A Princess Mononoke fan story
By Jikuuharuto
Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this writing except for my idea.
Epilogue
During the course of the next few years, Ashitaka, San and the wolves had finally created their families. San gave birth to healthy twins, one boy and one girl. San had allowed for compromise and permitted only certain areas of the forest near Iron Town to be cut for firewood, but no more.
Yakkul was set free and ordered to return to the land of the Emishi to start his own family. He was young in spirit, but his body had aged and he was no longer as agile as before.
Takeshi no longer stayed at the wolves' den, but instead created a new home for his mate and her pups not far from his original home. Takeru, his mate and her pups used the Wolf Clan's den, often visited by San and her family.
Jigo had been quartered and had his body parts scattered all over Japan after being on the run from the Emperor for so long. His followers were executed by the shoguns for failure to capture San.
As for Asano's son... Let's say he never found a wife and could never have his own family.
Eboshi ventured into a more environmentally friendly business in the garment industry. Good clothes were a luxury in Iron Town before Eboshi converted half of the town into a garment industry. She wanted to provide the best for her people while maintaining peace with the forest tribes.
San had come to accept humans, but only because of Ashitaka. If it weren't for him, she would've still been trying to purge them from the forest. Her children inherited her superhuman reflexes. The boy inherited her ferocity and short fuse, shown by his constant tantrums over the smallest things. The girl inherited her father's calm ways, because she was just different from her brother in those manners. She never fought with him, always quietly enduring all the harm her brother brought.
However, this fairytale ending was not to be. For many years, Ashitaka had overworked himself helping Eboshi with her new industry and trying to build bonds between the humans and the forest. It took a toll on his body and he could no longer hold his own against diseases. Despite San's efforts in nursing him, Ashitaka's health went downhill. A disease would slowly kill him, but not before he could pass his skills and the way of the Emishi down to his children.
Before he became bedridden, he would be with his children every day, teaching them the spoken language and doing everything he could. Though he knew he was ill, he never spoke about it. He thought nothing of it and instead just kept it to himself.
Once in a while, Ashitaka would check on Eboshi's booming garment industry with his children in tow. His children would always ride together on one of the wolf cubs between their parents, who would ride Takeshi or Takeru depending on the wolves' moods. As welcoming gifts, Ashitaka's children would receive either clothes or little balls of thread to play with.
San's superhuman reflexes, agility and speed were evident in the children. Learning to hunt was part of training and fun for them. They would alternate between using San's spear or dagger, or using Ashitaka's short sword and bow and arrows with stone heads. A happy family they were, but Ashitaka's health was deteriorating. He was eventually bedridden and no matter what herbs San plucked for him, there was no improvement. She had even tried looking for the Forest Spirit, but she had no luck. Ashitaka stopped her from looking for any more herbs, because she was doing it in futility. He was resigned to his fate and revealed that he had let the sickness drag on for too long.
Ashitaka had achieved his goal of getting the humans and the forest to live in harmony, but it cost him his life. On his deathbed, he had told San that he wanted his children to live their lives without hatred and suffering. He was no longer the Ashitaka of many years ago; he was now a critically ill man in his late twenties. There were many strands of white hair everywhere on his head and his chin was rugged, covered by stubble, which indicated that he had not neglected his own grooming. When he last went to Iron Town, he went to a physician, who determined that he would not have much time left to live. He gave Ashitaka an estimated amount of time with no absolute number of days. With his days numbered, he set about doing all he could to help both the forest and the humans with anything he could.
The physician's estimation turned out to be quite accurate. As the days to what would be his death counted down, his body grew weaker and weaker to the point where he could no longer move. And on the final day of the estimation, his family gathered at his bed.
"Take care of our children," he said. "I don't have much time left. I don't want them to live with suffering..."
San nodded, on the verge of just breaking down. She didn't know why, but she just felt so depressed. With what strength he had left, Ashitaka wiped her tears away like he had done so long ago.
"San... I have always loved you... I should never have thought of going home that time..." he said, remembering the painful past. She held with both hands the hand that was wiping her tears. "Don't cry..."
"Ashitaka... You're home... This is your home."
"Father! Don't leave us behind!" the crying children exclaimed, sobbing and wiping away tears.
"My children... I'm sorry I can't be with you to protect you..." Ashitaka started, struggling to smile. He coughed blood and San immediately held onto his arm even tighter. "Train hard and don't forget what I taught you..."
"San... could you sing that song one more time...?" requested Ashitaka with laboured breathing.
