Disclaimer:
Studio Ghibli is amazing and all. None of their works are ours. Oh man, where did our conjunction go?
A/N:
We are but fledglings, so please be constructive with any criticisms so that we may learn to jump off the balcony and fly. That weirdness aside, we hope you enjoy the read! Do R&R! Thank you!
Background:
Kiki and Tombo have since married and now have a son, Taka, who is nearing the age of 16. Having remembered the hard times she had to go through to find the perfect home, Kiki is insistent on keeping Taka safe at home and safe within sight.
This was all too wrong.
Why the hell was he stuck in the same place? All his friends had moved on – they grew up. Yet, there he was, bumming around in his parent's house, watching his father invent new ways of flying (though most inventions either self-destruct or refused to budge) and his mother deliver loaf after loaf of bread.
Taka wanted to explore the world, just like his mother did. He yearned for a place he could call home.
His home was also his jail. He was barred from going anywhere, and all because…
"Taka, you must understand. The world is dangerous!"
"But Oka-san…"
"I only got to where I am today – where we are now – because of a stroke of luck. Do you understand? I am doing this for your own good!"
She would never let him go, afraid that the burden of exploring the world would one day weigh down on Taka. But he was no longer a young child – his 16th birthday was near. His mother was just 13 when she left her house. Why couldn't she understand?
Taka cursed softly as he stood from his spot on the grass and brushed the dirt off his pants. Fists clenched in anger and frustration, he proceeded to walk home. Strangely enough, he was no longer angry with his mother, but rather with himself. Since young he had always been obedient and never once thought of rebelling. What right did he have to call himself a man?
It was no good. He couldn't stand up to his mother, no matter how determined he was. People told him that he inherited that trait from his mother – his neighbor, Osono-san, of all people, knew that the best, having been friends with the little witch since she first stepped foot into Koriko, the port city.
Nevertheless, he really wanted to leave. It wasn't because he didn't love his family, no he loved his parents with all his heart, but his life was so boring! Especially since all of his friends had gone away, in search of their own homes and their purpose in life, so to speak. Whereas for him, it just seemed as though he was fated to be stuck here, helping his mother pack bread and buying equipment for his father's inventions.
Oh no. That couldn't be what he was destined to do all his life right? Surely there were greater things waiting for him? His life couldn't be so meaningless… No. Taka halted, as the sudden rush of determination overwhelmed him and his heart started to race.
Tonight, he would leave. He was destined for something great, he was sure of it, and he would never know unless he took that leap of faith. However, how would his mother react? He couldn't tell her, surely, yet he couldn't just leave without saying anything for despite her suffocating habit of being over-protective, she loved him. His parents loved him, and him, them.
"What do I bring?" Taka grumbled as he rummaged his room for a luggage. He paused as he realized he didn't know where to begin. Who knew preparing for one life's journey could be such a headache. He felt lost; he didn't even know where to go! How was he going to get to… wherever he was going? What would he have to bring? Taka slumped onto his bed, screaming into the pillow in exasperation.
"Mother's broom!", Taka remembered abruptly.
He could use the broom his mother flew on to deliver bread! Although his mother forbade him to leave, she never denied him the pleasures of being a wizard, which included flying.
"Perfect", Taka beamed, but there was still the problem of not having a destination…
It took him only a minute to decide. He would go wherever the wind took him. It was his journey to find his purpose in life after all; he should just let fate guide him.
Of course if he were to fly, he couldn't possibly carry a lot of things, and a luggage was definitely out of the question. Most importantly, how was he going to break the news to his parents? To his mother? He couldn't tell them face-to-face, for his mother would surely object to it, and then most probably proceed to lock him in his room forever. Ugh. Taka abruptly got up from his bed, and searched for some paper and a pen. Writing a letter to them would be best, he thought.
It was a quarter past 1 at night, when Taka stealthily crept from his room. He was sure his parents were fast asleep by then. He tiptoe-d across the hall to retrieve his mother's broom, his brown satchel in his hand. Taka decided on bringing a large bottle of water, a decently large loaf of bread, some money, and a compass. Finally, with the broom in one hand, and his bag in the other, Taka silently went to his parents' room. The door was closed. Taka pressed his ear onto the door, it was quiet inside. Feeling a sudden wave of sadness overcome him, he carefully slipped his letter under the door. They would understand. His mother would understand.
When Taka left the house, he never once looked back, for he knew that if he did, he would never be able to move forward. This was the path he was going to take.
Taka slid the satchel down the tip of the broom and positioned it. He kicked the ground hard with his right foot, closed his eyes, and poured his thoughts into his broom. Surely he would miss home. But he was doing what was best for him. Taka held onto the broom more tightly and squeezed his eyes.
Fly.