"Do you want to play again?"
>No.>
"I want to play again."
>I don't care. Shut up.>
"I don't think I will."
It didn't thoughtspeak back.
"My name is Rruyshah, I am an Exalted of the Kelbrid and victor at chess."
>Shut up!>
"Nah. I was assaulted by a Na and cruelly forced to be in proximity to a-"
>Shut UP!>
"Why certainly," Rruyshah simpered. "I'd rather play chess."
It had been backed into a logical black hole. >Okay. But I move first.> It did. Rruyshah was developing a bit of a strategy, which she employed. She would have had him beat, too, if he didn't insist on making up the rules! She had him where she wanted him, her "horses" "and bishops" closing in for the kill. And then he cheated.
>I'll…move my king…there.>
"That's two squares. You're only allowed to go one."
>Please? Just this once?>
"Just this once forever, or just this once in the game?"
>Just this once in the game.>
"No."
>Aw c'mon! I'll let you do it! As long as you…uh…haven't moved your castle.>
Rruyshah had moved both of hers. "What do they have to do with anything?"
>Uh…I'll move…this one…next to the king. Right here.> He nosed the pieces around. >Your move.>
Rruyshah gritted all but twelve of her external teeth. "You win in three."
>I do? How?>
"If you can't see, I'm not going to tell you."
It took him eighteen sloppy moves to beat her. >And our current score is Tortured Nothlit 1, Stuck-Up Kelbrid 1.>
"Actually, it's Exalted One One, Imbecile One…half."
>That was a fair win!>
"Not with your castle-and-king trick it's not!"
>You can do it too.>
"You mean there'll be a next time?"
>I mean-oh…>
"I move first."