Hot Springs and Ryokan

[battymynameis]

Guess what, y'all. It's time for a field trip. We're heading to a Hot Springs and an Inn for the weekend, and everyone is invited. This place is huge, and has multiple springs both indoor and out. There's separate bathing, mixed, and even a spot for foreigners and prudes who like to keep their swimsuits on. Table tennis? Got it. Room service? You bet. Massages? Possibly. Ghosts? Maybe.

1. Hot springs: after you rinse off come take a relaxing bath. There are multiple options as to what kind of bathing environment you can have, so please choose wisely. Also, please read the signs. None of the springs will kill you, but if you choose the wrong one you might end up with some... adverse effects. Cursed springs might just be a Thing.

2. The Inn: you'll be here for a few nights so find your rooming buddy and get friendly. Whether bonding over food, games, or even just exploring the place there's certainly something you can find to occupy yourself. Just don't be too curious after curfew. The staff are pretty insistent, but they aren't cops so responsibility for your actions are your own.

Comments

[hackerlad]

hot springs;
[Contrary to what one might assume, androids are somewhat familiar with baths--or at least, this particular android is! Granted, baths also usually tend to be reserved as more intensive forms of external maintenance, if you've just really gotten yourself into a mess that'll take more than a cursory towel scrub to clean off. To the majority of androids baths are honestly considered time-consuming, kind of superfluous, completely unnecessary most days...and 9S loves them, incidentally!

Imagine his delight, then, to be introduced to the Actual Peak of Hot Bath Experience...! Deeper pools of water can become a hazard for androids too, but the notion of this hasn't quite stopped 9S from trying to submerge as much of himself as he can within safe parameters; visitors will find him nearly shoulder-deep a lot the time, collar still on but the rest of his clothes placed aside in accordance with the apparent norms. Any number of events could unfold from here, really, since--

1: --For one thing, he doesn't entirely understand what "mixed bath" actually refers to, and may or may not have just wandered his way into the first spring he found along the path. Having been functioning under an impression that these things would usually be segregated, this is a bit of a surprise! But, well--when your clothes are already half-off or you're already in the water--this is just some awkwardness for everybody to deal with now, whoops. Thank goodness for all this steam making embarrassment and avoided eye-contact just a little easier to field, huh?

2: 'Cursed springs' is an even weirder idea, and he sure isn't aware of it. One would wonder if curses even affect androids in the first place, and so far the evidence seems to point to...probably not?? 9S himself seems perfectly fine and unaffected enough after a bit of time spent soaking, anyway, which is why there aren't any warnings leveled towards anybody else visiting to use the spring too. But as time passes....ah, it sure does feel like a good time to doze off about now, doesn't it? Though the bits and pieces of memories that aren't your own, that keep filtering in every time your eyes close--yeah, that might be enough to startle anybody awake again. Maybe we should all make a break for it before the sleepiness really sets in??

3: Alternatively, or at least eventually, initial awkwardness is set to the wayside and the bath isn't cursed after all either. How nice!! Flushed and clearly enjoying himself, 9S seems more than content to burn several hours on just soaking....do androids even prune up like humans?? It sure doesn't seem like he's worried about the risk. Sometimes he'll even just, fully dunk himself in the water head and all, in a clear bid at savoring the hot water even more fully...! Though, uh, he does stay under for a weirdly long amount of time...when he does this....9S please, people are going to start thinking that you're drowning if you keep doing this--

But really, feel free to come bother him in any of these scenarios or one of your own! HOT BATH TIMES LET'S GO]

inn;
[It's not necessarily the first time 9S has ever shared a room with somebody else before--but it is the first time he's ever found himself in a room with quite this much, luxury? Well, by all means and accounts most would consider this a typical decently high-end but comfortable inn room anyhow, but spaces with furnishings quite this elaborate are still plenty novel to him. Dressers and tables, an entire separate bathing room, plush beds and a screen door leading to a small balcony...the excess! The decadence?!

