Whatever Shizuko's faults, she was not a gambler. As much as her pride led her to believe, she was reluctant when it came to a card game. The others realized this minor fact when she spent fifteen minutes devising a plan that would hold the least risk and cons.
"Are you done yet?" Sky complained. "It's been five minutes!"
Shizuko glared. "No one asked for your opinion, bubble-brain!"
"Shi, you're taking too long. Pull a card or you're disqualified." Atalanta sighed. Who even suggested a family-bonding time every Sunday?
Oh wait, she did.
Whoops.
Someone please slap her.
Diana frowned. "The stakes aren't even that high. Ainya fell asleep three minutes ago!"
Ainya snored as a response.
Shizuko growled under her breath. Leering at her UNO cards like she was planning a world-record prank, she slammed a card with two parallel arrows on the roster.
Next to her, Atalanta glared at Shizuko. She drew four extra cards from the base stash.
Sky winced. "You're evil!"
For the next few rounds, Death X and Shizuko were at each other's throats. Atalanta and Lara were the ones that—tried to—resolve every conflict. Their pack seemed to consist of mere power cards, and it's the evil ones. Sky and Diana were on the verge of falling asleep. Ainya watched their exchange with popcorn.
"YOU'RE CHEATING!" Shizuko slammed the table, rattling everyone's cards.
Death X smiled warmly as he faced Shizuko's accusations. "What makes you say that, bunnykins?"
"Shizuko, calm down," Atalanta said sternly, head resting on palm as she is suffering from a Get-Draw-Four-Card-marathon induced migraine. "Don't be a sore loser."
"OH SNAP!" Sky whooped.
Shizuko grounded her teeth. Stealing Atalanta's dagger from her side, she grazed Death X's bandages. They fell apart, revealing another layer of bandages and a flurry of UNO power cards.
Everyone stared at him.
Diana rose from her seat. "Give me back my betting cookies!"
Death X stuffed the cookies in his mouth and bolted for his life. Shizuko, Sky and Diana pursued him screaming bloody murder. Lara panicked. Ainya rolled her eyes and helped herself to Shizuko's cookies. Atalanta slammed her head on the table in exhaustion.