hanri to obtain his soul in exchange for fulfilling three of his wishes. Hanri gets what he wants...but the price he pays is too high.

An enchanting supernatural fable from Osamu Tezuka, known worldwide as the "Godfather of Manga" and the most influential person of the past century in the development of Japanese manga and anime.

Skip GN - Sarah Burgess

Jay is always scribbling poetry in their notebook. When they come across Skip, a Double Dutch team, they befriend the members-and decide to join, too. For the first time ever, Jay has a place to belong-and friends to confide in. But Jay's friendship with their new bestie Beah is intense, both in and out of Double Dutch. As Beah and Jay help each other grow into the people they will become, it challenges their friendship and their own identities. This charming "slice of life" graphic novel is about accepting yourself, navigating "first love" friendship, and finding your own voice. It's rendered in debut author-illustrator Sarah Burgess's gorgeous art style ribboned with playful humor and sports drama.

Soleil: Illustration Lookbook GN - TANAKA

The illustrator Tanaka's second art book is finally out! This illustration collection is based on the concept of the Look Book. Designed and bound like a fashion magazine, this book stylishly showcases Tanaka's characteristic fashion-focused worldview. Starting with Tanaka's new work "Sunflower (SOLEIL)," this book introduces the illustrations thematically through 10 motifs including "flowers," "seasons," and more. This special collection is full of cute and pop dress collections for boys and girls, covering all styles from classic to street attire.

The Tale Of Princess Kaguya Picture Book HC - Isao Takahata

"Why did she choose to come to earth? Why did she long for this world? An old bamboo cutter and his wife find a tiny girl inside a bamboo shoot and raise her. The mysterious little princess grows rapidly into a young lady, enthralling all who encounter her-but ultimately, she must face her fate and be punished for her crime."

The Cliff GN - Manon Debaye & Montana Kane

Schoolyard outcasts Charlie and Astrid meet up after school near a cliff at the edge of the woods surrounding their sleepy town. They make a blood pact to jump together in five days time, before their thirteenth birthdays. With a deft use of colored pencils, Debaye captures childhood's last pivotal moments as it teeters on the edge of adolescence with startling honesty in this devastatingly well-crafted debut.

Virgin Love GN Vol 1 - Tina Yamashina

Six strangers, one house, one shared goal: love. What could go wrong? "Looking for love, but afraid you'll never find it?" Come Live at the Love House! Shoko Shoji, intelligent, reliable, beautiful, has a secret: she's a 26-year-old virgin, and mortified by her non-existent love life. Every day she checks out the self-help and beauty section of her local bookstore, but never works up the courage to go any further. Pushed on by her friends, she moves into the Love House, a social experiment putting six lovelorn strangers under one roof to see what sparks may fly! Will Shoko, and the friendly bookstore clerk she convinces to join her, finally find love? Or will rivalry, lust, and lies bring it all crashing down?

Whatcha snagging this week, Fantom Fam?