Video;

[schachmeister]

[The pokegear shows a table, a torracat who doesn’t seem to understand yet that it has gotten a bit too big for this sleeping on the end of the table, paws and tail spilling over the edge. It’s not an accidental video though; it is focused on a chess board, a pale hand setting the pieces with the quick sort of ease that comes from having done this countless of times before.

Armin’s voice is quiet and a little thoughtful as he talks.]

It’s interesting to see how some things seem to be unique to certain worlds [like the titans of their own world] while other things seem to be known in almost all worlds. It makes me wonder what makes some things so common while others are so rare. I was surprised to find this in town, but it even has exactly the same rules as back home.

[It’s not visible on the camera, but Armin smiles as he adds:]

… The pieces look a little different, though.

[Rather than the standard pawns, rooks and knights, all of the chess pieces look like grass pokemon: little oddishes and bellsprouts for pawns, a pair of venusaurs for rooks on the black side stand across two meganiums on white’s side.

Armin sits, finally in view of the camera, his finger coming to rest on the white king (serperior), glancing at the camera as he addresses it.]

Would anyone be interested in a game? I know it’s not a pokemon battle, but it has been a while since I had a chance to play.

Comments

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[bertall]

<sub>[Should he be sleeping and getting rest? He should probably be sleeping and getting rest, especially after all of the excitement with Blitz taking Jean's pokegear, right? On top of having a hard time sleeping thanks to being all stuffy, Bertolt should really be resting up.

He's not, though.]</sub>

e|
me
com get m

_{[Someone probably should've taken his pokegear away, too.]}

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[schachmeister]

[At the text, Armin glances over his shoulder at the bedroom door. Should he pop in there? Ah, but it sounds like Jean is finally sleeping. Or at least Armin assumes that he is considering he hasn't heard any whining in quite some time. He'd rather not wake him. Sleep is the best medicine, after all.]


Bertolt?
Is something wrong?

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[bertall]

just one game
im bored

_{[And frankly, he is tired of sitting in bed all day. Back home, on the rare chance he'd get sick, his body usually took care of most of it fairly quick. Here? Well, that's a different story.]}

pleas??

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[schachmeister]

It has been a while since we last played.

[Armin knows Bertolt is sick, but perhaps he is feeling a bit better. He can understand how bored he must be by now.]

White or black?

[video]

[purramedic]

[Naturally, the evolved Magellan is what catches Anders' attention, but the chess board proves to interest him as well, in the same sort of quiet awe Armin seems to have.]

Would you look at that! [A black Meowth perched in his lap does indeed look, but with narrowed eyes at the Torracat rather than the board.] I can't say I'm any good, but I'll have a match if you need an opponent.

[video]

[schachmeister]

[Magellan is twice the cat he was before. And if he was awake, he'd totally be showing off his new and improved self to Anders. So maybe it is a good thing he's happy to snooze right now.]

It's been so long, I might be a little rusty too.

[But then, what Armin might consider rusty and what other people consider rusty might not be... quite the same thing.]

Would you like to play as black or white?

[purramedic]

[He can't help a chuckle. It's probably next to impossible to underestimate his talent for such games.]

Hopefully I'll have a fighting chance, then. White, I think, if that's alright.

[schachmeister]

Of course.

[Armin doesn't mind playing black. Sometimes the best strategies are reactive ones. And it will be easier to get a feel for Anders' style of chess like this too.]

If you want, I can use the board here to move the pieces. I think playing blind would be a little too ambitious.

video;

[darkcure]

Oh, that game looks familiar...! One of my friends back home is really good at it. I never really learned, though.

...I think this version looks pretty cute, though.

[Pokemon themed chess is adorable. Elize has spoken.]

video;

[schachmeister]

They had a lot of different version available at the store. One for each pokemon type.

[And maybe some combinations as well. And who knows, maybe in some dark and dusty corner they have a standard chessboard as well.]

I used to have an oddish myself, so getting this set felt sort of nostalgic.

video;

[darkcure]

Oh, that's so nice! I wonder if any of my Pokemon are in any sets...

[Well, most probably aren't, but... Maybe her Happiny.]

I bet it makes playing feel more fun when you have that sort of connection to the pieces. Or, well... I'd think so, anyway.

I kind of like easier games better myself.

video;

[schachmeister]

I don't remember all the sets, but which pokemon do you have? I might be able to tell if I saw any of them.

Video

[dreamsofahero]

Ah... That game is called chess, isn't it?

*he's seen it around, but never played it or anything...*

Video

[schachmeister]

That's right.

Though it doesn't sound like you are very familiar with it. Is this not something you have in your world?

Re: Video

[dreamsofahero]

It isn't, no, though I've heard it mentioned a time or two here.

Video

[schachmeister]

I see.

[Sion's world goes into the mental list of 'worlds without chess'. It's a small list compared to the 'worlds with chess' list.]

It's a game of strategy. I think you'd like it.

video;

[shiro2hero]

[Hey buddy, long time no see.]

I'm not surprised the pieces are different. Pokemon are really important to the people here.

video;

[schachmeister]

It sometimes feels like they try to work them into everything they do.

This wasn't even the only set they had. They had one for every different pokemon type.

video;

[shiro2hero]

I can't say I blame them. These guys are important to almost everyone here.

... really?

[Video]

[charcoalfeather]

[Hummmm....]

Is that... a chessboard?

[Video]

[schachmeister]

It is. Are you familiar with the game?

[Video]

[charcoalfeather]

O-oh, yes. Though, not as much as others, probably. [Like, she's played. What, two, three times?]

I'm not very good at it, I'm afraid.

[notvaljean]

I'll play it with you.

[Jean sucks at chess, but he's just so. Damn. Bored with being in bed all the time.]

[schachmeister]

A-ah, really?

[Sorry, he's just. Surprised. Didn't Jean once call this the most boring game on earth?]

[notvaljean]

Sure. I mean, you'll kick my ass at it, but I don't have anything else going on right now.

[Jean has also learned some fascinating intel that he wants to share with Armin, and figures over the chess board would be a good way to do it.]