Tags: Canon-Typical Violence, Slow Romance, No Smut, Arranged Marriage, Unrequited Love, Requited Unrequited Love
Summary: Trapped in a marriage with a man who does not reciprocate your affection, you try to find meaning in your life despite your upbringing.
Word count: 2123
previous chapter.
The smell of Kaiju-infused construction materials seeped through the cracks of the infirmary. It was organic, almost metallic, and pungent, which served as a contrast to the sterile scent of the room you were required to stay in.
You knew that it was not your fault that this much destruction has been laid upon your division and casualties could not be counted with your fingers anymore, but you could not simply sweep away the tugging that it does to your soft heart. Not too long ago, you stopped Kaiju Number Eight—Kafka Hibino—from finishing the beast that attacked your juniors and almost made everyone perish by the proliferative organs embedded in the flesh of the Kaiju. If it were not for you and your partner—who died during the raid—the wound under your left breast would not have had happened in the first place.
It was stupid to blame yourself; you knew it was. Knowing, however, does not diminish the guilt and regret that was growing more and more inside of you.
"Kaiju," you mused, touching your where your wound used to lie.
Your bandages were replaced not too long ago, and the one of the nurses has informed you that you were healing rapidly and way quicker than how non-officer person would be, all thanks to Kaiju cells inside your body. She smiled at the lack of incorrect healing that would cause a scar, and she has assured you that you would be discharged the next morning. She left with her tired yet relieved eyes, reading your files on her clipboard.
After an hour, your husband came by. You noticed that his own wrapping was replaced by his usual working shirt, tight and fit around his torso. His jacket was slung on his right shoulder, and he has his tablet with him. You noticed that his radio did not wear his radio and gloves, and in turn, he was wearing a pair of reading glasses. With them, he scrolled through the soft copies of reports with utmost concentration, your rustling never bothering him. A certified workaholic, he really was, and it would be endearing, if it were not for the fact that you were not the normal couple he was trying to portray.
After his eyes has been probably burned by blue light, he put his device on the bedside table and put his head over his crossed forearms on the edge of the bed. Currently, he was napping beside you as you spent your time thinking of the possible reasons for him to stay with you.
You have thought that he was likely feeling the coldness of the quarters in which he lied down every night. Maybe the years he has wasted without you were coming back to him. Perhaps he was coaxing you to comfortability, so you would finally warm his bed as per your wifely duties. It would be probable that he has yet to find the honesty to tell that he wishes to consummate your marriage with him. It would not be unfounded to assume that he was toying with your heart, conditioning you to think that he has come to want you after all those years and then break the news that he has found love of his own without the interference of the two clans, so you would be the one to leave him of your own volition.
In that way, you would appear the wife who could not be unconditionally accepting of her own husband's simple flaws.
"Vice Captain?" a voice from outside called.
Silently, you got off of the bed and went to the door.
"Platoon Leader Ikaruga," you said, saluting.
He did not seem to have any bit of curiosity in him, even though that it has been the fifth time that week that he had to search for his superior only to end up in front of the door of the infirmary. He merely gave you a file, which was inside a manila envelope and stamped with the word, 'Confidential.'
"Can you give him this?" he asked. "It's a narrative report."
"Understood."
Returning to the bed, you sat next your husband's ducked head, only maintaining half a foot of distance.
"Vice Captain," you said.
He did not move or react in a manner that would tell you that he has woken up.
Unhurriedly, you put your hand on his shoulder and lightly shook him. His own hand shoot to grasp it, his head snapping up cautiously.
"[Name]," he acknowledged, his eyes blinking owlishly. "Somethin' wrong?"
Oddly, you did not shy away from his touch or his gaze. You offered him a soft upturn of your lips before taking the ring box inside the uppermost compartment of the bedside table. He has risen from his uncomfortable position and carefully let go of your hand. He subtly stretched his limbs, a soft groan rumbling at the back of his throat.
"Platoon Leader Ikaruga has ordered me to give you this."
You climbed the bed, and let him do this work.
A few hours passed, and he has finished all of the reports he was reading, including the ones on his tablet.
"I forgot to ask ya 'bout yer bandages. Seems new."
"Mhm. Was changed before you came here," you answered rather curtly.
For that, he raised a single brow.
Falling into a state of watchful silence after, you could not help but stare at him.
Finally, you said, "I'd be discharged tomorrow, so I'm assuming that we'd stop playing house, correct?"
"Playin' house?" he echoed. "What'ya mean?"
"This. Are we not playing house?" Your eyes flickered to him before looking away to gaze at the construction cranes far away. "You're pretending to be a caring husband, and I'm pretending not to mind your presence."
"[Name]," he warned.
You tilted your head to him and mimicked the usual way he smiled. Tight-lipped and never sincere, you grinned with your eyes shut.
"Don't tell me you've suddenly learned to love me simply because I was once in the verge of dying."
You slowly shifted your whole body to his direction. Your legs dangled along the edge of the bed, your bare feet feeling the cold blow of air done by the air-conditioning.
"You know what I don't get? You're behaving this way in front of people who knew nothing of our arrangement, while you left me to spend our first night alone inside your chambers." You fiddled with your thumbs absentmindedly. "I've become the laughing stock of the secondary and tertiary family of my own clan due to your negligence and lack of care, yet I never complained."
He tensed from your accusatory glare, his body likely telling him to leave you as you uncovered all years-worth of pain.
"Even in the present, every time I receive a letter from the elders asking about how we are, I lie to them and tell them that we have finally come to a situation that other women of my clan would envy. I know not if they are fooled, and I know not if my mother was satisfied," you spoke, reverting to the way of speaking your mother has taught you. "It matters not, no? Your father is not here to condemn you, nor were you the kind of person to listen to his words to begin with, so let us end this farce, husband."
It was a peculiar sensation on your tongue to have been overly formal to the person in front of you, despite your current predicament with him. You did not know what occurred to you to have done that, but you were glad that you did. After all, it brought him discomfort to a degree you have never witnessed before.
Slightly satisfied, you let out a breath of relief.
"Please, return to how you've treated me in the past, sir," you requested. "Either way, I'll still be your wife in paper and in appearance—in our clans' eyes. I'll still have to devote my life to you, even when you glance at other people in a way that you've never done to me."
Using the nails of your left middle and index fingers, you picked the thick skin that has grown at the edge of the nail of your thumb. Before he could get his hand to stop you from your fidgeting, you halted.
"I'll want you even when you don't." You paused. "Even if you don't."
His eyes cracked open.
"What made ya think that I never did?"
Your eyes widened.
Your lips twitched.
For the first time, you have laughed in front of him. You have mustered such an unfiltered, untainted chuckle of utter amusement, being well aware that his words were of lip service. Your stomach hurt, and so did your almost healed wound, yet you did not stop laughing.
"Did you?" You leaned uncomfortably into his personal space. "Did you want me?"
You tried searching for that glint in his eyes that would tell you the answer you were looking for—the answer he claimed to have—but there was nothing. All you could see were the irises of the man who would never have the space for a genuine, romantic connection with you, and no writhing in pain could ever change what the eyes say that the mouth and body were attempting to conceal.
"You don't," you said with finality. "So don't lie, because you're not fooling me, and you're not fooling yourself."
Patience, like any other resources, can run thin. Yours has.
You shook your head in derision and added, "Sir."
You placed your hand over his and flipped them. He did not fight back as you did so, as if what you have spoken have not make any sense on his mind yet.
"I'll still lie to our relatives, so you don't have to worry about that." On his open palm, you put the ring box down. "You can return to your responsibilities as a vice captain, because I don't expect that you'd ever fulfill your role as a husband."
This days-long play was nothing more than an illusion, and you would rather end it and hurt yourself than have yourself believe the lies that would never be close to being true.
"I don't want your pity," you exclaimed, your words flowing too freely. "I don't know what you've consumed that you're acting this way, but I'm not too gullible. I've come to terms that we'd be like every arranged pair of spouses, so don't give me your pity."
You were enraged, and you could not even scream at him. You position in this workforce hierarchy and how you were raised would never allow you to shout at him for the second time.
"It ain't pity," he said, his voice low and airy.
He did not close his hand, which would mean that he accepts your decision of returning the ring to him—of ending the thread that badly connected you to him; he did not even look the least affected by what you have told him.
"Then what is?" you replied.
