A/N
This has been in my little stash for a while. Decided to finally share it!
Checkmate
I had heard the trials were difficult, but…
"Don't you think you're taking this Chess thing a little too seriously?"
"Strategy and patience is imperative to his training."
I vent, and my optics follow another one of the mech's movements. Compared to myself, he is positively tiny, and yet the one mech slightly larger than me finds him challenging.
For Pit's sake, that Prime has to sit on the counter just to be heard.
I've been watching only because I'm bored, and for how long?
Two joors.
Not even half the pieces have been removed from the Cybertronian-sized board, and the audience that had gathered at first has dwindled to two humans and myself.
Unimaginable patience allows an entire breem to pass before the standing Prime makes a move. Micronus takes his turn to process.
"You said this wouldn't take very long."
"After a few battles, it will take less time to think, and then it will be quick."
I lower my helm, grumbling as I drag one hand over my faceplates.
"It's a slagging game, you two are going to drive me right up to the ceiling."
"Well, I'm sure you would have more fun up there than where you are now."
I drop my hand and glare at the little green nuisance that is somehow mentor to the Optimus Prime.
"Shut up."
"Please mind your manners, Stargazer."
I narrow my optics at the larger mech.
"What do you want?"
He opens his mouth, then shuts it, instead looking back to the board. Since he had turned halfway around to look at me, he hadn't noticed Micronus making his move. A rather bold one, even if I don't know anything about Chess.
"Micronus..."
"Yes, Your Majesty?"
I growl. That's what I call him. Now I just wanna reach over there and smack that little smirk off his little faceplates.
"Were you not the dark side of the board?"
"Perhaps. But maybe not. You know I don't have the best memory chip."
"You do not have the worst either, and I am far from unobservant."
"Then you should know that yes, I was the black, but you will never know when the board might be flipped. You must learn to work with new circumstances, even the exact opposites of those you know."
I flip my seat around and sit back down, folding my servos over the back and resting my helm on them.
"Finally, this might actually be entertaining. What're you gonna do, sweetspark?"
He analyzes the board and makes a move after just a few moments, and Micronus frowns.
"Advising poor choices for your enemy? You could get caught doing that."
"I understand the risks."
"And very well, I trust. I mean, I have already taught you the logic of risk-taking. Haven't I?"
"You have."
His frown turns into a smile, too happy for his own good, and he makes a quick move.
"At last, I remember something!"
Again, the processing takes more than a few moments, and I'm almost bored again when the board is turned back around.
"'You will never know when the board might be flipped,' was it not, Micronus?"
"You've always been such a fast learner. And your move?"
Clearly something devastating, judging by Micronus' expression.
"I believe the term is...checkmate."
A/N
Hope you enjoyed it! I certainly had fun writing it.