MASKTOURN

A private bathhouse for all Snake contestants. There is a small area at the front where guests can disrobe and store their belongings. Further in the bathhouse are warm and cool pools of water for both bathing and relaxation. Fine soaps and bathing oils are provided. The bathhouse is furnished in white tile, and the bottoms of each pool are decorated in mosaics of snakes and water scenes.

Darcy arrived at the bathhouse a bit before Asha did. He hadn't been sure exactly which linens to grab, so he ended up with a lot. He waited for Asha patiently. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

Eventually, Asha entered as well... Though she first leaned against the doorway, taking in some deep breaths. "It's so.. Humid here... Urgh.." Asha mumbled and wiped some sweat off of her face. "Sorry I took so long, Darcy." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Don't apologize. I'm sorry you're not feeling well." Darcy said, and guided Asha over to a small bench she could sit at. "I... didn't exactly know which linens to get, so I grabbed a lot." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Being five weeks postpartum will do that to you.." Asha sighed, and gratefully sat down on the bench. Going from the humidity outside straight to here was not much better. "I was just going to do a simple wrap, I don't have my sewing supplies with me to make you anything fancier.. So you'll probably just want a thinner, more stretchy kind of fabric if you're going to place it around your chest. I needed something a bit more robust for mine." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

They brought a postpartum woman here? That was evil. Darcy sighed, and held up a sheet of cloth that matched Asha's description. It was probably an extra sheet, or something. "Like this?" @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Yes, that will work.. I'll need to fold it a few times, so it may get a bit hot under." Asha said and held out her hands for it. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Darcy handed the clothe over to Asha. He really had no skill when it came to textiles, so he'd leave it to her. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

Asha folded it up a few times, making it long and thinner so it would nicely fit around his chest. "If you turn around and take your robe off your back I can tie it off on your back so I don't see your chest." Asha said and circled her finger around to gesture him to turn away. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Darcy turned around as Asha instructed, and took off the upper part of his robe so his chest was bare. He also lifted his arms up so Asha could wrap it around his chest. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

Asha placed the middle of the fabric around his chest and pulled the ends back, crossing them over each other on his back before draping them over the opposite shoulder. She stood and walked in front of him, not feeling all that awkward since is chest was already covered, and held out the excess fabric toward him. "This needs to go under that part that's covering you, then I can do the rest." Asha said. "It's, uh, also a baby sling since that's what I'm most familiar with tying, so you can use it as a pocket or whatever." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Alright." Darcy nodded, and adjusted the wrap according to Asha's instruction. "Huh. Useful. I don't know exactly what I'd need to carry around here, but useful." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

With the ends taken out again, Asha took them and wrapped them around his waist before tying them off together in front with a little bow. Cute. "You never know what you'll need.. I could give you something to put in it, if you'd like. Last tournament, I gave out a little something that worked as an emergency flare, it might be useful again here." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Once the wrap was all tied up, Darcy pulled the rest of his robe back up, just for extra coverage. "Thank you, really. It means a lot." "Oh, that sounds very useful! I think the tablets work as a groupchat, but it'd be good to have a way to signal something quickly like that. And if they... try to kidnap us and take our powers, we can make sure someone notices." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Mhm, I'm happy to help out." Asha smiled weakly. "The ones I had last time weren't personally made by me, but since then I have figured out how to do it on my own, so I'll know the second that they're lit, and a general feel of the location.. If we're on top of things, that might be useful. But you have to remember to light it, striking it against any solid surface should be enough to spark it up." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Solid surface. Right." Darcy nodded firmly. "I wish I could offer you something in return, but my abilities have more... transient effects. I have a spell to track people, but... it doesn't last long and takes a lot of effort." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

".. It might be worth it to keep that active on people during their fights. If we can figure out where the dungeon is, which I'm assuming they have obviously, we can plan a breakout quicker.." Asha said. "I think that will be useful, they might confiscate the flare as an outside weapon before fights anyway." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Mhm. That's a good plan." A plan that would take up a lot of his energy per fight, but a plan that might save them all. "I don't know if they'd catch onto it all, the tracking mark is invisible to anyone but me, but we can definitely try it out." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"That should work then.. I'll start making the flare for other emergencies." Asha said and took a step back from Darcy. She held her hands togehter, and a bright light began to shine from between them... @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Darcy stepped back, but was definitely interested in seeing the process of Asha's powers. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

