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“(Where do we go when we die?)”
A soft layer of a muted magenta hued the horizon.
A duo of unsightly beings seated themselves at the oak brim of a tall building, tired eyes swallowing the large sight of extending ocean.
“[I feel like you ask me this at least three times every month.]”
Consumed cans of strong beverages lay awkwardly compressed, if not slightly destroyed, occasionally set into a roll by the seaside wind.
Cool dew began to appear on neighbouring plant life; quiet water sifted and shuffled atop itself and crumpled at the shore, far below their point in the sky.
“(Yeah, but I mean… Have we ever came to a solid conclusion?)” Heart asked, finger wrapped around the open side of another can. “(Reincarnation, afterlife, oblivion… do we really know, mate?)”
“[We don't, there. Will that put you to rest?]” The robotic id ruffled the other’s fluffy violet hair.
The Sun at once begun to march up the quiet distance.
A dangling blue light hung from Mind’s esca; a luminescent white eye watching.
“(I don't think so. Sometimes I wonder if you and me have had lots of previous lives, each where we were strange, out-of-place beings with no ties to the nature of this world. Or sometimes I wonder if we’re both angels, anchored to this reality without a trace of our memories until we can prove ourselves…)”
“[…Or maybe we’re just really strange animals that bear no difference to the fauna among us, and we just put ourselves on a pedestal for being supernatural.]”
Mind swallowed a sip of hardy flavour; a fine twinge of pine-like water added to his mouth.
“(You’re boring, you know that?)” Heart said, shoving his brother.
“[Watch it, I wouldn't survive a fall at this height.]” Mind smirked, steadying himself.
The waking cries of gulls had sliced through the otherwise silent morning, daybreak crossing the brightening sky.
“(Soul says when we die, we go to Heaven. What do you imagine Heaven is like? There, that should be easier.)”
“[Well… I like the thought that we would be happy. And anyone we’ve loved will be there, and if we don't love them anymore, we can love them again. All those friends we never got to see again… All of those faces we saw a final time… All of those passerby aquaintances… We’re in a state where everyone loves each other.]”
“(How boring. I like the thought that we fight until only one of us remains, and then that person gets to make the next sentient planet.)”
“[Gee, someone’s got an imagination.]”
Soft feathery appendages shifted and contorted into a fine stretch, several tiny crackles clicking from each as they lengthened.
Long violet feathers stretched from the id’s rear; swaying across the wooden rooftop.
“(Okay, but in all honesty… I think when we die, if there’s a Heaven at all, I like to think we’ll live our best lives. If you've always wanted to be a bird, congrats! You're a bird now, but you've got all the advantages of being a human that you liked. Have you always wanted to live at a waterpark? Well good news Thomas Ralph the IV, now you have a waterpark all to yourself that grows forever.)”
“[But why are we even alive then? Why would we want to exist when we could just die and then live happily forever? Seems like give or take eighty years of ‘meh’ and then forever of wonders seems pointless, don't you think?]”
“(Maybe… Maybe we only get a free trial, until the world has ended.)”
Croaks and groans of feet hitting stairs sauntered up the entrance to the hangout area.
The two ids suddenly bore a frantic expression as they scrambled to gather each can and collect them into a decently neat, insidious pile.
“{Did you two stay up again…?}” Soul said, creaky hands washing the sand from his eyes.
“[Yes.]”
“(No.)”
Trailing towards his two beloved parasites, the Host deposited his form into a comfortable slouch, and snatched a can for himself before taking a greedy string of gulps.
“{Ugh, you two brought the weak stuff.}”
“[It makes my head hurt…]”
“{Can’t believe you two came from me.}” Soul tossed the can from his palm to a long plummet down to the sand. “{…I'll clean that up tomorrow.}”
“[You’d better! Did you know fish and seagulls can get their heads stuck in those?]”
“(It’s true! I had to rescue a good few of them!)”
Soul chuckled.
“{For being such little menaces, you two really do care about everything around you…}” He spoke, words like tepid frost, both hands offering firm, soothing scritches into their hair.
“(Well, our time on this Earth is limited. Why not put what we have to good use?)”
“[We don't belong here… we weren't invited. I think it's only fair we help a tad with the housekeeping.]”
With a violet and indigo form leaning on oppositional sides of him, Soul stared out into the approaching dawn.
Their tall, birch home towered into the cold sky; a tiny island among a limitless sea.
