Genre: Drama/Fantasy
Warnings: R for violence and gore, mild obscenities, and strange behavior. There also might be some humor, however, it probably will not be humorous to you.
Note: I do not own the rights to Princess Mononoke in any way. All credits for the characters go to its respectful creators.
Author's Note: This story takes place after the original movie. It contains an original story, some original characters, and some plot alterations from the film.
Prologue
The early morning sunlight stretched its wide beam across the valley. The lush and ancient forests still existed to an extent in the north. The air was cool and fresh, the perfect day to be outside and enjoy life. The forests were a place of beauty for many people, and also a place of taboo. Some people were terrified to even step a foot under the forest canopy.
On particular young man felt especially good this morning as he walked outside and squinted against the brightness. He felt that he had finally found a place to settle. His previous life had consisted of the road, among other things. He wore shoddy clothes, a robe with sheep's wool pants and a small cloak. He had no money. He had no parents or family. However, he still felt good.
He had chores to attend to this morning. The rice fields, as usual, needed picking. The weather was graciously warm, allowing for a good crop. He was fine with doing chores, as long as he had a place to live. There had been an old and cranky man who had reluctantly taken him in.
Despite all this, he knew there was something missing...
"Akira!" A gruff voice shouted from behind him. "Stop daydreaming and get to work!" Akira was snapped out of his daze as he turned around to look at a plump, balding man with an angry face.
"I am sorry, sir..."
"Save your apologizes, boy. You are lucky I gave you a job after hearing of your reputation."
"My reputation?"
"Nobody wants to hire an ex-mercenary. You will probably end up cutting my throat while I sleep, then steal my horses!" The man's face was flushed. He seemed to be genuinely angry. Akira was used to this behavior from him though.
"Why can't you try to be cheerful once and a while? I try my best." Akira replied. His voice was calm and articulate. They old man could never understand how this beast of a man could talk so well. The old man smiled a little.
"When you get to be my age, you'll have your chance to be cranky. Now get to work." The man then walked by into his hut. Akira turned back to the field, ready to start his work.
"When you get to my age, you'll..." Akria mocked the old man's voice. That man was unpleasantly grumpy, and his hut had a funny odor. Akria frowned. Something came back into his head: a childhood long forgotten, and his epiphany in his early teens. The young man did not want to focus his mind on these things. They were just old memories, he could easily push them aside. He wanted nothing to ruin his day.
At least an hour and a half later, he had two baskets full of rice. He thought that would be enough for now. He wiped the sweat off his brow; the day had become quite hot. He brushed a hand through his long, dark brown shoulder length hair. It was sweaty as well. His clothes smelled like sweat. Akira started to feel a little unhappy. He could not seem to rid his mind of a thought he was holding. This thought was desperate. It wanted to remind him of the past, of a duty he still held. He knew he remembered, but he could do nothing about it. He started back toward the house.
"Did you get the rice?" The man's gruff voice said.
"Yes, two baskets." The man snorted, and got up off a chair made of reeds. He went outside and Akira followed him. He looked at the rice on the ground, and snorted again.
"Looks good enough. I need you to cut some trees down for me." The man pointed to some young trees on the edge of his rice field. "I am going to expand my field."
"I cannot cut down trees." Akira bluntly said. The man looked him straight in the face with a large frown.
"What did you say?" The man was irritated.
"I said I cannot cut down trees, it makes the Gods angry." Akira explained in his low, calm voice. At first the old man looked puzzled, then he let out a raspy laugh.
"You actually believe that?"
"Yes, I have lived in the forest, I have seen the Gods." The man's expression changed quickly. Akira's did not. He still held the same, serious look on his face.
"No human has ever seen them and lived to tell about it."
"They must have liked me." This made the old man very puzzled. He definitely thought he should not have hired this young man. He was beginning to think he was insane.
"Most of the Gods still hate humans." The old man explained to Akira. "However, a little while ago a young man settled many problems with the Gods."
"Oh?" Akira replied. He was relatively uninterested.
"This man already had a legend about him, although its only been months. It's called the 'Legend of Ashitaka'." At the mention of that name, Akira's head bolted to face the man's. Akira's eyes were full of surprise.
"What was that name you spoke?"
"Ashitaka." The old man said again. Ashitaka. Akira thought about it more now. Memories flooded back into his mind, most of them painful. However, when he thought of this name, many pleasant memories came to him as well. This was the name he had not wanted to hear, that his mind wanted to shut out. He was glad he had heard it now, although he was experiencing waves of emotion. Akira was silent for a long while. The old man continued to look at him.
"Snap out of it, boy." Akira focused his attention on the old man again.
"Tell me more about this Ashitaka." The old man sighed.
