Chapter 2: The Narrow Plank of Friendship Offered
Ashitaka continued on the next morning, and the next, and the next. He arrived in the outskirts of Urusuke on the morning of the fourth day. The city was quietly sleeping under its blanket of dew as Ashitaka gazed at it from his vantage point on the foothills above. He had only left the forest behind the day before, and already he missed its comforting presence. The city of Urusuke was bordered by a wide plains area, patched by fields of rice, barley, and wheat.
He descended the last slope to the edge of the largest city he had ever laid eyes on. On the outskirts were a few sleepy-looking grocery shops. Ashitaka drank in the sights and smells, and then suddenly he heard a male voice off to his left. A man was just emerging from a back door in his small shop, and he had been speaking over his shoulder to someone in the room behind him. The man came out into the general area of his shop and flipped an 'open' sign over the front of it. He spotted Ashitaka, and his friendly eyes lit up. "Hello, there. May I interest you in some freshly-picked oranges? Shipped in daily all the way from Shikoku!"
Ashitaka turned toward him and said, "Actually, I was wondering if you could give me directions. I'm looking for the headquarters of the Kanosen group of entrepreneurs."
The man nodded slowly. "Oh, you travel in big circles, do you? Well, I can tell you, you've got some walking to do. It's further into the city that way--" he waved his hand in the direction Ashitaka had been going. "You go that way until you get to the third large intersection. There should be an inn on your right. Take a left, then take the very next left, and then a right. You'll come to a dead end, but on the right should be a doorway. This doorway will take you to the street on the other side of the dead end, it's exact reverse. Once you come out of the opposite dead end, directly to your right will be the Kanosen building."
Ashitaka said, "Thank you very much," and bought two oranges from the man. Then he went off in the way he had been instructed.
When Ashitaka found the correct building without too much trouble--just a lot of interruptions from the traffic and the crowds--he left Yakul by the side of the building in the alley he had just come out of and immediately walked up to the door. The door was made of glass, so Ashitaka could see inside. The building was not very crowded; the only people he could see were occupying various labeled desks that were situated around the foyer. He entered the building and looked around briefly. He then spotted a desk labeled "General Information," and he walked over. Seated at it was a bright-looking young woman wearing a pink business suit and a matching headband. He said, "Excuse me, could you please direct me to the office of Kurayami Juu?"
She looked up at him and said, "Kurayami-san is with the other group members in a very important national meeting now. It is only scheduled to last another hour, so perhaps you should wait until he and the others are finished."
"May I ask what room number?"
"Room 384 on the third floor. Up those stairs." She pointed to an outcropping in the wall, underneath which Ashitaka spotted the bottom of a flight of stairs.
"Thank you very much." Just like that, Ashitaka headed up the stairs. He floundered around for a moment while he tried to determine where the room actually was, and when he finally found it, he also found that there were four men standing outside of its double doors. When he approached, one of them came up to meet him and stood directly in Ashitaka's path, right in the center of the hallway.
"I'm sorry, sir, but this area is restricted. The Kanosen group are in a very important meeting, and no one can be allowed in."
Ashitaka stopped and looked at the man. "You say that this area is restricted? What about that part right there?" He indicated a spot on the floor right next to the wall on his right.
The man looked confused, and he asked, "What about it, sir?"
"I'd like to sit there and wait. Is that allowed?"
"Uh, I suppose so. You understand we'll have to check you out first, of course."
"Of course."
Ashitaka allowed the men to sift through his clothes and belongings, and when they only found food, clothes, and his bedroll, which they were very thorough in turning inside out and feeling, he was allowed to sit down.
It was a very long hour, but when the doors opened and people began filing out, Ashitaka immediately stood and watched. There were several men and a few women, all bearing nametags that told who they were, where they were from, and what group they belonged to. Using these, Ashitaka picked out the man named Kurayami Juu, and quickly moved to intercept him.
The man stopped and looked him up and down. "May I help you?"
Ashitaka stepped forward. "Kurayami-san, my name is Ashitaka. I have come as an emissary from the village of Tatara Ba, as your letter requested."
Kurayami's face did not change. "We thought that perhaps Eboshi Gozen would come to us."
"She is very busy. The winter season is coming, and there are some buildings that must be rebuilt before then."
Kurayami nodded. "Of course. Will you accompany me to my office?"
Ashitaka gave a small bow. "Lead the way."
