Ferris was never particularly good at thinking. It was much easier for him to simply act on instinct, setting any difficult thoughts to the side rather than trying to sort through them.
Since his problems could usually be solved by punching them—a fast, easy, and free solution—Ferris frequently lashed out at others like a feral beast, eventually earning him the infamous moniker of “Mad Dog” (it may or may not have also been influenced by his tendency to literally growl at people, but that's a story for another time).
This didn't seem to bother him, however; Ferris wasn't very interested in the people around him in the first place, and he seldom reflected on his own behavior. Despite this, the brief flashes of self-awareness that he did get often became defining moments in his life’s course.
The first and most significant of these milestones came when Amiya was born. Immediately after laying eyes on the newborn, Ferris came to an abrupt realization:
Babies… are very weak.
… More meaningfully, he realized that his usual method of dealing with things that bothered him would severely harm the newborn. Though he didn't understand why at the time, the possibility of hurting Amiya felt strangely… unpleasant.
These new feelings of apprehension baffled him at first, since he’d never hesitated to fight someone before. Regardless, Ferris quickly came to the groundbreaking conclusion that perhaps punching was not the best solution to all of his problems.
However, as poorly-maintained gears in his head spun wildly in an attempt to generate a better idea for how to interact with a baby, Ferris was effectively incapacitated for several weeks until he ultimately decided to just (literally) grab someone who was used to having a younger sibling for advice.
Nonetheless, Ferris was finally thinking—and, resolving himself to become a “good brother” to Amiya, the world around him slowly began to move.
———
Sitting at the lakeside, Fenris breathed in the warm, summery air. He didn't remember much about his past; most of his memories were blurred together into an indistinct haze, and what little remained was disjointed.
That's why—even though it was boring—he was happy. He was alive. Every dull, mundane detail was vivid and real—no longer in a distant dream.
How long had it been since his mind felt this clear? How much had he missed in life?
Being as he was, however, Fenris decided to set those thoughts aside for the time being. He would be able to look back on them later, and there was much more for him to see right now.
… And then a fish hit him in the face.
Ferris was never particularly good at thinking. It was much easier for him to simply act on instinct, setting any difficult thoughts to the side rather than trying to sort through them.
Since his problems could usually be solved by punching them—a fast, easy, and free solution—Ferris frequently lashed out at others like a feral beast, eventually earning him the infamous moniker of “Mad Dog” (it may or may not have also been influenced by his tendency to literally growl at people, but that's a story for another time).
This didn't seem to bother him, however; Ferris wasn't very interested in the people around him in the first place, and he seldom reflected on his own behavior. Despite this, the brief flashes of self-awareness that he did get often became defining moments in his life’s course.
The first and most significant of these milestones came when Amiya was born. Immediately after laying eyes on the newborn, Ferris came to an abrupt realization:
Babies… are very weak.
… More meaningfully, he realized that his usual method of dealing with things that bothered him would severely harm the newborn. Though he didn't understand why at the time, the possibility of hurting Amiya felt strangely… unpleasant.
These new feelings of apprehension baffled him at first, since he’d never hesitated to fight someone before. Regardless, Ferris quickly came to the groundbreaking conclusion that perhaps punching was not the best solution to all of his problems.
However, as poorly-maintained gears in his head spun wildly in an attempt to generate a better idea for how to interact with a baby, Ferris was effectively incapacitated for several weeks until he ultimately decided to just (literally) grab someone who was used to having a younger sibling for advice.
Nonetheless, Ferris was finally thinking—and, resolving himself to become a “good brother” to Amiya, the world around him slowly began to move.
———
Sitting at the lakeside, Fenris breathed in the warm, summery air. He didn't remember much about his past; most of his memories were blurred together into an indistinct haze, and what little remained was disjointed.
That's why—even though it was boring—he was happy. He was alive. Every dull, mundane detail was vivid and real—no longer in a distant dream.
How long had it been since his mind felt this clear? How much had he missed in life?
Being as he was, however, Fenris decided to set those thoughts aside for the time being. He would be able to look back on them later, and there was much more for him to see right now.
… And then a fish hit him in the face.
