Previous Chapters
Close
What does she want?1,505 words
History lived1,318 words
School craze.1,458 words
Who teaches who?2,758 words

Who teaches who?

The school day went by fast and it felt like no time at all when the bell rang and Button left school. He walked toward downtown Canterlot, which was a conglomeration of shops, restaurants and more shops. He stopped at an intersection and when the light turned green he made his way across the busy street with the crowd.

"Oh My! there certainly a lot of people here in this city of your." Luna said. She had shaken off her wonder lust and her love of GO had reasserted it's self.

"Yep, Canterlot is a pretty big place." Button said, slightly amused at Luna's actions.

So, where are we going to be playing GO?" She asked impatiently.

"At a GO salon." Button said matter of fact like.

"Really?" she asked, Curiosity and wonder obvious on her face.

"Yeah, my grampa goes there sometimes. He said it's a place were old guys who like GO go to hang out." He said. Luna had a look of happiness about her.

"So... People still enjoy go today as much as they did in my time.. Huzzah!" She yelled doing a skip jump. Button Chuckled. it wasn't long before they reached the place Button had talked about. Pushing the door open he was greeted buy a smiling young women.

"Hello and welcome." She said giving Button a small wave. He smiled at her then let his gaze wonder over the rest of the place. There were many tables filled with older men, the youngest looked to be in their 50's.

it's like a nursing home in here. Button thought as he brought his attention back to the lady.

"Is this your first time here?" She asked

"Yeah everything in this place is new to me... can anybody play?" He asked, feeling a bit foolish but tried to keep face.

"Certainly." She beamed. Picking up a pencil she set it on a clipboard with a name roster on it and handed it to Button.

"Just sign you name here... uh, what's your skill level?" she asked, Button's mind was drawing blanks.

"Skill level... I'm not to sure." He admitted making the lady quirk an eyebrow.

"Oh?" she asked.

"See, I've never really played anyone else before, but I think I'm pretty good." He said with a confident smile. the lady giggled slightly making Button blush a bit. He noticed a part of the place that only had one person in it and they looked to be around his age.

"Hey there's a kid over there... can I play him?" He asked looking at the lady expectantly. She smiled kindly.

"I know he's you age buuut..." She hesitated slightly making Button worry he had done something wrong. The boy in question stood up and made his way over to them. Button got a good look of him and he was slightly intimidated. The boy was around 5' 7" and wore a three button grey suit with dress pants and shoes. He had blonde hair combed neatly on his head and a pair of ice blue eyes.

The boy gave Button a kind smile.

"Are you looking for someone to play against?" He asked, his voice was kind and calm. Button blinked for a second then got his act together.

"Yeah." Button nodded his head. The boy chuckled slightly in good humor and motioned for Button to follow.

"Come on then, I'll play you." He said. The lady looked a bit concerned.

"But this boy's never..." She was stopped by the blond boy giving her a small smile and raising his hand. The lady sigh but held her peace.

"Follow me." The boy said.

"Okay." Button replied and started to follow, but the lady stopped him.

"Wait a minute, there's an entrance fee." She said, button started fumbling around in his pockets.

"Entrance fee." He grumbled slightly as he fished around for any amount of cash. The blonde boy had a playful smirk on his face.

"Oh come on, it's his first time here. Why not let him play for free?" He said sweetly. The lady giggled slightly and just placed her hand on her cheek.

"Oh sure Blueblood, what ever you say." She said batting her eyelashes at him which made him laugh lightly. He lead Button to the table he had been sitting at and they took a seat. he held out his hand after they sat down.

"Sorry if that embarrassed you, she likes to tease me a bit. By the way my name's Blueblood what's your's?" He asked. Button took his hand and shook it.

"Button Mash, nice to meet you Blueblood. If you don't mid me asking what grade are you in you look like you'd be in the 6th grade like me?" Button asked. Blueblood nodded his head.

"I'm also in the 6th grade.' Button sighed inwardly.

"This will be a lot better then playing one of the older guys." He said sheepishly. Blueblood just shook his head in amusement.

"What's your skill level?" He asked and Button Shrugged.

"I have not clue... but I think I'll be pretty good at this game." he said confidently. Blueblood chuckled.

"You don't know but you think your pretty good?" he asked making Button give a sheepish smile. Blueblood took the cover off one of the bowls on the board revealing it to be a stone bowl. He set the cover off tot the side and then placed the bowl behind the right corner on his side.

