Chapter Text
Inigos friend the dragonborn. Strong, kind, polite with a hint of mischievousness. Someone who makes references to things absolutely noone has heard of. Inigo could not follow him into the underworld. Fighting the legendary Alduin, eater of worlds, was a job for the Dragonborn and the Dragonborn alone. Yet, as they said goodbye, standing in front of a dragon willing to take the dragonborn to his master, Inigo didn’t think about how his friend was the dragonborn. Instead he thought of his friend, Rat, who he had spent four years traveling all around skyrim with. The Rat who chose his name himself. The Rat who would stop if the weather was nice to look at the scenery. The Rat who would scarf down meal after meal with almost as much gusto as Inigo. They hugged and Rat had made pun after pun to try to lift Inigo's spirit. They both knew this might be the last time they spoke to each other. The turbulent emotions swirled around within Inigo for a day and a half. He didn’t know how long it would take to kill the greatest, most destructive dragon in all of history as far as Inigo knew. He didn’t leave the Jarls court during the entire time. A part of him hoped he didn’t bother the people too much by his brooding but it would seem the rest of the court also walked around anxious the entire time.
Then The dragonborn came back. Grin wide on his furry cheeks, holding on to his shoulder that had a nasty burn. Screams of triumph filled the city of whiterun. Allies from all over, the companions, the mages of the collage and even some thieves welcomed their beloved hero with reckless back pats and offers of mead. Rat stumbled through the crowd excitedly giving details of the battle and the people he’d met on the other side. Finally Rat stood in front of Inigo. Complete and utter joy flooded Inigo, his best friend was back and the world was saved. By the nines, The world was saved.
—---------------------
The celebration lasted for a week. After Rat stopped by some of his magic friends to get healed up, he was a bit too shaky to do it himself, he was immediately pulled away to the feast by the allies he and Inigo had made over the years. Many stories were told, many of which Rat made Inigo the protagonist, many drinks were downed and so much food was eaten. It felt like the entire world was celebrating. Nearing the end of the week the dragonborn, apparently quite sick of being social, stumbled away to his house he had built the year before. The party continued in whiterun for yet another day until Inigo finally dropped. He woke up a while later, sun beaming down onto his fuzzy face. The cat in him wanted to lay around taking catnaps all day but he felt that someone was pushing on him. It was Nazeem, the posh ass, yelling about Inigo being in the way because of something something street. Blearily Inigo rose, glad he hadn’t died from alcohol poisoning, and looked around. The streets of whiterun were slowly picking up the pieces after the party and Inigo found himself in the middle of the stairs going up toward the cloud district. He heaved himself up and rubbed his stinging eyes as the nausea hit him. Drinking was fun and all but he might have to stay away from mead and wine a while if this was the hangover. It took several minutes for him to get his bearings enough to slowly move his arms around his torso, feeling his pockets for things stolen. This wasn’t his first rodeo, as Rat would say, being passed out on the streets wasn’t a good way to keep your coin. Even if he was the closest friend of the dragonborn, surrounded by his friends and accomplices. They both knew some unsavory types after all. Even if Inigo thoroughly enjoyed the company of Devin and Vex he didn’t really trust that they wouldn’t go for his coin. Unsurprisingly he didn’t find his coin pouch in his pockets, nor his most valuable gear. Before the grief struck him too deeply his paw pads grazed what felt like parchment. Filled with curiosity the cat sat up straight and unfolded the letter someone had snuck him, only to have to keel over again as the sudden movement made him want to puke. After yet another couple of minutes he could lift his head again to read the big wobbly letters, sloppily written on the parchment.
‘Inigo, you’re blasted lol’. He had only ever heard Rat say lol, some weird phrase that he kept forgetting to explain. He kept reading. ‘guess what buddy, so am I. But i am pretty tired of talking so i’m heading home to the lake house now. I’m taking your shit with me because you’re totally getting robbed lol.’ I gave that girl at the banned mare some gold so you can stay there to deal with the hangover. I’m just gonna vibe in the house for a tick so come visit when you feel better and want your shit back. it’s vacay time baby whoop!’
