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

[shortleash]

( It's connected to Mika, in ways he doesn't elaborate on - the hot water; his hunger; humans.

The suggestion that the categories of a person could so easily change does make Mika scoff, though. )

A human is a human because of its nature. Just because you hand it a gun doesn't mean it's something new. Why should giving some magical abilities change what it is?

( It hasn't changed him. )

[leewards]

Oh really? [Naturally, Ithaqua is of a different opinion.]

Mmh. Humans don't have magic onto themselves, and they hate those who do. It's just a matter of time before they turn on the new wizards.

[shortleash]

Humans turn on humans all the time. I wouldn't use their own shortsightedness as a measuring stick.

( But if Ithaqua wants to judge them as changed, well, Mika's not his boss. )

Trusting humans to be anything besides what they are is a mistake, but it's yours to make it if you want.

[leewards]

Who said anything about trusting humans~

[It's funny that his rhetoric is the exact same as Ithaqua's-- but far more narrow. He can't even seem to grasp the truth.]

I trust those who are rejected by them. [Then he leans over, tilting his head like a bird.] Like those who used to be, and thus are no longer accepted by society.

[shortleash]

Then all you care about is outcasts.

( Mika considers himself inverse - he cares about the humans, and not so much those the humans reject. )

Suit yourself, if you want. But don't be surprised if their ugly nature rears its ugly head, even after being rejected by other humans.

( Even other vampires deride Mika for his recent link to humanity - derision that's rubbed off on him in some way, whether he likes to admit it or not. )

[leewards]

Silly little one. [It's such a narrow view of the world that Ithaqua can't find himself to be annoyed at how mouthy he is. It's more amusing than anything.]

But all right, let's say I shall bow to your knowledge... Which I shan't.

Just don't boil yourself and inconvenience me, who must share this room with you in the meantime. Mmh~?

[shortleash]

( "Little one" ?? wow )

Yeah, I don't intend to. ( He's probably excusing himself after this, given he's clearly not in a state to be around people (and he's clean enough, anyway). ) What are you supposed to be, anyway?

( Looking directly at the mask and the weird eyes, )

[leewards]

Heheheh.

[There are so many potential responses to that! Ithaqua takes a couple of seconds to run through them in his head, before he clasps his hands behind his back.]

The Abominable Snowman. [Even if he is... markedly less furry than what the stories may say.]

[shortleash]

( Yeah, okay, this guy definitely isn't human, and he knows creatures work different from world to world (meeting another vampire with different vampire rules and origins proves that), but also, he can't tell if this guy is just pulling his leg or not. )

... You're a yeti.

( Tentative disbelief. It's a question, even if it's not intonated as one. )

[leewards]

Heheh! I'm markedly less furry than the stories would have you think, but yes. The abominable snowman, the yeti, the beast in the woods... However you call it.

[Is he really? Well, Ithaqua doesn't care what the stories say. His true nature now is no longer anyone's concern.]