⇨ 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

[whattaprick]

“Assuming it’s in ang state to be used,” Lambert muses. It was pretty damn broken the last time he saw it. The answer seems to make him a bit disappointed, but he’s quick to shake it off, smiling at Strange.

“But you’re right. It’s probably just a matter of time until you figure it out.”

[kingsroads]

Lambert complimenting him makes Strange smile even more. That's right. He will figure it out himself: no matter what. Unfortunately, what he'll eventually figure out is that his magic is damn useless for convincing people to love themselves and accept their flaws but hey, baby steps.

"I should probably get back to examining the magic and studying others some more." He should do that. But he doesn't exactly want to. After all, it should be easy to figure this thing out. Why not enjoy this moment, when he doesn't have to worry about that other Strange messing things up thanks to his impulsive nature or his obnoxious neediness? It's only sensible to seize the moment.

"That is, unless you have something you'd like us to do instead?"

[whattaprick]

“Well, I don’t want to distract you from your work,” Lambert laughs, “And I’d like to help, but I think you’ve got it covered unless you need someone to stick a sword through something. Now that you mention it, though...”

He pauses to wave a hand behind him, at the storefront they’ve been standing in front of, where bright neon lights are shaped like... a giant snail!

“... I heard this place uses giant snails and gold leaf for their healing treatments.” Does it sound bogus? It super does to Lambert, but who cares, gold is involved! And besides that... he drops his voice conspiratorially. “And they do a couples discount.”

This Lambert has absolutely no shame exploiting Strange for his body, yep.

[kingsroads]

"I'll always appreciate someone to bounce theories off of," Strange admits, with a little shrug. Especially since the first person he'd seek out to bounce theories off of, Rita, is super split herself. Lambert would do in a pinch.

He's distracted a little as Lambert gestures to the giant snail building. Honestly, Strange is a little skeptical of the healing properties of snails, but this does look interesting and he's certainly done weirder spa treatments since he was here. As Lambert mentions 'couples discount,' Strange can't help but smirk a little. He knows full well that this is Lambert trying to fake boyfriend his way into some perks. And honestly, if Strange can get some of those perks as well, all the better.

"I hope Childermass won't mind if I borrow you for a few hours, dearest." Said in a conspiratorial tone of voice that tells Lambert that yep, Strange is definitely up for fake dating just to get a discount on snail spa treatments. "You're the one who knows a bit about this place, you lead the way. I'm up for whatever you choose."

[whattaprick]

It’s absolutely Lambert fake boyfriending his way into perks, though at the joke, his smirk can’t help but falter a little before he recovers.

“Trust me,” he says, a little wry. “He won’t even notice I’m gone.”

With that cryptic little statement, he’s turning to push his way into the spa without further ado. The bored-looking receptionist is a girl who’d be rather ordinary if her hair didn’t appear to be made exclusively of octopus tentacles. As the entrance spell beeps to alert the spa staff of new customers, she looks up with the hurried guilt of teenagers caught being irresponsible everywhere, smoothing it over with a brightness as glossy as her lipstick.

“Welcome to Shabondamashell, home to the award-winning Golden Shell treatment and the only certified giant snail masseuses in the city!” she trills. “How may I help you today?”

[kingsroads]

In comparison to reckless Strange, who would just be hanging all over Lambert at the opportunity to fake date, sensible Strange just stands near Lambert's side as they enter. He gives the receptionist a nod as he starts to talk.

"Is the Golden Shell treatment the one with gold leaf?" She nods. "Then both of us would like a round of that and some time with the snail masseuses—couples package, of course."

The receptionist types something into a slightly sci-fi computer: gold with rounded edges. "Do you want the deluxe treatment or just the basic package? The deluxe treatment comes with a quick session in a kiln sauna to open up your pores as well as some of our famous snail-based truffles to eat after the treatments."

Strange looks up at Lambert: your choice here, buddy!

[whattaprick]

"We'll take the deluxe." Lambert doesn't miss a beat. Sure, it might kind of sound like they're signing up to be baked like pottery, and he's got no concept of what a truffle is in this case (it's a mushroom, but ... a snail?) but they'll probably never get a chance for this

"Excellent!" The girl beams at them both, and claps her hands. A side-door slides open, and two spa attendants -- with a similar sort of close-to-human yet undeniably mollusk-like quality to their features -- step out to offer Lambert and Strange bath towels and robes before ushering them to a shared changing room.

Once there, unsurprisingly, Lambert has little hesitation stripping down. Between magical treatments and what Shabon has to offer, the worst of his injuries are the gashes on his chest and belly, stitched up and still visibly healing. The injuries on his arms and the various scrapes he took in his tumble from the sky are more or less sealed, though they look a bit like he came away for the worst in a battle with a barrel filled with knives.

"It's been a while since the last time we did something like this, isn't it?" Lambert muses, rolling the kinks out of his shoulders idly. It's odd to think about, how long ago that was.

[kingsroads]

Strange doesn't strip down as quickly as Lambert does, but he starts stripping down as well. While he's still a little uncomfortable with the whole 'communal getting naked' thing, sensible Strange has accepted that if he wants to feel great and wants the spa day to continue, he's gotta get naked.

In comparison to Lambert, Strange looks like he barely got hurt at all. There's no visible injuries and he doesn't have any mirror scars more recent than his run-in with Zangetsu's sword. Strange is still a little self-conscious about that one and is facing away from Lambert as he puts on his robe.

