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

[themanwhoerasedhisname]

The risk here is that I have met enough of you I know someone will try to get me into the baths before this all is over. It's guaranteed.

[He says that with a bit of a sigh because he's resigned to that. And he wouldn't be wrong! But admittedly, Kiryu accepted only because he was certain the person who managed to get him there wasn't from any kind of Japan, so he let himself lower his guard carefully]

Kiryu.

[Giving only the last name, like a cool tough guy!]

[divineth]

Kiryu.

[You go, cool tough guy. Urianger doesn't seem to mind one way or the other.]

And this is the second time that I have been told of such...brash...people. Apparently I have come to know this group less than I previously thought.

[Clearly he just needs to talk to Akira or something.]

[themanwhoerasedhisname]

Everyone I have talked with so far seem to be decent people. Brash and eager to use magic, but well-meaning.

They seem intent in messing with anyone too serious. Watch out.

[.........

...no, Kiryu, that might be just you. Despite how intimidating he looks, at the same time there's a somewhat approachable quality to him that gets some to be more casual with him]

[divineth]

I see... But is it so strange to want to take our circumstances seriously?

[Oh no. Urianger's a prime target.]

[themanwhoerasedhisname]

It's the right thing to do, but look around you.

[Look at the roomba statues and the multicolor soaps and the screaming steam room. People are having their fun even during these circumstances.

...which is probably also good, all work and no play etc etc etc]

[divineth]

[He quite literally takes a good look around, and his expression cracks into a sheepish smile.]

Hah. Thou hast a point. Though I suppose I ought to be glad that they are at least practicing in some capacity.

[themanwhoerasedhisname]

Somehow I don't think this is the kind of practice our wise mentor had in mind.

[Kiryu can't help but wonder what the Wanderer might think of all this!]

[divineth]

Oh, absolutely not. I imagine he would be most disappointed.

[And yet, Urianger doesn't seem all that concerned about it. What did Wanderer expect to happen when his approach to teaching was so hands-off?]

[themanwhoerasedhisname]

Perhaps he'll like it better if it's accompanied by another essay.

[Truthfully the essay was harder for Kiryu than everything else! True, Kiryu once had a blog and what not, but that was not academic writing. Redaction is not his forte!]

[divineth]

Haha. ‘Twould be seen as a fitting punishment for some of our number.

[Urianger, well…he had a grand time with the essay, being the nerd that he is. Academia is where he thrives.]