Aah. Summer.
At least, that's when I'm starting this. I'll probably finish it sometime this fall. I received the movie "Princess Mononoke" from a very dear pair of friends who know more about anime than pretty much everyone in my entire state combined (just for the reference, that state is normally either insanity, inspiration, or denial, aside from several combinations). They kept telling me "Watch it. It's the best anime around." About a month later and after five or six viewings, I have to agree.
But after the movie, there were still things that went unanswered. Of course, there was Ashitaka and San. What's going to happen now that the spirits are gone? How about the rebuilding of Irontown? What about that Warlord Asano? Wouldn't he be rather upset that with two shots Lady Eboshi wiped the majority of his army off the face of the Earth (referring to the shots she used to kill the forest spirit)?
I had to watch the movie one more time just to make sure I got all the spellings right. What would I do without closed captioning? Anyway, I'm sorry, but I had to say something before I started. I always do.
Summer 2003 ~ that summer has come and gone at least once, and my delving into the world of Princess Mononoke has never yet been finished. Recently, I saw Miyazaki's work Spirited Away, and that has renewed my interest in this fiction. As once was said, "rise from your grave". This will be undergoing a massive rewrite, including correction on several names.
DISCLAIMER: See bottom of story.
AFTER MONONOKEBy Preacher
Dearest dedication to my anime knowledgeable friends, S.F. and A.F., and to P. T., for his agreeing on this great anime.
A renewed dedication to C.G. and Hiyao Miyazaki, as well as the various anime sites I now regularly visit for my Ghibli information (Mehve Ghibli, Nausicaa.net, and the soon-to-be-redone Princess-Mononoke.com).
~Chapter 1: Capture~
Lord Asano was a dangerous man on many days, but today he was in an especially furious mood. Of the approximate one thousand men he had sent into battle with Lady Eboshi and her gunmen in the great fight of Irontown, perhaps seven hundred had survived the first assault. They fared better in the next attack, their numbers dwindling down to hover near five hundred and twoscore. Now, Asano listened to one of his spies in a rage, hearing what terrible fate had befallen the rest of his men.
"My lord, after the second assault our men broke off the attack to wait until sunrise. That night, we were keeping a close watch on Irontown. We had managed to take its outer walls and had driven back those accursed women." The spy, Jengo, made his report. Jengo stammered and stuttered, bringing his news forth between gulps of air. He had run without almost any rest for almost three straight days after the start of the rebuilding of Irontown.
He continued. "I was inside the fortress, as you instructed, keeping a close watch on the women and the few lepers who are Lady Eboshi's smiths. Everyone was either sleeping or discussing where Lady Eboshi had gone. She had gone to kill the forest spirit-"
"To get the reward for making the Emperor immortal." Asano finished in disgust. As much as he was glad to be in the emperor's service, the man's desire for immortality was foolhardy. "Continue."
"The night had settled in, rather, when everyone was awakened in a large commotion. There was a great wave of black ooze, heading over the hilltops. It collided with your army, my Lord, and it…ate the life out of them." Asano growled with displeasure but did not interrupt. "Afterwards, I had learned that the ooze was created by Lady Eboshi, as she beheaded the forest spirit. When the forest spirit's head was restored, by two…runts I later learned were an exile Emishi named Ashitaka and San, the Princess Mononoke, the ooze was dispelled."
Asano leaned forward, wishing to hear of the death of his old enemy. "Was Eboshi killed by the ooze?" He asked. He would have killed her himself, but if she was dead in a horrible way he would be nearly as pleased.
Jengo tremored slightly. "No, my lord." Asano growled. Jengo shook. "However, she did lose an arm to the wolf god Moro, my lord."
Asano slammed his hand on his throne's armrest. "Continue."
"My Lord, now they are rebuilding Irontown. Eboshi is still alive, should you wish to attack her again."
Asano growled again. "You are dismissed, Jengo. I will call for you, should I need further information." Jengo bowed low and exited with little dignity.
