video; un: kamui

[foeyay]

[It's early in the month, and that means Sanguis time. Kamui apparently doesn't care. His adorably fuzzy red panda ears and dark claws are on full display.]

A coliseum is a place where all the strongest fighters compete.

[Kamui explains to his audience with an air of importance, as if he didn't just learn this himself.]

I heard that Lunatia has a fight club. Or it did, once.

[A rather pointy smile begins to spread across his lips as he pauses for effect.]

Tell me where Lunatia's coliseum is, and I'll meet all of you there.

Comments

[naturallywavy]

<sub>[ You know, sometimes he does that. What now, my dude? Gintoki seems to be taking in what Kamui decides to say in response, though. He never understood what was so obsessive about training to get better and better but obviously it was something that Kamui and some other supporting characters were passionate about. Whatever floats your boat, he guesses.

While Kamui wants to be stronger, Gintoki wants to be redeemed. They have different obsessions, he guesses. ]</sub>

For different reasons. Noble reasons.
Not selfish reasons.

The only reason I ever want to be strong is so I can protect what I want to protect. That's all. I don't give a damn about getting stronger and fighting cause it pleases me.

It's kind of inconvenient, actually.

_{[ SAYS THE LEGENDARY SHIROYASHA, BUT ALRIGHT. ]}

[foeyay]

It's the reason I'm interested in you, after all.

[He smiles tightly. That's pretty damn inconvenient. Kamui's not so deep in denial that he doesn't recognize that much.

He doesn't, however, know anything about being noble. He's seen too much, destroyed too many, to ever touch on concepts like honor and virtue, let alone practice them. He's never had the desire to either. He's only ever had two goals that have driven him to action, and his reasons have never been noble. They have been those of a child desperately clinging to promises he's already broken.

"Grow strong, and protect Mom and Kagura."

His mother is gone, and his weakness only made her last days that much more painful. Kagura no longer needs his protection. She probably never did. He forced her hand the day he decided to run away.

He's damn well going to hold on to what little he has left. He needs to be strong. He must be the strongest. Truly strong, this time. Strong enough to face his weakness in the mirror. Maybe then he'll be able to build upon his physical and mental strength with something he's been lacking until now.

Maybe then he'll truly be strong enough to make his family proud.]

I'm fine being selfish. I am a pirate. Not holding back is right there in the job description, so I won't hold back on enjoying myself either.

If I can protect what I want to protect while enjoying myself... Isn't that your precious ideal?

[No, that's Kamui's ideal. But this boy has always been a shameless projector.]

[naturallywavy]

Not quite.

_{[ Jeez louise, this guy. They do have that desire to protect important things, but the difference here is that Kamui goes along with his blood thirsty instincts and somehow justifies it as okay. Gintoki never killed for pleasure. ]}

It's stronger to abandon yourself for others. Be completely selfless. Do things that pain you— not delight you— in the place of others. But I don't think that's a concept of ours that you're willing to understand.

Kagura-chan did, though.

[foeyay]

I think there's been a misunderstanding here.

[His voice tightens, lips strain. He's getting real tired of hearing "Kagura-chan understood this" and "Kagura-chan was stronger than that".]

I didn't return to Earth so that I could be Kagura. I returned to Earth so that Kagura could remain Kagura. I may still have a lot to learn from her, but I plan to teach her a few things too.

Or, at least, I was planning to.

[Maybe Gintoki can sacrifice himself for any Dick, Tom, or Hamko that comes his way, but Kamui can't. How is he supposed to do that when the few people he does give a shit about are nowhere to be seen?

Strength has always been his goal, and it always will be. But after rediscovering a purpose for that strength only to be abruptly separated from it, unable to leave this weird-ass planet for any reason... He's stalling.

He's stalling hard.]

[naturallywavy]

_{[ Man. Why are Yatos weird. But there's some similarities here now that Kamui has outright said it. ]}

...

I suppose I would be pretty restless too.

_{[ But please don't pick useless fights!! He's got his eye on you, troublemaker. ]}

[foeyay]

[Blame Umibouzu. It sure helps Kamui feel better.]

Be careful. If you give me an inch, I might take your arm.

[But, well... Maybe today, it's not worth it. Maybe today, he can let himself soak in 1% of the self-righteous protagonist speech and, if not hold back, at least slow down a little.

After all, he is feeling pretty restless. His own emptiness never bothered him like this before.]

Unless you're trying to say I should be aiming for everyone's lower arm instead?