A Game of Chess

One week had passed since that fateful day. Since the day that Checkmate had spoken, alone, with Princess Celestia of Wendigo, of Darkfrost, and of his plans to pursue both. Of their plan to reach the land of ice and shadow, and to free the innocents and slay the monstrous king.

And Checkmate, naturally, did nothing more than train, each and every day, for that last week. Several ponies had watched him, from Rainbow Dash, who followed him every day, to even the three young fillies who wanted to know what his "cutie mark", what they seemed to call their talent sign, was.

The ponies in this town were so strange to him. How could they be so happy? How could they be so friendly and kind and compassionate? And why, in the end, did he just want to stay here, to forget Wendigo, and to just end his days surrounded by creatures like these?

But, everyday, he had to remind himself that that wasn't an option. He certainly wished it was, but he had no choice in the matter. However, he didn't try to fight it. He knew that he had to kill Wendigo, that he had to save the creatures who suffered in Darkfrost, be they unicorn, pegasus, earth pony, or windigo.

No, he had to fight. He wanted to fight. All that he wanted to do was to protect those in Darkfrost, no matter the cost to himself. If he died, so be it. If he lived, so be that, as well.

But the one thing that he would not allow was for those in Equestria to become entangled in his quest.

Checkmate cleared his mind of these thoughts as he stood, alone, outside of the library in Ponyville. Today was the day of the Hearth's Warming Eve production, and he had arrived precisely on time, as always. Today was the day that he would finally - finally - put his guilt. sorrow, and shame to rest.

And so, his thoughts plagued with pain, he knocked thrice upon the door of the library.

Ten seconds later, it opened, and Twilight stepped out, giving him a small, awkward smile.

"Oh, Checkmate," she said, "I'm sorry I was so late."

"It was approximately ten seconds," he replied, simply. Checkmate had grown completely used to this by now. He knew all of these ponies inside-and-out. Surprising, given that he rarely entered the town proper, and that most of them - being, of course, Twilight and her friends - had come to meet him in the forest.

"I know," the alicorn muttered, sheepishly, "but I can usually get out here in less than eight..."

"Well, I'm here to go with all of you to Canterlot," Checkmate replied. "Although, I have to say..."

"What?" Twilight asked, cocking her head slightly.

The stallion sighed. "Listen to me, Twilight Sparkle," he said. "I have to tell all of you something before we go."

"Oh, well they're all right in here," she gestured for him to enter, and he did so.

And there, of course, in the center of the library sat Twilight's five other friends, along with Spike, engaging in idle conversation.

It took much of Checkmate's energy not to break his facade of emotionlessness and tell them all that he would, truly, miss them. No, he had to be more subtle about it; after all, if they cared about him, then he was sure that they would follow him back to Darkfrost.

"Greetings," he said, keeping his voice cold. "It's a pleasure to see you all again."

"You wouldn't know it," muttered Rainbow Dash.

"Calm down, there, Rainbow," admonished Applejack.

"I'm completely calm!" shouted the cyan pegasus, and Checkmate found it near impossible to avoid smirking in reply to that.

Somehow, he kept himself calm, and continued. "All of you... It is about time for me to say my farewells."

"WHAT?!" the cry was unanimous.

"Indeed," replied the stallion. "I... doubt that I shall be returning here after today. I may be, but that would require me to be very lucky."

"But... why didn't you tell us?" Pinkie Pie gasped, looking over at him. "I would have thrown you the bestest going-away party ever!"

"'Bestest' is not a word, Pinkie," said Twilight. "Checkmate... Why didn't you tell us?"

He had two choices lain out before him. First, he could have said the truth. He could have told them of the windigoes, of Darkfrost, and of the monster orchestrating it all.

But, instead, he chose the other.

"I didn't think it seemed overly important," he replied.

Rainbow Dash immediately flew over to him, and glared straight into his eyes. "'Not important'? 'Not important'? How could this be any less important?!"

