⇨ 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

[whattaprick]

"This is resting," Lambert answers, raising his brows at 9S in the tub. He is, in fact, looking exceptionally shiny, gold and a gemstone glittering from one ear. "These are supposed to be healing waters."

And he's one of the ones in the Carnival who needs it. The iron-caused scars across his chest and belly still raw and tender, though hidden under a layer of ointment-soaked bandages that will supposedly accelerate the process; the ones on his arms, several that criss-cross along the skin over his triceps, are in much better shape, already the pink of freshly-healed flesh.

It's not like communal bathing is much of an issue for him, and he's shared plenty of tub space with all sorts of creatures since they got here, so Lambert doesn't have much alarm about having to share ... nor much self-consciousness about his body. The etiquette he's been dictated to follow is familiar enough -- he casually slips off his towel before stepping by the pool he's supposed to use a dipper to clean himself with before he gets into the spring itself, keeping his back turned to 9S while he rinses the dust and grime from walking around off himself.

"I'm just surprised you don't have Rita in here with you," he calls casually, over his shoulder.

[dressedtothe]

How water can supposedly have healing properties doesn't make any scientific sense to 9S. Maybe it's magic water? Because 'magic' of the non-maso kind sure does explain most things that don't follow the laws of science.

Likewise, 9S has very little shame, but that's borne from the nature of his construction. It's hard to feel self-conscious when all the Scanner models were built the same, and it's hard to feel embarrassment when he's seen other androids with their clothes and flesh flayed from their frames.

"What do you mean?" 9S sounds decidedly suspicious when he asks his question. Is this the beginning of teasing? Because half the time that's what seems to happen when Lambert or Strange decide to namedrop Rita without prompting. "Most of the baths are divided by sex."

[whattaprick]

Lambert looks at 9S like he’s a bit slow, then laughs.

“It was a joke. Considering how shy she can be around other people, I’d be surprised if she volunteered to bathe with complete strangers. But you can get private baths where that doesn’t matter,” he tells him. If he looks a little wistful, it’s because he is. He’d tried, unsuccessfully, to talk Childermass’s lighter half into one.

[dressedtothe]

9S tenses, immediately defensive at the laughter, but he does consider Lambert's words. Would she be amenable to the idea if it was just the two of them? But...

"She did say she wanted to take things slow..." But also... 9S huffs, sinking into the water until his head is barely above the surface. "Besides, you weren't supposed to know, anyway!"

[whattaprick]

“Can’t have too many secrets when you have a gossip like Strange around,” Lambert says contentedly, with no rancor. “Especially considering his scrying only seems to work on us, most of the time. Just consider yourself lucky he didn’t decide to walk into Rita’s trailer without seeing what she was up to first.”

And then there’s the slightest tilt of the head, tail swishing slowly through the water.

“So you talk about things like that, hm? Sounds like you’re pretty serious.”

[dressedtothe]

9S's cheeks heat up and it's not just because of their proximity to the heated water. His gaze falls to the water's surface.

"Well, yeah."

Rita is a human -- part-human still counts -- so... it already feels almost sacrilegious to have a close relationship with a human. If he didn't treat what they have with seriousness it would feel Wrong. He would chase the stars for her and if they ever became separated... there isn't anything he wouldn't do to return to her side.

"Isn't it the same for you and Childermass?"

He's still sore about Childermass outright pretending he didn't know a thing about Lambert's love life, considering he's involved in it.

[whattaprick]

“We don’t really talk about things like that,” Lambert answers, honestly. His other half holds all the rancor he feels about that; this Lambert just states it as a matter of fact. It’s Childermass. He’s never going to tell Lambert all the depth and breadth of how he feels, and that’s something he’s accepted. It doesn’t change how he feels.

“But yeah, I’m pretty serious about him. I wouldn’t be planning to go to England with him if I wasn’t.”

[dressedtothe]

[Continued ]