"Well... why don't you put down four or five stones for now." Blueblood offered but Button had no idea what he meant.

"Put down stones? A handicap? I don't need one, you and I are about the same age." Button reasoned. He didn't hear the conversation of a nearby group of elders.

"No handicap against Blueblood?" one asked.

"Who does that kid think he is?" said another.

"I don't know but he's in for a shock, that's for sure." Another said and they all went back to their own games. Blueblood sighed but excepted this was how it would be.

"Alright then you go first." Blueblood said. Button took his bowl and set it down.

"I hope you don't mind, but I'm a bit of a slow player." He said. Button reached into his bowl and pulled out a black stone. he looked at it for a second then noticed something falling next to him. he looked up and saw Luna standing next to him, crying. Her soft sobs as she tried to hide her face behind her fan.

Luna, are those tears of joy? he asked her to which she nodded.

Well I guess I can't blame you, not being able to play the game you love for so long. He said. Luna composed her self and after taking a few deep breaths she spoke, her voice clear and controlled.

"Very well Button, let us play." She said, and the passion she felt coursed through Button making him smirk with confidence.

"Yes!" He said out loud making Blueblood startle slightly.

"3-4 in the upper right, 17 across and 4 down." Luna said sitting on her knees on Buttons right side. Button bit his tongue as he tried to find the spot.

17 one, two, three, four, He found the place and set the stone down.

Blueblood took note of how Button was holding his stones, picking them up with his pointer finger and thumb.

From the way he hold his stones, he must be a beginner Blur blood thought as he placed a stone down.

"3-4 in the lower right 16-17." luna said firmly

16-17, ah this must be it Button thought as he placed his stone down. Blueblood placed his stone and Luna responded.

"3-16" She stopped telling Button the exact places as he got the hang of it where the spots were. as Blueblood placed his stone, Luna gazed at him like a hawk ready to strike.

"16-5." she said and Button placed the stone down. Blueblood cocked an eyebrow.

A diagonal? He wondered as he place his response. So it went on, both Blueblood and Luna, via Button, placed their pieces and watched their strategies unfold on the board. As the game progressed, Blueblood was impressed with the boy in front of him.

He holds his stones like an amateur but... he's making good solid moves. He paused on his turn to think about this, deciding the Button's beginning statement wasn't without merit.

He is pretty good He smiled inwardly.

"Everything okay? it's your move." Button asked getting Blueblood's attention from his thoughts.

"Sorry." Blueblood said sheepishly and placed his stone down. He's have to keep a close eye on Buttons moves to make sure he wasn't caught off guard. As the game went on Blueblood noticed something odd about Button's playing.

The shape of his Joseki seems to be outdated... and why does his hand keep stopping and starting over the board He thought as he watched Button look over the board.

14-11 "Ah here it is." Button said and placed his stone at 14-11.

As the game went on Blueblood was curious and slightly worried.

He's not intimidated by my attacks at all He pondered as he place another stone.

In fact... he's countering them easily. He thought as he watched Button place a stone down that would make it extremely difficult to hold onto that corner of the board.

I'll have to rethink my strategy Blueblood thought as he placed his piece down. they continued on till Button placed a black stone down and a whit one was in between four black stones.

"That white stone is now yours, take it." Luna said.

this one? Button asked her, she nodded and he picked up the piece and place it into the cover of his bowl. Blueblood placed a piece down.

"19-15" Luna said and Button placed the stone in the right spot. Blueblood placed a piece of his down and took one the stones Button used to capture Blueblood's one, making it so they could just go back and forth in a never ending cycle of captures.

He took it Luna! is that alright? Button asked. Luna just smiled.

"18-14" Luna said confidently. Button placed the stone down and saw he had captured another on Blueblood's pieces.

Button picked it up and placed it with the other. Blueblood gave a small sigh and Button was confused.

What's going on? He asked Luna. She gestured to the corner Button and Blueblood had been placing most of their pieces on.

"Those 9 white stones there just died, eventually you will take them prisoner." She said. Button smiled internally.

WOW! That many? cool, this is going to be an easy win. he thought. Luna glanced over her spread fan at Blueblood

"No... this boy is not that weak." She said. Blueblood opened his eyes and with a determined look he placed a stone down, but before he took his finger off he slid it into a different spot. Button kept placing stones down where Luna told him.

