Work Text:
Codes- F-solo, hot springs, MF, FF, oral, toys, violence.
Intro/Disclaimer: This story is meant for mature audiences. Please don’t read it if you are legally forbidden from doing so, in an unsafe environment, or if you object to the above noted content for whatever reason. Ghost of Yotei is a 2025 video game rated M for Mature created by Sucker Punch Entertainment, not owned by me. The interpretation of lead character Atsu’s sexuality herein is my own imagination based on impressions from playing the game and online research. The game is one I enjoy greatly and I hope other players do also. This erotic fan fiction story was written for entertainment purposes only.
Positive & constructive feedback appreciated. Enjoy!
***
Island of Yotei, Japan. 1603.
Loneliness and danger were the main constants in her life.
Her name was Atsu. She was a tall and well-muscled Japanese woman in her late twenties with toned muscles and medium length dark hair. She wore bright yellow lacquer armor with a black dyed straw hat and steel mask shading her harsh yet beautiful face. Two katana swords were sheathed at her waist next to a short bow and a quiver of arrows. Other weapons were tucked into her saddlebags and heavy fur cloak, waiting to be unleashed. A samishen guitar was slung across her back next to a composite longbow. She was riding across the desolate plains of Yotei on a horse whose name was not important.
She had been searching the landscape for several days now, keeping her distance from most people. Some she interacted with by necessity- merchants, aggressors, those who called out to her or otherwise fell into her path. Some of these she rescued from certain death. Others earned such fate by their conduct and her weapons. Most such interactions were nasty, brutish, and short. Such had been her life for the past sixteen years.
Atsu scanned the horizon as she rode, ever alert for danger. That group of riders nearby- were they outlaws seeking easy prey? No, it was a group of settlers traveling the same road she was. She nodded at them and continued on, glad they were not a threat.
Memories flashed through her mind. This too was a constant. She was from Yotei originally, though she had been absent for about sixteen years. She remembered her parents’ strong will and patient teachings, her younger brother’s playful mischief. Her father had been a blacksmith, her mother a musician. They had taught her wilderness survival from a young age. Her mother had taught her gambling, riding, and samishen also- these would have been good skills to earn her coin if the past had been different. Her father had also trained her at the forge, building her muscles and showing her how to create, maintain, and respect weapons. It was only because of what happened sixteen years ago that it had become necessary for her to also learn to use said weapons.
Atsu clenched her teeth, recalling the circumstances of her family’s death. The stranger who came to her house one day, Lord Saito. How he greeted her father as a friend at first, then accused him of cowardice and betrayal once he refused to show the same respect. The cold proclamation- “I must make an example.” The other five men who had melted out of the shadows to flank Saito with weapons ready and murder on their minds. The screams, the blood, the fire that destroyed their home. Being bound to the ginkgo tree in her family’s courtyard, fire licking at her as Saito sighed heavily and refused to look directly at her while his henchmen surrounded her and laughed. Her family ineffectively fighting back and then lying dead in the garden, blood pooling around them. The ropes holding her prisoner. The sword stabbed through her gut and into the tree by Saito that might have killed her, but had not. The jeers on the wind as the killers departed. Smoke in her lungs, ash obscuring her sight. Flames loosening the ropes. Determination welling up inside her. An escape she barely remembered in detail. Arms coming free. Grasping the sword, pulling it out. Howling in rage as she cut her remaining bindings, falling prone and then rising to her knees. Stumbling and crawling away from the fire, moaning and gasping as she moved through the tall grass. Somehow she had survived against the odds that day. Somehow she had lived, healed, and made her way to a nearby inn.
Atsu had spent days there, nursed back to health by peasants and monks. Then she had fled to the nearest port and boarded a ship for the Japanese mainland. She still had numerous scars on her body- burned areas, knife and club wounds, punctures from spears and arrows. The many years since that day had given her further scars to accompany those from her greatest trauma. She had sought out the many samurai clans who had known her parents, respected her father as a smith and a man. Their names flashed through her mind. Tokugawa, Honda, Hanzo, Date, Kojuro, Tachibana, Shimazu, so many more. Saito had been an outlier from these- his clan had been defeated in battle and her father had rightly forsaken him when he raided innocent villages for provisions afterwards. So many other clans had recognized her drive for vengeance and helped train her into the lethal woman she had become. It had not been a negative factor to them that she was a woman- in fact the Honda and Tachibana clans had both trained great female fighters of their own before she came to them. Other clans quickly learned to respect her strength and skill. Atsu had learned swordplay, archery, and other martial arts in their training halls for sixteen long years. She had then fought beside those clans she respected most at the grand battle of Sekigahara, helped unify Japan under their rule. She had hoped to encounter Saito and his henchmen on the other side in that epic fight, avenge her family, but in the chaos of so many thousands of combatants... it was not to be.
