This chapter is dedicated to Sunshinegirlx3 because it's thundering at her place right now, and I want her to cheer up! Thunder isn't fun – let the lightning come!
Oh, sweet – I sounded like a poet.
--
Jack woke up with the sun in his eyes, and feeling very groggy. It had been close to three o'clock before he had fallen asleep, and it was a fitful sleep at that. He followed his morning routine, and dragged his feet out the door, glad there was no one to greet him this morning.
As he made his way to the barn, he noticed a small, purple hat in the grass fields. He stopped and stared at it as it moved, and finally started to walk towards it. "Bold?" He asked as he approached it.
The little hat turned, and a small, smiling face was revealed. "Hello, Jackie!" The sprite greeted.
Jack kneeled down. "What are you doing here? It's Spring now – shouldn't you be getting ready for your tea party?"
Bold shook his head. "Nuh-uh – Chef says he's not going to cook anything until we've done our present to celebrate your third year!"
Jack cocked his head to the side. "And what's that?"
A new voice coming from behind him chimed. "We're giving you the week off!"
Jack stood and turned to see Aqua, Timid, and Staid, all covered in dirt and looking proud of themselves. "Even yesterday?" Jack asked, to which the sprites nodded fervently. "Aw, thanks, guys!" Jack smiled slightly. "I promise to bring you all lots of flour at the end of the week."
The four sprites cheered and scurried off to continue their work. Jack yawned and headed back to his home, happy to be able to sleep for a few more hours, when he suddenly heard his name.
"Jack!"
He turned and saw Zack stumbling up the path towards him. Memories suddenly flooded back into Jack's mind, and he grimaced. "Good morning, Zack."
The large man nearly toppled over the farmer as he tried to stop. "Ugh, Jack, I'm so hung over. Please help me!" Jack was about to refuse until his breath was cut off by a huge, muscular arm wrapped itself around his neck, and Zack continued whining loudly.
Jack gasped for air and began hitting the arm that was holding him down. "Z-Zack! Okay – I'll h-help you!"
Jack was happy when oxygen reached his lungs once more, but it was only for a second since he was pulled into a tight bear hug.
"Thanks man – I love you!" Zack said, meaning it in the most amiable means possible, but it still made Jack furrow his eyebrows. Jack's heart stopped when he heard a small gasp from behind them.
Zack let go (yet he still had his hand on Jack's shoulder) and both men turned towards the sound. There stood Manna, one hand holding a basket full of cakes, the other hand over her mouth, and her eyes sparkling dangerously.
"I'll just leave these here, Jack," she said, trying feebly to hold back her mischievous smirk. "I suppose I should leave you boys alone, hm? Toodles!" With that, she turned on her heels and began walking along the path towards Poultry Farm. Jack watched as she disappeared behind his barn, then reappear, running like a mad-man and calling out Lillia's name.
"What was that about?" Zack asked, being his dense self.
Jack gulped nervously. He knew what was coming now. He grabbed Zack's wrist and dragged him towards the house, glancing over his shoulder. "Let's get inside – now."
They entered the farmhouse and Jack slammed the door then rushed to the window and peered outside. He finally snapped when Zack spoke. "What's up Jack? You waiting for someone?" he asked.
Jack's head whipped around and he glared at his friend. "What's up? Did you not realize who that was?!"
Zack winced as Jack yelled and rubbed his forehead. "Yeah, it was Manna – but why are you so worried?"
Jack sighed and made his way to the kitchen. "Manna is the worst gossip in town – and I know exactly what's going to happen," Jack opened the fridge and took out a banana, some vegetable juice, strawberries, honey, fruit juice, and milk, still talking. "Because of your loudmouth, she's going to run to Sasha, Anna, and Lillia-" he hesitated while he threw his ingredients into the mixer and added salt and nutmeg, hoping the name would make Zack listen closer, "-and tell them, 'Hey, girls – guess what? Zack and Jack are gay for each other!' and then there's going to be rumours and we'll never live it down because we're always seen together, and we're such close friends!"
Zack furrowed his eyebrows and sat on the couch. "I think you're over-thinking it a little. Manna wouldn't go that far," he grabbed the remote as Jack walked over and handed him his drink with the consistency of diarrhea. Zack grimaced at the drink as Jack walked back to the kitchen to empty his rucksack.
"It's not unheard of. Remember winter of two years ago, when she spread the rumour that Mary was secretly dating a Spanish dancer named Rico?" Jack looked up to see Zack still looking into the glass and grimacing. "Just drink it," he ordered, and Zack complied without hesitation. Jack smirked as Zack hacked and shook his head.
