Princess Mononoke

~The Way We Work In Irontown ~

Lady Eboshi was testing some iron with a small mallet when Ashitaka found her.
"I apologize for keeping you waiting stranger, we are running behind with tomorrow's shipment" she explained. She looked to her workers and sighed, "Let's have a rest. You may tell the others"
"Yes ma'am"

Lady Eboshi turned to Ashitaka with a smile.
"You know some people think you are either a spy for the wolf girl, or for Lord Asano and his samurai. There are lots of people out there with their eyes on this iron. Why are you here if you don't mind my asking?"
Ashitaka rolled up his sleeve to show an even larger and longer purple mark spiraling up his arm.
"I believe you'll recognize this" he said somewhat coldly as he showed her the iron ball found inside Nago, "It shattered the bones of a giant boar, rotted his flesh, and turned him into a monster. I fought with him and for that I was cursed with this mark on my arm, and soon it will kill me."
"Where is it you come from? I have never seen a red elk like that before"
"I have come a very long way. I can't tell you more than that."
Gonza, who was seated at her ladyship's side, growled "Answer milady's question or I'll cut you in half!"
Lady Eboshi ignored Gonza's outburst, "What do you plan to do? What exactly are you here for?"
"To see with eyes unclouded by hate."
Lady Eboshi lifted her brow "Eyes unclouded..." She couldn't stop the cackle that emitted from inside of her, "Well that explains it! Come, I'll show you all my secrets"
Gonza's eyes grew wide "Is... is that wise milady?"
"Gonza, take over for me".

The town cranked away with the working of all its people as Ashitaka followed Lady Eboshi. As they walked, they came across a giant building, smoke coming through four chimneys and Ashitaka stopped to look inside. Women were there, dressed in loose robes with their hair wrapped up in bright colored scarves. There was a plank of wood between two lines of these women, and each woman had one foot planted on the plank, pushing it down one side at a time . They held ropes hanging from the ceiling to keep themselves balanced as they worked. Sweat dripped from their brows. Ashitaka continued to follow Lady Eboshi to a large garden when she told him
"This is my garden. None of the towns people dare to come here. Follow me if you want to learn my secret."

He followed her into a small hut filled with people covered in bandages. Some showed their hands, legs, and other appendages and some were more covered than others. One bandaged woman spoke to Lady Eboshi,
"We've only just finished it milady"
Lady Eboshi took a large rifle from the woman's bandaged hand. "It is still too heavy." "Perhaps if you didn't hold it so delicately?" A bandaged man, who only showed his hands and one eye chuckled, "Milady, if we make them any lighter they'll fall apart" Lady Eboshi replied "I trust you to figure it out. They aren't for me, they're really for the other women here."
The bandaged woman laughed, "Heh that'll be something to see"
Lady Eboshi turned to Ashitaka and showed him the weapon on her shoulder "This is the latest rifle I have asked these people to make. The ones we had brought here turned out to be too heavy. These will kill forest monsters and pierce the thickest samurai armor"
"Better watch out young man! Lady Eboshi wants to rule the world!"
"I am sorry to have to push you all so hard. I'll have wine sent down later" she cooed.
"Oh that'll be nice" voices chorused.

Ashitaka felt rage burning inside him.
"First you kill the boars forest, and then you transform him into a demon. Now you are trying to make even stronger weapons? How much more hatred and pain do you think we need!?"
She looked at him with a sly smile "Yes, I am the one who shot the boar. I'm sorry you suffer, I truly am. That brainless pig, I'm the one he should have cursed not you"
The infected arm started to swell and Ashitaka couldn't control it as it reached for his sword. He grabbed it by the wrist with his other arm grunting. Lady Eboshi's sly smile never left her face.
"Does that right hand of yours wish to kill me Ashitaka?"
"If it would lift the curse, I would let it tear you apart. But even that wouldn't end the killing would it?"
"No, it wouldn't. It would have to kill all of us to be at peace".
"Milady... Osa has something to say" The bandaged man spoke suddenly. All eyes were drawn to another man who was completely covered in bandages from his head to his toe. He layed on a straw bed, tucked in under a blanket.
"Forgive me milady", he began weakly, "But we mustn't make light of the boys strength. Young man, like you I know what rage feels like... and grief and helplessness-" he broke into a coughing fit, "But, you must not take revenge on Lady Eboshi. She is the only one who saw us a human beings. We are lepers. The world hates us and fears us. But she... she took us in, washed our rotting flesh, and bandaged us...", he had another stronger fit but continued now weaker than before, "Life is suffering, and it is hard. The world is cursed, but still, you find reasons to keep living... I'm sorry I'm making no sense."

Lady Eboshi walked through the room of Lepers to a balcony over looking the forest. The cry of a wolf could be heard coming from a great distance. Lady Eboshi cocked her rifle and shot it towards the sound. In the light of the moon a group of Monkeys scrambled away from the bullets.
Lady Eboshi scowled, "Ugh they just keep coming back, every night, always planting trees. They're trying to turn the mountain back into a forest" she turned, locking eyes with Ashitaka,
"Stay here Ashitaka. Help me kill the forest spirit"
"You would do that? Kill the very heart of the forest?"
"Without that ancient God the animals here would be nothing but dumb beasts again. When the forest has been cleared and the wolves wiped out, this desolate place will be the richest land in the world. And Princess Mononoke will become human"
"Princess Mononoke?"
"Princess of ghouls, beasts, and ancient Gods. The wolves stole her soul and now she lives to kill me" 
Ashitaka suddenly remembered the beautiful girl he saw with the wolves by the river. Lady Eboshi broke him from his thoughts though, when she said, "The legends say the Great Forest Spirit can heal anything. Perhaps it cure my poor lepers. Maybe even cure your curse Ashitaka"
Just then a leper called from the hut "Milady! How does the action feel to you now? Better?"
She called back, "Smooth as silk, the perfect thing for ruling the world. But it's still to heavy for the girls"

Ashitaka left the balcony, and then the hut. He walked back through the village, stopping again at the building with the working women. As they worked they sang a working song.  He listened to them sing tiredly as he was noticed by Toki.
"Well look who's here!" She gasped.
He smiled at her and pulled off his shirt "Evening. Mind if I work the bellows for a while?"
"Well I guess so" she said feeling rather shocked.
He walked up to a woman holding a rope and took it from her,
"Excuse me, may I try it?" She gasped at him and Toki assured
"It's okay. Might as well let him try"
Ashitaka tightened his grip on the rope from and stepped down on the plank. The woman on the other side laughed as his force knocked them off their balance, causing them to let go of the ropes and be bounced along on the board.
"When you get tired I'll cover for you", Toki laughed, "And that won't be long"
His force knocked another woman off her balance and her robe flew open. She grabbed it quickly shutting it again and the others howled at her with laughter. "Better keep your Kimono shut tight girl!"
Toki laughed with them and turned to Ashitaka "Well I'm impressed, but you'll never be able to keep that pace up"
He grunted, "It's hard work isn't it"
"You bet. And our shifts are four days long"
"You must lead hard lives here"
"Yes I suppose, but it beats being a brothel girl in the city huh?"
The women chorused their agreement "We get to eat as much as we want and the men don't bother us!"
"Unless we want them too!"