Chapter 11

"Man, I am glad we sent those letters back to Sicordiya. I can't wait for them to read our letters man." - Rey.

"You say it well buddy! Oh, to see my dear Thekla's cheeks red...she is so cute when she blushes!" - Akuv.

"Yeah, tell me about it. Whenever Aya's annoyed, I will always squish her cheeks. She'd get annoyed too, but she'd look so cute, just like a little red rabbit." - Rey.

"Heh! That's cute man. Sigh, but speaking of which we still have not amassed enough money yet! We can't return back to Sicordiya as beggars!" - Akuv.

"Pfft, well that's something we could think for another day buddy. Maybe we could ask a Shaman to make us rich." - Rey.

"That's just a pipe dream! and besides, the Shamans would zap us into dust with our stupid requests" - Akuv.

"Hey I mean, it could be worse you know, like being transformed into a talking chicken." - Rey.

"A roasted Talking chicken...that's gonna be an annoying thing to eat! Say, who was that talking Rooster that you fought with?" - Akuv.

"Oh, well, it's a long story, but, I'll let you know about it, and about my family too." - Rey.

The duo went to sit on a fallen log. It was a sunny day, and it seemed as if Noon was gonna come anytime soon. Seeing as they have a lot of time, Rey decides to narrate his life and how he met the chicken.

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Rey's Flashback.

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"Rey! wake up boyo! It's another day for work! come and get your hoe just as I got my hoe at my hand!" - Rey's father.

Rey was asleep inside of his room. It wasn't a fancy room, just a small room enough for one person to live in. A woman entered in the room, sitting at the side of the bed as she gently waked him up.

"Ugh, mother, it's too early to wake up." - Rey.

"Don't be silly, Rey, it's already late in the morning, the sun's up, bright and shining, come on, you don't want to miss breakfast don't you? Or maybe your father could use some extra food." - Rey's Mother.

This was Rey's mother, she is slender in build, and have a beautiful countenance in spite of her age. Her tone is soft, and gentle, yet bears some form of authority in it.

"Fiiiiiinneeee, I'm awake. Let me just freshen up." - Rey.

"That's the spirit!" - Rey's mother.

Rey woke up and went outside to freshen himself up at the water barrel, taking a broken mint stick as he brushed his teeth with it. It was a modest home, a stone house, and a farm rich with crops and animals. There was a chicken coop, and a small cattle kraal.

As he was done freshening up, he went inside to have some thosai with fish curry. His mother was watching him eat the food, she was happy to see him smile as he eat.

"Have you and father eaten?" - Rey.

"We had Rey, it was quite sometime ago." - Rey's mother.

"You guys were up really early?" - Rey.

"Of course silly, we have been. Your father has been up earlier than everyone, as usual." - Rey's mother.

"Damn, I wonder if he is mad or disappointed at me for sleeping too late." - Rey.

"Oh your father does not think like that, Rey, but you do need to get up early and be more productive you know?" - Rey's mother.

"Mhm, well maybe next time, Ma." - Rey.

"I am serious, Rey. You are a smart boy, we both know that, but you can be really lazy." - Rey's mother.

"I will, Ma. I'm off to work with pa, see you later for lunch Ma." - Rey.

Rey left the table to work on the fields with his father.

"Rey! Son! it's good to have you here!" - Rey's father.

"Right here pa, what do you need?" - Rey.

"I want you to feed the chickens at the chicken coop! Here take this bucket boyo, It'll help you build your strength boyo!" - Rey's father.

Rey's father was a sharp contrast from his wife, he was large, well toned and very tanned, and bald, but sports a very thick beard. His tone was rough, but hearty.

"Sure thing, Pa." - Rey.

He picked up the bucket, only to collapse on it's weight. It was a heavy bucket containing grains. He dreadfully carried the bucket with much difficulty to the chicken coop. As he entered in the coop, he placed the bucket aside and went on to inspect the chickens without much enthusiasm.

"Okay...I'm just doing this so I can eat you and your eggs later on, chickens, so feast well while you can." - Rey.

"Well that's not very nice mister!" - Unknown voice.

Rey was startled at the random voice. He looked at the entrance and around the coop to see if there was anyone in the coop. To his surprise, he was alone. 

"Great, did we settle on a haunted land?" - Rey.

"Haunted?! Well take me away, hairy mister!" - Unknown voice.

All of a sudden, a rooster jumped on Rey's hand and looked around with much fright. 

"Don't worry mister, I know a good place that might not be haunted!" - The Rooster.

Rey's eyes was full of shock as he was equally dumbfounded at the sight of a talking rooster.

