knightley-gambit

[knightley-gambit]

[ *> He softened at the call of his name, everything he was feeling just a moment prior was nearly gone and instead replaced with some bitter emotion at learning of his role in the whole mess. Everything still hurt, but it was obvious Simon hurt as well. ]

”oh— right— in that car“

[ *> Horace sighed and looked down, it was more than that. ]

“I don’t know if you remember how many times i apologized when i tied you up, but i really didn’t want to do it”

“Yeah, you’re right, i was scared.”

[ *> he waved his hand around in a gesture. ]

“He threatened me over something. I don’t really remember what, just that I knew I had to do what he needed”

“it was something serious like that.”

[ *> he paused, there wasn’t a whole lot Horace remembered prior to the incident. nearly the whole thing was a blur aside from a few moments he’d kept for the entirety of his life. ]

“I think I was supposed to go back, home or to the studio. Can’t remember which.”

“But i—, I just couldn’t leave you there, you know?”

[ *> He turned to look at Simon, a guilty smile on his face. ]

“i really messed things up by listening, didn’t i?”

[ *> it was meant to be a jokey rhetorical question, but something in the way he said it. the wording or the tone, it told Simon that Horace would gladly accept the blame if it was pushed onto him. ]

[ *> Horace would rather Simon pin all the fault on him, hand it off to his decommissioned knight. all so that Simon wouldn’t have to live out the rest of his life with a weight on his shoulders, all so that he could live out a bit of long-sought peace. ]

{POST AAI2–BEFORE SIMEONS TRIAL/IN THE HOLDING CELLS [horace’s old cell in specific if you wanna go that way<3] also!! i typed a lot, you don’t need to match me, i wanted to set the scene a bit :] }

[ *> ‘krrshhh..’ ]

[ *> The wooden sound of a few blocks—no, pieces? rolled onto the floor just across the cell. ]

[ *> It sounded like somebody was tampering with something they shouldn’t have been, and had made a mess. ]

[ *> The pieces on the floor rolled around a bit. tumbling around. like somebody were trying to pick them up, yet was failing miserably in their task.. ]

[ *> Simeon was alone in his cell, wasn’t he? He should’ve been, and he was last time he had checked. ]

[ *> Even so, to maybe suggest otherwise, a faint teal glow emanated from the desk just across the cell where the pieces were still being shoved around and away from whatever what disturbing them. ]

— @knightley-gambit [ooooo spooky ghost horace, haunting simeon<33]

[also also, unsure if you got the notif or not but i did reply to that other thread we had going, if you didn’t wanna continue it then thats fine, disregard, i just can’t tell for my life <3]

((I DIDNT GET THE NOTIF MY BAD. AUGH.))

Simon looks up from where he was wallowing, snapping out of his daze.

Truthfully, he wouldn't have paid any attention at all if the situation were not so bizarre. He made no effort to talk to anyone at his new home other than Dogen, and even then he attempted not to embarrass himself by being too vulnerable. Being alone allowed him to process his life after he had been driven by fury, paranoia and mania. He could take things slow- and even then, it seems his heart would start to race once more. Life never truly stopped tormenting him, huh?

He slowly got up, using his experience to tiptoe without a peep. He was a child at the orphanage again, hearing some people talk about their wretched plans. Truthfully, he had never gotten rid of his overly-paranoid habits and he didn't plan to. Not now, especially not now. Everyone was out to get him in one way or another- including whoever this was.

Simon approached. Carefully, slowly, silently, until he could peek and see where this strange light was omitting from.

"...Who's there?"

[knightley-gambit]

[ *> it was a lot to process to say the least. ]

[ *> If Horace still had his stomach, he was sure he’d be nauseous. ]

[ *> every new tidbit of information was like a fresh wound tearing open someplace inconvenient on his body, and every extra detail being the salt poured inside. ]

[ *> Simon had hated him day in and day out for the past 18 years, and Horace didn’t even realize once. ]

[ *> he looked back at Simon with an unreadable expression. His eyes were just slightly squinted, and his mouth open, like he wanted to say something but was too far shocked to actually form the words. ]

[ *> atleast it wasn’t all hate..? what wasn’t hate then? had he enjoyed any of their 1:1 games? or anytime they went someplace together? anything at all..? ]

