#but mainly i was kidnapped in some facility with a group of others and we were shown two identical men

[pizzopaps]

had a bad dream : )

[powertrumpeter]

Open Letter to Aso Rock Occuppier

Sir,

I will begin by expressing my support for this Government, at the early stage of its inception in 2015. The thinking then, was that billions stolen by previous administration, should be recovered: both at home and abroad.

I was among those who clamoured for recovery of stolen billions, stashed in foreign banks. We appealed to International Community for help. While doing so, we believed that the elected President, retired Major General Muhammadu Buhari, would be in a position to sanitize the very corrupt system; judging from his pedigree. But as time went on, we discovered the fight against corruption is ineffective; as trial and prosecution of culprits are selective.

Now, we appeal you use your position to obey United Nations directive, for release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from detention. You have left off the hook thousands of Boko Haram members detained; and still releasing more. You have gone further to give them one form of rehabilitation package or the other. Many of them have killed, raped, and committed all manner of heinous crimes.

We wish you let IPOB to be. Proscribing it isn’t the best way out of the situation. There are several terrorist, armed gangs, operating mostly in the Northern parts of Nigeria. They are yet to be proscribed. Instead, we hear of hundreds of millions being spent on them as ransom and so on. Kaduna is a home of countless military bases and facilities. It’s very hard to believe rag-tag terrorists and kidnappers, can operate in Kaduna unchallenged. Some of them abducted train passengers, and have held them hostage for months now. They release their victims piecemeal, after payment of outrageous ransom.

Unproscribing IPOB, will go a long way in easing tension in Eastern Nigeria. The insecurity in this part of Nigeria is caused mainly by the clamp down on Biafran agitators by security agents. The truth is that they overlook the nefarious activities of Fulani Herdsmen: which include destruction of farmlands, rape, murders and kidnappings. Instead those compromised security agents, go for agitators, who are resisting those disguised hoodlums.

Some State Governors here, are spending a lot to fight ‘insecurity’. Yet there is no tangible result. They spend billions buying armoured vehicles and logistics for Police and Military. As well, they hire militants who are not indigenes at exorbitant fees, and convert them to so-called vigilantes. And the burning of homes, shops, and other properties continue unchecked. The money being spent on these coalition of forces against agitators, is more than enough to pay thousands of workers and pensioners owed for years, especially in Imo State. Let them know IPOB and ESN are not monsters. They are humane. You are in full support of Palestinian freedom; as well as Polisaro separation from Morocco. Agitation for self-determination of any aggrieved group, is supported by UN charter on human rights. If they clamp down on people, It can cause the agitators to go underground, like what happened during apartheid regime in South Africa.

Sir, I would like you to investigate thoroughly, the kidnap incidence of Nigerian Methodist Prelate on May 2022. He and two occupants in his car were abducted by Fulani Herdsmen, who doubled as kidnappers. They tortured and beat them mercilessly. Those armed robbers insisted on 100 million naira ransom, which was paid later before their release.

Their abductors revealed a lot surrounding their kidnap business in Nigeria. Some of them are from Sudan, Mali and Songhai. They said 50 million naira (half of the money), would go to their sponsors. These are highly placed individuals who provide them with arms and ammunition, among other logistics. Also, they narrated they are on a mission in Eastern Nigeria to kill the inhabitants, and take possession of their land. They would use the ransom money to stockpile weapons for the forthcoming attack. They said further they were all waiting for go ahead order from their Northern elite, for the go ahead for the massive attack. The Prelate’s deposition is well recorded on YouTube, for anybody to access. As well, find out why soldiers deployed to the East, ignore the criminal activities of Fulani Herdsmen. Instead, insecurity is blamed solely on our people who are resisting them.

We want to state clearly, we have been co-existing peacefully with Fulanis and other Northerners, before the sponsored infiltration of our communities and forests. A lot of them engage in legitimate business: like selling of clothes, food stuffs such as rice and beans. We buy from them regularly. Also they move around residential areas to buy “Iron kwondem” (condemned iron). They like to live their normal, simple lifestyle. But, they are being pushed into armed conflicts, and taking over of people’s lands, by their Northern elite, for selfish, political ambitions. They are easily brainwashed.

Our people are peace loving and humane. Anybody who claims Igbo people want to kill Hausa or Fulani, is not telling the truth. We know our main problem is not with the peasant Fulanis living among us; but with those elite sponsoring and gingering them. We therefore call for a change of attitude. Find out those behind Fulani invasion of our communities and forests.

Finally, we would like you to live behind a legacy cherished by the people. Right now, people are suffering terribly in this country Nigeria. Importation of finished petroleum products into the country, isn’t helping maters. All rulers of this country both past and present, are guilty of neglecting our local refineries. Something has to be done for Nigeria to be refining crude oil locally. The importation has caused hike in prices of refined products, with ever increasing cost of goods and services. Naira is becoming more and more worthless.

Use your position to pay backlog of salaries and pensions. Multitude Federal pensioners are owed for more than ten years. Check the impunity of some state Governors. Some of them owe workers and pensioners for years.

We would like you to address the gross neglect and exclusion of Igbos, in the scheme of things. Even when you collected loan from China sometime ago, South East was completely excluded from development projects associated with the loan. If all these issues are addressed, they will go a long way in easing tension and making the country a better place to live in.

Yours Sincerely,

Evangelist Joseph U. Afurobi. ... https://powertrumpeter.org/blog2/fulani-invasion-bone-of-contention.

[snowlily95]

Aerith in light of healthcare provider

So, I've wanted to write an analysis about Aerith in light of her medical viewpoint for quite a long time but only recently got the chance to complete it. It is well known in the game that Aerith is the healer of the story. She possesses a great MP with a limit break to heal and buff people which greatly affects your gameplay. Of course, you can equip others with Healing and Prayer materias to render them useful for healing as well. But story-wise, no one can take away Aerith's status as the healer. We know in canon that Aerith provided herbs to the Sector 5 slums doctor to create medicine. And if you finished the Corneo Stash side quest in Chapter 14, you can return to the church and see a couple of elderly sitting on the pew praying. And when you come closer to them you'll hear them talking about how they didn't see Aerith around and they're sure she's alright and probably be around healing people. You know, since the Sector 7 plate just fell. (Even though Aerith is not alright actually coz she was kidnapped by Shinra by this time) Point is, we are fed by the NPCs on how much Aerith had helped around as a healer. She had been doing this for years.

While being in denial about who she actually is, being a healer had always been implanted in her. She is used to it. When you're used to being a healer, there's a certain level when you have a different reaction compared to others. The way you think is different. Apart from that, she's also a Cetra. And we knew for a fact Cetra had a certain affinity towards souls who are returning to the Planet. Meaning, as much as she is used to healing others, she's also used to sensing death.

My whole point is that being a Cardiac Anaesthesiologist and Intensivist as I am, I can totally relate my position with Aerith, as we both have constantly helped people and encounter death on daily basis. While I'm pretty confident that the majority of these might be coincidences (because I'm pretty sure there are no doctors in the SE team), I thought the coincidences are pretty cool to ponder upon and I'm amazed at how the subtle differences between Aerith's reaction to events from other characters.

I'm gonna ignore the meta part of Aerith, mainly because I'm not discussing how much Aerith knew, and if there was anything in jeopardy of what she knew whatsoever. So we're gonna focus on the fact that she is used to healing and feeling people's death. People who are used to death on daily basis had a certain unique view on life and death. And that affects how we act upon facing them too. While this is evident throughout Remake, I'm gonna focus on the plate drop event to be more concise. I will also use Tifa as a comparison to make it easier to see the difference between the reaction of the two. Let’s start!

1) Aerith is quick in emergency situations.

When you are used to people dying, you developed a certain immunity and you are able to have a sound mind and composure at the sudden change of event. As healthcare providers, we face stable situations turning into critical real fast. And we have a switch in our minds that turns us from standby mode to rescue mode. This is exactly what happened to Aerith when Don Corneo revealed Shinra's plan to blow up Sector 7's support pillar. Tifa is part of Sector 7. It is her home. Which is why her reaction showed how she was super devastated, she slowly stood up and muttered "They wouldn't..." because she couldn't believe it. Aerith? She had that switch in her mind, and she immediately turned and say "Come on, guys! We gotta go!". She switched into that critical mode in a second. It helps that she's also not personally connected to Sector 7, and thus her judgment was not as impaired. Of course, they both switched into the critical mode in the sewer, but it was at the moment of revelation that made it different. Just like how healthcare providers switched at the moment of revelation that their patients are at the brink of death—you immediately jumped into rescue mode.

2) She plans for the worst.

Remember after they defeated Abzu and Tifa started to question Corneo's information? She didn't want to believe it, because it didn't make sense to destroy your years of efforts building the plate just to get back to a small group like AVALANCHE. Think about the money they put in to build it, they're gonna have to put them all again. In fact, along their way out of the sewer, Tifa voiced out multiple times how this had been bothering her. But I'm intrigued with Aerith's reply "If he's telling the truth, then we should go. And if it turns out he was lying, then so what?". This here is exactly what doctors do. We plan and prepare for the worst. And if the worst didn't happen, then so what? If you ever had life-saving surgery, your doctors would tell you "You need this surgery coz you might die. But if you do the surgery, there's a high chance you'll survive, but there's a small chance you'll die too". And we prepare for that small chance that our patients die. No, we don't let our preparations lacking because we hope they'll survive. We prepare for the worst outcome possible and get all the equipment ready in case they'll die. If they didn't, then so what? It doesn't mean our preparations were futile efforts. It only means we were prepared. And that line of Aerith seriously hits home to me.

3) She hopes for the best.

Before they crossed the water sewer, Tifa once again voiced out how she couldn't stop thinking about what Corneo said, and she was still hoping that he was lying. And then Aerith said, "The future isn't set in stone". (Again, I'm gonna ignore the meta part of Aerith) And then she proceeded to set up that small date with Tifa. Believe it or not, this is actually what we do during bad calls. We'd talk about what we would do after all this ends; we'd go out dining, or playing games/darts, or go drinking, or whatever it is that makes us happy. Just to keep our minds calm and to allow us to hope for the future, even if it's just a few hours away. It gives us hope and courage to go on. We plan for the worst, but we hope for the best. The more critical the situation is, the more you need to be level-headed. And needless to say, after this point onwards, Tifa is much more calmed down from her struggle to keep herself focus.

4) She follows orders.

This might sound weird to some, but the ability to cast away your worry and focus on what you can do, instead of what you should do, is important in emergency situations. You need to know what you don't know. You don't get in the way of your comrades. If you're not good at intubating, you don't insist to intubate in emergency situations just because you wanna help. Seriously, you'll just make things worse. When Cloud, Tifa, and Aerith were attacked before climbing up and out of the sewer, Cloud asked both Tifa and Aerith to keep going. Aerith immediately answers "Okay" and left—without a single but. This is significant because it shows that Aerith knew she'd be better off leaving. She doesn't need to offer help, coz her help was not needed. This is not the place where she could help. The ability to recognize this is very important for healthcare professionals. Tifa was a bit more reluctant to leave, but that's probably because she is a martial artist in-game. Also, the fact that Aerith could still joke "We're not delicious" is just so real lol! Yup, we joke sometimes when we're facing deaths—doesn't mean we lose focus in saving the dying person in front of us, don't worry. And then it happens again when they reached Sector 7 when Cloud asked them to stay with Wedge as he goes up, Aerith immediately answered "sure"—because she can "patch" Wedge up, it's where her abilities lie. This is even more accentuated when an injured Wedge argued that he can still fight when he clearly can't—making this point even more obvious. Aerith is someone with a healthcare mind, Wedge was not.

5) She supports her comrades emotionally even when she’s worried too.

When they reached the surface, they spotted a Shinra helicopter. Cloud assured them they're only on patrol. Aerith turned to Tifa and said, "Don't worry, we'll make it in time". This moment is also very iconic to me. As I mentioned, I'm an anaesthesiologist. We are the support doctors to surgeons and physicians. Those moments when we're operating on AAA surgeries and the patient is losing liters of blood and literally dying, we're pumping bloods in with our hands and get those Level 1 machines operating, and the surgeons would be panicking because it keeps bleeding? Yep, I did say it before. "We'll make it. Just concentrate on the surgery and don't worry about the bleeding", even though I'm sweating and dying here trying to keep the patient alive. But I pretended to be calm in front of my team and cheered them on. Because the whole team needs to keep calm. If one of the team loses hope, then bid your chance farewell. As an anaesthesiologist, we're almost like the anchor in the room. People look at us to know if everything's alright. I need to tell them it's alright, so they need not worry. Aerith knew Tifa is worried. And she tried to keep Tifa calm with reassurance. Even if she probably freaked out herself.

6) She doesn’t discriminate.

After they defeated the ghost at the haunted maintenance facility, Cloud tried to kill it, and Aerith didn't let him. When Cloud said that thing was dangerous, Aerith said she knows and added "but even so..." she didn't feel right about killing it. (Let's ignore the fact that the Ghoul was a lonely creature for now) It then goes to drop the train wreck which almost killed them had it not been for Cloud. Now this would have been avoided had Aerith let Cloud killed it—maybe. But here's the thing. When you're hyper-aware that people are dying left and right, you value life more. No one deserves to die, even the worst criminal in the world. You're a law-abiding citizen? You're a criminal? It doesn't make a difference to us. I know this is something super hard to comprehend. But technically only when the law subjects the criminal to the death sentence that a person should be left to die. I've been a doctor for eleven years, I was a prison doctor for two. I had the first-hand experience of dealing with criminals. It's not my job to determine whether they deserve to die or not. It's not my call whether they will turn a new leaf had they lived. I know this is something others find difficult to relate to and agree with—happens to my non-medical family and friends. The verdict to us is simple. It's a life. It's worth saving. Period. (Technically the ghosts are dead though but my point still stands)

7) She tries to her best abilities and lets go of what is out of her control.

Tifa's emotions are tampered with again when they confirmed Shinra was going to drop the plate when they overheard the Turks conversation. Her voice shook, we can literally hear it. Aerith's response was "all we can do now is keep moving". And she's right. When they reached Sector 7 and the Whispers were preventing them, she said "we have to get past whatever it takes". And later on, Tifa left to help Cloud and Barret, and Aerith agreed to get to Seventh Heaven to ensure Marlene's safety. Wedge had a short mental breakdown when he realized he was no good to anyone up or down the crime scene. And Aerith told him "We can still save a lot of lives", "That's no excuse to give up", "I need to know I did everything I could". Her encouragement helped Wedge save more people. Some argued, did she not care about the lives that already died? Now here's my point; no, we don't. Sorry if this sounds harsh, but really. What can we do for people who are already dead? Nothing. What can we do for people who are still alive? Everything. And this is the core of being a healthcare provider—we prioritize. Yes, we're also humans. We can get emotional when our own friends and relatives die. (Aerith might not be as calm had it happened at Sector 5) But when we put the healthcare provider cap on, we mean business. That is why when disasters happened, and we triage people with a black tag? That's when we know we couldn't do anything for them. We don't mourn at the black tags. We move on to the other tags instead. So that we know we already did everything in our power to help. And yes, it doesn't matter even if we lost more lives than we saved. It's worth it, even if we only saved one person out of thousands of deaths. Just like how Aerith saved Betty in Sector 7. That one life is worth it.

[idkcantthinkofaname]

It takes time/12

Pairing: bts x reader (tho this is focus on another set of people)

Gene: angst, future smut

Warning: mention of blood and death, implying a plan to kidnap

Summary: after finally getting the house y/n always wanted, she find a hybrid hiding in an old shed. Unlike most people who find strays, y/n doesn’t turn him into h.c mainly because there was a lot of shady things that happened with the hybrid control in the area.

Prev

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The room went quiet as mr. steeler enter. All of his leads at H.C. were here for a meeting. Mr. steeler walked straight to the front of the room. “We have finally found James and his team. They ended up being at the bottom of the lake just north of here.”

Everyone exchanged looks with each other. “As everyone knows, James was in charge of finding a certain pack of hybrids. Ones that are very valuable to this company.” He began to walk around the room placing a folder in each of the teams leaders hands.

“These hybrids are not like the ones you see day to day.”

“How so?”

Mr steeler was back at the front by the podium. He hadn’t planned on telling very many people about what these hybrids were, but he trusted his leaders with some of the information. Seeing how these hybrids were becoming rather difficult to handle.

Mr. steeler originally thought James and his team would be enough. Seeing how they were military trained and expert trackers, could get in and out of places before anyone knew they were there. But the hybrids out did them. Now he was forced to bring in others.

“Back when hybrids were first being created, before the public even knew about them, They were working on creating hybrids for war. They wanted people, in a sense, that could track down people or things like dogs. Who would run straight into enemies territory without a single fear. Who would take orders and remain loyal.” He shuffle his papers. “They were not successful for a long time, they were either to violent to handle or to docile. As you know the docile ones became pets and was realeased to the public. But it wasn’t until some time during the 90’s, 6 different facilities managed to create hybrids that were smart, loyal and took orders. Each had their own talent.”

