10: Torn Between Two Roads
"Mama, I want to see Tamashi of the boar tribe." Moro said to San.
"All right. But your uncles will come with you, and once you are there you will be looked after the boar leader." San replied and Moro only nodded as she rode on her uncles. As soon as they reached the boar tribe, the two wolves had a talk with the boar leader.
"I understand fully. She will be supervisioned by Tamashi." their leader said.
"Very well. We leave her in your care." the two brothers replied, nuzzled their niece with affection, and then left to go back to San. As Moro was sure that they had trusted Tamashi with her, she insisted him taking her to the lake. Tamashi told their leader where they were going, and he said it was all right. He did not know she was forbidden to go there. As they arrived, Moro leapt off of Tamashi, and sat down on the soft wetland. She curled herself up, and wrapped her arms around her legs. A lone butterfly landed on her shoulder.
"What's the matter, Moro?" Tamashi asked her.
"Everything..." Moro replied silently.
"What is that supposed to mean? What is wrong with you? Are you sick?" Tamashi asked her and nuzzled her with his snout, blowing the butterfly away gently.
"I am torn between a never ending war... Between my humanity, and my wolf blood coursing through my veins.." Moro said monotonously. She looked down at her hand, and gripped it tight, as if holding on to something very dear...all to have it crushed. Tamashi was silent, but continued to nuzzle her with affection.
"I do not know what to do...I do not know who to turn to...All I know, is that I have one purpose. To become the next in line..But now, I have second thoughts. I not only want to please Mama...but I..I want to be with a human. I want to become one of them. Not to become a weapon against the animals of this forest, but to be someone who is happy with the one she chooses to be with.." she said.
"I understand. You are beginning to unravel the humanity within you, and slowly, it is tearing you apart. You do not know what to do now, but the only thing you have with you is your purpose of living. Your humanity is destroying you, I think that this means you should get rid of it, and destroy it before it destroys you." Tamashi said to her.
"No..I like my humanity. It makes part of me, me. I want to be with him, but because of who I am, I cannot even see him. Nothing is right anymore, nothing is the same." Moro said and started to cry. Tamashi sat down beside her, and only squealed as he watched her sorrow. As Moro finally stopped her tears, she slowly got back on to Tamashi, and the two rode back to his clan.
"Mother?" Enishi asked.
"What is it my darling?" Eboshi asked.
"Sir Ashitaka, he told me that I cannot see Moro anymore. Why is that exactly?" Enishi asked.
"Sir Ashitaka does not want you to interfere with his daughter's purpose. Of becoming-"
"Becoming the next in line. Yes I've heard that before. But what if she does not want to become it?" Enishi asked.
"It is not her choice. She does what she is told, like an obedient pup who listens to it's mother." Eboshi replied.
"That's not fair!" Enishi cried.
"Enishi, my son. Do you perhaps like Moro?" Eboshi asked.
"I might..." Enishi replied.
"True love. Ah, but then it is forced into hatred because of what race we are. Humans and animals will never get along. Like San and I, we shall be bitter enemies in the end." Eboshi said with a smile.
"This isn't right...This isn't right! Moro has free will! She can choose whatever she wants, when she wants!" Enishi cried.
"Correction, she had free will. She had the choice to become your slave and she chose it. She had the choice to choose you over her destiny, but she chose destiny instead, thus binding her to her mother's will and not her own. It was her choice, please Enishi, let it go." Eboshi said. Enishi only wallowed in his pity, and walked off silently. As he did, he saw Aoshi and Ares with their dates.
"Oh, hello there Aoshi, Ares." he said and nodded to their dates.
"Hey Enishi! This is my girlfriend Kilala. Isn't she cute?" he asked.
"Oh come now Aoshi, you're making me blush." Kilala said with a smile and slapped him playfully.
"I'm glad you're having fun." Enishi said with a smile.
"Yeah. We were thinkin of gettin married when we're in our late 20s if this relationship works out. Not that I'm saying it won't." Aoshi replied and Kilala blushed bright pink. Enishi laughed.
"Hi there Enishi-san. This is Kaoru. He's training to become a samurai." Ares said with sparkles in her eyes.
"It's no sweat." he replied and took out his sword to let it shine in the light. Ares giggled and the two gave a little kiss to the lips.
"I'm glad you guys are having a great time." he said to them.
"Both he and I were also thinking about getting married." Ares replied.
"We will I know we will, and we'll be the happiest couple ever." Kaoru replied with a grin. Enishi smiled at their happiness, and then bid them farewell. At least his friends would be able to spend the rest of their lives with the ones they loved...
