Chapter 8:
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Link, Stephanie, Jessica, and Navi were headed back to the ranch for
another night. Link and Stephanie rode together again, and Jessica and Navi
on their horse. Link and Stephanie were quiet most of the way, but Jessica
wasn't.
"I don't want to be tripped in the mud, I don't wanna be saved from the
chickens, I don't wanna be taken off a horse, and I DON'T wanna be locked
in a stable! I wanna trip Stephanie in the mud, I wanna chase Stephanie
with the horse, I wanna throw chickens at Link, and I wanna find out what
Link got from Dampe'!" Jessica said to Navi, but purposely loud enough for
Link and Stephanie to hear.
"I'm glad you've set goals in life, but only two might even possibly
happen," Link said over his shoulder to Jessica.
"Which two?" Jessica asked.
"Well, you aren't gonna throw chickens at me, and you're not finding out
about Dampe'!" Link answered.
"Hey!" Stephanie said quietly.
"Well..." he responded.
"Why can't we know about Dampe'?" Jessica asked.
"You just can't...!" he answered.
"Well, you have to tell us something. How big is it?" she asked.
"I guess that's for me to know, and you to... um... not...?" he replied.
"Is there a law against me knowing?" Jessica asked innocently.
"...I don't... uh... yeah! Yeah, there is!" he lied.
"Then recite it!" she commanded.
"Uh, I haven't.... memorised the laws, or something... uh, yeah..." he
said.
"Well, at least you can strech the truth a little bit, but I would have
made up something," she said.
"Well--" he started.
"Will you two cut it out?!?" Stephanie yelled.
"Well, what?" Jessica asked, ignoring Stephanie, as usual.
"Well, I--" he started again.
"Stop it!" Stephanie yelled yet again.
"Shutup, Stephanie! Well, Link?" Jessica asked again.
"Well, I'm bad at lying, so..." he said quickly, afraid that Stephanie
would interupt again.
"That's a little obvious! So what do you mean by 'so'?" she countered.
"Wait, what?" Link said, confused.
"You just said, 'Well, I'm bad at lying, so...' and I'm saying, 'What do
you mean by 'so'?' " she said slowly, like Link wouldn't understand it
otherwise.
"Um... pass?" he answered slowly.
"Well then, I win. You have to tell me!"
"Uh, tell you what?"
"The whole conversation was about what Dampe' gave you!"
"It wasn't a conversation, it was an argument!" Stephanie said.
"Kinda like how you and Jessica always argue, huh?" he countered.
Stephanie stayed quiet the rest of the time.
"As I was saying, you have to tell me!" Jessica repeated.
"Uh, hey look! We're almost here! he said, changing the subject. Jessica
said something under her breath, then none of them talked the rest of the
way. When they got to the ranch, Jessica got off her horse first and walked
around. Link got off and helped Stephanie off, then got back on.
"Um, what're you--?" Stephanie asked quietly, before Link shushed her and
started galloping after Jessica. Stephanie rolled her eyes and headed for
the stable to put Jessica's horse away. Jessica just stood there with her
arms crossed. He was either gonna hit her, or he wasn't. Lucky for Jessica,
Link wasn't intending on hitting her, just scaring her. It didn't work. He
stopped right in front of her. She didn't even blink.
"Well, I can do that too!" he said dissapointedly.
"Yeah, but the problem is, I'd run you over!" Jessica smirked.
"Yeah, I know..." he replied, bringing Epona to the stables.
"We can try it though, if you want!" she called after him.
"No, I don't think so..." he answered over his shoulder.
"Aw, c'mon, it'll only hurt for a few... months," she replied mockingly.
He ignored her and went to the stables, where Stephanie was still trying to
put Jessica's horse away. Jessica walked into the stable.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"Trying to put your stupid horse away!" Stephanie yelled. Link watched
from a high place in the stable with an amused expression on his face.
Stephanie was far from amused.
"Buttercup! Stable!" Jessica yelled to the horse. He walked over to the
stable, and Jessica closed the door. Link fell from where he was sitting,
he was laughing so hard. Stephanie, who did not think this was funny,
walked out of the stable, infuriated with Jessica, Buttercup,and Link.
Jessica followed, and Link, who was still laughing hard, put Epona away and
left as well. Later, the three had dinner. It was chicken. Jessica didn't
know it was chicken, though. She was too busy thinking about Mido.
Stephanie took her dinner outside to eat by herself. Malon and Talon
weren't there, so that left Jessica and Link there alone. Jessica kept
sneaking food onto Link's plate when he was looking. He kept looking out
the window at Nayru knows what. The first two times, he got a little
suspicios, but the third, he grabbed her hand and looked at it. It was all
red, like it had been burned.
"What is--?" he started.
"Uh, I've gotta... go!" she said quickly. She walked out the door, pockets
full of food. She walked past Stephanie, who was staring at the stars, and
went over to the chickens. She started giving them the food.
"Are you trying to make the chickens cannibals?" Link asked from behind
her.
"This is-- chicken?!?" she asked, startled.
"Uh, yeah! What did you think it was?" he asked. Jessica didn't reply.
