In Pursuit of Diligence pt.1

The embassy was open to all buns.

Vesta had seen how the cherubuns opened the doors to all sorts of buns both their own and their more sinful counterparts. Just like right now as Vesta walked into the impressive stone building with little more fan fare then the typical greeting everyone received. The succubun returned every greeting with her own as she waltzed through the embassy. Vesta was familiar with the layout of the place. While she typically enjoyed simply walking around the building contemplating things; today, Vesta had a specific destination in mind.

Mist slowly rose above the saturated grounds of the Heavenly Embassy’s garden. The celestial light from the gates high above the ceiling of Burrowgatory shined onto the greenery. Vesta steeped carefully as she observed and travelled along the stone step path. Faintly she could hear a familiar tune being hummed by an all too familiar voice. Turning a small corner, past one of the virtue statues, Vesta could see Primrose tending to a bed of unfamiliar flowers. The buds were unlike anything Vesta had seen before, the flowers gave off a faint shimmer-like glow to them. They almost looked like the seasonal drinks Hops would make on occasion for Vesta.

Taking slow, silent steeps Vesta walked up behind Primrose. Pink eyes were cast down and focused on watching the cherubun do his work. Carefully, Vesta knelt down slightly as she looked over from the flowers to Primrose. She slowly reached her hand out and swiftly tapped the blonde’s shoulder when she saw a pause in his work.

“GAH!” Primrose let out a rather high pitched scream. Vesta couldn’t help the smile that faintly came over her as the head of the embassy swiftly turned to look at her. “Dear Lord,” Primrose glared at the succubun in front of him as a hand gripped his chest “Vesta, what have I said about doing that?!” The typically silent woman chuckled faintly as she started to sign out an answer. Though Primrose cut it off. “It was a rhetorical question, Vesta. I tell you far too frequently to keep count.” The bun snorted as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “What do you want? I’m a bit too busy to banter with you today.”

Vesta smiled at the exhaustion in Primrose’s voice as she gave a response. “I heard about the stuff cherubuns drink. That this ambrosia comes from flowers.” Vesta paused for a moment as she looked at the flowers behind Primrose before looking back towards the blonde. “I wanted to see them. I have never heard of flowers like these growing in Burrowgatory.”

Primrose’s nose wrinkled in a familiar way that meant restrained anger to Vesta. “Ugh, that's because they DON’T grow in Burrowgatory.” The man was disgusted by the very idea. “These flowers are from our homeland; The Heavenly Meadows.” Primrose’s gaze turned upward towards the gate in the rocky ceiling. Vesata slowly followed it as she gazed into the heavenly meadows Primrose spoke of.

The light from it poured through and burned slightly to stare at. Past the glare, Vesta could make out greenery unlike what Burrowgatory’s sprawling cityscape typically had. The blue realm above it had floating cotton moving seamlessly through it. Vesta figured that if such a place had so much plant life then it must have had a huge lake above it to help keep it all alive. “All of the flowers we have here are from our original home. We take great care of them to make sure we can still produce ambrosia for ourselves.” Vesta looked over at Primrose as he spoke up. The blonde bun, however, kept his eyes on the gate. A wistful look in his eyes and a frown on his face.

Vesta stayed silent. It felt like she needed to let Primrose have a second to himself and his feelings on his old home versus his new one. The cherubun let out a soft, shaky sigh as he turned to look at Vesta. His golden gaze was slightly softer, thankful for his moment of grieving, as he kept his lips pursed in a frown. “Just what interest do you have in our flowers anyway?”

With a thoughtful look, Vesta signed her answer to Primrose. “I enjoy learning about all sorts of fauna and I enjoy gardening. I was hoping to be able to volunteer my time and skills to learn how to tend to these flowers properly.”

Primrose’s brows scrunched up as he looked at Vesta. Processing just what the pale succubun told him and processing it again when he understood it. “Why?” The embassy head instantly started questioning Vesta. “What could you possibly get from learning how to tend our flowers? I certainly won’t give you one! Besides, even if you managed to get your hands on one they won’t survive without the light from the gate!” Vesta rolled her eyes a little at Primrose’s words and the accusation that she would steal one of the embassy’s plants.

“I like knowledge.” Vesta’s answer was short and simple. Though she expanded on it when she saw Primrose narrowed his eyes. “I know that I can never have one of your plants, but that doesn’t stop me from wanting to learn to care for them. The more cherubuns that come through the more ambrosia you need. I wish to help you and thought that this would be the best way to provide support for the embassy.”

Primrose’s mouth was still set in a tight lipped frown, though Vesta could see the small sag in his shoulders. The smallest sign of admitting that she was right as Vesta was ever going to get out of the blonde. “I-” Primrose did his best to hold onto his pride as he spoke “I suppose I could use the help. With all the new cherubuns coming through the gate we do need help cultivating in order to keep up with the demand for ambrosia.” The head of the embassy looked over at Vesta as he huffed in annoyance at giving into the succubun. “Fine, you may learn how we care for the flowers. Now come here before I change my mind.”

Vesta smiled as she got closer to Primrose. Grateful for this chance of learning as she took in all of Primrose’s instructions.