The city was larger than Lucas had ever seen, with so many people that it was almost dizzying. The young boy had just arrived via a gate, and walked out from the alleyway only to be awed at the brilliance of Adeluna. The smells and sights were overwhelming, even more so since he had still yet to put on enough weight from his previous life.

“Simone! It’s so much!” he exclaimed. The vast amount of people seemed to ignore the young boy as they went about their business. People hustled and bustled through the streets, making their daily trades and running their errands, but it was all so new to Lucas. And the food that smelled so delicious, wafting from the nearby stalls made the boy’s stomach rumble as if he hadn’t eaten in days.

“Can we get something? That smells so good! What is it?” the young leviathan asked. “I’m sorry…I just…” His excitement was almost uncontainable, but he realized how loud he was being and tried to tone it back a little. “I just…sorry. Can we get something before we go to the library though? I think it might help with the lessons too! I’m doing so well, don’t you think?” Once more the hype was coming back. Once Lucas started going, it was hard to stop. Lewis even encouraged it when he was around, to the best of his ability. Ezili seemed to like it, and even chanted along Lucas at times, even if she didn’t quite know what she was chanting about.

It was cute.

“So…we can stay all day then? You promise!?” The boy seemed like he was about to explode.

There was a smirk across her face as Lucas got excited about the city. “Stay near alright?” She was always within a short distance of him just in case something happened. There were a few chuckles that escaped her lips as she watched him and instantly she frowned when he apologized. She crossed the distance enough and took his face softly. “You don’t ever have to apologize to me for how excited you get. It makes me happy to see you this happy and if anyone has anything to say about my son’s happiness they may complain to me. Not that I’ll listen,” she pulled him down just enough and kissed his forehead.

“We can get some food before we go if that’s what you want to do. We have all day since I know Ezili is going to drag poor Lewis up and down the streets of Benin until he’s dead,” she stifled a bit of laughter as she felt bad. She could only imagine what the girl was doing. “Lewis is in distress,” there was a look of amusement on her face.

“Apparently, Ezili just ran into the room and jumped up and down on the bed until he got up,” Simone chuckled. “You two are precious,” she spoke softly as she took him to a few different stalls and got him some food to eat.

Once he seemed content with his belly she smirked, “All day until you get sleepy then we can head home. We can even go to the tavern for some dinner if you wish. My day is your day today.” She tapped her chin, “There’s also a bookstore we can go to… and other little shops. Maybe you can find something to give to Ezili? There’s always interesting stalls set up by the docks.”

It took a surprising amount of food to fill poor Lucas’ belly, but by the time he was done, he was more than content with the purchases that were made. Simone seemed happy that he was happy, and despite his initial fear with her, being a woman and all, he was actually getting used to her presence. He had been proud of himself when she kissed his forehead, that he barely flinched. Still, there was a long way to go even still…

At Simone’s suggestion of bookstores and other places, he put the library in the back of his mind and instead turned his attention to the stores lined on the streets. With Simone’s guidance, he made his way into the first of many bookstores, where he found himself lost in the isles, reading synopsis of books and asking people their opinions of different stories and other texts. Whatever fear he had of other people seemed to wash away while he was in this world, and it was if Simone were with a completely different person. This was where he could be himself without any fear.

The first bookstore ended with Lucas leaving having two new books. One of them was a fantastical tale of sea creatures and legends based around them, and the other was a tale as old as time, of starstruck lovers. Both of them had caught his interest, and Simone was more than happy to give him the opportunity to explore his passions, and bought both of them without a second thought.

“Where to next? What’s a good place that I can look for something that Ezili would like?” he asked. “She’s trying to learn to dance…is there anything she needs for that?”

Simone quietly browsed in the stores while Lucas had free reign. She would thumb through many of the poetry books and she would hum to herself. It seemed like she was hyper-focused on it and it took Lucas getting her attention to bring her back to reality. Once she finally looked up she smiled, “I was reading to Lewis. He likes it when I read prose but don’t tell anyone I think he would cut them,” she joked and paid for one of the poetry books she had been reading.

