Episode 2 (Hanyō no Yashahime)

The Three Princesses is the second episode of Hanyō no Yashahime.

Synopsis

 * 1) When they were four years old, twin half dog-demons Towa and Setsuna were separated when Towa was pulled through a portal to the modern era where she was raised by Sōta Higurashi for the next ten years.
 * 2) An Ōmukade named Mistress Three-Eyes is searching for the Rainbow Pearls. She steals two of them from Setsuna and a young bounty hunter named Moroha, and the three are dragged through a portal to the modern era.

Summary
Towa narrates that when she was little she had a younger twin sister Setsuna and they lived in the forest for the longest time. Towa and Setsuna happily run through the forest and licking water from a stream and laugh as they lay down. As Towa and Setsuna are on a tree, Towa tells Setsuna to come on before she jumps off. Setsuna tells Towa to wait up as she jumps after her. As Towa and Setsuna are falling, Towa notices a fruit and grabs it. Towa and Setsuna land on the ground and Towa asks Setsuna if she wants the fruit. Setsuna accepts the fruit as she thanks Towa, who is happy. As Towa and Setsuna are walking, Setsuna eats the fruit and says it's yummy. Towa tells Setsuna that's great. Towa and Setsuna happily watch the sunset together.

Towa explains she and Setsuna were always together and they got along so well. One night when they were asleep under a tree, Towa awakens to see animals running away and a fire then wakes up Setsuna and they tried to escape the forest. Towa ask why at that moment did she let go of Setsuna's hand. Setsuna calls out to Towa as she falls down. Towa notices that she left Setsuna and repeatedly calls out to her as she runs back to Setsuna to save her. Towa asks Setsuna if she was okay and apologizes to Setsuna for leaving her. As Towa and Setsuna were hugging, a flaming tree was going to fall down on Towa. Setsuna notices the tree falling and yells at Towa to watch out. Out of safety, Setsuna pushed Towa away from her so the flaming tree does not hit her. Towa goes back trying to look for Setsuna in the forest and wonders where did she go as she can't smell her anywhere. Towa suddenly hears Setsuna repeatedly call out for her. Towa continues to look for Setsuna as she repeatedly calls out to her before her eye starts reacting before a rainbow portal opens up and forcibly sucks her through as she calls out to Setsuna.

In the modern era, Towa was unconscious as Buyo goes up to her and greets her. Towa explains that she realized later on that she had been catapulted through time. Towa wakes up and wonders where was she before she looks up at the Sacred Tree. Towa noticed a man approaching her. The man greets Towa and asks if she was lost as his name was Sōta Higurashi and wonders what was hers. Towa says her name. Sōta tries to pat Towa on the head, who becomes frightened. After seeing her outfit, Sōta immediately realizes that Towa was from the feudal era. Towa explains she doesn't know why but at that moment she knew she could trust Sōta. Towa asks Sōta if he could help her find Setsuna as she's looking for her. Sōta accepts as he tells Towa they'll look for Setsuna together before offers his hand. Towa hesitantly accepts Sōta's hand before they search for Setsuna. Towa explains Sōta helped her search but they never found Setsuna and it's been 10 years since then as Sōta ended up adopting her, and as a part of the Higurashi family she now goes by "Towa Higurashi". Towa says her memory had faded over time and lately she's been thinking that maybe that day was just a dream but knows Setsuna was definitely not a dream.

Towa wakes up and comments how nice the weather is as she'll brush her teeth. As Towa's brushing her teeth, a young girl named Mei Higurashi appears and says she's leaving now. Sōta tells the young girl to be safe. As Mei leaves, she tells Towa 'good morning'. Towa tells the young girl 'morning' and calls her Mei. Mei questions Towa if it's her first day at her new school and tells her to not get into any fights before leaving. Towa tells Mei to be safe. Towa explains that Mei, Sōta's true daughter, and she's a bit shy and naive but also cute, smart, honest, and quite talented. Towa says Mei's her precious little sister. As Towa gets dressed, she wonders if maybe she cherishes Mei so much because she's a substitute for Setsuna, whom she was never able to find.

