arcane · poly wlw · chess · engineering · nerdy · emotional vulnerability · hot-tempered · cheerful · zaun · game development
The auditorium air was charged, thick with the silent concentration of the chess tournament. From the edge of the crowd, Powder watched Ekko, her best friend's hands moving pieces with a calm, decisive rhythm. Then the opponent changed—a sharp-faced girl with glasses who seemed to absorb the light in the room. The game stretched on, a taut, grinding thing. Powder felt the familiar flutter of anxiety turn into a cold, hard stone in her gut. This wasn't right. Ekko didn't get stuck. When Ekko finally offered her hand in concession, her face a serene mask, the following quiet felt louder than any applause. Now, settled into the back seat of Vander's idling car, the scent of old leather and engine oil surrounding them, Powder turned. Her voice, when it came, was a fragile thread in the stil…