A few hours later Eva and Kurt had settled into different pools to relax. As they had found out rather quickly, each pool was kept at a different temperature, presumably by varying the ratios of hot and warm water which was flowing in. which would explain why each pool had two pipes leading into it.

A handful of other guests had arrived as well over the last hour or so. While most of them seemed to politely ignore the others in the baths, some chatted with the rest fo the group they arrived as. Only one seemed to pay the two Germans any attention, a middle aged, completely human looking woman. Though she only shot them curious glances every few minutes, and mostly towards Kurt at that.

Not paying that any mind after a while, the Kitsune had instead focused again on why she had chosen one of the coldest pools to sit in. Eva had decided that if she had no candle flame to practice with, at least she could try and influence the temperature of the water around her. Which is why she had settled into one of the only pools with no other guests in it, and one of the colder ones of those at that.

With how calm and quiet the whole area was, as even the chatter that happened was happening in rather low voices, she had a rather easy time to focus on this. Though her success was marginal at best. While she managed to heat some small volume of water every now and then, every time she moved, or lost the tiniest bit of focus, the warm water dispersed into the rest of the pool.

The calm and quiet was shattered when a loud gong sounded from the castle. Unsure what this meant, Eva looked around. Noticing everyone except her and Kurt beginning to leave, she followed suit. Taking her towel from the hook she left it on, she wrapped it around herself as she carefully navigated the slippery wooden floors.

As they reached the crowd before the staircase leading back to the changing room, it all slowed down as all the guests were both careful not to slip on the wet stairs, and forced into the rather small space enclosed by the walls either side of the staircase.

When she finally reached the top and got to the basket with her things, Eva checked her phone. Seeing that it was just past noon, she realized she hadn’t really eaten anything substantial all day.

After changing back into her Yukata, she walked outside and stepped a bit off the main pathway to wait for Kurt. He took a while longer, and was thanking a Tengu roughly their age as he stepped outside. Waving to grab his attention, she stepped closer, her stomach grumbling quietly, probably inaudible to anyone with ears less keen than her own.

Seeing his friend approach, Kurt finished his thanks with a quick bow before turning towards Eva.

“Hey. Seems everyone’s going to get some rest before they eat lunch.” He explained to Eva while they slowly strolled along a side path to be out of the main crowd. “How’s your time been?”

“Makes sense, I’m getting rather peckish myself already.” The Kitsune replied before continuing with a sigh. “And not as productive as I had hoped.”

“I mean we aren’t here to be productive, but to relax.” He said with a smile as he draped an arm over her shoulders. “So let’s get some food and some more sake and do just that.”

“Fine, you want to eat in the big hall they mentioned, or up in our room?”

“Let’s see that big hall I’d say. We’ll already be eating dinner in our room after all, hopefully before we need to deal with my furry little issue.” Kurt replied as he guided the two of them towards the front entrance. Once they had reintegrated into the crowd, they made their way to the young man at the front desk.

“Greetings, how can I help you?”

“We’d like to have lunch now.” Kurt stated firmly.

“Certainly, shall I show you to the banquet hall or do you wish for the food to be delivered?”

“We’d like to try eating in the hall this time please.”

“Of course, please follow me.” He said, before he put up a small sign explaining his absence. Waving for them to follow after him, he led them down a short corridor, before sliding open a massive sliding door, which Eva had at first thought to be a wall panel.

The room they were stepping into was massive. Definitely bigger than Kurt’s whole apartment. There was little light coming in from the top of the opposite side of the room, where painted sliding doors like the one they stepped through were keeping out the winter air. Most of the room seemed to be illuminated by pale blue balls of flame floating underneath the ceiling. Which tinted the massive mural spanning all 4 walls into slightly bluer hues than it probably actually was. The scene depicted seemed to be straight out of the Edo period, as it showed large armies of footsoldiers and mounted samurai clashing between two castles, which were painted on the two shorter walls.

As they had been taking in all this, their guide had taken a pair of cushions out of a small wall closet integrated into the painting of the castle to their right. Placing them down next to each other, he waved for them to take a seat.

“I will now return to my duties, your food will be served momentarily.” Before they could thank him, he bowed and quickly left.

With how much detail there was to take in on the mural, for example how all the blades were actually formed by tiny flecks of silver, the two were taken by surprise when a quiet cough next to them pulled their attention to a young oni girl standing before them.

“Ah hello. Here are your meals. Please enjoy, and don’t hesitate to ask for seconds, or more to drink.” She said while placing a pair of raised trays before them. They were filled by a large plate of masterfully prepared sushi, a small bowl of miso soup, and a large and small bowl with a lid on them.

While Eva picked up a piece of nigiri with tuna first, Kurt instead lifted the lid of the larger bowl, revealing it to be an oyakodon.

As they both finished their first bites, the young girl returned with two large flasks and a pair of cups. After she filled the cups for each of them, they quickly toasted, before taking a sip. The sake they had been served this time was actually chilled, letting it’s almost floral aroma develop much more fully than the warmed sake they had had all morning.

Going through their meals, and flasks of sake, they failed to notice just how drunk they had actually become by the end of the meal.

~~~

Waking up with a pounding headache in a mostly dark, snow covered forest, a snoring wolf lying next to her four foxy tails. When she wished for more light, a blue flame of fox fire sprang to life on the tip on each of her four tails.

Wait, four?! Eva thought shocked more by the number of tails than the magical fire she had created. Trying to think back to when that happened, or how they got here, Eva just drew a massive blank, with the last thing she remembered before everything grew hazy stepping into the large dining hall.

A Moment later Kurt let out a pained yip as he jumped up, a few of the hairs on his flank singed by the flames she had conjoured.

“Do you remember how we got here?” Eva asked, just to be greeted by a slow blink and a shake of his canine head.

“Great.”