The crudest thoughts came across her mind. She had her face smashed against a stranger's chest and his arm snaked around her waist. What should she do first? Put her foot up his ass or throat punch him? Normally, Tatsuhana was a peaceable, even-tempered woman. Violence for its own sake was as evil as it was crude. But in this case, she would make an exception.
While he taunted the intruder, Tatsuhana plotted. She was close enough to do more than enough damage to hurt him and scramble to find Rin. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Tatsuhana had a feeling that things were going to get really ugly really fast. Her heart beat hard and fast against her ribs in anticipation. While he was distracted, if she acted now, she could reach the third floor, grab Rin, and they both could make a run for it. She just had to get her timing just right.
"Using a woman as a shield, Akio," said that cool, masculine voice that sent a shiver down her spine. "How much of a coward are you?"
Akio opened his mouth to say something. Another insult or a challenge perhaps. It didn't matter. Tatsuhana saw an opportunity swing wide open for her.
Retracting her arm, she curled her hand into a fist. There was only one way to shut him up. Her eyes narrowed in on the pale column of his throat. Tatsuhana tightened her fist as hard as she could until her fingers ached and her knuckles turned white. Akio was so concerned about making another challenge that he didn't bother to be concerned about her fist ramming into the center of his throat.
Flesh collided with flesh. Tatsuhana's hard knuckles rammed into Akio's soft, unguarded throat. He made a ghastly noise. Like air had been sucked out of him. Staggering back, Akio released her to clutch at his neck. She scrambled away before he could reach out back for her. The half dozen robes he made her wear hindered her, but only slightly. She discarded one layer after another as she ran for the stairs. By this time, the demons of Akio's court stood at attention, grabbing whatever weapons they didn't leave at the front door. Tatsuhana had already reached the stairs before Akio dared to speak.
"Bring that bitch to me!" His hoarse voice roared. Out of rage or pain, Tatsuhana could not tell.
All she knew was that she had to run.
As she ran, dodging guards along the way, she saw down below the intruder run towards Akio. Steel flashing and long white hair flying behind him. She didn't stop to admire him but she heard the sounds of clashing swords echoing up to the second floor.
Women shrieked in shock and horror as they clambered out of her way. They hurried out of doors, leaving clients behind. Screen doors flung open to see what the commotion was about. Each one turned deathly pale as the first floor opened up to a battlefield. Demon after demon in favor of Akio went to his aide. Swinging swords and thrusting with pole arms, they took a chance, or a stab, at attacking the white-haired intruder. But not one of them could lay a claw or knife or talon on him. He moved faster than the eye could catch. He swatted them away like annoying flies. Could anyone touch him?
Tatsuhana threw a man over her shoulder as he tried to grab her. She took his wrist and hefted his weight up and over. She left him stunned, physically and mentally, on the floor. She did not spare one glance at him to make sure he wouldn't get up again so soon. Her feet pounded the floor.
Only one more flight of stairs.
A cacophony opened up around her. Demons fighting below. Women and men screaming. Fire bursting...
Wait.
Fire?
Tatsuhana smelled the fire before she saw it. Bright red and gold snapping at wooden beams. Daring a look over the railing, she saw it. Akio opened his palm, the free hand, and a tongue of flame licking the air. He threw it like a ball towards the intruder, narrowly missing. He didn't even leave so much as a scorch mark on the stranger's armor. The white-haired demon deflected one attack after another. It didn't look like he moved out of the fire's way. Rather, the fire shot away from him. It moved out of his way. Her mouth hung open in awe.
"There you are!"
Twin arms wrapped around her waist like temple columns. They pinned her against the railing in an ironclad grip.
She had spent too much time admiring the intruder to notice someone sneaking up behind. Her heart leapt into her throat. If Akio won, he would punish her for the fight, maybe even the damage to the brothel. Chaos sounded all around her. Akio's shots missed and landed wherever they could cause the most damage. Wood groaned and snapped at the flames growing, spreading. Humans were scrambling for their lives. If he won, Akio will be very angry.
And he would take it out on her and Rin.
Tatsuhana threw her head back as hard as she could, ramming the back of her skull into her captor's nose. Back home, she sometimes wondered if she would have need to use those self-defense classes. At least, she could be satisfied that those lessons didn't go to waste.
Her captor released her. He moaned. Blood dripped from his nose. Lots of blood. Tatsuhana tried not to look at it as she stomped on his foot and made contact with her fist to his stomach. She left him doubled over. She could have sworn she felt bones crack under her knuckles but didn't stop to check. Turning from her victim, she ran for the last flight of stairs.
