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[pancakeboy]

[Text him! Or do whatever, I'm not the police, and neither is he, thank God. Just specify if you want the more-fun-but-less-stable pre-11/20 guy or the grumpy third semester/postcanon guy. Pancake only for VRDR guys please, he's not third semester yet]

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[fogbornphantom]

Everything was fine at first. Ken focused on supporting Raven as a priority.

This only changed when Falcon unleashed a Megidolaon. I had at least weakened him with Debilitate first, but even with the weakened attack, it was enough to incite Ken's rage.

The change seemed painful. Convulsions. Coughing up blood. Bits of his skin grew overwhelmed with... blackness, is the best way to describe it. As Raven mentioned, one of his eyes is now black and red.

It seemed as though he was going to use a charged up Megidolaon to eliminate Falcon, until Raven embraced him and calmed him down.

After that, he focused on supporting and healing Raven. Call of Chaos didn't even seem to affect him, as soon after, he whisked Raven away.

When Ken took Raven out on that outing, he described himself as human remains. It's clear that his state of being is something that he feared would drive Raven away, and much like you, he tried to push and push to no avail.

[pancakeboy]

Don't try to appeal to my better nature. It isn't my face that's half-fallen off.

You know what you describe is alarming. I can't think of anything like it within my experience, other than the transformations Shadows display.

There is that Makoto Yuki who was what, part Shadow? He also displayed tremendous power.

[fogbornphantom]

It may be similar, but I leave that to Ken to explain if and when he is ready.

To be honest, it's a wonder we were able to achieve our objective. Phoenix and Renée were far from on par with Drake and myself, which forced me to prioritize casting Salvation with Kohryu at every opportunity. Raven was able to support me with Debilitate to counteract Falcon's Heat Riser, but it all swiftly fell apart once Call of Chaos became a factor.

I should probably also mention that the moment we dragged Falcon to the Metaverse, he was prepared to kill Raven. "Surrender and die," he said.

I know it wasn't his choice, but for as much as Raven will try to act like he's all right, it was terrifying.

[pancakeboy]

[No, he thinks, turning cold. Never.]

I trust you're still watching him. Falcon, I mean. I suppose I should thank Amada at least for getting Raven out of there.

It's strange that Raven held up better than Phoenix. That's tonight's lesson, isn't it? Appearances being deceptive?

[In fact, isn't he himself an example?]

[fogbornphantom]

It may have been luck. Ken was shielding him, after all.

I managed to avoid the affliction, but it was quite a pain having to be the only one with a level head besides Renée.

Falcon is still immobile, but seems to have rebooted. Futaba is trying to cool him down, so I'll let you know how the situation develops.

Just don't be surprised if Raven clings to you the moment the other children are out of sight.

[pancakeboy]

That, at least, I can do. Stay home and pick up the pieces after the rest of you.

[What? If Raven was going into danger, he should have been there. And where was he?]

I'll warn the children. [About Ken, that is.]

[fogbornphantom]

Be ready for them. I believe they're en route, and Ken can teleport.

[That's the best warning he can give for now. The rest is in Magpie's hands.]

[vessel_ken_amada]

Ken and Raven suddenly appeared right in front of the house's door. Ken was holding onto Raven - part protective, part clinging. He was shaking badly. His power had went back down to its previous level, but the scars on his face remained. They wouldn't go away for a while, if ever.

...

At least his job of getting Raven back safely was done.

[fogboundcrow]

"It's going to be all right, Ken. Magpie knows that you protected me." Raven made no attempt to leave Ken's side, even as he slid the front door open. "We're back."

Hopefully it'd be Magpie or Ren who made first contact. They'd be easier to talk to than the younger Ren or the little ones, at least to start.

[pancakeboy]

In the event, it's Magpie who meets them, who was on his feet as soon as he heard movement at the door. There's no sign of older-Ren or the other children.

He looks Raven over, seeing all the signs of panic, of stress, of having come too damned close—and then, without a word, he turns to Ken, and gives him a far closer examination, not just for what he is but for fear, for any sign that he feels out of control, at risk of loss.

"I understand you got Raven out of the way," is all he says, with no trace of warmth but also no hostility.

Those marks on the boy's face, like it crumbled and died; the ruin of his eye. The way he clings to Raven. Human remains, really?

[vessel_ken_amada]

Ken didn't let Raven go. He probably would be unable to for a while. Things got way too close.

"That's right," he answered, his voice immensely tired. "When everyone started fighting each other, I had only two options to keep Raven safe: eliminate all the threats or get away."

[fogboundcrow]

"They're okay now, Ken. I'm sure that Crow will return once he's certain that Falcon is operational again." He gave Ken's hand a little supportive squeeze, if only to help ground him. "My apologies for worrying you, Magpie. We're... we're okay now."

