2096/Chess Club

Chess Club
Date of Scene:	04 November 2016
Location:	Infinity University - Classrooms
Synopsis:	A meeting of the Infinity chess club introduces Shinobu and Eilam.
Cast of Characters:	Eilam Hisakawa, 188

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Eilam Hisakawa has posed:
    Infinity University was a place that, for your money, you certainly got its' worth. And as a result, those who tended to come here were often smart, or over achievers, or rich or something to that effect. Which meant some of the clubs here were at times busier than others. One of the things that Eilam could appreciate about the clubs in the school, though, was that there were a lot. Things for every interest. Which meant even he, when he was tired or not feeling particularly... active, could attend a club he didn't normally venture into the most.

    Chess club.

    Still wearing the Infinity school uniform, Eilam looked rather tired as he sat quietly in one of the club chairs, staring at the rolled out rubbery mat that served as a chess board here. The pieces were set up as he waited to see if anyone would bother sitting down across from him or if they would stick to those they knew already. Some were reading chess books, others watching matches. A majority were playing, though.

Shinobu Yuu has posed:
    Several tables over from Eilam, a soft and chiding sound of a condescending "Tsk"ing sounded out above the quite dim of chess pieces clacking and students murmuring and conversing. Then, much louder than the others, the arrogant and youthful tones of a particular student followed, "Wrong. Your defense is poor, see?" With finality, the clack of a particular piece comes down on the board said student is playing at, abruptly ending the game as those harsh words finish with, "Checkmate."

    The student opposite her slumps in his seat, looking somewhat defeated, but not altogether crushed by the girl as though this weren't the first time. The girl, Shinobu, waves dismissively as she chides almost helpfully, "Think harder next time maybe." With that, she's up and away from the board, walking with a regal, princess-like stride with a gaze that could only be construed as predatory. Perhaps unfortunately, this gaze falls upon @eilam and upon doing so, she makes a B-line towards him. Once in range, she announces as if it had already been decided, "You'll be my next opponent then." And with that, she promptly, but neatly takes a seat opposite him without much of an introduction.

Eilam Hisakawa has posed:
    The pink-haired, tired-looking fellow looks towards the noise and watches the exchange before she comes over and sits down across from him. Taking the moment to look Shinobu over a bit more, he sits up properly and leans against the table. "Very well. Do go easy on me, it has been a while since I have played. I will not pretend to be new, I know how, just... have not played in years." It /had/ been years since he played. In fact, probably closer to thirty, but he didn't elaborate on that. Instead, he reached up to the table and took the kings pawn, pushing it forward a square.

    "My name is Eilam, if you care. Hisakawa Eilam." While he was certainly not popular by any means, those around Infinity University would probably at least know him as one of those who were possibly terminally sick, or at least incredibly ill, to the point he often had medical leave or used a rather retro-looking stave to help him get around as needed.

Shinobu Yuu has posed:
    After seating herself, Shinobu meticulously and adjusts the few ornaments on her typical uniform, settling everything neatly before crossing her legs and offering the boy opposite her a polite and practiced smile, "I'll see about that." She says vaguely as she gently pushes her left-side bishop pawn forward, "Come to join our little logical family, have you?" She inquires conversationally, though her tone suggests a slight disinterest in the query.

    "Ooooh?" Shinobu lets out quietly, her gaze inspecting Eilam with unabashed curiousity and analysis, "Yuu Shinobu." She replies politely before speaking a touch louder, a subtle sense of command in her tone as she mentions, "I think you might fit in well around here. It would be nice to have someone pretty to sit and talk with during my matches... If you can call them that."

Eilam Hisakawa has posed:
    That gets a laugh out of him. "Yes, well, I do try. I might look like death warmed over most of the time, but no reason I cannot also be presentable." His entire positioning with the chess board was unabashed pure aggression. Which might seem odd considering he seems... tired. Like he might be a lot more defensive, or in an effort to stall and take the long game. But no, he... was spearheading straight forward, to the point he continued to open space for his power pieces, this time quickly moving his king side bishop out to threaten her side of the board straight out.

    Smart or not, though, remained to be seen. "Yuu Shinobu. It seems rather a proper family name, a proper name in general. Deep family history?"