She tapped her chin, “I don’t know about things she will need but we could always check out the dress stores? Hair accessories would look beautiful in her hair with how long it is. She would probably really like hair combs and they make them in a variety of different styles too.”

Taking him into a tailor’s shop they looked around and finally, she paused, “Lucas, what about this?” She had found a midnight blue velvet choker with a large opal stone in the center. “I bet she would never take it off and…” What was a good way to put it? “Her eyes are something you were fascinated with.” She was trying not to be embarrassing. “There are also hair combs too. We can get whatever we would like to bring home to her. I’m sure she will get stuff for you too.”

The woman watched her son and browsed around the shop before long. “Anything else you can think of Lucas? Or see?"

The tailors shop was Simone’s first suggestion, and as he browsed around he was getting overwhelmed and confused at all of the options. Ezili would like almost anything he gave her, which was part of the problem. There were almost too many options, fancy jewels and trinkets, all of it expensive. Finally, though, Simone pointed out a beautiful choker with an opal stone, and at once his eyes lit up.

“That’s perfect!” he exclaimed, excited to have found something. He thought for a moment back at some of the other things he had seen, and smiled. “Oh! I had a great idea!” The boy wandered off and came back with a few items in hand. “What if…I got stuff for Everett and Alshaya as well?” He held out a small, silver bracelet with a crystalline, pinkish purple butterfly ornament. “For Alshaya…” He produced a similar bracelet, but this one had an ornate, silver and blue rose. “For Everett.”

“And…because I want to make sure Ezili…” He blushed and put a beautiful comb with a white topaz inlay. “Well…what do you think?” Lucas was asking Simone her opinion, which was a step forward in his comfort level with her. “If it’s too much, though…I can work to pay it off.”

“That’s very thoughtful of you Lucas. I think they would like it too. I think I saw a toy store not too far we can get Fiori a large stuffed animal before we go home.” Simone smiled gently and pat the top of his head. “It’s not too much I promise.” She chuckled a bit, “Mira would probably like anything water-related.”

Looking over the comb she nodded, “It would go well with her hair. I think she would love anything you got her though.” She made the purchases for him and tugged along the bags. “I think, it’s time for you to see the library though. I have never been to the library in Adeluna but I’ve heard it’s quite large.”

They had a library at home that was true but there was something special about a public library. Simone helped him find to way to the large building. Her eyes settled on doors as she saw scholars leaving the building in droves. “Alright come on,” she beckoned him as she opened one of the large doors.

There were rows and rows of tall bookcases. There were scholars everywhere and she could smell the old pages. The energy was alive and it made her skin get goosebumps. “Where should we start?”

All of Simone’s ideas were great, and with that, they planned to stop for Mira and Fiori for the remaining gifts to his siblings. Simone, though, pushed them to finally get to the library, to which Lucas nodded with excitement. It was the whole reason for the trip, after all, and it would be a shame if he got distracted and missed his opportunity to go.

It wasn’t long before Simone guided him to the front of the building. For a moment, all he could do was stare at the large doors, with scholars fretting back and forth as they went about their daily business. It was interesting to watch, as some of them had a strange knack of knowing how to weave in between the other scholars without taking their eyes off the pages that they were consuming.

His trance was broken when Simone beckoned him, and he followed his mother through one of the large doors, and into the building.

If the outside was to be considered impressive by Lucas’ standards, then the inside was divine. Rows and rows of bookcases lined the interior, and for a moment he could almost feel the words calling him. The air was heavy with a smell that he couldn’t quite grasp, but would soon learn to love. There was a hushed quiet, but murmurs as scholars and other avid readers went about their research.

When Simone asked him a question, it took him a moment to tear his attention away from the beautiful setting in front of him. “Oh…start?” The boy seemed almost dazed at the question. Where to start? With the first letters? What else was there? History? Tall tales? Legends? Books on magic? It was almost endless what he could do if he had enough time, but he had to choose.

