This was a little piece I wrote about Ken. While I'm a "Joe" girl, for some reason Ken "talks" to me a lot. LOL. It constantly strikes me how Ken always seems to be split into two people--"Ken" and "Gatchaman". Perhaps this is something I'll explore more at a later time.... Any grammar mistakes (etc) are my own. Please do not repost anywhere. I don't own anything in relation to Gatchaman or its characters . *sigh* It was suggested that I placed anything I wrote in "The Writers Block", so here we go. Hope you enjoy: ******************************************************* "Down to Earth" He never felt more alive than when he was flying. The ripple of the wind shear snapping the wings of his birdstyle. The jaw-dropping beauty of the Earth below him, blue, green and brown, as he spiraled through the cold misty atmosphere. The incredible sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach as he launched himself into the sky, only to be followed by the exhilaration of the air currents propelling his body upwards towards the sun. He was strong in body, spirit and mind. Strong in his convictions. Powerful and sure. Like the Eagle he was named for. It was only when he was back on Terra Firma, feet firmly planted on the ground, that doubts plagued him. When he felt almost defenseless and weak. Blind. Lost in the dark and without direction. As Gatchaman he could do almost anything. However as Ken Washio......... The more time he spent as Gatchaman, the more he felt Ken slowly slipping away from him. The mantle of duty weighing heavy on his young, but strong shoulders. At times it was too easy to lose himself in his responsibilities, to do what was expected of him--and to deny any mortal feelings he might have as Ken. Yet for some reason unknown to him, he was afraid of the day when Ken would be no more, and there would only be Gatchaman.

I like what I see! Are you planning to continue with this? It reads as if there's more to come.

This is a powerful description, Redbird! Ken *does* speak to you!

Thanks for the input, glad you liked it EW & DT! It was just a short little blurb that I wrote, so there was no initial plan to continue it. But it might be something I'll expand on in the future as I've got other stuff rattling around in my brain right now!

Oh, that was such a beautiful description! You can really feel the doubts/insecurities that plague him when he is living his civilian life (vs. being Gatchaman).

Thank you Springie! I really enjoyed writing that piece. And I do have more Ken stuff that I hope to post in the future.

That's the Ken/Eagle in persona! Really, such a great job, Redbird! Your descriptive writing is awesome, and you so dug deep into the character up to the extent of exposing him! For an Eagle fan like me, this is candy for the mind! Like you, Ken is the character with which I like to delve and, funnily enough, I also think that the thing that fascinates me the most in this same character is that the inner battles he continuously has to face are the same battles each and every human being has to deal with some time or another in life!

Certainly a great piece Redbird, I've never considered the characters as having two separate personas before. One each for their civilian and team selves, but it certainly works. I'm wondering, could you write something similar for the other teammates or is it just Ken/the Eagle that inspires you?

I think they all face that at times. Almost like a split personality. You captured that wonderfully, Redbird.

Originally posted by gatchamarie That's the Ken/Eagle in persona! Really, such a great job, Redbird! Your descriptive writing is awesome, and you so dug deep into the character up to the extent of exposing him!

. Thank you GM. An exposed Ken...interesting choice of words....maybe that'll give someone a fic idea.....

I also think that the thing that fascinates me the most in this same character is that the inner battles he continuously has to face are the same battles each and every human being has to deal with some time or another in life!

Yes definitely. I really like to take the characters apart and find out what makes them tick, so to speak! Dig into their psyche's and all that......

Originally posted by KT1972 Certainly a great piece Redbird, I've never considered the characters as having two separate personas before. One each for their civilian and team selves, but it certainly works.

Thanks for taking a gander, KT! Really? I've always seen them as having separate personas of a sort. I think real people are like that too--we have different facets of our personalities that we show to different people all the time.

Originally posted by KT1972 I'm wondering, could you write something similar for the other teammates or is it just Ken/the Eagle that inspires you?

I'm not sure if I could get to it right away but I could certainly give it a whirl. I've kicked the idea around in my head from time to time. Do you have something in mind you want me to try? Anything specific?

Originally posted by Becky Rock I think they all face that at times. Almost like a split personality. You captured that wonderfully, Redbird.

Exactly! Thanks for reading Becky, I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Originally posted by Redbird Thank you GM. An exposed Ken...interesting choice of words....maybe that'll give someone a fic idea.....

... tee hee ... depending on what you mean by "exposed"!! *giggles* Obviously, I was referring to character exposition (even though I must admit that my human mind have been swept away for a tiny instance when seeing the word!) ... hmm ... jokes apart ... I hope someone accepts the pokings cause this subject is always close to my heart and, at the moment, I have to find time! I've already done a humble share of "exposing" Ken, now and then, but I won't exclude that I'd tackle the subject again, some time or another!

