Chess is mental torture. ~ Garry Kasparov
The spirit of ring was in a great mood.
(Ryou was sulking.)
For many reasons he would admit to himself, not to mention all the ones he wouldn't. But the main ones being: 1) The spirit of the ring was happy (and that was never a good thing). 2) The spirit of the ring had decided to share his good mood with Ryou in the latter's soulroom and challenge Ryou to a game of chess. 3) Ryou was losing.
(Not that number three matter in the long run. But still.)
"You're a very ungrateful little landlord. I thought you would enjoy the company."
And the spirit says that with the tone of smirking, without smirking which is probably what Ryou hates most about the whole ordeal. Even more so than the chess metaphors that the spirit loves rubbing in his face. (Ryou has known for a long time he's just a pawn, he doesn't care anymore.) Something about that glint in the spirit's eyes or how his voice drips with contempt, just infuriates him. Ryou much prefers the spirit as a brooding voice in the back of his head to the "happy" one siting across from him now.
(All that frustration leads to Ryou saying -)
"I'm not ungrateful. You're just a lousy tenant."
And it's true, because Ryou still remembers the "wishes" the spirit had granted him in the form of friends in never-ending comas and more figurines than he could handle. Ryou hopes that will anger him, so that Ryou would feel better. It doesn't. The spirit just chuckles; he found Ryou's small acts of defiance to be rather amusing, like a kitten trying to pretend it was a tiger.
(And Ryou knows this, but he also knows that small victories where better than none.)
Ryou moves a pieces, and tries to pretend no meaning lies behind it, tries to pretend that this is just a game.
(A laugh followed by "You are my favorite game to play, yadonushi.")
Ryou sighs, and pushes his pawn to make room for his bishop. Quickly, the spirit's knight takes his bishop.
The spirit smirks, revealing sharp canine teeth.
"Checkmate."
(Ryou tries to pretend this doesn't mean anything either.)
A/N I wanted to make nicer soul room experience for Ryou. It lead to this. I don't know how, either. Reviews are adored!