As both Tamashi and Moro returned to the boar tribe, they looked at both of them. Tamashi and Moro wondered if they had done something wrong, but then only realized that something was missing and gone from the boar tribe.
"Omaru is missing. Have you seen him Tamashi?" their leader asked.
"No Okashiro, I have not seen Omaru." Tamashi replied and Moro nodded silently.
"We lost track of him when he left to the south." Okashiro replied.
"That's where Iron Town is. Where the humans are. Did Omaru have a strong hate towards them?" Moro asked.
"Strong hate would be the best way to put it. Omaru did not like the humans from square one, and ever since they have lowered our clan, his hatred has risen. I'm afraid that he will probably destroy Iron Town once again in a fit of rage." Okashiro replied and Moro only rushed off to Iron Town.
"MORO WHERE ARE YOU GOING!" she heard her uncle along the way call.
"Iron Town! A boar is about to charge at Iron Town, and it might die!" Moro cried.
"It is not our business! Your mother wants you back now! She does not want you to interfere with what is going on with the humans!" her other uncle cried.
"I'm sorry...but I must do this!" Moro cried and ignored her uncles' orders. As she arrived at Iron Town, she saw Omaru heading toward Iron Town at full speed. Her uncles raced back to San to report, and they too rushed at high speed to catch up with Moro. As Moro was near Iron Town, she cried out in a loud voice, hoping Enishi could hear her.
"ENISHI! A WILD BOAR IS CHARGING TOWARD IRON TOWN! ALARM EVERYONE NOW AND TAKE THEM SOMEWHERE SAFE! HURRY!" she cried at the top of her lungs. Enishi heard this, and blinked several times before he called to everyone to run to a safe place, for a wild boar would soon be coming after them. The people closed the door tightly, so if the boar was able to get past Moro, it would not get through. As Moro ran faster, and faster, she finally gained up to the boar and tried to calm him down, but it was no use. Omaru's eyes were a pure blood red color, and he screamed in pain as he charged forward, faster.
"PLEASE! Omaru calm down! Stop your rage! Revenge is not the way! You must fight your hatred!" Moro called to him. Omaru only screamed more, and terror rose up in Moro. This was one boar she could not make peace with, and the only way to stop it was to either kill him, or stop him by herself.
"DIE HUMANS! THEY MUST BE EXTERMINATED BEFORE WE ARE!" Omaru screamed, and started to charge at the front gate that was closed.
"No! Humans must not be exterminated! They must live! And we must live as well! We have to live in peace not war!" Moro cried and grabbed onto Omaru's tusks, and tried to push him back with all her force. This boar was older though, and heavier, making it harder for her to keep her balance. Still, she tried.
"MORO!" she heard Enishi cry and saw him from the roof.
"Don't fire! Don't do anything! It will only cause more hate! Keep the door shut with all your might! Get your toughest men to hold it just in case!" Moro cried and Enishi did so. Every strong man in the village pushed on the door, even though no one was near it. This gave Moro more time to stop Omaru's rage.
"Omaru please! Listen to me! Go back to your tribe! If you try to kill the humans, you will die! And then all the boars will be saddened by your death!" Moro cried.
"Then they will avenge me, and the humans will terror at our feet! They will see and feel what it is like to run in fear! They will see what it is like to lose loved ones, what it is like to have their race decrease in numbers in only a short time!" Omaru cried and pushed harder, making Moro lose her grip again, and Omaru charged at full force towards the gate, Moro holding him back with the best effort she could make. When San and her brothers saw Moro try her best, they ran as fast as they could, hoping it was not too late to help.
"Please...go back!" Moro struggled.
"HUMANS! MUST! DIE!" Omaru screamed and charged full force again. This time, Moro lost her footing and still held onto his tusks, trying to calm him down.
"NO PLEASE! OMARU DON'T DO THIS!" Moro cried. It was too late. Omaru rammed right into the gate. Moro felt a sharp pang rush through her entire upper part of her body. She was caught between Omaru's snout, and the wooden gate. Her vision started to become blurry, and she tried once more.
"Please...Omaru...go home..." she said to him. Blood started to trickle down the side of her mouth, but she only smiled at Omaru, her eyes showing only kindness. This made Omaru's rage leave him, and his eyes changed to blue. He blinked, and retreated from the gate. Moro fell to the ground with a thump, and she made no movement, no effort to get up. She closed her eyes, and the last things she heard was Enishi, her mother, her father, and her uncles calling her name. Everything went black, and she fell into darkness...
A/N: Just lil quickie, don't own Princess Mononoke, all goes to Miyazaki :) And if this chappie wasn't long as I said it wuz, then sorry but I know the rest will be longer promise! Click the lil button and let's go to Chappie 11! This one is LONG I assure you!