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.

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Yuya looks up, briefly caught off guard as he tilts his head to look at Gongenzaka--how close they are, though, he can't quite meet his gaze and instead his nose brushes against Gon's face.

"It's just a good camera," he laughs a little, bashful. "I just pressed the button."

His head pulls back with surprise, the fur ruffled and fluffing up as he blinks. "Mn-! ...It is also still a phone however," Gongenzaka insists. "Therefore, there is at least some skill involved! Do not downplay your achievements, Yuuya..!"

Yuya blinks rapidly as Gongenzaka jerks away, freezing for a moment before his expression goes a little crooked. "Okay, okay!" He still thinks he's being given too much credit, but...

He turns away, the excitement fading as he tucks the phone back into his pouch. "I think the parade already left."

"Aauh," Gongenzaka confirms, standing up straight again. "...We watched what we could through to the end however...so I, the man Gongenzaka, should say it was worth it, yes?" As he laughs, his daemon simply purrs from the side, slowly closing her eyes. "But then..."

Less awkwardly than before, he turns to Yuuya. "What should we do next then, Yuuya.."

Yuya shrugs. "Walk around and see what's interesting?"

He shoots Gongenzaka a brief smile, before immediately taking the lead with the expectation that Gongenzaka's going to follow. He doesn't get very far before he stops in front of an alley, where something on the opposing street seems to catch his attention.

And then he just takes a shortcut between the two houses, curiosity gripped. It might be a tight fit for Gongenzaka, though.

"Hahahaha-!" Naturally, Yuuya has no idea either, he sees. Well. With a nod, he follows after- trotting along at a good pace, while Marishi takes up the rear. He doesn't even think about the narrow space between the houses.

...

Well, until he starts. Trying. "Auh-" Shit.

"Mnh... It is...rather tight..." He's going to just...Squish....through...

Yuya doesn't notice until he's almost at the other end of the alley--and then he hears Gon's grumbling get more distant and he stops, looking over his shoulder.

It's not that he isn't aware Gon isn't huge, it's just he doesn't think about how huge means he has fewer spaces he can comfortably fit in, unlike Yuya. His brow knits as he turns around to face him. "You're, uh, not getting stuck are you?"

"AUH-! O- Of course not!!" he flusters, squirming through. "I, the man Gongenzaka...just need...to..."

There is a fair amount of twisting to take advantage of his flexibility- he squirms and scrambles, and then finally with what almost sounds like a pop...

Falls out on his front. "Hff-!"

Gon is probably lucky for that flexibility. Yuya waits for him to get closer, closer, until he's at a point where Yuya has to start backing out of the alley to give him room. Mostly, he's keeping his eyes on Gongenzaka in case he really does get stuck, or need assistance.

As such, Yuya's moving much more slowly and isn't remotely prepared when Gon jerks forward. He realizes too late, holding his hands out to press against him with not near enough force to stop all of Gon's weight from shoving him over as well as he goes toppling forward. "Wai-aah!"

There is a fair amount of yelping and shouting, and even more scrambling as Gongenzaka tries not to crush his friend. "AUH-!! Y-YUUYA-!" he yells, hurriedly sitting up and back. "Yuuya-! Are you-"

PLEASE DON'T BE INJURED

Yuya does hit the ground back first with a thud, wheezing out a breath when Gon presses on top of him. But it's not really less constricting than those bear hugs, and he's quick enough off that Yuya's able to breathe deep and recover oxygen.

"Ow." He rubs his head, looking a little cross-eyed at Gongenzaka. "I'm--I think I'm fine!"

He moves to sit up, slowly. He's sore, but nothing's broken.

Probably just as sudden as one of those bearhugs too. "Hauhh....are you certain..." he begins, frowning a bit as Yuuya rights himself. Well.

He seems...alright. Gongenzaka looks back at the 'short cut', shaking his head. "Auh....w-well, perhaps we should better pick our travel routes, from this point onward..." And just where are they now anyway? He can see some flowers floating around, and some lanterns as well....

