Cole had been thinking about the onsen since lunch – maybe earlier, if he was actually being honest about it. Because sure, the tempura had been great, but somewhere in the back of his mind he’d already been fast-forwarding to this, fixating on the upcoming soak. He wanted the full experience, too: the private baths, the requisite open-air steam drifting photogenically into the treeline, the cold milk aftercare.
The atmosphere shifted the second they stepped in, the humidity hitting them like a physical wall. And then, right on cue, came the bamboo clack. It was that specific, hollow thock from every bathhouse scene he’d ever watched, only now it was real.
His shoulders relaxed before he’d even seen the baths.
They hit the spa entrance. The woman at the front seemed to be in her mid-thirties, with dark hair pinned back and a posture that said she’d seen it all. She had that polished, yet equally tired look – the one people got from years of customer service; of smiling through bullshit and pretending the customer was always right. She probably dealt with nobles who made the average Karen look reasonable, daily.
Naturally, her work was automatic. She’d clocked the five of them and had her question ready before Cole could open his mouth. “Welcome to Terraland’s Onsen! Shall I arrange a private bath for your party, or will you be joining the communal pools?”
“Private bath, please.”
“Certainly, sir. And for the lady – will she be joining you, or would she prefer the women’s section?”
Elina answered for herself. “The women’s section, if you please.”
The attendant gave a short bow and gestured down two separate hallways. “The private baths are to your left, third door. Madam, the women’s communal area is just down this way; please follow me.”
Elina glanced at the group. “I shall see you after.”
“Try not to have too much fun without us,” Miles said.
Elina smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Yes. I am certain the solitude will be… refreshing.”
She turned and headed down her corridor before anyone could respond. Cole watched her go for about half a second longer than necessary, then followed the others into the men’s side.
The changing room, when they finally slid the door open, was aggressively simple – just wall-to-wall blond wood and benches. But in a place like this, Cole knew that this deliberate minimalism probably cost a fortune, be it rare wood or heavy maintenance to get it to look this austere.
Wooden lockers lined the walls, and a stack of fresh towels sat on a rack by the door in two sizes. The only thing that really stood out was the lone magic fridge. Inside, glass bottles of milk lined up in rows – a classic post-soak cliché that he was absolutely going to indulge in on the way out.
Miles, expectedly, wasted no time soaking in the ambiance. He beelined for the nearest locker and started stripping down like he was late for something. “Fi-nal-ly. Been waitin’ for this shit all day. All week, even.”
“We’ve been here for five hours, max,” Ethan said.
“More like five days. Longest five hours I’ve ever had.”
Cole grabbed a locker and started undressing. Mack was already done somehow – clothes folded, towel in hand, standing there like he’d been waiting on the rest of them to catch up. It was kinda crazy, but not too surprising, all things considered.
The guy had probably dreamed about this exact scenario since he first discovered anime, and now here he was, living it out in real time. Cole was happy for him, honestly. If anyone on the team deserved a moment of pure, unironic fan-service joy, it was Mack.
Ethan held up the smaller towel, eyeing the glorified pocket square with a confused look. “What’s this one for?”
Miles didn’t miss a beat. “What, you wanna see our balls that bad?”
Ethan raised an eyebrow. “And what if I did?”
“Then you’re gettin’ your own bath, Diddy Junior.”
Mack snorted.
Even Cole had to crack a smile at that one – partly at the joke, partly at the fact that they were here at all. A fantasy world hot spring, complete with authentic Japanese protocols and a fridge full of milk bottles, and somehow this was his life now. The absurdity of it still hit him at weird moments.
“It’s for the walk over,” Mack explained, grabbing his own towel. “Stays outta the water, though.”
“Got it,” Ethan said, still smirking from Miles’ comment.
They hit the washing stations next, which were set up along the far wall – low wooden stools, handheld showerheads, little shelves stocked with soap and shampoo. Cole grabbed a seat and went through the motions without thinking too hard about it. Rinse, soap, scrub, rinse again.
By the time Cole finished rinsing off, Mack was already waiting by the door with his towel.
Cole and the others followed after him, emerging into a curated environment that travel footage and anime never could’ve prepared them for. The bath itself was a stone basin maybe fifteen feet across, fed by a carved spout that sent faint ripples across water so clear he could see the bottom. Between that and the sharp mineral tang, it was actually kind of jarring how much reality lived up to the hype.
Past the fence, the resort gave way to actual wilderness – dense forest rolling into the base of a mountain range that had never heard of civilization. The sun hit that golden hour sweet spot, dousing everything in a glow that felt almost paradisiacal. Combined with the steam rising off the water and the mountains in the background, their surroundings pretty much constituted a real-life desktop wallpaper.
If someone had told Cole six months ago he’d be soaking in a hot spring with a view like this, in another world, he’d have assumed they were pitching an isekai plot. Which, fair enough. That’s exactly what this was.
Mack had already teleported to the water’s edge, because of course he had. He tested it with one foot, eased himself in the rest of the way, and let out a therapeutic sigh – the sort typically reserved for finally completing a massive project before a deadline.
