Hi guys! hope you like my fic! it's my first Princess Mononoke one but so far i think it's pretty good!^_^ hope you like it.

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A Different Tune

Ashitaka lived in Iron Town, after the war had ended. He was deeply in love with San, but knew it could never be. He would visit her from time to time but for the first year, he mainly worked to help rebuild the village. He didn't know what to about his problem. So when the town was finally finished, Ashitaka wished to settle down and have a nice family, unfortunately the only one he wished to do that with, would never agree. He didn't want to live in the forest, because he liked living in Iron Town. He knew as well that San would never leave the forest. She had fought too hard to "give in" to the human world. He was becoming slowly more depressed about his troubles so he turned to the only one that might be able to help him with such matters, Lady Eboshi.

So he went on his way to Lady Eboshi's hut. The guards were out as usual but let him through with a smile. Lady Eboshi had not been married, as many of the townsman wished. Her head turned suddenly when she notice him enter.

"Oh, Ashitaka, what a pleasant surprise," they exchanged smiles. It seemed to Ashitaka that Lady Eboshi already knew what he was there for. After Maro had attacked her, she seemed to be able to see all the depths of your soul when she looked into your eyes. He didn't flinch, he was used to it by now.

Lady Eboshi was sitting at her dining table, drinking tea and working on the towns money as usual. Ashitaka proceeded to sit in front of her at the table. She looked overworked, since her hair looked like it needed to be brushed and her Kamino hung loosely on her body. She even had a few paint marks on her hands from working.

"Lady Eboshi, I am in need of some advice," he said with his usual serious face. She laughed at him and sipped her tea, then poured him a cup.

"Is it about a certain wolf princess we know?" she asked sipping her hot tea once again. He gave her a stern look then sipped his tea as well. She giggled, not knowing what layed ahead of her. She was secretly in love with him, though he could not tell. She hoped that this would begin a more intimate relationship with Ashitaka, but then remembered that he never once had shown her the love she deeply wished they shared.

Ashitaka pondered this for a moment. He knew that it would never work out with San, she would likely just marry one of her brothers. (a/n: i know it sounds gross but back then everybody did that kind of thing!) Or she might just decide to stay a lone wolf for the rest of her life, she never would dream of marrying him, no matter how much he longed for her or how much she longed for him. He sighed for a moment then answered, trying to choose his words carefully.

"Lady Eboshi, you know very well, how deeply I am in love with San," he started and looked her in the eyes again. She nodded and sipped her tea. "Well you also must know that our love is forbidden," Ashitaka explained as Lady Eboshi listened carefully. "I truely wish to settle down and have a family, though I do not wish to hurt her, she knows this as well."

"So you do not know if you could fall in love with anybody else?" Lady Eboshi asked, with an understanding tone, though she did not fully understand what he was going through.

"Yes but you see, I do not wish to marry someone I do not love. It wouldn't have to be the strongest love, for I can feel my vulnourability. As well as my love for her dimming with each passing day," Ashitaka said unhappily, but kept his patiance intact.

Lady Eboshi nodded her head and set down her tea. She clapped her hands four times and a women in a kamino that resembled Lady Eboshi's came in, though hers was green and light blue. Her hair was pulled tightly in a ponytail, which split an inch out from the hair tie, into two long braids which went to about her lower back. She looked younger than Lady Eboshi but they looked alike in many ways. She brought in a trey with a bowl of rice on it, then saw Ashitaka and ran back into the kitchen in which she came from and came out seconds later with two bowls of rice.

"How are you on your work, Lady Eboshi?" she asked in a youthful tone. She musn't have been more than twenty years of age. She bowed with the trey under both of her arms. Lady Eboshi gae a slightly mischievious smile.

"No need for formalities, Kamlyn," Lady Eboshi laughed and motioned for her to sit. Kamlyn sat on the left of Ashitaka but the right of Lady Eboshi. "This is Kamlyn, she is somewhat of a little sister to me," Lady Eboshi gave a slight glare to Ashitaka, who was startled from the unexpected look. He didn't need to be told that Kamlyn was very special to Lady Eboshi.

"Lady Eboshi, forgive my rudeness, but I wonder, what did you want of this meeting?" Ashitaka asked with a slight blush that he quickly forced to fade. He was somewhat scared that Kamlyn would be much like Lady Eboshi, controlling. Though the girl sat quietly, seeming to know what was going on, even before anything was revealed.

"Well Ashitaka, you are having troubles with love, so I would like you to meet the expert of the village. She has had much training to prepare herself for such matters," Lady Eboshi explained, with a slight laugh. Lady Eboshi tried her hardest not to laugh but, Ashitaka truely needed some confidence and Kamlyn was an exilent one to boost it up 100% if not more. It might even give him enough confidence in himself to get married to a village girl, which wouldn't be so bad.

"He is my new trainee?" Kamlyn asked quizzically. Kamlyn knew he would make an exilant trainee from the way he looked. Lady Eboshi nodded her head with a smile. "Well then, Ashitaka, eat your rice and meet me in the kitchen when you are done," she smiled, then bowed to Lady Eboshi and headed back to the kitchen.

Ashitaka was eager to find what was going to happen. He decided not to try getting it from Lady Eboshi, since he knew she would not tell him anything. He seemed to eat the food in a very propper manner but with a strangely silent vigor.

"Careful Ashitaka, you'll get sick if you eat too fast," Lady Eboshi laughed as she ate her rice quietly, and slowly. She knew it was from his curiousity. She wished to finish as quickly as possible as well, so to not disturb them. So she finished off her tea with the bowl halfway cleaned.
Ashitaka stood up, finished with his food. She stood as well, Ashitaka bowed to Lady Eboshi and he headed into the kitchen, while Lady Eboshi smiled mischieviously again and headed out of the door, stopping as she passed the door Lady Eboshi turned to the guard.

"You are not to allow anyone in or out, unless I give you direct orders, or Kamlyn gives you direct orders, and only us two. Which means, do not allow Ashitaka out," she gave him a stern look. He bowed to her and Lady Eboshi left.

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-Blue Kami