#I think Fushimi's too independent minded to be an exact second in command

[ridiasfangirlings]

Don't you think Fushimi is like a king on it's own too somehow? Tho in a slightly different sense (he doesn't have a sword of Damocles). After all king has this kind of aura that people naturally drawn to them. And both Misaki and Aya was like that (I thought about this when I see again the lse novel cover illustration). After he step into the another world, 3 kings desired him (not sure if mikoto thought that tho, at least there's kusanagi).

Also your thought on Fushimi as the number 2 or right hand of the king? it was just interesting somehow he seems like the right hand (number 2) of a king too after all. Lots of time in official illustration he was put in the right position of Munakata instead of Seri, and then we have Kusanagi who want him to succeed him. And then in the anime when he and Yata do the ritual thingy for joining the red clan, it was Fushimi who was taking Mikoto's the right just like when Kusanagi did years ago. (I don't know if it's just me over analysing stuff tho)

This is one of the things that frustrates Fushimi about himself when it comes to Kings, that he can't get people to rally around him no matter what he tries – though Fushimi also seems somewhat unaware of his own abilities in that area and I think that may be where the difference lies. Like Fushimi does have some ability to draw people to him, with both Yata and Aya having interest in him and thinking he's amazing, and it's the same with Munakata and even Kusanagi to some extent. I think this is different than the abilities of a 'King' though, like with Kusanagi and Munakata it isn't that they're drawn to Fushimi so much as they want him in their orbit, I feel like Munakata wanting Fushimi for his abilities is different than a clansman joining a King because they're drawn to that person and want to serve them. And Fushimi himself seems to doubt his own abilities, in Side Red he has that moment with Totsuka where he wonders if Totsuka has the ability to be a King as well because “Even if you don’t control them with power, they follow you… it’s special, isn’t it” (and Totsuka replies "A guy who’s obsessed with something can’t become a king," which is a rather pointed way of putting it). I feel like Fushimi's low self esteem is the thing that really keeps him from having the same qualities as a King, he doesn't have the confidence to assume that others will follow him and so it's easy for him to overlook when other people are interested in him. He's not really able to draw people close the way a King would because he assumes that he can't, and it basically becomes its own self fulfilling prophecy.

As for Fushimi as right hand of the King, I feel like that depends on the meaning. In an official sense I think Awashima makes much more sense as a number two for Munakata than Fushimi does – I remember I had an ask once about what if Awashima took over S4 would Fushimi be her number two and my thought was that actually Akiyama would probably take that position because Fushimi works best in a third in command position. I feel like the number two position indicates that this person could take over the King's duties if the King isn't available (obviously only to some extent) and would be the one leading the clan in the King's absence, and in that sense I really don't see Fushimi fitting that role. I think Fushimi works best when he has flexibility and can move on his own, I think he would dislike having to be the one directly in charge of everything with no room to breathe. Even in Homra I think it's notable that while Kusanagi did intend for Fushimi to be his successor he also mentions in the Shrine Visit story that Fushimi and Yata and Kamamoto could take over as the next generation leaders of Homra, like even Kusanagi is aware that while Fushimi excels in some areas he does lack some of what's needed to really take over the firm second in command position. I think Fushimi could work as Munakata's right hand in the sense of supporting Munakata and being Munakata's 'odd job person,' as he's indicated to be in canon, but as far as 'official number two of the clan' goes I think he's better in his current role.