"Fifty score of my best soldiers went in to that war. I got two score out. Two score cripples and one blasted spy." Asano sat at the nearby desk and began to plot what would be the perfect revenge against Lady Eboshi. One hand scratched out his thoughts into words while the other held still over the old wound where Eboshi had shot him, years before, in another battle. He was never going to get over that. The wound was his curse to live with eternally.
~
Several days trek away, Lady Eboshi was in an optimistic mood. Despite the loss of Irontown, the rebuilding was going very well. The wood that was once part of the huge furnace house was now being reworked to construct new homes. Eboshi watched from a distance as the large group of able-bodied men and women worked to rebuild her once glorious city. Twice she caught glimpses of the young man Ashitaka hauling wood along with the rest of them. His inhuman strength that was born of the hatred of his curse was gone, but his immense willpower was still there. He was not anywhere near as strong as Gonza, but he hauled just as much. If not for him, she would be dead.
Eboshi looked down at the red scarlet silk which covered the place that had once been her right arm. Eboshi knew that her arm was a far better thing to lose than what she could have lost should she have been standing only a foot more to the right when the severed head of Moro had attacked. And to think-that daughter of Moro's had been the one who helped save everyone from the wrath of the Nightwalker. Eboshi sighed and stood. She had been feeling well enough to walk in recent days. She strode over to Gonza, directing where a team of workers should begin rebuilding the crop gardens.
"Milady?" Gonza said smartly, turning and standing at attention.
"Gonza, has there been any report of the monk Jiko since he left a week ago?" Gonza was clearly puzzled at the question. Eboshi and Jiko were not on the best of terms at the moment. Something to do with Jiko having Eboshi do his dirty work and then show little interest by nearly getting her killed.
"Err, no, Milady. I have heard that he left looking for a fast way to get rich."
"Hm." Eboshi chuckled. Would he ever change? "Gonza, when you get a moment, please tell someone to send for him."
"Yes, of course, Milady. Er…with force?"
Eboshi smiled her dagger smile.
~
Since the Great Forest Spirit had died, the forest that was once his now had an undetermined fate. The Forest Spirit could no longer protect the forest, and so that duty fell on San. It had taken days after days to assess the damage to the forest from the spirit going wild and becoming a god of death. San had found dozens of trees, themselves dead but covered in new growth. Perhaps the biggest discovery was that the ancient tree that was Mother to so many of the Kodama in the forest was, by some miracle, alive. Though it had been hit hard by the life-draining ooze, it still stood, and the Kudama were slowly returning as it gained health. San spent many long hours trying to understand the series of strange events that had occurred, and the deaths of so many- The Forest Spirit, the Boar God Okkoto, and her own stepmother, Moro. A remote cliff top provided a fine view of the rebuilding of Irontown. While the fires of that city did not burn, San's hatred for it still smoldered.
"Cursed humans…Ashitaka, why do you help them?" San said through gritted teeth. Shiroi, one of her brothers, nuzzled her. Shiroi was the more reserved of the wolves, he was the one who had stayed with San and helped her guard Okkoto, who had delivered the crystal dagger to her. She scratched his head and glared at Irontown. Perhaps it was just the wolf in her, but she felt as if she would have to fight them again one day…
~
Jengo had again been summoned before his lord Asano, and if he was visibly shaking the last time he was now trembling with fear. Spies were like the information they carried- used and disposed of. Asano, in his typical regalia, swept around the room. He was passionately considering many things, the most of which was how to use Eboshi's relationships to extort her.
"Jengo, I need more information about the boy, Ashitaka." Jengo blinked. He knew virtually nothing aside from Ashitaka's being Emishi, exiled, and having a red elk.
"Yes, my lord. What shall I tell you?" Jengo shook, but hoped he didn't look any more suspicious. He might have to bluff. That could kill him.
"What's his standing with Lady Eboshi?"
This question was completely unexpected by Jengo, and it took him a moment to formulate a response. "I…would certainly say that Eboshi is on a…good standing with him…she admires his courage…he's almost like…I'd say a favorite nephew."
"Yes, yes." Good. A nephew. Not perfect, but good. "Would you say that Eboshi would respond to this boy being held ransom?"