Miles went next, significantly less graceful about it. “Hot damn, that’s warm.” He dropped to his shoulders anyway, face scrunched through the adjustment period. Ten seconds later the scrunch softened into something almost meditative. “Ahh… Now that’s the stuff.”
Ethan slipped in without a word, which was probably the highest compliment he was capable of giving.
Cole went last. He sat on the edge and let his legs acclimate, then slid the rest of the way in. The heat sank into him the moment he was in, finding muscles he’d forgotten were tight. He leaned his head back against the rim and surrendered.
They soaked in silence for a while, steam curling off the water, the bamboo clacking its quiet rhythm somewhere behind them. Cole couldn’t remember the last time he’d sat still this long without a reason. No briefing to prep for, no threat to monitor, no mental checklist running in the background. It felt pretty good for a change; serene, almost.
Miles broke the silence after a few minutes. “Y’know, we oughta hurry our asses up and start recreatin’ shit ‘fore Tanaka beats us to it. Or some other isekai’d guy.”
Cole shifted against the stone rim. “We’ve already got Lisara and Darin looking into burgers. Could probably add pizza to the list.”
Ethan tilted his head. “Didn’t Quint mention one of the restaurants here having spaghetti? Or something close to it?”
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“He did,” Mack confirmed. “Which means they’ve probably already hit pizza too. All the popular stuff.”
“So what?” Miles shrugged, water rippling around his shoulders. Don’t mean those options are locked out. Just means we gotta do ’em better. I mean, hell – McDonald’s ain’t stop Burger King, right? Or In-N-Out? Carl’s Jr.? And KFC ain’t stop Popeyes or Jollibee. Folks keep findin’ room. That’s the whole point of competition.”
Cole let his head fall back against the rim. Miles did have a point, and just thinking about all the food from back home brought all the memories rushing back.
Cole had never been much of a fast-food guy, mostly on grounds of health and nutrition. But In-N-Out? Yeah, that was something special. Simple menu, fresh ingredients, that animal-style sauce.
He sighed. “Man, the things I’d do for a Double-Double right about now.”
“Brother… the things I’d do for an Xbox.” Miles stared up at the sky, brows creased in nostalgic longing. “Hell, I’d take a PlayStation. A Switch. Shit – give me a damn Wii at this point.”
Ethan chuckled. “Is having real magic not fun enough for you?”
“It is,” Miles admitted, “but it ain’t the same. Some things back home you just can’t replicate. And unless Fotham was bullshittin’ about what happens if we try to go back…” He let it hang. “Yeah.”
Cole shrugged. “At least there’s new stuff to try. The beach looked solid. Might not be Hawaii or the Maldives, but from what we saw earlier? I’d say it’s up there.”
“I’m down to hit that tomorrow, honestly.” Mack relaxed his shoulders. “Seline always loved the beach. Used to drag me out every chance she got. Didn’t matter if it was Coronado or some random lake an hour outside base – if there was sand and water, she wanted in.”
He said it wistfully. Casually, even, like he was just tossing out a detail. Then the words caught up to his brain, yanking him back to reality.
The smile dropped. “Fuck… I miss her.”
Nobody rushed to fill the silence. Who would? Cole sure as hell wasn’t going to.
But apparently Ethan didn’t have the same idea. He, too, had a distant gaze, like he’d just been pulled out of a good dream. When he spoke, it was quieter than Cole had ever heard him. “Lizzie… Freya…”
Those were the names of his wife and daughter, respectively.
For a moment, Cole considered adding his own: his parents, his sister, the friends he’d probably never see again. The list was there if he wanted it.
But stacking grief on grief wouldn’t help anyone. Some moments didn’t have a fix. All he could do was just sit there and wait for the tide to shift on its own.
Or, for someone to force the tide to shift.
“So, Mercer.” Miles’ voice adopted a lighter tone, almost suspiciously casual. “You and Elina.”
Cole recognized the timing for what it was – a lifeline thrown to the room, with him as the convenient punching bag. Fair enough. He could take one for the team.
“What about me and Elina?”
“Just sayin’.” Miles spread his hands across the water’s surface, innocent as a man could look while clearly setting up an ambush. “Y’all got my approval.”
Cole fought the urge to roll his eyes. He played along, but not before letting out an exasperated sigh. “Your approval for what, exactly?”
“For y’all as a couple.” Miles grinned. “What’s the word the kids use – shippin’? Yeah. I ship it. Hard.”
Cole kept his expression flat – or at least, tried to. Something must’ve slipped through.
“It’s not like you’re subtle about the way you look at her,” Ethan added, right on cue.
Mack stirred back to life, evidently more than happy to join the pile-on. “And it goes both ways, bro. She looks at you the same way. You’re already one leg in, man.”
“Mmhmm.” Miles nodded sagely. “Sure weren’t subtle. Either of you.”
Cole glanced between the three of them. He raised his hands out of the water in mock surrender. “Alright, alright. You got me.”
