Rule three-Best Friends are there to encourage you…even after they've laughed at your mistakes

Creeping up the hill slowly, Howl held in a snicker as he stood up, his shadow covering his best friend's sleeping figure. Kiki, for her part, dozed happily in the grass and turned over with a little murmur. This only intensified Howl's grin before he took in a deep breath. Then, with all his might, he yelled, "HEY KIKI!"

As Kiki jumped a foot in the air, screaming in panic, Howl laughed raucously and rolled around in the grass holding his sides. Kiki panted, gasping for breath as she held a hand to her chest and she shot a look at her best friend, who was still laughing as if he hadn't just given her a heart attack.

"What was that for?" Kiki complained, smacking Howl on the arm as hard as she could in retaliation for his violent wake-up. Rather than wincing in pain like Kiki had hoped, Howl hopped to his feet and wiped the last of the tears from his eyes. Calming down after laughing so hard, he offered her a hand with a grin, saying, "I came to get you for your flying practice. Come on, sleepyhead, let's go!"

Kiki sighed and shook her head before getting up and stretching, swatting away Howl's hand as she stuck a tongue out at him and turned on her heel. As she strode off purposefully, Howl caught up to her with ease, slinging an arm around her shoulder as he walked casually next to her.

"I wonder how many trees you'll crash into today," Howl speculated, and Kiki frowned before complaining, "If you're going to be so mean about it you might as well not come to watch me practice at all!"

"Not watch you practice? No way! How ELSE am I going to get a break from all those chores that the old geezer keeps giving me?"

"Howl, those aren't chores they're part of your apprenticeship. If you ever want to be a good wizard you should listen to him more and take your lessons seriously."

Howl rolled his eyes as the two friends approached the house. Jogging a little ahead, he leapt up easily onto the fence and walked the length of it as he said, "It's all work and no fun. He never even lets me cast any spells, and I KNOW that my magic's just as good as his by now if not better."

With a shake of her head, Kiki just watched her conceited friend before going over to the fence and walking into her mother's greenhouse. Howl followed behind, whistling while he bounced from foot to foot down the path. At the door of the greenhouse, Kiki's mother was waiting with the old broomstick, and with a smile she handed it to her daughter.

"Kiki, fly carefully now okay? Make sure you go slowly and take care not to stray beyond the village," her mother fretted. Kiki just smiled at her mom, untying her apron and handing it to her as she replied cheerfully, "I won't leave the village, Mom, I promise! Besides, Howl will be with me so it'll be okay."

Her mother took Kiki's apron, shaking her head and sighing as she smiled at Howl.

"I didn't know you could fly, Howl."

Howl shrugged, before saying with a cheeky grin, "I can do a hovering spell, if that's what you're asking ma'am. Besides, if Kiki can actually get off the ground this time maybe I can use-"

"Bye Mom gotta go!" Kiki said sweetly, interrupting Howl as she grabbed his arm and yanked him away from her mother. Running away with Howl in tow, the young witch closed her eyes and prayed with all her might that she would be able to finally get the broom working.

Once the two were far from the house, Kiki let go of Howl and gave him a look. With a loud sigh, she complained, "I told you not to let my mom know that I'm having trouble with this. The LAST thing I need is for her to start lecturing me even more about it, especially since I only have a year before I have to go."

Howl just shrugged before sliding down to lay in the grass. With a sigh himself, he told Kiki, "Just start practice already. We don't have all day you know."

His friend made a face before throwing her leg of the broomstick and gripping the handle tightly, as if she was afraid of falling off despite the fact that she was still firmly on the ground. With her eyes shut tight, she scrunched her nose up in concentration as she struggled to put in all her energy into getting the broom off the ground.

The bristles at the bottom of the broom stiffened for a second, and Kiki's skirt began to fly around her as her feet left the ground. Howl sat up at this, watching intently as Kiki hovered a few inches off the ground, her eyes still firmly shut tight. Just when Howl thought she'd finally gotten the hang of it and was about to really take off, Kiki opened one eye cautiously. In that instant she lost her concentration and was sent crashing to the ground. As she tumbled down the hill, broomstick and all, Howl leapt to his feet and watched her roll with a low whistle.

At the bottom, Kiki finally rolled to a stop and as she lay on the ground groaning, Howl slid down the hill to join her. Laughing good-naturedly, Howl jibed his friend, "I got a nice view of what was under your skirt there…good thing you wear shorts!" When Kiki didn't laugh, Howl's expression softened and he knelt down next to her, throwing an arm around her shoulder comfortingly.

"Hey now," he said in a serious voice, "You're doing a lot better than you were before. Don't give up now when you're on the verge of getting it."

Kiki turned to look at him, reluctance and doubt on her features as she replied weakly, "But Howl, I can't even hover for longer than a few minutes…"

With an almost motherly look, Howl pulled a face that had Kiki smiling as he stood up and offered her his hand. "Oh come on," he said cheerfully as he pulled her to her feet and grabbed the broom, "stop moping and start flying!"

Feeling somewhat better, Kiki climbed back to the top of the hill with her friend before exchanging a nod with him as she threw her leg over the broomstick once more. Clenching her teeth in concentration, she kept her eyes open this time and scrunched up her nose once more. When the broom rose again, Howl crossed his fingers and held his breath, before it rose even higher and jerked forward.

As the broom bucked forward, throwing Kiki off, Howl gave a whoop as he ran and caught his friend. She landed on him with a thud, the broomstick landing nearby as the two sat up and shook their heads to get their bearings. Kiki sighed before smiling as Howl punched her on the shoulder and said, "Not bad, not bad. Now that you can get off the ground, let's work on your control, okay?"