The Enigmatic Wizard

[Howl]

Walter Elias National Forest was uneventful throughout the day. The lush- untamed greenery was abuzz with the natural life of the forest, the particular location in question miles away from any areas where tourists would tread. Serene light filtered down through the thick tree canopies, illuminating a wide open area which was encircled by said trees. It was the image of tranquility.

Nearby, a brown rabbit emerged from the safety of a bush, slowly and cautiously making its way into the clearing before proceeding to gnaw upon some of the fresh greens which were growing there. Its ears suddenly shot upright, and it looked over its shoulder, its nose twitching rapidly. Nothing seemed to be there in the direction it had cast its gaze, though animals tended to have perceptions which humans, and similar races, did not. As if on cue, a strange wind suddenly rose. Fallen leaves began to dance about in an unseen vortex, spinning about. The rabbit bolted back into the safety of the bush it had earlier inhabited, leaving its half-eaten greens behind.

From seemingly nowhere, a haunting apparition appeared. Looking transparent and rippling, like a mirage, a hulking machine lumbered into the clearing. With each thunderous step it took it became more and more tangible, until it was fully opaque and substantial. The hulking machine had the appearance of a mechanical beast, walking upon four metal legs. It was covered with a clustered mess of cylinders, domes, and other protrusions, most mechanical, though some uncharacteristically more simplistic, including a rectangular fixture which was made entirely out of wood. Smoke and steam gushed from chimneys and ports atop the construct.

Once it was roughly in the very center of the clearing it stopped moving. It stood idle for a moment before the legs slowly lowered, the 'body' growing closer to the ground until it was fully rested upon the forest floor. At the rear of the behemoth was a rather common-looking, wooden door, not unlike the sort adorning an old house.

[Sunshine]

The Ray of Hope took to the skies on this nice day. As one of the members of the Dream League who could naturally fly, Sunshine enjoyed flying alongside birds in the air, with some of the birds even gamely challenging her to races. But there was another reason to fly out in the open besides simple enjoyment: to collect solar power and keep them within her body.

Sunshine smiled as she flew, her hands pressed against her hips, her long, golden hair flowing behind her like a radiant scarf. A lot of superheroes had capes, but she didn't need one; her hair pretty much acted as a cape.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sight of smoke in the distance. Her lips pursed as her eyes focused on where the smoke was coming from. Thankfully, she didn't require glasses for sight, only reading. She didn't have Archimedes's gifted sight, but she could plainly see that the smoke came from a place she knew all too well: Walter Elias National Forest. Was it Madam Mim? Was she there again?

There's only one way to find out. She increased her flying speed, soaring for the national forest. Though she was fast, it would still take her a few minutes to reach the location.

[She-Wolf]

Sunshine was not the only Dream League member to notice the unusual occurrence in the forest. She-Wolf, if but momentarily, had returned to the woodlands that she called home, today.

After making the decision to join the Dream League and live on Overlook Island, she promised her surrogate family - a trio of lupine gods that made the forests outside of Epcot City their sanctuary - that she would routinely take the time to visit them. The wolves, Moro and her two pups, overcame their strong distrust of humanity to take San under their wing and care for her, when she was alone, lost and near death - and they were also responsible for granting her the superhuman powers that she now had. She owed her life and more to them - more than that, she loved them. They were her family, and she couldn't stay separated from them for too long.

Despite the cold and harsh attitude she typically displayed when around the Dream League, they would have been quite surprised to see how she acted around her adoptive family - nothing made her happier than being alone with them in the forest. A warm, loving smile on her face, she sat atop the back of one of her brothers, stroking the wolf's massive furry head - to which the noble beast responded by panting happily like a pet dog. San then shifted her gaze up to the forest canopy, soaking in the beams of sunlight that cut through the treetops, reveling in the distant songs of the birds... she was experiencing pure bliss, right now, and one could guess that her companion was fairly content, himself.

Just then, however, a strange smell entered San's keen nostrils. She-Wolf's peaceful, aimless gaze suddenly became intense and focused - she caught sight of the source of the strange smell. Smoke - thick black plumes of it, rising up from a distant part of the forest. Immediately, San feared for the worst - a fire. Whatever the cause, she needed to see what was going on for herself before she could be at peace.

San's brother, too, suddenly picked up the scent, and stared off into the precise point from which it came, his yellow eyes wary and suspicious. He turned his head back to look up at his rider, whose eyes immediately met his. San nodded firmly, and, without a word, the wolf understood what she desired to do. San held onto the canine's thick coat as he broke into a sprint, his four powerful legs sending him gliding through the forest.

[Howl]

After the hulking machine had come to rest in the clearing it remained motionless, without any further incident. Though, after a couple of minutes, the wooden door at the rear of the beast slowly creaked open on its hinges. A small, light-skinned hand appeared from within to clasp the side of the door, followed by the face of a young boy with reddish-brown hair peeking out. His eyes slowly and cautiously looked this way and that, scanning his surroundings with his dark eyes, before he emerged entirely, standing in front of the open door as he continued to look around the foreign area; the first area he'd seen, in a world he'd never even heard of until recently.

The boy wore a long-sleeved, white shirt. Over it he had a green vest on which was secured by a single, gold button. A pink bow tie was positioned just below his white collar. He had green shorts and dark brown leggings which ended at his light brown shoes. His pants were secured by a black belt, which had a blue pouch attached to it, resting against his left hip. He also had on a blue mantle.

His face displayed skepticism, his mouth lightly agape. The lush greenery; the sunlight streaming down through the tree canopies. Even though the birds and beasts had been frightened off by the appearance of the monstrous construct, they would return in time. It was certainly a beautiful sight to behold. His skeptical expression gradually grew into a giddy smile. He could get used to a place like this, even if it was only a temporary place to stay.