As the golden light grew brighter, she twisted her palms against one another, sending out a few sparks. With one hand she pinched her fingers together on the other palm, and began to pull back. The flare grew out from her palm as if she were pulling it out from her hand. She lifted her pinched hand up about eight inches before stopping, as the flare had been fully formed. It looked like a more heavy duty sparkler. "There. It shines very brightly and screams when lit, so even if I'm not around, others would notice too." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Darcy watched intently and amazed as Asha pulled the sparkler out. "Fascinating." He whispered. "Ah, thank you, again." Darcy said, and gingerly took the flair to tuck into his pocket. "Mhm, this is good. Could you maybe make more for other contestants you meet? The more of these that are out there, the safer we'll all be." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"I could, it's been a while since I've used my powers, but I think if I meet people gradually I'll be able to pull it off." Asha nodded. "You can tell other reputable people you meet to come find me as well." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"All the people I've met have seemed... fairly decent." At least better than the first person he met at that other tournament... if he was there Darcy was going to Commit an Act of Violence. "I'll send them your way, as well as any other... decent people I meet." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"That's good.. How many people have you met? I guess I slept in a bit longer than some other people.." Asha asked, wiping her hands off on her robe. There was a bit of soot and gunpowder staining the white fabric now. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"I've met two so far, they're both on the other side. The Birds." Darcy explained. "I met a young man named Aarni, and an academic named Ace. I didn't get either of their powers- though, I think some people might be hesitant to share that information so early. Aarni said he had been to a tournament before, but Ace told me he's never been to one." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"I know someone named Ace, he was in the last tournament I was in, but he was a lawyer.." Asha hummed. "I understand not wanting to give out your powers, but there's not really a way to counter my powers, so I don't mind sharing." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Probably not the same Ace, then." Darcy thought. "Mhm. Mine are usually a bit too... esoteric for people to understand, so even when I explain them people, people usually don't know all I can do."

"Unstoppable in different ways.." Asha said. She figured if he just spoke spells, duct taping his mouth or breaking his jaw would work.. Then again, if someone broke her hands, she'd be extremely limited as well. "So.. Teams. Were there teams in your other tournament? There weren't in mine.." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Not in the one I went to. That's... new to me. The black-and-white uniforms remind me of what the island staff wore at the tournament I went to, but... I think that's just a coincidence." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Hm.. So do you think we'll only be fighting people on the opposite team..? I don't really understand what the point of teams is unless there's team based challenges.." Asha frowned. "But if we can only get paired off against people on the opposite teams, we should be safe associating with people on our own team." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"I guess so. I don't know why else they'd sort us into teams." Darcy thought. "Mhm.... it might be that they're trying to divide us, then. So we forget who's really at fault for this." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Divide us.. They always try that. They put me against one of my best friends for my fight.." Asha huffed. "Were you close with the one you had to fight?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"My fight was the first in the tournament, so I didn't know anyone that well, but we were good friends." Darcy frowned. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

".. Dang. I guess they like doing that. Were all of the fights extremely personal? Some of ours felt nearly random, but some were against friends, and one was against people who really hated each other. It was extremely bloody.." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Some were. My friend Roy was made to fight this... shark woman that had a personal vendetta against him for some reason. It got... violent." He didn't want to even think about what had happened at the last fight. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

".. Shark woman? The one at mine was a snake person.. hmpf. Can't trust people with animal powers." Asha rolled her eyes. "But the snake lost so it worked out, did Roy win?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"One of my best friends has animal powers- so I'll have to disagree on that. But generally... I prefer staying away from anything with teeth that sharp." Darcy sighed. "Roy won on a technicality, because the shark woman was disqualified for tearing his arm off..." He shuddered at the memory. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

