InsaneJournal

It had been months since Mephisto had taken to his human body. He'd finally gotten adjusted to it entirely somewhere around a month ago, and yet, he was still delighted with the novelty of eating, of seeing, of feeling like humans felt. It was an experience unlike that of being in his true body, a semi-incorporeal state that had senses, yes, but not like those the humans had. Being locked into humanity's five senses was at once both illuminating and stifling for him. And all the while, he'd been teaching his... friend. Ariel was far greater a man than he gave himself credit for - possibly due to all the cutting down he received from the fallen angel - and Mephisto knew it. He finally found some purpose for Ariel than merely to be a reminder of why he couldn't let himself fall again, or a thorn in his side. They were alike.

Sometimes, they were so alike, that it gave the once-holy creature pause. But he had confidence that the alchemist could succeed where he failed.

He strolled up to the pub, his hair tied back and out of his face, wearing a long wool coat and black slacks, still wearing the boots that he'd fashioned near a year earlier, although the thought of making any more hadn't crossed his mind since the first day as a living human. He ordered himself a sandwich and a pint and took a seat near the window, so he could look out at the stars as he ate and waited for Ariel to arrive.

Ariel had finally started feeling... inhuman. Interesting, Mephisto thought, he had progressed far faster than he'd anticipated. He had to broach the subject with mild wariness.