#what wait if it turns out Doumyouji's dad was supposed to go fight Purgatory too

[ridiasfangirlings]

Fushimi time traveled to Habari’s Scepter 4.

Imagine he gets sent back in time to like a week before the Kagutsu incident happens too, and Fushimi doesn't know if he's supposed to try and prevent it or if he needs to get out of this place and back to his own time before he inadvertently becomes a casualty (also considering his childhood home is nearby imagine he has to take extra precautions not to run into himself – or worse, Niki – and create a time paradox or something). Say Fushimi gets hit by a Strain and he's sent back in time, the way the Strain's power works is that there's something from Fushimi's time hidden in the past that he has to retrieve if he wants to get back home. After he gets hit by the power he wakes up back in Scepter 4's infirmary, Fushimi's momentarily confused and wonders if all that Strain business was just a dream when the door opens and Habari Jin steps in to check on him. Fushimi immediately recognizes him from Scepter 4's official files and is even more confused when Habari treats Fushimi as if he's a member of Habari's Scepter 4, just checking on him after his 'injury' that he apparently got from a member of 'Purgatory.' Fushimi has enough wits about him to play along, just going with whatever Habari says and doing his best to act like he is definitely supposed to be here. Habari gives him a long searching look at some point and Fushimi tenses, but then Habari puts a hand on his shoulder and tells him to take it easy.

Once he's released from the infirmary Fushimi immediately sets about figuring out 'when' he is and what's going on. He recalls the power of the Strain they were chasing and assumes he needs to find something from the future so he can go home, the Strain's power also apparently doesn't just send someone back in time so much as it 'inserts' them so to the rest of Scepter 4 it's like Fushimi was always there. Maybe the power does have limits though, like when asked what squad Fushimi's in members will look momentarily confused and when Fushimi tries to check and see if he's in the personnel files the place where his own file should be is blank and the Records office doesn't get why. Fushimi does get his own Scepter 4 uniform, a normal one (he can't even pop the collar, it's terrible) and a sword, though it feels strange to be without Subaru or his knives. As he's observing Scepter 4 and listening to the talk of Purgatory and the state of Kagutsu Genji's Sword Fushimi has a sudden thought and he hurries to check that day's date. When he sees it his stomach drops, realizing they are exactly one week from the Kagutsu Crater happening and that half these people with him now are going to die when that Sword falls.

So now Fushimi has to figure out how to get home before that happens while also trying not to get too close to the people who he knows aren't going to make it. Maybe he has to fix some small almost time paradoxes too, like Zenjoh gets sent away on a mission and normally wouldn't be back for the day Kagutsu's Sword falls and therefore he wouldn't be there in time to kill Habari. Fushimi convinces Habari to let him accompany Zenjoh, Habari's very intrigued by Fushimi and notes that it's odd, he is certain that Fushimi has been a long time clansman but then at the same time he feels as if they've never met before. Fushimi just gives this very flat 'is that so,' trying not to show any surprise as mentally he's clicking his tongue thinking that Blue Kings are such a pain. Later he ends up as part of a skirmish with Purgatory and saves Shiotsu's life, Shiotsu is grateful but Fushimi's wondering if this is one of those paradoxes where he has to be here and is he going to end up a casualty of the Crater anyway.

He's supposed to be part of the team that fights with Purgatory on the day the Sword falls but then at the last minute Habari stops him and tells him to stay behind. Habari mentions that he's been thinking all this time about why he doesn't recognize Fushimi and he thinks he may understand now. He hopes to talk with Fushimi more as soon as he gets back from taking care of Kagutsu but in the meantime he thinks he has something that belongs to Fushimi. It seems somehow Fushimi's been carrying the wrong sword, and Habari holds out Subaru to him saying again that they will talk after this mission. Fushimi takes the sword and then just quietly nods like 'right. After this mission.' Habari's eyes look hooded for a moment and then he tells Fushimi that he hopes Fushimi's King will carry on their work before turning and walking away. Before Fushimi can respond everything goes fuzzy and he wakes up back at his Scepter 4 in the correct timeline, holding Subaru but with his sword from the old Scepter 4 still sheathed at his side.