2 years have passed since Iron Town fell. But not everything has been
settled yet.
Secret of the Princess
The smell of the recently re-constructed ironworks that gave Iron Town its characteristic name wafted over the air. It was two years after the Great Forest Spirit had been shot by a monk attempting to receive a fortune off the emperor. The forest was restored totally, but at a severe cost. The wolf god Moro and the boar god Okkoto had both perished, and more people knew of some of the lands' most highly valued secrets. A young man sat in his home, built in a corner of Iron Town so as to be away from others. Ashitaka, last prince of the Imishi people to the far west, had been helping rebuild the town ever since it's near-destruction. He had befriended the wolf-girl San, also called Princess Mononoke, and found a way to undo his curse and save everyone with a minimal loss of blood.
It was dawn, and Ashitaka finished putting the saddle onto his loyal red elk, Yakkuru. Every so often, he would put his work in Iron Town on hold, and visit the forest to see his friend San. She bore an unremitting hatred for humans, but Ashitaka was an exception, even though their friendship had started with her trying to kill him. As he passed through a side-gate, he looked around at the dark sky. Another half an hour and the sun would be up totally. He gently dug his heels in Yakkuru's side, encouraging the elk to go into an all out run. He and San always met high up on the mountainside near the town. This was as far as she'd get to civilisation before adamantly refusing to go further. Ashitaka rode on in silence, glancing at the re-growing forest. Young saplings were very much in evidence, and fresh, lush green grass was enough to tempt even Yakkuru. Even after the Great Forest Spirit had restored the forests, this part remained comparatively bare. It had been bare before Ashitaka had arrived that day two years ago, carrying two survivors from an accident in the mountains. Apes constantly worked to replant the trees, and at long last, some vestige of greenery was returning to the land. Ashitaka dismounted and looked around for San. It wasn't unusual for her to hide and then jump out on him. He saw her out of the corner of his eye, and ran to intercept her. Suddenly he found himself falling, no pain instantly recognisable, but pain nevertheless. He fell into a hole about two feet deep, twisting his ankle badly. He gave a short gasp of pain and tried to push himself out of the hole in the ground. It was then that San appeared. She wore much the same clothing she had two years ago, and still carried three crimson markings on her face. Two white wolves, Moro's last surviving kin, were accompanying her. She saw Ashitaka had fallen, and went to help him. Despite the seriousness of the situation, she couldn't help but smile.
"Ashitaka, whilst I might be friends with a lot of animals, it doesn't mean I'll live underground THAT willingly. You of all people should know I take a lot of persuasion."
Ashitaka smiled up at her. Although he had more than his fair share of admirers in Iron Town, San was the only girl he had eyes for. He couldn't put his hand on his heart and say what one feature of hers he liked the best, whether it was her strong personality, her feral beauty, her toughness, her stubbornness or anything else, but he loved her hugely for who she was. She pushed up his trouser leg to look at his ankle. Ashitaka winced. Although San hadn't meant to harm him in a long time, she tended to think everyone was as tough as she was. She glanced at the red, swollen ankle and shook her head.
"Well, you've certainly done yourself quite a bit of harm. But it's not broken. A day or two of rest and you should be fine. Although I'd be more than happy to take you and Yakkuru in for a few days. What do you say?"
Ashitaka smiled despite his hurting ankle. San offered him her hand, and Ashitaka took it. He looked into San's eyes, and smiled as he stood up, favouring his uninjured foot. He mounted Yakkuru, who had been sniffing noses with San's wolf brothers. San led the way back up to the depths of the forest, where Moro had dwelt when she was alive. She sometimes missed her adopted mother, but if Moro had taught her anything, it was that life and death complimented one another. For every up there would be a down, and if Ashitaka was the up following Moro's death, then she had little cause to grieve, even though he lived in the human town.
