Sugarcane

When you met with the Grand Adjudicator he only had to glimpse at you. He assigned you your school without so much as a second glance. \n\n Was that normal? Oh well, he's the boss. You're [[stuck where you are|A Regular Hour]].

You enter Gifts & Things and slip through to aisle four. You already know what you're here for, so there's no need to browse around. \n\n A large collection of glass jars line one side of the aisle. Each one is full of thinly powdered [[Spicescents]], and has no lid. You go with your gut feeling and select a Jar of Spicescents ([[Anger]]). As you step away from the shelf with the heavy glass container, you notice someone else is looking through the jars beside you. Of course, it's Meredith. As much as you'd have loved to try and avoid her, it was too late. You'd already looked at her.\n\n She jumps, and looks over at you. Her face turns bright red, and by the feel of it, so has yours. You hadn't wanted anyone to know about this yet... but what was she doing? You can't bring yourself to say any words.\n\n You feel it's probably better to just get out of there. You slip past her, and head to the checkout. The buzzing fades, and you toss the cashier a hefty [[35 Shillings]].\n\n You push your back into the glass doors and slip out into [[the parking lot|A Regular Parking Lot]].

You stumble out of the trapdoor. The red haze stays in the room below, and appears to slowly be settling. You idiot. She was right. She never could have loved you. She never wanted to love you. In her eyes, you were just a regular friend. You wanted to be angry at Erin, and at Shayna, but you couldn't have. The fault was yours, for being so foolish.\n\n As you approach the broken staircase, a red haze overtakes you again. It wasn't normal for haze to behave like this. You climb up the first couple stairs and lean the chair against the wall. Using it as a boost, you gain enough height to reach the unbroken stairs above you and pull yourself up. As you stand you realize your hands are covered in blood. It's not yours.\n\n Blood is trickling down the staircase. You dread going further up, but your body and mind are too numb to care. \n\n Besides, there's a pretty good chance you're about to break your personal record for most deaths witnessed in a day.\n\n As you tread up the staircase, a pain in your head grows stronger. You realise the haze isn't coming from behind you, but rather, from above. The combination of haze and the change in lighting make it hard to see as you pass through the doorway and [[trip over a body|A Regular End]].

From the course description:\n\n 0375-515-299354 Type-II Wasp Infections\n\n Extention of the principles learned in 0375-515-299353, governing viral wasps, with emphasis on the reproductive and viral basis of life, wasp genetics, variations, symptoms, and development. (Spectrum 23 or equivalent, or 515-299350 and 515-299351 are strongly recommended; co-requisite: Biology 510-174348 or equivalent.) \n\n [[Whatever|A Regular Hour]].

The time ticks by as you sit in class. You never were too interested in [[Type-II Wasp Infections]], but it was the easiest elective available and [[Meredith]] and [[Karen]] were in the class already. While the professor blathers on about ovipositional subjugation, you look around to see what your friends are up to. \n\n Karen has doodled an amorphous [[sentient|Sentient]] blob onto the corner of her notebook. \n\n On the other side of you, Meredith is is keeping her notes nice and tidy, as always. She notices you looking over. You stare at eachother for several seconds, trying your best to keep a slick grin on your face. While still staring at you through her round spectacles, she tears off a bit of the bottom of one of her note pages, crunches it up into a ball and flicks it at your head. It bounces off smoothly, but you maintain your posture and gaze without so much of a flinch. You win the staring contest several seconds later when she returns to her note-taking.\n\n Bored with the class and unwilling to take notes, you adjust yourself in your seat and try to slouch a bit, as to communicate your disinterest.\n\n The professor proceeds to assign a bit of reading for the next night, but before he can read out the page number, the familiar click of the loudspeaker rings in.\n\n The raspy voice of the [[Grand Adjudicator]] says the usual: "CLASS OVER"\n\n The screen you were using to view the professor has turned off, and you [[get up to leave the room|A Regular Minute]].

