A/N: Welcome to an RP with AnnaleaseTurner with our own OCs thrown into the mix of the original story, like I do, that's all I ever do, I ruin fandoms and franchises with my meddling. Anyone else? Read & Review
Two girls sat in a back room, making hats. One was wearing a green dress with long, plaited brown hair and brown eyes. Next to her was a similar girl. This girl had white blonde hair that was tied into pigtails. She had soft brown eyes and a kind smile. She was passing the decorations to the brown haired girl.
"Sophie, Gwendolyn~" a woman called from the doorway.
The white blonde-haired girl turned to look at the woman. "Yes?" She asks softly, her voice quiet.
The brown-haired girl looked up as she sewed the decorations into the hat after softly thanking the blonde girl, but looked over when her name was called.
"We just closed the shop, you've done enough work. Why don't you come out with us this time?" The woman suggested to them.
The blonde-haired girl, Gwendolyn, gave a small smile. "No thank you." she told the woman softly.
"We'd better finish this," Sophie added. "You go and have fun."
"All right, suit yourself. Let's go, girls." The woman told her daughters.
Gwendolyn handed Sophie the last decoration for that particular hat. Sophie nodded back to her mother before taking the decoration to add it onto the hat with her sewing needle. The other girls got ready and soon went another way as they were told about the one called Howl with a castle.
After they left and Sophie had finished the hat, Gwendolyn headed outside with her. "Sophie, I'm going to go visit Lottie, are you coming or heading up home?" She asked her sister softly.
"Hmm... Seeing Lottie does sound like fun..." Sophie had to admit as she soon put the finished hat on a stand.
Gwendolyn smiled. "Alright." she told her and then put on her coat.
Sophie continued to arrange the hats before she soon stood up to join Gwendolyn.
Soon, they were on their way to the Bakery, but were stopped by two guards. "Hey, looks like two little mice lost their way." One guard said.
Gwendolyn looked nervous.
"O-Oh, no, we're not lost..." Sophie shook her head anxiously.
The second guard joined the other to observe the girls.
"The little mice look thirsty," The first guard grinned. "We should take them for a cup of tea."
Gwendolyn shook her head. "No, thank you." she said softly.
"No, thanks, our sister is expecting us." Sophie added as her hat slid down, covering her eyes.
"They're pretty cute for mice~" The second guard observed the girls.
"How old are you both, anyway? You live around here?" The guard smirked, leaning closer to Sophie.
"L-Leave us alone." Gwendolyn told them.
"Please." Sophie added, backing away.
The second guard had a small smile to the girls while leaning against them.
"You see? Your mustache scares all the girls." The first guard said.
Gwendolyn pushed Sophie safely behind her.
"So, I think they're even cuter when they're scared." The second girl replied.
Sophie shook a little, but felt someone behind them now. Gwendolyn shivered lightly.
"There you are, sweetheart," A voice told Sophie and Gwendolyn before a man's arm came around Gwendolyn. "Sorry I'm late, I was looking everywhere for you, and you too."
Sophie looked up to the stranger man curiously.
"Hey, hey, we're busy here." A guard said, annoyed.
Gwendolyn's cheeks turned pink, but she smiled and played along. "Hello, darling." she greeted softly, to play along.
The blonde man smiled back to her before looking to the guards. "Are you really? It looked to me, like the two of you were just leaving." he then did some finger gestures and made the two guards stand straight and march away from Gwendolyn and Sophie.
Sophie looked bewildered and surprised by what had just happened. The guards spluttered, but ended up walking away.
"Thank you." Gwendolyn whispered.
"Don't hold it against them, they're actually not that bad, and you're very welcome, my dear." The blonde man smiled.
Sophie watched as the guards left and looked back to this strange man. Gwendolyn smiled softly, blushing lightly.
"Where to?" The blonde man smiled back. "I'll be your escort this evening."
"Oh... Just going to the bakery..." Sophie replied softly and nervously.
"Don't be alarmed, I'm being followed." The blonde man coaxed before offering his arm to Gwendolyn.
Gwendolyn slipped her arm in his. Two strange blob-like creatures in guard uniforms started to appear. Sophie looked concerned as she followed this strange man and her sister before looking back in a fright.
"Sorry, looks like you're involved." The blonde man told the girls as he continued to walk normally until they would come up to a turn.
More blob-like creatures appeared. Gwendolyn took Sophie's hand nervously.
"This way." The blonde man said as he suddenly turned one direction.
Sophie's eyes widened as she followed her sister and this stranger.