After an hour or so of travelling, they neared the cave where San and her wolf brothers lived. Ashitaka smiled on entering. Although his home in Iron Town was very nice, nothing could compare to what San's simple cave offered. Here, there was something that truly fit in with his life. He felt comfortable here, and not just because of the fact it was a very appealing cave. There was something in the air here that strongly appealed to him. He sat down on the floor, looking out across the forest. It had been here, two years ago, where he had rested after the Great Forest Spirit had healed him
Secret of the Princess
The smell of the recently re-constructed ironworks that gave Iron Town its characteristic name wafted over the air. It was two years after the Great Forest Spirit had been shot by a monk attempting to receive a fortune off the emperor. The forest was restored totally, but at a severe cost. The wolf god Moro and the boar god Okkoto had both perished, and more people knew of some of the lands' most highly valued secrets. A young man sat in his home, built in a corner of Iron Town so as to be away from others. Ashitaka, last prince of the Imishi people to the far west, had been helping rebuild the town ever since it's near-destruction. He had befriended the wolf-girl San, also called Princess Mononoke, and found a way to undo his curse and save everyone with a minimal loss of blood.
It was dawn, and Ashitaka finished putting the saddle onto his loyal red elk, Yakkuru. Every so often, he would put his work in Iron Town on hold, and visit the forest to see his friend San. She bore an unremitting hatred for humans, but Ashitaka was an exception, even though their friendship had started with her trying to kill him. As he passed through a side-gate, he looked around at the dark sky. Another half an hour and the sun would be up totally. He gently dug his heels in Yakkuru's side, encouraging the elk to go into an all out run. He and San always met high up on the mountainside near the town. This was as far as she'd get to civilisation before adamantly refusing to go further. Ashitaka rode on in silence, glancing at the re-growing forest. Young saplings were very much in evidence, and fresh, lush green grass was enough to tempt even Yakkuru. Even after the Great Forest Spirit had restored the forests, this part remained comparatively bare. It had been bare before Ashitaka had arrived that day two years ago, carrying two survivors from an accident in the mountains. Apes constantly worked to replant the trees, and at long last, some vestige of greenery was returning to the land. Ashitaka dismounted and looked around for San. It wasn't unusual for her to hide and then jump out on him. He saw her out of the corner of his eye, and ran to intercept her. Suddenly he found himself falling, no pain instantly recognisable, but pain nevertheless. He fell into a hole about two feet deep, twisting his ankle badly. He gave a short gasp of pain and tried to push himself out of the hole in the ground. It was then that San appeared. She wore much the same clothing she had two years ago, and still carried three crimson markings on her face. Two white wolves, Moro's last surviving kin, were accompanying her. She saw Ashitaka had fallen, and went to help him. Despite the seriousness of the situation, she couldn't help but smile.
"Ashitaka, whilst I might be friends with a lot of animals, it doesn't mean I'll live underground THAT willingly. You of all people should know I take a lot of persuasion."
Ashitaka smiled up at her. Although he had more than his fair share of admirers in Iron Town, San was the only girl he had eyes for. He couldn't put his hand on his heart and say what one feature of hers he liked the best, whether it was her strong personality, her feral beauty, her toughness, her stubbornness or anything else, but he loved her hugely for who she was. She pushed up his trouser leg to look at his ankle. Ashitaka winced. Although San hadn't meant to harm him in a long time, she tended to think everyone was as tough as she was. She glanced at the red, swollen ankle and shook her head.
"Well, you've certainly done yourself quite a bit of harm. But it's not broken. A day or two of rest and you should be fine. Although I'd be more than happy to take you and Yakkuru in for a few days. What do you say?"
Ashitaka smiled despite his hurting ankle. San offered him her hand, and Ashitaka took it. He looked into San's eyes, and smiled as he stood up, favouring his uninjured foot. He mounted Yakkuru, who had been sniffing noses with San's wolf brothers. San led the way back up to the depths of the forest, where Moro had dwelt when she was alive. She sometimes missed her adopted mother, but if Moro had taught her anything, it was that life and death complimented one another. For every up there would be a down, and if Ashitaka was the up following Moro's death, then she had little cause to grieve, even though he lived in the human town.
After an hour or so of travelling, they neared the cave where San and her wolf brothers lived. Ashitaka smiled on entering. Although his home in Iron Town was very nice, nothing could compare to what San's simple cave offered. Here, there was something that truly fit in with his life. He felt comfortable here, and not just because of the fact it was a very appealing cave. There was something in the air here that strongly appealed to him. He sat down on the floor, looking out across the forest. It had been here, two years ago, where he had rested after the Great Forest Spirit had healed him