UNDERBELLY

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<<set $rnick to 0>><<set $fnick to 0>><<set $fmadeline to 3>><<set $rmadeline to 0>><<set $rfaizah to 0>><<set $ffaizah to 0>><<set $rlucas to 0>><<set $flucas to 0>><<set $bold to 0>><<set $brave to 0>><<set $kind to 0>><<set $wits to 0>><<set $intelligence to 0>><<set $wrespect to 0>><<set $combat to 0>><<set $wintrigue to 0>><<set $flirt to 0>>You're not afraid of the dark. Though tonight, you wonder, whether or not that sentiment was foolish. You're on your own for patrol tonight. Your best friend and fellow //I'm not afraid of the dark//-er Madeline called off earlier that day, saying something about a tv show premiere. Knowing her, it's one of those ridiculous medical dramas with way too many seasons. You'd scoffed at that, but let it slide. Madeline would do the same for you. Besides, you could handle one measley patrol yourself. A cool breeze rustles past, shaking the leaves on a nearby tree. Four years ago, when you first arrived in the tiny town of Fairglass, Oregon and started hunting monsters with Madeline, a sudden noise like that would've made you jump out of your skin. Oh, how the times have changed, though, and now you could march into the depths of a forest with no problem. What are the trees gonna do? Hit you? You'd like to see them try. As creepy as the forest is, even all of those years later, you know it like the back of your hand. You know the whole town of Fairglass like the back of your hand. Speaking of hands, you glance down at yours. What weapon are you holding? [[A machete. Can't go wrong with a classic, right?]] [[Brass knuckles. You like to get up close and personal with your enemies.]] [[An ax. You look like a total badass swinging it around.]] [[A chainsaw. A bit extra, but that's what you like about it.]] [[A baseball bat. With nails in it, obviously.]] [[You don't have a weapon. Your fists and your wits are enough.]]

<<set $weapon to "machete">>Jason Voorhees and serial killers everywhere would be proud. You turn the blade in the dim moonlight and relish in the way the blade appears to glow. [[Sick.]]

<<set $weapon to "brass knuckles">>A bit old-fashioned and flashy, but that's how you like it. You throw a few experimental punches, accompanied with the appropriate sound effects. [[Sick.]]

<<set $weapon to "ax">>A local firefighter lent it to you after helping her out with an issue at the station, and you never bothered to give it back. It suits you better. You take a few experimental jabs, and smile as the satisfying //swooshing// sound the blade makes through the air. [[Sick.]]

<<set $weapon to "fists">>Yeah, not //technically// being armed was probably a bad idea, but you can throw a mean punch. You crack your knuckles one by one. [[Sick.]]

You look cool as hell, and you know it. You check your other supplies you've brought with you; a flashlight, a dented water bottle, a bag of trail mix (what? fighting monsters makes you peckish), and your phone. Everything seems to be in order, so you fire a quick message off to Madeline. <b>headed out now. enjoy ur show!</b> Madeline's response comes almost instantly: //thanks!! good luck!!// The message is followed by an incoherent string of emojis, which makes you smile. You pocket your phone and head towards the edge of the forest, pausing occasionally to toss a glance behind your shoulder. So far, so good. Feeling confident, you raise your $weapon and stride into the forest. Once the pleasant moonlight is swallowed up by the thick foliage, you know there's no turning back. Tonight, whatever happens (or doesn't happen), you'll be relying mainly on your... [[Wits. You've always had a knack for understanding situations quickly.]] [[Fighting skills. If anything attacks, you'll be ready.]] [[Bravery. Just being here is enough.]]

<<set $weapon to "chainsaw">>You give the power cord a tug and the machine roars to life. You grin. [[Sick.]]

What's your name? <<textbox "$name" "">> [[Next.]]

You're $name, right? [[Yes.]] [[Actually...->Who are you, anyway?]]

Despite your appearance, you wink at your reflection in the mirror, then reach a hand up to fix your... [[long hair. It falls past your shoulders.]] [[Medium-lengthed hair. It just about touches your shoulders.]] [[Short hair. It curls around your ears.]] [[Braided hair. They fall in neat lines around your face.]] [[Buzzed hair. It's cut close to your scalp.]] [[Collar. You're bald.]] [[Headscarf.]]

<<set $hairlength to "long">>You have $hairlength hair, right? [[I do!]] [[On second thought... ->Yeah!]]

<<set $hairlength to "medium-lengthed">>You have $hairlength hair, right? [[I do!]] [[On second thought... ->Yeah!]]

<<set $hairlength to "short">>You have $hairlength hair, right? [[I do!]] [[On second thought... ->Yeah!]]

<<set $hairlength to "buzzed">>You have $hairlength hair, right? [[I do!]] [[On second thought... ->Yeah!]]

<<set $hairlength to "a bald head">><<set $haircolor to "">><<set $texture to "">>You have $hairlength, right? [[That's right.]] [[On second thought... ->Yeah!]]

<<set $hairlength to "braided">>You have $hairlength hair, right? [[I do!]] [[On second thought... ->Yeah!]]

You glance at yourself in the mirror once more. You narrow your eyes and make a face at your reflection. What color are your eyes? [[Brown.->brown eyes]] [[Black.->black eyes]] [[Hazel.]] [[Green.]] [[Blue.]] [[Grey.]]

<<set $eyecolor to "hazel">>You have $eyecolor eyes, right? [[Correct.]] [[On second thought... ->Sure do.]]

<<set $eyecolor to "green">>You have $eyecolor eyes, right? [[Correct.]] [[On second thought... ->Sure do.]]

<<set $eyecolor to "blue">>You have $eyecolor eyes, right? [[Correct.]] [[On second thought... ->Sure do.]]

<<set $eyecolor to "grey">>You have $eyecolor eyes, right? [[Correct.]] [[On second thought... ->Sure do.]]

Next to the mirror is a picture of you and your best friend Madeline. You have your arms around each other, and you're both smiling. She's around 5'4", and compared to her, you're... [[Much shorter. (5' and below)]] [[Shorter. (5'1"-5'4")]] [[About the same height. (5'4"-5'6")]] [[Taller. (5'7"-5'11")]] [[Much taller. (6' and above)]]

<<set $height to "very short">>You're $height, right? [[That's correct!]] [[On second thought... ->Correct.]]

<<set $height to "short">>You're $height, right? [[That's correct!]] [[On second thought... ->Correct.]]

<<set $height to "average">>You're $height height, right? [[That's correct!]] [[On second thought... ->Correct.]]

<<set $height to "tall">>You're $height, right? [[That's correct!]] [[On second thought... ->Correct.]]

<<set $height to "very tall">>You're $height, right? [[That's correct!]] [[On second thought... ->Correct.]]

Is there anything else noteworthy about your appearance? [[You have freckles.]] [[You wear glasses.]] [[You have tattoos.]] [[You have several piercings.]] [[You have vitiligo.]] [[You've got some stubble you have no intention on shaving.]] [[Nah. I'm already plenty special.]]

<<set $special to "freckles">>You have $special, right? [[I do.]] [[On second thought... ->That's correct!]]

<<set $special to "glasses">>You wear $special, right? [[I do.]] [[On second thought... ->That's correct!]]

<<set $special to "tattoos">>You have $special, right? [[I do.]] [[On second thought... ->That's correct!]]

<<set $special to "piercings">>You have $special, right? [[I do.]] [[On second thought... ->That's correct!]]

Hell yeah you are! You're ready to take on the world! [[Damn right I am!->I do.]]

Let's recap: You're $name $lastname, you have $hairlength $texture $haircolor, along with $eyecolor eyes and $skintone skin. You're $height, and you have $special. Sound good? [[Sounds perfect!]] [[Actually, can I start over?->Who are you, anyway?]]

How do you identify yourself? [[As a cis woman.]] [[As a cis man.]] [[As a trans woman.]] [[As a trans man.]] [[As non-binary.]]

<<set $gender to "cis woman">>You identifty as a $woman, right? [[That's correct.]] [[On second thought... ->Sounds perfect!]]

<<set $gender to "cis man">>You identifty as a $gender, right? [[That's correct.]] [[On second thought... ->Sounds perfect!]]

<<set $gender to "non-binary">>You identifty as $gender, right? [[That's correct.]] [[On second thought... ->Sounds perfect!]]

What pronouns do you use? [[He/him.]] [[She/her.]] [[They/them.]]

<<set $subjective to "he">><<set $possessive to "his">><<set $objective to "him">><<set $pronouns to "he/him">><<set $prefix to "Mr.">><b>$subjective</b> is tall. the book is <b>$possessive</b>. yesterday, we went to see <b>$objective</b>. Some characters will refer to you as <b>$prefix $lastname.</b> Are these pronouns OK? [[Yes!]] [[On second thought...->That's correct.]]

<<set $subjective to "she">><<set $possessive to "hers">><<set $objective to "her">><<set $pronouns to "she/her">><<set $prefix to "Ms.">><b>$subjective</b> is tall. the book is <b>$possessive</b>. yesterday, we went to see <b>$objective</b>. Some characters will refer to you as <b>$prefix $lastname.</b> Are these pronouns OK? [[Yes!]] [[On second thought...->That's correct.]]

<<set $subjective to "they">><<set $possessive to "theirs">><<set $objective to "them">><<set $pronouns to "they/them">><<set $prefix to "Mx.">><b>$subjective</b> are tall. the book is <b>$possessive</b>. yesterday, we went to see <b>$objective</b>. some characters will refer to you as <b>$prefix $lastname.</b> Are these pronouns OK? [[Yes!]] [[On second thought...->That's correct.]]

<<if settings.achievements>><<notify 3s>><b>(Looking good!)</b><br>Ready to take on the world?<</notify>><</if>>You turn away from your closet and grab your coat. The early morning breeze has a habit of cutting through any layer of clothing and borrowing deep into your skin. You throw it over your shoulders with a dramatic flourish and exit your apartment. It was time for your least favorite part of the day: a meeting with the mayor to go over last night's patrol. Madeline is better equipped at handling the mayor than you are. She has a gift for dealing with pretentious assholes. You wish she could come with you. You make the short trek over to the town council's office. Easily the fanciest building on the entire block, its large, corinthian-style columns loom over you. The smooth, polished marble shines forbodingly in the sun. You wave to the security guard out front, then make your way up the steps and into the building. The interior is even more gaudy than the exterior. Gold trim, ornate wood paneling, the works. Rumor had it that the mayor custom designed the entire place himself, though no one was entirely sure. Come to think of it, no one really knows where the mayor came from in the first place. You reach the mayor's door situated at the end of the main hallway. Your eyes scan over the gold lettering detailed on the dark wood surface. //Mayor Walsh's office.// [[You knock.]]

<<set $gender to "trans woman">>You identifty as a $gender, right? [[That's correct.]] [[On second thought... ->Sounds perfect!]]

<<set $gender to "trans man">>You identifty as a $gender, right? [[That's correct.]] [[On second thought... ->Sounds perfect!]]

"Come in," a voice says from just behind the door. You take a second to re-adjust your clothes and push the door open. Mayor Walsh has always been a stickler for formalities. Mayor Walsh is seated at his large mahogany desk, typing away at a computer. You clear your throat, and he glances up. Mayor Walsh peers at you with thinly veiled disinterest. He's a slender, louche man, clad in a dark navy suit that undoubtedly cost more than your monthly rent. Armani? Gucci, maybe? His dark hair is slicked back, and he carries himself with the air of someone who knows he's better than you. He looks like he should be barking orders in a board room on the 45th floor of a Manhattan skyscraper, not tucked away in an office in the middle of Oregon. "Mayor Walsh, I have the report from yesterday's patrol," you say, pulling a folded paper from your jacket pocket. You'd filled the form out before passing out last night. You wince as you notice one of the corners is drenched in blood. If it was yours or someone (or something) else's, you're not entirely sure. You hand it to Walsh, hoping he doesn't notice. You clasp your hands behind your back as he unfolds the paper. He flips it open, looks at it for exactly five seconds, then tosses it on top of a stack of other papers on the corner of his desk. "Anything else?" You feel a wave of annoyance build in your chest at Walsh's flippancy. Did you get the shit beat out of you last night for nothing? You decide to... [[Say something.]] [[Hold back.]] [[Make a suggestive comment. (♥)]]

<<set $bold to +1>><<set $wrespect to -1>>"Actually, Mayor Walsh," you say, "the fact you don't seem worried at all about the ghoul I took out last night that could've made its way into town if I hadn't stopped it is downright concerning." You pause, before adding, "don't you care about the residents of your town?" Walsh's head snaps up, and he looks momentairly taken aback. "How dare..." his gaze turns thunderous. "How //dare// you imply that I don't care about this town." You stare right back. He doesn't scare you, you've faced way worse. What's one man compared to the most twisted, evil thing a forest could come up with? "Unless you're in the mood to insult me more, I suggest you leave," Walsh says, his tone dripping with venom. You bite the inside of your cheek in frustration. "Of course. Have a good day, Mayor." You spin towards the door, and there's only one thing left to do. [[Get the hell out of there.]]

