Pursuit of Diligence: Ch 4 [Ari]

Ari pushed open the door to the greenhouse, annoyed that it was just as sunny inside the glass building, maybe even more so. It didn't help that his two Sweetinea had been uncharacteristically rowdy that morning, so he'd ended up bringing them along. Sweetpea took off from her place in his hair to fly ahead, while Emelia stayed nestled on his shoulder, half hidden by his ear.

Yes, this is earlier than you usually wake up, a little voice reminded him, but Primrose said he had a gift for you today, so just get through it.

“Good morning, Reverie.” Primrose looked up and greeted him, then turned back to what he was doing after glancing at Sweetpea.

“Mm. I told you to call me Ari.” Ari wandered over, covering his yawn with a Gilded hand. “Why did I have to come to the Embassy so early?” 

“Early? It's nine-thirty in the morning…” Primrose glanced back at Ari with a raised eyebrow, then shook his head. He frowned as Sweetpea decided his hair was her new resting spot, but continued. “I didn't realize that this time would be inconvenient for you.” 

“S'fine, I'm just not fully awake yet. The only days I get up this early, I'm heading to work, and have a coffee as soon as I can. I don't have a coffee maker at home and came here instead of stopping for one.” You're welcome, he wanted to add sarcastically, but held back. 

“What a coincidence.” Primrose shifted slightly, moving aside to give Ari a better view of what he was working on. He had a woven basket at his feet filled with what looked like cherries, and he was picking more off of the small tree in front of him. “Once we're finished harvesting these coffee cherries, I'll have you bring them to Beanny at the Paradise Cafe, and you can have a drink as a reward, on my purse.” 

“On your… Oh, you're treating me to coffee?” Ari’s tail twitched happily, the Lust immediately feeling more awake by placebo effect alone. Emelia fluttered down from his shoulder to investigate the basket of - “Wait… Coffee… Cherries?” 

“Don't ask me how it works. They dry them… and… I'm not entirely sure. Beanny informed me of the entire process at some point, but there were far too many steps for me to remember.” Primrose frowned down at his handful of coffee cherries, then shook his head and placed them into the basket, pausing as Emelia climbed over his hand to get to the other side. “Regardless, once this basket is full, I am indeed treating you to coffee.”

“Okay, fine, you're forgiven.” Ari stepped up to the tree and began helping with the harvest. Even Sweetpea helped out - of course, the candy-coloured imp could only carry one coffee cherry at a time, but it was better than nothing. 

~~~

Ari imagined that this is what it was like to be a farmhand on the outskirts of Burrowgatory, his basket heavy with fruit and hitchhiking Sweetinea as he walked down the street towards Paradise Cafe. He wasn't particularly surprised to see that it was busy after his earlier conversation with Primrose. I wonder if part of Melangel's teachings turned most Cherubuns into early risers… 

As he stepped inside the cafe, a small bell jingled above the door to announce his arrival. The barista on duty - who was none other than Beanny herself - looked up to greet him, grinning widely as she recognized him.

“Ari, good t’ see ya!” The Cherubun waved him over, eyebrows raising as they saw what he was carrying. “Are those my beans?” 

“Technically, they're cherries.” Ari said in his best Primrose impersonation, then laughed. “Yeah, I guess so. Primrose said he would treat me to coffee if I brought them over.” 

“Oh, for real?” Their eyebrows rose even higher. “He doesn't do that for all th’ buns he's got helpin’ him.” 

“C'mon Beanny, we both know I'm something special ~” 

Beanny chuckled and pushed off of the counter they had been leaning on. “So what’cha gettin’ then? The usual?” 

“Yes please.” Ari put the basket of coffee cherries on the counter and dug out the carats Primrose had given him; the bun either had no idea how much coffee was supposed to cost, or he did and predicted that Ari was the opposite of a ‘plain black’ kind of bun. Either way, there was more than enough to pay for his order, and Ari tucked the change and receipt back into his pocket. 

Beanny handed him his drink, and he took a sip. Perfect. Beanny was proof that being a barista took skill, as they had managed to memorize Ari's paragraph-long order and not once had they messed it up. 

“Alright, I better head back and let him know ‘mission accomplished’ before he thinks I made off with his carats.” 

“Sounds good Ari, come again soon y'here? Just because new Cherubuns are comin’ down all the time doesn't mean I don't miss ya!” 

“Of course, you couldn’t get rid of me if you tried ~” Ari took a sip of his coffee and reached out for his Sweetinea, only to see the two imps focused on the small pastry display on top of the counter. Ari glanced over to see a heart shaped cookie decorated with strawberry slices. 

Beanny followed his gaze and laughed. “Gettin’ a little treat for the girls?” 

“I guess so,” Ari chuckled, pulling his own wallet out of his pocket as Beanny reached into the display and packed the cookie into a paper bag for him. He had to grab Sweetpea to stop her from practically attacking Beanny as the Cherubun handed over the treat and took his payment. Emelia, ever the better behaved, fluttered up to her usual place on his shoulder, but he could feel her quivering in anticipation.

Energetic Sweetinea in one hand, his spoils from the cafe in the other, Ari finally said goodbye to Beanny and took his leave, heading back towards the greenhouse to thank Primrose for the treat.