“how are these any different then the others?” Ask a leader

“These ones could actually shift into their animal counter parts.”

“Bullshit.”

“Believe it or not, these hybrids are dangerous and worth a lot of money.”

All the men in the room went completely silent, they always listened when money was involved.

“There are many countries that will pay for these 7 hybrids. Even certain powerful people are wanting them.”

“Seven?”

“Yes seven. One of these facilities manage to create two foxes. Now if you open your packet that I handed out, it has all the information that we know about them.”

Each member flipped threw “there isn’t much here.”

Mr. steeler sighed. “Unfortunately to cover up how they escaped or even being created, all the info and building were burned to the ground. No one knows if the hybrids did it themselves or someone helped them escape.”

“Okay but how did they end up all together? They were made in different parts of the world.”

“We still don’t know for sure. Some speculated that a group of people wanted all of them, so they managed to break in. Some think that they just all got out around about the same time and eventually ended up together. No one really knows for sure.”

“So what do we need to know about them?”

“They are very dangerous, the fact that they took out James and his team says they are not to be taken lightly. The bear hybrids is the alpha, he calls the shots and keeps everyone in line, though we question that seeing how the wolf hybrid is an alpha and the panther is use to being solitary. All the foxes information is only guesses, no one has ever actually seen them. They have been pretty good at staying under the radar. The golden retriever is pretty much like your average hybrid except for when he is under stress or a loved one is injured. There is another side of that hybrid that comes out, best to have him sedated if you ever come across him. We once had him in custody..but some how he manage to escape.”

“So pretty much the peacock is the only not threatening one?” Smirked a Adam.

“No, he is the most calculated one of the bunch. They never make a move unless he had completely looked at every angle. He is the one that comes up with all their plans. Fortunately with the peacock some Of his documents were still readable. He is very charismatic and the one with the most control over his animal counterparts. He can appear completely human.”

“So where are they now?”

“James suspected that they may be using a human to hide out with. After James and his team almost had the peacock, he ended up finding him hiding with a girl named y/n. She had just moved into this house. We suspect that the peacock hybrid came across her at some point and planned things out so she would want to help him.”

“You’re saying that he planned everything out? Even getting injured that night?”

“No, i don’t think he had been prepared for us to step in.”

“But why this girl? Why not any other?”

“We are not sure, maybe because she was staying in a place far away from the city. she doesn’t seem much of a people person. She prefers to keep them at a distance.” 

“What’s our next move?”

“We are going to wait and watch them. Observe them and the girl. If she is more then a pawn in their game, we may can use her to get to them.”

“You mean kidnap her?”

Mr. steeler smiled. “We will do what is necessary to bring these hybrids in.”

As the last of the men exited the room, mr. steeler sat down in a chair and closed his eyes. He needed these hybrids and he was pretty sure y/n was the key to getting them. Once the scientists made these hybrids, they had tried to have other female hybrids bond with them, even tried humans, But none of them would accept any of them. They would just talk to them majority of the time, but once the boys went into rut. The one scientist that worked with the peacock states that the peacock would attack anyone that enter, male or female. Most hybrids needed partners, but these hybrids didn’t seem interested in anyone. At least he assumed they were all the same as the peacock. He sighed.

Mr. Steeler can still remember the chaos the foxes caused to save the dog hybrid. The men he had on hand didn’t stand a chance. He remembers all the screams and blood that was everywhere, how the foxes laughed, mr. steeler remember how beautiful they looked as they cut threw the men. when they finally had the dog, even that golden retriever eyes sparkled as the last armed Guard dropped motionless. He then understood why people wanted them, he wanted them. The power they would bring who ever had them. Mr. steeler smiled, he was going to make a lot of money off of them. He just need to figure out if he wants to keep them or just sale them to someone else. He opened his eyes and smiled. He would have them even if it meant take that girl. He just needed to wait for the right time to take action.

——————————————————————————

Note: I wanted to test and see if having a little bit of the bad guys point of view, might make it a little more interesting. Let me know how you feel about it!

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[dantesintegrity]

Higurashi Gou Theory [DEBUNKED]: The Miracle, Motive, and Murders of Satoshi Houjou

Satoshi has always been a fascinating character to me, mainly because we’ve only actually seen him in the first half of Chapter 5, an only in some segments of Chapter 8.  Even so, his presence has been constantly lingering in Higurashi for as early as Chapter 1, and because of his sudden disappearance it only lead to more and more suspense. Not just to us, the audience, but to the characters themselves, they were completely changed because of his Disappearance. Shion was devastated by the demoning away of the one she loved, Satoko felt immense guilt because of it, and Keiichi became paranoid by the mere mention of his name. So when we found the truth that he was merely comatose in the Irie institute, we gave a sigh of relief because he was alive- yet still devastated of the news that he my never wake up. We’ve known that he has been through so much reading the Visual novel, and it only adds to the Tragic circumstance he is under.

However, This is not the Visual novel. Higurashi Gou is something new, and we have started to suspect that the culprit my in fact be someone different this time.

It was around Watadamashi that I began to think that- you know, as a joke- that Satoshi was the Culprit this time. I had no real reason to suspect him, just a crack pot theory that I will humor on occasion.

Then we all noticed something peculiar, when Keiichi woke up in Onidamashi, he was informed that Rika and Satoko were ambushed and killed.

In Watadamashi- while Rika was killed as well- it was Mion and Satoko who were killed together.

Then, in the Thirteenth episode, Mion, Shion, Rika, and Satoko were said to be dead- Supposedly killed by one Ooishi Kuraudo, if Rena’s words are to be believed.

Now, in all of these Circumstances, Satako was one of the Victims, alongside Rika. To us Original fans, we know that Rika is Certainly fated to die. In Gou, however, Satoko is added to that list.

There is a phrase that goes something like: “Once is Happenstance, Twice is Coincidence, Three times is Enemy action”

Satoko is Directly Targeted by the Culprit, I can say that with conviction.

Now, here is where my theory diverts from other theories. Some theories that she is the Culprit, murdered Rika and committed suicide. The reason why she did that is because......... Some will also that she is a Looper, Evidence to support this is that.................. Some say she is just sus.

While I agree, some- key word, some- of her actions are suspicious, I believe that she is actually more of a distraction if anything else. Whether it is intentional or coincidental, we are the ones who is being deceived into thinking that Satoko is behind everything.

But we are focusing too much one what is being shown by the light, when the truth may be in the shadows. Additionally, one of the complaints I have been seeing for this series is that the Endings of each arc seems to just pop up out of no where, unlike the original where we would be able to at least get a grasp of how the story ends. However in Gou, we are being kept in the Dark, as well as other things...

In a previous theory of mine, I suggested that the existence of Satoshi is narratively being kept in the dark. Original viewers would have noticed that he was barely mentioned, and new viewer who noticed the bat would wonder who this “Satoshi” person even before Tataridamashi.

From Keiichi, who doesn’t know who Satoshi is. To the club members characters, who never mention him. To Rika, who perhaps completely ruled out him as a possibility.

(Note: Before anyone says anything on Knox’s First, You must remember that literally the first thing we see in the Opening is Satoshi’ name. It is written in Japanese, so anyone who knows Japanese, or knows the bare minimum of how to use google translate would know that his name is written plain as day. Therefore, no, this does not Violate Knox’s First. If you don’t take that as evidence because it is in the Opening and not in the actual episode, then you are also forced to disregard any and all other evidence that shows up in the Opening, yes, that includes the blonde hair girl.)

While the endings and circumstances of those endings are very different from the original- and some might even say ‘out of no-where.’ There is one thing that actually remains consistent throughout all the arcs.

Onidamashi is very similar to Onikakushi, up until Keiichi lets Rena in. With some few notable exceptions (such as Takano and Tomitake dissapearing- but we will get to that later.)

Watadamashi is also fairly reminiscent to Watanagashi, at least until Rika dissapears in school- ending up in the septic tank.

Tataridamashi is almost beat for beat to Minagoroshi, all the way up to the Watanagashi Massacre.

You starting to notice a trend? The Drastic change shows itself after- or on the day of Watanagashi. Meaning that on the night of Watanagashi, something happens that drastically changes the game board.

Enter: Satoshi Houjou.

So, where does my theory begin? Well, like the original series: Satoshi kills his Aunt, Has his mental breakdown, and forced into a Coma. He enters into a Sleep that he may never wake up, nor will he ever recover from entering L5.

And then... he does.

One day, Satoshi just wakes up, completely lucid. Those at the institute thought he would have never wake up, thinking he was a lost cause and would certainly never wake up. Yet even so, an Astronomical chance happened, and he recovered from the breaking point. It was a Marvelous Occasion, A Miracle, some might even say.

Naturally, this Miracle would have effected Two people in particular: Irie Kyousuke, and Takano Miyo.

To Takano, she could have used him as evidence in support of her research and to get more funding and prevent the Shut down- it was a long shot be she may have had the slightest bit of hope.

For Irie, this was more personal for him. He knew Satoshi and wanted for things to have been better for him, now he has the chance to change everything. Plus his recovery could lead to more and better treatment for Hinamizawa syndrome- or better yet a Cure.

Satoshi meanwhile, is confused. Where is this place? What do they mean by Parasite? Why can’t he see his sister? He doesn’t understand what is going on.

So to help calm him down- or for Takano, help him cooperate- They both told him the truth behind Hinamizawa, and the Parasite.

They tell Satoshi about the truth about Satoko’s Illness, and their theory that Rika may actually be the Queen Carrier.

This is where I form the Crux of my theory, its about what they told him, combined with his willingness to do anything for his little sister.

Because, what if, when they were telling him everything, he had an idea.

What if Satoko’s illness is caused by Rika.

Rika, being the ‘Queen Carrier’ turned Satoko into an L3 Instance, causing the Hallucinations and Paranoia she has now. Yes, she is currently being Treated, but what if Rika was the one to Cause it.

Of course, Satoshi may be misinterpreting everything they are saying, but he doesn’t understand all the medical terminologies Takano and Irie use. There could also be a chance that he is not fully cured either, and that his symptoms are causing him to misinterpret everything they are.

Regardless, he has his theory, Rika is the cause of everything.

There is another that thing could have happened while he was under their Care. One day, Takano was taking some samples from him, testing to see what could have caused his awakening.

Satoshi then asked a question, something like “Will I ever be able to see Satoko.”

Takano possible replied, “Well, unless she also has a full on breakdown like you, then maybe we’ll let you meet with her- but she might not even recognize you, like you couldn’t recognize anyone other than your Aunt.”

Satoshi, feeling dread from her response, then ask, “Well... what will you do with her then?!?!”

Takano, perhaps Joking, replies, “Don’t know, maybe I’ll dissect her brain hee hee hee.”

Whether Takano was joking or not, Satoshi took it literally. I mean, with this secret underground facility under the Clinic, a paramilitary group at her command, She is more than capable of kidnapping Satoko and dissecting her.

He killed his Aunt to protect his sister, but now he knows what could really be up against them. Takano can take Satoko, and examine her brain and do all kinds of horrible experiments on her, all while Satoko is still alive.......

Satoshi would not let them do that, but he is their medically confined prisoner.

He needs to escape.

He needs to stop that monster from demoning away Satoko.

He needs to make sure this ‘Tokyo’ organization from ever doing harm to her.

...

He needs to Kill Satoko.

He doesn’t want to... but what option does he have? If Satoko does breakdown, then she will become Takano’s lab rat. Even if they do manage to escape, she will be unmedicated, and her condition will degrade even further.

To Satoshi, that is his only option, it would be a mercy kill in his eyes.

And while he’s at it, why doesn’t he kill the person who is also heart of this damn parasite.

He needs to kill Rika Furude.

So, on the night of Watanagashi Festival, he decides then to escape.

Perhaps to keep extra watch on Rika, there were fewer Mountain Dogs on the Clinic, or the others were in the Secret base that Takano planned on hiding out in. Meaning that on that night, there were few people guarding the Clinic.

That night, he gets up, and finds anything relatively bat-shaped, and escapes his room. He tries his best to hide in the many dark corners of the Clinic, but eventually he is spotted, and he is reported to the others. They try their best to stop him, but he does manage to escape, almost as if Fate was certainly on he side.

After he escapes, its reported to Takano and Tomitake, right before she enact her plan. She now has more important matters to deal with, so she suggested that her and Tomitake remain hidden in the mean time, to protect themselves from what ever danger Satoshi poses, and also to- just for her own amusement- keep up the appearance of the Curse.

So her and Tomitake begin their search for Satoshi Houjou.

And Satoshi Houjou will begin this years new game, his goal:

Kill Satoko Houjou and Rika Furude.

Well this theory took me a while to type, Sorry if there are any spelling or grammar errors, but this is actually the third time I had to write a lot of that, since my computer crashed while I was typing... Twice. Feel free to comment any Critiques to my theory. Soon I will need to write my theory on each one of the arcs, so I can fully break down what happened.

[whimsically-ominously-auspice]

"Uruguay already landed and took off with no problems"

Matt and Abu start to tear up... And they will make me cry like a hyena laughs

"Suck it up buttercups, i don't need you two that won't even go see your wives (soulmates/half and halves) crying in my face! You got better things to do!"

....

Some have phones, but have limitations...

Abu had told them to call the consulates or embassies if they ever got a chance to escape.

Because he would bring some kidnapped ones, the badder ones here or there and tell them "escape" and i was arguing with one and told her "don't be stupid call the American Embassy, they will protect you!"

Anyways she was stupid and went back to Iraq pregnant.

Because I'm worthless and no good and a liar. So mom says as it was mom. Not that i believed that but now i know she was. And i still tried to help her.

And so Abu was all "explain me everything you know about this"

So i did and how an embassy or consulate is actually a little section of land in a country that belongs to another country

So a diplomat from Liberia, in America, would go to an embassy for the Librerians and it is considered to be Liberia land although its actually our land we allow them to use. They are protected by their laws from us there. As are their people and so on. So we can't go with an American search warrant for their home. We have to call Liberia and say, "look you sent us a fucktard and im about to kill him so you need to help us help you keep him alive"

And so Abu told everyone he could and even wrote the phone numbers on strips of papers.

So, for Uruguay, two people called their consulate and asked for help when they received emails of their release.

Apparently one said "come get me! They said she said we can be released! I don't know where i am! Help please!"

So with the phone call they were able to pinpoint their coordinates although the GPS is disabled in their phone -- no hack can break the GPS and if one ever does someone goes and repairs it.

Uruguay knew about the farms and their people but because the Queen owns them There's nothing anyone would do about it. But the Queen knows i have no trouble beating her ass because last time I saw her i did because she got undressed while Abu and Matt were screaming for help. So i beat her ass and yankyy her facey --- i did sit down and therapy talk her and asked her like she was 5, nice, to get dressed and ber and i would go have lunch in public and be normal. But she refused and got belligerent like we been getting drunk and high for 9 days without sleep or food. So. We came to an understanding about this situation so no one has to get beat up. Plus i terrorized her husband a few weeks ago and he had to move out the next day... Cause she kicked him out and she said she wanted me to kill him and his Goddam light turning on and off pissed me off.

**pet the chin of a dog of someone you hate then yell "you know what poison is?? Its too cold for your dog to be outside!" When they go to the door to see what you're doing at their gate.

He moved but left his dog after crying all night and i see him running all over the neighborhood now. Supposedly he's trained to kill but hes super sweet and doesn't even act mean.. Runs around smiling all sweet and listens and doesn't bark... He barks locked in the yard tho. Pit bull. Male.

Anyways. It could speed up the process if someone calls and says how many they have and etc.

Uruguay had 15 people at 2 farms so one of the smaller farms took two trucks to each farm and picked them up.

Then they waited at the small farm for the pick up from the military. So about 24 hours it took for that but about 2 days to hear whar to do from Uruguay.

Mexico has 90% so they're doing as much planning as possible and preparing the transition site.

At the transition site, they will get stories of the people. Everything they can remember and use newspapers and other information like police records and anything they can find to help the families be found for the victims.

As soon as possible they will be provided a phone to contact their families with a counselor present and they will have constant communication with their families until they are home

Because there are so many people, about 2,000 it will take weeks to cover everyone.

So we have field trips planned for those in the safe haven.

They will go out and see local sights, eat in restaurants and be tourists and be given ("free") spending money for their own souvenirs and goods.

They will be heavily guarded and protected. And it's voluntary. We split them into small groups and they can choose to go to which trip when.

Its their first taste of decision making and freedom to live as they have had the right to all this time.

So we are excited for this for them as well as Uruguay being able to take theirs home for the holidays. Uruguay will have a similar program for them as well.

At larger facilities: Our program has days with a group staying at the temporary home to be interviewed and use computers and to rest if it is not time for them to interview, catch up on laundry and things like that. This way they dont miss out on trips but have time "off" to rest and reflect.