<<set $wrespect to +1>>You purse your lips and bite back your pride. "That's all, Mayor." "Wonderful. Thank you..." he looks up at you, and trails off. "I'm sorry, who are you again?" You stare at him in sheer disbelief. Did this asshole seriously not even remember your name? After four years of reporting //daily// to him? You dig your fingernails into your palms, and it takes every fiber of your self-control to not leap over the desk and knock the smug look off his face. "It's $name $lastname," you bite out. Walsh nods. "See you tomorrow, $prefix $lastname." He turns back to his computer. It's obvious this conversation is over. You snort. "Great. Good talk," you mumble under your breath. You pivot around and stalk towards the door. [[Get the hell out of there.]]

You step out of the council building, still fuming. You don't understand how that man got elected sometimes. <<if $wintrigue gte 1>>Despite the mayor's ice cold attitude, you can't help the odd fascination you have towards him.<<endif>> You take a deep breath, allowing yourself to calm down. You sweep your gaze over the quaint row of shops across the street from the town council building. There's the flower shop, run by an adorable old woman who always gives you a free tulip when you come in. Next to it is the charming café, it's yellow striped awning swaying in the breeze. You've spent countless days there, pouring over notes with Madeline. The baristas have long since memorized your order. Then there's the hardware store, and the single gas station down the street. It truly is, for better or for worse, a picture book-esque town. You pull out your phone and check the time. Your meeting with the mayor went faster than expected, so you've got some time to kill. Who do you go visit? [[Nick, the town's premier exorcist, at his office.]] [[Faizah, a local with a deep knowledge of the town's history, at the library.]] [[Lucas, a visiting biologist from Portland, at his lab.]] [[Madeline, your best friend and business partner, at the outpost.]]

Nick's office is on the main stretch of shops across the street from the council building. The stark grey façade sticks out like a sore thumb against the cheery colors of the other storefronts. Even the sign, //Baquiran Exorcisms,// seems out of place. <<set $withnick to "yes">>You push the door open and head inside. The inside is far more inviting, with lit candles decorating the shelves casting the entire space in a warm glow. You glance at Nick from where he’s seated at his desk at the back of the room. He hasn’t noticed you yet, as he’s engrossed in whatever he’s got his eyes on. It must be especially interesting if it’s holding Nick’s attention. His hair is a brighter blond than normal. He must’ve bleached it recently. Even from here, you can make out the paint splatter of freckles that covers his hands, arms and face. Even in the dim lighting, the exorcism circle tattooed on his right palm stands out. His shirt, a bright yellow monstrosity with tiny birds decorating the fabric would be too much on anyone else, but he makes it work. He doesn't dress like your typical exorcist, that's for sure. Remains of black nail polish decorate his fingers. Nick has a habit of picking at his nails whenever he’s anxious, a fact you discovered on the very first mission you worked on together. Finally, you clear your throat. Nick glances up, noticing you immediately. His mouth splits into a grin, showcasing the gap between his two front teeth. “Hey $name!” he says, “what's up?” He stands, and you notice what he was focused so intently on is a Rubik's Cube. He tosses it up into the air, catches it, then sets it down on the desk. "Hey Nick," you reply. When it comes to Nick and how you feel about him, well... [[You've had a crush on Nick for ages. It's starting to get in the way of working with him. (♥)]] [[You're friends with Nick, but recently those feelings have turned into something more. (♥)]] [[You like Nick. He's a great friend, and you work well together.]] [[Your opinion on Nick is pretty neutral. He's okay, but you two don't hang out much outside of work.]] [[You can't stand Nick at all, actually.]]

<<set $withfaizah to "yes">>The library is a few blocks away from the council building, but in a town as small as Fairglass the walk only takes a few minutes. Like most buildings in Fairglass, the library has a certain air of rustic charm to it. Unlike the cold and imposing council building, the library is friendly and inviting, with a cheerful sign decorated with flowers posted at its door. The main room is nothing to write home about, so you find Faizah fairly quickly. She's seated at a table towards the back, the surface covered with thick, dusty-looking tomes. She spots you and waves you over. You drop into the seat across from her. A few of the braids curling through the bun resting on top of her head are a light blue. Last week they were purple. They match the t-shirt she's wearing under her tan overalls. "Hi," she whispers. Before you can utter a response, she holds up a finger. "Hold on. I have something for you." She ducks out of sight, and you can hear her many pieces of jewerly clinking together as she rummages around in a bag. She straightens up, and hands you a tupperware full of scones. "I made some last night, and I know they're your favorite," she says with a smile. You take the tupperware from her and place it on the table next to you. You open it and take a scone out, rules of the library be damned. Faizah snorts as you take a large bite of one of the scones. She leans back in her seat and nestles her hands in her lap. "Rough patrol last night?" she asks, nodding to the buise still very present on your face. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about, actually," you say around a mouthful of scone. Faizah raises her eyebrows and leans forward in her chair. "Did something go wrong?" She's looking at you with such genuine concern that you can't help your mind drifting. [[You wish you could find the courage to tell Faizah how you felt about her. You've been wishing it for a long time. (♥)]] [[Newly developed feelings have emerged, and you find yourself wondering if she feels the same. (♥)]] [[Faizah is a delight to be around, and you consider her one of your closest friends.]] [[Your relationship is pretty limited to the work you do.]] [[Despite how often you collaborate, you've never liked Faizah.]]

<<set $withlucas to "yes">>Lucas set up shop in a small, non-descript warehouse on the edge of town near the entrance to the mines. You remember seeing him wheel box upon box of intracate equipment you could only dream of understanding how to use. You enter through the back door, and the sterile smell of the lab is a far cry from the earthy scent that seemed to carry all across Fairglass. Lucas is facing away from you, his head stuck in a fume hood. He doesn't notice when you've hopped up onto a lab bench directly behind him. "Hey Lucas," you say, and Lucas lets out a yelp. His head bangs against the underside of the fume hood. He turns around, his fingers already ghosting over the sore spot. He notices you perched on the bench, and his hand falls to his side. "Oh, $name. I didn't hear you come in," he says. He pushes his protective goggles up to his forehead, causing his normally polished hairstyle to stick out in several different directions. His hazel eyes peer curiously out at you from under his round glasses. "What can I help you with?" You rummage around in your jacket pocket and fish out a small glass jar. It's filled with a thick, dark liquid, and it smells vaguely of rotting flesh. You hand it to Lucas. "Killed something in the woods last night. Got some of its blood. Thought you might be interested." Lucas looks at the jar with renewed interest. He holds it up to the light, letting the liquid swirl around inside. He uncaps it, gives it a quick sniff, and then to your utter horror dips his pinky inside and raises his finger to his mouth. "Does that... help you in any way?" you ask, your stomach churning. Lucas tilts his head to the side. "It could, actually. I like to cover all of my bases." He turns away from you and sets the jar next to a mircoscope on a table next to him. As you watch him set up, your mind drifts to your history with Lucas... [[You've been entranced by Lucas since the minute he stepped into the outpost to intruduce himself. (♥)]] [[Lucas is easy on the eyes, you'll give him that much. (♥)]] [[He hasn't been around for long, but you and Lucas are already great friends.]] [[You haven't gotten a good read on Lucas yet, but he seems nice enough.]] [[Something about him is offputting. You don't like him.]]

<<set $withmadeline to "yes">>The office you share with Madeline is on the other side of town on the outskirts of the forest, so you head there now. It's a tiny building, more like a cabin than an actual workspace, but you and Madeline have truly made it your own. It's stuffed full of anything two amatuer monster hunters could possibly need- a wide variety of weapons, first aid kits, and more flashlights than you can count. You find Madeline seated on the porch, nursing a cup of coffee. She spots you and waves enthusiastically. You’ve known Madeline for so long, it’s hard to imagine your life without her. She greets you at the bottom of the stairs with a big hug, and you can smell her lavender shampoo. “Hey, $name,” she says, “ready to get to work?” You nod, and she smiles. She pats your shoulder and the two of you walk back up the stairs and enter the small building, Madeline’s chunky Doc Martens clunking against the wooden floor. Her light brown hair turns a pleasant shade of caramel in the afternoon glow streaming through the windows. It’s pulled up into a small bun today, and her blue sweater matches her eyes. You catch a glimpse of sparkly purple nail polish on her fingers as she opens the door to your shared office. You really couldn’t ask for a better partner than Madeline. She’s attentive, intelligent, kind, and pretty much every other positive adjective you could use to describe someone. You compliment each other perfectly, operating like a well-oiled machine in even the most difficult of circumstances. You’re best friends, through and through. [[You're best friends, but you've always secretly wished you would be more than that. (♥)]] [[Recently, those friendly feelings have changed into something else, something that makes your chest flutter at the sight of her. (♥)]] [[Madeline is a wonderful person, and you appreciate her friendship more than anything else.]] [[You sometimes wonder if you value your friendship more than she does.]]

The morning light streaming through the window is directly in your face. Typical. You let out a groan, your body still aching from last night's adventure. You open your eyes and throw an arm over your face. After a few minutes you sit up, and let your sheets slip off your shoulders and pool around your waist. You slap your cheeks a few times, willing yourself to wake up more. You shuffle around your room for a few minutes, gathering your things, then head to the bathroom so you can splash some water on your face. You glance up, and catch your reflection's eye. Your face is bruised, your gaze is tired, and you still have a bit of dried monster blood above your left brow. You look disgusting. But there's more to your face than just that... [[Who are you, anyway?]]

What's your last name? <<textbox "$lastname" "">> [[Continue...]]

You're $name $lastname, right? [[Yeah!]] [[Actually...->Who are you, anyway?]]

<<set $weapon to "baseball bat">>Steve Harrington who? You give the baseball bat a fancy twirl and swing it through a bush for the hell of it. [[Sick.]]

<<set $fnick to $fnick +1>>Nick reaches his hand out and you knock your fist against it. You have a more complicated handshake the two of you came up with, but now isn't the time. "I've got a job for you," you say. You pull a plastic bag out of your pocket and hand it to him. It's full of the grey dust the ghoul disintegrated into. "Residue from a kill last night. Can you help me ID it?" Nick's eyes light up. "Of course!" Nick plucks the bag from your fingers and set it on the table next to him. He holds his right hand out in front of him, tattooed palm facing the ceiling. You watch, fascinated, as Nick spoons a tiny bit of the dust on to the center of his right palm. He closes his eyes, mutters something you can't make out, and snaps his fingers. The insignia on his palm sparks to life, and a tiny <span style="color: orange;">orange</span> flame erupts upward. "Orange means your standard, run of the mill ghoul," he says. "Did you expect something-" A loud, strange popping noise suddenly fills the air, and the flame twisting above Nick's hand turns a shocking <span style="color: green;">green</span>. It grows in size, until it's engulfed his entire hand. Nick yelps in surprise, shooting his hand out and away from under his face. "//Averte!//" he shouts, and the flame splutters out. Nick hisses in pain and flexes his charred fingers. "That's not normal," he whispers to himself. Nick turns to you, his eyes wide. "Okay," he says, "start talking." [[So you talk.]]

You give Nick a pleasant smile. You shake hands. Weirdly, you two have never entered into the 'friends' territory. "I've got a job for you," you say. You pull a plastic bag out of your pocket and hand it to him. It's full of the grey dust the ghoul disintegrated into. "Residue from a kill last night. Can you help me ID it?" Nick's eyes light up. "Of course!" Nick plucks the bag from your fingers and set it on the table next to him. He holds his right hand out in front of him, tattooed palm facing the ceiling. You watch, fascinated, as Nick spoons a tiny bit of the dust on to the center of his right palm. He closes his eyes, mutters something you can't make out, and snaps his fingers. The insignia on his palm sparks to life, and a tiny <span style="color: orange;">orange</span> flame erupts upward. "Orange means your standard, run of the mill ghoul," he says. "Did you expect something-" A loud, strange popping noise suddenly fills the air, and the flame twisting above Nick's hand turns a shocking <span style="color: green;">green</span>. It grows in size, until it's engulfed her entire hand. Nick yelps in surprise, shooting his hand out and away from under his face. "//Averte!//" he shouts, and the flame splutters out. Nick hisses in pain and flexes his charred fingers. "That's not normal," he whispers to himself. Nick turns to you, his eyes wide. "Okay," he says, "start talking." [[So you talk.]]

