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[fogbornphantom]

Greetings, everyone.

Originally, I was going to inquire about everyone's thoughts on birthdays and whether or not to adjust for time discrepancies between here and back home, but then I stumbled upon something most peculiar.

Phanfiction.net

This is a real site, and it seems to be run largely by the cognitions. There are stories about us, and many of them are quite absurd.

One of the summaries is...

"Falcon struggles with whether or not to honestly answer a captcha."

And then there's...

"Aki-chan brings home a pet dinosaur and has to hide it in his closet."

There are... interesting stories about myself and some of the people I am close to. There's even a fic about Igor's supposed history as a heartbreaker.

But perhaps the most perplexing is a bizarre love triangle between Falcon, Phoenix, and the Ren that goes by Fiend.

At any rate, read at your own discretion. I think it's all rather absurd and worth a laugh, but there is the ethical concern of our likenesses being used without consent.

Comments

[vessel_ken_amada]

"...uh-huh."

[fogbornphantom]

...Not the reaction he was expecting. Ahem.

"That is to say, it takes a great deal of time and practice to hone the skills required, and given the lack of currency, you can simply take the leftovers regardless."

[vessel_ken_amada]

"There's like, three whole meals in this... 'Leftovers' seem small of a word when most of it will probably remain."

Still, he keeps eating for now.

[fogbornphantom]

"True, but at the very least, you'll save yourself some trouble later if you need a snack." There's still a great mountain of meat, yet Crow shows no sign of stopping. Just what is his stomach made of?

[vessel_ken_amada]

After a while, Ken starts to slow down, but Crow seems to be able to keep going. Just what is his stomach made of, indeed.

"I think I'm done," he says a moment after. "No point making myself sick over a dumb challenge."

[fogbornphantom]

"There's no shame in that. An ordinary person is unlikely to consume the vast mountain of meat..." A soft, flutter of laughter follows. "I suppose that proves you're still human."

[vessel_ken_amada]

"A rabbit is 'unlikely to consume the vast mountain of meat', does that prove rabbits are human? There are things that can be debated, but it's a fact that I've lost my humanity."

For an outing that was supposed to be a distraction, being back to existential questions is perhaps not the best move...

[fogbornphantom]

"A rabbit is also a herbivore. When we're speaking strictly about people, then most will struggle to complete the challenge." He sets his chopsticks down, folding his hands on the table. "Even if your body has changed, you're human where it counts."

[vessel_ken_amada]

Ken snorts, despite him. "What does that even mean?"

[fogbornphantom]

"I've known robots and Shadows who 'became' human through their connections to other. Sometimes, humanity is less about the state of your physical being and more about who you are as a person." Hmm... How else to put this...

"Your connection with Raven is precious and proof that you haven't fully lost yourself. And while Raven may be the closest example, I know you've connected with others, like Amamiya-kun."

[vessel_ken_amada]

"Oh, so that's what you mean by human... I don't think it's debatable that I no longer belong to the human species. But you were talking about something else the whole time."

...

Ken looks downwards and takes some time to think.

"Having made all these connections is not a good thing, Crow-san. It just will get everyone hurt. I've tried telling this to Raven many times, but he is stubborn."

[fogbornphantom]

"You're putting up walls. Given your circumstances, I can understand. Raven and I were very much the same, though I suppose the severity was nowhere near comparable."

Sighing heavily, Crow takes a sip from his drink. "I'm sure you have reasons for the way you feel, but try not to shut doors to other possibilities."

[vessel_ken_amada]

"Ultimately, I have something important to do, too important to be ignored. I don't have 'other possibilities'."

He sighs, too. "You know what I've told Raven, right? I am an instrument. You can all treat me like I'm not one, but this won't change the ending."

[fogbornphantom]

"Why do you believe that's the only path forward?" It's spoken calmly, with no particular hint of disdain. "You're more than an instrument, Ken, even if you can't see it. Anyone who tells you otherwise is not worth your time and energy."

[vessel_ken_amada]

"I've become an instrument because I chose to, Crow-san. And now I have to commit to my choice. I've sacrificed my ability to do otherwise."

He smiles a sad smile. It's just how things are. There's no use thinking about it over and over.

[fogbornphantom]

"Is it that you literally have no choice, or that you believe it, and finding other paths is simply daunting? Choices are not etched in stone. It is perfectly acceptable to have second thoughts or realizations that put you on a different path."

Despite his words, Crow's voice remains gentle. It's not his place to fight over this, just to make Ken think.

[vessel_ken_amada]

"Even if I could just give up, it would be wrong of me to do so. I have important things to do. More important than myself."

[fogbornphantom]

"You are important, Ken, and it's not wrong to have a change of heart. It's not selfish to doubt, nor is it cruel to reevaluate your goals."

But again, he won't push. In the end, Ken needs to come to his own conclusions.

[vessel_ken_amada]

Ken can't help but snort when Crow says he is important, but he doesn't comment.

Instead, he says: "I've had close to a year to think about it, and I'll have whatever additional time Igor is keeping me prisoner and torturing me."

[fogbornphantom]

"It is unfortunate that this place is so..." He trails off for a moment. "Well, I'd say it has its ups and downs, but I do understand your frustrations with Igor. I simply find it easier to focus on the things we can control."

He's getting close to the bottom now, somehow. Truly, his stomach must be made of steel.

"However, if he is deliberately torturing you, then that is a step too far."

[vessel_ken_amada]

Ken just stays silent for a moment, toying with his chopsticks.

"He's trying to break me. So I don't do something he doesn't like."