An evening in The Evergreen Emporium

"Hello and welco-", even before Lora could complete her customary greeting, the man in front of her began rattling down an order.

"That thing on the top-left. A card with a sorry. Deliver it today."

Balling a fist beneath the counter to keep the customer-service smile on her face the shop owner just nodded and moved to retrieve the bouquet, while her partner nudged a holo-pad over.

"Data for the delivery and 42 credits, please."

Still tightly smiling she put the flowers down, turned around to continue the interaction and saw that the man was already leaving. Grabbing a piece of pink cardboard, scribbling a few words on it and adding it to the arrangement distracted her for a few more moments, before she looked back up.

Watching the customer go through the door, her smile fell and she scrunched up her nose. "What an ass, huh, Soph?"

Her Partner twitched an ear and gave an agreeing grunt, still glaring in the direction where the customer had just left.

"At least now we can close", Lora sighed and stooped a bit to offer Sophocleus her shoulder. The fusion gave an encouraging chirp, before clambering onto her back, hooking his back paws on the strap of her apron and putting his front paws and head onto her shoulder.

Straightening up Lora pressed a button to lock the entry door, before leaving the room. A few steps through the storage room, knocking on the door and she stuck her head into the lab.

"Zeke, doll, it's closing time. How's your progress?"

The young person in a lab coat finished filling the bottle, set down the pot and grinned at her, hands busy screwing on a cap.

"Nearly done, boss. Only need to clean the pot and put away the potions."

To emphasize the point they shook the newly bottled potion in her direction. Their partner Lin chirped reproachfully from her perch in their pink hair.

Now smiling too Lora shook her head.

"Good, good. Would you mind if I asked Laika to do a quick delivery?"

Moving to the sink Zeke shook their head as well.

"Do so. She will be happy to do it too. Lin and I just can’t keep up with her at the moment. Poor girl got all that spring energy stored up. I can close up too, if you need me to."

Sophocleus made a doubtful chuff at that and got one of his ears gently tweaked in return.

"Please. I still need to throw Lachlan outta the greenhouse."

Although turning to leave she could still hear Zekes amused huff and Lins chitter.

Scooping up the bouquet from the counter on the way up to the first floor, Loras smile widened into a grin at entering the staff lounge and seeing Laika sprawled over the couch.

Zekes female Pyroar-Luxray-Fusion laid on her back, one front leg stretched out over her head, the other curled onto her chest, her left back hind folded onto her belly, whilst the right was laid out beside her. All of her legs twitching in her sleep. In short, she looked nothing like the dignified predator she could be.

An opinion Soph clearly held as well, considering the smaller feline beast hopped down and scurried over and onto to the couch before she could react. Giving a disdainful huff he put a paw over Laikas nose, positioning himself crouched beneath her head. This position was also the only reason why he only tumbled from the couch, instead of flying through the room when the female feline startled understandably violently awake at having her airway restricted.

Sighing at her partners typical assholish behavior Lora came over to soothe the large, growling predator by scratching behind one of her ears.

"So sorry, sweetheart, you know how he can be and I didna catch him quick enough."

Luckily Laika was happy enough to forgive her by licking Lora’s face, ignoring Sophocleus indignant huff. Noticing the bouquet in the her arm the large fusion chuffed questioning and gave a play-bow, tail swishing happily through the air.

"Yes, those flowers need to be delivered. To one of the apartments with the Haban berry trees on top, near the temple. You up for that, doll?"

Instead of giving a soundly answer Laika leapt over to the shelf that held the harnesses used for deliveries, took the broad-legged stance that allowed for easy dressing and stared at the shop owner in clear expectation. Laughing at the fusions enthusiastic antics Lora followed, switched the flowers for the correct harness and strapped Laika in, before securing the bouquet and entering the delivery address into the small transponder on the collar.

"If you wanna come back here afterwards, Cleo is probably gonna still be down in the shop. She’ll get the belts off you. But I ain’t gonna be mad if you wanna go home afterwards either, so don’t worry, hm?"

At Laikas slightly impatient huff and wiggle, Lora just laughed again and patted her head.

"Yes, yes, you know all that already. I’ll hold you no longer. Have fun, sweetheart."

Shaking her head fondly as she watched the feline prance off, she scooped Sophocleus back up  from the sofas arm, where he had returned to after being launched, straightened her apron a bit with one hand and allowed her gaze to wander over to Zekes other fusion in the room. Aspen, their older Trevenant-Lycanroc, laid curled up and had somehow managed to sleep through the commotion. Eyeing the canine in amused fascination for a moment longer, Lora just shook her head once again and left the staff-room.

"Now we only need to detangle Lachlan from the greenhouse and we can enjoy our well-earned free-time."

Her partner just trilled at that, swished his tail once and wiggled a bit to get more comfortable on her arm.

Stepping into the greenhouse on top of the Emporium always relaxed Lora. Her shoulders sagged and the tips of her mouth wandered upwards this time too, at least until Lachlan came into view, lured forward by the sound of the elevator arriving.

The teen was accurately describable as a mess. His t-shirt and shorts sported smears in various shades of green and brown, a spot of mud clung to his left cheek and his deep red hair was slightly curled, still faintly wet.

"It’s not as bad as it looks, boss! We managed to repot the saplings and we cleaned everything too!"

He looked at himself and then, sheepishly, back up at Lora,

"Well, except me. Sorry, boss."

At that Lora couldn’t keep the laughter in anymore, gently ruffling his hair as she soothed him.

"It’s okay, sweetling. Go dip under the shower and switch your clothing. We don’t need to let all of Grovehart see you as a jungle monster, hm?"

Sophocleus snickering provoked Lachlan into doing the same.

"Yeah. Better not. Wouldn‘t want to give anyone the wrong idea and get a Pokéball to the head."

Lora hummed, still amused, and moved away from the elevator.

"That woulda be something. Now shoo, Zekes closing once they’re done in the lab."

With a salute and still faintly grinning the teen left the greenhouse to go clean himself up.