[ *> Despite it all, even after everything, even after hearing each admission be worse than the one that came before it Horace couldn’t hate Simon. well—truthfully, he didn’t know how to really /feel/ towards him right then. He could just leave Simon all on his own and process it alone. But could he? Would that be too cruel? He couldn’t stay, not unless he wanted to start shouting at Simon or do whatever it was ghosts did when they were upset. (probably still shout, but that was irrelevant.) ]

[ *> Horace didn’t say anything. Trust Simon? could he really? ]

{POST AAI2–BEFORE SIMEONS TRIAL/IN THE HOLDING CELLS [horace’s old cell in specific if you wanna go that way<3] also!! i typed a lot, you don’t need to match me, i wanted to set the scene a bit :] }

[ *> ‘krrshhh..’ ]

[ *> The wooden sound of a few blocks—no, pieces? rolled onto the floor just across the cell. ]

[ *> It sounded like somebody was tampering with something they shouldn’t have been, and had made a mess. ]

[ *> The pieces on the floor rolled around a bit. tumbling around. like somebody were trying to pick them up, yet was failing miserably in their task.. ]

[ *> Simeon was alone in his cell, wasn’t he? He should’ve been, and he was last time he had checked. ]

[ *> Even so, to maybe suggest otherwise, a faint teal glow emanated from the desk just across the cell where the pieces were still being shoved around and away from whatever what disturbing them. ]

— @knightley-gambit [ooooo spooky ghost horace, haunting simeon<33]

[also also, unsure if you got the notif or not but i did reply to that other thread we had going, if you didn’t wanna continue it then thats fine, disregard, i just can’t tell for my life <3]

((I DIDNT GET THE NOTIF MY BAD. AUGH.))

Simon looks up from where he was wallowing, snapping out of his daze.

Truthfully, he wouldn't have paid any attention at all if the situation were not so bizarre. He made no effort to talk to anyone at his new home other than Dogen, and even then he attempted not to embarrass himself by being too vulnerable. Being alone allowed him to process his life after he had been driven by fury, paranoia and mania. He could take things slow- and even then, it seems his heart would start to race once more. Life never truly stopped tormenting him, huh?

He slowly got up, using his experience to tiptoe without a peep. He was a child at the orphanage again, hearing some people talk about their wretched plans. Truthfully, he had never gotten rid of his overly-paranoid habits and he didn't plan to. Not now, especially not now. Everyone was out to get him in one way or another- including whoever this was.

Simon approached. Carefully, slowly, silently, until he could peek and see where this strange light was omitting from.

"...Who's there?"

[knightley-gambit]

[ *> a flash of hurt appeared on his face at the admission. he wasn’t collateral until he was. ]

[ *> Did Simon regret it in the very least? He’d seen that first look he had given him before they’d started talking, something like relief but so quickly was it gone Horace wasn’t even sure if it was really there at all. ]

[ *> especially in contrast with all the new information Simon was offering up. ]

[ *> it was becoming apparent to Horace that Simon didn’t think too highly of him. ]

[ *> What more was there to lose then? He’d expected to come in, say hello, maybe catch up a bit with his best friend but no. Horace instead had been punched in the gut with the information that his best friend had indeed set him up, meant originally to kill him, and he hadn’t even been opposing him in their correspondence chess game! ]

[ *> With the way Simon had been speaking, there was likely more to it as well that he hadn’t even considered. ]

“do you regret it?”

[ *> it was a simple question, yet it weighed heavy on Horace’s tongue and in the air. Did Simon regret killing the man he’d planned on killing for whoever knows how long now that a simple mix-up had been cleared? One that Horace couldn’t even apologize for anymore, he didn’t even possess the memories needed to make amends anymore. ]

[ *> Horace was okay with his death as long as it didn’t hurt Simon. If it served some greater purpose, so be it. He’d happily lay his life down. The knight lives to protect the king, doesn’t it? To die for something so trivial was something Horace couldn’t accept. ]

{POST AAI2–BEFORE SIMEONS TRIAL/IN THE HOLDING CELLS [horace’s old cell in specific if you wanna go that way<3] also!! i typed a lot, you don’t need to match me, i wanted to set the scene a bit :] }

