damned_institute | Day 42, Morning: Mystic Healing Spa and Acupuncture

The Scarecrow was amazed and overwhelmed as he stepped off the bus- something about this place reminded him deeply of the Emerald City, but somehow less... inviting. Streets, storefronts, people out and about- he felt closer to home than he'd felt in a while, even more so than in the Recreational Field and the Courtyard at the Institute. Still, something did seem very off about the whole situation.

Oh, there was that homesick feeling again. It was strangely comforting for him to feel homesick. He really didn't want to grow to like this place, even in the smallest way. Well, the friends had been wonderful, and he'd had an excellent, though-provoking conversation with a robot on the bus (oh, if only he had is brains!), and the wonders of the human body were proving to be mostly an enjoyable experience, but this wasn't home.

He wandered the main street, looking into the colorful storefronts and people-watching as he walked. The freedom was nice, even if the nurses seemed to appear around every corner. He spotted a few of the other patients turning down various alleyways and entering the establishments that lined the road, but he kept on the street, enjoying the weather. He smiled politely at those who caught his eyes. It really was a little reminiscent of home.

His mind was drawn out of his thoughts when his body twitched a little strangely. That bare-foot-on-the-floor feeling seemed to have enveloped his arms and legs- he figured that probably wasn't a good thing, and maybe it was time he entered one of these stores and saw what was actually inside. One in particular caught his eye: Mystic Healing Spa and Acupuncture. That was a long name, but he wasn't sure what purpose the store served- all the more reason to go inside.

The inside of the building was very different from the outside- frankly, it made him think even more of home. The flower motif on the wall caught his attention second to the strong smell in the air- he couldn't quite describe it.

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Seated on a soft benches towards the side of the waiting area, a few employees were engaged in soft, pleasant-sounding conversation, but it was a young woman draped across a comfortable plush armchair who placed her book on the cushion beside her and rose to meet the new arrival. "Welcome to Mystic Healing Spa," she said with a smile as she moved behind the counter. "My name's Cassia. Is there anything I can help you with?"

She seemed to be in her mid-twenties, with long brown hair pulled into a loose braid and an amber pendant that complemented her batik sarong. Cassia's smile was genuine, or at least it seemed that way, as she opened a thin leather book and slid it across the counter toward him. "Here's a list of our services. Take all the time you need, and let me know if you have any questions."

Well, this 'Cassia' certainly seemed friendly enough. The other people in the room continued their conversation, paying little interest to the Scarecrow. His body was still shaking oddly- maybe he should have taken that coat the nurse on the bus offered him, after all. He crossed his arms around his torso, not sure how to make the movement stop.

He gave the girl a polite smile as his eyes wandered to the book she'd pushed toward him. He wasn't really sure what the majority of these 'services' were- that feeling of complete ignorance was really getting to him. He considered asking what 'acupuncture' involved, or maybe if the crystals in the window were for some sort of magic, but he instead went with the first thing that came to mind:

"What is that smell?"

A look of mild confusion crossed Cassia's face, as if she were so accustomed to the spa's scent that she smelled nothing at all. A second later, however, she smiled knowingly. "Oh, that's sandalwood," she said, sweeping her hand to indicate a few sticks of incense poised in a thin stone vase on the counter beside the fountain. The glowing red tips gave off spirals of white smoke that dissipated several inches into the air. "It's been used for centuries to bring about a peaceful state of mind."

"Sandalwood?" he repeated, not familiar with the plant. The promise of a 'peaceful state of mind' sounded good, though he wasn't sure he'd be getting it from the smell- it was quite strong, and seemed to be making his head throb. Maybe it was all that thinking he had tried to do on the bus that was causing it, but he was pretty durned sure it was the odor that seemed to permeate every area of the establishment.

"That's good to know," he continued, rubbing his eyes. "Next question- what exactly does a 'spa' do, anyway? I've never actually been to one, and most of these, er... services are foreign to me."

"Well, Mystic Spa's main goal is caring for our guests' health, both physical and spiritual," Cassia said. Although the tempo of her voice suggested that she'd given this explanation several times before, she spoke slowly and clearly and seemed to mean every word. "We do that by drawing out any negative energy that's accumulated within you and unblocking the flow of energy between your chakra points," she continued. With a thin finger wearing a quartz ring, she traced a line beside the list of services. "I can explain any of these in further detail," she said, "but it might be more helpful if you tell me what's troubling you. Have you been feeling unusually tired or depressed?"

Tired? He wasn't really too sure what that felt like, but he was pretty sure that didn't sum up what he'd been feeling. Depressed? That probably wasn't it, either. What is it he was feeling?

[Continued.]

((From here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/654839.html?thread=54807031#t54901495).))

"It smells nice in here," Bridget said, turning to smile at Kagura. "Are you sure this is something you want to do?"

It wasn't abnormal for them to hold hands, though usually it was only at night. The daytime atmosphere almost reminded her of her last date with Kyo. Though this time there was no grumbling or complaining, only smiles. It was kind of nice.

Kagura was just as curious as Bridget as they walked into the Mystic Healing Spa. The only doctor she'd seen were the ones hired on for the Sohma family. Or part of the Sohma family itself. So the thought of healing in a mystic or magical way was a little strange. She couldn't say she'd actually had a massage or facial before, though she'd seen enough television to know what they were.

"Um... it does sound interesting to try," she said, somewhat hesitant now that they were inside. The fact that they were still holding hands hadn't escaped her notice either, but she didn't really mind. "Which one do you think you'll do?"

When the door opened again with a quiet chime, one of the two women seated on the couch moved smoothly to her feet and offered a friendly smile. "Welcome to Mystic Healing Spa," she said as she slipped behind the counter, followed by the muted sound of bells as the metal beads of her anklets brushed against each other.

Carefully, she reached under the counter and produced a thin leather notebook identical to the one her co-worker had just given the other man. "My names Jade," she said as she opened the notebook and offered it to the two new arrivals. "Here's a list of our services. Let me know if you have any questions; I'll be happy to answer them."

Bridget was about to answer when 'Jade' came up to speak to them. Blushing slightly, he let go of Kagura's hand so that he could reach into his pocket. "Actually, we were given coupons to use." He tugged them out finally and held them up. "Would that be alright?"

Kagura reached into her pocket and picked out the ticket once her hand was free. She tore it from the book and shyly slid it across the counter, adding it to the one Bridget was already holding. It seemed like only women were working here, which might be better. Even if it was okay for her to be around boys in the daytime, she wasn't sure how she felt about something like a massage from one of them. Wasn't that kind of embarrassing?

At that thought, she glanced at Bridget. Would it make him uncomfortable since it was girls? He seemed to be blushing a little, but he'd been the one to suggest it.

"A massage sounds like it would be... really nice," she said quietly. "If that's okay?"

Day 42, Morning: Mystic Healing Spa and Acupuncture

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