Lightning-Dono: The story is growing! =D And the reviews are making me want to write more!
REPLIES TO THE REVIEWS (or that I've seen as I write these):
A fan of harvest moon - That we be revealed VERY soon. As in...this chapter. I hope you're ready to read it! ;)
Cassie - Aw, fried chicken is good! =( But I understand how it is. Rod is kind of out there...Not the best father out there, but Popuri doesn't really see anything in him that would make her hate him. I'm not planning any engagement breaking events down the line of Rick and Karen's future in this fanfic, but I might make a sequel (a short one) to Shattered Image, so look for that. Cliff moved out, so no Cliff...-mischievous grin- Ann doesn't show any more interest in Jack, but Rick does something VERY kind that might just heal their relationship...
Ann Fan - I forgive you. That drama stuff was kind of...overly exaggerated. I don't know about anyone else, but I don't think my writing is all that dramatic. I try. =) You shall update...=P
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After dinner, I walked home alone. In the dark. I was never a big fan of walking around outside in the dark due to the stories Karen had frightened me with while I was still in my tender years. But they wore off to create a small paranoia inside me.
I stopped briefly before the chicken pen out infront of my house and peeked in at them to make sure they were comfortable. Tomorrow, I would have to take action, and for once, I actually knew exactly what I was going to do. For once, I would the hero to save the chickens, and a relationship that was partially hanging on the line.
The next morning, mom was all over me, bubbling with excitement.
"Oh, Rick, you're getting married!" She said with a mirthful laugh. All of this would probably form a good mood for me throughout the day. And that was good. "Here's a lovely white...um...tuxedo? Here." She handed it to me with a lot of effort as she was still trying to figure out what she should call it.
"Thanks, mom," I said, wrapping my arms around her neck in a friendly hug. She returned it willingly and left the room.
The chicken saving plan was going to happen.
I ran to the clinic as fast as my legs would allow me. I was slightly encumbered by my stupid blue apron-like piece of clothing, but I tried.
"I need a cage!" I panted loudly at Elli who was standing behind the reception counter, reading something off of her clipboard. She raised her eyes from the clipboard.
"Whatever for?"
"My dad's been butchering chickens and I really want to protect them. And for this to happen, I need a cage hat would fit about two chickens and still leave space for them."
Elli nodded and disappeared into a backroom. She swiftly returned with a large cage, handing it to me.
"I won't give you a fee, but you should return it. Actually, it's best if you do. One of the many cages here in Mineral Town." She smiled at me dryly. I left.
When I arrived home, I gathered two very frightened chickens into the cage with great haste, lest my dad come out and make me confess what I was doing. I shut the cage closed, the chickens clucking loudly inside and scurrying around. If there was any space inside to do that, anyhow.
I headed down to Jazz Farm, holding the cage away from me as to not bump it against my knees. It wasn't easy, carrying it directly infront of me. If someone had removed the cage from my hands and made me hold that position, I'd look like a zombie.
Jack was outside watering some plants. He turned when he heard the clucking from behind him.
"What are you doing here?" He asked bitterly, wasting a good bunch of water on one patch of dirt. Atleast he was working again, which was nice to know.
"I-I want to tell you something, Jack," I said, a hint of guilt in my voice. "Sit down." I pointed towards some grass infront of me. Jack stepped over to it cautiously, as though his whole farm was a minefield. He then sat down. I set the cage down before him and knelt down behind it, almost like I was about to start some kind of sacrifice.
"Jack, I want you to take care of these chickens," I told him tearfully. Why was I doing this? I was depriving myself of part of my only pride and joy in the whole world.
He looked up at me as though I was joking. In truth, I wouldn't joke about something like this. "...Why?"
"My dad's been killing them to make food dishes with the chicken. I want them to be someplace safe..." I held my breath and let it out in a soft Whoosh. "...and I want to be friends again." Jack's face suddenly seemed so much younger with the tension gone. My muscles relaxed considerably.
"Okay...Thank you, Rick!" He grabbed the cage roughly by the handle. "Although...My sheep died not too long ago..." I thought he was about to spill tears over that, but he didn't. So that's the animal that died on his farm that Carter had been talking about! I prayed silently that he wasn't going to beg me for a sheep. Even though I was too afraid to admit it, it was his fault it died. Luckily, I didn't have Karen's sharp tongue or I would've blurted that right out.
