The Hermitcraft Daycare AU

Chapter 8: A New Feathery Friend

I included 2 references in this story. But one reference in this chapter is just sad, especially if you know this certain puzzling game. :')

If you do recognize this one puzzling reference, kudos to you.

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--Hypno's POV--

Me and young Jevin woke up somewhere between 5:00-5:30 am in the morning just so we can get an early head start to the new daycare, maybe even help Cleo with the preparations. Time check; it's already 7:04 and me and Jevin have been resting our butts on this boat for nearly an hour now. 

"Turn around again!" young Jevin exclaimed. 

I felt myself tirelessly laughing at the little slime. "Yes captain ." 

I stirred my paddle to the direction of the water pyramid, again. We've been circling our boat around Impulse's base for a while now, and Jevin was having way too much fun with the boat ride. He'd use my arms as his support and jumped excitedly every time we turned the corner, I had to continuously drag the kid's arm from leaning too close to the salt water sea. 

Do slimes even dissolve from water?.... 

I pushed away the scary thought of a kid dying and finally turned the boat back to the direction of the shopping district. "Alright Jevin, it's time to go see your friends. We can ride the boat again later, oka-

" CHICKEN!!"

Jevin leaped excitedly again, nearly yeeting both of us from the boat and into the water. I hastily took Jevin's whole body and held him tight till the boat stopped rocking. Once it stopped, I carefully assisted Jevin back to his place. "Jevin, what did we say about the jumping!?" I scolded. 

"But Uncle Hypno, the chicken is gonna drown," Jevin pointed at the feathery figure, leaping from the water. I took the paddles and rowed our way to the opposite direction of the chicken. "Don't worry, chickens can swim, so it will be alright for now."

"But we can't leave it, chickens don't belong in the sea," says Jevin, eyeing pitifully at the feathery figure again. I stared at the chicken for a while till I finally made up my mind and paddled back to  the opposite direction. "Alright. Let's save the chicken I guess," I chuckled again. 

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When me and Jevin finally arrived at the daycare, I did not expect a majority of the young hermits to start crowding around us and the petite chicken. They fawned over the bird, and played whatever game that could also include the chicken. In short, the chicken was loved by all. 

"Hey Jellie, we got a new animal friend," Scar brought the feline to the feathery fella, he raised her paw and gave the chicken a little wave. "Hi chicken, meet your new friend, Jellie. Say hi Jellie." 

Jellie expressed no emotion, and walked away to a quiet corner. Young Scar sighs, glancing apologetically at the chicken. "Sorry, Jellie is a bit mean."

But the chicken too expressed no emotion to the feline's early departure, and continued exploring around the virtual world. 

"Does the chicken have a name?" Young TFC asked, watching intently at the bird, "It's a bit mean not to name the chicken."

"Oooh, that's a great idea!" 

"Let's name him 'Doom'!" Iskall shouted from across the room. 

"No! How about Claire the time traveling chicken?" 

"Perry the chicken~~!" Tango sang.

"How do we know it's a boy? The chicken could be a girl?" Young Joe suggested. 

I passed through the crowd of kids and bent down on one knee. "Let's find out-" I effortlessly held back the urge to laugh as I lifted the chicken and examined his bottom. "Hmmm...it's a boy," I said jokingly. 

Beef looked at me in a mix of disbelief and disgust. "Did you… Just identified its gender, in front of the poor innocent eyes of these young hermits?" "Pfft-" Cleo snorted, covering her loopy smile with her pale hand. 

"But Uncle Grian told me that that's not how to find out if a chicken is a girl or boy," Joe looked at the 3 adults in the room, confused. Me and Cleo were wheezing in our places while Beef just looked at us, like a disappointed father to their children. "Ignore them Joe, just ignore them," Beef carefully pushed the young poet away from the both of us, sending a quick glare before smiling innocently in front of the children. 

"Jokes aside, I did properly check the chicken before we arrived, and it's definitely a male chicken," I gazed back at Beef with a cheeky smile forming on my face. "I just couldn't ignore the opportunity."

"Why you-" 

Cleo swiftly pushed her way between the two of us before things could've possibly gotten ugly. "Alright kids, what are you going to name the chicken?" 

"How abou-" 

"No!" The young hermits loudly turned down Iskall before the poor kid could even finish his sentence. "Omega Rude.." the little Sweden grunted. 

"I have an idea," False spoke out from the small crowd of boys. "Since Jevin saved the chicken, he can name the chicken for us." Everyone took turns glancing at each other before silently agreeing to Falsey's proposal. All eyes are now on the little slime. "Ohhh- well," Jevin stood there quite shook at the privilege he was given, "I don't know? I guess," he paused, looking around aimlessly for an inspiration to name the chicken. 

It was a minute till his blue beady eyes landed on a certain person in the room. The moment I looked at where he was gazing, me and young Jevin knew how annoyed the young hermits will be, but it was already decided. Young Jevin scooped the chicken from the ground and gave it a little pat in the head. 

"Hi Doom the chicken. That will be your new name from now on." 

An awkward silence filled the air…. 

"Jevin wha-" 

"JEVIN I LOVE YOU AS A BOY!!" The little Sweden ran up to Jevin and nearly flattened the poor slime to a great big hug. 

"UgghhhhhHH," the young hermits' groans were weirdly harmonized with the faint sounds of sighs and disappointment from young Joe and TFC. 

"Jevin why!?" 

"Walk the plank!"

"I'm hurt, Jevin.." 

"Now Iskall won't shut up about it…" 

"Hey! The words 'shut up' doesn't sound quite nice, Mumbo." Cleo lightly scolded the young redstoner. 

Mumbo bowed his head apologetically. "Sorry," he mumbled.

But still, Mumbo was not wrong. Iskall and Jevin looked at each other with cheeky smiles on their faces. Those two were having a field day. 

"Umm- Doom the chicken," Ren walked towards Doom, along with False following behind him. "Would you like to play pirates with us? We have a boat and everything! And Scar's gonna be the evil catfish monster!" 

"Did someone say boat?" Jevin popped up out of nowhere, leaning curiously between the two pirates.

Doom the chicken did not care for whatever conversation the three young hermits had about boats and continued to explore the area. He was unaware of what his future explorations and curiosity would lead him to. 

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Before you ask, I know that's actually not how you identify a chicken's gender. But my unsanitary mind could not help but add this little joke.

I'm sorry.