[ *> ‘krrshhh..’ ]

[ *> The wooden sound of a few blocks—no, pieces? rolled onto the floor just across the cell. ]

[ *> It sounded like somebody was tampering with something they shouldn’t have been, and had made a mess. ]

[ *> The pieces on the floor rolled around a bit. tumbling around. like somebody were trying to pick them up, yet was failing miserably in their task.. ]

[ *> Simeon was alone in his cell, wasn’t he? He should’ve been, and he was last time he had checked. ]

[ *> Even so, to maybe suggest otherwise, a faint teal glow emanated from the desk just across the cell where the pieces were still being shoved around and away from whatever what disturbing them. ]

— @knightley-gambit [ooooo spooky ghost horace, haunting simeon<33]

[also also, unsure if you got the notif or not but i did reply to that other thread we had going, if you didn’t wanna continue it then thats fine, disregard, i just can’t tell for my life <3]

((I DIDNT GET THE NOTIF MY BAD. AUGH.))

Simon looks up from where he was wallowing, snapping out of his daze.

Truthfully, he wouldn't have paid any attention at all if the situation were not so bizarre. He made no effort to talk to anyone at his new home other than Dogen, and even then he attempted not to embarrass himself by being too vulnerable. Being alone allowed him to process his life after he had been driven by fury, paranoia and mania. He could take things slow- and even then, it seems his heart would start to race once more. Life never truly stopped tormenting him, huh?

He slowly got up, using his experience to tiptoe without a peep. He was a child at the orphanage again, hearing some people talk about their wretched plans. Truthfully, he had never gotten rid of his overly-paranoid habits and he didn't plan to. Not now, especially not now. Everyone was out to get him in one way or another- including whoever this was.

Simon approached. Carefully, slowly, silently, until he could peek and see where this strange light was omitting from.

"...Who's there?"

[knightley-gambit]

[ *> When Simon mentioned Horace’s ending move coming at an inconvenient time, Horace laughed a bit. not that he was trying to poke fun at Simon for killing him, and it ending up coming back to bite him. He genuinely found it funny how his checkmate had been the last turn in what seemed to have been a huge overarching revenge plot. ]

”yeah, i figured out that much. not the letter, mail is slow—i couldn’t have planned it anyways.”

“That woman was making a huge deal out my move. She showed me another sheet with the same arrangements too.”

“between that and the chisel, that was when I realized you’d set me up”

[ *> There wasn’t quite malice in his voice. If anything, it seemed closer to a lazy accusation. Horace hoped that maybe he was wrong. Simon wouldn’t do something like that, without reason in the very least. Maybe it was a mistake, maybe Horace had just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. ]

[ *> Horace stayed silent in response to Simon’s question. Even if there wasnt any real blood on his hands, Horace was a living— well, dead, contradiction. especially if he were (please, please, please) just collateral damage. ]

{POST AAI2–BEFORE SIMEONS TRIAL/IN THE HOLDING CELLS [horace’s old cell in specific if you wanna go that way<3] also!! i typed a lot, you don’t need to match me, i wanted to set the scene a bit :] }

[ *> ‘krrshhh..’ ]

[ *> The wooden sound of a few blocks—no, pieces? rolled onto the floor just across the cell. ]

[ *> It sounded like somebody was tampering with something they shouldn’t have been, and had made a mess. ]

[ *> The pieces on the floor rolled around a bit. tumbling around. like somebody were trying to pick them up, yet was failing miserably in their task.. ]

[ *> Simeon was alone in his cell, wasn’t he? He should’ve been, and he was last time he had checked. ]

[ *> Even so, to maybe suggest otherwise, a faint teal glow emanated from the desk just across the cell where the pieces were still being shoved around and away from whatever what disturbing them. ]

— @knightley-gambit [ooooo spooky ghost horace, haunting simeon<33]

[also also, unsure if you got the notif or not but i did reply to that other thread we had going, if you didn’t wanna continue it then thats fine, disregard, i just can’t tell for my life <3]

((I DIDNT GET THE NOTIF MY BAD. AUGH.))

Simon looks up from where he was wallowing, snapping out of his daze.