You're both enrolled in Unconventional Thinking III. It's an okay class, but mostly because you get to stare at [[Erin|A Regular Conversation]]'s hair.

Today you're wearing a white tank, a pink skirt, [[long socks]], red heels, and a grey jacket over top.\n\nOh yeah, and an ugly face. [[Booooo|A Regular Conversation]].

You slide out the door into the hallway, waving goodbye to your friends while rushing towards the exit. But before you can make it to the doorway, a flash of orange catches your eye. \n\n It's [[Erin]].\n\n You don't know what you should do first. Her striking beauty overcomes you and you feel your heart racing. She's talking to one of her other friends, and as she speaks her orange bob bounces and reflects rays of the current sunset all over the entrance hall. Her pitch black dress is an amazing contrast to this, seeming to absorb the light around it. She is smiling, raising your spirits further. Perhaps it is fate that you meet her at this point in time.\n\n You slowly slide your way towards her, trying not to let yourself get noticed by her until she's done speaking to whoever it was she's speaking to. Some chemist from the alchemy program, you remember.\n\n When you get the chance, you slide up in front of her path as inconspicuously as possible, and try to [[initiate a conversation|A Regular Conversation]].

You drop the Jar of Spicescents (Anger) on the ground forcefully. Glass crashes in several directions. A red haze starts to fill the room.\n\n Erin's face shifts once more from fear, to hopelessness.\n\n "You idiot," she says, trying not to use her breath. Your eyes begin to water, and you don't think it's a reaction to the Spicescents. It seems like it's getting harder for her to speak.\n\n "Karen..." \n\n You look around you. Karen's not there. \n\n "Karen was supposed to be here! She was going to try! It could have been okay!" she shouts. She begins choking.\n\n You finally understand. You have just made the biggest mistake of your life. How could you have been so blind? You were so certain of yourself, right up to the end. Maybe you just felt this is what you had needed, rather than just what you desired? It's too late now, though. The damage was done.\n\n "You could have" *cough* "asked me" *cough* ", you idiot..." her voice trails out. She remains coughing for a few moments before she gives in to the asphyxiation.\n\n You can't stand yourself. You can't stand this room. You grab a chair and [[begin treading back to the dirt ramp to the main entranceway|A Regular Friend]].

As you round the corner, it begins to get brighter. There's not much left in the cavern in this direction aside from an open trapdoor revealing another staircase leading down. This one is in much better repair than the last, and appears to lead into a much more inviting living space, containing antiquated furniture. Brightness pours into the cave from the room. The faint sound of humming comes from below.\n\n If you wanted, you could [[go check out the rest of the cavern|A Regular Cave]], but you're sure [[this is your destination|A Regular Basement]].

Well, it's not sentient yet but she might have someone animate it after [[class|A Regular Hour]].

Before you leave your area, you question Meredith and Karen to see what they are up to tonight.\n\n Karen has plans, again. She's been becoming increasingly distant of late, even going so far as to make the dangerous decision to skip classes on occasion.\n\n Meredith also says she has plans. Oddly, as you've both scheduled Tuesday nights off so you could hang out together. It's no big deal, though, because with both of them busy you have an excuse to take care of something you've wanted to take care of for a while.\n\n [[You leave the room|A Regular Sunset]].

You take Meredith by the hand, and lead her out of the house. Karen's eyes are glaring at you the whole time, as if they could stab you, up until the moment you close the door behind you.\n\n You don't see her or Erin again. Nobody at school does, either. But school passes on. It's difficult, but you struggle through, and you'll probably get a job later on, when you can, but it's going to be tough in this market. And you don't even think you'll ever find love.\n\n But [[that's not right, though, is it?|An Irregular Confrontation]] Not at all.

