#This is admittedly rambly and unrefined.

[frost-felon]

Musing on Kashimo. I didn't originally find his character interesting, but 238 made me want to look into what Gege was going for with him. After some review, my conclusion is that he's constantly dissatisfied. Not because he's just a Fight Junkie™, but rather because if what Sukuna is saying is true (and Kashimo doesn't deny it), then Kashimo wants to treat others with care, but doesn't know how.

Fundamentally, violence can excite him (as much as it can be boring, like he implies many of his fights before Hakari were), but it can't bring him peace. Sukuna, to Kashimo, is "perfection". Why? Is it because Sukuna is unbothered? Or because Sukuna doesn't feel ill at-ease alone? Maybe it's just wanting a perfect body and a perfect soul, but given how Kashimo is looking away when Sukuna says he's greedy for being troubled by solitude when slaughtering others, I think it's deeper than that. Kashimo keeps his eyes closed, but makes what looks to be a grimace/smirk combo when Sukuna explains his own philosophy.

Using his Cursed Technique meant dying, and Kashimo used it to try and find an answer for his issues with connecting to others, and the pursuit of power. But I don't think Sukuna's answer satisfied him.

When Kashimo lived 400 years ago, he chose a path of bloodshed that left him as a small, dying man amidst carnage, with Kenjaku's words as a final temptation. In the Culling Games, Kashimo once again chose slaughter, forgoing connection, until he met Hakari and found someone he could find surprise and satisfaction (delight, even) in. In the times Hakari seemed to be perishing, Kashimo deflates, first expressing boredom, then resignation (and perhaps loss). After giving Hakari a chance to do unto Kashimo as he had done to others, Hakari chooses to make a deal with him.

The expressions Kashimo makes throughout and after the fight are quite interesting. He's drawn as if he doesn't know what to do with himself, and clings to the goal he made in the last moments we saw of his first life. He's confused at Hakari's claim of getting another to obey by being his senpai (Yuji), which he mistakes for being Sukuna's senpai. But he doesn't voice this.

Ultimately, in his third chance at discovering himself, he chooses his goal of fighting Sukuna to the death, foregoing any future chances, and leaving the connections he could have made behind. In those moments where he converses with Sukuna, my interpretation is that he regrets it. In his final death, he realizes that he'd traded away his remaining chances to connect with others, so as to allay his fears of the unknown with the familiarity of battle and imagined purpose.

It's a negative character arc, where Kashimo chooses a lie (the thrall of battle) at the expense of growth and self-fulfillment (finding companionship and learning how to care for others). I don't think it's a perfect fit, and obviously there is a silly air to it, but the theme song for "Private Pure Love Train" does describe Kashimo's mentality and character arc destination:

I didn't care much for him before, but I'd have liked to see how Kashimo fared during the timeskip. Did he stick close to Hakari, or did he coop himself up and away from others? Did he get to know Kirara or Maki? What did he think of Sukuna's former vessel, and what might interacting with Yuji have revealed about both of their characters? In the end, that possible development or regression was skipped. All I know is that Kashimo exited life's station, alone.

[dndfuckhouse]

untitled

Summary: Keva goes undercover to take out a serial killer, but she isn’t very happy about it. Psalm isn’t either.

