Chapter 1

From Sophie's point of view.

'Youth. While I was young, I didn't appreciate how lovely it was to have youth. Now, my bones don't creak, my back don't ache, and my heart always behaves properly, except when I think about Howl. It's amazing how irritating he can be, even though I love him.' Sophie thought as she lay in bed sometime pre-dawn. She staggered out of her little cubby and into the main room. Calcifer was gone, giving the entire room an empty, lifeless feel. Sophie sighed.'Do I really want to stay here now? I haven't hardly been out of the house since I first got here. Now that I can do so quite easily, I think that I will take a little walk, see if Market Chipping is the same'
Now having direction, Sophie reentered her cubby and donned her gray dress. 'Oh dear. I will have to do something about my appearance. Well, I can take care of that while I"m out'
Finally ready, Sophie grabbed a little money from the hiding place (she figured Howl owed it to her) and walked out into the ready world with the doorknob that led her into Market Chipping. Even at the crack of dawn, Sophie started at how different things were from Howl's castle. She wasn't used to seeing so many people in one place all at one time. As the sun quickly rose, people poured out of the houses, ready to go about their business. Sophie quickly made her way to the spot where the dressmaker's had been, and was relieved to see that it was still there.
"Mary?" Sophie asked as she walked in the open door. "Yes, yes, I'm here, don't fret-Sophie! I haven't seen you in ages! Come in, come in!" Mary, with bountiful brown hair bouncing as she rushed around, sat Sophie down on a stool and fetched some tea. "Mary! The shop has grown so"
"I know! Business is just booming!" Mary began tittering on about which customer's she'd had, and all about how life in Market Chipping was, and about what people had thought about Sophie's dissapearance. "And look at you! Running around in such a horrid gray rag"
Sophie smiled. Mary was just as she'd remembered her. "Actually, that was what I came about. Now that I'm young again, I thought--"
"Young again?" Mary gave her a confused look. "Sophie dear, I'm afraid that you will have to explain the entire story to me. Come, you can tell me while I fit you for a dress"
Mary bustled about picking colorful fabric, while Sophie related all of the events that had occured since her encounter with the Witch of the Waste. And little by little, the entire story was told, with a few interruptions such as, "No no Mary, no fabric with a pattern. Good solid cotton!" and,
"Charlotte(Mary's assistant), you may tend all of the customers today. I am quite occupied"
In the end, Mary had fitted Sophie out with 2 new dresses, one blue, and one green. They were the top of the line, if Sophie knew anything about sewing. She wore the green one, as Mary refused to let her walk the streets in the gray one again, ever. They were sturdy and practical, and yet set off Sophie's curves nicely. "Well! Would you look at the time!" It was surprisingly late-the sun was sinking in the sky. "You should be off, Sophie dear, before it gets too dark"
Sophie quite agreed. After paying for the dresses (Mary refused to take full price) Sophie took her leave, thanking Mary profusely.
"And make sure you visit soon!" Mary called after Sophie. Sophie turned and waved, then set about getting home before it was quite too dark.
Finally, Sophie reentered the castle, humming softly to herself. "Where were you?" Howl's voice sounded. "I've been frantic."

Ohh, something resembling a cliffie! Now, be sure to review so I know whether to bother posting the next chapter.