Been there, done that. You know the drill. Honestly, I wonder why you people aren't sick of seeing in this forum yet. xD
Anyways, this time it's a three way game! Between myself, Aliena and Kyonki ^^

Don't know what Round Robin is?
Check Here
A guide to what Round Robin is~

----To my partners!-- *hugs*

Gah! I don't know what to name this thread. TT.TT Hey guys, if I keep changing it you know why. I had it at War Games before, but it didn't sound good so I changed to Checkmate... but it sounds a little one-side for what is this round robin.

Also... *sweatdrop* I went a LITTLE overboard with the set up of this? And I'm expecting some good 30+ characters? ((okay okay, I got a little excited. >>)) So yeah~ No worries! I got backup minor characters that we can use, but hey, if this doesn't work out just tell me I'll start a less complicated one. x3 yeah. This is what happens when Seito chan + green tea + insane ideas = massive chaos. >> Yeah.

Oh and yeah. I figured that who ever posts after me, we'll go in that order.

So if Kyon chan posts after me, then we'll go in Seito Kyon Aliena order
or vice versa if Aliena posts after me. ^^;;;

Only cause I know we're gonna have TONS of Characters. xD So yeah. Here's a little list to keep track of them. *shrugs*

Numbers:
Number: Name: Rank: (Tarot Card Number and Card)
1: The Master Rank: XXI. The World
2: Black Angel AKA Black Rank: XVII. The Moon
3: White Angel AKA White Rank: XIX. The Sun
4:
5:
6:
7:
8: Asho Rank:XV. The Devil
9:
10:
11:
12:
13:
14: Tsu Rank: XIV. Temperance
15:
16:
17:
18:
19:
20:
21:

Chess
Rank: Name, Title

King: Kai, The Air God
Queen: Hotaru, The Angel of Life and Death
Knight (Up to ten)
1. Seika, Snow Princess
2. Ita, Flame Prince
3. Russell - Knight - the Truthseer
4. Jonathan - Knight - Chameleon

Bishop (Up to 16)
1. Arashi, The Storm King
2. Mathis & Dunn - Bishops - the Messengers

Rook (Up to 19)
1. Riku, The God of the Cosmos
2. Chi, The Daughter of Nature
3. Vienna - Rook - Lady of Thermics

So Yeah... x3 Just to keep track of all the characters an all... hehe... *sweatdrop* I'll update it as we go along with the story okay? ^^

Welcome to a world governed by two major countries.

The first Country is C.H.E.S.S and the second one is N.U.M.8.3.R.S. (or simply Numbers). The two countries are under strained peace treaty and people fear that war will break out at any moment. Those who live in Chess tend to rely on powerful magic as their defense while those in Numbers rely on powerful magic weapons. However those in Chess are taught to use magical weapons and those in Numbers are born and trained with magic. It's a matter of preference really.

Within both countries there are the elite soldiers who go out and protect the country from invasions. As one can assume Chess uses a ranking system based off a chess board with an additional title to ones' name as a rank. There is one king, one queen, followed by the knights, bishops, rooks and finally pawns. Each rank is awarded by magical power (with the exception of the King and Queen as theirs is due to bloodlines more). There are some 10 Knights, 16 Bishops, 19 Rooks and more then enough Pawns. However only a few of the Chess Rank are know. Each Rank carries their piece symbol as proof.

The current King is Kai, The Air God and the current Queen is Hotaru, The Angel of Life and Death.

In Numbers, the country uses a number and tarot card ranking system. The top 21 in the major arcanum is the best of the best in Numbers where the minor arcaum is considered to be "minions." Each rank carries a card with their rank on it. It also acts as their ID and Access card.

Number 1 is "The Master" Rank: The World. Number 2 is Black Angel Rank: The Moon.

Between the two countries, Chess is more peaceful and happy where in Numbers the Master keeps everything under an iron strict rule. Some say the Master is actually a being of evil power. They say he quests for control of all the power in the world. No one knows for sure, but everyone knows that trouble is brewing on the horizon. Where this adventure will lead? No one knows.

For the first time in a few days, the sun had broken through the clouds in Chess and Mathis knew that meant Vienna would be in the central gardens. What he didn't count on was the fact that Russell was by her side. He growled in displeasure at the sight of the bearded, red-headed man. There was something about him he had never trusted. It could be because he had taken the place of West with his truthseeing magic. Her abrupt departure had left him full of questions and unresolved feelings. But no...there was something else not right about Russell and yet, no one else saw it and that frustrated Mathis more than he could bear.

