yamato nikaido (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
dadsandals) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
lunaecalamitas2024-04-16 06:58 am
dadsandals) wrote in lunaecalamitas2024-04-16 06:58 am
do you believe in magic in a shared bath's heart?
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:
............. Enjoy your bath!
(OOC: This is backdated to before the South mission so South Wizards get in on the fun too!)
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!)
Steam room
Please save him.]
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Did you know if you keep your face in a certain way, it could become stuck like that?
[ Jing Yuan isn't blaming him for staring anyhow and he can't help but tease him. ]
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'A c-certain way'? I was just... trying to decide whether the water was warm enough to get in, that's all--
[Says the man who is currently clad in a bathrobe and making absolutely no movements to try to take it off. He is turning a very interesting shade of scarlet, though.]
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Wow rude. Anyway, this is extremely funny, and if he were far more immature he'd use more colorful language for further teasing purposes. ]
I believe you.
[ Jing Yuan says in the exact tone that implies otherwise, lol. ]
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[Phil isn't so socially inept that he can't realize when he's being teased given how many years he's spent around Marcus! He is fluent in teasing as a second language. Most of the time.]
... a-anyway, I didn't mean to stare. It's just...
[Even with the bathrobe on, it's quite obvious that Phil is very much on the skinny and non-muscular side. A totally innocuous reason for gaping the way he was, surely!]
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[ Jing Yuan asks in a jocular tone. Seems like Phil is well tuned to some teasing, so he thinks that the two of them will get along just fine. Also, he is fortunate that this grandpa is merciful (maybe.) ]
I won't hold it against you for staring. Though, it wouldn't exactly serve the purpose of relaxation if that is all you did. Am I wrong?
[ Feel free to join him! Don't be Shy. ]
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[Phil is about the exact opposite of relaxed at the moment... he is managing to both feel incredibly inadequate about his own physique and have a Bisexual Crisis at the same time, RIP.]
And that is why I came here in the first place...
[... he still isn't taking the bathrobe off, though. It may take a bit more coaxing to make that happen because alas, he is in fact Shy about these kinds of things.]
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You'll overheat if you don't at least loosen those robes of yours. Or otherwise take care of them.
[ Jing Yuan points out mercilessly.
He supposes the other man could just kind of slip out so it's kind of hanging around his waist or something, but eh. Up to Phil as he chills over here. ]
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[There's a long moment of internal debate, and he isn't getting any less red in the process. At last he seems to come to the same conclusion that Jing Yuan has and slowly (and very self-consciously) slides the top half off, making sure to wrap the arms securely around his waist and tie them once he does so to eliminate any chances of it falling down the rest of the way.
There, that will do for the moment. And... yeah, he is in fact exactly as scrawny as he looks. It's kind of like putting a stick figure next to a Greek statue.]
I'm... not used to bathing around other people most of the time. I wasn't expecting there to be so many people here when I came.
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Welcome to a splendid time in the steam room, minus one hideous screaming noise courtesy of said man lounging lazily, and comfortably in his spot with a little smile. Anyway, it's fine. He's seen his fair share of scrawny men, and he feels no desire to poke fun at that. ]
Consider it a good way to get you socialized with other people. We should all take the time to get to know each other decently, since we're going to be working together.
Ah, speaking of which...I'm afraid I haven't caught your name, have I?
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[He has to pointedly try to avoid cringing at the comment about getting him socialized with other people if only because he's well aware of just how bad he is when it comes to that particular subject. If he had his way, he would hole himself up in his room with books and never come out.
Still, the subject change is a welcome one, as is evidenced by the way he brightens up ever-so-slightly.]
And yourself?
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It is a pleasure, Phillip.
[ Socialization truly is a beast that cannot be tamed. But it is one Jing Yuan himself has no issues with. Such as it is, it's no surprise that he is already springing towards another topic for conversation... ]
While we're at it, why not tell me ways you usually find yourself indulging in relaxation?
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[He too sits down, already looking a bit more at ease than he was just a few moments ago, though some of the earlier tension still remains.]
Relaxation...?
[It's something of a foreign concept to him, alas, workaholic that he is. Not that he has much time to do so, anyway...]
... I like to read, I suppose, although much of it is in the line of my work or research. The library here has been wonderful for that so far-- I only hope I'll have enough time to be able to get through most of the books before...
[And he trails off, because he doesn't really need to finish that sentence.]
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It slows down the aging process so much (no, but also, yes?) ]
Oh, before we manage to leave?
[ He doesn't, but Jing Yuan asks it for him instead. ]
And what exactly are you researching?
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Here? The spirits and their specific natures. I'm curious as to how similar they may be to the spirits of my own world, and whether it's possible to communicate with them the same way as it is there.
[Neeeeerrrrrrrd.]
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Anyway, Nerd Phil is gonna nerd. Hearing him talk about it makes it clear he is some sort of researcher indeed. ]
I wouldn't think it impossible.
It might prove fruitful, if one can find out a way to communicate with them properly.
[ Though he doubts it'll be easy. ]
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[The sparkles are almost visible. Phil is in his element right now.]
I'm just not quite sure where to begin on that front.
[He doesn't have the Salvation Front as his excuse in this world, alas.]
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Perhaps it may even become easier for us to communicate with them all on our own at some point.
[ Other than that Jing Yuan does not have much leads at all which sounds like kind of a big nothing, but it certainly isn't to him, in retrospect. ]
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[If only because it would give him a target, something concrete to pursue here.]
It's... strange, feeling like I have to relearn something that I already know-- magic, that is. So I thought the research end of things would be somewhat less frustrating, but right now it just seems like I'm going in circles.
[That's his excuse for why a third of the library is now in his room and he's sticking to it.]
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And I would say it'd be best to keep thinking that way.
[ As for the other matter... ]
It could simply be the way magic is controlled in this world that is different than yours. One's efforts can be great, but even great practice and time won't make much of a dent until our bodies acclimate here.
Then again...there is the fact we are not supposed to even be here. Perhaps that too has a role to play?
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... ah. At that, Phil's face falls slightly. Their current situation really is similar to what the nexuses had to face when they first arrived in Tir Na Nog, isn't it?]
... yes. Perhaps it does.
[The guilt bubbles up unbidden. Even though it was Phantom who exoflected a number of the nexuses, not him, he still shares the responsibility for it on a base level, a fact of which he is well aware. As such, his next question probably seems like something of a non sequitur to Jing Yuan, who doesn't have a window into his thoughts.]
Do you really think we'll be able to return to our worlds after all of this?
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Though, that being said, he is also a man who does at least hold powers of observation. If not, he would not be called the Divine Foresight.
Such as it is, even if he can't grasp the thread, he can at least do what he does best, as a person used to leading others. The surroundings are irrelevant. ]
I truly believe so.
We will find our way back home. Why? Because do we have any other choice? To accept failure?
We shall have our homecoming. And so, we will return.