//------------------------------// // Chapter Three // Story: Chess // by TheColorGreen //------------------------------// Celestia intently studied the unusual starting position of Discord’s pieces, watching them as though they might move on their own. Knowing Discord, they just might. Then, to the draconequus’s consternation, a slow smile made its way onto Celestia’s face. “Fisher Random Chess? Clever.” Her horn glowed golden, and her own white pieces rearranged themselves into an equally randomized starting position. “Now then. Shall we start?” “But of course.” *** Twilight Sparkle lowered her head just in time to avoid being smacked in the face by a thorn-covered branch. She glanced in irritation at Applejack, but the orange-gold earth pony just ahead of her took no notice, even when her carelessness forced Twilight to dodge another branch, this one covered in curling tendrils of poison joke. Twilight and her friends were on the fourth day of a cross-jungle trek through the depths of Zebria. Their guide, Ziah, was leading them toward an obscure, semi-hidden village, where Twilight hoped to complete her extensive research on the subject of poison joke. “Hey!” Rainbow Dash called, waved her hoof to get Ziah’s attention. “Are we there yet?” The zebra paused to glance back at the cyan pegasus. “The village we have almost reached; I hope this is the answer for which you’ve beseeched.” Rainbow just nodded before dropping back to chat with Fluttershy, who walked at the tail end of the group. *** “My,” Celestia said. “You’ve been very well behaved so far.” She studied the board. “That rhyme was a mite clunky, though.” “Yes, yes, whatever,” Discord muttered, absently juggling miniature models of the Mane Six. “Can we get on with it?” Celestia raised an eyebrow at her opponent’s eagerness, but didn’t object. She returned her attention to the game. *** Twilight dodged yet another whiplash-ing branch and glared in irritation at the earth pony just ahead of her. “Applejack! Would you stop letting branches fly back to hit me in the face!” “Sorry, Twi,” Applejack called, looking back over her shoulder even as she kept walking. “Ah didn’t mean to.” “I know,” Twilight answered. As Applejack turned back around, a branch loomed up suddenly in front of her, smacking her directly in the face. Twilight’s heart almost stopped—not because of the dark bruise rapidly forming on her friend’s face, but because of the familiar teal-blue flowers adorning the branch. Poison joke! Oh sweet Celestia, not again— Applejack raised her head, wincing as she reached up to feel the bruise on her face. “Ow… what happened?” “What kind of poison joke is that?” Twilight demanded at the same time, hurrying forward to come face-to-face with Ziah. “Will it have any ill effects?” “That form of joke is a rare variety, not really worthy of such deep anxiety,” the zebra replied. “This strain chooses its victims at will; those who will touch it are in for a thrill. Your friend may be infected, but then she may not; Applejack’s chances aren’t truly a lot.” “Oh,” Twilight said. “Well, that’s a relief. Do you feel okay, Applejack?” “Uh—yeah,” the earth pony mare answered. “Ah feel just fine, thank you.” Twilight cocked her head. “Um… okay.” Slowly the train of six ponies and a zebra continued on. As they went, Twilight began to hear cal-calla birds chirping in the branches overhead. Only… wait a second. That’s definitely a cal-calla call, but cal-calla birds have more deeper voices… so it’s one half cal-calla call and one half non-cal-calla call. She paused for a moment. Oh… now my brain hurts. “Applejack?” Twilight said. “What?” Applejack answered, not looking back at her. “Do you hear something—like a cal-calla bird calling, for instance?” “Nope!” Applejack declared emphatically. Twilight frowned. Odd. She should’ve at least heard something… Twilight’s thoughts were rudely interrupted by a zebra swinging down into their path on a vine, chattering frenetically at Ziah in Zebrian. The group froze as Zebrian warriors swung down and surrounded them. Twilight gulped as four of the warriors levelled spears at her, daring her to try anything with her horn. They were trapped. *** Discord grinned with glee as Celestia grimly studied the chessboard. “Remember our agreement, Tia!” he said in a singsong voice. With a snap of his fingers, musical notes drifted out of his mouth to accompany the words. “What agreement?” Celestia asked, hoping to stall for time. “You know,” Discord said. “For every game I win, you create one alternate universe to my specifications.” “Oh, yes. That,” Celestia said. “Well, I wouldn’t get too cocky.” She advanced a piece. “After all, you haven’t won yet.” *** “Cut!” A stocky grey earth pony stallion strode out from behind a camouflaged bunker. Instantly every pony on the elaborate jungle set fell into far more relaxed positions. “What’s wrong?” Twilight asked. “Please don’t tell me we have to do the scene again!" After all, filming for the most recent episode of the hit television series HARMONY was almost finished. As Twilight wanted now was finish filming so she and her friends could head back to Ponyville. “No, no, most of it’s fine,” the director said. “It’s just—Rainbow Dash! You look too bored. Try to give off more of a ‘terrified’ vibe.” “But this is boring!” Rainbow complained. “I could K.O. all of these goons in ten seconds flat!” “Undoubtedly, but you’re not going to, so try to stick with the script.” The director retreated back behind his bunker. “Now, from Applejack’s last line… and, action!” *** Discord stared dumbfounded at the chessboard, unable to hide his confusion. “What… was… that?” “That was the Hail Mare-y maneuver,” Celestia explained, with a pleased grin. “It’s rather new—I’m not surprised you hadn’t heard of it.” “Hmph.” “Shall we go again?” “’Guess so.” “Very well. Fisher Random, again?” “No.” Celestia just smiled. “Fine. But I move first this time.” Discord sat up and scrutinized the princess as she advanced her first piece.