Trips aren't everyday, tho. Because we don't want to overwhelm them with the outside world and make them feel they can't choose to be free.

~~~~~~~💞

Mexico and i worked last night for a celebration in the summer. So the victims can all see each other again. And celebrate their freedom together. Again heavily guarded and protected. There we will have a festival explaining many different religions, including Islam and Iraq customs, in hopes to further develop peace and tranquility. We prepared some fun challenges to recognize emotional PTSD and how to overcome the sudden overwhelming feelings with pride and happiness and most of all personal strength. For example: a fun water park with water slides and such... Realizing many may not be able to swim, the victims may feel intense fear and panic. However there will be life guards in the towers and in the water and swim instructors and life vests and everything to make it perfectly safe and enjoyable. So to overcome that intense fear is a self empowerment movement for the victims. We hope they have so much fun they dont even realize how much progress they made until they are safe and warm in their beds and they drift happily to sleep and God holds their hands and tells them how proud he is.

So Mexico has said they will provide program material with the detailed information of the challanges to expect, this way they can recognize their feelings that they have been taught to suppress. Initially and also how to expect to overcome the problomatic issues.

So we hope all the victims and their chosen family members from home choose to go and see us. And choose to educate themselves and heal and to see their friends they made in captivity.

While it is normal and expected to hate those who captured and enslaved the victims, the victims themselves always made the best of a bad situation and they made friends and families of their co-workers. We don't want to tear apart yet another family for these people. So we plan to have bi-yearly free events for them to see one another. Just as the military and its affiliates would for war veterans here in America.

Being a military brat, I've had my chosen family torn apart all the time. Being a victim of the two main kidnappers and the owner of the farms, i have had my blood family torn apart as well as many friends kidnapped and murdered. Thus I have complete understanding how not having the opportunity to see my family and friends again is harmful to the heart. And soul and mind. So i cannot allow that to happen to these unfortunate souls that have suffered as long as i Have. I see them no different than myself, in the way I want them to be cared for. As i have not been cared for, it will be extravagant, as the days go wearily by, I realize how much more i deserve that i do not receive. So i can only imagine how they could feel without freedom so i hope to maximize as best as possible without interfering with their daily life So they can live as normal as they wish -- with the financial benefits they will receive. They have lived in horrid conditions and received no pay but food and housing and worked daily. Thus they will be taken care of financially and their only job is to be happy, wise and free. And spend time with their families, sharing memories and making more. Live, laugh, love. That is their jobs. And they will be paid nicely for that. The governments are working together to sort all that out. And it seems that it will be a conglomeration of tax payer dollars not from any one country. Mainly the drug manufacturing countries, that benefited financially.

We have elected to have the first one big celebration to televised on worldwide television, including Netflix. So those not invited have no need to crash our party. As There are many surprises scheduled that should delight the nations.

[pastpresentrp-blog]

Hi guys! This is our FAQ to help you understand the Past & Present world a little better. If you have more questions that you’d like clarified, we’d love to hear them! 

Are people aware of what happened during the Void? Very few people are aware of what happened during the Void, as the government has and continues to put a lot of effort into burying the truth. High-ranking members of the government may know parts of the truth, with only a handful knowing all of it. Please discuss with an admin how much your character would know. Who runs the government? Three elite families took control of the government after the Void - however, they prefer to be unknown and operate from the shadows. Their main interest is consolidating power and understanding abilities. To this end, they have given the most amount of power to the Advanced Ability Research division and to Security & Intelligence.

The Directors of the main branches of government all have their own interests and often compete with each other, but their ultimate goal is to preserve their own positions and to keep London walled-in.

What kind of work does Advanced Ability Research do? Advanced Ability Research (AAR) focus is mainly on rare ability research: how does time-travel work? what genes exactly are responsible for research? can those genes be modified? and so on. Very little of it is at all ethical. The division has a lot of power, and there’s very little they are not capable of doing in the name of their research. What are Sweepers? The Sweepers is how people in the outskirts most commonly refer to the Field Division (FD), operating under Advanced Ability Research (AAR). They regularly sweep through the outskirts, taking people, most often babies and young children with rare powers. What happens to the children that are kidnapped from the outskirts?They are taken away either to be raised by the government, some in foster homes, or to be used in the AARs research, meaning human experimentation. How does education work? Education works pretty much as it does in our own world. Kids have to learn algebra here too, sorry, or not sorry if your character likes that sort of thing. The schools in London are better than those in the outskirts, but still there are differences between schools for the elite, and schools for the rest. There are school in the outskirts as well, ensuring that people get an education there too, though they don’t have as many resources at their disposal. Ability training is another thing altogether, and you can read more about that in our ability guide. Industry is a big thing, you say, how’s Mother Nature doing? She’s all right, actually. The Industrial Zone, while not a place for visiting unless one happens to work there, is not the second coming of 19th century London. Environmental policy is considered important, in part to ensure the survival of British agriculture, but also for the overall health of the city’s inhabitants. How often do people see the wall? It depends on where you live. The industrial and agricultural zones are close enough to the wall for it to be visible for the people who work there. For those living closer to the city center the wall is not visible in the horizon. That said, it is not uncommon for people to take day-trips to the agricultural zone to get away from the buzz of the big city for a while. Some schools even organize trips, bringing students out the agrilands and the wall over weekends or during holidays. How does someone get to the outskirts? If you’re a government employee, this is fairly easy - you’ll have access to go beyond the wall, but not too frequently unless it’s related to work. If you’re from Greater London and want to go to the outskirts, you can attempt to do so on your own but it’s risky - you will most likely get caught before you figure out the way. The best way is to find someone in the Safehouse Network or someone from the Underground Movement that can help - the UM acts as guides, helping you through the intricate underground tunnel system to the outskirts. You will be vetted by them too, because they’re not about to risk their hide for some undercover government agent, so having a good recommendation helps. How does London interact with the international community? It doesn’t, not as far as the average person in the street is concerned, anyway, but London does maintain formal, diplomatic relations with the rest of the world, though only the people high up in the government are allowed to leave the country. There are some exceptions, such as people deployed through the military or traveling to represent England in sports championships. Money and the right contacts might make a trip possible too. It's not common and if you have been outside of the country, there is a risk that the memory department may pay you a visit. How the international community interacts with London and England in turn is influenced greatly by the fact that England enjoys overwhelming technical and military superiority. Other countries mostly leave England to its own devices, keeping up tenuous trade agreements. What’s happening in the international world? The world is the world, still divided into the states we know today. It's in turmoil with a great deal of ability-related trouble, as the rest of the world does not have access to the ability regulatory technology that helps keep the precarious peace within London’s wall. The global superpowers are now London, Russia and China - American warfare has led to it being tried at international courts in mid 2020s, and it’s been struggling to recover its reputation and power ever since.  Does social media exist? Yes it does, though inside the walls everything is surveilled by the government, while in the outskirts you can’t count upon particularly good reception and there aren’t as many social platforms as in our day. There are Facebook, IG, Snapchat equivalents, but highly regulated internally. Why does the Elephant Graveyard look so weird? The Elephant Graveyard is a peculiar looking area, few who live there will know why it looks nothing alike anywhere else in the surrounding area, and they are not likely to find out considering the landscape was shaped as such by events wiped from collective memory during the Void. That said, it doesn’t necessarily take knowledge about the Void to start theorizing that powerful elemental manipulators might have been involved in creating the strange terrain, and in that they would be right. So, the mysterious Outlands, could you tell me a bit more? Cities outside of government control are scattered across what used to be Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Many are ruined and few live in them. All are under heavy surveillance by the British military. Military bases are scattered across the British Isles, as are research facilities run by the government, also under heavy military protection. The people living in the Outlands are the descendants of those who chose to stay behind back in 2019, and though they are largely cut off from the rest of the world due to the military controlling the borders, they were not influenced by the memory deletion of 2019, as were all the people whose descendants now live in the inner city and in the outskirts. That said, due to the nature of what happened during those years, most of those who stayed behind and who managed to stay alive would have been people without abilities. Today these cities and settlements exist mostly at the mercy of the British government, but they can defend themselves and must be self-sufficient. Certain settlements and groups are more aggressive than others in face of the military patrols, and clashes happen, often with catastrophic results for both sides. These settlements do have some quality technology to deal with ability based violence and warfare, and some have also proved to be problematic by breaking into research facilities, stealing valuable technology and information. Are sports still a thing? Yes! Inside London, sports are still very much a thing— football (soccer), rugby, cricket, etc. All of these are still popular. Same with in the Outskirts. Internationally, London has Olympic teams which do go and compete, but their memories are inspected and “adjusted” after they return. Is it right that my character can have more than one power? Yes and no. This goes only for elemental manipulation as this is a special category of powers. Elemental manipulators are most commonly born with the ability to manipulate all of the four basic elements, meaning water, fire, earth and air. However, all elemental manipulators will have a clear affinity for one (sometimes two) elements. Mastering two elements completely is rare, though some do, and in those instances two particular combinations may lead to magmakinesis (earth and fire manipulation) or atmokinesis (air and water manipulation). It is far more common, however, for elemental manipulators to master one element only, from which they can develop. Cryokinesis develops from hydrokinesis, while both botanokinesis, metallokinesis and tectokinesis develop from geokinesis as different forms of specialization. In this case, cryokinesis and hydrokinesis will count as two elements, even if they are tied together. A character may not master cryokinesis and also know pyrokinesis, for example. Can I request an ability? If there’s an ability you’d like that’s not on our list, provided it can fall under an ability family, please ask an admin, we can’t promise we’ll okay it, but please ask! We’ll only allow this after site opens. 

[my-one-love-is-music]

It Takes Two Ch. 16

Also on AO3!

“Try not to scare the people in the van anymore than you have,” Tim sighed as Jason lifted his leg from the man in front of him.

Jason knelt down and gripped the man by the color, making him wince and hiss in pain as it jostled his now broken leg. “I think it’s about time you start talking,” he said, voice low. “Unless you’d rather have more bones broken or a bullet in your head. So, don’t make me ask again, what are you doing driving around in the middle of the night picking up people off the street?”

His eyes roved from side to side, almost as though he was searching for some kind of escape. Jason tightened his grip on his collar.

“You’re not going anywhere.”

“Okay, okay,” he sighed. “We were told to find people who wouldn’t be missed and wouldn’t put up a fight.”

“Why?”

He opened his mouth to reply when his head was forced to the side from the force of a bullet. Another one glanced off the pavement and Tim and Jason slipped around the side of the van, using it to shield themselves from the sniper that was shooting from across the street.

“Where the fuck did a sniper come from?” Jason hissed.

“Looks like whoever these guys are working for are being watched by their employers.” More bullets rattled off the side of the van. “And they don’t take too kindly to having their secrets spilled to vigilantes.”

“Get the other driver into he back of the van. I’m going to get in the front and get us the fuck out of here. We can’t risk the kids in the back getting shot.”

Tim nodded. “I’ll get both bodies if I can.”

“Fuck the second body.”

“It could give us information. There could be something on it because I’m assuming you haven’t searched the pockets yet.”

“Fuck, fine,” Jason sighed. “You get one body and I’ll get the other.”

They both darted out from behind the van, each grabbing hold of one of the bodies. Jason threw the dead body into the back to the muffled screams of the tied up teens. Tim shoved the body he was carrying inside as bullets rained down over his head. He clumsily climbed inside as Jason hurried around the side for the drivers’ seat. Tim pulled the back doors of the van shut as the engine revved and jolted forward.

“What’s going on?” the two in the back asked.

“We were getting attacked and needed to move,” Tim said, crawling over them to the wall that separated him from Jason.

“Is he dead?” the girl asked softly.

Tim sighed. “That’s not important right now.” He pulled the slat open and was able to see part of the front seat and windshield.

“Where are you headed?”

“As far from here as I can get,” Jason grit out, hands tight on the wheel.

“Any sign we’re being followed?”

“No, but keep watch out of the back of the van. I can’t watch all sides at once and drive at the same time.”

Tim stepped back over the bodies and peered out the rear window. He caught sight of a figure on one of the rooftops and he squinted, trying to get a better look, but the figure who he thought might be the sniper that had shot after them, morphed into the figure of Batman as he jumped from one building to the next.

“No sign of the sniper, but we’ve got an annoying tail on us,” Tim called.

Jason groaned as he jerked the steering wheel to the side, swerving down a side street and sending the people in the back sliding across the floor.

“Please tell me it’s not B,” he said.

“If I did I’d be lying.”

“Fuck,” he cursed.

Batman grappled from the buildings across the street so he could continue following them across the rooftops.

“You might want to find somewhere secluded to pull over. I don’t think he’s going to leave us alone so easily so we might as well get this over with.”

“Fine, hold on,” he sighed and swerved again, turning down an alleyway and reaching a small lot between the buildings. Jason threw the car into park and walked around the side of the van, pulling the rear doors open. Tim hopped down as Batman landed in the alley, keeping to the darkest of shadows even though there was no light around them.

“What do the two of you think you’re doing?” he asked, walking forward as the cape ruffled around his feet.

“Gathering intelligence,” Jason said. “Which would’ve gone fine if you hadn’t interrupted.”

Tim reached out and put a hand on Jason’s arm. He could feel the spark of anger flash through his veins and he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t annoyed himself.

“There are two kidnapped teenagers in the back of the van.”

Bruce sighed. “I thought I told you to keep off patrol?” he asked.

“Hood’s healed and I’m fine. We’re working together so we can watch each other’s backs,” Tim explained. “We need to figure out how to fix this and you’ve done nothing so far so we decided to take matters into our own hands. And, more importantly, these kids would be gone right now if we hadn’t been here.”

Jason’s hand came to rest on his lower back and Tim leaned into the touch.

“Get the kids out of the back of the van,” he sighed. “And whoever was kidnapping them.”

Tim climbed back in the van and used one of his birdarangs to cut through the tape that was wrapped around their wrists and feet. He helped them from the van and Bruce immediately started talking to them and reassured them.

“I’ve sent in a call to the police. They’re on their way and they’re going to want to talk to you. We’ll get you home as soon as we can.”

The boy nodded and the girl wrapped her arms around herself, looking around the alley.

Jason pulled the other two bodies from the back of the van, the dead body thumped to the ground making the girl jump and the other man struggled, eyes wide as he caught sight of Batman now that he’d come back to consciousness.

Jason grabbed the hair on the top of the head of the man who was struggling and wrenched his head back at an awkward angle. Tim could see him swallow nervously and felt a spark of satisfaction.

“Now you listen to me,” Jason hissed. “You are going to tell me who hired you and why. What were you doing going around in the middle of the night to pick up people off the street?”

“I-I-I can’t tell you,” he stuttered.

“You can and you will,” Jason said, shaking him. “Who do you work for? A mob boss? A scientist? The government?”

The man stilled in Jason’s hold.

“Which is it?” he asked, shaking him.

“A-a scientist mainly. He tells us how many people he needs and what kind of people he needs, but we’ve also seen some government officials or important looking people around. We don’t interact directly with them so I don’t know who they are, but there’s someone important backing this guy.”

Tim stilled, feeling the blood in his veins turn ice cold like it had when he’d first been going through the medical files from the hospital. Anger mixed with his own anxiety and Tim watched as the man shifted uncomfortably as Jason’s hand tightened in his hair.

“Where do you take these people?” Tim asked.

The man glanced over in his direction.

“Answer the question,” Jason snarled and Tim heard the girl squeak behind them.

“I-I dunno!”

“You don’t know?!”

He winced. “What, what I mean is, I don’t know where they go in the end. I’m given a location to pass off the people and they’re taken to the holding facility or lab or whatever it is they’ve set up. I drop off the bodies and I get paid, that’s all I can tell you.”

