Chapter Text
Cock-a-doodle-doo!!
The usual loud cry of the rooster meant that it's the start of another day.
The sun rose slowly over Mossy Bottom with the yellow rays spreading across the fields. Once the rooster was finished, the only other sound heard for the time being was a distant pitch of a kettle inside the farmhouse.
Shaun slowly made his way over to his usual spot on the field, his eyes blinking lazily as he chewed on a stem of grass. Behind him, the flock followed sleepily onto the field- they were all still feeling too drowsy to do any chaos yet.
All of the sheeps were dead tired. There was Hazel, she was nodding off mid chew, while Nuts bumped into a fence post and seemed surprised the post didn’t apologize.
As for the farm house, Bitzer walked right past the windows holding two mugs, he even took a second to squint at the horizon like it personally offended him.
While the Farmer? He was humming his usual off key tune to himself as he strolled up the path to the mailbox.
While strolling towards it, a bright orange van drove up and Rita stepped out of it with a bright smile. She waved cheerfully at Farmer before tossing a few letters into the box. Though, one particular letter fluttered to the ground, slightly heavier than the others. Rita stopped, scooped it up, and handed it to him.
She laughed awkwardly, “Nearly lost one!”, pushing it onto Farmer's hands before hurrying back to her van. “Better go now or I’ll be late” she said cheerily before driving off, leaving the quiet behind.
Farmer tilted his head as he turned the envelope over once then twice. It felt... different. Different as in, It's real paper. Why, this wasn’t a bill or an advertisement. It's got handwriting written by a human, not a printer. He squinted at the return address, his brow furrowing, he even mumbled something under his breath.
From the grass field, Shaun peeked out, munching on grass slowly. He tilts his head- what could this paper be? Farmer didn’t usually give that kind of look towards mail. Bills and ads annoyed him, but whatever this was, it made him quiet.
Farmer trudges back toward the house. The letter dangles from his hand like it’s heavier than it should be. Shaun follows at a distance, eyes wide and curious.
Inside, Bitzer comes in from the kitchen still holding two cups of coffee. He sets one down beside Farmer with a happy tail wag. Farmer doesn’t notice as he opens the envelope.
Bitzer perks up, expecting something fun, perhaps some good news? A trip! Maybe another supply delivery? His tail wags faster. Then-
Farmer stops. His shoulders slump, the letter trembles faintly in his hands as he reads it again. Then, a third time. At last he mutters under his breath, “No dogs allowed?”
Bitzer’s ears droop and his tail slows, he then gives Farmer a look that says, Really? Again?
Farmer forces a small smile and pats his head, “Sorry, boy.” He sets the letter facedown down on the counter.
Shaun darts back behind the window frame as Farmer heads out, getting his usual green coat on to do farm chores for the day. He watches every movement, eyes following him with curiosity. Farmer looks... different somehow. Whatever he read from that letter got him in a weird mood now.
Throughout the day, Farmer moved quickly around the farm. He fed the sheep without humming, he scrubbed away at laundry with a little too much force, causing water to spill over the sides, and he even watered the garden quickly, barely noticing when a chicken wandered underfoot. His hands are busy with his mind elsewhere- Routine, it's always routine with him.
Shaun watched him from afar the whole time, he doesn't wanna be close enough to be obvious, but just close enough to see the way Farmer seemed like he was trying not to think about something.
At last, all the chores were done. The animals have settled, all while the sun dipped lower.
Bitzer lingers by the porch, watching as Farmer finishes up with checking his tools, locking up the shed, and finally, walking towards his truck, his boots crunching over the gravel. Bitzer follows behind him for a few steps hesitant, before settling back by the farmhouse sighing, knowing he cannot follow.
Shaun was at the middle of the field, unsuspiciously munching on some grass, watching Farmer unload the truck. The truck's tarp shifts slightly in the breeze as the door creaks when Farmer gets in. This could be it! Shaun takes one step forward, then another.
Bitzer lets out a soft sigh. Shaun looks back once, ears drooping.
To his surprise, Bitzer wasn’t even looking his way, just staring at the truck with a sad resigned expression he does whenever Farmer leaves without him.
Then, he dashes forward quickly and he successfully slips under the tarp. By the time the truck engine turns on, Bitzer follows to the gate, tail still drooped. He turns to the flock and barks once.
Well, it's time for business as usual. The flock nods and, for a moment, things are calm.
Then Bitzer turns back to look for Shaun.
“Shaun? Shaun, where’s-?” He freezes.
The truck is already halfway down the lane and there, peeking from under a tarp in the back, is a little woolly face. Shaun winks.
Bitzer blows his whistle and takes one step forward, ready to sprint after the truck, but then the barn doors fly open, two sheep tumble out, the twins, tangled in a bucket and a garden hose, Nuts launches himself into the air chasing a butterfly, not to mention Shirley has already knocked over the feeding tray.
Bitzer groans and rolls his eyes, he lets out a long resigned sigh, and he looks back one last time before he trudges back toward the chaos.
The countryside drifts by as Farmer drives. The sun was moving closer to the horizon meaning that nightfall approaches soon. Every so often, his gaze flicks to the empty passenger seat. Just a glance like he expects someone to be there.
No one is.
Shaun peeks through a crack in the tarp, his eyes wide. The world rolls by in quiet roads that stretch outside of Mossingham City. There’s bridges, hedgerows filled with flowers, houses with smoke coming from chimneys. At first it’s exciting, afterall it could be the start of all new adventure. But he cant help but sense this feeling of tension coming from Farmer, the weight in his shoulders, and the silence replacing the usual humming.
The truck drove down narrow lanes, the long shadows blanketing all the land as the sun went lower, decorating the sky in shades of pink and orange. By the time Farmer makes it to the edge of town, the sky was turning pink and purple and the sun was sinking behind the hills. Street lights began to turn on, lighting up small patches of ground and far off over the fields, a few hot air balloons lift gently into the sky.
Farmer slows as he parks in a courtyard lined with lights, breath fogging faintly in the cooling air. He stopped at the edge of the venue, where white curtains fluttered in the gentle evening breeze and the distant laughter of guests could be heard. Above, normal balloons flew among the first stars.
He stands there a long time, only watching them.
He adjusts his tie in the mirror taking a mental note that formal wear never looks right on him, then he exhales and walks towards the doors. Behind him under the tarp, Shaun watches.
He doesn’t understand what’s waiting on the other side of those doors, only that something is about to change.
Farmer doesn’t notice the little pair of eyes watching him as he disappears inside.