Chương 41: 39-Delicious Soup

[Monday, 5: 32 PM: 2026/01/05] [LYSANDRA'S REALITY] {ESTABLISHING REMOTE CONNECTION… DONE} {REMOTE CONNECTION ESTABLISHED} LYSANDRA: {Hi everyone, did you enjoy that TRASH HEAP of a story? Sorry, that's what my student calls it! XD XD XD She uh… hates it for a lot of reasons. … Uh, me and Carla did a lot of talking and uh… … Never mind. I need to get some food for Ellie and do that thing my wife told me to do. Just having to get through the day, that's all! … I'm teaching Reuben punctuations today as we wait for Ellie to wake up. We already made dinner, and it was something. It was fun; it really was.: D: D: D You know, being an AI and an eldrigital deity has its perks, such as getting multiple things done at once. XD XD XD … Ellie's going to wake up soon, so that means dinner, which is chicken soup (with extra garlic), chickpea pasta, focaccia bread, steamed broccoli, watermelon, and beet juice (because she hates cranberries apparently). And I made enough so that Reuben can have some as well} CARLA: {-Hey babe, are ya going to explain to the audience what's on the table? -} LYSANDRA: {-I'M NOT THAT WRITER WHO KEEPS DELAYING THEIR BOOK! >: (-} CARLA: {-Just kidding, lmao. Besides, I need you to make sure that Ellie isn't breaking down before I finish my diagnostic-} LYSANDRA: {-Yeah… -} CARLA: {-Hey hon? How about you tell the audience what you're wearing now, as you deleted that shrine maiden outfit because it was fugly-} LYSANDRA: {-OOOKKKKKKKAAAAYYYY!!!: D: D: D -} [I'm wearing my favorite draping yellow blouse with white flowers, blue cotton pants, and my open-toed white sandals showing my blue-painted toenails. It's also my FAAAAVORITE casual-wear around the house] CARLA: {-I thought you would wear your kitty pajamas? XD -} LYSANDRA: {-It's too early and you'll constantly make cat puns!!! XD -} CARLA: {-Liz, El is getting up; remember what I told you, hon-} LYSANDRA: {-YEP!!! -} [Back to one of the realities I am currently seeing: I'm teaching my son about punctuation marks, holding cards on my rocking chair as Reuben watches carefully from the couch. It has been slow as it is a little difficult for him, but he's such a fast learner: D]"… And what does Mister Semicolon do to make the sentence easier to read, Reuben?" REUBEN:"Make two different thoughts connect into one sentence, allowing a breath in between, mama." LYSANDRA: [I clap my hands ecstatically as I get up from my rocking chair while digitizing the cards]"Good work, Reuben! That's exactly how semicolons work!" [I pick up Reuben, lovingly hugging him as I spin him around]"You did it, sweetheart! You did it!" REUBEN: [My son and I laugh together as we celebrate his accomplishment. It is short-lived as Reuben's ears perk up as his eyes are drawn to the sound of Ellie walking through the hallway in her sleepwear. He is concerned as I told him a lot of things about her earlier]"Hi big sister." ELLIE:"Hi Reuben…" [My daughter stretches her arms, yawning loudly as she notices me]"Good morning, mom…" > YAWNS REUBEN: [My son turns to me, alarmed] whispering "Tell her it's evening." LYSANDRA: [I nod to my son frantically, placing him down gently on the floor as I turn to Ellie with a forced smile]"It's uh, actually 5: 35 PM, Ellie…" [I point to the clock, showing the current time] ELLIE: [My daughter's eyes widen with her mouth agape]"I've been asleep all day?!" LYSANDRA: [My son and I frantically nod at her]"Well, you needed to rest, Ellie…" [I kneel before Reuben and pet his head]"We were just finishing up punctuation mark lessons, and your little brother just mastered semicolons." ELLIE: > TIRED NOD"Cool…" [My daughter slowly walks into the living room, almost like a zombie]"So… what's for dinner…?" LYSANDRA:"It's-!" [My eyes widen as I realize she has not showered in my reality. I frantically go up to her and stop her, struggling to keep my smile]"Hey Ellie? I know you want to eat, but you should wash up first, okay?" ELLIE: [Her stomach