⇨ 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

[pipers_son]

[Sometimes, she's still such a child.... Joker keeps his hand there, even as he draws down into a crouch before her, knees up to his chest. He has to be a lot more careful when he's wearing the clothes traditional to here, after all.]

Mm, that's right. Ya gotta remind yerself of that. Although I know it's probably tough... [His wings shift a little bit, stretching from the state they were drawn into.] Well, part of that's probably a little my fault, too.

[steadydollypegs]

[This part of her is still a child, for certain, and while she's not completely content to stay that way, she's not confident enough to consider herself an adult. So this is how it is. At least she can take some benefit from it-- she loves it when Joker takes care of her. It's only slightly dampened by Joker's assessment that anything is his fault.]

No, that's not true. None'a this is your fault, nothin's your fault.

[pipers_son]

Hey, don't worry about it. [A slight tug of her cheek.] S'okay if things are my fault, sometimes. Me not bein' honest, that probably hasn't helped ya at all, has it?

[He smiles a little, an expression with mixed emotion in it that's not really good or bad.]

But I've already decided ta be better so you'll be able ta believe me again when I tell ya things like "folks aren't starin'".

[steadydollypegs]

...what? [Doll freezes and stares at Joker like he just slapped her instead of tugging on her face gently. Somewhere deep down, Doll has always known Joker has lied to her on multiple occasions, but maybe she's never wanted to believe it. Being faced with the truth about it is jarring, especially when it's so bluntly stated. It doesn't feel right, and it makes her think back to that other version of herself she'd woken up next to, and she wonders if she wasn't the only one...]

When, uh. [She nervously brushes Joker's hand away from her face.] When did'ya decide this?

[pipers_son]

...Y'could try ta look a little less like I hit ya...

[Although he guesses he's kind of pulling the rug out from under her... Joker lets his hand swing down to rest on his knee.]

And.... probably before we got here. And before that. At least, I told myself I'd decided, but... [Letting out a breath, he ducks his head.] Well. Even yer big brother can get scared.

[steadydollypegs]

Sorry, it's jus'... sudden. [She didn't mean to look so stricken, but the admission that he's lied to her enough for her to form some kind of habit is a little disconcerting. Doll tries to rearrange her face into something that looks more worried than stunned, but it's difficult when she's trying to be calm and marry this version of Joker with the one that kept her from all of the dangers of the carnival for so long.]

[She looks down at the ground for a moment, then reaches to tip Joker's chin back up.] I know. I'm scared too, 'n hidin' things because of it. I understand why, even if I squawk about it.

[pipers_son]

[He lets her do it easily enough, greeting her with another small but genuine smile.]

Still not an excuse, 'tho, right? Because ya got so upset. I didn't know what ta do, even though it was obvious.

So... We should stop bein' scared together, yeah?

[steadydollypegs]

[This is still too weird for her to process. Joker being forthright about all of this, apologizing, recognizing that she was upset. After being brushed off so many times, and reassured right before a subject change? This is uncanny.]

...what, y'mean, tell each other everythin'? [This sounds like a scary thing she doesn't want to do.]

[pipers_son]

Well, maybe not everythin'- I'm sure ya don't want ta know about every little thing that happens. [There's a limit to 'everything', after all.] But, the important things. The things that really affect us.

[Like, you know, intense trauma.]

Although, ah ha... [He thumbs one antler, smile shifting more to nervous.] There's a reason I've kept some of it secret from ya. So, if ya wanted ta go slow, that's understandable.

[He can't really imagine what Doll has kept secret from him; not everyone is as secretive as he is, after all.]

[steadydollypegs]

[Doll relaxes a little at the reassurance. She wants to tell Joker everything, she really does. Maybe it would make her feel better if she did, and the idea that it might hurt Joker in the process, her ability to put herself in his place, is suddenly very far away.]

There's a reason I kept some of it secret from ya too, but maybe it don' matter as much as I thought it would. You're so smart Joker, y've probably already figured most'a it out anyway.

[pipers_son]

Well, I can be a lil' dumb too. I've just been better at hidin' it. [He laughs a couple times, quieter than usual.] I had ta look like I knew what I was doin', right? Since I was the big brother, and if I didn't look like I was, then everyone else would fuss.

S'part of why it took me so long ta talk with ya like this, y'know? I was fussin' over appearances, and makin' ya worried if I didn't look perfect. I always worry about that kinda thing, I suppose.

So, how about this- [Pushing himself up onto his feet again, he offers her his hand.] Why don't we go get somethin' ta eat, and we can tell each other all the things we were worried about? Food'll make the awkward silences not so awkward.