Humans were scrambling for the nearest exit. For the women, this might be their only chance of escape. The guards were so busy trying to contain the mad rush of people that they couldn't stop Tatsuhana breaking for the third floor. She reached it. Her lungs choked on blackened smoke as the fire spread down below. Crackling, it thundered in her ears. They had to get out. Now.
Tatsuhana found Rin in the farthest corner of the room, huddled up. Her eyes lit up as Tatsuhana crossed the room. Rin was still small enough for her to pick up and carry out in her arms. By the time they left, half of the first floor was covered in flames. Inhabitants and captives ran for their lives. Demons fled. This was no longer a battle they were willing to risk their lives for small rewards. As apparent, demons could die in fire just as easily as humans.
With Rin in her arms, Tatsuhana flung herself down the stairs. She stepped over bodies, bleeding or dead, on the way out. She pressed Rin's head against her shoulder to keep her from looking at the corpses. Once they reached the first floor, Rin hopped down from her arms. She grabbed Tatsuhana's arm with her small yet weathered hands, dragging her to the closest door. They ran as fast as they could.
Smoke cleared as fresh air hit her face. But Tatsuhana didn't have the luxury to enjoy the feel of clean air. She scanned the area for a means of escape. They couldn't possibly reach safety on foot.
There! Still tied to a tree, a horse had been either abandoned or his master was dead. Tatsuhana and Rin booked it. Tatsuhana threw Rin on top of the horse first before clambering on herself. She untied the reigns from the saddle and took them in her hands. She couldn't stop shaking. Straddling a beast like this was a new experience for her. Well, maybe not so new. She tried not to be shocked when her body seemed to know what to do more than her mind did.
Swords were still clashing. Steel ringing in the air. Even above the sound of the brothel going up in flames, she could still hear Akio and the intruder going at it. They no longer seemed concerned about their own safety, let alone their original goals.
Tatsuhana tugged on the reigns, hard. The horse whined, nickering but relented after a second tug. She did not look back. Not even as the roof caved in. They rode fast in an uncertain direction. Any place was better than the one they left behind.
A blur of red leapt in front of them. Tatsuhana pulled the reigns to stop the horse in its tracks.
"Inuyasha?"
"Are you guys alright?" He asked. He looked more concerned than Tatsuhana expected him to be.
Nodding, "Yes. We're fine. Just a little shook up. Which way to the village?"
Inuyasha sniffed the air. His eyes moved around behind them. As soon as he was sure nobody followed them, he motioned for them to follow.
Face first, Tatsuhana flung herself out on the bed. She swore that she would sleep for the next century. Her thighs barked. Her head pounded. There wasn't an inch of her that wasn't tired, aching, or throbbing. She threw off the silk kimono and hakama. As tempting as it was to throw them into the fire, she was persuaded to allow Miroku to sell them and split the profits. She had her eyes closed for a few minutes before little feet padded towards her.
"Miss Hana?"
Tatsuhana cracked open an eye. Rin walked up to the bed and knelt beside it. Tatsuhana twisted to rest on her side rather than her stomach.
"What is it, Rin? Are you okay?"
The girl nodded, excitedly. She beamed, grinning from ear to ear.
"I'm more than okay, thanks to you. I don't know how to thank you, Miss Hana." Rin pressed her forehead to the ground.
Immediately, Tatsuhana sat up. She gently touched Rin's shoulders and pulled her up.
"Rin, you don't need to do that. I'm just glad you're safe and whole," said Tatsuhana.
"If not for you, I'd..." Rin's voice trailed off.
It would be better for them both if they didn't dwell on might could have been. Tatsuhana pulled the little girl into her arms, and hugged her tight. Maybe she had started growing fond of the girl. Maybe she needed someone to show affection to. The stress would get to her head. A gentle reprieve now and then couldn't hurt.
"You're safe now. I won't let anything else happen to you. I promise."
She felt Rin's hesitation. Slowly, Rin put her arms around her. They held each other for a moment or two before letting go. Kagome padded into the room.
"How are you feeling?" She asked. She knew of Rin's condition, but Tatsuhana hadn't said anything at all after she galloped into the village.
Tatsuhana took a deep breath.
"Despite the circumstances, I think I'll pull through. My body's really sore, but nothing I can't deal with," she answered.
"That's great! Me and Sango were going to take a bath. Would you like to come with us?"
"A bath sounds absolutely wonderful at the moment."