“Where were you supposed to meet tonight?” Jason growled.

“The-the-the west end of the narrows. There’s a courtyard between a group of apartment buildings that’s large enough for two vans to get into. It’s the only one in the area and if you’re looking down from the roofs of the buildings you can’t miss it.”

“You better not be wrong,” Jason said, releasing his grip on his head. He slumped forward and sucked in a shaky breath.

Jason fired his grapple to the roof, flying up without looking back.

“Hood!” Tim called after him but he disappeared over the rooftop. “Shit,” he cursed.

“Red Robin,” Bruce said, voice low.

“I can’t leave him alone in case he gets hurt,” Tim explained quickly before firing his grapple.

“Red Robin!” Bruce called after him, but he ignored it in favor of tracking Jason’s progress across the rooftops.

He didn’t manage to catch up and Jason didn’t seem to be slowing until they got to the opposite side of the Narrows. He skidded to a stop at the edge of a rooftop and Tim landed next to him, bracing his hands on his knees to catch his breath.

“You could’ve waited for me you know,” he said between gasps.

“I didn’t want to risk them possibly getting away if they were already here. We don’t know what their schedule is for the pick-up,” Jason said. He fired his grapple again and jumped from the side of the building, swinging down to the alley.

Tim sighed and followed after him, gravel skidding off his boots. He landed heavily and looked around the buildings around them.

“Do you really think they’re going to show up?” he asked.

The sound of wheels skidding caught their attention and the bright lights from a van swerved around the corner. It raced forward, covering the small distance quickly as it aimed for Jason and Tim where they stood in the middle of the courtyard. An arm wrapped around Tim’s waist and Jason fired his grapple, pulling them both out of the way of the speeding van as its wheels screeched and it turned to face them, barely breaking before it was chasing after them again.

“Fuck,” Jason hissed and fired his grapple to the roof, pulling them from the ground as the van barreled through the space they’d been standing in a second ago.

A muffled clanging noise sounded and their progress upwards halted before they started falling towards the ground. Tim barely managed to catch sight of the severed cable of Jason’s grapple gun. He pulled his own free from his belt and fumbled with it, trying to ignore the pavement that was racing towards them. He fired off a shot, but the cable didn’t retracted quickly enough and it only managed to slow their descent as they swung down towards the ground.

Jason’s grip around his waist broke at the impact and they both rolled. Tim ignored the stinging across his skin, from both his and Jason’s impact, as gravel dug into him. He struggled to get his arms underneath him and pushed himself up onto his knees.

The lights from the van trained on both of them and the engine revved. A hand wrapped around his arm and Jason pulled him to his feet, causing them both to back up a couple steps.

“You got your grapple?” Jason asked.

Tim retracted the line and readied it at his side. “Yup.”

“Sniper severed my line,” he said.

“So we gonna run for it?” Tim asked.

“It’s not every day we get to try and outrun a van.”

“Split and head for the opening and then when we get cover use the grapple?”

“Yup,” Jason said.

The engine revved again and they both braced themselves. They didn’t even count off before they sprinted in opposite directions like they could read each other’s minds and knew the moves they were going to make. The van’s wheels screeched as it slammed forward and fought to turn to chase down one of them. A bullet glanced off the pavement next to Tim’s foot and he swallowed, pushing himself harder towards the mouth of the alley.

He saw Jason in his periphery and he reached out for him as they came back together, ducking out of sight in the narrow alley from the shooter. Van wheels screeched behind them.

“Hold on,” Tim said as he readied his grapple shot. Strong arms wrapped around his waist and he shot the grapple. The ground feel away from under their feet with a violent tug as they whisked through the air to the opposite row of buildings as the van burst out of the alley.

Tim hissed when they landed on the opposite rooftop. Jason’s feet landed first and the hold on his waist forced him to the roof harshly, gravel digging into his cheek and chin. He grit his teeth when the brunt of Jason’s weight landed on his back and knocked the air out of his lungs.

“You okay?” Jason asked, rolling off him. He grabbed his arm and helped push him to his knees.

Tim kept his breathing even through the lingering pain and gave a weak smile. “We should probably get out of here. I don’t know how long it’s going to take that sniper to track us again and who knows who’s in the van.”

“I’ll check and see if it’s all clear,” Jason said, moving to the ledge of the rooftop. He raised up on his knees and peered over the edge before ducking back down.

“I dunno about the sniper, but the van’s gone. Probably back to their hideout or base wherever that’s set up.”

“Shit,” Tim hissed, rubbing the lingering pieces of gravel from his chin. “We should get going.”

“And where are you going to run off to this time?”

Tim sighed, shoulders sagging before he turned to face Bruce. He had his arms crossed and was standing above them, large frown pulling at his lips.

“Care to explain why you’re out patrolling when I specifically said not to?” he asked, voice firm and unforgiving.

“Because you’ve been doing a whole lot of nothing,” Jason shot back.

Tim sighed.

“We’re taking care of it,” Bruce said.

“Look,” Tim said. “Like I said before, Jason’s healed and we’re both fine. Let us patrol together. We can watch each other’s back and make sure we stay safe. We need to make some sort of progress on this case. Those kids we found are proof that things haven’t stopped with us and something bigger is going on.”

Bruce sighed and Tim knew he would’ve pinched the bridge of his nose if he was able. “Did you even take the time to look over the van that you’d stopped? Did you take the time to learn anything about the kind of people we’re dealing with?”

“We were kind of busy avoiding the shots a sniper was firing at us,” Jason grumbled.

“I know and didn’t you find it curious that there was a sniper at the ready when this van was just going around kidnapping people?”

“Yes!” Tim said, throwing up his hand. “And what is your explanation for that?”

Bruce was silent.

“Look, we can help and we can fight. As long as Jason and I stay together while we patrol, we can watch each other’s backs and stay safe to make sure neither of us become incapacitated,” Tim continued. “If you’re that worried, we can have an alert made that can go out if something really bad happens to us.”

“Fine. I will allow it on that condition. For now, head back to the Cave and we will develop the alert immediately, but no more patrolling for tonight.”

Tim sighed, feeling like he’d managed to have one victory after weeks of being at the mercy of everything.

“Fine,” Tim agreed.

“Fine,” Jason said.

Tim turned towards the opposite side of the building and Jason followed.

“Oh, wait,” Tim said and turned. “You wouldn’t happen to have an extra grapple we could borrow do you? Jason’s cable got broken from the sniper.”

“You got yourself into this mess, you can get yourself out of it. You insisted on being able to patrol so this is the kind of thing you’re going to have to figure out in the field. That’s what you wanted, isn’t it?”

Tim rolled his eyes behind his domino and turned on his heel. He sprinted to the edge of the building and jumped across the alley, Jason following behind him.

“I guess we’re going to be pretty close as we grapple back across Gotham,” Jason said lightly.

Tim couldn’t stop the smile that pulled at his lips. “Yeah, I guess we are.”

They stopped at the first pass from one street to the other. Tim handed his grapple to Jason and jumped on his back, wrapping his arms and legs around Jason’s torso.

“Ready?” Jason asked as Tim tightened his hold.

“Yup, let’s go.”

Jason fired the grapple and made sure it caught before he jumped from the edge of the building. The speed of the fall wasn’t what Tim was used to, but the line pulled taught above their heads and let them swing from one side of the street to the other.

Jason landed heavily on the rooftop with a grunt and Tim felt a jolt of pain go through him since he’d been unable to roll to avoid the impact with Tim on his back. Tim released his grip and fell from Jason’s back.

“We’re going to need to figure out how to do that better,” Tim groaned as he pushed himself to his feet. “Maybe I should hang in front of you so you can roll onto your back.”

“You really want to try that?” Jason asked, retracting the grapple line. “I’m not sure how that could be much better.”

“I think it’s the only chance we have of making it work without you risking tearing up your knees every time you have to make a landing,” Tim said.

Jason sighed and rolled his shoulders. “Okay, we can give it a shot.”

They sprinted across several other rooftops before they came to a street crossing where they had to grapple again. Tim koala-hugged Jason from the front as he fired the grapple. Jason wrapped an arm around Tim’s back and gave him a squeeze before letting go to handle the line. He jumped from the edge of the rooftop and the line pulled as they swung over the street and up to the next roof.

Jason pushed off the roof and rolled on his side and back before using his hand to stop his momentum. Tim winced at the pressure against his arms and legs from the roll, but it was less painful than the first landing Jason had done.

“You good?” Jason asked, wrapping his arm around Tim’s back.

“Yeah,” Tim said, carefully extracting his limbs. “Let’s keep going.”

If you enjoy my work, please reblog or consider buying me a ko-fi!

[oodlyenough]

oodlyenough’s completely inexhaustive list of tftbl fic recs

So I mentioned the other day that because I have read Everything in the Borderlands AO3 tag, I was happy to compile a rec list. 

@auraofdawn had specifically asked for Rhys/Sasha and/or gen, but I added some others. I didn’t include any of my own fics, but fwiw I’ve written a number, usually either Rhys/Sasha as the focus or gen with Rhys/Sasha in the background. You can find mine on AO3 under the pen name thirty2flavors.

I wanted to be relatively detailed in the recs, so this is by no means exhaustive even of my personal faves, but it’s a starting point. Here’s a bunch of recs for:

Rhys/Sasha

Gen

Rhys/Fiona

Rhys/Vaughn

WIPs

Rhys/Sasha fics

For Luck by pagerunner 1.4k, teen Author’s summary: Rhys and Sasha share a little private moment before heading off to face the Traveler. Or in other words: Page indulges a few more of her romantic impulses, 'cause these two deserve it. Episode 5 interlude. Notes: I love this author’s stuff and this fic is so damn cute. Great characterization, great prose, adorable missing scene.

Different Worlds by kaletra7 5k, explicit Author summary: She slides the door a little further, and Rhys sees a naked shoulder and then an expanse of fluffy, cream towel. He, very nobly, stops himself from looking too closely, because she’s not holding the towel very tightly and there’s a slit (deliberate or not) that exposes a lot of thigh. There’s something in Sasha’s face that reads like a challenge. Like she’s daring him to approach, the way a predator might wait patiently for its prey to wander curiously into its trap. “Can you come in here for a minute?” Notes:  I honestly usually don’t really care for smut because it all kind of bleeds together and sounds the same, but I really liked this piece precisely because it avoids that by giving them both such vivid characterization and by using this as a way to explore their different backgrounds. Sweet and funny and sexy.

i really really really really really really like you by WoodenDuck 1.6k, teen Author’s summary: and I want you. do you want me? do you want me too? - carly rae jepsen, 2015 Notes: Adorable post-Vault first kiss fic. I think this was the first Rhys/Sasha fic I read? Endearingly awkward and believable dialogue from both of them. Plus: bonus art!

(Sasha Hates) Pet Names by melenafrey 4k, teen Author’s summary: Rhys is intent on finding a pet name for Sasha that the both of them can agree on. Sasha is skeptical that one such pet name even exists. Notes: Funny, fluffy and adorable. I like their teasing relationship in this and it’s always nice to see Rhys/Sasha from Sasha’s perspective. I think this is set in some kind of undefined non-Pandora AU.

Bad Egg by WoodenDuck 5k, teen Author’s summary: Rhys thinks about what he wants to do and who he wants to do it for while rolling around in the garbage and eating fried eggs.  Set during the Episode 3 road trip. Notes: I love episode 3 road trip fic. A sweet and funny excerpt from the getting-to-know-you stage.

Gen fics

The Pieces We Hide by pagerunner 7k, teen Author’s summary: No matter how many tales they may have told during their time in captivity, Rhys and Fiona didn't tell the Stranger--or each other--everything. Now, on the eve of their mission to rescue Gortys, Rhys decides there's a few more things about going back to Atlas that he wants Fiona to know. Notes: This is probably my favourite Borderlands fic full-stop. Love this piece. Fills in canon I wanted filled in, packs an emotional punch, great characterization, and juuust a couple hints of Rhys/Sasha to make me especially psyched. Love it.   Choices and Consequences by pagerunner 5.5k, teen Author’s summary: Rhys might be having second thoughts about getting those ECHO upgrades. And Vaughn might be getting nervous for a whole lot of reasons. It's time for these two to talk it through. Set pre-game, no particular spoilers. Notes: I adore this author’s writing and this is such a good take on Rhys making the questionable decision to get a bunch of cybernetics. Rhys and Vaughn are very well characterized and the prose flows so well.

Interim by MovingPen 2k, general Author’s summary: Raising the Children of Helios was no easy task. Notes: I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about Rhys, Sasha and Fiona after Helios, and not much time thinking about Vaughn, and this fic did it for me. Great character study for Vaughn.

in my skin indigo blue by lucyrne 1.5k, general Author’s summary: Rhys shows off his tattoos to the group to prove that he’s cool. Takes place during the Episode 3 road trip montage. Vaughn isn’t paralyzed because I said so. Implied Rhysha, but mainly a fluffy, comedic gen fic. Notes: Hilarious group shenanigans.

The Pre-Teen’s Guide to Crime by clefairytea 6k, teen Author’s summary: “Fi?” “Mm?” “Are you happy like this?” Fiona turns to look at her, a strange look on her face. As though she’s looking at Sasha for the first time ever, and is surprised by what she sees. “I guess. I mean, I never thought about it. This is just what I am. A smart-alec who steals whatever’s not bolted down." -- Growing up on Pandora is complicated. Growing up on any planet is complicated, but Sasha thinks that most kids don’t grow up forging bank notes and running from the authorities. Notes: I literally haven’t even read this because I took one look and thought “this is going to be good, I am saving it for a rainy day” and uh haven’t gone back yet. (I like to hoard things, alright? My “marked for later” is a mess.) Plus I want to finish my own WIP fic about Sasha and Fiona before reading this  But Sasha and Fiona gen!!! My girls!

Of Choices and Their Repercussions by Banji 7k, mature Author’s summary: Hyperion always gets their property back, no matter what or who it is. Alternate events where the team gets apprehended by Hyperion at the Atlas Facility after assembling Gortys (with allusions to the 'Trust Fiona' outcome). Notes: Oh my god please read the author’s tags, this piece so dark, so much body horror and medical trauma/torture. There’s a lot of body horror in the game that kind of skims by unremarked on and this dives right in there and then some and, uh, nothing gets better. Well-written and super effectively skin-crawlingly horrible, if you’re up for it.

Rhys/Fiona

things you said when you thought i was asleep by gortysproject <1k, general Author’s summary: fiona internalises everything until rhys is asleep. Notes: A good look into Fiona’s head and all the stuff she isn’t saying while she and Rhys are with the Stranger.

Winging It by Claranonn 24k, mature Author’s summary: The Company Man and Con Artist open the Vault of the Traveler thinking their journey together has come to an end. Little do they know just how tied together they're about to become... A series of dialogue-only vignettes exploring Rhys and Fiona's relationship post-game. Notes: I haven’t finished reading this yet, just read a couple chapters before putting it aside to get back to, but the dialogue is funny and I literally can’t think of a ship better suited to “fake married” than Rhys/Fiona. It’s hilarious even to think about. Ready to Suffer, Ready to Hope by meltokio 5k, mature Author’s summary: A collection of complete Rhyiona garbage. Notes: It’s hard to describe but there’s an atmospheric feel to a lot of these that I like a lot. I also like the take on Fiona.

Rhys/Vaughn

Safe as anywhere by queerly_it_is 20k, explicit Author’s summary: Vaughn went through his entire first year and a half of college without going to places like this, except for maybe two or three incredibly awkward attempts to socialise in the first few weeks. He’s been just fine without trying it again since, thanks, but now here he is, for the second night this week, after the two times last week. After whole semesters of literally never leaving the campus. And why? A bright cry of, “You’re here!” flies out from behind the bar once he finally, minus a few compound fractures, reaches the front of the tidal wave of people. The words hit him a split-second before Rhys’ neon grin, and Rhys’ floppy hair, and Rhys’ shirt with the sleeve cut off around his cybernetic arm and the collar stretched down enough to show the beginnings of the tattoos on his chest, the whole handkerchief’s worth of fabric generally clinging obscenely to his body. Right. Notes: The fact that I super enjoyed reading a 20k College AU about a ship that isn’t even my favourite is a good indication of the author’s talent for writing. Really good prose, good characterization, good world-building within the AU, and for once it being a Rhys/Vaughn AU wasn’t an excuse to have no mention of Sasha and Fiona. Hooray!

Taking Back Hope by fleurdeliser, ohnoktcsk, tuesdaysgone    16k, explicit Authors’ summary: The first message comes while he’s in the middle of calibrating the laser on one of his latest guns. He ignores it until he’s done, then straightens, holding out his palm and reading the message that comes up on the holoscreen. ‘Helios remembers and so will you.’ Notes: Rhys/Vaughn is the core relationship here but the whole ensemble shows up and they’re all well written which I really appreciate. Plus kidnapping/rescuing drama, everyone’s fave!

WIPs Down the Skag Hole by ShepardCommander 6.5k, 3 chapters and counting, teen Author’s summary: Rhys and Fiona are gone. Sasha and Vaughn are not. Now the kid sister and the best friend must work together if they ever want to see their sister/friend and best friend/boyfriend(?) ever again and become that which they never thought they would or could-Vault Hunters. Notes: Love this characterization of Sasha in particular, especially immediately after Rhys and Fiona disappear. Action and emotional drama and this fic seems to have gone woefully unnoticed. Should Have Said by spectre_anon 16k, 8 chapters and counting, teen Author’s summary:  He should have told her. Could have, anytime... all those opportunities he's shied away from now far beyond his reach... and here he was, hands tight around Fiona's throat while Sasha shrieked in the background. And he couldn't say anything. Couldn't let them know it wasn't him, couldn't tell them he was sorry, that he screwed up... all he could do was scream in his own head while Jack laughed. (Rhys never told Fiona and Sasha about Jack. Now he's paying the price for that mistake.) Notes: All the melodramatic Jack-takes-over-Rhys drama you could want. This is the kind of scenario that I’m more or less happy we didn’t have in the game but also totally eager to explore in fic, and this iteration was a good one. Obviously, angst and tension and melodrama ahoy. Strong characterization for everyone and I think the author does a good job of making the main cast sympathetic even if they are making some poor decisions. Oh pineapples, what have you done?

