⇨ 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

[reflash]

We are here to relax. [Yukio says, turning to Shura with a little bit of a smile (the tip of his blue-black snake tongue flicks out between his fangs). He is in a good mood, though it's more "calm" than "happy".]

How are you doing today?

[exaomori]

[Hm.]

You’re right~! This kinda place is the best for restin’ up!

[Something is Wrong. Yukio might take a bath on his own, maybe put on a yukata to avoid getting nagged, but smile like that? And so politely ask how she was doing?]

You eaten anythin’ yet? Let’s talk and eat.

[reflash]

All right. [Yukio says, still externally casual. He'll play whatever game Shura's starting here, go along with whatever she's trying to get out of him until he can turn it back on her.]

Is there something you wanted to try?

[exaomori]

Crepes~

[She hadn't seen a stall serving that, but walking around would give her some time to try and figure out what was going on. For all that she wanted Yukio to have fun and relax, this just wasn't right.]

Ahh, maybe we should get somethin' to drink, too.

[Will he call her out on being a lush? Give him something easy to react to just to see what he does.]

[reflash]

I'm not paying for your drinks. [They're not working right now, so he doesn't really care if she drinks.

His snake tongue flicks out a few times as he starts walking, smelling for crepes. Normally, Yukio tries to hide his fae changes, and tends to be unsettled or embarrassed by them (at least for the first few weeks), but he apparently has no issue with anyone noticing anything strange now. ]

[exaomori]

[Well, that was normal enough. And at least he knew he was going to pay for her crepe! She follows, casually pretending that this isn't completely weird.]

That's no fun~

[But for real, why did he keep getting things related to snakes??]

Looks like you're gettin' comfortable with that.

[She's just slightly serious when she speaks, dropping the teasing note in her voice.]

[reflash]

If I'm going to be stuck with these changes, I might as well get comfortable with them.

[He has a lot to get comfortable with, with how much he's changed physically during his months in the Carnival. But Yukio, accepting something he can't change without fighting tooth and nail against it? That's a sure sign that something's changed mentally.]

[exaomori]

Oh?

[That would be a completely rational and logical answer coming from anyone else. From Yukio...]

How docile~ You usually fight against that kinda thing. It's like you've been replaced by a doppelganger or something.

[She isn't ruling that out]

[reflash]

I haven't been replaced. [That's a stupid idea, Shura.]

[exaomori]

[But is it??]

So what's up, then?

[reflash]

Nothing's up, I'm just... [he stumbles a bit, trying to explain it. He has a lifetime of experience telling him that he should be frustrated, but the actual emotions he's experiencing are just... calm confidence, amusement, patronizing detachment.]

I'm trying to be a better person.

[exaomori]

[There's more to it than that. This isn't just Yukio trying to be older and more mature than he really is. Her eyes slim. It's annoying, but when has he ever really opened up to her?

Besides in his dreams, of course.]

That it? I guess. You didn't hafta get dragged out to play this time.

[But it doesn't sit right with her.]

[reflash]

I'm caught up on my work, and it would be foolish not to take advantage of the chance to rest before we're thrown into another life-or-death situation. [He knows he would never have said something like that before, but he isn't the type of person to get hung up on foolish concerns anymore.]

I'm sorry you didn't get the pleasure of dragging me out of my room to socialize.

[exaomori]

[If Yukio really had finished all of his work, then he'd be tracking her down to get a lesson or two out of her. There was always something for Yukio to obsess over.

Shura stops, ignoring the grumbles of the people behind her that nearly run into her.]

This ain't right. What's really goin' on, Four-eyes?

[reflash]

Nothing's going on. You worry about me too much, Shura-san.

[exaomori]

I know better. This ain't like you, so 'fess up. What's going on?

[reflash]

I've already told you, I'm trying to be a better person.

[But that clearly isn't enough for her, so he tries a little honesty, coming at the idea from a diplomatic angle.]

I don't want you and my brother to worry about me anymore.

[exaomori]

There's tryin' to be a better person, [Because Yukio does have the potential to be, Shura wouldn't fuss at him if she thought otherwise] and then there's a complete change in personality. You an' I both know that ain't gonna happen just like that.

[reflash]

[He should tell her, but she doesn't need to know.] Just because you've never seen my potential doesn't mean I'm completely incapable of change, and this isn't that drastic.

[exaomori]

[His potential?]

Hey, you didn't make any weird bargains, did you?

[reflash]

I already made one "weird bargain" with the Ringmaster, [which is the whole reason he's here] I'm not interested in making any more.

You really don't need to worry about me.

[exaomori]

The more you say it's fine and I don't need to worry, the more I do.

[It isn't the first time he's kept secrets, after all.]

[reflash]

I know you do. [There's an easy admission, and it isn't like it's a bad thing if he actually says something that could be interpreted as "I pay enough attention to know you care, and I recognize when you're worried".]

There isn't anything I could say that would make you worry less, once you've gotten started.

[exaomori]

You could quit closin’ yourself off like that.

[But how many times has she told him that? It was fine if he didn’t share everything with her, but she knows well enough that he’s not going to tell anyone if something was going on. ]

Fine, have it your way.

[ She relents, knowing that he will probably take it as a victory. This wasn’t Yukio, but it wasn’t not him. It’s frustrating, but she’ll still press through the crowd to catch up with him. Leaving him alone wasn’t the answer, and if she was a more honest person, she could admit that she would rather have his company than not. ]

[reflash]

[He rolls his eyes a little, since he's sure she can't see his expression. Being open emotionally never helped any exorcist, not Yukio, not Shura, especially not Fujimoto Shiro. He's never going to stop closing himself off.

He does, however, stop in front of a food stand.]

Did you still want something to eat? [Or did she just want to use that as a pretense for interrogating him.]