9S spends a solid five minutes just kind of poking through all these things as soon as he arrives, pretty clearly just barely able to contain his excitement. But at length he does at least settle down just enough to outright flop onto one of the beds, laughing a little at the soft give of it under his back. (The frame creaks kind of disproportionately compared to his size, but don't mind that. He still has his shoes on too...like a heathen smh.......)]

Man, this is something else! We've got access to all of this, seriously? [He fans his arms out over the covers like somebody attempting a snow angel...except it's like, a bed angel instead....blankets, though! Wild. He cranes his head to blink over at his roommate audience at length, beaming.] Oh, but right, I think somebody mentioned...a "curfew", was it? What's up with that, exactly?

you know that thing in ghost shows where all their tech starts acting up, well;
[Does 9S maybe eventually learn what a curfew even is? Yes. Does that actually stop him from eventually wandering out of his room at later hours anyway? Absolutely not. He's a curious boy--he's literally coded that way, alas--

So here he is, snooping around...though he seems thoroughly preoccupied by something or other, should you happen to find him in the middle of your own wandering too. Poised near the end of one of the halls lined by inn room doors, and frowning a little--he almost jumps, upon finding somebody else coming up from behind, but then he's waving a hand in a beckoning sort of way.]

Hey... [Down to a whisper, as he knows this is kind of a stealth endeavor about now. But even as he leans close to continue, 9S pauses first, frowning some more and rubbing at the side of his head before glancing back over to the other end of the hall leading towards the stairs for a long moment. The space over that way seems dark and empty enough, and yet--] Hey, I think there's something over there? But I can't get any closer...

["Can't".......]

wildcard adventure option;
[look idk there's a lot of possibilities here. please take him on a food journey. or maybe teach him how ping-pong works?! endless opportunity...]

r...roomie...

[powerhittou]

[HEY, THE ROLE OF HALF-BLIND TWINK HAS ALREADY BEEN FILLED, BUDDY

No, for real, who is this guy? And how did Masamune end up rooming with him when he'd rather be sleeping with Kaname? Booooo. But it's hard even for a firecracker like him to get too grumpy at a scenic resort spring like this. And... okay. Fine. 9S rolling around like an excited puppy is kind of cute.]

Aah, this place ain't too bad... [There are much nicer ones up around Sendai, though. Masamune is so ready to die on this hill. Fortunately, there are other petty causes to stand for right now.]

Curfew's some arbitrary rule to keep people from having fun at night. But who wants to waste a vacation sleeping? I say we get our money's worth.

[WHO PAID FOR THIS TRIP THOUGH]

rebel twink party.............amazing

[hackerlad]

[EXCUSE YOU WEIRD TECH BLINDFOLDS ARE OBVIOUSLY A TOTALLY DIFFERENT TWINK NICHE WOW

But yeah this sure is what happens when roomies get randomized, apparently. No spicy nights with Kaname here--but maybe the night's going to end up spicy anyway?! NOT LIKE THAT THOUGH 9S sits up slowly as Masamune speaks, interest clearly piqued.]

"Ain't too bad", more like awesome. [He legitimately can't actually imagine how things could get much nicer than they are here?? Seems like this guy's standards are a little higher all around, though, which is enough to earn this remark with some humor. (Huh, weird, 9S definitely doesn't think he's ever met this person at all, but he's kind of oddly familiar anyway for some reason? Better not let memeverse memories bleed in too much though--)] But yeah, I don't quite understand why there'd be a rule like that about night hours around here...not like there's anything dangerous that'd only come out in downtime or something. Uh, right...?

[Or is there???? Hmmmm. Well, either way, he's shifting his legs back over the side of the bed so he can swing his heels properly now, about an inch or so off the floor as they are in this position. With a bit of a laugh--] Hah, what's your idea of a money's worth?