"Oh, I need the cage back," I said insensitively, not even commenting about his sheep. Jack nodded in reply and handed the cage back to me a few minutes later.
"You can trust me with these little guys!" He told me gleefully, rubbing his hands together. I smiled at him.
"By the way...Uh...this Saturday Karen and I are getting married and I want you ," I said nervously, clasping my hands together. He looked at me with a tempted look in his eyes, but he couldn't seem to bring himself to say 'Sure'. "I'd love it if you come," I said with vivacity.
"Okay, then!" I could almost feel the darkness inside him lifting up into the clouds.
"12:00 at the Church," I informed him cheerfully, nictitating. He winked back.
"I'll be there. You can count on it!" He ambled quickly into his house. Shrugging, I walked out of his farm carrying the cage protectively.
"Here you are, Elli," I said, setting the cage on the counter.
"I'm glad you decided to return it," she replied in a monotonous voice, taking it off of the counter with a quick move of her hands.
"Hi, Karen," I said, surprised. When I had walked into the store, she was walking around with her wedding gown on. She walked with the flair of a supermodel and the nervousness of a young lady at marriage.
"Wow, I didn't even hear you come in!" She exclaimed, throwing the veil aside into her mother's arms. Sasha stared at Karen with anguish, as though wondering whether it was the right time for her to marry.
I couldn't think of anything to say to that. "Uh, I'm pretty quiet," I said ineffectively, as she didn't notice.
"My dad's going to make the cake! And he says he hasn't got the eggs to make it. Do you think you can give him some?"
Once again, I was speechless. "I gave my chickens to Jack," I said at last. Karen's hand stiffened on my shoulder. Her face was peaked.
"You what?" She yanked a milky white glove from one of her hands and thew it to the ground. "Why did you do that?"
I hadn't expected her to understand, and neither did I expect her to resort to verbal abuse instead of physical. She jerked me backward by placing her hands on my shoulders and tugging hard. I stumbled backwards and turned to catch myself before I hit the ground.
"I had to! Didn't you listen at all?"
"Listen to what? You gave them away!" She yelled accusingly. I saw Shasha and Jeff standing in the corner whispering and shaking their heads at us.
"My dad's killing them, if you don't mind!" I got up off the ground.
Jeff walked over to us, his hands held up infront of him in effort to stop our fighting. Actually, Karen was the one doing most of the fighting. I was just trying to counter her words with effective responses.
"Now, kids, let's be reasonable here," he said, offering both of us a warm smile. "There's no reason I can't just-,"
"But he's not going to help with the wedding! If he seriously wants that on his conscience, let it be. No wedding!" Karen spat, nudging me hard with her elbow, which hit my waist. I crumpled up in pain as it made contact.
"Of course I am! I'm doing the decoration!" I wondered if I should've said this. Surely my mom would be willing to help with the decor?
"Fine, then. We'll have to call up Jack, if that's enough," Karen said in a stiff, pained voice, picking up the gloves and pulling them back on.
"I'll do that," I assured her shakily, leaving the shop feeling both shocked and relieved.
"Please? Can't you just spare us some eggs?" I wheedled, standing infront of Jack, shoulders slumped in a desperate pose.
"How many?" He asked irritably.
"A dozen would be nice."
Jack cast me a stony look as he gathered a dozen eggs from his refrigerator. "Here." He handed the bag to me. Even though I didn't say so, this was a price for coming to the wedding.
"Thank you," I replied, displaying the same coldness in his voice as I spoke.
"Here you are." I gave the bag to Jeff, who peered into the bad with sheer interest.
"Wow! Such good quality! I have to get started right away!" He hurried off into a room in the back and I heard pans and pots clattering inside. Karen was warming up to me once again. Hopefully she'd stay that way.
"Who else are we going to invite?" She asked me, dressed in normal clothes once more. Approaching me, she smoothed down her blonde bangs.
"Ann," I replied shortly, not leaving any room for argument. From the corner of my eye, I could see Karen's mouth drop open widely. But she didn't say anything.
