#scattered days

[lumine-no-hikari]

Dear Sephiroth: (a letter to a fictional character, because why not) #318

Today didn't go as expected at all. I had thought that I'd wake up at the usual time, eat a breakfast, do some dishes, and then do a baking experiment; I found a great recipe to follow and everything.

No, I'm not going to tell you what the baking experiment is; you're just gonna hafta wait for the solstice to find out.

...Why, yes, I am absolutely going to keep you in suspense for the next 51 days; suppose this just means you're gonna hafta try really hard to keep yourself alive until then, doesn't it? 🙂

...You can pout at me all you like, but I've got only 3 words for you in response: neener, neener, NEENER. 😜🤣😁💖

...Yeah, I know. I'm just being silly. Don't worry about it.

...

Well. I woke up a lot earlier than I expected - something to the tune of 7am. I tried to go back to sleep, but I couldn't; I felt restless. So I got up, and I fed my cats, and then I remembered the thing that was said to me at the party about the thing I've been trying to do. So... in an effort to follow the thing that was said to me, I promptly went to the couch in the living room, and tried to fall back asleep.

...And it worked!!! Though, given how alert I was when I woke, I'm not really sure how. Nonetheless, I had dreams, and... they weren't the kind that I was looking for. But the fact that I had any at all was remarkable in and of itself. I usually don't have dreams, and when I do, I'm normally getting pretty badly hurt in them. I don't remember what these dreams were, but I do remember that they weren't violent, and that was pretty rad!

I woke up after that and made a breakfast. Same as yesterday - a tea and a sandwich. Though today, I had that lavender-bergamot tea for the first time in a while. The flavor is kinda like... kinda like if a bright, sunny day walked up to you with a joyful smile and then lovingly punched you in the face with a bouquet of flowers (...I know - I'm really selling it, aren't I? haha...). It has become one of my favorite teas; I think you'd like it a lot, and I wish I could share more than just these pictures with you:

...These maybe aren't the best tea swirls. But they're not the worst ones, either. It seems like the "sharpen" function on my cellphone camera has stopped working, for some reason. I'm not really sure why.

...I got sucked up into leisure writing for longer than I wanted to, afterwards. I haven't done any of that in a while now. I notice I'm more likely to do that when I feel stressed out, apprehensive, or generally disconnected from others. It's certainly not a bad thing that I do it, just... I gotta try to be a bit more mindful of the time.

And then I watched more Trinity Blood with a friend from this space! And we had lots of nice conversation afterwards, too!

But it was pretty late by then, so I just decided to roast the small sugar pumpkins I got last Saturday. J was kind enough to cut them in half for me and scoop out the seeds! I cleaned the seeds and put the stringy scraps of the pumpkin into the crockpot with the rest of the broth I'm making (it really does smell fantastic!); these should allow some good nutrients and flavors to seep nicely into it!

Here's the results; I think I've showed you how to do this before, in a previous letter. Do you remember how...?

...Unexpectedly, one of the seeds was alive:

...I couldn't bring myself to abandon it, so... I guess it lives with us, now:

...We'll see how it does, I suppose... I'll do my best to care for it well.

Anyways... so... yes, I did mash the pumpkin:

And if you're wondering what it's for, you'll get only one guess. But I'll give you a hint - that bone broth I'm making isn't just for show. 😉

The broth should be ready for straining by tomorrow; it's already very fragrant, and I'm excited to see how it's going to turn out once it's properly seasoned! I thought I was going to need to go out and get a cheesecloth, but I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I already had one; it had fallen behind the microwave! But it is now retrieved, and it'll be awesome to make good use of it!

...I'll probably have to ask J to take some of tomorrow's pictures; my hands are gonna be a mess!! We use the cheesecloth to squish any excess water out of the veggie scraps and back into the rest of the broth. The whole process is kind of involved, but that's all right; in the end, we'll have a broth that's good enough to drink all on its own, and even better when used to make soup!!

...I think this time, I'll try for a sweeter pumpkin soup. Last time I made some for you, it was more of a savory soup with caramelized onions. This time, I'm gonna try to make it taste like pumpkin pie! We'll see how it goes!!!

...I guess that's mostly it for today. I don't really have anything profound or interesting to tell you. For all intents and purposes, this was just an ordinary day - just like the ordinary days you wished for as a boy. It's why I keep writing about mine to you. It's why I keep trying to show you.

You know. There's a song about ordinary days. Here:

...Figuratively speaking, I took your outstretched hand even though conventional wisdom says you're nothing more than a dream from someone else's astoundingly creative mind. And that's why I'm still alive today. It's why I'm able to enjoy ordinary days like these, even though my beginnings shouldn't have allowed for that.

