Warnings: None? Just phylosophic Atobe, hyper Gakuto and metions of chess.
Notes: Italic sentences are Atobe's thougts.
Dislaimer: I do not own TeniPuri, Konomi-sensei does. I do not own chess and quotes at the start and end.
白いキ ング / White King
"Life is like a game of Chess, changing with each move." (Chinese proverb)
I'm the King. White king, who leads my army to absolute win.
My life is like a chess game. It's about fighting, surviving, gaining, losing, making friends and peace, cooperating and working together. It's on me whether I will win or lose, it's on me how I will play my life. It's on me, whether I will be a defenceless pawn, kill-crazy bishop or the one who will rule the chessboard, the King. It's on me wheather I will be sacrificed as a marionette or when I will play my own game. And I will play my game, my life, in which I won't lose.
"So, my grandson, can we start a game?" Old man, sitting across from Atobe, asks.
Atobe nods. They are in a office in Atobe's mansion. Between them, there is a little ebony table with chess on it.
Chessboard is a big squared board with sixty-four squares. Thirty-two white squares and thirty-two black squares. Eight rows, eight columns. Rows and columns are labeled by numbers and letters from one to eight, from A to H. From the point of view of a White player, the nearest row is the first row, labeled by number 1, the furthest row is the eighth row, labeled by number 8. The column placed on the most on left is the A column, the most on right, it is the H column. In general, left columns, A, B, C, D are called Queen's side, the right columns, E, F, G, H are called King's side.
Chess pieces are hand-engraved, standing in the basic position, prepared to fight with an opponent. Each of them has 16 pieces, Atobe has the White colour, his opponent-grandad has the Black colour. Their army counts 8 Pawns, in the second row, respectively in the seventh row for the Black player. On the first and eighth row are another 8 pieces. On the outside columns, two Rooks. Next to them are two Knights. Beside to them, two Bishops and between them, the Queen and the King.
I'm the King.
King is the strongest, at same time the weakest, the most woundable and the most important piece in the game. That's probably why chess is called the King's game. Even when other pieces are eliminated, King is there, every time, until the last end of game.
King decides a result of a game. When he falls, he loses. When he defeats the second king, he wins. King can decide, whether he makes a peace with second king or not. If yes, then, he draws. King is always surrounded by another chess piece, which protects him. His Queen, Rooks, Bishops, Knights and even Pawns, they will sacrifice themselves in order to protect their King or to defeat their opponent.
Atobe Keigo is the self-centered King.
Atobe is the captain of Hyotei Tennis Club. He is the most powerful. He always plays the longest matches and always remains last, even everybody around him loses their matches. He is the one who decides the result. Around Atobe, there are always lots of people.
Friends, fans, enemies. He is the cynosure of all eyes, everything is only about him. As in game. Everything is about the King.
When I'm the King, who are others?
Atobe makes his first move. He takes the white Pawn before the King and moves two squares forward. His grandad doesn't wait and makes the same move. The Pawn before the black King moves two squares forward.
Atobe thinks for while. Then he grabs the Knight on right side. Two squares ahead, one square to left. Atobe remembers, when he was younger, how his parents always told him, that move looked like letter L.
Only Knights can do this L move. Knights are unique.
Knight is a really admirable and surprising piece. It moves slowly, but only the Knight can jump over his fellows and infiltrate into opponents' positions. When a Knight is supported by the second Knight or a Pawn, it's really hard to play against it. Unfortunately, the Knight on the right side, on King's side, in some variations, is the figure, which is eliminated as first.
But in some variations, Knight is the very danger chess piece, when it cooperates with the Queen, it is a death combination for the second King.
Mukahi Gakuto is the hyper Knight on the King's side.
He uses his acrobatic to obtain a win. He jumps over his team-mates and can reach balls which are for normal people unreachable. Unfortunately, he is out of stamina quite quickly.
He can be quickly eliminated. If he overcome this weakness, he can be really good.
Who is Mukahi's Queen or the Knight on the left side of chessboard? Who are his partners, who help him to attack or to protect the King?
The Queen and the King stands side by side. It's the most strongest piece next to the King, it moves on rows, columns and even diagonals. It's a good attacker, but a bad guard. The Queen goes to fight usually as last. The Queen waits, until other pieces are ready and then, all of sudden, the Queen assaults the opponent's King. The Queen cooperates very good with Knights or Rooks.
Oshitari Yuushi is the powerful Queen, standing next to the King.
He often accompanies Atobe or Gakuto and he is the second strongest player. When he plays matches, firstly he waits and observes the opponent. After knowing all weaknesses, he starts his real tennis (and closes off his heart) and outplays his opponent. He is like a lion, awaiting for his victim. His play-style is precise. No needless moves, only killing techniques.
In chess, vain moves with the Queen are punished by loss.
Oshitari as the Queen, knows this very well. When he is paired with Gakuto and plays doubles, they are pair which can't afford to lose. They cooperate together excellently and support each other.
Gakuto as the Knight always makes something, which surprises their opponent and Oshitari as the Queen hits a final smash.