[Sunshine]

Sunshine arrived at the scene first, but when she got close enough to see what caused the smoke as she descended closer to the earth, she nearly lost her concentration to fly. She regained herself, but she stared at what looked like large chimneys and funnels. This warranted an immediate investigation, and she proceeded cautiously. As she lowered to the ground, she stared at the bizarre, outlandish chimneys of this... building? She stopped descending for a minute to fly around the building, examining it. She stopped at the front of the building (though she didn't know that), before she continued to descend. Her eyes were so focused on staring at the new, armored whatever-it-was, that she didn't notice when her feet reached the ground. She looked down to make sure she was on the grass, and then she started to examine, her eyes wide. By chance, she landed at the opposite side of the enormous, bizarre building where the little boy was. But this didn't really matter, because she eventually walked (dumbstruck) along the building, until she almost reached the back door area, where the boy was.

She didn't notice the boy at first, because her eyes were so focused on the... thing. "Oh, my Lord," she said softly, but loud enough for someone in relative close proximity to hear. "Wh--w...what is this...?" She folded her left arm on her abdomen and planted her right fist along her right cheek, and the front of her chin. "I should tell the others," she said, this time much softer.

Her arms and hands remaining as they were, she continued walking, and soon discovered a young boy near a door. Sunshine exhaled softly when she saw the child, and she decided to politely approach him. She lowered her arms, stepped closer, and greeted him.

"Hello, young sir. Is..." She gestured to the epic building. Though polite, she was still clearly astonished by the mechanical mountain. "Is--is this... yours? It wasn't here before..."

[She-Wolf]

She-Wolf probably should have been relieved that the source of the strange smoke was not a fire - but, upon discovering where it was coming from, she felt no calmer than when she first picked up the smoke's scent. At that, she didn't know how to feel.

The wolf girl just stared, shock and awe all over her face, her eyes wide and lips agape. It... it was a machine - an absolutely MASSIVE machine. The... thing (the only word San could think of to describe it) was outright otherworldly, looking almost like some kind of bizarre fortress. And it was just sitting there, in the middle of the forest... as if somebody thought it belonged there. San's stunned eyes took in the entirety of the machine, until slowly drifting upwards towards the top of it, noticing the many chimneys gushing out smoke and steam into the surrounding forest - this determined where the smoke was coming from. It wasn't some fool starting a fire in the forest, but it certainly displeased the forest girl just as much.

Eyebrows furrowing incredulously, She-Wolf carefully lowered herself off of her furry partner. Her gaze was irremovable, locked onto the huge metal monstrosity sitting there in the clearing, even as she began to leave behind her brother to cautiously approach it. The white wolf waited in the bushes with tense patience, keeping an eye on his friend and ready to defend her if need be.

What was this thing? What was it doing here? How did it get here?! Whatever it was, San didn't like it at all. It didn't belong here, and San was more than willing to rightfully punish whoever was responsible for this ugly, smoke-belching thing's presence in her forest. Despite her annoyance with it, she gave the structure a wide berth as she circled it with careful steps - there was no telling what it was, or what its purpose was, after all. It could be dangerous, and probably was, San thought, given its imposing appearance.

She-Wolf stopped in her tracks at the sound of a voice - a familiar voice, one she immediately recognized. The voice gave San just enough comfort to throw away some of her fear and rush, almost blindly, towards the source of it. "Sunshine!" she called out to her comrade, feeling the slightest sense of relief as the blonde heroine came into view. As she approached Sunshine, however, She-Wolf noticed another presence - a small human standing at what appeared to be a wooden door, placed at the base of the towering machine. It took San just a second to realize that it was no more than a child.

She-Wolf was even more overwhelmed with confusion, now. A kid was responsible for this machine's appearance? No matter the age of the thing's owner, however, She-Wolf's feelings towards the unwelcome addition to the forest remained the same. Even as Sunshine politely addressed the young boy, She-Wolf stomped towards the child with an expression that was the exact opposite of Sunshine's. "Who are you?" she harshly questioned, glaring down coldly at him. "And what are you and your machine doing here?"

[Howl]

The youth snapped out of his daze of awe and wonder when he heard a nearby voice. He turned to see an attractive, if not peculiarly-dressed, blonde teenager nearby. She hadn't seemed to have noticed him yet, though that changed after a couple of moments. Catching sight of him, she approached him and politely addressed him, though the boy's expression was a stoic one. He wasn't really sure what to expect from the people of this world, and this girl was his first encounter with a resident. She seemed friendly enough, he thought. He opened his mouth to answer her when another teenage girl appeared, cutting him short. Unlike the blonde, this angry-looking girl was rather confrontational and scary. As she stomped toward him, glaring and questioning him in an intimidating manner, his face became wide-eyed, his mouth becoming something of a grimace.

"Ahhh!" He shouted aloud when the frightening girl in wolfskins had drawn too close for comfort. Without a word he turned, rushing back in through the wooden door he had come through and slamming it shut behind him.

Everything was silent once again.

Just under a minute after the boy had rushed back into the safety of the hulking machine, the wooden door slowly creaked open again. But it was not the boy who appeared in the doorway, but a different individual entirely. A full grown man strode out, and once he was cleared of the doorway it closed behind him, without him having physically closed it himself. He was a youthful, attractive man with a slender build and light skin, and medium-long, blond hair and sapphire blue eyes. He wore a regal-looking white, long-sleeved, collared shirt with puffy lower arms. The shirt was tucked into black pants, which ended with a pair of black dress shoes. Worn over his shoulders was a primarily pink coat with traces of blue-green and gold trimming, its wide sleeves resting at his sides, as his arms were not placed through them and it was being worn more like a cape. Tear-shaped, green earrings hung from either ear, and around his neck he wore a necklace with a larger tear-shaped pendant, this one a sapphire blue. On his right index finger was a silver ring with a red stone. His appearance was strikingly handsome. He had a light smile upon his mouth as he looked between the two who had come to investigate the arrival of his castle. While he had hoped that his appearance would go unnoticed, if he had to be noticed he was at least thankful that it was by two beautiful, young women.