".. I think the other guy broke all of the snake person's bones.." Asha shuddered. What could make someone hate someone that personally..? "I hope no one here is like that.. Being violent to other competitors won't help anyone.." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Oh- god." Darcy grimaced at that imagery. "I hope so too. I haven't met anyone that violent yet, so... we can hope." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Yeah, we can hope.." Asha mumbled. If this island was full of Darcys and scholars, it couldn't be that bad. "Well, I should probably go talk to some other people.. but I need to talk to Albanes soonish.." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Thank you again, for helping me." Darcy nodded. "Good luck. I'll see you around, I guess?" @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Mhm! Bye Darcy!" Asha nodded and smiled weakly as she walked out of the room. Hmmm.. She'd either run in to another competitor or Albanes next, either worked. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Armand was in here, just chillin in the cold pool as he enjoyed the night air after the gala. A shame he didn't get to do much, but formal wasn't his scene either way. @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

As Cansu entered the bathhouse, he grumbled at the sight of someone else being here. Great, just what he wanted. More people to annoy him. The deity changed out of his robes and headed over to one of the warmer pools, all without making eye contact with the individial here. The last thing he wanted was to make conversation when all he wanted to do was unwind. @Gab || Armand 🐠|Zhi-Yin 🌬

I see how this is going to be. This dense mf was apparently so relaxed he was already in tune with the water within, instantly clocking the stranger the moment he set foot in the pool. Grown Adult Man, definitely had additional appendages despite being human. Not a fish. Bad vibes. His curiosity getting the better of him, he turned to see the stranger. Well, he certainly understood most of it. And while he wanted to inquire about his mood, even he was smart enough to know that was a bad idea at the moment. Instead he just waited, wondering if the stranger would make a move. It seemed he was being avoided as well. His gaze could tell him that much. @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

Cansu grumbled as Armand spotted him. Great. Just great. He was being perceived. Lowering himself into the water, he spread out his wings and let them flap in the water, washing them out with every splash. After several moments, he stopped and let the wings retract. He still didn't look in Armand's direction. @Gab || Armand 🐠|Zhi-Yin 🌬

Jokes on you bird, that only makes you more percieved the water is not safe for you. Armand could feel the disturbance caused by the wings, despite being in a different pool, but he recieved the mental memo. They shall simply sit in silence I suppose. Who will crack first? @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

It seemed that Cansu would crack first. The deity let out a deep sigh before he looked over to Armand. “What?” @Gab || Armand 🐠|Zhi-Yin 🌬

Armand was lowkey startled by the sudden noise. He was quite enjoying the silence. Nothing but water. "Hm?" He sat up suddenly as he was addressed? "Were you speaking to me?" @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

“Who else would I be speaking to?” Cansu grumbled. “You’re the only one here, and you keep glancing over. Is there something you need?” @Gab || Armand 🐠|Zhi-Yin 🌬

Armand's brows furrowed. "I didn't realize my gaze was so piercing." He joked, letting out a satisfied sigh. "If there was something I needed, I would have spoken by now, And just to be clear, I only looked at you once." @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

“Once was more than enough in a bathhouse.” Cansu huffed. @Gab || Armand 🐠|Zhi-Yin 🌬

"Am I not allowed to have a wandering gaze? This place is quite beautiful." He retorted quietly, looking up at the ceiling. @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

Great, this was going to be another annoying person to deal with. “What’s your name?” Cansu decided to ask. Maybe this was one of the people he was told about. @Gab || Armand 🐠|Zhi-Yin 🌬

"Well since you asked, it's Armand. Would you like to share yours, irritable stranger? Or is that too personal in a bathhouse?" He might be enjoying this. Just a little bit. If Cansu looked at him, he was just messing with the water in front of him. @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

"Irritable stranger?" Cansu growled. "I'm not irritable, you're irritable. My name is Cansu." @Gab || Armand 🐠|Zhi-Yin 🌬

Armand's eyes started to glow. And strangely enough the water in the bathhouse started to resonate with his voice. "My apologies, I don't mean to offend." He slinked on over to the bath Cansu was in, making himself comfortable as he met Cansu's eyes. "Surely we're getting off on the wrong foot, so why don't we start over? Reset the vibes." Cansu felt... calmer upon hearing his voice. Any ire towards the man seemed to lessen as he continued to speak. Surely he was screaming internally, but right now he was much more willing to chill. Surely this guy isn't that bad. Maybe they should start over. "Would you be okay with that, mon amie?" @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟 (I am both sorry and not sorry at all for this)