"You...talk?" - Rey.

"Of course I do! Have you not seen talking roosters before? " - The Rooster.

"My eyes must be playing with me, or am I dreaming?" - Rey.

The rooster pecked Rey's hand, as he winced in pain.

"See! I am real! and you are too! Now stop yapping nonsense mister!" - The Rooster.

"How can you even talk!?! Are you a ghost? A cursed fiend?!" - Rey.

"How Rude! I'll letchu know that I am a respected Clucker from where I come from!" - The Rooster.

"Okay...you know what, I'll just show you to my parents" - Rey.

"Wait Mister! Don't do that please!" - The Rooster.

"Or else what?" - Rey.

"Please we can come to some kind of compromise!" - The Rooster.

"The only compromise I see is you being tonight's dinner" - Rey.

"Hey!! Don't do that! Okay look, If you protect me, I won't snitch on you being lazy and finding workarounds from hardwork! Certainly that large overlord outside won't be happy if he hears you do that!!" - The Rooster.

"That's my father, eugh, you do got a point. Father and Mother won't like it, fine, I think we got a deal, and besides, I am getting lonely around here." - Rey.

"That's the spirit! if you come in here and give me some food, I'll take care of the coop and we can relax!" - The Rooster.

"Fine by me." - Rey.

"Hey Son! how is it going in there? need any help?" - Rey's father.

"Nothing Pa, I got it handled." - Rey.

"Deal?" - The Rooster reached out it's feathers to Rey.

"Deal." - Rey shooked the Rooster's feathers.

Rey promised to not reveal and let the Rooster be sold or taken for dinner, in return, whenever he is assigned to Coop duty, he would relax in the coop, playing trading cards with the Rooster. It was a win win situation for the duo. One day however, Rey and the Rooster hatched a brilliant plan to get out of the farmstead and venture to lands beyond of their own.

One one bright afternoon, Rey came out with the Rooster.

"Ma, Pa, I am going to leave to distant lands." - Rey.

His mother and father's eyes opened up with great shock, his mother especially couldn't believe what he was saying.

"Rey, that's just random and out of the blue! Why did you come out of this all of a sudden?" - Rey's mother.

"Mother, Father, it's not what you think, I am going to earn a better fortune!" - Rey.

"Look son, we know you can be creative, but how exactly are you gonna earn a better fortune and settle our debts?" - Rey's father.

"With this!" - Rey showed the rooster at hand.

"....With a Rooster?" - Rey's mother.

"Well if you cook a nice dinner, you might get a fortune!" - Rey's father.

"Pa, and Ma, this is no ordinary Rooster, it's a Rooster that can imitate what you say! Repeat after me, Rooster, say, Rey is an intelligent person." - Rey.

"Rey is an Idiotic person!" - The Rooster.

Rey smacked the rooster on the head. His parents was still shocked at the demonstration, nonetheless.

"Heh, don't mind the Rooster, it's still in it's infancy, but it is a prodigy that can earn us a fortune! Ma and Pa, we can finally settle our debts and reclaim our deeds to our land." - Rey.

"Are you sure the Rooster's...not possessed by an evil magician?" - Rey's mother.

"I could eat it and get some access to secret knowledges! Hahaha!" - Rey's Father.

"Ma, Pa!" - Rey.

"Oh I am just pulling your leg Son, but...it aches my heart to let you go Son, me and your mother are gonna miss you, your presence has been a boon to us! And what if something happens to you? You know our poor hearts can't take it." - Rey's father.

"He's right Rey, you are old enough to make your own decisions, but what if this didn't turn out too well for you? What if you make the wrong decisions? Your life will turn for the worst." - Rey's mother.

"Come on guys, you guys still treat me like as if I am a little boy." - Rey.

"That's because you are still a little boy to us, Rey." - Rey's mother.

"Yeah! I remembered when how cute you were, walking with your tiny legs!" - Rey's father.

"Ma...Pa...you guys gotta trust me on this one. I know it's gonna be heavy hearted, but please, for the first time, put your trust on me. I won't disappoint you." - Rey.

There was a silence in within the room. His parents looked at each other, but with a deep sigh, they turned their heads towards Rey.

"When will you depart?" - Rey's mother.

He and the Rooster smiled, knowing that their plan worked as expected.

"Tomorrow morning, I will be taking my leave, sailing beyond the western coasts." - Rey.

"How long will you be gone son?" - Rey's father.

"I don't know father, but when I come back, you won't be disappointed!" - Rey.

"You coming in One piece, will never disappoint us, son. Please take care, okay?" - Rey's father.