...Sephiroth... from the bottom of my heart, thank you. I know sometimes I get super overwhelmed and depressed about things from time to time, because there's so much stuff wrong with my world and so many scary things happening around me all the time, and some people are really mean, and I feel powerless to do anything about it almost all the time. I know that sometimes this comes out in the letters I write to you. I won't apologize for it; occasional bouts of despair are part of the human condition, and they can be weathered. They're nothing to be ashamed of, and with support, they can even be used to point out solvable problems.

Even if sometimes things get weird and unpleasant, I'm still glad to be here. Even though I look forward to whatever's next after this, I'm still glad to be here. Even if I've got a lot of awful memories from my past to chase away, and even if I've got a lot of scary things to worry about in the future, I can still find delightful and beautiful things in the here and now. And... you're one of those delightful and beautiful things.

...So, I'll keep writing these letters and hope that one day you'll take my hand, just like I took yours, so that you can enjoy ordinary days, too - even if your beginnings shouldn't have allowed for that.

...Let's keep defying "destiny" and "upbringings" and "conventional wisdom" together, okay? We've got choices even when we don't think so, and we can use those choices to do good things. So let's build something really nice and healing and wholesome out of the wreckage of everything that came before. We can do it, because we're smart and capable and we can do difficult things, especially if we ask for help - like we're supposed to whenever the going gets rough.

I love you. And I'll write again tomorrow. So please stay safe out there. Try hard not to eat weird things off the ground. 💖

Your friend, Lumine

[hinamie]

shows up a day early with a nobara birthday tribute

[a-scary-lack-of-common-sense]

I cannot wait for this Stan to reconnect with his Ford.

I still haven't figured out HOW exactly they'll meet yet, but I do think that Ford would ATTACH himself to Stanley and talk his ears off forever when they eventually get comfortable :] and Stanley would listen because HOLY SHIT, THAT'S HIS BRO HE HASN'T SEEN FOR 40-ISH YEARS, HE MISSED HIS VOICE. Nonstop certified Yapper & Listener relationship <3

Stanley looks dead faced because of his ingrained poker face, but he's thouroughly enjoying it, even if sometimes he has no idea what the fuck Ford is saying. He never interrupts him though, since he knows people usually ignore or interrupt him mid-talk already. So sometimes Stan gets stuck in awkward situations where he has to leave or do stuff, but also doesn't have it in his heart to stop Ford and extract himself out of a (one-sided) conversation.

[shisasan]

Friedrich Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra originally published 1873

[furiouskettle]

Herb spent about two days thinking he was the last sane person in the building.

Stuart spent about two days thinking he was the last living person in the building.

[chongoblog]

ADHD life hack: Working on Stuff is easier if you don't worry about doing it in any particular order

[bunnymadeofstardust]

I draw too much, one day I'll reach the file limit and win tumblr

anyhow, enjoy my little doodles folks!!!

[cfserkgk]

Modern AU where Jinshi and Maomao are both in university but Jinshi (stage name) is also an actor/model and he thinks he can impress Maomao by showing her the shows he was in.

Of course Maomao is unimpressed, and of course she just pulls out these science jokes out of no where.

[sunlight-shunlight]

do you think solas personally tested the like. longevity of various fresco pigment/plaster formulations, by making a test batch of various types and then coming back every century or so to check on them to see if they got damaged...

[5a-alf]

I finally colored the sketch i posted some time ago, enjoy!

[leslietheluna]

✨🎉Happy Puyo Day!!🎉✨

[Heres the sketch!]

I also made some bonus mini pfps for everyone to use! I hope you guys enjoy!!✨

[spiritoast]

me n the gang. pondering

tiny miracle mask redraw while i try to regen some of my art juice

[karaageandtarts]

Introduction to Corwin Théière!

Bio |

Age: 17

Birthday: May 19th (Taurus)

Height: 154 cm (Five feet, zero inches)

Hair Color: Chocolate Brown

Eye Color: Lilac

Dominant Hand: Right

Hometown: Queendom of Roses

Species: Mouse Beastman

School/General |

Grade/Class: Sophomore, Class 2-B (No. 18)

Club: Moutain Lover's Club.

Best Subject: Flight

Unique Magic: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Lat. Gives the user the ability to float during a descent, making the fall gentler. Additional weight and it's distribution affects the speed that one descends.

