In a classic cliché that is the stuff of storybooks, Ashitaka lay surrounded by loved ones. Basically the entire village plus San. But how the entire village plus San could fit into one healing room even the wise woman couldn't figure out.

So a few of the strongmen lifted the prince outside and saddled him up to Yakul as they rode up Ashitaka's favorite hillside. There, they sat him against a tree on a throne welded together with stone. Unsurprisingly, this wasn't very comfortable, and sitting up straight in the hard seat added to the throbbing in his aching limbs and stiff joints.

But Ashitaka smiled and focused on enjoying the performances, suppressing the pain it caused him.

All afternoon he watched the children reenact his achievements - from his coronation as a child to his ending the Woman vs. Nature conflict to his revival of the Forest Spirit. The latter was a child propping up a poorly carved imitation head onto his own, but it was the thought that counted.

Smoke from the fire along with music from the flutes, strings and drums floated down the mountain and attracted all kinds of creatures. Birds and animals, woodland spirits and the like. Even though kodama mainly inhabited trees, three came up to nestle in the prince's lap and two straddled each of his feet. Thankfully, they were light as a feather.

"What are those little things?" a villager asked, curious.

"Droopy-eyed soulless children," his wife said. "Poor things. Would they like to join the play?"

Everyone laughed.

A piercing ache shot up the prince's back, and Ashitaka decided he was ready for his bed. "Thank you for this wonderful night," he said. "You've all made me very happy."

"Don't thank us just yet."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me." Hī-sama smiled at him. "Not until we do something to be worthy of it. Let us give back to the man who gave so much to us." The shaman turned her attention to the families. "Everybody, one nice thing about our prince. Go."

"Are you kidding me?" San cackled. "What a sapfest! This is so corn - " A stick to her head cut her off, and she growled in compliance.

"You're very brave, Ouji-sama," a little voice chirped from the back.

"Indeed. Very kind to the smallest among us." One of elders nodded. "I know it wasn't easy to bear the brunt of our entire village. But you did, and you forever have my respect. You're a noble leader."

"A true hero," another added.

"A good man."

"Honor incarnate!"

"Gee, I wish I could shoot a bow and arrow as good as you," a young man said wistfully.

"I want to be just like you when I grow up," a boy marveled.

"I want to be you."

"I want to be you too!"

"But you're a girl!"

"So?"

The pain seemed to melt away as Ashitaka hid a smile. His chest felt lighter than it had in weeks.

"I've always admired your fighting spirit, your fortitude. Your moral compass…"

"And that was not the first time you risked your life to save this village, either. You've done it several times in the past. And we're grateful every time."

"You're totally my hero!"

"I'm gonna miss you… "

"Everybody is going to miss you very much, Ouji-sama. The animals love you. The Forest Spirit reveres you. Kodama adore you. The children - "

"Did you just lump the children in with animals?"

"… No, I lumped them in with kodama."

"Protector of the innocent. Defender of the weak."

"Thanks for being the one human I hate the least," San admitted.

"Do we still have to have her here?" someone whispered. "She's rude and she smells."

"I can hear you."

" - as I was saying, Miss San is a lovely woman…"

"Wolf!"

"You've made us proud to be Emishi." The praises resumed. "Very, very proud."

"Very pleased."

"I love the respect you give to all forms of life."

"Even the old people."

"Hey!"

"I like the help you give to people you don't know very well. For the good of the balance, and all that."

"I liked your little bun… "

"I love how strong you are… "

Hī-sama tilted her head. "I love how moved you are."

Ashitaka had buried his face in his armrest, no longer able to stem the flow of sobs wracking his body. Yakul moved to comfort him, nuzzling the top of the prince's head. He was really getting tired of crying all the time.

However, the village didn't seem to mind. If anything, they seemed to welcome the infectious emotion and the little ones ran to him in noisy floods of tears.

"Careful, children," Hī-sama tried to warn. "Ouji-sama is in pain…"

But the children were already piling on top of the kodama that were already piled on top of the prince. The adults piled onto their kids. The elders piled onto their kids. And the gods of the forest must have been allergic to the smell of humans and the pesky emotions swirling around them, for they hung back at the edge of their home, keeping watch over all.