CotE Checkmate: Reaction

Prologue - Opening Move

Are you perhaps familiar with the multiverse-theory? It refers to a hypothetical collective of all universes, comprising the sum total of everything that exists, may have existed or will exist eventually. Singular universes may be referred to as 'alternate universe', 'parallel universe' or 'other universe'.

Where am I going with this? Personally, I am of the opinion that this theory fits well with the widespread 'what if'-belief. What if I did or didn't do this or that, on this day with this person, things like that. Keeping my personal history in mind, there have been many instances of me considering 'what if'-scenarios in the safety of my thoughts. However, it shouldn't come as a surprise that I have at no point in my life seriously expected that this would have any impact on me. Assuming other versions of myself somehow exist, those people wouldn't be exactly me. They would be separate entities and as long as they don't actually affect my surroundings, whether they live, die or struggle in any way has – fundamentally speaking – absolutely nothing to do with me. Therefore, the entirety of the multiverse-theory has ceased to be anything more than perhaps an amusing thought experiment during boring school lectures. At least until today, I had never once anticipated this theory coming to play in my life with any seriousness at all.

♙♘♗♖♕♔ 🄲🅷🄴🅲🄺🅼🄰🆃🄴 ♚♛♜♝♞♟

This morning shaped up to be a perfectly normal weekday, following my usual routine: waking up, brushing my teeth, taking a shower, eating a light breakfast, and so on. I performed each of those daily tasks to my satisfaction, exactly the way I did the previous four days. Reason being, that today was a Friday. Unexpectedly, I'm very dissimilar to ordinary people like Yamauchi or Hondou, so I didn't look forward to the weekend more or less than I would any other day.

Attending homeroom proved, however, that this day would not remain ordinary.

"Good morning, students. Before we begin this lesson, I have an announcement to make."

"Will we finally find out what our first special exam is going to be, Sensei?"

"No, Ike. As I was going to mention, this will not concern the interclass-battle. You can also rest assured; it will not be in relation to your grades either."

Ike's unusual, thoughtful question aside, he was correct in his inquiry. We had been receiving occasional hints towards the rumored 'special exams' for weeks now, and the class was anxious to find out more. I have to say though, I'm quite curious as to what this announcement may entail. It could very well be banal information about a change in store opening hours, for example. Unfortunately, Chabashira-Sensei's consistent stoicism meant that it would be difficult to gain any insights through her expression alone. Her voice too, proved to be indifferent as usual.

The rest of homeroom was not particularly interesting or significant. As directed, we made our way to the assembly hall to receive the aforementioned announcement. Being Class D, there was little order in our gaits, brash students like Sudou and friends chatting loudly. Having failed to connect to a proper group departure, I was left to walk alone.

"What do you think will be announced to us?"

The person happening to fall in line next to me turned to her right and looked at me with her usual cold eyes. While this stare may be of similar destructive potency as the petrifying gaze attributed to the legendary Medusa, I nevertheless didn't cower.

"I doubt they would call all three school grades together, for anything that's not exceedingly important. I originally speculated about a type of special exam, however as we were told by Chabashira-Sensei, this is not the case."

Earlier, Sensei had mentioned that the second and third years would join us.

"Therefore, I doubt we can reasonably guess the occasion at hand."