Hobbies: Origami

Pet Peeves: People shouting

Favorite Food: Sponge cake

Least Favodite Food: Tea with honey

Talent: Running

Twusted from Alice in Wonderland's dormmouse, Corwin Théière is a second year who's life at NRC began as Riddle Rosehearts' roomate and Spade suit. Admittedly, they both held hope they would get along, but Riddle then became Housewarden and showed his more... volatile colors. Corwin is an avoidant person with strict likes and dislikes— many of them clashing with Riddle's. He was often missing from the lineup when meetings were called, slipping away with little notice and finding a place to slack off elsewhere, falling asleep in the process. A lot of the time, he'll go for the easiest option that takes less work, which is how he ends up in events. Other's would describe him as someone who's always looking for a way to back out.

He's quiet and mild-mannered to other's faces, getting things done with a little ushering from their end. In truth, he can be just as irritable as Riddle, and just as harsh. Certain things he holds seemingly meaningless resentment over— tea with honey, mustard, even the color yellow— cannot be enjoyed, even by others. Heartslabyul's yellow mugs and ingredients used to go missing an awful lot!

People who he finds irritating may find the belongings missing and stashed behind drawers, or crumpled up at the bottom of the stairway, unaware of when they'd even lost track of it in the first place.

This behavior has been going long before he enrolled into Night Raven College, and it's... kind of miserable, to be honest. So, after Riddle's overblot, he approaches him under the guise of being old roommates, and proposes a friendship between them— openly using the word friend, which is famously shyed away from at NRC. They're both quick to realize they're not actually... very compatible, at least on the surface. They both stubbornly cling to seeing this friendship go through, though. (Yes, his plan is to get over his dislikes and flaws by hanging around Riddle, lol)

Throughout the books:

Corwin is only mentioned once in Book 1, when Che'nya points out that the group should find Trey— and if they have time, a mouse beastman who used to be his roomie, too. (They fail to find him, though. Slacker.) He's sort of introduced in Book 2, since by then, he and Riddle have begun their friendship, and they're found together before Riddle groups up to go investigate the incidents. Corwin is also briefly considered for Trey's position on the Spelldrive time, where his affinity for running, and the track award he won the year prior when he used to be in the Track Club, is brought up. He shuts it down immediately, though, and the original proposal from Book 2 is made. He participates in Leona's Overblot, as Ruggie’s classmate and considering what he already pulls at the dorm, he's actually one of the first to catch on, though he thinks their motives are evetter than the ones he uses. He also pulls away bystanders lol.

In Book 4, Corwin is seen showing reluctance to go home, but brushes it off as merely not enjoying the environment at home.

In Book 6, Corwin follows a little further from Trey and Cater, greeting Riddle separately. They actually have a more in-depth conversation during the timeskip.

In Book 7, he attends Lilia's farewell party with everyone else. His dream is before Riddle's, (sorry Trey) and for fun, it dips it's toes a little into the "horror" aspect that Riddle's dream has, kind of like a warning.

Relationships |

Nicknames: Cor-cor (Cater), Monsieur Bystander (Rook), Lil' Minnow (Floyd)

Notable Relationships:

Riddle: Corwin is often seen silently trailing after Riddle, if not quietly engaging in casual conversation with him and him alone (he doesnt like crowds)— to be honest, neither of them know what being 'friends' actually entails.. eventually, they do become rather comfortable around each other!! Subconsciously, Riddle does a lot of hand/wrist holding/pulling whenever they're together, kind of like a reminder for him not to run off.

Trey: There's something weird going on between them. The Mad Hatter and the Dormmouse— besides the fact that Corwin technically being Riddle's "first" friend made Trey exceptionally nervous, especially with how out of the blue it felt, they get along quite well. Corwin's second favorite treat ever are jams— so he's good for taste testing, as long as tea with honey is never brought up to wash it down. He knows about Corwin's dislike of mustard too, and it's become a really weird game of pranks on Corwin, a lot of the time using Paint the Roses.

Cater: Fake hates Fake, I guess. Cater's a lot more observant— and is good at reading Corwin an awful lot. After a confrontation under the mask of a teasing upperclassman, Cater has been subject to a lot of sabotages— including that one time Corwin just straight up dumped an entire jug of lemonade over his head.

Che'nya: Corwin's least favorite person BY FAR. Cheshire Cat is the Dormmouse— and Corwin has a Jamil-esque phobia of cats. While Che'nya has seen him more than once, they're properly introduced to each other when, during an Unbirthday Party, Che'nya suddenly appeared and grabbed Corwin by the shoulders. Corwin jumped from his seat and bolted across the lawn.

