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Diligence steps out of the elevator and enters the hallways, They had finished having a conversation with the Angel Mother with the recent events outside of Paradise Lost and about the lost human that has yet to be found. Looking at the scene in the hallway before them, the rotling guards are neatly lined up at the side. Completely silent and behaved, as they should.
Diligence snaps their fingers. “Report”
One of the rotling Guards jogs towards them before saluting. “Sir, the packages that has been delivered earlier have been safely stored into the storage room!”
“hm, when will the next delivery arrive?” They lean slightly forward towards the guard.
“Uhm… in– in about a few hours, sir!” The guard stammers over his words a little.
Diligence nods before leaning back and clasping their arms behind their back, the angel standing on their shoulder mimicking them, “mhmm… is there anything else to report?”
The rotling guard continues to stammer a bit, “Oh! Uhm… Yes! Uhh… Dr. Temperance has– has asked for your presence! He says he has something to speak with you, sir!”
Diligence hums before stepping forward, slightly knocking the rotling guard that was in front of them out of their way as they walked forward.
‘A meeting with Dr. Temperance? What the hell does he want?’ They thought as they walked their way through the quiet hallway. Diligence and Temperance rarely ever talked, either because they were both busy with their duties or never had the need to interact with each other. Even if they were the only Virtues in Lost Paradise to get close or to relate with.
Diligence opens the door to the laboratory, a bright red light suddenly shines upon them. In the middle of the room there, is Temperance facing his back to them; seeming to be writing something on a clipboard as he muttered about something.
Diligence makes a sound of clearing their throat to catch his attention, “Dr. Temperance? What is that you needed to speak about?”. The angel on their shoulder croaks.
Temperance jumps a little before turning around to look behind him and sees Diligence. “Officer Diligence! Didn’t expect you to be here already, I thought your conversation with the Angel Mother would take a lot longer, or so I’ve heard. Could you close the door behind you, please?”
Diligence nodded and closed the door behind them before stepping forward to the middle of the room, the angel stares at the egg before them. Diligence could've had sworn they’ve heard slight muffled chattering outside the door about how lucky that rotting guard was for facing them, but that doesn’t matter right now.
Stopping in front of the table, Diligence grumly speaks up. “Speak quickly, Dr. Temperance. I have a duty in front of the gates that I need to return to and I have no time to chit-chat”
“Isn’t the gate already been guarded with like… 60 rotling guards? I think the gate is fine with you being absent for just a minute more” Temperance tries to reassure them
Diligence leans forward and smashes their fist on to the table, “Those 60 rotling guards are useless by themselves! Last time that I’ve left them alone for more than two hours 3,000 years ago, they proceed to mess everything up with having an intruder be able to sneak right under their noses! Luckily for them, the intruder has been caught before shit got even worse, or else I would have given each of those rotling guards a good beating instead of just complete death!”
“Ah… yes, that incident. I have heard of what happened due to how loud your yelling was that it for some reason managed to reach over to my laboratory. I still remember that day like it was yesterday… how terrifying, and yet so…” Temperance muttered to himself
Diligence is getting even more impatient as the seconds pass by, “DR. TEMPERANCE” they yelled
“Oh!-” That snapped Temperance of whatever thoughts he was having. “I apologize, anyway–” He cleared his throat, slightly embarrassed about himself.
“About the egg” Temperance points to the giant egg hanging behind him. “I’ve learned a way to make it heal and grow faster than before. I just need to prepare it, which would take a few hours to complete” He hands Diligence the clipboard that he was writing on before.
Diligence and the angel scans the contents of the clipboard, “Interesting… the Angel Mother would be proud of your work, Dr. Temperance. Keep up the good work” they hum. The angel croaks
“I-I’ll continue to do so, officer Diligence! After all, this is for the prophecy that the Angel Mother has informed us of!” Temperance says, it's rare to get a praise out of Diligence, from what he had heard from the chatty rotling guards outside his door.
Diligence nodded as they handed back the clipboard to him, “Although, what brought you to summon me just to show me this? I have no knowledge nor skill in science, so why choose me? I have duties to attend to if I needed to remind you, doctor”
“I just… want to tell someone about my accomplishments today.” Temperance suddenly felt very stupid for what he was saying, but he continued anyway, “And also, we haven’t been able to properly talk with each other for the millennium of our lives working here. Considering that we are the only virtues that's been living here from as far as I can remember”
“I’m not the kind of person to have a lively chat with, Dr. Temperance” Diligence is instantly not amused by this. Deciding that this is the end of their conversation when they see Temperance slump his shoulders, they turn around and start reaching their way to the door. The angel on their shoulder watches the scientist behind them
“Officer Diligence, wait!” At Temperance’s shout, Diligence stops when they were about to fully open the door and gives him a moment to speak, “Could– could we talk a bit more in the garden when it's our break time?” Temperance continues.
Diligence thinks for a moment, ‘I guess I change of pace would be nice, doing the same thing every single day has been irritating me as of lately’
“Fine” Diligence finally says as they leave the room and close the door behind them.