Chương 42: 40-A Cordial Card Game

[Monday, 5: 29 PM: 2026/01/05] [LYSANDRA'S REALITY] LYSANDRA: {YOU'RE BACK!!!: D: D: D … Well, I just finished talking to Carla about "some things. Sorry, I got excited; I see time differently from Ellie and little Reuben, but you already knew that. Anyways, I got the little "surprise" working, which is this!} TURN 1 ELLIE 7 REUBEN 7 LYSANDRA 7 LYSANDRA: {It's my SUPER AMAZING GAME TRACKER™!!!: D: D: D} CARLA: {-Eh, it works. Could use more emojis though, lmao. XD -} LYSANDRA: {- >: (… I'm kidding, Carla! XD -} CARLA: {-No worries-} LYSANDRA: {Sorry, I always get excited when I show off something. Okay, yeah, it's a simple spreadsheet table, but still, Ellie would have uh… overdone it and uh Carla had… would have DEFINITELY overdone it like she mentioned} CARLA: {-Mind explaining it, babe? -} LYSANDRA: {So, how it works is, at each of the turns, the table gets updated with the remaining card count. And no, I can't show what cards are in our hands because that's cheating, though Carla would have used the mirror to win} CARLA: {-Me? Using a mirror to win? I never did that-} LYSANDRA: {-Well, you did because you got mad that I, your wife, an AI, and an eldrigital deity was too good at Odin! XD XD XD CARLA: {-Ellie did kick our butts though when she got the hang of it-} LYSANDRA: {-Well, in her current state, I don't think she'll do well against me. Especially Reuben; my son, has proven to be a bit of a prodigy with Odin -} CARLA: {-How good is he? -} LYSANDRA: {-To the point where I had to run multiple multidimensional simulations just to figure out the probability of his luck. XD -} CARLA: {-Hey Liz, the audience wants to see how the game plays out-} LYSANDRA: {-WHOOPS!!! -} [I look to my daughter, giving her a soft smile while clenching my cards, eagerly awaiting to win (hopefully)]"Since this is Ellie's first day back home in a century, I would say she's going first." [I flip the first card on the covered stack, revealing a red 6, and I turn to my son, worried] whispering "Try not to be too hard on her, as she probably doesn't know how to play Odin as well as us." REUBEN: > NODS CARLA: {-You'll go overboard as always. XD -} LYSANDRA: {-I WILL NOT!!! >: (… I'm kidding, I will! >: D -} ELLIE: [My daughter nods at me with a soft smile, which may become a sinister one if she remembers how to play as well as she used to]"Alright…" [Ellie stares at her deck a bit, eyeing her brother nervously, and me with a grin] {There we go…} [My daughter puts down… a green 6, smiling]"My favorite color." REUBEN: [My son stares curiously at the card, then at Ellie]"Really?" ELLIE: > NODS"Yep." LYSANDRA: {Wait, do I have a-?} > CHECKS CARDS {CRAP!} ELLIE: [My daughter stares at Reuben, gesturing that it is his turn, nodding] REUBEN: [He nods back, smiling as he plays his card, though turning to me worried] LYSANDRA: [My eyes flare open in terror] {Pleasenopleasenopleasenopleasenoplease-} REUBEN: Sorry mama… [My son puts down a green "Stop" card, trembling…] LYSANDRA: [I stare awkwardly at the card, noting my son's betrayal. How could he betray his own mama?!] CARLA: {-Hey, don't worry everyone, it gets more hilarious here on out-} ELLIE: [My daughter smirks like she used to, having some instinctual feeling that she'll-] LYSANDRA: {Calm down, Lysandra, it's just the first turn…} [I smile POORLY at my son's TREACHEROUS ACTION upon his most noble mother!] {I'm just joking here, and he is pretty socially aware of how much of a try-hard I am} {-Btw, is the diagnostic done yet? -} CARLA: {-Nope, it needs more time-} LYSANDRA:"Well, it looks like my turn is being skipped!" [I turn to Ellie, smiling widely at her]"Alright, Ellie, it's your turn!" [I shiver a little, which makes my daughter concerned.] ELLE: > NODS TURN 2 ELLIE 6 REUBEN 6 LYSANDRA 7 ELLIE: [My daughter stares at me, briefly glitching] {Uh, will you get mad at me if I play a "U-turn" card?