"Lucien has a set."

"No?"

Tattletale retrieves the set from the bottom of a closet. 

"Cool, who wants to be on whose team?"

"Lucien wants to be on your team and Aisha doesn't want to play, so the other team is me and Taylor."

Tattletale smirks.

"Suits me." She starts setting up next to Lucien. "You'll have to offer one of us choice of pawns, either of you could be cheating."

"I would not in fact cheat. I'm not even how I would if I wanted to - but sure."

"Fly on the wall would watch them get mixed up." She points at a hand and gets black.

Taylor still gives a fuck about secrecy and so will not comment on how she can't actually do that. She grew up playing chess against her parents but is out of practice, though she plays rather well despite this.

Tattletale is not going to use her power to cheat. Though she will smile knowingly when someone is about to make a move and smirk when she loses a piece, as if it's all part of some greater plan. 

Lorica is only a mediocre chess player but she is pretty good at using the pieces Lucien passes her to put her opponent in troublesome forks.

Lucien is, apparently, really good at chess.

And Aisha is also there. 

"I hope you aren't bored," Lorica remarks to Aisha once, handing Lucien one of Taylor's bishops.

Aisha startles.

Someone noticed her! Again!

"Sorry, I can, uh, stop trying to include you if you prefer."

Aisha shrugs.

"Don't worry 'bout her, she'll be fine."

This is a lie but it's the lie Aisha needs to hear right now. Tattletale is actually pretty worried Aisha'll just up and disappear someday and never talk to anyone again - Regent's death hit her hard. She'd be helping Aisha more except she has a whole goddamn city to run - doesn't help that she can't remember Aisha exists most of the time. Brian might be helpful, except for how he threw himself into managing his territory rather than actually fucking recovering from Bonesaw. 

"Okay." She moves a rook.

Oh right, the game. Sure, she can make a move.

Lucien hands Tattletale's queen to Lorica.

"Nice, thanks."

"Tattetale should get most of the credit, really"

"Thanks for the queen, Tattletale, I'll make good use of her. Check."

Goddammit Tattletale.

Taylor has enough time left to think for a moment. Without conscious thought a few bugs land on each of her pieces, tracking their positions.