You wanted to strangle him right there and there so he could feel the way your throat tightened every time his heavy words would correct your every move. You wanted to gouge his eyes out so he would know the sensation of how yours prick whenever tears attempt to pool but never dare to fall. You wanted to claw his arms so he would imagine the sting you get from his sharp, cutting gaze. You wanted to hurt him for hurting you, but you could not.
You could not, because it was against your upbringing.
A gentle wife more tender than cotton and more sensitive than a dandelion—you were born into constant judgment and expectation. You were conceived and brought into this world as a lump of clay that your mother has molded and modified so many times you forgot what and who you truly were. You were slowly burned into perfection, but you had small impurities that gradually turned into cracks. You knew that you were close to shattering—
—and you did.
"Would you have loved me if I have not been your wife?" you asked, your voice cracking.
Your marriage with him was bound to fail, was it not?
You, who have been always hyperaware of your emotions, and him, who never wanted to touch even a smidge of it—your one-sided vows would never last.
"My eyes are up here, so look at them," you hissed the moment you realized that his eyes were on your lips. "Would you have loved me—would you have looked my way—if I've been an ordinary officer admiring you, instead of the wife you were forced to have?"
He stood up from his seat.
next chapter.
Author's note: I'm back? Not entirely sure that I would be here for long since I'd be conducting researches with my groupmates soon. I've been listening to Hoshina's official theme for 48 hours straight, and I just realized how it could apply to Reader-Insert, too. "Would you love me if I was a worm," Reader-Insert asked. I think that the next chapter would be his point-of-view.
This placement embodies the essence of all other houses, making its magic incredibly versatile. However, its power hinges entirely on personal motivation and emotional investment. If the individual is apathetic or lacks enthusiasm, the magic remains dormant, unable to manifest. When emotionally engaged and motivated, those with Lilith in the 1st House can achieve extraordinary feats, channeling their boundless energy into transformative outcomes. The primary obstacle is a tendency toward discouragement and spiritual procrastination. If doubt or inertia sets in, it can be challenging to harness their potential fully.
Lilith in the 2nd House
Magic of Building and Prosperity
This placement is rooted in creation, growth, and abundance. Lilith in the 2nd House thrives on constructive practices and struggles with destructive or negative energy, such as curses or hexes. Its focus is on stability, sustainability, and nurturing prosperity. Ideal for spells and rituals related to wealth, long-term love, and enduring success. It excels in creating solid foundations and fostering stability in all aspects of life. A need for recognition can sometimes hinder collaborative efforts. Working in the shadow of others or within groups may dilute this house’s potency, so this Lilith works alone or is the leader of the group.
Lilith in the 3rd House
Visionary and Word Magic
This placement connects strongly with the ethereal realms of mediumship, oracle reading, and dream work. The magic of the 3rd House lies in its ability to perceive beyond the mundane, uncovering hidden truths. However, it has limited influence on direct magical interference or physical manifestations. Prophecies, revealing dreams, and channeling spiritual insights are the cornerstones of this house. Its intuitive understanding of symbols and messages is unparalleled. Words hold immense power here. When spoken in anger, they can cause significant harm, often leading to regret. Careful control over communication is vital to avoid unintentional destruction.
Lilith in the 4th House
Ancestral and Intuitive Magic
Deeply tied to emotional well-being and family roots, this placement flourishes in environments of peace and harmony. Its magic is intuitive, nurtured by connection to one’s ancestry and inner tranquility. Lunar cycles amplify its potency, allowing self-taught rituals to be highly effective. Considered one of the most powerful placements, Lilith in the 4th House offers unparalleled capacity for spiritual growth and magical mastery. Practices performed in alignment with lunar energy yield exceptional results. Negative environments, such as those involving mistreatment or humiliation, can severely hinder spiritual growth. If practices are learned in a hostile context, they may become blocked, rendering the tools unusable. Respectful and nurturing settings are crucial for unlocking the full potential of this placement. If you learn a spell in a toxic environment where you feel ridiculed, your energy may reject that knowledge permanently, reinforcing the importance of seeking respectful teachers and sacred spaces.
Lilith in the 5th House
Magic of Luck and Optimism
This placement radiates joy and prosperity, particularly when helping others overcome challenges. It channels creativity and enthusiasm, making it a beacon of hope for those in need. Highly effective for spells that boost businesses, attract luck, or improve self-esteem. Its magic often brings remarkable success to others. Paradoxically, while this house blesses others with fortune, individuals with Lilith in the 5th House may struggle to manifest prosperity or happiness for themselves. Emotional lows or lack of motivation can weaken their magic entirely. A practitioner may help a business flourish with a prosperity spell but find it difficult to stabilize their own finances or emotional well-being. Avoid cluttered, overly symbolic spaces, which may disperse energy. Opt for a clean, minimalist environment to focus your intentions. Techniques like Reiki, which emphasize pure energy transmission, harmonize exceptionally well with this placement.
Lilith in the 6th House
Healing Magic and Herbal Power
This placement excels in health and healing practices, with a natural affinity for alternative medicine, such as herbal remedies, energy baths, and flower essences. Its magic is restorative and deeply connected to physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Healing and renewal are the hallmarks of this house. Rituals aimed at recovery—whether physical, emotional, or spiritual—are profoundly effective, making this placement a natural healer. A tendency toward perfectionism can create rigidity, making it difficult to adapt to new methods or ideas. Additionally, the direct and often critical approach of this placement may inadvertently alienate or harm more sensitive individuals, such as those with Lilith in the 4th House. Dive deeply into the study of herbal medicine and energy work, as these tools amplify your magic. Be mindful of your tone and approach, especially when interacting with others, to maintain harmony and avoid blocking your own energies.
Lilith in the 7th House
Magic of Love and Reconciliation
Lilith's influence in this house enhances the ability to create, strengthen, and heal emotional bonds. It grants a profound understanding of relationships and the power to cultivate harmony in personal connections. This placement gives the individual the energy of a “spiritual Cupid,” making them a powerful force in love spells, sweetenings, bindings, and reconciliation rituals. People with Lilith in the 7th House are also highly skilled at leading spiritual groups, teaching with great patience and empathy. Their natural charisma allows them to guide others toward healing and emotional connection. There is an inherent emotional vulnerability when it comes to those they love. Despite their spiritual power, they may struggle to defend themselves against loved ones, often hesitating to use protective magic. This can leave them open to emotional or relational abuse, especially if boundaries are not established. While you have the gift to heal and strengthen relationships, be mindful of imbalances or toxic patterns in those around you. Establish and maintain healthy emotional boundaries, ensuring your talents for union and reconciliation are not exploited or used against you.
Lilith in the 8th House
Shadow Magic and the Power of Transformation
Lilith in the 8th House connects deeply with hidden forces, transformation, and the cycles of life, death, and rebirth. This placement is highly potent, but requires a disciplined approach rooted in secrecy. The strength of this energy is most effective when kept confidential, as discretion and privacy are crucial to success. Lilith in the 8th House possesses the power to perform intense, precise magical work. It excels in destruction of obstacles, protection, and, when necessary, revenge. Its energy is ideally suited for transmuting difficult situations, transforming them into opportunities for growth and renewal. A significant emotional weight accompanies this placement, particularly when attempting to assist loved ones, like family members, through transformative processes. The darker energies generated by this work can turn against the practitioner if not carefully channeled, potentially causing harm if the magical intentions are not pure. Work in clean, isolated spaces free from distractions, as external energy can interfere with the potency of your magic. Cultivate balance through regular meditation and purification rituals to maintain the clarity and power of your work. Avoid sharing your practices with others, as secrecy preserves the effectiveness of your spells.
Lilith in the 9th House
Skepticism and the Search for Faith
Lilith's presence here brings a tendency toward skepticism, particularly toward abstract beliefs or faith-based practices. This can make it challenging to embrace the more mystical aspects of magic that require faith. Despite this skepticism, Lilith in the 9th House is capable of integrating rationality with spiritual practice. These individuals are often drawn to practices that blend science with magic, using logic and methodical approaches to support their magical work. This grounded approach makes them skilled at finding practical applications for spiritual knowledge. A strong disbelief in their own spiritual abilities can be a significant barrier. Individuals with this placement tend to question their practices and abilities, which can hinder the flow of energy and the effectiveness of their work. This constant self-doubt can prevent them from fully embracing their magical potential. To overcome skepticism, seek connection with a trusted spiritual figure—whether a deity, guide, or entity—that inspires belief. Working in a group or with mentors can provide a supportive structure that reinforces faith and strengthens confidence in your magical abilities. Take time to appreciate small signs of spiritual growth and practice patience, allowing faith to build gradually over time.
