HI! I was looking around Fanfiction, and I saw Howl's Moving Castle. As soon as I saw that, an idea for a fic popped up, and here it is!

Chapter 1: Another Day

Sophie sighed. She put away the last hat she had been working on, and didn't even bother to compliment it. Fanny had old her that it was very important to talk to her work, and compliment it, ever since she had been little.

Sophie knew that Fanny was taking advantage of her powers, or whatever they were, but what could she do? Her father's dying wish had been for Sophie to keep her happy, and to do as she said, so what could she really do? Nothing as far as she saw.

Sophie had figured out by the time she was seven that she was special. She told a dying bird, after bringing it to a doctor who only shook his head and said sorry, that it would live, and the next day it flew out her window, trilling joyfully. There were many other times to, but that was the first time she felt that she did it.

She didn't no what it was, but, from the wonderful soaring feeling she got in her heart, what she did know was it was good. That is, was good. She hadn't been able to do anything except compliment hats since her father died.

Wiping off the desk after she cleared it of the jumbled flowers and threads, she walked slowly to her bed.

Just before she fell asleep, a single tear rolled down her cheek, and she silently thought, I hope your happy father. I really do.

"SOPHIE! SOPHIE!"

"COMING MOTHER!" Sophie heaved herself out of bed and slipped into a clean shift. After tugging on the standard gray dress of her mother's shop, she walked to her desk, grabbed the hats she finished the other night, and began awkwardly carrying them down the stairs.

Setting down her load on the display table, she walked to the table and ate her breakfast quickly. Finally, she washed her dishes, and shuffled to stand, head down, in front of her mother.

"Yes? Do you need me to buy something?"

"Actually, I came to tell you I'm taking the day off. I don't think you want to take care of this place all by yourself, so I'm shutting the shop down for today! You can go off and have fun, and do whatever it is you children do! Isn't that wonderful?" Fanny smiled at her expectantly.

Quickly faking a grin of joy, she replied, "Oh thank you so much! I really needed a day off!"

Fanny hugged her quickly, said good-bye, and left the house, going into the small horse-drawn carriage waiting for her at the end of the drive, and waved as she left sight.

Sophie stared a little longer at where Fanny had last been, and heaved a deep sigh of disappointment. It had to be today. Festival day. The day where everybody partied and danced, and men leered at the crowds, looking for girls to accost, and girls walked seductively past the men, asking to be accosted.

A day of romance, a day of merrymaking, and a bad day for Sophie.

Sophie didn't see herself as beautiful. She didn't see herself as pretty. She based herself off her two younger sisters, and in her mind, she didn't compare. Where her sisters' hair was dark gold and lustrous chestnut, hers was drab ordinary brown. Where her sisters' eyes were youthful and twinkling bright green, hers were lifeless green that looked to be the result of a sick child. Where her sisters' skin was darkly tanned and flawless, hers was pale white, and hurt the eye. All in all, she deluded herself.

She looked longingly at the work-booth in the house, but shook her head and locked up the doors. She had promised to see Lettie at Mrs. Fairfax's (for she knew the truth about which sister was working at which place, and they had swapped places) and she new that today was the perfect day for it. Lettie would certainly have this day off, and be free to spend time with her sister.

She began trudging over the ridge behind her house, and hit the road leading to Upper Folding, basking in the sunlight, forgetting her unhappiness and simply enjoying the good things in life.

Okay, really short chapter, I know. This was just a starter. Most of it is going to be based off the book, not the movie (I always like the books better than the movies).

I'll try to get out more soon. Please tell me what you thought. I really need someone to give me some feedback, and I know there are some good writers out there who can give me tips.

Well, toodles, love ya, till I see you the next!