The night was spent with Imposter Snake. He has had more intentional visitors since the last time I’d seen him and he wanted to show off by hosting tea time. While the booth, table, chairs, and tea-ware was identical to what I had brought, his presentation was markedly different.
Bipedal humanoid, wearing more lace layers than the French aristocracy and chattering away at first like an old gossip. His hands were bone white and each digit ended with a very dangerous talon. He wore a lace veil but it kept sliding back on his head. When he saw I had no reaction to his face, he threw the veil to the side.
His mouth opened from ear to ear. So many needle teeth. His thin fleshy tongue ended with a reptilian split. No nose. No bridge. No eyes. Just the mouth. The veil was supposed to hide the lack of facial features.
It was the same entity I had tea with before. The same that impersonated Snake the first time I came through here.
I thought he looked absolutely glam. So flamboyant with his gestures. Even his tongue movements were high-brow excessive. I thought it was cute. He reveled in my attention.
We had tea while the floating mountains meandered. We talked a bit about y’all. He said two of his visitors had a map leading them to his realm, and he recognized the map as being formed from my words. He spoke excitedly about the visitors being aware of his nature but making the deliberate effort to meet him anyway.
I asked him not to eat anyone that used my words to reach him. He smiled, showing all those flesh-rending teeth. Was I making a claim over them, he asked. Nope. Just trying to keep him out of harm’s way. Indigestion is such a bitch to deal with. He agreed and poured more tea.