Shinobu Yuu has posed:
    A soft, fluttery giggle compliments Eilam's laugh as she leans forward gently, relaxing visibly as she sets her elbow on the table, away from the pieces and then uses her hand to prop up her head by her cheek, "That's the spirit. Anything can be a style with the right mindset." She states encouragingly as her attention seems to drift away from the game, focusing more and more attentively upon Eilam, though she doesn't stray from facing his aggression with an easygoing nature about her defensive movements.

    She gives her head a soft shake, bouncy twintails following the motion as she plucks and slides her pieces with two fingers catching the bulbous ends of said pieces, "Nothing of the sort, or at least, nothing I've ever looked into, I guess. I'll take the flattery where I can get it though, of course." She replies with a definitive perkiness coming through in her tone and alighting her face, pleased as punch it would seem, "You seem quite comfortable in your chair. You're not planning on hustling me, are you?" She inquires jokingly.

Eilam Hisakawa has posed:
    "Hustling? By no means. Chess is still a game at the heart of it, and while some people make it out to be so much more... what's the point of playing a game where you capture and kill, promote and topple kingdoms if you can't have a bit of fun?" Eilam was quick to bring his Queen out, threatening her king. "It's often the women behind the men in politics who run things anyways. The world may ever see the men, but the women?" he uses a finger to wobble the Queen a bit before letting go of it, "They can be far more bloodthirsty and aggressive than their counterparts. Willing to go for what they want. It's like some silly history show, hm?"

    Or was he just rambling at the mouth as an excuse to give credence to the fact it had been a while? Hard to say. Even if he seemed a bit tired, how he spoke, the story was confident enough, as if he fully believed that.

Shinobu Yuu has posed:
Shinobu quirks her lips to the side, giving Eilam's sentiments due thought before she gives her lips a whimsical and soft smack, the sound happening in tandem with her next move, as casual as the last, as she slides her pawn onto Eilam's bishop, taking the piece in the same motion to set it gently next to her side of the board, "It sounds like fun is the last thing that should be had when you put it that way. If anything, it makes this sound way too serious for my liking." She states while grimacing faintly. Though not her intention, the reaction of sticking her tongue out slightly admist the show of disgust does come off as a sugary show of goofiness.

    "If anything it sounds like you've been through a bad break-up recently. We're not so bad are we?" Shinobu asks rhetorically as she flashes the boy opposite her a convincing, saddened pout that quickly vanishes into a mischevious smirk complimented with a quiet giggle, "Here and now, they're just pieces. Collect them and you win, it's way simpler than all that."

Eilam Hisakawa has posed:
    "Bishops are pointless anyways. Men of faith, they put their belief in something other than themselves. It's the Queen who has the real ambition to win." click. That was the sound of the Queen sliding over from where it'd been pulled back slightly when the aggression was met to take the pawn that stole the bishop. "And not in the least, I am quite happy in the relationship I am in. And I could hardly know if you were bad or not, we just met, and there is so much to others than how they look. I mean, look at me? I enjoy looking nice simply because I feel bad more often than not. No sign at all if I'm not so bad, hm?"

Shinobu Yuu has posed:
Shinobu lifts her head from her hand in order to cant it to one side quizically at the boy opposite her, a subtle confusion crossing her features before she lilts her head back to its resting place. After the first moment of hesitant thought yet before a move, she casually drifts her own queen forward to rest just diagonal from Eilam's, "You sure like that piece a lot. You shouldn't put that much into just one thing, I mean, even if she's really good, she's still just one piece." She replies dismissively as she offers up a callous trade on the board without much regard for her own Queen, or at least, not nearly as much as Eilam has purported.

    Shinobu proceeds to roll her eyes at Eilam as she disagrees, "Looks are absolutely important. Not even the tinest fraction of people are ever going to get past how you look to actually care about all that other junk. I mean, people are lazy, it's way too much effort for them to actually concern themselves with you past that. It's also the other way around. Make yourself look pretty and you'll feel pretty too." She raises her playing hand to point a finger and shake it towards Eilam as if she was giving some sort of lecture on prettiness... Which she actually is.