San nodded, using her right hand to wipe away her tears. She waited for a few seconds before starting.
Haritsumeta yumi no furueru tsuru yo
Tsuki no hikari ni zawameku sonata no kokoro
Her song was filled with sobs in between words. Ashitaka's arm was weakening. He could see his world turning into darkness and feel that he was slowly being drawn to death. His eyes were drooping, threatening to close.
Togisumasareta yaiba no utsukushi
Sono kissaki ni yoku nita omae no yokogao
The children continued crying. San was evidently controlling herself. She did not want Ashitaka to know how she was feeling, for he would never be in peace.
Kanashimi to ikari ni hisomu makoto no kokoro wo
Shiru wa mori no sei
Ashitaka's eyes closed almost completely as he turned his head to San and his children. He was fighting his death.
Mononoke tachi dake
Mononoke tachi dake
Ashitaka smiled as San hummed the rest of the song. "I... love you all," he said as his body went limp, a small smile still on his face. He was still alive, but his battle with death had ended. His breathing was slowing down gradually and he was forcing himself to breathe as long as he could.
San remained by his side until she could no longer hear him breathing, then she shook his body gently, telling him to wake up. When she finally realised that he was no longer alive, she was initially in shock, staring into blank space, eyes wide open. Her children looked at her as tears fell from her eyes and they wiped them away. Then, San began sobbing.
"ASHITAKA!!" San shouted, bawling instead of sobbing. She held his limp arm, tears flowing even faster than before. She buried her face in his shirt, crying her heart out. He was gone – never to return.
After she had calmed down somewhat, she walked out and mounted Takeshi, who had been informed by Yakkul of the happenings.
"We should tell the people of Iron Town. They deserve to know about this," Takeshi said. San nodded, wiping away the tears in her eyes. Her young teenage children got onto Takeru, who followed after San.
The trip to Iron Town seemed to take forever. Happy memories filled her mind as she mourned Ashitaka. His passing was sudden; he had never told her of his illness until recently. This made her all the more saddened, for the love she felt when he was around was different from anything she had ever felt.
At the gates of Iron Town, Kouroku and Toki were teaching their own children to fish. Toki heard the footsteps of the wolves and turned to see them, at first flinching due to the fear she'd always had of them. Then, forgetting the fear altogether, Toki left her child with Kouroku and ran up to San, placing an arm on her shoulder.
"What happened? Why are you crying?" she asked San, who buried her face in Toki's kimono and hugged the surprised woman.
"Ashitaka... He... He's..."
"Ashitaka has passed away," Takeshi finished, lowering his head. This news shocked Toki. Ashitaka had seemed so healthy and well the last time he visited Iron Town to check on the garment industry. She held San's head and tried her best to comfort her.
Ashitaka was buried with his feet facing the lake, wearing San's necklace of wolf fangs, which she had made from fangs lost by her brothers' pups. All the townspeople, even those who did not like San before and those who lost their family to the wolves, paid respects to Ashitaka. Even the more able lepers and those who were rid of the horrid disease made an effort to pay their respects. He was considered a hero in his own right for having done so much for the people of Iron Town.
"He was a good man," Eboshi said, patting San's shoulder. San was kneeling in front of the grave and crying like never before, her children behind her, kneeling and sobbing. Eboshi bowed to Ashitaka, then took her leave. Gonza and the town's guards bowed to Ashitaka's grave and headed back to Iron Town with the townspeople.
San didn't care about the humans around her all this time. She only knew one thing – that the man who had given her more happiness than she had ever felt was gone, forever.
Every day after his passing, she would sit in front of his grave and sing the song he loved to hear her sing, always fighting back the tears and sobbing. Her children were worried about her, but they knew that they had to move on. Living in the past was pointless – it wouldn't bring Ashitaka back.
The EndWell now, I felt a little saddened writing that. As for questions unanswered, I leave it to the reader's imagination. Either that or you can contact me at my e-mail, . I like to have more friends around, so I'd appreciate it if any interested parties decide to ask me questions or make friends with me.
Thanks for reading my stuff all the way to the end! I'm still not confident of capturing Ashitaka and San's personalities. I would also appreciate constructive criticism of my work. Once again, many thanks for being so patient and waiting for my story to be completely posted!
As for whether I'll be working on any other Princess Mononoke fanfiction, I may already have an idea, but it's still just an idea. I hope you enjoyed what you've read so far, but if any parts offend you, I apologise, though I think most readers here are mature enough to handle this kind of thing.
Thank you and bye for now! D
-Jikuu