After arriving to Miranda’s dorm, the two were immediately dragged into the room by enlarged, animated roots. The miniature Christmas tree Miranda purchased had become a sentient beast sprouting layers upon layers of ever-expanding wood from it’s undersized pot. The tree topper that sat atop the plant had distorted and developed humanoid-like characteristics, spewing more of it’s neon pink life essence the throughout the room. The various ornaments and accessories that decorated the tree also animated and showcased more of their nastier tendencies the more they became coated in the pink liquid.

Anya used Zayshawn’s phone to send an SOS tweet to all Morning Glory students. Anya had realized that the creature Zayshawn unknowingly gave Miranda was a Cardicore, a mimic-style parasite that utilizes the visual appeal of its dormant state to deceive living organisms into donning them.

Anya called out to the other two that the best way to disable the parasite was to knock it off of the host. Without a good reach, Zayshawn began grabbing anything he could to throw at the core of the creature. With a spare frisbee prepped, Zayshawn readied an attack but was halted by the roots surrounding his left forearm twisting and snapping the bone. This affected his aim and Zayshawn instead hit Miranda in the nose. Luckily for the group, Miranda is an avid frisbee player and was able to quickly recovery and land a direct his on the core, knocking it loose and stopping the animated tree in its tracks.

Those awake at Morning Glory rushed to the dorm to see an exhausted trio in pain; Zayshawn with a broken forearm, Anya with a cracked rib, and Miranda bleeding profusely from her nose. The three were rushed to the Poppy Valley Hospital for emergency care.