[I'M ALREADY SO PREEMPTIVELY SORRY TO WHOEVER PAID FOR THIS TRIP HONESTLY.....]

itt scene bois take back the night

[powerhittou]

[Masamune drops his ass heavily down on the edge of his own bed, eying his roommate with some degree of both curiosity and amusement. The guy's obviously a foreigner so it makes sense if this is his first hot springs getaway, but his enthusiasm is off the charts. It's kind of contagious.]

Huhm? I was thinking more that it was some kind of scam to make you wanna pay to stay longer, but... maybe there is something dangerous. Maybe they let the yakuza in for shady meetings in the middle of the night. [Yeah he'd know all about that. He grins and leans forward.] Maybe there's an ancient curse.

[That one, he doesn't really believe, but he does want to see what kind of reaction he'll get. Apparently more interesting to him than explaining what he meant by getting his money's worth, but let's be real, it was just about eating the fanciest food on the menu. Which he's still going to do, by the way.]

[hackerlad]

[Yeah, foreigner's...one way to put it.....but either way, there definitely aren't any hot springs getaways at all where he comes from! The excitement would be terribly difficult to try tamping down for sure, if 9S even wanted to try. But this entire place seems to be designed with enjoyment in mind, and so he hasn't found any reason to hide it just yet--this in itself is as new and refreshing as the actual amenities have been so far, honestly.

--Really though, you only answered like half his questions Masamune?? Finding out what a "money's worth" truly is around these parts is just going to have to wait another day, it seems. 9S is definitely pretty easily distracted from trying to pursue that answer by this new tidbit, after all--he's visibly perking up with great interest about now, his curiosity very obvious.]

An ancient curse? That's--actually a thing that can happen? [He knows what that means conceptually, kind of, but there's a slight pause in which 9S is evidently turning this over a couple more times in his processor anyway. Genuinely, with a tilt of his head:] Is, uh, is that what the "yakuza" would be having shady meetings about, or something...?

[don't...don't look at him he doesnt know what the fuck a yakuza even is.......but also hey, maybe yakuza ghostbusters could be valid????]

time to pretend i have my shit back together

[powerhittou]

[Ha ha, oh wow. Masamune has two options here: be a kind and helpful person and explain to 9S not only that he was joking, but also what the yakuza do (at least as far as the Date Clan goes),

OR

he could fuck with him a little more and see just how far he can push it.

Go on, guess which one it's going to be.]

You know, come to think of it... I heard from my old man before he died, that he heard from his dad, that there was this fancy old resort right around this area that got rented out for some really high-ranking yakuza members to take a nice vacation... [He folds his hands behind his head and purses his lips while he tries to pull something out his ass uh, remember the details.]

Then, uh... Oh. One day a rival family found out and came to kill them all right in the springs where they had nothing to defend themselves with. A literal bloodbath. Maybe this was the place... Maybe their angry spirits did curse it.

grips your shoulder NO WORRIES....also bless you for this tag omfg

[hackerlad]

[MASAMUNE THIS IS BAD AND YOU SHOULD FEEL BAD because 9S is...absolutely eating this up.......

He's kind of making a close equivalent to the surprised pikachu face about now, anyway; Masamune settles back, but 9S is leaning forward at his perch in turn, elbows planting on his knees and features alight with--fascination??]

You know--it might just be, right?! If we're in the same area, and it's some kind of resort... [Of course, the baths are no longer particularly bloody if not actually kind of mildly cursed for sure oops, but it was...probably a little while ago. How old would a human dad's dad be, anyway? Hmm--he could crunch the numbers if he tried, but in the end that's kind of beside the point too. 9S feels like he's got more of a gist of the definition behind "yakuza" now, even from a story like this--some kind of group organization, then...with rival groups, apparently? But even more importantly--]

You think they're still around, then? The spirits! Can we go see them?

[He's got a rough concept of what "spirits" are, anyway, the same way the rough concept of a "curse" also hangs around. The prospect of spirits being an Actual Thing in This Actual Location, though......

Well. 9S certainly seems more excited than actually alarmed--very sincerely so, too. MASAMUNE WHAT HAVE YOU DONE....]