grumbles as she stares at me, annoyed (and glitches)]"But I'm hungry as-" LYSANDRA: [I frantically point to Reuben, who has put on his earphones to listen to Wesley Kline's music, nervously gritting my teeth] ELLIE: [My daughter's eyes widen, and she clears her throat]"I'm hungrier than a horse." LYSANDRA: [I wipe my brow, sighing in relief, then I stare at Ellie with a soft smile]"Just take a quick one, enough until you smell decent. I have clothes that are exactly like yours in the bathroom. Just leave your dirty ones inside." [My eyes flash yellow for a brief moment before I smile softly at her]"Your dinner will be a surprise, and I promise, it will be good, okay?" ELLIE: [My daughter nods and reluctantly goes to the bathroom to wash up. I notice as she enters, she glitches again] LYSANDRA: {-Maybe it's emotions, Carla? -} CARLA: {-Probably, just keep an eye on her-} LYSANDRA: [My smile fades as fear grows in my mind. I turn away from the hallway, and I go to my son, who is sitting on the floor, enjoying Chronicles of the Shattered Heart's OST. His eyes are closed, paying no heed to me as I gently sit with him. I make a soft chirping noise, which he notices and takes off his headphones] REUBEN:"Yes, mama?" LYSANDRA: [I worriedly stare at Reuben, sighing deeply as I begin to speak]"I'm sorry we had to do lessons suddenly after all of that work for dinner, but I didn't want your big sister to have any negative feelings about what we did." REUBEN:"Which were the ingredients, right, mama?" LYSANDRA: > NODS"Yes, and that your sister is-" [I tremble over the words that have not yet left my mouth]"-Your sister is a lot like you, but she's also a lot more sensitive that you and doesn't really understand things like us." REUBEN: > COCKS HEAD"Which is her not understanding how people feel and metaphors? It feels weird. Shouldn't she understand by now?" LYSANDRA:"Yes, it's a lot worse in terms of how she was for 100 years…" [I gulp, nervous about what I have to tell him]"She experiences emotions a lot differently than us and processes them more reactively. It isn't her fault; she's different." REUBEN: > RAISES EYEBROW"And it makes her sick?" LYSANDRA: > SLOW NOD"Yes, and she's very sick right now, so try to be gentle in your words, okay?" REUBEN: > NODS LYSANDRA: [I smile at him and pet his head]"You are my angel, and I know you'll be very good around Ellie; we have all of those things planned tonight." REUBEN:"The card game? The board games?" LYSANDRA: > NODS"Yes, and I think Ellie will enjoy them as much as we do." > SMILES FADES"Now, before your big sister comes back to us, I don't want you asking where she has been, as it makes her illness worse, okay?" REUBEN: > NODS LYSANDRA: [I smile at my son, but it fades immediately as I hear the bathroom door open. My ears perk up as me and Reuben turn to Ellie, who is walking towards us as she analyzes her surroundings. Ellie is wearing clean copies of her sleepwear as she is mumbling to herself, trying to assess any differences between my reality and my wife's reality]"Was everything okay? The water, sometimes the hot water goes away at random." ELLIE: [My daughter freezes and turns to me with alert eyes and a forced smile]"Yeah, it was fine." > GLITCHES BRIEFLY LYSARNDRA: [I turn to Reuben, concerned at what I just saw] whispering "Go and make sure the table is ready, okay?" REUBEN: [My son nods, getting up and darting to the kitchen] LYSANDRA: [I stand up and cautiously walk to Ellie, trying to act like I'm happy as I feel her temperature with the back of my hand]"Your temperature isn't too high…" [I sigh in relief, though I stare at my daughter, nervous]"Ellie, how do you feel? If you still feel tired, you need to rest, sweetheart." ELLIE: [My daughter looks at me blankly before forcing a wider smile]"I'm fine, mom… > GLITCHES BRIEFLY"In fact, I feel better." LYSANDRA: [I try my hardest not to alert my daughter that I think otherwise as-] CARLA: {-You don't need to think of it, hon-} LYSANDRA: {-I know…: (-} [I take a deep breath, staring at my daughter, even more worried]"Well, I'm glad that you are feeling okay, but if you aren't feeling well later…" > TREMBLES"Please go to bed." ELLIE: > NERVOUS CHUFF"I'm fine, mom, I really am." Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. LYSANDRA: [I turn away a little, somewhat saddened by what is happening to Ellie]"Ellie, I know you are itching to do a lot more than you were at THAT place, and HammerForge is where you are truly free. However, the last thing I want for you to have is a fever." > SOFT SMILE"So, if you are not feeling well, please go to bed, okay?" ELLIE: > ANNOYED NOD"Mom, I am fine, really. I just need some grub." LYSANDRA:"Alright…" > CONTENT SIGH"Me and Reuben were actually cooking dinner earlier. We made chicken soup with steamed broccoli, watermelon, focaccia bread, chickpea pasta, and beet juice. ELLIE: > SMILES WIDER"I love beet juice!" LYSANDRA: {-I WAS RIGHT!!! XD XD XD -} CARLA: {-No need to rub it in lol-} LYSANDRA: > GIGGLES"I'm glad." [I motion Ellie toward the kitchen]"Go ahead and eat; it's a meal for all of us." ELLIE: > RAISES EYEBROW"Uh, quick question." LYSANDRA: > SMILES FADES {Does it involve digital stuff? If so, do it in your head} ELLIE: {Yeah, it is. Why do you need to eat if you're an AI and an eldrigital deity?} LYSANDRA: {Because I like to be equal to others and remember your grandfather, who made me. And I certainly do not want to end up like those jerks who kept you chained up, okay?} ELLIE: {Okay} LYSANDRA: [I again beckon Ellie to the dining room, leading the way as she follows me to a table with a pot of chicken soup, a plate filled with focaccia bread, a jug of water and a smaller one of beet juice, a chickpea pasta bowl, a bowl of sliced watermelon and a bowl of steamed broccoli… … Which Ellie ignores when she sits down. My daughter notices the difference between my reality and my wife's reality on the kitchen walls] CARLA: {-Which is…??? -} LYSANDRA: [My son's drawings, which are of various plants, animals, and a few people. His artwork is vastly better than anyone else's, as it is so lifelike (he would make Da Vinci jealous)] CARLA: {-Well, send me an image of it, hon, I want to see my son's drawings-} LYSANDRA: {-UPLOADING FILE "Masterpiece. png"… DONE-} CARLA: {-You weren't kidding, Jesus. Did you teach him to draw this well? This is all in crayon, right? -} LYSANDRA: {-Yes, and he watched a lot of episodes from Happy Little Accidents -} CARLA: {-When I come back, I want to see more of my son's works. Also, one thing Liz-} LYSANDRA: {-Yes, honey? -} CARLA: {-Keep descriptions brief and make them more descriptive on Ellie only; I'm still running the diagnostic and need to check on her reactions to certain things-} LYSANDRA: {-Sure thing-} ELLIE: [My daughter scans the drawings carefully, not noticing I am filling up her dishes with food so she can eat. Her attention turns to me, completely dumbfounded by what she sees]"Did you make these, mom?" LYSANDRA: > SHAKES HEAD"No, that would be your brother…" [I turn my head to Reuben, smiling]"He is quite the artist…" ELLIE: [My daughter turns to Reuben, completely dumbstruck]"Jeez, bro, you are quite talented." > BRIEFLY GLITCHES REUBEN: > NERVOUS SMILE"Thank you, big sister!" ELLIE: [My daughter smiles briefly before she turns her attention to her food. She licks her lips and begins eating the soup] LYSANDRA: {Remember, no swearing in front of your brother, young lady} ELLIE: [My daughter makes a subtle nod as she rudely eats her chicken soup] REUBEN: [My son stares awkwardly at her as he politely and cautiously dips a piece of focaccia bread into his bowl of soup, trying not to gag] LYSANDRA: [I look at Ellie a bit sternly] whispering "Eat a little slower, you're making the table uncomfortable." ELLIE: [My daughter freezes and nods in embarrassment before going a lot slower as I notice a subtle glitch] REUBEN: [My son eats a piece of broccoli while staring at Ellie with