do you believe in magic in a shared bath's heart?

[dadsandals]

The bath at the mansion really is extensive -- probably more extensive than a lot of them have seen, considering there are literally multiple pools of varying temperatures, probably statues and indoor plants or something for atmosphere, steam rooms, complimentary bath things (everything in the manor is kind of complimentary but shshhh) and whatnot.

On this particularly fine and nondescript day, though -- there's a bit of a commotion whenever you wander in butt-naked for your soak or whatever you like to do in here (you can hang from the ceiling like a bat or something we ain't the judge of you); there's two enterprising wizards flitting about poking at things.

The thing with 🪄 Cid Kagenou 🪄 is that he is Very Into Baths, and Very Into Magic, and thus the Bath Magic is one of the few areas where even his li'l old self can shine. Or not shine, given that they've all been here for 2.5 days (extremely rough estimate) and the miracle is nobody has blown up the mansion trying magic yet. But there is definitely magic happening! Since there's already steam and everything.

And then there's 👓 Yamato 👓. Yamato is Here and enabling himself by watching Cid experiment with various things in the area. Initially he probably would've tried to stop him, but seeing what Cid's been doing has made him want to try some magic experimentation of his own. Pairing a teenager who kind of knows what he's doing with a man who has no idea what's going on makes it even more of a miracle that the mansion has not been blown up yet.

But if you look even closer, you'll spot various small differences:

🛁 all of the water has bubbles in it; the hot bath in fact looks like it has small duck-shaped bubbles just sort of trundling along, occasionally a duck pops and releases a puff of scented air (scents may vary at your discretion)

🛁 the cold water bath keeps turning different colors, maybe they should stop experimenting with it before somebody ends up blue for the week

🛁 some of the statues and potted plants have been slightly altered; nothing too outrageous, but at least one or two statues have been turned into roomba replicas and there's a potted plant with leaves that look like people in the manor's faces in miniature

🛁 the steam room is letting out an intermittent screaming noise that sounds very human, but there's no one in it

🛁 some of the bath soaps are extremely bright and keep on changing colors, as if they were colored like a disco ball (rave! in the bathhouse!)

............. Enjoy your bath!

(OOC: This is backdated to before the South mission so South Wizards get in on the fun too!)

Comments

[lighthaus]

Swords. The crocodile has an advantage over anyone with guns, so that would defeat the point.

[ he shifts in the bath and then with a decisive impero, bubble swords pop into existence, centered in the middle of the bath "battlefield". the ducks and crocs both immediately beeline (float) to where the swords are in all their prismatic bubbly glory.

looks like he's leaving the creation of human bubbles to tatara. ]

Finding a weapon is part of the game too.

[1145pm]

Whoa...

[ It doesn't matter how many times he sees it, magic is still so impressive. He looks at the bubble swords, awed by the detail (even if there's a lack thereof), and watches as the crocs and ducks spring into action.

It's like a TV show where he can request what happens...

He looks up at Khun again, eyes wide and curious, because— ]

Where are the humans?

[ —he can't actually use magic. ]

[lighthaus]

[ there's absolutely detail in the sword bubbles—he's learning so it's not up to his standards yet but he's also just a detail oriented person, so his spells reflect as such. ]

I figured I'd leave those to you. [ ...... ] Wait, you can actually use magic, right?

[ regardless of the introductions or anything that khun has heard through the grapevine, he's assumed this is more of a "instructor refuses to get off his butt until absolutely pressed to" because that's how it is by him. ]

[1145pm]

[ Hehe. Tatara grins. Maybe the way he smiles suggests he might be what Khun's thinking, but nah. He can't. ]

You're not the first person to think I can. [ He seems amused. Is it the "sage" title??

He just shakes his head, though. ] I'm just a regular human!

[lighthaus]

Eh?

[ it's not the most ridiculous thing he's heard since coming here but- ]

So then your role in all of this is basically morale support?

[1145pm]

Yup!

[ Hehe...

He says it with such gusto and confidence that it almost sounds like the truth, but he quickly giggles and acquiesces. ]

It's a bit more than that. [ like...being their rep ] But it's true that I can't do any of the cool stuff you're learning to do.

[lighthaus]

That means you can do something we can't. What is it? [ he's guessing, but that's the logical inference here.

as for the compliment, he hears it but doesn't acknowledge it. some of this stuff is cool and he absolutely will use magic to his advantage like everything else, but man he misses his lighthouse and pocket. ]

[1145pm]

Good question.

[ In other words: he doesn't know. His expression takes on a thoughtful hue as he pulls up his knees, just up past the water level, and rests his chin on them. ]

I can summon wizards. I feel like...there should be other things I'm supposed to do, but I haven't figured that out yet.

[ He smiles sheepishly at Khun. ] Probably not the answer you were hoping for, huh?

[lighthaus]

An answer's still an answer even if it's not complete. [ which is to say he will always take something over nothing. tatara gets a pat on his shoulder for the effort. ]

If your power involves us, then maybe you need to interact with us in some way.

[1145pm]

Hmm... I think you're right.

[ He pauses, thinking. He takes the pat on the shoulder but doesn't react besides a brief blink. ]

—Oh!