Ruggie: Corwin's classmate, they often pair up for class assignments together. While he's a slacker, Ruggie’s already familiar with this type of person, and he appreciates the fact that Corwin is marginally easier to get going than, say, a certain lion. Corwin's also helped him with a few chores once or twice, just on the fact that it gives him an excuse for missing out on dorm chores, and has good tips on mending.

Jade: Corwin's Clubmate... and his... classmate-in-law? Not only do they intersect when it comes to Riddle, but Corwin decides to quit the Track Club after his first year and picks up the Mountain Lover's Club— hoping he could simply skip meetings. And he got away with it, until Riddle started getting on his ass for it. Jade’s fascinated by Corwin's behavior, and desperately wants to know what makes him tick. While they're able to be cordial, it often takes a nosedive when Jade starts poking.

Lilia: Lilia is another person who's able to activate Corwin's more skittish behavior, constantly finding him in his hiding spots and spooking him. He's fun to tease!!

Gallery: Corwin's sprite, Coffin and Groovy Candy |

[lesfruitsdores]

Who are the hostages still held by Hamas?

On October 7, 2023, 253 Israelis and foreign nationals were kidnapped to Gaza by Hamas and gazan civilians. Since then, 105 were released in a prisioner exchange deal, 4 were released by Hamas and 3 were rescued.

However, 60 remain in captivity [as of 02/09/24] (4 of those were kidnapped prior to 2023). A recent investigation has concluded that more than a fifth of the hostages are dead and the fate of some other hostages remains unknown. This video explains how doctors determine which hostages are dead, based on the nature of their injury and by analyising footage and the victims' last phone calls. Additionally, during the operation in Gaza, the IDF has recovered the bodies of a few victims and returned to their families for burial.

Since I couldn't find this all in one place, I've compiled a list of: 1) hostages who are presumed alive; 2) hostaged whose death has been reported/confirmed; 3) hostages who were released or rescued. In the group of hostages presumed to be alive who haven't been released, the youngest is 1-year-old Kfir Bibas and the oldest hostage is Iraqi-born 85-year old Shlomo Mansour.

As we learn more information, I'll continue to update this post.

They need to come back home. I'm hoping for more successful rescue operations soon. Keep them in your thoughts.

Hostages still held by Hamas (presumed alive or fate unknown):

(1) (2) (3)

Abraham Eitan Mor (23)

Agam Berger (19)

Alexander (Sasha) Trupanob (28)

Alon Ohel (22)

Arbel Yehoud (28)

Ariel Bibas (4)

Ariel Cunio (26)

Avera Mengistu (37) – Has been held hostage since 2014

Avinathan Or (30)

Bar Kupershtein (22)

Bipin Joshi (23)

Daniel Gilboa (19)

David Cunio (33)

Doron Steinbrecher (30)

Edan Alexander (20)

Eitan Horn (37)

Eli Sharabi (51)

Eliya Cohen (26)

Elkana Bohbot (34)

Evytar David (23)

Gadi Moses (79)

Gali Berman (26)

Guy Gilboa-Dalal (22)

Hamzah Al-Zayadni (22)

Hisham al-Sayed (35) - Has been held hostage since 2015

Yair Horn (45)

Idan Shivi (28)

Itzhk Elgarat (68)

Karina Ariev (19)

Kfir Bibas (1)

Liri Albag (18)

Matan Angrest (21)

Matan Zangauker (24)

Maxim Herkin (35)

Naama Levy (19)

Nimrod Cohen (19)

Oded Lifshitz (83)

Ofer Kalderon (53)

Ohad Ben Ami (55)

Ohad Yahalomi (49)

Omer Neutra (22)

Omer Shem Tov (21)

Omer Wenkert (22)

Omri Miran (46)

Or Levy (33)

Rom Braslavski (19)

Romi Gonen (23)

Sagui Dekel-Chen (35)

Samuel Keith Siegel (64)

Segev Kalfon (25)

Shiri Bibas (32)

Shlomo Mansour (85)

Tal Shoham (38)

Tamir Nimrod (19)

Tsachi Idan (51)

Yagev Kirsht (34)

Yarden Bibas (34)

Yosef Al-Zayadni (53)

Yosef Ohana (23)

Ziv Berman (26)

Hostages confirmed/reported dead:

(Note: I couldn't find a report with the full list, but if you google each individual name you can find sources.)

Abraham Munder (79) - Body recovered on 20/08/24.

Alex Danzig (75) - Body recovered on 20/08/24.