Yuya looks a little sheepish. After a moment he moves back to his feet, stretching a little to ease himself back to mobility before he looks around at all. It's definitely not a section of the city that's for actual shopping--it's a circular path between houses with a couple benches around a large, fenced in tree. The lanterns hang from the houses, but there's something ethereal about the tree itself, the way it seems to shed small orbs that shift into flowers that gently float in the air until they reach the ground.

Yuya thought it as another series of shops, but honestly this is still good. "Oh, wow..."

He of course wanders to the tree immediately to check it out, his knee bumping against the bench and causing him to teeter sideways to sit on it as he looks up. "This is so cool!"

"Auh...it almost reminds me of the Summerlands," Gongenzaka murmurs, Marishi only now coming through the alley to watch in silence. Briefly, he reaches out a hand- "Mn, careful-" But Yuuya sits himself on the bench fine, and so the other relaxes.

Taking a seat near the bench himself, he looks around with wide eyes. "I, the man Gongenzaka, almost expect them to start landing on us..." At least they're not wisps- though the show is certainly a blend of that and a dance of fireflies, he feels.

A couple just might, the way that they fly around without any aim. Obstructions to their path are sure to stop them.

"Yeah..." He knows exactly what Gongenzaka means when he refers to the Summerlands, and he smiles warmly as he remember the small miracle they had found. It does have a similar sort of peace, and it's one of the increasingly outmatched memories from the carnival that are good. He found out Gon was ticklish, then.

He tears his gaze away from the tree, finally, turning to Gongenzaka with a soft, content expression.

It's a tempting thing to invite- they're not flame after all. Gongenzaka tentatively holds out one of his furred fingers, letting a firefly-thing land upon it with that thought, a gentle smile on his face as he stares at it. For a moment he doesn't even realize Yuuya is watching.

But when he does, he ends up moving that same hand toward the other, so that the small 'flower' of a light unfolds before their eyes.

"...I, the man Gongenzaka...am glad you brought us here, Yuuya." Maybe it wasn't deliberate but...

"...I would not have found this area, otherwise..."

"You like it?" Yuya's gaze drifts down slightly to the flower, and he gently plucks it from Gongenzaka's hand. It's shape is almost like a cherry blossom, and it's probably just as fragile. He holds it carefully, cupped on his palm.

He laughs faintly to himself. "It's a surprise for me, too. But this place is really pretty." He continues to stare at the flower, thoughtful, his gaze glazing over a little as his thoughts become distant. He doesn't bring himself to look back at Gongenzaka, though, not yet.

"Aauh. As I, the man Gongenzaka said..." ...Well, he said it reminded him of the Summerlands at least, but nothing more. He watches Yuuya take the flower, still staring at it softly. "...I, the man Gongenzaka, enjoyed our time in the Summerlands. It was peaceful, despite the moment with the wisps. ...It is good to be reminded of such times with you."

Yuya chews on his lip briefly, blinking slowly. He hears Gongenzaka, but it doesn't move him at first. He's almost vapid, for a moment. "I..."

He sucks in a breath, life breathing back into him as he closes his hand around the flower and looks up at Gongenzaka. "I'm glad, too. I'm really glad you're here, Gongenzaka. I'm really glad we met."

From far behind, Marishi is practically crying for the tension in the air to be done with. She's too practiced to simply blurt out her partner's secrets and thoughts however- which unfortunately leaves her with stiff fur as Gongenzaka smiles obliviously at his friend.

His face rather beet red as he nods. "Aauh! ...Perhaps..." He looks around, rather suddenly finding it a bit difficult to look his friend in the eye. Instead he looks to the various lantern flowers floating about. "...Perhaps we should return here, before the Carnival moves onward again... ...Just for a little while," he coughs, shifting a bit.

Yuya breaks the gaze at the exact same time, looking the opposite direction. Something about saying that leaves him a little winded, and there's a jitter in his heart. "Yeah! I--I'd like that."

