This is my first chapter for my VERY first fanfic for Princess Mononoke. This took me about two days to think of. Sorry if it seems cramped together, Im very new to the site. Please rate and reveiw!
The heat was beating against Ashitaka's bare back as he was moving from his hut near the forest to help rebuild Iron Town after the fall of the Forest Spirit. Yakkul was waiting for him, stamping his hoof with inpatients. Ashitaka also knew that Yakkul was warning him about the last time he was late in helping, he still couldn't forget Toki's scolding and Korhoku cowering thinking she was going to go in another one of her ranting storms. Ashitaki couldn't help but laugh at that incident as well. Ashitaka grabbed his shirt from a chair, he heard a howl from outside. It wasn't loud, it was really low pitched , as if it were meant to be heard from a short distance. Ashitaka assumed that it was San to see him before he went off to help rebuild Iron Town. Ashitaka was surprised to see that it was one of San's brothers only. The wolfs fur glowed brightly in the early noon sun, almost blinding to look at, as he started to approach. Ashitaka knew that if one of the wolf brother's came, it usually meant that San was only sending a note to him saying when he would be able to visit. Ashitaka told the wolf brother, sadly, that he could not visit her today. The wolf brother panted, understanding what Ashitaka was doing and moved back into the forest to tell San of the news.
As Ashitaka was riding in to Iron Town, a mass of people were gathered in the markets, with Lady Eboshi standing on a small crate, announcing some sort of assuring Words, but Ashitaka couldn't make out what Eboshi was saying, due to the fearful chatter of some people. "We have seen many sightings of another stranger from foreign lands in our villages area," Eboshi spoke in an authoritive voice "We don't know where he is from or what his intentions are, but I wish for all of you to remain calm!" Some of the villagers shouted back in fear "Remain calm!? What if he breaks in here and slits our thoughts when were asleep!?". Another villager cried out "What if he's a spy for Asono? He can easily catch us off guard!" Some of the woman were rather mocking the men who were cowering of the thoughts "Please! If its some random thug we have Ashitaka, no man would think twice about fighting him!" Ashitaka chuckled about the boasts people were making up about him. Some were saying that this stranger may give him a run for his money, Ashitaka wasn't worried about this since he has never seen, and for the the first time, heard of this mysterious man.
Eboshi dismissed the villagers and caught sight of Ashitaka riding Yakkul into the stables. As Ashitaka roped Yakkul's reigns around the post, Eboshi was already beside him. "How was last week with the wolf girl?" Eboshi asked calmly. "Oh, it was good. Mostly been practicing survival skills that wolves use. It seems very useful to me." Ashitaka replied in a kind hearted voice. "That's good to hear you two are bonding at your own pace!" A womans voice caught the attention of Eboshi and Ashitaka from behind. As they both turned around, they were surprised to find Toki and Korhoku were walking up to them. "Ashitaka! Good to see you again old friend!" Korhoku said in a warm voice. "Trust me Ashitaka, I don't know who's missed you more the women or him!" Toki said laughing. "So how are things going with San? Have you decided to visit her again?" "Not this week, since Iron town is having a problem with a stranger around here." Ashitaka responded in his calm voice. "Trust me that guy is gonna murder everyone in the village one night when were asleep!" Korhoku said in a paranoid tone. "Oh shut up you big baby! He's only been here a couple of times to buy some fish and fur. It doesn't look like he can be a dangerous criminal." Toki said, scolding her husband. "What if he IS a dangerous criminal!?" Korhoku said, shivering in fear. "Korhoku!" Toki snapped at him, glaring angrily at him. "Maybe I can deal with this stranger if its not too much trouble?" Ashitaka suggested. "You just answered my proposition before I could even say it." Eboshi said slyly. "He's been camping a little east of town, by the river. He hasn't caused harm to anyone, but we decided to just give him a wide berth on the roads." Eboshi explained. "I will see this stranger tomorrow." Ashitaka declared. "I knew you would." Eboshi responded happily.
