Disclaimer: Kiki's Delivery Service is property of Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki. This fanfiction is a work of fiction, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
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It was 3:16 in the afternoon, December 24th.
Kiki pulled her coat around her, stomach tingling with anticipation. She gave Jiji a quick scratch behind the ears. If the cat noticed, he didn't let it show. One of the kittens curled up next to him.
Smiling to herself, Kiki pushed the door to her single room above the bakery open and slipped outside. Snow fell gently around her as she crunched her way down the stairs. Winter had always been Kiki's favorite time of year. Ever since she was a child, she had loved snow. When she was younger, she would play outside for hours, pretending not to hear her mother call for her to come in.
At the foot of the stairs, Kiki stopped for a moment. She tucked her hands into her coat pockets and stared into the cloudy sky. There was just something enchanting about staring into a snowy sky.
Eventually, Kiki remembered that she had something to do. Shaking some powder from her bow, she headed under the arch and towards town.
It had been four months since Kiki had arrived in this city. Wow, she thought to herself. Four months, gone like that. Kiki was the happiest she'd ever been in her life. She had a great friend in Tombo ("He's not my boyfriend!" she would vehemently deny as he did the same beside her), Ursula visited when she could, Jiji and Lily were happily… what would you call? Did cats marry?
Osono sometimes had Kiki watch her son when things got hectic around the shop. Little Eiko was getting so cuuuuuuute, Kiki would insist.
Kiki stopped in front of the tailor's and looked around. The street was alive with the activities of Christmas. People bustled around, frantically doing their last-minute shopping. A group of children were having a snowball fight by the bridge. A band of Carolers sang, free from the reproachments of Scrooges.
Kiki permitted herself a small smile before turning to check the Tailor's window. CLOSED FOR HOLIDAY, HAPPY CHRISTMAS! screamed the sign in the window.
Kiki crunched through the snow to the alley next to the ship. In the subdued dimness of the alley, she crept to the tailor's door and knocked twice.
The tailor opened the door, his usual cigarette clenched in his smiling mouth. "'bout time ya got here, Miss Witch. Come in."
Kiki stamped the snow off of her boots and stepped inside. The tailor's living quarters behind the shop was small, but cozy. A fire roared in the fireplace, logs stacked beside it.
Kiki smiled. "Thanks for doing this for me, especially on this short notice."
The tailor shook his head. "Please; I owed ya anyway. Me nephew loved that package ya delivered fer 'is birthday, so I thought I should at least return the favor. Ya wanna drink?"
"No thanks. I won't be here that long."
"Eh, suit yerself. C'mon, it's back here."
The tailor motioned Kiki into another room. Kiki followed. The butterflies in her stomach had increased tenfold.
On the table was a white box. The tailor grinned. "Take a look."
Smiling with anticipation, Kiki lifted the box lid and lifted it off to reveal the box's contents. A slow smile spread across her face.
"It's perfect."
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6:34 at night, December 24th. Christmas Eve.
In the corner was a pile of boxes. Each of them were gift-wrapped with shiny paper and bows. They were packages that people needed delivered to their various relatives on Christmas Eve. A large burlap sack lay on the floor next to them.
Kiki admired herself in front of the full-length mirror. The tailor had done a perfect job.
She was clad in a red dress made from a thick material that made her feel perfectly warm. The hem, cuffs, and shoulders were a thick, white cotton that gave it a holiday feel. A pair of white tassels tied together the front of the shoulders. A white glove wrapped around each hand.
Tonight, Kiki had become the Christmas Witch.
"Lily says it looks great on you." Jiji called from their spot on Kiki's bed.
Kiki grasped the hem and did a quick spin, causing the dress to poof upward ever so slightly.
"Thank the tailor, he's the one that put this all together." She glanced out the window. Dark was rapidly approaching.
Kiki grabbed her broomstick from its spot next to the door. She motioned to the cat with her head. "Are you coming?"
"You kidding? Wild Horses couldn't keep me away." Jiji gave Lily a quick cat-kiss on the nose (Awwww,Kiki mused)and padded his away over to Kiki's broom. Kiki began to pile boxes into the sack.
Minutes later, the Christmas Witch's inaugural flight lifted off from the roof above Kiki's room, the burlap sack tied to the shaft by a ribbon.
From her spot high above the city, Kiki looked around. The town was covered in snow. Bright lights twinkled though the falling snow. The clock tower struck seven-o-clock. Jiji, a tiny scarf around his neck, curled up closer to Kiki's warm coat. Kiki glanced at her list of addresses and began her descent.
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Kiki hovered silently next to the house's window. Hands never leaving her broom, she looked into the children's room.
Three children, all fast asleep in their beds.
Kiki drifted forward a bit to the only lit window. Inside, a mother and father were curled up together on the couch before a roaring fire, mugs of cocoa clutched in hand. Kiki gave a muted tap on the window.
The mother jumped slightly and glanced around. Kiki gave her a tiny smile and a wave. The mother speed-walked to the window and slid it open.
Kiki reached into the sack and unearthed a package. She handed it in through the window. "Merry Christmas!"
The mother took the package and glanced at the address. "Oh! It's from my sister. Thank you, Miss Witch!" The woman glanced over Kiki's costume. It looked as if she were about to say something, but just gave the young witch a smile.
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The night continued on. Houses were visited, presents delivered. Children thanked Kiki Claus for the gifts.
Kiki Claus, that's what one little girl had called. Kiki had been smiling for ten minutes after that one.
The clock tower struck nine. It was getting late. However, Kiki still had a few boxes to deliver…
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A box containing a pair of aviator's goggles were left in the window box outside Tombo's room.
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Kiki left a ribboned roll of canvas leaning against Ursula's cabin door.
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Under Osono and the Baker's tree, was left a small glass of wine with a red ribbon. For New Years, said the card attached.
In her room, Kiki sleeps the blissful, uninterrupted sleep of the happy and the selfless. Jiji, Lily and the kittens curl up together at the foot of her bed.
The Clock Tower strikes Twelve. All is Well.