It's Not Over

Double D woke up tiredly. Where was he? A swirling vortex of cosmic energy, perhaps? The swirling, random colors around him seemed to confirm this. Once this discovery made its full impact, Double D panicked. What was going on?!

Double D looked down at the ground, realizing he was standing on a giant, white tile. A very familiar tile, at that.

Double D fell down in the shock of realizing it was a giant chess board.

"You're confused." A voice acknowledged from above. In an instant, a strange, alien creature appeared before Double D. It wore a grey robe and had snow-white skin. Large, blue, deer-like antlers grew out of its head, though it had no other features on its face.

"I am White Checkmate." The being explained calmly. "I have brought you here to help you in your confusion."

"What is this place?" Double D asked in amazement as he stood up. "What are you?"

"I am no longer what I once was." White Checkmate explained in its strange, calm voice. "My species will become extinct in the Earth year 90,000. I am one of its only survivors."

"How can you be a survivor if it hasn't gone extinct yet?" Double D asked suspiciously. "How do you even know when it goes extinct?"

"The complexity of the Red is not important to you." White Checkmate insisted. "This is your awakening."

"My what?" Double D asked. "What are you talking about?! What is this place?"

"We are in a pocket dimension partly of my own creation." White Checkmate explained. "We call this world ChessSpace."

Double D felt the tile beneath his feet shake. He was thrown aside by a giant, white chess piece coming out of it. Double D was shocked to realize that it was him coming out of a white, marble base.

"You are the first of my pieces chosen." White Checkmate explained. "Hail you, chosen for your genius and otherworldly mind, as you are the King of the White Army."

"Pieces?!" Double D repeated in shock as he continued to stare at his giant double. "What kind of chess game are you playing?!"

"The Red has warped my body, causing it to evolve rapidly." White Checkmate explained. "In mere hours I achieve what it will take humans thousands of years to become. But I am forever trapped in the Red Dimension, only able to enter the pocket dimension that is created there. Boredom has ravaged my mind."

"That doesn't answer my question." Double D said angrily.

"I create threats that could ravage your universe for my own amusement." White Checkmate explained. "I then amuse myself further by seeing if I can stop them, or if the other one is capable of doing so."

"You intentionally bet people's lives on a game like that?!" Double D repeated, shocked.

"The other one attempts to stop me at every move; he is trying to stop the events I have set in play before I can." White Checkmate explained. "We are both setting the pieces to stop what I have begun, so there are very good chances of danger being averted." White Checkmate was silent, thoughtfully pondering. "Still… failure is always possible… if the universe begins to bore me the other one would not be able to stop me from ending it."

"You're insane!" Double D yelled. "I am a god." White Checkmate hissed harshly. "And I do not appreciate you questioning my infinite wisdom. I have chosen you as my main piece; if you die then I lose the game."

"Where is this 'other one' you keep talking about?!" Double D yelled. "Is there a Black Checkmate somewhere around here?!"

"Black Checkmate?" White Checkmate repeated, seemingly impressed. "He prefers to be called the Wild Card, but I suppose that name would suit him just as well. You should be grateful that I am letting you be a part of my game. I will win, just as I always do, and the universe will be saved."

"What is it that you've started?!" Double D asked.

"I inspired the creation of an organization that plans to take over the universe." White Checkmate explained. "They are called the HOUSE; I have created a player for their third army."

"This is just a game to you!" Double D yelled. "I'm not going to forget this; I'll tell someone!"

"Sadly, you will forget this." White Checkmate corrected. The tile beneath Double D's feet suddenly liquefied, becoming a quicksand-like substance. Double D was quickly pulled under as White Checkmate watched indifferently.

"Black Checkmate, eh?" A voice said as a black spaceship lowered down, landing next to White Checkmate. "I think I'll take that name; beats the Wild Card any day."

"Is your army ready for play yet?" White Checkmate asked. "No." Black Checkmate, the spaceship, answered. "I've chosen who I want but I haven't… what do you call it? Awakening, right? Well, I haven't done that yet. I've been careful to watch 'em, make sure they're right for my army, but they're not ready yet."

"The third army already has all of its pieces." White Checkmate observed. "This will surely be a challenge; I gave Third Checkmate all of my wisdom and intelligence."

"Does he cheat like you?" Black Checkmate asked mockingly. "Why do you call yourself White Checkmate, anyways? You're not a good guy."

"I chose that name because I always have the advantage." White Checkmate explained. "I always make the first move. I always win."

Author's Notes: Bam! Didn't see that coming, did you? Now go review about it! GO!

Next Time: Mean and Green