As Towa goes to leave, she tells Sōta that she's heading out. Sōta tells Towa to be safe but notices she's wearing a boys' school clothes and asks if she's going to go school dressed like a boy again. Towa questions Sōta why she dresses like this as it's easier to fight in. Sōta tells Towa it's an all girls' school this time and they don't want her getting into fights anymore. Towa tells Sōta she knows before she leaves. Sōta smiles as he says good grief. Towa walks to Saint Gabriel Academy, she explains no one seems to get it as transferring to an all girls school won't stop the fighting and the ones she takes down always come back for more. Suddenly a group of boys appeared before Towa as they said they've found her as they heard she transferred again and wondered if she was trying to run away from them as it won't be that easy and to get ready. Towa questions the group of boys who said she was running. Towa fights the group of boys and easily defeats them. Towa grabs one of the boys' arms and pulls on it, who screams out in pain and tells her to stop, before she stops and leaves. Towa explains fight hasn't stopped ever since she stopped a bully in elementary school and there'd be more each time she changed schools and they're all weak and wonders why couldn't they just keep their heads down. The group of boys thinks that Towa wasn't a woman and wonders why didn't she finish them off but she's too off but at this rate they'll have to ask their brother for help. As Towa arrives at school, she notices that she's already late on her first day and looks around to see if anyone is looking before she jumps over the gate to get to class.

