Blue's Moving Castle
Greetings and salutations, fellow readers and writers! It's WhiteOwl74 again, this time bringing another Pokémon and Studio Ghibli production; this time…Howl's Moving Castle featuring LeafGreenshipping! As I got no results from the poll by my deadline, I picked out the one I thought would best suit the story. Hopefully it turns out well. And enjoy the writing!
Chapter 1: A Meeting
(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)
Far away in the lands of Kanto, a large metal structure was walking all by itself. It was a hulking mess, with pipes belching out smoke as metal limbs moved the building forward. It passed through the clouds and a small farm, heading for a large city.
The city was a bustling place, complete with four different bus systems and a train station. The train at the moment was heading for the station and traveled underneath a small bridge, its smoke passing by a little window.
Inside the window, bent over her work, was a girl in her late teens. Her long brown hair fell a little after her waist as her green eyes followed her sewing needle as she eased it through a hat, intent on her work. An Eevee was perched on a stack of undecorated hats besides her, making sure its owner never missed a stich. The hat she was working on was pink with a purple band and several pink flowers and she teased the needle through to the tick of a clock.
A knock sounded at the open door. The girl and Eevee looked up.
"Leaf! We just closed up. You've done enough work today," a fellow worker told her, a Mareep at her side. "You should come out with us tonight."
"Come on Leaf," another girl cried from the other workroom, where she and a few others were setting aside their finished hats.
"You work too hard, Leaf," a girl with brown braids added.
"No thanks," Leaf said with a smile. She gestured to her hat as she continued, "I still have to finish this. I'll lock up, don't worry."
"Okay, but come with us next time. Let's go," the first girl said, heading for the door.
"I'm ready."
"Yeah!"
"Wait! Is that Blue's Castle?!" a girl shouted as she pointed at out the window.
"Wha?"
"Blue?"
"I've never seen it this close before!"
The others girls rushed over and peaked out the window. Leaf and her Eevee looked out of theirs. Through it and the bank of clouds, she could just make out a mechanical structure that moved on the far hill. Then it disappeared into the clouds.
"He's gone," moaned one girl. Leaf sighed and continued to work. Just because a wizard was nearby it didn't mean she was done with this hat.
"No he's not; he's just hiding from the planes."
"Do you think he'll be in town?"
"Did you hear about that girl, Martha from Johto? They say Blue tore out her heart!" another girl said.
"Now I'm too scared to go out," whispered the girl with brown braids.
"Don't worry, Blue only preys on the pretty girls," one girl told her with a laugh.
The girl with the brown braids ran out of the room, clutching her hat as her Chansey followed. "You guys are mean!"
Laughing, all the other girls left the craft shop, leaving Leaf and her Eevee alone. She picked up a pine cone and showed it to her companion. "What do you think, Vesper? Too much? To simple?"
Vesper cocked her head and gazed at the hat and the pinecone. She shook her head twice, then nodded. Leaf smiled as she sewed the pinecone to the hat. Vesper had a great sense of style and they always managed to talk to each other, despite the fact Leaf couldn't understand her.
"And done~" Leaf said with a flourish as she snipped the thread off. She regarded the hat carefully, before placing it onto a hat stand. She picked up another hat and looked it over. She sighed and set it aside.
"Ready to go for a walk, girl?" Leaf asked Vesper as she stood up. The Eevee stretched before hopping onto the ground. Leaf took off her apron and set it aside before plucking up her own hat, a pale green with an emerald ribbon and a trio of blue berries. They two exited the work room and headed down the steps into the courtyard. Several planes flew overhead as Leaf entered the shop where her mother and she sold their hats.
Leaf paused in front of the three-way mirror and examined herself. A slim girl in a plain green dress stood in front of her, brown hair falling to her waist with green eyes and an Eevee on her shoulder. Vesper smiled slightly, Leaf was pretty in a simple way. Leaf gave a giggled before scowling and pulling her hat down a bit before she left the shop.