Kurayami's office was on the second floor. It was a very spacious, very comfortable dual office. One room had a tidy desk in it with a chair that rolled on wheels, and the other room had several large armchairs and a coffee table in the middle. Lining the walls of the second room were bookshelves with a few thick volumes and several varied collectors' items. Kurayami beckoned Ashitaka into this second room.
"Please, sit down." Kurayami graciously closed the door behind them. Ashitaka took him up on his offer, and Kurayami took the other chair. "Now, about why you are here. I hope it wasn't inconvenient for you."
"If it had been inconvenient I wouldn't have come."
"Of course." The man opened a small case on the coffee table. "Cigar?"
"No, thank you."
"Ah, it's just as well. I never smoke them, but I keep them around anyway." Here he paused, and the two eyed each other, each trying to discern what the other was thinking. "To get right to the point, Ashitaka, I asked you to come here because I wanted you to feel that you had gotten the most information possible. I also wanted you to see how we run things here, and if it interests the people of Tatara Ba. We've had our eye on your little town for quite some time, and even with the recent tragedy, the Rage of the Giant, we can tell that you will continue to prosper as you have in the past. Asano-sama saw the same thing we do, but we see it through different eyes.
"We have come to the conclusion that Tatara Ba cannot prosper as it should without outside help. That is usually the way of things. We have a proposition--we will send extra men to help rebuild and man the ironworks, along with funding to pay for their housing and food, and you, in return, will allot us a portion of the iron as profit. We will sell our portion here in the city and abroad as well. Our portion of the iron will be forged by our own men, who will also teach your people how to make it into the appropriate pieces. Once your town is sufficiently rebuilt, we will withdraw our men, and you will continue to forge our portion of the iron. At that point, we will then sanction off forty percent of the profit we make here in the city--which is regularly twice as high as your merchants would ever get, because of our reputation, you see--and give that to you."
For a moment, Ashitaka said nothing, but his eyes dropped to the floor as he pondered this. "You have thought about this much. I trust you will give me the opportunity to do the same."
"Of course."
"I would also like to write to Eboshi-sama once I can find accomodations."
"Well, if I may be so bold as to suggest a good place to stay, if you leave this building and go right until you come to the second intersection, there is a place of good repute on that corner."
The two men rose, and Ashitaka bowed, thanked him, and left. He went down the stairs to the lobby and exited the building. Taking the man's suggestion, he found the inn he had spoken of. Regrettably, however, the price for a room was a bit more than Ashitaka had expected, and when the innkeeper would not haggle down, Ashitaka promptly left. He decided to go back the way he had come, to the inn that he had been told of by the grocer. He found it with ease, and was delighted to find that this one's prices were considerably lower. He made the necessary arrangements for himself and for Yakul and was shown his room.
The room was bare, but only slightly dirty. There was a cot, a nightstand with a drawer, basin, and mirror, and a stool. There was only one window, and this was dirty and dusty.
Then Ashitaka was alone. He set down his pack, took out his paper and pen, and began:
Eboshi-sama,
I have found the Kanosen headquarters and have spoken with the man named Kurayami Juu. He seems an interesting man. I have yet to meet his colleagues.
His proposition is this: if we consent, he and his colleagues will be sending back with me several workers of some skill in iron forging. They will assist us in any way they can toward rebuilding Tatara Ba, and in the meantime they will collect a certain amount of the iron produced and use it as profit, forged by their own hands into the shape of desire. This they will sell in the city at their profit.
Once Tatara Ba is sufficiently rebuilt and reestablished, their workers will leave, leaving behind the knowledge of how to forge the iron in their fashion. We will continue to allot them their percentage of the iron, forged by ourselves, and then he says that when it is sold in the city, we will receive a part of that profit.
It seems to me very extensively thought out, and will require a lot of trust from either end. I have yet to determine whether Kurayami-san is trustworthy, but I will keep you informed.
Dutifully yours,
Ashitaka
Ashitaka put down the quill and folded the letter. He sealed it with the wax and seal Eboshi Gozen had given him and set it back down. He stared at it for a moment, thinking about all that had ensued that day. *I wonder what Eboshi-sama's reaction will be.*
He then stood and brought the letter to the post to be sent. Afterwards, he bought dinner from the inn and sat around for a while, listening and thinking.
Shortly, a woman came up to him. "Anybody sitting here?" she asked.
He looked up at her. "No, go ahead."
She did very deliberately. He noticed that her dress was cut very low, and her eyes were heavily colored. She fixed him with a sultry gaze and asked, "May I offer you my services?"
"You work here?"
"Yes, sir."
