Disclaimer: I do not own Princess Mononoke.
More of my story. Please read and enjoy.
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Another Path
Chapter Twelve: Battle
Ashitaka had finally recovered from the fever and woke up, three days after Mitsu was caught spying at them.
However, even though Ashitaka was safe from the danger of sickness, San was still worried, about Mitsu.
She was afraid that Mitsu would strike when she was unprepared and kill Ashitaka.
She had already told the situation to Ken, Toki, Eboshi, and her younger brother, Mune, while at the same time she kept it away from Ashitaka, while not wanting him to worry.
But the secrecy was soon shattered one day.
That day as Ashitaka was resting in the hut, someone was able to break through the guard of the two dire wolves and sneak into the house.
Ashitaka would have been killed, since he was still weak from the recovery, if San did not show up at the time he did, because Mitsu able to catch Ashitaka without his weapon.
Then silence befell between them as they both sat there after they were finally to get Mitsu away when the wolves jumped through the fence and into the house.
But this broke the secrecy.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Ashitaka was little bit angry as he said those words.
"Because I don't want you to worry." San retorted back as she tried control her emotions.
"But it concerns me." Ashitaka became more angry after hearing San's reason behind it.
San was almost about to shout back, but instead of saying those words filled with anger, she cried.
Seeing this sight, Ashitaka's anger disappeared as he quickly went to the woman he loves and comforted her.
"It's okay, San." Ashitaka said to her gently as he held her in his arms, while she continued to sob.
"We will get through this together." Hearing the last part comforted her and within seconds the crying stopped.
For the next moment, they remained like that, in each other's arms. Then slowly, they adjusted their position until their gaze meet and length between them started to decrease, but then as the distance between their face shorten, someone knocked on the door.
"San, it's me Ken." Haring that it was one of their friend, they sighed in relief as they disentangled themselves from each other's limb.
Seconds later, Ashitaka and San went to the door and opened it up allowing Ken to enter.
"What happened, Ken?" San asked?
At first, Ken hesitated about delivering the message, since he knew San wanted to keep it away from Ashitaka, but he didn't know that Ashitaka had already knew about it.
Seeing his hesitation, San nodded, telling him wordlessly, that it's okay for him to say it in front of Ashitaka.
"Very well." Ken seeing that he had the approval, went on.
"The cat boy had left this to me, telling me to give to you." As he said so, he took out a piece of paper with strange characters on it and handed it to San.
"What is it?" Ashitaka asked as San received the letter into her hand.
After reading it for a few moment, she answered with a calm expression, "A letter of challenge."
"He wants you to fight him after a month." San continued as she threw it to a table nearby.
"But Ashitaka is still recovering and it will take more than a month for him to recover." Ken pointed out the fact, but was stopped before his argument could go any further.
"I will take up the challenge." Ashitaka said before either San or Ken could give in any other input.
Seeing the resolute in his eyes, Ken gave no more words, but just blessing and then left.
"You think I can win, San?" Ashitaka asked as he went back into the house.
"You can." San said after a smile appeared on her face.
Soon that night came to an end as San and Ashitaka rested peacefully.
The next month went by fast as Ashitaka recovered, while San helped him train, soon the time came.
It was a hot day as both sides, even though there were just three people, San, Ashitaka, and Mitsu, stood and waited for the time to start.
Then before they could realize it came.
"Be careful Ashitaka." San told her love as he prepared to walk into the arena, an open field.
"I will, San." Then with those words said, he walked into the field, readied to face anything.
Seeing all these made Mitsu more jealous, but he knew he had to defeat this man before him, or else nothing would come.
Then the battle begun.
Mitsu was the first one to make a move as the battle begun. He charged at Ashitaka and slashed with his small dagger.
Ashitaka, who could easily avoid these attacks, side-stepped and drew his short sword as Mitsu charged pass him.
Then Mitsu repeated the same move as he charged again at his opponent and it missed Ashitaka.
Then he prepared for a third run, and everything was the same except one thing, instead of going pass Ashitaka, he stopped and attacked him instantly.
"He's changing his tactics." Ashitaka thought as San watched from the side very nervously.
Then, something happened. After a few making a few strike at his opponent, Mitsu crouched to ground and then lung at Ashitaka, pinning him to the ground.
After pinning Ashitaka to the ground, Mitsu proceed to cut his throat but Ashitaka blocked the dagger. Then again another unexpected occurred. Mitsu lunged forward his face and before Ashitaka could move out of the way, he bit him.
Before he could bit in any deeper, Ashitaka kicked him off the ground. Luckily it was his shoulder that bitten. But seeing this made San more worried.