I think real people are like that too--we have different facets of our personalities that we show to different people all the time.

I second that!

Well it seems that I am late to the party, but I love this little piece that you have written, Redbird! You've really depicted a conflict within him. I'm curious as to why he feels Ken will 'disappear'... I would think he would me more afraid that Ken would 'appear' at an inopportune moment (such as when he was grieving.raging over the death of his father).

You do raise an interesting point TJ! That is something I could see him fearing as well. I like how you view it differently than I. I have some ideas on it, but I'm not totally sure (and I don't think Ken is either LOL). I'll need to give it some thought....

Originally posted by Redbird It constantly strikes me how Ken always seems to be split into two people--"Ken" and "Gatchaman".

This is something I too have been discovering in my AU universe, only I deal with Mark and the Eagle, instead of Ken and Gatchaman. I now also have a third personality appearing for Mark, after his abuse at the hands of Specran Black Birds. I really enjoy this piece and the way you describe the different sides of Ken's character.

Thank you for popping in to read it, CD. I'm glad that you enjoyed it BTW: Do you have a link to your story? I don't think I've read it.....

Originally posted by RedbirdBTW: Do you have a link to your story? I don't think I've read it.....

To the story I mentioned about the Black Birds? ... No, no link. I have not posted it yet. In fact I am still working on it. Maybe one day it will get posted, in the mean time I keep referring to it, when I probably should not be, but it is on my mind.

We like to hear what others are working on, so keep talking about it, CD. It helps me get more foxused on it.

Thank you Becky I am glad it lets you focus on what I am writing. The only reason I say perhaps I should not be mentioning the story is because I really have absolutely no clue when it will be ready for others to read. For the last two years I have not done much if any writing at all. Although the idea has been on my mind and developing for this entire time.

That's already a step forward, CD! You'll see that when you find time, and the right muse, your pen will flow without restrain to our contentment! But, always take things at their own time ... doing something because you deem that you're obligated to, or that it has to be done within a time limit, sometimes tends to take your own pleasure out of doing so and can also affect the end result and the harmony within the story! So, we're happy to wait, as you always come out with a lovely piece at the end!

Thank you so much, Marie.

Originally posted by clouddancer

Originally posted by RedbirdBTW: Do you have a link to your story? I don't think I've read it.....

To the story I mentioned about the Black Birds? ... No, no link. I have not posted it yet. In fact I am still working on it. Maybe one day it will get posted, in the mean time I keep referring to it, when I probably should not be, but it is on my mind.

Ah, understandable. Hopefully you'll share it with us when it's ready!

I really like this, Red. I agree about them practically having to have split personalities, it'd be hard to function in civilian life if they were always "on." With Ken, I think it's a little worse because he takes his additional responsibilities to his team very seriously and doesn't want to lose any of them. I can see him fearing that one day he'll completely lose the ability to turn Gatchaman off. It's one reason I think he'd half dread the end of the war (as much as he wants to defeat Galactor). What would he do with himself?

Originally posted by ChrisW It's one reason I think he'd half dread the end of the war (as much as he wants to defeat Galactor). What would he do with himself?

You're just speaking my mind, CW, and I can't agree more! That's my same line of thought, the subject of which I like to tackle in most of my attempts to write something out, especially when trying to dig deep into the character!

Originally posted by ChrisW I really like this, Red. I agree about them practically having to have split personalities, it'd be hard to function in civilian life if they were always "on." With Ken, I think it's a little worse because he takes his additional responsibilities to his team very seriously and doesn't want to lose any of them. I can see him fearing that one day he'll completely lose the ability to turn Gatchaman off. It's one reason I think he'd half dread the end of the war (as much as he wants to defeat Galactor). What would he do with himself?

Thank you for reading it, CW! And I agree with you. Because his job is such a big part of him, I feel that Ken is so wrapped up in being "Gatchaman" at times, that he doesn't know how to be Ken anymore. To be a "regular" person, etc--if that makes any sense. As for after the war, it might be very hard for Ken to turn off his Gatchaman "half". I think would need some kind of official job to do, he's not the kind of person to sit idle.

That is what so many veterans have to face when they leave the military. It becomes hard for them to separate their original personalities from the one they have to develop to deal with what they have to face and do as soldiers. The suicide rate is high, there are more divorces and run ins with the law. The team would probably be no different.

