This story is based on one of moviefan-92's fanfictions, its called Mononoke Forever, I suggest you check out their profile, a lot of good stories there.
I do not own Princess Mononoke or any of the animes referenced in this story.
Princess Mononoke
Chapter 1: The Mysterious Traveller
The bright flash of lightning illuminated the forest for a brief moment, before it was plunged back into darkness. Seconds later the deafening sound of thunder echoed around the trees.
It had been three months since the death of the Forest Spirit, and things had been peaceful, at least until that night. The fighting between the people of Iron Town and the forest creatures was over and Ashitaka was doing his best to create an alliance between them. With the reconstruction of Iron Town almost complete and the humans now helping restore and maintain the forest, things were going well.
However, as a sign of the approaching winter, a storm had come and the rain now poured down on Iron Town and the forest. The people of Iron Town were safe, although the repairs weren't quite complete, everyone had a shelter that could keep the rain out and take the harsh winds. San and her wolf brothers were protected by their den. The other forest Gods had some form of protection that kept them dry and safe. Due to the storm, the forest appeared to be empty.
In spite of this, though, one person braved to venture through the trees this stormy night. A young girl, no older than fifteen, made her way swiftly through the forest. She ran bare foot; the shoes she had worn had continuously sunken deep into the mud, so she had been forced to remove them. Her hat offered her face some defence against the rain, but did nothing to stop her clothes from being drenched. On the traveller's shoulder stood a small glowing creature, which desperately clung to the girl's neck to stop itself from flying away in the wind. It was a tree spirit, commonly known as a Kodama.
The mysterious girl ignored the cold rain that soaked her clothes, and the sharp wind that tore at her hair. The girl had one thing that kept her going, one thing that forced her on, one thought on her mind: 'I must find Ashitaka!'
"Ashitaka!" called Kohroku. "Could you give me a hand? The rope's starting to break."
It was early the following morning. The storm had vanished almost as quickly as it had appeared, much to everyone's relief. Most of the villagers were already up, eager to continue the repairs to Iron town. If they could keep to their schedule, work would be finished by the end of the day.
Ashitaka laughed as he ran to help Kohroku, who was desperately trying, and failing, to hold the pillar he had been fixing steady.
"The rope isn't breaking," chuckled Ashitaka. "You just didn't tie it well enough." Ashitaka shook his head as he tightened the knot. "There, you can let go now, it's safe, no problem." He smiled.
Kohroku, however, frowned, "Well that's easy for you to say."
"Actually," said a voice that made Kohroku jump. "I think you'll find that it's easy for most people to say, you idiot." Kohroku spun round to find his wife, Toki, glaring at him. "You can't even tie a knot right. Sometimes I wonder why I ever married you."
"Well it sure beats the hell out of us", laughed another one of the women, which caused everyone in ear shot to laugh, even Kohroku chuckled.
"Anyway," Ashitaka began, when they'd all stop laughing. "I think I've earned myself some time off to visit San." He began to walk towards the stable were Yakul, his elk, was kept, but looked back over his shoulder, "If that's alright with you."
"Sure, go ahead, the work's almost done anyway," Called Toki. "And give my best wishes to the wolf girl."
Ashitaka rolled his eyes. "I will, but her name is San."
A few minutes later Ashitaka rode out of Iron Town. He smiled the same cheerful smile he always had when he visited his love.
Meanwhile, not too far away, San stood in the forest patiently waiting for Ashitaka's arrival. He promised he would visit her that day, the last time she had seen him, and San knew Ashitaka always kept his word. He had also mentioned that, if everything went as planned, Iron Town should be fixed by then, so she hoped he might be able to stay longer or at least come more often.
At that moment though, her train of thought was interrupted. "San" said a deep voice behind her. She looked around to see the younger of her wolf brothers, Oko, standing a short distance away. "There is another trespasser in the forest." He informed her.
San signed, "Let me guess, another villager gathering herbs and berries?" After being with Ashitaka for a while, San had become more trustworthy of humans, and was beginning to grow weary of her brothers becoming suspicious every time someone entered the forest, even though the fighting was over. But to her surprise, Oko shook his head.
"No, this human isn't from Iron Town. She could be a spy sent by another town."
"Or she could just be passing through," pointed out San. "But I'll investigate anyway." She walked over to Oko, and climbed onto his back. Then, in the blink of an eye, they were away, darting through the trees at top speed. Needless to say Oko arrived at his destination very quickly. Oro, the elder of the two brothers was waiting for them.
San dismounted. "Alright, where is this 'trespasser'." She asked.
Oro jerked his head to the left. "Down that slope" he stated. San walked forward and peered through some small bushes, so she could remain out of sight. Sure enough, there was a young girl walking slowly along the path. However, San could not see why the girl was likely to harm the forest or put them under any threat. She only looked about fifteen.
"What should we do," asked Oko and bared his teeth, "Can we eat her."
San signed again, "No brother, you can't eat her."
