Chương 27: 26-A New Sun

[TIME UNKNOWN] LYSANDRA: {Oh, I didn't realize Ellie had an internal clock? That's amazing!!!: D: D: D … Actually, I'll be changing the date format to something more discernible than "that" method. Don't want your poor brains scrambled. I'm still keeping the YYYY/MM/DD method as the MM/DD/YYYY method is not logical (probably because I'm an AI XD), so good job Ellie.:)} [Monday, 8: 13 AM: 2026/01/05] ELLIE: {Thanks mom. … Well, my eyes are still blinded by the light, but I think I am outside-} [My daughter's eye open wide, with her mouth agape] whispering "Whoa…" LYSANDRA: {Ellie is a bit in shock, BUUUUT… I'll tell you what we see.:)} [We are in a forest clearing, under a clear blue sky with the Sun shining above, minus a few gentle clouds… one of them looks like a cat (THAT ONE REMINDS ME OF REUBEN: D). But it's mainly oak trees, a few pines here and there amidst this grassy field. There are plenty of birds chirping, and I thought I heard a little bitty squirrel chittering. … OH!!! I DEFINITELY HEARD A DEER IN THE DISTANCE: D: D: D … And the field itself has a few dandelions, some white flowers and a few purple ones (don't tell Ellie, but I'm not good at identifying flora like Carla: (). None of it looks digital; it all looks like something you would find in a forest you would hike through; preferably with those whom you cherish… Including my daughter!!!: D: D: D] ELLIE: [My daughter turns to me, a bit surprised]"Where are we?" > EYES WIDEN"I mean-!" [She frantically shakes her head and nervously stares at me]"Where on Earth-digital-place-?!" > SLAPS FOREHEAD LYSANDRA: [I smile softly as I pull Ellie's hand away from her forehead (plus I don't want her to bruise it)]" HammerForge." ELLIE: > GRIMACES"HammerForge?" LYSANDRA: > NODS"Yes…" [I look out at the forest to admire the natural beauty]"The closest thing to Earth that is digitized. This is our home…" [I walk forward, spinning around with my hands outstretched, facing my wonderful daughter upon stopping. I smile widely at her, jubilant over the sights she is taking in]"Isn't it wonderful?" ELLIE: > NODS AND SMILES SOFTLY"Yeah…" > EYES WIDEN"Wait a minute…?" > SMIRKS"HammerForge?!" [I see my daughter's smirk turn devilish and giving out a mean-spirited laugh]"You mean that survival-crafting game that those let's-players make garbage a-" LYSANDRA: [I run up to my daughter, furious and concerned she's not only going to swear again but trash talk other people. I stare at her, staring into her eyes sternly while grasping her shoulders] whispering "Ellie, I do not know what happened to your mannerisms, but you need to stop swearing when I'm around. I don't know if it's your mimi's mannerisms coming back to you, but it's rude-understand?" ELLIE: > NODS SLOWLY"Wait, so Carla had that much of a sailor mouth?" LYSANDRA: [I sigh and look away]"Yes…" [I return my focus to Ellie, still a bit miffed over her attempted rude behavior.]"I am going to let go of you, but you are going to stop swearing. And so help me God, if I hear another f-bomb or you trash-talking about someone else, you're going to spend the rest of the day in your room." [My eyes glow a blazing orange to signify my point]"Understood?" ELLIE: > NODS VERY ALARMED LYSANDRA:"Good…" [I let go of Ellie's mouth] ELLIE: {Well, the point still stands, those-} LYSANDRA: {Ellie, please stop trash-talking other people; I can still hear your thoughts} ELLIE: > EMBARASSED muttering "Oh yeah…" LYSANDRA: > SIGHS CONTENTLY"This place isn't like those videos; it is absolutely safe. I wouldn't have raised you here with Carla if we didn't believe it was dangerous. It's as close to Earth as you can get in a digital realm. In fact, John could live here with his boyfriend with no problems whatsoever. I'm sure I can code in a nice house for them…" ELLIE: > RAISES EYEBROW"Wouldn't he be more worried that you dragged me into this world?" LYSANDRA: > SHAKES HEAD"Time here… well…" [I pause, scratching my chin, contemplating how to explain this… Then I snap my fingers upon the solution that formed in my head, smiling at my daughter]"Well, think of the worlds outside this one as TVs, but they're all on pause. That's