[ Oh Zhongli. Mister Zhongli. Ajax could burst into flames right now for how each motion, each breath, each word makes the man across from him more attractive. And he'd be thankful for it, too. Like the gravity of the sun, how is he supposed to even escape?
(Not that he wants that. Oh no no. Finally, Ajax has found something precious. Something that makes him feel as alive as those nearly impossible missions the Tsaritsa stacks on her youngest to keep his interest piqued. Why would he ever want such a feeling to end?) ]
It's only one piece.
[ Ajax's eyes flicker over to the line of pawns poised and ready to lay waste to his main troop. Zhongli's careful and meticulous positioning has seen to that. The most logical next step would be to abandon the knight in favor of bolstering the rest of his troops and ensuring the protection of his king and queen. An overextended soldier is not worth paying mind to, after all. They all know the price of being set upon the field. Glory or death.
But Ajax has never been the logical player. The thrill of a risky move has and will guide his hand more than any a clear and straightforwardly boring path to his objective.
His sneaker scuffs against the pristine polish of Zhongli's leather dress shoe, childish but also eager to leave his mark (however small) upon the other. ]
Mmmm. But where does being predictable get you? Nowhere fast if your opponent knows where you're going to be three moves from now. Might as well not act at all in that case. At least it'd be a surprise!
But ah— is strategy the only factor in what piece to play? In what move to choose? Will Mr. Zhongli let a favored piece be sacrificed if that means he gets one step closer to the end game.
[ The knight moves again — two spaces up and one across, the rook in the corner sighted at the end of his lance. A rook can only go straight in any direction. It poses no threat to the flexibility and unpredictability of the knight.
So given the choice between regrouping or recklessness, Ajax had once again pulled out a surprising third option— go for the head of the snake instead of the crown that sits pretty up top as a distraction. And then let Zhongli decide what was most important— Victory above all else? Or some other unknown answer. ]
no subject
(Not that he wants that. Oh no no. Finally, Ajax has found something precious. Something that makes him feel as alive as those nearly impossible missions the Tsaritsa stacks on her youngest to keep his interest piqued. Why would he ever want such a feeling to end?) ]
It's only one piece.
[ Ajax's eyes flicker over to the line of pawns poised and ready to lay waste to his main troop. Zhongli's careful and meticulous positioning has seen to that. The most logical next step would be to abandon the knight in favor of bolstering the rest of his troops and ensuring the protection of his king and queen. An overextended soldier is not worth paying mind to, after all. They all know the price of being set upon the field. Glory or death.
But Ajax has never been the logical player. The thrill of a risky move has and will guide his hand more than any a clear and straightforwardly boring path to his objective.
His sneaker scuffs against the pristine polish of Zhongli's leather dress shoe, childish but also eager to leave his mark (however small) upon the other. ]
Mmmm. But where does being predictable get you? Nowhere fast if your opponent knows where you're going to be three moves from now. Might as well not act at all in that case. At least it'd be a surprise!
But ah— is strategy the only factor in what piece to play? In what move to choose? Will Mr. Zhongli let a favored piece be sacrificed if that means he gets one step closer to the end game.
[ The knight moves again — two spaces up and one across, the rook in the corner sighted at the end of his lance. A rook can only go straight in any direction. It poses no threat to the flexibility and unpredictability of the knight.
So given the choice between regrouping or recklessness, Ajax had once again pulled out a surprising third option— go for the head of the snake instead of the crown that sits pretty up top as a distraction. And then let Zhongli decide what was most important— Victory above all else? Or some other unknown answer. ]
Let's find out.