Alexander Lobanov (32)

Almog Sarusi (26)

Alon Shamriz (26) – Mistakenly killed by the IDF

Amit Buskila (28) - Likely killed on Oct. 7. Body recovered on 17/05/24.

Amiram Cooper (84) - Status updated on 03/06/24.

Arye Zalmanovich (85) - Death reported by Hamas. He was forced to appear in a propaganda video.

Asaf Hamami (41)

Aviv Atzili (49)

Carmel Gat (39) - Body recovered on 31/08/24.

Chaim Peri (79) - Status updated on 03/06/24.

Daniel Oz (19) - Killed on Oct. 7. Status updated on 25/02/24

Daniel Perez (22) - Killed on Oct. 7. Status updated on 17/03/24

Dolev Yehoud (35) - Killed on Oct. 7. He was presumed to be a hostage, but his remains were found in Israel after months. Status updated on 03/06/24.

Dror Kaplun (68)

Dror Or (48) - Killed on Oct. 7. Status updated on 02/05/24.

Eden Yerushalmi (24) - Body recovered on 31/08/24.

Eden Zecharya (28)

Eitan Levy (53)

Elad Katzir (47) - Murdered by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. His body was recovered in Khan Yunis. Status updated on 06/04/24.

Eliyahu Margalit (75)

Elyakim Libman (23) - Killed on Oct. 7. It was presumed he was a hostage because his body wasn't found, but it was later discovered his remains were accidentally buried with another victim. Status updated on 03/05/24.

Gad Haggai (73)

Guy Iluz (26)

Hadar Goldin (32) - Body held hostage since 2014

Hanan Yablonka (42) - Killed on Oct. 7. Body recovered on 24/05/24.

Hersh Goldberg-Polin (23) - Body recovered on 31/08/24.

Ilan Weiss (56)

Inbar Haiman (27)

Itay Chen (19) - Killed on Oct. 7. Status updated on 12/03/24.

Itay Svirsky (35) – Killed by Hamas in captivity. His body was shown in a propaganda video

Itzik Gelenter (58) - Likely killed on Oct. 7. Body recovered on 17/05/24.

Joshua Loitu Mollel (21) – A released video shows how he was brutally murdered by a group of men on October 7

Judy Weinstein (70)

Kiril Brodski (19)

Lior Rudaeff (61) - Killed on Oct. 7. His body was taken to Gaza. Status updated on 07/05/24.

Maya Goren (56)

Mordechai Yonathan Samerano (21) - Killed on Oct. 7. His body was taken to Gaza.

Nadav Popplewell (51) - Status updated on 03/06/24.

Nik Beizer (19)

Noa Marciano (19) – Her body was found near the Al-Shifa hospital

Michel Nisenbaum (59) - Killed on Oct. 7. Body recovered on 24/05/24.

Muhammed Alatrash (40) - Killed on Oct. 7. Status updated on 24/06/24.

Ofir Tzarfati (27)

Ofra Keider (70)

Oren Goldin (34)

Ori Danino (24) - Body recovered on 31/08/24.

Orión Hernandez (30) - Killed on Oct. 7. Body recovered on 24/05/24.

Oron Shaul (30) – Body held hostage since 2014

Ran Gvlli (24)

Ravid Katz (41)

Ron Benjamin (53) - Killed on Oct. 7 and his body was taken to Gaza. Body recovered on 18/05/24.

Ron Scherman (19)

Ronen Engel (54)

Sahar Baruch (24) – Killed by Hamas during a failed hostage rescue operation

Samer Talalka (22) – Mistakenly killed by the IDF

Shay Levinson (19)

Shani Louk (22) - Body taken to Gaza. Her body was recovered on 17/05/24.

Sonthaya Oakkharasr - Killed on Oct. 7. Body taken to Gaza. Status updated on 16/05/24.

Sudthisak Rinthalak - Killed on Oct. 7. Body taken to Gaza. Status updated on 16/05/24.

Tal Chaim (42)

Tamir Adar (38)

Tomer Ahimas (20)

Uriel Baruch (35) - Status updated on 26/03/24

Yagev Buchshtab (34)

Yair Yaakov (59) – Killed on Oct. 7. Sons and girlfriend were released. Status updated on 15/02/24.

Yehudit Weiss (65) – Her body was found near the Al-Shifa hospital

Yossi Sharabi (53) – His dead body was shown in a propaganda video

Yoram Metzer (80) - Status updated on 03/06/24.