The tension in Cansu's body drifted away. The sensation oddly felt familiar to when Sadihak used their abilities on him earlier. He did his best to fight against it, but Armand's power overwhelmed him. The deity found himself smiling as he rested against the edge of the pool. "I would be more than fine with that," Cansu hummed. @Gab || Armand 🐠|Zhi-Yin 🌬

Armand couldn't help but grin widely at his success. It's not like it has yet to fail. Hopefully in time it will. The glow left his eyes as he finally broke eye contact to look up at the ceiling again. "I'm glad we could come to an agreement, dear Cansu. So why don't you tell me more about yourself. What has you in such low spirits, mon amie?" @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

“I had a disagreement with another competitor, Darcy,” Cansu started. The words flowed from his lips too easily as he spoke about what happened. “It regarded another competitor, named Kal, who I am entirely suspicious of being diabolical.” @Gab || Armand 🐠|Zhi-Yin 🌬

Armand stifled a laugh. "Kal? I believe I've had the pleasure of meeting him. I believe he's rather simple. A bit too simple to be diabolical I'd say. Maybe you have some insight into the man that I do not." @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

“He seems simple, but I believe there’s more to him than meets the eye,” Cansu stated. No matter how hard he tried to stop talking, he simply couldn’t. “I know of his roots, and just how far they run. It’s in his nature to be devious.” @Gab || Armand 🐠|Zhi-Yin 🌬

(my inner luce is screaming)

Armand was still a bit confused. "I can see where the debate comes from then. Although I'm not sure I want to know what those roots are." @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

“He’s the son of a monstrous dictator,” Cansu spoke. “His blood runs through Kal’s veins. Surely, he must have cruel intentions like his father.” @Gab || Armand 🐠|Zhi-Yin 🌬

Armand let out a laugh. "Is that how that works? Now I know you're not human. Historically speaking, if he was a monstrous dictator, the son will either be exactly like him or nothing like him. No in between. That's what happens when a figure like that has an heir." He gestures as he speaks, almost like he has a glass of wine in his hand. "Of course, I'm defending a stranger at the end of the day. And only doing so with my scope of experience."

3:10 PM

@Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

“Of course I’m not human,” Cansu would’ve sounded disgusted by that, but he said it casually instead. He was being a friend to Armand, after all. “I’m a deity, a deity who was enslaved by that dictator and that family line for plenty of generations. They used me for combat, to stretch out their empire, to end the lives of innocents. Every member of that family has followed that path. Kal, while he didn’t grow up under his father’s rule, must have tendencies similar to that of his father. That’s what makes him so dangerous.” @Gab || Armand 🐠|Zhi-Yin 🌬

There were a few contradictions there. But at the end of the day did Armand really care? "Right. So it sounds like a vendetta then. A diety though. How'd a diety end up here of all places?" @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

“My presence was required, and as a past ally of the Lifebringer, I felt as though I should appear.” @Gab || Armand 🐠|Zhi-Yin 🌬

"I see. Well I hope my presence is not required. As much as I find the water to be my home, I'm quite tired from the days events." Even though all he's done is eat and relax. @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

“I too find the water to be comforting,” Cansu hummed. “Do you wish to return to your sleeping quarters?” @Gab || Armand 🐠|Zhi-Yin 🌬

Armand nodded his head. "It's gotten quite late, and I'm afraid I need my beauty sleep if I'm to stay this handsome." He was already standing from the water and putting on his towel. @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

“I see,” Cansu nodded. He too started to climb out of the pool. “I will go as well.” @Gab || Armand 🐠|Zhi-Yin 🌬

Armand grinned. "It was truly a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Hopefully we shall meet again." And with that, he was off to change and head back to his room. @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

Cansu went to his room too. It wouldn’t be long before whatever Armand did to him would wear off. Bird god would go to sleep grumpily.

