⇨ 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

[atouts]

Childermass just laughs again because the only real response he can come up with that (still being the far less uptight half of the whole and all) is, "Oh? Are you going to kiss me as well? Should I worry?"

[kingsroads]

Strange gives Childermass a small, slightly worrying smile...before he leans across the table and straight up attempts to kiss-disenchant Childermass then and there.

Think fast!

[atouts]

Which is something he was already anticipating a drunk Strange to try, seeing how he's quick to raise a hand and catch Strange by the shoulder before he gets the chance to kiss him.

"You'd have to kiss my necklace," he says, still laughing, "Not me. I'd prefer you didn't, though. It can't be replaced."

[kingsroads]

As Childermass catches Strange, Strange can't help but give Childermass a little frown. Rude. The frown stays until Childermass actually explains the method to how he's able to stay sober.

His necklace...well, that explains that. And, in drunk Strange's mind, that makes the solution to the problem even easier!

"Take off the necklace then," he says, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "You need to get drunk as well."

[atouts]

"Shall I take my shirt off as well or is it still only Lambert that you're interested in?" It's a joke, certainly, considering they already went over that ridiculous question when Childermass first showed up to yell at him. Still, he'll set about loosening his collar and pulling out the necklace in question. It's an old one made of jade beads and pendant, intricately designed in a way that a man like Childermass would surely not wear it unless it had an actual use.

Such as cheating at drinking games, for example.

He lifts it up and over his head, taking it off.

"There."

[kingsroads]

"I was interested in Mister Mykk as well," Strange admits. He's a little too drunk to care right now: might as well own up to the fact that half of him was unbearably needy and desperate for attention. Besides, Strange has a sneaky suspicion that Tyki's going to tease him about this later.

Childermass taking off the necklace is met with a wicked grin on Strange's end. He pushes the bottle over towards Childermass with a triumphant little smile.

"If you have any other tricks up your sleeve, I won't hesitate to break them." Just, you know, breaking them with his mouth. Hmm, maybe he should have phrased that better. "Now, have a drink!"

[atouts]

Childermass pockets the necklace for safekeeping and takes the bottle, pouring himself another glass with the intent to do just that.

"I do still have to get back and check on Lambert sometime, you know," he points out. Maybe he never even mentioned that before. Oh well. The entire 'Mister Mikk' thing has his attention and he's absolutely mocking Strange here and now over it. "Mr. Mikk, hmm? Not the worst choice if you're going for looks alone, I suppose. I think he would only end up breaking your heart, though."

[kingsroads]

"He would," Strange admits, perfectly content to gossip about Tyki. His wicked grin softens to a more gentle one as a very drunk Strange gets a little sappy. "Mister Mikk is not the sort of man to keep himself tied to one person the way that I am. Likewise, he is not the sort of man to seek out new dangers and thrills the way I am. And that is why we would make a terrible couple but wonderful friends."

Does this logic make sense? Strange isn't certain it makes sense, but it does in his mind. There's a pause before Strange admits, "Though he is a very attractive man. I'd have always ended up with her in the end, but it's a pity I didn't realize how attractive men could be before I courted Arabella."

[atouts]

The effort to not mock Strange about Ignatius all over again is immense but Childermass can and will overcome that particular urge. The fire fae is a source of endless argument and he's trying to enjoy a drink here, so instead, he'll just shake his head.

"Better you hadn't. You would have only found yourself in more trouble along the way, considering you have the subtlety of a rock through a window, Mr. Strange."

And then he'll drink, properly, without magic tricks this time.

[kingsroads]

"Perhaps that would be best," Strange responds, with a little shrug. "At least then, people wouldn't be surprised when I did things like go mad or disparage Norrell's book."

He knows it wouldn't be for the best. Flirting with men back home is a whole different kettle of fish than a petty book review (Strange honestly isn't sure where going mad fits in the scale.) Still, he doesn't mind dreaming or musing about what-ifs.

[atouts]

"I imagine they would expect madness from a magician regardless," Childermass says with his own shrug. "The pettiness, well, you are an English gentleman. Petty letter-writing is in your blood."

As much as he would have preferred they skip the whole 'runs off and goes mad' part, he supposes, in the end, he shouldn't have been that surprised. Magicians are prone to doing more or less whatever they wanted to.

"Although, if you had to end up with a man..." Because he's the part of Childermass with a sense of humor, he feels pretty free to ask this. "Which would you pick?"

[kingsroads]

And because Strange is drunk enough to not really care, he takes Childermass's question seriously. He frowns a little, thinking, before he answers.

"Does the man have to be human?"

