Head home

“If anything happens, call me immediately,” you say as your mom, mommas, and aunties walk you and your girls out the door. After the reveal of Starfire’s pregnancy starting in the most unusual sense, your mom convinced you that the best course of action was to go home and relax as you only need to wait. You thought about having her chrysalis moved home but Auntie Delia and Doctor Joy convinced you to keep her where she could be easily monitored.

“We will, don’t worry you know she’s in great hands,” your dad said as he stroked his handlebar mustache. “You just go home, relax, and maybe brush up on your poker for Monday night. Just because you’re my son doesn’t mean the others will hold back.”

“I’ll try to come up with a strategy,” you said absently as a Toad pulled your SUV up to the front.

“Just be sure to come up with a cheating strategy,” he says, causing you to look at him in surprise. Considering all the lessons on doing the right thing and honesty, you didn’t know what to do with this. He must’ve seen your face because he clarifies. “All of the guys have a cheating strategy, we follow Tet rules.”

“It's not cheating if you don’t get caught,” you nod as you recall the rules of the No Game No Life universe and the implied exceptions.

“If you catch them cheating, they lose the round and forfeit the bet,” your dad concluded as he gave you and Aelita a hug before you entered your SUV, “So keep an eye out for shenanigans. And find a way to not get caught yourself.”

“See you soon sweetie,” your mother said as she gave you a kiss on the cheek. ”And do not worry about Kate, we will take care of her.” While we were celebrating Starfire's pregnancy, Kate found out that the first test was a false positive. She was inconsolable and had demanded other tests to be sure. Each test turned out negative, she wasn't pregnant. And she didn't take it well. Delia and Doctor Joy checked her over intensively, it turns out she was vomiting due to a reaction to the breakfast. The kitchen had swapped to a different brand of flour.

Just as you were about to drive off, your dad tapped on the window.

“Before I forget, I suggest you bring four or five characters to be possible bets,” he suggests. “All the guys bring five or more characters to put up but house rules say they can try to buy them back afterwards.”

“I don’t want to risk my girls,” you say with steel in your voice.

“I’ll cover their buy back if you want,” he says confidently. “But considering what you did in Albuquerque, I doubt you need to worry. Oh and they need to be worth at least…” he says a number that surprises you. You are going to need to review your girls’ worth to figure out who to bring.

“Thanks dad, love you,” you say, rolling up the window before heading home.