White stepped out into the lovely summer day and locked the door. Everyone around her was in a happy mood. A neighboring's kingdom's prince was visiting and there was to be a spectacular parade. Leaf and Vesper walked together throughout the busy streets, intent on seeing Leaf's younger sister, Yellow, who worked in a bakery as well as Gloss, her Espeon who happened to be Vesper's sister too.
Leaf reached the bus station that would take her to the bakery. The bus was all full so Leaf, Vesper on her shoulder, grabbed hold of the side of the bus and stood on the stairs that led inside. Off the bus went, spewing smoke into the sky.
In the main streets of the city, the parade was beginning with fanfare, soldiers dressed in blue and red with their Pokémon besides them marching in the streets, carrying banners and flags. Flowers and confetti were thrown in the air as the royal planes carrying the foreign prince flew above.
Leaf and Vesper ignored the festivities and continued on their way. Leaf walked through a narrow street and glanced over to see a soldier and his Arcanine. Leaf gasped, surprised to see him, before quickly turning away. He glanced over to her and he and his Partner watched the pair hurry off.
Leaf was relieved when she had left the soldier's line of view. She looked around and spotted the parade still going on. Vesper sniffed the air, smelling some tasty food. She poked Leaf's head and sniffed the air again before letting a bit of drool coming out of the corner of her mouth before she cleaned it up.
"Well get something at the bakery," Leaf promised her partner, who grinned as they set out again.
Leaf took out a small list as she walked, checking to see if she should pick anything up while she was out. She looked up to find herself in front of a soldier who was leaning against the wall, his eyes inches from her own.
"Hey there, looks like a little Eevee and its Trainer lost their way," he said flirtatiously. His own Partner, a male Manectric, winked at Vesper, who growled.
"No, we're not lost," Leaf said, shaking her head.
"This little Trainer looks thirsty," the first soldier said to a second, this one with a dark mustache and a Linoone. "We should take her for a cup of tea."
"No thanks, my sister is expecting us," Leaf said, staring at the ground.
"Ya' know, she's actually pretty cute," the mustached man said, bending down a bit to look into Leaf's face. "Her eyes are like emeralds."
"Yeah, hey, do you live around here? How old are you?" the first man asked.
Leaf flushed, highly embarrassed, before she narrowed her eyes. Vesper's fur fluffed up in anger at these soldiers and their Pokémon. "Leave us alone!" Leaf shouted.
"Ha! I told you your mustache scares all the girls," the first soldier said to his friend.
"So I think she's even cuter when she's scared."
Leaf was worried. What was going to happen now?
"There you are sweetheart, I've been looking everywhere for you," a male voice said, surprising Leaf, Vesper, the soldiers, and their Pokémon.
Leaf froze as a hand was placed onto her shoulder. A tall young man with blond hair stood next to her, no one she knew, least of all who would call her "sweetheart". Vesper was going to bite this stranger when the man's Pokémon settled down next to her. It was an extremely suave-looking Flareon, who twinned its tail in Vesper's. It turned it head to her and smiled. Vesper's jaw dropped slightly.
"Aiden has certainly been searching pretty hard too," the man remarked to Leaf, still holding onto her shoulder gently.
"Hey! We're busy here," the first soldier told the stranger, his Manectric growling threateningly at the Flareon, who's name must be Aiden probably.
"Really? It looked like you four were leaving," the man remarked. He lifted a hand and suddenly the soldier and Pokémon were in attention, much to their surprise. He waved his hand and all of them started to walk away, adding to their confusion.
"Hey!"
"What the f***?!"
They went past Leaf and she looked back at them marching away, surprised beyond anything.
"Don't blame them," the man said. Leaf turned back towards him. "They really aren't so bad. Where to? I'll be your escort for the evening, as Aiden will be for your Eevee."