Not a Maniac by Mindful Wrath -- this one is officially discontinued 25k, 11 chapters and discontinued, rated as teen but imo probably mature Author’s summary: Rhys had expected consequences for turning down Handsome Jack's offer to rule the universe side-by-side. Just . . . not these consequences. Fiona had expected Rhys to double-cross them. Just . . . not like this. Notes: So this one is officially discontinued and I haven’t even actually finished reading all of it yet because knowing it’s discontinued means I’ve been slowly parcelling it out, but I’ve liked what I’ve read, which is maybe 3/4. This is the, uh, extra dark iteration of the “Jack controlling Rhys” ep 4 scenario, so, angst angst angst, but well-characterized gutwrenching angst. The real stand-out in this fic for me was probably the ways Sasha and Fiona were written; they don’t respond identically to things and I loved them both. Various trigger warnings, check the author’s tags on AO3.

[powertrumpeter]

Open Letter to Aso Rock Occuppier

Sir,

I will begin by expressing my support for this Government, at the early stage of its inception in 2015. The thinking then, was that billions stolen by previous administration, should be recovered: both at home and abroad.

I was among those who clamoured for recovery of stolen billions, stashed in foreign banks. We appealed to International Community for help. While doing so, we believed that the elected President, retired Major General Muhammadu Buhari, would be in a position to sanitize the very corrupt system; judging from his pedigree. But as time went on, we discovered the fight against corruption is ineffective; as trial and prosecution of culprits are selective.

Now, we appeal you use your position to obey United Nations directive, for release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from detention. You have left off the hook thousands of Boko Haram members detained; and still releasing more. You have gone further to give them one form of rehabilitation package or the other. Many of them have killed, raped, and committed all manner of heinous crimes.

We wish you let IPOB to be. Proscribing it isn’t the best way out of the situation. There are several terrorist, armed gangs, operating mostly in the Northern parts of Nigeria. They are yet to be proscribed. Instead, we hear of hundreds of millions being spent on them as ransom and so on. Kaduna is a home of countless military bases and facilities. It’s very hard to believe rag-tag terrorists and kidnappers, can operate in Kaduna unchallenged. Some of them abducted train passengers, and have held them hostage for months now. They release their victims piecemeal, after payment of outrageous ransom.

Unproscribing IPOB, will go a long way in easing tension in Eastern Nigeria. The insecurity in this part of Nigeria is caused mainly by the clamp down on Biafran agitators by security agents. The truth is that they overlook the nefarious activities of Fulani Herdsmen: which include destruction of farmlands, rape, murders and kidnappings. Instead those compromised security agents, go for agitators, who are resisting those disguised hoodlums.

Some State Governors here, are spending a lot to fight ‘insecurity’. Yet there is no tangible result. They spend billions buying armoured vehicles and logistics for Police and Military. As well, they hire militants who are not indigenes at exorbitant fees, and convert them to so-called vigilantes. And the burning of homes, shops, and other properties continue unchecked. The money being spent on these coalition of forces against agitators, is more than enough to pay thousands of workers and pensioners owed for years, especially in Imo State. Let them know IPOB and ESN are not monsters. They are humane. You are in full support of Palestinian freedom; as well as Polisaro separation from Morocco. Agitation for self-determination of any aggrieved group, is supported by UN charter on human rights. If they clamp down on people, It can cause the agitators to go underground, like what happened during apartheid regime in South Africa.

Sir, I would like you to investigate thoroughly, the kidnap incidence of Nigerian Methodist Prelate on May 2022. He and two occupants in his car were abducted by Fulani Herdsmen, who doubled as kidnappers. They tortured and beat them mercilessly. Those armed robbers insisted on 100 million naira ransom, which was paid later before their release.

Their abductors revealed a lot surrounding their kidnap business in Nigeria. Some of them are from Sudan, Mali and Songhai. They said 50 million naira (half of the money), would go to their sponsors. These are highly placed individuals who provide them with arms and ammunition, among other logistics. Also, they narrated they are on a mission in Eastern Nigeria to kill the inhabitants, and take possession of their land. They would use the ransom money to stockpile weapons for the forthcoming attack. They said further they were all waiting for go ahead order from their Northern elite, for the go ahead for the massive attack. The Prelate’s deposition is well recorded on YouTube, for anybody to access. As well, find out why soldiers deployed to the East, ignore the criminal activities of Fulani Herdsmen. Instead, insecurity is blamed solely on our people who are resisting them.

We want to state clearly, we have been co-existing peacefully with Fulanis and other Northerners, before the sponsored infiltration of our communities and forests. A lot of them engage in legitimate business: like selling of clothes, food stuffs such as rice and beans. We buy from them regularly. Also they move around residential areas to buy “Iron kwondem” (condemned iron). They like to live their normal, simple lifestyle. But, they are being pushed into armed conflicts, and taking over of people’s lands, by their Northern elite, for selfish, political ambitions. They are easily brainwashed.

Our people are peace loving and humane. Anybody who claims Igbo people want to kill Hausa or Fulani, is not telling the truth. We know our main problem is not with the peasant Fulanis living among us; but with those elite sponsoring and gingering them. We therefore call for a change of attitude. Find out those behind Fulani invasion of our communities and forests.

Finally, we would like you to live behind a legacy cherished by the people. Right now, people are suffering terribly in this country Nigeria. Importation of finished petroleum products into the country, isn’t helping maters. All rulers of this country both past and present, are guilty of neglecting our local refineries. Something has to be done for Nigeria to be refining crude oil locally. The importation has caused hike in prices of refined products, with ever increasing cost of goods and services. Naira is becoming more and more worthless.

Use your position to pay backlog of salaries and pensions. Multitude Federal pensioners are owed for more than ten years. Check the impunity of some state Governors. Some of them owe workers and pensioners for years.

We would like you to address the gross neglect and exclusion of Igbos, in the scheme of things. Even when you collected loan from China sometime ago, South East was completely excluded from development projects associated with the loan. If all these issues are addressed, they will go a long way in easing tension and making the country a better place to live in.

Yours Sincerely,

Evangelist Joseph U. Afurobi. ... https://powertrumpeter.org/blog2/fulani-invasion-bone-of-contention.

[shadowraiths-archived-blog]

3 Days (Part 1 & 2/??)

Mun Note : This is not an AU.  This is the initial thought process of Anthem’s life when he was first created.  It is almost three years old now and I still have not finished.  I should probably go back and finish it at some point, and I probably will, but I want to make sure that it’s somewhere I can find it in case I need it.

If you read this, I hope you like it.

As the burlap sack was ripped from over his head, the light, even as low as it appeared, was harsh to Anthem’s eyes. The past few hours he had been immersed in complete and utter darkness, the only sounds audible a few neighs of a horse and the hustle and shuffle of whoever his captors were shoving him into this now somewhat lit room.

There was a primitive bed made of hay which caught his eye. Mainly because if this was meant to be a prison of sorts for him, the fact that they cared enough to find hay for him to sleep on? It seemed a bit out of the oridnary. Also, it seemed big enough for two people. Another thing that struck the Prince of Huangshan as weird. Or at least, it was weird until the door opened again and another body tumbled to the ground.

“Bai Lin Gong Fu?” Anthems voice cracked, his throat dry. He needed water. It had been hours since he’d had anything to eat or drink.

The man that lay in a heap before him was another Prince. Anthem only recognized them because of the crest emblazoned on their shirt. The kingdom of Zheng He, where Bai Lin Gong Fu came from, was a small one, but the land they did own was rich in farm soil, never seeming to be out of season for whatever it was they planted. Their land was revered and envied by many. Perhaps that’s why the other Prince had been kidnapped.

It would make sense, seeing as Anthem’s kingdom, while not as rich in fertile soil, had an abundance of livestock and mines that provided work for many people. Not only did they help citizens find ways to survive, the King himself was a generous man who believed that his people should be cared for and sheltered as long as they helped maintain a peaceful atmosphere. This kindness made the kingdom on Huangshan most prosperous and in turn, the wealthiest one within 5 provinces. Followed only by…Zheng He.

Bai Lin Gong Fu looked up at the other prince, his face full of pain. “Krisanthemum of Huangshan? What is this?! Have you..” The boy - because yes, he was a boy, only seventeen years of age, not that much younger than Krisanthemum’s 22 years, but still younger - looked around in horror, crawling to a corner and settling in with his back to it. “is this a trick of sorts? Why are you here? Why am I here?”

Anthem didn’t know what to say. This was nothing his kingdom had done, but the fear in Bai Lin Gong Fu’s eyes relayed that anything Anthem could come up with would be taken as a lie. He decided to try anyway though. “I am not sure what’s happening. I was out for a ride yesterday and just before I made my way back to the castle gates, my horse was spooked. I fell and when I woke I was bound, in the back of a wagon. I can’t use my magic,” He looked down at his wrists, two bands wrapped around them. Obviously something to hinder his skill of teleportation. “I got here mere moments before you did. If this is a trick, it is a horrible one and someone..” Anthem looked about, surveying the room. “will pay for this dearly.”

“It is no trick, Prince Krisanthemum of Huangshan.” A voice came from the shadows, dripping with menace. “Prince Bai Lin Gong Fu of Zheng He. I am of a small sect of people who feel as though the people should be free of the tyrannical rule of your parents. So.. we’ve brought you both here to… make some decisions for us. You have three days to make that decision though. Only three.”

A knife was tossed to the floor from where the owner of the voice concealed themselves.

“Each of you have now been given a weapon, do with it what you will. Take your own life or fight to the death. Either way, we leave it up to you. Your parents will never find you, and to try to escape would be pointless. Bai Lin Gong Fu is the only child of his kingdom and you’re next in line for the throne of yours. A pity we couldn’t get your two younger brothers as well, Krisanthemum… but if we dispatch of you, it will be the beginning of the end for your family. As for Zheng He? The loss of their only heir will ruin the King and Queen.” There was a snort from the shadow man. “Now, take your weapon and make the decision. We will return in the morning to see what has happened.”

Footsteps wandered away and the two Princes were left to stare at the knife. Bai Lin Gong Fu reacted first, scrambling forward to snatch up weapon. Anthem wasn’t very much so concerned with it, he knew he could overpower the frail looking Prince of Zheng He if it came down to it, so he stood his ground, watching as Bai Lin Gong Fu stared him down.

“I..I’m n-not gonna k-kill myself, so I.. I h-have to k-kill you. I.. I’m s-sorry Krisanthemum.” Anthem turned to look at the other prince. His dark hair hung in his face, his hair ties had probably fallen out when he was kidnapped. Tear stains streaked along his red cheeks and Bai Lin Gong Fu’s voice was breaking as if he were finally going through the change to adulthood, but Anthem knew it was just the fear that seemed to be wracking the young man’s body. “Pl-please don’t h-hate me.”

“Bai Lin…” Anthem shook his head. “First off, has anyone ever told you that your name is far too long? I’m going to just stick to Bai Lin if that’s alright with you?” The boy just sniffled more. “Okay well then. Bai Lin, you’re not going to kill me. I’m not going to kill you. We’ll survive. Have no fear, please? I promise you, that we will survive this. Chances are, both our families are already searching for us and if not? We’re both young and resourceful. I’m not sure about you, but I’ve got years of training under my belt. We’ll be fine, please trust me on this?”

The smaller prince once again shook his head, hair flying about. “N-no! Y-you probably set this up!”

“I assure you I did not. What do you think you’re doing?” Bai Lin had taken a few steps forward, the knife held at an awkward angle. “That’s not even how you come at someone. So if you plan on killing me, child. At least..” Anthem tilted his head, a quick crack of his neck filling the room. He closed the space between himself and Bai Lin, taking a hold of the child’s wrist without much effort. “hold the blasted thing properly. Keep your wrist firm. Don’t hestitate. If you show weakness like you are right now, you’ll never win when it comes to fighting on the battlefield. I’ve only been in one scenario, and it was a scuffle amongst thieves and my father’s guard, but if I had behaved the way you are? Well, it wouldn’t be me stuck here with you.”

Releasing Bai Lin, Anthem made his way over to the makeshift bed, settling down into the hay. “Now, stop crying. If you plan on killing me, making all that noise won’t help you. I’m going to sit here and try to think of a way out of this. The sun is starting to set, so they wasted a good bit of time bringing us here. Day one of their three days is clearly almost over. Look behind you, you can see the shadows as the sliver of light coming into this room shifts.”

The hay was warm, which indicated that someone else has been in this room prior to them. Or it could have been an animal for all Anthem knew, but it made him wonder how far from civilization they were if the room were of such an amiable temperature. The room certainly wasn’t much of anything, probably a spare storage facility on someone’s farm, one that had been taken over by the riff raff who had taken them hostage.

“K..krisanthemum?” Bai Lin looked as if he were defeated, the knife still held tightly in his hand, but all spirit seemingly gone from his small form. “I’m c-cold.”

“You can come over here. I meant it. You have my word that I will not harm you while we’re here. You’ve done nothing to harm me on purpose and the circumstance we’re in is forgivable.” His voice came out in a hushed tone, his throat still somewhat raw. Anthem needed water. Hours had passed and he’d yet to even look around the room for some. “Come lay in the hay while I search for something for us to eat or drink. There might be left overs from whatever creature was here to begin with.”

Bai Lin nodded, slowly moving to rest in the hay as Anthem set about to examine the room. Not that there was much to the room. It was mostly oval in shape, again reaffirming to Anthem that it was a storage facility before hand. It was large enough to fit a good amount of people in it, maybe a group of twenty at the most, so in turn, it could have housed at least 5 cows. Which seemed plausible from the smell closer to what had probably been an open wall before it had been closed off to create this cell they were now stuck in.

“Stop calling me by my full name.” Now Anthem was just talking to keep himself occupied as he searched. “Call me Anthem or don’t call me at all, but when you whimper my full name like that, I feel as if I’ve done something wrong and I’m being chastised by my sisters. Aha! There we go…”

A trough was set up against the farthest wall, water dripping into it from a crevice above. While it possibly wasn’t the best water for them to drink, it was all they had at the moment. With utmost haste, the Prince of Huangshan cupped his hands together and collected some of the dripping water to drink. It tasted fresh, so perhaps the building was actually built against a mountain, if so, that would explain why the water was dribbling down into the building. Snowcaps melted in the sun during the day and made their way down the mountainside to form fresh water springs. So that meant their captors had brought them somewhere into the woods, but to a place where they could survive away from others.

“Bai Lin, come over here. Drink up so that you don’t get dehydra—” Anthem turned to motion his cellmate over, met with a knife to his side. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Y-you let your guard down. J-just because I’m young doesn’t mean I c-can’t take care of myself.” Bai Lin had pushed his hair from his face at this point, but there was something in his eyes that seemed a bit off. His teeth were pushed so far into his bottom lip that Anthem could see blood blooming beneath the surface and the young man’s shoulders were shaking so violently that the knife actually ripped at Anthem’s shirt, stretching the material out.

“My mother is going to be incredibly upset that this has a hole in it. I also told you, you’re holding the knife too limply. If you’re going to try to kill me… ” Anthem shifted his weight, grabbing the knife. Once he had it snatched away from Bai Lin, Anthem quickly grabbed at the boys wrist with his free hand, forcing him to turn around. It only took a few more steps and Anthem has his chest pressed to Bai Lin’s back, Bai Lin’s own knife held to the younger prince’s throat. “You have to hold the knife with a tighter wrist, like this. Now, stop with this madness, you fool. Drink the water and this?” He held the knife out, wiggling it. “You’re not allowed to play with sharp objects anymore. And to show you that I’m put out with how you’ve treated me, I’m going to rip your shirt like you ripped mine.”

“N-n-no!” Bai Lin began to struggle, sputtering and wiggling as best as his small form could. “No! I-I’m sorry! I’m sorry! P-please don’t!” Small hands swatted at Anthem to no avail, crying out in horror as the knife sliced through the shirt, revealing white cloth binding his chest tightly. Even with the binding though, Anthem could see a slight swell of breasts.“No! No! Papa says no one can see! No one can see, you can’t look!”

“Bai…Lin…” Anthem let the other go quickly, his face full of shock, ears red and the realization of what he was looking at. “A-are you a girl?”

Bai Lin Gong Fu, the only son of Zheng He. Bai Lin Gong Fu, the heir to the throne. Bai Lin Gong Fu, not a Prince at all, but a Princess.

“Don’t look!” He, no she, scrambled back to the hay pile, curling up as if she’d been struck. “You might as well kill me now, I can’t go home. Papa said if anyone ever found out, I’d be sold to travelers. How could you do this to me Krisanthemum!? I can’t go home now, so please, please, please… just…” Her words trailed off as she began to cry.

“How? All these years and.. you’ve been a girl your whole life?”

That was a stupid question, even Anthem knew that. What a ruse that the kingdom of Zheng He had played on everyone all these years. However, looking back, there were signs. They claimed Bai Lin Gong Fu had poor health and could not participate in sports. They never let Bai Lin Gong Fu join the men on hunts either, again due to health reasons. Bai Lin Gong Fu seemed to enjoy balls and banquets far more than the other Princes.

“You… you’re a girl.”