If the flavour matchup is not preferred by the reciever(s), or if a sufficient amount of Like is not present before release of the Spicescents, then hazardous situations can occur. The most common is asphyxiation, followed by radiation poisoning, or, in the worst cases, spontaneous combustion. Other rare side-effects also occur, and are often published as horror stories on the front page of most news outlets.\n\n There's also, of course, a small chance of death even if the Love bond is successful, usually as a result of a Love-induced rampage. \n\n Fortunately, most Spicescents distributors allow for a full refund in the event of such a malfunction. Unfortunately, most distributors also void this policy if the packaging is opened, making the clause particularly useless. [[This store has placed a label on the shelf that says 'NO REFUNDS'|A Regular Store]].

You swing open the door and walk into the room. More bats are flying around the room, coming in from a hole in the ceiling. Fresh cuts of Batfruit are hanging all around the room. Erin has fed them recently.\n\n There is a single couch in the room, against the left wall. The opposite wall is covered in photos of Erin with her parents. They are now long since deceased, and most of these photos are at least eight years old. She still looks very cute in her younger years.\n\n There's nowhere to go but [[back into the cavern|A Regular Cave]].

As Erin's house is rather large for one person, she's invited any student in her classes to use the facilities as often as they need. Many students are rather poor and any additional lodgings are always welcome. The main room is also used as a lounge for students between classes and is occasionally used to host parties. [[You're just passing through to the caverns, now, though|A Regular Mansion]].

You walk down the stairs, carefully and slowly. The bright light from upstairs becomes more faint as you descend. With about ten steps left, the board below you breaks. You slide down through two, three, four more planks. Fortunately, these stairs are screwed in along the dirt cavern wall, and you can slide down the dirt slope while maintaining your grip on the Jar of Spicescents (Anger). The last few steps hold, and you regain your balance. A portion of your skirt is torn, and the back of your right leg has a decent scrape on it. You set down the jar and remove your shoes, as the heels on both have snapped (and a heel remains hanging awkwardly off of one shoe).\n\n The pain in your left foot is significant. You probably fell just short of twisting it. You look up at the dusty ramp that was formerly a staircase. There's no going back, at least not at the moment, with the pain you're feeling.\n\n You look forward at the cavern ahead of you. It's lit faintly by a mix of torch and candle light. Dusty wooden shelves are sitting awkwardly along edges of the cave wall. Suddenly, a bunch of faint shadows zip along the roof of the cavern. You're alarmed for a second, but then you quickly regain composure. It was only bats.\n\n You're not really sure where to go from here. There's [[a door labelled 'closet'|Hello, Closet!]] to the immediate right of you. Across, to the left, a bridge crosses over a path of flowing water that leads into darkness. The path over the bridge leads to [[another door|Another Door]]. Or, straight ahead, there's [[another path|A Regular Trapdoor]] that leads around a corner.\n\n You can't go back up yet.

You look forward at the cavern ahead of you. It's lit faintly by a mix of torch and candle light. Dusty wooden shelves are sitting awkwardly along edges of the cave wall. Bats fly along the ceiling.\n\n You're not really sure where to go from here. There's [[a door labelled 'closet'|Hello, Closet!]] to the immediate right of you. Across, to the left, a bridge crosses over a path of flowing water that leads into darkness. The path over the bridge leads to [[another door|Another Door]]. Or, straight ahead, there's [[another path|A Regular Trapdoor]] that leads around a corner.\n\n You can't go back yet.

You decide to pause for another moment. Could it be that you're having a change in feelings? It can't be.\n\n Then you feel it. It's Meredith. You turn around and face her. She's holding a Jar of Spicescents (Anger). She has a blank expression on her face.\n\n After what seems like minutes, you look down and let her win the staring contest. Then you look back up. She hasn't moved. You've got to be the one to act, I guess.\n\n "Meredith," you say, "what are you doing here?"\n\n It takes her a moment. "I... I came to woo Erin...."\n\n You look at her sternly.\n\n She continues, her hands shaking. She looks like she's about to drop her Spicescents. "It... It's you, isn't it? She said she was... she loved someone... It was you... I'm sorry..." \n\n Meredith couldn't be more wrong. Erin didn't love you...\n\n [["Erin doesn't love me,"|An Irregular Observation]] you say.

