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 Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 3:08 pm
Taken From Leyla's Journal "Howl, do you get heartburn?" Leyla asked, out of the blue. Recently Howl had told her (in attempt to get the infant to stop asking questions) that his heart was on fire. Unfortunately, it seemed to have the opposite effect. "Does it hurt?" The two were watching an old television series their father had found on vhs. It wasn't keeping the interest of either of the children, to be honest, but they were both polite enough to pretend. "No, I don't," Howl said, with a slight frown. Heartburn? Heartburn was for old people! Surely he'd never get it. Just like he'd never get a single strand of gray hair. Just like a wrinkle would never mar his facial features. "But you said your heart's on fire. Wouldn't fire burn it?" Howl had to admire his youngest sibling's intelligence for a moment, before shaking his head. "This is a special kind of fire. It doesn't burn me. It might burn someone else, though," he gave a pointed glance at Calcifer. Unfortunately, Leyla didn't catch the look, or maybe she would have stopped asking questions. "Why doesn't it burn you?" she asked. "If your heart's on fire, it should hurt." Why was her older brother avoiding the subject? Was his heart really on fire? Was he trying to hide that it hurt? Or maybe he lied to her? Maybe his heart wasn't on fire at all. "Lying's not very nice, Howl..." "I'm not lying to you, Leyla," Howl said earnestly. "Really. My heart was taken from me the second time, and given to fire. The first time, I gave it away to save a dying star." "Oh... You must be really nice, to give your heart away, Howl!" Leyla decided. She was used to his cowardly side; Howl, kind? She wasn't accustomed to that. "Did you feel sorry for the star?" "I did," Howl admitted, glancing at Calcifer. "But you know, Leyla? I think it was worth it. While giving my heart away might have caused some trouble, and prevented me from falling in love for quite sometime, when I finally did fall, I knew she was the right person. And I gained a friend out of it, right, Calcifer?" "A friend that does all the work for you," the fire demon complained. "If I'm your friend, you should treat me better!" Leyla looked up to see Calcifer, and smiled. "Howl, I think Calcifer's got your heart," she said. "Was he your falling star?" Howl could only shake his head, grinning slightly. He had gone from admiring the infant's intelligence to thinking she stated the obvious.
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Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 5:03 pm
Howl hadn't even bothered to write this letter; and from the wording, it looked like the boy hadn't been in the mood to do so. The very letter had an air of guilt attached to it, and it wasn't just the wording. It had a magical feel to it, though it seemed to have been dictated by someone who was showing very little emotion. Like someone who was trying to be emotional, and couldn't quite manage it.
Dear Alome,
I was so very sorry to hear about what happened. I cannot help but to think this is partially my fault. Maybe if I had been a better friend to you, you never would have attempted what you did. I should have listened, instead of talking. I thought you were recovering marvelously when we had the picnic, I should have been more careful with how I said things. I didn't know--I didn't think this would happen. It's not something one expects, I suppose... I always seem to remember you as the toddler I used to play with. I forget we've grown quite a bit since then, that we've matured.
We're no longer the care free children we were only a while ago.
The letter from that point took on a much messier hand, as if the original writer had given up, and left the other to finish it. The writing was scarcely readable, the writer had been obviously been upset. Perhaps his hand had been shaking. There were only two readable words in the two long paragraphs that followed.
I'm sorry.
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Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 8:21 pm
Anger simply seethed in Noel as he wrote out a letter in response to the one that Howl had sent Alome. He hadn't even shown the girl, for he felt that if he did.. She'd go spiraling down another dark tunnel, and he wasn't sure that he could save her this time. He quickly wrote out this letter and shoved it into Howl's mail box, before storming back home. 
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Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 3:08 pm
Reserved
Sophie and Howl were living--somewhat quarrelsomely, it must be confessed, although they were said to be happiest that way--in the moving castle again.
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Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 12:25 am
Zee had learned several things this week, but one thing stuck more than the others. His oldest son could not sing. The vain wizard who claimed to possess no musical ability whatsoever had proven his point. He indeed, showed no musical talent. He had proven it over and over that week, by singing a certain song that caused the elf to have a certain hatred for a certain animate--forget it. He hated Disney. Stupid movies and their catchy love songs.
"Baby I knew at once that you were meant for me~"
"Howl, you've sang this--" Calcifer started, only to be interupted by the wizard, who was determined to continue.
"Deep in my soul I know that I'm your destiny!"
"Ten times this week." The fire demon wasn't quite finished with his rant. He was tired of this song. Tired of telling Howl that he couldn't be true to his heart when he didn't possess one. Tired of informing anyone who would listen that this wasn't in the least bit funny.
"Though you're unsure, why fight the tide? Don't think so much! Let your heart decide!"
"Howl..."
"Baby, I see your future and it's tied to mine~"
"Howl!"