Originally posted by Becky Rock That is what so many veterans have to face when they leave the military. It becomes hard for them to separate their original personalities from the one they have to develop to deal with what they have to face and do as soldiers. The suicide rate is high, there are more divorces and run ins with the law. The team would probably be no different.

Well said. That's exactly what I had been thinking of Becky (I just didn't post it!).

Yeah, it's very much a problem for all soldiers. The war hawks like to completely ignore that aspect of sending troops off, I've noticed. In Ken's case (in all of the team's cases, but his in particular) since they were groomed for this from childhood and Ken takes everything so, so seriously, I think he's also not put a lot of work into who "Ken" is. While others were discovering themselves and experimenting as they grew up, he was no doubt reading "The Art of War" and practicing combat techniques. Joe was probably his most humanizing influence for a while there. Their friendly bickering and fighting is pretty normal. Plus, I tend to imagine that Ken was quite lonely before Joe came along. His mother was sick and dying, a long and slow decline, and Nambu was probably working quite a lot while having exacting standards. While Nambu does seem to care about the kids, he's not exactly a demonstrative type. And in return Ken was probably Joe's most humanizing influence growing up. A kid his age with a more gentle, thoughtful, and "civilized" demeanor to pull him out of his revenge fantasies and out of only being the little thug that we learn Joe was growing up as on BC island. You'll find that I can wax on about Ken in particular (and Joe) forever Red ... And, well, being a yaoi fan, I'm particularly fond of waxing about Ken AND Joe, heh heh heh. Like you, I like to dig deep into what makes everyone tick.

Originally posted by ChrisW And in return Ken was probably Joe's most humanizing influence growing up. A kid his age with a more gentle, thoughtful, and "civilized" demeanor to pull him out of his revenge fantasies and out of only being the little thug that we learn Joe was growing up as on BC island.

Why do I have this image in my head of a little Joe running around like a mini-mafiosi. LOL.

Originally posted by ChrisWYou'll find that I can wax on about Ken in particular (and Joe) forever Red ... And, well, being a yaoi fan, I'm particularly fond of waxing about Ken AND Joe, heh heh heh. Like you, I like to dig deep into what makes everyone tick.

LOL, I think we can all go on and on about our favorite characters! Well ...slash/yaoi isn't my thing, but we all have our likes and dislikes. I do like to dig into their brains and poke around in there to see where there are sore spots or soft spots!

Originally posted by Redbird Why do I have this image in my head of a little Joe running around like a mini-mafiosi. LOL.

Yeah, it's too bad the show was so stingy on showing us images of them as kids. Though it's probably a good thing as it would have changed the tone of the show.

Originally posted by ChrisW Yeah, it's too bad the show was so stingy on showing us images of them as kids.

Yeah, I can see it now: "If you give me that toy car, I'll make sure that big kid doesn't beat you up. If you don't give me the car, I'll beat you up." LOL.

Originally posted by ChrisWThough it's probably a good thing as it would have changed the tone of the show.

True, you have a point.

I can easily see Ken, as a coping mechanism for extreme stress, sort of "compartmentalizing" his mind and putting everything he perceives to be necessary to a hero -fearless confidence, decisiveness, adherence to duty, even ruthlessness- in the "Gatchaman" part, and shoving everything else into the "Ken" part. Except, of course, our fears, needs, loves, etc. are what make us vulnerable but also make us fully human. I like how Ken here perceives how much of himself he's at risk of losing if he keeps suppressing it -and fears that happening. If he still has some fear, then there's hope that he won't lose "Ken." True strength, really, comes from acknowledging all facets of oneself and yet continuing on and not giving up. Nice glimpse into what makes the Eagle tick!

Then you add in outside forces, such as Jun, and Ken gets even more compartmentalized. Sometimes it can be just too much.

Thanks for reading it LB! Ken's got it tough, I don't envy him. There will be more Ken POV's coming at some point, which I think will tie into some of the Joe/Jun prompts that I've been doing. I've not worked on them too much lately due to bad migraines, but hopefully they'll be done soon.

Originally posted by Becky Rock Then you add in outside forces, such as Jun, and Ken gets even more compartmentalized. Sometimes it can be just too much.

Yeah, that's for sure. And then around here we seem to have the Ken/Jun/Joe threesome (literally and figuratively ) which would complicate it more. (Not that I'm complaining either way mind you!)

I'm still waiting for someone to deliver a good, stable, long-term K/J/J threesome. The right story idea hasn't come to me or I"d give it a shot.

Yeah, that's a tough one. I don't know if I can see that situation being a long term thing.

I can but only if all 3 want each other, I think. Poly relationships are always exponentially more tricky than duets.