You walk down the stairs, slowly, still clutching the Jar of Spicescents (Anger) and listening to the sound of the humming. What you thought was a regular living space also seems to be used as a storage area, with a bunch of thin metal shelves storing various artifacts. Among them are baskets of clothing, books of various eras, antique vases, lamps, record players, stuffed animals, and various electronics from the past two decades. The furniture at the base of the staircase appears to be a century old, at least. A chandelier full of candles hangs across from a faintly flickering flourescent light.\n\n The humming is coming from behind a shelf thickly layered with clothing, and you begin to walk around it. The humming stops, and a second later a voice calls out.\n\n "You're here."\n\n Erin's voice. You do your best to walk around the corner clutching the Spicescents proudly despite your injuries.\n\n Erin has changed into a white gown. She still looks as splendid as ever. She's standing on a stool in front of a giant mirror. There's a giant bed here that looks like it belonged to royalty. On the desk next to her bed is a digital alarm clock and a Jar of Spicescents (Sadness). \n\n Her eyes meet yours and her face shifts from happiness to surprise. Then, she looks down to what you are holding. Her face shifts from surprise to fear.\n\n She mouths "no" but she doesn't make a sound.\n\n There's no choice. You have to [[release your Spicescents|A Regular Mistake]].

You pull up a long driveway and park your car along a curved portion adjacent to the path to the front door. It's Erin's house, a stately mansion with expansive property values. You'd only been here twice before, and always with a group of people. You cautiously drag the Jar of Spicescents (Anger) out of the passenger seat and walk up the staircase in front of the house. The staircase is steep but having to hold the jar isn't particularly worsening, as the designer made the odd decision to use a spiked metal fence in place of handrails anyway.\n\n [[Pushing through the front door|Pushing Through the Front Door]], you end up in Erin's entry room. There's a lot of furniture in this room, as she redesigned it to be a comforting, loungy entry room as opposed to the empty hall it was before. A great staircase leads [[upstairs|Upstairs]], and a small door to the side leads down to the caverns, [[where Erin is known to typically spend her time|Where Erin is Known to Typically Spend Her Time]].\n\n There's nobody present in this room. You should head right [[down into the caverns|A Regular Staircase]].

Karen hesitates only a second as the glass begins to shatter. She then redoubles her efforts, quickly closing the distance between you while the red haze begins to fog your vision. It's time to get out of here. You start walking towards Meredith...\n\n She's looking more beautiful than ever. You want to give her a hug. A little smooch. A big kiss...\n\n As lovely as she is, you have to move. You go over to Meredith and try to pick her up, only to find your knees weak. Meredith tries to take a step back and trips, sending you both onto the couch. \n\n Karen is right behind you. You know you should struggle to move but your mind doesn't want to. You give Meredith a kiss on the stomach through her sweater. She's very warm. This is how you're going to die, then? Not so bad.\n\n There's a coughing behind you, and the sound of metal hitting the marble flooring. Then the front door opening. Meredith pushes you off onto the floor. You lie there, unable to move, dunken by happiness. The front door closes. Meredith comes back, and reaches her hand to help you off of the floor.\n\n You're not really sure what happened over the next few hours. But you wake up in the morning next to Meredith, feeling [[happier than ever|An Irregular End]].

You step back from the staircase. A little break couldn't hurt, and you're feeling lightheaded.\n\n You set down the Jar of Spicescents (Anger) and collapse on one of the sofas for several minutes. After a significant amount of rest, you finally think you have the courage to head down the staircase.\n\n You think you feel a [[strange ringing|An Irregular Friend]] in the back of your head, but it's [[probably nothing|A Regular Cavern]].

