I don't own either series or its characters but if I make new characters please don't steal ask me first.

Cards, Dice, and Revelations

The day had started way too early in Ranma's, but for the time being he was still asleep at time. He was having the weirdest dream. It was almost as weird as the one with the kuno in the pool just not as disturbing. There he was watching a scene playing out. There he stood or what he thought was he, but after looking at the figure it was obvious it was not he. The figure was wearing what looked like Egyptian clothing and red cape. There on his neck was his puzzle. The look alike was facing down some weird guy wearing what looked like a jesters cap.

Jester "your title ends pharaoh I challenge you for your power and if you don't beat me the souls of your people will be mine forever. I will rule world..."

Pharaoh "hmm I will take you challenge and if I win you will play the penalty and we will play a shadow game."

The dream continued as the whole area was encase in purple darkness. The next thing he saw was the monster depicted on the slates of stone roar to life. The battle was one sided as Jester's monsters were destroyed one after another. Jester summoned his final monster a giant monster that looked like a Jester with a black crown. It destroyed all the pharaoh's monsters with ease by hitting them with giant dice.

Jester "its over pharaoh my King of Jesters will seal your fate."

Pharaoh "hehehe all you accomplished is to amuse me. For I bring forth my ever faithful servant the dark magician. ."

His magician launched his attack and with a bright light of explosion the dream was cut short due to his panda of a father him in face while still asleep.

Ranma got up a rubbing his head ready to let him and he did just that. A certain panda had a rude awaken by waking up in the pond with a drop kick after being hefted into the air. Ranma walked downstairs seeing it was the weekend he was free to hangout Joey, Tristan and Tea. He quickly ate his breakfast and was out the door. No sooner had gone through he crash into someone and was lying in a three-person pile.

Joey "hey man watch where going you could hurt someone."

Tristan "can you two get off me already."

Tea was laugh adding in comments that they look good that way and they should bother getting up.

Ranma "I was just about to go check on you guys...so what are we going to do today."

Tristan "We going to a local game shop and the only one still open strange enough apparently all of the other shops around are closed because the owners fell into a coma. Besides that it's the best one around."

Joey "lets stop yapping and get going already."

They arrived at the game shop rather quickly. The store was amazing it almost everything type of game or toy that was popular for around there. It was pretty cool it even got Ranma's attention. They looked around and found there were a lot of posters for duel monsters. As they look around two figures approached them behind and near startled them to death. The first figure was an old man with gray hair and purple eyes. He looked well traveled and wise. Next him was a youthful woman with dark red hair, but not much else could be said about her from her appearance.

Old Man (aka Sugoroku Moutou) "I see you guys finally decided to visit Tea, Joey, Tristan. I was starting to think you never visit."

All three "eeppp."

Tea "don't scare us Mr. Moutou ."

Mr. Moutou "so what brings you here... and whose your friend there?"

Joey "Oh he is are new friend Ranma we thought show him the place."

The women with the dark red hair seem to have peak her interest.

Women "your last name is not is Saotome is it?"

Ranma "Yes it......ah mo...om...."

Mrs. Saotome "Ranma ... I missed you so much. I thought I never see you again."

Ranma was literally chocked to death in her loving hug.

Mr. Moutou "so this is son that I have heard so much about."

Ranma (after being released) "Mom you work here."

Mrs. Saotome "yes in fact I'm the co-owner of the shop. Your Grandpa offered me the position after you two left on that trip."

Ranma fell over as well as the rest of his friends fell over not expecting this or knew that all three of them were related. They all got up shortly after they got over the surprise of how she said so sudden out of thing air.

Tea "we didn't know. It's great that you two finally see each other again. I suppose you two have a lot to discuss."

Ranma and his mother discussed all that happened during his training everything from neko-ken, selling him for food, the multiple engagements, and then to the biggest secret of going to Juesenkyou and both them getting cursed. During the conversation the others could hear her saying something letting a certain panda have it. Mrs. Saotome took out a piece of parchment and tore it to pieces.

Joey "what was that you tore up?"

Mrs. Saotome "that was a contract that I can no longer hold Ranma and his father to. I never was going to carry it though I only let him believe I was going to carry it out to keep him in line."

Ranma "it is best you don't ask about what it promised."