"I look in your eyes and see you searching for a sign~"
"Howl, stop singing!"
"But you'll never fall, till you let go. Don't be scared of what you don't know!"
Devin, of course, being the toddler that he was, was listening to his older brother happily. He glanced at Calcifer and gave the fire demon a bright smile. "Howl a bery good thinger, ain't he?" he asked.
"No..."
"True to your heart! You must be true to your heart! That's when the heavens will part! And baby, shower you with my love! Open your eyes! Your heart can tell you no lies! And when you're true to your heart... I know it's gonna lead you straight to me~"
"Howl! Just because Devin's enjoying this doesn't mean the rest of us are!" the fire demon complained. If he had had ears, he would have been covering them with flame like arms.
"Someone you know is on your side, can set you free. I can do that for you if you believe in me. Why second guess what feels so right? Just trust your heart, and you'll see the light~"
"Howl. I'm losing my patience." The fire demon wasn't exactly tapping his foot, because he had no feet to tap, but there was a certain glower to him that hadn't been there before.
"Let me finish this song," Howl insisted. "I won't sing it again, I promise!" He had been promising this everytime he got close to the end of the song, to no effect. "I'll even skip the next chorus for you." And so saying, he continued to sing.
"Girl, my heart is driving me to where you are. You can take both hands off the wheel and still get far. Be swept away! Enjoy the ride~ You won't get lost, with your heart to guide you~"
"Howl, you don't have a heart." Calcifer pointed out.
"Of course I do!" the wizard looked offended. He put a hand where his heart should have been and feigned a look of extreme sorrow. "You of all peo--demons should know that I'm not nearly as heartless as I seem. You're keeping it safe for Sophie."
"True to your heart! You must be true to your heart! That's when the heavens will part and baby, shower you with my love! Open your eyes Your heart can tell you no lies! And when you're true to your heart... I know it's gonna lead you straight to me!"
"Howl!"
"Oh come on, Calcifer! I have to repeat it three more times!"
"Do that, and I'll tell Sophie about your singing." Calcifer fizzed. He looked decidedly smug at the sight of his wizard's horrified expression.
"I'm done."
"I thought so."
@ Marina- I found a reason to smile.
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Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 12:07 pm
Howl was surfing the internet, fascinated by the website he had found. It had an entire section on him, of course the vain wizard was interested. He smirked as he read, the website was Fanfiction.net. Most of the stories were terribly--he paused.
"What do you mean Sophie's going to marry Justin?" he demanded of the computer screen. "Justin's cheating on Beatrice? Wait. Sophie's dating Justin?" He stared at the screen in disbelief, raising an eyebrow. Justin had been married to Queen Beatrice last time he had been in Ingary. Had something happened? Had they argued? Had they seperated? How was Strangia doing without their King? Wait! Sophie was cheating on him? The greatest wizard in Ingary, as well as everywhere else? She was cheating on him? "No, she wouldn't." The next fanfiction on the list was worse.
"I am NOT gay!" the wizard corrected the computer angrily. "Calcifer! This author says we're gay. For each other!" The irate wizard was clearly upset by the author's fandom. The fire demon read over Howl's shoulder and snickered. He wasn't nearly so bothered by what people wrote about him as the wizard was.
"I wondered when you'd come out of the closet," Calcifer teased.
"I'm not gay," Howl insisted. "The one before this had Sophie leaving me and marrying Prince Justin. Worse, they called him Turnip." The wizard paused, and looked slightly concerned. "Justin turned into a turnip? I don't remember..."
The fire demon shook his head, or rather his body, since he had no head to shake. "Look at this one," he pointed to the next fanfiction on the search page with a flame shaped hand. "This one says you have a daughter."
"Sophie was pregnant when I left?" Howl was horrified. No wonder she liked causing so much trouble for Adrian! Her vengence was bound to fall on him sometime if he didn't say something. He imagined all his favorite suits in triangle shaped pieces and shuddered. "She never told me! I bett--"
"Howl, the name's not Welsh."
"Inglish?"
"Nope. Sounds something like what you'd call Japanese."
"Why are all these writers lying about us?" Howl demanded, frowning at the computer screen. "And what's with this kid named Markl?" Calcifer fizzed with amusement.
"He's the imposter apprentice from the movie. You know, the mangled version of Michael's name."
"Since when did I adopt Michael?" Howl looked at his fire demon questioningly.
"Since when did I have children?" Calcifer asked in response. "This website seems like a gathering of well versed liars. You'd like them, Howl. Their dishonesty shines as brightly as yours does." For a moment, Howl seemed as if he wanted to argue. Then he smiled at his fire demon.
"You're right," he said. The smile faded as soon as he saw the next fanfiction on the list. "I am not a vampire!" This was the most offensive of them all. Him? A vampire? Vampires were terrible frightening creatures. How could they have possibly mistaken him for one?
