Monochrome Checkmate - Monologue
Mar. 5th, 2024 10:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shivalriesSeason: Spring
---
Location: Garden Terrace
Izumi: ......
Eichi: *chuckle* When the solution is unclear, one effective strategy can be to change one's point of view.
Conversing with you has truly made me realize this. Short-sightedness applies to the both of us—despite the situation, I do sympathize with you quite a bit.
Having never received the gift of talent from the Lord above, we have nonetheless been forced to fight alongside those geniuses we so resent.
I sympathize, I empathize, and I do hope we can help each other.
This is how I truly feel, Sena-kun. We're classmates, after all—we should get along.
Izumi: ...Be quiet for a sec. I'm thinking over my next move, okay? Can you try not to butt in with your random commentary?
Are you just spouting crap to try to confuse me because I'm on the verge of breaking out of this deadlock?
Pretty sly, if you ask me.
Eichi: By all means, you're welcome to think so, but have you considered that I might, in fact, be leading you towards that conclusion so you'd fall right into my trap?
It's quite dull when a game staggers to a halt. We should have set a time limit.
We are betting nothing on this match, nor have we set any strict rules.
However... I don't find losing very fun. I should have given this more thought.
Well, we are only human—we cannot see the future in complete clarity as gods can.
Izumi: I thought I told you to zip it.
Eichi: Oh, but my voice is no more distracting than the twittering of little birds, is it not?
As you know... a grand event like no other in Yumenosaki's long history—DDD—is fast approaching.
The school is abuzz with activity in preparation for it. You'll hear music floating over from practice sessions, or the clamor of songs hummed upon the lips of every student.
In fact, if one does not raise their voice, they can hardly have a conversation around here. It isn't a bad thing that the atmosphere is so lively, though.
It only means it was worth it to light a fire under each and every student by holding DDD.
This sort of hustle and bustle would have been unimaginable around this time last year.
Knights will be participating in DDD as well, I presume?
Don't you like to practice, Sena-kun? Wouldn't that be a better use of your time than loafing around here?
Why don't we wrap up our conversations, our negotiations... and do what we can to avoid future failures?
Izumi: ...Like I said, I'm still thinking. Don't rush me. I don't give a crap about DDD, either.
Knights is an empty shell of what it once was, not a trace of our golden age left. We'd just be embarrassing ourselves if we tried to join in some big event now. Hard to believe, huh?
Even with the newbie, we still only have four members, you know.
Eichi: Ah, right, the Suous' own Tsukasa-kun recently joined Knights, didn't he? An odd choice—I wonder what inspired him?
Though, if my memory serves me right, doesn't Knights have five members?
You should count Tsukinaga-kun among your forces. He hasn't yet dropped out of school, right?
Izumi: ...He can no longer fight.
Eichi: I can imagine. I paid him a visit once myself, but I was thoroughly disappointed.
That was no longer the Tsukinaga-kun I'd been so fond of. To think geniuses were such fragile beings...
What a shame. Chess was once a colossal collective encompassing over half of the student body...
...and now Knights, who found its roots in this grand unit, will soon see an end to its history as well.
Izumi: You act like it has nothing to do with you. Whose fault do you think that was, huh?
Eichi: Are you implying it was my fault? Oh, you wound me. Weren't you the ones who went off and ruined yourselves?
Well, it did happen as I hoped it would.
Knights—rather, Chess had lost sight of why it exists, and sought to expand its scope without rhyme nor reason, eventually beginning to corrode from within.
It was the very sort of corruption I had sought to drive away—the inheritor of all the vices from an antiquated tradition. It was only natural for it to be weeded out during the changing of eras.
The "knights" of old were buried within the shadows of history, never to live again.
Though of course, at the very least, their name persists in fairy tales, place names, and the like... Eventually, you all will meet the same fate.
You had once thought yourselves a force to be reckoned with, since you enjoyed the perks of simply being a member...
...and you placated yourselves with the meager pleasures and accomplishments you could earn without putting in any effort.
The most lukewarm of units, it was—a capital of corruption, in which the apathetic masses that had overtaken Yumenosaki Academy could romp and rollick as they pleased.
Such was the unit we called Chess. Little surprise that it came to ruin like Sodom and Gomorrah.
Izumi: What, and you're supposed to be "God" in this scenario?
Eichi: I am an angel, as I believe Tsukinaga-kun had once called me... I extract the pus, purify all corruption, judge the sinners, and usher in a new era to this world.
That is my role, granted to me at birth.
...Or, at least, that is what I had believed as I made blunder after blunder, severed friendships, lost my way, and left my current self with a terrible conundrum.
My pure wings turned black as I stained myself in blood, and I came crashing to the earth.
Izumi: Wax poetic all you like, but I'm not gonna be half as impressed as Leo-kun would.
Eichi: It simply sprang unbidden to my tongue. Tales of chivalry oft come with poems, do they not, Sena-kun?
You take so long to move your pieces that I've been filling the silence with meaningless banter.
...Might you reconsider dragging your feet any longer, Sena-kun?
We are now already in our third year. We have little time left, especially me...
God has fairly granted us each an identical chess piece in the form of time. I'd prefer you use yours more effectively.
Fail to do so, and you will face an endless cycle of tragic defeats.