Instead she walked over to the horses, leaving the chickens to eat the
chicken. Jessica watched the horses in the corral, and Link looked up at
the moon. It was a full moon. Stephanie, who was still staring at the
stars, finished her dinner and walked back inside to put her dishes away.
Link followed her.
"What, still mad?" he asked when he had caught up to her.
"...Maybe," she replied simply.
"I'm guessin' that means yes," he laughed. Stephanie didn't reply. He
walked upstairs, and Stephanie went back outside. When Jessica went back
in, Stephanie fell asleep out there.
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When Link awoke, he was alone in the room. The other two hadn't come to bed. He dressed in a different tunic and went downstairs to find Jessica sitting awake at the table. She was alone. She looked as if she had been awake all night, which, Link reminded himself, she probably had. "So, how'd you get burned?" he asked. "Fire," she answered simply. "Uh huh..." he said, rolling his eyes. "Okay, okay, if you must know, I got burned by a Deku Stick. Mido gave it to me," she said quickly. "Right. Well, did this teach you not to play with fire?" he asked. "No, it taught me not to play with Deku Sticks. I mean, I didn't know it was on fire!" she responded. "Yeah, well, let me take care of it," he said. He went back up to his room and got a white cloth and some stuff that smelled funny and brought it back downstairs. He put the smelly stuff on her hand, then wrapped it up with the cloth. "You call this taking care of it?" Jessica asked as Stephanie walked in the door. "Yeah. Hey, was the ground comfortable out there?" he asked Stephanie, who gave him an annoyed look, yawned, and walked upstairs. "Did you sleep well?" he asked Jessica. "No," she replied. "Why?" "My hand." "Um... oh." "You should really change to different colored tunics, because it really doesn't seem as if you changed clothes when you wear the same color," she said. Link looked confused. How did she know he had changed? Well, she was the "expert on fashion", he remembered. After a while, Stephanie walked downstairs. She hadn't spoken since last night. Jessica left the room to go to the stables and brush Buttercup. Link stayed. "Feeling better?" he asked. "Better than what?" Stephanie responded shortly. "Uh, nevermind," he answered. She shrugged and started to walk outside. "Wait, what exactly are you mad about?" he asked before she could leave. "Mad? Who said anything about being mad?" Stephanie asked. "Um, I just thought..." he started. "Yeah, well, don't think so much," she responded. "What's wrong with you?" "Nothing. I'm fine. And how are you?" "Uh, fine, I think..." he answered, scratching his head. "Well then... I think I'll go out and help Jessica with Buttercup," she said quietly. "Wait, you don't even like Buttercup!" he said. "Well, uh, so...?" "...Not even gonna ask," he said quietly, as she left. "Hi," Stephanie said to Jessica when she had reached the stables. "Hi," she responded. "Uh, what'cha doin?" Stephanie asked. "Um, I'm Kickboxing," she answered sarcastically. "Very funny. Can I help?" "Okay. Go stand behind Buttercup." "Uh, okay..." Stephanie answered. She went to stand behind Buttercup like she was told, when Link walked in the stable. "Um, what're you doing?" he asked Stephanie. "I'm standing behind a horse," she answered. "You might not wanna--" he started. Too late. "Ow!" Stephanie yelled. "I thought I told you never to stand behind a horse!" Jessica yelled, laughing. She fell down laughing, and was right underneath the horse. Stephanie held her arm, where she had gotten kicked, and Link tried his best not to laugh. "Yeah, you shouldn't have stood there!" he said to Stephanie, who glared at him. "She just told me to..." she said, turning a little pink. "...Did she?" Link said, looking at Jessica, who got up and wiped herself off. "What? I didn't do anything!" she said innocently. "Uh huh..." Link said, looking at Stephanie's arm to make sure it wasn't broken, or anything. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Here's your clothes," Link said, handing Jessica her old outfit. "What do I need these for?" Jessica asked. "Stephanie, go inside and practice with the arrows," he told Stephanie, who nodded and took the bow and arrows. "What do I need these for?" she repeated. "Just put 'em on," he said. "Okay," she responded casually. She went back into the stable and put her old clothes back on. Jessica stepped out of the stable, and instantly, Link threw her over his shoulder and brought her over to a pile of mud. He threw her in, and laughed maniacly. She was laughing, to his surprise. He started to walk away, when Jessica grabbed his ankle and made him plunge, face first, into the mud. She scooted back, and started to kick and throw mud at him. He laughed, and threw more mud into her face. They stayed out there for a while, throwing mud at each other. Stephanie hadn't touched the bow and arrows. She didn't want to break anything in the house. It was really a bad idea to give her a bow and arrows in the house. Jessica and Link walked into the house, dripping wet, but clean. "I'm not even gonna ask... " Stephanie said to Link, giving him back the unused bow and arrows, as Jessica ran upstairs with her dress to change. "That's good. I wouldn't have an answer," he replied. "Um..." she stated. Jessica came back downstairs with her dry dress on. Her hair was still wet, though. She had it wrapped in one of Link's shirts. "What the--?" Stephanie started. "How the heck--?" Link said. "Your bag was open," she replied calmly. He walked up the stairs, and when he passed her, he yanked the shirt off of her head and took it upstairs. "Well... That's okay. My hair is dry anyway!" she called after him. Stephanie rolled her eyes, and Link slammed the door behind him.
