- Lucifer's side -
Siffen had decided to arrange a family gathering. Lucifer's group was intermingling with multiple members of Fensyr's family. Yvere was being pulled around by Vázi as Vázi introduced all of her siblings.
"Fenmyn, Fencil, Tyfen, Linfen, Fensen-"
Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi were discussing differences in their wolf forms with Fensyr.
"The main benefit is speed, and sometimes defense, given the fur's ability to absorb damage," Amaterasu said.
"I do not see many lycans in their wolf form," Tsukuyomi looked around.
Fensyr burped and wiped his mouth, "The lycans that stay in the territory tend to view the form as a weapon and/or spiritual connection. It's not used casually."
Lucifer and Peter were speaking with Siffen. Siffen had braided black hair the length of her body. She stroked the hair as she spoke quietly.
"I...I want to thank you."
Lucifer and Peter looked at each other. Siffen continued.
"Fensyr hates his job as the leader. He would have left centuries ago if not for our family...if not for me. This mission of yours, I know what it truly means for him."
Lucifer assured, "It has significance to my interests as well. This isn't purely a favor to a friend."
Siffen chuckled, "Ya don't need ta lie to me," she cleared her throat. "I know Fensyr isn't the type to make friends. The wolf cares about his family, everything else is just a means to protecting us."
Elijah was playing harmonica for a group of Fensyr's other family members who were fascinated by the device. As the night carried on, multiple of Fensyr's daughters proposed to Lucifer.
"I can only be with someone as strong as myself, sorry."
Fensyr's sons challenged Lucifer to games of strength, all losing terribly. Some of the sons started attempting to provoke Fensyr into a match with Lucifer. One shout from Fensyr squashed that idea.
"ENOUGH!"
Elijah mumbled to Peter, "He's definitely got the yell of a dad who has dozens of kids."
At one point during the night, Vázi was atop Lucifer's shoulders as Lucifer hovered off the ground.
"Maw! Maw look!"
Siffen smiled, "I see, but just be careful."
Amaterasu commented, "'Ma'? The way she's saying it though..."
Siffen placed her hand on Amaterasu's shoulder. "I'd greatly prefer if ya didn't mention it," She tightened her grip. "Fensyr and I adore this time in our child's life and don't want it endin' t'soon."
Amaterasu felt a malice behind Siffen's smile that just made her nod in agreement.
Lucifer asked Vázi a question while the two hovered. "Where's Meli?"
Vázi hummed as she tried to remember. "If she's not with Maw or Paw she's probably with Grifen and Fenkyr," She pointed. "Zuki's near her!"
"'Zuki'?" Lucifer mumbled.
Lucifer noticed Tsukuyomi attempting to speak with a very frightened Meli. Lucifer lowered to the ground and took Vázi off his shoulders. Lucifer quickly walked past Siffen and Amaterasu, ignoring Vázi's questions. Amaterasu noticed where Lucifer was going and caught up to him.
"It's just curiosity," Amaterasu said. "It's not as if he's going to challenge the child to a duel."
Yvere saw Lucifer coming and stopped him. "He's doing fine with her."
Lucifer looked over Yvere's shoulder at Tsukuyomi. The cold look in his eyes worried Yvere. Tsukuyomi transformed into his wolf form, surprising everyone watching.
"How does he get his fur that pitch-black?" some of Fensyr's children whispered.
Tsukuyomi conjured one of his rings and floated it vertically in front of Meli. Meli noticed her reflection in the center of the ring.
Tsukuyomi recited what sounded like a poem.
"Fur like snow, eyes of fire-"
Amaterasu recited, "Even the sun would be jealous of your strength..."
Meli grabbed the ring that was reflecting her image. As tears started to roll down her cheeks, Amaterasu got ready to hold Lucifer back. Lucifer was calmly observing.
Tsukuyomi continued, "Never be afraid of who you are. That--that is all that matters."
Lucifer released a deep sigh as he walked towards Tsukuyomi. "Are you okay, Meli?" he crouched down next to Tsukuyomi.
"Why," Meli sobbed, "do I...l-look l-like this?"
