⇨ 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]

The two halves look at each other, and consider the possibility.

"It's possible," the light half says eventually, "but it doesn't matter. Part of me is... like that, and I don't want to be."

[exaomori]

"I ain't sayin' that's what happened. I don't even know why it would trigger just 'cause of somethin' like that." Shura crosses her arms, leans back as she considers that matter. Her head hurt, and there wasn't enough aspirin to soothe the headache that was brewing. She straightens and looks back to both halves.

"If it is 'cause of the mirror, then we need to get you back together ASAP."

[reflash]

"No." The light half says, and the dark half doesn't argue. "It's better this way. I'm better this way."

[exaomori]

Of course, both halves are still complete idiots. "Better how?"

[reflash]

"I'm not a crybaby," the light half says, throwing countless conversations back in Shura's face as the dark half curls in on himself.

"And I'm not weak, or scared. That's better, isn't it."

[exaomori]

"You're gonna grow out of bein' a crybaby," Shura replies before she realizes it. Well, too late to take it back now. "An' if it's bein' weak, then this curse is only gonna make you weaker if it is that mirror causin' it."

She almost wants to reach out and touch him as he shrivels up. But Shura doesn't know how to comfort anyone that well, so she keeps to herself.

[reflash]

"It's just faster, Shura-san." The light half corrects. "There's nothing weaker about it. This is the most efficient way to get stronger."

The dark half knows where this is going, where this has to go. There's only one outcome here, and both of him know it.

[exaomori]

"That mirror only divides, it doesn't multiple. When I was havin' to deal with that Shima's clones in Eden, that demon of his came out and told me to be careful about letting it make too many copies of 'im. If anything happens to either of you, I don't think you'll be able to recover from it."

[reflash]

"I'm sure I will be able to recover." The light half says. The dark half doesn't look at either of them, but he's crying again, so that's something.

[exaomori]

"You--" Shura doesn't know what to say or do, so she turns her attention to the rying Yukio and barks at him. "Drank the juice, Four-eyes!" The crybaby she can handle, the other one...

"You ain't listenin'. You're tryna take a shortcut, and that's just going to lead to major trouble."

[reflash]

The crybaby wipes at his eyes and obediently takes a sip of juice. He doesn't want to get yelled at, he doesn't want Shura's attention on him, but he doesn't want to go against her either.

The other one, the one with the cold confidence under a thin layer of politeness, listens to Shura and brushes off the advice.

"It might. But it might be worth it. You wouldn't complain if I stayed like this. You didn't even notice that anything had changed."

[exaomori]

"Y'think I didn't notice you tryna play it off like you're a cool guy all evenin'?" What did he think her questioning was all about?? "I really did think you were snatched and replaced by somethin' for a sec!"

Complaining about her never listening to him when he never listened to her, jeez.

[reflash]

"But not for long enough to actually worry, or to really think it wasn't me." If she'd been really worried, she wouldn't have decided to get drinks with him.

[exaomori]

"Y'think I wasn't worried?" This is not the conversation she wanted to have. "I spent all night tryna figure out what happened to you!"

[reflash]

"You didn't ask." Or, she did, but not correctly. If she'd asked a clearer question, she would have gotten a clearer answer.

[exaomori]

For a moment, Shura just stares at him. "I asked what was goin' on and you blew me off!" Or at least, didn't give her the answer he knew she was looking for, like he had a habit of doing.

[reflash]

"You'll never get anything from anyone if you ask like that," he says, with a shrug, tongue flicking out in the middle of his sentence, in the middle of a word, really. He still hasn't sobered up at all.

[exaomori]

"You knew exactly what I was gettin' at. What do you want me do do, interrogate ya? I ain't gonna do that, and I can't do anythin' to help if you won't let me!" She steals a glance at Crybaby, not liking how quiet he's being. "And that goes for you too!"

[reflash]

"Then you won't get anything you want." Yukio says.

"You know I don't want help." Yukio says, scrubbing at his eyes. Shura's never liked seeing him cry. And he doesn't want help. He's never wanted help. Isn't that pathetic.

[exaomori]

Great, Yukio at his best, in stereo. Why did Shiro think she would take care of him again?

"I ain't gonna stand by and just watch you do something stupid!" It's hard not to raise her voice and just yell at both of them. It's also hard to point at both of them for emphasis without feeling stupid, so her hands just sorta wave about for a moment. If she could just... shake him. That's what she'd like to do right now.

[reflash]

"You always do," the dark half mutters, looking away. At the same time, the light half shoots his commentary back. "I'm not being stupid."

[exaomori]

"You--!" Again, to both of them. Could they just trust her about this? Shura rakes a hand through her hairs and moans.

"We ain't gettin' anywhere like this."

[reflash]

"I know." The dark half murmurs. He's... crying again. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to be good enough."

"You're not going to change my mind," the light half says, talking over the other Yukio's quiet apology.

[exaomori]

Shura hears them both. Well, mostly hears them. She's more apt to focus on what the crybaby says, if only because she knows he won't speak over the other one if he's talking.

"I've never been able to get you to listen to me," she grumbles to him, her lip curling up in a snarl. Her face softens when she looks to dark half, feeling more than just exhausted. Shiro thought she could handle this? He had a lot more faith in her than she deserved. She reaches out to ruffle the dark half's hair, just for a second.

"Idiot." Just one idiot, since there was only one in the room, even if he was cut in half. She's too tired, and she might say something she'll regret if she tries to argue with him for much longer, so Shura slowly begins to help herself up to her feet, wobbling a little on her way up.

[reflash]

He reaches up and grabs her wrist, just for a second, just long enough for him to regret his own movement. He wants her to stay. She won't stay. She can't stay. He lets go and lets her stand.