I always felt cold.

Why is that, Nii-chan? Why was it always so cold and quiet at home after Mami died? I'm...really lonely.

They fudged the numbers a bit when reporting their losses. Of course, the majority of their troops thought it was just to maintain reputation; they knew saying that they lost four men in a fight with a young girl would just make them look pathetic. Yato pride was worth more than that to a lot of them.

Abuto and Kamui were the only ones who knew that pride had nothing to do with it. Well, Abuto had a feeling that was the case anyway.

Kamui never really opened up to anyone about anything. The strongest in the universe doesn't need to look back or regret, Abuto figured. And that's who Kamui wanted to be, the universe's strongest. He sometimes liked to look at the young man and wonder which came first: his ambition or his reluctance to remember the past.

Only hours had passed since they left the planet but already that stupid grin was right back on his captain's face. He acted like nothing had happened; he acted like he hadn't nearly lost his mind. Hell, the little jerk was already back to stealing food of other everyone's plates by dinner, starting even more fights than usual now that there were fewer mouths to feed.

As Abuto defended his dinner with his life like every meal, he looked over at the violent food thief he called captain and remembered the little kid he used to be.

A tough, fowl mouthed Mama's boy, wasn't he? He got in their way again and again, challenging them again and again. He had no fear of the Harusame name.

It was only later in their brief stop at Rakuyou that he learned that the red haired brat was the son of Umibouzu, their captain's rival. Each of local punks had more than one story of run-ins with the kid, nearly every single one ending with them getting their bones broken or teeth knocked out. They cussed, drank, and complained that they got no respect after being beaten by a kid.

Abuti felt no sympathy for the weak, annoying bunch. They were minor criminals at best; it was doubtful anyone respected them in the fist place. And anyway, what did they expect going against a Yato? Even the baby rabbits were strong enough to kill.

Still, it was a suprise to hear that the great Umibouzu had a family, much less two little rabbits. It would definitely explain a lot about how strong Kamui was; he had the universe's strongest alien hunter's and—if rumors were to be believed—the blood of the woman who could make even the strongest man cry in his veins. He and his sister truly belonged to an unique and elite class amoung Yato from birth...

Oh, yeah...Kamui had a baby sister didn't he? Abuto remembered as he scarfed down his rice. A tiny little rabbit who'd always try to get between them and her brother when the kid took a beating after challenging them. She never tried to fight in his place, only act as a tiny wall between them. He could recall giving Kamui advice, telling him to take care of his little sister.

What good did that really do though? Kamui still ended up becoming a pirate, leaving his family behind. And his little sister, well, who knows? What was the the kid's name anyway? He heard Kamui say it one or twice back then...

"Ka" something, right? Kasumi? Kazue? Kazuko? There were a lot of girl's names that started like that but none fit right...He felt like he was missing something obvious...

"—gura…"

That's what Kamui had whispered earlier wasn't it? Gura? What was Gura supposed to mean? He said it like it was a name, but who would make their kid Gu—

Oh. "Kagura."

When the realisation hit him, he was so focused on it that he didn't notice more than half his meal being swiped; his mind was filled with only one simple thought.

"Oh, damn."

But I'm not lonely anymore. Mami's with me...and I don't need anyone weaker than me. I don't feel lonely without you or Papi anymore.

It's not cold anymore; the blood is always warm.