"Rainbow Dash!" Rarity called, "calm yourself. I'm certain that Checkmate had a very good reason not to tell us this."

"Really?" The pegasus glared at him. "And what was this 'reason', Checkmate?"

The stallion turned away from her. "I have something that I must do," he replied, coldly, "and today is my last chance to do it."

He heard the anger in her voice from behind him. Good. At least it would keep them from following him.

"The same exact line you've said every day," she growled. "What the hay are you hiding from us?!"

"It doesn't matter," he said. "What does matter is that this - today - is our last day, possibly. So whatever it is you wish to say, make sure that you say it now."

"I hate you!" Rainbow Dash shouted, her eyes burning with rage. "How could you be so cold?!"

"The same way that you're always so hot-headed and passionate," replied Checkmate.

He wanted them to hate him. It would make it much less traumatic if he didn't survive this mission.

"Please calm down, both of you..." came a quiet voice from behind them.

Checkmate turned back, as he saw Fluttershy, who had spoken to him only once or twice, looking afraid.

"There's nothing to calm down from," Checkmate mused. "All that I want is for this last day to be memorable."

"And it will be memorable, and for good reasons," replied Applejack, stepping up between Checkmate and Rainbow Dash. "But only if y'all want it to be that way."

Rainbow sighed, then, and said. "Fine, whatever. This doesn't mean that I'm gonna like you, Checkmate, but I'm going to this with you, anyway, for my friends."

Checkmate shrugged at this. He wouldn't have it any other way.

Well, he would, of course, but not at the moment. If he survived fighting Wendigo, then he would allow himself to become friends with those around him. But only if he could do so.

And only if he could forget her...

He swallowed, then, and glanced back. The images still, to this day, raced through his mind.

The blood, the knife, the flesh...

He shook his head. There would be plenty of time for thinking of that later. Now, however, was a time for him to break off his ties, and for him to, at last, learn just what it was that the ponies knew of the windigoes.

Rainbow Dash felt like an idiot.

How could she even think of trusting a guy like Checkmate?

For days, now, she had been following him into the Everfree Forest, trying to discover his past, maybe get to know him a bit. However, all that she'd learned was that Checkmate Vigarde was a jerk, plain and simple. He was cold-hearted, rude, and just generally unlikable. It was all she could do to not take back what she'd said back in the Everfree on his second day.

Thank Celestia that he was leaving. Thank Celestia that she would never have to see him again.

Or, at least, that was what she wanted to think. Something about him, though, thoroughly intrigued her. Maybe it was his past, which was so mysterious that nopony knew anything about it, or maybe it was just the way that he acted so civil, despite being so cold.

Or, maybe, it was what he had said to her in the Everfree Forest.

"My mistakes, my consequences, are mine to suffer. I do not want any of you - you being yourself and your friends - to get hurt on account of me. If you want to know what I've done, then fine. Do so. But I refuse to allow anypony to have their lives torn apart because I was a fool."

What had he meant by that? That he didn't want to hurt any of them because of what he had done?

Why did he want to protect them?

These thoughts echoed in Rainbow's mind all the way from Ponyville to Canterlot, as even the sounds of the train itself were drowned out by these questions.

And then, as they exited the passenger train and entered the city of Canterlot, she finally came to a conclusion.

She had to know Checkmate's past, no matter what. Otherwise, she would know absolutely nothing about him, besides him being an earth pony with a sword and no emotions.

And so, having come to this conclusion, Rainbow prepared herself.

Wherever Checkmate was going after the production ended, she would be sure to follow along.

The auditorium where the play was performed was oddly small, and rather cramped. None of the other ponies had even passed him a second glance, which Checkmate was secretly thankful for.

The last thing he needed on this day was to grab anypony's attention.

So he watched the play undisturbed, bar Rainbow Dash constantly glancing over at him throughout it.