When Moroha was in the mountains waiting for her next target to appear, she was confronted by group of yōkai taijiya, including Kohaku and Hisui, due to the rumors of a yōkai rampaging through a nearby village. Moroha questions about a demon slayer as she has no idea then wonders are they here to slay her 'Beniyasha' as she stands up. Moroha tells the demon slayers to not make her laugh and not happening in a million years as she'll turn them into lunch for her Kurikaramaru as she pulls out Kurikaramaru. Moroha says to get ready as she prepares to fight. Hisui calls out to Moroha. Moroha notices Hisui and Kirara flying in the air. Hisui tells Moroha on the behalf of the local villagers they're here to punish her before he tries to attack her with his Hiraikotsu. Moroha dodges the Hiraikotsu before it returns back to Hisui. Moroha questions Hisui about the local villagers as he's got the wrong target and she hasn't left the mountains as she's just waiting for her bounty to show up. Hisui questions Moroha about being a demon and a bounty hunter as it's all the more reason then. Just as Hisui was about to confront Moroha, Kohaku yells at him to stand down. Hisui calls out to Kohaku. Kohaku asked Moroha if there's another demon responsible for attacking the local village. Moroha confirms this with Kohaku before she sheaths her Kurikaramaru. Moroha tells Kohaku that it's too late as they've made her mad before she takes out a shell compact containing a mysterious rouge with a red Rainbow Pearl at the center and was about to apply some of it. Moroha tells the demon slayers that with this rouge she becomes Beniyasha, Destroyer of Lands and tremble before the bloodthirsty dawn but was suddenly confronted by Setsuna with her Kanemitsu no Tomoe. Moroha looks at Setsuna and tells the demon slayers that they work with an interesting companion. Moroha questions Setsuna about being a hanyo as she's also but was cut off. Setsuna tells Moroha to be silent as she's dead. Moroha unsheathes her Kurikaramaru before she clashes with Setsuna as she expresses a liking towards Setsuna's Kanemitsu no Tomoe and wonders if she wins the match can she have it. Hisui flies on Kirara towards Setsuna as he said he'll back her up. Setsuna tells Hisui there's no need. Moroha questions Setsuna if that's her name and calls her 'Setsu' then says 'sorry' as she'll be taking her weapon before they fight. Setsuna blocks Moroha's attack with her Kanemitsu no Tomoe. Moroha questions Setsuna that she saw through that as it was not bad at all and calls her 'Setsu'. As Setsuna and Moroha battled, Setsuna's right eye began to mysteriously glow. Moroha becomes surprised and wonders is that a before she backs away. Moroha asks Setsuna does she have a Rainbow Pearl as well. Setsuna questions Moroha about a Rainbow Pearls. It was then that the ōmukade Mistress Three-Eyes appeared from underground and demanding for Setsuna and Moroha to hand over the Rainbow Pearls. Kohaku realizes that Mistress Three-Eyes was the one attacking the village before he tells the others demon slayers to retreat. Mistress Three-Eyes repeatedly demands for Setsuna and Moroha give her the Rainbow Pearls as she goes after Setsuna. Hisui flies towards Setsuna, who is frozen, and grabs to pull her out of danger before flying away on Kirara. Hisui asks Setsuna if she was okay. Setsuna snaps out of it before she gets on Kirara. Moroha tells Mistress Three-Eyes that she knew she'd show up as she has this with her as she pulls out her Beni to reveal the red Rainbow Pearl. Mistress Three-Eyes realizes that Moroha has the red Rainbow Pearl. Moroha tells Mistress Three-Eyes that she's been after her from the start as it's time to claim her bounty. Moroha engages Mistress Three-Eyes with her Kurikaramaru, but it was unable to cut her. Moroha becomes surprised and tells Mistress Three-Eyes that she's tougher than she thought and in that case before she backs away. Moroha sheaths her Kurikaramaru before she pulls out her bow and arrows. Moroha tells the demon slayers to get lost unless they want to get caught in the crossfire. Hisui becomes surprised and confused. Kohaku tells Hisui to go to another location. Hisui complies with Kohaku's order. Moroha tells Mistress Three-Eyes to take this before she uses her Heavenly Arrow Barrage. Mistress Three-Eyes dodges the sacred arrow and tells Moroha that she missed. The sacred arrow then created a barrage of sealing arrows that rain downward on Mistress Three-Eyes, rendering her immobile. Kohaku questions if those are Sacred Arrows before he realizes they are Arrows of Sealing then wonders how could Moroha have such spiritual powers. Moroha celebrates that she defeated Mistress Three-Eyes until she starts moving. Mistress Three-Eyes telekinetically steals Moroha's red Rainbow Pearl from Moroha's Beni. Moroha tries to get her Beni and red Rainbow Pearl as she tells it to get back here. Mistress Three-Eyes telekinetically removes the red Rainbow Pearl from Moroha's Beni before she swallowed it, thus increasing her power. Mistress Three-Eyes starts searching as she says give it to her as she needs the other Rainbow Pearl. Afterwards, Mistress Three-Eyes turned her attention towards Setsuna. Hisui says oh no. Kohaku tells Hisui to divert Mistress Three-Eyes to Kaede. Hisui complies as he and Setsuna take off on Kirara with Mistress Three-Eyes chasing them to claim her Gold Rainbow Pearl as well. Mistress Three-Eyes tells Setsuna to come back here. Moroha curses as she yells at Mistress Three-Eyes to give her back her red Rainbow Pearl before she follows after her.