Then San's two brothers arrived.
"What is going on here?" Mune and Kagi asked in unison as they stopped beside San.
"They are fighting for me." San said as the clashing of the blades sounded again.
Without another the two wolves sat down, because in a case like this no one could get involved.
While at the same time both Ashitaka and Mitsu was exchanging blows.
"I must find a way to get the upper hand." Ashitaka said to himself as he tried his best to block every blow or evade them.
Then a chance came as Ashitaka and Mitsu's blade clashed, Ashitaka saw an opening in Mitsu's side and taking this opportunity, his fist punched at it and sent him into an unbalanced state.
Taking the full advantage of his unbalanced state, Ashitaka was able to knock his dagger and slashed his throat open, but he didn't, instead he stopped.
"Why didn't you kill me?" Realizing that he was still alive, Mitsu asked as his anger filled eyes glared at Ashitaka.
"I don't want to kill you." Ashitaka said simply as he withdrew his blade.
"Why though?" Mitsu asked again, but this time less anger was in his eyes.
"Because if I kill you then means more hatred and blood in this world." sAying that, he walked away and back towards his love one.
Seeing this, Mitsu knew that he had truly lost to this man and without another disturbance from him, he left.
While San ran towards Ashitaka as he called out his name joyfully.
"It's all over." Ashitaka said to himself as he and San embraced each other.
Later that night...
"Ashitaka, I am glad you won." San said as she walked down the street of Iron Town, while she dressed in a different set of clothes, a blue kimono, which she had never worn in her life before.
"So, San have you thought of what if I had lost?" Ashitaka asked with curious voice while he looked to see the face of San.
San's step then stopped right here, as a few children ran passed them.
"I don't know, for I could think of a life without you." San said sadly as tears formed at the corners pf her eyes, while inside her heart, she had finally shown someone of her emotions as a human.
Sensing the sadness in her, Ashitaka walked to her front and slowly took her into his arms. Then gently wiped away her tears and traced the red mark on her cheek.
"San, I promise I would never ever leave you again." Hearing that, San looked at him and then their gaze looked onto each other's eyes and as each seconds went by, their face became closer, until their lips met.
The kiss didn't last very long, still it marked the beginning of a relationship filled with love.
Then this couple soon disappeared down the street while the happiness lasted on, forever.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------
The last chapter. Epilogue coming next.
More of my story. Please read and enjoy.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------
Another Path
Chapter Twelve: Battle
Ashitaka had finally recovered from the fever and woke up, three days after Mitsu was caught spying at them.
However, even though Ashitaka was safe from the danger of sickness, San was still worried, about Mitsu.
She was afraid that Mitsu would strike when she was unprepared and kill Ashitaka.
She had already told the situation to Ken, Toki, Eboshi, and her younger brother, Mune, while at the same time she kept it away from Ashitaka, while not wanting him to worry.
But the secrecy was soon shattered one day.
That day as Ashitaka was resting in the hut, someone was able to break through the guard of the two dire wolves and sneak into the house.
Ashitaka would have been killed, since he was still weak from the recovery, if San did not show up at the time he did, because Mitsu able to catch Ashitaka without his weapon.
Then silence befell between them as they both sat there after they were finally to get Mitsu away when the wolves jumped through the fence and into the house.
But this broke the secrecy.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Ashitaka was little bit angry as he said those words.
"Because I don't want you to worry." San retorted back as she tried control her emotions.
"But it concerns me." Ashitaka became more angry after hearing San's reason behind it.
San was almost about to shout back, but instead of saying those words filled with anger, she cried.
Seeing this sight, Ashitaka's anger disappeared as he quickly went to the woman he loves and comforted her.
"It's okay, San." Ashitaka said to her gently as he held her in his arms, while she continued to sob.
"We will get through this together." Hearing the last part comforted her and within seconds the crying stopped.
For the next moment, they remained like that, in each other's arms. Then slowly, they adjusted their position until their gaze meet and length between them started to decrease, but then as the distance between their face shorten, someone knocked on the door.
"San, it's me Ken." Haring that it was one of their friend, they sighed in relief as they disentangled themselves from each other's limb.
Seconds later, Ashitaka and San went to the door and opened it up allowing Ken to enter.
"What happened, Ken?" San asked?
At first, Ken hesitated about delivering the message, since he knew San wanted to keep it away from Ashitaka, but he didn't know that Ashitaka had already knew about it.
Seeing his hesitation, San nodded, telling him wordlessly, that it's okay for him to say it in front of Ashitaka.
"Very well." Ken seeing that he had the approval, went on.