"We did not capture those stones, He sacrificed them." luna's voice was focused. Button was amazed the she noticed it.

Really? He asked. luna's fan closed and she pointed to the board.

"Look closely." She said. So Button did and he was surprised that he had missed it.

OH! But thought in realization. Blueblood's eyes were fixed on the board.

I still have a chance... loosing those 9 stones on my upper left hurt but I still control the center of the board he placed a stone and carefully planned his next move. button was nervous now that he saw what Blueblood was planning.

Are we gonna win? he asked Luna to which she chuckled.

"Maybe, 4-13." she said with a smile. Button and Blueblood placed a few more stones with Luna watching the board like a predator. She smiled behind her fan when she knew it was the time to show the young Blueblood what she was made of.

"Now 8-5." she said, now standing behind Button.

"hhmm, 8-5 where are you, ah here it is." Button said out loud and placed his stone down. Blueblood gasped in surprise and confusion. he just stared at the stone Button had laid down, nervous tension coursing through him.

Why? that isn't the best move... it's not even a good move. he thought when a chilling idea crossed his mind.

He played it to see how I'd respond. Blueblood realized. a bead of sweat fell down his temple.

It's like he's testing my strength. Blueblood was now thoroughly spooked. The world seemed to fade away and all that was left was Blueblood and the Go board. he felt this heavy presence that seemed to weigh him down like a lead jacket.

He's testing my skill... from a level far above mine he thought. little did he know Luna was watching him, Her hard gaze piercing him from over her spread fan, calculating what he would do and planning a counter attack.

The lady at the front desk said goodbye to one of the customers when Button cam jogging up to her.

"Oh, game finished?" She asked cheerfully. Button nodded.

"Yep all done>' he said then sighed,

"I think it was a little to soon for a match after all... Ya know I'm so slow, it kinda tired me out." he said, stretching his arms a bit. The lady smiled and pulled out a flyer from under the desk.

"By the way there's a GO tournament coming up soon, take a look." She handed Button the flyer and he glanced at it.

"Why not check it out." She said leaning her head on her hand and smiling at him. Button blushed slightly and rubbed his head sheepishly.

"I' think about it., and thank you for letting me play here today, bye." He said as he pushed the door open and walked out.

"Come again." She called after him. She giggled to herself.

"He may even beat BlueBlood... in another 50 years maybe." Her attention was pulled to the chorus of loud voices and she saw them gathering around the table The boy and Blueblood had played at.

"What he lost?!" one man voice said

"That's not possible." Another stated

"I know, Blueblood's as good as a pro." the voices got more heated and she made her way over to the table and the conversations got clearer.

"So he must've given him a handicap right? how many stones?"

"Non, the boy played black and went first."

"How much did he win by?"

"Two points."

"So Blueblood actually won, if you count the Komi." Blue blood shook his head.

"It's not just the two points, he was playing on a level higher then I was." When she heard Blueblood say that she muscled her way past the crown and her eyes fell upon the GO board and she was shocked.

"Is that true Blueblood? You lost?" She asked. Blueblood was so shook up about his game that he couldn't even answer her question. She just shook her head in disbelief.

"No, that's impossible, that boy said he'd never played a game before in his life." She said. This made Blueblood's head snap up and stare wide eyed in terrified fascination at her statement. He looked between the board and her in a daze.

"Never... played a game... Before today... ever?" He started to shake and he stood to his feet.

"Who... who is he?" He asked, knowing no one could answer him.

Button Mash walked down the street, his finger laced behind his head. He let out a tired sigh.

"I'm not used to this, I'm exhausted." He turned and looked at Luna who was standing just behind him.

"Did you have a good time playing GO again Luna?" She nodded her head

"Very much so." she beamed a smile at him, he smiled back.

"Good, now when we get home were doing some social studies homework." He said. Luna chuckled inwardly.

"Anything you say." She said giving him a closed eye smile. she missed the child gleam of haapiness that shined in his eyes.

"Great! you wanna race?" He asked hopping up and down slightly.

"I would love to." her eyes shimmered with happiness. Button laughed.

"Onetwotheego!" he yelled quickly and sped off before Luna could get ready.

"Hey! That's not fair! I wasn't ready!" She yelled after him and grinned widely as she gave chase. They raced down the road into the sunset laughing with each other.

500 views

Previous Chapters