[ He recalls something he read in one of the other sage's tomes, and he turns to Khun.

And without another word, he holds out his hand and looks at Khun expectantly. Take it! ]

[lighthaus]

What is it?

[ of course he takes tatara's hand with no hesitation, even if his eyebrows raise curiously. physical touch got nothing on him! ]

[1145pm]

[ Good! For how open Tatara is, he doesn't usually hold hands with near strangers. If he thinks it awkward he doesn't let it show, though. ]

I read that I can help strengthen your magic by doing this. [ He squeezes his hand. ] Try making bubble people now.

[lighthaus]

[ blink. did you need to squeeze his hand, tatara! (honestly this is some type of karma for his other threads, but he takes it in stride aside from that small reaction. ]

Impero. [ ...i am canon familiar so i believe this works!??! these are attack on titan sized bubble people now im comparison to what they were before, probably. ]

[1145pm]

[ Yes, he did! It makes the magic stronger or something—

It does definitely work, and Tatara's face lights up like a child's on Christmas when he sees bubble 626 manifest. He gasps lightly, and squeezes Khun's hand again for good measure. ]

Whoa! It really worked! That's so cool!

[ He leans forward, trying to see the details in the bubble people. Magic never gets old, this is super cool?! ]

[lighthaus]

[ again with the hand squeezing! you'd think khun would tell tatara off but one look at his face and he decides against that. his weakness you see, to people who are capable of true joy and wonder.

he sighs instead. (he will also not break this contact first because while he's not touch starved, he genuinely enjoys physical affection with others). ]

I'm going to have to fetch you whenever I want to practice.

[1145pm]

[ Tatara has forgotten about their joined hands, too busy taking in the way the bubble ducks and alligators and giant people. Khun's voice draws his attention back, and his head snaps back to look at him.

He grins. ]

That's why I'm here. Do you know where my room is?

[lighthaus]

[ he thinks for a moment, rapping his fingers against tatara's hand as he does. ]

Second floor. [ though he's not sure of the room, so he looks at the sage expectantly. ]

[1145pm]

Room two.

[ Tatara adds without missing a beat, sensing the question without having to dwell on it.

He leans back in his spot. ]

Any time. I can't wait to see how much you've accomplished so far.

/2

[lighthaus]

[ "Anytime."

Does Tatara know how dangerous that is to offer to someone like Khun? Probably not. Or what it means to offer something like that while holding his hand. Probably not. Or worst of all, to do all of that while having that carefree expression on his face?

Even Khun himself doesn't know, even if he's begun to recognize the shape of this sort of thing, ever so slowly. It's why there's a noticeable pause, Khun regarding everything reflecting in the bubbles before him. His gaze lingers on Tatara longer than it needs to. ]

[lighthaus]

[ ah. he blinks, recentering himself more into the present and less his thoughts, with one of his usual smiles to accompany it. ]

No complaints then if I drop by your room at 4am to steal you away. [ this isn't even a threat he will absolutely do this. and as if to punctuate that, or maybe it's just delayed reaction, khun squeezes his hand back before letting go. ]

[1145pm]

[ Though short, Tatara notices the pause. He sees the way Khun looks at him, and he tilts his head, just so, the damp strands of his hair falling into his eyes as he returns the gaze. There's a question in his eyes, why the look, blissfully unaware of what thoughts roam his mind. He searches his eyes, his face, for an answer,

But when he blinks, it's over. Khun smiles, Tatara smiles back. ]

Why would I? Especially since now I know you're going to show me something amazing like this.

[ With his hand free, he gestures towards the bloody bubble battle (is it bloody? maybe it is now,). He scarcely seems to notice he's let go. ]

[lighthaus]

They're just bubbles. Save the praise for something more worthwhile. [ it's not literally bloody since that would be unpleasant and khun's not about making his life that way unless he can avoid it, but it is very sudsy since that's how bubble beings bleed obviously. ]

What do you like? [ a broad question, but he has to start somewhere. ]

[1145pm]

[ He chuckles, like it's a joke. It sounds like Khun's telling him he'll get to see something better in the near future. And is it true? Is he going to go out of his way to show him something "more worthwhile?" That's exciting.

The question, though, catches him off guard. ]

What do I like? Mm... [ Give him a sec to think. ] Lions? The color red? [ ... ] The afternoon sun? A fine bottle of bourbon?

[lighthaus]

Got it. [ yes he absolutely will. he can work with those, but he'll probably skip on the lions because i live in agony over whether common things exist in ToG. ]

The afternoon sun is pretty specific. [ as opposed to just the sun or dawn. looks at him expectantly to explain. ]

[1145pm]

[ Tatara beams, nestles his chin in his palm (where is his elbow resting? who knows—). ]

What, you don't have a favorite time of day, Khun? [ Partial tease, partial genuine curious question.

He closes his eyes, remembers the afternoon sun streaming through the dusty windows of the bar. ]

It's the warmest time of day, perfect to nap in. I dunno how to describe it, but it feels safe. Like things are gonna be okay.

[ He cracks open an eye. ]

Y'know?