//------------------------------// // Stalemate // Story: A Study In Nonsense // by Professor Piggy //------------------------------// They stared at one another across the chessboard, both calm, confident, and completely unwilling to back down. It was impressive, the way that those serious purple eyes never faltered, never glanced away – there were few who would be willing to stare down a Princess, and fewer still capable of doing so while holding their own so well. Impressive. Infuriating. But not at all surprising. The long years they had been friends ensured that Luna was not often surprised by Twilight Sparkle. Click. A rook loomed forward, conquering Luna’s knight and leaving itself open to the trap the Princess had set. She allowed herself a smile as she levitated her Princess, a tiny wooden replica of herself, lovingly carved, and prepared to strike – only for that calm, tired voice to cut through the silence, and wipe the smile off her face. “What if you’re wrong?” The question was soft, probing, and direct – it was exactly the sort of question that the unicorn had asked her a thousand times before. The sort of question designed to throw her off, make her question herself – to make her reconsider. It shouldn’t have surprised her, and yet it did. It was only centuries of practice that allowed her to keep her expression calm, and her tone level. “I rarely am.” She responded simply, and it was truth. Click. The smaller Luna rushed forth from hiding, and the castle crumbled. Luna returned her gaze to her opponent, studying her carefully. The unicorn was older than she had been, that much was certain – though nopony looking at her would ever have guessed how much. Faint lines had formed around her eyes, as well as deep bags beneath them, and her mane was a little lighter than it had once been, but otherwise she looked almost just as she had when Luna had first set eyes upon her some two hundred years earlier. Except for her eyes. Those cold, empty eyes staring back at her – unshakable, unblinking, and unafraid. Those were not the eyes of the young mare she had known so long ago. Click. A bishop she had failed to notice slunk out from behind her own lines and struck, bringing the tiny Princess to her knees. Twilight Sparkle had not even looked at the board. Her expression didn’t change. “Rarely doesn’t mean never. You’ve made mistakes before, Princess – what makes you so sure this is different?” Click. A pawn moved into place, and Princess Luna arose from the ashes – just as she had planned. “In truth?” She hesitated, and glanced away before answering. She had been dreading this question since that day, two years ago. “In truth, I am not certain. But nor do I need to be – what you are proposing is impossible, Twilight Sparkle. I believe this. And even if it is not, it is reprehensible.” Click. The battlefield grew quiet, for a moment, as Celestia stepped forward to challenge her sister – the two stood at opposite ends of the field, each the head of a broken army. The battle was winding to a close. “I really don’t see what’s so wrong about it. She gave her life for Equestria – she gave our life for Equestria. If I can give that back to her – if Equestria can give that back to her – why is that wrong?” Click. Luna charged toward her sister, tackling her to the ground and trampling her beneath her hooves – only to immediately be struck down by a pawn. She hadn’t even had time to place her piece down. For a long moment, she didn’t say a word. When she did, she couldn’t quite keep the edge from her voice. “I know better than anypony what you are feeling, Twilight. Believe me. But this would solve nothing. Such a spell would destroy all of Equestria – and if you did get her back, she would not be the same as she was! Are you really willing to risk everything on the foolish hope that you know more about dark magic than me?” They stared at one another across the chessboard, both calm, confident, and completely unwilling to back down. Neither spoke. After a long moment, Twilight Sparkle rose, and turned away – they were deadlocked, and the game was over. They both knew it. Just as Luna knew that when Twilight Sparkle found her answer, it would be the right one. Unless… Unless she was wrong.