At least, that was the ideal thing to say.

[pancakeboy]

But he barely looks aside to Raven, answering almost offhand; they both know how the game is played. "We can talk about that in a moment." Don't give me that apology shit.

If anything, he cuts deeper into Ken. "You could have done that? Eliminate Drake, Phoenix, Glitch and the others? Nothing else in your toolbox?"

Again, it's not hostile, just coldly curious.

[vessel_ken_amada]

"If I had the opportunity to plan and wasn't lost in my own head, maybe I'd have had other options. As to whether I could have actually done it, I don't know. Most likely."

He recited it all monotonously, as if his mind was trying to distance itself from his emotions, or was too tired to process them.

[fogboundcrow]

"But you didn't, because I was there for you. Nobody died, and we're... we'll be fine." Eventually. Obviously, tension remained in the air. Perhaps that was to be expected.

His eyes darted between Ken and Magpie, unsure of what to do, let alone how this would go.

[pancakeboy]

He doesn't take his eyes off Ken. What does that mean, exactly, lost in my own head? Again, he's reminded of what he heard about Makoto Yuki, and of Falcon himself. Or perhaps it means something entirely innocuous—but only a fool would think that. Or that Raven can be with Amada all the time, for that matter. Though, of course, Raven has his own reasons for acting as he does, thinking as he does...

With a blink, he turns away; something indefinable shifts in his manner, so that he seems and sounds more like Crow. "You're both exhausted. Sit down. There's some soup in the fridge."

And, as if he means to get it for them, he heads for the kitchen. What else can he do? He's confirmed to his satisfaction that there's no danger–for now.

[vessel_ken_amada]

Ken sat down on the couch, still not letting Raven go.

After a moment of silence, some of his frustration finally bubbled to the surface.

"You know, the next time an operation like this happens, maybe I could be told the plan in advance? Having to find last second that you were offering yourself as bait did not help," he said, bitter. "I already had nearly lost it at that point. No wonder a little push afterwards led to... this."

His bitterness then left his tone, which became softer. "I just don't want you to be hurt..."

[fogboundcrow]

"...I know. We had hoped that you would join our group chat before everything fell into place, but it all proceeded faster than I had anticipated." He looked down, tugging at one of his sleeves. "We all could have planned more efficiently. I was only chosen as 'bait' because I had a convincing enough excuse to want to speak with him again.

...I really do owe him an apology. You as well."

[pancakeboy]

Other than a sharpening of the lines of his posture, he doesn't react to any of this; just listens, with his face conveniently in the fridge. He made his views on Raven being used as bait clear at the time.

It's interesting, though, to hear Amada still bickering like a child. With every hair on alert for a suggestion of something going wrong, he carries on souping.

[vessel_ken_amada]

Ken sighed, and clung to Raven tighter. Having him here, right next to him, feeling his warmth, was proof that he was alive. It was grounding. It helped him not get back to the Megidolaon, to where he didn't see Raven anymore and just saw the threat the threat it had to be eliminated-

"Next time you need bait or another thing stupidly dangerous, use me, all right? I doubt anyone would manage to kill me."

[fogboundcrow]

"Hopefully it won't come to that." The mere suggestion made him gawk at his friend. Certainly, Ken could handle it, but it was far from ideal. "Still... I'll try to do better in the future. And I know I need to get stronger."

At least then, the others wouldn't have to worry about him so much. He'd be able to stand as an equal.

[pancakeboy]

Ugh, why is it all so saccharine? It's like a stupid boy's manga. It's not that he doesn't relate, or know Raven has his own problems at home, or for that matter know that he'll be revived even if Magpie is so feckless as to let him die.

Use me instead, though. Double ugh. He really wanted to hate that kid. He sets the soup jug gently down in the microwave with the barest clink instead of slamming it down, and is very pleased.

[vessel_ken_amada]

"If you want to get stronger... don't take any shortcuts, all right? Power has a price. Don't end up like me."

He closed his eyes and buried his head in Raven's shoulder.

"You're the one who insisted for us to be friends, despite how stupid an idea it was. Now face the consequences. I'll always worry about you."

[fogboundcrow]

"...If there's anything we can do for you, just say the word." Even if that power had a price, even if it brought Ken so much pain, he wasn't alone. That was important. "But I don't want to use you, either. That wouldn't be fair."

After all, Ken was a friend, not a tool.

[pancakeboy]

Curious as to how Amada will take that, he pricks up his ears further. He'd like to hear more about those shortcuts, too; he thinks he knows something about deals with the devil. There was that thing about Crow's Amada's mother, wasn't there?

You know what, he thinks this soup could use a little more bulk. Cutting the microwave cycle short, he upends the jug carefully into a saucepan and—out of all the things he could have added—throws in a handful of small, colourful fu dumplings.