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]

[Kiryu doesn't get in the baths. In fact, he stays with a bathrobe on, not showing any consideration about getting in the bath. He's wallflowering, wow. Why is this guy like this.

In addition to that, the steam room keeps getting his attention! He hears that screaming noise every once in a while, and he rushes to open the door and look inside...only to find nothing!]

I heard something...

[Was it a trick of his head, somehow?

That it may be magic-related doesn't cross his mind. He's not used to ignoring that kind of noises, you know!]

wallflowering

[1145pm]

[ Well, this won't do!

Tatara is here, because he cannot say no to an impromptu gathering. When he spots Kiryu hanging by the wall, he wanders over with a bright smile, a big wave, and a towel around his waist. ]

Not going for a soak?

[themanwhoerasedhisname]

I can't. ...I...have delicate skin.

[He totally doesn't and it's not hard to see that. Nobody has ever said Kazuma Kiryu is good at lying]

[1145pm]

Really?

[ DOUBT

He whirls around, if just to look at the collection of soaps and oils and other tinctures scattered around the baths. As he does, Kiryu gets a good look at the tattoo (?) on his left shoulder. ]

There's probably some soap here for sensitive skin. I'll find it for you!

[ :)? ]

[themanwhoerasedhisname]

[For a moment Kiryu thinks that's the wizard marking, but then he realizes that no, it's not that. Huh...]

You don't have to go out of your way for me.

[He can't bring himself to be a jerk to someone trying to be helpful. Kiryu is capable of rudeness, but he always caves in the end anyway]

[1145pm]

Too late!

[ He calls this over his shoulder, voice ringing loud and clear through the bath. Is he interrupting others' bath time? Is he drawing too much attention to them? He certainly doesn't seem to mind!

Either way, he returns a few moments later with a couple of bottles in hand. He stares at each label and reads them off as he hands them to Kiryu: ]

Body wash for sensitive skin, gentle scrub for sensitive skin, shampoo for sensitive scalps, rejuvenating oil—

[ He's about to hand off the last bottle when his head snaps up to look at him. ]

What about the steam room?

[themanwhoerasedhisname]

[Kiryu has his hands full of all kinds of items. Well dang, this excuse has run its course]

Ah, the steam room...the one that's screaming all the time...

[...hmmmmm...he probably can be there, he thinks]

Yeah, that should do.

[He squints at the stuff he's now carrying]

This doesn't work for that room, as far as I know...

[Specialized beauty products were never his thing, he's guessing from what little he knows! He's staring at the labels like he's trying to find the specific information written somewhere! Old he may be, but he still has plenty of moments of awkwardness. He's always been like that]

[divineth]

[There's wallflowering at regular parties, and then there's...whatever Kiryu's got going on here.

Urianger passes by, similarly done up in a bathrobe but with intentions to actually ditch it for a bath at some point.]

Is something troubling thee?

[Why are you just standing around menacingly, Kiryu.]

[themanwhoerasedhisname]

[Kiryu is supposed to keep on the downlow who he is and who he used to be, so his immediate reaction is to lie, since it's related to the existence of that large tattoo on his back.

Too bad he's terrible at lying]

I'm fine. I'm the lifeguard for today.

[There had to be much better excuses than this one]

[divineth]

[...

huhcat.gif

Urianger raises an eyebrow.]

I was not aware that the public bathing space was in need of a lifeguard.

[themanwhoerasedhisname]

With all the magic involved? It's only prudent for there to be one.

[........

He shakes his head, pressing his palm against his forehead]

I really couldn't have come up with something better than this?

[Yeah, no, he's aware this was a terrible lie]

[divineth]

...Verily, that was actually somewhat believable. The bathing room hath been...odd, today.

[Like, magic going haywire is no joke. Especially when there are so many novices in the group.]

Then I presume there is a true reason for thy reluctance to partake?

[themanwhoerasedhisname]

I have tattoos. They have a certain kind of meaning and many here would know right away.

[There are many Japanese people here, who undoubtedly would ask questions and get a tad nervous about there being a yakuza among them. That's how it tends to be, really -- no matter how much he says he's no yakuza and hasn't been for ages, civilians tend to be reluctant]

Perhaps at a later date it'll be fine -- but for now I didn't just want to reject an invitation.

[That's why he's here despite that, mostly out of politeness, figuring he can hang around for a while]

Steam room

[chronosynthesis]

I heard it, too. [And he wasn't even interested in the steam room, previously, but now he's stopped outside just as Kiryu is coming back out.] Was it nothing?

[themanwhoerasedhisname]

Nothing except steam. Was it a spirit...?

[Kiryu, the spirits of the world have better things to do than spook people in a steam room.

Probably]

[chronosynthesis]

I suppose it is possible the spirits of this place can speak. [Whether they choose to or not is another thing entirely.] In that case, there must be a way to soothe it. OR you could just hope it goes away on its own.

[themanwhoerasedhisname]

I'd rather do something about it instead of sitting around to wait.

[Soothing spirits it'll be. Kiryu stares at the entrance of the steam room when another shriek happens.

Hm]

How does one pacify a spirit? Many years ago I remember something about having to use a holy rock and charging it by placing it inside a jar, but that was where I'm from. It might be different here.

[KIRYU THAT WHOLE THING WITH THE ROCK AND THE JAR WAS A SCAM YOU FELL FOR]

[chronosynthesis]

I'm afraid I don't have any experience, either. I am no necromancer. [He props his chin on his hand.] Where would one get a holy rock?

[If they don't have any other options. What's the worst that could happen?]

[themanwhoerasedhisname]

...I have no idea.

[From random people in the street, turns out. Hmmmmm...]

We have magic. We should be able to bless a rock ourselves?

[That's how it works, right...?]

Wallflowering

[mirristry]

[Likewise, Phil too is standing off to the side in a bathrobe, though he's eying the water with an expression that makes clear he would like to get in. When he spots Kiryu also staying out of the water, he moves a bit closer, because it's less awkward when you aren't the only one not joining in on the fun!

... well. Maybe not 'fun,' judging by those odd screaming sounds?]

Is it... safe to go in, do you think...?

[themanwhoerasedhisname]

Use the soaps at your own risk.

[Look at those. You could turn into many kinds of colors, eh?]

[mirristry]

The soaps?

[Phil blinks. He hadn't been looking at them before, but now that he does...]

... ah. I'm assuming those colors aren't just for show.

[He lets out a quiet sigh.]

I suppose this is one way to practice one's magic, but other people would like to be able to take a relaxing bath...

[themanwhoerasedhisname]

They got creative, I have to admire that much.

[Sparse with words, Kiryu is being, but truthfully he doesn't mind the variety of magic here. The plants with leaves with faces are odd, but other than that...this is nice for unity. He's all for it!]

[mirristry]

They certainly did.

[A beat, and then:]

You wouldn't happen to know who did all of this, would you?

[He's honestly curious as to who has managed to get a handle on their magic to a degree to be able to manage this!]

[themanwhoerasedhisname]

Kagenou and Nikaido. They left no stone unturned. I have no idea about their reasons for half of this, though...

[He says that, glancing at the roomba statues. Why this, why that, why everything]