I do not own Princess Mononoke

Chapter 3 – Moving In

"What the hell is up with that?" San demanded of her mother through Ashitaka's phone.

"San, can we talk about this when I get home? I'm in a meeting with Eboshi right now." Moro calmly and pleadingly asked of her infuriated daughter. San was going to crush the phone with the mere stress in her hand, but she realized it wasn't even her phone (She had broken her own after she dropped it on a school trip in middle school, and is currently waiting for a better phone she likes to come out). A few more seconds, and San's anger was toned down a bit as her brother's pried the phone off her ear and said good-bye.

As soon as the phone was back is his possession, the bell rang, and the four looked over to the moving students.

"Bell. Let's go to class." Ashitaka started walking. San, being only half as angry, realized he was spaced out again, and grabbed the back of his collar. Or did he just not know the way?

"Class is this way, airhead." She dragged him in the opposite direction. Taka and Kai said their good-bye's to the two older kids, and surprisingly went to their own classes for next period.

More stares were targeted at San the next period as she tried to pay attention to the lecture on the Periodic Table. She just couldn't concentrate! Why did he have to choose his seat right next to hers! And why did he have to act so normally about it! Nothing was normal about it.

"Okina!" The professor called. "Please point to what element has the atomic number of 74 on the periodic table." He waited. San straightened her back, and fixed her eyes on the massive chart. She tried to focus her eyes on the numbers, but there were so many numbers! But then, and hand grabbed her by the wrist and directed it towards the element of Tungsten. Half the class snickered, and the other half scowled at her, seeing whose hand was touching her wrist. She was embarrassed, and a little relieved. "Thank you, Okina. Thank's to Eboshi, you were able to find Tungsten, with the symbol of W, and the atomic number of 74. Now, to figure out an element's number of neutrons…" He continued the lesson. San put her hand down, and Ashitaka retracted his own. The rest of the class turned to attention once again, but San zoned out. She looked over from the corner of her eye to catch a glimpse of him again.

'I didn't know an airhead could be a science smarty.' San marveled at the wonders of the world. Ah, the work of God – truly a mysterious and delicate philosophy towards mankind. Yet, as mystifying as it is, it was quite confusing as well.

Ashitaka mindlessly jotted his notes down, occasionally glancing up to recreate the element symbols, and verifying the numbers. He actually looked studious to San. When he was about a page through, she had only a third, maybe a half page full of notes. She hated science. And worst of all...math. There were just too many numbers. However, she did enjoy P.E. Surprisingly, she did find history interesting too. But language was a bitch. She already knew how to speak and write, so why the hell did she need to be educated by a teacher, whose teaching the same language! It didn't make sense.

After school, there was explaining to be done. Lot's of explaining. Moro closed her eyes, inhaled, and then exhaled slowly as her shoulders sank in relaxation. When she opened her eyes, she was ready.

"San, you're well aware of my business clashing with Eboshi Corp., correct?" Moro answered the question for her, and continued, "Eboshi is a woman of great status and respect, and as much as I…disagree with her, I have decided that while we…debate on the take over of Eboshi Corp. we will have to form some sort of 'union' to show the public that we will be dedicated to our work to the end."

"So you're forcing the children to 'bond' while the adults squabble over a take-over?" San scoffed at the explanation.

"Both Eboshi and I agreed that it would be the best for both our families and for the public picture that we are going to be as adult-like as possible. If the public were to see you and Ashitaka living together, then maybe…" Moro tried to sound as decent as possible, but for San, that would be difficult.

"They'll think were an 'item'! Or even worse…" She thought of the possibilities.

"No, no, not like that at all." Her mother was trying hard to remain as calm as possible.

"I hate him! He's a jerk, and a complete airhead!" San excluded the science class incident.

"I'm sure you don't 'hate' the boy. You may disagree with him…" She held her hands out in a way of 'settle down'.

"Like you 'disagree' with Eboshi?" She fired. Moro set her hands on her lap, and lowered her eyes.

"San, I can feel how strongly you dislike this arrangement, but it must be done. I almost have her, and if you do this one favor for me, you'll save everyone, yourself included, a whole lot of reporters at your neck, getting the scoop on how the take-over went down." Moro used her tactics to persuade her daughter in the most cunning and clever way possible without sounding cheesy. San settled down, and began to imagine all those reporters asking her if her mom used any 'dirty tactics' to over-throw Eboshi. She shivered, and then she dropped her chin to her chest as a sign of defeat.

"I'll only do it if Taka and Kai can come with me!" San negotiated. Like hell she was going to be stuck in that apartment with him alone. Having her brother's there would cancel out all suspicion on a 'relationship' with him. Moro smiled brightly, but tiredly, and nodded in agreement.