IT'S ALL A DISASTER FROM HERE

[powerhittou]

[TWO CAN SHOCKEDPIKACHUFACE, PAL.]

-Huh? Stuff like that doesn't creep you out?

[He may have underestimated this guy... Then again, it's not surprising that 9S' enthusiasm for the trip itself would extend to any hauntings. Masamune can respect that sense of adventure... except in this case, because he's the one who'd probably scream at the sight of a ghost.

He just made it up, so it's fine anyway! Obviously this spring isn't haunted!

(What if, though.)]

I was going to bust outta here after curfew anyway, so I guess if you're that interested... [Actually, this is perfect. He has a partner in crime! This'll make stuff like hopping fences way easier.]

But are you sure you're gonna see them? [Finally, FINALLY gesturing to the blindfold.]

dont drown 9S, also assuming they exchanged names before WHOOPSIE

[shieldher]

[After their conversation before, and after seeing him around the inn, Mash has definitely been wanting to approach and talk to 9S . . . it just never seems to be a good time. Someone's in the middle of ping-pong, or another conversation, this and that. Or, like right now, they're both naked. Is that the best time to approach and greet a boy you met once before? Prooooobably not.

And so she wasn't planning to. This moment was going to pass by like the others, and she would have sought him out later, instead of now, with a towel still wrapped around her body as she picks her way along the edge of the baths to find some privacy. But—she'd caught a glimpse of him sinking down into the water, and he's not coming back up, and, oh no . . .

What choice does she have? Is he okay down there?! Eyes wide and embarrassment forgotten for the moment, she hurries over as much as she can, in bare feet on slippery stone.]

Nuh—9S? Can you hear me?!

names exchanged is go, no worries 💕!! drowns anyway tho

[hackerlad]

[One would think it'd be made easier by the fact everybody's brought together for a resort sort of thing like this, yeah--but as it turns out, there's a lot of things to preoccupy a lot of people for sure, and that's bound to make things understandably trickier. Conversations with approximate strangers while nude, for one thing, could definitely count as at least a little awkward...though honestly, 9S might have made an attempt at reaching out to her anyhow!

But, alas, he just hasn't actually spotted Mash himself yet--he's honestly way more preoccupied and distracted than usual all around today, being bombarded by so many new and pleasant experiences all at once. Like soaking in a hot bath as long as he wants...! --The fact that he's underwater around the time Mash actually approaches doesn't make noticing her much easier, unfortunately. And....being underwater really mutes sounds from outside quite a lot too, even more unfortunately. 9S isn't an aquatic model by a long shot, and sure doesn't have the sensory specs to make it work by any means; at the present moment, Mash's voice is just another of the many muffled noises from overhead.

There's a few bubbles from down there?? The pale cloud of his hair is probably approximately visible just under the opaque surface too. But there's...seemingly no other reaction....oh no..........]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooo

[shieldher]

[OH NO.

Maybe he can't hear her because he's underwater, or maybe he can't hear her because he's dying! Mash, while used to operating in crisis mode at this point, isn't above fretful thoughts like that. She definitely can't just leave this alone. After a moment (please don't let it be too long!!) of dithering about exactly how to approach this, she can think of only one method: dropping her towel and slipping quickly into the water herself so she can grab him and haul him up to breathe.

If this is a misunderstanding, she thinks, he'll probably forgive her. And if it's not, the consequences of not acting could be dire. Her hands grope down into the water to find his arms so she can attempt to pull him up to safety. Please let him be all right!

However well this attempt goes or doesn't go, it is at least a demonstration that she's a lot stronger than she looks.]

http://nooooooooooooooo.com/

[hackerlad]

[With the element of surprise thoroughly on her side, Mash should have no problem successfully grabbing him!! Being stronger than she looks is to her benefit about now as well; 9S himself is heavier than he looks, after all, being over double the weight of a human at the same size thanks to the wonders of metal internal parts. ...Of course, this is doubtless still small beans compared to how heavy her shield probably is normally, so--you know--anyway, the point is...!