Lilith in the 10th House
Life Mission and the Power of Direction
Lilith in the 10th House is intimately connected to a clear sense of life’s purpose and the ability to lead others toward their own goals. This placement grants the energy needed to manifest destiny, providing individuals with the insight and determination to guide themselves and others along a meaningful path. This placement allows individuals to open doors and create lasting changes, especially when they are focused on personal fulfillment and success. They have a natural talent for working magic tied to career goals, public recognition, and long-term prosperity. This Lilith is one of a few who can read their own destiny from their cards or other divination method. Lilith in the 10th House requires a clear sense of purpose to work effectively. Spells and magical work that lack a defined goal or focus tend to be less successful. This placement is most potent when working with individuals who are equally committed to their own path and who share a clear sense of direction. Focus your efforts on helping those who demonstrate commitment and clarity about their goals. Use your magical talents to create lasting transformations, such as opening doors to prosperity, career growth, and family stability. Remember to take moments of disconnection from external pressures to recharge and maintain your sense of purpose.
Lilith in the 11th House
Nocturnal Energy and Social Magic
Lilith in the 11th House is most active at night, with its energy waning during the day. Practitioners with this placement should embrace nocturnal work to harness its full potential. It thrives in environments where material connection is emphasized, making it essential to stay grounded—preferably barefoot—when working. This placement is ideal for "popular magic," which focuses on accessible and immediate solutions such as teas, prayers, or simple rituals. Its power is in its practicality, with quick and effective works yielding the best results. While popularity is an important aspect of this placement, it’s essential to work on tolerance toward criticism and external attacks. Those with Lilith in the 11th House may find themselves vulnerable to public scrutiny, making it crucial to develop resilience in the face of negative feedback.
Lilith in the 12th House
Full Spirituality and Unseen Forces
Lilith in the 12th House represents the full spectrum of spiritual energy, embodying both the giving and receiving of divine power. This placement offers immense versatility in magical practice, allowing for work with a variety of spiritual tools, from esoteric texts to sacred Psalms. Highly protected from spiritual attacks, individuals with Lilith in the 12th House are shielded by constant and powerful spiritual energy. Their magic is multifaceted, capable of adapting to many forms and situations. Excessive analysis and caution can prolong the effectiveness of spells. Individuals with this placement may overthink their practices, which can delay results and hinder the flow of energy needed for their work. Focus on balancing the energetic flow of giving and receiving, cultivating a deeper emotional or spiritual connection to your work. Avoid over-analyzing and instead trust the natural flow of energy. Keep your spiritual practices flexible and adaptive, drawing on a variety of elements and tools as needed.
I adore astrology literally one of my top five downtime hobbies but I don't believe we are our birth charts or that astrology has a final say. Like it's real but it's not Real. Consciousness, self-inquiry, and awareness are stronger and more fundamentally real. Everything is entangled, to see the world in a grain of sand, etc - so I have a little personal theory that the birth chart does describe a reality - but not a fundamental reality, because it functions only within the realm of positionality and separation / the one observing the polarity cannot be the polarity
I kind of had this epiphany at minute 42 of my walking pad hour
Maybe a better way of saying this is that the shape/repetive tension our finite mind holds, it pushes out - somehow informed by and informing the experiences we perceive(d) ourselves to be having, the defenses or strategies we cling to in order to navigate that, and then feeds into pre-existing attractor/resonance fields - atoms nothing tangible, an infinity of tornado-like vortices (so Like=Like). I think this is what creates what we call compatability, nothing fundamental, it's constructive or destructive interference with one's positional reality. But you can experience compatibility that does not lead you towards the Real - it can also validate the personality, reinforce strategic defenses, and lull the infinite to sleep
So we take shape in a way that brings us to attract/live out the themes of the birth chart because we will always find what we are being. But when we begin on the "Who am I? Who is the one asking?" line of questioning, the tensions of the personality (seen in the chart) are more appreciated as a perceptual leaning, our own psychic prism through which we experience the illusion of a self, mental archetypes, so on, and we see that all that seemed so dense and damning and real, is completely non-binding. Temporary vesture. The chart is describing the cage not the bird
For years, conservatives loudly complained that government spending was opaque, that their hard-earned dollars were being secretly misused, and that the government definitely did not need all the money it was taking from them.
That was always hyperbole … until now.
These days, your money belongs to Donald Trump, and he does whatever he wants with it. The White House belongs to Trump, and he does whatever he wants with it. That’s what kings do. And that’s as much of a breakdown of democracy as his increasingly authoritarian grip on the country.
Trump started the week by unilaterally deciding to demolish the East Wing of the White House so he could build an enormous $300 million gold-plated ballroom paid for by donations from private companies seeking to curry favor. No, he didn’t get any permits. No, he didn’t go through any public review. No, he did not submit any plans to the National Capital Planning Commission.
And why would he?
Trump doesn’t see the White House as the people’s house. He sees it as his. Sure, he said just a few months ago that the ballroom would be near the White House, but not touch it, and that construction wouldn’t interfere with the existing building. But he changed his mind, and that’s totally cool because, as a White House official explained to NBC News, “the scope and the size of the ballroom project have always been subject to vary as the process develops.”
Oh, got it. No plans, no rules, just vibes. Trump wants to tear out a whole wing of the White House? Great. You’re saying that cost has increased from $200 million to $300 million, even though nothing has been built and no one has seen any actual plans? Seems fine. It was going to hold 650 people, but as of Wednesday, that’s now up to nearly 1,000? Yep, definitely how large-scale government construction works.
Trump has justified this by saying that private donations are covering the cost. Well, he initially said he would pay for it, but why would he do that when so many big corporations hoping for favorable treatment are willing to give him millions of dollars?
Tearing down the White House and replacing it with a facsimile of Mar-a-Lago isn’t any less appalling just because Trump has cajoled companies into paying for it. Indeed, it might be worse. The president funding a pet project — one that involves destroying the White House, no less — via the coercion of private donors creates a closed loop and a complete lack of accountability and transparency.
While the wanton destruction of the White House is by far the most obvious example of Trump’s belief that the government belongs to him personally, there’s so much more.
The Kingdom of Benin: An In-Depth Analysis of Africa’s Architectural and Cultural Marvel
Introduction: Benin – A Symbol of African Sovereignty and Innovation
The Kingdom of Benin (circa 1180–1897 CE) was one of the most advanced African civilizations, renowned for its sophisticated governance, military power, artistic mastery, and economic wealth. Located in modern-day Nigeria, it was ruled by the Oba (king) and had a highly organized social and political structure.
From a Garveyite perspective, the study of Benin is essential because it represents:
Black political and military sovereignty – The Benin Empire successfully resisted foreign interference for centuries.
Black artistic excellence – The Benin Bronzes are among the greatest artistic achievements in world history.
Black economic independence – Benin controlled trade in the region, managing its own wealth and resources.
The destruction of Benin by the British in 1897 was not just an act of war—it was an attack on Black civilization itself. By reclaiming the history of Benin, Black people today can learn the importance of self-governance, economic power, and cultural preservation.
1. The Origins and Early Development of the Kingdom of Benin
A. The Foundation of Benin
The Kingdom of Benin was founded by the Edo people, who established settlements in the region as early as 900 CE.
The city of Igodomigodo, the earliest known Benin settlement, evolved into a powerful kingdom under the leadership of the Ogiso dynasty (kings of the sky).
By the 12th century, the kingdom was reorganized under the Oba (king) system, which centralized power and expanded Benin’s influence.
Example: Oral traditions say that the Oba lineage was established when Prince Oranmiyan of Ife was invited to rule, linking Benin to the Yoruba Kingdom of Ife.
Key Takeaway: African civilizations were not random tribes—they were organized states with dynasties and governance systems rivalling those of Europe and Asia.
2. The Political and Military Strength of Benin
A. The Power of the Oba and the Benin Government
The Oba (king) was the supreme ruler, believed to be divinely chosen, and held absolute political and spiritual authority.
Beneath the Oba was a highly structured government, including advisors, chiefs, military commanders, and economic administrators.
The kingdom had an organized legal system, including courts that handled disputes and protected citizens' rights.
Example: Oba Ewuare the Great (1440-1473) expanded Benin’s territory and restructured its government, creating a model of centralized African governance.