<<set $fnick to $fnick -1>>Something about his devil-may-care attitude and overly casual approach to life was unnverving. You know it's going to blow up in his face eventually. "I have a job for you," you say. You pull a bag from your pocket and toss it to him. It's full of the grey dust the monster disintegrated into last night. "Residue from a kill last night. Can you ID it?" Nick's eyes light up as he catches the bag. "Of course!" He set the back on the table next to him. It seems Nick has chosen to ignore your icy attitude towards him. He holds his right hand out in front of him, tattooed palm facing the ceiling. You watch, fascinated, as Nick spoons a tiny bit of the dust on to the center of his right palm. He closes his eyes, mutters something you can't make out, and snaps his fingers. The insignia on his palm sparks to life, and a tiny <span style="color: orange;">orange</span> flame erupts upward. "Orange means your standard, run of the mill ghoul," he says. "Did you expect something-" A loud, strange popping noise suddenly fills the air, and the flame twisting above Nick's hand turns a shocking <span style="color: green;">green</span>. It grows in size, until it's engulfed his entire hand. Nick yelps in surprise, shooting his hand out and away from under his face. "//Averte!//" he shouts, and the flame splutters out. Nick hisses in pain and flexes his charred fingers. "That's not normal," he whispers to himself. Nick turns to you, his eyes wide. "Okay," he says, "start talking." [[So you talk.]]

<<set $rnick to $rnick +2>>If Nick is aware of your not-so-tiny crush on him, he doesn't show it. You don't know if the obvliviousness is a good sign or not. Either way, the smile he's giving you in the current moment is making your stomach flutter in all sorts of ways. "Hey," you say, and hope Nick can't see the the lovestruck look in your eyes. Thank god you're on the other side of the room. Instead, he raises an eyebrow. "You said that already," he says, amusement creeping into his voice. You cringe. You've been here for two minutes and you've already embarassed yourself. Thankfully, Nick just laughs. "What can I help you with, $lastname?" You pull a plastic bag out of your pocket and hand it to him. It's full of the grey dust the ghoul disintegrated into. "Residue from a kill last night. Can you help me ID it?" Nick's eyes light up. "Of course!" Nick plucks the bag from your fingers and set it on the table next to him. He holds his right hand out in front of him, tattooed palm facing the ceiling. You watch, fascinated, as Nick spoons a tiny bit of the dust on to the center of his right palm. He closes his eyes, mutters something you can't make out, and snaps his fingers. The insignia on his palm sparks to life, and a tiny <span style="color: orange;">orange</span> flame erupts upward. It sends a pleasant orange light dancing across face, softening his features. "Orange means your standard, run of the mill ghoul," he says. "Did you expect something-" A loud, strange popping noise suddenly fills the air, and the flame twisting above Nick's hand turns a shocking <span style="color: green;">green</span>. It grows in size, until it's engulfed his entire hand. Nick yelps in surprise, shooting his hand out and away from under his face. "//Averte!//" he shouts, and the flame splutters out. Nick hisses in pain and flexes his charred fingers. "That's not normal," he whispers to himself. Nick turns to you, his eyes wide. "Okay," he says, "start talking." [[So you talk.]]

<<set $rnick to $rnick +1>>Where those feelings came from is a total mystery, but there's no use ignoring them anymore. So now you're hyper aware of the fact that Nick is indeed very attractive. No big deal. You can be cool. "Heeeeey Nick," you say, and lean against a bookcase. You're being //so cool// right now. He raises an eyebrow. "You said that already," he says, amusement creeping into his voice. You cringe. You've been here for two minutes and you've already embarassed yourself. Thankfully, Nick just laughs. "What can I help you with, $lastname?" You pull a plastic bag out of your pocket and hand it to him. It's full of the grey dust the ghoul disintegrated into. "Residue from a kill last night. Can you help me ID it?" Nick's eyes light up. "Of course!" Nick plucks the bag from your fingers and set it on the table next to him. He holds his right hand out in front of him, tattooed palm facing the ceiling. You watch, fascinated, as Nick spoons a tiny bit of the dust on to the center of his right palm. He closes his eyes, mutters something you can't make out, and snaps his fingers. The insignia on his palm sparks to life, and a tiny <span style="color: orange;">orange</span> flame erupts upward. It sends a pleasant orange light dancing across face, softening his features. "Orange means your standard, run of the mill ghoul," he says. "Did you expect something-" A loud, strange popping noise suddenly fills the air, and the flame twisting above Nick's hand turns a shocking <span style="color: green;">green</span>. It grows in size, until it's engulfed his entire hand. Nick yelps in surprise, shooting his hand out and away from under his face. "//Averte!//" he shouts, and the flame splutters out. Nick hisses in pain and flexes his charred fingers. "That's not normal," he whispers to himself. Nick turns to you, his eyes wide. "Okay," he says, "start talking." [[So you talk.]]

<<set $rmadeline to $rmadeline +2>>You've felt this way for years. You've never dared to tell her, not wanting to ruin your friendship. You don't know if you ever //will// tell her. "So," she says, sitting down and kicking her feet up on her desk, "how'd you meeting with the mayor go?" <<if $wintrigue gte 1>>She raises her eyebrows and takes a pointed sip of her coffee. //Oh god,// you groan inwardly. You'd mentioned you find Mayor Walsh attractive exactly //one time// a few months ago, and now Madeline wouldn't let you hear the end of it. "It was fine," you say. "Stop looking at me like that, Madeline! It's not like I'm gonna jump his bones in his office." You collapse into your own chair and cover your face with your hands. "Uh huh," Madeline says, giving you a sly grin. <<else>>"It was fine," you say, sitting down at your own desk. "He's just as big of an asshole as ever." "Figures," Madeline grumbles. <<endif>> "What did he say?" she continues, rifling through the papers scattered on her desk. It was always a mess. You have no idea how she even finds anything on it. "He didn't say anything, and that's the point!" you protest. "It's like he doesn't even care that we're out there every night, risking our lives," you say. You get up from your desk and start to pace back and forth. You're still thinking about your patrol last night, and the ghoul you encountered. It's familiar gaze is seared into the backs of your eyelids. "You can't take it personally, $name. It's not your fault Walsh has a stick up his ass," Madeline grouses. "Let's make him patrol one night. See how long he lasts." You've barely heard Madeline's complaints. You're too caught up in your pacing and the torrent of thoughts swirling through your brain. Eventually, you stop in front of Madeline and flatten your hands on her desk. [["We go back tonight."]]

<<set $rmadeline to $rmadeline +1>>You're not sure when it started, or if Madeline had even noticed. For now, maybe that's for the best. "So," she says, sitting down and kicking her feet up on her desk, "how'd you meeting with the mayor go?" <<if $wintrigue gte 1>>She raises her eyebrow and takes a pointed sip of her coffee. //Oh god,// you groan inwardly. You'd mentioned you find Mayor Walsh attractive exactly //one time// a few months ago, and now Madeline wouldn't let you hear the end of it. "It was fine," you say. "Stop looking at me like that, Madeline! It's not like I'm gonna jump his bones in his office." "Uh huh," Madeline says, giving you a sly grin. <<else>>"It was fine," you say, sitting down at your own desk. "He's just as big of an asshole as ever." "Figures," Madeline grumbles. <<endif>> "What did he say?" she continues, rifling through the papers scattered on her desk. It was always a mess. You have no idea how she even finds anything on it. "He didn't say anything, and that's the point!" you protest. "It's like he doesn't even care that we're out there every night, risking our lives," you say. You get up from your desk and start to pace back and forth. You're still thinking about your patrol last night, and the ghoul you encountered. It's familiar gaze is seared into the backs of your eyelids. "You can't take it personally, $name. It's not your fault Walsh has a stick up his ass," Madeline grouses. "Let's make him patrol one night. See how long he lasts." You've barely heard Madeline's complaints. You're too caught up in your pacing and the torrent of thoughts swirling through your brain. Eventually, you stop in front of Madeline and flatten your hands on her desk. [["We go back tonight."]]

<<set $fmadeline to $fmadeline +1>>You would be dead in a ditch in the middle of the forest if she hadn't been with you every step of the way. "So," she says, sitting down and kicking her feet up on her desk, "how'd you meeting with the mayor go?" <<if $wintrigue gte 1>>She raises her eyebrow and takes a pointed sip of her coffee. //Oh god,// you groan inwardly. You'd mentioned you find Mayor Walsh attractive exactly //one time// a few months ago, and now Madeline wouldn't let you hear the end of it. "It was fine," you say. "Stop looking at me like that, Madeline! It's not like I'm gonna jump his bones in his office." "Uh huh," Madeline says, giving you a sly grin. <<else>>"It was fine," you say, sitting down at your own desk. "He's just as big of an asshole as ever." "Figures," Madeline grumbles. <<endif>> "What did he say?" she continues, rifling through the papers scattered on her desk. It was always a mess. You have no idea how she even finds anything on it. "He didn't say anything, and that's the point!" you protest. "It's like he doesn't even care that we're out there every night, risking our lives," you say. You get up from your desk and start to pace back and forth. You're still thinking about your patrol last night, and the ghoul you encountered. It's familiar gaze is seared into the backs of your eyelids. "You can't take it personally, $name. It's not your fault Walsh has a stick up his ass," Madeline grouses. "Let's make him patrol one night. See how long he lasts." You've barely heard Madeline's complaints. You're too caught up in your pacing and the torrent of thoughts swirling through your brain. Eventually, you stop in front of Madeline and flatten your hands on her desk. [["We go back tonight."]]

<<set $fmadeline to $fmadeline -1>>It's a dark thought, one you've never divulged to Madeline. You intend to keep it that way. "So," she says, sitting down and kicking her feet up on her desk, "how'd you meeting with the mayor go?" <<if $wintrigue gte 1>>She raises her eyebrow and takes a pointed sip of her coffee. //Oh god,// you groan inwardly. You'd mentioned you find Mayor Walsh attractive exactly //one time// a few months ago, and now Madeline wouldn't let you hear the end of it. "It was fine," you say. "Stop looking at me like that, Madeline! It's not like I'm gonna jump his bones in his office." "Uh huh," Madeline says, giving you a sly grin. <<else>>"It was fine," you say, sitting down at your own desk. "He's just as big of an asshole as ever." "Figures," Madeline grumbles. <<endif>> "What did he say?" she continues, rifling through the papers scattered on her desk. It was always a mess. You have no idea how she even finds anything on it. "He didn't say anything, and that's the point!" you protest. "It's like he doesn't even care that we're out there every night, risking our lives," you say. You get up from your desk and start to pace back and forth. You're still thinking about your patrol last night, and the ghoul you encountered. It's familiar gaze is seared into the backs of your eyelids. "You can't take it personally, $name. It's not your fault Walsh has a stick up his ass," Madeline grouses. "Let's make him patrol one night. See how long he lasts." You've barely heard Madeline's complaints. You're too caught up in your pacing and the torrent of thoughts swirling through your brain. Eventually, you stop in front of Madeline and flatten your hands on her desk. [["We go back tonight."]]

<<set $rlucas to $rlucas +2>>He's poised, professional, smart, and cute. He checks practically all of your boxes, how could you not be in love with him? "Make yourself at home," Lucas says over his shoulder. He's moved to one of the many microscopes he has crowded on a nearby lab bench. You toss your jacket over a chair and lean against it. "What are you doing over there?" you ask, curious. You're not too well-versed in lab practices yourself, but you find them fascinating. "Prepping a slide," Lucas says over his shoulder. He holds up a small rectangular piece of glass for you too see. He adds a drop of the ghoul's blood with practiced ease, then seals the liquid on the glass plane with a square piece of plastic. "Simple as that," he says, and you nod appreciatively. "Thanks for doing this Lucas," you say. Lucas is always going out of his way to help others. It's one of your favorite things about him. He nods, then slips the glass slide under the microscope. He switches it on, and the light underneath the base flickers to life. Lucas puts his eye to the lens, and spins the dials on the side of the machine to focus. After a few moments of fiddling, you hear Lucas muttering to himself. "What is it?" you ask, sidling up behind him. Lucas glances up at you, his expression troubled. He gestures to the microsope. "This doesn't look right," he says. "Take a look for yourself." [[You peer through the microscope.]]