"That died down in two weeks," Zack coughed out, his voice husky. He began flipping channels and landed on a cooking program. They were cooking vegetable pancakes and sausage, making Zack whistle. "Man, that looks good."
Jack glanced at the TV, then at Zack. "You want it? I have the recipe."
Zack grinned at Jack happily. "I'd love it!"
The farmer nodded and got to work. Zack eventually got curious and wandered over to watch, leaning on the counter on the opposite side of Jack. Nuzzling his chin in his hand, he was amazed at how precise Jack was. He began watching the farmer-gone-chef's face, surprised to see there was a hint of a smile, as well as a fire in his eyes. Jack looked up, and nearly jumped out of his skin to see Zack standing there, smirking at him.
"You really love cooking, don't you?" Zack asked, his smirk turning into a smile.
"Yes, I do – and you really love scaring the shit out of me." Jack turned and poured the mix into the frying pan, then dug out the sausages.
Zack continued to smile as he watched the farmer scurry around, and laughed out loud when he was scolded for looking at him like he was Lillia. When breakfast was finally finished, it was brought to the table, and both men sat, said the Goddess' Grace, and began to eat.
MEANWHILE—
"No, it's true! I saw them – and I heard them! They were proclaiming their love for each other – right in the open!"
"Oh, that's bull. No way is that true. Zack's been madly in love with Lillia for years!"
"Come now, Zack liked me in our teenager years. He's far over me by now – I thought he had a lover in the city?"
"My husband says there's a plant in bloom right now that could cause strange emotions like that. Maybe they got a hold of it, and didn't realize what it could do?"
While the women gossiped, they didn't notice the stranger walk up behind them. He cleared his throat loudly, catching their attention. "Ladies, if you're talking about who I think you're talking about, I have the juiciest bit of fact for you."
The four women stared expectantly at the dashing man with light-brown-red hair and silver eyes. He walked over to Lillia and took her hand, kissing it tenderly. The women grinned at each other, obviously finding him trustworthy. "Well, continue, Mister …?" Manna urged.
"Lance," he purred, making the women's hearts flutter. "See, I'm a childhood friend of Jack's and I happen to know he's … well, he's not a 'he' at all!"
Lance smirked triumphantly as the women gasped and murmured to each other. Piece of cake, he thought, brushing his hair out of his eyes.
--
The plates clinked together as they were set into the sink. Jack smiled as Zack burped and excused himself, sounding content. "That was great Jack – remind me to come over for breakfast more often."
"I don't think so – I don't want to have to do these dishes all the time," Jack teased, running the water. He just added the soap when he felt a large, warm hand on his shoulder, gently pushing him away.
"Well, then, let me do it. You have farm work to do, and I have no where to be for a few more hours," Zack said, smiling at Jack.
The farmer blinked, but quickly regained composure. "Absolutely not," he demanded, trying to push the hulky frame aside. "Besides, I'm done my farm work."
Zack wiped down a plate as he spoke, ignoring the shoving. "How? I got here at around seven o'clock. Did you hire a farm hand?"
Jack raised his eyebrows and grinned, still trying to shove Zack with his back. "No, the Goddess has seven little sprites, and they have all decided to help me with chores this week in celebration of working here for three years."
Zack threw his head back in laughter. "Okay, don't tell me the truth. I can live without it," he said, chuckling.
Jack gave up trying to do the dishes and decided to clean up a little instead. The two worked in silence, until the twelve o'clock bell was heard in the distance and Zack looked up. "Is it really noon already?" he asked.
Jack nodded. "I guess so. Do you have somewhere you need to be?"
Zack placed the remainder of the dried dishes into the cupboard and dried his hands. "Yeah, I promised Lillia I'd bring her some Turbojolt," he said, grinning.
Jack smiled as Zack made his way to the door. "That's nice – tell her I said hi, okay?"
"Sure thing, buddy," the shipper replied, opening the door. "See you later – and you'd better have more food for me!"
"Yeah, whatever," Jack said, waving as his friend laughed and headed out the door. He sighed, and continued cleaning the bookshelf. After about ten minutes, the doorbell rang, and Jack looked at it, confused. He started speaking as he opened the door, expecting it to be his friend returned. "What did you forget this time, Za … aah …"
He trailed off as he saw the three women standing there, led obviously by Manna. "What was that, sweetheart? Zack was here? Please, do tell us all, and don't refrain on the juicy bits," she smirked. "That is, after all, what women do best – share each other's love stories."
Jack took a step back, his eyebrows furrowing together in confusion and outrage. "I beg your pardon?" he asked, trying to keep his composure.
"The jig's up, darling!" Sasha threw in as the ladies stepped into the house. "This explains everything – you are in fact, a female."
"You're insane," Jack grunted.