"No, I would not, thank you." He rose and fastened his mask, heading for the door. Out of the corner of his eye, however, he saw the young woman screw her face into a pout, grumpily put her chin in her hand, and sigh.
Ashitaka made his way to the stable to check on Yakul. He found his red elk in one of the last stalls on the right. "Hi there, Yakul. Does it suit you all right?"
His friend nuzzled him in the chest in reply, and Ashitaka smiled. "Well, that's a relief."
"You sure have a way with that animal."
Ashitaka turned around to meet a pair of friendly grey eyes. "Hi, I'm Tazumo, the stablemaster." The man was much older than Ashitaka, with an almost totally bald head, wrinkled tan skin, and grey stubble growing from his chin. He smiled, stretching out his wrinkles, which seemed to creak in protest of overuse.
"My name is Ashitaka." Ashitaka took the man's proffered hand and shook it. "This is Yakul."
"Ah, I wanted to meet the man who owned this fine beast. Why, the minute he got in here, he pranced right into that stall as if he owned it!"
Ashitaka laughed. "That's Yakul, all right. I'm glad to know he'll be getting along fine. I had just come down here to visit."
The man raised up both hands. "I'm not asking questions... well, except for this one, if you don't mind."
Ashitaka looked curious. "Go on."
"Where did you find him? I know you don't see red elks every day; even out there in the forest they're pretty rare. I was just wondering how you found him and managed to tame him so well."
Ashitaka smiled. "Yakul and I go way back. I wasn't even living near here when we first met, so the name of the place would mean nothing to you."
Tazumo nodded. "Ah. I see."
A voice drifted out from the other end of the stable. "Hey, Tazumo! A word, if you please!"
Tazumo said to Ashitaka, "Guess I'd better be getting back. See you."
Ashitaka merely raised a hand in farewell.
Later that evening, when Ashitaka was in his room, readying himself for bed, a thought came to him. *I wonder if San's been able to warn the boars about the intruders. I hope the newcomers haven't tried anything else to gain entry to the forest.* For he understood full well what could happen if it turned out that the tree spirits were still too vulnerable to attack to keep them out. He could only hope that the intruders didn't know that.
Suddenly, he noticed movement in one of the corners near the window. A wisp of yellow light danced madly on the floor. The window itself was also speckled yellow. Ashitaka went to the window and wiped an area clean.
On the street, many men were running back and forth, shouting words Ashitaka could not hear. One man pointed to the far end of the street, where the yellow light was coming from. Ashitaka could see a wagon, stranded on a curb in an enormous pothole, all ablaze with flippantly flashing fire.
Ashitaka was down on the streets in a minute. He spotted a line of men coming from around a corner carrying buckets filled with water. He sped to the place from which they'd come and found a well in the middle of the square, from which was being drawn water. He quickly joined the line of men and women who were waiting to get buckets. This was going to be a long night.
Ashitaka lost count of the times he ran back and forth, carrying water to and an empty bucket from the blazing wagon. He could feel the heat from it each time he got close, when he threw his bucketful onto the smoking wood, which then began to hiss and let off steam. When the fire was tamed enough so that belongings could be grabbed off from some places, Ashitaka joined the crew of men. As far as he could see, all was blackened and indistinguishable. But wait!--there was something. Something covered in a melting metal. Ashitaka took up a pair of soaked wooden tongs and drew the thing out. As he was placing it on the ground, someone from the curb cried out, and the next thing Ashitaka knew, this someone was running towards him, arms outstretched, fingers craving whatever the thing was. Ashitaka stood and held out his hand in warning. "Don't come near! It's very hot."
The girl didn't seem to have heard him, so he caught her by the stomach before she could get past him. "You shouldn't touch it now," he said calmly.
She continued to struggle against his arm. "No! I have to! That's my father's!"
"I can't let you burn yourself!"
"But you don't understand! It's special! It won't burn me!"
"The metal was melting off of it. It hasn't cooled down yet! You have to wait for a little while."
"No! I won't!" With that, she broke out of his reach and rushed toward it, sinking down on her knees in front of it. It was boxlike in shape, and seemed to have some kind of hingeing top, which she reached to open.
Ashitaka was too late. She lifted the lid, but she did not squeal with pain. Her hand did not seem to be burned. With wide eyes, Ashitaka watched her lift something out of the box--something yellow, round, and glowing. It looked to be made of glass, with a yellow, liquid-like substance floating around in it and causing the glow. She cradled it to her chest and rose. She turned to face Ashitaka and began to walk past him. "Told you so," she murmured smugly in his ear as she passed him.