"It was...the Summerlands, if I'm not mistaken." Strange can't help but laugh a little. "If I told that Jonathan Strange everything that would happen in the months after that, he wouldn't believe me."

[whattaprick]

Lambert outright laughs, tucking his robe in over himself before he turns to Strange.

"You wouldn't be alone in that. Sometimes, I almost forget what not hunting down fae artifacts while being chased by Court Fae even feels like. Life used to be a lot simpler."

[kingsroads]

Once he's gotten the robe tied up and covering his chest scar, that's when Strange turns around to give Lambert a little smile. Life was still always a bit complex for Strange, what with the fact that even if he didn't sign up for the carnival, he'd still have to deal with the fae. Thankfully, he's smart enough not to 'well actually' Lambert at the moment.

"Sometimes I'll still think about it. I'll cast a spell, briefly think that this would be a wonderful addition to my act, and then realize that I'm being silly, I haven't performed on the stage in a few months."

He gives a little shrug as he walks over to Lambert. What can they do about it: this is their lives now.

[whattaprick]

Not everyone's cursed with being a magical protagonist, thankfully.

"You can always find other ways to show off," Lambert points out. Heading out of the locker rooms, they're led down a spiraling staircase, to a room with ... a bit of an odd setup, really. The floor is made of marble and there's a thin layer of water on the whole thing, except for two platforms a few inches off the floor, which are covered with sheets and clearly meant for them to lay down on.

Lambert gives it all a curious look, head cocked, but he doesn't see anything to unnecessarily alarm him, so he shrugs and sheds his robe, hands it over to an attendant, and settles belly-down onto one of the platforms with a flick of his tail.

"Not sure how any of this is supposed to actually help me get better faster," he says, idly.

[kingsroads]

When Lambert takes his robe off, Strange does the same. He lays down on the other platform, belly down, adjusting and shimmying around a little bit so that he's not putting weight directly on his hugeass chest mirror scar.

"I'm certain there's some healing qualities about the mucus properties or something like that." Fun fact! Strange is bullshitting! He doesn't put his head down, though. Instead, he props himself up on his elbows and looks around. He's learned from snake massages, he isn't going to fully lay down until he sees what exactly is going on his back.

[whattaprick]

Honestly, Strange, good call, because after a little unseen gong rings, the masseuses come out. It quickly becomes obvious why the floor is wet: they literally are giant snails, the rubbery 'foot' contracting and squeezing to push them along the floor. While they're not large enough to completely cover Lambert or Strange, they come pretty close, and they're definitely large enough to cover their back.

One waves its feelers at Strange, and the magic translation spell helpfully communicates:

"Good afternoon, sir. Before we begin, is there anything I should know? Injuries or anything that needs particular attention today?"

[kingsroads]

Strange isn't saying anything about the giant snails. However, he does raise an eyebrow a little as they approach. So that's what they mean by 'snail massage.' When he starts talking again, it's in a carefree sort of tone, as he deliberately tries to underplay the fact that he's confused as heck.

"Just be careful with him," Strange remarks, as he nods towards Lambert. "He was on the wrong end of a tiger a few days ago and is still recovering."

Don't mind Strange as he just gossips with the snail for a little bit.

[whattaprick]

“No need to worry! We’re trained professionals,” the snail reassures. “Just lies down and relax.” Now both snails are just crawling up both of them, starting from their feet and working their way up, slowly trapping their legs under their weight as they slide onto Strange and Lambert.

“As long as you don’t suffocate me, I’m fine,” Lambert offers, grunting against his arms. That’s cold.

[kingsroads]

Strange is now experiencing a sensation that he hasn't really experienced in a while: sheer cold on top of his mirrored scars. The mirrors cool faster than the rest of his body, so it's an odd sensation of him mostly being cold and part of him being really cold.

"This won't stain our skin or anything, will it?"

Asks the person indirectly responsible for turning Syrlya purple.

[whattaprick]

"It won't," the answer comes from above, reassuringly. "Quite the opposite, actually; your skin will be clarified and rehydrated!"

Lambert fails to understand what either of those words really even mean in the context of his skin, but the snails keep on trundling over both of them. Once their 'feet' rest firmly on their shoulderblades, the snails stop. Then the massage begins (Let me know if I need to adjust the pressure), rippling flesh working over sore muscles like a massage bed in reverse. A cold massage bed.

Which is all well and good, if a little odd, but as the massage proceeds, it'll hard to miss that they're both getting slimier. Very slimy.

[kingsroads]

This feels great. Strange is blissed out a little, closing his eyes in relaxation as the snails massage his back and shoulders. The sensation is more weird for the snails than for Strange, as he's got mirror over some parts of his muscles, but the parts that aren't covered feel amazing.

He's so blissed out that he doesn't really notice that they're getting intensely slimy until a big, glob of snail goop accidentally falls into his slightly open mouth. Almost instantly, Strange starts spluttering and spitting: he's remaining laid down because hugeass snail on his back, but fun fact! Snail slime tastes absolutely disgusting.

[whattaprick]

Lambert hears the sputtering and cracks an eye open. When he realizes what’s happened, he huffs, faintly amused.

“That hungry already, Strange?”

[kingsroads]

"Very funny," he grumbles, in between spitting and yakking noises. "I must have dozed off."

He's put some gnarly things in his mouth before, but snail slime is nearing the top of the list. Strange is very obviously not pleased.