After a quick stop back in town, a new group of four were loaded back up into the rented vehicle and driven towards the river. Tsugiharu wasn't sure which trip was more worrying, so he turned on the radio trying to find some soothing music.

The Moshi knew it was ill advise to travel at this hour but the Bat clan was one that embraced the night. Besides they might encounter the creature that took her friend away. She just wanted to see if the water had any knowledge of what was happening around. While the Spider tried to find a song in the radio Atena just hummed an ominous tune.

It was a fully geared up Yul that sat in the ATV, gas mask included. His expression was serious as he kept watch, narrowed eyes scanning the terrain.

He did carry his rifle across his lap, held securely, and safety engaged.

Tsugiharu spared a glance for the sleeping Osprey in the back (as per player's instructions.) Before pulling up to the Grave River.

"Grave River, as pretty as it is deadly." he offered. "If it won't disrupt your communing Moshi-san, I'd like to keep the vehicle running, and have Shinjo-san watching your back."

Nodding, Yul carefully rolled down the window, sticking the rifle out to cover her.

She nodded. "I'll try to be careful not to disturb the local fauna... etoo." She shook her head. "Ah hai... let's do this." She moved towards the river's edge. I can do this. Hai... I am strong and... it won't come out... She took a deep breath. I am a samurai of the empire, courage Atena chan.

She sat near the water and concentrated to commune with the weird water spirits.

"What happened when the asteroid hit?"
//D8 EE Comune with water 1 raise TN 15: 5d10o10k3 30

Mumei wakes as they brake to a halt, wrinkling her nose at the river's fascinating collection of smells. She shivers once looking at the water and slowly dimming light. She touches Yul's shoulder. "I'm going out to keep an eye on the water...and so someone's there who could grab her if she's too deep into communing if something happens. Just yell if I'm blocking what you need to aim at?"

She's pretty proud of just how calmly that came out when she wants nothing to do with the water and its denizens.

Glancing back at the touch on his shoulder, Yul cracked his first smile in a while, even if it quickly faded into a concerned frown.

He nodded. "I will. Be careful, huh?" His lips quirked at her, and then he resumed his careful watch.

The terrifying, but small water spirit takes form, fluttering is ethereal wings.

"When the stone hit the world, we danced and danced together as we have for all eternity!"

She was taken a bit aback for the manifestation but she listened to its words. The Moshi nodded. "Were there other spirits in the big rock for you to dance with?"

"Yes, we all danced together! Me and my kin, we all rejoiced!" The spirit of water replied before disappearing into the thin air.

Atena bowed to the spirit. She gave it some thought. Maybe she should consult with her fellow travelers if she should continue to speak with some other spirit in the forest. She went back to the transport. "That was interesting... Seems that what struck down the planet brought new spirits for them to dance with." The girl sighed.

Mumei backs toward the ATV as Atena returns. She glances back to Tsugiharu. "Do you think the earth would remember more? They cling to everything, don't they? Air's unlikely to hang onto anything that old, never did ask fire about these spirits, but I'm also kinda concerned about whether the stink here is flammable."

Tsugiharu nodded.

"I'm concerned how safe it is to stay out here too. If it was communing with the earth kami near the south pole underwater...it might be feasible. But I really think the only reason Moshi-san got as much as she did was because the water of the planets flows about. The earth kami here are likely to know little about the earth kami so far away, at least for one of my skill...." he said, not sure if the risk was worth it or not.

Mumei glances at the water, knows only the very basics about the earth kami, and shrugs. "At that, you may as well ask the stones of the settlement then, if it's a long shot. No predatory lizards there."

She pops the door, waiting to see if there was any consensus that made staying worthwhile.

___
(But will otherwise hop in, exchange relieved glances with Yul, and go where driven if things happen during my sleep/work cycle)

For his part, except for exchanging a relieved glance with Mumei, Yul had nothing to add to the conversation, and in fact no idea what any of it meant. He continued to keep a careful eye out, rifle at the ready.

"I am sorry... I feel like I wasted your time." She bowed apologetically. "I can try once more with the water... but if you think it is too dangerous I understand." The looked at her recently scared arm.

"up to you, Moshi-sama. Do you think you can find a clearer answer with more questions? Whether the spirits wit the asteroid were from ningen-do or elsewhere, maybe?" Mumei glances up and down the river. "But maybe it's possible to ask from a little farther back from the water?" Though she'll move back to an intermediate position if Atena casts near the river again.

Tsugiharu had thought from the outset this might be a fool's errand. He had thought that a win for the Moshi might have improved her mental state, but she apparently couldn't get there. He thought about how useless the earth kami at the temple had been, how needlessly dangerous the trip to the lake had been, and weighed it against the fact that they were running out of time....

"Well, we're here now. We may as well make the best use of our remaining time. Perhaps the earth touching the river might have something valuable to add. If not, we're no worse off than before." he said, not really pleased with well...many things.

He got out of the vehicle, though he was not going to be within striking distance of the death river, and tried to reach out to the earth kami, fully braced for them to rebuff his questions yet again.

Commune with Earth Kami, 2 CR for Clarity 25 Vs. 20, Pass

Tsugiharu looked a bit more at peace after communing.

"it seems like there was nothing related to other realms involved with the asteroid. As with all things with the kami, I can't one hundred percent rule it out, but I'm now willing to say it's far more likely that there are no other realms influence involved with the asteroid, so we're probably, fortunately, only dealing with the local realm influences." he offered, returning to the vehicle.