Darcy hadn't gone to the fight. Instead, he'd sulked in his room, hidden under the covers, until he was too disgusted by his own filthy state that he mustered up the strength to drag himself to the bathhouse. He loathed public bathing- he really loathed any occasion where he had to show his body- and ended up wrapping himself up in a robe and not taking it off while he sat in the warm pool, trying to clean off the sweat and grime from his skin. To any outside observer, he was clearly very miserable. @Twig | Seki / Aarni

Since Darcy's eyesight wasn't the clearest, it seemed like he had not noticed another contestant in the pool next to his. He also probably didn't notice a tuft of long, white hair in his pool, right next to him, but perhaps he would eventually feel it brushing against his skin as the water moved it around. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Darcy shrieked in alarm as the hair brushed up against him, and clamored out of the pool. This was, just as he had suspected, a terrible idea after all! He made to leave, but had to take a moment to catch his breath first, his arms wrapped tight around his body. @Twig | Seki / Aarni

Seki, who had fallen asleep in the next hot water pool, head nestled between crossed arms on the edge and tail dangling all the way to Darcy's pool, woke up with a start when the man yelled. Seki let out a surprised roar, slipped, and plunged underwater with a great splash. They quickly re-emerged, sopping wet, coughing and wheezing heavily. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Darcy whimpered as Seki woke and fell into the water, and nearly slipped back into it himself, keeping his sopping wet robe closed against his body. "Wh- Seki?" @Twig | Seki / Aarni

Still coughing and wheezing, sneezing water out of his nose and squinting with tears in his eyes, he turned towards Darcy's voice. They were gripping the edge of the pool not to slip again. "Oh- COUGH COUGH, Dar-cy? COUGH-HUH COUGH, graah, hhh, ughh, was that you, who yell-led? Cough." Seki asked in a very wheezy, husky voice. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Y-yeah, it's me." Darcy said, his voice trembling. "You scared the life out of me, are you okay?" He held out a hand to Seki to help her up. @Twig | Seki / Aarni

"Oh, sorry.. i didn't notice you coming in-." Seki coughed some more and then held Darcy's hand to ger properly up into a safe position. "I'm okay, just got a bunch of water up my nose." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"It's okay. I didn't notice you were in here, either." Darcy sighed. "Sorry. That's no fun." Even in the dim light, Seki would be able to tell Darcy was doing far worse than he'd been this morning. @Twig | Seki / Aarni

"It's fine", they croaked. Seki sat onto the edge of the pool, now feeling a bit too full of water to sit in the pool. They sighed and brushed back their wet mane, and took some breaths to calm down from the little scare. They weren't wearing anything to the bath, but didn't seem at all bothered. Their fluffy white chest fur was now on full display, as were the white stripes on their back, and their rather decent muscles that showed even through the gray fur. When Seki had caught their breath, they looked over at Darcy with a friendly smile to say something light-hearted to make fun of the awkward moment, but their expression dropped once they saw how Darcy looked. "Are you okay, man? Did you fall into the pool too?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Darcy tried his best not to look at Seki's naked body too much, it was clearly something he was a bit uncomfortable with. He crossed his arms over his chest. "Oh, uh, no. I was just trying to clean up..." @Twig | Seki / Aarni

"Yeah, me too. The water was really nice and warm after the rain. Were you out long after we talked to the statue? I've been here the whole time, heh, definitely the nicest place here..." Seki purred and let themself slip back into the water, up to their midriff. They leaned back and held onto the edges of the pool, tilting their head to look at Darcy. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Darcy sat on the edge of the pool, only dipping his feet into the water. "A bit. I went to see the brook statue with Kenji, and then-" His voice began to crack with emotion, "- and I went training with Ace some..." @Twig | Seki / Aarni

"Huh, you've gotten to a lot of stuff since we parted ways, it hasn't even been that long.." their ear flicked at the tremble in Darcy's voice. "Hey.. did something happen?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Darcy covered his face in his hands, he was clearly trying not to cry. "How could I be so- so stupid," He whined. "He took my blood," @Twig | Seki / Aarni

