Note: I DO NOT own this movie!! Howl's Moving Castle is rightfully owned by Hayao Miyazaki and Diana Wynne Jones. Please enjoy and comment. Be courtious and not criticize my story, please.
Chapter 1: New Dream
The sun illuminates slowly through the window in front of the bed of a young girl in her early twenties named Sophie. The light grows from the foot of the bed to where Sophie slumbers in her deep sleep. The brightness of the sun made her eyes flinch in the interruption of a warm dream she was having. She refuses to lift her heavy eyelids and continues to sleep by pulling the quilted blankets she knitted over her face.
"The sun always comes up at the proper time, Sophie", said a gentle, manly voice in the room. "It is no use pretending that it is still night."
Sophie's ears and eyes suddenly open and she lifts her head to find a familiar person standing by the window with the sunlight shimmering on his dark sapphire hair. It was her first love, the great wizard, Howl. "H-Howl!" Sophie said while rubbing her eye to wake up. "I didn't hear you come in." Howl chuckles softly, "Well, I tried to be as quiet as I could but you looked like you were already knocked out in a dream or something." Sophie looked down at her blankets in thought. "Well", she said. "I was dreaming. It was a very warm dream really." She smiles and wraps her arms around her knees in comfort. "It was about us." Howl smiles and sits by her bedside, listening. "The castle took us to a place where we've never been before. It was a place filled with stars and beautiful constellations. It was almost like we were in the sky but you could walk on there. It felt so peaceful and you and I were watching the stars shooting past us." Sophie pauses for a moment. "Then", she says. "You suddenly wanted to ask me something…". Howl looks at her in wonder, "And what was that?" Her smile turns in to a frowns. "I-…I don't know. You never asked me. I think that was when I woke up." Howl pats her shoulder. "Well, that's okay." "What?" Sophie asks. He says, "I will maybe someday find out what I wanted to ask you." Howl gives an encouraging smile and Sophie smiles back slightly, still in wonder. Howl draws closer to her. "But, I'll ask you this." He places a hand on her soft cheek. "May I have my "good morning" kiss?" Sophie blushes but smiles, knowing that they are in love after all. "Of course you may." Howl leans forward and plants a kiss on her lips as Sophie kisses him back with passion. As they break the kiss, Howl looks at Sophie. "Well, I'm guessing everyone is already up. We should go make breakfast." She nods and giggles. "Yes, I'm sure everyone was waiting for me to get up." She gets out of bed and throws on her kimono. Howl takes Sophie's hand and escorts her downstairs where everybody is waiting.
"Good morning, Sophie! Good morning, Master Howl!" said Markl, Howl's young apprentice. "Ohaiyo, Markl! Ohaiyo, my dear family!" In the living room, there was an old woman, known as the Witch of the Wastes, the hot-tempered but friendly fireflame, Calcifer, and their dog, Heen, which used to belong to the king's high sorcerer, Suliman . Howl stretches his arms. "Now, how about breakfast, everyone?" The family nods. "Calcifer, ready to cook up some food for us?" Calcifer says with a lazy sigh, "Ok, but be gentle with me, alright? And don't leave that frying pan on me for too long because I can't handle that much weight on me, you know." Sophie rolls her eyes. "Oh, really? Then how come you were able to lift the castle when it collapsed, hm?" she asked smartly with her hands on her waist. Calcifer's flames grew in anger and growled at her, "Hey! Don't get smart with the fire demon here, sister. Or do you not want me to cook for ya?" Sophie holds up her hand to stop. "Alright, alright. Lets get cooking already." She takes out a frying pan and places it on Calcifer's face while she takes out the eggs, bacon and sausage. As she was about to put a strip of bacon on the pan, she stops and eyes at the cunning fire demon. "What ever happened to the "curse of burnt bacon?" she teased. Calcifer snapped, "Fine! Want me to burn your sausage too?!" Sophie laughs. "Kidding! Just kidding! No need to get feisty." She placed the bacon and sausage on the pan and shakes it for them to simmer thoroughly. She takes five eggs, cracks them and put the yolks on pan while feeding the egg shells to Calcifer. As soon as the food was ready, she puts the food on each plate and serves them to everyone. "Bon apetite, everybody!" Sophie smiled as she sits at the table. "Thank you, Sophie", everyone said except for the witch who was staring at Calcifer in amazement. She says sweetly, "Oh, what a pretty fire!" Calcifer says, "You freak me out everyday, lady. Don't push it." The whole family starts to eat their breakfast, especially Markl as he "pigs down" on his food with no manners like always.
Continued in Chapter 2...