Her flashback was paused briefly as another group of riders caught her gaze. These were armed and drawing close… outlaws? No, they wore dark blue armor and flew the banners of the Matsumae clan. An ally of Tokugawa sent to pacify and govern Yotei- not her committed ally since the leaders did not respect women as warriors, but not her enemy either. On a few occasions, she had aided them in battle and vice versa. Atsu favored the leader with a nod. He nodded back and waved his subordinates to ease. They then circled around her cautiously and rode on. Atsu allowed them to pass.
She had returned to Yotei in pursuit of Saito after Sekigahara. He had come north with what was left of his armies after losing the battle, was attempting to establish a rival state to Tokugawa. Many local outlaws had now united with Saito. Each of his main henchmen had become a fearsome commander of the new army. Atsu did not trust the Matsumae clan to put down their rebellion, and even if she had… her need for vengeance would not allow her to let them fight alone.
So Atsu had come back home. She was now a lone wolf in the wilderness, a brooding avenger on the roads. One of Saito’s henchmen- the sadistic drunkard known as the Snake- had already met his end on her blade. Yes, he had almost killed her in the fight, but again, she had lived. Many other lesser outlaws had died at her hands since. The people of Yotei called her an onryo, a vengeful ghost. She had accepted the nickname and the image.
She was coming close to a forest now. Something was moving in the trees. She slowed her horse and observed the motion carefully. It was a large animal. Best avoided since she was not hungry. A bear she could easily outdistance. A deer would escape from her without conflict.
But this creature was neither. It was a large gray wolf- the same wolf who had shadowed her since she had returned to Yotei. Atsu had fought beside that wolf in battle a few times already- Saito’s outlaws were trying to curry favor with the peasants of Yotei through wolf hunting, so a need for vengeance was shared. She gazed upon the wolf, did not smile as its growl of greeting reminded her to keep her distance. They looked upon one another with mutual respect, but they were not close friends. Atsu kept her guard up also- there were stealthy soldiers under Saito’s command and it would not do to have them ambush her while she was distracted. Only when the wolf snarled and turned away did she relax. It sensed no danger, nor did she.
A golden bird flew across her vision just then. There was an old Japanese superstition that such birds led travelers to interesting places. Atsu had seen the truth of that legend a few times already on her travels. So she followed the bird through the trees, hoping it would once again pay off well.
Steam on the horizon and the smell of warm fresh water soon told her it had.
Atsu smiled. It had been a few days since she encountered one of the island’s natural hot springs. It would do her good to bathe, wash off the dirt and sweat accumulated on her skin. The area seemed deserted at the moment and her horse was trained to alert her to danger it sensed nearby. The wolf would probably give her the same courtesy. The benefits of bathing were worth the risks.
She drew close to the hot spring, stopped her horse and dismounted. A large red maple tree shaded the area with flowers and other plants growing nearby. Water bubbled in two large rock pools. A few stone benches and the remains of a campfire showed that this area was frequently used as a leisure spot by locals, though not in a while. Atsu hitched her horse near a large patch of grass, took off the packs and arranged a few things. She would not set up a full campsite- not yet- but she did prepare a meal to ease her aching stomach. Raw fish with rice and mushrooms, sake to wash it down. The taste of these restored her spirits.
Atsu then set up a drying rack for her cloak and armor. She divested herself of each of her weapons, checked them for wear before putting them aside. She then removed her hat, cloak, and armor piece by piece. First the metal mask protecting her face, then the lacquer breastplate covering her chest, next her padded sleeves, and finally her leg coverings. A firm athletic body was revealed. Curves that had been pleasing to her past lovers. Muscles that were hard and showed evidence of her training and constant combat. Scars that were extensive, but not restrictive to her movements. They were as much a reminder of all she had survived as a disfigurement. Once her armor was off, only brown fur and white silk undergarments covered her skin. Atsu did not remove these just yet. First she sought necessary relief behind a bush, then she emerged from the foliage and began other important tasks.
The temperature was cold around her, but warmer next to the spring. After another quick check for danger, Atsu set out a towel next to the pools. She then began cleaning her armor. She wet each piece in the smaller of the hot spring’s two pools, scrubbed away the stains on them, then hung it on the rack once she was satisfied. She also took out fresh undergarments from her packs, laid them out for after her bath. All the while she was alert for further danger and calming herself more once no intruders disturbed her work.