Truthfully, he wouldn't have paid any attention at all if the situation were not so bizarre. He made no effort to talk to anyone at his new home other than Dogen, and even then he attempted not to embarrass himself by being too vulnerable. Being alone allowed him to process his life after he had been driven by fury, paranoia and mania. He could take things slow- and even then, it seems his heart would start to race once more. Life never truly stopped tormenting him, huh?

He slowly got up, using his experience to tiptoe without a peep. He was a child at the orphanage again, hearing some people talk about their wretched plans. Truthfully, he had never gotten rid of his overly-paranoid habits and he didn't plan to. Not now, especially not now. Everyone was out to get him in one way or another- including whoever this was.

Simon approached. Carefully, slowly, silently, until he could peek and see where this strange light was omitting from.

"...Who's there?"

[knightley-gambit]

”yeahh, i know edgeworth.”

[ *> annoyance was obvious in his voice. ]

“the President and I probably would’ve gotten away with the whole fake assassination had he not forced his way into the game”

[ *> Prosecutor Edgeworth seemed to be a common name thus far. ]

[ *> Horace listened as Simon went on a mini-rant about all the people he hated, and how they deserved everything that had came to them. ]

[ *> ..serving justice, hm? ]

“heh, if you say they’re bad people, i’ll trust you. but what’d you even do to them to end up in a cell?”

“or was it on suspicion of me?”

[ *> That was the one detail Horace couldn’t figure out. As far as he knew, Laguarde had killed him in a fit of hysterics, but Simon had only placed the chisel which led to his death. ]

[ *> He hadn’t told Laguarde about Simon hiding away the chisel, he couldn’t just rat him out like that. And so, he just kept insisting he didn’t know why it was there. There was close to nothing linking Simon to his death. Aside from his unofficial visit of course, but he figured whoever was running forensics quickly debunked that theory. ]

[ *> So why was he in prison when he shouldn’t have been suspected in the first place? ]

{POST AAI2–BEFORE SIMEONS TRIAL/IN THE HOLDING CELLS [horace’s old cell in specific if you wanna go that way<3] also!! i typed a lot, you don’t need to match me, i wanted to set the scene a bit :] }

[ *> ‘krrshhh..’ ]

[ *> The wooden sound of a few blocks—no, pieces? rolled onto the floor just across the cell. ]

[ *> It sounded like somebody was tampering with something they shouldn’t have been, and had made a mess. ]

[ *> The pieces on the floor rolled around a bit. tumbling around. like somebody were trying to pick them up, yet was failing miserably in their task.. ]

[ *> Simeon was alone in his cell, wasn’t he? He should’ve been, and he was last time he had checked. ]

[ *> Even so, to maybe suggest otherwise, a faint teal glow emanated from the desk just across the cell where the pieces were still being shoved around and away from whatever what disturbing them. ]

— @knightley-gambit [ooooo spooky ghost horace, haunting simeon<33]

[also also, unsure if you got the notif or not but i did reply to that other thread we had going, if you didn’t wanna continue it then thats fine, disregard, i just can’t tell for my life <3]

((I DIDNT GET THE NOTIF MY BAD. AUGH.))

Simon looks up from where he was wallowing, snapping out of his daze.

Truthfully, he wouldn't have paid any attention at all if the situation were not so bizarre. He made no effort to talk to anyone at his new home other than Dogen, and even then he attempted not to embarrass himself by being too vulnerable. Being alone allowed him to process his life after he had been driven by fury, paranoia and mania. He could take things slow- and even then, it seems his heart would start to race once more. Life never truly stopped tormenting him, huh?

He slowly got up, using his experience to tiptoe without a peep. He was a child at the orphanage again, hearing some people talk about their wretched plans. Truthfully, he had never gotten rid of his overly-paranoid habits and he didn't plan to. Not now, especially not now. Everyone was out to get him in one way or another- including whoever this was.

Simon approached. Carefully, slowly, silently, until he could peek and see where this strange light was omitting from.

"...Who's there?"

[knightley-gambit]

[ *> Horace finished messing around with the board and set it in the corner of the desk. After, he approached Simon and began to study his face.

