#c246

initially they were both seeking family-- red wanted to feel accepted, mana was looking for nea, but either way this is what prompted red to be vulnerable for the first time in his life. and mana's response changed him--originally a cynic, red begins to see the beauty and love in the world despite it all.

this connection, the first emotional bond he made with another person, is lost when mana loses his memories. red says it himself:

or, well, the bond is there-- but it can't be fully reciprocated. you can see it in how red despairingly tries to get mana to remember his mission: "you were looking for your little brother, you were so desperate you nearly got run over, didn't you want to see him that badly?" mana's story resonated with him-- finding family when red never had one. now, mana doesn't even know he has a family.

red took that from him. just as mana said love opens up a path, red destroyed that path, destroyed mana's ability to have what red had always wanted, ability to hope and inspire red to hope in turn.

allen (human) is therefore born as an apology, a replication who exists to give back to mana what red stole. allen lives not just to provide the sense of family-- but also to be a vessel to impart unto mana his very identity, his values. "remember[ing] it all" in his stead.

The chosen one