⇨ SHABONDAMASHII

[ringleaders]

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.

Comments

shura - ota - all week

[exaomori]

a - heck yeah bath world!!

There were plenty of things Shura liked to complain about. Work, the idiots she worked with, the crazy crap that happened at work--the usual stuff. A stay in a bath house and an allowance that would afford her whatever spa treatments she wanted? She had absolutely no complaints about that. To say she's in a good mood would be an understatement.

As with any world they've visited, Shura's first goal is to survey the area. Obviously, this means checking out the town surrounding the bath house, which means visiting any and every stand to peruse the wares. She needs a yukata, of course, the best thing she has is a tee that Yukio got her a while back. But which one? Obviously, whoever she's dragged along with her on a this shopping trip is going to have to help her.

But, more likely, is that she'll spy another carnival member in the crowd and motion for them to come to her. The stall she's standing in front of sure smells good, whatever it is they're serving.

"C'mon, let's try this! I haven't had it ages!"

b - heck yeah bath!!

What's better than a bath? Nothing. Nothing is better than a bath. Well, maybe the juice after a bath was better, but only because of the bath in the first place. In the women's bath, Shura has absolutely no shame or shyness when she shrugs off her yukata and makes her way to the bath. Why would she? It's supposed to be separated by gender!

Well, maybe it is and maybe it's not, new and alien world and all. Oops. But it doesn't matter once they're in the water, right??

Or just fast forward a couple hours later to the lounge, where a very comfortable looking Shura just asked you to get her some more juice. She could get up and get it herself, but why would she? She's just so comfortable in this chair, you wouldn't want to make her get up!


c - spa treatments!

Come on, try this expensive face mask with her, nothing can go wrong!

A!

[apaintingdarkly]

Dark is, naturally, That Guy who refuses to wear anything other than carefully effortless casual clothes in dark colors. He sticks out like a overly-cool thumb. Still, uncool though it might be, he doesn't mind getting dragged off the street by someone looking like Shura.

"Uh, sure," he answers uncertainly, as though he has any choice in the matter.

[exaomori]

Of course he has a choice! But choosing not to follow Shura like this was probably going to be more of a pain than giving in to her will be.

"What, already eaten? Don't worry, you can split an order with me~" There, that solves the problem, doesn't it?

The tables outside of the stall are crowded, but look! There's a happy spot for two just now free. "Quick, quick, go grab that spot! I'll go order for us, okay? What are you drinking?"

[apaintingdarkly]

"Yeah, yeah. You can get me whatever, I'm not picky." He doesn't get a lot of chances to try new foods, so while he may not look it he's actually looking forward to this. He holds one hand up in farewell as he saunters over to the table and settles in.

[exaomori]

Not being picky didn't make picking drinks any easier! But since he didn't specifically ask for booze and his face looked just a bit too young for it, so and so some kinda of overly sweet and sticky juice it is! It'll go just fine with the greasy yakisoba Shura plans on ordering.

She must be in a good mood to be getting the food herself, but this place is bringing the best out of her, and she's not even split into two. It's a amazing what a good atmosphere and a nigh-unlimited allowance can do for a girl.

"Nyaha, here we go~ I hear you're supposed to build up an appetite by workin' all day, but I think I'd rather play all day and eat something' like this, don't you?"

[apaintingdarkly]

"I'd always rather play," Dark agrees wholeheartedly. He accepts the offered juice, but drinks it slowly. It's a little intense, especially after drinking beer most of the morning.

"I don't think I ever got your name." He's kept to himself since his 'rescue' for the most part, out of habit. It's been both interesting and strange to have complete control over his body. He hasn't been bored.

A~

[fortuneglass]

To say that Carly has been in heaven would be an understatement. For all that the mix of hovering and sheer leg length has her a good foot over a number of the fellow patrons, her sheer curiousity toward all the things she's missed from home (or rather, a few choice memories of home) has the woman stooping somewhat toward everyone's level.

Such is one of those moments, as the similarly yukata-clad woman peers at what's being cooked. "Ahhh? Is that...Okonomiyaki?" she wonders aloud, watching the fryer. "It looks like it...!"

[exaomori]

"It smells good, doesn't it?" Sure, she could always tell Rin to make her something like this, but it was completely different eating it at a festival.

"C'mon, let;s get one! Aahh, and some beer, too!" DRINK WITH HER, CARLY.

[insidescoop]

"It smells delicious..." Carly half whines, jumping up at Shura's continued insistence. "AH!! H-Hey, make sure it's good beer then at least, if we're drinking it has to be good stuff!!"

Hooray for drinking age drinking buddies!