<<set $rlucas to $rlucas +1>> "Make yourself at home," Lucas says over his shoulder. He's moved to one of the many microscopes he has crowded on a nearby lab bench. You toss your jacket over a chair and lean against it. "What are you doing over there?" you ask, curious. You're not too well-versed in lab practices yourself, but you find them fascinating. "Prepping a slide," Lucas says over his shoulder. He holds up a small rectangular piece of glass for you too see. He adds a drop of the ghoul's blood with practiced ease, then seals the liquid on the glass plane with a square piece of plastic. "Simple as that," he says, and you nod appreciatively. "Thanks for doing this Lucas," you say. Lucas is always going out of his way to help others. It's one of your favorite things about him. He nods, then slips the glass slide under the microscope. He switches it on, and the light underneath the base flickers to life. Lucas puts his eye to the lens, and spins the dials on the side of the machine to focus. After a few moments of fiddling, you hear Lucas muttering to himself. "What is it?" you ask, sidling up behind him. Lucas glances up at you, his expression troubled. He gestures to the microsope. "This doesn't look right," he says. "Take a look for yourself." [[You peer through the microscope.]]

"Make yourself at home," Lucas says over his shoulder. He's moved to one of the many microscopes he has crowded on a nearby lab bench. You toss your jacket over a chair and lean against it. "What are you doing over there?" you ask, curious. You're not too well-versed in lab practices yourself, but you find them fascinating. "Prepping a slide," Lucas says over his shoulder. He holds up a small rectangular piece of glass for you too see. He adds a drop of the ghoul's blood with practiced ease, then seals the liquid on the glass plane with a square piece of plastic. "Simple as that," he says, and you nod appreciatively. "Thanks for doing this Lucas," you say. Lucas is always going out of his way to help others. You may not know Lucas too well yet, but you can already tell he cares about his work and his friends. He nods, then slips the glass slide under the microscope. He switches it on, and the light underneath the base flickers to life. Lucas puts his eye to the lens, and spins the dials on the side of the machine to focus. After a few moments of fiddling, you hear Lucas muttering to himself. "What is it?" you ask, sidling up behind him. Lucas glances up at you, his expression troubled. He gestures to the microsope. "This doesn't look right," he says. "Take a look for yourself." [[You peer through the microscope.]]

<<set $flucas to $flucas -1>>He's too quiet. It's unnverving. "Make yourself at home," Lucas says over his shoulder. He's moved to one of the many microscopes he has crowded on a nearby lab bench. You toss your jacket over a chair and lean against it. "What are you doing over there?" you ask, curious. You're not too well-versed in lab practices yourself, but you find them fascinating. "Prepping a slide," Lucas says over his shoulder. He holds up a small rectangular piece of glass for you too see. He adds a drop of the ghoul's blood with practiced ease, then seals the liquid on the glass plane with a square piece of plastic. "Simple as that," he says, and you nod appreciatively. "Thanks for doing this Lucas," you say. Lucas is always going out of his way to help others. You may not like Lucas, but you can't deny that he can be incredibly useful. He nods, then slips the glass slide under the microscope. He switches it on, and the light underneath the base flickers to life. Lucas puts his eye to the lens, and spins the dials on the side of the machine to focus. After a few moments of fiddling, you hear Lucas muttering to himself. "What is it?" you ask, sidling up behind him. Lucas glances up at you, his expression troubled. He gestures to the microsope. "This doesn't look right," he says. "Take a look for yourself." [[You peer through the microscope.]]

<<set $flucas to $flucas +1>>You really appreciate Lucas' seemingly endless database on scientific terms you could never understand. He's swooped in with invaluable facts countless times. "Make yourself at home," Lucas says over his shoulder. He's moved to one of the many microscopes he has crowded on a nearby lab bench. You toss your jacket over a chair and lean against it. "What are you doing over there?" you ask, curious. You're not too well-versed in lab practices yourself, but you find them fascinating. "Prepping a slide," Lucas says over his shoulder. He holds up a small rectangular piece of glass for you too see. He adds a drop of the ghoul's blood with practiced ease, then seals the liquid on the glass plane with a square piece of plastic. "Simple as that," he says, and you nod appreciatively. "Thanks for doing this Lucas," you say. Lucas is always going out of his way to help others. It's what makes him such a great friend. He nods, then slips the glass slide under the microscope. He switches it on, and the light underneath the base flickers to life. Lucas puts his eye to the lens, and spins the dials on the side of the machine to focus. After a few moments of fiddling, you hear Lucas muttering to himself. "What is it?" you ask, sidling up behind him. Lucas glances up at you, his expression troubled. He gestures to the microsope. "This doesn't look right," he says. "Take a look for yourself." [[You peer through the microscope.]]

<<set $ffaizah to $ffaizah +1>>When you first met her, your personalities meshed perfectly, and you've been close friends ever since. "Listen," you say once you've finished your scone. "Something was off about patrol last night. I was wondering if you could help me out." Faizah closes her book and steeples her fingers. "I can try. What happened?" You recount your adventure from the previous night. Faizah's expression grows more troubled the longer you talk, and when you finish she's staring down at the table. "What are you getting at, $name? You think you //knew// that thing in the woods yesterday?" she asks, twisting one of the many rings adorning her fingers. You don't respond, and that's enough for Faizah to deduce what you're thinking. "Is it even possible?" she asks. "Can a person become... whatever that thing was?" "Is there a book on it?" you ask, only half serious. Faizah smiles, but it doesn't reach her eyes. "If only there was a book for everything," she says. "There is a record of missing persons, though. Would that help?" At Faizah's words, a dark theory pops into your head fully formed. //Oh god,// you think. You glance up at Faizah. "Yeah, that would help a lot, actually." Time to see if you're insane or not. "Give me a sec," she says, and stands up. She disappears into the stacks behind you, and returns soon after holding a thin folder. She drops it in front of you, and you flip it open. "Not many names in there," Faizah says, sitting back down across from you. "Recognize anyone?" You quickly scan through the list of names. Most are from decades ago, but one at the very bottom of the list jumps out instantly. Your heart sinks in your chest, and several puzzles pieces fall into place. You spin the folder around and stab your finger against the paper. [["Jackson Parker."]]

Maybe some day you and Faizah will grow closer, but you've both been too busy to pursue anything other than a professional relationship with the other. "Listen," you say once you've finished your scone. "Something was off about patrol last night. I was wondering if you could help me out." Faizah closes her book and steeples her fingers. "I can try. What happened?" You recount your adventure from the previous night. Faizah's expression grows more troubled the longer you talk, and when you finish she's staring down at the table. "What are you getting at, $name? You think you //knew// that thing in the woods yesterday?" she asks, twisting one of the many rings adorning her fingers. You don't respond, and that's enough for Faizah to deduce what you're thinking. "Is it even possible?" she asks. "Can a person become... whatever that thing was?" "Is there a book on it?" you ask, only half serious. Faizah smiles, but it doesn't reach her eyes. "If only there was a book for everything," she says. "There is a record of missing persons, though. Would that help?" At Faizah's words, a dark theory pops into your head fully formed. //Oh god,// you think. You glance up at Faizah. "Yeah, that would help a lot, actually." Time to see if you're insane or not. "Give me a sec," she says, and stands up. She disappears into the stacks behind you, and returns soon after holding a thin folder. She drops it in front of you, and you flip it open. "Not many names in there," Faizah says, sitting back down across from you. "Recognize anyone?" You quickly scan through the list of names. Most are from decades ago, but one at the very bottom of the list jumps out instantly. Your heart sinks in your chest, and several puzzles pieces fall into place. You spin the folder around and stab your finger against the paper. [["Jackson Parker."]]

<<set $ffaizah to $ffaizah -1>>You'll never tell her though. You're not //that// mean. "Listen," you say once you've finished your scone. "Something was off about patrol last night. I was wondering if you could help me out." Faizah closes her book and steeples her fingers. "I can try. What happened?" You recount your adventure from the previous night. Faizah's expression grows more troubled the longer you talk, and when you finish she's staring down at the table. "What are you getting at, $name? You think you //knew// that thing in the woods yesterday?" she asks, twisting one of the many rings adorning her fingers. You don't respond, and that's enough for Faizah to deduce what you're thinking. "Is it even possible?" she asks. "Can a person become... whatever that thing was?" "Is there a book on it?" you ask, only half serious. Faizah smiles, but it doesn't reach her eyes. "If only there was a book for everything," she says. "There is a record of missing persons, though. Would that help?" At Faizah's words, a dark theory pops into your head fully formed. //Oh god,// you think. You glance up at Faizah. "Yeah, that would help a lot, actually." Time to see if you're insane or not. "Give me a sec," she says, and stands up. She disappears into the stacks behind you, and returns soon after holding a thin folder. She drops it in front of you, and you flip it open. "Not many names in there," Faizah says, sitting back down across from you. "Recognize anyone?" You quickly scan through the list of names. Most are from decades ago, but one at the very bottom of the list jumps out instantly. Your heart sinks in your chest, and several puzzles pieces fall into place. You spin the folder around and stab your finger against the paper. [["Jackson Parker."]]

<<set $rfaizah to $rfaizah +2>>It's embarrassing, really, how much you like her. You've spent many hours wondering how she would react if you ever told her, but you've yet to take the leap. "Listen," you say once you've finished your scone. "Something was off about patrol last night. I was wondering if you could help me out." Faizah closes her book and steeples her fingers. "I can try. What happened?" You recount your adventure from the previous night. Faizah's expression grows more troubled the longer you talk, and when you finish she's staring down at the table. "What are you getting at, $name? You think you //knew// that thing in the woods yesterday?" she asks, twisting one of the many rings adorning her fingers. You don't respond, and that's enough for Faizah to deduce what you're thinking. "Is it even possible?" she asks. "Can a person become... whatever that thing was?" "Is there a book on it?" you ask, only half serious. Faizah smiles, but it doesn't reach her eyes. "If only there was a book for everything," she says. "There is a record of missing persons, though. Would that help?" At Faizah's words, a dark theory pops into your head fully formed. //Oh god,// you think. You glance up at Faizah. "Yeah, that would help a lot, actually." Time to see if you're insane or not. "Give me a sec," she says, and stands up. She disappears into the stacks behind you, and returns soon after holding a thin folder. She drops it in front of you, and you flip it open. "Not many names in there," Faizah says, sitting back down across from you. "Recognize anyone?" You quickly scan through the list of names. Most are from decades ago, but one at the very bottom of the list jumps out instantly. Your heart sinks in your chest, and several puzzles pieces fall into place. You spin the folder around and stab your finger against the paper. [["Jackson Parker."]]

<<set $rfaizah to $rfaizah +1>>Even just sitting across from Faizah sends a warm, fuzzy feeling tingling right under your skin. "Listen," you say once you've finished your scone. "Something was off about patrol last night. I was wondering if you could help me out." Faizah closes her book and steeples her fingers. "I can try. What happened?" You recount your adventure from the previous night. Faizah's expression grows more troubled the longer you talk, and when you finish she's staring down at the table. "What are you getting at, $name? You think you //knew// that thing in the woods yesterday?" she asks, twisting one of the many rings adorning her fingers. You don't respond, and that's enough for Faizah to deduce what you're thinking. "Is it even possible?" she asks. "Can a person become... whatever that thing was?" "Is there a book on it?" you ask, only half serious. Faizah smiles, but it doesn't reach her eyes. "If only there was a book for everything," she says. "There is a record of missing persons, though. Would that help?" At Faizah's words, a dark theory pops into your head fully formed. //Oh god,// you think. You glance up at Faizah. "Yeah, that would help a lot, actually." Time to see if you're insane or not. "Give me a sec," she says, and stands up. She disappears into the stacks behind you, and returns soon after holding a thin folder. She drops it in front of you, and you flip it open. "Not many names in there," Faizah says, sitting back down across from you. "Recognize anyone?" You quickly scan through the list of names. Most are from decades ago, but one at the very bottom of the list jumps out instantly. Your heart sinks in your chest, and several puzzles pieces fall into place. You spin the folder around and stab your finger against the paper. [["Jackson Parker."]]