Then a curious, almost somber thought made itself known. The boy’s face took a softer, almost hurt look as he tried to think of the best way to ask. “What about leviathans?” There was more behind that question than he was letting on, but Simone was smart. A part of him wondered where he came from, and how he came to be. And while he loved his family, and never dreamt of leaving, he had a burning curiosity that was growing.

“I…want to know where I come from. At least…just to know. I don’t want to leave, and I don’t plan on it…” The boy was stumbling over words as he tried to make sure he wasn’t hurting Simone’s feelings. “You’re…my mother, through and through….but…I just gotta know what happened. And why. Does that…make sense?”

Simone saw the look on his face and gave him a somber smile. “We’ll find it,” she pulled him down just enough and kissed the top of his head. “You always have a right to know where you come from and I will never be hurt that you want to discover it, Lucas. Even if I have to go bribe a certain goddess to get the answers for us, I would risk her wraith.” She patted the top of his head again.

“I know exactly what you mean for various reasons,” she hadn’t told Lucas everything. She told him the story of her and Lewis but not the why. “When I was no older than Ezili a fey lord took interest in me. When I was sixteen he cursed me. I died and I died. He kept my memories from my younger self who would be rebirthed back to sixteen no matter how old I was.” Her eyes weren’t sad as she talked about it now. It was just a matter of fact. “I often wondered who I was or why. It was because of Lewis that I got my answers and we fixed myself.”

She took just a few moments to ask one of the librarians and they made their way to the right section for Lucas. “Leviathans might be hard to narrow down without knowing where they found you.” Her eyes settled on her son, “We’ll figure it out though.” She grabbed a ladder and rolled it. “Start from the top and work our way down. It doesn’t matter how long it takes… I’ll find your answers. That’s a mother’s job after all.”

Pausing Simone turned while she up on the ladder and patted his head again, “I am happy to hear you say the word mother though. I was worried that we wouldn’t be able to bond because of what they did to you. Even if my emotions seem a bit off, being away from Lewis can be hard at times because of what we are. I am happy though.”

The fact that Simone took it so well was comforting to Lucas, and her resolve to help him only made him feel more welcome. It was hard for him to admit out loud, but he loved what he and the rest of the family had become, even if he struggled to find a place where he fit in within it. Though, it seemed as though they were all a bit weird in their own ways, and in a way it was that which allowed them to mesh together and bond so well.

With Simone at the helm of the research, they started off with a massive pile of books. It was then, that Lucas realized just how many different types of leviathans existed in the world. Different creation legends and myths existed, as well as natural changes that occurred across the world in different temperatures and water types.

As it turned out, some leviathans had a more human shape, while others took a more serpentine-draconic like state like he did. The type that Lucas transformed into was more apt to travel the seas, and did best in salt water, though they could easily thrive elsewhere if necessity arose. Across the world, though, his kind of leviathans were known to be territorial, and could grow to great sizes, large enough to dwarf even the largest of sea vessels.

“It says here…” Lucas said as he tried to read aloud, looking at the pictures and words as they blended together.. “Tide…breaker? Is that a name? Or just what they called the ones that attacked ships.” He frowned. “It can’t be that simple. It says territorial…does that mean we just need to research where the attacks happen the most?” He looked to Simone. “Is that something we can even do?”

Simone loomed over his shoulder and softly rubbed his hair as she thought, “Tidebreaker is the species of leviathan dear. We finally found what you are.” She kissed the top of his head, “But that still doesn’t help us narrow down where you are from. It just gives us a place to start. We know they are from the ocean but other than that nothing.” She frowned a bit.

“Territorial… Isn’t just against ships. It’s also against other males or females of your kind. For example, the island is my territory and I would never let another phoenix make a nest there. Like when I attacked the pirates.” She thought about it and she suddenly was full of life, “I think that what we need to do is make a trip to the docks. Find out the areas from sailors for where the sailors are refusing to go. That is where the leviathans are. From there we just hope we don’t get attacked and maybe we can find people who know who you are.”

She pet his hair some more and once they were done with their research she took him out to the toy store, “I bet Mira would like a fish stuffed animal. It’s something she doesn’t have. In a few days… We can take a trip to the docks and find out everything we can about you."