Heated subjects

As you step down in front of Poison’s Mall of Occupation, you grimace at the sunlight reflected from its garish off-white paint job. On the walk from your bus stop to the entrance, you plan your next steps. A direct approach would be the least physically draining, but the route from this entrance to Poison’s mall-goth emporium would pass by Eternal 24 while Hannah is on the clock. Obviously you don’t Want to talk about what happened last night, but that conversation needs to happen sooner or later…

You'd prefer later.

Winding around to the opposite side entrance, you pull up your settings in the KDK. The best way to play this will be to act as if you are absolutely certain the KDK is a real magic app that Poison doesn’t know you have. To perform that headspace, you’ll have to try registering them as subtly as possible. You turn the shock intensity up to 2 so you won’t have to worry about missing your benchmark. Then you chip a nail in preparation for a devious wardrobe snag. The important prep completed, you spend the rest of the circuitous path fiddling with the “corrupted data,” more to stim than out of necessity.

Finally after 10 unnecessary minutes of outdoor walking, you make it to the food court entrance. At first you are just relieved to not be out in the hot California Fall in your hoodie anymore. Unfortunately your relief is short-lived, as you learn that apparently your sister has enough hours today to get a lunch break, which she is on, Right Now. Cursing whatever “universal intent” your mom might ascribe to this situation, and emboldened by half-believed magic powers, you decide to bite the bullet.

“Hey Sis, long time no see? Or has it been shorter for you?” Indignation coats your voice a lot deeper than you were expecting.

“Wh-what are you talking about!” Hannah jumps in her seat, knocking over her vacuum sealed boba cup before quickly picking it up to prevent a spill.

Her immediate fear is all the proof you need. You slide behind her like a snake who has caught its mouse and just needs to squeeze. You caress Hannah’s cheek while leaning down to her ear to whisper some of the more memorable moans you made last night.

“V, why are you doing this?” Hannah whimpers out in a guilty tone that communicates she knows exactly why.

“I just thought you might want a clearer rendition, or did you think I wouldn’t notice? This is the boldest you’ve ever been.”

Hannah shudders under the accusation, “I was just going to the ba-”

“Shhh, it's either okay or it's not, either way you owe me a ride home.” You move your hand to the small of her neck, getting into the thrill of minor black​mail. Putting as much mockery into your voice as possible, you demand, “Meet me here after your shift, and bring a more interesting excuse than ‘I was just using the bathroom for the 500th time in one day.’ Alright Sis?”

All you get is a whimper and a nod. Seeing how dejected you’ve made your sister breaks the emotional spell that overtook you. The spite-born adrenaline drains from your system. You detach from Hannah as quickly as you can and race toward your conversation with Poison, not daring to even so much as glance at your phone in the meantime. You’ve already decided any potential ill-gotten levels you’ve gained from that encounter are a problem for later.

Almost there, you take a left at the fish themed arcade, then a right at the weird mime show, finally you’ve arrived. You take in the entrance to Poison’s store “Heated Subject.” Apparently a new season of “Celebrifurry” has just been released, and based on the front-of-store display, someone has been having fun coming up with heat and primal kink puns. It’s enough to make you hate word play.