{HAZE-6} Pruning — Proelium

You would have never thought that such a group could be gathered on a pew at the Church of Sulfur… but fate and its ruminations work in strange ways, and Burrowgatory is naught but subject to the woes and wills of the higher powers of yore.

The situation with the hazeblooms, the stakeout, and Damsel Hops’ dignity turned out to be quite the bit more messy than Calcifer had foreseen; the two of them had lurched forward, nets blazing, forgetting the “capture” part of their motive and going straight to giving the de-facto leader of this wary group of succubuns a hearty wallop with their nets. Of course, no one was happy about this… but after a quick talk and moving this group to the Church to get help, things were… mostly cleared up.

And Calcifer had learned of a new existence in this world. Huh… perhaps sometimes it pays to go above and beyond in one’s efforts.

“Haah…” Jackal, with a bandage tied carefully around her two-pronged antler horns, leaned against the back of the pew with a sigh. “Yeah… uh… sorry about the flowers. And the veggies. Y’know…”
“No no, you’re fine! We’re sorry for smacking you over the head with nets… right, Lord Calcifer?” Hops tossed a ‘look’ Calcifer’s way, and he pouted.
“Indeed… dearest apologies for the infliction of harm upon one’s being. However, it is impertinent that one acts in order to fix the severed bonds of fate! Surely, the—”

Calcifer was stopped short by Jackal’s… look. Halfway between confusion and disgust, she turned to Hops.
“He… he always talks like that?”
“Yeah. If you call him ‘Lord Calcifer’ he’s more receptive to you; and you’re probably going to meet a lot of… unique buns of a different brood around Burrowgatory… but I think he’s definitely an outlier.”
“I’d say. What is he saying, even? Something… something bonds of fate…” Jackal’s expression turned more confused.
“He wants you to take responsibility for the damage you caused. But… if I let Angora know, you’ll probably be in debt for eons to come.” That line from Hops sent a shiver down Jackal’s spine.

“Urk… well…”
“Hey, tell you what. I can just pretend that it was imps that ate the hazeblooms… and you can do something for me instead.”
“Does it include doing something for… Lord Whats-it over here?” Jackal pointed a thumb, and Calcifer—who’d previously been frozen in place with shock—jumped to action.
“I’ve been right here this entire time, you know!” He said with a huff.
“One second, m’lord. Jackal… What I want you to do is come back with us and watch the hazeblooms bloom. We’ll have a nice time over a drink or two… then you and your pals can help bring in the harvest. This guy,” This time Hops motioned to Calcifer, "—is also in this whole harvesting business to get something out of it, so… we can just loop it all together and call the case closed.”
“I mean… I guess?” Jackal tilted her head to the side, still not entirely certain that this situation was going to be beneficial… but Calcifer simply nodded off to the side.

“Indeed! Let us have a moment of respite at the crack of dawn; t’was not a part of the initial plan, but I am always eager to learn more about the workings of our land. Damsel Hops, and… Jackal, the Uncanny Leader of Secret Havens, let us be off! We must not miss a blink of the light that is to be placed before us!” With a full-bodied laugh, Calcifer whipped his cape around, jumped out of the pew, and tottered down the aisle… and soon enough, both Hops and Jackal lifted themselves out of their seats.

“So he really is… like, ALWAYS like that? What’s with that Uncanny Leader of… whatever?! And doesn’t he have an easier name to say…” Jackal grumbled—though this seemed to be more of a spilling of thoughts than actual intended malice—and Hops giggled, leaning over to chat up the envy succubun as they walked back to the Casino.
“Oh yeah. Here’s the thing about him — you get on his good side, and he’ll let you look through his library… and you can find ALL SORTS of things in there that might help you and the other envy buns. Oh, and did you know? His real name is…”

…

As the three finally made their way back to the Casino, they quickly took a detour to The Rabbit Hole so Hops could get some drinks shaken up quickly.

“Daniel, you know you walk and talk way too fast… right?” Jackal—obviously overwhelmed by the color of the Casino—sighed as she leaned up against the bar to rest temporarily… and she couldn’t help but hold back a cackle as Calcifer’s (er, Daniel’s?) face lit up bright red.
“Geh—who told you of that nomenclature!? Purge it from your mind, posthaste.” He leaned up as well, watching Jackal crack an awkwardly mischievous smile and witnessing Hops pretending like she didn’t know what was happening.
“Huh? But that’s your name, right? Daniel.”
“That is just what is listed on paper! Nay, it is but a chain that links me to the mundane and mortal. An enlightened being like myself deserves a proper title — Calcifer Ichabod VII, the Sanguineous Scourge Upon the Lands! My title is my blood, and—”
“Ehh… too long. Calcifer works, right?” With an arm resting on the counter, Jackal leaned forward… and Calcifer got the distinct feeling that the ‘right?’ at the end of her sentence wasn’t as much of a question as it was… a statement. He swallowed, looking away from her fierce gaze.
“Uh. Right. Right-o…”

“Looks like you guys are getting along just fine, heheh.” With a box full of drink-mixing materials, Hops walked out from behind the counter with a smile.
“You could… say that.” Jackal said with a shrug, and Calcifer in turn shrugged much the same. “D… Calcifer’s a funny guy.”
“I-indeed. Leader Jackal is amicable and admirable! A true leader through and through.” Calcifer swore he saw the slightest of blushes cross Jackal’s face… but before he could speak about it, Jackal interjected.

“Anyways, you’re ready, Hops?”
“Yep, so let’s head out. I think we have just enough time to set up a seating area and watch the sunrise. It’s pretty amazing, so be warned!”

…

“Pretty amazing” didn’t describe the half of it. The three were set up under an outdoor umbrella-covered table — the camo fabric from earlier made a wonderful impromptu umbrella and tablecloth… and it matched with Hops’ camo too. From their excellent seats they watched the rays of sunlight crawl across the land, fall onto the blooms…

And much like the waking of a greater being or the birth of a Great Demon, the hazebloom buds raised high and opened themselves to the air and filled it with a voluminous mist… so that’s why they’re called hazeblooms. Shimmering imps—buzzy in nature, graceful like fae—weaved through the garden plots, and as the group watched with cloth over their mouths… they could say that the world was tranquil for but this one moment.

Once the initial puff of mist dispersed, Hops took the initiative; she wandered over, clipped a couple of the blooms, and returned to stick them in each of their drinks.

“Drink up while you can, you two. I’ve learned that a long drink before the start of the harvest really helps you get in the groove… heheheh. It’s gonna be a long day of fieldwork, so hope you’re up to the task.”
“Hahaha! Yeah, it wouldn’t feel right not to do something like this after what I caused you guys… so yeah, tell me what to do and I’ll do it.” Jackal’s amused chuckle rang out across the blooms, and Calcifer couldn’t help but smile too as he sipped his drink.

“And I assume that the book that Angora has for me will be in my hands when I trade her the hazeblooms, as requested?”
“Yep! So get harvesting, m’lord!” Hops slid the shears she used to clip the blooms earlier across the table into Calcifer’s waiting hands.
“It shall be done. And…”

Momentarily he dropped his haughty accent.

“With you guys around, I’m sure it’ll go fast.”

Calcifer looked at the surprised expressions on Hops and Jackal’s faces… and laughed. Eventually all three joined in, tossing out a couple extra jokes about Calcifer’s speech, something about work ethic, and how intrinsically funny the whole situation turned out to be in the end.

Sure, he still had to work to get the reward he was promised… but really, an experience like this could be called a “reward” in certain, non-definite terms.