[Comm] Pursuit of Diligence: III

Another week goes by before Ashes goes back to the Heavenly Embassy because by Primrose’s words: the flowers that you planted would have started to grow by then. And the Cherubun is right. Though in Ashes’ perspective, he thought that they’d be growing faster than this when he sees the fruits of his labour.

“You don’t look particularly happy about your flowers,” Primrose remarks. “Flowers don’t grow in a week or two, Ashes. This is normal.”

“Still, can’t we put something in the seeds to have them grow faster?” he replies without missing much of a beat. “At least then you’ll have a faster turnover for ambrosia.”

“Our current turnover is perfectly fine, actually.”

And that’s as much as Primrose tells him before herding him to see his little flower sprouts. They’re pathetic little green things that Ashes frankly does not care that much about. He’s more interested in knowing about Primrose if he’s being frank and about how many Cherubuns have left for Burrowgatory over these past few weeks.

“I need you to water them,” Primrose states quite easily. “But do not dump the whole bucket of water on them. You will kill them.”

Ashes awfully wants to dump all of the water in his bucket onto the flowers. It’s actually quite tempting, but the look in Primrose’s eyes looks like he’s seen this sight too many times. Just how many Succubuns is the Cherubun teaching? Ashes can’t imagine how frustrating it can be, especially if Primrose can’t stop a gluttony Succubun from eating the seeds from the bag.

“Say, has anyone tried to eat these flower seeds?” he finds himself prompting.

Primrose looks like he’s losing years of his life just from that statement alone. “Do not remind me of such stories. It’s happened so often that you would go drunk if you took a shot every time that it happened.”

Ashes can’t say he’s particularly surprised with how some residents in Burrowgatory act. He’s heard some of the horror stories as he waters his first few plants. The dirt underneath them turns a darker shade of brown. He can’t say he likes dirt in any circumstance especially as a surgeon.

“That doesn’t sound fun.”

Primrose sighs. “You’re going to drown that plant,” the Cherubun points out rather helpfully. Ashes simply changes his targets in terms of watering and he wonders how the Cherubuns know that they’re growing the flowers right. Plants are fickle little things and Ashes does not know them well enough to do this.

Sure, he’s maybe read a few books on taking care of plants but he’s still not qualified enough for this. “Maybe you should go study plant biology or something,” Ashes remarks. “I think you’d make a killing in agriculture down at Burrowgatory with your experience with plants.”

“I’ll pass, thank you.” Primrose deflects. “I have enough responsibilities here and enough Cherubuns to worry about these days with more of them going down to Burrowgatory. Some are taking well to this change while others… not so much. That’s why this place is here for them.”

It’s understandable. Ashes nods as he shifts to the next plant, he notes the plant food by Primrose’s feet. This can only mean one thing: more work. Ashes doesn’t even want to act surprised at this point, really, he wonders how the farmer buns in Burrowgatory can do this without going mildly insane.

To him, it feels like hours before Ashes finishes washing up all of the flower sprouts and making sure that he’s not overwatering them. Really, that’s his main concern rather than underwatering these little sprouts. Yet, once he’s done, Primrose looks relieved more than anything. It’s comforting to Ashes to know that he’s not entirely messing up the ambrosia process even if he’s not qualified for this. He isn’t going to have a green thumb, ever.

“Are you going to make me spread the plant food as well?” he prompts, sheepish. Part of Ashes wishes that he’s wrong about this but Primrose doesn’t even look that sorry at the work that he has to do next.

“If you would be so kind,” Primrose replies with an easy smile on his face. Part of Ashes wonders if Primrose pays wages for whatever buns end up working in the Embassy at a longer term but it also seems that Primrose knows exactly what he’s thinking about.

“If you’re asking about getting a position to help us with the flowers, I’m afraid we aren’t accepting applications at this time,” the Cherubun tells him. “Though you do get some benefits such as free coffee and a mandated break.”

That sounds surprisingly nice if Ashes thinks about it, if anything it has more benefits than other workplaces that he’s heard about personally. “What about benefits?” he then asks just because he can. “Other than free coffee. I’m talking about insurance and all that fun stuff.”

Primrose raises a brow. “I fail to see how you would need insurance in a place like this especially since most of the work is labour work,  unless you’re actually making the ambrosia itself.”

“Someone could twist their ankle or pull something,” Ashes replies easily as he starts spreading the plant food around. “Though the healthcare system in Burrowgatory really isn’t that bad. I was just curious how much you cover.”

The Cherubun blinks. “I’m not going to hire you, Ashes. You don’t have the qualifications to work at a place like this.”

Ashes would like to argue that his skills are perfectly transferable even if he has none of the qualifications. However, he would also not like to work here, his research also pays well and he doesn’t have to do the same amount of physical work. Instead he’s just writing papers.

“Yeah, but I could help out with end of term reports,” he jests with a smile. “That’s something that’s got to be helpful, right?”

“I think we’re doing just fine, Ashes. And I don’t think you’d like working here even if you were to start here,” Primrose replies easily. “Just make sure the flowers that you planted last time don’t die and that’s enough for me and the rest of the Cherubuns.”

Interesting, it seems like Primrose actually tolerates him for once instead of scowling like the previous times. Ashes still wouldn’t consider someone who he would hang out willingly with though. Maybe on another day, or week. Hopefully the next errand means less plants.