Logs:En Passant

En Passant
Dramatis Personae Nessie, Sera	2021-02-03 "We're not winning any competitions anymore."
Location <XAV> Conservatory - Xs First Floor
Tall panes of glass and a many-gabled glass ceiling protect this large indoor garden from the elements, while welcoming in sunlight to keep it warm year-round. Adjoined to the southern face of the venerable mansion and surrounded by more conventional gardens beyond, the conservatory is all Old World elegance from the outside. Within, however, it is lush and green and in certain corners--whether despite its careful tending by the groundskeeper or because of it--seems practically wild. Footpaths and a burbling artificial steam wind through the space, connecting its disparate parts. Benches are scattered throughout, thorough soft grasses or mosses under certain trees also invite rest. The outside wall is lined with tropical and subtropical plants. The ferns and cycads and epiphytes are kept moist by artfully hidden misters that also give the place a sort of magical ambiance, dense foliage wreathed at times with drifting patches of mist. Nearest the building is a desert in miniature, with a few impressively sized cacti as well as palo verde and other trees adapted to arid climes. Between these, and by far the largest section, is dedicated temperate zone plantlife from around the world, the beds growing more carefully manicured and the pads less winding as one approaches the center, where a clearing with a small ring of seats is a popular spot for some teachers to hold court. Chess club has broken up for the afternoon but as the (very) small cluster of students disperses, Nessie is lingering, tucked beneath the cover of a banyan tree with all her legs folded under her There's a board in front of her -- her side, black, has squeaked out a narrow checkmate -- and a daisy-chained colorful paper crown on her head, a chocolate-caramel-coconutty cupcake half-eaten in one hand and another still on a paper plate beside her. She's studying the board, then her phone, then the board again, licking at the sticky icing in between. Sera pads along the path, an iridescent purple backpack slung over one shoulder. There are a few dried leaves and twigs clinging to her moss green corduroys and the hem of her sweater, soft black yarn dotted with silver stars. She slows as she nears Nessie, peering at the board, the faint spill of her curiosity sensible if only subtly. "Whoa, that's nice," she says, green eyes wide. When they lift to Nessie they judder over her pincer-tipped arms before settling firmly on her face. "Who was white?" Nessie looks up with a blink and a sharp swish of tail, a twinge of discomfort fluttering in her mind as Sera's eyes hitch. "Oh, um, Ivy? She usually wins. I'm not very good but it's fun. Are you good at this? It's probably like in your blood right your brother's some kind of genius." She takes another bite of her cupcake, some of the chunky coconut-caramel frosting sticking to the corner of her mouth. "We kind of lost our only real good player so I think Mr. Tessier's kind of like. Despairing." "I haven't played her," Sera says, then blushes, "I mean, this is only the second time I've been, but if she's a challenge, then extra special congratulations for the birthday win." She tilts her head as she studies the board again. "Maybe not in my blood, but I did get great practice --" Her face falls suddenly, and though she quickly clamps down on it a wash of dismay still gets past her. "Sorry, um." She draws a deep breath and then relaxes, the edge of her power abruptly softening, malleable. "Doubt I'm good enough to be Matt's new star, though. What happened to the old one?" "Thanks! Um --" Nessie's posture curls a little in on itself, an uncertainty spiking in her at that wave of dismay. "You want a cupcake?" Her tail flicks toward the plate in indication. "They're real good. It's like. German chocolate or something it's tasty." She takes another bite of her own, licking at her fingertip. "He ran off to another -- well, to your world. He was like, a supergenius. I think he may even have been better than Mr. Tessier. We're not winning any competitions anymore." Sera perks up at the offer of dessert. "Oh! I'd love one." She sits down cross-legged on the white side of the board and picks up the other cupcake. "Thank you. Did Mister Holland make these?" Her eyes are still big, but go even wider. "The blue boy," she murmurs, her brows furrowing briefly. "I don't think chess is all just -- being super smart, though. Buckling down and studying is important, too." She lapses back into a smile. "And having fun." "Uh-huh." Nessie nods at the cupcake as she starts to reset the board. "Marcus, yeah. See, that's my problem, I got the fun part alright but I do not study chess. Although I did watch Queen of Katwe and The Queen's Gambit and that's practically like studying, right?" Sera starts in on the cupcake. "This is great -- like you just said." She covers her laugh, faintly embarrassed. "I guess as long as it gets you to think about chess, it kind of counts? Though I mean, I haven't actually seen The Queen's Gambit -- I heard it's really good, though!" Her eyes follow Nessie's hands with interest, and she sets the cupcake aside to pluck up one pawn of each color, tucking them behind her back for just a moment before offering her closed fists out for Nessie to choose, a bright smile on her face. "I think as long as it's fun, the rest is pretty optional."