Yotam Haim – Mistakenly killed by the IDF

Ziv Dado (36)

Released/rescued hostages:

(1) (2)

Abigail Edan, 4, American citizen

Ada Sagi, 75

Adi Shoham, 38

Adina Moshe, 72

Agam Goldstein-Almog, 17

Aisha Ziyadne, 17

Alma Avraham, 84

Alma Or, 13

Almog Meir Jan (21) - Rescued by the IDF on 08/06/24.

Amit Shani, 15

Amit Soussana, 40

Andrey Zozlov (27) - Rescued by The IDF on 08/06/24.

Anucha Angkaew

Aviv Asher, 2, German citizen

Aviva Adrienne Siegel, 62

Bancha Kongmanee, Thai national

Bilal Ziyadne, 18

Boonthom Phankhong, Thai national

Buddee Saengboon, Thai national

Chalermchai Sangkaew

Channa Peri, 79

Chen Goldstein-Almog, 48

Clara Marman, 63, Argentine citizen

Daniel Aloni, 44

Dafna Elyakim, 15

Doron Katz Asher, 34, German citizen

Ditza Heiman, 84

Emilia Aloni, 5

Emily Toni Kornberg Hand, 8

Emma Cunio, 3, Argentine citizen

Erez Calderon, 12, French citizen

Eitan Yahalomi, 12, French citizen

Ela Elyakim, 8

Fernando Marman – Rescued by the IDF

Gabriela Leimberg, 59, Argentine citizen

Gal Goldstein-Almog, 11

Gal Tarshansky, 13

Gelienor (Jimmy) Pacheco, 37, Filipino national

Hagar Brodetz, 40

Hanna Katzir, 77

Hila Rotem Shoshani, 12

Ilana Gritzewsky Kimchi, 30

Irena Tati, 73, a Russian citizen, was included on the list but released separately from the exchange deal.

Itay Regev Jerbi, 18

Juckapan Sikena

Judith Raanan, 59 [Released 22/10/23]

Kaid Farhan Alkadi (52) - Rescued by the IDF on 27/08/24.

Karina Engel-Bart, 51, Argentine citizen

Keren Munder, 54

Komkrit Chombua

Kong Saelao

Liam Or, 18

Liat Beinin Atzili, 49, American citizen

Luis Har – Rescued by the IDF

Manee Jirachart

Margalit Mozes, 78, German citizen

Maya Regev Jirbi, 21

Meirav Tal, 53

Mia Leimberg, 17, Argentine citizen

Mia Shem, 21, French citizen

Mika Engel, 18, Argentine citizen

Mongkhol Phajuabboon, Thai national

Moran Stela Yanai, 40

Natalie Raanan, 17 [Released 22/10/23]

Nattaporn Onkaew

Natthawaree Moonkan, Thai national

Naveh Shoham, 8

Nili Margalit, 41

Noa Argamani (26) - Rescued by the IDF on 08/06/24.

Noam Avigdori, 12

Noga Weiss, 18

Noam Or, 17

Noralin Babadilla, 60, born in the Philippines

Nurit Cooper [Released 24/10/23]

Ofri Brodetz, 10

Ohad Munder, 9

Or Yaakov, 16, German citizen

Ori Megidish – Rescued by the IDF

Oriya Brodetz, 4

Owat Suriyasri, 40, father of two

Ofelia Adit Roitman, 77, born in Argentina

Ofir Engel, 17, Dutch citizen

Paiboon Rattanin

Pattanayut Tonsakree

Phonsawan Pinakalo

Ra’aya Rotem, 54

Raz Ben-Ami, 56, German citizen

Rimon Kirsht Buchshtav, 36

Raz Asher, 4, German citizen

Ron Krivoi, 25, an Israeli-Russian citizen, was included on the list, although he was released separately from the exchange deal.

Ruth Munder, 78

Sahar Calderon, 16, French citizen

Santi Boonphrom, Thai national

Sapir Cohen, 29

Shani Goren, 29

Sharon Aloni-Cunio, 34, Argentine citizen

Sharon Hertzman Avigdori, 52

Shlomi Ziv (40) - Rescued by the IDF on 08/06/24.

Shiri Weiss, 53

Shoshan Haran, 67

Surin Kesungnoen

Tal Goldstein-Almog, 8

Tamar Metzger, 78

Uthai Sangnuan, Thai national

Uthai Thunsri, Thai national

Wichai Kalapat, 28, Thai national

Wichian Temthon

Withoon Phumee, 33, Thai national

Yaffa Adar, 85

Yagil Yaakov, 12, German citizen

Yahel Shoham, 3

Yarden Roman-Gat, 35, German citizen

Yelena Trupanov, 50, a Russian citizen, was included on the list but released separately from the exchange deal.