That on 9S's end of things, a nice moment of especially thorough soaking has very suddenly turned into somebody grabbing at him from above (?!) and lifting him (?!?!?)--which would be quite a shock for just about anybody, really! Being no exception to this fact himself, 9S appropriately breaks the water's surface with a great deal of flailing and spluttering.]

--Gah, wh--wha--?!

[Look, it's hard to be eloquent when you've accidentally inhaled some water out of sheer surprise and end up having to cough some of it out about now...! This probably does not help the just-drowning impression at all. (Is that also some kind of weird static noise faintly popping between coughs too?? MAYBE but that's not important--)

Hold on, his bangs are still plastered over his eyes and he can't see anything.......9S ends up sort of grappling from the arm hoisting him out of the water to one of her shoulders, casting out blindly for some form of support so he doesn't just topple right back into the bath; with his free hand he attempts to mop his hair out of his eyes and--wait a minute--]

M-Mash?! [It is????? No--it definitely is, though recognition takes just a second longer than normal, since--well, the last time they met was a lot less wet and...shirtless.....uh--]

me

[shieldher]

Ahhhh . . .

[The moment feels endless. She can see it from the outside. There she is, standing there naked, holding up a coughing naked boy who is way, way heavier than she anticipated, making her footing precarious . . . for now, she holds it, but she does slide across the bottom of the bath a little, skittering. At least she manages to stop before they both fall in. On the other hand, maybe if they did, that would save them both some embarrassment?! Besides, what other action is there to take at a time like this? This is the end of her life, surely. There is nothing left for her after this moment in time. She can't see a single path into the future through the thick fog of dawning embarrassment.

Okay, no, that's pretty dramatic. The moment passes and she shakes herself out of it, doing the obvious thing: she sets him back down again and folds her arms over her own body, flushed bright pink with . . . everything. Everything about this situation!]

I . . . I thought you were drowning! I'm sorry! I didn't . . .

[hackerlad]

[He's very grateful for the effort she puts into not dropping him right back into the bath, at least...! Things do feel distinctly wobbly for a moment, anyway, in that mortifying handful of seconds in which Mash is holding up his very naked self with her own very naked self...before her footing steadies, and one more crisis is averted. --Ah, not that this couldn't qualify as a bit of a crisis in itself anyway...honestly, even with only about half of his bearings gathered at the moment, 9S is already feeling a sudden surge of embarrassment himself. Since they're really pretty--close, and it's--well. Well!!!

Suffice to say, the heat of the bath probably isn't the only reason he's flushed about now himself. At least they're equivalent shades of pink at this point...embarrassment solidarity.....

But anyway, it's fortunate that Mash at least gathers herself enough to set him back down in a pretty prompt fashion, since it means that 9S isn't given an opportunity to do something else even more flailing and embarrassing--like putting a hand where he shouldn't, or something!--in favor of getting back his own balance on his feet instead.]

Drown-- [Oof. His voice is still a bit rough, notable in the way it briefly skips up a couple of octaves and crackles a little; 9S coughs once more, clearing his throat. Man, talk about embarrassing for sure...! When was the last time he got water in his vocalizer? What a disaster.] Drowning? ...Oh. Oh, that's...

[He's...sinking back down into the water until he's almost at chin-level again anyway, though it's a controlled thing. As he also drifts back a bit, to like...give her some room? At least...ah....but either way, the chagrin's clear on his face.]

Is that what it looked like? --Hold on, were you trying to save me just now? I--geez, I should be the one apologizing, honestly...

I WANT A 1+2 HOT SPRING COMBO so like awkward first and then memories

[pivotpoint]

[Did you know that some hot springs have enough minerals in the water to make it almost milky and opaque? Well, now you do! Which is great considering this particular mixed bath then gives a little extra modesty when people are submerged. This time 9S happens to be the first in the mixed bath, and Kaname comes up second. Which, honestly, she just assumes is fine because he's MADE OF ELECTRONIC PARTS and probably DOESN'T NEED THE SAME MODESTY PRIVILEGES as humans do.