And who is the second Knight, standing on left, on Queen's side?
This Knight usually stays in a game longer than the Knight on the right side, from start, the Knight doesn't do anything. And then, in couple moves, the Knight infiltrates to the opponent's position. If he is supported by the Knight on right side, they can make a big chaos. Two Knights are great attackers, and great guards for the King either.
Hiyoshi Wakashi is the Gekokujou Knight on the Queen's side.
He calmly waits for his chance. He is like a hedgehog who extrudes pricks. He can greatly work with Gakuto, their tennis strategy, the short-term match is exactly like the play of two Knights. In a moment, they can eliminate the Queen, the Rooks, but on their own, they can't defeat the King. That's why they need help from other pieces.
Atobe starts the game very good. He has more place for operating for his figures than his grandad and now, he piles the pieces up into a position where he will start his attack.
Atobe grabs his light-squared Bishop, and moves him one square back. It is said: "Sometimes you must do a step back to go forward." Now, when he moved back, his both Bishops are in position, where they are directed to opponent's King, ready to kill him.
Each army has two Bishops. They move on diagonals, one of them moves on light, white squares, second moves on dark, black squares. Even they don't share same standing color, two Bishops standing side by side can rule whole chessboard. But only in situations, where they have place to operate. Bishops like open fields where they can manoeuvre and attack, move quickly from one place to second place. Then they are kill-crazy and nobody can't stop them. In these positions, two Bishops are better then two Knights.
But when they have closed positions, they are not in synchro and have a less place for play. In those kinds of positions, two Knights are more powerful than two Bishops.
Who are the Bishops?
Shishido Ryou is the black-squared determined Bishop on the Queen's side. Ootori Choutarou is the white-squared unselfish Bishop on the King's side.
These two make one of the best doubles combinations in Japan. They are unpredictable, fast. They are Silver Pair. When Shishido can't reach some ball, Ootori covers for him.
When Ootori can't reach some ball, Shishido covers for him. They are like the Bishops. Black-squared Bishop can't play on white squares. So white-squared Bishop covers for him and plays there.
Bishops work bad with Knights. It's because Knights move slower than Bishops. They work quite good with the Queen, but the best it is, when they play with Rooks.
Rooks. Their mission is to protect the King, and when the danger disappears, they have to attack opponent's King. They can move only on rows and columns, but two Rooks are stronger than the Queen.
Atobe made a castling. Castling is a special move, when two pieces move together at same time. He moves his King two squares right and the right Rook, he puts it to left side next to the King. He hides his King behind the barrier of three pawns, protected by the Rook. There he is in safe, for some time.
Kabaji Munehiro is the loyal Rook on the King's side.
Kabaji always follows Atobe everywhere and is disposed to fulfil everything Atobe wants. He is his butler, his guard, his silent friend. The one who stays when everybody leaves him.
Except the Rook, the King is surrounded by Pawns. The Pawns are the weakest stage of the game, if they are alone, they are hurtless, but when they are supported by other Pawns, they can push back other, stronger pieces. Pawns are the soul of the game. The Pawns have one privilege. When White Pawns reach the eight row (from second row) and Black Pawns reach the first row (from the seventh row), they can change into a stronger piece. Into the Queen or the Rook, or the Bishop, or the Knight, depends on a situation. They can't change into the King or stay the Pawn. Usually, they become the Queen, the strongest piece. There are 8 Pawns for White, 8 Pawns for Black. All of them have different mission. The Pawns standing in the center, on column D and E, are supposed to gain a space and are sacrified usually as first. Other pawns, on the edge usually stay to end of game. And these Pawns decide the game.
Pawn on the H column, is the Pawn, which protects the King and for the most time, doesn't do anything. But, this Pawn can be a great attacker too, if somebody calls him.
If this Pawn is supported by the Pawn on the left, opponent's King should have problems. The Pawn on G column is the same, but his the most important task is to cover the King, because the King, when castles, stands right behind this Pawn.
Akutagawa Jirou is the sleeping Pawn on H column.
Jirou always sleeps. Even during matches, he doesn't know what's going on and just plays tennis. But when he spots a strong player, he wakes up and starts his volley things.
His volleys, you don't know where the next ball will fall, and even if you knew it, you wouldn't reach for that ball. Like a pawn.
When the H pawn attacks, you won't stop him, because…it's too late once he wakes up. You would, if you were a magician, a genius or Fuji Shuusuke.
Taki Haginosuke is the protective Pawn on G column.
Taki doesn't play too much, but when he is needed, he is always there, ready to protect Atobe. Like when Echizen wanted to shave Atobe's hair, he was there to sacrifice his hair. He is always there, even nobody notices him. Hidden in shadow of others.
Atobe grabs the Rook on the left side, the last piece which wasn't involved in the game and moves. Now, all his pieces play. When is the position balanced, an attack can start.
Sakaki Tarou is the watching Rook on the Queen's side.
