“Help! I’m the Chosen One (and I Didn’t Sign Up for This)!”

The group had barely finished cleaning up the pillow carnage when Fergus, with his knack for bad ideas, discovered the inn's backyard.

"Guys, you've got to see this!" Fergus shouted, waving them over with a wild grin.

Kazuya groaned. "If this is another one of your 'brilliant' ideas, I'm staying here."

"You won't want to miss it," Fergus insisted.

Against their better judgment, the group followed Fergus outside.

Enter the Chickens

The backyard was an expansive coop filled with chickens—dozens of them, clucking and strutting about like they owned the place.

"Why are there so many chickens?" Mika asked, looking genuinely confused.

"The innkeeper must run a side business," Lyria mused, pointing to a sign that read: Cluckingham Palace - Fresh Eggs Daily!

"I have an idea," Fergus said, eyes sparkling with mischief.

"No," Mika said immediately.

"You don't even know what it is!" Fergus protested.

"If it involves those chickens, it's a bad idea," Mika replied, crossing her arms.

Fergus ignored her, climbing into the coop. "Come on, little guys! Let's play!"

Operation Chicken Heist

Moments later, Fergus emerged from the coop holding a chicken under each arm.

"Fergus, put them back," Kazuya said, his voice filled with dread.

"Relax! I'm just borrowing them for a bit," Fergus replied, grinning.

"Borrowing them for what?" Lyria asked, raising an eyebrow.

Before Fergus could answer, the innkeeper appeared, her face a mask of pure fury.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH MY CHICKENS?!" she bellowed.

Fergus froze, the chickens squawking loudly in his arms. "Uh… exercise?"

The Great Chicken Escape

The innkeeper lunged at Fergus, who panicked and dropped the chickens. The startled birds scattered, flapping and clucking in every direction.

"Oh no," Kazuya muttered.

"Oh yes," Mika said, smirking.

Chaos erupted as the group tried—and failed—to wrangle the fleeing chickens.

One chicken flew onto Mika's head, its wings flapping wildly. "Get it off! Get it off!" she yelled, spinning in circles.

Kazuya dove for another chicken, only to trip over his own feet and land face-first in the dirt.

Lyria, ever the opportunist, tried using her magic to summon a small barrier, but all she managed to do was trap Fergus inside with three very angry chickens.

"Help!" Fergus screamed as the chickens pecked at him mercilessly.

The Chicken Queen Emerges

Just when it seemed things couldn't get worse, one particularly large chicken—the size of a small dog—stepped out of the coop.

"Is it just me, or is that chicken... glowing?" Kazuya asked, eyes wide.

The massive bird spread its wings, and a golden aura surrounded it.

"It's the Chicken Queen!" the innkeeper shouted, falling to her knees in reverence.

"Of course it is," Mika said, deadpan.

The Chicken Queen let out an ear-splitting BAWK, and all the other chickens froze, their beady eyes locking onto the group.

"Oh no," Fergus whispered.

"Oh yes," Mika replied with a grin.

A Feathery Showdown

The chickens launched themselves at the group in perfect formation, led by the glowing Chicken Queen.

Kazuya grabbed a broom. "We're under attack! Defend yourselves!"

Mika swung her dagger, trying to fend off the swarm without actually harming the birds. "This is ridiculous!"

Lyria climbed onto a table, using her magic to create small shields to block the onslaught of feathers and beaks. "Why do we always end up in situations like this?!"

Fergus, meanwhile, was trying to reason with the Chicken Queen. "Your Majesty, please! We mean no harm!"

The Chicken Queen responded with a mighty peck, sending Fergus flying into a haystack.

The Resolution

After what felt like hours (but was probably ten minutes), the innkeeper managed to calm the Chicken Queen by offering her a basket of corn.

The glowing aura faded, and the chickens returned to their coop as if nothing had happened.

The group, covered in feathers and looking thoroughly defeated, trudged back inside.

"Never again," Kazuya said, collapsing onto a chair.

"I can't believe we just got outsmarted by chickens," Mika muttered.

Fergus, still pulling feathers out of his hair, grinned. "Worth it."

The innkeeper glared at them. "You're paying for the damages."

"What damages?!" Kazuya protested.

The innkeeper pointed to the coop, which was now missing a wall.

"Oh," Kazuya said, slumping further into his chair.