The problem they discovered after a short while was that all the costumes in some way came with a bodysuits. Bethany, as she examined the table of harnesses and collars, eventually noticed a sign hung on one side of the table that announced, "All collars and harnesses come with an appropriate bodysuit" and not liking this, she turned away and wandered toward the back of the shop. There, she quickly located the moose costume she'd seen hanging on one of the racks and after taking it down, something she hadn't done before, she discovered it felt like the other bodysuits, that it was a female moose-cow, that it actually would only fit one person and the matching bull moose costume was a couple hangers over.
Unhappy with this, starting to think maybe participating in Hallowe'en was not worth it, that Brian was right and they should continue to treat it like any other day, Bethany wandered away from the rack. Looking at a display of what she thought might be bits and bridles, she mumbled, "How come that stuff doesn't come with an option of a bodysuit?" and sure she had missed the tag, she started to look about for it.
Up front, Brian slowly went through the more normal looking costumes. Finding costumes of witches, ballerinas, pirates, a couple baseball, some basketball and a few football uniforms, superhero and Roman, Greek, Japanese and Norse deities, plus more, all hung up in either a display case or on a rack he thought they all appeared normal except for when he found a tag attached to a princess costume that read "bodysuit 13 included with purchase". Bothered by this, he turned and headed for the front counter and not seeing the woman, he tapped an antique copper bell. A sweet ringing sound echoing through the store, Brian didn't have to wait long before the woman suddenly appeared at his side.
Her glasses making her eyes looking bigger, and almost insect-like, Brian noticed that her eyes were a shade of orangish-black. Trying not to show that he was wigged out by her eyes, or the other things he'd noticed, he nodded in the direction of the costume rack he'd come from and asked, "How come all the costumes include a bodysuit?"
"They're special," the woman said. "I want the experience to be as real as possible and the outcome to be the right one, with everyone happy and getting what they deserve, er. want. Especially since it is more the costume that chooses instead of the purchaser."
Something about what he was being told sounding hinky to him, Brian tried to sort out what it was. Before him, the woman retrieved one of her cigarettes and moved around to the other side of the counter. Taking a seat, but not lighting the fag, she asked, "Have you and Bethany decided? I thought the vixen lovers would surely be a good, fit," and shrugging, she added, "Perhaps not. Perchance something else. Younger? More bestial? Less bestial? Mayhap not of this planet or even of this realm?"
Brian, starting to get freaked out, slowly shook his head. Stepping back from the counter, thinking that maybe he and his girlfriend should look elsewhere, he barely listened as the woman told him, "You two continue to look. I know there is a costume here that is perfect," and instead hurried toward the back to look for Bethany.
In the back of the store, he quickly located Bethany, who was looking through a cabinet filled with a mix of exotic-looking costumes and outfits for service. Leaning close to her, he whispered, "Let's get out of here. There's something weird about this place. And it isn't just the bodysuits."
Bethany, turning to look at him, had a thoughtful look on her face. Stepping away from the costumes she was examining, she replied, "Yeah, there is. I cannot quite put my finger on it, but something about this place just seems, off. But, at the same time, I really like the attention to detail put into some of these costumes. I think that might be what sort of bugged me with the bodysuits and how real they seem. I don't know," and shrugging, she muttered, "It's almost like we wandered into the prop department of some movie," as she walked over to a table, picked up a pair of glasses and began idly looking at them.
"Yeah," Brian agreed as he realised that Bethany was right about that and glancing in the direction of a nearby rack of bodysuits, he wondered if maybe this was the sort of stuff used in the films he liked to watch.
His girlfriend setting the glass back where she'd gotten them, strolled over and hugged him. As she did this, she asked, "You really think we should leave?"
"I dunno," Brian said after a bit. "On one hand, yeah. There is something about this store that just doesn't feel right. But, on the other hand, I know you have your heart set on finding matching costumes for us and of the few shops we have tried, this is the only one. Plus, when you put it in perspective of the costumes here being like ones used for a movie, it makes sense why they feel and look the way they do. I guess, in the long run, I leave it up to you. But, if you do decide to get a costume here, please make sure it isn't a full animal. Dressing up doesn't feel right to me. But doing so as some animal just feels worse."
A quick nod from Bethany. Wandering over to a table, she picked up a baton and expertly twirled it about. After a moment, she returned it and decided to go with the suggestion she and Brian had decided on earlier. Finding the outfits, she re-read the tag and after a small search, located the appropriate bodysuits. Taking her choice up to the front, Brian following after, but not really paying attention as he looked at the costumes, she placed the costumes on the counter and fished her wallet out of her purse.
The woman behind the counter not saying anything, which surprised Bethany, as she was sure the woman would engage in some conversation, as she had done when Bethany had first entered, the woman instead punched keys on the registers, rang up the order and when the machine dinged, told Bethany, "That will be 73 pounds and 9 shillings." Taking the appropriate amount out, Bethany watched the woman bag the outfits, wrapped the bodysuits in brown paper then slipped them into the bag before handing the across the counter, telling Bethany, "You two be sure to enjoy your purchase. You made a smart choice. A fitting choice," as she did so.
Unsure how to take this, Bethany accepted the bag and told the one, "Thank you," before turning to Brian, smiling and reaching out to take his hand.
Brian, taking her hand, waved goodbye to the woman and wished a good day. The two exiting out of the store, they began making their way back the way they came, discussing whether they should try on the costumes when they got home to make sure they fit or wait till Hallowe'en. Behind them, a curious thing began to transpire as the store taking on a distorted, faded looked, whilst a Sulphur and blue shaded cloud of smoke started to seep from the building. Slowly covering the shop, within moments, Second Skin had vanished, replaced by the run-down tobacconist store that normally stood where the costume shop had appeared.