Key Takeaway: African states had advanced political systems that ensured stability, justice, and expansion.
B. Benin’s Military Superiority
The Kingdom of Benin had a powerful army, organized into specialized units:
Cavalry units that patrolled the kingdom’s borders.
Infantry forces armed with swords, spears, and poisoned arrows for combat.
Fortified city walls, which made Benin City one of the most secure capitals in Africa.
Example: The Walls of Benin (constructed from earthworks and stretching over 16,000 km) were four times longer than the Great Wall of China, making it one of the largest man-made structures in history.
Key Takeaway: A nation without a strong military can not protect its sovereignty and wealth.
3. The Economic Prosperity of Benin
A. Control Over Regional Trade
Benin was a major economic power, controlling trade routes across West Africa, the Niger Delta, and the Atlantic Coast.
Its economy was built on gold, ivory, palm oil, textiles, and slave trade (before rejecting European exploitation).
Merchants from Portugal, the Netherlands, and England sought trade agreements with Benin, recognizing its wealth and strategic importance.
Example: In the 15th century, Portuguese traders documented Benin as a well-organized state with wealth beyond their expectations.
Key Takeaway: Before European colonization, Africa had self-sufficient economies that did not rely on external aid.
B. The Benin Bronzes: Africa’s Greatest Artistic Masterpieces
Benin was known for its bronze, ivory, and wood sculptures, which depicted Obas, warriors, and historical events.
These artworks were made using the lost-wax casting technique, an advanced metallurgical method that predated similar European techniques.
The Benin Bronzes were not just art—they were historical records that documented the kingdom’s culture, politics, and achievements.
Example: The British looted over 4,000 Benin Bronzes in 1897, which are now displayed in European museums, proving that Africa’s cultural heritage was stolen.
Key Takeaway: Africa had artistic and cultural achievements equal to or surpassing those of Europe and Asia.
4. The Fall of Benin: Lessons for Black People Today
A. The 1897 British Invasion: The Destruction of Black Sovereignty
The British sought to exploit Benin’s wealth but were met with resistance from the Oba and his warriors.
In 1897, the British launched a full-scale invasion known as the Benin Expedition, burning Benin City and looting its treasures.
The Oba Ovonramwen was exiled, and the kingdom was incorporated into the British colonial system.
Example: Over 4,000 Benin Bronzes were stolen and are now kept in European museums, despite calls for their return.
Key Takeaway: Colonialism was not about "civilizing" Africa—it was about destroying African independence and stealing its wealth.
5. The Legacy of Benin and the Garveyite Call for Rebuilding Black Power
A. Reclaiming African History and Cultural Artifacts
The looting of Benin’s treasures is a symbol of how European powers stole Africa’s wealth and history.
Black nations and Pan-African movements must demand the return of stolen African artifacts and preserve their historical sites.
Example: Nigeria has been demanding the return of the Benin Bronzes, with some museums beginning to return them after decades of pressure.
Garveyite Perspective: Africa must reclaim its cultural identity and teach its true history, not the colonial version.
B. The Economic and Political Lessons of Benin
Economic self-reliance is key – Benin controlled its own resources and trade before European interference.
Military strength is necessary – Without strong defenses, Black nations remain vulnerable to foreign exploitation.
Political unity is power – The Oba system kept Benin strong for centuries, proving that organized leadership leads to prosperity.
Example: Modern African nations must control their economies, build strong governments, and protect their cultural heritage.
Garveyite Perspective: Black unity, self-governance, and economic independence are the only paths to true liberation.
Conclusion: Will We Rebuild the Greatness of Benin?
Marcus Garvey once said:
“A race without authority and power is a race without respect.”
Will Black people continue to let foreign nations define our history, or will we reclaim our legacy?
Will we allow African wealth and art to remain in Western museums, or demand its rightful return?
Will we repeat the mistakes of Benin’s downfall, or build new Black-led economies, armies, and governments?
Killing Animals That Don’t Fit In: Moral Dimensions of Habitat Restoration.
By Jo-Ann Shelton, University of California Santa Barbara
The purpose of this paper is to discuss justifications for the violent destruction of feral animals during habitat restoration projects. Habitat restoration is the process of changing a landscape, which has been altered by human activities, back to an approximation of its former appearance. This process of reversal requires a high degree of human intervention and management. These are, of course, the same human behaviors that produced the initial alterations, the ones which now seem regrettable. I will argue that proponents of the eradication of feral species continue to adhere to an age-old paradigm that assigns value to animals in accordance with human interests. And when they are unwilling to take into consideration the animal distress that their projects cause, they exhibit the same desire to manipulate Nature that has motivated humans from the beginning of our existence as a species.
One goal of restoration is to insure the survival of flora and fauna which existed in a region before the arrival of humans (especially Europeans) and their biological baggage. Killing species which were introduced by humans and which now threaten the survival of species which have inhabited an area for a much longer period seems like a simple, quick and relatively inexpensive remedy. And therefore killing is widely condoned by restorationists, even when the methods -- for example, poisoning, snare trapping, or shooting -- cause considerable pain to the animals. But the infliction of pain by humans raises ethical issues because human, unlike other species, are well aware of the impact of our actions; it is, moreover, an aspect of human nature to have sympathetic impulses and to believe that causing harm is a matter of moral concern. Although animals do, of course, cause one another pain and distress, we humans are not therefore absolved of moral responsibility for the pain and distress that we cause.
When restorationists defend their methods of killing, they assert that they are fulfilling another moral responsibility -- a moral responsibility to preserve biological diversity and to undo ecological damage done by people who had a very different opinion about the natural world. There are several problems with this defense, perhaps the most obvious being that it depends on an internally contradictory definition of Nature, a definition that presumes that Nature is, on the one hand, something separate, autonomous and undisturbed by humans, but also that Nature is, on the other hand, something able to be (re)constructed and managed by humans. Correlative to the first definition, that Nature is an entity free of human interference, is the belief that feral animals (or their domesticated ancestors) have been constructed by humans, are therefore unnatural, and do not belong in a natural landscape. However this disdain for "constructed" animals seems to conflict with the belief expressed in the second definition, that it is appropriate for humans to (re)construct Nature. Also problematic are the assumptions that recreating an archaic landscape is both a feasible goal and a laudable display of human ingenuity.
I want especially to challenge two suppositions: that the killing of feral animals to protect wild species demonstrates a fundamental shift in attitudes toward the natural world, and that we cannot promote the interests of some species without ignoring humane considerations about others. I will argue that the violent destruction of animals perpetuates a philosophy that humans have the right to destroy elements of nature whenever and why ever they choose. To illustrate my argument, I will discuss two examples of mass shootings of grazing animals. In each case, shooters justified the killing on the grounds that the targeted species "did not fit" in the region any more. The first example is the shooting of bison in 19th century America. The second example is the shooting of feral sheep in the final decades of the 20th century in the area of California where I live.
People of European descent killed bison for several reasons: to clear the land for agriculture and herding, to profit from the sale of hides, to reduce the population of native Americans by eliminating their food source, and to have fun. The procurement of food was only one, and frequently not the primary reason for hunting bison.In fact, very often the skinned carcasses were left where the animals had fallen. And sometimes they were not even skinned because they had been shot only for sport (Roe 1970, p, 429; Fleharty 1995, pp. 29 and 255; Danz 1997, pp. 92-114). The hunting of bison for sport became even more popular as railroad lines across the continent were constructed. Consider these accounts from the years 1867 and 1872. (Fleharty, pp. 73-75).
"Few lines of railway in the world offer such facilities for the sportsman and hunter as the Kansas Pacific. Where else in the world can a man recline in the luxuriously cushioned seats of a Pullman Palace car, gliding over the smoothest of tracks, and look out on the immense herds of that Monarch of the Plains -- the Buffalo -- some clumsily cantering along within one hundred yards of the train, and others still further off, watching it with a sort of lazy stupid wonder."
"Nearly every railroad train which leaves or arrives at Fort Hays on the Kansas Pacific Railroad has its race with these herds of buffalo; and a most interesting and exciting scene is the result. The train is ‘slowed’ to a rate of speed about equal to that of the herd: the passengers get out fire-arms which are provided for the defense of the train against the Indians, and open from the windows of the cars a fire that resembles a brisk skirmish. Frequently a young bull will turn at bay for a moment. His exhibition of courage is generally his death-warrant, for the whole fire of the train is turned upon him or some member of the herd in his immediate vicinity".