Just little visitors in the vastness of this world. Imagine that: These little parasites are just a glimpse into the possibility of what can and can't happen.
Soul remembers the good old days, just when the two were little kids; they were no ordinary children, of course, but it brought a certain charm.
He’d just found refuge from a dark family life, and out split from him were two small souls; one hued purple, the other hued blue.
They had no mouths, but had a lot to say alright; those things sure loved to whimper and whine.
He wasn't even sure if they realised they got all their food from Soul eating overtime; he’d have to grab a lot more bites than usual to sustain them, but it was worth it for their elated faces.
“Oh!” Cameron said, a happy gaze settled on the little page scrunched between two small paws. “What is this?”
“…!” The idfant whined.
“Is it a dragon…?” He cocked his head, an awkward smile lapping at his lips.
The idfant only stared back.
“Or is it… a crocodile?”
Its face lightened.
“A saltwater croc? The one you see on those little shows you like?”
Suddenly, it was bouncing and whimpering with ecstasy.
“Oh, you did such a good job!” It didn't really. He could barely tell what was its mouth and what was its claws.
But everyone starts somewhere, don't they?
As the two idiots melted into his arms, Soul’s eyes settled on a peaceful, sleepy expression.
He didn't expect to become symbiotic in his lifetime, no-less with these two. But he’s sure happy that he got to be the one selected to be a Host.
“What are you building there, little tuna fish?” Cameron smiled, knees bent beside the indigo idfant.
“…” He removed his hand’s position on a brick, then positioning them on a stack of Legos, bundling the flimsy blocks into his palms and propping them to meet Cameron’s eyes.
“Oh!” Cameron’s hands made a rapid series of collisions. “You did that all by yourself?”
“!” Mind nodded hastily, struggling to hold his excitement within his little body.
“I’m so proud of you,” Cameron grinned, giving his hair a firm, delightful ruffle. “I could personally never get into Legos… I never quite had the attention span. But I assume for someone like you, who loves all things logical and analytical, building things that require such attention-to-detail and intricate focus must be very relaxing, yeah?”
From the looks of it, Mind just ignored everything he said.
“Heh… too many big words?”
He seemed to have appreciated the love in his Host’s voice nonetheless.
“I love you. I’ll be sure to buy you lots of Legos this Easter, alright?”
The reminiscing that poured out of him rocked to a sudden standstill as Soul felt his two ids form strokes of heavy breaths at his sides, and Soul made a little smirk.
“{Tired?}”
“(Mmm…)”
“[Kkkkkh…]”
“{That’s what I thought.}”
As a second set of arms poked from Soul’s abdomen, the two ids were collected into his grasp, and he descended the upwards-leading staircase, leading-downwards into the cosy confines of his own room.
Albeit definitely foul-smelling, kicking past the empty energy drinks that made a metal ruckus the Host then lent the two the safety of being bundled up within a large comforter.
Tucked between thick sheets, Heart sunk into Mind’s chest and limbs, the latter burying his chin onto the former’s head.
“{Before you two collapse, would you like one last story?}” Soul smiled, seated beside the cot.
“(Mm…)”
“[Yes…]”
“{Next time I'd like a ‘please’, but okay. I’ll tell you my favourite one: }”
A finger bitten by a worn fingerless glove twirled and pirouetted through the two parasites’ hair, and a simple hum drew from him.
“{Once upon a time, there was a little human child. You may know him as Cameron: Or me. He was very handsome, and very good at everything, as you may remember from yours truly. But he was very sad… and very lonely. He wasn't happy with his life. He was hurt by everyone around him. Everyone wanted to either leave or hurt him…}
“{But he didn't lose hope. He was still kind, and still decided to love. He hung on until the very end, which hasn't come yet in the story. But even then… things could still be rough. It didn't feel worth it sometimes.}
“{And one day, he felt something inside of himself. Just this crazy, burning feeling, that he had to get out of there . So he did! He went to the local beach, and walked across the sea. And he walked, and walked, and walked… until he found a new home waiting for him. And out he released two little baby ids, whom would have made all that pain worth it.}”
Heart and Mind had buried themselves into one another, their breathing hushed and heavy.
“{Alright, that's the abridged version. Go to sleep, you two. We’ll have lots of time to relax tomorrow.}” Soul cooed, crawling into his cot among the two and enveloping them to his body, his warmth seeping into them.
The lights fell to a silent darkness.
Everything was okay in the world, maybe just this once.