Another stunner for Jengo. He decided to play dumb.
"You're more intelligent than that, Jengo. You know what I'm thinking. Capture the boy, lure in Eboshi…"
"Erm…sir…this boy…" Jengo
"What about him?"
"He's…well…dangerous. He was the same lone soldier who rode through the raid we performed on a village a month or so ago. He just fired a couple of arrows and one man got his arms lopped off and another lost his head- completely."
Asano blinked. That sounded far too familiar.
"Aside from that, he'd be almost as well protected as Eboshi herself."
"Are you suggesting some other plan?" Asano said. He did not say it through clenched teeth; rather he switched to an oily voice he usually reserved for diplomacy. It was formal, respectful, and deadly. Jengo had lost what little spine he had left, and he certainly was expecting Asano to lash out harshly. Much to his surprise, the warlord didn't.
"Well, Jengo?"
"Suppose…suppose we could get the boy to give himself up?"
Asano let out a booming, sinister laugh. "You're suggesting I just walk into Irontown and say: 'Alright boy, you're coming with me, I'm holding you hostage'?"
"Er, no sir. You see, the girl San, the Princess Mononoke, and the boy Ashitaka are…rather fond of one another." He paused. This was the first time he was certain he had Asano's attention. "She would be easier to capture, with at most a couple of giant wolves watching over her. If we used her as bait-"
"We'll draw in the boy! You're smarter than you look, Jengo!" The spy did not know whether or not that was a compliment or criticism, so he kept his mouth shut. Asano had just found his trump card.
"Tell me everything you know about the girl." Jengo babbled his information like a brook. The spy was certain he might have made some of it up on the fly. He finally finished after recounting every wild fact he had heard from the boisterous men of Irontown.
"Excellent. Jengo, you've been a very valuable source of information to me." Asano walked around the spy one last time, and stopped behind him.
"But I'm afraid you know too much." The warlord stepped forward and slew the spy in one quick thrust. The body of his agent crumpled to the floor and gave a few final twitches before lying still. Jengo's eyes were wide with shock. For every possible death he had dodged, he had failed to see the most obvious one.
"Taisho!" Asano called to his captain of the guard and acting commander since his predecessor, Shidōsha, had been sniped by Lady Eboshi. He was a good head taller than Asano, and could trace his bloodlines back to a northern barbarian tribe. His head was shaved and covered in tattoos that denoted his family and tribe, but these were faded and crisscrossed with the scars of time.
"Yes, lord?" Taisho replied. He stepped forward and kneeled, showing his blade, bow, and quiver, all carried on his back. The man was Asano's bodyguard when need be, but was a dreadful sight to see in battle.
"Take twenty of your strongest men and go to the sacred forest near Irontown. You will be attacked- expect it! There will be a girl and a pair of wolves, guardians of the forest. Bring me the girl. I want her alive."
"Aye, lord." Asano retreated into the depths of his palace, knowing sweet revenge was drawing ever closer with each passing minute. His hand subconsciously rested over his wound. Soon, Eboshi.
~
Yakkul trotted along at a brisk pace down a dirt path. Ashitaka did not need to guide him; since he had taken up residence in Irontown Yakkul had been allowed to roam the forest freely, and had seemingly memorized all of the quickest routes to wherever Ashitaka needed to go. This was merely a routine visit to see San, in the previous days they had little to do but sit by the waters of a small brook and discuss whatever came to mind or to walk through the forest and see each of nature's finest spectacles. The girl knew every nook and cranny of the forest, but often when they would visit places she so often had come as a child, they would be found in ruin because of the destruction the forest spirit had caused. Often he had helped to try and rebuild these places. It was slow work, but it was helping.
