"Ever since I got my cutie mark, everything has changed. It was a new breath and exhale, as if a rebirth, which, in fact, was the most vivid day in my memories throughout my life.....
"My father... always loved playing chess in the evenings with one of his close friends from the neighborhood. They could spend hours playing, not realizing how quickly time was passing. They always allowed me to watch their games. Something about it always mesmerized me; I couldn't take my eyes off the board as if it hypnotized me, freezing my gaze and rendering my limbs motionless."
"On one of those evenings, our trio was assembled again, and my eyes were once more fixated on the board with those pieces. My father initiated the game as white, opening with the Sicilian Defense. The opponent played the Dragon Variation, and in the midst of the dense game, I be absorbed. Watching identical faces covered in sweat... in the end, it resulted in a stalemate situation. Stalemate? Now I'm familiar with that."
"Dad be defeated; his king ended up trapped in a semi-circle of left, right, and rear pieces, leading to checkmate. I looked at the face of his triumphant opponent, and... a feeling I had never experienced before overwhelmed me, HATE as cold as ice. The desire to punch the face of the one who hurt the only person I had... In the next few seconds, my mouth seemed to operate independently of my consciousness as I whispered..."
"Let me try playing versus you!"
They both turned towards me with surprised eyes. My dad, rubbing his tired eyes a few times with his worn-out hand, mumbled a couple of incoherent words that I couldn't make out. He then turned to Apan... that was his opponent's name, smiling, he said, "Hey, Apan, what do you think? Are you okay if she plays against you? She's been watching our games with such interest. Maybe she's learned something?"
Apan looked at me with his bright blue eyes for his age, smacked his lips, and muttered, "I'm fine with that, why not. Go ahead, little one, show us what you can do against me and your dad."
Dad stood up, pulled his chair closer to the table with the chessboard, and also placed a couple of pink cushions so that I could watch the board and move the pieces with the least discomfort given my height.
The game started just like the previous one, but this time, I used the pieces at my disposal. Dad's mistake was being overly cautious and protective of the central and major pieces, allowing the opponent to constantly apply pressure in the center of the board. The first thing I did differently was to stop overvaluing them. My chaotic, illogical, aggressive play on the left and right sides of the board created the necessary pressure on the opponent, forcing them to gradually retreat and initiate the defensive process. Meanwhile, with my two knights, I attempted to break through the line of enemy pawns and bishops in the center.
It worked; the opponent, attempting to test their luck and lure me into a trap, suffered defeat, resulting in the loss of two bishops, two pawns, and a knight. They made a last-ditch attempt at self-defense, building a defense with whatever pieces remained...
Checkmate. I was able to spot a gap on the left side, delivering a check with my bishop to the opponent's king, forcing it to retreat. Another check, placing my knight forward, made the king move backward, and then checkmate. The enemy king succumbed to defeat from the rook.
"It's checkmate!" I proudly declared with a teasing smile on my face.
"It can't be!" Apan exclaimed in shock and disbelief. His hooves were trembling, and his eyes were bulging. The pupils were unnaturally dilated; I had never seen eyes like that before.
He locked eyes with me, and his gaze bore into mine. His eyes were twitching irritably, his mane and tail stood on end, just like a cat's when it's displeased. His mouth began to twitch in nervous spasms, and smile like the usual pony didn't form on his face. Sharp as razor teeth with pointed ends, I only now noticed how parched his lips were, and thick, deep wrinkles formed under his eyes. His smile transformed into a fierce, wild grin, resembling a predator about to capture its prey.
"You... You... You..." His pupils seemed to dilate even more, and the grin widened to the ears. For me, a little filly, this spectacle should have been a nightmare, but in that moment, I felt no fear from what my eyes beheld.
"Well done!" Apan's expression transformed in the blink of an eye, and where there was creepy face, a warm and proud smile emerged. His eyes glowed with happiness.
In confusion, blinking a couple of times, I looked at the board, then at Apan, and then at my father, who, for some reason, was looking at my hip with an unreadable expression.
Minutes seemed to pass, and a joyful sparkle lit up my father's face, a joy I hadn't seen in a long time. He began to laugh and smile. "Dad, what happened? Why are you so happy?"
