REVAMP!

Moonmessi is still awesome!


Chapter 9

Eboshi shook her head, as the ever-infuriating and handsome Assassin smiled at her. "Why are you here? Shouldn't you be planning the battle with your Wolf Tribe and the Boar Tribe?"

I wondered how she knew, but I didn't show it. "I heard you were fighting Asano, and I thought might pop in for a visit. I want a good look at him."

Fighting a pleased smile, Eboshi pointed a finger at Gonza. "Was that really necessary?"

I shook my head. "Necessary? Not really. Fun? Hell yes!"

Eboshi raised her eyebrow. "Why haven't you killed him?"

I chuckled. "I'm having too much fun with him!"

That was a lie...well, kind of a lie. I wasn't supposed to kill him yet, but I was having too much fun at his expense.

Maybe I'll back off a little...maybe!

I watched the two small armies trade volleys of gunfire for a short time, trying to catch sight of Asano, but the Fog of War was being a real bitch.

I flinched as Eboshi fired her weapon, right next to my sodding ear!

Rubbing it, I glanced at her. "Where is Asano? I can't see a damned thing! Is he here?"

Eboshi shook her head. "No, he is not. He sent one of his commanders in his stead, which is the very man I just beheaded."

I swore and shook my head angrily. "What a waste of time, coming all this way for nothing!" As I said this, Asano's troops broke and fled.

Smirking, Eboshi turned to me. "I must return to Iron Town. Care to join me?"

I bowed, smiling. "It would be a pleasure, luv."

Suddenly, we were joined by a heavy-set little man with a thin beard, wearing white robes and carrying a rifle.

"Greetings, Jigo." Eboshi said.

Jigo took one look at me, and paled. He had clearly seen me before, but I hadn't seen him.

He must be a scout or spy for Eboshi, and I was determined to find out just how much he had seen.

His voice was deep and scratchy, he had a large nose, and rough features.

Jigo smiled up at her, as she mounted her horse. "Well, I've got the Emperor breathing down my neck, and you're busy playing war with Asano."

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see woozy Gonza mounting his own horse. I cheerfully gave him a two-fingered salute in greeting.

Eboshi called for a horse and handed the beast to me before turning back to Jigo. "And you would have nothing to do with Lord Asano being here, now, would you?"

The man smiled genially. "Of course not. Whatever made you think that?"

Eboshi nodded. "He'll call a truce if I give him half my iron."

Jigo snorted. "Is that right? Well, he's a greedy bastard, isn't he? But all the same, you might as well let him have his iron."

Jigo then turned serious. "Listen, Eboshi, the boars are gathering for battle. And you know what that means. You made me a promise. Now, once you get me the head of the Forest Spirit, then we can come back and destroy Lord Asano together, huh? Wait, should he be allowed to listen in?" He finished, gesturing to me.

I smiled and shrugged. "Try and stop me."

Jigo grunted and shrugged. "Whatever. I'm going back to do some scouting, Eboshi. I'll be back later."

Before he could leave, I called to him. "By morning tomorrow, you and your men had better be gone. If you don't, I will kill you in the slowest and most painful way I know how. Now fuck off!"

Looking worried, the man nodded, and left the convoy.

I turned to Eboshi, and realized that we were close to Iron Town. "You are playing a very risky game, Assassin. All of Iron Town wants you dead."

"They can't even touch me."

Gonza joined us then. "Milady, you can't even consider allowing this creature to-"

It was Eboshi who interrupted this time. "He is my guest, Gonza. Besides, I can handle him if he does anything foolish."

I smiled at Gonza. "Good to see you, arsehole: jog on!"

Gonza wasn't familiar with Londonese, but he got the gist of it. "One of these days, I will enjoy killing you!"

I sighed and gave him a mock-terrified look. "Oh, dear! Whatever shall I do? Run along now, or I'll replace your spine with my sword."

Gonza snarled, but let it pass for now.

Good choice, because I was aching to teach him another lesson!

As we approached the gates, a pack of women called from the walls: "Watch out, Milady! There's a horseman coming! Get in!"

I turned to see a rider approaching, and I drew my sword, but Eboshi gripped my wrist, giving me a shake of the head before calling back. "We have guests. Mind your manners, Ladies!"

"Yes, Ma'am!"

I chuckled. By the all-too-innocent tones, I knew something was going to happen!

"This is going to be interesting. Thanks for the horse, by the way." I said to Eboshi, who gave me a nod as the gates closed behind us.

I dismounted, then climbed the walls, ignoring the unfriendly stares from the townspeople. If anybody tried to mug me off, I would deal with them right sharpish.

I saw the colorful rider stop in front of the gates and call for Lady Eboshi.