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That was a pretty short chapter, but I wanted to leave the situation open. If too many things happen in one chapter, it'll be pretty hard to swallow. =)
REPLIES TO THE REVIEWS (or that I've seen as I write these):
A fan of harvest moon - That we be revealed VERY soon. As in...this chapter. I hope you're ready to read it! ;)
Cassie - Aw, fried chicken is good! =( But I understand how it is. Rod is kind of out there...Not the best father out there, but Popuri doesn't really see anything in him that would make her hate him. I'm not planning any engagement breaking events down the line of Rick and Karen's future in this fanfic, but I might make a sequel (a short one) to Shattered Image, so look for that. Cliff moved out, so no Cliff...-mischievous grin- Ann doesn't show any more interest in Jack, but Rick does something VERY kind that might just heal their relationship...
Ann Fan - I forgive you. That drama stuff was kind of...overly exaggerated. I don't know about anyone else, but I don't think my writing is all that dramatic. I try. =) You shall update...=P
-----
After dinner, I walked home alone. In the dark. I was never a big fan of walking around outside in the dark due to the stories Karen had frightened me with while I was still in my tender years. But they wore off to create a small paranoia inside me.
I stopped briefly before the chicken pen out infront of my house and peeked in at them to make sure they were comfortable. Tomorrow, I would have to take action, and for once, I actually knew exactly what I was going to do. For once, I would the hero to save the chickens, and a relationship that was partially hanging on the line.
The next morning, mom was all over me, bubbling with excitement.
"Oh, Rick, you're getting married!" She said with a mirthful laugh. All of this would probably form a good mood for me throughout the day. And that was good. "Here's a lovely white...um...tuxedo? Here." She handed it to me with a lot of effort as she was still trying to figure out what she should call it.
"Thanks, mom," I said, wrapping my arms around her neck in a friendly hug. She returned it willingly and left the room.
The chicken saving plan was going to happen.
I ran to the clinic as fast as my legs would allow me. I was slightly encumbered by my stupid blue apron-like piece of clothing, but I tried.
"I need a cage!" I panted loudly at Elli who was standing behind the reception counter, reading something off of her clipboard. She raised her eyes from the clipboard.
"Whatever for?"
"My dad's been butchering chickens and I really want to protect them. And for this to happen, I need a cage hat would fit about two chickens and still leave space for them."
Elli nodded and disappeared into a backroom. She swiftly returned with a large cage, handing it to me.
"I won't give you a fee, but you should return it. Actually, it's best if you do. One of the many cages here in Mineral Town." She smiled at me dryly. I left.
When I arrived home, I gathered two very frightened chickens into the cage with great haste, lest my dad come out and make me confess what I was doing. I shut the cage closed, the chickens clucking loudly inside and scurrying around. If there was any space inside to do that, anyhow.
I headed down to Jazz Farm, holding the cage away from me as to not bump it against my knees. It wasn't easy, carrying it directly infront of me. If someone had removed the cage from my hands and made me hold that position, I'd look like a zombie.
Jack was outside watering some plants. He turned when he heard the clucking from behind him.
"What are you doing here?" He asked bitterly, wasting a good bunch of water on one patch of dirt. Atleast he was working again, which was nice to know.
"I-I want to tell you something, Jack," I said, a hint of guilt in my voice. "Sit down." I pointed towards some grass infront of me. Jack stepped over to it cautiously, as though his whole farm was a minefield. He then sat down. I set the cage down before him and knelt down behind it, almost like I was about to start some kind of sacrifice.
"Jack, I want you to take care of these chickens," I told him tearfully. Why was I doing this? I was depriving myself of part of my only pride and joy in the whole world.
He looked up at me as though I was joking. In truth, I wouldn't joke about something like this. "...Why?"
"My dad's been killing them to make food dishes with the chicken. I want them to be someplace safe..." I held my breath and let it out in a soft Whoosh. "...and I want to be friends again." Jack's face suddenly seemed so much younger with the tension gone. My muscles relaxed considerably.
"Okay...Thank you, Rick!" He grabbed the cage roughly by the handle. "Although...My sheep died not too long ago..." I thought he was about to spill tears over that, but he didn't. So that's the animal that died on his farm that Carter had been talking about! I prayed silently that he wasn't going to beg me for a sheep. Even though I was too afraid to admit it, it was his fault it died. Luckily, I didn't have Karen's sharp tongue or I would've blurted that right out.