What color is your hair? [[White.]] [[Blonde.]] [[Auburn.]] [[Red.]] [[Light brown.]] [[Brown.]] [[Dark brown.]] [[Black.]] [[Dyed.]]

<<set $haircolor to "white hair">>You have $haircolor, right? [[That's right!]] [[On second thought... ->I do!]]

<<set $haircolor to "blonde hair">>You have $haircolor, right? [[That's right!]] [[On second thought... ->I do!]]

<<set $haircolor to "auburn hair">>You have $haircolor, right? [[That's right!]] [[On second thought... ->I do!]]

<<set $haircolor to "light brown hair">>You have $haircolor, right? [[That's right!]] [[On second thought... ->I do!]]

<<set $haircolor to "brown hair">>You have $haircolor, right? [[That's right!]] [[On second thought... ->I do!]]

<<set $haircolor to "dark brown hair">>You have $haircolor, right? [[That's right!]] [[On second thought... ->I do!]]

<<set $haircolor to "black hair">>You have $haircolor, right? [[That's right!]] [[On second thought... ->I do!]]

<<set $haircolor to "dyed hair">>You have $haircolor, right? [[Yes...]] [[On second thought... ->I do!]]

You turn your head to inspect a particularly nasty bruise creeping its way up your cheek. You lightly prod it with a finger, and hiss as pain jolts through you. What tone is your skin? [[Pale.]] [[Fair.]] [[Tanned.]] [[Copper.]] [[Umber.]] [[Mahogany.]] [[Dark brown.->brown skin.]]

<<set $skintone to "pale">>You have $skintone skin, right? [[Sure do.]] [[On second thought... ->That's right.]]

<<set $skintone to "fair">>You have $skintone skin, right? [[Sure do.]] [[On second thought... ->That's right.]]

<<set $skintone to "tanned">>You have $skintone skin, right? [[Sure do.]] [[On second thought... ->That's right.]]

<<set $skintone to "copper">>You have $skintone skin, right? [[Sure do.]] [[On second thought... ->That's right.]]

<<set $skintone to "umber">>You have $skintone skin, right? [[Sure do.]] [[On second thought... ->That's right.]]

<<set $skintone to "mahogany">>You have $skintone skin, right? [[Sure do.]] [[On second thought... ->That's right.]]

<<set $haircolor to "red hair">>You have $haircolor, right? [[That's right!]] [[On second thought... ->I do!]]

<<link "☺ Character">> <<script>> Dialog.setup("☺ Character"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("character").processText()); Dialog.open(); <</script>> <</link>> <<link "⇵ Stats">> <<script>> Dialog.setup("⇵ Stats"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("stats").processText()); Dialog.open(); <</script>> <</link>> <<link "♥ Relationships">> <<script>> Dialog.setup("♥ Relationships"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("relationships").processText()); Dialog.open(); <</script>> <</link>>

//madeline// friendship: $fmadeline romance: $rmadeline //nick// friendship: $fnick romance: $rnick //faizah// friendship: $ffaizah romance: $rfaizah //lucas// friendship: $flucas romance: $rlucas //mayor walsh// respect: $wrespect intrigue: $wintrigue

//Name//: $name $lastname //Gender identity//: $gender //Pronouns//: $pronouns //Appearance//: $hairlength $texture $haircolor, with $eyecolor eyes and $skintone skin. $height and has $special. //Style//: $style //Preferred weapon//: $weapon

Bravery: $brave Kindness: $kind Boldness: $bold Wits: $wits Intelligence: $intelligence Combat: $combat Flirtatiousness: $flirt

What color is your hair dyed? <<textbox "$haircolor" "">> [[next...]]

You have $haircolor hair, right? [[That's right!]] [[On second thought...->I do!]]

What texture is your hair? [[Straight.]] [[Wavy.]] [[Curly.]] [[Coiled.]]

<<set $texture to "straight">>You have $texture hair, right? [[That's right.]] [[On second thought... ->That's right!]]

<<set $texture to "wavy">>You have $texture hair, right? [[That's right.]] [[On second thought... ->That's right!]]

<<set $texture to "curly">>You have $texture hair, right? [[That's right.]] [[On second thought... ->That's right!]]

<<set $texture to "coiled">>You have $texture hair, right? [[That's right.]] [[On second thought... ->That's right!]]

You head over to your closet. What kind of outfit are you wearing today? [[Something casual. A plain t-shirt and pants.]] [[Something casual. A plain t-shirt and skirt.]] [[Something flashy. A brightly colored button-up and patterned shorts.]] [[Something flashy. A dress with a fun print.]] [[Something formal. A dress shirt and slacks.]] [[Something formal. A blazer and pencil skirt.]]

<<set $style to "casual">>You're dressing casually today, right? [[Yes!->Ready to go...]] [[Let me take another look...->Yes!]]

<<set $style to "flashy">>You're dressing flashy today, right? [[Yes!->Ready to go...]] [[Let me take another look...->Yes!]]

<<set $style to "formal">>You're dressing formally today, right? [[Yes!->Ready to go...]] [[Let me take another look...->Yes!]]

<<set $combat to +2>>You've always loved the adrenaline a good fight sends coursing through your veins. Whatever the woods throws at you, you can handle it. Besides combat, your other top skill is your... [[Wits.]] [[Bravery.]] [[Intelligence.]]

<<set $wits to +2>>Besides being sharp enough to take in a scene and understand it at the drop of a hat, your other top skill is your... [[Fighting skills.]] [[Bravery.]] [[Intelligence.]]

<<set $brave to +2>>Besides being brave enough to face anything, your other top skill is your... [[Fighting skills.]] [[Intelligence.]] [[Wits.]]

<<set $wits to $wits+1>>You're pretty wily, too. //Wow,// you think to yourself. //I really am amazing.// You continue your trek through the forest, stopping occasionally to check around trees and behind bushes. You never know when something could be hiding, just waiting to spring out and try to kill you. You hear rustling behind you, and write it off as the wind. When you turn around, though... [[Something is standing in front of you.]]

<<set $brave to $brave+1>>You're pretty brave, too. //Wow,// you think to yourself. //I really am amazing.// You continue your trek through the forest, stopping occasionally to check around trees and behind bushes. You never know when something could be hiding, just waiting to spring out and try to kill you. You hear rustling behind you, and write it off as the wind. When you turn around, though... [[Something is standing in front of you.]]

<<set $intelligence to $intelligence+1>>You're pretty smart, too. //Wow,// you think to yourself. //I really am amazing.// You continue your trek through the forest, stopping occasionally to check around trees and behind bushes. You never know when something could be hiding, just waiting to spring out and try to kill you. You hear rustling behind you, and write it off as the wind. When you turn around, though... [[Something is standing in front of you.]]

<<set $combat to $combat+1>>You're a decent fighter, too. //Wow,// you think to yourself. //I really am amazing.// You continue your trek through the forest, stopping occasionally to check around trees and behind bushes. You never know when something could be hiding, just waiting to spring out and try to kill you. You hear rustling behind you, and write it off as the wind. When you turn around, though... [[Something is standing in front of you.]]

//an interactive horror-comedy//

<<set $special to "vitiligo">>You have $special, right? [[I do.]] [[On second thought... ->That's correct!]]

//Shit.// It's a ghoul, and a pretty decently sized one at that. You forgot how silent they could be. No wonder it snuck up on you. Its back is arched, and its curled fingernails hang listlessly at its sides, connected to surprisingly powerful-looking arms. Its breath comes in long, shallow bursts, filling the air with an unpleasant stench. You've faced many ghouls before, but something about this one is //different.// It's far bigger than normal, and it's gaze is unfocused. Why hasn't it attacked you yet? It stands, listless, swaying slightly. It's like it's about to collapse. It turns its pale yellow eyes on you, and you feel an uncomfortable shiver run down your spine. Something about that gaze is hauntingly familiar. Oh well. You can't dwell on that now. You raise your $weapon and... [[Go for the head.]] [[Go for the chest.]] [[Go for the legs.]]

<<set $combat to $combat+1>><<set $brave to $brave+1>>You let out a battle cry and rush foward to meet the ghoul. You raise your $weapon and land a blow to the ghoul's head with a satisfying //crack.// You spin around and hit the back of its skull in a similar fashion. Its head snaps forward, and its arms swing back wildly. You're not fast enough, and one catches you on the side of the face. You stumble back, pressing your hand to your cheek in surprise. Your barely feel it, though, as at that moment the ghoul shudders dramatically and collapses to the ground. You look down, and your stomach heaves at the sight of the ghoul's caved-in skull, the dent you just made in the back of its head stretched open like a gaping maw. After a few moments, its body start to decompose, sending particles of what Madeline likes to call 'the gross dust stuff' swirling through the air. Some lands on your clothes. It is gross. You scuff the pile of dust with your shoe. Good riddance. You stare down at the ground, watching the pile slowly dissapate as the remains of the monster you just killed gets carried off to the far corners of the forest by the breeze. You sniff, then wince as it sends a wave of pain coursing down your jaw. Guess the ghoul hit you harder than you originally thought. You tilt your head up, and gaze at the sliver of moon peeking out from a gap in the leaves. You close your eyes, and let the events of the night wash over you. Your eyes flutter open. You wipe your $weapon on the front of your shirt, streaking the ghoul's dark blood down the fabric. You step over the dust pile and head further into the forest. [[There's more work to be done.]]

<<set $combat to $combat+1>>You let out a battle cry and rush forward to meet the ghoul. You duck under the ghoul's arm it lashed out to attack you with and ram your $weapon as hard as you can against its chest. You push, leaning all of your weight against it, and the ghoul stumbles backward. Before you can detatch your $weapon from its chest, it lands a heavy blow to the side of your face, knocking you back. You back hits the cold ground with a solid //thump,// and you feel all of the wind get knocked out of your chest. You roll over, coughing, and pull yourself to your feet. You look down at your $weapon. It's coated in the ghoul's black blood, a good sign that you did a fair amount of damage. After a few moments, its body start to decompose, sending particles of what Madeline likes to call 'the gross dust stuff' swirling through the air. Some lands on your clothes. It is gross. You scuff the pile of dust with your shoe. Good riddance. You stare down at the ground, watching the pile slowly dissapate as the remains of the monster you just killed gets carried off to the far corners of the forest by the breeze. You sniff, then wince as it sends a wave of pain coursing down your jaw. Guess the ghoul hit you harder than you originally thought. You tilt your head up, and gaze at the sliver of moon peeking out from a gap in the leaves. You close your eyes, and let the events of the night wash over you. Your eyes flutter open. You wipe your $weapon on the front of your shirt, streaking the ghoul's dark blood down the fabric. You step over the dust pile and head further into the forest. [[There's more work to be done.]]

<<set $combat to $combat+1>>You let out a battle cry and rush forward to meet the ghoul. You drop into a crouch and in one smooth motion swing you $weapon against the back of its knees. There's a satisfying crunch, and the ghoul lets out a pained howl and falls to the side. You roll out of the way, barely avoiding being crushed by its body. Its still alive, somehow, writhing facedown against the cold dirt. Before you can react, a stray arm shoots up an connect with the side of your face. You're momentairly stunned, but don't let is faze you. You strike the back of its head, and it stills. After a few moments, its body start to decompose, sending particles of what Madeline likes to call 'the gross dust stuff' swirling through the air. Some lands on your clothes. It is gross. You scuff the pile of dust with your shoe. Good riddance. You stare down at the ground, watching the pile slowly dissapate as the remains of the monster you just killed gets carried off to the far corners of the forest by the breeze. You sniff, then wince as it sends a wave of pain coursing down your jaw. Guess the ghoul hit you harder than you originally thought. You tilt your head up, and gaze at the sliver of moon peeking out from a gap in the leaves. You close your eyes, and let the events of the night wash over you. Your eyes flutter open. You wipe your $weapon on the front of your shirt, streaking the ghoul's dark blood down the fabric. You step over the dust pile and head further into the forest. [[There's more work to be done.]]