"But we only truce with the humans from Iron town," Growled Oro. "And she isn't from that town."
"All the more reason not to harm her," San hissed. "Do you want to start anther war with her town?"
Oro and Oko lowered their heads, knowing San was right. "No." they said.
"Let's just see what she's doing here and leave her be," Smiled San, and quietly ran down the slope. She had moved almost silently, but the traveller stilled turned to face San, but said nothing. Moments later Oro and Oko joined San, baring their teeth at the mysterious youth. To San's surprise the girl did not flee at the sight of the wolves, she did not even draw her sword. 'She's either very brave or very stupid,' San thought.
The two girls just looked at each other unflinching for about a minute, not saying anything. San noticed a Kodama standing on the traveller's shoulder. That told her the person she was facing was most likely harmless, or the spirit would have been unlikely to help her. San also noticed that the girl's clothes were damp, and for the first time fully registered that she was wearing a cape. 'What's up with that cape, and why was she out in that storm,' San wondered, 'Unless she simply fell into a river.'
"What business do you have in this forest?" San called, breaking the silence. The traveller bowed to San, and to her and her brother's surprise, she bowed again to Oro and then Oko. This action stunned the two wolves and they immediately relaxed their postures. Neither of them could remember the last time a human other than San or Ashitaka had bowed to them.
"I'm sorry if I disturbed you or if I am trespassing," the girl spoke calmly, despite being faced with two wolves. "I simply wish to travel through, so I can continue my search for someone."
The more San looked the more she got the feeling that the traveller seemed familiar. "May I ask what your name is?"
The traveller shook her head. "I wish to keep my identity secret until I find who I'm looking for." She then bowed again, "If you don't mind."
San shrugged her shoulders. "It really makes no difference to me." She paused. "What is your destination?"
"A place known as Iron Town," The girl replied, "Am I on the right path."
"Yes, keep going in the same direction and you will see it shortly."
"Really?" The girl looked the way she had been heading, then bowed one more time. "Thank you." She then turned and ran in the direction towards Iron Town. The discovery that she was so close seemed to give her new strength.
San watched as the girl disappeared into the distance. "I told you she was just a harmless traveller."
"I guess you were right," growled Oko, "but did you get the idea you had seen her before."
San nodded her head, "Yes, I know we've never met her before, but I thought she looked like…" But San couldn't quite think of whom.
In spite of her curiosity, at that moment her thoughts were cut short by someone calling her name. "San!" Her face lit up upon hearing Ashitaka's voice. A few seconds later he became visible through the trees, riding Yakul. San ran over to him as he dismounted his elk. The two young lovers embraced, San gave Ashitaka an affectionate lick on his cheek. Ashitaka responded by kissing her lips.
"How did you find me?" San laughed.
"Thank Yakul; we were on our way to your den when he suddenly came this way. He must have picked up your scent."
The two smiled at each other for a moment, until suddenly, to Ashitaka's confusion, San looked away. Although he did not know this, she was looking in the direction the traveller had gone. "Is something wrong?"
San broke the embrace, "Ashitaka, do you know if someone might be looking for you." She asked.
The confusion was now evident on Ashitaka's face. "What?"
"My brothers and I encountered a girl just before you came, and she said she was looking for someone. She didn't say who they were or who they were searching for, but…" San hesitated, "She looked a lot like you. In fact she looked almost like a female version of you."
Now Ashitaka looked concerned, 'could it be… no, it can't, it's impossible.' He thought. "It was probably a coincidence. Anyway, I didn't come here to talk about travellers; I came here to be with you." He smiled.
San smiled as well, "Oh, then come get me." And she sprinted off into the forest.
"If you insist," Ashitaka yelled, and gave chase. The two played joyfully in the forest, unaware of the looming threat to Iron Town and the creatures of the forest.
On the other side of the forest an army of samurai were slowly making their way towards Iron Town. The leader, Lord Asano, rode on a horse in front of his men, with his two bodyguards walking beside him. He was about fifty, with black hair and a short beard. He wore a smile on his face. He had every reason to be happy, as he knew today was the day he took over Iron Town, and all the profit would be his, and with Cargo protecting him, nothing would get in his way.
Cargo was one of Lord Asano's bodyguards, and his strongest samurai. He wore an outfit identical to the other Samurai, except he also wore a red cape. His hair came down to just above his shoulders, which he dyed green, apparently just to make himself stand out. Unlike Asano he had an emotionless expression.
Asano's other bodyguard was named Cress, and wore a different outfit to the others; his was entirely blue, including the cape and had no armour. His hair was also blue; a similar length to Cargo's, but Cress had grown some of it so it covered his right eye. To complete the set of facial expressions, he had a solemn look. He did not care for the profit and power this invasion would bring; he was there for one reason. 'Just you wait Princess Mononoke and that dratted Eboshi.' He thought. 'You will both pay for what you did to me. I promise you, I will have my revenge!'
To Be Continued…