Things get a little awkward in a way that leaves Yuya cold, but Gongenzaka like this enough to come back to it. Of course he does, as friends, because Gongenzaka has an appreciation for beauty and nature. Yuya reaches for Gongenzaka's hand with both of his, instinctively, dropping the flower on his lap as a result. "I think, I'd really..."

The words come out slowly, and Yuya realizes he doesn't remember what he was going to say. Trying to say? Was he trying to say anything, or was his tongue just tripping over words to fill the silence? His mind is drawing blanks, and he panics.

"I'd be lucky to have you," he's not even sure he says it at first, his voice sounding as distance as his gaze. His skin feels hotter.

Something seems wrong. Gongenzaka allows Yuuya to take his hand, closing the large 'paw' over what he can in turn. His ears twitch with Yuuya's every word, and Gongenzaka finds himself lowering his head nearer to the other's in an attempt to determine just what that 'something' is.

"...Yuuya?" he asks, blinking slowly. "...Are you alright, Yuuya..? ..." He pauses- and then adds, "...I, the man Gongenzaka, should think I am the one lucky to have you, if anything..."

He's misheard-or misinterpreted the other, of course. But the feeling is there even so, as he rubs his thumb over Yuuya's hand.

Yuya's face burns to his ears, and he blinks rapidly to fight back a wash of tears. Gongenzaka asks if he's all right, but he doesn't answer. Gongenzaka's hold is the only thing that anchors him, and he focuses on it obsessively. He's so focused on that touch, squeezing his eyes shut to lock away the embarrassment, that he doesn't actually hear the entirety of what Gon says next. To have him. Does have him, a definite claim of Yuya's feelings, that suddenly become all his certainty for what he's feeling.

Yuya's attention whips up too quickly as he look at Gongenzaka with wide eyes. He can make out the glowing blush under Gongenzaka's fur, and the firm and comforting hold of his hand... is this a confession? He's never done this before, never felt it before, he's only read it in stories and watched it on TV. He's a fish out of water, gaping as he tries to piece together what he's supposed to, what he needs to say next.

"C-can I kiss you?"

They've completely misheard each other.

They have absolutely misheard each other and Gongenzaka's breath catches in his throat. "Auh..." He takes a moment to think. Did Yuuya just ask that-

Did he just say that?

"A...A kiss..?" He blinks rapidly- and behind, Marishi slinks closer, and closer, until she's just within reach of her partner, watching with anticipation.

Yet Gongenzaka's body language is all wrong. His ears pin back, his eyes widen. The steady brushing against Yuuya's hand stops, and while the blush persists Gongenzaka is stammering. "Y...You are saying-" No, what is he saying?

"What are you saying, Yuuya, I-"

Gongenzaka doesn't wait for an answer. He stands. "I... A kiss is- it should-"

"...Noboru..?"

Even Marishi seems confused, and Gongenzaka rather abruptly chokes and moves to excuse himself. "O-One moment, please Yuuya-!"

And that is it before he hurries off, vanishing around a corner.

To say that Marishi is displeased is an understatement. "What!? No! Noboru you were so close-" she starts, hurriedly turning back to Yuuya. "Yuuya- please, you need to listen, it's.... The feelings are there, trust me! He just needs to sort... Oh, goodness, I'll go get him," she huffs worriedly, charging after her partner before the distance scatters her into dust.

He's... confused? It's not the reaction that Yuya expects. Stammering embarrassment, sure. Yuya's embarrassed too. But he seems less and less comfortable, less believing, like he didn't expect Yuya to ask that. Had he misunderstood? Had he been wrong?

The panic locks him in place. He doesn't get to ask because Gongenzaka gets up to leave, and Yuya goes cold.

A wave of shame overtakes him, realizing Gongenzaka wasn't confirming his feelings. Marishi's attempted comfort is just vague buzzing in his hears, not soothing as he sits wide eyed, frozen, shocked. He's an idiot.

His hands shake as he pushes himself up, and he turns and runs the opposite way, down the winding path. It doesn't really matter where it takes him right now, as long as it's away from this.

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⇨ SHABONDAMASHII

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