Though it seemed like a hassle to walk twenty minutes to get to a bath, the early evening walk to the hot spring did her some good. Smoke cleared from her lungs and her head felt better. Lighter. There were no signs of rouge fox demons roaming the woods tonight. Inuyasha made sure of it. She wondered about the intruder who appeared at the brothel. If not for him, there wouldn't have been a diversion distracting enough to keep Akio busy while she and Rin escaped. She didn't get a chance to learn his name, much less thank him.
His voice...it reminded her of something. Another time and place. Another life time. But when she tried recalling where, the vein in her forehead throbbed at the effort. Tatsuhana let it, for now. At the moment, she wanted nothing more than to wash the last couple days off her skin. She could still feel that man's lips on her neck and tongue on her ear. Her lips had the slightest imprint of his. Stomach in knots over the loss of her first kiss, Tatsuhana decided it would all wait. She would mourn the loss of a proper first kiss after she got back home. Assuming she could return home at all.
Miroku, as of yet, had found nothing. The shrine's histories were penned by priests, shrine maidens, and monks with the bare minimum knowledge of the land. Kaede had been searching for answers in the library of scrolls but hadn't found anything either. The historical tomes only dated so far back. Tatsuhana began to doubt she would ever see modern Japan again.
They reached the hot springs at last. Tatsuhana wasn't particularly shy about undressing around women. There wasn't anything to be ashamed of. Still, the act of undressing and bathing with other women was a ritual she had to get used to. She certainly wasn't going to take her chances bathing alone. Kagome and Sango had already disrobed and climbed into the spring. Tatsuhana took her time pulling off her kimono. She folded her clothes and left them in a neat pile by the rocks. It wasn't until she was waist deep in the water when she noticed them staring.
"What? What is it? Is there something behind me?" Tatsuhana froze.
Was there a demon nearby? She swallowed hard. Her mental faculties never worried about attacks. It shocked her to the core knowing that any minute she could be assailed by an ogre or sexually assaulted by a fox demon. It was a stark contrast to the every day life she held before. It wasn't perfect by any standards, but she was more safe in the future than she was stuck in the Feudal Era.
"Hana, you have something on your shoulder," Kagome pointed out the red markings etched into her skin.
Tatsuhana looked at her reflection in the water. Starting from her neck and making its way down her arm and torso, florid vines crawled along the curve of her shoulder. Blossoms opened along stems and the vines curled as if to ensnare her.
"This is not good," said Kaede.
The three women ran from the hot spring as soon as Tatsuhana discovered the tattoo slowly engulfing her arm. Kaede sent all the men out of the room to examine her. Nothing seemed amiss. The strange tattoo did not burn or sear her flesh nor did it exude any especially maleficent energy. Other than having a tattoo, Tatsuhana was in perfect physical condition.
"W-what do you mean 'not good?' Am I in danger? Will this thing poison me?" Tatsuhana paled in the lamp light.
"It will not. But I fear there is something to worry about."
"Kaede," said Kagome, "Is Tatsuhana in danger?"
The old priestess shook her head. "Not in physical danger. Her body is safe, but her mind is not. Where did you get this marking?"
"I didn't," answered Tatsuhana. "I've been kidnapped by a fox demon for the last two days. He forcibly kissed me and gave me a hick—a love bite on my neck. I was drugged for part of the time, but I would think that I'd notice if somebody took the time giving me a tattoo."
"Then tis a demon's mark that possesses you," said Kaede.
Tatsuhana blinked. She tried to wrap her mind around it but didn't possess the proper functions to assess what Kaede just said.
"Come again?"
"The markings on your flesh was made by a demon in an attempt to possess you. This tattoo will continue to grow until your mind will no longer be your own. The demon's magic will take over until all ye can think about is the demon who marked you in the first place."
"I remember my father telling me about these markings," said Sango, "They're a way to mark females as property, but they're so rarely done on humans."
Assuming Tatsuhana was human. Judging by Akio's little game, she started having her doubts.
Tatsuhana blanched. The color drained from her face. She touched her shoulder and trailed the vine with her finger down along her arm. Six-petaled flowers bloomed on her flesh as vines wrapped around. Her skin felt hot wherever the tattoo stood. Just by touching it, she saw Akio's face in her mind. Her tongue clung to the roof of her mouth.
"There's got to be a way to remove it, right? It's not permanent, is it?" Tatsuhana panicked. Already her mind had gone hazy. How long did she have before she became that fox demon's love slave?
Kaede shook her head, "Nay. But the longer ye wait to remove it, I assure ye, it will be permanent. And if the fox demon is as persistent as ye say he is, then he will stop at nothing to have ye as his bride."
