Gohan's Moving Castle

Prologue

Mount Paoz…

40 Miles outside of East City…

It was a warm, sunny day out over the East side of planet earth. The skies were clear, the breeze was cool yet the temperature was fairly warm, and everyone was out and about. Peace has rained down on the planet and its people for going on seven years, and many things have changed. Though no one took noticed, and at the same time cared very little. All everyone could think about was getting on with their lives through work and through pleasure. Living in happiness was the standard man or woman's dream.

The cityscapes making up the man-made landmark dubbed East City stood proudly where it was set. The Eastern plains was the perfect place to be, however it wasn't all flat land and pure. About 30 miles outside of the city lay ranges of mountains, hills and wastelands. All these natural wonders were green and growing healthy, but were very treacherous. Everyone who lived in East city was afraid to go out beyond their borders on foot because of the dangers that lay in the Mount Paoz Wastes. It was best to stay in the city where it was safe and under the protection of the Royal Army's guard.

From a distance, the city was booming and lit up by the sun, but deep into the wastes, a foggy, cloudy mist blocked out all sight of Paoz's mountains. For nearly a year now Mount Paoz's mountains had expanded to Satan City's borders as pieces of land were lost to the neighboring Ox Kingdom. But for too long the Ox Kingdom has been out of touch and was, what other people said; 'lost'. Since last month, no one has heard from the Ox Kingdom. Still, life goes on.

The cloud of mist that fell onto the Paoz Wastes kept most of the land features hidden. Sometimes this cover would lift, revealing the clear, beautiful mountains from time to time. But throughout most of the day the sickly mist would remain. If anyone were to venture into the cloudy mists they would be consumed by an almost nightmarish view that was impossible to trek out of. Magic donned creatures of all sorts lived in the mists. Some people said it was Kami's doing or were the lost spirits of long gone souls. But the truth was, it was all a figment of imagination. The people were just too caught up in a fantasy world.

Moving away from the city and into the hillsides, very little could be seen, only the color white. It was cold out here, and very moist. The recent storm that had passed surely relieved the parched grass and plants. The cold and storms were a lot worse during winter. But now that it had passed, it left a majority of its essence behind. The cold drifted on for miles on end, with no hope of seeing daylight except if you were to head in the nearby city's direction. The mist was blinding.

For some time, more belief fell that there was really nothing out beyond the city in the Wastes. But as it turns out, there was…

Loud, heavy stomping could be heard echoing through the white mists, shaking the earth with the sheer colossal of whatever it was coming into view. Loud hisses and gears grinding could also be heard, with other very distant yet familiar noises accompanying these tremors. Looking into the mists, a shadowy outline of something big came too, and was getting closer with each passing second.

When time came to pass, it was revealed what the thing was. A giant, poorly built, robotic structure of some kind came stomping out of the mist. The four, thin legs supported the massive bulk of the mechanical beast, as well as move it across the harsh landscapes. It seemed impossible that such a large structure like this could even be built, let alone walk on its own accord. Something was up.

Upon closer inspections, you could identify numerous pieces dotting its exterior. For starters the base structure resembled that of a giant fish but it was walking like a bug. Piled up, layer by layer on top of the base were pieces of different types of buildings, as well as very factory like structures, cranes, pillars, towers etc. The funnels were also of factory design. Whatever the case, this walking pile of metal, brick and cement, which was stuffed to the gills with all sorts of material, was with no doubt: a castle.

The massive structure walked over the grassy, sometimes earthy hills, making the same horrible noises along the way. It would be impossible to try and talk over the racket it made. It was a surprise that the people living in East City couldn't hear it. However, every time the fog lifted, the people would catch a glimpse of this giant machine walking over the hills, but would always disappear a second later. Right now, that time was to come again.

For over an hour the beastly castle continued to walk blindly through the mists, but seconds later, the mists suddenly lifted. Suddenly the castle appeared out in the open just behind a small farm nestled on the border of East City. The sun hit the castle and the land, lighting it up and making it stick out like a sore thumb. Its cover was blown.

The old woman who lived on the farm was busy shepherding her sheep into their pen, taking them in from a morning of grazing. While she was herding them up hill, she heard a loud machine of some sort and a strange presence of something cold nearby. Looking up, she let out a gasp of surprise when she saw a massive, monster of a machine walk by. The walking, building complex quickly stomped back into the mists it had come from, not wanting to be seen a second longer. The old woman had just ten more seconds longer to look at it before it disappeared once more as quickly as it had come.

The giant, walking castle had been seen many times but only briefly. In the earlier years it had been seen, people wondered who the machine belonged to. Some people said it was some sort of experiment from West City; another attempt by Bulma Briefs to make a mobile house. But as time went on, people came to know it as Gohan's Moving Castle, by the young man who was said to live in it. The stories of him had grown for many months now…and it all started with his myth behind the Cell Games seven years before…

This was where the story begins…

TO BE CONTINUED…