Seki frowned. "Who? Ace?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Darcy shook his head, but didn't meet Seki's gaze. "Nn-no, it was Roman..." His voice warbled. "I'm gonna get in trouble with Naiyta, I attacked him- I-" @Twig | Seki / Aarni

"Roman?" Seki's brows scrunched with concern, his voice a little rougher. "Why, what.. what happened?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"He- controlled Ace into manipulating me, and then he brought us down into the blood dimension- he has a blood dimension-" Darcy cried out, "And he said he wouldn't let me leave til he could drink my blood." He was leaving out a lot. But he didn't really care to explain it all. @Twig | Seki / Aarni

Seki blinked, leaning away from the pool's wall to look at Darcy better. Their ears were perked up and twitching. "What? Whuh... what the hell??" That wet dog of a man had made a complicated scheme just to get Darcy's blood? And he had a blood dimension? Seki frowned. "Why the fuck? And why are you getting in trouble with Naiyta for that? If you hurt Roman, that was self defence! He should get in trouble for forcing you into that!" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Roman- he has some sort of arrangement with Naiyta, or something. He said I'd get in trouble-" He whined. Darcy was curled up almost in the fetal position where he sat. "And- and now I can't trust Ace anymore, I don't know what to do-" @Twig | Seki / Aarni

"'Arrangement'?" Seki narrowed their eyes. "I warned him not to play games with Naiyta, stupid boy... He already got himself hurt and now he's doing this?" Seki grumbled. He stood up with a slosh of water. "Darcy, hey. You can trust me. I'll go give Roman or Naiyta a talking whichever one I run into first. You just stay safe, okay?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Darcy took in a few deep breaths. "I- you haven't let Roman have any of your blood, right? That's how he controls people?" It seemed his trust in Seki would depend heavily upon that. @Twig | Seki / Aarni

cw NSFW sorry i had to "No, I don't let random people suck me off", Seki huffed, crossing their arms. "Did Roman control you with it already?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"No- that's how he controlled Ace, though." Darcy explained, still distressed. "He actually... threw up most of my blood..." @Twig | Seki / Aarni

"Huh... well, maybe he won't have enough of yours to control you, then?" Seki mused, their ears tilted back and tail splashing in and out of the water now and then. "Hmm, and how did he get you in that blood dimension?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"I hope so..." Darcy looked at the water. "He got Ace to wear me out with training, and then he just... opened it from underneath us. It was so gross, and so- weird." @Twig | Seki / Aarni

"Underneath... alright", Seki's ears lowered more. "It sounds gross alright. I guess it explains why he smells like a corpse, though. Anything else you think I should know before I go give him a talking?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Uh- if you can, don't mess with his clothes. That's how I got in trouble. Naiyta apparently gave them to him." @Twig | Seki / Aarni

"Uhhuh... alright", Seki's ears narrowed a bit for a moment and he nodded. "Okay, hm, stay safe dude. If you can have a friend around that'd probably be good. I'll come check on you once I'm done." Seki smiled a bit and gave Darcy a pat on the shoulder, before climbing out of the pool and wrapping his towel around his waist. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"I'm... gonna go back to my room." Darcy said. "Thank you. Really. Be safe out there." @Twig | Seki / Aarni

innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"I'm... gonna go back to my room." Darcy said. "Thank you. Really. Be safe out there." @Twig | Seki / Aarni

"No problem Darcy", Seki smiled a bit, and made their way out to the changing room.

Darcy left back to his own room soon after....

Enya sighs as she sinks into the barely warm (to her, at least) water, her shoulders still impossibly tense. She's safe, for the moment, but the two of them still aren't. Why couldn't this have all waited until everything was normal again? Why now? It's a weird nagging guilt that tugs at her stomach, and she tries to push that down too with a faint grimace. She leans her head back against the pool's ledge as she stares up at the ceiling. There's too much on her mind right now to try and ignore everything--too much for her brain to calm enough to fall asleep, even this late at night--but this is a good enough distraction. @Cap | Eremurus + Valerie