Yocheved Lifshitz [Released 24/10/23]

Yuli Cunio, 3, Argentine citizen

Yuval Brodetz, 8

Yuval Engel, 12, Argentine citizen

[tender-crescent]

Tea maxxing life maxxing

[kenzan-brainrot-mp4]

talk more about the white whale/whale symbolism in general whatever thoughts you have on the whale stuff i want to hear it 👂

GRAHHHHH YEAH (This one got. Long (again lol) So be prepared (series-wide spoilers but I feel like that's a given atp))

First of all I just wanna say that I love how rgg drags the player along around the final chapter title. With how upfront the other chapter titles are in what they're referring to, you might end up wondering why they chose White Whale for the final chapter title once you see the title card (or at least I did). Of course, this could just be referring to the treasure that everyone's been looking for, but with how nonchalantly they react to the fact that the treasure isn't actually there, it doesn't seem to completely fit the bill.

But then you beat the game (and by this I mean beat the final boss) and lo and behold, there's an Actual white whale, and so you think "Oh! Duh, the chapter's called White Whale because there's a literal white whale and it pretty much just finished off the final boss!" But that still doesn't make that much sense. Why name the final chapter (arguably the most important one) after some whale that appears in the last like 15 minutes of the game? Like, take the final chapter name of (Kiryu) Gaiden, it's literally the name of the game (The Man Who Erased His Name) so it's gotta be something more significant than that, right? (But then of course take into the account that by this point the player is still convinced that nothing really in pyih is too deep/serious, so maybe it could just be something as simple as that).

Then you get to the credits, and they reveal that the "elixir"/the ambergris is found in the stomachs of whales. Damn, that's pretty crazy/cool, but once again, nobody that was actively seeking the treasure (Rodriguez, Jason/Noah, Spade Tucker, etc you know the drill) seems to hung up on the fact that they didn't find it, and they didn't even encounter the whale, so they wouldn't get that same sense that they just missed it either, again, it's not a big deal really, so why make that the final chapter title?

Of course, we all know what this builds up to: the big reveal, the fact that Majima, who we've been following along with this entire game, was looking for that elixir this entire time, was the only one to actually encounter a whale in the game, and then there's the insane line drop from Saejima.

"Kiryu Kazuma. You never could give up on that one."

Ironically, the final chapter title has nothing to do with that whale you saw earlier at all, rather it's a summary of what Majima's motivations/actions for this game, and the past. Almost every game, has meant for him. It's what Saejima spells out for us at the end of the game, but said in even fewer words.

An all-consuming obsession that only leads to your destruction. An impossibility, something that you can destroy yourself over but never achieve/obtain. This is what the white whale means, metaphorically. And it is this, exactly, that Kiryu is to Majima.

Kiryu is larger than life itself, to just about everyone. He's a legend, he's the one Majima has had his sights on since the very beginning, the legend he chases after game after game and also what he destroys himself over game after game.

(see:

Yakuza 1 -> Majima just straight up taking a full-on stab wound for Kiryu. Like, buddy, I literally saw one of my favorite characters die that way in another game, there was No guarantee you were surviving that.

Yakuza 2 -> Majima fights off an army of yakuza for Kiryu. That man was beat to total Shit (which is Not something that happens often) and we all saw it

Yakuza 3 -> Majima re-enters the Tojo Clan for Kiryu even though he is (extremely likely) aware that it is already entering its steady decline that we see throughout the rest of the series up until its dissolution. And while he's willing to do it for Kiryu, we can't exactly say that he's happy about the situation as a whole.

Yakuza 5 -> Majima's willingness to die for Haruka, specifically stated because "She means more to Kiryu-chan than life itself." Like, of course he wouldn't just let Haruka get killed, but to choose to mention Kiryu as part of his reasoning in that moment? Christ

While I (surprisingly) can't say anything particularly self-destructive happened in (Kiryu) Gaiden and Infinite Wealth, you could argue that Majima trying to more and more directly tell Kiryu not to leave ("No need to rush outta here yet... Alright?" -> "Don't leave! Don't you dare leave, Kiryu-chan!"), knowing that it's likely pointless, knowing Kiryu, is not doing himself any favors.

Pirate Yakuza -> *gestures at the entire game*

Also his reaction to encountering that giant squid ("Sure is a helluva way to die. I think I'm into it!"). Like, okay. I don't want to try and read too much into it because it was very likely just a one off line. But I'm still gonna side-eye it.