Gwendolyn looked nervous, they were stuck in between two groups of the blob monsters. She then glanced at Sophie, wishing her sister safe at the bakery. As soon as this desperate thought popped up, Sophie disappeared, to the bakery, and Gwendolyn looked slightly shocked. Sophie looked even more shocked as she looked all around in bewilderment and heard light singing in a foreign language that was not her own.
"Well, that was interestingly peculiar." The blonde man smiled to Gwendolyn.
"Quite surprising..." Gwendolyn whispered, shocked.
The blobs were almost reaching them in both directions.
"Now, allow me to help you." The blonde man smiled to her.
Gwendolyn nodded, somehow knowing she could fully trust this man.
"Hold on." The blonde man smiled to her before he would do what he had to do.
Gwendolyn looked surprised as they were suddenly in the air.
"Now, straighten your legs and start walking." The blonde man instructed.
Gwendolyn did so and smiled softly as they started to walk in the air.
"See?" The blonde man smiled back as they walked in the air above the people on the streets down below. "Not so hard, is it?"
"It's amazing." Gwendolyn smiled to him.
"You are a natural." The blonde man chuckled as he floated with her.
Gwendolyn smiled and soon was helped onto the balcony of the bakery. "Thank you," she said aloud. 'Howl' she mouthed silently with a soft shy smile and blush.
"You are most welcome, my dear." The blonde man smiled back, though his eyes seemed to light up at the name being said 'Howl', though that was in fact his name.
Gwendolyn smiled and then gave a polite curtsy.
"My lady." Howl smiled back and bowed in front of her before he would take his leave.
"Have a pleasant evening." Gwendolyn smiled, then watched him prepare to go.
"You too, it was a pleasure." Howl nodded his head before he soon left in a mysterious way.
A younger teenage girl sang to herself as she wandered about and was helping the one called Lottie, she wore a head scarf on her head and her dress was a little different compared to Lottie's professional wear, as she was mostly a helper. Gwendolyn watched him go and smiled. Lottie heard someone mention Sophie and Gwendolyn were there and she went running off to see them.
"Hey, I'm over here, where you going?!" A guard called out eagerly to the beautiful Lottie.
The helper soon came over, but stopped with her eyes wide as Lottie rushed over. Sophie was so bewildered and confused over what had happened to her. Gwendolyn walked to where she saw Sophie.
Lottie ran to them and hugged them both, though mostly for Gwendolyn, due to how she had been seen floating down with a wizard. "Sophie! Gwendolyn!" She exclaimed.
"Lottie." Sophie softly said her name.
The other girl looked over and came by to see if she could maybe help out. She followed along a little, she didn't speak much English, but she was improving.
"What's going on? Someone just told me that you appeared on the balcony, Sophie, and that you floated down onto our balcony, Gwen." Lottie said.
"So, that did happen, it wasn't a dream..." Gwendolyn smiled, with a blush and a happy, but slightly distant gaze.
"I was thinking the same thing..." Sophie said to Gwendolyn, though was more perplexed than anything else.
The other girl muttered about how that seemed rather unusual.
"Lottie, would you like to use my office?" A man offered as he appeared.
"I should really get back to work. Thank you though." Lottie smiled to the man. She then took them to the backroom.
Gwendolyn sat with a distant look on her face still. The man waved to Lottie and walked off. Sophie glanced over, but stayed close with Gwendolyn and Lottie.
"Miss Lottie, is zere somezing I could do?" The girl asked Lottie.
"Oh, not really, Yasha, but you're quite welcome to sit with us." Lettie smiled.
Yasha soon sat down and listened to what had happened with Lettie's sisters.
"He was so kind to us, and he saved me." Gwendolyn told her sisters.
"Of course he did, he was trying to steal your heart. You were so lucky, Gwendolyn." Lettie then scolded.
"I'm not sure what happened to me before that though..." Sophie commented about Gwendolyn's hidden magic spell.
"If that wizard were Howl, he would've eaten it." Lottie added about the heart.
"Oh, he wouldn't, he only does that to pretty girls," Gwendolyn denied softly. "And I think that might have been me somehow... I wanted you safe and suddenly you were." she added.
"Ah, I zink you're very pretty, Miss~" Yasha mused to Gwendolyn.
Sophie thought about what Gwendolyn said to her for a moment, it was just a very strange and complicated situation.
"Oh, no, I'm not." Gwendolyn blushed.
"I zink so..." Yasha replied. "After all, zis Howl vizard seemed interested in you~"
Gwendolyn blushed.