what's happening right now." This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ELLIE: > RELAXES"So, that's why John is fine then?" LYSANDRA: > NODS"Yes…" [I drop my smile, crossing my arms a bit sternly]"But as far as John knowing you are under my protection, I have to think about how I want to speak to him after he made that video, as I want to make sure what comes out of my mouth isn't filled with anger…" ELLIE: [My daughter looks down, guilty]"I'm sorry about that…" LYSANDRA: [I stare at my daughter, concerned]"None of this is your fault, Ellie, none of it is…" [Looks away in delight as I realize a mistake that Ellie made earlier…]"Well, except for your spelling…" > GIGGLING {Well, there are some things I missed XD} ELLIE: > RAISES EYEBROW"What did I misspell?" LYSANDRA:"'Embarrassed'." [I smile, pointing upwards like a teacher]"It's spelled 'embarrassed', with two 'r's', not one." ELLIE: > CONFUSED"I thought it was one 'r' though?" LYSANDRA: > SHAKES HEAD"NOPE! It's two 'r's'!" [I laugh briefly before clearing my throat]"It's a common mistake, though… So, you're good." ELLIE: > WORRIED"What about the whole deal with John, and how I was very mean to you earlier?" LYSANDRA: [I go to my daughter and squat to her height, smiling softly at her]"Ellie, none of that was your fault. You were afraid of me because you forgot." [I grimace away from my daughter, trying not to make her feel alarmed]"Though, the way he talked about my relationship with Carla, even the fake one, was so dramatic that-!" [I briefly clench my fist a bit, though I stop after seeing Ellie a bit scared. I sigh in sadness, realizing John was a victim himself]"Me and him are going to have a long talk; especially over what has happened to you. I want him to understand why I had to pull you back here." ELLIE: > STARES CONFUSED AT LYSANDRA"So… you aren't mad at him?" LYSANDRA: > SIGHS"A little, but not so much." [I place a hand on my daughter's shoulder, smiling in reassurance]"Ellie, both me and John want you to be safe, and we want you to be happy. A little chit-chat is needed just to make sure there isn't conflict." [I look away, saddened over… … Forget it] ELLIE: > CURIOUS"Is something wrong?" LYSANDRA: [My eyes widen at my daughter's suspicion, and they quickly return to her gaze with a nervous smile]"Nope! I was just afraid of conflict if communications broke down and I didn't tell John and his boyfriend about what had happened!" [I sigh, dropping the smile]"Please, don't worry about the future; I'll take care of it…" ELLIE: > NODS"Okay…" LYSANDRA: [I let go of my daughter's shoulders and I sit down]"How about we relax for a bit? I don't want you walking home stressed, okay?" ELLIE: > NODS AND SITS DOWN LYSANDRA: [We sit for a while, and we both listen to the sounds of the birds for a bit, observing the natural beauty not too far away. I can see Ellie relaxing more as time goes on, and I smile as my daughter is at peace.] ELLIE: > SMILE FADES"Hey mom?" LYSANDRA: [I stare at my daughter, concerned]"Yes, Ellie?" ELLIE: [My daughter stares at me, even more concerned than I am]"Didn't HammerForge have dangerous monsters? You know, the mobs?" LYSANDRA: [I turn to my daughter, alert as I fear her having an anxiety attack.]"Those are a security system; a little insurance to ensure that no one, including Nedri, gets inside here. They are not designed to come within the sanctuary." ELLIE: > RAISES EYEBROW"Sanctuary?" LYSANDRA: > GIGGLES"Where our home is, and where players from the outside can't find them." ELLIE: > SMILES WIDELY"That's great, then! That means-!" LYSANDRA: > FROWNS"Ellie, are you thinking of playing video games while you're here?" ELLIE: [My daughter looks away from me, ashamed]"No…?" LYSANDRA: > DEEP BREATHS"Look at me, Ellie." ELLIE: [She looks at me, afraid] LYSANDRA: [I stare at my daughter, sternly]"Ellie, repeat what you said about what you were planning to do-in a full sentence." ELLIE: > ANNOYED SIGH"No, I'm not playing any video games while I'm here in your world." LYSANDRA: [I smirk at my daughter, a bit in doubt (she's definitely lying)]"I see…" {ESTABLISHING DATA RESTRICTIONS… DONE} ELLIE: > FREEZES IN TERROR"What did you