[Haesslich]

Originally Posted by Sol Falling

I wouldn't say that it's completely impossible...the way Ajimu framed Zenkichi's position was made to look as if he had no other choice if he wanted to be "special" to Medaka...and Medaka has responded to her disappointment in Zenkichi by deciding that fighting him is her only choice in helping him grow. However much it could be said that Medaka prefers her "enemies", however, you have never seen Unzen or Kumagawa cause Medaka to break down into tears. The value that Medaka used to place on Zenkichi was that she thought he was someone who truly shared and understood her ideals. The reason she's grown disillusioned with him now is because she's learned that, rather than understanding her, Zenkichi has actually just been following along with her and acting like whatever she's said has been right. Medaka is encouraging Zen's growth now because she would rather he fight for his own ideals than pretend to go along with hers; but really what Medaka would most appreciate is a "friend" who, on an equal level, genuinely shares her dreams and aspirations.

Medaka and Zenkichi would not have to fight if their goals and ideals were actually the same. The problem is that Zenkichi is not even looking at Medaka's dreams or ideals in the first place, only at the "position" of being the most special person in her heart. What Zenkichi doesn't understand is that it's not, as Ajimu is telling him, her enemies that Medaka would most truly value, but rather someone who genuinely shares her dream. It's only the fact that no such person has yet existed that makes it look like Medaka prefers her enemies.

The thing which could restore the Student Council to peace and repair Zen and Medaka's relationship is if they could come to genuinely support and understand each other. Ajimu has mired Zenkichi in self-doubt and worries about his own position, and Medaka has given up on being understood by Zen without speaking through their fists and bodies, but it's the potential to snap both of them out of this narrow perspective that is represented by Kikaijima's faction.

Is it wrong to want everyone to be happy? Is it wrong to hope that every person could work passionately towards their dreams and their goals? Up to now, deep in his heart, Zenkichi has believed that that isn't possible. (Up until the treasure hunt arc, Akune had believed he was too guilty to deserve such an opportunity. Up to the Election Battles, Kumagawa had believed that that was a world in which the Minus could never take part.) Certainly, Medaka is now encouraging Zenkichi to become strong enough to prove to her that it isn't possible, if that's what he truly believes in. This is what her current actions seem to represent and what is making Kikaijima most upset: giving up hope on Zen ever understanding her and resorting to fists to prove who is right . However what would make Medaka truly happy, restore Zenkichi's place beside her, and eliminate the need to fight, would be if Zenkichi could come to genuinely believe that making others happy, (as well as making himself happy as he told her back when he helped Medaka II change back into herself), was for himself also a worthwhile and achievable goal.

The way things stand right now, returning to that 'happy happy place' is impossible - the innocence is gone, and the look of disgust will linger in Zen's mind to some extent, even if he tries to ignore it. He now knows Medaka no longer considers him 'special' - in fact, she dislikes the idea that he's not only not special, but that he is 'that type' of person (aka: one who can't completely believe in others, such as Kumagawa), and one who managed to stay by her side so long while apparently holding such ideas.

Medaka can't take back her words, or the beating. It's not something that a smile and a 'sorry about that' will fix. Zen can't take back his words, or the bad feelings which have been exchanged. Short of removing all their memories of the incident, neither Zen or Medaka will lapse back into their previous relationship without a fault... and unless you wipe everyone else's memories of the events, they'll remember it, and their behavior will be altered by the memory.

Zen's always had the self-doubt; it's something that comes with being human, especially one who's had to try and keep up with someone who is impossibly skilled and competent in comparison. All Ajimu did was provide other people who could keep up with Medaka, or at least go along with her ideas, and by doing so make Zen seem less special. Ajimu didn't make Kumagawa tear her face off in middle school, did not make Kumagawa the negative bastard he always was (as far as we know), and didn't make Kumagawa tell Medaka that life was worthless. Nor did she make Zen tell Medaka that her purpose was to make people happy.

Their old relationship is forever altered - they'll have to go on from this point, and figure out a basis for a new one.

As for making everyone happy, I'm with Zen - it's impossible, especially since some people's idea of happy is to kill other people (which would make those other people unhappy). Happiness is something a person has to find on their own - Medaka can't MAKE them happy, but can make conditions where they can have a chance to be happy. Medaka seems to believe that other people's idea of happiness is like her own - that they'll be happy, once they achieve their purpose. Minuses go out of their way to be unhappy, which is why Kumagawa bothered Medaka for ages... as she ended up beating the daylights out of him, and realized that she couldn't make him happy, no matter what she did, and she couldn't beat him into being happy.

What Zen needs to do now is figure out what he can do, rather than focus on being 'normal' as the core of his identity. He isn't normal now, and never really was normal in the 'average' sense of the word. Such a being does not exist, given the wide range of human ability and personalities - nobody can be that SINGLE 'average' person by which everyone else's 'normal' can be measured.

Of course, given how battle-happy Medaka's been the last 40 chapters, it's no wonder he's decided to try to beat her in a fight to show her the courage of his convictions; he's convinced that's the only way to reach her, and the examples of Kikaijima, Akune, and Kumagawa (former opponents, now friendS) along with the others in every other arc coming to support her during her fight with Kumagawa doesn't help this impression.