"Yeah, what do you want?" A confident-looking woman dressed in a pink dress answered.

"You have fought valiantly and well. Now, open your gates that we may speak with you."

The lady snorted. "Hmph! We can hear you just fine from down there. Milady took this mountain away from the god, the boars and beasts!"

Another joined in. "And now that it's worth something, you want it! Well, you won't get it!"

The messenger was less than chuffed. "The brazen impudence! You ladies need to be to be taught some respect."

Chuckling, I shook my head.

"Respect? What's that? We haven't had any respect since the day we were born!" They all pulled faces, and another of the Ladies finished off the chat by firing her gun at the messenger. "You want some of our iron? Here you go!"

I roared with laughter as the messenger rode away.

I leaped down from the walls, landing next to Eboshi. "I like your girls. They are a force to be reckoned with, and they don't fear anything."

Eboshi nodded, looking smug. "They are indeed."

She then changed the subject. "Jigo, as you know, is after the Forest Spirit. He commands a small force of professional assassins, given to him by the Emperor himself."

I frowned. "Cack, that's not good! If the Emperor wants to get at the Forest Spirit, he could send in thousands of his own warriors as well."

Eboshi shook her head, as we continued to her house. "No, he won't. I've been sending him messages to delay him for as long as possible."

I ignored the glares and fearful looks thrown my way, as we headed up to her house. "And you say that I'm taking a lot of risks! You want the glory all for yourself, yeah?"

Eboshi shrugged. "Every day that we cut trees, and dig for iron, the forest and its creatures grow weaker. My way, there is no loss of life. Human life." She added, when I opened my mouth to argue.

She continued. "Jigo and his soldiers are quite good at killing and hunting, so I would be more careful of them than my people. I wish I didn't need them, but I do for number's sake."

I turned to her. "Hang on a tic: you let me into your town, you don't let your people to try anything stupid like come at me, and now, you're telling me all sorts of valuable information about your allies. What are you playing at, exactly? We are not allies."

Eboshi faced me, suddenly serious. "Because you may not be my ally, Assassin, but you are not my enemy. I have allowed you this far because we need to stop playing games. You have a far more realistic attitude than the rest of your damned Tribe. You know very well what I am capable of, and yet you still come to my village. If I didn't know any better, I would say that you want to come to some arrangement concerning Asano."

I winced, taken aback that she understood me that well. "As I've said before, Asano is more than a threat to you than the forest ever will be. Both of us want him dead, but both of us have different of going about it. If we could reach some agreement to change your methods-"

Eboshi cut me off harshly. "My methods? You're the murderer here. I'm doing my best to not have too much blood on my hands, while your hands will never wash the blood off!"

It was my turn to get angry. "Now, you listen to me! I have only ever killed when I knew I was saving lives!"

Eboshi snorted. "Is that what you like to tell yourself when you lie down to sleep? It's a surprise you can even sleep at all!"

I rounded on her. "If you think I'm proud of the things that I have done, you're wrong. This life chose me, not the other way around!"

Eboshi paused, seeing the pain in his eyes, and changed the subject. She had dug too deep, and she surprised herself by actually regretting doing so.

"What can we offer each other?"

Looking immensely relieved, he smiled back. "I don't really care about the Boars, so have at them all you like. If you can tell your people not to attack the Wolves in this battle, I'll tell them to back off when we both go after Asano."

Eboshi raised an eyebrow. "Assuming they don't kill my people first. You aren't a god, despite your endless self-confidence and your powers. If they want to kill me, you will be hard-pressed to stop them."

I shrugged. Damn it, she was right! "Fine. I'll do my best, but I can't promise anything."

Eboshi nodded. "As shall I. And when Asano attacks me again, can I count on your help?"

I nodded. "That's fair enough, I suppose."

We shook hands, and then Eboshi cleared her throat. "Now, I think you have overstayed your welcome, Assassin."

I glanced around at the threatening looks of the townspeople, and grimaced. "That's probably true."

I bowed and kissed her hand. "Until next time, luv!"

With that, the young man closed his eyes, and disappeared.

Eboshi smiled to herself.

He would be hers, in time.


Finding myself near the Den, I made my way to it, and saw Ashitaka standing outside the cave, facing away from me, and Moro standing on top of the rock, just above the cave's entrance.

As I made my way closer, I could hear them talking, and hid in some bushes to listen. "It feels like I must be asleep for weeks. I had a dream that San was by my side, nursing me," Ashitaka was saying.

I smirked at that, finding it highly doubtful.

Moro wasn't too impressed either. "I was hoping you'd cry out in your sleep. Then I would have bitten your head off to silence you."

Moro was feeling especially grouchy for some reason.

