lostcarnival | ⇨ SHABONDAMASHII

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⇨ SHABONDAMASHII

Who: Everyone!
When: Day 92 - Day 99
Where: Shabondamashii Bathhouse
What: With the Silver Mirror claimed and the animals of Eden relocated, it's time for the carnival to kick back and enjoy an interdimensional bathhouse and the surrounding festival city. Meanwhile, the scattered shards of the Mirror have an unexpected effect.
Warnings: Dark/Light halves acting weird.

THE BIG CLEANSE↴

As the carnival recovers, the Ringmaster has brought it to the gates of a famous interdimensional bathhouse to rest. She won't be joining you for most of it, though she will be checking in frequently and available by radio. She's fixed a large portion of the Silver Mirror after it shattered, but it seems like pieces are missing. She doesn't want to rest until the missing shards are dealt with, and the Mirror itself is locked away safely.

► YOUR OTHER HALF: The shards missing from the Silver Mirror didn't just disappear - after breaking apart in Eden, fragments of the object embedded themselves in the spirits of those not already touched by its powers, and those that had been the most fae-touched. That means, your characters. The effect of this, explained in more detail on the plotting post, is that some characters will be splitting into two versions of themselves: the Light, and the Dark. This doesn't mean good and evil, of course, it's far more complicated than that.

Splits can start happening at any time after arriving in Shabon, and initially characters won't know how to rejoin with their twins. Later on, it will become apparent that they need to reconnect via the shard of the Mirror they share... of course, in order to rejoin, you have to have both halves, and not all twins will be as eager to go back to the way things were before. This plot point is optional.

► SPA DAY: When you're not engaging in metaphysical division, you are free to enjoy the many luxuries that Shabon offers. Things will mostly have an east-Asian bend, like what you would see in the movie Spirited Away, but as long as it doesn't affect the setting much, you can honestly have whatever spa-type services available that you want. Food is served both in restaurants and 'buffet' style. There are also well paid sex workers here, if that is your thing, but make sure to tip well.

► FESTIVAL TOWN: The city surrounding Shabondamashii is largely meant to catch the business of interdimensional tourists. There are frequent parades and other events held, and the architecture is very closely packed. It's easy to get lost if you leave the bathhouse, but it's definitely worth it if you like party. You can pick out a few outfits for yourself and some fun nick nacks, but nothing that would normally require mod approval.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Strange manages to keep his face in a neutral sort of smile even though when Yuya mentions continuing his training, Strange almost instantly thinks 'shit.' Whatever the Ringmaster did to take him from the Mirror changed his magic somehow. Strange is absolutely certain he'll relearn everything and shove his magic back to the way it's supposed to be. But at the moment, things take a bit longer than usual and any sort of finesse he had is long gone.

Still, Yuya did show an interest in reflections. If that's what they're working on, then good. That was the first bit of magic that Strange tried to relearn and refigure out as that was the bit of magic he suspected the Silver Mirror changed the most.

"No rest for the wicked, it seems," Strange teases. "But no, I don't mind if we continue to work on your training. Is there anything in particular you wish to focus on?"

Yuya grins wider. There's not, but work you enjoy isn't really work at all or something.

He nods. "I want to learn how walk through mirrors, and let other people walk through them like you can."

He doesn't elaborate on the reasons, because he assumes by this point they're obvious enough to Strange. He's always said he wants to protect his friends, and this isn't any different. But he needs to be by their side to do anything, and he thinks that's where he failed in Eden.

Strange can't help but grin as Yuya mentions the type of magic he wants to learn. Not because that's a source of magic that he's good at (which he is) and he's certain he can teach, but because it's a type of magic that Strange himself adores.

"That spell might be harder than some of your other magic. It's a reworking of a spell that back home, involved a realm that I cannot access here." And now that the obligatory disclaimer is out of the way, time for Strange's true feelings on the matter. "But you're a smart pupil and a fast learner. If anyone can learn the magic, it's you."

This isn't just buttering Yuya up: Strange honestly believes that he can learn anything he puts his mind to. "When shall we start?"

Yuya laughs, practically beaming because he is an enormous sucker for praise.

"Uh--I'm ready now! But it's as soon as you want to. We're supposed to be relaxing here, I just..."

He worries over his lip for a moment, before shrugging vaguely. It's not a good time to talk about worries that they don't have any control over. "I really want to learn how to do this. I think it'd be good."

"It would be," Strange responds, with a little nod. Not just because it's a fun skill for Yuya to learn, but because the more people they have who can do something like that, who can find situations and ways to get people out of troublesome situations, the better.

Still, if Yuya's ready now, then Strange is ready as well. There's always time to eat and stuffing his face can wait until later.

