Wonderland Chess Match

[20:04:35]Mad Hatter!

What... in the world! 

[20:05:07]Mad Hatter!

Fancy meeting you.. here. Wherever 'here' is, that is. 

[20:08:23]Alice Kingsleigh

Why hello there, Mister. -bows politely-  

[20:13:47]Mad Hatter!

Now, to have a tea party, or any other party, for that matter, with only two people present, presents a very difficult affair. The more the merrier. Three's a crowd. But two's... company. Oh. 

[20:15:47]Alice Kingsleigh

Well I'll be your company for the time being. If course I'm not bothering you. I was just, wandering around when I got here, you see.  

[20:18:42]Mad Hatter!

Wandering? In Wonderland? There's no need to wonder if that's wonderful or not. Of course it is! But, there are certain engagements other than parties that require only two! Would you like to take a wild guess if I bring your attention to the checkerboard lawn that we're standing upon? 

[20:21:32]Alice Kingsleigh

Yes, yes of course it is, Mad Hatter. Oh, oh I see. You want to play chess? I'm not great at it, but I'm most certain I'd make a decent opponent.  

[20:26:41]Mad Hatter!

Well, Miss Kingsleigh, I sure hope the King won't make use of you as a sleigh for him to ride as he pleases. But sssh! His Royal Crudeness is not about, but I sure can fit the role of a King! ::adjusting lapel and collar of his coat, followed with a tip of the makeshift crown—a top hat::  

Dawn Deshani has joined wonderland

[20:28:49]Mad Hatter!

Although, in the game of chess, a king is a rather weak piece. Slightly more nimble than a lowly pawn. Why, even the Queen surpasses the King in mobility, power, and reach! So, are you ready? En guarde! 

[20:29:13]Dawn Deshani

-giggles from the trees- 

[20:32:20]Alice Kingsleigh

Oh I'm certain you'd make the most wonderful king. I'm absolutely ready, I do hope you're not a sore loser. Winner gets to have all the biscuits coming with the tea. -Giggles a bit, but then takes position of the Queen.-  

[20:36:17]Dawn Deshani

-hangs upside-down from a tree branch- Why is everything upside-down? Oh, hello. What are you doing? 

[20:37:02]Mad Hatter!

Beautiful gardens and gazebos hedge the 64-square lawn that precisely emulates a life-size chess board. Rolling green hills loomed in the horizon. A crimson effervescence lingered in the sky, as if twilight was paused in order to illuminate this grand battle about to occur. On the other end stood the majestic Mad Hatter, twirling a metre-long candy cane he stole from Confectionary Capital.

Madrigal takes one square forward. "Okay," he smiled an overly saccharine smile, as if overflowing with sugar and sweets. The promise of victory biscuits was too tempting to pass. Of course, being a Kingly piece, he couldn't do much of anything else but move one square. "Your turn!" 

[20:49:52]Alice Kingsleigh

Alice took in the beautiful scenery for a moment. Never had she seen anything as beautiful before. As her eyes gazed down, she met the Mad Hatter's eyes and reminder her self they were having a competition here. She of course, wanted those delicious cookies herself. Alice moved along diagonally, almost dancing over the checkerboard lawn. "You do know you stand no chance, right?" She giggled as she moved about 4 squares.  

[20:50:45]Dawn Deshani

She dropped from the tree and landed on her feet, walking over to the girl, she poked her arm. "You speak. What are you doing?" 

[20:55:00]Alice Kingsleigh

Startled a little from the sudden poke she received. She clearly had been caught up with the Mad Hatter and this game of chess. "Oh, Hello. I had not seen you coming. We're playing chess." She friendly replied.  

[20:56:44]Dawn Deshani

"Chess? Why are you playing chess?" She walked to the other side of the girl. Then back to the previous side. "What is your name?" 

[20:57:13]Mad Hatter!

"Four squares and ten scores ago!" Madrigal lamented in pseudo poetic pastiche as the taunting opponent danced across the checkerlawn with grace and regal ease. "You making fun of moi?" An eye enlarged, a sure sign of perplexion. What really can a King do to a Queen in the realm of Chess? Even a Knight stood a better chance at parrying the rogue royalty.

There were two choices now for him. Move diagonally forward. But which way? To his left or to his right? Such a move would make him more central to the theme. A greater pawn—with more spaciousness about him—for a derisive damsel to dance around a dumbfounded dude in danger of deeper derangement.

But then, his ruse worked! His secret pawn—dutiful and clueless Dawn—came out of the bushes and trees to distract his enemy! Now he attempted to poke Alice with the hooked end of his candy cane. 

[21:03:52]Alice Kingsleigh

"Why not? I can only spent so much time wandering around." She shrugged a little. Wonderland had much things to offer, if you weren't busy finding your way home. "My name's Alice." She attempted to bow politely once more but let out a little squeak as she felt the candy cane poking her side. "Oh. Oh my turn already?" She asked enthusiast, though she noticed her so called enemy hadn't left his spot yet. "I would't dare making fun of a king of your type. I was just pointing out the facts." She was mocked, still giggling a little.  

