[Thread] Robes are optional!

[poppingseeds]

Characters: OU!Grandmaster Kragok, AU!Persephone
Where: Dor-Epta
When: Day time at some point, before Persephone moves.
Summary: Kragok has offered to teach Persephone how to play chess.
Warnings: Kragok and Persephone fluff, probably.

Comments

[gm_kragok]

Kragok, unfortunately, didn't hear the knock. He was busy training, something he'd done almost nonstop since his arrival in Econtra. His robes flourished and followed his movements in flowing steps, and he felt the weight of each blow as he threw it. His friend Leonidas was gone. Gone before he could ask the human about Sparta, about the people he ruled and of his own ways as a warrior. Kragok's fists cut through the air easily and sweat flew off his brow and arms, casting glittering droplets around the tiled floor of the empty room.

"Damn it all," he muttered, spinning on the ball of one foot and swinging his fist, "still not good enough!" His fist impacted against the apartment wall with a resounding crash, shaking the wall and most of the apartment from the force.

[poppingseeds]

Well. That didn't sound good.

Thankfully, the door was unlocked or else Persephone would have been busting it down and the residents of Dor-Epta would be forced to requisition themselves a new door, which would just be a hassle and a half. Thinking that Lien-Da may have finally decided to kill Kragok after all, the young goddess burst into the room, wild eyed and --

Wait. There was just the Grandmaster. A look of confusion quickly replaced the murderous and worried expression she had on her face moments before. He seemed to be in one piece? "Grandmaster?"

[gm_kragok]

Kragok didn't turn to face Persephone immediately. He still felt shame burning on his face from his action, and the worry he'd sparked in her. "My apologies, Persephone. I was merely training, as I usually do anymore. You caught me at an awkward moment, I suppose." He turned back around to face her, wiping the red from his cheeks.

"Come to learn to play chess finally?" he asked.

[poppingseeds]

Persephone masked her concern quickly with a smile. "Quite alright. I just thought someone had come to assassinate you finally, is all. No worries," she said teasingly, a grin easily spreading across her features.

"And, yes. I have. If you'd like me to come back later, though, I don't mind?"

[gm_kragok]

"Not at all! Come in," he invited, wiping off his brow and gesturing for Persephone to enter. "My sister is out and about, so I believe we have the apartment to ourselves." He grinned at Persephone. "Are you all right?"

[poppingseeds]

The relief was hard to keep out of her demeanor at the mention of Lien-Da not being present, but the goddess managed. For now. As much as Persephone didn't like her, though, she'd still try to be diplomatic towards the female echidna.

"Quite alright, actually. And you?" she inquired, stepping fully inside and shutting the door behind herself.

[gm_kragok]

"Much better. Skuld's repairs were phenomenal," he replied. Grinning still, he walked over to a cupboard, opening it and pulling out a wooden box. "I keep the chessboard in here." He set it on the kitchen table, opening it and setting up the board. He loved chess. A game of strategy, of simulated war in the palm of one's hand.

"Are you ready?" he asked, setting the final pieces on the board.

[poppingseeds]

"She's an amazing goddess, isn't she? Told you she'd be able to help," Persephone replied, moving over to the kitchen table and sitting down, watching Kragok set up the board with great interest.

It seemed a bit like Portes in a way, with the pieces, though they were certainly much... bigger. And had more shape. Eying it all dubiously, she said, "Think so."

[gm_kragok]

"Good," Kragok said. "I may as well explain from the bottom up. Those pieces up front that all look alike? They are called pawns. They are the weakest piece, but not be underestimated. They can move one square forward, or two squares forward on their first move." He demonstrated by moving two pawns forward, one two spaces and the other a mere one space forward.

"These two pieces at each end are called castles. They can move in any straight line as far as they want, so long as a piece isn't blocking its path." He pointed in a cross on the board, tracing its line of movement. "Getting it so far, my dear?"

[poppingseeds]

The goddess nodded, watching every move intently. Heck, if a poppy could learn to play backgammon, she could learn to play chess. It didn't look all that hard. Yet.

[gm_kragok]

"The next pieces here are called warriors," Kragok said, "And they can move in perhaps in the oddest fashion. They move two steps forward in any direction, followed by one step to the side." He demonstrated, showing the odd L-shape of a Warrior's step. "They, unlike all other pieces, can jump over other pieces with their move."

[poppingseeds]

"Only ones that can jump over other things... got it." Not hard, not hard at all. That one would be easy to remember.

[gm_kragok]

"Bishops," he continued, pointing them out, "Can move diagonally in any direction. A sort of counterpart to Castles."

[poppingseeds]

Another nod, eyebrows raised. "Diagonal, not straight like the Castles."

[gm_kragok]

"Right!" He gestured to the last two pieces. "These two are the most important pieces." he pointed them out. "The King and Queen. The Queen can move in almost any direction, save the Warrior's style. That's his unique movement alone. Other than that, diagonally and straight, she can move."

"Now..." he continued, lifting the king, "For the most important piece. If you lose him, you lose."

[poppingseeds]

A smirk now. Of course those two would be the most important, with those names. Right. "Is that all there is to it, then? Just taking that one piece?"