[Ah, a lovely pond! Kashuu trusts NONE OF THEM except for the nice cute one that had koi fish once upon a time.]

I'll give it a shot and let you know what he says, 'kay?

[Somewhere in the distance Sayo is probably sneezing.]

—Mm, you thirsty?

[This is directed more at Aoge though, who's sauntering over toward the pond.]

[It's full of fishes, at least! Pretty-looking alien fish that swim somewhat close to the surface, but seem shy like carp in that they dart away as soon as shadows fall over them.

Speaking of shadows, though... This pond is pretty deep, and there seems to be a pretty large one slowly drifting by much closer to the bottom.]

...I'm not sure you should be drinking here, buddy.

[PATTING AOGE'S SIDE...]

Hey—!

[AAAH NAKI WHY?! The rock plunks in and sinks to the bottom, where that large shadow seems minutely disturbed by it.]

Uh-- yeah, I'm pretty sure we should definitely be going to another pond. Like, stat.

[Considering that shadow's moving upward now...]

Good, good. Let's go!

[Leading Aoge AWAY... Fortunately when a horse is this chill, it doesn't really mind being herded around. Naki, on the other hand, is a dang menace?! Kashuu's quick to reach back with his free hand, tugging this dingus forward by the sleeve cuff.]

You're gonna get your face bitten off!!

[And actually, right as he yanks Naki back, said fish erupts from the water. It's... well. It sure is enormous.]

[Please listen to smallest fox, Nakigitsune. Kashuu can already feel himself aging an extra hundred years...]

I told you to be careful! What're you trying to do here, huh?!

[Outside of SHAVE YEARS OFF HIS LIFE.]

[It did probably look like a much bigger version of Fishy...

That said, Kashuu just assumes the sentence ends at "see", and that Naki was just curious. So he SIGHS.]

At the rate things go here, you're gonna curse us and the next things CERES brings in will totally be land fish.

[Hopefully not Fishy's parents, or else it might come after him...]

If they could walk on land, we'd be in big trouble! [BE AFRAID, SMALLEST FOX. Kashuu's a little concerned, too...

But at least Naki is there to break them all out of their fish-fueled concern party.]

--I guess, yeah. Or maybe fish that can fly? But I guess they'd be air fish and not land fish, then. Ooh, or maybe a combo! Like bird fish!

Uh - I think they mostly just eat really big things. Y'know, like people.

[Or SMALL FOXES-- No okay, he's not enough of a punk to tease about that.]

Probably! Like a duck or a swan.

[THAT'S A HORRIFIC-LOOKING FISH oh my god...

That said, Kashuu doesn't notice how perfect this playground is because he's too busy trying to make sure that their horse doesn't amble off into some alien vines or fall into a pond or something. Why is he the horse babysitter!!]

Maybe I should make him a bigger pen or something... He probably wouldn't wanna wander so much if he had more space, right?

I'll see if I can get anyone to lend a hand later, then. No waaay am I doing that by myself!

[He already had to break a sweat helping with the stable. That is TOO MUCH.

Though after a second of consideration and looking around--]

Y'know, I didn't even know this playground was here... How many do they need in one park?

[PUNK. Not that he expected help from any of these beanpoles, anyway... Normally he just hires beefy NPCs to do the lifting.]

I guess... There's not even a lot of kids around here, though. Have you noticed that? It's kinda spooky... I'm pretty sure the only ones I've seen have come in through CERES and even then there's only like, three of 'em.

[SPOOKY ABANDONED PARK, THOUGH. While talking he makes his way through, carefully inspecting the equipment and keeping an eye on Aoge.]

[Yes, the whole macho cafe. All of them. Every last member, so he can have a show while they do all the manual labor.]

Um... I don't think anyone here's native to Tellus. Not inside this city, anyway. All of 'em are probably out there- [A vague outwards gesture in the general direction of the jungle.

But he sees Naki looking at that slide there! And since he's not going to judge, he'll just ask:]

You wanna slide?