After everyone was filled in even his gramps about his curse everyone gathered around to watch duel monsters game between his mother and grandpa. It was even battle each destroy each others monster in combo until each only had one monster left both of them had gaia the fierce Knight. Mrs. Saotome attacked after power up her monster with hero lance. His grandfather just smirked and flip both his trap cards reducing bellow its original attack with reverse trap. Then he activated reinforcements to power his monster up utterly destroying her monster and wiping out her remaining life points.

Mrs. Saotome "I still can't beat him that is to best to expect seeing he is master of duel monsters. I don't think he has ever lost a match."

His grandfather catches sight of the millennium puzzle and grinned recognizing it knowing what it was.

Mr. Moutou "its nothing really.... I see you like my present. You see I was the one your fiancée bought that from but don't tell her that. I found that and her necklace on a dig in Egypt. I see put it together."

Ranma "yeah thanks both of you. So gramps can you teach me how to play duel monsters."

Mr. Moutou "sure that way you can play with Tea and Joey."

Joey "alright. Someone else to beat because it was getting boring beating Tea and who ever else."

Tristan "don't you mean so that you stand a chance Tea beat you how times the other day at school."

Ranma "it was five times. I was watching and pretend not to be."

Joey "ahh... can you teach me how to play."

Mr. Moutou "sure."

After a few hours Ranma had learned the game and excelled in game. He had put together his own deck. Ranma was having ball after beating Joey for the seven win in a row. Joey on the other hand was wondering why he could never win. So he decide to ask Ranma what he was doing wrong.

Joey "So what you think of my deck I loaded it with any kick butt monster card could fine."

Ranma (after looking over the deck) "Joey all your deck is full of monsters. You will never in a million years. The games about combining your magic and traps together with your monsters cards."

Joey "what that's what I need to tell me. I need to learn more about this game. Can you teach me more about duel monsters?"

Ranma "I don't know. You should ask grandpa he is the big game expert."

But before they could do anything a certain figure that was not welcome especially to Ranma, whom he wanted to forget even existed. The gambling king striding with corny grin, but something was off about him. It was that hat that looked like a jesters cap instead of his usual hat along with the glare of hatred. The room started slowly swirl with purple inky blackness from the doorway inwards encasing the whole interior.

Mr. Moutou "what is the meaning of this. What have you done to the store?"

Gambling King "That is simple first up to earn myself your store after you mysteriously slip into coma like the other game shops. Then by mere coincidence get my revenge of grandson for ruining once but twice now. Ranma don't think can refuse me for the souls Tendo dojo are mine and will stay that way."

Ranma "Now I see that's the same hat that I saw in my dream. That's it I play your twisted games. When I'm through with you I will make sure that hat will never fall hat out reach for people like you."

With flash of light the puzzle starts shaking as the yellow light envelopes him. His form shifts as his height increases. His hair seemed to shoot off messy to both sides and on his forehead the symbol of Ra glowed there for second vanishing after change finished

Gambling King "I see this time you will lose Ranma or should I say pharaoh and this time you will play my game "the three trials of the jester". The only catch is the longer you take the more the shadow realm will consume your friends and family. Your power will be mine."

Yami Ranma "lets start this game and if you lose you play the penalty game."

As soon as he said that a figure appeared out of the darkness. The figure was that of mythic creature from ancient Egypt the sphinx. It started to speak its ancient riddle as for to complete this trial was solve the riddle.

Sphinx "what walks all fours in the morning. Two in the evening and three at night?"

As Yami was thinking all the while everyone else's bodies were slowly disappearing from the feet up. Tristan was freaky out as well as everyone else was trying to stay calm but that was kind of hard too and Tristan was making it worse.

Tea "calm down Tristan how old are. Your old enough not to be crying like a baby."

Yami Ranma "that's it I know the answer thanks Tea. The answer is man. He walks on all fours when he is a baby, two when he is grown up, and three with cane when he is old man."

Sphinx "correct." Then the sphinx disappears into the darkness.

Gambling King "good now there is a room over there I will meet your there the third trial will take place after you figured out how to get there."

Yami Ranma walks towards the room that shadow realm created along a visible path. He kept walking until path seem to vanish at a point where a stand holding an inscription and three items.

The inscription read "those who are not wise will run forth only to fall forever in the shadows, but those who are wise will tread carefully will find the unseen path before you."

Before him were three items a bag of rocks, bag of sand and a rope. All the while time was running out Tristan was already gone as well his gramps. He picked the sand bag and threw it out spilling it on the path revealing the narrow path that he was invisible before. He walked to the gambling king who was snarling that he passed the first two trials.

Yami Ranma "lets get this over with or scared of what will happen to you."