“Shut up! Stop talking about it. I’m not a girl. I’m not. I’m a boy. The only boy. I’m the crowned Prince of Zheng He and no one, no one will ever learn otherwise. No one!” The tremble of her words made him cringe. As if one of his own sisters were upset and he couldn’t fix it.

Her voice. Her voice was another give away. Bai Lin had always sounded different. Bai Lin’s mannerisms as well. In fact, Anthem’s own mother had once commented that with the right amount of make-up Bai Lin would make a prettier Princess than a Prince. If only she had known how right she would be.

Anthem was gobsmacked. Kidnapped. His magic stripped from him. A strange man telling him that he either must kill himself or someone else to live and to find out the neighboring kingdom’s Prince is actually a Princess? Not even storytellers could come up with tales as grand as this, he was sure of it.

His stomach ached now and he felt as if he’d done the unspeakable by exposing Bai Lin’s secret. He wasn’t even sure if he could ever remedy what had happened, but he could try. Anthem began by slipping his shirt off, making his way back to where the Princess lay crying. “Take this and cover up. I’m sorry. I… you understand I was of the sound mind that you were male like me. If I had known, I never would have.”

“No one was supposed to know!” She sniffled, taking the shirt and tugging it on quickly. “And you cannot tell anyone, ever. EVER! Papa says no one would want a King who can’t produce a male heir, so I have to pretend. I have to. Just until Mama and Papa can have a real son. That’s all. That’s all. Papa promised. He tells me all the time how proud he is of me for behaving. For going through all this to help the people of Zheng He. It’s all for the people Kr…” She coughed, “Anthem. Mama has lost so many babies. So many. I almost died as a child too! Papa asked the ancestors to rescue me and they did, so it’s the least I can do for him. Please, please.. Please..” Her hands curled into fists and she held them close to her chest, tears streaming down her face once again.

It pained Anthem to see her like this, and while she was not one of his sisters, he shifted closer, dropping down to sit next to her, his words aimed to be soothing just as if she were. “I swear to you, no one will find out. I would die before sharing the secret your family harbors. Look, I’ll…” He pulled the knife from his waistband, slicing it along his palm. It wasn’t a deep cut, but it was enough that blood pooled in his palm, at which point Anthem held his hand to his chest, just over his heart. “A promise made in blood. I can’t go back on my word now. I will keep your secret and I will make sure that we both survive this ordeal. Now sleep. I will keep watch over you. Have no fear of tonight, nor tomorrow.”

It seemed an eternity until he received an answer from her, but when he did it was in the form of a sniffle followed by mumbled, “Thank you,” Bai Lin’s breathing finally calming down, the tears ceasing, replaced by a soft snore as sleep finally claimed her.

 Anthem’s brain had been chastising him for about six to seven hours.  Or perhaps he just assumed it was his brain when it was really the lack of sleep settling in.  His mind wandered to the edge of insanity, time after time after time, only meandering back to laugh at him for not realizing that Bai Lin was a girl.

    "Fool!“ it screamed as it toddled back and forth between his ears.  ”It’s clear that she is a female.  All you had to do was look further than your own nose and it would have been like the sun shining in your face.“

    ”Those are not the curves of a young man.“ His brain had a point.  

    ”That is not the skin of a warrior.“ Again, point notated.

    ”Chances are, every kingdom knows the secret of Zheng He.  They just play their parts, as have you your whole life.  See what you are told to see.  The kings and queens speak of her as a prince, so a prince is what you see.  The kings and queens speak of her as a boy, so a boy is what she is to you.  But look at her, Krisanthemum of Huangshan, look!  She is indeed all female.“

    He would have poked his eardrums out, but the noise would not have stopped.  He would have poked his eyeballs out, but he could not unsee what had happened the night before.

    Even now, as Bai Lin slept soundly, her smaller form wrapped up in Anthem’s shirt, he could see how his brain was right.  There were curves that could have never gone unnoticed.  That must have been why she never dressed as the other princes.  Her garments always appeared you be two sizes too large.  Most of the other royal children just assumed that was Bai Lin’s style: frumpy.  

    The porcelain tint of her skin was far from that of a boy made to learn out in the sun.  It was care and love lavished upon a daughter by a mother, and a castle full of housemaids who obviously knew the truth.  They also knew that someday the prince would be allowed to live as a princess, so extra care was taken to maintain a soft and youthful appearance.

    Bai Lin didn’t even smell like a man.   Not that Anthem was trying to sniff her or anything.  But there wasn’t much else to the room nor was there a lot of space between the two of them.  As he kept his place by the bedside, his new role of bodyguard being put to the test, he didn’t have much to do but breathe in.  

 It was a sweet smell.  Like a mixture between the smell of brown sugar as it was warmed on the stovetop and the way melon smelled once it was broken open and served for a summer treat.  A mellow kind of fragrance, but with a little extra hiding within.

"Okay… time to stop.”

    His words this time were vocal, his mouth finally taking over from his brain.  However, in his haste, he had shifted from his seat as well, jostling the young princess awake.  Her grunts caught Anthem’s attention and he tried to ease her, shushing and doing things he normally did when his youngest sister was woken up unexpectedly.  "It’s alright, close your eyes.  There’s nothing to worry about.  There was… a bug.  It bit me.  I was startled is all.  No need for you to worry, Bai Lin.  Try to sleep until our captors come to call again.“

    What a horrible lie, he thought to himself.

    "What a horrible lie.” Apparently Bai Lin also thought so.  

    Her small eyes opened slowly, fingers reaching up to wipe away the sand left behind from sleep. “I can tell.  Your voice is changing in tone, like you’re trying to lull a child back to sleep.  I’m not a child.  Or rather, I am, but I’m not.  Please do not speak to me like I’m a suckling child searching for its mother’s teat.”  

 “You’re not speaking the same way you did yesterday.  I would much prefer to hear the harsher words from yesterday.  By the way, I-I’m sorry about what happened.  Almost any o-other prince would have most likely dispatched of me and sent me to live with my ancestors.  I-I’m still scared, b-but you….” She took a breath, sitting up.  "you’ve always been a little different from the others.“

  Looking back at her, he wasn’t sure if that was a compliment or  a subtle jab.  Nor was he going to ask her to elaborate on the subject.  Instead, he just nodded dumbly, standing from the bed and walking over to the water dripping down the wall.  It was easy to get a drink from, his hands cupped beneath the small stream steadily coming in from the mountain.  "I wonder if we’re far from both our kingdoms or if we’re somewhere between.  I think we’re between, but really, I shouldn’t assume.”

    When no answer came, he figured it was easiest to carry on his rambling.  What better way to avoid the awkward than to, well, avoid it? A sharp intake of breath and Anthem was prepared to begin spouting more words when a small hand tapped at his back.

    "Krisanthemum, please believe me when I say that I-I’m sorry this happened.“

    "None of it is your fault.  Please do not feel as if you need to continue to apologize to me.  I am the one who should forever be apologizing to you.  If I had been aware of what lay beneath your shirt, I never would have…” Hello awkward, you’ve come back to visit us, haven’t you? Anthem’s mind began racing again, his brows knitting together.

    "As I said before, your secret is safe, no one will learn from me the secret of Zheng He.  And we would do our best to not discuss it anymore.“ Shaking the water from his hands, he motions towards the empty space in the room.  "There could be someone outside listening.”

    Bai Lin’s face shifted into an expression of fear.  Quickly Anthem shook his head to soothe her.   “I doubt it, as I’ve not heard movement at all since last night.  No guard change.  No guards at all honestly.  I think the are of the mindset that with my teleportation powers hindered, we are no threat to them at all.”

    Speaking of abilities.  "Bai Lin, do you have any abilities of your own?  Something that they might have tried to stop you from using?  I must admit, I know almost nothing of your families bloodline aside from rumors of healing skills.“

    "That…” Her voice fell into a hush, “is mother.  I do not have that skill.  I have a different one that only a few trusted people in our castle know.  There is a black band around my ankle, much like the ones around your hands, so someone close to my parents has had a hand in this.  My magic is also hindered.  Magic that could have gotten us free quite easily.”

    She had answered him without truly answering.  Now he knew she possessed a skill, but she had completely omitted what it which made him curious.  But if he aimed to pry it from her against her will, would she tell him the truth?  Probably not.  "Is it something you inherited from your father then?  My teleportation did not come from either of my parents, it came from somewhere back in the blood line.  I’m the first member of the family to have it in 3 generations.

    Bai Lin smiled at his words. “You sound as if you’re trying to impress me, prince.  W-will you be treating me much differently now that you know the grand secret of my people?  I.. don’t want to be treated too differently.  I-I’m still me.  I’m just… not a prince.”

    "Because of that though, I must treat you differently.“ He motioned her to the wall.  "Come, drink.  We might not have food, but you should at least drink what you can.  Lay back down to rest, I’ll try to figure out a plan.  One has actually been forming in my head since last night.”

    "Oh?“ She stepped closer to the water, drinking some herself before trying to make him elaborate.  "You did not sleep last night?”

    "No.  I made sure that no one came to kill us as we, er, well you, slept.  That’s how I know that there were no guards.“ His smile is fleeting, but Anthem wants to keep Bai Lin comfortable, so he flashes one here and there.  "I tried to remove my bindings with the knife, but it is also enchanted through some sort of spell, it would not cut them no matter how I tried.  So we must try something else.  This plan that I thought of?  This plan will only work if we make it very believable.  But if we do something wrong, it will end horribly.”

    The princess of Zheng He looked at him with a puzzled expression.  "What kind of plan might this be?“

    "Quite simple, really.” Anthem bit at his lip.  "You’re going to kill me.“

[orcinus-ocean]

The case for captures

Captures, collections, kidnapping, whatever you call them, are one of the most controversial topics about cetaceans in human care. I have been asked about this a lot lately, since with the recent reveal of the nine whales at Ocean Kingdom, people noticed I was far less disgusted by this than almost everyone else. And since it’s a bit too long and complicated to take in one personal message for everyone who asks, I’m making this post.

I don’t expect to persuade or convince anyone by writing this, I’m simply writing it to make my case and because several people asked.

My views on this started out as pretty much everyone else’s. It’s a terrible thing to do to animals we profess to love and care about, and in our modern, enlightened world, we know better. Taking animals away from their pods, subjecting them to the enormous stress of being placed in an alien environment, and risking them becoming stuck in nets during capture and drowning, is indefensible and completely unnecessary, especially since we already have many of them in captivity to begin with.

Since then, over the last couple of years, I have become a bit more nuanced in my view and not quite so black and white, in an issue most people think should be black and white.

First off, the alleged extreme stress the animals suffer during capture. There’s no doubt that being corralled, netted and lifted onto a boat by strange creatures from an alien world must be very stressful.

Some say it is cruel because “it is the first time they feel the weight of their own bodies”, but that isn’t necessarily true. We already know there are populations of at least both killer whales and bottlenose dolphins who hunt by willingly beaching themselves. Although that is still different because then they are taught that by their mothers in untraumatic circumstances, and do it willingly, rather than being lifted out of the ocean under very stressful circumstances.

Anyhow, similar or not, I don’t think the temporary stress of being lifted out of the water for the first time is an argument enough to not do it. We sometimes have to subject any animal to stressful or even traumatic handling, we need something more to argue against the collections of wild cetaceans, especially as a price against the benefits.

Separating animals permanently

So, what about “tearing” the animals away from their families? Surely that is terrible enough to make it inhumane and unethical? Now cetaceans are extremely diverse and not all species and populations have the tight-knit, lifelong bonds of the resident killer whales in the Northeastern Pacific, a very common misunderstanding.

Photo: WinkyintheUK

We know that the Northern and Southern residents of Washington and British Columbia stay with their mothers all their lives, males and females alike, and that is the very specific social structure that they have found works for them. Because they are among the most well-studied populations of marine mammal in the world, and so well-known, people frequently believe ALL cetaceans live like this, or at least all killer whales. This is as far from the truth as them all looking the same or eating the same prey.

For example, Icelandic fish eating (resident) killer whales have the males leave the pod when they grow up. The transient killer whales of the American west coast live in very loose, smaller groups, without the tight family bonds of residents, and adult males sometimes live completely alone. This is not biology as much as taught behavior, “culture”.

Photo: Brian Walter

Bottlenose dolphins too have much looser pod structures than Pacific resident killer whales. Males live alone or in very small groups, apart from the females, who live together in small pods along with their young offspring. Even these associations between adult females are loose however, with individuals going back and forth between groups often, sometimes on a daily basis.

I thus don’t think it is some unforgivable crime to separate some of these animals permanently, since they are unlikely to miss and grieve each other in the way humans would.

Furthermore, we frequently move animals between captive facilities, for breeding, for social cohesion, etcetera. That is naturally less stressful than capture since it is simply an animal or group of animals being moved from one artificial facility with humans to another, but it still means that two animals that knew each other, perhaps grew up together in the same group, will never get to see each other again, which also makes it a weak argument against wild capture.

Mortality rates

But if we’re talking about killer whales specifically, since they’re both the most controversial and at the same time the easiest to get reliable data on, how many died soon after capture? There is no doubt that capture and moving between facilities both put a lot of stress on the animals, and mortality was the highest within twelve months of capture. Note that this was in the 1960s to 1980s, and does not necessarily have to be the same today. We won’t know the mortality rates today until we know what happened to all the Russian whales.

I found before that 25% of killer whales caught from the 1960s to 1990s (only Argentina and Japan in the 90s) died within twelve months of capture, and I think this is an indefensible statistic. But then I checked the rate per facility, which of course makes for very small samples, but it looks like this:

(Facility: Survived/Died = %) SeaWorld: 14/2 = 12.5% (So 14 survived at SeaWorld, 2 died out of 16, 16 / 2 = 8 = 12.5%) Marineland Antibes: 6/1 = 14.2% Marineland Ontario: 5/3 = 37.5% Marineland of the Pacific: 6/1 = 14.2% (That one whale was Wanda, the first killer whale ever caught, who was also very sick when found and died only after two days) Marine World: 4/1 = 20% Sealand of the Pacific: 6/2 = 25% Kamogawa Sea World: 10/0 = 0% Nanki Adventure World: 6/4 = 40% Taiji Whale Museum: 3/2 = 40% Mundo Marino: 3/1 = 25%

As you see, SeaWorld, Marineland Antibes and the defunct Marineland of the Pacific had a lower than average mortality rate for newly caught whales, and Kamogawa had their ten whales (Chappy, Jumbo, Caren, King, Patty, Maggie, Bingo, Stella, Oscar and Bubba) all survive their first year. Meanwhile, at Marineland Ontario, Nanki Adventue World and Taiji Whale Museum, it looks much worse.

These are mostly very small samples, but out of the 75 whales here (I obviously excluded a lot of smaller facilities, this is nowhere near the entire population), a total average of 21.2% died within twelve months.

Again, this is quite terrible and until we know more about the Russian whales captured since 2012, we can only speculate and hope that it is much lower today.

The same goes for the captures themselves. Allegedly, eleven whales died during the captures in the Pacific northwest, when they got entangled in the nets and drowned. This is also unacceptable, but should be able to be eliminated entirely, and I’ve been told (no source on this) that they’ve been working to make captures more humane in Russia, than what was done elsewhere in previous decades.

I believe this, because not just avoiding animals drowning during capture (something that would be very counter-productive to whale hunters who have a strict quota on them), they seem to not be in the business of hauling whales onto boats and letting them lie there, suffocating under their own weight, but instead putting them in stretchers filled with water, something I see as a huge improvement.

Again about stress in general, we shouldn’t generalize between species. Killer whales and bottlenose dolphins for example, seem very adaptable and interactive with humans by nature, as are false killer whales (described in the late 1960s as more adaptable to captivity than the smaller dolphins) and pilot whales. Compare this with Dall’s porpoises and common dolphins for example, which live far more specialized lives and don’t take to captivity as well.

Emptying the oceans

Another objection to taking animals out of the wild, other than the stress it puts on the individual animals themselves, would be that it may deplete the wild populations. If we profess to care about the survival of the species and individual populations as one of our chief concerns for taking them into human care in the first place, we can’t go out emptying the oceans of whales.

There is no doubt that the capture of just over 30 whales from the Southern residents between 1965-1973 was a very hard hit on the population. However, in those days we didn’t know they were endangered, we didn’t even know there were unique populations of killer whales, and there were no quotas; fishermen could take as many whales as they wanted and sell them to anyone.

The Russian population is known to contain between 700 and 800 whales, and the quota in 2017 is set for a capture of a maximum of 10 whales, but in the years of 2012-2016, only 1-6 whales have been taken per year, or 0.125-0.85% of the entire population, per year. They are in no way threatened or endangered, and this commercial capture will not make them so.

Compare this to a quota for 800 beluga whales in the same waters, mainly for food for indigenous people, but also for selling. This is out of a population of only a few thousand whales.

Why?

