Colres' hand hovered over his knight piece, surveying the board for the best possible course of action. Dozens of moves and countermoves played themselves out in his mind, thinking three or even five moves ahead of himself and what he would do against his own plays would be necessary considering his opponent. Eventually he picked up his knight, tipping over a pawn which was immediately enveloped in a blue psychic glow.
It levitated off the board to the join the other pieces in a bowl that floated beside each player. Uxie nodded in appreciation of play, wasting no time in shifting his bishop to consume another one of Colres' forces.
"How is this even possible?" Anderson asked from the sidelines, struggling between his ever-present irritation at the world and confusion at the situation.
Neither player lifted their eyes from the board as if fearing the lapse in eye contact with the game would cost them.
"Pokemon are more intelligent than you would give them credit for. Their ability to play a mental game of this complexity would not be completely unheard of, especially for a pokémon of such mental capacity as Uxie."
"Flattery will not provide tactical advantage you seek. As to possible question, gained basic rules of chess from several humans that I extracted information from. Am however still learning. Next three games will ensure I never lose another."
"That's under the assumption that we make it to a tie-breaker," Colres chided playfully.
"That's not what I'm talking about! What is he doing here?! Why do I know him and yet also know that I haven't ever met him?" Anderson pointed a shaking finger at the sprite.
"This isn't canon," the sprite and scientist replied in unison with a tone that implied that the answer was the most obvious thing in the universe.
"Oh, so that just makes it okay?" the commander fumed.
"It would appear that wa-oh you crafty little…" Colres exhaled as Uxie completed the white circle of go pieces around his queen.
"Why are you playing a board game with him?"
"Oh we've been doing this for years to help decide the fate of humanity," Colres stated offhandedly. "Last year we played risk," he added before picking up his checker piece and zigzagging it across the board, "King me."
Uxie wordlessly floated one of the fallen pieces from the bowl and mounted it on his.
"Why do you get to decide humanity's fate?!" Anderson's shoulders were shaking now, his face was now beginning to darken into more fatal shades of purple.
"Meh," Colres gave a sheepish shrug, watching Uxie psychically fiddle with his shogi piece from the corner of his eye.
Anderson began to visibly deflate and slumped into a chair that had been provided for him.
"Why am I here?" the soldier moaned miserably and sank deeper into the cushions.
"Not sure. Oh and Uxie, I believe the culprit is Colonel Mustard in the plane of eternal suffering…with the asteroid," Colres concluded.
"Would seem you are ahead by one point…for now," Uxie noted, laying the royal flush he psychically held onto the table while Colres threw down his own hand of five aces.
"I'm not even going to ask how the hell this game is played," Anderson groaned. "Oh goddesses, I'm actually starting to miss Cygnus."
Several minutes passed and the dark room became relatively quiet, save for the sinister chuckles both players seemed to trade back and forth and mutter, "Just as planned" over and over again.
"So when you finish this damned thing we can all go back to normal," the Unovan soldier inquired.
"That is a possibility that exists," Uxie replied diplomatically, psychically pulling out a block from the Jenga tower.
"My friend, I find your use of Stealth Rock in our friendly little game to be rather deplorable," the Unovan scientist grumbled as he held his 3DSXL, debating on who in his party to send out next.
"Legitimate strategy," Uxie countered, dropping the last red puck into the slot and effectively connecting four of his colors in a row.
I can't take this anymore" Anderson sighed and found some relief in that whatever evil force had brought him here, it had done him the courtesy of leaving him a method of sweet release.
If the sound of a gunshot and subsequent spray did anything to deter the players from continuing their game, they didn't show it. Instead they bickered of the whether or not items should be allowed and whether Final Destination was a fair stage.
Those of you unfamiliar with our soldier friend should check out The Divergence. It was Senriyu who gave me the idea of Colres and Uxie being friends. I honestly can't wait to actually have them meet up in the story. If you have time, send some love Senriyu's way.