[21:04:07]Alice Kingsleigh

many things*  

[21:05:49]Dawn Deshani

She sighed and walked to the other person. She poked and circled him as well. "Hello again Hatter." 

[21:09:05]Mad Hatter!

With the candy cane attack connecting, Madrigal was tempted to pump a fist in victory for scoring a hit which caused probably 0-1 HP damage. But he decided instead to continue the combo, twirling the cane on its shaft so that the claw end hooked Alice by the arm.

Now it was a matter of tugging the damsel towards him but... his ruse backfired! The Pawn that is Dawn poked him and circled him, throwing him off his game. "What's the meaning of this!" Just when the evening is on the cusp of owning the day, the Dawn broke and disrupted his dazzling display. 

[21:12:18]Dawn Deshani

She smiled and put her hands on his shoulder, resting her chin on her hands. "What's the matter Hatter?" She giggled. 

[21:14:13]Alice Kingsleigh

Alice was only half aware of the Hatter's game. Distracted as she was, her focus flattered over to the evening colours of the sky, once more realising how beautiful they were. Than, she smiled a little at Dawn and the Hatter, slightly aware of what was happening. "Oh, Dawn. I'm afraid you threw him off his game." She concluded, looking down at the cane still gripping her arm.  

[21:16:34]Dawn Deshani

"Oh did I? Silly me?" She grinned and walked to an empty square in the middle of the lawn, and laid down on her stomach like the Cheshire cat. "I'll just wait here for you two to finish then." 

[21:20:14]Mad Hatter!

"What's the matter?!" Hatter repeated the ratter's clatter, whose chatter shattered the envisioned platter filled with cookies. And the man was now truly lost, for there stood now two Queens on the board. Chess was such a polygamic game in that there could be many Queens, up to nine in total, provided all the pawns reached the other end and are promoted. Two Queens. One King. This was inequitable to the extreme!

In his madness, Madrigal gripped at his candy cane too hard. It broke in two. Upon seeing Dawn take a nonchalant lounge on empty square, it seemed clear now to the Hatter that, not only was he thrown off his game, HE LOST THE GAME.

"Bah," he uttered. It was a formality now that he would bite into his candy cane piece with a crunch of resignation. He wondered if Alice would savour the crooked end of his broken candy cane. 

[21:22:41]Dawn Deshani

She rolled onto her back. "What's the matter? Did you not play well?" 

[21:26:56]Alice Kingsleigh

"Now now." Alice tried to come between both of them. "It's just a silly game of chess." She unhooked the cane from her arm and tasted it for a moment, her eyes not leaving the Mad Hatter. "I'll save you a cookie." She joked, gracefully skipping over to the nearby table. "Three's a crowd." She winked at the Mad Hatter. "Tea, anyone?"  

[21:30:08]Mad Hatter!

"It's not that I didn't play well. It's just that my... ace up my sleeve," Madrigal glared at the indifferent Dawn, as if to point out that she was his wild card. Which proved too wild in the end, backfiring on him, distracting his surefire victorious combination of moves. "Oh?"

But Alice, ever the diplomatic and showing sportswomanlike conduct, skipped over to a side table, ready to share her winnings. "To the victor shares the spoils," he mumbled quietly, unable to refute her offer of tea. Tea! For crying out loud! The Mad Hatter's game now being played off his hand!

"Um," his gaze fell on Dawn, still on the lawn. "Three's a crowd, she said. Come, let's join. Or else, we'll be late!" The moment he said that, he was obviously hinting that he would race her to the picnic table where Alice was already at. 

[21:32:10]Dawn Deshani

She simply sighed and seemed to almost vanish, reappearing next to Alice, laying on her back instead of stomach. "I'm never late." She giggled. 

[21:35:30]Mad Hatter!

Dust trailed behind the tardy Mad Hatter's heels as he screeched to a halt. His mouth agape upon seeing Dawn already in the vicinity of the table. In fact, taking a whole bench's length with her laid-back position. Her giggle, her girly giggle, for a gigasecond, a giant gigasecond, almost sounded like a Chesire Cat's. Why, the disappearing and reappearing trick was just like a Chesire Cat's, too.

"Hmm," Hatter took a seat in front of the two girls, across the table. He would be mad to sit close to any of them. Girls have cooties. Everyone knew that. 

[21:37:58]Dawn Deshani

She sat up and looked at him, then appeared next to him, using his lap like a pillow. "What's the matter Hatter?" 

[21:38:19]Alice Kingsleigh

"Such an unfair game, I must admit." Alice began as she poured the first cup. She reached for the platter of cookies spread out in the middle and picked the biggest, most delicious one. "Here you go, Hatter." She friendly reached him both the cup and the cookie. Next followed Dawn's cup, however, she could take the cookie herself if she wanted. "Tea solves everything."