"Nor am I an elemental," Calcifer pointed out calmly, fizzling in amusement at his wizard's reaction. "This one says Megan's a witch."
As the fire demon expected, Howl choked in disbelief before reading the summary. He snickered. "Megan doesn't have an ounce of magic," he said. "None that I've seen, anyway. Even if she did," he read further into the summary, "I would never take her on as my apprentice."
"But the Mari girl?"
Howl grinned quite suddenly. "Oh, I still plan to teach Mari," he said. "In Gaia, Ingary, or Wales. She'll make a splendid witch."
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Posted: Sat Aug 21, 2010 12:48 pm
Howl didn't know what he had done wrong, not to gain a certain girl's affections. He had tried everyting to woo her, and nothing seemed to work. He had tried flattery, subtlety, even sex appeal. He had used his intelligence, he had been clingy, played hard-to-get, been persistant, he had attempted at humor, he had been serious, he had doted, he had been kind. He had in his opinion, done everything right. He had even been generous, giving her apples five days of the week.
Why didn't she like him? Did she perhaps desire someone of musical talent? Howl possessed none. Did she perhaps want him to be cruel to her as school girls often liked? Did she want him to bully her in order to gain her attention? The young wizard had never been very good at being well, a bully. He had a soft heart, when he actually had one. He hated getting angry, he hated conflict of any kind.
Why didn't she like him? He was flawless. He was the perfect man--er, boy. Sure there were bouts of dishonesty and he tended to convince himself that he was a coward, but otherwise--okay. Howl was about as flawed as the most imperfect man on earth, but many had told him that those flaws made him all the more lovable. It was true that he was flighty and tended to fall in love with the most beautiful girls around (as long as they could benefit him, of course, he wasn't above that).
Honestly, this girl was harder to trap than Lettie Hatter had been. She ignored his gifts altogether, and would very rarely even flash a smile in his direction. He sighed self pitiously. The girl had a harder heart than the Witch of the Waste. With the exception of Sophie, she was the most beautiful girl he had ever set eyes on. It was so unfortunate that she didn't share his affections. So unfortunate that she made him work to receive so much as a "Good job" and a smile. So unfortunate that she liked putting silver stars next to his name rather than the golden most of the other children his age got.
Howl fancied his math tutor.
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Posted: Mon Aug 23, 2010 11:18 am
Note that I am keeping strictly to prior roleplay which each character mentioned in this solo. I have not added anything of my own design. I imagine Howl would be upset.
Owlhay eltfay uiltygay. Ityay asway a areray eelingfay orfay hetay izardway, utbay itay asway heretay allay hetay amesay. Ehay eltfay uiltygay. Ehay adhay encourageday Ikonay otay roposepay otay Ishtay. Ehay adhay assureday hetay elfay hattay everythingay ouldway ebay inefay, hattay hesay ouldway ovelay imhay espiteday heirtay ageay ifferencesday. Ehay adhay oldtay Ikonay hattay Ishtay ouldway ovelay imhay onay attermay hatway. Ustjay ikelay Ophiesay ovedlay him.
Hetay izardway eltfay ehay adhay evernay eenbay osay rongway inay ishay ifelay. Ehay aymay otnay avehay adhay a earthay, utbay hetay izardway newkay uiteqay ellway hatway hetay urdenbay ofay eartbreakhay eltfay ikelay. Ehay newkay exactlyay hatway ishay riendfay asway oinggay hroughtay. Itay eltfay ikelay youay ereway yingday. Ikelay youay ereway avinghay a earthay attackay. Owlhay newkay uiteqay ellway hatway hattay oorpay elfay asway oinggay hroughtay.
Anday ehay eltfay uiltygay. Histay asway allay ishay aultfay. Ifay ehay adn'thay encourageday Ikonay otay roposepay, aybemay histay ouldn'tway avehay appenedhay. Ehay asway osinglay ishay ouchtay. Owhay ouldcay ehay otnay avehay eensay histay omingcay? Hetay izardway usuallyay ridedpay imselfhay onay eingbay omanticallyray rillantbay.
Histay asway allay ishay aultfay. Allay ishay aultfay. Ehay houldsay avehay evernay uggestedsay hattay Ikonay roposepay otay Ishtay. Evernay. Ehay houldsay avehay eensay histay omingcay. Owlhay adhay ikedlay Ishtay. Ehay adhay houghttay hesay anday Ikonay ouldway avehay ademay a oodgay ouplecay; ustjay ikelay ehay anday Ophiesay. Ustjay ikelay hemtay.
Histay asway allay ishay aultfay.
Allay ishay aultfay.
Othingnay ouldcay avehay onvincedcay imhay otherwiseay.
