Lightning-Dono: Fanfiction.net was down, so I thought I'd continue this fanfic, even though I've run out of ideas...for now. I'm going to ask you to not comment in your reviews if anything in this chapter similar to something you've seen in some movie, because I've been watching some videos my dad rented to try and get inspiration. Probably just movie references, so don't worry. Not too obvious. =)
This chapter -is- quite boring, just to warn you all.
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I was stunned for a bit. Jack's father was...dead? I was never a big fan of history, but this was getting a bit interesting. What had happened before he came here? All I knew was that his grandfather died and he came to inherit the farm. Why his dad didn't inherit the farm I never knew, but I felt that it was best to just let the guy be.
"Is that so?" Officer Harris didn't seem too bothered by this. Being an officer he must've seen my many deaths and probably wasn't too surprised.
Jack nodded disdainfully.
"Well then. Come to the office. We have plenty of other ideas and contact information that we can check up on. Tons of sources. Come." He gave Jack's arm a hard jerk and in moments they were running down the road. I groaned. Left behind again. I decided to pay a short visit to Karen, who should be okay. Besides, I heard that Aqua was having a good influence on her. Every night he would tell her stories about his past. At first I thought that Karen would never take interest in that. She wasn't easy to please. Well, atleast I always thought so.
I thought wrong.
I had visited her a few days before in the evenings, to monitor Aqua's behavior, just to make sure that he was rubbing anything off on her. Aside from some obnoxious nose picking, he was good to go.
"Tell me another story," she had begged her head propped up on her pillow, arms relaxing across her stomach.
"Sure," Aqua had replied impishly, delighted that someone had finally appreciated his presence. I found his stories quite intriguing, also. But none of it could be real. It sounded too adventurous, especially when you take a look at the puny little sprites. Aqua had to sit on a stool for Karen to be able to see him from her bed, for goodness sakes!
"I thought you'd never come," Karen said as I entered the store, glancing over at the many-pocketed rucksacks. Maybe those would come in handy some time.
"I came," I said lamely, trying to sound funny and failing horribly. I never quite forgave her for putting the rabbit in danger, but I got over it.
"Heh. Did you come to buy something or talk to me?" She caught my gaze as I gave the rucksack a longing look.
"Both," I replied cheerily, picking up the rucksack carefully, feeling it's leathery strap in my hand.
"It's supposed to be 5000 Gold, but since you're a friend..." Karen's eyes twinkled merrily. She knew that she and I were more than just 'friends'. We never actually declared it, but I had a feeling that we were destined to marry. The thought even scared me a bit, but I didn't mind. It was all part of the fun and romance. "4000 Gold."
I turned pink. 1000 Gold was actually a bit, considering the many things someone could buy with it. Besides, I brought more than enough.
"But-,"
"Hand over the money, Buster," she said in a mock commanding voice, extending her hands towards my face with a sense of power that always seemed to surround her.
"...Okay, then." I quietly handed her 4000 Gold and slung the rucksack over my shoulder like a professional.
"You look like Jack," she told me. It was meant to be a joke, but when she said that, I had a bitter taste in my mouth. I made a face. "Okay, no you don't."
"Want to take...a walk with me?" I asked. The urgent and knowing look on Duke's face from behind the counter made me uncomfortable. Karen noticed my hesitant voice and turned to face her father defiantly.
"C'mon, dad." That's all she said to make her dad stop.
I began to wonder it would be like once we married. Her snapping orders left and right and expecting me to fulfill them?
"Well? Are we going on a walk or not?" She questioned, sounding annoyed. Now she was having one of her moods? This was definitely not going to be a fun walk.
"We're going."
We exited the shop, each of us slightly confused.
"Where are we going, to begin with?" Karen asked. Always the one to ask questions. I pondered upon this for quite a while.
"Well, let's go by Gotz's house. I just thought I'd do something."
"Whatever you say." Karen shrugged and walked next to me down the road. Half way there, I managed to bring up enough courage to hold her hand, in which she didn't complain about. This was going to be a pretty good start if I wanted to get on her good side today.