Ashitaka continued on the next morning, and the next, and the next. He arrived in the outskirts of Urusuke on the morning of the fourth day. The city was quietly sleeping under its blanket of dew as Ashitaka gazed at it from his vantage point on the foothills above. He had only left the forest behind the day before, and already he missed its comforting presence. The city of Urusuke was bordered by a wide plains area, patched by fields of rice, barley, and wheat.
He descended the last slope to the edge of the largest city he had ever laid eyes on. On the outskirts were a few sleepy-looking grocery shops. Ashitaka drank in the sights and smells, and then suddenly he heard a male voice off to his left. A man was just emerging from a back door in his small shop, and he had been speaking over his shoulder to someone in the room behind him. The man came out into the general area of his shop and flipped an 'open' sign over the front of it. He spotted Ashitaka, and his friendly eyes lit up. "Hello, there. May I interest you in some freshly-picked oranges? Shipped in daily all the way from Shikoku!"
Ashitaka turned toward him and said, "Actually, I was wondering if you could give me directions. I'm looking for the headquarters of the Kanosen group of entrepreneurs."
The man nodded slowly. "Oh, you travel in big circles, do you? Well, I can tell you, you've got some walking to do. It's further into the city that way--" he waved his hand in the direction Ashitaka had been going. "You go that way until you get to the third large intersection. There should be an inn on your right. Take a left, then take the very next left, and then a right. You'll come to a dead end, but on the right should be a doorway. This doorway will take you to the street on the other side of the dead end, it's exact reverse. Once you come out of the opposite dead end, directly to your right will be the Kanosen building."
Ashitaka said, "Thank you very much," and bought two oranges from the man. Then he went off in the way he had been instructed.
When Ashitaka found the correct building without too much trouble--just a lot of interruptions from the traffic and the crowds--he left Yakul by the side of the building in the alley he had just come out of and immediately walked up to the door. The door was made of glass, so Ashitaka could see inside. The building was not very crowded; the only people he could see were occupying various labeled desks that were situated around the foyer. He entered the building and looked around briefly. He then spotted a desk labeled "General Information," and he walked over. Seated at it was a bright-looking young woman wearing a pink business suit and a matching headband. He said, "Excuse me, could you please direct me to the office of Kurayami Juu?"
She looked up at him and said, "Kurayami-san is with the other group members in a very important national meeting now. It is only scheduled to last another hour, so perhaps you should wait until he and the others are finished."
"May I ask what room number?"
"Room 384 on the third floor. Up those stairs." She pointed to an outcropping in the wall, underneath which Ashitaka spotted the bottom of a flight of stairs.
"Thank you very much." Just like that, Ashitaka headed up the stairs. He floundered around for a moment while he tried to determine where the room actually was, and when he finally found it, he also found that there were four men standing outside of its double doors. When he approached, one of them came up to meet him and stood directly in Ashitaka's path, right in the center of the hallway.
"I'm sorry, sir, but this area is restricted. The Kanosen group are in a very important meeting, and no one can be allowed in."
Ashitaka stopped and looked at the man. "You say that this area is restricted? What about that part right there?" He indicated a spot on the floor right next to the wall on his right.
The man looked confused, and he asked, "What about it, sir?"
"I'd like to sit there and wait. Is that allowed?"
"Uh, I suppose so. You understand we'll have to check you out first, of course."
"Of course."
Ashitaka allowed the men to sift through his clothes and belongings, and when they only found food, clothes, and his bedroll, which they were very thorough in turning inside out and feeling, he was allowed to sit down.
It was a very long hour, but when the doors opened and people began filing out, Ashitaka immediately stood and watched. There were several men and a few women, all bearing nametags that told who they were, where they were from, and what group they belonged to. Using these, Ashitaka picked out the man named Kurayami Juu, and quickly moved to intercept him.
The man stopped and looked him up and down. "May I help you?"
Ashitaka stepped forward. "Kurayami-san, my name is Ashitaka. I have come as an emissary from the village of Tatara Ba, as your letter requested."
Kurayami's face did not change. "We thought that perhaps Eboshi Gozen would come to us."
"She is very busy. The winter season is coming, and there are some buildings that must be rebuilt before then."
Kurayami nodded. "Of course. Will you accompany me to my office?"
Ashitaka gave a small bow. "Lead the way."