He toyed with the bishop's piece he always carried with him and walked into the beautiful garden toward where the young, raven-haired woman was sitting. She was dressed in court finery and her tresses were arranged in an elaborate mass of braids. Her face was serious, as always, as she spoke to Russell, but the man quickly bid her goodbye and walked away as soon as he saw Mathis approaching.

Mathis glared his disapproval and said, "I'll never understand any of you."

Vienna rose to her feet and crossed her arms. "Don't go there, Mathis. Please, not today. You've made it abundantly clear you don't like him."

The young, dark haired man adjusted his glasses and shrugged, handing her the sealed envelope that Queen Hotaru had laid in his hands.

"What's this?" asked Vienna, as she broke the seal open. She scanned the message and her solemn face grew even more serious. Her suspicions had been confirmed. There was indeed a traitor in their midst...a leak. And who knew what would happen should intelligence keep finding its way to the evil one known as the Master.

---

(a few of my characters, all in Chess:)

Vienna - Rook - Lady of Thermics - has control over thermal energy - can't create fire or ice out of nothing, but can take existing matter and affect its molecules, heating or cooling it.
Russell - Knight - the Truthseer - cannot read minds, but can determine if someone is lying or not. Used often in ambassador type missions (West used to be in this role, but abruptly left without telling anyone why).
Mathis & Dunn - Bishops - the Messengers - twin brothers with a telepathic link to each other, so they're able to keep in constant contact and are often used on missions for communication purposes.

(I guess more will come out later as the story goes along!)

"You seem .. Concerned, miss Vienna." Mathis stated, as he lifted his glasses with a light push with his index finger. He wasn't normally the curious type, but he couldn't help but wonder what the letter was saying that Vienna got so serious about.

The young woman continued to look at the paper she was holding in her hands. She had many thoughts in her mind. This traitor, it could be anyone. Who are they going to find this person? Where should they start the search? Vianna stared at the picture whilst thinking about it all. One thing that she knew for sure, atleast, was that they need to find this person, this traitor, fast.

After a while of pondering, she turned her head to look at Mathis, with the serious look on her face. "You don't need to worry about it."

((I hope I did okay. >_>;; ))

Seika sat on the windowstill of the highest tower in the Chess castle. She glazed out at the kingdom below. Things "looked" peaceful, but you never know. Down below she saw Vienna and Mathis talking. No doubt Vienna had just released word about the traitor. Hotaru was confident that it was someone in the Pawns ranks... but never the less only a few people have been nodified of such a threat. Probably Hotaru's mosted trusted friends. After all Seika and Hotaru grew up together and a few years later (when they were twelve) Vienna had joined in their little circle of friends.

Seika turned her attention back to the horizons. What to do? This was unsettling. They do not need a war right now.

----

Black heels clicked as they marched down the long hallway. White hair was tied half up, half down ponytail. Iced blue eyes were cold and almost lifeless. This was Black Angel, the Numbers ranked 2. Her magic was the ability to control the shadows and move within them. Her choice was weapon was a gun with endless combinations that could easily blow off the top of a mountain or be so soft that the person will have only thought they were pinched instead of shot.

She walked into the room to find a man with brown hair and warm chocolate colored eyes. "Asho," she called out.

Asho blinked and looked up. He smiled warmly and greeted, "Hiya Black! What brings you here today?"

Black resisted the urge to rub her forehead. Of everyone in this entire kingdom (with the exception of Tsu), Asho was the LAST person who should be in this corrupted country. He was just a little too... pure. Black scowled to herself. How she ever let the Master talk into bring him to the castle in the first place, she'll never understand. Then again, defying the master was never a good thing.

"Come on," she said, grabbing Asho by the arm. "We're going somewhere."

"Oh, that's right," Mathis replied sarcastically. "Handle it all on your own, like you always try to do. What could I do anyhow? I'm just a messenger." He turned away from her and walked away.

"Mathis!" Vienna called after him in frustration. "I swear," she muttered under her breath when he ignored her. "Oh well...don't have time to deal with your moods right now anyhow." She clutched the message in her hand and took a deep breath. She could feel the paper growing hot in her hands and yet, her fingers didn't burn. It took a few seconds, but the paper caught on fire and was soon nothing but ashes.

Vienna glanced up to the tower where Seika stood and smiled warmly at her dear friend. She nodded her acknowledgement of receiving the message and immediately sought out the person she felt could help: the new truthseer who had proven his loyalty since his first day, despite what grumpy Mathis said.