"Uh…We were just heading to the bakery," Leaf said, staring at the man. He had blonde hair and deep blue eyes. He wore a white shirt, black pants, and a jacket that was draped over his shoulders. Aiden jumped onto his left shoulder while Vesper jumped onto Leaf's right.
He extended his arm to her and she nervously wrapped hers to his. "Just to let you know, I'm being followed. Just act natural," he said, leading her forward. Leaf's eyes widened slightly and Vesper's fur fluffed up again.
The stranger led them all forward at a steady normal pace. He seemed relaxed despite what he had just said to Leaf. Behind the two humans, Muks and Grimers leaked from the cracks, wearing white hats with blue bands. Leaf managed to keep a semi-calm face as she watched them from the corner of her eye.
"Sorry, looks like I've gotten you involved," the man told Leaf, who gulped and clung tighter to his arm. Vesper hissed at the following Pokémon when Aiden gave a comforting growl to her, quieting her.
There were more of these Pokémon up ahead too, blocking their path.
"This way," the man said to Leaf, leading into a sharp turn and quickly walking down the smaller street. The Pokémon turned after them too. And far in front, more of them appeared, blocking the way yet again.
"Hold on!" the man shouted as he wrapped an arm around Leaf's waist before he launched themselves into the air, the Muks and Grimers crashing into each other below them. Leaf blinked furiously as she could see the ground getting farther and farther away. "Now, just straighten your legs and walk," the man told Leaf as he held both her hands as he began to walk in the air.
Leaf, not knowing what else to do, did as he said and nervously stepped forward; surprised to see she was floating in the air with him. Aiden jumped from his shoulder and walked with them, calling out for Vesper to join him. She hopped down and bounded besides the Flareon, amazed at everything.
"See, not so hard is it?" the man asked her.
Far below them, Leaf could see the town square full of people and soldiers dancing and having a good time. She was led down across the roof of a building, her feet not hitting the tile. The man let out a little laugh before turning to her.
"You are a natural!" the man told her, making Leaf smile.
The pair of them stepped on the rounded top of the roof before walking above the large party taking place, no one below them looking up. Before long, the man had landed on the railing to the bakery and gently whisked Leaf onto the balcony. Aiden landed besides his master while Vesper stuck the landing on Leaf's shoulder.
"Now, I'll be sure to lead them off, so wait awhile before you head outside," he asked her, releasing her hand.
"'Kay," Leaf replied to him, smiling slightly.
"That's my girl," he said, his smile plastered on his face. Suddenly, he and Aiden leaped backwards and fell down. Leaf let out a gasp and rushed to the railing, searching to see if he had crashed, but to her wondered eyes, she saw nothing of the man who had saved her.
(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)
Inside the bakery, the counter was extremely busy as many men were talking and calling out to the young woman working behind the counter. She had long, silky blonde hair and pretty brown eyes and wore a pink dress with a frilly white apron. Her Pokémon, a beautiful Espeon with a white bow around its throat sat on the counter, pushing boxes of sweets to the different customers, often becoming distracted by the various male Pokémon that kept talking to her.
"Hey Yellow, got any chocolate cookies?" a man asked her.
"I'd buy some of those!" another shouted.
"Here you go," Yellow said, passing a nicely wrapped box to the man with a warm smile.
"What time do you get off?" another man called to her.
Another woman, also dressed in pink and an apron, hurried up to Yellow and whispered something furiously in her ear. Her brown eyes widened in surprise.
"She what? Come on Gloss!"
With that, human girl and Pokémon raced to the end of the counter and someone opened it up for her. The two dashed off, much to the men's surprise.
They hurried up the stairs and turned the corner. Leaf stood at the window, checking for any sign of the man who had rescued her, Vesper looking for his companion.
"Leaf!" Yellow called out, taking her older sister's hands.
"Yellow," Leaf said surprised as Gloss rushed up to Vesper, who was, ironically enough, the elder of the two.
"Leaf! Someone told me that you floated down onto the balcony!" Yellow cried, concern written on her face.
"So it did happen…I knew it wasn't a dream," Leaf said with a sad sigh.
