[Open] It's getting hot in here

[showsnopiety]

Who: Caren and anyone visiting the hot springs!
When: Post dungeon, could be right after fail/success, could be days after
Where: Hot Springs of course
What: There's a hot springs, so now there's a hot springs episode.
Rating: Could be a p-13 and beyond because some people are only wearing towels in this place.





[Win or fail, everyone needed a reason and a way to relax. With the fall of the towers, there was all sorts of good things to come from it. Some would say it was the birds; and others would say it was the hot springs.

The large, large pools of heated water. Sure, they could be used as a way to get all steamed up (or even steam punk) but after all that hard work, everyone deserves a break!

Bring your swimsuits, your towels, your drinks and snacks-who knows, you should be able to find them in the bazaars, or even on Airy. It's time to soak in the heat!]

Comments

Kasen Kanesada || OTA

[liberal_arts]

-In all honesty, while Jiroutachi had indeed insisted on Kasen coming along to the springs once the mission was over and the dust had settled, it wasn't as if it had taken too much convincing. Kasen was beat up, exhausted, and definitely in need of some tender loving care. And maybe some sake. Just a little, though.

Kasen had opted for the traditional bathing attire. Which was to say, no attire at all, soaking up to his chest with a small towel layered onto his head, leaning back against the rock and just... letting everything melt away from him. All the stress of dungeon-ing, all the sweat of battle, and of course a litany of bruises and healing cuts.-

They should really consider building a bath house in the Hall like this... Don't you agree?

[sakeplz]

[How he got all that hair pinned up is a mystery but some how he's managed it. The towel headband is helping too but that's still a lot of hair to keep up there. At least he's in a better mood now, drinking happily and humming as he sits next to his companion that he dragged here.]

The bath house at the Hall definitely doesn't have the same feel.

[He finishes his cup and goes to reach for the bottle to pour himself more.]

You certainly can't get alcohol in those baths.

[liberal_arts]

Probably because it's a bath in more of a western sense. Utilitarian, all about sanitation and not a bit about relaxation or atmosphere. I mean something more like the cyprus bathhouse we had at the citadel.

There was art to that bathhouse. The maker a true craftsman.

[sakeplz]

Did you got to just admire the work sometimes? I could see you doing that. [And he pours some of the alcohol for Kasen too so he can share a drink with him.]

[liberal_arts]

Absolutely. There was much of the citadel I visited simply to admire the architecture.

In every work of art, no matter how small or great, there is a little piece of the maker's soul in it. Just as I have a small part of Nosada within me.

[sakeplz]

You have such an eye for beauty, Kase-san.

[liberal_arts]

I like to think I do, at least. The appreciation for art and beauty in all its forms were passed onto me by my creator and my wielder. I can only thank them for imparting to me this gift.

[sakeplz]

Mmmm. That makes sense. I wonder what mine passed on down to me. [It's not something he really spends much time thinking about honestly!] Besides me being pretty.

[liberal_arts]

A noble spirit, for one. -Kasen sipped from his drink offering Jirou a sincere, warm smile.- There are poems about Makara Naotaka and his son, and though they were enemies of my lord, their courage and honor is revered all the same.

[sunderings]

I am not so certain. [ —says the Hero King who sits upon a nearby slat of rock, his legs submerged to the knee in the water. The caress of the spring is almost a too-welcome thing, the heat seeing him more relaxed than he would care to be. And that is, perhaps, why he hasn't yet dipped fully into the water, knowing full well that when he did, he would find himself teetering upon that awful precipice of sleep—somewhere he has no wish to be, present company considered. ] Such a construct would only encourage further dalliance from our fellow Heroes.

[ As much is evident from the way so many have flocked to the springs in droves. ]

Who, after all, could resist this sort of luxury?

[liberal_arts]

-Kasen could only laugh. Sion's fight against his own sleepiness was, admittedly, endearing. He may still have held some resentment for him but... Sion was still his friend, in the end. He couldn't cling to that grudge forever. They'd have to address it eventually, but... hardly now.-

The greatest citadels of all great warrior halls in the history of my world all contained expertly crafted bathhouses. They are as important as barracks or an armory or galley.

[sunderings]

[ Is his drowsiness truly so apparent? Kasen laughs (something which, admittedly, brings about a smile of the King's own), and Sion turns briefly aside, as though he could hope to blink the sleep from his eyes before facing the man again (in this endeavor, he is marginally successful).