"Well, he was a man who saved the village of Iron Town to the south of here. It is run by the Tantara Clan. Word has it that he is the lord of the town now, after the death of Lady Eboshi, its former proprietor." Akira thought about this carefully. Wow, Ashitaka was a legend, he thought. Akira always had thought that Ashitaka was dead. Akira knew what he had to do if he wanted to find ultimate happiness in his life. He knew what was ahead of him.
"I have to leave." Akira said to the old man.
"What?" He replied, surprised.
"Please, I have to go, it means a lot to my life. It is something I must to for myself, and some others." The man sighed again. He knew this would happen. Once a drifter, always a drifter.
"If you leave, you can never get a job here again." The old man said in a threatening voice.
"I understand." Akira instantly turned and ran to the main village to see Gen, the weapon smith. Gen had a kind heart, and was sympathetic to people like Akira. He was always prone to give Akira things, even if he would never see them again.
Akira rushed up to Gen's hut. He was starting to pant from all the running. He hoped he was making the right decision. He saw Gen inside the small open room beside his hut that served as his weapon shop. Inside was a stoked fire, and an anvil. Gen was sitting pounding on a piece of metal with a large hammer. Gen was known in the village for making excellent swords and bows. Gen saw Akira outside the opening, breathing heavily.
"Why, hello Akira." He said cheerfully. "What has gotten you like this today?" Akira was trying to catch his breath. Although he was in good shape, sometimes his stamina was low.
"There...is...not...much...time...to...explain." He rasped out.
"Okay, slow yourself down. You've sure got yourself worked up." Gen stepped outside and handed Akira a jug that contained water. Akira took a large swig of the water, letting it slide down his chin. His breathing slowly subsided, and he felt that he could explain now.
"I need a sword, and a bow and some arrows." Akira spat out quickly. Gen just stared at him in shock
"You are kidding right?" He looked at Akira's face. "You are not kidding." Gen gave a long sigh and thought a little. "I give you a lot of things Akira. But now you want a sword, and a bow. I cannot keep doing this!"
"Please, Gen. This could finally lead to something in my life. Something that will make me happy." At this, Gen gave consideration. He knew Akira was a drifter, and a loner that spoke little about his past. He also knew the young man seemed to be unhappy, no matter what facade he put on. Akira also was not one to lie, and if he was sincere about this, it could lead him to the missing link in his life. Gen gave this some thought, and then decided to give in. He sighed once again.
"All right." Gen said, somewhat exasperated. "I will give you these things."
"I do not know how to thank you for your kindness..."
"Oh, you do not need to thank me." Gen interrupted. "I just hope you find happiness in your life." Gen stepped inside his house and brought out in one hand a katana in its sheath, and in the other hand, a bow. He handed both to Akira.
"This is one of my best swords, and one of my best bows. I want you to use these to remember me. How many arrows will you need?"
"Thirty should be fine." Akira took the sword and unsheathed it a little ways. He saw the silvery glint as the sun reflected off of it. It was a fine blade indeed. Gen returned with a quiver of arrows. After, he gave Akira a jug of water, and some rice. He also gave him a brown sack to carry these items in.
"Take this belt too." Gen handed him a piece of leather. "You can attach your sword to this and put it on your waist." Akira proceeded to attach his sword, then put the small sack on his back, along with the bow and arrows.
"Tell me, Akira." Gen started. "Will I ever see any of this again?"
"I will make you a promise." Akira said solemnly. "I will return and repay you somehow. You have my word."
"You have always kept your word before, so I trust you. Oh, you'll need these." Gen reached into his pocket and threw a tiny sac that jingled into Akira's open hand. "There are thirty copper coins there. Spend them wisely."
"Thank you for all of this, my friend." Akira said to him. Gen patted the young man on the shoulder and smiled. He admired Akira, as he reminded him somewhat of himself when he was younger.
"May I ask you what you are looking for out there beyond the mountains." Gen nodded to the direction of the horizon, which the haze of the late morning was filling. There was a pause between them, and a slight breeze caused Akira's hair to blow in his eyes. He brushed it away, and turned to Gen once again.
"I am going to find a brother." Akira said to him. His deep green eyes were looking at Gen with a passion beneath him. The weapon smith knew the young man was dead serious.
"I hope you find what you are looking for. Go now, and I will await your return. You take care of yourself too, there are many dangers. You should not have too much of a problem with that though." Akira smiled and gave a brief wave to Gen.
"Goobye. I will honor my promise." With that, Akira started on the road towards the seemingly endless horizon. Deep within his heart, he knew he would find what he was looking for. Somewhere among the lush, mystical forests and the awesome mountains he would find his new future. There, he would find his brother.