Eilam Hisakawa has posed:
    That just got a smile out of him. It also meant she was the one who was just going for his Queen at this point. While certainly it meant his Queen was in more danger, sometimes those who are in the most danger... can leave room for others to come and handle what they cannot, or protect them. "I have all the room to like this piece as much as I care to, Miss Yuu. Though to see you care for yours so little that you'd offer a trade makes me wonder why. Oh well." Eilam reaches out to his queen and nudges her back a square, out of immediate danger from any of her pieces.
    Being defensive, or a calculated offense? Hard to say.
    Certainly hardly traditional. Then again, his desire to get his queen out and dancing is hardly traditionally long-game oriented.

Shinobu Yuu has posed:
Shinobu smiles in turn towards Eilam, giving her head a little tilt for a mischevious sense of emphasis in the gesture. She places her finger down upon her Queen as if to move it, but simply jostle it around a bit carelessly, not even glancing down at the would-be sacrifice, "I wouldn't say so. You like it enough to disrupt your strategy and protect it. That can be used against you, you know." She states, a hint of sinister intent revealing itself in her body language and tone in a thoughtless manner as if it's something inherent in her.

    With confidence, Shinobu picks up and plops down her king-side knight, advancing it forward, leaving few holes in the stalwart and defensive position she's created for her pieces, "On the other hand, you still don't know what I value nor what I'll do next, do you? It's a slippery slope from where you're standing, but not an uncommon one to stand in when I'm your opponent." She mentions, her tone growing sugary sweet as she brims with color and anticipation, though it's not clear whether it's towards the game or something about Eilam.

Shinobu Yuu has posed:
Shinobu Yuu actually moved her pawn forward accidentally so she just goes with that instead. <<

Eilam Hisakawa has posed:
    "Of course I am going to protect my queen. Unlike you I won't just run her up to flirt with the enemy queen side by side." With the pawn pushed up, Eilam reached to take his queen and slide it all the way onto her side of the board, nestling it firmly inside of a very precarious position - her rooks previously owned space, which was now hers. His. "You value winning, I imagine. At any cost. Or perhaps you are the type who enjoys playing with her food?"

    He asks this as he lifts her rook and casually rolls it back and forth in his fingers. "You seem a bit more methodical than someone who hunts flies with a hammer. And a bit more colorful. I think none of the pieces matter at all to you, because in the end, as long as you win, you win, right? It's just a game, not a story. Collect your opponents pieces and win."

Shinobu Yuu has posed:
"Queen trading is a staple of Chess. The fewer the pieces, the easier it is to look ahead and at the end of the day, that's all a game of logic like this is, who can see farthest into the future." Shinobu explains to Eilam while watching his features with a sense of tantilization. She doesn't even glance down at the move he makes, picking her queen up and sliding it forward in an almost mocking manner to mimick his movements, only to take a pawn instead.

    She settles the pawn next to the bishop, displaying and ordering them neatly with a noticeable order and gap where more pieces would fit in, "You're more or less right on a few accounts, I must admit..." She starts while helplessly shrugging her shoulders, sitting up more properly in her seat now, "But surely you can see that despite knowing that, it helps you very little in the end. That's what keeps winners winners and losers... well, you get the idea. There's no advantage you can assume by just knowing that, it's what people at the top of anything have in common."

Eilam Hisakawa has posed:
    "Mm hmm. I can accept that it is certainly a staple of Chess. But just because it is a staple does not mean it has to happen every match, or should. Measured aggression, unchecked aggression, defenses... I suppose in the end it all comes down to one thing. What is your opponent going to do if you do this?" Eilam clacks his queen to the side, taking the Knight next to it. "Personally I think one with so little care of her pieces should just take the rook, put the king in check. Or perhaps double back entirely to threaten my queen that is going on? But you don't care about my queen, so the poor king is just going to live dangerously where he is, ready to be seduced by the enemy queen who is waiting to stab him in the back."

Shinobu Yuu has posed:
Shinobu puffs her cheeks out as she gives Eilam a glowering look, grumpiness written on her features as she replies, "Well, anyone would take the rook in this situation if it means a check as well. I mean, that's simply the most obvious choice." She states matter-of-factly as her grumpiness fades into neutrality. With less luster than before, she slides her queen and takes said rook as predicted, placing his piece with the ones she's already taken, ordering it as she did with the pawn before it, "Even still, it's more like, this way, I don't have to care about your queen. As long as your king is in peril, your queen may as well not even exist." She declares indignantly, her enthusiasm at the situation lessening despite the gravity of the move she played.

