She picked up the phone and heard it ring four times.
'Hello?'
'Hey Aya, what are you doing today?'
'Nothing, I'm not even out of bed yet.'
'Well get some clothes and get to mine, we're going to a bathhouse.' Chihiro exclaimed.
'Why? I have my own bath which is free.'
'Just get over here ok. I'll see you in half an hour.' She demanded before hanging up.
She went into the kitchen and poured herself a bowl of cereal and let the milk flow in. Munching on the flakes she wondered how it would look like compared to the spirit world. Would there be someone controlling the water and types of herbs put in? She remembered Kamajii and Lin, two 'people' who had helped her through her adventure in the spirited world.
Since then her life has been normal and the idea of dragons and magic seemed a joke. But thinking about it now, seemed to get more and more real. She could remember everything, the bathhouse, her room, the journey to Zeniiba's house. She remembered how she had felt for Haku too and it felt so real. Had...felt... both words in the past tense.
A knock on the door brought her back to the real world and she grabbed her keys and bag before heading to the door.
'Hi. I wasn't sure what to bring so I just brought a bikini and a towel.' Aya chirped hopping into the passenger's seat of Chihiro's car.
'Don't worry I have brought the same. I'm sure they will have everything we will need.'
After driving for fifteen minutes they ended outside the new bathhouse and walked in. The place smelled of spices and herbs and you could tell there was a relaxed atmosphere.
'Hello, can I help you?'
'I would like to have two baths please if that's possible.' Chihiro asked smiling at the lady.
'Of course, if you have a look at this leaflet, pick what you would like, then come and tell me and the desk.'
'Thank you.' Aya said taking the peach coloured piece of paper.
'God, there's loads to choose from.'
'Let's just have something simple ok, Aya.' Chihiro said knowing the sort of person Aya was. They had met when they were in Chugakkou and had stayed friends since the first year there. 'Just the normal then, the bath and the massage?'
'Sounds good to me.'
Twenty minutes later after washing themselves in the washing sinks they made their way to the communal baths. After soaking for half an hour they got washed again and went for their massages.
'So why did you want to come here?' Aya asked completely relaxing into the bed enjoying the 45 minute massage.
'I don't know,' Chihiro lied, 'Just something different I guess.'
'Well it was a good idea.'
Chihiro looked around the room and couldn't help but smile at the signs around. 'Let your spirit take over and relax', 'Be a Goddess for a day and unwind in a bath'. The onsen was a place where the Gods could go to relax and unwind, it was ironic that she was doing exactly that. She pictured all the different Gods that came to the onsen during her time, especially the Kawa no Kami who had showed his appreciation through a Nigadango, a sort of herb cake which seemed to be a medicine to Haku and Kaonashi, no face. Images from the onsen seem to take over and she relived her time there; arriving with her parents and seeing them turn in to pigs, meeting Haku who helped her, meeting Lin and Kamajii, facing Yubaba and meeting with Zeniiba. But she also remembered the horrible times when she saw Haku's dragon from being chased by he paper birds and being hurt, falling down into Kamajii's place, calling his name begging him to stay alive.
'Haku! Haku!' Chihiro screamed.
'Hello?'
'Hey Aya, what are you doing today?'
'Nothing, I'm not even out of bed yet.'
'Well get some clothes and get to mine, we're going to a bathhouse.' Chihiro exclaimed.
'Why? I have my own bath which is free.'
'Just get over here ok. I'll see you in half an hour.' She demanded before hanging up.
She went into the kitchen and poured herself a bowl of cereal and let the milk flow in. Munching on the flakes she wondered how it would look like compared to the spirit world. Would there be someone controlling the water and types of herbs put in? She remembered Kamajii and Lin, two 'people' who had helped her through her adventure in the spirited world.
Since then her life has been normal and the idea of dragons and magic seemed a joke. But thinking about it now, seemed to get more and more real. She could remember everything, the bathhouse, her room, the journey to Zeniiba's house. She remembered how she had felt for Haku too and it felt so real. Had...felt... both words in the past tense.
A knock on the door brought her back to the real world and she grabbed her keys and bag before heading to the door.
'Hi. I wasn't sure what to bring so I just brought a bikini and a towel.' Aya chirped hopping into the passenger's seat of Chihiro's car.
'Don't worry I have brought the same. I'm sure they will have everything we will need.'
After driving for fifteen minutes they ended outside the new bathhouse and walked in. The place smelled of spices and herbs and you could tell there was a relaxed atmosphere.
'Hello, can I help you?'
'I would like to have two baths please if that's possible.' Chihiro asked smiling at the lady.
'Of course, if you have a look at this leaflet, pick what you would like, then come and tell me and the desk.'
'Thank you.' Aya said taking the peach coloured piece of paper.
'God, there's loads to choose from.'
'Let's just have something simple ok, Aya.' Chihiro said knowing the sort of person Aya was. They had met when they were in Chugakkou and had stayed friends since the first year there. 'Just the normal then, the bath and the massage?'
'Sounds good to me.'
Twenty minutes later after washing themselves in the washing sinks they made their way to the communal baths. After soaking for half an hour they got washed again and went for their massages.
'So why did you want to come here?' Aya asked completely relaxing into the bed enjoying the 45 minute massage.
'I don't know,' Chihiro lied, 'Just something different I guess.'
'Well it was a good idea.'
Chihiro looked around the room and couldn't help but smile at the signs around. 'Let your spirit take over and relax', 'Be a Goddess for a day and unwind in a bath'. The onsen was a place where the Gods could go to relax and unwind, it was ironic that she was doing exactly that. She pictured all the different Gods that came to the onsen during her time, especially the Kawa no Kami who had showed his appreciation through a Nigadango, a sort of herb cake which seemed to be a medicine to Haku and Kaonashi, no face. Images from the onsen seem to take over and she relived her time there; arriving with her parents and seeing them turn in to pigs, meeting Haku who helped her, meeting Lin and Kamajii, facing Yubaba and meeting with Zeniiba. But she also remembered the horrible times when she saw Haku's dragon from being chased by he paper birds and being hurt, falling down into Kamajii's place, calling his name begging him to stay alive.
'Haku! Haku!' Chihiro screamed.