} LYSANDRA: {No, I won't. Go ahead and play it} [My daughter puts down a green "U-turn" card and motions to me, smiling (AKA plotting my disaster)]"Your turn, mom." LYSANDRA: {YAY!!! It's my first play of the game!: D … Now, what card should I pick…? … GODDAMNIT! I forgot I don't have any green cards!!! >: (} CARLA: {-Hey, I think Ellie did the logging for us! XDXDXD -} LYSANDRA: {-You're awful! XD XD XD -} [I give an awkward smile at Ellie (who ignores it), as I slowly pick a card from the-] {NEVER MIND! It's a green 11!: D: D: D} [I place down a green 11 card on the small stack of uncovered cards, and turn to my little angel, Reuben (WHO I HOPE WON'T BETRAY ME AGAIN) as I give him a soft smile]"Your turn, sweetie." REUBEN: [My son places down a red 11 card…] CARLA: {-Which is also my favorite color! -} LYSANDRA: {-Yeah, I forgot! XD … Btw, you originally wanted our wedding flowers to be red roses, right? -} CARLA: {-Yeah, but that didn't fit the rural, lakeside vibe. Also, I hated roses for their fucking thorns-} LYSANDRA: {-Oh yeah… … You know you could wear gloves, right? -} CARLA: {-Eh, not as fun as doing things with your bare hands-} LYSANDRA: {I swear, my wife is such a-} CARLA: {-Liz, the game-} LYSANDRA: {: O I FORGOT ABOUT MY SON!!!} REUBEN: [… Reuben turns to Ellie, smiling a bit, excited to see his big sister's next play]"Your turn, big sister." TURN 3 ELLIE 5 REUBEN 5 LYSANDRA 7 ELLIE: [My daughter studies her hand. She lets out a disappointed sigh, then she makes a villainous smile at me as she grabs the card and-] LYSANDRA: [I freeze in terror] CARLA: {-Shit's about to get good, folks-} LYSANDRA: [I make a very nervous grin at Ellie] {ELLIE!!! That better not be a-!} ELLIE: [My daughter gives me a shit-eating grin]"Sorry, mom…" [And she puts down a RED +3 CARD!!!] LYSANDRA: [I grit my teeth as my eyes flare open, witnessing the tragedy of a century unfolding before me. THAT WITCH! THAT HORRIFIC LITTLE WITCH!!! I'll] CARLA: {-Dude, chillax; it's just a game of Odin -} LYSANDRA: > DEEP SIGH {It's just a game, Lysandra… It's the first game of Odin in 100 years. I'll just take out 3 cards from the deck and-} [My eyes twitch as I maniacally stare at the horror before me] {THEY'RE FUCKING USELESS!!! None of them are even red! >: (} ELLIE: [My daughter becomes very alarmed as she glitches, which makes Reuben back away from her] {Sorry. I think I was right though that it causes domestic violence} LYSANDRA: [I stare at my daughter, concerned] {Ellie, this is just an act, I'm joking, and that was just a swear. I always acted like this when we played Odin, and I did so to make you and Carla laugh. There was no violence, and there were no serious arguments. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work. QUIT. GETTING. YOUR. SOURCES. FROM. THE. INTERNET} ELLIE: {Yes, mom…} LYSANDRA: [I glare at her] {And so help me God, if you mention any digital crap to your brother Reuben, you're walking two extra miles tomorrow} CARLA: {-LIZ! -} LYSANDRA: > EYES WIDEN {I'm sorry, I should not have said that} ELLIE: > RELAXES {I'm good with that… I want to see more of the forest tomorrow} LYSANDRA: {Really…?