<<set $bold to $bold+1>><<set $wintrigue to $wintrigue+1>><<set $flirt to $flirt+1>><<if settings.achievements>><<notify 3s>><b>(You flirted with Mayor Walsh.)<br></b>Are you sure that's a good idea?<</notify>><</if>>"I don't know, Mayor," you say, crossing your arms and leaning against his desk. "You tell me." You lean forward ever so slightly and give him your most charming smile. You're pushing your luck, and you know it, but isn't that half the fun? Walsh's fingers still on his keyboard. He glances up, his eyebrows raised. His lips part slightly as he stares up at you. You see his jaw working, then his expression shifts back to its usual scowl. "That is entirely inapropriate, $prefix $lastname. Please see yourself out." His gaze drops from your face and back to his computer. You straighten up, disappointed. "Right. Have a nice day, Mayor." You weren't expecting anything, but it would've been nice if Walsh decided to play along. "Uh huh." Walsh doesn't even look up at you as you reach the door. You place your hand on the wooden surface and look back at Walsh. He's turned away from you, and a nagging suspicion in the back of your brain tells you it was deliberate. You sigh, and push the door open. [[Get the hell out of there.]]

<<timed 1.5s transition>><div align='center' style='font-size: 150%;'>\ @@.fade-in;<b>CHAPTER ONE.</b>@@ \ </div> <div align='center' style='font-size: 150%;'>\ @@.fade-in;//Why would he send his savior unto us, if we will not lift a finger for our own salvation?// - Bioshock Infinite@@ \ </div> <<next>> [[The next morning...]] <</timed>>

Welcome to //<b>UNDERBELLY!</b>// Thanks for playing! Before we get started, would you like to see a list of content warnings? [[Yes, please!]] [[No, just take me to the game!]]

<b>//UNDERBELLY//</b> is rated 16+ and will include: - strong language - descriptions of violence and gore - horror elements - mentions of death [[Okay, take me to the game!->No, just take me to the game!]]

<<timed 2s transition>><div align='center' style='font-size: 150%;'>\ @@.fade-in;<b>INTRODUCTION.</b>@@ \ </div> <div align='center' style='font-size: 150%;'>\ @@.fade-in;//Have you ever wanted to disappear?// - Fall Out Boy, 20 Dollar Nosebleed@@ \ </div> <<next>> [[One night, in the forests of Fairglass, Oregon...]] <</timed>>

You give Nick a recount of your patrol last night, sparing no details. When you get to the part about the ghoul, Nick's sits down at his desk and folds his hands underneath his chin. His expressions grows darker the more information you divulge. "You thought you recognized it?" Nick says after you finish. He scratches a blunt fingernail across his freckled cheek. "That's fucked up, $name." He pauses, and his expression shifts. "Oh god. You're not thinking you //knew// that thing, are you?" You wince. "Yes? No? Maybe? Look, Nick, I know what I saw. Something was different." Nick holds his hands up in a placating gesture. "Okay. I trust you. What else was weird about it?" You shudder as the memory of the ghoul's haunting expression flashes through your mind. "Yeah. It didn't seem like it wanted to attack me either, then went down in like two hits. They usually put up more of a fight than that." Nick lets out a low whistle and leans back in his chair. "That's intense. Have you told anyone else about this yet?" You shake your head. "I'll fill Madeline in later. Lucas and Faizah, too. They deserve to know." You glance at Nick's hand, which is still covered with a dark soot. "You said orange is a standard ghoul. What does green mean?" Nick rubs at his temple, looking frustrated. "That's the problem," he says. "Green means human." You stomach drops. "What? That thing was... is... //human?"// Nick nods sadly, and the true weight of the situation begins to set in. "Sorry, $name. I wish there was more I could do," he says. You shake your head vigorously and wave your hand, dismissing Nick's concern. "No, Nick, it's not your fault. We'll figure it out together." <<if $rnick gte 1>>Nick nods, then looks down at his hands. "Listen, $name. There's something I've been meaning to tell you-" <<else>>Nick nods. "I'll see what else I can figure out. Maybe my sister can help me out. Anyway, how are -"<<endif>><div style='font-size: 150%;'>\ [[BOOM.]] </div>

<<if $withnick eq "yes">>A noise, louder than anything you've ever heard, rips through the tiny space. Instinctively, you drop to the ground and shield your head and neck. All around you, candles and other knick-knacks rattle on the shelves, some falling off and shattering on the floor. You glance over and see Nick mirroring your position. "What was that?" you ask, after the shaking has subsided. Nick looks as alarmed as you feel. You stand and rush outside, Nick following close behind you.<<endif>><<if $withfaizah eq "yes">>A noise, louder than anything you've ever heard, rips through the library. Instinctively, you drop under the table you're seated at with Faizah and cover your head and neck. You risk looking up and see Faizah under the table with you, mirroring your position. "What was that?" you ask after the shaking has subsided. Faizah looks as alarmed as you feel. You rush outside, Faizah following close behind you.<<endif>><<if $withmadeline eq "yes">>A noise, louder than anything you've ever heard, rips through your office. A few books topple off the shelves, and Madeline's handmade spear clatters to the ground. "What was that?" you ask. Madeline looks as alarmed as you feel. You rush outside, Madeline following close behind you.<<endif>><<if $withlucas eq "yes">>A noise, louder than anything you've ever heard, rips through the lab. Instinctively you drop to the ground and shield your head and neck. On the tables around you, various beakers and test tubes rattle and clink together. "What was that?" you ask after the shaking has subsided. Lucas looks as alarmed as you feel. You rush outside, Lucas following close behind you.<<endif>> Dozens of civilians are already in the street, staring up into the sky and pointing at a large plume of dust billowing into the air. You cover your nose and mouth as smoke and a distinct burning smell fill your nostrils. You push through the crowd, scanning every face you come across in the hopes of finding your friends. "$name!" You feel a hand on your shoulder.<<if $withnick eq "yes">> You whip around, and come face to face with Faizah. She's got some dust in her hair and on her clothes, but looks otherwise unharmed. "Are you okay?" she asks, gripping your shoulders. You nod. "Have you seen Lucas and Madeline?" you ask. If there's anything you want right now, it's to know all of your friends are okay. Faizah points over her shoulder. "They're over there," she says. You breathe out a sigh of relief and head in the direction she pointed. Nick and Faizah follow close behind, until you reach an area to the left of the crowd.<<endif>><<if $withfaizah eq "yes">> You whip around, and come face to face with Nick. He's got some dust in his hair and on his clothes, but looks otherwise unharmed. "Are you okay?" he asks, gripping your shoulders. You nod. "Have you seen Madeline and Lucas?" you ask. If there's anything you want right now, it's to know all of your friends are okay. Nick points over his shoulder. "They're over there," he says. You breathe out a sigh of relief and head in the direction he pointed. Nick and Faizah follow close behind, until you reach an area to the left of the crowd.<<endif>><<if $withlucas eq "yes">> You whip around and come face to face with Madeline. She's got some dust in her hair and on her clothes, but looks otherwise unharmed. "Are you okay?" she asks, gripping your shoulders. You nod. "Have you seen Nick and Faizah?" you ask. If there's anything you want right now, it's to know all of your friends are okay. Madeline points over her shoulder. "They're over there," she says. You breathe out a sigh of relief and head in the direction she pointed. Lucas and Madeline follow close behind, until you reach an area to the left of the crowd. <<endif>><<if $withmadeline eq "yes">> You whip around and come face to face with Lucas. He's got some dust in his hair and on his clothes, but looks otherwise unharmed. "Are you okay?" he asks, gripping your shoulders. You nod. "Have you seen Nick and Faizah?" you ask. If there's anything you want right now, its to know all of your friends are okay. Lucas points over his shoulder. "They're over there," she says. You breathe out a sigh of relief and head in the direction he pointed. Lucas and Madeline follow you until you reach an area to the left of the crowd.<<endif>> Now that all of your friends are accounted for, you can freak out. "Do any of you have //any// idea what that was?" you ask. "It looks like it came from the mines," Lucas says, wringing his hands together. "An accident, maybe?" He swallows. "An explosion of that size... that's hard to come back from." A somber silence descends over your group, and the incessant chatter coming from all around you fizzles in your ears and over your skin. "So what do we do?" Madeline asks, after a few moments. They all turn to you, as if expecting you to come up with the master plan... [["We should get to safety."]] [["We should go look for survivors."]]

<<set $flucas to $flucas +1>><<set $ffaizah to $ffaizah +1>><<set $intelligence to $intelligence +1>>"I agree with $name," Lucas says. "The mine is most likely extremely unstable after an explosion of that size. We should wait." Faizah purses her lips, and looks deep in thought for a few moments. "I'm with Lucas, and $name," she says eventually. "And what if someone's hurt? And we could've helped them?" Nick asks, waving in the vague direction of the explosion. "Nick," Lucas steps in, and Nick shoots him a glare that could wither roses. "I'm serious. The mine is unstable. Let's not do anything rash." Nick rolls his eyes. "That's rich, coming from you, Lucas," he grumbles. Lucas inhales sharply. What Nick just said must've struck a nerve. "Guys," Madeline says. She's turned away from the argument, watching the crowd. Nick and Lucas ignore her, too caught up in their disagreement. Faizah stands nearby, looking uncomfortable with the entire situation. You catch Madeline's eye and mouth //What?// She jerks her head to the right, but you can't discern what she's trying to point out. "Hey!" Madeline barks, and //that// gets their attention. "What?" Nick asks sharply. Madeline makes a subtle gesture behind her. "Walsh incoming." Your friends all straighten up at the mention of the mayor. Faizah adjusts her clothes, and Nick brushes the dust out of his hair. Lucas removes his glasses and wipes them on the front of his lab coat. Walsh reaches the group, and you're unsurprised to see that his hair is still perfectly coiffed and his suit is pristine. He nods to each of his friends in turn, before turning to you.<<if $wintrigue gte 1>> His eyes scan your face, and for a second you think he might be making sure you're not hurt.<<endif>> "Are you all okay?" he asks. There's a chorus of "yes, Mayor," from your friends, and Walsh nods. "You all really should get going," he says. He doesn't say that he overheard your argument, but the implication is front and center. Your friends look ready to protest, but Walsh silences them with a wave of his hand and a stern glare. Walsh looks you in the eye. "Go home, $prefix $lastname." [[So you go home.]]

<<set $fmadeline to $fmadeline +1>><<set $fnick to $fnick +1>><<set $brave to $brave +1>><<set $kind to $kind +1>>Madeline nods resolutely. "I'll come with you," she says. "I've got your back, $name." "And I've got your front," Nick chimes in. "I'm coming too." "Lucas? Faizah?" you turn to them, hoping for more backup, but are met instead with two twin looks of doubt. "I don't know, $name..." Faizah says. "That explosion looked pretty bad, and I wouldn't want any of us getting hurt." Lucas nods in agreement. "So? They're could be people in there," Nick argues. "And what use are we if we get hurt?" Faizah shoots back. She folds her arms and glares down at Nick, using every inch of height she has on him to her full advantage. "Guys," Madeline says. She's turned away from the argument, watching the crowd. Nick and Faizah ignore her, too caught up in their disagreement. Lucas stands nearby, looking uncomfortable with the entire situation. You catch her eye and mouth //What?// She jerks her head to the right, but you can't discern what she's trying to point out. "Hey!" Madeline barks, and //that// gets their attention. "What?" Faizah asks sharply. Madeline makes a subtle gesture behind her. "Walsh incoming." Your friends all straighten up at the mention of the mayor. Faizah adjusts her clothes, and Nick brushes the dust out of his hair. Lucas removes his glasses and wipes them on the front of his lab coat. Walsh reaches the group, and you're unsurprised to see that his hair is still perfectly coiffed and his suit is pristine. He nods to each of his friends in turn, before turning to you.<<if $wintrigue gte 1>> His eyes scan your face, and for a second you think he might be making sure you're not hurt.<<endif>> "Are you all okay?" he asks. There's a chorus of "yes, Mayor," from your friends, and Walsh nods. "No one is going anywhere near the mines," Walsh says, his voice dripping with the implication that he overheard your entire conversation. "We need to clear the area. The roads could be unstable." Your friends look ready to protest, but Walsh silences them with a wave of his hand and a stern glare. Walsh looks you in the eye. "Go home, $prefix $lastname." [[So you go home.]]

