ic inbox [ota]

[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]

Comments

[fogbornphantom]

That's right. He still lost his mother, but he was able to recover with time and support from Kirijo-san and the others. This Ken seemed wholly alone before Raven.

It seemed Elizabeth was trying to communicate something to him as well. Something about him being put in a difficult position.

The thread cut off abruptly, or perhaps it shifted to private communication.

I'm not sure if you read it, but the correspondence started here.

[pancakeboy]

I did read it. It had a good deal in common with the way she spoke to me, and I suspect he appreciated it just as little.

Perhaps we should invite him to the alliance, who knows. Tricked by something powerful, plays harmless for the public. He'd fit right in.

[fogbornphantom]

Like an honorary Akechi?

I suppose we could make small allowances if you are comfortable with it. Edge cases on a case by case basis.

[pancakeboy]

I wasn't serious. He's *not* one of us, after all. More trying to communicate that, I suppose, I saw something in him.

It didn't convince me he was any less dangerous.

[fogbornphantom]

Of course he's dangerous.

But if he's happy, if he's supported, then I believe it will be all right.

Someone in his position needs to feel safe and supported. Raven already has a head start.

[pancakeboy]

You know what I meant.

[Dangerous to Raven, specifically. Although...]

And yet he rescued him. It's not something that can end well.

[fogbornphantom]

The best we can do is monitor the situation.

You have valid reasons to fret. I won't take that from you.

If anything, I'm sure Ken would agree. He even tried to get Raven to leave him. It just failed.

[pancakeboy]

Well, Raven is his own worst enemy, and we both know that too.

[fogbornphantom]

You won't be forgotten, though.

The benefit to our memory link is that I can tell how much he wants to cling to you tonight. You make him feel safe.

[pancakeboy]

As I said, he has worse judgement than I believed possible of myself

Yes, well. If he keeps on bringing home murderers and would-be murderers, eventually one of us will give him a sharp dose of reality.

Perhaps it's a mistake to coddle him.

[fogbornphantom]

Consider how many of the people here have been in Shido's employ.

Avoiding contact with murders and would-be murderers here is frankly impossible, and I would like to think he's intelligent enough to know when enough is enough.

Someone who genuinely wanted to hurt him wouldn't push him away. They'd take advantage of his attachment.

[pancakeboy]

Intelligence doesn't factor in. His emotions are controlling him. He has something to prove.

[And this is sensitive ground indeed, to be walked only in full protective gear after a delay of 24,000 years.

Whether he himself is taking advantage of Raven, he doesn't say.]

[fogbornphantom]

Don't we all?

I feel like it's something we all have in common, even if we go about it in different ways and seek to prove different things.

[One could easily argue it of Crow, with how much he tries to provide for everyone around him. He knows he's not exempt.]

[pancakeboy]

I wasn't going to be the first to say it.

You'll understand, though, if I think it may make him prone to bad decisions. And Amada, for that matter, though it would be a mistake to speculate too much about what's going on in his head.

[fogbornphantom]

Perhaps you should talk to Ken when you have time? Get to know him better so you can get to know him better.

I won't say you should be friends, but understanding him may also make it easier to protect Raven if we're strictly speaking from the most cynical perspective.

I know our approaches differ, and I wouldn't ask you to think like me. Just understand that Raven would be unhappy if we were to forcibly separate them.

I also believe that Ken may need companionship more than he cares to admit.

[pancakeboy]

Separating them will just destabilise matters. As ever, we end up dependent on Igor's munificence. And who knows what he really wants.

[Lies. He has a dozen theories, all untrustworthy catalogued.]

If anyone's going to "get to know" Amada, it should probably be you. We didn't exactly start on good terms.

[fogbornphantom]

He seemed amenable enough earlier. One poor encounter doesn't necessarily doom a relationship, otherwise I never would have become friends with Yu or Yosuke.

Not that I'm opposed, but I also believe you should give yourself more credit. You're likely the one most equipped to understand his mindset due to you both enduring great tragedy.

Not that Raven and I haven't, but there may be aspects that you're able to better comprehend.