Teaching an Old Bun New Tricks

“So you’re tellin’ me… I just reach my arm out and let him sit there?”
“Yes sir! This imp right here is called a chirop—they’re very easy for beginners to handle, and… Oh, wait, are you really a beginner if you’re older than I am…”
“Nah kid, treat me like I’m a fresh guppy; yer the expert in this place, so go hog wild.”

Hutch’s eyes sparkled, and their face flushed as they almost fell backward out of pure embarrassment. It wasn’t unusual to have a “customer” in the Imporium, but it was one of the first times in a while that he’d found himself seated on the floor of his establishment with a handsome older bun. People knew Dagasho—or Sho, if you were his ‘bro’—well enough for supplying fireworks to the folks that needed them, and Hutch had heard that he was a stately but easy-going guy… So it sure was a surprise when Hutch had been passing by Sparkling Skies Inc. and saw Dagasho stubbornly fighting off a squabble of corvats with a sparkler as they tried to steal pieces of sparkly firework materials from under his nose. That guy sure can SCREAM…

In any case, thankfully Hutch had enough of a heart to step in and give Dagasho a hand in calming down those corvats, and after a small tea break to “calm down his bun-pressure”, Hutch agreed to help give him some pointers in “how those imp guys tick” so that he could grow to appreciate them… oh, and also not get swarmed by a pack of feisty corvats again.

“So… ahem. Yeah, you have that little sesame seed… hold it out— just like that, yeah! Now… now just hold still, and you’ll see…”

The two watched the chirop carefully; Hutch had cleared out an area of the Imporium and let this single chirop free so that Dagasho could practice getting the attention of an imp… better to start out basic, right? The sparkles that stuck around Dagasho’s person seemed to sparkle with anticipation as the chirop came closer and closer… before eventually jumping up onto Dagasho’s arm and snatching the seed from his hand with its tail. It seemed quite mesmerized by how… sparkly Dagasho was. Maybe Hutch was mesmerized a little as well… but uh, you didn’t hear that from them, no sir.

“That’s the ticket, mister Dagasho! Ohh, you’re doing wonderfully! It looks like this little guy likes ya too!”
“Hutch m’fella you’re giving this old guy a bit too much credit; I’d have ta say that the imps you got in this here Imporium are a lot better behaved than those crazy cluckers out there. You done a good job here, fella.” Dagasho flashed Hutch a crooked smile, and oh sweet Lucifer, Hutch could feel his heart flutter from the praise. Help???
“Uh… a-aha.. Um, well then sir… w-would you like to try petting… one of the corvats… I have h-here? They-they’re totally behaved!!!”
“Yeah for sure, li’l bro! Show me to ‘em!”

…

“I hope those tips help you w-with your corvat problem—and uh, you can always call me at… that number if you need any extra help… I’m free most days…” After a little more training, Dagasho had to go back to his shop… but Hutch didn’t let the man leave without a key… and a little slip of paper with Hutch’s number. Their anxious hands picked at their collar as they watched Dagasho from their place in the store’s doorway.
“O’course, bro! I don’t go anywhere fancy, so you know where to find me if ya need some booms. Good business to ya!”
“G-good business!”

And as Hutch watched Dagasho wander back down the road… they got to witness a very rare happenstance. A corvat on a nearby line jumped off, swooped down, and beaned Dagasho right in the forehead… knocking the older guy off the path and into a bush.

Hutch flinched. Ow. Looks like that one had a grudge.