Flight of Frost and Aurora

Chapter 25

A few hours later, Lucifer returned home from work earlier than expected, buoyed by some wonderful news he couldn't wait to share with his family. As he stepped through the door, a broad smile illuminated his face, and he clutched a particular piece of parchment in his hand. However, the moment he crossed the threshold, he was met with an overwhelming stench that made him gag.

"What in the name of—" he choked, his smile vanishing as he instinctively took a step back, his nose wrinkling in disgust. The horrid aroma of skunk filled the room, and he could hardly believe what he was smelling. His eyes darted around, landing on his wife and stepdaughter, who stood in the kitchen, their expressions a mix of horror and anger.

"What—" he paused to cough. "What happened?"

"It was that... that creature!" Eisheth exclaimed, waving her hands dramatically as if trying to disperse the foul odor. "A skunk just charged at us out of nowhere! The horrible little beast!"

"This is the worst day of my entire life!" Lute screamed. "I want you to fix this, Stepfather! Now!"

"Don't worry, you both just need a bath," he said, his voice strained as he fought against the urge to retch. "With some..." He coughed again, the stench still lingering in his nostrils, making it difficult to think clearly. "Vinegar... and tomato juice."

"What are we, a couple of salads?!" Lute scoffed.

Lucifer groaned, overwhelmed. "Ugh, a long bath is definitely in order."

Charlotte stood outside, listening to the commotion inside the house. She tried so hard not to smile or laugh at the terrible situation her stepfamily was in, but she couldn't help herself.

The image of her stepmother and stepsister, both flustered and covered in the lingering scent of skunk, was too amusing to resist. Charlotte pressed her lips together, stifling a giggle as she imagined their frantic attempts to rid themselves of the odor.

"I really shouldn't be laughing," she said to. Alastor and Vagatha, who had been. eavesdropping alongside her.

"Oh no, you have every right to laugh," Alastor replied with a mischievous glint in his eye. "They got exactly what they deserved. I made sure of it."

He flashed a devious grin, one Vagatha recognized all too well.

"Oh, Alastor, you didn't!" Vagatha exclaimed, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"Hey, they've been asking for it since I arrived—maybe even longer," he shrugged, a hint of pride in his voice.

"You know how Mother Carmilla and Rosamund feel about you using animals for your dirty work," she said, pinching her nose in disgust. "And I mean dirty work! PU! Did you really have to use a skunk?"

"Well, it was either that or the wolverines," he replied with a smirk.

Vagatha's eyes widened in disbelief. "Wolverines? You were actually considering wolverines? Alastor, you can't be serious!"

Alastor shrugged, a playful smirk on his face. "I mean, they would have been more effective, but I thought a skunk would be a funnier option. Besides, it's not like they could have gotten hurt. Just a little scare, you know?"

Charlotte couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. "Well, you certainly succeeded in scaring them. I can only imagine how they must look right now."

"Probably like a couple of frightened cats," Alastor replied, chuckling. "And I bet they're scrambling to find something to mask that smell. It's poetic justice, really."

Vagatha shook her head, a smile creeping onto her lips despite herself. "You're incorrigible, you know that? But I have to admit, it's kind of brilliant."