"Cozy, please take a look at your hip! I think you'll really be happy!" My dad said.
My eyes slowly shifted to a part of my thigh; it wasn't empty. What adorned it plunged my mind and body into numbness. My pupils didn't move an inch. All I had been doing for the past minute was fixating my gaze on my hip.
On my hip, a slightly faded red chess piece in the shape of a distinguished rook adorned itself. My heart skipped a beat; sighs became more frequent. When? How? Why?...
"Father took my little head in his hooves, turning it towards his gaze, aligning his eyes with mine. 'My little girl is no longer little; my filly has grown up!' Your talent has been found, Cozy! How long I've been waiting for this. Your mom would be proud of you!"
"My talent, my cutie mark, I earned my cutie mark, my talent, the red rook. I played a game of chess and earned my cutie mark... My talent is playing chess... Now I am... my head is spinning... If my mother were here, she would be proud of ME! Now I can help Dad; now I am not useless. Now I can make sure we are always happy! Right now, I feel so... happy, relieved, fulfilled, Power!"
Overjoyed, I leaped off the cushioned chair. I started darting around the room, bouncing like crazy and jumping. YES, YES, YES, YES, YES! I HAVE MY CUTIE MARK, DAD, LOOK!
The smile on his face remained almost unmovable, and his eyes were just as tender. "I see, my dear, I see." My joy was interrupted by the sound of a chair being pushed back, not mine. It was Apan, as it was already getting late; perhaps he decided to leave, although he usually stays much longer.
"Well, congratulations to both of you! I was glad to witness this event with you, but I think I'll leave a bit earlier today as my lower back is particularly painful. I'm not as young as you two; sometimes, a break is needed."
"He turned his gaze directly to me, focusing on my eyes, and then for a moment, glanced at my thigh where the cutie mark proudly displayed. He smirked and said, 'Cozy, such a talent comes once in a million, not everyone is fortunate enough to possess such a gift, but that's what you have. And I hope you'll make the most of it, even surpass its limits. This is what ponies who gain such power should do. It's the strength of a young mare. And I know you understand that. If you ever want to learn, share, or talk about it, I'll always be ready to help you in your endeavors!'"
Smiling in response, I nodded slowly without saying anything. My father and I escorted him to the exit; he opened the door and, as a final gesture, turned his head towards my father.
"Zephyr, your daughter awaits a great future from this day forward. Know that I will never hesitate to offer assistance if you or Cozy ever need it."
Dad gave Apan a slight smile. "Thank you, old friend. Thanks for the game today; you're always welcome here! Have a good evening."
Apan nodded, stepped outside, and closed the door. Dad locked the door, turned around, and changed his expression to a playful one. "Well, Cozy, I don't think we should stay home on a day like this. How about we head to the city and really celebrate this day?"
My face lit up with joy. I would spend the entire evening with Dad, just like in the old times! It was the best day of my life, and without hesitation, I replied, "Of course, Dad, let's go right away!"
He chuckled, "Wait, wait a bit. First, let's gather our things. Since we're heading to the big city, Manehattan, we need to look presentable!"
"Alright, Daddy!" I even know what I'll wear! I ran to my room.
"Okay, I'll wait for you by the front door!" - He shouted.
"Alright!" I shouted back. I half-jogged to my room, but my thoughts were elsewhere. I got my cutie mark, a talent for playing chess. I could become the best chess player in Equestria, even meet the Royal Family, including Princess Celestia herself! Apan said I should go beyond my limits. How do I do that? What did he mean exactly? I think I'll understand in time. For now, I'll enjoy a great evening with Dad in Manehattan. They say Manehattan at night is beautiful. I'd love to see that........
And there's the door to my room. I have some beautiful but old things that I've wanted to wear again for a long time. Mom gave them to me when she was... oh, don't think about that. I opened the wardrobe with my clothes and started pulling out what I needed. I smiled upon seeing them; memories flooded back. "Ah, here you are. Well, this a my evening now."
Author's Note
Hey guys! This is my first story. If you see any spelling errors in the text, or anything else unclear, please write to me! Have a good mood!
