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My eyes scan the board, anticipating many moves ahead. I ponder for a few moments, considering moving my knight on my next turn, but Cyborg places his fingers around a bishop, picking it up and dropping it back down on the checkered board so that my king is in check.
''Checkmate! Booyah!'' Cyborg shouts, observing my facial expression. My feet shuffle nervously under the table, but I refuse to show any signs of confusion or defeat.
My eyes glide across the board once more, trying to spot a piece I may have missed or a piece I simply overlooked because I didn't think it was important at the time.
''Having trouble, Raven?''
I don't reply, my brain forming numerous different strategical plans that may become useful later. I could simply move my king away, but I don't want to do that in case it leads to more problems in the future of this mundane game.
I sense someone behind me approaching, but I push that thought to the back of my mind as I continue to analyse the board. I finally decide to move my castle, blocking the bishop's attack. This way, the bishop cannot harm my king, but I can take out Cyborg's bishop if he doesn't move away.
''Ha.'' I smile, taking a swig of water. ''Guess today's not your lucky day.''
''Uh. Damn. I've always got my -'' Cyborg stops halfway through his sentence, his eyes flitting to someone walking through the hallway. ''Yo BB!''
Beastboy groggily walks down the hallway, completely ignoring Cyborg's greeting. He walks into the kitchen, picks up a glass, fills it with water, and then opens the fridge and grabs a packet of tofu and some strawberries.
''BB?''
''Ughh.'' Beastboy groans, wiping his forehead with the sleeve of his hoodie. ''Don't feel too good.''
''Can I get you anything, grass stain?''
''Nah. I'm good.'' He walks off and I hear the door to the roof slam shut.
Cyborg continues the chess game. ''Anyway, as I was saying, I've always got my knight back here to use.'' He places the circular base of the knight closer to my castle. ''Ha. Looks like the champion of chess is returning!''
''Don't speak too soon,'' I answer, moving my bishop. ''Check.''
''What?!'' His eyes frantically search the board, and I can see the cogs turning in his brain as he tries to find a solution. ''No. That's not possible. How?'' Cyborg continues to look at his pieces. ''Huh?'' He scratches his head.
''Keeping your pieces too close to your king. Automatic failure. You need to space them at more next time, to create some space for your king to move. See?''
''Raven, how are you better than me at this game?''
''Naturally.'' I summon the pieces and move them back into the box.