Rey nodded and went to his room to pack his things. The Rooster just stood at his bed, looking around the Room.

"I presume it wasn't an overnight thought?" - Rey's mother.

"Mother?" - Rey.

"You had the thought of leaving for quite some time now, haven't you Rey?" - Rey's mother.

"..Yes, Yes I had mother." - Rey.

She smiled, and walked inside of the room, sitting by the bed as she pet the Rooster.

"I understand a boy likes you have wild adventures, hell, your father and I were just like you." - Rey's mother.

"Really mother?" - Rey.

"Yes, we were, he was quite a man, he still is, and I love him for that. We had our adventures, and it's not fair to keep you confined here, anyways." - Rey's mother.

"Thank you, for understanding, though, father seems down." - Rey.

"Of course, so am I too. We are leaving our little stallion to go venture onto the wild alone. We are worried for you, Rey." - Rey's mother.

"Don't worry about me, Ma, you know I can handle myself well!" - Rey.

"Of course, you are a big boy, but you worry me sometimes too, Rey. Going to a really distant land, and what if you don't get the profits? What will you do?" - Rey's mother.

"I will keep exploring until I secure myself and the family a great fortune!" - Rey.

"Rey, we do not want profits, sure, we may have lost a lot, but we are still doing fairly decent. What's important is that you come back in one piece, it's our wish." - Rey's mother.

"But ma, I won't come back a failure, I will regain what we have lost, and I will impress everyone, including you. I will bring back a beautiful and awesome daughter-in-law for you and dad, and we can no longer need to work like slaves!" - Rey.

"Oh you naughty boy, sneaking in a marital future for yourself! But Rey, we are happy, are we not? sure, we need to work hard, and things are difficult, but we manage, and along the way, we create the happiness in the process too. We are content, Rey, riches no longer sway us. But don't let this stop you, from adventuring, Son, I just want to let you know, that even though you do not bring any riches home, your presence alone, is the biggest riches for us, and also a beautiful daughter-in-law too!" - Rey's mother.

"Don't worry, Ma, I won't disappoint you both, and don't worry, I will bring the most beautiful lady of the land!" - Rey.

"Heh, that's the spirit, now take some good rest, after you pack, okay? and don't forget to have dinner, we are gonna have a feast! I'll be cooking your favourite, mutton curry!" - Rey's mother.

"Yay! thanks Ma, now lemme just prepare everything." - Rey.

A day has passed, and it was finally time for Rey to depart.

"Well...I'll miss you both, take care and stay well okay guys?" - Rey.

"We will miss you Rey, I'll never forget the day your little hands touched mine....it was so small, so cute, and so soft. Now look at you, gonna sail around the world and change the world! I....am happy for you son. Take care, and safe travels, alright?" - Rey's father.

"Have a safe trip and take care, Rey. Heh, look at you, a big, handsome, boy. Seeing you grow to become a man you are now, haha....we love you, Rey. Stay safe, and take care, alright? We will pray for your well being." - Rey's mother.

Rey waved at his parents as he left the humble homestead. Rey's mother hugged her husband, as they waved, with worry, and sadness, but they wiped their tears away, believing that their son will be successful in where he chose to seek.

"Heh, can't believe we tricked them! Plan success Rey! now where do we go!" - The Rooster.

Rey seemed quiet, as if he did not listen to the Rooster's words. He seemed lost in thought.

"Rey? are you okay buddy?" - The Rooster.

"Huh? Oh, right, sorry, I was just thinking." - Rey.

"Of your parents?" - The Rooster.

"Yeah, It's just sad to leave them like that. I hope they're okay." - Rey.

"They'll be finneeeeee, don't cha worry about them! Now, where do we go, Rey?" - The Rooster.

"I don't know, I guess we'll let the sailors take us to a new land." - Rey.

"Fine by me, Mister!" - The Rooster.

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"And so that's how I left my family with the Rooster." - Rey.

"Oh...well that's quite a story man! don't you miss your family?" - Akuv.

"Yeah, sometimes." - Rey.

"Sometimes?" - Akuv.

"I sometimes do remember and miss them. But I know, they want me to not worry, as I hope for the same from them." - Rey.

"That's nice buddy, but you haven't explain how you and the Rooster became so bitter enemies!" - Akuv.

"Ack, that's a story for another time, I am craving for some food. Let's grab some lunch, Akuv." - Rey.

"Alright buddy! let's eat!" - Akuv.

The duo woke up and went towards their home to prepare some lunch, concluding Rey's flashback and brief history.