Oneay ightmay avehay onderedway owhay hetay oungyay izardway ouldcay eelfay an emotionay uchsay asay uiltgay, incesay ehay adhay onay earthay. Uiltgay asway a tatesay of indmay. Otnay anay actualay emotionay ofay hetay earthay. Histay asway allay ishay aultfay. Ehay adhay upportedsay Ikonay inay everythingay hetay elfay adhay oneday. Ehay adhay encourageday hetay elfay otay ebay oremay assertiveay. Esslay ikelay Owlhay asway imselfhay. Owlhay adhay encourageday Ikonay to impressay Ishtay. Hetay izardway egrettedray histay.
Owhay ouldcay ehay avehay eenbay osay rongway? Ehay evernay asway.
Ehay adhay houghttay Ishtay anday Ikonay adhay eenbay a irrormay imageay of ehay anday Ophiesay. Ishay riend'sfay ainpay asway allay ishay aultfay. "Olday luebay-acefay," Owlhay aidsay, lancinggay atay ishay irefay emonday, "E'veway otgay to eepkay Ikonay romfay youray ousinscay."
Alcifercay oseray a lamingfay eyebroway atay hetay izardway. "Hinktay ehay ouldway?" ehay askeday.
"Ishay earthay asway ustjay rushedcay. I'day antway a ayway otay etgay idray ofay hetay ainpay ifay itay ereway emay."
"Anday yetay youay antway yoursay ackbay?" Alcifercay asway mirkingsay atay hetay hildcay howay adhay onceay eenbay a reatgay izardway. "Nowingkay hetay ainpay heytay ausecay?"
"Ophiesay anday I areay ifferentday. I nowkay he'llsay evernay reakbay ymay earthay. Ouray ovelay isay ruetay--hyway areay youay aughinglay?"
"Youay," hetay irefay emonday nickeredsay. "You'reay osay onfidentcay inay Ophiesay hattay ifay hesay everay idday eavelay youay, it'say obviousay youay ouldway ebay inay orseway hapesay hantay youray riendfay isay ownay."
"...Ouldway otnay."
"Oozingay limesay."
Owlhay miledsay uefullyray. "On'tday elltay erhay. He‘dsay eavelay emay orfay uresay ustjay otay eesay."
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Posted: Mon Aug 23, 2010 11:20 am
Howl felt guilty. It was a rare feeling for the wizard, but it was there all the same. He felt guilty. He had encouraged Niko to propose to Tish. He had assured the elf that everything would be fine, that she would love him despite their age differences. He had told Niko that Tish would love him no matter what. Just like Sophie loved him.
The wizard felt he had never been so wrong in his life. He may not have had a heart, but the wizard knew quite well what the burden of heartbreak felt like. He knew exactly his friend was going through. It felt like you were dying. Like you were having a heart attack. Howl knew quite well what that poor elf was going through.
And he felt guilty. This was all his fault. If he hadn't encouraged Niko to propose, maybe this wouldn't have happened. He was losing his touch. How could he have not seen this coming? The wizard usually prided himself on being romantically brilliant.
This was all his fault. All his fault. He should have never suggested that Niko propose to Tish. Never. He should have seen this coming. Howl had liked Tish. He had thought she and Niko would have made a good couple; just like he and Sophie. Just like them.
This was all his fault.
All his fault.
Nothing could have convinced him otherwise.
One might have wondered why the young wizard could feel an emotion such as guilt, since he had no heart. Guilt was a state of mind. Not an actual emotion of the heart. This was all his fault. He had supported Niko in everything the elf had done. He had encouraged the elf to be more assertive. To be less like Howl himself. Howl had encouraged Niko to impress Tish. The wizard regretted it.
How could he have been so wrong? He never was.
He had thought Tish and Niko had been a mirror image of he and Sophie. His friend's pain was all his fault. "Old blue face," Howl said, glancing at his fire demon, "We've got to keep Niko from your cousins."
Calcifer rose a flaming eyebrow at the wizard. "Think he would?" he asked.
"His heart was just crushed. I'd want a way to get rid of the pain if it were me."
"And yet you want yours back?" Calcifer was smirking at the child who had once been a great wizard. "Knowing the pain the cause?"
"Sophie and I are different. I know she'll never break my heart. Our love is true--why are you laughing?"
"You," the fire demon snickered. "You're so confident in Sophie that if she ever did leave you, it's obvious that you'd be in worse shape than your friend is now."
"...Would not."
"Oozing slime."
Howl smiled ruefully. "Don't tell her. She'd leave me for sure just to see."
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Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2010 12:36 pm
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Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2010 5:29 pm
Here's a little something from your friendly ragdoll
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Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 8:48 pm
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Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2010 12:18 pm
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Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2010 12:19 pm
http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=20186877
Howl meets Demetre; yay sleeping beauty!
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