(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)
In the storage room, just off to the side of the bakery's kitchen, Yellow and Leaf sat on boxes on ingredients. Leaf was just finishing up her tale to her sister, detailing every moment since she had met the mysterious man.
"Wow…He must have been a wizard," Yellow declared, Gloss nodding.
"But he was so kind…He saved me Yellow," Leaf said, staring off.
"Well yes! He was after your heart, Leaf! You should be more careful, if that wizard was Blue, he'd have eaten it," Yellow said full of concern.
This Aiden sounds like the wizard's Pokémon, Vesp, Gloss told her older sister. He would have gobbled your heart down for lunch!
Don't be a twit, sis! Vesper said, flicking her ears. The two of them saved us!
"Even if it was Blue, he wouldn't have done anything. He only preys on the pretty girls," Leaf said with a sad sigh.
"Oh not that again Leaf! You are beautiful! Once a day, a man asks me where you are…"
"While you are asked a hundred times a day if you're seeing anyone," Leaf teased.
"Urgh! But still, you have to be careful. It's dangerous out there. They say even the Witch of the Waste is back on the prowl," Yellow said.
Yeah, and her Purugly is as vicious as they come, Gloss added to her sister.
Humph, Vesper said, scratching her ear with her hind leg. I'm not that concern with that, probably rumors.
"Hey, Yellow," a chef called from the door way. "The éclairs are done!"
"'Kay, be in in a sec," she said with a smile.
"Well, we better go," Leaf said standing up with Vesper. "I just wanted to see how you're doing."
Yellow and Gloss escorted their sisters to the door. Yellow waved at someone she recognized before turning serious, grabbing Leaf's hands again.
"Now Leaf! Are you really going to spend the rest of your life in that hat shop?"
Please Vesp, see some reason, Gloss expressed.
"That shop meant everything to Father," Leaf said before pulling on a smile. "Besides, I'm the eldest. I don't mind."
Someone has to keep an eye on things there, Vesper said.
"I'm not asking what Father would have wanted, Leaf! I'm asking what you want," Yellow said.
Please Vesper, there's so much more to life than just making hats all day!
"Well…" Leaf said her thoughts trailing elsewhere. She was good at making hats, but she did want to start over sometimes, maybe open up a flower shop in another town, just for something different. Vesper was thinking along the same lines.
"See you Yellow!" Bye Gloss! A man and his Mightyena walked by, causing said two to become distracted, offering Leaf and Vesper the chance they needed.
"See you soon, Yellow," Leaf called as she walked away.
"It's your life Leaf! Live it yourself for a change!"
If only it was that easy, Leaf and Vesper thought at the same time.
The two walked down the street, unaware that just behind a building, a hand drawn litter sat. A pair of human-like creatures stood there, one leaning against the little carriage while the other was bent in unnatural fashion. The door opened and a cane set a little golden jar onto the pavement, before tapping the top and opening it. A tiny stream of miniature Muks and Grimers swept up from the cracks and poured in before the top closed. The hooked cane picked it up and withdrew, the door closing behind it. A knock sounded and the bears straightened up. They picked up the carriage before turning around and walking away.
Back on the bus, Leaf and Vesper stared back at the city, wondering about the wizard and the Flareon.
Soon, their stop was there and they hopped of, before continuing onwards to the shop in the darkened streets. Leaf reached the shop and unlocked the door, letting Vesper and herself in. After heading inside, she locked the door before stowing the key in her pocket. She then took off her hat and headed for the counter. There, she lit the lamp with a match and the room lit up. She and Vesper were heading to the courtyard when the doorbell tinkled.
Leaf and Vesper turned around, confused. Standing in the shop was a large woman dressed in a black dress and fur with a hat that had a fur trim. Her throat was wide and it held a pink string of jewels. By her side, a large grey cat Pokémon, a Purugly, was looking at Vesper with yellow eyes full of amusement, a collar of purple and gold on its neck.