Raising his right hand under his chest he offered a light bow to the two before straightening his posture again, strands of yellow hair falling around his face. "I must apologize for my apprentice's rudeness. We're new to your fine country and I don't believe he was quite prepared to know how to handle his first encounter with the locals." He said in a calm, smooth tone of voice. His eyes shifted between the short-haired girl and the blonde.

[Sunshine]

Sunshine smiled and looked back to She-Wolf as she heard the latter approach. But her smile was gone by the time She-Wolf towered over the boy, forcing harsh, accusing questions on him. Though Sunshine knew that She-Wolf had the best of intentions, the Ray of Hope nevertheless winced as she saw the boy's reaction to She-Wolf's intimidating, cold approach. The boy shouted, and returned to the building in agitation, closing the door behind him. Sunshine took this opportunity to look She-Wolf in the eyes with the face of a concerned mother.

"She-Wolf, I know you have the forest's best interests at heart, but you shouldn't have scared him like that. We don't know for sure if he's responsible for this building. He's innocent until he's proven guilty, so please try to be softer. He's probably--"

She was distracted by the opening of the door. She expected the boy to step out again, but she was surprised to find someone completely different. Someone who was an adult, and the door closed behind him without him ever physically touching it. He bowed gentlemanly and addressed the women. The man was remarkably handsome, with a good length of hair and a flashy, colorful taste in attire. His blue necklace was fetching, but even the lovely necklace was hardly sufficient, compared to the man's incredibly sky blue eyes. In fact, his eyes were so remarkably blue, that the blonde found herself staring at them without responding to the man's deep, smooth voice.

The blonde gently shook her head and tried to appear mannerly. "Oh, no! It wasn't that. It's just..." She looked at her shorter yet older companion for a second, trying to think of the right words to explain themselves. She returned her gaze to the man and smiled politely. "We don't remember this... this building, in this forest. And we... well, I saw the smoke, and that's..."

The longer Sunshine stared at the man, the less she knew what to say. She looked up to the castle as if to examine it. But she was actually trying to look away from the man's face.

[She-Wolf]

"...." She-Wolf just watched in confusion as the young boy, with a frightened yell, scampered back into the metal structure. That wasn't exactly the reaction she was expecting... of course, in her anger, she became unaware of just how intimidating she came off as. At any rate... the boy probably wasn't the owner of this machine, San wagered.

In fact, she felt downright embarrassed for assuming this when she turned to face Sunshine, and noticed that expression on her face. The expression she showed whenever she was disappointed with She-Wolf - that face always let her know that she did something that might not have been the right thing to do. Maybe it was a bit much to frighten a child like that... feeling awkward and ashamed, She-Wolf's cheeks turned slightly pink and she glanced away from Sunshine with a defiant, but embarrassed frown. She hated the feeling of being wrong, and especially the feeling of being told she was wrong.

Her gaze once again became alert, however, as the door creaked open once again. It wasn't the boy who emerged, however... it was a man. A tall, young-looking man with long blonde hair and strange-looking clothing, with bright blue eyes and a welcoming smile on his face. This was probably the owner of that wretched smoke-making machine.

She-Wolf lowered her eyebrows to glare harshly up at the tall man. Maybe it was unfair to be so harsh towards a child, but she was more than prepared to let this stranger know how she felt about the presence of his mechanical house in the forest. As Sunshine timidly stammered on, She-Wolf had yet to notice her strange demeanor and instead boldly interrupted her partner to question the man.

"Who are you?" was all she said, in that cold, bitter tone of hers.

[Howl]

Howl listened patiently as the blonde stammered and rambled about his castle. It was quite an endearing display, really. He immediately had noted that both of them were brimming with magical influence; the blonde seemingly had been gifted by positive magic, and strong and capable spells, at that, while the short-haired girl bore a signature which was unknown to him, and he supposed was of an origin he was unfamiliar with, possibly one specific to her world. He also felt the same sort of power she had emanating from another nearby individual, no less. From the wolf hiding in the surrounding forest and watching them, to be more specific. Howl's ability to detect magic directly around him was a strong one, like a sixth sense.

The beautiful blonde's rambling was abruptly cut short by her companion, who sounded quite hostile. If she was attempting to intimidate him with her harsh demeanor, she would find him far more unshakable than his apprentice. She was far too lovely in his eyes for him to perceive her as intimidating. "I apologize if the appearance of my castle here has put you at unease. I assure you, it was never my intention to upset anyone." He responded, looking between the two young women.

As far as introducing himself, he instinctively mulled over several of his aliases in contemplation of which would be most appropriate. But no one on this world knew of the great wizard, or his reputation, and thus an alias was no longer necessary. For the time being, anyway. "You may call me Howl." He ultimately responded, still smiling as he closed his eyes and bowed his head lightly. Though this bow wasn't as formal as the one he had offered them prior. As he raised his head his eyes opened and he looked between them. "And may I ask who you two might be?"

[Sunshine]

Sunshine looked to the man after hearing the word 'castle.' Her eyes acted as a window to her emotions, and this time she was amazed. She couldn't help but look up at the building once again. This was a castle? It certainly was different from the castle in Eyvindria, her place of birth! As the man apologized, Sunshine continued to stare at the castle. But the man had her undivided attention once more when he greeted himself, preceding a bow of the head. He requested to know the names of the two teenagers.