Amaterasu wasn't sure if what she was about to do was the right choice but she felt it needed to be done. Amaterasu transformed into her wolf form and walked up to Meli.
"What you look like doesn't matter," she looked at Tsukuyomi and then back to Meli. "There's not a single lycan here who thinks of you as anything less than family."
"Meli!" Vázi shouted as she shoved past Lucifer.
Meli spoke through sobs, "I-I'm okay V-V," She looked from Amaterasu to Lucifer. "Wi-wi-will you be back?"
Lucifer smiled. "Of course."
"Y-y-you're n-n-not going to die?" Meli asked.
The question caught Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu off guard. Lucifer spoke confidently.
"Never."
Siffen came over with Fensyr. Lucifer explained the situation and the two parents told the family that it would be best if they ended the festivities for the night. After most of the family members had left, Amaterasu transformed back into a woman and whispered to Lucifer.
"Thought you were going to kill Tsukuyomi."
"I can hear you," Tsukuyomi said as he transformed back into a man. "I meant nothing by it. The child just reminded me so much of Ama..."
Lucifer sighed, "You two did well."
Amaterasu smacked Lucifer on the back. "Thanks," she quickly pulled her hand away. "Shit, sorry, I always did that with Susano'o..."
"It's fine," Lucifer reassured.
Tsukuyomi questioned, "Is it your angelic roots that make you so protective of children or..."
"Doesn't matter," Lucifer said.
Tsukuyomi continued, "I know angelic fertility is among the lowest in the world so I always wondered if that played a part in the angels' beliefs towards children."
Amaterasu was trying to signal to Tsukuyomi to be quiet.
Lucifer scowled. "It was a belief of my father. He instilled in all first-generation angels that children are precious and should be protected whenever possible," His scowl deepened. "It's one of the few good things he left behind."
Tsukuyomi walked off, leaving Amaterasu to speak with Lucifer.
"The final part of that saying is 'Never be afraid of who you are. That responsibility lies with your enemies."
Lucifer shrugged, "I assumed he changed it. It sounds like a mix of Izanagi and Izanami's words. I'm guessing the first half is your father?"
Amaterasu grinned. "Our father believed in balance among the emotions. He always said that Mother was his perfect counterweight. Mother always said we were lucky to never see our father angry."
The night passed and the group started to leave during sunrise. Fensyr and Siffen had an extended goodbye embrace before the group could leave. A tired Vázi sleepily waved goodbye while Meli did small motions that mimicked Vázi's. The group slowly traveled through Sol, making conversation as they went.
"I think I'd look better with red eyes," Amaterasu said.
"We've got color contacts in one of the crates," Peter said. "Thought it might be useful 'case Luce or Yvere ever needed to hide their eye color, though that never really came up."
Fensyr asked, "The fuck are 'color contacts'?"
Yvere pointed at her red eye, "Tiny domes that go over the eye and change the color."
"Human invention?" Tsukuyomi asked.
"Not these," Lucifer answered. "We got them from a friend of ours in Venars."
Elijah joined in, "That's the succubus place, right?"
"Sort of," Lucifer said. "It's led by Venus and Mars. Most of the population are "cubies" or shapeshifters, or a mix of the two. The cubies are in a sexual arms race against the shapeshifters. Color contacts, wigs, makeup, basically anything that can change or enhance one's appearance, they make it all."
Amaterasu scoffed, "Awfully well-informed about the place aren't you?"
Lucifer rolled his eyes. "Whenever the team had a mission in the east we'd end up crossing through Venars. It's safer than most other routes and-"
Peter interjected, "And Luce's archangel mana makes every cubie want a piece of him, so any extra supplies or information we might've needed were easy to come by."
Lucifer groaned, "It was flattering at first but it's mostly annoying now. It's why I opted for going around when we traveled to Han'ei."
Elijah joked, "You can handle a dark forest full of skinwalkers but horniness is where you draw the line?"
Fensyr shuddered. "Fuckin' wendigos. Are they as terrifyin' as the stories make them out to be?"
"Mostly," Lucifer said.