"You're awfully protective of that rook."
"I am protective of all my pieces."
"A noble strategy, if not an inefficient one."
The sounds of waves gently washing upon the shore and the breeze drifting over the small island are the only things that could disrupt the calm, quiet battle occurring on the center of said island.
In the Celestial Sea on the eastern side of Equestria, about ten miles off of the coast, a remote island barely peeks above the ocean waves. Hardly fifty feet in diameter, the circular island is home to nothing but a thin layer of grass. It's so tiny, so insignificant, and so easily missed, that the island has never been given a proper name. Only two mares know of this island's existence, and for the sake of having something to call it, they refer to the surprisingly peaceful islet as "The Island of the Forgotten."
Right now, those two mares are visiting that island, seated on a couple of simple wooden chairs. Between them lies an equally simple wooden table, and atop this table rests a chessboard. Even an inexperienced eye could see that there are more white pieces than black pieces left on the board, yet the mare using these black pieces is still in a much more advantageous position.
Said mare moves one of her knights, which catches the other mare off guard. The knight can take either a white rook or a white bishop, and there is nothing she can do to stop it. With a click of her tongue, she thinks for a moment before moving the rook.
The black player chuckles. In a surprising move, she doesn't take the bishop. Instead, she squeezes the knight into a gap the white player hadn't noticed, placing the white king in check. With a sigh, she moves her king into an even less advantageous position, only for the black player to surprise her again with a move from her queen, taking the bishop the knight had just put in danger.
"For a mare as intelligent as you, I must say that I am disappointed in your chess skills."
"I get that a lot."
"You got that a lot, I think you mean."
Neither of the mares show much emotion while speaking, and they never raise their voices above what could be considered polite.
The white player counterattacks, finally taking the knight that was giving her so much trouble. However, to her dismay, she is taken off guard once again as one of the black player's bishops takes the rook she had moved out of danger. In her efforts to save both of her pieces, she failed to save either.
"You really must learn how to maneuver around a chessboard better. Surely you realize that you cannot win while preserving all of your pieces."
"..."
The white player moves her own queen, taking the black player's queen in the process. The black player wasn't expecting this, but takes the opportunity to move her bishop and place the white king in check once again.
"You haven't changed, have you?"
"Neither have you, Opaline."
"I beg to differ. You've seen what I've accomplished. It's only a matter of time until Equestria is finally mine."
The white player takes advantage of the black player's assumptions and moves a pawn two spaces forward to block the bishop's line of sight on her king.
"We'll see about that. You may have gotten some of your magic back, but you lost Misty in the process."
"Do not speak her name to me. She was never meant to be anything more than a means to an end."
"I think you underestimate the power of friendship."
"And I think you underestimate what patience and planning can do for a mare."
Opaline makes a surprising move, capturing the newly-moved white pawn with her own pawn (which was adjacent to it) in a movement that initially seems strange for a pawn.
"Heh, haven't seen somepony use en passant in a long time. Clever."
The white player moves their king, which is in check once again. It's becoming clearer and clearer that she is not doing well in this game.
"You always have doubted my capabilities."
"Perhaps I did, once. Or perhaps I was simply overconfident."
Opaline starts putting greater and greater pressure on the white player, making moves that force her to get her king out of danger just to take more of her other pieces. The game will not last much longer.
"The fact that you think those pathetic ponies can do anything to stop me proves that you are still blissfully unaware of reality."
"You're wrong."
The white player surprises Opaline by taking her bishop, quickly causing Opaline's pressure to fall apart.
"How so?"
"Sunny, Misty... all of them have something you'll never have."
Opaline moves her other knight towards the white king, accidentally overlooking that it could simply be captured by a white pawn.
"And what is that?"
"Each other. The magic of friendship is far stronger than any magic you'll ever have."
"The 'magic of friendship' is dead. And I have you to thank for that."
Despite her setback, Opaline begins to capture white pawn after white pawn, leaving the white player's king almost entirely defenseless.
"Don't be so sure. It was friendship that took Misty from you, and it is friendship that will defeat you for good."
"On the contrary, the path to my victory is paved with friendship. Foolish ponies that think everything will be okay so long as they cling to each other are very easy to manipulate. All you have to do is frighten them a bit, and they are as predictable as your moves in this game. They'll do whatever they can to protect each other, only to leave their backs vulnerable. Then, all I have to do is pick them off. One. By. One." Opaline takes a white rook, leaving the white king as the only white piece left on the board. Opaline lost the vast majority of her own pieces, but it's clear that she has won the game. "Just like how your insistence on trying to keep all of your pieces safe led to your defeat here. And how it led to your defeat all those years ago."
Opaline looks her opponent in the eyes and gives her a cocky grin, but is surprised to see her looking just as cocky.
"It's true. I've made mistakes before. Mistakes that I can't take back. But I've had more than enough time to stop dwelling on those mistakes and start looking forward."
"Oh? Then why haven't you done anything to stop me yet? Heck, you could probably put up a pretty good fight right now if you so chose. Instead, you invited me of all ponies here to play chess."
"Perhaps I could fight you here and now. But that's not my role anymore."
"So you're just going to sit back and watch the fires burn, then?"
"You're not the only one with plans being put into action, Opaline. You've put all of your money on yourself and your 'fire alicorn magic.' I've put mine on Sunny and her friends."
"Even knowing that they would stand a better chance with you at their side?"
"Long ago, I wondered that same thing about my mentor, but looking back, I understand why she left everything up to me and my friends. It was something we didn't realize we needed, but lo and behold, we did need it. That was how we found the strength to save Equestria. To change the world."
"And yet, your efforts were in vain, as I happily showed you."
"No, they weren't. Misty is living proof of that."
"Hm?"
With a flash of magic, Opaline's opponent teleports the chessboard, table, and chairs away, leaving the two mares on a completely barren island once more.
"Unlike in chess, their friendship and their numbers can only grow in strength. They can protect each other. And you..." The mare stares daggers into Opaline. "Are rapidly running out of pieces to sacrifice."
Opaline, now beginning to lose her temper, flares up her wings and begins to take to the sky, her voice finally rising in volume.
"You know nothing. Those pathetic ponies are helpless before me! They will all fall to my might, just as you did, Twilight Sparkle!"
Twilight chuckles.
"We'll see about that."
Unable to contain her frustration at Twilight's calm-yet-cocky demeanor any longer, Opaline flies away in a quiet fury, leaving Twilight all alone on that small little island.
Twilight takes a deep breath, letting the ocean breeze wash over her large alicorn body. Her beautiful mane flows in the wind, and if anypony were to see her standing there, they would think that she is the very icon of tranquility.
"Good luck, Sunny. I leave the rest to you and your friends."
With another flash of magical light, Twilight disappears, leaving The Island of the Forgotten empty once more.
Author's Note
As always, I appreciate any and all feedback!