<<timed 2s transition>><div align='center' style='font-size: 150%;'>\ @@.fade-in;<b>CHAPTER TWO.</b>@@ \ </div> <div align='center' style='font-size: 150%;'>\ @@.fade-in;//Whoa, how'd it get to be only me? Like I'm the last damn kid still kicking That still believes// - Fall Out Boy, Save Rock and Roll@@ \ </div> <<next>> [[A week later...]] <</timed>>

You've never been to a funeral for someone you've never met before. The news of the miners that were killed in the explosion came a few days later. //EIGHT MINERS STRUCK DOWN IN TRAGIC ACCIDENT,// read all of the headlines, the smiling faces of the victims plastered underneath. The newspaper sits, unread, on your kitchen table. For as long as you've been in Fairglass, you've never really crossed paths with any of the miners. You know they're the lifeblood of the town, as they're constantly risking their lives to access the large swathes of rare ore buried underneath Fairglass. Now eight of them are dead, and you never even learned their names. You suppose today you finally will. You turn to the mirror and smooth down the front of your... [[Black suit.]] [[Black dress.]] [[Black jumpsuit.]]

You adjust the lapels of your suit and fiddle with your belt. You take a deep breath, then exit your apartment. You make the short walk to the town council building, but the atmosphere is far different than it was a week ago. It seems even the weather can sense the somber mood, as the skies are now an unpleasant grey. Your eyes first fall on the row of eight identical coffins lined up at the bottom of the steps. A picture rests on top of each one, and the bases are surrounded by flowers. It's a morbid sight, despite the lack of any bodies. You wonder if they even did find the bodies. You scan the small crowd that's already gathered on the steps on the council building for your friends, but don't see anybody. You suppose you're the first to arrive. You loiter around the steps, and stare out at the neat rows of chairs in front of you. Someone clears their throat behind you. You turn, and are greeted with the sight of Mayor Walsh. His suit is identical to the one he wore the last time you saw him, and is probably just as expensive. "$prefix $lastname. How are you doing?" he asks. [[You shake his hand. "Thank you for organizing this, Mayor."]] [[You fold your arms. "Is this just a PR stunt?"]] [[You give him an appraising look. "You clean up nice, Mayor." (♥)]]

The sleeve of your dress has slid down a bit, so you tug it back up. You take a deep breath, then exit your apartment. You make the short walk to the town council building, but the atmosphere is far different than it was a week ago. It seems even the weather can sense the somber mood, as the skies are now an unpleasant grey. Your eyes first fall on the row of eight identical coffins lined up at the bottom of the steps. A picture rests on top of each one, and the bases are surrounded by flowers. It's a morbid sight, despite the lack of any bodies. You wonder if they even did find the bodies. You scan the small crowd that's already gathered on the steps on the council building for your friends, but don't see anybody. You suppose you're the first to arrive. You loiter around the steps, stare out at the neat rows of chairs in front of you. Someone clears their throat behind you. You turn, and are greeted with the sight of Mayor Walsh. His suit is identical to the one he wore the last time you saw him, and is probably just as expensive. "$prefix $lastname. How are you doing?" he asks. [[You shake his hand. "Thank you for organizing this, Mayor."]] [[You fold your arms. "Is this just a PR stunt?"]] [[You give him an appraising look. "You clean up nice, Mayor." (♥)]]

You do a twirl in front of the mirror, and retie the string around your waist. You take a deep breath, then exit your apartment. You make the short walk to the town council building, but the atmosphere is far different than it was a week ago. It seems even the weather can sense the somber mood, as the skies are now an unpleasant grey. Your eyes first fall on the row of eight identical coffins lined up at the bottom of the steps. A picture rests on top of each one, and the bases are surrounded by flowers. It's a morbid sight, despite the lack of any bodies. You wonder if they even did find the bodies. You scan the small crowd that's already gathered on the steps on the council building for your friends, but don't see anybody. You suppose you're the first to arrive. You loiter around the steps, stare out at the neat rows of chairs in front of you. Someone clears their throat behind you. You turn, and are greeted with the sight of Mayor Walsh. His suit is identical to the one he wore the last time you saw him, and is probably just as expensive. "$prefix $lastname. How are you doing?" he asks. [[You shake his hand. "Thank you for organizing this, Mayor."]] [[You fold your arms. "Is this just a PR stunt?"]] [[You give him an appraising look. "You clean up nice, Mayor." (♥)]]

<<set $wrespect to $wrespect +1>><<set $kind to $kind +1>>Walsh gives you a respectful nod. "And thank you for coming, $prefix $lastname. I know you're usually fairly busy around this time." You shrug. "It's the right thing to do," you say. "I never met any of them, but I know they would do the same for me." Walsh nods. "You best go find a seat, $prefix $lastname. They're filling up fast." He heads off in the direction of the podium that's been set up on the steps, and you're left alone. Your eyes scan the crowd once more. It looks like your friends have finally arrived. Who do you sit next to? [[Faizah.]] [[Madeline.]] [[Nick.]] [[Lucas.]]

<<set $bold to $bold +1>><<set $wrespect to $wrespect -1>>Walsh purses his lips. "Believe it or not, $prefix $lastname, I can do things for the right reason." You stand firm, and look Walsh right in the eye. "I'll believe it when I see it," you say. Walsh's nostrils flare. You wonder what it will be like when he inevitably cracks under the pressure of being mayor. If you're being honest, you can't wait. "I have to get going," he says. "I'll see you tomorrow." He leaves for the podium, and you roll your eyes. God, that man is dramatic. Your eyes scan the crowd once more. It looks like your friends have finally arrived. Who do you sit next to? [[Faizah.]] [[Madeline.]] [[Nick.]] [[Lucas.]]

You find a seat next to Faizah, towards the front of the crowd. Her dark grey turtleneck matches the black skirt flowing around her ankles perfectly. Her hair is down today, her braids cascading over her shoulders. "Thanks for sitting with me, $name. You look great," she says. [[You feel your face heat. "Thanks, Faizah. So do you." (♥)]] [[You smile. "Thanks, Faizah. So do you."]] [[You nod. "Thanks, Faizah. You too."]]

You find Madeline in the center of the crowd. Her black dress is made of a pretty lace material, and she has a shawl pulled tightly around her shoulders. Her hair is pushed out of her face using a few silver bobby pins. You drop into the seat next to her. "Hey, $name. You look really nice today," she says. [[You feel your face heat. "Thanks, Madeline. So do you." (♥)]] [[You smile. "Thanks, Madeline. So do you."]] [[You nod. "Thanks, Madeline. You too."]]

You find a seat next to Nick, towards the front of the crowd. He's wearing a simple black button down shirt and black slacks, but you see a pair of bright green socks peeking out from under the bottoms of his pants. His hair, normally spiked up with a bit of product, falls over his forehead. He glances up at you, and smiles. "Hey, $name. You look nice," he says. [[You feel your face heat. "Thanks, Nick. So do you." (♥)]] [[You smile. "Thanks, Nick. So do you."]] [[You nod. "Thanks, Nick. You too."]]

You slide into the empty seat next to Lucas. He's wearing a dark suit with a crisp white shirt, and he's forgone his glasses today. His dark hair is swept off his forehead, and his eyes brighten when he notices you. "You look wonderful, $name," Lucas says. [[You feel your face heat. "Thanks, Lucas. So do you." (♥)]] [[You smile. "Thanks, Lucas. You too."]] [[You nod. "Thanks, Lucas. You too."]]

<<set $wintrigue to $wintrigue +1>><<set $flirt to $flirt +1>>Walsh pauses, and you can practically see the gears turning in his head. Scientifically engineering the perfect response to your overtly flirtatious comment. "Thank you, $prefix $lastname," he says. "Glad to see you're not covered in monster guts like usual." It's barely a compliment, but you'll take it. "Thanks, Mayor," you say, flashing him a rakish grin. "I appreciate it." Walsh opens his mouth as if he's about to say something else, but instead turns on his heel and makes a beeline for the steps. You frown. That was strange. //Oh well,// you think. You already knew the mayor is an odd man. Your eyes scan the crowd once more. It looks like your friends have finally arrived. Who do you sit next to? [[Faizah.]] [[Madeline.]] [[Nick.]] [[Lucas.]]

<<set $hairlength to "a headscarf">><<set $haircolor to "">><<set $texture to "">>You wear $hairlength, right? [[That's right.]] [[On second thought... ->Yeah!]]

<<set $flucas to $flucas +1>>Lucas returns your smile, then shifts his attention back to the podium. You follow his gaze, and hear the distinct sound of someone tapping on a mic. Walsh is standing at the podium, shuffling with a stack of note cards. "Good afternoon," Walsh begins after a few moments. "One week ago, we were met with a terrible tragedy. Eight brave miners, eight brave members of this town, were taken away from us far too soon. We're gathered here today to celebrate and remember, and ensure that they are never forgotten." You glance over at Lucas. He looks troubled; his gaze downcast and lips pulled down in a frown. Your eyes drift down to his hands, dangling loosly at his sides. [[Take his hand. (♥)]] [[Keep your hands to yourself.]]

You turn your attention back to the podium, and the distinct sound of someone tapping on a microphone reaches your ears. Walsh is standing at the podium, shuffling with a stack of note cards. "Good afternoon," Walsh begins after a few moments. "One week ago, we were met with a terrible tragedy. Eight brave miners, eight brave members of this town, were taken away from us far too soon. We're gathered here today to celebrate and remember, and ensure that they are never forgotten." You glance over at Lucas. He looks troubled; his gaze downcast and lips pulled down in a frown. Your eyes drift down to his hands, dangling loosly at his sides. [[Take his hand. (♥)]] [[Keep your hands to yourself.]]

<<set $rlucas to $rlucas +1>>Tentatively, you reach a hand out and straighten his bowtie. Lucas goes pink, and he glances down at your fingers. "I like this tie. It suits you," you say, and pat his chest. Impossibly, Lucas flushes an even more vibrant shade of red. "My mother got it for me for Hanukkah," he mumbles, not meeting your eyes. You smile. You find his flustered state charming. "Then she has good taste," you say. The noise of someone tapping on a mic draws you both back to reality. Walsh is standing at the podium, shuffling with a stack of note cards. "Good afternoon," Walsh begins after a few moments. "One week ago, we were met with a terrible tragedy. Eight brave miners, eight brave members of this town, were taken away from us far too soon. We're gathered here today to celebrate and remember, and ensure that they are never forgotten." You glance over at Lucas. He looks troubled; his gaze downcast and lips pulled down in a frown. Your eyes drift down to his hands, dangling loosly at his sides. [[Take his hand. (♥)]] [[Keep your hands to yourself.]]

Faizah frowns. "Who?" You laugh, despite the situation. "Right. I forgot you don't drink coffee. Jackson's a barista at the café in town. Makes a mean latte." You bite your lip as you mentally work through your theory. "He used to make my drink every day. Haven't seem him in awhile, though..." You trail off, and let the implication hang in the air like a dark storm cloud. "I didn't know he was reported as missing." Faizah's mouth falls open. "You think that thing in the forest was him?" You shrug helplessly. "Maybe? I'm grasping at straws here, Faizah. I just want answers." Faizah scratches at her temple. "This really isn't my forte, $name. What else can I do?" "Just keep listening to me and don't think I'm crazy?" you suggest. Your lead may be far-fetched, but it's still a lead. That's better than nothing. The corner of Faizah's mouth twitches up in a smile. "That I can do." You sit back in your chair and fold your hands in your lap. "Thanks, Faizah. You're amazing as always." Faizah grins. "Tell me something I don't know," she says. <<if $rfaizah gte 1>>She glances down at the table, drumming her fingers on the wooden surface. "Listen, $name. Sorry if I'm being too bold, but-" <<else>>She nods, and flips open another book. "I'll take another look at Jackson's file. Is there anything else-"<<endif>><div style='font-size: 150%;'>\ [[BOOM.]] </div>

<<set $rlucas to $rlucas +1>>You lace your fingers with Lucas', and he shoots you a grateful glance. You direct your attention back to Walsh, who has moved down to the row of coffins. He closes his eyes and places a hand on each, one by one. "May God rest their souls," he says. "Their names will ring through the streets of this town as long as it stands." He steps back, and the silence that follows is the loudest thing you've ever heard. Even louder than the explosion that put you here in the first place. [[To be continued.]]

You direct your attention back to Walsh, who has moved down to the row of coffins. He closes his eyes and places a hand on each, one by one. "May God rest their souls," he says. "Their names will ring through the streets of this town as long as it stands." He steps back, and the silence that follows is the loudest thing you've ever heard. Even louder than the explosion that put you here in the first place. [[To be continued.]]

