Princess Mononoke Fan Fiction ❯ Princess Mononoke Rebirth ❯ Rebirth ( Chapter 39 )

Rebirth

 

“No…” San grew pale and her eyes broadened when she saw Ashitaka lying on the ground stilly. She ran up to him and was brought to her knees, where she saw the fallen Prince set immobile with the blood tainted on his lips, and the patches of sweat and dirt blotched on his beautifully tanned skin. “No…come on now…” San whispered to him when she held his head up onto her lap. Ashitaka's eyes were still closed and soft with his lips fair and gentle. She then began to tap his cheek various amount of times. “Ashitaka…you can't be dead…you just can't.” She began to shake him, and then kept slamming her fist onto his shoulder, tears started to twitch from her eyes and her lips began to shiver. “No! NOOO!!” she screamed out, and gave out a screech so painful it struck her heart as the rain soared down. Sasuke furnished sadness in his expression, and small tears blended in with the droplets pattering down on his skin. Motoko tugged on his shoulder and place her head beside his neck.

They all knew, Ashitaka was dead.

` San clutched Ashitaka close to her heart, and grasped his hand as she entwined her fingers with his. She felt a greater sorrow more than any pain she felt before. The most surreal thing was though, she was sad for a human; her greatest enemies. But it was Ashitaka, the one human who told her that she was, of course, `beautiful'.

“Ashitaka…” she whispered to him. “Remember when we, spend that one day together? When we went to a waterfall, and splashed each other until we got wet?” She sniffed her tears away, trying to be strong. “We had to strip ourselves naked in order for our clothes to dry, and then we watched the sea sway the waves back and forth; it was so beautiful. And I knew…you wanted me so much. Then we went back to the human house, I fell asleep. But then, I felt your breath. You breathed so much warmth onto my cheek, and then…you asked me…'can you love me?'…well…yes…yes you can…because I love you.” San cracked and pushed his body close to hers. “I LOVE YOU!!!” she wailed out a painful cry that also brought Sasuke and Motoko to tears even more. San still held the body near her and whined to herself as the rain continuously fell.

Then, slowly, she heard footsteps walking pass her and Motoko and Sasuke. It was the spirits again; it looked like they wanted to say their last goodbye to their heroes before they return to the next world. San was still too tired and more concerned about her dead lover. Until, another familiar footstep approached to her, and stood in front of her instead of by her side. San still didn't look up, holding onto the body of Ashitaka, until a familiar voice spoke softly to her.

“San…” She looked up, and saw the spirit of Ashitaka.

“Is that you, Ashitaka?” She gently laid the body on the ground and stood up to see the translucent skin of Ashitaka. There was sparkling in his hair, his lips were soft and his eyes were glistening. San chuckled a little, when he then reached out his hand for her. She gasped a little when she saw his gesture, so, she slowly did the same. She looked back up at Ashitaka, but his expression slowly changed into sorrow when then his whole body was drawn away from San. San began to follow him, yet the pace of floating away from her grew faster.

“Don't leave me!” But then she was pulled back by Motoko.

“He must go San!”

“No! I won't let him! Sasuke help him!” But Sasuke struggled a little.

“He's not letting me.” San sharply turned back at the fading Prince.

“I love you! I would die for you Ashitaka! Please stay! I love you!” she wailed out once more, sadly Ashitaka knew that he must join the other spirits. He looked away, but then he saw his father in front of him.

“Go to her.”
“But I thought-

“You love her. And she loves you. Not even on earth or heaven can take that away. Take the chance now to be reborn. Take the second life; no one ever really has a second life, take the chance.” Ashitaka smiled at him with light-heartiness.

“Thank you. I hope we'll see each other again.”

“We will see each other again. But not yet. Not yet.” Moments later, all of the spirits disappeared into the clearness of the mist. He turned around, and looked back at San who is still clinging onto his body, he smiled and looked at her with love, he then also disappeared, and then there was silence. The clouds then merged together in this navy blue mist as the stars were once again covered by this abstract macabre. But out of this blue mystery, came falling down a spirit from the heavens; he was only a young man, dark chocolate hair, olive tanned skin, soft lips. It was Ashitaka alright. He's the one that was diving through the breeze yet he was still immobile. Then there was another faint whisper in the distance.

“Ashitaka…you saved us from destruction, and now I will give you your gift…

 

…The Phoenix.”

 

Then suddenly a fiery light ignited from his chest, shooting out electrical lightening from his heart and sparked out stars which made Ashitaka flick his head in the air, his body was then weighed down in a laid position and carried on floating back down to earth.

 

“The phoenix has been passed down from our ancestors and is given to those who sacrificed themselves for the ones they love. This gift travels through blood and time, and will be passed on to future generations; no one's really immortal after all, we're just guardians protecting those who need our help most. So…given second life…protect those you love…”

 

Ashitaka's soul then finally met his body when he secretly laid his limbs through his skin and placed his head through the body. San was still sulking and shedding small tears. Moments later, Ashitaka finally opened his eyes in his body, and slowly turned his head to San. He was still unnoticed, so he then gradually lifted up a hand, touched San's face and felt her warmth. San noticed the touch and place her hand on top of his. Then she suddenly twitched as her eyes broadened and looked down at Ashitaka, she gasped when she saw his eyes awake.

“I'm back.” He frailly spoke to San. San failed to breathe for a moment as she skipped a bit, and then she cried out happily when she grasped him in his arms and embraced him. Sasuke tugged Motoko with happiness when he saw that Ashitaka had returned. San was still lingering onto Ashitaka as they hugged and hugged and hugged as the rain lastly stopped, and that the night turned silent once again.