Chapter 7: ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* They were headed for the entrance to Kokiri Forest. "I'm hungry!" Jessica complained. "But we just ate!" Stephanie said quietly, her eyes still closed, her arms still wrapped tightly around Link's waist. "She didn't," Link answered for her. "Then, what did she do with her food?" Stephanie asked quietly. "Um, you really don't need to know that..." Jessica said. "She gave the milk to the Cuccoos and the eggs to the horses," he answered, glaring at Jessica because of her lack of gratefullness for the hospitality. "And she's not gettin' any more food from me," he added. Stephanie smiled; but her expression quickly changed when Epona jumped a bit and Stephanie almost fell off. They finally reached the entrance to the forest and went through. Stephanie held Link closer as they went over the rickety bridge, and Link blushed. Jessica almost laughed, but remembered that Link would probably start teasing her about the monster if she did, and thought better of it. They crossed the bridge safely, and Jessica got off of her horse. Link got off next, and Stephanie tried to get off by herself, but ended up falling off. She landed hard on her back. Jessica laughed. Stephanie got up, rubbing her head. The three looked around. It was a huge forest. There were houses made of trees everywhere, and there were a few Kokiri walking about. "Saria!" Link yelled to a green-haired Kokiri. She turned and waved. She walked over to the three. "Hi, Link!" she said to Link, almost completely ignoring Jessica and Stephanie. "Hi. This is my friend, Stephanie. Oh, and that's Jessica," he told her. She smiled, and gestured for Link and the others to follow. She led the three, and Navi, into her house. It was small, but very welcoming. "Would you like to stay for lunch?" she offered. Just then, Mido walked in, not knowing that Saria had company. "Oh, sorry. Um, I just wanted to ask to borrow a couple of Deku Sticks," he said. "Uh, sure, Mido," Saria answered. She gathered a few Deku Sticks and gave them to Mido. "Hi," Jessica said to Mido, batting her eyes a little. Link and Stephanie tried their best not to laugh, but, as always, Stephanie couldn't contain it. She burst into laughter, while Mido and Saria gave her a funny look. Link nudged Stephanie to hint to her to stop, but she kept laughing. "Hi," Mido replied to Jessica, smiling. Link rolled his eyes, and Stephanie was doubled up with laughter. "You two do make a good couple!" Link said, not bothering to keep his voice down. Stephanie couldn't breathe, she was laughing so hard. Mido gave Link an extremely dirty look. "Look who's talking!" Jessica replied, pointing to Link and Stephanie. Stephanie didn't notice, since she was laughing so hard, and Link blushed and stayed quite for a while. Stephanie calmed down a little bit; she never found out what Jessica said, though. "Uh, why don't you come over for lunch?" Mido said to Jessica. "Hey, why don't you just stay here? I've already invited them to stay, so it would be easier if you just stayed here," Saria offered. "Yeah, you should just stay," Jessica said. Mido looked at Link and Stephanie. Unfortunately for him, he would have to stay. "Uh, sure," he replied quietly. They all sat down at Saria's table. Link sat to the right of Stephanie, who sat to the right of Saria. Jessica in between Saria and Mido. Saria served them food: apple slices, sandwiches, and water. "Yeah! No milk!" Jessica thought. Stephanie, Link, Mido, and Saria all ate their food on their own, but Jessica kept sneaking food onto Link's plate when he wasn't looking. Link started to get suspicios, and put the food back onto Jessica's plate when she wasn't looking. Stephanie, Saria, and Mido didn't seem to notice this, though. Eventually, Jessica started putting food in her pockets. Link noticed this, but didn't say anything. When the meal was over, Stephanie helped Saria clear the table, and Link stood next to Jessica. "You know, Jessica, you shouldn't give people food you've already touched," he said quietly, leaning closer to her so that she could hear. Jessica had a confused look on her face. "Jessica, is it? Would you like me to show you around the forest?" Mido offered. "Um... okay!" she answered, still confused about the food. Link walked away to help Saria and Stephanie, and Jessica and Mido left the house, thanking Saria for the meal. "They make quite the couple, don't they?" Stephanie commented when they had left. Saria laughed, and Link, remembering what Jessica had said earlier, stayed silent. When they were finished, Link and Stephanie left the house. Saria didn't want to come with Link and Stephanie. Link would be showing Stephanie the forest. "Hey, I have an idea! I can teach you how to use your sword now!" Link suggested. "Um, okay," Stephanie responded nervousely. Jessica, who was standing behind the two, said, "Hey, you should also teach her how to swim, and ride a horse."Stephanie hit Jessica on the arm. Jessica responded by kicking, but Link got in the way of the two, and got kicked in the stomach. Stephanie scowled at Jessica, who turned around and walked away quickly. Link reached for his bow and arrow, but Stephanie stopped him. Mido, who hadn't walked away with Jessica, gave Link and Stephanie, mostly Link, a look of hate and walked off after Jessica. Link and Stephanie exchanged amused looks. Link started teaching Stephanie how to use her sword properly. She was doing okay, but she couldn't keep her gaurd up. After a while, Link gave up on her and walked away, leaving her to sheathe her sword and follow quickly. "That wasn't very nice," she said when she had caught up with him. "Yeah, well, I wouldn't have done it if you would've used your sheild," he laughed. "Well, there's a problem. If she can barely hold her sword, I doubt she can use both!" Jessica said from somewhere in the distance. Link and Stephanie ignored her and kept walking. She jumped out of a tree in front of them, startling Link. Stephanie was still messing with her sword, so she didn't notice. Mido jumped down right in front of Stephanie, purposely trying to startle her. It worked. She jumped, and nearly dropped her sword. She sheathed it, while Jessica and Mido laughed. She turned red, and started to walk away. Link gave Mido a dirty look, and smirked at Jessica, and followed Stephanie. Jessica and Mido continued to laugh. Stephanie climbed up the vines to the entrance of the Lost Woods, Link close behind. She didn't really know where she was going, which meant that she was very lucky to have Link with her. They explored the Lost Woods, finding a secret grotto ocassionally. When they had tired out, or at least Stephanie did, they went back to the forest, to find that Mido had invited Jessica to dinner. Jessica said no, much to Mido's dismay, and joined Stephanie and Link as they were headed to the horses. "What, you didn't accept his romantic dinner invitation?" Stephanie asked. "And he didn't even invite you to dinner?" Jessica said, nodding her head toward Link. Stephanie and Link turned a little red. Link got on Epona and helped Stephanie up, while Jessica got on hers, Navi following. They rode out of the forest, Stephanie holding Link tightly around the waist, as usual. Jessica and Navi started singing the "Oscar Mayer Weiner" song agian: "Oh, I wish I were an Oscar Mayer Weiner, that is what I'd truly like to be, for if I were and Oscar Mayer Weiner, Everyone would be in love with me!" Link and Stephanie were closer than ever to strangling the two.