[ *> He didn’t know the most about simple expression changes, but he wanted to see if he could spot something anyways. ]

[ *> Overall, Horace was pretty alright with his death. Yeah, sure, it came at the hands of Laguarde and was ultimately planned out to the last detail by none other than Simon; that bit sucked. but if it was Simon, maybe some larger move was at play. Something only Horace’s death could’ve helped accomplish. ]

[ *> He was fine with his death. because, above all, Horace trusted Simeon, and he was hopeful. ]

[ *> Though, as much as he did trust him, it didn’t mean he didn’t notice the minuscule changes in his demeanor since Horace had appeared. ]

[ *> He pulled back, was it really truly the Simon he knew? ]

“tsk, you didn’t even get to perform?”

“what happened then? I didn’t get to see much, being yknow, dead.”

[ *> he chuckled a bit as he said that, his death seemed to be a bit of a joke to him. whether the laughter was true or not, was fairly clear. ]

{POST AAI2–BEFORE SIMEONS TRIAL/IN THE HOLDING CELLS [horace’s old cell in specific if you wanna go that way<3] also!! i typed a lot, you don’t need to match me, i wanted to set the scene a bit :] }

[ *> ‘krrshhh..’ ]

[ *> The wooden sound of a few blocks—no, pieces? rolled onto the floor just across the cell. ]

[ *> It sounded like somebody was tampering with something they shouldn’t have been, and had made a mess. ]

[ *> The pieces on the floor rolled around a bit. tumbling around. like somebody were trying to pick them up, yet was failing miserably in their task.. ]

[ *> Simeon was alone in his cell, wasn’t he? He should’ve been, and he was last time he had checked. ]

[ *> Even so, to maybe suggest otherwise, a faint teal glow emanated from the desk just across the cell where the pieces were still being shoved around and away from whatever what disturbing them. ]

— @knightley-gambit [ooooo spooky ghost horace, haunting simeon<33]

[also also, unsure if you got the notif or not but i did reply to that other thread we had going, if you didn’t wanna continue it then thats fine, disregard, i just can’t tell for my life <3]

((I DIDNT GET THE NOTIF MY BAD. AUGH.))

Simon looks up from where he was wallowing, snapping out of his daze.

Truthfully, he wouldn't have paid any attention at all if the situation were not so bizarre. He made no effort to talk to anyone at his new home other than Dogen, and even then he attempted not to embarrass himself by being too vulnerable. Being alone allowed him to process his life after he had been driven by fury, paranoia and mania. He could take things slow- and even then, it seems his heart would start to race once more. Life never truly stopped tormenting him, huh?

He slowly got up, using his experience to tiptoe without a peep. He was a child at the orphanage again, hearing some people talk about their wretched plans. Truthfully, he had never gotten rid of his overly-paranoid habits and he didn't plan to. Not now, especially not now. Everyone was out to get him in one way or another- including whoever this was.

Simon approached. Carefully, slowly, silently, until he could peek and see where this strange light was omitting from.

"...Who's there?"

[knightley-gambit]

[ *> Horace turned back around to continue what he had started, setting up the chess board on the table. ]

[ *> He hadn’t planned on playing a game right then, but it still felt wrong to leave it as disheveled as it was when he found it. He began to set the pawns in place, not looking at Simon. ]

[ *> Upon hearing his question, he just shrugged. ]

”eh, dont know. Maybe!”

“Why’d you ask? aww, Simon, didya miss me?”

“Were ya looking for me in the audience?”

[ *> Horace rattled off a few taunts at Simeon. of course, he knew why he’d missed Simon’s little circus act, such a shame too. He really was looking forward to it. ]

[ *> He’d pieced together that little bit of his plan since he’d popped open the secret compartment in his pocket chess set to find a small chisel come tumbling out. ]

[ *> Maybe he hoped that Simon had actually missed him in the audience, maybe he hoped that Simon regretted what he did, just a little. Horace was never one to enjoy seeing Simon squirm, so he figured he just wouldn’t bring it up for the time being. ]

[ *> If simon wanted it to be, everything could be normal for now. Just for him. ]

{POST AAI2–BEFORE SIMEONS TRIAL/IN THE HOLDING CELLS [horace’s old cell in specific if you wanna go that way<3] also!! i typed a lot, you don’t need to match me, i wanted to set the scene a bit :] }

[ *> ‘krrshhh..’ ]

