Chapter 22:The Great Chicken Chase

**Chapter 22: The Great Escape (or How Not to Get Arrested)**

After successfully surviving the food fight masquerading as a royal banquet, Alina knew they had to make a swift exit before someone officially declared her a menace to the Celestial Court.

Zephyr, wiping mashed potatoes off his sleeve, grinned. "Well, that was fun."

Kieran groaned. "Define *fun*."

Lysander, always composed, sighed. "We need to leave. *Now*."

"Agreed," Alina said, glancing at the enraged nobles covered in various gourmet dishes. "I think we've overstayed our welcome."

---

### **Plan? What Plan?**

The group darted through the palace corridors, dodging guards and the occasional angry noble. Alina was fairly certain she heard someone shout, *Seize them!*, but she was too busy sprinting to confirm.

"Where are we even going?" Alina panted.

Zephyr pointed ahead. "To the garden! There's a secret passage."

Alina groaned. "Of course there is."

Lysander, keeping pace effortlessly, added, "We could have used it *before* the banquet."

Zephyr shrugged. "And miss the fun? No way."

---

### **Enter the Guard Captain**

Just as they reached the garden, a figure stepped into their path—Captain Rael, leader of the royal guards and notorious for his no-nonsense attitude. His piercing gaze landed on them, and he sighed heavily, as if dealing with *them* was the bane of his existence.

"Running away again, Lady Alina?"

Alina grinned sheepishly. "Define *running*."

Rael crossed his arms. "Breaking palace decorum, inciting a food war, and now fleeing the scene?" He tapped his chin. "Am I forgetting something?"

"Uh… having excellent taste in friends?" Alina tried.

Rael did not look amused.

---

### **Bribery Always Works**

Thinking fast, Alina reached into her pouch and pulled out a small, shimmering pastry. "Would you *consider* looking the other way if I gave you the last celestial croissant?"

Rael hesitated.

Zephyr gasped. "Wait—*that's* where you hid it? I was looking for that!"

Kieran smirked. "You'd sell out a royal decree for a pastry?"

Rael sighed, taking the croissant. "I didn't see anything."

Alina beamed. "That's the spirit!"

Rael muttered, "I need a vacation."

---

### **Escape to Chaos (Again)**

With Rael conveniently distracted by the heavenly pastry, the group made it through the garden passage, emerging outside the palace walls. The cool night air felt like freedom.

"Well, that could have gone worse," Lysander noted.

Zephyr grinned. "Could've gone better, too."

Alina dusted herself off and sighed. "We need a new plan."

Kieran smirked. "Let me guess—one that *doesn't* involve getting arrested?"

Alina rolled her eyes. "That would be nice."

As they disappeared into the city, laughter in their wake, Alina knew one thing for certain—trouble was never far behind.

And, somehow, she wouldn't have it any other way.

**Wanted—Dead, Alive, or Just Mildly Annoying**

The moment Alina and her group stepped into the bustling marketplace, she felt a familiar sense of unease. It was the kind that usually meant trouble was right around the corner—or, in this case, plastered on a massive wanted poster above a fruit stand.

Alina squinted at the illustration. "Okay, first of all, *that's* supposed to be me? That doesn't even look like me!"

Zephyr examined the poster, holding it up next to Alina's face. "I don't know, the resemblance is *kinda* there."

Kieran smirked. "They made you look more… unhinged."

Lysander sighed. "That's because they probably witnessed the banquet incident."

Alina groaned. "Ugh, how bad is the bounty?"

Zephyr read aloud. "Wanted for disturbing the peace, inciting chaos, and making an absolute mess at a royal banquet… Reward: Fifty golden celestial coins."

Alina gasped. "Only *fifty*? That's insulting!"

Lysander facepalmed. "That is *not* the issue here."

---

### **Escape Plan: Blend In (Poorly)**

"Okay, simple fix. We lay low, stay out of sight, and—"

Zephyr grabbed a brightly colored poncho from a vendor's stall and threw it over Alina's head. "There. Now you're invisible."

Alina stared at him. "I look like a walking fruit basket."

Kieran nodded. "A fashionable fruit basket."

Lysander pinched the bridge of his nose. "We need a real plan."

---

### **The Overly Enthusiastic Bounty Hunters**

Just as they started walking, a group of bounty hunters surrounded them, eyes glinting with excitement.