At the end of the school day, Osamu Kirin was lecturing Towa about trying to conduct herself as one of the students. Osamu explains to Towa there's a British Proverb that goes like this 'When in Rome do as the Romans do' as when she's in an unfamiliar place she should behave like the people there. Towa agrees with Osamu. Towa thinks to herself that she guesses she won't be staying too long at the school either. Osamu lectures Towa if she'll be attending the academy she should conduct herself like the students here and being tardy because she got into a fight is preposterous. Towa thinks to herself that she guesses Osamu's going to call Sōta and Moe. Osamu tells Towa he will overlook her tardiness for today but to be careful next time. Towa becomes confused. Osamu tells Towa that will be all and she may go home now. Towa becomes shocked. Mei says goodbye to her friends before runs home, unknowningly being followed by the groups of boys who bullied Towa. Upon returning home, Towa secretly jumped up onto the roof to tend to the Kikujūmonji. Towa explains this is the moment when she feels at peace as the celebrated Kikujūmonji is a national treasure as she's told that it once belonged to the shogun. Towa suddenly caught the scent of Mei's tears from her half-great-grandfather's shrine. The group of boys tied Grandpa, Ms. Higurashi, and Mei to the Sacred Tree. The group of boys tells Mei that Towa should be here soon and to just sit tight. One of the boys asks their brother if they think if it's a bit much. The brother calls the group of boys 'idiots' and if they want revenge they have to go big or go home and to not back out on him now. The group of boys agreed with the brother. Towa narrates the world is full of the weak and because they're weak they band together and pick on people weaker than them and she's really sick of it. The brother tells the group of boys they're lucky as they get to see Towa's crying face. Towa appears and asks the brother he really wants to see it that badly. Towa notices the gang Mei, Grammy and Grandpa Higurashi hostage and tells them she'll show them a crying face but it won't hers it will be theirs. The brother tells the gang to get Towa. Towa easily defeats the gang in a fight. The brother tells Towa that she's pretty good but doesn't think she understands the situation. One of the gang members threatens Mei with a switchblade. Towa calls out to Mei. The brother tells Towa he hopes she hasn't forgotten that they have a hostage on their side. Towa takes out the Kikujūmonji and tells the brother if that's how he wants to play this. One of the gang members becomes surprised that Towa has a sword. The brother doesn't care if Towa's sword is real or not and warns her what'll happen if she takes one step. One of the gang members asks Towa she wouldn't want scars on Mei's face. The brother tells Towa to not move and wonders where's her energy from before as he hits her repeatedly. In a flashback, Sōta tells a 4 year old Towa that she can't use her powers in front of others as it's their little secret and a promise. Towa agrees as she and Sōta pinky promise. Towa thinks to herself that she's sorry to Sōta as she can't keep their promise. Towa manages to rescue her adoptive family from the Sacred Tree while defeating some of the gang members. Towa tells her family to get somewhere safe. Ms. Higurashi tells Towa to not fight. Towa says the fight will end quickly. Mei calls out to Towa. The gang thinks Towa's not human before some of them leave as they realize they're no match for her. One of the gang members tells some of the members to not leave. Ms. Higurashi and Grandpa tried to get Met to go with them. Mei tells Towa to stop fighting. Towa tells Mei to not worry as she's pretty strong. Mei tells Towa that she can't as she keeps doing things like this she'll never be able to stop fighting and knows she really wants to be more girly and cute. Towa nervously tells Mei that she guesses there's a part of her that can't answer immediately. Mei tells Towa she she's supposed to say 'yes' even if you don't mean it. Towa apologizes to Mei. Mei calls Towa a 'dummy'. The brother and the gang members hear the police sirens and flee, unaware that they were just passing by. Mei hugs Towa and calls her a 'dummy' as she said she'd never get into fights again. Towa apologizes to Mei. Towa explains living in the modern era is hard as if you don't follow the set of rules you're treated as an outcast and girls must be feminine and boys must be masculine as she's just been so sick of that but she thinks it's time she stopped being stubborn as there's nothing that could ever justify making Mei cry this much. Towa picks up a familiar scent from the Sacred Tree.

