In the old library, it was difficult to not arouse small clouds of dust when opening or closing a book. The air in the cramped aisles was thick and hard to breathe. Rarely were the doors ever opened into this library, and there were only a few select lanterns to light the way of whatever pony may be browsing through the aged selection of tomes. Few individuals had access to the wealth of hidden knowledge within the library.

Underneath a single lantern, two ponies were engaged in a game of chess. Octavia was speaking to the pony across from her, informing her of her new mission. Her opponent, a pale yellow mare sporting a swirling purple and blue mane and a series of wrapped candies for a cutie mark, watched the pieces on the board dance about in potential strategies and maneuvers. When she finally decided on a course of action, she deftly pushed a piece across the table, toppling one of Octavia’s own.

“…and I have until the solstice to have a team formed and waiting in Ponyville.”

Bon Bon lazily looked up from the board. “And I assume you want me to go with you.”

“Your skillset is valuable.”

“Forget it. I haven’t done a mission in five months. I’ll just be a hindrance.” Bon Bon waited for Octavia to make her next move.

Octavia took the hint, and observed the battlefield in front of her while contemplating what to say. Ugh, I'm going to have to use metaphors now, She thought to herself. “Bon Bon, I’m sure you know better than anypony the importance of having the right pieces in a game of wits. And anypony knows that having two rooks on your board is better than just one.” She moved a small stone tower forward.

“I’m a rook. You’re a bishop.” Bon Bon responded seriously, contemplating her enemy’s move.

“Oh?” replied Octavia, slightly amused.

“I can only move certain ways. A rook isn’t known for its flexibility. Often its path is obstructed, and it doesn’t move around obstacles as easily; or at least not as quickly. I can make plans, but when unforeseen obstacles block my path, there’s little I can do to move around it.” She raised a hoof before rethinking and lowering it back down. “A bishop however, can easily slide between two opponents and take out a target.” She moved her own bishop diagonally between two pieces and knocked over Octavia’s rook, illustrating her point.

Bon Bon continued, “I don’t even understand why you approached me in the first place. Surely you know what transpired in Stalliongrad.”

“Of course, Commander Redmane led twelve of our best ponies into a slaughter.”

“And of those twelve only four survived.”

“And those four were branded as cowards and traitors for abandoning their mission.”

“And they have not since participated in any covert activity,” Bon Bon added, bitterly. “Those four agents were effectively shut down, if only by rumor and speculation. Which is why I wonder how my ‘skill sets’ are still valued, especially from an agent such as you.”

“Eight dead ponies is better than twelve dead ponies Bon Bon. Redmane was arrogant and foalish. That mission was doomed to failure regardless of whether or not you and your comrades abandoned it. The way I see it, escaping and preserving the lives of four agents was more important than attempting to carry out the mission.” Octavia stared intently at Bon Bon, who gave a similar gaze at the chess board.

The lantern overhead barely lit Bon Bon’s face and had Octavia not been as observant as she was, she would have missed the melancholy look that her opponent wore. “You’re one of the cleverest ponies I’ve ever met Bon Bon. You graduated with scores just under mine and you’ve been repeatedly praised as one of the sharpest shooters out there and a great mind. If not as tactical, you sure have a wealth of knowledge that we will most certainly need on this mission. The fate of Equestria rests upon it. Now are you going to accept my offer or not?” Octavia felt herself getting impatient with Bon Bon’s reluctance.

“You don’t even need me. You’re a much quicker tactician than I am. And your combat skills are far more developed.” Bon Bon replied with a hint of jealousy. “That’s why I’ve been waiting so long for this game of chess. I’ve wanted to challenge you since the academy.”

“Well like I said, two rooks are better than one. I may need your advice in the field.”

Bon Bon watched again as potential strategies played themselves before her. Not many of them looked bright. She picked the lesser of the damage, and moved a piece. “Okay. Tell you what; if I win this game, I’ll know that you need my abilities on your mission, and I’ll join your team. If you win, that will be evidence enough that you’re perfectly capable without me.”

Octavia smiled confidently, and the game continued slowly as both players considered their moves before taking action against one another. The lantern warmly illuminated the war games on the desk. The light ignored the lengths of the aisle on either side of the pair and made it seem as if they were the only two ponies in the world – just them, their board and the rows upon rows of books that towered high into the thick, dusty air.

After quite some time, Octavia spoke up and broke the utter silence. “So, who do you think some of the other pieces are?”

Bon Bon contemplated the idea and, after pushing a piece forward with her pale yellow hoof, answered, “Well, in most cases our Princess Celestia would be the queen. She is the most powerful piece on the board no doubt, but she also must be protected.” She rested her head on her hoof, deep in thought. “But I suppose in your mission, the queen would be those six ponies you mentioned. They need to be protected but they’re also the final weapon against our enemy.”

“And who’s the king?”

“Equestria is. Without the queen or the rook or the bishop or any of its other defenders, Equestria becomes endangered. That’s the most important thing that we protect. Without it, there isn’t even a board to put our pieces on.”

Octavia smiled. This had gone on far enough. She moved her queen diagonally, taking out Bon Bon’s rook. Bon Bon sat up and blinked confusedly at the scene before her. Octavia’s king was now defenseless and in perfect alignment with her own queen, save for a knight in the middle. If she took the knight, that would put Octavia in check. She glanced around the board to see if Octavia had any other defenses against such a move as Octavia herself stood and began trotting away from the table and into the darkness beyond the lantern. Bon Bon muttered, “You just…”

Octavia stopped and turned back to the game, “I want you to meet me in the royal garden at noon tomorrow, soldier.”

“Why there?”

“I need a knight” Octavia said as she turned away and disappeared among the dusty bookshelves.

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