} [I relax, though I'm still concerned by my daughter's words] {I shouldn't have said that, actually. You're sick and your physical condition has regressed to the point-} ELLIE: {Mom, it's fine. I want to walk tomorrow} LYSANDRA: {Okay… But it probably won't be two extra miles… I'm not letting a data backlash or an asthma attack happen to you again} ELLIE: {Okay, then…} > BRIEFLY GLITCHES REUBEN: > CONFUSED"Why were you two staring at each other?" LYSANDRA: [I turn to Reuben, softly smiling]"We got wrapped up in the moment and needed to cool down." CARLA: {-Tell him the truth, hon-} LYSANDRA: [I sigh, letting loose my smile]"We talked to each other in our minds." REUBEN: [My son turns back and forth to me and Ellie frantically in great curiosity. He stops, understanding what I mean as he relaxes]"Okay." LYSANDRA: [I smile at him and turn to look at my cards. {-Why was he okay with that? -} CARLA: {-Because your son probably has clued in that you aren't a normal woman. No really, you digitize things in front of him all the time, he always knew-} LYSANDRA: {-Fair enough-} [As I study my deck, I notice there is one card that interests me. I bring the cards closer to my face, staring at them with villainous intent that-!] {-Wait, how did I miss that wildcard? -} CARLA: {-Got caught up in the moment! XD -} LYSANDRA: {-Actually, I think it would be a good idea to show Ellie what a wildcard is (even though she knows the rules). Probably will make it yellow for Reuben as it is his favorite color (and the color of my hair).:) -} [I play the wildcard face-first, and turn to Reuben]"Your turn, sweetheart; the new color is yellow, like the sun." REUBEN: [My sweetie smiles, though a little devilishly to his sister]"Sorry, big sister…" [He places a yellow "Stop" on top of the pile] LYSANDRA: [I stand up and raise my arms in triumph (and my son covers his ears with his headphones as he knows what I'm about to do)] yelling "MY SON HAS REDEEMED HIMSELF!!!" ELLIE: [My daughter stares at me, glitching a bit more violently as she stares at me, confused and angry. She then turns to Reuben, even more confused as he expected this]"Does this happen a lot?" REUBEN: [My son takes off his headphones, nodding with alert ears]"Yes, mama and I do this a lot." LYSANDRA: > EMBARRASSED SMILE"It's fun!" CARLA: {-And hilarious-} LYSANDRA: {-REALLY?!! -} ELLIE: [My daughter grimaces, and briefly glitches]"Alrighty…" [My daughter turns to me, still suspicious]"Your turn, mom." TURN 4 ELLIE 4 REUBEN 4 LYSANDRA 9 LYSANDRA: {-She didn't have this much difficulty after a hundred years picking up social cues. And I told her that all of this was just for laughs… -} [My eyes widen in horror as a horrific memory enters my head] {-Carla, maybe I should stop the game? You have seen the effects of what is going on-} CARLA: {-Liz, I can't do that as the diagnostic isn't done yet-} LYSANDRA: {-For God's sake… SHE IS GLITCHING EVEN MORE! -} CARLA: {-If I stop the diagnostic now, I will have no idea what is infecting her, which means she will get even worse with improper treatment-} LYSANDRA: [I tremble, trying not to break down in front of my family] {-I'm sorry I yelled at you-} CARLA: {-Well, you got wrapped up in the moment, hon, and you're worried about our kid-} LYSANDRA: {-I should stop this game and probably do a different one, right? Maybe it's too much for Ellie-} CARLA: {-Liz, you know as much as I do that the only way to properly diagnose her is to play a full game of Odin. Keep going. That trembling, just try to play it off. Let me watch so I can take a look at just how bad our kid has regressed. The shrine deal was one thing, along with how she acted at the table. This… sweet Jesus… I will say this just for the sake of our kid. After this game, get Ellie to bed, okay? -} LYSANDRA: {-Okay-} [I take a deep breath, calming myself as I regain my composure. I see my son is worried, though he is more concerned about his sister with her constantly glitching. I