"Hey, look! It's *her*!"

Alina sighed. "You *just* recognized me? What gave it away—the poncho?"

Zephyr whispered, "I told you it was a bad disguise."

The lead bounty hunter grinned. "Come quietly, and we won't have to use force."

Alina tilted her head. "See, that's where you're wrong—because I *never* do anything quietly."

With a flick of her wrist, a gust of wind sent the nearest hunter tumbling into a fruit cart. Bananas flew everywhere. A watermelon rolled ominously toward the scene.

Zephyr gasped. "*The watermelon of doom!*"

Kieran smirked. "Five silver says it knocks out at least two of them."

Sure enough, the watermelon crashed into two bounty hunters, sending them flying. Chaos erupted as bystanders fled, merchants screamed, and a stand full of cabbages dramatically toppled over.

---

### **Running (Again)**

Alina grabbed Zephyr by the collar. "No time to celebrate! RUN!"

The group darted through the market, dodging various obstacles—a woman selling magical trinkets, a bard playing a particularly annoying lute solo, and a group of children enthusiastically throwing tomatoes at them.

"I blame *you* for this!" Alina yelled at Zephyr.

Zephyr laughed. "Me?! I didn't put a bounty on your head!"

"You didn't *help* either!"

Just as they turned the corner, Lysander pointed to an alley. "There! We can hide!"

They stumbled into the dark alley, hearts pounding, as bounty hunters ran past without noticing them. After a tense moment, Alina let out a breath.

"Okay. New rule—no more banquets. Ever."

Kieran chuckled. "No promises."

Alina groaned. "We are *never* getting out of trouble, are we?"

Zephyr grinned. "Not a chance."

And with that, their next adventure had only just begun.

**The Great Chicken Caper**

After narrowly escaping the bounty hunters, Alina and her team found themselves in yet another predicament—hiding inside a rickety old barn on the outskirts of the city.

"Okay, let's assess the situation," Alina whispered. "We're wanted criminals, we have no money, and we're stuck in a barn that smells like—" She paused, wrinkling her nose. "—definitely not roses."

Zephyr grinned. "On the bright side, at least we have company."

Alina turned to see what he was talking about and immediately regretted it. A dozen chickens stared at her with an almost unsettling level of intensity.

"Uh, why are they looking at me like that?" Alina asked, shifting uncomfortably.

Kieran smirked. "Maybe they sense your inner chaos."

Lysander sighed. "More likely, they're expecting food."

---

### **The Disastrous Escape Plan**

Zephyr clapped his hands together. "Alright, new plan! We disguise ourselves as humble farmers, sneak past the city gates, and disappear into the wilderness."

Alina raised an eyebrow. "How exactly do we 'disguise' ourselves as farmers?"

Zephyr grabbed a straw hat from a nearby hook and placed it on Alina's head. "There! Now you look like a natural."

Kieran chuckled. "You look like a farmer *who has never farmed a day in her life*."

Lysander ignored them. "If we're going to sneak out, we need a distraction."

Zephyr grinned. "Oh, I can *definitely* handle that."

Alina sighed. "I already regret this."

---

### **Release the Chickens!**

A few minutes later, the barn doors burst open, and a stampede of frenzied chickens poured into the city streets. Feathers flew everywhere. People screamed. Market stalls overturned.

"Why do I feel like this is *not* going to end well?" Alina muttered as she watched the chaos unfold.

Zephyr, who was holding a bucket of feed, shrugged. "Distractions don't get much better than this."

The guards at the city gate were completely overwhelmed, trying to catch runaway chickens while also avoiding the angry shopkeepers yelling about ruined produce.

Alina turned to her team. "Now's our chance—RUN!"

---

### **Almost There…**

The group darted toward the gate, dodging confused civilians and furious poultry. Just as they were about to make it through, a guard suddenly spotted them.

"Hey! Stop right there!"

"Oh, come *on*!" Alina groaned.

Thinking fast, she grabbed the nearest object—an unsuspecting chicken—and held it up. "You wouldn't arrest someone holding a *defenseless animal*, would you?"

The guard hesitated. "Uh…"

Zephyr, ever the opportunist, chimed in. "She's a noble chicken rescuer! Have you no heart?"

The guard, clearly unsure what to do with this bizarre situation, sighed. "Just… get out of here before I change my mind."