Finally she reached the point where she was ready to bathe. Placing her sword near the pool just in case, she stripped to the buff. Her nipples were dark and small, her loins covered in trim black hair that matched the hair on her head. Further scars covered her torso, including deep marks on her back and belly from that terrible day sixteen years ago. Again, they were ornament and reminder as much as disfigurement. Atsu’s attitude towards them made that clear to any audience. She cast her undergarments into the lower pool to let them soak- she would scrub them later- then hurried to the upper pool for her own bath. Speed was a necessity here- for the temperature and modesty in case anyone should happen by.
Once in the pool, Atsu settled herself and let out a deep sigh. The warm steam and water of the hot spring were bringing comfort to her aching flesh. The pool was deep enough to immerse her full body and the temperature kept it free of algae. The bottom was smooth stone on her feet. A large rock near the edge allowed her to sit in comfort with only her head and shoulders above water. A wooden bucket left by a previous visitor aided her in washing herself.
She settled into the spring, let her body get used to the new environs. Atsu then cleaned herself with firm quick movements. Scrubbed over her skin, wet and combed out her hair, dunked her head and then came up to breathe. Finally, when she was satisfied, she laid back and let the hot spring soothe her as she meditated. This latter act was what benefited her the most in moments such as these.
Reflections flashed in her mind. The past, the present, her hopeful future. She would find each of Saito’s henchmen and the man himself, slay them, and calm the spirits of her family. Then, as some of the samurai she had known had in the past, she would join her family by giving herself an honorable death. Her purpose would be accomplished and that would be best- the memories of the many she had killed sometimes brought her nightmares as terrible as that long ago terrible day.
Or perhaps not, Atsu dared to think for once. Perhaps she could settle down, run a stable as she had once hoped. Play samishen and gamble in the inns for extra coin, spend time with the few lasting friends she had made on her travels thus far. Ran the bowyer, Taro the scavenger, sensai teachers like Hanbei and Yoshida who had aided her training since her return to Yotei. They did not regularly travel beside her, but they were all worthy friends. The Matsumae and settlers were nice enough for general company- neither was an enemy. She might even find company among the island’s native Ainu population, she had made other friends among them. The old stable master near her home remembered her well, so did the samishen master in the garden not far from the stables. They would aid her in setting up her homestead. If the ghosts who haunted her would allow her to rest…
Atsu knew of only a few ways to suppress those ghosts. She was not ready to sleep, not yet. Physical exertion then, that was best. No threats were nearby and she had already done her daily martial arts regimens. That left… yes, she decided after brief hesitation. She was alone, the hot spring was suitably comforting, and it had been a long time since she had indulged herself in such a way.
Too long, she thought, recalling her past lovers. They had been many, all memorable in one way or another. Atsu was frequently alone on the road, had allowed herself to indulge in companionship when the mood struck her. The curiosity and drives of youth had come upon her during her time among the samurai clans on the mainland. There was no shortage of people approaching her offering intimacy. Men at first, women also once some of appropriate inclination had sparked her interest. Some lovers of both genders had been rough, mocking, unwelcome- she was able to discourage these with her training. Others had been unskilled at the act or unkindly concerned with their own pleasure over hers once she allowed them in, these she forsook after the first time. A few had been very loving. Atsu rubbed herself now, reflecting on how their touches had made her feel.
Her hands moved over her body under the warm water, finding and massaging many areas. Her lovers had taught her the key spots and techniques. Twist and squeeze her nipples and the flesh around them, switching breasts when one became too sensitive. Careful motions around wounded areas of her torso and legs, firm motions against other spots that held pleasure centers. Two fingers pressing into the space between her loins, staying firm and purposeful despite the increasing tightness. Pressure against her innermost walls, again switching spots when she became too sensitive. Flicks against the prominent kernel of flesh between her legs. Her fingers moved faster and firmer as the act went on.
Feelings rising inside her. Excitement to every fiber of her being. An increasing moisture and heat inside her to rival that of the hot spring. Her heartbeats coming faster. Sighs escaping her mouth as she stroked. Her eyes closed as the rapture of the act continued. Memories of past lovers flashed through her mind, replacing the disappointments and the deep trauma that more often troubled her.
