⇨ 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.

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DARK IGNATIUS AT THE POND

[npcarnival]

Frog Eruka will abruptly find herself picked up in someone's hands - hands that are bright red and also pleasantly warm. As it turns out, Ignatius is leaning off of the wooden walkway lining the pond, using his height and significant reach to scoop her out of the water. Whatever was chasing her flops back beneath the water, disappointed.

"You're not a regular frog, are you?" he asks, standing back up with her still in his hands. His expression is a bit flat, a little empty, and his words and motions are understated. He's wearing an open chested robe, with scars and some fresh bandages on his abdomen clearly visible.

[amphibiopathic]

For a brief, fleeting moment, there's relief as Eruka's scooped out of harm's way, whatever exotic, 'lucky' water creature the pond's been populated with giving up the chase.

That lasts exactly about as long as it takes her to realize who's holding her. Frogs can't technically sweat or grow pale, and her blood can't grow any colder than it already is -- something that makes the warmth of his grip stand out -- but her heartbeat jacks up and her eyes all but bulge out her head once she realizes who this is. The last time she saw him, he looked half-dead, and now... wait, what is he even doing out here?!

Hopefully that question was rhetorical, since all she can offer in return is freezing in his fingers and ribbiting weakly. At the very least, she isn't trying to plop back into the water, but give her a moment or two to reboot.

[npcarnival]

He stares at her for a few more moments, slightly raising his eyebrows as if to indifferently say 'okay then.'

He leaves her in his hands, sitting on his palms but not gripped by them. He looks at the water and the creatures within it silently, apparently content to remain there unmoving for longer than she probably is.

[amphibiopathic]

It's a frog vs. fae stareoff -- and predictably, Eruka cracks first.

"T-that was good timing," she stammers, reluctant to offer something as easy as a thank you to a fae. If he didn't recognize her from her form, she figures, he probably(?) won't recognize her voice. He was pretty out of it. "But I'm all right now, so if you could, you know ... put me down?"

[npcarnival]

"Ah, I didn't know know if you could talk," he says, apparently not very fussed either way. With a visible wince he leans over to set her down on the walkway, then seems to basically forget about her as he crossed his arms gingerly and keeps looking out at the water.

He's ostensibly thinking, or something, but something about his disposition is just kind of eerie, like he's disconnected from reality. His tail slowly sways back and forth, lethargic and distracted just like everything else he's doing.

[amphibiopathic]

Eruka hops out of his hands, then hesitates. Normally, her instincts would tell her to turn and leave -- especially since she seems to have been spared his recognition -- but there's obviously something amiss, here.

"Hey, um. Are you all right?"

[npcarnival]

He shrugs his shoulder, not looking at her.

"I think it's something to do with there being two of me. Apparently I'm not the only one," he says. "Nothing about these parts of me are particularly desirable."

[amphibiopathic]

Well, objectively, his muscles are parts of Ignatius that could be objectively classified as 'desirable,' and the idea of two sets of them walking around out there is a little daunting. However, that won't distract Eruka from the issue at hand.

"What?!" she squawks. "How did that happen?"