---
< Killer's Anthem Chapter 8 || Masterlist || A Heart Rusting Over Chapter 1 >
---
Location: Garden Terrace
Izumi: ......
Eichi: *chuckle* When the solution is unclear, one effective strategy can be to change one's point of view.
Conversing with you has truly made me realize this. Short-sightedness applies to the both of us—despite the situation, I do sympathize with you quite a bit.
Having never received the gift of talent from the Lord above, we have nonetheless been forced to fight alongside those geniuses we so resent.
I sympathize, I empathize, and I do hope we can help each other.
This is how I truly feel, Sena-kun. We're classmates, after all—we should get along.
Izumi: ...Be quiet for a sec. I'm thinking over my next move, okay? Can you try not to butt in with your random commentary?
Are you just spouting crap to try to confuse me because I'm on the verge of breaking out of this deadlock?
Pretty sly, if you ask me.
Eichi: By all means, you're welcome to think so, but have you considered that I might, in fact, be leading you towards that conclusion so you'd fall right into my trap?
It's quite dull when a game staggers to a halt. We should have set a time limit.
We are betting nothing on this match, nor have we set any strict rules.
However... I don't find losing very fun. I should have given this more thought.
Well, we are only human—we cannot see the future in complete clarity as gods can.
Izumi: I thought I told you to zip it.
Eichi: Oh, but my voice is no more distracting than the twittering of little birds, is it not?
As you know... a grand event like no other in Yumenosaki's long history—DDD—is fast approaching.
The school is abuzz with activity in preparation for it. You'll hear music floating over from practice sessions, or the clamor of songs hummed upon the lips of every student.
In fact, if one does not raise their voice, they can hardly have a conversation around here. It isn't a bad thing that the atmosphere is so lively, though.
It only means it was worth it to light a fire under each and every student by holding DDD.
This sort of hustle and bustle would have been unimaginable around this time last year.
Knights will be participating in DDD as well, I presume?
Don't you like to practice, Sena-kun? Wouldn't that be a better use of your time than loafing around here?
Why don't we wrap up our conversations, our negotiations... and do what we can to avoid future failures?
Izumi: ...Like I said, I'm still thinking. Don't rush me. I don't give a crap about DDD, either.
Knights is an empty shell of what it once was, not a trace of our golden age left. We'd just be embarrassing ourselves if we tried to join in some big event now. Hard to believe, huh?
Even with the newbie, we still only have four members, you know.
Eichi: Ah, right, the Suous' own Tsukasa-kun recently joined Knights, didn't he? An odd choice—I wonder what inspired him?
Though, if my memory serves me right, doesn't Knights have five members?
You should count Tsukinaga-kun among your forces. He hasn't yet dropped out of school, right?
Izumi: ...He can no longer fight.
Eichi: I can imagine. I paid him a visit once myself, but I was thoroughly disappointed.
That was no longer the Tsukinaga-kun I'd been so fond of. To think geniuses were such fragile beings...
What a shame. Chess was once a colossal collective encompassing over half of the student body...
...and now Knights, who found its roots in this grand unit, will soon see an end to its history as well.
Izumi: You act like it has nothing to do with you. Whose fault do you think that was, huh?
Eichi: Are you implying it was my fault? Oh, you wound me. Weren't you the ones who went off and ruined yourselves?
Well, it did happen as I hoped it would.
Knights—rather, Chess had lost sight of why it exists, and sought to expand its scope without rhyme nor reason, eventually beginning to corrode from within.
It was the very sort of corruption I had sought to drive away—the inheritor of all the vices from an antiquated tradition. It was only natural for it to be weeded out during the changing of eras.
The "knights" of old were buried within the shadows of history, never to live again.
Though of course, at the very least, their name persists in fairy tales, place names, and the like... Eventually, you all will meet the same fate.
You had once thought yourselves a force to be reckoned with, since you enjoyed the perks of simply being a member...
...and you placated yourselves with the meager pleasures and accomplishments you could earn without putting in any effort.
The most lukewarm of units, it was—a capital of corruption, in which the apathetic masses that had overtaken Yumenosaki Academy could romp and rollick as they pleased.
Such was the unit we called Chess. Little surprise that it came to ruin like Sodom and Gomorrah.
Izumi: What, and you're supposed to be "God" in this scenario?
Eichi: I am an angel, as I believe Tsukinaga-kun had once called me... I extract the pus, purify all corruption, judge the sinners, and usher in a new era to this world.
That is my role, granted to me at birth.
...Or, at least, that is what I had believed as I made blunder after blunder, severed friendships, lost my way, and left my current self with a terrible conundrum.
My pure wings turned black as I stained myself in blood, and I came crashing to the earth.
Izumi: Wax poetic all you like, but I'm not gonna be half as impressed as Leo-kun would.
Eichi: It simply sprang unbidden to my tongue. Tales of chivalry oft come with poems, do they not, Sena-kun?
You take so long to move your pieces that I've been filling the silence with meaningless banter.
...Might you reconsider dragging your feet any longer, Sena-kun?
We are now already in our third year. We have little time left, especially me...
God has fairly granted us each an identical chess piece in the form of time. I'd prefer you use yours more effectively.
Fail to do so, and you will face an endless cycle of tragic defeats.
---
< Killer's Anthem Chapter 8 || Masterlist || A Heart Rusting Over Chapter 1 >