Ashitaka let his mind wander until Yakkul gave a sudden jolt and bolted off the path into a thick grove. Ashitaka lay low to the elk's back to avoid being hit full in the face by a passing branch. Soon, Yakkul's run turned to a slow walk, and Ashitaka dismounted. The elk was calmer, but still very much alert. Parting some nearby brush, he gazed at the discovery that had made Yakkul skittish. There were men, each well armed and armored, off in the distance. They were some ways off, but the path that Yakkul had been taking would have risked confrontation. The elk clearly had sensed that these were dangerous men, and his instincts were usually right. Better to not remain seen, Ashitaka concluded. His eyes strained as he tried to get a better view of them. A few were mounted, and there were two flag bearers carrying a symbol of the emperor and another of the warlord Asano. Soon they had passed into the edge of the forest.
"Walk silently," Ashitaka whispered to his elk companion, "we have no business meeting them." Ashitaka remounted and Yakkul made a slow pace through the forest, making next to no sound on even the most cluttered path.
~
Somewhere deeper in the forest, San pulled away the last of a felled tree that had been blocking a small stream. She sat down to catch her breath, gazing at her knife nearby, embedded in a piece of the former dam. The grassy slopes leading down to the stream bristled with new life, and now the water could reach further and help to nourish more plants. San turned her head to look at Kuroi, her other brother, as he came charging up the recreated stream at a fast lope. Kuroi had been trapped and found by Ashitaka after the boars battled the gunmen, and had asked if he could crunch Ashitaka's face off. He was more reckless of the brothers, but was by no means stupid.
"San, there are people entering the forest." He growled.
"What kind of people? Are they from Irontown?" San walked over and pulled the honed wolf's tooth knife from where it rested.
"They aren't from around here, that's for sure. They smell like horses and metal. Most of them are mounted, and all carry weapons. They're coming from over there." He jerked his head in the direction he had come.
"Let's go." She said, climbing onto Kuroi in a fluid motion she had perfected over many years. The wolf and girl set off into the heart of the forest. Several minutes ride later, they found Shiroi keeping a close watch on the party while keeping out of sight. San suspected Shiroi had stayed just to keep his brother out of trouble. San kneeled and gazed in the direction both wolves were watching, and saw there a group of armored soldiers fighting their way through an overgrown path. The most regally dressed of them, a man with a tattooed scalp who was clearly the leader, pushed a branch out of his way and ducked under it, hitting a friend behind him full in the face when he let it go. San smiled grimly. They were idiots, all muscle and no brains. It was time to make them stand and fight. San rose and her brothers followed suit.
~
"Blasted forest!" Taisho shouted as he struggled through a bush. "We ought to just burn it to flush out-"
"Taisho, sir!" One of the men called out.
"What?" Taisho barked back.
"Look…there!" The man in question pointed. Ahead on the path there stood a most peculiar sight- a teenage girl and two wolves both larger than horses. The parties merely watched one another for a moment, sizing each other up, and then the girl spoke.
"What is it you want in this forest, humans?" San shouted out in a voice that contained no wasted breath on unwanted invaders. "You have no business here."
"On the contrary, wolf-girl! We have come to take you prisoner! Surrender yourself to General Taisho in the name of Lord Asano and order the wolves to back away at once!"
Kuroi growled softly: "Over my fly eaten carcass."
From Taisho's view, it looked as though the girl were pondering the request. Then, in the blink of an eye, the three were gone. Taisho and his men stood there for a minute, gazing dimwittedly at the spot where the wolves had been. Taisho, regaining his senses, bellowed orders.
"Where'd they go? FIND THEM, YOU IDIOTS!" The group spread out to search the bushes, Taisho walking back and forth shouting and ranting at his men. He punted and slapped a few for good measure, but stopped abruptly in the middle of berating a soldier when there was a muffled scream and one of the men was pulled into the bush he was searching. Taisho went to investigate, finding the man dead with wolf fang marks on his throat. Another scream, then a third, and two more men were found in similar shape, wolf fangs and one with his throat slit. The remaining group pulled into a tight circle, weapons at the ready, each one hoping not to be the next victim.
