SMACK!
A quiet grumble left Ash Westwind's lips as he toiled away in the dirt, pausing briefly to smack at another mosquito. It was nice that Beacon had a garden the student's were free to make use of, though it was a bit of a pain keeping it maintained with just him and a couple others working on it. Luckily, it was a fairly out-of-the-way spot on the grounds, tucked behind one of the less-populated wings, so it was typically solitary and peaceful.
Unfortunately, it seemed that was not the case today.
Cerise Sangestre's stepsister, Mauve, normally showed up to help, but she was absent today. Instead, the rest of Team ACCA was present, and a couple of other unexpected guests. Cerise was helping Ash with the garden, but Aurum Segen and Celeste Burne were bothering somebody off to the side; Ash had not bothered to see who is was yet. Cerise carefully passed him another plant, and he gently placed it and packed the dirt in around it.
"So what brings someone like you out 'ere?" Celeste asked curiously. Ash could practically see the girl leaning in almost-too-close to the newcomer.
Aurum joined in as well. "It's not often Ash get's this much company out here on his lonesome." The blond Faunus' grin was audible.