Diverging paths

Preparing Once More

14/3/2043

The shop was large, much more monstrous now that Wing was alone.

They looked up, reading the sign once again.

'Demons & Beauty' it read.

"How familiar." They spoke to themselves.

As they opened the double glass doors and stepped inside, they looked around, just like they did long before.

Just as before, the shop assigned placement by gender.

They could hear Wingzo's voice in their mind, "You're with me!" Their mind reminded them.

"You're with me!" Their mind repeated.

"You're with me!" It kept repeating.

They felt their body pull to the women's side, as though drawn to it by Wingzo's voice.

"Feeble...Bird!" A beast insulted.

Suddenly Wing's mind became clear and they turned to the other side of the shop.

They traced their hand along the many different felts and textures that made up the suits.

"What...Colour...Do...You...Want?!" It queried.

"Finzo was born of sea, and so he wore blue. Wingzo was born of sky, and so she wears a lighter blue, to echo the bright summers day. Headzo was born of earth and life and nature, and so he dawns green. It's only fair that I follow the same logic." They continued looking at each suit.

"And...What...Were...You...Born.
..Of?!" It asked.

They turned to face the beast and began walking forwards.

"I was born of Devils and Demons...I was born of blood and pain and rage...But most of all...I was born in the hottest of flames, from the deepest pits of hell. And so I will wear red...The colour of my eyes." They were finished.

They grabbed a red, velvet blazer and slipped it on.

"What do you think?" They asked the beast.

"You...Look...Stupid...With...That.
..Pink...Hair...And...Bow!" It was being honest.

"When a friend asks for your opinion, they don't usually want honesty." They were annoyed.

"Go...Put...The...Rest...On...So...We...Can...Leave!" It requested.

Wing walked into a changing room and dressed in their new attire.

When they walked out, they grabbed a single red bowtie and moved to a mirror, to put it on.

"This is the first time I've seen you, fully, in the light." They noticed.

"And...What...Do...You...See?!" It was curious.

They turned around, approaching the beast.

"When I first saw your shadow, I pictured a monster. A being of pure fear and dread, whose only purpose was to ruin me!" They were discussing their deepest feelings.

"And...Now?!" It pressed on.

Wing slowly admired the creature, before looking it directly in it's eyes.

"Since then you've changed. Your eyes used to be a devilish red but now they're golden, and inside is a shattered mirror that echoes my every thought." They were enthused.

"And...My...Body?!" The beast uttered.

They moved their eyes down.

"You're body is strange. You are simultaneously skinny and fat. Your whole being pulses in and out, like a heart pumping blood. I can almost feel it oozing into me." They couldn't help but smirk with the feeling.

"And...The...Ball...I...Carry?!" It gestured to the extra head that dangled down.

"It's eyes are too green. It's t..too happy. Honestly it's disturbing. I hate it with all my heart." Their discomfort was clear.

"It's...Best...That...We...Leave!" The creature's voice boomed.

Hastely they arrived at the checkout, paid for the items and made their way to the door.

Before leaving, Wing noticed something wrong with their stalker.

"You dropped your extra head." They pointed, confused, to the ball, that had been left on the ground.

"Leave...It!" The creature ordered.

In an instant, the beast vanished, leaving Wing alone, staring at the head left behind.

As they did, the head began to rot.

It's forehead sunk down, as liquid brain matter began pouring out of the ears.

It's skull warped inwards, before collapsing completely.

Overtime, it became a soup of blood and brain and bone.

And then it sunk further, soaking into the very earth, until it was all gone completely...