Alina beamed. "Thank you, kind sir!"

And with that, they sprinted past the gate, free once more.

---

### **One Last Problem**

As they walked down the road, catching their breath, Kieran frowned. "So, uh… are we just going to ignore the fact that you *still* have that chicken?"

Alina looked down at the bird still clutched in her hands. It blinked at her.

"…I think I have a new pet."

Zephyr grinned. "Well, at least it's better than another bounty."

And with that, their ridiculous adventure continued.

**The Hen and the High Society Ladies**

Alina's grand escape from the city had led her to a quiet countryside road, but peace was always a temporary luxury in her life. With her new feathery companion clutched in her arms, she strolled along with her team, enjoying a rare moment of calm.

"You know, I never thought I'd say this," Kieran mused, "but that chicken really suits you."

Alina rolled her eyes. "I do *not* need another pet." She glanced down at the chicken, who gave her a judgmental stare. "…Maybe just one more."

Before Zephyr could make a witty remark, an approaching group of finely dressed young women caught their attention. Their carriages had stopped near the road, and an air of chaos surrounded them.

---

### **Damsels in Distress (Sort of)**

"Oh no, what *do* we do?!" one girl exclaimed, clutching her bonnet dramatically.

Another pouted. "I simply cannot continue this journey with *that* thing in the way!"

Alina followed their line of sight and—of course—it was a problem only *she* would encounter. A large, rather irate-looking goat had stationed itself in the middle of the road, refusing to move.

Zephyr whistled. "That's a determined goat."

Kieran smirked. "I like him already."

Lysander, the voice of reason as usual, sighed. "It's just a goat. We could easily move it aside."

One of the girls, a brunette with an air of nobility, pointed an accusing finger. "*You* clearly don't understand. That is no ordinary goat—it is a *menace*!"

The goat, as if understanding its role in this absurd drama, let out an ominous *bleat* and took a defiant stance.

---

### **The Negotiation Begins**

Alina approached the stubborn creature, holding up her hands in a diplomatic gesture. "Listen, buddy, we're all just trying to live our best lives here. How about you let these fine ladies through, and I—uh—find you something tasty?"

The goat snorted.

Zephyr leaned over. "I don't think he's buying it."

Kieran chuckled. "Try bribing it with your chicken."

Alina gasped. "*Excuse me?!* Betray my newfound companion? Never."

The chicken, as if sensing its name in vain, fluffed up proudly.

Instead, Alina dug into her pocket and pulled out a small piece of dried fruit. "Okay, how about this? You move, you get a snack. Deal?"

The goat eyed the offering. For a moment, it seemed like it might comply—only to suddenly *headbutt* Alina gently, knocking her back a step.

Zephyr howled with laughter. "Negotiations have failed!"

---

### **Plan B: Chaos (As Usual)**

"Alright, that's it." Alina dusted herself off. "Plan B—*we outsmart the goat*."

Lysander sighed. "This is ridiculous."

Ignoring him, Alina turned to Zephyr. "Think you can distract it?"

Zephyr grinned. "Oh, you *know* I can."

He pulled out a shiny trinket from his sleeve and waved it like a prize. "Hey, goat! Look at this! It's shiny and *just out of reach*!"

The goat's ears perked up, intrigued.

As the goat lunged toward Zephyr, Alina swiftly guided the ladies around the roadblock. "Move, move, move!"

The plan worked—mostly. Except for the part where Zephyr miscalculated and ended up getting *chased* by the goat instead of leading it away.

"I regret *everything*!" Zephyr shouted as he ran.

Kieran smirked. "You brought this upon yourself."

Alina, still laughing, turned back to the noble girls. "Well, crisis averted. Safe travels, ladies."

One of them, the brunette from earlier, suddenly smiled. "You're actually… quite capable. And amusing."

Alina grinned. "I get that a lot."

With their gratitude (and a few invitations to a future tea party), the noblewomen departed, leaving Alina and her group to retrieve their goat-chased companion.

---

### **The Aftermath**

By the time they caught up to Zephyr, he was out of breath and clinging to a tree for dear life.

"So," Alina said, smirking, "did you learn anything today?"

Zephyr groaned. "Yeah. *Never underestimate a goat*."

The chicken in Alina's arms clucked in agreement.

And thus, another day of bizarre yet oddly satisfying adventures came to an end.