---

Russell's footsteps echoed down the empty hallway as he made his way down to his chambers. He hated Mathis as much as Mathis hated him, though he did his best to hide it. Since he had become a master truthseer, however, he had learned not only how to discern the truth, but also how to twist it. He was a chameleon, of sorts, fully able to convince others of whatever suited his purpose, though his purposes, he kept deeply hidden within him, for the time being simply fulfilling his duties to Chess as he was commanded.

He heard a second set of footsteps and paused, looking over his shoulder when a female voice called his name. Vienna walked briskly to his side and said, "May I speak with you about something?"

"You don't even need to ask!" the truthseer asked and put his hand lightly on her back, escorting her to the sitting room outside of his chambers.

He wasn't prepared to hear her say, "We're being betrayed by someone within the ranks. Perhaps one of the pawns." And at that moment, he was glad he was the truthseer and she was not...

Seika waved lightly, and managed to give Vienna a smile back.
Wandering off with all the thoughts in her mind again, she was suddenly interrupted when she heard a voice that she knew very well.

"Seika, what are you doing, looking all bothered? It makes your face look old!", the red-haired male person said, with a grin on his face. Ita always enjoy teasing Seika, it was like one of his ways to show that he really likes her.

With a slightly irritated look, Seika turned around to Ita and replied "It does not!". She was glad to see him, though. It's nice to stop thinking about all the trouble that might be going on, even if it only was for a second.

"Ahah, don't give me that look, Seika."

((my brain is dead. x_x))

((chu that's okay!))

Ita wrapped his arms around Seika. "So Snow Princess," he teased. "What are you to?"

Seika swatted him on the head. "Oh hush you. This is no time for play. We might be heading to war. You know that!"

Ita pouted. The playfulness slowly fading away. "I know that. You know about the traitor right?"

Seika nodded. "Yeah. I'm worried. War is gonna break out. I know it. But I don't know when. Vienna went to find Russell, hopefully they'll be able to figure out what's really going on."

-----

Black had teleported Asho and herself to the edge of Chess on a small island that was deserted. Her ability to control shadows allowed her to moved through them as well. "Why are we here Black?" Asho asked.

"I needed to talk to you somewhere where the Master won't see us," Black said offhandly. "Look, The Master has sent someone to Chess to spy. I have no idea who it is."

"So you need me to find out who it is."

"Yes."

"Why though?"

Black stared at Asho debating what to say and what to tell him. In reality, she had alway considered leaving Numbers to move to Chess. She never told anyone because it meant instant death. In fact she had all but given up on the idea until Asho had joined the organizations. The very being of Asho drove her insane. The boy had always something to say and questioned everything, making Black think twice about what she does and why she does it.

"Nothing you need to know," she finally said.

"Liar," said Asho. He could tell she wasn't telling him something.

"Asho," Black glared at him. Really that ability was certainty dangerous. "Stop it."

"Fine. But you better tell soon!"

When Vienna spoke to Russell about the possible traitor, the bearded man's jaw tightened, though she didn't notice. "A traitor?" he said, raising an eyebrow. "How very grave. Do you have any suspects? People who need to be interrogated?"

Vienna shook her head. "Not yet. I just received the message. Russell, if war breaks out...I don't know that we would win." She would never voice that to Seika or Hotaru, however.

You wouldn't, Russell thought darkly. "Of course we would," he replied in an effort to soothe the young woman. "Good always triumphs."

"Only in stories!"

"Then what a lovely story this will be," he smiled but Vienna didn't return it. She was too consumed by the troubling news. "I'll take care of it, Vienna."

The woman shook her head. "I will."

"You don't know when people are lying like I do. If you want to put an end to this leak, I'm the fastest way to do so."

She hated to admit that he was right and she hated leaving such a large responsibility in someone else's hand other than her own, but she reluctantly nodded. "Very well. There's so much at stake here!"

"I know," the truthseer said. "Go, visit Seika or Hotaru. Let them know everything will be fine."

He watched as the young woman nodded and rose from her seat. After she had left, Russell remained where he was and stared off into space. He didn't like deceiving her. The others, he didn't care about. But her...for some reason, he felt differently. He would convince The Master to be merciful with her when everything unfolded.

Assuming that Seika would still be at the place that Vienna last saw Seika, she walked back to the towers. On her way upstairs towards where Seika and Hotaru were present, she constantly thought of the current situation. What would they do if, no, when the war would break out? What will become of Chess..? Who is this person that had deceived everybody..

