[AUDRIC] PURSUIT OF DILIGENCE: CHAPTER 1

Pursuit of Diligence - Chapter 1

WC:   1743 / 1000

It had been a number of months since the Cherubuns have first arrived in Burrowgatory, and while there had been very few who had made the trip to Hell since then, Audric couldn’t deny that he was curious to talk to them, particularly as they were living in a place that were not under the influence of demons. He hadn’t really found an opportunity to speak to one, and even if he did, he was not sure of what questions to ask (it also seemed rude to launch what sounded like an interrogation, considering the arduous trip they had to go through to get here. Not to mention the culture shock and all that). So while he was interested, the topic of Cherubuns did not linger too long or often in Audric’s mind, especially once Matentines rolled in as well as the succeeding Bunnery boom.

A string of days where rain fell signaled the end to that nightmare. He had to admit that he was not good with children, especially with their incessant and random wailing. At the same time, he had mixed emotions sending them off to be raised by demons. Could they not find other Succubuns who are caring enough to take on the babies? Was it worth sending them to potential danger every year? Audric wondered if there were more Cherubuns around, perhaps they could be more suited to childrearing, but again, that didn’t feel right - to push responsibility on them (unless they asked for it). His curiosity was once again piqued, wondering if it were the angels taking care of the little ones or if the Cherubuns played a part. 

How much different were they compared to him?

“Do you want to join the exchange program?” Oleander asked, breaking Audric’s train of thought and bringing him back to reality (which was sweeping the floor of the Church).

“The exchange program?” Audric repeated, confused.

Oleander let out a small chuckle, “Well, as much as I’d like to call it an exchange program, there are still few Cherubuns in Burrowgatory compared to the rest of the Succubuns. I suppose it’s more like a field trip? Hoho. Basically, we’d like to send a few of our Church members over to the Heavenly Embassy so that we can foster good ties with them. Would you be interested?”

“I would actually, yes.”

“Wonderful! It is actually more difficult than I had thought looking for candidates. I do not want the Cherubuns to be scared of us, after all.”

That was a fair point, Audric mused, as he could easily think of a number of buns that might be too strong for their new brethren, Oleander included. “So what do you need me to do? I hope it isn’t something like sweeping their grounds.”

“Well, that will depend on what they ask you. I imagine nothing you can’t handle, Audric.”

“Hm. I suppose we shall see about that.”

One thing that he did know about the Cherubuns was their promotion of certain virtues, which at times ran against a Succubun’s vices. The Cherubuns were graceful enough not to talk Succubuns down about it (or at least, Audric had not heard of any incident so far), but he wondered if he would receive such a speech in the Heavenly Embassy. Well, it wouldn’t be all that different from the Church, he supposed, as they too espoused vices for their own gain, most of the time.

Audric would make his way to the Heavenly Embassy the following week. It was hard to miss, considering that the location was floating on a cluster of clouds above Burrowgatory. It would cast a shadow over some parts of the city at different times of the day, but in the month of rains, this was a welcome spot for buns to catch a break without umbrellas. Audric would take the fancy elevator on top and be grouped with a small group of bun tourists, chattering about their preconceptions of the Cherubuns.

Eventually, Audric would hear a small ‘ding!’, signifying that they were at their destination. The elevator doors then opened to reveal a scene that looked like nothing Burrowgatory could have: flowers and grass growing on fluffy white clouds, and one-storey buildings lined up, with an open space in the middle mimicking a wide street. The ground barely bounced when he walked, but it certainly did not feel like the soil of Burrowgatory. Majority of the buns he saw were Succubuns, with some even helping out with manning the stores or serving drinks (some with gloves - because he was informed ahead of time that what the Cherubuns drank were toxic to them). But really, if he wasn’t looking closely, the Cherubuns could easily blend in with the Succubuns, save for a shiny halo that would catch his attention.

Instead of sightseeing, Audric quickly made his way to the largest building, the Heavenly Embassy. Here it was clear that the staff were purely Cherubuns, dressed in uniforms and standing tall. He asked to be taken to Primrose, which would be his point person for the little field trip.