Miles leaned forward, chest out like he’d won a battle. “So you admit it.”
“I admit I’m interested.” Cole lowered his hands. “But I’m on the fence.”
Ethan raised an eyebrow. “Why? We don’t have fraternization laws here. So that excuse is off the table.”
“Nah, it’s not that. It’s, well…” He took a second to actually think about it, because the question deserved a real answer – even if that answer was mostly for himself.
“See, Elina’s not the type you rush into things with,” he said finally. “I feel like if I pushed too fast, she’d pull back hard. Not that I wanna push fast, either way. I’d rather let it build on its own than force something and watch it collapse.”
The answer seemed satisfactory enough to earn a reprieve – a short moment where the group stepped back to figure out the next move. Cole wouldn’t let them; he decided to go on the offensive instead.
He turned to Miles. “So, how about you, Garrett? You and Lady Kathyra?” Cole made sure to add the extra emphasis at the end, mostly to get back at Miles.
The shift landed exactly how he’d intended. Mack and Ethan both turned toward Miles with renewed interest, and Miles himself went from interrogator to defendant in the span of a second.
“Oh, we doin’ this now?” Miles leaned back, looking almost sheepish. “Aight. Fine.”
“The goth elf researcher,” Mack rubbed it in. “The one who wears all black and looks like she’d hex you for fun.”
“Yup.” Cole kept his tone light. “You’ve been spending a lot of time in her lab.”
Miles actually smiled at that. Not his usual shit-eating grin, just… a normal one. “Let’s just say I’ve been spendin’ some late nights with her.”
Mack caught it immediately. “Yeah, doing what?” His skepticism was audible. “Pretty sure those ‘late nights’ don’t mean Netflix and chill.”
“More like research and experimentation,” Ethan said dryly. “Literally.”
“Okay, yeah, I’ve been helpin’ her with the radios.” Miles held up a hand, conceding the point. “But the prototype’s almost done. And some of the stuff we figured out – turns out it applies to Scrying Panes too. Range, cost, all that. Real shit.”
Cole nodded. That tracked with what he’d heard from the engineering side. Miles had been putting in genuine work, not just finding excuses to hang around a pretty elf.
“And?” Mack prompted. “That’s not the whole story.”
Miles’ grin widened. “And… she agreed to celebrate over dinner once we finish the prototype.”
“A date,” Cole said.
“A date,” Miles confirmed, entirely too pleased with himself. “Official and everything. She even picked the restaurant.”
“Don’t screw it up,” Ethan said.
Miles laughed, as if such a thing was impossible. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
The conversation died after that, and for once, the silence wasn’t awkward. They stayed in for maybe another ten minutes. Cole shut his brain off, letting his mind wander until the heat started to get to him.
They got out, toweled off, and headed back to the changing room. It was way cooler in there, which was a relief after basically slow-cooking for an hour. Mack was the first to grab one of the milk bottles from the fridge; everyone else followed suit.
Mack damn near chugged his glass, tilting it back until it was empty. Then he lowered it with a satisfied ‘ahhh.’
Ethan paused mid-reach for his own bottle, staring at Mack. “Is that… part of the routine?”
“Man, just do it,” Miles said, already raising his bottle. He took a long pull and delivered his own exaggerated sigh, more theatrical than Mack’s.
Ethan looked between them, then at Cole, as if hoping for backup.
Cole shrugged and took a sip. It was cold, clean, and faintly sweet. He didn’t do the sigh, but he definitely understood the impulse.
Ethan sighed, drank, and produced a halfhearted exhale that hinted at resigned acceptance.
“Good enough,” Miles declared.
They finished their milk, dried off, and changed back into their clothes. They headed out to the main corridor and found Elina already waiting near the entrance, smiling. The onsen had done wonders for her relaxation, alright.
“How was it?” Mack asked.
“Wonderful.” She exhaled slowly, like she was still holding onto the last traces of it. “Truly wonderful. I dare say I could grow quite accustomed to such indulgence.”
“What, like moving here?” Ethan asked.
Elina considered the question with more seriousness than it probably deserved. “I should think so, yes. The waters are restorative, the cuisine exceptional, and the grounds quite beautiful.”
Miles saw his opening and took it without hesitation. “Good thing Heroes get paid well, huh?” He glanced at Cole just long enough to make the implication land.
Cole met his gaze flatly. “Subtle.”
Elina looked between them, clearly aware she was missing context but choosing not to pursue it.
Cole let the moment pass and redirected. “Anyway, before anyone starts planning second trips, we should probably finish the first one.” He glanced around the group. “I’m thinking dinner at the Terrace tonight. Celdornian cuisine, keep it simple.”
“Theater after,” Miles said immediately. “We’re checking out the cinema, one hundred percent.”
The others nodded.
It wasn’t lost on Cole that this combo was a date-night classic, but whatever. They were gonna check the cinema sooner or later, anyway. No use fighting it.
“Dinner and a movie, huh? Sure, why not?”
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