"Seika, I need to have a word with you.", Vienna said, with a serious look on her face. She looked towards Ita. "I assume that you already know about the things going on right now, Hotaru?"

Hotaru nodded, and wondered what Vienna came to them for.

"What is it, what do you need to talk to me about?", Seika asked, waiting for Vienna to reply

((edit: oh woah XD ita** not hotaru XD; ))

Ita left after finding out his room might have been set on fire by Chi. He kissed Seika on the cheeked and rushed out of the room in an attempt to stop his student from setting the whole castle ablazed.

Seika chuckled as he left. Moments later a magic stone in her pocket began to grow cold. Seika took it out of her pocket and stared at it. In the reflection showed a familiar enemy... and friend. "To what do I owe this honor, Black."

Black scowled at bit at her, telling Seika she wasn't please to be doing this either. Black Angel was a foe becoming a friend in Seika's eyes. In her entire life, Seika (for some reason) had crossed steel with Black Angel more then too often. The battles led to some shocking things. For example, Seika knew that Black didn't want to become apart of the Numbersi n the first place and would have much rather live in Chess. Seika also learned that the girl wasn't so heartless either. Seika hoped that she would make up her mind and actually become a powerful ally to the Chess. The war would be in Chess's favor if she did.

"I heard about your little traitor. I'm spending one of my own men to help you look. If he finds anything, I'll tell. You can't miss him. Brown hair, brown eyes and way too cheerful personality. His name is Asho," Black said bluntly.

Seika's eye brow raised. "Cheerful? I thought that word was never used in Numbers. I'll be on the lookout for him. Warn him though, we have a truthseer in our ranks, if the two meet, then it's trouble."

"Yes cheerful! The boy drives me insane. And I'll tell him that."

"Sounds like someone is love," Seika said with a grin. Suddenly there was knocking on the door. "I'll call you back," she said, cutting off the communication.

It was Hotaru. "That was Black I assume?" Hotaru asked. Seika looked at her with half moon eyes.

"You really know everything don't you?" Hotaru knew about it before Seika had the chance to tell her. Seika concluded that 1. Hotaru was either spying on her. 2. Hotaru could see into the future. Seika wasn't sure which one it was yet.

Hotaru smiled and took a seat. "But of course."

There was another knock. This time it was Vienna. "So what is it? What do you need to talk to me about?" Seika asked.

"I spoke to Russell about the situation," Vienna said quietly as she entered the room, shutting the door behind her. She looked at her two dearest friends. "He said he'd handle things, but I just feel like there's more that needs to be done. You mentioned in the message you think it's one of the Pawns. So what's to be done? Question and truthsee them? Observe them? Or perhaps infiltrating Numbers to see what knowledge we can gain over there?" Vienna raised her eyebrow in an expression of hope.

Seika looked to Hotaru, not comfortable with the last option. Hotaru knew about Black, but Vienna did not and while she hated to keep anything from her friend, in this case, she felt the less people who knew, the better. Infiltrating prematurely might jeopardize things at this point.

Hotaru sensed Seika's unease and shook her head. "Not yet. Perhaps soon, we'll send a group over, but right now, it's best if we just observe. Wait things out and see what happens."

"But--" Vienna protested. "With all due respect, the longer we wait, the deeper entrenched the traitor will become!"

"And the harder it'll be for him to break away."

"She's right," Seika nodded. "Who knows? Perhaps we can drop some false information around. If we do have someone in contact with Numbers, we could always use it to our advantage."

Hotaru smiled. "I like that idea a lot." She paced around the room. "Perhaps leaking multiple bits of false information might even lead us to our man. Or woman," she added.

Vienna sighed. "We'll try it then, but if it doesn't work..."

"...by then, perhaps we'll be ready to infiltrate," Seika finished her sentence.

"I'll let Russell know what we have planned then," Vienna said. "I know he's trustworthy."

"Wait, Vienna, don't." Seika looked at Vienna. "I know that you trust Russel, and that your very close to him, but we can't take any risks now.", she said with a serious tone.

"What? But Russel-!"

Hotaru interrupted her before she could finish her sentence. "Seika is right, Vienna." she closed her eyes and let out a sigh before looking at Vienna. "The less that know about this, the better."

Vienna knew that it wouldn't help even if she'd say anymore.

Frustrated, Vienna stared at the ground, being silent.

