//------------------------------// // Chapter Four // Story: Chess // by TheColorGreen //------------------------------// “…So then the captain says, ‘Why not use the castle?’” Twilight Sparkle grinned as Flash Sentry concluded his brief anecdote. “That was really nice of Shining Armor,” she said. “Our first date, and we’re already touring Canterlot castle!” “I think he just wanted to keep an eye on us—but yeah, it is pretty nice here,” Flash Sentry said. “The, um, architecture is nice…” “And all the history!” Twilight darted over to one of the doorways set in the hallway and peered in. “So many historical figures have walked these halls—so many of my heroes!” “Didn’t you grow up here?” Flash asked as he followed behind her. “Well, yes,” Twilight answered, “but I spent most of my time in the east wing, where all the living quarters are. And then later Celestia gave me the Ivory Tower for my studies. I really haven’t been to the west wing much.” They continued their walk in silence for several minutes. “Say,” Flash Sentry said, peering into one of the rooms. “Have you ever played chess?” “Have I!” Twilight declared, her eyes lighting up. “I love it. I was undefeated at school. Do you play?” “Old Captain Stormwing made us play it to practice strategy, back in the Academy,” Flash replied. “I was undefeated, too.” Twilight peaked around her coltfriend and into the wide, deserted room. The only thing inside seemed to be the plain black-and-white chess set that sat on a table. “Well, then. Shall we have a game?” “Of course.” The two trotted into the room and sat down on either side of the table. Flash insisted that Twilight take the white side. When they were all settled, Twilight grinned at her date and advanced her first piece. *** “Pegasi, attack!” A wave of heavily armed pegasi swept down from a forward cloud bank. At their head was a sturdily built pegasus mare, with a cobalt grey coat and tri-color mane and tail. “Catapults, fire!” The grey pegasus mare rolled to the side as a rather large apple pie rocketed past her. She then tucked in her wings and went in for a steep dive, landing near the earth pony commander. “You won’t get away with this, dirt pony,” the pegasus growled, unsheathing her long-bladed spatha. “This territory belongs to the pegasi!” “Shut up, Hurricane,” was the dark-maned earth pony’s only reply. Commander Hurricane shook her mane and launched herself into the air, preparing to bring her sword down directly onto her enemy’s back. But the earth pony just dodged, and then rewarded Hurricane with a cupcake to the face. *** “Argh!” Twilight growled as Flash Sentry used a pawn—a mere pawn!—to conquer one of her knights. “Having trouble?” Flash teased. Twilight narrowed her eyes. “Alright, well—take this!” She moved her bishop forward, neatly eliminating Flash Sentry’s rook. *** Commander Hurricane flinched as a pegasus spiraled to the ground, mortally wounded. A moment later she recognized her lieutenant, Lightning Scar. “No,” the commander whispered, through grit teeth. Then she screamed it, and then she was blindly charging the enemy, her spatha fully extended. She dodged several arrows, and several more assorted baked goods. More than one of the projectiles grazed her silver-and-navy-and-blood red mane. But Hurricane was focused solely on the earth pony who had killed her lieutenant. *** Flash Sentry had never seen Twilight Sparkle so focused. Admittedly, he hadn’t known her for very long, but still—she hadn’t taken her eyes off of the board since he had killed her knight. She stared at the pieces with the utmost intensity, moving one piece after the other with her magic. “Ah, Twilight?” There was no answer. Flash cocked his head and waited for a moment, but Twilight hardly moved after the advancement of her next piece. “Twilight?” Still, no answer. “Twilight.” Silence. “Twilight!” Finally, the alicorn’s head snapped up. “What?” Flash Sentry grinned. “Check. Also, my bishop, there, should probably block your queen’s next attack.” Slowly, menacingly, Twilight narrowed her eyes at the board… *** Hurricane growled as a squad of muscular earth ponies appeared in front of her, blocking the way through to Captain Hazel. She reared up on her hind legs and burst forward, cleanly killing one of the earth ponies with her spatha. As soon as she did, three others moved in, surrounding her. Hurricane gave a mighty roar of rage and tore into her enemies. She was dimly aware of pain, and weariness weighing down her limbs, but she was too angry and desperate to give up now. It what seemed no time at all, she had made it through the earth ponies and was standing before Captain Hazel, her nemesis. *** Twilight and Flash Sentry stared at the chessboard as if in a trance. A rapid battle had destroyed nearly all of their forces; the sides of the table were lined with captured pieces. Twilight had but a queen and a knight left to defend her king, while Flash had only a rook. Twilight was breathing hard, and Flash was barely breathing at all. Then the two players looked up and simultaneously scowled at each other. A single shared thought was crystal-clear on their faces. It. Is. On. *** Hurricane screamed something indistinct as she charged her foe. An axe appeared in Hazel’s mouth and she parried the spatha strike. Hurricane struck again, and again Hazel parried. Then it was Hazel’s turn to strike. Hurricane parried, but her weapon was the lighter one, and in this split-second case the weaker one. Hurricane was pushed back, and the axe nicked her side, causing a small but painful wound. Hurricane growled and pushed forward again. Hazel swung hard with her axe; this time Hurricane dodged and returned the blow. Hazel only just barely dodged in time, and Hurricane silently smirked. Thank the goddess Olive for dirt pony reflexes. Hazel only growled and lunged forward with a powerful overhead strike. Hurricane tried to parry, only to have a deep notch cleaved into her spatha, nearly cutting it in half. With a snarl Hurricane discarded the blade and charged forward with her bare hooves. *** Having lost her knight, Twilight scowled at the board, deep in thought. Can’t lose… can’t lose… I need a weakness! She moved her queen to a position diagonal to Flash’s rook. It was more a bid for time than anything, but she also needed Flash to move his rook. Flash seemed to anticipate her, and moved the rook so that it was on the verge of attacking her queen. Twilight hissed as she tried to decide what to do. *** Hurricane hop-skipped to the side as Hazel struck at her yet again. Running out of time… I’m running out of time! Hurricane dodged to the side again, barely missing Hazel’s back hooves. The pegasus commander was struck with sudden inspiration. Hurricane carefully dodged the earth pony’s next few blows. Each movement brought her closer to the position she needed. Finally she was in position. As Hazel was recoiling, readying for another strike, Hurricane spun, put her front hooves to the ground, and in one movement bucked Hazel squarely in the face. It was a killing blow. *** Twilight stared disbelievingly at the board, at Flash Sentry’s triumphant rook and her own toppled king. Then she looked up at Flash, and grinned. “That was great!” she exclaimed. “Go again?” Flash smiled. “Sure—” “Twilight?” The alicorn and the pegasus looked up to see Princess Celestia walking into the room, a rather odd expression on her face. Twilight immediately shot to her hooves. “Princess! Hi!” “Hello… Twilight. Hello, Flash.” Celestia paused, almost awkwardly. “What are you doing in here?” “Well, we were—um—on our date—Shining Armor said we could tour the castle—and we saw the chessboard, and, um, since we both like chess we figured we’d have a game… is that okay?” Twilight finished. “Yes… yes, that’s… fine.” The chessboard glowed golden as Celestia arranged the pieces into their original position. “Well, run along you two. There’s plenty more of the west wing to see.” “Of course.” Flash and Twilight hurried out of the hall, leaving the Princess on her own next to the board. Princess Celestia remained where she was for quite a while after the two had left. She stared at the board, deep in thought, rarely so much as twitching. Finally she smiled. Then she laughed. “Oh, Twilight,” she said to herself. “You can’t do that to me. I’m getting too old.” Then she stood and left the room. In the silence, the plain marble set glimmered in the last light of sunset.