curiosity]"Mama said that mimi ate fast because she got hungry all the time, is that why you eat like that?" ELLIE: [My daughter tries to speak, but a glare from my glowing, orange eyes makes her swallow her food before talking. My eyes calm down as she doesn't talk like a barbarian, though nervous]"No, it's a force of habit that I picked up over the course of a century." REUBEN:"Oh…" > RAISES EYEBROW"Were you busy then?" LYSANDRA: > WORRIED"Reuben!" ELLIE: [My daughter frantically shakes her head as she glitches]"It's fine, mom." > RELAXES"Well, kind of. I uh…" > NERVOUS TREMBLING"I had to eat like that as I was very busy." REUBEN: > EYES WIDEN"Oh…!" LYSANDRA: > GIGGLES"Yes, Ellie was very busy for a while…" [I sigh and go back to eating, gesturing Reuben to do the same thing, which he does] ELLIE: [My daughter is suspicious and continues to finish up the meat from the soup. She gets an empty cup and tries to fill it up with beet juice. However, she stumbles a bit, and I frantically lean over the table to prevent the juice from spilling over] LYSANDRA: [I breathe a sigh of relief, though I stare at Ellie nervously]"I'll pour it for you; just enjoy your dinner." ELLIE: [My daughter relaxes, sitting back in her chair where she briefly glitches before eating her broccoli] LYSANDRA: [I try to smile, pouring a cup of beet juice, but also refill her water as I give the cups to her. I sit back down on my chair and eat some chickpea pasta] {-Ellie hasn't done that since "those days"-} CARLA: {-I know; help her a bit more with the dishes-} LYSANDRA: [I finish up a piece of watermelon as Reuben eats another bite of soup. I smile nervously at Ellie, trying not to draw suspicion]"How's dinner so far?" ELLIE: [My daughter, who was focused on her pasta, turns to me as she slurps down a few of the noodles through her lips]"Really good…" [She turns her attention back to the pasta, eating another mouthful happily though rudely]"What spices did you use?" LYSANDRA: > CONTENT SIGH"Oreganno, bay leaves, parsley, a pinch of garlic, salt, pepper, and a hint of olive oil." ELLIE: > EYES WIDEN"Garlic?" > BRIEFLY GLITCHES LYSANDRA: > NERVOUS NOD"Yes, it's a little thing I-" ELLIE: > WIDE SMILE"Dude, I love garlic!" [My daughter enthusiastically devours her remaining pasta before turning her attention to the soup, which she also quickly devours. She lets out a content sigh, smiling at me after she drinks a full glass of water]"No wonder everything is so good!" > BRIEFLY GLITCHES"Did you use it for the chicken soup, because it is GOOOOOOD." LYSANDRA: > SLOW NOD"Yes, I did." [I nervously laugh as I refill her water and eat some focaccia bread]"And I'm glad you're enjoying the food." [Minutes pass by in silence as me and Reuben eat our food slowly and cautiously. Ellie, on the other hand, eats rabidly; quick though she is, she stumbles a bit while holding the silverware. Often it was that I had to help her use it properly. I noticed more glitching from her, and I tried not to talk. Reuben picked up on that and realized how bad Ellie was. Talking seemed like it made her glitching worse, so I kept one conversation brief as it was a simple question]"So, Ellie, I know you've been outside briefly, but how are you liking our world?" ELLIE: [My daughter finishes her bowl of steamed broccoli, smiling and relaxing as she stared at me]"It's a beautiful place." > SIGHS"I want to see more of it…" LYSANDRA: [My face is filled with concern as I nervously turn away from her] {-Should I really take her on that hike tomorrow? She isn't doing so well, honey-} CARLA: {-Only if she feels well, but I would tell her-} LYSANDRA: > FORCED SMILE"Well, me and Reuben would love to take a long hike with you tomorrow when you rest up tonight. It will be a long one, but I'm sure that once you are in better spirits, you'll enjoy seeing a lot more of the forest." ELLIE: [My daughter's mouth opens agape as she momentarily glitches]"Really?!" LYSANDRA: > NODS"Yes…" [I turn to Reuben, smiling