[Gift] The Apprentice

     A particularly important relationship in Chime’s world was the hermit, Mortimer. He had materialized in her life at just the right moment, as if by some stroke of luck. And pulled her from that dark place she'd found herself in all those years ago. Taking her under his wing and teaching her there was more to her than just the vice of her horns.  The lessons that she’d learned from him had become valuable, not only in her crafts but to shape who she was currently as a person.  He was quite a respected individual to her, almost akin to a father figure in her eyes. But their relationship wasn’t without its moments.

One particular morning, after she'd returned from her usual explorations of the wilds of Burrowgatory. She entered through the door to the observatory quietly peeking her head in. a look to the left, clear. Then to the right. Perfect, the coast was clear and so far it seemed that her mentor wasn’t anywhere to be seen. Which meant that it was the perfect time to set up her surprise for him.

Chime opened the door a bit wider pulling the handle of her wheelbarrow, straining herself as she’d tugged the large and quite strange carnivorous plant into the workshop. Tugging hard on the handle as she put all her weight into trying to get the cart to budge, moving to the other side as she put her back into it this time. Ever so slowly she started to move the massive and mysterious Fauna through the room. 

Panting after the work out of just getting it to the middle of the foyer, she’d released the handle. Wiping her brow before taking a step back, framing the plant between her thumb and index finger as if she were taking a snapshot, her tongue poking out the side of her mouth as she tried to get it pictured just right in her mind. She wanted everything to be perfect.

And when the plant moved, opening its mighty jaws. Chime reached into her pocket, picking out some small berries, feeding it very carefully to the plan as if she’d had first hand experience of the damage its jaws could do. Its leaves shuddered as the “mouth” closed. Carefully Chime pat this alien plant specimen as if it were her beloved pet.

“ Awww who's a good boy”  she gave it praise though quickly turned as she heard someone clearing their throat behind her

“ Girl—  W-what, may I ask? Is this thing! “ she’d turned, seeing her mentor walk into the room. Her expression fell into a soft pout as it seemed her surprise had been ruined. And just before she could put the ribbon on it too. 

“ I found it in the lower levels of the burrow ! Isn’t it magnificent ! “

She obviously was quite proud of her discovery, clasping her hands in front of her as she   Stepped back to stand beside the bun. Who seemed quite skeptical about the plant, moving to appraise this demonic venus fly trap that she’d ended up finding, and painstakingly carting back home.That was when the plant's mouth opened again, as the older bun began to examine the leaves, The massive bulb began to move in to try and snatch the unsuspecting bun right up off the ground.

Just before it managed to snap its jaws and gobble him in its floral maw, Chime swooped in and quickly picked her mentor up whisking him to safety.  the elder gave a surprised gasp as this vegetable monster smacked its jaws at the empty space where he had just been standing.

“ Phew! That was close” Chimes heart was racing as she set him down helping to adjust the flower hat on his head that had just about fallen off, quite nervous about

“ W-w-w-w What!! This !” he motioned to the seemingly smug predator in their home “ This is a monstrosity !!“

He seemed to be quite shaken by the events, tapping his foot as he took out a pipe to put his usual calming mixture in it before taking a few puffs. Making angered humming sounds 

“ Wait,  You don't like it ?” Chime seemed rather Distraught at the fact she might’ve brought him something he didn’t like

“ Good heavens, no ! this thing obviously survives off eating unsuspecting buns ! “

As if to back up the claim, the carnivorous plant’s leaves gave a gentle rustle as its mouth opened again like it were anticipating round two of attempting to eat Chimes mentor. 

But as if this knowledge were new to her she nodded,  clapping both hands together.

“Right. Makes sense now. “

“ Oh you silly girl!” He was growing more and more concerned for her well-being when he was not present.

“ You need to be more careful with the things that you bring home.”  he looked back to the rather hungry plant. Watching Chime throw pieces of dango into its mouth to satisfy its hunger, the room having grown quite silent with the scolding. Chime’s expression is quite hard to read. 

“ So, you really don’t like it”

She’d been quiet while he was trying to figure out what to do with it, puffing on his pipe trying to remain calm with a bunny eating plant perceiving him as its next meal. But the way that she’d assumed that he didn’t like her surprise, Recalling all the tiny specimens that she’d bring him from her foraging about. And the excitement with each new discovery that she’d bring him. As if she’d desired his approval. 

Each time that she’d look so proud of herself as she’d gifted another little curiosity that’d she’d come across. And the now pained look on her face, as she’d realized that this time she’d made a mistake. The sadness in her eyes that she’d thought that she had somehow messed up this time. A frown formed as he looked from her to the plant.