Hoo boy is she wrong though.

Despite that she pads up to the edge of the pool and (this is very rude so please don't use her as an example of how to do things) just jumps in right behind him. No cannon ball or anything, but definitely big enough to creat a splash.]

Yahoo!

SOUNDS GREAT TO ME LET'S DO IT 👌

[hackerlad]

[LOOK IT'S TRUE THAT HE'S MADE OF ELECTRONIC PARTS, BUT SOME OF THOSE PARTS ARE ALSO...WELL......!

--Fortunately not completely on display just yet with much thanks to this super great mineral-rich water about now, yes. Which is probably a good thing, because the sudden decently-large splash from directly behind him sure is surprising enough to have 9S nearly jumping up from this spot near the center of the pool. (Aah, people can do that here?! Too late, he's already subconsciously noting this example for later reference...already imparting bad influences upon him, for shame Kaname!!)]

Whoa! Hey-- [Startled, but also sort of laughing at himself for being startled already, 9S is turning to greet the perpetrator with amusement--only to be surprised yet again, in an entirely different way and for an entirely different reason:] --huh, Kaname?!

[This sure is her! She sure is here!! Quite--topless, incidentally--the real question is whether she's at least more underwater than not by the time he actually turns around, but honestly...either way, 9S is splashing backwards a little with a kind of undignified splutter. At least--he's already been kind of flushed anyway thanks to the hot water, so--maybe the color filling his face won't be quite as obvious about now?? One can only hope...

But she seems pretty unperturbed about this so far! She's splashing in happily enough, anyway? Oh, geez--maybe he misunderstood something earlier...(like missing the definition of a 'mixed bath', good job 9S). Still, because it's good manners, 9S is at least trying to avert his eyes a little...!]

Uh--wow! I, um...I didn't see you there?!

[pivotpoint]

Of course not. It almost looked like you were going to fall asleep! But hey, how are you enjoying things? Can you actually feel the bath?

[Do... do androids feel warmth? Do they feel pleasure? She has to know!

At least in true anime fashion her tits are mostly covered, but the top swell of her breasts still show above the water. The semi-opaqueness of the water definitely helps along with the steam rising off the hot water of the bath.]

[hackerlad]

Aha, well, I guess I was kind of nodding off for a bit there...

[Like, in honesty...which is actually just a little odd, if he stops to think about it? --Too bad stopping and thinking about it is the one thing he isn't doing right now, despite the fact that he usually does. Mostly since 9S is currently pooling the bulk of his focus into not staring at the little that's visible of Kaname's chest. Can't exactly keep averting his eyes when she's trying to speak directly to him, after all? This would be the one time he's not wearing his visor at a time it'd actually be convenient...but as things stand, not making eye contact would just make things even weirder, wouldn't it...

So he's doing that now! ...Trying to! Maybe his glance does--drop down for like, a second, curiosity overriding even his good modest sense for the slightest of moments--but no! Eyes on her face! Eyes staying on her face! So he can properly listen to what she's saying, and--

--Huh, actually, that's...a question surprising enough to override even his embarrassment just a little. 9S blinks, and then laughs.]

"Actually" feel? I mean, I definitely can! I'd feel really bad for anyone who couldn't--this is really great! Even better than I ever thought it'd be! [Ah, even in these more awkward circumstances it's hard for his excitement to stay entirely subdued; it's slipping back into his smile anyhow, as 9S swirls the water around him a bit with his arms and beams.] You know, I still can't really get my head around some parts of this? Like--can we really just stay in these baths for as long as we want? No time limit or anything?

[pivotpoint]

[...Actually, what's the point of an android if it can do all the things a human can? Is this what they are? Replacements for humans? Or do so many humans die in the future they have to be replaced with androids? There's no point in letting a combat unit taste, feel pain or pleasure, or even have personalities. There's something fishy!

But she doesn't hate it. She actually likes how curious he is. How his face lights up with wonder at all the things she finds normal. She wants to continue to see that smile.

