002 :: Sheep happen to like water too~

[not_a_lamb_nor_ram]

[ Well this is a spot he hasn't explored yet! Kiran's amazed at seeing how massive the Bath House is, and he thinks that it's a good time as any to give it a whirl~

He thinks he's alone so first part of the program is to try the outdoor baths. After the requisite cleansing, he sinks into the hot water with a contented sigh. ]

I should've scouted this place earlier...


[ Afterwards, he will take to exploring the building, going ever upwards and checking the rooms -- will he find other people in there? Will he find something interesting? Musing to himself -- ]

This is pretty neat! You can even hold gatherings in here!


(( OOC: Feel free to catch Kiran while he's in the bath or while he exploring the place! Threadjacks/mingling are welcome. ))
 

Comments

[not_a_lamb_nor_ram]

Right!

[ Kiki then takes the lead and peers into the kitchen with a bit of -- ] Hello~

[ to see if anyone was present?? Either way, there should be the distinct smell of a kitchen preparing Japanese food fare~ ]

[lamb_of_gold]

[Mu pads in afterwards, opening and peering into cabinets, and the refrigerator.] Sometimes there are things already prepared...

[As if to prove him right, he reaches into the fridge and pulls out a plate of Onigiri.] Hmmm, I wonder what surprises these ones have inside. Shall I cut them to find out?

[not_a_lamb_nor_ram]

!

[ Well! At least neither of them have to wait for too long for some treats to be prepared. ]

Sure! I'll look for some tea!

[lamb_of_gold]

[Mu takes the plate over to the counter and upon locating an appropriate knife, cuts one open and sniffs the contents at the centre.] Hm. Something pickled, it seems like.

[Satisfied, he starts to cut the others, but Kiki may hear a sudden little hiss, of pain or surprise, it's hard to tell, but if he looks fast enough, something about the little cut that Master is staring at...well, it just isn't right. The blood welling up on the finger looks just a smidge too dark to be normal.]

[not_a_lamb_nor_ram]

[ Injuries big and small are a common occurrence in the Saintly and Clothsmith-y profession, so any sign of discomfort or pain is quickly attended to, to the point that Kiki sees it necessary to flick over from his end of the kitchen to that of Mu's -- ]

Aa, it's not so bad is it-- ?!

[ He had been just about to reach for Master's hand until he sees what is distinctly un-blood-like. His mind ticks off the possibilities over what could explain what he is seeing: maybe Master got nori on his finger over the cut somehow, since it IS onigiri after all! But no, nori doesn't flow nor sparkle. Maybe an infection? But infection doesn't work that way! Unless the Plane has sparkly bacteria that makes blood black upon contact with the atmosphere but it's also coming from INSIDE of Master's body and-- ]

What... happened to-- your hand?

[ Probably not the best question, but it's the best one that a borked brain manages at the moment, forgive him. ]

[lamb_of_gold]

[Mu balls his hand into a fist quickly, feeling Kiki's presence so close behind him, and prays, perhaps futilely, that he hadn't seen.]

I surprised myself, is all. It's nothing to worry about.

[His tone of voice might suggest otherwise.]

[not_a_lamb_nor_ram]

Nothing to-- [ His words get lost in a sound of disbelief and (probably) morbid amusement. ]

What was that? [ Not getting out of Master's personal space, nope! ]

[lamb_of_gold]

[As with Saga long ago, Mu finds himself with three options:

Tell the truth.

Lie.

>Channel Jade ]

Bleeding is a common side-effect when one's skin is broken.

[not_a_lamb_nor_ram]

Master-- I'm not five years old.

[ Mu uses Channel Jade. It is Ineffective! ]

Since when have you been bleeding out something that looks like molted obsidian?

[lamb_of_gold]

[Damnit! COUNTER WITH A SPLASH ATT-wait.]

[Mu reaches for the knife again, and drags his thumb across the blade lightly to reopen the cut. Sure enough, the blood that wells out is dark black, and faintly iridescent.]

It...is a consequence of this place. You said you'd been alone for eight years - the Kiran of my reality would be the same, but for this place.

[not_a_lamb_nor_ram]

[ He's just had a bath, mmkay? ]

[ Have some incredulous staring. And some more of it. ]

...

[ With a bit of his own Cosmo, Kiran cuts his own finger, testing that "consequence" bit -- still red. He looks to Mu's face, determined to get answers. ]

What-- you died here? And then-- and then what?

[lamb_of_gold]

And then I woke up in the shop, disoriented and confused. I was given a cup of tea and sent home, free to carry on.

[not_a_lamb_nor_ram]

[ It's that Shop again. It was their portal to Grey's world to chase a beast; it's where Nathan said that the Plane's employees frequently appeared.

In the meantime, count one confused and worried lamb. :< ]

Has anything changed? How do you feel?

[lamb_of_gold]

[Mu shakes his sleeve a little ways up his arm, displaying a stunning lck of scars, all things considered. He shrugs a little.]

Scars, calluses, windburn - all vanished. Otherwise, nothing.

[A small smile as he finally looks at Kiki]

I feel fine, lamb. It was nearly two years ago by my reckoning.

[not_a_lamb_nor_ram]

[ He takes a couple of moments to mull that over. ]

Is it making you heal faster? Can you still work on Cloths like that?

[lamb_of_gold]

No moreso than usual, and I can heal the cloths just as well as ever. It seems whatever my blood was replaced with does just as well in all situations.

[not_a_lamb_nor_ram]

[ This really isn't something that Kiran can just take at face value. He would be lying if he said that he did not believe his Master, but it was hard... ]

Is this the other "second chance" you referred to earlier?

[lamb_of_gold]

Not specifically, but it does fit the bill fairly well, hm?

[not_a_lamb_nor_ram]

What else do you know about this? That you're brought back to life, your normal blood gone and replaced with this... other blood?

[lamb_of_gold]

Some people noticed differences in their physiology, others, the budding of a new ability of some sort. My telepathy became far more sensitive. And yes, we end up bleeding oil and stardust.

[not_a_lamb_nor_ram]

You weren't told the reasoning behind this? As to why your being brought back to life should entail such changes?

[ He looks briefly to Mu's "injured" hand -- ]

Will you tell me as to what lead to this happening? Your-- dying, I mean.

[lamb_of_gold]

Not at all, nor has anyone else.

[Mu looks down at it as well, balling the hand into a fist to heal up the cut.]

Injuries sustained while defending the Sanctuary. I may have survived, had a second confrontation not been forced, but one was.

[not_a_lamb_nor_ram]

[ It is perhaps just then that Kiki remembered to breathe. Sensing his Master's faded Cosmo from almost a decade ago, and realizing that he will never come back is not something he wants to happen again.

At his side, and partly hidden by the yukata's sleeve, Kiki clenches his own fist -- a physical manifestation of willing certain wounds to remain closed. After a moment (or two) of silence. ]

I'm sorry, Master.

[ -- sorry that he wasn't there; sorry that he wasn't able to stop it from happening again. ]

[lamb_of_gold]

[Mu puts his uninjured hand on Kiran's shoulder, squeezing it ever so lightly.]

There is nothing you need to apologize for. I should be the one with those sentiments.

[not_a_lamb_nor_ram]

[ For a moment, Kiran looks to the hand, only to have him reach across to hold it. ]

If-- if there's anything-- anything... [ help, aches, worries, trouble ] just, please, tell me.