HAPPY MEAL- You Take A Bite Of Your Burger, But Something Is Wrong. The Horrible Tang Of Vinegar Taints

HAPPY MEAL- You take a bite of your burger, but something is wrong. The horrible tang of vinegar taints every micrometer of the patty.

COMPOSURE [Easy: Success]- You manage to fight down the urge to spit the half-chewed sludge into your napkin, and instead force yourself to swallow like a normal human being. As calmly as possible, you lift the bun off the burger to peer beneath.

HAPPY MEAL- As you suspected. Pickles.

AUTHORITY- You should demand a refund. Or a new burger. Or BOTH. You TOLD them you didn't like the nasty things.

YOU- Yes. Get up. Go give the cashier a piece of your mind.

AUTHORITY [Trivial: Failure]- Oh, God, the cashier. You can't do it. The moment you look toward the counter, your legs lock up and your mouth goes dry. The thought of actually confronting your fellow hard-working proletariat with some kind of mistake—let ALONE demanding MONEY from them like some kind of penny-pinching CAPITALIST—makes you feel sicker than that pickle did.

[MORALE -1]

KIM KITSURAGI- "Something the matter, Detective?" The Lieutenant has been following your eyes, from the dissected burger to the cashier.

YOU- "No. It's fine."

COMPOSURE [Trivial: Failure]- Your voice cracks slightly as you answer.

KIM KITSURAGI- The Lieutenant sighs and stands up.

EMPATHY [Heroic: Success]- He's not mad at you. It's a sigh of pity.

VOLITION [Godly: Failure]- Oh, GOD, that's worse, somehow. You feel a stabbing pain in your chest as you curl forward over the table.

[MORALE -1]

KIM KITSURAGI- At the counter, the Lieutenant clears his throat to get the cashier's attention, then gestures back to you. "Excuse me. He asked for no pickles."

[MORALE CRITICAL]