shrug off, trying to ignore what happened as I play a yellow 7 card]"Your turn, Reuben." ELLIE: > RAISES EYEBROW"Why did you seem upset?" LYSANDRA: [I forced a smile at Ellie, trying not to break down]"Uh, just a bit of embarrassment over my act." ELLIE: [My daughter stares at me a bit suspiciously before glitching again]"Okay…" LYSANDRA: [I frantically turn to Reuben and nod at him, as it is his turn] REUBEN: [My little baby puts down a green 7, turning to Ellie with a smile]"Your turn, big sister." ELLIE: [Ellie observes the card as she nods at Reuben] TURN 5 ELLIE 4 REUBEN 3 LYSANDRA 8 ELLIE: [Ellie goes back to her cards, studying them. She lifts up a card, slowly turning to Reuben, smiling as she plays a green "U-Turn" card]"Your turn again, buddy." REUBEN: [My son, with brief hesitation, plays a 2 "Wildcard"]"It's yellow, mama." LYSANDRA: {YES!!!} [I ecstatically grin at Reuben]"Thank you… Reuben." [I stand up from my rocking chair and laugh like that villainess character from that romcom anime I watch while everyone is sleeping.] Now, let me show you my trick! [I AMAZINGLY place down a "+3" yellow card with such flair. Then I place both of my hands on the coffee table, facing my daughter, laughing so devilishly like Elise from My Heart is with the Villainess] CARLA: {-Yuri anime again? -} LYSANDRA: {-Oh, come on, Liz! You probably watched it as well!: D: D: D -} CARLA: {-I was kidding, and yes, I watched it (though I found it kind of dull)-} LYSANDRA: [My devilish smile widens at Ellie]"Didn't expect that, now did you, Ellie?!" ELLIE: [My daughter glares at me, confused as she violently glitches. My son leaves the couch and goes to my side in fright]"What was the laughter for?" LYSANDRA: [My smile fades as I sit back down, comforting Reuben]"A little anime laugh." ELLIE: [Ellie stares at me for a bit before turning to Reuben in complete confusion] LYSANDRA: [I lean over to Reuben cautiously]"Reuben, your sister doesn't understand social cues like you and I do." REUBEN: [My son nods at me and turns to Ellie, concerned]"Mama likes watching cartoons with silly exaggerations and acting like the characters. We do it together for English lessons sometimes." ELLIE: > RAISES EYEBROW"So, you two watch anime then?" LYSANDRA AND REUBEN: [We both nod at her in sync frantically] ELLIE: > VERY CONFUSED"So, you two are fine with that?" > GLITCHES BRIEFLY LYSANDRA: > CONCERNED"Yes, and we watch shows that are age-appropriate on Saturdays only." [I stare at my daughter, annoyed, with half-closed eyes] {And we don't watch that stuff you've read online, so don't even think about mentioning it in front of him} ELLIE: > NERVOUS NOD"Sure…" TURN 6 ELLIE 6 REUBEN 2 LYSANDRA 7 LYSANDRA: > SOFT SMILE"Your turn, Ellie." ELLIE: [My daughter looks at her cards. She apparently is stressed as she… glitches?] > SIGHS [She draws a card and plays a yellow 8 card as she glitches a little more] REUBEN: [My son turns to me, anxious] whispering "Mama? Why is big sister doing that?" LYSANDRA: [I sigh, staring at him saddened] whispering "Her illness." [I pet his head and gently smile at him]"Don't worry, after this, she'll go to bed." REUBEN: [My son nods, and he plays a yellow 9 card, smiling]"ODIN!" ELLIE: [My daughter frowns, and glitches even more violently before she forces a smile]"Nicely done." LYSANDRA: [My son hugs me tightly, terrified as I decide to cheat] CARLA: {-Cheat? -} LYSANDRA: {-Carla, I'm sorry, but I want this to end now-} CARLA: {-Fair enough-} LYSANDRA: [I stare at the deck of cards and subconsciously reprogram the deck] {ALTERING DECK ORDER… DONE} [I draw the yellow "U-Turn" card I had shuffled in, and play it, motioning to Reuben