Your closest friend. She's been there since you were 10, and always has your back whenever things go bad. Most often in school, as she's a rabid knowledge addict and typically has near-perfect grades. Her social skills may be lacking, but that doesn't really matter to you.\n\n She typically wears the same type of clothing day after day, regardless of the weather: A sweater of varying colour and thickness (she wears a plain tank underneath), jeans, and green boots. She also has the same pair of small round glasses on her face at all times.\n\n [[She's still sitting next to you|A Regular Hour]].

Spicescents are a traditional part of the courting ritual. If successful bonding with the Spicescents occurs, then the bonds of Love are strengthened and the parties involved are unofficially declared to be lovers. Spicescent bonding can be [[potentially dangerous|Potentially Dangerous]], but most incorrect usages are not fatal.\n\n Spicescents are generally sold in sealed jars, that must be shattered to open. This releases a Spicescent cloud based on the chosen flavour that acts as a catalyst for the Love bonding process. You're sure [[there's one right for you|A Regular Store]].

As you walk over to your car, you notice a rather unsettling sight. Two cars over from yours, a man in a business suit is being brutally beaten by a man wearing a full motorcycle racing outfit. The businessman squirms around on the hood of the SUV as blood pours out onto the pavement. His screams are shrill, ear-piercing things, but nobody seems to care. A woman in the house across the road closes her windowblinds.\n\n You do your best not to look as you make your way to your car. Clutching your Jar of Spicescents (Anger) tightly, you keep your eyes down and to the left. You have to circle around a small pool of blood that's forming towards a center drain. \n\n When you're only a few steps from your car, the screaming stops suddenly with a final bang. You try to pick up your pace and get to your door as soon as possible. When you open your door, you look up and see the racer staring at you, or as much as you can make out through the visor of his helmet.\n\n "Good luck," he says, "you're going to need it." \n\n He gives you a thumbs up, and walks off down the road. You watch him for a couple minutes before you get in your car. You slowly pull out and around the car with the mangled corpse still lying on the hood. \n\n You'll [[be there soon|A Regular Mansion]].

on the side of error

You couldn't believe it had taken you this long to realise it. Erin didn't love you. She probably never would. Why were you acting so hastily? Why couldn't you just find someone who truly loves you back? You idiot.\n\n You grab Meredith's arm and lead her over to one of the couches. Her face is white and her arms are shaking. You set her down, take her Jar of Spicescents (Anger), and set it on the ground next to yours. Then you take a seat next to her.\n\n "What if I had killed her?" Meredith shouts, suddenly.\n\n You were thinking the same thing. A Jar of Spicescents is a powerful tool. Used in the wrong way it could potentially result in death... and you were about to blindly use one, because she was beautiful and nice. Not because she loved you.\n\n "It's okay... you didn't. I was about to make the same mistake. I could have killed her too."\n\n You couldn't be more thankful for Meredith appearing right now. The fact that both of you had shown up here saved you both from making a huge mistake. You lean over and give her a big hug. She feels cold, but you couldn't be happier right now.\n\n And then, [[Karen walks in|An Irregular Confrontation]].

You're scared that people will make fun of your stupid hairy legs.\n\n [[Oh well|A Regular Conversation]].

"What the hell are you two doing?"\n\n You break from Meredith and look across the room. Karen was different. Her usual smiles and casual clothes were replaced with a look of disgust and a fancy dress. You had never even realised her ears were pierced before.\n\n "I said: What the HELL are you doing here? Get out. Now."\n\n This was nothing like her regular personality. And what gave her the right to have command over Erin's house? You'll never understand eachother.\n\n Meredith is staring at you. She seems completely out of it. If you want to leave, you'll probably have to drag her out.\n\n You have a few options here. You could simply [[do what she wants and leave|A Bland End]], or you could [[question her.|An Irregular Question]]\n\n

Erin has an odd cavern below her house. Some say Erin or her family dug it herself, others say it's been there since the house was built. Nobody goes down there much except for Erin, but there's no reason for concern. Many rich people, even celebrities, have caverns nowadays. You'll head down there soon but [[you're still in the lobby|A Regular Mansion]].

