The fort was just a bit more quiet than usual, and this was a fact that had not gone unnoticed by Mist. It didn't take her very long to realize both archers were missing. It was pity, since she had wanted to show Rolf today how to make their favorite pastry: apple tarts. Then they could make some together and surprise everyone tonight with the well-deserved desserts and of course, sneak some for themselves too. Mist smiled at the thought as she entered the dining room. She was not alone.
"have you seen Rolf?" She asked the four seated: Titania, Boyd, Mia, and Soren. They were all playing cards (not a gambling game; no one ever gambled in the presence of Titania).
"Rolf? Oh yes, he and Shinon went to hunt some game," Titania told her. Suddenly, Boyd threw down his cards and groaned loudly.
"Ugh! I lost the Game!" He proclaimed. Immediately, Mia did the same, slapping down her cards in frustration and calling out loudly, "I lost the Game!"
"What?" Mist said, somewhat bewildered. When she had walked into the room, the four playing hadn't even placed any cards down. How did they suddenly lose?
"Aww, and I hadn't even thought about the Game since the summer," Boyd continued to whine.
"What's the Game?" Mist asked, now curious. It was obvious that they were talking about any game besides the card game.
She was ignored. "Yeah, last time I thought about it was July," Mia commented. "Hey, what's your record?"
"Six months." Boyd smiled proudly.
"What's the Game?" Mist politely asked again, beginning to grow just a little annoyed at being ignored.
"Can't you figure it out?" Soren responded. "It's not very difficult."
Mist took his advice. "Well," she started, gathering clues from what everyone had said, "I think you're supposed to figure out the Game."
"That's what you're supposed to do for this card game, Mao. I wish Soren wouldn't make up such complicated rules." By now, Boyd had retrieved his cards.
"Obsessive verbosity," snapped Soren as he handed Boyd the penalty card. "I hate having Soren as Grand Master," Boyd muttered under his breath.
Mist continued. "Boyd lost the Game randomly, just by thinking about the Game. So did Mia, right after she heard him say 'I lost the Game'. So to lose the game," Mist smiled triumphantly, "is to think about the Game."
"Congratulations on figuring it out!" Mia cheered. She was promptly awarded a penalty card.
"And there's something else too. When you lose, you have to announce it out loud, right?"
"Yes. This way, everyone loses at the same time. Well, those who play," Titania said. She then gave a look to Soren as if daring him to give her a penalty card. Wisely, he didn't. Then she placed down a card. "Nine of spades."
"And now that I know about it," Mist paused here before adding, "I have to play now too, don't I? Well, how do you win?"
"You don't. You just keep avoiding the thought as long as you can." Soren placed down a card. In one breath he slurred, "Holyzingobatmanwe'reintrouble."
"What?" Everyone else at the table exclaimed except Titania, who wisely remained silent.
"Obsessive verbosity, as usual," Soren deadpanned, passing them both cards.
"Wait," Mist suddenly realized, "why didn't Soren lose the Game?"
"According to Soren, he's somehow developed some sort of resistance in that big brain of his for THE GAME." Boyd shouted the last two words loudly in Soren's ears. No reaction resulted besides Soren delivering another card to Boyd. The fighter didn't seem to care and continued saying, "It's like he's resistant to both magic and the Game. Or maybe he's just lying."
"If I had even half your wit, of course I would lose it."
"Why don't you take a seat and join us in our games?" Titania asked. "Sure," Mist automatically replied, drawing seven cards. "How do you play?"
"The only rule we're allowed to tell you is this one." All four said together.
"...what? What rule?" Mist was given a card, and she shut up.
The card game ended quickly. Predictably, Soren won Mao, with Titania a close runner-up. As for the Game...
Boyd soon regretted teaching Mist the Game. Every morning, Mist would greet him with "I lost the game!" And when he'd complain, she innocently say, "What? Every time I see you I lose the Game because you taught it to me." So Boyd and Mia never ever got to beat their record.
Note: Soooo who here lost the Game by reading this story? :P I'm hoping I didn't somehow offend anybody with this story. And I'm hoping most the readers know what "Mao" the card game is too. If you don't know either games, they're on Wikipedia, probably.