Eilam Hisakawa has posed:
    To which Eilam casually takes his king and moves it exactly one square up, leaving the Queens bishop exposed. "Indeed, it is." And why was he opening himself up if he so obviously knew what she was going to take? Mind games? Knew he lost already? Hard to say.

Shinobu Yuu has posed:
Shinobu plucks up her queen in response and takes the exposed bishop as one would expect, "I won't think less of you for conceding, you know. A piece disadvantage is more than a good enough reason." She tells Eilam as not a single spec of thrill remains in the way she retrieves his piece and places it with the others, "They're just pieces of plastic... or whatever. He opened himself up because someone was too busy playing with their queen." She chides in an explanatory manner.

Eilam Hisakawa has posed:
    He says nothing at this point, just reaches up to the knight that was left alone and swings it up pointlessly, it seems, towards her side of the board. Once again leaving the queen to do as she wished.

Shinobu Yuu has posed:
    Shinobu grumps once more audibly and slides her queen-side knight pawn forward another space, ignoring the threat Eilam's pieces pose to her own with a callousness shown towards them as she endeavors to aggress even still, "So what's your motive then? It's no fun if you're just moving your pieces around at random."

Eilam Hisakawa has posed:
    Eilam reaches out towards her side of the board and slips the Queen diagonally one square, putting her king in check, with the knight he'd moved up protecting the square. "Nothing is random, Miss Yuu. Even a dice is not random, it fully depends on how you hold it and drop it, and what it hits and so forth."

Shinobu Yuu has posed:
    Contrary to Shinobu's typical manner of handling her pieces, as her King is threatened, she brushes him to one side with the back of her hand to move him out of harms way behind one of her pawns, "I'm just making sure you're not wasting my time and giving up without actually giving up. I hate it when people delay the inevitable." She explains to Eilam with more withdrawn grumpiness, a sense of attempted politeness and maintenance of her demeanor noticeable as her gaze now flicks between the game board and Eilam when relevant now as opposed to the rapt attention Eilam held earlier.

Eilam Hisakawa has posed:
    "So in this case... are you delaying the inevitable, Shinobu Yuu?" The queen shifts again, one more square diagonally to re-threaten the king, once again with the same Knight protecting the space.

Shinobu Yuu has posed:
Shinobu rolls her eyes, "No, I can only go as fast as you, obviously and besides, this is starting to bore me. I hate chasing the kings. It's easier when they just concede when they know they're too many pieces down." She complains childishly as she continues sliding her king around with a brash whisk of her hand.

Eilam Hisakawa has posed:
    A soft snort comes out of Eilam, amused, "You hate chasing kings, but you were so convinced earlier my queen is doing nothing. That I have already lost, too many pieces gone. I allowed your Queen to infiltrate my side. And yet... your Queen has not moved in several turns. In fact, the only thing I need to play myself at this point, with minimal input from you, is my Queen, and her Knight." The knight is moved up to threaten the King this time.

Shinobu Yuu has posed:
    Shinobu turns her king right back around with a slightly inquisitive expression on her face as she looks to Eilam for his response, "All they're doing is being a nuissance." She declares with a little "Hmph" to accentuate her claim as she taps her thumb upon her king in an expectant manner, "It's all as I said earlier."

Eilam Hisakawa has posed:
    The dancing continues until Eilam can very well not threaten the king any further without returning to how they were before, or stalling out. And that was hardly what he wanted to do. So, he finally slid the Queen to the far corner again where it was not long ago, only this time the Knight is also present in the equasion.

Shinobu Yuu has posed:
    "You see? It was all just... a nuissance." Shinobu declares as she brings her king onto the offensive by bringing it right back to his home by picking him up and placing him down with slightly excessive force to sound out a louder clack from the piece as it threatens the knight.

Eilam Hisakawa has posed:
    "Hardly. I wanted your pawn." Eilam says casually, the sound of the Pawn being taken coming.

Shinobu Yuu has posed:
Shinobu rolls her eyes, "You could sound a little more defeated if that's the best you could come up with." She replies as she pauses for several moments to consider the board with some sense of appreciation, "I'll give you credit for at least sticking to your weird obsession with the queen, but this is as far as it goes." She declares as she picks her queen-side bishop up and places it down with finality in a position to check Eilam's king.