During the afternoon, the sounds of men and women at work filled the air around Iron town. Ashitaka was helping out with rebuilding some of the walls around the residence area beside the markets. Most women who passed by stopped for a moment to gawk at Ashitaka's shirtless body. "Damn even after you've been here, like what, twenty times a month? And they still can't get over you." One of the men said, struggling to lift up a wall with a few more helping him. "Hey come one! He can't help if he's the charmer around here." Korhoku said, sounding apologetic "Besides, were all in the same boat here, so lets just focus on getting the houses fixed up." "He's got a point," Ashitaka said, defending Korhoku "We need to make sure that your families won't suffer from the heat this summer." On one of the hills overlooking Iron Town, someone was watching from afar, only watching what the people of the town are doing. Ashitaka sensed something and turned around to see what the presence was. But when he did, the figure was gone.
Night had fallen over the land, covering it in total darkness. The only light that illuminated the ground was the dim glow of the moon and stars. A man sat around a small fire, cooking fish. He looked over to the town, which was still bustling with activity for the moment. He camped near the town, but was also close to the forest. He sat on a small stump, looking over the river as it shimmered in the moon's light. He grabbed from his coat pocket a cigarette, which he quickly placed to his lips. The man searched for a match, and after a moment of quick twists and turns, he snapped his fingers, remembering his boot. He pulled out a match and struck it against a small stone, instantly, it caught fire. The man puffed as he put the match to the end of the cigarette, quickly shaking his hand to extinguish the flame. As he puffed, the orange glow showed only some of his features. He was rugged, traveled a long distance, but his clothes were foreign to the people. As he blew out, he heard some rustling in a nearby tree. "Alright," the man said in a deep and commanding voice, " I know your there, you can show yourself." Upon hearing his words, the figure silently jumped down from the tree.
The moonlight revealed to the man that it was a woman of young age, wearing a white sack cloth shirt over a blue kimono, from the knees down, were torn away. She had marks on her face representing fangs as red as blood, and wore large, white round earrings, which shone brightly from the moon. She also wore a necklace of teeth, and something else, but it was too dark for the man to see. She wore wool shoes, which made very little noise as she crossed the small clearing to the unknown stranger. Her green hair shone slightly, but the unknown object around her neck and her blue eyes caught the man's attention. "Why did you intrude through my forest?" The woman asked angrily, growling under her breath. "It was the only way to get here faster, didn't I apologize to you for that in the day?" came the man's answer, still groggy from no sleep, and too much whiskey.
The woman could smell liquor and smoke on him, it burned her nose and she gagged from the powerful stench. She staggered back a little, coughing a bit while asking the man again, "Why did you pass through my forest?" "I very well might just apologize to you again if it will make things better," said the man sighing, " I only traveled through your forest to get to the town here quicker," the man explained, " I didn't mean harm to you or your forest, I only wanted a damn shortcut." The woman cocked an eyebrow in suspicion, "Who are you?" she demanded. The man stood silent for a moment to take in the question, "My name," he started out, " is Brandon. What would yours be?" The woman relaxed her tensed body, knowing that he was no threat. "My name is San." She said kindly. Brandon couldn't help but wanting to ask San how he found his camp site so quickly.
"How did you know where I was?" Brandon began asking San politely, "I checked every inch from this area and it would take half a day for anyone to get here, let alone find me." San chuckled at Brandon for a moment, seeing his expression to be dumbfounded. "It was easy for me," San said slyly, "I smelt the fish you were cooking from my den not too far from here," she pointed out into the direction of the forest, " and your fire gave you away too," she added. " but what really made it easy was that orange glow from your mouth." Upon hearing this, Brandon inhaled, causing the cigarette to glow dimly. "I also want to know how you found out where I was hiding so quickly." San asked in a encouraging voice. "Well," Brandon started off, sitting back down on the stump. San quickly joined him. " I had come across some bandits on the way. Many of those bastards out here. It just got too frequent, and they were also inexperienced." San listened to his story, forgetting the stench of the whiskey and smoke. He smells of dirt San thought to herself, and gunpowder.
"Where did you come from?" San asked Brandon in a curious tone. "I traveled across the sea from the east," sounding very serious, "I came from a small settlement in the desert of that land, and I said to myself one day 'might as well see the world'. I've been traveling since then." As Brandon told his story of his long travel, San started to accept this human as a friend. "But I also heard rumors of a warrior around here," said Brandon, cutting of San's train of thought. "Who?" San asked in worried voice. "They say his name is," San was very worried upon the name she heard that uttered from Brandon's voice, "Ashitaka."