Forget the Dog. Beware of Owner.

[richestduck]

[On a cleared piece of land is a little farm with a small garden, a barn, and a chicken coop. The coop, barn, and garden all have fences to keep these things from mixing together for disastrous results.]

[And signs. Lots and lots of signs by the gates proclaiming things like "SCRAM!" and "GO AWAY!"]

[But if anyone dares to pass the signs by, they'll see a little old duck hard at work on tasks around the farm and unlikely to notice you right away. Maybe if you're very lucky, you'll see him taking care of his animals with none of the anger and bitterness he's likely to throw your way.]

Comments

[takeittothebridge]

[To be honest, he hadn’t even meant to come here. Still getting used to where things are, it was only by chance that he ended up at this particular farm.

But since he’s here anyway, might as well make the most of it. And while he doesn’t call Scrooge’s attention right away, the scent of chocolate chip cookies might serve as a warning.]

[richestduck]

[Scrooge is actually hanging up some clothes to dry on the line with his back to Bridge. It takes a few minutes for the smell of chocolate chip cookies to reach him.]

[When it does, he turns his head warily, his feathers fluffing up a bit in response to who's standing there.]

What do you want?

[takeittothebridge]

[He meets the attitude with a smile, holding up one hand to show he means no harm while the other holds the container of cookies.]

Nothing, really. Except to maybe offer an apology?

And cookies.

[richestduck]

[Scrooge's eyes narrow suspiciously, clearly disbelieving.]

And to tell me more about how I should be to match your Scrooge, correct? Though you shouldn't bother given you have your Scrooge here.

[takeittothebridge]

[He nods.]

I know he’s here. But that’s not the reason I’m here.

[Approaching the fence, the last line of defense keeping him off the property, he places the container on the fence post.]

I do feel bad for being so pushy the other day. [Not that he thinks he’s wrong but the pushy was the wrong way to go about it.] So I wanted to make it up to you.

[richestduck]

[For a moment, Scrooge is tempted to tell the boy to take his apologies and shove them up where the sun didn't shine. Then he gets an idea.]

[He smirks.]

You really want to make it up to me?

[He raises his hand and crooks his finger, beckoning the young man to approach him.]

[takeittothebridge]

[He hesitates for a moment, if only because he doesn’t like the old man’s expression. But he steps closer anyway.]

[richestduck]

Wait here.

[He limps into the house, returning a few minutes later with a bucket filled with soapy water and a scrub brush.]

Put the cookies on the porch and grab this. I'll show you how to make it up to me.

[takeittothebridge]

[Eyeing the bucket, he does as he’s told, hopping the fence to take the cookies to the porch. The he walks back over to Scrooge and takes the bucket and brush and waits to follow him.]

[richestduck]

[Scrooge opens the fence to the cow's pasture, holding it open for the boy before shutting it behind him.]

[The brown cow moos in displeasure but calms as Scrooge pats her on the side. He then leads the way into the barn.]

[The interior of the barn needs to be mucked out but it's honestly cleaner than most people would expect from a barn.]

Your job is going to be to clean both the barn and the coop, giving the floors a thorough scrubbing as soon as you've cleaned out the animal droppings and dirty straw. You'll then put down fresh straw in both the barn and the coop.

[takeittothebridge]

[.....Well, it was gross, but honestly not as bad as he was imagining it. So, with a nod, he rolls up his sleeves.]

All right. Where do you want me to put the waste?

[richestduck]

[Scrooge gestures to five large-ish bins near the western edge of the property.]

Put it all in the third bin. It'll all compost well into fertilizer.

[He can sell that crap. Literally.]

Any other questions?

[takeittothebridge]

[Making a mental note of the bins, he shakes his head.]

No Sir, not at the moment. But I'll let you know if I come up with anything.

[richestduck]

Good.

[And going to tip his hat before walking out. He'd been planning to do this job the next morning, but at least the unpleasantness will give him some retribution.]

[In the meantime, there are cookies.]

[takeittothebridge]

[Whatever makes him feel better. For his part, Bridge gets started, deciding to tackle the barn first, sweeping and cleaning the muck on the floor and gathering it up to put into the waste bin.

As he comes out of the barn to deposit a load into the bin, though, Scrooge will see he looks a bit different.]

[richestduck]

[Scrooge isn't expecting anyone else or for his "guest" to change into someone else.]

[So he's definitely not going to realize who this new duck is immediately.]

Oy! What do you think you're doin' on my property?!

[And getting up from where he'd settled down on his porch to work on some mending with murder in his eyes.]

[takeittothebridge]

[Pausing mid-step, he glances around. Then, realizing that Scrooge was actually talking to him, holds up a hand.]

S-Sorry, it's just me.

[He may not recognize the look, but the voice is still the same.]

[richestduck]

[Scrooge scowls at the boy with clear displeasure.]

[He doesn't ask how. He's smarter than the smarties: He knows this is magic at work.]

You'd best be doin' those chores by hand or I'll find somethin' else for you to do. No magic.

[takeittothebridge]

[He holds his hands up.]

I am, I promise. This form is just to conserve energy so I can work more.

[It's more than that, but it's not worth explaining.]

[richestduck]

[Skeptical duck is skeptical. You can be certain he's going to be checking in quite regularly to see what you're up to.]

It'd best be or you'll be in for a world of trouble.

[Judging by people's reactions to it, rock salt shot from a shotgun hurts a lot.]

[takeittothebridge]

[He nods.]

It's the only magic I used, promise.

