⇨ 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

[chronosynthesis]

"I do not intend to relax the whole time, as long as we have a safe place that I can work our improvements and limits to the escape portal." But Strange knew that.

Syrlya glances around, trying to gauge how much longer they have to find the wine treatments. He hopes Strange knows where it is.

[kingsroads]

"I know, I know. But you'll work yourself to an early grave if I don't stop you."

Turns out that it's the next room down. Strange opens up the door which leads to a small waiting room area. A perky attendant tells the two that guests can either wear swimsuits or go in the nude, please change in the changing rooms before taking a soak.

"How adventurous are you feeling?" Strange teases. He already knows his answer: swimsuits.

[chronosynthesis]

Syrlya frowns. "This is important, Strange. Many in the carnival are non-combatants, and Eden has proved that we still do not have any effective method of protecting them when..." his rant is lost as he faces the attendant.

He hears what she says, but when he turns to Strange he only looks bewildered. "I assumed if it was a bath then we would not be wearing anything."

He didn't realize there were other options here. Is he going to take it? No.

[kingsroads]

"It's an interdimensional bathhouse," said as if that explanation makes perfect sense. "Might as well cater to every oddity."

The two are led back to the changing area. It's less of individual rooms and more of a locker room style set up. Strange starts to strip. Now that he's taking his clothes off, his mirrored scars are much more visible and obnoxiously shimmer in the light.

"Apparently, the wine baths help reduce stress and fight signs of aging in the skin." Based on his tone of voice, Strange thinks this is super cool.

[chronosynthesis]

He supposes that's true. With a shrug, he follows Strange into the changing room. He fumbles a little with his clothes before he figures out how to remove the hakama... he's probably going to need help putting this back on, after.

But that's a concern for later. As it is, Syrlya isn't why about undressing by Strange. He's seen him shirtless, and Syrlya just don't have the same perception of nudity anyway. The scar along his front is no longer bandaged, not bleeding but still obviously broken at the edges. The skin below it has a slightly golden sheen from the sap. Besides that, it's more obvious if Strange looks that Syrlya's covered in old scars--many of them not very covering, but the amount of them is more obvious than just on his chest and arms.

He smiles to himself as Strange espouses the supposed properties of the bath, pulling the kimono free and loosely folding the clothes before piling them into a locker. Lucky for Strange, there is some grown coverage like underwear that Syrlya leaves in place rather than stripping. That's decent enough.

"Is it really just wine?" Nothing added? Why are more people not bathing in it if it helps with that, then? Maybe they do, like it's some human secret he's just never heard about.

[kingsroads]

He can't help but be a little nosy as Strange idly looks over Syrlya's scars, skin, and entire lack of genitalia. So does Syrlya not even have junk or is that coverage some plant clothes? Questions that Strange never thought to ask until now. He puts on a swimsuit, which still leaves less to the imagination than he would like, but he'll make do.

"I'm not entirely sure," Strange admits. "I can ask the attendant later, if you're curious. But I suspect that most of it is wine, hence the name 'wine bath.'" He probably shouldn't be a smartass but Strange can't help it.

When he's finally stripped, he gestures for Syrlya to follow him as they exit to the wine bath. It looks more like a hot tub than an actual pool, though the pool is full to the top with a dark red wine. Giving Syrlya a grin, Strange walks over and sloshes in. "Oh wonderful, it's a bit warm!"

[chronosynthesis]

"Maybe it isn't literal, referring to some other tradition since it is interdimensional." Two can play the smartass game.

Syrlya stops at the edge of the tub, and sticks his foot in the wine to test it, first. It is kind of warm, and not at all like diving into actual water.

"It's more viscous than the ordinary baths." Obviously, but it's definitely a bit of a weird experience. Still, Syrlya follows Strange all the way into the pool until he's standing in the middle, at about chest deep.

[kingsroads]

Strange is already halfway in the tub when Syrlya sticks his foot in it. He's leaning against the wall, using his arms to prop himself up on the side, like he's sitting in an actual hot tub and not a big ol'vat of wine.

"You know, I've no idea if they have showers after this thing or not. You'd think they would, just so people aren't dripping red all along the bathhouse, but I forgot to ask."

Ah well! Whatever! If there aren't showers, then there aren't showers, and that's a problem they can deal with later. Strange is just going to continue to relax, as he sinks further into the tub with a smile.

[chronosynthesis]

"I assume there is at least towels." But it's too late to worry about it, given they're already in. Syrlya deliberates before setting against the edge at and angle from Strange, absently pulling his hand up from under the wine to inspect the liquid clinging to it.

And then, after a pause, he licks some of it off his index finger, just to see how it tastes. It smells like wine, but...

[kingsroads]

It tastes like wine! There's an odd aftertaste but it doesn't taste poisonous, odd, or different enough that the wine obviously isn't wine.