Notes: i just write what yall be cooking up on twitter really

"Can you hear me?" Keva was too busy fiddling with the neckline of her dress to pay attention. It was more low cut than she was used to, and admittedly it was making her feel a little self conscious. The whole event might've been adding to her nerves as well, truth be told. It wasn't often Keva found herself at large balls like these, in fact, she'd only ever been to one other event like this in her life, and it had been earlier this year. She didn't have a lot experience in the pampered socialite area, but of the two women in their group, she was more suited to the whole "helpless target" look the mission had called for. She was by no means a helpless target of course, but Han looked like she could bench press you into next week, and they needed the target to approach or there'd be no point. "Stop pulling at your dress like that. It's unrefined behaviour," Psalm drawls into her ear, a little bit louder this time. He was probably annoyed that he'd been ignored, at which Keva just scoffed. "It's itchy," she shot back, under her breath so no one would notice. She wasn't going anywhere near the dance floor, it would be harder to be spotted by the target in a crowd, which made it harder for her to respond to Psalm but so be it. The reports had claimed he went after women who were usually by themselves. "At least go to the bathroom, then, if you insist. And straighten up more, I know you're uncomfortable but you're slouching. You have to appear confident, or at least like you know what you're doing. And-" Keva huffed. "Stop nagging me." She turned to where she knew Psalm was standing and shot him a glare. Ever the professional, he refused to make eye contact and sipped from a thin glass of wine. She heard him clear his throat. It was just the two of them in the whole ballroom. The others were stationed outside in the event that he tried to escape. Keva, still a bit annoyed, stopped picking at the dress and took a glass from a nearby tray to give herself something to do. She had no idea how to behave at these parties, and although she knew she didn't have to be here for long before the target made his move, she was bored out of her mind. "Why'd you take that?"Psalm said. He sounded agitated, as if Keva had just blown the entire operation and not just literally gotten herself something to drink. "What's wrong with it? Is it poisoned?" A pause. "No of course not. Don't be silly. You can't get drunk if you're targeting a serial killer Keva. Obviously." Keva nearly shattered the glass into pieces in her hand. Why was Psalm being so goddamn annoying? "It's one drink," she said, trying to keep her emotions cool. She downed it in one shot just piss him off, satisfied when she heard him let out a frustrated noise through her earring. "Might want to go easy on the liquor there my dear," said a voice from beside her. She whirled around, and was met with a man at least a head taller than her. Human, looked to be in his thirties. Dark hair, thin beard, neatly shaven. He more or less fit the description they'd gotten from all the corpses they'd investigated using speak with the dead. Keva's fingers instinctively hardened around the glass. The man smiled down at her. "What's a pretty lady like you doing all by herself?" he asked. Keva resisted the urge to just knock him out and end things right there. They needed to catch him in the act just to be sure. There were a lot of tall, dark bearded humans in Shorewater. She heard Psalm gag slightly into her ear, and then "Oh please. Who hasn't heard that line before? You're telling me this guy actually manages to seduce women?" "I'm not one for parties," Keva said, somewhat awkwardly. She ignored Psalm's rambling because she had a bigger problem. It had suddenly dawned on her that she had no idea how to flirt. The man didn't seem to notice. "Oh? A kindred spirit then?" "Bat your eyelashes and say 'Perhaps," Psalm said without missing a beat. Keva winced internally but did as she was told. Somehow it worked, if her new companion's smile growing bigger was any indication. She heard Psalm chuckle. "You look like something flew into your eyes," he said. She was so going to kill this guy when this mission was over. "Something the matter?" "Oh! Nothing," Keva said. She fanned herself a little. "I was just thinking how er- dreadfully hot it was in here." "Wow, you sure do move fast don't you," Psalm said, "but it doesn't matter. He's already taken the bait. Now, extend your arm and say 'Care to join me outside?'." Keva tried not to frown over how much she didn't want to do that. Their employer was lucky he'd paid up front or she would've just left. "My dear, you seem a bit flushed. Maybe we should get some air?" the man said. She could hear Infernal coming from Psalm's end. He still sounded agitated. Seriously, what was up with that guy tonight? "'That sounds like a lovely idea,'" Psalm said, although the way he voiced it made it sound like anything but. Keva repeated him. "Extend your arm so he can take it and try to lead him to the back door." She did just that, and the two were off, Keva not so subtly leading him outside where the others were (hopefully) waiting. She hoped Psalm was following. Annoying as he was being, she was pretty sure this was their target, and she'd rather not have to deal with the guy on her own. He had killed several women after all, it was why they were all even here. The thought made her shudder. "First hot, now cold?" the man said as they stepped into the night air. He looked amused. Keva tried to laugh it off. "As you've probably noticed this dress is sleeveless," she said. "Of course I've noticed," he said, "how could I not have noticed someone as pretty as you?" More Infernal followed that line from their target, and then a sound as if someone were banging a fist against a wall, and then a loud clattering noise, then silence. It took all of Keva's willpower not to turn around and see what Psalm was up to. Keva noticed as they walked that despite her efforts to lead them to the target area, the man was almost forcing them towards another, more secluded area. There was no one around, but she couldn't risk asking Psalm if he was following in case their target realised what was going on. She sighed internally. This mission was a pain in the ass. "Where are we going?" she asked. Might as well get the ball rolling here. The man didn't respond, leading them further and further away from the ball. That was more or less all Keva needed to confirm that this guy was their target, and even if he wasn't, he was definitely still a creep. She yanked her arm out of his grasp with a strength he probably didn't expect. He looked surprised. "What's the matter my dear?" he said, although the smile looked utterly fake now that it wasn't being lit up by the grand lights of the ball. He took a step closer. Keva stood her ground. "I asked you where we were going," she said, impatient. The man considered this for a moment before responding. "It doesn't really matter," he said, and with that, he lunged towards her, a knife glinting in the dim light. She had no idea where he'd pulled a weapon from, but no matter. Dodging out of the way, she stepped in and knocked it from his hands, disarming him. Once that was done she made quick work of him, grabbing him by the arm, flipping him over her shoulder, and pressing his own knife to his throat. "This couldn't have been that easy," she sighed. The man sat there dazed, clearly shocked at the turn of events. Suddenly there was a loud panting in her ear. "Keva are you there? It was Psalm of course. He sounded panicked, or as panicked as it was possible for him to sound anyways. "You're not dead are you?" "No, no thanks to you," she said, "what the hell happened?" "Hold on I'm coming," he said and then silence. About a minute later he arrived, panting heavily. Their target stared up at him from the floor, where Keva still had a knife pressed to his throat. "Who's this now?" he asked, indignant. Psalm ignored him. "Why didn't you stick to the plan," he said to Keva, "you were supposed to lead him to the others." "It's not like I intended to! You were supposed to help! What happened?" At that, Psalm paused. He straightened up. "It doesn't matter what happened." Keva frowned. If she had another hand free to reach for the dagger she'd had strapped to her thigh all night she'd have thrown it at Psalm by now. "Don't be like that," a voice said in her ear, "just tell her you got mad this imbecile on the floor there was flirting with her, and, instead of paying attention to where you were going, you bumped into someone and lost the earring." Keva paused. What? She looked around, and then back at Psalm. She was surprised to see that he had a completely unfiltered look of embarrassment on his face. "Was that you just now?" she asked. Before Psalm could interject, and he looked like he desperately wanted to, the voice answered again. "Of course not. Call me Ghester." Keva blinked. "Uh…?" "I figured you deserved an answer," Ghester said. Keva tried to process what had just happened, but she was interrupted by Psalm yelling. It wasn't in Common, but there were some Common thrown in there. Mostly swear words. "If you bastards are just gonna stand here and yell at each other can you let me go?" the man said. Keva stared at him in vague disbelief. Was he being serious? Psalm turned on him and glared. "The only reason I haven't killed you is because our employer wanted you alive, so do yourself a favor and shut up." It would've been scary had he not been blushing. "Aw Psalm," Keva said, "were you worried about me?" It explained how freaked out he'd been all night, but even then. He didn't have to be such a pain in the ass about it. "I'm calling the others," he said, ignoring her question. "Yes he was," Ghester said, "he whined about it every few minutes." "Ghester shut the fuck up."