"Don't give me that. You need to be more careful, it's dangerous out there. Even the Witch of the Waste is back on the prowl. Are you listening?" Lottie retorted to them.
"Huh?" Sophie blinked and turned to Lottie like she had dozed off for a moment.
"Argh..." Lottie growled out, annoyed.
A box was then moved and a man's face came out from the empty space. "Lottie, the chocolate éclairs are done." He then told the golden blonde girl.
Yasha looked over then to the man, looking away from Gwendolyn briefly and Sophie also turned over.
"Okay, I'll be right there." Lottie said.
Gwendolyn stood up.
"Thanks." The man nodded and moved the box back.
Yasha smiled with Lottie to the man before looking back to Sophie and Gwendolyn.
"All right, we'd better get going then," Sophie decided as she stood up with Gwendolyn. "I just wanted to make sure you were doing okay."
"Hello, Lottie." a customer greeted.
"Hi, how are you doing?" Lottie asked him as she served him before looking to her sisters. "Now, Sophie, Gwen, do you really want to spend the rest of you life in that hat shop?" She asked.
"I might be the youngest, but I don't mind." Gwendolyn said softly.
"The shop was just so important to Father, and I'm the eldest, so I don't mind either." Sophie added.
Yasha followed Lottie outside to her sisters.
"I'm not asking what Father would've wanted, I want to know what you want." Lottie told them.
"Well..." Sophie uttered out softly.
"See you later, Lottie!" A man smiled as he walked out of the bakery.
"Dasvidaniya." Yasha smiled back.
"Good seeing you again." Lottie waved.
"Come on, Gwendolyn, we'd better get going." Sophie suggested as she stepped back.
Yasha smiled before looking back to Gwendolyn and Sophie.
"It's your lives, Gwen and Sophie, do something for yourselves for once, will you?" Lottie told them.
Gwendolyn gave a small smile and wave.
"Bye, Lottie, nice meeting you, Yasha." Sophie said as she walked away from her other sister.
"Come back soon now, yes!" Yasha said politely with a smile as it was part of her job.
Gwendolyn walked to their hat shop. Sophie soon walked beside Gwendolyn to go there since she wanted to go there as well.
Soon, they arrived back and Gwendolyn locked up. However before they could go upstairs, the door suddenly opened again. A tall, rather fat woman entered.
"I'm sorry, ma'am, but the shop is closed now," Sophie told the woman. "I could have sworn I locked that door... Must've forgotten."
"I did lock it Sophie" Gwendolyn whispered.
"What a tacky shop," The woman smirked to them. "I've never seen such tacky, little hats. Yet, you're by far the tackiest things here."
Sophie looked firm to that statement. "I'm afraid you'll have to leave now," she firmly told the woman, but her voice didn't rise and she came to the door and opened it for the woman. "The door's over here, ma'am, we're closed."
"Yes." Gwendolyn agreed with her sister.
"Standing up to Witch of the Waste, that's plucky." The woman smirked.
"The Witch of the Waste?!" Sophie whispered loudly as she repeated that.
The blob creatures came through the door and they seemed to have fancier clothes now with masks, startling Sophie.
The woman suddenly turned into a bat-like creature and flew through both girls before leaving. "The best part of that spell, is you can't tell anyone about it, but between yourselves," she smirked. "My regards to Howl." She finished before she and her minions disappeared.
Gwendolyn stood up and tried to step forwards only to trip over the too long dress. "Ah!" She yelped, but then her eyes started to tear up from the pain.
Sophie was hunched over slightly, she was short and looked older. Much, much older, she even had silver hair and wrinkles. She looked all around before picking up her hat and saw that her hands were shaky and withered and Gwendolyn had also changed which confused and worried her.
Gwendolyn tried to stand up again only to slip on the dress again. "Sophie." she whimpered.
"G-Gwendolyn...?" Sophie asked in a scared, though frail voice.
"I can't stand in my dress, and you look like an old lady." Gwendolyn sniffled.
Sophie soon looked in the mirror and helped Gwendolyn up to walk without slipping in her dress. "T-That's really us, isn't it?" she then asked anxiously.
Gwendolyn gasped as she could see she was obviously around six-years-old. "Just stay calm, it's a bad dream, and we need to go to bed." she said.
"Y-You're right, it's only a dream... We've got to stay calm..." Sophie shakily told Gwendolyn. "We've got to stay calm..."
Soon, they headed upstairs to bed. Sophie held Gwendolyn's hand as they went to go to sleep, hoping this was just a bad dream.