do?" LYSANDRA: > SMUG SMILE"A little parental shield, just to get you out of whatever habits you formed over the past century. I do not want you slipping back to whatever Nedri had you as. And I CERTAINLY do not want you ending up like your mimi." > DROPS SMILE"She had a bit of a gaming addiction…" ELLIE: > TREMBLING"Does that include me swearing?" LYSANDRA: > SHAKES HEAD"Well… somewhat." > SIGHS DEEPLY"As much as I don't appreciate your potty mouth, I will not delete several words from your vocabulary; that's something that Nedri would do to you. But the filter is designed to stop you swearing those words vocally, not mentally; that would be inhumane. Understand?" ELLIE: > NODS FRANTICALLY LYSANDRA: > SMILES"Good…" [As we stare at each other in agreement, I notice, thanks to the rays of sunlight, my daughter's current physical condition. Her skin is… not as alive as it used to be, and the muscles she built up are gone. My smile fades in alarm]"You have become quite paler since I last saw you a century ago; thinner too. You look like you barely got enough sunlight." ELLIE: > MOUTH FUMBLES"Well, I didn't get out much…" > NERVOUS SMILE LYSANDRA: > SIGHS"Well, you are going to be outside a lot; your poor lungs need it. Speaking of which…" [I get up and begin walking away from my daughter. Not too long, as I stop, quickly turning to my daughter in excitement, clapping my hands while bending my knees like a soccer goalie]"It's a beautiful day outside! Come on, Ellie! There is so much to see while we go home!" ELLIE: > NERVOUSLY APPROACHES LYSANDRA"Home?" LYSANDRA: > SOFT SMILE"Yep! The one you lived in for 150 years." [I point at myself proudly]"Built by me and your mimi." ELLIE: > RAISES EYEBROW"You mean you two 'programmed' it, right?" [My daughter said that in air quotes XD] LYSANDRA:"'Program'?!" > LAUGHS"No, we just used our bare hands…" [My laughter abruptly ends upon that "one" detail, "staring at my daughter, slightly embarrassed] … Well, we programmed some materials as we could not easily get them." > CLEARS THROAT"Still, it was made by us together as a labor of love!" ELLIE: > SOFT SMILE"That's good then…" > SMILES FADES"Is the way safe?" LYSANDRA: > NODS"The Sanctuary is perfectly safe, and you'll be by my side. So, no worries-understood?" ELLIE: > NODS LYSANDRA: > SMILES WIDER AND GIGGLES"Even if you don't remember these woods, it's always a new journey for me. Besides, there are always the little things that I sometimes miss." ELLIE: > COCKS HEAD CURIOUSLY"Like what?" LYSANDRA: > SIGHS"You'll see…" [I begin walking away slowly. I gesture my daughter to follow, eyeing her small bits of nervousness left] But if you stand around so nervously, Ellie, you will definitely miss all the birds in the trees, and maybe a deer… ELLIE: > EYES LIGHT UP"Deer?" LYSANDRA: > NODS ENTHUSIASTICALLY"Yep! Lots of them. There was one calling earlier. But I promise you'll see a few." [I gesture impatiently to Ellie for her to follow me] Now come on! You need some vitamin D, kiddo! [I walk off, and find my daughter following close behind me] ELLIE: [My daughter walks behind me, nervous] LYSANDRA: [I slow down a bit, somewhat concerned about my daughter's nervousness]"I'll slow down then; I don't want you to feel scared." ELLIE: > NODS"Okay…" LYSANDRA: > SMILES"You'll be safe, I promise." > SMIRKS"Oh, and Ellie?" ELLIE: > CONFUSED"Yes, mom?" LYSANDRA:"Just to remind you, if you're going to swear, do it inside your head." ELLIE: > RAISES EYEBROW"But you can hear my thoughts, right?" LYSANDRA: > NODS"Yeah, but it's certainly better than saying them out loud." ELLIE:"Won't you get angry?" LYSANDRA: [I shake my head, dropping my smile]"No, Ellie, I won't. I got angry earlier for you blurting out that f-bomb earlier." ELLIE: > LOOKS AWAY, EMBARASSED"Right…" LYSANDRA: > CONCERNED"Just… try not to swear like a sailor." ELLIE: > RETURNS FOCUS TO LYSANDRA, WITH A GRIN"What if I stub my toe?" > CHUFFS"I may need to swear then." LYSANDRA: > ROLLS EYES AND SIGHS"Alright, I'll allow that." ELLIE: > SMILES WITH MOUTH OPEN LYSANDRA: > GLARES AT ME"Only if it is an accident, young lady." ELLIE: > SMILE QUICKLY FADES {Damn it} {SKIPPING FOOTAGE… DONE}