As we arrived, Ann was walking with an animal attached to a leash.
"Hi, Ann," I said coyly. Karen frowned automatically. I guess I should've let Ann make the first move instead of blurting out the greeting.
"Hello, Rick. I'm on my way to the Goddess Pond." She tugged at the leash expectantly.
"Again?" I realized a moment to late that what I had just said wasn't a very smart thing to say. Karen narrowed her eyes at me with suppressed anger and wrenched her hand away from mine. I suddenly felt very empty deep inside.
"Yes. I need to train Pickle. Good day." She waved gleefully and walked down the opposite path.
Karen cornered me by the large stump by Gotz's house, enraged.
"You've been hanging out with her all along, haven't you!?" She grabbed my collar like a bully would, shaking me back and forth. If I had the courage, I would've told her it wasn't going to help very much and that it didn't matter.
"No! Can't I have any friends? At all?" I gasped for air, feeling a very sickening sensation in my stomach.
"Of course you can! But when you said 'Again?' it sounded like you were there with her before! You were with her while I was in the hospital getting a stupid operation, weren't you? That's why you ditched me! You were going out with...her!" She pointed a shaking hand at the road. Anger management classes they had held back in grade school instantly sounded very helpful. Although I knew I needed it at times, Karen was probably highest on the list of needing it.
"Why would I do that? THERE WERE RULES! LIKE I SAID!" I shouted. Luckily, Gotz wasn't home to hear this conflict. Due to stress, my face started to turn red. Karen mistook this for blushing.
"THEN WHY WOULD YOU BLUSH LIKE THAT?" Karen thundered dangerously, her bright green eyes aimed piercing at my head. I was beginning to wonder if we were actually destined to marry. Maybe it was just one of my more realistic fantasies. Yeah, and they were useless to. What I had dreamt up hadn't been my future - it had become my weakness and downfall. I couldn't even stand up and argue with her anymore. All I wanted to do was that sappy stuff in my dreams. Never did I stop to think once that she would do this to me.
"I'm not blushing! And let go of me before I suffocate!" I grabbed her hands and pulled them away from my collar, causing me to tumble backwards helplessly while she stood there, hands returning to her hips, glaring. "Yeah, right."
I could believe her. Did she think I'd throw away our relationship away just like that?
"Why do we always have to argue like this?" I moaned. Knowing Karen, she'd probably take this the wrong way. She did.
"You coward! You leave my side, now you're scared? Forget you! I can find more responsible guys! Who aren't scared of girls!" She stomped away. I couldn't help but want to blame myself for those events that had just flashed before my eyes. But it wasn't my fault. Not all of it was. Karen was just too ignorant and hardheaded. And... She didn't understand. I still loved her, though.
I had intended to tell her something I had been meaning to. But now I couldn't.
Once again, I trudged back home without much life, the rucksack hanging loosely in one hand.
"About time, Rick. You almost missed dinner!" My father laughed heartily and spooned some soup into a large ceramic bowl.
"Where were you?" Popuri asked curiously, tucking the hem of her dress under the table and placing a napkin very formally onto her lap.
"I was...out," I replied.
"Well, get yourself a bowl, because this is the best soup your mom has ever made! Mmmmmm..." Dad slurped up some of it.
"Oh, Rod, dear, I've made better." Mom placed a bowl for me on my place at he table, stirring the soup.
I sat down slowly, my shoulders slumped.
"Sit up straight, please," Mom snapped. I never heard her use such a sharp tone in her voice. But things were changing.
After I ladled myself some soup, I tried to savor it, but through my worries, the soup was very insipid.
That's when I heard a crack in my pocket. It wasn't very loud, but it was there. I looked under the table, pretending to tie my shoe, but I removed the item from my pocket.
The Blue Feather I had was broken.
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Surprised? I'll let you figure out for yourself what Rick was going to do with Karen by Gotz's house. ;)
Yes. That was a boring chapter, to say the very least. Short and boring. Don't ask me why Karen argues with Rick so much. She's just one of those very kind people who just doesn't know how to express their feelings without fighting. Well, that's how I see her as. o.o Oh, well. R&R!