“ Yes, I like it —- You did well. But Chime you should put it back.”

This didn’t seem to be the right answer either as she looked even more upset. Feeding the giant plant more bits of dango. “ So we can’t keep it?”

Mortimer rubbed the bridge of his snout with his hooved paw. It was clear this was important to her. This thing was dangerous, but perhaps somehow they could still salvage this in a way that wouldn’t end with the girl being upset. There really truly was no sense in making her take the trek to put it back, especially after she truly had put in all the hard work into bringing it to the observatory in the first place.

“ The surprise was wonderful, dear. But no” 

He took a breath in from the pipe, trying to calm again before he continued. This girl was going to cause him stress silvers with these overzealous gifts, and the anxiety that came with turning down one of her little treasures.

“ however. I think we could find a better use for it than to keep it in the observatory.”

He prided himself on small details,  knowing well that Chime had no ill intentions in bringing the plant home. In fact he did seem quite impressed with the feat. albeit still concerned with how she even pulled it off without being eaten to begin with. But that would be a discussion for a later time, for now he had to think. He did have some clients that could use something like this for their own personal collection. In Fact he had one in particular that he was aware of that needed something of this variety.

“ Chime, go and collect my address book. And make a call to client twenty seven. Tell them we have a new pet for them. I’m sure that woman would like something like this in her personal collection.”

Yes this was the perfect use for this. And it would put a few more carats into their bank for further research. He then finally looked to chime again to see her piece together what was happening, her sadness turning into curiosity and understanding. 

“ Oh ! alright” this indeed seemed to perk her up from the sadness of her gifts failure.  as she went to get her phone and the address book, sending a message for Mortimer to the contact.

“ um, so—- Does this mean I can have an impup?”

She said casually as she sent messages back and forth trying to barter for the cryptid plant she’d discovered. 

Mortimer seemed completely flabbergasted by the statement, shaking his head as he had to suddenly process the request stammering out a soft

“ What?”

She looked up from her phone as she finished sending the message. Her expression was rather serious now as she pointed to the plant.

“ You said we could keep something less bitey and dangerous. So that means I can get and impup right?”

Was this just an entire attempt for her to be able to bring in an imp to the works space ?

His jaw fell slack a moment before he shook it off “ Fine fine, you can get an imp”

She squealed with joy and clapped her hands rather excitedly at the news. As if a childhood dream had finally been realized. It seemed however she’d gone right back to the phone. Taking a few pictures of the plant before she’d went back to being just as excited.

“ She’ll be here at three, I’m going to get my puppy !” And with that final statement she ran out the front door , leaving him with the plant that’s never ending appetite caused and uneasy growling sound as his little life line seemed to have left him the plants beasts full attention now turning to the hermit who scurried out of the room to go and prepare for it to go to a different  and more proper home.

Luckily it didn’t take long for Mortimers customer to come and pick up the monster in the foyer, getting it out of the workshop and away from possibly devouring him if he got too close. As the day seemed to calm down, Mortimer went back to his experiments. Not having seen Chime for a good portion of the afternoon,  Writing down his finding of the plant  in an old dusty ledger, when out of the corner of his eye he noticed the movement of his apprentice coming in with her new little pup. Turning to see her scurry off to her little room in the workshop. Before she’d left again for another few minutes 

This was when things began to get a tad suspicious. Her and the pup  both had left, before she returned again. Something wrapped up in her shawl as she carried that now to her room. Suspicious but not completely bizarre. She must’ve been visiting the church again and brought home leftovers or some new trinkets she couldn’t carry. Not far too out of the ordinary.

So again he returned to his studies.

and as things began to grow quiet for the evening, it was too quiet, in fact surprisingly so for his apprentice being home, used to her coming and prying into what he was working on. At first he’d written it off as her being too intrigued by her new imp. But that's when he heard a soft buzzing sound, turning towards the noise he seemed to just barely miss it as it flew back to the other side. turning his attention to see  if he could catch a glimpse of what was causing the sound , a Bimble Followed by glowing little light reflected by the bottles on his desk.

Soft hoof falls on the floor outside his study. As she’d tiptoed towards the door. The bimble floating innocently around his flower hat before zipping over to Chime immediately as she reached for the door now.

“ Chime-”

Oh no she had been caught

“ No time to talk, gotta go. Enjoy the gift ! see ya ! love ya ! bye -!”
Came the speedy reply as she bolted for the door to abscond into the night.

“ Chime !!”

 He called after her a bit too late as with a quick speed she was gone, Mortimer sighed. Looking at the little bimble who buzzed around  his office, completely overjoyed with this new living situation.

“Hmph— well. You are cute, and you wont eat me.  so I suppose you can stay”