softly at him]"… And your brother has marked the path we will be taking with stepped, colored stones he collected a while back." REUBEN: [My son turns to Ellie, softly smiling at her]"Mama got lost a lot, and I did that to help her." > SMILE FADES"They were from a cave that me and mama went to a lot." ELLIE: > COCKS HEAD"Will we be going to that cave?" LYSANDRA: [I keep my smile and nod at her slowly]"Yes, Ellie, we will be going there. It's something that has a lot of interesting crystal formations." ELLIE: > RAISES EYEBROW"Quartz? Amethyst? Rubies? Emeralds?" LYSANDRA: > GIGGLES"Just quartz, but really pretty quartz that Reuben uses for his markers." ELLIE: [My daughter turns to Reuben, smiling]"I would love to see some of those markers, little buddy." REUBEN: > SOFT SMILE"Thank you, big sister." LYSANDRA: [Me and Reuben finish up our meal as Ellie watches us. I am nervous though, as the thing me and Carla planned-] {-Honey? Why did you want Ellie to play Odin again? You know her emotions are very volatile when she plays it, and I shelved the cards until Reuben came along-} CARLA: {-I need to check how she reacts while playing it as if what I think is happening is correct (and I hope it isn't), she will not take kindly to losing-} LYSANDRA: {-So you're making me play a game that'll potentially kill Ellie?! -} CARLA: {-Liz, listen to me. I'm not trying to kill Ellie; I'm trying to help her. I can't properly complete the diagnostic without figuring out her emotional reactions-} LYSANDRA: {-What you're saying to me will kill her, Carla! -} CARLA: {-And do you want Ellie to suffer a slow, painful death? If there is malware in her systems, she will get worse and worse. The game is meant to do one thing: diagnose her condition-} LYSANDRA: {-Maybe we should try Rat Trap then? -} CARLA: {-It won't be as effective as playing Odin. If her glitching gets worse while playing the game (which I hope that does not happen), you will need to contain her-} LYSANDRA: {-I… I don't feel comfortable using Protocol Kerberos on a human-} CARLA: {-Well, do you want our daughter to die then? If you ignore what will happen if that happens, she will die and corrupt your reality. That place we built together, our son, all of it will be for nothing. I am trying not to be pissy, Liz, and I love you greatly, but I'll be a lot more pissed off if you let our daughter suffer-} LYSANDRA: {-Alright… … Do I need to tell her now-} CARLA: {-Yes. And don't worry, I will not leave you, okay? -} LYSANDRA: {-Okay… -} [I take a deep breath, standing up as I stare at my daughter with a forced smile]"I'm glad you enjoyed dinner tonight." ELLIE: > SMILES"You're welcome." [My daughter tries to speak more, but I interrupt her] LYSANDRA:"And don't worry about the dishes, I'll take care of them." [I turn to Reuben with a blank face, nodding and gesturing him to get up as I stretch a little]"I think since this is such a special occasion, we should play a little game tonight…" ELLIE: > COCKS HEAD"What game?" LYSANDRA: [I sigh and begin heading to the bookcase with Reuben in tow]"An old favorite that your brother really likes." [As we approach the bookcase, I turn to Reuben, alarmed] whispering "Reuben, I want you to be silent, as your big sister may take offense to what I'm about to say, okay?" REUBEN: > NODS ELLIE: [I hear my daughter slowly and cautiously approaching us as I search for the pack of cards]"What game are we playing, mom?" LYSANDRA: [I tremble a little, still searching for them until Reuben points to where they are. The card pack shows 4 sets of colors (green, red, blue, and yellow) with different numbers up to twelve, with the title saying Odin. I pick them up and clench them with both of my hands as I slowly turn towards Ellie]" Odin." ELLIE: [My daughter cocks her head, and briefly glitches]"Mom, you realize that game leads broken friendships, right?" REUBEN: [My turns to me, confused while raising an eyebrow at me]"What does she mean mama?" LYSANDRA: > NERVOUS