[ *> The wooden sound of a few blocks—no, pieces? rolled onto the floor just across the cell. ]

[ *> It sounded like somebody was tampering with something they shouldn’t have been, and had made a mess. ]

[ *> The pieces on the floor rolled around a bit. tumbling around. like somebody were trying to pick them up, yet was failing miserably in their task.. ]

[ *> Simeon was alone in his cell, wasn’t he? He should’ve been, and he was last time he had checked. ]

[ *> Even so, to maybe suggest otherwise, a faint teal glow emanated from the desk just across the cell where the pieces were still being shoved around and away from whatever what disturbing them. ]

— @knightley-gambit [ooooo spooky ghost horace, haunting simeon<33]

[also also, unsure if you got the notif or not but i did reply to that other thread we had going, if you didn’t wanna continue it then thats fine, disregard, i just can’t tell for my life <3]

((I DIDNT GET THE NOTIF MY BAD. AUGH.))

Simon looks up from where he was wallowing, snapping out of his daze.

Truthfully, he wouldn't have paid any attention at all if the situation were not so bizarre. He made no effort to talk to anyone at his new home other than Dogen, and even then he attempted not to embarrass himself by being too vulnerable. Being alone allowed him to process his life after he had been driven by fury, paranoia and mania. He could take things slow- and even then, it seems his heart would start to race once more. Life never truly stopped tormenting him, huh?

He slowly got up, using his experience to tiptoe without a peep. He was a child at the orphanage again, hearing some people talk about their wretched plans. Truthfully, he had never gotten rid of his overly-paranoid habits and he didn't plan to. Not now, especially not now. Everyone was out to get him in one way or another- including whoever this was.

Simon approached. Carefully, slowly, silently, until he could peek and see where this strange light was omitting from.

"...Who's there?"

[knightley-gambit]

[ *> Horace turned to face him, the light now shining on the wall as a result. ]

“Dead? yeah, I know.”

“Lookit- I can turn my head around atleast!”

[ *> The first part sounded a bit defeated, but the second piece made him sound more happy than anything at being able to turn to the left and right again. Horace happily demonstrated as much.]

[ *> Upon closer inspection, Horace looked nearly the same as when he’d died. blood stained his shoulder, part of his upper sleeve, and his neck brace.. ]

[ *> Horace seemed pretty oblivious to Simeon’s inner conflict. joyfully turning his head around, all while Simeon near panicked on the floor. ]

{POST AAI2–BEFORE SIMEONS TRIAL/IN THE HOLDING CELLS [horace’s old cell in specific if you wanna go that way<3] also!! i typed a lot, you don’t need to match me, i wanted to set the scene a bit :] }

[ *> ‘krrshhh..’ ]

[ *> The wooden sound of a few blocks—no, pieces? rolled onto the floor just across the cell. ]

[ *> It sounded like somebody was tampering with something they shouldn’t have been, and had made a mess. ]

[ *> The pieces on the floor rolled around a bit. tumbling around. like somebody were trying to pick them up, yet was failing miserably in their task.. ]

[ *> Simeon was alone in his cell, wasn’t he? He should’ve been, and he was last time he had checked. ]

[ *> Even so, to maybe suggest otherwise, a faint teal glow emanated from the desk just across the cell where the pieces were still being shoved around and away from whatever what disturbing them. ]

— @knightley-gambit [ooooo spooky ghost horace, haunting simeon<33]

[also also, unsure if you got the notif or not but i did reply to that other thread we had going, if you didn’t wanna continue it then thats fine, disregard, i just can’t tell for my life <3]

((I DIDNT GET THE NOTIF MY BAD. AUGH.))

Simon looks up from where he was wallowing, snapping out of his daze.

Truthfully, he wouldn't have paid any attention at all if the situation were not so bizarre. He made no effort to talk to anyone at his new home other than Dogen, and even then he attempted not to embarrass himself by being too vulnerable. Being alone allowed him to process his life after he had been driven by fury, paranoia and mania. He could take things slow- and even then, it seems his heart would start to race once more. Life never truly stopped tormenting him, huh?