And to alter it. So she reaches out, pinches his cheeks, and tugs them outward.]

Of course, dummy! Who is gonna kick you out for using it what it's meant for?

[She seems to be oblivious to his... plight. Perhaps because she doesn't consider him to be interested. Androids don't have that kind of interest! She says. Knowing jackshit about androids.]

[hackerlad]

[It sure is kind of odd when you actually stop to try and think about it, isn't it? Aesthetic effort this big isn't put into weapons without a reason, surely. It's almost like someone was trying to prove something...

Well, but 9S wouldn't be able to answer any of those questions himself, because he surely doesn't know either. It's just how it is--how they are--and in the end he's glad for it, too? It sets androids apart from machines, for one thing. (Or so he thinks, anyway--) And even besides that--if he couldn't feel and enjoy things, then even an experience like this one would be falling to the wayside about now? --Cheek-pinching included, yes, though--well, he could really go without that sensation, geez--!]

Hey, who are we calling a dummy here...! [Less genuine offense and more of a mild sort of complaining, at least; he makes a face, or at least--tries to, despite all the tugging. Wow!!] Look, I don't know! I guess nobody would around here, when you put it like that...but it's just really weird to think about!

[He reaches up to attempt half-heartedly grappling Kaname's hands off his face with his own. What is this, the fourth time she's messed with his face now?! He's actually almost starting to get used to it--and honestly, he doesn't actually mind it all that much normally? But of all the times for her to do it, this time's--kind of, especially awkward, since this means she's now closer and it's even harder not to look where he shouldn't....

Since maybe androids can have that kind of interest too, yes!!! Surely everybody can have a basic aesthetic appreciation for, other people, sometimes?! And it's not like Kaname isn't pretty--

Yeah, he's leaning back a little as if this is somehow going to help things (it doesn't)--and his face is definitely a fair amount warmer under her hands than it's probably been in the past. But at least this can be blamed on the hot bath too. Anyway, anyway...carrying on the conversation seems like the best way to distract himself, so!]

"Resources are limited, so don't operate beyond your cost"...Command would usually say something like that. [It's recited with a bit of a sigh.] If you're having a bath for maintenance it's recommended to take about fifteen minutes tops, or you're going to hear about it. I always sort of wondered what it'd be like to take as long as I want...I could get a little too used to this, to be honest!

let's do a WILDCARD

[fujimaru]

[ It's later, but not that much later, really -- enough that even their more rowdy companions have gotten the initial round of fight out. They'll surely kick up a new fuss again soon enough, but for now, it's at least quieter. Which is nice.

Ritsuka is actually on her way back to the outside springs after dinner, humming to herself as she goes. For her part, she's been mostly staying... not really out of the way, but let's just say 9S isn't the only one who's having a good time taking as much advantage of the available hot water. There's a spring to her step that's normally absent.

But whether he's coming or going, she spots him on the way, brightening as she picks up the pace to close the gap between them. ]

Hey, Nines! Enjoying yourself so far?

this thread is now certified WILD lets go

[hackerlad]

[Dinner's definitely been an adventure and a half in itself--but Ritsuka isn't the only one heading back to the springs after the fact, it's true. Even besides the fact that androids don't necessarily run on the same sort of sleep schedule as humans, 9S is buzzing with far too much energy to really think about anything near actual downtime just yet. It's been a long day of new concepts and experiences and, having fun....it's all combined into a high rather difficult to come down from, honestly! And it's awfully hard to stay away from the baths for long, even after all the time he spent in them earlier in the day. With nobody around to necessarily scold him or reign him in...ah, he could get way too used to freedom like this. (Though he still--sort of wishes 2B could be here too, at least....she could really use a break like this, he thinks. A chance to relax, without having to worry about anything, or--)