Kurayami's office was on the second floor. It was a very spacious, very comfortable dual office. One room had a tidy desk in it with a chair that rolled on wheels, and the other room had several large armchairs and a coffee table in the middle. Lining the walls of the second room were bookshelves with a few thick volumes and several varied collectors' items. Kurayami beckoned Ashitaka into this second room.
"Please, sit down." Kurayami graciously closed the door behind them. Ashitaka took him up on his offer, and Kurayami took the other chair. "Now, about why you are here. I hope it wasn't inconvenient for you."
"If it had been inconvenient I wouldn't have come."
"Of course." The man opened a small case on the coffee table. "Cigar?"
"No, thank you."
"Ah, it's just as well. I never smoke them, but I keep them around anyway." Here he paused, and the two eyed each other, each trying to discern what the other was thinking. "To get right to the point, Ashitaka, I asked you to come here because I wanted you to feel that you had gotten the most information possible. I also wanted you to see how we run things here, and if it interests the people of Tatara Ba. We've had our eye on your little town for quite some time, and even with the recent tragedy, the Rage of the Giant, we can tell that you will continue to prosper as you have in the past. Asano-sama saw the same thing we do, but we see it through different eyes.
"We have come to the conclusion that Tatara Ba cannot prosper as it should without outside help. That is usually the way of things. We have a proposition--we will send extra men to help rebuild and man the ironworks, along with funding to pay for their housing and food, and you, in return, will allot us a portion of the iron as profit. We will sell our portion here in the city and abroad as well. Our portion of the iron will be forged by our own men, who will also teach your people how to make it into the appropriate pieces. Once your town is sufficiently rebuilt, we will withdraw our men, and you will continue to forge our portion of the iron. At that point, we will then sanction off forty percent of the profit we make here in the city--which is regularly twice as high as your merchants would ever get, because of our reputation, you see--and give that to you."
For a moment, Ashitaka said nothing, but his eyes dropped to the floor as he pondered this. "You have thought about this much. I trust you will give me the opportunity to do the same."
"Of course."
"I would also like to write to Eboshi-sama once I can find accomodations."
"Well, if I may be so bold as to suggest a good place to stay, if you leave this building and go right until you come to the second intersection, there is a place of good repute on that corner."
The two men rose, and Ashitaka bowed, thanked him, and left. He went down the stairs to the lobby and exited the building. Taking the man's suggestion, he found the inn he had spoken of. Regrettably, however, the price for a room was a bit more than Ashitaka had expected, and when the innkeeper would not haggle down, Ashitaka promptly left. He decided to go back the way he had come, to the inn that he had been told of by the grocer. He found it with ease, and was delighted to find that this one's prices were considerably lower. He made the necessary arrangements for himself and for Yakul and was shown his room.
The room was bare, but only slightly dirty. There was a cot, a nightstand with a drawer, basin, and mirror, and a stool. There was only one window, and this was dirty and dusty.
Then Ashitaka was alone. He set down his pack, took out his paper and pen, and began:
Eboshi-sama,
I have found the Kanosen headquarters and have spoken with the man named Kurayami Juu. He seems an interesting man. I have yet to meet his colleagues.
His proposition is this: if we consent, he and his colleagues will be sending back with me several workers of some skill in iron forging. They will assist us in any way they can toward rebuilding Tatara Ba, and in the meantime they will collect a certain amount of the iron produced and use it as profit, forged by their own hands into the shape of desire. This they will sell in the city at their profit.
Once Tatara Ba is sufficiently rebuilt and reestablished, their workers will leave, leaving behind the knowledge of how to forge the iron in their fashion. We will continue to allot them their percentage of the iron, forged by ourselves, and then he says that when it is sold in the city, we will receive a part of that profit.
It seems to me very extensively thought out, and will require a lot of trust from either end. I have yet to determine whether Kurayami-san is trustworthy, but I will keep you informed.
Dutifully yours,
Ashitaka
Ashitaka put down the quill and folded the letter. He sealed it with the wax and seal Eboshi Gozen had given him and set it back down. He stared at it for a moment, thinking about all that had ensued that day. *I wonder what Eboshi-sama's reaction will be.*
He then stood and brought the letter to the post to be sent. Afterwards, he bought dinner from the inn and sat around for a while, listening and thinking.
Shortly, a woman came up to him. "Anybody sitting here?" she asked.
He looked up at her. "No, go ahead."
She did very deliberately. He noticed that her dress was cut very low, and her eyes were heavily colored. She fixed him with a sultry gaze and asked, "May I offer you my services?"
"You work here?"
"Yes, sir."