That was more incomprehensible than usual, probably because Rat was as he wrote ‘totally blasted’. Inigo leaned back on the steps as some guards walked around him. His eyes stayed closed for a while as he felt every hair of his fur pull him towards the ground and the sun heated up his weary muscles. Despite the headache, the nausea, the hunger and the disgusting taste in his mouth he felt happy. Happy to be cared for by a friend, happy that the weather was good and happy that he was alive.
It took a few days to feel alright again. Inigo knew realistically that he could make the walk to Rat's house on the second day but decided that his friend would appreciate some time for himself. It was something they had to keep track of out on the roads. No matter how good friends two people are it was important to Rat that some alone time was needed. They would sit further apart, or one would go on a short walk while the other prepared dinner. Inigo wasn’t sure what Rat did during those times but the times where he found him again after the alone time was over he would often sit on a rock somewhere just staring out into space. Sometimes Rat would be up in a tree dangling off it, sometimes he would balance on a fence, sometimes he would loudly sing songs completely foreign to Inigo. It seemed like the time to just exist with no one to explain himself to was important to Rat. After a while Inigo would also start letting loose when he was alone, even if he had spent many years alone before meeting Rat. Gathering pretty rocks, rolling around in grass, perfecting his whistling skills. ‘It’s just the freedom to unmask.’ Rat had said one night in front of the fire. Inigo could understand that. Rat was a person who tried hard to gain the trust of important people. People he couldn’t exactly act all that strange around. Yet, it stung Inigo that Rat didn’t feel like he could completely unmask in front of him, despite them knowing each other for four years already. Then again Inigo had kept his secrets in the beginning of their relationship. It took a long time for Inigo to feel completely at ease around Rat. Since Rat also had their mysterious past there was always a thin but very real wall between them. No sense musing about their friendship however. Inigo spent a few days in Whiterun eating food, helping the shops clean and repair their spaces after the rowdy night and chatting with friends. He had even received a letter from Langley from a courier and spent some time responding to that as well. How it would reach Langley's lonely cabin at the side of the mountain would be a mystery for another day. Soon enough Inigo readied his bow and started making the day-long trek out of whiterun, past riverwood and around the lake to reach the house he was always welcomed at. He saw the book tower peek through the pine first, then the storage room looking out towards the water. He looped around the house, past the small garden filled with veggies before he stood in front of the main door.
He fished out a small key, a gift from Rat a long time ago, and unlocked the heavy wooden door. He walked past the entrance hall into the main part of the house, diving down to pat Meeko on the head.
“Rat? Where are you, buddy?” He yelled out into the silent house.
“Inigo?! Uhh, don’t come in here! Stay away!” A small scared voice answered. A voice that was decidedly not Rat. This one was higher, a young woman's voice. Inigo bent his knees and silently took the bow from his back. whoever had snuck into the house had driven Rat away or hidden him. Inigo bit the inside of his cheek, hopefully she hadn’t killed him. He took a slow breath as he slowly walked up the steps toward the bedroom where he heard the voice. She couldn’t have killed Rat. Rat was the strongest warrior Inigo knew, he wouldn’t be defeated by some girl. Especially not one who sounded as weak and scared as this one. When he made it up the stairs he slowly drew back the drapes covering the archway leading into the cozy room. Rat had displayed various glowing weapons on his walls the past years as well as flowers, plants and a number of blankets. Within this room with mixed decoration, Rat's bed stood covered on pillows. In the middle a shaking figure sat under a sheet, trying to become invisible.
“Inigo? are you here? listen, you’re not gonna believe this but I… Well I am not some weirdo I… Hell, how do I say this? I a-am Ra-” The figure interrupted themselves with a yelp as Inigo ripped the sheet of them. He could hardly believe it. On the bed sat a small woman. Her hair was long and brown. Her skin was slightly tan and covered in freckles. She sat with her arms around her legs, covered in a man's shirt and pants. She hesitantly raised her head and he saw her hazel eyes meet his. She looked terrified.