--Yes, they're both headed the same way, and Ritsuka's always been pretty easy to spot; as soon as he does, 9S is perking up himself, immediately shifting his own path to make a beeline for her instead too. Out of his uniform, blindfold visor also absent, and instead in one of the yukata provided by the facility, he might be striking a pretty different image all around about now--the yukata in question is a bright pattern of reds and golds that probably clash on him in every way, incidentally, and 9S seems pleased as punch about it. (Being told he could pick whatever colors he wanted--well, that had been a first too, see--)]

Hah, what a question! Honestly, "enjoying" might be kind of an understatement about now...but that's definitely a word for it! [He beams at her, swinging his arms a little. Swishy sleeves, it's still very novel.......anyway--] How about you? Have you been relaxing a lot? You know, I was meaning to track you down a lot sooner, but there's sure been a lot of people here! [Well, that and the both of them being mutually distracted by hot spring resort things. Better late than never, at least...!]

[fujimaru]

[ Her lips twitch in the beginning of a smile in spite of herself. Oh no. Oh no, that yukata is -- awful on him, too bright and bold for his coloring, but he's so happy about it that of course she's charmed. Jeeze. ]

I've been relaxing enough, yeah. [ "Enough," by her standards at least. Possibly not enough by anyone else's, and it's entirely possible he might have overheard Mash scolding her at some point for not sleeping enough, but listen. She's getting more than six hours a night and that is definitely a luxury. ] I didn't expect this field trip to have this many people, but hey. The more the merrier, right?

[ Because frankly, even if there are a lot of very... enthusiastic, loud, over the top people here, this is still only a small slice of what life at Chaldea is like. In comparison, it is relaxing. ]

I'm hoping I'll somehow become one with the water before they kick us out. I've spent more time out there than anything else.

[ Which means she's missed a lot of the more exciting moments. You can't be worried about possible ghosts or the fights going on when you're busy soaking in hot water. Galaxy brain fact. ]

[hackerlad]

[Look, he totally makes up for the bad color scheme by carrying it all with utter confidence anyway....!! Though just reveling in being able to choose whatever he wants at all is already rendering him pretty immune to any kind of self-consciousness on the whole, it's true. And maybe he did hear distant snippets of a scolding Mash once or twice at some point in the past, yes, which might be the reason Ritsuka's admission of enough relaxation is earning another small laugh. But at least the topic's shifting before he can quite get the chance to properly rib her about this--]

Yeah, when I got invited I kind of figured it was going to be a more private sort of trip? It's pretty fun like this too, though! Everybody's just kind of, doing whatever they want...but I guess that is kind of the point in a place like this, right?

[It reminds him....of that one amusement park area back home, honestly, though the parallels feel a little weird to draw when he thinks on it too much. The machines there sure were messing around in kind of the same way a lot of the people here are now...but 9S much prefers this place by comparison, he thinks. Loud energetic people that aren't machines--it's not necessarily a bad thing? And very entertaining to watch, at the very least...especially when you can avoid the more intense and ridiculous scenarios by sticking to the water!!

9S is definitely nodding in knowing agreement, anyway, as he draws up properly next to Ritsuka.]

Man, I can't even blame you there, though--it's kind of a shame to think about having to leave eventually... [He puffs out a highly overdramatic sigh, and then grins.] But if you become one with the water then they'll have to let you stay for longer. Sounds like a pretty foolproof plan to me! Are you headed to the baths right now too?

[fujimaru]

It's private! Ish. [ Ritsuka holds up a hand to waggle it back and forth. Ish! ] The only people here are the staff and the people who were invited, and I think everyone here knows at least one other person. No one who's not at least a little familiar with the folks here.

[ Honestly, that's probably for the best. She'd feel bad for any actual strangers who might have wound up here for this weekend. ]

That's the point of a vacation, though. Do your own thing, at your own pace, make some nice memories. But hell yeah, I'm going for the baths. I haven't really perfected my "become the water" technique, but I'm trying.

Wanna hang out? I know they've got some mixed baths.

[ They can both appreciate the water together. And Ritsuka is a person who prefers to be with other people even when she's relaxing. So why not extend the invitation, especially when they're both headed that way? ]