There are a multitude of bedrooms upstairs, as well as a ballroom, billiard room, several bathrooms, kitchens, and more. As there were no other cars out front, there's little to no chance of anyone being up there. Erin won't be up there, so [[there's not even a point in checking|A Regular Mansion]].

"Hi, Erin."\n\n You said it very plainly. She looks at you and smiles. She says hello in her typical, very proper way.\n\n You click the [[back of your heel|Oh, yeah]] against your other foot. The edge digs in a little bit, but you don't think you showed any signs of pain. \n\n "Hey, um, so what are you up to tonight?" you ask cautiously.\n\n "Oh, I haven't really have any plans. I will probably just take the day to relax, I suppose. How about yourself?"\n\n You have plans, but you can't really tell her. "Pretty much the same. I've been pretty busy... I should see you in [[class tomorrow|Class Tomorrow]], though, right?"\n\n Before she can respond, Karen slides in between the two of you with a huge grin on her face. "Hiya! What are you guys up to?"\n\n This is awkward. "Oh, not much, just saying hi."\n\n "I see! Are you sure you're not planning anything? No secret murder plots or crime sprees?" Karen throws her arms around both of you. She's being a little more active then you're used to, but she's usually really upbeat.\n\n You have to get out of there. "Well, uh, I gotta get going. I'll see you both tomorrow." \n\n They wave goodbye to you as you slip out of the door. It's good that Karen came along, because you needed a way to disengage from Erin. She'll keep her busy while you get out of there.\n\n You need to get ahead because tonight is a big night for you. Tonight is the night you confess your love to Erin.\n\n You get into your car and turn the key, and begin driving out to [[Gifts & Things|A Regular Store]].

You open the small door on the side of the staircase. Inside there's more stairs, heading down. They are thin and wooden, in contrast to the wide marbled steps leading upwards. You'd only been down there once, briefly, before. You and a group had gone down once without Erin and not made it far, before group fear settled in and had you all running back out. \n\n There's were more than a few reasons to be afraid this time... and love is one of them. You have to fight really hard if you don't want to [[give in to hesitation|A Stopping Point]]... but that would leave you full of regrets.\n\n There's no time to be afraid. You have to [[go down the stairs|A Regular Cavern]].

You open up the door labelled closet and walk inside. A cord hangs from the ceiling, and you pull it to turn on an incandescent lightbulb.\n\n It's a small room, with several shelves that contain various junky items like rolled-up carpets and outdated kitchen utensils. A coffin stands up on the far end of the room. As you approach it, it swings open and a skeleton pops out.\n\n The skeleton dons a top hat, presses a button on a nearby radio, and does a small jig as some swing music plays, then slips back into the coffin and swings the lid back shut after waving goodbye.\n\n [[Goodbye, skeleton!|A Regular Cave]]

You start doing a little better in school. Meredith is always right there next to you in class, smiling a lot more often. You spend a lot of time with her out of school, too. \n\n You see Karen pretty often as well, but you never talk. She seems like she's doing alright.\n\n On the other hand, Erin has started talking to you a lot more often. It doesn't feel awkward or forced, anymore. You become good friends. You wouldn't have noticed it before, but she seems a lot more relaxed than she used to be.\n\n There was a feeling of nervousness that used to be present all the time. It's gone now, and you feel... irregular. But in a good way.