Most of it, he thought, seemed rather accurate. The six ponies who ruled over the frigid land - Princess Platinum and Clover the Clever from the unicorns, Commander Hurricane and Private Pansy from the pegasi, and Chancellor Pudding-Head and Smart Cookie from the earth ponies - attempted to migrate, along with some others not shown in the actual production due to casting limits.

Fair enough.

However, the problems arose not too long afterwords, as the leaders and their assistants found a new land, untouched by the blizzard that had taken their homes.

That was not true, Checkmate knew. That never happened. Finding a new, unfrozen land would have been impossible with Wendigo ruling over Darkfrost.

And yet, in spite of this, he continued to watch, attempting to remind himself that this version was to keep the ponies from fearing the reality of the situation.

Soon, however, he began to feel sick, as he watched the windigoes - obviously automatons - beginning to circle overhead the six, the three main leaders frozen.

"W-what are those things?" asked one, pretending to be terrified (and Checkmate had to admit that she was a very good actor).

"Windigoes," replied the actress playing Clover the Clever.

"W-windigoes?" the other two whispered.

The actress nodded. "My mentor, Starswirl the Bearded, told me about them; winter monsters that feed on anger and hate. The more hatred we feel, the colder it becomes."

Checkmate watched as the rest of the play unfolded with distaste. The heroes, of course, won, presumably killing the windigoes with the magic of friendship (which made Checkmate realize just why it was deemed as so important in Equestria), and founded the nation by placing a flag into the middle of the earth, containing a picture of Celestia and Luna.

But nothing about Chronos.

By this point, as the crowd roared with applause, Checkmate worked his way up, feeling uneasy and ill.

He left, then, and stood outside for the others. It took them all of three minutes to escape from the horrifically crowded building, and meet him.

"Very well," he mused. "My thanks for showing me that. It was... intriguing. However, now it is the time for me to go."

Twilight looked over at him. "Checkmate, are you sure that you have to go?"

"Of course. Celestia demands it."

And then, silence reigned over the group, as it dawned on Checkmate what he had just said.

"I mean..."

"Princess Celestia?" gasped Rarity in shock. "But... why?"

"It doesn't matter," Checkmate said, quickly. "I simply... I have to do something important, and Celestia is helping me do it."

"Really?" asked Rainbow Dash, skeptically. "I'm not sure that I believe you."

"Believe what you like," he said, calmly, "but I've much to do, and -"

"Not much time to do it?" replied the pegasus, mockingly.

"Yes. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must be off. Farewell to all of you."

And then, he turned to walk away.

"Wait! Checkmate!" he heard Twilight cry.

Checkmate turned back towards her. "What is it?"

Her eyes narrowed. "Does this have something to do with that audience you had with her last week?"

Again, silence reigned, and Checkmate struggled to find the correct words.

In the end, he just settled on the easiest answer he could. "Yes. It does."

"An audience... with the princess?" whispered Rarity. "Checkmate, just who are you?"

The stallion turned away, then, and replied. "I am Checkmate Vigarde. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Or maybe you're just lying!" Rainbow Dash accused. "We don't know anything about you! How can we be sure that you're not a spy or something?!"

"You won't be sure of anything," replied Checkmate, "because I don't want you to be. My past is too complicated, too painful, to tell to anypony. I don't have the time to tell it, nor the will. All that I want, now, is to finish my quest."

He was so close. All that he had to do was get away from them. Then, once that would be accomplished, he would finally, after eight years of hiding, be able to kill Wendigo once and for all.

"Well I won't let you finish it until you tell me just what it is!" shouted Rainbow, angrily.

"So you would go against the will of Celestia?" his reply was sharp, and cold.

And then, Rainbow Dash stopped. He couldn't see her, but Checkmate was fairly certain that her face had paled at this.

"Anything else?" he asked, coldly.

Silence.

"Very well," Checkmate mused. "I may see you again. But then, I'm more likely to not. So, on that note, farewell to all of you, once more."

At last, the others saying nothing, Checkmate began towards the castle. Finally, he would do just what he had desired to do for all twenty-three years of his life.

At last, he would kill Wendigo.