Seika bit her lip. One of the reasons Hotaru thought it was a pawn, was because with the exception of Russell everyone in the Chess higher ranks had grown up together. Seika knew Hotaru and Vienna since she was a child, and Ita since they were babies. Hotaru and Kai met when they really young as well, becoming star cross lovers at the first sight. Ita knew Mathis and Dunn apparently they were distance cousins. Finally Riku and Chi were Hotaru's siblings. Russell however, they knew little about as well as the pawns in the ranks. If there was traitor if would be in Pawns ranks... or Russell.

This was no the best of situations she like to be in.

-----

Still on the island, Black stared at the magic stone in her hand. During one of their previous battles she had give one of the connecting stones to Seika. Why she did that? She wasn't sure, but it came in handly time to time. No one could spy on the conversation.

"Listen up Asho. You're going into the capital of Chess. There happens to be a truthseer there, so either avoid him at all cost or figure out a way to hid the truth from him," Black explained.

"That's easy enough. If I believe something is the truth, then the truthseer won't be able to tell the difference or not. If I believe that I truly am a member of Chess, then he won't be able to tell. Or if anything, I just hide that part of my soul. Then he won't be able to fine it at all. That's the difference of between a truthseer and a soulreader like me," Asho said with a grin. "Which is why I can't see everything you do, because you keep it all hidden deep within your soul."

That gave Black some comfort actually. There were far too many things locked within her heart that she didn't want to share. "Fine. That's good. You when you arrive, you might run into a.... friend of mines. White hair, blue eyes, carrying a Knight symbol. Her name is Usuyuki Seika, Rank: Knight, the Snow Princess."

Asho's jaw dropped. "WHAT?!"

"Then I suppose Ita and Kai will know nothing as well? Nor Mathis or any of the rest of them? Just us three?" Vienna finally said.

As much as Hotaru hated to do so, she agreed to it. "Yes. Just us three." She wanted to trust Russell as much as her friend did, but the future that surrounded him was just too cloudy to see. There were only a handful of people out there whose timelines could not be easily discerned and Russell was one of them. The man's earnest nature and success in carrying out what was ordered had led all of them to hold him in high esteem, however, and Hotaru could not deny how valuable he had been to the team since he joined on three months prior.

"Isn't that risky?" Vienna asked and Hotaru nodded.

"Very risky," she said.

---

Far from where the women were planning, in the land of Numbers, lightning flickered within a small room. "That's it, my brother!" exclaimed a young man, donning a wide grin, revealing deep dimples on either side of his face. He was tall, with dark skin, hair, and eyes, and was dressed in an embroidered tunic. His eyes twinkled as he clapped the Brotherhood's youngest recruit on the back. "Now try to repeat that."

The boy nodded and with a determined look on his face, extended his hands forward and stared at the small glass orb his teacher had suspended five meters in front of him. Lightning danced from his fingers and snaked toward the orb, lighting it up and making it glow.

His teacher's grin widened and he said, "And that, my brother, is how it's done. Perfection, Yannis!"

Yannis dropped his hands to his side and took a deep breath. "I want to try another, Master Fahd," he said in a quiet voice.

"Not today," Fahd shook his head. "Believe me, you're going to feel this in the morning! The important thing to learn as you're starting to unlock all the abilities is to pace yourself. Do too much at once and it's like eating too much honey cake. It may taste good at the moment, but it'll all come back up an hour later. Now go drink a tall glass of water and then ask Isaic how you can help him." He watched as the boy ran out of the room, pride swelling within him because of what he had just accomplished.

He strolled to the window of the hideout and looked out. Far in the distance was the Master's Palace. He knew they would have to relocate very soon. Two of the Brotherhood's scouts had reported the Master's people snooping around a lot more lately. He wished his Uncle didn't belong to the Master, but nothing he said could convince him otherwise. Fahd hoped that one day, this land would be a Masterless one, where each person had full control of the abilities that lay dormant in each of them. The Brotherhood had indeed grown in number quite a bit the last year, but their ranks were still too little to contemplate something like revolution. "Someday," he mused, the smile never leaving his face. "Someday..." But for now, it was time to organize a party to secure them food for the next week...

(Just introducing Fahd to the story - see the character thread for his info! Solarr's his Uncle, btw)

"We have no choice, it's the best this way."

Vienna sighed, and rose from the chair that she sat on. "If you excuse me, I'll be leaving now if we're done with the dicussion." she said, and dropped a curtsy before turning around, heading for the door. Halfway closing the door behind her, she could hear Hotaru say "Remember what we've talked about, Vienna.".

