Magic Ball: the Billionaire in Ranch

24 Practice Makes It Easier

Summer left, and Autumn took its place inside the Magic Ball. Noah succeeded in building a round pen in his farmyard turned mini ranch. He had explicitly called Thomas about how he wouldn’t be able to come to visit in the Stream Ranch for about a month or two. Thomas, being the skeptic human being that he is, demanded an answer from him even though he was the boss, and he wasn’t obligated to tell him every single detail about his personal life. But for the sake of trust, he reiterated a conjured lie that he would visit an old friend in the far North.

You’re what? Thomas yelled from the other end of the line. Tell me you’re not visiting the North Pole?

“Do you want me to?” Noah challenged. He finds it amusing that Thomas got so worked up about him going on a vacation with a friend. 

He heard a grumble and then a deep sigh, disappearing for a month without knowing what happens to the Stream Ranch is quite risky, Thomas began explaining. What if I was a not trustworthy person, and I start stealing from the profits of this ranch?

“But, I trust you.” And Noah knows to himself that it’s the truth. Nancy and Wynn had also equally proven their loyalty to him. They genuinely cared about the animals and the nature that surrounds the Stream Ranch. Leaving them for a month to take care of the mini ranch inside the Magic Ball sure would be risky if they turned out to be thieves, but Noah had his gut talking that they weren’t those type of people who would take advantage of such a situation.

Besides that, Noah discovered a new technique that would let him see through the sky what’s happening outside of the Magic Ball.

“I’m leaving this here,” he told Thomas when he visited the Stream Ranch for inspection of hays.

“What in God’s—” Thomas cleared his throat, his lips upturned into a scowl. “A crystal ball?”

“That looks like a Christmas Ball to me?” Wynn said from behind Noah. He was filling water on the horse’s cubicle. Summer’s almost over from the outside world. “You know, the ones you shake and snow floats everywhere inside?”

“What do we need that ball for?” Thomas inquired, his thumb and index finger lining his bearded chin.

“I’ll place it here,” Noah pointed to the barrel on the entrance of the stable. “I heard from a Feng Shui master that it’s for good luck.”

“Someone’s been visiting China Town lately,” Wynn said as he huffed and placed his hands on his hip. “Anyways, we’ll take care of that.”

Noah stared at him for a long time. Wynn grew uncomfortable and faced his back at him, “Uhm, what?”

“No one touches the crystal ball, do you hear me?” his voice sounded calm, but deep inside, he was starting to grow anxious if the three of them would prove their loyalty and honesty while he’s away. The temptation is just around the corner, and anytime, you can at the worst possible scenario there is, especially if money’s already involved. Noah could only hope that they prove him wrong.

Three weeks went by with a pinch of struggle and continuous building, rebuilding, and riding horses. The stable had been a precise carbon copy of how Noah imagined it would look. He concentrated so hard blood gushed out of his nose the moment he finished assembling the structures he had the carpenters made. Noah had to give them extra pay so that no one would spill the beans to Thomas. The older man would bug him to death if he knew what he had built at the center of his house.

Of course, it wasn’t enough to fix the location of the wood-work. Noah also had the fences and pens settled on the lush green lawn he had been taking care thoroughly. Now, the farmyard looked as if it was straight out from The Secret Garden. The colors surrounding the entire place was as vibrant as the sun’s rays.

Leaves of different shades fell on his face while he napped underneath the World Tree. Noah felt a sense of calmness whenever he hears the water of the spring from the tree’s broad trunk. It would quickly put him to a deep slumber.

During his stay inside the Magic Ball, Noah decided to practice riding and training horses as much as he can.

Bean and Snowflake were the best among the group, but that didn’t mean that he neglected training the other horses, too. He wanted the adult horseback at the Stream Ranch to come with him during this brief trip. Then there’s Thomas and everyone else who would ask questions he couldn’t answer, so Noah opted the horse to stay with Thomas instead. He’d have to make it up to him for training his brothers and sisters ahead.

From time to time, he’d use the newly discovered technique that when you exhale ten times with one breath, you’re able to see what’s happening outside of the Magic Ball. And so, Noah started his little game of CCTV inspired spying of his employees from time to time.

He spotted Wynn once feeding the adult horse with organic carrots and some high-quality hay that they have been making a fortune of recently. He also heard Thomas singing for the first time when he was busy grooming the adult horse’s silky mare. Nancy came by once when she took the horse out for a morning walk. There’s nothing suspicious they’ve been doing. They were just living their daily lives as cowboys.

Noah smoothly went back to the Stream Ranch by the end of the month. Thomas greeted him and asked him why he looked tan than pale, given that he was supposedly having a vacation in the North. His mission inside the Magic Ball had ended two weeks ago, and he pursued the gang to have a vacation trip with him to the Bahamas. They all went enjoyed the entire two-week trip, and Noah came back tanned rather than white as snow. He showed pictures to Thomas and his other employees, and they laughed at how the sun had burned his now tanned face.

