Questions and Answers

"Another protest towards the Marutomo Company is being held at the base of Mt. Hakone today." an NHK newswoman by the name of Yuri Tachibana reported with legions of picket-fence wielding protesters behind her, "The Marutomo Company has been the subject of controversy since its announcement of an excavation plan at the base of the mountain. However, some have said these protests extend beyond ecological reasons as some claim to believe a slumbering creature dwells beneath the mountain and, should it be awakened, will bring pestilence and death to all who get in its path. Whatever the case, the protests are scheduled to last until late tonight. This is Yuri Tachibana, signing off."

"Yo, Ashi," Kaya told Ashitaka as he turned the dorm's TV off, "last class of the semester, let's make it count." She was already garbed in her uniform, waiting for him at the door. Ashi was somewhat hesitant about heading to class today, especially considering he now knew San and her brothers'... little secret. But, he had a school year to finish, might as well get it over with. After a quick shower and a change into his uniform, Ashitaka followed Kaya out of their dormitory and headed straight for class. Upon arriving at the class room, Ashi noticed Ichii, Nii, and San's seats were empty. Maybe he didn't have to see them at all today. However, just as soon as he sat down, San and her brothers arrived and took their seats.

"I hope you studied for this class's finals," their sensei told them as he passed out their tests, "because these are necessary for your passing. You may begin at your own time. Once you're finished, just place them on the tray on my desk and you are dismissed."

Ashi looked over his test and noticed it was a final on Kaijuology. True enough, he did study with Kaya days before the test so this was at least going to be an easy score for him. However, just before he could start, he felt a tap on his right shoulder. He turned to see San looking at him.

"Hey," she whispered, "do you have a spare pencil I can borrow? I left mine at home."

"Um, sure," Ashi stammered, a bit caught off guard, "just one second." He began to rummage through his bag before he pulled up a pencil, "here you-" He couldn't finish as she snatched it out of his hand and started on her test. "Go."

You're welcome. Ashi thought as he started on his test, the first question being a multi-choice answer about the first human-Kaiju encounter which he circled "B" with the guess reading November 3rd, 1954. After a while, San and her brothers seemed to zoom past their tests. Finally, after a few minutes, San got out of her seat, walked over to the tray and placed her finished test in rather nonchalantly before walking out the door. Ashi soon followed, confident he had answered his questions correctly and placed the paper into the tray. He then bowed to the teacher.

"Gomen for the school year, Tsubaraya-sensei." he thanked his teacher.

"Have a safe Summer break, Ashitaka." his teacher replied. With that, Ashi walked out the door and into the hallway. He looked around to see San was nowhere in sight. He then shrugged and went back to the dorm room. After all, he had a lot of clearing out until next year. However, he was unaware he was being watched. San had poked her head out from a corner which she was hiding behind. She watched as Ashitaka walked down the hall until he disappeared from sight.

"So," Nii asked, startling her, "when're ya gonna take care of him?"

San groaned and rolled her eyes, "Is this all you're gonna ask me?"

"Well, he kind of has a good reason, San." Ichii told her.

San sighed and thought for a second before finally making her decision. "I'll do it tonight before the university closes for the Summer. Just head home. I'll catch up."

Nii and Ichii shrugged and headed out. "Have fun with your boyfriend, San~!" Nii taunted.

"He's not my boyfriend." San muttered as her brothers disappeared from earshot.

Ashi sighed as he did the final clearing out on his side of the dormitory. The last thing he had to pack was his folding bow and arrow set he used for archery class. He already began to wonder how he was going to spend Summer vacation. His mother was currently schooling in America and it had been a long time since his father had died in battle. He then noticed Kaya, her suitcase in hand just about to leave. "So," she said, "guess I'll see you next year."

"Yeah, I guess so." Ashi replied.

With that, Kaya exited the room, leaving Ashi alone... or so he thought. Just then, he heard a knock on the door. I guess Kaya must have forgotten something. he thought. However, upon opening the door, he was shocked to see San standing in front of the doorway, her arms crossed. "Mind if we talk for a bit?" she asked.

Ashi sighed, "Look, I get it. First rule about Werewolf Fight Club: Don't talk about Werewolf Fight Club."

San rolled her eyes and entered the room, closing the door behind her. "Okay, first of all; we weren't fighting, we were hunting. Second of all, I just wanted to tell you, if you have questions about my life, now is the time to ask them, just as long as you don't turn it into a game of Twenty Questions because you and I have somewhere to go and I want to make this quick."