Strange is relaxing to the fullest. He smirks a little as Syrlya tastes it, but closes his eyes and sinks against the wall.

"You know, they've got to have more of this to refill the pool if needed. You could have just asked someone if you could have a drink directly from that." Fun fact! Strange doesn't know how pools work!

[chronosynthesis]

Syrlya scrunches his nose before turning his attention to Strange, throwing his hand back under the wine when he's caught tasting it. "I am not going to bother them over tasting one drop of it!"

It tastes like wine, that satisfied his curiosity, no need to get the staff involved. That's probably strange anyway, asking to taste the bath.

[kingsroads]

"Are you sure?" Strange continues to tease, fully aware of the fact that he essentially caught Syrlya in the act. "It probably would taste better fresh. Less people soaking in it, after all."

He's smiling, as he continues to be a shit and give Syrlya grief solely for the sake of giving him grief.

[chronosynthesis]

"I'm sure, Strange." And with that he sinks a little further into the water--enough that some of the wine spills over the edges of his newest wound, and wine is more acidic than water. Syrlya jerks, surprised when it stings a little, and shifts back up.

[kingsroads]

Fortunately for Syrlya, Strange's eyes are closed. He can't give Syrlya as much grief as he could if his eyes were open. Still, he's able to tell that the water's shifting and that whatever's happening over there was a sudden movement. Lazily, Strange opens an eye.

"Is everything alright?"

[chronosynthesis]

"Fine." He will show no weakness about this to Strange after their last argument. And it is mostly fine. Just vulnerable. "How long of a soak does it take for the effects to start?"

[kingsroads]

Like fuck if he knows. Strange's expression shifts to a small frown before he continues talking.

"I don't know for sure. Certainly longer than five minutes...perhaps a half hour shall do the trick?"

[chronosynthesis]

He's just guessing.

"Hm. It seems like drinking it would be a faster result." Syrlya shrugs and leans a little more against the edge of the tub. "Let me know if you start to feel less stressed or less old."

[kingsroads]

"Yes, but it's supposed to revitalize your skin" Strange thinks. That seems to be a general theme of these baths: soak in this, it'll absorb through the skin, that'll revive you. Though, come to think of it, Syrlya doesn't actually have skin.

"I'm certain that it'll work the same with your leafy bits," Strange says, with a slightly dismissive hand gesture. Right? Right! They'd have stopped Syrlya if this was toxic to plants or something like that (he thinks), time for Syrlya to get a revitalizing treatment as well.

[chronosynthesis]

"My 'leafy bits' meaning the entirety of my flesh?" He snorts. "I think needing to revitalize anything is a bigger concern for you than it is for me."

Not that he's inclined to jump out of the tub just because it's not going to have the intended effect. He's gotten kind of used to how it feels.

[kingsroads]

"Says the person who was gouged and beaten up by animals? Say what you will about the rest of me, but my skin is better off than yours."

Can't really get beaten up by a tiger if you're stuck in a mirror. Strange is teasing as he talks—it's obvious that he's really enjoying this relaxing and the longer he's soaking in the wine bath, the more blissed out he's getting.

[chronosynthesis]

Syrlya rolls his eyes in response. "I am fairly certain nothing about the rejuvenating properties of wine is going to do anything for actual scarring."

It's hard to tell if the wine is doing anything for his actual stress levels... what it is doing, at about the twenty minute mark, is his skin seems to be taking on a faintest signs of the reddish hue of the wine. Syrlya himself doesn't notice, more occupied with arguing with Strange.

[kingsroads]

Strange also doesn't notice, as he's taking in his relaxation with his eyes closed. Even if they were open, he's positioned himself in a way where he's looking at the ceiling instead of Syrlya.

"I never said it would do anything for scarring in the first place. At least for humans, scarring's an entirely different process than rejuvenating your skin."

[chronosynthesis]

"Then why are you bringing it up?" He purses his lips into a frown. Are they about to have another argument about this? Syrlya still isn't sorry.

[kingsroads]

"You can be beat up but not scar. I won't claim to be an expert on skincare," he says, despite the fact that he's already regurgitated so much skincare bullshit straight up gotten from a pamphlet, "but the wine should help with stress, tension, that sort of thing. And don't say you don't have any tension, I'm certain that your fight with that tiger gave you a few gray hairs!"

A pause.

"Metaphorically speaking, that is. What is the Sylvari equivalent of gray hair?"

[chronosynthesis]

"You are a much bigger contribution to my stress than being scratched by a tiger." Really, Strange seems to be the one more personally upset about what happened than Syrlya himself, which he doesn't really understand.

"Anyway, isn't grey hair a sign of aging?" They don't have even a physical equivalent to that, so Syrlya has to consider. "I suppose we may wilt a little, until our mental state improves."