Disclaimer: I own nothing; these characters are from Howl's Moving Castle made by Studio Ghibli and directed by Hayao Miyazaki

Howl's Moving Castle Fan Fiction

Chapter 1- Calcifer

Four Months after the war was over…

"Markl! You be careful learning that spell, alright?" Howl called down to the boy while he was upstairs with Sophie. Sophie and Howl had just gotten married a month ago. Markl sat at the table, concentrating on learning the new transformation spell Howl had taught him.

"Yeah, yeah. I know," Markl rolled his eyes and stuck out his tongue, even though he knew Howl couldn't see him.

Sophie and Howl are spending way too much time together lately… Blah… Is that what happens when you get married? Markl sighed and stared at the piece of paper with the instructions for the spell.

"You better listen to Howl," Calcifer said, sparking every once in a while on the log of wood, "Sophie wouldn't want a big mess after she cleaned the whole castle the other day."

"I know, Calcifer! I'm not stupid!" Markl said just as he had begun to use the spell, causing him to lose focus. The light from the spell flashed as Markl turned to Calcifer, "You're going to mess me up!" The light shot away from Markl's hand and toward Calcifer.

"Ahhh! Markl!" Calcifer ducked unsuccessfully, the light hit him and dispersed. Calcifer looked at himself, "Oh… Well… It didn't do anything… Did it?"

Markl looked at Calcifer and at the paper with the spell on it, "Ahh… I don't think so… Do you feel funny?"

"No… Just be more careful next time," Calcifer huffed, his tongue sticking out at Markl, "Why don't you get me some bacon? I desire it after that scare!"

Markl sighed, pushed off the chair and gave Calcifer some bacon, "There."

"Thank you," Calcifer gobbled up the bacon at once. Then he stopped suddenly in mid-swallow, "Umm…. Markl…. I do feel slightly funny…"

"You do?" Markl winced.

"Yeah… You better get Howl," Calcifer said.

"But, then I'll get in trouble… I think you'll be fine," Markl said before grabbing his things and running upstairs to his room, leaving Calcifer alone in the kitchen.

"Markl! Markl! Come back here!" Calcifer turned red with anger, his body burning more of the wood.

The next morning…

Howl came down the stairs, about to tell Calcifer it was time for breakfast, when he saw something strange. Instead of Calcifer lying on the stove burning brightly… A young man lay asleep on the stove.

"Calcifer?" Howl asked cautiously. The boy stirred, he had spiky bright red hair and when he opened his eyes, they were an unnatural color, somewhere between red and orange.

"What? It's so early in the morning… Can't you sleep a little more, Howl?" The boy said with a younger Calcifer voice.

Howl's eyes widened, "Calcifer, is that you?"

"Of course it's me," He said, and then he looked at himself, "Ahh! What the heck happened?! Markl!"

"Markl did this?" Howl rubbed his face and sighed, "Markl, get down here." Howl got some of his old clothes and handed them to Calcifer, who promptly put them on.

"Ehhh… It feels so weird to be human. How do you live like this?" Calcifer complained, the clothes brushing his skin bothered him. Markl came down the stairs.

"Who's that?" Markl asked.

"It's me, Calcifer! The powerful fire demon!" Calcifer roared.

"Oh," Markl said, he turned to face Howl, guilt written all over his face.

"Markl. I told you to be careful using that spell. I wish you had told me that it hit Calcifer yesterday. I could have removed it for him yesterday, but now that he's completely transformed…," Howl sighed and tapped his foot on the ground. "Well… I don't think I can get it off of him now…"

Calcifer hissed, "Markl! I told you to get Howl! You lazy butt!" Calcifer jumped up off the stove and made a move as though he was going to hit Markl, but he fell. "Ow. I'm not used to walking…" Markl laughed and ran up the stairs as Sophie came down the stairs.

"What happened?" She asked as she picked her way to the table, her belly bubbling out from her. She was three months pregnant with Howl's child.

Howl walked over and kissed her, "Oh, just a little problem… Markl turned Calcifer into a human for the moment. But, I'm sure we can fix it."

Sophie looked at Calcifer, "Wow… I didn't think Markl could do that."

"He messed up a spell he was supposed to be learning," Calcifer pouted, "Now look at me! I'm a human! I could die! Bleed to death!"

"I think you're over-reacting a bit, Calcifer," Sophie said, smiling while she gently rubbed her stomach.

"I'll figure out a way to turn you back, Calcifer. Don't worry," Howl shook his head and began to make breakfast by making a real fire.

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