-----

"Usuyuki Seika?!"

"What? Do you know her?" Black asked with a slightly surprised expression. She didn't expect the sudden reaction from Asho.

"Yes! We... Met eachother once when I was out.. on a walk." Asho looked like he was thinking of something. So the person he met in the woods for not so long ago when he somehow managed to go out exploring, Usuyuki Seika, is in Chess?! How did she even get to Numbers? She's a Knight?!

((I'll go to sleep with my empty brainz and bleeding eyes now. 8D))

Asho a bit numb. He had ran into one of the most powerful knights of Chess and lived. Not that Usuyuki was looking for a battle.

"Oh.... you must mean last month. That fight got pretty intense. Good thing she didn't know you were a Number member otherwise she might have killed you on the spot," said Black. Every so often, Black and Seika had "sparring" matches which were not so safe. They both walked away with far too many wounds, but also with a better understanding of each other. Their next spar was scheduled for next month.

"Do I even want to know how the two of you became friends?" asked Asho. It was kinda shock, all of this. It was all still trying to sink in.

"Probably not," said Black. "Anyways Seika knows you're coming and is trusting you to an extend. I think she thinks that the truthseer might be one of our men. Otherwise she would have rejected my offer. Try not to attract attention to yourself. I don't want The Master to find out about this."

"Okay. But how are you gonna explain that my absence?"

"I send you on a training trip to one of the smaller towns in Chess as a traveler, looking for information and getting to know the land better. That's what the cover for your mission is. You are doing that, only you're also looking for the idenity of the spy. I've already told the Master that, and he has cleared your mission," said Black. "I will accompany you to the border of the capital. After that you are on your own as it's too dangerous for me to continue going forward. We're leaving now."

"Now?"

"Yes. We can't afford to wait any longer. I would have preferred to have done this before Chess found out about the spy, but Seika's information networks are strong. We're leaving now, understood?"

"Yeah. Okay."

"Will you stop that?" Dunn looked over to where his twin brother was pacing. Back and forth. Back and forth. He turned his attention back to the window where he was watching a rather lovely woman practice some fight moves. He sighed with contentment. He could watch such beauty all day. But from the corner of his eye, he saw movement. "Mathis, you're distracting me!" he exclaimed. "Will you stop pacing already?"

"Distracting you from what?" Mathis snapped and Dunn pointed out the window.

"From that. She's perfection."

Mathis rolled his eyes. The two brothers, while they shared the same face, couldn't be more different. From the way they clothed themselves (Mathis, conservatively and Dunn, quite outlandishly) to the way they wore their hair (Mathis, short and dark, Dunn, long and dyed electric blue) to the way they approached the day, they were truly opposites, though others might say they were more like two parts of a whole. Messengers for Chess, the two shared a telepathic link and could communicate any time no matter the distance. It had been that way their whole lives.

"Alright," Dunn said, his eyes still not leaving the woman. He admired her moves, her fluidity and grace, and most of all, her curves. "Spill it. What's bothering you?"

"Nothing that you care to hear about." He felt a familiar tingling in his head and exclaimed, "Stop that!"

"Ah," Dunn smiled, having obtained the information via their link. "Russell. When are you going to just accept the guy?"

"Never," his brother growled, rubbing the tingling feeling out of his head. "I can't believe you just did that."

Dunn ignored him. "It's not his fault West left. He just took her place. He didn't even know her."

"There's something not right about him," Mathis insisted. "And I don't like how he's gained everyone's trust so fast. What if he did have something to do with West leaving?" His face darkened even more when he thought of the smiling brunette and how, in the last few days before she left, she had been so troubled about something. She was the one person (besides Dunn) that he felt a connection with and it broke him when she disappeared, leaving only a note with a single message: Don't try to find me. Goodbye. I'm sorry. He had toyed with the idea of searching for her numerous times since, but never took that step, as Chess always needed him for something or other.

"Oh boy!" Dunn laughed. "Here we go again with the conspiracy theories." His face sobered when he saw his brother's glare. "I'm sorry," he said, trying to stifle his laughs. "I know it made you mad when she left. But really, Mathis, cut Russell some slack. He's a good guy. Come here," he motioned and Mathis grudgingly walked toward him. "I really think right now," Dunn said seriously, "you could use some of that." He pointed to the woman again and Mathis punched him in the arm, irritated, and headed toward the door.

"Everything's a game to you, isn't it? It's all about fun and women."