This might be the biggest question. Why do it? What’s the benefit? If you are under the very common misconception that whales, dolphins and other wild animals are simply kept for human “entertainment”, obviously seeing a top predator taken out of its natural habitat to be put in a pool to balance balls in front of an audience is very upsetting to you. This may have been true in the past, and still is in some parts of the world (see traveling marine mammal circuses in Russia for example - none of those will ever own a killer whale however), but it is a completely different world from a modern zoological facility.

These animals aren’t being captured for “entertainment”, though since the public mostly sees them performing in shows rather than in their off time, that is easy to believe. They are there for (beware, fancy words ahead) captive propagation and display of their species, meaning the breeding and showing to the public of a wild animal species people wouldn’t otherwise ever see, and in our world of increasing disconnect from nature, people need to see the very animals they can help either make extinct or protect for the future, face to face.

Even aside from being viewed by the public and inspiring them to care for these species in the wild and their environment, zoological facilities play an irreplaceable part in research. Without the likes of SeaWorld and their immensely successful breeding program, we wouldn’t know a fraction of what we know about killer whale biology and behavior today, and thus would be unable to protect them in the wild. As a species they aren’t endangered, but several populations are endangered, critically endangered, or even functionally extinct. And a top predator can only function with a healthy ecosystem beneath it.

Protect the top predator, and you save the entire ecosystem.

Photo: Antony Pranata

But I’m not here to sell you on the benefits of keeping cetaceans in human care. I’m assuming you’re already okay with marine mammal aquariums like me, visits marine mammal facilities and are as upset by the ending of breeding programs and anti-animal activists implementing bans as I am.

I am here to argue that it doesn’t make sense to be for the continued propagation of certain species, while still being 100% against the wild capture of healthy animals. The main reason being gene pools.

There are currently over 2000 bottlenose dolphins in human care around the world. Most of them unrelated, only a small number of the 500 in North America and 300 in Europe are closely related. This makes it entirely unnecessary to capture more bottlenose dolphins, as they have been breeding successfully since the 1950s, and the gene pool is huge enough to last indefinitely, if only facilities across the world made it their goal, rather than just catching new dolphins. (This is already the case in North America and western Europe, while the rest of the world is still buying dolphins from Japan and the Black Sea.)

Pacific white-sided dolphins have a population of just over 100 individuals in human care, only 14 of which were captive-bred and still not closely related, which gives them a fairly large gene pool if facilities in Japan (where almost all of them live) actually aimed for breeding them, thus making the capture of lags rather unnecessary as well.

Photo: Oceanogràfic, Valencia

Belugas, the same thing. There are over 200 of them in human care, but they are mostly spread across poorer facilities in Russia, China and eastern Europe. The US has about 30 of them that need new blood in order to continue, but Marineland Ontario has about 25 wild-caught whales and as many captive-bred at the facility, which they could share with the rest of North America, if only they wanted to. In any case, there is no need to let the American beluga population go extinct or become inbred, with the number of whales there are in parks across the world. Captures aren’t really necessary.

Now then, to the big topic... killer whales.

Outside of the Russian whales, there are only nine wild-born killer whales still alive (Corky, Lolita, Katina, Kiska, Kasatka, Ulises, Stella, Kshamenk and Morgan), only 2-4 of which will ever breed again and contribute to the gene pool (Kshamenk, Morgan, Stella and Ulises, though Stella is pretty irrelevant as she has six descendants alive now). I’m assuming now for the sake of argument that SeaWorld’s breeding program will never be reinstated, but that the semen of some males like Ulises may be used in other facilities.

The whales at SeaWorld’s parks now descend from Katina, Kasatka, Gudrun, Kandu 5 (though she was likely never going to get grandchildren anyway), Kenau, Haida 2, Winston, Orky 2, Kanduke, Kotar, Tilikum, Ulises, Kshamenk, Sharkan and Kim 2 (15 whales).

Photo: Loïc Ventre

Loro Parque, Marineland Antibes and Kamogawa Sea World have stated that they have no intention to stop breeding, so the genes of Kim 2, Sharkan, Freya, Ulises, Katina, Winston, Kasatka, Kotar, Gudrun, Kanduke, Tilikum, Bingo, Stella and Oscar are assured, as well as Morgan and Kshamenk. That makes for a gene pool of 16 whales.

There are rumours that there is stored semen around from Splash among others, which would add the genes of Kandu 7 and Nootka 5, but since this isn’t confirmed but only a rumour, I have to ignore it. In any case, it’s less than 20 base individuals, and the loss of SeaWorld’s breeding program means the loss of the genes of only a handful of whales (Haida 2, Kandu 5, Kenau, and Orky 2, the last three of which would probably never leave descendants).

I see many SeaWorld fans that are disgusted by the wild captures saying “this is because of the breeding ban, if SeaWorld was allowed to breed, these facilities could get captive-bred whales instead”. As you can see, the gene pool was never large enough to sustain the zoological population of killer whales indefinitely.

Even if SeaWorld hadn’t ended their breeding program, and even if Marineland Ontario’s killer whale program hadn’t been a total failure (adding only Kandu 7, Nootka 5 and Kiska to the gene pool), it still wouldn’t be enough without adding new blood.

And in any case, it’s not like SeaWorld was going to become the killer whale breeding center of the world, shipping their whales to new parks and aquaria across the world. The Loro Parque situation was unique and I doubt they would ever repeat it, even without the Blackfish debacle.

We can’t rely on occasional unreleasable rescues either, since when Springer was rescued in 2002, she was the first killer whale to be rescued anywhere in the world in 23 years. A young male was rescued by Kamogawa Sea World in 2006 but he died within days, and a baby, newborn Pascuala, was rescued in Mexico in 2007, but she died after Greenpeace blocked her transfer to SeaWorld, where her survival would have been assured.

When Morgan was found three years later, she looked just as bad as the Japanese male but survived of course, and she is the longest-lived rescued whale to date (the others who lived were all in the 1970s however).

Also, since the huge success of Morgan, it has become harder and harder to rescue killer whales (and only killer whales) in Europe, North America and New Zealand, rescue often being stopped or delayed by activists and pseudoscientist researchers who put their anti-captivity agenda before the animal’s well-being and chance of survival.

In any case, these events are so rare they can’t be relied upon as a way to add blood into a tight gene pool.

So there it is. If you want to have killer whales in human care for the indefinite future, if you realize the benefits of keeping them and don’t want to see them going away, it does not make sense to be against humane, sustainable captures of healthy wild animals.

Like I said at the beginning, I don’t expect to be convincing anyone here, but I do hope that wild captures can become less opposed and more accepted, if not supported, in the future. As usual, people oppose humane and ethical things being done to killer whales that we do all the time to other species, even cetaceans, and we don’t blink an eye, or are at least far less outraged. This does not make sense. Killer whales being huge, majestic and beautiful top predators, and a romantic “symbol of the wild” in people’s minds, does not make them worth more than other animals.

I want to see killer whales having a future in human care, and so the addition of twenty-something Russian whales to the gene pool, captured ethically from a non-threatened population, is invaluable. I am not ashamed of this stance in the slightest, and if you agree at all, neither should you.

[vivanaija]

NIGERIA @ 57: Full text of President Muhammadu Buhari's speech

NIGERIA @ 57: Full text of President Muhammadu Buhari's speech

BROADCAST BY PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI ON OCTOBER 1ST, 2017

My dear Nigerians,

October 1st remains a special date for all Nigerians as this marks the day when we attained one of the most precious of human desires — freedom. Over the years the country has gone through trials and tribulations, but October 1st is always a day for celebrations.

It is a day for thanks giving, reflection and re-dedication. It is also a day for remembrance. We should remind ourselves of the recent journey from 1999 – 2015, when our country happily returned to democratic rule. However, in spite of oil prices being an average of $100 per barrel and about 2.1m barrels a day, that great piece of luck was squandered and the country’s social and physical infrastructure neglected. We were left with no savings and huge infrastructure deficit.

The APC Government’s Campaign rallying cry to restore security, re-balance the economy and fight corruption was not all rhetoric. The country must first be secured. The economy must be re-balanced so that we do not depend on oil alone. We must fight corruption which is Nigeria’s Number One Enemy. Our Administration is tackling these tasks in earnest.

In the past two years, Nigeria has recorded appreciable gains in political freedom. A political Party at the Centre losing elections of State Governor, National Assembly seat and even State Assemblies to the opposition parties is new to Nigeria. Added to these are complete freedom to associate, to hold and disseminate opinions. Such developments clearly attest to the country’s growing political development. But like all freedoms, this is open to abuse.

Recent calls on re-structuring, quite proper in a legitimate debate, has let in highly irresponsible groups to call for dismemberment of the country. We can not and we will not allow such advocacy.

As a young Army Officer, I took part from the beginning to the end in our tragic civil war costing about 2m lives, resulting in fearful destruction and untold suffering. Those who are agitating for a re-run were not born by 1967 and have no idea of the horrendous consequences of the civil conflict which we went through.

I am very disappointed that responsible leaders of these communities do not warn their hot-headed youths what the country went through. Those who were there should tell those who were not there, the consequences of such folly.

At all events, proper dialogue and any desired constitutional changes should take place in a rational manner, at the National and State Assemblies. These are the proper and legal fora for National debate, not some lop-sided, un-democratic body with pre-determined set of objectives.

Government is keeping up the momentum of dialogue with stakeholders in the Niger Delta to keep the peace. We intend to address genuine grievances of the communities. Government is grateful to the responsible leadership of those communities and will pursue lasting peace in the Niger Delta.

SECURITY On security, Nigerians must be grateful to our gallant Armed Forces for rolling back the frontiers of Boko Haram’s terrorism, defeating them and reducing them to cowardly attacks on soft and vulnerable targets. Nigeria is grateful to its neighbours and the international community for the collective efforts to defeat this world-wide menace of terrorism.

Not even the most organized and most equipped police and security forces in the world can escape the menace of modern day terrorism, as we have seen in recent years in Europe and other parts of the world. But we are not letting up. Our Armed Forces in an effort to enhance the operational capability of troops of OPERATION LAFIYA DOLE have established Mobile Strike Teams in the North East. These will ensure the final push to wipe out the remnants of Boko Haram. In addition, through targeted air strikes most of the leadership and identified logistics bases and routes of the insurgents have been neutralized. The Armed Forces have established a Naval presence in the Lake Chad Basin as part of the coordinated military efforts to curtail the movements or re-emergence of the sect in the area.

Government is working round the clock to ensure release of the remaining Chibok girls, as well as other persons in Boko Haram captivity. Government will continue to support the Armed Forces and other security agencies to fight not only terrorism, but kidnapping, armed robberies, herdsmen/farmers violence and to ensure peace, stability and security in our country.

ECONOMY With respect to the economy, the Government has remained pro-active in its diversification policy. The Federal Government’s agricultural Anchor Borrowers Programme, which I launched in November 2015, has been an outstanding success with: * N43.92 billion released through the CBN and 13 participating institutions, * 200,000 small holder farmers from 29 states of the federation benefitting, * 233,000 hectares of farmland cultivating eight commodities, namely Rice, Wheat, Maize, Cotton, soya-beans, Poultry, Cassava and Groundnuts, in addition to fish farming. These initiatives have been undertaken in close collaboration with the states. I wish to commend the efforts of the Governors of Kebbi, Lagos, Ebonyi and Jigawa States for their support to the rice and fertilizer revolutions.

Equally commendable are contributions of the Governors of Ondo, Edo, Delta, Imo, Cross River, Benue, Ogun, Kaduna and Plateau States for their support for the Presidential initiative for palm oil, rubber, cashew, cassava, potatoes and others crops. With the abundance of rainfall last year and this year, agriculture has enjoyed Divine intervention.

Since December last year, this Administration has produced over 7 million 50Kg bags of fertilizer. Eleven blending plants with a capacity of 2.1 million metric tons have been reactivated. We have saved $150 million in foreign exchange and N60 billion in subsidy. Fertilizer prices have dropped from N13,000 per 50Kg bag to N5,500.

Furthermore, a new presidential initiative is starting with each state of the Federation creating a minimum of 10,000 jobs for unemployed youths, again with the aid of CBN’s development finance initiatives. Power remains a huge problem. As of September 12th, production of power reached an all — time high of 7,001 Megawatts. Government is increasing its investment, clearing up the operational and financial log jam bedeviling the industry. We hope to reach 10,000 Megawatts by 2020.

Key priorities include better energy mix through solar and Hydro technologies. I am glad to say that after many years of limbo, Mambilla Power Project has taken off.

Elsewhere in the economy the special window created for manufacturers, investors and exporters, foreign exchange requirements has proved very effective. Since April, about $7 billion has come through this window alone. The main effect of these policies is improved confidence in the economy and better investment sentiments.

The country has recorded 7 consecutive months of lower inflation, Naira rate is beginning to stabilize, appreciating from N525 per $1 in  February this year to N360 today. Broad-based economic growth is leading us out of recession.

Furthermore, in order to stabilize the polity, the Federal Government gave additional support to states in the form of: * State Excess Crude Account loans, * Budget Support Facility, * Stabilization Fund Release to state and local government as follows: * N200 billion in 2015 * N441 billion in 2016 * N1 trillion in 2017 * Altogether totaling N1.642 trillion.

This was done to enable states to pay outstanding salaries, pensions and small business suppliers who had been all but crippled over the years. In addition, the Government’s current N500 billion Special Intervention Programme is targeting groups through; * Home Grown School Feeding Programme, * N-Power Job creation to provide loans to small-scale traders and artisans, * Conditional Cash Transfer, * Family Homes Fund and * Social Housing Scheme.

CORRUPTION Fellow Nigerians, We are fully aware that fighting corruption was never going to be a straightforward task. We expected corrupt elements to use any weapon to fight back, mainly judicial obstruction and political diversion. But we are determined to eradicate corruption from our body politic. In this fight, the Government has: * Empowered teams of prosecutors, * Assembled detailed databases, * Accelerated the recovery of stolen funds. The Administration’s new institutional reforms include: * Enforcing Treasury Single Account, * Whistle-Blowers Policy, * Integrated Payroll Personnel and Information System. We have signed multi-lateral cooperation agreements on criminal matters with friendly countries. There are signs of increasing cooperation from the Judiciary. Recently the Chief Justice of the Federation directed Heads of all our Courts of first instance and Appeal to accelerate hearings of corruption cases and dismiss any judicial officers found to have been compromised.

Justice Salami has just been appointed to chair the Judiciary’s anti-graft committee. Government expects a lot from this Committee. I commend the National Assembly for refocusing on its oversight committees. They should, in addition, ensure swift passage of enabling corruption laws. But fighting corruption is a bottom to top operation. I call on all Nigerians to combat corruption at every turn. By not asking for and refusing to accept a bribe, by reporting unethical practices or by blowing a whistle, together we can beat corruption. The government for its part will work for accountability at all levels – Federal, State and Local Governments. CHANGE will then be real.

As we enter the second half of our term of office, we intend to accelerate progress and intensify our resolve to fix the country’s challenges and problems.

Thank you and a happy holiday to all of you.

God bless our country.

[olaluwe]

My dear Nigerians, October 1st remains a special date for all Nigerians as this marks the day when we attained one of the most precious of human desires — freedom. Over the years the country has gone through trials and tribulations, but October 1st is always a day for celebrations.

It is a day for thanks giving, reflection and re-dedication.