Ashi shrugged, "Sounds fair. I've only got four anyway." He then took a seat on his bed while San took a seat on Kaya's.

"Alright, first question." San told him.

"Have you ever killed a human?"

San gave Ashi a deadpan glance, "If I ever killed a human, chances are I would kinda bring suspicion about the identities of myself, my family, and my tribe and start a massive panic. So, no. I haven't killed a human being. Next question."

"Is it true that you can turn other people into werewolves by biting them?"

"Yes, but I've never tried that nor do I want to try it. Third question."

"Do you transform in the light of a full moon?"

"No, we can transform any time we want. It's just that we're more powerful during a full moon. Last question, because I wanna wrap this up."

"Okay," Ashi sighed, "were you born a werewolf?"

San seemed to hesitate at answering this question and bit her lip as if she was wondering how to answer it. "O-Of course I was born a werewolf. Why wouldn't I be?"

Why did she seem so reluctant to answer at first? Ashi thought.

"Now, come on, let's go." San told him rather sharply as she got out of Kaya's bed and opened the door, gesturing him to follow her. Ashi sighed and walked out, his bag slung over his back. Upon exiting the university, San led him to the mouth of the forest where he saw her and her brothers kill the deer. "So, this is where you live?" Ashi asked as they finally came upon the creek, noticing the carcass of the deer, now stripped of its meat and left as a bloodstained carcass.

"No, not really." San replied as she removed her shoes and socks and placed them into her own pack. Ashi rose his eyebrow as to why San had done that to which San gave him a deadpan glance. "What? You take off your shoes when you enter your home, so do I."

She then walked over to the creek and rubbed what appeared to be the night sky in ointment form on her finger tips. She knelt down and pinched the water. Surprisingly, the water took on a rather gel-like appearance. San then lifted up the water like the trunk of a car and a sheet of glowing liquid rose up. She then stepped aside as if she was waiting for him to do something only to be disappointed and confused to notice Ashi just standing there. "Well, come on. What are you waiting for, an invitation?"

"What was that stuff?" Ashi asked.

"Long story short, this is the door," San replied, pointing at the sheet of glowing water, "and this is the door key." She waved a jar full of the stuff. Ashi was still somewhat pensive before he sighed and walked up to the watery doorway, only to stop mid-step. San groaned at his hesitation, "Look, it's perfectly safe." She stuck her arm into the water which disappeared for a moment only for her to pull it out, surprisingly bone-dry. "See?" Ashi sighed as he took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and stepped into the water. When he opened his eyes, he noticed he was standing in a heavily forested area with small islands floating among a massive pool of water while colossal, thick-trunked trees covered in moss nearly touched the skies. Just then, he heard San emerge from the portal as well. "Here we are," she declared, "Seiji-No-Mori; Forest of Spirits and Home Sweet Home."

"You live here?" Ashi asked, awestruck. San shrugged, "Yeah. Pretty much." She then went ahead of him, jumping gracefully from one island to the next, leaving bare footprints in the moss.

"This place is beautiful!" Ashi exclaimed, trying to keep up with the she-werewolf. San just shrugged, "Eh, it's okay, I guess. Kinda loses its charm once you grow up in it though. Then you just get used to it." Suddenly, San stopped as she seemed to hear something as a rank smell hit her nostrils. She knelt down and felt the ground with her fingers. She then seemed to groan. "Hey, Ashitaka?"

"Yeah?" he asked.

"How long can you hold your breath underwater?"

"Um, pretty long actu-"

"Good," San spoke quickly, "hide."

"Um, wh-"

"Just. Hide."

"Hide where exactly?"

"You see the water in front of you?"

"Yes?"

"Hide in there."

"You're really not giving me a good reason why."

San groaned and ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. "Because, there are some denizens of this place who kinda don't take kindly to humans and if they spot you... well..." She emphasized her point with a slitting throat gesture. "Get the idea?"

Ashi sighed, took off his shoes and socks and dove into the surprisingly lukewarm water, making sure to swim behind a rotting old log floating in a rather pathetic state. "Stay. There." San hissed as the sound of giant footsteps began to make the water vibrate. Peeking out from behind the log, Ashi's eyes widened at the sight before him: Boars. Giant boars bigger than any he had ever seen in his life. Even the smallest of them was practically the size of a rhinoceros while the largest were big enough to be considered Kaiju in and of themselves. They were squealing and oinking as they walked along. San noticed him from the corner of her eye. "Keep. Your. Head. Down." she hissed.