This chapter -is- quite boring, just to warn you all.
-----
I was stunned for a bit. Jack's father was...dead? I was never a big fan of history, but this was getting a bit interesting. What had happened before he came here? All I knew was that his grandfather died and he came to inherit the farm. Why his dad didn't inherit the farm I never knew, but I felt that it was best to just let the guy be.
"Is that so?" Officer Harris didn't seem too bothered by this. Being an officer he must've seen my many deaths and probably wasn't too surprised.
Jack nodded disdainfully.
"Well then. Come to the office. We have plenty of other ideas and contact information that we can check up on. Tons of sources. Come." He gave Jack's arm a hard jerk and in moments they were running down the road. I groaned. Left behind again. I decided to pay a short visit to Karen, who should be okay. Besides, I heard that Aqua was having a good influence on her. Every night he would tell her stories about his past. At first I thought that Karen would never take interest in that. She wasn't easy to please. Well, atleast I always thought so.
I thought wrong.
I had visited her a few days before in the evenings, to monitor Aqua's behavior, just to make sure that he was rubbing anything off on her. Aside from some obnoxious nose picking, he was good to go.
"Tell me another story," she had begged her head propped up on her pillow, arms relaxing across her stomach.
"Sure," Aqua had replied impishly, delighted that someone had finally appreciated his presence. I found his stories quite intriguing, also. But none of it could be real. It sounded too adventurous, especially when you take a look at the puny little sprites. Aqua had to sit on a stool for Karen to be able to see him from her bed, for goodness sakes!
"I thought you'd never come," Karen said as I entered the store, glancing over at the many-pocketed rucksacks. Maybe those would come in handy some time.
"I came," I said lamely, trying to sound funny and failing horribly. I never quite forgave her for putting the rabbit in danger, but I got over it.
"Heh. Did you come to buy something or talk to me?" She caught my gaze as I gave the rucksack a longing look.
"Both," I replied cheerily, picking up the rucksack carefully, feeling it's leathery strap in my hand.
"It's supposed to be 5000 Gold, but since you're a friend..." Karen's eyes twinkled merrily. She knew that she and I were more than just 'friends'. We never actually declared it, but I had a feeling that we were destined to marry. The thought even scared me a bit, but I didn't mind. It was all part of the fun and romance. "4000 Gold."
I turned pink. 1000 Gold was actually a bit, considering the many things someone could buy with it. Besides, I brought more than enough.
"But-,"
"Hand over the money, Buster," she said in a mock commanding voice, extending her hands towards my face with a sense of power that always seemed to surround her.
"...Okay, then." I quietly handed her 4000 Gold and slung the rucksack over my shoulder like a professional.
"You look like Jack," she told me. It was meant to be a joke, but when she said that, I had a bitter taste in my mouth. I made a face. "Okay, no you don't."
"Want to take...a walk with me?" I asked. The urgent and knowing look on Duke's face from behind the counter made me uncomfortable. Karen noticed my hesitant voice and turned to face her father defiantly.
"C'mon, dad." That's all she said to make her dad stop.
I began to wonder it would be like once we married. Her snapping orders left and right and expecting me to fulfill them?
"Well? Are we going on a walk or not?" She questioned, sounding annoyed. Now she was having one of her moods? This was definitely not going to be a fun walk.
"We're going."
We exited the shop, each of us slightly confused.
"Where are we going, to begin with?" Karen asked. Always the one to ask questions. I pondered upon this for quite a while.
"Well, let's go by Gotz's house. I just thought I'd do something."
"Whatever you say." Karen shrugged and walked next to me down the road. Half way there, I managed to bring up enough courage to hold her hand, in which she didn't complain about. This was going to be a pretty good start if I wanted to get on her good side today.
As we arrived, Ann was walking with an animal attached to a leash.
