Open Pondering Moves

[Leah Thorne]

Open after Kaitlyn posts with Cassius

Leah was grateful to be at school. It was really so much easier than her holidays when she had to spend most of it traveling back and forth between her parents. As much as her parents fought growing up she missed her childhood home and getting to see her grandparents more. She had managed to see them this summer for her grandfather's birthday and it was odd seeing them after so long. She had grown a lot and not just in height. Once she had been their favorite as the oldest grandchild but she worried that might be changing as her cousins got older. But they played chess together like old times and she was distress to find she was rusty. She was never great but it was embarrassing how quickly she lost. Now she was in the student lounge and trying to practice even if she didn't have a partner. She finished up one move and turned the board around to make the next, giggling slightly as the pieces wobbled to keep their balance.

 

[Cassius Styx]

Cassius Styx did some research over some of the history of what Gregory called 'video games' but he had to get someone that was a family friend to even retrieve the book for him because no one in his family would dare. At least, no one he knew off the top of his head that he was close to. Turns out, Cass was very interested in it, but had to keep it relatively unknown from others because he was already a hypocrite enough. Maybe next semester he would feel like arguing and fighting with people again, but for now, he just wanted some quiet. The Slytherin made his way into the student lounge to see if there was somewhere he could relax, and from what he saw, there was a girl... Right, her name was Leah Thorne. Gryffindor in his year. And she was giggling... while playing chess with herself. He was not sure how someone could accomplish anything doing that, since she would know what move she would make. Can someone outsmart themselves with unbiased intentions? Probably not the best idea, he decided to go up and question her on it, since he was curious, and he had no intentions to join because he knew he was sh*t with chess. "How is that practice, when you are playing on your own?" Cass asked the Gryffindor with a raised eyebrow.​

 

[Leah Thorne]

Leah sat in contemplation for a few moments until she heard a voice ask her a question. She looked up grinning but it faltered slightly as she saw who it was. She hadn't spoken to Cassius herself but she had heard Dahlia's stories about him being cruel to Gregory so she narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "Well if I'm trying my best each turn I'll have to get better eventually." she said with a defiant tilt to her chin but the posture felt a little hollow so she shrugged. "And I didn't have someone to play with so it was the next best thing." she sighed. "Are you any good?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

 

[Cassius Styx]

Cassius raised his eyebrow when she seemed on her guard just by him approaching her. Wait, had he threatened her before? Now, that was possible. There were just so many people that managed to make him mad over the past several years that they sort of blur together. "You sound determined," Cass commented as he decided to sit on the other side to watch. Was she beaten by a relative or friend to want to improve. And she had no one to play with her. "I'll be honest. I suck at it. Can't play chess, can't fly a broom without getting motion sickness. Pretty much a sorry excuse for a wizard when it comes down to games." Cass laughed under his breath. "How about you walk me through your plans and see if I can add more perspective?"​

 

[Leah Thorne]

Leah grinned inspire of herself when he called her determined. "I like to think so." she said, pleased. "And so does my grandmother but she makes it sound like a bad thing." she admitted. She laughed a little when he mentioned getting sick on brooms but she could relate. She loved quidditch with her whole heart but the one time she actually tried to play, being a part of so many moving pieces was overwhelming and she had hated it. She was stuck as a spectator and occasional practice buddy. "There's always gobstones." she suggested, teasing him slightly. Leah considered his offer and shrugged before gesturing for him to take a seat. "Well, I know the basics of chess is to keep the king safe at all costs so I always try and keep pieces around him but it never seems to actually help." she said glumly and moved her knight forward.

 

[Cassius Styx]

The Slytherin chuckled softly as she even brought up her grandmother, as if determination was a bad thing. "In my family, determination pretty much gets you where you need to be. So, definitely a good thing if you want to achieve your goals, one way or another." Cass was determined himself - to be noticed and the best among his generation. He needed to in order to thrive. He had siblings that were often said to be prodigies, but he was not. He had to prove them wrong. Cass wrinkled his nose at the mere mention of gobstones, "And get sprayed in the face with something that smells like it comes from a skunk if I lose? No thanks." Cass looked over at the pieces as he sat down across from her to look over the pieces. While her strategy was good, but the real focus of chess wasn't just to protect the king... "Protecting the king is absolute, but when you do that, you play on the defensive. You need to get in your opponent's head to psyche them out, right?"​

 

[Leah Thorne]

Leah smiled in spite of herself when Cassius said determination was a good thing. "I guess so." she agreed with a shrug. "I think she just wishes I'd set my focus on more 'appropriate' things." she explained but made sure to put air quotes around appropriate as she rolled her eyes. She did lover her family but she wasn't always sure they understood her. "Then don't lose." she said with a laugh then paused to turn the board around so she could consider her next move. She bit her bottom lip and considered what Cassius was saying about playing offensively. "Not quiet the best strategy when playing yourself but you're right. There is a bit of a mind game that goes with it." she said thoughtfully and boldly moved her bishop across the board. "I can start over if you'd like to play." she offered. He had said he wasn't very good but it was clear she wasn't either.

 

[Cassius Styx]

Cass cocked his head to the side when she mentioned 'appropriate' things. What did that mean? Or rather, what was she doing that would be frowned upon in her family's eyes? Even though he was curious, was it really his place? His mind broadened after the death of his sister, as well as discovering video games. "I might need to follow up on what your family means by appropriate. You aren't exactly the type to get in trouble every week." Cass was assuming based on what he had seen in class. Leah didn't seem like a class clown, at all. She actually just seemed like a nice girl. Nothing like Snow, though Dahlia seemed pretty feisty herself. He gave her a look with a wrinkled nose when she said not to lose. There was still the chance of someone being better than him. "I just try to relate chess to what I learned in martial arts. At least when using strategy in chess, there's no risk of becoming blind to rage." He was well-aware of his weakness. His temper was short, and he never thought things through. "Don't make fun of me if I make too many stupid moves, and I'll play. And you go first." Yeah, he was going to lose this. He knew it. He can't get mad to that.

*he was supposed to show her how people can be mean, but i guess a death of a sibling changed him a bit lol​