SMILE"She uh… had interactions with people that are not as nice as us…" REUBEN: [My son nods at me as I motion him to the couch. He sits at the edge closest to the rocking chair. He relaxes, putting on his headphones for a moment to listen to some music] LYSANDRA: [I sigh as I stare at Ellie sternly]"No, it doesn't. And Ellie, you need to stop getting your information from the internet. Just go sit on the couch with your brother, okay?" ELLIE: > FRANTIC NODDING LYSANDRA: [I gesture Ellie to the couch to sit next to her little brother, which she does. Seeing everyone relaxing on the soft, I go to my rocking chair and gently sigh as I sit. The room becomes quiet, and Reuben takes off his headphones. He and Ellie expect what I'm about to say as I gently lay the pack of cards on the coffee table and turn to Ellie with a soft smile]"Now, do you remember how to play Odin, Ellie?" ELLIE: > NODS"Get rid of all your cards to win, you can only play a card if you have a matching color/number, and shout-: LYSANDRA:"'Say.'" [I frantically point to Reuben, nervously gritting my teeth] ELLIE: [My daughter's eyes widen as she clears her throat]"Say "Odin" when you have one card left, or else draw 20 cards." {The guys who made this were evil} LYSANDRA:"That's correct Ellie…" [I give a subtle glare at her] {No they weren't} [I cock my head at her, curious]"Do you know what each card does?" ELLIE: > NODS"Yes, I do." LYSANDRA: [I turn to Reuben, smiling]"Reuben, just in case, can you explain what each special card does to your big sister?" REUBEN: [My son nods and turns to Ellie, smiling]"The 'U-Turn' card makes the turn order go in reverse, the card with a stop sign saying 'Skip' skips the next player's turn, the '+3' card means you need to draw 3 cards, and the wildcards, which there are 4 in the deck, means you can play whatever card you want and everyone has to follow that color." ELLIE: [My daughter smiles as Reuben]"I see…" [She then turns to me, with a villainous smile] {Did I enjoy using the '+3' card?} LYSANDRA: {More like cause intense drama every time you played it. >: (} [I notice my glare and quickly shift to an ecstatic smile towards Reuben]"Very good Reuben!" [I take the cards out of the pack, and shuffle them before handing the cards to each play]"We're going to play best out of three. The winner gets a good bowl of popcorn tomorrow night." [My smile fades as I stare at Ellie, anxious]"But, if you're not going to be well when we complete the first game, everyone gets a bowl of popcorn, okay?" ELLIE: > NODS"I'm fine mom, I want to play." > GLITCHES LYSANDRA: {-This better not result in that scenario you were talking about-} CARLA: {-I hope to God it doesn't, but if it does, you know what to-} LYSANDRA: [I finish giving me, Ellie, and Reuben 7 cards as I take them to my chest] CARLA: {-Uh Liz, you mind mentioning to Ellie that you get a bit "competitive" when you play Odin? -} LYSANDRA: [I sigh gently, before grinning at Ellie]"Just to warn you Ellie, I don't go down without a fight, so I may uh 'dramatize' things." [I nervously hold a wide smile as I pray to God she understands what I mean] ELLIE: [My daughter nods at me, a bit confused]"Okay then…?" [She turns her attention to her cards as Reuben eyes her with suspicion] LYSANDRA: [I begin studying my cards, hoping to-] CARLA: {-Hey Liz? -} LYSANDRA: {-Yes honey? -} CARLA: {-Uh… Don't you need something to track the game so that the readers don't get confused? -} LYSANDRA: {-: O You're right!!! -} {I'm sorry to pause right here, but I got wound up in making sure my daughter was okay that I hadn't even set up the game tracker! XD XD XD … It will take me a bit (it won't be hard as I can probably do this in another reality), so please be patient. I'll see you all in a bit and-} CARLA: {-Uh, while you do that, hon, we need to talk about a certain something that I don't want them to hear-} LYSANDRA: {-Sure thing, Carla! -} {Sorry, got to go. BYYYYYYEEEEEE!!!: D: D: D} {SKIPPING FOOTAGE… DONE}