Without warning, the wolves charged, San mounted on Kuroi's back. The men raised their array of weapons to defend themselves, and the wolves darted to one side, then back, and with an immense vault, they landed right in the middle of the men. Various blades harmed the wolves, and slashed through fur to pierce skin, but blades do little to harm the sons of a god. Kuroi and Shiroi had the upper hand, with sheer size, not to mention teeth and claws. San herself dealt death in a fierce melee, spinning, slashing, dodging and ducking, landing dozens of blows unharmed. One man was taken down with a low spinning sweep of her leg, then another met her wolf's fang knife head on with his sword. Tooth and metal screeched until San drew back once hand and punched him in the face. He staggered and she brought her dagger into his middle. She vaulted over a slashing sword and brought down its owner when she dropped onto his shoulder, stabbed him in the back, and rolled off. San cut herself a path to Taisho, who waited, sword drawn. His stance was mocking her. He wasn't fighting out of necessity like the rest of his men, this man wanted a challenge. San would bring it.
"Come on, little cub. Let's see you fight." Taisho said in a taunting voice.
"I'll make you pay for defiling my mother's forest!" San retorted as she launched herself at the bulky man.
Taisho was an experienced warrior, but he had rarely faced the likes of Princess Mononoke herself. He blocked skillfully at every blow she made, but the young woman's fierce determination and youthful limbs made it difficult to fight her. She took two steps back before redoubling her efforts to little avail. Despite the bulkiness of his blade, Taisho handled his sword with grace and speed. Finding an opening, San dashed below the curved blade of the sword and rammed him as hard as she could in the groin. She was startled to look up at his face and not find the slightest implication of pain. Taisho raised a massive fist and dealt a crushing blow to San's head, and she slumped to the ground motionless. The battle had been turned in Taisho's favor. He picked up the limp form of San with one arm and held his blade at her throat with the other.
"You there! Wolves! Back away from my men or the girl dies!" Kuroi dropped the body of the man he had been thrashing violently and Shiroi threw another into the bushes ten feet away with a powerful toss of his head. They both faced Taisho, fangs barred, clearly waiting for an opportunity to attack. Taisho wouldn't give it to them. He gave the blade a small jerk to prove he meant his threat. Snarling, Kuroi and Shiroi backed off.
"I'll be watching you the whole way out of this forest, wolves…make one aggressive move and you shall know the consequences." Slowly, the remaining men left, leaving behind only the bodies of their dead and a pair of bloodied, battered, and helpless wolves. Kuroi started to head back to the den to lick his wounds, and Shiroi followed, but not before retrieving San's dagger from the ground where it had fallen.
~
"San! It's me!" Ashitaka emerged into the cave San occupied as a home. Only her wolves were there, both tending their hurts.
"We've been able to smell you for the past twenty minutes. You were upwind." Kuroi growled. He was aloof and clearly angry.
"Where's San?" Ashitaka asked.
"Men…the stink of your kind…why does she trust you humans?" Both wolves growled.
"Where is she?" Ashitaka repeated.
Both faces turned into cruel, bloodthirsty smiles. "Gone." The wolves related the tale of the fight and San's capture.
Ashitaka gaped. He felt like he had been hit in the back of the head with something. He sat down. "Who would have done this?" He thought, silently.
Soldiers. Warlord. Asano.
"Were the men carrying a flag?" Ashitaka made a small sketch in the den floor.
"Yeah. See for yourself if you like, we took one of them down. He'll still be lying back where his friends left him." Shiroi growled. Kuroi muttered something about dishonoring the fallen.
"Aren't you going to go after them?" Ashitaka asked the wolves.
Shiroi made a harsh bark that Ashitaka took for a laugh, Kuroi responded. "We might be powerful creatures, but our tribe would be nothing without San."
"She took on Moro's place. We look to her as Moro's successor." Shiroi continued.
"She is more than merely a Princess, now she is Chief of the Wolf Clan. It is our duty to rescue her."
"I'll come." Ashitaka said. "I want to save her as much as you do."
"We need no help from you, human. This is our mission." Kuroi snarled.
"No." Ashitaka was not about to be stared down by San's little brothers. "San saved my life, and I want to pay her back as best I can. Besides, do you really think that they would let a pair of wolves into Asano's palace?"
