After The Bloom

It had been a very busy time, a lot of crazy events that Afina had never expected to be a part of. The hazeblooms, the investigation, hanging out with Hops, the stakeout and the surprising arrival of the Envy succubuns. It was like watching a soap opera. Afina had shed quite a few tears, snuffling into her ears, at first dismayed by the bitter start to life Jackal and her friends had been dealt. But there wasn’t much time in Burrowgatory for wallowing in sad feelings. 

Before Afina could even take a breath, Hops had grabbed her hand and Jackal’s and was leading them back out to the garden, where the buds had been left waiting. 

Morning broke slowly but surely, a gentle caress, light touching hungry petals that soon began to unfold.

Afina squeaked in delight and clung to Hops, her eyes wide, drinking in the sight of the hazeblooms as they opened, revealing their glowing center. The shimmering mist poured from them in gentle waves, drifting in the wind, reaching Afina’s nose, coating the back of her throat with the sticky sweet scent. She was already tired from the long stakeout and every emotion that had come after it, so the haze hit her like a ton of bricks.

“Oh,” she said, plopping on her butt. She took the offered cloth scrap gratefully. Not that she wasn’t enjoying the sleepy numbness but she wasn’t quite ready yet to drift off into the land of nod.

“S’good thing you didn’t eat all of them,” Afina said to Jackal, looking blearily up at the other bun. “Much better when they bloom.”

“It’s so pretty,” Hops agreed, also sitting, pulling her knees up to her chest and hugging them. She looked relieved. Angora couldn’t get upset with her now. 

Jackal was scowling. “It wasn’t as if I had much choice.”

Afina giggled, “you do now though!” She flopped, smacking Jackal with her head on the way over. “Guess what?! You can try the best foods now! There’s so many good ones! But blueberries are the bestest, most awesome food in the whole world. And then there’s blueberry cake, blueberry crepes, blueberry pancakes, blueberry pie and - OH.” She cut herself off with a massive yawn.

Jackal’s scowl deepened. “Yeah, I dunno... guess I might give them a go.”

They settled into silence for a moment, watching the hazeblooms. Imps were arriving, bumbling along merrily, fat little bodies, similar to the flowers they tended to.

“What’re those?” Afina asked.

“Bimbles.” Hops answered. “They help pollinate the hazeblooms.”

“I like ‘em.”

“Yeah, me too.” 

Slowly the world settled and Afina’s eyes drooped ever heavier, only to be jolted back into wakefulness when Hops decided to move, walking down into the garden, snipping some of the blooms. “Come on,” the bartender called. “Let’s go have a drink!”

By the time Afina made it home later, the peaceful inside of her house seemed so at odds with the hustle and bustle of the last few days. She stumbled inside, gouged on blueberries and then fell asleep halfway between the kitchen and her room in some tactically placed cushions. Oh how blissful a sleep it was. Not even a single dream, just a bone-deep rest until she woke up 14 hours later.

She woke, she showered, she ate.

Then she headed out of the house, a little satchel around her waist. First stop were her blueberry bushes. They’d gone without a lot of their usual attention due to the many things going on but they seemed fine, hardy and flourishing, the berries plump and delicious. Afina took a few and then patted the plants, giving each one a murmured affirmation and the promise to be back later. 

It was time to check on the hazeblooms.

Off she went, still rubbing sleep from the corners of her eyes, winding her way through Burrowgatory until she reached the hazebloom field once more. The buds that remained had closed for the evening, with some of them already having been harvested and no doubt was being put to good use somewhere. Afina would be sad to see it all go. All that work that was put into them and that was it. Not like bushes, that continued on, returning with the same bounty. 

Afina wandered down towards the sleeping blooms, brushed them gently with her paw, tender and loving. And as she pushed the plants aside, a little round body was revealed, settled into the dirt. 

“Oh,” Afina exclaimed at the little Bimble all alone. “One too many hazeblooms?” She asked it, as she very carefully picked it up and cradled it in her arms. It buzzed weakly. “You’re so cute! Like a big blueberry!” Afina held it up and turned it this way and that, looking for any damage. It seemed unharmed. Just tired perhaps. Just like she had been.

She reached into her satchel and pulled out a blueberry. The bimble sniffed it and then munched, first curiously and then with more vigour. “Hutch said I’m not supposed to feed you anything weird buuuut I think you deserve this. You’ve been working hard.”

As soon as the blueberry was finished, Afina went to place the bimble down. But it protested with a buzz and pushed its round body into her touch. When she did manage to let go, it immediately rose into the air and flew closer, bonking its head into her satchel.

Afina bit her lip, teetering on the edge of what she should and shouldn’t do and then decided she didn’t really care. “Come on then!” She opened her satchel and the bimble dived in, immediately munching merrily on the remaining blueberries. “I’ll need a little helper in my garden!” 

She turned towards The Wonderland Casino, which had lit up for the night, no doubt peddling some special new drinks. 

“Let’s go see what Hops is doing!”

Well, Hops was busy.

The Rabbit Hole was packed full of clients, so much noise Afina nearly turned around and walked out again. The only thing that stopped her was Jackal waving from the bar, summoning her over and making space by very pointedly staring at the person beside her until they moved before they were forcibly removed. 

“Thanks,” Afina chimed as she took a seat, wriggling her butt to get comfortable. “How have you been?” She had to shout a bit to be heard over the din.

Jackal shrugged.  

She leaned in closer to reply. 

Between the church and The Rabbit Hole, Jackal explained, the newcomers were being welcomed and spoiled, offered homes, jobs and friendship. Even the other well-known business owners had started popping up, Dan with his dango, Hutch with imp’s in tow, at first disappointed the garden’s weren’t being raided by a strange new imp but soon consoled by the arrival of many a bimble.

All was going well and while she couldn’t complain, it still all felt a little weird.

“Come to my house,” Afina offered. “If you want to. It’s quiet there and you can just sleep and eat and - oh, look! I made a friend!” She opened the top of her bag to reveal a very fuzzy butt and gossamer wings. The bimble slowly turned around to peer up at Jackal with wide eyes. “I’m gonna call her Blueb.”

Finally a hint of a smile appeared, the first Afina had seen Jackal wear.

Not that she had much time to enjoy it.

Hops appeared beside them, an apron in each hand which she shoved at them unceremoniously. “Help, please, now, thanks!” She gasped before running off to another urgent task, people calling drink orders at her from left and right.

Looked like it was going to be another busy night!