"Hey dearie, mind if I join you?" A voice called out to Enya. Valerie stood a few feet away from Enya, a towel wrapped around her body. Even though Enya didnt give her confirmation, she still slips her towel off and joins Enya with a small smile. "Seems like you got a lot on your mind, Enya." Valerie let out a heavy sigh as she sunk into the water. "You wanna walk about it or you wanna just sit together peacefully?" @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫

Enya sits up with a faint splash, turning to see Valerie behind her. "Val?" She actually seems a little surprised and..maybe conflicted? seeing her, but it doesn't really seem all that out of the ordinary. The water is definitely warmer than it should be for Val, but it's not quite unbearably so yet. Enya shifts just a little bit closer--though still keeps a distance between them. "It's just...been a lot, today," she says softly. "It's almost been as long as last time, you realize that?" @Cap | Eremurus + Valerie

em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫

Enya sits up with a faint splash, turning to see Valerie behind her. "Val?" She actually seems a little surprised and..maybe conflicted? seeing her, but it doesn't really seem all that out of the ordinary. The water is definitely warmer than it should be for Val, but it's not quite unbearably so yet. Enya shifts just a little bit closer--though still keeps a distance between them. "It's just...been a lot, today," she says softly. "It's almost been as long as last time, you realize that?" @Cap | Eremurus + Valerie

@Cap | Eremurus + Valerie

"Hm." Valerie hummed softly, frowning. It had been quite the day, and all Valerie did was sit around. She looked towards Enya, contemplating on what to say next before she offered her a weak smile. "Any plans for an upstaging again?" She asked. "We all gang up again?" Valerie reached up, pulling her hair out of her buns. "How've you been, love, I've been having a bit of a lazy day if I am being honest with you." @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫

“Val, I…” Enya sighs, pulling her knees up to her chest and resting her chin on top of them. “I don’t know if that would even work here. I wish, and I’ll try if that’s what we end up deciding, but people are dead this time. You and Ry..” Her voice wavers slightly. “You could be next any minute and I’ve only just bought myself someone else’s life-worth of time.” Maybe this is heavier than Valerie was expecting, but once she finally admits it it’s like she can’t stop. “I guess it’s just all hitting me at once,” she murmurs—and she hasn’t even brought up the whole Ryu conversation yet. @Cap | Eremurus + Valerie (edited)

em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫

“Val, I…” Enya sighs, pulling her knees up to her chest and resting her chin on top of them. “I don’t know if that would even work here. I wish, and I’ll try if that’s what we end up deciding, but people are dead this time. You and Ry..” Her voice wavers slightly. “You could be next any minute and I’ve only just bought myself someone else’s life-worth of time.” Maybe this is heavier than Valerie was expecting, but once she finally admits it it’s like she can’t stop. “I guess it’s just all hitting me at once,” she murmurs—and she hasn’t even brought up the whole Ryu conversation yet. @Cap | Eremurus + Valerie (edited)

@Cap | Eremurus + Valerie

(O7 I forgo hold on)

(nw!! :3)

Valerie listened to Enya for a moment, nodding along to her slowly. "I'd win my fight, love, don't worry. No way I am giving up on you now." She smiled a bit more. Though as Enya continued, she frowned slightly. "You seem like you have a lot on your mind, would you like to talk about it or would you like to talk about something else? Whatever you prefer, I'm here to lend an ear if you need me too." @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫

“….I don’t know,” Enya sighs. She hugs her arms to her chest loosely, glancing away from Valerie for a moment before she moves to slide over a little bit closer—not quite shoulders touching, as if she wants to but isn’t sure. “….Can you talk instead? About anything.” It’s genuine, but a bit of dodging the question too. “I’m… I don’t know if I have it in me right now, and..a distraction would be nice.” @Cap | Eremurus + Valerie

"Hm. A distraction. Sure." Valerie nodded. "How about wine making? Humans have been making wine for over 8,000 years. Fasincaitng, huh? There's a ton that goes into it, sorting the grapes, harvesting, crushing them, etc." She shrugged. "I've made it a few times, as well as a few other drinks. I do like wine a lot though. Have you ever made a drink like that or are curious too? When we get back, I'd love to show you." @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫

bathhouse gossip

bird and fish in the snake baths

darcy and seki

girlboss bath time