"Oh, I need the cage back," I said insensitively, not even commenting about his sheep. Jack nodded in reply and handed the cage back to me a few minutes later.
"You can trust me with these little guys!" He told me gleefully, rubbing his hands together. I smiled at him.
"By the way...Uh...this Saturday Karen and I are getting married and I want you ," I said nervously, clasping my hands together. He looked at me with a tempted look in his eyes, but he couldn't seem to bring himself to say 'Sure'. "I'd love it if you come," I said with vivacity.
"Okay, then!" I could almost feel the darkness inside him lifting up into the clouds.
"12:00 at the Church," I informed him cheerfully, nictitating. He winked back.
"I'll be there. You can count on it!" He ambled quickly into his house. Shrugging, I walked out of his farm carrying the cage protectively.
"Here you are, Elli," I said, setting the cage on the counter.
"I'm glad you decided to return it," she replied in a monotonous voice, taking it off of the counter with a quick move of her hands.
"Hi, Karen," I said, surprised. When I had walked into the store, she was walking around with her wedding gown on. She walked with the flair of a supermodel and the nervousness of a young lady at marriage.
"Wow, I didn't even hear you come in!" She exclaimed, throwing the veil aside into her mother's arms. Sasha stared at Karen with anguish, as though wondering whether it was the right time for her to marry.
I couldn't think of anything to say to that. "Uh, I'm pretty quiet," I said ineffectively, as she didn't notice.
"My dad's going to make the cake! And he says he hasn't got the eggs to make it. Do you think you can give him some?"
Once again, I was speechless. "I gave my chickens to Jack," I said at last. Karen's hand stiffened on my shoulder. Her face was peaked.
"You what?" She yanked a milky white glove from one of her hands and thew it to the ground. "Why did you do that?"
I hadn't expected her to understand, and neither did I expect her to resort to verbal abuse instead of physical. She jerked me backward by placing her hands on my shoulders and tugging hard. I stumbled backwards and turned to catch myself before I hit the ground.
"I had to! Didn't you listen at all?"
"Listen to what? You gave them away!" She yelled accusingly. I saw Shasha and Jeff standing in the corner whispering and shaking their heads at us.
"My dad's killing them, if you don't mind!" I got up off the ground.
Jeff walked over to us, his hands held up infront of him in effort to stop our fighting. Actually, Karen was the one doing most of the fighting. I was just trying to counter her words with effective responses.
"Now, kids, let's be reasonable here," he said, offering both of us a warm smile. "There's no reason I can't just-,"
"But he's not going to help with the wedding! If he seriously wants that on his conscience, let it be. No wedding!" Karen spat, nudging me hard with her elbow, which hit my waist. I crumpled up in pain as it made contact.
"Of course I am! I'm doing the decoration!" I wondered if I should've said this. Surely my mom would be willing to help with the decor?
"Fine, then. We'll have to call up Jack, if that's enough," Karen said in a stiff, pained voice, picking up the gloves and pulling them back on.
"I'll do that," I assured her shakily, leaving the shop feeling both shocked and relieved.
"Please? Can't you just spare us some eggs?" I wheedled, standing infront of Jack, shoulders slumped in a desperate pose.
"How many?" He asked irritably.
"A dozen would be nice."
Jack cast me a stony look as he gathered a dozen eggs from his refrigerator. "Here." He handed the bag to me. Even though I didn't say so, this was a price for coming to the wedding.
"Thank you," I replied, displaying the same coldness in his voice as I spoke.
"Here you are." I gave the bag to Jeff, who peered into the bad with sheer interest.
"Wow! Such good quality! I have to get started right away!" He hurried off into a room in the back and I heard pans and pots clattering inside. Karen was warming up to me once again. Hopefully she'd stay that way.
"Who else are we going to invite?" She asked me, dressed in normal clothes once more. Approaching me, she smoothed down her blonde bangs.
"Ann," I replied shortly, not leaving any room for argument. From the corner of my eye, I could see Karen's mouth drop open widely. But she didn't say anything.
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That was a pretty short chapter, but I wanted to leave the situation open. If too many things happen in one chapter, it'll be pretty hard to swallow. =)