A/N: I would like it if anyone who reads this to review and/or give me comments or tips on the story. Thank you.

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE AT ALL!

"Calcifer, you're burning lunch!" Sophie remarked, her face turning red and angry.

"It's not my fault; besides, you're the one cooking!" Calcifer countered.

"Why you- you know, if you're going to be a naughty fire demon, I'll pore ice cold water over your face, and then we'll see who's doing the burning." She threatened, thrusting the spatula into Calcifer's fiery face.

Calcifer paused for a second. When was Master Howl coming back? He went to the market with Markel to show him something, but that was four hours ago. All the while he was being tortured by Howl's dearest true love! He didn't know how much more of this he could handle.

"I mean it, if this picnic is ruined because of you, you'll regret it!" Sophie told him.

"Yeah right, then we'll see who's the real demon in this house that I move!" Calcifer murmured sarcastically.

"What!" Sophie exasperated.

The Witch of the Waste was watching the amusing spectacle from her chair by the window. Her black dress had been sewn by Sophie, as well as her new hat that she simply adored when she was bored, but this was certainly much more entertaining. The dog, on the other hand, was standing on the window pain barking at nothing. She chuckled to herself while enjoying the spectacle.

Meanwhile, Master Howl and Markel were strolling between the isles of the market looking for somebody. Howl glanced down at Markel.

"Are you sure you saw her here?" He asked doubtfully.

Markel looked around anxiously.

"I'm positive! The cute girl I saw was here!" he assured.

"All right, I believe you. Maybe she changed her mind about coming back or something? Girls are like that, you know." Howl suggested.

Markel gasped and looked at his toes in disappointment. His eyes were shadowed by his bangs, and his shoulders slumped. Howl immediately tried to cheer his little apprentice up.

"How 'bout we go back home? Sophie's preparing a picnic and…" He glanced at his pocket watch. "Uh-oh, it's twelve o' clock! We'd better get back or Sophie might get upset or worried."

"But that's why I wanted to meet her here again, to invite her to the picnic. I'm sure she'd love Sophie's cooking." Markel said.

"Well, that is a good idea, but…" Howl stared at Markel. He was obviously growing up. Howl knew he usually failed to help Markel, even thought Markel was always there for him. He wished he could find that girl he was looking for.

"There she is!" Markel shouted, pointing.

Howl looked to where Markel was pointing. A young girl with short, curly brown hair and green eyes wearing a light orange dress stood next to a table of citrus fruits. You could barely see them, but freckles dotted her face even though she was standing beneath the shade of a tent.

"Well, what do you know?" Howl said quietly, "It must be fate."

He watched as Markel ran over to the girl the light orange dress. She was surprised at first, but then a big smile stretched across her face. Markel told her something and pointed over at Howl, who waved as she stared at him. She waved back and they went over to him.

"Master Howl, this is the girl I was telling you about. Can she please come to the picnic with us?" Markel begged.

Howl stared at the couple for a minute, and the girl stared back nervously.

"Wait, aren't you the wizard who found the lost prince and ate the hearts of young girls and lives in a moving castle and can turn into a big black bird?" the girl asked. She talked so fast that Howl could barely understand her.

"Uh, yes, but I'm afraid I don't eat the hearts of young girls. I do believe that was a false rumor you may have heard from you friends and family." Howl informed her.

The girl smiled and finally calmed down. She gave a sideways glance to Markel, who encouraged her to introduce herself.

"I'm Anna, and I love pink flowers and snowflakes that fall on my nose. Nice to meet you!" the girl said.

Howl stared back and tried to be polite, but he couldn't help but giving a crooked grin. Anna and Markel jumped whenever he just started to burst out laughing. Other people in the market stared at him with wide eyes. His laugh echoed down the isles, and his eyes started to water.

"Forgive me, I just couldn't stop myself. Markel, of course she can come to the picnic. I'm sure Sophie would love her to!" Howl answered.

Anna jumped up and down excitedly and giggled.

"I've even already told my parents that I'd be out for the afternoon, so let's go!" she said.

"Okay. What way are we going home, Master Howl?" Markel asked.

"What do you mean 'what way'?" Anna asked him.

"Well, I suppose we could hitchhike, but that would be rude to little Anna here. Hmm… I suppose we could transport there." Howl wondered aloud.

"Yeah! Draw one of those circles so that Anna can see you perform sorcery!" Markel requested.

Howl nodded. "Sure, I can do that." He agreed, "But we'll have to go somewhere less crowded."

"Right!" Markel said. He remembered that transportation circles used quite a bit of magic, as well as exploiting the area around it.

So they all went behind an alley and stood around Howl. He took out a piece of green chalk, bent down, and quickly drew out a magic circle. It had triangles and other shapes in its design. Anna stared, intrigued by Howl's swift actions.

"Okay now, Markel, stand across me and hold onto Anna. We all need to be close so that we get back in one piece." Howl said.

Markel began to blush as he reached for Anna's hand, and she willingly held onto it. Howl casually put his arm around Markel. Then, Howl raised his free hand over the wide circle. The air around them began to shift, and the circle glowed. In a flash of light, the three found themselves in Howl's moving house.

The sound of Sophie's voice could be heard from the front door…

"Calcifer, I'm going to get the basket. If I come back to find those pork chops burned, you'll find yourself as a pile of ashes tomorrow morning!"

Anna giggled when Markel told her that the voice was Sophie, Howl's girlfriend. Sophie's footsteps could now be heard going up the stairs and coming back down.