"Unbutton your shirt," Anna ordered. When Jack glared at her defiantly, she demanded it again. "Unbutton your shirt or we're doing it for you."
Jack glared back at the faces, but sighed in defeat. "Fine," he said, unclasping his overalls and fumbling with his shirt buttons. It was nerve wracking having three women stare at him while he undressed, but he did it anyway.
When he threw down his shirt, the women gasped. Jack's chest and ribcage was tightly wrapped in gauze, but there really wasn't anything there to conclude he was a she.
"What happened to you?" Manna asked, still looking unconvinced as she folded her arms and titled her head to the side.
"My horse kicked me and broke two ribs last week." He grabbed Sasha's hand as she reached to poke him in the chest. "Don't touch – it still hurts."
Anna raised her shoulder, still looking at Jack's torso but directing her statement to Manna. "You know, he's a little bit curvy, but with all the muscle, he still really does look like a man. I think that guy must've been lying."
Jack swallowed. What guy? He thought nervously.
"Hmm, you're right," Manna brought her fingers up to her chin in thought, still staring. "But, I don't know – there was something about him that made it seem like there was some truth behind it." She sighed and shrugged, redirecting her attention back to Jack's face. "Don't think this rumour is going to die anytime soon, Jack-darling, because I'm still not convinced. Come, ladies."
With that, Manna and her posse left the building, slamming the door behind them. Jack sighed in relief, trying not to collapse to the floor as he picked up his shirt. Redressing himself, he grabbed his basket and left, heading for the mountains for some well-deserved fresh air and herb-and-bamboo picking.
--
It was nearing four-thirty when Jack rushed back, lugging the full basket with him – he had decided to go to the mine, and the basket was also filled with ores, which weighe dit heavily. As he approached the shipping box, Zack called out to him and waved. Jack waved back and decided to wait and catch his breath.
"What's wrong, Jack?" Zack asked, grinning. "The weight of that basket too much for you?" He watched as Jack struggled to lift the basket over Zack's gathering box and pour its contents in. Zack whistled. "Why haven't you built up muscle, lifting shit like that?" Zack wondered out loud. "You're still as skinny as a girl!" He grinned at Jack.
"Shove it, Zack," the farmer barked, wiping sweat from his brow. "I've had a rough freakin' day."
Zack glanced up from counting, looking concerned. "Man, I'm sorry. Hey, you're my last stop – do you want to head down to the Inn for a drink?"
Jack groaned, remembering what had happened the night before. "No, I think I'll pass on this one. I'm too tired to deal with a drunken Zack again."
Zack looked at his friend, confused, but shrugged it off. "If you say so, bud," he finished counted and hoisted the large box over his shoulder. "I'll bring your money to you in the morning."
Jack nodded and waved as the shipper turned to leave, and headed inside his house. He flopped down onto the couch and rubbed his eyes. Putting his arm over his eyes, he was happily asleep in a mere matter of moments.
--
It was seven-thirty when Jack wrestled himself out of sleep. He sat up, still very tired, and tried to shake the tired from his brain. Looking at the clock on the wall, he decided there were going to be no more visitors that night, and took his cap off and undid his long ponytail.
Standing, she unclasped her overalls and let them fall to the floor, kicking them to the side, and revealed she was wearing little white panties. She smirked to herself, glad the women didn't ask her to drop her pants, too. Reaching up under her shirt, she undid the gauze that strapped down her breasts, and she sighed in happiness for her freedom at last. As she walked to her kitchen, she stopped in front of the full-length mirror and lifted her shirt just above her waist.
She frowned at the reflection. My curves aren't that unnoticeable … she thought, still feeling slightly miffed.
The farmer woman continued her way to the sink and started the cold water and grabbed a glass. She filled it and brought it to her lips-
Click!
Jack's heart caught in her throat as the door began to swing open, and a familiar deep voice filled the air.
"Jack! You wouldn't believe the crazy rumour I just heard – that you're a wo-"
Zack finally saw the oddly familiar woman standing in the kitchen, whose bugged-out eyes must have matched his. They stared at each other as Zack's internal gears were grinding in motion inside his head. Finally, he managed to speak.
"… You're a woman," he muttered, barely above a whisper.
Their eyes were still locked, even after the truth had been put out into the open, and they stayed locked for a few more eternal moments. Suddenly, there was a loud crack! and Zack face-planted into the floor, still holding tightly to the broken doorknob.
--
What a twist! Heh.
Hope you like this! And hey, guess what – Sunshinegirlx3's thunder stopped! Yay!
I had a ton of fun writing this. XD I always wanted to draw those last two paragraphs in a comic and it was that idea that came first before everything.
REVIEW!