"I'm sorry ma'am," Leaf said. "But the shop is closed. I could have sworn I had locked the door…"
Please come back again tomorrow. We'll have even more hats then, Vesper said.
The woman gazed around, taking every inch, every handmade hat created with care.
"What a tacky shop, full of tacky little hats," she said with a smirk. "And yet…" she trailed off, turning to face Leaf. "You're by far the tackiest thing here."
With you as a close second, the Purugly meowed nastily to Vesper.
Leaf's eyes narrowed. She knew she wasn't pretty, but she wasn't tacky. She also had pride in the hats she made and she wasn't going to let this woman tell her otherwise.
"I'm afraid you'll have to leave now ma'am," Leaf said, walking past her. "This is a simple shop and if you don't see anything you like…" Leaf opened the door and started at the woman. "I suggest you leave now, the door is right here. Don't let it hit you on your way out."
And get pick up your trash on your way out too, Vesper added from her place at Leaf's side.
The woman laughed slightly. "To stand up to the Witch of the Waste…"
And her Pokémon, the Purugly added with a smirk.
"Now that's either brave or foolish."
"The Witch of the Waste!" Leaf gasped in surprise.
She heard a noise and turned to gasp, the two henchmen leering at her, with only masks for faces. The Witch seemed to glide across the shop's floor, as did the Purugly, and the two swept right through Leaf and Vesper, the two gasping and bending down.
The Witch turned to look at the two. "The best part of that spell is that you can't tell anyone. My regards to Blue."
And to Aiden, Purugly stated. They laughed before the door closed. A little bit later, the hand carriage was being led away.
Back in the hat shop, Leaf looked down to see her fallen hat. "Oh dear," she whispered, bending down to pick it up. She froze when she noticed her hand was a deep brown color while her wrist blended between her hand and her cream colored arm. She checked her other hand which was the same.
"Vesper!" she cried, searching for her Eevee.
"Leaf! You look so different!" a voice cried.
Leaf looked down and saw a dog Pokémon, pitch black with red eyes and yellow rings in her fur.
"Vesper! You Evolved into an Umbreon!"
"I did?! But…Leaf, you've change so much!"
"Why can I hear you?" Leaf asked in confusion.
"I don't know! Just check out your reflection!"
Leaf raced over to the mirror, the now Umbreon Vesper at her side, and looked at her reflection. She nearly fell over by what she saw. She was the same height, but her hair was a cream with leaf-green streaks. A pair of leaf-like ears extended from where her normal ears should have been. A tail, shaped like a leaf, appeared from behind her. Her eyes were the only same feature in her otherwise alien face.
"I…Turned into a Leafeon!" Leaf cried. "We've got to stay calm!" She cried. She and Vesper headed for the counter, before turning around and going back to the mirror.
Nervously, Leaf peeked and caught sight of herself again, as did Vesper. They were unchanged and the two then headed outside into the courtyard.
"Calm down Leaf," she told herself. "It's just a dream," she told Vesper as the two paced about. "Just stay calm, don't panic, everything will be okay…"
"Oh boy this sucks, I didn't want to evolve," Vesper rumbled angrily. But she was more concerned about Leaf, who was freaking out completely.
"Oh! Vesper this is so bad! Let's just go upstairs and try to sleep, okay? If this is a dream, everything will be all better in the morning."
"And if it isn't…?"
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Leaf decided.
The two then raced up the steps and rushed into the bedroom, locking the door before flinging themselves onto the bed. Sobs escaped Leah and the two lay there for a while before drifting off into sleep.
(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)
Author's Note: Okay! First chapter done! To past readers, you all know I'm in a Studio Ghibli writing phase and I'm really enjoys it so far. But onto the important part…
Who were the wizard and his Flareon? Why did the Witch of the Waste and the Purugly target Leaf and Vesper? Why a Leafeon and Umbreon? Find out soon enough! Review for heart, soul, and spirit!