Eilam Hisakawa has posed:
    Eilam laughs at that before he started to cough, grabbing a handkerchief he had tucked into a pocket and coughing into that for a moment only to take a long, deep breath. "You will have to forgive me that, I think I have talked a bit more than I should have. Today has not been the best day for my health I am afraid and as a result... well, I should..." another brief cough, "...talk a bit less, though it is fun to hear you so indignantly complain about this game when I have been playing with myself more than you half of it. As pretty as I am, I would think you would enjoy being part of such." Of course he was properly talking about playing chess with himself, but left that vague on purpose perhaps. I mean largely he'd been leaving her with a very limited set of choices on how she wanted to act, so was it really them playing, or her responding?

Eilam Hisakawa has posed:
Eilam Hisakawa takes the opportunity to nudge the pawn beside his king up one square to defend it.

Shinobu Yuu has posed:
Shinobu sits back in her seat a bit, her nose wrinkling slightly as she observes Eilam's coughing fit, "Maybe it'd be best if you just admit defeat and call it a day then. This match has certainly gone on long enough." She states as she moves her pieces as if going through a predetermined motion, twisting her fingers about her queen to slide it onto Eilam's pawn while picking the pawn up in the same motion, "I can complain about whatever I like and it's a matter of fact that this game isn't very fun right now. You're hardly even reacting." She states obliviously as though it was genuine fact.

Eilam Hisakawa has posed:
    Well, this girl was quite... blunt. A bit rude, almost. "I will shortly, certainly. But for now..." he reached out to slip the Knight remaining on that half of the board between the Queen and his King, knowing full well her next move was probably to take the pawn that would be space-protected by the Queen, or Bishop.

Shinobu Yuu has posed:
    Upon seeing Eilam make yet another move after her declaration, Shinobu makes a sickly expression as she crosses her arms, a little sigh of annoyance coming from her. After a moment, she reaches out and hovers her hand over her queen for several moments. However, as she droops it down to take said piece, she calmly retracts her hand back and, on the way, knocks her own king over while simply stating, "I forfeit." in a neutral, albeit slightly cold tone, letting out a huff afterwards, perhaps to the surprise of more than just Eilam.

Eilam Hisakawa has posed:
    Eilam watched her quietly as she said that, as she did that, not really /surprised/ so much as he wasn't really sure what to say. "I hope you realize it was not my intention to bore you to death. I feel as if I somehow shattered some dream of yours, that I would somehow whisk you away on a magical journey of chess. And somehow I am just like everyone else, just a bit prettier." With that said, however, he did push back in his chair a little before turning to grab the stave he had across his lap and use it to help push himself to a stand. Black and silver, largely rather archaic-looking, but certainly a better prop for that than a cane. Plus canes were for old people.

Shinobu Yuu has posed:
    Shinobu crosses her arms, letting out a soft "Hmph" as she listens to Eilam's reply, "It's not your fault. If I had to say, it seems like it's just your nature." She states coldly, not a bit of front put up between her harsher side and the bubbly side that first sat down. Juxtaposing Eilam's cane, Shinobu bounces from her chair to her feet and begins to toy with her hair, flattening and fixing it meticulously akin to how she adjusted her clothing when she first met Eilam, "Chess isn't the game for you. It's too practical, perhaps you should look elsewhere for a club that would fit you better though... You're welcome to come back. I have a feeling you'd be better conversation at my side then on the opposite end of the table, at the very least." She dictates poshly.

Eilam Hisakawa has posed:
    "If that is how you feel, I can hardly argue your thoughts on the matter, nor would I want to. But most of the clubs, or games, I participate in require little to no effort on my part due to my condition. I do not mind thinking about things, but I find it a waste of time. That is just me though. Enjoy yourself Shinobu Yuu. Or not, as I imagine you have very picky standards." The last bit came with a chuckle. "If you wish to speak again, I will probably be listening to others in the music department, or practicing, play the piano." And he works towards the exit at that point, seemingly going to leave it at that.

Shinobu Yuu has posed:
    Shinobu puffs out her cheeks again, but leaves it at that aside from a little "Hmph" she lets out as she parts in the opposite direction, heading inward towards the club proper again, though it doesn't seem as though she's interested in another game as she doesn't head in the direction of any other tables or people in general, instead content to approach what appears to be a little part of the room with wrapped sweets waiting for her... Probably hers and no one elses.