"…"- The characters are talking
'…' The thoughts
Italics- Flashback
Author's notes Well, here's
the chapter! I'm not sure if the name fits the chapter but it kind of fits
right? This kind of determines the
setting later on. I'm not sure what new
'evil' they will be fighting, but I'll figure it out! R&R! If I get good
reviews, I'll post up a new chapter soon.
Snippet 1: Betrayal
The forest was wet with the last rain
as San walked through it hearing the leaves crunch underneath her foot. It had been another argument and surprise,
surprise! Eboshi was right about what would happen. How can she actually be right? These arguments were happening
more frequently and neither San nor Ashitaka could take it anymore. It was a worthless topic to fight about, but
they did it anyway.
"And what am I supposed to do? Leave
here and live off with you people?"
"Why not? You're human too no matter
how much you convince yourself that you're a wolf!"
" Those people that you say I am
destroyed my home! How you can expect
me to live with them?
Again and again, it was either an
argument about this or some other insignificant little matter. The thing that angered her the most was how
Eboshi was right. How can she predict
what was going to happen? She didn't know anything about her life!
"You shouldn't leave San. You are going to anger Ashitaka and he is
under enough troubles already."
" If he is going to be mad it is
because of you and everything you are making him do. He doesn't have to help you, you know! He has a life too."
Thinking about this was helping so
San ran further into the forest to let off some steam.
+ + +
Ashitaka was in one of his moods
again. This routine was nerving
him. It was never going to end. He thought that he could convince San, apparently
he can't. He didn't understand what
she went through, but sure, he had an idea.
" Look, you don't know what I'm going through. You want me to fit in, but I'm not planning
to forget how I was brought up!"
It wasn't fair to her and the more Ashitaka
thought about it, the more sorry he felt.
The fights would always end by one of them apologizing and it would
return a while later.
'I better go find San and talk to
her, before she does something we'll both regret.' And off he ran, catching her scent somewhere in the forest.
+ + +
"San!!"
San turned and glared. "Eboshi, what do you want? How did you find
me?"
"You weren't easy to track san, you
hid your trail pretty well." Eboshi
waited for San to say something, nothing.
"You are probably wondering what I would be doing here. I've come to tell you that your arguments
between Ashitaka are surely getting worse.
'Like she has to tell me that.'
San glared again. She was under enough emotions and talking to
Eboshi wasn't helping. "What are you
getting at Eboshi?"
Lady Eboshi sighed and said," Don't
you think that Ashitaka deserves more than arguments? In iron Town, I am betting that every woman there would want the
chance to be with him. However, you
have him and are treating him like he means nothing, you…"
'That's not true! How would she know?
She knows nothing.'
"…You don't care about him. And to think about it, the feelings are
mutual between you two."
'What?? How can she say such a
thing?'
Eboshi stopped talking for a while to
let what she said sink in to San. She
resumed," If you think about it San, you know that I'm also right. You two fight pointless fights. He lets you have the better, but don't u
think that slowly he would be finding someone better for him? He spends more of
his time in Iron Town. Do you honestly
believe that he cares?"
San was speechless. Those fights had meaning. They showed how much he cared, didn't he?
The fight started because Ashitaka wanted San to live with him so she could be
cared for. The thoughts that came were
haunting San, and she didn't even notice Eboshi leaving. 'He wouldn't do that to me, would he?'
All the self-convincing San tried to
do, Eboshi's reasoning seemed so, so, right.
+ + +
"San!!"
'Now what?' Without turning around,
she shouted out, " What do you want again Eboshi?"
"San…"
San turned around and she felt a
whole bunch of mixed emotions. Was she
supposed to feel happy that she was with him? Or, was she supposed to be angry
with Ashitaka? Or be angry with Eboshi? All these emotions came rushing through
her and she took a step back as Ashitaka slowly walked toward her, his arms
stretched out for an embrace.
"San, are you okay?"
'No, no…I'm not okay! Why are you
here, I know you hate me! Go and be with the woman of Iron Town if you
can't stand me.' Ashitaka kept on
advancing and soon, San was backed up onto a tree.