<<set $special to "stubble">>You have $special, right? [[I do.]] [[On second thought... ->That's correct!]]

<<set$rnick to $rnick +1>>You read out a hand. "Hold on, your collar is crooked." You take his collar between your fingers. The fabric is soft, and you can faintly smell Nick's detergent. You straighten it out, then move your hand down and pat his chest. Nick glances down at your fingers, then back at you. "Thanks," he says, his voice barely a whisper. "You're welcome," you whisper back, your hand still flat on Nick's chest. The noise of someone tapping on a mic draws you both back to reality. Walsh is standing at the podium, shuffling with a stack of note cards. "Good afternoon," Walsh begins after a few moments. "One week ago, we were met with a terrible tragedy. Eight brave miners, eight brave members of this town, were taken away from us far too soon. We're gathered here today to celebrate and remember, and ensure that they are never forgotten." You glance over at Nick. His jaw is set in a hard line, and his brow is furrowed. You glance down, and notice his hands are balled into tight fists at his side. [[Take his hand. (♥)->You take Nick's hand. (♥)]] [[Keep your hands to yourself.->You don't take Nick's hand.]]

<<set $fnick to $fnick +1>>Nick returns your smile, then shifts his attention back to the podium. You follow his gaze, and hear the distinct sound of someone tapping on a mic. Walsh is standing at the podium, shuffling with a stack of note cards. "Good afternoon," Walsh begins after a few moments. "One week ago, we were met with a terrible tragedy. Eight brave miners, eight brave members of this town, were taken away from us far too soon. We're gathered here today to celebrate and remember, and ensure that they are never forgotten." You glance over at Nick. His jaw is set in a hard line, and his brow is furrowed. You glance down, and notice his hands are balled into tight fists at his side. [[Take his hand. (♥)->You take Nick's hand. (♥)]] [[Keep your hands to yourself.->You don't take Nick's hand.]]

The noise of someone tapping on a mic draws you both back to reality. Walsh is standing at the podium, shuffling with a stack of note cards. "Good afternoon," Walsh begins after a few moments. "One week ago, we were met with a terrible tragedy. Eight brave miners, eight brave members of this town, were taken away from us far too soon. We're gathered here today to celebrate and remember, and ensure that they are never forgotten." You glance over at Nick. His jaw is set in a hard line, and his brow is furrowed. You glance down, and notice his hands are balled into tight fists at his side. [[Take his hand. (♥)->You take Nick's hand. (♥)]] [[Keep your hands to yourself.->You don't take Nick's hand.]]

<<set $rnick to $rnick +1>>You tangle you fingers with Nick's. He gives you a grateful smile and squeezes your hand. You direct your attention back to Walsh, who has moved down to the row of coffins. He closes his eyes and places a hand on each, one by one. "May God rest their souls," he says. "Their names will ring through the streets of this town as long as it stands." He steps back, and the silence that follows is the loudest thing you've ever heard. Even louder than the explosion that put you here in the first place. [[To be continued.]]

A few strands of her hair have come loose from theit bobby pin. Feeling a rush of courage, you reach out and tuck the hair behind her ear. Madeline seems surprised at the gesture, her eyes fixed on her fingers and a light blush painting her cheeks. "There you go," you say softly. "That's better." Madeline opens her mouth, then closes it again. She seems to be at a loss for words. The noise of someone tapping on a mic draws you both back to reality. Walsh is standing at the podium, shuffling with a stack of note cards. "Good afternoon," Walsh begins after a few moments. "One week ago, we were met with a terrible tragedy. Eight brave miners, eight brave members of this town, were taken away from us far too soon. We're gathered here today to celebrate and remember, and ensure that they are never forgotten." You glance over at Madeline. Her face remains impassive, but you catch the glitter of tears forming in her eyes. Her hands are folded in her lap, and you notice she's picking at one of her nails. [[Take her hand. (♥)->You take Madeline's hand. (♥)]] [[Keep your hands to yourself.->You don't take Madeline's hand.]]

<<set $fmadeline to $fmadeline +1>>Madeline returns your smile, then shifts her attention back to the podium. You follow her gaze, and hear the distinct sound of someone tapping on a mic. Walsh is standing at the podium, shuffling with a stack of note cards. "Good afternoon," Walsh begins after a few moments. "One week ago, we were met with a terrible tragedy. Eight brave miners, eight brave members of this town, were taken away from us far too soon. We're gathered here today to celebrate and remember, and ensure that they are never forgotten." You glance over at Madeline. Her face remains impassive, but you catch the glitter of tears forming in her eyes. Her hands are folded in her lap, and you notice she's picking at one of her nails. [[Take her hand. (♥)->You take Madeline's hand. (♥)]] [[Keep your hands to yourself.->You don't take Madeline's hand.]]

The noise of someone tapping on a mic draws you both back to reality. Walsh is standing at the podium, shuffling with a stack of note cards. "Good afternoon," Walsh begins after a few moments. "One week ago, we were met with a terrible tragedy. Eight brave miners, eight brave members of this town, were taken away from us far too soon. We're gathered here today to celebrate and remember, and ensure that they are never forgotten." You glance over at Madeline. Her face remains impassive, but you catch the glitter of tears forming in her eyes. Her hands are folded in her lap, and you notice she's picking at one of her nails. [[Take her hand. (♥)->You take Madeline's hand. (♥)]] [[Keep your hands to yourself.->You don't take Madeline's hand.]]

You notice some of her necklaces are tangled together. You reach out and take the necklaces between your fingers, undoing the knots and letting the jewelry fall back against her chest. Faizah glances down at the necklaces, then back at you. She raises an eyebrow, a slight smile ghosting over her lips. "They were messed up," you say dumbly, and Faizah's smile grows. The noise of someone tapping on a mic draws you both back to reality. Walsh is standing at the podium, shuffling with a stack of note cards. "Good afternoon," Walsh begins after a few moments. "One week ago, we were met with a terrible tragedy. Eight brave miners, eight brave members of this town, were taken away from us far too soon. We're gathered here today to celebrate and remember, and ensure that they are never forgotten." You glance over at Faizah. As she listens to Walsh's speech, her fingers start to twist at one of the ring's she's wearing. It's a nervous tic you picked up on months ago. [[Take her hand. (♥)->You take Faizah's hand. (♥)]] [[Keep your hands to yourself.->You don't take Faizah's hand.]]

<<set $ffaizah to $ffaizah +1>>Faizah returns your smile, then shifts her attention back to the podium. You follow her gaze, and hear the distinct sound of someone tapping on a mic. Walsh is standing at the podium, shuffling with a stack of note cards. "Good afternoon," Walsh begins after a few moments. "One week ago, we were met with a terrible tragedy. Eight brave miners, eight brave members of this town, were taken away from us far too soon. We're gathered here today to celebrate and remember, and ensure that they are never forgotten." You glance over at Faizah. As she listens to Walsh's speech, her fingers start to twist at one of the ring's she's wearing. It's a nervous tic you picked up on months ago. [[Take her hand. (♥)->You take Faizah's hand. (♥)]] [[Keep your hands to yourself.->You don't take Faizah's hand.]]

The noise of someone tapping on a mic draws you both back to reality. Walsh is standing at the podium, shuffling with a stack of note cards. "Good afternoon," Walsh begins after a few moments. "One week ago, we were met with a terrible tragedy. Eight brave miners, eight brave members of this town, were taken away from us far too soon. We're gathered here today to celebrate and remember, and ensure that they are never forgotten." You glance over at Faizah. As she listens to Walsh's speech, her fingers start to twist at one of the ring's she's wearing. It's a nervous tic you picked up on months ago. [[Take her hand. (♥)->You take Faizah's hand. (♥)]] [[Keep your hands to yourself.->You don't take Faizah's hand.]]

<<set $rmadeline to $rmadeline +1>>You slip your hand into hers. Madeline keeps her gaze trained ahead of her, but you see the corners of her mouth tug up in a smile. You direct your attention back to Walsh, who has moved down to the row of coffins. He closes his eyes and places a hand on each, one by one. "May God rest their souls," he says. "Their names will ring through the streets of this town as long as it stands." He steps back, and the silence that follows is the loudest thing you've ever heard. Even louder than the explosion that put you here in the first place. [[To be continued.]]

<<set $rfaizah to $rfaizah +1>>You lace your fingers with Faizah's. She pulls your joined hands into her lap and runs her free fingers over your knuckles. You find the gesture extremely comforting. You direct your attention back to Walsh, who has moved down to the row of coffins. He closes his eyes and places a hand on each, one by one. "May God rest their souls," he says. "Their names will ring through the streets of this town as long as it stands." He steps back, and the silence that follows is the loudest thing you've ever heard. Even louder than the explosion that put you here in the first place. [[To be continued.]]

All you see is a jumble of oblong shapes, but something is clearly off given Lucas' reaction. "Uhh... what am I looking at here?" you ask. "You see those long, thin shapes in the center?" Lucas asks. You look through the microscope again, and notice the shape Lucas indicated. "That's the mitochondria," Lucas says. "Oh, the powerhouse of the cell!" you say, recalling your high school biology class. "What about it?" Lucas scrunches his face up, as if trying to think of a way to explain it that you'll understand. "They're too normal," he says eventually. You frown. "Too normal? You mean, like, too human?" Lucas nods, and you feel your stomach drop. "That thing was human. Or it //was// at one point. No wonder it looked familiar," you mutter to yourself. Lucas' eyebrows shoot up. "$name, where's this coming from?" You finally explain to Lucas the details of last night. To your surprise, the more details you give the more fascinated Lucas looks. He doesn't seem freaked out at all. "That's fascinating," he breathes out. "$name, do you have any other samples I could look at?" You frown. "Yeah, I have some residue, but how is that gonna help?" Lucas grins and claps his hands together, looking far more excited than you've ever seen him. "That's perfect. Do you have it with you?" You nod, and retrieve the plastic bag full of dust from your jacket pocket. "Here," you say, handing it to him. You have no idea what he's going to do, but you can't wait to find out. "This might take awhile to set up," Lucas admits. "You can come back later, though, and I can show you what I find?" "That would be great, Lucas." You shoot him an appreciative look. "Thank you for your help, as always." <<if $rlucas gte 1>>Lucas adjusts his glasses, and his cheeks turn a light pink. "$name, I know we haven't known each other too long, but-" <<else>>Lucas nods, then looks into the microscope again. "This has got to be the strangest thing I've ever seen. I'll let some of my colleagues know-"<<endif>><div style='font-size: 150%;'>\ [[BOOM.]] </div>

Madeline cocks her head to the side. "Why? Do you think you missed something?" You nod. "Definitely. I thought I recognized the ghoul, and freaked out. Rushed out at soon as it was dead. We should go look for evidence, right? There has to be something." Madeline shrugs. She seems unperturbed at you mentioning you thought you recognized the ghoul- the two of you have encountered far weirder things on the job. "Maybe. It's worth a look. We can add it to patrol tonight." You sag with relief. You could always count on Madeline to have your back. "Thanks for believing me, Madeline. It means a lot." Madeline punches you on the shoulder. "Of course I believe you! We're partners. What kind fellow monster hunter would I be if I didn't?" You pull her into a one-armed hug. "Oh, shut up. You know you're my favorite fellow monster hunter." "I'm your only fellow monster hunter," Madeline counters, and you laugh. You've had this exchange dozens of times with Madeline. At this point, it's an inside joke. <<if $rmadeline gte 1>>Madeline tugs at a strand of hair that's come loose from her bun. "We're friends, right $name?" You frown. "Of course we are," you reply. "What's brought this on?" Madeline laughs nervously. "I dunno. I guess what I'm saying is-" <<else>>Madeline cracks her knuckles. "We'll get to the bottom of this, $name. If anyone can handle it, it's-"<<endif>><div style='font-size: 150%;'>\ [[BOOM.]] </div>

You've reached the end of the demo! Thanks for playing! Questions? Theories? Bug reports? Anything else? You can contact me over at underbelly-if.tumblr.com. See you in the next update! Much love, Lara

<<set $skintone to "dark brown">>You have $skintone skin, right? [[Sure do.]] [[On second thought... ->That's right.]]

<<set $eyecolor to "brown">>You have $eyecolor eyes, right? [[Correct.]] [[On second thought... ->Sure do.]]

<<set $eyecolor to "black">>You have $eyecolor eyes, right? [[Correct.]] [[On second thought... ->Sure do.]]