[Comm] [AUDRIC] PURSUIT OF DILIGENCE: CHAPTER 4

Words: 1528

Audric shifted from foot to foot as he pressed the button to call the large, ornate elevator that led to the grounds of the Heavenly Embassy proper. Primrose had sent him a message earlier in the day, requesting his presence for a task the cherubun needed help with. Apparently, the greenhouse keeper had been kept very busy recently, dealing with an influx of new arrivals to Burrowgatory - more cherubuns who had decided to take their chances with a new, exciting world. Audric could only imagine how that decision must have felt.

The elevator announced its arrival with a melodic, pretty little tone, scrollwork doors sliding open smoothly before him and interrupting his train of thought. Audric jumped slightly, hurrying to step on before they closed again and he had to wait even longer. The elevator, owing to the lofty heights it reached high above, was a not insignificant wait, and more than one succubun, he knew, had been stranded thanks to the sparkling sights of the Heavenly antechamber around them and had had to wait for the next cycle of the elevator. Primrose did not suffer such tardiness lightly, either.

Audric took a breath as the mechanicals got to work and surged for the skies. No matter how many times he rode to the Heavenly Embassy, now slowly becoming as familiar as his other Burrowgatory haunts, he still felt the weightlessness of the ride deep in his belly, exciting and disquieting all at once. But before long, he was stepping out again and following the corridors to Primrose's garden. What did the cherubun need now, he wondered?

"Ah, welcome back, Audric! Come, come," Prim called out, gesturing the succubun over as he entered the bustling gardens. Audric offered the other a warm smile, one that Primrose returned, though his was mildly frazzled. "Goodness, it's good to see you - you would simply not believe the number of new cherubuns we've been dealing with this week. And here-" the slim cherubun ushered him over to a section of the gardens that was tucked away, filled with strange, long leaved bushes with round, bright red berries growing on them. Audric leaned close curiously, glancing up as Primrose produced a large bag from what looked like a harvesting station nearby.

"These are - well, the reason I've asked you here today. Beanny begged me to plant some coffee plants in the gardens, since the soil has been known to produce such incredible effects." Audric noticed Primrose's chest puffing up proudly, and a small smile played on his lips. Primrose continued, struggling slightly with the weight of the bag. "Even though I told her the gardens have more than enough plants right now…well, she simply insisted. And now the fruits of my labor are here. I need you to take this first harvest of coffee down to her. I would myself, but I have not a single moment free-"

Audric gently interrupted the other, holding a hand out for the bag before the cherubun launched into all the details of his entirely too busy day. "You don't have to ask me twice, Primrose," he laughed, wrapping his arms around the stuffed sack of coffee berries. "I've heard Beanny runs quite a tight ship at Paradise Cafe, and I've been meaning to go check it out. So, helping you and getting to sample some of her creations? I'm happy to do it." He felt proud at the grateful smile Primrose gave him, especially knowing how rare a thing that was from the notoriously reticent cherubun.

"I knew I could count on you, Audric!" The succubun was all but shocked into silence as Primrose actually took his elbow, patting him and just as quickly ushering him out of the humid gardens. "Here, I shall walk you out - Beanny's cafe is just a short walk away. You know, you simply would not believe how many succubuns I've asked for help with things, but they never show up, or they come hours after they've promised to arrive - you're one of the few I can count on, it seems…" Primrose kept chattering along as they walked, and Audric found himself happy to simply listen.

"...and tell her I will collect on that favor soon, please!" Primrose called, waving a slim yellow arm. He was already striding back towards his gardens, heels clicking quickly on the polished floors. Audric smiled, looking down at the rough-hewn sack he held as he walked. He'd never yet been to Paradise Cafe, though he'd heard plenty from others who had. Tea was certainly more his style, but, he thought, today he could branch out.

His arms had not yet grown sore from the large bag as he arrived at the little shop. The aroma drifting from it was curious, and he took a deep inhale as he opened the door, a cluster of bells above announcing his arrival. The cherubun behind the counter perked up immediately, giving him a friendly wave. "HI there, c'mon in - oh, hello, what is this?" She bustled out to meet him, and so quick was she that Audric could have sworn that he merely blinked and suddenly there she stood.

"Hello," he nodded to her, in lieu of offering a handshake, seeing as his hands were well occupied. "Primrose sent me with a very special delivery." Beanny bounced excitedly in front of him, reaching out for the bag of coffee, but he shook his head. "It's quite heavy - show me where you would like it, and I'll bring it there for you?"

She dashed off, calling over her shoulder as she did for Audric to follow her behind the counter and into the back. As he rounded the corner into the little shop's kitchen, she was clearing away room near some large pieces of equipment he didn't recognize, moving empty containers and boxes to the opposite wall. "Right there, please! Next to the roasting drum!" She requested, hands fluttering in excitement. Audric carried the precious cargo over, making sure to settle the bag snugly against the nearby wall so none of its contents would spill across the floor, even if they were to shift and settle within the bag. He could feel Beanny's presence just over his shoulder, the eager little cherubun practically vibrating behind him.

After making sure the coffee sack was in no danger of tipping over, Audric turned to face her again, dusting off his hands. The smaller cherubun grinned at him brightly, catching him off guard as she reached out and pulled him into a quick hug. Audric found himself returning the hug on instinct, arms wrapping around Beanny's narrow shoulders for a moment before she bounced out of the embrace a few seconds later. She was, Audric was beginning to realize, a force of nature powered by coffee herself.

Another blink, it seemed, and Beanny was pulling on his hand to lead him back out to the cafe proper. She brought him to one of the many tables, insisting that he sit and relax awhile before heading back out. There were what seemed like a dizzying number of drink options - he'd had no idea coffee could be served so many ways - and finally, unable to decide, he interrupted her recitation with a raised hand. "Tell you what - you pick for me," he offered, leaning back in the chair. "I'd love to try whatever you choose. I trust your judgment."

Though it seemed nearly impossible, Beanny brightened even more at this request, clearly delighted to surprise him with one of her creations. She dashed away to prepare it, and Audric was left to take in the cafe itself for the first time. The ceiling, he noticed, was surprisingly high, as were the windows that lined the walls. It all lent an air of warmth and light to the place, and he noticed that among the trim tables and chairs were overstuffed armchairs and couches. It was bright and cozy, and he could see himself curled up in one of the corners, enjoying a pastry and reading a book.

It felt like no time at all before Beanny was back and placing a steaming cup in front of him, the cup itself resting on a delicate little plate. Audric's eyes widened at the pattern of a long-eared bun in the foam, and he looked back up at Beanny in delight. "You - you drew this on a drink? Oh, you must show me your technique," he exclaimed, picking up the coffee cup with both hands and bringing it to his nose. "It smells amazing…"

Beanny giggled, pulling out the chair across from him and dropping into it gracefully. "That, my monochromatic messenger, is a cappuccino," she told him proudly, before launching into an explanation of the ratio of coffee to milk to foam. Audric followed the dizzying flood of words as best he could, nodding and listening along as he sipped the delicious drink. Before long, she was chattering excitedly about her plans for the heavenly-touched beans he'd brought her and the drinks she was planning to make from them. Audric was just as happy, he found, to provide an ear as he had been for Primrose.