Reborn As A Dust Sans [Undertale Multiverse]

Ch12 - Chickens

Ashe's POV

The conversation dwindled into a comfortable silence as you entered the barn.

With a gentle guidance from Crop, you were able to help by refilling the food and water for the chickens. Farm even disappeared for a few minutes, only to return with fresh veggie scraps to feed the little feathered beasts – apparently they were leftovers from the soup that was currently being slowcooked for a shared lunch.

Unsurprisingly, Farm spend the entire time sharing various puns, mostly egg or chicken themed ones. You giggled at every single one, whilst both Crop and Papy groaned and complained at the never ending jokes.

You collected a total of twenty-seven eggs. You had expected the chickens to be unhappy with you taken them from the various nests, but they didn’t really seem to mind. Maybe they were just used to it.

You found quickly that you absolutely adored the chickens. They were just so cute! And no matter where you walked, they would crowd around your feet, clucking and chirping eagerly for your attention. There were probably twenty chickens in total. Most of them were various browns and beiges, but a few of them were more black in color. Their feathers were so soft too, making you want to pet every single one.

One of them, of which Crop called Old Marnie, kept leaping from the hay bails and other high places. She was one of the brown ones with a speckling of white feathers. The entire time you collected eggs, she was fluttering her wings and continually trying to get into your arms.

After having fallen onto your coccyx twice from being startled by the over eager chicken, you ended up carrying her in your arms with a wide grin. You did wonder how she managed to get on top of the barn’s rafters though, considering she couldn’t fly.

Chicken Marnie looked awfully smug the entire time, and when Farm went to take her thinking she was bothering you, she pecked at him until he swore (earning him a short scolding from Crop for his crude language). You didn’t mind the feathery company, and after voicing that, Crop gave a chuckle and left her be.

You didn’t end up milking the cows like you had planned. Instead, you played with the chickens, finding them to be rather adorable. Ghost Papy to be enjoying them too, floating around them with his usual sharp toothed grin. They even seemed to react to him a little, although maybe them shuffling away from him was just coincidence. Regardless, Papy was just as entertained as you were, and you found it a nice little bonding moment.

Crop chuckled. “THEY SEEM TA LIKE YA, ASHE. MARNIE THERE TENDS TA BE REAL TEMP'RAMENTAL, BUT I SHE WON’T EVEN LET YA PUT ‘ER DOWN FER FIVE MINUTES, SO YER MUST BE HER FAV’RITE!” he let out with a tone that clearly showed how amused he was at the scene unfolding.

You ended up sitting by the half-asleep Farm, the chickens all trying to clamber into your lap, held back only by Marnie possessively clucking at them. ‘They’re all so soft! And cute! And friendly!’

“HAVE YER EVER HAD YER OWN CHICK’NS?”

‘My underground didn’t have any animals,’ you confessed. ‘If I ever settled down somewhere though, I think I would love to own chickens like these ones. Papy seems to love them too.’

“I’D BE HAPPY TO TEACH YER HOW TA LOOK AFTER ‘EM IF YA DO,” he offered kindly. “I’VE GOT TA GO CHECK A FEW THINGS. YER GONNA STAY HERE FER NOW?”

You nodded. ‘I’d like to stay with them for a bit longer. Besides, I think Farm fell asleep, so I should probably watch him.’

“WELL, I’M GLAD YER HAVIN’ FUN, FRIEN’ ASHE. I’LL GRAB YOU AN’ FARM SOME SNACKS N’ FRESH LEMONADE. DON BE AFRAID TA WAKE ‘IM IF YER NEED SOMETHIN’, HE SLEEPS TOO MUCH ANYHOW.”

‘I’ll keep that in mind,’ you signed, only to suddenly shout out when Marnie attempted to shove herself underneath your shirt. Her little head stuck out from the neckline.

“FEEL FREE TA SHOVE HER OFF IF SHE’S ANNOYIN’ YA. TH’ CHICK’NS ARE PRETTY RESILIENT, SO YA DON HAVE TA WORRY TOO MUCH ABOUT HURTIN’ THEM.”

You giggled and nodded. ‘I’m fine, she’s actually pretty comfy against my chest.’

Crop nodded and left, leaving you a giggling mess as three chickens fought for a place in your lap. You had no idea what you had done to make them so interested in you, but you were having a great time.

You looked over to Farm. He seemed to be relatively comfortable laying in the hay, but one of the chickens kept trying to sit on his face. Every time he shoved them off, they would climb right back, causing you to snort with laughter.

“Get oofffff...” Farm grumbled after removing the chicken for what must have been the seventh time in a row. When she yet again climbed onto his face, he sat up with a groan, and the chicken instead sat atop his skull much like a hat.

‘She seems to like you,’ you signed.

He rolled his eyes, slowly picking hay off himself. “She’s just in a fowl mood,” he let out with a lazy grin, clearly back to the puns. “I dunno feather or not yer noticed, but ya got a chick'n in yer shirt.”

‘Yep! I didn’t realises chickens could be so sassy. I like her, though.’

“I LIKE THESE CHICKEN CREATURES. ASHE, ASK WHAT THIS ONE’S NAME IS! AND THIS ONE! OH, AND THIS ONE!”  Ghoat papy declared.

You giggled at his demands. ‘Papy really wants to know the names for all the chickens.’

Farm grinned. He pointed to each chicken and shared their name, some of them being rather funny such as the beige one he had apparently named ‘Egg Junior’ and her identical sister ‘Chicken Burger’. He seemed real proud of those names as well.