'I told him, I told my son not to play with that kid... he went ahead and lost again, now he wants more money for his pastry!' the woman had a firm grip on the arm of the child, as she hauled him towards the gate of the park. The young boy, was whining about how close he was to victory this time. Victor sat on a bench nearby and overheard the conversation between the two distraught looking women. 'It isn't just your son, yesterday my husband lost to that boy...' the other one said, shock still oozing from each syllable as she pulled her hand-bag higher up onto her shoulders, redundantly, accentuating how miffed she was... An exclamatory 'check-mate' echoed dramatically, it emphasised their anguish, the women gasped in unison as the birds left the trees...

'I think I need to have a talk with that boy's parents about this gambling.' the mother said as she tugged the boy away. 'Come on, off we go...' Garrett was intrigued, a good game of chess would be an interesting turn of events, a break from the mundane activities that he had embroiled himself in. He got up and stretched, slowly he strolled deeper into that park. As Victor got closer and closer to the boy, he heard a couple more check-mates. The blonde's confidence rattled just a little, the rate at which this boy was going through his challengers, was disconcerting... But the maddening challenge it posed, only served to lured him in faster.

Underneath the knotted climbers, that arched overhead to make a pretty passageway, Victor noticed a man mumbling to himself, lost in thought, Victor had to make a very elaborate sidestep to not get in his way. Finally, this man looked up, his flickering gaze pausing onto Victor's greedy looking face...   'I know that look, don't think for one second you can beat him, that boy is mad I tell you... Mad and a genius, don't say I didn't warn you!' he said as he ambled forth, muttering to himself again.

Finally Victor found the bespectacled boy, perched carefully on a chair that faced a simple stone table, rearranging the board. 'Are you here to lose too?' the kid said smartly. Victor just smiled as he sat across the kid.He watched as the his smaller fingers closed around the pieces methodically, like they were an extension of his body, like he was so intimately familiar with each piece, he could tell one pawn from another, just by feeling it. Once the board was arranged, he pushed his glasses higher up onto his nose and looked at Victor properly for the first time, his eyes were filled with a ferocity... and not the satisfied kind.

'Winning doesn't cut it for you anymore?' the blonde asked curiously, wondering what had got the kid's demeanour in knots... He extended his hand towards the younger one. 'I'm Victor Garrett, care to indulge me?' the blonde asked, waiting to see if the kid took his hand or not.

505/1000

A shaky, sweaty hand, clasped Victor's in a firm grip. 'But...' Victor paused, cocking his head to seek something beyond the chess game. 'I have a few rules that I'd like to add...' he offered, reading the boy's expression to see if he'd accept or refute this. 'What kind of rules?' he responded, guarded. 'Oh nothing too fancy, each time you kill my piece, I'll get to ask you a question and each time I kill yours, you can ask me one, does that work for you?'

The boy looked back at Victor, his eyes narrowed and his brows furrowed together like he was concentrating deeply on something... 'But, that way I'll be answering a lot more questions, than I would be asking.' he said, with such simplicity that Victor was almost rendered utterly befuddled. The blonde just chortled softly. The boy was cocky and confident, the blonde could give him that. 'I guess that can be my consolation prize.' Victor responded jovially. 'Now do you start, or should I?' he asked, cordially, extending the younger one the option to choose. 'It doesn't matter either way... But I guess white is on my side, so following Lowenthal's recommendation, I guess I'll go first. ' the boy responded.

'Right okay...' Victor said, now focusing his attention onto the game. The boy moved the fourth pawn from his right, two blocks forward and Victor swiftly mirrored the move, so their pawns faced off, right in front of their kings. He followed up with his horse, from the king's side again and Victor mirrored his move, and instantly the boy's horse at his pawn. Victor raised his eyebrow. 'Time for the question... So what is your name, and what got you involved in chess?' The boy cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses again before answering. 'That is two questions, but since you have already introduced yourself already, I suppose I should too... I'm Bart Decker and my older brother taught me how to play chess.'

Victor nodded and moved his black pawn forward so it was a threat to the white horse, forcing the kid to retreat, upon which he snatched the chance to take down Bart's pawn with his horse. 'Your turn.' he said sweetly. The kid asked if Victor had any siblings. 'None...' Victor said clearly, then cleared his throat and muttered, under his breath 'that I know of...' The kid arched an eyebrow, but they went on playing. Soon the kid was pouring his heart out at every question Victor asked, he needed to vent so much, that Victor had to start sacrificing his pieces to get him to continue talking. The kid spoke about how much he wanted to be like his older brother, but he was never good enough and even after beating so many people in the park, whenever his brother was home, he'd always win... Victor kept his answers short and vague.

'No one usually lets me talk between games, they say it is distra-' the boy's eyes widened as he clammed up quickly, the game had reached its climax... Victor had one last move which would either lead him towards victory or towards defeat. The boy watched him carefully, the kid knew he'd slipped up while talking... He knew there was a chance he'd lose. Victor just smirked relishing the look on the poor boy's face... the blonde made a move in a manner so that the boy could win... 'Would you rather your brother do that? Let you win?' the blonde boy said, his smirk widening.

The boy grew red in the face with frustration and anguish, out of some compulsion he made his move, but only whispered check mate. The charity win pained him more than a loss would have and after hearing his story, Victor was aware of that. 'Take the money! I don't want it, just don't ever come back here again.' the kid whined, sliding the bag of money, towards Victor disgruntled, the blonde was all to happy to close his fingers around the sack and walk away, still chuckling to himself.

1185/1000
==Exit==