In the Garden of Virtues

Yep, clouds.

This was the place.

For something like this, Isanghan would usually bring his whole media team– but with what he’d heard about the Heavenly Embassy’s caretaker… well, barging in with cameras ablaze seemed like the very wrong way to go about this. Instead, all he had was his phone– and, hey, for all anyone cared, that was just as capable of taking pictures.

He clicked the button on the elevator door to take him up, his excitement growing as he rose.

The doors parted, revealing the whole of the embassy. Isanghan gasped. He assumed that all that was housed here was the one building– but no wonder cherubuns liked it up here so much! There was so much to see and do!

If only he weren’t here for something specific. Ugh. He’d have to explore all the little shops later– he would bet anything that cherubun fashion would be to die for. Though it might make a good first impression to wear familiar clothes (not to mention, good for likes)... No, no. He’d explore later.

He entered what he could only assume was the main embassy building, his tail swishing back and forth. He smiled to himself– he couldn’t overstate how much he loved the aesthetics. Maybe he should abandon his fairy gimmick and take more inspiration from cherubuns, instead. He fluttered his wings and chuckled lightly to himself. As if. 

“Pardon me, but may I be of any assistance?” came a voice from behind.

Isanghan turned in surprise. “Um! Oh, my gosh. You’re a real cherubun.”

“Yes.” 

Primrose’s mouth flattened to a line. Why did succubuns come to the Heavenly Embassy and then get all surprised to discover cherubuns there? And a real cherubun? As opposed to, what, those fake cherubuns everyone’s been talking about? Ugh.

“Hi! My name is Isanghan,” he said, holding out a hand to shake. “Maybe you’ve heard of me? They call me the fairy prince of the music sphere.”

“I have not,” Primrose responded, not taking his hand. He did not know where it had been.

Isanghan faltered. This was not at all what he had been expecting from cherubuns– weren’t they supposed to be all about virtues and whatever?

“Is there anything you need help with?” Primrose repeated.

“Uh… yeah, so, I’m pretty big on Bunsta,” Isanghan began, “and I was wondering if I could take some pictures and really learn what it’s been like moving to Burrowgatory. I’m sure everyone here has an amazing story to tell, and I want to make sure people hear it! Stuff like this is important.”

“So you’re a journalist?”

“No, not really; I’m an influencer.” Isanghan pulled out his phone, already open to Bunsta, and scrolled a bit so this person (who still had not introduced himself) could see. “I mostly post pictures of myself and of my music, and my dancing, and stuff like that. And people really like it, see? This post here has fifty-k likes. Actually, this post did pretty badly– bad example. Anyways, I want to use my platform to spread some good! I want to help cherubuns share their stories.”

“You know, you aren’t the first bun to approach us and ask to plaster us all over social media,” Primrose said. “This is exploitation, and I will have no part of it.”

“What? No!” Isanghan grabbed Primrose’s wrist as he turned away. He let go of it immediately. “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to grab you like that. I don’t want to exploit you at all! I just want to help, and this is the best way I know how.”

“Taking pictures of us and putting our life stories online doesn’t help anyone or anything other than your bottom line.”

“Then I’ll donate all of my cherubun proceeds back to the Heavenly Embassy. Or… to you… personally…?” He winced as he feebly tried to bribe. He didn’t really mean it, and didn’t think it would work; Primrose’s withering glare was proof enough it didn’t. “Look, whatever it is– I’m curious, and I want to help. I want to show other people there are ways they can help.”

“If you want to help, there is actual, real work to be done,” Primrose stated.

“Alright, then I’ll do that.”

Primrose eyed him warily. No one else that had come knocking with this specific request had ever pushed this hard about helping; they’d gone on and on about the opportunity and about how lucky he should be to work so closely with them. They came armed to the teeth with equipment; one even brought a script for him to read. A few had shoved cameras, already recording, in his face. He really, really didn’t trust the influencer types.

But there stood Isanghan, earnest and eager, and volunteering to actually get his hands dirty. He had already put his phone back in his pocket.

“I mean it. It’s real work. I could always use an extra hand in the greenhouse.”