Honestly now that I think about it, if Majima Had died fighting that giant squid (that is such a way to begin a sentence thank you rgg), you could argue that that would've been his nail in the coffin for the white whale metaphor. If he had, it would've meant that his obsession for Kiryu is what got him dragged down into the literal depths of the ocean, and even if it wouldn't be Kiryu physically dragging Majima down like the white whale to Ahab, this is a situation that is completely, entirely, fueled by Majima's obsession towards him (Majima had no real interest in the nuclear waste cleanup project, after all, Kiryu was his one motivation this entire time), and it would've drowned him.

Guess that means he got real lucky with the last part, but we all know he sure as hell isn't beating the allegations.)

All this and yet Majima seems to fail to reaching Kiryu time and time again.

Majima does not obtain the Heart of the Dragon, found in the intestines of the literal whale. He does not obtain eternal life for Kiryu. And he (arguably, though the final scene of him walking to Kiryu's hospital room could oppose this) does not resolve the indefinite limbo that has been sitting between them throughout the entire series. What he gets at the end of the game is the acknowledgement (through Saejima, everybody thank him) that he has been obsessing over this, and perhaps the realization that Kiryu was, in fact, this white whale that he would never truly reach ("Well, still just a dream in the end.") Of course this is something he already knows/has acknowledged deep down, and it's a feeling that is hinted at in some of his dialogue in scattered moments, but this is the first time he ever says it in such an outright manner.

I guess in a way, you could say that Pirate Yakuza is a story about the newfound success of all the people Majima helped and supported in achieving their dreams, and the continued failure of Majima in pursuing his own (Kiryu), and him needing to acknowledge/accept that. And the post-credits begs the question of what he decides to do with the aftermath and what he has left. (An oversimplification definitely but still. augh. Augh)

Naming the final chapter White Whale was yet another crazy move on rgg's part. Its so unassuming, seemingly straightforward yet also seemingly insignificant, but once the realization dawns on you it slaps you right in the face, just like everything else about this game does. It's yet another instance of how rgg managed to pull its big reveal so well, with all the small details, all the reframing, all pointing back to the same topic that it had spent the entire rest of the game dancing around.

Majima recounting his story of how he went to Hawaii -> Majima recounts his story to Kiryu in the exact same way at the very end

The treasure everyone's been looking for/known about + Majima, the one guy who didn't have knowledge about any of this legend stuff prior? -> Wrong, he was after the treasure from the very start (before the amnesia at least). For Kiryu

Majima originally being on course for Hawaii so he could help with the nuclear waste cleanup even though he'd be bored as hell? -> Nah. For Kiryu (Ohhhhh you know what this is reminding me of some screenshots I took from near the beginning of the game)

(I'm sure this meant nothing of course. Lol. Lmao)

Majima's dream during pirate yakuza being to fulfill Other People's dreams -> Haha. Well, I think you get the point by now

Kiryu, Kiryu, Kiryu. It all goes back to Kiryu, every single time, without fail, in an obsessive loop that Majima has been dragging himself around over for Years. He is the white whale, seemingly untouchable, the constant object of Majima's attention and devotion in so many forms, his consistent weak point, that only seems to dig at him deeper as the games go on.

Like I said before, while the white whale metaphor is undeniable, and essentially spells doom for Majima, it's not over for him yet. Because, hey, he didn't drown at sea, or die on the beach. He was saved, and he's survived enough to retell that tale and reflect on it all with Saejima in the post-credits, brief as that reflection was. I mentioned before how he really only said one line of any actual substance during that specific part of the exchange, but the significance of it says so much.

"Well, still just a dream in the end"

As much as it hurts to here Majima address the hopelessness of it all, to hear him say something like that after Saejima basically just laid out his sheer devotion and refusal to give up on his dream for everyone to see, I think the bittersweetness is. Good, actually. Captain Ahab never gave up on that pursuit on the white whale, and it destroyed him; that whale dragged him down until he finally drowned, and it feels like all Majima has been doing over Kiryu since Yakuza 3 is drowning himself in him.

Don't get me wrong, I (for now at least) do not take that line as a complete admittance of defeat, or Majima finally giving up on Kiryu, on that dream he could never let go of. (Like I've been saying, it's an acknowledgement, not exactly a declaration.) I do not think it means he is just letting go, full-stop.

But I do hope it means he can stop himself from self-destructing completely. I hope it means that he can slow down with the wild chase, (and that he and Kiryu can just. Sit down and talk like fucking normal people. Which i guess they are doing in the post-credits, supposedly) and I hope it means that he won't drown completely, especially in the case of the worst possible scenario.