"Hi, Ann," I said coyly. Karen frowned automatically. I guess I should've let Ann make the first move instead of blurting out the greeting.
"Hello, Rick. I'm on my way to the Goddess Pond." She tugged at the leash expectantly.
"Again?" I realized a moment to late that what I had just said wasn't a very smart thing to say. Karen narrowed her eyes at me with suppressed anger and wrenched her hand away from mine. I suddenly felt very empty deep inside.
"Yes. I need to train Pickle. Good day." She waved gleefully and walked down the opposite path.
Karen cornered me by the large stump by Gotz's house, enraged.
"You've been hanging out with her all along, haven't you!?" She grabbed my collar like a bully would, shaking me back and forth. If I had the courage, I would've told her it wasn't going to help very much and that it didn't matter.
"No! Can't I have any friends? At all?" I gasped for air, feeling a very sickening sensation in my stomach.
"Of course you can! But when you said 'Again?' it sounded like you were there with her before! You were with her while I was in the hospital getting a stupid operation, weren't you? That's why you ditched me! You were going out with...her!" She pointed a shaking hand at the road. Anger management classes they had held back in grade school instantly sounded very helpful. Although I knew I needed it at times, Karen was probably highest on the list of needing it.
"Why would I do that? THERE WERE RULES! LIKE I SAID!" I shouted. Luckily, Gotz wasn't home to hear this conflict. Due to stress, my face started to turn red. Karen mistook this for blushing.
"THEN WHY WOULD YOU BLUSH LIKE THAT?" Karen thundered dangerously, her bright green eyes aimed piercing at my head. I was beginning to wonder if we were actually destined to marry. Maybe it was just one of my more realistic fantasies. Yeah, and they were useless to. What I had dreamt up hadn't been my future - it had become my weakness and downfall. I couldn't even stand up and argue with her anymore. All I wanted to do was that sappy stuff in my dreams. Never did I stop to think once that she would do this to me.
"I'm not blushing! And let go of me before I suffocate!" I grabbed her hands and pulled them away from my collar, causing me to tumble backwards helplessly while she stood there, hands returning to her hips, glaring. "Yeah, right."
I could believe her. Did she think I'd throw away our relationship away just like that?
"Why do we always have to argue like this?" I moaned. Knowing Karen, she'd probably take this the wrong way. She did.
"You coward! You leave my side, now you're scared? Forget you! I can find more responsible guys! Who aren't scared of girls!" She stomped away. I couldn't help but want to blame myself for those events that had just flashed before my eyes. But it wasn't my fault. Not all of it was. Karen was just too ignorant and hardheaded. And... She didn't understand. I still loved her, though.
I had intended to tell her something I had been meaning to. But now I couldn't.
Once again, I trudged back home without much life, the rucksack hanging loosely in one hand.
"About time, Rick. You almost missed dinner!" My father laughed heartily and spooned some soup into a large ceramic bowl.
"Where were you?" Popuri asked curiously, tucking the hem of her dress under the table and placing a napkin very formally onto her lap.
"I was...out," I replied.
"Well, get yourself a bowl, because this is the best soup your mom has ever made! Mmmmmm..." Dad slurped up some of it.
"Oh, Rod, dear, I've made better." Mom placed a bowl for me on my place at he table, stirring the soup.
I sat down slowly, my shoulders slumped.
"Sit up straight, please," Mom snapped. I never heard her use such a sharp tone in her voice. But things were changing.
After I ladled myself some soup, I tried to savor it, but through my worries, the soup was very insipid.
That's when I heard a crack in my pocket. It wasn't very loud, but it was there. I looked under the table, pretending to tie my shoe, but I removed the item from my pocket.
The Blue Feather I had was broken.
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Surprised? I'll let you figure out for yourself what Rick was going to do with Karen by Gotz's house. ;)
Yes. That was a boring chapter, to say the very least. Short and boring. Don't ask me why Karen argues with Rick so much. She's just one of those very kind people who just doesn't know how to express their feelings without fighting. Well, that's how I see her as. o.o Oh, well. R&R!