"Bride?" Tatsuhana wanted to hide under a rock and wait for the inevitable. She never even had a first date. It was bad enough she had her first kiss stolen and forced into receiving a hickey. Now this. How was she going to survive this place if she couldn't even go a week without getting engaged to a fox demon?
"Kaede, there must be something we can do! Some way to stop it before it's too late!" Said Kagome.
She watched Tatsuhana's face turned ghostly pale. It was bad enough she was trapped in the Feudal Era, but to be kidnapped and practically forced into marriage.
"Alas, I do not have such knowledge. Ye must seek one who knows more about demon markings than I," Kaede answered.
"H-how long do I have before it becomes permanent?"
"Judging by the tattoo's progress, ye have a eight days before the mark becomes permanent."
"Eight days!" Tatsuhana slammed her hands on the table. "I don't have eight days to spare. I need to get rid of this. Now. I cannot, I repeat, cannot marry a man who kidnaps and sells women."
Kagome patted her on the shoulder and held her hand. "We're going to help you through this. I won't let you marry that creep."
Tatsuhana buried her face in her hands. Out of the frying pan, and into the oven as they would say back home. Things kept getting from bad to worse. Was there any end in sight?
"Is there any kind of expert in demon tattooing? Somebody who might know how to get rid of it before it takes over?" Kagome wondered allowed.
"Old Man Totosai or Myoga might," said Inuyasha.
"How soon can you get one of them to help?"
Inuyasha shrugged. "Totosai is usually at his forge or wandering around and Myoga chasing after a free meal. But if I leave now, I can probably catch one of them and be back in a day."
"Do you mean it, Inuyasha? Can you do that?" Kagome's eyes lit up.
Tatsuhana hadn't the energy to be nearly as optimistic as Kagome. She kept her face buried in the palms of her hands. It took the very last bit of her will not to start wailing. She felt the tattoo grower hotter against her skin. She could smell him like burning incense stinging her nose and making her dizzy. Nauseous, actually. Her guts were turning inside out and getting tied in knots. Behind her eyelids, she could see his face, a smug look on his face and a wicked gleam in his eye. Taunting her.
Eight days.
She had eight days before she became a fox demon's love slave. Her free will and individual thoughts, gone. Her body would no longer be her own to share freely. Tatsuhana tasted sour bile rise in her throat at the mere thought of Akio touching her and her mind so far gone that she wouldn't, couldn't, tell him no.
Inuyasha left, running in the dark. He kissed Kagome on the cheek and ran into the night with the promise that he would return the next day with help. Even if he had to drag one of them back, kicking and screaming. Tatsuhana retired early. She couldn't stomach the sight or smell of food as she curled up in a ball under the blankets. The house ate quietly without her. Her stomach didn't even growl in protest as the evening fell into heavy night. Kaede sank into bed and started snoring as soon as her head hit the pillow. Must be nice.
Rin crawled in not long after. Tatsuhana was still very much awake when she felt Rin's tiny body crawl under the blankets. Kaede was sound asleep when Rin whispered, "Miss Tatsuhana, are you going to be alright?"
A hard lump formed in her throat. Tatsuhana could not swallow past it. Her tongue clung to the roof of her mouth. Her brain was wracked for words to say, but there was nothing but an empty pit awaiting her.
"I-I don't know, Rin. I'm scared." Hot tears sprang from her eyes, wetting the pillow beneath her head. Tatsuhana, a fully grown adult and capable of taking responsibilities, openly wept. She bit her lip to stop herself from moaning aloud and waking up Kaede.
Rin hugged her from behind. Tatsuhana's waist wasn't so large that even Rin struggled to wrap her arms around. Tatsuhana felt Rin's cheek against her back.
"It's going to be okay, Miss Tatsuhana. I just know it."
Tatsuhana lay awake that night. Optimism ruled those around while she sunk deeper into the mire of self-wallowing. Every second that passed by, she could feel the tattoo growing hotter and hotter. The harder she tried to not think about the fox demon, the more often his arrogant smirk and lustful eyes and sharpened claws appeared in her mind's eye. Tatsuhana lay on her side, staring into the shadows of the hut. Her eyes sometimes wandered over to the entrance and half-expecting Akio to burst through the doors at any moment to take his prize. He would be too impatient to wait another eight days, and he no doubt wanted revenge for embarrassing him in front of his stooges. The hoarse growl still echoed in her head. So full of rage in her ears, she only imagined him pacing in his brothel, thinking of all the ways he will torture her. It wouldn't be enough to make her his love slave. No, he wouldn't stop there.