Author Note: Finally, here's chapter 2! I know it took a while, but I'm still not really sure what kind of direction I want to take with this story, so if anyone has any suggestions...Also, a few weeks ago I posted a re-written version of chapter 1, so if you haven't already you might want to go back and reread. I know it's a pain, but I think it sounds a lot better now. XD Anyways, thank you for reading, and as always, let me know what you think!

Chapter 2

It was around noon when Elliot walked onto the ranch. He glanced around the field, but couldn't see Chelsea anywhere... He shrugged and went up to her house, knocking on the door a few times.

"Hey, Chelsea? My grandfather wants to know if you're still planning on helping us move the shipment of crates this evening. ….Chelsea?"

He glanced around again. It was really unusual for her to not be up yet. "I suppose she could have gone to visit somebody…She did look sorta down at yesterday's festival."

He walked over to the stable where she kept her horse and peeped inside. There was no fodder in the feed tray, and he knew she wouldn't have gone off anywhere without at least feeding her animals first. He walked back over to her door, growing more nervous by the second."Chelsea? If you're there, open up. If not, I'm going to open the door to make sure you're okay."

He waited a minute, but got no response so he pushed open the door, stunned to find all of her tools sitting in a pile around her table. A folded piece of paper was balancing on top…

x-x-x

"Dang it." Natalie threw her cards down on the table and fished a coin out of her pocket as Taro laughed in delight.

"I told you, whippersnapper! Nobody can beat me at poker!"

"Yeah, yeah. Next game is mine for sure…..What's your problem?" Natalie asked as Elliot ran into the room, slamming the door shut behind him with so much force that the paintings hanging on the wall almost fell down.

"H-here….Note….Chelsea." He said, gasping for air. "I-I think…she left…"

"Left? Left what?" Taro asked, reaching out for the piece of paper.

"T-the island."

"WHAT?" Natalie jumped out of her chair and went to stand behind Taro as he opened the note.

Nobody appreciates me or the work that I do, so I have decided to retire from my job as this island's rancher. I will be gone by the time you get this letter. I won't tell you where I'm going, or when I'll be back, because I'm not sure of that myself. But I can't continue to run the ranch knowing the work I'm doing is going unacknowledged.

Chelsea

"Well then who's going to run the ranch?" Natalie asked.

"I don't know…." Taro folded the note backup and tossed it aside. "Gosh darn it! Why'd she have to go and do a thing like this?"

Elliot shrugged. "Maybe it was because you were so mean to her yesterday…"

This earned Elliot a bop on the head. "We ain't got time for your back sassing, whelp! What we need is a plan! Go tell the islanders to meet in the Meadow for an important announcement!"

Taro shook his head as Elliot walked outside. "Hmph. Kids today, always thinking the good honest truth is 'being mean'! Why, back in my day-"

"Uh, I think I'll go help Elliot." Natalie hurried outside, glad to have avoided one of Taro's tales of his youth.

x-x-x

"Is it true? Chelsea left?"

"But why?"

"What about the ranch?"

Taro pounded his stick on the ground. "Quiet down, everyone! By now I'm sure you've all heard that Chelsea has…temporarily left her position as this island's rancher."

"So…She's going to come back?"

"Well her note implied so. We just don't know when. But until then we need someone to take over her job. So if any of you have ever dreamed of running the ranch, now's your chance!"

Nobody moved, aside from Mark, who was jumping up and down in the back of the crowd yelling "Pick me! I want to do it! ME!"

"Let Mark do it." Chen said, crossing his arms. "He seems eager for the job."

"YES!" Mark ran over to Chen and held up his hand for a high five. Taro turned to Natalie.

"What do you think?"

"Well just a few weeks ago I saw Chelsea trying to teach him how to use her sickle, and he ended up chopping up all her cabbages."

"No wonder she didn't have much to choose from for the festival…" Taro muttered. "So you're saying he's unfit to run the ranch?"

Natalie shrugged. "I'm just saying he might do more harm than good with that eagerness of his."

Taro put his hand to his chin for a moment, then sighed, turning back to the crowd. "Okay. I've decided. Responsibility of the ranch will go to…
Each and every one of us!"

There was a unanimous "HUH?" from the crowd.

"Think about it. Chelsea worked on the ranch all by herself. Just think of how successful we'll be if we all take turns working the ranch in teams! Mark, you seem enthusiastic about crops. Why don't you lead the group who will be working on the feild?"

Marks eyes lit up. "Like….A team captain?"

"Sure. Mirabelle and Julia, you guys show the animal team how to properly take care of the livestock."

Mirabelle put a hand to her chin. "Well sure, but…How long will it take? We've all got our own businesses to run too you know."

"Most of which rely on the well being of the ranch!" Taro countered. There was no hope of dissuading him now. "So everybody divvy up! Decide what team you want to work on! Because starting tomorrow we all become ranchers!"