What. (Day 1 EE)

[Ik’tch'krit]

Ik'tch'krit wrinkled his nose again. "No-no, Nezumi not here to hurt-harm man-things. Big problem is like Heavenfall."

He started snickering. "Maybe they make self look like man-things so they can breed-breed with man-things."

[Seidou Satone]

"Heavenfall? Do you mean where this god we are going to rescue is?"

[Ko]

"Maybe they do." Ko noded along to the Nezumi's possibly-a-joke comment with what appeared to be complete sincerity. It seemed likely to her that rat-people couldn't change their shape at will--otherwise Ick-titch-keret would surely have taken off that fur coat of his before climbing in the bath and getting it wet through--but plenty of other beings could and did.

"Yes, what is 'Heaven fall'?" she added curiously.

[Ik’tch'krit]

"Yes-yes, this is where we head-head. Why I come-come to help-aid man-things." The Nezumi had the brilliant idea of pooling water only over the tip of his nose. It felt good enough, so he started scrubbing it like the humans scrubbed their bodies.

[Ko]

"So it's the place where the lost god is? Heavenfall? But also a problem."

Ick-titch-kret probably should seem more monstrous to Ko than he(?) did, but somehow his dark coat and whiskery face instead reminded her of the scruffy, undisciplined, fiercely loyal dogs that shared her family's home. She swallowed a giggle over the nose-scrubbing thing.

[Ninube]

"Yeah. He fell right through into one of the hells." Ninube shrugs. It's no big deal.

[Seidou Satone]

Hearing that caused Satone to sit up in concern.

"The Hells?!"

She looked at the nezumi for explanation.

"I thought he fell in your peoples land and was being held captive?"

[Ninube]

"Why would they help us if they had him captive? And it's just a hell. I don't know which one. But we got a couple of gods with us. I'm sure it will be fine."

[Seidou Satone]

"There's different tribes."

She says simply.

"Our...friend...here could be from a different one."

[Ik’tch'krit]

"I do not think-think any Nezumi have taken man-thing but fake-fake against his will," Ik'tch'krit replied. He then looked around, as he had not had the forethought to bring his own towel. Did the humans provide that at this sort of thing? "I do not know-know all of Nezumi."

[Ninube]

"I am pretty sure it wasn't the Nezumi. Aren't you fighting things that came from your former capital? It's probably those things."

[Seidou Satone]

"What, like trolls and orgres?"

[Ninube]

Ninube shrugs. "Maybe. I think they are things that come from the hell Fu Leng is in now. If that's where they come from, then probably."

[Seidou Satone]

"How do we even know he is still alive? I'm all for attempting to save someone, but five years missing seems either like someone didn't want to be found, or they couldn't be.."

[Ninube]

"Reiko-sama can talk to him sometimes. She knows he's still alive. They have some sort of connection."

[Seidou Satone]

...

Hearing that made Satone frown Deeply.

"So, we are going to all this trouble off the word of a single person? Has anyone else heard him?"

[Ninube]

"I dunno about anyone else. But Hantei and Shinjo are here. I doubt they would be on such a risky journey if they thought Reiko-sama was a fool or liar." Ninube shrugs. "Maybe they hear him too. They are gods."

[Seidou Satone]

She shrugs, skeptical.

"Or they are just sentimental to help a family member. Though, I still wonder why they waited five years. If my brother or sister was missing or captured, i would set out immediately."

[Ko]

"Many seers saw visions, that's what I heard." By now, Ko was starting to turn quite pink from the warm water. "When I asked people on the road. Gods' time is different from ours, though. I also heard they don't age... is that true?"

[Seidou Satone]

"Boy, wouldn't that be nice. I don't want to get old. Ruins my good looks."