[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

[seventhgen]

[Aigis is already trying to move when she sees someone moving to sit in the spring near her, assuming she'll want some personal space. She sits up, out of the water, and then realizes she knows this girl.] Maki-san! Hello!

...is everything all right? Your body temperature is elevated.

[cutiepanther]

[ Without thinking or meaning to, Maki's eyes drift downward, for just a moment, as if to see what Aigis is wearing (or not) then jump back up to the other girl's face. ]

Y-You were completely under the water! I-Is that alright for your body?!

[ Then Maki looks down at herself, naked save her arm over her chest, and realizes what Aigis means. ]

I-I'm not! It's the water!

[seventhgen]

Oh, I see! Yes, this much water would elevate your body temperature as well. [She does not think further on this anymore.]

You don't need to worry. All of my sensitive components are in watertight areas, and I am thoroughly rustproofed.

[cutiepanther]

Exactly! [ Maki is a little too quick to answer there, as if she were covering something up.

But why did she have to mention the phrase "sensitive components" Maki is still thinking about what Minato asked of her before. The thought of those two things in her head mixing at once, this close to Aigis, could almost make the water begin to bowl from the heat off Maki's glowing cheeks. ]

I-I didn't need to know that! I-I... [ No wait, that was a little mean... ] I just... was surprised... most people don't go under the water at a hot spring!

[seventhgen]

[She has no idea that conversation occurred, of course, so she has no idea what's going through Maki's mind. Be less of a perv, Maki!] Yes, that's understandable. Most people need to breathe, but I do not. [She says with a nod. It's obvious, of course.] I find the complete immersion and consistent temperature... pleasing? It is very relaxing. I would recommend it, if you didn't need to breathe. But you do.

[cutiepanther]

[ It's honestly a good thing, because Maki would rather it had never happened, and she could just somehow delete it from her own memory, Minato's, and the entire world's history.

And yet, because it still persists, it makes being close with Aigis in this situation more than slightly awkward. ]

You don't? [ A look down at the other girl's body as if searching for an answer to how this robot girl functions, but she knows so little about robotics compared to biology to come up with an answer. ]

I-I think I'm okay, just going in up to my shoulders. It's pretty childish to swim in a hotspring after all.

[ And Maki is clearly not a child. ]

[seventhgen]

No, why would I? I am a machine, after all. I do not follow the biological processes of life. [She says plainly. It's still odd, to her, to not be alive but to act like it. But it's the truth, isn't it?] Are you bothered by doing childish things?

[cutiepanther]

I-I guess so.. There's a lot I don't understand about how you work and all... But I'm trying to learn.

[ Why she wants to learn so much is anyone's guess, but Maki still feels like she understands Aigis a lot more than she used to. Even if everyday is a new surprise.

The question makes her stiffen in the warm warm, huffing quietly. ]

Naturally! I'm not a child anymore, so I can't do stuff like that!

[seventhgen]

That's all right. If you have any questions, I will answer what I can. [But, she has a question of her own.] ...why can you not do that? If it is enjoyable, wouldn't it be enjoyable regardless of your age?

[cutiepanther]

[ What questions does Maki have? Well, other than the ones that are too embarrassing to even admit to herself that she's thought of them, thanks to Minato's help.

So for now, she sighs, rolling her eyes, acting as if she weren't embarrassed at all. ]

I-It's nothing, I haven't been thinking about you that much or anything! [ Wait, that's not the truth at all-- Time to redirect. ]

That's beside the point! When you reach a certain age you have to act more mature!

[seventhgen]

...I see. Don't worry, Maki-san, I didn't suspect you were thinking of me inordinately much...? [Maki, you're a little odd.] Are you then referring to the weight of societal expectations?

[cutiepanther]

G-Good!

[ Except she has, probably, and Maki just doesn't want her to think she's odd! Which is.. failing.

To answer that question Maki turns her head, crossing her legs beneath the water. ]

It's only natural. [ Which is to say... yes. ]

[seventhgen]

[If it helps, Aigis is terrible in social interaction anywaY?] Why do they matter to you? Expectations are just that. They aren't rules or laws. What are you worried about? [Said not to make a point, but genuinely curious.]

[cutiepanther]

[ It only sort of helps. It's also kinda sad how Maki isn't all that much better. ]

B-Because, people expect a lot of me. My parents are doctors so they've always expected me to be more mature than my classmates. And now that we're Heroes people expect us to save them too! I don't have time to act like a child anymore...

[ Honestly, these aren't all that strange of things to be focused on, that make her this way. It's a heavy weight that she carries. Especially now that she feels like she's doing it alone again.. ]

[seventhgen]

[Aigis at least has the excuse of not being human.] Oh, I see. It's because your parents have demanding careers that they demand adult behavior from you! That's very understandable. [She pauses.] ...do you like acting like an adult? Is it what you want to do?

[cutiepanther]

[ Maki's excuse is being rich. ]

I-It's not like that! I respect what my parents do a lot. I want to be a daughter that they can be proud of since I'm so proud of them.

[ She's such a good girl. ]

I guess so. It's not that bad...

[seventhgen]

[She pauses to think about this, and then nods.] All right. If you want to do it, then it is something you should do. But I also don't think that you should do something just because it's what's expected.

[cutiepanther]

Really, that's not exactly like that. I want to make my parents proud. I know they expect me to be a doctor, but I'm okay with doing it, because I want to do it. I think I always did. My parents said the only christmas gifts I asked from Santa-san were a stethoscope like my Mama's, and a Steinway piano.

[ Wow Maki one of those things costs way more than the other. ]

[seventhgen]

...aren't Steinway pianos fairly large? And expensive?

[cutiepanther]

[ Maki tilts her head, as if she has to think. ]

I guess they are pretty big, comparatively. But Santa-san doesn't have to worry about how much something costs. He makes toys in the North Pole.

[ She says 100% seriously. ]

[seventhgen]

Oh, right. Santa-san. Yes, I'd forgotten about him. [Aigis' posture suddenly goes stiff. Like, more so than usual.] But isn't Steinway a brand of piano manufacturers?

If it truly came from him, wouldn't it not be a Steinway?

[cutiepanther]

[ How did you forget Aigis? Maki is almost offended! But she to pause to think, as if coming up with the solution to the question herself, and then deciding on it so she can sound 100% certain. ]

W-Well, Santa-san can make anything! Even brand name and designer goods! He brought me a burberry bag last year!

[seventhgen]

[Maki. Maki, surely you can see the lack of logic in this.] But if they are produced by someone else, then they are not the same as the authentic originals. They are copies. [A brief pause.] Maybe they're very good copies, though.

[cutiepanther]

[ Nope. Somehow it's a giant blindspot for Maki. ]

Santa's elves can do it.

[ Maki sounds... obstinanint. Because she truly believes in Santa (somehow) she sounds a little defensive. Nice try Aigis but robot logic won't work here. ]

[seventhgen]

[Is this what's called fighting a losing battle? Aigis briefly weighs her options. There is no logic in this, but Maki seems very obstinate...] I see. Perhaps that is the case after all, Maki-san. [She says in the least convinced voice anyone has ever spoken in.]