[richestduck]

It'd better be.

[He's still glowering as he settles back down, picking up the old horse blanket he'd bought used and resuming patching it.]

[takeittothebridge]

[With a salute, he gets back to work, dropping off the bag of waste into the bin before heading back into the barn.

He continues that way for a good while, coming out every so often to drop off a bag into the bin before going back inside. And judging by the sweat and grime that start to cling to him, it's clear he's definitely doing things by hand.]

[richestduck]

[During one of those trips outside, Bridge will find a pitcher of water and a glass. However, Scrooge himself is still sitting there doing the mending.]

[He's a nasty, angry person, but he's not totally heartless despite what others might claim. Though if anyone asks him about it, he'll claim he doesn't want to have to pay for the kid getting treated for heat exhaustion.]

[takeittothebridge]

[Finding the pitcher and glass, he blinks in surprise a moment. Then with a smile, he looks over to where Scrooge is sitting.]

Thanks!

[Pouring water into the glass, he downs the whole thing in one shot, then pours another glass and drinks intermittently between trips to the bin.]

[richestduck]

You're no good to me if you drop dead from dehydration. That and I don't have any pigs to take care of what would be left behind to make sure no one ever found you.

[Pigs are omnivores, after all. They'll eat anything.]

[He wasn't being nice. Just practical.]

[takeittothebridge]

[Of course.

He can't help but snicker a bit, though. He won't call him out on it, but he recognizes the front. Even now, Uncle Scrooge does the same thing sometimes.]

Right, right. I know.

[Taking another swig of water, he heads back into the barn.]

[richestduck]

[Scrooge scowls at him but bends back over his mending. True, he only needs one of these blankets--maybe two--darned up for the moment, but when he gets more cows, he'll be glad he did this now and not later.]

[takeittothebridge]

[He continues on for a few more hours, making sure the barn is as clean as possible before laying down the clean straw. Then, after tossing one last bag of waste into the bin, he pours water into the glass and pours it over his head, mostly to cool himself off. Then he pours another glass and downs it quickly before making his way over to the coop.]

[richestduck]

That's enough. At the rate you're goin', you'll be at this until after dark. Consider your debt paid.

[Clearly doesn't want to say this, but torturing kids isn't something he can do in good conscience even if it's to get them to shove off.]

[Though the glowing red eyes in the darkness of the coop will probably help stop the kid.]

[takeittothebridge]

[The eyes having him drawing back a bit, but he glances over at Scrooge.]

Are...you sure? I don't mind.

[He feels a little bad too, since Scrooge had tasked him with both the barn and the coop. Leaving a job half finished didn't sit well with him.]

[richestduck]

You really want to question me on that?

[A bit of a nasty snap.]

I told you already that I don't want to deal with a corpse. You can shove off before you faint.

[takeittothebridge]

Well...

[He thought a moment.]

What if I come back tomorrow to finish? Since the coop is smaller, it shouldn't take me as long as the barn did.

[richestduck]

I said your debt's cleared. Now scoot!

[He gets up from the porch and grabs the cleaning bucket. If he hopes to get this done by nightfall, he'll have to get started.]

[takeittothebridge]

[He takes a step back as Scrooge grabs the bucket, then sighs a bit.]

All right, all right.

[He massages his hands a bit as he heads towards the fence. That'll definitely leave a blister or two.]

See ya.

[richestduck]

[He only grunts to acknowledge the farewell before going to work, the demon chicken strutting its way out of the coop.]

[takeittothebridge]

[Hopping over the fence, he glances back towards Scrooge. With another sigh, he then heads off.]

[anappleaday]

[ ...hmm.

the prudent thing to do, of course, would be to obey the signs, respect their writer's wishes, and move on to check out the next neighbor. it isn't difficult to imagine what kind of person might have prioritized putting up such an aggressive request to be left the hell alone to have that many signs up already.

but Samael is a nosy mother hen, and Lilith enjoys being contrary, and so instead the both of them pass the farm over— only to come back later with an arrangement of blue-violet flowers, which they lay down just outside the gate. the resident can take it or leave it that way, they figure; either way they probably won't understand the hidden message. the bouquet is made of borage, hortensia, and sweet balm to provide greenery— "bluntness," "you are cold," and "joking" in the language of flowers. ]

[richestduck]

[When Scrooge finds the flowers, he regards them with a frown. He doesn't understand the language of flowers. (One of the few he doesn't which is impressive since he apparently speaks bear.)]

[He doesn't think anyone has ever sent him flowers before. At least, not completely anonymously like this with apparently no desire for anything in return. He glances about before picking up the bouquet and limping back into his house.]

[If Samael and Lilith come by later, they'll see Scrooge doing the mending on an old horse blanket. In the window, clustered together in a glass of water, is the bouquet.]

[anappleaday]

[ ...mission accomplished, they think, satisfied, and go on their way.

about a week or so later (just as that bouquet starts to wilt past saving) they come by to drop off another one. there's no pointed message to fly over his head this time; just a lot of very cheerful chrysanthemums in assorted mostly-matching colors, with some ferns to provide greenery. ]

[richestduck]

[Scrooge isn't particularly great with flowers, so the last bouquet is long gone by the time the second one shows up. Which makes him just as confused because there is a second bouquet.]

[They're impossible to miss with their bright, cheerful colors that don't in the least bit match his mood. The only reason he picks up the bouquet at all is because they're poisonous to the cows and chickens. Instead of going in water, they get dumped directly in the trash. Sorry, whoever's giving him these flowers.]