"And why not?" Dunn challenged as his brother walked out of the room. "Isn't that what makes life worth living?"

Seika lightly leaned against one of her katanas that she had thrusted in the ground. She looked up at building next to the place she was practicing at, with her glance directed at one of the many windows. Who was the person she saw from the corner of her eye, that was observing her?

"..I shouldn't rest for too long.", she said to herself, grabbed the sword and kept practicing her moves and attacks.

--------------------------

Chi was sitting in the gardens, playing around with the flowers and the plants around her. She enjoyed spending her time doing that, but it'd get boring to her sometimes, if she lacked company. "Chi wonders where everybody is.."

From one of the buildings near the central gardens, Kyo was standing on the balcony of her room, with her sword at her side, looking over what she could see of Chess. The weather was beautiful today. She looked up at the sky, while holding her necklace with the Knight symbol engraved in the ruby stone. Somethings going on, alright. Something that she doesn't know of. But.. 'Oh well'. She doesn't need to either, she'll just follow the orders that are given to her.

After staring at the gardens for a while, Kyo finally noticed that there was somebody in there. "Ah, it's Chi!". Kyo grabbed her longsword, and headed outside, towards the gardens.

"Hey Chi, what are you up to?", Kyo said with a bright smile when she saw the young girl. Chi brightened up when she saw Kyo coming. She stood up and ran, or maybe more of a fast-jogging, towards Kyo, hugging her. "Huh?", Kyo said rather surprised. "What are you doing, Chi? It's not like we've not met for years or so, you know!", she said with a laugh.

"But Chi was getting bored, and Chi became happy when Kyo came!"

Seika felt the magic stone grow warm again. Pausing in her training, she casted a sheild around the area. This way no one could see what she was doing or hear anything that she said. Black's face came into focus on the surface of the stone.

"We're heading to Chess now," said Black.

Seika nodded. "Very well. I'll arrange to 'run into' your comrade in the city. When will you be arriving?"

"In a few days. We need 'collect' informations on some smaller towns in order to make this cover work then we'll be there. I'll accompany him to the city gates. From there I expect you to take over," stated Black.

"Of course. Just contact me when you get close," said Seika.

"Will do," Black replied.

-----

Chi bounced around in circles. "Kyo let's play! Chi wants to play hide and go seek with Kyo! Ita got mad cause Chi accidently set a fire in Ita's room.
That why Chi outside right now. Chi can't find Riku either. Can Kyo play with Chi and then help Chi find Riku?" Chi chattered.

Kyo smiled and patted the smaller girl on the head. "Of course Chi. But why don't we find Riku first. That way you'll have one more playmate."

Chi cheered. "Okay Kyo! Let's find Riku. Chi wants to play."

In the central gardens, Mathis sat under a willow tree, lost in thought. He felt that something big was going to happen to their nation and that they'd be unprepared for it. But sharing his feeling would simply result in him being reminded that he didn't possess the ability to see the future and that he should simply stick with his role as messenger. How he hated being a messenger! His thoughts turned toward his last day with West.

She had been standing on a bridge, looking down at the stream of water underneath and her face had held the strangest expression, but when he tried to ask her about it, she dismissed him and told him she couldn't say. When he had pressed, she had become angry. He had never seen her react that way, especially not to him.

"West, where'd you go?" he asked aloud. "Don't you know your replacement's a fraud?" Of course, she couldn't know that. No one could see that except for him. But he was stuck, just waiting to do what he was told, his hands tied from doing anything else.

Or were they?

He jumped up from where he sat and walked resolutely back to the apartment he shared with his brother. Dunn looked up with question as Mathis walked right past them and into his bedroom. He pulled out a bag and began to pack.

"Um...what are you doing?" Dunn stood in the doorway.

"Packing."

"To go where?"

"To find West."

Dunn laughed. "Seriously? Come on, Math. You don't have the foggiest idea where she might have gone. And didn't she say not to try to find her?"

"She's the only person I have ever connected with. I can't just let her go because then who do I have?"

"Me," Dunn said, his face growing very serious. When his brother didn't respond, he repeated, this time louder, "Mathis, you have me. Your brother. Your other mental half!" Mathis closed the bag and gave his brother a strange look and Dunn exclaimed, "You're going over there, aren't you? To Numbers?"

Mathis didn't answer. He simply walked past his brother and looked over his shoulder. "I'll come back."

"Mathis!"

