A/N: Well, this was lying around the time I finished Xenosaga 2 which was a year ago or so. So you can guess that this has been sittin for a LONG time. And despite being written before Xenosaga III, and despite the slight OOC of the characters, I felt pretty proud the way it ended up (when comparing it now to the game). Anyways. Yay.

Game: Xenosaga III

Type: Drabble

Spoilers: Testaments identities. I think thats it...

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"Checkmate"

Xenosaga III

Blue eyes stared out at the chessboard in front of him watching the lines jump from black to white, from night to day, and hope to despair. He raised his hand to make a move but let it fall back against his robes, gripping the red fabric with a bruising force. He scanned for an escape, checking each pawn, each horse, each man made able body piece to find a path he could walk that did not end with endangering the king. Across from him, as he raised his blue orbs to opposite red ones, the black cloaked testament smirked, enjoying the struggle.

He didn't say anything. It was custom when playing against Voyager in chess he wouldn't talk. But his expression spoke volumes. The way his smile would curl if he made a predictable move. The way his eyes glinted at an opportunity presented. It was all so customary and in a way it just irked him.

Kevin sighed and moved his pawn forward one square. His fingers lingered upon it, watching his opponent with a calculating gaze. Do you judge me? he asked mentally, do you consider me a threat? Am I worthy of a higher plane? Finally he let go when nothing but emotionless dull eyes met his answers and leaned back, satisfied with the move.

The black testament, eldest of all, brought a glove to his chin eyeing the board critically. Kevin half expected him to pull some sort of final move, like so many before but the eldest only hmphed. Crimson eyes swerved from the door behind Kevin to the window, which gave all a wonderful views of the abyss of stars, swallowed by the eternal night. morning and day. Time and time again, they all were the same.

"Tell me Kevin...you seem hesitant about your orders. Are you loyal?"

The question was so simple, so blunt and to the point but it caught Kevin on the spot. Unexpected he could only stare back, drawing a blank response before forcing his eyes to the chessboard. "Because the way I see it... Our leader may accept you as testament with open arms of trust but I do not. Would you like to know the reason why?" The twenty-eight year old didn't bring his head up and continued to watch the game unfold. It was now more then just a...

Checkmate

"Even playing this game you take caution and save everything when you can get to the point and destroy the cause before it becomes a threat." A gloved hand gestured to the pile of black, far larger then Kevin's white discarded pile, "Your playing made me realize you still treasure something. And you risk the king... in order to save it. Will you jeopardize our plans? His plans?"

Silence filled the room and for a fleeting moment the red testament considered it. The playing field was nearly empty of black---the evil pawns and knights but the white side, his side, was near full. By right he should be able to take the rest with ease but...

Checkmate

No more moves were available. Lost in his nerve and protection he'd gotten a checkmate with no way out of it. Angrily he looked up, eyes ablaze "I will not risk master Wilhelm! I don't love Shion. I...I am a testament. A being of a higher existence. I am his servant...how dare you question loyalties! Your one to talk. Acting out in--"

"Personal business does not count going out of line." Was the simply reply, laced back in a monotone that made the others skin crawl. In a simple fluid movement Voyager plucked the King from the board and deposited it with the rest. "Know your place Kevin." The black testament rose, robes spilling around him. The only one to remain unmasked outside of the ship of confinement gave Kevin one last look before exiting.

"Learn to think before you act, boy."

The door closed with a hiss leaving the blue haired man to sit and determine what mattered more.

His selfish desires...
...or a man that demanded his very soul and servitude?

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A/N: A bit strange, I know, still. I liked the shortness X3