He slowly got up, using his experience to tiptoe without a peep. He was a child at the orphanage again, hearing some people talk about their wretched plans. Truthfully, he had never gotten rid of his overly-paranoid habits and he didn't plan to. Not now, especially not now. Everyone was out to get him in one way or another- including whoever this was.

Simon approached. Carefully, slowly, silently, until he could peek and see where this strange light was omitting from.

"...Who's there?"

[knightley-gambit]

[ *> The light flickered a bit. whatever it was, it was moving. ]

[ *> The disturbed pieces came to rest as well. ]

[ *> Simeon was able to see a few things from where he was. firstly, a messed up chess board sitting atop the desk with a few pieces from each side knocked down onto the floor. ]

[ *> secondly, the light didn’t come from the window either. ]

[ *> thirdly, amongst the missing pieces, a knight was immediately noticed as not on the board, nor on the floor. ]

[ *> Instead, it was being held by that same strange light. ]

[ *> That white knight was held by none other than the intruder in Simeon’s cell- by none other than— Horace—?! ]

“Simon—?”

{POST AAI2–BEFORE SIMEONS TRIAL/IN THE HOLDING CELLS [horace’s old cell in specific if you wanna go that way<3] also!! i typed a lot, you don’t need to match me, i wanted to set the scene a bit :] }

[ *> ‘krrshhh..’ ]

[ *> The wooden sound of a few blocks—no, pieces? rolled onto the floor just across the cell. ]

[ *> It sounded like somebody was tampering with something they shouldn’t have been, and had made a mess. ]

[ *> The pieces on the floor rolled around a bit. tumbling around. like somebody were trying to pick them up, yet was failing miserably in their task.. ]

[ *> Simeon was alone in his cell, wasn’t he? He should’ve been, and he was last time he had checked. ]

[ *> Even so, to maybe suggest otherwise, a faint teal glow emanated from the desk just across the cell where the pieces were still being shoved around and away from whatever what disturbing them. ]

— @knightley-gambit [ooooo spooky ghost horace, haunting simeon<33]

[also also, unsure if you got the notif or not but i did reply to that other thread we had going, if you didn’t wanna continue it then thats fine, disregard, i just can’t tell for my life <3]

((I DIDNT GET THE NOTIF MY BAD. AUGH.))

Simon looks up from where he was wallowing, snapping out of his daze.

Truthfully, he wouldn't have paid any attention at all if the situation were not so bizarre. He made no effort to talk to anyone at his new home other than Dogen, and even then he attempted not to embarrass himself by being too vulnerable. Being alone allowed him to process his life after he had been driven by fury, paranoia and mania. He could take things slow- and even then, it seems his heart would start to race once more. Life never truly stopped tormenting him, huh?

He slowly got up, using his experience to tiptoe without a peep. He was a child at the orphanage again, hearing some people talk about their wretched plans. Truthfully, he had never gotten rid of his overly-paranoid habits and he didn't plan to. Not now, especially not now. Everyone was out to get him in one way or another- including whoever this was.

Simon approached. Carefully, slowly, silently, until he could peek and see where this strange light was omitting from.

"...Who's there?"

[knightley-gambit]

[ *> He smiles a little brighter at the compliment!]

[ *> Horace looks down at Simeons move. he knew need to begin defensive positions soon, but which one to take.. ]

[ *> It took around a minute of him going between staring at the board, and looking up to try and read Simeon for any clues as to his next move. But eventually, he settled on mirroring Simeon’s move—a knight on the opposite side. Just far enough so Simeon couldn’t claim his knight for another few moves. ]

[ *> Horace was normally pretty quiet during games. This game was no different, though he still wanted to converse a little. it’d been a while since he had last seen his best friend after all! ]

“I get to see your circus thing later, right? that’s why you’re here?”

[ *> a thought then struck him. ]

”wait— why are you here then?”

{BEFORE KNIGHTLEY'S DEATH; AT A PRISON VISIT}

"Hey, Knightley. I, um, got you a gift I thought you'd like."

-- Simon Keyes !!! (@people-can-be-tamed)

" no way,, really?

i will, what’d you bring? "

[knightley-gambit]

[ *> Horace busied himself in perfecting the board setup. it wasn’t very often he got to play 1:1 with Simeon. every time he had the chance to however, he would make sure it counted. ]

[ *> even if it did end in his loss nearly every time. ]

”nah, i’m good like this. better to get used to it anyways for the future, yeah?”