Ashitaka didn't seem to mind. "It's a beautiful forest. Are Okkoto and the boars on the move yet?"

Moro nodded and continued. "I lie here, listening to the pain of the forest, and dream of the day when I will finally crunch that gun woman's head in my jaws."

I winced silently. Maybe this wasn't a good time to convince her who the true enemy was.

Ashitaka faced us both. "Why can't the humans and the forest live together? Why can't we stop this fighting now?"

Moro ignored this. "The humans are gathering for the final battle. The flames of their guns will burn us all."

Ashitaka was not at all pleased. "And what happens to San and John? What's your plan, to let them die to?"

Easy there, kid.

Moro growled at Ashitaka. "Typical! Selfish! You think like a human. San is my daughter, and she and John are of the Wolf Tribe. When the forest dies, so do they."

"You must set her free! She's not a wolf. She's human!"

I winced, as Moro bared her teeth. The kid was digging his own grave!

"Silence, boy! How dare you speak to a god like that? I caught her human parents defiling my forests. They threw my baby down at my feet as they ran away. Instead of eating her, I raised her as my own. No, my poor, ugly, beautiful daughter is neither human nor wolf, and neither is John. How could you help her?"

Ashitaka, to his credit, thought awhile before answering. "I don't know, but at least we might find a way to live."

The Wolf Mother laughed. "How? Will you join forces with San and John, and fight the humans?"

Ashitaka shook his head. "No. All that would do is cause more hatred."

"There is nothing you can do, boy. Soon the demon mark will spread and kill you. Leave this place at sunrise. Return, and I shall kill you."

Moro reentered the cave, and I made my way to the saddened Ashitaka. "So, how are you feeling, kid?"

Ashitaka smiled at me. "I'm fine, thanks to you and the Forest Spirit."

I nodded, patting him on the shoulder. "Right. Look, just take care of yourself. San and I will sort things out. Is she in the cave?"

Ashitaka was about to answer, when there was a commotion from inside the cave, and San came rushing out. Her face was taut, her eyes wet.

Without even glancing at us, she leaped from the boulder, disappearing into the trees and bushes.

Ashitaka made to follow, but I grabbed his shoulder. "Oh no, you don't! Get some sleep, kid. You have a long journey ahead of you."

Reluctantly, he nodded, and entered the cave.

I sighed, knowing that this particular conversation would be tense, at the very least.


I found her near the river, sitting on the very boulder that Ashitaka had stood on when we first met him.

"You should be asleep." I said, sitting next to her.

"I can't."

I nodded. "Obviously."

San burst out. "It's not fair! The Forest Spirit healed you and Ashitaka, but not Mother?"

I nodded again. "You're right, luv, it's not fair. No doubt about it."

She turned to me, and my heart wrenched at the pain on her face. "Can't you just heal her, like you did earlier?"

I hated to disappoint her, but I shook my head. "I can heal some things, but old age isn't one of them. But I can give you hope."

San erupted, like I knew she would. "Hope? How can you say that? My mother is dying! You can't possibly understand what I am going through! You have that Lion, and what will I have when Mother is gone?"

I glared back. "You're wrong! I understand more than you know!"

San looked hard into my eyes. "Prove it!"

"Because I lost my parents long before I met Aslan!"

There was a short silence, then San looked away. It was her way of apologizing.

I continued, pain replacing my anger. "I lost my parents when I was very young. One day they were there, and the next, they were gone without a trace. I never got to say goodbye. I only got to see them for a few seconds years later. At least you got some time with yours."

I had always fought back against the emotion rising within me, but I let it show this time.

She needed to see it.

"I was in a similar position to what you are now: angry, heartbroken, betrayed. I blamed everyone and anything, especially myself. I searched high and low for them, desperate for something."

I breathed deeply, allow tears to fall. "I had no hope, no faith, nothing. It was only meeting with Aslan that I got back on my feet. The Pevensies helped with that, too. I barely remember my Mum and Dad."

I took my hands in hers. "Even if Moro dies, you still have me and the two louts. I'm proof that death isn't the end. It's just a phase the end of everything."

I used my thumbs to gently rub the tears from her eyes, while continuing to fight back my own.

"Just because she'll be gone from your sight doesn't mean she's gone from your heart."

I took her into my arms as the tough little girl burrowed her face into my chest. She didn't sob, but that didn't surprise me. She was a tough little thing. "I hate this."

"I know, sweetheart, I know. But it does get better, I promise."


We stayed that way for a long time before returning to the Den.

Before I lay down to sleep, I caught sight of San and Moro embracing.

I didn't know what would happen tomorrow, but at least someone had found some measure of peace.

We would need that going into battle!


REVAMP!