[atouts]

"Anyone who isn't Ignatius," Childermass says after taking a good, long drink from his glass. Admittedly, better to drink heavily than roll his eyes at Strange right now. "Because I already know you would be all over him given the chance. Everyone already knows."

See, he wasn't going to keep mocking him about Iggy but then this. Strange did this to himself.

[kingsroads]

Strange opens his mouth to chime in that of course he'd pick Ignatius, only for Childermass to jump in and impose some other condition. Which honestly, now he's being pedantic for the sake of being pedantic.

"Of course I'd be all over Ignatius. He's smart, caring, and actually listens to me." Plus, he's jacked as hell and Strange has eyes. His drink sloshes around in the cup as Strange continues talking, slurring his words as he does so. "Besides, even if I did try, he wouldn't act on it. I think he respects the boundaries of rank too much to attempt to seduce a subordinate."

There's a pause before he sheepishly asks, "What was your question again?"

[atouts]

"That and he doesn't have anything to fuck you with in the first place," Childermass says far too chipperly. He doesn't even need to be drunk to let that bit of information out, since, again, the lion's share of good sense is being incredibly dull back up in the room. "So you'd be a bit out of luck."

But yes, what was the question again? He'll repeat it with the obvious addition.

"Besides Ignatius, if you had to pick a man to be with, who would it be?"

[kingsroads]

"If the Count could do it, I'm sure Ignatius can find a way." It's a dick move (eyyy) to bring up the image of someone's fake fae dad having sex, but look it had to have happened SOMEHOW.

That's all Strange says on the matter before going back to hypothetically sleeping with someone. The problem here is that it's slim pickings for Strange. Sure, he can objectively see that certain people in the carnival are attractive, but that doesn't mean he wants to be with them! And there's plenty of people who he'd be with as a friend, not as a lay.

Add in the fact that the carnival has a bizarre amount of teenagers, and Strange's choices are narrowed down to like two people.

"As for your question...considering that my lesser half tried to kiss Mister Mikk, I suppose I have to pick him. Even if we both know he'll only break my heart," Strange teases.

[atouts]

"The Count is naturally inclined to fucking people over, it actually makes sense that he might literally fuck them, too." Dark Childermass fitting in as many f-bombs as he can get away with. Time to finish off the current glass of wine and pour another because he hates talking about the Count.

"I'm not a lesser half," he adds, a small complaint about what Strange calls his previous other half. It's a short-lived complaint, however, and he forges right on into considering the other magician's choice. "We do know he would break your heart but I imagine you'd have fun while it lasted. It isn't as though the carnival is forever, anyhow."

[kingsroads]

"It isn't," Strange agrees. And he sounds downright relieved that the carnival isn't forever. He's nearing the end of his time here and he's getting a little bit impatient: let's just hurry all of this up so he can go home! He really misses his wife!

Though hmm, he probably should actually tell Childermass about that whole business.

"By the way, I'm not cursed anymore," Strange idly remarks, like they're talking about the weather. "I asked the Ringmaster and she removed it."

[atouts]

Yeah, that brings Childermass up short of taking another drink. He stares at Strange from over the rim of the glass, then slowly lowers it.

"What? Just like that? Just because you asked?"

[kingsroads]

"Just like that," Strange explains, with a little shrug. "She seemed hesitant about it, but she did it in the end."

He takes another drink from his glass. It's obvious from Strange's expression that he's thinking about something.

"I still haven't forgiven her for not telling us about the Winter Queen. But her doing that is...nice."

[atouts]

"If only I had a calendar to mark this down on. The day Jonathan Strange swallowed his pride." Yeah, this may be the more fun side of Childermass buuuut he's still brutally honest. "I suppose neither I or Lambert will have to spend another year to save you after all. That's good to know."

[kingsroads]

Strange semi-jokingly, semi-seriously rolls his eyes at Childermass.

"It's because you two were dead set on spending another year here that I asked her in the first place. I don't want you two to waste a year of your lives for me."

[atouts]

"I'm not sure I'd call another year touring the multiverse with Lambert a waste," Childermass says, chuckling at all that eyerolling. He'll push the bottle back over to Strange, seeing as he's still working on his current glass.

[kingsroads]

"If it's another year touring the multiverse without me involved? Then yes, it is a waste."

Childermass gave him shit about swallowing his pride earlier, it only makes sense for Strange to make a few jokes about that in exchange. Still, he's got a feeling Lambert and Childermass could get along perfectly fine without him.

[atouts]

"More like an entire year of touring the multiverse without you calling Lambert at the worst times possible," Childermass counters, complete with raising his drink in a mock toast to Strange.