Of all the dead people you didn't want to see right now, it had to be Meredith. Her face is blank, spectacles cracked and her torso cut wide open in a few spots. Why? Why Meredith? She had nothing to do with this. She was innocent. She was the perfect friend. The pounding in your head as you look at her is nearly killing you. But you want to keep moving on... this couldn't be the end of your world. \n\n You stand yourself up, cutting yourself on shattered glass on the way, and start to hobble your way towards the front door. \n\n You didn't realize it before, but there was the sound of tapwater running since you got up here. There was, but now it had stopped. Karen emerges from the kitchen holding a knife, water dripping off of her hands.\n\n There's no exchange of words, no angry expressions, no attempt to fight back. Karen simply walks up to you and slips the blade into your stomach. There is an intense, sharp pain. Shayna steps back, still clutching the blade. She stares into your eyes. You'll never understand eachother.\n\n You fall forward, and the world blacks out. Emptiness.

The spitting image of class and beauty. You've always seen her around since you came to the school but it took a lot for you to approach her the first time. Mind you, she's approached you several times before that, but that's because she talks to everyone. She's that nice.\n\n You feel like you need to get to know her better. Better [[watch what she's doing|A Regular Sunset]].

Technically, 5 bronze pieces and a chunk of silver nickle: [[35 Shillings|A Regular Store]].

Karen's upbeat, positive attitude is just about the best thing to have around. You've known her since Grade 9, and you guys've hung out ever since. \n\n She's a wild card. Her positive attitude is the only thing that stays the same, but she's always got some new idea or hobby or accessory or outlook on life. She wonders why you've always been so plain. You'll never understand eachother.\n\n She [[saved your life once|Thanks]]. \n\n Lately she's been dressing casually. T-shirts, jackets, jeans, sandals, whatever. [[Doesn't really matter|A Regular Hour]].\n

You almost stepped out into an elevator shaft as the door opened once. Karen grabbed your hand and stopped you. \n\n "Thanks," you said.\n\n "No problem," she replied.\n\n Guess you owe her your life. But right now she's [[still sitting next to you in class|A Regular Hour]].

Old superstition contained spirits that governed each of our emotions. All Spicescents come in one of these colours.\n\n Anger is a thick, dark red. \n Happiness is a dapper yellow.\n Sadness is a light, yet bright blue.\n Fear is a deep purple.\n Disappointment is a dark green.\n Surprise is a bright orange.\n Carefree is a blank white.\n Emptiness is a pure black.\n\n Additionally, pink is traditionally known as the colour of Love. It isn't sold in Jars because apparently distributors have never gotten the mixture to work as intended, or something. You think it's more likely that everyone ever would buy the Love colour if they sold it.\n\n The tenth colour, Hopelessness, which is a dull grey, was rebooted recently and was not popular. It was removed from store shelves within weeks.\n\n But anyway, [[you chose Anger|A Regular Store]].\n

nora veres

You're upset. You won't let this slide. Karen's sudden change of personality is... unforgivable. "Why do we have to leave? We have just as much of a right to be here as you do. This isn't your house."\n\n "I know what you are here for. You're not going to take her from me. Both of you are terrible. Devils. Trying to steal my love. I won't let you." Karen's voice is an octave lower than it usually is. She slips into the kitchen.\n\n Meredith is still staring at you. She's frozen solid. You wave in her direction. "Meredith..."\n\n "I have to get rid of you. Demons. Life takers." Karen is back outside the kitchen door. She's holding a cooking knife in her outstretched arm, shaking violently as she speaks.\n\n "Karen... we made some mistakes. We're sorry. We can't really make up for it."\n\n Karen steps forward. You think you see tears forming in her eyes. "LIAR! Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Succubus Liar Liar Liar!"\n\n Her steps quicken. She's pacing towards you with the quickness of a speedwalker. You turn back to Meredith... You have to get her out of there. Now.\n\n Meredith has stood up. She's still looking at you, but this time she looks more determined than scared. \n\n Then she smiles at you. "I figured it out." \n\n Meredith turns and kicks her Jar of Spicescents (Anger) with more force than you've ever seen her use. It crashes into yours, shattering both in a single move. [[A red haze begins to fill the room.|An Irregular Feeling]]