Hunters were not deterred by sympathetic impulses, as this 1879 account reveals (Collison 1963, p. 56). "I have killed, and seen killed, thousands of buffalo cows. They were skinned and their calves were left to starve to death or be eaten by the wolves and coyotes….These little calves were lying by the dead cows. We had to keep driving them away while skinning the cows. I saw some of them trying to suck the cows. After the mothers were skinned and the hides were in the wagon, the calves would follow. They could smell the hides and would follow them to the hide yard. They were gone the next morning -- back to where they had sucked the last time, either to starve to death or be killed by the wolves."
The relentless slaughter of millions of bison prompted no moral concern because their killers were eradicating a species that impeded human interests in exploiting the land. Buffalo occupied areas which could be grazed by domesticated animals or cultivated for crops. Consider this justification by Frank Mayer, one of the last professional buffalo hunters (Mayer and Roth 1958, p. 27). "The buffalo served his mission, fulfilled his destiny in the history of the Indian, by furnishing him everything he needed-- food, clothing, a home, traditions, even a theology. But the buffalo didn't fit in so well with the white man's encroaching civilization -- he didn't fit in at all, in fact. He could not be controlled or domesticated. He couldn't be corralled behind wire fences. He was a misfit. So he had to go."
In an era when wilderness was a region waiting to cultivated, grazed, mined, logged, or otherwise utilized for human economic benefit, bison had few defenders. Let me now turn to a contemporary situation: the shooting of sheep on Santa Cruz Island, which lies off the southern California coast, about 26 miles from Santa Barbara. The island's long isolation from the mainland allowed the evolution of several species and sub-species of plants and animals. The earliest human immigrants to the Island were Chumash Indians who settled there about 10,000 years ago. Europeans reached the Island in the 18th century and subsequently introduced domesticated plants and animals, particularly sheep, cattle, pigs and horses (as well as, inadvertently, alien wild species). Activities that have altered the landscape over the last two centuries include the grazing and rooting of the introduced animals, the clearing of native vegetation to make room for cultivated plants, the cutting of trees for timber, and the construction of roads and buildings. Even the suppression by humans of periodic wildfires, which play an important role in maintaining the health of southern California ecosystems, has contributed to modifying the landscape. In response to these various changes, populations of indigenous plants have been reduced. Conversely, introduced plants, particularly fennel and thistle, are thriving (Brumbaugh 1980; National Park Service 1985, pp. 6-10 and 40). By 1980, when ranching operations had become unprofitable for the several private owners of Santa Cruz Island, opportunities arose for the acquisition of the land by groups interested in restoration and conservation (Gherini 1994). In 1978, The Nature Conservancy purchased an interest in the western 90% of the Island, about 54,500 acres, over which it assumed full control in 1987. In 1997, the National Park Service acquired the eastern 10%, about 6200 acres, and incorporated it into the Channel Islands National Park which had been created in 1980.In 2000, The Nature Conservancy transferred 8500 of its acres to the Park Service (Burns 2000). In both areas, cattle had been removed by their owners to the mainland for slaughter, but large numbers of sheep and pigs, and a small number of horses had been abandoned to free-roam and thus become feral. Despite its name, The Nature Conservancy planned not simply to conserve populations of pre-Columbian plants and animals, but to restore a pre-Columbian landscape. The two goals are similar, but not identical. Conservation allows for a possible co-existence of species; restoration is a type of biological cleansing, an "exorcism of the exotics" (Holloway 31) that requires that all European elements be removed in order to recreate an archaic scene. The Nature Conservancy considered it necessary to eliminate the sheep as quickly as possible, and, in December, 1981, it instituted a program of shooting them (Schuyler 1993). By June of 1989, over 37,000 sheep had been killed. The success of the restoration program has been compromised by some of its consequences. The extermination of grazing animals has, for example, encouraged the unwanted expansion of the introduced fennel, which now dominates 10% of the Nature Conservancy property and is spreading more rapidly than other species.
One study notes that "the most important factor contributing to the recent expansion of fennel was the rapid removal of cattle and feral sheep from Santa Cruz Island" (Brenton and Klinger 1994; also Beatty and Licari 1992; Klinger, Schuyler and Sterner 1994). In the ecosystem which evolved in the 20th century, grazing activities had served a beneficial role in restricting the spread of introduced plants and thus in maintaining a diversified biotic community on the Island. It was unlimited grazing, rather than simply grazing, which was so destructive. The Nature Conservancy acknowledges that its removal of grazing animals may have precipitated the unwelcome explosion of fennel and it is now trying to eliminate the fennel by a combination of controlled burns and herbicides, which kill native as well as non-native plants (Dash and Gliessman 1994; Burns 1997a, 1997b and 1998; Hamm 1998; Aschehoug 2001). Another unanticipated result of the shooting of the sheep has been an increase in the population of feral pigs, which has grown from several hundred to several thousand (Pearl, Patton and Lohr 1994). In addition, golden eagles that have been attracted to the Island by the abundant supply of piglets are hunting to extinction the indigenous Santa Cruz Island fox (Van De Kamp 2000; Davison 2003; Schoch 2003). The fox population plummeted from about 1500 in 1994 to fewer than 100 in 2003. Against the pigs, the National Park Service and The Nature Conservancy are planning “an all-out assault, including the use of rifle squads" (Polakovic 1999). Former Park Superintendent, Tim Setnicka, called the planned assault “the last big roundup”, even though the pigs will be shot, rather than removed from the Island alive (Polakovic 1999; Kelly 2002). The grim determination to eradicate the pigs is described by one reporter thus: "Like the Pentagon facing an entrenched army, the Park Service is girding for an all-out war on pigs on Santa Cruz Island. There will be no prisoners taken in this campaign" (Burns 2001). Militaristic metaphors figure prominently in discussions about eradicating feral animals, and they have the effect of framing the issue as a moral one, in which the forces of "good" (humans) are engaged in a contest with the forces of "evil" (feral animals). To save the few remaining foxes, bald eagles are being brought in to drive out the golden eagles (Polakovic 1999; Todd 2004). These experiments in restoration reveal the problems inherent in suddenly removing elements from a biotic community on a species by species basis. They should instruct us of the complex interactions of the various elements of the present day Island ecology and the need to take into account the contributions of the introduced animals. They should certainly lead us to question whether restoration, as distinct from conservation, is a feasible goal, and, if not, why animals are being shot in pursuit of it.
Like the Nature Conservancy, the National Park Service wishes to recreate a pre-Columbian scene. However its mandate, as stated in the General Management Plan, is not simply to restore wilderness, but to open it for the pleasure of human visitors (National Park Service 1985, pp. 81 and 82). This mandate is flawed by an internal contradiction, because humans of European descent are, of course, as much an anachronism as sheep and pigs in a pre-Columbian landscape. Nonetheless, the Park Service, in accordance with its charge, has constructed camp grounds and hiking trails and encourages people to enjoy the experience of placing themselves in a scene which approximates the pristine wilderness of an earlier period. Ironically it has also left standing structures built by the ranchers, in order to retain the "historic scene" of the ranching era, but without the ranch animals (National Park Service 1985, pp. 36, 37, 41, 44 and 45). The projected increase in annual human visitors to the Island will contribute to the degradation of the land and adjacent ocean water. The Park Service has no tolerance, however, for other non-native species, and had planned to shoot the feral sheep, pigs and horses once it took possession of the east end. In fact, in the days surrounding the Park Service takeover on February 10, 1997, about 1000 sheep were shot near the boundary between the National Park and The Nature Conservancy properties (Burns 1997a). The Nature Conservancy, as mentioned above, had been shooting sheep since 1981, but in relative secrecy because access to the property was very restricted. However the shootings in the early part of 1997, which coincided with the opening of the Park property, received considerable media attention. The public responded with outrage to newspaper reports and television film of wounded sheep trying to crawl to safety, of lambs starving by their dead mothers, and of rotting carcasses strewn on the hillsides. Yielding to public pressure, but not admitting wrong-doing, the Park Service rounded up the sheep and send them to the mainland for sale at a livestock auction (Burns 1997a; MacGregor 1997; Schultz 1997; Polakovic 1999). (The horses were moved off the island to a horse sanctuary.) Public disapproval of the shooting was prompted by two considerations: that it was wasteful, because the carcasses were left to rot or be eaten by carrion birds, and that it was cruel, because wounded sheep and nursing lambs were left to suffer. People thus reacted in the same way that most of us do to the accounts of bison hunts -- and with the same moral concern, that is, that the reasons for killing the animals did not justify the cruelty and wantonness of the process. However proponents of the sheep killing dismissed the criticisms as sentiments expressed by people ignorant of the goals of habitat restoration. The issue I want to explore here is whether there is, in fact, a similarity between the reasons for shooting sheep and the reasons for shooting bison. Restorationists will argue that bison were killed by people whose interests were selfishly anthropocentric, whereas feral sheep and pigs are killed by people whose interest is the repair of damage done to the environment by previous generations of thoughtless humans. The goals certainly seem distinct, but there is a common denominator here: it is we humans who make the determination that a species does not "fit in", that it has "to go", and we make this determination on the basis of whether the existence of that species conflicts with our own interests -- our interests at one time being economic expansion, at another time being the pleasure of visiting restored landscapes. Eric Aschehoug, a Nature Conservancy biologist, has said about the slaughter of pigs on Santa Cruz Island: "We are interested in restoring an island. Unfortunately, the pigs are in the way" (Kelly 2002).