Gambling King "the game simple a game chance we will each take one turn rolling a set of two dice the loser is the person that roll the lowest sum loses" Gambling king {thoughts} 'he never beat me I will switch the dice to rig set.'

Yami Ranma "fine by me. I will even let win in a tie"

The Gambling king took the dice and throw them after they hit they spun on their sides for moment before they landed on both on sixes. He started to laugh it was good he had finally beaten the Ranma and Pharaoh, who had beat the spirit of the jesters cap. It was all good revenge is sweet. Yami Ranma took the rigged dices and grinned.

Yami Ranma "hmm it would seem your pretty confident for someone who know so little about the shadow games. Let me show what I'm talking about then you will see why its it not wise to gloat when the game is not over until both player play their hands."

Yami throws the dice hard so that they hit ground spinning and bouncing. The dice both stop on fours with crack sound it appeared he had lost but he was laughing with smirk on his face.

Gambling King "I win now hand over your puzzle and don't worry you will be joining your friends soon in the shadows.... why are you laugh you must have lost it."

Yami Ranma still laughing, "hehe you don't get why don't you take another look at those dice."

As the Gambling King turn the dice spilt ever just so that now so that booth dice now had six on one half and one on the other giving him a grand total of fourteen. It was amazing he had defied all odd and won. The King was a sore loser Brought out his deck in a last ditch effort to do Yami Ranma in. He summon most powerful monster out from shadow his King of Jesters.

Gambling King "destroy him now my servant."

Yami Ranma "come forth Dark Magician and use your dark magic attack."

From the shadows the Dark Magician appeared in his purple wizards outfit with wand. The Magician charge up his wand and blew the jester away.

Yami Ranma "now you must play the penalty game "the illusion of the eternal Yami"."

The symbol of Ra flared and hit the gambling king causing him to live in never ending darkness, as that was all he could see as he mumbled on the ground. At the same time the Jester cap went up in puff of purple fire and smoke never to be seen again. Shortly after that happened everyone reappeared with disappearance of the shadow realm. Ranma lay there unconscious while his friends moved him to a bed until he awoke. He woke up 15 minutes later everyone around.

Ranma "hey guys what are all staring at you act as if you seen a ghost."

Joey "hey man you did it. You beat that nut ball and had worried for a second. Everything is fine now."

Tea "Your alright that's good. Well got go see you guys later." She leaves for home.

Tristan "its about time I got home got stuck on babysitting. Try not to have to much fun while I'm gone." He took like the devil was on his heels.

Joey on the other hand got his grandpa to teach him duel monster, but unlike Ranma it would take him week to learn and even then he still need to learn a lot from gaining experience from dueling tough opponents. Ranma wish he had got off easy Joey for his mother was now dragging him cloths shopping for cloths for his female form. His mother thought he needed more appropriate clothing then what he always wears.

Ranma after a couple of hours of shopping was brought back to the game shop up to a room with a bed, dressers, and desk. What caught his attention was that all his stuff was there from the Tendo household. His mother put all the cloths they had bought into the second dresser, which was empty.

Mrs. Saotome "Ranma this is our last surprise for you this is your new room. We ask Mr. Tendo and got your fathers consent. Oh by the way Nabiki informed me that Akane will be gone for awhile apparently she got invitation from owner of some company called Industrial Illusions."

Ranma "what this is my room. Finally my own room away from that panda.... What she got invited by the creator of duel monster so that's why have not seen her for sometime now. Has Joey left yet?"

Mrs. Saotome "yes."

Ranma "Then I will be going to bed now I'm bushed." He falls asleep as soon as hit head the bed still in female form.

Elsewhere in corporate building the owner of Industrial Illusions, Maximillion Pegasus was drinking a glass wine in his room as his millennium eye informed him the connection to jesters cap that he gave to the Gambling King had vanished from existence. He laughed, as he was highly amused. He started to move his plans further to reach his goal of bringing back his wife. Soon he thought they soon they will meet.

Author Note: well there it is hope you like it took a while bad case of writers block. The next chapter probably won't be for a while it will all depend on reviews and how fast I finish the other chapters for some of my other stories. Feel free to throw in suggestions for coming chapters it will help write faster I find it.

Next time: A strange visitor comes being drawn in to investigate the reason for the shadow games returning. Also head of Kaibi Corporation and undefeated international champion, Seto Kaibi pays a visit to the local game shop... all this and more in the next chapter "Trials of the mind and trials of the dragon. See ya next time.