New Love, Old Hatred
Blackness and nothingness. Ashitaka found himself staring at an infinitely dark space, suspended in midair. A dripping sound was heard, incessantly echoing throughout this dark space. He felt dizzy, nauseated, and felt like the space was closing in on him. He couldn't move. He could speak. He couldn't do anything but await his fate in this seemingly haunting venture. He felt his legs giving way, and slowly began to fall. The dripping noise became louder; the space began covering him in its evil cloak, and then...
Fwoop! Ashitaka opened his eyes wide in shock and gasped. Reality crashed around him as he arose from the dark sea of dreams. He looked around and found that he had woken up from a weird and mysterious dream. He sighed. He could hear the clanking sound of an iron plate, used as a bell, signifying the commission of the day's work. Rubbing his temple he rose slowly and walked toward the bathroom and did his usual morning routine.
As he rinsed his mouth, he thought back to last night's unexpected event. San...had not forgotten him. Her name was a gentle kiss to his lips every time he said it.
After getting dressed, which today was a faded green-colored kimono with a fundoshi underneath it, no pants (it was the usual style of the common people of the day), he exited his little house and turned toward the rice fields. Today's work was located at the Merchant's Gate, where they were tasked with repairing its door and side panels. Then they had to refurbish the walkway and the inner walls near the old forge. Ashitaka mentally thought of the extreme exertion of energy he would crank up, and silently cussed that he had forgotten to eat something proteinous. Well, too late now to go back. Maybe I'll get some ramen at the Food Street.
Food Street was located in the Western sector of the Merchant quarters. Eboshi had decided to open up Tatara-ba for more trade after the scuffle with the Forest and hence expanded Tatara-ba slightly to accommodate more buildings, to the annoyance of San and her brothers.
(Sure, they were at peace with each other, but by the wolves' terms they weren't exactly civil to Eboshi.)
"Oi!! Ashitaka!" a voice called out from behind a counter. He turned and saw the plump body of Moyama waving to him. "Good morning Moyama. I suppose you want me to try your newest stew, eh?" he teased. The man grinned cheekily. He had always bade Ashitaka to come and try his stews and homemade recipes. "Yea...if I were you I prefer to eat this--" he pointed to a pot of broth with tender rabbit meat simmering in its juicy heat. He continued, "--rather than that--" he pointed again to an overcrowded shop that sold ramen. "Besides, this stew is homecooked, while the ramen we usually get is from trade, and I personally don't trust traded goods that much." Ashitaka smiled and nodded, asking for a bowl of rice and some stew, but mentioned that he had to be quick or he would be late and Gonza would have his foul mood the rest of the day. While Moyama busied himself with kitchen work, he sighed then remarked, "Lady Eboshi's got real guts in her. Otherwise we would have wallowed in dirt and ruins for the past seven months. I'm glad the Forest is at peace, because I loved the trees and wildlife and always respected it. Oh, and besides..." he let out an evil smile, "...how's things between you and the Wolf-girl, huh?" Ashitaka blushed immediately, and choked on his rice. "Oh I'm sorry, I didn't mean to tease you like that, son. Now, if you don't want to tell me you don't have to, alright?" Ashitaka gulped down and smiled, saying that it was okay to tell him; after all, he oft looked up to Moyama as a father, as he had no parents to proudly call his own.
"Well, things are fine between us. I...like her and she seemed to like me. How it'll work out I don't know, but at least my heart's with her."
Moyama sighed in a reminisced way. "Young love...such a joy." Ashitaka looked up at him. "I used to love somebody when I was your age and... unfortunately it didn't turn out quite well. I got her pregnant and her parents were absolutely livid which made my parents also livid and kick me out of our village. I wandered till I came to a neighboring town not far from here called Haruzakura. I was poor and had nowhere to go, so I started a life of theft and stole petty things like rice and sake and an occasional bowl of miso or stew. Until I bumped into the Lady herself. She gave me a good look then said, "You could be of more use than just stealing food for survival." She stretched out her hand and brought me here. And here I am am right now, running a small soup store and chatting with you, and living with a constantly nagging wife!"
He and Ashitaka chuckled until Moyama's wife Yari cussed at him for saying obscenities about her. She clattered down the stairs and roughly teased, "I'd rather have shown my breasts and body to a handsome Ashitaka rather than you, you fat stinking dope!"
Moyama laughed at the joke while Ashitaka awkwardly chuckled with a blush in his face. Surely he wasn't that attractive for even married women to say such things.
He glanced at the sun then at the small wick clock and realized that he was late for work.
"Whoop! I've got to go Moyama. I'm late for work!" He quickly tossed a few coins on the bar and sped off like lightning. Moyama grinned and collected the pay while Yari stirred the stew and washed some dishes. "Good honest boy. No wonder I like him," he remarked.
"I could've married him sooner than you," she joked.
"You're really a nagging wife," he answered, teasingly.
"Shut your ass mouth or I'll rip it and add it to the stew," she roughly teased.
"Can't say no to an angry wife, eh?"
"Especially for a fat plump man like you."
"Easy darling, easy. I wish we could go back to the days when we were in love, just like Ashitaka and his Wolf-girl..." he mused.
"The Wolf-girl?! He likes the Wolf-girl?! She can barely make a match for him!" she cried.
"I think it well. I dunno how, but it's bound to work out with them, so let it be."
Yari harrumphed and trotted off into the back to get some stuff.
Moyama sighed to himself, "Old bitterness...how I wish she could have it done away with."