Our interest in turning back the ecological clock and recreating a landscape which existed before the introduction of European species is controversial. Consider the comments of William Cronon, arguing for the need for a critical reassessment of our ideas about nature and wilderness (Cronon 1996, p. 24). "Recent scholarship has clearly demonstrated that the natural world is far more dynamic, far more changeable, and far more entangled with human history than popular beliefs about ‘the balance of nature’ have typically acknowledged. Many popular beliefs about the environment are premised on the conviction that nature is a stable, holistic, homeostatic community capable of preserving its balance more or less indefinitely if only humans can avoid ‘disturbing’ it. This is in fact a deeply problematic assumption. ’”Similarly Mark Sagoff, arguing against "all-out battles" against exotic species, comments that "ecosystems lack order, purpose, and design; they have no balance to disrupt" (2000). Species introductions and environmental change take place without anthropogenic influences. Had Santa Cruz Island remained until this day entirely free of any European human invasion, it would still not be the same as it was in 1400 AD. And even if we were able now to restore its 1400 AD scene, its proximity to the mainland will produce repeated introductions of “exotic” plants and animals through the actions of winds, currents, and human visitors. Therefore restoration will be an on-going process, managed by humans, and requiring constant intervention. The result -- the conservation of native species -- is arguably desirable, but the process of achieving and maintaining a pre European scene will be only as “natural” an activity as is landscape architecture. It is human will and technology that convert wilderness to garden, and garden to wilderness. And it is a paradox that the ideology of nature and wilderness which abhors anthropogenic changes must also depend on anthropogenic changes to reconstruct landscapes.
Restorationists contrast their assignment of intrinsic value to the natural world with the view that nature is valuable only for human exploitation. Kate Faulkner, chief of natural resources for the Channel Islands National Park, says "we used to value the islands for commodity production and now we're in a new era of restoration and environmental protection of natural plants and removal of animals that are causing lots of destruction" (Polakovic 1999). Restoration requires the disruption of an existing ecosystem which is deemed to be "unnatural". Consider the polarization expressed in the comment that "introduced animals represent a deadly threat to the natural ecosystem of the islands" (Schoenherr, Feldmeth and Emerson 1999). Justification for restoration relies, first, on the construction of conceptual distinctions between "native" and "introduced", “indigenous” and “exotic”, “wild” and “feral” -- distinctions which may not be tenable in situations where the so-called “exotic” species are actually “native” elements of the present biotic community -- and, second, on the construction of preferences for “indigenous”, “native” and “wild”. However restorationists do not simply prefer one group over another; they dismiss the other group as having no value at all and no claim for moral consideration. Having been deprived of their commodity value, the feral animals that "are causing lots of destruction" are granted no intrinsic value.
Feral animals are animals that were once domesticated, or whose ancestors were once domesticated, but have escaped or been released from their interdependence with human beings. Although self-sufficient and free-roaming, they differ from animals that we term “wild” because they belong to those species, very small in number, which have been domesticated and they can, if captured, become domesticated. There is a difference, for example, between a horse and a zebra, the former belonging to a species whose members can be trained to work with and for humans, the latter to a species whose members remain intractable, even if the occasional zebra can be taught a trick. Feral animals have undoubtedly been a phenomenon since the time that humans first began to utilize animals, but the separation of feral animals into a category distinct from wild animals is a recent development. We are generally not interested in making the distinction unless the feral animals are frustrating our attempts to conserve other species or to recreate a landscape. For example, free-ranging horses and pigs in other parts of California are referred to simply as “wild horses” and “wild pigs”. Farmers and ranchers, for example, include free-roaming horses and pigs in the category of wild animals such as deer, and target them for extermination when they destroy cultivated areas, compete with domesticated animals for resources, and endanger human economic well- being. Restorationists, however, call the free-roaming pigs of Santa Cruz Island “feral” in order to deny them any claim to be part of the wild (i.e. "natural") landscape. During the millennia that humans have been herders and cultivators, we have prospered, both by establishing a co-dependent relationship with a few tractable species (Diamond 1997), and by ruthlessly eliminating any species which threatened our food supply by occupying land we wanted to farm, or by eating crops we planted, or by preying on our livestock. Our ancestors constructed both physical and mental boundaries between domesticated space, which was predictable and safe because humans had imposed order, and wilderness, which seemed chaotic and unsafe because it was beyond our control. In the traditions of Classical art and literature, it was not trackless forests and rugged mountains that inspired artists, but rather landscapes of orchards and pastures. The pastoral scene demonstrated an ideal situation where elements of nature lived together peacefully, controlled, but also protected by the pastor, which is the Latin word for "shepherd", "the man who ensures a safe pasture for his flocks". The use of the image of the "good shepherd" as a religious metaphor for the benevolent deity indicates that the imperative to secure pastoral regions was given an ethical as well as an economic dimension.
Only recently have we begun to reconsider our place in nature and to admit that our promotion of our own species has been achieved at the expense of most other species. As we calculate the damage done by our exploitative practices, we have developed an appreciation for the scientific, aesthetic, and spiritual values of uncivilized areas. It is not coincidental, of course, that American society is now overwhelmingly urban, which means that we can cherish wild-ness without experiencing its threats directly. Today fewer than 5% of the American people make their living directly from agriculture. Most of us never see, much less touch, care for or worry about protecting, the animals whose flesh we eat or whose skins and wool we wear. They no longer share our lives of domestic security and, hidden from view in factory farms and feed lots, they are seldom objects of our moral concern. On the other hand, we now rarely feel threatened by wild animals. Comfortably ensconced in our urban jungles, we no longer perceive deer as pests who devour our grain fields, or wolves as predators who kill our sheep and cattle. In fact, we now romanticize wild species. The wolf, for example, once hunted to near extinction, has been converted from a frightening icon of unrestrained violence to a cherished icon of unrestrained freedom. And, as we assign a high value to wild species, we also develop an interest in conserving their habitat. In most cases, this new system of valuation has produced positive results and encouraged us to consider the interests of animal and plant species which we have never domesticated. Bison, for example, are no longer seen as our competitors for land use. The animals described by the Pullman car hunters as clumsy and stupid have now become symbols of American strength and independence. In reality, of course, bison could no longer exist independent of human management plans. Having reduced their population from millions to thousands, we restrict their movement to designated areas, and we control and protect them within the boundaries we have established. The very process of managing wild species and defining preserves for them blurs the traditional distinctions between wild and domesticated space. Thus, in our modern post-pastoral world, we have ironically become the shepherds of wild species. Sometimes we even bring them into our urban spaces to care for them. For example, indigenous foxes from Santa Cruz Island have been removed to a mainland zoo for protection.
At the same time, however, that we are willing to endorse human management of wild species, we continue to cherish the illusion that wild and civilized spaces, or natural and human activities, are mutually-exclusive realms. We have retained the conceptual dichotomy developed by our ancestors, but with two modifications important to this discussion: we now assign an intrinsic value to wild species, but we have removed feral animals from the category of “wild”. On Santa Cruz Island, the alternative to shooting the sheep was to assign them to the category of domesticated animals and ship them to a livestock market, that is, to assign them value only as commodities. For the biologists and managers of the National Park Service and The Nature Conservancy, the process of the sheep’s adaptation to their environment is of no interest to the study of natural processes.