“So you are Audric.” the Cherubun was blindingly yellow, in contrast to Audric’s muter colors, and seemed to be watching him critically. “I suppose I should thank the Church for the offer, though you are not the first to come here to learn about us.” he then let out a sharp exhale, “Come, I will take you to the Gardens.”

Audric did not find an opportunity to introduce himself properly before being asked to follow the Cherubun. He did as told, walking behind him and matching his pace into one of the many hallways in the Embassy. For the first minute or so, there were no notable sounds but their footsteps.

“Did I perhaps catch you at a poor time?” the priest asked, noting that the patience of his tour guide seemed short.

“No.” Primrose paused for a moment, pursing his lips, “Though, it has been a rather eventful past few months. I suppose even my own diligence is lacking…” he looked rather frustrated by this admission, but he hadn’t turned back to face Audric.

“Diligence is one of the virtues, I take it?”

“Yes, but do not ask me for an explanation at this time. It is generally easier to show rather than to tell.”

Audric didn’t need to be told of diligence. He worked hard to ensure the safety of Burrowgatory against the demons that lurk in the shadows; those that threaten the relative peace they have built in their space. If diligence was all he had to show today, then it shouldn’t be a problem.

The Gardens were located behind the Heavenly Embassy. They were quite large, but clearly limited by the space permitted by the magical clouds that hold them up. Audric figured that they weren’t high enough to escape the rains, but thankfully today the clouds were white instead of gray.

Primrose led him to one of the greenhouses, where soil beds were lined up neatly, and some had sprouts and plants - leaves that Audric couldn’t recognize. It was not like he was a plant expert, but he could’ve sworn that they were glowing like Primrose’s halo.

“It shouldn’t come as a surprise that creating conditions as close as possible to the Heavenly Meadow is a challenge. We only allow properly trained Cherubuns to tend to the Gardens without supervision, but we do use these spaces as a learning opportunity for Succubuns.”

Audric was led to a storage area that had shelves of different gardening-related items. These included bags of soil, each with specific labels as well as jars that contained either water, powder, or some kind of strange mixture of liquid and leftovers. 

Primrose noted Audric’s confusion at some of these jars, which were airtight to avoid leaking. They had to be, otherwise their strong scents would take over the greenhouse. “We had to improvise on obtaining the necessary nutrients for the ambrosia, and after some experimenting, we were able to recreate certain tonics that we use as fertilizer.”

“Ah, I see.” Audric did not really know what to say, for a part of him was indeed curious about asking more, but he was also not sure if he was being too nosy. Then again, it seemed like Primrose was used to Succubuns with pestering questions. “Have you always been a gardener?” he ventured to ask.

“Not as familiar with them as I am now. It is birthed out of necessity, as we do not know if the seeds Melangel gave us were the first and last.”

“Oh.” was such an act of withholding these seeds an act of cruelty or due to circumstances?

Primrose would then explain what the ambrosia was used for while also showing Audric the different techniques for cultivating them. It involved a great deal of care and exactness - the priest did not notice how much time had passed until the Cherubun pointed out that they should stop for lunch. He had been given permission to handle one of the seeds, which Audric thought to be a high honor considering what Primrose had said earlier, but after that it was mostly learning about how much water to give and how to mix the correct amount of this and that so the plants had enough nutrients.

“This is nice.” Primrose said aloud, standing fairly close to Audric before letting a light blush tinge his cheeks. He looked away and furrowed his brows, “Sometimes I would get rather unruly Succubuns here, and others were simply noisy. I was just thinking it nice that this time it is quieter.”

Audric let out a small chuckle. “There is no need to explain yourself, Primrose. I too enjoy a quiet but hard day’s work.” so long as the chores were not the same every single day, the priest actually did not mind the work.

“Well, too much work and no breaks is no good either. Come, let us have some lunch.”

“This would not be made of ambrosia, would it?”

“Nonsense, we have specific dishes for Succubuns. Just do not be a glutton and swipe from my plate.”

Audric showed a small smile, “I assure you that my curiosity does not reach that far.” Perhaps today he will not ask the questions that bounced around his head, but he was enjoying Primrose’s company, and maybe in a better time he could sate his curiosity over a cup of tea.