Haru's Moving Castle

It was sunny that day. It was always sunny where Haru's castle went. Haru was the mysterious wizard who had fashioned a castle with magic and stone that was able to move. He was said to be handsome and ate the hearts of beautiful women. That doesn't apply to me because, well, I'm a man.

"Hey Makoto, when you're finished with that suit you should come out with us!"

"That's alright, Kou, I think I'll just stay in."

"Ok, suit yourself haha."

She and her friend, Chigusa, left for another town celebration. We lived in Iwatobi, a small but happy town in the kingdom of Nippon. We worked at a swimsuit store that lately had been gaining some popularity; especially with summer on the way. I continued to sew a dolphin pattern into the suit.

"You'll be a suit that pleases the ladies."

I continued on to sew a suit with a shark, "May your buyer have good digestion."

I sighed putting my work down. I decided I would go see my friend, Sasabe, at his pizza shop. I put on my jacket and hat and looked at myself in the mirror. I don't think I'm ugly looking, I just don't think I stand out much. No matter what I do I'll always be ordinary. Well, it doesn't matter. I have the suit shop. I'm good at this, my suits always sell. This is all fine for me, especially since I'm the oldest of three. They say the oldest sibling is doomed to fail. I don't have much in the way of aspirations so being able to support myself and still help out with my family is more than I could hope for.

And so I left the shop and started on my way. Iwatobi was having yet another celebration. This time it was the Eternal Summer Festival. Everyone was cheering and drinking and dancing and swimming. It was nice but a bit loud for me. I looked out at the water where everyone played. I could go swimming too. I could join them. I could be one of them. Suddenly the flash of a storm cloud and rain came into my sights. I shook my head and saw nothing was wrong, just another sunny day. That's right, I can't go into the water. I'm afraid.

"Wow, what a looker."

"Yeah and so tall!"

I turned around to see two strange women, "Hey there big boy, if you're not doing anything why not come with us?"

"I-I actually am going somewhere…"

"Oh dear, he seems to be scared," said one.

"Your mustache scares all the boys," said the other.

Suddenly my limbs were frozen in place, oh no. These are witches. They're going to kidnap me and eat my heart! They swarmed in on me, making kissy faces. The lady with the mustache wrapped her nose whiskers around me. Someone help!

"There you are," said a new voice.

The two women turned around and I managed to see who was standing there. He was shorter than me, then again, who wasn't? He had black hair and blue eyes and a poker face.

"Excuse me, but we're in the middle of something," said one witch.

"Hurry along or we'll take you too," said the other.

The man just stared at them blankly. Then he flicked his wrist and a red string tied around my pinky and the witches were knocked off of me. He walked over and poked each of them on the forehead, turning them into goldfish. Then he made a bubble of water where they began to swim. I stared at the fish and then at the wizard boy. I bowed quickly.

"T-Thank you very much for helping me!"

He didn't say anything. He only eyed me with those beautiful blue eyes of his. I found myself getting lost in them. Then I snapped out of it.

"W-well I'll be on my way then, thanks again."

I was about to leave when he used his free hand to hold onto my arm, "I'm being followed."

"Huh?"

The next thing I knew he wrapped his arm around my waist, look my hand, and I was hoisted into the air and flying! I held on tightly to the silent wizard. What's happening!?

"Where are you going?" He asked quietly.

"I- I- HOW ARE WE- HELP! I'M GOING TO FALL!"

"You won't fall," he said calmly, "Open your eyes and spread your arms."

"I CAN'T! I'M SCARED!"

He didn't say anything. For some reason I felt braver. By some miracle I managed to open my eyes and look out. My arms spread as I took in the sight of Iwatobi from a bird's eye.

"T-THIS IS ACTUALLY AMAZING!"

He remained silent. We kept flying and I said, "I was going to the Pizza place. Oh! There it is!"

He lowered me onto the balcony of the second floor and bowed. I bowed back, "Thank you again!"

"Wait a while before you return to the streets."

"Okay," and with that he was off and gone. I looked out into the clouds where we just were. Wow, he was amazing. Really, he was handsome too. I wonder what it would be like if I could do magic too? I was in a daze, winded by this charming stranger. Suddenly I heard a door slam open behind me.