"The first thing we'll need to do is find some reflections. You can't travel to a reflection if you don't know where it is. I can create one with either ice or water, but since you're learning, we'll need something more stable." Strange frowns a little, as he looks over at Yuya. "The bigger the better, of course. I just don't know what sort of room that would be in."

Do spas have mirrors? Strange doesn't know.

"My room had a mirror." It stands to reason others probably do too. "But people might not want us walking into their rooms. One of the baths looked like a sentou. Those have mirrors--uh, but we shouldn't walk into there either."

He puts a hand to his chin, furrowing his brow in concentration. There's a lot of mirrors, there's just also a lot of invasions of privacy. "How do you pick which mirror you're going to walk out of?"

What the hell is a sentou? Strange manages to hide his confusion but makes a mental note to ask about that later. Thankfully, Yuya's question distracts him from going off topic as Strange starts to answer.

"I have to know the reflection exists and know it's location. Once I do, I cast a spell to use the reflection as a doorway and a second spell to link the reflection to a different one. I've used the spells so often that I've developed shortcuts, but for you, we'll probably start off with the full incantation."

Once Yuya has the basics, then it'll be time to show off all the cheats and tricks.

So he's have to know where both mirrors are. There's probably plenty in the town below, but if Strange hasn't already perused it enough to know their locations well enough for the spell.

"Was there a mirror in your room?" Maybe they can just go between each other's rooms. That's safe.

"I believe so!" He's on the same wavelength as Yuya. That would be the safest way to do this that involves the smallest chance of Yuya accidentally going into a different reflection and freaking someone out in the baths.

"Since you already know where your mirror is, we'll go from my room to yours. Follow me!" And Strange gestures for Yuya to follow him as he starts walking down the hall towards the sleeping area.

"Okay!" Yuya bounces into step as they walk to the rooms, excited. He's not quite the magic nerd Strange is, but just the purpose behind what he's learning makes him eager.

There's other things on his mind, though, and while they walk he keeps talking as he lets them come off his mind. "You don't have to serve Ignatius anymore, right? That's gone?"

At least they're not real worries. He's sure the answer will be yes.

Strange feels much more comfortable talking about Ignatius with Yuya than he does other carnival members. After all, Yuya helped lead the effort to sing at CY-Ren or do whatever the hell everybody did to help turn her to their side back in Wismuth. He's sensible enough to realize that people can change and passionate enough to actually try and help with that.

"That's correct," Strange says, with a little nod. "For all the good it did him, poor fellow. Aside from the time in the Athenaeum, he never gave me any orders or forced his bond on me."

Which Strange honestly isn't sure if that's Ignatius being kind, Ignatius not seeing a use for Strange, or Ignatius simply having no idea what to do in the unexpected situation he found himself in.

Yuya nods absently. He knows that Strange, too, sees potential in Ignatius to change and understand the most. So he thinks he'll appreciate what Yuya's doing.

"I'm glad." Really, it makes Yuya even more confident in this friendship thing. He leans over a little, conspiratorially, looking a little pleased with himself.

"I talked to the Ringmaster after Eden, about Ignatius. I think we can trust him, so... I know he's not here on his own will, but we can at least make the carnival a place he'll have other good memories of. Like not leaving him stuck alone on that island."

He doesn't know if Igantius told Strange about the deal they made, but honestly even if it wasn't a deal Yuya would vouch for his better conditions, anyway.

Strange definitely appreciates what Yuya's doing (and also doesn't know about the specifics of the deal Yuya and Ignatius made in the first place). He's grinning as he leans in as well and offers up his own conspiratorial advice.

"Whether they realize it or not, I think other carnival members are helping to make this a place he'll tolerate. You weren't at the party, but Shima, Eruka, and others did a wonderful job freeing Ignatius when that damn bear had him trussed up to try and intimidate us. West also did surprisingly well performing emergency surgery to help his iron wounds heal."

And man, that means so much to Strange. Granted, none of them had grief with Ignatius the same way that people like Rita or Childermass might. But to have members of the carnival go out of their way to try and help someone on death's door, even if it's someone who's nominally their enemy...Strange is just so fuckin' stoked that happened in the first place.

Yuya hadn't heard that, or even that he was ultimately among the kidnapped who were strung up. and the blinks slowly in surprise. He saw him as the battle was winding down at the temple... but he hadn't asked.

"Right. Since it was iron, that would have been really bad for him, right?" Less awful burning, maybe more terrible destruction. But he's healing. They all are.

"I don't think he hates us. Not personally. If we can really come to an understanding..." Well, that spells out hope for things changing with all the Fae.

"Even if it's not a complete understanding, I'll settle for changing things up a little bit—for all of us to think critically of the fae and of the Courts and for him to think critically of changelings and the Wyld Fae."

Strange isn't as optimistic as Yuya is about changing things entirely with the fae. He's fought in a war, he knows how easy it is just to slip into 'us vs. them' and not think about the enemy as actually being people. Perhaps if everybody did that, that could affect at least a little bit of change.