Atsu smiled as she concentrated on those few lovers who had been truly good to her. Their attentive touches, their complimentary words. None had lasted- some had been separated from her due to other training demands, orders of a superior, need or desire to love another. At least three had died at Sekigahara and in other conflicts on the mainland. Most often, however, Atsu had left them. She did not want to let herself get too close to another person. She had to avenge her family, and to endanger anyone else in that quest… no, even those who had offered to help her on a lasting basis she pushed away.
Could she come to love another? Start a family with them? Atsu did not know. Most of her friends on the island were not suitable for that. Taro and Hanbei were too far apart from her in age. Yoshida was only a few years older than her- skill had made him a sensai more than experience- and attractive enough, but she was pretty sure he was not interested in her in an intimate way. Ran had a man in her life who might become jealous, and Atsu wasn’t even sure her bowyer friend was interested in women intimately. The Ainu had strange customs that had thus far kept any of them from becoming close enough to her for intimacy. Atsu wasn’t yet close enough to anyone else. Some of the ronin she had met on the Yotei roads who’d been her allies were attractive and might have been good lovers if circumstance had allowed, but… no, she would not think about that now. Easier to recall the past, concentrate on the present, and let the future figure itself out in time.
She let her mind drift back to her past lovers, the good ones. Rubbed her body, recalling their touches. Most had used their fingers or pressed their bodies against hers. The men had entered her with their organs also, in her mouth and loins. Sometimes in her rear also, but that had not been as pleasurable for her, so she pushed the memories aside. Many of her skilled lovers had used their mouths and tongues on her along with fingers. Atsu smiled and breathed faster, remembering the most skilled. Mimicking their efforts built the storm of passion rising inside her body. Her own tongue flicked rapidly in and out of her mouth as she recalled events.
A few of the women had also taught her to use objects, she recalled. A firm piece of wood between her loins, pushing at her upper kernel… yes, that would feel good. She had such a wooden object in her pack, not readily accessible, but perhaps later in her bedroll tonight…. Or in the morning, if she felt the need, in her bedroll, or in the spring if she was in the mood for another bath. Yes, the object could substitute for a memorable male organ or knowing fingers well enough. It would not be as dexterous as her own fingers, but it would be firm enough and she could move it well… Yes. It would work. Yes.
But for now the pleasure of her fingers was enough to build the passion inside her, to keep it rising, to raise her spirits up and then let them reach a peak…. Atsu exclaimed in joy as she ascended. Rapture blossomed inside her, faded, then blossomed again as she regained the rhythm of her strokes. Atsu found the right pattern again, brought herself off twice more in rapid succession. Each wave of pleasure flowed through her body, the hot spring water warm and bubbling against her skin.
Finally, she allowed herself to return to her present circumstance. She sighed again, wishing for the touch of another. It had been so long…
Perhaps it was better this way, she reminded herself. At least she did not need to sneak away in the night or wash away the filth of an unwelcome companion. Nor did she have to lie to a lover or argue with them, drive them away. Or risk the possibility of angry conflict with them, or her constantly violent life leading to their death. She did not want any of that.
Atsu let out a deep heavy sigh. She was clean now, and her ghosts would be silent for a time. She stepped out of the water, dried off with a towel from her pack, put on new undergarments. She also scrubbed her old undergarments and then hung them up to dry. A quick campfire helped the latter process- she needed to get back on the road. A hint of rain was in the air. She did not want to sleep outside tonight. An inn or a suitable cave- she knew of one or two not far away- yes, that would be better. She checked over her armor and put it back on. She packed her belongings up quickly- her clothes could dry more later with aid from the wind and another fire once she made camp.
The wolf howled from nearby as she put her hat back on her head. Atsu clenched her teeth and quickly readied her swords and other weapons. Sight soon confirmed what the wolf had smelled.
Five rough men on horseback were approaching the hot spring. They were dirty and unkempt, clearly not disciplined samurai. All were armed. As they drew close, dismounted, and noticed her, their expressions fell into sneering grins. Atsu could easily guess what was on their minds.
“A woman alone!” the largest proclaimed. “Look here, boys!”
Most of his comrades laughed and drew swords and clubs, moving to encircle her.
“Hey, she looks like that wanted poster!” said a thin man who hung back, notching an arrow in his bow. “Lord Saito has a bounty on her head!”
Atsu said nothing, falling into a standoff stance as the men moved in. Seconds later, their screams and the clashing of steel dominated her thoughts. A few moments after, leaving their bodies stripped of valuables behind her, she was again riding the Yotei roads.
Perhaps peace, love, and comfort would again find her. But not today.
***
End.