'What's wrong with San? Something's
the matter. I never seen her act like
this before.'
"Tell me what's wrong…"
San couldn't take it anymore. The feelings, what Eboshi said, the
so-called lies, they all bottled up inside San. She couldn't hold it in anymore…
"NO! STOP COMING! Stop…"
Ashitaka stopped right away hearing
the confusedness in San's voice.
"…Just leave me alone! You lied to
me!! All this time, even before we had fights, you…you lied to me! Just
go back to…to those people and leave me alone!!!"
Every word hurt Ashitaka. ' What is she talking about?' "San…?"
She didn't hear anything and ran
further into the forest leaving a confused and heartbroken Ashitaka.
Snippet 2-Disapperance
Notes-This is an introductory chapter
to the troubles that San and Ashitaka will face later on.
"…"Speech
'…' Thoughts
Italics- Flashback
It was late when Ashitaka got back to
the massive gate guarding the entrance to Iron Town.
"Ashitaka! Where have you been? It's
late and Lady Eboshi was looking for you."
"Toki! I was in the forest. Where is Eboshi and Taka?"
"They went to the forest to look for
some men. You should go now! They might
still be there."
Ashitaka ran and got his elk and
headed off toward the forest once more.
Halfway, Ashitaka thought he caught a
scent of San but it disappeared as fast as it came.
"Ashitaka! Now you're here!?"
"Taka! What are you guys doing here?"
"No one told you, ne? two moons ago,
Some men were sent out here, and they never came back. So we're here looking for them." Taka flashed a bright grin when someone
interrupted their conversation. "What
do you think happened to them?"
Another chimed in, " I bet they were
kidnapped by Princess Mononoke…"
"Yea…I think so too…"
"You know what I heard? I never seen
it myself but people say that she can control the wolves and the gods in the
forest…"
"Really? I heard…"
Ashitaka left Taka's conversation and
walked slowly to Eboshi.
"Did you find the men yet?"
"No, we're still looking." Eboshi eyed Ashitaka carefully before
saying," Ashitaka, go back to Iron Town first.
You look horrible."
Ashitaka smiled a little grin and
headed back.
+ + +
It was nearly dawn when Eboshi and
the men arrived back to Iron Town.
Ashitaka greeted them at the gate, when he and Eboshi caught a familiar
scent. Eboshi looked, and waved her
hand to San who was walking near the forest edge.
San looked, did nothing and continued
walking further into the forest,
Eboshi continued her conversation
with Ashitaka, "well, what…Ashitaka? Where are you?"
She looked back at the forest and saw
the shadow of Ashitaka obviously wanting to catch up with San and someone else
who was following Ashitaka.
+ + +
San started to run because she knew
Ashitaka was right behind her and she didn't want to see him.
'Where is she? I was right behind her and I lose her.' Still looking for her, he began to run while
calling out, "San!!!"
'That must have been the 100th
time he called my name.'
San looked back from the clearing
thinking whether she should go back. She turned and was starting to run again
when she bumped into someone.
'Damn, I was distracted and I get
caught.'
She caught sight of him before he saw
her and prepared to go, but he held onto her strong.
Ashitaka embraced San while San stood
there, emotionless. After a while, she
turned to go but was stopped once more when Ashitaka hugged her again and
whispered, " Don't go."
San felt a rush of emotions come at
her. She was happy…happy to be in his
arms but she had this nagging thought all about what Eboshi said. Yet, now that she was in his arms, she couldn't
stay mad at him. She needed to get
away, to sort out her thoughts and the perfect opportunity came…
"Ashitaka!"
He turned around…
"Taka! What are you doing here? The
forest isn't safe at night. Go back to
Iron Town."
" What are you doing here then? And
with her?" He pointed into the
forest. "Don't you know she's dangerous?"
Ashitaka turned and realized that San
was gone. "Just go back to Iron
Town. This isn't your business
Taka!" And he started to run after San
once more.
Taka stared at the disappearing
shadow and didn't move for quite a while.
When he did, he slowly whispered, " But Ashitaka…it is my business."