[exaomori]

Shura may be the wrong person to ask for good beer, but lucky for Carly, Shura isn't going to buy the cheapest beer available just out of habit. No need to be thrifty when they were given such a generous allowance! Shura will grab a lighter beer, something easy to start off the night. Got to save room for the liquor later on, after all.

Finding a table is really going to be the trick. But a place as busy as this, they can expect no less. But with some effort, they'll snag a spot at the end of a table.

"Nyaa, it's so lively! It was too busy back home for me to go out and do anything like this, it's nice."

[insidescoop]

"Hoo!" Hey, middle-grade is fine by her! Crossing her feet once she sits, Carly has to pull out her fan for a little bit. "It was the same for me! They didn't have this sort of thing very often either...Neo Domino was one of those 'hyper modern' places, if you know what I mean..."

Probably akin to one of those places in Tokyo, or some other major city where the focus is business over anything else. The festivals certainly happen to grand effect, but not that often. "Nothing but really tight crowds, not like this! We can still move here~"

a

[pipers_son]

The good news is that Joker is also looking for a yukata- or five, maybe. After all, he's always in the mood for new additions to his wardrobe, especially now that he has a right arm to make the whole process easier. So he has one hand curled at his chin, looking at her two choices critically.

"I think what would really help," he says after a moment, "is if he tried 'em on. After all, we can't tell for sure what'll look best if we don't see how it fits on yer body, right?"

[exaomori]

Shura considers what Joker says, pursing her lips as she hums.

"Mm, you're right. Can't say if it'll look right if I don't see the whole picture!" Should she try to pick out a few accessories, too? Nah, she'd take her time with those. Best to just focus on the yukata for now.

"You too, I wanna see what you're pickin' out!" They could have a fashion show together, Shura, Joker, and way too many yukatas for what is supposed to be a quick stay at a bath house.

[pipers_son]

Listen, if you don't go overboard with your clothing choices, where's the fun in life? Besides, Joker has a boyfriend that outta like this kind of thing. Gotta look his best for the boy, and all.

...Okay, and he's just having fun, as his wide grin indicates as he glances over to her. "Oh, enough ta keep us here for a while, I'd say~. There were an awful lot that almost seemed a bit too drab for my tastes, 'tho. Gotta go colorful, right?"

[exaomori]

Not only does he need to look his best, he ought to buy his boy one to match. Nothing more romantic than dressing up together, right?

"Heh, you're right. If we don't have a little fun now, then when are we? Gotta live it up while you can!" This wasn't like the Olympics where everything was just so weird, this place was designed for fun. Which means that on the way to the changing room, Shura's going to pick out another yukata, this one in a grass green. So maybe it's more spring-like, but who's really looking?

[pipers_son]

Hey, when you're bouncing from world to world, how much do seasons really matter anyway? Joker has found that they don't really mean much. In the years he's been with the carnival, he's learned to tune his mind out to such matters. The best way to keep track of time has been counting the stops and paying attention to when his contract is due to be renewed.

As they arrive at the changing rooms, he pauses at the one besides her and pats the wood a little to get his attention. "Oh, when we're both ready, we should both hop out of 'em together at the count of three! What do ya think?" It'll be fun, and get both of them out... Although neither of them really need the incentive, but hey.

A

[flashover]

"Maaa~ Shura, you know I can't see it, right?"

Rin grumbles as Shura shoves the yukatas in his face. He reaches out to feel the fabric. "I think the first one feels more comfortable, though."

Blind as he is, Rin is wearing a bandana over his healing eyes like a blindfold. He's dressed in... whatever yukata Shura picked out for him. He's positive it's probably embarrassing, but it's comfortable and he doesn't care. Kuro is with him, since Nosh is a bit too big for the crowded festival streets. He also has a stick. It's not a fancy stick, but it's straight and sturdy, and he can use it to help get around.

Kuro meows at Rin and gestures to the yukatas.

"Ah, Kuro says he likes the purple one best, too. So I guess go with that one?"

[exaomori]

Fortunately(?) for Rin, Shura didn't get him the dumbest looking yukata she could find. She was going to be seen with him in public, after all, so she may as well get him something that looked decent. He probably would think tigers were cool, right? So there's that, you're welcome, Rin. Not that Shura will tell him anything about the yukata other than to hurry up and put the thing on.

"Kuro says he likes it better?" There's something almost doubtful in the way she says it. Weren't cats color blind? Well, whatever. Both of them would look good on her regardless, and the purple one did feel nicer. That's good enough for Shura to make her decision. She sets the blue yukata back, then reaches to take Rin by the elbow to guide him through the crowded stall to the register.

"I can always come back for the other one later~ C'mon, I need ta get an obi, too."

Aren't you super excited for this, Rin?? He'll probably have to whine to get out the store if he gets bored.

