⇨ 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

[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."

[kingsroads]

"If people would keep themselves safe, I suspect I'll stress you out less." Which Strange knows will probably end up with the two fighting over the definition of 'safe', but he's said his piece. He remembers what their last big fight was about, he remembers Syrlya not really seeming to care that he got mauled by a goddamn tiger.

"Gray hair can be a sign of aging, but it can also be a sign of stress." Says the person who, despite the lighting of some of his icons, has visible chunks of gray hair in his head. "I don't think I've ever seen you wilt, though. Would you droop?"

[chronosynthesis]

"Like yourself?" Syrlya raises a brow, expecting that to be high hopes.

He pauses to consider Strange's question, though. "The edges of my leaves would, at least, but it would not go so far as to deplete my body. And it would be much worse for a Sylvari not staying hydrated and taking care of themselves, I'm sure."

[kingsroads]

"If you're planning on taking this opportunity to lecture me about the Mirror again, I won't have it. How many times must I point out that I was surrounded by all of the Twelve? My options were limited to—"

It's at this point that Strange opens his eyes and looks over at Syrlya to actually get some arguing and defending himself in. But now that he's actually looking at the man, he realizes that huh. Syrlya's a bit purple. He cuts himself off due to his shock, fight going out of him as he looks over at his purple plant buddy.

Strange has no idea how to ask 'hey, did you mean to turn yourself purple or not', so he just looks at Syrlya with an expression that's a little confused and plainly implies that something's wrong.

[chronosynthesis]

"Why, when there is so much else I could lecture you a--bout." His counter cuts short as it registers that Strange is staring, openly, and Syrlya just stares back in bewilderment.

"What? What are you..." That's when he looks down at himself, holding his arms up and absorbing the discoloration on--no, in his skin. The moment of shock drags on... and then he hollers, scrambling up and trying to haul himself out of the pool at the site of him turning weird colors.

[kingsroads]

Don't laugh, don't laugh, don't laugh. Strange is trying his hardest to keep his expression to a neutral as he looks over at his very purple trailermate. That being said, this is actually kind of hilarious the longer he looks at Syrlya. He's purple! That's a little funny!

"Did you know that you could turn colors like this?" Because Strange sure didn't!

[chronosynthesis]

"No!" Syrlya fumbles a bit over the edge, before he's sitting on the ground outside the tub and looking over himself. Some spots are a little splotchy, with the color more concentrated around his stomach and back where it soaked in the most. It hasn't soaked in very darkly, but much of Syrlya's skin is pale enough it comes through clearly, anyway.

He makes a futile effort to wipe it off his arms, as if it's just coating the outside. That's definitely not working.

[kingsroads]

Strange pushes himself up out of the tub, so that he's sitting on the edge, feet still dangling in. And again, trying not to laugh! He's trying really hard to not laugh and to keep himself collected...but is only partly succeeding. There's an odd expression on Strange's face for a moment before he desperately smooths it down into more of a neutral one.

"Maybe we could try to have you bathe in soap? Or if you soak longer in water that's colored close to your original color, maybe that will make you look less, erm, purple?"

He bites down on his lip as Strange idly looks over at a particularly purpleish area. Nope nope nope no laughing here!

[chronosynthesis]

Syrlya narrows his eyes. Laugh, he dares you.

"In soap." His tone is as incredulous as his expression. He pushes himself to his feet, loosely gripping his arms. "I am going to look for a--shower. Some normal, untreated water."

Which he turns on his heels to storm out to do. This is awful.

[kingsroads]

Strange is staying put. "Best of luck," he calls out, still valiantly trying to hold a poker face. For the most part, he succeeds. It's only when he thinks Syrlya is out of earshot that he breaks down into giggles.

Syrlya is not out of earshot. But hey, the thought counts.