Isanghan’s face changed. It was much less eager. He took a moment to consider the options.

“I’ve already committed,” he said. “I already told you that I’d do it, so I will. Can I take pictures as I go?”

Primrose sighed.

“Not of you! Not if you don’t want me to. I more mean of, like, the plants, and stuff. I try to post a minimum of five times a day to stay relevant.”

“...If you must.”

“Great! Lead the way.”

Primrose lead Isanghan to the greenhouse. It took a very long time. Every three steps, Isanghan stopped and just had to get a picture of whatever building, or whatever cloud, or whatever sidewalk; but Isanghan assured him that he would only ever have to do this once. He couldn’t help but notice that Isanghan was extremely careful not to get anyone’s face in the shot, and he had to admit that he appreciated the attention to detail. Admit to himself, not out loud.

Finally, they arrived. Primrose let Isanghan go wild for a few minutes, taking pictures of all of the different statues and of the flowerbeds. He made his way over to the Statue of Diligence, and waited for Isanghan to finish. Patience, too, was a virtue, after all.

Finally, Isanghan did finish, with an astounding eighty-seven new additions to his camera roll. He would sort through them all later and maybe make a little slideshow.

“What I am about to ask of you is the first task to prove one’s diligence,” Primrose said.

“First task?” Isanghan asked.

“You said you wanted to help.”

“I did say that. Alright. First task.”

“Ambrosia is not native to Burrowgatory,” Primrose began, “so what few varieties and blossoms we have are extremely precious. Tending to the Garden of Virtues is extremely important to me; and these flowers are extremely important to cherubuns. Today, I will show you how to plant the seeds.”

“Really?” Isanghan lit up.

“This is not a task to be taken lightly. I cannot stress how important it is that everything goes perfectly.”

“Got it!”

Primrose procured a few small seeds and showed them to Isanghan. He explained something about the nature of the soil in the Heavenly Meadow, about how that soil was being used here in the Embassy, and about how ambrosia could only grow under specific heavenly conditions. Isanghan had Primrose take a few pictures of the seeds cupped in his hands.

Next, he lead Isanghan over to an empty flowerbed. He explained that each seed should be planted a certain distance away from any other seed to ensure the best chance of growth. Primrose showed Isanghan the distance once, and stepped back to let him try.

It wasn’t a very difficult task, so Isanghan performed it well and with ease. He worked quietly, leaning over the flowerbed. He was stretched out and curled up and uncomfortable all at once– but he smiled, nonetheless. It reminded him of when he’d first learned to dance, except this activity was definitely way worse for his back. Still, it was repetitive and really quite relaxing.

When he finished, Primrose nodded his head once in approval.

“Now, all we need to do is water them, and that will be all for today,” he said.

“That’s it?” Isanghan asked, kind of sad. He was really enjoying himself.

“There isn’t much else to do, unless you’d like to stare at the ground until they grow.”

“Well, no, but– there are so many other empty flowerbeds! We could fill those up a bit, too.”

Primrose blinked in surprise. “Yes, we… could.”

“Couldn’t we?” Isanghan asked. “Or are they reserved for something else?”

“No, we can. Of course we can. I’m just surprised by…”

“By what?”

“Forgive me; this is somewhat rude. I'm pleasantly surprised by your attention span. Succubuns are all about pleasure and indulgence, so I find it unexpected that you aren’t bored of this. It’s hard work.”

“Well, I like hard work. I told you, I’m a singer and a dancer and a social media star. I’m very disciplined.”

“So you are.” Primrose could not hide that he was impressed. “Well, we ought to water these, first. Then we can continue on.”

“Sounds like a plan!”

Isanghan stood up. Primrose hesitated for a moment, then extended his hand. Isanghan stared at it for a moment, and then clued in– this was to make up for when they had first met, and he had denied to shake his hand.

Isanghan procured a bottle of hand sanitizer from his pocket.

“Sorry, just a second– my hands are all dirty,” he said. “I like to keep some on me just in case. You never know where some peoples’ hands have been.”

He took his hand, still a little bit damp from the rush sanitizer job.

“I’m Primrose. It has been a pleasure.”