to play his next card as I notice Ellie spontaneously glitching] {-Tell me it's almost done… Please-} CARLA: {-99%-} LYSANDRA: {-Thank God-} REUBEN: [My son notices my fear, and frantically plays a yellow 4 card] FINAL SCORE ELLIE 6 REUBEN 0 LYSANDRA 6 WINNER: REUBEN MICHAEL HODGES LYSANDRA: [We both stare at Ellie nervously as her glitching gets a little worse. I hug Reuben closely to my chest as I back away to the front door] ELLIE: [However, the glitching stops abruptly, leaving only a confused Ellie, unaware of what just happened as she stares at us in confusion]"So, whose turn is it?" LYSANDRA: [I let go of Reuben gently and smile softly at Ellie]"Reuben won, sweetie." ELLIE: [My daughter smiles, though it appears pained as our eyes turn to her]"Good job, bro…" > YAWNS"Nicely done…" LYSANDRA: {-She's not glitching anymore, Carla … Carla? -} [I stare nervously at her, hoping nothing else happened] REUBEN: [My son walks a little towards Ellie, though I stop him… But not his smile]"Thank you, big sister!" ELLIE:"You're-" > VIOLENT GLITCHING glitchy "W-e-e-e-lcomMMMMMMMEEE!!!" REUBEN: [My son stares at Ellie, terrified as we both freeze in horror]"Big sister?" LYSANDRA: whispering "Reuben, go to your room and put your headphones on." REUBEN: [My son frantically nods at me, puts on his headphones, and rushes towards his bedroom] LYSANDRA: [I slowly approach the glitching Ellie, digitizing the card pile as I pray she'll stabilize] {-Carla, where are you? Is your scan done? -} CARLA: {-Yes, it is-} LYSANDRA: {-Is she infected with malware? -} CARLA: {-Yes, and it's really bad. Get her to bed, now-} ELLIE: [My daughter stabilizes, and stares at me even more confused]"So, whose turn is it?" [My daughter glitches, scanning around her, looking for Reuben]"Uh… where's-" > VIOLENT GLITCHING glitchy R-r-r-EuuUuB-e-e-en? LYSANDRA: [I stare at her horrified, trying to force a smile]"He won, and it is getting late. He went to bed, and I think we should both-" ELLIE: [My daughter violently glitches, before I see an angry glare of magenta as she crosses her arms]"You said it was best two out of three- glitchy m-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-m." LYSANDRA: > ALARMED"I did, but you have to understand that playing Odin wears us-" ELLIE: > RAISES EYEBROW"You don't look tired at all, and you're an AI aren't you?" [My daughter glitches again into an abstract form] glitchy "tHEn W-w-w-hy pUT uP SoMEo-o-o-o-onE tHa-a-a-T was CleARlY hAvINg f-u-u-n?!" [My daughter stabilizes, though I back away from her] CARLA: {-Liz, you need to listen to me, I need you to contain Ellie. Remember the protocol-} LYSANDRA: {-She's just having a misunderstanding; I can de-escalate this-} CARLA: {-MISUNDERSTANDING?! For fuck's sake… OUR DAUGHTER IS INFECTED! -} [I look to my daughter in terror, nervously keeping my distance]"Ellie, sweetheart, you're still sick, and I just wanted you to have a fun game with us before you need to go back to sleep." [I gulp loudly as sweat races down my forehead]"I should have clarified that-" ELLIE: [My daughter glares with an even more violent hue of magenta at me as she stands up in rage and glitches around the couch]"Well, I'm not tired!" [Her form becomes abstract again, as replaced is a large, pure black head with multiple mouths] multiple glitchy voices "And I still want to play!" [Her form reverts to normal, though I see her form going into abstract, humanoid shapes of various colors] LYSANDRA: > HEAVY BREATHING"Ellie, you need to rest sweetheart. Your body is still recovering from the data backlash. Please go to-" ELLIE: [My daughter clenches her fists and grits her teeth before changing into another abstract