[ *> Horace makes his first move, one pawn moves up two. ]

[it’s been so long since i’ve played chess kiji, i don’t remember the game rules aside from the specific piece movements😞 pls excuse my inability to describe the plays <3]

{BEFORE KNIGHTLEY'S DEATH; AT A PRISON VISIT}

"Hey, Knightley. I, um, got you a gift I thought you'd like."

-- Simon Keyes !!! (@people-can-be-tamed)

" no way,, really?

i will, what’d you bring? "

[knightley-gambit]

[ *> Horace doesn’t even wait a second. He grabs the pocket chess set off his desk, and brings it back over. ]

“yes! see, I was banking on there being a bit of space, but the bars are in the way. That sucks.”

“but, of course adaptation is an important aspect of chess, I can make it work. here, take a seat, take a seat.”

[ *> Horace maneuvers the board between the bars and sets it open on the floor in front of Simeon. Figured he could atleast make it a bit easy for Simeon to play, he could play through the bars anyways. ]

[ *> He sets it up so that the white pawns go to him, while the black pawns are to Simeon. ]

{BEFORE KNIGHTLEY'S DEATH; AT A PRISON VISIT}

"Hey, Knightley. I, um, got you a gift I thought you'd like."

-- Simon Keyes !!! (@people-can-be-tamed)

" no way,, really?

i will, what’d you bring? "

[knightley-gambit]

“better if you don’t, it wouldn’t be a good game otherwise”

“Speaking of which, you don’t have do go yet, do ya? what about a game? right here, right now!”

[ *> Horace is trying to not look as excited as he feels about the possibility of playing a game of Chess with Simeon. he’s failing miserably. ]

[ *> He’s controlling himself enough to just barely withhold himself from shaking in excitement. ]

{BEFORE KNIGHTLEY'S DEATH; AT A PRISON VISIT}

"Hey, Knightley. I, um, got you a gift I thought you'd like."

-- Simon Keyes !!! (@people-can-be-tamed)

" no way,, really?

i will, what’d you bring? "

[knightley-gambit]

Knightley RP blog, yes! 🥳

Okay, my burning question is what happened in the interrogation before you got killed? Did you recognise the warden? Did you figure out anything about the set up? Did you try to explain your innocence (in this particular matter)?

“You really want me to talk about that? alright.”

“Well, i didn’t know who she was, just that she was the warden. Doubt she knew who I was either. She was super jumpy when we were going to her office, then when we actually got there, all she did was interrogate me on Kanis. kept insisting I was playing correspondence chess with him, as far as I knew, I was playing against Simeon.”

“Guess she didn’t like my answers, ‘cuz something close to an hour went by of her and me arguing over evidence I knew nothing about, and she took Kanis’s knife and did me in.”

“In other words, I didn’t recognize her, was completely in the dark about the setup, and tried to.”

[knightley-gambit]

[ *> Horace has a stupid smile on his face when he looks up. stupid idiot loves chess. ]

”Heh, kidding? ‘course!”

“i’ll be looking forward to your next move now, i’ll even beat you this time, got that?”

{BEFORE KNIGHTLEY'S DEATH; AT A PRISON VISIT}

"Hey, Knightley. I, um, got you a gift I thought you'd like."

-- Simon Keyes !!! (@people-can-be-tamed)

" no way,, really?

i will, what’d you bring? "

[knightley-gambit]

“woah— wait, really?”

[ *> Horace takes the book gently, like some precious treasure. ]

[ *> he flips through it a bit, muttering moves and minor comments to himself. ]

{BEFORE KNIGHTLEY'S DEATH; AT A PRISON VISIT}

"Hey, Knightley. I, um, got you a gift I thought you'd like."

-- Simon Keyes !!! (@people-can-be-tamed)

" no way,, really?

i will, what’d you bring? "

[knightley-gambit]

{BEFORE KNIGHTLEY'S DEATH; AT A PRISON VISIT}

"Hey, Knightley. I, um, got you a gift I thought you'd like."

-- Simon Keyes !!! (@people-can-be-tamed)

" no way,, really?

i will, what’d you bring? "