"No, I would not, thank you." He rose and fastened his mask, heading for the door. Out of the corner of his eye, however, he saw the young woman screw her face into a pout, grumpily put her chin in her hand, and sigh.
Ashitaka made his way to the stable to check on Yakul. He found his red elk in one of the last stalls on the right. "Hi there, Yakul. Does it suit you all right?"
His friend nuzzled him in the chest in reply, and Ashitaka smiled. "Well, that's a relief."
"You sure have a way with that animal."
Ashitaka turned around to meet a pair of friendly grey eyes. "Hi, I'm Tazumo, the stablemaster." The man was much older than Ashitaka, with an almost totally bald head, wrinkled tan skin, and grey stubble growing from his chin. He smiled, stretching out his wrinkles, which seemed to creak in protest of overuse.
"My name is Ashitaka." Ashitaka took the man's proffered hand and shook it. "This is Yakul."
"Ah, I wanted to meet the man who owned this fine beast. Why, the minute he got in here, he pranced right into that stall as if he owned it!"
Ashitaka laughed. "That's Yakul, all right. I'm glad to know he'll be getting along fine. I had just come down here to visit."
The man raised up both hands. "I'm not asking questions... well, except for this one, if you don't mind."
Ashitaka looked curious. "Go on."
"Where did you find him? I know you don't see red elks every day; even out there in the forest they're pretty rare. I was just wondering how you found him and managed to tame him so well."
Ashitaka smiled. "Yakul and I go way back. I wasn't even living near here when we first met, so the name of the place would mean nothing to you."
Tazumo nodded. "Ah. I see."
A voice drifted out from the other end of the stable. "Hey, Tazumo! A word, if you please!"
Tazumo said to Ashitaka, "Guess I'd better be getting back. See you."
Ashitaka merely raised a hand in farewell.
Later that evening, when Ashitaka was in his room, readying himself for bed, a thought came to him. *I wonder if San's been able to warn the boars about the intruders. I hope the newcomers haven't tried anything else to gain entry to the forest.* For he understood full well what could happen if it turned out that the tree spirits were still too vulnerable to attack to keep them out. He could only hope that the intruders didn't know that.
Suddenly, he noticed movement in one of the corners near the window. A wisp of yellow light danced madly on the floor. The window itself was also speckled yellow. Ashitaka went to the window and wiped an area clean.
On the street, many men were running back and forth, shouting words Ashitaka could not hear. One man pointed to the far end of the street, where the yellow light was coming from. Ashitaka could see a wagon, stranded on a curb in an enormous pothole, all ablaze with flippantly flashing fire.
Ashitaka was down on the streets in a minute. He spotted a line of men coming from around a corner carrying buckets filled with water. He sped to the place from which they'd come and found a well in the middle of the square, from which was being drawn water. He quickly joined the line of men and women who were waiting to get buckets. This was going to be a long night.
Ashitaka lost count of the times he ran back and forth, carrying water to and an empty bucket from the blazing wagon. He could feel the heat from it each time he got close, when he threw his bucketful onto the smoking wood, which then began to hiss and let off steam. When the fire was tamed enough so that belongings could be grabbed off from some places, Ashitaka joined the crew of men. As far as he could see, all was blackened and indistinguishable. But wait!--there was something. Something covered in a melting metal. Ashitaka took up a pair of soaked wooden tongs and drew the thing out. As he was placing it on the ground, someone from the curb cried out, and the next thing Ashitaka knew, this someone was running towards him, arms outstretched, fingers craving whatever the thing was. Ashitaka stood and held out his hand in warning. "Don't come near! It's very hot."
The girl didn't seem to have heard him, so he caught her by the stomach before she could get past him. "You shouldn't touch it now," he said calmly.
She continued to struggle against his arm. "No! I have to! That's my father's!"
"I can't let you burn yourself!"
"But you don't understand! It's special! It won't burn me!"
"The metal was melting off of it. It hasn't cooled down yet! You have to wait for a little while."
"No! I won't!" With that, she broke out of his reach and rushed toward it, sinking down on her knees in front of it. It was boxlike in shape, and seemed to have some kind of hingeing top, which she reached to open.
Ashitaka was too late. She lifted the lid, but she did not squeal with pain. Her hand did not seem to be burned. With wide eyes, Ashitaka watched her lift something out of the box--something yellow, round, and glowing. It looked to be made of glass, with a yellow, liquid-like substance floating around in it and causing the glow. She cradled it to her chest and rose. She turned to face Ashitaka and began to walk past him. "Told you so," she murmured smugly in his ear as she passed him.
