Custom Heroes - Charmy pile order reversal

Question

Charmy is a special ability in which reverses the numerical order of play. My question is about when the ability actually takes effect. Here's the rule text:

After a player activates this special ability, the direction of the pile changes. If the values were ascending, they start descending, and vice versa. This effect lasts for the rest of the round. For example, after a Charmy is played, to beat a pair of 4s, you would need to play a pairs of 4s or lower.

What I need clarification about revolves around the words Afterin the first sentence and after in the third sentence.

Does that mean that Charmy is played in

• normal order and the reversal occurs after that play, or
• immediate reversal on the play that Charmy is activated?

Examples of each

two 5s
two 7s
two 8s with Charmy activation
two 3s

Or

two 5s
two 7s
two 4s with Charmy activation
two 3s

Answer 1

Normal order and the reversal occurs after that play.

I'm not sure where the confusion lies because the description literally says the effect starts "after a Charmy is played". In fact, it mentions the reversal only happens after you play the card and activate the ability not once, but twice. Until you activate the ability by playing the card, you still need to play a card of equal of greater value.