The blonde was starting to get over how handsome this stranger was. She smiled, more affably than before, and spoke with her gentle voice. "It's nice to meet you, Howl. My name is Sunshine." Her voice and manners greatly contrasted those of her partner, whom she introduced to him by gesturing to her. "And her name is She-Wolf." It was at that moment when she realized that she was wearing her mask. If what Howl said earlier was true, about being a foreigner in the country, then he probably wondered exactly why Sunshine wore a mask. That's why she felt compelled to answer this unasked question, even if it was uncalled for. "We are, um, enforcers of justice. That's why we wondered where the smoke was coming from."

So far, Howl didn't seem villainous, or even antagonistic. Sunshine was still prepared for anything negative, but she was starting to trust Howl's words. Of course, She-Wolf wouldn't be so forgiving--she knew this.

[She-Wolf]

She-Wolf cocked an eyebrow - did he just call this a "castle"? The girl stole another quick glance at the overall exterior of the bizarre mechanical fortress... she simply couldn't fathom how one could call it a castle. At that... did this mean that this strange man was royalty? She-Wolf returned her gaze to the tall young man, glaring up at him with an even more suspicious look than ever.

Even stranger was the man's name: "Howl". Everything about this stranger and his "castle" just reeked of suspicion... and his seemingly polite demeanor only came off as simply irritating to San. It was as if he was trying to win them over with his smooth words and obnoxiously charming gestures... what a sneak, thought She-Wolf. Gritting her teeth, now fangs due to her anger, behind her firmly closed lips, she remained silent as Sunshine offered to speak for them. She-Wolf's piercing, unmoving gaze made her distrust of Howl crystal clear.

Sunshine honestly irritated She-Wolf at times... she was, in her eyes, the greatest and most noble hero in all of the Dream League, but she was simply too kind for her own good, at times, and far too forgiving. Especially in situations such as this, it could manage to drive She-Wolf absolutely mad. This man impudently brought his hideous, metal, smoke and soot-spewing mechanical atrocity into the forest - her forest, her home, and the home of countless other living beings - as if he had every right to, and simply smiled innocently about it and apologized as if that would make everything better. The more she mulled over it, the more furious it made her - unlike Sunshine, She-Wolf was most certainly not going to let this man off the hook so easily.

"Your castle is not welcome in this forest," she snarled, her short brown hair appearing almost as if it were bristling in fury. "However it is you brought it here, go and find somewhere else to put it." Even as she fiercely reprimanded the man, she had to hold her tongue to keep her words from becoming even more austere. Angering this man might not be a wise decision... if he managed to bring this huge machine into the forest, who knows what else he was capable of?

Finally, She-Wolf shifted her gaze from Howl to her partner, Sunshine. "Right, Sunshine?" she asked her friend, looking at her expectantly as if hoping that she could possibly urge Sunshine into siding with her.

[Sunshine]

The masked blonde didn't know for certain if Howl was trustworthy or not... but there was something about him. No, she wasn't ensnared by his youthful good looks; there was something more to him. She couldn't explain it, and she didn't have credible proof, but she had a sensation. She had a feeling that Howl really, truly didn't mean any harm. She was still shy and occasionally had to look away from Howl's eyes, but from what she could see in his blue eyes, she felt that there was something important within him. She didn't know what, but she felt it wasn't wicked, or evil.

Unfortunately, She-Wolf started her verbal assault faster than expected. Sunshine winced when her friend and partner in crime-fighting was rude and hostile to Howl. But the clumsy situation only worsened when She-Wolf placed Sunshine in an awkward position, by requesting for support, expecting to receive it. If Howl had attacked them, or burned down the forest, or did anything amoral and wicked, then the two teenagers would have fought him by now. But How only had his home, a little boy, a flashy attire. That wasn't proof enough that Howl should be convicted.

"Right, Sunshine?" asked She-Wolf. There was no doubt that the wolf girl herself called for Sunshine's support by that question, and the subsequent look on her face was only more pushy.

Sunshine, unfortunate and in an uncomfortable situation, stared into She-Wolf's eyes. Her face was uncertain, her eyes devoid of passion, her lips tugging in thought.

"I..." She looked to Howl once again, into his sky blue eyes. And then back to She-Wolf. "I don't know." She paused to think of the right words to say, and then continued. "The only thing I'm concerned about is the smoke that comes from the chimneys. I wonder if they could tamper the forest in any way. But, at the same time..." She stepped back and gestured to the trees that surrounded the clearing. She even rose in the air and quickly flew a complete circle around the castle. When she returned to the area she was before her flight (almost the exact spot), she continued her explanation. "None of the trees here have been cut, and none have fallen. This castle might be large, but it hasn't knocked down any trees."

Sunshine almost sighed in weariness when she thought about how She-Wolf would react to this, but she braved and pressed on. "I can't speak for the Wolf Clan. If they want Howl to leave, I won't interfere. But... I can't support you over this. I'm not convinced that he should be cast out." After a short beat, she hastily added in hopefulness. "But maybe the forest gods and Howl could reach a compromise...? If they're reasonable... I mean..." The awkwardness was overwhelming, and Sunshine looked away from both She-Wolf and Howl. Her cheeks reddened, and she hid her hands behind her back, which was a trait of hers whenever she was in a truly uncomfortable social situation.

[Howl]

He raised his right hand to his chin, cradling it between his index finger and thumb, as the blonde introduced herself as 'Sunshine' and her companion as 'She-Wolf.' He clearly wasn't the only one who used aliases, it seemed. Though the names both seemed to fit rather well, even if the wolf girl's was a bit blunt and overtly literal. What Sunshine added afterward was even more intriguing: defenders of justice. Did that mean they were local law enforcement, or the like? Royal military, perhaps? It seemed there would be a lot he had to learn if he was to adapt to this world. Still, it seemed a sin for Sunshine to conceal a face as beautiful as hers behind a mask, even if it covered relatively little of her face.