~
"Ugh." San would have spoken that if she had been in any shape to. She actually tried, but nothing came out of her mouth. Her head pounded. She opened her eyes and stared at the running water below her for a good ten seconds before she realized that there was in fact water there, and she tried to throw out her hands to stop herself. Her wrists wrenched painfully against the ropes and wood that bound her, and she cried out in pain. That to failed, no sound came out but a muffled moan. San realized she had been gagged. She men on the front and back of the pole she was being carried along on didn't stop, they were too busy navigating the river they were wading in. With a great effort, San turned her head and looked out at the massive rush of water. The war party was on one of the banks, and was clearly going to head into the sparse woods on this side of the river. San realized they must have already crossed, but the river and trees were places she had never seen before.
San was still quite dazed, but she thought for a moment about what exactly these men would be doing. Having seen Kuroi and Shiroi, they would try and throw them off by following the river. It would slow down her brothers, but not stop them. They could cover miles of river in an hour looking for the trail. The war party marched steadily until the sun was hovering evenly on the horizon, then stopped and began to set up a camp. They positioned her, pole and all, leaning against a tree. It was excruciating- her feet barely touched the ground so that her entire weight was on her wrists. She had endured it at length before the dumb brute who had fought her came over and wrenched the gag off her mouth.
"What do you want me for?" San demanded the moment Taisho had removed her gag. She was still tightly restrained- her hands and feet had both gone numb long ago. Taisho was in no danger, much to San's displeasure.
"I don't want you for anything, brat! Frankly, I'd prefer to have you dead…but that wouldn't fit Lord Asano's orders."
San strained her arms, attempting to break free. Pain flared in her wrists and shoulders. "Then what does he want with me? I've never offended him!" She said, working hard to keep up a brave affront. She was not intimidated by the man, but the pain of the position she was in was torture.
Taisho growled. "All I know is that I was sent to get you. Now shut it, or I'll gag you again, whelp!"
San brooded silently, fuming over the situation. She was unsure where she was, and knew there was no chance for escape. Over the hours, she learned that there were always at least two men awake, usually watching her with caution. She had checked her physical condition- aside from a few cuts and scrapes and a very large sore spot on her head, she felt fit enough, but those ropes! If only she had a knife. How she wished now she had not turned down that gift from Lady Eboshi for helping to save those Irontown humans- a small knife, only as long as a finger. She knew the knife well, as she had nearly been killed with it. Soon San grew weary of thinking how she had missed all the chances to get out of the situation, and fell into an uncomfortable sleep. She didn't envy the though of how her shoulder joints would feel after a sleep in the position she was contorted into.
~
DISCLAIMER AND OTHER INTERESTING FACTOIDS TO NOURISH YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF BASIC JAPANESE! (In which I have no skill whatsoever…)
Concerning ownership and character names…
San, Ashitaka, Lady Eboshi, Gonza, the "unnamed" wolf brothers, Moro, Okkoto, Nago (not even sure I mentioned him), the concept of Asano, and everyone else originally appearing or referenced in Princess Mononoke (Mononoke Hime for you hardcore fans out there) are property of Hiyao Miyazaki, Studio Ghibli, Miramax, Disney, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, and whomever else they came into contact with along the long and complicated journey to America.
Characters of my own creation include the following, with a bit of background on each for those of you who haven't realized just how much of this is basic Japanese:
Asano – well, I flushed out his personality a bit, and there's more of that to come.
Jengo – I have no idea where the name came from, I believe I just thought it up in the first draft and never changed it. It works.
Kuroi and Shiroi – I expanded a bit on them (They might be twins but from experience twins are usually different) and gave them names. The names also are a duality in that they reflect personality differences- "kuroi" means "black", "shiroi" means "white". Imagine that.
Taishō – Definitely filched this one from the Jap-English dictionary. Taishō means "general (military), leader, admiral". Guess what he is.
…and that wraps up my rewrite of part 1! Onward!
…and the obligatory review request is supposed to go here, but if you've read this far, you're either a diehard who has to finish something even if you hate it or you're someone who likes/loves/is indifferent towards the fic. Drop me a line, I need a bit of motivation to stoke my creative muse.