It is also a day for remembrance. We should remind ourselves of the recent journey from 1999 – 2015, when our country happily returned to democratic rule. However, in spite of oil prices being an average of $100 per barrel and about 2.1m barrels a day, that great piece of luck was squandered and the country’s social and physical infrastructure neglected. We were left with no savings and huge infrastructure deficit. The APC Government’s Campaign rallying cry to restore security, re-balance the economy and fight corruption was not all rhetoric. The country must first be secured. The economy must be re-balanced so that we do not depend on oil alone. We must fight corruption which is Nigeria’s Number One Enemy. Our Administration is tackling these tasks in earnest. In the past two years, Nigeria has recorded appreciable gains in political freedom. A political Party at the Centre losing elections of State Governor, National Assembly seat and even State Assemblies to the opposition parties is new to Nigeria. Added to these are complete freedom to associate, to hold and disseminate opinions. Such developments clearly attest to the country’s growing political development. But like all freedoms, this is open to abuse. Recent calls on re-structuring, quite proper in a legitimate debate, has let in highly irresponsible groups to call for dismemberment of the country. We can not and we will not allow such advocacy. As a young Army Officer, I took part from the beginning to the end in our tragic civil war costing about 2m lives, resulting in fearful destruction and untold suffering. Those who are agitating for a re-run were not born by 1967 and have no idea of the horrendous consequences of the civil conflict which we went through. I am very disappointed that responsible leaders of these communities do not warn their hot-headed youths what the country went through. Those who were there should tell those who were not there, the consequences of such folly. At all events, proper dialogue and any desired constitutional changes should take place in a rational manner, at the National and State Assemblies.  These are the proper and legal fora for National debate, not some lop-sided, un-democratic body with pre-determined set of objectives. Government is keeping up the momentum of dialogue with stakeholders in the Niger Delta to keep the peace. We intend to address genuine grievances of the communities. Government is grateful to the responsible leadership of those communities and will pursue lasting peace in the Niger Delta. SECURITY On security, Nigerians must be grateful to our gallant Armed Forces for rolling back the frontiers of Boko Haram’s terrorism, defeating them and reducing them to cowardly attacks on soft and vulnerable targets. Nigeria is grateful to its neighbours and the international community for the collective efforts to defeat this world-wide menace of terrorism. Not even the most organized and most equipped police and security forces in the world can escape the menace of modern day terrorism, as we have seen in recent years in Europe and other parts of the world. But we are not letting up. Our Armed Forces in an effort to enhance the operational capability of troops of OPERATION LAFIYA DOLE have established Mobile Strike Teams in the North East. These will ensure the final push to wipe out the remnants of Boko Haram. In addition, through targeted air strikes most of the leadership and identified logistics bases and routes of the insuIn addition, through targeted air strikes most of the leadership and identified logistics bases and routes of the insurgents have been neutralized. The Armed Forces have established a Naval presence in the Lake Chad Basin as part of the coordinated military efforts to curtail the movements or re-emergence of the sect in the area. Government is working round the clock to ensure release of the remaining Chibok girls, as well as other persons in Boko Haram captivity. Government will continue to support the Armed Forces and other security agencies to fight not only terrorism, but kidnapping, armed robberies, herdsmen/farmers violence and to ensure peace, stability and security in our country. ECONOMY With respect to the economy, the Government has remained pro-active in its diversification policy. The Federal Government’s agricultural Anchor Borrowers Programme, which I launched in November 2015, has been an outstanding success with: N43.92 billion released through the CBN and 13 participating institutions, 200,000 small holder farmers from 29 states of the federation benefitting, 233,000 hectares of farmland cultivating eight commodities, namely Rice, Wheat, Maize, Cotton, soya-beans, Poultry, Cassava and Groundnuts, in addition to fish farming. These initiatives have been undertaken in close collaboration with the states. I wish to commend the efforts of the Governors of Kebbi, Lagos, Ebonyi and Jigawa States for their support to the rice and fertilizer revolutions. Equally commendable are contributions of the Governors of Ondo, Edo, Delta, Imo, Cross River, Benue, Ogun, Kaduna and Plateau States for their support for the Presidential initiative for palm oil, rubber, cashew, cassava, potatoes and others crops. With the abundance of rainfall last year and this year, agriculture has enjoyed Divine intervention. Since December last year, this Administration has produced over 7 million 50Kg bags of fertilizer. Eleven blending plants with a capacity of 2.1 million metric tons have been reactivated. We have saved $150 million in foreign exchange and N60 billion in subsidy. Fertilizer prices have dropped from N13,000 per 50Kg bag to N5,500. Furthermore, a new presidential initiative is starting with each state of the Federation creating a minimum of 10,000 jobs for unemployed youths, again with the aid of CBN’s development finance initiatives. Power remains a huge problem. As of September 12th, production of power reached an all — time high of 7,001 Megawatts. Government is increasing its investment, clearing up the operational and financial log jam bedeviling the industry. We hope to reach 10,000 Megawatts by 2020. Key priorities include better energy mix through solar and Hydro technologies. I am glad to say that after many years of limbo, Mambilla Power Project has taken off. Elsewhere in the economy the special window created for manufacturers, investors and exporters, foreign exchange requirements has proved very effective. Since April, about $7 billion has come through this window alone. The main effect of these policies is improved confidence in the economy and better investment sentiments. The country has recorded 7 consecutive months of lower inflation, Naira rate is beginning to stabilize, appreciating from N525 per $1 in  February this year to N360 today. Broad-based economic growth is leading us out of recession. Furthermore, in order to stabilize the polity, the Federal Government gave additional support to states in the form of: State Excess Crude Account loans, Budget Support Facility, Stabilization Fund Release to state and local government as follows: N200 billion in 2015 N441 billion in 2016 N1 trillion in 2017 Altogether totaling N1.642 trillion. This was done to enable states to pay outstanding salaries, pensions and small business suppliers who had been all but crippled over the years. In addition, the Government’s current N500 billion Special Intervention Programme is targeting groups through; Home Grown School Feeding Programme, N-Power Job creation to provide loans to small-scale traders and artisans, Conditional Cash Transfer, Family Homes Fund and Social Housing Scheme. CORRUPTION Fellow Nigerians, We are fully aware that fighting corruption was never going to be a straightforward task. We expected corrupt elements to use any weapon to fight back, mainly judicial obstruction and political diversion. But we are determined to eradicate corruption from our body politic. In this fight, the Government has: Empowered teams of prosecutors, Assembled detailed databases, Accelerated the recovery of stolen funds. The Administration’s new institutional reforms include: Enforcing Treasury Single Account, Whistle-Blowers Policy, Integrated Payroll Personnel and Information System. We have signed multi-lateral cooperation agreements on criminal matters with friendly countries. There are signs of increasing cooperation from the Judiciary. Recently the Chief Justice of the Federation directed Heads of all our Courts of first instance and Appeal to accelerate hearings of corruption cases and dismiss any judicial officers found to have been compromised. Justice Salami has just been appointed to chair the Judiciary’s anti-graft committee. Government expects a lot from this Committee. I commend the National Assembly for refocusing on its oversight committees. They should, in addition, ensure swift passage of enabling corruption laws.  But fighting corruption is a bottom to top operation. I call on all Nigerians to combat corruption at every turn. By not asking for and refusing to accept a bribe, by reporting unethical practices or by blowing a whistle, together we can beat corruption. The government for its part will work for accountability at all levels – Federal, State and Local Governments. CHANGE will then be real. As we enter the second half of our term of office, we intend to accelerate progress and intensify our resolve to fix the country’s challenges and problems. Thank you and a happy holiday to all of you. God bless our country.

[powertrumpeter]

Open Letter to Aso Rock Occuppier

Sir,

I will begin by expressing my support for this Government, at the early stage of its inception in 2015. The thinking then, was that billions stolen by previous administration, should be recovered: both at home and abroad.

I was among those who clamoured for recovery of stolen billions, stashed in foreign banks. We appealed to International Community for help. While doing so, we believed that the elected President, retired Major General Muhammadu Buhari, would be in a position to sanitize the very corrupt system; judging from his pedigree. But as time went on, we discovered the fight against corruption is ineffective; as trial and prosecution of culprits are selective.

Now, we appeal you use your position to obey United Nations directive, for release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from detention. You have left off the hook thousands of Boko Haram members detained; and still releasing more. You have gone further to give them one form of rehabilitation package or the other. Many of them have killed, raped, and committed all manner of heinous crimes.

We wish you let IPOB to be. Proscribing it isn’t the best way out of the situation. There are several terrorist, armed gangs, operating mostly in the Northern parts of Nigeria. They are yet to be proscribed. Instead, we hear of hundreds of millions being spent on them as ransom and so on. Kaduna is a home of countless military bases and facilities. It’s very hard to believe rag-tag terrorists and kidnappers, can operate in Kaduna unchallenged. Some of them abducted train passengers, and have held them hostage for months now. They release their victims piecemeal, after payment of outrageous ransom.

Unproscribing IPOB, will go a long way in easing tension in Eastern Nigeria. The insecurity in this part of Nigeria is caused mainly by the clamp down on Biafran agitators by security agents. The truth is that they overlook the nefarious activities of Fulani Herdsmen: which include destruction of farmlands, rape, murders and kidnappings. Instead those compromised security agents, go for agitators, who are resisting those disguised hoodlums.

Some State Governors here, are spending a lot to fight ‘insecurity’. Yet there is no tangible result. They spend billions buying armoured vehicles and logistics for Police and Military. As well, they hire militants who are not indigenes at exorbitant fees, and convert them to so-called vigilantes. And the burning of homes, shops, and other properties continue unchecked. The money being spent on these coalition of forces against agitators, is more than enough to pay thousands of workers and pensioners owed for years, especially in Imo State. Let them know IPOB and ESN are not monsters. They are humane. You are in full support of Palestinian freedom; as well as Polisaro separation from Morocco. Agitation for self-determination of any aggrieved group, is supported by UN charter on human rights. If they clamp down on people, It can cause the agitators to go underground, like what happened during apartheid regime in South Africa.

Sir, I would like you to investigate thoroughly, the kidnap incidence of Nigerian Methodist Prelate on May 2022. He and two occupants in his car were abducted by Fulani Herdsmen, who doubled as kidnappers. They tortured and beat them mercilessly. Those armed robbers insisted on 100 million naira ransom, which was paid later before their release.

Their abductors revealed a lot surrounding their kidnap business in Nigeria. Some of them are from Sudan, Mali and Songhai. They said 50 million naira (half of the money), would go to their sponsors. These are highly placed individuals who provide them with arms and ammunition, among other logistics. Also, they narrated they are on a mission in Eastern Nigeria to kill the inhabitants, and take possession of their land. They would use the ransom money to stockpile weapons for the forthcoming attack. They said further they were all waiting for go ahead order from their Northern elite, for the go ahead for the massive attack. The Prelate’s deposition is well recorded on YouTube, for anybody to access. As well, find out why soldiers deployed to the East, ignore the criminal activities of Fulani Herdsmen. Instead, insecurity is blamed solely on our people who are resisting them.

We want to state clearly, we have been co-existing peacefully with Fulanis and other Northerners, before the sponsored infiltration of our communities and forests. A lot of them engage in legitimate business: like selling of clothes, food stuffs such as rice and beans. We buy from them regularly. Also they move around residential areas to buy “Iron kwondem” (condemned iron). They like to live their normal, simple lifestyle. But, they are being pushed into armed conflicts, and taking over of people’s lands, by their Northern elite, for selfish, political ambitions. They are easily brainwashed.

Our people are peace loving and humane. Anybody who claims Igbo people want to kill Hausa or Fulani, is not telling the truth. We know our main problem is not with the peasant Fulanis living among us; but with those elite sponsoring and gingering them. We therefore call for a change of attitude. Find out those behind Fulani invasion of our communities and forests.

Finally, we would like you to live behind a legacy cherished by the people. Right now, people are suffering terribly in this country Nigeria. Importation of finished petroleum products into the country, isn’t helping maters. All rulers of this country both past and present, are guilty of neglecting our local refineries. Something has to be done for Nigeria to be refining crude oil locally. The importation has caused hike in prices of refined products, with ever increasing cost of goods and services. Naira is becoming more and more worthless.

Use your position to pay backlog of salaries and pensions. Multitude Federal pensioners are owed for more than ten years. Check the impunity of some state Governors. Some of them owe workers and pensioners for years.

We would like you to address the gross neglect and exclusion of Igbos, in the scheme of things. Even when you collected loan from China sometime ago, South East was completely excluded from development projects associated with the loan. If all these issues are addressed, they will go a long way in easing tension and making the country a better place to live in.

Yours Sincerely,

Evangelist Joseph U. Afurobi.

https://powertrumpeter.org/blog2/fulani-invasion-bone-of-contention

[powertrumpeter]

Open Letter to Aso Rock Occuppier

Sir,

I will begin by expressing my support for this Government at the early stage of its inception in 2015. The thinking then was that billions stolen by past administration, should be recovered: both at home and abroad.

I was among those who clamoured for recovery of stolen billions stashed in foreign banks. We appealed to International Community for help. While doing so, we believed that the elected President, retired Major General Muhammadu Buhari, would be in a position to sanitize the very corrupt system; judging from his pedigree. But as time went on, we discovered the fight against corruption is ineffective; as trial and prosecution of culprits are selective.

Now, we appeal you use your position to obey United Nations directive, for release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from detention. You have left off the hook thousands of Boko Haram members detained; and still releasing more. You have gone further to give them one form of rehabilitation package or the other. Many of them have killed, raped, and committed all manner of heinous crimes.

We wish you let IPOB to be. Proscribing it isn’t the best way out of the situation. There are several terrorist, armed gangs, operating mostly in the Northern parts of Nigeria. They are yet to be proscribed. Instead we hear of hundreds of millions being spent on them as ransom and so on. Kaduna is a home of countless military bases and facilities. It’s very hard to believe rag-tag terrorists and kidnappers can operate in Kaduna unchallenged. Some of them abducted train passengers, and have held them hostage for months now. They release their victims piecemeal, after payment of outrageous ransom.

Unproscribing IPOB, will go a long way in easing tension in Eastern Nigeria. The insecurity in this part of Nigeria is caused mainly by the clamp down on Biafran agitators by security agents. The truth is that they overlook the nefarious activities of Fulani Herdsmen: which include destruction of farmlands, rape, murders and kidnappings. Instead those compromised security agents, go for agitators, who are resisting those disguised hoodlums.

Some State Governors here are spending a lot to fight ‘insecurity’. Yet there is no tangible result. They spend billions buying armoured vehicles and logistics for Police and Military. As well, they hire militants who are not indigenes at exorbitant fees, and convert them to so-called vigilantes. And the burning of homes, shops, and other properties continue unchecked. The money being spent on these coalition of forces against agitators, is more than enough to pay thousands of workers and pensioners owed for years, especially in Imo State. Let them know IPOB and ESN are not monsters. They are humane. You are in full support of Palestinian freedom; as well as Polisaro separation from Morocco. Agitation for self-determination of any aggrieved group, is supported by UN charter on human rights. If they clamp down on people, It can cause the agitators to go underground, like what happened during apartheid regime in South Africa.

Sir, I would like you to investigate thoroughly the kidnap incidence of Nigerian Methodist Prelate on May 2022. He and two occupants in his car were abducted by Fulani Herdsmen, who doubled as kidnappers. They tortured and beat them mercilessly. Those armed robbers insisted on 100 million naira ransom, which was paid later before their release.

Their abductors revealed a lot surrounding their kidnap business in Nigeria. Some of them are from Sudan, Mali and Songhai. They said 50 million naira (half of the money), would go to their sponsors. These are highly placed individuals who provide them with arms and ammunition, among other logistics. Also, they narrated they are on a mission in Eastern Nigeria to kill the inhabitants, and take possession of their land. They would use the ransom money to stockpile weapons for the forthcoming attack. They said further they were all waiting for go ahead order from their Northern elite, for the go ahead for the massive attack. The Prelate’s deposition is well recorded on YouTube, for anybody to access. As well, find out why soldiers deployed to the East ignore the criminal activities of many Fulani Herdsmen. Instead, insecurity is blamed solely on our people who are resisting them.

We want to state clearly, we have been co-existing peacefully with Fulanis and other Northerners, before the sponsored infiltration of our communities and forests. A lot of them engage in legitimate business: like selling of clothes, food stuffs like rice and beans. We buy from them regularly. Also they move around residential areas to buy “Iron kwondem” (condemned iron). They like to live their normal, simple lifestyle. They are only being pushed into armed conflicts and taking over of people lands, by their Northern elite, for selfish, political ambitions. They are easily brainwashed.

Our people are peace loving and humane. Anybody who claims Igbo people want to kill Hausa or Fulani, is not telling the truth. We know our main problem is not with the peasant Fulanis living among us, but those elite sponsoring and gingering them. We therefore call for a change of attitude. Find out those behind Fulani invasion of our communities and forests.

Finally, we would like you to live behind a legacy cherished by the people. Right now, people are suffering terribly in this country Nigeria. Importation of finished petroleum products into the country, isn’t helping maters. All rulers of this country both past and present, are guilty of neglecting our local refineries. Something has to be done for Nigeria to be refining crude oil. The importation has caused hike in prices of refined products, with ever increasing cost of goods and services. Naira is becoming more and more worthless.

Use your position to pay backlog of salaries and pensions. Multitude Federal pensioners are owed for more than ten years. Check the impunity of some state Governors. Some of them owe workers and pensioners for years.

We would like you to address the gross neglect and exclusion of Igbos, in the scheme of things. Even when you collected loan from China sometime ago, South East was completely excluded from development projects associated with the loan. If all these issues are addressed, they will go a long way in easing tension and making the country a better place to live in.

Yours Sincerely,

Evangelist Joseph U. Afurobi.

https://powertrumpeter.org/blog2/fulani-invasion-bone-of-contention.