At night in the village, Kaede appears from her hut and sees Hisui and Setsuna on Kirara being chased by Mistress Three-Eyes. Mistress Three-Eyes demands Setsuna to give the Rainbow Pearl. Hisui tells Setsuna that he thinks they've come far enough. Setsuna tells Hisui that she'll get off here. Hisui becomes surprised and questions Setsuna was she serious. Setsuna tells Hisui that Mistress Three-Eyes was after the gold Rainbow Pearl in her right eye and she'll use that to her advantage before she jumps off. Hisui calls out to Setsuna. Setsuna tells Mistress Three-Eyes that she won't let her get away. Mistress Three-Eyes charges at Setsuna. Setsuna tells Mistress Three-Eyes to take this before she uses her Cyclone Burst. Mistress Three-Eyes yells at Setsuna how dare she. Setsuna introduces herself to Mistress Three-Eyes and tells her those are her only words for her that is why she will die tonight. As Mistress Three-Eyes and Setsuna are battling, Moroha interfered with her Crimson Dragon Wave. Setsuna becomes surprised and questions Moroha. Moroha tells Setsuna 'sorry' but she had first dibs on Mistress Three-Eyes. Setsuna simply ignored Moroha and charged towards Mistress Three-Eyes to attack, but was unable to kill her. Mistress Three-Eyes says come to her Gold Rainbow Pearl. Mistress Three-Eyes then restrained Setsuna and managed to steal her gold Rainbow Pearl and becomes much stronger. Moroha realizes that Mistress Three-Eyes absorbed the gold Rainbow Pearl as well. Mistress Three-Eyes tells Setsuna the gold Rainbow Pearl's demon power is becoming one with her own before she transforms. Setsuna says what power as Mistress Three-Eyes restricts her even more. Moroha says absorbing the Red and Gold Rainbow Pearls has made Mistress Three-Eyes even stronger. Moroha tells Setsuna to hold on as got her then calls her 'Setsu'. Setsuna tells Moroha to not call her that. As Mistress Three-Eyes was about to kill Setsuna, the Goshinboku starts to glow. Root Head says he senses the Rainbow Pearl for the first time in over 10 years and 2 at that and by the power of the Tree of Ages he now returned to this world before suddenly opened up a portal. Moroha becomes confused and wonder what is happening. Mistress Three-Eyes, Setsuna, and Moroha were forcefully sucked into the portal before it disappeared.

Later that night, Towa and Mei look at the Sacred Tree. Towa picks up a familiar scent from the Sacred Tree and wonders what is it. Mei calls out to Towa. Towa wonders about the smell. Towa calls out to Mei before she quickly moves them to Grandpa and Ms. Higurashi. A portal opens up. Grandpa says how strange. Towa places Mei with Grandpa and Ms. Higurashi before she steps towards the Sacred Tree again. Mei asks Towa what it was. Towa becomes familiar with a scent. The portal reveals Mistress Three-Eyes, along with Setsuna and Moroha. Grandpa, Ms. Higurashi, and Mei become surprised. Towa realizes the unbelievable bright place from her memories and this smell was Setsuna as she remembers. Towa calls out to Setsuna as her silver Rainbow Pearl glows in her left eye. Setsuna wonders who's calling her name. Moroha curses as she feels so weak and wonders if it's because she crossed through the rainbow corridor as she weakly lays down. Mistress Three-Eyes becomes happy that she senses the silver Rainbow Pearl was here as well and now each of her 3 eyes will have a Rainbow Pearl. Upon seeing Setsuna in trouble, Towa runs in to save her from Mistress Three-Eyes with the Kikujūmonji. Towa tells Setsuna that she will save her. Towa tries to slash Mistress Three-Eyes but the Kikujūmonji ends up breaking upon contact of Mistress Three-Eyes's skin, much to Towa's shock.

Trivia

 * The punks who defy Towa bear a strong resemblance to Lum's Stormtroopers and Ataru Moroboshi from Urusei Yatsura and Tatewaki Kuno from Ranma ½ (other franchise of Rumiko Takahashi).
 * This episode aired on Rumiko Takahashi's 63rd Birthday.
 * The makeup pouch that Moroha keeps her Rainbow Pearl in is almost identical to the one that Izayoi had.
 * According to Towa, the fights with the bullies originated back from when she stopped a bully in elementary school.

Episodi 2 (Hanyo no Yashahime) Episodio 02 (Hanyo no Yashahime)