In areas that we choose to “re-wild” -- a term used by some proponents of restoration (Soule and Noss 1998) -- the presence of feral animals like sheep and pigs offends us because we associate these species with cultivated landscapes.We therefore label the animals as “misfits” and refuse to accept them as a natural element of the landscape into which they were born and are therefore native. Frank Mayer noted that “the buffalo didn’t fit in with the white man’s encroaching civilization … so he had to go.” Today, feral sheep and pigs don’t fit in with restoration plans or with our changing vision of how the non-urban environment should look, so they have to go. The words “introduced” and “exotic” have replaced “predator” and “pest” as terms which destine an animal for extermination.
The restoration experiments on Santa Cruz Island have indicated that the rapid and total removal of sheep produces new ecological problems, and that limited grazing may be a better strategy if the goal is to insure the survival of a pre-Columbian species. Nonetheless, many restorationists argue for the total removal of feral animals. Their goal is not simply the protection of some species, which can be achieved
without the violent removal of others, but also the re-creation of a landscape from the days of yesteryear, a scene which humans can visit, but where feral animals are unwelcome because they remind us of our exploitative practices and shatter our illusion that we have constructed a pristine wilderness. Our ancestors took pride in their ability to convert wilderness into civilization; we take pride in our efforts to turn a few cultivated areas into a semblance of their former appearance, and we do not want the presence of feral animals to ruin the picture that we have created.
The disdain for feral animals is linked to the contempt for domesticated animals which many environmentalists express, even as they enjoy the products of the environmentally damaging and bio-uniform meat and wool industries. For example, deep ecologists have argued that the development of agriculture initiated a regrettable separation of humans from "nature" and that domesticated animals, being both a process and product of agriculture, can therefore never be accepted as a part of "wilderness" (Foreman 1991, p. 69). Defending their practices against criticism that restored areas are human artifacts (Elliot 84, Katz 85), restorationists argue that they facilitate, not fake nature." Any restoration is an artifact at the moment that it is deliberately arranged, but it gradually ceases to be so as spontaneous nature returns -- if humans back off and let nature takes its course" (Rolston 91). Restorationists deplore, however, the natural processes which occur when humans "back off" and abandon their domesticated species (their artifacts), and when spontaneous nature takes it course and these species survive and thrive. Many environmentalists agree with J. Baird Callicott's derisive comment that farm animals "have been bred to docility, tractability, stupidity and dependency." They could not, he believes, exist in a wild state. If abandoned, they could not cope with freedom and would "hang around farm outbuildings waiting forlornly to be sheltered and fed… Most would starve" (Callicott 1980). It is curious that environmentalists frequently define our obligations to animal species on the basis of assumptions about whether an animal would or would not take pleasure in being free of our control. We are encouraged to consider the interests of roaming bison and soaring eagles; cattle and chickens, however, warrant only disdain. In fact, in our modern factory farms, we confine chickens in crowded, windowless buildings, prevent them from fulfilling natural functions, and then despise them for not being free. As Karen Davis, writing about factory farmed chickens, notes, we victimize our victims, and justify our abuse of them by maintaining that they don’t deserve moral consideration because they are the stupid, fragile creatures we have turned them into (Davis 1995). They relinquished their claim to moral consideration when they allowed themselves to be exploited and to be robbed by us of their “wild” and “natural” characteristics (Budiansky 1992).
Environmentalists disparage domesticated species for their presumed dependence and weakness (once a source of comfort to us), and cherish the wild species which, until quite recently, we killed because they were "misfits" and, as Frank Mayer said, "could not be controlled or domesticated. "And, even as the buffalo hunters described their prey as stupid, lazy and clumsy, perhaps to rationalize their slaughter, environmentalists like Callicott use similar terms to defend their violence and deprive animals of moral concern.
We are responsible for putting domesticated species into an alien environment, but now we despise them for being there because their presence does not correspond with the concept of wilderness and nature which we have recently come to cherish. And yet, the sheep and pigs abandoned on Santa Cruz Island have proved wrong Callicott’s comments about stupidity and dependence. They have demonstrated an impressive capacity to survive even if their ancestors were "ruined" by millennia of human husbandry, and they deserve our respect if we are sincere in our professions of regard for natural processes. If, moreover, it can be proved that we cannot protect the interests of pre-Columbian species or promote bio-diversity unless we restrict or phase out the grazing of feral animals (Simberloff 1994, on the fragility of island ecosystems), there are less violent methods of reducing sheep and pig populations, such as chemical sterilization (Kirkpatrick, Turner, Liu, and Fayrer-Hosken 1996). Not only would non-violent methods of animal control address the moral issues of causing painful deaths, but a gradual reduction may also address the practical issue of managing the imported plants which had earlier been suppressed by grazing (Brenton and Klinger 1994). I am not suggesting that we abandon our desire to conserve other species, but rather that we develop a system of values which would accommodate the interests of all animals, not just those to which we choose to give preference in our own particular decade or century.
The reasons for shooting bison and shooting feral sheep are similar in that both species were targeted for eradication because they violated our idea of what a particular landscape should look like, and our preference for how the land should be used. Thus, although we may believe that our attitudes toward the natural world have undergone a fundamental conversion, and that we are now more sensitive to the interests of other species, we are actually following a very old paradigm: we exterminate, without moral reservation, any species we determine to be a "misfit".
Part 1 — Part 1.5 — Part 2 — Part 3 — Part 4 — Part 5 — Part 6 — Part 7 — Part 8 — Part 9 — Part 10 — Part 11 (here) — Part 12 — Part 13 — Part 14 — Part 15 — Part 16 — Epilogue
Like dominos, one thing led to another as predicted
With Alastor motivated to do his absolute to please you, Husk’s hellish training and push to be a worthy Overlord reached its heights. Though, to not cause suspicion to the other residents of the hotel, namely Angel, Husk made appearances here and there just so no one would claim that Alastor was being unreasonable
As for Velvette, she was being mentored by Rosie and Carmilla. It started with just exploring her new title as a ‘Threater Demon’. Her eye in fashion, her want to command, and her presentation skills were strong. Her role in your collection was to project information and messages you want Hell to know about
Because with Hell’s win over Heaven, big changes were bound to come. Not to mention, Trick would be wanting some action on their side and not just to watch their realm fret over yours. You understand the sentiment, after all, you enacted the system for Overlords for that sole purpose in the first place
Now, it was a lucky thing that the Vees actually divided territories before Velvette went solo, because those served as her base of operations and her new home. With Carmilla’s help in construction, Velvette has her own building to call home and workplace. With Rosie’s pointers, Velvette was capable of recruiting talents of worth to her growth
As an Overlord should, Velvette gathered souls to her side through contracts and slowly started to build her own base and support. Just as Alastor was supporting Husk in such a task, albeit it was more complicated since Husk was still under Alastor’s leash at the moment
Her souls comprised of individuals from the fashion and entertainment industries, not too different from her former work associates, so she was able to handle things all on their own. However, there was one thing that she made clear to her people or demons, which is; she was no long part of the Vees and when they sign a contract with her, it’s only to her service
That was something you’re quite proud to hear her say. Even when she is technically starting from rock bottom, she is not using anyone’s name to give herself a boost to start strong and fast, she was using her own. Granted that you allowed Carmilla and Rosie to help, but they were only serving as guidance and giving her advice on what direction to go in. After all that, they took a backseat and watched
To see her rise from the ashes of her own burnt flame was a spectacle and what you have been aiming and doing with your Overlords since the beginning. It was what you have designed when you took initiative to lead a group of overpowered Sinners. They were more than souls doomed to suffer in Hell
In your dark and cruel eyes, they were so much more. While around the majority of the deceased are destined for Hell, their crimes when living define their powers in Hell and their authority in a sense. You being the puppeteer behind your Overlords shows their potential but also their limits because they can never amount to anywhere above Hellborns of great destruction
You have your Overlords their domain of special title. Zestial of Fear, Carmila of War, Rosie of Dismantlement, Zeezi of Violence, Alastor of Domination, and now Velvette has joined their ranks. Velvette of Recreation. So you never let anything destroy or interrupt Velvette’s growth
It’s funny to watch was Vox’s panic over Velvette’s absence and silence. You had given Alastor a power boost to interfere with Vox’s persistent surveillance. The last thing you wanted was for your two new rising stars to have a stalker that will ruin plans and hard work. So now all Vox could do was try to make more public appearances to hypnotize others into staying relevant
Though it wasn’t like you were going to do anything about it. You did, however, receive information from your other Overlords that Vox has been asking around as to where Velvette was. Well, you have to give him credit of being bold enough to ask others where his former associate was at, even though it showed his stupidity
“M’re tea, mine own Liege? (More tea, My Liege?)” Zestial offered with the hovering items.
