It Never Hurts to Check (D13, EM, Open)

[Jin]

Jin waves away the sentiment, but gladly accepts and stows the jade, "Think nothing of it. Were it still a sore spot I would not make jokes. Thank you, Kyosei. If anyone does run out and you have no more to spare send them to me. But until there is that need this is a great reassurance."

[Canary]

"Want some help?" A voice he has heard several times before offers from nearby. Kyosei had similar thoughts, perhaps. He had also been searching the area, hoping for anything of interest, though jade is always a fine choice. "World is looking worse. Very much worse. We need to figure out how to close this hole in between the Realms, or the whole world might look like this, eventually."

He finds a few items that would likely be of historical significance to the Nezumi, but any jade that has been here for any length of time has undoubtedly degraded and crumbled by now.

[Kyosei of the Isawa]

After he moves the last few stones needed, Kyosei sets out and grabs a few items from the ground. Nothing that is green, and nothing that looks obviously important, but he gets a feeling about them...

[Jin]

"Anything interesting?"

[Kyosei of the Isawa]

"Some sticks. Which might not be anything, but on the other hand, I got to visit the Rat-being's library, and these look a lot like the sticks they store their knowledge on. I have no way of reading them, or even knowing if they are knowledge sticks, or just ones for gnawing on. But, it never hurts to gather them, does it?"

[Jin]

"Definitely not. We seek allies among the nezumi and returning such things will go a long way towards it. Even if it is just a record of someone's day that is a piece of their Name not forgotten."

[Kyosei of the Isawa]

Kyosei nods. "They seem very focused on Names, and memories. So, I gather a few. It takes only a few moments, and may pay off a little."

[Jin]

"Name is more than just a name for them. It is like the soul... but also their place in the universe and the effects that ripple out from it, past, present, and future. I'm still trying to grasp the fullness of it, let alone how their magic lets them manipulate it."

[Kyosei of the Isawa]

"Huh. I admit, I've only caught a few edges of some things. I feel, despite coming, I'm missing half the things that happen here, even as I learn so many new and interesting things. I'd love to learn more of the Name magic."

[Jin]

"It does seem there is no shortage of things to face and to learn. I am sure there is much that has escaped me as well."

[Kyosei of the Isawa]

"I have a concern. The concern, which I may not voice well, is, no, I have to go back. I have been told that Fu Leng has been using the leftovers of his Tengoku essence to fight the Jigoku essence. But, as we see around ourselves, Jigoku has... effects. Which may have affected Fu Leng. Now, I know he is a little god. Do you think he could manipulate the energies in him, move them around?"

[Jin]

Jin rubs his chin, "I fear I'm not sure I understand the question though I think I understand the concern."

[Kyosei of the Isawa]

"In the mines, if there is a collapse, and a man is trapped, it is sometimes better to remove part of the limb, than to let him die."

[Jin]

A nods, "Now that I understand. In fact it seems to be, in a sense, the plan of the nezumi. They wish to harness his Name, to change it, to seal the pit. Shinjo thinks this means using his link to Tengoku to power the ritual. I think it may be deeper that that, though that is part of it. If one were to change his Name - his soul, his nature, and how it interacts with past and present - well if it took a god falling to tear the hole what then if what fell was no longer, and had never been, a god?"

[Kyosei of the Isawa]

"Ah. But, that would leave the Jigoku with nothing to block it from racing through him."

[Jin]

Jin nods, "The plan is to extract him first and commence the ritual as soon as he is free but before Ningen-do can claim him instead... assuming we can get people to agree to the plan."

[Kyosei of the Isawa]

Kyosei furrows his brow. "I just don't see how it couldn't leave him weakened. Which is the problem." He shakes his head. "I will have to ask one of the ones more involved. I feel like there's something I'm missing about this. Not that you don't explain as bast you can - just that even you don't fully understand it."

[Jin]

"Weakened but in this realm means we can give him jade and he should be no worse off than any of us mortals. But you are right. I hope to learn more from the nezumi before the time comes."

[Kyosei of the Isawa]

"I think it would take more than just jade. As close as he has been, in the opening?" Kyosei shakes his head. "I think they underestimate how much the Tengoku is helping him."

[Jin]

"If that is true though then we are doomed before we start. If jade is not enough to resist the entrance then there is no way for us to reach him in the first place."