“Who are you? How did you know my name? Where is Rat?” He asked sternly. Whoever this woman was she didn’t seem like a threat but the fact that she was there was strange. She shrunk back at his tone at first and Inigo almost felt bad for scaring the woman. Then she threw her head back and her hands up, yelling out in frustration.
“I don’t knowwww!!! A few days ago I was that big handsome furry and now i’m just my smelly old self again! What is even going on!?” She sounded exasperated and tears threatened to fall out of her eyes. Confusion muddled Inigo's head while another part of him was hit with anxiety at seeing the woman so upset.
“I was doing good! I was doing the thing? Why does nothing make sense again? Why am I here if I am this?! I had almost forgotten this face. Why is it back?! My big muscles! I’m so weak now!” She kept ranting.
“He-hey now. Calm down!” He extended his clawed hand towards her as if she was an unruly dog he could somehow pet to get rid of the aggression. Instead she grabbed his hand and pulled him a bit closer. His other hand quickly fell on his dagger before she yelled out again.
“Look, Inigo! Look at my cool armor I worked so damn hard to get! I’m too tiny to wear it now! This is so unfair!” She pointed angrily at the ebony plated armor that had been haphazardly placed on a chair on the other side of the room.
“Okay lady. Take a deep breath for me please.” He spoke as calmly as he could. To his surprise she listened, taking a deep breath before placing her head on her knees in defeat.
“I’m sorry Inigo. I didn’t mean to freak out on you, I’ve just been freaking out for like a day straight.”
“That’s alright I just need to… Do you know who Rat is? I need to talk to him.” He crouched down beside the bed to look at her properly. She laughed tiredly at his question.
“Of course I know him, He’s me. I just don’t know what happened, why and how to prove it to you.” A cold dread filled his veins at her words. What she said was completely unreasonable yet the way she looked, the way she spoke, down to the way she smelt struck him with an incredible sense of familiarity. He felt his tail swish around anxiously behind him. If he had really turned into a little woman, how would he react? it was mad but his gut told him she was telling the truth. Then again he had been tricked by women before.
“That is crazy talk.” He muttered as he stood up. Rat had a burn on his shoulder from Alduin, it turned into a scar when he was healed. The woman answered him as he leaned over.
“I know right? It feels like some weird fever dre- wha?” she stopped talking as he tugged down the side of her shirt over the burn. There it was, the nasty scar. It sat on top of her delicate skin, the same shape as Rats and the same place. Inigos eyes roamed as he saw a number of other scars all along her arms and chest.
“Yeah the scars came along. They did that for the first time too.” She picked at some short cuts on her underarms.
“I don’t mind scars though. I don’t mind stripping either, Inigo. I really don’t care about my body. You should probably ask for consent with the next person though.” Embarrassment struck Inigo. He looked at the bundle of fabric in his hands and quickly released it with a sigh. Then again, Rat never cared about how others saw his body either. He shook his head quickly before getting an idéa.
“The summoning spell.” He said. Her head propped up as a flash of recognition struck her eyes. Her brows quickly furrowed again.
“Inigo no.”
“Rat is the only one who can successfully cast that spell. if you are really him then you should be able to do it.”
“but that spell only works because of our bond. I know you but you only know the furry version of me. Remember when Langley tried it? He knew you enough for it to make an effect but you had no idea who he was so the only thing that happened is that you got a nasty headache. If this fails I will hurt you and I don’t want that.” As she spoke she waved her hands around pointing between them. A small sense of relief came over Inigo. No matter who this person was, she at least cared for his well being.
“Well I have a bond with Rat and if you are really him then it should work. I will think about him when you do it.” A part of him knew this could end badly but Inigo had always been reckless. She sighed and hopped off the bed, crouching down to paw underneath the bed. Soon enough she brought out a bottle of vigorous healing and tossed it to him.
“If you feel uncomfortable at all you slam this immediately. I’ll stop the spell if you do.” she leveled him with a stern gaze. He returned the look. She motioned her hand as if grabbing the spell from the air. A small orb glowing dark blue materialized in her hand. She took a couple of steps and steeled herself. Inigo uncorked the bottle, ready to drink. They exchanged another look and nodded. The woman took another breath and cast the spell.