“Zestial, this is a redemption lesson.” You politely and indirectly declined his offer.
“Th’re is barely anyone h’re. (There is barely anyone here)” Zestial laughed, still offering you your drink to which you accepted. “And I am listening to the princess’ lesson, m’rely… multitasking. (And I am listening to the princess’ lesson, merely… multitasking.)”
Currently, you were sitting in a lesson of the Princess in her endevours to make her hotel a success. While you admire her dedication, you can hardly see her plans succeeding and that’s what you show her despite knowing of Sir Pentious’ arrival to Heaven
As you were attending her class, it just so happened that Zestial was stopping by for tea with you and joined you when you said you were busy attending Charlie’s little class. Needless to say, Zestial saw no use in such efforts, labelling Charlie’s dream as ‘flight of fantasy’ rather than a goal to strive towards
Zestial taken great offence when Charlie was promoting her aim to him when he first passed through the doors of the hotel, claiming that he never wish or dreams of leaving Hell so long as you permitted him to stay by your side. He saw Charlie’s gracious offer to be good as an insult to him and his devotion to your services, going as far as to see it as a betrayal of your mercy had he paid half a mind to Charlie’s words
It was only because you’d be free after Charlie’s lesson does he stay at the hotel. As for why he was also attending the lesson? It was because it didn’t want to waste a second away from you when he can. Unlike the other Overlords, Zestial was the one to have known you the longest and that has given him some unique privileges
For example, he could contact you physically or mentally while others have to wait for you to contact them. That was why he suggested for Carmilla to contact you about the matter of the angel’s death instead of waiting for your summons
Another was his authority to stand in as you to a certain degree while you were absent among the gathering of Overlords, that’s why he had that level of say and respect from the others (apart from the Vees, it would seem)
“Hey, Princess!” Vox’s robotic voice boomed through the doors to the room’s doors behind they slammed open unceremoniously to reveal a frantic technology demon. “Princess! I know you’re a good and kind person, er, demon, so I want your help—”
“Help in what?” You questioned but your tone made it sound like a challenge in it of itself.
The moment Vox heard your voice within the room behind him, he froze and like the technology he is, he robotically turned around to meet your eyes. “Ma- I mean… You’re here…” His eyes looked away then back to you and away again, repeating this as though it was a shy schoolgirl with their crush in a love confession. “What a coincident… Haha…”
“Charlie dear.” You got up and Zestial follow suit, indirectly sending a chill down Vox and everyone else’s spine.
“Yes?” Charlie tried her best to keep an unaffected expression, but the way her body trembled and her hands gripped at her sheets of papers till they were all wrinkled up was evident that even she was shaken up.
You smiled back with a small tilt of your head, “I’ll be leaving my leave and bringing Vox along, do continue your lesson on boundaries.”
Zestial followed behind you, “I too shall beest taking mine own leaveth, has’t a pleasant day, princess. (I too will be taking my leave, have a pleasant day, Princess.)”
Vox grudgingly followed along behind the two of you with his head down.
While walking down the halls of the hotel, the mere appearance of Zestial made any demon near you fear for their lives and left with screams and shrieks. Some wondering why such a fearsome character was even in a hotel for redemption and some wondering if such an irredempable demon can be sent to Heaven with Charlie’s help
At those demon’s whispers, Zestial was quick to show why he was still feared even after the emergence of newer and powerful demons that joined the ranks of the Overlord. You reminded indifferent as you continued onwards to your room while Vox held himself back from flinching at Zestial’s more violent and unseen side
Your head turned to the side as you stole a glance at Vox. He was still straightened up, but that was all a facade to hide his fear and anxiety. You internally sighed while Zestial was quick to make work of the disgrace he faced from the shadows and joined her side once more
As clear as day, you recall when there was a time where Alastor spoke praise of Vox and his powers. How he captivated your interest with the potential growth and rise his powers could bring, the thrill you felt when Alastor listed out all the things that he saw Vox could do
The only reservations Alastor had with Vox was his dependence on Alastor as they were sharing a partnership. While Alastor took credit for what he has down, Vox was eager to share his achievements and accomplishments with Alastor’s name, advertising that he was nothing without the help of Alastor who was already an Overlord
Alastor did tell you that Vox wanted and aimed to be an Overlord, but it was to be on the same level as Alastor. As anyone could see, Vox was doing his all to be on Alastor’s equal and to you, that was disappointing. Here Alastor was, recommending Vox to be within your collection when all Vox wanted was to be by Alastor’s side
Oh how you wanted to crush Vox and stuff him into one of your Cages. But you held back, instead, it was more pleasing to see him suffer and rise from the ashes of pain and torture. You gave Alastor a simple suggestion
Break ties with Vox and let him tred his own path
Followed your indirect order Alastor did. Within the minute Alastor broken any and all relationship with Vox, a battle broke out. One where Alastor showcased his power and strength to be leagues above what Vox had in mind
You were perched atop your throne while your other Overlords watched Alastor’s victory and Vox’s defeat within the space you’ve created for them all. The smile you had on you was so wide that your cheeks hurt afterwards when Rosie pointed it out
Then it wasn’t long before Vox seemingly bounced back from his reality check and came back into the spotlight. To your disappointment, Vox used the media in a poor attempt to push Alastor out of power. The little cat and dog fight was entertaining for only a moment’s time as Vox was biting out more and more of Alastor’s time and attention from his rightful duties
The excuse for your intervention only came when Vox claimed to have an Overlord title. Immediately, you brought him into your domain for such a daring claim. Contrary to your expectations, he fell a few feet down, but out of your favouritism for Alastor and trusting in him, you gave Vox a chance. You did need someone to fill in Husk’s place after all
While his offer to share his Overlord status was a unique and intriguing one, his choices were poorer than a human’s foolishness. At the time, there was promise in Velvette, but Valentino was another matter entirely. Still they did work well together, you’ll give them that. So for the first time ever, there was a group of three sharing the title of Overlord
Now that you look back on it, it was a misjudgment on your place. Trusting in Alastor’s words when vouching for Vox was one thing, trusting in Vox’s choice of companionship was another. Still, you see the issue and that somethings could never be changed no matter what
You lost counts on the chances you gave the Vees. If they were any other Overlords in your collection, they’d be long disposed off, but you let them stay out of the goodness of your nonexistent heart
It was a lie
Within your collection, you needed someone at the bottom to be the receiving end of your fury and for someone to be an example to when things don’t go as you please. There needs to be a system of rewards and punishments and who better than the Vees? They have their uses and they wanted to stay. Whether or not they see through your intentions is another story, but you like that they were naive
Before the Vees was Husk who was royally kicked out and still suffering today. Of course he’s aiming to change now with the help of Alastor. Before Husk was a few others not even worthy of your memory. Though the first and successful one?
Zeezi, your perfect stress toy
It was through her that you realized the need for a bottom rank within your collection. What better to have something dull and trashy to better showcase your most prized ones? Just like now, Vox compared with Alastor. It’s obvious who’s better. The comparison and competition made you ever more pleased with your top favourites
So far, Velvette has been the only one that seeked help to break away from her consequence. You would bet Valentino still sees nothing wrong and would continue as he always had. The question remains… Will Vox change too?
In doing so, put Valentino up for elimination?
You chuckled darkly as you entered your room, taking a seat by the window. “Come on in.”
Vox followed in with a shiver while Zestial closed and locked the doors behind them. The room thrusted into darkness before their surroundings resembled the galaxy appeared before their eyes, something a Sinner can never witness again after their fall.
“Now,” You smirked, Zestial taking his place by your side and poured you a cup of tea he magically made appear. Your melodious voice played like a record but your words were sharp as knives. “Why did you seek out the dear Princess of Hell?” Vox gulped as much as he wanted to stare at anything by you, he knew it was a death sentence. “Instead of looking for my assistance?”
Note: Been a while since this series was updated. Not sure how many of you still read this. I thought of dropping this series a lot of times because of the writer's block, but here's the next part. I enjoy the asks, ideas, and trivia you guys sent me! What you think would happen now?
Hope you enjoyed this one~
Circe Y.
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