Black Feathers

Of Misdemeanors and Misunderstandings

     That night, the Winchesters returned to the large home. They were armed with holy water, the demon blade, and paint for the devil's traps. This was hopefully going to be quick and easy, assuming that their theory proved true. After going around the house, Sam and Dean returned to the Impala to wait for the demon. The silence was tense; both men hoped to catch the demon before it could attack the next victim.

     They didn't have to wait too long, though, as they suddenly noticed a figure stop in the middle of the yard. It had to be the demon! It looked to have been stopped by the hidden devil's trap. The Winchesters proceeded to move in on the possessed vessel, guns locked and loaded. As they circled the trap, though, they came face to face with someone very unexpected.

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     "What the hell, guys!?" Sora groaned, feeling weakened by the devil's trap he now occupied. "This is not how you treat a very gracious host, you know."

     "You're the demon!?" Dean groaned, feeling stupid for not realizing earlier that day. Sam was equally appalled and slightly confused.

     "Demon?" Sora asked incredulously. "I'm not a demon! I'm just...stuck...in a devil's trap..." and it was with his own statement did he realize how bad this situation looked.

     Suddenly, the echoing sound of a gun being cocked caught the Winchesters attention. "Boys, put the guns down so we can talk this out like the adults that we are," a calm and feminine voice stated. The younger brother turned to see who was threatening them and found himself perplexed, once again.

     "Hana? What are you doing here?" Sam wondered aloud, his gun pointed at her for good measure.

     "This is my house; I should be asking you that question," the young woman quipped, aiming her gun at the man's chest. "Now, I'm asking you to please release Sora so I can explain some things..."

     Dean glanced over his shoulder at Hana, squinting at the girl. "And how do we know we can trust you?"

     Hana sighed, turning the safety on her gun as she put it down. Then, she proceeded to step in and out of one of the many devil's traps set in her yard. "Have I gained some of your trust now?" She asked sarcastically, one hand on her hip as she leaned to one side.

     "Look! I even have an anti-possession tattoo like you dorks," Hana added, lifting her shirt to uncover her left hip. And indeed, there it was, the little black ink that could ward off demons. "Believe me now?"

     The two hunters shared a look, then a nod, before letting their defenses fall. Just enough to let Hana in. "Now, tell us why we shouldn't gank your little buddy," Dean began, turning to face the short woman. "'Cause, right now, he's not in the best position to plead innocent."

     Hana slapped her hand to her forehead, shaking her head as she replied, "Please, I would be forever grateful if you killed Sora! Honestly...but he and my grandfather have a contract, if you will, and I can't betray the only family I have left. Not even for the satisfaction of my freedom from this annoying being. Just...lemme start from the beginning..."

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     It all started when my parents died in a horrible car crash. Nothing out of the ordinary: it was dark; the road was covered in ice; there was a drunk driver headed straight for them. I was only about eight years old when it happened. Naturally, I needed to find another place to call home.

     My father's parents lived in South Korea at the time and both lived in the care of their one other son. When he wasn't caring for them, he was working. Not the best environment for a growing child with many needs. My mother's parents had fortunately moved to the US after she did. They lived relatively close to where I had grown up. They became my home after my parents passed away. My grandmother died when I was fifteen. This leaves my grandfather, Daichi.

     Gramps has always been there for me. Though, he still struggles with the current lifestyles there are. He was raised to honor your peers and fight all your battles on your own, until you win or die trying. Stuff like that, you know? Well, as he grew older and more frail, Gramps feared he wouldn't be able to protect me from the evils in the world. So, he did what he'd seen earlier generations do: he prayed to a deity.

     Unfortunately, his prayer was answered. By whom, you may ask? Well, Gramps was answered by none other than Sora Tsukino! Sora, you see, is a tengu; a daitengu, if you want to be really specific. They're said to be like demons, spirits, or deities (depending on which folklore you research through). In my case, it happened to be a demon-like deity. A once powerful man banned from heaven who cannot quite venture into hell. Anyways, when gramps met Sora, they struck a deal; in return for my continued protection once my grandfather passes on, I will be wed to Sora. Sort of like a sacrificial bride, in a way.

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     "Okay...so, a demon-like deity can be stopped by a devil's trap?" Sam asked, trying to soak in all the new information. Hana nodded, shrugging afterwards.

     "Eh, more or less...it weakens them significantly, that's for sure," she answered, crossing her arms. "Holy water is a bust, though; Sora's kind of holy to begin with."

     "And what's stopping us from killing this guy, anyways? He could be the one that's been killing the people in this town," Dean wagered, his gaze firm and locked on a bored-looking Sora. The tengu scoffed, crossing his arms and looking to Hana for obvious help.

     "Sora cannot possess anyone without consent from the vessel. Besides, he doesn't need a vessel; tengus are able to create and sustain their own vessel, if the need arises. He would and could never do such horrible things, anyways," the young woman stated calmly. "Like I said, he has a contract with my grandfather. It has bound Sora to our bloodline; he cannot do anything that would go against our will."

     Sam lowered his gun completely, finding no fault in the girl's story. "I think she's telling the truth, Dean," the younger of the duo reasoned. The older brother, still looking skeptical, trusted his brother's words and turned to Sora. The tengu looked too smug for the hunter's liking, but he ruined the trap anyways.

     Sora tipped his imaginary hat to Dean before the sound of fluttering, feathered wings filled all of their ears. "Did we mention that, with being a karasu tengu, I can travel like your little angels do?" The tengu smirked, before vanishing again.

     The Winchesters were both shocked as they looked at the exasperated little woman in front of them. "I apologize for him...he's, like, the biggest child about the most trivial things..." Hana groaned, running a hand through her hair. "Anyways, you guys are hunting a demon, then?"

     Sam and Dean just nodded, the larger and younger brother chiming in, "do you know where we might find it? Maybe you've seen someone acting suspiciously in the last couple of days?" The young woman shook her head. "No, but Sora told me that it might be coming for...us..." she murmured, grimacing at the very thought.

     The Winchesters shared a look, Sora popping in behind the duo. "There's an easy way to lure out the demon, if it's still pining for Hana-chan, here," he explained, his arms crossed as a plan brewed within his mind.