Four Not-So-Mysterious Games

Disclaimer: Fuishigi Yuugi is not mine. Ranma 1/2 is not mine. (The Sandman is not mine. Gundam Wing is not mine.) Nature's Chosen is partially mine, but you can't use it until we publish it. D'arcy Collins, Dominic Maxwell, Nebula Raptor, Dawn Maxwell, and the characterizations of the not-mine characters are mine. The genders of the not-adult or not-mentioned FY characters are mine, too. The idea for this whole thing is mine, mine, mine, and you can't have it! Myeah.
Anyway.
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Ranma whispered. He was staring up at the relic of a statue of Genbu, god of the northern, winter constellations. The relic was still awe-inspring.

Are you willing? The voice inside his head asked.

He took a deep breath. Yeah. Sure. After Saffron, I guess this is only thing left for me to do.

An interesting point of view. The voice seemed amused. Suzaku and Seiryuu are pleased with you, by the way. Your advice to them was duly noted and approved, and they liked your management of Saffron and Herb.

They liked it? I just beat Herb into the ground and killed Saffron.

Children must learn that they are not the best before they will improve.

You know, that really makes me feel safe, Ranma noted drily.

Ranma? Who are you talking to? Akane asked from outside the cave.

The voices, Akane. As always.

Akane left him alone, but went to find Ryoga to ask him about it.

You've grown more courteous.

I've grown up, is what.

That is true. The fond amusement was there again. Are you willing, my miko? To assume the guise of a girl and to enter my world?

I already said I was, didn't I? Let's get this over with.

In a moment. You need a reader.

Ryoga burst in. Ranma, what have you done now? Akane says you're talking out – wow.

It is, isn't it? Ranma agreed. This book (which had just materialized in his hands) is the story of the Genbu no Miko. It's pretty interesting.

What? Saotome, what does this have to do with anything?

It's why I was talking out loud, Ranma returned, retreating partway into a tiny lake and ignoring the tingle as he became she. Listen to this—

This is the story of a girl who single-handedly gathered the Seven Stars of Genbu and gained the power to make all her dreams come true. The story itself is an incantation and whoever reads it gains the main character's power to have their wishes granted. This is because once they turn the first page the story will become real and begin.

Ranma turned the page, as she came back out of the water, and disappeared in a flash of brown and black light. The book landed lightly in Ryoga's hands. Words appeared on the page, presenting themselves for his reading.

What the hell?

Ryoga was not in tune enough with Genbu that he heard any words, but the urge to read was strong, so he carried the book out, explained what had happened, and started to read.

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Dawn looked at her parents. Her father, with hair so dark a brown it was nearly black, long and tussled, looked like a human copy of his uncle, the lord of dreams. His eyes were a lighter brown than his hair, and amethysts glinted in their depths. He was truly a beautiful sight, and had been mistaken on several occasions for her boyfriend.

Her mother, on the other hand, seemed to be his opposite. Her hair was a light brown streaked with a white that had nothing to do with age, her eyes glimmered golden with a hint of green, and though her hair was equally unmanageable, it was in wildness. She held a piece of nature within her, and the velociraptor of her father made her features ever-so-slightly reptilian.

Every now and then, Dawn had to wonder how the wildness of nature and the sophistication of the dream court managed to be at all compatible. She also had to wonder how they could produce her.

She was a tall girl, with woefully normal dark brown hair. She kept it in a couple hundred tiny, long braids to get rid of the normality. They fell to her knees, a feat that should have been impossible. Neither side of her family had hair that long. Her skin was pale as her father's, accented by the moonstones her mother had given her one day for no apparent reason. It turned out that they were a gift from Nature upon an anniversary of his idea of her conception. No matter what clothes she bought, they always turned black at some point. And she didn't want to think about her eyes. So, while she wasn't normal (except for her hair) she was at least half human. With her parents, that just seemed wrong.

Her parents were at the moment sighing with resignation at her father's mother, who looked only a few years older than Dawn herself. Some deal made with her father's father's mother and family long ago meant that she looked 19. And though D'arcy was a small woman, made stranger by her purple hair and changeable eyes, she had a more -- well, moreso -- figure than anyone had a right to have. When there's over 15 inches difference between bust and waist, then something had to be wrong.

In any case, her grandmother was a great adventurer, and she had an adventure picked out for her favorite and only grandchild. Dawn's parents couldn't stop her, so they didn't even try. Her father was smiling at his mother, and her mother was rolling her eyes. That meant that the decision was Dawn's.

Dawn said severely.

D'arcy returned.

I thought you were going to wait on the adventures until next year, when I'll be able to do whatever with or without permission.

Everyone else is ready, D'arcy shrugged, and the gods don't want to wait any more. Ready?

This is one of the ones that you don't prepare for, right?

Then why ask me if I'm ready? That's not a factor for deciding.

D'arcy chuckled. I don't know what Byakko is going to think of you, but he's definitely going to owe me. You're my granddaughter if nothing else.

Byakko? You mean the white tiger guy in charge of autumn in an ancient Chinese miniuniverse?

Yes. Here, you'll need to read this to get there. And remember: stay chaste.

Dawn read the words and was gone with a white glow. Her father picked up the book and tried to hand it to his mother, but she waved it off. Your father would have a fit if she wasn't with you, she explained. That or Dream. And he pretends to be too busy.

Dominic accepted it with a chuckle.

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Miaka and Yui walked with some of their friends to get some food. Jonan Academy was a difficult school, and as they walked, they berated Miaka for sleeping in class. Her only reply was to shrug sheepishly and ask Yui if she could copy her notes.

All right, Yui said. But in return, you have to come with me to the library.

Miaka agreed. There wasn't anything scary about a library, after all.

There was something creepy, however, about the red phoenix that flew up a disused set of stairs. Miaka pointed it out to her best friend, and they went to investigate.

The door was open, and a rustling of wings was heard inside, as well as a slight hiss. Ignoring the [Do Not Enter] sign, they went in.
A red phoenix and a blue dragon preened each other in an unusal display of friendship. Then they looked up and seemed to beckon the two girls forward. Yet as they were obeyed, they faded, leaving behind a single book.

Yui read the words. Miaka looked over her shoulder. A red and blue light envelopped them, and as they were drawn into the book, they were separated, but reassured. The phoenix loved Miaka, and the dragon would protect Yui, and they could still be friends if they wished. Then they were apart.

Miaka found herself in the middle of a desert, looking rather calmly at some approaching traders and at the boy who followed surrepticiously behind them. She felt in her pockets for some money, for some reason, and shrugged when she didn't find any. Oh well. Nothing in her pockets made for less to worry about, anyway.

Yui found herself comfortably draped across a pair of arms, staring up into a pair of very startled blue eyes. And through locks of blond hair that tumbled from underneath the dragon helmet Why do you have the symbol for heart on your forehead? she asked.

The eyes widened.