But Mathis was out the door. He felt the familiar mental tug and heard his brother's voice in his mind. Don't leave! It's not safe for you to go and we need you here. We've never been apart for more than a few days. Don't-- Mathis cut his brother off by doing something he had never done before, something he hadn't ever thought he actually could do...he severed the link.

"You're searching for me?" Riku smiled and waved while walking towards the two.

"Oh hey Riku!" Kyo said. "Good timing that you're around here.". Chi ran towards Riku and pulled on his sleeve. "Let's play, brother, let's play! Chi wants to play hide and seek with Kyo, and brother!".

"mm, alright Chi.", he said with a laugh, but then got a more serious look. "I heard that you gave Ita some trouble when you set up his room on fire again! I told you not to play around like that inside."

Chi looked to at her shoes and pouted. "I'm sorry, brother."

Kyo laughed lightly. "c'mon, she begged for forgivness now, and knew that she was wrong, so let's forget about it, Riku? Even tho this isn't the first time..". She grinned and patted Chi on the head again.

------


"Mathis!" Dunn called out after his brother again, even tho he knew that he couldn't hear him. "That.. Idiot!" he said and slammed the wall with his fist. What is he going to do if, or when the others find out that he had gone over to Numbers like that? Will he even be able to come back from that place? It wouldn't be possible for just him alone against the whole Numbers.

Dunn sat down on his bed in the apartment, thinking of if he should follow and help his brother or not.

Black closed her eyes. Her shadow magic allowed her and Asho to travel to a small town just on the outskirts. Asho went to collect informations while she waited in the forest surrounding the town. Black herself couldn't go into the town, she attracted way too much attention. She was just her to escort him to the captial and observe and make sure he didn't get into trouble.

It was quiet. Black loved it. She never gotten this level of quiet back at Headquarters. She frowned. Just thinking of that name gave Black a bitter taste in her mouth. She looked at her 'comardes'. With the exception of Tsu, she couldn't see any of them helping her out against the Master. Tsu wouldn't either, but that is because of a whole different reason.

-----

"Tsu!"

Tsu smiled brightly. A small frail girl struggled to sit up. "Aya," Tsu scolded. "Don't push yourself like that." She helped Aya up.

"But I want to sit up and talk to you," she muttered back.

Tsu chuckled. Her tail which was hidden by a jacket hanging around her waist, twitch a little. Little Aya. Aya was the reason why Tsu had her fox ears and tail and the reason why she stayed with the Numbers. It was foolish for her to thinking such a thing would happen, but if there was the silmest chances that the Numbers could cure Aya, Tsu would take it.

Aya had always been sick. Ever since she was a child. Chills and coughs wreck her body, causing her to cough up blood and become faint. Tsu learned from the healer from her home down that Aya had the Black Disense. Something that was uncurable and would take Aya's life little by little.

To save her sister, Tsu had agreed to become the Number's pawn. "Nyu, why are you always wearing that hat?" Aya questioned.

Tsu patted her sister on the head. "Cause it looks good on me!" she lied, tugging on the hat that covered her fox ears. Of course Tsu kept everything from her sister. The last thing Tsu wanted to do worry her. "So, how are you feeling today?"

As Mathis walked away from his brother, his kingdom, and his responsibilities, one man stood and watched him as he went. Russell turned away from the window. He couldn't help but smile. He knew exactly where Mathis was going and he knew it would only end badly for him. West wasn't coming back and she would certainly never be found. All Mathis was doing was walking into a lion's den and the moment it became known that he was from Chess, he'd be locked up or worse. Russell hoped for the latter.

He couldn't say he was disappointed at all. In fact, he'd have to see if he couldn't accomodate Mathis somehow. If he really wanted to find out what had happened to West, perhaps experiencing it firsthand might be appropriate. He smiled at the thought. No. Perhaps something a little...more.

He walked toward his warddrobe and, pushing the clothing aside, pulled out a locked chest. He reached in his pocket and pulled out a key. He unlocked the chest and pulled out a small silvery orb. He whispered a single word and the orb began to glow.

"There's someone coming your way that you might be interested in..." he said.

----

But someone else caught wind that one of the messenger brothers was coming to Numbers and made plans to intercept...

----

Mathis was feeling ill ever since he severed the link with Dunn. He had never been without his brother's presence in his mind and he was incredibly queasy. Still, he kept walking until he came to the transport shuttle that would take him to the edge of the kingdom. From there, he'd have to just wing it. Waiting to board the transport shuttle, he sat down and rested his head in his hands, willing the feeling of nausea to go away. He wouldn't be much good to anyone, feeling like this!