Their coach watches them from afar and doesn't interfere into their lives. But when they have problems, he helps them, no matter how worse it is. He supports them and helps them. To become stronger.
Atobe makes the break-out with his King's Knight and threatens with the unpleasant menace - check, great attack and with obtaining two black pawns.
Threat is worse than its fulfilment.
He is quite confident with this position and in his mind he imagines different ways how to win.
All the White pieces are where they should be. Working together. It's not like only two Bishops are cooperating, or two Knights, or the Queen with the Rooks.
All pieces works together, aiming to the only one target. The Black King.
Contrary to opponent's figures, Black pieces are shattered and the King is badly protected. His grandad protects his King by a Knight and thinks that everything is okay. For the first sight,yes, it doesn't look dangerously.
But he plays against Atobe.
Atobe always thinks forward.
He sacrifices one of his Bishop, in return for H Pawn.
"Check."
His grandad calmly takes the White Bishop by his Knight.
Atobe sacrifices his second piece, a Knight for G Pawn.
His grandad again, takes it, by the King. Now, Atobe is in big material disadvantage, but the Black King is totally naked, there are no pieces to protect him, except the Queen, his other pieces are on the second side of chessboard.
The Queen is good attacker, but bad guard.
In next ten moves Atobe wins. Even his grandad sacrifices his Queen, it's the end for him.
"Checkmate," Atobe says. His grand-dad only nods.
"You play very well, my son."
Of course. I'm the King.
But without my pieces, I would be nothing. Only lonely King. Lonely person. Without my pieces, I couldn't win. Without my team I would be nobody, just son of rich parents.
If we work as team, we will win.
I'm the King. White king, who leads my army to absolute win.
I'm Atobe Keigo, Hyotei tennis captain, who leads my team to top at National.
Next day, at Hyotei tennis club training
"Mukahi! Give me back my food! I didn't have lunch today!" Shishido shouts and runs after Gakuto who stealed and now holds and eats his baguette from a school snack-bar.
"Sorry Shishi-chan! But it's really good!"
"You idiot, stop calling me Shishi-chan, give me to it or I kill you, bury you, burn you, shoot you and then kill you again! Oshitari, say him something!" Oshitari only sits on a bench and reads his romance book, ignoring the scene. Jirou is next to him, laying and sleeping.
"Gekokujou."
"Shishido-san, Mukahi-senpai, please stop," Ootori pleases, but his soft voice isn't heard at all.
"What's going on here?" Atobe comes and shouts, arms crossed, followed by Kabaji.
"Eh? Are you arguing on courts? Damn, does team act like this? As team, you should help each other and not arguing! Oshitari! You as Mukahi's partner should say him something! Ootori, you must speak louder. Mukahi! You shouldn't steal his food, what about to ask? Shishido would share a piece for sure. Nah, Kabaji? And Jirou damn, wake up already?"
"Usu." All of them are quite confused. What is Atobe talking about? Usually, he cares and speaks only about himself.
"Once again?"
"You should cooperate together, support each other, ne," Atobe continues, more calmly than before.
"If you are shattered, going on your own, you won't do anything. If we work as team, we will do great things."
Gakuto inclines to Shishido and whispers into his left ear. "Eh? Atobe talks like he would have eaten all the wisdom of the world or something."
"Maybe he is drunk," Shishido shrugs and gets back his baguette.
"I'm the King! And you are my chess pieces!" Atobe shoutes and snaps fingers, making his diva pose. All of them stares to him like to the biggest idiot of the world. Jirou wakes up and mindlessly looks around.
Atobe starts comparing each person to some chess piece, as yesterday, when he played chess with his grandad, all of them silently listen. When Atobe ends his speech, there is a silent.
All of sudden, Gakuto bursts into loud laugh, along with others: "Atobe, are you okay? What are you talking about? Are you sane at all?"
Oshitari only amusingly moves his glasses up. Ootori shyly smiles as always, Jirou yawns that you could almost sight into his stomach and digestive organs.
Shishido complains. "Why am I some crappy bishop? And why are you telling us these crappy things? You must be drunk."
"You are the Bishop and I'm the King. Put up with it."
"Shishido, you are the Bishop, it's still better than me, I'm the Pawn," Taki says calmly.
"Che," Shishido snorts.
"It doesn't matter who is who, after all, a King, Bishops and even Pawns, after game, end in a same chess box, ain't we?" Jirou happily smiles.
Because, all of us is same, but it depends on us, how our life will pass. You are a player, who play your life. Honestly or scrofurously, happily or sadly, whatever. Like a King or like a Pawn? It's on you. Win and enjoy.
"All my games are real." (Bobby Fischer)
End. I just got this idea when I remembered that I should train chess. So I thought that I would write this fro Kuroshitsuji, when Ciel is King and Sebastian is the Knight. And then I rememer, that Atobe is the King, so I decided to make a PoT fic, instead of Kuroshitsuji fic :)
I think it suits them, those character, ain't it? I hope you like it! :) Even it's crappy, Shishi-chan says :D
Comments and con-crits are welcome! :)
Maya :D