He lowered his right arm back to his side and was preparing to respond to the introduction when She-Wolf went off on a tangent. Her words were harsh, though his demeanor remained the same. He simply eyed her thoughtfully, all the while considering how to respond. She was certainly adamant about the sanctity of her forest, though Sunshine didn't appear as angered by his appearance as she was. She mentioned that he hadn't knocked down any trees, but she didn't seem to pick up on the fact that it would have been impossible for him to have brought the castle into the clearing without removing such obstacles, as the trees which enshrined the area the castle occupied were too close together to allow such a gargantuan machine through. Thankfully, both of them seemed too distracted by the situation to have considered that.

At the mention of the smoke Howl's blue hues went skyward, as he gazed upon the chimneys and stocks they spoke of. He wasn't sure why the smoke would bother anyone, but nor did he see fit to question it. "Ah, the smoke?" He acknowledged in a calm voice, still gazing up. "That needn't be an issue." He added. Bringing up his right arm he waved his hand in a slow motion, from left to right. With his simple hand gesture the billowing smoke immediately dissipated. Of course, he hadn't stuffed the chimneys entirely; that would prove disastrous for both the castle and its occupants. He merely cast a simple spell which diverted the smoke elsewhere. This having been done, he looked back to She-Wolf and Sunshine, his blue hues shifting between the two.

"If my appearance here truly is a problem I would be more than happy to relocate my castle elsewhere. However, I must ask for some time. It took a great amount of effort and energy to get here; my companions require rest, and we all need supplies before I can move the castle at all." He informed them. And, it was true enough. Furthermore, he wasn't certain yet where he would move it to if not here, seeing as he was still largely unfamiliar with earth. His gaze fell squarely on She-Wolf. "She-Wolf; if you and the forest gods would permit me at least three days time, perhaps I could give you some sort of compensation?"

[She-Wolf]

She-Wolf's firm, austere expression, her eyes staring straight into Sunshine's, subtly shifted to one of confusion, as she observed the hesitancy in her partner. When she finally responded with "I don't know," She-Wolf finally displayed outright disbelief, her eyes widening. "What?" she uttered in a stunned tone, seeming as if she absolutely could not fathom why Sunshine would respond in such a way. Wasn't she her friend..?

Her lips still parted in surprise, she watched silently as Sunshine hovered around the perimeter of the castle and then returned, to make a point about the lack of physical damage to the forest. She-Wolf then took notice of the trees and foliage surrounding the clearing... and she was surprised to find that Sunshine was right in her words. She-Wolf knew this clearing well, and not a single tree seemed altered by the castle's presence in any way.

She-Wolf returned her gaze to Sunshine. As Sunshine continued to speak, She-Wolf's expression became somber once more, but also just a pit pensive. Her eyebrows lowered to just above her eyelids, and her lips were sealed shut firmly. She-Wolf, undeniably, was upset that her most trusted friend would disagree with her on such a matter... she felt rather hurt, even. Especially in such a situation as this, where the forest she held so dear to her seemed to be in danger. But, at the same time, her common sense, although taking a back seat to her dominating emotions, informed her that she was fairly justified in her statements. She-Wolf simply stared into Sunshine's eyes as she spoke, not saying a word - she made no attempt at arguing, and seemed to accept Sunshine's input, but her eyes made her resentment known quite clearly.

Howl spoke up once again, and She-Wolf whipped her gaze, once again sharp and piercing, back to the colorfully-costumed man. She cocked one eyebrow and lowered the other as he began to wave his hand around limply... just what was he doing? Just then, however, She-Wolf immediately noticed a change in the atmosphere... the scent of smoke had dissipated. She looked upward to the castle's chimneys, and her eyebrows lifted in amazement - the spoke was gone. The wolf girl quickly put two and two together... somehow, with just a wave of his hand, Howl was able to get rid of the smoke. Was there some kind of hidden mechanism behind this?

Slowly, She-Wolf lowered her gaze back down to Howl as he explained himself to the two heroines, incredulous disbelief still plastered all over her face. She flinched ever so slightly as he suddenly locked his eyes onto hers, addressing her by her alias.

After seeing what he had done about the smoke, She-Wolf was starting to feel a bit more comfortable with Sunshine's opinion on the matter... if only slightly. By this point, Howl truly was doing nothing at all to harm the forest... and She-Wolf accepted that as fact. However, that was far from enough for Howl to gain the wild woman's trust. His offer didn't sound too unreasonable - no more than three days of his presence in the forest seemed permittable, by She-Wolf's standards - but she would make it a point to keep a very sharp eye on this man and his metal home.

She-Wolf stared solemnly up into Howl's eyes after he made his request, and then twisted her head to face back towards the thick wall of bushes and trees behind her. Her great white brother was still there, and had not moved an inch - he patiently and silently observed the goings on from afar with those suspicious brown eyes, allowing his partner to do the talking. She-Wolf, however, needed his presence, now. She made a motion with her head towards Howl, but kept her gaze on the wolf in the bushes - and that was quite enough to let the wolf know of what he must do. With almost ghostly silence, he rose up onto all fours and trotted into the depths of the forest. It appeared as if he was leaving, but it was no more than a handful of seconds before he returned - accompanied by two other wolves.