A light huff: ]

Before my arrival in the capital, the notion of public bathing alone was foreign to me, and now I am to wrap my mind around the idea of bathhouses cultivated for warriors?

[ Call him spartan, if you will. In his kingdom of far, far away, Sion had no love anything of comfort or of extravagance. Those who ventured into into his personal wing of the castle were often appalled, finding his quarters to be on par with Roland's dungeons. ]

...though upon reflection, perhaps I can see how this— [ Here, Sion makes a slow rotation of his ankles in the water. ] —might also boost company morale.

[ But ah, it would seem he is not entirely unwilling to bend.

Giving pause, after that, he reaches for Kasen, extending to him his hand. He has no doubt that his friend (friend, that word...) is displeased with him, yet, over what had happened too many nights ago, but... ]

As I am, I will not be able heal your lingering battle wounds. If you would wish them gone, I will require your aid.

[ A few moments of mana exchange, at most. ]

[liberal_arts]

-The laughter, the smile, and the comfortable mood all seemed to slowly fade out as Kasen remained silent, not taking the hand, and simply fixing his gaze on the sky above, only his breath signalling any difference between himself and a statue for a long moment.-

You had no right.

[sunderings]

[ He does not withdraw his hand, fingers outstretched, palm bare-faced and open. ]

Clear me from your path, if you must, but I... [ Have every right to protect your integrity, he'd said on that night, but that is only some small fraction of the true reason he'd taken action. ] ...will always safeguard the sword who wishes not to destroy, and further add to the void, but to create.

[ And how is he to say that in Kasen's eyes, he had glimpsed himself? That were he in Kasen's place, he would have wanted for someone (anyone) to stay his hand. ]

[liberal_arts]

A sword's purpose is to cut. There is no sense in such a description.

That desire to create is merely a reflection of my creator, my wielder, and nothing more.

[sunderings]

[ A kick of the water; a splash. ]

You are much too stubborn, Kasen.

[ Truly.

Pushing off of his perch atop the rocks, Sion does the unthinkable, the unfathomable, and settles into the spring he'd no wish at all to be immersed in. ]

You act as though you haven't a choice; that you do not choose who it is you cut, or what it is you create.

[liberal_arts]

It is not that I am stubborn, it's that you're treating me as if I am human when I am not. I am a tool with a human-like form. Nothing more, nothing less.

[sugegasa]

"Hmmm, the ones at the hall are rather nice, but a bath house like this would be quite convenient!"

Because trying to get all the way here on a regular basis went against his naturally fairly lazy nature, after all!

He sank into the water next to Kasen, smiling at his roommate. Not that they'd spent much time together, or even seen each other much with all the activity happening recently. Shunsui was a bit sad about that, the man seemed like someone he'd very much like to know!

"How did your time in the towers go? I do hope you weren't injured too severely..."

[liberal_arts]

"My team fought well, some setbacks aside. It certainly helped that we were a focused bunch," though poor Tynen had to complain quite a bit to get the others to act like they had any sense...

[sugegasa]

"I'm glad to hear it! My team was full of fighters all more highly ranked than I, but I tried my best to help."

And had succeeded, mostly.

As he always had sake on him, Shunsui offered the bottle.

"It seems to be fairly well aged, if you'd like some!"

Not nearly as bad as Jirou, but still a drunk.

[liberal_arts]

"I'll have a dish, but not a drop more." Kasen gestured to the sake set behind him, and the large saucers on the tray.

[sugegasa]

Shunsui just grinned.

"Far be it from me to force you into more! Leaves more for me, something I can't say I disagree with."

[liberal_arts]

Kasen nodded, taking one of the dishes and holding out for his portion to be poured out.

"Though there is nothing quite like a fine sake in a spring like this, I'll agree. It really helps with the soak, I think."

[sugegasa]

Shunsui poured liberally, taking care not to spill a drop! His smile when he finished was nothing short of proud.

"It does! And you're right, there really is nothing quite like it to celebrate a victory."

With that, he held his dish a bit aloft.

"To the Heroes!"

[liberal_arts]

"To the Heroes," Kasen mirrored the motion before taking a long sip from his dish, letting out a satisfied sigh when done.