"Done." A week passed so quickly while San was packing her things, and studying the Periodic Table at the same time. When Saturday arrived, it was time to move into her new home. The place was huge. It was an apartment suite with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. It had a kitchen, a dining room, living room, and office room. Both Bedrooms had walk-in closets and installed compartments for out-of-season clothing. San was amazed to how large the place was, so was Taka and Kai.

Taka whistled as he stopped near the front door, but stopped mid-way as he caught a glimpse of a moving beauty. Kaya Eboshi? San smirked, 'looks like he was thinking the same thing.'

"San…" Taka whispered to her, "You didn't tell me the other Eboshi was going to move in too!" He was sweating at the palms.

"Chill out. I didn't know." San tried covering up her amusement at her brother's crush. Before Taka could argue any longer, Kaya was approaching at increasing speed.

"Hello there. You must be San Okina, it's a pleasure." Kaya politely greeted. "Oh? I didn't know your brother's were coming as well." She noticed Taka and Kai.

"I'm Kai, just so you know." He introduced.

"Taka." He second; he was trying so hard not to blush.

"My name is Kaya, and I'm pleased to meet both of you. Okina-san, my brother wants you to meet him in his room, if you please?" She pointed down the hall. San nodded, and winked at Taka just as she passed Kaya. He was probably fuming at her for leaving him like he did.

"I gotta pee, be right back!" Kai dropped his things and ran off.

"Bathroom is down the hall on your left!" Kaya directed. San had to chuckle to herself. She then figured that since the first room she passed was empty, the room with the door closed was probably his. Opening it was the mistake of her life. There he was – with only a towel around his waist and reaching into a drawer for garments, probably underwear. San just stood there, in a shock, then closed the door again.

'PUT A SHIRT ON!' She mentally yelled as her face was burning red.

"San?" Ashitaka called from the other side. "If it's alright, I need to change, so I'll be out in just a sec." He called. Now he tells her. Nice timeing. After a few minutes, he emerged from the room with a towel around his neck. "I didn't know when you were coming." He told her blankly as he dried his hair off with the towel. Most likely the same one that was wrapped around his waist.

"I should've called first." San nervously thought back, wishing she could go back in time. He simply kept that constant 'okay…' look on his face, and replied, "We don't have a phone set up yet."

"I meant your cell phone…" She clarified as they walked down the hall.

"Ah…do you know my number?" He magically produced his phone again. San shifted then looked over to another space.

"No." She looked at her feet, and tried to keep walking in a straight line, and she did, but since she was used to her own house layout, she crashed into a wall. She stumbled back, and cussed at the wall. Why did this keep happening to her? By the time they reached the front door, Kaya was talking to Taka, who was putting up a façade of toughness and faked his uninterested state-of-mind.

"I'll give you the number later then." He put the phone in his back pocket, and led her to the kitchen. "As you can see, this is the kitchen; I don't think we'll be using it much though." He moved on to the dining room and living room. "We'll eat here for dinner, and this'll be our lounge area." He walked onto the bedrooms. "This room will be shared between you and Kaya, while the other will be shared between your brother's and me." He pointed to the door she now dreaded. "And this will be used to do whatever needs to be done, like homework or something." He directed at the office. "The bathroom on the right will be for the girls, and this one will be for the guys." Everything was pretty much straight-forward and blunt for the most part.

The best part of the whole apartment had to be the massive balcony overlooking part of the city, and the whole school. It was magnificent – of course, they were on the 13th floor (Why it's labeled 3d, I don't know).

San went back to the front door to get her box of stuff and start unpacking. Kaya was already starting to unpack her things. Between the two of them, the closet would be separated in half, and the drawers would be labeled off as "K" and "S". Both would have small dressers for more personal material items.

Kaya had a diary she kept in a drawer, a wallet, cell phone, keys, and a crystal dagger she kept hidden with the diary. San had a wallet, keys, and a picture of her great-grandfather.

He had such bold and defined features, but his expression seemed understanding and kind. His gentle smile and warm eyes drew San to keep the picture close at hand. He had large eyes, filled with laughter and jovial, and a pristine, yet slightly curved smile. He had an oval, almost almond shaped jaw-line with molded curves. He was the only hard-core proof that she came from another family.

When she finished, San went to the balcony to marvel in peace. As she leaned over the mildly painted pole, she took the time to inhale the air of a higher place. It was so relaxing to see the sunset. She got her 5 or so minutes, but then the door opened, closed, and someone stood next to her. She didn't need to say his name, and he didn't feel compelled to say her name either. It wasn't necessary. Words were not necessary. Not now, when the sun needed rest. Not when the moon was about to rise to light the way for creatures of the night. It just wasn't needed.

All was understood when the sun sank deeply into the horizon, and the country of the rising sun was taking a break from its name. And then he broke the peace.

"San…"

A/N: I hope the explanation wasn't too lame