"Who are you talking to?" one of the larger boars asked, its masculine voice echoing like thunder. The boar was gigantic, covered in bristly, brown fur, and was easily the size of a small Kaiju like Baragon. San just placed her hand on her hip in a very sassy manner and rose her eyebrow, "You, I believe, Nago," she replied, "I don't see anyone else around here." The boar (Nago as he was called) snorted in frustration, "Don't play dumb with me, wolf-brat," he growled, "you were speaking to someone and I want to know who." Just then, the boar sniffed the girl in front of him and let out the porcine equivalent of a grimace. "You reek of humans."

San sighed and rolled her eyes, "Of course I smell like humans, Nago. I've been spending time with them for the last few days. Look if it'll make you feel better, I'll take a quick soak in the water and the human smell will wash right off."

Nago's eyes narrowed in suspicion as a growl emanated from his throat. "You'd best not be lying to me, wolf-brat. If you are, I will-"

"You will do nothing."

From his hiding place, Ashi's eyes widened as a much larger boar, twice the size of Nago, entered the fray. This boar towered above the trees and was covered in silver fur. He was also much older judging from his sonorous voice, the chipped tusks, the mane of gray fur on his back, the fur missing from the end of his snout, and the sound of his bones popping each time he moved, clearly indicating he was way past his prime.

"Nago," the new boar scolded the younger, "the last thing we want is a war with the Mononoke Clan and the Okami tribe in general. Such accusations are not simply casual by nature."

"B-but, Lord Okkoto-" Nago attempted to explain.

"Enough!" Okkoto decreed, silencing the younger boar, "We shall discuss this later. Am. I. Understood?"

Nago let out the pig equivalent of a sigh but lowered his head in compliance. "Yes, my lord." He then walked away, the ground thundering beneath his steps. Okkoto turned his eyes, clouded by his age, toward San and gave her a respectful bow. "My apologies, Daughter of Moro," the boar told her, "on behalf of myself and my tribe."

San returned the bow, "Much obliged, oh Mighty Lord Okkoto."

With that, Okkoto lumbered back into the forests, disappearing into the night. Once the boars were gone, San sighed in relief and turned to Ashitaka's hiding place. "Okay, you can come out now!"

Ashi swam over to the clearing, his body soaking wet. "Were those-?"

"Yes," San interrupted, "they were boars. To be more specific, those were boar gods. Why do you think this place is called 'Seiji-No-Mori'?"

"Should I be worried about them?"

San shrugged, "Eh, just the ones who tend to distrust humans... which is actually the majority of them. The one to really look out for would have to be Nago. Out of all the boars of the Nushi clan, the only one willing to listen to any reason whatsoever is Okkoto. Anyway, my home's just up ahead." Ashi made sure to put his shoes back on, but left his socks off as he followed the werewolf girl. After what seemed like an hour trekking through the forest, the two finally came across a tall cliff overlooking most of the forest before them with a stony cropping at the top. The two began to trek their way up it to which they discovered nobody was inside of the den.

"Mom! Ichii! Nii!" San called out. Ashi noticed it was empty save for a sheet of wolf fur on the ground spread out like a crude, flat mattress. San sighed, "Well, looks like they're probably out on patrol."

"They do that normally?" Ashi asked.

"Twice every week. Though it tends to be different days." San replied before letting out a yawn, "Ah well, we can just sleep here until they get back."

"Is that why you brought me here?"

"To introduce you to my clan? Pretty much." San replied. She then frowned noticing Ashi just standing where he was. "Well, aren't you going to sleep?"

"You mean next to you?"

San gave him a deadpan stare, "No, next to the big pile of rocks to your left. What do you think?"

Ashi sighed and took his place beside the girl. "Hey, San?"

"Yeah?"

"You're gonna vouch for me, right?" he asked.

"Don't worry, Ashitaka, I'll vouch for you." San murmured.

"You're sure you'll do that?"

"Hey, Ashitaka?" San asked.

"Yeah?"

"...Good night."

Before he could say anything, San had already fallen asleep. With a sigh, Ashi closed his eyes and let sleep envelop him in its warm embrace.