San's entire family, with majestic grace expected of gods of the forest, emerged from the surrounding foliage and fully appeared in the clearing. Both of San's brothers, huge white wolves the size of cattle, whom Sunshine had seen before, were there, but they both flanked an even larger wolf - one practically the size of a small elephant, at least eight feet at the shoulder. The absolutely massive beast, standing at the middle of the pack, was also white, but its fur was of a slightly different hue than the smaller wolves' - while their coats had a tinge that could almost be called light blue, the largest wolf's fur was of a light creamy color. Its slanted eyes were the same color as those of the other wolves', reddish pink with brown irises - however, they appeared even more intimidating in their gaze. Aside from its size, the other most notable attribute of this gargantuan wolf was its tail - it was split at the base, creating what looked like two bushy white tails.

The largest wolf padded closer and closer to the group, as the other two sat about a foot behind her, like royal guards accompanying a monarch. She-Wolf obediently stepped aside to allow the huge wolf entry, leaving Sunshine's side to stand a short distance away from the great beast. Finally, the wolf stopped to stand about four feet in front of the castle, leering down at Howl with a baleful gaze. What almost looked like a smirk crossed the great wolf's black lips, the edges of them tugging upwards ever so slightly.

As if the wolf's size and appearance weren't enough to determine that it was no average wolf, it did the unexpected - it spoke, in human tongue.

"You have quite a bit of nerve bringing your home into our forest and expecting no qualms out of us forest gods," spoke a low, dry, mature-sounding female voice that seemed to emanate from the wolf's mouth - yet the movements of the canine's lips did not appear to match those words, as it only periodically opened and closed its jaws. At that, the voice sounded as if it was coming from everywhere at once, to the three humans it was speaking to. The wolf's jaws closed once more as the voice stopped speaking, however, which made it quite clear that it was the wolf who was speaking. Now determined to be a female, her voice, although human enough, had a distinct undertone to it, like a guttural, beastly growling that was coming from her throat at the exact same time.

"You are a bold wizard. And I can respect that." Without Howl ever making it known in this world that he was a wizard, the wolf goddess seemed to sense it clearly. The slight smirk in her lips became more noticeable, creating wrinkled creases on her long muzzle and revealing hints of huge, pearly-white fangs. "For that, I will consider your offer. Speak."

[Howl]

Howl watched with a stoic expression as She-Wolf's furry companion made its way into the forest, only to return shortly thereafter with two more wolves of impressive size, one of the three being the largest and most breathtaking of all. All three, and She-Wolf herself, were brimming with that aura he couldn't quite identify, though the largest wolf's was the most potent of all, by leaps and bounds. Howl had not anticipated an audience with forest gods upon his arrival. Had he known such events would transpire, he would have chosen an entirely different spot to make his earthly debut. But he had chosen this spot, and he had no choice but to accept the consequences of his decision, for the time being. He was, after all, stuck fast until he gathered the supplies he needed to move his castle once again. Inter-dimensional hopping was quite a taxing ordeal, even for him.

When the largest wolf approached him he bowed, similar to how he had upon meeting Sunshine and She-Wolf, though this time it was far more formal, and he held it for longer. Opening his blue eyes he cast his gaze toward the apparent head of the forest gods, while standing back to an upright posture. So, she knew he was a wizard. That didn't surprise him too much; if he could sense their power, it stood to reason that a god would be more than capable of sensing his own. Though it troubled him to consider how they might potentially react to his lack of a heart, or his pact to a demon, were they capable of detecting such details. There was no sense in worrying about that, as it was beyond his control.

He had carefully considered beforehand what to offer. Given who he was dealing with, physical objects of material value were, thankfully, all but removed from the equation. But there was something far more important to these forest gods, and their attractive human companions, than mere magical trinkets. And that, of course, was the forest itself. "If you would permit me to remain here for the time I requested, I would be all too happy to use what resources I have available for the sake of your forest. I can regrow lost areas, purify contaminated streams... Furthermore, I could help you keep out intruders, so you don't have any others, like myself, wrongfully intruding upon your realm." All would be easy enough for him. He had used his magical talents to assist plant growth before, and disorientation spells for large, forested areas, which cause intruders to unknowingly turn back in the direction they had come from, were practically child's play for him. He paused thoughtfully. "Although, I am unfamiliar with your forest. So I would suggest a guide to direct me to areas requiring attention." As he stated that his eyes shifted over to She-Wolf.

[She-Wolf]

Whether or not the great wolf goddess could sense such peculiar aspects of the young wizard would remain a mystery, for she did not mention them or act upon them. Perhaps she knew, perhaps she didn't. For now, she simply stood before Howl, holding him under her piercing, incredulous gaze as he made his proposal. Her two subordinates, in actuality her own pups, obediently sat behind their mother and did not move an inch - and She-Wolf, too, stood her distance. It was clear she had the utmost respect for the wolf goddess, but there was tension and uncertainty in her eyes as they darted back and forth between the wolf and the wizard. To hear that the man was a wizard didn't surprise her too much... after all, it would explain just how he brought his strange "castle" here.

The wolf goddess's expression remained perfectly stoic as Howl explained his offer, so there was no telling whether she would accept it or not. She-Wolf, however, expressed surprise at Howl's offer to help purify and protect the forest - while she remained suspicious of the wizard, she certainly didn't expect him to suggest such a thing. Would he really do something like that...? The girl looked up to the largest wolf, wondering what her answer would be.

At last, the wolf opened her lips to speak. "Very well. If you affirm to your offer, then I shall permit you to stay here until you are able to move your home elsewhere. We will make doubly sure that you keep your promise... bear in mind that you will suffer dire consequences should you be lying to us." After Howl requested a guide and turned his attention to She-Wolf, so did the wolves.

She-Wolf couldn't help but flinch as Howl locked his eyes onto her. Her slate gray eyes gazed back into his, although her stare had become considerably less hostile than earlier. She was rather unsure about this... even if the forest gods did accept the wizard's offer, even that wasn't enough to gain him the full trust of the wolf girl. The wolf's threat that he would be punished if it was all just a farce gave her just enough comfort to comply, however... for now. After a short, reluctant silence, she gave a slow but firm nod towards Howl, signifying that she agreed to be his guide in the forest.