"But yes, it was bad. I don't know how much longer he would have lasted if those shackles stayed on."

Idly, Yuya makes a mental note to look for Ignatius while they're here and see how he's doing. Eden had an effect on all of them, but it feels kind of like they've gotten used to getting kicked around in a way he probably hasn't. Not by something so much bigger and stronger, that you almost have no hope of fighting against.

He gets lost in his thoughts for a moment before jumping back to attention. "But he wasn't left that long, and things are already looking a little better for everyone, right?"

He smiles to Strange at that, because he's mostly meaning being free of his contract.

By now, they've reached Strange's room. With a smile, Strange opens the door and holds it open for Yuya.

"They are. At least for now, we've got a win and a period of rest that I plan on taking full advantage of."

Strange's room isn't a complete garbage bachelor pad, but it's definitely the room of someone scatterbrained who forgets about things like 'cleaning up'. Half of the bedsheets have been kicked to the floor and his red fire-resistant cape is spread out over the pillows. There's a few books, one of which has dog-eared pages, and a couple of empty Ramune bottles on the floor.

"If you want something to eat, I've some sweets that I picked up from the surrounding town. The mirror's in the washroom."

Yuya laughs as he walks into the room, giving it a quick perusal but unbothered by the mess. "Yeah, I want to have as much fun as I can while we're here."

And not worry about how getting the final miracle is going to go. He does go ahead and grab some of the offered candy from the table before navigating to the washroom.

"Thanks--" he pokes his head into the bathroom before going in and facing the mirror.

Strange follows Yuya towards the bathroom as well. He's standing off to the side so he's not reflected in the mirror. And then, Strange starts to explain the magic.

"The first thing you need to do is convince the mirror to act as a doorway. Back home, I used a spell of revelation. Here, since we're in an area that's overflowing with magic, it's much more simple than that. Reach out with your magic past the mirror, as if you're reaching out to your destination itself."

And as he explains, Strange opens his third eye and sets himself on fire a little bit. Since he's telling Yuya all these things to do with his magic, might as well see if it's actually working.

Yuya nods. Reach out past the mirror, like seeing ahead? He thinks he can manage that.

Yuya takes a deep breath, one hand resting out over his pendulum while he stretches his other hand (with the candy) out to the mirror. He realizes on actually starting that's a much more nebulous concept than it seems, so he tries to focus on the depth of the reflection, as if it's a deeper space within the mirror.

At the least, he's gotten good at getting magic to react to him. It's there, if not quite focused.

Strange can see that much. He keeps his hands at his side (so as to not catch anything on fire) as he watches Yuya's magic reach out in a nebulous form.

"Concentrate," he calmly says, watching Yuya from afar. "Shape your magic as you reach out. You aren't just slapping paint down on a canvas or playing any note on a piano. You're crafting your magic, firming and molding it to your needs. If you shape it to reach out further, then it will."

Yuya nods, squeezing his eyes shut as he focuses. He peeks out of one eye shortly after and even if he can't see magic like Strange can, he feels something, and his magic locks until some sort of form from him to the mirror.

He looks at the mirror with determination and rushes forward--

And slams his face until it, all the magic falling apart as he rebounds and teeters backwards. "Ow!"

So first attempt is a no go.

Strange winces as Yuya runs into the mirror and smacks his face into it. He walks over to Yuya and bends down to try and get a better look at his face.

"Stop moving, I want to see if you're bleeding." It's said in a surprisingly parental tone as Strange looks over at Yuya's nose and face. Does rushing smack dab into a mirror mean you might break your nose? Strange doesn't know. But he wants to check.

While he mother-hens over Yuya, Strange takes the opportunity to continue the magic lessons. "Why do you think the spell failed?"

Yuya blinks rapidly, but doesn't fight Strange looking over his face. He didn't collide hard enough to cause any bruises or bleeding to his face, at least.

"I'm fine!" He juts his lip out a little, more sore about his wounded pride than his face. He was sort of hoping Strange would tell him what went wrong, but his face scrunches critically as he tries to figure it out. "I didn't... cast it right?"

Edited 2018-08-31 15:12 (UTC)

This is teaching, Yuya. Sometimes you need to figure out what you did wrong yourself so that you don't do it again (or so Strange thinks).

"Sort of," Strange explains. "Your magic reached the mirror, but I don't think it reached through it. Try it again, but when you feel the point of your magic reaching the mirror, don't do anything. Instead, try to hold the form of the spell while concentrating on your destination: the mirror in your room."

For someone whose teaching strategy is mostly making things up on the fly, Strange is doing a pretty good job hiding the fact that this is all terribly spur of the moment.

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hey gang who's ready for another round of ~magical bullshit~

Training Montage

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MR6FXpaECY8

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