Sudden Reunion
The wind breezed in and around, biting the roughened skin of the face belonging to Ashitaka's. Tired from a long day, he wanted nothing more than to fall into the comforting embrace of his soft bamboo futon.
He arrived at his humble abode. Sliding the door open, he stepped into a depression that made up the living room and kitchen, and grabbed a small wick and lighted it from a torch outside. Using the now lighted wick, he proceeded to share it's flame with the other wicks.
Unbeknownst to him, a small figure draped in white crept up to his front door, and leaned it's head against it. Judging that he wasn't alert to his surroundings, it quickly dashed through the door and crashed into Ashitaka causing him to drop the wick he was holding into the ashen fire-pit. Ashitaka, caught off guard, fell face first into the hard wooden floor and turned face-to-face with a dagger to his throat and a pair of hard steely eyes boring into him. He caught the the red streaks painted upon its face and one upon its temple.
"San," was all he could muster to say. That name almost sounded foreign to his lips, but endearing to his heart, rejoicing in that name.
"Caught off guard, eh?" she teased.
He smiled as he got up and shut the door.
"I decided to come here because you haven't shown your face in the forest for seven moons. Get it? Seven moons," she chided.
Ashitaka sighed. "Yes, I know. I was so busy. There's a lot to do and help out after that day. Eboshi had been fearful of another attack and wanted the walls to be up." San pulled a face. "Helping that woman; don't you know how much she has done to us and the Forest?" Eboshi's name sounded like a curse to her ears.
He sighed again. "I'm willing to give her a second chance. After all, a missing arm is a good reminder to her, courtesy of your mother."
San huffed. "My mother died for a good cause. You humans have no regard for us and the Forest."
Ashitaka feigned a hurt look, to which San replied, "Except you. You're a nice person, and love the Forest. No wonder the Shishigami had spared you." He smiled at the comment.
He went over to the fire-pit and put on a small pot of tea to boil. San stared at the quirky human contraptions that were so alien to her. The sudden attractiveness to Ashitaka suddenly caught onto her, and she quickly suppressed it.
Don't think of it. Don't think of it. Remember, you're the Princess Mononoke. Don't make an idiot out of yourself, she thought. She was snapped out of her thoughts when Ashitaka dropped a cup on the floor, breaking it.
"Oops, sorry. I just have fond memories of this cup. It used to belong to my sister, before I left my old village." Ashitaka smiled, then sighed when he collected the broken pieces and threw them out the window.
San, being a little curious about Ashitaka's past, inquired, "What was your life back in that village?"
He stopped for a while, then turned, and with a reminiscing face, spoke,
"It was peaceful and tranquil. I was the youngest of three children. My mother and father were the leaders of our village. I always remember my father, always so stern and demanding on the outside, but on the inside, he was a kind and caring man. And he would even laugh and play with us, but only within our dwelling. As for my mother, she was gentle, sweet, understanding, and very wise."
"Sounds like you had good human parents," interjected San.
Ashitaka smiled, then continued heavily, "But, when I was ten years old, my mother was killed by an small invading force. My dad stayed bravely to defend while we were rushed away to safety. But alas, when my father joined us in the mountains, he brought tragic news. My mother had died, and our village was no more. We had to move to a secluded valley and rebuild there. That was where I grew up...until the demon god came and cursed me, and brought me to you."
He smiled happily while San blushed, but was not ready for the next thing that transpired. He suddenly leaned in and planted a short and soft kiss on her lips, sending tingles up her spine and causing her stomach to churn. Her face turned from a small blush to an enormous beetroot color as he drew back. Such things were very foreign to her wolfish mind.
But before she could say anything else, Ashitaka turned and got to his feet, taking a new cup and his red bowl, and poured the steaming liquid into them.
San nose twitched at the strong smell it gave off. "What's that? It scent is bitter but refreshing."
"It's tea. We humans like to drink this sort of thing. Actually, humans like to drink all sorts of things, some foreign and mysterious." San shifted at such a word.
He handed the cup of hot tea to her and then sat next to her while downing the tea slowly. San stared at the liquid for a while before tasting it, then spat it out on account of its heat. She panted and set the cup don carefully.
"That thing...looks like brown water with a woody taste. And it's hot! How could you drink it so calmly?"
He chuckled. "You have to get used to it. You'll like it after drinking more."
A moment of silence passed between them, with only the soft sips of Ashitaka sounding out. San was still thinking of the act that he'd just done to her and was just about to ask what a kiss was when a loud rapping of the door caused Ashitaka to spring up from his position and quickly answer it, while San prepared to jump out the window if need be. Her presence was still unnerving and terrifying to the townspeople, and that would certainly present an unpredictable event.
Ashitaka glaced back to her before opening the door discreetly. He mentally sighed; it was just Toki brandishing an old kimono and a pair of hide trousers and a fundoshi*. Ashitaka thanked her but before he could react she pushed past him and swung the door wide open to get into the house. "It's been a while since we came into your home. The last time we did it was..." She stopped short. Ashitaka guessed that she had seen San and could only hope for the worst possible outcome.
"Ashitaka...has someone been here?"
"What...no. Why?"
"Because I can see two cups on the mat. I was just wondering if someone was here."
Ashitaka didn't answer, but Toki kept speaking. "Anyway, that old kimono and other garments used to be KÅroku's brother's, before he moved to another city. I found it today while cleaning and thought that you might want it."
"It's nice Toki. Thanks for the unexpected visit." He answered.
"Haha...anyway, when are you gonna see that Wolf-girl? You know, if you love her that much, you should go see her, or even bring her here. You can't love someone and not nurture it, right?"
Ashitaka blushed a little bit Toki casually continued, "Anyway, I should get going. Goodnight Ashitaka."
"Goodnight, Toki."
He turned to usher her out. Just as he closed the door, she shouted out loud enough for the neighbors to hear: "And don't get any wet dreams tonight, or you'll have a lot to clean up!!"
Ashitaka felt a pang of embarrassment impale his heart, causing his face to blush even more as he closed the door ruefully. He locked it and slid the threaded curtains. He shut the bamboo shutters in his room and windows and blew a few wicks out. He looked around for San, but guessed that she may have gone back. It was probably best for her now. He decided to change his attire and go to sleep.
In the dark night, just as Ashitaka blew the few remaining wicks out and lay on the bamboo futon. He thought of their sudden but joyful reunion, and was eagerly waiting for tomorrow to come. He slowly drifted into a sea of dreams while whispering San's name.
Here you go! The reunion is finally here! Wonder what happens when Ashitaka wakes up!
Thanks for the two reviewers for this story. I know that it's very scant compared to other fanfictions, but those two reviews have encouraged me and I'd like to say thank you so much!
*A fundoshi is a Japanese type of loincloth.
As always, pls like and review. I promise more chapters will be coming. God bless ya!
The author, Isuvyw