When Link awoke, he was alone in the room. The other two hadn't come to bed. He dressed in a different tunic and went downstairs to find Jessica sitting awake at the table. She was alone. She looked as if she had been awake all night, which, Link reminded himself, she probably had. "So, how'd you get burned?" he asked. "Fire," she answered simply. "Uh huh..." he said, rolling his eyes. "Okay, okay, if you must know, I got burned by a Deku Stick. Mido gave it to me," she said quickly. "Right. Well, did this teach you not to play with fire?" he asked. "No, it taught me not to play with Deku Sticks. I mean, I didn't know it was on fire!" she responded. "Yeah, well, let me take care of it," he said. He went back up to his room and got a white cloth and some stuff that smelled funny and brought it back downstairs. He put the smelly stuff on her hand, then wrapped it up with the cloth. "You call this taking care of it?" Jessica asked as Stephanie walked in the door. "Yeah. Hey, was the ground comfortable out there?" he asked Stephanie, who gave him an annoyed look, yawned, and walked upstairs. "Did you sleep well?" he asked Jessica. "No," she replied. "Why?" "My hand." "Um... oh." "You should really change to different colored tunics, because it really doesn't seem as if you changed clothes when you wear the same color," she said. Link looked confused. How did she know he had changed? Well, she was the "expert on fashion", he remembered. After a while, Stephanie walked downstairs. She hadn't spoken since last night. Jessica left the room to go to the stables and brush Buttercup. Link stayed. "Feeling better?" he asked. "Better than what?" Stephanie responded shortly. "Uh, nevermind," he answered. She shrugged and started to walk outside. "Wait, what exactly are you mad about?" he asked before she could leave. "Mad? Who said anything about being mad?" Stephanie asked. "Um, I just thought..." he started. "Yeah, well, don't think so much," she responded. "What's wrong with you?" "Nothing. I'm fine. And how are you?" "Uh, fine, I think..." he answered, scratching his head. "Well then... I think I'll go out and help Jessica with Buttercup," she said quietly. "Wait, you don't even like Buttercup!" he said. "Well, uh, so...?" "...Not even gonna ask," he said quietly, as she left. "Hi," Stephanie said to Jessica when she had reached the stables. "Hi," she responded. "Uh, what'cha doin?" Stephanie asked. "Um, I'm Kickboxing," she answered sarcastically. "Very funny. Can I help?" "Okay. Go stand behind Buttercup." "Uh, okay..." Stephanie answered. She went to stand behind Buttercup like she was told, when Link walked in the stable. "Um, what're you doing?" he asked Stephanie. "I'm standing behind a horse," she answered. "You might not wanna--" he started. Too late. "Ow!" Stephanie yelled. "I thought I told you never to stand behind a horse!" Jessica yelled, laughing. She fell down laughing, and was right underneath the horse. Stephanie held her arm, where she had gotten kicked, and Link tried his best not to laugh. "Yeah, you shouldn't have stood there!" he said to Stephanie, who glared at him. "She just told me to..." she said, turning a little pink. "...Did she?" Link said, looking at Jessica, who got up and wiped herself off. "What? I didn't do anything!" she said innocently. "Uh huh..." Link said, looking at Stephanie's arm to make sure it wasn't broken, or anything. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Here's your clothes," Link said, handing Jessica her old outfit. "What do I need these for?" Jessica asked. "Stephanie, go inside and practice with the arrows," he told Stephanie, who nodded and took the bow and arrows. "What do I need these for?" she repeated. "Just put 'em on," he said. "Okay," she responded casually. She went back into the stable and put her old clothes back on. Jessica stepped out of the stable, and instantly, Link threw her over his shoulder and brought her over to a pile of mud. He threw her in, and laughed maniacly. She was laughing, to his surprise. He started to walk away, when Jessica grabbed his ankle and made him plunge, face first, into the mud. She scooted back, and started to kick and throw mud at him. He laughed, and threw more mud into her face. They stayed out there for a while, throwing mud at each other. Stephanie hadn't touched the bow and arrows. She didn't want to break anything in the house. It was really a bad idea to give her a bow and arrows in the house. Jessica and Link walked into the house, dripping wet, but clean. "I'm not even gonna ask... " Stephanie said to Link, giving him back the unused bow and arrows, as Jessica ran upstairs with her dress to change. "That's good. I wouldn't have an answer," he replied. "Um..." she stated. Jessica came back downstairs with her dry dress on. Her hair was still wet, though. She had it wrapped in one of Link's shirts. "What the--?" Stephanie started. "How the heck--?" Link said. "Your bag was open," she replied calmly. He walked up the stairs, and when he passed her, he yanked the shirt off of her head and took it upstairs. "Well... That's okay. My hair is dry anyway!" she called after him. Stephanie rolled her eyes, and Link slammed the door behind him.