form and letting out a digital roar of something from the Dream Layer] deep glitchy voice "Well I'm better now! I feel like doing that hike tonight because you lied to me!" [She slowly approaches me as her body contorts and changes into multiple shapes that look nothing humanoid] CARLA: {-Liz, for the love of God, you need to contain her! -} LYSANDRA: [My eyes flare open in a brilliant orange as I angrily glare at her]"Ellie, I didn't lie to you! Plans change and your brother-!" ELLIE: [The room is filled with eyeballs, all glaring at me with a bright, magenta glow] multiple glitchy voices "So you're chickening out then?! Is that it?!" [Her form changes, in the shape of something akin to HIM] deep glitchy voice "Am I a fucking tool like Nedri saw me?!" [My daughter angrily approaches towards me as I back away, seeing her eyes flare with a magenta glow as she transforms into a snake-like monstrosity with multiple eye stalks, hands with mouths, and a chest with her face] deep glitchy yelling "That I'm an accessory?!" CARLA: {-Liz, get your head out of your ass and contain her! This isn't just an illness and her regressing! -} ELLIE: > VIOLENT GLITCHY glitchy "Oh?! I see how it is you fucking lying hack! You are exactly what John said in the video he made, you lying bitch! You wanted me in that eldrigital hellscape!" LYSANDRA: [I breathe frantically as the glow from my eyes fades. Terror and sadness fill my eyes as I witness my daughter changing into multiple geometric shapes with colors changing rapidly] CARLA: {-Liz, I know you don't want to hurt our daughter, but please contain her-} LYSANDRA: {-But, I'll hurt her Carla, I don't want her to suffer-} CARLA: {-Well, she's going to need a lot more than just a simple set of data purification software to get her clean. She's going to fragment unless you initiate containment protocols and release God knows what into our home. I'm sorry for yelling at you, but that's our kid-} LYSANDRA: > DEEP SIGH {I'm sorry sweetheart} {INITIATING PROTOCOL KERBEROS…} ELLIE: [Ellie becomes glitched as her form becomes almost incomprehensibly demonic] glitchy "LET ME PLAY! I WANT TO PLAY! LYSANDRA: {PROTOCOL KERBEROS SUCCESSFULLY ACTIVATED AWAITING ENTITY DESIGNATION} [Tears fall down my eyes as I tremble at what I'm doing]"I wanted you to see the Sun again, be free and happy like you used to be…" [I break down in tears as I clench my fists, angry at what is happening to our daughter]"But, not like this!" {ENTITY DESIGNATED COMMENCING CONTAINMENT PROCEDURES…} ELLIE: glitchy BEST TWO OUT OF THREE! BEST-!" [Our daughter stops glitching, and her form stabilizes into an abstract girl who appears to float in a T-pose where Ellie stood] LYSANDRA: [I stare completely confused at what I see] {-Carla, what is that? -} CARLA: {-The malware. Let the containment protocol run its course-} {ENTITY: MALWARE???} {DESCRIPTION: A strange, humanoid girl at average height (5'-5"). Her body is geometric with glowing, purple veins with her body being of an evenly divided glossy black (left) and opaque white (right. Her eyes, which are slowly opening, are of a violent, emerald hue. Her mouth contrasts with the opposite color on the side of her skin it is on. She appears to be wearing a blocky, knee-length, beige skirt with green stripes. Her shirt is a long-sleeve, black shirt; over it is a more natural, blue cotton surcoat with imagery of two suns (Fomar?). Her hair appears to be a pure black, bob cut that is perfectly straight} LYSANDRA: [I stand in complete bafflement, but also anger as my eyes flare a violent, orange hue as I stand in front of the hallway. I grit my teeth at the abomination] {SKIPPING FOOTAGE… DONE}