[Sunshine]

Sunshine knew that her words would affect her much harsher friend. She-Wolf sounded and looked startled, even offended. Sunshine didn't regret her words so much as their impact, and she would make sure to have a conversation with her friend as soon as possible, to address any lingering problems, should the rural teenager require it.

Sunshine looked up to the highest tip of the castle, to the chimneys, when Howl referenced the smoke. From the corner of her eye, she could see the handsome man bring up his hand and wave it slowly. Incredibly, the gesture seemed to have had a direct and immediate impact on the smoke, which vanished. The blonde watched in awe, her full lips forming a delicate 'o,' her eyes filled with curiosity. She was starting to put the pieces together, and she could guess how the man got the castle here without harming the forest, a detail which she had failed to bring to light prior.

She returned her focus to Howl, when he stated that he would be willing to move, but he needed time and energy to prepare. Further evidence that he was beyond a normal man.

The Ray of Hope would remain silent for longer still. She watched She-Wolf as she looked at something she couldn't see. But it was obvious to whom She-Wolf looked at, when he, another oversized pup, and their incredibly large mother entered. Sunshine recognized these three wolves as more than mere wolves. They were definitely the wolf clan responsible for She-Wolf's lupine senses and dexterity. The mother wolf, a gorgeously beautiful yet intimidating animal, led her sons.

As the massive wolf approached the group (the pups stayed further behind, like guards), Sunshine bowed elegantly, and her arm flowed alongside the bow, acting with the sincerest respect she could bestow. Sunshine was really Aurora, the Princess of Evyndria, and so she was accustomed to regal bows. And hers was as beautiful as her willowy body and face.

The mother wolf's first sentence was blunt, cold, and unfriendly. (At least Sunshine then knew where She-Wolf had adopted her tough, headstrong attitude. "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree," as Duck Avenger once said.) Sunshine thought about her negation to She-Wolf, and immediately felt slightly concerned by the possibility that the huge wolf had heard it. Sunshine kept these thoughts to herself, and watched and listened to the wolf and Howl discuss a compromise.

The wolf god referred to Howl as a wizard. That confirmed Sunshine's suspicions. Only a wizard, she thought, could quickly establish a castle in the middle of a forest clearing, without damaging any tree whatsoever. She briefly wondered how the wolf would recognize Howl as a wizard, but she concluded that such an inherent power in a man might be blatantly obvious to a god.

It was decided: Howl would be granted his three days, provided that he help maintain and improve the forest. All eyes (including Sunshine's) fell onto She-Wolf when Howl suggested her to be his guide. With a nod of her head, She-Wolf agreed.

Sunshine, who had been silent for a long time, finally broke her silence by taking a step closer to Moro. She bowed in respect once again as she addressed the wolf god, looking her in the eyes without ever looking elsewhere, giving the wolf her utmost respect. "Your Excellency, I am more than willing to help in any way I can, should they need my assistance." She felt tempted to look to Howl and She-Wolf, but she didn't want to. She wouldn't look away from the wolf god's eyes until she didn't need to anymore. Instead, she gestured to them. She wanted to stay with them for a while longer.

[Howl]

Outwardly, Howl remained calm and composed, with a light smile upon his face. Inwardly, Howl was fairly bothered by the whole situation at hand. He avoided even meeting with mortal royalty back on his world. Now he found himself in an audience with a god, and found himself indebted to said god. All within under an hour of his arrival. Thankfully, in this scenario his magic talents would be used for something serene and constructive, not for war efforts and pointless acts of violence. Given the nature of the agreement he would adhere to his word, and assist the forest gods as he had promised. He fully intended to leave as soon as he could safely move his castle and, if all went well, never encounter these or any other gods again. He clearly still had much to learn about the alien world he had chosen.

He bowed again to the goddess. "You are most generous, oh goddess of this great forest. I shall strive not to disappoint." He thanked her graciously before rising again. He didn't want to imagine what consequences she had mentioned if he did disappoint.

When She-Wolf consented to acting as his guide, he offered her a charming grin, apparently pleased by her decision. His attention then turned to Sunshine when she spoke out. The blonde vixen seemed immensely empathetic and kind, even from what little a time he had had to interact with her. She-Wolf was clearly a determined individual who attempted to take charge of a situation, even though he had witnessed a moment of self-doubt through her tough exterior when her friend had disagreed with her. The fact that the two were apparent allies, 'defenders of justice,' intrigued him. They were like opposite sides of a single coin. He already found himself immensely interested in both young women, and wished to learn more about them.

He did not directly address Sunshine or She-Wolf in the presence of the wolf gods, as he did not want to appear as though he took their presence lightly, or that he was irreverent. He, instead, focused his attention back on the obvious leader of the pack, admiring what a breathtaking creature she was. He had seen many things in his life as a wizard, though he'd never encountered a creature quite like her.

[She-Wolf]

With her sharp, baleful eyes, the great wolf goddess shifted her gaze down to Sunshine as the girl offered her own assistance to the cause, silently listening to the human girl's words. There was little trace of emotion visible in the wolf's eyes, and there was no telling what the goddess thought of the girl's desire to help. The only response, visual or otherwise, that the forest god made to her words was a brief sentence: "Do as you wish." At the very least, it seemed the wolf goddess trusted in Sunshine to do no harm to the forest... but one could only guess.