"MAKOTO I HEARD YOU JUST FELL FROM THE SKY!?"

I turned around and just looked at him. I guess it really did just happen, I wasn't dreaming it. I explained what happened to Sasabe. He seemed shocked and impressed all at once.

"Even so, you should be more careful Makoto, if that guy was Haru he would have gobbled you up."

"But Haru only eats pretty girls?"

"No, the story's changed. Apparently he turns his victims into fish and gobbles them up. Gender is irrelevant now."

"… Into fish?"

"Yeah? What is it?"

"N-nothing! I should get back to the shop! You know, before it gets too dark out!"

"Alright, don't walk off with any strangers!"

"I won't," I laughed as I made my way to the door.

"Also," he said stopping me, "Word is the Witch of the Waves is back. So be on the look out."

"I'll be fine, there's no reason she would come after me."

"With witches you can never be too sure. I heard witches are behind the prince's disappearance."

"So the prince vanished? Well I'll be sure to keep my guard up. I'll be fine when I get home, witches can't enter a house unless you invite them in."

"Makoto, those are vampires. Are you sure you don't want me to walk you home?"

"I'm sure. I'll see you again soon Sasabe."

I began my long walk home. It was dark now and most of the townspeople had moved indoors or to the Far Sea, just a little ways south. It was a quiet walk; only couples remained in the dark with me. I thought about the wizard from this afternoon. He couldn't have been Haru, could he? I didn't tell Sasabe about the fish, I didn't want him to worry. Besides, if that really had been Haru, he would have eaten me. This wizard helped me, he was so kind to me. Yeah… Yeah there's no way he was Haru. I saw a couple by the town fountain and I looked at my finger where he cast his spell. There was a faded black line around it now… Is this like when you hook a fish? NO WAY I'M GOING TO BE EATEN BY HARU!?

Suddenly the couple morphed into a blob, all the couples did. Oh no. IT'S HARU! HE'S COME FOR ME! But instead of Haru I saw a red haired woman come from out of the fountain's water.

"Hello Makoto," she said.

Wow, she sure is beautiful. Nothing like the witches from this morning… She's a witch too!

"H-how do you know my name?"

She grinned, revealing her shark teeth, "Don't be afraid. Any friend of Haru's is a friend of mine."

"So he really was Haru," I sighed.

Suddenly she was right against me, my fight or flight senses were fully operational, "U-Uhhhmmmm."

"Now, how to punish you," she grinned.

"Punish me!?"

"It's not right for Haru to go chasing you when he belongs to me."

"He wasn't chasing me! I mean, we're both guys!"

She glared then, "So why did he give you his heart?"

"What?"

"So where is it, where is his heart," her voice changed into a demon's, "I want it back! It belongs to me! I'm going to devour it!"

"He didn't give me anything! Get off!"

And then I shoved her off and then panicked, "No! No! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to shove you, I mean, I did but not like that. It's just you were all over me and well I'm still so young and- are you crying?"

I looked at her and into her teary eyes. She only glared and shouted, "I'm not crying! Jeez… I can't believe you shoved me… Fine then."

"A-are you alright?"

She wiped her eyes and met my gaze, she was terrifying, "Very well… until I have Haru's heart I'll just take yours."

"Huh?"

She opened her mouth unnaturally wide where her shark teeth shone again. And then she bit into my chest. What! Is! Happening!? The line from my pinky shone and it blew her off like the witches from earlier. I winced at the pain but the witch only smiled.

"I see, a protective charm. Not bad Haru, but it won't be enough. Not for this spell. Good night Makoto, may our paths only cross when you can give me Haru's heart."

"I told you I don't- huh?"

The witch was gone then but my voice sounded strange. I looked down at my hands, they were fatter and covered in wrinkles. I touched my face; it was more like leather than skin. I walked over to the fountain, but felt extremely stiff. Finally I reached the water's edge and peered into my reflection. For the first time today I wasn't terrified. I just stared at myself.

"I'm so old?"