After resting for another week, Noah decided to bring out all of the horses and other animals inside the Magic Ranch. He hired a driver that could transport the horses to the Stream Ranch.

Bean was the first one to arrive. Nancy sucked in a breath when she beheld the black-beauty Friesian horse. She immediately went and reached her hand on his cheeks, the horse smelling her palm and slowly nuzzling its head to it. Noah could’ve sworn Nancy’s eyes sparkled.

Noah opened Snowflake’s trailer, and the mare shook its head, her mane shinning like a mashed pearl. Nancy’s knees trembled.

“Where did you get these babies?” her lips quivered like she’s about to cry.

“I’ve told you about them . . . two months ago, right?”

Nancy glared at him, “You didn’t tell me that they’re this expensive.”

Noah shrugged and whistled at Bean and Snowflake. The other horses assembled in near the stables as if they’re waiting in line.

Wynn scratched his neck, “Uhm, Noah? Aren’t they a little behave than normal horses?”

Noah raised an eyebrow, “They are. I don’t see a problem with that.”

“B-but they’re acting too behaved. Like the dogs.” Mik, Cole, and Ginger stood beside the assembled horses as Noah whistled once more. Bean and Snowflake galloped to his side.

Thomas regarded them for seconds. “Did you have them professionally trained? Though I must say their actions are more . . . human-like than a normal horse would be.”

Noah blew the smoke out of his mouth. It blended with the wind as he threw the cigarette on the soil, and twisting it with the soles of his shoe. Picking what’s left of his cigarette, he threw it at a nearby trash can.

“Come on, boys and girls,” the horses neighed as if they were answering Noah’s command.

All six of them followed Noah toward the stables as Nancy, Thomas, and Wynn each held the door open to their designated cubicles.

Bean stopped in front of the adult horse whom Noah hadn’t named yet.

“Did you name this baby?” he said while reaching his hand gently to its mane. The adult horse nuzzled his head on Noah’s neck.

Thomas shook his head, “Not yet. I was thinking of Star or something more fitting.”

Noah nodded, “Sounds good. Star it is. Nancy? Wynn?”

Nancy closed Snowflake’s cubicle as the white mare stared straight at the adult horse. She faced Snowflake and caressed her shiny mane. “How about that, girl? Do you like the name Star?”

Snowflake shook her head slightly, and Nancy almost jerked her hand back. She had a sudden realization that these horses are smarter than she thinks they are.

Pointing at Snowflake, “Looks like she doesn’t approve.”

Noah let go of the adult horse. “No?” he asked Snowflake who neighed and shook her head once more. Raising an eyebrow to the white mare, he smiled gently.

“How about Moon? Or Steel?”

Snowflake looked as if she would’ve rolled her eyes at him. Noah had to suppress a laugh as Nancy’s brow creased in confusion, yet amazement with Snowflake’s way of communication.

“Girl doesn’t approve,” she said while moving next to the adult horse whose hair had been growing more brunette than ever. It’s almost the same shade as an oak tree’s trunk.

Wynn placed his palm underneath his chin as Thomas marveled at how silky Bean’s hair is.

“Twinkle?” Wynn exclaimed as if it was a unique name he thought of for the first time.

Thomas grimaced, “Hell no, kid.” He smashed Wynn’s head. The boy winced as he caressed his head. “You give awful names!”

Nancy went to Wynn and checked his head, “You i***t old man. What if he had a concussion?”

Thomas rolled his eyes at both of them. Noah, on the other hand, fed the remaining horses with carrots and hay.

“Night,” Thomas said almost inaudibly if Noah wasn’t near enough to hear it.

“Night?” he echoed, his bright eyes heading to Snowflake’s attention. The mare’s eyes sparkled like stars.

Nancy and Wynn grinned beside her. “Definitely Night!” Wynn exclaimed as Nancy high-fived him.

The rest of the season went by without any worries. Noah and the rest of his employees learned how to ride a horse properly. With the help of an expert equestrian, they learned how to lead a horse quietly around the Stream Ranch’s fields and wide, round pens. There’s the difference between direct and neck rein. Then there’s also teaching the horse with manners on the field. The equestrian commented that the horses seemed to have undergone intensive training that he hadn’t had a lot to show them anymore. So, Noah opted that he teaches him and the rest of the gang how to ride the horse like a professional racer.

The next months flew by in the blink of an eye, and soon, Noah was riding around the entire park like he had when Bean lead him outside of the farmyard inside the Magic Ball. He remembered he almost fell off the black stallion several times when he was misbehaving about the draught weather. Noah acknowledged it as a mistake. He was too agitated to know what lies ahead of the Magic Ball’s land.

When the lot of them are already tired from horseback riding, they would groom the animals and feed them the nutritious grasses Noah had Nancy planted in the Stream Ranch’s fertile soil.

Noah came to an understanding that in America’s culture, feeding and domesticating animals with the best, high-grade herbage equates to great cause and success in the field of ranching. Cowboys such as Thomas, Wynn, and Nancy themselves are necessities that kept the ranch successfully running as it is. Noah knew he couldn’t have done it without them.