She-Wolf, meanwhile, only responded to Howl's welcoming smile by making her own suspicious glare towards him even harsher. She was willing to show this man around the forest, but she did not wish for her interactions with him to grow beyond that. She shifted her attention back to Sunshine as she made her offer, and, contrary to her unwillingness to agree with She-Wolf earlier, her offer to help protect and care for the forest did enough to bring a sense of relief to the wolf girl. She did not smile, but there was a calm, grateful look in her eyes that Sunshine may have noticed if she looked towards her, indicating that she felt no hard feelings towards her partner - at least, thanks to her desire to help.

All attention soon shifted back to the great wolf goddess, as she spoke once more. "I shall trust, for now, that you will do as you said," she said to Howl, locking her intimidating gaze on him. "I will leave the girl to care for you, for now - my work here is done." She motioned her huge head towards She-Wolf, the girl she was speaking of, as she mentioned her - the exact relationship between her and the wolf gods remained unclear to anyone not initially aware, due to the wolf's referral to her as no more than a "girl".

She-Wolf seemed unaffected by this, however. The girl approached the huge wolf and laid a hand on the thick white fur covering her neck, stroking it a few times. A small smile grew on She-Wolf's face, but it would not have been noticed by Sunshine or Howl. The wolf goddess remained more or less motionless, allowing the girl to stroke her, and seemed to lower her eyelids slightly in contentment. The girl then left the larger wolf and approached the two smaller wolves, which were now seated together. They opened their jaws to pant in apparent happiness as She-Wolf stroked both of them with each of her hands, smiling warmly at them. She whispered something about coming to see them later, but it would be hard for human ears to make out.

Then, She-Wolf put some distance between her and the wolf gods, and the lupine trio rose up on their haunches to return to the depths of the forest. They generally disliked revealing themselves to humans, and now wished to return to the sanctity and privacy of the innermost forest.

[Sunshine]

The Ray of Hope's rosy lips smiled merrily when the wolf goddess granted her permission to assist She-Wolf and Howl. Walter Elias Forest was not Sunshine's home, and she was probably out of line for merely posing a question to the goddess in the first place. If the large, majestic wolf had declined her offer, Sunshine would have agreed immediately and drop the issue. Fortunately, she had the wolf's blessing to assist in any way necessary. Humbled by such an honor, the blonde teenager smiled very lovingly to the goddess and bowed again, even if said goddess didn't return the compassion.

Sunshine stepped aside and watched She-Wolf's behavior among the wolf pack. It was obvious that the wolves meant a great deal to her, even though she couldn't see She-Wolf's face most of the time, let alone hear her. Sunshine's smile widened, exposing her white teeth. It was so pleasant to see the otherwise moody She-Wolf act so kind to anyone, man or beast. Hopefully, Sunshine could help She-Wolf understand their teammates and treat them with the same respect, too.

Left alone with She-Wolf and Howl, Sunshine approached the two with a happy, affable expression. The two teenage girls had many noticeable differences. She-Wolf was 5'3" tall, and her short stature was especially noticeable when compared with Sunshine, who stood 5'10" in costume. Her heeled boots gave her an additional inch, so she was much closer to Howl's height than her friend. Standing tall, proud, and ready to be of service, Sunshine's lavender eyes looked into Howl's attractive hues, and she spoke graciously.

"Welcome to Calisota, Howl."

[Howl]

The flamboyantly-dressed wizard bowed respectfully when the forest gods made their leave. He only righted his posture once they were completely out of sight, even though their backs were facing him. Truth be told, he was very relieved once they were gone. He was also relieved that negotiations had gone so smoothly. Leaving the girl to 'care' for him was an interesting mention in the goddess' final words. He did hope she wouldn't get too involved in his business, all things considered. Still, the encounter wasn't entirely negative...

His eyes lingered on She-Wolf for a spell before turning toward Sunshine when she addressed him. His sapphire hues looked directly into her amethyst eyes, and a light smile found its way upon his face. "It was well worth the trip if only to be welcomed by such... defenders of justice." He replied, then directed his attention back to the wolf girl. "Well, I could better orient myself if the two of you showed me around a bit. What do you say we begin?"

[She-Wolf]

She-Wolf turned to face the two other humans present, Howl in particular, once her canine companions had vanished into the depths of the forest. The wolf goddess's judgement of the wizard did much to alter She-Wolf's attitude towards him for the better... but, by no means did she act anything remotely resembling friendly towards him, yet. Her gaze was still cold and gray as she stared into Howl's blue hues, but her face now appeared more stoic, rather than outright hateful. It wouldn't be presumptuous to assume that she valued the opinions of the wolf gods much more highly than anyone else's - even Sunshine's.

She-Wolf glanced towards Sunshine, who was beaming a bright and eager smile towards Howl, and then looked back to the wizard. "... Follow me," was all she said, in a fairly quiet but brash and to-the-point tone, before briskly marching off into the forest, expecting Howl (and Sunshine, if she so desired) to follow.

----

It only took but a short hike around the areas of the forest surrounding the outskirts of Epcot City - She-Wolf seemed to deliberately avoid guiding Howl and even Sunshine through the deeper patches of the woods. It might have been difficult to keep up with the wild girl, as she, agilely bounding across logs and crevices and weaving through thick foliage with the greatest of ease, appeared to have forgotten that her two followers were not as used to this environment as she. But, eventually, after about 15 minutes of walking, showing the most susceptible spots for littering or pollution, and awkward silences on behalf of She-Wolf, she had finished her tour for Howl, and they had returned to the clearing in which his towering mechanical house stood silent and still.

"... And that's it," the wolf girl bluntly spoke to signify the end of the tour, placing one hand on her hip and looking between Howl and Sunshine, awaiting their next decisions. Although still not exactly open and friendly, she seemed at least slightly more outspoken when guiding Howl through the forest and reminding him of every little detail he might have needed to know about it. She almost came off as a busybody, no-nonsense tour guide, and one might expect her to ask "Any questions?" at any moment.