"The cat boy had left this to me, telling me to give to you." As he said so, he took out a piece of paper with strange characters on it and handed it to San.
"What is it?" Ashitaka asked as San received the letter into her hand.
After reading it for a few moment, she answered with a calm expression, "A letter of challenge."
"He wants you to fight him after a month." San continued as she threw it to a table nearby.
"But Ashitaka is still recovering and it will take more than a month for him to recover." Ken pointed out the fact, but was stopped before his argument could go any further.
"I will take up the challenge." Ashitaka said before either San or Ken could give in any other input.
Seeing the resolute in his eyes, Ken gave no more words, but just blessing and then left.
"You think I can win, San?" Ashitaka asked as he went back into the house.
"You can." San said after a smile appeared on her face.
Soon that night came to an end as San and Ashitaka rested peacefully.
The next month went by fast as Ashitaka recovered, while San helped him train, soon the time came.
It was a hot day as both sides, even though there were just three people, San, Ashitaka, and Mitsu, stood and waited for the time to start.
Then before they could realize it came.
"Be careful Ashitaka." San told her love as he prepared to walk into the arena, an open field.
"I will, San." Then with those words said, he walked into the field, readied to face anything.
Seeing all these made Mitsu more jealous, but he knew he had to defeat this man before him, or else nothing would come.
Then the battle begun.
Mitsu was the first one to make a move as the battle begun. He charged at Ashitaka and slashed with his small dagger.
Ashitaka, who could easily avoid these attacks, side-stepped and drew his short sword as Mitsu charged pass him.
Then Mitsu repeated the same move as he charged again at his opponent and it missed Ashitaka.
Then he prepared for a third run, and everything was the same except one thing, instead of going pass Ashitaka, he stopped and attacked him instantly.
"He's changing his tactics." Ashitaka thought as San watched from the side very nervously.
Then, something happened. After a few making a few strike at his opponent, Mitsu crouched to ground and then lung at Ashitaka, pinning him to the ground.
After pinning Ashitaka to the ground, Mitsu proceed to cut his throat but Ashitaka blocked the dagger. Then again another unexpected occurred. Mitsu lunged forward his face and before Ashitaka could move out of the way, he bit him.
Before he could bit in any deeper, Ashitaka kicked him off the ground. Luckily it was his shoulder that bitten. But seeing this made San more worried.
Then San's two brothers arrived.
"What is going on here?" Mune and Kagi asked in unison as they stopped beside San.
"They are fighting for me." San said as the clashing of the blades sounded again.
Without another the two wolves sat down, because in a case like this no one could get involved.
While at the same time both Ashitaka and Mitsu was exchanging blows.
"I must find a way to get the upper hand." Ashitaka said to himself as he tried his best to block every blow or evade them.
Then a chance came as Ashitaka and Mitsu's blade clashed, Ashitaka saw an opening in Mitsu's side and taking this opportunity, his fist punched at it and sent him into an unbalanced state.
Taking the full advantage of his unbalanced state, Ashitaka was able to knock his dagger and slashed his throat open, but he didn't, instead he stopped.
"Why didn't you kill me?" Realizing that he was still alive, Mitsu asked as his anger filled eyes glared at Ashitaka.
"I don't want to kill you." Ashitaka said simply as he withdrew his blade.
"Why though?" Mitsu asked again, but this time less anger was in his eyes.
"Because if I kill you then means more hatred and blood in this world." sAying that, he walked away and back towards his love one.
Seeing this, Mitsu knew that he had truly lost to this man and without another disturbance from him, he left.
While San ran towards Ashitaka as he called out his name joyfully.
"It's all over." Ashitaka said to himself as he and San embraced each other.
Later that night...
"Ashitaka, I am glad you won." San said as she walked down the street of Iron Town, while she dressed in a different set of clothes, a blue kimono, which she had never worn in her life before.
"So, San have you thought of what if I had lost?" Ashitaka asked with curious voice while he looked to see the face of San.
San's step then stopped right here, as a few children ran passed them.
"I don't know, for I could think of a life without you." San said sadly as tears formed at the corners pf her eyes, while inside her heart, she had finally shown someone of her emotions as a human.
Sensing the sadness in her, Ashitaka walked to her front and slowly took her into his arms. Then gently wiped away her tears and traced the red mark on her cheek.
"San, I promise I would never ever leave you again." Hearing that, San looked at him and then their gaze looked onto each other's eyes and as each seconds went by, their face became closer, until their lips met.
The kiss didn't last very long, still it marked the beginning of a relationship filled with love.
Then this couple soon disappeared down the street while the happiness lasted on, forever.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------
The last chapter. Epilogue coming next.