[flashover]

Tigers are totally cool, and Rin fully approves. Even if he can't see it, Kuro did his best to describe it. He does appreciate Shura not putting him in some pink floral girls' kimono, at least. And the fabric is soft! Which, in his current state, is really the most important bit.

"Yeah. He says he doesn't know why, he just does," Rin says with a shrug. Demons were fickle -- demon cats even more so. At least he's gotten used to just being led around, and obediently follows, using his stick to make sure he doesn't run into anything.

"Do they not sell obis at this stall?" he grumbles.

He's so super excited. You can tell by all the excitement in his voice and running through his veins.

... It is better than sitting around and being lost in his own thoughts, though. At least with the sounds and the smells he can form a mental picture of what he expects the place to look like.

"Oh! You're taking pictures of everything, right?"

[exaomori]

Great, she's being dressed by a demon.

"Sayin' that kind of thing is totally uncool, y'know." Wow, Rin, think of it as practice for shopping with a future girlfriend. Of course, not being able to see is going to put a damper on anything they do. There was the option of waiting outside for her while she finished shopping, but Shura doesn't think Rin's in the mood to be alone right now.

"Pictures?" She planned on getting a picture with him at some point, but she hadn't thought about getting any other shots. "Yeah, sure, I'll take some for you. Keep yer trap shut, and we'll get somethin' to eat when we're done here." Not that Shura's going to be in a rush to pick out an obi, though that part is a bit easier now that she has her yukata picked out. She'll skip over buying accessories for now. She'll have to come back to buy something for Yukio, anyway.

[flashover]

"Whaaat? What do you mean it's not cool?! Shuuuuraaa!!" He wants to be cool! He wants girls to like him!! Well... mostly one girl in particular... even if that was a bit of a lost cause at this point. Maybe he's not totally ready to be relegated to the friendzone.

"Alright, alright, I will... Just be sure to take plenty of pictures! I mean, of everything!! Please?" he says, adding a small bit of pleading to the end there.

So Rin will wait patiently. But at the mention of food, his stomach... is a lot less patient. It growls loudly.

"... Ah... oops..."

B

[lmpatientdefense]

The hot water and pleasant scents are pretty good, especially when her muscles are complaining about her routine. Going on vacation's no reason to get out of shape, especially since she'd gotten a little inconsistent about working out while imprisoned.

But the best part of these public baths is the view. Especially when it's a women's bath, to lean back and admire the variety. And even when it's not, with completely public baths it's still funny to watch people climb in or out. A little knowledge of possible insecurities, get an idea of who's all scarred up or tattooed, that kind of thing. And it's just plain fun to sit around ranking people's butts.

"That guy's... I'd say a six," she tells Shura, whether her new roommate's listening or not. "Weird dimply thing going on, but he's not all flat like the last one."

strolls in here late

[exaomori]

It's been a while since Shura got to play a game like this. As it turns out, when your main company happens to be a couple of sixteen year old kids with Issues, things like rating butts takes a backseat. Kids were the worst at appreciating quality ass.

"Mm, it is a little weird, but take in the whole picture. Guy just needs to stop skippin' leg day. Look at those shoulders--he's definitely goin' for the tough guy look."

A couple mean looking tattoos, but the kind that were easily hidden. Probably too scared to go all the way with that look. But in the baths, Shura wasn't going to complain.

(returning from hiatus! - and thus strolling in extremely late myself)

[lmpatientdefense]

The tattoos need some work, right now they're another sign of how unwilling to commit that guy looks. Not terrible, but a crime in how much better he could look, if he bothered.

"Yeah, you're on to something. That's his problem. Mediocre ass because he's half-assing it. Now he's top-heavy as hell, a little tap on the ankles and he'd fall ri-i-ight over."

Beau puts her hand up to mime the guy falling over, adding a creaking warbling sound until her hand lands in the water with a splash. Then she laughs, and reaches back for her glass of wine.

"It'd be a public service if I told him... but, eh. He's probably going for that tough guy look enough he'd try to 'make something of it', and I don't need that."

[exaomori]

He really would be so much nicer to look at if he just took the plunge and went all the way. But if anyone understands half-assing things out of laziness, it's Shura.

"Fufufu, be gentle on him. Maybe he has someone back home who won't let him get as nasty and mean lookin' as he wants, hm?" Who that would be, Shura doesn't know. But that's only an idle excuse. Shura leans back, stretching her legs out long. The water feels so nice, and there's enough people here that she's not too worried about an immediate attack. It's good to relax.

"But leavin' him alone's a wise idea, anyway. No point in gettin' kicked outta this place when we're only just gettin' comfortable, nya~"